Last movie you watched

[Jennywocky]

I saw Coherence some time ago. I quite enjoyed it to. Done very simply, but quite effectively for what it was. Like you said, even though there is little reason why there should even be an "us and them", it takes you into their journey of paranoia quite well.

Yeah, about the us and them...

Spoiler

They are all diverging from a point only minutes/hours at most in the past, so they are all still almost the exact same people except for what ever small permutations occurred in the last moment. although that's not entirely true, as I think one of the laurie's did yoga in the past and another did not, etc. But still... very much the same person.

But they are treated almost as pure enemies here. Is it Mike who says he wants to go kill his double so as to not be in danger, because "I guarantee that's what he's planning to do to me, if I thought of doing it to him!" Like... wow. Says a lot about some of the characters.

And Em basically screws over herself to steal her happier version of her boyfriend Kevin. Just unbelievable.

But it's mind-boggling they so quickly are terrified that the people with them are not the "original thems" who started with them. I mean, the first two guys that leave -- we see about six iterations of them throughout the movie, although we don't really grasp that is happening until later in the film. It's something you realize afterwards... that every time someone goes through the dark zone, it's almost impossible for the same people to come back, they'll be shunted to a different dimension.

The Boy
I saw this last night. Scrolling through Amazon Prime trying to decide on a horror film for my son and I to have for our Friday movie night. We thought it looked nicely creepy. A creepy and possibly possessed porcelain doll is always a good start. I liked the way it took you into the mind of Greta and her journey through the plot. At first, the premise is so silly you couldn't possibly take it seriously, and neither does she. Then it continues and you gradually become convinced as she does, and it leads to an exceedingly disturbing conclusion. Although not completely original, it does do it well for what it is. Creepiness is very high, unfortunately the jump scares are a little weak. I'm going to put my other criticism in a spoiler only for those who've seen it:

I gave that movie two stars (out of five).

I just couldn't really appreciate it much. It did have some edgy moments, but the ending just threw me off... reminds me of something else I saw... I guess it was The Pact. I remember liking that movie a bit better, though.

It was all too bad, I like Laurie Cohan.

 

[Happy]

Anyone seen Get Out? Amazing film. I give it 4/4. If you haven't seen it, don't ruin it by watching the trailer.

[Goddamn I hate movie trailers these days. I want something to make me want to watch a movie, not feel like I've already seen it ]

 

[Jennywocky]

Anyone seen Get Out? Amazing film. I give it 4/4. If you haven't seen it, don't ruin it by watching the trailer.

[Goddamn I hate movie trailers these days. I want something to make me want to watch a movie, not feel like I've already seen it ]

Yeah, I've seen worse trailer reveals, but that trailer is good to avoid if you want to enjoy the movie more.

 

[Reluctantly]

Morgan. Boring movie. I wanted everyone to die, except the assasin lady. The scientists/researchers were all annoying. The twist was nice, but it didn't last very long.

I don't recommend it. It played like a half-baked version of ex machina.

 

[Papimojosten]

The direct last film I saw was one I liked as a kid its 2004 "mirror mask", having re watched it the acting is stale and the only interesting thing about it is the peculiar creatures in it which they explain as being the fancies of teenage drawings. Besides that I saw " the nice guys" 2011 which was great for what it was, though I would have liked to seem more over the top humor and possiblly more gore but I digress. "Stick it" 2005, also a film I enjoyed as a kid but now all the tropes were weighing on me but alas it captured some of my now spent boyhood innocence and longing to be loved and accepted in a more emotionally "loud" way by my intj father... which now I relize he did in his own way. Again I digress, the last and probably my favorite out of the batch I have listed was "Logan" 2017. Not a perfect movie by far but for something so popular, which typically my tastes stray far from popular opinion I loved this film. The kid in it almost went into hacky kid actor mode (think star wars: phantom menace) but thankfully because of the few speaking parts and less is more approach by "James Mangold" never went full retard per say, "never go full retard", to ironically quote a moronic film that a person who had an actual mental disorder could have wrote... oh and "Looper" which was meh. I also got " V for Vendetta" based on things my entp friend said years ago and recommendations from post crawling/creeping somewhere in this forum...
To sum up though watch Logan, its swearing, violent, yet quit atmosphere mixed with what "kick ass" tried to pull of, which is a strong yet brutal little girl who could be equal parts killer and soft-y without all the odd lolita complex type bullcrap that comes tacked on as quite and creepy fan service without ever giving the girl a chance to have emotions or be a kid in that movie, is seemingly appreciated in a comic book movie about a man haunted by his past.
Ps in hindsight I don't even know if you were asking for recommendations should have read title post before posting oh well either way I liked it....

 

[ZenRaiden]

All about the money
War Machine with that arm pit guy
Wilson I giggled a few times
The comedian
Prevenge
FIlth
Oh and I forgot to mention Stalker. Its so Soviet you end up drinking vodka and playing balaika while singing russian folk songs.

 

[Jennywocky]

Morgan. Boring movie. I wanted everyone to die, except the assasin lady. The scientists/researchers were all annoying. The twist was nice, but it didn't last very long.

I don't recommend it. It played like a half-baked version of ex machina.

Yup, that's pretty much it.

Anna Taylor-Joy is really a great actress, though, and so young -- she's probably the best thing in that movie, it's too bad the rest of it sucked although the twist gives it a momentary burst. I recommend The Witch, with her... and Split was okay; I'm excited to see if she gets a movie worth her chops with the upcoming "New Mutants" release, where she has been cast as Magik.

I'm ready to see Kate Mara disappear [haha, see what I did there since she played Sue Storm? bwa ha ha]. Her sister Rooney has more talent anyway.

 

[Reluctantly]

^ She did a good job in the role, definitely better than everyone else. I just found her too off-putting how she kills people and then talks so nonchalant and innocent about it. So I didn't like her character very much and really wanted her to die towards the end.

Kate Mara always seems to play herself and I think I'll forever see her as Zoe Barns, which is kind of weird. I didn't even know she was in fantastic 4; I guess I completely missed that movie. I guess it was so bad, it passed under my radar, hah.

I kind of want to see Baby Driver. Kind of disappointed with the summer movies. I think I'm sick of superhero type movies like Wonderwoman and Star Wars esque movies like Guardian of the Galaxy. So the only movie I saw was Aliens and it was kind of dumb as everyone has already talked about.

 

[Jennywocky]

I kind of want to see Baby Driver. Kind of disappointed with the summer movies. I think I'm sick of superhero type movies like Wonderwoman and Star Wars esque movies like Guardian of the Galaxy. So the only movie I saw was Aliens and it was kind of dumb as everyone has already talked about.

When I saw the trailer for Baby Driver (without knowing anything about the movie) a month or six weeks back, I was like WTF is this movie, this looks bizarre and I can't imagine it will be good. I'm not even that impressed with the lead, who I had seen in The Fault in Our Stars where he was okay but not that spectacular (compared to Shailene Woodley).

My son said he wanted to see Baby Driver, so I kept an eye on the reviews. And then incredibly it got almost 100% on RT. Wow, lol. So now I'll watch it.

I'll get tickets for Spiderman this weekend, and I am interested in maybe seeing Atomic Blonde depending on the reception.

Pretty much I'm waiting for Dark Tower and IT, in Aug/Sept.

It's too bad you skipped GotG2 and Wonder Woman. Yes, they are superhero movies, and there's too many of them out there nowadays.... but they are both better than norm, in general. It would have been better to skip every other DC movie in the last two years as well as any Amazing Spidermans or FF movies, and just see those two.

 

[Reluctantly]

When I saw the trailer for Baby Driver (without knowing anything about the movie) a month or six weeks back, I was like WTF is this movie, this looks bizarre and I can't imagine it will be good. I'm not even that impressed with the lead, who I had seen in The Fault in Our Stars where he was okay but not that spectacular (compared to Shailene Woodley).

My son said he wanted to see Baby Driver, so I kept an eye on the reviews. And then incredibly it got almost 100% on RT. Wow, lol. So now I'll watch it.

yeah, it got good reviews and looks a bit different than anything I've seen. Plus, I like Kevin Spacey.

I'll get tickets for Spiderman this weekend, and I am interested in maybe seeing Atomic Blonde depending on the reception.

Pretty much I'm waiting for Dark Tower and IT, in Aug/Sept.

Ohh, Atomic Blonde. Didn't even know about that. Is Dark Tower supposed to be good? Never read the Stephen King books.

It's too bad you skipped GotG2 and Wonder Woman. Yes, they are superhero movies, and there's too many of them out there nowadays.... but they are both better than norm, in general. It would have been better to skip every other DC movie in the last two years as well as any Amazing Spidermans or FF movies, and just see those two.

Dam it, I always seem to skip the wrong movies. I'm just so sick of Spiderman movies, especially when they seem more and more aimed at kids...maybe I'll wait and see what the reviews say.

 

[TheManBeyond]

I'm watching Lost, finished with first season, wow, i can't handle so much dramma
i bet they could have cut down the whole thing to 3 seasons if they weren't explaining everyfucking detail of everyone past
the thrill in the island is cool tho

 

[Jennywocky]

I'm watching Lost, finished with first season, wow, i can't handle so much dramma
i bet they could have cut down the whole thing to 3 seasons if they weren't explaining everyfucking detail of everyone past

uhhhh.... considering the backstory is the premise of the show and the Island is just a setting for them to explore it and figure out why they are there?

"Live together, die alone."

But they could have cut down Seasons 4-6 immensely, tbh. The best seasons were the first three.

 

[Jennywocky]

Is Dark Tower supposed to be good? Never read the Stephen King books.

The books range from excellent to meh (in my opinion). My favorites were The Drawing of the Three, and Wizard and Glass, and there's some decent stuff in the last book with Mordred.

For the movie, I am gathering they are taking advantage of a particular plot event, so they don't need to have the movie parallel the books plot-wise. Which was smart, you can't really make a book series of 3000 pages or whatever it is into a two-hour movie. I had heard they then wanted to make a TV show that continues it, but I'm not sure where that is...

Dam it, I always seem to skip the wrong movies. I'm just so sick of Spiderman movies, especially when they seem more and more aimed at kids...maybe I'll wait and see what the reviews say.

Well, Tom Holland is the first spiderman that actually does feel like a teenager (which is the source material). So that's interesting. while it's been certified at 93% RT, based on what you said I can't tell whether you'd in particular like it.

 

[TheManBeyond]

uhhhh.... considering the backstory is the premise of the show and the Island is just a setting for them to explore it and figure out why they are there?

"Live together, die alone."

But they could have cut down Seasons 4-6 immensely, tbh. The best seasons were the first three.

Yeah their personal background is cool, there are some chapters where it takes 90% of the episode tho. They might be in the middle of some awesome fight, about to discover an ancient civilization, a rain of polars bears falling from the sky and then just in that moment someone goes like: I did it because it was my son! Or: U feel guilty! Haha it's like cmon.
But first episodes of second season are more interesting. So I'm believing again. Like john lock said: I'm a man of faith. I did all u asked me! What else should I do?

Also watched 3 episodes from black mirror since someone here recommended it, first one was cool. The next two kind of boring so I quit it. Kind of predictable morality stuff. Is anyone watching it? Perhaps second season is better?

 

[Jennywocky]

The Other Side of the Door.

hahahahaha. Well, this movie had "Lifetime for Women" channel plastered all over it, despite being a wide release film; I wouldn't really call it a true horror film. Plus it stole elements from The Grudge, the Exorcist, Pet Sematary, and other horror flicks, without really earning them.

I got through it, but.... ehhh.. thank god it was only like 90 minutes. I laughed a number of times.

However, there was one powerful scene that as a mom was really hard to watch. If you see it, you'll know which. It was just so f*cked up. I wish the remainder of the movie had been better done.

 

[Jennywocky]

American Psycho.

Christian Bale was decent, but after you've seen the first 10-15 minutes, you can just forward to the last ten minutes to pretty much grasp the whole movie. Elements of it were darkly funny, but... not as entertaining as a fully engrossing movie.

Note: If you hate Jared Leto, then maybe it's worth watching the first half hour.

 

[TheManBeyond]

Lost is getting much more interesting, i heard a lot of people disliked 5 season, i've just seen around 8 episodes of it so i cannot give definitive conclusions but for sure the 3, 4 and 5 seasons are the best. First season was boring as fuck, really slow and really dramatic, and some drama that didn't add anything to the show. But now, time shifts are a really interesting way of explaning a lot of details that you thought were so wtf at first, so it kind of makes breath the 1 season bullcrap. Don't get me wrong, not all drama is shitty, some of it is cool and touchy. And i think making the characters to leave the island to then comeback is soooo rule breaking, you are not supposed to keep developing an story after such event. And even tho they suddenly say: look, christian is jacob, father of claire as well, it just keeps you interested in how they are going to explain such thing. That's positive.

 

[Jennywocky]

Lost is getting much more interesting, i heard a lot of people disliked 5 season, i've just seen around 8 episodes of it so i cannot give definitive conclusions but for sure the 3, 4 and 5 seasons are the best. First season was boring as fuck, really slow and really dramatic, and some drama that didn't add anything to the show. But now, time shifts are a really interesting way of explaning a lot of details that you thought were so wtf at first, so it kind of makes breath the 1 season bullcrap. Don't get me wrong, not all drama is shitty, some of it is cool and touchy. And i think making the characters to leave the island to then comeback is soooo rule breaking, you are not supposed to keep developing an story after such event. And even tho they suddenly say: look, christian is jacob, father of claire as well, it just keeps you interested in how they are going to explain such thing. That's positive.

meh, I thought it was kind of a muddly mess but here's the thing:

When it aired, it confused a lot of people because we had to wait a week for each episode, then a year until the next season.

I actually blitz-watched the entire series maybe last fall (?), so I watched Seasons 4-6 in a pretty short time. It was better to watch in a blitz-format versus dragging it out on a weekly basis, it was better than I remembered despite not being my favorite seasons. I think it's just hard for folks to keep track of all the time threads.

I will say the last 15-20 minutes of Season 5 are just freaking nuts and one of my favorite moments in the series. Kind of devastating though.

Spoiler

Juliet has freaking balls... so proud of her. But damn girl.

 

[Creeping Death]

Memento. I usually don't like watching movies because most are disappointing in some way or another but I kinda liked this one.

 

[QuickTwist]

I came into a room where the movie 'Lion' was being watched. I didn't catch the very beginning, but it was one of the rare occasions that I actually sat through a whole movie.

Despite the fact that it looks like a huge Google advertisement, I am pretty sure its based on true events.

What drew me to it immediately, is that it showed a boy who was in india who was going through some really shitty circumstances. It captivated the sympathy I have for people right away.

I didn't cry watching it, but there were some parts in it that were quite emotional.

It made me see that maybe my life isn't/wasn't so bad all things considered. It was like, I saw what this kid went through and it just made me think of all the kids whose story didn't turn out so well - sex trade is a pretty big thing in the world and India is no exception. I guess I just have to say my heart goes out to those who get thrown through the wringer and come out dead.

 

[TheManBeyond]

the ghost and the darkness 10/10

100th time i watch it, amazing, creepy as always, cool movie

 

[Jennywocky]

Dunkirk (in IMAX).

Probably Nolan's most confident film, he relies on a clean narrative unladen by expository text or much dialogue, it's all visual, dependent on the actors and the context and camera lens. And it works, although the plight of one of the protagonists feels almost Sisyphean in nature and frustrating to witness.

The film's audio track builds tension seemingly without end, it can be a long time to feel on the edge of one's seat if you know the overall ending to the ordeal. It's also not overwrought (as Spielberg might have done earlier in his career), it just tells the story and that's unsettling and tense enough.

Heroism is also depicted as the small details of life, not necessarily large blatant acts.

And hey, it logs in less than two hours easily.

 

[Nebulous]

Heathers! (1989)

Overall: loved it! Dark, twisted, funny as hell and i love the dialogue ~

“Dear Diary: My teen angst bullshit now has a body count.”
"Fuck me gently with a chainsaw. Do I look like Mother Teresa?”
"Chaos is great! Chaos is what killed the dinosaurs, darling.”

NICE NICE NICE.

I was familiar with parts of the musical, but today I realized Winona Ryder is in the movie, then found the whole thing on YouTube and watched it. She's so damn good. What a great actress. And Christian Slater was wonderful too, I loved watching him on screen. Just a great movie

I recommend

It's sort of goofy satire
Ah

 

[Jennywocky]

Heathers! (1989)

Overall: loved it! Dark, twisted, funny as hell and i love the dialogue ~

“Dear Diary: My teen angst bullshit now has a body count.”
"Fuck me gently with a chainsaw. Do I look like Mother Teresa?”
"Chaos is great! Chaos is what killed the dinosaurs, darling.”

NICE NICE NICE.

I was familiar with parts of the musical, but today I realized Winona Ryder is in the movie, then found the whole thing on YouTube and watched it. She's so damn good. What a great actress. And Christian Slater was wonderful too, I loved watching him on screen. Just a great movie

I recommend

It's sort of goofy satire
Ah

Yeah it's an old favorite of mine that I have been recommending to folks outside Gen X when I realize they haven't seen it yet.

I ran across the musical last year and thought it was great mainly because of how much of the movie the musical actually captures ... kind of impressed with it that way. the musical is hilarious when you know the movie. I thought the voice casting was great -- whoever is playing Veronica sounds just like her, which is interesting because Ryder has a distinctive voice. The Christian Slater dupe is not quite as spot on but still pretty good with the inflection.

 

[Jennywocky]

Atomic Blonde.

Theron and McAvoy rule the movie. Theron's a panther in chic clothes and just kicks ass while classing up the screen; McAvoy is kind of edgy and unpredictable and ruthlessly amoral.

The "debriefing" framework pushes the main story into flashbacks, which unfortunately kills momentum for the first 50-60% of the movie; every time I wanted to settle into the narrative, the debriefing would kick me out.

However, much is forgiven when we get to the lengthy and momentous "escort" scene that steers right into what must be an 8-10 minute no-holds-barred shootout/smackdown that is edited together to look like one tracking shot (or minimal -- I can't remember if there were any cuts, I was too engrossed in the action). It is gritty, it is crazy, it is just bloody and brutal.... one of my favorite fight scenes in a movie ever.

And that's not even the end of it, there's more to come after. Geez.

And just when you think the MOVIE is over, well, maybe it's not. There's yet MORE. Who is on whose side? Does it even matter if everyone else is dead? maybe not.

Cherry on top of the sundae = great song selections for the soundtrack.

7/10

 

[onesteptwostep]

Saw Dunkirk in IMAX. I have to say I got a headache half way in and I think it probably took away a lot from me enjoying the film. But anyway I thought the film was boring and not as epic as people online said it would be. I figured there would be more boats and airplanes, but there wasn't so much of it. The music was too loud too. I'm not even sure if there was like a climax in that movie- everything felt monotone. I think not showing the Frenchmen who defended the area was a miss too- and not seeing the enemy was also a minus. Not a fan, but I would watch it again without the headache to see if anything changes.

 

[Jennywocky]

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.

Partway through, I'm like, "This movie reminds me of something I saw last year, with the dialogue style and buddy antics..." Well, of course it did -- The Nice Guys (2016) was also a Shane Black film.

The plot for KKBB is all over the place and a little distracting, but it's really the interplay between Kilmer, RBJr, and Monaghan that is worth the viewing. Dense fast-paced dialogue but really funny if you have an ear for it. RDJr says he got the Iron Man gig because of this and I can understand why, based on tonal similarities.

Eyes Without a Face (1960)

Lovely movie, and obviously one that has a had a lot of influence in the last 50+ years, you can see it in many other films. Even how much they showed during the surgical scenes is just edgy and almost scandalous for the time. But really, I liked the moral underpinnings to it... the self-absorbed driven scientist out to assuage his own guilt and vindicate his skill, the daughter whose attitudes change over time, the assistant who was saved by the doctor once and now seems soulless as she colludes with his scientific endeavors... I thought the ending would go one way, but it went a better one.

 

[crippli]

Atomic Blonde.

Theron and McAvoy rule the movie. Theron's a panther in chic clothes and just kicks ass while classing up the screen; McAvoy is kind of edgy and unpredictable and ruthlessly amoral.

The "debriefing" framework pushes the main story into flashbacks, which unfortunately kills momentum for the first 50-60% of the movie; every time I wanted to settle into the narrative, the debriefing would kick me out.

However, much is forgiven when we get to the lengthy and momentous "escort" scene that steers right into what must be an 8-10 minute no-holds-barred shootout/smackdown that is edited together to look like one tracking shot (or minimal -- I can't remember if there were any cuts, I was too engrossed in the action). It is gritty, it is crazy, it is just bloody and brutal.... one of my favorite fight scenes in a movie ever.

And that's not even the end of it, there's more to come after. Geez.

And just when you think the MOVIE is over, well, maybe it's not. There's yet MORE. Who is on whose side? Does it even matter if everyone else is dead? maybe not.

Cherry on top of the sundae = great song selections for the soundtrack.

7/10

Finally someone made a movie I can actually identify with. Except to much fighting, too little brain. But nothing's ever perfect.

I am going to die my hair more blonde now.

I am still somewhat upset with the high heel fighting. That's too much for me. I would have bought, one kick, in the balls, spiked.

Amelia 2.0.
Interesting. During the movie. I asked myself the question. What will the people in 2000 years talk about around the campfire, when our civilization is gone. That they could talk instantly to people on the other side of the planet? I wonder how many times this planet have had internet earlier. Things go in circles. So I'm pretty sure, it's all been done before. Even immortality.

 

[Perfectly Normal Beast]

the circle (2017)

depicts the claustrophobic dystopia which humanity has chosen for itself for some reason while explicitly proclaiming it a (potential) utopia without offering any resolution to the indicators of dystopia it shows >.>

...we're fucked and hopelessly deluded

 

[TheManBeyond]

oh i liked Lost ending, weird in a way, i was already lost in 6 season bullcrap but it was cool.

not sure if right thread but i started watching Dexter, i like it, somehow it's so easy to digest, first season ending was kind of meh, everything happened too quickly. but i guess the problem is that this is not a drama like most of what i have seen recently, seems more like fun - action focused show. at least 1 season.

 

[Jennywocky]

Rewatched Solaris (2002) again, so that I can then watch the Tarvosky version (1972) that I just picked up this weekend.

I understand the two movies are different in approach and content, and the author hadn't seen the 2002 version and was critical.

But honestly, it's a solid if stream-lined film if you take it on its own terms. I don't really consider it "love in space" either; yes, it deals with a relationship as the emotional core of the movie, and that was a scripter/directorial choice, but it sure as hell ain't a rom-com. This is gritty connection, like something out of Endless Sunshine but moreso... two messed up people where one has been living stepped in guilt and emptiness since their relationship resolved in a pretty terrible way. Kelvin's response at Rheya's appearance is pretty raw, real, and complex... as well as her own wrestling over the substance of her own identity and being. If these are dreams, they are the kind of dreams that drive a man to madness.

Soderbergh is great at writing stripped-down, intently focused films. There's usually not much extraneous (if any) crap to dilute the narrative. So he only focuses on the nature of the planet Solaris as necessary to hint at elements of deity.

Viola Davis and Jeremy Davies play pretty according to type, although they are both solid... and Dr. Gordon (Davis) might come across as a belligerent paranoid but it doesn't mean she doesn't have substance to her arguments. That's another thing that makes the movie good, she presents a viewpoint that is both justifiable and rational even if it feels emotionally agonizing.

Anyway, I am looking forward to the Tarvosky version.

 

[TheManBeyond]

krampus, i don't even know why or how, i got tired of dexter.
movie is not that bad, some funny moments, i liked the disguises for the antisanta monsters and krampus himself looked quite scary for a family movie
i always thought american towns were creepy, u know all the space in between houses, so much forest and big windows, anyone can break into and stuff.

6.5/10

dexter got boring already in the middle of the 3 season, 4 and 5 were meh with some kind of cool moments, now in 6 they are trying to add creepyness to the show but it doesn't fit that well, because at some point it became really funny and lose the 1 and 2 season mistery.
i guess i'll finish anyway.

 

[Perfectly Normal Beast]

high-rise (2015)

...i don't know where to start...

...just take this...

oh good, i like an abba song now

 

[Jennywocky]

I finally watched "Hush" on Netflix -- Mike Flanagan (Oculus) directed.

it was ehhhhh. It really tried to do something new -- the stalked victim is deaf and this creates certain complications for her, since we take a lot of things about our ability to hear for granted. If you don't have direct line of sight with someone, it's hard to keep tabs on where they are. And there were some neat directing choices / sound palette approaches that were kind of cool.

However, much of the plot is repetitive and kind of dumb, all about people making dumb choices that keep them in harm's way or put them in harm's way... and the villain is really kind of lame, honestly. Which means everyone who dies at his hands should feel some amount of embarrassment.

Anyway, FINALLY, they decide to resolve the plot after arbitrarily having the villain wait for long periods of time, and then the movie ended. But it just felt pretty contrived and kind of boring on and off, although there's a few sequences that were okay.

 

[Jennywocky]

saw mother! today (Darren Aronofsky, starring Bardem and Lawrence).

oh dear god lol!

I think I liked it. But I understand why some might despise it. It's less a thinking movie than an experiential movie... although now some hours after I saw it, i find myself still thinking about it and trying to sort out the various meanings and reflections. It can also feel very self-indulgent, any time a writer writers about a writer writing feels self-indulgent, and there's a lot here at times that can feel like the writer addressing the audience.

 

[TheManBeyond]

el guardián invisible - 7/10

it's a thriller from spain, i really liked the aesthetics, kind of typical modern dark movie, the location is the north of spain, cold, dark, rainy, i like all of that. there is a serial killer, young girls, morals... nothing impressive, you kind of know how it's gonna end.
but it keeps you entertained

 

[Nebulous]

Kill Bill Vol. 1
Yo!! I've been wanting to watch this and I finally got to.
It was really good. Fun. Fun fun movie. God the sound effects and music pieces used throughout it were perfect, I was dancing around while watching and it gets you so pumped
Some AWESOME fight scenes, holy holy hell. How much training did they have to do? How did they put those scenes together? Ah I'm gonna have to find some behind the scenes clips.
Uma looks so much like the women on my dad's side of the family. I kept viewing her as my aunt and or great aunt.
Bunch of awesome characters, I mean Uma's is cool as hell, and the Tokyo crime lord girl

Spoiler

(her backstory part was hard to watch but once I got through it it did let me appreciate the general theme of "revenge"in the movie. Like, okay. If you're going to have such violence, there should be a cause that's proportionally vile. And if youre going to have something so deeply vile then there should be violent, cold bloody recompense.
^ As in the way her parents were killed was disgusting. Unsacred; like going too far with something personal and holy/ important, you know..
But that story justifies the later violence.
And that violence justifies the grossness of the backstory. They go hand in hand to make the movie more palatable, if you know what I mean.

I get evil in more of a Hannibal Lector sense than just unholy bloodbaths. And there a respectful line in horror movies, and if it's crossed I often loose my interest and respect for the show.

In NBC Hannibal, there's so much breaking down of human morality, humanity itself and it's full of twisted things and dark visions of god. I can handle it because it makes sense to me energy and moral wise. But hurting, killing, or torturing a dog? Will has seven dogs and there were some episodes where it seemed like something bad would happen to them, and i was prepared to turn it off and stop watching the show if the writers dared to disrespect that. Like showing that is just unnecessary cruelty. It's disgusting. Id loose respect for the writers immediately.
(The dogs were fine. Spoiler- someone tried to mess with one of Will's dogs and Will beat the man to death with his bare hands. Fuck yeah. That's what I want. Take care of the doggies.

 

[Jennywocky]

Kill Bill Vol. 1
Yo!! I've been wanting to watch this and I finally got to.
It was really good. Fun. Fun fun movie. God the sound effects and music pieces used throughout it were perfect, I was dancing around while watching and it gets you so pumped
Some AWESOME fight scenes, holy holy hell. How much training did they have to do? How did they put those scenes together? Ah I'm gonna have to find some behind the scenes clips.
Uma looks so much like the women on my dad's side of the family. I kept viewing her as my aunt and or great aunt.
Bunch of awesome characters, I mean Uma's is cool as hell, and the Tokyo crime lord girl

yeah, it's one of my favorite Tarantino movies and movies in general.. it's odd, its not that it's particularly deep (or at least not deep in a cogitative sense.... although on a PRIMAL level it's deep.... woman tries to assert independence, woman is punished, woman loses her baby, woman seeks revenge for the wrongs done her.... very much a western in terms of passions and moralities and codes and such... and it's got so many quotables)

the second one is more measured and lower-key, but the first one is balls-to-the-wall insanity.

O-ren Ishii, the Yakuza crime boss, is played by Lucy Liu. That animation from her childhood is totes insane.

You can never say the Bride is not brave or unambitious -- I love that she figures she might as well go for O-Ren first, because if she can't beat her, they why bother with the others? Geez. I saw this movie in the theater when it came out. After that whole Crazy 88 scene, she walks out the back for the fight of her life... and

Spoiler

there's this beautiful garden brimming with tranquility, falling snow, soft blue lighting, the click of the water ramp. It was stunning, the change in gears, and it worked. And then of course they ramp back up into the fight. Yeah, it's still an action movie, but I got choked up over it. Tarantino is sick with talent; Kill Bill vol 1 seemed a lot to me like he was just showing up, throwing a bunch of crazy stuff together purely on instinct, and it all works. He makes it look effortless, while still being able to jerk the emotions of the viewer around so easily.

I collected a number of songs from that movie, the cool opening to her fight with O-ren in the garden is the bridge section of Santa Esmerelda's "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood."

 

[Rook]

Threepenny Opera: ( a 1930's german film set in london)

I've never really said this before, so: this is the best film I have ever seen. I was enraptured by it from the start.

it.. welll.... actors real damned people, no showbo, they have character, conflict of caharcter, changes of mind second by second, they are HUMAN!

 

[TheManBeyond]

@nebulous
yeah, hannibal is pretty good, i started it last week, the aesthetics are stunning.
everyone treats dogs in a certain way there, they are some cohesive element. will cares about them, bedellia wants to kill them and hannibal is curious about them in human form, cuz he's superior, will has to be the only dog he could care for or even consider a friend. the fact he gives mason verger face to them is not a coincidence. bedelia is jelous of their relationship. in a way. this is just an interpretation of what i've seen so far.
it reminded me of the way house of cards started: kevin spacey saying to the camera: "There are two kinds of pain. The sort of pain that makes you strong, or useless pain. The sort of pain that's only suffering. I have no patience for useless things." while putting a dying dog out of its misery.

 

[Pizzabeak]

I saw a couple different versions of Threepenny Opera some time back. Didn't think it was all that really but some of the songs were alright I guess. You got what you were getting into it for. It was well produced and professional I suppose.

 

[TheManBeyond]

Madre

a chilean movie. there's a married couple with an autistic son, mother cannot control him and father is always on a business trip. one day they find a philipenean old lady who knows how to take care of the kid so they hire her, then a lot of weird things happen.
movie entertained me, it was cheaply done and the magic of the movie is in that weirdness, something just doesn't feel right about the plot. the ending is suddenly massive and violent and disturbing compared to the rest of the movie. i mean you can see where it is all going but you expect a subtle rising of events and darker scenarios or smth. but no... just the end.

6/10

hot main actress

 

[Jennywocky]

Sniff. Never again to see TMB's crazy movie selections in here, or his criteria for success ("hot main actress")...



Anyway:

Punch-Drunk Love: P.T. Anderson is a director I like, he always surprises me and usually has something to say. Also, this is one of the few movies by Adam Sandler I could stomach (although Emily Watson really takes this one home). I guess he was trying to do something short and meaningless after the epic of Magnolia? PDL is interesting but feels very random in what unfolds, and I never understood what Watson's character saw in Sandler's, so it lessened the movie's quality for me.

Kong: Skull Island: No great aspirations here, just a streamlined action flick reminiscent of Predator a bit. The characters are archetypical and drawn with broad strokes but work for the movie's purpose; and there's some decent action set pieces. Heart of the movie is John C Reilly's marooned soldier, it actually gives the film a bit of substance. Still, it's just meant to be a fun blitz through giant monster territory. If you want weepy pathos (and another hour of run-time), go watch Peter Jackson's version.

The Third Man (1949): Well, damn. I usually don't watch films from this time bracket, but it was actually really great. And when Orson Welles walks on screen... he's mesmerizing. I think my favorite part of the movie (aside from the crazy angles and tinny cut-scene music and the stark b/w cinematography) is that it's not simplistic morality. Friends become villains, potential lovers become pariahs, the police might be good or bad... the movie doesn't resort to easy resolutions. Welles' speechifying is great. And you get a real sense of the ruin overseas after the war... something we USA'ers don't really grasp.

Fruitvale Station: Sh*t. I just sat swearing into an empty living room as this film ended. It made me angry, which is not a common response I have to movies. It was Ryan Coogler's first film and he nails it. The best part is that the day of events he films is "ordinary," he just lets everything speak for itself. Characters are muddled messes and actually seem like the real people, these scenes feel lived in and organic. Octavia Spencer as Oscar's mom is passionate + matriarchal. Just a devastating film.

 

[Creeping Death]

Cidade de Deus

It's not often you find a crime drama that is as good as Scorsese movies.

 

[Perfectly Normal Beast]

the true cost (2015) - discomforting examination of the role that the (fast) fashion industry is playing in helping to bring about total global dystopia/apocalypse

 

[Jennywocky]

While the forum apparently can't get its shit together on discussing trans topics, I was out being constructive and watching Blade Runner 2049.

Loved this. One of the best movies I have seen all year. I felt like it took themes from the original without undermining them and then built its own film by expanding on those themes in new directions. It's not a rehash of the first film, it creates its own voice... but it feels distinctly like Blade Runner in terms of visuals and sound and tone. Villeneuve hasn't made a dud film yet, as far as I can recall.

He definitely doesn't RUSH the film and that's why it runs so long, but each scene seems to breathe on its own. There's also some great transhuman kind of concepts playing through here (I was thinking of Coggy watching this, maybe he'd love this) -- one sequence is reminiscent of "Her" but definitely puts its own spin on things.

The bigger the screen to view it on, the better.

 

[Pyropyro]

Watched Danish Film Villads fra Valby with the fiancee. A cute movie about a 6-year old troublemaker starting his school life.

Also, are European summer nights really that short?

 

[Puffy]

I fell out of watching films a few years ago but have been getting back into it in the last few weeks:

Raging Bull
Evil Dead / Evil Dead 2 / Army of Darkness
This is Spinal Tap
The Big Lebowski
Blue Velvet / Mulholland Drive / Fire: Walk With Me
Kill Bill Vol. 1 & 2...

I don't like David Lynch like I did years ago. I rarely find his films boring, I just feel he too often pulls the wool over your eyes in (brilliantly) creating this sense of suspenseful mystery and making out there's this complex depth that I don't think is always there. A curtain on a stage unveiling nothing. Or, surrealism so vague to a point you're not really saying anything, except whatever the audience finds. This can be defended in comparing his films to dreams, and the process of viewing to dream interpretation. Maybe, I just see little reason to invest time in that, given the enormous quantity of my own dreams to ponder, unless I feel the artist has something important to communicate and decipher. He makes out that he does, then hides behind vagueness and obscurity, a kind of director-audience power-play by refusing to enter a dialogue. Overall it gives off the vibe of pretension, dishonesty, self-indulgence, and artistic cowardice.

Blue Velvet is different. There's something very real, tangible and close to home about it that makes it stand out as one of his best films to me. It hits the right balance of dream and reality, and feels like it's actually communicating. He discovered the style that would make him popular in that film but would later go on to pastiche and pastiche it until there's no real substance left. I haven't seen all of his films to validate that but it hits home for Wild at Heart, Twin Peaks (inc Fire: Walk With Me), Mulholland Drive, and Inland Empire imo.

Evil Dead 2 surprised me. I'd seen the first film years ago, and thought the comedy twist on the original premise was brilliant. The first 30 minutes where Ash is going insane alone in the cabin is a genius blending of horror and comedy and a very impressive solo performance. The film becomes significantly weakened by an uninteresting supporting cast after that, but it was still very entertaining and I re-watched it with friends shortly after the first viewing.

 

[Jennywocky]

Don't Look Now (1973) -- Great acting and some really novel edit techniques (esp for the time period). Also it's clear that a lot of the story and filming was thought out ahead of time, with recurring imagery (the color red, the theme of water, the purposeful lack of subtitles in spots, and so on). Unfortunately, I had no emotional response to this movie. I did not care about the protagonists, I was not shocked by anything that happened, and the ending while cathartic for one of the main characters had no impact for me. Worth watching if you're a film person to study film technique but otherwise... I'm not sure.

Thirst (2009) -- by the Oldboy and Handsmaiden director. Can't say there are NEW vampire concepts here, and they are pretty westernized for a South Korean picture. However, this movie generates a lot of thought (how would a Catholic priest respond to becoming vampirized and now wrestling with his declining humanity?), as well as pathos and surprisingly a lot of humor... the wry and awkward kind that results from simply being human, especially in matters of love. I did not expect myself to respond emotionally across such a range to a movie in this genre and with subtitles, even to the bittersweet ending. If you want something that will both make you think and feel, while also not pulling any punches in terms of occasional moments of violence and sex, well, this is it... It shows the typical hallmarks of Park Chan-wook, although not to the degree that The Handmaiden took them.

Evil Dead 2 surprised me. I'd seen the first film years ago, and thought the comedy twist on the original premise was brilliant. The first 30 minutes where Ash is going insane alone in the cabin is a genius blending of horror and comedy and a very impressive solo performance. The film becomes significantly weakened by an uninteresting supporting cast after that, but it was still very entertaining and I re-watched it with friends shortly after the first viewing.

Yeah, I felt like it was a revision/improvement on the first Evil Dead movie and was surprised at how much I liked it. I also highly recommend the Starz "Ash vs Evil Dead" series, which you'll figure out if you like after watching the first two or three of the 25-minute episodes.

 

[Ex-User (14663)]

Also, are European summer nights really that short?

Depending on how far north you go, there are places (e.g. in Norway) where the sun doesn't set at all during summer