Rate The Last Movie You Saw

Pretty Persuasion (2005)

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[ J ] - [ S ] - [ F ]

Napoleon (2023)

Anyone But You (2023)

Land of Bad (2024)

Miller's Girl (2024)

The Spider Woman - (1943) This is the seventh of fourteen features starring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce.as Holmes and Watson. It's a pastiche of mystery components with ruthless femme fatale Adrea Spedding (Gale Sondergaard) going head to head against Holmes and more than holding her own. Newspapers are full of screaming headlines about the so called "Pyjama Suicides". A number of well to do London residents have taken their own lives by leaping from upper story windows shortly upon waking.

Holmes and Watson in the meantime are fishing in Scotland where the detective meets with an unfortunate accident. This is in the opening minutes of the movie so it's obviously a Holmesian ruse of some kind. He already has an inkling of the true nature of these suicides and the financial motivations and soon enough makes an educated guess as to who is behind them.

So begins a game of cat and mouse with Holmes first offering himself up as an inviting target. Spedding, being no ordinary criminal, also makes an educated guess and figures out his true identity. There's a little something for everyone in this including venomous spiders and a weird little mute kid straight out of the Addams family. He's also partial to hopping and catching houseflies. Plus there's a nail-biter of an ending at a carnival midway. All in all a very satisfying Holmes entry.

80/100


The Scarlet Claw - (1944) This one takes place in Canada where Holmes and Watson are attending a conference in Quebec City on paranormal activity. Lord William Penrose (Paul Cavanagh), the organizer of the event, receives word that his wife lady Penrose has been found murdered at their home in the village of La Mort Rouge. Holmes has been steadfast in his refusal to buy wholeheartedly into the occult thus earning the indignation of Lord Penrose. He and Watson decide to fly back to London before belatedly receiving a telegram from Lady Penrose in which she says she fears for her life and pleads for his help.

Upon arriving at the remote village the two find that the inhabitants are convinced that the murder is the work of a local legend and monster that roams the surrounding marshes. Holmes, of course, does some digging and discovers that Lady Penrose was once a well known actress named Lillian Gentry. He also learns that she inadvertently prompted a murder by a jealous former lover who was tried, convicted and killed in a prison escape. There are plenty of suspects to go around and additional murders to suggest a pattern that Holmes is able to follow.

The bad guy in this is cagey and inventive and once again appears to always be two or three moves ahead of the authorities and one step ahead of Holmes. This deftly mixes in elements of the supernatural and the macabre to turn out a distinctive entry in the Holmes and Watson canon.

80/100

By [1], Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=33227629

War Horse - (2011)

Steven Spielberg didn't exactly bust a nut to deliver us something new and different when he made War Horse - it's pretty much by the book. The most interesting part for me was the section with Tom Hiddleston and Benedict Cumberbatch in it playing British Officers who seem stuck in the 18th/19th Century - all fun and 'tot-tot' while practicing charges and completely baffled when confronted by German machine gun positions. Those two actors are sorely missed once they're done, and they're done in no time. Other than that, the director's experience and skill pulling off set-pieces shines through. The heart and soul of War Horse feels missing though - it's technically perfect, but the vignettes are a little too short for us to start caring for any character in particular. I do get a bit emotional when Joey (the horse) gets upset at Topthorn's (another horse) pre-death agony. Huge, and great and all, but missing a real, original and memorable voice.

6/10


By World Artists Home Video - The VHS cover art can or could be obtained from the original film distributor, World Artists Home Video., Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=62615604

Begotten - (1989)

Arthouse flick that's for the most part pretty horrific - about existence itself. I reviewed it here, on my watchlist thread.

6/10


By Focus Features - https://screenanarchy.com/2021/12/tr...-her-skin.html, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=69661977

You Won't Be Alone - (2022)

A feral witch starts killing people and shapeshifting into their form to learn more about love and life. Not a bad horror flick. Reviewed here, on my watchlist thread.

7/10


Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=69661977

The Fifth Seal - (1976)

Great Hungarian film about what it means to be a good person - set during the Second World War, when Hungary was ruled by fascists. Reviewed here, on my watchlist thread.

9/10

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45 Years (2015) -

It was fine, but certain filmmaking decisions provided a cap on how much I enjoyed it. Because I felt the entire film had me looking in from the outside on what Geoff was going through. He should've been the emotional core, and I think the film would've moved me more had it come more from his perspective rather than Kate's. On the plus side, Kate's jealousy towards Geoff's deceased love interest made for one of the most bizarre love triangles put to film since Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia and the final couple scenes are probably the strongest parts of the film.

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I thought she was rather one note but loved Jacob Elordi as Elvis

The Novice (2021)

My favorite movie from Hungary.. Also special because I spent a few weeks there.

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https://www.youtube.com/c/LoyalOpposition

Very watchable drama about the tragic lives of the von Erich family and their wrestling endeavours. Zac Effron is the standout, transforming his body into a huge bulk for this role. Sean Durkin ably directs (he of ‘The Nest’ and the massively underrated ‘Martha, Marcy, May Marlene’ notoriety).

It has a moving end as there is so much real life tragedy involved but it also has a couple of mis-steps including an out of place dreamlike sequence and a rather cringeworthy Chekhov’s gun type setup. That aside it’s entertaining fair.

"Bizarre" does not begin to describe this film about a low budget horror filmmaker who gets in touch with a weirdo who's trying to film his consciousness while drugged.
And, making for perhaps one of the oddest film footnotes in movie history, one of the female actors here was dubbed by Pedro Almodovar, who was yet to make his directorial debut at the time.
If you want weird, Arrebato is definitely for you.

Quiz Lady -

Having the leads play against type doesn't always pay off - see Sisters from 2015 - but when it does, it really does. I'm sure I'm not alone in being tired of Awkwafina playing the kind of role Sandra Oh plays in this, as good as she is at it, so it's doubly satisfying that she can pull off a straighter and more introverted one. As for Oh, she once again proves she is one of the best in the business. This movie is valuable as a study on how siblings communicate and how they cope with rivalry. As the sisters' most heated moments prove, there is a fine line between argument and affection. With all that said, the important thing is that this movie is very funny and proves that the comedy genre is far from dead. I love how it lampoons and shows affection for game shows at the same time from its treatment of Schwarzman's Ken Jennings surrogate to Ferrell's adorably square host. Speaking of the latter, while director Yu and writer D'Angelo deserve credit, Ferrell, who produced, is undoubtedly at least partially responsible for the movie's cartoonishly surreal moments, all of which brought the laughs, especially the nod to a certain famous painting. I also approve of how practically every bit of nonsense pays off, the highlight being one inspired (and sad) cameo.

As much as this movie gets right, it's good, but not quite great. Like too many other streaming exclusives, it's content to just be good enough. Even so, whether or not you dream about acing the Jeopardy test, I guarantee this will make you laugh a lot. It will also surely make you want a dog if you don't already have one (seriously, Mr. Linguini is the best).

1st Rewatch...One of the worst Best Picture Oscar winners, right up there with The Greatest Show on Earth and Slumdog Millionaire, this story of playwright William Shakespeare and his romance with the princess that inspired Romeo and Juliet is really pretty to look at, features extraordinary production values, but is still one of the most boring movies I have ever watched. There are some superb performances by Joseph Feinnes, Geoffrey Rush, Colin Firth, and Oscar winner Judi Dench, but there's no way in hell that Gwyneth Paltrow deserved the Best Actress Oscar and I am now convinced that Harvey Weinstein bought the Best Picture Oscar.

1st Rewatch...Brendan Fraser's extraordinary Oscar-winning performance had me fighting more tears than I did the first time I watched this sadly disturbing story about a gay, obese college professor who has given up on everything in his life except for his daughter. Sadie Sink, Samantha Morton, and Hong Chau offer solid support but this is Fraser's show and one of the most deserving Best Actor winners ever.

1st Rewatch...Despite dazzling direction by Olivia Wilde, superb production values, and rivetinig performances from Florence Pugh, Harry Styles, and Chris Pine, this so-called psychological thriller that seems to be a re-imagining of The Stepford Wives loses viewers because it raises constant questions as it progresses but never really answers any of them.

Metaphysical masterpiece. No wonder it flew right over your head.

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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.

When one's life is already a metaphysical masterpiece, everything else pales in comparison

Sorry I didn't comment on your 6 for Sovist. Would be wasting my breath anyway.