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

[Wojo 2,453]

I never saw Inspector Gadget, actually. But Striking Distance and Jack Reacher show places I'm familiar with and have visited often. I can't believe I never saw Sudden Death yet, for the helicopter that crashes into the Igloo, which was torn down a few years ago. And of course, Heinz Field was prominently shown and exploded in The Dark Knight Rises, but the three rivers of Pittsburgh didn't mesh with any of the Gotham City shots previously shown in Nolan's trilogy.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Clerks and Dogma for me.

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

Clerks 2 is awful.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Yeah.

[Sweeping Strings 2,363]

Don't think I even made it to the end of Dogma. Seemed to be meandering along pretty aimlessly to me, then it struck me that maybe Smith had no confidence in the screenplay, then I thought 'Well, if HE didn't ... why should I?'

And then STOP was pressed.

[nightscape94 965]

Just on a script level Dogma is pretty great. There are a bunch of wonderful individual scenes in the movie, like the opening sequence with the angels in the airport, or in the board room scene, just on the strength of the dialogue. It may seem a bit disjointed as a result, but I think it's one of his best. I would say his first four films are very good.

Since then he's been spotty.

[Quintus 5,399]

Clerks 2 is awful.

I watched it about 4 times in the space of 6 months.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

If it your "feel better" movie? Mine is The Avengers.

[Quintus 5,399]

It was a zeitgeist thing for me. I was the right age at the right time and it had that relevant at the time LotR geeky jokes aspect going on. I thought it was warmly amusing, with a big heart. Prefer it to the original.

Really enjoyed Red State btw. It was a terrific little surprise.

[Sweeping Strings 2,363]

Beetlejuice - still a pretty funny flick, with plenty of Burton's inventive visual imagination on display. Keaton is great, of course.

A Nightmare On Elm Street ('84) - the scenes that used the 'revolving room' set still work well and it's fascinating to see Johnny Depp's onscreen debut, but the likes of the terribleness of Nancy's mother's performance are a lot more noticeable 30 years on.

[A24 4,345]

Delirious: 8/10

Alex (who thinks Netflix should be called 'Remember The Good Ol' Days?')

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

Ronee Blakely's obnoxiously bad performance weirdly helps the film because it reinforces how useless the adults are in helping the kids deal with Freddy, which became a recurring theme throughout the series.

I recently watched the 4-hour documentary Never Sleep Again which explores the productions of the films in such fine detail. Highly recommended.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Delirious: 8/10

Alex (who thinks Netflix should be called 'Remember The Good Ol' Days?')

I tried watching it a while ago and could not get past the extremely homophobic opening.

[A24 4,345]

I think his point was we should be able to laugh with gays too. I certainly didn't take it seriously.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

I really doubt that was the point. Fear and loathing against gays was still widespread in the USA in the early 80's. Especially in the black community.

[Sharkissimo 1,973]

Still is, I think.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

Nonsense. America is progressive now. Homophobia and racism have been eradicated.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Compared to Australia!

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

Our government installed a female PM. We are the apex of progress!

[Naïve Old Fart 9,551]

The British public installed a female PM in 1979, and what a f**k-up that turned out to be.

[filmmusic 1,837]

Has anyone seen Highlander?

I was thinking of watching it tonight.

It is a classic film from what I understand, and never had I have the chance to see it.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

You'll like it: it's an old film.

[A24 4,345]

Plus it features Connery being all mentor-ish and likable. Likable -> warm and fuzzy feelings -> good movie

[Naïve Old Fart 9,551]

And it has Clancy Brown chewing all the scenery that he can get, as The Kurgan.

It's probably the first film of the MTV generation, espcially when you consider who directed it.

Watch it; you'll like it.

[A24 4,345]

What's a MTV generation movie, Richard?

I love The Kurgan! He funny!

Whatever you do, filmmusic, avoid the sequels at all costs. Heck, even The Matrix sequels are genius compared to the ones of Highlander.

[Quintus 5,399]

The unofficial Queen soundtrack was always the best thing about Highlander. An otherwise average and strangely beloved cult flick.

[Naïve Old Fart 9,551]

What a MTV generation movie, Richard?

I love The Kurgan! He funny!

Whatever you do, filmmusic, avoid the sequels at all cost. Heck, even The Matrix sequels are genius compared to the ones of Highlander.

What I meant was is that it anticipates how some "popular" film styles would evolve: quick-cuts, loud rock scores, etc. Of course, the MTV generation would be about 4 years old, back then, but I really do think that "Highlander" is a rock 'n' roll movie.

The unofficial Queen soundtrack was always the best thing about Highlander. An otherwise average and strangely beloved cult flick.

We finally got the film version of "A Kind of Magic", on the 2011 Queen re-releases!

[filmmusic 1,837]

Thanks, the comments seem encouranging.

Well, as it seems 2 friends will come here and we'll probably watch the Halloween film we had arranged for yesterday (Christine - 1983) and I had to cancel due to bad mood about something, but I'll definitely see this tomorrow..

[KK 3,307]

Contact

First time watching it. Decided to check it out becaues of the pre-Interstellar mood I'm in. This is a lovely piece of idealistic sci-fi isn't it? Has a whole lot of heart to it. The only part that nearly broke it for me was the end, but even that worked to a degree because of the heart behind it all. It's not perfect, you could argue it's leaning too heavily on the sentimental, and it's not without its flaws, but you can't help but appreciate it. This might be my favourite Zemeckis film. They sure don't make 'em like this anymore!

[Dixon Hill 4,234]

It has moments of pure sap, but I don't count the cosmic beach scene as one of them.

[KK 3,307]

It was testing in terms of plausibility, just the way the beach was designed and the dated effects, but after contact was established, I didn't mind it.

Jodie Foster was really stunning in this movie by the way. Forgot how beautiful she used to be.

[A24 4,345]

Contact

They sure don't make 'em like this anymore!

Yes, they do: Interstellar!

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

It was testing in terms of plausibility, just the way the beach was designed and the dated effects, but after contact was established, I didn't mind it.

Jodie Foster was really stunning in this movie by the way. Forgot how beautiful she used to be.

Yeah she was a good sort back then.

[Quintus 5,399]

I hated the cosmic beach. Total disappointment. For me it didn't even work in an abstract sort of way.

[Marian Schedenig 8,207]

It's not perfect, you could argue it's leaning too heavily on the sentimental, and it's not without its flaws, but you can't help but appreciate it. This might be my favourite Zemeckis film. They sure don't make 'em like this anymore!

Compared to the novel, it's much more sentimental, and much more forgiving towards religion and non-science. But if you don't compare the two directly, the film still holds up very well and brings its message across. Sometimes I'm unsure if it's really the message the film wants to emphasise, or if it just couldn't help it still shining through from the novel source. But since I think Sagan was, to a degree, involved before he died, I'm probably just overly paranoid.

I consider it essential viewing.

It has moments of pure sap, but I don't count the cosmic beach scene as one of them.

Agreed. It's just a newer take on the 2001 finale, and it totally makes sense.

[DreamTheater 131]

Contact

First time watching it. Decided to check it out becaues of the pre-Interstellar mood I'm in. This is a lovely piece of idealistic sci-fi isn't it? Has a whole lot of heart to it. The only part that nearly broke it for me was the end, but even that worked to a degree because of the heart behind it all. It's not perfect, you could argue it's leaning too heavily on the sentimental, and it's not without its flaws, but you can't help but appreciate it. This might be my favourite Zemeckis film. They sure don't make 'em like this anymore!

If there ever is a time when someone has the opportunity to make contact with an alien species, I'd want him / her to be as driven and right for the job as Ellie Arroway. Foster nailed her character.

I hated the cosmic beach. Total disappointment. For me it didn't even work in an abstract sort of way.

What's wrong with the beach??? It's just a way designed by the aliens for Ellie to connect to something that has an earthly beauty and tranquility, for her to feel at ease at the end of her emotional journey. There's absolutely nothing wrong with it from a story standpoint.

[publicist 4,643]

It's a bit limp, like people assuming automatically that candlelight dinners or sunsets are romantic without ever thinking beyond that.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[publicist 4,643]

Except if it is a meat candle.

[Dixon Hill 4,234]

I suppose most of you are missing the real reason why they chose to use a beach to comfort Ellie.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Meat candle is a great euphemism!

[Marian Schedenig 8,207]

If there ever is a time when someone has the opportunity to make contact with an alien species, I'd want him / her to be as driven and right for the job as Ellie Arroway. Foster nailed her character.

It's a brilliant performance.

It's a bit limp, like people assuming automatically that candlelight dinners or sunsets are romantic without ever thinking beyond that.

So classy, sterile hotel = good, sunny beach = bad?

[Dixon Hill 4,234]

It's based on Ellie's beach drawing at the beginning of the film that she shows her father. It's not just an arbitrary choice to evoke some sense of Hallmark beauty.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Yeah I thought that was obvious.

[publicist 4,643]

I don't remember anything about it, just that beyond some random association in the movie showing you a Bahamas beach is kind of...plain. It's one of those 'That's fucking...IT?' moments.

[KK 3,307]

Yeah, I felt that at first too. It was a bit underwhelming, and the dated effects didn't help. But I understood its purpose, and it worked.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

I don't remember anything about it, just that beyond some random association in the movie showing you a Bahamas beach is kind of...plain. It's one of those 'That's fucking...IT?' moments.

Yeah I was expecting Jodie would face some hideous alien being that she'd have to fight and then find her way home. Not some cerebral sci-fi shit.

[Dixon Hill 4,234]

Yeah it wasn't nearly EPPIICCCCCCCCC enough.

[DreamTheater 131]

The finale may be a tad underwhelming after one viewing, but I've seen the film many times now, and the ending feels just right.

[Marian Schedenig 8,207]

I don't remember anything about it, just that beyond some random association in the movie showing you a Bahamas beach is kind of...plain. It's one of those 'That's fucking...IT?' moments.

But that's kind of the point. Ellie doesn't get a lot of answers in the scene, either. It's a glimpse into the larger universe, but not the big, all explaining revelation she was probably expecting. Her personal "that's it" moment.

And as Drax said, it's set up right from the beginning. And conceptually it's the same as the 2001 finale - an alien civilisation using the memories of the protagonist to create an environment that he/she would be familiar in. Personally, I'd prefer the beach to that creepy hotel.