Last Movie You Watched

[Karl Henning]

The only reason I know about this is because it formed the basis for one of the first great episodes of The X-Files ("Ice"). I'm not sure whether I could handle an entire movie's worth of that kind of tension. 45 minutes was hard enough.

As with Alien, I surprised myself in finding this a favorite. And the blame lies squarely with @brewski 

[brewski]

As with Alien, I surprised myself in finding this a favorite. And the blame lies squarely with @brewski

Always happy to be an enabler.

-Bruce

[Number Six]

A Complete Unknown, the Bob Dylan 1961-65 biopic. 

Great performances, great music, well-told story. I liked it. 

[hopefullytrusting]

I love both Judge Dredd movies, but I'm currently watching the gritty reboot starring Urban:



#youready

[Number Six]

I love both Judge Dredd movies, but I'm currently watching the gritty reboot starring Urban

Judge Anderson 

[Number Six]

A Biltmore Christmas

Is this the greatest Hallmark Christmas movie ever? Yes.

Faint praise? Maybe. But it's amusing, gorgeously shot and costumed, clever, and sweet. And the leads, while of course being very good looking, also have brilliant chemistry. And aside from the comic relief friend, nothing feels forced the way it does in most Hallmark movies.

Throw in an unexpected appearance by my Space Dad*, Jonathan Frakes, and you have a winner.

By the way, I love Hallmark Christmas movies. But I do recognize them for what they are, and Biltmore is about 50 cuts above.



*Frakes and my dad are only 4 days apart in age. 

[hopefullytrusting]

Yes, the movie is as ridiculous as you might think (ironically, the film would have been good had they just followed the plot of the game):



It stars Mila Kunis and Olga Kurylenko, and one of them is playing Mona Sax - if you have played the game, you will immediately realize why this is so funny.

[AnotherSpin]

Yes, the movie is as ridiculous as you might think (ironically, the film would have been good had they just followed the plot of the game):



It stars Mila Kunis and Olga Kurylenko, and one of them is playing Mona Sax - if you have played the game, you will immediately realize why this is so funny.

It seems I've never watched this movie with the two Ukrainian-born stars. Or maybe I have, such films have a very useful quality: they enter your head and leave without leaving the slightest trace, leaving you unchanged. Especially since I've never played a single computer game. Unless tetris counts?

My bad, I forgot Angry Birds.

[hopefullytrusting]

It seems I've never watched this movie with the two Ukrainian-born stars. Or maybe I have, such films have a very useful quality: they enter your head and leave without leaving the slightest trace, leaving you unchanged. Especially since I've never played a single computer game. Unless tetris counts?

My bad, I forgot Angry Birds.

For sure, it is a perfect film in that way. Nice little slice, not too filling, and enough to leave you feeling not bad, maybe even good, after you are done.

I'm on a movie binge right now. Next up, Monster Hunter (talk about a fun movie):



Looking at all the movies I own, you might come away thinking that Milla is my favorite actress, as I own more films with her starring in them than any other actor or actress - they wouldn't be wrong - I love her.

[AnotherSpin]

For sure, it is a perfect film in that way. Nice little slice, not too filling, and enough to leave you feeling not bad, maybe even good, after you are done.

I'm on a movie binge right now. Next up, Monster Hunter (talk about a fun movie):

Looking at all the movies I own, you might come away thinking that Milla is my favorite actress, as I own more films with her starring in them than any other actor or actress - they wouldn't be wrong - I love her.

I like Mila Kunis very much too. Just two or three days before, I watched one of her films, and now I can't even remember which one it was. Probably yet another perfect film. Or maybe I've become the perfect film viewer and acquired the quality of complete and absolute forgetfulness.

[hopefullytrusting]

I like Mila Kunis very much too. Just two or three days before, I watched one of her films, and now I can't even remember which one it was. Probably yet another perfect film. Or maybe I've become the perfect film viewer and acquired the quality of complete and absolute forgetfulness.

I don't think I've seen a single Kunis film outside of Max Payne. I always meant to watch Jupiter Ascending, but I never got around to it - it does seem like my kind of film though, so I'll probably watch it eventually. I do like her, as well, in general - I like Olga way more, and I've seen more of her films (I've always found her worth watching).

[hopefullytrusting]

Next up: The Bourne Identity (still the best in the series, in my opinion)



I like this one best, in the series, because it has the best cast (Cooper and Potente; forgot Owen; and Cox and Goggins,, so many great supporting), the best fight in the series (embassy), the best car chase in the series (mini), best ending in the series, best filming in the series, and I could go on.

I especially love franchise movies that can stand on their own, and require no other watching to catch pretty much everything.

[Cato]

Last night, a double feature:

High Sierra, with Ida Lupino and Humphrey Bogart.

Bogart was around age 42, when this movie, and later in the same year (1941) The Maltese Falcon, made him a major star.

We note that 23-year old Ida Lupino was given top billing!



The Criterion Collection's restoration is wonderful to see!

A scene of pure peripeteia* takes place before the chase at the end: Bogart's character visits a young woman, whom he supported through an operation on her foot, allowing her a normal life.

One sees a "reversal of fortune"* in it, or at least the closing of a detour offering him some redemption. which now becomes impossible.

And then, Jane Austen, Emma (2020) with the nearly exophthalmic Anya Taylor-Joy as the main character.

We have not read the book, so I cannot say how faithful it is, but with all the gorgeous costumes and estates, it seems like it could be faithful.  In any case, it was nicely done!

A Biltmore Christmas

Is this the greatest Hallmark Christmas movie ever? Yes.

Faint praise? Maybe. But it's amusing, gorgeously shot and costumed, clever, and sweet. And the leads, while of course being very good looking, also have brilliant chemistry. And aside from the comic relief friend, nothing feels forced the way it does in most Hallmark movies.

Throw in an unexpected appearance by my Space Dad*, Jonathan Frakes, and you have a winner.

By the way, I love Hallmark Christmas movies. But I do recognize them for what they are, and Biltmore is about 50 cuts above.


*Frakes and my dad are only 4 days apart in age. 

My (60-somethng) brother-in-law is a great fan, but he uses them also as a kind of Mystery Science Theater 3000 movie, at which he tosses (shall we say) rude compliments about the actresses now and then!   

If you missed this, let me offer it here: comedian Ryan George pitches the ideas behind Lacy Chabert's latest Christmas epic, made for Netflix instead of Hallmark.

Hot Frosty (Sic!)

[LKB]

A couple of days ago l came across The Impossible, which l somehow missed completely back when it was released.

It's a very tough ( but ultimately rewarding ) watch in places, depicting the experiences of one family enduring the Boxing Day tsunami of 2004.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_Indian_Ocean_earthquake_and_tsunami

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Impossible_(2012_film)

[Christo]

"dreamlike" and "nightmarish" are appropriate.

This is often noted, yet is less the case than you often think & experience at first sigvht. E.g. in The Mirror and also in Offret (The Sacrifice), most of the scenes are 'realistic', but because Tarkovsky shifts with the place of action and especially time -- sometimes scenes decades apart he places right next to each other -- as a viewer one becomes 'bewildered' and one experiences a surrealism that is not there.

The longer you watch, the more you realise you are looking at 'reality' -- but with new eyes. This makes the films magical, but without 'magic'. 

[Kalevala]

The only reason I know about this is because it formed the basis for one of the first great episodes of The X-Files ("Ice"). I'm not sure whether I could handle an entire movie's worth of that kind of tension. 45 minutes was hard enough.

I should revisit The X-Files.  I watched some of them, but I don't recall being particularly enamored [Don't shoot me!] with them at the time.

K

[Kalevala]

Next up: The Bourne Identity (still the best in the series, in my opinion)



I like this one best, in the series, because it has the best cast (Cooper and Potente; forgot Owen; and Cox and Goggins,, so many great supporting), the best fight in the series (embassy), the best car chase in the series (mini), best ending in the series, best filming in the series, and I could go on.

I especially love franchise movies that can stand on their own, and require no other watching to catch pretty much everything.

I like the Bourne movies that I've seen. 

K

[Number Six]

@Cato I have definitely seen that "Hot Frosty" pitch meeting. 

I adore Lacey Chabert and think she's perfect for these films, but I have not yet been able to bring myself to watch this movie. 


AT-J is a delight in everything she does, including Emma.

[Madiel]

I should revisit The X-Files.  I watched some of them, but I don't recall being particularly enamored [Don't shoot me!] with them at the time.

K

Look, one of the fascinating things about the show was how wildly variable it was, both in STYLE and in quality. From season 2 onwards they did a lot of stylistic experimentation. By no means did everything work. Of course, the week I persuaded my parents to watch it was one of the really bad ones.

In hindsight, one of the most interesting things about the show was that the best writer to emerge was Vince Gilligan, who went on to make Breaking Bad, and he hired Bryan Cranston to star because of an X-Files episode. Almost all of Gilligan's episodes were good, which led fans to look for his name on upcoming episodes.

And of course the show made Gillian Anderson a star, and in my view we've all been reaping the benefits ever since.

[Kalevala]

Look, one of the fascinating things about the show was how wildly variable it was, both in STYLE and in quality. From season 2 onwards they did a lot of stylistic experimentation. By no means did everything work. Of course, the week I persuaded my parents to watch it was one of the really bad ones.

In hindsight, one of the most interesting things about the show was that the best writer to emerge was Vince Gilligan, who went on to make Breaking Bad, and he hired Bryan Cranston to star because of an X-Files episode. Almost all of Gilligan's episodes were good, which led fans to look for his name on upcoming episodes.

And of course the show made Gillian Anderson a star, and in my view we've all been reaping the benefits ever since.

I'll give it another shot...thank you for your insights. 

K