Movies: Last Movie You Watched and Rate It | Part#: Some High Number +3

[nameless1]

If anyone is interested, there is a virtual film festival on youtube that begins on May 29th. Major film festivals around the world will submit some films and patrons can watch for free. The majority of the films are from past festivals, and the selection is not all that impressive, but there are a couple of movies that pique my interest. The films will unlock at the time of their "premiere", just like all film festivals.

We Are One

 

[nameless1]

I would have put Pilgrim in the ones to avoid, with Speed Racer and Heaven Knows What.

Yeah, Speed Racer is just bad, and will give people seizures. Coincidentally, it killed Emile Hirsch's chance to be the next Hollywood leading man at the same time.

I enjoyed Scott Pilgrim, but it is mainly because of all the Canadian references, which is rare in mainstream pictures. The movie is more of a guilty pleasure, to be honest.

 

[Tasty Biscuits]

I enjoyed Scott Pilgrim, but it is mainly because of all the Canadian references, which is rare in mainstream pictures.

When I was taking a bus tour of Toronto way back, I asked our tour guide if the long steps we just saw were where "Chris Evans did that 'grindy thing' in Scott Pilgrim," and she was positively delighted, as apparently no one ever brought it up.

 

[nameless1]

When I was taking a bus tour of Toronto way back, I asked our tour guide if the long steps we just saw were where "Chris Evans did that 'grindy thing' in Scott Pilgrim," and she was positively delighted, as apparently no one ever brought it up.

We Canadians do have an inferior complex. That is the reason why we are so polite. We really want people to like us.

 

[Puck]

The Trip to Greece, Directed by Michael Winterbottom, 7.5

The 4th and final installment of The Trip series with Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon. They actually start off in Turkey near the site of Troy and track back to Greece. It follows the same pattern as the other films, the guys travel to various restaurants to taste the food while doing their impressions and one-upmanship routines at the dinner table.

I like this summary from Apple Magazine, "Watching “The Trip to Greece” at a time when such travel is impossible has only heightened the considerable pleasures of these movies (and made the food all the more appetizing). But mostly it’s reinforced the simple delight of sitting table-side with Coogan and Brydon. For all their trivial sparring, they are exceedingly good company."

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

Strongly second Irreversible. Hard to sit through, but a movie of real importance about rape and toxic masculinity.

Though I feel "meh" about some of the movies on the list (Orlando; The Limey), the only movie I actively dislike that I have seen is Dick Tracy, but even then I wouldn't say don't see it. I'm no fan of Scott Pilgrim, either, but not to the point of thinking people should avoid it.

Post Tenebras Lux should have made my original list.

More movies I would add:

Nights of Lisbon (Ruiz)
The Exterminating Angel (Bunuel)
The Death of Louis XIV (Serra)
Upstream Color (Carruth)
and likely my favourite movie of the century I Don' t Want to Sleep Alone (Tsai)

I really need to see more Marguerite Duras movies.

I have an overwhelming urge to see Happy Feet Two now.

This shit is really addictive. I...will...stop. Maybe.

Haven't seen Happy Feet either, but I can't say I'm more interested that I was yesterday. Dick Tracy was ok... The Limey was ok... Morvern Callar is a good film, but nothing you ain't seen before. The more I go through that list, the more I think it should be redone.

 

[Spring in Fialta]

I'm more curious about which ones you've enjoyed than you are about what I think of the list (I certainly appreciate that he goes for Carlos Reygadas, but I think there's a few films in there that are just trash..... you've most probably not seen anything like a Lucifer Valentine film before, but I wouldn't recommand you do).

Also, like @kihei (I was sure you hated Holy Motors for some reason), I'd add some stuff:
Roy Andersson, I'd go with Songs From the Second Floor, but yeah, amazing aesthetics
Gaspar Noé, even though I'd say Enter the Void is necessarily good, it's still not Noé's best (Irréversible), but maybe his most unique. Seul contre tous is something too.
Raoul Ruiz, of course, Les trois couronnes du matelot, best film ever.
Marguerite Duras, her best film to me is Le Navire Night - and still different from anything else enough - but I'd go with Son nom de Venise dans Calcutta désert as her most unique.
Bernard Queysanne's Un homme qui dort, based on Perec's novel.
Peter Greenaway's The Tulse Luper Suitcases project.

And there's a lot of other directors with very strong signatures.

I think Irreversible and Seul contre tous are both masterpieces, but I find the latter has much less hype (probably because it's less flashy and no big names) but is the better film. Philippe Nahon gives a perfect performance too and the movie being narrated in almost completely as internal monologues is a fine touch, showing great understanding and artistry of his character's social predicament.

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

I think Irreversible and Seul contre tous are both masterpieces, but I find the latter has much less hype (probably because it's less flashy and no big names) but is the better film. Philippe Nahon gives a perfect performance too and the movie being narrated in almost completely as internal monologues is a fine touch, showing great understanding of his character's social predicament.

I agree that Seul contre tous is an amazing film and that Nahon is perfect in a unorthodox part and approach that could have turned out pretty bad. I still think that Irréversible is a tiny little notch above - the warning at the end of Seul contre tous is extremely clever and original, but in Irréversible, this distanciation effect is built-in the fabric of the film and it opens it up to a constant interpretative effort from the viewer. I think both films are brilliant, probably both 10/10, but there's just something in Irréversible that puts the male viewer in a corner and that was a tour de force.

I don't think Nolan really put to good use a similar structure with Memento, but before Noé came Lipsky's Happy End. Light, cynic, brilliant.

 

[kihei]

Haven't seen Happy Feet either, but I can't say I'm more interested that I was yesterday. Dick Tracy was ok... The Limey was ok... Morvern Callar is a good film, but nothing you ain't seen before. The more I go through that list, the more I think it should be redone.

As long as you keep the 15 movies I like, no problem. But pretty good list in my book.

 

[Spring in Fialta]

Hell or High Water (2016) - I enjoyed it but I think the high critical acclaim had me expecting something more. Its screenplay seemed to have gotten serious points from being above regular Hollywood fare and I thought that it hinted at some interesting things but it gave me the impression that the writer held themselves back for accessibility and pitched in some common tropes to avoid losing any sort of audience. I also wasn't as impressed by the cinematography as others seem to be. I still think it's a good film, and the performances of Foster and Bridges are very good, while I found Pine lacking. I also thought the heists were planned very cleverly. I wish the characters hadn't been such archetypes though (the clever but quirky policeman in his last rodeo, the erratic cowboy with a heart of gold, the sensitive, silent type who can still whoop your ass at the drop of a hat) and the 'instant, unexpected shot through the head' move has somewhat become a go-to moves for veils of originality where there isn't much (although the flesh wound exploding only in the corner of the screen was an actual nice touch, without the filmmaker ever paying attention to it in the moment). The dialogue was generally strong (besides the odd hammy touch) and I thought the ending was still well-done in the context of how the movie had built itself up with a sort of bitter understanding between winner and loser. A solid film. Certainly better than other recent Westerns.

 

[ItsFineImFine]

I was re-watching the newest Spider-Man film for the first time (Gyllenhaal is fantastic) and then watched some group review or whatever of it and then got kinda bummed out cos they all seem to really be able into nerd culture and enjoy it and I feel very disconnected from it and don't feel I ever have the time to get into it. I watch the films but don't really read comic books or buy the merch or do much gaming or watch the TV shows and Ialso don't have a group of young friends to discuss a film with like this in the same city anyways. It's not the same on Whatsapp. I'm not really big into nerd culture either,

Don't get me wrong, some of these people are kinda obnoxious, I can't stand people that try to make dumb attention-grabbing jokes every second and aren't serious but still, it was fun to be back in high school and be able to discuss stuff like this.

 

[Jevo]

Big fan of Enemy. I also found a lot to like about Holy Motors as well. And I think Scott Pilgrim is fun as hell. Uncle Boonmee, Speed Racer, Perfect Blue, and Princess Kayuga are all ones I've previously bookmarked to check out, but haven't gotten around to any of them yet.



Well I mean, I'd certainly like to know which ones to potentially stay away from as well.

Go ahead and watch Perfect Blue, and then watch the rest of Satoshi Kon's movies. In terms of things you've never seen like before, Paprika is probably an even bigger trip than Perfect Blue.

 

[kihei]

Take Me Somewhere Nice (2019) Directed by Ena Sendijarevic 6B

Alma travels from the Netherlands to Bosnia to visit a dying father who she has never met before. She stays with her slightly older male cousin and his sidekick. While the sidekick is friendly, the cousin is basically a sea slug, and not an especially amiable one. Alma goes off on her own adventures for awhile, but eventually the guys help her out, only to discover that her father has already died. With not much else to do, they head for the beach. Take Me Somewhere Nice is not exactly plot heavy. For the first 15 minutes, I wondered if it even had a pulse. But it slowly gets more interesting. With the style continuing to be fresh and pleasing as director Ena Sendijarevic makes good use of camera angles and colour, the pace picks up in its own laconic way, and the character studies become intriguing. Our young central threesome realize that they don't have much of a future because they have no skills, especially the Bosnian lads who long to emigrate to countries that don't want them. Coming-of-age movies are a dime a dozen, and this one is a good one, not a great one. It's the sort of movie one only sees at film festivals or at movie sites like MUBI. But there is a lot of promise on display here. Ena Sendijarevic next project just might be a big step forward beyond this one. Take Me Somewhere Nice is a neat but tiny triumph of style over content.

subtitiles

 

[Mario Lemieux fan 66]

Les misérables (2019): 8/10

 

[ProstheticConscience]

Operation Finale

with Ben Kingsley, Oscar Isaac, and nobody else you'll remember.

Dramatization of the Mossad's operation to bring escaped SS adjutant Adolf Eichmann from his 1960 hidey-hole in Argentina to Israel to stand trial for his part in the Holocaust.

Ben Kingsley + Oscar Issac + WWII drama = yawn. That should tell you all you need to know here.

On Netflix.

Aryan, Indian...who's counting?

 

[Osprey]

The Night of the Hunter (1955) - 8/10 (Loved it)

During the Great Depression, a crooked "pastor" (Robert Mitchum) worms his way into a rural community and the family of a widow (Shelley Winters) in order to discover where her dead husband hid a pile of money, a secret that only her two young children know. This thriller directed by Charles Laughton (yes, that Charles Laughton) reminded me a lot of Cape Fear (which would come later and also feature Mitchum terrorizing a family). It's too bad that this was the only film that Laughton ever directed because it has a great "folk noir" style and is genuinely creepy. Mitchum delivers a fantastically sinister performance as a man who quotes Scripture and sings hymns, but is actually evil through and through. It's like an anti-Going My Way, since, instead of a kind, singing pastor helping children and eschewing money, it's a crooked, singing "pastor" hunting down children for money. The theme is very black and white--it's good vs evil--making it feel very much like a 1950s film, yet the subject also really makes it stand out in that decade. I can see why it wasn't a success at the time (which is what discouraged Laughton from ever directing again) and I can also see why it's been positively re-assessed by later generations and is now considered a classic. The cinematography, with lots of playing on light and shadows, is excellent. I also liked the soundtrack and the frequent use of folk hymns is one of the most enduring (and enduringly creepy) aspects of the entire film. I may not be able to listen to the hymn "Leaning on the Everlasting Arms" the same away again. For the most part, it has a good pace. It drags a bit near the end and the pastor's fate isn't very satisfying, but those weren't enough to hurt my enjoyment much. I still loved it and am glad that I finally discovered it. If you feel like an old-fashioned, Cape Fear-like thriller or in seeing one of Mitchum's more effective performances and can tolerate the religiosity, you can find it on Prime Video.

 

[kihei]

"folk noir"--great description.

And too bad for sure that the Great Ham never directed again.

 

[kihei]

Happy Feet Two (2011) Directed by Gary Eck and David Peers 4A

Happy Feet Two has no business being on any list of unique films. The story is standard issue, environmentally friendly, inclusive kid stuff about thousands of trapped penguins, and the various forces that come to their rescue. Cute, really cute, too cute. But, hey. Who is grinch enough to object to cute penguins? The music is American Idol awful while the animation gets a little repetitive given there is not much to look at except snow and penguins. But Happy Feet Two has one saving grace. In a subplot, two crill, voiced by Brad Pitt and Matt Damon, try to escape the pack and go out on their own. Brad is the independent one, but Matt kind of wouldn't mind settling down, ya know. Pitt and Damon even hinting at gay crill, I mean, that's a breath of fresh air, though the movie isn't as eager as Damon to push the envelope here. Aside from that note of originality, Happy Feet Two should have never made the list, though.

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

Happy Feet Two (2011) Directed by Gary Eck and David Peers 4A

Happy Feet Two has no business being on any list of unique films. The story is standard issue, environmentally friendly, inclusive kid stuff about thousands of trapped penguins, and the various forces that come to their rescue. Cute, really cute, too cute. But, hey. Who is grinch enough to object to cute penguins? The music is American Idol awful while the animation gets a little repetitive given there is not much to look at except snow and penguins. But Happy Feet Two has one saving grace. In a subplot, two crill, voiced by Brad Pitt and Matt Damon, try to escape the pack and go out on their own. Brad is the independent one, but Matt kind of wouldn't mind settling down, ya know. Pitt and Damon even hinting at gay crill, I mean, that's a breath of fresh air, though the movie isn't as eager as Damon to push the envelope here. Aside from that note of originality, Happy Feet Two should have never made the list, though.

Ahahah, I love that you did it.

 

[ORRFForever]

Operation Finale

with Ben Kingsey, Oscar Isaac, and nobody else you'll remember.

Dramatization of the Mossad's operation to bring escaped SS adjutant Adolf Eichmann from his 1960 hidey-hole in Argentina to Israel to stand trial for his part in the Holocaust.

Ben Kingsley + Oscar Issac + WWII drama = yawn. That should tell you all you need to know here.

On Netflix.

Aryan, Indian...who's counting?

Yes. Operation Finale is the banality of film making.

 

[Babe Ruth]

Coogan's Bluff (1968)

A Clint Eastwood joint I had never seen.. Eastwood is an Arizona lawman, who travels to NYC for an extradition. Typical Eastwood.. he has a brief romance while on the trail of his escaped prisoner. The girlfriend is well played by the adoptive mom from Webster.. Some nice exterior shots of NYC.
I rate it 6 (on a 10 point scale).

 

[ProstheticConscience]

Yes. Operation Finale is the banality of film making.

Sir Ben Kingsley, Oscar Isaac, and there's nothing in the movie worth seeing. Nothing. That's quite a feat.

 

[kihei]

Sir Ben Kingsley, Oscar Isaac, and there's nothing in the movie worth seeing. Nothing. That's quite a feat.

And not a happy feat too.

 

[kihei]

Stolen Kisses (1968) Directed by Francois Truffaut 8A

At the end of The 400 Blows, an early pillar of the French New Wave, 14-year-old Antoine Doinel (Jean Pierre Leaud) is caught in the most famous freeze-frame ending in film history alone on a beach staring out to sea with no expectations and nowhere to go. Doinel possesses minor delinquent impulses, irrepressible curiosity and lots of heart, but he lives with a family and in a world that just doesn't want him around. Stolen Kisses picks up on his story several years later when Doinel, now a young adult (still played by Jean Pierre Leaud) has just been less than honourably discharged from the army. At loose ends, he has a pretty but dull girlfriend and an eagerness to do any odd job that comes his way but no talent for completing any of them successfully. He ends up in a detective agency where he is remarkably inept at trailing people. Finally the agency assists a client (Michael Lonsdale) who wants to know why people don't like him, and Doinel is assigned to the case as an observer. His sleuthing includes working in a shoe store where he meets his client's beautiful and sophisticated wife, with whom he becomes bashfully smitten. Complications ensue. The Doinel we meet in Stolen Kisses is a plausible extension of the Doinel we last glimpse on the beach in The 400 Blows. He still doesn't really fit anywhere, only now he is easily distracted by pretty faces and affairs of the heart. Also, he has a questionable attention span and no real interest to speak of beyond his romantic distractions. However, his charm has not soured....yet. Stolen Kisses is a sweet, comic movie with no end of gentle touches and wry observations by director Francois Truffaut. Leaud remains the perfect actor for the character, endearing without ever being ingratiating. The movie is full of little surprises, too. For instance, when Doinel writes a love letter and mails it, we travel with the letter along its journey through the antiquated, almost ancient tube system in Paris that enables a letter to get from one place to the next. Why? Just because Trauffaut thought it was a good idea at the time. And it is. Stolen Kisses is a humane and lovely work with a touch that is light as a feather.

subtitles

 

[ItsFineImFine]

Stolen Kisses and the two other Doinel films after it make a good trilogy. All better than The 400 Blows actually.

Straight Up (2020) - 6/10

Bit of a mumblecore film. A guy with some of the OCD and speech mannerisms of Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory is struggling with his gay identity or whatever. Meets a cute girl, falls in love with her but isn't sexually attracted to her. They try to make it work while his group of friends judge (they seemed quite toxic tbh). The dialogue has a bunch of quick quips and rapid camera cuts that show off some decent chemistry between the two leads but is a bit off. It predictably ends in that quasi-abstract-dreamy way that modern American indie budget films strive to go for.

edit: Oh and Asian Jim is in it.