Rate The Last Movie You Saw

Julia (1977)

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[ J ] - [ S ] - [ F ]

“Am I too late for Alexander’s panic attack?”

Plane 7/10 - a fun action flick
Ricky Stanicky 6.5/10
The Last Stop in Yuma County 8/10 - has a tarantino feel to it, very enjoyable movie
Civil War 8/10 - a lot better than i was expecting, jesse plemons stole the show despite the fact he only had about 10 minutes of screen time
Hijack 1971 7.5/10 - an underrated Korean movie based on a real incident

Perfect Days -

As Ferris Bueller put it, "life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." This Japanese drama is excellent for how it shows this philosophy in action. Koji Yakusho earned his acting award at Cannes for how content and peaceful he makes Tokyo toilet cleaner Hirayama out to be His life could be considered repetitive: he tends to his garden at the same time, buys the same kind of canned coffee on the way to work, spends his breaks sitting in the park taking pictures with his trusty 35mm film camera, has the same meal at the same bar after work, etc. but Yakusho totally sold me on the routine's benefits. The movie as a whole, on the other hand, manages to not be as repetitive, and Yakusho is just as adept at selling you on how his philosophy helps him weather life's storms.

While remembering to stop and smell the roses can make life better no matter where you live, the way director Wenders makes Tokyo seem like a supporting character really drives its value home. He does this at the small scale with how he depicts the tiny book shops, used media shops and the cafe Hirayama frequents as well as at the large scale, especially during a moment where Hirayama and his niece stand on a bridge overlooking the city. It made me wish the editor was Hirayama himself so I could take in the moment even more. As his fondness for film cameras, cassette tapes, etc., Hirayama is sort of an analog man in a digital world. Luckily, the movie does this without any generational supremacy. Mostly, it demonstrates that a moment spent scrolling on a phone is a profound moment in the real world missed. Also, Hirayama is not just taking pictures of squirrels when he is in the woods: he is attempting to capture a moment for which his lifestyle is necessary. We are with him 100% of the time, but the movie thankfully allows the few supporting players to shine. Highlights are his teenage niece, his less than devoted co-worker who should follow in his footsteps a bit more and a man close to his age who he reassures that it's never too late in life to do just that.

With this movie, Wenders once again succeeds at telling the stories of a unique individual and a real place at the same time. For these reasons, he joins the ranks of my favorite directors with this movie. Whenever I think about my grandfather, I always remember what I did with him when I visited him: sit together at the park while he solved his word puzzles and dropped the acorns he always gathered for his "squirrel friends." Since this tends be the first memory of him that comes to mind, Hirayama must be onto something.

I haven't seen any of the others. However, I find it hard to imagine how the original could be improved.

Deadpool & Wolverine - (2024)

8/10

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There has been an awekening.... have you felt it?

Les parapluies de Cherbourg (1964) - Jacques Demy: 7/10

I was naughty this morning and re-watched my all-time favorite film for the 145,948 time.

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“You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” — Gandhi​

Umpteenth Rewatch...The movie that officially made Chevy Chase a movie star still brings consistent laughs as it did over 40 years ago. Chase plays Clark Griswold, the goofy family man determined to get his family to Walley World. Beverly D'Angelo works perfectly with Chase as his wife, Ellen and Randy Quaid gets major laughs as Cousin Eddie. The film spawned three sequels, as well as countless imitations, rip-offs and a remake/sequel a few years ago. Anthony Michael Hall and Danna Barron played the Griswald children in this film, but I was always tickled by the fact that Rusty and Audrey were played by different actors in each film.

5th Rewatch...Director Tim Burton may have created his masterpiece with this ghoulishly entertaining supernatural comedy. The film stars Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis as a young couple who are killed in a car accident but are in denial about it as they angrily watch a greedy and eccentric family move into their house. The decide to seek the aid of a "bio-exorcist" named Betelguese (Keaton) to scare the family out of the house despite the presence of the black-hearted daughter, Lydia (Winona Ryder), who is the only one in the family who can actually see Baldwin and Davis. This is not only a terrific story with a fantastic cast, but a dazzling technical achievement featuring Oscar-worthy production design, art direction, visual effects, and, of course, Danny Elfman's music. Loved Jeffrey Jones and Catherine O'Hara as Mr. and Mrs. Deitz and that dinner party salute to Harry Belafonte never gets old. With all the cinematic magic surrounding him, Keaton is the show here in a performance that should have earned him a supporting actor nomination. There's a sequel on its way this Christmas.

Hadn't watched a movie in about 6 weeks but wifey was up for something. I kind of dig Aubrey Plaza so we settled on this. She was very good as was the rest of the cast. Crime film done pretty realistically featuring characters who are average people. It was a very good watch.

Liked this movie a lot.

1st Rewatch...Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis manage to create some chemistry in this rom-com about a couple who try to have a strictly physical relationship. This was marketed as the romantic comedy for those who hate romantic comedies, but the screenplay is overly cute and spends so much time patting itself on the back for being so quirky and clever, that it grates it eventually grates on the nerves and makes the movie seem four hours. Timberlake and Kunis look great together and I also liked Richard Jenkins' as Justin's sickly dad and Woody Harrelson as his gay boss, but the film is kind of tedious.

2nd Rewatch...Still loving this animated musical gem that is becoming one of those movies where I notice something I've noticed before. This is the story of a Koala bear named Buster Moon (voiced by Matthew McConaughey)who owns his own theater and has decided to have a singing competition where the winner will receive $100,000 (it was supposed to be $1000, but Moon's secretary misprinted the flyers and he doesn't have the money). This, of course brings every singing animal within a thousand miles to his theater. There is standout work by Reese Witherspoon, as Rosita, a pig with 25 kids, Taron Egerton as Johnny, an ape who is trying to get out from under his criminal family, but my favorite is Mike (voiced by Seth MacFarlane), a white mouse who thinks he's Frank Sinatra. This is becoming one of those movies I never tire of watching and the sequel; is just as good.

1st Rewatch...The late Chadwick Boseman became an official movie star with this dazzling epic from the director of Creed. Boseman plays T'Challa, the ruler of a scientifically advanced kingdom called Rawanda, who must defend his throne from a stranger (Michael B Jordan) who claims to be the rightful heir to the throne. This movie is rich with technical mastery and some terrific performances from Boseman, Jordan, and from Angela Basett. A sequel was made last year, after Boseman's death and it just wasn't the same without Boseman.

2nd Rewatch...This movie is joining my list of movies like Forrest Gump and Air Force One that just get dumber every time I watch them. Adam Sandler plays Dave Buznik, a pet clothing designer who is falsely arrested for accosting a flight attendant and a cocktail waitress and, in order to avoid spending a year in jail, agrees to join an anger management course run by Dr. Buddy Rydell (Jack Nicholson), whose wacky course of treatment changes when he meets Dave's girl, Linda (Marisa Tomei). This movie starts out silly and just gets stupid. Dr. Rydell's methods are ridiculous for the most part and he makes both Dave and Linda look like morons. The knock down drag out fight Dave has with a childhood bully (John C Reilly) is funny, but this movie provides precious few laughs. Sandler manages to retain his dignity for the most part, but Nicholson has never been less appealing onscreen.

Could anyone have played the role of Beetlejuice like Michael Keaton did? He was amazing. The film itself was a very funny and unique comedy. Not sure about the sequel coming out.

The Hunt
8/10
If you're a fan of Kill Bill, you'll love this one. Betty Gilpin is the head of Uma Thurman transplanted on the body of Angelina Jolie. Very cool.

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Boldly going.