Last Movie You Watched

[Bogey]

If i look that good in 20 years, I will thank my lucky stars.

Oh, you got this.  I, on the other hand, am just trying to prevent any late Orson Welles.

[listener]

bought in 2008, but I don't remember seeing it, another Shaw Bothers film from 1970
THE SHADOW WHIP with the stars of a previous success Come Drink with Me, Cheng Pei-Pei and Ku Feng
Lots of wire work (no one goes through a door it they can leap over a wall, one dismemberment, lots of impaling.  Extra marks for coming in under 80 minutes with a relatively straightforward plot of deception and revenge.

[SonicMan46]

A couple of BD replacements for tonight:

Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) w/ James Cagney, Walter Huston, Joan Leslie and many others - one of my favorite films, of course, w/ a lot of patriotic overtones - superb restoration - 4.8/5 for both video & audio, the latter particularly important in this film (Source).

Coming Home (1978) w/ Jane Fonda, Jon Voight, & Bruce Dern - Oscars for the two main stars - Dave

 

[Corey]

Watching Assignment 3 of Sapphire & Steel (1979-1982) -- the air of menace and unease this show is able to conjure with such limited resources (not many special effects, extremely minimal sets) is just incredible. Some fantastic character acting from Joanna Lumley (Absolutely Fabulous) and David McCallum (The Man from UNCLE).

[TheGSMoeller]

Birdman

Finally watched it, available to rent today. I was mesmerized by every frame of this imaginative, visually stimulating and quirky human tale. Emmanuel Lubieski has pretty much cemented himself as one of the best cinematographers; and the acting is darn near flawless. It somehow has made most of the 2014 films I've seen feel ordinary.

[Ken B]

Once Upon A Time In The West.

[TheGSMoeller]

Once Upon A Time In The West.

My favorite western. Even if it is spaghetti. 

[Brian]

Birdman

Finally watched it, available to rent today. I was mesmerized by every frame of this imaginative, visually stimulating and quirky human tale. Emmanuel Lubieski has pretty much cemented himself as one of the best cinematographers; and the acting is darn near flawless. It somehow has made most of the 2014 films I've seen feel ordinary.

I felt that way pretty much until the last 20 seconds, which really annoyed the crap out of me. (Maybe that's a personal issue. I hate supernatural stuff and it felt too much like "aha, aren't we being provocative?".) And I guess I could have done without some of the other fancy touches, like the random jellyfish.

The acting was phenomenal, and Edward Norton in particular was such a delight that it's a pity he doesn't figure into the last few scenes.

[Drasko]

aka Cemetery Man

[asin]B004NRN2WO[/asin]

[Ken B]

My favorite western. Even if it is spaghetti.

I'm not generally big on spaghettis, but despite its flaws I liked this. I think in large part because it is so overtly directed. There are all sorts of interesting ways the story is told visually, many striking visuals without flash or bang or sweeping vistas (or godawful cgi). Just the way you see something. Eisenstein still.

[TheGSMoeller]

The acting was phenomenal, and Edward Norton in particular...

Yes, he deserves the same attention that Keaton has been receiving. Possibly Norton's best role to date.

[Corey]

Wings of Honneamise (AKA Royal Space Force) (1987)

A nice somewhat slowly-paced unique sci-fi anime film -- no giant robots, interstellar travel, time manipulation or any of that. The gorgeously-rendered world is an alternate-universe Earth that is subtly different enough in detail (written language, the shapes of buildings, the clothing, religion, etc) to seem alien. No great struggle against an all-powerful malevolent supernatural force, just a very human story about doubt, facing ridicule, and the politics of exploration.

[SonicMan46]

Over the last few nights, I've been testing out a new DVR that Time-Warner installed (these machines seem to die on me every 3-4 years) - first two shows watched below:

The Harder They Fall (1956) w/ Humphrey Bogart, Rod Steiger, Jan Sterling, and many other great character actors - Bogie as a 'washed up' boxing writer hired by Steiger - the coming together of different acting styles but seems to work out fine - Bogart's last film - worth a watch!

Exodus (1960) w/ Paul Newman, Eva Marie Saint, Ralph Richardson, Peter Lawford, Lee J. Cobb, Sal Mineo, John Derek, and many others; Otto Preminger, director - this film is too long for me (3 1/2 hrs - watched over 2 nights); of course about the founding of Israel based on the Leon Uris book - beautiful on locale film making in Cyrus & present day Israel - kind of snubbed @ the Oscars, just 3 nominations (won for best score) - of the usual TOP Oscars, only Sal Mineo was up for best supporting actor and lost.  I don't plan to watch this film again and could do 3+ or possibly 4/5* on Amazon - NOW, if you have never seen the movie, then worth a watch (but stop @ the intermission and watch the rest the next night ) - Dave

 

[Drasko]

[Bogey]

Over the last few nights, I've been testing out a new DVR that Time-Warner installed (these machines seem to die on me every 3-4 years) - first two shows watched below:

The Harder They Fall (1956) w/ Humphrey Bogart, Rod Steiger, Jan Sterling, and many other great character actors - Bogie as a 'washed up' boxing writer hired by Steiger - the coming together of different acting styles but seems to work out fine - Bogart's last film - worth a watch!


 

A sleeper for sure, Dave.  Caught it on TCM the other night and would like to own it.

[SonicMan46]

A couple of more BD replacements for us the last few nights:

Elizabeth (1998) w/ Cate Blanchett - beautiful atmospheric film - love the costumes and the characters - not always historically accurate but I know the really history - if you like historic dramas, then worth a watch.

Finding Netherland (2004) w/ Johnny Depp & Kate Winslet - about James Barrie, creator of Peter Pan - actually brought my wife to tears toward the end - I cannot remember the last time this happened in a movie; this is an extremely touching story w/ Depp & Winslet superb in their roles- another recommendation!  Dave

 

[Ken B]

A couple of more BD replacements for us the last few nights:

Elizabeth (1998) w/ Cate Blanchett - beautiful atmospheric film - love the costumes and the characters - not always historically accurate but I know the really history - if you like historic dramas, then worth a watch.

Finding Netherland (2004) w/ Johnny Depp & Kate Winslet - about James Barrie, creator of Peter Pan - actually brought my wife to tears toward the end - I cannot remember the last time this happened in a movie; this is an extremely touching story w/ Depp & Winslet superb in their roles- another recommendation!  Dave

 

Neverland is great but Elizabeth's anti-catholic barracking was too much even for me.

[SonicMan46]

MUST ADDITION of a film unknown to me until tonight - recorded on my DVR:

The Mark (1961) w/ Stuart Whitman, Rod Steiger, & Maria Schell - synopsis below from IMDB - I've always enjoyed Whitman but usually as a secondary character in usually western films; HOWEVER, here he is post-convict for child molestation - Steiger plays a prison psychiatrist who is quite sympathetic - the story may be a little dated but is still powerful - what's amazing is that Whitman was nominated for an Oscar for Best Actor, and ironically lost to Maria Schell's brother Maximilian for Judgment at Nuremberg - Dave  

This is the story of a 33 year old man, Jim Fuller, released from prison after serving a three year term for intent to commit child molestation. Fuller is assisted by the prison psychiatrist in obtaining a position. He does well in this position and falls in love with the secretary of the owner of the company. A child is molested and beaten in the town where he now lives and the police pick him up for questioning. He has an alibi and is released, but a reporter who covered his former trial recognizes him. The reporter begins to follow him and reports that Fuller spent time alone with the daughter of his girl friend.

[Moonfish]

Elizabeth (1998) w/ Cate Blanchett - beautiful atmospheric film - love the costumes and the characters - not always historically accurate but I know the really history - if you like historic dramas, then worth a watch.

Fantastic film! Blanchett was outstanding in her role as Elizabeth!  0:)

[Jaakko Keskinen]

Once Upon A Time In The West.

That one is one of my favorite movies of all time and there are not many scenes in cinema where I weep more than during Morton's death. And Morricone's music is naturally pure awesomeness.