Rate The Last Movie You Saw

Tools    







In the Good Old Summertime, 1949

In this remake of The Shop Around the Corner, Veronica Fisher (Judy Garland) takes a new job at a music store alongside Andy Larkin (Van Johnson), and the two take an instant dislike to one another. But what Veronica and Andy don't realize is that they've been corresponding for months via a lonely hearts service.

I just watched The Shop Around the Corner for the first time back in November--on a flight of all places!--and it was fun to see this slightly different take on the material. While I actually had the same issues with this version as with the original, I still found it pretty delightful overall.

What this version does differently that I really liked was to expand the subplots around the central love story. There's a really sweet romance between the shop owner, Otto Oberkugen (S.Z. Sakall) and his long-time secretary, Nellie (Spring Byington). There's also an endearing subplot about Andy helping out an acquaintance, Louise (Marcia Van Dyke), a talented violinist who he is encouraging to go for an audition to get her out of playing in a restaurant. (Yes, this subplot also serves to complicate the central romance by making it appear that Andy already has a girlfriend, it's still sweet).

With Garland's talents on hand, the music shop setting is leveraged to give her plenty of opportunities to "demonstrate" sheet music. I liked that the film mixed in some physical comedy, such as when Andy accompanies Veronica on the piano and messes with her by changing the key and rhythm as he plays.

And speaking of physical comedy, I was shocked and delighted to find that Buster Keaton(!!!!!) has a supporting role as Hickey, Otto's slightly inept nephew. Keaton's physical comedy gets showcased in a sequence late in the film featuring a very unfortunate violin.

The only thing I didn't love about this movie was what I didn't love about the original, and that's the mechanics between the two characters and the "balance" of how they treat each other. Garland and Johnson are both clearly good with banter, but instead of really letting them spark off of each other, the film is lopsided in both halves. In the first half, we mainly see Veronica antagonizing Andy. She says things like "Whatever I do you say it's wrong." And, like, is that true? It starts to feel like she's just being mean to him for no reason or like she's just really over-sensitive.

Then in the second half (MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD!), Andy realizes that she's his mystery letter writer. And he hold onto this information. I did really like a scene where his friend Rudy (Clinton Sundberg) tells him that he CANNOT stand Veronica up, and he does initially go to their meeting. But then he just continues to not tell her and it honestly starts to feel weird and mean. He watches her being distressed and continues to write her letters, taking advantage of his "inside information" about her. At the point he does start to tell her the truth, he distinctly does not disabuse her of the notion that he's in a serious relationship with Louise---Veronica is even like "We can't--you're engaged!" and instead of saying "Oh, actually Louise is just my friend" he's like "Nah, we're good."

I get that love-hate dynamics and people deceiving each other are, at this point, the bread and butter of many Hollywood romances, but I wish I'd been able to root for them more as individuals and as a couple.

Even if you've seen the original---or the 90s version, You've Got Mail--this one is well worth checking out.




The Sadness (2021)




Similar to a zombie movie but not quite. Taiwan, there's a pandemic turning people into vicious killers and sexual deviants. A young couple try to find their way back to each other amid the bloody mayhem. Not too much as far as plot, just craziness done well.



Victim of The Night
The performance in this film is top notch.

But for me, overall, I struggle when there is such a gap between the quality of the performance (song, dance, etc) and the movie around it. Not that the movie around it is bad, per se, just that it pales so much.

Also, frankly, I didn't like the characters all that much. Garland's character with her pirate fetish and Kelly's "just sexually harass every woman over the age of 16 don't worry they love it" performer weren't all that fun to be around--when not performing--until the last act.
No, you're not wrong at all, I remember thinking the movie was a bit meh despite everything, but Gene Kelly so still 3.5.
Reading a lot about the studio interference and such, it was clear that Garland thought she was making a much better movie than the one she realized she was in about halfway through.



[Donald Hamilton-Matt Helm] I was reading about the novels after I watched the movie, interesting that the movies took a different approach in nature. I'll have a look, I'm on a bit of a spy kick at the moment
I think that you'll like the novels. They're easy to read and well written. Plus if you like them, there are 27 of them!



No, you're not wrong at all, I remember thinking the movie was a bit meh despite everything, but Gene Kelly so still 3.5.
Reading a lot about the studio interference and such, it was clear that Garland thought she was making a much better movie than the one she realized she was in about halfway through.
Yeah, I think I gave it a 7/10 on IMDb and just left off that last half star on here.



Victim of The Night


In the Good Old Summertime, 1949

In this remake of The Shop Around the Corner, Veronica Fisher (Judy Garland) takes a new job at a music store alongside Andy Larkin (Van Johnson), and the two take an instant dislike to one another. But what Veronica and Andy don't realize is that they've been corresponding for months via a lonely hearts service.

I just watched The Shop Around the Corner for the first time back in November--on a flight of all places!--and it was fun to see this slightly different take on the material. While I actually had the same issues with this version as with the original, I still found it pretty delightful overall.

What this version does differently that I really liked was to expand the subplots around the central love story. There's a really sweet romance between the shop owner, Otto Oberkugen (S.Z. Sakall) and his long-time secretary, Nellie (Spring Byington). There's also an endearing subplot about Andy helping out an acquaintance, Louise (Marcia Van Dyke), a talented violinist who he is encouraging to go for an audition to get her out of playing in a restaurant. (Yes, this subplot also serves to complicate the central romance by making it appear that Andy already has a girlfriend, it's still sweet).

With Garland's talents on hand, the music shop setting is leveraged to give her plenty of opportunities to "demonstrate" sheet music. I liked that the film mixed in some physical comedy, such as when Andy accompanies Veronica on the piano and messes with her by changing the key and rhythm as he plays.

And speaking of physical comedy, I was shocked and delighted to find that Buster Keaton(!!!!!) has a supporting role as Hickey, Otto's slightly inept nephew. Keaton's physical comedy gets showcased in a sequence late in the film featuring a very unfortunate violin.

The only thing I didn't love about this movie was what I didn't love about the original, and that's the mechanics between the two characters and the "balance" of how they treat each other. Garland and Johnson are both clearly good with banter, but instead of really letting them spark off of each other, the film is lopsided in both halves. In the first half, we mainly see Veronica antagonizing Andy. She says things like "Whatever I do you say it's wrong." And, like, is that true? It starts to feel like she's just being mean to him for no reason or like she's just really over-sensitive.

Then in the second half (MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD!), Andy realizes that she's his mystery letter writer. And he hold onto this information. I did really like a scene where his friend Rudy (Clinton Sundberg) tells him that he CANNOT stand Veronica up, and he does initially go to their meeting. But then he just continues to not tell her and it honestly starts to feel weird and mean. He watches her being distressed and continues to write her letters, taking advantage of his "inside information" about her. At the point he does start to tell her the truth, he distinctly does not disabuse her of the notion that he's in a serious relationship with Louise---Veronica is even like "We can't--you're engaged!" and instead of saying "Oh, actually Louise is just my friend" he's like "Nah, we're good."

I get that love-hate dynamics and people deceiving each other are, at this point, the bread and butter of many Hollywood romances, but I wish I'd been able to root for them more as individuals and as a couple.

Even if you've seen the original---or the 90s version, You've Got Mail--this one is well worth checking out.

Funny, I have not seen this one but I do have the feels for The Shop Around The Corner...
Except you're right, that weird thing they do where, in the first act she is unnecessarily mean and in the second or so he is withholding information and being weird for seemingly no reason.
I did not care for You've Got Mail.



Funny, I have not seen this one but I do have the feels for The Shop Around The Corner...
Except you're right, that weird thing they do where, in the first act she is unnecessarily mean and in the second or so he is withholding information and being weird for seemingly no reason.
I did not care for You've Got Mail.
I liked it as much as the original, and it's different enough to be worth checking out.

I haven't seen You've Got Mail and I'm not exactly in a rush on that front.



Victim of The Night
I liked it as much as the original, and it's different enough to be worth checking out.

I haven't seen You've Got Mail and I'm not exactly in a rush on that front.
Neither have Frank Morgan though.



I liked it as much as the original, and it's different enough to be worth checking out.

I haven't seen You've Got Mail and I'm not exactly in a rush on that front.
I think your reaction to YGM will be hilarious and I encourage the experience



I think your reaction to YGM will be hilarious and I encourage the experience
I feel like it will just be an average movie, right? Like, I enjoy the cast, no problem with Ephron. But for the most part romantic comedies just aren't my thing and it will be the third incarnation of the story.



I feel like it will just be an average movie, right? Like, I enjoy the cast, no problem with Ephron. But for the most part romantic comedies just aren't my thing and it will be the third incarnation of the story.
If I say more, I'd spoil what would be of great amusement. I'll just say that I need your reaction to Tom Hanks' character Joe Fox and everything he does/stands for.



I forgot the opening line.

By http://www.impawards.com/2004/machinist_ver4.html, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1052132

The Machinist - (2004)

Just happened upon this yesterday, and it was a really pleasant surprise. The Machinist doesn't mess around like a lot of films do when there's a character with psychological problems - we know pretty much straight away that the world of Trevor Reznik (Christian Bale) is askew - and that much of what he's experiencing is delusion. He hasn't slept for a year, hallucinates, is concentration camp-slim, and he's heading for a major disaster. After a horrifying workplace accident (caused by him seeing things) Reznik's world begins to disintegrate - and this is all pulled off in impressive style by director Brad Anderson. Enjoyed every minute.

7/10


By The poster art can or could be obtained from the distributor., Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=54043510

Mother! - (2017)

It's hard watching Mother! It's a film with a lot of trauma embedded firmly inside of it, and many scenes are unpleasant to watch. It doesn't hide the fact it's allegory at all - and once you see how closely it follows the Bible it's impossible to see it as anything other than that tale - although there were times when I simply saw Javier Bardem as all mankind, and Jennifer Lawrence as all womankind - their journey representing the journey all couples go on in a broad sense. It's shot in a wild manner - the central location being an octagonal house in the middle of pleasant (when they're not burned to a cinder) fields. The house can morph and change - and is even wounded at times, like a living being - or like the planet. If you've ever had bad dreams about your privacy being invaded - then this film will bring all of that back to you. Really interesting, but I'm not quite sure how I feel about this film - it's troubling.

7.5/10


By IMP Awards / 2021 Movie Poster Gallery / Demonic Poster, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=68108353

Demonic - (2021)

I was deeply and profoundly shocked that someone like Neill Blomkamp - a talented, established writer and director, could produce something as bad as Demonic. It's basically a repeat of Abel Ferrara's attempt to work around the pandemic, using ingenuity, and creating something that shouldn't have been released. Parts of Demonic take place in a computer generated world, which is it's most interesting aspect. Aside from that it's your average horror film, with a demon being fought by priests that have formed godly SWAT teams (conveniently, one hands our heroine the Holy Lance) with assault weapons, and briefcases with bibles, holy water and...I can't describe this anymore. It's terrible. The script, cinematography, plot, acting, direction...everything is awful.

3/10


By MUBI - https://www.firstshowing.net/2021/an...-comedy-limbo/, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=67257804

Limbo - (2020)

Limbo is a sweet little comedy about a group of asylum seekers living on a remote Scottish island while their cases are processed. While there, they are given lessons on Western culture and language. The film mostly focuses on Omar (Amir El-Masry) - a Syrian who feels guilty because he fled when his brother stayed to fight for his country - and Farhad (Vikash Bhai) - a gay man from Afghanistan who idolizes Freddie Mercury. Omar is an accomplished oud player, but is tormented by being separated from his family in a strange new country. It's basically a film which shows how they adapt (or fail to adapt) to new surroundings. It's pleasant.

7/10
__________________
Remember - everything has an ending except hope, and sausages - they have two.
We miss you Takoma

Latest Review : Le Circle Rouge (1970)



I forgot the opening line.
I think I'm having Haute Tension Syndrome with this film where I keep reading reviews from people who didn't like it nearly as much as my friends and I did, largely because of the ending. And just like with HT, I'm asking myself, "What was wrong with the ending?" I liked it, I thought it made perfect sense and fit the film, and everything resolved very nicely from a story that almost seemed at times like it couldn't resolve (which could also have been a cool, but different film). I thought the performance that the ending turns around was also really strong. And it put the film back into the giallo territory for me. I probably give the film a solid 8/10.
I guess it had a lot to do with appreciating this film as a take on giallo films, or seeing it as a film not dependent at all on that. Despite some problems with sexuality (that built and built and compounded as the film went on) I had high hopes that such an excellent film, in all regards (I was so falling in love with it) was really going to say something profound. I just felt that what I got wasn't only not profound, but it didn't really have anything to say at all. It was just a hope and expectation that was dashed, and as such my score went down to 6/10. I don't know if my reason for disliking the ending was the same as other people's though. I usually find that my reasoning can differ greatly to other people.



Fresh Kill

https://boxd.it/2VluyN

4/5

A film I think @crumbsroom needs to watch ASAP. Now on Criterion Channel.
Apparently the director made a hardcore porno that played Sundance (!) but now seems to be impossible to find. One can only hope VS or one of its partner labels picks it up.



Apparently the director made a hardcore porno that played Sundance (!) but now seems to be impossible to find. One can only hope VS or one of its partner labels picks it up.
That's one rabbit hole I might be willing to follow you down, should it get discovered.

You should also check out Fresh Kill.



That's one rabbit hole I might be willing to follow you down, should it get discovered.

You should also check out Fresh Kill.

They're like Lays potato chips. You can't watch just one.


I have Fresh Kill on the watchlist.