Last Movie you Watched?

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  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    @Master_Dahark, I may. The 80s is my giant blind spot for films. The 40s and 50s are classic, the 60s vibrant, the 70s deep, challenging and enriching, and the 90s and 2000s the films that I grew up on. The 80s are just kind of there.
    Birdleson wrote: »
    I haven't seen it in it's entirety since the theatre. I remember it being mildly funny and entertaining. I love the scene with his friend and the Seurat painting at the Chicago Art Institute. I show that bit to classes.

    Check out the Goldbergs episode that riffs on it. Way funnier than the film and gets everything into 27mins. Excellent!

    @Lancaster, I haven't seen the Goldbergs episode of that, but I did see the Breakfast Club parody episode and loved that. Most comedies these days are just a slog, but that one is very clever and genuinely funny with a great premise.
  • QsAssistantQsAssistant All those moments lost in time... like tears in rain
    Posts: 1,812
    bondjames wrote: »
    Fast Five (2011) and Fast and Furious 6 (2013)
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    In preparation for the impending cinematic release of Fast & Furious 8, I thought I'd revisit some of the older films. I started at Fast Five because that's when the franchise kicked it up a notch and took things to another level. Introducing charismatic Dwayne Johnson as brutish Diplomatic Security Service's agent Luke Hobbs was a masterstroke, as was moving away from the street racing theme and towards a more heist oriented film involving cars, with larger action set pieces. Those set pieces are something else, with the finale with the two cop cars pulling a bank vault along the streets of Rio being the highlight. Hobbs starts off on Toretto's trail, but eventually teams up with him to take down Joaquim de Almeidathe's Hernan Reynes, a Brazilian crimelord and the villain of the piece. The location photography in Rio in this film is phenomenal.

    Fast and Furious 6, also directed by Lin, picks up where the last film ends and ups the ante considerably. Luke Evans takes over this time around as main villain Owen Shaw. In this installment, Hobbs seeks out Toretto's team and asks for their help to capture Shaw, a mercenary who has been one step ahead of him to date. The carrot: Toretto's old squeeze Letty (Michelle Rodriguez), who was presumed dead, is apparently still alive and working for Shaw. The stunts are even more amped up this time, and London serves as the main location. The photography in this installment is perhaps not as impressive as in the last one, but the action is truly off the charts. Highlights for me are the vicious fight between Gina Carano's Riley & Letty in the UK underground, but there are so many other top notch action sequences here too. This may very well be my favourite of the series. High octane non-stop action from start to finish. I hope the next one can match it.

    Fast Five is my second favorite of the franchise while Fast and Furious 6 is in my bottom three. It's been awhile since I watched Tokyo Drift and Fast and Furious 6 but from what I can remember my ranking goes like this...

    The Fast and the Furious
    Fast Five
    2 Fast 2 Furious
    The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift
    Fast and Furious 6
    Fast and Furious
    Furious 7
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    Posts: 23,883
    @QsAssistant, to be honest I can't even remember anything about the 2nd through to the 4th films. I'll have to give those a watch again soon. I'm not too keen on all the CGI that's cropping up in the latest installments (the earlier films seemed much more 'real'), but the amped up action is most welcome.

    Miss Sloane (2016)
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    This was my first watch of this Jessica Chastain starring political drama since its release in the theatre late last year. I enjoyed it then and I enjoyed it now, mainly because of Chastain, who is a force of nature in this film. Determined, unrelenting, sarcastic and uncompromising, Elizabeth Sloane is a Washington lobbyist who has a reputation for being the best at what she does. If you want an issue swung your way, she's your most potent weapon to influence the power brokers & politicians. However, her commitment to her career is taking a toll on her health. Can she continue at this torrid pace, or will her chosen profession and her ambition be her downfall? Does she have a moral compass, or is she so obsessed with winning that she doesn't care who she hurts in the pursuit of her goals? These are some of the questions that the film poses. It fell under the radar during its cinematic run, perhaps because it was released in a bitter political year and because its politics were unpalatable. Nevertheless, the plot is secondary here. This film is in essence a character study and at its heart is Chastain's fiery performance, which ranks among her best imho. She is in nearly every frame of the film, and is absolutely mesmerizing to watch, owning every scene. Mark Strong, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Michael Stuhlbarg, Alison Pill, John Lithgow & Sam Waterston also star and give great secondary performances. The film has a bit of a Sorkin'esque aspect to it, so if you liked the tv show Newsroom or The West Wing, both of which have that fast 'back and forth' political dialogue, then you'll enjoy this.
  • DaltonCraig007DaltonCraig007 They say, "Evil prevails when good men fail to act." What they ought to say is, "Evil prevails."
    edited April 2017 Posts: 15,713
    Fate of the Furious (2017)

    I've never seen this level of destruction (outside of disaster films) in one single film. The action here is just phenomenal - particularly the New York sequence and the Iceland climax, which I'd probably rank as 2 of the most incredible action sequences in recent years. The Dwayne Johnson/Jason Statham dynamic was better than expected, the amount of insults and one liners they throw at each other is hilarious. And there is a 2nd similar duo between Tyrese Gibson and Scott Eastwood. The prison fight was absolutely badass, and a particular short apparition of an well-known actress, present only in 2 scenes in the film, but she totally owned the screen. 'Fast Five' is still my favorite in the franchise, but 'Fate of the Furious' is a very close 2nd. Statham and Dwayne Johnson were basically super heroes in this film. I just love it! Charlize Theron was a God in this film, what a beautiful woman, and she was proper chilling as the villain!
  • NSGWNSGW London
    edited April 2017 Posts: 299
    @Birdleson As a big fan of anything noir Chinatown is one of my favourites, easily one of the best of 1970s cinema.

    Does anyone know if there's an existing thread for posting lists of favourite films in general, some members on this thread have good tastes and I'd be interested in seeing everyone's top 10s etc.
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    @NGSW, here's a thread to post your list of favorite films, and why you like them:

    https://www.mi6community.com/discussion/1266/your-favorite-films/p1
  • NSGWNSGW London
    Posts: 299
    Much obliged everyone.
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    ARBITRAGE

    Richard Gere plays a billionaire who completely messes up his life. A bit boring at first, but it picks itself up.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    Posts: 23,883
    I love that film. Gere is on fire. A bit Trumpian, with the daughter as well.
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    My thought exactly.
  • Lancaster007Lancaster007 Shrublands Health Clinic, England
    Posts: 1,874
    Day of Anger (1967) dir. Tonino Valerii. Arrow Video - blu-ray. Starring Lee Van Cleef and Giuliano Gemma. This Italian western might not be up there with Leone's output, but it's damn close. One of the better spaghettis, with a fairly solid story, nice photography, a host of faces recognisable from the Dollars Trilogy, and some good set pieces. And boy can they build a saloon damn quick!
    Recommended viewing.
  • ClarkDevlinClarkDevlin Martinis, Girls and Guns
    Posts: 15,423
    Day of Anger (1967) dir. Tonino Valerii. Arrow Video - blu-ray. Starring Lee Van Cleef and Giuliano Gemma. This Italian western might not be up there with Leone's output, but it's damn close. One of the better spaghettis, with a fairly solid story, nice photography, a host of faces recognisable from the Dollars Trilogy, and some good set pieces. And boy can they build a saloon damn quick!
    Recommended viewing.
    Seen it three times. Helluva of a movie!
  • Lancaster007Lancaster007 Shrublands Health Clinic, England
    Posts: 1,874
    Day of Anger (1967) dir. Tonino Valerii. Arrow Video - blu-ray. Starring Lee Van Cleef and Giuliano Gemma. This Italian western might not be up there with Leone's output, but it's damn close. One of the better spaghettis, with a fairly solid story, nice photography, a host of faces recognisable from the Dollars Trilogy, and some good set pieces. And boy can they build a saloon damn quick!
    Recommended viewing.
    Seen it three times. Helluva of a movie!

    Agreed. The duel on horseback with 'front-loading rifles' is fantastic.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 24,159
    NOT AS A STRANGER

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    Stanley Kramer's 1955 directorial debut film is definitely worth multiple viewings. Robert Mitchum, Frank Sinatra, Lon Chaney Jr., Olivia de Havilland, ... we're talking big names here. George Antheil's effective score is hard to forget. The story keeps me hooked time and again, and makes me wonder how things will eventually play out. And for some reason I find Gloria Grahame exceptionally attractive in this film. Mitchum has a tough character to sell, but he manages to convey a lot of nuance. We don't like him and yet we do. Only a fine actor can achieve that.

    Magnificent film!
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    edited April 2017 Posts: 24,159
    @Birdleson, I'm so glad you liked the movie. I have seen it twice now and have seriously considered going back a third time. Everything works: the acting, the music, the story--man, that story! And here at least is a film that breathes, and allows us to breathe. There are welcome pauses, used for moments of reflection. Xavier's night time speech of hope choked me up emotionally
    and not necessarily because of what happens immediately thereafter.

    The final battle serves as a satisfying conclusion to the film and, as you say, isn't a carnival of pyrotechnics on XTC. Instead, the moment when
    Laura runs up Logan's back while he guts a soldier, then jumps over his head, claws out, to do the same thing to another soldier

    has given me more thrills than all the climax fuss in the average Marvel film. And when Laura
    changes the cross into an X,

    tears well up in my eyes. Also, again, the music: such restraint! No smashing guitars or heavy, bombastic orchestration every five minutes, but sober, ambient music instead. Yet when action kicks in, suddenly we get some of Beltrami's most effective--simple, but effective--compositions yet.

    Truly, one of the most amazing superhero films ever. One day I'm sure we will reflect on the past decades of superhero films and say

    - there's SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE
    - there's THE DARK KNIGHT
    - there's LOGAN.
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    Speaking of which...

    BATMAN BEGINS

    This is such a great Batman movie, with perhaps the best rogues gallery of them all: Ra s Al Ghul, Scarecrow, Falcone. The cast is superb, Zimmer doesn t drone it up like he does in the last one, so many great shots throughout. And I am one of the few who adore Katie Holmes as well.

    But I do get a bit bored during the last twenty minutes or so, during the "climax". This isn t just a problem in superhero films, it is the same with Bond.
  • Speaking of which...

    BATMAN BEGINS

    My favorite Batman film—my favorite superhero film actually—and my favorite film of the 21st century.

    As you say, excellent villains (Neeson, Murphy, Wilkinson), gorgeous cinematography and music (I think James Newton Howard provided a wonderful balance for Zimmer here), and I adore Holmes in this as well. It's a perfectly paced origin story. Bale proves perhaps the best live-action Bruce Wayne (if not quite the best Batman). And that teasing ending with the Joker card—simply the best.
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    I love the scene where Crane gets a taste of his own medicine.
  • Cillian Murphy was just a fantastic psycho in BB. Dug him as the psycho in Red Eye, too.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 24,159
    @Birdleson, you know, I actually could. Both are interchangeable when it comes to my favourite Batman film ever. The reason I usually put THE DARK KNIGHT before BATMAN BEGINS is that the intensity with which Batman has to counter Joker's plots, and the "I'm several steps ahead of you" cleverness displayed by Joker, turns the entire film into a Holmes vs Moriarty game of wits that I find intellectually stimulating. Also, in a film with such a phenomenal Joker, Batman is still "the man", unlike in the Burton/Schumacher films, where Batman was often tossed aside in favour of either more eye catching villains or villains so loud and attention seeking, there was simply no room left for Batman to manoeuvre in. THE DARK KNIGHT not only allows for a few charming villains but gives Batman his moments too.
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    They are both great.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 24,159
    Amen to that, @Thunderfinger.

    DD's April 15 2017 *Five Random Strange Creature* Marathon

    PART I
    PRIMAL


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    A group of youngsters goes hiking in the Australian jungle. They explore local nature and pre-martial sex in a tent. Sounds like every other one of "those" films, right? Especially since killer ants and leaches in contaminated water turn people into flesh eating creeps. Yeah, we saw CABIN FEVER all right. Nothing special. But you know what, the film is only about 80 minutes long (not counting end titles) and the final 10 minutes give me what I want out of a good creature feature: Lovecraftian horror. Totally unexpected and weird as hell and not nearly enough to fully redeem the rest of the film, but nevertheless quite enjoyable.

    Not bad for breakfast. Not a bad start.

    PRIMAL: 6,5/10
  • ClarkDevlinClarkDevlin Martinis, Girls and Guns
    edited April 2017 Posts: 15,423
    The Fate of The Furious:

    I see loads of people complaining about the "make believe" aspect of this franchise but isn't that what entertainment is about? Anyway, I'm not here to dwell on that, but to say I thoroughly enjoyed the film from start to finish and most certainly was not bored. A popcorn flick. Jason Statham, like always, ends up being my favourite thing in it, and he wasn't even the main protagonist (far from it).

    I also see a promising newcomer in Scott Eastwood, Clint Eastwood's reincarnation via descendancy. He reminded me of his old man in his Rawhide days a lot and I for one am glad he's made it into the ensemble cast without being a background noise.

    Doctor Strange:

    My first time watching this superhero movie about the sorcerer and I can say I'm surprised to find it very enjoyable. You can say Marvel's movies are... toning it down a bit... "irrelevant" (those who hate "make believe")... but they are building up a top notch franchise with this MCU series, and not for a moment, with an installment (other than Iron Man 3, critically being a failure on behalf of the fans) in their chronicles have they released a disappointment. Watching this film makes you feel how high of a quality has it been oozing.

    And Benedict Cumberbatch is a brilliant actor. Forget his Sherlock and watch him here, you might see what others can't about him. A potential James Bond actor. In some places even he reminded me of Sean Connery for a brief moment I could say he can stand in for a double from afar.
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    I like him well enough in DS, but he is no potential Bond.
  • ClarkDevlinClarkDevlin Martinis, Girls and Guns
    Posts: 15,423
    I like him well enough in DS, but he is no potential Bond.
    A lot better of a choice than Hiddleston, Turner, Hardy and whatever social media "journalists" enlist, though.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 24,159
    DD's April 15 2017 *Five Random Strange Creature* Marathon

    PART II
    THE RUINS


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    We move from Australia to Mexico. Another group of walking meat-bags arrives at an old Aztec pyramid and is unexpectedly forced to remain there lest some nervous locals shoot them on the spot. Surprised by this weird turn of events yet persuaded by a convincing example already set, the group flees to the top of the construction. Once there, our youngsters encounter a strange phenomenon: flesh eating plants will not give them an easy time. A Lovecraftian element? Certainly. Ominous, mysterious lifeforms in an old ruin. H.P. would have been proud.

    Jonathan Tucker, Jena Malone, Shawn Ashmore, Laura Ramsey, and Joe Anderson star in this pretty gory and enjoyable little film.

    THE RUINS: 7/10
    PRIMAL: 6,5/10
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    edited April 2017 Posts: 23,883
    I see Nolan's trilogy as one complete and holistic masterpiece. I think it's one of the best trilogies put to film (the original LoTR being the other). I prefer BB, but really like TDK as well for its profound impact on the superhero genre. Those first two films had an immense influence on nearly everything since, from starting the reboot craze (which has become terribly tiresome these days) to impacting the villain/hero dynamic in contemporary films, and the relationship between them. I actually like the last one the best (I realize I'm in the minority), because it ties it all together beautifully and closes out this brilliant effort.
  • LeonardPineLeonardPine The Bar on the Beach
    Posts: 3,996
    bondjames wrote: »
    I see Nolan's trilogy as one complete and holistic masterpiece. I think it's one of the best trilogies put to film (the original LoTR being the other). I prefer BB, but really like TDK as well for its profound impact on the superhero genre. Those first two films had an immense influence on nearly everything since, from starting the reboot craze (which has become terribly tiresome these days) to impacting the villain/hero dynamic in contemporary films, and the relationship between them. I actually like the last one the best (I realize I'm in the minority), because it ties it all together beautifully and closes out this brilliant effort.

    I'm with you there @bondjames

    The Dark Knight Rises is my favourite of the three.

  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    I like him well enough in DS, but he is no potential Bond.

    I adore Benedict, but I very much have to agree. Much like I don't want Hardy because I'd rather see him really explore himself in the Mad Max role (if we really can't have Mel), I want Benedict to continue being Sherlock for decades to come. He was meant for that role, and Bond is small beans in comparison to what he could do with that character.
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