Cathbad
Level 30 Geek Master
One of the best reasons to see it!
What was the last movie you saw?
- Thread starter Tabitha
- Start date
Jeffbert
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Dec 23, 2011
- Messages
- 1,902
The Irish in US (1935) The O'Hara brothers, Danny (James Cagney), Pat (Pat O'Brien), and Mike (Frank McHugh), all live at home with ma (Mary Gordon). Cagney is the youngest, and unemployed. He hopes to be a boxing manager, and Carbarn Hammerschlog (Allen Jenkins) is his fighter. An entertaining comedic film, seems strange to see Cagney in such a role, though.
Bed of Roses (1933) Two newly released from prison, women take a riverboat to New Orleans, and fleece men. I expected a comedy, but found a drama. Entertaining, though.
Bed of Roses (1933) Two newly released from prison, women take a riverboat to New Orleans, and fleece men. I expected a comedy, but found a drama. Entertaining, though.
Cagney did a fair amount of comedy in his career, like The Bride Came C.O.D. and Mr. Roberts. His last movie before retiring in the '60s (he came out of retirement in the '80s, shortly before he died) was One, Two, Three a not entirely successful political comedy, but if it doesn't really succeed, it's not for lack of that Cagney energy; as I remember it, at points in the movie he borders on manic.
I don't recall seeing The Bride Came C.O.D. It's him and Bette Davis, so I think I'd like to.
Randy M.
AlexH
Well-Known Member
Leave No Trace (2018)
Drama/coming of age-type film about a father and daughter who live in the wilderness. I can't quite figure out why it moved me so much, but it's up there with the very best films I've seen in recent years (and possibly ever).
Captain Marvel (2019)
I was confused with what was going on at the start, but I liked it more than Infinity War and Black Panther and especially enjoyed the 90s nostalgia. I liked how some of the backstory was woven in and it makes me want to watch Agents of Shield.
Logan (2017)
Possibly the best X-Men film. They seemed to throw a load of swearing in at the start just to make it seem more of an adult film. I thought the actress who played Laura Kinney was really good - here's hoping she appears in more X-Men films, maybe even her own.
Daddy's Home (2015)
I find Will Ferrell a bit hit and miss (maybe more of the latter), but this had at least a couple of moments that nearly killed me with laughter.
Drama/coming of age-type film about a father and daughter who live in the wilderness. I can't quite figure out why it moved me so much, but it's up there with the very best films I've seen in recent years (and possibly ever).
Captain Marvel (2019)
I was confused with what was going on at the start, but I liked it more than Infinity War and Black Panther and especially enjoyed the 90s nostalgia. I liked how some of the backstory was woven in and it makes me want to watch Agents of Shield.
Logan (2017)
Possibly the best X-Men film. They seemed to throw a load of swearing in at the start just to make it seem more of an adult film. I thought the actress who played Laura Kinney was really good - here's hoping she appears in more X-Men films, maybe even her own.
Daddy's Home (2015)
I find Will Ferrell a bit hit and miss (maybe more of the latter), but this had at least a couple of moments that nearly killed me with laughter.
dask
dark and stormy knight
Couple of okay spookers by two of Italy's masters of horror: Mario Bava and Dario Argento. While not as good as I'd hoped they'd be they were still fun to watch, with Elke Sommer's screen presence going way beyond her fantastic good looks.
Occupation
This Australian alien invasion movie struggles to rise to mediocrity. It reminded me of the later, falling down Falling Skies seasons. The not-so-surprising end sets a new standard for suspension of disbelief.
Extinction
Another alien invasion offering, but with a twist that I did not, for a moment, suspect. This Netflix effort merits a sequel.
This Australian alien invasion movie struggles to rise to mediocrity. It reminded me of the later, falling down Falling Skies seasons. The not-so-surprising end sets a new standard for suspension of disbelief.
Extinction
Another alien invasion offering, but with a twist that I did not, for a moment, suspect. This Netflix effort merits a sequel.
picklematrix
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jul 1, 2018
- Messages
- 466
I watched Unbreakable the other night, to wash the taste of Glass off of my brain.
Bugg
A Lerxst in Wonderland
- Joined
- Aug 7, 2011
- Messages
- 1,835
Funnily enough, when A Quiet Place was released my first thought was "That sounds like a complete rip-off of The Silence". I'm not sure how much they've changed the story (apart from seemingly relocating it from the UK to the USA) but The Silence is based on Tim Lebbon's 2015 novel of the same name, which is brilliant.
Jeffbert
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Dec 23, 2011
- Messages
- 1,902
Soldiers Three (1951) R. Kipling. So, there are these 3 privates in the Brit army in India, & they are great fighters, but with very poor discipline when not in battle. Archibald Ackroyd (Stewart Granger), Dennis Malloy (Cyril Cusack, never heard of him before), & Bill Sykes (Robert Newton, yes, even in this film, he says 'arr' a few times!). so the retired General Brunswick (Walter Pidgeon), is recalling his days as a Colonel, with these three men in his unit. When asked how he became a general, he recalls a battle in which these three played key roles, especially Granger, who was critical in saving the unit from destruction.
This is a feel-good easy going lighthearted film, until the battle. Captain Pindenny (David Niven) is WP's adjutant and is somewhat by the book, etc., but not always.
Them Thar Hills (1934) L&H go to the mountain for Ollie's health. Hilarious. Not as funny as The Music Box, but beats Robot Chicken every time. The moonshiners had just been raided by the revenuers and dumped the booze into the well. L&H arrive after they have gone, and comment about the delicious water. Then the couple who go on to Tit for Tat, as neighboring merchants, are here, asking for some gasoline for their car. L&H invite the woman into their trailer for some lunch, while her husband takes the gas can to their car. When he returns, all 3 are drunk. He is not happy.
). so the retired General Brunswick (Walter Pidgeon), is recalling his days as a Colonel, with these three men in his unit. When asked how he became a general, he recalls a battle in which these three played key roles, especially Granger, who was critical in saving the unit from destruction.This is a feel-good easy going lighthearted film, until the battle. Captain Pindenny (David Niven) is WP's adjutant and is somewhat by the book, etc., but not always.
Them Thar Hills (1934) L&H go to the mountain for Ollie's health. Hilarious. Not as funny as The Music Box, but beats Robot Chicken every time. The moonshiners had just been raided by the revenuers and dumped the booze into the well. L&H arrive after they have gone, and comment about the delicious water. Then the couple who go on to Tit for Tat, as neighboring merchants, are here, asking for some gasoline for their car. L&H invite the woman into their trailer for some lunch, while her husband takes the gas can to their car. When he returns, all 3 are drunk. He is not happy.
Starbeast
Benevolent Galaxy Being
Wreck-It Ralph: Ralph Breaks VR (2018) - Not as enjoyable as the original movie. Just another "milk the cash-cow" sequel.
Incredibles 2 (2018) - Once again. Not as enjoyable as the original movie. Just another "milk the cash-cow" sequel.
Incredibles 2 (2018) - Once again. Not as enjoyable as the original movie. Just another "milk the cash-cow" sequel.
Crazy Rich Asians (2018), dir. John M. Chu; starring Constance Wu, Henry Golding, Michelle Yeoh, Gemma Chan
If you like romcoms, you're likely to like this. Discussed as the first major U.S. studio movie focusing on an all Asian list of characters in a couple of decades (notes on IMDB suggest that’s not an entirely accurate claim), it gained a lot of attention last year. What it is, though, is a charming variation on the Cinderella story, lavishly produced, with beautiful locations (a fair amount of Singapore is shown, including the spectacular Marina Bay Sands Hotel) and cinematography. The romance is placed in the context of the differences between an American and a Chinese outlook on marriage and family – how accurate the Chinese view is portrayed, I can’t say, but it's convincing within the context of the movie.
Rachel and Nick have been together for over a year while he’s in New York. Nick is planning on asking her to marry him. He is taking her abroad to attend his cousin’s wedding in which he will be best man, and to meet his family. But in that time he hasn’t talked about his family and Rachel’s first inkling of their wealth is flying to Singapore in first class. Nick’s family owns a large chunk of Singapore, he’s the heir apparent, and hangers on, some of whom had hoped to snag Nick themselves, are envious and hate her already and make her stay miserable. Also Nick’s mother isn’t too happy about her either, what with her being a professor and looking to pursue her passion, and all that American blather. One subtext of the movie is a comparison of mothers protecting and nurturing their own, and to the movie’s credit, Nick’s mother is not portrayed as a monster, the context of her own marriage shown in some key scenes.
The two stars are amiable, Wu convincing as an American-Chinese, knowledgeable of the Chinese but not emotionally or socially connected to their ways, and Golding surprisingly good since apparently he had little or no acting experience prior to this movie. Ken Jeong plays Ken Jeong playing Awkwafina’s father, the latter nearly stealing the movie as Rachel’s best friend from college who is now living with her nouveau riche family in Singapore; she’s nearly matched by Nick Santos as a poor relation of Nick’s family. It’s also pleasant to see Michelle Yeoh as a character not charged with kicking someone’s nose to the back of his head, though that background may be part of why she’s intimidating as Nick’s mother.
There were complaints that this movie doesn’t accurately represent Asians, but that might be like complaining about the lack of breadlines in Astaire and Rogers movies. The movie’s success should open studio doors to actors and directors of Asian descent and maybe from that more serious movies will emerge. I guess we’ll see.
If you like romcoms, you're likely to like this. Discussed as the first major U.S. studio movie focusing on an all Asian list of characters in a couple of decades (notes on IMDB suggest that’s not an entirely accurate claim), it gained a lot of attention last year. What it is, though, is a charming variation on the Cinderella story, lavishly produced, with beautiful locations (a fair amount of Singapore is shown, including the spectacular Marina Bay Sands Hotel) and cinematography. The romance is placed in the context of the differences between an American and a Chinese outlook on marriage and family – how accurate the Chinese view is portrayed, I can’t say, but it's convincing within the context of the movie.
Rachel and Nick have been together for over a year while he’s in New York. Nick is planning on asking her to marry him. He is taking her abroad to attend his cousin’s wedding in which he will be best man, and to meet his family. But in that time he hasn’t talked about his family and Rachel’s first inkling of their wealth is flying to Singapore in first class. Nick’s family owns a large chunk of Singapore, he’s the heir apparent, and hangers on, some of whom had hoped to snag Nick themselves, are envious and hate her already and make her stay miserable. Also Nick’s mother isn’t too happy about her either, what with her being a professor and looking to pursue her passion, and all that American blather. One subtext of the movie is a comparison of mothers protecting and nurturing their own, and to the movie’s credit, Nick’s mother is not portrayed as a monster, the context of her own marriage shown in some key scenes.
The two stars are amiable, Wu convincing as an American-Chinese, knowledgeable of the Chinese but not emotionally or socially connected to their ways, and Golding surprisingly good since apparently he had little or no acting experience prior to this movie. Ken Jeong plays Ken Jeong playing Awkwafina’s father, the latter nearly stealing the movie as Rachel’s best friend from college who is now living with her nouveau riche family in Singapore; she’s nearly matched by Nick Santos as a poor relation of Nick’s family. It’s also pleasant to see Michelle Yeoh as a character not charged with kicking someone’s nose to the back of his head, though that background may be part of why she’s intimidating as Nick’s mother.
There were complaints that this movie doesn’t accurately represent Asians, but that might be like complaining about the lack of breadlines in Astaire and Rogers movies. The movie’s success should open studio doors to actors and directors of Asian descent and maybe from that more serious movies will emerge. I guess we’ll see.
Victoria Silverwolf
Vegetarian Werewolf
Eye of the Cat (1969)
Psychological shocker written by Joseph Stefano (creator of The Outer Limits, screenwriter for Psycho, etc.) The great, multifaceted actress Eleanor Parker plays an extremely rich woman dying of emphysema. Her hairdresser cooks up a scheme to get half of her fortune. She'll convince the woman's ne'er-do-well nephew to come back home, so the woman will alter her will in the fellow's favor. (Living with the aunt is the guy's younger brother, but apparently his aunt doesn't dote on him the way she does on the prodigal.) Then they'll speed up the aunt's demise. Complicating matters is the fact that the aunt lives with a huge number of cats, and the nephew is an extreme ailurophobe. Twists and turns follow, often predictable. There's also a fair amount of padding, and this might have worked better as an episode of an hour-long anthology series. People behave in ways nobody ever did, and there's some really odd dialogue. One problem with this kind of movie, of course, is that ailurophiles are going to look at all those snarling, hissing, fang-bearing cats, and just think of them as precious little angels.
Psychological shocker written by Joseph Stefano (creator of The Outer Limits, screenwriter for Psycho, etc.) The great, multifaceted actress Eleanor Parker plays an extremely rich woman dying of emphysema. Her hairdresser cooks up a scheme to get half of her fortune. She'll convince the woman's ne'er-do-well nephew to come back home, so the woman will alter her will in the fellow's favor. (Living with the aunt is the guy's younger brother, but apparently his aunt doesn't dote on him the way she does on the prodigal.) Then they'll speed up the aunt's demise. Complicating matters is the fact that the aunt lives with a huge number of cats, and the nephew is an extreme ailurophobe. Twists and turns follow, often predictable. There's also a fair amount of padding, and this might have worked better as an episode of an hour-long anthology series. People behave in ways nobody ever did, and there's some really odd dialogue. One problem with this kind of movie, of course, is that ailurophiles are going to look at all those snarling, hissing, fang-bearing cats, and just think of them as precious little angels.
Victoria Silverwolf
Vegetarian Werewolf
The Crime of Doctor Crespi (1935)
Cheap, talky, and outrageously padded, despite a running time of only an hour, this creaky old scare flick still manages to pack a punch thanks to Erich von Stroheim ("the man you love to hate") in the title role. The plot is simple. The doctor who won the hand of the woman Doctor Crespi wanted is badly injured in a car wreck. Only the brilliant surgeon Crespi can save his life. Instead, during surgery he administers a drug that creates a death-like state of total paralysis. The victim is buried alive. (The film credits Edgar Allan Poe's story "The Premature Burial" for its inspiration.) There's a good scene where Crespi talks to the conscious but immobile victim, telling him exactly what's going to happen. Notable also for Dwight Frye in a non-insane role.
Cheap, talky, and outrageously padded, despite a running time of only an hour, this creaky old scare flick still manages to pack a punch thanks to Erich von Stroheim ("the man you love to hate") in the title role. The plot is simple. The doctor who won the hand of the woman Doctor Crespi wanted is badly injured in a car wreck. Only the brilliant surgeon Crespi can save his life. Instead, during surgery he administers a drug that creates a death-like state of total paralysis. The victim is buried alive. (The film credits Edgar Allan Poe's story "The Premature Burial" for its inspiration.) There's a good scene where Crespi talks to the conscious but immobile victim, telling him exactly what's going to happen. Notable also for Dwight Frye in a non-insane role.
Watched As You Like It, one of Shakespeare's plays, on a live link at my local cinema. A brilliant modern adaptation, modern clothes etc. Saves money from travelling. 9/10.
Jeffbert
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Dec 23, 2011
- Messages
- 1,902
A Day at the Races (1937) Marx bros minus Zeppo. Great fun! So this sanitarium is about to go out of business, and the brothers become involved in a zany attempt to win money in a horse race. Sig Ruman as one of the antagonists, Dr Leopold X. Steinberg, who is intent on proving Dr Hugo Z. Hackenbush (Groucho) is not the doctor he claims to be. He actually is a veterinarian, but goes along with the fraud as long as the cops are nowhere in sight.
A Matter of Life and Death (1946) Squadron Leader Peter Carter (David Niven), jumps from a burning aircraft, and having no parachute, goes boom. Up in Heaven, the guy who was supposed to bring him in, forgot. So, he continues to live, and meets the woman, radio operator, who spoke with him as he uttered his presumed last words. They fall in love. But then the guy comes to take him up. He protests, and demands a hearing, since it was not his fault he is still alive.
I have seen several films of this type, in which the Heavenly goings on are shown. Though I am agnostic, I enjoy them.
A Matter of Life and Death (1946) Squadron Leader Peter Carter (David Niven), jumps from a burning aircraft, and having no parachute, goes boom. Up in Heaven, the guy who was supposed to bring him in, forgot.
So, he continues to live, and meets the woman, radio operator, who spoke with him as he uttered his presumed last words. They fall in love. But then the guy comes to take him up. He protests, and demands a hearing, since it was not his fault he is still alive. I have seen several films of this type, in which the Heavenly goings on are shown. Though I am agnostic, I enjoy them.
Victoria Silverwolf
Vegetarian Werewolf
Those are both great films.
There were a lot of those life-after-death fantasy films during and after the Second World War, which makes sense, given the immense loss of life during the conflict, and most of them are quite good.
Cute bit of trivia about the Marx brother film. The character was supposed to be named Quackenbush (with an obvious reference to a quack doctor) but they changed it because there was a real person with that name.
There were a lot of those life-after-death fantasy films during and after the Second World War, which makes sense, given the immense loss of life during the conflict, and most of them are quite good.
Cute bit of trivia about the Marx brother film. The character was supposed to be named Quackenbush (with an obvious reference to a quack doctor) but they changed it because there was a real person with that name.
Victoria Silverwolf
Vegetarian Werewolf
The Deadly Trap AKA Death Scream (1971)
Two very misleading English language titles for the French film La maison sous les abres. ("The house under the trees.") It's not a horror movie, but rather a combination of domestic drama, psychological character study, and suspense film. Frank Langella is a fellow who has moved his family from the USA to Paris. The movie begins when he is contacted by a shadowy organization for whom he once worked. (We never find out very much about this group, other than it's just called the Organization and they do industrial espionage.) They want him back, with veiled threats if he refuses. Meanwhile, we see his uneasy relationship with his wife (Faye Dunaway.) They've grown apart, and Dunaway is having lapses of memory and other signs of mental illness. They have a school age daughter and a preschool age son. You have to be very patient with the first half of the movie if you're expecting a thriller. We get our first shock sequence when Dunaway and the kids are in a bad car accident, although they escape unharmed. Coincidence? Mental lapse? The Organization? Things get worse when Dunaway loses the children while distracted for a moment. The unemotional, super-efficient French police detective coldly raises the possibility that she killed them, intending to kill herself as well, then lost her nerve. Of course, we know that the Organization kidnapped them. The tension builds in the last third of the film as we find out which secondary characters can't be trusted, and as the parents and police try to find the children. A lot of on-line reviews reveal that some viewers really hate this film. I found it slow at first, obscure at times, but ultimately compelling. Nobody was better at playing neurotics than Faye Dunaway at this point in her career, and she's the heart of the movie. There's one major plot twist that I wasn't expecting:
Two very misleading English language titles for the French film La maison sous les abres. ("The house under the trees.") It's not a horror movie, but rather a combination of domestic drama, psychological character study, and suspense film. Frank Langella is a fellow who has moved his family from the USA to Paris. The movie begins when he is contacted by a shadowy organization for whom he once worked. (We never find out very much about this group, other than it's just called the Organization and they do industrial espionage.) They want him back, with veiled threats if he refuses. Meanwhile, we see his uneasy relationship with his wife (Faye Dunaway.) They've grown apart, and Dunaway is having lapses of memory and other signs of mental illness. They have a school age daughter and a preschool age son. You have to be very patient with the first half of the movie if you're expecting a thriller. We get our first shock sequence when Dunaway and the kids are in a bad car accident, although they escape unharmed. Coincidence? Mental lapse? The Organization? Things get worse when Dunaway loses the children while distracted for a moment. The unemotional, super-efficient French police detective coldly raises the possibility that she killed them, intending to kill herself as well, then lost her nerve. Of course, we know that the Organization kidnapped them. The tension builds in the last third of the film as we find out which secondary characters can't be trusted, and as the parents and police try to find the children. A lot of on-line reviews reveal that some viewers really hate this film. I found it slow at first, obscure at times, but ultimately compelling. Nobody was better at playing neurotics than Faye Dunaway at this point in her career, and she's the heart of the movie. There's one major plot twist that I wasn't expecting:
The four-year-old son finds a loaded gun in the abandoned house where he and his sister are being held, and shoots the only person guarding them dead.
almostvoid
Member
Actually The Life of Brian which I picked up at a market for $1. Only the second time around. So brilliant.
almostvoid
Member
I am going to try and find this---rippa there. Hammer was great.
| Thread starter | Similar threads | Forum | Replies | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
The last days of the Lóntuisteach | Promotions | 0 | |
|
DISTAFF -- Last Chance to Buy!! | Promotions | 0 | |
|
Avatar: the Last Airbender live action (Netflix) | General TV Discussion | 18 | |
|
Peter S. Beagle's The Last Unicorn (1968 novel -- not movie) | Classic SF&F | 11 | |
| N | Y: The Last Man, movie or telly series? | Graphic Novels & Comics | 3 |
Similar threads
-
-
-
Avatar: the Last Airbender live action (Netflix)
- Started by HareBrain
- Replies: 18
-
Peter S. Beagle's The Last Unicorn (1968 novel -- not movie)
- Started by Extollager
- Replies: 11
-