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

[The Macho King]

Went to the theater with my daughter to watch Kung Fu Panda 4.

Thunderstorm knocked the power out. Got a refund because we didn't even make it all the way through the previews.

?/10

So we went back.

Daughter enjoyed it. I feel like someone decided Awkwafina was a star but didn't bother telling anyone else and now she's just in shit? Kinda like Josh Gad. Viola Davis better have made all the money because she was too good for this.

I know it's #4 but like... it's a kids movie that was way too invested in it's own mythology and just... convoluted. Not very good but some decent jokes.

4/10

 

[The Macho King]

I filled in one of my two last Park Chan Wook blindspots and watched Joint Security Area.

It's so f***ing weird that his next three movies were the Vengeance trilogy (of which I really only like Lady Vengeance - Oldboy and Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance aren't very good in my opinion). This is such a well paced, emotional but subdued, tragic and somehow beautiful movie. I think he doesn't really make a film this... restrained until Decision to Leave - everything else he does is heightened in some way (not in a bad way). This is such a surprise in how straight it plays it.

I kind of expected to watch this and find it be one of those "here is an early movie by a director who didn't really find himself yet - you see flashes of the greatness to come but it is not fully developed." Instead... I kind of think this is a masterpiece? Like not a "for a first movie" qualifier (I know he had some quasi-student films first but he kind of disowns them) - this movie is just great. I think the relationship between the NK and SK soldiers in this is beautiful and it puts the entire conflict in such an interesting light. This feels like an underexplored avenue to me - the kind of tensions the division of Korea have.

Does Kang Ho Song just have the best face in movies? What a superb performance. I didn't cry, but I certainly came close at the end. That being said - it's a little rough in some spots. Some of the camera moves feel a little sloppy compared to his later work. The very end was a bit of an overly expository button on it which I think he just wouldn't do in his later works. But overall - great movie.

Strong 8/10

Kind of want to give my Park rankings after seeing this.

1 - The Handmaiden
2 - Decision to Leave
3 - Joint Security Area
4 - Thirst
5 - Lady Vengeance
6 - Stoker
7 - Oldboy
8 - Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance

Haven't seen - I'm a Cyborg but That's Okay

 

[Babe Ruth]

Love Stinks (1999)

A very Gen X cast and cynical love story. Reminded me a lot of my own marriage to be honest.
Bill Bellamy, Jason Bateman, Tiffani Amber Thiessen (when I said Gen X, I wasn't lying). On Tubi..

 

[Nakatomi]

Birth (2004) - 7/10

Nicole Kidman's husband dies of a heart attack during a jog through Central Park. A child born at the same moment comes into Kidman's life a decade later and claims to be her husband reincarnated.

A fairly trippy movie ensues with a great performance by Kidman.

I think this could have been a complete masterpiece, but I felt the two possible meanings both had evidence for them but lacked enough to be unequivocal. Not necessary to enjoy the film, though.

An interesting perspective and way to think about loss and grief.

 

[Rodgerwilco]

You Should Have Left (2020) - 2.5/10

Felt like someone read House of Leaves and watched the “My House” Doom mod, wrote a copycat novel and decided to make a movie starring Kevin Bacon.

About as “meh” of a horror movie as could have been made. Amanda Seyfried puts on an unremarkable performance as the Hollywood actor wife to an older retired banker with a spotty past. Felt like Kevin Bacon mostly mailed it in here with a pretty average performance himself.

Apparently in the novel he was a screenwriter, but that was washed over in the film with a throwaway line about him being a banker.

Weird stuff in the house starts happening and a bunch of corny “horror” ensues. Didnt even inspire me enough to write up a proper synopsis.

Don’t waste your time.

 

[flyersnorth]

Causalidad (English title - Causality) - 5/10

Decided to watch this because I'm learning Spanish and have been trying to absorb as much as I can from different sources.

It is about a woman who goes to a restaurant to wait for her online date to show up, and then through a series of events, is kidnapped.

The entire movie is shot in one continuous sequence and takes place almost entirely in a run down city medical treatment center. It is an interesting decision that definitely keeps you focused on the here and now, but I would say not the best execution of that technique.

Aside from Romina (head nurse, I think) who is excellent, the acting is mostly flat as is the dialogue.

The execution is kinda clumsy throughout the film, which is a shame because the actual story and motivations are interesting and convincing.

 

[Osprey]

Don’t waste your time.

Too late. I watched it during the pandemic, when there wasn't much else to watch. Then again, I watch stuff like this all of the time, so who am I kidding? I really don't remember much, except that Bacon has a secret and the house knows about it and happens to be awfully judgmental, for a house... or something like that. I suppose that the fact that I can't remember much else isn't a good sign. Hmm. I just looked up my review and, surprisingly, I gave it a 5/10. Maybe I really was starved for content during the pandemic.

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

<mod> he gone </mod>

How is this guy still tolerated here?

 

[SniperHF]

How is this guy still tolerated here?

It does help to report these posts instead of waiting till I happen to read the thread.

 

[SniperHF]

Now for what I actually came here for, after taking out some trash.

Argylle

I've certainly seen worse movies and I realize it's not intended to be terribly serious, but Howard is not believable in this role in the slightest. They also kinda ruined it with somewhere around 7 plot twists packed into 20 minutes. The first hour and a half was reasonably enjoyable though. Also too long like most movies these days.

 

[The Macho King]

Now for what I actually came here for, after taking out some trash.

Argylle

I've certainly seen worse movies and I realize it's not intended to be terribly serious, but Howard is not believable in this role in the slightest. They also kinda ruined it with somewhere around 7 plot twists packed into 20 minutes. The first hour and a half was reasonably enjoyable though. Also too long like most movies these days.

I feel like movie length goes in waves. I have no problem sitting through a 3 hour movie if that's what it needs, but obviously the number of 3 hour movies to the movies that need to be 3 hours (or honestly anything over 2 hours) is skewed. I know there were eras where that was fairly common in the past as well (the "epics" of the 50s and early 60s come to mind as an era that features a lot of overly long movies - seriously cut the Jesus shit out of Ben Hur and it's like a tight 100 minute stone cold classic).

 

[KallioWeHardlyKnewYe]

How is this guy still tolerated here?

@ me next time you cowards!!!

2010: The Year We Make Contact. A solid bit of good looking, good sounding slow sci-fi as long as you go in not holding it to 2001's impossibily high bar. You could still get stoned to this.

Beckham. I hated how likable this makes Becks. Decades of hatred down the drain. Really sucks that on top of being good looking, world class talented and wildly successful that he also seems like a good and normal (relatively, comparatively) dude. Also a wonderful compendium of British tabloid pun headlines.

 

[Rodgerwilco]

Too late. I watched it during the pandemic, when there wasn't much else to watch. Then again, I watch stuff like this all of the time, so who am I kidding? I really don't remember much, except that Bacon has a secret and the house knows about it and happens to be awfully judgmental, for a house... or something like that. I suppose that the fact that I can't remember much else isn't a good sign. Hmm. I just looked up my review and, surprisingly, I gave it a 5/10. Maybe I really was starved for content during the pandemic.

Looks like we had a pretty similar attitude toward the film, I guess I was a bit more harsh though lol.

I left it out of my review, but I do agree with you that the young actress playing the daughter did very well. I was pretty impressed by her range of emotions and natural acting ability.

 

[The Macho King]

@ me next time you cowards!!!

2010: The Year We Make Contact. A solid bit of good looking, good sounding slow sci-fi as long as you go in not holding it to 2001's impossibily high bar. You could still get stoned to this.

2010 is such a just... solid movie? Also really dig the book if you're into that.

 

[kihei]

.... except that Bacon has a secret and the house knows about it and happens to be awfully judgmental, for a house...

lmao

 

[The Macho King]

Watched Infernal Affairs for the first time in like 15 years.

I forgot how completely The Departed was based off of this. Like almost scene for scene. I have a lot more movies under my belt so it was fun to recognize some of these actors from other roles (most notably Tony Leung).

I mean - it's a fun movie but I remember being more impressed back then. The score is... unsubtle. The performances are solid (and I like Han more than Nicholsons performance) but I think the rest of the US cast outshine the HK cast a bit. 6/10

 

[Spring in Fialta]

I re-watched Shottas (2002) not too long ago.

It's not bad when they're in Kingston but when they start taking over Miami LMAAAAAOOOO. The only movie where the production value seems to get visibly worst as it goes along. Still, it's a lot of dumb fun.

 

[Nakatomi]

Bull (2021)

That was....quite violent. Weak dialogue and the timing of some plot points dragged it down a bit. But not a bad flick.

 

[BackToTheBrierePatch]

Dune 2.
10/10

 

[Nakatomi]

Two Hands -

A fun Australian movie starring Heath Ledger before he really hit it big. Also features Rose Byrne, in the first role I have ever heard her natural accent.

I understand this is a bit of a cult favorite down under, and I can see why. Heath plays a young man stupid enough to do a job for a gangster and foolish enough to.....well, you need to watch to find out. Some bad choices come into play, and a rather entertaining movie featuring a great soundtrack ensues. 7 or 8 out of 10, I say.

 

[The Macho King]

Decided to rewatch for the first time in a million years In The Mood For Love.

I hate when hot people are in a movie and don't bone. The lead actress walks in a way that makes me feel things. Tony Leung is a snack all movie.

And it makes me so sad. Visuals are amazing. Score is perfect. Blue balls are real.

9/10

 

[KallioWeHardlyKnewYe]

Challengers. Based on my research the Fine Young Cannibals' cover of Suspicious Minds has appeared in four movies and I, improbably, have seen three of those in the past two weeks.

This ruled. I fist-pumped for two straight hours.

 

[KallioWeHardlyKnewYe]

Decided to rewatch for the first time in a million years In The Mood For Love.

I hate when hot people are in a movie and don't bone. The lead actress walks in a way that makes me feel things. Tony Leung is a snack all movie.

And it makes me so sad. Visuals are amazing. Score is perfect. Blue balls are real.

9/10

I just watched The Grandmaster and Tony Leung remains undefeated.

No blue balls there though because the kung fu is the sex.

 

[ItsFineImFine]

Dune 2 (2024) - 7/10

There's something off about this for me. While it does get more intense and enjoyable a the end, it feels a bit Star Wars-ish in terms of how it's constantly shifting between planets and the weird editing in how scenes almost miss together or just stop and skip, I can't describe it. I felt the original looked better and had maybe a more captivating story whereas this one was more forced I dunno.

Also think the casting choices are still weird here, particularly Chamalet & Zendaya. Should've used more serious British actors throughout.

 

[The Macho King]

I just watched The Grandmaster and Tony Leung remains undefeated.

No blue balls there though because the kung fu is the sex.

I have an embarrassing amount of Wang Kar-Wai blindspots. It's pretty much ItMfL, Chungking Express, and As Tears Go By. Two of them I adore, and one I don't really like but see the pieces of a guy I eventually will.

Might watch Fallen Angels tonight to plug away a bit.