What is the Last Film You Watched? - Part II

[King Mark 3,631]

I'll never get those 2 hours back

[Morlock 11]

Well, that should teach you that I do occaisionally speak some common sense......I do like the score, though. Great autumn feel in the main theme.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

There is no such thing as a bad film with Susan Sarandon or Ed Harris in it!

[Morlock 11]

Ed Harris has given some disinterested performances in bad films.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

True, he was completely ineffective in Just Cause. (the film was saved by Connery and Fishburne)

[Morlock 11]

Also in Absolute Power (which was not a bad movie). He was a bit boring in most of A Beautiful Mind....but he did have a couple of good scenes there.

"YOU'RE STILL TALKING TO ME, SOLDIER!"

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Yeah, but did you see him in Just Cause? He's just completely over the top there. (I'm guessing he wanted to step away from the approuch Hopkins took for Hannibal Lecter, since his role was very similar, but it just does not work....)

[Morlock 11]

Never seen Just Cause. Never interested me, even with Connery.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

It's a good rainy day picture.

[A24 4,347]

I've seen it but don't remember a damn thing about it. It's that kind of picture. Extremely run-of-the-mill in every aspect. With other words, perfect for Stefancos' troubled mind.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

I didn't know my mind was troubled?

[Morlock 11]

Well, I rented The Good German and Breach. Not particularly looking forward to either, but Thomas Newman and B&W photography for the former and Chris Cooper for the latter should make them watchable, at least. Ryan Philipe has been known to give some good performances, too (Loved him in Igby Goes Down).

[A24 4,347]

Flags Of Our Fathers. This Eastwood is a very big disappointment. Such dulness! This film seriously lacks imagination and distiction. Two thumbs down.

[Red 75]

I heard Letters from Iwo Jima was much better.

[Elmo Lewis 6]

Are you questioning Alex?

[A24 4,347]

He's not questioning me and I believe him. Flags is one of the worst movies I'v seen this year. The voiceover accompagnied by the saccharine music telling us soldiers are just people. Terrible! Letters From Iwa Jima really doesn't need much to do better.

[QMM 4]

Fantastic Four Rise of the Silver Surfer

God...yeah it's better than the first one but that's pretty much it. The guy they cast as Doom is still terrible for the part and the dialogue is still forced. The Silver Surfer had some nice bits although I don't think Doug Jones should have been put in since he didn't have much to do.

Ottman's theme for the Surfer was probably the best part of the movie, very nice.

[Morlock 11]

He's not questioning me and I believe him. Flags is one of the worst movies I'v seen this year. The voiceover accompagnied by the saccharine music telling us soldiers are just people. Terrible! Letters From Iwa Jima really doesn't need much to do better.

I was quite dissapointed with the film as well. So corny, ideas touched upon (to greater effect) in Saving Private Ryan, characters I couldn't care less about, and that terrible music. Same kind of terrible sccharine theme he wrote for Million Dollar Baby. Letters from Iwo Jima is better, but also that was dissapointing. The concept was good, and some great moments...but not enough to make it really notable, beyond the concept.

[QMM 4]

Panic Room

All the stuff I'd read had said this film was terrible, and I'd even read a plot synopsis because I never thought I'd see it but I bought it a few weeks ago and finally watched it and I thought it was very good. The overuse of CG didn't bother me really, nor did the ending although I thought it should have ended right at the blackout. I plan on picking up the Shore score soon, as well as the 3 disc set for the commentaries.

[Red 75]

I also like Panic Room.

[Morlock 11]

I liked it very much as well. Not great, not in the same league as the better Fincher pictures, but it is so much better than that type of film usually is. Shore's score is mostly atmospheric and unintersting....but I love the main titles.

Breach. Meh. Not bad, but nothing at all new. I felt that the Hanssen character was poorly written. A lot of things that didn't come together or add up to anything. He's presented as this super-human lie detector, yet goes out of his way to be oblivious at times. Acting is good, Cooper is always interesting, and Philipe is solid. I could have done without the wife angle. Laura Linney was boring. I sis like Mychael Danna's score. Some nice minilaism in it. **/****.

The Good German. A film that was made purely as an exercise, and doesn't work as much else. The story is not very interesting, the acting is fine, not much more, the character motivations are never clear. But still, a compelling watch. The cinematography is not great, but it's nice to see B&W again. Although it did get very contrasty at times.

This may shock people around a film music board...but the music was the best thing about it. Loved Newman's score. Great calssic, melodramatic theme in the grand Steiner/Deautch tradition, and a beautiful love theme that is dripping cynicism. Newman understands how to score a film as well as anyone does, nowadays. And he is not plagues by the forced melodrama his father's generation was.

Some the of the referances were nice, but the movie was too close to The Third Man, but so out of it's league....

**1/2/****.

Citizen Kane. Like clockwork, I appreciate this movie more and more every time. Just brilliant at practically every time. My biggest complaint is about one dumb line ("Let's go the the window") and a bit of overacting on Everett Sloan's part (when he's younger- his speech about the lady in the white dress is beautiful).

****/****.

[Marian Schedenig 8,211]

Panic Room

It's quite an effective thriller, and certainly entertaining. Compared to the previous two Finchers, it was disappointing when I first saw it.

[Morlock 11]

El Dorado. Loved it. Excellent, excellent western. I liked it even more than Rio Bravo, the movie is resembles so (although not officially). The acting is better at every turn here. The Duke is The Duke, naturally, but Dean Martin is no match for Mitchum, and all the rest of the parts- the young sprat, the girl, the deputy, the villain- all better. Particularly Christopher George as the villain. The movie is tight, strains credulity less. This is one tight, entertaining western. And I thought that Nelson Riddle's score was very good, and I think he wrote a terrific ballad (only western ballad I've liked to date).

***1/2/****.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

I don't like westerns in general.

[Ollie 1,059]

El Dorado. Loved it. Excellent, excellent western. I liked it even more than Rio Bravo, the movie is resembles so (although not officially). The acting is better at every turn here. The Duke is The Duke, naturally, but Dean Martin is no match for Mitchum, and all the rest of the parts- the young sprat, the girl, the deputy, the villain- all better. Particularly Christopher George as the villain. The movie is tight, strains credulity less. This is one tight, entertaining western. And I thought that Nelson Riddle's score was very good, and I think he wrote a terrific ballad (only western ballad I've liked to date).

***1/2/****.

El Dorado is one of my favorites, James Caan gives a good performance and provides the film some of it's lighter moments.

[Romão 2,274]

POTC: At World's End.

Awful.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

I liked POTC At World End, a big improvement over Dead Man's chest which was not good.

Saw 1408 last night, a good movie I thought, not great but decent. John Cusack is quite good,

[A24 4,347]

I don't like westerns in general.

Sure you do, you love Star Trek and you can't get more Western than that, the series even has the typical "Doc" on board. We all know what Roddenberry's intentions were. So please, Steef, do not lie. You love Westerns!

Alex

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

Week 25:

El zilcho!

[Morlock 11]

I don't like westerns in general.

Cant' say I'm the biggest fan.....but there are some great ones that I just love. Good, The Bad and The Ugly, naturally, The Wild Bunch, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, Dances With Wolves, and now, El Dorado.

I don't like westerns in general.

Sure you do, you love Star Trek and you can't get more Western than that, the series even has the typical "Doc" on board. We all know what Roddenberry's intentions were. So please, Steef, do not lie. You love Westerns!

You can get more western than that....sue, itr can be a western, but generally, it's a pretty bad western. It's like Wagon Train. It doesn't work as a western. It's much closer (as you and many others have pointed out) to high seas adventure.

Saw 1408 last night, a good movie I thought, not great but decent. John Cusack is quite good,

How's Yared's score?

Week 25:

El zilcho!

Yeah, I really need to see more Mexican cinema.

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

Yes, but it can get hard to recognize the different characters behind all those big mustaches and sombrero's.

Luckily, their ponchos are different enough.

[Elmo Lewis 6]

I liked POTC At World End, a big improvement over Dead Man's chest which was not good.

Huh. I think the opposite. I think Dead Man's Chest is the best of all three movies, with At World's End being the weakest. Although there really is little difference of quality thoroughout the trilogy.

[Morlock 11]

They all have huge problems. Dead Man's Chest is the best made movie. The first is very entertaining, even though it is not a well-made movie. The third is a mess, but it does have it's good patches, despite being a total mess.

[Elmo Lewis 6]

Yeah, well, were you expecting a classic? It's produced by Jerry Bruckheimer. I'm thankful we didn't get a fast-motion sex scene featuring a soaking wet Keira Knightley while black and latino extras get killed by a giant talking weapon of mass destruction that cracks jokes about the victims' penises and mommies.

[BurgaFlippinMan 7]

I didnt like the 2d one. I found it harder to follow than the 3rd oddly, and it has this feeling of gluttony with its set pieces and just seems to ramble on and on with no end in sight. Not that the 3rd wasnt ridiculously long, but at least it had a sense of moving towards a conclusion of sorts.

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

I enjoyed AWE in the theatre and have only seen it once. But I enjoyed DMC in the theatre as well and upon a second viewing at home I found it a tedious, bloated piece of crap. So I'll have to see how AWE holds up a second time.

[Elmo Lewis 6]

I was referring to At World's End, by the way. I actually think Dead Man's Chest was balanced and carefully over-the-top. Although I've only seen it once.

At World's End felt, at times, like Jerry Bruckheimer's version of Lord of the Rings.

[Marian Schedenig 8,211]

I don't like westerns in general.

Cant' say I'm the biggest fan.....

I don't know many, and I don't think I'd be a friend of the genre per se even if I knew more. But the Leones are all great.

Yeah, well, were you expecting a classic? It's produced by Jerry Bruckheimer. I'm thankful we didn't get a fast-motion sex scene featuring a soaking wet Keira Knightley

That would at least give me a reason to watch it...

[Morlock 11]

Saw In The Name of the father. Fine, there are many dramatic liberties taken, and fine, it's story is rather conventional. But this is still one very affeting, very good movie. It gets does a lot of things well, but really, it all comes down to performance. Daniel Day-Lewis is surely one of the best actors working (thankfully), I've never seen a performance of his that was less than great. His transformation never feels forced, and he creates a very, very believable charater.

Pete Postlethwaite is Pete Postlethwaite. He is always great, no matter in what film,

Emma Thompson's presence is not felt very much in the film....but her final scene in the courtroom is very good.

Corin Redgrave is a terrific beaurocratic villain.

The story is told in a very straight-forward linear fashion, something that bugged a lot of people, but I think it the best way. It lets the characters develop in the best fashion. The final courtroom sequence is just thrilling. The judge's demeanor is great, it hits al the right notes.

And the film echoes the title perfectly. It is all about the father, and his relationship. The image of the prison tearing fire is very effective.

Trevor Jones does overall a good job with the score, although it is better in the louder scenes that the quieter ones. Didn't like the synth stuff in there.

***1/2/****.

[Red 75]

I enjoyed all three Pirates movies. They're not something I would own or watch over again, but they are the best example of dumb fun I can think of. Though, the silliness got to me at times.....

[Morlock 11]

The Great Escape. Still very entertaining, I love how much time is spent on the details of the plan (even when more time just goes to show how improbable it all is). Ending is still very annoying. Elmer's score is still utterly fantastic.

Restoration. I got this one because I love the soundtrack that JNH created for it. The film is very strange. Uneven in tone, vague in it's goals, until the final act, and a very strange structure. I did not like most of it, although I was into it towards the end (not the best of signs). Performances are fine, I particularly like Sam Neill and Iam McKellen. And Meg Ryan was good. I liked that there was no Meg Ryan in there.

Looked a bit too staged, but the theatricality is obviously a big part of the point.

The best part of it was the music. A masterful weaving of Purcell, Purcell-like, and pure JNH that never seems out of place. JNH wrote two beautiful themes, and weaves them in and out with the Purcell. Wonderful collection of period music, as well. Just about all the music is on the terrific album (one of JNH's best), although it is a bit out of sequence at times. A marvelous, pretty unique work of film scoring.

But, the movie itself left me cold. Oh, I forgot to mention Polly Walker- she was good, and looked stunning in the clothes, and was given some luminous close ups (and not just on her face...).

Morlock- who today recieved Restoration, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and Nashville (none of which he'd seen), and bought Strangers on a Train, North by Northwest, Dog Day Afternoon, and The Searchers (all of which he'd seen)

Morlock2- who's concidering getting The Right Stuff and The Big Red One, but is not sure about either

[QMM 4]

Morlock- who today recieved Restoration, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

A fantastic film that needs a proper score release

[Delorean90 42]

The Thin Man - I saw it for the first time yesterday, and it was a really good movie. The chemistry between William Powell and Myrna Loy is not overrated--they really work well together. I love their banter and playfulness with each other. It really seems that Nick and Nora are not only a married couple but--how about that!--really great friends.

The film also has a nice atmosphere about it, in the realms of both comedy and noir. The scene at Wynant's shop near the end is a good example of the latter. It is also a good example of how effective the lack of music can be in creating mood, as it contributes to that atmosphere, especially when combined with that certain ambience (hiss?) that is often in those older films. One of the praises of this film is how well it balances the two primary genres represented here: comedy and film noir. And it is an accurate one. Not once did the comedy feel inappropriate in the context of what was happening. Nicely done.

One scene that stands out to me is the scene fairly early on when the Charleses are holding a party in the apartment. It deftly juggles some great humor with the moving on of the plot of the mystery while bringing out Nick's dilemma of whether or not to stay in retirement. The coming out of retirement was actually an interesting element of the story and characterization, not just a gimmick of it, and it was presented in a cool way. The scene also just flat has good pacing and structure. There's something else to it, that I can't put my finger on, except to say that it is good.

Overall, I recommend it. A fine film.

[Ollie 1,059]

Morlock2- who's concidering getting The Right Stuff and The Big Red One, but is not sure about either

Get The Right Stuff.

[nightscape94 965]

Morlock2- who's concidering getting The Right Stuff and The Big Red One, but is not sure about either

The Right Stuff is a great film. If you do happen to pick up The Big Red One just make sure it's the re-edited full length director's cut that came out. I have not seen it, but it's supposed to be fantastic, and much better then the original release.

I watched Seraphim Falls. I was hugely surprised by this film, as I didn't really know much about it. It wasn't marketed all that much, and really only remember catching a brief trailer when I went to an art-house theater. There is a lot of space, and little dialogue, but greatly effective. I really enjoyed this film, with great performances by the cast all around. (***1/2 out of ****).

Tim, who also watched Gattaca again in HD widescreen

[Morlock 11]

Dog Day Afternoon. Naturalistic acting at it's best. 70's filmmaking at it's best.

[Morlock 11]

Watching Extras now. Pretty funny. The Orlando Bloom one was great. Patrick Stewart was hillarious.

[Luke Skywalker 1,796]

The Great Train Robbery at last.

Must be one of the best novel adaptations of all time

Nice entertaining film, with great GOldsmith music ( i liked very much the 'trainlike music' )

[Morlock 11]

It is a very entertaining film. Crichton's direction is a bit heavy handed, but the performances, cinematography, and music tide it over. And, indeed, Goldsmith's theme was so good, that JW Hornered the bridge of it a decade later.....

[Marian Schedenig 8,211]

The only flaw I find with the film is that the ending is somewhat confusing other than that, I love every frame of it, including the direction. The score of course is what turned me into a Goldsmith fan.

'ee's not moy son!