What is the Last Film You Watched? - Part II

[Morlock 11]

Had to kill a few hours, and the only mildly interesting movie playing in the area was Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End at the Cinemateque. The Cinemateque here has magical powers, as I enjoyed it most this time (the third time). I just ignored the gaping flaws in it, and had a great time. The joy of the performances captivated me in a way that the film failed to in the past. Geoffrey Rush in particular. His maniacal laugh I think is one of my favorite laughs of recent years. And I liked Depp a lot more. I didn't even mind Orlando Bloom!

Still, my favorite scenes were the ones that I loved even the first time around- the Mexican stand-off following the 'up is down' scene, and the wonderful wedding scene. And the Bretheren Court has a lot of good stuff in it (and right before it is what is possibly the best joke in the movie- "Larry").

And I really love the score in the film. I am still surprised by how much Zimmer incorporates, expands upon, and plays around with all the different themes. Themes that I hated in the first film have relatives in the following scores, and it gives it a wonderful sense of structure (in a wide sense).

The script was still a mess, it felt terribly rushed, felt long, had several dumb, dumb, dumb elements (none dumber than Calypso, which is a terrible character that is worse with every successive scene, culminating in one of the worst things I've ever seen on screen), but.....once you ignore them, the film can be very enjoyable. I'll line up for a sequel gladly, as long as it has Barbosa (who is really the star of this film).

Oh, and I also saw Fight Club again. I'm still not quite sure if it's great bacause of the topic it raises, or if it is not because it ONLY raises the topic. It sure made me think about life, and the individual. And about violence, of course. So, naturally, that cannot be a bad thing.

But the film strikes me in a strange way. I think that the Helena Bonham Carter character is mostly superfluous, aside from the (fantastic) first act. Frankly, after the first couple of fight scenes, I was rather bored with them. I think the ending is meaningles- the scene inside the building, not the twist, which is as essential as it is obvious. I think it's definitely a shame that a lot of people talk about the movie because of the fact that it has a twist, relegating an important social document to a mere yarn, a la The Sixth Sense and The Usual Suspects (both good yarns).

I think a lot of people take the message that "life is shit, they've got the right idea about how to go about thing", instead of "Look how life is shit, that this is what we've come to". And the whole concept, that unindividual individuals find individuality in becoming faceless drones, all in the same black uniform, blindly following orders for the sake of mayham....it's either very simplistic, or very vague.

I don't know. I love the film as a concept. It's the 1990's The Graduate, but it doesn't seem to acknowledge all that clearly that the actions in the movie are part of the disease, as opposed to the cure (as the great last shot of Nichols' film did).

If anyone is interested, I would love to discuss the film. Definitely one worth discussing, and (obviously) one that I could use some help coming to grips with.

[Red 75]

It was better than Dead Man's Chest at least.

[Trent B 337]

I just got done watching Silverado.

I got to admit that was a damn fun film. They had a very good cast in this film. I give it a 5 out of 5 stars.

[A24 4,333]

Blade II. Believe it or not, but Hellboy still remains the only American film of Guillermo del Toro that I can thoroughly promote.

[Elmo Lewis 6]

Little Miss Sunshine.

Liked it less this time around, although it was still great to watch. This time I was able to spot the very basic machinery the makers employ to transmit the "feel-good" aura, which, turns out, isn't that magical or organical.

[A24 4,333]

Movies seldom get better with each viewing, Ross.

[Elmo Lewis 6]

Fortunately for the world, your attempt to convey a cynical attitude is not based in reality.

That is, your statement is wrong.

[A24 4,333]

Really? So you're claiming that most movies* get better with each viewing? Sorry Elmo, that's the silliest, naivest and most simple-minded thing I've ever heard, seriously. I can't believe you just said that. I guess you also believe that 90% of everything is genius?

Hollywood should hire you.

*: except Little Miss Sunshine.

[Morlock 11]

THAT'S the silliest thing you've ever heard? Great movies do get better with each viewing. With not quite great films...it's a hit and miss. Movies SHOULD get better. I have little use for a movie that's good for only one viewing.

I know that I've seen Little Miss Sunshine 3 times, and it got better with the second viewing, and was not harmed by a third. And I'm not quite sure what you mean about the machinary......every scene is geared in every possible way towards that wonderful bitter-sweet feeling. At that point, I don't if it can be called machinery, it's the entire movie's theme. It is obviously manipulation galore. For me, I liked the performances and music enough to accept the fact that there was effort put in to the 'organic' feel-good feeling.

[Elmo Lewis 6]

Maybe I should have been more specific. I never said they got better with each viewing - I only said that they don't necesarily get worse.

To expose yourself to an unchanged reality (movie, book, place) in two different ocassions through your lifetime will be more revealing of your personal development than of the film's (ever subjective) quality.

[Morlock 11]

I think that might be less true of movies than of books. After all, movies leave less to the imagination, so there's less for one to imprint himself upon.

[A24 4,333]

Great movies do get better with each viewing.

Usually, yes. But most movies don't because most movies are not great.

It is obviously manipulation galore.

Hmm, I better stay away from this one.

THAT'S the silliest thing you've ever heard?

Yes.

[Elmo Lewis 6]

So the silliest thing you ever heard was something that nobody said?

You are special.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Jaws gets better with every viewing.

Jurassic Park gets worse with every viewing.

Star Wars gets better with every viewing.

AOTC gets worse with every viewing.

[A24 4,333]

Star Wars gets better with every viewing.

No. It was great when it came out. It was still great after a couple of viewings. But then it slowly goes downhill. Unlike some other, more complex movies, Star Wars doesn't grow with you. It simply doesn't have that plenty to ponder about.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Hmmmm...maybe you are right.

But many would say the same about Jaws.

[A24 4,333]

But many would say the same about Jaws.

Of course. Why would Jaws get better? It's a simple movie that works very well on the first time. Everything is in the open. You get all the information. There are no hidden layers under the surface.

[Morlock 11]

But the fact is, Jaws does get better. Well, maybe not better, but it certainly doesn't get any worse. Every time I watch it I am reminded of the extent to which it got things right.

What is a great movie if not one that doesn't get worn by repeated viewings?

[indy4 155]

Jurassic Park gets worse with every viewing.

Not true! Jurassic Park is just as entertaining, if not more, since the first time I saw it!

[A24 4,333]

But the fact is, Jaws does get better. Well, maybe not better, but it certainly doesn't get any worse.

That it doesn't get worse doesn't mean it gets better. The vertex is reached during the first time.

Jurassic Park gets worse with every viewing.

Not true! Jurassic Park is just as entertaining, if not more, since the first time I saw it!

The vertex of Jurassic Park lies already at the lowest point of the curve. And it goes into negative with repeated viewings. <_<

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Let's see in as few year if little Cremers will agree. <_<

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

I'm getting tired of this.

Just enjoy the damn movies already.

[A24 4,333]

No, be critical, otherwise you're just a human battery.

I'm already living in Zion. When will you arrive?

[Elmo Lewis 6]

In my experience, viewing a (good) film for a second time makes it better than the first one: you de-construct in your head, you see the mechanisms, and yet you are amazed, fascinated by how well it's constructed.

Third time usually makes for a less exciting viewing: you watch the film, see the mechanism again, you acknowledge its virtues, but this time you just nod and go, "Right". And then you move on once the end credits are over and appreciate the nice two hours you've just spent and start wondeirng what to do with the other 22.

Depending on the quality of the movie, you can do various viewings simultaneously.

[Morlock 11]

I think that the process you described is more or less how it goes with me....except I continue to the fourth and fifth and fifteenth viewing. The first is pure experience. Second is deconstruction. Third can be critical. But, at a certain point, it is just a great movie, and remind of why it's so great every time you see it. As long as one spaces out viewings, I see no reason to stop watching a great movie. Even when I might get sick of it at a certain point, I'll watch it again a year or two later and fall in love all over again. This recently happened to me with Amadeus. First time, I was a Phillistine, didn't like it. Second time, instant favorite. Than I saw it way too many times in the space of a few months. didn't touch it for 2 or 3 years. Saw it again a couple of weeks ago- enchanted all over again.

And about Jaws- it doesn't get worse, and that means it maintains it's greatness. It may not get better- but it reminds of how utterly fantastic it is every time. You remember what you like about it in general, but then it shows you precisely and in detail why it is so great, and provides an exhilirating experience time and time again.

[Elmo Lewis 6]

And about Jaws- it doesn't get worse, and that means it maintains it's greatness. It may not get better- but it reminds of how utterly fantastic it is every time. You remember what you like about it in general, but then it shows you precisely and in detail why it is so great, and provides an exhilirating experience time and time again.

That actually reminds me how hesitant Spielberg was about releasing his movies in home-video formats back in the 80's. He was worried people might "over-watch" them and therefore they'd lose their impact. 10 year-olds watching Minority Report twice in a day might be a good example of this.

I was happy to hear of this stance, because I'm obsessed about ruining a film by watching it in the wrong circumstances. I used to be obsessed about the climate, the type of light in the room, the tiime of day, etc, before I sat to watch a film. I don't do that anymore for logical reasons, but I try not to watch the same movie too often, unless I'm working on analysis.

That's why I might have watched Jaws about 5-6 times in my whole life. And E.T. about 3. Schindler's List? Twice.

Could that partly be the reason why I got hooked on film music?

[Morlock 11]

Wasn't a big part of commercial LPs of film music just to give people a memento, as they were unlikely to see the movie once it finished it's initial run?

[A24 4,333]

it doesn't get worse, and that means it maintains it's greatness.

Not worse (as in bad) but the experience gets less and less intense. And, mind you, Jaws is a very good thriller. Most other thrillers can only dream of being just a small fraction of Jaws. Anyway, it's not getting better with each viewing, simply because it's not that kind of film.

Alex

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

And, mind you, Jaws is a very good thriller. Most other thrillers can only dream of being just a small fraction of Jaws.

Well I agree with that part at least.

[A24 4,333]

If you really believe that Jaws is better with each viewing, then your brain is disintegrating. There's nothing like the first time.

[Morlock 11]

If you saw it in the theaters when it came out, sure. If you see it when you're a kid, when you're told by someone 40 years older that this is one of the best movies ever....one can't help but be dissapointed. It never scared me. Only when I was old enough to appreciate the relationship and filmmaking of it was I able to see how good it truely is. And it is still every bit as good.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

If you really believe that Jaws is better with each viewing, then your brain is disintegrating. There's nothing like the first time.

I was three or four when I saw it for the first time, so in my case it's a little different.

Jaws is the earliest memory I have in life.

[A24 4,333]

If you really believe that Jaws is better with each viewing, then your brain is disintegrating. There's nothing like the first time.

I was three or four when I saw it for the first time, so in my case it's a little different.

Jaws is the earliest memory I have in life.

Your first memory shouldn't be that of a frightfull man-eating shark. No wonder you turned out like this!

[Morlock 11]

At a friend of mine's 5th birthday, we saw the newly released VHS of Silence of The Lambs, double featured with Psycho. At his 6th birthday, we saw Total Recall.

[A24 4,333]

At a friend of mine's 5th birthday, we saw the newly released VHS of Silence of The Lambs, double featured with Psycho. At his 6th birthday, we saw Total Recall.

Well, I'm sure that today 3-year-olds have the Saw box set on their shelves but I think that's pedagogically wrong.

[Morlock 11]

I would agree.

Was doing some cooking, and watched Goodnight, and Good Luck. in the background. A first-rate docudrama, if inherently limited as a film by being a docudrama. The 'human interest' elements feel a bit out of place in the docudrama, even if they do work on their own (Hallenbeck, as well as Patrica Clarckson and Robert Downey Jr.'s marriage). Still, a timely film, with good performances, and a couple of important messages, simply and effectively communicated. And it does really transport the audience.

[Elmo Lewis 6]

Clerks. Hadn't seen this one before. Very good, witty filmed script that plays out like a theater piece. But it's so well written you forget about the whole un-cinematographic concept and the poor music choices. I caught some references to The Divine Comedy (the most blatant one being the protagonist's name, Dante) between all the comments about dick-sucking, Star Wars, and necrophilia, so that was nice. Really, a very good, intelligent movie.

Clerks II. Big mistake it was, playing this after the original. Did Kevin Smith even see first movie? What is this all about? Was he as blind as Ana Frank while writing and shooting this? I'll just say what it might be cute to discuss the roofers in the second Death Star in the first movie, but a 10-minute Lord of the Rings vs. Star Wars diatribe that feels taken directly out of this message board, decorated with some interspecies erotica (=bestiality), is just... bad. And how many times can he proudly hit us on the head with his stupid View Askewniverse?

Jesus. Fuck Kevin Smith, man.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

At a friend of mine's 5th birthday, we saw the newly released VHS of Silence of The Lambs, double featured with Psycho. At his 6th birthday, we saw Total Recall.

Well, I'm sure that today 3-year-olds have the Saw box set on their shelves but I think that's pedagogically wrong.

I wanna make it plain that I obviously was not allowed to watch Jaws at age 3 or 4.

I seem to remember having sneaked behind a couch or chair somewere and watch it while my parents were watching it.

The only memories I have are the scenes were the shark tugs on Quint's fishing line and the one were he breaks through the cabin of the half sunken Orca and goes for Brody.

Your first memory shouldn't be that of a frightfull man-eating shark. No wonder you turned out like this!

I would think that my father's alcoholism would have more to do with this.....

[Neimoidian 14]

The only memories I have are the scenes were the shark tugs on Quint's fishing line and the one were he breaks through the cabin of the half sunken Orca and goes for Brody.

I tried to watch "Jaws" when I was very young. It was Spielberg's movie, so - automatically - I thought it would be a great fun for a kid I was at that time. I started freaking out during... the opening titles I managed to watch the movie until the Ben Gardner's boat sequence when the scene of finding his body in the boat's wreck scared the sheet out of me.

[Red 75]

I remember distinctly being terrified of Edward Scissorhands when I was younger.

Rabbit--was very frightened of many films as a littlun'

[Ray Barnsbury 8]

I was scared to death of E.T. as a kid, only ever having seen the more frightening parts of the film on TV. Apparently, this was common for people my age, although some haven't ever come out of it.

Ray Barnsbury

[Marian Schedenig 8,193]

I watched the whole movie... but then, for weeks, I was afraid E.T. might be standing in the corner behind my bed.

[Morlock 11]

Clerks. Hadn't seen this one before. Very good, witty filmed script that plays out like a theater piece. But it's so well written you forget about the whole un-cinematographic concept and the poor music choices. I caught some references to The Divine Comedy (the most blatant one being the protagonist's name, Dante) between all the comments about dick-sucking, Star Wars, and necrophilia, so that was nice. Really, a very good, intelligent movie.

Yes.

Clerks II. Big mistake it was, playing this after the original. Did Kevin Smith even see first movie? What is this all about? Was he as blind as Ana Frank while writing and shooting this? I'll just say what it might be cute to discuss the roofers in the second Death Star in the first movie, but a 10-minute Lord of the Rings vs. Star Wars diatribe that feels taken directly out of this message board, decorated with some interspecies erotica (=bestiality), is just... bad. And how many times can he proudly hit us on the head with his stupid View Askewniverse?

I think it could only really work if one liked Clerks and was waiting for Kevin Smith to make some sort of official sequel. Not a very good movie, but it works for longtime Smith fans. Sure, when compared to the SW chatter in the first film, it's pathetic. But when you're waiting several years for him to write something like that again...it's funny.

Jesus. Fuck Kevin Smith, man.

Hey, the man did still give us Chasing Amy and Dogma, two very good movies (the former sporting an excellent Ben Affleck performance, hard as that may be to believe). But, yeah. He's been dissapointing.

I got a membership at a local video store that has every single movie I could ever possibly want to watch. I don't know where to start, so for now, I've used my potential company for the movies as a guideline. So far, I've seen One Two Three, Bird, Kiki's Delivery Service and Duck Soup. And I rented, in addition, Rashomon, The Grand Illusion, Double Indemnity, and Say Anything (I haven't seen any of them before).

[Trent B 337]

Starship Troopers.

I had not seen it in a while so I decided to pop it in and watch it. This is a guilty pleasure for me. I know some people don't like this movie but it's one of my favorites and the score of course is even better. The visual effects for the movie were pretty damn good for it's time. Too bad other movies didn't pick up on that style technique...

[Morlock 11]

The movie has quite a follwing in some quarters, actually. I liked it, found it interesting, but I think a bit too much is made of it's serious undercurrent. Yeah, it's a fun statement against fascism, but Verhoven enjoys the violence so much that it dulls any message in there.

[Elmo Lewis 6]

Hey, the man [Kevin Smith] did still give us Chasing Amy and Dogma, two very good movies (the former sporting an excellent Ben Affleck performance, hard as that may be to believe). But, yeah. He's been dissapointing.

...

Jesus. Fuck Kevin Smith, man.

[John Crichton 4]

I'm on the Starship Troopers bandwagon. Yes the violence is a bit much, and you're not exactly getting the best perfomances from the leads, but the tongue-in-cheek political commentary is wonderful. I'd still love to read the original novel, last I checked our library didn't have a copy.

[Red 75]

Believe it or not, many people did not understand the sarcasm in Starship Troopers when it first came out, and labeled it just another Hollywood blockbuster. As for the violence, what else do you expect from Verhoven?

[Marian Schedenig 8,193]

The movie has quite a follwing in some quarters, actually. I liked it, found it interesting, but I think a bit too much is made of it's serious undercurrent. Yeah, it's a fun statement against fascism, but Verhoven enjoys the violence so much that it dulls any message in there.

I think that's what's so brilliant about it. It's essentially a satire about facism and militarism, but it presents itself as a cheesy Hollywood action soap - so sucessfully that, as has been pointed out, many took it to be just an action film. And what worries me are people who call it a great movie on just that level. Because when taken as a film that means its "action enjoyment" seriously, it would be quite a worrysome, "evil" film.

[Morlock 11]

I am saying that people refer to it as a brilliant twist on what Verhoven ususally does. It's not. It's what Verhoven usually does, with a delicious twist that makes it worthwhile.

I think that Verhoven's love of violence comes through in the film, and the satire is not loud enough to eclipse the fact that Verhoven likes what he seeing, without the subtext.