Last Movie You Watched

[Karl Henning]

Everything you always wanted... was more amusing than a combination of [I remember] and [I gave it credit for, earlier.]

It grossed over $18 million in North America alone against a $2 million budget, making it the 10th highest-grossing film of 1972.

[DavidW]

Just saw "The Whale".  Ugh...probably the saddest movie I've ever seen.  It was really good if you are ok being in a dark, dark place. 

I want to watch it, but I need to be in a receptive mood.

[relm1]

I want to watch it, but I need to be in a receptive mood.

Totally...It really darkened my spirit. 

[Karl Henning]

Again: Crimes and Misdemeanors.

[Karl Henning]

And, again: Interiors. 

[Madiel]

Second viewing, first since its original release.

Found a copy of the BFI essay on it and want to give it a fresh viewing before seeing how the author untangles its mysteries.

I really didn't think much of that film. I couldn't really see what all the fuss was about. And I do like some of Haneke's films.

[Karl Henning]

And, again: Interiors.

It never occurs to me until afterwards, but this is the only Woody Allen movie I've ever seen in which he plays literally nothing for laughs.

[LKB]

Everything you always wanted... was more amusing than a combination of [I remember] and [I gave it credit for, earlier.]

I vaguely remember being at a drive-in where that was playing, fifty-ish years ago. My brother and l had snuck in via the trunk of someone's vehicle, and we were waiting for anything which featured 1) gunplay, 2) car chases or 3) unclad women- preferably a film with all three, for the sake of efficiency. 

If the Academy had an Oscar for " Best Performance Alongside an Ungulant ", Wilder would have been a lock.

[SimonNZ]

It never occurs to me until afterwards, but this is the only Woody Allen movie I've ever seen in which he plays literally nothing for laughs.

It's been a long time since I've seen them, but I believe that's also true of September and Another Woman.

[Karl Henning]

It's been a long time since I've seen them, but I believe that's also true of September and Another Woman.

To the library catalogue I go!

[Karl Henning]

The 1935 Hollywood Dream with James Cagney as Bottom.

Another example of my memory proving inaccurate (I should be getting worried). I thought when I first saw this some years back that it was a trainwreck where nobody understood what they were saying and were just babbling gibberish. But actually its not like that at all, was actually quite good (except for the very young Mickey Rooney's Puck which is cringe-inducing). And the more difficult passages in the text are cut away so its only the more straightforward dialogue that remains (though with all the frolicking and visual-effects scenes etc its still over two hours).

Perhaps my original problem was that at the time I was largely unfamiliar with the play and it didn't, especially with all the cuts, convey or make ease of its bonkers story - which I no longer need it to do, and can overlook if its missing.

Kept wondering how I knew the guy playing Flute, and eventually realized he's the guy who 24 years later would be trying to seduce Jack Lemon in Some Like It Hot, the one who says "nobody's perfect".

Thanks for reminding me of this. A decade or so I checked this out from the library, but I don't remember actually seeing it. FWIW I enjoyed the Michael Hoffman production better than you did.

[Karl Henning]

Again: Crimes and Misdemeanors.

Went back to re-watch the scene where Judah runs into Clifford sitting off by himself, the latter says he's thinking of a murder story, and Judah relates to Clifford his murder story with a twist. 

[SimonNZ]

Thanks for reminding me of this. A decade or so I checked this out from the library, but I don't remember actually seeing it. FWIW I enjoyed the Michael Hoffman production better than you did.

I think I need to rewatch that at some point coming into it with a different set of expectations, and, possibly, just in a better mood. I know a number of people whose opinion I respect feel it has much to recommend it.

For amusement, though, I do have to cite one review I saw:

"The Full title, William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, makes you wonder if it is possible to sue for defamation four hundred years on. Someone clearly told Michael Hoffman (perhaps it was Kenneth Branagh) that filming Shakespeare was a doddle: select quaint Tuscan backdrop - don't forget a smattering of picturesque rural poor, bless their worn-out socks - assemble starry cast, cut in a few seconds of Mendelssohn. It's tempting to say that the result is vacuous, but that seems unnecessarily hostile towards vacuums. The best that can probably be said is that Kevin Kline brings some pathos to a hen-pecked Bottom, while perma-pout Calista Flockhart makes the persuasive - if not wholly unexpected - case that Helena is actually Ally McBeal. Both Anna Friel (Hermia) and Michelle Pfeiffer (Titania) founder in attempting to keep their heads above water, and the ever self-sacrificing Rupert Everett (Oberon) does a fine job of making everything else look more charismatic (buildings included). Come back, Ken - all is forgiven."

[SimonNZ]

To the library catalogue I go!

I remember both being every bit as good as Interiors. I should try and do a rewatch soon as well.

[Karl Henning]

I think I need to rewatch that at some point coming into it with a different set of expectations, and, possibly, just in a better mood. I know a number of people whose opinion I respect feel it has much to recommend it.

For amusement, though, I do have to cite one review I saw:

"The Full title, William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, makes you wonder if it is possible to sue for defamation four hundred years on. Someone clearly told Michael Hoffman (perhaps it was Kenneth Branagh) that filming Shakespeare was a doddle: select quaint Tuscan backdrop - don't forget a smattering of picturesque rural poor, bless their worn-out socks - assemble starry cast, cut in a few seconds of Mendelssohn. It's tempting to say that the result is vacuous, but that seems unnecessarily hostile towards vacuums. The best that can probably be said is that Kevin Kline brings some pathos to a hen-pecked Bottom, while perma-pout Calista Flockhart makes the persuasive - if not wholly unexpected - case that Helena is actually Ally McBeal. Both Anna Friel (Hermia) and Michelle Pfeiffer (Titania) founder in attempting to keep their heads above water, and the ever self-sacrificing Rupert Everett (Oberon) does a fine job of making everything else look more charismatic (buildings included). Come back, Ken - all is forgiven."

Fun!

[Papy Oli]

Nobody - Good entertaining action fun. Like John Wick but better 



Also a first watch of 12 Angry Men

What a fantastic movie that was. Glad I ticked this one off the "Classics" list.

[Karl Henning]

Also a first watch of 12 Angry Men

What a fantastic movie that was. Glad I ticked this one off the "Classics" list.

Superb!

[Karl Henning]

The 1935 Hollywood Dream with James Cagney as Bottom.

Another example of my memory proving inaccurate (I should be getting worried). I thought when I first saw this some years back that it was a trainwreck where nobody understood what they were saying and were just babbling gibberish. But actually its not like that at all, was actually quite good (except for the very young Mickey Rooney's Puck which is cringe-inducing). And the more difficult passages in the text are cut away so its only the more straightforward dialogue that remains (though with all the frolicking and visual-effects scenes etc its still over two hours).

Perhaps my original problem was that at the time I was largely unfamiliar with the play and it didn't, especially with all the cuts, convey or make ease of its bonkers story - which I no longer need it to do, and can overlook if its missing.

Kept wondering how I knew the guy playing Flute, and eventually realized he's the guy who 24 years later would be trying to seduce Jack Lemon in Some Like It Hot, the one who says "nobody's perfect".

So much to love in this! I cannot accurately recall my earlier experience (I didn't watch the whole, though I do not remember why) I did remember that they'd turned the final tune in the Scottish Symphony into a choral number, but I don't recall seeing the names of Erich Wolfgang Korngold and Bronislava Nijinska, so I must have nodded off during the credits. The parody/variations on the Wedding March for Titania and Bottom was brilliant. The only negative for me (and I'm morally prepared to endure it) was Mickey Rooney's steadily annoying squealy vocalizations. He must have been about 17 at the time, though arguably rather an undernourished 17. As an example of a Hollywood studio putting its best cultural foot forward, this is really a rich delight.

[SimonNZ]

So much to love in this! I cannot accurately recall my earlier experience (I didn't watch the whole, though I do not remember why) I did remember that they'd turned the final tune in the Scottish Symphony into a choral number, but I don't recall seeing the names of Erich Wolfgang Korngold and Bronislava Nijinska, so I must have nodded off during the credits. The parody/variations on the Wedding March for Titania and Bottom was brilliant. The only negative for me (and I'm morally prepared to endure it) was Mickey Rooney's steadily annoying squealy vocalizations. He must have been about 17 at the time, though arguably rather an undernourished 17. As an example of a Hollywood studio putting its best cultural foot forward, this is really a rich delight.

Glad to have given you the reminder, then. 

As I mentioned upthread the commentary track has quite a bit of information about the score, as well as lots of other interesting history.

[Karl Henning]

As I mentioned upthread the commentary track has quite a bit of information about the score, as well as lots of other interesting history.

Yes, I just wrapped that up.