Last Movie You Watched

[lisa needs braces]

Die Hard....





What can one say other than a solid, evergreen classic of its genre.

Saw it for the first time about a year and a half ago. It's a great American film, period.

[Earthed]

Recently watched:

[asin]B073Q3NLQZ[/asin]

So this is Spider Man mark 3 or something? - Anyway, I liked this quite a lot and think it's probably the best take on Spidey released so far.
I'm not (totally) sick of the Superhero Movie thing just yet and have enjoyed everything released under the Avengers banner so I imagine I'll be watching the future Movies in this new series.

[Karl Henning]

I re-watched The Nightmare Before Christmas last night.  An old friend of mine commented: "One of the best movies ever."  I think this an overstatement, but her enthusiasm is entirely well placed.  It is certainly perfectly done, and thoroughly charming.

Why does it work so much better than Edward Scissorhands?  Is it because for E. Sc., Burton was the director and the writer?  I.e., he was the one who executed?  Where for Nightmare, Burton created the raw materials—characters and rough story—and execution was left to others? In other words:  to (I think it not unfair to observe) more capable hands?  Someone else directed, others are credited with adaptation of the story, and with the screenplay.  And of course, it is a musical:  so the lion's share of the movie's success goes to Elfman's score and book (!).  Of course, the whole reason for the movie was Burton's original idea, so he was a vital contributor.  But—judging by E. Sc. (and we can set this aside as My Opinion, if you like)—no serious argument can be made that Nightmare would have been anything near as artistically successful, if Burton had been autocratic auteur.

I also watched the 30-minute live-action Frankenweenie last night.  Gracious!  Shelly Duvall and Paul Bartel!  What a blast.  I see Burton's point, that he wanted something closer to his storyboard.  I do not think it revisionism on my part, to find the full-length Frankenweenie a little . . . bloated.

But: The Nightmare Before Christmas, a complete success.

[SonicMan46]

Recently, a new 2017 film seen at our local independent theater yesterday and a BD replacement of an old film that I had on a DVD-R:

Lucky (2017) w/ Harry Dean Stanton - short synopsis below - a comedy drama about facing mortality; Stanton was 90 years old when he made his last film (just died in September at 91) - great TV & filmdom character actor since the 1950s (see his credits HERE, if interested).  Ratings: 7.7/10, IMDB; 98%, Rotten Tomatoes; 4.6/5, Amazon - enjoyable and recommended - a definite 4* rating on Amazon for me, and Susan enjoyed.

Sea Wolf, The (1941) w/ Edward G. Robinson, John Garfield, & Ida Lupino - great cast and film - new BD release w/ 4/5 ratings for both video and audio HERE - I'm really enjoying watching these old B&W films when well done as a blu-ray restoration - this is yet another winner.  Dave

LUCKY follows the spiritual journey of a 90-year-old atheist and the quirky characters that inhabit his off the map desert town. Having out lived and out smoked all of his contemporaries, the fiercely independent Lucky finds himself at the precipice of life, thrust into a journey of self exploration, leading towards that which is so often unattainable: enlightenment. Acclaimed character actor John Carroll Lynch's directorial debut "Lucky", is at once a love letter to the life and career of Harry Dean Stanton as well as a meditation on morality, loneliness, spirituality, and human connection.

 

[Jaakko Keskinen]

Sea Wolf, The (1941)

Is that the one with Korngold score? Marvelous music.

[SonicMan46]

Is that the one with Korngold score? Marvelous music.

Yep - The Sea Wolf (1941) music was written by Erich Wolfgang Korngold - Dave

[James]

The Witch
2015 ‧ Mystery/Horror ‧ 1h 33m

In 1630 New England, panic and despair envelops a farmer, his wife and four of their children when youngest son Samuel suddenly vanishes. The family blames Thomasin, the oldest daughter who was watching the boy at the time of his disappearance. With suspicion and paranoia mounting, twin siblings Mercy and Jonas suspect Thomasin of witchcraft, testing the clan's faith, loyalty and love to one another.

[asin]B01D2KEVZO[/asin]

[SonicMan46]

The Witch
2015 ‧ Mystery/Horror ‧ 1h 33m

In 1630 New England, panic and despair envelops a farmer, his wife and four of their children when youngest son Samuel suddenly vanishes. The family blames Thomasin, the oldest daughter who was watching the boy at the time of his disappearance. With suspicion and paranoia mounting, twin siblings Mercy and Jonas suspect Thomasin of witchcraft, testing the clan's faith, loyalty and love to one another.

Hi James - streamed that film from Amazon last year and did not much like (looking back on the spreadsheet I keep of movies seen, so I don't repeat paying & watching them again) - did you enjoy the movie?  Out of curiosity, I checked the Amazon ratings which were quite mixed (reversed Bell-shaped curve); also, discrepant reviews from the critics vs. the audience on Rotten Tomatoes - that 91% likely prompted my rental - but in the end I cannot do much more that a 3*/5 rating if voting on Amazon, so w/ the RT audience.  Dave

 

[TheGSMoeller]

Hi James - streamed that film from Amazon last year and did not much like (looking back on the spreadsheet I keep of movies seen, so I don't repeat paying & watching them again) - did you enjoy the movie?  Out of curiosity, I checked the Amazon ratings which were quite mixed (reversed Bell-shaped curve); also, discrepant reviews from the critics vs. the audience on Rotten Tomatoes - that 91% likely prompted my rental - but in the end I cannot do much more that a 3*/5 rating if voting on Amazon, so w/ the RT audience.  Dave

 

Hi, Dave. I personally loved The Witch. In regards to the reviews, or viewer reviews, I believe a film like The Witch is difficult to market, the style of this film cannot easily come across in trailers, and written descriptions. I know many that saw this film thinking it would be different going in.

[LKB]

I had the misfortune of experiencing Disney's The Haunted Mansion Thursday night. I assume Mr. Stamp needed the money, but at least he delivered an actual performance, which is more than can be said for any of the other " actors " involved.

Stay away.

Shuddering,

LKB

[James]

The Mutilator
1985 ‧ Slasher/Thriller ‧ 1h 26m

When Ed receives a message from his father asking him to go and lock up the family's beach condo for the winter, it seems like the perfect excuse for an alcohol-fuelled few days away with his friends. After all, his dad has forgiven him for accidentally blowing mom away with a shotgun several years ago... hasn't he? But no sooner are the teens on the island than they find themselves stalked by a figure with an axe (and a hook, and an onboard motor) to grind... Originally entitled Fall Break (watch out for the incongruous theme song of the same name!), The Mutilator has earned a reputation amongst horror fans as one of the 'holy grails' of 80s splatter mayhem due to its highly inventive (and not to say, decidedly gruesome) kill sequences, courtesy of FX wizard Mark Shostrom (Videodrome, Evil Dead II).

[asin]B00ZPHGWIC[/asin]

[lisa needs braces]

Don't why, I've been randomly thinking about this great film I saw nine years ago a lot recently.

[SonicMan46]

Last night, I streamed the remake film below directed by Sofia Coppola:

The Beguiled (2017) w/ Colin Farrell, Nicole Kidman, & Kirsten Dunst - short synopsis below; ratings: 6.5/10, IMDB; 78%, Rotten Tomatoes; and 2.3/5, Amazon - rather mediocre to poor reviews from the 'audience' - the movie was 'dark' as to the lighting, obviously because of the candlelight used, yes appropriate but would have like to see the characters more clearly; as to my rating, not sure I can even to a 3*, so 2 1/2* if commenting on Amazon.

Now, the above is a remake of the film w/ the same name (Rotten Tomatoes pics of both below) - made in 1971 w/ Clint Eastwood, Geraldine Page, & Elizabeth Hartman - ratings much better, i.e 7.2/10, IMDB; 93% Rotten Tomatoes, and 4.3/5, Amazon - I've not seen this older film in years but in reading the Wiki description, the plot is pretty much identical - I'd do a 3 1/2* rating, and if the story line appeals, then recommend the Clint Eastwood version first.  Dave

"The Beguiled" is an atmospheric thriller from acclaimed writer/director Sofia Coppola. The story unfolds during the Civil War, at a Southern girls' boarding school. Its sheltered young women take in an injured enemy soldier. As they provide refuge and tend to his wounds, the house is taken over with sexual tension and dangerous rivalries, and taboos are broken in an unexpected turn of events.

 

[James]

The Burning
1981 ‧ Slasher/Thriller ‧ 1h 31m

At summer camp, some teenagers pull a prank on the camp's caretaker, Cropsy. But the joke goes terribly wrong, and the teens leave Cropsy for dead after setting him on fire. But no one keeps Cropsy down. A few years later, the burned and disfigured caretaker returns to camp equipped with his trusty shears, ready to unleash his particular brand of vengeance on a whole new group of teens. The murderous Cropsy stalks the campers in the woods, one by one.

[asin]B01LW826G6[/asin]

[Karl Henning]

Watched Hallowe'en again last night, and I both like it yet better, and have found even more things to quibble with 

[Karl Henning]

I re-watched The Nightmare Before Christmas last night.  An old friend of mine commented: "One of the best movies ever."  I think this an overstatement, but her enthusiasm is entirely well placed.  It is certainly perfectly done, and thoroughly charming.

Why does it work so much better than Edward Scissorhands?  Is it because for E. Sc., Burton was the director and the writer?  I.e., he was the one who executed?  Where for Nightmare, Burton created the raw materials—characters and rough story—and execution was left to others? In other words:  to (I think it not unfair to observe) more capable hands?  Someone else directed, others are credited with adaptation of the story, and with the screenplay.  And of course, it is a musical:  so the lion's share of the movie's success goes to Elfman's score and book (!).  Of course, the whole reason for the movie was Burton's original idea, so he was a vital contributor.  But—judging by E. Sc. (and we can set this aside as My Opinion, if you like)—no serious argument can be made that Nightmare would have been anything near as artistically successful, if Burton had been autocratic auteur.

I also watched the 30-minute live-action Frankenweenie last night.  Gracious!  Shelly Duvall and Paul Bartel!  What a blast.  I see Burton's point, that he wanted something closer to his storyboard.  I do not think it revisionism on my part, to find the full-length Frankenweenie a little . . . bloated.

But: The Nightmare Before Christmas, a complete success.

Incidentally:

"The Nightmare Before Christmas" is a Tim Burton film in the sense that the story, its world and its look first took shape in Burton's mind, and he supervised their filming. But the director of the film, a veteran stop-action master named Henry Selick, is the person who has made it all work. And his achievement is enormous.

[Karl Henning]

Cheers, André!  It will be entirely fresh to my eyes, thus I was keen to snap it up at the first reduced-price opportunity.

And:

From its opening shots, where the camera looks down on a solemn funeral procession, "Othello" exhibits Welles' flair for dramatic compositions. Instead of the tame eye-level visuals of many films of Shakespeare plays, where the camera is content to watch great actors saying great words, Welles approached "Othello" as a work intended at least equally for the eye.

[Omicron9]

I screened two over the weekend as follows.

Criminal: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3014866/?ref_=nv_sr_4
I enjoyed this far more than I would have anticipated.  Good story, and this is the first time I've ever seen Kevin Costner act.  Very recommended if you like espionage-themed movies.

Blade Runner 2049: Oh how I expected to love this.  Oh how disappointed I was.  I near-dozed off twice.  After coming-to the 2nd time, my initial thought was "It's still going....."  I really wanted to like this, but no.

-09

[SonicMan46]

Hi, Dave. I personally loved The Witch. In regards to the reviews, or viewer reviews, I believe a film like The Witch is difficult to market, the style of this film cannot easily come across in trailers, and written descriptions. I know many that saw this film thinking it would be different going in.

The Witch is one of the great films of recent years, truly marvelous piece of cinema! 

Well, I may have to stream The Witch a second time despite the mixed reviews - obviously some super fans of the film here!

Now, I usually enjoy 'witch' movies and have been to Salem, MA several times, and loved the attractions such as the 'House of Seven Gables' and the 'Witch Trials Memorial' - Dave

[Karl Henning]

Blade Runner 2049: Oh how I expected to love this.  Oh how disappointed I was.  I near-dozed off twice.  After coming-to the 2nd time, my initial thought was "It's still going....."  I really wanted to like this, but no.

-09

Interesting, thanks.