Movies: Last Movie You Watched and Rate It

[OzzyFan]

First Reformed
3.15 out of 4stars

Great thought provoking movie with serious themes and commentary. That said I have a couple issues with it, the ending made little to no linear sense to me and "sucked", while the movie felt a bit preachy about 1 or 2 subjects (albeit with a purpose, well with great great purpose). All in all, Hawke was excellent, the story and dialogue is very engaging, and the events and ideas generated in the movie are nothing short of powerful on an intellectual and proactive level. Highly recommended.

 

[kihei]

First Reformed
3.15 out of 4stars

Great thought provoking movie with serious themes and commentary. That said I have a couple issues with it, the ending made little to no linear sense to me and "sucked", while the movie felt a bit preachy about 1 or 2 subjects (albeit with a purpose, well with great great purpose). All in all, Hawke was excellent, the story and dialogue is very engaging, and the events and ideas generated in the movie are nothing short of powerful on an intellectual and proactive level. Highly recommended.

The ending has nagged at me, too. How else to end it, though?

Spoiler

It can end with a futile act of sacrifice, a needless act of self-flagellation, or a vague gesture that love can overcome despair.

Whichever way one cuts it, there is going to be a problem.

 

[OzzyFan]

The ending has nagged at me, too. How else to end it, though?

Spoiler

It can end with a futile act of sacrifice, a needless act of self-flagellation, or a vague gesture that love can overcome despair.

Whichever way one cuts it, there is going to be a problem.

Well

Spoiler

It was more the how than the why. To me it didn't feel like there was enough tension built between Hawke and Seyfried, although the magical mystery tour was a big step, that last pre-moving/pre-ceremony meeting and conversation between Hawke and Seyfried didn't really convince me enough that they'd had this "bond"/"feeling" that was just waiting for someone to make the first move or a recognition of reciprocity to take things to the next level. It there was a bit more tension in that 1 scene, I'd have more leeway with the ending as it was.

2nd part of the how, I thought the "suicidal angst" angle, and being "saved" by love was a great concept, it was just how it happened, again like above, that going full blown passionate making out all the way to the credits didn't do it for me, in part because of his reaction to that, "we'll say nun", about their past sexual encounter/non-platonic relationship or if he used different words with her imo. Maybe I wanted Hawke to be crying tears of joy throughout their make out scene, taking breaks because he's overwhelmed with love, heavy panting and staring into her eyes maybe, "heavier" blood seeping through his cloth, a look up to the ceiling to show his "faith" fully restored, stuff like that to really sell the "experience"/"epiphany" that's happening.

I disagree that the other 2 options would have been bad per say, it's all dependent on the how.

The act of sacrifice, would have been as powerful if he'd played a twist by taking his suicide vest to say...Balq's family's house and blows up his wife and kids with some monologue about "suffering not being felt till it hits you directly" or "he will finally feel some of the pain his sins have caused for mother earth/it's inhabitants" or something similar to that, and obviously correlative imagery of his wife/kids dead and him arriving at the scene and fuming with (self? if he knew it was "pro-environmentalist Hawke" for sure)anger and defeat.

Self-flagellation would have been the toughest to sell. Even if it was an act of suicide or the movie ending with him in a mental hospital, it just wouldn't have felt right or sent a message in either direction that it needed to for the movie to end with real closure. You're right on that.

As I said, it's all about the how for me.

 

[Mario Lemieux fan 66]

Incredibles 2 : 7.8/10 good movie close to the 1st one but without the novelty factor.

 

[silkyjohnson50]

Took a while to find the damn thing. I've included a second comment that actually goes into more detain than I did in my original review:

Thanks for digging this up. Much appreciation. I was interested because it seemed a little out of place in comparison to some of your other picks at first glance - despite the fact that I enjoyed the film - but your review makes sense of it.

I remember the first thing I really appreciated upon watching it outside of the visuals was the length.

 

[Newsworthy]

Thor:Raganok
8/10

 

[kihei]

Is this still February? What a slow year it's been so far. Anybody got any off-the-wall recommendations?

 

[Spring in Fialta]

Is this still February? What a slow year it's been so far. Anybody got any off-the-wall recommendations?

Buffalo '66 by Vincent Gallo! I think @Led Zappa had liked it too.

 

[Jevo]

Is this still February? What a slow year it's been so far. Anybody got any off-the-wall recommendations?

Winter Brothers is a Danish-Icelandic movie which I believe is getting a release in North America in a couple of weeks. Stylistically it's more Icelandic than Danish, and that's not a bad thing. It might be something you'd like.

 

[Deen]

Small Time Crime 7/10

 

[kihei]

Buffalo '66 by Vincent Gallo! I think @Led Zappa had liked it too.

Never saw it, so sure.

Winter Brothers is a Danish-Icelandic movie which I believe is getting a release in North America in a couple of weeks. Stylistically it's more Icelandic than Danish, and that's not a bad thing. It might be something you'd like.

Definitely I will be looking forward to this one.

 

[OzzyFan]

Pom Poko
3.25 out of 4stars

An often times fun and often times sad bipolar rollercoaster ghibli film. It's creative and works incredibly well metaphorically in a couple different ways (politics, nature/animal preservation, war/rebellions/revolutions, poor parts of society, etc). An oddly effective use of the medium.

 

[Shareefruck]

Speaking of Studio Ghibli (shameless segue), not sure if this is old news, but I just found out that Hayao Miyazaki apparently came out of retirement to make one last animated film before he dies.

How Do You Live? - Wikipedia

 

[Spring in Fialta]

Speaking of Studio Ghibli (shameless segue), not sure if this is old news, but I just found out that Hayao Miyazaki apparently came out of retirement to make one last animated film before he dies.

How Do You Live? - Wikipedia

Wow. He's 77. Never would have thought.

 

[Jevo]

@kihei I was wondering if you've watched Reprise by Joachim Trier? In my opinion it's almost as good as Oslo 31. August. If you are looking for things to watch, that might be one to look for.

 

[kihei]

@kihei I was wondering if you've watched Reprise by Joachim Trier? In my opinion it's almost as good as Oslo 31. August. If you are looking for things to watch, that might be one to look for.

Thanks, Jevo. I'm not sure it is available on this side of the ocean, but it it is I will be sure to pick it up.

Later: it seems to be.

 

[Mario Lemieux fan 66]

hereditary: 7/10 Far from a masterpiece but not a total mess either. An average horror movie.

 

[OzzyFan]

Hereditary
2.75 out of 4stars

Slow burn movie with powerful realistic and supernatural "elements". Far from perfect, as stated by many, but it definitely sold me. I was surprised that the realistic concepts/ideas were more powerful than the "otherworldly" material, kind of made me a bit underwhelmed by the ending (which was hinted at by many foreshadowings, but not completely spelled out). Now only if Gabriel Byrne was a lot more well utilized written and the "family" part even more developed, this could have definitely been top tier classic material imo.

 

[Led Zappa]

Gravity was an almost magical experience for me and a superb use of the medium. There is a limit to the number of times that I want to see it (which shouldn't be said for any truly great movie). And I would want to see the film on state-of-the-art 3D projection, too. Ultimately those may be mitigating factors; but, right now, I still think it's the bees' knees.

One of few movies that captivated me.

Nice new Av

 

[Mario Lemieux fan 66]

Jean de Florette: 8.5/10

Manon of the Spring: 8/10

Both great movies.

 

[Hockeyfrilla]

Wind River (Taylor Sheridan, 2017) 7.5/10

1. Sicario
2. Wind River
3. Hell or High Water

 

[Trap Jesus]

Wind River (Taylor Sheridan, 2017) 7.5/10

I thought this kind of sucked TBH. I had heard so many good things and am familiar with Sheridan, but I thought it was a major disappointment. Thought it was just kind of boring.

 

[No Fun Shogun]

Tag

Actually astonishingly hilarious. I was expecting an okay film with a premise that was dragged out too long, but it was a legitimately great comedy. Provided that you don't have any issues with some crude humor, I'd recommend it to essentially everyone.

 

[kihei]

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018) Directed by J. A. Bayona 4A

Round five of people doing incredibly dumb things and getting chased and eaten by dinosaurs. We start with a perfunctory back story to save or not to save the dinosaurs; then bad guys get involved who are so one dimensional that you know within two seconds of meeting them that they are going to die badly. Every move that Chris Pratt does in this thing screams, "This is not my best franchise." Bryce Dallas Howard tries way too hard and just looks foolish. Justice Smith is introduced as the new Jeff Goldblum and holds his own. The actual Jeff Goldblum, portentous as ever in a senior emeritus role, gets to give the opening salvo and the final word but sadly disappears between those two scenes. While there are some good action sequences, nothing about this movie is mind blowing. The dinos are better than ever, though--definitely the movie's strong suit. In sum total, this movie is little more than a segue to a somewhat new direction for the franchise which will provide an excuse for at least one more sequel, and likely more if people keep paying money to see essentially the same movie over and over again.

 

[GlassesJacketShirt]

The Raid: Redemption
The Raid 2

Finally got around to watching these two action packed monsters. Contrary to my initial expectations, I much preferred the Raid 2. While it may be the objectively better film either way (better dialogue, shot composition, character development and plot), my subjective opinion is the Raid: Redemption felt overlong DESPITE being almost an hour shorter. I can appreciate a film that goes balls out like Redemption did, but the Raid 2 was easier to get invested in while also featuring increasingly memorable sequences as time rolled forward. Raid: Redemption peaked too early for my tastes, much like a Blueberry Warhead candy.

Scores:
R1 gets a 3/5
R2 gets a 4/5