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

[Dixon Hill 4,234]

Super 8

Loved this even more the second time. Omnipresent lens flare "jokes" be damned. I am an unapologetic Abrams fan. Plus, there's this.

[Faleel 5,348]

Monsters University.

Better than Cars 2 IMO.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior

One of the rare sequels that is better then the (also good) original. George Miller's The Road Warrior cemented the way post nuclear society would be portrayed in (particularly low budget and exploration) cinema.

After the war between 2 great tribes (The Cold War) has driven the world to the bring of destruction, resources have become few. Food, gasoline, even bullets are a precious resource where men will kill for and die over.

Mad Max, a desolate shell of a man after his experiences in the first film stumbles upon a remnant of civilisation under siege by a sadistic and merciless group of marauders. Basically a post apocalyptic versions of Western pioneers being assaulted by Indians. In this scenario Max is Clint Eastwood's "the man with no name"

The film features a bare bones plot, but works it for every drop it has. Likewise characterizations are rough and ready, but not without some thought put behind it. Especially the leader of the marauders Lord Humongous is depicted some some depth. He looks like a body builder and wears a Jason Voorhees hockey mask, but speaks eloquently and shows he is more then just a savage killer.

Mel Gibson very early in his career gives us a Max who seems dead inside, but is not without some humanity. Gibson has only 16 lines of dialogue in the film, but depends on his effortless charisma and machismo to create a man who is a hero, even though that's the last thing he's interested in.

The look of the film has become iconic. The vast rocky desert, the salvaged from garbage look of cars, buildings, structures, the leather and punk look of the clothing. With plenty of gay subculture and S&M references and influences. The Road Warrior became a blue print that other genre films eagerly followed, usually with far less success. (not just the low budget Canon films of the 80's, Waterworld is basically a water-based version of the same universe)

This is above all an action film, with car chases as it's main attraction. George Miller and his cameraman Dean Sembler give a masterclass in the creation and execution of outrageous, yet tense and tout chase sequences. The camerwork in this film is actually quite amazing, with a few breathtaking long distance shots of the compound being circled by dozens of marauder cars. The Australian outback looks unforgiving and deadly.

The car chases are incredibly well set up and shot (despite a few shots where they obviously undercranked the camera or sped up the film). Normally car chases get booring after a while, we've seen so many in our life time. Miller manages to keep things interesting throughout.

The stunts look just like that, stunts, not blue screen or CGI special effects. People (often with bare butt cheeks) are actually jumping from one vehicle to another, driving into each other. It all feels real and dangerous. (one of the stunts shown is actually a rather serious accident)

The film features a ferocious score by Brian (not from Queen) May. Very upfront in the mix, and none to subtle, with loads of guttural brass and dense percussion rhythms for the chase scenes, but also some contemplative underscoring for the few scenes of humanity and emotion the film has, like the score is mourning for a dying world.

A cult film, but not JUST a cult film.

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

[filmmusic 1,829]

Nicholas and Alexandra (1971)

Great 3-hour biopic about the last tsar family!

[Matt C 454]

Free Birds

It's as routine and tired as the trailers suggest. Some amusing in-jokes for adults (like George Takei voicing the sentient time-travel device), but it doesn't distinguish itself from its competition. And while the idea of pairing up Woody Harrelson and Owen Wilson to voice turkeys sounds good on paper, only Harrelson rises to the occasion. Wilson just sounds bored most of the time.

If you don't have kids, don't bother at all. Jimmy Hayward's career is spiraling downward as we speak...

[JoeinAR 1,949]

Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior

One of the rare sequels that is better then the (also good) original. George Miller's The Road Warrior cemented the way post nuclear society would be portrayed in (particularly low budget and exploration) cinema.

After the war between 2 great tribes (The Cold War) has driven the world to the bring of destruction, resources have become few. Food, gasoline, even bullets are a precious resource where men will kill for and die over.

Mad Max, a desolate shell of a man after his experiences in the first film stumbles upon a remnant of civilisation under siege by a sadistic and merciless group of marauders. Basically a post apocalyptic versions of Western pioneers being assaulted by Indians. In this scenario Max is Clint Eastwood's "the man with no name"

The film features a bare bones plot, but works it for every drop it has. Likewise characterizations are rough and ready, but not without some thought put behind it. Especially the leader of the marauders Lord Humongous is depicted some some depth. He looks like a body builder and wears a Jason Voorhees hockey mask, but speaks eloquently and shows he is more then just a savage killer.

Mel Gibson very early in his career gives us a Max who seems dead inside, but is not without some humanity. Gibson has only 16 lines of dialogue in the film, but depends on his effortless charisma and machismo to create a man who is a hero, even though that's the last thing he's interested in.

The look of the film has become iconic. The vast rocky desert, the salvaged from garbage look of cars, buildings, structures, the leather and punk look of the clothing. With plenty of gay subculture and S&M references and influences. The Road Warrior became a blue print that other genre films eagerly followed, usually with far less success. (not just the low budget Canon films of the 80's, Waterworld is basically a water-based version of the same universe)

This is above all an action film, with car chases as it's main attraction. George Miller and his cameraman Dean Sembler give a masterclass in the creation and execution of outrageous, yet tense and tout chase sequences. The camerwork in this film is actually quite amazing, with a few breathtaking long distance shots of the compound being circled by dozens of marauder cars. The Australian outback looks unforgiving and deadly.

The car chases are incredibly well set up and shot (despite a few shots where they obviously undercranked the camera or sped up the film). Normally car chases get booring after a while, we've seen so many in our life time. Miller manages to keep things interesting throughout.

The stunts look just like that, stunts, not blue screen or CGI special effects. People (often with bare butt cheeks) are actually jumping from one vehicle to another, driving into each other. It all feels real and dangerous. (one of the stunts shown is actually a rather serious accident)

The film features a ferocious score by Brian (not from Queen) May. Very upfront in the mix, and none to subtle, with loads of guttural brass and dense percussion rhythms for the chase scenes, but also some contemplative underscoring for the few scenes of humanity and emotion the film has, like the score is mourning for a dying world.

A cult film, but not JUST a cult film.

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

never cared for it. Just of those films that holds no interest for me.

[Wojo 2,453]

I've never seen a Mad Max movie.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

you should give it a try, you might like it.

[Jay 37,364]

I've never seen on either.

[nightscape94 965]

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. I've been putting this off until today. Not exactly sure why, I enjoyed the LotR movies enough. I wasn't proactively avoiding it, just kinda of lazy about sitting down with it. I must say, I liked it quite a bit. I'm not a Tolkien disciple, never read the source material, but I was invested in the characters. The villain isn't interesting, but I felt engaged with the journey thus far.

[Jay 37,364]

The villain being Azog? Yea, he's not that great. The story's real villains are Smaug and The Necromancer, and they didn't have much to do in the first film once the story was switched from 2 films to 3, so they tried to bulk up Azog, and it didn't quite work IMHO

[gkgyver 1,645]

"Didn't quite work" is an understatement. It's just a bland villain.

[Romão 2,274]

Nicholas and Alexandra (1971)

Great 3-hour biopic about the last tsar family!

I love this film. Terrific score and acting all around

[filmmusic 1,829]

Nicholas and Alexandra (1971)

Great 3-hour biopic about the last tsar family!

I love this film. Terrific score and acting all around

If you love it, there is an excellent bluray (though a bit expensive) from Twilight Time with excellent quality!

(also it has an isolated score track)

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Gravity

EXCELLENT!

[filmmusic 1,829]

Saw yesterday Anastasia (1956) as a sequel to Nicholas and Alexandra I had seen the day before.

A well deserved Oscar for Ingrid bergman.

Does anyone miss the opening main titles with sweeping melodies in old films? I surely miss them!

I don't know but it's an element that makes a film timeless for me.. That grand introduction waiting for the movie to start...

[Hurmm 91]

Thor: The Dark World.

Decidedly by-the-numbers sequel but passable. Underwhelming villain and finale. Strangely enough I can't remember much of the score, not sure that's a good or bad thing. Certainly wasn't as intrusive as MV scores can be.

[crocodile 8,013]

I was about to go and see it today, but, so far, can't be asked to move.

Karol

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Marian Schedenig 8,193]

Michael Fassbender? More like Michael Assbender.

https://i.chzbgr.com/maxW500/7878131200/hDAA08175/

[Dixon Hill 4,234]

Speaking of that... the last film I saw was called Assbender.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Dixon Hill 4,234]

No, Knight Shagalot.

It did, however, end with a twist.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Richard Penna 3,689]

World War Z

While it has the occasional thrilling scene, the plot seemed to revolve around endless cliches and very convenient plot devices.

It also seemed to me that it was trying to be somewhere between a 28 Days Later realism, and normal film style, and that didn't really work for me. A hand-held look, but with a tense score in the background strangely robs it of tension.

Not overly impressed really.

[Matt C 454]

The Other Boleyn Girl

It's like a two-hour episode of "The Tudors", but anchored with two strong performances by Natalie Portman and Scarlett Johansson. Ultimately, their performances are what really make the film so enjoyable to watch. Ignoring the historical inaccuracies, having Scarlett play Mary as a shy, demure person is good contrast to Natalie's more calculating Anne, both theme- and story-wise. Even though he's third-billed, Eric Bana is just there as King Henry. (Jonathan Rhys-Meyers' King Henry is more arresting and charismatic than Eric Bana's, ironically.) Paul Cantelon's score is terrific, and fits the film perfectly.

... and is that Benedict Cumberbatch? Feels odd to see him in a pre-Sherlock production with these high-caliber actresses.

[A24 4,333]

World War Z

Bad. You would think the sheer speed and rage of the infected would lead to something new and frightful but it was the opposite. The sooner we forget about this film, the better.

The Other Boleyn Girl

Mediocre, but yes, watchable.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

World War Z

Bad. You would think the sheer speed and rage of the infected would lead to something new and frightful but it was the opposite. The sooner we forget about this film, the better.

You are so wrong!

[A24 4,333]

How can I be wrong? It's my opinion based on my vast experience. The 'speed and rage' effect did work in Boyle's 28 Days Later but that movie is genius. Also, the superspeed (more, more, more!!) in World War Z made it too ridiculous, too CGI to be frightful.

Alex

[crocodile 8,013]

And unmistakably refined taste developed over the years?

Karol

[A24 4,333]

Decades! If it was merely 'years', I probably would be seriously impressed by the work of Christopher Nolan.

[crocodile 8,013]

You'll get there.

Karol

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

World War Z is rather unique in the genre in that it is the first to show the Zombie infection on the global scale that other movies only hint at. Traditionally Zombie films are about small groups of survivors in isolated locations with a limited number of the undead.

WWZ elevates the genre from its low budget beginnings and takes it to the next level.

Its not a perfect film of-course. It focuses so much on Brad Pitt thats it becomes laughable, his character is in virtually every scene and makes all the important deductions and does all the heroic stuff. Also Pitt is the only well known actor in the film apart from David Morse in a small role as a revolting man. (Matthew Fox from Lost is in there too, but his role was so cut down that he only has one line).

Also, it is quite noticeable that the last act is a reshoot.

[A24 4,333]

I prefer the suggestion of 28 Days Later or even Snyder's Dawn Of The Dead (indeed, its final scene hints at worldwide contamination) because suggestion or hinting, as you put it, is more powerful, IMO. The idea is the same anyway. With 28 Days Later, I never had the feeling that this was just a local thing. The latest movies like to 'show' because it is now possible to show everything with CGI. World War Z is definitely a case of 'more is less'.

Alex

[Sharkissimo 1,973]

WWZ just reminds me what a soulless hack Marc Forster is.

[filmmusic 1,829]

Yul Brynner in one of the most delightful roles I've ever seen in cinema!

[Sharkissimo 1,973]

MV5BMTI5MDkzMzYzMV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwMzA5NTczMQ

How do you pronounce that?

[filmmusic 1,829]

MV5BMTI5MDkzMzYzMV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwMzA5NTczMQ

How do you pronounce that?

Oh, it was just another case of bad hotlink to image.

Corrected it now.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

MV5BMTI5MDkzMzYzMV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwMzA5NTczMQ

How do you pronounce that?

Its Welsh

WWZ just reminds me what a soulless hack Marc Forster is.

How so?

[Brónach 1,302]

MV5BMTI5MDkzMzYzMV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwMzA5NTczMQ

How do you pronounce that?

Its Welsh

lol

I love Welsh. Brythonic languages are really interesting to me.

[nightscape94 965]

WWZ just reminds me what a soulless hack Marc Forster is.

A little overboard on this aren't you?

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

WWZ was a filmed plagued with production problem, rewrites etc etc.

I would say the direction is actually quite good, considering that.

The film lacks a real ending though.

[KK 3,307]

The production hell really showed on screen, especially with the strange editing and pacing and as you mentioned, the ending.

But it wasn't bad. Certainly watchable.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

I think the editing was deliberate. It's similar to the choppy editing in his previous film Quantum Of Solace.

The production issues are really noticable in the final act, where it goes from a apocalyptic Zombie film on an epic scale to a research facility in Wales with just a handful of characters.

[Wojo 2,453]

Would you prefer the original ending? It was rather bizarre and disturbing.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

what was the original ending?

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Wojo 2,453]

Zombies slow down in the cold. Massive zombie battle in Moscow. Brad Pitt's wife shacked up with the soldier from Lost in an Everglades refuge camp, and the movie (and first part of the trilogy) ends with him coming back to get her.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Meh...

[nightscape94 965]

Zombies slow down in the cold. Massive zombie battle in Moscow. Brad Pitt's wife shacked up with the soldier from Lost in an Everglades refuge camp, and the movie (and first part of the trilogy) ends with him coming back to get her.

If they planned on doing a trilogy of films then they should have stuck more to the premise of the book which doesn't follow any one specific character. It would have been interesting to see vignettes spanning over three films. I guess that's more risky, but it would have been more interesting then just another Zombie flick.