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

[jon1jt]

I'll tell you a movie I'm about to watch: Y Tu Mama Tambien

Netflix says it's "Oscar-nominated film was one of the most talked about of 2002. Rich teenagers Tenoch and Julio meet the alluring, older Luisa at a wedding and try to impress her with stories of a road trip to a beautiful, secret beach."

Oh, I did a road trip this summer halfway across America, but didn't see any beautiful, secret beach. Well, maybe one if lakes count. If you're wondering why I only made it halfway, the car I was driving in broke down. I tried to hitch a ride on a state highway like Kerouac did but those Missouri police didn't like it much. Missouri has the best grassy fields and flowers I've ever seen though.

Anyway...what thread is this?

[kandaurov]

Citizen Kane, 1941

9/10

A great film indeed, but somewhat overhyped. I mean, best film ever made?

Technically speaking the film is irreprehensible, and universally heralded as being groundbreaking in many ways. Welles was a fantastic story teller, the ellipses are in all right places and he manages to have a smooth narrative despite its being a collage of fragments. Even the makeup work is amazing.

However, the lack of emotional depth and overall superficiality of the film, which we watch as though from a bird's eye view, render the film entertaining rather than truly memorable. The acting wasn't worthy of a film claimed to be the best ever, either.

That's why this movie doesn't deserve a 10/10 rating. Somewhat disappointed after having watched it, I was prone to give it an 8 or even a 7, but I knew full well that such feeling was more due to the dizzying heights of my expectations, which were fed by numerous critics, rather than due to the film itself.

(CC, yeah Ministry of Silly Walks is great My favourite sketches are: the Argument Clinic, the SPAM one, the Lumberjack song, the Self Defence class, and the Germany vs Greece football match played by philosophers!)

[Niamh]

I hated Citizen Kane.

Lumberjack song! Love it!
http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=5zey8567bcg

[manolia]

Hiroshima Mon Amour, 1959

9/10

What begins as being an affair of aloofness and bliss gradually turns into an impossible love story. As the lovers reveal more about themselves, the heavy shadow of the past can be seen looming over them (hence Hiroshima being the perfect setting), slowly gathering insurmountable momentum. The thematic interplay between memory and forgetfulness, visually represented by the innovative use of flashback sequences, allied with the protagonists' complexity, ensure an unforgettable cinematic experience.

That's a great film Good choice

EDIT
Just saw your review on Citizen Kane..i remember liking the film but not giving it a 10/10 either..all those things about best film ever, 100 best films etc are a load of crap if you ask me.

But there must be some criteria for all those lists but i unfortunately don't know enough about directing techniques etc to actually judge.

I always thought that "battleship potemkin" by Sergey Eisenstein was considered the best film ever (perhaps we are consulting different lists or simply my memory plays tricks on me)

[kandaurov]

Thanks, manolia! I've made a shortlist of 96 films out of the 1001 films you must see before you die book. I'm skeptical about these things, but so far so good: I've already watched three of these: Hiroshima, Kane and 'A Trip to the Moon', 1902 (the whole of it: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=ZI9OaZ...eature=related + http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=NjjTAu...eature=related). Starts slow, but great special effects in the second half, I was rather impressed! Couldn't bring myself to rate a film more than a hundred years old, I with my 21st century prejudices and all, but it's definitely a must see, everyone!

(by the way, manolia, I'm in love with your signature. 'Twin Peaks' is one of my favourite shows ever, you see )

EDIT: Yeah, my sister actually hates these kind of lists, but I think it's a reliable guide of quality if you're looking forward to seeing good movies for a whole year. This book is good because one of its criterion is the film's legacy in other films and its impact on society too. That's why 'The Exorcist', for example, features in it, and even though I found it quite bad (I laughed my way through it) I can see why it's a landmark. Every movie comes with a short description, so I know if it's my cup o' tea.

(One such films should be 'David Holzman's Diary'. I'm desperately looking for it, looks like my sort of film, but can't find it anywhere...)

And yes, it depends on who says it's the best movie, because it's not like there's a universally accepted canon. I too have seen people herald Battleship as the king of films, that's why it's also on my list

[manolia]

Thanks, manolia! I've made a shortlist of 96 films out of the 1001 films you must see before you die book. I'm skeptical about these things, but so far so good: I've already watched three of these: Hiroshima, Kane and 'A Trip to the Moon', 1902 (the whole of it: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=ZI9OaZ...eature=related + http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=NjjTAu...eature=related). Starts slow, but great special effects in the second half, I was rather impressed! Couldn't bring myself to rate a film more than a hundred years old, I with my 21st century prejudices and all, but it's definitely a must see, everyone!

(by the way, manolia, I'm in love with your signature. 'Twin Peaks' is one of my favourite shows ever, you see )

EDIT: Yeah, my sister actually hates these kind of lists, but I think it's a reliable guide of quality if you're looking forward to seeing good movies for a whole year. This book is good because one of its criterion is the film's legacy in other films and its impact on society too. That's why 'The Exorcist', for example, features in it, and even though I found it quite bad (I laughed my way through it) I can see why it's a landmark. Every movie comes with a short description, so I know if it's my cup o' tea.

(One such films should be 'David Holzman's Diary'. I'm desperately looking for it, looks like my sort of film, but can't find it anywhere...)

And yes, it depends on who says it's the best movie, because it's not like there's a universally accepted canon. I too have seen people herald Battleship as the king of films, that's why it's also on my list

A twin peaks fan where were you hiding? I absolutely love twin peaks..Lynch was so cruel for never finishing the series.

Yep i agree with what you say about lists..i keep whining about them but i have lots of them They are certainly a good guide but most of them are biased. Just like the book lists.

The "exorcist" is a good film (if you disregard all the green vomit )..it used to scare people back then it seems. My dad took my mom to watch this film when they were young (i guess he wanted her to get scared and hide in his arms ) Anyway it is a cult film..i can easilly imagine someone laughing his way through this one

Thanks for the links. I am not familiar with this one. I'll have to watch it at my leisure time

It is indeed very difficult to judge a film made so many years ago. I know people who love cinema and just can't bring themselves to watch silent films..so just watching a silent film and really trying to appreciate it (with all our prejudices as you term them) is a good thing to do. And requires a bit of an effort. I have watched many of Hitchcock's silent films (Hitchcock being one of my fav directors) and the experience was quite rewarding.

[kandaurov]

Oh, not only Twin Peaks: if I was obliged to say which is my favourite film, I think I'd choose 'Mulholland Dr.' (though 'Wings of Desire' is a close second). I'm ashamed to say that I haven't seen 'Lost Highway', 'Blue Velvet' or 'Eraserhead' They're on my list though

Your dad's clever Well, the problem I had with 'The Exorcist' is that I watched it first with a bunch of friends (15 people in a small living room), and then with my two hilarious cousins, so never really seen it in a proper horror film atmosphere

Totally understand people who have the 'silent film prejudice'. I used to have it too, but my amazing German Culture teacher introduced me to the likes of 'The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari', 'Nosferatu' and 'Metropolis' (all of which public domain and therefore available at the Internet Archive!). I'm feeling bad about hijacking the thread, so a ludicrously short review of these films follows:

At first it's really weird, might be boring and Expressionism in film is quite liable to make you laugh if you're feeling detached from the film. I watched them at least three times each and they grew on me I recommend them all, of course, if only to expand your cinematic horizons. 'Caligari' and 'Nosferatu' are less than two hours combined: 'Nosferatu' is, in my opinion, the best rendering of Dracula, and I've seen quite a few of them; and 'Caligari' has terrific acting, setting, and a lovely twist in the end.

As for The Trip to the Moon, it's only 10 minutes long, so I guess it'll be easy to fit in your schedule And I'm sure I'll love Hitchcock (I've only watched his movies when I was young and foolish), already have four of his in my list. Your taste in movies seems to be very reliable, would you recommend me a film or two?

[manolia]

Oh, not only Twin Peaks: if I was obliged to say which is my favourite film, I think I'd choose 'Mulholland Dr.' (though 'Wings of Desire' is a close second). I'm ashamed to say that I haven't seen 'Lost Highway', 'Blue Velvet' or 'Eraserhead' They're on my list though

My favourite is "Lost Highway"..it has this really weird scene where you get to hear "heirate mich" by Rammstein (i like rammstein very much by the way), i've seen it plenty of times and this particular scene is just creepy..hehe but i won't say more, you have to watch it by yourself

The only one i haven't seen is "Eraserhead". "Wings of desire" is a film by Wim Wenders (also one of my fav directors..well what can i say he is german..i love german cinema).

Totally understand people who have the 'silent film prejudice'. I used to have it too, but my amazing German Culture teacher introduced me to the likes of 'The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari', 'Nosferatu' and 'Metropolis' (all of which public domain and therefore available at the Internet Archive!). I'm feeling bad about hijacking the thread, so a ludicrously short review of these films follows:

Yes, these three films are really good. I have a soft spot for 'The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari'..there are so many modern horror films that where influenced by it. I used to like horror films a lot. I am fed up with them now. Seen too many and only a few are really worth it.

As for The Trip to the Moon, it's only 10 minutes long, so I guess it'll be easy to fit in your schedule And I'm sure I'll love Hitchcock (I've only watched his movies when I was young and foolish), already have four of his in my list. Your taste in movies seems to be very reliable, would you recommend me a film or two?

I think most of them are worth it. If am not mistaken Hitchcock has made around 60 films (56 i think). I've seen half of them. My favourite is "The birds" but the rest are really good too:

The birds
Spellbound
Notorious
Dial M for Murder
Rear Window
North by Northwest
Psycho

[Niamh]

Can either of you explain Mullholland Dr please? that movie confused the hell out of me!

[Hayley Zero]

Can either of you explain Mullholland Dr please? that movie confused the hell out of me!

It's the kind of movie you can interpret personally, but read through the messages on its imdb.com page - I found it interesting to hear what other people thought.

Now I want to watch Mulholland Dr all night... Oh, the last movie I saw was the new Brideshead Revisited. Loved it. Don't shoot me.

[kandaurov]

Niamh, what Hayley said: part of its beauty is its unfathomableness. It's open to interpretation. Basically, however, it seems that the first 'world' is a dream and the second is reality, as dreams basically consist of the jumbling of real elements and the recasting of them in an unreal order, very much dictated by our primal fears and hopes. That's for the overall picture - some little odd details, however, are quite harder to explain.

Manolia, I'm a Rammstein fan myself. They helped me learn German in the early stages, though my teacher disapproved of my Till-like trilling of the "r"s It was thanks to Lynch's movie that they gained international fame, wasn't it? He's such a genius.

Today's film was *drum roll* The Battleship of Potemkin, 1925

9.5/10

Indeed, a masterpiece. Unlike what I had discussed earlier about silent films, this one had me on the edge of my seat. Masterful story telling, with plenty of suspense and memorable moments, from depictions of savage atrocities to unabashed displays of joy. If it occasionally lulls you sometimes it's just to shake you up in the next moment. I decided not to give it the maximum rating mostly because it's blatantly propaganda, and as a general rule I don't like to be told what to think.

EDIT: Just found out this film is available at the Internet Archive as well: http://www.archive.org/details/BattleshipPotemkin

[Alexei]

Oh, the last movie I saw was the new Brideshead Revisited. Loved it. Don't shoot me.

Yes, I liked it, too. They've change the story and the accents here and there, but I could feel the atmosphere of the book quite clearly. It wasn't what I expected, but I wasn't disappointed either.

[AJ.]

I just saw Gran Torino in the theatre last weekend, and I must say that I enjoyed it. I mean, the acting from some of the minor roles could have been better, but the Clint's character was amusing and the contrast between all of his other roles and this one was interesting. I could appreciate it.

[*Classic*Charm*]

*Classic*C*, oh yes, the 'Silly Walks' was just hilarious!
Edit: just found it on Youtube here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYlzTdSZeI4
I did see this before - so funny!

Cool, we have a lot of MP enthusiasts here amongst us. We should form a social group.

Yes, I think we should haha

Yes, aren't Alfie films the greatest? I must see "Suspicion". I have a boxed set of his earlier b/w films. Those are fun to watch, too. Nice you got the box set for Christmas - great gift. "Dial M for Murder" is one of my all-time favorites of his. I love the way the story unfolds so meticulously. Wonderful film! Perfect in every way. 'Infinity' is a good word!

You said it. True of all his films. He was truly genius. Such talent and a very nice man on top of that!

Yes, they just don't make films like that anymore- you don't find the same interesting camera work.

(CC, yeah Ministry of Silly Walks is great My favourite sketches are: the Argument Clinic, the SPAM one, the Lumberjack song, the Self Defence class, and the Germany vs Greece football match played by philosophers!)

I love the giant man eating dinner and the waiter is trying to convince him to have a mint and then he throws up everywhere. Disgusting, and hilarious.

"It's just a thin wafer, Sir!" haha

I think most of them are worth it. If am not mistaken Hitchcock has made around 60 films (56 i think). I've seen half of them. My favourite is "The birds" but the rest are really good too:

The birds
Spellbound
Notorious
Dial M for Murder
Rear Window
North by Northwest
Psycho

You've got an awesome list there, all the most recent though! His his older works were also excellent, though not as polished.

The Lady Vanishes
Jamaica Inn
Rebecca

for starters...

The "exorcist" is a good film (if you disregard all the green vomit )..it used to scare people back then it seems. My dad took my mom to watch this film when they were young (i guess he wanted her to get scared and hide in his arms ) Anyway it is a cult film..i can easilly imagine someone laughing his way through this one

The exorcist is a great cult horror film, though I think Black Christmas is better.

[saba]

I've seen parts from Match Point. I caught the last ten minutes of it while they were broadcasting it on TV. They made me want to watch the whole film, but it will have to wait. Same with Cassandra's Dream unfortunately. I don't know maybe I am not missing a lot with the last one as you and Janine seem to think, but I want to see for myself If I don't like it I can at least try to understand what exactly is wrong with it

Saba, great post. Thank you for the reviews. I like French cinema, but I am don't have much information and I usually choose the French films I watch rather randomly. The three you made the reviews of seems very interesting to me and I will add them to my 'to watch' list You really got me interested in Sans Soleil especially with the references to Stalker. It's one of my favourite films. Well, I am not great fan of the plot, but the way it was made really impressed me. Although it is so slow and hard to watch some the scenes were really beautiful. Same goes with The Mirror, the other Tarkovsky's films I've seen.

If you are interested in more French cinema, I highly suggest the work of Robert Bresson (Tarkovsky was a great admirer of his work).

Work to check out: Diary of a Country Priest, Mouchette, Au hasard Balthazar, Trial of Joan of Arc

I would also highly recommend the work of Eric Rohmer (notably his Six Moral Tale films, ie: Claire's Knee, My Night At Mauds.) I also strongly suggest the work of Jacques Rivette if you are into "slow films", he likes to work in real time. La Belle noiseuse is a great example of this process. You will literally watch the artist sketch a full drawing in one continuous shot. La Belle noiseuse is based on a story by Honore de Balzac

I also suggest Tarkovsky's other work. (I worship the man too much that I insist on mentioning him again )