Author Topic: Respond to the last movie you watched (2013-2016)  (Read 973344 times)

tinyholidays

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Re: Respond to the last movie you watched
« Reply #2240 on: June 30, 2014, 09:56:05 AM »
What About Bob? - Oz, 1991


A crazy guy (Bill Murray) needs his psychiatrist (Richard Dreyfuss) so badly that he follows him on vacation. The premise could support a horror movie, but Frank Oz presents a standard early 90s comedy. Dreyfuss gets a few very funny lines. Murray makes some lines funny by just being himself. The rest is unmemorable side characters and scenarios. A basic plot, a basic wife, and some basic kids with their mouths hanging open. It's fun to see Dreyfuss v Murray, especially when they physically share the screen. Then you get to gawk at how teeny Dreyfuss looks next to Murray, and that's somehow weirdly satisfying on a soul level. A fine movie to watch over your husband's shoulder while he's working.

--

Code inconnu: Récit incomplet de divers voyages - Haneke, 2000


Another stop on Michael Haneke's tour to teach French people about racism, Code inconnu (or Code Unknown) shows stories about the lives of a few diverse people who interacted at one bigoted incident in Paris. I guess a person would like the movie depending on how accepting they are of the premise. I tend to bristle at didactic film. I saw Paul Haggis's name on an recent release and had unpleasant flashbacks to my disgust in watching Crash. Haneke and Code inconnu are more deft than that nonsense, but mainly because of a brilliant subtle cast and excellent cinematography. I'll always get something out of seeing small actions occur in the full depth of a frame or of watching Juliette Binoche.

I've only seen a couple of Haneke films (this and Caché). I've been too frightened to attempt Funny Games. But I get the impression that, as a filmmaker, he cares more perhaps about the ideas he wants to show in his movies than about people.


Sam the Cinema Snob

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Re: Respond to the last movie you watched
« Reply #2241 on: June 30, 2014, 11:04:36 AM »
Yea, Haneke is an idea guy, not a people guy.

What About Bob? is my Dad's favorite movie. I find it amusing, but it's one of those ones that got overplayed and overquoted growing up, so I've no idea whether or not it's actually any good.

mañana

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Re: Respond to the last movie you watched
« Reply #2242 on: June 30, 2014, 12:44:41 PM »
I'm sailing!
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oneaprilday

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Re: Respond to the last movie you watched
« Reply #2243 on: June 30, 2014, 01:22:47 PM »
Is this corn hand-shucked?

Tequila

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Re: Respond to the last movie you watched
« Reply #2244 on: June 30, 2014, 01:23:22 PM »
Early 90s Murray is the best Murray.
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colonel_mexico

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Re: Respond to the last movie you watched
« Reply #2245 on: June 30, 2014, 01:36:23 PM »
Devil's Knot 2013- A movie that was completely spoiled for me by the documentaries Paradise Lost in every way.  The movie skims over the important parts of the trial, interviews, and investigation of the West Memphis murders.  Colin Firth and Reese Witherspoon are ok to watch and handle their parts fine, but the rest of the cast feel so out of place.  Why are Stephen Moyer and Mireille Enos in this?  A really sad and dark story and while the film has it's moments of how hysteria can be contagious, it just never really finds itself.  Skip this movie and check out the documentaries. 
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Junior

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Re: Respond to the last movie you watched
« Reply #2246 on: June 30, 2014, 02:26:10 PM »
0
Al primo soffio di vento (At the First Breath of Wind) - So I started going through my watchlist, picking out movies that were likely to strike a chord with me.

Rating: Crap (24)

Ha, awesome review. Kitties! And maybe you aren't the best judge of what you might like! Leave it up to the tarot cards, I always say.
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Sam the Cinema Snob

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Re: Respond to the last movie you watched
« Reply #2247 on: June 30, 2014, 03:04:48 PM »
Is this corn hand-shucked?
This is said every time corn on the cob is served at the family dinner table.

smirnoff

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Re: Respond to the last movie you watched
« Reply #2248 on: June 30, 2014, 04:33:23 PM »
Devil's Knot (2013)  --  West of Memphis (2012)

Yeah, I didn't hear of any theater near me that actually played Devil's Knot.  I'm pretty ambivalent about it after hearing Kermode's review, but I've got it in the Netflix queue, as I promised to watch it (see last paragraph and comments below A Skeptic's Guide to the West Memphis Three Documentaries).

That article is absolutely terrific. Thanks for sharing it.

Devil's Knot 2013- A movie that was completely spoiled for me by the documentaries Paradise Lost in every way.  The movie skims over the important parts of the trial, interviews, and investigation of the West Memphis murders.  Colin Firth and Reese Witherspoon are ok to watch and handle their parts fine, but the rest of the cast feel so out of place.  Why are Stephen Moyer and Mireille Enos in this?  A really sad and dark story and while the film has it's moments of how hysteria can be contagious, it just never really finds itself.  Skip this movie and check out the documentaries. 

I'm glad I happened to see this first before I watched any of the documentaries. Had it been the other way around I would've had the same reaction to all the things that it skips over (like the turtle theory). At the time of course I didn't know what I was missing. It didn't feel like there was necessarily more to the story.

Similar to how reading a book before seeing the movie is kind of backwards if you want to enjoy the movie.
« Last Edit: June 30, 2014, 04:36:01 PM by smirnoff »

tinyholidays

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Re: Respond to the last movie you watched
« Reply #2249 on: July 01, 2014, 10:38:57 AM »
Big Night - Tucci, 1996 (rewatch)


Two Italian brothers (Stanley Tucci and Tony Shalhoub) attempt to save their restaurant from financial collapse with one big extravagant dinner party. A perfect food movie ensues. Every morsel is lovingly shot and glows with deliciousness. The action highlights the food preparation, and we come to understand some of how everything is being made. In part, the audience is both the chef and the diner. We get to have our spaghetti and eat it too.

Tucci and Shalhoub share a fantastic camaraderie, and it make sense that they went on to immediately make another film together (the less successful but completely enjoyable The Imposters). They speak Italian throughout the movie and pull it off like a feat. Shalhoub rocks a sassy moustache and wounded expression. I really feel as if their two characters lived whole lives after the movie is over. I'd love to know what happened to them.

And then the all-star supporting cast! Marc Anthony gives a simple, silent, and endearing performance as their sous chef. (Queen of Weirdos) Isabella Rossellini fits right into place without overwhelming the movie with her personal zazz. Ian Holm, Allison Janney, Minnie Driver. Everyone is a polished gem taken out of Stanley Tucci's pocket and set out in front of you.

The plot is such a small and relatable idea, it almost qualifies as classical unity. And it lands the ending. Big Night is a golden nugget

--

Transformers: Age of Extinction - Bay, 2014


Optimus Prime and the Autobots have gone into hiding after something happened in Transformers 3, which I didn't watch. But now the government is hunting them down and Mark Wahlberg and his hot daughter have to help them. Writing down complete sentences about the plot makes it appear so much more streamlined than the actual movie is. Transformers: Age of Extinction neither makes nor cares about making sense.

Nor does it care about sexism (surprise!). I have heard tell that in Transformers lore there are some female Transformers. But none have appeared in these films. Why? Mark Wahlberg's character has a high-strung daddy protection complex. Daddy's little girl can't kiss anyone. Why? And why all the lady legs strewn throughout the movie? Well, I know why with that. But they could just be Barbie legs for all anyone seems to care about women here.

There are some decent ideas about ethics at the core of the movie, but they were run over by exploding glass, flames, and grisly deaths. Tucci brings what he can. He's Tucci. He's alive on film. But I lol at even the existence of Kelsey Grammar at this point, so his addition added little gravitas for me. Really, there's no reason to care about anything that's happening here.


 

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