What is the Last Film You Watched? - Part II

[Red 75]

I thoroughly enjoyed The Game. I would rank Se7en as Fincher's best film, with Fight Club in a close second. Thats ironic because the last two films I named are the best Brad Pitt movies next to Twelve Monkeys.

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

That really pissed me off- the documentry. I understand the full length thing is almost four hours long, but on my R2 DVD it was slightly less than three hours. Among the segments left out was the one with Elfman. 8O

I've had the new release (with the longer cut and all those extras) all year, but I still haven't watched the second half of the extras, nor have I checked their running time. It's much better than my old UK release, in any case, which was non-anamorphic, censored, and extra-less.

I need to get the German DVD set. Four discs, baby!

Oh, and Mom was in The Frighteners?

[Morlock 11]

She certainly was, hair cut and all.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Game. I would rank Se7en as Fincher's best film, with Fight Club in a close second. Thats ironic because the last two films I named are the best Brad Pitt movies next to Twelve Monkeys.

Still haven't seen that. I should probably get to it some day.

Morlock- who, after many hours of Ross' nagging, is finally about to try a recent TV show, an unknown little thing called 'Lost'

Morlock2- who, for the record, hasn't regularly watched any recent shows aside from The Sopranos, and The Simpsons (and has been slacking on the latter due to general crappiness (though there were a couple of good episodes last seasons)).

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

Oh, right. I thought you meant Tress MacNeille was in The Frighteners.

[Marian Schedenig 8,199]

I disagree, Se7en gets better the more I view it.

Fightclub is wearing thin on me now, like Jurassic Park.

Jurassic Park is a mediocre movie with a script loosely (and only occasionally faithfully) based on a very good book.

Fight Club is a great movie with a script closely (and mostly faithfully) based on a very good book.

[Trent B 337]

Fight Club is definitely an awesome movie. It's funny that my friends had to watch it twice in order to understand what was going on with it. I understood it the first time around. I like thinking movies like that.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

Fight Club is a great movie with a script closely (and mostly faithfully) based on a very good book.

LOL 8O LOL LOL LOL LOL

[Marian Schedenig 8,199]

And that's a fact.

[QMM 4]

After reading through Vengeance again for a second time, I popped in Munich for about the third or fourth time this month.

Still love it, (one of the few times where I disagree with Morlock, otherwise I'm in agreement with whatever he says about movies)

[A24 4,338]

Fightclub is wearing thin on me now, like Jurassic Park.

Jurassic Park is the definition of thin.

[Justin 2]

Oh please not this again.

Justin

[robthehand 3]

I don't know if "thin" is the word, but Jurassic Park is mind-numbingly boring.

[tpigeon 3]

I don't think so. I enjoy it much more than the bloated, self-important, and not-nearly-intelligent-as-its-makers-think Fight Club.

Ted

[A24 4,338]

That doesn't make it any less "thin".

[Ollie 1,059]

I like Jurassic Park, Fight Club is nothing special outside of Ed Norton's performance.

[robthehand 3]

not-nearly-intelligent-as-its-makers-think Fight Club.

Ted

You guessed the ending, did you?

[Alejandro 26]

In the past three weeks:

Pulse, which was horrible. Grade: F

Trust the Man; Grade: B

Snakes on a Plane; a good experience with friends. Grade: B-

Step Up; predictable. Grade: C

World Trade Center: B-

Night Listener: C+

MySpace Film Music Group:

http://groups.myspace.com/filmmusiccentral

[A24 4,338]

I like Jurassic Park, Fight Club is nothing special outside of Ed Norton's performance.

The film outmaneuvered its audience. That's pretty special. Perhaps you're a bit frustrated because the movie is smarter than you?

[Morlock 11]

That's why you like the film? because it outmaneuvered it's audience? I liked the film because I thought was fascinating. The revelation at the end cheapened the film for me. One way or another, the revelation was obvious, and it diverted people's attention from the issue the movie raised.

[A24 4,338]

That's why you like the film? because it outmaneuvered it's audience?

No, my post was meant to nag Olivarez because he labels the film as "nothing special".

[tpigeon 3]

I happen to agree with him. And no, the film is not smarter than me.

Ted

[A24 4,338]

I happen to agree with him. And no, the film is not smarter than me.

That's the first thing I would say when a film has outmaneuvered me. And then I would concentrate on attacking its ideas, sorta like revenge.

So, Ted, when are you gonna attack its ideas?

Alex

[tpigeon 3]

It's ideas aren't as brilliant as its makers seem to think they are. I'm not attacking them, just pointing out that these are ideas that aren't groundbreaking in the sense that I've been more stimulated by several articles and books I've read on masculinity, socialization, consumerism, post-modernism, and everything else the film covers. Given that I didn't find its ideas stimulating, I'll admit that I very much enjoyed the first hour or so of the film. By the end - and I've seen it several times - I found the narrative desperate and too eager to please and show off. It really has nothing to do with outmaneuvering.

Ted

[A24 4,338]

You sum up a long list of very unconventional themes and yet you are saying that the film should've tried harder to stimulate its audience? Hmmm.

Alex

[tpigeon 3]

I'm saying it didn't explore them nearly as brilliantly is its makers think. That's all. I'm not saying the movie is dumb by any stretch, or wrong-headed, or that I don't "agree" with it. I don't dislike the movie. Like I said, I rather enjoyed it for a while; perhaps my enjoyment of its first half heightened my expectations and my impression of the film's potential. But by the end, I was proven wrong. It is far from a bad movie though.

Ted

[Red 75]

How accurate is Fight Club to the book? I'm not trying to demote the film, I just want to know.

[Marian Schedenig 8,199]

Except for a changed ending, and one or two dropped scenes (at least one of which was scripted, but later cut), the events and narration (and as far as I remember even dialogue) are exactly like in the book.

[Morlock 11]

Saw Clerks 2. Funny. Surprisingly good sequal to the first one. Too much heart, not enough laughs, way too much Donkey sex, but still, I was impressed that Smith still had the spirit of the original in him. Loved the LoTR bits, as well as the musical number set to the Jackson Five. ***/****.

[Morlock 11]

Saw Gone With The Wind for the second time. Very good for a soap opera. I mean, how many soap operas sport characters like Rhett Butler and have a Max Steiner score? Looks great, sounds great, is a good movie. But for my money, this is nearly as good as other highest tier classics like Citizen Kane, Singin' in The Rain, Casablanca, or a whole bunch of others. Nice spectacle. ***1/2 out of ****.

I recently read Dune for the first time, and for some stupid reason decided to rent the David Lynch film. I have yet to recover. Without a doubt, one of the worst films I have ever seen in my entire life. Absolutely terrible in every single way.

As Roger Ebert summed up in his 1 star review (very generous, if you ask me):

Nobody looks very happy in this movie. Actors stand around in ridiculous costumes, mouthing dialogue that has little or no context. They're not even given scenes that work on a self-contained basis; portentious lines of pop profundity are allowed to hang in the air unanswered, while additional characters arrive or leave on unexplained errands. DUNE looks like a project that was seriously out of control from the start. Sets were constructed, actors were hired; no usable screenplay was ever written; everybody faked it as long as they could. Some shabby special effects were thrown into the pot, and the producers crossed their fingers and hoped that everybody who has read the books will want to see the movie. Not if the word gets out, they won't.

I think this is the first time in my stay at JWFan to award a film the following rating:

Zero Stars/****. On a short list of one of the worst films I've ever seen (I can never remember the contents of my list, unfortunetly, aside from M:I2 and Scary Movie 2).

Anyway, on to more positive film experiences.....

The talk in the Unbreakable thread got me to pop in my Signs DVD. I was expecting a let-down. It's been a while since I've seen the film as a whole (I sometimes pop it in just for the great musical finale), and I was sure I wouldn't like it as much as I used to. Boy, was I wrong. I still love the film. It just grabbed me all over again, just like that time in the theater, when I was sure I was going for a crappy alien film, and was surprisingly involved by the film. I don't care what people say about the message, I think the film is just so well-crafted, so finely toned.....it really is an admirable effort. VERY well-directed, shot, edited, and one of the best soundtracks I've ever witnessed in a film. The sound design is just so maticulous, so integral to the film. And, of course, the score, IMO one of the best ever written. Those three notes have such amazing impact throughout the score, and the finale is musically probably the best I've ever seen/heard. Breathtaking stuff.

Now, aside from all those technical stuff, I'll also say this- the film is very well acted by everyone, and, I must say, I find it's message very affecting. I don't mind one bit being manipulated if I can live with the film's message, just like Crash.

I give Signs ****/****, and say that it is still one of the best film of 2002, which was the best year for film we've had in the past few years (since 1999). IMO, a red letter year for film.

And, most recently I finished watching The Comedy Central William Shatner Roast. This was the first time in a very long time that I was literally crying from laughter. Funniest thing I've seen in a long time. Highly recommended for all.

[QMM 4]

Finally, someone I can agree with about Signs.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

Mr Blandings Builds His Dream House,

with Cary Grant, and Myrna Loy.

what a terrific film, absolutely a joy.

smart dialogue, great acting, superb comic timing.

its an insult to the film that the Money Pit is supposedly even based on it.

[A24 4,338]

I've seen Dune (short version) when it came out in theaters and as an experience, I must say, I remember it very well. The sets and costumes were simply fantastic. The whole production design was incredible. In the acting department, Siân Phillips as Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam managed to rise herself above the mess and she creeped the hell out of me (just like she did in I, claudius). Actually, the whole film had this very sinister, almost dreamlike atmosphere which is so typical for David Lynch. These were the things I experienced as the good points. The rest of the movie wasn't very good indeed. I never read the book but I felt the story jumped forward in time in a very unnatural way. Things that should've been addressed were clearly completely neglected. Later I've heard that Lynch's version was severely mutilated by De Laurentiis (Lynch's intended version was 3 hours long) and that a new, much longer version has been assembled but sadly not by Lynch.

It's also interesting to know that Ridley Scott left the project after working on it for 7 months before David Lynch came onboard.

Alex

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Siân Phillips as Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam managed to rise herself above the mess and she creeped the hell out of me (just like she did in I, claudius).

She's the best part of the film by far.

Like you said the atmosphere in the film is unique, but in the end it just doesn't hold together.

[A24 4,338]

Either Peter Jackson, Nolan or Spielberg should turn Herbert's books into a new prestigious trilogy.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Weren't these remade already as TV movies?

[A24 4,338]

Weren't these remade already as TV movies?

Yes and with cheap production values. FX were laughable (very early and amateurish CGI).

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Hardly early, since these films come from 2000 and 2003, but I'm sure they are amateurish.

[Marian Schedenig 8,199]

William Hurt was nice in them as far as I remember, and it had a bit more of a consistent plot than the confused Lynch version, but somehow it was exceptionally unmemorable... I think I'd forgotten most about it after seeing it - and I saw it twice, once before and once after I read the book.

I also remember being thoroughly unimpressed by Tyler's score.

[publicist 4,643]

In the last 5 days:

'Donnie Darko'

'Charade'

'Have a good Funeral...Sartana will pay!'

and last but not least: 'Ilsa - She-Wolf of the SS'

Darko was a well-made, sometimes trying film with a blah-blah-finale which exposes the whole thing as (rather transparent) parable on teenage angst. Would have worked better if they constructed it as a love story, which of course it was, but all the shenanigans about the reactionary society surrounding Donnie should be toned down in favor of his first blossoming love. TV preachers, motivation trainers and the likes are twisted fucks...we get it already!

I've never seen 'Charade' and even if it's slight, it still has tons of charm, although the plot itself is pretty labored. The comparisons to Hitchcock are moot, since the film lacked the darker underpinnings of Hitch's oeuvre, but simply used effective suspense 'flags' borrowed from the maestro, i. e. the subway chase.

Mancini had some great moments, especially in the last quarter when the rhythm of the wooden sticks rocked the various chases!

'Sartana' is a recurring spaghetti western character with rather dubious motives, but since the genre was mostly self-referential parody by this time (early 70s), the lack of depth is a virtue here. The film itself is nothing to write home about, IF NOT for the german dub, which is so atrocious that it's great fun.

Brought to you by the same people who dubbed various Spencer-Hill films and the (in)famous german version of 'The Persuaders', you can expect a very loose translation, to put it mildly.

When the main character climbs into a room and is questioned by it's inhabitant, he claims to be from Bavaria, where he was used to 'lay the ladder on', while confronted with the bad guy at the final shootout he's spitting a barrage of untranslatable nonsense at him, which must be experienced to be believed.

I could go on with my musings of 'Ilsa' but would certainly thrown off the forum, considering the 'daring' theme it exploits. Let me just say the trash in the 70s was miles better than most of the genre outing s of today. The film was shot in secrecy on the sets of 'Hogan's Heroes' - and it's depiction of nazi cruelty is certainly on the same outlandish level as the 'laughs' of this series.

[Romão 2,274]

Dune does have a very "What-the-hell-is-this" atmosphere, and when I watched it as a youngster, it made me read the book. But the book, now that's an experience. Without a doubt the best thing I have ever read. I wish they would turn it into a big budget movie trilogy, but please, not by Peter Jackson.

[Ollie 1,059]

I like Jurassic Park, Fight Club is nothing special outside of Ed Norton's performance.

The film outmaneuvered its audience. That's pretty special. Perhaps you're a bit frustrated because the movie is smarter than you?

Isn't that the same lame argument 2001 fans try to use?

[JoeinAR 1,949]

Fight Club is not a film I care for, but for some reason its a European fan fav., and young male fav. Seems that Finch is more popular over there than over here, I wish he'd leave us alone, and suffer his production over there.

Had a mini movie marathon last night.

Matrix Revolution

Wolf Creek

Batman Begins

Matrix Rev, is pointless best I can tell, yet its an improvement on Reloaded. Neo and Trinity continue to have great connection, Moss and Whoa, do a good job together, visually its stunning, but it pales compared to the Matrix, and too much weve seen before. 2 stars

Wolf Creek, oh well, like Hostel, not scary, not engaging, the only person that you do care for dies first, just a complete middle of the pack horror film wannabee. 1-1/2 stars

Batman Begins, its been over a year since I saw this at the dollar film, and one thing I've confirmed, Alex is wrong, the film is full of CGI, very good CGI, but its all over the film. Bale is very good and very intense. He makes a very good Bruce Wayne, and a piss poor Batman. Sadly he makes you miss George Clooney, and thats not a compliment. I stand by my previous comments that the whole reinvention of Batman has really weakened the concept. Turning him into a ninja, is a horrible concept, he's an American icon, developed during a period where the Japanese were the enemy, to make him into what our enemy was is just wrong.

Nolan has no sense of how to block or film action sequences. There is no excitement. All in all the film makes you long for someone/director, who has a vision. Man I miss Burton's look. He found the darkness, that Nolan is still searching for. And yet I still kind of like the movie. I'd give it 2 stars out of 4.

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

[batman is] an American icon, developed during a period where the Japanese were the enemy, to make him into what our enemy was is just wrong.

Whaaa?

- Marc, who had no problem with the restart.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

way before your time Marc.

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

Clearly.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

that was fast even for real time

[Elmo Lewis 6]

and one thing I've confirmed, Alex is wrong, the film is full of CGI, very good CGI, but its all over the film.

Moving past your ridiculous claims about the movie, Batman Begins has only one CGI effect, and that is the bats that fly around Bruce Wayne and the swarm he calls later in the film. Everything else is as real as your beloved 80's fantasy movies.

That is not a matter of opinion.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

the city shots are a combination of CGI ross, and thats not a matter of opinion either.

[Elmo Lewis 6]

I suggest you watch the extras in the DVD. In a segment, Michael Caine comments how he thought the city shots were amazing CGI before Nolan told him they were not made by a computer.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

yeah there's your version, and then there is the truth, or my version Ross,

30% pure CGI effects the rest a combination of CGI enhancement or CGI environments.

They even had a digital Batman.