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

[Koray Savas 2,251]

To each his own. I don't necessarily disagree, the structure of his stories crossover a lot, but his character and dialogue writing, and the performances he gets out of his actors, are unparalleled. But above else he's just a master painter with the camera. Visual feast of a filmmaker; and that's why I love Wes Anderson.

[Brónach 1,302]

I've only seen Moonrise Kingdom. I liked it.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

I'd say it's his most accessible film. A little bit of everything tossed into a blender.

[KK 3,307]

For someone who hasn't seen a Wes Anderson film, where would you recommend I start?

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

I saw Skyfall. It was good. Not as good as Casino Royale.

Serious WTF moment when Bond meets Home Alone rigging the traps in the house.

[A24 4,333]

The main question is...what is the point? What is the point of this film? I found myself asking that while watching and that is never a good sign.

The film is not born out of passion (for film, a script,... for anything). Scott basically ordered someone to write him something and he would make it. Simple as that. It doesn't really matter what he does, Scott just wants to be diverted and keep on working. It's fuel meant to retain jobs. Prometheus was just another day at the office. In a way, Scott has become the same kind of movie mogul as George Lucas. Nobody dares to say "no" to Scott. He does not answer to anyone. He no longer has to prove himself. There's no ambition. There is no quality control. He's the infallible judge. And to him, he 'touched' it, he got HIS hand in it, so it's all fine and dandy.

BTW, I agreed with every point you made.

Alex

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Prometheus is one of the few films that actually pissed me of a little.

Btw, I saw nothing in this film to suggest Blade Runner 2 is a good idea. (though if Fassbender is in it, he will create his own brilliant energy regardless of the script)

The film tries to pass as an attempt at serious sci-fi. But it's too obvious in stating the questions it wants answered. (2001 did not spell out anything, neither did Blade Runner)

And at the end I realised that the one question the movie ended with "why?" was one I was remotely interested in.

Also the open ending wasn't put there to make viewers think, just to try and get a sequel out of it.

BAH!

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Steef, you have some decent points but are far off on some. Firstly, Scott always had a sequel in mind. It's already in pre-production if I'm not mistaken. Lindelof isn't back, but only because he's working on another film.

For someone who hasn't seen a Wes Anderson film, where would you recommend I start?

The Royal Tenenbaums.

[A24 4,333]

Btw, I saw nothing in this film to suggest Blade Runner 2 is a good idea.

Indeed. If there's no passion in the filmmaking itself, then a Blade Runner 2 will be pointless as well. If you treat it as a product, then chances are you will end up with nothing more than a 'product'.

Alex

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Actually, why wasn't Will Smith cast in this film?

[A24 4,333]

It wouldn't have hurt the film, I think.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Steef, you have some decent points but are far off on some. Firstly, Scott always had a sequel in mind. It's already in pre-production if I'm not mistaken.

The Royal Tenenbaums.

I know, but beforehand they had no way of knowing a sequel would actually be financed.

So the open ending, rather then leaving something for the viewer to go home with and ponder is merely a tool to get them back in their seats in a few years time.

This is TESB or Back To The Future 2, not 2001 or Close Encounters.... Or Alien

[Quintus 5,399]

TESB and BTTF 2 are brilliant movies.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

True, but there open ending are these so we will be back for the next instalment.

For Prometheus 2...I won't be.

[Quintus 5,399]

Indeed.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

To wash away the foul taste of last nights film...

Finding Nemo

One of the few films I wish I grew up with as a child.

Endlessly exhilarating, thrilling, emotional, and hilarious. Few films inspire this many genuine belly laughs. It is a tonic for life, the perfect cure against any foul mood.

Elbert Brooks stars as Marlin, a clownfish looking for his son Nemo, who was taken by a diver to live in a fish tank until were he awaits the fate of being a birthday gift to a hideous little girl. (aptly underscored with The Murder from Psycho).

This sounds like the recipe for a pretty good film, but turns into a great one by giving Marlin a sidekick. In the form of Dory, a blue fish with short term memory loss, voiced to perfection by Elen Degeneres. Dory is both annoying and fantastically hilarious at the same time. The character creates the most laughs in the film, but near the end, when she begs not to be left alone, only a true cynic will not feel a tear welling up.

It's also a fantastic adventure film. Dory and Marlin face sharks, Jelly's the East Australian Current all animated with beautiful colours. I watched this on DVD and was awestruck. On Blu is must look fantastic.

Thomas Coolman does what he does best. His score lies at the emotional centre of this film. As usual his themes and orchestrations are quirky, but simple. His theme endlessly moving. On CD the short tracks and quick changes in mood may not always be beneficial to the listening experience, but as a film score this is hard to fault.

There are several great Pixar films, of those this one is my personal favourite. As films that move me, I rate it only below E.T. The Extra Terrestrial

**** out of **** without even a seconds hesitation.

[Quintus 5,399]

Still my favourite Pixar film, tied with Spirited Away to be my all time favourite animations.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Your taste in film is as good as your taste in women.....

[Brónach 1,302]

One of the few films I wish I grew up with as a child.

I saw it at 11 I think and I still remember the experience.

Between that and Master and Commander I had a good year.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

That's also a fantastic film!

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Sleepless in Seattle

Romantic films like this, based on a premise rely most of all on the lead actors. If they win you over, the film works.

Tom Hanks, at the time only just rid of his image as 'just' a comedy actor is in great form as a widower convinced at first he will never love again, but slowly changes his mind.

Meg Ryan as the women he will eventually fall for is fetching and feisty. Not every role she has done has been to my liking, but here she does nail it.

Because we care about these people, we go along with the premise of Hanks son trying to set his dad up. And with the implausible situations of how they meet, but never really connect.... Untill they do.

This kind of film either wins you over completely, or not at all..... And in this case it does win you over.

Nora Ephons wrote the screenplay and directed this and knows how to balance between sharp, cynical humour and pure unadulterated romance.

Not to the taste of the cynic maybe, but perfect feel good material.

××× out of ××××

[Brónach 1,302]

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Great film!

[Matt C 454]

Still my favourite Pixar film, tied with Spirited Away to be my all time favourite animations.

I love Spirited Away... another favorite of mine. I've never really understood why people hail Finding Nemo as Pixar's best film. I can see why children would love it (and Ellen DeGeneres' Dory is still a hoot), but I find the film saccharine and cutesy.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Django Unchained

It wasn't what I expected. It was better. I'd type more but my computer likes to highlight and move its cursor randomly as I type deleting everything mid sentence. It took very long to write this out for your discretion.

[Taikomochi 1,136]

Les Miserables

It's good, I guess, but I can't shake the feeling that it should have been amazing. It's certainly an above average film, but I'm left with a feeling of "meh".

And Christ, I didn't know you could over-direct a film, but Tom Hooper has done it. What overdone, overly indulgent camera work!

Again, I liked it, but I should have loved it.

3.5/5

I'd type more but my computer likes to highlight and move its cursor randomly as I type deleting everything mid sentence.

This happens to me constantly. It kills my soul.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

I thought I was the only one haha. I'm on my phone now so I can say that the film, as per usual with QT, takes its time. Tarantino builds tension so well with dialogue it's nervewrecking. Akin to how Leone was with the lens, Tarantino knows just how long to keep you lingering with his words, and he hasn't had an actor yet that delivers them as well as Waltz does. DiCaprio was excellent as well, and the two played off each other brilliantly.

There's something immensely pleasing in hearing "Djaaaannnggoo" blaring over the main titles; and while all the music selections were superb, on the whole it felt like Tarantino wanted to include too much. Particularly towards the end different songs were cutting in and out frequently. It all still worked, but I might have done tighter editing as the film felt like it had two endings. There's a bit of dialogue on the soundtrack that wasn't in the final cut so it seems like he was working on it well until the final day.

[mahler3 478]

Really looking forward to some new Tarantino.

'Four Christmases' was my last one and it was a classic case of wanting those 2 hours back. I avoided it during the cinema and retail release - A hateful film, that could have been quite good.

I'll be setting aside a few hours tonight to watch the Criterion 'Fanny & Alexander' box set, something i've been wanting to watch for many years.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Alien Resurrection

Like Prometheus an ill conceived effort, were Joss Whedons tongue in cheek script it completely misunderstood by the director.

But unlike Scotts film this aspires to be nothing but a big, loud pulp monstermovie and actually works rather well on that level.

The maverick crew if the Betty seems like the genesis of Firefly.

Weaver returns and plays Ripley as an enigmatic puzzle. Who looks like she could beat the shit out of even Ron Perlman.

Ryder feels out of place in this kinda film, but maybe that was the point.

The set design is rather ugly and messy. Lots of dull grey and browns. The effects are superb though.

Its not a masterpiece, not even a good film, but it doesn't try to pass itself of as anything more then it is.

[A24 4,333]

Back in the days, I didn't like the caricatural approach but now I think it makes the film rather enjoyable and different. In fact, when I watched all the films on Blu-ray, I enjoyed it more than Aliens. To me, the effect of Cameron's film has diminished greatly. I guess its flavor has been too widely dispersed in other movies.

Alex

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

It's a goofy monster movie and works on that level.

[A24 4,333]

In the end, I guess the film is hampered by several forces wanting to go into different directions. The same thing happened to Alien 3.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Yes there is a definite disconnect f

Between Whedons script and Jeunet's style of direction. Even the performances go in different directions.

[Quintus 5,399]

Alien Resurrection is unmistakably the work of the guy behind Delicatessen, but unfortunately it fails to share that film's sophistication, managing only to engage on a trashy novelty level. It's meh but watchable, failing to capture that "rubbish but good" vibe you get from watching something like AvP.

[crocodile 8,012]

I have a soft spot for all four Alien films. They differ in quaality but re-watch them fairly often and enjoy for different reasons.

Which reminds, I haven't watched the theatrical cut of Aliens in about 15 years.

Karol

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

, failing to capture that "rubbish but good" vibe you get from watching something like AvP.

Up untill tonight I agreed.

The SE has a different credit scene which already opens the film on a more cheesy note. It helps.

[A24 4,333]

I have a soft spot for all four Alien films. They differ in quaality but re-watch them fairly often and enjoy for different reasons.

Hmm, but to me Alien is one of my favorite movies. Visually and atmospherically, it simply doesn't get any better.

Alex

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

It's how I feel about Jaws.

[Quintus 5,399]

There are two Jaws movies in my world, a strange place, where Jaws doesn't have a sequel.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

if JW had not composed Jaws 2, would it still exist in this imaginary world?

[Quintus 5,399]

Yeah, because it's a perfectly decent movie in its own right. Badly dated though it is, but that's never been an issue for me.

[Taikomochi 1,136]

On Alien Resurrection, yeah, I can't give this film any compliments. It is irredeemably awful. It is only fun to watch for the purpose of making fun of Sigourney's bat shit performance and all the weird crap that Brad Dourif vomits. Even Alien3 is watchable, and I can enjoy it on its own terms, but AR is just horrendous. The worst of the series, even worse than the AVP films.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Nah its ok

Yeah, because it's a perfectly decent movie in its own right. Badly dated though it is, but that's never been an issue for me.

True, though with all those stupid teens you were rooting for Bruce II

[A24 4,333]

The worst of the series, even worse than the AVP films.

Everything, and I mean everything ... is better than AVP 2 !

OTOH, if Resurrection were to battle with AVP 1, I don't know who would win.

Let's face it, even Prometheus loses from AVP 1.

Alex

[Quintus 5,399]

AvP 2 is unspeakably bad, which is why no one ever bothers.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

AVP Requiem is wonderful compared to Skyline which is terrible, and it's also better than Transformers 2,

[Quintus 5,399]

I've never seen those movies but I have seen the first twenty minutes of AvP 2.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

trust me it's much better than either of the films I listed. AVP Requiem is a monster movie.

[A24 4,333]

I've never seen those movies but I have seen the first twenty minutes of AvP 2.

It gets worse. It's a not-even-good-enough-for-a-straight-to-video movie.

[Delorean90 42]

I thought I was the only one haha. I'm on my phone now so I can say that the film, as per usual with QT, takes its time. Tarantino builds tension so well with dialogue it's nervewrecking. Akin to how Leone was with the lens, Tarantino knows just how long to keep you lingering with his words, and he hasn't had an actor yet that delivers them as well as Waltz does. DiCaprio was excellent as well, and the two played off each other brilliantly.

There's something immensely pleasing in hearing "Djaaaannnggoo" blaring over the main titles; and while all the music selections were superb, on the whole it felt like Tarantino wanted to include too much. Particularly towards the end different songs were cutting in and out frequently. It all still worked, but I might have done tighter editing as the film felt like it had two endings. There's a bit of dialogue on the soundtrack that wasn't in the final cut so it seems like he was working on it well until the final day.

I should be seeing it Friday night if all goes well! Looking forward to it.