Movies: Last Movie You Watched and Rate it | {Insert Appropriate Seasonal Greeting Here}

[The Macho King]

I'm surprised as he's regarded as a genius. If all similar,can pass I suppose but who does his movies appeal to?

Never saw the series but enjoyed the films.

WE are on a poor string of bad movies that are highly touted.

Purple rain, tried and had to stop.

Rebel without a cause,expected it to be better considering the hype but not great at all and a bit ridiculous seeing such old actors playing teens.

I'm not going to say he's objectively bad or anything like that - he's kind of a Wes Anderson-type director for me. He has a very distinct style, beats that hit almost every film (that I've seen anyway), and definitely a voice. His films are all competently made. They are just manufactured in a lab to be extremely not for me.

Re: Rebel Without a Cause - was this ever considered canon? Dean's performance is always praised but beyond that it feels very much a product of its time, speaking almost exclusively to its time.

I've been mostly on a string of Lifetime Christmas movies and shit like that but starting the evening of the 25th I'm going to go through Wong Kar Wai's fimography (or at least the highlights - will probably skip his English film).

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

I'm surprised as he's regarded as a genius. If all similar,can pass I suppose but who does his movies appeal to?

Never saw the series but enjoyed the films.

WE are on a poor string of bad movies that are highly touted.

Purple rain, tried and had to stop.

Rebel without a cause,expected it to be better considering the hype but not great at all and a bit ridiculous seeing such old actors playing teens.

Anyway, I'm pretty sure Woody's not for either of you, but he has made a pretty good number of great films. None of them is hilarious, but a few are pretty funny (Love and Death), and quite a few are brilliant (Zelig, Annie Hall, Hannah and her Sisters, etc. etc. etc.). I'll give you that he hit a seriously rough stretch between 2000 and 2007, with a lot of disastrous films then.

I'm not going to say he's objectively bad or anything like that - he's kind of a Wes Anderson-type director for me. He has a very distinct style, beats that hit almost every film (that I've seen anyway), and definitely a voice. His films are all competently made. They are just manufactured in a lab to be extremely not for me.

Sorry I almost crapped on you for your previous post. ;-)
That's worded better!

 

[The Macho King]

Anyway, I'm pretty sure Woody's not for either of you, but he has made a pretty good number of great films. None of them is hilarious, but a few are pretty funny (Love and Death), and quite a few are brilliant (Zelig, Annie Hall, Hannah and her Sisters, etc. etc. etc.). I'll give you that he hit a seriously rough stretch between 2000 and 2007, with a lot of disastrous films then.

Look here Jabroni I saw the before edit.

 

[kihei]

Maestro (2023) Directed by Bradley Cooper 7A

Let's start with what Maestro is not. It's not a standard music biopic that focuses on an artist's professional career. For the most part the focus is on the great conductor's home life and the fact that he can't keep his pants zipped whenever there is an attractive young man around. The movie is in two halves. The first half, in black and white, is the Wikipedia half. Except for some showy conducting bits, we get a ton of information, but it is tell, not show for the most part. Characters tell each other what they already know for the benefit of the audience. "You had great success at Rotterdam and then you followed it up at Tanglewood."--- that sort of thing.

The second half, shot in colour, the older Lenny, morphs into Scenes from a Marriage and the focus is on his long suffering wife, Felicia. Carey Mulligan is superb but here director Cooper struggles to say things that he does not quite have the skill to pull off. But it is a noble effort and quite moving anyway. Had it not been for Mulligan, the rating might have been a notch lower.

 

[Bahama Mama]

I'm not going to say he's objectively bad or anything like that - he's kind of a Wes Anderson-type director for me. He has a very distinct style, beats that hit almost every film (that I've seen anyway), and definitely a voice. His films are all competently made. They are just manufactured in a lab to be extremely not for me.

Re: Rebel Without a Cause - was this ever considered canon? Dean's performance is always praised but beyond that it feels very much a product of its time, speaking almost exclusively to its time.

I've been mostly on a string of Lifetime Christmas movies and shit like that but starting the evening of the 25th I'm going to go through Wong Kar Wai's fimography (or at least the highlights - will probably skip his English film).

I wouldn't say he's bad either ,just doesn't appeal to us,that's how it goes. He obviously is enjoyed by many or he wouldn't be what he is. Akin to music or food,everyone's palate differs.

As to Rebel without a cause,I can't say with certainty one way or the other,but it was always mentioned that it's a must see. If I were to be asked ''should I watch it'' I'd say don't bother but to each their own.

If with your agenda you fall on to something great,pass it along.

Anyway, I'm pretty sure Woody's not for either of you, but he has made a pretty good number of great films. None of them is hilarious, but a few are pretty funny (Love and Death), and quite a few are brilliant (Zelig, Annie Hall, Hannah and her Sisters, etc. etc. etc.). I'll give you that he hit a seriously rough stretch between 2000 and 2007, with a lot of disastrous films then.


Sorry I almost crapped on you for your previous post. ;-)
That's worded better!

See above.

 

[Osprey]

It Happened on Fifth Avenue (1947) - 7/10

Vagrants make themselves at home in a mansion while its owners are away for the winter. Laughs ensue when the latter return home early. This is a charming, funny film that I and even my parents (who grew up in the 50s) hadn't heard of. It was released only four months after It's a Wonderful Life and feels a bit like it with its December through New Year's setting, rich vs poor narrative and themes of happiness, reconciliation, redemption and what it really means to be "rich." Ironically, while Frank Capra's film (which he actually chose to direct over this) fizzled in theaters but went on to become a classic, this was a minor hit in theaters and then became forgotten. It's seemingly become a holiday favorite to those who know about it, though. It has some of the themes, warmth and sentimentality of a holiday movie, but I'm not sure if I'd personally call it a Christmas movie, since only a few scenes concern the holiday. There's a little romance and a few songs, but not enough to call it a love story or musical, and it touches on the struggle of the little guy versus the big guy, but not as seriously as It's a Wonderful Life. It's mostly a heartwarming comedy. Like several others from the 40s, the humor revolves largely around mistaken identity, often with poor characters being mistaken for rich and rich characters being mistaken for poor. It's often very funny, as long as you can forgive it for being far fetched and silly. For example, if you came back and discovered homeless people living in your house and wearing your clothes, you'd immediately call the cops, not humor them and let them stay. It's filled with situations that would happen only in a movie, but I found that to be part of the charm and it wouldn't be half as fun or funny if it were at all realistic. It's a film that put a smile on my face while reminding me that they don't make 'em like they used to.

 

[Chili]

Osprey, that reminded me of the Richard Jenkins film The Visitor, very well done if anyone hasn`t seen it.

 

[VMBM]

Heat (1995) 8/10

The cafe scene between Pacino and DeNiro was perfection. The cast was insane as well.

I used to hate Pacino's performance in the film; it goes so overboard even by his standards. However, later on I learned that the Hanna character was supposed to be a coke-head but it just isn't shown openly in the movie; does anyone know more about this?

Anyway, it's good that these guys were finally seen together in a movie (yes, I know that both were in Godfather II).

 

[NyQuil]

I used to hate Pacino's performance in the film; it goes so overboard even by his standards. However, later on I learned that the Hanna character was supposed to be a coke-head but it just isn't shown openly in the movie; does anyone know more about this?

 

[End of Line]

I used to hate Pacino's performance in the film; it goes so overboard even by his standards. However, later on I learned that the Hanna character was supposed to be a coke-head but it just isn't shown openly in the movie; does anyone know more about this?

Anyway, it's good that these guys were finally seen together in a movie (yes, I know that both were in Godfather II).

Watching the film I took his character as someone who was enmeshed in the world he was in and he couldn’t see anything else past that. His world truly got rocked when the only person he cared about other than himself tried to commit suicide and it brought him back down to Earth. At least that’s how I saw it.

 

[Chili]

View attachment 789813

It Happened on 5th Avenue (1947) - 7/10

Vagrants make themselves at home in a mansion while its owners are away for the winter. Laughs ensue when the latter return home early. This is a charming, funny film that I and even my parents (who grew up in the 50s) hadn't heard of. It was released only four months after It's a Wonderful Life and feels a lot like it with its December through New Year's setting, rich vs poor narrative and themes of happiness, reconciliation, redemption and what it really means to be "rich." Ironically, while Frank Capra's film (which he actually chose to direct over this) fizzled in theaters but went on to become a classic, this was a minor hit in theaters and then became forgotten. It's seemingly become a holiday favorite to those who know about it, though. It has some of the themes, warmth and sentimentality of a holiday movie, but I'm not sure if I'd personally call it a Christmas movie, since only a few scenes concern the holiday. There's a little romance and a few songs, but not enough to call it a love story or musical, and it touches on the struggle of the little guy versus the big guy, but not as seriously as It's a Wonderful Life. It's mostly a heartwarming comedy. Like several others from of the 40s, the humor revolves largely around mistaken identity, often with poor characters being mistaken for rich and rich characters being mistaken for poor. It's often very funny, as long as you can forgive it for being far fetched and silly. For example, if you came back and discovered homeless people living in your house and wearing your clothes, you'd immediately call the cops, not humor them and let them stay. It's filled with situations that would happen only in a movie, but I found that to be part of the charm and it wouldn't be half as fun or funny if it were at all realistic. It's a film that put a smile on my face while reminding me that they don't make 'em like they used to.

Just finished watching it. Good family film for this time of year. I see the story was nominated for an Academy award. Thumbs up here.

 

[93LEAFS]

Iron Claw (6/10)

The story was there, but the roles were miscast, and they cut enough from the story, while not delving into the real issues. A truly tragic story, and sad as hell, but the issues weren't explored enough. I also thought some of the editing and story choices were over the top. I saw Holdovers 2 weeks ago and Poor Things last week, and it was by far the weakest of the 3.

 

[SwordsgoneWild]

In Bruges ( 9/10)

Still one of my favorites. I try to watch this around Christmas every year. Sure, it's not really a Xmas movie though it takes place around that time. Just a beautiful little film . The 3 Male leads are terrific. Farrell and Gleeson are superb together but Ralph Fiennes steals the show and he is only in it for the last 3rd of the film. That last act is is shot beautifully. With the snow starting to fall and the lights. Don't want to go into spoilers but I highly recommend.

 

[Osprey]

Osprey, that reminded me of the Richard Jenkins film The Visitor, very well done if anyone hasn`t seen it.

I haven't seen that. Thanks for the suggestion. It also dawned on me just now that Parasite has similarities, as well.

Just finished watching it. Good family film for this time of year. I see the story was nominated for an Academy award. Thumbs up here.

I'm glad that you liked it!

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

Watched a few...

Dark Blue (Shelton, 2002) - Feels like a B-movie, with uneven pace and performances, but I thought Russell's character (a corrupt cop who's just the little b**** of a more corrupt cop) was often interesting, even if not well-written. 3.5/10

Rebel Moon Part I - A Child of Fire (Snyder, 2023) - Sometimes boring and most of the time dumb, but I thought the grittier take on Star Wars was kind of almost cool. Really not a very good start to a world-building project as it goes from one place to another without creating anything memorable. 3/10

Till Death (Dale, 2021) - It's both absolutely improbable and the simplest thriller, very amateurish (though it would have made a great student film) but yet very efficient at the little it does. I was mostly impressed with spatial construction and pace, which are most of the time completely chaotic and uneven in smaller project. Impossible not to think about King's Gerald's Game, but I thought this one was more fun. Megan Fox is so limited as an actress that she brings the whole thing down a little (not that it ever would have been a great film). 4/10

The Invention of Lying (Gervais & Robinson, 2009) - Proof that a great idea doesn't make a great film, but still a great idea. It was a rewatch and I won't move it from 4/10.

 

[deleted user]

Just rewatched Edward Scissorhands. It's a lot more cringe than I had remembered, lol. Jeez. 5/10.

 

[Puck]

2023 Box Office Lessons: Audiences Sought Comfort, Skipped Spectacle

Movie audiences flocked to Taylor Swift, “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” but were cooler toward returning superheroes like the Flash, Captain Marvel and Aquaman.

www.nytimes.com

 

[Puck]

I watched Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3 (2023) on Christmas Eve and it was quite entertaining. It won't win any Oscars but it is good for a laugh. Perhaps there are too many characters in the film (hampers character development) and the story might be a hodgepodge written by a Hollywood committee of writers but it was fun. If you have not seen it yet and are in the mood for a few chuckles during the Holidays, I would recommend this.

 

[Nakatomi]

Thief (1981) - 8/10 I somehow made it quite far in life having never watched Michael Mann's directorial debut. It is a gem of a film. James Caan is an ex-con who still goes in for heists, but only cash or diamonds, while living a cover as a used car salesman. He gets approached to go into business with someone. He is loathe to do it, but the promised pay-off is just too big to resist. Does this change to his MO pay off? You need to watch to find out. I suspect you won't be disappointed.

Magnolia (1999) - 7/10 Another film I had never seen. A lot to digest, but a really well-acted ensemble piece that is worth a watch the next time you have 3 hours and change to fill. It can be a bit heavy at times, but it is definitely quite interesting and engaging.

 

[Tkachuk4MVP]

Maestro (2023) Directed by Bradley Cooper 7A

Let's start with what Maestro is not. It's not a standard music biopic that focuses on an artist's professional career. For the most part the focus is on the great conductor's home life and the fact that he can't keep his pants zipped whenever there is an attractive young man around. The movie is in two halves. The first half, in black and white, is the Wikipedia half. Except for some showy conducting bits, we get a ton of information, but it is tell, not show for the most part. Characters tell each other what they already know for the benefit of the audience. "You had great success at Rotterdam and then you followed it up at Tanglewood."--- that sort of thing.

The second half, shot in colour, the older Lenny, morphs into Scenes from a Marriage and the focus is on his long suffering wife, Felicia. Carey Mulligan is superb but here director Cooper struggles to say things that he does not quite have the skill to pull off. But it is a noble effort and quite moving anyway. Had it not been for Mulligan, the rating might have been a notch lower.

What’s your top 10 so far kihei?

 

[deleted user]

Watching Rebel Moon after the WJC matches today. Hoping for a pleasant experience

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Wife and I watched Rebel Moon when it released. It was absolutely dreadful and just the typical Snyder bs shtick for slow motion scenes that weren't needed and a big emphasis on visuals over any type of actual story and even the visuals at one point just looked terrible.

1/10.

 

[The Macho King]

Thief (1981) - 8/10 I somehow made it quite far in life having never watched Michael Mann's directorial debut. It is a gem of a film. James Caan is an ex-con who still goes in for heists, but only cash or diamonds, while living a cover as a used car salesman. He gets approached to go into business with someone. He is loathe to do it, but the promised pay-off is just too big to resist. Does this change to his MO pay off? You need to watch to find out. I suspect you won't be disappointed.

This movie is so good. Because of that pretty big gap he took his earlier stuff gets forgotten sometimes but this is a top 4 Mann for me.

 

[Sentinel]

Golda (2022). Helen Mirren is a fantastic actress, she does a marvelous job in this movie, and her makeup is impeccable. The movie itself is very mediocre. The worst part: it’s tries to be “artsy” and it fails. It’s not as terrible as 7 Days in Entebbe which I reviewed last year, but it’s still not very good. Just as hamfisted and in your face. Lots of close-ups (we get to experience every inch of Mirren’s prosthetic skin), lots of cigarettes (it almost stank up my living room), and crazy dream sequences. The battle scenes (the actual story of the Yom Kippur War had enough material to rival Fury) are limited to a few historical footage snippets. At least its moral stance is undisputed. When I heard about this movie, I thought to myself: “I bet Liev Schreiber will play Kissinger.” And I was right. But all of this yields to a very real issue: watching this movie in late 2023 is like watching a newsreel. We are witnessing ALL OF THIS TODAY, in real time, on our computers, phones, and TVs – in the Gaza War. Just like 50 years ago, there was a terrible threat that was ignored by the government. Just like 50 years ago, Israel is fighting for its survival. Just like 50 years ago, Israel fights off the invaders and can crush its enemy once and for all – but the outside forces are holding Israel back. We will see if the current situation has a happy ending like Golda did but I am skeptical. And Netanyahu is not nearly as sympathetic as Golda Meir was. 6/10

======
Maestro (2023). OK, let's the obvious joke out of the way: “He is bye, Felicia!”

Bradley Cooper is a good actor, he does a solid job in this movie, and his makeup is impeccable. This is the second time in a row that an iconic Jewish character is portrayed by a non-Jew in a film that I watch but it's not a problem for me at all. Cooper is fine. Arguably, Carey Mulligan is even better but not by much: they compliment each other nicely. The movie itself is very mediocre, a by-the-numbers biopic. The worst part: it’s tries to be “dramatic” and it fails. Unlike Golda, where there is no room for the intended “artsiness,” here there is plenty of room for emotion: America's biggest composer / conductor Leonard Bernstein is trying to hide his bisexuality. His wife Felicia suffers in equal parts because of his infidelities and because she feels sorry for him. But – guess what – this drama is in no way compelling! At no point I actually feel Bernstein’s torment! I do feel his ecstacy when he conducts (and Cooper is excellent in those moments) but no pain at all! When Felicia tells him “there is hate in your heart,” I feel no hate and I don't know where this hate is supposed to come from. When Felicia says “there is no more hate in your heart,” I don't know what prompted this change of heart and where did this hate go. It's just words.

On a couple of occasions, Felicia is emotionally relatable to me but one such scene feels directly lifted from Woody Allen (Mulligan’s hair is a dead ringer for Dianne West in Hannah and Her Sisters) only without the wit and grace of Allen’s dialogues (and Sarah Silverman, who is a very limited actress, can only repeat “Oh, Felicia” over and over again). Mulligan truly shines through understatement as a cancer patient but by that point it's too late to save the movie. It's past the point of caring for it. I understand what emotions it's supposed to evoke but I don't feel them. Rami Malik’s emotions in Bohemian Rhapsody are ten times more relatable (Freddy Mercury's exchange with his girlfriend “I think I am bisexual” – “Freddy, you are gay!” was perfect). Other than that, there are lots of close-ups (we get to experience every inch of Cooper’s prosthetic skin) and lots of cigarettes (it almost stank up my living room). Great music for the fans of Bernstein, which I am not. From this movie, I don't understand his genius, his impact, and his tortured soul. This movie is makeup-deep, and the fact that it's Oscar-nominated but Fair Play isn't, makes me angry. 6/10

 

[93LEAFS]

Thief (1981) - 8/10 I somehow made it quite far in life having never watched Michael Mann's directorial debut. It is a gem of a film. James Caan is an ex-con who still goes in for heists, but only cash or diamonds, while living a cover as a used car salesman. He gets approached to go into business with someone. He is loathe to do it, but the promised pay-off is just too big to resist. Does this change to his MO pay off? You need to watch to find out. I suspect you won't be disappointed.

Magnolia (1999) - 7/10 Another film I had never seen. A lot to digest, but a really well-acted ensemble piece that is worth a watch the next time you have 3 hours and change to fill. It can be a bit heavy at times, but it is definitely quite interesting and engaging.

Okay, one love the username. Thief is great. Seems it laid the groundwork for Heat years later. One of my favorite Mann films