Last Movie You Watched

[Karl Henning]

For me they have been disposable popcorn thrillers, and it might depend on how you feel about Chris Pratt actioners. Dumb but fun...

The first was a decent yarn, the 2nd pretty forgettable, and despite unanimous critical grimaces on this third entry, I enjoyed it quite a bit. It bowed pretty low to my sense of nostalgia over the original Jurassic Park.

Of course, aside from these later ones, I never ventured past the first Jurassic Park from the original series.

VS

Interesting, thanks!

[SonicMan46]

For me they have been disposable popcorn thrillers, and it might depend on how you feel about Chris Pratt actioners. Dumb but fun...

The first was a decent yarn, the 2nd pretty forgettable, and despite unanimous critical grimaces on this third entry, I enjoyed it quite a bit. It bowed pretty low to my sense of nostalgia over the original Jurassic Park.

Of course, aside from these later ones, I never ventured past the first Jurassic Park from the original series.......

@ Karl - in complete agreement w/ VS - I own just two films, the first Jurassic Park & Jurassic World (as UHD streamers on Amazon) - like Opie's daughter, Bryce Dallas Howard - as to the rest of the original series, seen them all (and use to have a boxed DVD set but gave away - the second film in the series was OK); as to the second Chris Pratt/BD Howard, a dud in my viewing.  Dave

[Karl Henning]

Cheers, Dave & VS! I shall content myself with borrowing the original from the Library!

[VonStupp]

Cheers, Dave & VS! I shall content myself with borrowing the original from the Library!

Cant go wrong there!   Have a good weekend; hopefully the eastern seaboard isn't too bone-chilling right now.
VS

[SonicMan46]

Cheers, Dave & VS! I shall content myself with borrowing the original from the Library!

+1 - enjoy!  Below are the top 3 'Jurassic Park' films on Rotten Tomatoes; of course, the first one deservedly at the top - hard to top those novel ideas of Michael Crichton - BUT Jurassic World is worth a watch (for me will view again when in the mood).  Dave

[Pohjolas Daughter]

I've recently thought I should watch the first movie (I've seen lots of bits, not quite the entire flick.) What's your opinion of the franchise and its arc?

Sorry, I know that you didn't ask me, but may I say that I really enjoyed the first one.

PD

[Karl Henning]

Sorry, I know that you didn't ask me, but may I say that I really enjoyed the first one.

PD

Good to know, PD!

[relm1]

I've recently thought I should watch the first movie (I've seen lots of bits, not quite the entire flick.) What's your opinion of the franchise and its arc?

The first is fantastic!  Then they gradually become a cash grab.  My opinion is that's fine if your expectations are you are going to see a popcorn cash grab.  The early versions are cinematic spectacles but later, not so much.

[Madiel]

Zero Dark Thirty



I wouldn't say that I loved it, but it's very interesting. In particular, the depiction of torture, and reading the reactions afterwards to the depictions of torture. Different people saw the movie and took away utterly different interpretations about whether the movie was saying torture was a fine and dandy way of getting information, or a terrible way of getting information, or ambiguous. Given the vast array of reactions I'd say "ambiguous" might be the right answer.

And there were quite a few things where I felt the film was just showing me without telling me what to think one way or the other. The whole attack at the end is really quite disturbing in its way.

[LKB]

I've recently thought I should watch the first movie (I've seen lots of bits, not quite the entire flick.) What's your opinion of the franchise and its arc?

Putting in my two cents, unasked... because l really enjoy the original Jurassic Park.

Excellent pacing, strong performances, a distinctive John Williams score, decent effects ( particularly for 30 years ago ) and some shrewd decisions with the adaptation. Some adversity during the production, with Hurricane Iliki (SP?) disrupting the project while they were in Hawaii.

One of my Top Five Spielberg Sci-Fi films. 

[Karl Henning]

Putting in my two cents, unasked... because l really enjoy the original Jurassic Park.

Excellent pacing, strong performances, a distinctive John Williams score, decent effects ( particularly for 30 years ago ) and some shrewd decisions with the adaptation. Some adversity during the production, with Hurricane Iliki (SP?) disrupting the project while they were in Hawaii.

One of my Top Five Spielberg Sci-Fi films. 

Thank you, too!

TD: The Naked Gun 2½ The Smell of Fear

[VonStupp]

TD: The Naked Gun 2½ The Smell of Fear

I've never enjoyed Robert Goulet so much!
VS



Sphere (1998)
Dustin Hoffman, Sharon Stone, Samuel L. Jackson
Liev Schreiber, Peter Coyote, Queen Latifah, Huey Lewis

Another Michael Crichton film; haven't read the book though.

[LKB]

Sphere (1998)
Dustin Hoffman, Sharon Stone, Samuel L. Jackson
Liev Schreiber, Peter Coyote, Queen Latifah, Huey Lewis

Another Michael Crichton film; haven't read the book though.

I saw Sphere after reading the novel, and was quite disappointed. Most books are superior to their film adaptations, and I'd say it's particularly true in this case. ( l kept hoping the you- know- what would make a surprise visit and terminate the film. 

[Todd]

Agreed with almost all of this (especially about The Master) but two notes about the ending.

1. I did think the last 30 seconds or so were too cheesy/sentimental and removed some of the ambiguity that made their relationship fun. The last line of voiceover was cringe for me.

2. In the final scene in the arcade at the end, did you notice a couple of arcade patrons just...having sex...in the middle of the scene? I think they were on the right-hand side as Gary walks through a crowd. But IMDB does not list it in the parental advisory, my friends didn't notice when we watched in theater, and nobody online seems to be talking about it. But I thought I saw, like, Boogie Nights-style out-and-out sex-having. Did I hallucinate??

To the first point, the scene is the big payoff and PTA went for something he typically wouldn't.  I think it fits in with the comparative lightness of the film.

To the second point, I did not notice, so now I will probably have to rewatch the whole thing.

[Todd]

The newest version of All Quiet on the Western Front.  I've seen the first adaptation, which is magnificent.  I have not yet seen the John Boy version and doubt I ever will.  This one is hit and miss.  On the hit side, it is German, in German.  (The only cast member I recognize is Daniel Brühl.)  Also on the hit side, the Czech locales add some authenticity to the film.  Also, portions of the film may be described as effectively expressionistic.  On the miss side, some of the CGI is awful (eg, the tank scene).  It is too much to expect most directors to match Spielberg in large scale combat scenes, and Edward Berger does not.  He does a decent job.  The biggest miss is the soundtrack, which detracts from the movie in multiple places.  I would love to see a war movie that relies solely of foley effects during the running time, to heighten the dread, the anxiety, the horror, etc.  Overall, a decent enough one and done film.  The original film version of this tale, Paths of Glory, and Lawrence of Arabia remain the great WWI movies for me.

[VonStupp]

I saw Sphere after reading the novel, and was quite disappointed. Most books are superior to their film adaptations, and I'd say it's particularly true in this case. ( l kept hoping the you- know- what would make a surprise visit and terminate the film. 

Ha! I have no doubt the book would be better. The movie is silly sci-fi and confusing; a poor mix.

VS

[Karl Henning]

 
I've never enjoyed Robert Goulet so much!
VS

Right?!

[SonicMan46]

Ha! I have no doubt the book would be better. The movie is silly sci-fi and confusing; a poor mix.

VS

Hi VS - despite the strong cast, I have never seen Sphere, but just finished reading the Wiki article about the story and the movie's reception, some comments of the latter quoted below - a cheap Amazon rental but believe I'll not partake -    Dave

Sphere received mostly negative reviews from critics. The Los Angeles Times characterized it as a flop. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 11% based on 53 reviews, with an average score of 3.93/10; the site's critical consensus states, "Sphere features an A-level cast working with B-grade material, with a story seen previously in superior science-fiction films". On Metacritic, the film has a score of 35 out of 100, based on 21 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews". Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film a grade "C−". Roger Ebert gave the film 1.5 stars out of 4. (Source)

[VonStupp]

Hi VS - despite the strong cast, I have never seen Sphere, but just finished reading the Wiki article about the story and the movie's reception, some comments of the latter quoted below - a cheap Amazon rental but believe I'll not partake -    Dave

Probably a sturdy choice, Dave! I was lured in by the cast too...
VS

[relm1]

I saw Sphere after reading the novel, and was quite disappointed. Most books are superior to their film adaptations, and I'd say it's particularly true in this case. ( l kept hoping the you- know- what would make a surprise visit and terminate the film. 

I thought very highly of the score.  It was evocative and intense.  Far superior to the film.  The film did have its moments...the first half is better than the second half.