Review the last movie you viewed (NO LISTS) V

[FitzChivalry]

Originally Posted by Saracene But I didn't think that it was carried across in the film and I frankly found the last few scenes very tedious to watch.

The last 10 - 15 minutes just ruined the whole film for me. What, up to that point, had been a great, riveting, tense thriller for me, turned and (IMO) tried waaaaay too hard and with too much obviousness, to reach for greatness and meaningfulness, and completely changed the tone and direction of this film for me, unwarranted.

It's one of the few examples I can think of off the top of my head, where the ending of the film completely marred what had been a really good film.

NCFOM

[deep]

Originally Posted by FitzChivalry The last 10 - 15 minutes just ruined the whole film for me. What, up to that point, had been a great, riveting, tense thriller for me, turned and (IMO) tried waaaaay too hard and with too much obviousness, to reach for greatness and meaningfulness, and completely changed the tone and direction of this film for me, unwarranted. It's one of the few examples I can think of off the top of my head, where the ending of the film completely marred what had been a really good film. NCFOM

From the time we are very young we are told stories.

and they all have their formulas and proper endings.


"No Country" is an exceptional film because it does not fit into that formula.

In life, sometimes things just happen.

And the story - is in the telling.


Right now, the 911 story ends with Bin Laden living and going on to do who knows what?

Such is life - in the real world.

[monkeyskin]

One of the reasons I'm looking forward to watching No Country For Old Men again is to reassess the action and dialogue with full knowledge of the ending. It took me completely by surprise before and was a bit of work to absorb on the spot, but it feels like a film that will get better with repeated viewings. Probably read the book beforehand too.

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Citizen Kane
The common, unofficial title of 'Best Film Ever Made' seems to have become a handicap for this outstanding work. A lot of reviews on forums, blogs, etc, say how they went in with high or even dubious expectations and came away bored and wondering what the Hell all of the fuss was about. Well, any film made out to be the best ever made is bound to disappoint most people watching it for that accolade alone because in my mind it's not a film that was made with such an ambition in mind.

Watching it a few years since my last viewing, with many films great films experienced in that time, I was surprised to remmeber just how entertaining it is. The energy, passion, creativity and sheer joy that radiates off the screen is immense. There's the old quote where Orson Welles describes working on his first film as akin to a child playing with the world's biggest playset and it shows on the screen. The range and wealth of camera angles, transitions, narrative techniques and canny special effects make it simply fun to watch, even during the heavy scenes. Case in point; we see Kane walking through Xanadu towards the end, a broken man alone in an incomplete marble monolith of a home. One shot depicts him walking down a corridor with mirrors on both sides, showing his image reflected into infinity but always completely alone and more distant each time. It's a perfect shot that perfectly shows his situation but it just looks so bloody beautiful you're entertained by it!

To go on would require too much gushing for one post, so I'll just move on to the second film in my recent double bill.

Plan 9 From Outer Space
Well, when you've just seen the best any film is going to be a comedown, so may as well head straight to the bottom. This was the first time Id'd ever sat down and watched the whole film from start to finish in one sitting after seeing twenty minutes here and ten there. And it really is that bad. I don't mean casually bad, where the jokes aren't funny and/or plain offensive, I don't mean where the thriller has no tension or the romance is too cliched and stupid for anyone to care about. No, this film is quite simply the most poorly executed and incompetantly made I've ever seen.

I don't know where to begin. Daylight turning to darkest night and back again three, four, five times in the same scene. Cardboard gravestones wobbling and even falling over on cheap cemetary sets. Actors proclaiming "Holy mackeral!" as a pie plate UFO hovers past and then proceeding to actually lift their scirpt into shot as they check their next line. Forcing stand ins to hide their faces behind cloaks rather than recast deceased actors. Introductary monologues filled with absurd, contradictory nonsense.Unintelligible lead actors who really only have about four scenes. Lame stock footage, poor acting and a bollocks script.

But don't get me wrong, it's well worth watching sometime. Trust me, you'll laugh more than many comedies. If you've seen Ed Wood you'll know what to expect, but to actually watch it and marvel at how they weren't taking the piss and were actually producing faithful reenactments of certain scenes is something else.

[corianderstem]

Mamma Mia

Just as delightfully fluffy and entertaining as I had hoped. Fun times.

But oh, poor Pierce Brosnan. He's really not much of a singer, is he?

[redkat]

Originally Posted by corianderstem Mamma Mia Just as delightfully fluffy and entertaining as I had hoped. Fun times. But oh, poor Pierce Brosnan. He's really not much of a singer, is he?

No he's not, I thought he looked a bit jaundice at times as well. I found myself rolling my eyes a few times early on but actually teared up during Slipping Through My Fingers . Our theater was clapping along which really made it more fun. It's selling out which I can't believe competing with The Dark Night.

[corianderstem]

I loved the ending, with the sing along before the credits, with Meryl and her compatriots rising out of the water in their fab getups. And, of course, the men in their fabulous getups.

I don't know how many people were singing, but the stranger next to me and I were both singing along. I'd been waiting patiently through the whole movie to sing Abba loudly!

Just got done watching ...

The Cockettes

a documentary about a San Francisco troupe of performers in the late 60s/early 70s, a combination of straight, gay and the downright weird. Shockingly, drugs featured heavily in their performances.

Pretty interesting, bizarre stuff.

[LarryMullen's POPAngel]

Originally Posted by redkat teared up during Slipping Through My Fingers .

My mom and I went to see it today. As we were walking out and I gave her back her jacket (which she had given me since I was freezing in the theatre) she half asked, "Why is this wet?" and when I said I had no idea she said she had heard me sniffling.

Mothers

[GirlsAloudFan]

The Savages

Very strong performances by Laura Linney and P.S. Hoffman as a sister and brother attempting to care for their abusive and dying father.

Hoffman, especially, was a treat in this one. He plays a depressed, grouchy, struggling writer...which is pretty much what I want to be when I get older. So I connected with him. Strong performances all around, really. Even the brief little role of the Nigerian nurse I thought was written and played very well.

It was indeed funny at times (again mostly Hoffman) and was for the most part pretty intriguing. Definitely a bit of a slow burn, and some would maybe say that it is too murky and depressing but I thought that the pace and feel of it really fit well with the two lead characters.

I also enjoyed the nice happy-ish ending.

Pretty good stuff.

[GirlsAloudFan]

Also, I saw this movie last night and I give it two thumbs up!!!...

YouTube - Bush Drunk At Wedding

[joyfulgirl]

While everyone else was off seeing Batman, I was one of three people in the theatre at the matinee of Reprise, a Norwegian film about two young best friends who are aspiring writers and what happens when their books get published. Lots of angst set against a hip, brooding Oslo writer's culture and a fair amount of Joy Division and New Order in the background. Kind of dark but also really, really good. The hand-held camera gave an intimacy to what could have been otherwise something more detached. I have worked with writers at varying stages of their careers for most of my adult life so it had a particular resonance for me. I highly recommend it.

[No spoken words]

Michael Clayton.

I had not read a lot about it, so, was not entirely sure what the film was about.....

I really enjoyed it. Thought that every performance was spot on, from Clooney to Pollack (RIP) to Swinton to Wilkinson.

The story drew me in from the beginning and I never once lost interest. I enjoyed how eloquent each character was, and how the tension was present without.

This felt like Pollack himself had directed this film back in the 70's, if that makes sense.

[UberBeaver]

Originally Posted by No spoken words This felt like Pollack himself had directed this film back in the 70's, if that makes sense.

You mean because the music was bad and the people were more "hairy"? It was a different time, man. People didn't think about grooming like we do now.

[deep]

Originally Posted by joyfulgirl Reprise I have worked with writers at varying stages of their careers for most of my adult life so it had a particular resonance for me. I highly recommend it.

I don't work with writers

I did read a book, once

I see a lot of foreign language films

of the last 10, this was the worst

self-absorbed, boring characters, why should anyone care about these people? also, nothing happens

[No spoken words]

Originally Posted by deep I don't work with writers I did read a book, once I see a lot of foreign language films of the last 10, this was the worst self-absorbed, boring characters, why should anyone care about these people? also, nothing happens

You're such a contrarian. What book did you read?

[VintagePunk]

Originally Posted by No spoken words You're such a contrarian.

"Contrarians unite!"

"No, I don't want to!"