What Is The Last Film You Watched? (Older Films)

[crocodile 7,983]

You know I can find out where you live!

You are on my best friends Christmas card list!

Be careful Joe...You too Lee!

Let me tell you how it ends then...

I know you want to resist.

But you'll read the following anyway.

There are white letter on the black background, moving before your eyes a moment that would appear to be eternal. From bottom to top of the screen - unrelentingly and constantly. You can see a pattern of words. possibly names having something to do with this terrible ordeal. Then it stops. And then... nothingness.

Karol

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Veel geluk

[crocodile 7,983]

Is het onvermijdelijk.

Karol

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Bereid je voor!

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

X-Men 3: The Final Stand

The most frustrating of the X-Men films so far.

The two main stores (The Dark Phoenix and The Cure) aren't integrated well at all. There are a who bunch of new mutants, but only Beast, an impressively blue Kesley Grammar is memorable.

Magneto now get a whole band of mutants, but none of them are as interesting as Mystique

The Jean Grey/Dark Phoenix plot gets a lot of exposition in the first part of the film, but after she, in a rather impressive scene destroys Xavier, the character is reduced to standing alongside Magneto until the very very end of the film. (It's obvious the writers had no idea what to do with this character.)

The cure plot actually has some interesting scenes, but it ends in a climactic battle done according to Ebert's Idiot Plot Syndrome.

Both Magneto and Jean Grey are more powerful then any mutant or human in that battle field. We just saw Ian McKellen dump The Golden Gate Bridge onto Alcatraz. He virtually does nothing in the battle. Jean Grey does even less, until she unleashed....because the plot suddenly shifts gear to her story again (you can actually hear a clunk).

The Cure story live also never gets resolved. There's a destructive war. Which the humans seem to win...and everything is dandy? Is that because all who opposed to the cure are destroyed? The film raises questions about identity and personal choice and never comes close to actually addressing them.

However the action scenes before the big war are impressively mounted, the acting is decent (apart from Vinnie Jones). The special effects are a huge step up from the first two, which look strangely crude now. and John Powell's score really lifts some of this material.

There was a good movie buried here. But none of the material is wrapped up in any satisfying way.

[Faleel 5,333]

Back to the Future Part III had a similar retcon/goof that nobody remembers.

Which is?

[Delorean90 42]

I wonder if he means II and III together, with the chicken problem that wasn't even a thing in the first film. Zemeckis and Gale addressed this, saying that if they had known ahead of time they'd get a trilogy they would've set it up better.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

The Wolverine.

Don't read if you wanna see it without being spoiled.

Alex! If I were you I would spend the money you saved on not seeing MoS in the cinemas on a ticket for this one. It's a far more thoughtful and intellectually interesting comic Book film.

Or quite simply, the first actually mature Marvel

Superhero film.

The word superhero is crossed out because it doesn't really feel like a superhero film, or an X-Men film.

Wolverine is this franchise's most loved character. The love savage with, despite himself, a sense of honour, and a heart of gold.

The problem is that the character is virtually immortal, and indestructible. Which is handy in a fight, but quite boring for the movies.

Hugh Jackman always seems to have had a devotion to this character though, appearing in every X-Men film to date, and even starring in his own Origins film. Which I saw just a few months ago and honestly barely recall. (Jackman gave his all, the rest was completely average).

For The Wolverine, his resolve is rewarded with a film that finally gives the character the depth and texture that he was due,

The film is a direct sequel to X-Men 3, in that it deals with the aftermath of Logan killing the woman he loved, Jean Grey. He is hurt, bittered and isolated. And haunted by dreams of Jean, begging him to join her into death.

Cameo's are normal in X-Men films. Patrick Stewart did one for Origins, Rebecca Romein and Jackman himself did cameo work on First Class. Those were just throwaway winks for the fans. Famke Jansen's return is given substance, and a good reason.

Jansen does a brilliant job in just a few very short scenes of being both irresistible and nurturing, like a warm memory, and needy, and elusive, and ultimately painful. She doesn't play Jean Grey as much as she play's Logan's guilt.

The other needy and elusive women in the story is Mariko.

Played by Tao Okamoto, she first appears aloof, a bit of a drama queen and actually annoying. Slowly she opens up though. But it is to the credit of the script that he remains something of an enigma throughout.

Mariko and Logal fall in love of course. But it's not true love. It's love fueled by mutual need and loneliness. For Mariko, Logan is the near mythical protector her grandfather always told her about to make her feel better. For Logan Mariko is a chance at redemption, to finally save someone after failing to save Jean.

Again to the credit of the script, the acting and the direction, none of this is spoken out, yet it's perfectly apparent.

The Wolverine is directed by James Mangold, who made his name with character studies like Copland, Walk The Line and 3:10 to Yuma. He seems an unlikely choice for a Marvel franchise film, and that's what makes him just right for it. There is very little in this film that suggest franchise, superhero, or even X-Men.

X-Men 3 and X-Men: First Class suffered from cramped storylines filled with too many characters. Many of them mutants who were solely defined by their powers or abilities, but were not drawn as characters at all.

Apart from Logan, this film has 2 mutants. Both of them bring more to the table then just their gifts.

Svetlana Khodchenkova plays Viper. Who can emit poison from her mouth like a snake, but plays the role as a very alluring, but very dangerous femme fatale. Khodchenkova is both sensual and incredibly creepy, especially after shedding her skin.

The second mutant, Yukia is played by Rila Fukushima. An actress with one of those off-kilter, slightly alien faces. Her power is that she can see when a person is about to die. This is an ability that is used more to create the characters sadness rather then a plot point. In one instance she is actually wrong.

Fukushima is actually a delight in this film. Not just a comedy sidekick, she brings some life into scenes which would otherwise be overwhelmed by Logan sulking, and she looks very convincing in a fight. I certainly hope they bring her back for a follow up movie.

There are several more key characters good or bad in this film. And they are drawn as people with their own reasons and motivations rather then pawns for Wolverine to slice and dice.

Much of the movie plays in Japan. While in recent years many films have featured scenes in Asian countries, often to appeal to that ever growing market, The Wolverine is set their because the story would not make sense anywhere else. Instead of just an exotic backdrop for an action movie, it actually feels that the characters inhabit this place, that their personality, and circumstances and part of the culture they are from. Wolverine feels both like an outsider, which he always was, but also like their is something here that speaks to him.

This film has less action scenes then one might expect, but they are good ones. An elaborate chase from a cemetery leading to the fight on top op the bullet train is very well set up.

This chase also begins to show one of the films main strengths....Logan's vulnerability. Part of his recovering strength is gone, he can be wounded, stopped, he almost passes out a few times, takes some beatings, and has to actually defend himself. This makes for far more interesting fight scenes then the usual ones where Logan fights endlessly with some other near immortal mutant for minutes on end.

The fight scenes also have a degree of intelligence about them.

When Logan wants to save Mariko from her grandfather's fortress near the end of the film, the Black Clan tries to prevent this by taking him on in direct combat. Once their leader learns his healing power is restored, they actually change tactics and instead of continuing to fight him and just get cut up one by one, they retreat to the rooftops and fire arrows with ropes in an attempt to subdue him.

That's actually bloody brilliant!

The film looked good, but sadly I could not see it in 2D.

Beltramis' subdued score served the film well. His work also stayed away from any of the usual trademark superhero cliché's.

This is a deeply satisfying film. I've seen all the previous ones, which range from excellent to instantly forgettable, and this one is quite unlike any of them.

Again, the first Marvel movie for grown ups!

***1/2 out of ****

[filmmusic 1,823]

Mad Max (1979)

I hadn't seen it ever, nor i have seen 2 and 3 (just some scenes from 3 in my teens but I don't remember anything)..

hmmm.. weird movie. I don't know what do you think.

Sometimes it felt like parody. And the music, well, while it's quite good on its own as a musical composition, I found it quite distracting in the film.

In fact, I don't remember having watched a film with so distracting score.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

The sequel is better. Actually that's the really classic one

[crocodile 7,983]

The Wolverine.

Again, the first Marvel movie for grown ups!

***1/2 out of ****

I cannot remember who said it, but there was a comment on how the film doesn't show you the cliche Tokyo of night and neon. This Japan feels like a real place, for a change. I like that.

And while I'd say the script is this films' weakest asset, the direction and central performances and an interesting choice of tone (as you say) make it a winner. I'm actually amazed how much I enjoyed it - last thing expected after very weak promotional campaign. Watched it only because I had nothing else to do that day.

I've seen it in 2D and can't see how 3D would add anything. In fact, it seems like it could distract from a more unique almost chamber-like feel of this film.

Overall, it is probably the only film in this series that does this character justice - at least in terms of what he's actually like in comic books. And Hugh Jackman looks now more like it, given he's 14 years older than he was when he first played it. He looked a tad too young back then. I always pictured Wolverine as an older guy.

Karol

[Marian Schedenig 8,172]

The sequel is better. Actually that's the really classic one

I've seen all three long ago, and I barely remember any of them. But I think this may be the one instance in the history of movie series where the second part is actually generally considered the classic?

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

The Godfather part 2. Lethal Weapon 2. The Dark Knight?

[filmmusic 1,823]

The sequel is better. Actually that's the really classic one

actually I watched 1 and I'll watch 2, only because I want to watch 3!

I remember I liked the atmosphere in that (it reminded me of Waterworld), while I knew from the start (from trailers), that I'm not so fond of the atmosphere in the first 2.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

3 is the one that derived the fans of these movies the most.

I actually like the Captain Walker subplot

[Marian Schedenig 8,172]

The Godfather part 2. Lethal Weapon 2. The Dark Knight?

Hm, you may have a point. But it seems to me that The Road Warrior stands out as being considered a film that wouldn't have had a lasting impact without its sequel.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Without Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome?

Mad Max would have been mostly forgotten if The Road Warrior was never made.

[Marian Schedenig 8,172]

That's what I meant. Somehow I thought The Road Warrior was the first film. Few people would remember the first film if the second one was never made. Which probably wouldn't be true for The Godfather or Batman Begins. I know too little about the Lethal Weapon series.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

I have no idea if the first one was a hit actually

[JoeinAR 1,949]

the first has Mel's characters voice dubbed by another actor

[ZackR 95]

Wonderful. I felt that way when I saw Moon and Primer. Watching Europa Report tonight. Your comments made me even more excited.

What's this, a proper grown ups sci-fi film right out of nowhere which maintains it's integrity to the end and without a single ruining 'bullshit' moment? Can it be???

I just finished watching Europa Report and it was damn good. Realistic, well played (nice to see Embeth Davidtz again after 20 years), superbly economical (they made a tiny budget go a very long way) a pitch-perfect electro-orchestral soundtrack from Bear BcCreary, tightly paced at 90 slick minutes, tense and eventually pretty frightening; I feel like I've just stumbled upon a total gem and must tell people about it. 4/5

LOVE it when that happens.

[filmmusic 1,823]

the first has Mel's characters voice dubbed by another actor

well, that's how it was released in USA originally.

I watched it with the original Australian track.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Pucka!

[nightscape94 965]

Drive. Not at all what I expected, and I was terrifically surprised. Stellar flick with great acting and enough of a noir-ish plot to propel the story forward. The movie does more with silence and gestures than any other in recent memory. Gosling is great here. I'm not completely sold on the last 60 seconds being the best possible ending the writer and director could have fashioned, but it doesn't detract. The violence is abrupt and occurs in short bursts. There are a lot of great individual scenes.

[A24 4,326]

Mad Max (1979)

I hadn't seen it ever, nor i have seen 2 and 3 (just some scenes from 3 in my teens but I don't remember anything)..

hmmm.. weird movie. I don't know what do you think.

Sometimes it felt like parody. And the music, well, while it's quite good on its own as a musical composition, I found it quite distracting in the film.

In fact, I don't remember having watched a film with so distracting score.

Everybody talked about it back then, but when I finally saw it, I wondered what the big deal was. I remember liking The Road Warrior more ... but it has been ages since I've seen them.

Also, I had a problem with Mad Max's outfit in the first film, not so in the sequel.

The Spirit: An enjoyable romp but nothing more. It's a very comic book-ish movie but don't expect Sin City. 6/10

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Mad Max is awesome. The Road Warrior is better.

[Matt C 452]

Halloween

Just an amazingly taut and gorgeously photographed film. It's held up well, and John Carpenter and Dean Cundey really imbue an eerie and creepy aura that's palpable even today. The simplistic score works very well, even if it's extremely repetitive. It's amazing how good the production values are in a film that merely cost a quarter of a million dollars.

One of the greatest horror films of all time.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

World War Z

Many Zombie films deal with an apocalyptic infection that swept nations in no time at all. Usually these are just rumours and whispers, or news footage the group of survivors see before they have to deal with the zombies that plague them.

WWZ actually shows the spread on it's global scale, in a couple of effective action set pieces.

Marc Foster directed Quantum of Solace with shaky cam action sequences that were not right for a Bond film. His this technique works better to suggest the eruption of sudden chaos.

The way zombies grow from just one or two too thousands is impressively done. The mass outbreak scenes certainly were worth the cinema ticket.

Brad Pitt stars in this film, and he is pretty much in every single scene. He has great screen charisma and manages to take this very elaborate film on his shoulders by playing a character who stays cool, calm and collected at all times. He under acts slightly and that's actually a good tactic in a film where's he's surrounded by thousands of screaming people and Zombies.

Of the rest of the cast only Mireille Enos was the most impressions as Pitts wife. In the first part at least, where she and Pitt try to escape the Zombie army in Philly. After that she is reduced to the wife-in-waiting role.

The first part of the film is full of large scale, epic action scenes of Zombies against an ever decreasing number of humans. The film suddenly narrows when the plot moves to Wales. And starts to rely more on the conventions of the genre, a handful of humans and a bunch of Zombies in dark corners and rooms.

These scenes actually build some very nice suspense. it's also the first time we actually get a decent look at the monsters. After surviving assaults by thousands, the climax involves Pitt, a glass door, and a single Zombie behind it, snapping it's teeth.

The scenes after that feature and ending, of sorts. It won't be completely satisfying to everyone. it seems to be make like that to wrap of the story well enough in case no sequels are being made.

*** out of ****

[JoeinAR 1,949]

the first has Mel's characters voice dubbed by another actor

well, that's how it was released in USA originally.

I watched it with the original Australian track.

some of us saw it prevideo era.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

watched a Korean film called The Tower.

It's a technically well made Korean semi-remake of the Towering Inferno, while also borrowing from Earthquake. The acting, and I'm being nice when I use that word as it was mostly horrific. I tried to listen to it dubbed but the voices were intolerable so I watched it in subtitles. It was engaging in parts. Curiously few people seemed to die although the total number of deaths was very high off screen. The film's approach was rather casual. It was melodramatic as it should be but it allowed the cruel and evil people to survive instead of perish dramatically as they did in the far superior Towering Inferno. The ending does remind one of 911 as the massive cloud plumes develops.

[Uni 306]

And now you've spoiled The Tower for me? What the hell, man!!!

- Uni

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

No he didnt!

[JoeinAR 1,949]

And now you've spoiled The Tower for me? What the hell, man!!!

- Uni

Just doin my job man, doin it well.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

And you spoiled The Towing Inferno too then i guess. Though no one watches that film any more

[JoeinAR 1,949]

Have you seen the Towering Inferno? there are no CGI effects in the film. It's almost all practical effects.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Why is that special? There was no such things as CGI.

The spectacle is good, which makes it the best of the 70's disaster films. But that still doesn't say much.

But don't listen to me. I thought Airport 2 was superior to the first film.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

You mean Airport 1975? It was very entertaining but no it was not as good a film as Airport which is a fantastic A-lister, but unlike Airport 1975, Airport is not a disaster movie.

Now if you mean Airplane 2, it has some terrific humor and it a good followup to the original.

The scores for Airport and Airport 1975 are very good, perhaps even great.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Airport 1975 benefited from actually using a real plane, rather then a model on strings.

With the exception of Maureen Stapleton, who gave a very moving performance, I found Airport very run of the mill.

[Uni 306]

Irwin Allen did some great stuff with scale miniatures. It's pretty hard to make a small model look like a giant burning skyscraper because the behavior of fire changes as it grows larger. A single flame flickering out of a thumbnail-sized "window" simply can't be passed off as realistic, no matter how much you slow down the footage. Allen's inferno never looked like that. Pretty impressive for the time it was made.

- Uni

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

It's a decent film. But in the 80's it was remade as Die Hard, which is much better.

[Quintus 5,399]

For me Towering Inferno is synonymous with Robert Wagner with a wet towel wrapped around his head.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

For me Towering Inferno is synonymous with Robert Wagner with a wet towel wrapped around his head.

THIS!

[JoeinAR 1,949]

It's a decent film. But in the 80's it was remade as Die Hard, which is much better.

No. Both films are tops in their respective genre's.

the Glass tower was 100 feet tall which gives realism an extra boost.

Stefan do you have no love for the first lady of stage and screen Ms. Helen Hayes. Her performance was Oscar worthy.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

I have no memory of this person.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

YOU dare call yourself a fan of cinema!!!

we're talking about DannO's mother for Gods sake, the 2nd most popular character on the Original Hawaii Five-O.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Who? On What?

[JoeinAR 1,949]

As Gomer Pyle used to say, For Shame, for shame.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Gomer who? What the fuck are you talking about?

[Wojo 2,453]

Is that you, John Wayne? Is this me?

[JoeinAR 1,949]

Gomer who? What the fuck are you talking about?

you should admit you're actually Sargent Shultz, you know nothing, NOTHING.