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

[Savi]

I got to see Shoplifters as it FINALLY hit theaters over here, had to wait a long time. While I'd never describe Koreeda's movies as brilliant, I think this one for me could be right up there with some of his best (for me personally, that might be Nobody Knows, or maybe Our Little Sister). It's really a typical Koreeda movie as per usual. Starts of kinda slow and for a long time not much seems to be happening but then somehow the magic of it starts creeping in and by the end you're left somewhat speechless. Although I have to say that final scene made me leave the building with a pretty shitty feeling.

 

[Spring in Fialta]

Sweet and Lowdown (1999) - Re-watched for the first time in a couple of years. I think it's easily one of Woody Allen's best films in his later career, and he gets wonderful performances from both Sean Penn and Samantha Morton (who does not utter a word in the film). Recreating the story of Emmet Ray, a legend among jazz aficionados (which Allen is), through a fictional documentary (which is better than most actual documentaries), it explores the artist's self-destructive tendencies and genius guitar playing, but without the usual dramatics. I found that very appealing. Instead, Allen uses humor and a certain flippant attitude to turn the romanticism of the artist on its head, exemplified superbly by Uma Thurman's character, a hack writer who annoys Ray and gangsters with her constant badgering about the inner-self. There's a highly entertaining scene where Thurman's character and Emmet Ray are watching freight trains - an activity Ray highly enjoys - and the former continuously attempts to extract meaning from the act before Ray eventually shuts her up by telling her that she sounds like she wants to go to bed with the train.

Like a good storyteller, Allen doesn't dwell unto the dramatics. Breakup scenes are not shown, only their lingering consequences. I find that it helps a film become less emotionally manipulative than other counterparts. Emmet Ray's peculiar mannerisms tell more of a story than his actual dialogue. This movie is a little gem. Also, while there are longer movies that I adore, I think Sweet and Lowdown is a great example of a good story can be heightened by telling it in 90 minutes.

 

[Arizonan God]

Vice (dir. Adam McKay)

Oh boy. What a mess. Tonally all over the place, paced strangely, the editing is actively annoying. It really is a waste of a fantastic performance by Christian Bale, who completely inhabits the roll of VP Cheney. It was also incredibly smug. Really didn't like this one at all.

3/10

 

[ORRFForever]

Delete. Duplicate

 

[ORRFForever]

Glass [2019] :

Unbreakable is a masterpiece and the best super hero movie I've ever seen.

Split, a pseudo-sequel, is a mess but has its moments.

Glass, the third in the series, brings David Dunn (Unbreakable) and The Beast (Split) together for an early movie confrontation. The battle finishes in a draw and the two, along with Mr. Glass, end up in an insane asylum. There they meet Dr. Ellie Staple (Nurse Ratched) and the four battle for control, with all the twists and turns you'd expect in an M. Night Shyamalan movie.

As for the performances...

James McAvoy is amazing, flashing in and out of Kevin's 24 personalities. And, while everyone else is good, the camera loves Anya Taylor-Joy.

While Glass is not on the same level as Unbreakable, I really enjoyed it. Glass is better than the endless super hero movies we've seen in recent years and well worth the price of admission.

8/10

Movie Trailer :

 

[Live in the Now]

I feel the exact opposite, I thought it was a misfire. It was unbelievably dull and suffered greatly from where the near entirety of the film takes place.

4/10 for me.

 

[ORRFForever]

I feel the exact opposite, I thought it was a misfire. It was unbelievably dull and suffered greatly from where the near entirety of the film takes place.

4/10 for me.

Sorry to hear that. When it comes to my super hero movies, I take a less is more approach.

**

Was it busy in the theater?

 

[Nalens Oga]

Manhunter (1986) - 7/10

Silence of The Lambs but in the 80s. Very stylish like most Michael Mann films but it's let down by 80s-isms like terrible awful pop music and some bad effects (most laughably during the ending) along with mediocre acting, especially from the protagonist. Dr. Lector unfortunately is not the focus of this film and doesn't loom large over the movie the way he did in Silence of The Lambs. The pacing gets a bit bogged down in terminology as well. I'm convinced though that if Mann had made Silence of The Lambs in the 90s, it would've been even better than the one we know.

Ze Marriage of Maria Braun (1979) - 7.5/10

Cynical post-war German film. The lead Maria Braun is transfixing even if she's a somewhat poorly written character at times. Every interaction in this movie oozes chemistry, it just gets a bit tiresome in the end so falls short of great.

 

[Live in the Now]

Sorry to hear that. When it comes to my super hero movies, I take a less is more approach.

**

Was it busy in the theater?

100% full including front row.

 

[ORRFForever]

100% full including front row.

I'm (pleasantly) surprised how popular this movie is.

 

[OzzyFan]

Glass (2019)
2.25 out of 4stars

Not as good as it's trilogy predecessors in Unbreakable or Split, nor does it live up to it's potential, but it's an interesting take on the superheros/villains theme with some smart twists and turns, albeit the audience enjoying them all is up to debate. Suspense building is hit and miss also. The best way I can put my take on this would be: "I enjoyed the movies concept and ideas more than the film itself".

 

[ORRFForever]

^^ Re : "some smart twists and turns" ^^

Well put.

3 reviews and 3 different results. One low, one medium, one high.

 

[Arizonan God]

Finally got around to seeing The Tree Of Life (dir. Terrence Malick)

Don’t know how to write about exactly how I felt about it, but I’m very happy it was made. Very interested to hear what other members thought of this one.

 

[ORRFForever]

Fyre : The Greatest Party That Never Happened [2019] :

A sociopath conned a bunch of spoiled rich kids out of their money by selling them tickets to a high end music festival in the Bahamas that wasn't as advertised.

Oh well... that's a shame.

While my Empathy Meter seldom moved, that doesn't mean the documentary wasn't interesting.

6.5/10

Netflix Original Movie Trailer :

 

[ORRFForever]

Is the February 2019 release of Cold Pursuit...



a remake of ?...

In Order Of Disappearance (2014) :

A snow plough driver loses his son to a gang of drug pushers. While getting revenge, he triggers a mob war. Black humour is sprinkled throughout.

In Order Of Disappearance is "okay" but it's too long.

I'm giving the movie an extra rating point because of the film's look - snow, snow everywhere, and I love movies with snow.

5.5/10

Spoken Languages : Norwegian, Swedish, English, Serbian and German.

Movie Trailer :

 

[Osprey]

I'm giving the movie an extra rating point because of the film's look - snow, snow everywhere, and I love movies with snow.

Me, too. I love snow. We need more movies with snow. I'm excited for Cold Pursuit because it has snow and Liam Neeson. What more could one want?

 

[ORRFForever]

Me, too. I love snow. We need more movies with snow. I'm excited for Cold Pursuit because it has snow and Liam Neeson. What more could one want?

The snow in movies always looks newly fallen, white and beautiful.

 

[Baby Punisher]

A Star is Born 7/10
It was a little slow. However, the acting was amazing. Cooper, GaGa and Sam Elliott could win Oscars for their performances. The soundtrack is good too.

 

[kihei]

Two great snow movies:

McCabe and Mrs. Miller--among my favourite American movies, and snow makes a big contribution
Track of the Cat--vintage Robert Mitchum movie, very underrated

Fun mystery novel in which you will find out a lot about snow:

Smilla's Sense of Snow by Peter Hoeg (movie adaptation rates only about a "C+)

 

[kihei]

Finally got around to seeing The Tree Of Life (dir. Terrence Malick)

Don’t know how to write about exactly how I felt about it, but I’m very happy it was made. Very interested to hear what other members thought of this one.

This was my final line from my review at the time: "Total effect: mixed—beautiful to look at, but ponderous (much of the music only adds to this problem) and ultimately incoherent." I wasn't as generous about Malick's next few outings. Funny, because usually I am a complete sucker for experimental cinema that emphasizes the visual, but Malick's stuff just seem like Vogue Magazine fashion photography to me, only more pretentious.

 

[Trap Jesus]

Bad Times at the El Royale. Started off well but got progressively worse. Reeeeeeally started to drag at the end. I thought the introduction to all the characters at the start was great and the best part of the movie. Some funny moments near the beginning and it built up the atmosphere and plot very well. I also liked the music that was used and how it was incorporated, but it reached a point where it started to become overkill.

Really liked Bridges and Hamm in this in particular. Hemsworth... not so much. I don't mind him as an actor but I don't think he really suited this part, or at least the character itself didn't really fit the movie.

 

[ORRFForever]

Bad Times at the El Royale. Started off well but got progressively worse. Reeeeeeally started to drag at the end. I thought the introduction to all the characters at the start was great and the best part of the movie. Some funny moments near the beginning and it built up the atmosphere and plot very well. I also liked the music that was used and how it was incorporated, but it reached a point where it started to become overkill.

Agree, 100%

... the character itself didn't really fit the movie.

^^ This. ^^

 

[Osprey]

The snow in movies always looks newly fallen, white and beautiful.

As it should be. No one wants to see dirty snow in movies. Stop being so cheap and clean that snow up before filming!

Two great snow movies:

McCabe and Mrs. Miller--among my favourite American movies, and snow makes a big contribution
Track of the Cat--vintage Robert Mitchum movie, very underrated

Why am I not surprised that I've never heard of either? I'll look up both. Thanks.

My favorite snow movie is probably Cliffhanger. Don't tell me that it's ridiculous and mindless. It has lots of snow in it... and Sylvester Stallone. What more could you want (besides Liam Neeson)?

 

[GlassesJacketShirt]

As it should be. No one wants to see dirty snow in movies. Stop being so cheap and clean that snow up before filming!



Why am I not surprised that I've never heard of either? I'll look up both. Thanks.

My favorite snow movie is probably Cliffhanger. Don't tell me that it's ridiculous and mindless. It has lots of snow in it... and Sylvester Stallone. What more could you want (besides Liam Neeson)?

Are ridiculous and mindless necessarily negative qualities to have as a film?

 

[ORRFForever]

Are ridiculous and mindless necessarily negative qualities to have as a film?

Depends on the movie.