Last Movie You Watched and Rate It | Part#: Some High Number +5

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

Thanks, that is very insightful and clears up quite a bit. I probably will not watch it again, but at the very least, I now know there are some merits to it.

I would still love the film even if it was a total senseless mess, if only for the beauty of it and the wonderful Nyman score!

 

[OzzyFan]

Queen & Slim (2019)
3.10 out of 4stars

Yes, it is an African American Bonnie and Clyde story with a Black Lives Matter twist, but it's got cerebral roots much much deeper under the surface. Just to give you an idea on the layout to see if it's your cup of tea or you're curious....The black female is a lawyer that doesn't trust anyone (anxious/fearful) and the black male is a very religious practicing christian (a sympathetic/forgiving type). Not to mention, this all happens on their first date. Surrounding that, you get lots of angles and opinions and dominoes of everything involving an accidental/self defensive white cop killing by 2 black folk at a traffic stop and fallout of their running away. Just about as many different points are brought up as you can think of (non-violent, violent, pro-revolution, anti-revolution, selfish, selfless, tolerant, blind, forgiving, kind, aggressive, pain, joy, etc I'm rambling). This film created great discussion across the board on the impacts and ideologies that come about from a situation like this. And this is all done in an eye appealing and thought provoking way. Definitely recommended. Overall it feels slightly anti-cop, but definitely not a beaten drum overtone. Acting is great too, albeit I'm a notable Kaluuya fan. It balances a lot, and is at times a touch uneven in flow, but it's got a lot going for it.



The Last Full Measure (2020)
2.65 out of 4stars

A "war story" worth telling, albeit it's almost entirely dialogue and interviews, albeit with the who's who of hollywood AARP drama acting gold members, which is a good thing. Plays out entirely as you'd expect if you expected a well executed retelling of Vietnam War Pararescue hero Pitsenbarger's posthumous medal of honor investigation with all the players and cover ups telling their parts 32years later. I'm not a war movie/war movie related fan in the slightest, but if I was this probably would have been rated higher.

 

[Spring in Fialta]

I would still love the film even if it was a total senseless mess, if only for the beauty of it and the wonderful Nyman score!

Man, that score is tremendous.

 

[ItsFineImFine]

A Single Man (2009) - 6.5/10

I like Colin Firth's performance but the film does feel too stylized and one-tone. I also will admit that even though I'm straight and consider myself fairly left-wing, maybe when I see gay relations on screen, it isn't as relatable to me so I don't understand it as well as someone else might.

As an aside, 2009 was a fairly monumental year in film now that I look back to all the ones I have seen and all the ones I have yet to. Maybe not the best of top-ends but in terms of quantity of good films, it's pretty massive. This is also the year we got Parks & Rec, Community, The Middle, Modern Family, and a few other decent sitcoms.

 

[nameless1]

Rear Window came out in 1954, and it was a big hit with critics and audience alike. Over time, as cities grew bigger, and people lived closer in apartment buildings, the film only grew in realism and stature. That said, voyeurism was still considered to be taboo, and the failure of Michael Powell's Peeping Tom showed that. In fact, it pretty much ended the career of a filmmaker with many prior hits. Everything changed in 1964, when Kitty Genovese was murdered across the street from where she lived in New York, and two weeks later, a New York Times article reported that even though there were at least 38 witness accounts of the murder, nobody came to her aid or even called the police for help. That revelation shocked the world, but at the same time, this bystander phenomenon fascinated many. Over the years, many films explore the topic in different ways, but I have only seen two that truly resembles the Kitty Genovese situation. The first is Radu Muntean's One Floor Below (2015), and the second one is Kyu-Jang Cho's The Witness (2018). While the former is an anti-thriller and may not be everyone's cup of tea, the later is one of the best action-thrillers I have seen in recent years, and one I highly recommend.

On the surface, The Witness should have been a dud. Both the movie and the incident that inspired it are so well-known, that it becomes hard to add any new twists to it. Indeed, even the choice to make it an action thriller is rather dull, simply because there are so many in the Korean market already. As a result, the plot is as straight-forward and predictable as they come, and one can see the progression of the movie from a mile away. Luckily, the script is very well-written, and the pace is so tight, that the atmosphere is still tense and exciting. There are not a lot of action scenes, but they are all placed strategically in order to both change up the pace, especially in the first half, and then to keep the audience at the edge of their seat all the way to the end in the second half. By the end, the movie is so well-produced, that the audience will largely forget the obvious inspiration, and instead will appreciate the fresh way a tired story is presented.

In order for an action-thriller to stand out, there needs to be an underlying message, and this movie does mainly use the genre to critique the indifference of modern day city dwellers. That aspect is particularly apparent in Asian cities, because a lot of times, the responsibilities of the crime will fall on the Good Samaritan. That is why even though the message is very obvious and transparent, it is told in such a way, that it is still very poignant. The ending is especially well-done, because not only does it drives the message home, it is also a very chilling remainder of just how cruel the world is. Again, the screenwriters deserves a lot of credit for their efforts to turn a tired story into something more.

Finally, acting is usually not a strong suit in these types of films, but the lead, Lee Sung-min, is sensational in the role. Even though he plays an every man, he displays a wide-variety of emotions that makes him feel realistic. In particular, there is one scene where he displays anxiousness and fear in equal measure, and it really helps to sell the tension. He deserves a lot of credit, and while he is more of an supporting actor, he is definitely one of the better South Korean actors out there.

Despite the inherent limitations of the movie idea, the filmmakers, through a very well-written script, and a very slick production team, is able to create a very fun and interesting movie. It just continues to prove that the Koreans are the master at genre filmmaking at this juncture, and they continue to be able to churn out gems. I have this top-notch action thriller at 7/10, and it is probably one of the better mainstream movies I have seen in the last little while.

 

[kihei]

La Ceremonie (1976) Directed by Claude Chabrol 8A

La Ceremonie is based on Ruth Rendell’s A Judgement in Stone which has the best opening sentence of any mystery novel that I have ever read: “"Eunice Parchman killed the Coverdale family because she could not read or write." In director Claude Chabrol’s adaptation, Eunice has become Sophie and the scene has shifted from England to France. The Lelievres, a family of four, need a new maid and hire Sophie who is very efficient, but doesn’t say much. Almost every question that they ask her is greeted with a tepid “Je ne sais pas.” The dullish Sophie manages to make friends with Jeanne (a still somehow youthful Isabelle Huppert), a postal office worker who is particularly detested by Georges, the somewhat pompous father of the Lelievre family. Both Sophie and Jeanne become kindred spirits and both have guilty (or not so guilty) secrets to share. The Lelievre clan collectively are simultaneously liberal-minded, they think so anyway, and casually oppressive toward Sophie, attitudes that will have repercussions as Jeanne and Sophie become better friends. As is typical of many French films, there are strong class tensions going on and not much love lost for the bourgeoisie. The accomplished Chabrol, often described as the European Hitchcock, seldom indulges in suspense just as an end in itself the way that the master often did. Rather, La Ceremonie takes a slow burn approach, and the result is elegant and darkly memorable.

subtitles

Criterion Channel

 

[Chili]

The Buddy Holly Story-1978

Biopic of someone who seems to be sadly forgotten. Even with some inaccuracies, very well done. Standout performance from Gary Busey. Great music, played and sung by the actors.

Reading up on the Beatles and Rolling Stones among others, Buddy Holly influenced their music evolution (i.e. John, Paul & George's first recording was 'That'll Be the Day'.)

There is another biopic called 'Clear Lake' which is apparently in the works. I thoroughly enjoyed this film.

 

[Spring in Fialta]

Around 20 minutes into The Big Short. Dangerously close to shutting it off. Insanely cringy and corny. Who writes this and thinks that it's clever to write that way about such an interesting subject and seemingly clever person? I almost choked on my wine when they strutted out Margot Robbie with Gosling's douchebag narration. Woof.

 

[MakeTheGoalsLarger]

Mad Monster Party 6.5/10

I saw it yesterday. It was a gift from an old friend of mine. It's a a stop motion picture from the 60's about famous monsters gathering to remind themselves just how amazing they all are, but since they are monsters they have to start killing each other though it's a stop motion movie which means the target audience is children, so killing anything but a human being is really hard in those movies, but you'll have to watch it to see if death actually occurs.

 

[Langdon Alger]

Around 20 minutes into The Big Short. Dangerously close to shutting it off. Insanely cringy and corny. Who writes this and thinks that it's clever to write that way about such an interesting subject and seemingly clever person? I almost choked on my wine when they strutted out Margot Robbie with Gosling's douchebag narration. Woof.

Margot Robbie was the only reason to watch that movie.

 

[Spring in Fialta]

Margot Robbie was the only reason to watch that movie.

I finished it. Slightly stronger impression but supremely flawed in its execution. I like that the different actors don't really interact but it's really far from a great film, especially writing/execution wise. Actors did the best with what they had. Like, the filmmaker come as slightly less douchebag-y than the many idiots they portray and insanely in love with how clever they think their presentation is, which is not at all. Really struggle with films who seem in love with themselves. Or at least obviously. I don't mind pretty navel gazing, but that was just crass.

 

[ItsFineImFine]

Dodsworth (1936) - 7.5/10

Pretty damn good early film about divorce. It's not quite Marriage Story but it has some of those same big moments of emotion (albeit with older cheesier Hollywood directing). It is quite one-sided against the woman character in this who's quite dis-likable and they introduce Mary Astor later on who you end up cheering for instead as she's quite likable in comparison. Bit of a shame that Hollywood in the 40s decided to go mostly with fairytale fantasy instead of progressing from heavier films like this or Make Way For Tomorrow.

Does suffer in parts from characters being obnoxiously loud as other 30s films do but it's more tolerable than in a film like His Girl Friday.

 

[kihei]

The Last Laugh (1925) Directed by F. W. Murnau 7A

This old war horse of a movie is both impressive and hard to take. One of the most famous actors of the silent era, Emil Jannings plays an aging hotel doorman at a super posh hotel. He takes great pride in his work and his uniform, and is universally respected by his friends. But a new hotel manager decides he has gotten to old for the job—and for good reason as he appears well past retirement age. So the manager demotes the old man to washroom attendant, the lowest of the low, and out the window goes his self-respect as well as the esteem others once felt for him. Jannings’ performance is an exercise in extreme sentimentality, even by the silent era's liberal standards. Every time he is on the screen, which is virtually the entire movie, Jannings milks the pathos for all he can get. He even seems to be able to alter shape to appear even more pathetic. Still, the movie has some considerable pluses. There is a surprise ending that is fun (if not exactly credible). The cinematography is wonderful. The production design is imaginative. There is an impressive neo-expressionist montage in the middle of the movie depicting the woozy feelings of our drunken doorman. And the film uses no intertitles of any kind, making it a movie completely dependent upon visuals to communicate its story. Even with Jannings Grade A ham performance. The Last Laugh is worth checking out for anyone with an interest in film’s formative years.

MUBI

 

[KallioWeHardlyKnewYe]

Dr. Caligari. I've consumed a fair amount of WTF movies and this is among the most WTF WTF movies that has ever WTF'd. It's like if David Cronenberg and David Lynch got super wrecked on qualuudes and took over a black box theater to free associate for about 80 minutes. The color palette is a Caboodles make-up case. The acting style is 80's perfume commercial. It is oddly skillful despite its cheapy budget and limitations. And it feels self-aware, which normally would be knock for me in scenarios like this, but it sorta works here ...

Definitely not for everyone, but if your tastes run toward the comically bizarre, this might be for you. A true Midnight Movie.

Thanks @Violenza Domestica ... I think.

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

Violenza's "reward"

You ungrateful $%?&!

Look at how it's done:

It was a gift from an old friend of mine.

Dr. Caligari. I've consumed a fair amount of WTF movies and this is among the most WTF WTF movies that has ever WTF'd. It's like if David Cronenberg and David Lynch got super wrecked on qualuudes and took over a black box theater to free associate for about 80 minutes. The color palette is a Caboodles make-up case. The acting style is 80's perfume commercial. It is oddly skillful despite its cheapy budget and limitations. And it feels self-aware, which normally would be knock for me in scenarios like this, but it sorta works here ...

Definitely not for everyone, but if your tastes run toward the comically bizarre, this might be for you. A true Midnight Movie.

Thanks @Violenza Domestica ... I think.

My pleasure!

 

[nameless1]

What happened to Italian cinema in recent years? There are still talented filmmakers, and once in a while there are hits, but more often than not, I am disappointed by what I watch. Bad Tales (2020) is just the latest example of the continued decline of an once proud cinematic tradition.

Like its name suggest, this is indeed a bad movie. The runtime, sans opening and closing credits, is a tad over 90 minutes long, but even after about 50 minutes, I still do not see the point of the movie. The narrative meanders to no end, and just when the movie latches on a somewhat interesting plot point, it is quickly abandoned, and the plot meanders again. By then, it is clear that the whole vehicle is a lost course, and nothing can be done to salvage it. I only continued because I made it so far, and even though the pace picks up a bit near the end, it loses steam once again, and the ending is predictably a dud.

To be fair, the movie is packed with ideas, and some of them do deserve a closer look, but the directors, the twin brother duo of Damiano and Fabio D'Innocenzo, do not spend time on any of them. As a result, the movie just becomes lost, and ultimately pointless. Personally, I feel this is emblematic of modern day Italian cinema, because it absolutely has no identity. There are talented filmmakers there, but perhaps the problems in Italian society just runs so deep, it often feels like they do not know where to begin, and as a result, they merely scratch the surface. Worst of all, they are so stubborn, that they absolutely refuse to change it up, and continue to tell stories the same leisurely way, no matter the genre or subject matter. At this point, Italian directors can be lump as one entity, because I absolutely cannot distinguish them apart. If this trend continues, Italy will probably be relegated to a mere film location, and people will only look to the country for cinematographers and score composers, who continue to be top notch. In fact, those two aspects are probably the only good things about this movie.

Bad Tales currently makes its rounds on the film festival circuit, and I would suggest people to stay away. I rate it 4/10, as it is simply not worth the time.

 

[member 51464]

What happened to Italian cinema in recent years? There are still talented filmmakers, and once in a while there are hits, but more often than not, I am disappointed by what I watch. Bad Tales (2020) is just the latest example of the continued decline of an once proud cinematic tradition.

Like its name suggest, this is indeed a bad movie. The runtime, sans opening and closing credits, is a tad over 90 minutes long, but even after about 50 minutes, I still do not see the point of the movie. The narrative meanders to no end, and just when it latches on a somewhat interesting plot point, that is quickly abandoned, and the plot meanders again. By then, it is clear that the movie is a lost course, and nothing can be done to salvage it. I only continued because I made it so far, and even though the pace picks up a bit near the end, it loses steam once again, and the ending is predictably a dud.

To be fair, the movie is packed with ideas, and some of them do deserve a closer look, but the directors, the twin brother duo of Damiano and Fabio D'Innocenzo, do not spend time on any of them. As a result, the movie just becomes lost, and ultimately pointless. Personally, I feel this is emblematic of modern day Italian cinema, because it absolutely has no identity. There are talented filmmakers there, but perhaps the problems in Italian society just runs so deep, it often feels like they do not know where to begin, and as a result, they merely scratch the surface. Worst of all, they are so stubborn, that they absolutely refuse to change it up, and continue to tell stories the same leisurely way, no matter the genre or subject matter. At this point, Italian directors can be lump as one entity, because I absolutely cannot distinguish them apart. If this trend continues, Italy will probably be relegated to film location, and people will only look to the country for cinematographers and score composers, who continue to be top notch. In fact, those two aspects are probably the only good things about this movie.

Bad Tales currently makes its rounds on the film circuit, and I would suggest people to stay away. I rate it 4/10, as it is simply not worth the time.

La grande bellezza is the only Italian movie of the last decade that I can think of having watched and thought of it as fantastic.

I wonder how Italian authors are doing these days? perhaps some of the societal issues you reference are better dealt with and addressed in a different format than film?

 

[nameless1]

La grande bellezza is the only Italian movie of the last decade that I can think of having watched and thought of it as fantastic.

I wonder how Italian authors are doing these days? perhaps some of the societal issues you reference are better dealt with and addressed in a different format than film?

While I like The Great Beauty, it is mainly because I see it as a spiritual sequel to La Dolce Vita, quite possibly my favourite Fellini film. Otherwise, it is pretty much style-over-substance too. It is beautiful to look at, but other than that, there is very little to talk about. The exploration of the lower upper class is not that interesting, to be frank.

You may be right that Italian literature could be in a better situation, but I am not familiar with that circle. The complete lack of an identity, unfortunately, is a fatal problem with modern Italian cinema. I can always tell an Italian movie by its aesthetics, but I can never describe what Italian filmmakers want to say, or even what inspires them. It is always style-over-substance, and that is not sustainable. I myself have a very low opinion of Italian cinema at this point, because I am disappointed more often than not.

 

[nameless1]

La Ceremonie (1976) Directed by Claude Chabrol 8A

La Ceremonie is based on Ruth Rendell’s A Judgement in Stone which has the best opening sentence of any mystery novel that I have ever read: “"Eunice Parchman killed the Coverdale family because she could not read or write." In director Claude Chabrol’s adaptation, Eunice has become Sophie and the scene has shifted from England to France. The Lelievres, a family of four, need a new maid and hire Sophie who is very efficient, but doesn’t say much. Almost every question that they ask her is greeted with a tepid “Je ne sais pas.” The dullish Sophie manages to make friends with Jeanne (a still somehow youthful Isabelle Huppert), a postal office worker who is particularly detested by Georges, the somewhat pompous father of the Lelievre family. Both Sophie and Jeanne become kindred spirits and both have guilty (or not so guilty) secrets to share. The Lelievre clan collectively are simultaneously liberal-minded, they think so anyway, and casually oppressive toward Sophie, attitudes that will have repercussions as Jeanne and Sophie become better friends. As is typical of many French films, there are strong class tensions going on and not much love lost for the bourgeoisie. The accomplished Chabrol, often described as the European Hitchcock, seldom indulges in suspense just as an end in itself the way that the master often did. Rather, La Ceremonie takes a slow burn approach, and the result is elegant and darkly memorable.

subtitles

Criterion Channel

Chabrol was at the height of his powers in the 70s. Honestly, at that moment in time, it feels as if he can take any scenario, and then turn it into an interesting and fun movie. He is a very mainstream director, but he definitely deserves to be lumped in with the great masters of the French New Wave.

Johnny To is probably the closest comparison to him in today's era. In PTU, To turned a short joke into a full feature length, and it is actually one of his best work too.

 

[Langdon Alger]

Manhattan Murder Mystery - 1993

Ho boy, where do I begin? Ok, Diane Keaton drove me nuts in this movie. So f***ing annoying. Jesus, I wanted to throw my remote. As for the movie itself, it’s ok. It’s rather weird and complicated. Not what I was expecting from a Woody Allen movie. I guess he was trying something different with this one. It’s not one I’d go back and watch though. Meh.

4/10

 

[kihei]

Beanpole (2019) Directed by Kantemir Balagov 8A

Set in Leningrad just after the end of World War II, Iya, nicknamed Beanpole because she is so tall and slender, is a much-liked though deeply introverted nurse in an army hospital where the victims of the completed war continue to languish. Iya has returned from the front with her best friend Masha’s little boy Pashka who dies under her care. When Masha returns, she takes the news with surprising equanimity but demands that Iya have a child to replace Pashka as Masha can no longer conceive. A dour but compassionate doctor is blackmailed into the scheme. Meanwhile, a weak-minded suitor falls for Masha. Beanpole is a movie about unfathomable damage. The psychological trauma far outweighs the physical calamities that come in war’s wake. These are broken people seeking normality in a world that has lost its bearings, a society consumed by post-traumatic stress. Director Kantemir Balagov’s approach is so original and so well directed that rather than be depressing, the movie is deeply involving. While there are troubled souls in this movie, there are no evil characters. I felt sympathy for all of them. Balagov was awarded the best director prize at 2019’s Cannes festival in the Un Certain Regard category and his work is an extraordinary achievement. Beanpole is one of the most emotional experiences that I have had at the movies in a long time.

subtitles

MUBI


Top Ten so far this year

First Cow, Reichardt, US
Beanpole, Balagov, Russia
Seducio da Carne, Bressane, Brazil
Before We Vanish, Kurosawa, Japan
The Portuguese Woman, Gomes, Portugal
The Forest of Love, Sono, Japan
The Load, Glavonic, Serbia
A Land Imagined, Siew, Singapore
The Day after I'm Gone, Eldar, Israel
An Easy Girl, Zlotowski, France

 

[Spring in Fialta]

Manhattan Murder Mystery - 1993

Ho boy, where do I begin? Ok, Diane Keaton drove me nuts in this movie. So f***ing annoying. Jesus, I wanted to throw my remote. As for the movie itself, it’s ok. It’s rather weird and complicated. Not what I was expecting from a Woody Allen movie. I guess he was trying something different with this one. It’s not one I’d go back and watch though. Meh.

4/10

Loved Jerry Adler. The rest of the film is just trash.

 

[nameless1]

Beanpole (2019) Directed by Kantemir Balagov 8A

Set in Leningrad just after the end of World War II, Iya, nicknamed Beanpole because she is so tall and slender, is a much-liked though deeply introverted nurse in an army hospital where the victims of the completed war continue to languish. Iya has returned from the front with her best friend Masha’s little boy Pashka who dies under her care. When Masha returns, she takes the news with surprising equanimity but demands that Iya have a child to replace Pashka as Masha can no longer conceive. A dour but compassionate doctor is blackmailed into the scheme. Meanwhile, a weak-minded suitor falls for Masha. Beanpole is a movie about unfathomable damage. The psychological trauma far outweighs the physical calamities that come in war’s wake. These are broken people seeking normality in a world that has lost its bearings, a society consumed by post-traumatic stress. Director Kantemir Balagov’s approach is so original and so well directed that rather than be depressing, the movie is deeply involving. While there are troubled souls in this movie, there are no evil characters. I felt sympathy for all of them. Balagov was awarded the best director prize at 2019’s Cannes festival in the Un Certain Regard category and his work is an extraordinary achievement. Beanpole is one of the most emotional experiences that I have had at the movies in a long time.

subtitles

MUBI


Top Ten so far this year

First Cow, Reichardt, US
Beanpole, Balagov, Russia
Seducio da Carne, Bressane, Brazil
Before We Vanish, Kurosawa, Japan
The Portuguese Woman, Gomes, Portugal
The Forest of Love, Sono, Japan
The Load, Glavonic, Serbia
A Land Imagined, Siew, Singapore
The Day after I'm Gone, Eldar, Israel
An Easy Girl, Zlotowski, France

I differ with you on this one, because I am absolutely bored by it. The pace is extremely slow, and I do not particularly care for the story. While the characters are damaged and their course of actions are understandable, they are all manipulative, and it is not just because of their need to survive in war. Everyone has a personal motive, and as a result, it is actually very hard to sympathize with them.

Personally, I have it at 5/10. I do not see how it is original, to be honest, and despite the effort, it is not a particularly good movie.

 

[Langdon Alger]

Loved Jerry Adler. The rest of the film is just trash.

I’ll give it up for Alan Alda too just because I’ve always liked him.

 

[ItsFineImFine]

I Origins (2014) - 6/10

It's pretty dumb. One of those emotional sci-fis that tries to convey deep meaning, a Radiohead song tacked on at the end, a pixie type girl, just an odd film. The plot if summarized isn't stupid, I just hate the execution of films like this or Mr. Nobody. The guy who made this also made Another Earth which Britt Marling was also in, that's a much better more grounded film imo.