Last Movie You Watched

[hopefullytrusting]

Revisiting this.

Bangarang.

Rounding third (taking a break before starting up Empire Records).

Loved Trick and Show Me Love. For me, these are films that need no sequel - I love how they end at the height of happiness - like the very end of the film is the climax - I love that kind of cinematic move. Yes, they are utopian, but life is miserable enough - I choose to be happy. :-)

Unsurprisingly, both Empire Records and Hackers also end at their apotheosis.

[Mookalafalas]

    Much better than I'd expected. No cheese at all.

[Number Six]

Bangarang.

Rounding third (taking a break before starting up Empire Records).

Loved Trick and Show Me Love. For me, these are films that need no sequel - I love how they end at the height of happiness - like the very end of the film is the climax - I love that kind of cinematic move. Yes, they are utopian, but life is miserable enough - I choose to be happy. :-)

Unsurprisingly, both Empire Records and Hackers also end at their apotheosis.

I have not seen Trick probably since it was in the cinema. But I remember thinking that Tori Spelling was fantastic.

Empire Records? I could quote that one all day. So much good music, too, for a mid-90s college kid.

[hopefullytrusting]

I have not seen Trick probably since it was in the cinema. But I remember thinking that Tori Spelling was fantastic.

Empire Records? I could quote that one all day. So much good music, too, for a mid-90s college kid.

Tori is easily the funniest one in Trick. Felt like she was made for that role. J.P. Pitoc, of course, was the eye candy.

For me, that is Hackers, but I love Empire Records because I recall wanting to work in a record store as an aspiration (we really were slackers in the 1990s).

[Number Six]

For me, that is Hackers, but I love Empire Records because I recall wanting to work in a record store as an aspiration (we really were slackers in the 1990s).

I enjoy watching younger folks do video reactions to Empire Records. Inevitably, they will say something like, "Don't these people do any work?"

[Number Six]

Re Hackers: I had an excite.com email address in the early 00s that was something like acid_burnd2004.

[hopefullytrusting]

I enjoy watching younger folks do video reactions to ER. Inevitably, they will say something like, "Don't these people do any work?"

ER, that was such a great show. One of the great endings - very MASH-like. It is true. Did we do really do anything?

Re Hackers: I had an excite.com email address in the early 00s that was something like acid_burnd2004.

Many of my things online revolve around Hackers and Spycraft: The Great Game, lol.

Sadly, the Empire Records version I watched edited my favorite scene out - when Mark, after declaring on the news that there was going to be a big party, returns to see the group looking at him, and you can see abject fear in his eyes - I also love when Corey loses it (I can relate to that), and of course the ending is perfect with The The playing them off (I love that Lucas Funny Games the end as well).

[Number Six]

ER, that was such a great show. One of the great endings - very MASH-like. It is true. Did we do really do anything?

Many of my things online revolve around Hackers and Spycraft: The Great Game, lol.

Sadly, the Empire Records version I watched edited my favorite scene out - when Mark, after declaring on the news that there was going to be a big party, returns to see the group looking at him, and you can see abject fear in his eyes - I also love when Corey loses it (I can relate to that), and of course the ending is perfect with The The playing them off (I love that Lucas Funny Games the end as well).

There's an obnoxious directors cut around that really messes with the Empire Records movie. 

[hopefullytrusting]

There's an obnoxious directors cut around that really messes with the Empire Records movie. 

That might have been it - it was still good, but missing those "filler" scenes, but those scenes, I think, complete a film like Empire Records.

Well, time for the main event: Hackers.

[hopefullytrusting]

That might have been it - it was still good, but missing those "filler" scenes, but those scenes, I think, complete a film like Empire Records.

Well, time for the main event: Hackers.

Now, that's the best way to start the New Year: Hackers - Squeeze's Heaven Knows:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmW9UiiCETQ

"Sometimes I think life crawls like a snail
And all of our dreams become the wind in your sails
Without wealth it's true, who cares what you do
And I realize"

I'm amazed at how much of my "taste" is drawn from this movie, still (all the insults I use on the regular are from it, lol).

[Karl Henning]

Woo-hoo!

The Wiz was something of a cable TV staple back when, but I never did watch it. What a great time!

[Karl Henning]

Revisiting this.

Some time ago, I had the DVD of Hook. I don't really know why I let it go. There's so much that I like about it. When the evil Captain actually takes a life is a great moment of a type not often seen in Spielberg's work, I think. 

[Karl Henning]

( Having my Sunday eggs and need to get home soon, so this is Part One. )

I took my first ever look at this a couple of evenings ago. As l was short of time before work, l skipped most of the three temporal Spirits and concentrated on the " bookends ". So, l still need to see at least half of the film, probably more.

From what I've viewed thus far, it's easy to understand why Mr. Sim's Scrooge is considered definitive, as he wholly inhabits the character.

There are ( imho ) both strengths and weaknesses to be found in the balance of the production that I've seen. I quite liked seeing Tim gazing wistfully through store windows at the wonderful creations within. It elevates the character from a mere object of pity to a relatable child doing what all children do, given the chance.

On the other hand, l found Marley's ghost mostly risible, a performance far inferior to those from the 1984 and 1999 TV adaptations. ( I wonder if this was a case of some questionable direction, as it's hard to imagine a professional actor willingly making the choices to do what this man was doing. ) l got through the scene wincing, feeling sorry for the " ghost " for reasons having nothing to do with the story.

( End of Part One. )

What the Dickens

[hopefullytrusting]

Need some films I can background, as I have a ton of pdfs to organize, so I ended up with these: The Skeleton Key and Gothika



Two cheesy horror movies with lovely leads. One cannot go wrong.

[Karl Henning]

Watching The Man Who Invented Christmas again. 

[Karl Henning]

Watching The Man Who Invented Christmas again.

Yes, I'm shocked that I did not recognize Jno. Price's voice the first time. 

[hopefullytrusting]

Need some films I can background, as I have a ton of pdfs to organize, so I ended up with these: The Skeleton Key and Gothika

Two cheesy horror movies with lovely leads. One cannot go wrong.

I have to reformulate my opening judgment. Both movies were a lot better than I remember. It has been so long since I saw Gothika that I forgot its twist (and its awesome supporting cast - really enjoyable movie). The Key stars Hudson, easily one of the most beautiful women ever, in my opinion, and Peter Sarsgaard, who I adore (this movie is actually how I came across him - he's also super hot, in my opinion).

Going to end my night with another twofer, as I continue working on my organization of my pdfs: Stigmata and End of Days.



I recall these being fun but cheesy, but now I am hopeful after enjoying those first two so much.

[hopefullytrusting]

Going to end my night with another twofer, as I continue working on my organization of my pdfs: Stigmata and End of Days.

I recall these being fun but cheesy, but now I am hopeful after enjoying those first two so much.

Ah, now that's the cheese that I love. Had no idea that Gabriel was in both, although, he plays diametric characters. Arnie is always awesome, and there were so many more explosions than I recalled.

Interestingly, both movies were Catholic, and the Catholic faith, on its head, is pretty ridiculous, so it was a good selection for both films.

I do wonder if either film was meant to be taken seriously; I can't imagine, but I do wonder.

[Christo]

Time to watch films has been scarce all my life -- a richly filled life, in other words, mainly with music, but also a number of books (I've written seven myself, one of them translated into Chinese, Korean and English). But of course I have a list of favourites, following two films I saw on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. Let me start with the second-to-last: Tarantino, Oce Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019), made to perfection, Hollywood in 1969, skirting between 'old' westerns and hippie culture. The 'rottenness of both Hollywood decadence and (part of) hippie culture is the serious, underlying theme, the rest mainly an improbably good -- extremely expensive -- reenactment of Hollywood in 1969. But: also no more than Hollywood has to offer: fun, not life. Last night for the second time: Maestro (2023), by Bradley Cooper. For me, the best American film ever, as good as (the British movie) Oppenheimer from the same year.

A friend showed me Slaughterhouse-Five (1972, by George Roy Hill) -- an art film, which I didn't like very much. BTW, the whole concept of 'art film' doesn't mean much to me either. Another friend once insisted I should do Once Upon a Time in the West with him, a film he had already seen four times and greatly admired -- I was 19 and I was horrified by the flatness, didn't even like Morricone's music, and found it terribly hard not to let him know. A third (female) friend wanted me to watch The English Patient (1996, by Anthony Minghella). Even then, it took all friendly forms of evasion for me to avoid saying how fake I found the film (I can't stand implausible historical films, which is why I also pull '1917', anything by Paul Verhoeven, and even Schindler's List, despite my admiration for Steven Spielberg's better made films). Absolute nadir: The Battle of the Scheldt (2020), the biggest Dutch 'Hollywood production' ever. After 25 minutes, son Oscar (14) and I turned it off in disgust, even though we had started expectantly: after all, Oscar, now 18, knows EVERYTHING about World War II. He too couldn't stand so much utter nonsense.

As some solace, ten American movies that I happen to like or even love, despite Hollywood:

• Robert Wise & Jerome Robbins, West Side Story (1961)
• David Lean, Doctor Zhivago (1965)
• Francis Ford Coppola, Apocalypse Now (1979)
• Spike Lee, Do the Right Thing (1989)
• Robert Zemeckis, Forrest Gump (1994)
• Bradley Cooper, Maestro (2023)
• Steven Spielberg:

                •   Empire of the Sun (1987)
                •   The Post (2017)
                •   The Fabelmans (2022)

[drogulus]

•    The Last Emperor (1987)

      I recommend the extended cut available on 1080p Blu Ray over the UHD theatrical cut. It's almost an hour longer.