Movies: Last Movie You Watched and Rate it | {Insert Appropriate Seasonal Greeting Here}
- Thread starter ProstheticConscience
- Start date
KallioWeHardlyKnewYe
Hey! We won!
- May 30, 2003
- 15,721
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House of Gucci. Found this to be an odd, but mostly enjoyable duck. A rare movie that somehow manages to feel both too long and too short. It's at its best when it lets its actors just be bugnuts with their ridiculous portrayals (Leto and Gaga in particular). Looses steam once the actual story begins to kick in (the last hour or so). More interesting when folks are just being. Less interesting when they get to the doing.
Radio On. Late 70s British road trip movie funded by Wim Wenders with a killer soundtrack. It's the exact sorta cool, emotionally distant, somewhat aimless ramble that Jim Jarmusch would start doing here within a year or two. If you dig him (I do) you'll probably like this (I did).
The Worst Person in the World. Keenly observed and humane look at relationships, people of a certain age, time and mortality. I need to develop a movie tone conversion chart that shows how a "funny" "romantic comedy" in Europe equates to American movies. This would definitely be a "relationship drama" in American. Not a criticism! I love the ability of some European filmmakers to craft films that are funny and are dramatic but are so in such a low-key way you might even miss it if you're not actively engaged (Another Round, Force Majure, Toni Erdmann being other recent examples). American filmmakers just don't do this that often or that well. The comedy or the drama (or both) is always too big.
Radio On. Late 70s British road trip movie funded by Wim Wenders with a killer soundtrack. It's the exact sorta cool, emotionally distant, somewhat aimless ramble that Jim Jarmusch would start doing here within a year or two. If you dig him (I do) you'll probably like this (I did).
The Worst Person in the World. Keenly observed and humane look at relationships, people of a certain age, time and mortality. I need to develop a movie tone conversion chart that shows how a "funny" "romantic comedy" in Europe equates to American movies. This would definitely be a "relationship drama" in American. Not a criticism! I love the ability of some European filmmakers to craft films that are funny and are dramatic but are so in such a low-key way you might even miss it if you're not actively engaged (Another Round, Force Majure, Toni Erdmann being other recent examples). American filmmakers just don't do this that often or that well. The comedy or the drama (or both) is always too big.
Neil Racki
Registered User
Fooling around with lists on a slow winter day. Here are my gold, silver and bronze winners in order for each year of the century:
2000
In the Mood for Love, Wong, Hong Kong
Werckmeister Harmonies, Tarr, Hungary
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Lee, Hong Kong
2001
Mulholland Drive, Lynch, US
Spirited Away, Miyazaki, Japan
Y Tu Mama Tambien, Cuaron, Mexico
2002
City of God, Meireilles, Brazil
Irreversible, Noe, France
Talk to Her, Almodovar, Spain
2003
Old Boy, Park, South Korea
Memories of Murder, Bong, South Korea
Lost in Translation, S. Coppola, US
2004
Tropical Malady, Weerasethakul, Thailand
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Gondry, France/US
Kung Fu Hustle, Chow, Hong Kong
2005
L’enfant, Dardenne brothers, Belgium
The Death of Mr. Lazerescu, Puiu, Romania
Munich, Spielberg, US
2006
I Don’t Want to Sleep Alone, Tsai, Taiwan
Still Life, Jia, China
Pan’s Labrynth, Del Toro, Mexico/Spain
2007
4 Months, 3 Weeks, 2 Days, Mungiu, Romania
No Country for Old Men, Coen brothers, US
You, the Living, Andersson, Sweden
2008
Revanche, Spielmann, Austria
Alexandra, Sokurov, Russia
In Bruges, McDonagh, UK
2009
Police, Adjective, Porumboiu, Romania
Antichrist, Von Trier, Denmark
dead heat for the bronze medal: Love Exposure, Sono, Japan; Dogtooth, Lanthimos, Greece
2010
Uncle Boonme Who Can Recall His Past Lives, Weerasethakul, Thailand
Somewhere, S. Coppola, US
Poetry, Lee, South Korea
2011
Once upon a Time in Anatolia, Ceylan, Turkey
Café de Flore, Vallee, Canada
Tomboy, Sciamma, France
2012
Amour, Haneke, Austria/France
A Simple Life, Hui, Hong Kong
Norwegian Wood, Tran, Viet Nam/Japan
2013
Gravity, Cuaron, Mexico/US
Like Father, Like Son, Kore-eda, Japan
Upstream Color, Carruth, US
2014
Mommy, Dolan, Canada
Horse Money, Costa, Portugal
Only Lovers Left Alive, Jarmusch, US
2015
Assassin, Hou, Taiwan
Victoria, Schipper, Germany
Phoenix, Petzold, Germany
2016
Elle, Verhoeven, Netherlands/France
Moonlight, Jenkins, US
Manchester by the Sea, Lonergan, US
2017
Loveless, Zvyagintsev, Russia
24 Frames, Kiarostami, Iran
dead hear for the bronze medal: Dragonfly Eyes, Xu, China; The Death of Louis IVX, Serra, Spain
2018
Roma, Cuaron, Mexico
The Image Book, Godard, France
Burning, Lee, South Korea
2019
An Elephant Sitting Still, Hu, China
Parasite, Bong, South Korea
Portrait of a Lady on Fire, Sciamma, France
2020
Nomadland, Zhao, US
First Cow, Reichardt, US
The Father, Zeller, UK
2021
Memoria, Weerasethakul, Thailand/Columbia
The Power of the Dog, Campion, New Zealand
Drive My Car, Hamaguchi, Japan
2000
In the Mood for Love, Wong, Hong Kong
Werckmeister Harmonies, Tarr, Hungary
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Lee, Hong Kong
2001
Mulholland Drive, Lynch, US
Spirited Away, Miyazaki, Japan
Y Tu Mama Tambien, Cuaron, Mexico
2002
City of God, Meireilles, Brazil
Irreversible, Noe, France
Talk to Her, Almodovar, Spain
2003
Old Boy, Park, South Korea
Memories of Murder, Bong, South Korea
Lost in Translation, S. Coppola, US
2004
Tropical Malady, Weerasethakul, Thailand
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Gondry, France/US
Kung Fu Hustle, Chow, Hong Kong
2005
L’enfant, Dardenne brothers, Belgium
The Death of Mr. Lazerescu, Puiu, Romania
Munich, Spielberg, US
2006
I Don’t Want to Sleep Alone, Tsai, Taiwan
Still Life, Jia, China
Pan’s Labrynth, Del Toro, Mexico/Spain
2007
4 Months, 3 Weeks, 2 Days, Mungiu, Romania
No Country for Old Men, Coen brothers, US
You, the Living, Andersson, Sweden
2008
Revanche, Spielmann, Austria
Alexandra, Sokurov, Russia
In Bruges, McDonagh, UK
2009
Police, Adjective, Porumboiu, Romania
Antichrist, Von Trier, Denmark
dead heat for the bronze medal: Love Exposure, Sono, Japan; Dogtooth, Lanthimos, Greece
2010
Uncle Boonme Who Can Recall His Past Lives, Weerasethakul, Thailand
Somewhere, S. Coppola, US
Poetry, Lee, South Korea
2011
Once upon a Time in Anatolia, Ceylan, Turkey
Café de Flore, Vallee, Canada
Tomboy, Sciamma, France
2012
Amour, Haneke, Austria/France
A Simple Life, Hui, Hong Kong
Norwegian Wood, Tran, Viet Nam/Japan
2013
Gravity, Cuaron, Mexico/US
Like Father, Like Son, Kore-eda, Japan
Upstream Color, Carruth, US
2014
Mommy, Dolan, Canada
Horse Money, Costa, Portugal
Only Lovers Left Alive, Jarmusch, US
2015
Assassin, Hou, Taiwan
Victoria, Schipper, Germany
Phoenix, Petzold, Germany
2016
Elle, Verhoeven, Netherlands/France
Moonlight, Jenkins, US
Manchester by the Sea, Lonergan, US
2017
Loveless, Zvyagintsev, Russia
24 Frames, Kiarostami, Iran
dead hear for the bronze medal: Dragonfly Eyes, Xu, China; The Death of Louis IVX, Serra, Spain
2018
Roma, Cuaron, Mexico
The Image Book, Godard, France
Burning, Lee, South Korea
2019
An Elephant Sitting Still, Hu, China
Parasite, Bong, South Korea
Portrait of a Lady on Fire, Sciamma, France
2020
Nomadland, Zhao, US
First Cow, Reichardt, US
The Father, Zeller, UK
2021
Memoria, Weerasethakul, Thailand/Columbia
The Power of the Dog, Campion, New Zealand
Drive My Car, Hamaguchi, Japan
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Tasty Biscuits
with fancy sauce
Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021). C+
Fan service: the movie! Really, the greatest accomplishment of the film is that it exists in the form that it does and pulls off its extremely ambitious premise. Now, whether or not it takes a sensical or earned path to reach said premise is another thing (it does not). For a movie with close to a 150 runtime, it sure does take a while for the fun to really kick into gear.
While I undoubtedly had a good time at the theater (special props to Willem Dafoe for understanding the assignment), I couldn't shake the fact that I was watching, well, "prestige novelty," we'll call it. The rewatchability factor for me is surprisingly low on this one, which is what hurts the final score, as I value that pretty high for movies of this ilk. I mean sure, if I happen to stumble upon the last 40 mins or so, I'll certainly see it through, but that's about it.
I Want You Back (2022). D+
It's probably telling that I saw this a week or two ago and needed to google the title for this review. It's a rom-com. Guess what: I'll always have the time of day for rom-coms, even (or, especially) the "trashy" ones, as they might be categorized. But the cardinal rule for any of 'em, no matter how bonkers the premise, is that the leads have to have good chemistry. That ain't the case for this one.
Charlie Day and Jenny Slate are both funny on their own (Slate in particular. Day I've always found quite limited, even in the comedic realm). But whatever the magical je ne sais quoi that defines on-screen chemistry is, they don't have it. This one was a disappointment, even for my moderate expectations.
Redline (2009). B
The "legend" of Redline, as it were, is the film (a racing anime) took 7 years to make, as it features over 100,000 drawings by hand and no cgi. It shows. The film is visually exquisite. The plot, not so much. What's disappointing on that end is it actually has shades of ambition at points to add a little more meat to the proceedings, but these attempts either have thin payouts or are dropped completely by the end of the film. If it wanted to keep things simple and just focus on racing/characters, cool. I'll judge that. But if you're going to tease at something more and then not deliver on it, that's a knock.
Some of these curveballs do lead to some spectacular visual sequences though, which, really, is why you're watching in the first place, so I can't be too angry. The movie is quite funny, only sometimes unintentionally. The dub is all over the place. I suppose that's the price I pay, but with so much already happening on the screen, I didn't want to give my eyes any extra work as far as subtitles are concerned, so I'll take that trade-off. Anyway, if you're looking for a shot of adrenaline, Redline delivers it in spades. A true visual/aural treat (that borders on the edge of assault in that regard), it's 102 runtime absolutely flies by.
Fan service: the movie! Really, the greatest accomplishment of the film is that it exists in the form that it does and pulls off its extremely ambitious premise. Now, whether or not it takes a sensical or earned path to reach said premise is another thing (it does not). For a movie with close to a 150 runtime, it sure does take a while for the fun to really kick into gear.
While I undoubtedly had a good time at the theater (special props to Willem Dafoe for understanding the assignment), I couldn't shake the fact that I was watching, well, "prestige novelty," we'll call it. The rewatchability factor for me is surprisingly low on this one, which is what hurts the final score, as I value that pretty high for movies of this ilk. I mean sure, if I happen to stumble upon the last 40 mins or so, I'll certainly see it through, but that's about it.
I Want You Back (2022). D+
It's probably telling that I saw this a week or two ago and needed to google the title for this review. It's a rom-com. Guess what: I'll always have the time of day for rom-coms, even (or, especially) the "trashy" ones, as they might be categorized. But the cardinal rule for any of 'em, no matter how bonkers the premise, is that the leads have to have good chemistry. That ain't the case for this one.
Charlie Day and Jenny Slate are both funny on their own (Slate in particular. Day I've always found quite limited, even in the comedic realm). But whatever the magical je ne sais quoi that defines on-screen chemistry is, they don't have it. This one was a disappointment, even for my moderate expectations.
Redline (2009). B
The "legend" of Redline, as it were, is the film (a racing anime) took 7 years to make, as it features over 100,000 drawings by hand and no cgi. It shows. The film is visually exquisite. The plot, not so much. What's disappointing on that end is it actually has shades of ambition at points to add a little more meat to the proceedings, but these attempts either have thin payouts or are dropped completely by the end of the film. If it wanted to keep things simple and just focus on racing/characters, cool. I'll judge that. But if you're going to tease at something more and then not deliver on it, that's a knock.
Some of these curveballs do lead to some spectacular visual sequences though, which, really, is why you're watching in the first place, so I can't be too angry. The movie is quite funny, only sometimes unintentionally. The dub is all over the place. I suppose that's the price I pay, but with so much already happening on the screen, I didn't want to give my eyes any extra work as far as subtitles are concerned, so I'll take that trade-off. Anyway, if you're looking for a shot of adrenaline, Redline delivers it in spades. A true visual/aural treat (that borders on the edge of assault in that regard), it's 102 runtime absolutely flies by.
PocketNines
Cutter's Way
I really appreciate this list and have copy/pasted it elsewhere to check out. The last decade is my least-tracked decade for film. I am sure there are many unseen treasures in here for me to discover.
Spring in Fialta
A malign star kept him
My list from those I've watched. In order.
Masterpieces
Love Exposure
Mulholland Drive
No Country for Old Men
Somewhere
Irreversible
Impeccable (without flaw, just lacks that inexplicable oomph that I get from the the first five)
In the Mood for Love
City of God
The Power of the Dog
Loveless
Very good
Victoria
Y Tu Mama Tambien
Only Lovers Left Alive
Dogtooth
Lost in Translation
Moonlight
Enjoyed
In Bruges
Upstream Color
Manchester by the Sea
Parasite
Antichrist
Disliked
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Munich
Mommy
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Pranzo Oltranzista
Registered User
- Oct 18, 2017
- 3,954
- 2,848
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning (Liebesman, 2006) – With Leatherface getting one arm sawed off in the remake, making a sequel would have been kind of tough (Michael Myers has super regenerating powers, so who knows?). I guess this origin story was the only suitable way to milk that 100M$ cow, so here we go... The whole introduction to the characters is very weak, bordering on comedy (among other things, Leatherface's mother dies during labor on the factory floor, while working, and the deformed baby is thrown in the trash bin). But once you get used to the cardboard bunch of young adults next in line to get slaughtered, and to returning characters looking older than they will 4 years later (not a good idea to make a prequel with aging actors... the ladies manage to do fine, but the men, and especially the sheriff, look like they're 10 years older in 1969 than they were in 1973), the film ain't joking no more. It's a dark, violent, and brutal movie. Apart from the original one, it's the only one (yet) that lives up to the violence implied by their titles – and at last there's something close to a chainsaw massacre, while most of these films have max one or two chainsaw murders. We're deep in the torture porn period at that point, and the film often echoes that questionable subgenre. It also has a very weird familiarity with the Rob Zombie universe – the previous one sometimes had the tone, but looked too polished and pretty, but this one often gets real close to the Zombie signature. Adding to it, a strange interference operates with Zombie's Halloween II, with a cow causing an important accident at the beginning of the film. It's certainly not a great film, but compared to the other entries in this franchise, it's pretty good. I like that the bad guys win and I'll push it to a generous 4/10
Pranzo Oltranzista
Registered User
- Oct 18, 2017
- 3,954
- 2,848
Ok, I'll bite too with what I've seen... Approximative ratings...
Irreversible, Noe, Argentina/France 10/10
Antichrist, Von Trier, Denmark 10/10
In the Mood for Love, Wong, Hong Kong – 9.5/10
Dogtooth, Lanthimos, Greece 9/10
Mulholland Drive, Lynch, US – 9/10
Once upon a Time in Anatolia, Ceylan, Turkey 9/10
Revanche, Spielmann, Austria 9/10
Werckmeister Harmonies, Tarr, Hungary – 8.5/10
Old Boy, Park, South Korea 8/10
Lost in Translation, S. Coppola, US 8/10
Pan’s Labrynth, Del Toro, Mexico/Spain 8/10
Uncle Boonme Who Can Recall His Past Lives, Weerasethakul, Thailand 8/10
Nomadland, Zhao, US 7.5/10
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Gondry, France/US 7/10
4 Months, 3 Weeks, 2 Days, Mungiu, Romania 7/10
No Country for Old Men, Coen brothers, US 7/10
Moonlight, Jenkins, US 7/10
L’enfant, Dardenne brothers, Belgium 7/10
Parasite, Bong, South Korea 7/10
Talk to Her, Almodovar, Spain 7/10
Tomboy, Sciamma, France 6.5/10
Somewhere, S. Coppola, US 6/10
Amour, Haneke, Austria/France 6/10
Gravity, Cuaron, Mexico/US 5.5/10
Munich, Spielberg, US 5.5/10
In Bruges, McDonagh, UK 5/10
Y Tu Mama Tambien, Cuaron, Mexico 5/10
Kung Fu Hustle, Chow, Hong Kong 5/10
Only Lovers Left Alive, Jarmusch, US 4.5/10
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Lee, Hong Kong – 4/10
Elle, Verhoeven, Netherlands/France 4/10
Roma, Cuaron, Mexico 3.5/10
It really shows I watch less and less serious films. Can't believe I haven't seen You, the Living yet!
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Spring in Fialta
A malign star kept him
Spring in Fialta
A malign star kept him
By the way, why is Irreversible noted as Argentinian? Where movies come from is an argument as dated as romance in my grandma's life but is this just based on Noe's ethnic background?
Pranzo Oltranzista
Registered User
- Oct 18, 2017
- 3,954
- 2,848
No idea why kihei had it as Argentinian, it's only French on both IMDB and wiki. Normally it's where the money comes from.
:Yup, based on nationality, not ethnicity, though. Consider it a personal tick. I think if an auteur-y type director is working in a country other than his own, he deserves some sort of credit. Memoria, for instance, is far more a Weerasethakul movie than it is a Columbia movie. So I do a sort of split credit sometimes when it comes to origin.
Spring in Fialta
A malign star kept him
Got it. Love this kind of talk in a purely semantic way, though. While Noe is born and raised in Argentina (moved to France when he was thirteen), he wrote a story set and shot in France, written and spoken in French/French slang, with French/Italian actors and an Italian protagonist, with money, presumably, from France (which to me, is the least important aspect in determining where a film is from). Furthermore, Noe is an artist who thought up his first fictional character based on a French culinary habit (the eating of horse meat, giving way to the butcher in Seul contre tous) so how much can we consider the film Argentinian/based on his Argentinian background?
Again, not meant as antagonistic, I just love seeing this stuff through. You don't actually have to answer this.
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While there were some wildly hilariouis bits, I didn't think Jackass Forever was an overwhelmingly strong entry in the series. Maybe a little too much of a whiff of nostalgia. Everybody likes the camaraderie, and I do, too, but this time around it seemed almost like filler sometimes, just a little too much of it. But Forever does deliver a lot of cringy humour that is laugh-out-loud funny. As purely comic devices, these movies deliver the goods in a big way. 6B for me.
Can one's genitalia really survive taking a P. K. Subban slapshot directly in the balls, though, without being hospitalized for weeks? I had my doubts about that one.
This and The Seventh Seal in the same package of reviews. Now that is broad taste.
Actually, I think you convinced me in this particular instance. For some reason, I was under the impression that he worked in Argentina early in his career, but he left the country at 13-years of age, so it definitely appears that was not the case. All of his features seem to be produced in France. So he's straight French.Got it. Love this kind of talk in a purely semantic way, though. While Noe is born and raised in Argentina (moved to France when he was thirteen), he wrote a story set and shot in France, written and spoken in French/French slang, with French/Italian actors and an Italian protagonist, with money, presumably, from France (which to me, is the least important aspect in determining where a film is from). Furthermore, Noe is an artist who thought up his first fictional character based on a French culinary habit (the eating of horse meat, giving way to the butcher in Seul contre tous) so how much can we consider the film Argentinian/based on his Argentinian background?
Again, not meant as antagonistic, I just love seeing this stuff through. You don't actually have to answer this.
Brand Upon the Brain! (Guy Maddin, 2006)
Of the renowned directors of the contemporary art house circuit, there is no director quite like Guy Maddin. Maddin has made a career out of creating eccentric avant-garde films influenced by lost or forgotten silent films. Brand Upon the Brain! follows a fictionalized version of Guy Maddin as an adult and child as he visits a lighthouse where he was raised by a puritan mother who rules over Guy and his older sister like a tyrant. Meanwhile, a famous teen detective shows up to the lighthouse to investigate the case of children having holes put in their brain by the children’s father who is a mad scientist. Oh, and both Guy and his sister develop a crush on the teen detective who begins to disguise herself as a man to develop a sexual relationship with Guy’s sister. The film’s plot and the way it is shot, to put it simply, is like a fever dream. Maddin mashes many genres into his film, sci-fi and horror b films from the late 1920s/early 1930s, surrealism, and coming of age films such as the 400 Blows (it is no coincidence that Guy’s character as a child is the spitting image of Jean-Pierre Léaud as Antoine Doinel in Truffaut’s film). I really enjoyed the film, but I think it’s probably polarizing; it likely would take watching one minute of it to know if the film is for you or not. But for me, I thought it was a great engaging reflection on memory as an adult looking back at their childhood, their relationship with their parents and siblings, and their first crush. Of course, not everyone’s childhood involved spooky lighthouses and cannibalistic mothers and zombie mad scientists for fathers.
Guy Maddin insists that 97% of the story is true.
Full film here:
Of the renowned directors of the contemporary art house circuit, there is no director quite like Guy Maddin. Maddin has made a career out of creating eccentric avant-garde films influenced by lost or forgotten silent films. Brand Upon the Brain! follows a fictionalized version of Guy Maddin as an adult and child as he visits a lighthouse where he was raised by a puritan mother who rules over Guy and his older sister like a tyrant. Meanwhile, a famous teen detective shows up to the lighthouse to investigate the case of children having holes put in their brain by the children’s father who is a mad scientist. Oh, and both Guy and his sister develop a crush on the teen detective who begins to disguise herself as a man to develop a sexual relationship with Guy’s sister. The film’s plot and the way it is shot, to put it simply, is like a fever dream. Maddin mashes many genres into his film, sci-fi and horror b films from the late 1920s/early 1930s, surrealism, and coming of age films such as the 400 Blows (it is no coincidence that Guy’s character as a child is the spitting image of Jean-Pierre Léaud as Antoine Doinel in Truffaut’s film). I really enjoyed the film, but I think it’s probably polarizing; it likely would take watching one minute of it to know if the film is for you or not. But for me, I thought it was a great engaging reflection on memory as an adult looking back at their childhood, their relationship with their parents and siblings, and their first crush. Of course, not everyone’s childhood involved spooky lighthouses and cannibalistic mothers and zombie mad scientists for fathers.
Guy Maddin insists that 97% of the story is true.
Full film here:
Downfall: The Case against Boeing (2022) Directed by Rory Kennedy 7A (documentary)
In October of 2018, a Lion Air Flight out of Jakarta went down shortly after take-off killing all 189 people on board. What shocked the aviation industry was that the doomed plane was a brand new 737 MAX, Boeing’s new flagship. The flight recorder showed that the plane had behaved erratically, but Boeing suggesteed that the limitations of the flight crew was the likely cause of the crash. However, privately, the company knew it had a major problem. Boeing had introduced something called MCAS, a secondary stabilizing system. to the 737’s revised design. The purpose of the system was to push the nose of the aircraft down in certain emergency situations. But Boeing neglected to tell either airlines or pilots what they had done. Why? Because Boeing didn’t want to pay the price that retraining pilots to use the new system would entail. After the Jakarta flight went down, the company went about trying to fix the malfunctiion, sort of. But Boeing executives refused to ground the 737 MAX fleet hoping they could come up with a solution before another plane went down. Terrible call. About five months later, another plane went down. This time it was an Ethiopian Airlines 737 MAX, also brand new, that crashed, killing all 157 passengers. Boeing still didn’t want to ground the fleet, but China along (with several other countries quickly following China's lead) took the decision out of their hands. Finally, in the States, President Trump ordered the planes inactive until further notice. The public trust that Boeing planes had earned over decades began to nosedive rapidly.
Downfall is a straightforward documentary with little flair, but it is a fascinating expose most of the time. Pilots explain what their doomed colleagues faced and how impossible it would have been for either of the flight crews to save their planes. Engineers talk about the design problems and about how Boeing had, after a merger, abandoned the guiding principles that made it one of the most successful corporations in the world. The culture shifted from a safety-first, quality obsessed operation where any employee on the line could raise a red flag if they thought something was wrong. to a profit-first, shortcut-taking enterprise whose executives now cared for the shareholder’s bottom line and rave reviews on Wall Street far more than they did about the standards their company once set. Downfall shows how malfeasance occurred motivated by greed, but it doesn’t dig very deep, stopping short of pointing the finger at specific individuals. True, Dennis Muilenburg, the company’s CEO at the time is eventually asked to resign by Boeing. Justice partially served? The accompanying $62 million golden handshake that he receives kind of puts shade to that notion.
I was trying to fly whenever I could on Airbus-built planes before the pandemic. Downfall: The Case against Boeing only reinforces that decision.
Netflix
Yeah, I don't know how Erin doesn't have testicular trauma or even lose 1 or both of them after that group of genital destroying acts.
My taste does range, mostly depending on my mood and availability of movies to watch. I'm all over the place. Jackass was kind of a coincidental thing. I try to visit the movie theaters here in the US at least once a week and Jackass was the movie that drew the most interest from me last week/weekend. Definitely don't regret the decision though.
Spring in Fialta
A malign star kept him
Spring in Fialta
A malign star kept him
I'm pretty sure I've mentioned this before but I currently have Eyes Wide Shut playing in the background and the pot scene is ongoing. I'm always flabbergasted at how obvious it is that neither Cruise and especially Kidman have never smoked pot before. Probably Kubrick too for that matter. Kidman flatout plays it like a sloppy drunk. How did this happen?
Furthermore, I didn't realize the character who plays Nick Nightingale is...director Todd Field. I only looked up who played the part because the performance is great. Good way to find out that Field will be releasing his first movie in 16 years this year. Looking forward to it. I always forget what a fine, forgotten flick In the Bedroom seems to be. It put me unto Andre Dubus.
Furthermore, I didn't realize the character who plays Nick Nightingale is...director Todd Field. I only looked up who played the part because the performance is great. Good way to find out that Field will be releasing his first movie in 16 years this year. Looking forward to it. I always forget what a fine, forgotten flick In the Bedroom seems to be. It put me unto Andre Dubus.
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I've been going through a bunch of recommended films. Since they've all been reviewed recently, I won't bother with plot summaries.
Nightmare Alley (1947) - 7/10
I wish that I had watched this before the remake. I enjoyed it quite a bit more, though it was spoiled a bit because I knew the whole story. I didn't expect the 75-year-old film to be so similar in story to the new version, but I suppose that that's because they're adaptations of a novel, and close ones, presumably. I'm not sure if that increases or decreases my appreciation for Guillermo del Toro's remake. On the one hand, good on him for not changing the story much at all. On the other, he didn't have to do much but add his own unique style to an existing story. The circus portion of this original adaptation isn't as bizarre or atmospheric as the remake's, but the rest of the film is leaner and the overall pacing is better. Instead of 2.5 hours long, it's less than 2 hours. I liked Tyrone Power's portrayal of the main character a little more than Bradley Cooper's, though some of that may have to do with not being a big fan of Cooper. The film isn't quite as dark as the remake, but it's honestly pretty dark for 1947 and actually makes me wonder how it passed the Hays Code. Thanks to guinness for the encouragement to watch it and pointing out that it's available on YouTube.
The Hitch-Hiker (1953) - 5/10
I was hoping to enjoy this, but was a bit underwhelmed. It's brisk and lean, but a little too "simple." It felt like a 'B' picture (i.e. the shorter and cheaper half of a double feature), which it probably was. OzzyFan noted the repetitiveness of the scenes, likely due to the low budget. The fact that the three principle actors are men of the same age and build felt a bit same-y, as well. I could've really used Ida Lupino in front of the camera rather than behind it. The plot also didn't make sense. The hitchhiker keeps two men capable of overpowering him alive when it would've been much safer to simply add them to his kill count and steal their car. Perhaps partly because of that, the film wasn't as suspenseful as I would've liked, which is probably my main issue. I can forgive most everything else, but I was hoping for it to be more gripping and less predictable. It could be that I'm spoiled by seeing so many later hostage thrillers. I found it to be watchable, but maybe not something that I'll watch again.
Odds Against Tomorrow (1959) - 5/10
Well, it happened. I finally didn't really like a movie that Chili recommended. How will I be able to trust him ever again? Seriously, most reviews of the film are good, so I'm the weirdo in the minority. It just didn't do much for me. It's bleak, none of the bank robbers are likable or even interesting and not much happens until the final 15 minutes. It's gritty and racially charged, but it didn't feel like there was much of a point being made in either. With not a lot happening, it felt less like an attempt to tell a good story and more an experiment in setting a mood (whether with camera angles, lighting or the rather intrusive jazz soundtrack), a style over substance project, if you will. Those kinds of films just aren't my cup of tea. To its credit, the final 15 minutes (the robbery) are the best part and the film is only 95 minutes.
Bad Day at Black Rock (1955) - 8/10
What a great surprise, though maybe it shouldn't have been, since John Sturges rarely disappoints. It was very reminiscent of High Noon in location, plot and tension. I loved that and the cinematography in Cinemascope. I enjoyed all of the familiar faces (Tracy, Ryan, Brennan, Marvin and Borgnine), as well. It was neat to have a "Western" set in 1945. I was digging the mystery of why Tracy's character arrived in town and why everyone was acting so suspiciously. I do share OzzyFan's feeling that the reasons weren't quite so interesting, and the climax wasn't as exciting as I was hoping for, but I agree with him that the film is just so entertaining and of such quality that it didn't matter much. Also, it's only 81 minutes, so it's super lean and well paced. Discovering films like this (even if it means watching some that I don't find so entertaining) is why I love this thread.
Nightmare Alley (1947) - 7/10
I wish that I had watched this before the remake. I enjoyed it quite a bit more, though it was spoiled a bit because I knew the whole story. I didn't expect the 75-year-old film to be so similar in story to the new version, but I suppose that that's because they're adaptations of a novel, and close ones, presumably. I'm not sure if that increases or decreases my appreciation for Guillermo del Toro's remake. On the one hand, good on him for not changing the story much at all. On the other, he didn't have to do much but add his own unique style to an existing story. The circus portion of this original adaptation isn't as bizarre or atmospheric as the remake's, but the rest of the film is leaner and the overall pacing is better. Instead of 2.5 hours long, it's less than 2 hours. I liked Tyrone Power's portrayal of the main character a little more than Bradley Cooper's, though some of that may have to do with not being a big fan of Cooper. The film isn't quite as dark as the remake, but it's honestly pretty dark for 1947 and actually makes me wonder how it passed the Hays Code. Thanks to guinness for the encouragement to watch it and pointing out that it's available on YouTube.
The Hitch-Hiker (1953) - 5/10
I was hoping to enjoy this, but was a bit underwhelmed. It's brisk and lean, but a little too "simple." It felt like a 'B' picture (i.e. the shorter and cheaper half of a double feature), which it probably was. OzzyFan noted the repetitiveness of the scenes, likely due to the low budget. The fact that the three principle actors are men of the same age and build felt a bit same-y, as well. I could've really used Ida Lupino in front of the camera rather than behind it. The plot also didn't make sense. The hitchhiker keeps two men capable of overpowering him alive when it would've been much safer to simply add them to his kill count and steal their car. Perhaps partly because of that, the film wasn't as suspenseful as I would've liked, which is probably my main issue. I can forgive most everything else, but I was hoping for it to be more gripping and less predictable. It could be that I'm spoiled by seeing so many later hostage thrillers. I found it to be watchable, but maybe not something that I'll watch again.
Odds Against Tomorrow (1959) - 5/10
Well, it happened. I finally didn't really like a movie that Chili recommended. How will I be able to trust him ever again? Seriously, most reviews of the film are good, so I'm the weirdo in the minority. It just didn't do much for me. It's bleak, none of the bank robbers are likable or even interesting and not much happens until the final 15 minutes. It's gritty and racially charged, but it didn't feel like there was much of a point being made in either. With not a lot happening, it felt less like an attempt to tell a good story and more an experiment in setting a mood (whether with camera angles, lighting or the rather intrusive jazz soundtrack), a style over substance project, if you will. Those kinds of films just aren't my cup of tea. To its credit, the final 15 minutes (the robbery) are the best part and the film is only 95 minutes.
Bad Day at Black Rock (1955) - 8/10
What a great surprise, though maybe it shouldn't have been, since John Sturges rarely disappoints. It was very reminiscent of High Noon in location, plot and tension. I loved that and the cinematography in Cinemascope. I enjoyed all of the familiar faces (Tracy, Ryan, Brennan, Marvin and Borgnine), as well. It was neat to have a "Western" set in 1945. I was digging the mystery of why Tracy's character arrived in town and why everyone was acting so suspiciously. I do share OzzyFan's feeling that the reasons weren't quite so interesting, and the climax wasn't as exciting as I was hoping for, but I agree with him that the film is just so entertaining and of such quality that it didn't matter much. Also, it's only 81 minutes, so it's super lean and well paced. Discovering films like this (even if it means watching some that I don't find so entertaining) is why I love this thread.
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Chili
What wind blew you hither?
- Jun 10, 2004
- 8,725
- 4,820
Film noir is not for all, it is often dark. There is a clip of Harry Belafonte talking about the film that I posted a couple of pages back, sheds light. They were influenced by The Defiant Ones, wanted to tell a different story. I`m more surprised when someone likes a film that I do, so it`s all good.
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KallioWeHardlyKnewYe
Hey! We won!
- May 30, 2003
- 15,721
- 3,713
One of my biggest movie pet peeves is bad drunk/stoned acting. Kidman in Eyes Wide Shut is the queen. It's especially frustrating when it's an otherwise great (and widely praised) performance. Elizabeth Moss in Her Smell is another one. Really pulls me out of the movie.
Parallel Mothers (2021) Directed by Pedro Almodovar 4A
Movies directed by Spain’s Pedro Almodovar come with several unvarying certainties. His works are going to employ vibrant colours playfully; he will make use of visually interesting patterns and there will be glimpses of both high culture and pop fashion style on display. His films are as gracefully and effortlessly constructed as a Roger Federer forehand. The movies will be LGBTQ2S+ friendly. And the focus will often rest on the cares and concerns of women for whom Almodovar offers unflinching support and genuine affection. His movies will always look great and are a delight to the eye. That’s a whole bunch of pluses and they can sometimes obscure the simple fact that Almodovar sometimes makes bad movies.
Despite the fact that there is, as usual, so much to enjoy, Parallel Mothers is one of his least successful works. The movie starts and ends as if it is going to be an homage to the “missing” of the Spanish Civil War. However, the social commentary is such a throw-in that it seems almost disrespectful. Sandwiched between these unfortunate book ends, Parallel Mothers is a movie about two women (Penelope Cruz who is good; Melena Smit who is not) whose babies are switched at birth. The complications go nowhere interesting and are often certifiably unlikely. Every now and then, there are little hints that an Alfred Hitchcock movie is going to break out (another characteristic of Almodovar’s style) but nothing ever comes of it. Parallel Mothers is like watching a Lamborghini spin its wheels for two hours.
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