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

[Koray Savas 2,251]

I didn't catch anything humorus there in A.I., it's one of Spielberg's darkest scenes. But I don't know the guy, maybe it's that. I like the apartment idea in Minority Report but I don't like the overcooked bit.

Except it has Chris Rock for comic relief.

[publicist 4,643]

Well, he's been that mature even since he made A.I., so it'd be unfair to call the movie un-Spielbergian (when it really is, formally and thematically) just because of that.

No, he WANTS to be, that's his biggest burden.

A pattern throughout all of these films from AMISTAD on is how great they look and how small they think.

A. I. is certainly the most ambitious beast of that phase, but to call it a testament to Spielberg's abilities...long hmmmmmm. TERMINAL is patronizing bullshit, storywise, MINORITY REPORT and WOTW consist of brilliant scenes (MR more so), but in the end, the story just isn't good enough. MUNICH...well...it gets better here, at times it's Spielberg at his glorious best, although it again crushes under the weight of Spielberg's ambitions which betray more his knowledge of other movies and their techniques (sunny Michel Lonsdale country estate = Godfather, anyone?) than of the complex realities.

All of these films have something brilliant in them. All of them have deep issues with their screenplays, sadly.

[Brónach 1,301]

I consider A.I. one of Spielberg's greatest films. I'm writing an analysis of it.

I didn't catch anything humorus there in A.I., it's one of Spielberg's darkest scenes. But I don't know the guy, maybe it's that. I like the apartment idea in Minority Report but I don't like the overcooked bit.

Except it has Chris Rock for comic relief.

I didn't laugh at all. I imagine if you knew this guy previously and had an aversion for him it could feel like an attempt at comic relief. Not to me, though.

[Elmo Lewis 6]

Well, he's been that mature even since he made A.I., so it'd be unfair to call the movie un-Spielbergian (when it really is, formally and thematically) just because of that.

No, he WANTS to be, that's his biggest burden.

A pattern throughout all of these films from AMISTAD on is how great they look and how small they think.

A. I. is certainly the most ambitious beast of that phase, but to call it a testament to Spielberg's abilities...long hmmmmmm. TERMINAL is patronizing bullshit, storywise, MINORITY REPORT and WOTW consist of brilliant scenes (MR more so), but in the end, the story just isn't good enough. MUNICH...well...it gets better here, at times it's Spielberg at his glorious best, although it again crushes under the weight of Spielberg's ambitions which betray more his knowledge of other movies and their techniques (sunny Michel Lonsdale country estate = Godfather, anyone?) than of the complex realities.

All of these films have something brilliant in them. All of them have deep issues with their screenplays, sadly.

This is true. Ever since he developed this ambition for transcendental storytelling, Spielberg has been making less perfect movies. They are more daring, and the man is more willing to explore things, but that makes him fail more often than before. At best, some of the most out-of-place scenes are a result of great ideas that, within the context of their movies, are too inaccessible. At worst, he just comes across as pedantic or coarse.

However, when he excels in his new movies, he soars higher than he ever has before.

And I will say this for Minority Report: it's one of his best recent movies. A good story of a man who has sold his soul to a world of images, then loses his faith when he sees how that world mistreats him when an event hits him too close to home and has to rethink his whole approach to his job in order to keep on doing it. I don't know if I'm talking about Tom Cruise or Spielberg after making Schindler.

[Brónach 1,301]

Minority Report is a load of fun. It's like, a Hitchcock thing with Spielbergian action... in the future!!

[publicist 4,643]

This is true. Ever since he developed this ambition for transcendental storytelling, Spielberg has been making less perfect movies. They are more daring, and the man is more willing to explore things, but that makes him fail more often than before. At best, some of the most out-of-place scenes are a result of great ideas that, within the context of their movies, are too inaccessible. At worst, he just comes across as pedantic or coarse.

However, when he excels in his new movies, he soars higher than he ever has before.

And I will say this for Minority Report: it's one of his best recent movies. A good story of a man who has sold his soul to a world of images, then loses his faith when he sees how that world mistreats him when an event hits him too close to home and has to rethink his whole approach to his job in order to keep on doing it. I don't know if I'm talking about Tom Cruise or Spielberg after making Schindler.

It's a token that he's a genius-at-work - we wouldn't have all the heated debates over some third-rate hack.

Stil, you may remember that for all his supposed audaciousness, he's still a posh Beverly Hills resident, leading a very shielded life. That may account for his ultimate failure to really go beyond the Hollywood safelines he (almost) never abandons. I'm not sure if i'm more satisfied with Tintin-Spielberg being on comforting home territory (i have to see how the film really turns out) or with Oscar bait Spielberg (the horse thingie).

Minority Report is a load of fun. It's like, a Hitchcock thing with Spielbergian action... in the future!!

Could be a real classic without the forced humour and the ending. Both endings, actually. I'm not into dark films for dark films' sake, but the Agatha-Christie-murder reveal was too on-the-nose and the less talked about the Hamptons home in glowing afternoon sunlight, the better. He could have made a real bleak ending for Anderton and it would have felt a much more logical conclusion to Anderton's journey.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Spielberg has always have the tendency to be a nice guy. that's why Hooper lived.

[Brónach 1,301]

Tintin will most likely be the better film of the two. Not that I'm complaining.

Quality of a film rest on the film itself. That it's an non-serious adventure thing that kids might enjoy should have 0 influence on its evaluation.

Ironically, few filmmakers have Spielberg's versatilty and effectiveness...

[publicist 4,643]

Spielberg has always have the tendency to be a nice guy. that's why Hooper lived.

That was because the shark cage was empty in the Australia footage they used. If he could kill an innocent boy on a mettress, he could have killed Hooper, too.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

No, its a better ending for the movie. Brody and Hooper swimming to shore together.

[Elmo Lewis 6]

It's a token that he's a genius-at-work - we wouldn't have all the heated debates over some third-rate hack.

Stil, you may remember that for all his supposed audaciousness, he's still a posh Beverly Hills resident, leading a very shielded life. That may account for his ultimate failure to really go beyond the Hollywood safelines he (almost) never abandons. I'm not sure if i'm more satisfied with Tintin-Spielberg being on comforting home territory (i have to see how the film really turns out) or with Oscar bait Spielberg (the horse thingie).

Good point.

[publicist 4,643]

No, its a better ending for the movie. Brody and Hooper swimming to shore together.

Pure coincidence.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Spielberg should have taken a year of, journey to Asia and Africa to find himself. Work in a leper hospital, witness the killings in Darfur, hold a dying child in hid arms.

[publicist 4,643]

Spielberg should have taken a year of, journey to Asia and Africa to find himself. Work in a leper hospital, witness the killings in Darfur, hold a dying child in hid arms.

His neediness for happy endings would have quadrupled then.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Nothing wrong with a happy ending perse....

[Naïve Old Fart 9,498]

Spielberg has always have the tendency to be a nice guy. that's why Hooper lived.

...and why Vin Diesel died!

[Wojo 2,453]

publicist, you do realize that Hooper dies in the book only because the author punishes him for screwing around with Brody's wife, don't you? By removing the affair, Spielberg removed any reason to kill him off. Quint is Ahab, making his death unavoidable.

[publicist 4,643]

publicist, you do realize that Hooper dies in the book only because the author punishes him for screwing around with Brody's wife, don't you? By removing the affair, Spielberg removed any reason to kill him off. Quint is Ahab, making his death unavoidable.

Hooper dies in the first draft of the script. Try Carl Gottlieb's JAWS LOG, i think he explains how the changes came about.

[Brónach 1,301]

I prefer Hooper not dying. Maybe because I never read the book and I didn't really consider it. But I like the ending how it is.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Indeed.

[publicist 4,643]

Mangling with the final act of JAWS (movie) is just obscene. BTW, Spielberg showed good form recently when he promised the audience of some convention he would release E. T. without any alterations if their vote was in favour of that version. It was and Spielberg seemed happy to stand by his promise.

[Quintus 5,399]

Well, he's been that mature even since he made A.I., so it'd be unfair to call the movie un-Spielbergian (when it really is, formally and thematically) just because of that.

No, he WANTS to be, that's his biggest burden.

A pattern throughout all of these films from AMISTAD on is how great they look and how small they think.

A. I. is certainly the most ambitious beast of that phase, but to call it a testament to Spielberg's abilities...long hmmmmmm. TERMINAL is patronizing bullshit, storywise, MINORITY REPORT and WOTW consist of brilliant scenes (MR more so), but in the end, the story just isn't good enough. MUNICH...well...it gets better here, at times it's Spielberg at his glorious best, although it again crushes under the weight of Spielberg's ambitions which betray more his knowledge of other movies and their techniques (sunny Michel Lonsdale country estate = Godfather, anyone?) than of the complex realities.

All of these films have something brilliant in them. All of them have deep issues with their screenplays, sadly.

Whilst I don't agree with every word, this is an excellent post all the same.

Related, I personally think that the whole internet fan backlash thing of late is possibly the best thing that could have happened to Spiels. Up until recently I'm sure he believed his own hype, and rightly so. However, I know he goes online a lot, and I bet he's humbled by what he reads when he does.

Spielberg used to pride himself on his talent for keying into the public consensus and delivering to them what they wanted. For a while he lost touch with that, but now he thinks (and hopes) he has found it again - hence the sort of audience pleasing fair we're getting from him, and in succession, no less. He's using the old make-up-sex tactic, and it just might work.

In his pre-internet arrogance and enormous [forgivable and justified] self-belief, he became A VERY SERIOUS FILM MAKER. Some time later he logged on and was given a harsh reminder of his roots: that first and foremost he is a gloriously talented entertainer. Best thing that could have happened to him.

[Trent Hoyt 13]

Underworld Evolution

Average just like the first one. I am kind of interested to see the 4th one, I would like to see the story continue.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Jackie Brown

Despite this being an adaptation, Tarantino packs in a bunch of his signature style. This has to be his most underrated film, or rather the least talked about. I prefer Samuel L. Jackson's performance here over Pulp Fiction, and the rest of the cast is terrific as well.

[indy4 155]

Well, he's been that mature even since he made A.I., so it'd be unfair to call the movie un-Spielbergian (when it really is, formally and thematically) just because of that.

No, he WANTS to be, that's his biggest burden.

A pattern throughout all of these films from AMISTAD on is how great they look and how small they think.

A. I. is certainly the most ambitious beast of that phase, but to call it a testament to Spielberg's abilities...long hmmmmmm. TERMINAL is patronizing bullshit, storywise, MINORITY REPORT and WOTW consist of brilliant scenes (MR more so), but in the end, the story just isn't good enough. MUNICH...well...it gets better here, at times it's Spielberg at his glorious best, although it again crushes under the weight of Spielberg's ambitions which betray more his knowledge of other movies and their techniques (sunny Michel Lonsdale country estate = Godfather, anyone?) than of the complex realities.

All of these films have something brilliant in them. All of them have deep issues with their screenplays, sadly.

For me, Spielberg's modern films are, with a few exceptions, really strong. For me, MR, CMIYC, WotW, and SPR are four films since Amistad that I consider to be fantastic, and on par with films like JP, SL, CE3K, Jaws, and Sugarland Express. As far as I'm concerned, they're just under ET and Indiana Jones.

[Jeff 10]

Spielberg's modern films (let's say Schindler's List and on) are good, but they understandably feel so different in style that I would almost think they were directed by someone else entirely. Some of them are masterpieces, others are just fun. But I can't think of a single one that I want to watch over and over again like I could with with Jurassic Park or the Indiana Jones trilogy.

That may be just a matter of genre, but I also think there's a spontaneity in his pre-Schindler films that give them more life and adventure. Another way of putting it is that his earlier films bring out the kid in me, which is something I desire more frequently than, for instance, to be weighed down by the brutality of the Holocaust or be warned of the perils of some future technology.

On a related note, maybe Tintin will hearken back to the previous Spielberg.

[crocodile 7,984]

The Adventures of Tintin - Secret of the Unicorn.

Karol

[A24 4,326]

That bad, huh?

[crocodile 7,984]

No, not at all.

Karol

[nightscape94 965]

Melancholia. Absolutely beyond excellent.

[crocodile 7,984]

I'll see this one on Friday as they start showing it on that day. I've been waiting for this one for some time now.

Karol

[Neimoidian 14]

I'll see this one on Friday as they start showing it on that day. I've been waiting for this one for some time now.

Karol

Recommended.

[A24 4,326]

Body Of Lies: Okay, now I'm pretty sure Prometheus and Blade Runner 2 are going to suck.

The Visitor: A soft post 9/11 movie about the current immigrant policy in The States. Watchable

Alex

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Body Of Lies: Okay, now I'm pretty sure Prometheus and Blade Runner 2 are going to suck.

Was that one Ridley or Tony?

[A24 4,326]

Indeed.

[publicist 4,643]

MARGIN CALL (2011)

Current financial crisis transformed into one of those slick american thrillers with freshly outed Spock as hapless analyst investment banker, who finds more or less by accident that the shoddily secured assets of the bank are about to bring the whole economoical system on the brink of collapse.

The film portrays then the key personnel and their traits, up to commanding-in-an-oily-way chief Jeremy Irons, who decides to fuck the others (sell the bad assets to the still clueless in a 3-hour rescue operation), while Kevin Spacey somehow is the morally not-as-dubious middleman, who at least has the decency of feeling ill. Decent digs at the cluelessness of high management - 'Explain this to me in plain english!' - alternate with the usual run-for-time dramaturgy to help things rolling along, because most of us will only partially understand what is really going on large scale.

It's not GLENGARRY GLENN ROSS, but it gets the job done. Of course, you may cringe at Paul Bettany's pragmatic analyst explaining the film's POV: basically, people are greedy and that's what comes of it.

While this may be true, it is of course a royal kick in the nuts to the billions of people who now have to suffer the consequences of an amoral and corrupt 'democratic' system, which is as criminal as the next colombian drug dealer, but indeed too big too fail. The notion of how large corporations by this point basically are the modern freemasons is sadly not even touched.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

The Adventures Of Tintin: The Secret Of The Unicorn

Simply, the movie Indy 4 should have been. (and I like Indy 4)

Even though it uses 2 technologies Spielberg was new 2 (motion capture and 3D) and it's an animation film, something the director has never dabbled in himself (though he's produced plenty of them) it really feels like a Spielberg film.

It actually feels like Steven Spielberg unbridled. No longer restricted by the limitations of filming in the real world. Most directors would not be able to handle that, and go to far, or simply stich to what they know and don't go far enough.

Spielberg loves setting up complicated shots with lots of camera movement (the action scenes in Minority Report or WOTW for example, were the camera revolves around the car). This film must have allowed him such freedom. I'm sure he probably put shots in their that he had wanted to do for projects for years, but were not feasible.

Again, KOCS feels like Spielberg is dutifully making a film the rest of the world expects him to make, This one feels like it's coming from Spielberg himself. It's an itch that's finally being scratched.

the characters, they feel right. Jamie Bell has the probably thankless role of playing Tintin, a hero without that much a a personality. He plays the character with a quiet urgency. He NEEDS to discover the secret of the unicorn, he regards Haddock with some impatience, which feels just right. It's actually a spot on performance that will possibly go unnoticed.

Andy (Mo Cap) Serkis has fun with Haddock, playing him larger then life, at times pitiable, at times annoying, always lovable.

Daniel Craig is so good as Saccharine that you won't know it Daniel Craig. He's a strong villian, slimy, clever.

The look of the film!

No, it does not look much like Herge's comic, but it's a good translation of it to a very different medium. The characters look larger then life, but never grotesque, like in the comics, the environment they inhabit looks realistic, but more colourful, just like in the comics. It's a perfectly valid way to adapt Herge's clear line style.

The look of Tintin himself. The initial images and clips that were released worried some people, including me. In the comic Tintin doesn't have a very expressive face. So I was worried having the character with a fully animated, semi-realistic face would feel weird.

I think they cracked it. After the initial few minutes you just get completely used to how the character looks. Same for Haddock. The uncanny valley was crossed successfully. (something Beowulf never managed).

The story is good. Could have been an Indiana Jones film, at times the movie feels like one. I do like that Tintin isn't out to save the world. He's just looking for answers, and wants to see the bad guys caught.

The music. The score really clicks once you've seen the film. Yes John Williams does not re-invent himself, and yes I wished the film would have had a killer theme (all the themes are good, none of them are brilliant). Funny to see that for the pirate fight even John Williams now uses heavy low chords ala Pirates Of The Caribbean. The main theme of the film is definatly the Unicorn theme, which is used throughout in many guises, from artefact theme, to full out action extravaganza.

This is a great little film, very loyal to Hergé in spirit (though he was more forgiving or Haddock's drinking). Great to look at, even in 3D, and you don't have to like it despite itself, like with Indy 4.

***1/3 out of ****

[crocodile 7,984]

Lars von Trier's Melancholia.

It's funny how this film is an almost mirror opposite to Malick's The Tree of Life. They have much in common and yet totally different. If anything, that's probably the most "polished" looking in its director's repertoire, People's reaction will vary greatly depending on what they think of the man and his work. In any case, impressive piece of filmmaking.

Karol

[BurgaFlippinMan 7]

The Adventures Of Tintin: The Secret Of The Unicorn

Simply, the movie Indy 4 should have been. (and I like Indy 4)

Even though it uses 2 technologies Spielberg was new 2 (motion capture and 3D) and it's an animation film, something the director has never dabbled in himself (though he's produced plenty of them) it really feels like a Spielberg film.

It actually feels like Steven Spielberg unbridled. No longer restricted by the limitations of filming in the real world. Most directors would not be able to handle that, and go to far, or simply stich to what they know and don't go far enough.

Spielberg loves setting up complicated shots with lots of camera movement (the action scenes in Minority Report or WOTW for example, were the camera revolves around the car). This film must have allowed him such freedom. I'm sure he probably put shots in their that he had wanted to do for projects for years, but were not feasible.

Again, KOCS feels like Spielberg is dutifully making a film the rest of the world expects him to make, This one feels like it's coming from Spielberg himself. It's an itch that's finally being scratched.

the characters, they feel right. Jamie Bell has the probably thankless role of playing Tintin, a hero without that much a a personality. He plays the character with a quiet urgency. He NEEDS to discover the secret of the unicorn, he regards Haddock with some impatience, which feels just right. It's actually a spot on performance that will possibly go unnoticed.

Andy (Mo Cap) Serkis has fun with Haddock, playing him larger then life, at times pitiable, at times annoying, always lovable.

Daniel Craig is so good as Saccharine that you won't know it Daniel Craig. He's a strong villian, slimy, clever.

The look of the film!

No, it does not look much like Herge's comic, but it's a good translation of it to a very different medium. The characters look larger then life, but never grotesque, like in the comics, the environment they inhabit looks realistic, but more colourful, just like in the comics. It's a perfectly valid way to adapt Herge's clear line style.

The look of Tintin himself. The initial images and clips that were released worried some people, including me. In the comic Tintin doesn't have a very expressive face. So I was worried having the character with a fully animated, semi-realistic face would feel weird.

I think they cracked it. After the initial few minutes you just get completely used to how the character looks. Same for Haddock. The uncanny valley was crossed successfully. (something Beowulf never managed).

The story is good. Could have been an Indiana Jones film, at times the movie feels like one. I do like that Tintin isn't out to save the world. He's just looking for answers, and wants to see the bad guys caught.

The music. The score really clicks once you've seen the film. Yes John Williams does not re-invent himself, and yes I wished the film would have had a killer theme (all the themes are good, none of them are brilliant). Funny to see that for the pirate fight even John Williams now uses heavy low chords ala Pirates Of The Caribbean. The main theme of the film is definatly the Unicorn theme, which is used throughout in many guises, from artefact theme, to full out action extravaganza.

This is a great little film, very loyal to Hergé in spirit (though he was more forgiving or Haddock's drinking). Great to look at, even in 3D, and you don't have to like it despite itself, like with Indy 4.

***1/3 out of ****

does 3D add anything to it?

[A24 4,326]

Actually, comic books aren't a "very" different medium. It's just not moving between shots. The movement is in our head. They simply opted for a slightly different animation look (no black lines, et cetera).

So, what is it? Kuifje or the film Indy 4 should've been?

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

It's actually both.

Kuifje purist may have a bone or two to pick, but it's great fun.

[King Mark 3,625]

I haven't been to the cinema in several weeks. nothing good is out recently

I might cave and see Real Steel by lack of anything else

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

does 3D add anything to it?

Hard to judge without comparing it in 2D.

This is the second film I have seen in 3D, and the first one that has been shot in the format. (the first one being Harry Potter 8)

The 3D enviroment looks for more realistic then Deathly Hallows, and Spielberg has fun with a few shots.

I did notice some flickering of the picture at times, and for some reason the dutch subtitles did not always line up correctly.

I might cave and see Real Steel by lack of anything else

I like Hugh Jackman, but the trailer of this looked stupid. It's like Rocky, but they put fighting robots in it????

[publicist 4,643]

I haven't been to the cinema in several weeks. nothing good is out recently

I might cave and see Real Steel by lack of anything else

Come on, with 10 different theaters, there HAS to be a better film to choose.

[A24 4,326]

It's actually both.

Kuifje purist may have a bone or two to pick, but it's great fun.

What I mean is is, is it enough Kuifje to distinguish itself from others like it or are you constantly reminded of Indiana Jones and that perhaps therefore Kuifje is not much more than a derivative even though the comic books precede the Indiana jones movies by several decades? If its the latter, then it's a bit of a shame. Maybe Spielberg and his co-workers gave it not enough unique characteristics.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

The characters are very true to the comic Alex. It also has action scens you's never be able to do in an Indiana Jones film.

[crocodile 7,984]

Actually the falcon pursuit scene reminded me a lot of the jungle chase.

Karol

[Trent Hoyt 13]

The Expendables

Its just a fun old fashion action film with an all-star cast. I'm looking forward to the sequel.

[Wojo 2,453]

Moment of silence for the stuntman who died the other day in Bulgaria filming a scene for The Expendables 2. What a thing to tell your kids.

Your father died filming a scene for a movie that only existed because a movie originally made for greed and nostalgia made so much money.

[Richard Penna 3,671]

The Ides of March and Tintin.

The trailer for the former was naff, but the film turned out to be quite enjoyable. A bit too much patriotism though, and some loyalty switching that seemed to happen a little too easily. Not too many names/faces, but remember them all.

Loved the music, although I completely failed to recognise it as Desplat. Looking forward to the release - should be pretty complete as there wasn't much that I heard in the film.