Last Movie You Watched

[SonicMan46]

" Charlie X ", for fans of the original Star Trek . Also featured in Ensign Pulver with Walter Matthau and, if memory serves, E.G. Marshall.

Last year or so, I was watching some of those old Star Trek episodes, including Charlie X w/ Walker, Jr., where yeoman Janice Rand is featured - played by Grace Lee Whitney (pic below featuring some of her attributes); she passed in 2015 (85 y/o) - also below a You Tube tribute to her using scenes from that ST episode - enjoy!  Dave

  https://youtu.be/ySzeLNb2WUQ

[lisa needs braces]

Very interesting SonicMan46.

Based on a book by the wonderful writer Patricia Highsmith.

Speaking of whom, just a few days ago I saw The Talented Mr. Ripley again, also based on a book of hers, a movie which went over my head at the time of release (1999) when it was simply too mature for my sensibilities. Now I appreciated everything about it.

A modern classic...

[Madiel]

Very interesting SonicMan46.

Speaking of whom, just a few days ago I saw The Talented Mr. Ripley again, also based on a book of hers, a movie which went over my head at the time of release (1999) when it was simply too mature for my sensibilities. Now I appreciated everything about it.

A modern classic...

Absolutely adore that film. Possibly the best thing of all about it is the way that Cate Blanchett brings doom and disaster without having any idea that is the effect she has.

[Karl Henning]

Watched To Kill a Mockingbird for the n^th time last night, with friends.  Beautiful (the story, the score, and the camera work), touching.

[LKB]

Watched To Kill a Mockingbird for the n^th time last night, with friends.  Beautiful (the story, the score, and the camera work), touching.

The first " adult " film l ever saw,  in the company of my parents. I was too young for many of its strengths to register, but it was still a magical and memorable experience.

Boo,

LKB

[drogulus]

Based on a book by the wonderful writer Patricia Highsmith.

     She wrote Ripley's Game, which has been successfully filmed twice.

     

     

     

[Ken B]

     She wrote Ripley's Game, which has been successfully filmed twice.

     

     

   

I especially liked TAF. The other less.

Very interesting SonicMan46.

Speaking of whom, just a few days ago I saw The Talented Mr. Ripley again, also based on a book of hers, a movie which went over my head at the time of release (1999) when it was simply too mature for my sensibilities. Now I appreciated everything about it.

A modern classic...

HIP purists would object. In the books Tom plays a harpsichord.

I thoroughly recommend Highsmith. Favorites are The Tremor of Forgery,  The Two Faces Of January.

Must read some more soon ...

[drogulus]

I especially liked TAF. The other less.

     I'd take Malkovich over Hopper and Bruno Ganz over Dougray Scott, if it came to that, which it didn't.

[Draško]

It's beautifully and elegantly shot film. Amy Adams is fantastic, as Amy Adams is. But the subject matter has been completely ruined for me since Stanislaw Lem's His Masters Voice, my favorite sf novel of all time, since then any first contact narrative strikes me as meh in comparison.

[Karl Henning]

Last night, we decided to watch Lord of the Flies (1963).  I had never seen it, and I probably have not read the book since it was assigned reading in (junior?) high school.

Arguably more relevant today than it was 55 years ago.

[bhodges]

The Opera House (2017, dir. Susan Froemke) - Probably essential for opera lovers, and worth the entire 2 hours for the sequences with Leontyne Price alone.

--Bruce

[Ken B]

Last night, we decided to watch Lord of the Flies (1963).  I had never seen it, and I probably have not read the book since it was assigned reading in (junior?) high school.

Arguably more relevant today than it was 55 years ago.

Yep. I wonder when we collectively decided that instead of a warning we should read it as a how-to.

Another related cultural reference.
http://kenblogic.blogspot.com/2017/08/when-did-gladys-kravitz-become-role.html

[lisa needs braces]

It's beautifully and elegantly shot film. Amy Adams is fantastic, as Amy Adams is. But the subject matter has been completely ruined for me since Stanislaw Lem's His Masters Voice, my favorite sf novel of all time, since then any first contact narrative strikes me as meh in comparison.

My problem with these type of stories (such as Arrival...I haven't read the Lem novel but I've added it to my absurdly long Amazon book wishlist) is that invariably the aliens come to serve as substitutes for God, i.e, benign but powerful beings who have the best interests of humanity at heart. It's a theme of Arrival, the book Childhood's End, the film Contact, an James Cameron The Abyss.

One of my favorite alien movies is the 1996 Charlie Sheen flick The Arrival where the aliens are already here and they aren't benign. Not artsy like the Amy Adams movie but quite a bit more fun IMO.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-uGQYEN4jc

[milk]

It's worth revisiting this every few years or so. I enjoyed this yesterday. To me, it's like a whole relationship compressed into 2 hours. It's tragic - maybe all the more so because the characters do love each other as far as they are able to love. Of course every character here is telling themselves some kind of story and reality hits them pretty hard.

[Draško]

My problem with these type of stories (such as Arrival...I haven't read the Lem novel but I've added it to my absurdly long Amazon book wishlist) is that invariably the aliens come to serve as substitutes for God ...

No such problem in His Master's Voice. It's just about a signal (probably) from space and attempts of huge team of scientists to figure it out. Mostly philosophical, not the easiest read but more than worth it in my opinion.

[SimonNZ]

No such problem in His Master's Voice. It's just about a signal (probably) from space and attempts of huge team of scientists to figure it out. Mostly philosophical, not the easiest read but more than worth it in my opinion.

I haven't yet read Lem, but have heard he's the best at making aliens very "alien". I'll try and find a copy of HMV.

Have you read the Sturgatskys' Roadside Picnic? I finally got around to it recently and now think its my new favorite first contact sf.

[Karl Henning]

Yesterday afternoon, my harpsichordist and I watched 1990's (?) Jacob's Ladder.  Intense, agreeably creepy, and just disorienting enough.  Really good.

[drogulus]

My problem with these type of stories (such as Arrival...I haven't read the Lem novel but I've added it to my absurdly long Amazon book wishlist) is that invariably the aliens come to serve as substitutes for God, i.e, benign but powerful beings who have the best interests of humanity at heart. It's a theme of Arrival, the book Childhood's End, the film Contact, an James Cameron The Abyss.

One of my favorite alien movies is the 1996 Charlie Sheen flick The Arrival where the aliens are already here and they aren't benign. Not artsy like the Amy Adams movie but quite a bit more fun IMO.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-uGQYEN4jc

     I partly agree. The stereotype of a good god is too close to common belief. Childhoods End was interesting precisely because you had to follow both forks of "goodness" and since both were human the question of what a "good god" would want is seen more like what the Euthyphro suggested, choosing the god chooses the good, and with at minimum 2 valid answers old views are seen to be empty suits.

     I completely and savagely agree about The Arrival. It's excellent! David Tuohy is an underrated director with a distinctive visual flair.

     

[Ken B]

Yesterday afternoon, my harpsichordist and I watched 1990's (?) Jacob's Ladder.  Intense, agreeably creepy, and just disorienting enough.  Really good.

Movies are creepier with a harpsichordist.

[SimonNZ]