Last Movie You Watched

[George]

About to watch this for the first time.

[Cato]

About to watch this for the first time.

Karen Black and Easy Rider!  A true example of fleeting fame, especially for actresses in Hollywood!  She was one of the top names in the late  60's and into the 70's: besides the above movie, she was in Nashville, Day of the Locust, The Great Gatsby, and in Alfred Hitchcock's last movie Family Plot.

After that...well, check IMDB for how many small parts in mediocre movies she had after age 40.

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

When Marnie was There. Extremely beautiful film with a clever storyline and wonderful characters that seemed to touch all my emotions. I love this movie to bits!

[Karl Henning]

Over the past two evenings, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen on Blu-ray.

[NikF]

The Warriors (1979) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080120/

Another viewing of a film I havent watched for years and Toots has never seen, before we send the DVD to a charity shop. 
This was photographed by Andrew Laszlo and so from the outset I consider it worthwhile. There's one scene in particular that has stayed with me from the first time I saw it -



- the attempt to groom herself in the face of silent appraisal and criticism delivered by the rich kids on the train. If you come from that side of the tracks you would understand her embarrassment. And also why he stops her. That's the most authentic scene in the movie, because as usual the depiction of street fighting makes everyone out to be 'headhunters'. Apart from that it's a fast moving, slightly disjointed (apparently due to clashes between the director and actors?) nicely and cleanly shot, fantasy hour and a half.

[Bogey]

Rewatched Gladiator for the first time in a while.  Maximum entertainment.

If I were forced to choose my all time favorite large battle scene from a movie, the opening one here may be it.  And I have read the inaccuracies of it, but still....what a battle! 

Unless of course you included Charlton Heston closing the Red Sea on Yule Brynner's forces.  Then that would top my list.

[ZauberdrachenNr.7]

Two Days One Night.  You might suspicion that a move based (in part) on a text of French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu would result in some yawns.  But not the case; this might, could be, prob. is my favorite Dardennes Bros. film and there are few I don't enjoy. No car chases, no explosions, no killin', and no sex (not that there's anything wrong with the latter, but the protagonists have other concerns).  Sandra, a young Belgian mother, discovers that her workmates have opted for a very large pay bonus, in exchange for her dismissal. She has only one weekend to convince her colleagues to give up their bonuses so she can keep her job.   Morrissey once complained about songs that say nothing to him about his life; he'd like this film.  Cotillard excels in a most affecting performance. And a bonus : a very catchy performance of the old Searchers song Needles and Pins, in French. 

[asin]B00XVHJWGW[/asin]

[bhodges]

La Parmigiana (The Girl from Parma, dir. Antonio Pietrangeli, 1963) - A simple story: a free-spirited young woman returns to Parma and becomes involved with a petty criminal, among others. What makes this marvelous is the director's eye for composition, some wonderful set pieces (a night club where everyone is doing the Twist), and beautiful black-and-white photography. Now I think I know where Brian De Palma may have gotten the inspiration for his long camera tracking shots.

This is the second Pietrangeli film I've seen, after Il Scapolo (The Bachelor, 1955) last week, and he is turning into a real discovery for me.

--Bruce

[Karl Henning]

La reina di formaggio

[Brian]

Two Days One Night.  You might suspicion that a move based (in part) on a text of French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu would result in some yawns.  But not the case; this might, could be, prob. is my favorite Dardennes Bros. film and there are few I don't enjoy. No car chases, no explosions, no killin', and no sex (not that there's anything wrong with the latter, but the protagonists have other concerns).  Sandra, a young Belgian mother, discovers that her workmates have opted for a very large pay bonus, in exchange for her dismissal. She has only one weekend to convince her colleagues to give up their bonuses so she can keep her job.   Morrissey once complained about songs that say nothing to him about his life; he'd like this film.  Cotillard excels in a most affecting performance. And a bonus : a very catchy performance of the old Searchers song Needles and Pins, in French. 

Loved this movie - and probably the best acting performance of 2014. It's one of the most accurate, sympathetic portrayals of depression I have encountered in any artistic medium, a fact which by itself was inspiring.

[Karl Henning]

Loved this movie - and probably the best acting performance of 2014. It's one of the most accurate, sympathetic portrayals of depression I have encountered in any artistic medium, a fact which by itself was inspiring.

Well, and considering how well I think of Keaton's performance in Birdman, you are inciting me to seek this one out 

[Karl Henning]

Hold requested on Two Days, One Night. You are number 15 in line.

[lisa needs braces]

Two Days One Night.  You might suspicion that a move based (in part) on a text of French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu would result in some yawns.  But not the case; this might, could be, prob. is my favorite Dardennes Bros. film and there are few I don't enjoy. No car chases, no explosions, no killin', and no sex (not that there's anything wrong with the latter, but the protagonists have other concerns).  Sandra, a young Belgian mother, discovers that her workmates have opted for a very large pay bonus, in exchange for her dismissal. She has only one weekend to convince her colleagues to give up their bonuses so she can keep her job.   Morrissey once complained about songs that say nothing to him about his life; he'd like this film.  Cotillard excels in a most affecting performance. And a bonus : a very catchy performance of the old Searchers song Needles and Pins, in French. 

[asin]B00XVHJWGW[/asin]

Agreed. I found it riveting and even thrilling and suspenseful.

[listener]

looks like it's aimed for another age group. but I really enjoyed
CROMARTIE HIGH SCHOOL - The Movie      Japan 2005
based on a manga that's a parody of juvenile delinquent high school stories that were popular a few years ago.   The adaptation is a good one, holds together well and the production is well crafted.  83 minutes felt just right.    Note for the manga fans: it's an all-male school, no time for romance.

[Karl Henning]

Last night, I re-watched (again, for probably the first time since seeing it in the cinema) Aliens.  I had forgotten [something that would be a spoiler].


Yesterday I read Ebert's review, and I admire both that he was entirely frank about how the pace and intensity wound him up ('But when I walked out of the theater, there were knots in my stomach from the film's roller-coaster ride of violence. This is not the kind of movie where it means anything to say you "enjoyed" it') yet he gave it 3-1/2 stars because it is so well made ('I was drained. I'm not sure "Aliens" is what we mean by entertainment. Yet I have to be accurate about this movie:  It is a superb example of filmmaking craft.')

[ZauberdrachenNr.7]

Agreed. I found it riveting and even thrilling and suspenseful.

Brian and Abe - did you guys see the Dardenne Bros' L'enfant? (title brilliantly referring to either father or child!). What did you think? I've only seen it five or six times and need to see it again, soon.

[asin]B000G0O5IM[/asin]

[ZauberdrachenNr.7]

Der Müde Tod - Fritz Lang (1921) (English language-released curiously as Destiny)

A newly restored version will debut next year.  Fairly rough version now on Youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFYESPVx_oM

[Drasko]

La Parmigiana (The Girl from Parma, dir. Antonio Pietrangeli, 1963) - A simple story: a free-spirited young woman returns to Parma and becomes involved with a petty criminal, among others. What makes this marvelous is the director's eye for composition, some wonderful set pieces (a night club where everyone is doing the Twist), and beautiful black-and-white photography. Now I think I know where Brian De Palma may have gotten the inspiration for his long camera tracking shots.

This is the second Pietrangeli film I've seen, after Il Scapolo (The Bachelor, 1955) last week, and he is turning into a real discovery for me.

--Bruce

Do try to catch Io la conoscevo bene (I Knew Her Well), Pietrangeli's last and probably best film, with simply mesmerizing Stefania Sandrelli, 19 at the time, in best role of her career.

http://www.moma.org/calendar/events/1588?locale=en

If you can't happen to make it Criterion has announced Blu-ray release in February.

[SimonNZ]

Love the Dardennes films - especially The Son, The Promise, The Child... and maybe most of all: Rosetta.

last night:



"Buried Alive: Sydney 1788-1792"

Absolutely superb two-hour documentary about the settling of the first colony in Australia. Told almost entirely through source material: the numerous narrated letters and memoirs of the colonists and the early paintings and drawings of the scouting, the growing community, the hardships, and the interactions with the native peoples (all of which contradicts any number of preconcieved notions of early racism, at least at that point, as well as the nature of "convict" community). With only the very smallest amount of presenter narration to fill in a few gaps.

A masterclass in how a historical doco should be made. Highly recommended, whether you think you're interested in the subject or not.

(though the above being the sole image I could find it might not be that widely available.)

[bhodges]

Do try to catch Io la conoscevo bene (I Knew Her Well), Pietrangeli's last and probably best film, with simply mesmerizing Stefania Sandrelli, 19 at the time, in best role of her career.

http://www.moma.org/calendar/events/1588?locale=en

If you can't happen to make it Criterion has announced Blu-ray release in February.

I'm seeing it on Friday, and can't wait! In a few minutes, off to see La Visita, too. Again getting acquainted with him has been quite a revelation. And the prints that MoMA is showing are just gorgeous - as if you're seeing these in the theater the day of release.

Last night, I re-watched (again, for probably the first time since seeing it in the cinema) Aliens.  I had forgotten [something that would be a spoiler].


Yesterday I read Ebert's review, and I admire both that he was entirely frank about how the pace and intensity wound him up ('But when I walked out of the theater, there were knots in my stomach from the film's roller-coaster ride of violence. This is not the kind of movie where it means anything to say you "enjoyed" it') yet he gave it 3-1/2 stars because it is so well made ('I was drained. I'm not sure "Aliens" is what we mean by entertainment. Yet I have to be accurate about this movie:  It is a superb example of filmmaking craft.')

Aliens is not only great science fiction (different from the first one, which is quieter, spookier), but one of the greatest action films ever made. The director, James Cameron, was having a good day - and I'd forgotten that it was also nominated for 7 Academy Awards, unusual for a film like this.

--Bruce