Last Movie You Watched

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

A Silent Voice, aka Koe no Katachi (a shape of voice).

[aligreto]

My two final offerings from my recent binge viewing are The Gift & The Grudge.


   


The two films are based around paranormal activity although both approaches are different.


The Gift: Blanchett plays the role of a woman with psychic powers. A woman goes missing and the police and her family have run out of clues as to what has happened to her. They eventually turn to the Blanchette character who succeeds in helping the police to find her body and to get a conviction against a local man for the murder. However, she begins to have doubts about the validity of the conviction....

The Grudge: This is of the "Haunted House" genre. It has a good story to tell. There is some violence involved but it is not of the gratuitous type and it is necessary to the story. It has been quite a long time since I saw it last. I do confess that the hairs did stand up on the back of my neck more than once.

[aligreto]

Now, back to current viewing with Silver Linings:





Two dysfunctional people meet and begin a very dysfunctional relationship of their own. It is all very human, true to Life and it also has some very amusing aspects to it. The two main protagonists give excellent performances. It is most definitely worth a watch.

[George]

Now, back to current viewing with Silver Linings:





Two dysfunctional people meet and begin a very dysfunctional relationship of their own. It is all very human, true to Life and it also has some very amusing aspects to it. The two main protagonists give excellent performances. It is most definitely worth a watch.

I really liked that one. Need to see it again.

[SonicMan46]

Now, back to current viewing with Silver Linings:

 

Two dysfunctional people meet and begin a very dysfunctional relationship of their own. It is all very human, true to Life and it also has some very amusing aspects to it. The two main protagonists give excellent performances. It is most definitely worth a watch.

I really liked that one. Need to see it again.

Hi Fergus - another 'thumbs up' - wife and I really enjoyed on release back in 2012 (that long!  ) - surprised that we've not watched again - cheap rental/purchase in HD on Amazon - as you likely know, the then 22 year-old Jennifer Lawrence took home the Oscar for Best Actress!  Dave

[aligreto]

Hi Fergus - another 'thumbs up' - wife and I really enjoyed on release back in 2012 (that long!  ) - surprised that we've not watched again - cheap rental/purchase in HD on Amazon - as you likely know, the then 22 year-old Jennifer Lawrence took home the Oscar for Best Actress! Dave

Richly deserved for that performance, Dave.

[André]

Interesting and funny look in the rearview mirror: the Oscars revisited, façon Washington Post:


https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2020/02/06/oscars-what-should-have-won-best-picture/

[SonicMan46]

Interesting and funny look in the rearview mirror: the Oscars revisited, façon Washington Post:


https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2020/02/06/oscars-what-should-have-won-best-picture/

Hi André - wanted to read your link but kept getting a pop-up to subscribe to the Washington Post for a buck a week - I'm getting really fed-up with these links (get emails from the NY Times - can't read a damn link w/o paying!) that take me to a potentially interesting story to get blacked-out by a pop-up wanting money - I'd probably be paying a thousand dollars a year if subscribed to all of these websites - OK venting done! 

BUT, I have read plenty of articles in the past on the Oscars being in error (and often agree), i.e. the old story of 'Who Will Win' vs. 'Who Should Win', and then followed by a number of so-called critics who all have different opinions - kind of like picking the 'best' Beethoven Symphony cycle!    Dave

[SimonNZ]

Now, back to current viewing with Silver Linings:





Two dysfunctional people meet and begin a very dysfunctional relationship of their own. It is all very human, true to Life and it also has some very amusing aspects to it. The two main protagonists give excellent performances. It is most definitely worth a watch.

I quibbled at the way Cooper's social functioning rose and fell with the needs of a romantic story. But its just a quibble.

[André]

Hi André - wanted to read your link but getting a pop-up to subscribe to the Washington Post for a buck a week - I'm getting really fed-up with these links (get emails from the NY Times - can't read a damn link w/o paying!) that take me to a potentially interesting story to get blacked-out by a pop-up wanting money - I'd probably be paying a thousand dollars a year if subscribed to all of these websites - OK venting done! 

BUT, I have read plenty of articles in the past on the Oscars being in error (and often agree), i.e. the old story of 'Who Will Win' vs. 'Who Should Win', and then followed by a number of so-called critics who all have different opinions - kind of like picking the 'best' Beethoven Symphony cycle!    Dave

I'm a subscriber, but I believe non-subscribers can access a free article a month, no ? It's a very long article (covers nominees/winners from 1976 to 2021) so I can't copy-paste the whole shebang   

[aligreto]

Ava:





This was a reasonably good thriller. It focuses on a hit woman and the relationships with her handler, with her past and with her family. It is worth viewing.

[aligreto]

Now, back to current viewing with Silver Linings:





Two dysfunctional people meet and begin a very dysfunctional relationship of their own. It is all very human, true to Life and it also has some very amusing aspects to it. The two main protagonists give excellent performances. It is most definitely worth a watch.

I am pleased that this one has been watched by some

[Madiel]

The Worst Person In The World , from Norway written and directed by Joachim Trier.

Fantastic film, and one of the best written films of 2021 along with Japan's Drive My Car.

Hmm. I'll try to remember if that comes here in the Scandinavian Film Festival...

[Madiel]

No-one is commenting on the fact that "Silver Linings" is actually called "Silver Linings Playbook".

[VonStupp]

Blow Out (1981)
John Travolta, Nancy Allen, John Lithgow

Probably the best mystery/thriller I have seen in some time. There seems a kinship of themes with The Conversation (1974).

Splendid, amazing camera work from Brian De Palma that makes one realize what an art form camera movement/placement can really be.

I was never on the John Travolta acting train, but he does well here. Nancy Allen, on the other hand, I found terrible. Another fun appearance from Lithgow, however!

[LKB]

Blow Out (1981)
John Travolta, Nancy Allen, John Lithgow

Probably the best mystery/thriller I have seen in some time. There seems a kinship of themes with The Conversation (1974).

Splendid, amazing camera work from Brian De Palma that makes one realize what an art form camera movement/placement can really be.

I was never on the John Travolta acting train, but he does well here. Nancy Allen, on the other hand, I found terrible. Another fun appearance from Lithgow, however!

When you're the director's wife, acting chops are, possibly, optional.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Tristana. Luis Bunuel/Catherine Deneuve.

[VonStupp]

When you're the director's wife, acting chops are, possibly, optional.

Indeed! 

Unfortunately, film history is filled with these examples of nepotism. In this case, the movie was good enough to look the other way.

VS

[SonicMan46]

I'm a subscriber, but I believe non-subscribers can access a free article a month, no ? It's a very long article (covers nominees/winners from 1976 to 2021) so I can't copy-paste the whole shebang   

No problem André - I'm at the limit on numerous newspaper/websites but refuse to pay for media I'll rarely read - but, I did buy the film last night as an Amazon HD streamer (just $7) and we enjoyed again, especially the second half.  Dave

[Roasted Swan]

On UK Netflix is "Boiling Point".  I enjoyed this a lot.  Simply put its one evening in a highly stressed Restaurant kitchen.  The thing that makes this remarkable is that it has been shot in real time using one continuous tracking shot - in effect a live "play" on film.  Quite brilliant naturalistic acting - often it feels more like a documentary - and a genuinely compelling narrative.  Big 5* to all involved - a compelling 90 minutes........