Last Movie You Watched

[relm1]

Maybe the perfect adventure film: Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade.



Seriously, go look at that cast. Every time is perfectly selected, and it has one of the greatest endings ever. This is peak movie making - one of the shining pinnacles. It quite literally has it all. I put this into the most own category.

I also forgot how funny it was.  Probably the funniest in the franchise and the Henry and Junior banter/arguments are so funny. 

[LKB]

Today's instalment of I had no interest in this back when, but now I'm rather curious is: Rocky. Won't lie, though: the first thing I watched was one of the extras, A Tribute to Burgess Meredith. The main feature I found enjoyable overall. I don't expect I'll need to watch it again, nor do I find myself inclined to watch sequels.

Whenever l unexpectedly encounter Burgess Meredith in something new, l consider it a bonus. Every aspect of his performances was unusual, from the reedy, worn voice to the odd light in his eyes, presented with the most disarming facial expressions I've ever seen. The face of an ancient child, expertly employed by a thoroughly unique performer.

[DavidW]

I saw Godzilla Minus One yesterday.

I'd rate it as very good, but very different from both Shin and the 2014 franchise reboot. Japanese like human drama in movies more than anything, l think, so there was more intensity in the scenes without the big guy. But when he was there, he was really there, big time. The largest action set piece concerning him is a grand spectacle, with great significance for the human story as well.

There was a reoccurring mistake in the subtitles, but it was both harmless and humorous.

So recommended, but be prepared for more-than-usual angst.

Oh I did see it!  Today and I loved it.  I think your review is spot on.

[Cato]

Rod Serling's A Carol for Another Christmas.

Thanks to Karl, we were able to watch this play: it certainly is a product of its time (1964), a year after the Cuban Missile Crisis, the beginning of sending American soldiers into South Vietnam, and controversies over foreign aid.  The play also evokes the atmosphere of The Cold War in general.


It also anticipates the phrase "The Me Generation." 


Also: a classic comedy which holds up extremely well, screenplay (adapted from a novel) by Morrie Ryskind, directed by Gregory La Cava (a friend of W.C. Fields...




William Powell, as always, is simply wonderful: droll, sarcastic, witty, subtle, and elegant!

[Karl Henning]

we were able to watch this play [Rod Serling's A Carol for Another Christmas]: it certainly is a product of its time (1964), a year after the Cuban Missile Crisis, the beginning of sending American soldiers into South Vietnam, and controversies over foreign aid.  The play also evokes the atmosphere of The Cold War in general.


It also anticipates the phrase "The Me Generation." 

Each time I come to it, I'm bowled over by the casting. And it is a very nice in-kind homage to Dickens to re-christen the miserly character Grudge.

[Cato]

Each time I come to it, I'm bowled over by the casting. And it is a very nice in-kind homage to Dickens to re-christen the miserly character Grudge.

The singer Steve Lawrence, as one of the ghosts, was excellent, followed by an equally marvelous Pat Hingle and then the great Robert Shaw!

Peter Sellers as the "Imperial ME" must be experienced! 

[Wendell_E]

Though I read the books back in the early 1970s, I've never seen the movies. I noticed they were on Max yesterday, both regular and extended editions, so I watched this yesterday.

[Irons]

The Great Escaper.

A touching film based on a true story of a D-Day veteran who unable to join a party/group makes his own way to Normandy, France, to attend 70th anniversary commemorations.
Michael Cain and the late Glenda Jackson are superb playing a devoted couple living in a care-home on the south coast. This film has more then one string to it's bow - old age, futility of war, friendship, companionship and love. Particularly moving I thought was the relationship between Bernard's wife, Rene (Jackson) and her young carer. A huge cultural and generational divide counted for nothing due to respect they held for each other.       

[Pohjolas Daughter]

The Great Escaper.

A touching film based on a true story of a D-Day veteran who unable to join a party/group makes his own way to Normandy, France, to attend 70th anniversary commemorations.
Michael Cain and the late Glenda Jackson are superb playing a devoted couple living in a care-home on the south coast. This film has more then one string to it's bow - old age, futility of war, friendship, companionship and love. Particularly moving I thought was the relationship between Bernard's wife, Rene (Jackson) and her young carer. A huge cultural and generational divide counted for nothing due to respect they held for each other.     

I do remember hearing about this film and would love to watch it.  Did you see it on t.v. or is it available now on DVD?

PD

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Though I read the books back in the early 1970s, I've never seen the movies. I noticed they were on Max yesterday, both regular and extended editions, so I watched this yesterday.

Oh, interesting!  Like you, I read them many moons ago--and loved them.  How did you enjoy the movie?  And, no, I haven't seen the extended edition.

PD

[Irons]

I do remember hearing about this film and would love to watch it.  Did you see it on t.v. or is it available now on DVD?

PD

Yes, available on DVD, PD. We viewed on pay to watch Amazon Prime.

[Cato]

Hard to believe this is almost 40 years old now, from 1984:



Truly it is an "American" movie using what one might term the "mythology" of Baseball for its atmosphere and story.

Great score by Randy Newman!

[Karl Henning]

Though I read the books back in the early 1970s, I've never seen the movies. I noticed they were on Max yesterday, both regular and extended editions, so I watched this yesterday.

I look forward to your report.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Yes, available on DVD, PD. We viewed on pay to watch Amazon Prime.

I'll put it on my "try and find a way to watch it/borrow it from library, etc. list".

PD

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Hard to believe this is almost 40 years old now, from 1984:



Truly it is an "American" movie using what one might term the "mythology" of Baseball for its atmosphere and story.

Great score by Randy Newman!

Another one that I want to watch.  Heard good things about the movie. 

PD

[Madiel]

Hard to believe this is almost 40 years old now, from 1984:



Truly it is an "American" movie using what one might term the "mythology" of Baseball for its atmosphere and story.

Great score by Randy Newman!

I've seen it remarked before how weird it is that Americans manage to make really, really good baseball movies. Better than for other sports.

[Cato]

I don't know; it sort of depends on what you're looking for. Nearly every baseball film I've seen is mythologizing, and I find that so corny - the pseudo-moral uplift not dissimilar to Mr. Holland's Opus.

The Program (1993), I think, might be my favorite sports film.

Mr. Holland's Opus. O.M.G.  Beyond pseudo-moral uplift!


Easily in the top 5 of Our MOST HATED Movies ever!  Dumb and Dumber is probably #1.



Most recently, we watched a variation on the Kaspar Hauser movies from Germany* :





Nell updates the scientific reactions to finding a true "wild child" and how the person would be treated by psychiatrists, psychologists, linguists, et al.


Certainly Jodie Foster sweats quite a bit performing as the "wild child," although she was in her 30's, if not older.  The character, however, is not meant to be younger than her actual years.


* Werner Herzog's Jeder fuer sich und Gott gegen Alle (Every Man for Himself and God against All), known in English as The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser, is a great movie, which will make you think it was filmed in the 1820's as a documentary.  Herzog used a mental patient for the role of Kaspar Hauser: the man was too old for the role, but perfect in every other way.

Nobody knows who Kaspar Hauser was, although theories abound.  The other movie, which I have not yet seen, is from 1993, called simply Kaspar Hauser, takes one of the theories as the truth and tells the story from that perspective.

Werner Herzog kept the mystery in the story.

[Cato]

I don't know what it is, but I cannot hate Dumb and Dumber - Daniels is the true star, and the arguments they have are making me crack up right now. In this case, I am the lowest common denominator. Lol.

Heh-heh!  The movie's style of humor is just not my thing: it was February, very cold, piles of snow, which I love, but Mrs. Cato was feeling claustrophobic and wanted to see a movie.

My brother told us that Dumb and Dumber was "not half bad."

At the 15-minute mark, we looked at each other and said: "Why are we watching this?"

We got our money back: Two Dollars!  The theater offered "Dollar Night" on Tuesdays.        No, sorry, we would not pay two dollars for that movie.   

[SimonNZ]

Yeah, Mr. Holland's Opus got a full five-cringe rating from me.

And an extra rosette-cringe for teaching rhythm to the black kid who just didn't get rhythm the way the white kids did.

[Madiel]

I don't hate Mr Holland's Opus.  But then it's a long time since I've seen it.

But hey, lots of you like Whiplash and...