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

[Jay 37,374]

Gone Girl

Saw this Saturday at a matinee showing in my town, and was reminded why I hardly ever go to the theater any more. People on my left taking cell phone calls, chewing loudly and burping, people behind me talking to the on-screen characters, etc. Bah!

Anyways, for about 95% of the runtime I loved this film. It has the same look Fincher has used for his recent work - Social Network, Dragon Tattoo, and House of Cards. It has fine acting from Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike, Neil Patrick Harris, Carrie Coon, and even surprisingly Tyler Perry! I enjoy the twists as turns the story took throughout as well. The problem for me was the ending. I thought the final scene(s) (everything from the tv interview onward) where atrociously bad and made me dislike the film. Shame too, because everything before it was so good!

[Jay 37,374]

Maleficent

You know, this was surprisingly good! Ok, it's nothing spectacular, game-changing, or influential, but almost right away from the first scene I was engaged in the story and setting and stayed that way to the end. I was expecting nothing at all here, but found myself wanting to see where the story went. There's almost no one recognizable in the cast outside of Jolie, but they all do an admirable job, and the special effects and overall look of the film were good. FANTASTIC score by James Newton Howard, too! I was hoping the film would shed light on what the various themes on the OST represent, but it didn't really; I guess one is just a "Maleficent is being nice" theme and one is a "Maleficent is being evil" theme

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

The score has a strong, Horner like atmosphere, but the themes aren't that interesting

[Wojo 2,453]

Maleficent

There's almost no one recognizable in the cast outside of Jolie, but they all do an admirable job, and the special effects and overall look of the film were good.

You may have recognized King Stefan as Sharlto Copley, an actor from other films like Europa Report, District 9, and The A-Team. And Princess Aurora looks strangely similar to Dakota Fanning...because it's her little sister. And of course, Dolores Umbridge played one of the fairies. That about covers the almosts.

[Jay 37,374]

Yea, I recognized Umbridge, that was it.

[Wojo 2,453]

I've been a fan of Copley getting bigger roles in American movies since District 9 so I made it a point to know he was in it before seeing it.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Jay couldn't recognize Elle Fanning?

[Jay 37,374]

Meh.

[mrbellamy 6,293]

I thought the final scene(s) (everything from the tv interview onward) where atrociously bad and made me dislike the film. Shame too, because everything before it was so good!

Care to elaborate on this?

[Jay 37,374]

Sure.

I liked the twist halfway through the movie, that Amy was alive the whole time and faked her death to set up her husband for her murder, because he cheated on her among other reasons. And I liked how she got robbed and had to adjust her plans and trick NPH into taking her in, etc. And her murdering him was fine too. But when she shows up back on their driveway, covered in blood (no one noticed a bloody girl driving a car for tens of hours?) the movie started to lose me. Then at least the police had the decency to ask some of the right questions, but then when her and Affleck are back in their house again I was like WTF is going on. I thought FOR SURE that when the people show up at their house to interview them and Affleck goes upstairs and Amy confesses everything - I thought for SURE that he was mic'd up for the interview, and people downstairs where listening to the whole thing, and Amy was finally going to jail. That would have been a much better ending!

Instead, Affleck takes herback and wants to have a baby with her because... reasons? Because marriage is hard? If the movie had built up that they are both fucked up people, it would make sense. But the movie only really built up that Amy was fucked up. Affleck comes off as a nice guy that cheated on his wife and was too much of a pussy to divorce her, but not a crazy guy who would get back with her after everything she did. Movie lost all credibility with that stupid ending!

Hope that makes sense.

[mrbellamy 6,293]

Sure.

I liked the twist halfway through the movie, that Amy was alive the whole time and faked her death to set up her husband for her murder, because he cheated on her among other reasons. And I liked how she got robbed and had to adjust her plans and trick NPH into taking her in, etc. And her murdering him was fine too. But when she shows up back on their driveway, covered in blood (no one noticed a bloody girl driving a car for tens of hours?) the movie started to lose me. Then at least the police had the decency to ask some of the right questions, but then when her and Affleck are back in their house again I was like WTF is going on. I thought FOR SURE that when the people show up at their house to interview them and Affleck goes upstairs and Amy confesses everything - I thought for SURE that he was mic'd up for the interview, and people downstairs where listening to the whole thing, and Amy was finally going to jail. That would have been a much better ending!

Instead, Affleck takes herback and wants to have a baby with her because... reasons? Because marriage is hard? If the movie had built up that they are both fucked up people, it would make sense. But the movie only really built up that Amy was fucked up. Affleck comes off as a nice guy that cheated on his wife and was too much of a pussy to divorce her, but not a crazy guy who would get back with her after everything she did. Movie lost all credibility with that stupid ending!

Hope that makes sense.

Hmm that's not what I got out of it. The main feeling I had at the end was that he was trapped. He's terrified of her. He has no evidence so he can't out her. He can't run for it, because he'll be ostracized and you can't really put it past her to make his life a living hell, anyway. Of course he can't kill her. At the point the film ends, they had a pretty great surface life going for them. Nationwide fame and adulation, deals for documentaries and movies. Their inner life, of course, is a giant shit show and will be until they snap, and I found that to be a suitably twisted note to leave it on. I found it pretty unbelievable that the police wouldn't press her harder during her interrogation or search further after she returned, but there's also the sense in the story that perhaps the law and especially the general public don't

want to pull back the curtain. Unless the case was airtight, which it wouldn't be.

I agree that the treatment of Affleck's character is a major problem (very good performance, though), but I also don't think he comes off as such a nice guy by the end. He's pretty manipulative in his own right and reveals himself to be quite the asshole as the film progresses, though certainly not anything close to Amy's sociopathic levels. Especially after that kitchen scene with his sister, I was left wondering how much he REALLY wants to risk everything he has right now, even if it means living in fear of Amy.

In the end, I took it for what it was: a pulp fiction story intended to provoke and seriously stretching plausibility in exchange for an entertaining and bizarre take on fame and marriage. Especially after the big reveal in the middle (most likely the scene of the year), Fincher really seemed to revel in the sheer absurdity of it all. It's the most fun I've ever had watching one of his movies and certainly the funniest that he's ever made. It's true that I couldn't believe most of what was happening, but I admit I was able to derive quite a bit of nasty fun out of this deliciously monstrous, absolute raving lunatic of a femme fatale giving this guy this grand comeuppance simply for being kind of a dill hole.

[Jay 37,374]

Oh, I dunno about that

I don't buy that he's terrified of her whatsoever - I think he could have easily left her. All he had to do was go to the police, tell them everything he suspects, encourage them to look harder at the evidence in the lakehouse (she was fairly sloppy with all that), etc. She can stay in the house, he can just go live with his sister. He can tell the police he fears for his life and they can post a guard, whatever. The ending wasn't logical, it was done to have the ending the book author wanted, and I was disappointed that for the film they didn't either 1> change the details along the way to make the ending more plausible or 2> Keep everything the same but have a more plausible and realistic ending. I just thought it was a silly and messy ending to an otherwise fantastic film.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Dixon Hill 4,234]

Sure.

I liked the twist halfway through the movie, that Amy was alive the whole time and faked her death to set up her husband for her murder, because he cheated on her among other reasons. And I liked how she got robbed and had to adjust her plans and trick NPH into taking her in, etc. And her murdering him was fine too. But when she shows up back on their driveway, covered in blood (no one noticed a bloody girl driving a car for tens of hours?) the movie started to lose me. Then at least the police had the decency to ask some of the right questions, but then when her and Affleck are back in their house again I was like WTF is going on. I thought FOR SURE that when the people show up at their house to interview them and Affleck goes upstairs and Amy confesses everything - I thought for SURE that he was mic'd up for the interview, and people downstairs where listening to the whole thing, and Amy was finally going to jail. That would have been a much better ending!

Instead, Affleck takes herback and wants to have a baby with her because... reasons? Because marriage is hard? If the movie had built up that they are both fucked up people, it would make sense. But the movie only really built up that Amy was fucked up. Affleck comes off as a nice guy that cheated on his wife and was too much of a pussy to divorce her, but not a crazy guy who would get back with her after everything she did. Movie lost all credibility with that stupid ending!

Hope that makes sense.

Hmm that's not what I got out of it. The main feeling I had at the end was that he was trapped. He's terrified of her. He has no evidence so he can't out her. He can't run for it, because he'll be ostracized and you can't really put it past her to make his life a living hell, anyway. Of course he can't kill her. At the point the film ends, they had a pretty great surface life going for them. Nationwide fame and adulation, deals for documentaries and movies. Their inner life, of course, is a giant shit show and will be until they snap, and I found that to be a suitably twisted note to leave it on. I found it pretty unbelievable that the police wouldn't press her harder during her interrogation or search further after she returned, but there's also the sense in the story that perhaps the law and especially the general public don't

want to pull back the curtain. Unless the case was airtight, which it wouldn't be.

I agree that the treatment of Affleck's character is a major problem (very good performance, though), but I also don't think he comes off as such a nice guy by the end. He's pretty manipulative in his own right and reveals himself to be quite the asshole as the film progresses, though certainly not anything close to Amy's sociopathic levels. Especially after that kitchen scene with his sister, I was left wondering how much he REALLY wants to risk everything he has right now, even if it means living in fear of Amy.

In the end, I took it for what it was: a pulp fiction story intended to provoke and seriously stretching plausibility in exchange for an entertaining and bizarre take on fame and marriage. Especially after the big reveal in the middle (most likely the scene of the year), Fincher really seemed to revel in the sheer absurdity of it all. It's the most fun I've ever had watching one of his movies and certainly the funniest that he's ever made. It's true that I couldn't believe most of what was happening, but I admit I was able to derive quite a bit of nasty fun out of this deliciously monstrous, absolute raving lunatic of a femme fatale giving this guy this grand comeuppance simply for being kind of a dill hole.

Right on, this is pretty much how I felt after walking out of it. It was great fun.

[Matt C 455]

The Judge

It's well-intentioned, but this is the sort of 'uplifting' film you'd catch on Hallmark -- but R-rated and with an A-list actor heading it. There's some warmth and genuine tension between Robert Downey Jr. and Robert Duvall, but RDJ doesn't really 'disappear' or make the character his own. Like a less flippant Tony Stark. And then at the end, there's a maddening cutaway ... the main character is about to break into tears but the scene cuts to a wide shot -- which undermines an emotional catharsis. You'd figure RDJ and his wife's passion project would be more risky... but it infuriatingly sticks to the "you're not a real man if you cry" rule.

Stick to a rental or Netflix for this one.

[Jay 37,374]

That was a problem in "Chef" too, he basically just played a slight variation of Tony Stark

[Koray Savas 2,251]

That's just him. He's a personality actor. I remember him being like that all the way back in Ally McBeal.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Pretty much.

[Muad'Dib 1,802]

We'll always have Chaplin, at least.

[nightscape94 965]

I remember him being good in Restoration. Not a fan of Chaplin, despite an unhealthy obsession with Moira Kelly

[Muad'Dib 1,802]

Why not?

[publicist 4,643]

The Barry score really sells this movie in key places.

[nightscape94 965]

I haven't seen the movie in like 15 years or so, but I remember thinking it was rather uninteresting. Perhaps it was the script, pacing or structure. Maybe I have to revisit it. It's not all that fresh in the 'ol noggin anymore.

[publicist 4,643]

It is one of those polished ready-made-for Oscar-night showpieces by Dickie Attenborough. Not bad but also a disservice to Chaplin's art since it's one of these meticulous biopics that are more concerned with soulful glances towards a long lost love instead of exploring CC's comic genus.

[nightscape94 965]

It is one of those polished ready-made-for Oscar-night showpieces....

That's it!

[Muad'Dib 1,802]

It's Oscar bait for sure, but personallly I find it an extremly compelling film. Can't get enough of it.

[publicist 4,643]

It's Barry!

[A24 4,346]

To me, Downey Jr. is that '80s actor from the John Hughes factory who has managed to be successful today.

[Quintus 5,399]

Kelly LeBrock was my second crush ever!

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Who was the first?

[A24 4,346]

Quintus was probably in love with Brooke Shields.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

She farted.

[Naïve Old Fart 9,554]

We'll always have Chaplin, at least.

[Matt C 455]

That's just him. He's a personality actor. I remember him being like that all the way back in Ally McBeal.

He is a good Sherlock though, I don't see much Tony Stark there. But everything else... yeah, it's more personality and less chameleon. It's a similar problem with Denzel Washington -- the man can play three modes: smooth badass, conflicted antihero, or full-on bad guy.

They need to branch out into riskier fare in between the big paycheck films. And not some generic Oscar bait.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Gone Girl

Darkly comic and disturbing. Not sure if I like it or not, I'm indifferent at the moment. I think the whole thing just puts me off. It's too serious to be like Fight Club and too ridiculous to be like The Game. Direction and cinematography are top notch per usual, but the convoluted plot is the film's biggest detriment. In the end it just doesn't make sense. I might read the book down the road to gain more insight.

[Jay 37,374]

I didn't think the plot was convoluted or didn't make sense - everything was easy to follow and not that complicated. I just didn't like how the plot ended.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

There were so many loose ends in the fabric of it all that there was no possible way for it to end as it did.

[publicist 4,643]

Gone Girl

and too ridiculous to be like The Game

A bold statement. THE GAME is so ridiculous it puts Bobby Ewing's dream revelation to shame.

[Quintus 5,399]

Who was the first?

Kylie Minogue.

[A24 4,346]

So you watched Neighbours, huh?

[Quintus 5,399]

Nah, it was her I Should Be So Lucky video. She looked heavenly in it, to a 10 year old.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Gone Girl

and too ridiculous to be like The Game

A bold statement. THE GAME is so ridiculous it puts Bobby Ewing's dream revelation to shame.

The Game is ridiculous, but I believe it every step of the way. It's a fantastic roller coaster ride with a great denouement. With Gone Girl's central unsolved crime, the lack of investigative talent just takes you out of it.

[Jay 37,374]

Everything after a certain hospital scene near the end begins, characters all just lose their minds for no real reason

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Couldn't Affleck just have gotten that ex boyfriend to testify that she faked her rape? She did the exact same thing with NPH. Besides, wasn't the whole mansion supposed to be under surveillance? Wouldn't there have been another angle somewhere of her setting it all up?

[Jay 37,374]

Exactly, among many other points

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Ah well, it's the first Fincher film that I've been mildly disappointed with. The score was fitting, though quite tame in comparison to Reznor/Ross' previous efforts. Howard Shore would have done wonders with this. C'mon Fincher!

[crocodile 8,020]

I might go and see it this week.

Karol

[A24 4,346]

I've been disappointed several times with Fincher (Alien3, The Game, The Girl With Dragon Tattoo, ...) so maybe I should check this one out!

[crocodile 8,020]

He's a bit of a roulette, isn't he?

But I like the danger!

Karol

[publicist 4,643]

He seems to consider potboiler material as his challenge. Only that could possibly explain the second adaptation of another airport novel in a row.