Last Movie You Watched

[Antoine Marchand]

My review of 127 Hours.

It's a solid review, Brian. Congratulations!

My only criticism? Maybe it's too much "informative" about the screenplay. Anyway, you are an industrious young man and a skilled writer.     

[Conor71]

Have seen this before but rewatched it last night - Funny! .

[SonicMan46]

Tonight, a Netflix rental:

Karate Kid (2010) w/ Jaden Smith & Jackie Chan - when I saw that the film was 2h20mins - GOD, this will be a bore - but the Chinese scenery (have not checked the actual filming locations) was beautiful; Chan was out of character and fine in the role; Smith's son was quite good as an actor but his small frame did not fit the role (of course w/ these martial arts, is size suppose to matter?) - overall I watch the picture to the end and enjoyed - not planning on a purchase, but would likely rate this between 3-4* on Netflix.

Warning to those who might want to compare the film to the original Karate Kid (which I own) - I'd suggest not trying a comparison - this is a different time, a different place (takes place in China), and involves different racial implications; so try to enjoy (or not) as a 'new' experience - 

[DavidW]

I'm sorry to hear that Dave.   I don't even have that on my queue.  I'm absolutely sick of remakes.  I don't want to relive the 80s anymore.   Except by actually watching 80s movies which are very easy to find on dvd.

[Brian]

It's a solid review, Brian. Congratulations!

My only criticism? Maybe it's too much "informative" about the screenplay. Anyway, you are an industrious young man and a skilled writer. 

Thanks very much, Antoine! I do give away the ending, don't I, but maybe only because in the United States the story is very widely known thanks to the climber's memoir and TV appearances. I went into the movie thinking "OK, at some point he has to cut off his arm, and how will I be able to watch that?" so quite possibly, it would be better to have seen it uninformed!

[SonicMan46]

The Count of Monte Cristo (1934) w/ Robert Donat - this is one of the 'early' versions and is excellent; I own the latest re-make of this story but Donat is one of my favorites from the old B&W era (Goodbye Mr. Chips et al) - if you're into this story & have not seen this version, then a recommendation - 

[DavidW]

I can't find it on netflix Dave, where did you see this-- tcm?

[SonicMan46]

I can't find it on netflix Dave, where did you see this-- tcm?

David - yes, burned off the TCM channel a while back - likely my 3rd watch or so - I can make a copy & send it to you, if interested?  If so, send me a PM - Dave 

[George]

I can't find it on netflix Dave, where did you see this-- tcm?

Check PM.  0:)

[greg]

Finished watching two great movies today.




I only watched the Ran because I wanted to hear Takemitsu's score in it- it was great and the movie was, too! 

I might end up watching Kurosawa's Dreams next, because it sounds cool- it's based on dreams he had, and it was kind of inspired by Natsume Souseki's Ten Nights of Dreams... 

[Todd]

It was time for a monster movie!  Splice seemed like it should be reasonably good, and so it is.  Adrien Brody and Sarah Polley play leading biochemists, or something of the sort, working on creating new life forms in the lab to allow for mass production of proteins, or something of the sort.  They succeed.  Then an evil corporation and/or consortium of investors (I didn't really pay too much attention) they work for wants to turn years of research and large sums of money into a revenue center rather than a cost center – how dare someone want to turn R&D into profit! – and move the project to a production phase rather than research phase.  So the heroes start a rogue project in the same facility, and the woman throws a little human DNA into the primordial goo that serves as the basis of new life.  What could go wrong? 

Well, the critter they beget is more than a little human, with noticeable animal attributes, and also some mutant features à la X-Men.  The creature, named Dren (figure out its origin if you dare), grows very fast.  No surprise there.  It also learns quite quickly.  It has, um, urges.  And in its penultimate state it is played by one Delphine Chanéac, who manages to make the critter more than a little sexy.  Yes, I wrote sexy.  She also does a better than expected job of making the critter seem confused, angry, etc.  She's the highlight of the movie.

Now, it should not come as a surprise that the story is goofy and the moral conundrums not particularly perplexing.  Nonetheless, I liked it more than I thought I would.  It is not a great film, and some of it is beyond preposterous, with some truly howl-inducing scenes near the end.  (I'm so glad I didn't see it in a theater as I laughed out loud at what I assume were inappropriate times.)  The pacing is generally snappy, the effects good enough, the photography and imagery decent enough.  In the pantheon on science experiments gone bad, this pales in comparison to David Cronenberg's The Fly, but it's good.  Indeed, as I watched I couldn't help but think of this movie as a mix of The Fly, Species (though Chanéac is no Natasha Henstridge), and The Fountain, though without any of the latter's inventiveness or eccentricities.  (The only real similarity is the over the top research aspect; The Fountain is in an entirely different league of film-making, love it or hate it.)  I'm sure there are a few other movies I could mention as well.  A fun movie probably best enjoyed while imbibing.

[karlhenning]

Last night, as part of the Tchaikovsky-athon whose vibe is support for Harry through his surgery, we watched:




The actor playing the composer, Innokenti Smoktunovsky, was also Hamlet in the Kozintsev film.

[Conor71]

Im a Hitchcock fan but this one did'nt grab me at all and I was quite greatful when it ended! - not one of his better efforts  .

[Bogey]

Season 1 (Disc 1)

Wonderful fun!

[DavidW]

Bill, you settling in for a long marathon?

Well little Joe is five (kidding!) in the first episode, and has gray hair by the end of the show...

[karlhenning]

Well, Maria has taken a liking to Get Smart, and now this evening I think I've got Irina hooked on The Twilight Zone.

[DavidW]

Ink



I really liked this movie!  Powerful, moving dark fantasy.  Quite unique.

[Philoctetes]

[Philoctetes]

[Scarpia]

The last days of Disco.  A really pretentious, annoying movie.  The one bonus, the guy who plays Dr. Wilson on House is in this film.