Rate The Last Movie You Saw

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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 Ancines Woods (1970)
aka El bosque del lobo

A Spanish historical drama about a wandering peddler who is also a serial killer. It's loosely based on real events. It's a pretty difficult film to rate; it looks good and the actual historical case is interesting (the only legal case in Spain's history involving lycanthropy), but somehow the film manages to be quite (ok, really) dull. Apparently, there were some censorship issues that forced them to tone down (practically remove) the violence and negativity towards religion, too. I wish I had liked it more.
Do you think it's my type of film?





Lost Horizon
(1973)
3.75/5

Growing up in the 70s and early 80s, when ever this was on, I would watch it..I have always been a fan of Michael York. I love watching this, as well as Logan's Run and The Island of Dr. Moreau. I haven't watched this in about 40 years. I enjoyed it but don't remember it really being a musical. It would have gotten a 4/5 without the singing.



The trick is not minding


Lost Horizon
(1973)
3.75/5

Growing up in the 70s and early 80s, when ever this was on, I would watch it..I have always been a fan of Michael York. I love watching this, as well as Logan's Run and The Island of Dr. Moreau. I haven't watched this in about 40 years. I enjoyed it but don't remember it really being a musical. It would have gotten a 4/5 without the singing.
I’ve only seen Logan’s Run of the three, but I do plan on eventually watching the other two. Lost Horizon as a musical…..just sounds weird saying it.



I’ve only seen Logan’s Run of the three, but I do plan on eventually watching the other two. Lost Horizon as a musical…..just sounds weird saying it.
Yeah @Citizen Rules talks about the 1937 version, which I haven't seen. I should one day. This being a musical, I really didn't remember it being but I still enjoyed it.



Do you think it's my type of film?
Not sure, really. It's not exactly like the films we've usually recommended to each other. I guess the best I can say is maybe. It's a hard film to describe.
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I forgot the opening line.

Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=24886830

Violent Cop - (1989)

In at the ground floor, which can't help make me wonder if Beat Takeshi's movies aren't best watched in chronological order - this first feature is visceral and kinetic, with an authenticity that bespeaks his method of basically ignoring the screenplay that he started with. The actors are all really in the moment. I enjoyed Violent Cop, and especially Japanese actor Hakuryû, who in this plays a villain who radiates insane malice - a great character and performance. It is violent, but not excessively so, and of course Takeshi himself is where it's at, with his Dirty Harry - Azuma - both menacing and funny. This seems pretty up-to-date for a film produced in the 1980s.

8/10


By Madman Films (via Facebook), Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=66086151

High Ground - (2020)

I wasn't really sure if I'd enjoy High Ground, but it continues a trend that tells a story of Australia's history that's more genuine than I've ever seen before - with Indigenous men, woman and children gunned down by people who profess a respect for the "law". This film begins with one of those massacres, and the effects of said murders 12 years after the event, with a survivor gunning down white settlers and setting their ranches on fire. One man, Travis (Simon Baker), wants to avoid the bloodbath that he can see brewing, but ends up blamed and denounced by both sides. This was much better than I thought it was going to be - voted best Australian film of the year (and featuring an almost unrecognizable 80 year-old Jack Thompson) - it shows signs of a nation finally beginning to reckon with it's past.

7/10
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Latest Review : Le Circle Rouge (1970)






The Island of Dr. Moreau
(1977)
3.75/5

Decided to watch this as well tonight. Despite the advancement of special effects and studio make-up, this film still stands strong today. I loved it and was glad I rewatched it.

It will be a sad day for me once this amazing actor leaves this earth.





Top Gun:Maverick (2022)

It's been 20+ years since Gladiator came out a summer film that captured the zeitgeist of America and led to a BP win. The Dark Knight should have gotten a BP nomination and Inception should have won. Top Gun Maverick is in that vein of filmmaking. This is a film about letting and nostalgia but it's also an incredible action film.

I wouldn't be shocked if Cruise and Kilmer don't get Oscar noms...Kilmer who's cancer has made it so he can only act with his eyes gives a haunted single scene performance which reminded me of WIlliam Hurt's one scene in A History of Violence and Beatrice Straight in Network. It's the human scenes that anchor and elevate the film. Jennifer Connelly is a star in this she's incredibly solid in a nothing role but she feels like her own version of a movie star.

The action scenes are top notch but the power in them is the moments of humor...it's a funnier film than the original. The only criticism I have with the film is the typical Hollywood casting thing where the rest of the pilots are basically just cast for visuals. The white guys have personalities and back stories the four minorities do not and that's an issue. It would have likely been a lot smarter to not include them because they do nothing with them. The other issue is the film lacks Tony Scott's eye for shot composition. A lot of what made Top Gun great was the iconic shots...this movie is sorely lacking in that department. Basically the editing is there but the cinematography is not.

I think what makes the film special is it's run-time. This is a move that flies by each act is played. Unlike say The Batman where the third act was the mistake Maverick's third act is it's best work. Funny, thrilling and frankly nostalgic for the escapades of the 80's.




New watches

The League of Gentlemen (Basil Dearden, 1960)


Well constructed British heist film that has a couple of great heist sequences. Enjoyable stuff.

We Own The Night (James Gray, 2007)


I just love James Gray films, the way he handles compositions, scenes, actions with such care and beauty. He captures stories in a way that feels personal and emotional but also on a much grander, mythical scale. A really powerful and tragic film that I can hardly stop thinking about.

Two Lovers (James Gray, 2008)


Didn't know what to expect from this as the plot is much different from the other Gray films I've seen but I again found myself quietly hypnotised by this. The way the main character Leonard acts is quite relateable and I found myself both sympathetic towards him and incredibly frustrated. Men are complex creatures, often making bad mistakes and incapable of seeing the good they have so close to them that they end up falling for things that are dangerous and unattainable (actually very prevalent in all of Gray's films I've seen). One of the best romance films I think I have seen, amazing how you can get something so different in plot but so masterfully executed in style.

Murder on the Orient Express (Kenneth Branagh, 2017)


I grew up on David Suchet as Poirot thanks to my mum and I think Lumet's film is decent if not a little overrated. It doesn't do much in terms of style and relies on its cast. I know this film got a lot of hate but I think because of the source material people went into it ready to stick the dagger in - pun maybe intended.

I actually enjoyed it quite a bit, Branagh's little changes add bits of excitement and the introduction of one character also makes his next film more interesting. I thought the third act, which I've again seen lambasted, was actually really powerful and well executed.

Rewatches

The Living Daylights (John Glen, 1987)


Been a while since I had seen this and I had forgotten almost everything about it. Really thought it was great although the Afghanistan parts go on a little too long. Love how the story is actually focused on the Bond girl and it goes for a grittier, more realistic approach.

Licence to Kill (John Glen, 1989)


Similar things here that I like, like the grittier approach. In a way, these Dalton films don't feel much like Bond films at all. I did find the attempts at comedy pretty cringe though, it's like someone told them to camp it up after the last film and they really overdid it badly.

GoldenEye (Martin Campbell, 1995)


A lot cheesier than I remembered, I quite like Brosnan as Bond but there's not much I really enjoy about this film that goes beyond the ridiculous on far too many occasions for my liking.

On Her Majesty's Secret Service (Peter Hunt, 1969)


Over the last few years this has already become my favourite Bond film, so after the disappointment of GoldenEye I really wanted to revisit this.

I just absolutely love it. I know people don't like Lazenby but I think he's great, and I actually think his one-liners get the best balance in that their funny but not too stupid.

We have a great villain, the best Bond girl, the best love story, one of the best songs, an awesome plot, great settings (Switzerland) and set-pieces, the best ending. It's a shame this wasn't met well and the series didn't build on the maturity of this film. Deserves a proper sequel.
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Fire Island (2022) We need more LGBTQ rom coms, so I appreciate what they are going for here, but I found this a little underwhelming and disappointing. The narration didn't work for me, the screenplay wasn't great, and I found several of the characters annoying and not very likeable. There are a couple fun moments, but it isn't very funny. I did like the ending though.


(Full disclosure: I'm straight, for whatever that's worth.)



Same.
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Lost Horizon
(1973)
3.75/5

Growing up in the 70s and early 80s, when ever this was on, I would watch it..I have always been a fan of Michael York. I love watching this, as well as Logan's Run and The Island of Dr. Moreau. I haven't watched this in about 40 years. I enjoyed it but don't remember it really being a musical. It would have gotten a 4/5 without the singing.
Wow, this looks ace!!!!!





The Island of Dr. Moreau
(1977)
3.75/5

Decided to watch this as well tonight. Despite the advancement of special effects and studio make-up, this film still stands strong today. I loved it and was glad I rewatched it.

It will be a sad day for me once this amazing actor leaves this earth.
I had a big crush on Michael York after I saw Cabaret