Last Movie You Watched

[greg]

I'd watch it....and pay theater prices.

"Hasta la vista, baby... let me go home and tend to my cats and then write a pretty, impressionistic piano piece about the way water flows out of a fountain. I'll be back..." 

[Bogey]

"Hasta la vista, baby... let me go home and tend to my cats and then write a pretty, impressionistic piano piece about the way water flows out of a fountain. I'll be back..." 

Can't be worse than Kindergarten Cop, Greg. 

[greg]

Can't be worse than Kindergarten Cop, Greg. 

I've never seen it. Sounds like something I'd rather avoid.

[George]

I've never seen it. Sounds like something I'd rather avoid.

Indeed. 

[karlhenning]

Last night, Mickey Blue Eyes with commentary by Frank Oz.

Interesting coincidence in my recent viewing, as Frank Oz directed Bowfinger (which I had watched Friday night).

[mikkeljs]

"Hasta la vista, baby... let me go home and tend to my cats and then write a pretty, impressionistic piano piece about the way water flows out of a fountain. I'll be back..." 

I almost spat out my coke when I read this. I actually like the idea the more I think about it. Its very common in movies to put together two characters that are totally different, but it would be even more interesting to let the same person be just like Ravel and Arnold Schwarzenegger at once without being a scizofren. Why does this remind me of Wild At Heart by David Lynch??

[CD]

There Will be Blood was just on TV. I don't get it - why was the guy such a jerk?

Because people treating other like crap is ART, bad things happening is ART, don't you know??

[MN Dave]

I saw KICK-ASS. And it was. 

[Todd]

I had to get out of the house over the weekend, and as I perused the listings at the multiplex, I was rather bummed at what was out.  I settled on The Other Guys.  I'm not much of a Will Ferrell fan, but this movie far exceeded my admittedly low-ish expectations.  The opening segment with Samuel L Jackson and The Rock as superstar cops is excellent and ends with a hilarious scene.  The banter between Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg is generally quite good.  The Lion vs Tuna dialogue scene is a hoot, and the scene where Wahlberg meets Ferrell's wife is particularly chuckle inducing, as are a couple related scenes later on.  It's also nice to see Michael Keaton do comedy again.  The action scenes are well done, and the financial crimes at the heart of the film are timely.  (It beat Oliver Stone to the punch, what with Wall Street 2: Electric Bugaloo coming out soon.)   The Other Guys is not great cinema, but it is more entertaining than it has any right to be.

[George]

Thanks for the review, Todd. I had hoped it'd be good. Can't wait to rent it.

I was similarly surprised by Step Brothers, having previously developed an aversion to Mr. Ferrell. I thought it was hilarious, in fact. Did you see it?

[Philoctetes]

That must have been quite an accomplishment, considering she was playing opposite the second most annoying actor in film today.

I've actually enjoyed Leo in the last few films I've seen him in. Although my constant complaint with him is in regards to his accents.

And he's still got that boyish cuteness.

[karlhenning]

Last night, watched The Dark Knight again, before returning it to Netflix. Won't need to watch it ever again.

A passel of Looney Tunes, including:
"Rabbit's Kin" (strange to say, maybe, I don't think I've ever seen this one before)
"My Bunny Lies Over the Sea" (ditto)
"What's Up, Doc?"
"Elmer's Candid Camera"
"Hare-Devil Hare"
"Don't Give Up the Sheep"

And Part I of "A Man Called Smart"

[Todd]

I was similarly surprised by Step Brothers, having previously developed an aversion to Mr. Ferrell. I thought it was hilarious, in fact. Did you see it?

No, I haven't seen that one.  The premise just seemed to me to be a bit too ridiculous.  If it's streamable on NetFlix I may sample some before committing to watching it all.

[DavidRoss]

I've actually enjoyed Leo in the last few films I've seen him in. Although my constant complaint with him is in regards to his accents.

And he's still got that boyish cuteness.

There's nothing appealing about his boyish cuteness from my perspective--indeed, that is one of the attributes that makes it so difficult to suspend belief when he's cast in a macho sort of role.  Dwayne Johnson playing against type is funny; Leo playing against type is ludicrous.

I probably will see Inception, however, since my wife wants to and a friend told us that the effects were spectacular on the big screen. 

[Philoctetes]

There's nothing appealing about his boyish cuteness from my perspective--indeed, that is one of the attributes that makes it so difficult to suspend belief when he's cast in a macho sort of role.  Dwayne Johnson playing against type is funny; Leo playing against type is ludicrous.

I probably will see Inception, however, since my wife wants to and a friend told us that the effects were spectacular on the big screen. 

I don't think I've ever seen Leo in a role I would call macho. Although, I would agree with those who would think that he would be unable to pull that off effectively.

[Todd]

I don't think I've ever seen Leo in a role I would call macho.

That's because DiCaprio is the star.  Most of his recent roles have called for a manly man, and he can't really play manly men.  I mean, The Departed, Gangs of New York, Blood Diamond, Body of Lies, Shutter Island, and Inception all needed toughs, did they not?  Was Clive Owen not available for any of them (to choose just one actor better suited to such fare)?

For big Leo fans, there are always two big biopics to look forward to: Hoover and The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt (if it gets done).  Leo as the head of the FBI and charging into the Battle of San Juan Hill.  Wow! 

Of course, he does get to date supermodels, so I'm sure he couldn't care less what others make of his manliness.

[Bogey]

I probably will see Inception, however, since my wife wants to and a friend told us that the effects were spectacular on the big screen. 

Now that is a review I look forward to.

[Philoctetes]

That's because DiCaprio is the star.  Most of his recent roles have called for a manly man, and he can't really play manly men.  I mean, The Departed, Gangs of New York, Blood Diamond, Body of Lies, Shutter Island, and Inception all needed toughs, did they not?  Was Clive Owen not available for any of them (to choose just one actor better suited to such fare)?

Well out of that list, I've only see Departed, Gangs, Body, and Inception. And out of that list I'd only say Body required a 'manly' man, as it were. The others I thought were well suited for Leo's man capabilities.

In The Departed, I didn't really view the character as tough, at least not in the typical macho way. He was more tough mentally, and had to be a step ahead, and he was a bit weasely, and I think Leo played a good couterbalance to Whalberg, who I think stole the entire movie.

In Gangs, I'd call his character sort of a coward's tough guy. I'll admit though, that I thought his performance was fairly weak, but I don't think that was his fault, but more the fault of the movie. I mean even Day-Lewis struggled to make that script work, and that dude's a madman.

And in Inception, he's far from a tough guy in this one. He plays this one quite good, and I think that the structure of the plot really assists here. It's definitely a flick I would watch again, and not just for the super sick visuals (which are so sweet), conceptually, I really enjoyed the story.

And Body I just thought was pretty terrible. I don't think a more manly actor could have saved that movie.

I'll admit that I do love Clive Owen as well. He's got a great look about him, and I hope that he does garner some more roles. I really do love him as the 'action' hero. He's also not bad on the eyes either.

[DavidRoss]

For big Leo fans, there are always two big biopics to look forward to: Hoover and The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt (if it gets done).  Leo as the head of the FBI and charging into the Battle of San Juan Hill.  Wow! 

Of course, he does get to date supermodels, so I'm sure he couldn't care less what others make of his manliness.

A Hoover biopic starring DiCaprio with Eastwood at the helm and written by Dustin Lance Black (Milk)--sounds like a grand train wreck too good to be true!  I imagine much will be made of cross-dressing, Clyde Tolson, and the mob-blackmail rumors.  Too bad it's not Oliver Stone!  And too bad Jimmy Cagney isn't available to play TR.

Now that is a review I look forward to.

Hah!     Though I hope not to disappoint, so I'll probably wait until I've seen it before writing a review!

P.S.  Re. DiCaprio--I thought he did a credible job in The Island...and in the Tobias Wolff coming of age adaptation... uh... uh ... This Boy's Life.  Also, I caught a snippet of Oprah interview with him some time back and he gained some sympathy from me, seeming far less full of himself than, say, Mr. Cruise.  We have to cut some slack to those poor souls so spiritually handicapped by mass adulation when they're but children.  Compared to, say, uh... uh... Lindsey Lohan, for instance, Mr. DiCaprio appears to be doing remarkably well.

[Todd]

And out of that list I'd only say Body required a 'manly' man, as it were. The others I thought were well suited for Leo's man capabilities.

I guess we'd have to get into a definition of "manly," which is something I'd rather not do in detail, but for me it goes beyond fisticuffs.  There needs to be a sense of menace and intensity, if not on the surface, then just below.  In The Departed he just never came across as anything other than a snitch, and not a good one at that.  The "I'm not a rat" spiel was not good at all, for instance.  In Gangs he was just plain weak.  In Inception he was too mushy.  His wife was tormenting him.  Oh, Boo-hoo.  I saw no torment at what he'd done (or did he?).  I saw no relentlessness in pursuing a line of work that strikes me as needing at least of bit of relentlessness.  Now someone who can pull off dark and good at once, like Clive Owen, could have done better in such a role in my estimation.  DiCaprio, he comes off as someone you can pimp slap at will with no repurcussions.

I do confess that I have not seen, nor do I plan to see, Blood Diamond or Body of Lies, but I've seen plenty of comments that make the same complaints I've made.