Anthoney
Bearded Member
Runaway Jury. A lightweight but really fun movie. Gene Hackman, John Cusack, and Dustin Hoffman.
What was the last movie you saw?
- Thread starter Tabitha
- Start date
Harpo
Getting away with it
I once had the pleasure of watching it with someone's mother - the sort of woman who tuts at swearing in films - and she had no idea of what happens in the film. "Ah yes, that nice George Clooney is in it."
Avengers: Infinity War
Fun, well-orchestrated movie with moments of humor and in Thanos an effective and even relatable villain. Chris Hemsworth keeps getting better as Thor, maybe because Thor: Ragnarok played to his comedic strengths. I'll be interested in seeing how the next movie resolves this one.
Justice League
Take Avengers: Infinity War, retain most of the plot but make all revelations painfully obvious, remove imagination, most of the humor, most of the characterization and portray Thanos -- er -- excuse me, Steppenwolf as a video game villain with not very convincing CGI, and voila! Even so, somehow Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman manages to maintain dignity as the story does its best to undermine the character -- Wonder Woman in the comic books is a greater warrior than Superman and about as strong, yet in this needs his help to defeat the bad guy. Also Jason Momoa and Ezra Miller come off fairly well.
The Mask of Dimitrios (1944)
A Hollywood studio film and so sound stages filling in for Greece, Turkey and Paris, but well-done all the same. Waters the original down a little, though not as much as I'd assume (no mention of the drug trade, just the more generic smuggling), and takes a few probably necessary shortcuts. Still, Sydney Greenstreet and Peter Lorre had an odd chemistry and worked remarkably well together and this gives them some prime material to work with. Zachary Scott's first movie, playing the title character, and probably why he was typecast forever after as the weaselly, vicious villain. Too bad. It's a good performance and hints at better still with experience.
Randy M.
Fun, well-orchestrated movie with moments of humor and in Thanos an effective and even relatable villain. Chris Hemsworth keeps getting better as Thor, maybe because Thor: Ragnarok played to his comedic strengths. I'll be interested in seeing how the next movie resolves this one.
Justice League
Take Avengers: Infinity War, retain most of the plot but make all revelations painfully obvious, remove imagination, most of the humor, most of the characterization and portray Thanos -- er -- excuse me, Steppenwolf as a video game villain with not very convincing CGI, and voila! Even so, somehow Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman manages to maintain dignity as the story does its best to undermine the character -- Wonder Woman in the comic books is a greater warrior than Superman and about as strong, yet in this needs his help to defeat the bad guy. Also Jason Momoa and Ezra Miller come off fairly well.
The Mask of Dimitrios (1944)
A Hollywood studio film and so sound stages filling in for Greece, Turkey and Paris, but well-done all the same. Waters the original down a little, though not as much as I'd assume (no mention of the drug trade, just the more generic smuggling), and takes a few probably necessary shortcuts. Still, Sydney Greenstreet and Peter Lorre had an odd chemistry and worked remarkably well together and this gives them some prime material to work with. Zachary Scott's first movie, playing the title character, and probably why he was typecast forever after as the weaselly, vicious villain. Too bad. It's a good performance and hints at better still with experience.
Randy M.
Victoria Silverwolf
Vegetarian Werewolf
The Outsiders (1983)
Francis Ford Coppola's adaptation of S. E. Hinton's popular 1967 young adult novel of the same title, published when she was a teenager. (I haven't read it.) Two rival gangs -- lower class "greaser" and upper class "soc" [pronounced "sewsh" as in "social"] -- battle in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 1965. Beautifully filmed, and featuring many young actors who went on to greater fame. Features quite a bit of violence and death for a story intended to appeal to young folks.
Francis Ford Coppola's adaptation of S. E. Hinton's popular 1967 young adult novel of the same title, published when she was a teenager. (I haven't read it.) Two rival gangs -- lower class "greaser" and upper class "soc" [pronounced "sewsh" as in "social"] -- battle in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 1965. Beautifully filmed, and featuring many young actors who went on to greater fame. Features quite a bit of violence and death for a story intended to appeal to young folks.
Jeffbert
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Dec 23, 2011
- Messages
- 1,904
I recall that is the title of one of E. Rice Burroughs Barsoom (Mars) novel, but could not find any firm by that name (I have read the entire series twice).
I watched The Mask of Dimitrios (1944) a few years ago, & I think I recorded it this time also, Great film,
Randy M's comments are spot-on.
The King & the Chorus Girl (1937) King (Fernand Gravey: never heard of him before), Girl (Joan Blondell) and the king's minister (Edward Everett Horton, voice of Fractured Fairy Tales). If for no better reason than I am a Bullwinkle fan, I watched this musical. Blondell is certainly an attraction, but in general, I dislike musicals. Only had to fast-forward a few times, but as they interweave the singing & dancing with the dialog, it is hard to do, without missing some plot. Fortunately, the musical portion was minimal.
So the King, er, ex-King of a defunct nation lives in a fancy suite in a French hotel. He spends most of his days sleeping off the booze he ingested the previous night. One evening, EEH persuades him to go to the theater or wherever, & something JB does during the performance catches his eye. He pursues her, she evades.
Good show, happy ending.
AstroZon
Well-Known Member
I saw it back when it came out. and then I bought the DVD a few years ago. Great movie.
Kingsman: The Golden Circle
Fantastic fight scenes. A worthy successor to the original.
Fantastic fight scenes. A worthy successor to the original.
- Joined
- Jan 22, 2008
- Messages
- 7,728
Bushwick (2017)
New York is attacked by a mysterious army. A student and a former soldier try to fight their way through safety as the city falls apart.
This reminded me of a John Carpenter film, and had the low-budget, brutal energy of Assault on Precinct 13, at least at the start. The two leads are solid, the other characters hard to care about. I thought there were some obvious lapses in logic (why does nobody take the guns from the dead mercenaries?). The big reveal in the centre isn't quite convincing, even given the craziness of current politics and the loonies involved.
There are a few strong visual images, but it's too fixated with single-take shots and ends up looking too much like a computer game. Ultimately, it runs out of impetus and doesn't end satisfactorily. The first half hour is really pretty decent, though: I'd suggest stopping when they reach the grandmother's house.
New York is attacked by a mysterious army. A student and a former soldier try to fight their way through safety as the city falls apart.
This reminded me of a John Carpenter film, and had the low-budget, brutal energy of Assault on Precinct 13, at least at the start. The two leads are solid, the other characters hard to care about. I thought there were some obvious lapses in logic (why does nobody take the guns from the dead mercenaries?). The big reveal in the centre isn't quite convincing, even given the craziness of current politics and the loonies involved.
There are a few strong visual images, but it's too fixated with single-take shots and ends up looking too much like a computer game. Ultimately, it runs out of impetus and doesn't end satisfactorily. The first half hour is really pretty decent, though: I'd suggest stopping when they reach the grandmother's house.
Unthinkable (2010)
A Muslim American tells the authorities that he has placed three nuclear bombs in cities throughout the US. Then begins a taut, tense drama with a great cast making the most of a finely written script. The moral lines keep shifting as the time to detonation nears. This is not for the squeamish so be warned. Excellent and highly recommended.
A Muslim American tells the authorities that he has placed three nuclear bombs in cities throughout the US. Then begins a taut, tense drama with a great cast making the most of a finely written script. The moral lines keep shifting as the time to detonation nears. This is not for the squeamish so be warned. Excellent and highly recommended.
clovis-man
Prehistoric Irish Cynic
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- Sep 28, 2007
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- 2,415
Dunkirk
A good story poorly told.
A good story poorly told.
Ray Pullar
Licensed operator
- Joined
- Dec 11, 2011
- Messages
- 148
Star Trek into darkness - it would have been far better sixties Trek if Cumberbatch had said: "My name is Holmes. Sherlock Holmes."
Jeffbert
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Dec 23, 2011
- Messages
- 1,904
Funny Games (1997) Strange to see such a recent film on TCM, but it was shown in the foreign film feature. German with English subs, two homicidal maniacs terrorize a family of three, after asking to borrow 4 eggs. So the guy 'unintentionally drops them, then asks for 4 more. This occurs at a vacation home, & the wife goes to the refrigerator to get 4 more eggs. The guy goes outside, the dog barks, & the guy returns, saying he dropped the other 4, because the dog scared him. Guy 'accidentally knock the cordless or cell phone in the sink (filled with dish water). Asks for the last 4 in the carton, but the wife refuses. Then demands the guy leave their home, and asks how he got past the fence and gate. He says there is a hole in the fence, just as his friend enters. Dad, also enter, who was out at the sail boat. Both demand the two guys leave.
Things deteriorate, as the two guys refuse to leave and begin showing hostility. Oh, are those brand whatever golf clubs? let me try the driver. goes outside and uses club to kill the dog. returns, and as dad begins to become stern, uses club to break dad's leg. Eventually kill the victims.
A really sick film that has no explicit violence, but is very violent, just the same. Apparently at Cannes, people walked out.
Things deteriorate, as the two guys refuse to leave and begin showing hostility. Oh, are those brand whatever golf clubs? let me try the driver. goes outside and uses club to kill the dog. returns, and as dad begins to become stern, uses club to break dad's leg. Eventually kill the victims.
A really sick film that has no explicit violence, but is very violent, just the same. Apparently at Cannes, people walked out.
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- 7,728
Yeah, I think it was supposed to be a satire of violent films, especially when the murderer addressed the viewers and rewound the film. I thought it missed its mark and was just squalid.
Annihilation
Colorfully incomprehensible. Maybe I'll give it another watch and attempt to decipher it a bit more.
Colorfully incomprehensible. Maybe I'll give it another watch and attempt to decipher it a bit more.
Sort of like the ending of the movie Akira.
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- Jun 28, 2007
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- 2,699
Bad Day For The Cut
A film set in Northern Ireland and an absolute gem. This is a grim tale, a story of vengeance brilliantly acted. It has some very dark humour to lighten the load. It struck a resonance with me as I am of an age with the lead character and recognised some of the characteristics of a certain type. Overall a superb movie and available on Netflix.
A film set in Northern Ireland and an absolute gem. This is a grim tale, a story of vengeance brilliantly acted. It has some very dark humour to lighten the load. It struck a resonance with me as I am of an age with the lead character and recognised some of the characteristics of a certain type. Overall a superb movie and available on Netflix.
Overread
Searching for a flower
Desperado - well only the first 3/4 or so because just at that moment BANG!
Off went the lights, my TV and computer all in one. So unplug and flip the breaker box switch and - turns out my TV has fried itself along with the freesat box. Thankfully not too much smoke, but still a very HOT spot on the back of the flatscreen and a very dead pair of units.
In better news Desperado is as good as it was back in the day - always a joy to see a film with actual cinema feel to it. Where you can smell the street; see the sweat from the hot heat in the desert and taste the beer (well ok based on the quality of beer served perhaps not taste the beer
). It's the little scenes that make it work for me; seeing a horse and cart marching before a lorry in the street - a simple short few moments that says nothing of the plot; but which within a few moments gives you a huge amount of world building on what kind of town they are in; the variation in peoples; the rich and poor divide and all.
Off went the lights, my TV and computer all in one. So unplug and flip the breaker box switch and - turns out my TV has fried itself along with the freesat box. Thankfully not too much smoke, but still a very HOT spot on the back of the flatscreen and a very dead pair of units.
In better news Desperado is as good as it was back in the day - always a joy to see a film with actual cinema feel to it. Where you can smell the street; see the sweat from the hot heat in the desert and taste the beer (well ok based on the quality of beer served perhaps not taste the beer
). It's the little scenes that make it work for me; seeing a horse and cart marching before a lorry in the street - a simple short few moments that says nothing of the plot; but which within a few moments gives you a huge amount of world building on what kind of town they are in; the variation in peoples; the rich and poor divide and all.| Thread starter | Similar threads | Forum | Replies | Date |
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