Rate The Last Movie You Saw

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I've watched almost nothing in the past couple of months that wasn't for the HoF so I guess I'll post the handful of things I've seen that were unrelated to that.

Behindert (Stephen Dwoskin, 1974)

Slap Shot
(George Roy Hill, 1977)

Gumby: The Movie (Art Clokey, 1995)

The Black Pirate (Albert Parker, 1926)

Skinwalker Ranch (Devin McGinn)


Dead Ringers (David Cronenberg, 1988)

High Life (Claire Denis, 2018)

Air Conditioner (Fradique, 2020)

Pig (Michael Sarnoski, 2021)



Bright light. Bright light. Uh oh.

Escape from the Bronx (Enzo G. Castellari, 1983)
5/10
The Operative (Yuval Adler, 2019)
5.5/10
Combat Squad (Cy Roth, 1953)
5/10
Limbo (Ben Sharrock, 2020)
6.5/10

Syrian friends Vikash Bhai & Amir El-Masry find themselves in a strange situation in Scotland awaiting asylum status. Almost everything is surprising in this comedy/drama with nice human touches and cinematography.
Deluge (Felix E. Feist, 1933)
6/10
Volleyball (Foot Film) (Yvonne Rainer, 1967)
3/10
Jim Hanvey, Detective (Phil Rosen, 1937)
6/10
The Loneliest Whale: The Search for 52 (Joshua Zeman, 2021)
6.5/10

The search for the mysterious, legendary 52-hertz whale is brought up to date with surprising results.
The Phantom (Alan James, 1931)
- 5/10
The Overnighters (Jesse Moss, 2014)
6.5/10
The Unseen River (Pham Ngoc Lan, 2020)
5/10
The Last Mercenary (David Charhon, 2021)
6/10

Retired French spy Jean-Claude Van Damme gets involved with all kinds of craziness when his son does too.
Too Many Women (Bernard B. Ray, 1942)
5/10
Krabi, 2562 (Ben Rivers & Anocha Suwichakornpong, 2019)
5.5/10
Undercover vs. Undercover (Koon-Nam Lui & Frankie Tam, 2019)
5/10
Boys State (Jesse Moss, 2020)
6.5/10

Powerful, if a bit obvious, learning process for Texas teenagers at their own political convention.
Bartkowiak (Daniel Markowicz, 2021)
5/10
A Father's Legacy AKA The Old Man and the Pond (Jason Mac, 2020)
+ 6/10
Walk the Dark Street (Wyott Ordung, 1956)
5/10
In the Earth (Ben Wheatley, 2021)
6/10

During a pandemic, an axe is heading for the leg of scientist Joel Fry, but who or what is wielding it? Crazy [or normal?] Wheatley film..
__________________
It's what you learn after you know it all that counts. - John Wooden
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SF = Z


[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 Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford


In America, even evil men can be considered national treasures.
Phenomenal cinematography by the great Roger Deakins.



Here’s looking at you, kid.
The Green Knight




Gorgeous film that gives a modern interpretation of the 14th century tale of “Sir Gawain and The Green Knight”. Lots of lore and “symbology” throughout the film, that seem to take on multiple stories of King Arthur and the Round Table, navigating through all the subtexts and clues I found quite hard but the overall plot is quite apparent. Would love to read more into this and give it another rewatch.



To live in fear or die with honor.







SF = Z



[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



Victim of The Night
THE GREEN KNIGHT



A masterpiece and the greatest Arthurian adaptation. It was worth the delay to see in theaters because, to Scorsese meme for a second, this is cinema.
I didn't realize this was out yet. I'm very intrigued and this is a story I'm a big fan of.
I had an affection for the one with Sean Connery that came out when I was young and ran on HBO when I was 12 years old.



Torn Curtain -


I couldn't get into this Hitchcock spy thriller, which follows American scientist Michael Armstrong (Paul Newman) and fiancée Sarah (Julie Andrews) as they try to sneak a nuclear bomb-stifling mathematical formula out of East Germany. Speaking of formulas, all the elements are in place for a successful movie of its kind like clandestine conversations, searching for contacts, chase sequences, etc., so what's missing? Lead characters worth giving a darn about, I guess. Paul Newman seems bored and out of his element as Armstrong, and since he doesn't seem invested in the character, I couldn't be either. To be fair, Armstrong is just not that interesting and provides little to work with, so I can't fault Newman that much for his performance. As for Andrews, she's given even less to do and is essentially along for the ride. As a result, each sequence I mentioned is only entertaining in theory. The highlight, despite a heavy use of rear projection that has not aged well, is a getaway sequence on a commuter bus. The whole time, I couldn't care about whether Michael and Sarah would make it, so I was left examining what makes the sequence successful and how it compares to similar ones in other Hitchcock spy movies as if I were in a screenwriting class. The latter, though, may be the overarching problem: Hitchcock has done this movie many times before and better. I will say it is a nice-looking movie overall and while the leads disappoint, most of the supporting players do not, especially Ludwig Donath's eccentric German professor Lindt and Lila Kedrova's dramatic Countess Kuchinska. Unfortunately, it's not enough to save this from being one of Hitchcock's most middling efforts.




Brick - (2005)

Popular movie here, so much so that it would feel superfluous to detail what it's about or who made it. The kind of noir where I like to get the whole plot down-pat so I can just sit back and enjoy the visuals, performances and soundtrack. I never get tired of watching Chinatown, and so it might be for this. Recently, after watching A Man For All Seasons I gave it an 8 - but then got pretty obsessed with it, and have since regarded it as a '10'. I feel a similar potential with Brick. Dark, beautiful and stunningly original considering it's well-trod source.

8/10
'Preciate the heads-up on this one. It's a very interesting production, mostly because, as you say, they were on a shoestring budget-- which of course shows. But I was impressed with what they did with what they had.

I loved the dialogue, which was oftentimes right out of the '40s & '50s noir. The idioms and slang were refreshing in contrast to the unending barrage of gutter language in most contemporary films.

And too, the story was solidly noir, despite the many sunny and outdoor locations. But for me the juxtaposition of the adult noir/mystery and the teenaged looking actors was a minor, but grating annoyance. The premise would have been easier to swallow if writer/director Rian Johnson had bumped it up to maybe college aged.

For example Gordon-Levitt as the teenaged shamus looked ridiculous with his adolescent moppy hair style. To me it really detracted from any poise or believability of his character. Also the femme fatale could not always bring off the vampy characterization that the role likely required.

I eventually turned it off at about the halfway mark, but that was probably influenced by the late hour. Still, all of the top participants in this unusual picture went on to have very successful careers. Brick was a helluva project, and very nicely done.



Sorry if I'm rude but I'm right
@mark f favorites binge:

Atlantic City, USA (1980) -
- Malle trying to be Altman? The film was made too late. It's a 60s film at best. But that's the point. Lancaster is way too old. He's too weak. He cannot protect Susan anymore. Old age is his curse. He wants to get back to his youth, but can he? This is his character's drama.
Olivier, Olivier (1992) -
- A little bit like these Japanese crazy family flicks, but the Japanese flicks are serious in the unseriousness while this one is unserious in its seriousness. Kinda good and definitely much better than Holland's latest output.
Buffet froid [Cold Cuts] (1979) -
- This one sure took me by surprise. I expected a rather straightforward French polar but got some absurdist nightmare à la Bunuel. It took me some time to get used to it. Just like with most Bunuel, I lick it more than I like it, but it's good.

Europa, Europa next, and then possibly anything else that I haven't seen from mark's list when it's all revealed.

Eric Rohmer binge:



Conte d'automne [Autumn Tale] (1998) -
- kinda annoying tbh and I definitely would've left that restaurant if I was that guy
Les nuits de la pleine lune [Full Moon in Paris] (1984) -
- congrats Rohmer, you managed to make every character reprehensible
L' ami de mon amie [My Girlfriend's Boyfriend] (1987) -
- them visuals are everything
Conte d'hiver [A Tale of Winter] (1992) -
- not great until the ending and then it's beyond great

Mamoru Oshii binge:



ケルベロス 地獄の番犬 [StrayDog: Kerberos Panzer Cops] (1991) -
- August in the Blue Gate Sonatine Kommando. Them aesthetics!
Talking Head (1992) -
- amazing meta film about making films; I prefer Oshii's live-action to anime!
人狼 [Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade] (1999) -
- narratively dense and visually satisfying but I wish the story was more ambiguous
機動警察パトレイバー the Movie [Patlabor: The Movie] (1989) -
- I'm not big on Mecha Anime but this wasn't half bad
機動警察パトレイバー 2: The Movie [Patlabor 2: The Movie] (1993) -
- better than the first one. Music, aesthetics, mood, meaning... But I can't vibe with it.

Manoel de Oliveira binge:



Douro, faina fluvial [Labor on the Douro River] (1931) -
- Oliveira is the kind of director who can make a great film at 23 as well as at 104.
Famalicão (1941) -
- a step-down from his debut but still a nice one
Belle toujours (2006) -
- a remake of a Bunuel film that nicely pays homage to the original; Piccoli is badass!
Um século de energia (2015) -
- de Oliveira's final film. Could've been better.
As pinturas do meu irmão Júlio [My Brother Júlio's Paintings] (1965) -
- nice paintings
A caça [The Hunt] (1964) -
- amazing
O Velho do Restelo [The Old Man of Belem] (2014) -
- Straub-Huillet done right
Porto da minha infância [Oporto of My Childhood] (2001) -
- not bad but he already did it better in his 80s flick

King Vidor binge:



The Stranger's Return (1933) -
- “It may be possible for Japanese directors to make films like Sternberg’s, but we can’t become the master like King Vidor who made The Stranger’s Return." - Yasujiro Ozu, 1935; you can really see how much Ozu was inspired by this film - the ending gives you the same vibes Tokyo Story does and there's that daughter... similar!
Street Scene (1931) -
- so amazing; the living cell of Depression Era America in film!
Hallelujah! (1929) -
- Kinda like Elmer Gantry but BLACK. The topic of forgiving gets lots in all this horny blue balls Nosferatu Zekiel and Chick blasting Hot Shot with a poker scenes
The Champ (1931) -
- the last scene is easily my least favorite in the film but everything that came before it is perfect
The Patsy (1928) -
- I liked her faces

Tamizo Ishida binge:



花ちりぬ [Fallen Blossoms] (1938) -
- A forgotten masterpiece! Invisible men affect the lives of women, Kinmon Incident, Ishikawa Gozaemon, Yanagiwara Byakuren; "I look back at my life as I look at a beautiful moon. Even the moon has its shadow. Why would I regret my life, even if it wasn't always happy?"
花つみ日記 [Flower Picking Diary] (1939) -
- this felt lesbian af and then I found out it's based on a book by a female writer who initiated lesbian romance literature genre in Japan - sweet!
むかしのうた [Old Sweet Song] (1939) -
- kinda flew over my head

Other films:



Dirty Dancing (1987) -
- God-awful. Would've been 0 popcorns if not for the "Rand fan gets told off" scene
The Boys in the Band (1970) -
- surprisingly good!
銀座化粧 [Ginza Cosmetics] (1951) -
- very subtle but very beautiful
The Magus (1968) -
- quite original; felt some fresh air on my cinephile's face
The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (1947) -
- WHAT IS THIS?! WHY IS IT SO GOOD?! Well, not as good as My Left Eye Sees Ghosts but a great film, nonetheless. I can't really wrap my head around it, though. At first, I thought the ghost symbolized her deceased husband and how she cannot forget him, but I think it was mentioned that she didn't really love him and low-key regretted marrying him, so that interpretation is probably not right. Then, I thought the ghost was her imagination to fight the loneliness, which would make sense why he vanished the moment she gave herself to that writer guy (it would make sense if the ghost was her not letting go of her deceased husband, too). But then the ghost never appeared again for years, which kind of makes the loneliness interpretation faulty, too, because she would think him up again if she were lonely for so many years. Oh well, maybe he really was a confounded, blasted ghost, doggone it! Some amazing lines here, and wonderful retorts. I enjoyed the off-screen sex scene and how the ghost gave up afterward, too.
Beast (2017) -
- I might've overrated it but it's very enjoyable; quite a fresh thriller/crime
女医の記録 [Record of a Woman Doctor] (1941) -
- "People like me and Ozu get films made by hard work, but Shimizu is a genius..." - Kenji Mizoguchi; I kind of get what Mizoguchi means; Shimizu's films feel very humble and genuine; he's a natural
__________________
Look, I'm not judging you - after all, I'm posting here myself, but maybe, just maybe, if you spent less time here and more time watching films, maybe, and I stress, maybe your taste would be of some value. Just a thought, ya know.







SF = Z



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

I didn't enjoy this movie. Moretz was great as far as acting goes but my problem was with the character herself. Something I've seen in movies quite a bit is a woman cheating on her husband and it being justified because he's a bad guy anyway. I don't like this, it's lazy and many times seems to be added as an afterthought once the writer realizes he's made his character unlikable. Well, Maude Garrett became unlikable for me and and I didn't care what happened to her. By extension, I didn't care what happened to her child or lover. It's difficult to like a movie whose characters you do not like or care about.

I also did not really understand the gremlin. I understand that gremlin was something people said when equipment malfunctioned, I learned that in Gremlins but it was unnecessary to the plot and added nothing to the story. If the gremlin was removed from the movie completely and we just had the encounter with the Japanese fighter and subsequent equipment malfunctions due to damage, the movie would have been better.



Stray 2020 Elizabeth Lo



Very well made documentary following the life of stray dogs in Istanbul. Although it did leave me with a lot of unanswered questions about the animals involved.



Minari 2020 Lee Isaac Chung



Released August '21 over here. 'Glenn' came a long way, solid performance by Steven Yeun, last time I saw him was in Burning/Beoning where he also made quite an impression. The cinematography is well done and overall it's pretty good. Perhaps I expected a bit too much because of the Oscar hype.







The Asphalt Jungle - I keep running across movies I had heard little to nothing of but which once seen are nothing short of indispensable. I guess that might be the very definition of a classic. This is noir of course, with that genre holding an undeniable attraction for me. Both effective character study as well as compelling heist thriller the actual robbery takes a backseat to the five men involved and their personal lives and significant others. It's also an exemplary cast with top to bottom great performances and stalwart direction by John Huston. It also features debut performances from people like Strother Martin, Jack Warden and Marilyn Monroe.

From the opening scene of a dreary and overcast riverfront with a lone figure scuttling along a crooked street the movie immediately draws you in.

Sam Jaffe, in an Oscar nominated role, plays Doc Erwin Riedenschneider who has just gotten out of prison and still hopes to carry out a once in a lifetime score which he had all planned out right before the authorities sent him up. He approaches Cobby (Marc Lawrence) a bookie who in turn puts Doc in touch with shady lawyer Alonzo Emmerich (Louis Calhern). Emmerich agrees to bankroll the heist and help fence the jewels in return for a percentage. Riedenschneider then hires the rest of the gang, Louie Ciavelli (Anthony Caruso), a professional safecracker who recommends Gus Minissi (James Whitmore), the hunchbacked owner of a diner, as a getaway driver. The last member of the crew is a friend of Gus', strongarm "hooligan" Dix Handley (Sterling Hayden).

WARNING: spoilers below
The heist itself goes according to plan until the men are surprised by a night watchman. While in the process of disarming him, Louie is accidentally shot in the stomach. From there the caper gradually and inexorably unravels as each member of the gang is hunted down by the authorities or betrayed by greedy co-conspirators. This being first and foremost a hard boiled yarn, Police Commissioner Hardy (John McEntire) throws the rulebook out the window and it's not long before the cops coerce a confession and names out of Cobby. As it turns out Emmerich is flat broke and had planned to double cross the gang, keep the jewels and leave the country. When Doc and Dix show up at the apartment where the lawyer keeps his mistress Angela Phinlay (a young Marilyn Monroe in one of her first roles), they're surprised to find private detective Bob Brannom (Brad Dexter) waiting with a gun. Doc had suspected Emmerich of duplicity and had shared his misgivings with Dix. Dix manages to shoot and kill Brannom but not before being wounded himself. After confronting Emmerich and instructing him to contact the insurance company and arrange a settlement for the return of the jewels the two men go on the run while being hounded by a citywide manhunt. They eventually take refuge with Dix's longtime acquaintance and wannabe girlfriend Doll Conovan (Jean Hagen). After turning down Doc's offer of half the jewels the two men separate and Doc is eventually caught on the outskirts of town when he stops to ogle a young girl dancing to a restaurant jukebox. His character is portrayed as being erudite and professional to the core but he also has a weakness for women which ultimately leads to his downfall.

Which leaves the character of Dix Handley who is introduced and setup as being a mindless thug but actually turns out to be the star of the film and surprisingly ends up the moral center of the story. He confides to Doll that his one dream is to go home to Kentucky and buy back the horse farm that his family once owned but ultimately lost. With that as his finish line he sets out accompanied by Doll, who refuses to abandon the wounded and doomed Dix. And what a transcendent sendoff he's given. A memorable and elegiac ending to a surprising character and to
a magnificent example of film noir.