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Author Topic: Write about the last movie you watched (2006-2010)  (Read 5998122 times)

worm@work

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Re: Write about the last movie you watched
« Reply #16540 on: July 12, 2009, 10:37:13 AM »
Sorry, that wasn't meant to be disparaging! ;) I know people probably saw it. Actually, Daisies is a really great one. I meant to post the following list anyway:

Focus on Girls, 24/7
1. Jeanne Dielman A
2. Cleo from 5 to 7 B+
3. Daisies B+
4. The Lost Honour of Katharina Blum B-
5. Wings B-
6. Wanda C+

It was a really great season, actually. A great film, two very good films, two good films, and an average (at worst) film. That's not bad.

I wasn't offended at all, really. I should've acknowledged your post in that thread. I suck :-\.

I have all of the films I haven't watched on that list except Wanda. I should really get to these sometime later this year.

philip918

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Re: Write about the last movie you watched
« Reply #16541 on: July 12, 2009, 11:21:22 AM »
Humpday

Easily the funniest film I've seen this year.  Great movie watching experience as the entire audience was totally into it as well.  Shelton also surprised me with the often humorous My Effortless Brilliance, but Humpday is a huge step up into the comedy major leagues.  She manages to spin a blatantly silly premise into an insightful examination of male friendship, marriage and the attempt to maintain or reignite youthful ambitions, while maintaining an exceptionally consistent level of hilarity throughout. 

The three leads are spot on.  Duplass as the buttoned up newlywed, Ben, who's anxious to prove he's not a square; Leonard as his freewheeling buddy, Andrew, who secretly thinks he's a fraud; and Alycia Delmore as Ben's flabbergasted wife Anna, all give great performances that anchor the film in reality while still cranking up the funny.

It's only in a handful of theaters, but if Humpday happens to be playing near you, definitely check it out.

9/10

worm@work

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Re: Write about the last movie you watched
« Reply #16542 on: July 12, 2009, 11:34:25 AM »

Point Break (Kathryn Bigelow, 1991)

Three reasons why I'd have switched channels if I had accidentally caught it on TV:
1.) Keanu Reeves
2.) Ridiculous plot thing within the first 20 minutes or so.
3.) Ugh, Keanu Reeves

But I didn't watch it on TV. I made the trek up to the movie theater, paid up for the ticket and settled in. People on this here forum are very convincing!

It was a good thing I watched this after Near Dark and Blue Steel because I pretty much knew going in that there would be lots of plot holes and flaws in the narrative. I've come to expect that from Bigelow and realized that I like her films despite all that. So when Pappas gives his explanation for why he thinks surfers are involved in this whole operation and brings out the Sex Wax, I just ever-so-gently rolled my eyes and continued to watch. Good thing too because this got so good!

I love the way Bigelow grabs you by the collar and flings you into her film within the first five minutes or so. And the first 15-20 minutes of this film are full of hilarious lines ("When they run they dump the vehicle and they vanish... like a virgin on prom night. I mean they vanish, swishh..."; "Listen you snot-nose little shit, I was takin' shrapnel in Khe Sanh when you were crappin' in your hands and rubbin' it on your face."). And then there's that first bank robbery which is both ridiculously funny and totally audacious and brilliant at the same time ("Gentlemen, I promised to take Mrs. Lincoln to Ford's Theater tonight. We'll continue this tomorrow.").

So all this was fun enough that by the time we get to the surfer theory explanation, I'm in a forgiving state of mind. And then the movie turns into scene after scene of beautiful surfing scenes shot at twilight or dawn. Here again, like in Near Dark, I loved the scene where our protagonist has to earn his entry into an established tribe. The football on the beach scene is perfect in terms of tone and feels totally authentic and best of all, it's shot to the taillights of a bunch of cars parked on the beach and looks amazing!

Yet again, seemingly really silly plot. But lots of other ideas floating beneath the surface. There's a lot of stuff about the symmetry between the two sides of the law. At least for the first 3/4ths of the film, the conflict between the code that Johnny Utah is used to and the one that he gets introduced to by Bodhi is all really interesting. Plus, the key romance in the story is not really the one between Utah and Tyler, but the one between Utah and Bodhi. And Bodhi is just a really seductive and charismatic character. It's easy to see why people are so drawn to him.

Unfortunately, the whole thing sort of falls apart in the last 20 minutes or so. Bodhi's character suddenly goes batshit crazy and becomes completely villainous. A lot of his actions from that point on seem out of character. All of the  subtlety is traded in for a much more cynical (and yet more pat) resolution.

And I can't totally ignore these flaws and I can't promise that everyone will love this movie. Keanu Reeves's performance got a ton of unintentional laughter from my fellow audience and I don't blame them for it. But it's also got one of the funniest and most exciting foot-chases I've ever seen on film. And the adrenaline rush from all of the surfing scenes and the skydiving scenes are extremely palpable. And those 45 or so minutes where we see Keanu Reeves's character struggle with his loyalty towards his new friends and what his job requires him to do are all totally interesting. There's a lot of humor and really fun set pieces. I had lots of fun watching it.

Grade: B-

'Noke

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Re: Write about the last movie you watched
« Reply #16543 on: July 12, 2009, 11:40:55 AM »
It's only in a handful of theaters, but if Humpday happens to be playing near you, definitely check it out.

9/10

I saw the trailer for this and didn't think much of it, but you've made me interested.
I actually consider a lot of movies to be life-changing! I take them to my heart and they melt into my personality.

Marbe

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Re: Write about the last movie you watched
« Reply #16544 on: July 12, 2009, 11:46:53 AM »
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

A good adaptation, however  the villain falls flat and the ending is anticlimatic. My third favorite.

Harry Potter and the Chamber

Not enough growth from the first film and barely any emotional resonance, this time the ending is way too deus ex machina and young Tom Riddle is all out campy.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

In my eyes the best film. Now someone is guiding the young actors on how to act, and visually there's more detail. Finally striking the right notes comically and tragically.

¡Keith!

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Re: Write about the last movie you watched
« Reply #16545 on: July 12, 2009, 12:05:27 PM »
Humpday

Easily the funniest film I've seen this year.  Great movie watching experience as the entire audience was totally into it as well.  Shelton also surprised me with the often humorous My Effortless Brilliance, but Humpday is a huge step up into the comedy major leagues.  She manages to spin a blatantly silly premise into an insightful examination of male friendship, marriage and the attempt to maintain or reignite youthful ambitions, while maintaining an exceptionally consistent level of hilarity throughout. 

The three leads are spot on.  Duplass as the buttoned up newlywed, Ben, who's anxious to prove he's not a square; Leonard as his freewheeling buddy, Andrew, who secretly thinks he's a fraud; and Alycia Delmore as Ben's flabbergasted wife Anna, all give great performances that anchor the film in reality while still cranking up the funny.

It's only in a handful of theaters, but if Humpday happens to be playing near you, definitely check it out.

9/10

Truth - this is so far the best film i've seen this year.

roujin

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Re: Write about the last movie you watched
« Reply #16546 on: July 12, 2009, 01:07:09 PM »

Baghead (Duplass Bros, 2008)

eh, could've been better. The concept was interesting and the character relationships were actually brought out rather nicely (I'm thinking of the wordless interlude when they're swimming). It could've used more visually-oriented filmmaking like that. Instead, it's just kind of lots of close ups on people's faces, always shaky, zooming, eh. The horror aspect does at points actually deliver some scares but it resolves too predictably and the characters get lost in the shuffle (for me). So, interesting, sometimes scary, sometimes sorta funny, mostly just whatever.


'Noke

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Re: Write about the last movie you watched
« Reply #16547 on: July 12, 2009, 01:09:21 PM »
Humpday

Easily the funniest film I've seen this year.  Great movie watching experience as the entire audience was totally into it as well.  Shelton also surprised me with the often humorous My Effortless Brilliance, but Humpday is a huge step up into the comedy major leagues.  She manages to spin a blatantly silly premise into an insightful examination of male friendship, marriage and the attempt to maintain or reignite youthful ambitions, while maintaining an exceptionally consistent level of hilarity throughout. 

The three leads are spot on.  Duplass as the buttoned up newlywed, Ben, who's anxious to prove he's not a square; Leonard as his freewheeling buddy, Andrew, who secretly thinks he's a fraud; and Alycia Delmore as Ben's flabbergasted wife Anna, all give great performances that anchor the film in reality while still cranking up the funny.

It's only in a handful of theaters, but if Humpday happens to be playing near you, definitely check it out.

9/10

Truth - this is so far the best film i've seen this year.

Now I'm definitely going to see it.
I actually consider a lot of movies to be life-changing! I take them to my heart and they melt into my personality.

FLYmeatwad

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Re: Write about the last movie you watched
« Reply #16548 on: July 12, 2009, 02:27:40 PM »
Humpday

Easily the funniest film I've seen this year.  Great movie watching experience as the entire audience was totally into it as well.  Shelton also surprised me with the often humorous My Effortless Brilliance, but Humpday is a huge step up into the comedy major leagues.  She manages to spin a blatantly silly premise into an insightful examination of male friendship, marriage and the attempt to maintain or reignite youthful ambitions, while maintaining an exceptionally consistent level of hilarity throughout. 

The three leads are spot on.  Duplass as the buttoned up newlywed, Ben, who's anxious to prove he's not a square; Leonard as his freewheeling buddy, Andrew, who secretly thinks he's a fraud; and Alycia Delmore as Ben's flabbergasted wife Anna, all give great performances that anchor the film in reality while still cranking up the funny.

It's only in a handful of theaters, but if Humpday happens to be playing near you, definitely check it out.

9/10

Truth - this is so far the best film i've seen this year.

Now I'm definitely going to see it.

Yeah, I hope it comes around here soon. Keith, any places in Philly showing this one yet?

smirnoff

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Re: Write about the last movie you watched
« Reply #16549 on: July 12, 2009, 04:59:21 PM »

Point Break (Kathryn Bigelow, 1991)

I just ever-so-gently rolled my eyes and continued to watch. Good thing too because this got so good!

Great review! ;D I think you summed it up perfectly.

Quote
And then the movie turns into scene after scene of beautiful surfing scenes shot at twilight or dawn.
If you liked that, then maybe I can sell you on this...


So much more than a movie about surfing. Guaranteed to make you smile.  ;)


 

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