Last Movie You Watched

[Bogey]

Jackson's Kong is a great film; broader, more developed .. sure it may not be as creative as the original, but he does an amazing job with the material (particularly the bond between the Beauty & the Beast, much stronger & more dynamic in PJ's version). And visually it is just epic (Skull Island for one, works better .. ) .. and things look more believable understandably.

I may, reluctantly, give it a try James.  Thanks for the info.

I will definitely agree that Jackson's Kong is a visual feast, but would heartily disagree with it being considered a quality film. Both Black and Brody are vomit inducing, as is essentially every other actor in the film. Only Watts is partially bearable, and that's only because she possess angelic beauty.

That's the knock I have heard. 

[Todd]

Yea and it's a gross exaggeration that doesn't hold much water under critical scrutiny.

No, Philo is exactly right.  I'll take the 1976 version over Jackson's any day, for instance.  I even think the young Jessica Lange is more appealing in every way than Watts, though Watts is also very appealing.

[Mookalafalas]

I will definitely agree that Jackson's Kong is a visual feast, but would heartily disagree with it being considered a quality film. Both Black and Brody are vomit inducing, as is essentially every other actor in the film. Only Watts is partially bearable, and that's only because she possess angelic beauty.

The trick to enjoying the Jackson movie is to completely skip the first hour and a half or so. It's a movie about a girl and a big monkey. Amazingly, Jackson forgets that.  Just fast forward until they are on the island and you are good to go.

[Todd]

I feel, pretty much, that every prior version of Kong trumps it.

QFT.

[Ken B]

Double-header last nite ..

Captured on Blu-ray at last comes "the greatest of all horror films" with "masterly special effects" (Danny Peary, Guide for the Film Fanatic). Memorable moments abound: a moviemaking expedition on a fantastic isle filled with dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures; the giant simian's lovestruck obsession with the film shoot's blonde starlet (scream queen Fay Wray); Kong's capture; his Manhattan rampage; and the fateful finale atop the Empire State Building, where Kong cradles his palm-sized beloved and swats at machine-gunning airplanes. "It was beauty killed the beast." But in these and other great scenes, King Kong lives forever.

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Academy Award-winning director Martin Scorsese brings heart-pounding suspense to one of the most acclaimed thrillers of all time in Cape Fear. Earning an Academy Award nomination for his brilliant performance, Robert De Niro stars as vicious psychopath Max Cady who emerges after being imprisoned for fourteen years with a single-minded mission - to seek revenge on his attorney Sam Bowden (Nick Nolte). Realizing he is legally powerless to protect his beautiful wife Leigh (Jessica Lange) and his troubled teenage daughter Danielle (Juliette Lewis) against Max's relentless psychological torment, Sam resorts to unorthodox measures, leading to an unforgettable, action-packed showdown on Cape Fear.

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Worth noting, the original Cape Fear is way better.

[Bogey]

No, Philo is exactly right.  I'll take the 1976 version over Jackson's any day, for instance.  I even think the young Jessica Lange is more appealing in every way than Watts, though Watts is also very appealing.

Except for Barry' score and a 3-D poster I got out of a Dynamite magazine as a kid , the '76 does not exist in my little universe.  I am afraid that if I watch the Jackson film, it may also fall into this hole.

[Wakefield]

This afternoon I watched again, after 20 years, "When Harry Met Sally". Although it was released in 1989 in my imagination it has always been the best romantic comedy from the nineties.

Today it also works out as a proof, if it were necessary, of the ephemeral nature of beauty, today when Meg Ryan is no more the adorable beautiful woman that she was. But, God, what a charming girl she was then!

[Karl Henning]

Yea and it's a gross exaggeration that doesn't hold much water under critical scrutiny.

Translation: "I disagree."

[Jaakko Keskinen]

Academy Award-winning director Martin Scorsese brings heart-pounding suspense to one of the most acclaimed thrillers of all time in Cape Fear. Earning an Academy Award nomination for his brilliant performance, Robert De Niro stars as vicious psychopath Max Cady who emerges after being imprisoned for fourteen years with a single-minded mission - to seek revenge on his attorney Sam Bowden (Nick Nolte). Realizing he is legally powerless to protect his beautiful wife Leigh (Jessica Lange) and his troubled teenage daughter Danielle (Juliette Lewis) against Max's relentless psychological torment, Sam resorts to unorthodox measures, leading to an unforgettable, action-packed showdown on Cape Fear.

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Great flick, though the Simpsons episode is still better imo. Never saw the original -62 film.

[Karl Henning]

If a Simpsons episode is better . . . I may likely seek out the '62 movie instead 

[Jaakko Keskinen]

No offense to that movie. It's just that that episode is so unbelievably good. Although it was maybe a bit insulting to viewer's intelligence that Bart had to explain in the end that he was stalling for time when he asked Bob sing entire HMS Pinafore to him. Really, what else could have been the reason? Except that it is a very fine work, in my opinion, that is.

[SonicMan46]

I may, reluctantly, give it a try James.  Thanks for the info.

Bill - I just own the original King Kong in blu-ray (believe we've had a discussion on that release pages ago) - now, I've seen both of the more recent Kong films but did not buy either - may have to re-visit then at least for a second watch - believe that I was more impressed w/ the most recent one w/ Watts - Dave

[Karl Henning]

No offense to that movie. It's just that that episode is so unbelievably good. Although it was maybe a bit insulting to viewer's intelligence that Bart had to explain in the end that he was stalling for time when he asked Bob sing entire HMS Pinafore to him. Really, what else could have been the reason? Except that it is a very fine work, in my opinion, that is.

And now I recall that Gregory Peck is in the original.  The matter is settled!

[Karl Henning]

I need to watch Frankenweenie, needn't I?

[SonicMan46]

And now I recall that Gregory Peck is in the original.  The matter is settled!

Well Peck played the lawyer, but Mitchum is the villain and what a performance!   Dave

[Karl Henning]

Well Peck played the lawyer, but Mitchum is the villain and what a performance!   Dave

Cheers, Dave!  I've found it at the BPL online catalogue, and I've reserved it!

[SonicMan46]

I need to watch Frankenweenie, needn't I?

Hey Karl - Frankenweenie is highly recommended by me (and Susan loved the film) - another excellent Tim Burton production; keep the movies that I've seen in a database (just to make sure I don't re-watch 'something' that may not have thrilled me the first time around); BUT, we saw the movie a few years ago and I gave it a B+ w/ a BUY?  Never did purchase it - however, may watch it again, though!  Dave

[Karl Henning]

Hey Karl - Frankenweenie is highly recommended by me (and Susan loved the film) - another excellent Tim Burton production; keep the movies that I've seen in a database (just to make sure I don't re-watch 'something' that may not have thrilled me the first time around); BUT, we saw the movie a few years ago and I gave it a B+ w/ a BUY?  Never did purchase it - however, may watch it again, though!  Dave

Thanks for the word, Dave . . . I reserved that one the same on-line session as when I found Cape Fear

[lisa needs braces]

Through Netflix. it's a light comedy about the insular world of voice over production. Entertaining and funny.

I think trailer does it more justice than that poster:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuxApRnekWc

Abe's rating: A

[Jaakko Keskinen]

Rewatched lot of movies last weekend. E.T, original Alien, Back to the future 2 and now the Social network. It's really funny movie. The actor that plays Zuckerberg is priceless. Alien is still very creepy despite the part where the alien goes all roadrunner a la looney tunes after emerging from Kane's stomach. Back to the future 2 is my favorite of the three. Some people complain about it being overcomplicated though but I don't agree with that. Williams has nice score in E.T. Everyone often refers to flying theme as the highlight but to me it is the musical themes associated with government agent "Keys", played by Peter Coyote. He is my other favorite character in the movie, the other being Elliot's big brother whose name escapes me. Mike, was it? He's hilarious. I have noticed E.T. plays around with "adult fear". Until the last third of the movie you don't see adult's faces, apart from Elliot's mother. But in nice subversion, despite that initially movie makes the audience suppose the government agents are eeeeeevil, heartless guys when they are finally revealed... they're not really that bad people at all. Keys actually almost grows to be like a father figure to Elliot.

Oh, and also watched first Austin powers. Never fails to amuse me, despite it's critics.