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

[Jurassic Shark 12,030]

Someone should make a version of the film where the score is replaced by tracked music from Rogue Nation.

[Sweeping Strings 2,344]

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels - amusing, sometimes hilarious conmen caper with Michael Caine and Steve Martin on the French Riviera teaming up for a 'sting' on Glenn Headley's 'soap queen'. Light, breezy fun ... you can imagine it starring the likes of Cary Grant if it had been made in the 50s.

American Graffiti - fascinating to see the movies George Lucas directed before making a certain sci-fi movie changed his career (and indeed life) for good. A funny, warm-hearted combo of 'coming of age' experiences and 60s nostalgia full of cool cars, classic rock 'n' roll tunes and winning early-career performances from 'Ronny' Howard, Richard Dreyfuss, Charles Martin Smith and Harrison Ford.

[publicist 4,643]

3 minutes ago, Sweeping Strings said:

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels -  you can imagine it starring the likes of Cary Grant if it had been made in the 50s.

 

Only you'd miss the Rupert segment then, which is the most hilarious thing about it (there was an original version with David Niven and Marlon Brando in 1963, and it sucked).

[Edmilson 7,392]

The Invention of Lying

 

It's fun, at least until the finale, on which the movie turns into a romantic melodrama. But it has some decent jokes.

[Disco Stu 15,495]

I Wanna Hold Your Hand (1978)

 

Robert Zemeckis' directorial debut, the first movie Steven Spielberg uses his post-Jaws Hollywood power to get made.  It's a wild comedy and I loved every minute.  It's incredibly confident and already has that Zemeckis/Gale incredibly satisfying thing where the plot unfolds like carefully constructed clockwork.  Near the beginning when one of the characters jumps out of a moving vehicle just so they can call into a radio show to win tickets to see The Beatles, I knew I was going to love this movie.  For what kind of movie it is, it's essentially perfect!

[Bespin 8,480]

Rudy 

Patton

Air Force One

Total Recall

 

Guess the link...

[Koray Savas 2,251]

The Straight Story

 

Reminded me a lot of Alexander Payne, particularly Nebraska. A solid performance from Richard Farnsworth carries the film; and I particularly liked the traveling montages sprinkled throughout. 

[Romão 2,274]

And a beautiful score

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

1 hour ago, Bespin said:

Rudy 

Patton

Air Force One

Total Recall

 

Guess the link...

 

Bruce Botnick?

[Quintus 5,399]

1 hour ago, Koray Savas said:

The Straight Story

 

Reminded me a lot of Alexander Payne, particularly Nebraska. A solid performance from Richard Farnsworth carries the film; and I particularly liked the traveling montages sprinkled throughout. 

 

Pity he had to be blown away by Kathy Bates. 

[Edmilson 7,392]

Okay, so I finally watched Hook.

 

I like the idea of an older Peter Pan, one that grew up and now has a job, wife and kids. But the movie doesn't explore this interesing premise in satisfying ways, and instead we have a very weird movie, colorful and zany, that I would've found a little boring if I watched it as a kid.

 

Williams' masterful score is the best thing about the movie. Robin Williams and Dustin Hoffman give fine performances as well. But still is one of the oddest movies of Spielberg's career.

[Bespin 8,480]

This movie needs a remake... But using an adapted JW score, like what they did for Psycho.

 

The remake of Psycho is a great great great hommage to Bernard Herrmann.

 

Most of people missed that part.

 

[Jurassic Shark 12,030]

@Thor loves Elfman's adaptation of Herrmann's score, so I guess you two have something in common after all!

[Quintus 5,399]

36 minutes ago, Edmilson said:

Okay, so I finally watched Hook.

 

I like the idea of an older Peter Pan, one that grew up and now has a job, wife and kids. But the movie doesn't explore this interesing premise in satisfying ways, and instead we have a very weird movie, colorful and zany, that I would've found a little boring if I watched it as a kid.

 

Williams' masterful score is the best thing about the movie. Robin Williams and Dustin Hoffman give fine performances as well. But still is one of the oddest movies of Spielberg's career.

 

It's too damn long for a kids movie. I loved it when I was 15 though. 

[Bespin 8,480]

In hook all the sets looks fake.

[Quintus 5,399]

I recall the design was intended to resemble pantomime stages. 

[Kasey Kockroach 2,343]

So, which film has worse cinematography, Alien VS Predator: Requiem or Solo: A Star Wars Story?   

 

[Edmilson 7,392]

22 minutes ago, Kasey Kockroach said:

So, which film has worse cinematography, Alien VS Predator: Requiem or Solo: A Star Wars Story?   

 

 

Batman v Superman

[A24 4,326]

No, both AvP and BvS have cool shots. If you want bad cinematography I can recommend AvP: Requiem.

 

 

Jesus and the lepers (from BvS)

[Chen G. 3,943]

When every shot is cool (or tries to be), no shot is.

 

And its the murky, lifeless grading and overly-composed nature of these shots that betrays them.

[A24 4,326]

2 hours ago, Chen G. said:

When every shot is cool (or tries to be), no shot is.

 

 

I wish all the shots were beautiful because, based on my favorite movies, I don't think I believe in your theory, Chen. Not everyone thinks 'subtle and discrete cinematography' is the only way to tell a story. After all, it's comic books, not Sidney Lumet*. To me, Snyder's approach for DC isn't stylized enough. The scenes that were indeed stylized (Jesus and the lepers, Batman's dream sequence) were the scenes that stood out for me and that I remember.

 

 

*notoriously known for making the camera disappear

[Brundlefly 2,385]

2 hours ago, Chen G. said:

When every shot is cool (or tries to be), no shot is.

 

And its the murky, lifeless grading and overly-composed nature of these shots that betrays them.

Instagram for the big screen so to say.

[Quintus 5,399]

I think that's something quite different to what Alex is talking about. 

[Chen G. 3,943]

2 hours ago, AC1 said:

I wish all the shots were beautiful because, based on my favorite movies, I don't think I believe in your theory, Chen. Not everyone thinks 'subtle and discrete cinematography' is the only way to tell a story. After all, it's comic books, not Sidney Lumet*. To me, Snyder's approach for DC isn't stylized enough. The scenes that were indeed stylized (Jesus and the lepers, Batman's dream sequence) were the scenes that stood out for me and that I remember.

 

I like ostentatious visuals, but they have to be peppered-in at just the right quantity, like salt and pepper on a dish.

 

Extreme stylization isn't something I like in movies. I like disappearing into the story, rather than (as Soderbergh put it) looking at the director standing in front of the movie waving his arms. Stylization needs to be fed to an audience like pills to a dog: it needs to be hidden in the food so rigorously that you don't notice it until after you've digested the thing.

[A24 4,326]

2 minutes ago, Chen G. said:

 

Extreme stylization isn't something I like in movies. I like disappearing into the story, 

 

I know. And I like disappearing in visuals. After all, it's the language of film. If Alien didn't have the beautiful, amazing visuals and looked more like a '70s BBC production, I would have forgotten about that film by now because its story of Ten Little Indians isn't really that special or unique. It's the imagery that take Alien to a stratospheric level. I remember Ridley Scott was attacked by many critics for being too stylized back then as well. "Scott is a maker of all style but no content movies", they said. What few people realize is that Scott was very much influenced by comics as well (Metal Hurlant magazine). 

 

I think Snyder was more drawn to some of the fancy graphic novels, the ones that were more artistically stylized and printed on more expensive paper. However, I actually see his DC movies as a concession, it's Snyder trying to be more conventional and 'realistic'. He had to create a new house style for DC, kinda like Marvel but then more dark and gritty (grounded in reality was the word they used). On the other hand, his 300 and Watchmen are full-on stylized. 

[Chen G. 3,943]

4 hours ago, AC1 said:

If Alien didn't have the beautiful, amazing visuals and looked more like a '70s BBC production, I would have forgotten about that film by now because its story of Ten Little Indians isn't really that special or unique. It's the imagery that take Alien to a stratospheric level.

 

There's nothing about the imagery of Alien that takes you out of the story. It all looks lived-in and, given the subject matter, reasonably naturalistic, and not overly-composed.

 

The same could not be said for Zack Snyder's films.

[Sweeping Strings 2,344]

Beverly Hills Cop - I'm sure the screenplay was comprehensively rewritten when Eddie Murphy landed the lead in this 80s action comedy, but it still boggles the mind to think that it was originally intended to be a vehicle for Sly Stallone.

Murphy is in his wisecracking motormouth pomp here, and consequently elevates fairly standard Simpson/Bruckheimer action fare up several notches.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

26 minutes ago, Sweeping Strings said:

Beverly Hills Cop - I'm sure the screenplay was comprehensively rewritten when Eddie Murphy landed the lead in this 80s action comedy, but it still boggles the mind to think that it was originally intended to be a vehicle for Sly Stallone.

Murphy is in his wisecracking motormouth pomp here, and consequently elevates fairly standard Simpson/Bruckheimer action fare up several notches.

 

I just watched this too!

[A24 4,326]

43 minutes ago, Chen G. said:

 

There's nothing about the imagery of Alien that takes you out of the story. It all looks lived-in and, given the subject matter, reasonably naturalistic, and not overly-composed.

 

And I'm distracted because Man Of Steel is so visually conventional. As if Snyder is good at story! 

 

4 minutes ago, PuhgreÞiviÞm said:

 

I just watched this too!

 

[Chen G. 3,943]

Man of Steel is different. On that film, Snyder looked at how Nolan injected realism into Batman, and tried to do the same with Superman. Now, that would all be fine and well, had Snyder's response to "inject realism" been literally anything other than the obvious and banal choice to shoot it in a faux-documentary style.

 

Doesn't work.

[Sweeping Strings 2,344]

24 minutes ago, PuhgreÞiviÞm said:

 

I just watched this too!

Was on a telly channel here last night and it was by far the best 'scheduled' option. Some good stuff on the soundtrack too namely The Heat Is On, Neutron Dance and Axel F. 

The second one was meh and I've never seen the third, although I understand it ain't great either. A fourth is on its way courtesy of Netflix, I believe.  

[A24 4,326]

2 minutes ago, Chen G. said:

Man of Steel is different. On that film, Snyder looked at how Nolan injected realism into Batman, and tried to do the same with Superman. Now, that would all be fine and well, had Snyder's response to "inject realism" was the obvious and banal choice to shoot it in a faux-documentary style.

 

Doesn't work.

 

BvS leaned towards a more comic book style but it's still quite conventional with a few exceptions. I say that because when the dream sequence started, I was like "Ah, finally we're getting some Snyder visuals!" 

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

4 minutes ago, Sweeping Strings said:

Was on a telly channel here last night and it was by far the best 'scheduled' option. Some good stuff on the soundtrack too namely The Heat Is On, Neutron Dance and Axel F. 

The second one was meh and I've never seen the third, although I understand it ain't great either. A fourth is on its way courtesy of Netflix, I believe.  

 

I watched 2 and 3 too. The second one isn't great by any means, but it has that huge Tony Scott/Jerry Bruckheimer production value that gives it some approachability. Although the third one is kinda lame and feels like the series is running in fumes, I still enjoyed the process of watching it. Just casual viewing.

[Quintus 5,399]

I think what is the most boring and repetitive aspect of this very regular JWFan conversation is how Alexcremers always, like clockwork, wheels out the same old examples (Aliens, Blade Runner) of what he considers to be photographically accomplished films. It's just roundabouts again again, it's boring AF after all these years. This thread used to be the best on the site, but the ones still here are still circle wanking over the same five films they saw thirty years ago. 

[bruce marshall 1,315]

7 hours ago, Chen G. said:

....I like disappearing into the story, rather than (as Soderbergh put it) looking at the director standing in front of the movie waving his arms. Stylization needs to be fed to an audience like pills to a dog: it needs to be hidden in the food so rigorously that you don't notice it until after you've digested the thing.

Hah! Soderbergh is one to talk!

TRAFFIC was UNWATCHABLE precisely because of the ugly, stylized visuals!

 

[Chen G. 3,943]

3 minutes ago, bruce marshall said:

Soderbergh is one to talk!

TRAFFIC was UNWATCHABLE precisely because of the ugly, stylized visuals!

 

Just because Soderbergh's argument is hypocritical doesn't mean its incorrect.

[Sweeping Strings 2,344]

5 hours ago, PuhgreÞiviÞm said:

 

I watched 2 and 3 too. The second one isn't great by any means, but it has that huge Tony Scott/Jerry Bruckheimer production value that gives it some approachability. Although the third one is kinda lame and feels like the series is running in fumes, I still enjoyed the process of watching it. Just casual viewing.

To quote a review of 3 'This is an incredibly cheap-looking production ... you can see the joins in the matte work and hear them in the dialogue, with characters delivering huge chunks of exposition'. 

Unusual for a John Landis movie.

[A24 4,326]

3 minutes ago, Chen G. said:

 

Just because Soderbergh's argument is hypocritical doesn't mean its incorrect.

 

There is no right or wrong, Chen, just a different opinion or preference. 

[Quintus 5,399]

14 minutes ago, bruce marshall said:

Hah! Soderbergh is one to talk!

TRAFFIC was UNWATCHABLE precisely because of the ugly, stylized visuals!

 

 

His movies look and feel like dentist surgery waiting rooms. 

[publicist 4,643]

5 hours ago, Quintus said:

 (Aliens,) 

 

For sure you want to correct that glaring mistake.

[Quintus 5,399]

Yes, I meant Alien. 

[Bespin 8,480]

Don't ask me why

[Jay 37,287]

This is the thread where you talk about what you just watched; The thread where you post what you just purchased is here:

 

https://www.jwfan.com/forums/index.php?/topic/14060-recently-purchased-movies

[Kasey Kockroach 2,343]

Imagine talking about Man of Steel when you could instead gush about how sexily awful AvP: Requiem is. 

That hospital massacre is really something.

 

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Dune

 

[Wojo 2,453]

The slow blade penetrates the shield. 

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

7 hours ago, Bespin said:

Don't ask me why

 

Why is the title on the front cover twice?

 

[A24 4,326]

French and English.

 

 

Sigh ...

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

Looks the same to me.

[A24 4,326]

It ... isn't ...