Rate The Last Movie You Saw [Archive] - Page 340

doubledenim

11-20-24, 11:43 AM

King of New York (1990)

It's sillier than I remember. Glam women nice clothes, like furniture. Seems like they're copying Miami Vice. This seems like a wannabe's vision of what gangster life is life. White guy, Walken no less (the whitest man alive, who is named "White" in the film) at the top of a black gang. The film is working hard to apparently argue that race is and is not an issue in this world. Mr. Chips is running the Crips. Everybody and their dog stars in this one. It's goofy world. Flash and style. Rules of winning have more to do with bravado than actual strategy or networking. Guy gets out of jail and just starts dropping bodies everywhere. Very cerebral... Film includes a clip of Nosferatu. So does Killing Zoe. Curious... This thing should've been titled, "Watch famous people play gangster." Fishburn chews the scenery so hard that he basically melts into a very unfortunate stereotype of an old school "G." He seems to know it, and just hams it up even more. He's got the volume turned up to 11. Oddest dammed movie.

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Stirchley

11-20-24, 12:48 PM

Maxxxine (2024)

2.5

https://www.simbasible.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/1-12.gif

Mia Goth plays an X-rated film star breaking into horror during the 80's while the night stalker is unleashing his reign or terror. That part is awesome and I'll watch any movie with a story like that. Unfortunately it was average just like the rest of the disappointing trilogy.

I liked the trilogy.

Stirchley

11-20-24, 12:51 PM

102695

Slow burner in the first half, but worth waiting for. Excellent movie. For a boy born in Wales, Christian Bale is always believable as an American. Liked the movie so much I watched it twice.

102696

Nice to see Mackenzie Davis in a lead rôle. Strange movie & James McAvoy very strange. Almost finished it & then didn’t bother.

Gideon58

11-20-24, 01:56 PM

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1st Rewatch...Frank Sinatra had one of his best roles in this breezy adult romantic comedy. He plays Charlie Y Reader, a theatrical agent who has women running in and out of his apartment 24/7. but has a special place for a musician named Sylvia (Celeste Holm). He then meets Julie Gillis (Debbie Reynolds), an aspiring actress who gets cast in a show he is casting, but only considers an acting career a time-killer because her only real interest in life is getting married and having children. A subplot involves Charlie's childhood pal, Joe (David Wayne) moving in with him after leaving his wife and falling hard for Sylvia. This movie is a lot of fun thanks to a witty screenplay and a winning quartet of lead performances. And that Oscar-nominated title song is the best. 4

Gideon58

11-20-24, 02:00 PM

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/7a/Straight_Outta_Compton_poster.jpg

2nd Rewatch...This angry and violent docudrama seems to improve with each villain. F Gary Gray directed this sweeping epic that chronicles the beginning of gangsta rap through the development of a group of drug dealers and gangbangers who decide to channel their anger through music by organizing the group NWA. Things start to unravel when a smarmy music producer named Jerry Heller becomes their manager and turns out to not be taking care of business as he should be. I think a lot of scenes might be exaggerated in the name of entertainment, but if that was the mission, they nailed it. There are standout performances by Jason Mitchell as Easy E, Corey Hawkins as Dr Dre, Paul Giamatti as jerry Heller, and especially O'Shea Jackson, playing his real life father, Ice Cube. 4.5

Gideon58

11-20-24, 02:10 PM

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6th Rewatch...This film version of the 1950 Broadway musical has a lot going for it, but I definitely have issues with it. I love the stage version, having actually appeared in three different productions of it, but this film has definite issues with the score and casting. Frank Sinatra, who plays Nathan Detroit, should have been playing Sky Masterson and his unhappiness with that comes through in his performance because Marlon Brando made a dreadful Masterson. Luckily Vivian Blaine and Stubby Kaye were allowed to reprise their Broadway roles as Miss Adelaide and Nicely-Nicely Johnson, respectively. The filmmakers also made some really unnecessary changes to Frank Loesser's iconic score, mostly in hopes of earning the film a Best Original Song nomination. Adelaide's "A Bushel and Peck" was replaced by the inferior "Pet Me Poppa" and "I've Never Been in Love Before" was replaced with the inferior "A Woman in Love". A song called "Adelaide" was written especially for Sinatra and adds nothing to the film. If Sinatra had played Masterson, they might have been able to leave in one of my favorite musical moments in the show called "My Time of Day", but there's no way Brando could have pulled that number off. Jean Simmons makes a lovely Sarah Brown, despite her less than thrilling singing voice and Michael Kidd's choreography is spectacular, especially that Crapshooter's Ballet in the sewer. Probably a better film if you've never seen it onstage. One of the very few movie musicals that I would like to see remade, which I hear is in the works. 3.5

Gideon58

11-20-24, 02:35 PM

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1st rewatch.. Despite a terrific ensemble cast, this movie just doesn't work for me due to a confusing screenplay and some weird casting. The movie is set in Baltimore where we meet three women who work in the same advertising agency, navigating various relationship troubles. Beth (Jennifer Aniston) has been in a relationship with Neil (Ben Affleck) who refuses to even discuss marriage; Janine pretty much forced hubby Ben (Bradley Cooper) into marriage and now is driving him crazy because he won't quit smoking; Gigi (Ginnifer Goodwin) is a slightly pathetic girl who gets ghosted by Conor (Kevin Connelly( and starts taking romantic advice from Conor's roommate (Justin Long). The movie jumps all over the place and it's hard keeping track of who's chasing who and who's cheating on who and who's ghosting who. and Drew Barrymore's character seems to have drifted in from a separate movie. I also had trouble buying Long as this super stud expert on dating and relationships. I also discovered during this viewing that Jennifer Connelly is not the least bit funny, not an scintilla of comic timing. The appeal of this movie lies in your personal likability scale of the stars involved. 2.5

Marco

11-20-24, 03:18 PM

King of New York (1990)

It's sillier than I remember. Glam women nice clothes, like furniture. Seems like they're copying Miami Vice. This seems like a wannabe's vision of what gangster life is life. White guy, Walken no less (the whitest man alive, who is named "White" in the film) at the top of a black gang. The film is working hard to apparently argue that race is and is not an issue in this world. Mr. Chips is running the Crips. Everybody and their dog stars in this one. It's goofy world. Flash and style. Rules of winning have more to do with bravado than actual strategy or networking. Guy gets out of jail and just starts dropping bodies everywhere. Very cerebral... Film includes a clip of Nosferatu. So does Killing Zoe. Curious... This thing should've been titled, "Watch famous people play gangster." Fishburn chews the scenery so hard that he basically melts into a very unfortunate stereotype of an old school "G." He seems to know it, and just hams it up even more. He's got the volume turned up to 11. Oddest dammed movie.
Yes, this is a strange film indeed. No real discernible structure which is not new for Ferrara who I'm not the biggest fan of anyway.

Tugg

11-20-24, 05:16 PM

Your Monster (2024) 3.5
Monster is acceptance and embrace of rage. The movie has few surprises and nice to look at. And sometimes amusing.
https://variety.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Your-Monster.jpg
Smile 2 (2024) 3
Overstretched suspension of disbelief. At least something should have been real. But production is amazing and images are artistically beautiful.
https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/S2_FP_011_e07ee9.jpg?w=1024

ueno_station54

11-20-24, 05:16 PM

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very cute, def need to see more Lubitsch
rating_4

Allaby

11-20-24, 06:56 PM

A Meowy Christmas (2017) Directed by Steve Rudzinski. A cat named Ms Whiskers who watches too many conspiracy videos becomes convinced that two bumbling burglars are aliens and along with her friend, Chuck the Rat, is determined to stop them. This was cute and funny. It's only an hour long and is currently streaming on Tubi. Check it out and you will have a meowy good time watching this pawesome family comedy! 4

Fabulous

11-20-24, 08:03 PM

Vengeance (2022)

4

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/j4zsJqKANvKsLPPvIEwWhlDC82v.jpg

PHOENIX74

11-21-24, 04:19 AM

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/8f/The_Bodyguard_1992_Film_Poster.jpg
Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=16393516

The Bodyguard - (1992)

The year after The Bodyguard came out I heard nothing but Whitney Houston tracks on the radio non-stop, but I still never ended up watching the movie. It wasn't exactly treated like a serious cinematic achievement, despite it's success at the box office. Ever since, however, I've always had this nagging curiosity. "I Will Always Love You" meant something to me, but I'd never seen where the Whitney version had come from despite that. I finally watched it last night (32 years after it came out) - after steeling myself, because I never really considered it a movie I'd like. Did I? Well, I would have liked it better if it were at least 20 minutes shorter - most preferably 30 minutes. It's far too long for what it is. Costner has this damn haircut that makes him look like he's 7-years-old, but I thought that he at least had some chemistry with his non-actor co-star. There were some nice scenes. Great smack-down delivered to Mike Starr. It just went on for far too long - the extended stay at the lake where the film slows down just when it should be peaking did me in a little. Also, I don't think I was in the mood to have a few twists thrown in my face - I didn't think it was that kind of movie. I liked parts of it, and overall it was fine. Just that damn hair - I wish somebody'd fix that with CGI or something.

6/10

Fabulous

11-21-24, 05:35 AM

Brian and Charles (2022)

3

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/8Kbr2lV4XE2zqI564u0xlMLpx8r.jpg

Allaby

11-21-24, 10:52 AM

Clara’s Ultimate Christmas (2018) Watched on Tubi. I thought this was a sweet and enjoyable family Christmas movie. Kearstin Moore and Aurora Richards were both wonderful in their roles and I enjoyed their performances. The doggy also did a fine job. 3.5

Torgo

11-21-24, 11:10 AM

Rebel Ridge - 4

Maybe Crow was right in the Squirm episode of MST3K: you should "never go to the south for any reason" (I live in the south, so I can make that joke...right)? Anyway, this is another thriller from Jeremy Saulnier that justifies keeping a Netflix subscription. So, you may be asking yourself, "who is Aaron Pierre?" By doing so, you have revealed the movie's secret weapon. A main reason why this movie is so intense is the complete uncertainty regarding what the actor and his character, Terry, are capable of, which it always pays off and not just in the action scenes. Speaking of, while there is not a huge amount of action, this is one instance where less is actually more. Besides, you'll likely not mind because so much sweet, sweet tension buildup precedes every scene. While Pierre deserves credit for this, there's also how the movie reminds you how much cringe is inherent in the misuse of power. Are the cops in Shelby Springs led by Don Johnson’s deliciously smug Chief Burnne reaping benefits of the trap that poor Terry fell into? Sure, but to make things even more interesting and true to life, sadly, it's a trap they've set out of necessity more than choice. I also love how sympathetic and quietly strong AnnaSophia Robb is as Terry's ally in the town, James Cromwell's work as a crooked judge, and again, as a resident of the south, I love how you can always feel the heat.

Every Jeremy Saulnier movie I have seen is smart, keeps me on edge, and most importantly, reminds me why I love action thrillers. This applies to this one as well, which may be his best yet. He clearly did his research of municipal law while crafting this, which is a good thing, but if I have any complaints, the details of the town’s scheme are a tad convoluted. I had to pause and research a plot summary to confirm I fully understood it and it's not like I wasn't paying attention. Other than that, despite the honeymoon being long over, it makes me glad that I still believe in Netflix's movie department. Oh, and I still believe in the south. It’s the greatest part of the U.S. Trust me.

Allaby

11-21-24, 01:46 PM

The Good Witch of Christmas (2022) This wasn't good. The plot is pretty thin and not much happens. The way they told the story wasn't very effective or engaging. Performances range from bad (Tom Arnold and William Baldwin being the worst) to okay (the mom and the two kids were alright). Also, Santa was whiny and annoying and the elf lady didn't look like an elf. 2

FilmBuff

11-21-24, 01:47 PM

ueno_station54

11-21-24, 01:50 PM

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Castration Movie Part 1 (Louise Weard, 2024)

yeah this is that underground, messy, queer art i'm after. 4.5 hours (including intermission) and i could've easily continued watching the remaining 4 hours if it was available. extremely real movie, maybe too real at points lol.
rating_4

WHITBISSELL!

11-21-24, 03:49 PM

https://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w663/files/images/film/posters/168/732/168732209_9wwf91.jpg

The Unseen - Despite having little in common (outside of star Gail Russell and director Lewis Allen) with 1944's The Uninvited, the studio heavily promoted this as a sequel. Russell stars as Elizabeth Howard, who takes a job as governess to widower David Fielding's (Joel McCrea) two children. Her hiring coincides with women in the neighborhood being murdered and suspicion somehow falls on David. It's a rather confusing 80 minutes with breadcrumbs of information strewn haphazardly throughout it's runtime. His first wife died under mysterious circumstances but it takes most of the movie for the particularities of her demise to be laid out. That's just one of the many details that are either held back or awkwardly worked in.

There's a creepy abandoned house next door where the first victim meets her end in a narrated prologue. David's son Barney is depicted as a bad seed type while bullying his younger sister Ellen and receiving mysterious phone calls. Herbert Marshall plays neighborhood physician and David's friend Dr. Charles Evans. Also hanging around are obnoxious realtor Jasper Goodwin (Norman Lloyd) and Marian Tygarth (Isobel Elsom), the widowed owner of the abandoned house who is back in town to sell the property. Rounding out the cast are Maxine (Phyllis Brooks) the children's former governess and police detective Sullivan (Tom Tully), investigating the murders and keeping a close eye on David.

The screenplay was co-written by no less than Raymond Chandler but it's still muddled. Events aren't laid out in an efficient manner and Joel McCrea's character is distant and surly and largely unlikable throughout most of the film. His frequent nighttime sojourns and mysterious behavior are meant to keep the viewer guessing but there aren't enough details provided. Having someone say, "I have to go out" doesn't cut it. The wrap-up adheres to 40's norms and audience expectations for a romantic pairing no matter what might have preceded it or how implausible it comes off. It's not an unbearable watch though. You can still enjoy speculating as to the identity and motive of the killer but, curveballs and red herrings aside, chances are the person you'll end up suspecting will turn out to be the one.

60/100

Sedai

11-21-24, 06:00 PM

Furiosa
Miller, 2024

3_5

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Trying to get more 2024 titles in as we start the run up to awards season. My rating might be a tad generous, but I will leave it for now. Not as good as Fury Road, but still had quite a bit to chew on. I just wish Miller had used more restraint in post, as this has a candy sheen slathered all over it that is sort of the antithesis of classics like The Road Warrior. Also contains a couple scenes of just terrible CGI that really pulled me out of the film.

I enjoyed the sort of natural expansion of the world building while still keeping things centered around some familiar locations from Fury Road, as well as Fury Road itself. Taylor Joy is good here, but I can't recall seeing her in anything where she isn't good. Hemsworth was miscast, coming off as a sort of bewildered Thor who managed to get his nose broken in a bar fight.

Allaby

11-21-24, 06:37 PM

Wicked (2024) This was a spectacularly entertaining ride that defied gravity! Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande are both excellent and the songs are wonderful. The sets and costumes are fantastic. I predict Wicked will get 6-8 Oscar nominations and win 2. Wicked is one of the top 10 films of the year for sure. 4.5

iluv2viddyfilms

11-22-24, 02:03 AM

Two Bresson films today:

Pickpocket - A
A Man Escaped - A

While I appreciate the absolutely bare-bones stripped down style of Bresson some of his camera movements and heavily reliance on close ups off objects and actions - while hugely influential, doesn't necessarily translate well to compelling or even thought provoking cinema for me. I like the use of some non-actors and I can even get behind his use of sparsely used classical music, but in a minimalist type of film with few flourishes and very little story, I prefer longer shots that establish sense of place and mood as well. I get what he's going for... no doubt the close up hands performing theft (Pickpocket) and hands using makeshift tools to escape (A Man Escaped) lend themselves to a realistic almost procedural tone to the film, but it isn't something that I find myself constantly drawn to and in need of rewatching.

iluv2viddyfilms

11-22-24, 02:06 AM

Fabulous

11-22-24, 04:38 AM

The Bride Wore Black (1968)

3

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/iEpJt9cx3tBSxjHnRh0OyGn7VsC.jpg

Allaby

11-22-24, 12:22 PM

Blitz (2024) I found this somewhat underwhelming. The performances from Elliott Heffernan and Saoirse Ronan are good, but the writing and directing were the weakest parts for me. There are some effective individual moments, but overall that was not nearly as engaging as it should have been. The production design and costumes were well done. I don't think the film is strong enough to get a best picture nomination and I don't think it deserves one. It may get a few Oscar nominations for production design, costumes, sound, maybe score, or maybe supporting actress. Blitz is still worth watching, but it feels like it could have been so much better. 3

Stirchley

11-22-24, 12:46 PM

102812

Atrocious. Waste of my money to stream it.

102813

Anna Kendrick very good at acting & directing. Strange movie as it featured comedic scenes interspersed with the true-life serial killer scenes. Rather disturbing, but a good movie.

Gideon58

11-22-24, 01:54 PM

Gideon58

11-22-24, 02:01 PM

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/14/Sunset_Boulevard_%281950_poster%29.jpg

3rd Rewatch..This creepy and heartbreaking Billy Wilder classic just gets better with each reviewing as I keep noticing things that I didn't realize how underrated and amazing they are. Absolutely LOVE that scene where Norma gets on the phone with Betty (Nancy Olson) and tries to freak her out to keep her away from Joe (William Holden). With each viewing I understand more and more why this film has an 8.5 rating on the IMDB. 5

Gideon58

11-22-24, 02:05 PM

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/76/Psycho_%281960%29_theatrical_poster_%28retouched%29.jpg

1st Rewatch..."12 cabins...12 vacancies...12 showers." This is Hitchcock's masterpiece and deservedly so. I still scratch my head regarding Janet Leigh being nominated for Best Supporting Actress and Anthony Perkins' Norman Bates being ignored. One of the Academy's biggest miscarriage of justice. Love that scene where Martin Balsam is first questioning Bates about Marian. It reminds me of an episode of Columbo. 5

Thief

11-22-24, 02:50 PM

IT'S SUCH A BEAUTIFUL DAY
(2012, Hertzfeldt)

https://i.imgur.com/fcIMt4F.jpeg

"With each passing decade, he began to gauge the time he probably had left. And by his 40s, what he considered his halfway point at best, he had come to know just one thing: you will only get older."

It's Such a Beautiful Day is a compilation of three previously released short films from Hertzfeldt. The main premise of the story follows Bill, a man struggling with an undefined illness which is causing hallucinations, memory loss, and countless other problems. Despite this, Bill tries to carry on with his life while sharing his philosophical musings about life, love, death, and demon-faced people with bacteria-ridden crotches stuck in the produce.

This is my second experience with a Hertzfeldt, after Rejected, but I had heard a ton of great things about this, and how it's his best work and whatnot. Maybe because of that, I came in with high expectations, or maybe it wasn't the right time for me to watch it, but the truth is that I just couldn't get into the film's wavelength. I can acknowledge there is some good/great stuff in it, but it was all counter-balanced by its frantic randomness.

Grade: 3*

Full review on my Movie Loot (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2510311#post2510311)

PHOENIX74

11-22-24, 10:23 PM

https://i.postimg.cc/wjZJ1PqZ/shadowless-sword.jpg
By The poster art can or could be obtained from CJ Entertainment., Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4077843

Shadowless Sword - (2005)

Here in Australia this is known by it's original title, but most other places have gone with Legend of the Shadowless Sword for it's DVD release. The alluring female bodyguard Yeon So-ha (Yoon So-yi) tracks down the last member of a royal lineage which is being cut down by evil forces - Prince Dae Jeong-hyun (Lee Seo-jin), who is living as a humble miscreant Han Solo-style and resists Yeon So-ha's attempts to shepherd and protect him. Lots of sword fighting and battles ensue, with characters nearly having the ability to fly like Superman when they utilize that very distinctive gliding/jumping ability - something characters have in these films. Aside from that (a pet peeve of mine) the fights aren't too bad. Yoon So-yi and Lee Seo-jin build a really strong sense of chemistry throughout the film. After them are the Killer Blade Army, who at first seem invincible, but by the end fall like flies at the hands of our heroes - leaving Gun Hwa-pyung (Shin Hyeon-jun) and his explosive, supernatural, gory sword tricks to bring the prince undone. I don't know how they work. He touches someone with his sword and a few moments later they explode. As a whole it doesn't go down smoothly, but at times there's fun to be had here - always a positive.

6/10

WHITBISSELL!

11-23-24, 02:18 AM

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Bad Education - A "based on a true story" crime drama/dark comedy about a massive embezzlement scheme in the Long Island village of Roslyn. School district superintendent Frank Tassone (Hugh Jackman) and his assistant superintendent Pamela Gluckin (Allison Janney) together stole millions in public funds with others benefiting to the tune of millions more. The school newspaper is the first to break the story after student reporter Rachel Bhargava (Geraldine Viswanathan) does some digging into the soaring costs of a proposed Skywalk at her campus. I like how the story quickly sets up Janney's character as the villain only to start peeling away layers to gradually reveal the full depth and breadth of the malfeasance. Even though Gluckin and her dimwit family were the most blatant it turns out everyone had profited from it. Great performances from Jackman, Janney, Viswanathan and Ray Romano among others make this 2019 HBO film worth a watch.

80/100

Fabulous

11-23-24, 05:13 AM

The Small Back Room (1949)

4

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/9Gbv1Tp89XsZukvui645oqOf6f.jpg

Gideon58

11-23-24, 05:48 AM

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BOTc3MGU2ZjgtNDJkNC00Yjg2LTlhOWItZjBjZTNkYzRlMzBhXkEyXkFqcGc@._V1_.jpg

3

I_Wear_Pants

11-23-24, 06:09 AM

I watched How to Kill Your Neighbor's Dog tonight. It's quite awesome until the climax. It was oh so sad for a comedy although the epilogue was fairly amusing. I enjoyed it overall.

Allaby

11-23-24, 01:54 PM

*Sky*

11-23-24, 08:49 PM

Amarcord (1973) - Federico Fellini: 7/10

Marco

11-23-24, 08:54 PM

Gladiator II (2024) I was entertained. The sets and costumes were well done and I liked the score. I enjoyed the performances and the action sequences were well directed. It's not as good as the original and is a little too long, but overall I had a good time with it. 4
As many do the idea of the original made me compare the 2 and it was not at all bad. I thought the story was thinner (or maybe just not as original) but the acting was spot on. Think I'll be watching in the comfort of my house soon and will warm up to it more with a beer in hand (how I miss Amsterdam cinemas and the Glasgow Film Theatre!:p)

iluv2viddyfilms

11-24-24, 12:10 AM

https://static.kanopy.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=cover,height=540,width=960/https://static-assets.kanopy.com/video-images/arts/91d9e97f-14a7-4457-8224-14b27cdce26a.jpeg

Along with Werner Herzog's Grizzly Man, this might just be my new favorite documentary... Gates of Heaven (1978, Errol Morris).

Errol Morris in his basic early stripped down bare bones style... even before his started to add more flair and dramatic license to his work with the game changing The Thin Blue Line (1988) and the remarkable The Fog of War (2003), interviews a couple of different and somewhat rival pet cemetery owners as well as pet owners who've lost their beloved animals, and a manager of a large rendering plant, in an exploration of what makes people become so attached to their pets as well as the difficult and painful subject of how we handle their bodies once the spirit has left them.

This material sounds a bit off putting and oddball, but it's truly great and it's a documentary that definitely challenges the viewer, not only because of the macabre subject material, but also because Morris chooses not to have any narration nor does he add titles and names on screen as descriptors of his interview subjects. Some of this material is tragically sad, some of it is just unintentionally hilarious, and a lot of it will make you think. Morris does seem to balance well between taking this material completely seriously against becoming satirical and ironic toward a content that could easily dive into dark humor.

I think Morris treats the subject with enough warmth and sensitivity that it comes off as genuine, but he's self-aware enough of what it is that it never comes across as hackneyed parody or insult. It's why we can watch an interview of a lady singing to her dog AND see portraits in the background of the frame on the wall within the shot's composition, of what we can only assume to be deceased pets that got the portraiture treatment, and not be tempted to laugh at the near ridiculousness of it. Moreover, this was nearly 50 years ago too! Before we had Chewy.com and major pet stores, a billion dollar industry of pet social media stars, and before the term "fur babies" was in our daily lexicon.

I have no clue why it has taken me so long to get around to watching Gates of Heaven, but just like Grizzly Man it does treat an awkward topic with respect and reverence while still fully embracing the inherent tragicomic nature of it all. Great, great brilliant stuff here and the full documentary is on youtube as well as currently streaming on The Criterion Channel:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJ0rh0Uzf_s

PHOENIX74

11-24-24, 02:24 AM

https://i.postimg.cc/LX13GmPS/limelight.jpg
By Unknown, likely a work-for-hire commissioned by the film studio, United Artists. - Heritage Auctions, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=85408628

Limelight - (1952)

Interesting. I've been wanting to see this for a while - Charles Chaplin made so few films late in his career, and most of them I've been completely unfamiliar with over the years. I learned about Limelight a number of years ago, while watching a documentary - being a fan of Buster Keaton, it was a surprise that two of the greatest stars of the silent era actually appeared in a feature film together so belatedly. I was expecting Keaton to have a bigger part in this - but disappointingly he only appears in the final scenes of this 2 hour-plus movie. It's an interesting dramatic departure for Chaplin, and you can see how autobiographical it is - although his character, Calvero, keeps denying the love of the much younger Thereza (Claire Bloom), while in real life Chaplin wed his teenage lover, Oona O'Neill. Whenever Calvero either fantasises about a comedic scene or appears on stage you see a faded vision of history as the old gentleman resurrects the tramp figure Chaplin was so famous for. It's a great movie, but of course the fact that Chaplin was in so much trouble with the American press and right-wing figures (he was suspected of having communist sympathies) interfered with the film's release in the U.S. - in fact, Chaplin himself wasn't able to return after attending the London premiere. It deserves to be a much more well-known classic. Chaplin's performance is marvelous.

8/10

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c6/The_Last_Samurai.jpg
By May be found at the following website: IMP Awards, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7823214

The Last Samurai - (2003)

I'm a sucker for any movie where enemies become friends, or people come to admire and respect people foreign to them - and that's what happens to this film about the Westernization of Japan during the 19th Century, and the dying out of their Shogun/Samurai system of feudal governance. Captain Nathan Algren (Tom Cruise) - disillusioned by the lack of honor and respect shown Native Americans during his time as a soldier travels to Japan to teach modern warfare techniques to their fledgling army - fighting a hold-out enclave of samurai warriors. When Algren is captured by the samurai he meets Lord Moritsugu Katsumoto (Ken Watanabe), and finds that bushido talks to his soul. Some nice battle footage and cinematography help smooth out a rather pat representation of history in regards to this issue. It's not an all-time classic, but it's a pretty decent feature.

7/10

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/fc/Charlotte_gray_ver2.jpg
Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=15833332

Charlotte Gray - (2001)

Wow. I guess making World War II and the French Resistance boring is an achievement in itself. What's so novel about Charlotte Gray is the fact that instead of making it's central figure a hero, it has poor Charlotte (Cate Blanchett) be something more human - a nervous, flailing mess in the face of forces overwhelming, and a very poor agent. Can she make any kind of difference on the continent? Can she find her lost love, hiding somewhere in France? Will everyone finally stop yelling at her? I felt sorry for her - and eventually sorry for myself while watching this tepid, meandering melodrama set in Nazi-occupied France. It does too little too late, but I do applaud it's intention of being different and meaningful. The execution was just lacking.

5/10

I_Wear_Pants

11-24-24, 02:32 AM

I watched Black Swan. It's a lot better than I remember. What an amazing movie. Nina literally sacrificed everything for a role. I think she lost her self in addition to, uh, well, you know. Yeah excellent movie. I should get a copy at some point.

Fabulous

11-24-24, 05:26 AM

The Tales of Hoffmann (1951)

3.5

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/42ySUQ98lpKKOMmQtfhB5DJU9ow.jpg

iluv2viddyfilms

11-24-24, 06:41 AM

Nightfall (1956, Jacques Tourneur) B+

honeykid

11-24-24, 02:42 PM

Lee - 3 A perfectly reasonable biopic which hits all the notes you'd expect for this kind of thing but its elevated by Winslett's lead performance and she's ably supported with a good cast who all do their part to illustrate these most celebrated chapters of a story, which I'm sure, was a fascinating life. Certainly worth a look if you're looking for something new and don't want to waste your time/risk a dud.

SpelingError

11-24-24, 08:53 PM

Near Death (1989) - 4

This was an excellent breakdown of the complex relationships between hospital staff, patients, and their families and how their mannerisms change around and away from each other. One could call the film a tragedy, but as we gradually realize over the course of its nearly six-hour runtime, the tragedy at the heart of their jobs is just a regular part of everyday work.

I was mildly saddened by the fates and situations of a couple patients shown early on, but like the doctors, I realized the survival rate of the patients was low and adjusted myself to that fact. Thus making every minute of its runtime necessary. One doctor, for instance, explained how her first week was the hardest since none of her patients were pulling through but she quickly realized most of what she can do is simply delay the inevitable and minimize their pain as much as possible, as opposed to save them. Other doctors occasionally vent their frustrations about the patients and joke about their situations behind their back, but a lot of this could very well be a coping mechanism they use to deal with the stress of their jobs. Because whenever the doctors are around the families, they always display an utmost sense of honesty and respect. They need to walk a fine balancing act with being honest about the dire situation at hand and the odds of the patients pulling through, while remaining respectful to the agency of the patient and the family in being the ultimate deciding factor of what medical procedures they're comfortable undergoing, being careful not to offend in the process.

The patients' situations being unpredictable and subject to change at any given moment is on full display throughout but perhaps most achingly exemplified through an elderly female patient who's clearly not all there given her constant uncertainty and variable responses to the doctors' questions on how to proceed. With her mental decline influencing her contradictory responses and constant requests to keep "thinking about it", one can feel each agonizing minute of her time slowly running out. Even with the other patients, the doctors consistently specify that any procedure they do comes with potential consequences and the patient will need to be constantly monitored throughout them every step of the way. The future is an unpredictable concept which makes the present situation of the patients so finite since there's no way for them to go but forward.

Like the other documentaries I've seen from Wiseman so far, he doesn't need to spell out the themes of his work or include any voiceovers/exposition which outline them. The fly on the wall look at his subjects speaks for itself and says all that's needed. That said, I think I prefer Titicut Follies.

PHOENIX74

11-25-24, 03:01 AM

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/49/Borderline_poster.jpg
By Unknown - Movie Poster Shop, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=75156412

Borderline - (1980)

I had the distinct impression that this was a television movie while watching it, but apparently I was wrong. It certainly brings a few well known faces. First off, headlining is Charles Bronson as Border Agent Jeb Maynard. I spent the first 5 minutes or so trying to hone my Charles Bronson impression and came to realise that when you're taking off Bronson every sentence has to start with "Aye". Anyway, it didn't go so well, so it looks like I won't be doing that in public any time soon. There's Bruno Kirby, without his pal Billy Crystal. Then you've got Ed Harris, who is making a kind of feature debut here (he'd appeared briefly in Coma back in '78, but he has a meatier role in this.) In smaller roles you have Kenneth McMillan and Wilford Brimley - real folksy American types, and in the same kind of mold Robert Altman regular Bert Remsen gets a lot to do, and so does Michael Lerner as the corporate bad guy pulling the purse strings in a border crossing operation - one in which there's a murder of an agent (the Brimley character) and a young Mexican kid. Bronson is investigating - and it's purely procedural thriller - he has no time for love in this. It's so procedural that it's a little dull in the end, but for the first half or so I got a lot of enjoyment from seeing so many recognizable faces (John Ashton - from the Beverly Hills Cop movies - he died just recently.) If ever a movie simply went through the motions - it's this one. The border issue feels especially topical, but it doesn't feel overly politicized in this - other than casting aspersions on those taking advantage and making money smuggling people over.

5/10

chawhee

11-25-24, 09:25 AM

Hot Tub Time Machine (2010)
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5
Showed it to my girlfriend for the first time. She loved it, and this is still one of my favorite comedies from this time period. Sequel was terrible though...

LChimp

11-25-24, 10:02 AM

https://br.web.img2.acsta.net/r_1280_720/pictures/14/04/17/16/57/109988.jpg

Coherence - (2013)

Re-watch. Still as good as I remember, but I think there's some scenes missing in this version of the movie available on Prime Video. Maybe I'm wrong.

Daniel M

11-25-24, 10:48 AM

https://i0.wp.com/nerdtropolis.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Megalopolis-Movie-Review.jpg

Megalopolis (2024) 4.5

Absolutely crazy in so many ways but I loved it :)

Torgo

11-25-24, 11:27 AM

Shadows in Paradise - 4

This is another droll, deadpan, elegant and deceptively simple comedy from Aki Kaurismaki that explores if love can bloom in Helsinki's working-class fringes. He sure gives leads Nikander (Pellonoaa), a garbageman, and Ilona (Outinen), a cashier, reason to believe otherwise, what with the former's despondence over his plans to join a new business venture vanishing into thin air. As for Ilona, her tolerance for men is justifiably wearing thin after yet another clueless male boss fires her for reasons unrelated to performance. Money, i.e. the actual stuff or the pursuit of it, indeed makes their lives more complicated and in unexpected and funny ways. Their first date at a bingo hall goes badly, and then there's Ilona's revenge theft from her employer, which as you can imagine gets out of hand. Whether due to inexperience or not wanting another good thing to go bad, hesitancy pervades their courtship, which has its cringe moments, but there are funny ones as well. Have you ever stayed in separate rooms while vacationing with a partner, for instance? In turn, this means the moments where they show affection for each other are all the more adorable, and in Kaurismaki fashion, rarely conventional. If you also enjoy hanging out in the dive bars and tiny apartments that make up Kaurismaki's Helsinki, you will get your fill here, especially for how colorful they are. His predilection for blues and old-time rock & roll all but enhances the working-class vibes.

Life is not easy when your job has long shifts and low pay, especially when you're in a place where attempting to improve your situation just makes life harder. This movie charms in its optimism that the possibility of something beautiful happening in this situation is possible anyway. Alternatively, and hopefully without spoiling anything, you can just run off to a place with a more level playing field! This is an '80s movie, but its appeal is timeless and not just because the Helsinki of 2023's Fallen Leaves does not seem that different. On that note, despite being a very Finnish movie, I think anyone - well, especially Midwesterners, but I digress - would enjoy it or at least relate to it.

Stirchley

11-25-24, 12:18 PM

102894

Whatever compelled movie stars of Anne & Jessica’s caliber to be in this mediocre movie is beyond me. Only thing of any merit was Jessica’s costume changes, which are lovely.

102895

Strange movie, but Daisy Ridley very good & the guy who played her husband.

102896

Not bad. Sosie Bacon very good. I would stream Smile 2 if it didn’t cost $20.

Allaby

11-25-24, 01:05 PM

Santa Stole Our Dog (2017) This isn't technically a good movie and the writing doesn't always make sense, but I enjoyed it. There is a lot of random stuff that is just thrown in for no apparent reason, but if you go with it, it's kind of fun in what the heck sort of way. The dog needed more screen time though. Watched on Tubi. 3

Gideon58

11-25-24, 01:13 PM

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/2e/West_Side_Story_2021_Official_Poster.jpg

3rd Rewatch... The bloom still hasn't worn off Steven Spielberg's spectacular remake of the 1961 Leonard Bernstein Stephen Sondheim musical. Not that it doesn't have its problems...Justin Peck's choreography is inferior to Jerome Robbins' extraordinary work in '61. The numbers "Cool" and "Gee Officer Krupke" were better in the original film. And as much I hate to say this, the casting of '61 Anita, Rita Moreno, in the role of Doc's widow, Valentina, seems more like stunt/sentimental casting, not to mention giving her one of the show's best songs, "Somewhere":, I don't know, her entire presence in the film loses power with each rewatch, but for the most part, Spielberg really got this right. 4.5

Gideon58

11-25-24, 01:18 PM

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BOTgyYTE4NTEtY2I2OC00OWU2LWEwMGUtYzBjMGI5ODc5NTlhXkEyXkFqcGc@._V1_FMjpg_UX1000_.jpg

1st Rewatch...For those of you whose only exposure to this historical event is the 1997 James Cameron epic, you might want to take a look at this much more serious and straightforward look at this 1912 event. No fictional shipboard romance with Jack Dawson and Rose Dewitt Butaker here...this film is a much grittier look at the events that still address the class system and the complexities of getting all of these people off the ship, not to mention the distress signals that the Titanic sent out that were ignored. Extraordinary film. 4.5

Gideon58

11-25-24, 01:24 PM

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1st Rewatch...Bob Hope had one of his funniest vehicles here. Hope plays AJ Niles, a writer and confirmed bachelor who has trouble with the IRS and hides from the government in a California suburban community, populated entirely by married couples and families, and his effect on the community, especially the frosty real estate agent, Rosemary (Lana Turner) who agrees to rent Niles her house. This is one of Hope's best movies, providing pretty consistent laughs, with a script that is a perfect blend of Hope one-liners and lots of plays on the word "paradise." Hope and Turner are backed by a fantastic supporting cast including Jim Hutton, Paula Prentiss, Virginia Grey, John McGiver, Don Porter, Agnes Moorhead, and the fabulous Janis Paige. For Hope fans, appointment viewing. 3.5

Gideon58

11-25-24, 01:28 PM

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91GvgOhVC6L._AC_UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg

3rd Rewatch...The romance between Judy Garland and Vincente Minnelli began on the set of this colorful and sweet family musical revolving around the turbulent year in the life of the Smith family. I don't think Judy has ever looked lovelier than she does in this film and it features three of the finest song performances Judy did on film..."The Boy Next Door", "The Trolley Song", and the one that turns me into a puddle every time I watch it, "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," 4

Gideon58

11-25-24, 01:34 PM

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS84B8sUMn_XQNCPUcqtzQuq7pD3gGQAD7ifQ&s

Umpteenth Rewatch...One of three films that Neil Simon wrote directly for the screen and the only Neil Simon comedy to earn an Oscar nomination for Best Picture. The film stars Marsha Mason as Paula McFadden, a single mom whose actor/boyfriend just left her to make a movie in Italy and didn't bother to inform her that he sublet the apartment to an actor named Elliott Garfieid (Richard Dreyfuss) who has arrived in Manhattan to star in a production of Richard III. This warm and funny romantic comedy still makes the viewer and tear up in the right places. In addition to the Best Picture nomination, Simon received an Oscar for his screenplay, Quinn Cummings Supporting Actress for playing Mason's daughter, Lucy, and Dreyfuss actually blindsided Richard Burton and won the Oscar for Outstanding Lead Actor. Many years later the film was remade for television with Patrica Heaton and Jeff Daniels, and was also turned into a Broadway musical starring Bernadette Peters as Paula and Martin Short as Elliott. 4

Thief

11-25-24, 04:49 PM

DEMOLITION MAN
(1993, Brambilla)

https://i.imgur.com/aJdh9J3.jpeg

"What would you say if I called you a brutish fossil, symbolic of a decayed era gratefully forgotten?"
"I don't know... thanks?"

Demolition Man follows Spartan's attempts to capture Phoenix again while also trying to adapt to his new surroundings. He is joined by young and idealistic officer Lenina Huxley (Sandra Bullock) who idolizes 20th Century pop culture while longing for a more adventurous job. Obviously, Phoenix' escape provides just that as he starts to wreak havoc around the city forcing the police to figure out not only how did he escape, but also who is controlling him.

A big part of that fun falls on Snipes performance. It's evident he's having the time of his life with this role, and Phoenix provides a pretty good nemesis to Stallone's Spartan. Every time he's on screen, the film sizzles. Bullock also does a pretty good job, although her romantic relationship with Stallone does feel very forced. The cast is rounded up by Bob Gunton, Benjamin Bratt, Denis Leary, Nigel Hawthorne, and Glenn Shadix.

Grade: 3

Full review on my Movie Loot (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2511274#post2511274)

FilmBuff

11-25-24, 06:56 PM

https://www.comingsoon.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/05/wicked-poster.png

WICKED
~PART I~
5

I have watched this movie 4 times over the last week - and I still can't get enough. I am absolutely dying to go and watch it again just as soon as I get a chance.

There's nothing about the movie that isn't perfect - the casting, the production design, the cinematography, the costume design. Every single shot is perfect, the editing is absolutely inspired - particularly in the last 15 minutes of the movie, which present one of the most awe-inspiring conclusions of any movie I have ever watched in my life.

Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande-Butera are the heart and soul of the film, and they are both absolutely divine as Elpheba and Glinda, nailing not just the songs (and how!), but also the more grounded aspects of their performances, which require them to really sell the viewer on their complicated and evolving relationship.

It should go without saying that this movie is aimed primarily at the converted - those of us who had already watched the stage production and loved it already; this may be the definitive stage-to-film adaptation that sets standards that will be impossible for other filmmakers to surpass.

doubledenim

11-25-24, 07:23 PM

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FilmBuff

11-25-24, 09:40 PM

https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/gladiator-2-2024-new-film-poster.jpg

GLADIIATOR
1.5

GLADIIATOR deserves a very big thumbs down.

Perhaps worried by the dismal commercial results of his few movies - all box-office disappointments - he has turned back to one of his older hits, giving us a totally unnecessary sequel that squanders a talented cast & crew, while stretching the whole affair to a nearly 3-hour ordeal, one that is more punishing than any of the blood-drenched fights in the Roman Coliseum.

I won't go into the plot details, other than to say there is a series of twists and turns that would probably have been considered too much for a daytime soap. But here, with a budget of nearly $300m, the actors are expected to keep a straight face and deliver their lines with great aplomb and conviction.

Legacy sequels seem increasingly more desperate to find the magic formula that allows them to milk the public's appetite for nostalgic entertainment while also bringing in a few new faces to the cast that might prove more valuable in the long run... but while this one hasn't been a complete disappointment at the box-office, it has also fallen short of expectations, and may not even break even during its theatrical run.

The good news is that we might be spared a GLADIIIATOR.

Fabulous

11-26-24, 04:17 AM

The House of Yes (1997)

3.5

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/6XhB0Gs1FB0MXxcAZ8fVnnBsnBX.jpg

PHOENIX74

11-26-24, 04:43 AM

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/d2/Bugposter2007.jpg
By Art Machine, A Trailer Park Company - Impawards, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=14421537

Bug - (2006)

What a wonderful surprise Bug turned out being. Even finding out that it had been directed by William Friedkin didn't fully clue me in to how resoundingly plugged in it was to the world we live in today, or how much I'd simply enjoy it. I'm kind of loathe to describe the plot, because I'm not exactly sure where that spoiler point is. I loved being surprised by a movie when I go in knowing nothing about it. I'll just say that Ashley Judd, Michael Shannon and Harry Connick, Jr are a blast - and that the film is claustrophobic, based on a hit play and gets bloody and disturbing. Psychological. The core of a character's loneliness and personality and illness - and the flow-on effects that lead to an intense horror that's both incredible but totally believable and possible. I'm fascinated by what this is about, and the human mind in general. Seriously great movie.

9/10

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/87/Road_to_Bali_film.jpg
Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4842384

Road to Bali - (1952)

My first "Road to" movie, and it was a blast. At first I was a little concerned - but by the time I'd finished the movie however, I'd come to realise that the "Road to" movies have a Tom Green-level lack of serious dedication to anything remotely real. They're sheer anarchy, and basically get away with everything by entertaining and not taking anything seriously. Some of the jokes are "inside" ones that hardly anyone would get in 1952 - let alone today - but somehow that all just adds to the feeling that this is all good-natured fun (the funny stuff comes at such a rate it's hard to keep up) - with Bob Hope in good form. The three stars are having a great time. Something akin to the Beatles and Help!

7/10

this_is_the_ girl

11-26-24, 08:46 AM

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Caddo Lake (2024, Celine Held and Logan George)
3
I knew nothing about this film going in (including the fact it was produced by M. Night Shyamalan), so when I realized this was going to be another one of these hard-to-follow time travel mindbenders, I was like, "oh boy here we go again." :) Thankfully this one was actually not bad, I was invested the whole way through. Cinematography was good, the acting nearly uniformly excellent, and I liked the fact that it treated the audience as adults and didn't waste time explaining and overexplaining stuff. Which means it's a pretty tight and fast paced affair overall, very plot driven. Though I have to admit at one point I had no clue what was going on, I was able to slowly piece the puzzle together, and the more or less full picture formed in my head after the film was over. Def worth a watch if you're a fan of this sci-fi subgenre.

this_is_the_ girl

11-26-24, 09:06 AM

I got around to watching Black Bear here in the witching hour. It's definitely different and in a good way. I loved it. Aubrey Plaza was awesome, as was the rest of the cast. She really is impressive. I've loved watching Ms Plaza perform since I started watching her act.

Next up is probably Harder They Fall with Mr Humphrey Bogart in his last film. Hopefully it's good too.
I really liked Black Bear, very intriguing little film.

FilmBuff

11-26-24, 10:52 AM

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Spellbound (2024)
2

The good news: if you have very young ones at home, this will probably keep them mildly entertained (but almost definitely not spellbound) for about 90 minutes.

Otherwise, it represents just another step down in the downward trajectory that has become John Lasseter's post-Pixar career, managing to waste a damn fine cast (Rachel Zegler! John Lithgow!) in a thoroughly derivative and rather unimaginative piece of fluff.

Thief

11-26-24, 11:57 AM

BLADE RUNNER
(1982, Scott)

https://i.imgur.com/nGLk9a4.jpeg

"Chew, if only you could see what I've seen with your eyes!"

There's already a review from me on this film floating around MoFo, so in the spirit of "what eyes can see", I just wanted to dedicate this brief write-up to my latest experience rewatching this film. I've seen Blade Runner a bunch of times ever since my first watch back in the late 90s, and I've always been amazed by its whole look. The set design, the production values, Scott's direction; it has always looked gorgeous, regardless of whether it was a VHS, a DVD, or a BluRay.

However, earlier this month I had the chance to see what others had seen: The final cut of Blade Runner in theaters, and I have to say it looked even more amazing. Had to sit in the neck-breaking seats in front and even there, it was impressive. The industrial skyline, the rain-soaked streets, the dark offices and apartments with streams of light coming through the windows. Everything looked impeccable.

Grade: 4.5

Full review on my Movie Loot (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2511542#post2511542)

Allaby

11-26-24, 12:42 PM

Parents for Christmas (2024) Directed by Ashley Hays Wright and starring Jaina Wright, Scout Wright, Cadence Wright, and David Own Wright. There's not much to the story here. The director wrote the movie with her husband and they star in the film with their three kids. It feels like they padded out the film with some unnecessary scenes and the film meanders at times. That being said, there is some charm to this family making a movie together. They are likeable and work well together. The humour is silly, but some of it does manage to be amusing. Some members of the family are stronger actors than others. Fat Daddy (the cat) is the best character. This film has its flaws and limitations, but also has enough charm and enjoyment to make up for it. 3

matt72582

11-26-24, 01:32 PM

matt72582

11-26-24, 01:36 PM

Shadows in Paradise - rating_4

This is another droll, deadpan, elegant and deceptively simple comedy from Aki Kaurismaki that explores if love can bloom in Helsinki's working-class fringes. He sure gives leads Nikander (Pellonoaa), a garbageman, and Ilona (Outinen), a cashier, reason to believe otherwise, what with the former's despondence over his plans to join a new business venture vanishing into thin air. As for Ilona, her tolerance for men is justifiably wearing thin after yet another clueless male boss fires her for reasons unrelated to performance. Money, i.e. the actual stuff or the pursuit of it, indeed makes their lives more complicated and in unexpected and funny ways. Their first date at a bingo hall goes badly, and then there's Ilona's revenge theft from her employer, which as you can imagine gets out of hand. Whether due to inexperience or not wanting another good thing to go bad, hesitancy pervades their courtship, which has its cringe moments, but there are funny ones as well. Have you ever stayed in separate rooms while vacationing with a partner, for instance? In turn, this means the moments where they show affection for each other are all the more adorable, and in Kaurismaki fashion, rarely conventional. If you also enjoy hanging out in the dive bars and tiny apartments that make up Kaurismaki's Helsinki, you will get your fill here, especially for how colorful they are. His predilection for blues and old-time rock & roll all but enhances the working-class vibes.

Life is not easy when your job has long shifts and low pay, especially when you're in a place where attempting to improve your situation just makes life harder. This movie charms in its optimism that the possibility of something beautiful happening in this situation is possible anyway. Alternatively, and hopefully without spoiling anything, you can just run off to a place with a more level playing field! This is an '80s movie, but its appeal is timeless and not just because the Helsinki of 2023's Fallen Leaves does not seem that different. On that note, despite being a very Finnish movie, I think anyone - well, especially Midwesterners, but I digress - would enjoy it or at least relate to it.

One of my favorite movies. Pellonpaa was such a great actor.

Daniel M

11-26-24, 01:59 PM

Gideon58

11-26-24, 02:16 PM

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1st Rewatch...Another teen comedy that doesn't really live up to its reputation. Freddie Prinze Jr plays the big man on campus who has just been dumped by his girlfriend and takes a bet that he can get the campus plain jane, Laney Boggs (Rachel Leigh Cook) to go to prom with him. Nothing here we haven't seen before. The best thing about the movie is a very funny performance by Matthew Lilliard as reality TV star who starts dating Freddie's ex. The plot of this film is the primary plot for the teen movie spoof Not Another Teen Movie and was filmed at the same high school where that film was made. 3

Gideon58

11-26-24, 02:19 PM

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3rd Rewatch...Just like Fatal Attraction scared married men out of cheating on their wives, this movie scared the hell out of motorists picking up hitchhikers. There's a dangling plot point here and there, but this is a first rate action thriller with a bone-chilling performance by the late Rutger Hauer. The film was remade in 2007. I've never seen it, but I seriously doubt it even touches this. 4

Gideon58

11-26-24, 02:26 PM

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5th rewatch...Director and co-screenwriter Harold Ramis and star Bill Murray knock it out of the park with this near brilliant comic fantasy where Murray plays Phil Conners, an arrogant weatherman who travels to Puxatawny, PA for the annual Ground Hog ceremony where he finds himself caught in a time warp where he keeps waking up and it's still February 2nd. Don't try, to figure it out, just relax and revel in the near brilliant screenplay that keeps recreating Groundhog Day and the slick and sexy performance by Bill Murray that ranks among his very best. 4

Gideon58

11-26-24, 02:33 PM

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81yOxHzLJqL._AC_UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg

1st Rewatch...This brassy film version of the 1958 Rodgers and Hammerstein Broadway musical is definitely an underrated gem in the history of movie musicals. This is the story of a girl named Mei Li (Oscar winner Miyoshi Umeki) who arrives in San Francisco with her father to be the mail order bride for Sammy Fong (Jack Soo), a nightclub owner and gambler, sort of an Asian take on Nathan Detroit. Unfortunately, Mei Li has arrived late and Sammy has fallen hard for Linda Low (Nancy Kwan), so he tries to pawn Mei Lin off on a pampered rich college student named Tha (James Shigeta).. The story is a little more complicated than it needs to be but this one of Rodgers and Hammerstein's most melodic scores and it is presented with care, including two dream ballets, choreographed by Hermes Pan, who choreographed a lot of Fred Astaire's work. Jack Soo steals every scene he's in, some of you might remember him as Detective Nick Yemana on Barney Miler. 3.5

ueno_station54

11-26-24, 03:27 PM

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a rewatch after quite awhile and yeah holy shit this still has the juice.
4.5

I_Wear_Pants

11-26-24, 06:06 PM

I watched 71 Into the Fire for the third time this afternoon. It holds up perfectly. The film is based on student soldiers fighting for the South in 1950 in the Korean War in Ponhang I think (I'm not good at remembering Korean names). It embellishes the history a little bit while keeping the essence of the student soldiers' harrowing deeds intact. I love the battle sequences and the young men's performances and the other men's performances as well in addition to the one female with lines. The look is also excellent. It's such an amazing film.

I downloaded a copy on Apple TV. I don't know if it's on the streaming service vis I bought a digital copy. This is for those who are keen to watch it, so I am telling you how I watched it. I don't know of any other way because I haven't looked for one. Are there other ways? I would expect so. I just don't know what they are.

matt72582

11-26-24, 07:16 PM

Tim - 7.5/10
Nice, emotional movie.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/8e/Timdvd.jpg

MovieGal

11-26-24, 07:28 PM

Tim - 7.5/10
Nice, emotional movie.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/8e/Timdvd.jpg

I barely remember this film. Doesn’t Gibsons character have a type of handicap?

MovieGal

11-26-24, 07:29 PM

I barely remember this film. Doesn’t Gibsons character have a type of handicap?

I guess not. Hmm why does it sound familiar?

Captain Quint

11-26-24, 07:47 PM

The Last Steps - 7/10
For a romance, I found the scenes outside of the relationship just as good, and part of the reason is that after the first bit, there is too much small-talk, redundancy, traveling, but again, it's the face, and she had it

Saaay, a Michèle Morgan film I haven't seen! I like Michèle, and have a Michèle list at 'boxd, so I know what I'm watching tonight.

Oh, and that Jean-Louis Trintignant guy is pretty neat, too.

WHITBISSELL!

11-26-24, 07:47 PM

https://i.gifer.com/BZMb.gif
https://i.imgur.com/VjufmBk.gif

Coherence - This scifi puzzler/thriller was made on a reported budget of 50,000 dollars and, to be honest, it shows. Not in a bad way though. There's no big FX or set pieces that would normally indicate a low budget. It's mostly hand held video shots and filmed in one location, the interior and exterior of a single house. The small cast features only eight people and they're confined to one room of the house for the most part. And yet despite these parameters the story moves along at a good clip. Four couples gather for a dinner party on the same night that a comet is passing overhead. There's an introductory scene that sets up all the players and their histories with one another. A lot of unspoken resentments and whatnot. All the better to hint at the drama that's about to transpire.

Without giving too much away the comet is passing so close to the earth that it triggers some sort of dimensional anomaly. The notion might have been used before but it's the way that the events are laid out that is so absorbing. The four couples are young(ish) professionals so they approach the cryptic incidents in a logical manner. There is none of the irrational or panicky idiocy usually shown by characters in these situations. And when there is that sort of behavior exhibited it is unerringly clarified. So much so that you'll spend a lot of time saying, "Ohhhh, so that's why that happened." It doesn't hold your hand so this isn't one of those films where multitasking is recommended. But your undivided attention will be rewarded by this smart and provocative brain-teaser.

80/100

matt72582

11-26-24, 07:59 PM

I barely remember this film. Doesn’t Gibsons character have a type of handicap?

Yes, but it's not such a hindrance.

matt72582

11-26-24, 08:00 PM

Saaay, a Michèle Morgan film I haven't seen! I like Michèle, and have a Michèle list at 'boxd, so I know what I'm watching tonight.

Oh, and that Jean-Louis Trintignant guy is pretty neat, too.

Good - hope you like it - let me know!
Any favorites with her starring?

iluv2viddyfilms

11-26-24, 08:31 PM

Road to Bali - (1952)

My first "Road to" movie, and it was a blast. At first I was a little concerned - but by the time I'd finished the movie however, I'd come to realise that the "Road to" movies have a Tom Green-level lack of serious dedication to anything remotely real. They're sheer anarchy, and basically get away with everything by entertaining and not taking anything seriously. Some of the jokes are "inside" ones that hardly anyone would get in 1952 - let alone today - but somehow that all just adds to the feeling that this is all good-natured fun (the funny stuff comes at such a rate it's hard to keep up) - with Bob Hope in good form. The three stars are having a great time. Something akin to the Beatles and Help!

7/10

This is really cool to see. I'm a huge Bob Hope fan. I love his quick witticisms, word play, breaking the fourth wall, and constant self-deprecating humor. I went on a Bob Hope binge maybe a couple of years ago now and I think you described his films perfectly as anarchy that's rapid pace. His stuff also borderlines of the surreal to with those wild situations. His films are just madness and even though he uses some of Groucho Marx's style in the wordplay, combined with a bit of the physical insanity of a Buster Keaton film, and even some of the vaudeville type singing and stage stuff from yesteryear, Bob Hope is really his own beast and he's difficult to really pin down, but I do love the descriptor anarchy, because that really nails it.

Also, from what I've read he was a very generous and giving person, while being extremely smart and frugal with his money. And of course the USO Military shows he put on for the troops for years and years from World War II I believe all the way up to the Gulf War.

He would be on my top 10 list of comedians if I ever were to sit down and make one along with Lenny Bruce, Norm Macdonald, Groucho Marx, Dave Chappelle, and others. He's one of the best.

I haven't watched the PBS American Masters program on him, but I should at some point:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDSbQo2KMhg

iluv2viddyfilms

11-26-24, 08:37 PM

Human Desire (1954, Fritz Lang) - B

Guaporense

11-26-24, 09:05 PM

Poor Things (2023)

https://www.comingsoon.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/06/poor-things-trailer-e1686232564214.jpg?resize=1200,630

It's a pretty meh movie. Movies these days tend to be sort of bland for me. Although I enjoyed the pseudo victorian style of this movie.

This movie, for example, could have finished on a much better note: instead of putting a goat's brain in the bad guy's body, they could have saved the doctors' life by putting his brain in the bad guys' body. That would have been very much interesting plot twist and logical conclusion to the concept of the movie.

Miss Vicky

11-26-24, 09:12 PM

102962

Memoir of a Snail
(Adam Elliot, 2024)

Well that was f***ing dark.

Alcoholism, bullying, child abuse, religious fanaticism, homophobia, abusive sexual fetishism, hoarding, murder, suicide... I know Adam Elliot likes to tell darkly humorous tales but I wasn't quite prepared for this one even after having noticed its R rating. It does have plenty of charm and features Elliot's signature crudely beautiful stop motion animation, but its themes go far beyond what is touched on in Harvie Krumpet or Mary and Max. I do have to say it didn't quite have the emotional impact for me that Mary and Max did and that's why I'm rating this significantly lower than the other film, but I do think this has a lot of potential to grow on me and it's definitely my favorite movie of 2024 thus far.

4

ueno_station54

11-26-24, 10:43 PM

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spent like half the runtime on the verge of tears.
4

PHOENIX74

11-26-24, 11:57 PM

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/3e/Traitorposter2008.jpg
By http://www.impawards.com/2008/traitor.html, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=17899113

Traitor - (2008)

This "War on Terror" movie had a mid-film twist that disappointed me a little (everything was being set up in a really interesting way - and I'd have liked to see it play out the way it was), but you can't deny that it features two really standout performances from Don Cheadle as devout Muslim Samir Horn and Guy Pearce as FBI Special Agent Roy Clayton. It maintains a certain level of tension very well also. When we look back at this portion of history there's a murky sense that nobody can walk away with their hands clean, and writer/director Jeffrey Nachmanoff tries to incorporate some of what the Qur'an says into the unique road Samir Horn travels down - a very singular path, and sensible one when you consider the madness that surrounds him. It's a very dangerous one though - such is the price of staying true to what you believe in.

6/10

Captain Quint

11-27-24, 02:58 AM

Good - hope you like it - let me know!

I liked the look of it, and the opening sequence, people going about their lives, we pass one and move to another... I like the actors, but it's a little cold around the heart, not much passion, no real chemistry between the leads (surprising), and yeah, the redundancies. But I'm always happy to see a Morgan movie, and this one brings me to 30 seen. 3-stars

Any favorites with her starring?

The iconic ones of course, Pastoral Symphony and Port of Shadows. After that, Stormy Waters, again with Gabin - A real punch in the gut of a story from director Jean Grémillon. And I liked her in Obsession, which is based on a Cornell Woolrich story; she does mental breakdown well.

FilmBuff

11-27-24, 03:07 AM

https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/moana-2-film-teaser-poster.jpg

MOANA 2
4

Let's face it, the original Moana has been so successful, there's a good chance they will not stop making more movies any time soon.

While I would much prefer the animators from the big studios could just continue working on brand-new projects, the cold, hard fact is that there's too much money at stake for the big conglomerates that own the studios.

Luckily, Moana 2 is a delightful follow-up to the 2016 hit, with an even bigger scope and additional songs that are much in the same style as those from the original, despite having different composers.

The animation here isn't quite as sophisticated as the latest Pixar film, and you'll find more groundbreaking animation in the films coming from Europe and Australia, but at least when it comes to big, commercial movies, Disney Animation is still doing considerably better than a lot of the straight-to-streaming stuff (check out my recent review of Netflix's Spellbound)

Thief

11-27-24, 11:22 AM

NATIONAL TREASURE
(2004, Turteltaub)

https://i.imgur.com/1UplNqr.jpeg

"Why can't they just say, 'go to this place, here's the treasure, spend it wisely'?"

National Treasure follows Gates in his quest to find a lost treasure, which will require him to steal the United States Declaration of Independence. He is joined by his partner and computer expert Riley Poole (Justin Bartha) and eventually by archivist Abigail Chase (Diane Kruger). The bad guy on the other side? Ian Howe (Sean Bean) who starts by funding Gates to find a map, only to double-cross him later.

If you feel like the film has hints of Indiana Jones to it, is because it does. Jones is probably the most direct comparison one can drew to this film and to kinda get what it's going for. It isn't nearly as successful as those films (at least half of them), but it still does a pretty solid job. They even mirror the Ford/Connery dynamic, with Jon Voight as Gates' father who disapproves of his son's quests, only to join him later.

Grade: 3

Full review on my Movie Loot (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2511903#post2511903)

Stirchley

11-27-24, 12:23 PM

102980

Loved this French movie. Both leads are excellent.

102981

Good movie. Never seen Brosnan in a movie before. He was very good.

Allaby

11-27-24, 12:41 PM

Our Little Secret (2024) New Netflix Christmas movie. This is predictable and generic, but worse than that it is not funny or enjoyable. I didn't like the characters and the story and actions of the characters were not believable and didn't work for me. Lindsay Lohan's acting was not good. She has been better in other films. Ian Harding was okay. The rest of the cast were mediocre, at best. I've seen several films by Stephen Herek and they are usually decent and sometimes pretty good, but this is his worst film, by far. I can enjoy a lot of bad Christmas movies, but I did not like this one. 2

Gideon58

11-27-24, 12:59 PM

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spent like half the runtime on the verge of tears.
4

Cannot WAIT to see this

Melancholic_Lion

11-27-24, 01:00 PM

Color out of Space 8/10

Pretty good movie. Beautifully shot, well- acted, unsettling themes made me think long after the credits. It was certainly much more serious than I expected it to be.

But yeah, good one. My man Nic Cage can do no wrong.

Sedai

11-27-24, 01:03 PM

...spent like half the runtime on the verge of tears.
4

I have a feeling I would spend the entire runtime on the verge of tears but for very different reasons... ;)

Meanwhile:

Was in a bit of a stressed out mood last night, so I wanted something sort of dreamy/contemplative, so this fit the bill nicely:

The New World
Malick, 2005

4_5

https://maupes.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/the-new-world-12.jpg

I had seen this before, but not for quite a while. With Malick at the helm and El Chivo on camera, this was just what I needed to relax and fall into a piece of cinema. Not his best, but still a magnificent film.

Gideon58

11-27-24, 01:04 PM

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3rd Rewatch...Jake Gyllenhaal was robbed of an Oscar nomination for his unhinged performance in this suspense thriller playing a mentally scarred young man who finds a new career as freelance reporter of crime scenes whose career reaches a new level when he is the first to arrive at the scene of a triple homicide, even beating the police there. I wish the screenplay had provided a little more detail into Louis' backstory because in his very first scene, we see him beat up a security guard for his wrist watch. My discomfort with the ending hasn't changed, but Gyllenhaal's sensational performance makes this film appointment viewing by itself. 4

Melancholic_Lion

11-27-24, 01:09 PM

Gideon58

11-27-24, 01:09 PM

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1st Rewatch...This testosterone-charged drama stars Keanu Reeves as an FBI agent who is assigned to help a veteran LA police officer (Gary Busey) nail a bunch of bank robbers known as the ex-presidents, led by the slightly unhinged Bohdi (the late Patrick Swayze). This film was one of the earliest directorial efforts of Kathryn Bigelow, who, 17 years later, would be the first woman to win the Oscar for Best Director for The Hurt Locker. Bigelow's eye with the camera is razor sharp here, a great looking movie with an interesting story and a first rate cast, with standout work by Swayze. Remade in 2015, but I've never had any desire to watch it. I like this one just fine. 4

Torgo

11-27-24, 01:15 PM

Great post. I had a Kaurismaki kick recently and this was one of my favourites that I watched, although I liked them all.Thanks, I've also been on a kick and it's been my favorite one so far this year. Other ones of his I've enjoyed:

Ariel
Fallen Leaves
Le Havre
The Man Without a Past

Gideon58

11-27-24, 01:19 PM

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91BZzf2jLEL._AC_UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg

Umpteenth Rewatch...The late Burt Reynolds had the biggest hit of his career as Paul Crewe, a disgraced ex-pro football player who is arrested for stealing his girlfriend's car and is sent to a remote Florida prison work farm where the warden (the late Eddie Albert) forces his to put together a football team out of the inmates to play against the warden's team of guards. It's slightly predictable, but this is one of those films I never get tired of re-watching. Reynolds absolutely sparkles in the starring role and Albert creates one of cinema's most hissable villains. By the way, the actress who plays Paul's girlfriend in the opening scene, Anitra Ford, used to be a prize model on The Price is Right. Remade in 2005 with Adam Sandler in Reynolds' role and Reynolds in the role that Michael Conrad played in this movie. Possibly the best feel good sports comedy ever. 4

FromBeyond

11-27-24, 01:20 PM

The Tomorrow Land.. tomorrow war.. the tomorrow something.

It’s got Chris Pratt in it who never quit sells me.

I couldn’t understand how entire film was on YouTube already but when it was near the end the sound was replaced with some Indian music and I wasn’t at all perturbed by that.

Allaby

11-27-24, 02:12 PM

Small Town Santa (2014) Directed by Joel Paul Reisig, one of the best bad directors, this hilarious Christmas comedy stars Dean Cain as a grumpy sheriff who hates Christmas. Everything changes when a man claiming to be Santa breaks into his home. This was delightfully terrible. I loved it. The dialogue is hilarious and the performances are over the top fun. If you enjoy good bad movies, then check out Small Town Santa on Tubi and be sure to check out Joel Paul Reisig's other films, especially Andy the Talking Hedgehog, Baby Bulldog, and Horse Camp: A Treasure Tail. 4

FilmBuff

11-27-24, 02:26 PM

Thief

11-27-24, 02:42 PM

THE SWORD AND THE HAIRPIN
(2014, Figueroa)

https://i.imgur.com/RpODqPj.jpeg

"You're rōnin, not samurai anymore."

The Sword and the Hairpin presents a rōnin in this precise situation. With the disbandment of his former clan, Tadakatsu (Kazuto Seike) finds himself unable to find a job or even pay for his house. So when he's confronted by a neighbor who happens to work fabricating hairpins, Tadakatsu finds himself at a crossroads; do I go by the sword or do I go by the hairpin?

Grade: 4

Full review on my Movie Loot (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2511999#post2511999)

WHITBISSELL!

11-27-24, 02:56 PM

https://resizing.flixster.com/HQUESpfPzyaskrX04lUASYaFGuA=/fit-in/705x460/v2/https://resizing.flixster.com/-XZAfHZM39UwaGJIFWKAE8fS0ak=/v3/t/assets/p11376954_v_h9_ab.jpg
Minions - Let me start by saying that I liked the first Despicable Me movie for what it was. Slightly original with some good voice work. But even then it really wasn't my cup of tea. After that the franchise grew progressively tiresome. Because of familial obligations I kept shelling out money to watch them at a theater but by the time the third one rolled out they had grown unwatchable. The two villains in this were ... just like the villains in the previous two Despicable Me films. Silly and cringey. But that could describe the whole plot. Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio, the two guys responsible for most of the DM movies, didn't have anything to do with this but Brian Lynch employs the usual absurd situations and cliquish writing.

I suppose if you're a fan of the franchise or under the age of 10 you still find them worth your while. But the once charming little yellow characters are now nothing more than a naked cash grab. They'll keep cranking these out as long as there's money to be made.

50/100

Stirchley

11-27-24, 04:35 PM

102993

Had a notion this was in my dvd shelves someplace & it was. Watched it on my laptop. Poor sound quality & non-existent closed captioning or subtitles that the jacket said it had.

Not as dreadful as I remember & I do wonder what the point of making it was. Who would want to be in such a movie is beyond me.

Anyway, dusted it off, re-shelved it & will not watch it again.

Thief

11-27-24, 05:14 PM

AFTER HOURS
(1985, Scorsese)

https://i.imgur.com/zLJdri3.jpeg

"It's temporary anyway. I do not intend to be stuck doing this for the rest of my life."

After Hours follows Hackett's misadventures as he heads into that rendezvous with Marcy (Rosanna Arquette) and as he eventually tries to make his way back home. Through the night he encounters himself in all kinds of weird, bizarre, and absurd situations which range from his only $20 bill flying out of the taxi window to being pursued around the neighborhood by a lynch mob after being suspect of burglary and murder.

Aside from the performances, I really enjoyed the film's vibe. It has that weird mixture of thriller, absurdist comedy, with even some hints of film noir. I also find it interesting the way that fate keeps playing against Paul by not allowing him any "pleasures" so to speak. He's like Sisyphus, forced to push that boulder up a hill over and over and over.

Grade: 3.5

Full review on my Movie Loot (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2512078#post2512078)

Darth Pazuzu

11-27-24, 05:57 PM

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/e/e9/Best_christmas_pageant_ever_poster.jpg/220px-Best_christmas_pageant_ever_poster.jpg https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/a3/Venom_The_Last_Dance_Poster.jpg/220px-Venom_The_Last_Dance_Poster.jpg
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/0/04/Gladiator_II_%282024%29_poster.jpg/220px-Gladiator_II_%282024%29_poster.jpg https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/3/3c/Wicked_%282024_film%29_poster.png/220px-Wicked_%282024_film%29_poster.png

November 19, 2024

THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER (Dallas Jenkins / 2024)
VENOM: THE LAST DANCE (Kelly Marcel / 2024)

November 26, 2024

GLADIATOR II (Ridley Scott / 2024)
WICKED: PART I (John M. Chu / 2024)

Okaaaaaaayyy... I will try to keep this brief.

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever has a lot of good humor and charm, although it often tilts toward the sentimental, and you just know that those darned Herdman kids are going to knock it out of the park come pageant time and totally win over the previously hostile townsfolk. Gives off a kind of would-be "alt-holiday-perennial" vibe similar to that of Bob Clark's A Christmas Story (1983), although it hedges just a bit by going soft. Still, it's a pretty good family holiday picture and I think it's a worthwhile viewing experience.

Venom: The Last Dance is the third and (apparently) last in a trilogy of films devoted to half-alien symbiotic Marvel character Venom. Mind you, I haven't actually seen the two earlier films with Tom Hardy (although I do remember the symbiote from Sam Raimi's Spider-Man 3), so I'm speaking from a lack of direct knowledge here. But I've got to say I wasn't overly impressed here. A lot of morphing alien FX, action sequences, explosions, hippies looking for Area 51, would-be-funny banter, would-be-poignancy, etc., etc., primarily amounting to little more than a sensory overload for people with short attention spans. The Marvel Universe is wearing rather thin through the scalp for me at this time...

Gladiator II is, of course, Ridley Scott's sequel to his own original Gladiator, 24 years later. By my own reckoning, it's a much more successful revisitation of Scott's earlier work than his Prometheus / Alien prequels. Denzel Washington makes a very charismatic villain and Paul Mescal is quite effective as the son of Russell Crowe's character from the first film. I enjoyed it a great deal, and I'm thinking that I'll have to watch the 2000 original again sometime soon, as I've only seen it once, believe it or not!

Wicked: Part I makes for a fun and exciting prequel to the classic 1939 The Wizard of Oz. Like the original, it's a fantasy/musical based on writer Gregory Maguire's original novel, which takes a rather revisionist look at the universe created by L. Frank Baum. I mean, what can I say? Cynthia Erivo is very good as Elphaba Thropp, the future Wicked Witch of the West, and Ariana Grande-Butera is very funny as the sugary but shallow Galinda Upland (the future Glinda the Good Witch). And it's always a pleasure to see Jeff Goldblum in anything, and he did make a wonderful Wizard. I honestly can't wait for Part II! :D

There's a lot of hype in the air about Gladiator II and Wicked being the "Barbenheimer" of 2024, and maybe that's just wishful thinking, but the hype isn't far wrong, because this is what happens when big-budget Hollywood filmmaking goes right. You know, it does still happen from time to time... ;)

P.S. Happy Thanksgiving, everybody! :D

Miss Vicky

11-27-24, 08:15 PM

102996

Gladiator II
(Ridley Scott, 2024)

As with most sequels, I've had my reservations about this film since it was announced. The original film was an instant favorite and for the last 24 years I have loved it more than almost every other movie ever made. So I knew that there was no hope for this film to ever come close to reaching that same level and the more I found out about it, the more I was sure this wasn't going to be one of those rare good sequels. As such I went into this movie with low expectations, but I tried my best to be optimistic about it.

Fellow MoFo honeykid loves to describe 2000's Gladiator as "painfully average" and though I obviously disagree with that assessment, while I watched Gladiator II today the thought that this thing failed to even reach the level of painfully mediocre kept crossing my mind. Every possible aspect of this movie fell not only well short of the original but also of my low expectations. The CG-heavy battle scenes felt lifeless and as fake as they were. The story was little more than a pale imitation of the original. The score was forgettable and only ever even stood out when it stole from Hans Zimmer's original compositions. The dialogue was lackluster and there wasn't even a single quotable line. Lucius, as played by Paul Mescal, does not possess even a tiny fraction of the charisma and presence of Russell Crowe's Maximus, his alleged father. Pedro Pascal's General Whatever-The-Hell-His-Name-Was was bland, forgettable, and might as well have not even been in the movie. The twin emperors were little more than clowns that failed to be either menacing or amusing. The only close to memorable performance was that of Denzel Washington as gladiator owner and political manipulator Macrinus, but even he was kind of all over the place and when he and Lucius faced off one on one I couldn't bring myself to give a damn who won. Whereas the finale of Gladiator gives me chills, the final scenes of Gladiator II just left me cold.

http://www.angelfire.com/music6/walteregan/JoaqGifs/joaqdisapproves.gif

1.5

FilmBuff

11-27-24, 08:27 PM

102996

Gladiator II
(Ridley Scott, 2024)
1.5

I think I also gave it 1-1/2 stars. Really sad to see such a talented cast wasted on such tripe!

FilmBuff

11-27-24, 08:50 PM

https://i.postimg.cc/7ZT698Xw/IMG-4248.jpg

MOANA 2 (4DX)
5

I took a 2nd look at Moana 2 - this time in the fancy format known as 4DX, and the result just about blew me away. This is obviously the best way to watch this movie - and, in fact, I would say the only way to watch this if you're gonna bother with watching it in the cinema at all.

Anyone who likes the "effects" of the 4DX process would have to agree that it's hard to think of a movie that has put them to better use - the wind, the rain/mist, the seat motion and lightning effects all work seamlessly to fully draw you into the Polynesian setting, almost making you feel like a participant in Moana's adventures in and around the ocean.

I was a little scared before going into the 4DX auditorium that the movie would have too many 'watery' effects and that we would all end up getting drenched, but luckily, that was not the case - also, the movie is being shown in 3D in these theaters, so you have the extra "protection" afforded by the 3D glasses.

Captain Quint

11-27-24, 08:57 PM

102998

Juror #2
Just back from the theater, and Jesus, I'm, just, wow. If this truly is Eastwood's final picture, he went out on top. And how refreshing it was to see a mature, thoughtful movie made for grownups!

The moral complexities that have been a signature throughout his career are present, he's always excelled in the gray areas. Performances are top drawer; Hoult should get some awards consideration.

So, so glad I got the chance to see this on the big screen. Clint and I go way back (to the 60s) and it was only right and proper that I should see his final feature where it should be seen. I'm a happy old man right now.

4

*Sky*

11-27-24, 09:34 PM

The Searchers (1956) - John Ford: 5/10

Citizen Rules

11-27-24, 10:18 PM

https://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=102998

Juror #2
Just back from the theater, and Jesus, I'm, just, wow. If this truly is Eastwood's final picture, he went out on top. And how refreshing it was to see a mature, thoughtful movie made for grownups!

The moral complexities that have been a signature throughout his career are present, he's always excelled in the gray areas. Performances are top drawer; Hoult should get some awards consideration.

So, so glad I got the chance to see this on the big screen. Clint and I go way back (to the 60s) and it was only right and proper that I should see his final feature where it should be seen. I'm a happy old man right now.

rating_4Glad you posted that, as now I have to see that movie. The part I bolded is what did it for me.

PHOENIX74

11-27-24, 11:14 PM

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/1d/Monsoon_Wedding_poster.jpg
By http://www.impawards.com/2002/monsoon_wedding.html, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=21888840

Monsoon Wedding - (2001)

There aren't many movies as delightful as Monsoon Wedding that could have been lined up for me to watch last night. It's basically controlled chaos as two families gather for a spectacular wedding in New Delhi, and five stories intertwine over the course of three or so days. There's heaps of love and laughter, but also heavier undertones at times because one story involved paedophilia, which darkens the mood and threatens to undo your peace of mind when it arrives - a real surprise in such a celebratory, colourful and magnificent feature. There's a lot of Indian culture, but the one binding theme is that of family, and the intrigue, infighting, joy and pain that always coincides with large get-togethers family-wise. Something intrinsic to us all. Naseeruddin Shah, giving us a terrific performance as father of the bride Lalit Verma leads a stunning ensemble cast. This first caught my eye after I watched Mira Nair's The Namesake a couple of weeks ago, and I actually spied it in the unwatched portion of my DVD collection - so that was rather fortuitous. This isn't like your typical film of this sort - there's a bright earnestness about it that feels very genuine. It'll make you feel good, but none of it feels as contrived as these things usually do. It's simply a beautiful celebration of life - and the artistry on display regarding the production design and cinematography has a very fresh feel to it. I've become very cynical lately, but my cynicism was bypassed and Mira Nair's most famous cinematic achievement more than lived up to my expectations.

9/10

Captain Quint

11-27-24, 11:32 PM

Glad you posted that, as now I have to see that movie. The part I bolded is what did it for me.

I have nits I could have picked, but mostly it worked wonderfully for me, and yeah, at some point, I thought, this is nice, a movie like this, made for folks like me, and the others in the theater, all in our 40s and above.

Hope you like it.

WrinkledMind

11-28-24, 02:49 AM

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSHe1Khj--mO5InMR9BJD9-cVOr2ikzpsJhaocj5YuWREW2LiPTa6tgtibF&s=10
Conclave
I am quite surprised how much I enjoyed a movie about the Papal election.
It feels like an old school drama/thriller that relies on performances. & it's beautifully shot. Both the indoor & outdoor scenes are picturesque.

Fabulous

11-28-24, 05:51 AM

Kick-Ass (2010)

3.5

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/c0qy4ddmu2oKd3tpFacetjJNrAi.jpg

matt72582

11-28-24, 11:17 AM

Jonathan Winters On The Loose

https://youtu.be/JJIIbpJARVw

Gideon58

11-28-24, 01:37 PM

https://manhattanrarebooks.cdn.bibliopolis.com/pictures/584.jpg?auto=webp&v=1354507293

4

ueno_station54

11-28-24, 05:03 PM

https://a.ltrbxd.com/resized/film-poster/1/6/2/7/7/16277-super-8-0-2000-0-3000-crop.jpg?v=84e08bf539
well this is definitely gonna be on my 90s ballot.
rating_4

Gideon58

11-28-24, 08:52 PM

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BZTg2NjcyZGMtNGE2NC00NWYwLTg4ZTAtNjBkMzU2MWI2OWU0XkEyXkFqcGc@._V1_FMjpg_UX1000_.jpg

1st Rewatch...This is one of Woody Allen's most underrated and nearly forgotten gems. Woody plays a trying to go straight lousy criminal named Ray Winkler who thinks he's Ralph Kramden who along with three of his loser buddies (Michael Rapaport, Tony Darrow, Jon Lovitz) decide to rob a bank by tunneling through a vacant pizza shop next door. They decide to the pizza store into a cookie store run by Ray's wife, Frenchy (Tracy Ullmann). The guys totally bungle the robbery but Frenchy's cookies become a huge success and, in a year, the Winklers are millionaires but this just the beginning of the end for the Winklers. In the best tradition of Woody, this film starts off a little on the slapstick side and then morphs into a three dimensional story we don't see coming. Woody's writing is biting and hilarious and he and Tracy Ullmann are a joy together. Hugh Grant and Elaine Stritch make the most of their screentime, but it's legendary actress/writer/director Elaine May who just about steals the show as Frenchy's ditzy cousin, Mae. 4

MovieGal

11-28-24, 09:06 PM

103033
Joulutarina
(2007)
3.5/5

The story of an orphan boy named Nikolas and his life that lead him to become Santa Claus.

This movie is in no way perfect but its a holiday gem from Finland.

Thief

11-29-24, 12:03 AM

THE BEAST WITH A MILLION EYES
(1955, Kramarsky)

https://i.imgur.com/Ty5nzk4.jpeg

"That's our strength, Allan, being together. Alone, we're nothing."

The Beast with a Million Eyes follows the Kelley family, who's struggling to make ends meet in the middle of the California desert while also dealing with some serious dysfunction amongst them. Things get worse when a creature from outer space lands nearby and starts taking control of the surrounding animals in an effort to go up the ladder to control humans as well, and thus the Earth.

That premise sounds infinitely more interesting than what we got in the end. The film behaves like your typical 1950s cheap "creature feature" where two thirds of the film feature the characters trying to figure out what's going on, only to unleash whatever's threatening them in the last act. The Beast with a Million Eyes has a mostly dull and awkward two thirds, and then also fails to pay off in the last one.

Grade: 1

Full review on my Movie Loot (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2512481#post2512481)

Fabulous

11-29-24, 12:19 AM

Dave (1993)

3

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/sDLS7hdPBefCVW9QVZi58952CwY.jpg

Gideon58

11-29-24, 01:53 AM

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/05/MusicManDVD.jpg

1st Rewatch...From the "If it Ain't Broke Don't Fix it" school of filmmaking, comes this 2003 Disney remake of the Meredith Wilson musical that made a star out of the late Robert Preston. The remake features flawless production values (especially the costumes). but sadly, Matthew Broderick is no Robert Preston and is pretty one-note in the titular role. The rest of the cast isn't much to brag about either except for Broadway bombshell Kristen Chenoweth who is the best Marian the Librarian I've ever seen. Her renditions of "Goodnight My Someone" and "My White Knight" are absolutely breathtaking. There's also something strange going on with the orchestrations. They've added music to the opening number "Rock Island" which was explicitly written to be performed acapella. The orchestration for "Iowa Stubborn" is kind of strange too. I guess it's watchable if you've seen it onstage or never seen the 1962 movie. Fans of Kristen Chenoweth should definitely check it out, fans of the show, beware. 3

Fabulous

11-29-24, 02:33 AM

Driveways (2019)

3.5

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/a5nC8EnEWfcrAZWRE9HTV8Iy1A7.jpg

Brody At Amity

11-29-24, 05:39 AM

The Father - 5/5

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BOWFiYTRhZTYtNjA5ZC00ZGIzLTg4YWYtYzRhZTExNTNjMzE2XkEyXkFqcGc@._V1_.jpg

I genuinely believe The Father features Anthony Hopkins' greatest ever performance (https://www.top10films.co.uk/80857-review-anthony-hopkins-delivers-the-finest-performance-of-his-career-in-the-father/), coming at the age of 82. It's a heartbreaking look at dementia and Hopkins is astonishingly good at portraying a man grappling at a life that is increasingly so different to the one he once knew. Olivia Colman is also brilliant. Writer-director Florian Zeller is one to keep an eye on. He also made 2022's The Son.

this_is_the_ girl

11-29-24, 05:52 AM

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fi.pinimg.com%2Foriginals%2Fc9%2Fc3%2F35%2Fc9c335971ef516b6c204d94be05d9501.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=47bb889fe960df9c31027d6165013a3cb4c3d9ba50fcd5c27c84695df84bfa2e&ipo=images
My Night at Maud's (1969, Eric Rohmer)
4.5
Rohmer's wintery tale to go with the mood. As always, intellectually riveting and enigmatic yet strangely comforting like being in the warm familiar company of people you know and love. The long philosophical conversations should come across as pretentious and stilted but for some reason they don't (ok, i'm lying, sometimes they do, just a tiny bit :)) — perhaps because I am too busy being interested in the underlying intrigue, or because I inherently accept Rohmer's rules of the game and agree to view his characters as the abstract entities that they are, mysterious chess pieces making their moves within this cozy little puzzle world. Anyway, another winner from Rohmer, and a psychoanalyst's field day full of secrets, innuendo and psychological manipulation. Francoise Fabian as Maud was definitely one of the highlights (magnetic performance!), lovely ending too, with the effective use of voiceover.

Torgo

11-29-24, 11:20 AM

Bookworm - 4

Frodo returns to Middle Earth, ahem...Elijah Wood returns to New Zealand in this wholesome and highly entertaining adventure. He gives one of his best performances as a failed Las Vegas magician who reconnects with his estranged and precocious daughter, Mildred (an also great Nell Fisher) as they try to film an elusive panther in the country's vast wilderness. If the general setup sounds familiar, it is, but the movie does enough extraordinary things to make up for it. For one, it's beautiful to look at and not just because of the locations. It begs to be seen on the big screen or at least the largest TV in your house. Their journey is also always unpredictable, with the panther's flightiness being only one reason. I'll just say it’s not the only creature the father and daughter have to worry about. Again, Wood is really impressive here. While it helps that the role of Strawn plays to his strengths - he gets to be scared a lot, for instance – it lets him reveal how strong he is at comedy and at being vulnerable. As for Fisher, I hope we see more of her because she has experience beyond her years just like Mildred has knowledge beyond hers.

The movie is not perfect: in the end, the supposedly elusive panther is really not that elusive. Also, I feel like a jerk criticizing its CGI since this is not a Hollywood production, but its motions are a little too cartoonish at times. With this movie and Come to Daddy, writer/director Ant Timpson continues to prove his expertise with stories about difficult father/child relationships and family complications arising from trying to make it in the entertainment industry. Despite these weighty subjects, this is again a movie the whole family is bound to enjoy. Just try not to let Elijah Wood's wig and beard and how they clash with his eternally youthful appearance distract you too much. Forget Paul Rudd: if anyone has found the fountain of youth, he has!

WHITBISSELL!

11-29-24, 12:22 PM

The Father - 5/5
Writer-director Florian Zeller is one to keep an eye on. He also made 2022's The Son.I'm really looking forward to his next release, The Holy Ghost.

Stirchley

11-29-24, 12:26 PM

103043

Terrific movie. Denzel & Frances both so good.

Thief

11-29-24, 12:46 PM

TETSUO: THE IRON MAN
(1989, Tsukamoto)

https://i.imgur.com/hLEsrlp.jpeg

"Soon even your brain will be metal!"

Tetsuo: The Iron Man follows an office worker (Tomorowo Taguchi) that is involved in a hit-and-run accident. After apparently leaving the scene, he starts being haunted by strange hallucinations of scraping metals. Eventually, he starts sprouting metal parts himself from various parts of his body sending him on a crazied frenzy. Can he retain his sanity or will his brain turn into metal as well?

This is one of those films I've been hearing about for a long time. One of those where you kinda know already what's going on, mostly because of pop culture. Still, after my first official watch, I can say it was even weirder than I expected. Not only because of its weird story and bizarre visuals, but also because of its unconventional narrative and frantic pacing.

Grade: 3

Full review on my Movie Loot (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2512566#post2512566)

I_Wear_Pants

11-29-24, 02:15 PM

I watched Messiah of Evil this morning. Unfortunately it didn't resonate with me. I wasn't really a fan. Some of the imagery was good. It just felt kind of empty. It's not bad. The film just isn't for me.

Thief

11-29-24, 03:28 PM

KID AUTO RACES AT VENICE
(1914, Lehrman)

https://i.imgur.com/8EcHtwo.jpeg

"I made tracks for the track."

That is the simple sentence that opens this short in which "Charlie Chaplin" addresses his "best girl" before heading to a pushcar race in Venice, California. While there, he causes all kinds of mayhem as he tries to draw the attention of a cameraman and film director by constantly stepping in front of their shots and in the middle of the track.

Grade: 3

Full review on my Movie Loot (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2512617#post2512617)

Thief

11-29-24, 04:06 PM

PARADISE CANYON
(1935, Pierson)

https://i.imgur.com/RLMeVD4.jpeg

"Say, can you sing or dance?"
"Well, I'm afraid about all I can do is ride and shoot."

In Paradise Canyon, Wayne's character is a federal agent that is trying to stop a counterfeit operation led by Curly Joe (Yakima Canutt). In the process, he meets with Carter and his troupe, who were at one point framed by Joe so they decide to help Wayne. Between one thing and the other, there's a lot of riding and shooting.

I've seen a handful of John Wayne films and I don't think it's disrespectful to say that he had a limited range, either by fate or by choice. That's not to say he couldn't turn a good performance, but more often than not, it was within those limitations. Paradise Canyon doesn't ask much for him other than look strong and talk tough, while riding and shooting a lot.

Grade: 2.5

Full review on my Movie Loot (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2512628#post2512628)

Allaby

11-29-24, 04:10 PM

Holiday Hit (2022) Written and directed by Lynaia Jordan. Two kids are accidentally left home alone at Christmas when burglars break in. This was alright, although it does feel too similar to Home Alone. The acting is fine and the writing is okay. It's obvious that they had limited resources, which is reflected in the end result, but there is a certain charm to the film. If you have reasonable expectations, then you might get some amusement out of this low budget Home Alone type family Christmas comedy. Available on Tubi. 3

Fabulous

11-29-24, 04:32 PM

The Visit (2015)

3

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/zkadM5dgzDUrsGp5LNB23yeeDgI.jpg

ueno_station54

11-29-24, 04:55 PM

https://a.ltrbxd.com/resized/sm/upload/h5/38/gr/q3/4PDLGJsS5uVBQlYjLMZ7t85dU0P-0-2000-0-3000-crop.jpg?v=9e90b06a02
4

Thief

11-29-24, 05:01 PM

MELODY TIME
(1948, Various)

https://i.imgur.com/s9m5fGu.jpeg

"A song is the one and only thing that will take you to the land where music is king."

Melody Time is an anthology film released by Disney in 1948. It is comprised of seven different shorts all using songs and music to take you to different lands and stories. Although they all feature different characters, one of them features Donald Duck, along with José Carioca and the Aracuan Bird, both of which were introduced during Saludos Amigos (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2400883-saludos_amigos.html) and Three Caballeros (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2185228-the_three_caballeros.html) respectively.

Whereas in Saludos Amigos and Three Caballeros there seemed to be a Latin-infused focus, the focus here isn't as defined but it seems to be different types and styles of music. But the lack of a general connective tissue to it all hurts it a bit. Even Three Caballeros frames it all as a celebration of Donald Duck's "birthday". Here, it just feels like what they are, random bits and pieces some of which work better than the others.

Grade: 2

Full review on my Movie Loot (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2512655#post2512655)

I_Wear_Pants

11-29-24, 07:19 PM

I watched Citizen Kane this afternoon. It's the third time I've seen the film with the first time being back in around 2009 or 2010, and the second in 2011 or 2012. It's been so long I've forgotten. I do know I watched it the second time in a class so I wasn't totally focused because I have a really bad habit of watching my classmates watch films in class when I've already seen the film because I honestly enjoy seeing people's reactions. Whether that's good or bad I don't know. People-watching is enjoyable to me.

Anyway the film rocks, and I could follow it better this time even with some more distractions, namely two children, which I didn't have when I watched it the first two times. I regret nothing. Yeah it's an awesome film. I wouldn't call it the greatest movie ever. It's still a wonderful piece of cinema. I think my context for my opinion is different than when it first came out, which is hard to separate. Still I've always liked Citizen Kane, even if I've always known Rosebud was the sled.

ueno_station54

11-29-24, 09:17 PM

https://a.ltrbxd.com/resized/sm/upload/fe/jp/49/l9/eDiexVN4nO3ZdDZCDMiJOX5fQ5r-0-2000-0-3000-crop.jpg?v=ef7fa718a0
my wife wanted to watch this because she'd never seen it. still a 4 for me.

skizzerflake

11-30-24, 12:57 AM

Damn....it's Wicked, the new movie version. It might have been OK (just OK) if it had been an hour shorter, but it wasn't. It's a prequel to the Wizard of Oz, a back story on one of the witches, but really, it has absolutely NONE of the charm of the original. Munchkins are full human sized and the songs are screachy and over-dramatic considering the nature of the plot material. I wanted to make a bathroom run, even though I didn't need one. Be forewarned.- :popcorn: (Yeah, that's minus one popcorns).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6COmYeLsz4c

stillmellow

11-30-24, 03:26 AM

Gladiator 2

All spectacle, little substance. The only performance that really stood out was Denzel Washington's.

As it is, I give it a "meh". Slim it down to 100 minutes of ridiculous violence, and I'd give it a 👍, and go see it two more times in theaters.

I_Wear_Pants

11-30-24, 03:43 AM

The last movie I watched is The Russians Are Coming the Russians Are Coming which I found fairly enjoyable. I wouldn't expect a comedy to have a fictitious start to World War III in the final twelve minutes so the ending I saw made sense. One part that stood out was how my primary care physician looks so much akin to Eva Marie Saint in this. That's not hyperbolic or falsified; they look strikingly similar. She could be Eve Marie Saint's granddaughter or something. It's weird.

Anyway overall it's a fine movie. Someone has to know some stuff about the Cold War to catch the humor, which I do so I could. The third quarter was a mite off though. I liked it overall in spite of that.

Allaby

11-30-24, 12:13 PM

The Santa Trap (2002) Watched on Tubi. Corbin Bernsen, Shelley Long, Stacy Keach and Dick Van Patten star in this family Christmas movie about a little girl who traps Santa, resulting in Santa being arrested and a biker impersonating him. This was pretty silly. I liked the trash talking teddy bear toy and the elves. 3

Thief

11-30-24, 01:41 PM

PRETTY POISON
(1968, Black)

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

"You haven't changed much, Dennis"
"Who does?"

Pretty Poison follows Dennis Pitt (Anthony Perkins), a paranoid man who hasn't really changed much after being recently released from a mental institution. This leads him to become involved with Sue Ann (Tuesday Weld), a high school teenager after telling her he's a secret agent on a mission, something that leads to all sorts of mayhem.

The main thing about the film is the relationship between Dennis and Sue Ann. This can obviously be seen as problematic, with her being a teenager, but the truth is that we're not meant to empathize with Dennis and his behavior. His character is deeply troubled, unable to change, while Sue Ann is dealing with her own issues mostly coming from a strict and abusive mother (Beverly Garland).

Grade: 4

Full review on my Movie Loot (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2512944#post2512944)

Tugg

11-30-24, 01:42 PM

Gladiator II (2024)2
Atrocious.
https://lk-aps.bmscdn.com/events/mobile/gladiator-ii-et00005509-14-10-2024-08-03-26.jpg

Thief

11-30-24, 02:18 PM

UNDERWATER
(2020, Eubank)

https://i.imgur.com/vjh3wVK.jpeg

"We did this. We drilled the bottom of the ocean. We took too much, and now she's taking back."

Set in the near future, Underwater follows the crew of a drilling facility in the middle of the ocean that is partially destroyed by what they assume is an earthquake. As the remaining survivors set out for safety, they have to find ways to stay alive from their surroundings, but also from the real threat: a giant underwater creature.

One of the things I liked from the film is its emphasis in characters. Despite its plot driven mechanisms, there is a lot of focus put on who these characters are and how they might be feeling. At the center of it all is Norah Price (Kristen Stewart), the mechanical engineer of the facility that seems to be haunted by choices of the past. Stewart does a really good job of adding layers to her character that I get the feeling weren't even in the script.

Grade: 3.5

Full review on my Movie Loot (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2512957#post2512957)

Nausicaä

11-30-24, 02:58 PM

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/2/27/Mid90s_%282018_movie_poster%29.png/220px-Mid90s_%282018_movie_poster%29.png

3.5

SF = Z

Viewed: Amazon Prime

https://64.media.tumblr.com/135d8acd3db54b96be47d8c22a2090fa/43abb5c1a7878a02-90/s540x810/7da45e8ca3bd3bc557a29089bd21b77f2a69a4da.gif

[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

ueno_station54

11-30-24, 03:29 PM

https://a.ltrbxd.com/resized/film-poster/3/7/1/2/0/37120-cremaster-2-0-2000-0-3000-crop.jpg?v=5bafa1d8a9
rewatch. so many cool ideas but not all of it hits. the music caries tho.
3.5

*Sky*

11-30-24, 09:06 PM

Never Let Me Go (2010) - Mark Romanek: 1/10

ueno_station54

12-01-24, 12:51 AM

rewatched Super 8½ and yeah that's an all-timer

4.5

Nausicaä

12-01-24, 02:20 AM

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/3/3f/The_Strangers_Chapter_1_poster.jpg/220px-The_Strangers_Chapter_1_poster.jpg

2.5

SF = Z

Viewed: Amazon Prime

[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

Gideon58

12-01-24, 03:45 AM

Fabulous

12-01-24, 05:16 AM

The Third Man (1949)

4

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/l2iY1AgqQ8dEa3FtWkN5TQ5aVbU.jpg

Captain Quint

12-01-24, 06:20 AM

Big Time Gambling Boss (1968)
Most of my movie pals loved this thing, and it started off fine.... before sinking like a stone from the weight of repetition and exaggerated melodrama. And these gangsters were as dumb as rocks. Come on...

How hard is it to figure out the identity of the traitor.... when you have a dude with a Hitler mustache right there in front of you for the entire movie!! I'm screaming at my TV, "it's Japanese Hitler, idiots!"

2.5

Fabulous

12-01-24, 07:18 AM

Diary of a Mad Housewife (1970)

3.5

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/3q14UHjWRR78AqxuDXWRASbqQd2.jpg

PHOENIX74

12-01-24, 07:37 AM

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e3/Warrior_Poster.jpg
By The cover art can or could be obtained from IMP Awards., Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=31516693

Warrior - (2011)

Warrior had completely escaped my notice until now, despite it's monster IMDb score of 8.1/10 (177th ranked movie overall) and fine trio of headliners in Tom Hardy, Joel Edgerton and Nick Nolte (who deservedly snagged an Oscar-nomination for his performance.) I don't know, maybe it's because I've never been interested in mixed martial arts - but hell, I'm interested in movies and love Rocky despite not loving boxing. This one works hard for it, but succeeded in wringing some emotion out of me with a finale that has a sheen of perfection about it. I can be cynical sometimes, but when you get the formula right and pull it off you deserve at least some plaudits. The story is an old one. Alcoholic dad who has wrecked a family. Two sons who are bitter because of it, and the death of their mother. The Dad is a coach. The boys top-notch fighters. They both enter an ultimate contest (one of them coached by dad, despite the fact that both hate him) for very different reasons - but when there can be only one winner, how will this not just rub salt into wounds that simply won't heal? Great fight cinematography and editing - super performances and the looming specter of family, love and hate mixed up with the fight to get through their lives as well as out of the ring alive. Worth seeing.

8/10

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e0/Empire_Records_poster.jpg
By Cosmopolitan, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=20531198

Empire Records - (1995)

University. Me. A group of acquaintances of whom I might have been ready to spend more time with. They were absolutely mad about this movie - Empire Records. So, to me the equation was easy - rent Empire Records, watch it, love it (which I surely would) and then have this thing which would help me bond with them. So I rented it. I watched it. I hated it. I mean, I really hated it. Maybe it was this one moment that made me think these guys weren't as cool as I thought they were. Well, it's been a long time since I last tried it, but finally after all these years I checked this movie out again. At first I had to turn it off - I was disliking it that much again - but after another attempt (with me being as forgiving as I possibly could be) I finally got through it without at least hating it. With seeing something in it - what other people love about it. For me that's mission accomplished - but Empire Records doesn't make it easy. It wants to be cool and hip so bad it constantly tries too hard and thinks it is sinking clever 3-pointers while in actual fact it's throwing out air balls that are hitting spectator seats. There's some good music, and there's a fine cast - but this is for a select audience, and if you're not one of those people watching this can be a painful experience. If you love kids despite the way they behave sometimes you might be able to find the right mindset for this one.

5/10

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/1d/Becoming_jane_ver4.jpg
By May be found at the following website: IMPAwards, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=30991912

Becoming Jane - (2007)

Honestly, I haven't seen many 18th/19th Century biopics - although Becoming Jane is speculative enough to almost regard as complete fiction. I was kind of expecting a turkey considering what I'd read about this, but instead it managed to reach that steady plateau of averageness which relieved without delighting me. Anne Hathaway and James McAvoy really get to work with what they're given and were good enough for me to wish this had been a little better than it ended up being. Technically, this was very uninspiring - but worst of all it could have been a movie about any two people. There should have been more in it that was specific in exploring who Jane Austen was, and how it could help give us some insight into her novels and the direction they took. One failed romance doesn't quite cut it. All that said, judging from a neutral perspective the film was okay.

6/10

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/39/You_Can_Live_Forever_poster.jpg
By Unknown - Mongrel Media, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=73243747

You Can Live Forever - (2022)

Overall, performance-wise, this hits a similar tone to Never Rarely Sometimes Always - and if I'm mentioning a film in comparison with that great 2020s release, then it has for sure done something particularly well. Full review here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=2511840#post2511840), in my watchlist thread.

8/10

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c6/Sisu_ver2.png
By Freezing Point OY and Immortal Sisu UK Ltd - IMP Awards, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=73102564

Sisu - (2022)

I'd imagine a very mixed response regarding this one from audiences depending on taste, and I could easily understand why some people might dislike it while others love it. It caters to a particular audience - and while I was absolutely entertained I do question some of it's more extreme, over the top tendencies. Full review here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=2512491#post2512491), in my watchlist thread.

6/10

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e7/Peepingtomposter.jpg
By The poster art can or could be obtained from Anglo-Amalgamated Film Distributors., Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10547714

Peeping Tom - (1960)

This is the kind of movie that's ripe for endless analysis and also one that's hard to classify as horror or thriller - a psychologically complex and searching story about observation and the dichotomy between what we see on a screen and what's real in the moment. Full review here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=2512813#post2512813), in my watchlist thread.

8/10

Allaby

12-01-24, 01:45 PM

Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story (2024) I enjoyed this. The cast does a wonderful job and I thought it was an enjoyable and fun story. I especially liked the cameo appearance by Catrick Mahomes (the cat who looks like Patrick Mahomes). My main objection is that the film should have focused on the Packers, instead of the Chiefs, as the Packers are the more Christmasy team. After all, the Packers is Santa's favourite team. 4

MovieGal

12-01-24, 01:47 PM

stillmellow

12-01-24, 01:59 PM

Red One

Was not good. Rock and Chris Evans prove beyond any doubt that neither has any acting range.

J.K. Simmons made me feel kinda funny as Santa, but otherwise there's nothing to speak of.

👎

Marco

12-01-24, 03:00 PM

The Iceman Cometh (1973)
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/1e/Poster_of_the_movie_The_Iceman_Cometh.jpg
I'd heard the name before and O'Neill as a prominent playwriter so gave this a go. It's a hard film to get hold of and never seen it on TV. It centres around a group of flops. Drinkers and ne'er do wells that reside in a bar/flophouse. Each has their own story of woe as to how they ended up, basically, alcoholic bums. There is a wallowing in self pity that somehow gives them a bond that is its own dis-functional community. This should be changed by the visit of a salesman named Hickey that (has) indulged them but this time the salesman has new ideas. The performances are all great and I love a bit of Robert Ryan (who died before its release). It's claustrophobic as many play adaptations are but the tale flits between the characters seamlessly so it's not an issue. At 4 hours it is a lengthy proposition, I did it in 3 sittings.
4

ueno_station54

12-01-24, 03:02 PM

https://a.ltrbxd.com/resized/sm/upload/jr/th/pu/pb/laefkgrfa3oKwvBtWTBtf2suiI4-0-2000-0-3000-crop.jpg?v=f5d8231026
i like the concept but every character is soooo annoying.
rating_3

Thief

12-01-24, 03:43 PM

SHOOT TO KILL
(1947, Berke)

https://i.imgur.com/n0XtFqX.jpeg

"The orders out on you are 'shoot to kill'."

Shoot to Kill was pretty much a surprise watch. I wanted to close #Noirvember with a breezy film noir, so I browsed some Letterboxd list and sorted it by length. At barely over an hour, this sounded like just the thing, and in a way, it was. The runtime itself works to its advantage since it doesn't really give us a lot of time to breathe between all the twists and turns, and whether they make sense or not.

Like many film noir, the story begins at the end, as everything is retold via flashback. Its mostly set at night, making great use of lights and shadows, its gritty in plot and looks, has some witty dialogue, and one great femme fatale. The gist of the story, which I'm still trying to figure out, follows the reporter investigating how his D.A. friend ended up involved with crime boss Dixie Logan (Douglas Blackley).

Grade: 3

Full review on my Movie Loot (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2513293#post2513293)

FilmBuff

12-01-24, 08:44 PM

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/88/7f/00/887f0050bb9e092e0e05d19eb27cc352.jpg

Bed of Roses
4

Bed of Roses remains surprisingly sprightly for a movie that is over 90 years old.

A terrific showcase for Constance Bennett and Joel McCrea, it features a deliciously corny meet-cute and some of the most uninhibited portrayals of gold-digging of the pre-Code days.

There's also the terrific Pert Kelton in a very memorably supporting role.

This film has been frustratingly hard to find even in the age of streaming, which is why I'm so happy I was able to catch it on the Criterion Channel before it left at the stroke of midnight.

*Sky*

12-02-24, 12:51 AM

Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992) - Francis Ford Coppola: 7/10

*Sky*

12-02-24, 12:52 AM

Would somebody kindly explain to me how to add a GIF to a post? Thank you.

Fabulous

12-02-24, 05:01 AM

The Great Outdoors (1988)

3

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/nIFBbEudLGPoddvivHkrmLGWyC6.jpg

exiler96

12-02-24, 05:13 AM

Would somebody kindly explain to me how to add a GIF to a post? Thank you.

Click on the "insert image" above your message space in the row of font options, paste the link address to your gif and then it's...

https://i.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExODB6cmNxYmp0MTN3dWhsM2kxd2JzZzNhaDJ5cW5qMXBteTdyZDJjaiZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfY nlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/26BkN4KIQSGaQrVa8/giphy.gif

exiler96

12-02-24, 05:31 AM

Smile 2 (2024) - The mind could be a scarier place than those occupied by zombies, serial killers and over-the-top bloodshed. Polanski understood and exercised that, while people like Parker Finn exploit it. Whenever dream scenes and reality become indistinguishable, the opportunity to practice all kinds of fcukery on the screen is possible, which is what we get here. So many shocks are thrown at us in an increasingly rapid pace that not all of them stick, with the excuse of that distortion being how our protagonist views the world… and in the end her pain remains a personal one, without commenting further on a social scale like another acclaimed horror with a star at its center did very boldly this year.

That isn’t to say Smile 2 doesn’t do much good. Far from it. It does feature solid performances and effective cinematography, benefits from singular (and often luxurious) interior production designs, well places some serious jump-scares throughout and replicates a pop star’s life with enough success that I was led to expect just a little more from it. The bar for horror cinema has been raised that high as of late....
7/10

https://variety.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Smile.jpg?w=1000&h=667&crop=1

PHOENIX74

12-02-24, 07:02 AM

https://i.postimg.cc/GhZ9QhmB/plainsman.jpg
By Paramount Pictures - The poster art can or could be obtained from w:Paramount Pictures., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=153213884

The Plainsman - (1936)

There's a very unrealistically romantic (and untrue) picture painted in The Plainsman of a Wild West where Wild Bill Hickok (Gary Cooper), Calamity Jane (Jean Arthur), Buffalo Bill Cody (James Ellison), and General George Custer (John Miljan) ran around together having adventures and bravely fighting barbaric Indians while never participating in atrocities no sir. Hell, even Abraham Lincoln (Frank McGlynn, Sr.) gets a look in during The Plainsman, which gets some fine cinematic treatment via director Cecil B. DeMille. The shots all look pretty nice and there's an attractive sheen to everything - even the heroic posing. It's interesting to watch - and even fun at times, but as a piece of Americana it's something that I feel emotionally removed from. Oh, and by the way, Anthony Quinn appears as an Indian in one of his first ever film appearances - I wasn't expecting that!

6/10

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/40/Corpus_Christi_%282019_film%29.jpg
By C@rtelesmix, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=61782958

Corpus Christi - (2019)

Very good movie this - it has a lot to say and does so in a wonderfully indirect way, while telling an interesting story nonetheless (about a young man recently released from juvenile detention posing as a priest.) Full review here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=2513513#post2513513), in my watchlist thread.

8/10

LChimp

12-02-24, 08:09 AM

Gideon58

12-02-24, 01:02 PM

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BM2RkM2EzNDMtM2I4Mi00M2YzLWI5YWMtYmRjMmZmMmE4ZTMzXkEyXkFqcGc@._V1_FMjpg_UX1000_.jpg

1st Rewatch...This gut-wrenching melodrama from 1961 follows the star-crossed romance between a mentally fragile high school girl named Deenie Loomis and the big man on campus Bud Spencer. a trust fund baby whose father is pressuring him to go to Yale when all he wants to do is have a ranch and how Deenie's obsession with Bud and the manipulation they both experience at the hand of her mother and his father, eventually leads Deenie into a descent into insanity. Natalie Wood delivers the finest performance of her career as Deenie, earning her second Oscar nomination, this time for Outstanding Lead Actress and I think she should have won. Wood is mesmerizing here and I have to admit it's a little uncomfortable watching that bathtub scene and that scene at the falls knowing of Wood's lifelong fear of water. Warren Beatty made an impressive film debut as Bud, who cared about Deenie but not as much as she cared about him. He creeped me out in that scene when he pushed Deenie to her knees and demanded that she tell him how much she loved him. Audrey Christie and Pat Hingle are both brilliant as Deenie's mother and Bud's father, respectively. For lovers of Natalie Wood and the melodrama this is appointment viewing. 4

Gideon58

12-02-24, 01:06 PM

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNWY3OGNkM2QtYWZjMi00NTVhLTkzZWQtZTcyMGNhNjczNWVmXkEyXkFqcGc@._V1_.jpg

1st Rewatch...Richard Lester directed this loosely scripted look at two days in the life of the fab four as they prepare for a TV concert and their efforts to take care of Paul's grandfather. The paper thin story is just an excuse for the group to sing their greatest hits every ten minutes, basically the world's first music video, but this is what audiences wanted from the Beatles and they ate it up. The paper thin screenplay actually received an Oscar nomination, but the music is the pull here obviously, and, for what it is, it works. 4

FilmBuff

12-02-24, 01:12 PM

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/pjsAAOSwiDFYLeT0/s-l1600.webp

Back to The Future, BttF Part II and BttF Part III - (Zemmeckis, 1985, 1989, 1990)

All three movies, back to back to back, me and my son (16yo). We simply adore these movies

I remember when BTTF 3 was about to be released, Universal organized showings of the entire trilogy in select theaters, with the 3rd installment being shown in 70mm in the top 10 markets in the country.

Needless to say, it was one of the most memorable days of my life as a film buff.

Gideon58

12-02-24, 01:19 PM

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMTYxNDMyOTAxN15BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwMDg1ODYzNTM@._V1_FMjpg_UX1000_.jpg

3rd Rewatch...On this fourth viewing, this intoxicating blend of rom antic comedy, soap opera, and cinematic bling remains as razor sharp and entertaining as ever. This is the story of an economics professor named Rachel Chu, who is asked by her boyfriend, Nick Young to accompany to Singapore for his college roommate's wedding, unaware that he is the heir apparent to the wealthiest family in Singapore and finds herself in an instant battle of wills with Nicky's domineering and manipulative mother. This is one of the most beautiful looking films ever, anchored by some beautiful on-location filming and some clever directorial tuches from director Jon M Chu (In the Heights)...love the tracking of those text messages all the way to Singapore when Rachel and Nick are first spotted together and there are some terrific performances too. Constance Wu is lovely as Rachel, Henry Young as sex on legs as Nick, and Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh is the perfect villainess as Nick's mother. Must also give a shout out to Awkwafina, who had her first significant film and stole every scene she was in as Rachel's BFF. 4

Gideon58

12-02-24, 01:25 PM

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/b5/Harlem-nights-poster-1.jpg

1st Rewatch...Eddie Murphy had the first serious misstep in his movie career with this vanity project that Murphy, produced, wrote, directed, and starred in. He plays a gangster who, along with his adopted father (Richard Pryor) are trying to keep rival gangs and crooked cops from bringing them down in this cliche-ridden gangster spoof. As a matter of fact, Murphy's screenplay is 3/4 gangster movie cliches and 1/4 curse words. It is nice to see Murphy and Pryor working together but even they can't keep this dumb movie watchable. The funniest scene in the movie is a back alley fist fight Eddie has with Della Reese. The only notable aspect of this move is the absolutely breathtaking costumes, which earned the film its only Oscar nomination. Unless you're hardcore Murphy fan, I'd give this one a pass. 2

Gideon58

12-02-24, 01:33 PM

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMjkzNGJiOTYtYTZiNC00YTJkLTk1MGYtY2U2MDU3YTdlZTIyXkEyXkFqcGc@._V1_.jpg

1st Rewatch...This alleged musical biopic about composer Jerome Kern doesn't really offer the facts about Kern's life (which they sort of give away in the opening crawl of the film), it's basically an excuse for MGM to drag out their amazing rep company of stars and have them sing and dance to Jerome Kern's most famous work. Robert Walker and Van Heflin are kind of one note as Kern and his arranger, James Hassler, but the film does come alive during the musical numbers, the highlights including Angela Lansbury's "Would You Like to Spoon with Me “, Lena Horne's "Can't Help Lovin dat Man" (further documentation that Horne should have played Julie in MGM's 1951 remake of Show Boat)), Kathryn Grayson and Tony Martin's "Make Believe" and, of course, Judy Garland's two numbers as 1920's Broadway star Marilyn Miller, "Look for the Silver Lining" and "Who". Most of the film was directed by Richard Whorf but Garland's scenes were directed by her new husband at the time, Vincente Minnelli and you can see the difference. 2.5

Gideon58

12-02-24, 01:38 PM

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMjA2NTI1Mzg3N15BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwMjYwNjAzMg@@._V1_FMjpg_UX1000_.jpg

1st Rewatch...Zac Efron works hard to make this overly complex comedy work. He plays a 37 year old divorced executive with kids who is miserable with his life because he is questioning the decision he made when he was 17 to marry the girlfriend he got pregnant. An encounter with a mysterious janitor finds the guy turned 17 again but unlike other time travel or body switch comedies, the guy remains in the present and he ends up going to school with his teenage son and daughter, which dilutes the original premise because all he does is look out for his children. The script is very protective of Efron's character, allowing him to get away with a lot more than she should have and it goes on forever.

Gideon58

12-02-24, 01:45 PM

https://www.inquiriesjournal.com/article-images/uid-1236-1403098405/d964f5.jpg

3rd Re\watch...Audrey Hepburn earned the fourth Best Actress nomination of her career for her luminous performance in the Blake Edwards romantic comedy, based on a novel by Truman Capote. Hepburn plays Holly Golightly, the flighty party girl who is terrified of anything that smells of commitment but is not above accepting $50 from a man for the powder room, but finds herself drawn to her new upstairs neighbor (George Peppard), a writer who is being kept by a wealthy married socialite (Patricia Neal). The Holly character is watered down from the Capote novel and Peppard's character is gay in the novel, but 1961 audiences weren't having that. It's been well documented over the years that Capote wanted Marilyn Monroe to play Holly, but with the shape of her life at that time, the film never would have been completed. Hepburn and the rest of the cast are perfection, with the exception of Mickey Rooney's offensive turn as Holly's Japanese landlord named Mr. Yunioshi. 4

Tugg

12-02-24, 01:58 PM

Would somebody kindly explain to me how to add a GIF to a post? Thank you.
The way I do it:
1. Google pictures of a movie (year);
2. I press on tools and select moderate size;
3. Press on a movie picture I want and when it opens on the right side I press right mouse button and select to open a picture on new tab;
4. Copy internet address of a picture and paste it in insert pictures image at the top of mofo functions;
5. Submit the image.

Example: Smile (2024)
https://comicbook.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/10/Smile-2-Opening-Scene-Explained-Joel-Death-Plothole.jpg?w=1024

FilmBuff

12-02-24, 02:46 PM

https://static1.colliderimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/sharedimages/2024/08/the-4_30-movie-2024-poster.jpg

The 4:30 Movie
2.5

As a fan of Kevin Smith since his first movie, I have been pretty dismayed at the abysmal drop in quality in some of his latest movies. It's good to know that The 4:30 Movie is definitely a bit better than all of his other recent films, but it's still an awfully slight one at that.

An obviously autobiographical film, this one marks the first time Smith has ventured back in time to before his heyday of the 1990s. There's an obvious love here for a long-gone era before the days of smartphones and internet sites that is genuine and convincing.

But Smith doesn't do himself any favor with writing that is at best bland and, at worst, sophomoric. The young actors do the best they can with the material, and for the most part they manage to sell it.

Gideon58

12-02-24, 04:21 PM

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/ff/The_Substance_poster.jpg

4

Torgo

12-02-24, 05:35 PM

Young Sherlock Holmes - 3

Despite not being successful enough to kick off a franchise like Spielberg and company had hoped, Sherlock Holmes amateurs and experts will surely enjoy this mid-'80s family adventure. In case you ever wondered why Chris Columbus, the screenwriter, was likely selected to kick off what ended up being a very successful franchise - you know, that one about another British young man with special abilities - your explanation is here. The man knows how to craft a story featuring young folks, particularly ones compelled to defy authority figures, that is never not fun. I like Rowe as Holmes, especially for how he manages to balance the character's smugness about being the smartest and most observant person in any room with being someone you can believe as a devoted friend, i.e. to Watson. As for him, I was afraid his messiness and craving for sweets meant he would be reduced to a bumbling sidekick, but thankfully, Alan Cox, Columbus, et al give him more dimensions than that. Ultimately, they utilize such traits to humanize Watson rather than for mining cheap comic relief. Speaking of, I approve of how the hooded villain's weapon of choice, a blow dart tipped with a hallucinogenic poison, reveals our leads' hangups, fears, imperfections, what have you as well as how their mission to unmask the villain lets the heroes overcome them at the same time. The resulting special effects are also impressive, clever and in no way dated. I certainly will not reveal fine details of their assignment, but I'll at least say that it will surely please anyone who enjoys stories that go down the rabbit hole. I'll also add that fans of steampunk or the look and feel of Victorian England will surely get something out of it as well.

I had a fun time with this movie - the best compliment I can think to give it is I wish I had watched it in my youth - but I still consider it good, but not great. While the action to detective work ratio is more balanced here than it is in Guy Ritchie's middling 2009 movie, there is a still a bit too much of the former and not enough of the latter for my liking. Holmes' voiceover narration is also intrusive, so much so that it made me wonder if it is unnecessary. Other than that, it remains reliable and solid family entertainment, especially for the fall and winter seasons. It also works well as "spot the British character performer" entertainment since a good number of favorites show up here. Just make sure to do what every franchise and would-be franchise movie expects you to do lately: stick around after the end credits.

Darth Pazuzu

12-02-24, 06:13 PM

Another Western haul on home video! :D

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/817gnFCw5nL._AC_UY218_.jpg https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/519Y+q69mML._AC_UY218_.jpg https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81UE0oV6pcL._AC_UY218_.jpg
https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41q98VyiY1L._AC_UY218_.jpg

Bend of the River (Anthony Mann / 1952)
The Naked Spur (Anthony Mann / 1953)
The Far Country (Anthony Mann / 1954)

Meek's Cutoff (Kelly Reichardt / 2010)

Finally, I've gotten to buying the Anthony Mann / James Stewart Westerns. Or as I like to refer to it, "The Winchester / Laramie Cycle"! I've already gotten 1955's The Man from Laramie on a bare-bones but still very nice DVD from Sony Video. (There is a Twilight Time Blu-ray version of that film, but unfortunately it's out of print and remaining copies verge on $150 and is thus cost-prohibitive for me. Other Blu-ray's are for other regions, and alas I don't have an all-region player. Here's hoping that another Blu-ray edition of The Man from Laramie gets released someday soon.) And on January 28, 2025, the Criterion Collection is releasing 1950's Winchester '73 on 4K UHD and Blu-ray! I've already pre-ordered a copy of that through Barnes & Noble.

I really like the Mann & Stewart "Winchester / Laramie Cycle" a lot. Audiences at the time had gotten a tougher, nervier and more volatile Jimmy Stewart than they had ever seen before. And only Alfred Hitchcock's work with Stewart around that same time has even come close to capturing that same sense of troubled neuroticism. I've got a good deal of affection for The Far Country - which tends to get overlooked by some people when discussing this cycle. That one's got John McIntire in a very entertaining performance as the villainous Judge Gannon. The Naked Spur is also a great film, a very gripping five-character drama that manages the paradoxical trick of being intensely claustrophobic even while being set entirely outdoors in the treacherous mountainous terrain of Colorado and California. Again, the character of the villain is a major standout here, in this case Robert Ryan's cheerily sociopathic Ben Vandergroat, whom Stewart's bounty hunter Howie Kemp is attempting to collect a $5,000 reward on. Ryan's got some really choice dialogue here. At one point he says: "Choosin' a way to die? What's the difference? Choosin' a way to live - that's the hard part." Words of wisdom, even when spoken by the story's antagonist, and they could almost serve as a motto or theme for the entire five-film cycle.

Half a century closer to our own time, 2010's Meek's Cutoff, directed by Kelly Reichardt, is a very slow-moving yet absorbing indie Western about a group of settlers moving through the desolate desert terrain of Oregon, led by a fur trapper and guide named Stephen Meek (a personage from real life), whom they suspect might not be entirely up to the task. The movie has this disturbing sort of fly-on-the-wall quality to it, a sense that we're actually observing real life. It's got a sense of grit as well as a sense of arduousness and tedium associated with slowly trudging across a vast uncharted, unmapped country, not knowing - and fearing - what could be around the next corner or over the next hill. This isn't something like John Ford's 1950 Wagon Master, which - while a brilliant film and a masterpiece - has more of a sense of adventure and fun traditionally associated with the Western genre. In the hands of a revisionist such as Reichardt, we get to see the darker side of such a venture.

Allaby

12-02-24, 09:28 PM

Hank's Christmas Wish (2023) Watched on Tubi. This is an odd one. The main elf feels miscast and comes across as grumpy and annoying much of the time. There is a homeless 18 year old and her younger brother, who still don't have a home by the end of the movie. There is also a poorly developed romance plot involving the 18 year old and her older boss leading to an out of nowhere marriage proposal, but it is not clear if she accepts or not. Much of the film involves a seniors home and not much comes of that storyline. Dean Cain has a small and pointless role as the mayor, but he also feels miscast and his performance isn't very good. Even though this film involves an elf, it lacks any sense of magic or Christmas wonder. The homeless girl and her brother were fairly likeable and their acting was decent. The two little elves, Tippy and Toes, were cute and fun and the film could have used more of them. The film meanders too much and then ends abruptly, without wrapping things up in a satisfying way. 2

PHOENIX74

12-02-24, 11:39 PM

https://i.postimg.cc/vHdNFTrw/black-cat.jpg
By "Copyright 1934 – Universal Pictures Corp." - Scan via Heritage Auctions. Cropped from the original image and retouched to remove damage (creases from folds etc.) and to improve color/lighting; see upload history below for unretouched original., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=87585255

The Black Cat - (1934)

I certainly enjoyed this one - it features Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff at their best, facing off against each other as Dr. Vitus Werdegast and Hjalmar Poelzig respectively. It all starts with a normal, average, everyday (for the 1930s) couple going on a honeymoon - Peter (David Manners) and Joan Alison (Jacqueline Wells) . For various "it's in the script" reasons they end up travelling with Dr. Werdegast through rainswept Hungary when the bus they're all travelling in crashes, right next to where the Doc was headed (for vengeance!) - the imposing art deco mansion on a hill overlooking a decrepit cemetery. There lives Hjalmar Poelzig. Whatever did Poelzig do to Werdegast to make this guy a seething, brooding revenge-hungry foe? Well, he betrayed his unit during the war leading to the death of most of his men, he had Werdegast imprisoned indefinitely in a P.O.W. camp, and he stole his wife and young daughter. Ouch! As if all that isn't bad enough, Werdegast discovers that his wife has died, and that Poelzig put her in a glass display case and has now taken up with his daughter! OUCH! Peter and Joan are more or less substitutes for us - normal people who find themselves in the midst of a battle between two supervillains which involves black cats, chess, skin-peeling, strangulation and mind games galore. What makes this one of the most fun 1930s movies out there is the fact that Lugosi and Karloff speak as if they're in the middle of hypnotizing us and deliver a couple of performances consisting of controlled lunacy - everything they say, no matter how innocent, feels threatening and dripping with dread and horror. I'll have to check out more Lugosi/Karloff team-ups. (Note - this also happens to be one of the first films to have a continuous musical score throughout - mostly consisting of classical music.) An early horror film that I really found darkly enchanting.

8/10

I_Wear_Pants

12-03-24, 04:08 AM

I watched Naked City for the Noirvember bracket for the end of Tuesday December 2. It's a great film. I can't say there's anything wrong with it except nothing stood out either. Overall the film is perfectly fine. I really liked it. Would consider watching again.

*Sky*

12-03-24, 05:11 AM

The way I do it:
1. Google pictures of a movie (year);
2. I press on tools and select moderate size;
3. Press on a movie picture I want and when it opens on the right side I press right mouse button and select to open a picture on new tab;
4. Copy internet address of a picture and paste it in insert pictures image at the top of mofo functions;
5. Submit the image.

Example: Smile (2024)
https://comicbook.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/10/Smile-2-Opening-Scene-Explained-Joel-Death-Plothole.jpg?w=1024

Thank you!

*Sky*

12-03-24, 05:13 AM

Click on the "insert image" above your message space in the row of font options, paste the link address to your gif and then it's...

https://i.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExODB6cmNxYmp0MTN3dWhsM2kxd2JzZzNhaDJ5cW5qMXBteTdyZDJjaiZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfY nlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/26BkN4KIQSGaQrVa8/giphy.gif

Many thanks!

*Sky*

12-03-24, 05:17 AM

Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992) - Francis Ford Coppola: 7/10

Revising this gem up to 8/10. It's haunting me and I love it. :heart: :fire:

*Sky*

12-03-24, 05:17 AM

The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) - David Lean: 6/10

Fabulous

12-03-24, 06:28 AM

The Escapist (2008)

3

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/dbfRfl7N4tRvd9IRx3rxidQH3ru.jpg

chawhee

12-03-24, 09:09 AM

The Family Man (2000)
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e8/Family_man_movie.jpg
3.5
First time ever seeing this, and its a nice family holiday movie. Some of the plot elements are very predictable though, and I wish it was a different actor than Cage haha

Gideon58

12-03-24, 12:57 PM

Gideon58

12-03-24, 01:08 PM

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BZTY0OTZmYTMtMjhmOC00NzM3LTk2Y2MtMDg1ODNlOTkyNTcwXkEyXkFqcGc@._V1_FMjpg_UX1000_.jpg

1st Rewatch....When Robert Rodrigues and Quentin Tarantino for Grindhouse, their salute to the drive in double feature days of the 1960's, Rodrigues put together fake trailer that they showed between the two features starring Danny Trejo called Machete that was so authentic that people thought it was a real movie, so a few years later, Rodrigues decided to make a real movie based on the trailer and came up with tis bloody, high octane actioner about day laborer played by Trejo who gets hired by a drug dealer (Jeff Fahey) to assassinate a racist US Senator (Robert DeNiro). Unfortunately, Machete bungles the hit and must go on the run to clear his name with the aid of a vigilante (Michelle Rodriguez) and a customs agent (Jessica Alba). If you're looking over the top escapist action fare, this is the place. Followed by two sequels. 3.5

Gideon58

12-03-24, 01:13 PM

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/810AheWkZXL._AC_UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg

2nd Rewatch...This warm comedy drama stars Joseph Gordon Levitt as a 27 year old writer at a radio station who learns he has contracted a very rare kind of cancer. We're behind this guy all the way as we watch him get over his denial, with the classic scene we see in all movies like this where the patient gets the diagnosis and stops listening to anything the doctor says after the word "cancer." Bryce Dallas Howard, the queen of unsympathetic movie characters, scores again as Levitt's girlfriend who promises to stay by him, but bails on him. Seth Rogen and Anjelica Huston steal every scene they're in though as Levitt's BFF and his mother, respectively. 3.5

I_Wear_Pants

12-03-24, 05:46 PM

This afternoon I watched my favorite film; The Good, the Bad, the Weird. It's endlessly entertaining. I've seen it so many times I've lost count. I remember for a while when my mental health had declined horribly I'd have it on a loop on my computer, I purchased it on Apple TV, because I could watch it to feel better. I don't do that now. Nah this just felt like a good time to watch the film.

*Sky*

12-04-24, 01:36 AM

Train de vie (1998) - Radu Mihăileanu: 9/10

iluv2viddyfilms

12-04-24, 01:49 AM

Strangers on a Train (Hitchcock, 1951) - B-

Farley Granger is so perfect and amazing in this as is Robert Walker, but Walker's character is under-explored and despite an interesting premise and build up, the faux tension of the "ticking bomb" tennis match and race to the carnival and of course Walker losing the lighter to plant at the murder and then the whole fight on carousel with some unsuccessful and tonal inconsistencies at comedy (the kid and some of the reactions by the extras as faceless crowd members) all seems like an easy way out and a cheap ending.

This is my second or third watch of this film. It could have been so much more, but this is one of those films where I don't think Hitchcock can get out of his way or come up with good enough writing to meet the reach of a clever premise and setup.

But yeah Farley Granger is soo wonderful and just magnetic on film, just as he was in Rope with Hitchcock previous to this film. It's too bad he didn't have a better writer to showcase his performance and the role.

PHOENIX74

12-04-24, 04:43 AM

https://i.postimg.cc/zDKv455c/the-raven.jpg
By Karoly Grosz - Scan via ozu-teapot.tumblr.com., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=87581676

The Raven - (1935)

This one was a lot of fun, Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff basically acting like madmen. At one stage Bela, as Dr. Richard Vollin shouts out "I like to torture!" - which is wonderfully direct, but most of his lines are delightfully unhinged and as such thrilled me just a little. The very unethical doctor falls in love with a young patient of his, and when others get in his way he decides to torture the lot of them by inviting them all over as friends and then trapping them in his torture dungeon! Helping is poor Edmond Bateman (Karloff), a criminal that the doc disfigured and now controls by dangling the prospect of repairing the damage. No picture of sanity, no matter how much less fun his written lines are. Just go over to the IMDb and read some of Dr. Richard Vollin's quotes - I'm so glad it was Bela Lugosi playing him, a perfect match made in heaven.

7/10

https://i.postimg.cc/SsGp6mwn/the-mummy.jpg
By Karoly Grosz - Los Angeles Public Library, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18513015

The Mummy - (1932)

Okay, The Mummy is a classic. You know, sometimes films don't get a fair hearing from me because I watch them at night and during the last 10 or 20 minutes I sometimes get so tired. I think I actually start micro-napping, but my eyelids definitely shut, and I miss moments. This is during a film's climax, when I should be on the edge of my seat. Still, The Mummy was pretty good - I'm surprised the whole usage of a still with glowing eyes (which was so unsettling) hasn't been used so much in feature films. I felt Im-ho-tep's (aka The Mummy, aka Ardath Bey - famously played by Boris Karloff) presence most of all during those moments. Hypnotic. Better than late 90s CGI. This lacks the silliness the former two Boris Karloff films I watched has, which is saying something because this is about an ancient desiccated mummy coming to life because someone read an ancient scroll.

6/10

Captain Quint

12-04-24, 06:42 AM

Alien Romulus
It's like one of those old TV clip shows or a greatest hit compilation. I about turned it off a half hour in, just wasn't feeling it, but eventually the action got its hooks in me, made me tense, and the -well, I won't spoil it- but yeah, I was freaked, plus I liked the 2 leads. So that gave it a bit of a grade push.

3

Tycoon

12-04-24, 10:02 AM

https://www.cinetrend.de/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/iron-683x1024.jpg

8/10

Still don't understand why it wasn't even nominated in the last Oscars. There are 10 movies seriously, not 5 like in the past. But we had Barbie instead, right.

https://cdn.sortiraparis.com/images/80/69688/1123142-conclave-ralph-fiennes-mene-un-thriller-politique-au-coeur-du-vatican-bande-annonce.jpg

6.5/10

Such great reviews in the picture isn't it ? The cast is very good but I didn't find it unbelievable. However interesting subject about what happens when the Pope's title is vacant.

ueno_station54

12-04-24, 01:48 PM

https://a.ltrbxd.com/resized/film-poster/1/8/4/8/5/0/184850-flaming-ears-0-2000-0-3000-crop.jpg?v=4089d8d417
scuzzy underground queer stuff continues to be the vibe. one of the coolest aesthetics i've seen in a film in a minute.
rating_4

Stirchley

12-04-24, 01:51 PM

103143

Terrific movie. One of the best I’ve seen this year. Entire cast is very good. Last movie of Angus Cloud who died of a drug overdose at age 25.

cricket

12-04-24, 02:06 PM

The Apartment (1960)

5

https://static.wixstatic.com/media/13b669_ce03bbba9f984f40a46814e926ae32d6~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_750,h_450,al_c,q_80,enc_auto/13b669_ce03bbba9f984f40a46814e926ae32d6~mv2.jpg

My 2nd time watching, and I picked it out because my wife and a woman in our building wanted to watch something. I see it as practically flawless, and the chicks loved it too.

Citizen Rules

12-04-24, 02:24 PM

The Apartment (1960)

rating_5

https://static.wixstatic.com/media/13b669_ce03bbba9f984f40a46814e926ae32d6~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_750,h_450,al_c,q_80,enc_auto/13b669_ce03bbba9f984f40a46814e926ae32d6~mv2.jpg

My 2nd time watching, and I picked it out because my wife and a woman in our building wanted to watch something. I see it as practically flawless, and the chicks loved it too.Been meaning to watch this for ages! I only seen it once like 20 years ago and don't remember the story but I do remember being impressed. I wonder how I would feel a second time around viewing?

Stirchley

12-04-24, 03:18 PM

Been meaning to watch this for ages! I only seen it once like 20 years ago and don't remember the story but I do remember being impressed. I wonder how I would feel a second time around viewing?

It’s excellent.

ueno_station54

12-04-24, 08:50 PM

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/7c/TFU_Cover.jpg
even though this is clearly a better film i think i still prefer Nowhere. both are absolutely dynamite though.
rating_4

Fabulous

12-04-24, 11:51 PM

The Necessities of Life (2008)

4

Marco

12-05-24, 12:35 AM

Kill your Darlings (2013)
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e6/Kill_Your_Darlings_poster.jpg
Biographical drama about the beat poets Ginsberg, Carr, Burroughs and Kerouac. All finding themselves in what seemed to me to be a rather privileged manner (maybe less so Kerouac). The performances are just fine and I enjoyed the interaction between the mains. Ben Foster was pretty spot on as Burroughs The whole film does revolve around an action that Carr served a couple of years for but it it is all very sketchy. Speaking outside the movie, Naked Lunch was much better. And retrospectively, the actions of Burroughs and Ginsberg were deplorable in their real lives so it's hard to really connect with the depictions.
Just as a movie: 3

I_Wear_Pants

12-05-24, 04:01 AM

I finished Michael Mohan's Voyeurs. It's a really good film with a satisfying ending. I won't go into detail. That wouldn't be fair. Some of the second act was a mite convoluted and took some grains of salt. Overall though I did like it. IMDb bills it as an "erotic thriller" and I believe this film fulfills that monicker just fine. It also has "suspense mystery" although it isn't quite as big there, accepting the higher amount of suspense to mystery. It is good stuff though.

And it's off to the next film.

Fabulous

12-05-24, 07:42 AM

Code 8 (2019)

3.5

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/n9NMlYd4TrSPErkRctNJaeTkGCM.jpg

Gideon58

12-05-24, 04:15 PM

Gideon58

12-05-24, 04:21 PM

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/13/Please_Don%27t_Eat_the_Daisies_poster.jpg

1st Rewatch....Another nearly forgotten gem from the Doris Day library. Day plays Kate McKay, the wife of a former college professor turned theater critic (David Niven) and mother of four boys, who has to deal with moving their family from a cramped New York apartment to a huge house in the country, the problems with her kids adjusting to a new school and a sexy actress (Janis Paige) going after her husband after he writes a scathing review about her performance. Even though Kate is a housewife and mother, she is the family anchor and the smartest character in the movie and it goes without saying that Paige steals every scene she's in. One of Day's sons is played by Stanley Livingston, who you might remember as Chip Douglas on My Three Sons and you might also catch Len Lesser in a bit part as a waiter. Younger viewers might remember Lesser as Uncle Leo on Seinfeld.
. 3.5

I_Wear_Pants

12-05-24, 04:45 PM

markdc

12-05-24, 05:52 PM

John Wick: Chapter 4
9/10

Mark C

I_Wear_Pants

12-05-24, 10:44 PM

John Wick: Chapter 4
9/10

Mark C

I can barely read that. Need I bust out a magnifying glass?

Captain Quint

12-05-24, 11:56 PM

103189
The Rules of the Game (1939)
Directed and written by Jean Renoir

I decided to give Rules another try tonight, and my reaction was largely unchanged. I seem to struggle with much of Renoir's work, despite my efforts to overcome this. I concentrated on the cinematic aspects, which are indeed impressive: the way he composes his scenes, positions his characters, and the use of mirrors to sometimes create a greater depth of field. Marvelous, but...

I attempted to concentrate on its themes, the biting social critique, how the characters are consumed by their own small dramas at the expense of everything else, which is clever, but...

There's a tedium in the telling, a lot of talk that l wasn't interested in (blah, blah, blah) - I couldn't engage, I didn't care—whether that's a fault of the film or a deficiency in me, I'm not sure, but this is a recurring issue I encounter with the director's work. There are exceptions; for instance, I enjoyed The River (1951), but often I'm unable to establish an emotional or intellectual connection, although there's plenty there to enable it. In addition, the element of farce does the film no favors, people running about, shouting and fighting and waving their arms, all that noise throws me out of the game, obscures the message.

In terms of film craft, it probably deserves high marks, but as a viewing experience, all I have is apathy.

I feel like a failure as a film nut, lol - split the difference, give it points for the technical aspects

3.5

PHOENIX74

12-06-24, 02:37 AM

In terms of film craft, it probably deserves high marks, but as a viewing experience, all I have is apathy.

I feel like a failure as a film nut, lol - split the different, give it points for the technical aspects

3.5

I have exactly the same trouble as you described with The Rules of the Game. Also the same feeling that somehow my film-loving credentials have been muddied and spoiled because I have those problems that stop me from loving it.

PHOENIX74

12-06-24, 03:16 AM

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/0c/Taking_Lives_movie.jpg
Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1078925

Taking Lives - (2004)

We all know there's a twist coming, and we all know Taking Lives isn't finished after it's very straightforward fake climax at the 65 minute mark of the movie - and most of us know what the twist is going to be. Still, there's a neat encore twist that got me - an awesome little turnaround. This is assuredly not Se7en. For our troubles we get a cutesy Angelina Jolie, a suspicious Ethan Hawke and a barely there Kiefer Sutherland, with a sprinkling of Gena Rowlands and Paul Dano for good measure. Also, for L'Amour braque fans and international cinema devotees there's Tchéky Karyo. You need to appreciate the stars, because this isn't the best psychological thriller going around, despite some promise. The snappy ending (and, I'll grant it, snappy start) belong as first-rate book-ends on a better film. An identity thief who murders every few years and takes on a new persona is close to being caught - which is why FBI profiler Illeana Scott (Jolie) has been brought to Montreal to help. The first big break comes in the form of art dealer James Costa (Hawke) - was he trying to save that last victim, or was he the murderer? When Christopher Hart (Kiefer Sutherland) appears from the shadows, trying to threaten Costa in a way that embodies the killer's M.O., the cops set up a trap, hoping to snare him. In the meantime Illeana and James start to fall in love. It has it's moments, I'll grant Taking Lives that, but it feels a little rough around the edges and doesn't do enough to distract us from what it intends to do, making the movie's big reveal somewhat hollow.

6/10

Stirchley

12-06-24, 11:59 AM

103205

Slow burner filmed in Scotland. Ronan very good.

103206

Good movie. NOT based on a true story. Jim Broadbent made this movie.

Gideon58

12-06-24, 01:31 PM

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/915tQRItMVS._AC_UF894,1000_QL80_.jpg

3

Torgo

12-06-24, 01:40 PM

Ariel - 3

The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away, but evenly? Not hardly. For some, it's a whole lot more of the latter. That's the case for Taisto (Pajala) in another funny and hard-hitting Kaurismaki tale about his downtrodden fellow citizens trying to hang on to something worthwhile. Like Yvon in L'Argent and Stroszek in the movie of the same name - I'll be another person to mention Pajala resembles Bruno S. - Taisto is another memorably unfortunate laborer whose downward spiral is a consequence of simply being one. From losing his mining job to his savings to...well, I don't want to say much more other than the writer/director will surprise you with how much someone can lose without being directly at fault, Taisto somehow keeps the nobility of poverty trope alive. It helps that one of his bouts of bad luck come with a good one: he not only falls in love with a single mother, but also one whose lone son has already seen enough in his short life to be okay with this relative stranger becoming his new dad. What follows is a Rube Goldberg-like series of encounters, dilemmas, genre shifts, what have you as Taisto tries to stop this opportunity from leaving his grasp. Again, he does his best to hold his head up, but it's not always easy. Every time he slips - especially during a moment with a prison guard - it's a punch to a gut and a surge of empathy for those like Taisto who somehow have even more indignities. In the midst of his difficult journey, Kaurismaki still manages to add his signature deadpan comedy where he can. If it's not his adorably loyal and none-too bright cellmate, it's their attempt at coming across like they belong in a Tarantino movie.

Kaurismaki's stories about there being a light at the end of the tunnel for people like Taisto are as reliably optimistic as movies get, with this entry being no exception. I struggled with rating this one a bit, settling on a judgement that it's great overall, but just a good one for Kaurismaki. Compared to the best ones I've seen by him so far, this seems more like a lateral than an upward move, if you will. Pajala is fine as our hero, but he makes Taisto more impenetrable and gives him fewer dimensions than I have seen in the filmmaker's best heroes. The same could be said about the rest of the characters, which could be due to the plot being more involved here than it is in his typical movie. I still feel he could have fleshed everyone out a bit more and without slowing things down. The important thing, though, is that I remain eager to conclude the Proletariat trilogy. Oh, and if you're wondering what "Ariel" means, I'll just say that if you're a movie lover and your first thought is what I assume it is, you are in the ballpark.

Thief

12-06-24, 06:40 PM

ÉRASE UNA VEZ EN EL CARIBE
(2023, Figueroa)

https://i.imgur.com/O2IoYd7.jpeg

"You may stay in this house until you find another place... or until it falls apart around you."

Ray Figueroa's epic Puerto Rican film takes a look at these centuries-long "relationships" through a story of love, want, and revenge. Once Upon a Time in the Caribbean follows Juan Encarnación (Héctor Aníbal), a former sugarcane foreman, as he tries to find and rescue his wife Pura (Essined Aponte) who was kidnapped by some "old foes" on orders of American landowner Mr. Walker (Robert García Cooper), who wants to take her as wife.

Second, Figueroa feeds this Puerto Rican story with tons of influence from westerns, samurai films, and many others. There is a lot of Kurosawa, Eastwood, Tarantino, and others running through this film's DNA, with katanas and revolvers being replaced by machetes. Like Eastwood's Man with No Name, Juan is a man of few words, but one that everybody knows about and everybody fears. Even though Aníbal's performance never excels, most of what works about him and the film is in screen presence, vibe, and atmosphere.

Grade: 4

Full review on my Movie Loot (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2514802#post2514802)

I_Wear_Pants

12-06-24, 07:52 PM

I finished Batman Gotham Knight. It's good. The film is actually six short stories strung together to make one complete film, which is somewhat obvious. Overall I liked it. The film felt very much like a gateway into more films. The best part is the animation style.

Fabulous

12-06-24, 07:58 PM

Maudie (2016)

3.5

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/dBMu293HDFtvnVRi1EbMhyizeoR.jpg

stillmellow

12-07-24, 12:01 AM

Wicked, part 1

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BOWMwYjYzYmMtMWQ2Ni00NWUwLTg2MzAtYzkzMDBiZDIwOTMwXkEyXkFqcGc@._V1_FMjpg_UX1000_.jpg

A-

Captain Quint

12-07-24, 04:40 AM

103222
Rebecca (1940)
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock, based on the novel by Daphne du Maurier

I tried Twisters and quit on it part-way, threw in Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, and 'eh... is there nothing worth my time? I decided then to pull a DVD off the shelf of an old favorite... and finally - at least I can count on Hitch.

Will be writing about this later, but Judith Anderson is the ace here, and that's saying a lot with this loaded cast, which includes a personal fave, George Sanders.

5

Fabulous

12-07-24, 06:10 AM

The Grizzlies (2018)

3.5

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/uOuck9a7GkL1plVsSa5JD1eKyN2.jpg

Marco

12-07-24, 08:34 AM

Allen Sunshine (2024)
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Low key affair centering on an ex-music mogul who chooses a solitary life after his music star wife dies. It's very slow, or should I say meditative. Our hero's spartan lifestyle is enlivened by the friendship of 2 kids who use the lake next to his house for fishing and general mischief (the 2 lads are excellent).
This is very lo-fi and at times the acting (without dialogue) is better than the acting with dialogue as it is a bit clunky (both the performances and the script). It has a good heart though and is an interesting study. I'll certainly be looking out for the debutant directors works in the future.
3

FromBeyond

12-07-24, 09:53 AM

Nature Of The Beast (1995)

You’re know you’re in for something when your leading men are Eric Roberts and Lance Henrikson. I found this on YouTube and just went with it. It was pretty fun tbh, more psychological and dark than I was expecting and often unintentionally funny, especially when the twist was revealed which I think my mind had discounted from happening because it would be so blatantly obvious, it was hilarious.

Daniel M

12-07-24, 10:06 AM

Wonka (Paul King, 2023) 3.5

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I remember when I first watched Paddington, prior to it becoming the mini cultural phenomenon that it is, that I was really impressed by just how much the director seemed to love films. The little things, pans, blocking, timing, I think I described it to be like watching a "British Wes Anderson". I don't think any of King's films reach the heights of Andersons work which has a far deeper connection to the human spirit, but they're all very very good and insanely watchable. I really enjoyed this.

Gideon58

12-07-24, 12:56 PM

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/814DohSS-fL._AC_UF350,350_QL50_.jpg

2nd Rewatch...One of the earliest feature length comedies based on an SNL skit and still one of the funniest. Dan Aykroyd and Jane Curtin reprise their roles as Beldar and Primaat Conehead, aliens from "France" whose downed spaceship forces them to become American citizens before they are caught by a pair of bumbling INS agents (Michael McKean, David Spade). The SNL skit is beautifully expanded into a terrific fish out of water comedy that provides a lot of laughs as long as you don't think about it too much. Aykroyd and Curtin are a well-oiled machine in the title roles and I guess because Primaat doesn't give birth to Connie until a third of the way into the film, TPTB felt Larraine Newman was too old to play Connie so she's replaced by Michelle Burke (though Newman does appear in a different role later on in the film). The late Chris Farley is very funny as Connie's boyfriend Robbie and if you pay attention, you will also catch appearances from Adam Sandler, Dave Thomas, Jason Alexander, Michael Richards, Lisa Jane Persky, Sinbad, Phil Hartman, Drew Carey. Kevin Nealon, Parker Posey, Jan Hooks, Ellen DeGeneres, and one of the screenwriters Terry Turner, who also contributed to the screenplay for Wayne's World. It goes on a little longer than necessary, but just put your brain in check and enjoy. 3.5

Deschain

12-07-24, 01:06 PM

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/814DohSS-fL._AC_UF350,350_QL50_.jpg

2nd Rewatch...One of the earliest feature length comedies based on an SNL skit and still one of the funniest. Dan Aykroyd and Jane Curtin reprise their roles as Beldar and Primaat Conehead, aliens from "France" whose downed spaceship forces them to become American citizens before they are caught by a pair of bumbling INS agents (Michael McKean, David Spade). The SNL skit is beautifully expanded into a terrific fish out of water comedy that provides a lot of laughs as long as you don't think about it too much. Aykroyd and Curtin are a well-oiled machine in the title roles and I guess because Primaat doesn't give birth to Connie until a third of the way into the film, TPB felt Larraine Newman was too old to play Connie so she's replaced by Michelle Burke (though Newman does appear in a different role later on in the film). The late Chris Farley is very funny as Connie's boyfriend Robbie and if you pay attention, you will also catch appearances from Adam Sandler, Dave Thomas, Jason Alexander, Michael Richards, Lisa Jane Persky, Sinbad, Phil Hartman, Drew Carey. Kevin Nealon, Parker Posey, Jan Hooks, Ellen DeGeneres, and one of the screenwriters Terry Turner, who also contributed to the screenplay for Wayne's World. It goes on a little longer than necessary, but just put your brain in check and enjoy. 3.5
This movie doesn’t get enough credit for how funny and well-written the dialogue is. Hearing it shared a screenwriter with Wayne’s World makes total sense.

matt72582

12-07-24, 03:35 PM

Following - 6/10
I had seen this a few times on a thread and "A young writer who follows strangers for material meets a thief" intrigued me so much I saw it the next day.. The very beginning was good (at the restaurant where Cobb goes over to his table), but then the "mystery" and the third leg (unattractive woman) didn't help, but being a short movie, I thought I'd give it a chance. The two characters were bit cliche, obviously not exactly like "Rope", but it does follow a pattern. The leader (but 2nd banana as a character) is cool regardless, very short sentences, sarcasm, and the more naive, better morally, lead character - I've seen it too many times.

Didn't think playing with the chronology helped. It was cool in "Citizen Kane", a Kieslowski movie, "Run Lola Run", but I can do without. I'm not into drama, crime, etc., and just prefer an independent drama, which this movie could have been, but I give it a 6/10 because I didn't turn it off and I would consider it pretty accessible for members here.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/55/Following_film_poster.jpg

Allaby

12-07-24, 03:51 PM

A Dance in the Snow (2024) A Hallmark Christmas movie about a single mom and her autistic teen daughter. This was a lovely and sweet film. I liked the story and the performances were good from the cast, especially Vanessa Burghardt. 4

ueno_station54

12-07-24, 04:28 PM

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rewatch. not really a holiday movie but it sure feels like one and its delightful.

4

matt72582

12-07-24, 06:58 PM

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e7/Peepingtomposter.jpg
By The poster art can or could be obtained from Anglo-Amalgamated Film Distributors., Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10547714

Peeping Tom - (1960)

This is the kind of movie that's ripe for endless analysis and also one that's hard to classify as horror or thriller - a psychologically complex and searching story about observation and the dichotomy between what we see on a screen and what's real in the moment. Full review here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=2512813#post2512813), in my watchlist thread.

8/10

After seeing this, I've tried to find a voyeuristic movie almost as good with no luck.

I_Wear_Pants

12-07-24, 07:54 PM

I watched Batman Year One this afternoon. It's another good one. I still don't like narration. I suppose it comes in handy when you need to speed up progression. Overall I liked the film though. It was fine.

Next up for Batman is Under the Red Hood. I'm in the middle of Tootsie as well. Actually I'm about half an hour from the end. I can finish it tonight. I started it in my room on my small monitor connected to a Blu-ray player, and I figure I can watch it when I'm getting ready to sleep. Oh "half an hour" is not exact. That's a rough estimate. I think I stopped it around 1:15 and it goes to 1:56 so maybe forty minutes?

PHOENIX74

12-07-24, 11:29 PM

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/53/So_Long_at_the_Fair.jpg
By The distributor of the film, the publisher of the poster or the graphic artist. - http://www.movieposterdb.com/, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=15705613

So Long at the Fair - (1950)

Fine little mystery this, with a few standout moments and an ending I really wasn't expecting. Vicky Barton (Jean Simmons) is visiting France for the first time with her older brother Johnny (David Tomlinson), and is excited at the prospect of seeing the Paris Exposition/Fair - they book into a hotel for the night (separate rooms), but in the morning it seems to Vicky that the room numbers have been altered, and when she enquires about her brother she finds that everyone insists that she came alone, and that there was no brother. What has happened here? A desperate Vicky then happens upon the one man who remembers her brother from the previous day, George Hathaway (Dirk Bogarde), and together they try to unravel this perplexing mystery. Highlights include a spectacular incident involving a hot-air balloon, a visit to the Moulin Rouge and the convoluted answer to what's happened. Every time Vicky asks "Will you take me up the Eiffel Tower?" it sounds like a sexual euphemism to me. Why are you all looking at me like that? Okay, scratch that. Ignore it. Anyway, the movie is a diversion but nothing overly spectacular or incredible. I really wanted to see all the awful people trying to convince Vicky she's crazy get their comeuppance - there's an awful note of condescension added to the wickedness of what they're doing to her. This is called The Black Curse in the U.S.

6/10

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/ec/Five_Came_Back_%28poster%29.jpg
By Netflix - http://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwtv/article/VIDEO-First-Look-New-Netflix-Documentary-Series-FIVE-CAME-BACK-20170228, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=53728750

Five Came Back - (2017)

Five Came Back gave me perspective on a number of war-era movies that I otherwise didn't have as much context for, and that I think will make seeing them all the more enjoyable, as I'll understand them more. I might actually look into getting myself a copy of the Mark Harris book of the same title, to fill in even more of the picture. Really strong presentation all-up, with few weak spots - and definitely recommended. Full review here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=2514920#post2514920), in my watchlist thread.

8/10