Last Movie You Watched

[ultralinear]

Recently, The French Dispatch from Wes Anderson.

Three stories told perhaps with too much visual detail and complication: in comparison with e.g. The Grand Budapest Hotel, it just does not have the same amount of comedy or drama or scenes which one might call pathétique.

Listening to Jeffrey Wright imitate the voice of Clarke Peters was interesting.

Cliches about the French abound (constant smoking, fancy food, etc.) which are not spun in any original manner, they are just present everywhere.

Still, it has at times a manic energy, in spite of the somewhat static Wes-Anderson-Diorama method of staging scenes.

As a Wes Anderson fan, watching this in the movie theatre on its first release I found to be a frustrating experience.  There's just too much - of everything : too much detail, too many stylistic flourishes, too many story arcs - too many characters - and it's too long to be absorbed in a single sitting.  It goes on and on, one thing after another, relentlessly.

It's meant as an homage to the New Yorker magazine, and structured to suit, with an introduction and three separate stories, in which narrative style overrides content, and the authorial voice is paramount.  And succeeds at that - but too well:  the end result is not a movie to follow in its entirety from beginning to end, but - like a magazine - best dipped into from time to time, and enjoyed as a diversion.  I watched it again recently on Blu-Ray and found it worked much better when you can pick it up and put it down as the mood takes you.

[Cato]

As a Wes Anderson fan, watching this in the movie theatre on its first release I found to be a frustrating experience.  There's just too much - of everything : too much detail, too many stylistic flourishes, too many story arcs - too many characters - and it's too long to be absorbed in a single sitting.  It goes on and on, one thing after another, relentlessly.

....  I watched it again recently on Blu-Ray and found it worked much better when you can pick it up and put it down as the mood takes you.

Amen!  Maybe I will try one part at a time: Mrs. Cato lost interest because of the overwhelming nature of the style.  In fact, she said it was just too hard to follow: in essence, the effort needed to catch everything was not rewarded with any laughter or pleasure.

[Karl Henning]

William Windom, Albert Salmi, Sal Mineo, M. Emmett Walsh & Ricardo Montalban. I don't believe I had any idea. I love the uncharacteristic humor of the opening:
Escape from the Planet of the Apes. 

[Karl Henning]

William Windom, Albert Salmi, Sal Mineo, M. Emmett Walsh & Ricardo Montalban. I don't believe I had any idea. I love the uncharacteristic humor of the opening:
Escape from the Planet of the Apes.

There was also the mild darkly humorous moment in the opening credits: we're informed of Roddy McDowall and Kim Hunter, but not of the actor playing the third space traveler. One knew, therefore, that he was not long for this film. 

[Karl Henning]

William Windom, Albert Salmi, Sal Mineo, M. Emmett Walsh & Ricardo Montalban. I don't believe I had any idea. I love the uncharacteristic humor of the opening:
Escape from the Planet of the Apes.

There are elements of real charm in this one. 

[VonStupp]

William Windom, Albert Salmi, Sal Mineo, M. Emmett Walsh & Ricardo Montalban. I don't believe I had any idea. I love the uncharacteristic humor of the opening:
Escape from the Planet of the Apes.

Agreed with all of your statements thus far.

At first, it looks to be pure vintage camp, but there ends up to be some heart in its sci-fi message.
VS

[Karl Henning]

Well, it's a movie I had never before seen myself watching, but here I am:: Conquest of the Planet of the Apes, and I've got to say: the opening scene with Ricardo Montalban and Roddy McDowall has engaged me. It seems this unrated version restores footage excised from the theatrical release. Well, the adventure continues....

[relm1]

Anora was very, very good.  It won best picture and best actress. The actors really embodied these characters so fully, it felt like a documentary at times.  As far as I recall, there was no score throughout adding to the real life feel.  Why it's so good?  Spoilers ahead.  There are massive tonal shifts in the feel and pace of the film throughout.  The first half is very different from the second half which is very different from the final shot and all of it done extremely well.  It was dramatic yet I laughed loudly a few spots it was so funny too.  It's multilayered, very good original script (I think that was another oscar) and interestingly, every time I thought it was going a certain direction, it would slam the breaks and head somewhere else.  I've rarely misjudged a scene as much in a single film as in this film.

[VonStupp]

Well, it's a movie I had never before seen myself watching, but here I am:: Conquest of the Planet of the Apes, and I've got to say: the opening scene with Ricardo Montalban and Roddy McDowall has engaged me. It seems this unrated version restores footage excised from the theatrical release. Well, the adventure continues....

I remember Conquest being a rather dark follow up to Escape.
VS

[Karl Henning]

Well, it's a movie I had never before seen myself watching, but here I am:: Conquest of the Planet of the Apes, and I've got to say: the opening scene with Ricardo Montalban and Roddy McDowall has engaged me. It seems this unrated version restores footage excised from the theatrical release. Well, the adventure continues....

I've got to admit: I genuinely enjoyed this one, too. What a lesson, to keep an open mind.

[Karl Henning]

I remember Conquest being a rather dark follow up to Escape.
VS

Yes, humanity does not really shine there. I read Paul Dehn's social commentary in the screenplay, and his quarrel is just. A pity it remains timely today.

[VonStupp]

 A pity it remains timely today.

I suppose, a good mark of science fiction, but a poor mark on reality.
VS

[Papy Oli]

Last weekend at our local cinema:

Bridget Jones' Mad About The Boy.


It was good, some proper howling laughter, a few welling ups too.

Enjoyed it a lot 

Bite me   

[Karl Henning]

Yes, it's that time!

[Karl Henning]

Yes, it's that time!

Oh, I should have known that was Jn Huston playing the Lawgiver. "Introducing Paul Williams." This must predate The Loved One. 

[Karl Henning]

Iconic - might be the most perfectly shot horror film: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre

Tangentially, for Alien, Ridley Scott said he aimed to make The Texas Chainsaw Massacre in space.

[Madiel]

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

1. Pretty decent as far as these films go, more coherent than most of them. One plot line in the novel is completely removed and that and the other changes are quite smart choices.

2. Still not a patch on the book. Maybe there are some things I would've appreciated more if I hadn't just read the book and knew what was coming. I mean, I actually think the film does a good job with the climax, but it's not as creepy and frightening when I read it only last night (and it WAS creepy and frightening, I'm a grown man and JK Rowling made me distinctly nervous).

[Kalevala]

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

1. Pretty decent as far as these films go, more coherent than most of them. One plot line in the novel is completely removed and that and the other changes are quite smart choices.

2. Still not a patch on the book. Maybe there are some things I would've appreciated more if I hadn't just read the book and knew what was coming. I mean, I actually think the film does a good job with the climax, but it's not as creepy and frightening when I read it only last night (and it WAS creepy and frightening, I'm a grown man and JK Rowling made me distinctly nervous).

It's been years since I've read the book and don't recall the differences.  Which plot line was left out?

K

[Madiel]

It's been years since I've read the book and don't recall the differences.  Which plot line was left out?

K

There's no Quidditch at all in the film.

[Papy Oli]

I'm looking for Richie.

Anyone see Richie?

Helloooooo....