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Author Topic: Respond to the last movie you watched  (Read 684137 times)

1SO

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Re: Respond to the last movie you watched
« Reply #3090 on: February 06, 2019, 03:10:24 PM »
a few folks might be interested....
Always interested.


Off to a great start with The Emperor's New Groove, although I fear it may be all downhill from here.
In trying to save a project that wasn't working, they went in a radical direction and ended up with a Disney film for people who don't like Disney films.

oldkid

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Re: Respond to the last movie you watched
« Reply #3091 on: February 07, 2019, 12:29:40 AM »
I love Disney films.

I LOVE Emperor's New Groove.  Just watched it again a few months ago, and still retaining a place in my top 100.
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Jeff Schroeck

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Re: Respond to the last movie you watched
« Reply #3092 on: February 07, 2019, 08:59:33 AM »
Minding The Gap (Bing Liu, 2018)

Liked this a lot. The opening and center montage skating scenes are awesome, especially the montage with its hypnotic sound design - it felt like watching (and hearing) a tap dancing routine.

There are a couple of moments where the filmmaker insists on explaining the theme, even to another character, which are clunky, plus a few strained visual metaphors. The Errol Morris style interrogation scene feels like it's from a different movie.

Excellent editing choices (not-breaking, then breaking, the skateboard), and a really funny moment where an aimless character goes on a rant about not conforming because he wants to live his dreams, then immediately realizes he's full of shit.

Bondo

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Re: Respond to the last movie you watched
« Reply #3093 on: February 07, 2019, 09:21:30 PM »
A Simple Favor

Highly enjoyable, but I was hoping/shipping Emily and Stephanie to ultimately conspire and be lesbians. Blake Lively would likely have ended up on my Supporting ballot if I had seen this a week ago.

1SO

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Re: Respond to the last movie you watched
« Reply #3094 on: February 08, 2019, 09:25:44 PM »

The Lucky Stiff (1949)

Noir and Comedy never mix, so I guess this is the exception. Brian Donlevy is a shady lawyer trying to protect a nightclub signer he has a crush on (Dorothy Lamour) by faking her death while investigating a murder she seems to have committed. Claire Trevor is cast way against type as the loyal, lovable assistant who sees her boss is in bigger trouble than usual. I should probably start with Trevor because her comic timing has never taken such dead aim, reminding me of Rachel McAdams in Game Night where it's more the line reading than the actual line. There are a good half-dozen laugh-out-loud moments from her that have almost nothing to do with the plot.

For most of the running time, that's the film's best and kind of only asset. I was shocked to learn the director wrote the script because he doesn't show any clear sense of how to tell the story. The plot leaps forward, and when characters return to cause more mayhem it's not clear when I saw them last. However, the finale is simply marvelous, and showed me that the director does get the fatalism of Noir and the way characters often end up making their mistakes with their eyes wide open. After 90 minutes of hit-and-miss material getting by on the actors' charm, the ending really surprised me with its maturity.
RATING: ★ ★ ★ - Good

1SO

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Re: Respond to the last movie you watched
« Reply #3095 on: February 09, 2019, 04:08:25 PM »
Olympus Has Fallen (2013)
★ ★ ½
The writer in me really liked the way the bad guys take control of the White House. It isn't through some clever, fantasy B.S. plan, but the realization that any fortified structure can be taken with enough weaponry and manpower. For every response by the Secret Service, military or other security personal, there was a way to simply overpower them, which means the place doesn't need to be infested by Hydra traitors, just a couple with personal motivations for selling out their country.

The opening assault on the White House establishes the 90s Die Hard ripoff vibe along with the 90s destruction of important buildings. Because of that, I started out on a bigger high than I expected, one that didn't come crash to the ground so much as slowly wear off as the film turned into more of a routine actioner. I thought this would be dumber, maybe along the lines of Salt (2010). Instead it's not bad, though the best stuff is in the beginning. Would be good for passing the time on an airplane.

Junior

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Re: Respond to the last movie you watched
« Reply #3096 on: February 09, 2019, 04:53:36 PM »
I like White House Down better because it embraces the silliness of the premise more and, from what I remember, doesn't fade as much by the end, but Olympus Has Fallen was the one to get a sequel, so what do I know?!?!?
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1SO

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Re: Respond to the last movie you watched
« Reply #3097 on: February 09, 2019, 09:03:15 PM »
Overall I agree about White House Down. I'd rather see President Jamie Foxx firing out the back of a limo on the White House lawn than President Aaron Eckhart getting threatened with his hands tied to a bannister. While the approaches are different enough for each film to stand on their own, I'm surprised this was better than the trailer. I'd be up for seeing London Has Fallen, though I expect 10-15 minutes in I'd regret that decision.

Bondo

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Re: Respond to the last movie you watched
« Reply #3098 on: February 09, 2019, 09:16:12 PM »
Abducted in Plain Sight

This is a truly crazy story, so I see why it is yet another Netflix cultural phenomenon. But like fellow phenomenon Bird Box, it is no great shakes as an actual presentation. It has all these sequences made to look like retro home movies that I am pretty sure are reenactments that feel...in poor taste. The one thing I'll say in its advantage is though this story is particularly elaborate, the core message is the one not emphasized enough...when it comes to child abuse, the call almost always is coming from inside the house.

MartinTeller

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Re: Respond to the last movie you watched
« Reply #3099 on: February 09, 2019, 10:10:23 PM »
Am I softening on movies in general, or Disney in particular? The Princess and the Frog was pretty enjoyable in most respects. I liked most of the songs ("Dig a Little Deeper" was annoying, and to a lesser degree so was "Friends on the Other Side"), there were some terrific psychedelic flourishes in the animation, characters and performances were sufficiently charming. If a bit slight and predictable, the story was engaging enough. There was even a touching -- and unexpected -- moment. My only major complaint is that the movie tries too hard to cram in EVERY LOUISIANA TROPE IN THE BOOK. Gumbo! Jazz! Mardi Gras! Zydeco! Bayou! Beignets! Jambalaya! We get it, y'all are super duper New Orleans-y. Rating: Good/Very Good (80)

EDIT: forgot to mention, that scene with the frog hunters was completely unnecessary and added little
« Last Edit: February 09, 2019, 10:29:21 PM by MartinTeller »

 

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