Rate The Last Movie You Saw

SF = Z

Viewed: TV



[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

The performance by Hartnett is quite campy but it's nowhere near the guilty pleasure of Dan Stevens in "The Guest" Takoma. That was a good film!

Body Bags (1994)


Directed by John Carpenter and hosted by Wes Craven. It's a unique anthology horror movie that sadly ends on the weakest of the three entries.


A lot of surprising stars here, including Mark Hamill in the aforementioned weak entry, but he did what he could. They're just ripping off another well known movie, Body Parts. And even in their case, the premise has been used many times before.


The second story is kind of goofy, but the strength of the first, and the surprisingly funny Wes Craven host segments, elevates this a bit above average.


C+

*sigh*

I feel like, while he's not the strongest actor, Hartnett really handled the pulp of Penny Dreadful with an enthusiasm that made me feel like he'd be perfect for a campy horror/thriller.

Ah, well.

Night Games, 1966

Jan (Keve Hjelm, played as a child by Jorgen Lindstrom) is engaged to the lovely Mariana (Lena Brundlin), but he cannot shake the memories of his chaotic childhood spent with his mother, Irene (Ingrid Thulin). Blending the present and memories, especially once Jan and Mariana arrive at his childhood home, Jan relives the unhealthy, overly intimate relationship with his self-obsessed mother.

Amazing imagery, costuming, and camerawork are undercut by exploitative elements and a lack of overall direction.



FULL REVIEW

Our Father, the Devil, 2021

Marie (Babetida Sadjo) is an immigrant from Guinea who works as a cook in a nursing home. Marie is respected by her boss and beloved by her clients, and she’s even being wooed by sexy bartender Arnaud (Franck Saurel). But Marie’s world is turned inside out when she recognizes a man from her past, Father Patrick (Souleymane Sy Savane). A panicked Marie must decide how to handle this sudden threat, while at the same time guarding her own memories of her time in Guinea.

I honestly had no complaints about this film. I think it has a final scene that is bold and thought-provoking and exceptional. Highly recommended.



FULL REVIEW

I think Coralie Fargeat is a very talented filmmaker and I will definitely never miss anything she directs.
When it comes to The Substance, however, I think she should have learned the lesson that the movie's protagonist clearly failed to and realized that sometimes, less is more.
There's some truly demented ideas and very eye-catching visual style here that I definitely wish we could get more of in modern-day horror movies.
But horror movies have traditionally worked best when they kept it tight, with a relatively short running time... think of Halloween, Psycho, or Night of the Living Dead
Fargeat's latest film runs almost 2-1/2 hours, and there are times when you almost wish she'd found a way to make this work with a much tighter running time - the movie definitely has a lot of interesting ideas, but not so many that it justifies that crazy running time.
Having said that, there's a lot to like here, including some really fearless performances by Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley; the score by Raffertie and Stanislas Reydellet's production design are also top-notch.
Lastly, without giving away too much, don't be surprised if the movie scores an Oscar nomination for best makeup. It would actually be a very worthy winner, if the Academy decides to give it that recognition.

Cairo Station (1958) - A-

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Top 100 Films, clicky below

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Raid on Rommel - (1971)

This really wants to be The Guns of Navarone but ends up a very middling commando movie with Richard Burton the only big name up on the screen. Most of the time it's quite silly, and pretty far-fetched and I only discovered when I went online that a lot of the action scenes have been lifted from another film entirely - Tobruk (1967). I should imagine it's stocks have sunk even lower in today's age, with the one female character drugged while all the men joke about taking advantage of her sexually. Disappointing.

5/10


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The Driver - (1978)

Reminded me a lot of Walter Hill's The Getaway. I do wonder though, if this would have been a lot better to see on the big screen, because it does seem like that kind of movie. Full review here, in my watchlist thread.

7/10

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The Cutting Edge (1992)

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[ J ] - [ S ] - [ F ]

Interesting biographical which actually seems to be somewhat accurate. Highly convincing performance by Al Pacino. His best AFAIK.

7/10

Late Night With The Devil - (2023)

Simple, straight to the point and very well executed. Great acting too, 9/10

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There has been an awekening.... have you felt it?

I have now seen this movie twice, and it seemed even better the 2nd time... in fact, I can't believe this already feels like a long-time classic.

There is a poignant beauty to this movie that is hard to describe, because at first glance it might appear to be a wacky, silly comedy - but the movie is so much more than that. It is a really profound meditation on regret, taking chances, and enjoying every moment of life as though it could be your last. Or maybe someone else's.

Megan Park is definitely one of the most exciting young writer-directors working today.

And the movie definitely should definitely help Maisy Stella become the fully-fledged movie star she definitely deserves to be.

I am already looking forward to watching this a third time.

The Dark Valley, 2014

A man named Greider (Sam Riley) arrives in a small Austrian village on a remote mountaintop, camera in tow. Ostensibly intending to document the villagers, Greider moves in with a widow and her teenage daughter, Luzi (Paula Beer). But soon the toxic dynamics of the village becomes clear, and Greider finds himself entangled with the powerful family who rule the village by fear.

This is a satisfying thriller that makes the most of its isolated, snowbound setting.



FULL REVIEW

Jane Eyre (2011)

I'll be honest, I've never read the books of Bronte but the combination of Mia Wasikowska and Michael Fassbender intrigued me. Frocks and landed gentry not my strong point. Put that aside and watched a really great depiction of love with excellent performances by both. As I said, I'm not sure how truthful it is to the original material but,to me, this is a heartfelt film.

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Guarding Tess - (1994)

So, I had to choose between this, Steel Magnolias or Postcards From the Edge as to which Shirley MacLaine movie to watch last night, and I thought Guarding Tess would suit me best. I mean, it seemed to promise a quirky kind of "Odd Couple" chemistry, and Nic Cage is always a safe bet as far as entertaining performances go. Unfortunately this film felt a little lame, dull and has an extremely weird tone to it. I guess maybe that tone is the point - the impossible mix of gung-ho, by-the-book Secret Service Agent Doug Chesnic (Cage) and opera-loving, erudite, fuss-pot Ex-First Lady Tess Carlisle (MacLaine). The movie shoots for Driving Miss Daisy, but decides to become a thriller in it's final half hour which makes the package as a whole disjointed. It wasn't on my wavelength funny-wise either - a definite miss that made me wish I went with Postcards From the Edge.

5/10


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Host - (2020)

When 6 people connect on Zoom in Host, there's a natural sense of collective safety where in fact there's none. Whatever the malevolent force in Host is though, it has all the power, and the characters have nothing but the illusion of company. Scary stuff. Full review here, in my watchlist thread.

7/10

Grumpy Old Men (1993)

Midsommar 2019



I feel like the reviews ruined this movie for me, I heard great things about it and quite honestly it was mid, the filmography was amazing, the acting was great, the daylight setting with nature and flowers was actually so ambitious from the director and it worked out. There was the same eerie atmosphere as Hereditary but something didn't quite fit in, perhaps the end, or the lack of depth, I can't put my finger on it really

Solid 7/10

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Can we talk about the play? Other than the fact that I gave your personality to a murderer, what did you think?

Trees Lounge -

What is a loser? The phrase gets thrown around so much, it may have lost all meaning. Steve Buscemi's very strong directorial debut will give you a good idea of what the word actually means. I love a good bar in a movie or TV show, with this one's titular dive being on par with and resembling Cheers but played straight. The clientele is just as colorful, and besides so many familiar faces playing them - a.k.a. The Sopranos cast in an alternate timeline - I appreciate how organically they develop. While we have no idea who longtime regulars Mike and Bill are after their first few appearances, for instance, we feel like we've known them forever by the end. The man of the hour is Buscemi, though, who I've always loved for how well he plays lovable losers. He is much less lovable here, on the other hand, but no less effective. Like the "porno theater" scene in Taxi Driver played on repeat, Tommy will definitely test both your tolerance and sympathy for a person who keeps getting in their own way. As for the non-Sopranos regulars, there is also no shortage of familiar faces - Mark Boone Jr. and Seymour Cassell are highlights - which proves that this role must have been a challenge for Buscemi since many of them are his good friends. I also love the oh so aptly chosen song that plays during the opening credits and during another pivotal moment that you'll likely look up on YouTube when it's over.

My own definition of a loser is someone who repeatedly makes bad decisions even if the better option appears on a silver platter. While this is Tommy in a nutshell, this movie is not just about making him an object of ridicule. It is more interested in making you wonder if he and others like him can legitimately blame nature, nurture or chance for their situations and is thus all the better for it. The '90s had so many great low-key indie dramas meant for adults, with this one being one you should definitely check out if you think you have seen all of them. It's also a must-see if you are a Buscemi fan, but hey, who isn't?

Many actors have played superheroes, but no one has been as much of a real-life hero as Christopher Reeve.

This touching documentary reminds us what a real hero does - and there's no question that, after the tragic riding accident that left him paralyzed and unable to breathe on his own, Christopher Reeve became one.

It is a little ironic that, had he not become a very famous and privileged actor by playing the Man of Steel, Reeve might never have been in that accident at all.

Even more tragically, his widow died of lung cancer just a few months after Reeve died.

Today, the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation advocates on behalf of people with disabilities, paying special care in the treatment of quadriplegics like Chris.

Reeve's kids are doing everything they can to keep their father's dream alive, and they seem to be doing a wonderful job of running the Foundation.

This is not an easy documentary to watch, but it is one you'll probably remember for the rest of your life.

Don't be surprised if it wins the Oscar for Best Documentary of the year. The Academy loves this stuff...