Movies: Last Movie You Watched and Rate It

[Tasty Biscuits]

Maybe the movie is a little too clever for its own sake, or maybe this will be another movie that I have a delayed reaction to, or maybe I really do have a Wes Anderson problem. Whatever, I never really connected with Isle of Dogs emotionally; too often I just felt that I was treading water, actively wishing that the movie would pick up the pace and get on to the next scene.

That's disappointing to hear. I had a major Wes Anderson aversion for years until watching Moonrise Kingdom and especially Grand Budapest Hotel, which I thought was fantastic. I despised Fantastic Mr. Fox thought, partly for some of the reasons you mentioned here, and was worried that a return to animation might be a step in the wrong direction.

So, having just seen Isle of Dogs, my reactions definitely trend towards kihei's -- I also share T4M's opinions in loving Moonrise and Kingdom. Both of those movies though, I liked well enough the first time around, but didn't fully appreciate until multiple viewings. The same can be said for Fantastic Mr. Fox, which I thought was just ok, but having seen most of it again recently, enjoyed much more.

In fact, I can't think of a Wes Anderson film which I haven't enjoyed more upon re-watch, and I'm not sure I can pinpoint why. Perhaps it's that, even though he has a unique style, each of his films have just a slightly different heartbeat to them, which is not always obvious first-time around, especially when you're expecting every film to be just like the previous one.

 

[ProstheticConscience]

I can't think of a Wes Anderson film I've enjoyed enough to ever want to watch again. Just found everyone in his movies so affected and up themselves I can't stand it.

 

[Shareefruck]

I understand being underwhelmed by Wes Anderson, but I'll never understand that whole "up-his-own-***" resentment that he generates from people. He makes movies that feel pretty charming and that look pretty damn aesthetically pleasing, from what I can see.

 

[Spring in Fialta]

I understand being underwhelmed by Wes Anderson, but I'll never understand that whole "up-his-own-***" resentment that he generates from people. He makes movies that feel pretty charming and that look pretty damn aesthetically pleasing, from what I can see.

I like his flicks in the same way I like Tarantino's. You know what you're getting, it's fairly rehashed and mindless but it's very quirky fun. I can definitely see where people come from with the " he tries too hard to be clever " criticism, though. Especially in his writing. He's like a copy of Tarantino in his ethos, just with different styles in visuals and dialogue.

 

[ProstheticConscience]

Orbiter 9

with people who speak Spanish (subtitled for those of us who don't)

Helena is hot Spanish chick living in isolation in a colony spaceship; the only world she's ever known. She eats her green mush, tends to the oxygen recyclers, does basic calisthenics and wonders when she'll see another person. Oop...there goes the O2...enter Alex, the hunky engineer who just happens to be close enough to repair her hoses (insert Beavis and Butthead laugh here). But wait...that was convenient how that other ship came along in time to help...what's really going on? Not spoiling much to reveal the two lovers go on the run when all is not as it seems, but you'll just have to take the movie's word for it that Alex likes Helena enough to risk his job and life for her. He seems to only have one facial expression.

Seriously meh. The movie doesn't really know what it wants to be or what lesson it's trying to convey. You feel a bit sorry for Helena being cooped up in a...something, but I basically gave zero shits about anyone in this movie. Vague environmental warnings, some standard near future flashy things...I doubt I'll remember much of it next week.

On Netflix now.

Also, Netflix is giving me seriously weird recommendations. "Because you liked Equilibrium"...it suggests Confessions of a Brazilian Call Girl.

 

[ProstheticConscience]

I understand being underwhelmed by Wes Anderson, but I'll never understand that whole "up-his-own-***" resentment that he generates from people. He makes movies that feel pretty charming and that look pretty damn aesthetically pleasing, from what I can see.

 

[Shareefruck]

^ Uhh to clarify, I meant that I don't understand the criticism that his style is too up its own ***-- I'm not calling the reaction that people have up its own ***, if that's how you took it.

I like his flicks in the same way I like Tarantino's. You know what you're getting, it's fairly rehashed and mindless but it's very quirky fun. I can definitely see where people come from with the " he tries too hard to be clever " criticism, though. Especially in his writing. He's like a copy of Tarantino in his ethos, just with different styles in visuals and dialogue.

I don't think he's brilliant or anything (pretty much every movie he puts out ends up being something that I enjoy but don't love), and I agree with the comparison, but I've never understood that whole "he's trying too hard to stand out and it comes across as obnoxious" thing (Tarantino draws this kind of reaction out of some people too), personally. He doesn't really seem to set out to do any more than exactly what he accomplishes (like your assessment), comparatively shallow as it may be, so what exactly is he trying too hard to do? In the grand scheme of things, I'd prefer if movies that weren't super deep at least "try hard" enough to nail their own style/aesthetic the way that he and Tarantino do. It's more than could be said about most movies that have neither substance or style.

 

[Spring in Fialta]

^ Uhh to clarify, I meant as in... his style being up its own *** and being criticized for that. Not the resentment people have being up its own ***.
I don't think he's brilliant or anything (pretty much every movie he puts out ends up being something that I enjoy but don't love), but I've never understood that whole "he's trying too hard to stand out and it comes across as obnoxious" thing, personally. He doesn't really seem to set out to do any more than exactly what he accomplishes (like your assessment), comparatively shallow as it may be, so what exactly is he trying too hard to do? In the grand scheme of things, I'd prefer if movies that weren't the best at least "try hard" enough to nail their own style/aesthetic the way that he and Tarantino do. It's more than could be said about most movies.

I mean, at least for me - and it's not always as blatant from movie to movie - but there's always those heart-y/philosophical moments that pop up throughout the course of the movie that try to be shatteringly real and insightful but end up being creatively told platitudes that don't hold much intellectual or emotional weight. And that's completely fine, but they do come across as grandstanding for thoughts that feel pretty banal and run-of-the-mill.

 

[Shareefruck]

I mean, at least for me - and it's not always as blatant from movie to movie - but there's always those heart-y/philosophical moments that pop up throughout the course of the movie that try to be shatteringly real and insightful but end up being creatively told platitudes that don't hold much intellectual or emotional weight. And that's completely fine, but they do come across as grandstanding for thoughts that feel pretty banal and run-of-the-mill.

Are Anderson and Tarantino truly guilty of that, though? I don't get the feeling that they want anything in their movies to be taken too seriously, or taken beyond the superficial/surface-level satisfaction that they are, personally. The big climactic moments in those movies strike me more as "it would be fun/neat/cool/appropriate if he said that" than anything else. I'd sooner leverage that criticism towards Oscar-bait-y movies like Forrest Gump or Shawshank Redemption or even blockbusters that try to shoe-horn preachy messages into their stories. Guys like Tarantino and Anderson could probably stand to try a little harder to make a point, if anything.

It kind of feels like anything that gets stuck in that middle-ground between too clever to be outright stupid, too off-beat to be run-of-the-mill, but too hollow to be profound and too comfortable with its style to be truly daring gets unduly punished for it. Personally, I kind of wish that mindless pop-corn movies that aren't going to be profound game-changers to ideally operate on that kind of level more often.

 

[Spring in Fialta]

Are Anderson and Tarantino truly guilty of that, though? I don't get the feeling that they want anything in their movies to be taken too seriously, or taken beyond the superficial/surface-level satisfaction that they are, personally. The big climactic moments in those movies strike me more as "it would be fun/neat if he said that" than anything else. I'd sooner leverage that criticism towards Oscar-bait-y movies like Forrest Gump or Shawshank Redemption or even blockbusters that try to shoe-horn preachy messages into their stories. Guys like Tarantino and Anderson could probably stand to try a little harder to make a point, if anything.

It kind of feels like anything that gets stuck in the middle-ground between too clever to be outright stupid and too hollow to be profound gets unduly punished for it. Personally, I kind of wish that mindless pop-corn movies ideally operated on that kind of level more often.

I think they absolutely are. The Darjeeling Unlimited and The Hateful Eight being the most obvious examples. I think that they walk between that fine line where it's easy to say " Take it only on a fun and superficial level but hey it's still true and honest " in a way that movies like Gump and Shawshank failed at miserably while trying to be more accessible but the intention still shines through to me. They do appear more honest, but just as shallow to me. It's just easier to cover their tracks/ have their opinions and feelings seem more honest/personal. I like the way they present it, but I do think they make a bigger deal out of their heavy punches than the more understated artists do.

 

[Shareefruck]

I think they absolutely are. The Darjeeling Unlimited and The Hateful Eight being the most obvious examples. I think that they walk between that fine line where it's easy to say " Take it only on a fun and superficial level but hey it's still true and honest " in a way that movies like Gump and Shawshank failed at miserably while trying to be more accessible but the intention still shines through to me. They do appear more honest, but just as shallow to me. It's just easier to cover their tracks/ have their opinions and feelings seem more honest/personal. I like the way they present it, but I do think they make a bigger deal out of their heavy punches than the more understated artists do.

I'm still not sure what intention you're referring to, to be honest. I feel like there's an up-front self awareness of the fact that their heavy punches are strictly for the sake of hollow and superficial stylistic enjoyment, rather than anything that feels overbearing or preachy.

They're not as good as movies that have more to say and say it in a more understated way, but they don't have to be, and from what I can see, don't pretend to be. I think that the defense that mindless popcorn movies tend to get are more applicable/valid for Tarantino/Anderson movies than they are to themselves, personally.

It almost feels like people think that if you're going to try to establish an interesting aesthetic style, you then have to take on an obligation to back it up with content that justifies it. But I don't see why that's necessary when the former stands up just fine on its own.

 

[BonMorrison]

A Quiet Place - 8/10

Wowow. Went it with zero knowledge or expectations and was blown away. Tense, edge of my seat the whole time kinda flick. Also full props to Krasinski for actually getting a hearing impaired person to play the daughter.

 

[kihei]

Score: A Film Music Documentary (2016) 7.0

A documentary about the art of making music sountracks for films. I think most posters on this thread would like this one, would recommend a look. I enjoyed it.

I picked it up on your recommendation, and also enjoyed it. I wished the documentary had spent more time on the history, especially the '40s, and on the approach to film music in different cultures and on the less-is-more approach to scoring. The focus was pretty much on big movies that need big scores to emphasize big scenes and big feelings; in other words, blockbuster music. Looking at the more minimalist approach would have intrigued me, as I tend to be most appreciative of the music in movies that I never consciously hear. But I learned a lot anyway. What would Jaws be without that shark theme which everybody reading this has immediately recalled to mind. It's just a bunch of people splashing in the water without that musical cue. Hanz Zimmer's point about keeping big orchestras in business was a good one, too.

 

[Osprey]

Andre the Giant (2018)

I'm not sure how I would rate this, since it's your typically solid documentary, but I do recommend it and want to mention it here in case others might be interested. It premiered on HBO last night. It focuses mainly on Andre's wrestling career, but there is some coverage of his upbringing, life away from the ring and, of course, The Princess Bride. It includes interviews with Vince McMahon, Hulk Hogan, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Rob Reiner, Billy Crystal and more. If you've ever been into wrestling, it's a must watch, but even if you know him best from only The Princess Bride (as I do) and have ever been drawn to the idea of the gentle giant, it's a pretty interesting documentary. It's also interesting if you're ever curious about how people who are so different try to get through life in a world that's not made for them and in which it's impossible to blend in.

 

[Puck]

I picked it up on your recommendation, and also enjoyed it. I wished the documentary had spent more time on the history, especially the '40s, and on the approach to film music in different cultures and on the less-is-more approach to scoring. The focus was pretty much on big movies that need big scores to emphasize big scenes and big feelings; in other words, blockbuster music. Looking at the more minimalist approach would have intrigued me, as I tend to be most appreciative of the music in movies that I never consciously hear. But I learned a lot anyway. What would Jaws be without that shark theme which everybody reading this has immediately recalled to mind. It's just a bunch of people splashing in the water without that musical cue. Hanz Zimmer's point about keeping big orchestras in business was a good one, too.

You have given me so many good tips on foreign movies, I'm really glad i could payback for once. I just saw the Korean film 'A Taxi Driver' a few weeks ago (your recommendation) and what a great movie. I have Kore-eda's ' The Third Murder' on cue (it was in your top ten list for awhile). I don't post reviews for all your previously reviewed films, I figure that is redundant. I will admit I don't search some of your more slow-paced, eclectic films to watch, I know my limitations or boundaries. I'm just an ersatz cinephile.

 

[Puck]

Great doc/movie. A must watch for anyone who grew up on Rock & Roll.

Wasn't that a great little documentary. The good thing about it IMO was what a decent human he was, in a business full of thieves, money grubbers and large egos.

 

[Led Zappa]

Wasn't that a great little documentary. The good thing about it IMO was what a decent human he was, in a business full of thieves, money grubbers and large egos.

Yep, not only do you get to travel down your own memory lane, it's just enjoyable to watch and hear something good about someone for once and it's believable. Not a hint of fakeness in the doc. I was surprised not to see Hagar because I heard back in the day that Alice and Hagar's family used to watch each other kids. I think it was Hagar who talked about going out on the road as this total rocker, getting home and it he was a fairly normal person. It was the family and trips in the station wagon lol.

 

[kihei]

You have given me so many good tips on foreign movies, I'm really glad i could payback for once. I just saw the Korean film 'A Taxi Driver' a few weeks ago (your recommendation) and what a great movie. I have Kore-eda's ' The Third Murder' on cue (it was in your top ten list for awhile). I don't post reviews for all your previously reviewed films, I figure that is redundant. I will admit I don't search some of your more slow-paced, eclectic films to watch, I know my limitations or boundaries. I'm just an ersatz cinephile.

Glad to hear that you have enjoyed some of the movies that I have reviewed. I hope you make an exception and post a review when you finally watch The Third Murder (which, by the way, ended up #6 for the year in my top ten). It's always good to get other people's honest opinions even if they are in disagreement.

 

[Puck]

Yep, not only do you get to travel down your own memory lane, it's just enjoyable to watch and hear something good about someone for once and it's believable. Not a hint of fakeness in the doc. I was surprised not to see Hagar because I heard back in the day that Alice and Hagar's family used to watch each other kids. I think it was Hagar who talked about going out on the road as this total rocker, getting home and it he was a fairly normal person. It was the family and trips in the station wagon lol.

I posted a review of Hired Gun earlier, the session musicians all spoke well of Alice Cooper. (less well of Billy Joel actually lol)
Hired Gun (2016) - IMDb

If you are a fan of Alice Cooper, Super Duper Alice Cooper (2014) is out there. (although I liked this one a bit less than Hired Gun, Score or Supermensch actually)
Super Duper Alice Cooper (2014) - IMDb

If you really like music documentaries, I'd also recommend the PBS series 'Soundbreaking: Stories From The Cutting Edge of Recorded Music". (8 one-hour episodes). It's available free on the PBS website or on the torrents.
Soundbreaking: Stories from the Cutting Edge of Recorded Music (TV Mini-Series 2016) - IMDb

I hope you make an exception and post a review when you finally watch The Third Murder

Will do.

 

[Spring in Fialta]

I'm still not sure what intention you're referring to, to be honest. I feel like there's an up-front self awareness of the fact that their heavy punches are strictly for the sake of hollow and superficial stylistic enjoyment, rather than anything that feels overbearing or preachy.

They're not as good as movies that have more to say and say it in a more understated way, but they don't have to be, and from what I can see, don't pretend to be. I think that the defense that mindless popcorn movies tend to get are more applicable/valid for Tarantino/Anderson movies than they are to themselves, personally.

It almost feels like people think that if you're going to try to establish an interesting aesthetic style, you then have to take on an obligation to back it up with content that justifies it. But I don't see why that's necessary when the former stands up just fine on its own.

I think their movies - and Anderson moreso than QT - tend to have that moment where everything stops and attention is riveted towards conveying that message, which I think is a technique that feels overwrought which takes away from the impact the message can make. This is different from the truly great writers who I feel have their message be a subtle part of a whole where the attention isn't solely focused on the message, but also on everything else around it, in a fluid manner.

Both WA and QT write in a consciously flashy way that tries to indicate a certain cleverness that I don't think is there intellectually but works very well for humor. I agree that a developed aesthetic style shouldn't mean you have to be deep intellectually (see Drive) and I don't think I've suggested that this is the case. I think Anderson and Tarantino willfully make that attempt and fall flat, despite trying reaaaally hard. Especially in those moments where it feels the impactul scene's sole intention is to have you focused on it's words.

 

[Led Zappa]

I posted a review of Hired Gun earlier, the session musicians all spoke well of Alice Cooper. (less well of Billy Joel actually lol)
Hired Gun (2016) - IMDb

If you are a fan of Alice Cooper, Super Duper Alice Cooper (2014) is out there. (although I liked this one a bit less than Hired Gun, Score or Supermensch actually)
Super Duper Alice Cooper (2014) - IMDb

If you really like music documentaries, I'd also recommend the PBS series 'Soundbreaking: Stories From The Cutting Edge of Recorded Music". (8 one-hour episodes). It's available free on the PBS website or on the torrents.
Soundbreaking: Stories from the Cutting Edge of Recorded Music (TV Mini-Series 2016) - IMDb

Will do.

Apparently it just finished airing again and only 3 eps are On-Demand

No way I can find to watch online and I don't torrent. Does it matter if they are watched in order?

 

[Puck]

Apparently it just finished airing again and only 3 eps are On-Demand

No way I can find to watch online and I don't torrent. Does it matter if they are watched in order?

Each episode is about a different theme so I guess it isn't absolutely necessary to watch in order. If you can watch episode 1 first though, it might be best to give that overview on the rest.

That's too bad, all 8 episodes were freely available on the PBS website last year.

 

[Led Zappa]

Each episode is about a different theme so I guess it isn't absolutely necessary to watch in order. If you can watch episode 1 first though, it might be best to give that overview on the rest.

That's too bad, all 8 episodes were freely available on the PBS website last year.

Exclusivity probably just ran out, which is why they just re-aired it.

 

[Spring in Fialta]

You have given me so many good tips on foreign movies, I'm really glad i could payback for once. I just saw the Korean film 'A Taxi Driver' a few weeks ago (your recommendation) and what a great movie. I have Kore-eda's ' The Third Murder' on cue (it was in your top ten list for awhile). I don't post reviews for all your previously reviewed films, I figure that is redundant. I will admit I don't search some of your more slow-paced, eclectic films to watch, I know my limitations or boundaries. I'm just an ersatz cinephile.

Tremendous use of the word " ersatz ". Damn.

 

[Puck]

ha ha, i actually learned the use of that colourful deprecating term in Jamaica, it's seldom used here...unfortunately. i liked it enough to store it to memory.