Rate The Last Movie You Saw

Small Engine Repair, 2021

Frank (John Pollono) is the primary parent to his teenage daughter Crystal (Ciara Bravo). His two best friends, Packie (Shea Wigham) and Terrance (Jon Bernthal) also have a significant role in raising Crystal, while Crystal’s mother Karen (Jordana Spiro) is a more off-again-on-again presence. One night at Frank’s car repair shop, Frank arranges a drug deal with local frat boy Chad (Spencer House) and things soon go off the rails when it’s revealed that Chad has something to do with recent upheaval in Crystal’s life.

A bit too predictable and unable to find a satisfying last act, good performances just keep this one afloat.



Full review

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Primary Colors - (1998)

Politics is a horrible business, but in every country it's ghastly in it's own unique way. This near-flawless Mike Nichols film uses the U.S. President of the day (Bill Clinton) to create a fictional narrative about Governor of Arkansas Jack Stanton (John Travolta) - a smooth talking and charismatic leader with a shot at winning the Democratic Nomination process and eventually becoming President. Along with him is a young and idealistic man, Henry Burton (Adrian Lester), who keeps losing faith in Jack, until he hears him speak again, whereupon his belief is restored. Also in on the campaign is his wife Susan (Emma Thompson), strategist Richard Jemmons (Billy Bob Thornton) and political P.I. Libby Holden (Kathy Bates). The terrible and overridingly problematic issue for them is Jack's inability to not have carnal relations with nearly every woman he meets. Primary Colors paints political campaigns as soul destroying ventures that inevitably lead to the corruption of ideals, a loosening of morals and going against the standards people wanted to uphold in the first place. Travolta has never been as good as he is here, and Kathy Bates leads the rest of a strong cast. Elaine May's screenplay (an adaptation of Joe Klein's novel) is searing and brilliant - she lost her Oscar nomination to Bill Condon, who penned the script for Gods and Monsters. This was also something of a return to form for director Mike Nichols. I find Primary Colors to be one of the most underrated films of the 1990s. The players have changed over the years - but not the style.

9/10


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Henry VIII and His Six Wives - (1972)

In an age where religious piousness really demanded a marriage be for life, the monarch of the day, King Henry VIII (Keith Michell), managed the impressive feat of having six different wives. His bending of the rules led to such famous events as the executions of Sir Thomas More (Michael Goodliffe) and his second wife, Anne Boleyn (Charlotte Rampling). To remember, scholars often use the phrase, "Divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived." Whether it was an inability to conceive an heir, infidelity or misfortune, his wives fell by the wayside as did his most famous chief minister Thomas Cromwell (Donald Pleasence). This film has to race through a fair bit of history, and it often only briefly touches on events you may be expected to already know. Of course, the role itself was ruined by Robert Shaw - he did such a good job in A Man For All Seasons that I pine for him in this. Wolf Hall, with Mark Rylance as Thomas Cromwell and Damian Lewis as good King Henry is also recommended.

6/10


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The Power of One - (1992)

Time hasn't really been kind to The Power of One. Is it possible for a story to be both against racism and also racist? It's a paradox - Peter "PK" Keith (played by Guy Witcher, Simon Fenton and Stephen Dorff at different ages) becomes a literal white saviour in this film, and I think his noble intentions would have been better served if he wasn't held up as a kind of "chosen one" for the tribes in South Africa suffering under apartheid. Still - any example of the brutality of that system is needed for us to remember. Their real saviour was Nelson Mandela - every white person who helped destroy apartheid did the right thing, and should be applauded, but no white person could embody the symbol of breaking those bonds or the pain and pride. That's just my opinion though - I just thought it made this story about the tragedy of apartheid one where a white guy is the hero. Ignoring that aspect of the film/story for a moment - this is a well filmed coming of age story with a few hidden gems (the performances of Morgan Freeman, John Gielgud and Armin Mueller-Stahl) scattered throughout.

5/10

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Grease (1978)

I've seen this more times than I can count and remember the music through my life but its been a long time since I've seen it. This was a big hit with my parents and their generation and I always thought it was very cheesy but also upbeat. Still not my thing now as it wasn't back then but I can't forget its tunes and can hear them every so often on the classic radio to this day. If anything it makes me nostalgic about my family and the good old days. I liked the Elvis musical a little more because that was more my wavelength than this. Not a big Broadway kinda guy, I guess. If you watch musicals you can't leave this out.

7/10

Labyrinth (1986)

The sound is too bassy and completely lip-synched in a studio with pure sound effect dubs, but that is forgivable with how great the visuals are. Not as enchanting as when I was young but still worth a 10. The last time I saw this was the early 90s and before that we had it on Betamax. I still remember watching it those first few times in the 80s. If they remastered the sound then it would be much better. Good to reminisce to something I might have never watched again.

10/10

The Young Girls of Rochefort (1967)

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[ J ] - [ S ] - [ F ]

Exposure, 2001

Gary (Ron Silver) is a photographer who specializes in erotic photography for magazines. One evening he discovers a woman, Elaine (Susan Pari), hiding in his boathouse. Gary gives Elaine a pep talk, some clothing, and then convinces her to take part in a sexy photoshoot. When Elaine’s photos prove popular with Gary’s boss, he lands her a magazine cover, something that enrages Elaine’s boss and boyfriend, Brad (Timothy Balme). But when Elaine is the victim of a horrible attack, Gary must figure out who has it out for them and where they might strike next.

This is not a good movie, but at least it gets some unintentional laughs out of its ludicrous finale.



Full review

For some reason I thought @Takoma11 would like this movie.

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I’m here only on Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays. That’s why I’m here now.

It didn’t say at the start of the movie (I may have missed it) that it’s a true story & I only remembered this halfway through. I wish I’d known this from the get go.

Sally Hawkins made this movie for me.

I put it on my watchlist after your review. Thanks for putting it on my radar!

BST FRNDS (2022) Directed by Emily Renee Gold, this short film stars real life sisters and models, Lyla and Peyton Wesson. It's about a young girl who faces her fears with the help of a mysterious new friend. I thought both girls did a wonderful job. The story was interesting and well written and I was entertained from start to finish. The film is available on the girls Youtube channel.

Barbie (2023)

Joy Ride (2023)

Oppenheimer (2023)

The Quick and the Dead (1995)

Roost/ What Comes Around (2022- 2023)

Ballad of Cable Hogue - 6/10
Re-watch. It was just on TCM and I had to see something and thought I'd give it a chance. It's still boring.

"No, it's poetic"

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

I LOVED The Ballad of Cable Hogue! And I hate westerns. On my list of favorite Jason Robards performances, it clocked in at #1.

Schindler’s List, 1993

Oskar Schindler (Liam Neeson) is a German Nazi Party member and an industrialist who arrives in Poland during the Nazi occupation hoping to turn a nice profit. He establishes an enamelware factory, using local Jewish labor for workers. Unbeknownst to Schindler, his accountant Itzhak Stern (Ben Kingsley) is using the factory’s work passes to help keep various Jewish families classified as essential workers so that they will not be taken away. As the violence against the Jewish people escalates--in part under the supervision of sadistic lieutenant Amon Goeth (Ralph Fiennes)--Schindler comes to realize he has a moral duty to help.

Masterfully balancing small-scale and large-scale storytelling, this is a compelling and heart-wrenching watch.



Full review

I'm going to guess you've seen Peckinpah/Robards in "Wine Noon" (which was Peckinpah's favorite movie at one point of time) and might be mine. It's an hour long, but it's excellent. And it's on YouTube!


Robards is great, and his character is very believable. Per Oscarsson is always great, too.

I haven't even heard of Wine Noon let alone seen it.

Bound, 1996

Corky (Gina Gershon) has just gotten out of prison and is hired as a painter and all-around handyman at an apartment building. Her next door neighbors are Violet (Jennifer Tilly) and her mobster boyfriend Caesar (Joe Pantoliano). In short order, Violet sets out to seduce Corky and involve her in a plan to make a new life for herself and take the opportunity to make off with $2 million that will be in Caesar’s possession for the weekend. But can Corky trust Violent not to set her up as the fall guy for the heist?

Putting a fresh twist on some classic noir tropes, this twisty-turny crime thriller really picks up momentum as it goes.



Full review

I was slightly too old for this when it came out, but I loved it regardless. Bowie is magnetic and lights up the screen, while Connelly was gorgeous - and I can never forget Jim Henson's muppets - they're amazing. The music is superb and Terry Jones wrote a fabulous screenplay. This fires on all cylinders.

Holocaust 2000 follows Robert Caine (Kirk Douglas), an industrialist that's in the middle of designing a revolutionary thermonuclear plant in the Middle East. However, this decision seems to unleash a series of mysterious and deadly occurrences that might end up paving the way for the arrival of the Antichrist himself.

The film does have some pieces in the right place. The film walks a fine line between thriller and horror, and there are some neat deaths. There is an effective eerie ambience that probably peaks halfway through the film with a haunting dream that Caine has. Douglas is a competent lead; although being in his 60s, his romance with 20-something Agostina Belli (which includes quite a bit of nudity) feels a bit cringey.

Grade:


Full review on my Movie Loot

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