Author Topic: What's the Last Movie You Watched?  (Read 948480 times)

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Re: What's the Last Movie You Watched?
« Reply #2745 on: September 12, 2018, 04:40:12 AM »

Offline kraidstar

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Watched the Hannibal Lecter trilogy this weekend:  Silence of the Lambs/Hannibal/Red Dragon.

Looking for something to watch on Saturday night, couldn't find anything on Netflix so I dug through a box of DVDs as the wife cleaned out a lot of video stores as they were going out of business 8-10 years ago and we have a bunch of DVDs we've never watched, picked out Red Dragon (which evidently was available on Netflix anyway, oh well).

So Red Dragon is a prequel to Silence of the Lambs, but the last movie in the trilogy to come out (2002, 68% Rotten Tomatoes).  I thought it was really good.  Typical police thriller, but I really enjoyed it.  Enjoyed seeing Hannibal Lecter before he was captured and how he got brought down and then how he was manipulating things from prison.  Made him really seem like a genius who was pure evil.

Both the wife and I enjoyed it so much that we immediately wanted to try Silence of the Lambs (1991) afterwards.  First movie produced in the trilogy, but second in the timeline.  I thought it was just okay, didn't at all live up to expectations (95% Rotten Tomatoes, swept the Big 5 at the '92 Academy Awards, and tons of critical acclaim).  I remember being a pre-teen when this came out and thinking both the name and poster were so creepy and that it must be one of the creepiest/scariest movies ever.  I personally thought Hannibal Lecter was scarier/creepier in Red Dragon, where you saw him living a normal life at first, and trying to screw with Edward Norton's character from prison.  I was expecting Lecter to play some serious mind games with Jodie Foster, really get in her head, but it just didn't happen.  Maybe I've been desensitized from where movies have gone in the 27 years since this came out, but Lecter came off as more of a anti-hero than a villain (sure he killed a couple of cops, but he helped the cops with Buffalo Bill, didn't go after Jodie Foster, went after the jerk prison doctor at the end).  I thought Red Dragon was the better movie, Lecter was scarier in Red Dragon, Red Dragon was the better story, and Edward Norton's character was better than Jodie Foster's, though Buffalo Bill was a better serial killer than the Tooth Fairy, so Silence of the Lambs did have that going for it.

Then Sunday I watched Hannibal (2002, 39% Rotten Tomatoes).  Wasn't expecting much as it got poor reviews.  And ya, it sucked.  It seemed like Hannibal Lecter went from being an evil genius to a bumbling idiot (like when he went back to the US and got captured by goons).  Again more anti-hero than villain here (but I believe this time that was the actual intent).  Plot was stupid.  Though the ending airplane scene was kind of cool and brought the creepy evil back to Lecter.

I also strongly recommend watching "Manhunter," which was the original 1986 adaption of the "Red Dragon" book. It is strange, dark, and beautiful. The 80's synth soundtrack is beyond bizarre. The producers changed the name apparently due to a variety of reasons, and the generic name really hurt the movie's performance at the box office.

It has some great performances, though, especially Tom Noonan as the Tooth Fairy.

CSI's William Peterson plays the lead role, and the film was a major inspiration for "CSI" and many other crime-based shows. It's definitely worth a look.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manhunter_(film)

BTW the "Hannibal" novel has a far, far stranger ending that forays much further into making Lecter an antihero. Not sure how I feel about that aspect, but it is interesting to say the least. Overall though the book is much better than the film, though i wouldn't call it great.

Re: What's the Last Movie You Watched?
« Reply #2746 on: September 12, 2018, 10:04:56 AM »

Offline greece66

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Just for fun I saw Requiem for a Dream for the 50th time. Great movie. Everything about it is just amazing. The soundtrack, visual, acting, story... My son is 4 now but when he is old enough, that is definitely a movie we'll watch as an anti-drug movie (although the last scene might get awkward).

I saw Baby Driver and I must admit, I keep going back to the driving action scenes since. Not the greatest movie but I thought the director did a great job syncing the action with the music. Really well done and fun movie to watch.

I ve been meaning to watch this one for some time, but somehow I always end up watching something else. What is it about it that makes it so appealing do you think?

Re: What's the Last Movie You Watched?
« Reply #2747 on: September 12, 2018, 11:53:35 AM »

Offline Amonkey

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Just for fun I saw Requiem for a Dream for the 50th time. Great movie. Everything about it is just amazing. The soundtrack, visual, acting, story... My son is 4 now but when he is old enough, that is definitely a movie we'll watch as an anti-drug movie (although the last scene might get awkward).

I saw Baby Driver and I must admit, I keep going back to the driving action scenes since. Not the greatest movie but I thought the director did a great job syncing the action with the music. Really well done and fun movie to watch.


I ve been meaning to watch this one for some time, but somehow I always end up watching something else. What is it about it that makes it so appealing do you think?

The way the movie is done is just really good. Without giving too much away, I think the director did a great job placing different scenarios of an addict and the mindset that things will be alright even though things are gradually degrading. By the time the movie is over, it makes you think. It is definitely the kind of movie that you want to take your time to sit and watch.

Funny story though. When I first saw the movie (back in the day when you can Netflix would send DVDs to your home) I had no idea about it. I saw it by myself and was amazed. I recommended to my friend but I guess I didn't stress enough about the graphic nature of the movie. He rented as a family movie night with his little brother and parents. They were pretty horrified and my friend wanted to kill me afterwards.
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Re: What's the Last Movie You Watched?
« Reply #2748 on: September 12, 2018, 03:40:17 PM »

Offline greece66

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Just for fun I saw Requiem for a Dream for the 50th time. Great movie. Everything about it is just amazing. The soundtrack, visual, acting, story... My son is 4 now but when he is old enough, that is definitely a movie we'll watch as an anti-drug movie (although the last scene might get awkward).

I saw Baby Driver and I must admit, I keep going back to the driving action scenes since. Not the greatest movie but I thought the director did a great job syncing the action with the music. Really well done and fun movie to watch.


I ve been meaning to watch this one for some time, but somehow I always end up watching something else. What is it about it that makes it so appealing do you think?

The way the movie is done is just really good. Without giving too much away, I think the director did a great job placing different scenarios of an addict and the mindset that things will be alright even though things are gradually degrading. By the time the movie is over, it makes you think. It is definitely the kind of movie that you want to take your time to sit and watch.

Funny story though. When I first saw the movie (back in the day when you can Netflix would send DVDs to your home) I had no idea about it. I saw it by myself and was amazed. I recommended to my friend but I guess I didn't stress enough about the graphic nature of the movie. He rented as a family movie night with his little brother and parents. They were pretty horrified and my friend wanted to kill me afterwards.

(chuckle)

On a similar note, I once brought a friend, a self-proclaimed cinephile,  to a screening of Andrei Rublev. After about an hour I (and not only) could hear his snore.

Luckily he did not blame it on me, on the contrary, it gave me a fine opportunity to make fun of him as an unashamed philistine to which he replied that he came to the movies already exhausted from hard intellectual work.

Re: What's the Last Movie You Watched?
« Reply #2749 on: September 12, 2018, 04:25:38 PM »

Offline fairweatherfan

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Funny story though. When I first saw the movie (back in the day when you can Netflix would send DVDs to your home) I had no idea about it. I saw it by myself and was amazed. I recommended to my friend but I guess I didn't stress enough about the graphic nature of the movie. He rented as a family movie night with his little brother and parents. They were pretty horrified and my friend wanted to kill me afterwards.

Relatedly, I showed my wife Mother! (also by Aronofsky) and I'm pretty sure she wanted a divorce for a minute there. I was right that she'd really identify with the main character but very very wrong on how she'd react to that.  Good movie, but also very intense.


On my end I saw Under the Skin, which is an interesting sci-fi/horror movie with Scarlett Johanssen as...something...that uses sexuality to lure men to their deaths. I enjoyed it overall, it's at times intense and at times thoughtful exploration of sexuality and gender, with some striking visuals and a strong score. It also leaves a lot of stuff ambiguous which I always like in this kind of film. Kinda hard to shake the feeling that it's just an extended metaphor for what it feels like to be as hot as Scarlett Johanssen but that's a pretty interesting idea too. Warning/advertisement: there's a LOT of nudity. It's on Netflix right now.

Also saw Upgrade, which is a sci-fi/horror movie of a very different sort, much more pulpy and action-driven. It's set in the near future and is about a guy who is paralyzed after thugs engineer a car crash and shoot him, then gets the opportunity to have his mobility restored - and then some - by an advanced computer implanted in his spine. Really enjoyed this, it starts off pretty slow and steadily gets crazier as it progresses. Lots of twists and decent performances for a B-movie. Good weekend popcorn flick.

Re: What's the Last Movie You Watched?
« Reply #2750 on: September 12, 2018, 08:19:23 PM »

Offline greece66

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Exotica (Canada, 1994)

Drama set in a strip club directed by Atom Egoyan. It explores the relation between a father mourning the loss of his daughter and a young stripper. The relation is not carnal, and the exact motives of the father are never fully clarified. The stripper clearly reminds him of his dead daughter and his attraction for her is a mixture of paternal love and sexual desire. If it sounds confusing, it's because it is: Egoyan chose to present a character in all his disturbing contradictions.

More generally, Egoyan is interested in showing the complexity of human characters, and the trauma that might be hidden beneath a deceivingly calm facade. But he is not interested in providing facile resolutions to the tension that his film builds or in offering to the viewer a single  overarching meaning. What you are left with after watching the movie is a sense each human carries his own burden and that understanding rather than passing judgement might be the best attitude.

Incidentally, don't pay any attention to the trailer. It makes the film appear as if it were  an erotic thriller with lots of nudity. As a matter of fact, Mia Kirshner does not even once appear fully naked (colour me disappointed).


Re: What's the Last Movie You Watched?
« Reply #2751 on: September 13, 2018, 01:40:18 PM »

Offline Big333223

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Funny story though. When I first saw the movie (back in the day when you can Netflix would send DVDs to your home) I had no idea about it. I saw it by myself and was amazed. I recommended to my friend but I guess I didn't stress enough about the graphic nature of the movie. He rented as a family movie night with his little brother and parents. They were pretty horrified and my friend wanted to kill me afterwards.

Relatedly, I showed my wife Mother! (also by Aronofsky) and I'm pretty sure she wanted a divorce for a minute there. I was right that she'd really identify with the main character but very very wrong on how she'd react to that.  Good movie, but also very intense.


On my end I saw Under the Skin, which is an interesting sci-fi/horror movie with Scarlett Johanssen as...something...that uses sexuality to lure men to their deaths. I enjoyed it overall, it's at times intense and at times thoughtful exploration of sexuality and gender, with some striking visuals and a strong score. It also leaves a lot of stuff ambiguous which I always like in this kind of film. Kinda hard to shake the feeling that it's just an extended metaphor for what it feels like to be as hot as Scarlett Johanssen but that's a pretty interesting idea too. Warning/advertisement: there's a LOT of nudity. It's on Netflix right now.

Also saw Upgrade, which is a sci-fi/horror movie of a very different sort, much more pulpy and action-driven. It's set in the near future and is about a guy who is paralyzed after thugs engineer a car crash and shoot him, then gets the opportunity to have his mobility restored - and then some - by an advanced computer implanted in his spine. Really enjoyed this, it starts off pretty slow and steadily gets crazier as it progresses. Lots of twists and decent performances for a B-movie. Good weekend popcorn flick.

Mother! and Under The Skin, what an interesting combo. Two very artful, very different movies both with sci/fi-fantasy elements, about two very different aspects of womanhood starring beautiful blonde actresses.

I'd kind of like to see that double bill but don't know if I could make it through.
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Re: What's the Last Movie You Watched?
« Reply #2752 on: September 15, 2018, 03:51:07 AM »

Offline greece66

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Ernst Thälmann - Son of his Class (DDR, 1954)

Propaganda film on the life of Thälmann, leader of the German Communist Party during the Weimar Republic.  This is the first part, and focuses on the Spartacist Uprising of 1919 and the Hamburg Uprising of 1923.

It is well made, with a careful reconstruction of era, accurate costumes and good cinematography - watching it I thought Babylon Berlin might have taken a few ideas from it. It lacks however dramatic climax and comes off as a bit academic and flat. In this respect, it reminded me of Heroes of Shipka (USSR,1955).



Beggars of Life (USA, 1928)

A sympathetic look on the life of hoboes starring Louise Brooks. Makes you realize how much damage the Motion Picture Production Code did to Hollywood - such a film would have been impossible to film after 1934 as it case a close look on crime and sexuality and has obvious anarchist undertones. Only in 1967 with Bonnie and Clyde did Hollywood return to similar themes.

The film also has good performances esp. by Brooks and Wallace Berry and good cinematography. In many ways it feels as being ahead of its time. Deserves more attention.







Re: What's the Last Movie You Watched?
« Reply #2753 on: September 16, 2018, 06:49:08 AM »

Offline greece66

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Kiki's Delivery Service (Japan, 1989)

Coming of age anime by Hayao Miyazaki. Following the familiar Miyazaki themes   with one key difference: the fantasy element is downplayed here. True, the protagonist is a witch who flies on broomsticks, but the story could be adapted to fit any young person who struggles with emotional growth and financial needs.

A recurrent theme in Miyazaki, he treats 12-13 yos in the way Western cinema treats ppl in their 16-20 years of age. In some miraculous way he makes it work every time, but it does sound very weird on paper. It's one of the reasons English voice dubbing uses older actors than the characters depicted on film.

Back to topic, I really enjoyed this one. I actually prefer it when Miyazaki stays away from "big" messages about saving the world and sticks to more down to earth stories. This one together with Porco Rosso are my favourites among the movies from him I have watched.



The Post (USA, 2017)

Political drama about how the Washington Post got to publish the McNamara report. Great cast (Meryll Streep, Tom Hanks) and dialogues. What I enjoyed best is the ability of the movie to balance among a variety of themes (media competition, journalistic integrity, the strains of being a female boss in a male dominated environment). To Spielberg's credit, the production paid meticulous attention to the reconstruction of the era.

There were a few moments when I felt the movie was getting too self-righteous and romantic, but that's hardly a surprise with Spielberg. It's also p clear what this movie is an allegory for. Overall, you can't go wrong with watching this one.


Re: What's the Last Movie You Watched?
« Reply #2754 on: September 16, 2018, 09:10:16 AM »

Offline slamtheking

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saw a couple recently:
- Baby Driver -- ok movie.  don't understand the hype it was getting when it was released.
- Greatest Showman - meh.  wasn't anticipating a musical. 

Re: What's the Last Movie You Watched?
« Reply #2755 on: September 16, 2018, 09:24:33 AM »

Offline Big333223

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I saw The Predator.

Shane Black has directed a couple of great movies. This isn't one of them. It's overstuffed and rushed and the least visually interesting movie he's made. A lot of the humor felt retrograde. Maybe it was trying to go for nostalgic? But using tourette's as a joke hasn't been funny for a long time and The Predator tries to wring a lot out of that.

The last third has some good action but the whole movie builds to a "reveal" at the very end which was incredibly disappointing.

Meh.
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Re: What's the Last Movie You Watched?
« Reply #2756 on: September 16, 2018, 09:41:22 AM »

Offline greece66

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I saw The Predator.

Shane Black has directed a couple of great movies. This isn't one of them. It's overstuffed and rushed and the least visually interesting movie he's made. A lot of the humor felt retrograde. Maybe it was trying to go for nostalgic? But using tourette's as a joke hasn't been funny for a long time and The Predator tries to wring a lot out of that.

The last third has some good action but the whole movie builds to a "reveal" at the very end which was incredibly disappointing.

Meh.

How does it compare to the 1987 film?

Re: What's the Last Movie You Watched?
« Reply #2757 on: September 16, 2018, 10:37:33 AM »

Offline Big333223

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I saw The Predator.

Shane Black has directed a couple of great movies. This isn't one of them. It's overstuffed and rushed and the least visually interesting movie he's made. A lot of the humor felt retrograde. Maybe it was trying to go for nostalgic? But using tourette's as a joke hasn't been funny for a long time and The Predator tries to wring a lot out of that.

The last third has some good action but the whole movie builds to a "reveal" at the very end which was incredibly disappointing.

Meh.

How does it compare to the 1987 film?
I love Predator. And the thing I love about it (aside from the glorious camp) is that it uses the action as a release for the tension the film builds by having this mysterious monster. It operates, to some degree, like a horror movie but also gives you everything you want from the action.

And the ending of Predator is fantastic. The ending of The Predator is incredibly disappointing. The Predator has some nice action in the last third but most of it is kind of incomprehensible, which is a shame because Black has directed good action in the past. Predator's action is unassailable.

The Predator clearly has a lot of reverence for the first movie but it isn't operating on the same level.
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Re: What's the Last Movie You Watched?
« Reply #2758 on: September 18, 2018, 06:22:50 PM »

Offline greece66

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Lady Bird (USA, 2017)

Coming of age drama. An obnoxious and self-absorbed high school senior has to deal with major decisions in her life: her first love, choosing a career and a college, a dysfunctional relationship with her mother, as well as her delusion of being artistically gifted. Nothing special for many teenagers you'll say and it's true.

What makes Lady Bird different is her salvaging qualities: she is true to her self, can show empathy to others, and shows an understanding for what is truly important in life.

This film has a lot going for it: great performances by Saoirse Ronan (the protagonist) and Laurie Metcalf (her mother), a script that develops characters in depth, gives a lot of insights in teenage psychology and has smart dialogues, and good direction.

If something rubbed me off the wrong way is the way the writer/director (Greta Gerwig) keeps patting on the back her on screen alter ego .  You get a sense that the film-maker has too big an idea of her own creation, something which was captured in her saying "I sought to offer a female counterpart to tales like The 400 Blows and Boyhood." The 400 Blows reference made me cringe hard.

Far from being a counterpart to a heartbreaking critique of a morally bankrupt educational system, Lady Bird is a lot more like the female version of Superbad (minus the comedy).



Thelma (Norway, 2017) [contains spoilers]

Horror film about a girl with supernatural powers that bring disaster to those around her. There is something about Scandinavia and  witches: trials that ended with burning women on a stake went on until well into the 17th century. This might have something to do with the recurrence of this theme in their cinema: think Dreyer's Day of Wrath and Tarkovsky's The Sacrifice.

Thelma is a good horror movie that reveals its secrets slowly and knows how to build suspense. My main complaint is that this is horror for horror's sake and the story fails to serve as an allegory for something greater.

Two final remarks: Elie Harboe is both beautiful and a fine actress. Second, IMHO some critics misunderstood the film: this is not a lesbian love story, it is clear that the protagonist first forces her classmate to fall in love with her and then kills her. As for the last sequence, where the two of them reunite, my personal interpretation is that this is a fantasy played out in the protagonist's mind.



The Man who Laughs (USA, 1928)

Silent melodrama with horror elements. An adaptation of the eponymous Victor Hugo novle, it tells the story of a disfigured man with a permanent grin and his love for a blind girl in 17th cent. England. They work together in a freak show, earning money from people who laugh at them. But at the same time, their good natured characters and honest love gain the sympathy of many around them.

Beyond that, the story is too complex to follow in detail. Suffice it to say, this is a true masterpiece. The director, the German Paul Leni, brought to Hollywood the powerful visuals of expressionism and created a dark dream. Incidentally, this film provided the inspiration for the creation of the comic book character of Joker.




Re: What's the Last Movie You Watched?
« Reply #2759 on: September 18, 2018, 10:30:02 PM »

Offline slamtheking

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seen recently:
- Proud Mary - meh.  formulaic in the storyline.  you can see how it will play out in the first 15 minutes
- Darkest Hour --  excellent.  well worth the time.  Gary Oldman gave a performance of a career in that movie.