Last Movie You Watched

Started by Drasko, April 06, 2007, 07:51:03 AM

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Karl Henning

Quote from: Fëanor on October 24, 2021, 11:03:36 AM
I say Dune 2021 yesterday.  I think it's a pretty descent film in it's own right but doesn't stand up so well for a decades-long Dune, (the Frank Herbert book), fan like me.  That is, against the 1984 version which is more dramatic and colorful, and against the 2000 miniseries which tells the book's story better, IMO.

The latest Dune suffers, IMO, both from added scenes not in the book or other versions, and also from missing colorful characters such as Princess Irulan, Duke Vladimir Harkonnen's evil mentat, Piter de Vries, and his nephew, Feyd, and others.

The added scenes in some cases give premature explanations for things which the book leaves veiled or ambiguous until later in the plot.  Some scenes involving Leto Atreides' retainer, Duncan Idaho, were seemingly added for no obvious reason than to play to the actor, Jason Momoa, (of Game of Thornes and Aquaman fame).  Almost needless to say there and gender and race equity swaps.

Nevertheless I'll be waiting for Part 2 and also, dare I hope, sequels covering Herbert's own book sequels, Dune Messiah and Children of Dune.  (The latter were cinematized quite well in the 2003 miniseries).

Quote from: milk on October 26, 2021, 04:06:41 AM
I thought this was extremely boring and bland. It seemed very flat to me - unexciting. I have nothing against the actors but this just seems made for a global audience and almost like a video game or something. There was no strangeness to it. Somehow Hollywood takes imaginative fiction and makes it conform to the widest expectations of what action should look like and what the effects should be. I see this with Apple's Foundation. I feel the spark and fun have gone out of this generation. There's rarely anything big like this that jumps out as original.     

Most interesting. Tangentially, I enjoyed this review:

Here's a pull quote for the posters: "Denis Villeneuve's Dune is definitely one half of one movie!"
Karl Henning, Ph.D.
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston MA
http://www.karlhenning.com/
[Matisse] was interested neither in fending off opposition,
nor in competing for the favor of wayward friends.
His only competition was with himself. — Françoise Gilot

SimonNZ

Will anyone ever film books 4, 5 and 6?.

Because I admired and enjoyed those every bit as much as the first three.

SonicMan46

Quote from: k a rl h e nn i ng on October 26, 2021, 07:15:03 AM
Most interesting. Tangentially, I enjoyed this review:

Here's a pull quote for the posters: "Denis Villeneuve's Dune is definitely one half of one movie!"

Nice review, although his insistence on 'having' to see it in a theater in the midst of a COVID pandemic, though waning somewhat, is somewhat irresponsible - the film looked find on my 50" HDTV w/ the sound ramped up on my stereo speakers - yes not the same, but this film can be enjoyed @ home.  I'm looking forward to Part II, but doubt that I will purchase the two-part production nor even watch it again.  However, the old 1984 Dune is one that I still enjoy - love the color and characters w/ some humor interjected.  This new version is completely humorless, dark and seems at times slow - thus, understand Milk's comments.  Dave :)

Karl Henning

Quote from: SonicMan46 on October 26, 2021, 07:30:23 AM
Nice review, although his insistence on 'having' to see it in a theater in the midst of a COVID pandemic, though waning somewhat, is somewhat irresponsible - the film looked find on my 50" HDTV w/ the sound ramped up on my stereo speakers - yes not the same, but this film can be enjoyed @ home.  I'm looking forward to Part II, but doubt that I will purchase the two-part production nor even watch it again.  However, the old 1984 Dune is one that I still enjoy - love the color and characters w/ some humor interjected.  This new version is completely humorless, dark and seems at times slow - thus, understand Milk's comments.  Dave :)

Dave, I have been thinking that the Lynch may just be all the Dune I need. I certainly respect that mine is likely a minority opinion.
Karl Henning, Ph.D.
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston MA
http://www.karlhenning.com/
[Matisse] was interested neither in fending off opposition,
nor in competing for the favor of wayward friends.
His only competition was with himself. — Françoise Gilot

Fëanor

Quote from: SimonNZ on October 26, 2021, 07:24:51 AM
Will anyone ever film books 4, 5 and 6?.

Because I admired and enjoyed those every bit as much as the first three.

Yes, at least 4 & 5 as I recall.  No, I didn't enjoy them nearly as much as 1-3.

SimonNZ

Quote from: Fëanor on October 26, 2021, 07:40:26 AM
Yes, at least 4 & 5 as I recall.  No, I didn't enjoy them nearly as much as 1-3.

Someone has made 4 and 5? Where?

You didn't like the second trilogy?

Fëanor

Quote from: SimonNZ on October 26, 2021, 07:48:03 AM
Someone has made 4 and 5? Where?

You didn't like the second trilogy?

Sorry, misread you post.  Of course books 2 & 3 were covered in the 2003 miniseries, Children of Dune, by the same crew as the 2000 miniseries.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0287839/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1


VonStupp

#32027
Killer Klowns from Outer Space (1988)

Another silly B-movie with an alien race based solely on clowns and ridiculous circus paraphernalia.

This one is not so clever as others I have seen lately, but the villainous Sheriff played by John Vernon (Dean Wormer 'Double-Secret Probation' fame) is great.

"All the good music has already been written by people with wigs and stuff."

André

I invited my aunt to the countryside for a few days to hike and feel the last gasps of autumn. In the evenings we watched these two fine movies, which she had never seen:



TheGSMoeller

Titane
2021 - directed by Julia Ducournau
This year's Palme d'Or winner at the Cannes Film Festival is wild, unexpected, highly disturbing, but creatively fascinating. Titane seems less worried about making sense, and more focused on taking its viewers on a trip they've never experienced before.



SonicMan46

Born Yesterday (1950) w/ Judy Holliday, William Holden, and Broderick Crawford - short synopsis below; all actors great in their roles w/ Holliday and Crawford just outstanding; film nominated for 5 Oscars, winning just one for Holliday as 'Best Actress' - I had an old DVD, but decided to buy Amazon's HD version which looked great on my new HDTV - highly recommended.  Dave :)

QuoteBorn Yesterday is an American comedy-drama film directed by George Cukor, based on the 1946 stage play of the same name by Garson Kanin. The film tells the story of an uneducated young woman, Billie Dawn (played by Judy Holliday, in an Oscar-winning performance) and an uncouth, older, wealthy junkyard tycoon, Harry Brock (Broderick Crawford) who comes to Washington to try to "buy" a congressman. When Billie embarrasses him socially, Brock hires journalist Paul Verrall (William Holden) to educate her. In the process, Billie learns how corrupt Harry is, and eventually falls in love with Paul. (Source)

 

Pohjolas Daughter

Quote from: André on October 27, 2021, 03:24:16 PM
I invited my aunt to the countryside for a few days to hike and feel the last gasps of autumn. In the evenings we watched these two fine movies, which she had never seen:



Excellent choices and what a nice thing to do!

PD
Pohjolas Daughter

LKB

I am unfamiliar with GWaPE, but not with its reputation.

As for Master and Commander, l find it impossible to watch bits and pieces. Once l happen across a scene in progress, I'm committed to the end. If ever a film deserved a sequel...
Mit Flügeln, die ich mir errungen...

Pohjolas Daughter

Quote from: LKB on October 28, 2021, 08:59:57 AM
I am unfamiliar with GWaPE, but not with its reputation.

As for Master and Commander, l find it impossible to watch bits and pieces. Once l happen across a scene in progress, I'm committed to the end. If ever a film deserved a sequel...
;D  That would be cool.

PD

p.s.  I made the mistake of watching part of it in the same store where I was looking at stereo equipment; very hard to walk away from that then superb and high-tech t.v.  Oh, the lust!

Pohjolas Daughter

Dry Brett Kavanaugh

Woody Allen: Celebrity.

Karl Henning

Inspired by a recent post: Big Trouble in Little China.
Karl Henning, Ph.D.
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston MA
http://www.karlhenning.com/
[Matisse] was interested neither in fending off opposition,
nor in competing for the favor of wayward friends.
His only competition was with himself. — Françoise Gilot

71 dB

Chungking Express (Wong Kar-Wai, 1994)

This one is probably a favorite among film critics, but for me it is one of the worst Asian movies I have seen. Messy annoying camerawork and a weird plot without much else than shoehorned symbolims (such as the expire dates of food). 90 minutes of policemen asking "Should I be in a relationship or not?" while old pop songs are playing and the cameraman is having seizures. Disappointing.  :P
Spatial distortion is a serious problem deteriorating headphone listening.
Crossfeeders reduce spatial distortion and make the sound more natural
and less tiresome in headphone listening.

My Sound Cloud page <-- NEW Jan. 2024 "Harpeggiator"

André

Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on October 28, 2021, 08:52:10 AM
Excellent choices and what a nice thing to do!

PD

Suitable material for an 87 year old lady  :D. She thoroughly enjoyed both !

SonicMan46

Black Narcissus (1947) w/ the actors described in the first quote (Jean Simmons, playing an Indian girl is a teenager at that time) - I love this film for many reasons, but the special effects are spectacular on a HDTV for a 1947 film - see second quote for a description; the scenery looks stunningly real on this Criterion production for what were large landscape paintings - highly recommended!  Dave :)

QuoteBlack Narcissus is a 1947 British psychological drama film written, produced, and directed by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, and starring Deborah Kerr, Kathleen Byron, Sabu, David Farrar, Flora Robson, Esmond Knight, and Jean Simmons. The title refers to the Caron perfume Narcisse Noir. Anglican nuns try to establish a school and hospital in the old palace of an Indian Raja at the top of an isolated mountain above a fertile valley in the Himalayas. Black Narcissus achieved considerable acclaim for its technical mastery with the cinematographer, Jack Cardiff, winning an Academy Award for Best Cinematography and a Golden Globe Award for Best Cinematography, and Alfred Junge winning an Academy Award for Best Art Direction. (Source)

QuoteThe film is known for making extensive use of matte paintings and large-scale landscape paintings (credited to W. Percy Day) to suggest the mountainous environment of the Himalayas, as well as some scale models for motion shots of the convent.[21] Powell said later: "Our mountains were painted on glass. We decided to do the whole thing in the studio and that's the way we managed to maintain colour control to the very end. Sometimes in a film its theme or its colour are more important than the plot." (above)

 

Pohjolas Daughter

#32039
Quote from: SimonNZ on October 25, 2021, 03:41:48 PM


A favorite I've seen a half-dozen times now.

QuoteYes, Constantine is a lot of fun.  I especially love Tilda Swinton as Gabriel and Peter Stormare as Satan

Watched that movie for the first time recently.  Quite enjoyed it!  And, yes, loved Tilda Swinton's Gabriel and Peter Stormare's Lucifer.  Hadn't seen him act before but was impressed.  And the dark Gabriel...wow!  Very creative!  Loved that line:  "They have bibles in hell?"

Haven't seen the 2-dvd version (It must have added 'stuff' about the shooting of it, etc.?).  By the way, what was the box/thing that Constantine put on top of his apprentice's gravestone?  And a good reason to watch through all of the credits too.  :)

PD
Pohjolas Daughter