Last Movie You Watched

[hopefullytrusting]

I like feeling good, so I watched Lukas Moodysson's best movie (in my opinion, of course): Show Me Love



It is definitely a period of its time (1990s, which is the era I grew up in), so if you are not of the time you might not fully capture the charm, but even without that nostalgic factor the two leads in this (both actual teenagers) are drawn up so realistically (actually reminds me of Wood and Barton in Season 3 of Once and Again). It feels like high school and smells of middle-class, suburban rebellion all being churned by the undercurrent of a burgeoning questioning of sexuality (see Once and Again for an almost exact comparison), and it is handled in much the same way as I recall it being handled back in the 1990s, so I got it.

Ultimately, it is a serious movie (if you look at Moodysson career, this is not surprising), so nothing is gratuitous or played for kicks (a gay version of this, but way more depressing, is L.I.E. - Paul Dano and Brian Cox). The way it concludes is, in my opinion, the best part of the film, and it has a very anti-ending ending (which is very 1990s).

Highest recommendation (it is one of my favorite films, after all, lol).

[AnotherSpin]

Woody Allen's 50th film, this time in French — Coup de Chance — leaves a rather odd impression. Everything seems fine: the acting is easy on the nerves (with the betrayed husband standing out in particular), and the storytelling flows smoothly. And yet, there's not a hint of novelty, just a constant sense of déjà vu. No, this isn't Allen at his peak. It's watchable, especially in these less-than-stellar times for cinema, but those who skip it won't be missing much.

[relm1]

I just saw Cloud Atlas.  A bit of a mess.  I like the premise but feel it would have worked better as a manga but as a film, it's overly long and jarring story telling.  Jarring could be fine if concise like Sin City and Pulp Fiction but they also give episodes time to themselves.  This film literally flips epoch's mid thought for much of the run time.  It might have been better if they gave each epoch 20 minutes straight then jumped and tide it all up just at the end where they could have done a flip through of the various timelines in a few minutes.

[hopefullytrusting]

I just saw Cloud Atlas.  A bit of a mess.  I like the premise but feel it would have worked better as a manga but as a film, it's overly long and jarring story telling.  Jarring could be fine if concise like Sin City and Pulp Fiction but they also give episodes time to themselves.  This film literally flips epoch's mid thought for much of the run time.  It might have been better if they gave each epoch 20 minutes straight then jumped and tide it all up just at the end where they could have done a flip through of the various timelines in a few minutes.

I will admit I've not seen Cloud Atlas since it came out, but I had a very different experience of the movie. I originally went in a bit trepidatious, as neither Berry or Hanks excite me - in fact, they do quite the opposite, but I love the Wachowski sisters and Tykwer, who have not directed an uninteresting film between them (seriously, give both Speed Race and Jupiter Ascending a relook, if you disagree - you might not like them, but they are interesting), and I was quite literally blown away by the scale and scope of Cloud Atlas.

I honestly was surprised at how moved i was during them film (openly weeping, yes, weeping not crying), and I was emotionally exhausted as the film reached its conclusion (a rare film where I had to sit through the credits to decompress from the movie watching experience), but it is a film that was made for the big screen - not the small (and this is true for all the Wachowski films save Bound - Bound is definitely made for the small screen), and something is lot when all that film is compressed into a box

But, I've not seen it since it came out, so I'm going to see how that movie translates to the small screen (to eBay!).

[DavidW]

I like the premise but feel it would have worked better as a manga but as a film,

Manga!? Ha! You do know that it was adapted from a novel, right?

[T. D.]

David Lynch was a director whose work never appealed to me. Saw Eraserhead when it first came out and didn't like it, never investigated his other films or TV shows.
There have been all kinds of Lynch retrospectives around here the past couple of weeks. I decided to try The Straight Story, because it was free and I expected less stagey/contrived weirdness.



Well, it was OK but slow (granted there was a little contrived weirdness) and I left halfway through. Not that the film was terrible, but I'm currently reading two interesting books that I strongly felt were more deserving of the time.

[Madiel]

I haven't seen Cloud Atlas as yet, but I definitely get the impression it polarises people.

[hopefullytrusting]

This film is pure, unadulterated awesome: The Great Wall



This genre of film is growing on me - let's call it over-the-top maximalism - other examples of this would be Battleship, Pacific Rim, Mechagodzilla, etc. Films that are so ridiculous, they become awesome. Honestly, nothing in The Great Wall will make any sense, but it doesn't need to because it is awesome. I honestly think that is how they made all their decisions on this film. And that most of the actors/actresses are so serious, just makes it all the better - I think it is their sincerity which really sells it for me.

High recommendation if you want to have fun!

[relm1]

Manga!? Ha! You do know that it was adapted from a novel, right?

Yep.  And yes Manga.

[Iota]

Manga!? Ha! You do know that it was adapted from a novel, right?

Indeed, an excellent novel. I find it hard to imagine how you would portray such a work in film form, but haven't seen it.

[DavidW]

Indeed, an excellent novel. I find it hard to imagine how you would portray such a work in film form, but haven't seen it.

It's good to find someone who appreciates David Mitchell! His novels are polarizing, but I'm a fan. I've read and enjoyed Cloud Atlas, Slade House, and The Bone Clocks.

[Iota]

It's good to find someone who appreciates David Mitchell! His novels are polarizing, but I'm a fan. I've read and enjoyed Cloud Atlas, Slade House, and The Bone Clocks.

I was actually looking at it on the shelves recently and thinking I should reread it, it's been about 10 years since I first read it, but I'm surrounded by so much good reading at the moment, it may be a while.

[Karl Henning]

Foreign Correspondent. On one hand, inessential. On t'other, there's no Hitchcock movie but has some interest. 

[Karl Henning]

Put this one in the tray morally prepared not to understand it completely: Tenet. Nice to see Michael Caine.

[AnotherSpin]

Black Bag (2025) is a sleek and sharp spy thriller from Steven Soderbergh, starring the ever-magnetic Michael Fassbender and the effortlessly brilliant Cate Blanchett. The narrative is finely tuned, the performances utterly compelling, and the atmosphere thick with intrigue — what's not to love? An absolute must for espionage aficionados, delivering a refined yet gripping cinematic treat.

[DavidW]

I watched Bandersnatch on Netflix. It is a choose-your-own-adventure! A fun gimmick, you choose choices as you watch and there are multiple endings.

[71 dB]

I revisited Re-Animator after more or less 20 years. People rave about this movie and I bought a fancy DVD release of it back in the day. I found the movie disappointing, too silly. Now I wanted to know if my opinion has changed after 2 decades, especially when I am into 80s movie more nowadays. I think I liked the movie just a little more than 20 years ago, but it is still mediocre at best imho. It is if the movie works against itself. It doesn't concentrate properly to any thematic idea. Everything just happens (in very predictable manner I might add). Maybe the gore and nudity appeals to some people I guess...

[Kalevala]

Green Fingers a story about a bunch of convicts who coalesce around various gardening projects including in competing at Hampton for the big garden show competition.  And various substories along the way which are very touching.  A few of the actors involved:  Clive Owen and Helen Mirren.  Based on a true story.  Quite enjoyed it.

K

[Brian]

The trailer for Wes Anderson's next movie is scored with The Firebird, Petrushka, and Pictures at an Exhibition.

[DavidW]

Back in 2007, I saw Grindhouse as two short films. I didn't know that there were full-length cuts. I finally saw one of them last night on Tubi. As it was 18 years between viewings, I can't comment on which is the better version!