Last Movie You Watched

[LKB]

Brilliantly stylish, too. I still remember the night I saw this in the movie house and I near jumped out of my skin.

Here's one of those stories...

I saw Alien in its initial release, in the company of my older brother, who had recently separated ( quite honorably ) from the USMC as a fairly salty Staff Sergeant.

I had already read Alan Dean Foster's novelization, so when that first big jump scare was imminent l was ready, and stealthily positioned my hand behind the nape of my favorite Sergeant 's neck.

With perfect timing at the crucial instant, l applied only the lightest pressure.

To his credit, he 1) only levitated an inch or so, and 2) allowed me to continue living after the movie. 

[DavidW]

I watched The Killer. I'm amused that the premise of him being patient, cold and calculating is violated in the very beginning of the movie!  If he was more patient the plot wouldn't have happened.  I can't imagine waiting for days and then when someone is walking around and frequently breaking the shot, taking it anyway.  An actual professional would have waited even if it meant needing another opportunity at a different time.

And then the rest of the movie the assassinations are done in the sloppiest manner possible with one being an invitation to be remembered by literally dozens of people.  And I have no sympathy for the main character because he doesn't have the moral high ground.  He is going after people for doing exactly what he does.  But I guess it is not about that anyway, it is about tribe.

Whatever.  This movie is no Zodiac, but as Todd said it is beautifully shot.

Movie is okay.  I think that was the last thing I wanted to watch on Netflix, time to cancel for now.

[relm1]

Yesterday, I saw Godzilla Minus One.  It was very good.  I'm not a Godzilla expert, maybe only seen one or two of the 30+ Japanese entries but found this to be just a very solid and personal film about post war Japan with a giant monster.  The big reason why this is a good film is if Godzilla wasn't even in it, it would still have been a good film with strong characters you care about and their post war plight.  Some of the imagery is stunning in its terror.  It is sort of a reboot of the classic first film from 1954 and takes place immediately after WW2.  No one really knows what Godzilla is other than some legends by islanders.  The cast and acting is very good and the film is in Japanese with subtitles. 

[LKB]

Yesterday, I saw Godzilla Minus One.  It was very good.  I'm not a Godzilla expert, maybe only seen one or two of the 30+ Japanese entries but found this to be just a very solid and personal film about post war Japan with a giant monster.  The big reason why this is a good film is if Godzilla wasn't even in it, it would still have been a good film with strong characters you care about and their post war plight.  Some of the imagery is stunning in its terror.  It is sort of a reboot of the classic first film from 1954 and takes place immediately after WW2.  No one really knows what Godzilla is other than some legends by islanders.  The cast and acting is very good and the film is in Japanese with subtitles. 

The earliest movie experience l can remember is seeing Godzilla vs. The Thing back in 1965 or '66. I don't think l saw another one until the 2014 reboot.

I'm looking forward to Godzilla Minus One, l might even see it tomorrow.

[DavidW]

I've seen all the Godzilla movies.  Even the ones with junior! I want to see this one in the theater.

[Brian]

I think that was the last thing I wanted to watch on Netflix, time to cancel for now.

Right now on Netflix we only watch Great British Bake Off and Better Call Saul. I could imagine finishing those off by the end of the year and canceling.

[LKB]

I've seen all the Godzilla movies.  Even the ones with junior! I want to see this one in the theater.

I encountered Junior during that unfortunate adolescent phase when nearly everything and everyone else seemed stupid and irrelevant ( except, of course, the music and people I decided were " worthy " ). So he didn't get much attention from me, although the bits and pieces of footage I've seen of his scenes would suggest that he was more about marketing than story.

Maybe Legendary or Toho will resurrect him for Trump, since he'll need a running mate. 

[SonicMan46]

Winged Migration (2001) - well, a documentary that won the Oscar in 2002 - the scenes of New York City still show the Twin Towers which went down later in the year. Some info below - remarkable filming of birds and spectacular scenery - upgraded my DVD to a streaming HD which looked great on my 4K HDTV - if you're into 'birds' a must see - note quite limited narration so the visuals are the essence of the film.  Dave

The movie was shot over the course of three years on all seven continents. Filming began in July 1998 and ended in spring 2001. It was shot using in-flight cameras, most of the footage is aerial, and the viewer appears to be flying alongside birds of successive species, especially Canada geese. They traverse every kind of weather and landscape, covering vast distances in a flight for survival. The filmmakers exposed over 590 miles of film to create an 89-minute piece. In one case, two months of filming in one location was edited down to less than one minute in the final film. (Source)

 

[Cato]

Recently we watched: The Big Trail 1930 with John Wayne (c. age 25): directed by Raoul Walsh.

It was rather experimental: photographed with widescreen 70mm cameras * and a huge cast (and thousands of animals) across many Western states.

The movie tells of a wagon train heading West and all of the dangers involved: of interest is that it shows a sympathetic attitude toward the Native Americans.  It is also interesting to realize that older people in the audience in 1930 might have experienced a wagon train in their earlier years!

The filth and unkempt nature of such an undertaking makes the movie very authentic: people's teeth are often in terrible shape and nobody is constantly freshly scrubbed!

The restored Blu-Ray/DVD looks great, although apparently not much could be done with the soundtrack.



Unfortunately, because of The Depression, theaters did not want to invest in new screens and projectors for the 70mm process, and of course ticket sales were down.  So the movie did not do as well as had been hoped.

* A movie called Danger Lights in 65mm widescreen came out around the same time (1929)  It starred Jean Arthur and Robert Armstrong in a story about railroads in the West: one great scene featured a locomotive tug of war!

It suffered the same fate as The Big Trail.



No copy of the 65mm version or a negative seems to have survived: a 35mm version at barely over an hour, butchered from the original, is available.

[steve ridgway]

Right now on Netflix we only watch Great British Bake Off and Better Call Saul. I could imagine finishing those off by the end of the year and canceling.

We can watch Great British Bake Off for free and cancelled a couple of months ago.

[drogulus]

Alien

A first watch.
Bit tense, innit...

Not a big fan of Sci-Fi or horror genre or both...but glad I gave this one a go.

    Many people must have gone to see this film because of the original preview.

[relm1]

Everything is as perfect as I remember it. I openly weep so many times during this film, and the childlike empress might have been my first ever crush. For me, this is the apotheosis of children films.



Not only has this film not aged, it has grown in my estimation, unlike Hackers, which I can still watch, but I no longer love - I love this film:

Childlike Empress: Bastian, why don't you do what you dream, Bastian?
Bastian: But I can't! I have to keep my feet on the ground!
Childlike Empress: Call my name! Bastian, please! Save us!
Bastian: All right, I'll do it. I'll save you. I will do what I dream!

Perfection. :-)

The kid actors in this film are so great!  As a kid, I really liked its theme of consuming darkness in the real world impacting their fantasy world. 

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Winged Migration (2001) - well, a documentary that won the Oscar in 2002 - the scenes of New York City still show the Twin Towers which went down later in the year. Some info below - remarkable filming of birds and spectacular scenery - upgraded my DVD to a streaming HD which looked great on my 4K HDTV - if you're into 'birds' a must see - note quite limited narration so the visuals are the essence of the film.  Dave

 

Sounds like something that I would enjoy. 

PD

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Alien

A first watch.
Bit tense, innit...

Not a big fan of Sci-Fi or horror genre or both...but glad I gave this one a go.

Glad that you enjoyed it!  I do love that movie and the trilogy in general.  Any interest in watching the other two?

PD

[drogulus]

Sounds like something that I would enjoy. 

PD

    You need a new TV. 

[Pohjolas Daughter]

You need a new TV. 

At some point in time...hopefully. 

PD

[LKB]

Everything is as perfect as I remember it. I openly weep so many times during this film, and the childlike empress might have been my first ever crush. For me, this is the apotheosis of children films.



Not only has this film not aged, it has grown in my estimation, unlike Hackers, which I can still watch, but I no longer love - I love this film:

Childlike Empress: Bastian, why don't you do what you dream, Bastian?
Bastian: But I can't! I have to keep my feet on the ground!
Childlike Empress: Call my name! Bastian, please! Save us!
Bastian: All right, I'll do it. I'll save you. I will do what I dream!

Perfection. :-)

In my perusal of worthy reaction videos, this film is quite high on the list.

In fact, l watch a couple of favorite scenes once a month or so... real magic is in this film, despite Mr. Ende's ultimate disapproval. 

[Karl Henning]

In my perusal of worthy reaction videos, this film is quite high on the list.

In fact, l watch a couple of favorite scenes once a month or so... real magic is in this film, despite Mr. Ende's ultimate disapproval.

Thanks for this. I've not seen it yet, and I perceive that I ought.

[LKB]

Thanks for this. I've not seen it yet, and I perceive that I ought.

It has a very specific charm and character. I was in university when it was released, and l was just as involved the first time seeing it as the eight-year-olds in the audience. 

I envy you your initiation, enjoy!

[LKB]

Obviously, I am biased, but I do feel this style of filmmaking holds up over time. I suspect you won't openly cry, as I do, as many of those emotions are bound up in nostalgic longing.

One thing I've noticed is that I've become more and more sentimental as I've gotten older - I guess seeing life pass you by does that - lol. I need become more cautious regarding wish fulfillment.

For me, it's nostalgia for my childhood, which was mostly idyllic ( I was deathly ill once and there were occasional bullies at school, but that never lasted long ). Life was simple, and frequently glorious. 

And I cry easily, but it's rather embarrassing and I generally try to keep it in check around others.