Last Movie You Watched

[hopefullytrusting]

A Brad Pitt masterclass: Fury

[Madiel]

Cued by Cassie's reaction vid, I revisited Conspiracy Theory last night. Probably the only movie I'll ever own, with Julia Roberts. (Oh, that's nae true: there is Hook.) Love this movie, though given the mental state of the electorate, I'm apt to think, "Jerry, anyway, has a good excuse for being a whack-job."

I remember liking Conspiracy Theory a lot, though it's interesting you choose to talk about Julia Roberts rather than Mel Gibson who has since given indications of identifying with the role a little too much. But the idea of not knowing which conspiracy theory is correct is rather funny, and I remember enjoying the movie when I saw it for that and other reasons. I'm not quite sure how I'd respond to it now.

[Karl Henning]

I remember liking Conspiracy Theory a lot, though it's interesting you choose to talk about Julia Roberts rather than Mel Gibson who has since given indications of identifying with the role a little too much. But the idea of not knowing which conspiracy theory is correct is rather funny, and I remember enjoying the movie when I saw it for that and other reasons. I'm not quite sure how I'd respond to it now.

Yes, Gibson does a great job, though one wonders if he's simply being himself. I do love Patrick Stewart's heavy.

[brewski]

Just back from the totally fascinating documentary, Eno (2024), Gary Hustwit's groundbreaking film about Brian Eno, with innovative software, which creates a new film every time it's shown. In real time, the program culls footage from hundreds of hours of interviews and sequences of the artist working with David Bowie, Roxy Music, Talking Heads, and others. Tonight there were two screenings, and if I had known how great it would be, I might have gone to both of them.

The director was on the premises (Philadelphia Film Society) to introduce the film, and closed with, "I have no idea what you're about to see, but I hope you have a great time."

https://www.hustwit.com/eno

Hustwit and creative technologist Brendan Dawes have developed bespoke generative software designed to sequence scenes and create transitions out of Hustwit's original interviews with Eno, and Eno's rich archive of hundreds of hours of never-before-seen footage, and unreleased music. Each screening of Eno is unique, presenting different scenes, order, music, and meant to be experienced live.

[Madiel]

with innovative software, which creates a new film every time it's shown

What, he couldn't be bothered hiring an editor?

Part of the job of a film maker, especially a documentary film maker, is to work through the material and put a structure around it. Not subject the audience to a file dump.

I know we live in the age of the shuffle button. I didn't know it was infecting video to the same degree as audio.

[hopefullytrusting]

Mark Harmon's Worth Winning



The answer is yes, Mark.

[hopefullytrusting]

Currently, Batman and then Batman Returns:

[Karl Henning]

As a trombonist, I approve this funny joke and will repeat it.

Last night, they told another:

What do you call a beautiful lady on a trombonist's arm?

— A tattoo

I've been exulting in the wealth of extras on the Wrecking Crew blu-ray.

[Irons]

A Complete Unknown.



Takes something to drag me to the cinema these days. Step up Bob Dylan! So many aspects of the film I enjoyed, not least the love triangle between Bob, Suze Rutolo and Joan Baez, all played brilliantly, as indeed Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger by all actors concerned. A scene in the film involving a very drunk Johnny Cash is laugh out loud funny. My only criticism is more music please, although it has to be said Bob and Joan Baez performing together are excellent. I see a sequel coming up as "A Complete Unknown" only takes us up to when Dylan went electric from acoustic. Bring it on!   

[KevinP]

Thread duty: Fat Man and Little Boy. Another Paul  Newman movie, this time just plain boring. I had heard it would be, going in so I was prepared.

Newman as Leslie Groves and Star Trek's Lt Barclay as Oppenheimer.

When Paul Newman is boring, he's woefully miscast.

Tonight, Paul Newman in 1993's Nobody's Fool.

Much, much better than the last two Newman films watched from this set.

Two more in the wings: Twilight and Road to Perdition. The former is not highly rated.  The latter I've seen but don't remember well.

[pjme]

A (long) documentary that leaves one exhausted, shocked, enlightened - definitely a real painful punch in the stomach. These stories were never told in our schools....



https://www.brusselstimes.com/1103100/how-jazz-played-out-over-congos-chaotic-coup

[hopefullytrusting]

Some classic cyberpunk: The Lawnmower Man 1 and 2

[hopefullytrusting]

So much tension - the warden was a great antagonist, and Clint was cool as a cucumber: Escape from Alcatraz (amazing soundtrack, as well)

[relm1]

So much tension - the warden was a great antagonist, and Clint was cool as a cucumber: Escape from Alcatraz (amazing soundtrack, as well)

Clint is always reliable as the loner tough guy.  I recently saw the Dirty Hairy films for the first time and found them very satisfying.  I don't remember which was which but the one I think I liked the best was when the young woman cop became his partner which he greatly resisted but by the end, deeply respected her and dissed the city mayor.

[relm1]

I just watched The Thief of Baghdad (1940) for the first time as it was on tv, and what a joyful film! It was on tv and felt so alive and captivating and truly swept me away. It's a magical, adventurous spectacle that's still very fun.  It feels timeless once you get in to the vintage storytelling style (think Wizard of Oz).

The special effects were very good considering this came out in 1940. From the flying carpet to the massive genie towering over the screen, everything was so imaginative and beautifully crafted. Sure, we have CGI now, but there's something special about seeing these effects done with such creativity and care. They have a certain charm that makes you appreciate the effort put into creating them.

And the soundtrack by legendary composer Miklós Rózsa's is lush, sweeping, and perfectly matched to the movie's sense of wonder and adventure. Much of it felt like Disney's Aladdin I'd imagine they borrowed/stole from this film. 

[Kalevala]

Currently, Batman and then Batman Returns:

The cat is agitated; look at how it's twitching its tail.  I'd do this shot differently--sorry. 

K

[71 dB]

World On A Wire (Rainer Werner Fassbinder, 1973)

I became aware of this some time ago. I was very surprised to learn Fassbinder has done sci-fi, but I also knew instantly I have to get this one. I was 99.9 % sure I would like this a lot. I bought the Blu-ray released by Second Sight. Excellent cover art! This is in two parts both lasting about 100 minutes. A state run technology institution creates virtual reality inhabited by computer-generated people who think they are real. Strange things start to happen and part one ends with the revelation that The reality is also virtual! Part two is more of a cat and mouse play and the story has surprisingly happy ending for the main protagonist after a lot of hardship. Fassbinder uses mirrors for his camera angles extensively. I did enjoy this a lot. It is interesting how long it took me to find this gem, but then again Fassbinder was insanely prolific and I have seen a small portion of his films.

[hopefullytrusting]

Need to get back on track: rewatching Trust (Hal Hartley)

"I just happened to be here."

[Karl Henning]

I meant to watch this (somehow never having seen the whole picture) back when it was seasonal, but it was, of course, checked out and it and I have only hooked up this week.

[Madiel]

Ant-Man and the Wasp



Good clean fun. It's been a while since I saw the first Ant-Man but my impression is more or less the same: they're coherent films, unlike some of the other MCU films that try to stuff too much in. I guess they don't have the same saving-the-world grandeur but that's just fine by me.

Though I gather the 3rd one of the series wasn't received so well. It'll take me a while to get that far.

The mid-credits sequence in this one is seriously depressing though. And a reminder of what was happening in the higher-stakes Avengers film before this one. I guess they kind of had to tie the stories together.