Last Movie You Watched

[André]

Jour de fête is classic screwball Tati, with a finesse inherited from Harold Lloyd. "Classic" Hulot (Les vacances de Monsieur Hulot and Mon Oncle) eventually gave way to bittersweet - if not frankly bitter - social criticism in Playtime and Trafic. The latter was initially regarded as a rehash from a tired amuseur.

Bresson's last films (Lancelot du Lac, Le Diable probablement and L'Argent) were also initially met with incomprehension. Truffaut's last films were challenged, too.

Over time, their deep sociological and psychological implications made their way into the viewers' minds. They are by no means favourites but they are not the cinematic pariahs they appeared to be when released.

[SimonNZ]

Highly watchable, well crafted and lots of fine imaginative detail along the way, but ultimately not quite as successful as director Jeff Nichols earlier Take Shelter. But I'll now be interested in anything he does in the future.

Has anyone here seen his film Mud with Matthew Mcconaughey? The trailer didn't interest me at the time, but now I may need to go back and check it out.

[Todd]

Has anyone here seen his film Mud with Matthew Mcconaughey? The trailer didn't interest me at the time, but now I may need to go back and check it out.

Yes, and it is good overall, but the ending is a bit over the top.

[Todd]

Keanu.  Key and Peele make a movie.  A couple more or less normal guys get mixed up with drug dealers over a kitten.  Formulaic in structure, and not as yuk filled as I would have liked until the third act, the surprisingly violent movie is a modestly entertaining flick.  Their TV show is better.

[Mister Sharpe]

Watching this again; oppressively dismal as it is, it's also brilliant :

[asin]B00UHAJ0MW[/asin]

[listener]

from the Shaw Brothers again,  HK 1973 RIVER OF FURY
Danny Lee's first starring role, with Lily Ho, Ku Feng.
Not really very good, reviewed for the record to note there are several Chinese opera scenes with a story that has a company going from village to village, then small towns and larger ones with theatres matching.  If interested in theatre production you will find this interesting.   Short bare breasts scene, two fights all cobbled together with cocaine smuggling and a rapacious mother who breaks up a happy couple.  about 80 minutes

[Karl Henning]

Last night, I watched Annie Hall again; probably have not watched it since seeing it in the cinema, back at about the time it was released.  Many consider it one of Allen's greatest films;  maybe they're right.  I don't think it a bad film at all.  My contrarian case consists of little more than:

1. All his "usual elements" are in use here (in good use, certainly) . . . Allen playing a character who is some version of autobiography;  his typical (and, in my experience, reliably enjoyable) comedy act / comic screenwriting;  a relatively serious narrative exploring relationships;  a cast whose core includes members of his regular ensemble.  My point:  I don't necessarily see this particular film as outstanding in this regard.

2. The script is excellent (and maybe this, plus everything else, is enough).  My recent viewing of Crimes and Misdemeanors, Shadows and Fog, and re-watching Stardust Memories, has opened my eyes to how very often he writes an excellent script, and how varied his tone can be.  My point:  Again, I'm not sure I see Annie Hall as quite a stand-out.

3. Personal response #1:  While the script is reasonably true to life in the arc of a non-fairytale relationship which tails off (and a good script, we all agree), myself, I feel a kind of "and so?" at the film's end.  There is (we may say) "too much of Woody" in the film for it to play as an impartial quasi-documentary of a failed relationship;  and enough Woody that, I think an ending montage of "all the moments" feels rather faute de mieux.

4. Personal response #2:  Whether it is because the scene echoes others in his œuvre, or because it may actually overdo the tone of hectoring, the "So, what, you mean you're not coming back to New York with me?" at the alfalfa sprouts café jars my ear too much.

5. Personal response #3:  The "nested playwright" scene, where Singer/Allen directs two actors in a literal recap of the alfalfa sprouts café confrontation, just annoys me a little, but critically.  I'm not saying it's a bad idea, as an idea; nor saying that it isn't shot/staged well.  It is perhaps just my personal dissatisfaction, related to my overall nagging dissatisfaction with the whole story arc, above.

So, glad I watched it again, but . . . not a personal favorite in his canon.  And obviously YMMV.

[Karl Henning]

I am conscious of stating my (respectful) objections to Annie Hall;  but I am not sure that I offered sufficient plaudits for some particularly good bits:

◙ The animation bit is good fun
◙ The children describing their adult selves
◙ "Grammie Hall" at table
◙ The mordant tape-editing studio, inserting the laugh-track
◙ Singer trying to relive the "lobster hunt" moment with another girl
◙ Jeff Goldblum . . . lawd, I had forgotten all about his telling someone on the phone that he has forgotten his mantra
◙ Shelly Duvall's Rolling Stone reporter ("transplendent")
◙ Paul Simon
◙ The sneeze
◙ "Are we driving through plutonium?"

An enviable wealth of brilliant moments, and overall a touching narrative;  I do get why the film is highly regarded. (Having already set my objections forth, I withdraw.)

[Drasko]

 

[kishnevi]

Last night, I watched Annie Hall again; probably have not watched it since seeing it in the cinema, back at about the time it was released.  Many consider it one of Allen's greatest films;  maybe they're right.  I don't think it a bad film at all.  My contrarian case consists of little more than:

1. All his "usual elements" are in use here (in good use, certainly) . . . Allen playing a character who is some version of autobiography;  his typical (and, in my experience, reliably enjoyable) comedy act / comic screenwriting;  a relatively serious narrative exploring relationships;  a cast whose core includes members of his regular ensemble.  My point:  I don't necessarily see this particular film as outstanding in this regard.

2. The script is excellent (and maybe this, plus everything else, is enough).  My recent viewing of Crimes and Misdemeanors, Shadows and Fog, and re-watching Stardust Memories, has opened my eyes to how very often he writes an excellent script, and how varied his tone can be.  My point:  Again, I'm not sure I see Annie Hall as quite a stand-out.

3. Personal response #1:  While the script is reasonably true to life in the arc of a non-fairytale relationship which tails off (and a good script, we all agree), myself, I feel a kind of "and so?" at the film's end.  There is (we may say) "too much of Woody" in the film for it to play as an impartial quasi-documentary of a failed relationship;  and enough Woody that, I think an ending montage of "all the moments" feels rather faute de mieux.

4. Personal response #2:  Whether it is because the scene echoes others in his œuvre, or because it may actually overdo the tone of hectoring, the "So, what, you mean you're not coming back to New York with me?" at the alfalfa sprouts café jars my ear too much.

5. Personal response #3:  The "nested playwright" scene, where Singer/Allen directs two actors in a literal recap of the alfalfa sprouts café confrontation, just annoys me a little, but critically.  I'm not saying it's a bad idea, as an idea; nor saying that it isn't shot/staged well.  It is perhaps just my personal dissatisfaction, related to my overall nagging dissatisfaction with the whole story arc, above.

So, glad I watched it again, but . . . not a personal favorite in his canon.  And obviously YMMV.

I can not say I ever quite liked Annie Hall either of the two times I have seen it.  Of those "welcome to my neuroses" films the only one I thought first rate was Hannah and Her Sisters...and even there it was the portions where neurotic Woody was least on display which made the film for me.

[Karl Henning]

I've also checked Hannah and Her Sisters out from the BPL, and will at last watch that for the first time . . . soon 

[SonicMan46]

I've also checked Hannah and Her Sisters out from the BPL, and will at last watch that for the first time . . . soon 

Hi Karl - Susan & I are on a short trip to Wrightsville Beach on the Carolina Shore, but I brought my smaller laptop along, so doing a little forum browsing - enjoyed your comments on Annie Hall - we own a lot of Woody's movies (most on BD now), but Annie Hall & Hannah and Her Sisters are probably are favorites - so a 'thumbs up' from us, a couple w/ a mixed Jewish (Susan) & Catholic marriage - for a compromise we brought up our son in the Winston-Salem Unitarian Fellowship, which has always been a very liberty congregation.  Dave

[Karl Henning]

Cheers, Dave & Susan!

[Drasko]

This one flew under most radars and it's a solid adaptation of Chekov's short story with quite decent Irish/British cast of Andrew Scott (of Sherlock Holmes fame), Tobias Menzies and Michelle Fairley (of GoT fame) beautifully shot in some small Dalmatian coastal town standing in for a Black Sea. Though I must admit I was mostly taken by rubensian beauty of Fiona Glascott, who I don't think was familiar to me before.





trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdGlMnLxyxE

[Karl Henning]

Thanks for the link to the Kubrick box - but as some Amazon reviewers note, please be aware that this is the version of "The Shining" with 25 minutes cut out. Might wanna buy another copy of that movie as a supplement to the set.

Hoy, Brian!  Do you have thoughts on the two cuts?  I have just fetched in the 144-minute cut, have not yet watched.

[Brian]

Hoy, Brian!  Do you have thoughts on the two cuts?  I have just fetched in the 144-minute cut, have not yet watched.

I've, erm, never seen the movie at all 

[Mister Sharpe]

Watched this again, if watching it can be called, more like enthusiastic participation. That's a total of nine hours (well) spent on this film over the course of a week or so. Special shout out to Aljoscha Zimmermann who wrote the very effective accompanying score in 2001. Eureka has a more complete version that Mabuse has hypnotized me into pursuing.

[asin]B01DGN4W9W[/asin]

[Karl Henning]

I've, erm, never seen the movie at all 

Any plans? (I'll be sure not to strew spoilers.)

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

[Ken B]

I've, erm, never seen the movie at all 

Don't gloat. You may yet sit through many shitburgers. You'll resent the gloaters.

[Todd]

Hacksaw Ridge.  Mel Gibson's return to directing is possibly the most graphically violent war movie I've seen, possibly surpassing Saving Private Ryan in intensity, if not scale or quality.  Once the combat starts in the second half, it is more or less relentless.  The movie is formulaic, but earnest.  The limited CGI (eg, naval armada) is not top of the line, but is good enough.  The main battlefield on top of a ridge is obviously a set and rather small, but it's fine.  Sound is incredible, with the big gun blasts powerful enough to pressurize a big theater.  Acting is basically in line with what one would expect.  Andrew Garfield does a good job, and the lovely Teresa Palmer is a pleasure to watch.  The interview footage with some of the actual people, including Desmond Doss himself, is both interesting and detracts a bit from the film itself.  It would have made for a great BD extra.  A good film, but not a great one.