Last Movie you Watched?

Well I really like the other 95 percent of the film. :D

Like Wade, I'm not 100% in favor of the ending.

The alternative to the actual ending could have been just as bleak.

Overall, I enjoy the film, though. I'd say it's Spielberg's best since "Close Encounters", and he really hasn't made anything exceptional since "AI".

I ain't seen AI in ten years. May need to check it out again.

The Rose Tattoo (1955) Dir. Daniel Mann

Hmmm - wasnt exactly pulled in like most reviewers say they are. Probably because what everyone seems to love, I was a bit indifferent to: Wong Howe's oscar winning cinematography didnt strike me as too amazing (save for a few scenes), and I just wasnt taken in by Anna Magnani. Everyone says she radiates with a beautiful wondrous performance, which is probably true, but I struggle to take in performances when I find the character she's playing a cantankerous, self-wallowing bitch. When he comes in in the second half, Burt Lancaster plays an absolute buffoon and the comedic aspect of it all just doesnt play well. Thank god Marisa Pavan's there.

ambler wrote:

Rewatched The Bourne Supremacy. Somewhat to my surprise it didn't impress me as much as on previous viewings. Right now, I'd say The Bourne Identity is the superior film - less flashy and lower budget ergo more human.

I always thought Identity was superior. I'm not familiar with the details of the situation, but I was surprised Liman did not return for the sequel. I don't hold Greengrass in such high regard.

FWIW, this is what Wiki has to say about the change of director:

Quote :

The producers replaced director Doug Liman. This was mainly due to the difficulties Liman had with the studio when making the first film, and their unwillingness to work with him again.

Salomé wrote:

ambler wrote:

Rewatched The Bourne Supremacy. Somewhat to my surprise it didn't impress me as much as on previous viewings. Right now, I'd say The Bourne Identity is the superior film - less flashy and lower budget ergo more human.

I always thought Identity was superior. I'm not familiar with the details of the situation, but I was surprised Liman did not return for the sequel. I don't hold Greengrass in such high regard.

FWIW, this is what Wiki has to say about the change of director:

Quote :

The producers replaced director Doug Liman. This was mainly due to the difficulties Liman had with the studio when making the first film, and their unwillingness to work with him again.

Yes, I saw that. Seems the budget was not so small after all! Apparently Identity was the proverbial 'difficult film' and the original ending was dumped. Oddly enough, the current ending is the least satisfactory part of Identity.

I see Liman still received an executive producer's credit on Supremacy. (maybe Ultimatum too? Haven't seen that since it came out.) I assume he has some controlling interest in the rights to the Ludlum novels that prevented him being locked out altogether.

Arkadin wrote:

THE AVENGERS (1998, dir. Jeremiah Chechik)

Just dreadful. A tedious script mixed with miscast leads and flat, almost television-grade direction. Even the generally talented Joel McNeely turns in a generic, David Arnold-grade score. Deserves all the hate it gets.

Read an article recently about where this and the Prisoner remake went wrong ... it mentioned that one of The Avengers' big misjudgments was having Eddie Izzard's character say 'Fuck'.

Blunt Instrument wrote:

Arkadin wrote:

THE AVENGERS (1998, dir. Jeremiah Chechik).

Read an article recently about where this and the Prisoner remake went wrong ... it mentioned that one of The Avengers' big misjudgments was having Eddie Izzard's character say 'Fuck'.

Sounds interesting, Blunt. Is it online?

Jack Wade wrote:

Giving David the chance to see his mother again was the sentimental part.

Is it? Giving David a zombie mother who has lost a good portion of her memories, so much so that she's lost a good part of who she is, and therefore loves David. David doesn't get a real mother. He gets wish fulfillment, exactly what other people were looking for from him; the entire film gives us example after example of how unthinking David's creation has been. But as the film has shown us time and time again, David is entirely unable to distinguish fantasy from reality. He's given exactly what he wants, but it's 2000 years too late, and it only serves to underline the fatal flaws behind his design and in his owners/creators/caregivers.

That final pull-out shot, as David shuts himself down--nothing left to live for after just a single day--and Teddy is left alone in a future where humanity has long since died out, and we reveal the artificial house (it's just like the end of SOLARIS, in fact) is a marvelous way to end it.

Jack Wade wrote:

As it stands, the film's resolution seemed a little gimmicky (luckily Teddy and David managed to freeze for 2,000 years and hold on to that hair) and just didn't fit as well for me as I would have liked.

It's a fairy tale story done with sci-fi dross. Kubrick always referred to the film as PINOCCHIO, and this was his way of rewriting and subverting that classic narrative. Fairytales are full of such gimmicks.

Jack Wade wrote:

I'm actually surprised to learn it was Kubrick's ending. I would have expected something a little less "crowd-pleasing," though that's probably not the best phrase to describe it.

I just think it's not a "crowd-pleasing" ending. It's a very dark one. It only seems sentimental if you're unwilling to approach that ending from anyone else's perspective than David's. But if you read the ending in context of how the film has developed the story up until that point, what it has suggested about its characters, it's positively devastating.

Other endings Kubrick considered including Monica being an abusive alcoholic for the first part of the film, and the ending of the film being David making her special drink, just the way she liked it. Or Monica being nothing more than a hologram, and David being unable to hug her. But it was pointed out to Kubrick that a fairy tale quest needs fulfillment, so Kubrick attempted to construct something very ambiguous, something that would satisfy the requirements of the fairytale form while preserving his darker intentions. As such, the ending is only happy if you refuse to think about it, but throughout the film offers constant prodding and questions inviting us to dig deeper, such as that chilling line: "All the problems seemed to have disappeared from his mommy's mind. There was no Henry, there was no Martin, there was no grief, there was only David." In other words, Monica only loves David in an artificial dream-world where real-life concerns are removed from the picture.

ambler wrote:

Apparently Identity was the proverbial 'difficult film' and the original ending was dumped.

Are we referring to the "deleted ending" that's on the DVD set? If so, good thing it was cut. It's terrible.

Arkadin wrote:

ambler wrote:

Apparently Identity was the proverbial 'difficult film' and the original ending was dumped.

Are we referring to the "deleted ending" that's on the DVD set? If so, good thing it was cut. It's terrible.

I haven't seen it. What happens? And why is it terrible?

Mr. Brown wrote:

Like Wade, I'm not 100% in favor of the ending.

The alternative to the actual ending could have been just as bleak.

Overall, I enjoy the film, though. I'd say it's Spielberg's best since "Close Encounters", and he really hasn't made anything exceptional since "AI".

One word: MUNICH.

Very fine film.

Munich is far superior to A.I. Though there are certain typical Spielberg scenes that irk me. He would be helped by some more subtlety. The worst of the bunch is the scene between Avner and the Palestinian at the safe house. He not only feels the need to spell it out for us, he practically shoves it down our throat.

But I consider A.I. a terrible mess.

Starship Troopers

Really good film. Not quite Robocop, but certainly Verhoeven's best since then. I like that the characters exist in the grey relm, where they are kinda sympathetic and kinda not, namely Xander and Ace. Those two and others evolve from experiences, which is more than you can say for most action movies. Also, Michael Ironside. Some of the casting is inspired (psychic Nazi NPH), while others are downright hilarious (brilliant pilot and math wiz Denise Richards). I can only buy the Denise Richards casting due to the satirical tone of the rest of the movie.

What's scary is, for a couple of years (2001-2003ish), we where living in Starship Troopers.

Sharky wrote:

One word: MUNICH.

Very fine film.

Very shit film. The manner in which Jeanette is killed is thoroughly objectionable. Show us your tits, love. Bang.

Tubes wrote:

Starship Troopers Really good film.

Yep, now that is a classic. Verhoeven's oeuvre looks better with every passing year.

ambler wrote:

Blunt Instrument wrote:

Arkadin wrote:

THE AVENGERS (1998, dir. Jeremiah Chechik).

Read an article recently about where this and the Prisoner remake went wrong ... it mentioned that one of The Avengers' big misjudgments was having Eddie Izzard's character say 'Fuck'.

Sounds interesting, Blunt. Is it online?

http://www.sfx.co.uk/2011/03/28/best-of-british-special-on-sale-today/

I read it in that, ambler ... not sure if it's online anywhere.

Blunt Instrument wrote:

http://www.sfx.co.uk/2011/03/28/best-of-british-special-on-sale-today/

I read it in that, ambler ... not sure if it's online anywhere.

Cheers, Blunt. Your name rhymes with Rave, by the way.

Christ, I'm pissed.

Salomé wrote:

Munich is far superior to A.I.

Nah. MUNICH is decent, but A.I. is the more compelling, interesting bit of work.

ambler wrote:

Sharky wrote:

One word: MUNICH.

Very fine film.

Shit film. The manner in which Jeanette is killed is thoroughly objectionable. Show us your tits, love. Bang.

It's done with honest brutality. Not trivialised or turned into violence porn. The murder is meant to be objectionable, but it's dealt with fleetingly, as it should.

However, that isn't went where the crux of the film lies. It's at its finest when it delves into the dichotomy of Avner's obligation, and his spiritual and cultural heritage - past/future and present. Caught at a crossroads.

ambler wrote:

Christ, I'm pissed.

Isn't it a bit early?

Sharky wrote:

ambler wrote:

Sharky wrote:

One word: MUNICH.

Very fine film.

Shit film. The manner in which Jeanette is killed is thoroughly objectionable. Show us your tits, love. Bang.

It's done with honest brutality. Not trivialised or turned into violence porn.

Phil French disagrees with you.

Quote :

We are drawn into an erotic complicity with them when they confront a beautiful freelance assassin at her home on a barge in Holland. She has killed a comrade of theirs, possibly on a contract for the KGB, and now they've come to extract revenge. Naked beneath her housecoat after emerging from a shower, she attempts to distract them by revealing her breasts. They pump a couple of bullets into her using silencers, and after she's staggered around, they give her the coup de grâce as her nude body slumps in a chair. It's like something out of Mickey Spillane.

Sharky wrote:

ambler wrote:

Christ, I'm pissed.

Isn't it a bit early?

Far too early.

It as though Mr. French has zoned in on that scene, and taken it out of context with regard to the rest of the film. Not seeing the wood from the trees.

And it isn't porn. The killing isn't lingered on, nor is it designed to gratify.

I wrote a similar scene in a shitty Bond fan fiction story from many years ago. Only difference was that Bond fucked her before eliminating her the next day. After a few people read it, and were disgusted with it, I ended up taking it out. I haven't written a story since, though Tarantino, Rodriguez, and/or Roth may be open to using the idea.

My point is that I should probably call a lawyer.


Regarding "Munich", I never really liked it. Even in my Spielberg fanboy days. I think it's quite generic, and really could have been shot by any mediocre director in the industry. I think the best scene of the film is when the daughter of one of the targets interrupts the assassination plots. On the other hand, I especially hated the sex scenes cut with the scenes of the hostages being killed.

My Schpielberger-o-meter reads as:

1. Duel
2. Close Encounters
3. Jaws
4. Minority Report
5. AI

Quote :

On the other hand, I especially hated the sex scenes cut with the scenes of the hostages being killed.

Why? The whole point is that even during the intimate act of love, he can't escape the event. It's powerful, and wholly relevant imagery, but if one takes it out of context, like the killing of the honeypot agent, it becomes obscene and sensationalist, when it's anything but that.

Personally I don't all get the love for DUEL. Sure, it's resourceful and compact, but it doesn't have much to say. It's a good technical exercise, but Spielberg's gone on to direct far more challenging and rewarding work.

The Bourne Identity (2002)



Not very "mind-blowing" or anything as many people praise, but still a good spy story with a complex story that rounds up perfectly 'till the end but leaves a satisfying cliffhanger. The car chase scene is definitely one of the most enjoyable action scenes from the last 11 years.

7.5/10


Doug Liman Countdown:
1. The Bourne Identity (2002)
2. Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005)
3. Jumper (2008)



Misery (1990)



Holy f**c :shock: , Kathy Bates played a one twisted b*tch. First she's just a nice, warm-heart nurse, and then she breaks your legs just because. I don't think I can ever relate to nurses likely anymore. I keed. I keed.

9/10


Rob Reiner Countdown:
1. This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
2. Stand By Me (1986)
3. Misery (1990)
4. When Harry Met Sally... (1989)
5. A Few Good Men (1992)
6. The American President (1995)
7. The Story of Us (1999)



Full Metal Jacket (1987)



"Were you borned as fat slimy scumbag, you piece-of-shit private Pyle, or did you have to work on it?!"

I know that I'm going to piss someone off by saying this: I love this frikkin' flick! Shows without avoiding anything the process when young men are turned into unhuman killing machines and sent to die far away from home. Although the training camp part is the crown jewel of this film, it still keeps going even when coming to Vietnam. R. Lee Ermey is stupidly awesome as the shit-talking drill sergeant (every time he insults someone, I can't do anything but laugh) and Vincent D´Onofrio is perfect as the clumsy and fat private Pyle who ultimately loses his mind. Overall the most hilarious but also hard-hearted Vietnam potrayal, that always makes me laugh (I know, I have issues) but also think about humanity's stupidity.

9/10


Stanley Kubrick Countdown:
1. Dr. Strangelove Or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
2. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
3. The Shining (1980)
4. Full Metal Jacket (1987)
5. A Clockwork Orange (1971)
6. Spartacus (1960)
7. Eyes Wide Shut (1999)

The Italian Job (1969)

the balls. Caine, Minis, an Aston, Quincy Jones, cracking car chase and one of the best endings of any movie.