Movies: Last Movie You Watched and Rate It | Part#: Some High Number +3

[Osprey]

The Lighthouse (2019) - 6/10 (Liked it)

An old sea dog (Willem Dafoe) and a new, young assistant (Robert Pattinson) man a lighthouse on a desolate island and struggle to get along. I was very impressed with both actors' performances and am surprised that neither was nominated for an Oscar. I would've given both nominations over DiCaprio and Driver, personally. The cinematography is also very good, with it looking like an old B&W film, and the sound design is, as well, especially the frequent use of the fog horn. Occasionally, it was hard to make out a few words because of the Olde English pronunciations, but subtitles helped. Unfortunately, I wasn't very impressed by the story. There wasn't much to it and it was a bit confusing (and I don't necessarily mean all of the hallucinations and dreams). It often wasn't clear to me where their relationship stood because they'd yell at each other and, then, get drunk and laugh together. A few times, they'd have such an argument and, then, the next scene would be them getting along and we'd learn that it's a week later. The ending also wasn't as climactic as I was expecting and I'm still trying to figure out how the story got from the second-to-last scene to the last scene. In all, it's a good premise with excellent execution, but the actual story was lacking, IMO. I would have to say that I liked it, but more for the technical aspects, the performances and the fact that it's different. I was still a little disappointed because I was hoping that it'd be something that I'd like more.

 

[Prarievarg]

Pacific Rim (2013): 3.5/10

Dumb movie. Wasted time.

 

[David Dennison]

Chasing Amy. 7/10. Dialogue was a little hit and miss (maybe dated is the right word) but storyline was ahead of its time. Didn't expect how much it tied into the rest of the Kevin Smith film-universe, but does set up the plot for JaSBSB.

 

[Jussi]

Chasing Amy. 7/10. Dialogue was a little hit and miss (maybe dated is the right word) but storyline was ahead of its time. Didn't expect how much it tied into the rest of the Kevin Smith film-universe, but does set up the plot for JaSBSB.

All the call backs in Jay & Silent Bob Reboot, plus the cameos by the characters.

 

[ProstheticConscience]

Upgrade

with cable tv movie people. Including a computer mogul who looks like Sheldon Cooper and Draco Malfoy had a baby.

Gray and Asha are a well-toned couple living in Near Furtureville, where self-driving cars, talking sinks, computer implants and constant drone surveillance are commonplace. Asha does something professional that involves Serious Phone Calls About Serious Business, and Gray's something of a luddite slacker who restores vintage muscle cars and always has a beer in the fridge and rock on the radio (I like him already). Everything's peachy until the drive home from delivering a Smokey and the Bandit Firebird off to Draco Cooper...when his wife's self-driving car decides to take an unexpected detour to poortown. And not stop. And roll over. Ouch. Out of the woodwork come some Very Bad People led by a guy who looks uncannily like Napoleon Dynamite's brother but packs a lot more under the hood. Asha's killed, and Gray's left a quadriplegic. The police investigation turns up not a lot, due to the crew who hit them having serious combat implants, and Gray's left helpless, frustrated and deeply depressed. Sheldon Malfoy shows back up to note that, hey, remember that cute little biochip I showed you when you dropped off the Bandit? Turns out it might be able to make you walk again! Drop on by, sign your name to this non-disclosure contract, and we're rolling!

And roll Gray does. The implant's called STEM, and it quickly fuses itself to Gray's CNS and undoes his paralysis. Unsettlingly, it also starts to talk to him. Yup. It's super AI, baby. It talks and has a mind of its own...which isn't always a good thing for Gray. On one hand, it can take over his body and has martial arts moves you wouldn't believe. On the other, it can arbitrarily decide to shut off and leave Gray helpless when it feels like teaching him a lesson. Gray's investigation into his wife's death gets a huge kick in the ass, though. Badass augmented combat marines are sliced, diced, shot and thrown through walls as Gray/STEM continue their march to the truth...or do they? Who's really pulling the strings here? Watch and be mildly surprised.

Meh. It's not terrible. Gray/STEM's merger held my interest, it had decent fight scenes, and it wasn't a bad cyberpunk setting.

 

[Mario Lemieux fan 66]

The Farewell: 6.8/10 an average movie

 

[nameless1]

Chasing Amy. 7/10. Dialogue was a little hit and miss (maybe dated is the right word) but storyline was ahead of its time. Didn't expect how much it tied into the rest of the Kevin Smith film-universe, but does set up the plot for JaSBSB.

Your score is what I have too, but I still consider this to be the most complete Kevin Smith work. It has joy, sadness, and a bittersweet ending that closely resembles life. There are other Kevin Smith movies that I like, but this might be his only work that has re-watch value. As I get older, it continues to hit me harder and harder.

 

[nameless1]

I finally watched the last Star Wars, and it was all over the place. None of the character development made sense, the big reveal about Rey's origin feels forced, and the special effects has not improved all that much over the years. Frankly, it becomes more like a chore, as I simply want to check it off my list.

This movie also confirms that the de-ageing technology is too overused despite not quite ready yet. It looks absolutely fake, but the filmmakers still put it in, even if it appears for less than 10 seconds, and does not add anything.

 

[nameless1]

Any Oscar predictions? The top acting category appears set, with Phoenix for Best Actor, Zellweger for Best Actress, Pitt for Best Supporting Actor, and Dern for Best Supporting Actress. I have seen all of the performances in the acting categories, and other than Pitt, the frontrunners are fine. I probably like Bates more than Dern, but I would not argue if Dern wins. Pitt, on the other hand, is just boring. Pacino is probably the best of the bunch, but he probably split the vote with Pesci.

I actually really like the Best Actress category, because it is quite competitive, as all five performances are great. That said, I would love to see Zellweger win. She did a fantastic job as Garland, and it will be a nice vindication. Far too much attention is given to her appearance, and it is not fair to her as a performer. She is not the best, but if given the right role, she can be great.

I would love to see Parasite win Best Picture, but it looks like it will stick with the Best Internation Feature. 1917 probably has it in the bag, along with Best Director.

 

[Osprey]

nameless1, we have a couple of dedicated threads for that. Here's one with the first reactions to the Oscar nominations:

Movies: - Oscar Nominations: The Complete List

...though I would use that only for reading and not bump it, since there's another one with more recent talk:

Movies: - Awards Season

They're currently not on the first couple of pages, so don't feel bad for not seeing them.

 

[nameless1]

I actually do not like the guy who started the thread. That may be why.


Thanks for letting me know.

 

[Osprey]

The Two Popes (2019) - 8/10 (Loved it)

Cardinal Bergoglio (Jonathan Pryce) travels to the Vatican to submit his resignation, but Pope Benedict XVI (Anthony Hopkins) has other plans. It's based on recent, true events. The performances really are fantastic. These are two consummate veterans who make acting look almost easy. I was impressed with how natural Pryce's Spanish and Hopkins' Latin sounded, since I presume that they're not fluent in either. The film is mostly just one conversation between the two after another, and that may not sound interesting, but it works because of who's doing the acting, the dynamics of the characters' relationship and the excellent dialogue. Some might find it a little boring, but I didn't. The only times that I started to lose a little interest were during the flashback scenes, but I think that that's a testament to how Pryce and Hopkins make the film, since those are minutes on end in which they're not on the screen. It's a film that's not so much about Church topics (though it doesn't avoid them), but about personal ones, like guilt and forgiveness. It shows the Pope and Cardinal as human beings, sometimes seriously by admitting their struggles and sometimes less so, like by ordering pizza and watching soccer. I don't know why, since I'm not Catholic, but I find it a bit fascinating and amusing to see what life is like in the Vatican when the public isn't around. In fact, I found the end credits to be the most entertaining thing about the whole film, which would usually be about the worst thing that you could say in a review, but, here, it was like the cherry on top that you save for the end.

 

[donkshow]

Parasite 10/10

This movie was unbelievable and my first real dive into a foreign film in a long, long time. I cannot wait to watch it again, and again.

 

[David Dennison]

Your score is what I have too, but I still consider this to be the most complete Kevin Smith work. It has joy, sadness, and a bittersweet ending that closely resembles life. There are other Kevin Smith movies that I like, but this might be his only work that has re-watch value. As I get older, it continues to hit me harder and harder.

I would agree. Clerks was great but very much an indie flick. J&SB, Mallrats, Dogma, Zach and Miri and Clerks 2 were all more paint-by-the-numbers comedy movies.

 

[NyQuil]

The Gentlemen (2020) 7/10

Guy Ritchie returns to his roots with another working class criminal romp with intersecting storylines, witty dialogue and memorable characters.

It was enjoyable and I laughed in parts, but having seen Snatch and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, there is a distinct lack of dramatic tension due to the fact that you can kind of see where it is going from the very beginning.

Hugh Grant does yeoman's work in a nearly unidentifiable capacity as a sleazy PI who narrates the film, while Colin Ferrell gets all of the best punchlines.

Matthew McConaghey and Charlie Hunnam perform serviceable roles as the centres of the film while Michelle Dockery does well with the little screen time she is given.

Hot off his unsettling and intriguing turn in Succession, I found Jeremy Strong to be badly miscast as a campy fellow criminal dealer, not seemingly able to pull off the character in believable fashion, despite Ritchie's penchant for larger-than-life characters that stray into the ridiculous and yet still manage to be grounded enough to support the story.

Meanwhile, the portrayal of the Asian characters might be construed as off-colour at best.

The issue I think is that early Guy Ritchie had an edginess that worked with the style of his crime films, whereas this seemed much more like a paint-by-numbers affair. The shocking juxtaposition of violence and cruelty with humour, so emblematic of a Tarantino-style film and Ritchie's earlier work, wasn't quite achieved.

There are a few trick sequences where the fourth wall is broken and the narrator turns out to be unreliable, but they seem almost self-indulgent rather than serving the dramatic need of the story.

It seemed more like a retrospective or reunion type film as opposed to something that he had put his heart and soul into.

 

[nameless1]

The Gentlemen (2020) 7/10

Your review is right on.

While I had fun at the movie, I am disappointed with how predictable the whole thing is. There is never any doubt how this will turn on.

Spoiler

I wish the antagonists are stronger and do more. They are downright pathetic, and Ritchie does not attempt to build them up at all.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Airborne - (1993)

A chilled out teen surfer, Mitchell, living the dream is sent by his parents to live with his in-laws for six months while they travel - unfortunately for Mitchell, his in-laws live in Cincinnati, and there are no waves to catch, oh and it’s the middle of winter.

Mitchell doesn’t uh, quite fit in with his peers, who are all about hockey and don’t like being called “brah”, especially a young Jack Black.

When Mitchell tries a little of this hockey thing, he scores on his own team, giving the hated, dirty Preps an undeserved win.

This doesn’t make Snake and Jake very happy... and Mitchell goes straight to the top of their shit list.

This is basically Outsiders meets Point Break, without any actual murders or bank robberies. Sprinkle in some hockey and funny one liners, you get Airborne.

I saw this movie when I was a young teen and decided to give it a rewatch to see how well it held up, and it still cracks me up and is well worth the watch on a lazy Sunday.

The action sequences are still pretty impressive and it’s an all around fun movie you just turn your brain off and enjoy.

 

[GlassesJacketShirt]

Pacific Rim (2013): 3.5/10

Dumb movie. Wasted time.

And you saw the "good one." Pacific Rim 2 would almost certainly make you want to lose your sense of sight.

 

[Mario Lemieux fan 66]

Klaus : 7.8/10 good movie

Waves: 5/10 a wannabe Moonlight. I wasn't a fan of Moonlight i am not a fan of Waves either.

 

[Ainec]

Parasite 10/10

This movie was unbelievable and my first real dive into a foreign film in a long, long time. I cannot wait to watch it again, and again.

check out memories of murder, same director

his best film imo

 

[Scouter]

The Lighthouse (2019) - 6/10 (Liked it)

An old sea dog (Willem Dafoe) and a new, young assistant (Robert Pattinson) man a lighthouse on a desolate island and struggle to get along. I was very impressed with both actors' performances and am surprised that neither was nominated for an Oscar. I would've given both nominations over DiCaprio and Driver, personally. The cinematography is also very good, with it looking like an old B&W film, and the sound design is, as well, especially the frequent use of the fog horn. Occasionally, it was hard to make out a few words because of the Olde English pronunciations, but subtitles helped. Unfortunately, I wasn't very impressed by the story. There wasn't much to it and it was a bit confusing (and I don't necessarily mean all of the hallucinations and dreams). It often wasn't clear to me where their relationship stood because they'd yell at each other and, then, get drunk and laugh together. A few times, they'd have such an argument and, then, the next scene would be them getting along and we'd learn that it's a week later. The ending also wasn't as climactic as I was expecting and I'm still trying to figure out how the story got from the second-to-last scene to the last scene. In all, it's a good premise with excellent execution, but the actual story was lacking, IMO. I would have to say that I liked it, but more for the technical aspects, the performances and the fact that it's different. I was still a little disappointed because I was hoping that it'd be something that I'd like more.

I'm pretty style over substance on this.

 

[Scouter]

Ford v Ferrari (2019) - 6.5/10

So it's about the title and Le Mans back in the day, so you may already be familiar with the story, as far as sports biopic's go it's alright, I mean Bale is pretty good here, movie maybe could have been shorter, a lot of the familiar beats are here, the racing is pretty good.

 

[GlassesJacketShirt]

Two new ones:

1. Uncut Gems - 7/10
Very close to an 8 for me. Good performance, "tense" filmmaking if you will that put me on edge.

Kinda want to watch it again, highly recommend it. On a side note, f​

elt like a Best Picture nomination might have been warranted, but I don't really give a f*** about the Oscars at this point.

2. Little Women - 5/10
Was distracted by a few of the main performers (i.e. I am not a fan of Watson). Story didn't grab me, I mean it's Little Women again (again), but I will give Gerwig credit for her direction, it's leaps and bounds better than Lady Bird on a technical front (though I prefer Lady Bird as a whole). Not really a recommendation, but I wouldn't scare anyone away from seeing it either.

 

[Prarievarg]

And you saw the "good one." Pacific Rim 2 would almost certainly make you want to lose your sense of sight.

So tempting.. Or I'll just watch Sharknado 6

 

[Prarievarg]

Dolemite is My Name (2013): 7/10

Not a great movie by any means, but enjoyable. Eddie Murphy fits his role like a glove.