What is the Last Film You Watched? - Part II

[Romão 2,274]

It's completely beyond me how people can find that boring. It's gorgeous.

It's a nice movie, one that I enjoyed, but I fail to see the greatness in it.

[tpigeon 3]

Merkel, this is an instance in which your signature quote may actually be very relavent to the film's central themes.

Ted

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

The greatness lies in all the things that are left unsaid, unuttered, unspoken. We've all been in relationships where we've later wondered what more it could have been if we had just picked up the courage to make that extra gesture, or say that one line.

And then in the end, when Murray's character finally gets his chance, we don't hear what he says. We just see a tender kiss, an embrace, and that's it. It's almost like a dream. It tears me up every time I see it.

Gorgeous.

- Marc

[Romão 2,274]

The thing is, and this is not a criticism, that Sophia just let the cameras roll and the relationship, which seemed very genuine, between Murray and Scarlett, was totally generated by the actors themselves, with little envolvement of the director.

[tpigeon 3]

I disagree there. Lost In Translation is absolutely hypnotic; a great piece of visual cinema with great, evocative songs to complement and build on the atmosphere of the visuals.

Ted

[A24 4,338]

It's a nice movie, one that I enjoyed, but I fail to see the greatness in it.

I agree, the movie is very nice but also perhaps too simple and straightforward in its content that it doesn't warrant more than one visit.

Alex

[tpigeon 3]

What a shame, what a shame.

Ted

[Marian Schedenig 8,199]

Just saw Abre los ojos. Very nice film. I loved the final shot before the end credits.

A very good film, as far as I recall. The Hollywood remake is very disappointing in comparison.

[AzOutcast 122]

Just saw Abre los ojos. Very nice film. I loved the final shot before the end credits.

A very good film, as far as I recall. The Hollywood remake is very disappointing in comparison.

I disagree. I thought Cameron Crowe improved upon the original in every way possible. Granted, a remake wasn't necessary in the least, but the final product was an improved one. Cinematography, acting, soundtrack (hell, especially the soundtrack). Crowe excells in dialogue and character interaction, especially with couples. His latest film (Elizabethtown) was disappointing, but he still created a nice relationship between Bloom's character and Dunst's character. The Abre los Ojos remake was better in my eyes . . . not by a large margin, but noticeably.

[AI 0]

The Patriot

Excellent film. The first time I have seen it in its full format. JW score works so well, the man is a genius.

[Romão 2,274]

Just saw Abre los ojos. Very nice film. I loved the final shot before the end credits.

A very good film, as far as I recall. The Hollywood remake is very disappointing in comparison.

I disagree. I thought Cameron Crowe improved upon the original in every way possible. Granted, a remake wasn't necessary in the least, but the final product was an improved one. Cinematography, acting, soundtrack (hell, especially the soundtrack). Crowe excells in dialogue and character interaction, especially with couples. His latest film (Elizabethtown) was disappointing, but he still created a nice relationship between Bloom's character and Dunst's character. The Abre los Ojos remake was better in my eyes . . . not by a large margin, but noticeably.

I must say I really din't like any version of that Abre los Ojos.

[King Mark 3,631]

Annapolis*/*****

Failiure to Launch:**/*****

K.M.Who'll write brief * ratings for his video rentals

[Ollie 1,059]

The Patriot

Excellent film. The first time I have seen it in its full format. JW score works so well, the man is a genius.

I was beginning to think I was the only one who liked both.

[tpigeon 3]

I can't imagine anything being worse than Failure to Launch. Recently, I watched Anchorman and Terminator 2, two contemporary genres movies I absolutely love. I will readily say that T2 is not as good as the original, contrary to popular belief.

The Patriot

Excellent film. The first time I have seen it in its full format. JW score works so well, the man is a genius.

I was beginning to think I was the only one who liked both.

That makes two.

Ted

[Romão 2,274]

Three. And the Patriot does have stunning cinematography.

[Ollie 1,059]

Maybe we need a support group....

[tpigeon 3]

The Patriot also has the weakest excuses for characters I've seen in a movie that takes itself so seriously.

Ted

[John Crichton 4]

Three. And the Patriot does have stunning cinematography.

Four. Not great, but enjoyable. And I agree that it's great to look at, they found some wonderful spots acually in South Carolina I beleive.

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

I really didn't like the film. Score's okay.

[tpigeon 3]

The film's production was gorgeous; beautifully shot and scored. I found the story and characters hollow, shallow, and kind of insulting.

Ted

[Romão 2,274]

Yeah, but Wilkinson's and Isaac's acting is a joy to watch.

[Marian Schedenig 8,199]

I disagree.  I thought Cameron Crowe improved upon the original in every way possible.  Granted, a remake wasn't necessary in the least, but the final product was an improved one.  Cinematography, acting, soundtrack (hell, especially the soundtrack).  Crowe excells in dialogue and character interaction, especially with couples.

I don't remember the music, but pretty much everything else you listed I found far too "hollywoodised" (is that a word) and cliched in the Crowe version.

[ridan 0]

I loved The Patriot. The music is incredible, as is the cinematography. I do not think the characters are that shallow, but they could have been deeper, especially Tavington. But I can understand the motivations of all of the movie's characters. (Save, maybe, Susan. The one that speaks.)

[tpigeon 3]

That movie recycles just about every epic war cliche one could imagine, from the "You Killed My Family, Now I Kill You" plot to the strong-willed naive son of the main character who gets offed, thus providing motivation for the main character, to the token slave character who just wants freedom, to the old Ah Ha! finale - Will Mel live or die? I wasn't aware that all the British were evil either; I learned that from the movie.

American = good.

British = evil.

That's what I got out of that film.

Ted

[ridan 0]

Most of the British were not portrayed as evil, only Tavington. Even the Loyalist from SC hesitates befor eburning the church. Most were only following orders - under Tavington, if they didn't, they'd be subjected to the very same orders, more like than not.

[Red 75]

I also loved The Patriot. Jason Isaacs played a great villian in the film.

Rabbit--who can't think of another Revolutionary War film.

[Justin 2]

The film takes an important subject like The Revolutionary War and gives it the class of Stargate, ID4, and Godzilla.

Justin -

[John Crichton 4]

Being both an American who's a big fan of our friends across the pond, as well as a student of history (with the Revolution and Founding being one of my favorite peroids) I wasn't thrilled with the portrayal of the British either. BUT Issacs is great, and Tavington is really the only truly sadistic one. Still it does tend to fall into the categories/cliches Ted mentioned.

[Romão 2,274]

It's from being a decent character study, but it does sound and look great.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

It's revolting trite.

You gotta love the one black guy they trew in there though...

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

I didn't like it. Gibson's character has several scenes where he laments violence and goes on about how horrible it is and he doesn't want anything like that for his sons. And yet Emmerich makes the battle scenes gratuitous and cartoony (the insane cannon ball beheading comes to mind).

[A24 4,338]

The film takes an important subject like The Revolutionary War and gives it the class of Stargate, ID4, and Godzilla.

LOL

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

V for Vendetta

Excellent. After seeing it on DVD now, I regret even more that I did not see it during its original theatrical run. I had my doubts about a main character being hidden behind a mask for an entire film, but Weaving's voice really pulls it off. The combination of political intrigue and action works very well, and the film manages to make a point and be great entertainment at the same time.

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

Showed this to a friend, who hadn't even heard of this film before. We both enjoyed it (even though it's probably the third or fourth time I've seen it). The Dutch subtitles are rubbish, though. The dialogue is so fast, half the gags are left untranslated. Best to watch it without those, as they'll only distract you.

[BurgaFlippinMan 7]

The Patriot

Excellent film. The first time I have seen it in its full format. JW score works so well, the man is a genius.

I was beginning to think I was the only one who liked both.

You are not alone. It wasnt a great movie, but it was gorgeously shot, had a nice rousing score and was fun enough for a summer action movie. Yes it was manipulative, cliched and comic book-ish but I felt its execution was done well enough to warrant a thumbs up.

[publicist 4,643]

Yes it was manipulative, cliched and comic book-ish but I felt its execution was done well enough to warrant a thumbs up.

?

The evils of capitalistic economy - all those billions of $$$ and what's the result? Films like *The Patriot', which must have sucked badly even at the first pitch meeting.

This is certainly the last paycheck Williams i've heard. The moment when the final battlefest arrives and Williams puts on the happy olympic mode with all the pompous fake-heroism, you'd think some DeLorean has transported you back to the days of 'The Dirty Dozen', where it still was OK to have bright marches playing while hordes of people are slaughtered.

[Morlock 11]

It's completely beyond me how people can find that boring. It's gorgeous.

I don't know, the film was just a total miss for me.

Morlock- who can stand The Patriot due to the great work put in by Caleb Deschanel, Tom Wilkenson and Jason Isaacs, and the modestly enjoyable but entirely appropriate JW score.

[John Crichton 4]

and the modestly enjoyable but entirely appropriate JW score.

A perfect description of The Patriot score if I've ever heard one.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Amsterdamned.

Dutch director Dick Maas' attempt to make an action film, borrowing freely from Spielberg, the Bond films and thousands of Hollywood cop movies.

A serial killer is stalling the canals of Amsterdam, systematically killing off colorfull but rather cliche Amsterdam characters. (a prostitute, a salvation army worker, enviromentalists, a canal boat skipper etc...etc)

It's up to a scruffy looking cop, played by Huub Stapel to stop him.

Utterly conventional in every way, but with one brilliant scene, a canal tourist boat bumps into the body of the first victim, suspended from a bridge, leaving a trail of blood along the boats transparant roof, much to the shock of the tourists (Welcome to Amsterdam!).

Dick Maas was at this point Holland's most successfull director and would follow Verhoeven's footsteps to Hollywood some years later.

He never made it, because unlike Verhoeven he has no real style of his own, he's a competent director, obviously a great admirer of someone like Spielberg and knows more or less what works and what doesnt.

But he doesn't seem to have anything to say.

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

The Amsterdam cannal chase is probably the most famous and spectacular chase scenes ever seen in a Dutch film.

Maas directed only one movie in America. It's Down, a remake of his own De Lift (much of it was shot in Holland, though). I've seen it. It's funny in all the wrong ways.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

The Amsterdam cannal chase is probably the most famous and spectacular chase scenes ever seen in a Dutch film.

And totally blown away by similar chases done in earlier (Live And Let Die) and later (The World Is Not Enough) Bond films.

This film could have used Tatjana Simic!

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

The Amsterdam cannal chase is probably the most famous and spectacular chase scenes ever seen in a Dutch film.

And totally blown away by similar chases done in earlier (Live And Let Die) and later (The World Is Not Enough) Bond films.

True. But for a Dutch production, it's quite something.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Yeah it's pretty good. Overall the film looks a bit...touristy though.

[Marian Schedenig 8,199]

I've seen this... but either only in parts, or it was so boring that I don't remember much of it.

Dick Maas was at this point Holland's most successfull director and would follow Verhoeven's footsteps to Hollywood some years later.

Verhoeven actually walked there??

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Yes, Paul Verhoeven is a very religious man, so he can walk on water!

[A24 4,338]

V For Vendetta. Mmm, this was like Phantom Of The opera meets 1984. No, thank you. I didn't like it one bit.

[John Crichton 4]

Got some lousy 2005/6 B-movie on Sci-Fi on in the background right now. One of those "it's so bad it's hilarious" ones.

[Marian Schedenig 8,199]

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Very good, Kaufman has yet to disappoint me. Like the other movies written by him I've seen, this should stay interesting through repeated viewings. Thinking of getting V for Vendetta next, which I missed in the theatre.

[Red 75]

I recently saw Fargo again on TV. It takes multiple viewings to really appreciate this great film.

[AI 0]

There is a difference between liking a film for its' production values, and its' moral values.

I think The Patriot is an exceptional piece of filmmaking. it's a given that when you watch a film, you are observing someones, (Director and Writer mainly) personal outlook and vision. You don't have to agree with it, in order to appreciate it as a film. At least I don't approach films that way.

The security you have in your own values very much defines how you will respond to something which is vastly different. I am big fan of the film Romper Stomper, but that doesnt mean that I approve of Neo-Nazi behaviours and ideals.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Very good, Kaufman has yet to disappoint me.

I like that movie a lot too, Kaufman is an ace at what he does.

[Docteur Qui 1,544]

Jurassic Park. I'd been having a few drinks with my friends while watching it, and they started talking about the music. I was surprised they knew Williams by name, and throughout the whole "Journey to the Island" sequence (up until the Visitor's Centre) we were all in awe over the music. One friend piped up and said it was the best piece of music she's ever heard when the chopper arrives at the island, and then again with the first glimpses of the dinosaurs. Of course, I spent the next half hour babbling about film music and JW's in particular. Was a really enlightening experience!

Plus the movie freaking rocks. That helps.