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

[Quintus 5,399]

20 hours ago, KK said:

I've been meaning to watch The Babadook, but a friend told me it's overrated and even kind of silly.

 

Well in a way, it is [silly]. Evil Dead is very silly too, as is its sequel. Still absolutely amazing horror films in their day though. I didn't expect much from Babadook at all, it was one of those "oh fuck it" button pushes on Netflix one night. I thought it was an excellent B-movie entry into the genre and I probably found it to be the creepiest of the ones mentioned here, helped by sympathetic performances from the terrorised mother and son coupling.

 

Anyway, my order would be this, based on pure enjoyability factor (because they're all good films):

 

Babadook > Hereditary > It Follows > Bird Box > The Witch > A Quiet Place

 

Actually, I found the last one to be quite mediocre by the end.

 

Oh and the ending of The Mist is my favourite part. It's such a good film that, and another very silly one.

 

 

[JoeinAR 1,949]

We watched Crawl. Such a cringe worthy film. David needed a couple of aleve afterwards for all the shocks and jumps. There are many alligators near our house too. Everynow and then you have to stop and let them pass.

[Edmilson 7,370]

Parasite

 

That was really great! Now I know from where all the hype is coming from. All the Oscar wins were well deserved, and I still think it should've won for Best Editing as well.

 

One thing that was great that I haven't seen many people talking about was the usage of music on the film. Whether is Jung Jae-il's minimalistic piano score or classical selections, the music worked very well on setting the tone(s) for the movie.

 

Watching it on theaters is a great experience, better than at home, I guess. This is probably why the movie is getting such a great box office, even with it available on iTunes. Truly an event film.

 

https://www.indiewire.com/2020/02/parasite-box-office-streaming-record-gamechanger-1202211842/

[John 2,032]

I’ll be seeing it tomorrow. Can’t wait!

[publicist 4,643]

On 2/19/2020 at 5:14 PM, Edmilson said:

Parasite

 

That was really great! Now I know from where all the hype is coming from. All the Oscar wins were well deserved, and I still think it should've won for Best Editing as well.

 

It was unavoidable that Trump would trample all over it.

[Edmilson 7,370]

1 minute ago, publicist said:

It was unavoidable that Trump would trample all over it.

 

Who needs Trump when Scorsese himself wrote a letter congratulating Bong for his film?

 

https://www.indiewire.com/2020/02/martin-scorsese-bong-joon-ho-letter-parasite-oscar-wins-1202212336/

[publicist 4,643]

Either way, it's not for the worse that Parasite won. The social topic it addresses deserve the spotlight.

[KK 3,307]

1 minute ago, publicist said:

Either way, it's not for the worse that Parasite won. The social topic it addresses deserve the spotlight.

 

Indeed. Though I find it a little amusing how taken aback domestic audiences are by how "novel" Parasite's social commentary is, when most Asian/South Asian cinema has pretty much been dealing with that kind thematic material, in one form or the other, for as long as I remember. A sign of privilege, I guess.

[publicist 4,643]

Well yes, americans tend to find their numerous woes either in upscale environments or in trashy ghettos, they seldom mix, Trading Places style.

[A24 4,326]

Bring back Gone With The Wind!

[Jurassic Shark 12,008]

But it's gone.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

Imagine all the renewed calls for it to be banned as it approaches it's 100th anniversary 19 years from now.

[Jurassic Shark 12,008]

33 minutes ago, Þekþiþm said:

Imagine all the renewed calls for it to be banned as it approaches it's 100th anniversary 19 years from now.

 

Renewed? Has it happened before?

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

1 minute ago, Jurassic Shark said:

 

Renewed? Has it happened before?

 

There was some chatter about it from lefties a few years back. They want to censor everything that contradicts their lithpy worldview.

[Naïve Old Fart 9,490]

Whatever way you slice it, GONE WITH THE WIND is among the greatest films ever made. Sure, it's a product of its time, as all films are, but it needs to be viewed in context.

What's next? Will THE GODFATHER be banned, because it stigmatises Italian-Americans?

Will OLIVER! be banned, because one character is offensive to Jews?

Fuck's sake.

[Quintus 5,399]

*Devil's advocate* What about Birth of a Nation?

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

You can't even hear anyone talk in that movie!

[Quintus 5,399]

It's one of the greatest ever made!

[A24 4,326]

1 hour ago, Þekþiþm said:

 

There was some chatter about it from lefties a few years back. They want to censor everything that contradicts their lithpy worldview.

 

A theatre decided not to show it because they felt the film's racism is insensitive to a large segment of the local population. The book has already been banned in the '70s for similar reasons. 

[Chen G. 3,942]

41 minutes ago, Quintus said:

*Devil's advocate* What about Birth of a Nation?

 

Also Griffith's follow-up, the BRILLIANT Intolerance, which is basically Griffiths' way of whining that people were intolerant of his racism. Cry me a river.

 

1 hour ago, Naïve Old Fart said:

Will OLIVER! be banned, because one character is offensive to Jews?

 

That's Lean's Oliver Twist.

 

Oliver! is a Carol Reed musical.

 

22 minutes ago, Quintus said:

It's one of the greatest ever made!

 

It is. That isn't to say that its racist undertones wouldn't hurt the viewing experience of a contemporary audience, of course. Same with Gone With the Wind, Oliver Twist, Intolerance, etc...

[A24 4,326]

1 hour ago, Naïve Old Fart said:

Whatever way you slice it, GONE WITH THE WIND is among the greatest films ever made. Sure, it's a product of its time, as all films are, but it needs to be viewed in context.

What's next? Will THE GODFATHER be banned, because it stigmatises Italian-Americans?

Will OLIVER! be banned, because one character is offensive to Jews?

Fuck's sake.

 

Just this week, a Belgian carnival parade car portraying Jews in a stereotypical way have been asked by Israel to cancel their parade. 

 

 

Personally, I don't mind, but I understand that some people take offence, just like with Gone With The Wind.

.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

I think we need a new thread for streaming movies. We need two actually. One for old streaming movies, and new streaming movies.  Also two new threads for streaming original shows, old and new.

[Holko 9,491]

Apollo 11

 

Incredible stuff.

[John 2,032]

Parasite. 
 

Saw this last week. Definitely one of the best movies I’ve seen in a while. Great story, great performances, great score... it’s just great! I love how it tackles all these different genres at once and it pulls it off so well. It’s at once a thriller, satire, comedy, and family drama. It all just works so well. Will definitely be revisiting this one in the near future!

[SteveMc 2,674]

Ford V. Ferrari

Polished and and well-crafted racing drama where Christian Bale upstages everything else with a performance full of personality.  I liked the movie, but I can't help feel it was too by-the-numbers.  The script relied on conventions and exposition heavy dialogue.  The pacing was a tad sluggish.   The resolution a tad pretentious in a manufactured way.  The music was just there.  Needed more poetry and pizzazz to rise above the status of adequate.

3/4

.

 

 

 

 

 

Knives Out

Rian Johnson really impressed me in this one.  He's gleefully subversive here, and crafts a kind of murder mystery that's part Adrian Monk, part Poirot, and part Clue.  What especially impressed me is that this is a very contemporary movie, but one that I feel both captures and transcends its time.  There are plenty of anachronisms (the house, Blanc, the throwback genre), and plenty of present day dynamics (politics, economics, trends), but put together in a way where, say, 20 years from now, people will look at the film and say "Oh, yeah, that's how the 2010s were!" instead of, "Ugh, this is so 2010s."  In other words, a future classic.

Performances are solid.  Craig's accent is ridiculous, but I guess that's the point.  Ana de Armas is perfect in her role as Marta.  There are some plot questions, and the movie's political message (which suggests that rich, powerful white America ((left and right)) has gotten too decadent for its own good and will soon be replaced by good, hard-working minorities) may not be for everyone, but I really dig how Johnson integrated it into the story.  

Solid, solid stuff.

3.5/4 

[Gustavo Joseph 29]

Just saw J'Accuse (2019), a very good Roman Polanski movie, his better since The ghost writer (2010). Terrific acting, great pacing. There's only 20 or so minutes of music in the 132 min movie, always tense and urgent. The album has a few more, including a good Dreyfus theme that doesn't appear in the film. 

[Naïve Old Fart 9,490]

Thanks for that, @Gustavo Joseph.

I, too, am looking forward to this (although, when I'll get to watch it, is another thing!).

[Edmilson 7,370]

Uncut Gems

 

Adam Sandler yells, curses and makes sure every other character on the film hates him on his path to being a respected performer, and not just the star of abominations like Grown Ups, Jack and Jill, Pixels, etc.

 

This is a well directed, well edited, with great cinematography and a mesmerizing performance by Sandler (!), which, although the various messes his character enters, the movie is never confusing to the audience.

 

I just don't understand the 80s synth, Blade Runner-like score. It's good on its own, but... When a composer and the directors/writers/producers decide on a sound pallete to a movie, they have a goal in mind. But the movie is set in 2012, doesn't have any reference to the 80s, so I got the impression they only did that because 80s nostalgia is cool and trendy these days.

[Gustavo Joseph 29]

2 hours ago, Edmilson said:

Uncut Gems

 

Adam Sandler yells, curses and makes sure every other character on the film hates him on his path to being a respected performer, and not just the star of abominations like Grown Ups, Jack and Jill, Pixels, etc.

 

This is a well directed, well edited, with great cinematography and a mesmerizing performance by Sandler (!), which, although the various messes his character enters, the movie is never confusing to the audience.

 

I just don't understand the 80s synth, Blade Runner-like score. It's good on its own, but... When a composer and the directors/writers/producers decide on a sound pallete to a movie, they have a goal in mind. But the movie is set in 2012, doesn't have any reference to the 80s, so I got the impression they only did that because 80s nostalgia is cool and trendy these days.

The directors like that sound, it has the sound of a much grittier NY than the one we have today. I think it fits the movie very well (great movie, by the way)

[Edmilson 7,370]

I understand that the movie asked for more than a Resznor/Ross type of full dark and gritty music, it needed to convey the black comedy of it all. But I dunno, the score, although good per se, worked well during the opening and ending montage, but it felt at odds with this very modern story.

[Nick Parker 3,040]

26 minutes ago, Edmilson said:

I understand that the movie asked for more than a Resznor/Ross type of full dark and gritty music, it needed to convey the black comedy of it all. But I dunno, the score, although good per se, worked well during the opening and ending montage, but it felt at odds with this very modern story.

 

Without having seen the film, and ignoring the general point that synthesizers do not inherently equal retro, you mentioned that you look for the goal filmmakers had in mind. This feeling of being at odds...do you think perchance that could be what thry intended?

 

For example--sorry to keep bringing this score up--when Ryuichi Sakamoto wrote the score to Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence, he wanted to write a score that was exotic to both Eastern and Western ears, driving home the themes of the film.

[Edmilson 7,370]

1 hour ago, Nick Parker said:

 

Without having seen the film, and ignoring the general point that synthesizers do not inherently equal retro, you mentioned that you look for the goal filmmakers had in mind. This feeling of being at odds...do you think perchance that could be what thry intended?

 

For example--sorry to keep bringing this score up--when Ryuichi Sakamoto wrote the score to Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence, he wanted to write a score that was exotic to both Eastern and Western ears, driving home the themes of the film.

 

Could be that. But I dunno, I don't think the movie has themes of the past repeating itself in the present, or something like that, it's a thriller about a guy obsessed with bets trying to balance his very complicated life. 

 

I guess the filmmakers and composer Daniel Lopatin (who is very talented, actually) wanted to highlight the dark comedy of it all, and maybe they felt that 80s synths are more suitable to convey that than just modern electronic/industrial music (in theory more adequate for a thriller/suspense) a la Resznor and Ross.

[Nick Parker 3,040]

2 hours ago, Edmilson said:

 

Could be that. But I dunno, I don't think the movie has themes of the past repeating itself in the present, or something like that, it's a thriller about a guy obsessed with bets trying to balance his very complicated life. 

 

I guess the filmmakers and composer Daniel Lopatin (who is very talented, actually) wanted to highlight the dark comedy of it all, and maybe they felt that 80s synths are more suitable to convey that than just modern electronic/industrial music (in theory more adequate for a thriller/suspense) a la Resznor and Ross.

 

I encourage you to consider that they're not necessarily going for an '80s vibe, especially considering Lopatin has been on the forefront of electronic music for years. While he has explicitly mentioned some of the influences that went into the score, that'd be like saying Spielberg and Williams wanted to give Jurassic Park an early 20th century aesthetic with nods to Rite of Spring.

[Edmilson 7,370]

48 minutes ago, Nick Parker said:

 

I encourage you to consider that they're not necessarily going for an '80s vibe, especially considering Lopatin has been on the forefront of electronic music for years. While he has explicitly mentioned some of the influences that went into the score, that'd be like saying Spielberg and Williams wanted to give Jurassic Park an early 20th century aesthetic with nods to Rite of Spring.

 

That's the conclusion I reach. The point wasn't make any reference to the 80s, but rather to enhance the dark comedy of it all, and Lopatin thought the 80s synths would be more suitable for that goal than just simply modern electronic music.

 

In that sense, I guess I prefer Gone Girl. It's a modern electronic score with elements of dark comedy. Uncut Gems reminded me a little of Blade Runner and Vangelis, lol.

[Nick Parker 3,040]

11 minutes ago, Edmilson said:

thought the 80s synths

 

 

[Edmilson 7,370]

The music had an 80s vibe. As I said, I don't have much musical knowledge about that, but it did remind me of the 80s, specifically Vangelis.

 

But, again, I concluded that they thought this kind of music was more suitable to convey the black comedy aspect of the movie.

[A24 4,326]

I guess Vangelis already sounded '80s in the '70s. Lopatin also likes the orchestral/synth blend that Goldsmith explored in the '80s. 

[SteveMc 2,674]

The so-called "80s" synth sound is timeless.  We are the ones who date it with our dubious progress,

[A24 4,326]

To me this is the '80s synth sound: synths, samples and a Linndrum:

 

 

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

1 hour ago, SteveMc said:

The so-called "80s" synth sound is timeless.  We are the ones who date it with our dubious progress,

 

It's even used in Westworld. I love it!

[mrbellamy 6,270]

On 3/15/2020 at 10:02 AM, Edmilson said:

Adam Sandler yells, curses and makes sure every other character on the film hates him on his path to being a respected performer, and not just the star of abominations like Grown Ups, Jack and Jill, Pixels, etc.

 

I dunno why people are still so surprised whenever Adam Sandler is good. I suppose there was still a contingent that thought Punch Drunk Love, Funny People, and Meyerowitz Stories were flukes and now there's consensus that he's a legitimate talent who just likes going lowbrow more often than not.

[A24 4,326]

5 minutes ago, Þekþiþm said:

 

It's even used in Westworld. I love it!

 

There was a time, not too long ago, when people called synth scores 'cheesy'. The low budget straight-to-video movies of the '80s probably had something to do with that.

 

[JoeinAR 1,949]

Synth scores are generally garbage. 

[Naïve Old Fart 9,490]

WITNESS? 2010? I don't call them "garbage".

[gkgyver 1,645]

Watching Quantum Of Solace right now. I had no memory of how bad Craig's haircut was in this one. 

[Naïve Old Fart 9,490]

When you notice someone's bad hair, it's time to get out.

[gkgyver 1,645]

On 3/25/2020 at 10:27 PM, Naïve Old Fart said:

When you notice someone's bad hair, it's time to get out.

 

You mean outside? I've been told that's deadly. 

[Naïve Old Fart 9,490]

No. "Time to get out", as in: the first line of the film. As in: stop watching.

[gkgyver 1,645]

On the contrary, I love the film. Ahead of its time. 

[A24 4,326]

8 hours ago, gkgyver said:

 Ahead of its time. 

 

In what way?