Last Movie You Watched? Mark 9

Beetlejuice is still a pretty (intentionally) funny film ... unfortunately after 30 years, much of the original Nightmare is now unintentionally so.

Godzilla (2014)

Meh.

Above Us the Waves

film detailing the derring-do exploits of the midget submarines against the battleship Tirpitz. It's a 'small' movie really but it's fairly typical of the 1950s. For one you have the late Donald Sinden, John Gregson and John Mills and you have attention to detail -the diving chamber at Gosport's RAF Dolphin/Fort Blockhole, filming at Portland submarine base and the rest. There's a bunch of familiar faces like Michael Medwin and the giant of the screen, James Robertson Justice.
The acting is typical, again, but brilliantly so I think. Sinden shows some of his Cruel Sea stoicism but also some of that cheeky smile from the previous year's Doctor in the House (also directed by Ralph Thomas), John Mills does his 'officer' bit contrasting to the 'everyman' type from Dunkirk and John Gregson much the same even if his Australian accent is a bit suspect.
You watch it and wonder, perhaps, if it was worth it in the end? Men died during the operation, two crews captured and Tirpitz was wounded. Yet, it took the 617 (Dambuster) Squadron to sink her in 1944. The men of the X-boats were nonetheless brave, recognised as such by the Tirpitz's captain.

---

and then I watched Tree of Life.

lachesis wrote:

Godzilla (2014)

Meh.

My thoughts exactly.

Xenia93 wrote:

lachesis wrote:

Godzilla (2014)

Meh.

My thoughts exactly.

Same for me. It had good intentions, and I think Edwards displayed some good sensibilities for a rookie director, but in the end it just didn't come together for me. And the characters were dreadfully boring.

Very interested to see what Edwards will do with Star Wars come 2016, though.

The Babadook - brilliantly creepy psychological horror. Superb central performance from Essie Davis as the beyond-frazzled mother, and 'Mr Babadook' is a truly malevolent presence.

The Swarm

haven't seen it in years and all that's done is dampen things somewhat. Sir Michael of Caine looks bored, irritated and the rest which manifests in delightful shouty moments: "You will kill the local insects!" What horror this was the first film I saw of Richard Widmark and made me a fan. So young, so stupid. Still, Widmark might be the best thing in the film. Like Caine (and others) he seems disappointed to be in this and just sort of goes with it, to the point of dying in the final moments.
It's a film of who's that and oh, [famous actor whose heyday might be past] is in it.
It does have Katharine Ross who looked a bit of alright in the day and a decent Jerry Goldsmith score.
Best death in the film is Richard Chamberlain who goes down in glorious slo-mo in some kind of Time Tunnel type set at a nuclear plant.
The glory days of Irwin Allen were over by this point, what the film needed was some kind of campy song to really send it over the edge.
I can only imagine a remake would be as bad.

Waterloo

it says a lot for Orson Welles or my thoughts on him that when he appears with very little to say and however briefly, he is captivating. Or maybe it's because he's a literal giant of the screen at this point. Whatever the film's problems as underscored by troubles mentioned by Plummer in his memoirs, it's not too bad and not too long for a film detailing such a historic moment.
Rod Steiger is impressive as Napoleon and Christopher Plummer as good as he can be as Wellington.
Will probably or perhaps get some more exposure neat year for the 200th anniversary of the battle.

Con Air (dir. Simon West)

Cheesy and contrived, poor acting (which I assume is because of direction as John Malkovich and John Cusack are usually quite solid) but fun.

5/10.

The Maltese Falcon (1941)

By gad sir what a film, what a fascinating and eclectic parade of characters.

9/10

Dracula (1979)

An interesting take on the tale, with some decent performances (particularly Langella and Nelligan) but somehow not quite the sum of its parts.....perhaps my all time favourite John Williams score though.

6/10

Interstellar - some stunning visuals, good 'in peril' stuff and decent chuckles. But meh, when it strains for profundity ... the 'reaching back across time and space' stuff is done more entertainingly (and a helluva lot quicker) in your average Doctor Who episode.

Fallen Angels (1995)

Pretty great.

Battle of the River Plate

You think of Powell & Pressburger, you think of films like Colonel Blimp, Matter of Life and Death or Red Shoes, but River Plate is assuredly P&P. A fine cast of actors and that includes the ships, the minor quibble is Graf Spee but that's by the bye. The build-up to the battle and engagement remains superb. Poor old Exeter taking a battering with Quayle's Horwood watching on...indeed you could pick at Quayle for the noises he makes but then it's more Horwood's frustration and emotion getting the better of him. From the "Give her the lot!" to "take that you beast!"
Bernard Lee on some form as indeed were Gregson (compare to say Genevieve, an underrated actor) and above all Finchy. Remember watching as a kid and being surprised that he was Australian.
Honourable mentions to George Murcell, Patrick Macnee, Anthony Newley ("When I'm done this side, turn me over") and Anthony Bushell amongst others.

The Wild Geese

enjoyable flick from start to end, personally a favourite scene is Roger Moore's intro with the drug fiend. If only there had been more of that hardness in Bond. If it's not Moore, there's Burton and Harris doing their bit and Hardy Kruger...for more Kruger if only. As the adage goes, you couldn't make this now. Or maybe you could, one of those straight to DVD Vinnie Jones type things.
The body count in the film verges on Where the Eagles Dare-ometer and no one but it seems Burton leaves unscathed. Like in Sea Wolves, Sir Roge can't make it to the end without a nick or two.

The Imitation Game - elegant, amusing and deeply moving biopic of Alan Turing. A testament to the fact that not all WW2's heroes 'saw action' and that not all of them were treated anything like they should've been after it was over.

Benedict Cumberbatch is superb as Turing, and he's ably supported by a cast of Brit 'stalwarts' including Keira Knightley, Charles Dance, Mark Strong and Rory Kinnear.

A return to that old favourite, Airport

it's a guilty pleasure I suppose, nothing too flash and parodied to death but enjoyable. Got to love the split screen stuff or the music or such lines as "Don't explode that bomb" prompting panic and above all, the cast. For me as a kid this was my first Dean Martin and Burt Lancaster film and yet in hindsight, with age etc, it's neither man's high point (or low point perhaps) and neither are firing at the top of their game. Lancaster never cared for it and indeed looks bored, yet I've always liked his character. Then of course George Kennedy but there's one of my favourite character guest actors, Whit Bissell, Barry Nelson as well and perhaps the films secret weapon, Snow Desk. "Trouble, trouble."
Little things tickle still, the priest crossing himself before slapping 24D or the emergency landing (parodied well enough in The Big Bus).

"And two feet in the ground!"

The Texas Dildo Massacre.

Love the XXX spoofs.

Now You See Me (2013)

Quite enjoyable psudo-heist movie, the main cast all perform well and the twist is clever enough to get you over some of the more unlikely moments leading up to it.

Tangentally - I also decided I'd like to see Ruffalo take on the role of Columbo should it be considered in the near future.

Bad Santa (2003)

Got drunk, watched this and laughed my ass off as usual.

Road to Morocco (1942)

still remains a sizzling comedy, a delight and hoot every-time. Foremost the Hope/Crosby interplay, the zingers that go back and forth, then the bits to camera, Hope's one-liners ("First time I've ever seen steam heat in print") or his expressions at certain points, or Dorothy Lamour and the old faithful straightman Anthony Quinn doing his best in what must have been strong opposition by the comic pair.
And the film contains what the BBC (as before episodes of Goon Show and Navy Lark) would call: "Stereotypical, dated accents for comic effect".

The Oranges (2011)

Hugh Laurie spends the whole film knowing he's made a terrible mistake. The girl doesn't get her tits out.

That's all you need to know.

Ouija (2014)

Once again, an enigma in the supernatural is somewhat ruined...although a friend did tell me she had a similar experience with a board she tried.

6/10...worth a watch if you're bored.

bitchcraft wrote:

Ouija (2014)

Once again, an enigma in the supernatural is somewhat ruined...although a friend did tell me she had a similar experience with a board she tried.

6/10...worth a watch if you're bored.

Get board if bored?

Erica Ambler wrote:

bitchcraft wrote:

Ouija (2014)

Once again, an enigma in the supernatural is somewhat ruined...although a friend did tell me she had a similar experience with a board she tried.

6/10...worth a watch if you're bored.

Get board if bored?

Only if you get credits, and a decent payout, when the sequel is made based on your experience...

A Christmas Carol

the first Christmas film of the year is the 1984 adaptation with George C. Scott. Perhaps the best one, if not top three. Powerful performance by Scott, lives and breathes the novel. He sunk his teeth in and never let go.

and then onto Jurassic Park which I started last night. The books had been on my to-read pile for a while and the recent JW teaser pushed them up to top spot. Read the book many times and watching the film this time round found more enjoyment in Attenborough's performance though wishing Hammond had been more like the book. In the film Hammond has the traits but is somehow softer and the Scottish accent seems to come and go.
In a way I wish the film or the recent film (I didn't even realise JW is a continuation) had been closer to the books dark tone and violence. Crichton said he edited out bits and toned down the violence, yet somehow I think it could've made a bit of a difference. I guess JP was caught between thriller and children's film.
Aside from Sam Neill, Dern and Goldblum there's particular delight in Samuel L. Johnson (somehow always forget he's in it) and Bob Peck. That little smile on Muldoon's face as the T-Rex finally gives up the chase or the grim acceptance before the 'clever girl' Raptor kills him. Shame Muldoon doesn't make it like in the book or even Hammond getting his just desserts.
No matter, the film holds up well enough and the CGI/model-work is good bearing in mind it's 21 years ago.
Finally, that last moments as the birs fly alongside to the gentle JP theme.

Ouija boards are never quite the same after you hear that they were invented by a group of Baltimore businessmen in the late 19th century, were launched as a form of boardgame and Parker Brothers still own the trademark of the 'Ouija' name .

I do love a good 'debunk', oo-er missus.

The Black Hole (1979)

For a post-Star Wars film, it feels more in line with sci-fi productions of the 1950s but not in an endearing way. So many strange choices are made, like the unnecessary use of bluescreen composites that really cheapen the look of the film when they could have easily just put a curtain of stars behind those windows. It's always a joy listen to a John Barry score I've never listened to, but it feels out of place with this film, as if he wasn't sure what to do with what was happening on screen aside from the sequence in Hell that allows him to flourish. I want to remind myself "this film is over 30 years old, of course it's dated", but this came out the same year as ALIEN.

Later I'm gonna catch another supposed 70s sci-fi turkey that John Barry scored: STARCRASH.