Last Movie You Watched? 7.0

The Artist (2011)

It is what it is, a post modern frivolity. But for what it is, I liked it. I at least enjoyed it and thought that as a viewing experience it went down easy. It does what it sets out to do, and from that standpoint my only real complaint is the use of Herrmann. Not only is it not appropriate for the film, it doesn't even remotely fit the footage it's tracked to. When that music starts THE ARTIST is instantly transformed from a skilled professional's tribute to silent cinema into a shitty student film project. It also shines a harsh light on the film's original music score.

So, I enjoyed the film for what it is. But I'd rather just watch a genuine film from the period, as opposed to this modern thing that just tries to ape the style.

But hey, I liked it more than nearly every Best Picture winner of the last 10 years.

EDIT ADDON: Forgot to mention the lighting, production design, and cast. All top notch, I thought. If nothing else, the film looks great. I'm sure most of the DP's in the business are envious of being able to shoot this film.

Quote :

It also shines a harsh light on the film's original music score.

How so?

Largo's Shark wrote:

Quote :

It also shines a harsh light on the film's original music score.

How so?

If by chance you aren't being ironic, we go from a pretty standard music score to Bernard MotherFucking Herrmann. It's like eating microwave burritos and then taking a bite of some $200 rare, handmade desert item from some world class Parisian restaurant. And then going back to eating the burritos.

Herrmann's music was too good for that film, to be honest.

It's sort of like when a YouTube filmmaker inserts John Williams music into their mediocre drama. The music ends up being better than the entire scene, and the footage doesn't match the quality of the music.

I liked THE ARTIST, though. It didn't pretend to be anything other than a silent film.

I thought it was smug and "ironic." They should have replaced Herrmann with Alanis Morissette.

Largo's Shark wrote:

I thought it was smug and "ironic."

The film or the sequence?

I dunno, I didn't find the film to be very offensive or to be anything to get my edible panties in a bunch over.

The White Tuxedo wrote:

You mean between Clooney's wife dying and Clooney finding the sumbitch who was screwing his wife? I'd say the main focus is Clooney overall, with these two stories (and the land deal) all tying into it.

It's not a movie I'd watch again, but I enjoyed it.

No, that story is one for me. The other is the whole land story.

THE ARTIST is likable fluff.

Harmsway wrote:

THE ARTIST is fluff.

Damn right.

I watched the first hour of LIMITLESS on Netflix Instant, but I became more and more bored by it and shut it off. It feels like a cable movie.

THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM (2007)

100x better than both CASINO ROYALE and QUANTUM OF SOLACE, in my opinion. No wonder why EON is ripping off these films.

I'd rank them as:

SUPREMACY
IDENTITY
ULTIMATUM


Looking forward to seeing LEGACY, but I'm not sure how it's going to match up with the ending/storyline of ULTIMATUM.

Star Trek : Nemesis - now I know this isn't exactly, erm, held in high regard by the diehard Trek fans around here, but I like it OK. It's admittedly flawed (if you want Data's 'sacrifice' to mean something, don't set up his replacement) but there's worse big-screen Trek (Final Frontier, I'm looking at you).

Ted - this could've used a little 'tightening-up' maybe, and not every gag works. But there's a pleasantly high hit-rate of those that do, the CGI work on Ted himself is seamless, and there's a nicely unexpected Bond reference.

The White Tuxedo wrote:

I watched the first hour of LIMITLESS on Netflix Instant, but I became more and more bored by it and shut it off. It feels like a cable movie.

You spared yourself - It progressively gets worse the longer it goes on and then just when you think there will be a twist to vindicate the labour you have endured it simply moves to the next level of banal superficiality (if there is such a word).

Control wrote:

THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM (2007)

100x better than both CASINO ROYALE and QUANTUM OF SOLACE, in my opinion. No wonder why EON is ripping off these films.

I'd rank them as:

SUPREMACY
IDENTITY
ULTIMATUM


Looking forward to seeing LEGACY, but I'm not sure how it's going to match up with the ending/storyline of ULTIMATUM.

I'll rent it. I had the DVD's, and I sorta regret selling them because I'll have to rent those too when I see LEGACY.

I watched them in 2010, and I ranked 'em...

IDENTITY
ULTIMATUM
SUPREMACY

I prefered Liman's style to Greengrass'. And while ULT was a rehash of the first two, I liked it better than SUP. Why? I forget.

Watched SPELLBOUND in the cinema. Fantastic to see it on the big screen - quite an old print (at least twenty years old based on the BFI logo at the start) but certainly better than watching it on DVD. It's probably my favourite Hitchcock film. The only problem was watching it with an audience of mentally retarded middle-class s***s who laugh at things that aren't even remotely funny (including the famous gun shot, even before the tacky flash of red, and any moment in which Peck and Bergman embrace).

HJackson wrote:

Watched SPELLBOUND in the cinema. Fantastic to see it on the big screen - quite an old print (at least twenty years old based on the BFI logo at the start) but certainly better than watching it on DVD. It's probably my favourite Hitchcock film. The only problem was watching it with an audience of mentally retarded middle-class s***s who laugh at things that aren't even remotely funny (including the famous gun shot, even before the tacky flash of red, and any moment in which Peck and Bergman embrace).

Herein lies the biggest problem with seeing amovie at the cinema....the audience. I do concede some surprise however as I would expect a film like Spellbound to draw a better than average quality of audience. Awesome film though, I'd love to see it on the big screen.

SPELLBOUND is your favorite Hitchcock? It didn't make a big impression on me. Aside from the dream sequence, of course.

I've only seen SPELLBOUND once, and like Tux, I didn't love it. I should see it again, though.

I'm seeing VERTIGO on the big screen on Wednesday. Can't wait.

Harmsway wrote:

I'm seeing VERTIGO on the big screen on Wednesday. Can't wait.

Nice.

The White Tuxedo wrote:

I watched the first hour of LIMITLESS on Netflix Instant, but I became more and more bored by it and shut it off. It feels like a cable movie.

Just saw that you saw this. You were smart to turn it off. It's terrible.

Carlito's Way

Much more mature and compelling than SCARFACE. Set design and cinematography are excellent again, (even) better than in most De Palma films. It's hardly corny or camp. It blends good characterizations and suspenseful scenes very well. Pacino's best performance in a post 70s film I've seen him in so far. Didn't recognize fucking Sean Penn. Even if I had read his name on the DVD cover; I had forgotten about his involvement as soon as the film began. The dubbed version would have cost me 30 €, so I ordered the English only DVD from DVD.co.uk (5,xx €); I chose English subtitles for support (it partly distracts from the picture, but I got enough to love the visuals). Great way of getting rid of one's criminal lawyer; didn't have to do it himself. I wanted to write more, but forgot what to say. Great tense sequence at the subway station; highly ironic ending. Original Pacino is better than dubbed Pacino. Did I mention that the film looks great? It's top drawer De Palma.


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

Harmsway wrote:

The White Tuxedo wrote:

I watched the first hour of LIMITLESS on Netflix Instant, but I became more and more bored by it and shut it off. It feels like a cable movie.

Just saw that you saw this. You were smart to turn it off. It's terrible.

I had been watching episodes of INSIDE THE ACTOR'S STUDIO, including the one with Bradley Cooper as the guest (as opposed to his sitting in the audience years ago), and that's why I just sorta picked it. It's kinda stupid. And it's got that myth that we only use a certain percentage of our brains. To my understanding, we only use a certain percentage at a time. Just a dialogue tweak would have fixed that. And it also shows that the screenwriter did no research. And it's about a story about a writer. That should be an immediate death sentence for any young screenwriter.

I don't even think the idea is explored well in what I saw.

Manhunter wrote:

Carlito's Way

One of my top endings in any movie.

The White Tuxedo wrote:

I don't even think the idea is explored well in what I saw.

LIMITLESS' conceives of supergenius as being what consumeristic, hedonistic contemporary American culture considers the "ideal" male to be: well-dressed, wealthy, suave, sexy. What a woefully boring conception of super-intelligence.

Of all the stories they could tell with that concept...

Must have helped the budget.

Seagal's most violent film, Killswitch....2 of the best scenes...hey, I couldn't say no to getting 9 of his films for $20 :face: