What is the last movie you saw? and rate it.

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11-19-2009, 09:45 AM
V.Jayalakshmi

I am way behind all of you.But I did see the "Gone With The Wind" in TCM channel again.I admire Vivien Leigh for her characterisation of Scarlet.I also saw that old classic "Witness For The Prosecution".Brilliant court scene.But a modern day variation of the theme was "The Shawsaw Redemption" .Oh! What acting by both lead actors.
11-19-2009, 10:09 AM
MANICHAEAN

Good choice V.J.
Apart from the nostalga angle for the MGM & TCM channels, its always a joy to hear dialogue, outdated in modern parlance, but great in the context of its time.
Tim Robbins & Morgan Freeman in the Shawshank Redemption, a gem of a cocktail. Vodka & tonic / Rum & coke / Whiskey & Drambuie.
11-19-2009, 11:58 AM
DanielBenoit

Quote:

Originally Posted by MANICHAEAN

Ok, all you goldern oldies. What was the oldest films you saw?

Okay, I take the cake (though Mathor might steal it from me):

Broken Blossoms (1919) - A beautifully lurid melodrama, which despite its cliches, is one of the most utterly depressing films I've ever seen. I've only seen it twice, and each time was a tough experience. Out-dated in story, never out-dated in emotion. 10/10

Intolerance (1916) - The epic before there were epics, a film just as ambitious as today's The Lord of the Rings or Star Wars. It's quite suprising to see this much immmensity at a time when film grammer was still developing. 10/10

Birth of a Nation (1915) - As influencial as it is controversial, I must admit that there is greatness in the skill of this film, but despicable hatred in the final third of this long film. But like The Battleship Potemkin this is an important part of film history, no matter what its reservations. 8/10

The Great Train Robbery (1903) - I don't remember a whole lot of this, since it was so short (runing at about twenty minutes). It's quite exciting to see history in the making, but difficult to really criticize since it was made at a time in which people were still learning what is to be done with this camera. Love the final shot though, one that can be found in hommage in both The Godfather and Goodfellas.

And if this counts, a two second long film, which was considered the first motion picture ever made:

Roundhay Garden Scene (1888)
11-19-2009, 12:49 PM
Mathor

1896 Bataille de Boules de Neige - The Snowfight
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBTMR...eature=related
Lumiere brothers are amazing.

Le Voyage Dans la Lune - A Trip to the Moon (1902) - George Melies - this movie is AMAZING. Easily one of the greatest surrealistic movies ever made.
11-19-2009, 12:54 PM
DanielBenoit

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mathor

1896 Bataille de Boules de Neige - The Snowfight
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBTMR...eature=related
Lumiere brothers are amazing.

Whoa it's so simple and yet so very absorbing. Though the music has a lot to do with it.
11-19-2009, 02:36 PM
MANICHAEAN

DB & Mathor
I humbly submit.
Apart from 'The Battleship Potemkin" of which I remember extracts, you have got me beat.
If you dont mind me asking are you "dedicated" film buffs?
11-19-2009, 04:30 PM
DanielBenoit

Quote:

Originally Posted by MANICHAEAN

DB & Mathor
I humbly submit.
Apart from 'The Battleship Potemkin" of which I remember extracts, you have got me beat.
If you dont mind me asking are you "dedicated" film buffs?

Coming from someone who has seen Citizen Kane about twenty times and has analyzed great films shot-by-shot on more than one occasion, yeah, I'm a dedicated film buff :nod:
11-19-2009, 07:24 PM
NickAdams

Love Streams directed by John Cassavetes. It's my favorite film by Cassavetes and is working it's way into being my favorite in general. Cassavetes has always made films with a heighten emotional realism, but employed expressionistic (either that or surrealistic) techniques in Opening Night and Love Streams. I found the visions in Opening Night underlined with tension and fear, but there is a warmth and sadness in its use in Love Streams. There is an emotional build throughout the film that I still feel after multiple viewings. I've seen the film about eight times, but I watched the dream sequences at least once a day for an entire month after my first viewing. 10/10

I was flicking through the channels on Saturday and Thirteen was showing this visually beautiful movie and the only actor I recognized was Tony Leung, so I thought it might have been 2046 (which I own but haven't seen). I watched about twenty minutes of it and I'm interested in seeing the rest. I did some research today and it turns out the film is "In the Mood for Love". Has anybody seen it?

I still haven't watched Antichrist, but I will before it hits theaters and now Herzog has two film coming out, one produced by David Lynch. This is not the time to be in a recession.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanielBenoit

A Woman Under the Influence - Some films seem to flash before your eyes in seconds and then they are over. I for one enjoy films, and thus if I am watching a good movie, prefer the film to go on. I do not think extended running length is a vice.

That's why it's almost so strange to watch A Woman Under the Influence a Cassavetes film which runs at 155 minutes but probably has under eight full scenes. These scenes are stretched out beyond expectation to emphasize the reality and the life of this films characters. There is not one false moment in this film.

The plot: A blue-collar working man (played tensely by Falk) begins to come under the impression that his wife (played masterfully by Rowland) might be insane, and decides to commit her. It is well established that he has been aware of this for a very long time, as is everybody else, and is merely regarded as her quirky attitude.

It is quite obvious that Mabel has some issues at the beginning of the film when her husband calls her and says that he is going to have to work late. Tonight was supposed to be a special night for them, they had sent the kids to their mothers, so the house would be empty. Nick seems to know from experience her behavoir and dreads returning home to something terrible. Something does happen, but hardly serves the plot and rather shows us Mabel's world.

The following scene takes place at a dinner table, with a dozen or so of Nick's friends coming over for dinner. Here a base is formed on which we discover these characters. Mabel seems to possess more social anxities and esteem problems than she does insanity and tries too hard to please. In fact, the dinner goes well even when she begins to get comfortable, and thus over-the-top eccentric. It is not until at one point Nick yells out "sit your *** down" does a state of silence vanquish the scene.

Unlike many films, this is not about characters evolving, both spouses are still helplessly themselves in the end, but rather about characteristic discovery, for both the audience and the protaganists. It involves two great performances by Falk and Rowland and intense camera-work by Cassavetes. There are some scenes of such extreme emotional intensity, that sometimes you are shocked, and yet, you despairingly know what's going to happen.

A Woman under the Influence is a film about two helplessly wounded people; one who doesn't know how to act in front of others and thus escapes into eccentricity, another who is terrified of a lack of order and is easily ashamed by his wife's acts, and reacts in shocking ways.

There is one immensely powerful scene in which Mabel returns after six months of being in the institution. Everyone is unnerved upon seeing her behave, which lacks all of the antics and embaressing idiosyncracies. Nick is ironically embaressed by this and takes her upstairs and demands that she just be herself. Covered in shadows the two try to discover what it is they want out of each other. In the end it seems that they don't want anything, but rather must have each other in their own madness. Mainly because not everybody is as forgiving as Mabel.
10/10

One of my favorite opening sequences.:thumbs_up I didn't appreciate Peter Falk until I watched Cassavetes' films and Elaine May's Mikey and Nicky.

I saw the first ten minutes of Werkmeister Harmonies and I have to see the rest. I'm picking up a copy tomorrow ... if it's reasonable priced.
11-19-2009, 08:07 PM
DanielBenoit

Quote:

Originally Posted by NickAdams

I still haven't watched Antichrist, but I will before it hits theaters and now Herzog has two film coming out, one produced by David Lynch. This is not the time to be in a recession.

Bad Lietenunt: The Port Call of New Orleans is the one that's coming out on the 20th and is said to be some of Nicholas Cages best work since Leaving Los Vegas, so I've heard.

My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done? is the one produced by Lynch and from the trailer looks like a pure Herzog film, both visually and thematically, with a bit of Lynchian touches including the casting.

Quote:

I saw the first ten minutes of Werkmeister Harmonies and I have to see the rest. I'm picking up a copy tomorrow ... if it's reasonable priced.

We have a convert! If you have NetFlix, you can easily find anything, and I mean anything.
11-19-2009, 09:37 PM
NickAdams

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanielBenoit

Bad Lietenunt: The Port Call of New Orleans is the one that's coming out on the 20th and is said to be some of Nicholas Cages best work since Leaving Los Vegas, so I've heard.

I haven't seen Leaving Los Vegas, but he gives an excellent performance in Adaptation.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanielBenoit

My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done? is the one produced by Lynch and from the trailer looks like a pure Herzog film, both visually and thematically, with a bit of Lynchian touches including the casting.

Lynch's relevance comes from being Lynch, but Herzog is too strong a personality to be influenced by Lynch. I'm sure Lynch's involvement doesn't go beyond promoter (like when Tranatino "presented" Iron Monkey") and earnestness to help out the director of Even Dwarves Started Small.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanielBenoit

We have a convert! If you have NetFlix, you can easily find anything, and I mean anything.

:blush:
11-19-2009, 11:42 PM
Mathor

Quote:

Originally Posted by MANICHAEAN

DB & Mathor
I humbly submit.
Apart from 'The Battleship Potemkin" of which I remember extracts, you have got me beat.
If you dont mind me asking are you "dedicated" film buffs?

what do you mean by "dedicated"?
11-19-2009, 11:47 PM
Mathor

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanielBenoit

Bad Lietenunt: The Port Call of New Orleans is the one that's coming out on the 20th and is said to be some of Nicholas Cages best work since Leaving Los Vegas, so I've heard.

Yeah, Roger Ebert did a big blog about all of the new Herzog movies back in May. He liked Bad Lieutenant most of all of them. I agree, saw a screener from a friend a couple months ago. Bad Lieutenant is certainly one of the better films of this year.
11-20-2009, 10:46 AM
QueenoftheNight

Quote:

Originally Posted by crisaor

Actually, I thought Sleepy Hollow was great. Have you read the tale? Burton did an amazing job with that movie, even when it's not one of his best jobs. That being said, I agree 100% about Planet of the Apes.

I know, right? I love Sleepy Hollow, in spite of what a lot of people seem to think about the film.

The last one i watched though was Becoming Jane.. I never got around to watching it when it was released. It was alright. Maybe 6.5 out of ten? I don't watch a whole lot of movies so my judgement's probably really off.
11-26-2009, 10:19 PM
Shalot

I saw 2012 today and I have to say...eh.

It was a Thanksgiving movie trip out.

If you're going to watch this movie, I recommend doing it in a theater so that you can hear all the explosions in surround sound and see all the destruction etc. on the big screen. Otherwise, it's just another formulaic, Hollywood end- of-times movie. Deep Impact comes to mind There's the emotional goodbye scenes that made me embarrassed in my seat. And there were a lot of them in this movie.

But, I went with my husband who is fun in theaters because he was so "oh no!" in the many close-call action scenes. I'm sure the other people in the theater appreciated that. If they could even hear him - it was a loud movie.
11-26-2009, 10:47 PM
DanielBenoit

Funny story: My parents being extremely religious believe that the world is going to end soon and that the antichrist is coming and blah blah blah. Well, they decided to go see 2012 so that they can "counter" the "ideas" presented in the film concerning the Mayan calander and whatnot. Little did they know that the film possessed not a single second of thought-provoking topics. But considering their taste in films, 2012 may have actually been thought provoking.