Rate The Last Movie You Saw
Reply to Topic
The Devil All the Time, 2020
My take on this film is pretty much the same as every other take (professional or casual) I've seen about it.
This is an overly slick Southern thriller that skimps out on deep character development in order to fit in more story. There are solid performances from a pretty excellent cast, and people are right to call out Robert Pattinson as a predatory preacher and Tom Holland as the film's protagonist. Shout out to Sebastian Stan who I literally never recognize, think "who is that?" and then find out it's him.
But, say, raise your hand if you're a female character and your life is overrun by the depravity of a male character. Oh, pretty much all of you? It's possible to tell stories that show how people can find themselves powerless, but aside from the preacher's subplot that's not really what the film is after. The male characters have more varied motivations, but there's a superficiality to them as well. Holland's character gets the most depth, simply by virtue of being at the intersection of the various stories. And Pattinson pops because of the specificity in how he plays his character. But the other men are defined mainly by a single aspect of their personalities, usually a madness or pathology. It becomes a mush of victims and victimizers. And frustratingly, there's a real lack of moral ambiguity in the film. There aren't really hard decisions. There aren't characters who are nuanced. Everyone seemed to fall pretty easily into the "good guy" or "bad guy" buckets.
Plenty of talent in this one, but the story is only skin deep.
X
Favorite Movies
X
User Lists
The Devil All the Time, 2020
My take on this film is pretty much the same as every other take (professional or casual) I've seen about it.
This is an overly slick Southern thriller that skimps out on deep character development in order to fit in more story. There are solid performances from a pretty excellent cast, and people are right to call out Robert Pattinson as a predatory preacher and Tom Holland as the film's protagonist. Shout out to Sebastian Stan who I literally never recognize, think "who is that?" and then find out it's him.
But, say, raise your hand if you're a female character and your life is overrun by the depravity of a male character. Oh, pretty much all of you? It's possible to tell stories that show how people can find themselves powerless, but aside from the preacher's subplot that's not really what the film is after. The male characters have more varied motivations, but there's a superficiality to them as well. Holland's character gets the most depth, simply by virtue of being at the intersection of the various stories. And Pattinson pops because of the specificity in how he plays his character. But the other men are defined mainly by a single aspect of their personalities, usually a madness or pathology. It becomes a mush of victims and victimizers. And frustratingly, there's a real lack of moral ambiguity in the film. There aren't really hard decisions. There aren't characters who are nuanced. Everyone seemed to fall pretty easily into the "good guy" or "bad guy" buckets.
Plenty of talent in this one, but the story is only skin deep.
4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days
A shout out to @Stirchley, what a gem!
Understated in the best possible way. Probably even liked it more than The White Ribbon.
A shout out to @Stirchley, what a gem!
Understated in the best possible way. Probably even liked it more than The White Ribbon.
Think I was about the same as you Tacoma11, decent performances but lacked a vital bit of depth to pull it out of being a workaday melodrama.
Like, the main character is connected to
WARNING: spoilers below
a sister who is abused by a preacher and hangs herself accidentally, a father who crucifies their dog and then kills himself, a sheriff who is crooked, that sheriff's sister who is also a serial killer, and (via the foster sister) a man who goes crazy and thinks he can bring people back from the dead.
X
Favorite Movies
X
User Lists
Halloween viewings:
Halloween (2018):
Great movie that is simple yet subtle, cool Easter eggs throughout, and probably my favourite movie of 2018.
9/10
A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984):
Classic that you need to see for yourself to know good it is.
10/10
Friday The 13th Part 3 (1982):
My 2nd favourite film in the franchise and probably one of the most well made and underrated in the series.
10/10
Halloween (2018):
Great movie that is simple yet subtle, cool Easter eggs throughout, and probably my favourite movie of 2018.
9/10
A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984):
Classic that you need to see for yourself to know good it is.
10/10
Friday The 13th Part 3 (1982):
My 2nd favourite film in the franchise and probably one of the most well made and underrated in the series.
10/10
__________________
“I really have to feel that I could make a difference in the movie, or I shouldn't be doing it.“
Joe Dante
“I really have to feel that I could make a difference in the movie, or I shouldn't be doing it.“
Joe Dante
X
Favorite Movies
Catching up with a couple of write-ups...
ANGST (1983)
This Austrian film follows a psychopath (Erwin Leder) just released from prison as he goes on to commit another series of murders. The film is odd in that it's told and narrated from the p.o.v. of the killer, as he narrates the mental process he's going through as he gets out, while still feeling the urge to kill. As it is, it's a disturbing look into the mind of a murderer, and there are a couple of visuals that might make you wince and fidget in your seat. But the lack of personality in the victims, and their awkwardly emotionless performances take a bit from the overall effect. Leder is great, though, and the direction of Gerard Kargl is impressive.
Grade:
ANGST (1983)
This Austrian film follows a psychopath (Erwin Leder) just released from prison as he goes on to commit another series of murders. The film is odd in that it's told and narrated from the p.o.v. of the killer, as he narrates the mental process he's going through as he gets out, while still feeling the urge to kill. As it is, it's a disturbing look into the mind of a murderer, and there are a couple of visuals that might make you wince and fidget in your seat. But the lack of personality in the victims, and their awkwardly emotionless performances take a bit from the overall effect. Leder is great, though, and the direction of Gerard Kargl is impressive.
Grade:
__________________
Check out my podcast:
X
Favorite Movies
X
User Lists
The Aristocats, 1970
I watched this film for the 2020 film challenge. It is the last "classic Disney" feature that I hadn't yet seen.
I mean, meh.
The animation is charming, but it feels very much like an echo of other films. The cats' owner looks exactly like Cinderella's wicked stepmother, and a mouse character looks very much like one of Cinderella's little helpers. I recognized several voices from the Disney animated Robin Hood (especially the lead male actor, who played both Little John and Baloo). The music is pleasant, but largely forgettable. I know the tune "Everybody Wants to Be a Cat" from having watched the trailer for the movie a thousand times when I was a kid. I actually learned the serviceable "Scales and Arpeggios" song on the piano as a kid because we had a Disney movie songbook.
Special shout-out to the most over-the-top Chinese caricature I've ever seen (I had concerns when I saw a very white looking name credited next to "Chinese cat" in the opening credits but . . . I was not prepared).
The very definition of a shrug, and the racism keeps it from being something I'd revisit or want to show to a kid, especially when there are so many other good options.
THINGS TO COME (1936)
Set in an alternate timeline where World War II becomes a decades-long war that ravages the population and the world as a whole, this weirdly interesting sci-fi film follows the attempts of humanity to retake control of their future. The events of the film span a whole century, but a lot of the focus falls on John Cabal (Raymond Massey), a pilot that's trying to steer the events in favor of humanity. One can see why this film was groundbreaking and a must-watch. There's an evident grandeur to its scope and special effects, but that also ends up limiting the emotional attachment one might have to its characters. As it is, the film is more focused in saying what it needs to say than in drawing us into it.
Grade:
Set in an alternate timeline where World War II becomes a decades-long war that ravages the population and the world as a whole, this weirdly interesting sci-fi film follows the attempts of humanity to retake control of their future. The events of the film span a whole century, but a lot of the focus falls on John Cabal (Raymond Massey), a pilot that's trying to steer the events in favor of humanity. One can see why this film was groundbreaking and a must-watch. There's an evident grandeur to its scope and special effects, but that also ends up limiting the emotional attachment one might have to its characters. As it is, the film is more focused in saying what it needs to say than in drawing us into it.
Grade:
X
Favorite Movies
X
User Lists
Remember it as charmless 8 years later (from 1970) when mums took us too a cheap matinee to keep us out of trouble. To be honest, I can pick Disney faves off one hand.
Nothing in The Aristocats rose above "fine" (aside from some nostalgia fireworks in my brain from recognizing voice actors).
X
Favorite Movies
X
User Lists
THINGS TO COME (1936)
Set in an alternate timeline where World War II becomes a decades-long war that ravages the population and the world as a whole, this weirdly interesting sci-fi film follows the attempts of humanity to retake control of their future. The events of the film span a whole century, but a lot of the focus falls on John Cabal (Raymond Massey), a pilot that's trying to steer the events in favor of humanity. One can see why this film was groundbreaking and a must-watch. There's an evident grandeur to its scope and special effects, but that also ends up limiting the emotional attachment one might have to its characters. As it is, the film is more focused in saying what it needs to say than in drawing us into it.
Grade:
Set in an alternate timeline where World War II becomes a decades-long war that ravages the population and the world as a whole, this weirdly interesting sci-fi film follows the attempts of humanity to retake control of their future. The events of the film span a whole century, but a lot of the focus falls on John Cabal (Raymond Massey), a pilot that's trying to steer the events in favor of humanity. One can see why this film was groundbreaking and a must-watch. There's an evident grandeur to its scope and special effects, but that also ends up limiting the emotional attachment one might have to its characters. As it is, the film is more focused in saying what it needs to say than in drawing us into it.
Grade:
X
Favorite Movies
X
User Lists
Catching up with a couple of write-ups...
ANGST (1983)
This Austrian film follows a psychopath (Erwin Leder) just released from prison as he goes on to commit another series of murders. The film is odd in that it's told and narrated from the p.o.v. of the killer, as he narrates the mental process he's going through as he gets out, while still feeling the urge to kill. As it is, it's a disturbing look into the mind of a murderer, and there are a couple of visuals that might make you wince and fidget in your seat. But the lack of personality in the victims, and their awkwardly emotionless performances take a bit from the overall effect. Leder is great, though, and the direction of Gerard Kargl is impressive.
Grade:
ANGST (1983)
This Austrian film follows a psychopath (Erwin Leder) just released from prison as he goes on to commit another series of murders. The film is odd in that it's told and narrated from the p.o.v. of the killer, as he narrates the mental process he's going through as he gets out, while still feeling the urge to kill. As it is, it's a disturbing look into the mind of a murderer, and there are a couple of visuals that might make you wince and fidget in your seat. But the lack of personality in the victims, and their awkwardly emotionless performances take a bit from the overall effect. Leder is great, though, and the direction of Gerard Kargl is impressive.
Grade:
THE FIGURINE (2009)
A Nigerian supernatural thriller, it follows a duo of friends that find the figurine of a goddess, Araromire, which apparently grants them 7 years of prosperity and wealth. However, the tail-end of the curse is plagued with death and tragedy. Surprisingly competent and well executed film. The performances of the two friends (Ramsey Nouah and Kunle Afolayan, also the director) are pretty solid. The story also has a nice pace, despite taking its time to build up things, and still packing up a few surprises in the end. It's still a bit rough around the edges, but I enjoyed it quite a bit.
Grade:
A Nigerian supernatural thriller, it follows a duo of friends that find the figurine of a goddess, Araromire, which apparently grants them 7 years of prosperity and wealth. However, the tail-end of the curse is plagued with death and tragedy. Surprisingly competent and well executed film. The performances of the two friends (Ramsey Nouah and Kunle Afolayan, also the director) are pretty solid. The story also has a nice pace, despite taking its time to build up things, and still packing up a few surprises in the end. It's still a bit rough around the edges, but I enjoyed it quite a bit.
Grade:
X
Favorite Movies
X
User Lists
I thought the final act was particularly weak, but I really enjoyed the middle section.
X
Favorite Movies
X
User Lists
A BABYSITTER'S GUIDE TO MONSTER HUNTING (2020)
Hot off the press, just saw this one with the kids. It's a Netflix original film about a babysitter (Tamara Smart) that finds herself fighting against otherworldly creatures led by Grand Guignol (Tom Felton) that want to steal the nightmares from the kid she's taking care of. She's aided in the journey by a seasoned babysitter (Oona Laurence) that shows her the ropes. Overall, it was fun and well made. The kids liked it, and I wasn't bored by it, even though it felt too Disney-Channel-esque.
Grade: , maybe?
Hot off the press, just saw this one with the kids. It's a Netflix original film about a babysitter (Tamara Smart) that finds herself fighting against otherworldly creatures led by Grand Guignol (Tom Felton) that want to steal the nightmares from the kid she's taking care of. She's aided in the journey by a seasoned babysitter (Oona Laurence) that shows her the ropes. Overall, it was fun and well made. The kids liked it, and I wasn't bored by it, even though it felt too Disney-Channel-esque.
Grade: , maybe?
X
Favorite Movies
X
User Lists
Angst threw me (the intention?) but I did like the method of looking through the protagonists eyes. Also, the utter work-a-day ennui of the acts. I think the filmic effect was more than the sum of the story which is credit to the director.
X
Favorite Movies
X
User Lists
I've had this on my watchlist for ages and have chickened out each time I go to watch it. It's streaming on Criterion, so there's no excuse!
X
Favorite Movies
I can understand that. I didn’t find it graphic at all, as far as such films tend to go. But it’s honestly fantastic. Well worth taking the leap. Even the subtitles are good and don’t interfere with the experience.
X
Favorite Movies
X