Last Movie you Watched?

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  • edited November 2023 Posts: 12,466
    Used my last day of vacation to chill and watch both Escape from New York (1981) and Escape from L.A. (1996). I had seen EFNW one other time, and I loved it then and loved it now. It's an excellent work of imagination with an excellent cast, terrific atmosphere, good action, and cool music. EFLA, on the other hand, I had never seen before, and needed to satisfy my curiosity about it. Unfortunately I was left pretty cold by it. Kurt Russell still does a good job, and the cast is entertaining, but the horrid CGI effects replacing great practical ones and the amounts of rehashing what was done before really hurt it. EFNW remains a wonderful Carpenter classic, but personally I can do without the other one.
  • Posts: 7,417
    FoxRox wrote: »
    Used my last day of vacation to chill and watch both Escape from New York (1981) and Escape from L.A. (1996). I had seen EFNW one other time, and I loved it then and loved it now. It's an excellent work of imagination with an excellent cast, terrific atmosphere, good action, and cool music. EFLA, on the other hand, I had never seen before, and needed to satisfy my curiosity about it. Unfortunately I was left pretty cold by it. Kurt Russell still does a good job, and the cast is entertaining, but the horrid CGI effects replacing great practical ones and the amounts of rehashing what was done before really hurt it. EFNW remains a wonderful Carpenter classic, but personally I can do without the other one.

    Saw the original in the cinema when it was released and loved it! Still love it. Snake Plissken is one of my favourite screen characters ( it was only years after i read that Russell channelled John Wayne in his creation of Snake!) and it was wonderful to see the great Lee Van Cleef too! James Cameron worked on the effects before he became a big shot Director! And of course, the music also by John Carpenter is splendid!
    The sequel, Well I was excited to see Carpenter and Russell back together, but, it was a big letdown, and you're right the cgi was dreadful! There was talk of a 3rd movie (and wasnt there meant to be a remake?) but I hope none of it happens! "Call me Snake!"
  • GoldenGunGoldenGun Per ora e per il momento che verrà
    Posts: 7,114
    Personally I've always been a big fan of The Fog but I do have a soft spot for nautical themed fantasy / horror.
  • j_w_pepperj_w_pepper Born on the bayou, but I now hear a new dog barkin'
    edited November 2023 Posts: 9,028
    Tonight we continued our Ealing (or at least post-war UK) movie series with this:
    81W13gu5FZL._SL1500_.jpg

    I'd say it has a lot of in common with the earlier German movie "Emil und die Detektive", (Emil and the Detectives, based on the novel by Erich Kästner, which was later burned by the Nazis), which was about a random group of kids trying to retrieve Emil's money stolen from him on the train in about 1931 Berlin. The screenplay was written by Billy Wilder (who was still active in Berlin at the time), and there was later also a remake in 1954, based on the original script and directed by the great Robert A. Stemmle. The latter film is probably more similar to Hue and Cry (in spite of being in colour), since it bases its actions among the dramatic destruction in Berlin just like H&C depicts the destruction of London by the Nazi "Blitz". I think all three of them deserve credit, especially as a record of historical eras.

    "Hue andCry" itself centers on a bunch of young persons realizing that a regular weekly comic is meant to direct those involved to carry out certain criminal case, apparently without knowledge of the author, so someone inbetween must be the culprit. Part of it also seems to remind you of The Third Man...but that came out three years later.

    Heavily recommended, although first-billed Alastair Sim has only a disappointingly few lines to say.
  • Posts: 7,417
    j_w_pepper wrote: »
    Tonight we continued our Ealing (or at least post-war UK) movie series with this:
    81W13gu5FZL._SL1500_.jpg

    I'd say it has a lot of in common with the earlier German movie "Emil und die Detektive", (Emil and the Detectives, based on the novel by Erich Kästner, which was later burned by the Nazis), which was about a random group of kids trying to retrieve Emil's money stolen from him on the train in about 1931 Berlin. The screenplay was written by Billy Wilder (who was still active in Berlin at the time), and there was later also a remake in 1954, based on the original script and directed by the great Robert A. Stemmle. The latter film is probably more similar to Hue and Cry (in spite of being in colour), since it bases its actions among the dramatic destruction in Berlin just like H&C depicts the destruction of London by the Nazi "Blitz". I think all three of them deserve credit, especially as a record of historical eras.

    "Hue andCry" itself centers on a bunch of young persons realizing that a regular weekly comic is meant to direct those involved to carry out certain criminal cased, apparently without knowledge of the author, so someone inbetween must be the culprit. Part of it also seems to remind you of The Third Man...but that came out three years later.

    Heavily recommended, although first-billed Alastair Sim has only a disappointingly few lines to say.

    One of my favourites of Ealing. The youngsters in it are marvellous! And great climax!
  • j_w_pepperj_w_pepper Born on the bayou, but I now hear a new dog barkin'
    edited November 2023 Posts: 9,028
    Mathis1 wrote: »
    j_w_pepper wrote: »
    Tonight we continued our Ealing (or at least post-war UK) movie series with this:
    81W13gu5FZL._SL1500_.jpg

    I'd say it has a lot of in common with the earlier German movie "Emil und die Detektive", (Emil and the Detectives, based on the novel by Erich Kästner, which was later burned by the Nazis), which was about a random group of kids trying to retrieve Emil's money stolen from him on the train in about 1931 Berlin. The screenplay was written by Billy Wilder (who was still active in Berlin at the time), and there was later also a remake in 1954, based on the original script and directed by the great Robert A. Stemmle. The latter film is probably more similar to Hue and Cry (in spite of being in colour), since it bases its actions among the dramatic destruction in Berlin just like H&C depicts the destruction of London by the Nazi "Blitz". I think all three of them deserve credit, especially as a record of historical eras.

    "Hue andCry" itself centers on a bunch of young persons realizing that a regular weekly comic is meant to direct those involved to carry out certain criminal cased, apparently without knowledge of the author, so someone inbetween must be the culprit. Part of it also seems to remind you of The Third Man...but that came out three years later.

    Heavily recommended, although first-billed Alastair Sim has only a disappointingly few lines to say.

    One of my favourites of Ealing. The youngsters in it are marvellous! And great climax!

    Thanks, @Mathis1. It should also be noted that the Director of Photography of this movie, Douglas Slocombe, went on to be DOP on the likes of Guns at Batasi (1964), a movie I wrote about earlier, I think; Polanski's Dance of the Vampires, The Lion in Winter, a bunch of others that everyone can check up on IMDb, but especially also the first three Indiana Jones movies (ROTLA, TOD, TLC). It's hard to get a better cinematographer than that, especially in 1946.
  • RichardTheBruceRichardTheBruce I'm motivated by my Duty.
    Posts: 13,787
    Mathis1 wrote: »
    FoxRox wrote: »
    Used my last day of vacation to chill and watch both Escape from New York (1981) and Escape from L.A. (1996). I had seen EFNW one other time, and I loved it then and loved it now. It's an excellent work of imagination with an excellent cast, terrific atmosphere, good action, and cool music.

    Saw the original in the cinema when it was released and loved it! Still love it. Snake Plissken is one of my favourite screen characters ( it was only years after i read that Russell channelled John Wayne in his creation of Snake!) and it was wonderful to see the great Lee Van Cleef too! James Cameron worked on the effects before he became a big shot Director! And of course, the music also by John Carpenter is splendid!

    Kurt Russell is more John Wayne for Big Trouble in Little China.

    In the Escape films seems Clint Eatwood is coming out.

    Love it. They could another one with Russell and I'd likely love it as well.

    url]ESCAPE-FROM-EARTH.jpg

  • Posts: 7,417
    Oops, you're absolutely right @RichardTheBruce
    Clint Eastwood.
    Went to see 'Big Trouble in Little China' when it was released after seeing the great trailer, but I hated it! Haven't watched it since!
  • Posts: 12,466
    Had a rewatch of The Others (2001) for the first time in a long while. This is a really solid, standout horror film of the 2000s, which really is more about drama and psychology than the scares. Nicole Kidman gives such an amazing performance in this film, and the other actors including the children are all so good in their roles.
  • Posts: 7,417
    Dragged Across Concrete (2018)
    I was intrigued by this when it came out, as it's from 'Bone Tomahawk' director Craig Zahler, only got to see it now! A slow burn (very, with an epic runtime) thriller about two veteran cops ( Mel Gibson and Vince Vaughan) who are filmed being over zealous in a bust and suspended from the force ( nice cameo from Don Johnson as their boss!) Both cops have serious personal issues which only money can solve they think, so they decide to turn criminal and plan to hijack a gang of villains bank job, of course things go awry! It is a very slow paced film, but I was engrossed, and anyone who saw Zahlers alternative western 'Bone Tomahawk', which has one astonishingly violent scene, it has one to match it here, which jolted me out of its langourous pace!
  • MajorDSmytheMajorDSmythe "I tolerate this century, but I don't enjoy it."Moderator
    Posts: 13,978
    Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Pt 1
    My feelings haven't really changed since seeing it on release. It's good, just not as good as most of its predecessors.

    1. Mission Impossible: Fallout
    2. Mission Impossible
    3. Mission Impossible 3
    ---
    4. Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol
    5. Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Pt 1
    ---
    6. Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation
    7. Mission Impossible 2
  • edited November 2023 Posts: 12,466
    Blow Out (1981) - Second time I've seen it, and just as great as the first time. Just feels like a film made by and for film lovers through and through. The story is super engaging and the acting is terrific.

    Scarface (1983) - Amazingly, I had never gotten around to seeing this one until today. While it's not on the level of The Godfather or Goodfellas, I still found this to be a supremely entertaining gangster film. The soundtrack was fabulous! Not the most original affair, but everything is done with such epic over-the-top-ness and cool style that it's still a great time!

    I'm probably going to try exploring some other Brian de Palma films. I've only seen Carrie and Mission: Impossible other than these, both of which I also like very much.
  • GoldenGunGoldenGun Per ora e per il momento che verrà
    Posts: 7,114
    FoxRox wrote: »
    Blow Out (1981) - Second time I've seen it, and just as great as the first time. Just feels like a film made by and for film lovers through and through. The story is super engaging and the acting is terrific.

    Scarface (1983) - Amazingly, I had never gotten around to seeing this one until today. While it's not on the level of The Godfather or Goodfellas, I still found this to be a supremely entertaining gangster film. The soundtrack was fabulous! Not the most original affair, but everything is done with such epic over-the-top-ness and cool style that it's still a great time!

    I'm probably going to try exploring some other Brian de Palma films. I've only seen Carrie and Mission: Impossible other than these, both of which I also like very much.

    Both very good films for sure. Personally I am a big fan of "Body Double". Just like "Blow Out" and "Dressed to Kill" it's also tributary to the Italian giallo thrillers of the 70's.
  • Posts: 7,417
    The Marvels (2023)
    So I brought my Service users to see this, and made the mistake of going in with them ( I usually wait outside as they're independent enough to go in themselves while I get some paperwork done!)
    Big mistake! Bloody awful, but mercifully short, there are scenes here which are cringeinducing ( the singing colony!!) and its the usual not so special effects! Nothing to recommend and I read some early reports that its one of the funniest of these films, but damned if I found any laughs. A trailer beforehand showed another Aquaman film, I will be avoiding that as it looks the same as this crap!
  • Fire_and_Ice_ReturnsFire_and_Ice_Returns I am trying to get away from this mountan!
    Posts: 25,092
    Mathis1 wrote: »
    The Marvels (2023)
    So I brought my Service users to see this, and made the mistake of going in with them ( I usually wait outside as they're independent enough to go in themselves while I get some paperwork done!)
    Big mistake! Bloody awful, but mercifully short, there are scenes here which are cringeinducing ( the singing colony!!) and its the usual not so special effects! Nothing to recommend and I read some early reports that its one of the funniest of these films, but damned if I found any laughs. A trailer beforehand showed another Aquaman film, I will be avoiding that as it looks the same as this crap!

    Did the people you were supporting enjoy it? I have heard the film is an utter disaster.
  • Fire_and_Ice_ReturnsFire_and_Ice_Returns I am trying to get away from this mountan!
    Posts: 25,092
    beatles_nat_slate_appletv-1024x576.jpg
    Short film tinged with a lot of sadness, I had no idea they had started on Now and then way back when they were working on the Anthology albums in the mid 90's. A big thank you to Peter Jackson.
  • Posts: 7,417
    Mathis1 wrote: »
    The Marvels (2023)
    So I brought my Service users to see this, and made the mistake of going in with them ( I usually wait outside as they're independent enough to go in themselves while I get some paperwork done!)
    Big mistake! Bloody awful, but mercifully short, there are scenes here which are cringeinducing ( the singing colony!!) and its the usual not so special effects! Nothing to recommend and I read some early reports that its one of the funniest of these films, but damned if I found any laughs. A trailer beforehand showed another Aquaman film, I will be avoiding that as it looks the same as this crap!

    Did the people you were supporting enjoy it? I have heard the film is an utter disaster.

    Those who stayed awake did! 😅
  • Fire_and_Ice_ReturnsFire_and_Ice_Returns I am trying to get away from this mountan!
    Posts: 25,092
    Mathis1 wrote: »
    Mathis1 wrote: »
    The Marvels (2023)
    So I brought my Service users to see this, and made the mistake of going in with them ( I usually wait outside as they're independent enough to go in themselves while I get some paperwork done!)
    Big mistake! Bloody awful, but mercifully short, there are scenes here which are cringeinducing ( the singing colony!!) and its the usual not so special effects! Nothing to recommend and I read some early reports that its one of the funniest of these films, but damned if I found any laughs. A trailer beforehand showed another Aquaman film, I will be avoiding that as it looks the same as this crap!

    Did the people you were supporting enjoy it? I have heard the film is an utter disaster.

    Those who stayed awake did! 😅

    lol A few reviewers said it rips off Spaceballs?
  • Mathis1 wrote: »
    Mathis1 wrote: »
    The Marvels (2023)
    So I brought my Service users to see this, and made the mistake of going in with them ( I usually wait outside as they're independent enough to go in themselves while I get some paperwork done!)
    Big mistake! Bloody awful, but mercifully short, there are scenes here which are cringeinducing ( the singing colony!!) and its the usual not so special effects! Nothing to recommend and I read some early reports that its one of the funniest of these films, but damned if I found any laughs. A trailer beforehand showed another Aquaman film, I will be avoiding that as it looks the same as this crap!

    Did the people you were supporting enjoy it? I have heard the film is an utter disaster.

    Those who stayed awake did! 😅

    They’re probably the die hard Marvels fans. At this rate the brand is so big that even if a movie they put is unanimously panned, they’ll always have at least a few die hards still defending the movie.
  • MaxCasinoMaxCasino United States
    Posts: 4,626
    Mathis1 wrote: »
    Mathis1 wrote: »
    The Marvels (2023)
    So I brought my Service users to see this, and made the mistake of going in with them ( I usually wait outside as they're independent enough to go in themselves while I get some paperwork done!)
    Big mistake! Bloody awful, but mercifully short, there are scenes here which are cringeinducing ( the singing colony!!) and its the usual not so special effects! Nothing to recommend and I read some early reports that its one of the funniest of these films, but damned if I found any laughs. A trailer beforehand showed another Aquaman film, I will be avoiding that as it looks the same as this crap!

    Did the people you were supporting enjoy it? I have heard the film is an utter disaster.

    Those who stayed awake did! 😅

    They’re probably the die hard Marvels fans. At this rate the brand is so big that even if a movie they put is unanimously panned, they’ll always have at least a few die hards still defending the movie.

    That's the fandom at its finest. It's just a factory now. At least Star Wars took a break after too much, too soon. The MCU really needs to slow down, for EVERYONE'S sake. Even us Bond fans should be grateful that a Bond movie can feel like an event. The MCU doesn't feel like that anymore.
  • Posts: 7,417
    Mathis1 wrote: »
    Mathis1 wrote: »
    The Marvels (2023)
    So I brought my Service users to see this, and made the mistake of going in with them ( I usually wait outside as they're independent enough to go in themselves while I get some paperwork done!)
    Big mistake! Bloody awful, but mercifully short, there are scenes here which are cringeinducing ( the singing colony!!) and its the usual not so special effects! Nothing to recommend and I read some early reports that its one of the funniest of these films, but damned if I found any laughs. A trailer beforehand showed another Aquaman film, I will be avoiding that as it looks the same as this crap!

    Did the people you were supporting enjoy it? I have heard the film is an utter disaster.

    Those who stayed awake did! 😅

    lol A few reviewers said it rips off Spaceballs?

    Part Space...All Balls!
  • j_w_pepperj_w_pepper Born on the bayou, but I now hear a new dog barkin'
    Posts: 9,028
    Mathis1 wrote: »
    Mathis1 wrote: »
    The Marvels (2023)
    So I brought my Service users to see this, and made the mistake of going in with them ( I usually wait outside as they're independent enough to go in themselves while I get some paperwork done!)
    Big mistake! Bloody awful, but mercifully short, there are scenes here which are cringeinducing ( the singing colony!!) and its the usual not so special effects! Nothing to recommend and I read some early reports that its one of the funniest of these films, but damned if I found any laughs. A trailer beforehand showed another Aquaman film, I will be avoiding that as it looks the same as this crap!

    Did the people you were supporting enjoy it? I have heard the film is an utter disaster.

    Those who stayed awake did! 😅

    They’re probably the die hard Marvels fans. At this rate the brand is so big that even if a movie they put is unanimously panned, they’ll always have at least a few die hards still defending the movie.
    I don't know the Marvels movie, nor do I intend to change that (I'm fed up with "Comic Universes" of whatever kind and also any other superhero movies), but the effect you describe applies to Bond movies as well. There are actually still fans of the franchise who defend DAD.
  • DwayneDwayne New York City
    Posts: 2,841
    beatles_nat_slate_appletv-1024x576.jpg
    Short film tinged with a lot of sadness, I had no idea they had started on Now and then way back when they were working on the Anthology albums in the mid 90's. A big thank you to Peter Jackson.

    I know how you feel @Fire_and_Ice_Returns. I'll post my additional thoughts over on the music thread after I get the vinyl single next week. First, some additional "FYI":
     
    In 1994, when Paul inducted John into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Yoko gave him four (4) songs: "Free As a Bird", "Real Love", "Grow Old With Me" and "Now and Then." The three remaining Beatles decided not to work on "Grow Old With Me" since it had already appeared in demo form on Lennon's MILK AND HONEY LP (issued in 1982, two years after his murder).

    Another factor may have been (possibly), that Yoko then gave the demo to former Beatles' producer George Martin would did a string arrangement for the song for the "John Lennon Anthology" box set.

    Given the audio issues with John's Now and Then demo, as the "making of" video details, they decided to not complete it back in 1995.

    There are two very emotional stories about the phrase "Now and Then" that are not in the video. I'll write about it later. Long time fans will know the first, but the second has just come to light.

    As for the song.... it is very emotional, and several times I found myself tearing up as I have listened to it over the past week - as I did at the very end of the Peter Jackson music video (of which some of it I liked, and some of it - not so much).

  • Fire_and_Ice_ReturnsFire_and_Ice_Returns I am trying to get away from this mountan!
    edited November 2023 Posts: 25,092
    Dwayne wrote: »
    beatles_nat_slate_appletv-1024x576.jpg
    Short film tinged with a lot of sadness, I had no idea they had started on Now and then way back when they were working on the Anthology albums in the mid 90's. A big thank you to Peter Jackson.

    I know how you feel @Fire_and_Ice_Returns. I'll post my additional thoughts over on the music thread after I get the vinyl single next week. First, some additional "FYI":
     
    In 1994, when Paul inducted John into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Yoko gave him four (4) songs: "Free As a Bird", "Real Love", "Grow Old With Me" and "Now and Then." The three remaining Beatles decided not to work on "Grow Old With Me" since it had already appeared in demo form on Lennon's MILK AND HONEY LP (issued in 1982, two years after his murder).

    Another factor may have been (possibly), that Yoko then gave the demo to former Beatles' producer George Martin would did a string arrangement for the song for the "John Lennon Anthology" box set.

    Given the audio issues with John's Now and Then demo, as the "making of" video details, they decided to not complete it back in 1995.

    There are two very emotional stories about the phrase "Now and Then" that are not in the video. I'll write about it later. Long time fans will know the first, but the second has just come to light.

    As for the song.... it is very emotional, and several times I found myself tearing up as I have listened to it over the past week - as I did at the very end of the Peter Jackson music video (of which some of it I liked, and some of it - not so much).

    It is amazing what modern technology can do that helped them resolve the issue with Now and Then. I was eyeing up the expanded editions of The Red and Blue Albums yesterday, they are not cheap though worth it. I may opt for the CD's rather than digital download.

    I have Milk and Honey as well as the Anthology albums, Milk and Honey has its moments, I am not overly keen on Yoko's contribution though i get it.
  • Posts: 1,708
    Pink Panther 4.5/6
    A shot in dark 4/6
    The Queen 4/6 (mostly about princess Di's death)
  • peterpeter Toronto
    Posts: 9,509
    We watched The Killer last night. David Fincher is as slick as ever in his visual storytelling.

    Fassbender hasn't been active as much, recently, and what he was making was unfortunately, not very good. But he's back in this film.

    The first 20 minutes was basically an internal monologue that quite frankly put me in a trance. I didn't think I could ever watch someone doing "nothing" while monologuing about doing nothing to be so utterly fascinating.

    It was a tight, just under two hour film, and when it ended, I had a pinch of melancholy: Fincher shows he's just on another level. The script, written by Andrew Kevin Walker was dark, darkly funny, poignant, had a commentary about we humans (without preaching, but done in a way as his John Doe character (from SE7EN) might have observed), and the acting was superb. They really don't make films like this anymore.

    Now that the strikes are over, the studios should take a long hard look at their output, and analyze the failures of their productions over the last couple of years (an over reliance on CGI, half baked scripts, sloppy execution). Fincher and company kept things in the real world, kept things simple (yet effective), it was nimble and didn't overstay it's welcome...
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,968
    @peter, it was a nice return to form for the two of them after a few years of absence in the movie-making realm. I loved the stylish slow burn approach and calculating storytelling in The Killer. I was anticipating the film for over a year and it did not disappoint.
  • peterpeter Toronto
    Posts: 9,509
    Creasy47 wrote: »
    @peter, it was a nice return to form for the two of them after a few years of absence in the movie-making realm. I loved the stylish slow burn approach and calculating storytelling in The Killer. I was anticipating the film for over a year and it did not disappoint.

    I had that same anticipation as you @Creasy47 … it’s so beautiful to watch a Fincher film. His scene compositions are like paintings. It feels refreshing to watch an adult film.

    And so great to see Fassbender knocking it out of the park (after seeing his last few efforts (before his career pause), I thought he’d lost his zest and passion for acting).

    And that was one helluva script, wasn’t it?
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,968
    Every shot really does feel like a painting with Fincher, and this one did not at all disappoint. The darker cinematography is still there, his usual staple, but it doesn't sacrifice style or visual flair in the process either.

    As for Fassbender, it sounds to me like he took a few year hiatus to focus on auto racing, which is pretty cool. I'm glad to see he can still deliver after a few years out of the game, and the way he stretches and prepares his body in this shows he really put in the work for his titular, unnamed character.

    And yes, such a great script! I could've listened to Fassbender's narration for two hours straight. I was happy to see Andrew Kevin Walker and Fincher reunite once more, and that the former hasn't lost his touch either (his only other credit since 2016 was last year's script for Windfall, a pretty forgettable flick.)
  • j_w_pepperj_w_pepper Born on the bayou, but I now hear a new dog barkin'
    edited November 2023 Posts: 9,028
    Not really a movie, but tonight I watched the first of two DVDs of "Not the Nine o'Clock News" which I have had for some time. I was pleasantly surprised by Rowan Atkinson, whose Mr. Bean I never really thought funny. Here's one sketch I really liked:

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