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Author Topic: Respond to the last movie you watched  (Read 684473 times)

1SO

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Re: Respond to the last movie you watched
« Reply #3240 on: February 24, 2019, 09:41:47 PM »
The CGI was the big stumbling block for me because what the film does best is pageantry with the choreography of colors, and the CGI is a splat of mud on all that pretty design work.

MartinTeller

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Re: Respond to the last movie you watched
« Reply #3241 on: February 24, 2019, 10:34:30 PM »
There's some chance I saw Cinderella as a child, but I have no memory of it. Small wonder, because it's not particularly memorable. One issue is that it feels like two completely different movies smushed together: one the classic fairytale, the other a bunch of wacky hijinks with the cat and mice. The latter is more enjoyable, the fairytale aspects are rather bland. We get nothing of the prince's personality (who I don't think is even named in the movie) and thus we have no real reason to root for Cinderella getting together with him, except that it means an end to her miserable existence as a scullery maid. Likewise, the evil stepmother and stepsisters aren't very interesting villains. They're not fun to watch, they're just horrible people... and we don't even get a good comeuppance moment for them.

But it's quick and pleasant enough, the songs are decent (now I understand why the makeover salon on the cruise ship is called the "Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique"), and the lighter moments are mostly fun. Rating: Fair (69)


Sidenote: we were both struck by the familiarity of stepsister Anastasia's voice... she's Smurfette!
« Last Edit: February 24, 2019, 10:37:47 PM by MartinTeller »

Bondo

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Re: Respond to the last movie you watched
« Reply #3242 on: February 24, 2019, 10:51:32 PM »
Custody

This film has some perspective issues that had me thinking I was hating it, but by the end I think I actually quite liked it. It opens on a custody hearing in a divorce. The father has a history of violent behavior, though his counsel plays due process and demands proof. She cites positive character references from, I shit you not, his hunting club. In the first half of the film, the perspective seems to be mostly through his eyes though as he takes his shared custody times. I was not sure that I was going to be on board with a "thriller" that has domestic violence as a premise, especially to the degree that it seemed to be respecting his view. I worried that it was giving us some twisted men's rights argument.

The final act, following the son's perspective over to his mother, really seals the good will. Being both an effective thriller but a responsible drama. It uses the power of cinema to show some of the pure terror of the real problem of domestic violence in or after relationships. It is something we still do not take seriously enough in the US, and given this film's setting, in France too. Certainly our gun policies are woefully weak in how they interact.

Skin

Upon being announced as the winner for live action short, this became the only Oscar winner this year I hadn't seen so I sought it out. Oh boy. While I hear and agree with many concerns about Green Book, I do think it has a lot still pushing in its favor. This short film however is just a complete train wreck. The perspective is almost entirely set among a group of white racists responsible for the unprompted act of aggression that sets things off. And yet somehow it is them who get the real tragic beat that is supposed to make us think. It feels like piling on Green Book is criticizing the imperfect ally while the actual enemy is sitting right here.

1SO

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Re: Respond to the last movie you watched
« Reply #3243 on: February 24, 2019, 11:44:21 PM »
Sidenote: we were both struck by the familiarity of stepsister Anastasia's voice... she's Smurfette!
My wife is a fan of this film and The Smurfs and she never made that connection. Going to blow her mind in the morning.

I'm not a fan of that Cinderella and the live action version fills out all of your concerns so that the Prince has a full story and a name and the Stepmother is played by Cate Blanchett who delivers a fully-rounded character instead of going for camp. (The stepsisters are still cartoonishly horrible.)

I have a disagreement with my wife over the cat Lucifer. I think he dies going out the window, but she thinks he lands safely on his feet.

MartinTeller

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Re: Respond to the last movie you watched
« Reply #3244 on: February 25, 2019, 11:15:34 AM »
Adding the live-action Cinderella to our list

I have a disagreement with my wife over the cat Lucifer. I think he dies going out the window, but she thinks he lands safely on his feet.

Your wife is correct.
« Last Edit: February 25, 2019, 11:23:27 AM by MartinTeller »

oldkid

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Re: Respond to the last movie you watched
« Reply #3245 on: February 25, 2019, 12:53:25 PM »
Of the Disney films we're binging, Lilo & Stitch is the only one I've seen before (that I can recall), back in 2003. I liked it then, and I like it even more now. I'd forgotten most of it, including everything involving aliens! Stitch remains one of my favorite Disney characters, able to convincingly go from pure destructive chaos to tender and cuddly. There's a lot of slapsticky humor here, but the gags are really solid for the most part. Lilo is a very appealing character as well, and the film earns its touching sentiments about "small and broken" families. I'm almost tempted to check out the sequels (and TV show apparently?) but I'm sure they're probably better left alone. Rating: Very Good (84)

Lilo and Stich holds up amazingly well.  It is a quirky premise with quirkier characteers, but it actually hits you in the feels sometimes.

The official sequel has moments, but it's mostly more of the same, just not as well done.  The TV show set up film and ending film (Stich! The Movie and Leroy and Stitch) have some surprizing, entertaining twists and capture the Stich character pretty well.  But no other character, including Lilo, are equal to the original.  But they bring in some supporting characters that are fun.
"It's not art unless it has the potential to be a disaster." Bansky

1SO

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Re: Respond to the last movie you watched
« Reply #3246 on: February 25, 2019, 01:07:16 PM »
PeacefulAnarchy warned me


Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010)
★ ½
One of the most generic big-budget action fantasy films I've seen. The characters in George Lucas' Star Wars prequels have more personality than the ones here. I honestly can't name a single distinct trait about Jake Gyllenhaal's character. Orlando Bloom in Pirates of the Caribbean has more to work with. This is why I respect Johnny Depp's Jack Sparrow. For better and worse, he brought something to the table. Everyone here is just racing through sets found in the hard drives for Lord of the Rings.


Turbo (2013)
★ ★
Did the filmmakers even realize the similarity to Ratatouille by having the snail idolize a celebrated French professional he watches on television who tells people to follow their dreams? It has to be a deliberate choice, right? Most of the film is closer to a ripoff of Cars. A true idiot's plot, but I do like the voice casting of Michael Peña.


Warcraft (2016)
★ ★
I guess I was able to follow the basics of it, but a lot of detail that sailed past me either because I know nothing about this world or there was some serious tinkering along the way. (There's also setting up sequels to further complicate this film's plot.) The silly-looking tusks are a disaster, though I threw my hands up in surrender to the visual as the film plays on. Some of it appears skillfully done, but the groundwork is so cracked it never won me over.

MartinTeller

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Re: Respond to the last movie you watched
« Reply #3247 on: February 25, 2019, 10:45:20 PM »
I didn't know what to expect from Zootopia, but I was pretty happy with what I got. Maybe the closest Disney will ever come to a film noir, it has a surprisingly engaging crime mystery plot (though I sussed out the twist about 15 minutes early) and even manages its social commentary with some degree of finesse. The characters are rather stock but they're fun, and the gags are quite good... except when they rely too heavily on reference (e.g., the Godfather stuff, the bootleg Disney DVDs). I guess it sounds like I'm hedging all my praise... I really did enjoy this one, though. Loved all the stuff with the sloth. Rating: Very Good (85)

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Re: Respond to the last movie you watched
« Reply #3248 on: February 26, 2019, 07:20:06 AM »
I didn't know what to expect from Zootopia, but I was pretty happy with what I got. Maybe the closest Disney will ever come to a film noir, it has a surprisingly engaging crime mystery plot (though I sussed out the twist about 15 minutes early) and even manages its social commentary with some degree of finesse. The characters are rather stock but they're fun, and the gags are quite good... except when they rely too heavily on reference (e.g., the Godfather stuff, the bootleg Disney DVDs). I guess it sounds like I'm hedging all my praise... I really did enjoy this one, though. Loved all the stuff with the sloth. Rating: Very Good (85)

I thought it was pretty good too. The sloth scene is probably the hardest I've laughed in recent years.

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Re: Respond to the last movie you watched
« Reply #3249 on: February 26, 2019, 08:06:20 PM »
Custody

This film has some perspective issues that had me thinking I was hating it, but by the end I think I actually quite liked it. It opens on a custody hearing in a divorce. The father has a history of violent behavior, though his counsel plays due process and demands proof. She cites positive character references from, I shit you not, his hunting club. In the first half of the film, the perspective seems to be mostly through his eyes though as he takes his shared custody times. I was not sure that I was going to be on board with a "thriller" that has domestic violence as a premise, especially to the degree that it seemed to be respecting his view. I worried that it was giving us some twisted men's rights argument.

The final act, following the son's perspective over to his mother, really seals the good will. Being both an effective thriller but a responsible drama. It uses the power of cinema to show some of the pure terror of the real problem of domestic violence in or after relationships. It is something we still do not take seriously enough in the US, and given this film's setting, in France too. Certainly our gun policies are woefully weak in how they interact.

Skin

Upon being announced as the winner for live action short, this became the only Oscar winner this year I hadn't seen so I sought it out. Oh boy. While I hear and agree with many concerns about Green Book, I do think it has a lot still pushing in its favor. This short film however is just a complete train wreck. The perspective is almost entirely set among a group of white racists responsible for the unprompted act of aggression that sets things off. And yet somehow it is them who get the real tragic beat that is supposed to make us think. It feels like piling on Green Book is criticizing the imperfect ally while the actual enemy is sitting right here.

Think that we're pretty similar here, though I was a good deal warmer on "Skin", and I like your point about the perspective and where the emotion is supposed to come from, though I figure the more troublesome aspect is how it uses the 'turning point' and then kind of casts it off/falls back on some other stereotypes. Still, I really liked the opening (I know you didn't), and even if what it lands on is pretty heavy handed and obvious, isn't without merit because blind hate can very much be cyclical. Just how much was used for shock value is dicey, and I was interested to see that the director was Israeli because, like I said in chat, it felt very 'film school' in how it was shot, but now the lack of nuance makes more sense since there inevitably is at least a little distance from the people portrayed in the film. Think I have it at either 3 or 4 in terms of the 5 shorts. Turns out I was wrong though, apparently the director also has a feature length Skin coming out/has already screened at festivals that does not expand this premise, but is a biopic.

Custody is definitely something that deserves to be seen by more people. Given my anti-French bias and when I saw this during the festival a couple of years ago I figured it would be something I'd be super cool on, but ended up being one of my favorites of the festival that year. The premise and perspective could go very wrong, but it knows how to shift things around to explore all the problems with one of the characters. Also a hell of an assured debut feature, it may have made my Filmspots ballot in 2017 for that.