The Resident Bitch's Movie Log

Yeah I cant disagree with that. Lovely writing style, MsV.

The dialogue is actually part of my problem. I like acting that is believable, so not only do I want characters that move and inflect in a natural way, but also use words and sentence structure in a way that a normal person would. Basically, I'm a sh*tty movie watcher. If something doesn't feel natural, it takes me right out of the movie. It's also the reason why I hate 99.99999% of musicals. Also fantasy. And a lot of Sci-Fi. And a lot of horror.

Demolition Man is the only Stallone movie I love. I do like Tango & Cash. I loved Cliffhanger when it was new, though I was much less enamored of it when I rewatched it last year. I vaguely recall liking Cop Land when I saw it in the theater, but that was 21 years ago and I haven't seen it since.

I've actually never seen Rambo.

It actually used to be in my top 100. I don't love it as much as I used to, but I definitely still found it funny and I agree about it being clever.



Thanks. I know I need to watch more movies. I keep telling myself I ought to watch something and then it doesn't happen for one reason or another. There should be a general Hall of Fame starting soon and I plan to join that so hopefully that'll inspire me to get watching again.

If nothing else, there are a number of upcoming Joaquin Phoenix films so you know I'll be watching those.

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Was gonna make a big post asking Victoria stuff.

Should have just said - "..."

You suck.

Seems you've been rather busy Victoria; delighted to see it as I always enjoy reading your thoughts. And I'm still taking credit for this thread existing in the first place so I'm glad to see it still going.

Boss Baby I kind of hated but glad it passed the time for you and your co-worker. I am in full agreement with you on Three BIllboards... however. Really good film; my favourite I've seen so far of the Oscar contenders. Though I agree there were a few moments that stretched credulity. As I've told you before I hated Evil Dead which put me off the sequels but due to your love for them, and the increased comedy, I plan on giving them a shot at some stage. I'm with you about how it would be best for the Despicable Me franchise to be put to bed. The first was a charming little surprise but the sequels and Minions have both been forgettable at best. And that's being pretty kind.

Argo I really need to watch again as it's a film that just made no impact on me whatsoever. Didn't dislike it. Didn't hate it. Didn't like or love it. It was just....nothing. Completely unmoved in any way. Hoping it was just the mood I was in. Forrest Gump I still love. And it features just one of many beautiful performances from Tom Hanks. As for Rocky, well you've once again broke my heart on that one. :cry: I quite like Silence of the Lambs but think both it, and Hopkins' performance, are very overrated. I'm one of those rare few that would give the edge to Manhunter as far as Hannibal films go. Will need to rewatch Fido at some point. I remember enjoying it but that's about all I remember of it.While I don't think dislike it to any degree I have no fondness whatsoever for One Flew Over... A little too close to the bone for me as far as mental health goes

Keep on churning out those reviews Victoria.

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Glory (Edward Zick, 1989)
Imdb

Date Watched: 02/13/18
Cinema or Home: Home
Reason For Watching: 15th Hall of Fame, Nominated by SilentVamp
Rewatch: Yes

With its top-notch performances and moving story, Glory is a film I've long admired. But every time I watch it, I'm reminded of why each viewing has been so far apart: the carnage. The battle scenes are incredibly intense and it's a really tough watch, but a rewarding one as well.

The characters are what really make this movie and each of the major players is perfectly cast. Matthew Broderick, an actor I'm usually indifferent to, is wonderful as the idealistic and inexperienced young colonel who goes from being unsure of himself to being a leader to be admired. Morgan Freeman is, well... Morgan Freeman, and turns in a solid performance playing an older man who is respected by the others. Carey Elwes is very good as the second in command who struggles to balance his loyalties to his friends and his responsibilities as an officer. And then there's Denzel Washington in his well-deserved Oscar winning role, playing an escaped slave who - understandably - views the people around him with contempt but slowly learns to respect the other men.

On the more technical side of things, the film is beautifully shot and if it weren't for my long-standing familiarity with the film and with some of its actors, I might be surprised to find that it's almost 30 years old. But the movie is far from perfect. One major gripe I have with the film is the score. The music is rousing and effective, but it's also often overbearing and I really wish it would've been toned down.

The other big complaint I have is with the movie's perspective. While there's no denying that Colonel Shaw was an important figure in the 54th Regiment, this isn't a story that should've been told through the eyes of a white man. But such as it is, Glory is still a very moving film and my admiration for it remains intact.

+

Out of the Blue (Dennis Hopper, 1980)
Imdb

Date Watched: 02/14/18
Cinema or Home: Home
Reason For Watching: 15th Hall of Fame, nominated by Cricket
Rewatch: No.

If I hadn’t already known who nominated this film before watching it, I would’ve figured it out very quickly. With its gritty feel and seedy characters, Out of the Blue screams “I am a Cricket nomination!” And sometimes I can get behind that grittiness, but this wasn’t one of those times.

Which is not to say that I hated it. I thought the performances were solid all around, and I really enjoyed the film’s soundtrack, but there wasn’t a single character I could get behind – either as someone I actually liked or as someone I really liked to hate. I tried very hard to care about Cebe – knowing that she was only a child and a product of her environment and of her careless parents – but she grated on my nerves and I failed to overcome my apathy.

The look of the film was also quite dark and very rough (though I’m not entirely sure if that was the intention of its creators, a result of a low budget, or just the fault of age and a crappy DVD transfer). At some points this roughness added to the feel of the film and at other points just made it hard to figure out what was going on because it was difficult to see.

Ultimately, I think the film has its merits but I didn’t like it very much.

+

I was hoping this was the go around where Miss Vicky gets wowed by a nomination, but Out of the Blue for some reason was the one I thought would do it for her. I don't see it happening for another film here.

There have been a few HOFs where I really enjoyed a nom I'd not seen before. I liked The Broken Circle Breakdown a lot, for instance.

Shallow Grave (Danny Boyle, 1994)
Imdb

Date Watched: 02/15/18
Cinema or Home: Home
Reason For Watching:15th Hall of Fame, nominated by edarsenal
Rewatch: No.

Well that was a good bit of morbid, violent fun.

I went into this movie knowing absolutely nothing about it. I think the only other Danny Boyle films I’ve see were 28 Days Later, which I barely remember at all having seen it only once many years ago, and The Beach, which I have mixed feelings about. But right away I was drawn in. The film’s main trio of characters are a**holes – and we learn this from the very start. They take pleasure in tormenting others for their own amusement and we never really see a redeeming side to any of them nor do we ever learn much about them as people.

And yet, their journey from a relatively carefree existence, to one of paranoia, fear, deceit and violence is a really fascinating watch. As they began to turn on each other I found myself a bit conflicted as to which a**hole – if any – I wanted to see walk away with the prize and ultimately I was happy with the outcome.

But, aside from an entertaining story, there’s not a whole lot to say about this one as I really didn’t notice anything else. I suppose the cinematography and score worked well enough; I have no complaints about either. The performances were fine, but I don’t feel like these were roles that really demanded much of the people playing them.

All in all a good way to spend 90 minutes, but not anything I would consider particularly memorable.

+

Aguirre, the Wrath of God (Werner Herzog, 1972)
Imdb

Date Watched: 02/17/18
Cinema or Home: Home
Reason For Watching:15th Hall of Fame, nominated by Siddon
Rewatch: No.

With as much praise as Aguirre receives on this forum, I kind of expected to be wowed by it. That did not happen. I didn't hate it or even particularly dislike it - I thought the setting and costumes all looked wonderful and the performances were solid enough - but there was nothing in the story or in its characters that might enable me to overcome my apathy. As character after character died or disappeared I felt nothing and were it not for the film's brevity, boredom would probably have eventually set in.

Meh.

The Station Agent (Tom McCarthy, 2003)
Imdb

Date Watched: 02/17/18
Cinema or Home: Home
Reason For Watching:15th Hall of Fame, nominated by @Joel
Rewatch: No.

I made the mistake of watching the trailer before watching the movie and so I went into this expecting a light hearted comedy. While it certainly does have some comedic elements, The Station Agent is really a quiet film about a quiet man who wants nothing more than to be left alone and about the people who push their way into his life and refuse to go away.

Peter Dinklage does well to carry the film and to portray the every day struggles of an ordinary man who, because of his dwarfism, cannot find the anonymity and invisibility he seeks and who has suffered much cruelty because of it. Patricia Clarkson and Bobby Cannavale are also both wonderful as two of the people who insert themselves into his life. Both come off as a bit obnoxious in the beginning, but the bond the trio forms is really endearing and makes for a very sweet and heartfelt film.

Because the film centers so much on human relationships, there's not a lot to be said about anything beyond the characters. There's not much of a story here - just lonely, damaged people coming together. There's not much action. There's no real special effects. There was nothing that stood out as remarkable to me in the cinematography or the score. But a film like this doesn't really need those things. It just needs strong performances and in that it is not lacking.

I like that kind of movie for a bit of charm and change of pace. What's the scenery like, V?

For $500,000 I would be relying on the acting rather than anything else, and The Dinklemeister always provides.

It's set in rural New Jersey, so there's not a whole lot to talk about there, either. I mean, I guess the scenery is pretty if you're into grass and trees. Dinklage's character doesn't drive and is obsessed with trains but doesn't ever seem to ride them. He spends a lot of time sitting on a bench or walking the tracks.

I loved that

Thanks, V. Reminds me of comments made about Call Me By Your Name, that all the cashed up newly groovy blue rinse set will buy time share in the northern italian location sight unseen because it has such beautiful scenery. Maybe I've just been spoilt but I didnt think it was anything to really send a postcard home about. I wouldnt watch that movie just for the countryside, let's just say.

Were you surprised to see how rural New Jersey was in the movie? I was, it was like hey! they have rednecks there in big old pickup trucks. I was surprised a bit by that.

I was, yeah. Definitely not the sort of setting I associate with the state, but I suppose just about all of the states have a few places like that.

Ha! I just saw this quote and thought of your review.

American Graffiti (George Lucas, 1973)
Imdb

Date Watched: 02/19/18
Cinema or Home: Home
Reason For Watching: 15th Hall of Fame, nominated by Citizen Rules
Rewatch: No.

Well, I liked the soundtrack anyway.

There's nothing really wrong with this film, it just wasn't for me. Movies for and about teens tend to be very hit or miss with me. If I can relate to the characters and to the situations in which they find themselves I tend to get drawn in and enjoy it. I couldn't really relate to anything in American Graffiti and found most of its characters to be rather annoying. Aside from the music, which was wonderful, about the only thing that interested me was seeing the film's stars in the earlier part of their careers, but the novelty of that soon wore off and I was frequently checking the time.