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

[A24 5,155]

Doesn't really matter.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,384]

If IMDB is any indication Ennio is still very productive in his old age.

[publicist 4,650]

It's the wine and the tomatoes.

And given Desplat's output in 2012, he's on a roll already, with RUST & BONE, MOONRISE KINGDOM, CLOCLO (and a dozen more i forgot) being very varied and, dare i say, unconventional. If there's more like this to come this year, perhaps the one or other Hollywood stand-by (looking at you, JNH) should recharge his batteries in good old Europe for a few months.

[King Mark 3,975]

all his scores sound the same

[JoeinAR 1,957]

my problem with Snow White is it's poorly edited.

Perhaps you should've been the editor?

If I had of been the film would have been shorter. Joe enjoying Alex being a bitchy but failing to make his point,

Interview with a Vampire.

My appreciation for this film as grown tremendously.

[Quintus 6,494]

Not seen it for well over ten years. Loved it quite damn passionately or a while in my teens, though. Superb epic.

[Xander Harris 9,673]

One of my favorite movies. Tom Cruise's best role, by far.

[JoeinAR 1,957]

if only Tom's Lestat glittered....

[Quintus 6,494]

If only Goldenthal still wrote more than one score a year...

[Xander Harris 9,673]

I hear that. The Interview score is wonderful. Remember that descending Batman-y theme when Louis watches his last sunrise? Spine-tingling stuff.

[JoeinAR 1,957]

now watching Collateral, first time ever. Not bad but typically weird Michael Mann film.

[Koray Savas 2,260]

all his scores sound the same

So do John Williams'.

[Brónach 1,330]

Desplat's works sound more alike to me than JW's.

[King Mark 3,975]

Jw has common trademarks and orchestrations among most of his scores, but the actual music never sounds the same

Desplat sounds the same period. Meaning after listening to a bunch of his score the cues are interchangeable from one score to another

[KK 3,313]

I'd say thats a valid point actually. Williams knows how to vary and manipulate his trademark sounds well enough to come as something unique. Look at War Horse. It obviously takes after a lot in Williams' career, but the sounds are manipulated so well that the score itself sounds refreshing and new.

I'd say Desplat struggles more with manipulating his sound to create greater diversity in his career.

[Brónach 1,330]

That happens to me Goldsmith and others as well. It sounds a bit like the guy, which is good if you like it, but at the same time the best ones have a specific flair to it, so in the end you're not bored by listening that style you liked over and over again,

[JoeinAR 1,957]

Goldsmith's music is terrific but you can tell the progression from Alien to Star Trek the Motion Picture, and then Poltergeist to Gremlins.

[Koray Savas 2,260]

Jw has common trademarks and orchestrations among most of his scores, but the actual music never sounds the same

Desplat sounds the same period. Meaning after listening to a bunch of his score the cues are interchangeable from one score to another

That's just false. My post was a jab. Anyone with a style sounds the same to those who don't really listen.

Men In Black III

Not good. Worse than the second film, which is saying something. At least that had a strong villain and Rip Torn. The writing here is just so poor and formulaic. Poor use of CGI and green screen. Josh Brolin does a great job impersonating a young Tommy Lee Jones, but that's all I can really give the film in terms of praise. It had a couple chuckles, mainly a throwaway shot of MIB headquarters that shows Lady GaGa as an "alien to watch" or something. Elfman's score brings nothing new to the table. He revamps the theme with heavy use of electric guitar, and recycles old themes during times of "emotion." Sonnenfeld throws himself in there again in the exact same cameo shot as before. It gets worse the more I think about it.

[Matt C 605]

Desplat sounds the same period. Meaning after listening to a bunch of his score the cues are interchangeable from one score to another

If you were referring to just Desplat's comedy and drama scores -- you'd have a point there. When he's doing something out the box -- like Fantastic Mr. Fox or his work for Jacques Audillard films, they all have a distinct flavor to them. Over-generalizing Desplat for his woodwind work or his trademark waltzes is like generalizing Williams' signature horn trills and fanfares.

[King Mark 3,975]

I didn't say there wasn't some exceptions.

[publicist 4,650]

Goldsmith's music is terrific but you can tell the progression from Alien to Star Trek the Motion Picture, and then Poltergeist to Gremlins.

The progression? The strangled cat sounds from GREMLINS, the mighty horn call from FINAL CONFLICT, the quixotic rebel march of UNDER FIRE, the impressionism from SECRET OF NIMH? The man was clearly distinguishable by his meldoic and rhythmic sensibility, but to single JG out (on a Williams board, no less) for a lack of audacity takes the monday cake.

PS: COLLATERAL has not a great script, but the photography is awesome.

[Koray Savas 2,260]

I really enjoy Collateral; quite a good film, maybe great. It's one of my favorite Cruise performances, and Ruffalo is good in his small role. The cinematography is indeed awesome. The digital works here, unlike with Public Enemies.

[BLUMENKOHL 1,110]

Today I watched a lovely Christmas scene out of Iron Man 3. Performed live...over and over and over and over again.

[JoeinAR 1,957]

Poltergeist. It's such a enjoyable film, love to play it loud. The score is so great, it's a wonder it didn't win best Original score, LOL of course it was beaten by an even greater score.

do you think the Freelings have upgraded to an LED LCD screen yet? No way in hell they'd go plasma!

[Brónach 1,330]

Drive

At first I thought I liked it. Then I reflected over several plot points and I'm not sure anymore.

[KK 3,313]

I was expecting great things from that film (after all the great things I've heard about it), it turned to be quite the disappointment.

[KK 3,313]

Some of you might remember my shameful confession that I have never seen the Alien films. Well since I'm watching Prometheus this Friday, I took it upon myself to watch both Scott's and Cameron's film over the weekend.

Allow me to say, I thoroughly enjoyed them. They really surprised me and I see why they are so well-loved in the film-lover community. Picking a favourite amongst the two is a bit of a hard one. I mean James Cameron's Aliens is a gripping and exhilirating action flick, with its latter half being such a heart-racing experience, its hard not to be at the edge of your seat. My only problem with it are some bits here and there in the first half. Some attempts at comedy which I did not find amusing and some of the Marines were flat characters. But I enjoyed the character dimensions explored by Ripley.

In the end though, I'd probably pick Ridley Scott's film as my favourite of the two (by a small margin). Man, that film sticks with you doesn't it, because its still quite vivid in my head. There's such an aura of mystique and wonder around its minimalism that keeps you mesmerized in Alien and its kind of sad to see that entire atmosphere gone in the sequel (although I know Cameron was going for something different). A really enjoyable entertainer and I can see why people consider it to be a classic; I'm glad I finally dragged my lazy butt off to play these DVDs I've owned for quite a while.Now I need to play Blade Runner and hope its just as good.

Really enjoyed both films, have no clue why I didn't bother playing them before. Better late than never eh?

[A24 5,155]

Be sure to follow the continuing adventures of our jolly marines when they go to Pandora and watch how Ripley turns into a Na'vi!

[KK 3,313]

Haha. Pretty much. I couldn't help but think of Avatar (a film I'm not particularly fond of) the whole time during the journey to the planet....

[A24 5,155]

Let's hope Prometheus is better than Avatar.

[BloodBoal 8,711]

It is, but that's not saying much, is it?

[KK 3,313]

Indeed. After having really enjoyed Alien for the first time, I don't really want to be disappointed with Prometheus, which I've been eagerly looking forward to.

Seems like everyone here hates it here...but I keep hearing how this film is a real visual treat apparently

Be sure to follow the continuing adventures of our jolly marines when they go to Pandora and watch how Ripley turns into a Na'vi!

[A24 5,155]

Lt. Ripley talks to a business man.

That was funny!

[Quintus 6,494]

Avatar wipes the floor with Prome.

[A24 5,155]

Hmm, somehow Prometheus is starting to sound promising again.

[Quintus 6,494]

Heh heh, we'll see.

[A24 5,155]

Both might have terrible scripts, Quint, but I like Scott's taste for Sci-Fi aesthetics better than Cameron's.

[BloodBoal 8,711]

[Quintus 6,494]

It may be bloated and smaltzy (like Titanic), but nigh on everything about Avatar is executed with far more succes and CONVICTION than anything in Prometheus. One may not like Cameron's epic, but the sense that his heart was in it is utterly undeniable and objectively - it shows on screen in big broad strokes and a hugely evident self-assurance from the director.

For the sake of discussion, I simply cannot say the same about Ridley Scott and Prometheus. And the photography thing again; I'm sorry but I personally wasn't engaged like I was by his other films in that regard. It's an attractive film, of course it is, but I simply found the imagery to be befeft of poetry.

Lee - who doesn't really understand the comparisons with Avatar; which is a family action adventure and on a vastly different tonal plain.

[BloodBoal 8,711]

[Quintus 6,494]

Fair enough, perhaps you're right I can't remember those moments right now, but I'm not about to begin comparing sequences like for like. That'd be just really silly and pointless.

[BloodBoal 8,711]

[Quintus 6,494]

On your empty world I do not doubt it!

Anyway, the descent onto the planet absolutely pales in comparison to the legendary eerie descent of the crew in Aliens.

Now THAT'S how to light and shoot a miniature set

[A24 5,155]

It may be bloated and smaltzy (like Titanic), but nigh on everything about Avatar is executed with far more succes and CONVICTION than anything in Prometheus.

I doubt it since to me Avatar is synonymous with "Heck, I'm not even going to try anymore, I only care about 3D".

[Quintus 6,494]

But how do you really know? Is this the same as how you "know" all about iPads? Or the same as you "know" how good A Serious Man is? Yes, we've been here before. You're theorising blind again. Sorry Alex, but your speculation is worthless to me. Come back after you have actually seen the movie and we'll talk. Maybe you can even sing its praises till your heart's content, right?

[Brónach 1,330]

I want to like Prometheus but there's something I don't like already.

[BloodBoal 8,711]

[Jay 46,241]

BloodBoal, is there anything you actually LIKE besides Game of Thrones, the original LOTR movies, the BBC Robin Hood series and its score, and Zelda video game music?

[BloodBoal 8,711]

[KK 3,313]

I think BloodBoal might take Game of Thrones off that list soon too