Rate The Last Movie You Saw
Reply to Topic
Stop Making Sense, 1984
After watching David Byrne's American Utopia and really enjoying it, it only made sense to go back in time and watch this classic concert film of the Talking Heads.
Not a ton to say here. The music is good. There is a joyful, purposeful, and yet loose flow to the entire thing. The way that Byrne integrates his fellow performers is really admirable--they are all part of the music, movement, and energy of the concert. The time that he takes at the end to recognize them all feels genuine (as it did in American Utopia).
On Amazon Prime and highly recommended.
X
Favorite Movies
X
User Lists
M (1931) Fritz Lang
The hunt for a child-murderer. When the police struggle to catch the killer, the criminals of the german city decide they are gonna catch him.
8
Paris,Texas. (1984) Wim Wenders
Harry Dean Stantons performance gives the movie credibility.
8
Small Children (2006) Todd Field.
Kate Winslet, Jennifer Connelly,Jackey Earle Haley.
There was a vision for this movie, but the director was not able to pull it off and show it on screen.
6.5
Forbidden Planet (1956) Fred M. Wilcox.
Sci Fi. A great Science Fiction film. I would rate it among the best Sci Fi ever made.
8,5
The hunt for a child-murderer. When the police struggle to catch the killer, the criminals of the german city decide they are gonna catch him.
8
Paris,Texas. (1984) Wim Wenders
Harry Dean Stantons performance gives the movie credibility.
8
Small Children (2006) Todd Field.
Kate Winslet, Jennifer Connelly,Jackey Earle Haley.
There was a vision for this movie, but the director was not able to pull it off and show it on screen.
6.5
Forbidden Planet (1956) Fred M. Wilcox.
Sci Fi. A great Science Fiction film. I would rate it among the best Sci Fi ever made.
8,5
X
Favorite Movies
X
User Lists
The Merry Gentleman, 2008
A woman named Kate (Kelly MacDonald) leaves her abusive husband (Bobby Canavale) and starts a new life in Chicago. While there, she accidentally catches sight of a depressed hitman, Frank (Michael Keaton), unaware that he's just killed a man. Whether he intends to kill her or is on some self-destructive turn, Frank strikes up a relationship with Kate. Meanwhile, the detective on the case (Tom Bastounes) also takes a romantic interest in Kate.
The strength of the film is undoubtedly the performances mixed with the script's attention to the characters' internal lives. Time is taken to explore the hopes, fears, and doubts of all of the characters. Even for characters like Kate and Frank whose desires are complex--both of them want companionship but, for different reasons, are wary of close relationships--the film takes time to sit with their conflicts. I've always found Kelly MacDonald to be a compelling and intriguing performer, and I think that she's well matched with Keaton. I'm not a huge fan of romances with huge age gaps, but in this film, the age gap sort of works with the off-kilter nature of the relationship between them which skirts a weird space between friendship and romance.
There's an interesting device in the first third of the movie, as multiple characters are defined in their relationship to Kate by how they respond to her very obvious black eye. Her co-worker who gently broaches the subject. The detective who immediately knows what's up, though he kindly accepts her excuses before subtly letting her know she can call him for help. A drunk co-worker who, in the midst of flirting with her, indelicately brings it up. Frank, of course, doesn't even need to ask. It's a clever way to establish the various personalities.
The whole film is very melancholy, and it's hard to know just where everything will land for the different characters. The film's blend of realism and coincidence works for the most part and generates a weird mix of optimism and anxiety as the film goes on.
I'm still debating how I feel about the ending, and specifically where it leaves the character of Kate. It's the kind of thing I'll have to think about for a bit.
X
Favorite Movies
X
User Lists
THANKSKILLING (2008)
A film about Thanksgiving
I always say, there's a time to eat caviar and filet mignon, and there's a time to eat... well, turkey. That time was a couple of days ago when I decided to check this out, and it delivered what you would expect from a film about a possessed, murderous turkey. The film follows a group of friends, each fitting the traditional slasher tropes (jock, good girl, slutty girl, party dumb guy, nerd guy) as they head home for their Thanksgiving break. However, they end up being terrorized by a cursed, killer turkey that appears every 505 years.
The film, which was made for $3,500, wears its low budget on its sleeve. There really isn't much of an attempt to hide it, but it does manage to play with its silliness fairly well. The direction and editing are very amateurish, and the performances are borderline cringy. However, the humor is solid and the script lands a decent amount of jokes. There's a sequence where the turkey dons a costume that had me ROTFL, which is the obvious intention.
Hardly a masterpiece, but it fulfilled its goal of keeping me entertained and not bored for an hour and a half. Grade:
A film about Thanksgiving
I always say, there's a time to eat caviar and filet mignon, and there's a time to eat... well, turkey. That time was a couple of days ago when I decided to check this out, and it delivered what you would expect from a film about a possessed, murderous turkey. The film follows a group of friends, each fitting the traditional slasher tropes (jock, good girl, slutty girl, party dumb guy, nerd guy) as they head home for their Thanksgiving break. However, they end up being terrorized by a cursed, killer turkey that appears every 505 years.
The film, which was made for $3,500, wears its low budget on its sleeve. There really isn't much of an attempt to hide it, but it does manage to play with its silliness fairly well. The direction and editing are very amateurish, and the performances are borderline cringy. However, the humor is solid and the script lands a decent amount of jokes. There's a sequence where the turkey dons a costume that had me ROTFL, which is the obvious intention.
Hardly a masterpiece, but it fulfilled its goal of keeping me entertained and not bored for an hour and a half. Grade:
__________________
Check out my podcast:
X
Favorite Movies
X
User Lists
WAJIB (2017)
A film from Palestine
Went pretty much blind into this and I'm so glad I did. The film follows a father and son (played by real-life father/son Mohammad and Saleh Bakri) as they spend a day together, fulfilling their "wajib" or duty to deliver the invitations for the wedding of their daughter and sister. During their time together on the road, in traffic, and visits, many issues, conflicts, regrets, and past wounds come to the surface, forcing them to finally address them.
This was quite a surprise. The film follows a very simple premise, with a solid script, and lets the actors handle the rest. As I was about to write this, I found out that the leads were actually father/son in real life, and it figures, cause their interactions were so believable and true. I loved how director Annemarie Jacir didn't rely in gimmicks or political statements to get her point across, but still managed to pepper a good amount of socio-political commentary all through.
A pretty darn good drama, all around. Strongly recommended. Grade:
A film from Palestine
Went pretty much blind into this and I'm so glad I did. The film follows a father and son (played by real-life father/son Mohammad and Saleh Bakri) as they spend a day together, fulfilling their "wajib" or duty to deliver the invitations for the wedding of their daughter and sister. During their time together on the road, in traffic, and visits, many issues, conflicts, regrets, and past wounds come to the surface, forcing them to finally address them.
This was quite a surprise. The film follows a very simple premise, with a solid script, and lets the actors handle the rest. As I was about to write this, I found out that the leads were actually father/son in real life, and it figures, cause their interactions were so believable and true. I loved how director Annemarie Jacir didn't rely in gimmicks or political statements to get her point across, but still managed to pepper a good amount of socio-political commentary all through.
A pretty darn good drama, all around. Strongly recommended. Grade:
X
Favorite Movies
X
User Lists
The Nest (2020)
I’ll start off by saying this is a very strange film. For me it was a pretty extreme case of expectation versus reality, which is even more odd as I rarely have expectations as such about a film. It wasn’t on my radar at all - I came from work last night and saw a review flash among my media updates (can’t remember which publication). The Atlantic summed up the film as a horror where ‘wealth’ is the demon. Naturally, I thought, ‘Crikey, that sounds interesting!’. I then glanced at the review. Some people here know I don’t really care about spoilers, but I didn’t read the whole of it simply because I was half-dead after work and wanted to actually watch something, not read about it. I find the money is the demon idea very strange because
I mention all this because it doesn’t make sense to me how with the above in mind wealth is the monster in this film. Anyway, it’s a pretty good and rather deep one, but I’m not even sure it belongs in the thriller category - let alone in horror. I’m all for soft scares and low-key horror, but sometimes I just don’t see why a certain film is meant to be perceived as horror, and that’s definitely the case here. If I had to pick a genre for The Nest after the first viewing, having read no reviews, I’d say ‘drama’ and never think twice. Carrie Coon was spectacular, she and her character are a great match (she made me think of Cate Blanchett as Katherine Hepburn in The Aviator - the same vibe), but Law was also very persuasive. I don’t know why I haven’t rated it a 5 - maybe because I didn’t quite love it, good as it is. I did love Martha Marcy May Marlene - it’s one of my favourite films - so I guess The Nest just can’t live up to that.
I’ll start off by saying this is a very strange film. For me it was a pretty extreme case of expectation versus reality, which is even more odd as I rarely have expectations as such about a film. It wasn’t on my radar at all - I came from work last night and saw a review flash among my media updates (can’t remember which publication). The Atlantic summed up the film as a horror where ‘wealth’ is the demon. Naturally, I thought, ‘Crikey, that sounds interesting!’. I then glanced at the review. Some people here know I don’t really care about spoilers, but I didn’t read the whole of it simply because I was half-dead after work and wanted to actually watch something, not read about it. I find the money is the demon idea very strange because
WARNING: spoilers below
it’s a film where the protagonist (Jude Law) is predictably broke, and whose world revolves around keeping up appearances. His wife (the gorgeous Carrie Coon) is of course used to a certain lifestyle, but she ends up working the very definition of a manual job to make money, so it’s not like she expects him to hand her things on a silver platter. She’s used to money, rather than dependent on it - that was my reading.
Last edited by AgrippinaX; 12-02-20 at 03:29 AM.
X
Favorite Movies
Seed Money, 2015
This film charts the life of Chuck Holmes, a gay porn director/producer whose work redefined the perception and image of gay pornography and, more broadly, gay men. The film follows Holmes through the beginning of his business, the AIDS crisis, and the way that Holmes leveraged his money and charisma in the interest of gay rights.
The main thing that I loved about this movie was also a major source of frustration: there is so much interesting stuff going on here! The way that gay erotica is related to the image and perception of masculinity (including straight male masculinity); the complicated relationship between the rights of citizens and the consumption/distribution of porn; the internal homophobia of the gay community itself; the way that gay people (and specifically gay men) are defined by their sexuality; the way that pornography allows people in oppressive cultures to explore and understand their desires; the way that pornography can reflect the fantasies and fears of its specific creators; etc. I could have watched a whole documentary about any of these topics, and yet so many of them are glossed over in just about 5 minutes.
I appreciated that the film does not try to idolize Holmes. Though its interviews, the movie makes it clear that Holmes struggled to balance the personal, money, and ethical sides of his business. Specifically, the film discusses the way that Holmes was reluctant to include condom use in his movies and really had to be pushed by the performers and his co-creators. It's all complicated, however, and during the AIDS crisis porn becomes a vital outlet for many gay men who are afraid of sexual intimacy.
The interviewees (a mix of friends, performers, and pop culture figures like John Waters) are all very personable and blunt. It is doubly tragic that so many of the early gay performers lost their lives to the AIDS crisis, and their absence is sorely felt. I would have especially loved to hear the point of view of one of the few actors of color to appear in the films.
I think that the film makes a really compelling argument for the subversive power of being visibly sexual. Paired with the exploration of how Holmes created an image of gay life that was classy and wholesome and very much all-American, it's a good reminder that what we see in movies (both things that reflect ourselves and things that show us the world of others) can be very powerful.
I would have loved more analysis of some of the broader sociological elements discussed. And for a film centered on Holmes, his own voice and words are conspicuously absent, often conveyed second hand via his acquaintances. Still, this was a really neat look at how one person can revolutionize an industry and how that can create ripples into the real world.
X
Favorite Movies
X
User Lists
My Psychedelic Love Story - 7.5/10
The subject of the film says she lies all the time in the very beginning, and has her entire life. She says "I think I am a CIA plant", which I think is a lie. I think she set Leary up from the beginning in an effort to discredit him after he admits to the world that he became an informant for the FBI. Lots of theater. The CIA always infiltrate art because they know the artist (or political heroes) is the inspired one, and so many want to go along for the trip, vicariously. Heroes are important, and without them, a society feels lost... I've heard from friends in Argentina who say the country is in deep mourning, because Maradona is the only person you think of when you hear about Argentina. Of course, the press has gone after him ostensibly for drugs (because he's the only one), but in actuality, it was all about being outspoken about anti-imperalism, and when you say "In my heart, I'm a Palestinian", you're essentially "canceled".
LSD is a hell of a drug... Brought to you by the CIA
The subject of the film says she lies all the time in the very beginning, and has her entire life. She says "I think I am a CIA plant", which I think is a lie. I think she set Leary up from the beginning in an effort to discredit him after he admits to the world that he became an informant for the FBI. Lots of theater. The CIA always infiltrate art because they know the artist (or political heroes) is the inspired one, and so many want to go along for the trip, vicariously. Heroes are important, and without them, a society feels lost... I've heard from friends in Argentina who say the country is in deep mourning, because Maradona is the only person you think of when you hear about Argentina. Of course, the press has gone after him ostensibly for drugs (because he's the only one), but in actuality, it was all about being outspoken about anti-imperalism, and when you say "In my heart, I'm a Palestinian", you're essentially "canceled".
LSD is a hell of a drug... Brought to you by the CIA
X
Favorite Movies
X
User Lists
I recently remembered this movie and watched it again.Kinda slow paced (for today standards), but still a great movie.
__________________
There has been an awekening.... have you felt it?
There has been an awekening.... have you felt it?
Stop Making Sense, 1984
After watching David Byrne's American Utopia and really enjoying it, it only made sense to go back in time and watch this classic concert film of the Talking Heads.
Not a ton to say here. The music is good. There is a joyful, purposeful, and yet loose flow to the entire thing. The way that Byrne integrates his fellow performers is really admirable--they are all part of the music, movement, and energy of the concert. The time that he takes at the end to recognize them all feels genuine (as it did in American Utopia).
On Amazon Prime and highly recommended.
It really is just a beautiful thing I've been watching over and over for 40 years.
Paris,Texas. (1984) Wim Wenders
Harry Dean Stantons performance gives the movie credibility.
8
(I have tried to refer to plot-points here without making them spoilers, I hope I succeeded.)
I just put this on in the background while I made breakfast because I hadn't seen it in several years. Of course, I ended up watching the whole thing.
I'm the person who really, really liked this movie the first time around and didn't think it was a letdown after Casino Royale (yes, there is such a person).
And I really, really liked it again. I mean, as much as pretty much any of the new Bond movies. I prefer this film to Skyfall myself (as I have always felt, since my first viewing in the theater, that the third act of that film is a total non-sensical collapse). I've always really enjoyed the complexity of the relationship between Bond and M in this film and there are a couple of moments here (when he escapes but returns to tell M that Fields' bravery must be documented in her report and in a later scene when he tells her that he never left M.I.6 despite her perception to the contrary) that I just really really love for the characters and their relationship but especially for building who Bond is in this incarnation. I was really happy with Bond's relationship with Mathis in this film, especially flowing over from the last. I thought Kurylenko was a very good "Bond girl" (even though it's hard to live up to Vesper from the previous film, who haunts this one to the very end). And I thought Amalric's villain was an interesting turn on the classic Bond villain, just being the slimy, sociopathic representative of the shadowy organization, rather than some arch mustache-twirler. I particularly liked the angle of Revenge and whether Bond was motivated by it and mirrored by another character who is totally motivated by it and how both of those arcs resolve. I also loved the Opera scene (which I thought was as clever as anything in the Bond movies, particularly when Mr. White remains seated) and the climactic scene when Bond faces Yusef and Corinne. Just great stuff.
There was just so much that I liked here.
I'm not sure why so many people dislike this movie or think it is a step down from the rest of the series, though I am aware that that is the case. I liked everything about this film on re-watching it and I suspect I will re-watch it more often than either Skyfall or Spectre.
The Spy Who Dumped Me, 2018 (F)
Just awful. All I could think of while watching this is how much better Leslie Nielsen's movies, and even the Scary Movie franchise were at doing comedy. Good, structured movies with a preponderence of jokes and lightness and actual punchlines and time to breathe.
This movie is not a comedy, first off. It's an underwhelming thriller plot in which Kate Mckinnon and Mila Kunis act silly and never stop talking. Even when there's a funny moment, it's ruined because no one can ever shut up. The thriller elements are completely void of comedy and drag the mood down into the pits, and the comedy elements make it impossible to take the dramatic elements seriously. There's also a ton of dry character moments that just add nothing.
Just awful. All I could think of while watching this is how much better Leslie Nielsen's movies, and even the Scary Movie franchise were at doing comedy. Good, structured movies with a preponderence of jokes and lightness and actual punchlines and time to breathe.
This movie is not a comedy, first off. It's an underwhelming thriller plot in which Kate Mckinnon and Mila Kunis act silly and never stop talking. Even when there's a funny moment, it's ruined because no one can ever shut up. The thriller elements are completely void of comedy and drag the mood down into the pits, and the comedy elements make it impossible to take the dramatic elements seriously. There's also a ton of dry character moments that just add nothing.
First viewing?
It really is just a beautiful thing I've been watching over and over for 40 years.
It really is just a beautiful thing I've been watching over and over for 40 years.
I'm the person who really, really liked this movie the first time around and didn't think it was a letdown after Casino Royale (yes, there is such a person).
There was just so much that I liked here.
I'm not sure why so many people dislike this movie or think it is a step down from the rest of the series, though I am aware that that is the case. I liked everything about this film on re-watching it and I suspect I will re-watch it more often than either Skyfall or Spectre.
X
Favorite Movies
X
User Lists
WAJIB (2017)
A film from Palestine
Went pretty much blind into this and I'm so glad I did. The film follows a father and son (played by real-life father/son Mohammad and Saleh Bakri) as they spend a day together, fulfilling their "wajib" or duty to deliver the invitations for the wedding of their daughter and sister. During their time together on the road, in traffic, and visits, many issues, conflicts, regrets, and past wounds come to the surface, forcing them to finally address them.
This was quite a surprise. The film follows a very simple premise, with a solid script, and lets the actors handle the rest. As I was about to write this, I found out that the leads were actually father/son in real life, and it figures, cause their interactions were so believable and true. I loved how director Annemarie Jacir didn't rely in gimmicks or political statements to get her point across, but still managed to pepper a good amount of socio-political commentary all through.
A pretty darn good drama, all around. Strongly recommended. Grade:
A film from Palestine
Went pretty much blind into this and I'm so glad I did. The film follows a father and son (played by real-life father/son Mohammad and Saleh Bakri) as they spend a day together, fulfilling their "wajib" or duty to deliver the invitations for the wedding of their daughter and sister. During their time together on the road, in traffic, and visits, many issues, conflicts, regrets, and past wounds come to the surface, forcing them to finally address them.
This was quite a surprise. The film follows a very simple premise, with a solid script, and lets the actors handle the rest. As I was about to write this, I found out that the leads were actually father/son in real life, and it figures, cause their interactions were so believable and true. I loved how director Annemarie Jacir didn't rely in gimmicks or political statements to get her point across, but still managed to pepper a good amount of socio-political commentary all through.
A pretty darn good drama, all around. Strongly recommended. Grade:
I went into this blind as well! I saw you post this, and immediately went and watched it. You have a very good write-up, and don't think I can add any more, except to say thanks.. I noticed I get these kneejerk impulses to watch a movie after someone posts it, usually because of a title, or a line, and I can think of just some really good ones I recently saw.
M (1931) Fritz Lang
The hunt for a child-murderer. When the police struggle to catch the killer, the criminals of the german city decide they are gonna catch him.
8
Paris,Texas. (1984) Wim Wenders
Harry Dean Stantons performance gives the movie credibility.
8
The hunt for a child-murderer. When the police struggle to catch the killer, the criminals of the german city decide they are gonna catch him.
8
Paris,Texas. (1984) Wim Wenders
Harry Dean Stantons performance gives the movie credibility.
8
X
Favorite Movies
X
User Lists
Wajib - 7.5/10
Good, minimalist. It's on Amazon Prime (I'm milking the hell out of those free-trials). Solid all around. Good script, acting, and some good humor. I love how the father has his little white lies, or act as if he knew some kind of local information despite hearing (and being corrected) by someone a few minutes before. The father-son were damn good actors.. Maybe the younger guy is a star now (if he hasn't been killed by the mossad)
Good, minimalist. It's on Amazon Prime (I'm milking the hell out of those free-trials). Solid all around. Good script, acting, and some good humor. I love how the father has his little white lies, or act as if he knew some kind of local information despite hearing (and being corrected) by someone a few minutes before. The father-son were damn good actors.. Maybe the younger guy is a star now (if he hasn't been killed by the mossad)
X
Favorite Movies
X
User Lists
|
|