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

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Avengers: Endgame

 

**** out of ****

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

An oldie but a goodie.

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles

 

 

A big gay classic that's been one of my favorite movies since I played Mother's videocasette copy. Featuring a glorious Tom Cruise in the role he was born to play. When he departs halfway through, Antonio Banderas enters and gives the most breathtakingly hammy performance ever. Brad pouts and looks beautiful while Kirsten and delicious Stephen Rea round out the memorable vampire (as Antonio puts it, "Vahmpyre") cast. Christian Slater the interviewer is well dressed in a gray henley with rolled sleeves, black vest and slicked back hair with slightly receded hairline. Love the look.

 

I think that the stars really alligned for this one. Perfect everything. It's also one of those unfortunately sequel-less movies that seems to have been the first chapter in an ongoing series that never happened. And it leaves me wanting more every time.

[Corellian2019 386]

Apocalypse Now (Final Cut)

 

What's there to say that hasn't already been said? Seeing it again after 11 or so years knocked me on my ass; the sound mix in the theater was INCREDIBLE (and incredibly loud during the appropriate sequences). This new version is pretty much the same as Redux, except there's no extra scene with the Playboy Bunnies, and no scene with Kurtz reading magazine quotes to Willard. And it's all in glorious 2:35:1

 

 

[A24 4,345]

It's one of those masterpieces that never did it for me.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

3 minutes ago, Alexcremers said:

It's one of those masterpieces that never did for me.

 

Oneday Francis Ford might release an edit that works for you. 

 

The Godfather too.

[Chen G. 3,950]

3 hours ago, Stefancos said:

The Godfather too.

 

That chronological cut of The Godfather's a neat idea.

 

I mean, it doesn't work, but as an experiment in editing, its very nice.

[Quintus 5,399]

I found The Godfather good but boring at the time. I'd already started making my way through The Sopranos by then, and so I never felt the need to follow up with The Godfather: Part II. Tony Soprano and his crew sort of became the definitive mafia fiction for me, I felt like I had the genre covered. Especially after already seeing Goodfellas on top in the 90s.

 

It's also why I don't have the energy or inclination to watch Narcos. Gangsters can begin to feel a bit like zombies after a bit.

[A24 4,345]

Francis could learn a thing or two from Sofia. 

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

2 hours ago, Quintus said:

I found The Godfather good but boring at the time. I'd already started making my way through The Sopranos by then, and so I never felt the need to follow up with The Godfather: Part II. Tony Soprano and his crew sort of became the definitive mafia fiction for me, I felt like I had the genre covered. Especially after already seeing Goodfellas on top in the 90s.

 

Both are vastly different than The Godfather though, which takes place at the highest echelon's of Maffia power, not the lower ranks.

[Quintus 5,399]

It's more than just that though; they are fundamentally very different, from style through to tone and mood. The themes themselves however are shared similarly among each individual take on what it means to be mafioso.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Exactly, thats why I always found The Godfather and Goodfellas to be excellent companion pieces

[Quintus 5,399]

Goodfellas is just more cool. It's an effortlessly entertaining film, to the point it almost feels like ballsy light entertainment.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

9 hours ago, Alexcremers said:

It's one of those masterpieces that never did for me.

I can't  call it a masterpiece, more like a what the **** was that.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

1 hour ago, Quintus said:

Goodfellas is just more cool. It's an effortless entertaining film, to the point it almost feels like ballsy light entertainment.

 

That's why I generally rate The Godfather higher.

[Quintus 5,399]

Lots of people do, I think The Godfather is considered one of the greatest films of all time. I just find Goodfellas more watchable and enjoyable.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Is it more realistic and relatable?

[Wojo 2,453]

Goodfellas is fun. The Godfather, while excellent and brilliant and superior, is not fun. 

[Quintus 5,399]

Woj gets it.

[A24 4,345]

The Godfather needed someone like Joe Pesci to lighten the mood somewhat.

 

[Quintus 5,399]

Now Casino however, that's a different kettle of fish. I vividly remember being disappointed by it, after Goodfellas. But I still thought it was decent all the same, if you get me.

[publicist 4,643]

It brought Delerue's aching 'Camille's Theme' back into public consciousness, therefore it should be praised.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Jane Austen’s Mafia! is the definitive gangster film. 

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Tru dat!

[John 2,032]

2 hours ago, JoeinAR said:

I can't  call it a masterpiece, more like a what the **** was that.

 

What was it, Joe?

[JoeinAR 1,949]

Weird? Its been 40 years I only remembered I never wanted it on home video 

 

[Alex 2,835]

Call Me By Your Name - Luca Guadagnino

 

That poor peach.

[Disco Stu 15,495]

My favorite movie of that year!  Simply perfect.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

Watch on the Rhine

 

You know I'd expect a film featuring Nazis and Bette Davis would be a lot better than this. Bogie was in a more exciting WWII espionage flick at the time called All Through the Night. I mean this is sort of okay as a little drama I spose.

 

Ant-Man and the Wasp

 

Ehhh it was okay. Certainly fun but who was the villain? It didn't seem to have one.

 

Sudden Impact

 

Not bad but I was a bit disappointed by the slow pacing of it all, but I loved the dog.

 

Dead Pool, The

 

Why the fuck have people bashed this one over the years?! All I've heard is how terrible it is but I thought it was friggin awesome. Especially that car chase with the remote control toy car that never ran out of battery power and Clint with the harpoon at the end. Might be the best sequel in the franchise.

 

Letter, The

 

Alright now this was more like it! William Wyler seemed to direct Bette Davis better than anyone else and I think he tempered her performances a lot. Much of my snarky review of Dark Victory was directed at how over the top she seemed, but she's more of a real person in The Letter, along with its eerie atmosphere, stunning opening and surreal finale. Great film.

 

Cabin Fever

 

A gory thriller that got a low IMDb rating but I found it an exciting piece of hilarious schlock, with a production value of a YouTube video. This is the remake.

 

Fallen

 

Run. Run far away. It's a low rent Twilight rip-off. And from the director of Shine? Fuck me dead.

 

 

Oscar

 

Totally underrated screwball comedy from John Landis that reminded me of The Man Who Came to Dinner. I wish they still made them like this. Fuck the Razzies, this is fantastic filmmaking.

[publicist 4,643]

45 minutes ago, The Original said:

Oscar

 

Totally underrated screwball comedy from John Landis that reminded me of The Man Who Came to Dinner. I wish they still made them like this. Fuck the Razzies, this is fantastic filmmaking.

 

Watch the original and fuck John Landis.

 

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

If I can find it on tape somewhere.

[SteveMc 2,674]

The Negotiator (1998)

Solid thriller.  Good performances, slick action, just the right amount of comic relief to accent the tension.  Enjoyable.

3/4

 

National Lampoon's Vacation (1983)

A funny movie definitely.  John Hughes's script offers some great moments, and the cast is colorful and fun, but I don't really like some of the gratuitous crassness and the third act is a bit over the top for my tastes.

2.5/4

 

Roxanne (1987)

Steve Martin is always great to watch, and he's on top form here.  It's a charming movie, though one that really tests your suspension of belief at times.  But, the film just invites you to breezily go along with it.  Some rather intelligent points, actually, in the script about love v. physical attraction and the like.

3/4

 

Groundhog Day (1993)

This, for me, is a nearly perfect movie.  Utterly re-watchable, deep and broad in meaning, completely charming.  The cast is just magic together.  The direction and editing is fluid, too.

 And so many great little moments, too, like when Phil first seems Rita in the studio.  Murray subtly and beautifully conveys how Phil's hard heart  just starts to crack here.

Rather love it indeed.

4/4

 

 

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

I watched a couple of Lifetime TV movies tonight.

 

 

Second Opinion

 

This is one of those movies where characters are conveniently stupid and lack any semblance of common sense for the sake of the plot. But it's at least satisfying when the girl finally does wake up to the perverted doctor that's been tricking her about her brain tumour all along.

 

 

FANatic

 

It's standard Lifetime psycho stalker fare but the premise makes it a bit more interesting if you're a sci-fi TV viewer - you'd laugh at all the meta inside jokes about the industry that produces sci-fi tele and the state of mind of the actors who've probably been stuck doing the same series for a long time.

 

[Chen G. 3,950]

Schindler's List

 

Its Holocaust Memorial Day in Israel today, so naturally there's nothing on except for Schindler's List and its ilk on loop...

 

I haven't watced this film properly since my youth, and while I can appreciate the immense of craft of Steven Spielberg, cinematographer Janusz Kaminski, screenwriter Steven Zailian and especially editor Michael Kahn and composer John Williams - I still can't see it as a piece of filmmaking. I'm too conditioned to see it as the documentary which its trying to imitate with its colour-palette and handheld footage; more an educational video than a narrative piece. I won't give it a rating of any sort.

[Fabulin 3,514]

.

[Chen G. 3,950]

Complete accident, I swear! Its just that time of year. When I said there's nothing else on TV I literally meant there's nothing else on TV, in any channel.

 

I'm glad I got to watch it a second time - I believe that to evaluate a film, one needs to see it twice.

 

I don't see myself ever watching it again, though, which is part of why I can't rank it.

[Disco Stu 15,495]

Bet they don’t play Jakob the Liar!

[Nick Parker 3,040]

On 4/29/2019 at 8:52 PM, The Original said:

Dead Pool, The

 

Why the fuck have people bashed this one over the years?! 

 

'Cause at that point any edge Dirty Harry might have had evaporated, and his "gruffness" is almost played off as cute and cuddly. The Dirty Harry movies could always be pretty topical, and here they tried to throw in the issue of media and its effect on people, and what, if any, responsibility the creators and producers of such media should hold...and it comes off as real weak, a far cry from the still poignant commentary of the original. Speaking of inferior to the original, Schifrin turned in a limp score here, too.

 

Its saving grace is the wacky stuff like the car chase, the climax, and the killer, with such great impassioned lectures as "You have to _hear_ the colors!" (those lines I use pretty often in conversation,  completewith the inflections). And it's fun watching Liam Neeson play a total prick. 

[Nick Parker 3,040]

I didn't think a new thread would get traction here, but I just found out Bruce Bickford died today.  His work is absolutely incredible, especially since it just him a lot of the time. @Kasey Kockroach I wonder if you would love his stuff.

 

 

(2:38 if you want to just skip to his work)

 

 

 

[Kasey Kockroach 2,344]

I dig what I'm hearing, but I'm curious as to why I came to mind?

[Nick Parker 3,040]

I know how much you like animation (albeit hand drawn, not claymation), I thought you might appreciate the dude's work.

[Kasey Kockroach 2,344]

Hey now, claymation and I are pals too!

[JoeinAR 1,949]

Dave was flipping channels an finds Aliens. He claims he hasn't really seen it much yet he can quote it blindfolded. He loves the Aliens score. But he was surprised when I told him Sigourney Weaver was the first woman to be nominated for Best Actress Academy Award from a sci-fi film. She was/is the baddest badass ever in movies.

[The Illustrious Jerry 3,356]

DR. STRANGELOVE OR: HOW I LEARNED TO STOP WORRYING AND LOVE THE BOMB

Stanley Kubrick is one of the biggest directorial names in the industry, and there’s a reason why his work has made his name so famous. Perhaps it is because of the uncharacteristic execution and unexpected stance of many of his films, which can be and have been received a number of different ways. Take 2001: A Space Odyssey for example, one of the only other Kubrick ventures I’ve seen at this point. While it is viewed by many highly esteemed critics and passionate film enthusiasts as a masterpiece, many would beg to differ, most likely because of its unconventionality and acquired strangeness, to some. Dr. Strangelove is certainly a lot easier for the common viewer to appreciate, but it still has some obstacles for the less understanding to hurtle before they can enjoy it.

 

Dr. Strangelove is a perfect balance of political satire, dark humor, and general ridiculousness. With full acknowledgement of the seriousness and fear of the Cold War era, one cannot help but laugh and snicker at this darkly comedic spinoff of the debacles of nuclear warfare. But this presents a problem for some. The nature of one’s reception is dependent on their sense of humor. Case in point, it’s not for everyone. Whereas 2001 was strongest in visuals and futuristic symbolism (it relies on very little dialogue, and the most meaningful and substantial parts of the script belong to the super computer HAL, as it is), Dr. Strangelove soars with its witty and devilishly hilarious script, as well as the preposterousness of the plot.

 

This goes without saying that the performances of Peter Sellers (he plays three very different characters at once) and George C. Scott, mainly, were quite embellished. Nonetheless, these exaggerations work to induce the success of the comedic aspect of the film.

 

At this point, I think it is obvious I found this to be really funny. I’m not sure what this says about me, but I’ve had years of experience in this sector of humor thanks to Gary Larson’s The Far Side comics, which have not escaped some controversy based on their odd and morbid nature themselves.

 

Sellers covers all the bases with his three characters: the anxious and worried President of the United States Merkin Muffley, RAF officer Lionel Mandrake, and the extremely curious title figure Dr. Strangelove, an ex-Nazi bomb expert who cannot help but salute Hitler every time he makes a comment about the extinction of the human race. If that’s any indication, again, this movie will not be for everyone. George C. Scott, who I’ve just seen in Patton, plays General Buck Turgidson, and while Kubrick pushed him beyond his comfort zone, the end result, at least on-screen, is quite fun. Slim Pickens is Major T. King Kong, a hell of a bomber commander that provides no shortage of interesting dialogue. Sterling Hayden is Brigadier Jack D. Ripper (yes, Jack D. Ripper) a paranoid commander.

 

I’d say that my favourite of Sellers’ roles is Mandrake, a clichéd Britt trying to reason with the insanity of Brigadier Ripper. His interpretation of the President is no doubt good, and while I feel that some love should go to Dr. Strangelove, his character is probably the most forced of all. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, and it actually serves as a testament to the ideology of the plot.

 

The problem is that Ripper has commanded his entire bomb squadron to commence Plan R, a maneuver that will essentially wipe out every key military target in Russia. Things go awry when Ripper puts his station on lockdown and informs his troops that anyone who approaches is to be killed. When word reaches the President and the cabinet, chaos ensues. All communications seem to have been cut off, and nobody but Ripper knows the code to call off the attack. What’s more is that an assault of this magnitude will trigger a Soviet doomsday machine (to which Turgidson remarks, “Gee, I wish we had one of those…”).

 

There was no shortage of hysterical lines, the most famous of which (“You can’t fight in here- this is the war room!) was not even my favorite. At that point I was already out of breath. The jokes catered directly to my sense of comedy.

 

Laurie Johnson’s main theme, which is the only orchestral music present in the film, is iconic and militaristic without being too serious. It needn’t have been anyways.

 

RATING: ***** out of *****

CONSENSUAL STATEMENT: “I thought that this film was fine, Dimitri…yes…yes. Well I’m glad that you thought this film was fine too, Dimitri…yes. Well then as you put it Dimitri, we both thought this film was fine, yes. Ha-ha. Ha. Ha.” -Jerry

[John 2,032]

Brilliant film!

 

It’s amazing just how much more relevant and “hip” it is, compared to most other comedies that are released nowadays. 

[The Illustrious Jerry 3,356]

Oh yeah! I loved every minute of it, and it was fun to write about too! It has certainly rocketed (no pun intended) up my all-time favourites list. 

[bollemanneke 3,349]

POTC2.

 

Definitely not as good as the first movie, but enjoyable all the same. I'm just not a fan of all the supernatural stuff, the plot is perhaps a bit too convoluted and Orlando Bloom had some weak moments, but can I just repeat that Keira Knightley is awesome for good measure?

The score is, of course, firmly rooted in D minor, which occasionally bothered me. Its tone also really clashes with the Disney logo music that opens the film and clearly tells you what most of the music could have sounded like. Oh, and let's not even talk about the moment Jack and Elizabeth kiss while an ominous male choir is singing in the background, but there's also no denying that the score boasts fantastic themes and contains a few great moments.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Bothered by supernatural stuff? It’s a film about undead pirates. 

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

The supernatural stuff in the first movie was tolerable and it at least was a charming attempt to tie in to the dioramas with skeletons at the start of the ride at Disneyland.

 

The sequels made everything in the universe paranormal similar to The Mummy series of movies, only not done as well. They're just not very engaging and they're way too long, although DMC does have some fun bits like the swordfight. They're loaded with temporary alliances and betrayals, which annoyed me. I just think it's bad writing. That sort of thing was done perfectly in the first movie.

[Chen G. 3,950]

What's so immensly great about the first film, anyway? When you don't hold the first film to a pedestal, the other two don't seem so bad by comparison. I like Pirates 2 and 3 fine.

 

Because they were shot concurrently, they feel of a piece, which I always appreciate in sequels, and the end of 3 feels like a real culmination, and has well-earned poignancy and finality to it.