Last Movie You Watched? 7.0

Hilly wrote:

Secret of my Success

a film so 80's it makes John Hughes' output seem Shakespearian. Or some guff. I honestly watched for Richard Jordan and it's surprising he did this film saying he didn't seem to be one for doing films for the sake of it. Maybe he needed a swimming pool. Indeed, lookout, there's Fred Gwynne though curiously my thought of his heyday flashed to his appearance as "The Stomach" in Bilko.
Jordan gave his all which is what he always did and funnily I want to check out The Friends of Eddie Coyle etc.
You know I entertain the notion of this Raise the Titanic remake and thinking of someone 'plain enough' or such guff for Pitt I now think of Ron Livingston. It's I hope a better plain than my Siddig/Batman suggestion.

look squirrel.

When I want to watch Richard Jordan act, I pick Logan's Run and Rooster Cogburn.

As for me, I saw the best new film I've seen in a cinema this year:



A fascinating documentary from the brilliant Dinesh D'Souza. While its views definitely lean to the right, it's actually much fairer and even-sided that one might think and a must-see for both critics and supporters of the President alike.

I imagine it was better than that propaganda piece, THE ROAD WE'VE TRAVELED.

Control wrote:

I imagine it was better than that propaganda piece, THE ROAD WE'VE TRAVELED.

Not familiar with that one. Here's a couple of websites affiliated with the film:

http://2016themovie.com/

http://www.dineshdsouza.com/

The interview D'Souza had with Obama's half-brother George was particularly interesting.

The Naked Spur (1953)

Generally said to be the best of the Mann/Stewart westerns. Maybe it is, these films blur together for me. I don't think any one of them would be in my Top 10 list of westerns, but as a group of films they're really great.

I like that this one has only five people, plus some misc. Indian pistol fodder.

NAKED SPUR is the only one I haven't seen in that cycle, but MAN FROM LARAMIE is my favourite of the rest. The more I seen of Mann, the more I like him. Even T-MEN, with its crappy narration (and in the wretched condition I saw it), was sublime. I have DEVIL'S DOORWAY ready to watch soon. I've heard it's interesting.

Mission to Mars

A wonderful film overall, and thankfully straight. No gunning of aliens, but rather a philosophical approach to the subject. Great visuals, fine score, and some really moving sequences (unseen in a De Palma film so far). No wonder Armond loves it,

Spoiler:

CARRIE
BLOW OUT
OBSESSION
CARLITO'S WAY
MISSION TO MARS
PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE
THE BLACK DAHLIA
RAISING CAIN
SISTERS
FEMME FATALE
THE UNTOUCHABLES
SCARFACE
MISSION IMPOSSIBLE
CASUALTIES OF WAR

Glad to see I'm not the only here who loves MISSION TO MARS.

HJackson wrote:

NAKED SPUR is the only one I haven't seen in that cycle, but MAN FROM LARAMIE is my favourite of the rest. The more I seen of Mann, the more I like him. Even T-MEN, with its crappy narration (and in the wretched condition I saw it), was sublime. I have DEVIL'S DOORWAY ready to watch soon. I've heard it's interesting.

I'd like to see DEVIL'S DOORWAY, but the DVD is pricey here. One of those Warner Archive DVDs.

Interesting, THE MAN FROM LARAMIE might be my least favorite. Spawned an amusing song, though.



A better Mann western-inspired song:



Gonna see the "Ranown cycle" soon, too. I've seen two of them, I think.

Prince Kamal Khan wrote:

look squirrel.

When I want to watch Richard Jordan act, I pick Logan's Run and Rooster Cogburn.




Haven't seen Cogburn in ages but yes Logan's but I'd add Gettysburg and Red October. Maybe even Raise the Titanic.

Up in the Air

second viewing, the first I quite liked but this time just dulled me. Even the presence, albeit brief, of Sam Elliot and Anna Kendrick to some vague point did nothing much. Part of me thinks in some weird way it could've worked as a lightish 70s movie with Jack Klugman, a bitchin' soundtrack, Don Rickles and something.

Looks like 1100 replies is the limit for these threads.

EDIT-First post edited with links to past threads.

Hilly wrote:

Up in the Air

second viewing, the first I quite liked but this time just dulled me. Even the presence, albeit brief, of Sam Elliot and Anna Kendrick to some vague point did nothing much. Part of me thinks in some weird way it could've worked as a lightish 70s movie with Jack Klugman, a bitchin' soundtrack, Don Rickles and something.

Yes, exactly what I thought. "This needs Klugman."

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011)

I enjoyed the first one, even if Holmes is transformed into a misfit ninja, but this one lost me halfway through. It also went overboard on the bullet time. The first film seemed to strike the right balance, but this one... I'd say probably too action-focused. The first one had a plot one could follow.

I liked Jared Harris. I wish Rachel McAdams had been in more of the film. Noomi Repace didn't make an impression. Kelly Reilly did make an impression, in my pants.

I'd give a third one a chance, but...

Spoiler:

Doesn't sound promising.

The White Tuxedo wrote:

Hilly wrote:

Up in the Air

second viewing, the first I quite liked but this time just dulled me. Even the presence, albeit brief, of Sam Elliot and Anna Kendrick to some vague point did nothing much. Part of me thinks in some weird way it could've worked as a lightish 70s movie with Jack Klugman, a bitchin' soundtrack, Don Rickles and something.

Yes, exactly what I thought. "This needs Klugman."
.

facepalm my man, facepalm.

It's funny how the mind works. All this jetsetting, stick it in the 70s around the time the old buzzard was doing Quincy or indeed any actor of the time, make it a downright comedy rather than some Charlie Kaufman type etc film.

I mean it's not like I have a Star Trek series idea or something. Just a bit of random fun. :*sm*:

What UP IN THE AIR needed was George Kennedy.

The White Tuxedo wrote:

What UP IN THE AIR needed was George Kennedy.

That's the one.

Even present day barely acting Kennedy would've been a bonus.

What a depressing movie. And that was just Airport '77

Vera Farmiga's a plus. Kendrick I found irritating.

The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934)

Comparing it to the remake? Well, the suspense sequences in '56 are much more polished. Several plot elements are better handled. '56 has an infinitely superior finale than '34's rather pedestrian shoot-out.

I do like the energy of '34 more than '56 in some ways. '56 has a dry patch for me once they hit London and Stewart searches for Ambrose Chapel. I wish the dentist sequence had survived to the remake. Hitch would have stretched it out (along with other scenes) and done it better in '56.

But '34 has Lorre. '56 lacks a good villain. Bernard Miles is a bit of a snooze to me. Of course, that helps to keep the audience off his scent before the son is kidnapped, but I think it hurts the film later. Not sure who would have been right for the part, though. Someone very kindly, who could then be very sinister whilst maintaining a kindly manner.

The two films equal out for me. '56 is more polished and the Hitchcock Touch is more dexterous, but I can't judge '34 too harshly because Hitch wasn't as experienced, and for 1934 this must have been the bee's knees. At least his next film would be a giant step up.

I watched this on a five dollar Hitch set with his public domain stuff. I wish Criterion would make a set of some of these films that are hard to come by in good releases.

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)



Really enjoyed this. Actually aching to give it another watch (though I'm thinking of giving THE SPY WHO CAME IN FROM THE COLD a rewatch tomorrow morning). Oldman and Hurt steal the show, but the rest of the cast is just fine. As far as spy films go, this is probably one of the best.

Sorcerer (1977)



I can see why this wasn't a massive hit at the time, but it's a shame that what is essentially a very good movie meant the beginning of the end of Friedkin's career. He wasn't helped by the fact that Star Wars was released around the same time, of course. I get the feeling that had he released it a year earlier with a more bankable lead, it could have been another triumph for him.

The Far Country (1954)

The most enjoyable of the Mann/Stewart westerns to me. And it's great to see it in widescreen as opposed to open matte. It looks better and is just a slightly better movie.

John McIntire totally owns in this movie. He's based on a guy named Soapy Smith, whose life deserves a movie. I think a couple have been made.

Lili Marleen

The use of set design, lighting, camera in all form or shape, music, and editing are nothing short of brilliant. The story about the song which the Nazis used to bemuse their own soldiers, also a love story between a female German singer and a Jewish composer and conductor, is well written and told with a controlled ironic undertone that precludes melodrama.
The male lead's face seemd familiar to me, until I realized it belonged to a young Mathis. Gottfried John has a role, too. The acting is fine by all involved, Schygulla and Giannini in particular. The ironic counterpointing of the music and amusement scenes, as well as the romance, with the raging war works very well. Sets, lighting, and other aforementioned elements and techniques perfectly accompany story, character mood/state of mind etc. This the fourth Fassbinder movie I've seen is immediately one of my absolute favourites of all time.
I could marvel at every single shot of the film for a long time, and the whole moving beast looks gorgeous as well.

I am not sure as to how many pictures I am allowed to post here, especially in one single post, of one single film, (or two consecutive posts), but I like them so much I'll just start with some:




Guess who is in the room with the glistening light, usually used to indicate divinity - isn't it ironic?


Udo Kier!


The film features sinister characters...

...danger...

...sex...

...explosions...

...guns...


...Fassbinder...


...mirror images...


.. and last, but not least...

Midnight in Paris (2011)

I uploaded a video to the YouTubes to convey my thoughts: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAEReoNNMGo

Still not as bad as WES ANDERSON'S 9/11.

Ranking the Best Picture nominees I've seen...

1. THE DESCENDANTS
2. THE ARTIST
3. THE HELP
4. MIDNIGHT IN PARIS
4. EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE

At least THE HELP had Viola Davis and a couple good performances to make up for being a shameless White Guilt Trip. And I actually liked THE DESCENDANTS pretty well.

I'm currently watching GILDA.

Hayworth was unbelievable. What a woman.

My ranking of the 2011 noms, at least of the ones I actually saw.

1. THE DESCENDANTS
2. WAR HORSE
3. HUGO
4. MONEYBALL
5. THE HELP
6. MIDNIGHT IN PARIS

I think Sharky and I are the only two here that liked WAR HORSE. I know I'm the only one that enjoyed HUGO (I dunno, it just worked for me, and the 3D was pretty nifty in theaters). MONEYBALL is mostly elevated by Brad Pitt.

In my opinion THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO and TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY should have gotten noms, they would have topped my list.

Quote :

I think Sharky and I are the only two here that liked WAR HORSE.

I don't think anyone else here has seen WAR WHORES.

The White Tuxedo wrote:

Midnight in Paris (2011)

I uploaded a video to the YouTubes to convey my thoughts: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAEReoNNMGo

Still not as bad as WES ANDERSON'S 9/11.

4. EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE

.

it's like a Carry On, it has about four if not more alternative titles.