Rate The Last Movie You Saw [Archive] - Page 321

Darth Pazuzu

01-01-24, 06:11 PM

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/c/cb/Migration_%282023_film%29.jpg/220px-Migration_%282023_film%29.jpg

DECEMBER 26, 2023

Migration (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Migration_(2023_film))

You know, I can't even remember the last time I actually saw an animated film in a movie theater! At a certain point in my life, I guess I sort of turned my back on what you might call "kids' stuff." But I had seen the preview for this during an earlier trip to see some other film, and I thought it looked like fun. Plus, I rather like birds. So I figured, what the heck? Anyway, I'm glad I did, because I had a good time, and the kids in the theater also had a blast.

I don't really feel like subjecting this film to any sort of extended analysis, other than to say that the trailer rather effectively sums things up. I'll just say that I was impressed with the voiceover talents on display, from Danny DeVito as the Mallard children's curmudgeonly Uncle Dan to Carol Kane as a rather adorably scary heron named Erin (that's right) to Awkwafina as a city pigeon with an attitude named Chump, and stealing the show is Keegan-Michael Key as the Jamaican Scarlet macaw Delroy!

A good time was had. I don't know if by all, but certainly by me. :)

Allaby

01-01-24, 06:30 PM

The Cat (1992) A wacky sci fi horror film from Hong Kong about a cat from outer space. The cat is awesome and the film really goes for it. Not everything works well though. Some fantastic sequences make it worth checking out. 3.5

chawhee

01-01-24, 06:36 PM

Migration (2023)
https://www.slashfilm.com/img/gallery/can-migration-overcome-its-rough-opening-weekend-and-become-an-animated-box-office-hit/intro-1703697133.jpg
3
A lot of us seeing this recently it appears...my daughter loved it, but it was just okay for me. Sensational voice acting and visuals, but the humor and story was pretty amateur.

Galactic Traveler

01-01-24, 07:14 PM

3.5/5 The actress was sensational. I can see her getting a Best Actress nomination.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/2/28/Priscilla_poster.jpeg/220px-Priscilla_poster.jpeg

Marco

01-01-24, 09:13 PM

Cat Person just too annoying for me, gave up at the therapist scene.

Gideon58

01-01-24, 11:08 PM

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/5/52/Saltburn_Film_Poster.jpg/220px-Saltburn_Film_Poster.jpg

3.5

SF = Z

I predict Jacob Elordi will be cast as the new Bond. In a few scenes I thought he could make a good Bond, he's getting near the 30s age range they apparently want too... :D

[Snooze Factor Ratings]:
Z = didn't nod off at all
Zz = nearly nodded off but managed to stay alert
Zzz = nodded off and missed some of the film but went back to watch what I missed
Zzzz = nodded off and missed some of the film but went back to watch what I missed but nodded off again at the same point and therefore needed to go back a number of times before I got through it...
Zzzzz = nodded off and missed some or the rest of the film but was not interested enough to go back over it

I totally agree that Jacob Elordi be a fantastic James Bond.

Fabulous

01-01-24, 11:33 PM

Top Secret! (1984)

3.5

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/vcCUG9K5IRIN65IOdZgbmpCg9m9.jpg

PHOENIX74

01-02-24, 03:32 AM

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/3d/Next_goal_wins_2023.png
By Searchlight Pictures - IMP Awards, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=73538302

Next Goal Wins - (2023)

I'm a big fan of Mike Brett and Steve Jamison's documentary Next Goal Wins, based on the American Samoa soccer team, and their efforts to rebound from a world record defeat to at least not be the official "worst team in the world". When I heard that one of my favourite filmmakers was going to make a comedy/drama based on that documentary I thought the result might be quite good. Taika Waititi though, doesn't appear to be in the best place filmmaking-wise, and apart from being a little all over the place, he lays the comedy on a little too thick here and there, and at times seems to be lampooning Samoan culture. I had a few really good laughs - I mean, this guy is too good not to make a comedy without them completely, but compared to his previous output, it's a shadow. Going with the likes of Michael Fassbender to play boozy coach Thomas Rongen means the rest of the cast don't have a natural comedian to play off. Also - the sports genre that this borrows so heavily from is a tired, tired one at the moment. I know it's a step back from special effects-infused extravaganzas, but I still think Waititi could do more to get back to his cinematic roots and write an original New Zealand comedy with fresh young talent - to me it feels like he's burning out. Okay, but nowhere near this guy's usual standard.

6/10

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/1b/An_Cail%C3%ADn_Ci%C3%BAin_poster.jpg
By Inscéal - IMDB, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=70151764

The Quiet Girl - (2022)

Rewatch - This didn't lose any of it's power the second time around, and in fact the heartfelt, emotional spell it weaves had me even more under it's influence. Beautiful movie - in the running for the best of '22, and a standout for the decade. It creeps into your soul, and is filmmaking at it's absolute finest.

10/10

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/98/Quo_Vadis%2C_Aida%3F.jpg
By http://www.impawards.com/intl/misc/2021/quo_vadis_aida.html, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=65554033

Quo Vadis, Aida? - (2020)

Rewatch - Another incredibly powerful movie that loses nothing on second viewing. If this is a realistic portrayal of how UN forces work, then they are absolutely worthless - and cowards. The Bosnian war was so horrific it defies description - you have to see it, and it's results, to understand.

8/10

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/47/The_Rescue_%282021_film%29.jpg
By http://www.impawards.com/2021/rescue.html, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=68655869

The Rescue - (2021)

Great documentary about the Tham Luang cave rescue, which saved 12 boys and a soccer coach when they were trapped inside a cave flooded with monsoon waters. My review of it is on my watchlist thread here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=2430699#post2430699).

8/10

Jeff

01-02-24, 08:46 AM

Whore (1991) 2/5 Has a heart, could have been worse, Theresa's monologue throughout was a little tiring, like the jokes in Horsin' Around, and it felt off when the tone is that way when certain things happen. I'm not saying it should have been a soul shattering bleak-fest, but oh well. Wrapped up nicely at the end, and for a gal who only read Animal Farm she knew about Jekyll and Hyde pretty well.

Fabulous

01-02-24, 10:28 AM

Fear of a Black Hat (1993)

3.5

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/5ezE1ThLm4zLUX9VbXFXlXFePwt.jpg

Allaby

01-02-24, 11:08 AM

Girls at 12 (1975) I watched this 30 minute documentary today on the Criterion Channel. I loved it. This was quite fascinating and charming. I just wish it were longer. 4.5

LChimp

01-02-24, 11:40 AM

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/W/MEDIAX_792452-T2/images/S/pv-target-images/928b147d05ece278d43cf6c9948f9b02e0ef8a7f53cd62ccc137f3ba2bbf5463.jpg

Dance of The Drunken Mantis - (1979)

Pretty much a reenactment of Drunken Master, but without Jackie Chan. Still good thou

Thief

01-02-24, 11:58 AM

MICKEY'S ONCE UPON A CHRISTMAS
(1999, Various)
A Christmas/Holiday film

https://i.imgur.com/bePsqFr.jpg

"So, in the end, it's love that's the reason... That Christmas is more than a gift-giving season. It's a time with our loved ones to show that we care, when families and neighbors come together to share."

This is one of those features I put in for the kids, but ended up sticking through. It is a fairly stereotypical Disney family film with some very earnest messages. That said, I really enjoyed the creativity of the first chapter, as well as several of Goofy's one-liners in the second chapter. The final chapter is the more "serious" one, but if you're a fan of Mickey, I suppose you'll enjoy the warm and the candy-coated approach to its message.

Grade: 3

Full review on my Movie Loot (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2430987#post2430987)

Allaby

01-02-24, 12:48 PM

The Music of Regret (2006) This was quite something. Puppets! Meryl Streep singing to a dummy! People dressed as random objects dancing! There is a lot of unusual and memorable stuff going on. Some of it works, some of it doesn't, but it is so unique that you have to check it out. It is only 44 minutes and is currently available to stream on the Criterion Channel. 4

Dead2009

01-02-24, 12:54 PM

The Super Mario Bros Movie - 10/10

Gideon58

01-02-24, 01:01 PM

https://static2.tribute.ca/poster/660x980/king-richard-157193.jpg

1st Rewatch...I have always prided myself on being able to separate the artist's work from his personal life which made this rewatch such an unsettling experience. First of all, this unapologetic look at Richard Williams, the manipulative control freak father of Venus and Serena Williams is mesmerizing from start to finish, thanks primarily to Will Smith's groundbreaking performance in the title role. For years, Il thought Will Smith was incapable of playing anyone but Will Smith, but he proved me totally wrong here. Smith disappears completely inside this role, playing one of the most unlikable characters I have seen in decades. I was not surprised when he received his third Oscar nomination for the performance, nor when he won because he deserved it Unfortunately, Smith ruined one of Oscar's most significant wins with his actions of that night. His performance in this movie is so good that it could have opened up an entirely new career for him. I could have even seen him winning a second Oscar with the right role, but instead his foolish actions on Oscar night have banned him from the ceremony for at least a decade and probably destroyed his career. As far as I know, he has only made one film since this one and I haven't heard about anything else on the horizon for him. And as insensitive as this might sound, I was shocked that at the time this happened, Will and Jada were actually separated at the time, which I didn't know on Oscar night, which puts a whole new light on what happened for me. It's sad because he could have reinvented his career with this performance and now he's cancelled. also have to give a shout out to Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor as Richard's wife, Saniyya Sidney as Venus and Jon Bernthal as tennis coach Paul Macci. No matter what happened later, Smith deserved the Oscar he won for this film and his performance alone makes it worth watching. 4

Gideon58

01-02-24, 01:09 PM

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2nd Rewatch...This acid-tongued film version of the classic Kaufman and Hart play still provides consistent laughs since its release over 80 years ago. Monty Wooley reprises his Broadway role as Sheridan Whiteside, a literary critic and lecturer who slips and falls on the icy steps of a small town family and proceeds to turn their lives upside down. Wooley's deliciously over the top scenery chewing seems to get funnier with each watch and he gets solid support from Bette Davis as his loyal secretary, Maggie, a seemingly thankless role that Davis brings an unexpected richness to, Ann Sheridan as a bitchy movie star named Lorraine Sheldon, and Jimmy Durante as a goofy, skirt-chasing movie star named Banjo. 4

Gideon58

01-02-24, 01:18 PM

https://academics.winona.edu/povwinona/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2018/10/130217moonlight.jpg

3rd Rewatch...This 2016 Oscar winner for Best Picture seems to improve with each rewatch. This sad and emotionally manipulative look at the growing pains of peer pressure and sexual identity is told on an intimate and tension-filled canvas featuring three different actors playing the conflicted Chirone. I think Ashton Sanders who played teenage Chirone, was robbed of a Supporting Actor nomination and Naomi Harris' work as Chirone's mother is a little too real. Mahershala Ali's Oscar winning performance in a hard to swallow role as a sympathetic drug dealer still works, but for me the strongest part of this movie is the final 20 minutes or so, when an adult Chirone and Kevin are reunited as adults. Rarely have I seen such a sizzling sexual undercurrent under a scene between two men. I am upping my original rating. 4

Gideon58

01-02-24, 01:30 PM

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/W/MEDIAX_792452-T2/images/I/61a2Wp8ylUL._AC_UF894,1000_QL80_.jpg

5th Rewatch...For my money, the strongest of the four Christopher Reeve Superman films, thanks to a story that finally, if temporarily, opens Lois Lane's eyes, while Superman is forced to deal with the three villains (Terrence Stamp, Sarah Douglas, Jack O'Halloran) who were imprisoned by his father in the first film. Unfortunately, these three villains do take a lot of screentime away from Gene Hackman's still richly entertaining Lex Luthor and Otis (Ned Beatty) and Miss Tessmucher (Valerie Perrine) have been reduced to glorified cameos, but Christopher Reeve once again lights up the screen as social klutz Clark Kent and the Man of Steel. If had one quibble, I've never been able to reconcile the plot twist where Superman is forced to give up his powers in order to be with Miss Lois and is warned by his mother (Sujhsannah York) that once he does this, the process is irreversible, but once he realizes he needs his powers back, he just hitchhikes back to the North Pole and his powers are restored? This film is still a lot of fun though. 4

Gideon58

01-02-24, 01:39 PM

Gideon58

01-02-24, 01:45 PM

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2nd Rewatch...Director Keenan Ivory Wayans manages to get more laughs than I remembered in this satire of horror films, that might remind you of the work of Mel Brooks and the Zucker brothers. The screenplay is a clever melding of Scream and I Know What you did Last Summer. For me, the highlights are the perfectly executed spoof of the opening scene of Scream featuring Carmen Electra and the beauty contest scene with Shannon Elizabeth. Every second Marlon Wayans has on the screen is excruciating, but his brother, Shawn, garners majors laughs as a gay student who doesn't seem to realize that he's gay. 3.5

Fabulous

01-02-24, 01:50 PM

Playing by Heart (1998)

3

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/31hKau6i2AqCUHubvl82f111jgo.jpg

Gideon58

01-02-24, 01:56 PM

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/W/MEDIAX_792452-T2/images/I/71bMrECxilL._AC_UF894,1000_QL80_.jpg

2bd Rewatch...Oscar winner Halle Berry won an Emmy and Golden Globe for her performance in this lavish HBO musical drama, playing the first black actress ever to be nominated for an Oscar for Outstanding Lead Actress. The film recounts the actress' troubled childhood through her tragic death. Loved that it opens with Dandridge arriving at the Oscars. Highlights for me were Dorothy's troubled wedding night with Harold Nicholas (Obba Babatunde), her audition for Carmen Jones in the office of Otto Preminger (Klaus Maria Brandauer); and her arrival at a hotel to perform but learned she was not allowed to use the restroom or the pool and, after dipping her foot in the pool, walking by it later and seeing it has been drained. The film is based on a book by Earl Mills, her longtime manager played here by Brent Spiner, but it still feels kind of "cleaned up." Love that moment when Dorothy walks onto the set of Carmen Jones to shoot "Dat's Love"...the resemblance between Berry and Dandridge is frightening. 3.5

Gideon58

01-02-24, 01:59 PM

Playing by Heart (1998)

3

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/31hKau6i2AqCUHubvl82f111jgo.jpg

LOVED this movie...a link to my review:

https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2100869-playing_by_heart.html

Gideon58

01-02-24, 02:07 PM

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/1EAAAOSwn8NfTre6/s-l1200.webp

6th Rewatch...the Oscar nominated performance by Jessica Lange as country music legend Patsy Cline and the sex on legs performance by Ed Harris as her loving but abusive husband Charlie Dick keep this film watchable. I know it's not as good as Coal Miner's Daughter, but for some reason I never get tired of rewatching this movie. Also loved Ann Wedgeworth as Patsy's mom.

Thief

01-02-24, 04:04 PM

THE LAST EMPEROR
(1987, Bertolucci)
The last Best Picture winner I haven't seen

https://i.imgur.com/D9nyFAu.jpg

"I'm not a gentleman. I'm not allowed to say what I mean. They are always telling me what to say."

The Last Emperor follows the life of Puyi (John Lone), the last emperor of China during the early 20th Century. What makes his reign and life notable is that Puyi was crowned when he was 2 years old and "ruled" only until he was 6 years old, when the waves of the 1911 Chinese Revolution ended the country's imperial system. But what can a child raised in this environment do after? How do you go from being "Lord of 10,000 Years" and "the Son of Heaven" into something "less"?

Going back and forth from his middle age years as a political prisoner to his childhood in the Forbidden City, I thought the film did a great job of exploring the state of mind of Puyi. I thought it was so interesting to see a person that never had much say in his life in terms of what to say or what to do, try to figure his life out as he grows up. It has to be quite a shock being groomed and raised to be one thing and then have that thing taken from you, and leaving you essentially with no alternatives.

Grade: 4

Full review on my Movie Loot (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2431062#post2431062)

Jeff

01-02-24, 04:09 PM

Romeo is Bleeding (1993) -- 3/5 It was wild seeing my first Gary Oldman where he's not Dracula, has a nice pulpy feel, but overall average. Juliette Lewis sparkles and can't help thinking she's still in the role as Malory Knox.

matt72582

01-02-24, 04:13 PM

Citizen Kane

Re-watch.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c0/Citizen_Kane_poster%2C_1941_%28Style_B%2C_unrestored%29.jpg

hacxx

01-02-24, 06:23 PM

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2024)

Rate: 5/5

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGc5Tzz19UY

Allaby

01-02-24, 06:52 PM

For A Lost Soldier (1992) Watched on Tubi. A drama about a relationship between a young boy and a soldier, seen through the eyes of the boy. Good performances from Maarten Smit and Andrew Kelley. The film tells the story in an effective and non-judgemental way. Whether that is a good or bad thing may depend on the viewer. 4

Raven73

01-02-24, 08:14 PM

Godzilla -1.0
9/10.
Best movie of 2023 and the quintessential Godzilla movie.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e0/Godzilla_Minus_One_Poster.jpeg

LChimp

01-02-24, 09:20 PM

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/A1yfsJdts0L._AC_UF894,1000_QL80_.jpg

Shaolin Vs Lama - (1983)

Not much of a story, but the fight scenes are decent.

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51NePOoUIwL._AC_UF894,1000_QL80_.jpg

Born Invincible - (1978)

English dub is comically bad, almost bad on purpose.The story is a complete joke, but again, decent fight scenes.

FromBeyond

01-02-24, 09:50 PM

Open Range (2003)

I could hardly remember watching this movie but I'm sure I did sometime, I won't forget again because it was pure class, the big showdown at the end was well worth the wait, I love how the town people's got involved and the odds massively change. Duvall and Costner shine off each other and Gambon is a fantastic Irish villain. This is last movie Costner directed and one has to ask why because it's really good!

PHOENIX74

01-02-24, 10:42 PM

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/4a/Oppenheimer_%28film%29.jpg
By Universal Pictures Publicity, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=71354716

Oppenheimer - (2023)

Rewatch - An easy night last night, sitting back and enjoying Oppenheimer at home for the first time. No chance to delve into the Blu-Ray special features because this movie is 181 minutes long. That once would have been huge, but these days it's the norm for any big release. Not long after seeing (and being disappointed by) Napoleon, I heard Ridley Scott had a 250 minute version in the works - and I think that's the one I wanted to see to start with - it does feel rushed. Oppenheimer is perfect however, and did not disappoint at all. A wonderfully told non-linear biographical story, with a steady mix of visual beauty, aural complexity and electrifying performances. It deserves all of the accolades it has received.

9/10

Thief

01-03-24, 12:48 PM

YOU'RE NEXT
(2011, Wingard)

https://i.imgur.com/CE26LfI.jpg

"This wasn't a random attack! Our family's being targeted."

You're Next focuses mostly on Erin (Sharni Vinson), the new girlfriend of Crispian (A.J. Bowen), as they arrive at the family's vacation home to celebrate their parents anniversary. Along for the ride are Crispian's siblings: Drake (Joe Swanberg), Felix (Nicholas Tucci), and Aimee (Amy Seimetz), with their respective partners. But just as their personal differences start to boil, all hell breaks loose as the killers start their attack.

This is one of those little films that manages to surprise you. I know I had heard good things about it but I really didn't know much about it. I thought the script from Simon Barrett and the direction from Adam Wingard have a great balance of horror and thrills with a bit of dark humor peppered in. That balance is not something that every director can find, especially in a home invasion film that still manages to pack a decent dose of scares and violence.

Grade: 3.5

Full review on my Movie Loot (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2431241#post2431241)

Brody At Amity

01-03-24, 01:26 PM

Wonka (2023)

https://resizing.flixster.com/i7Txn-rTWv7B8aB5AYbe2IuLU6s=/ems.cHJkLWVtcy1hc3NldHMvbW92aWVzLzE0N2E1MDljLTNlZDEtNDIyMS1iZjgzLTJkMjU1NjRjNzEwMy5qcGc=

A delightful film (https://www.top10films.co.uk/81359-review-wonka-is-a-heartwarming-triumph/). Paul King is onto a winner once again after making Paddington and Paddington 2. One for all the family to enjoy.

Brody At Amity

01-03-24, 01:31 PM

Beau Is Afraid (2023)

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMzhkNDk1MDQtNmE4ZS00OTkxLWJmNzYtOTBhZTk3M2MzMTRjXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNjkwOTQ4MDE@._V1_FMjpg_UX1000_.j pg

I've seen this ranked as "film of the year" on some 2023 lists but it didn't work as well as Ari Aster's previous efforts for me. I think Hereditary is a modern day masterpiece so I really appreciated the director's work but this felt confused and confusing. I've written some more thoughts (https://www.top10films.co.uk/81262-review-beau-is-afraid-gets-lost-in-ari-asters-stream-of-consciousness/) on why it's definitely not my fav film of 2023.

Stirchley

01-03-24, 01:32 PM

Cat Person just too annoying for me, gave up at the therapist scene.

The original short story was a million times better than this adaptation.

https://static2.tribute.ca/poster/660x980/king-richard-157193.jpg

1st Rewatch...I have always prided myself on being able to separate the artist's work from his personal life which made this rewatch such an unsettling experience. First of all, this unapologetic look at Richard Williams, the manipulative control freak father of Venus and Serena Williams is mesmerizing from start to finish, thanks primarily to Will Smith's groundbreaking performance in the title role. For years, Il thought Will Smith was incapable of playing anyone but Will Smith, but he proved me totally wrong here. Smith disappears completely inside this role, playing one of the most unlikable characters I have seen in decades. I was not surprised when he received his third Oscar nomination for the performance, nor when he won because he deserved it Unfortunately, Smith ruined one of Oscar's most significant wins with his actions of that night. His performance in this movie is so good that it could have opened up an entirely new career for him. I could have even seen him winning a second Oscar with the right role, but instead his foolish actions on Oscar night have banned him from the ceremony for at least a decade and probably destroyed his career. As far as I know, he has only made one film since this one and I haven't heard about anything else on the horizon for him. And as insensitive as this might sound, I was shocked that at the time this happened, Will and Jada were actually separated at the time, which I didn't know on Oscar night, which puts a whole new light on what happened for me. It's sad because he could have reinvented his career with this performance and now he's cancelled. also have to give a shout out to Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor as Richard's wife, Saniyya Sidney as Venus and Jon Bernthal as tennis coach Paul Macci. No matter what happened later, Smith deserved the Oscar he won for this film and his performance alone makes it worth watching. 4

Definitely will re-watch this. Smith was excellent in this.

Playing by Heart (1998)

3

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/31hKau6i2AqCUHubvl82f111jgo.jpg

OMG, where they really ever this young?

Gideon58

01-03-24, 03:06 PM

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2nd Rewatch...From the composer of Hamilton and the director of Crazy Rich Asians, this exuberant, toe-tapping musical about life in the Washington Heights area of New York improves with each viewing and that production number in the giant public swimming pool called "96000" never gets old. 4.5

Gideon58

01-03-24, 03:12 PM

https://resizing.flixster.com/-XZAfHZM39UwaGJIFWKAE8fS0ak=/v3/t/assets/p9695572_v_v10_aa.jpg

1st Rewatch...Ryan Murphy knocked it out of the park with powerhouse blending of docudrama and love story about a romance between a pair of writers that is challenged by the advent of the AIDS crisis, that was so new at the time it was still referred to as "gay cancer." Mark Ruffalo's ferocious, Emmy winning performance as Ned Weeks makes this HBO movie worth viewing all by itself. 4.5

Dead2009

01-03-24, 03:41 PM

Sonic The Hedgehog 10/10
Sonic The Hedgehog 2 9/10

Jeff

01-03-24, 04:17 PM

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5/5 Stellar 70's naturalism about the effects on a dad with a son who's running from the cops. A favorite moment when they run after the stone throwers, i felt that, even after beating them up, there's a look on his face saying this doesn't help things, getting those arseholes back, little touches are galore here giving it's rich normalcy realized. Looking forward to more from Bertrand Tavernier.

mlaturno

01-03-24, 05:21 PM

My movie list for this year:

For reference a 1/10 would be something like Zoolander 2, and 10/10 would be something like a Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins.

2023
1. Cobweb - 9.5/10
2. Oppenheimer - 9.25/10
3. Talk to Me - 9.25/10
4. Barbie - 9/10
5. Past Lives - 8.75/10
6. Infinity Pool - 8.5/10
7. Beau is Afraid - 8.5/10
8. Killers of the Flower Moon - 8.25/10
9. Saltburn - 8/10
10. Polite Society - 8/10
11. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - 8/10
12. The Killer - 7.75/10
13. Godland - 7.5/10
14. No Hard Feelings - 7.5/10
15. The Flash - 7.5/10
16. Knock at the Cabin - 7.25/10
17. Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves - 7/10
18. Pamela, A Love Story - 7/10
19. Missing - 6.75/10
20. Joy Ride - 6.75/10
21. Bottoms - 6.5/10
22. Evil Dead Rise - 5.5/10
23. Renfield - 4.5/10
24. Super Mario Bros. Movie 3.5/10
25. You People - 3/10

Still to watch: 
- When Evil Lurks
- Return to Seoul
- Asteroid City
- The Iron Claw
- Concrete Utopia
- American Fiction
- Next Goal Wins
- Anatomy of a Fall
- Sanctuary
- Sisu
- The Zone of Interest
- Maestro
- May December
- Dream Scenario
- Haunting in Venice
- Poor Things - Yorgos Lanthimos
- The Boy and the Heron -
- Red Room
- The Holdovers
- Malibu Horror Story
- Saw X
- They Cloned Tyrone
- Priscilla
- Mutt
- Creed 3
- Late Night With the Devil
- Indiana Jones 5
- Guardians of the Galaxy 3
- John Wick 4
- Fingernails
- Godzilla Minus One
- Spider-Man: Across the Spiderverse
- Rye Lane
- Thanksgiving
- Mission Impossible 7

Darth Pazuzu

01-03-24, 06:37 PM

(NOTE: From this point onward, I'm also posting my latest DVD / Blu-ray / 4K UHD purchases on this particular thread. From a purely selfish standpoint, I'm just not getting enough upvotes for the posts on my Movie Collection thread. :lol: :p)

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/W/MEDIAX_792452-T1/images/I/81Dl8YD+-iL._AC_UY218_.jpg https://m.media-amazon.com/images/W/MEDIAX_792452-T1/images/I/81ZUQWqhJXL._AC_UY218_.jpg https://m.media-amazon.com/images/W/MEDIAX_792452-T1/images/I/81KA0+FR02L._AC_UY218_.jpg

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/W/MEDIAX_792452-T1/images/I/814WLsIoQOL._AC_UY218_.jpg https://m.media-amazon.com/images/W/MEDIAX_792452-T1/images/I/81DJvTBBdzL._AC_UY218_.jpg https://m.media-amazon.com/images/W/MEDIAX_792452-T1/images/I/71mqcYY3HML._AC_UY218_.jpg

I Want Him Dead (Paolo Bianchini / 1968)
El Puro (Edoardo Mulargia / 1969)
Wrath of the Wind (Mario Camus / 1970)
The Four of the Apocalypse (Lucio Fulci / 1975)

The Specialists (Sergio Corbucci / 1969)

The Day of the Locust (John Schlesinger / 1975)

JFK (Oliver Stone / 1991)
JFK Revisited: Through the Looking Glass (Oliver Stone / 2021)
JFK: Destiny Betrayed (Oliver Stone / 2021)

They Call Me Trinity (Enzo Barboni / 1970)
Trinity Is Still My Name (Enzo Barboni / 1971)

I got myself some presents for Christmas and New Year's! :D

First of all, I got Savage Guns, the third volume in Arrow Video's series of Italian Western box sets (the first two being Vengeance Trails and Blood Money). The third one is probably the most eclectic of the three sets, focusing on some of the later films to be released during the late '60s/early '70s heyday of the Italian Western. I had been especially eager for the release of this particular set because it's got Lucio Fulci's The Four of the Apocalypse on Blu-ray for the first time! (That one definitely ranks among my favorite Italian Westerns, coming after Leone's "Dollars Trilogy" and Once Upon a Time in the West and Sergio Corbucci's The Great Silence.)

I also got Sergio Corbucci's The Specialists, the third entry in what is often described as Corbucci's "Mud and Blood Trilogy", the first two of course being Django and The Great Silence. Mind you, it's far from being one of Corbucci's best films, but it's definitely got one of the most protractedly weird and insanely OTT climaxes of any Western film ever made! I'd go so far as to call it The Day of the Locust of the Euro-Western genre. And speaking of which, Arrow Video also just put out a really cool Blu-ray release of John Schlesinger's The Day of the Locust! It's packed with extras and the image and sound quality are truly excellent. Truly one of my all-time favorite films, and I'm glad it's finally out on Blu-ray. (The Paramount DVD was alright, but it was very much the definition of "bare-bones.")

And kudos to Shout Factory! for putting out Oliver Stone's chilling epic historical drama JFK on 4K UHD! I have to say that it's high time. And for good measure, I also got Stone's recent documentary JFK Revisited: The Complete Collection on Blu-ray, also from the good folks at Shout! Factory. It contains both the two-hour feature-length documentary JFK Revisited: Through the Looking Glass as well as the expanded mini-series edition entitled JFK: Destiny Betrayed. I haven't even gotten halfway through the latter version yet!

On a less serious note, I also got the two Trinity movies, bundled together in a nice little 2-disc Blu-ray package from Hen's Tooth Video. I was always sort of interested in what these Italian Western comedies starring Terence Hill and Bud Spencer would be like, having read good things about them and also having seen the Tonino Valerii / Sergio Leone film My Name Is Nobody from 1973, which teamed up Terence Hill with Henry Fonda. I actually really liked My Name Is Nobody a lot, so I was kind of looking forward to seeing the two Trinity films.

And the verdict? Well... They're alright, I guess. There was a good deal of amusing slapstick violence and humor, but I wasn't exactly bowled over by it. I was kind of hoping they'd be funnier than I found them to be. But maybe it's just that I'm on the wrong wavelength or something. I've never ever seen Mel Brooks' Blazing Saddles (1974) before, but I'm willing to bet that I'd laugh a lot more at that than I did at the Trinity films. What I find truly amusing is the fact that somehow They Call Me Trinity and Trinity Is Still My Name actually overtook Sergio Leone's "Dollars Trilogy" as the highest-grossing "spaghetti Westerns" in Italy! (Or they're practically neck and neck in terms of Italian box office, anyway.)

In short: I liked it, but didn't love it. Oh well, you can't win 'em all, I guess. And so my ongoing sojourn into the wilds of the Italian West continues apace...

BTW, purely as a side note...

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/W/MEDIAX_792452-T1/images/I/71LAYEjg1GL._AC_UY218_.jpg https://m.media-amazon.com/images/W/MEDIAX_792452-T1/images/I/81Rzc8EqBhL._AC_UY218_.jpg

Try watching both Sergio Corbucci's The Great Silence and Lucio Fulci's The Four of the Apocalypse back-to-back, as I just did this weekend! They make for a perfect double bill. For one thing, they happen to be two of the most bleak and melancholy Euro-Westerns of all time. Also, The Great Silence ends with a brutal massacre in Snow Hill, Utah, while The Four of the Apocalypse begins with a massacre in Salt Flat... also in Utah! So the second one kind of picks up where the first one left off. Also, as brilliant as The Great Silence is, some people might find the ending a bit of a downer, while The Four of the Apocalypse, for all its brutality and bleakness, is leavened somewhat with a bit of hopeful sentiment, so they balance each other out rather nicely.

Raven73

01-03-24, 07:39 PM

Haunted
7/10
The best thing about this ghost story is Kate Beckinsale, who's lovlier than ever.
Beckinsale can haunt me anytime ;)
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/6/66/Haunted_1995_Film.jpg/220px-Haunted_1995_Film.jpg

GulfportDoc

01-03-24, 08:33 PM

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/W/MEDIAX_792452-T2/images/I/91qwJ90x7nL._AC_UF894,1000_QL80_.jpg

1st Rewatch...This is HBO's film version of Billy Crystal's landmark one-man Broadway show that won him a Tony Award back in 2005 but wasn't brought to HBO until 2014. This warm, fall on the floor funny, and sometimes bittersweet piece of theater is an extremely loving homage to Crystal's parents, his father in particular, who he loved to make laugh. This imaginative autobiographical look at Crystal's childhood, not only provides plenty of laughs but will also have the viewer fighting the occasional tear. Crystal displays an uncanny ability to have the audience laughing their asses off and then taking them thisclose to crying and knowing exactly when to bring back the funny. Appointment viewing for Crystal fans. rating_4_5
Very happy that you posted this because I hadn't heard of the show or the book.

In short, it's a riot! I've seen Crystal in several things over the years, and he was also one of the best Academy Awards hosts (9 times!), but only after watching 700 Sundays did I realize what a brilliant comedian and a writer that he is. His talent for mime and impressions are first rate.

I'm impressed that a 66 year-old guy has the energy and the talent to do a 2 hour one man show that must be exhausting. Bit after bit bring belly laughs. Highly recommended!

Jeff

01-03-24, 09:07 PM

Takoma11

01-03-24, 10:18 PM

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fm.media-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FM%2FMV5BZWNhOGE5ZDQtNWZiYi00ZmIzLWFmNjAtYmE0M2MwNGEzNTUyXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTUzMT g2ODkz._V1_FMjpg_UX2160_.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=dbd79375402ab09a7eeac26c9cae9ffb15dde9d45b0ed7e1c62a01b7fea5134d&ipo=images

Theater Camp, 2023

Joan (Amy Sedaris) has run AdirondACTS, an upstate New York theater camp, for years. But when a strobe light during a performance sends Joan into a coma, her influencer son, Troy (Jimmy Tatro) must take over. Actually running the day-to-day operations of the camp are old theater camp friends Amos (Ben Platt) and Rebecca-Diane (Molly Gordon), overwhelmed camp technician Glenn (Noah Galvin), and newbie Janet (Ayo Edebiri). With the camp in dire financial straits, can the staff and campers pull together and save the day?

While I wouldn’t say that this film is exactly groundbreaking, there is something really refreshing about a comedy that is just really solid. No relying on being overly meta or cynical. Not crude or mean spirited. It was nice to just spend 90 minutes laughing.

A good time, especially if you are a recovered theater kid yourself or (bless you) have one in your life.

4

Fabulous

01-03-24, 10:57 PM

Chronicle (2012)

3.5

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/5rAu7jnCDlgeYxUb6sYsq1cP4dJ.jpg

pahaK

01-04-24, 12:39 AM

4/5 -- The Four of the Apocalypse (1975) --- Lucio Fulci does such a good job here, it's sublimely silly, Stubby, what a name for a hero. I've never seen a Fabio Testi film i didn't like, early on when he's smiling he looks so natural in that kind of role. Italians enriched a hallowed USA genre, God bless them.

Have you seen Cut-Throats Nine? It's another Italian ultra bleak and violent western. I think it's even better than the Fulci above.

Jeff

01-04-24, 12:41 AM

Hope to sometime, will be on the look out, sorta new to spaghetti westerns having not even seen Django!! ... Found it on Plex will test it out, thanks for the rec :)

Have you seen Cut-Throats Nine? It's another Italian ultra bleak and violent western. I think it's even better than the Fulci above.

PHOENIX74

01-04-24, 02:28 AM

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/7a/Relic_poster.jpeg
By Studio and or Graphic Artist - Can be obtained from film's distributor., Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=64246866

Relic - (2020)

Rewatch - Relic isn't the be all and end all of horror movies, but I felt compelled to watch it again because it's subject matter is of current interest to me. Seeing my mother (who has passed) and father's decline, I can't help but applaud films like Relic and The Father, which try to bring people to a higher level of understanding and acceptance. But this movie - it's heavy on the analogy, with the physical world and supernatural entities becoming a living embodiment of dementia and confounding terror. When Edna's (Robyn Nevin) granddaughter Sam (Bella Heathcote) says "It's not grandma anymore!" it becomes the commonly heard saying of those dealing with loved ones whose minds are becoming so clouded and confused their personality is no long recognizable. The rot you see in the house and on grandma herself alludes to the creeping decay that can go on in the brain and mind - with this nameless haunting causing the same effect. I liked the ending to this film a lot - it's a simple, kind of average movie that is nonetheless more than an empty spook-fest.

6.5/10

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/03/Blind_film.jpg
By https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2616810/, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=41713259

Blind - (2014)

The man who collaborated with Joachim Trier on many great films such as Thelma and The Worst Person in the World made his directorial debut with Blind. It provides a lot of insight, and is a good addition to an impressive body of work - my watchlist thread review is here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=2430938#post2430938).

7/10

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/71/TheMatchFactoryGirl.jpg
By All Movie Guide [1], Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10423419

The Match Factory Girl - (1990)

Iris (Kati Outinen) - unloved by her parents and rejected by her peers, decides to reply to life's disappointments in a exceedingly blunt and surprisingly extreme way. I loved this film from Aki Kaurismäki - a minimalist, almost dialogue-free spotlight on the gravely unhappy. Reviewed here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=2431178#post2431178).

9/10

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/08/Los-Olvidados-Poster.jpg
By The poster art can or could be obtained from the distributor., Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=27365147

Los olvidados - (1950)

Superb movie from Luis Buñuel about a group of forgotten, filthy children living in a Mexican slum. When "El Jaibo" (Roberto Cobo) escapes imprisonment, he kills the kid who ratted on him - an action which has severe repercussions for younger cohort Pedro (Alfonso Mejía). You'll probably never see a film as unsparing but dignified in it's tone and purpose. Review here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=2431196#post2431196).

8/10

chawhee

01-04-24, 10:03 AM

The Hangover (2009)
https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/jjCPcxw7QCmFPYM1t3BThdEawJK.jpg
5
Booked my next trip to Vegas, so watched this to prepare haha

The sequels are terrible, but this one still holds up as a masterpiece for me. Humor, direction, everything.

matt72582

01-04-24, 10:21 AM

matt72582

01-04-24, 10:25 AM

By Studio and or Graphic Artist - Can be obtained from film's distributor., Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=64246866

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/03/Blind_film.jpg
By https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2616810/, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=41713259

Blind - (2014)

The man who collaborated with Joachim Trier on many great films such as Thelma and The Worst Person in the World made his directorial debut with Blind. It provides a lot of insight, and is a good addition to an impressive body of work - my watchlist thread review is here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=2430938#post2430938).

7/10

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/71/TheMatchFactoryGirl.jpg
By All Movie Guide [1], Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10423419

The Match Factory Girl - (1990)

Iris (Kati Outinen) - unloved by her parents and rejected by her peers, decides to reply to life's disappointments in a exceedingly blunt and surprisingly extreme way. I loved this film from Aki Kaurismäki - a minimalist, almost dialogue-free spotlight on the gravely unhappy. Reviewed here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=2431178#post2431178).

9/10

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/08/Los-Olvidados-Poster.jpg
By The poster art can or could be obtained from the distributor., Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=27365147

Los olvidados - (1950)

Superb movie from Luis Buñuel about a group of forgotten, filthy children living in a Mexican slum. When "El Jaibo" (Roberto Cobo) escapes imprisonment, he kills the kid who ratted on him - an action which has severe repercussions for younger cohort Pedro (Alfonso Mejía). You'll probably never see a film as unsparing but dignified in it's tone and purpose. Review here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=2431196#post2431196).

8/10

WOW. I wish I could give you 3 reps. "Blind" is the most recent movie that is unique. Kaurismaki is one of three living directors I like (Loach, Leigh) and this is a fine movie. "Shadows In Paradise" is my favorite of his, and Matti is one of my favorite actors. "Los Olvidados" is the only movie I really liked that was made about 100 years ago thanks to the realism, as opposed to many who stress the costumes every 5 minutes, and reminding you what year it is with superficial references, but not this one. It might be my favorite Bunuel. I gave them an 8/10 each on here. "The Worst Person In The World" is also good.

matt72582

01-04-24, 10:42 AM

Very mediocre movie. Can’t imagine why Lawrence took the part. Or why she frolicked naked on the beach for that matter.

There's an actual site with nothing except film nudity. But before, many would go to a movie (Swordfish? I never saw it) because Halle Berry was topless. Or there was talk about a busty woman in some horrible movie called, "Young Einstein"

Even if a movie sells a lot, it doesn't necessarily mean each person liked it. They get their money, and move on to the next thing. People I know seem to have stopped going to the movies, but when some do, it's only because they have a day off, and they just select whatever is available.

Marco

01-04-24, 12:06 PM

Control (2007)
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/39/Controlfilm.jpg
A realistic portrayal of one of my favourite bands' singer. Sam Riley is just uncanny with the mannerisms and ticks of the late great Ian Curtis. Through the artistry, working at "the Labour Exchange", entangled love life and progressing Epilepsy leading to depression. A great performance from Samantha Morton too as Deborah Curtis. As you would expect not a laugh a minute but an intriguing window into the life of a man with many internal conflicts that passed away far too soon.
4

Brody At Amity

01-04-24, 12:52 PM

Thief

01-04-24, 02:00 PM

DIE HARD
(1988, McTiernan)

https://i.imgur.com/0e410EJ.jpg

"Come out to the coast, we'll get together, have a few laughs..."

When Die Hard opened in 1988, Hollywood's action craze had reached a peak with bunches of films featuring indestructible superheroes played by bulked up actors like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone. It had reached almost comical levels as these heroes threw dozens of bad guys across the screen with one hand while spewing one-liners and winking to the screen. But not John McClane (at least at this point in time).

What Die Hard brought to the game was a regular guy, vulnerable and flawed, faced with insurmountable odds just trying to live another day. Willis' McClane is not spectacularly strong, he's balding, and his marriage is falling apart. When you see him praying to God not to let him die, as he's preparing to jump from a 40-story building wrapped to a fire house, you believe he's a man afraid, with no more options at his hand.

Grade: 5

Full review on my Movie Loot (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2431484#post2431484)

Sedai

01-04-24, 02:24 PM

Great review! I had a few laughs... ;)

matt72582

01-04-24, 03:48 PM

Dave Chappelle: The Dreamer
I woke up at 1am and started watching this at 6ish but fell asleep watching this, so I'll give it another chance, but as it kept playing over and over, but I didn't laugh.

https://youtu.be/RWgL63c80X4

I must have been dozing off, because there were chunks I didn't remember. I'd give it a shot. Not a great start, but it gets better. Definitely laughed a few times.

Gideon58

01-04-24, 04:45 PM

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BOGI2MzQ1NzQtMmVkOC00ZGI0LWI3YjQtN2FjMzQ1NmRhNzFhXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyODE5NzE3OTE@._V1_.jpg

4

GulfportDoc

01-04-24, 05:52 PM

96883

Ace in the Hole (1951)

Ace in the Hole is not a prime example of film noir, being mostly a straight drama about squalid journalism and a glory seeking reporter, however it does display one of noir’s common themes: a crushing sense of cynicism. Almost from the start we’re presented with an unrelenting portrait of some of the worst traits in human nature: greed, sensationalism, gullibility, and lying.

A newspaperman (Kirk Douglas) has been hired for a meager salary by a small Albuquerque daily after having been fired by most major publications for his underhandedness and temper. Soon a story arises with possible national interest when a local gas station owner gets trapped in a collapsed cave, which causes the newspaperman to scheme a way to build the story and his own involvement and reportage. He even convinces the authorities to alter the rescue method, which promotes a slower pace, allowing the story to be milked to a much wider audience as the carnival atmosphere with the snoopers and looky-loos builds at the site.

Along the way the trapped man’s wife, Lorraine (Jan Sterling), who had already wanted to divorce him before this incident, becomes partly complicit in the newspaperman’s plot due to her new found income provided by hundreds of tourists flocking to the site and spending money at the gas station. But soon their relationship sours as the newspaperman starts to drink, and an altercation occurs which injures the newspaperman and causes him to renounce the whole mess that he has started. The story grinds to an ending in which everyone except the poor sole in the cave seems to get their just desserts.

This is reportedly Billy Wilder’s first film in which he both wrote, produced and directed. His story is his most disdainful and misanthropic of all of his films. He exposes the underbelly of human nature in such a way that one feels the urge to wash one’s hands at the film’s end. The single redeeming let up in the tale is when the newspaperman realizes that he’s gone too far, and seeks redemption. Sadly the portrayal of a gullible public blindly reacting to a sensational news story has not changed much in the intervening 77 years.

Billy Wilder had earlier directed two bona fide noirs: Double Indemnity (1944) and Sunset Boulevard (1950), so his association with the movement likely influences people to consider Ace in the Hole as a noir also. One interesting bit of trivia that caught my attention is that the name of the insurance company involved in this tale, the Pacific All-Risk Insurance Co., is the same fictitious company featured in Double Indemnity.

Doc's rating: 7/10

stillmellow

01-04-24, 10:42 PM

The Super Mario Bros Movie - 10/10

I enjoyed it a lot, but Chris Pratt is too bland and wooden to get higher than an 8.5 from me.

crumbsroom

01-04-24, 10:45 PM

I watched half of Pretty Woman on Netflix

3/5

stillmellow

01-04-24, 10:49 PM

Godzilla -1.0
9/10.
Best movie of 2023 and the quintessential Godzilla movie.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e0/Godzilla_Minus_One_Poster.jpeg

Yes! Absolutely amazing film. Surprisingly anti-war, simply by showing its human costs.

Fabulous

01-05-24, 12:04 AM

Tucker and Dale vs Evil (2010)

3

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/phv4nTeSViYfabikRB6oVjceIbG.jpg

PHOENIX74

01-05-24, 12:18 AM

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e4/Jackass_Forever_film_poster.png
By jackassmovie.com, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=68266749

Jackass Fore♥er - (2022)

Oh, how do I rate this? I don't know - but you know what would be good? A movie about a group of people like Johnny Knoxville and his pals who end up going way too far - with terrible consequences. But that's not what this is - although I tell you, these guys are really pushing it. Knoxville himself gives everyone a scare when a bull sends him flying into the air, going and over end, before hitting the ground awkwardly and not getting up - a few stunts end up in hospital visits, with broken bones and much bruising - if not worse. The guys do things to their genitals that feels like a risk of permanent damage - so I wonder how they could do that. Then I read that this film made $80 million at the box office - so, where do I sign up?

♥/10

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/da/Ensayodeuncrimen.jpg
By [1], Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6799556

The Criminal Life of Archibaldo de la Cruz - (1955)

A bizarre film from Luis Buñuel that features titular character Archibaldo del la Cruz (Ernesto Alonso) repeatedly planning murders that are thwarted when the women he's trying to kill die by other unrelated causes before he can carry his plans out. Ahead of it's time really, and a fascinating watch - my review is here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=2431580#post2431580), on my watchlist thread.

8/10

Jeff

01-05-24, 03:39 AM

4/5 - White Material (2009) Not an easy watch, but has a drone like ambiance that helps me get through it, with some exciting releases from the tension, and of course the star of the film. Thematically is much like The Beasts watched recently, i would like to not watch another like these for awhile, where a foreigner is terrorized by the locals.

ScarletLion

01-05-24, 09:06 AM

'All Dirt Roads taste of Salt' (2023)

Beautiful, slow, arthouse type A24 drama about a woman recollecting memories of her life in Mississippi - with audio and visuals that evoke the best of Terrence Malick.

If you want action don't watch this film; if you're prepared to listen and look at the screen and get swept up in a sensual, non-linear narrative, it might be for you.

7.7/10

https://montclairfilm.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/ALL-DIRT-ROADS-TASTE-OF-SALT.jpg

Torgo

01-05-24, 12:17 PM

The Creator - 3

This is a pretty good, pulpy sci-fi action thriller featuring technology you've likely heard about this year and will continue to hear about: AI. It's set in a possible near-future where America's reliance on AI led to L.A. getting nuked. They banned it as a result and built NOMAD, an orbital defense system that monitors and destroys AI threats. They're all in Asia, i.e., "New Asia," which instead of banning AI went so far with it that people and AI humans live side by side. Our hero is Josh Taylor (Washington), an American soldier who defected to New Asia after falling in love with Maya (Chan) while undercover. After his army buddies discover his hiding place, they recruit him against his will to find and terminate AI suspect #1: Nirmata, a.k.a. the Creator. In the resulting confrontation, the pregnant Maya escapes and is presumed dead.

While I haven't loved all of Gareth Edwards' movies, I'll continue to be excited when he has a project in the works. His "isn't this fun, guys" enthusiasm for the genre is one reason and it's on full display here. It's really apparent in the visuals, which are not only vibrant and demand to be seen on the big screen, but also pay loving homage to the material that inspired it, Akira and Blade Runner in particular. Washington also deserves credit for how endearing and relatable he makes Taylor. His relationship with Alphie (Voyles), an AI prototype and "magical child" whose abilities would tip the balance for either superpower, has a lot to do with this for how it humanizes him and serves as a microcosm of the main theme. The stakes of their relationship, not to mention the driving pace and tight editing, means the action is never dull.

Again, this is pretty good sci-fi for how it explores the increasingly complicated relationship between man and machine. Edwards does wear his influences on his sleeve, but I don't think that's a bad thing since he puts his own stamp on them. What does hold the movie back from greatness is the many conveniences in the script. If it's not characters making uncharacteristically dumb decisions, its moments that make you question where some of the AI inventors went to college (some of the robots close their eyes and go to sleep on hammocks, for example). With that said, for its boldness, timeliness and for simply being good fun, Edwards and crew deserve your support. After all, they could have just made this into yet another Star Wars movie if they wanted to.

Marco

01-05-24, 12:45 PM

The Score (2001)
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/97/The_Score_film.jpg
Pretty routine heist movie embellished by the performances of De Niro and Norton. The dialogue is stale and the performance of Brando simply laughable. I read that he wouldn't speak to the director so fck knows what wasted salary he was pulling down to diva it up. It's pretty predictable but has a few subtle twists. All round forgettable.
2

Gideon58

01-05-24, 01:28 PM

https://resizing.flixster.com/Hm4c08vS5kceTzWphzzqJN2FtNY=/ems.cHJkLWVtcy1hc3NldHMvbW92aWVzLzUxMDhmN2IxLTE0OWYtNDIwYy05ZjVlLTk1MWUwNzJhYjEwMi53ZWJw

1st Rewatch...As I mentioned in my original review, it takes a minute to get going in terms of backstory and exposition, but once it does, this movie is a lot of fun. Zachary Levi and Jack Dylan Grazer are charming in the starring roles. Especially loved the part of the film where the two guys are trying to figure out exactly what powers the guys possess. 4

Gideon58

01-05-24, 01:32 PM

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/W/MEDIAX_792452-T2/images/S/pv-target-images/fd6d2850009935f9e23afa88364ce3a9b5565f2c1ca012c403eb94a162531d3a.jpg

Umpteenth Rewatch...it was so interesting watching this after so many years because it offers Rock commentary on major pop culture events that have been nearly forgotten about. Chris talks about Michael Jackson's 2nd charge of child molestation, the charges against R Kelly, Janet Jackson's wardrobe malfunction at the Super Bowl, and the lack of police work put into the death Tupac Shakur. Chris' philosophies toward marriage and relationships are offered and sometimes divide the audience, but never fail to produce laughs. 4.5

Stirchley

01-05-24, 01:51 PM

Three good movies.

96895
96896
96897

Gideon58

01-05-24, 01:57 PM

https://beam-images.warnermediacdn.com/BEAM_LWM_DELIVERABLES/ca12263f-0d27-46e9-8045-7e3e436d5d43/b7b5f7e14d0b14cb4be3f0359e77c4740397ad34.jpg?host=wbd-images.prod-vod.h264.io&partner=beamcom

4

Nausicaä

01-05-24, 02:07 PM

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/f/f4/Prey_2022_poster.png/220px-Prey_2022_poster.png

4

SF = Z

Oooo really really enjoyed this!

[Snooze Factor Ratings]:
Z = didn't nod off at all
Zz = nearly nodded off but managed to stay alert
Zzz = nodded off and missed some of the film but went back to watch what I missed
Zzzz = nodded off and missed some of the film but went back to watch what I missed but nodded off again at the same point and therefore needed to go back a number of times before I got through it...
Zzzzz = nodded off and missed some or the rest of the film but was not interested enough to go back over it

Thursday Next

01-05-24, 04:23 PM

Godzilla Minus One (2023)

This had the feel of a classic. The monster story is simple but effective and it's refreshing to watch - often, in trying to be new, films become overlong and overcomplicated. There is emotional weight to it, the main character a failed kamikaze pilot who is haunted by grief and guilt, the destruction wrought by Godzilla himself a stand-in for the destruction of war. The characters are distinct and likable and you believe in their relationships. It feels well made and heartfelt and I liked it very much. Would definitely recommend.

4

Darth Pazuzu

01-05-24, 04:41 PM

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/f/f6/Ferrari_film_poster.jpg/220px-Ferrari_film_poster.jpg

JANUARY 1, 2024

FERRARI (2023) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferrari_(2023_film))

I decided to see Michael Mann's latest film this past week, and I have to say I thought it was really good. A word of advice, though: The movie begins in a decidedly in media res fashion, and it takes a while for the viewer to really orient themselves and get a good grasp on who's who and what's what. I sometimes wonder whether or not people have the patience for that these days, but that would really be the viewer's problem and not the filmmakers'. In any case, the story / situation begins to assert itself in fairly short order, and it's a very interesting one. Not really being a racing enthusiast, and not really knowing anything about the history of automobile manufacturing, I still found it rather compelling. (I admittedly had a similar reaction to Gran Turismo earlier this year, which was also based on a true story. As a matter of fact, there's a tragic and cataclysmic "it" event late in the movie which far surpasses that of Gran Turismo in terms of sheer devastation and destruction.)

Adam Driver was very good in the role of Enzo Ferrari, disappearing into the skin of the company founder quite effortlessly, in a way that definitely does not make one think of Kylo Ren! (Yeah, yeah. I know Driver's done plenty of good work since the decidedly mixed bag that was the Star Wars Sequel Trilogy, but the only film of his since then that I've actually seen is Spike Lee's BlackKklansman, and acting-wise that was primarily John David Washington's show.) And Driver is quite readily rivalled by Penélope Cruz as Enzo's wife Laura, who owns half the company's shares and has become estranged from Enzo since the death of their young son Dino a year earlier. Cruz's performance actually creates a good deal of suspense, in terms of making the audience wonder exactly what she's going to do and how she's going to react to certain situations, and much of Enzo and the Ferrari company's fate rests on this. Complicating matters considerably is the fact that Enzo's been having a long-time affair with another woman named Lina for many years, with whom he's had another son named Piero, who just might end up being the heir to the company.

In short, I would highly recommend it, but I would also counsel patience due to its unhurried, unrushed pacing and the fact that its primary virtues are those of character development as opposed to nonstop action. (Although it's certainly not lacking in the latter, as we do get the big thousand-mile Mille Miglia race later in the film.)

:)

Mr Minio

01-05-24, 05:20 PM

Rewatched Naruse's Mother.

https://i.imgur.com/WBuqSL3.png

Ah, Japanese cinema of the 50s was so simple yet so powerful. Americans could never beat this. Well, at least the US released some masterpieces in the 50s, too. All Americans are capable of now is Sundance-level pleasantries or downright abhorrent films on corrupted hearts of whores and whoremongers.

Raven73

01-05-24, 06:26 PM

stillmellow

01-05-24, 06:57 PM

Prey
6.5/10

I'm glad the dog survived, but I don't understand how.

I thought it was dumb that they made the predator's technology less-advanced than in previous Predator movies (because it takes place in the 18th century), and yet the predators still have interstellar travel.

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81iLHAGLL9L._AC_UF894,1000_QL80_.jpg

I assumed it was to give the native humans a fighting chance. If all the predators cared about was victory, they could've shot everyone from the sky. In all the predator movies they ignore people that can't put up a fight. It's ritual combat, and it doesn't seem to count unless there's a chance of defeat, no matter how small.

Allaby

01-05-24, 09:58 PM

The Anne Frank Gift Shop (2023) This 15 minute short film is surprisingly hilarious and smart, yet still has a good heart and a valuable message. The dark humour and serious themes manage to work really well together. Hope it gets an Oscar nomination. 4.5

Raven73

01-05-24, 10:43 PM

Last voyage of the Demeter
6.5/10.
The handicap of this movie is that it's very predictable.

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BOTljMzRkNDItNjYxYS00ODA4LThiZjYtMjI0MTFjODlmMGJmXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNzU0NzQxNTE@._V1_FMjpg_UX1000_.j pg

PHOENIX74

01-05-24, 11:23 PM

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/cf/Wildoneposter.jpg
By Columbia Pictures - [1], Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=12269623

The Wild One - (1953)

The Wild One has always been a big box to tick for me on my Marlon Brando film list. He's doing his James Dean here, before Dean had a chance to break out - after absolutely making it into the stratosphere in A Streetcar Named Desire. So, is The Wild One dated? Did the United States ever have a problem involving marauding biker gangs smashing up towns and causing trouble? Interesting to read about such events as the Hollister riot in 1947, and how it was sensationalized in the press. As far as understanding troubled youth, we at least get something of a mannered and balanced look - and that's a side of this film that makes it easier to enjoy the raw drama, stirred up by young men rebelling against the status quo - whatever that might be. Brando is great (his propensity to gain weight already a little apparent) and that makes this one of his better films. Without him and Lee Marvin this wouldn't really be as memorable though.

7/10

https://i.postimg.cc/vZTkDp72/cold.jpg
By CineMaterial, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=57397667

Cold War - (2018)

Rewatch. One of Paweł Pawlikowski's great films - a visual powerhouse set in 1950s Poland, East Germany, Yugoslavia and France. Two lovers - Zula Lichoń (Joanna Kulig) and Wiktor Warski (Tomasz Kot) struggle to maintain their relationship against the backdrop of folk music, the entertainment industry and the push/pull of their homeland, communist oppression and rootless exile. Beautiful cinematography and sublime music underpin a really stunning film, which is one of the decade's best foreign language movies. Great performances, and equally wonderful screenplay make this the full package as far as cinematic enjoyment goes.

9/10

https://i.postimg.cc/90rVVrf1/pick.jpg
By Illustrator unknown. "Copyright 1953 by Twentieth Century–Fox Film Corp." - Scan via Heritage Auctions. Cropped from the original image and retouched; see upload history for unretouched original., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=89338693

Pickup on South Street - (1953)

Another film noir classic makes for another great viewing ticked off my lengthy watchlist - review here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=2431820#post2431820).

8/10

skizzerflake

01-05-24, 11:55 PM

American Fiction - It's been a while since I saw a movie that is smart, high on dialog, low on FX and near zero in action. American Fiction is all that and it's a really enjoyable novelty in the movie world. Monk (named for Thelonius) is a novelist, but hardly a best seller. As a black author, he does not want to pander to black stereotypes, but his books seem to land with a thud. In a fit of sarcasm, he invents a pseudonym, "Stagger Lee" and writes a book that is cover to cover with stereotypes and stereotypic language. The book is a best seller and "Lee" is celebrated as an authentic African American author. He's also a complete fake. All of a sudden, this guy who was in debt is rolling in money, but only a few people know who he really is. How do you untangle this?

Jeffrey Wright plays the novelist as a geeky guy, who doesn't know what to do with his success, especially since he disapproves of this sort of success and since, the identity, after all, is a fake, an alter ego that's not really him.

I completely enjoyed this movie, pretty much end to end. It's smart, with good dialog and a puzzle palace of a plot line. I think I will appreciate it more the second time around, when I know what to expect since there's a lot going on in the dialog.

If you get fatigue from all of the FX laden superheroes, this will give you a break from all that. It's a fun movie with a good heart and a good sense of humor.

:popcorn::popcorn::popcorn::popcorn:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0MbLCpYJPA

Fabulous

01-06-24, 03:09 AM

Talk to Me (2022)

3.5

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/lDCIQ1Qe7cRnhZ4ybQVVEbadMZ.jpg

Rhys

01-06-24, 04:35 AM

Funhouse (1981)
Directed by: Tobe Hooper (https://letterboxd.com/director/tobe-hooper/)

3

https://nightmarenostlagia.files.wordpress.com/2022/01/200-1.gif?w=470

Rhys

01-06-24, 07:05 AM

Saltburn (2023)
Directed by: Emerald Fennell (https://letterboxd.com/director/emerald-fennell-1/)

3

https://helios-i.mashable.com/imagery/articles/05IQu6fQpMKbEb4BF6tcrdl/hero-image.fill.size_1248x702.v1695659638.webp

this_is_the_ girl

01-06-24, 02:31 PM

https://divadloarena.s3.amazonaws.com/images/65123a525ccb84a449a87f0ebac9ec97aea7fe62c8eb2dd030a3a15486c61bb1.png
Les Vacances de Monsieur Hulot (1953, Jacques Tati)
4
I love how spontaneously random yet visually meticulous and subtle this mostly silent film is. The way Tati choreographs the characters within the scenes and conjures up the comedy in them (mostly medium to long shots, hardly any closeups) is truly magical, all the little nuances, details and funny bits popping out—not to make you roar with laughter but rather to gently tickle your sense of humor and amuse you with their heartwarming, nostalgic whimsicality. The character of Hulot himself, a walking trouble magnet with jerky angular body movements and a polite and friendly personality, exudes tons of charm and is hilarious to watch, as he keeps finding himself in all kinds of hassles and handling them as only he can. It's a comedy alright but it elicits laughs in a different way and from a different place—playing out more as a warm, quietly amusing, but sort of lovingly detached observation of the comedic yet bittersweet absurdity of human existence. The beauty of films like this is that they possess a wealth of visual information—they are unique little worlds that you can revisit time and time again and find something new each time.

Thursday Next

01-06-24, 02:32 PM

Citizen Rules

01-06-24, 02:44 PM

Indochine (1992)

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMzBiMmUzOGMtOTI2OC00N2MxLTkzOTMtMWJkNDJhZWQ3YTExXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTk3NDAwMzI@._V1_.jpg

This is on the foreign language Oscar winners list. If it weren't for that I might not have heard of it as I've never seen it talked about. Indochine is a sweeping epic historical melodrama about French colonial rule in Vietnam in the early 20th Century. Catherine Deneuve and her adopted Vietnamese daughter both fall for the same man, a French navy officer played by Vincent Perez (and who can blame them!) against a backdrop of increasing unrest, cruelty, rebellion and change. It looks great and enjoyed it a lot.

rating_4Good movie. I was going to choose that for the War movie watch group back during the war countdown watch period, but the watch group ended before I got a chance to choose Indochina. I reviewed it here some time ago https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=1921920#post1921920

Takoma11

01-06-24, 04:02 PM

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.slashfilm.com%2Fimg%2Fgallery%2Fheres-why-marvels-werewolf-by-night-has-no-post-credits-scene%2Fl-intro-1665434253.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=6446bd3ea64234a24eb04e2f76e73cce2578ab0b74f438b4cbcdedbb33676c47&ipo=images

Werewolf by Night, 2022

After the death of famed monster hunter Ulysses Bloodstone, Jack Russell (Gael Garcia Bernal) is one of several hunters summoned to the Bloodstone estate to compete to become the next holder of the family bloodstone. Showing up unannounced is Bloodstone’s estranged daughter Elsa (Laura Donnelly), who hits things off with Russell. But as the hunt heats up, who will survive the night?

While the film doesn’t leverage its assets as well as it could have, it’s still a fun horror flick with fun performances and a satisfying story arc.

4

Full review (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2431897#post2431897)

Tugg

01-06-24, 06:02 PM

Elemental (2023) 3.5
https://itsastampede615821596.files.wordpress.com/2023/06/elemental-2023-review.jpg?w=600
The Holdovers (2023) 3
https://static-koimoi.akamaized.net/wp-content/new-galleries/2023/11/the-holdovers-a-cinematic-journey-blending-nostalgia-comedy-and-authentic-emotion-2.jpg
Eileen (2023) 4
https://culturedvultures.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/image_2023-11-27_142436153-e1701095164144-803x452.jpg

Guaporense

01-06-24, 07:22 PM

Wings of Desire (1987)

https://th.bing.com/th/id/OIP.m82WoxOW0LINIVmgeeh70wHaEK?rs=1&pid=ImgDetMain

Now this is what a good German movie is all about. :D

Rhys

01-06-24, 10:27 PM

Thief (1981)
Directed by: Michael Mann (https://letterboxd.com/director/michael-mann/)

4

https://s3.amazonaws.com/criterion-production/images/4079-08145e1e6d47ae947524c7fffd58f198/thiefessay_current_medium.jpg

Four Lions (2010)
Directed by: Chris Morris (https://letterboxd.com/director/chris-morris/)

4

https://static01.nyt.com/images/2010/11/05/arts/05FOUR-span/FOUR-articleLarge.jpg

PHOENIX74

01-06-24, 10:30 PM

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/08/Lolita1997.jpg
By IMP Awards, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7280181

Lolita - (1997)

It's been a couple of decades since I last saw the 1997 adaptation of Vladimir Nabokov's Lolita - in the interim I've read the novel. The novel is far more disturbing, although this latter-day version goes places that cause genuine discomfort - something Stanley Kubrick's simply couldn't. Jeremy Irons, Melanie Griffith and Dominique Swain get their parts exactly right - and Frank Langella makes for a better Clare Quilty than Peter Sellers (that's not to say what Sellers did in his version wasn't brilliant - because it was fantastic.) The only quibble I might have is that this version puts a little too much of the onus on Dolores Haze (Dominique Swain) as an instigator when it comes to much of what goes on. Humbert Humbert (Irons) is more of a passive figure, and therefore doesn't seem as evil. Another thing I'd forgotten - this Lolita is almost a full-on comedy, with humour used in many effective ways throughout. That probably makes both versions lean on lot on funny stuff to diffuse all of the uncomfortable vibes we get when we watch them. Ennio Morricone's score is simply sublime.

7.5/10

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/08/The_South_%28film%29.jpg
By Derived from a digital capture (photo/scan) of the Film Poster (creator of this digital version is irrelevant as the copyright in all equivalent images is still held by the same party). Copyright held by the film company or the artist. Claimed as fair use regardless., Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=26593006

El Sur - (1983)

Classic film about childhood and the way we slowly learn that our parents are people too - with complexities and faults. The only fly in the ointment is the fact it's director never got to finish it the way he wanted - but it's great despite that. My review, on my watchlist thread, is here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=2431942#post2431942).

8/10

stillmellow

01-07-24, 04:11 AM

Collateral (2004)

Pretty good. Tom Cruise and Jamie Fox both do a good job, and the action's top notch.

It's not all good, of course. There's pacing issues, the fight scene in the dance club is hard to follow, and at times the bad guys make baffling bad decisions, but all in all its a fun ride.

👍

Fabulous

01-07-24, 04:58 AM

Colossal (2016)

3.5

https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/original/1ddf2Kq1hC7SgV02E3pyLAC26lq.jpg

Takoma11

01-07-24, 09:21 AM

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=http%3A%2F%2Ffilmfanatic.org%2Freviews%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2007%2F08%2FAngel-Face-Driving.png&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=488b92a7e44ad33c15709d4f03857d5af1fc9581ae601b47fa78efe5fcd5ba99&ipo=images

Angel Face, 1952

Ambulance driver Frank (Robert Mitchum) responds to an emergency call where he meets the lovely Diane (Jean Simmons). Diane hustles her way into Frank’s heart, and a torn Frank alienates his girlfriend, Mary (Mona Freeman). But when Diane’s parents are involved in a mysterious accident, Frank gets embroiled in all kinds of legal trouble and finds himself being tied closer and closer to Diane.

I’ve had this film on my watchlist for ages, but I found it kind of weak. Learning that it was a rush job and that there was behind-the-scenes nastiness between Simmons, producer Hughes, and director Preminger adds some context to it all.

Watchable, but it lacks sizzle.

3

FULL REVIEW (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2431975#post2431975)

Rhys

01-07-24, 09:46 AM

Traders (2015)
Directed by: Peter Murphy (https://letterboxd.com/director/peter-murphy/) and Rachael Moriarty (https://letterboxd.com/director/rachael-moriarty/)

3

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BODkwMzgwNTM3NV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwMTM1MjA0OTE@._V1_.jpg

Marco

01-07-24, 10:34 AM

The Lair of the White Worm (1988)
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/80/Lair_of_the_white_worm.jpg/330px-Lair_of_the_white_worm.jpg
A great and sensual (and humerous) re-telling of the Bram Stoker story by the master of such, Ken Russell. Seriously, the scenes go from the undoubtedly erotic to the comical within seconds.

The cast of Hugh Grant, Catherine Oxenberg, Peter Capaldi and Sammi Davis all contribute to this romp. The standout though is the louche Amanda Donohoe as Lady Marsh. I don't really know what Russell was attempting to make with this film but that's half the fun! The dream/trance sequences are fantastic
3.5

Takoma11

01-07-24, 10:44 AM

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fm.media-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FM%2FMV5BN2E4ZWIzNDYtZjZjZC00ODE4LTkzNjEtOWQyN2E5MjAyZGNjXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNjY0Mz k3NzA%40._V1_FMjpg_UX1280_.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=1326de6e4cc232aef3bdb7ce5d194ccfc05beabf882010e4a9d2f9562b91d338&ipo=images

Ammonite, 2020

Mary (Kate Winslet) is a fossil hunter living near the beach with her elderly mother, Molly (Gemma Jones). Mary ekes out a living finding and selling small ammonites, but one day she is offered a nice sum of money by amateur fossil-hunter Roderick (James McArdle) to keep his ailing wife Charlotte (Saoirse Ronan) company while he is away on work for a few weeks. As the women spend more time together, they begin to develop a romantic relationship.

Overall this movie left me with that very distinct despair that I feel when a movie has all of the elements of a great movie RIGHT THERE, and yet somehow can’t manage to assemble them into something coherent or compelling.

3

FULL REVIEW (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2431982#post2431982)

Rhys

01-07-24, 01:58 PM

The Founder (2016)
Directed by: John Lee Hancock (https://letterboxd.com/director/john-lee-hancock//)

3

https://s3.amazonaws.com/static.rogerebert.com/uploads/review/primary_image/reviews/the-founder-2017/Founder-2017.jpg

Takoma11

01-07-24, 02:49 PM

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fm.media-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FM%2FMV5BOWYzOWQ5N2YtZTQwMS00NzUxLTgzMzQtNTNkYzVjODBlY2UxXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNzU1Nz E3NTg%40._V1_QL75_UX500_CR0%2C47%2C500%2C281_.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=f58dba5591c91d53651b833fd8ba1638a825764486640f5c37387669165978d8&ipo=images

Funny Face, 1957

Jo (Audrey Hepburn) is a young woman who works in a bookstore and is interested in philosophy. When fashion editor Maggie (Kay Thompson) and her chief photographer Dick (Fred Astaire) take over the bookstore for a photo shoot, they “discover” Jo and decide to make her the face of their new campaign. Jo’s reluctance to get involved in the fashion industry is complicated by her growing feelings for Dick and the opportunity to travel abroad.

Maybe my expectations were too high for this one. I did get Hepburn in some swanky clothes, after all.

3

FULL REVIEW (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2432000#post2432000)

Citizen Rules

01-07-24, 03:23 PM

https://variety.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Screen-Shot-2023-10-03-at-9.01.18-AM.png
Priscilla (2023)
Sofia Coppola

I use to like Sofia Coppola as a director, but I'm going to have to rethink that after watching her ode to Priscilla Presley...The film is based on Priscilla Presley's memoirs 'Elvis and Me' 1985. Priscilla herself is listed as executive producer of the film and I'm guessing had some input into Coppola's direction.

Let me get into my complaints: Priscilla (the movie, not the person) lacks character development, lacks story telling and and is very light on insight into one of the world's most famous couples. The movie is a pictorial visual of short scenes without weight. The scenes say little about the people, they start and end abruptly. We see stuff happening from a distance without any real involvement and that's about it. You have to make up your own story with this movie.
https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.brides.com%2Fthmb%2FWSrVaVrU-Kww-uuC7Pr8eGayTZg%3D%2F1500x0%2Ffilters%3Ano_upscale()%3Amax_bytes(150000)%3Astrip_icc()%2F__opt__about com__coeus__resources__content_migration__brides__public__brides-services__production__2016__10__24__580e649b574f505c0329efcb_blogs-aisle-say-elvis-priscilla-presley-wedding-3-fc1c4fb9a67240c89ca48c3208a38b98.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=1ee9ef9214cbd918dc4fbd0848f4d2951bfc955abaf734a2d44b3b08ba0342c3&ipo=images
The real Elvis and Priscilla.

I gotta believe the casting of actors with an unusual height difference between them: Elvis (Jacob Elordi) 6'5" and 5'1" Priscilla (Cailee Spaeny) was a deliberate attempt by Coppola to make Elvis look all the more creepy. Priscilla in the movie looks like a 12 year old girl. Yes we know the real Priscilla met Elvis when she was 14 but they weren't married until she was 2 weeks shy of her 22nd birthday.

Neither actor was all that great and I didn't buy 'Elvis' at all as the King, I had a hard time believing Priscilla wasn't still in grade school. If that's the only thing Coppola has to say with her movie, she needs to rethink her film making techniques. Lots of missed opportunities here. Oh, I hated the temporal inappropriate score.
rating_3

kgaard

01-07-24, 03:30 PM

Beau Is Afraid (Ari Aster, 2023)

When I watched Midsommar, there were certainly moments in the movie where it seemed that Aster was, more or less, taking the piss, moments where the film becomes so over-the-top and absurd that it must be intentional. But it was subtle enough that it was hard to be sure.

So Beau Is Afraid felt a little vindicating, so unambiguously over-the-top, so much taking the piss that it could only be intentional. And if I still had any doubts (I didn’t), Ari Aster was there to watch the screening and talk afterward, and confirm that it was in fact what it seemed to be. He knew the film would be alienating, conceding that in editing they would talk about “if we took this part out we’d keep 5 members of the audience"; the interviewer suggested that there was once an even longer cut of the film, though Aster didn’t directly confirm this. Still, Aster expressed his delight that the movie hits an emotional peak after about two hours (paraphrasing here) “and there’s still an hour to go … and it’s all downhill.”

Of course, three hours of a movie taking the piss is a lot. It’s not going to be worth it for everyone. Beau is a very Jewish movie–after all, it’s about a guy who’s disappointed his Mom, a neurotic wracked with anxiety. Aster called the movie a “nightmare” about “a life not lived.” The friend I went with wanted to ask Aster if his mom had seen the movie, but refrained, though someone else asked if the experience had been “cathartic.” (The answer seemed to be kind of, but not really, because there’s always something else to work through. Fair enough.) There are long (long) stories that end in a punchline. Indeed, the whole movie is arguably just a very long joke. Aster said that if you thought that one part was stupid, just wait. (This was specifically in reference to the part where Beau finally enters the attic and learns that his father was in fact a literal giant penis. Definitely stupid!)

It’s weird, it’s uncomfortable, it’s funny, it’s dumb, it’s exasperating. Is it good? Well, the movie ends with an audience silently getting up and leaving. Our audience applauded. Maybe we were just being polite.

7/10

Takoma11

01-07-24, 03:45 PM

So Beau Is Afraid felt a little vindicating, so unambiguously over-the-top, so much taking the piss that it could only be intentional. And if I still had any doubts (I didn’t), Ari Aster was there to watch the screening and talk afterward, and confirm that it was in fact what it seemed to be. He knew the film would be alienating, conceding that in editing they would talk about “if we took this part out we’d keep 5 members of the audience"; the interviewer suggested that there was once an even longer cut of the film, though Aster didn’t directly confirm this. Still, Aster expressed his delight that the movie hits an emotional peak after about two hours (paraphrasing here) “and there’s still an hour to go … and it’s all downhill.”

I guess if he was pleased that the movie peaks and then declines for a solid hour . . . good for him. It wasn't the content of the film that was alienating, but more the fact that it's just treading water for the last third. It felt like my time was being wasted. My initial reaction was that it was an editing issue, but knowing it was intentional makes me think even less of that final act.

Thursday Next

01-07-24, 05:04 PM

I gotta believe the casting of actors with an unusual height difference between them: Elvis (Jacob Elordi) 6'5" and 5'1" Priscilla (Cailee Spaeny) was a deliberate attempt by Coppola to make Elvis look all the more creepy.

I haven't seen Priscilla but had a similar feeling about some scenes in Saltburn in which the height difference between Jacob Elordi and Barry Keoghan seemed emphasized to illustrate the class/wealth/power difference between them.

Citizen Rules

01-07-24, 05:33 PM

I haven't seen Priscilla but had a similar feeling about some scenes in Saltburn in which the height difference between Jacob Elordi and Barry Keoghan seemed emphasized to illustrate the class/wealth/power difference between them.It would be real interesting to do a deep internet search and see if the people involved could confirm that, like in an interview or blog. But I bet you're right.

Thursday Next

01-07-24, 05:37 PM

Rustin (2023)

https://dnm.nflximg.net/api/v6/2DuQlx0fM4wd1nzqm5BFBi6ILa8/AAAAQTn8k4URmPobhvyHHWf5nxPHH4_dQKHrV6yQpN3leOPQywS4UEfJGjwXQaeCkuldp21SWylxPqiE39r29Q3q_TGsLCZ0H8w5 SokoufSMI6uMKbifruQiBXfrlMq71maBOfnM747QNSwwAG-vyNSEcznM.jpg?r=afb

A good performance from Colman Domingo that's bigger than the film it's in. Maybe I've watched one too many biopics recently (Oppenheimer, Napoleon, Maestro...) or maybe these films are made for actors more than they're made for audiences. A few flashbacks aside, the film focuses on activist Bayard Rustin's efforts to coordinate a march on Washington as part of the 1960s US civil rights movement. It's difficult to make organizing an event look exciting. I was not surprised to learn that one of the writers of this also wrote Milk. It's fine, but Domingo's performance is the only notable thing about it (he makes Aml Ameen's Martin Luther King look dull and I'm not sure that's ultimately to the film's benefit).

3

Takoma11

01-07-24, 06:02 PM

Raven73

01-07-24, 06:12 PM

Blue beetle
5/10.
I've never watched Power Rangers, but I imagine it would be a lot like this.

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BODkyZjcyOGMtZWVhYy00ZWEyLWJlZDItZDA2OTBhNGZmMjBiXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTUzMTg2ODkz._V1_.jpg

kgaard

01-07-24, 06:25 PM

I guess if he was pleased that the movie peaks and then declines for a solid hour . . . good for him. It wasn't the content of the film that was alienating, but more the fact that it's just treading water for the last third. It felt like my time was being wasted. My initial reaction was that it was an editing issue, but knowing it was intentional makes me think even less of that final act.

So here's what I think I is going on for that last hour:

The emotional "peak" of the movie comes at the end of the long story within a story (within, IIRC, another story) when "Beau" finally finds his three sons and has a bittersweet emotional reunion with them. The punchline, of course, is that he has never had sex (because it might kill him) and so ... how did he have them? Big laughs. But then of course none of this happened anyway. It's just a story. Aster is very much signposting the artifice of the film. But at the same time, it still matters. The feelings matter. Beau has to finish his journey, and so do you, the audience. Well, you don't have to. You can leave, or turn it off, or fall asleep. There are ways out of the movie, but just one way out of life. So Beau has to confront the life he's had--the woman he wanted but could never have (until he does and it turns into a new trauma), his mother, his brother, his father. And finally, a reckoning of himself. This is the life he really had, and this is the end. It's a dark, dark joke.

I mean, I don't want to try to convince you that this could or should work for you. Clearly it did not! But I do understand why he did it this way. It's kind of sadistic, but I suppose I'm the right kind of masochist.

Takoma11

01-07-24, 06:50 PM

So Beau has to confront the life he's had--the woman he wanted but could never have (until he does and it turns into a new trauma), his mother, his brother, his father. And finally, a reckoning of himself. This is the life he really had, and this is the end. It's a dark, dark joke.

I mean, I don't want to try to convince you that this could or should work for you. Clearly it did not! But I do understand why he did it this way. It's kind of sadistic, but I suppose I'm the right kind of masochist.

Right, and I do understand it on an intellectual level. But I think that there are two things happening at once that contradict each other:

I would have been fine with the idea of making us "feel" the long, slow end of his life. I don't mind movies that make you feel time, like a more twisted version of Jeanne Dielman.

But at the same time, the last act is packed with things that are trying to get a rise out of you: a woman dying during sex, a giant penis, a painfully allegorical "trial".

So my problem is really that Aster seems to want to have things both ways. He wants the joke to be the sad decline of this man, but at the same time pack in a bunch of visual gags.

I think that one or the other could have worked, but as a combination it just ends up feeling muddled and overlong.

And why I think that this is really a shame is that the first act DOES show how you can combine both the sense of the mundane/pathetic and some fantastic visual gags/setpieces.

I honestly can't imagine ever watching this film in its entirety again, though I will definitely at some point revisit the 90 minutes or so.

GulfportDoc

01-07-24, 07:51 PM

Angel Face, 1952

Ambulance driver Frank (Robert Mitchum) responds to an emergency call where he meets the lovely Diane (Jean Simmons). Diane hustles her way into Frank’s heart, and a torn Frank alienates his girlfriend, Mary (Mona Freeman). But when Diane’s parents are involved in a mysterious accident, Frank gets embroiled in all kinds of legal trouble and finds himself being tied closer and closer to Diane.

I’ve had this film on my watchlist for ages, but I found it kind of weak. Learning that it was a rush job and that there was behind-the-scenes nastiness between Simmons, producer Hughes, and director Preminger adds some context to it all.

Watchable, but it lacks sizzle.

rating_3

FULL REVIEW (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2431975#post2431975)
When I first saw it I'll never forget how shocked I was at the ending. The picture sure ticked all the noir boxes though..;)

Takoma11

01-07-24, 08:00 PM

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.whats-on-netflix.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F01%2Ffool-me-once-wont-return-for-season-2-at-netflix-jpg.webp&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=cecc1d88d76539893ac5bde78cd1d1f8973363b4df8c7b2e3b26089a882303b9&ipo=images

Fool Me Once, 2024 (Miniseries)

Maya (Michelle Keegan) is a disgraced military veteran who has just lost her husband to a violent attack. Struggling to find some normalcy, Maya’s world is turned upside down again when she sees her dead husband, Joe (Richard Armitage) on her nanny cam. As Maya searches for answers to this impossible event, the detective investigating Joe’s murder, Sam Kierce (Adeel Akhtar), learns that the case is far more complex than he could ever imagine.

I did enjoy the first episode or two of this series, but the majority of it was a bloated mess. I’m not exaggerating when I say that the writers here added about twice as much plot as was in the original novel. And I can tell you that the events of that original novel were already straining some of the bounds of credulity. At one point in the miniseries, a character lectures Maya about the mathematical probability of two events being a coincidence, and it honestly feels like a middle finger to the audience. I will give the series credit for keeping the novel’s original ending, which is a bit daring and also does manage to close the book on a key subplot.

This was okay for a snow day binge, but it was a real slog to finish the last three episodes.

2.5

FULL REVIEW (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2432032#post2432032)

Takoma11

01-07-24, 08:03 PM

When I first saw it I'll never forget how shocked I was at the ending. The picture sure ticked all the noir boxes though..;)

I really hated the ending. I thought it was super predictable and just sort of spoke to the fact that the script hadn't actually created characters with real arcs.

PHOENIX74

01-07-24, 10:34 PM

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/7e/The_Killing_of_Kenneth_Chamberlain.jpg
By http://www.impawards.com/2021/killing_of_kenneth_chamberlain.html, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=65234503

The Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain - (2019)

Police in America, again. What makes the killing of Ken Chamberlain so egregious is the fact that the three police officers that were sent to his apartment were there for a welfare check. That's right - they were sent to see if he was okay, and ended up busting his door down and killing him. To understand how this happened, you have to go through the events like we do in the film. Kenneth refuses to open his door for the police, shouting to them that he's fine, and cancelling a medic-alert that he'd accidentally activated. The cops though, to make this a nice clean report they can write up, want to check him out themselves. The longer he won't open the door, the more frustrated they get. Pretty soon one of them says he reckons he's holding a prostitute hostage in there (??) - Kenneth is talking to himself, and obviously has psychological problems. The cops scare him, and he deems it his right not to let them in if they have no probable cause - which sounds right. The one sane police officer among them is berated and ignored - and as usual the cops get more and more agitated, angry, forceful, and determined. When they finally break his door down, they enter this guy's place (remember, they were initially just checking on his health and welfare) with shotguns and pistols drawn, riot shields up, and in a hail of noise, shouting, tasering and eventually gunfire. Ken is unarmed and terrified. This really happened - and if a nation ever needed police reform it's the United States, where many departments have become fully militarized. The movie is fine - nothing to write home about, and simply functional.

6/10

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/54/The_Worst_Person_in_the_World_%28film%29.jpg
By mk2 films, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=69249296

The Worst Person in the World - (2021)

Rewatch. Joachim Trier's latest movie is a touching portrait of a young Norwegian woman's emotional journey trying to find where she fits and who she is - always mindful that the road not taken might be a choice she regrets. Renate Reinsve won Best Actress at Cannes for her delicate portrayal of Julie - unsure of who to be, and mindful that having children might close off every other avenue available to her. Does that make her the worst person in the World? Funny, insightful, well-written and warm, this was one of the really good films of '21 and shows Joachim Trier and Eskil Vogt hitting a real peak creatively.

8/10

Fabulous

01-08-24, 02:08 AM

The Conjuring (2013)

3

https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/original/6HkIkXERJHl2Eab1zLrof8EYsBR.jpg

stillmellow

01-08-24, 02:48 AM

The Conjuring (2013)

3

https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/original/6HkIkXERJHl2Eab1zLrof8EYsBR.jpg

Glad I'm not the only one who was underwhelmed by this movie and series. So many people go crazy it. I think giving it a 6/10 is right on the money.

Brody At Amity

01-08-24, 10:08 AM

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71jt6f9rc2L._AC_UF894,1000_QL80_.jpg

Terrific film. Frances McDormand is an incredible talent. It was deserving of all its awards success back in 2020. Great use of non-actors/docu-realism alongside drama.

Torgo

01-08-24, 10:45 AM

The Iron Claw - 4

This heart wrenching drama is as much about wrestling as it is about grief. Grief was something on the minds of the Von Erich brothers every day since the first one of them that came along, Jack, died tragically at six. Since their father, Fritz, ran the WCCW, wrestling was his family’s bread and butter. To avoid further tragedy, he taught his sons to not only be champions, but also to remain on top. They soon learned that the cost of keeping the machine running at full power was too high.

Of all the ways to feel, grief is the last one I'd choose to experience willingly, so as much as the movie makes Fritz and wife Doris out to be villains, and rightly so, it also succeeds at making you understand where they're coming from. Nuances like this and its aim to humanize the Von Erich family means it thankfully avoids cheap melodrama and thus makes the emotions feel like they're earned. It even manages to do this for a flamboyant character like Ric Flair! That the acting of the brothers is exceptional helps, with Zac Efron as now oldest sibling Kevin doing career-best work. The way he expresses his ambivalence about pleasing his father and the increasingly dire consequences that result is so natural, as is how he shows how much Kevin loved his brothers and spending time with them. Just as affecting is The Bear's Jeremy Allen White and Stanley Simons for how they convey the physical and emotional tolls of keeping the Von Erich name relevant. The period accuracy also deserves praise, especially because of the soundtrack. The "Tom Sawyer" montage in particular is a blast and may be my favorite montage of the year. I also like the insider’s perspective it provides into the professional wrestling business and the opportunities it provides for some of the cast – Efron and White in particular – to exhibit their other talents, especially during the "Thank God I'm a Country Boy" dance at Kevin's wedding.

As much as I enjoyed this and as much credit I give the movie for making the tears seem earned, it's not without its flaws. I do like Holt McCallany, but I wasn't crazy about his delivery as Fritz for how it sounds more like voiceover narration than natural speech, which sticks out like a sore thumb given how natural the communication is between his sons. Also, Lily James' role is as Kevin's wife is a bit two-dimensional. For the ways the movie made me consider the power of grief, how far some will go to fight it and for how well it tells the Von Erich's story, it's worth going out of your way to see regardless of your interest in wrestling. Just be prepared to only want to see light comedies for a while once it’s over.

Rhys

01-08-24, 11:05 AM

The Greatest Beer Run Ever (2022)
Directed by: Peter Farrelly (https://letterboxd.com/director/peter-farrelly/)

3

https://s3.amazonaws.com/static.rogerebert.com/uploads/review/primary_image/reviews/the-greatest-beer-run-ever-movie-review-2022/the-greatest-beer-run-ever-movie-review-2022.jpg

Gideon58

01-08-24, 12:50 PM

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4th Rewatch....One of my guilty pleasures, this semi-raunchy college comedy still provides plenty of laugh out loud moments, thanks primarily to Breckin Meyer, Seann William Scott, DJ Qulls, and the late Fred Ward. 3.5

Gideon58

01-08-24, 12:54 PM

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71iU0Wa8e4L._AC_UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg

3rd Rewatch...Though it still bothers me that Streisand is the only one who sings in this film, this rewatch really found me appreciate her work as director, work that won her history's first Golden Globe for Best Director to a woman. I read somewhere that Steven Spielberg said it was the best directorial debut since Citizen Kane. The film is really well directed. 3.5

Gideon58

01-08-24, 12:56 PM

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/e80AAOSwAMRfPYrR/s-l1200.webp

5th Rewatch...another guilty pleasure thanks to an attractive cast and some surprisingly clever writing. I don't know why, but if I catch this movie channel surfing, I will always watch. 3.5

Gideon58

01-08-24, 01:02 PM

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMWMxYjZkOWUtM2FjMi00MmI1LThkNzQtNTM5Y2E2ZGQ2NGFhXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTA0MTM5NjI2._V1_.jpg

1st Rewatch....For my money, Kubrick's masterpiece about the insanity of nuclear war and the presumed insanity of those leaders who had their fingers on the button. Peter Sellers was robbed of the Best Actor Oscar for his triple role performance in this angry and hilarious farce, That scene where the general is trying to call the President collect puts me on the floor. George C. Scott and Sterling Hayden were also robbed of nominations, and the screenplay should have won. 4.5

Gideon58

01-08-24, 01:05 PM

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMjEwMDg3MDk1NF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwNjYyODA1NTE@._V1_.jpg

1st Rewatch...this sequel provides some laughs, but eventually falls apart, thanks to what I said in my original review. It's difficult to engage in this film because the issues that it addresses should have been addressed in the first film. 2.5

Rhys

01-08-24, 01:07 PM

Knock at the Cabin (2023)
Directed by: M. Night Shyamalan (https://letterboxd.com/director/m-night-shyamalan/)

3

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Gideon58

01-08-24, 01:08 PM

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BN2MwZTVlZGYtMjIxOS00YmYzLTg0Y2ItNDc5OWY1ZDZlMWVlXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNTA4NzY1MzY@._V1_.jpg

2nd Rewatch...Judd Apatow's first real commercial success does provide some laughs but suffers from severe overlength and a completely unlikeable leading lady. 3

Stirchley

01-08-24, 03:52 PM

Three excellent movies.

96988

Very sad to learn 3/4 through this movie that the male lead had been killed in a skiing accident.

96989
96990

Allaby

01-08-24, 04:32 PM

The Bed Sitting Room (1969) If you are a fan of absurd, zany British humour from the 60s, then this should be your cup of tea. I appreciated the creativity and the attempts at zaniness, but they didn't completely pull it off. I didn't find it funny, only slightly amusing at times. 3

Dead2009

01-08-24, 05:43 PM

Double Dragon - 4/10

Raven73

01-08-24, 06:42 PM

Saw X
7/10.

This installment in the franchise happens between Saw I and Saw II. The fact that Jigsaw is back made me groan at the beginning, but they actually put a unique and clever spin on it.

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BODVhNDMyNDctNjg0Yi00ZDFlLThjMzctNzZmMTE2ZmE2YzBlXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTY3ODkyNDkz._V1_.jpg

GulfportDoc

01-08-24, 08:11 PM

[Angel Face] I really hated the ending. I thought it was super predictable and just sort of spoke to the fact that the script hadn't actually created characters with real arcs.
Well, you're not alone there. Jean Simmons hated the picture, and was in constant tension and turmoil during shooting for a couple of reasons.

Howard Hughes purchased and reigned over RKO for 7 years between 1945 and 1952, during which time he had no hits, and threw the studio into pandemonium due to his erraticism and penny-pinching. Hughes and Simmons were in a lawsuit over a claim that Hughes had Simmons under an exclusive contract. Otto Preminger took the directing job as a personal favor to his friend Hughes. The picture not only had a very short production schedule, but Preminger constantly berated Simmons, which was very upsetting to her. It's amazing that the picture got finished at all.

Takoma11

01-08-24, 08:24 PM

Well, you're not alone there. Jean Simmons hated the picture, and was in constant tension and turmoil during shooting for a couple of reasons.

Howard Hughes purchased and reigned over RKO for 7 years between 1945 and 1952, during which time he had no hits, and threw the studio into pandemonium due to his erraticism and penny-pinching. Hughes and Simmons were in a lawsuit over a claim that Hughes had Simmons under an exclusive contract. Otto Preminger took the directing job as a personal favor to his friend Hughes. The picture not only had a very short production schedule, but Preminger constantly berated Simmons, which was very upsetting to her. It's amazing that the picture got finished at all.

The only uplifting thing about the trivia behind the film is (1) Mitchum slapping Preminger when the director wanted repeated takes of him hitting Simmons and (2) Simmons cutting her hair short to undercut Hughes long-hair fetish. And the best they could do was put her in a terrible wig for the movie. At the time I'm sure it seemed like a power flex for Hughes and Preminger, but overall it makes them both seem like petty losers.

Guaporense

01-08-24, 09:13 PM

Andrei Rublev (1966)

https://lwlies.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Andrei-Rublev-1108x0-c-default.jpg

If I were asked by an alien to demonstrate the power of human art, in terms of film, this piece would be perhaps the best example humanity has produced so far.

5

Fabulous

01-09-24, 01:04 AM

Eddie and the Cruisers (1983)

3

https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/original/cJx5m0myUddUVuVRrAX2VrJ5UjB.jpg

PHOENIX74

01-09-24, 04:40 AM

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/50/Dream_scenario_poster.jpg
By http://www.impawards.com/2023/dream_scenario_ver3_xxlg.html, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=74859202

Dream Scenario - (2023)

Nicolas Cage a chance for an Oscar this year? The competition might be too stiff, but his performance in Dream Scenario is one of the biggest reasons to see this film. That and some wonderfully constructed dream sequences, which you've probably already seen thanks to over-indulgent trailers. I absolutely loved Kristoffer Borgli's 2022 feature Sick of Myself - which is so hard to beat that I don't want to compare that and this. Viral fame is great for our entertainment - seated in the gigantic Colosseum of pop culture and the internet that we are - but for those who are chewed up and spat out it's exactly what Paul Matthews (Cage) goes through here. Briefly loved and then forever hated. Paul Matthews is one of those good natured yet flawed innocents that we often see in fiction - to the power of infinity. Seeing him uplifted and then completely deconstructed and burned to the ground - that's pretty standard these days, albeit sad (and yes, funny.) A cautionary tale about fame and infamy.

7.5/10

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/95/Titash_Ekti_Nadir_Naam_DVD_cover.jpg
By http://www.listal.com/movie/titash-ekti-nadir-naam, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=35981388

A River Called Titas - (1973)

Another unconventional film that I wasn't quite prepared for. Shifts in focus, and time, are very severe here in this movie about interconnected families living on the banks of the Titas river. Blood is thicker than water - but water is essential, and when the river dries up so does our tendency to reach out and forge new bonds. Director Ritwik Ghatak was tormented by the partition partition of Bengal of 1947, and here you see him question nearly everything pertaining to the culture and beliefs of the simple characters he sets forth in his film. A constant searching and incessant questioning makes it worth bearing out the unusual rhythms and strange tone which at times borders on hysteria. I was fascinated by A River Called Titas.

8/10

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/01/Titane_poster.jpeg
By http://www.impawards.com/intl/france/2021/titane.html, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=68035188

Titane - (2021)

Quite an unusual mix of love, titanium steel and body horror comingles at the cross-street of Alexia's (Agathe Rousselle) life in this high-impact film that'll make you wince over and over again - review on my watchlist thread here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=2432411#post2432411).

7/10

ScarletLion

01-09-24, 06:44 AM

'Monster' (2023)

Hirokazu Kore-eda has done it again. He continues to churn out emotional family dramas time after time. After two films in English and then Korean he’s back to Japanese cinema, with a slightly bigger budget and this is what he does best – Japanese stories based on family with superb performances by young actors.

Based on a screenplay by Yuji Sakamoto and with a score by the late Ryuichi Sakamoto, Monster packs an emotional punch as it follows the story of Minato, a boy who has a few challenges at school. He seems to have a confrontational relationship with Yori, a newcomer to the school. What transpires is an event where Minato is mistreated by a teacher which results in his single parent mother having to complain formally to the school. After this, Kore-eda masterfully shows the event from multiple points of view in an almost ‘Rashomon’ style. The film then transitions into an ethical tale that asks us who the ‘Monster’ is in the scenario – is it one or more of the characters? Is it people who idly stand by? Is it all of us?

Kore-eda then wonderfully weaves the story back to a timeline of pure beauty and humanity that none of my words could justify. It’s a shame that the legendary composer Sakamoto never got to see the finished film with his score as it accompanies the film so well. But Monster is a real treat for fans of Japanese cinema and anyone who enjoys a family drama.

Kore-eda is a master of his craft and one of the best directors working today.

8.6/10

4.5

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNDA3NTQ1YWItZDg4Ny00ZDYxLWJmZDYtODY4MTcwYWFlMDYwXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMDc5ODIzMw@@._V1_.jpg

sawduck

01-09-24, 08:18 AM

Feast of the Seven Fishes 7/10 - A very underrated Christmas gem of a movie, heartwarming and amusing
The Holdovers 8.5/10 - A wonderful movie with fantastic acting by all 3 main players
Dream Scenario 7.5/10 - Bizarre but fun, nic cage is great
Killers of the Flower Moon 9/10 - It's a bit hard to watch this movie but i highly recommend you do, everyone involved in this does a fantastic job

chawhee

01-09-24, 10:25 AM

Casino (1995)
https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w780/cph3yn2ZIg7iRBmxJc1QW9zBcjG.jpg
5
Vegas preparation continues with this classic. Really makes me wish I could have been alive in the 70's and 80's to see what it was like back then.

Allaby

01-09-24, 11:10 AM

Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project (2023) This documentary about poet Nikki Giovanni made the Oscar short list and could get nominated for best documentary feature. I thought it was interesting and had some really effective moments. It could have gone a bit more in depth though. Worth a watch. It is currently streaming on Crave/Max (depending on your country). 3.5

Rhys

01-09-24, 12:42 PM

Three Colours: Blue (1993)
Directed by: Krzysztof Kieślowski (https://letterboxd.com/director/krzysztof-kieslowski/)

rating_4

https://www.altfg.com/film/wp-content/uploads/images/2021/03/three-colors-blue-juliette-binoche.jpg

Gideon58

01-09-24, 01:01 PM

https://images.fandango.com/ImageRenderer/500/0/redesign/static/img/default_poster.png/0/images/masterrepository/Fandango/90729/TheExorcist.jpg

6th Rewatch...The 1973 instant classic that angered, repelled, and terrified moviegoers everywhere is still the heart-stopping experience it was back in '73. This story of a 12-year old girl who becomes possessed by the devil and eventually causing the death of three people angered religious purists and was making moviegoers physically sick at the often disgusting imagery employed by director William Friedkin in order to bring William Peter Blatty's fact-based novel to the screen. It should be mentioned that this is one of the few times that this reviewer actually read the book before seeing the movie and Friedkin's skill and care at bringing this book to the screen should have earned him the Oscar for Best Director. The film was robbed of the Best Picture Oscar and Ellen Burstyn was also robbed of the Best Actress Oscar for her flawless performance as the little girl's mother. A singular motion picture experience that is still one of the hardest films to watch in the history of cinema. 4.5

Gideon58

01-09-24, 01:07 PM

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMjA3MDQ4MDI1M15BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwMDYxMjcxNDM@._V1_.jpg

2nd Rewatch...this episodic road trip comedy about fraternal twins (Owen Wilson, Ed Helms) who go on a road trip in search of their biological father suffers from a few too many subplots that weaken a solid premise, but the film does provide a serious dose of star power. Glenn Close is lovely as the guy's mom, who was a bit of a tramp during the 70's and claims not to know who the boys' father is. Terry Bradshaw, Ving Rhames, Christopher Walken, JK Simmons, Katt Williams, Harry Shearer, and Ali Wong are also along for this wild ride that runs out of gas before it should. 3

Gideon58

01-09-24, 08:04 PM

https://s3.amazonaws.com/static.rogerebert.com/uploads/movie/movie_poster/the-color-purple-2023/large_Color_Purple_Poster.jpg

4

GulfportDoc

01-09-24, 08:13 PM

[The Exorcist]
6th Rewatch...The 1973 instant classic that angered, repelled, and terrified moviegoers everywhere is still the heart-stopping experience it was back in '73. This story of a 12-year old girl who becomes possessed by the devil and eventually causing the death of three people angered religious purists and was making moviegoers physically sick at the often disgusting imagery employed by director William Friedkin in order to bring William Peter Blatty's fact-based novel to the screen. It should be mentioned that this is one of the few times that this reviewer actually read the book before seeing the movie and Friedkin's skill and care at bringing this book to the screen should have earned him the Oscar for Best Director. The film was robbed of the Best Picture Oscar and Ellen Burstyn was also robbed of the Best Actress Oscar for her flawless performance as the little girl's mother. A singular motion picture experience that is still one of the hardest films to watch in the history of cinema. rating_4_5
I'm not a horror fan, but The Exorcist is one of the great movies. And IMO the poster is probably the most iconic of all time. I don't know if it was the art director or someone else who designed that poster, but whoever it was sure earned their money!

Rhys

01-10-24, 05:58 AM

Stranger Than Paradise (1984)
Directed by: Jim Jarmusch (https://letterboxd.com/director/jim-jarmusch/)

rating_4

https://djmzubtjl6upi.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2023/01/stranger-than-paradise-1500x900-1.jpg

Thief

01-10-24, 08:56 AM

PLANE CRAZY
(1928, Disney & Iwerks)

https://i.imgur.com/zNquMB8.jpg

"It's a snappy six minutes, with plenty of nonsensical action and a fitting musical accompaniment."

As is usual with many animated short films, especially these very early ones, the story in Plane Crazy is quite simple. Mickey wants to be like Charles Lindbergh so he and other animals build a plane. When it crashes on the test flight, Mickey decides to build another one with some unorthodox parts. When it's done, he takes Minnie on his first flight.

All of those things offer directors Disney and Ub Iwerks ample chance to create some cool animated setpieces, especially for the time being. I thought the scene when the plane is trying to take off and its running down a road was beautifully animated, and to think it was done by hand? That just makes it more amazing.

Grade: 4

Full review on my Movie Loot (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2432614#post2432614)

xSookieStackhouse

01-10-24, 10:01 AM

5
i really enjoyed it, im so happy that they used a real life deaf disability actress, loved the casting and the music and culture and Alaqua Cox did an amazing job as echo :) <3 and all the haters are not real marvel fans, females deserves to stay with marvel comics <3
https://www.sheenmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/sheen-feature-photo-76.png

Brody At Amity

01-10-24, 01:41 PM

The Last Rifleman - 3/5

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BYTM0Y2Q3ZWUtNTk1OC00YmExLTgxYjAtZDdhMjQ5OTZjNmUxXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTE5NTM5NTU5._V1_FMjpg_UX1000_.j pg

I nice, bittersweet tale of not letting old age beat you. But it's a fanciful telling of the true story and I'm not sure Pierce Brosnan can pull off a 92-year-old. Here's (https://www.top10films.co.uk/81400-review-the-last-rifleman-a-fanciful-retelling-of-an-inspirational-true-story/) a few more words on it from me.

WrinkledMind

01-10-24, 03:32 PM

The Holdovers
It takes some time to spring to life, but once it does it ends up being a wonderful film.

I am mildly amused at Alexander Payne not being happy with people calling this a feel good Christmas film. I agree with the people, despite the bleak premise & sad, broken characters.

Fans of Mr. Payne will recognise few familiar plot or character traits which he has reutilised in this movie. To a good effect. He was also aided by an exceptionally talented cast in Dominic Sessa, De'Vine Joy Randolph & Paul Giamatti.

Fabulous

01-10-24, 07:20 PM

Insomnia (1997)

4

https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/original/TbdrOyK2CJgEu4GsjvDMXvIwY8.jpg

GulfportDoc

01-10-24, 08:36 PM

96995

Kiss Me Deadly (1955)

This is a lollapalooza of a noir based on Mickey Spillane’s 1952 novel of the same name featuring a two-fisted Mike Hammer. Directed by Robert Aldrich, and photographed by the noir veteran Ernest Laszlo, screen writer A.I. Bezzerides changed the basis of the novel from an organized crime story to an espionage thriller featuring a mysterious valuable box. Spillane was not happy about the screenplay.

The picture opens with a thrilling scene. As Hammer drives along a highway a woman named Christina, clad only in a trench coat, runs into the car’s path, causing Hammer to slam on the brakes to avoid hitting her. He invites her into his car. She is escaping from a mental hospital having been held against her will, and implores to him that whatever happens, to “remember me”. Presently some gangsters overtake Hammer’s car, drag the woman out, and trying to force information out of her, she is killed. The scene sets up the whole story, and is played beautifully by Cloris Leachman in her first screen role. They subsequently knock out Hammer, and along with the woman’s body, and push the two of them over a cliff in Hammer’s car.

Days later Hammer wakes up in the hospital with his assistant/lover Velda standing over him. Hammer is intrigued about the incident and decides to find out what mystery Christina held, that it’s “something big”. He first seeks out Christina’s roommate Gabrielle, and finds out that she is somehow in league with a group of people who are all involved in seeking out the valuable box. As Mike proceeds to investigate he comes into contact with a dizzying array of con men, gangsters and thieves. It all comes to head at a lavish beach house where the content of the box is revealed, and provides one of the most memorable of noir endings.

The movie is filled with indelible participants played by great character actors such as Jack Elam, Jack Lambert, Paul Stewart, Strother Martin, and Albert Dekker. Ralph Meeker’s Mike Hammer is written as more of a sleaze than Spillane characterizes him in the novels, although he still has a violent streak. The picture was a landmark film which influenced everyone from Francois Truffaut to Quentin Tarantino.

Doc's rating: 8/10

Takoma11

01-10-24, 08:40 PM

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fcriterion-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fcarousel-files%2Fa77031e6117ff118a7620978100427d2.jpeg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=87cc2985e1a1484e0a178350e70949ca05782e96189c63c95da86a9db4991128&ipo=images

Le Corbeau, 1943

In a small village in France, doctor Remy Germain (Pierre Fresnay) has a somewhat suspect reputation due to his tendency to save the lives of pregnant women, even at the expense of their unborn fetuses. Germain has a mutual crush on Laura (Micheline Francey), the young wife of one of his co-workers, but is also in a relationship with Denise (Ginette Leclerc), a woman who prides herself on her sexual conquests. The whole situation is a powder keg, and an anonymous person lights a match when they send a series of anonymous poison pen letters, many of them directly targeting Germain. But who is the letter writer? And what secret past is Germain hiding?

This isn’t what I was expecting in terms of a mystery/thriller, but it ended up being a very interesting drama and examination of small town dynamics. Leclerc’s character and performance really grew on me as the film went on, and Denise went from feeling like a caricature to perhaps the most interesting character in the film.

4

FULL REVIEW (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2432758#post2432758)

Takoma11

01-10-24, 10:05 PM

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fm.media-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FM%2FMV5BNjE4NDg1ZTUtZThmMC00MmRhLTg1MTAtYjRkZmE4NzA5YjFhXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjUyND k2ODc%40._V1_SX453_CR0%2C0%2C453%2C247_AL_.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=6ea79e7d0a007873de60101f382637974e186fb89a412411aa62182d0287831a&ipo=images

52 Pick-Up, 1986

Successful construction businessman Harry (Roy Scheider) is living a pretty great life until three masked strangers pull him into a room and reveal that they have damning footage of him fooling around with his decades-younger mistress, Cini (Kelly Preston). Despite the fact that his wife, Barbara (Ann-Margret) is about to run for office, Harry makes the bold decision to anger the blackmailers by only pretending to deliver the money they want. In retaliation, the blackmailers commit a horrific act of violence against Cini and threaten to frame Harry for it. With his back against the wall, Harry attempts to turn the blackmailers against one another.

I did like the way that the film was shot, and at times the way that Harry attempts to double and triple-cross the blackmailers was very engaging. But overall I couldn’t get past the lack of empathy and the treatment of its female characters as punching bags.

3

FULL REVIEW (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2432775#post2432775)

PHOENIX74

01-10-24, 11:56 PM

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/87/Touki_Bouki_cover.jpg
By May be found at the following website: http://www.movieposterdb.com/poster/d60ec5fc, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=30632359

Touki Bouki - (1973)

A warning to anyone who might fancy watching Touki Bouki - a cow is slaughtered in the film's opening scenes, and it's not a quick death either. Later we have to endure the same, this time with a goat. Aside from having to endure that, this Senegalese film provides a lot of food for thought in relation to low budget, avant-garde filmmaking that shares a lot of the traits Jamaican classic The Harder They Come has. Basically you'd have every right to expect that films coming from these nations would direct their attentions towards the hopeless and nightmarish scope of escaping poverty by any means necessary - and so often these needs involve having to break established rules and customs. In Touki Bouki there's a concrete destination aside from the more immaterial one - France, and Paris. Mory (Magaye Niang) and Anta's (Mareme Niang) trials and tribulations on the road to getting there feel a little dream-like, and this film as a whole has the right attitude for having a direct effect on our subconscious. It's another "out there", interestingly original title rescued from obscurity by Martin Scorsese's World Cinema Project. Outside of my comfort zone, and definitely a film I won't forget in a hurry.

8/10

https://i.postimg.cc/MKZtfKpz/redes.jpg
Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=30632359

Redes - (1936)

Redes is a Mexican film, and interesting because of the way it mixes documentary and drama together in an early "docu-drama" experiment detailing the lives of poor fishermen who are routinely cheated by the wealthy and powerful elite. Alone I would have thought the results to be marvelous, but it sinks somewhat and seems awkward when it goes full bore towards 'Socialist Revolution' type propaganda. During those moments the whole thing seems heavy handed and even somewhat naïve. Worth seeing though, just because of how rare Mexican films from this period are, and how the technique works.

6/10

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/3c/Scarecrow_movieposter.jpg
Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7392271

Scarecrow - (1973)

An acting masterclass by two of the best in their prime - Al Pacino and Gene Hackman feature as an odd couple who form a close friendship on the road. Cinematography by Vilmos Zsigmond is wonderful. Worth checking out - my watchlist review for Scarecrow is here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=2432796#post2432796).

8/10

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/00/KCConfidential.jpg
By http://www.movieposterdb.com, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1809422

Kansas City Confidential - (1952)

Rough and gritty noir which features Joe Rolfe (John Payne) trying to find and get even with a group of robbers who framed him. My review is on my watchlist thread here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=2432578#post2432578).

Fabulous

01-11-24, 03:59 AM

Wanda (1970)

3.5

https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/original/8Xp7YLJ4THrA63irA5wGR8NhjIE.jpg

Gideon58

01-11-24, 01:51 PM

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BZWUxODc2NmItNThkNS00Mzc4LThlYTQtOTYwZjVhYjRiNmMwXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTQxNzMzNDI@._V1_.jpg

1st Rewatch...This bloody actioner from 2010 still holds up. In one of his few opportunities to be center stage, Danny Trejo crushes it as a day laborer who is hired by a pair of drug dealers to assassinate a US Senator. The violence is unflinching and unapologetic with a staggering body count. There were a dozen corpses about 30 seconds into the running time. Trejo makes the perfect anti-hero and Jeff Fahey is intense as one of the drug dealers. This movie was based on a fake trailer that was made for the movie Grindhouse and attracted so much attention that audience demand motivated director Robert Rodrigues to create a film out of the trailer. It even has two sequels that are mentioned at the end of this film. 3.5

Gideon58

01-11-24, 01:57 PM

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BOWI0NTljMzYtMjNiMS00ZTMxLTg0OWItNzI5ZmUzNjBiZDM2XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTMzOTQyOTk1._V1_.jpg

1st Rewatch...If you think you know everything there was to know about the tortured matinee idol forced to live his life in the closet, you are probably wrong. Found myself moved even more by this documentary on the second view. The commentary offered by Doris Day and Linda Evans is just heartbreaking. 4

Takoma11

01-11-24, 09:15 PM

Wanda (1970)

3.5

https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/original/8Xp7YLJ4THrA63irA5wGR8NhjIE.jpg

You're missing a star. Maybe a star and a half.

PHOENIX74

01-11-24, 10:56 PM

https://i.postimg.cc/QC0SWpbS/decision-to-leave.jpg
By CJ Entertainment, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=70537867

Decision to Leave - (2022)

Rewatch. In 2022 Park Chan-wook gave us another classic to go with the likes of Joint Security Area, Oldboy and The Handmaiden (among others.) One about two very different kinds of people finding each other under circumstances which makes their meeting more of a tragedy than love story. I loved everything to do with 'mountain people' and 'sea people', the cinematography and the wonderful screenplay along with the film's winsome and brash humour. One of the best from '22.

8/10

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e8/DrySummer.jpg
By http://www.sinemalar.com/film/9056/Susuz-Yaz/, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=33027357

Dry Summer - (1964)

Great Turkish film about two brothers - one steals water from the surrounding farms by diverting it's flow back into his property, and the other takes the blame for a tragedy that results from it, leaving his new wife in the hands of his lusty, jerk of a sibling. Review is here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=2432979#post2432979) on my watchlist thread.

8/10

Galactic Traveler

01-12-24, 12:08 AM

Napoleon. Eh. Action scenes and acting was good but so many boring parts. Really didn't need to be 2 and a half hours long. I give it 3/5.

stillmellow

01-12-24, 01:24 AM

Blowout (1981)

Very well directed and visually striking. I'm glad it stuck with the dark Noir tone, especially during the ending, that's often missing in 'Neo noir' movies. (I'm looking at you, Theatrical ending of Blade Runner.)

Now onto the bad. There is only a single good performance in this movie, and it's John Lithgow's. Our hero and heroine fall completely flat for me. I've never liked any of Travolta's heroes though. Only his villains and anti-heroes.

Still worth a watch, for the beautiful, dark city scenes, and seedy noir feel.

👍

Fabulous

01-12-24, 01:52 AM

The Vanishing (1988)

3.5

https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/original/mnZfGTGJYcBTOLmR51Mp1bYcPsq.jpg

stillmellow

01-12-24, 08:25 AM

Body Double (1984)

I didn't like this as much as Blow Out, despite the acting being better. There's a line between making a 'Hitchcock inspired' movie and just combining major elements of 3 different Hitchcock movies and reshooting them.

To be fair, a lot of it works effectively, but it doesn't feel like it's own movie. It's okay. C+

TheManBehindTheCurtain

01-12-24, 10:23 AM

Rogue Agent. 3/5. Excellent performances by leads, James Norton and Gemma Arterton. One of those "inspired by" movies that make you want to look up the real story. A bit slow, and thus oddly refreshing as it feels no need to be a showy action piece.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9731386/mediaviewer/rm1808075521/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk

(Not having any luck using the IMDB "copy link" URL with the IMG tag here. Can someone clue me in on how to share a poster image? Thanks ...)

Gideon58

01-12-24, 01:09 PM

https://resizing.flixster.com/-XZAfHZM39UwaGJIFWKAE8fS0ak=/v3/t/assets/p16704_v_v9_af.jpg

2nd Rewatch...Maybe the ultimate "the business of show business" movie. This 1996 HBO movie is a dramatization of the late night talk show war that erupted between David Letterman and Jay Leno when Johnny Carson decided to step down from The Tonight Show in 1990 after 30 years. The machinations involved in manipulating Leno and Letterman into making them both believe they were to succeed Johnny are a little hard to follow here and a bit hard to swallow, but they are absolutely fascinating to watch. Daniel Roebuck and John Michael Higgins offer remarkable performances as Leno and Letterman, respectively, and needless to say Rich Little made a perfect Johnny Carson. The real scene stealer here, though, is Kathy Bates in an Emmy-nominated performance as Leno's ruthless agent Helen Kushnick. Not sure how factually accurate this, but it sure is entertaining. As for the facts, it is documented in the epilogue in this movie that Helen Kushnick sued the author of the book upon which this film was based. 3.5

Gideon58

01-12-24, 01:12 PM

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51wckS2zxwL._AC_UF894,1000_QL80_.jpg

Umpteenth Rewatch...I don't know what it is about this movie, but it's timeless and remains as richly entertaining as it was 30 years ago. John Hughes' direction is sensitive and the cast is superb, especially Anthony Michael Hall as Brian. 4

Marco

01-12-24, 01:19 PM

Death Line (1972)
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/55/Deathlinerawmeat.jpg
Nice little horror here featuring Donald Pleasance hunting a seemingly subterranean cannibal in the London Underground. Acting is not great and unless this was cut to bu$$ery Christopher Lee is woefully underused. Plusses are it is a good tale, the effects are not bad for 1972 and Donald Pleasance as a rather snooty policeman. Ending is good too. Brought out in the US as "Raw Meat":p
3

Stirchley

01-12-24, 01:19 PM

I should revisit The Breakfast Club; it’s been a long time ago.

Sedai

01-12-24, 03:23 PM

Foe
Davis, 2023

3

https://www.austinchronicle.com/binary/1baa/foe-web.jpg

Sometimes when I watch a film, I will get a short ways into it, and will realize I am watching a new permutation of a familiar story. Or in the case of 2023's Foe, a new examination of a existential philosophical conundrum.

The film was recommended to me by my sister. My sister tends to like films like Little Women, A Star is Born, CODA, and things of this nature - sort of down to Earth human stories. I went into Foe knowing absolutely nothing about it, save that I saw a still of Saoirse Ronan and Paul Mescal on the Amazon splash page. I didn't read the description or even check the genre. Imagine my surprise when not only was I presented with a science fiction film, but a bleak, austere existential piece in the vein of Ray Bradbury,

Anyway, I quickly realized what I was watching was another take on artificial beings and their sentience. These days, when I realize this is what I am watching, I have to make a conscious choice not to automatically start comparing what I am watching to earlier works of the same nature, and I try to avoid the "oh, this again" knee-jerk. Otherwise, I am sort of admitting that everything has been said on the subject, and I should just move on from it as far as interest is concerned.

So, with that said, the focus for me sort of shifts to the filmmaking, the performances, and whether or not the film has something new to say about the subject. I think Foe excels in two of the three. The film looks great, again embracing a very bleak, morose atmosphere. A picture of a future Earth in dire trouble, with humans attempting to live in space in earnest as their home planet suffers from a variety of environmental crises. The performances are also excellent across the board. Ronan is pretty much money in anything she does, and the two other leads, Paul Mescal and Aaron Pierre and both stellar.

Where the film falters is in its exploration of the subject matter, where it hints at some deeper explorations, but doesn't end up examining them with much gusto. Relying on a twist that I picked up almost immediately, it shoots wide of the mark by not focusing enough on the effects of the twist on its characters after the fact, which are presented as more of a coda instead of a full third act. Also, for a film that exercises restraint throughout most of its runtime, I was surprised at a couple of the final scenes that leaned into a more heavy-handed approach to ensure the viewer that yes, this is twist and yes, there is more to it, and just in case you still don't get it, here is a final 10 second scene to really make sure you get it. Removing about 20 seconds of footage would have left quite a bit more ambiguity, which I would have preferred.

There is still some stuff to unpack, and I did find myself thinking about the film's implications after I was done watching it, but the overreliance on the twist, which is borrowed pretty much wholesale from other, better films, keeps this from being great. I liked it, though!

That said, while quickly googling the film to check the spelling on a couple of actor's names so I didn't accidently name one of them after a bottle of tequila, I noticed a really low RT rating for the film, which surprised me. This isn't a bad film, certainly not worth the rating I saw (I didn't check audience scores), and I think I would recommend it to any sci-fi fan without hesitation.

Gideon58

01-12-24, 03:50 PM

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BODk4ZWIwZWQtY2Q5NS00ZWQ1LTllZTEtMDJjNDFhNTBjOGVkXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNzc0MTgzMzU@._V1_.jpg

4

GulfportDoc

01-12-24, 08:54 PM

...
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9731386/mediaviewer/rm1808075521/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk

(Not having any luck using the IMDB "copy link" URL with the IMG tag here. Can someone clue me in on how to share a poster image? Thanks ...)
I've never tried the IMDB copy link. But it seems to me the best way to post a picture is to load it onto your device, then upload it using the "Manage Attachments" button below the compose screen.

PHOENIX74

01-12-24, 10:23 PM

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/0b/Crime_and_Punishment_FilmPoster.jpeg
By The cover art can be obtained from Movieposterdb.com., Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=32677418

Crime and Punishment - (1983)

I was going to work my way through Aki Kaurismäki's films at random but noticed some kind of follow on from others, so to avoid creating any chronological confusion I'm going through them in order. I hear the word "idiosyncratic" thrown around a lot in reference to this guy's films, and no other word best describes his take on Fyodor Dostoevsky's 19th Century novel, which is only a very loose template for the antics that go on in Helsinki here. Antti Rahikainen (Markku Toikka) murders the man who killed his fiancé in a hit and run, and when a caterer, Eeva Laakso (Aino Seppo), witnesses the murder the pair will be thrust into an intense platonic relationship - with the police constantly snapping at Rahikainen's heels. Rahikainen has the mannerisms of someone that is perhaps autistic, but nevertheless very spaced out and strange. Then again, many of the characters behave in a laconic and laid back way, with dry humour sprinkled into their dialogue. Events in the film remind me of real life inasmuch as how random accidents and events have unexpected consequences later on. It all plays out in a sometimes amusing, and always interesting way - there's a lightness and often slightly strange bent to everything. An interesting first feature.

7/10

https://i.postimg.cc/gr9GNxkX/lon.jpg
By "Copyright 1950 Columbia Pictures Corp." - Scan via Heritage Auctions. Cropped from original image., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=87375215

In a Lonely Place - (1950)

Nicholas Ray's film noir masterpiece really knocked my socks off. My review for it is here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=2433181#post2433181) in my watchlist thread.

10/10

beelzebubble

01-12-24, 10:42 PM

I gave up social media so that I can give attention to books and movies. Facebook was killing my ability to concentrate.

Since then I have seen:
The Holdovers (2023) 4.5/5
What a wonderful, entertaining movie. Paul Giamatti is great. The other actors are all wonderful. The story is touching. The script is funny and charming. There is not a dull moment in this film.

The Maestro (2023) 2.5/5
It was so boring! I know others liked it. But I watched people walk out of this film. I wished I could've followed them. So much effort and so dull.

The Lesson (2023) 3.5/5
It's okay. It kept me interested even as the plot began to be obvious. I was somewhat disappointed by the script. Richard E. Grant and Daryl McCormack play well off of each other. It was sad seeing movie stars of my generation getting old. But it was lovely to see the handsome Daryl McCormack again. I hope to see him in something I like soon. As for Richard E. Grant, I kept wishing I was watching Withnail and I or Can You Ever Forgive Me? too of my favorites of his.

stillmellow

01-13-24, 12:38 AM

Nausicaä

01-13-24, 12:52 AM

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/f3/Bombshell_poster.jpg

3

SF = Z

Trailer:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=0rBnkBIhoFE

[Snooze Factor Ratings]:
Z = didn't nod off at all
Zz = nearly nodded off but managed to stay alert
Zzz = nodded off and missed some of the film but went back to watch what I missed
Zzzz = nodded off and missed some of the film but went back to watch what I missed but nodded off again at the same point and therefore needed to go back a number of times before I got through it...
Zzzzz = nodded off and missed some or the rest of the film but was not interested enough to go back over it

Fabulous

01-13-24, 05:08 AM

The Tale of Zatoichi (1962)

3.5

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/xT4EOR9S06sqomLfcAEIW93hMdc.jpg

xSookieStackhouse

01-13-24, 06:29 AM

4.5
https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BZjQwYjU3OTYtMWVhMi00N2Y2LWEzMDgtMzViN2U4NWI1NmI3XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyODk2NDQ3MTA@._V1_FMjpg_UX1000_.j pg

matt72582

01-13-24, 06:56 AM

matt72582

01-13-24, 07:04 AM

By CJ Entertainment, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=70537867

By http://www.sinemalar.com/film/9056/Susuz-Yaz/, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=33027357

Dry Summer - (1964)

Great Turkish film about two brothers - one steals water from the surrounding farms by diverting it's flow back into his property, and the other takes the blame for a tragedy that results from it, leaving his new wife in the hands of his lusty, jerk of a sibling. Review is here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=2432979#post2432979) on my watchlist thread.

8/10

Best Turkish movie I've seen.

LChimp

01-13-24, 10:01 AM

https://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTYwMFgxMTMw/z/RNIAAOSwXeJYCtRv/$_57.JPG?set_id=8800005007

Shin Godzilla - (2016)

Kinda different from what I was expecting, the Big Lizard doesn't get much screen time. It's more focused on the course of actions, should such a creature suddenly appear.

Gideon58

01-13-24, 12:40 PM

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81lLPVxMFrL._AC_UF894,1000_QL80_.jpg

7th Rewatch...This hilarious slapstick sendup of daytime drama set around the world of a fictional soap opera called THE SUN ALSO SETS is one of my guilty pleasures that still makes me laugh out loud every time I watch it. It features an impressive all-star cast, though the film is effortlessly stolen by Robert Downey Jr as the producer of the soap David Eaton Barnes. 3.5

Gideon58

01-13-24, 03:06 PM

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMjA3NjMyNjIyMF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTYwOTgzMDI3._V1_.jpg

4

GulfportDoc

01-13-24, 03:57 PM

97019

Sweet Smell of Success (1957)

Despite containing no murder or even any crime, Sweet Smell of Success has plenty of noir credentials from its display of sleaze, tension, mood, and darkness. All the locations are in the general Times Square area of New York which provide a suffocating and intimidating atmosphere in which to ply this tale of double dealing, deceit, and one man’s almost incestuous determination to control the life of his sister.

Starring Burt Lancaster, Tony Curtis, Susan Harrison and Martin Milner, it tells the story of a highly influential but unscrupulous popular New York newspaper columnist (modeled on Walter Winchell) who is determined to break up his sister’s (Harrison) relationship with a jazz musician (Milner) whom the columnist deems beneath her standing. The media kingpin (Lancaster) enlists a shady press agent (Curtis) to frame the jazz musician as a dope user in order to quell the relationship with the sister. The story continues replete with subplots and double dealing, leading to a satisfactory ending.

The two chief standouts in the picture are the impressive photography by the great James Wong Howe, and the memorable against type performance by Tony Curtis. Howe was a natural fit for noir filming due to his penchant for dramatic low key shadow lighting, and his ability to frame New York’s Times Square area as threatening and foreboding. Cutis had been known for his roles capitalizing on his good looks. But he campaigned for the part of the sleazy press agent in order to show that he could be a serious actor. He was under contract to Universal, who was reluctant to loan him out in case the part would ruin his reputation, but in the end United Artists won out. Curtis’ impressive performance really cemented his value as a fine actor. In fact Lancaster himself stated that Curtis should have won the Oscar for his performance.

The original script was written by author Ernest Lehman from his novelette, but later Clifford Odets, known for his flare for dramatic writing, was hired to further develop the screen play after Lehman became ill. The impressive jazzy score was composed by Elmer Bernstein, which perfectly framed contemporary New York City.

It’s a landmark picture that has steadily grown in status during the years since its release.

Doc's rating: 8/10

PHOENIX74

01-13-24, 09:59 PM

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/d2/Monos_poster.jpg
By Studio and or Graphic Artist - Can be obtained from film's distributor., Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=61849730

Monos - (2019)

The kid soldiers at the heart of Monos have been trained well, but the fact that they have to fend for themselves so often means their out-of-control feelings (in a great state of flux at their age) get in the way, and complicate the soldierly duties they've been tasked with. This film's shooting locations - the Colombian Andes and on the Samaná Norte River - make this a visually lush experience with great backdrops for the various events to unfold in front of. One key to the film is hostage (you can't really call her a "prisoner of war") "Doctora" Sara Watson (Julianne Nicholson) - although you wouldn't really want these kids looking after you (depending on kids who accidentally shoot their cow only a few days after getting the precious responsibility is tough), a few of them form a significant parental bond with her. It all makes for a pretty tense, always evolving and changing movie that's part survival and part Lord of the Flies. Interesting and in some ways really sad - for you just know this is happening in real life all over the globe. What makes it more affecting is the fact that these "soldiers" look and behave like your average everyday kid - making the fact that they're in a life and death struggle over some kind of nonsense a maddening prospect.

7/10

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/ab/Film_Poster_for_Ladybug_Ladybug.jpg
By Isaac Wolf - IMDb, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=46552504

Ladybug Ladybug - (1963)

The "nuclear attack alarm" goes off at a secluded countryside school and nobody knows if it's real or not, leading to long practiced drills to be carried out - for real this time. The result of an event that really happened, Ladybug Ladybug is a fascinating look back at a more stressful time for the world at large. My review in my watchlist thread is here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=2433311#post2433311).

7/10

Takoma11

01-13-24, 10:16 PM

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fm.media-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FM%2FMV5BYmVjNThkYjYtYzliNC00MzVkLTliNmQtOWJkNWU0ODEyOTUwXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyOTc5MD I5NjE%40._V1_FMjpg_UX1000_.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=b0c788b111830f1b5d34d91248d81f184cdd02e1e6375a2ea83808ea71ce3dfa&ipo=images

Payback, 1999

After a daring heist, Porter (Mel Gibson) is left for dead by his partners, friend Val (Gregg Henry) and his own wife, Lynn (Deborah Unger). After laying low for a few months to recover, Porter returns to the city with revenge on his mind. He finds a willing accomplice in acquaintance Rosie (Maria Bello), but the odds are against him as Val is now in cahoots with big time criminals.

There was nothing to love or hate here, just hitting the expected beats and then end credits. Oh, here’s something to hate: the movie is pale blue and looks ugly in a very late-90s way.

2.5

skizzerflake

01-14-24, 12:28 AM

Godzilla Minus One - Terrific, really enjoyed it. There's nothing especially surprising here since the big reptile is back and now is self-healing, but it hits all the right notes for this Kaiju genre. The monster is bigger than ever, stomps or incinerates everything in sight, seems invulnerable to everything the Japanese military can throw at it, terrorizes the population and does all this with terrific animation.

While I would not consider myself to be a big fan of the genre, I do admit to having seen lots of these movies since the big guy hit the screen in 1954, with a costumed actor, toy vehicles and cardboard buildings. Everything looks digital now. Fortunately the presentation I saw resisted the temptation to do an English language version. It was in Japanese with subtitles, very much my preference.

I would say that it's my favorite movie of the year, but being early in January, that doesn't say much, so I'll say that it's my favorite monster movie of recent years. If you like this sort of thing, don't miss it.

8/10

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvSrHIX5a-0

ahmedheshm

01-14-24, 10:05 AM

In the tall grass. 9/10! This movie kept me on edges untill the end. It kinda plays with your mind. It combines past, present and future. And it's a little scary, the antagonist is really crazy. You can find trailer on youtube.

hacxx

01-14-24, 10:24 AM

Looks good, been viewing western movies. Can't post the link to the playlist.

mrblond

01-14-24, 01:49 PM

Max et les ferrailleurs [Max and the Junkmen] (1971)

Directed by Claude Sautet
Starring Michel Piccoli and Romy Schneider

It is always a magic watching Piccoli and Schneider. Some very original and unconventional ideas in this Police-story.
In addition, very good role by almost forgotten Bernard Fresson.
4
77/100
97028

Fabulous

01-14-24, 05:22 PM

The Castle (1997)

3.5

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/dizwgglpmMI9OxzbpgAwuOucolb.jpg

matt72582

01-14-24, 06:50 PM

Raging Bull
Of course at 17, I liked the movie and the director, but I didn't know anything then. I only knew 3-4 directors, so the obvious were "favorites" but within a few years, none of them would make a favorite list.

The movie is redundant. Jealous Jake constantly. Scorsese has to be the one of the most overrated directors. Like Frank Perry (who's wife co-wrote), when Eleanor Perry divorced him, ALL his movies stunk afterwards, and without Paul Schrader, writer and author (Taxi Driver, etc), it was never the same. And the "newer" movies I saw of his were horrible. I won't even name them because I don't want the internet algorithm to give them any more chances when one can easily watch a great 60/70s movies for the first time.

LChimp

01-14-24, 07:27 PM

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMTUzM2I3NDEtMjNhYi00NTQ0LThmZDItZTMyMzM2MjJmZGRjXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTU3NDU4MDg2._V1_FMjpg_UX1000_.j pg

Leave The World Behind - (2023)

No bueno

Takoma11

01-14-24, 07:32 PM

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fm.media-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FM%2FMV5BZGRkODM0ZWYtOTkyYi00OTIzLThhNWEtNjNmYzZlZmE5NTQxXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyOTc5MD I5NjE%40._V1_FMjpg_UX1379_.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=a21c6259dfa9b2dcdcf9541e7457c9d43f85954e3bc1ed37adf3787ed89f1312&ipo=images

A Dark Place, 2018

When a young boy is found dead in a river, garbage truck driver Donald (Andrew Scott) becomes fascinated by the case, even more so when local officials seem determined to chalk the death up as an accident with basically no investigation. As Donald navigates a strained relationship with his daughter, Wendy (Christa Beth Campbell), he becomes more and more fixated on the mysterious death and getting to the bottom of the mystery.

A decent mystery-drama, but it doesn’t all come together in the end.

3

FULL REVIEW (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2433433#post2433433)

Takoma11

01-14-24, 08:18 PM

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fm.media-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FM%2FMV5BZmZkZTdiMzctM2IzYi00OTM2LTllMmUtM2IyNDJhZTFkM2RjXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjUyND k2ODc%40._V1_.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=3ad0edd60f379ce367b3c429ab37586170d2c52ad4a6bdae1f6c8aaab0614b49&ipo=images

Nature of the Beast, 1995

Two major new stories are dominating the airwaves: a large sum of money has been stolen from a casino, and a serial killer known as the Hatchet Man is slicing and dicing travelers on the roadways. Jack (Lance Henriksen) is making his way across Nevada when he crosses paths with Adrian (Eric Roberts), an off-kilter young man who coerces Jack into giving him a ride. As the two continue their demented road trip, bodies start to pile up.

A lackluster thriller with the ignoble distinction of being directed by a convicted child rapist.

2

Thief

01-14-24, 08:50 PM

ZORI
(2013, Chutaro & Niedenthal)

https://i.imgur.com/dFBlCIG.png

"Don't come back to the house unless you have both zoris in your feet."

This short from Marshall Islands, follows the efforts of the kid to find his missing "zori", all while he completes his daily chore of cleaning up. In the process, he picks up different items that he considers valuable and spark his imagination. If he does well, the promise of eating some ice cream lies ahead.

This is evidently a very simple short film. The performances aren't great and the editing feels amateurish. However, despite its simplicity, there seems to be heart put into it and there's a charm to Tarkwon's performance. Directors Suzanne Chutaro and Jack Niedenthal also have a good sense of blocking and framing their shots.

Grade: 2.5

Full review on my Movie Loot (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2433449#post2433449)

Thief

01-14-24, 09:24 PM

2048: NOWHERE TO RUN
(2017, Scott)

https://i.imgur.com/6jjowcJ.png

"It's very exciting. It's about an outlaw priest who's trying to understand the meaning of being human"

2048: Nowhere to Run is a prequel to Denis Villeneuve's Blade Runner 2049. Set a year before the events from that film, it adds some more layers to the character of Morton. His presence on that film might've been short, but really leaves a mark. This short gives Bautista a bit more chance to broaden his acting skills, and he really delivers as far as body language and non-verbal acting goes.

Grade: 4

Full review on my Movie Loot (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2433458#post2433458)

Fabulous

01-15-24, 03:19 AM

Baby Boom (1987)

2.5

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/v0negFRxnxLtanMNXY7HYP7RUZ6.jpg

matt72582

01-15-24, 09:51 AM

Cold Days (Hideg napok) - 7/10
It's a bit difficult for me to fully understand all the military nomenclature, but it's still a good movie. I would have liked more conversation in the isolation room.

I saw this on Vimeo.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/hu/8/83/Hideg_napok.jpg

ScarletLion

01-15-24, 10:33 AM

2048: NOWHERE TO RUN
(2017, Scott)

https://i.imgur.com/6jjowcJ.png

2048: Nowhere to Run is a prequel to Denis Villeneuve's Blade Runner 2049. Set a year before the events from that film, it adds some more layers to the character of Morton. His presence on that film might've been short, but really leaves a mark. This short gives Bautista a bit more chance to broaden his acting skills, and he really delivers as far as body language and non-verbal acting goes.

Grade: 4

Full review on my Movie Loot (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2433458#post2433458)

All 3 of the shorts are bonuses on the 4K disc. I'd forgotten about them - may watch them all tonight. Thanks!

Thief

01-15-24, 10:45 AM

All 3 of the shorts are bonuses on the 4K disc. I'd forgotten about them - may watch them all tonight. Thanks!

Yeah, I haven't seen the other two. Need to do that.

Guaporense

01-15-24, 12:35 PM

Solaris (1972)

https://www.sensesofcinema.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Solaris-1024x545.jpg

Tarkosvky's attempt at science fiction is a unique film. First, it's among the most conventional of Tarkosvky's movies (second to Ivan's Childhood). It's a great movie indeed, perhaps not "Andrei Roublev" level of greatness (what movie is? Bergman said it was the greatest movie ever made), but it's not remotely a ordinary movie.

Time flies BTW as this movie is over 50 years old now...

4.5

Gideon58

01-15-24, 01:03 PM

Marco

01-15-24, 01:15 PM

Napoleon (2023)
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/2e/Napoleon_Film_poster.jpg
Although I was interested in this, the film itself is very flat for a Ridley Scott number. The acting is OK but the major battles are really skimmed over so that we can see more Josephine getting tupped Napoleon and ensuing infertility issues. The balance between action and personal life was all wrong I think. Maybe Scott has a directors cut coming out to redress that. It wasn't bad just not very good and not 1/2 as engaging as I thought it would be.
2.5

Brody At Amity

01-15-24, 02:23 PM

Sideways (2005) - re-watch.
It's remarkable that a film about depression - that takes its subject seriously - can be this funny and entertaining.
https://www.pastposters.com/cw3/assets/product_full/R/sideways-cinema-quad-movie-poster-(3).jpg

Darth Pazuzu

01-15-24, 05:40 PM

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/3a/Iron_claw_film_posterjpg.jpg

JANUARY 9, 2024

THE IRON CLAW (2023) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Iron_Claw_(film))

“I used to be a brother, and now I’m not a brother anymore.”
“We’ll be your brothers, Dad.”

:bawling: :bawling: :bawling: :bawling: :bawling: :bawling: :bawling: :bawling: :bawling: :bawling:

Mind you, I didn't. But I was just, like, this close to completely losing it after hearing these lines, which come at the very end of this movie. I actually have three brothers, so it's quite understandable that this movie would strike me so close.

Seriously, director Sean Durkin's The Iron Claw is probably my third favorite movie of 2023 after Oppenheimer and Killers of the Flower Moon. No fooling. And there has never even been so much as a day in my life when I've ever liked, cared about, or given a damn about professional wrestling. Mind you, I'm a fan of director Darren Aronofsky and actor Mickey Rourke, so of course I went to see 2008's The Wrestler and really enjoyed it because of the considerable talent involved. But in addition to being an extremely emotional and involving drama, The Iron Claw is an extremely intelligent and thought-provoking look at a real-life family's personal demons - or their "curse" - and by extension the demons of American society at large. And it accomplishes this is an extremely delicate, even-handed fashion, not by preaching or bludgeoning the audience over the head with ideas about "toxic masculinity."

Zac Efron, Jeremy Allen White, Harris Dickinson and Stanley Simons play the four wrestling Von Erich brothers - Kevin, Kerry, David and Mike, respectively. They are the sons of former wrestler Fritz Von Erich and his wife Doris, played by Holt McCallany and Maura Tierney. All the actors turn in brilliant performances above and beyond the call of duty. The actors playing the brothers are not only psychologically attuned to but also physically committed to their roles. training and bulking up in order to be convincing as pro wrestlers. Zac Efron in particular has the greatest task in his portrayal of Kevin. The story is largely told through his eyes and Efron has to serve as the emotional center and primary figure of identification. I've only seen Holt McCallany in a number of minor roles in the past, particularly in a couple of David Fincher films, but he really shines as the father Fritz. McCallany finds just the right balance in the character, playing him as as forceful and commanding in the way he pushes his sons to greatness in the world of pro wrestling, but never as bullying or a brute. You almost feel as bad for Fritz as you do for his offspring, because of the fears and insecurities you know he holds within and which he's stifled and stuffed down, unwittingly passing them onto his loving sons. And you feel for him as his family begins to disintegrate, each of his sons falling one by one, perhaps on some level understanding but never able to articulate just what's gone wrong and why. And Maura Tierney has at least one great moment as Doris, such as when she has a minor breakdown at the prospect of having to wear her black funeral dress yet again.

The director is Sean Durkin, and he's a filmmaker I'll certainly be keeping an eye on in the future. While the film's overall arc is one of tragedy, Durkin never telegraphs things or tips his hand as to where the story is going. The viewer watches as, one by one, terrible things happen to the brothers, and the tragedy becomes more of a slow immersion into a physical and emotional Hell than it is about one particular, devastating blow. Granted, there is one sort of afterlife fantasy sequence towards the end which perhaps overeggs the pathos just a tad, but this is a very minor complaint.

In short, I can't recommend The Iron Claw highly enough! Just remember to bring tissues... :)

Thursday Next

01-15-24, 05:58 PM

Poor Things (2023)

https://www.courtyard.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/poor-things.jpg

Wrote a whole review but lost it.

The short version:
- weird, in a Lanthimos way, of course

-looks amazing (awards for the production design department please)

- funny (in a Lanthimos way, of course)

- steampunk-esque

-Emma Stone is fantastic

-Mark Ruffalo is very funny (and so is the fact that my phone corrected that to Mark Buffalo)

- too much fish eye lens

-plot lacked a little bit of momentum at times

I wasn't completely blown away but I did like it a lot and imagine it will probably grow on me. Bella Baxter has stayed with me and I'll probably watch it again some time soon.

4

Darth Pazuzu

01-15-24, 06:13 PM

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/1/15/Night_swim_poster.jpg/220px-Night_swim_poster.jpg

JANUARY 9, 2024

NIGHT SWIM (2024) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Night_Swim_(film))

My other theatrical viewing experience of that particular Tuesday. Two movies for $15 and change! You can't beat that...

A bit of a comedown from the harrowingly emotional experience that was The Iron Claw. Certainly a lesser film, but perhaps a necessary deflation.

A swimming pool is the source of mysterious disappearances over the years. An injured baseball player and his family move into the house and the father (Wyatt Russell) discovers that the water in the pool has strange healing properties. It turns out that this water comes from a mysteriously sentient spring which ultimately has possessory properties as well, demanding a sacrifice for its healing work. Hence the disappearances.

I hope I'm not giving away too much, but this is really a rather easy film to summarize. What can I say? Not a bad horror film, but not a great one either. It sort of bears a passing resemblance to Dan Curtis's 1976 film Burnt Offerings (starring Karen Black, Oliver Reed and the great Bette Davis), but in that film the horrors of the swimming pool represented only one facet of the overall supernatural threat at work and not the whole show. In this movie, the pool and its threatening secrets are front and center.

Competently directed and decently acted, but for me there was really nothing that made Night Swim stand out from the pack in any major way. (Amusingly enough, the trailer deceptively leads the audience into believing the movie to be more of a teen-horror experience than it actually is. Well, what else is new?)

My recommendation? Watch Burnt Offerings instead... :p

mrblond

01-15-24, 06:49 PM

Darth Pazuzu

01-15-24, 07:48 PM

My latest video purchases...

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/911cRkSX-7L._AC_UY218_.jpg https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91TUI2Tm3fL._AC_UY218_.jpg https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91cCcDub5jL._AC_UY218_.jpg

Navajo Joe (Sergio Corbucci / 1966)
The Mercenary (Sergio Corbucci / 1968)
The Hunting Party (Don Medford / 1971)

As you can see, I am delving ever further into the filmography of the great Sergio Corbucci, creator of the immortal Django (1966) and the cult classic Western tragedy The Great Silence (1968).

Navajo Joe, of course, stars the late Burt Reynolds in one of his first starring roles, and he truly delivers in the title role. Already, he is a truly worthy action hero, bringing a powerful athleticism and physical presence - as well as a healthy dose of surly, contemptuous attitude - to the character of Joe. (He is also a more than capable horseman.) The movie is perhaps not Corbucci's best, and Reynolds himself had a tendency to trash and make fun of the movie over the course of his career, but it's a primo example of the Italian Revenge Western, and if that's what you're after then it will not disappoint!

The Mercenary is yet another offering from Corbucci, this of course being the first in a trio of Mexican Revolution-themed Italian Westerns he would direct. Franco Nero plays the greedy, cool and calculating title character Sergei "The Polack" Kowalski. a well-dressed man with a penchant for striking matches to light his cigar on nearly every available object in sight. And Tony Musante plays Paco Roman, a Mexican peasant working in a silver mine who rebels against his bosses and leads an insurrection, first taking over the mine and then leading a revolutionary campaign against the government itself. And when Paco and Sergei eventually join forces, well then... Look out, Mexico! :D Of course, Sergei's greed and Paco's cluelessness ensure that there are a couple of snags along the way, but I would imagine no such alliance is without its share of problems. Also along for the ride is Giovanna Ralli as Paco's girlfriend and fellow revolutionary Columba, and the totally awesome Jack Palance as flamboyant villain Curly. There is also an epic score from the great Ennio Morricone, including a gorgeous cue by the name of L'Arena which accompanies the climactic duel sequence between Paco and Curly set in a bullring (and which Quentin Tarantino re-purposed in Kill Bill: Volume 2 to accompany the scene of Uma Thurman as the Bride busting out of her grave!).

The Hunting Party is one of a number of ultra-violent post-Wild Bunch Western bloodbaths that came out in the early '70s. And I understand that this one has had a really rough ride with the critics over the years. Yeah, it's a rather brutal film, but it's also fiercely intelligent and quite well-directed by one Don Medford, a man whose résumé includes a lot of TV work, including the 1967 finale of The Fugitive, as well as another 1971 theatrical feature The Organization with Sidney Poitier, the second of two sequels to Norman Jewison's Oscar-winning In the Heat of the Night from 1967 (the other being of course Gordon Douglas's They Call Me Mister Tibbs! from 1970). Anyway... This one's got Oliver Reed as outlaw Frank Calder, who along with his gang kidnaps Candice Bergen as Melissa, the schoolteacher wife of cattle baron Brandt Ruger, played by the great Gene Hackman. (Those are totally awesome names, aren't they? Brandt Ruger!! Frank Calder!! You can practically feel the testosterone dripping off them! :lol:) And although the rough Calder does have his way with Melissa, his intention isn't primarily sexual. Rather, the illiterate desperado wants her to teach him how to read! Melissa eventually falls in love with Frank, finding him scarcely any worse than her brutal and sadistic husband Brandt. Certainly he proves to be a lot more emotionally sensitive. (I imagine these sexual politics would make this film no less problematic for viewers today than back in '71, if not more so.) And once ol' Ruger gets the news of his wife's kidnapping while on a hunting trip with his rich buddies, there's gonna be Hell to pay! For on this trip Brandt has gifted himself and his friends with some (then) state-of-the-art high-powered telescopic rifles, and instead of hunting wild game, he decides he and his friends are gonna hunt down Frank Calder and his gang in cold blood - but in safety, from a distance! (To some extent, like a few other Westerns from its era, the film is kind of a Vietnam War allegory, but it also kind of serves as an indictment of the asymmetrical nature of modern warfare in general, in particular what former Pink Floyd frontman Roger Waters would refer to on one of his solo albums as The Bravery of Being Out of Range.) The very British Oliver Reed would seem to make a very unlikely Western gunslinger, and admittedly his American drawl is a bit iffy in places. But he truly makes a meal of the role, and when he screams and bursts into tears during the mercy killing of injured friend and fellow gang member Doc (Mitchell Ryan), you just want to bow down and declare the man God! Candice Bergen also excels powerfully in the difficult role of Melissa, and Gene Hackman yet again shows his knack for portraying powerful, patriarchal scumbag villains. (Brandt Ruger is definitely a precursor to Hackman's Sheriff "Little" Bill Daggett in Clint Eastwood's Unforgiven from 1992).

GulfportDoc

01-15-24, 08:19 PM

97044
The Night of the Hunter (1955)

The Night of the Hunter is really a fantasy horror film. It’s noir element is chiefly due to the studied chiaroscuro photography of Stanely Cortez (The Magnificent Ambersons). Considered to be more of an art film when released, it had a poor reception but has steadily grown in stature in the years since.

Robert Mitchum plays Harry Powell, a murderer and self-proclaimed preacher who becomes the cell mate of a man named Ben Harper (Peter Graves) who had killed two bank guards and had stolen a large sum of money which he subsequently hid in a place that only his two children knew about. Powell cannot wheedle the hiding place before Harper is executed. Upon his release Powell seeks out Harper’s widow (Shelley Winters), hoping he can find the stolen loot. He deceives the townspeople with his flase piety, and subsequently marries the widow. When he finds out that the widow does not know the location of the loot, but that the children do, he promptly kills the widow, and threatens the children who escape and hide down river under the protection of Rachel Cooper (Lilian Gish), an elderly widow who looks after stray children. Powell tracks them down but is foiled by Cooper.

The film was directed by Charles Laughton in his singular instance as a director in film, although he was an experienced stage director. The novel of the same name was by Davis Grub, and Laughton and Grub worked closely together to develop the style of the story, although a lengthy screenplay by James Agee was eventually used in portion. The art direction by Hilyard Brown focused on providing abstract and sparse sets, giving the picture an almost dream-like fantasy look which fomented an other-worldly feel in many of the scenes.

Most studios as well as most actors would not have backed a film of this type in the mid 1950s, but United Artists had come to be known as a studio that would give their producers and directors free reign. And in fact the picture has attained classic status, and appears on many best picture lists.

Doc's rating: 7/10

PHOENIX74

01-15-24, 11:07 PM

https://i.postimg.cc/x8mh022f/snow.webp
By CineMaterial, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=74765630

Society of the Snow - (2023)

Worth telling again I guess - although I do have to admit Alive has it's faults, and seeing a real Spanish-language layered telling of the famous story regarding the Uruguayan 1972 Andes flight disaster feels like another step forward. I remember being thankful when Alive arrived in 1993, because it felt like it was erasing Mexican exploitation film Survive! - rushed out in 1976 in a rudimentary manner and wanting to impress with blood and guts. So here we are. The plane crash itself isn't as impressive as the impeccably filmed '93 version, but in fact it's closer to reality, even though we can forgive Frank Marshall and co for going all-in with theirs. The story focuses less on dramatic effect (the sucker-punch of the lady who screamed all night, was shut up, and then died to everyone's eternal guilt isn't in this - though she's mentioned) and more on the survival aspect at it's core. Remember, these guys had to eat the bodies of people they knew to keep going - putting survival itself ahead of any religious or cultural ideals they had. The philosophical implications strike these guys in moments of contemplation, and that's where Society of the Snow is at it's strongest. Just deciding to survive is a leap of faith sometimes, and these guys were rewarded with renewed clarity regarding life itself. Alive strived for that kind of essence, but Society of the Snow has it in every frame, without having to resort to horror, overwrought melodrama or exploitation.

8/10

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/89/Memoria_poster.jpg
By http://www.impawards.com/intl/misc/2021/memoria.html, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=68888716

Memoria - (2021)

This haunting, surreal, slow-paced drama focuses on Jessica Holland's (Tilda Swinton) search for meaning regarding a sound only she can hear, which comes and goes. I really didn't know whether I absolutely adored it or found it almost too challenging - a bit of both. My review of it on my watchlist thread is here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=2433487#post2433487).

7/10

Takoma11

01-15-24, 11:21 PM

Takoma11

01-16-24, 12:29 AM

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fm.media-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FM%2FMV5BYWQ2MGYzZDgtMDY2ZS00NWYxLTk1ODktMTYxNDdhN2VlMWRkXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNjUwNz k3NDc%40._V1_.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=2ff15e3d7fd213cf80b26bde8f08e3ed46a475302a2fdd2f4748622157badb18&ipo=images

Jungle, 2017

Yossi (Daniel Radcliffe) is a young man from Israel, traveling through South America in the early 80s. While in Bolivia, he befriends gentle Swiss schoolteacher Marcus (Joel Jackson) and brash American photographer Kevin (Alex Russell). When Yossi meets enigmatic Austrian explorer Karl (Thomas Kretschmann), he is promised a trip to find a lost tribe of indigenous people deep in the jungle. Yossi persuades his two new friends to accompany him, but the realities of a jungle on the verge of the rainy season proves a formidable foe for the four adventurers.

The story itself is interesting, and the performances are good, but it all adds up to something less than compelling.

3.5

FULL REVIEW (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2433648#post2433648)

Fabulous

01-16-24, 01:25 AM

Little Voice (1998)

3.5

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ScarletLion

01-16-24, 07:03 AM

'Take Out' (2004)

Early Sean Baker film co-directed with Shih-Ching Tsou.

“An illegal Chinese immigrant falls behind on payments on an enormous smuggling debt. Ming Ding has only until the end of the day to come up with the money.”

This is an interesting example of Cinéma verité, filmed documentary style and with piercing neo-realism. Charles Jang is great as Ming Ding, who needs to come up with cash, quickly. Most of the film is Ming making deliveries from the Chinese take away in New York where he works to try and make enough tips to pay his debts back to the people who smuggled him into the USA.. Baker delves into the pretty miserable existence of illegal immigrants who work to send money home to their families.

The final 15 minutes is a real pay off with a mixture of emotions. Really interesting to see what set Baker off on is film-making journey. I really like everything I’ve seen from him.

7.7/10

4

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ScarletLion

01-16-24, 07:05 AM

Memoria - (2021)

This haunting, surreal, slow-paced drama focuses on Jessica Holland's (Tilda Swinton) search for meaning regarding a sound only she can hear, which comes and goes. I really didn't know whether I absolutely adored it or found it almost too challenging - a bit of both. My review of it on my watchlist thread is here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=2433487#post2433487).

7/10

I saw that in the cinema. An almost indescribable experience.

chawhee

01-16-24, 08:52 AM

The Big Short (2015)
https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w440_and_h660_face/scVEaJEwP8zUix8vgmMoJJ9Nq0w.jpg
4
Broke up my Vegas movie binging with this rewatch after arguing with my dad over how this crisis started. Phenomenal movie that uses a documentary style similar to Casino (though with a more annoying soundtrack and jumpy imagery). I worked in the financial industry for some years after the 2008 recession, so it is comical to me how some of these processes used to work.

WorldFilmGeek

01-16-24, 11:11 AM

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3.5

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4.5

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4.0

mrblond

01-16-24, 03:45 PM

Caché [Hidden] (2005)

Directed by Michael Haneke
Starring Daniel Auteuil and Juliette Binoche

My second view.
Yes, confirmed, Haneke is one of the most notable filmmakers of our time. Everything is original here. Daniel Auteuil makes probably his top performance thanks to the masterful direction. Of course, usual for this filmmaker, the movie hits hard at some point, so it is not for unstable people.
4.5 88/100
97053

Marco

01-16-24, 08:48 PM

Next of Kin (1982)
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/2b/Nextofkinposter.jpgCreepy and stylised Aussie horror where, strangely, the lack of production credits conspire to make this a great watch. It really does have a sparse and menacing feel and the action (where needed) is done to a T. Lady inherits a sprawling house and things start getting spooky. Even the outro music is wonderful. Good old "TalkingPictures" channel :)
3.5

FromBeyond

01-16-24, 08:54 PM

Beatriz At Dinner (2017)

A woman played by Salma Hayek with deep feeling, by chance - attends a dinner party of vacuous wealthy types and she soons comes to odds with them, especially John Lithgow's unscrupulous game-hunting real estate Tycoon. I missed the beginning but was immediately taken with this right until the final scene which was really quite beautiful.I felt quitely effected by this fine film which came out of nowhere. The role was written for Hayek and presented to her as a birthday present.

"All tears flow from the same source"

Takoma11

01-16-24, 09:26 PM

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fbloody-disgusting.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F01%2FMEG-FP-0002.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=154d73a4f0eac20cd1bf2bf57dd8e94fbeee6aca2ce10f8c06b29ba65d273494&ipo=images

The Meg, 2018

Jonas (Jason Statham) is a deep-water rescue specialist who is still haunted by a mission that resulted in the death of several of his colleagues. When his ex-wife (Jessica McNamee) becomes trapped in a deep sea trench on a research mission, he is persuaded to come and assist in the rescue. But the deep sea exploration unintentionally releases a prehistoric megalodon into the ocean, and Jonas must work with the research crew to prevent massive bloodshed.

Nothing to write home about, but enough shark-related thrills to be worth a watch.

3

FULL REVIEW (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2433816#post2433816)

PHOENIX74

01-16-24, 09:28 PM

I saw that in the cinema. An almost indescribable experience.

Memoria is a film I would have loved to have seen in a cinema - I think it kind of demands that mode of viewing.

PHOENIX74

01-16-24, 11:17 PM

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/b3/What_Happened_Was.jpg
By http://www.allmovie.com/work/what-happened-was-134607, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=26310379

What Happened Was... - (1994)

Brilliant adaptation of Tom Noonan play is both heartbreaking and full of moments that are touching and relatable. A date between Jackie (Karen Sillas) and Michael (Tom Noonan) that is full of awkward moments, and enticing possibility. Loved it. My full review is on my watchlist thread here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=2433827#post2433827).

9/10

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e7/The_Brand_New_Testament_poster.png
By The poster art can or could be obtained from the distributor., Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=52148618

The Brand New Testament - (2015)

My sense of humour and the comedy in The Brand New Testament seem diametrically opposed, which completely ruined the film for me despite such a promising premise. Popular, but not for me. My review is on my watchlist thread here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=2433820#post2433820).

4/10

Rhys

01-17-24, 02:35 AM

Another Round (2020)
Directed by: Thomas Vinterberg (https://letterboxd.com/director/thomas-vinterberg/)

rating_4

https://variety.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/another-round-mads-mikkelsen.jpg

Fabulous

01-17-24, 03:32 AM

Out of Time (2003)

4

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/ip2SgXV5XBT3XDQRrNdXtk1kZd5.jpg

ScarletLion

01-17-24, 06:25 AM

Another Round (2020)
Directed by: Thomas Vinterberg (https://letterboxd.com/director/thomas-vinterberg/)

rating_4

https://variety.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/another-round-mads-mikkelsen.jpg

I don't get the love for this film at all. Bunch of middle aged guys agreeing that after all, alcoholism isn't all what it's cracked up to be? If you coud tell me why you rated it so highly I'd like to know.

To me it has all the hallmarks of one of those skewed foreign language pictures. It's ratings are higher than it shold be because the main star of it (Mikkelsen) is beloved. Just like 'Burning' and Steven Yeung.

There are so many hundreds of international films that are better but rated lower because the actors in it aren't well known. Just my two penneth.

Brody At Amity

01-17-24, 08:54 AM

Are you There God? It's Me, Margaret
https://hebdenbridgepicturehouse.co.uk/images/3314.jpg

A very likable film - moving and funny - that looks at faith from the point of view of a young 11-year-old girl. A charming performance from the lead Abby Ryder Fortson and a nice support cast including the always brilliant Kathy Bates.

Takoma11

01-17-24, 09:48 AM

I don't get the love for this film at all. Bunch of middle aged guys agreeing that after all, alcoholism isn't all what it's cracked up to be? If you coud tell me why you rated it so highly I'd like to know.

I really liked Another Round. My full review of it is HERE. (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2242182-another_round.html)

I thought that it did a good job of portraying the allure of substance abuse, the consequences of that substance abuse, and the social factors that lead many people into such a situation.

ScarletLion

01-17-24, 10:06 AM

I really liked Another Round. My full review of it is HERE. (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2242182-another_round.html)

I thought that it did a good job of portraying the allure of substance abuse, the consequences of that substance abuse, and the social factors that lead many people into such a situation.

Thanks for your reply. I don't really agree because the characters are forcing comedy through it too much. I get the analogy that addictions first start off as recreation and fun I personally thought it was a far too jovial and blaze film to really hammer home the trappings of addiction. There are films that do a far better job.

That said, I'm glad that it made people see more international films. That's something.

Takoma11

01-17-24, 10:23 AM

Thanks for your reply. I don't really agree because the characters are forcing comedy through it too much. I get the analogy that addictions first start off as recreation and fun I personally thought it was a far too jovial and blaze film to really hammer home the trappings of addiction. There are films that do a far better job.

That said, I'm glad that it made people see more international films. That's something.

I get what you're saying about the comedy. It definitely has "crowd pleasing" elements that I can see being irritating. I also don't think you're wrong that having an actor who would be recognizable to an American audience probably boosted the film's ratings and popularity.

I liked that (1) it made fun of the way that people will use all sort of logic (science says we're at an alcohol deficit!!!) to justify doing what they want to do anyway and (2) it showed the way that the positives/good feelings can blind people to the harm they are doing to themselves and others.

Mr Minio

01-17-24, 11:48 AM

Are you There God? It's Me, Margaret Ye, what's up?

Gideon58

01-17-24, 01:23 PM

https://pisces.bbystatic.com/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/4903/4903602_sa.jpg

1st Rewatch...This 2015 Oscar nominee for Best Picture is a disturbing and often heart stopping drama that had me just as mesmerized as I was the first time I watched it. This is the story of a young woman named Joy (Brie Larson) who has been held captive in a gardening shed for seven years and gave birth to a son while imprisoned who is now five years old. We watch a fed up Joy going to desperate measures to escape, thinking that this will be the end of her problems. This movie causes almost immediate knots in the stomach for the viewer because precious little backstory is provided as to why this woman is in this situation. It's beyond creepy that this gardening shed is equipped with indoor plumbing and a stove, making us wonder how long the kidnapper had been planning this and why. Loved the scene where Joy tells her son, Jack about the one time she tried to escape and failed. The scene where Joy is forced to execute her escape plan before she was really ready had me holding my breath and the last ten minutes of the film had my heart in my shoes. Brie Larson's gut-wrenching performance as Joy won her the Outstanding Lead Actress Oscar and Jacob Tremblay was robbed of a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination for his star-making performance as young Jack. Looking over the supporting actor nominees for that year, Tremblay's nomination was clearly stolen by Christian Bale for The Big Short. Not an easy watch, but well worth it. 4.5

Gideon58

01-17-24, 01:29 PM

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2nd Rewatch...This cult classic just gets funnier with each rewatch. The scene where the guys take the copy machine out to a filed and destroy it is worth the price of admission alone. Anyone who has ever worked in an office will find something in this movie they will relate to. 3.5

Gideon58

01-17-24, 01:46 PM

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1st Rewatch...HBO's creepy and voyeuristic look at the relationship between legendary director Alfred Hitchcock and actress Tippi Hedren during the filming of The Birds and Marnie. Hollywood legend has it that Hitchcock tortured and abused Hedren on the set of The Birds after she spurned his sexual advances, including the use of real birds in a particular scene when he promised her he would be using mechanical ones. This movie is disturbing on so many levels...first of all, it's hard to know whether or not everything that happened here really happened, not to mention the fact that the film makes Hedren look like an idiot. All I could think of while watching this is "Why, after everything Hitch put her through during The Birds would she agree to do Marnie?" Not to mention the way Hitch's wife, Alma (brilliantly played Imelda Staunton) pretty much condoned her husband's behavior. But if the truth be told, the film is worth a look for the breathtaking performance by Toby Jones as Hitchcock, which earned him Emmy and Golden Globe nominations. A post graduate acting course that should be studied...pretty sure the actor doesn't crack a smile for the entire film. So creepy. 3

Stirchley

01-17-24, 01:47 PM

Stirchley

01-17-24, 01:51 PM

Death in Venice (1971)

Directed by Luchino Visconti
Starring Dirk Bogarde

Finally I got this movie. It is an obvious part of Visconti's trilogy (or pentalogy) about nostalgia on the passed civilization.
Colorful costumes and interiors, typical for the director. Now I see how wrongly this film is described just as LGBT by some mediocre system talkers. It is quite a deeper work alas the editing is dated a bit which makes it not very watchable for the broad audience.
3.5 74/100
97042

Think of the young man as the angel of death.

I don't get the love for this film at all. Bunch of middle aged guys agreeing that after all, alcoholism isn't all what it's cracked up to be? If you coud tell me why you rated it so highly I'd like to know.

To me it has all the hallmarks of one of those skewed foreign language pictures. It's ratings are higher than it shold be because the main star of it (Mikkelsen) is beloved. Just like 'Burning' and Steven Yeung.

There are so many hundreds of international films that are better but rated lower because the actors in it aren't well known. Just my two penneth.

Can’t remember if I bailed out of this. Can’t remember a single scene & no clue if I finished this. Huge fan of Mikkelsen though.