Last Movie You Watched

[SimonNZ]

The Driver (Walter Hill, dir. 1978)

Somehow I hadn't heard of this cult classic until just a few days ago, despite being a bit of a fan of Walter Hill. A pretty slim noir-ish story with more than a few holes, but wonderful taciturn performances from Ryan O'Neil and Isabelle Adjani, and some justly praised car-chase sequences. The recent film Drive seems to have stolen a number of ideas from this film to the point where I'm a little surprised Hill didn't sue.

[SonicMan46]

Last night on TV we watched "The Late Quartet" based around the pending breakup of a St Qt that was about 20 years old and all the in fighting it caused when the founder (Cello) developed Parkinson's the music was LvB Op131 interwoven throughout, films of this quality are a rare event on TV.

Wife & I saw that film on release (left a post in 2012 quoted below) - enjoyed - one of Philip Seymour Hoffman's (1967–2014) last movies - a really sad lost to the film acting world to us -   Dave

A Late Quartet (2012) w/ Hoffman, Walken, etal - went to are local downtown indie theater; story of an aging 'famous' string quartet w/ an emphasis on the Beethoven's Op. 131 - more about personalities but some interesting references to classical music, so might interest members here - Susan did a 4/5* rating; I'd do 3+/5* - kind of slow but worth a watch - Dave

[SonicMan46]

It's ok, not great but watchable. Mostly good cast and beautiful locations. I've seen the Paul Newman movie but it was quite a while ago and I don't remember much. What prompted me to watch it this time was that I recently read Faulkner's The Hamlet which was the basis for the screenplay and it was pretty interesting to see how they took characters, places, whole events and parts of plot and totally rearranged them into movie about fathers and sons more similar really to Cat on a Hot Tin Roof than to anything Faulkner wrote in The Hamlet. 

You're right, there doesn't seem to be a US release, the cover I posted is from British one.

Thanks - will not make a purchase, but maybe a streaming option (I get so many cable channels, most not watched, that there must be one showing the series?) - just bought Cat on a Hot Tin Roof on blu-ray disc - excellent!  AND, waiting for a good restoration of the other Newman film above.  Dave

[SonicMan46]

I didn't know this remake existed.  I have the original on my Watchlist and will probably see it this week.

Hi SanAntone - I own the Newman film shown below on DVD (no BD yet) - assume that is the one on your 'watchlist'?  I'm still curious about the 1985 TV 2-part series - have found some online sites selling on DVD for about $20 or so, but unsure of the quality (could be crappy discs made from a VHS tape?) - also found a few streaming sites but needed to DL some video software, so not interested.  Dave

[Karl Henning]

Last night, Lethal Weapon 3.  Yet again, good fun.

[Andante]

Wife & I saw that film on release (left a post in 2012 quoted below) - enjoyed - one of Philip Seymour Hoffman's (1967–2014) last movies - a really sad lost to the film acting world to us -   Dave

Re "A last quartet"
Very interesting to see your ratings, the magazine rating gave 4/5 but I would go with your 3+/5, I would like it to have included more about the actual music but we musty be grateful for what it did give, the 2nd violin saying they should play it without the score was IMO a bit off the mark, I have never seen any quartet performed by heart even by the really top ens but I do get his point about making it more exciting. At least it did happen in the final movement.

[kishnevi]

Re "A last quartet"
Very interesting to see your ratings, the magazine rating gave 4/5 but I would go with your 3+/5, I would like it to have included more about the actual music but we musty be grateful for what it did give, the 2nd violin saying they should play it without the score was IMO a bit off the mark, I have never seen any quartet performed by heart even by the really top ens but I do get his point about making it more exciting. At least it did happen in the final movement.

I saw the Jerusalem Quartet perform last year. They did it by heart (Haydn, Bartok, Dvorak). 

[Karl Henning]

I saw the Jerusalem Quartet perform last year. They did it by heart (Haydn, Bartok, Dvorak). 

Sweet.

[James]

Rabid
1977 ‧ Thriller ‧ 1h 31m

After undergoing radical emergency surgery, Rose (Marilyn Chambers) develops an insatiable desire for blood. She searches out victims to satisfy her incurable craving, infecting them with an unknown disease which in turn swiftly drives them insane... and makes them equally bloodthirsty.

[asin]B01JQXEMHI[/asin]

[Karl Henning]

I just saw The Fifth Element



It was one of the most unpredictable and hilarious, yet serious Sci-Fi movies I've ever seen 

Good fun!

[Jaakko Keskinen]

[NikF]

Good stuff.

[Ken B]

Today, Susan & I went out to see the likely to be nominated movie below on the BIG screen for best picture:

La La Land (2016) w/ Ryan Gosling & Emma Stone - this presumed modern day 'musical' is stated to hearken back to the days of Hollywood musicals of the past; the last musical (w/ sound) to win the Oscar for 'Best Picture' was Chicago (2002 winner) - saw on Broadway twice and own the BD - an excellent film - this current attempt at a comparison to the great days of musicals is laughable to me - however, this production has received wonderful reviews: 8.9/10, IMDB & 93% (8.7/10), Rotten Tomatoes HERE - I really cannot believe some of the comments made by these critics (not sure how knowledgeable some of these reviewers may be about Hollywood's past w/ musicals?) - I'm closer in opinion to one of the critics voting a 'rotten tomato' (HERE) - wife thought the film a 'bore' and nearly fell asleep - I was unimpressed w/ the music, lyrics, storyline, and the musical abilities (singing & dancing) of the main stars - this film will likely be enjoyed by the younger crowd, but I can do no better than 3 1/2/5*.  Recommended?  Well, probably if you plan to watch the Academy Awards next year.  Dave

I liked this a lot. I always say with artificial forms like musicals, embrace the artifice. Wow do they ever! But it nearly all works.
There are problems that might seem worse on a second viewing. Some contrivances and borrowing stand out. The last half gets plot-y and drags in places, and overall it relies a bit overmuch on the charm of its stars. I think the ending is a mismatch and a "we cannot seem too old fashioned" mistake, but an adroitly handled mistake  . Parts of it I really loved. Overall I would say a must see for thems what like musicals. 8 or 9/10, on the big screen with big sound at least.

[Andante]

I saw the Jerusalem Quartet perform last year. They did it by heart (Haydn, Bartok, Dvorak).

Well perhaps one day I will go to such a concert 

[André]

I just saw The Fifth Element



It was one of the most unpredictable and hilarious, yet serious Sci-Fi movies I've ever seen 

A classic and it hasn't gained any wrinkles 20 years hence.

Besson's new sci-fi movie will be released next year. It is based on the popular "Valerian" cartoon series:





I'll be in line at the theater when it comes out !

[SonicMan46]

I liked this a lot. I always say with artificial forms like musicals, embrace the artifice. Wow do they ever! But it nearly all works.
There are problems that might seem worse on a second viewing. Some contrivances and borrowing stand out. The last half gets plot-y and drags in places, and overall it relies a bit overmuch on the charm of its stars. I think the ending is a mismatch and a "we cannot seem too old fashioned" mistake, but an adroitly handled mistake  . Parts of it I really loved. Overall I would say a must see for thems what like musicals. 8 or 9/10, on the big screen with big sound at least.

Glad that you enjoyed - my rating a little lower than yours, and agree this film will not translate well to a small screen TV w/ mediocre sound - Dave

[SonicMan46]

Susan & I are trying to see some of the films likely to be nominated for 'Best Picture' Oscar - today:

Fences (2016) w/ Denzel Washington & Viola Davis - short synopsis below; ratings - 8.0/10, IMDB & 95%, Rotten Tomatoes - a play adapted to the big screen - these do not always work well, but this one was quite good and all performers were excellent - would agree w/ the ratings shown - recommended!  Dave

Denzel Washington directed and stars in this adaptation of August Wilson's Pulitzer Prize-winning play, which centers on a black garbage collector named Troy Maxson in 1950s Pittsburgh. Bitter that baseball's color barrier was only broken after his own heyday in the Negro Leagues, Maxson is prone to taking out his frustrations on his loved ones. Both Washington and co-star Viola Davis won Tonys for their performances in the 2010 revival of the play. Stephen Henderson, Jovan Adepo, Russell Hornsby, and Mykelti Williamson round out the supporting cast.

[André]

Fantastic Beasts And Where to Find Them.



A pre-pre-prequel to the Harry Potter series. Great cast: Eddie Redmayne (2015 Academy Award winner for best actor), Colin Farrell, a surprise cameo by Johnny Depp, and the adorable Alison Sudol.

Set in 1920s New-York. Redmayne's character is a "zoologist", whose eventual academic work would much later be studied at Hogwarth's by Harry Potter and his cohort. So much for the - very tenuous- link with the Potter novels and movies. Actor Eddie Redmayne's face is just weird enough to look at for verisimilitude with the world of sorcerers.

True to J.K. Rowling' world (she wrote the script) this is dark and ambiguous stuff. With Rowling, nothing is clear cut, black or white, good or bad. She is never afraid to lay ugly things out, even if tangentially. Definitely not kids stuff IMO.

I would not be surprised if Fantastic Beasts wins a couple of technical awards in the coming film festivals. I've never seen special effects so effective and natural, in the sense that despite the context (sorcery), they are utterly unnecessary. It's all in the script. Not in the visuals. But one complements the other nicely.

[aligreto]

I just saw The Fifth Element



It was one of the most unpredictable and hilarious, yet serious Sci-Fi movies I've ever seen 

Another fan of that film here too 

[North Star]

Last night, for the first time: IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE.