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Author Topic: Respond to the last movie you watched  (Read 684344 times)

smirnoff

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Re: Respond to the last movie you watched
« Reply #3080 on: February 03, 2019, 03:46:31 PM »
Meru was excellent. But are these mountain climbing docs destined to only ever compete against each other? Free Solo may be a run of the mill achievement of its type, but how does one measure such a film against all the other types of cinematography?

valmz

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Re: Respond to the last movie you watched
« Reply #3081 on: February 03, 2019, 03:55:31 PM »
Meru was excellent. But are these mountain climbing docs destined to only ever compete against each other? Free Solo may be a run of the mill achievement of its type, but how does one measure such a film against all the other types of cinematography?
I mean, typically none of these films ever get mentioned in anything other than outdoor-specific film festivals, so their destiny is typically that they only ever compete against each other.

That Free Solo is in the conversation at all is 100% a product of the danger aspect of Honnold's climb. It has nothing to do with the film being a singular achievement, it has nothing to do with the climb being difficult, and it has nothing to do with the climb even being the most dangerous thing someone did in climbing that year. It's just readily comprehensible as dangerous to the common person. Moutnaineering is far more dangerous than free soloing something that you have rehearsed far below your skill level like Honnold is doing in the film. Now that the film is in that conversation, though, we can attempt to compare it to all sorts of things. Is it artistically superior to a fictional film? Hardly, and there was no intention to make it so, but it's difficult to compare. There's no real argument to be made directly, so making it indirectly seems more sensible. Comparing it to a documentary is much simpler, and it need not be a climbing film or even an outdoor adventure film. Is the cinematography singularly commendable compared to, say, literally any embedded war documentary? No, not really. For me, it's simple:

The cinematography on Free Solo isn't the star of the film, and it's certainly not a crowning achievement of adventure photography.
« Last Edit: February 03, 2019, 03:58:37 PM by valmz »

Bondo

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Re: Respond to the last movie you watched
« Reply #3082 on: February 03, 2019, 08:11:04 PM »
They Shall Not Grow Old

My main reaction watching this film:


They Shall Not Grow Old does an amazing job, using its cutting-edge technology, to bring the horrors of WWI to life. Assuming they are using similar technology to that used for deepfakes, but for a good purpose, they manage to convert 100 year old footage into in various points 3D, color, and sound footage. Even though this adaptation is technically artifice, it is artifice to make real footage seem realer, and even compared to the realest fake war footage (Saving Private Ryan), the knowledge that it is real makes it impossible to ignore the realities.

In my case, I was highly discomforted long before the real violence was present. I don't do well with mess and seeing the abhorrent sanitary conditions of even in calm periods was a lot for me. I wouldn't have coped with war. As the film progresses into more aggressive conflict, it gets only more awful and definitely calls out just how pointless this particular war, and in a sense all war, was. I feel like the highest praise I can give this is that it will become a mainstay of history classes at schools for decades, and students will actually be engaged. I consider this a 2019 film, and it is the early leader for Best Documentary and a great film.

1SO

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Re: Respond to the last movie you watched
« Reply #3083 on: February 04, 2019, 12:15:20 AM »
The Tourist (2010)
★ ★
It's easy to see the possibilities. After winning an Oscar for The Lives of Others, Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck has Hollywood's attention. Rather than make one of 'their' films he chooses to remake the French film Anthony Zimmer, something that lets him play with high tech spy gadgets and big name movie stars. The problem is his two leads (Jolie and Depp) are at the point in their career where neither one is interested in engaging with other actors. There are no sparks between them because they're so disconnected you might as well be watching cardboard stand-ins. Also, FHvD shows little flair for action-based thrills. The best thing about this film is the exotic Venice location, but that might be because I've been there.

Again, I expected something more terrible than boring. Interested to listen to the "How Did This Get Made" episode.

smirnoff

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Re: Respond to the last movie you watched
« Reply #3084 on: February 04, 2019, 01:11:02 AM »
The problem is his two leads (Jolie and Depp) are at the point in their career where neither one is interested in engaging with other actors. There are no sparks between them because they're so disconnected you might as well be watching cardboard stand-ins.

Award nominated cardboard, thank you very much.




Dave the Necrobumper

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Re: Respond to the last movie you watched
« Reply #3085 on: February 04, 2019, 04:18:58 AM »
Tangerines (2013 Zaza Urushadze)

What a beautiful film. Sweet, affirming, delightful, sad. I just finished watching it and there are still some tears in my eyes.

Rating: 87 / 100

smirnoff

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Re: Respond to the last movie you watched
« Reply #3086 on: February 04, 2019, 08:45:27 PM »
Proof (John Madden, 2005)        7/10

Strong performances carry this film. Gwyneth Paltrow and Anthony Hopkins have the meatiest rolls and it was a pleasure to watch them. A late great performance for Hopkins, and I don't think I've ever been more impressed with Paltrow. The material wasn't always there for them, but still. Jake Gyllenhaal and Hope Davis are great in support. A few scenes are pretty particularly crushing, and the rest of the time it is good to fair.


MartinTeller

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Re: Respond to the last movie you watched
« Reply #3087 on: February 06, 2019, 10:44:04 AM »
I rarely do reviews anymore, but I'll comment on my Disney watches since a few folks might be interested....

Off to a great start with The Emperor's New Groove, although I fear it may be all downhill from here. This is what I want a Disney movie to be: just one song (and not a completely terrible one at that), silly Looney Tunes-style action, formulaic without being clichéd, actually funny gags, and light on the easy sentimentality. Five years ago I would have turned my nose up at anything with this much David Spade, but Tommy Boy really turned me around on him. Disney does endings in a way that bugs me, but I'm not able to articulate it yet. They're like... trying too hard to be casual? Something like that. Other than that, a really fun time. More like this, please. Rating: Very Good (84)

Sam the Cinema Snob

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Re: Respond to the last movie you watched
« Reply #3088 on: February 06, 2019, 12:09:00 PM »
This is one I can still enjoy a lot as an adult. I honestly feel like it's an anomaly of a Disney film so it might all be downhill from here for you.

Thief

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Re: Respond to the last movie you watched
« Reply #3089 on: February 06, 2019, 12:17:58 PM »
This is one I can still enjoy a lot as an adult. I honestly feel like it's an anomaly of a Disney film so it might all be downhill from here for you.

I remember my nephew being a bit hung up on that film for a while so I half-watched bits and pieces here and there whenever I babysat him. Never seen it all the way through, though.