Movies: Last Movie You Watched and Rate It | Part#: Some High Number +2

[ORRFForever]

Rambo : Last Blood [2019] :

John's living on his ranch in Arizona with his niece. She goes to Mexico to find her dad but, instead, she's kidnapped by the cartel and turned into a sex slave. 73 year old John takes things into his own hands because the Mexican police "don't do ****".

Part Taken, part Home Alone. Rambo : Last Blood is shockingly violent and unpleasant.

2.5/10

Movie Trailer :

 

[Trap Jesus]

Oh I wasn't implying you couldn't comment on it!! Just that I'll be curious if you still feel there are aesthetic links to be made between the films.

I feel the artificiality of The Cook is way too grandiose for anything Aster has done, yet.

Yeah, it's something that's been on my radar since then. It'll be interesting to see.

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

Rambo : Last Blood [2019] :

John's living on his ranch in Arizona with his niece. She goes to Mexico to find her dad but, instead, she's kidnapped by the cartel and turned into a sex slave. 73 year old John takes things into his own hands because the Mexican police "don't do ****".

Part Taken, part Home Alone. Rambo : Last Blood is shockingly violent and unpleasant.

2.5/10

Movie Trailer :

Oh crap. Well, it was kind of obvious, but part of me still wanted to like it.

 

[ORRFForever]

Oh crap. Well, it was kind of obvious, but part of me still wanted to like it.

It is what it is. It's ridiculous and predictable but, if you are looking for a BLOODY good time, you might enjoy yourself.

 

[ManwithNoIdentity]

3 from Hell

Knowing RZ I knew what I was in for: white trash characters and incessant swearing yt this sequel was so unnecessary

2.0/5

 

[Spring in Fialta]

About The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and her Lover's soundtrack...here's the best piece of the film that plays interminently throughout the entire experience. Just a stunning piece of minimalism. Love the background droning sound under the haunting composition placed at the forefront.



The way it accompanies this gorgeous scene...

 

[kihei]

Ad Astra (2019) Directed by James Gray 4B

An astronaut (Brad Pitt) is sent on a mission to save the world from an electronic pulse that threatens the solar system and to come to grips with his long missing father (Tommy Lee Jones). Man, Ad Astra is one ponderous movie. Light on action and strong on psychological musings and voice overs, the movie seems to have its mind on other things--like saying something important about humankind's flaws or about doomed father and son relationships. Though the cinematography occasionally discovers a gem of a shot, the human beings seem left to fend for themselves in a film that doesn't explain much at all about anything--including about that mysterious electronic pulse that threatens all of existence--.but takes its damn sweet time doing so. I'm fine with sci-fi movies taking themselves seriously, but what's the pay off here? I don't think there is one.

 

[ORRFForever]

Ad Astra (2019) Directed by James Gray 4B

An astronaut (Brad Pitt) is sent on a mission to save the world from an electronic pulse that threatens the solar system and to come to grips with his long missing father (Tommy Lee Jones). Man, Ad Astra is one ponderous movie. Light on action and strong on psychological musings and voice overs, the movie seems to have its mind on other things--like saying something important about humankind's flaws or about doomed father and son relationships. Though the cinematography occasionally discovers a gem of a shot, the human beings seem left to fend for themselves in a film that doesn't explain much at all about anything--including about that mysterious electronic pulse that threatens all of existence--.but takes its damn sweet time doing so. I'm fine with sci-fi movies taking themselves seriously, but what's the pay off here? I don't think there is one.

I promised a friend I would see this on Tuesday. I don't want to go - she likes Brad Pitt. After reading your review, I REALLY don't want to go.

 

[ORRFForever]

With the quality of cameras and other equipment, you can make a great looking movie on a limited budget. However, the acting usually comes back to haunt (it's a dead giveaway for) lower end movies. The dialogue, too.

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

About The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and her Lover's soundtrack...here's the best piece of the film that plays interminently throughout the entire experience. Just a stunning piece of minimalism. Love the background droning sound under the haunting composition placed at the forefront.



The way it accompanies this gorgeous scene...

I personally prefer Memorial, but Fish Beach is indeed another amazing piece. It's not on the original soundtrack though (it was already used in a previous Greenaway film).

 

[Babe Ruth]

Black Robe (1991).

Anybody seen this one (?) I found it while surfing around YouTube..
Set in 1600s Canada, a French priest (from Quebec) travels with a band of Indian escorts out to a remote Catholic outpost. Most of the story is centered around that journey. Some really great winter, wilderness scenery. Movie put a lot in to realism, but not much new or interesting in the depiction of the trek tho (my opinion).

Average movie, I rate it 5 on 10 pt. scale.

 

[Jussi]

Oh crap. Well, it was kind of obvious, but part of me still wanted to like it.

Collider guys mentioned in their review how the crowd was cheering and applauding in the last 20 minutes like crazy. So sounds like as movie, it's not good. As a Rambo movie it's good:

 

[OhCaptainMyCaptain]

Collider guys mentioned in their review how the crowd was cheering and applauding in the last 20 minutes like crazy. So sounds like as movie, it's not good. As a Rambo movie it's really good:

This is the vibe I've gotten from a lot of reviews.

 

[Jussi]

This is the vibe I've gotten from a lot of reviews.

Basically Rambo fans go see it for the last 20 minutes and won't be disappointed. But it also seems it's not the best Rambo movie.

 

[ORRFForever]

Basically Rambo fans go see it for the last 20 minutes and won't be disappointed.

Yes - the last 20 minutes is a "Home Alone" blood bath.

 

[kihei]

Black Robe (1991).

Anybody seen this one (?) I found it while surfing around YouTube..
Set in 1600s Canada, a French priest (from Quebec) travels with a band of Indian escorts out to a remote Catholic outpost. Most of the story is centered around that journey. Some really great winter, wilderness scenery. Movie put a lot in to realism, but not much new or interesting in the depiction of the trek tho (my opinion).

Average movie, I rate it 5 on 10 pt. scale.

Yes; I liked it a lot more than you did. I thought the lead performance by Lothaire Bluteau was excellent, too. Bluteau has been a fixture of Quebec cinema for decades, but is virtually unknown in the rest of Canada.

 

[kihei]

I promised a friend I would see this on Tuesday. I don't want to go - she likes Brad Pitt. After reading your review, I REALLY don't want to go.

Really curious to get your take on it. And your girlfriend's

 

[ORRFForever]

Really curious to get your take on it. And your girlfriend's

Based on your review, my guess : I will enjoy the Pulled Pork Nachos (I will be crunching on) more than the movie.

 

[ORRFForever]

Mayday [2019] :

I have a thing for suspense movies that take place on airplanes. I'm not sure why because they are all awful. This one is no different.

Passengers start disappearing from a plane flying from the U.S. to England.

1/10

Movie Trailer :

 

[Spring in Fialta]

Hiroshima mon amour (1959) - I decided to watch this film because I've almost finished my read of Marguerite Duras' masterful novel The Lover. A fine film, but with slight flaws. On a technical level, the film is perfect. Only after its viewing did I realize Sacha Vierny was the cinematographer on this piece too. Resnais and Vierny are simply genius technicians and their eye for setting and camera work sensibilities never falter. They help create an atmosphere of romantic tension and loneliness that is rarely replicated so well in North American cinema (moreso the romantic tension aspect though). I also liked the way the narrative is set-up where images of the aftermath of Hiroshima are juxtaposed with the a Japanese man and French woman's sexual embrace as they speak of the horrors of the events/reflect on human memory. I thought it an effective way to simultaneously make a point while setting up the plot and narrative that subsequently dominates the rest of the film. Duras is a great writer and she shows great artistry through the succinct dialogue she bestows upon her two characters. Similarly to The Lover, the writing is deceptively challenging and attention has to be given to each word even if the phrases appear simple on the surface. Very intense quality to its narrative as well, and I thought the theme of memory (moreso than love, which I thought was relatively cliche but memory might possibly the prettiest subject one can lean on) was executed with fierce intelligence and despairing poignancy. The problem is...the female lead sometimes overdoes it to the point of goofiness and I don't think she pulls of off what she's going for in every scene, as opposed to the male lead, who while having the less demanding role, is flawless. I also found She's background lovestory a little trite. I think Duras might have been better off going off with something a little more off-the-wall (especially considering the setting and construct of the movie) or without detailing (or perhaps misremembering) her previous love story. I think it may have played with the movie's themes a little better. Still, great stuff.

 

[Hockeyfrilla]

Long Shot (2019)
Journalist Fred Flarsky reunites with his childhood crush, Charlotte Field, now one of the most influential women in the world. As she prepares to make a run for the Presidency, Charlotte hires Fred as her speechwriter and sparks fly.

6/10

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

Hiroshima mon amour (1959) - I decided to watch this film because I've almost finished my read of Marguerite Duras' masterful novel The Lover. A fine film, but with slight flaws. On a technical level, the film is perfect. Only after its viewing did I realize Sacha Vierny was the cinematographer on this piece too. Resnais and Vierny are simply genius technicians and their eye for setting and camera work sensibilities never falter. They help create an atmosphere of romantic tension and loneliness that is rarely replicated so well in North American cinema (moreso the romantic tension aspect though). I also liked the way the narrative is set-up where images of the aftermath of Hiroshima are juxtaposed with the a Japanese man and French woman's sexual embrace as they speak of the horrors of the events/reflect on human memory. I thought it an effective way to simultaneously make a point while setting up the plot and narrative that subsequently dominates the rest of the film. Duras is a great writer and she shows great artistry through the succinct dialogue she bestows upon her two characters. Similarly to The Lover, the writing is deceptively challenging and attention has to be given to each word even if the phrases appear simple on the surface. Very intense quality to its narrative as well, and I thought the theme of memory (moreso than love, which I thought was relatively cliche but memory might possibly the prettiest subject one can lean on) was executed with fierce intelligence and despairing poignancy. The problem is...the female lead sometimes overdoes it to the point of goofiness and I don't think she pulls of off what she's going for in every scene, as opposed to the male lead, who while having the less demanding role, is flawless. I also found She's background lovestory a little trite. I think Duras might have been better off going off with something a little more off-the-wall (especially considering the setting and construct of the movie) or without detailing (or perhaps misremembering) her previous love story. I think it may have played with the movie's themes a little better. Still, great stuff.

You're on a roll with great movies. I'm a big fan of both Resnais and Duras.

My favorite Resnais films: Marienbad, Mon Oncle d'Amérique, Providence, Je t'aime, je t'aime (and of course, Nuit et Brouillard has to be seen too... On connaît la chanson is on another tone completely, but still very good too)

My favorite Duras films (nobody works her text better than herself): Le Navire Night, India Song (and if you make it through it, Son nom de Venise dans Calcutta désert), Baxter, Vera Baxter... I used to present a Duras film in class to University students and challenge them not to sleep, 90% failed - India Song probably was the most hypnotic of them all (they probably would have said boring). A unique signature. If you want to test yourself, I think Aurélia Steiner (Melbourne) is on YouTube - a shorter film, but still a masterpiece (10/10).

 

[Trap Jesus]

I saw Ad Astra. Overall I would say I really liked it although I have some things that were major detractors for me.

First off I really liked Brad Pitt's character in this and while I usually don't like movies that have internal dialogue as part of the narrative structure I think it was absolutely necessary for this movie and worked because of the type of character he was. One of his first lines is that he sees himself from a perspective outside of himself or something along those lines and I think it makes that narrative structure work as a whole. I thought how his character subtly changes was very well handled.

Visuals and sound in this were excellent as expected. I absolutely love the muted kind of sound effects they used in space. This movie also felt like one of the more realistic future sci-fi worlds I've ever seen. There's some really subtle nice little touches they have for world building that makes you think if we could get to this point, it's probably how it would actually be.

I also really liked how it ended and how it could be seen as a parallel on a basic character level. Won't say anything about it of course.

On the negative side, it 100% felt like they shoehorned action scenes in. It really felt like every action scene was simply there because general audiences would get bored otherwise. There's one particularly egregious one about halfway through. It can be used for character development to some point but this one felt completely meaningless. There was also one important plot detail maybe 3/4 way through I thought made no sense in terms of how it was revealed. Some dialogue that can come across cheesy but nothing crazy.

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

It: Chapter 2 - I liked Chapter 1, it was simple and at times efficient, but this is a total turd. The only good thing about it is Xavier Dolan (which came in as a total surprise to me, I was like "nah, that's not possible, must be someone who looks like him... speaks like him? acts like him? That's Xavier mothaf***in Dolan, man!"), and he probably has the best scene of the film. After that, it's downhill to absurdity, and in none of the good ways. The distanciation didn't help either, the allusions to the "bad ending" were cute at first and then just weird, and the King cameo and stuff like "Here's Johnny!" just made it worse... - 3/10

 

[ProstheticConscience]

Ad Astra (2019) Directed by James Gray 4B

An astronaut (Brad Pitt) is sent on a mission to save the world from an electronic pulse that threatens the solar system and to come to grips with his long missing father (Tommy Lee Jones). Man, Ad Astra is one ponderous movie. Light on action and strong on psychological musings and voice overs, the movie seems to have its mind on other things--like saying something important about humankind's flaws or about doomed father and son relationships. Though the cinematography occasionally discovers a gem of a shot, the human beings seem left to fend for themselves in a film that doesn't explain much at all about anything--including about that mysterious electronic pulse that threatens all of existence--.but takes its damn sweet time doing so. I'm fine with sci-fi movies taking themselves seriously, but what's the pay off here? I don't think there is one.

I've been keeping up with the ads for this one, and I was really hoping it'd be good because there's a real dearth of quality original...anything lately, especially sci-fi, but I'm really disappointed by the reviews I'm seeing. The one word that always comes up is "ponderous". Honestly don't know if I'll bother before it's on Netflix or something for free.