Last Movie You Watched

[hopefullytrusting]

Easily one of the most terrifying films ever made: The Alabama Solution



This is the kind of movie that strives to have an uplifting message, but after watching it - I sincerely doubt that there is anything that can come of this that is good - this is Delbo's "useless knowledge" in action and will also draw you to question whether evil is actually banal.

[71 dB]

Smile (Parker Finn, 2022) TV

A good example of a movie I want to see exactly one time.


Three (Kim Jee-woon, Nonzee Nimibutr ja Peter Ho-Sun Chan, 2002) Arrow Blu-ray FCD2718

"Memories" is best, "Going Home" second best and "The Wheel" is the weakest.

[AnotherSpin]

Kathryn Bigelow's A House of Dynamite (2025) is a film about the illusion of control. It tells loud and clear that the most devastating blows are reserved for those who believe themselves the greatest and strongest controllers of the world.

It is a parable of preparedness undone, a world meticulously trained for catastrophe yet utterly unready when it arrives. Government officials, military commanders, even the president himself have no idea what to do, how to respond, or even what they are responding to. Communication fails. Warheads refuse to detach. The nature of the threat, whether it is an attack and by whom, remains unknowable. In a darkly comic twist, those tasked with making urgent decisions are swiftly evacuated, effectively removing them from the very chain of command they were meant to embody. The machinery of power collapses into absurdity.

Nothing truly means anything, only the mind spins endlessly, chasing causes and predicting consequences.The film whispers a deeper truth: there is nothing behind the curtain. Breathe. Relax. Breathe again.

And then, quite unexpectedly, one might realize that A House of Dynamite carries a liberating message. The house must explode, not in violence but in awakening.

[Madiel]

Barbarella



WELL. Um. Now I can say that I've seen it. Though I'm not entirely sure why I did... I guess it's this cult thing that I've heard of. And yes even I can appreciate the beauty of Jane Fonda (the film basically starts with her stripping out of a space suit). And it was there to be watched on SBS so I did.

My goodness, though, did anything ever look and feel more late 1960s than this? Suddenly I understand where Austin Powers comes from. It's all slightly cheesy, there is one bit that's really quite funny but otherwise the plot isn't up to much. I guess comic book adaptations have always had their issues.

Right, that's a piece of cultural education done. 

[Wanderer]

Oh no, now you're making me want to see it... 

(you had me at Austin Powers)  🥳

[ritter]

The opening sequence is pure, unadulterated sixties ... and great fun!

[Todd]

this is Delbo's "useless knowledge" in action and will also draw you to question whether evil is actually banal.

Evil manifests in many ways.

[hopefullytrusting]

Evil manifests in many ways.

Indeed it does - I just think that banality has gotten a bit too big for its britches.

[Todd]

I just think that banality has gotten a bit too big for its britches.

Impossible to argue with that. 

[hopefullytrusting]

Un Secreto de Esperanza

,
This is now probably the movie that has the most impact on my life, and I don't even recall how I found it. There is nothing in this film that I think would have prompted me to have come across it, but I did, and it still causes me to ugly cry at least 3-4 times when watching the film, but always in different places, depending on the circumstances of my life at that time.

This is a powerful movie about the cost of choice - how much can be gained, how much can be lost, how we cannot unmake the choice once made - the pure economics of it all, as as soon as we make a choice, we tradeoff all the other choices we could have made, and, thus, collapse the wave function. We are bound, but, as long as we are still breathing, there is a chance for redemption, but redemption has a cost as well, and the price is heavy, especially the further we get away from the choice that set us on that track - the solution is simple but complicated by adulthood and "maturity."

Highest recommendation I can give to anything.

[Karl Henning]

Evil manifests in many ways.

(* chortle *)

[Brian]

Oh goodness, that's the last acting role for Katy Jurado from High Noon. What a career.

[Kalevala]

Un Secreto de Esperanza

,
This is now probably the movie that has the most impact on my life, and I don't even recall how I found it.

The tiny bit that I read about it [and I'm someone who doesn't like to know more than the barest of bones about both books and movies] was intrigued by both your comments and what I saw online.  Will see if I can borrow it from my library. 

K

[relm1]

Over the weekend, I watched Jurassic World Rebirth (2025).  It's definitely not flawless, and sure it's derivative but there are 38 Godzilla movies and those are sometimes fun and formulaic too.  You kind of know exactly what you're going to get when you go in to these films and that's a generally fun, intense monster mayhem movie.  They are made up of action set pieces and some are quite thrilling.  The characters weren't particularly likable (didn't really care for any of them) so the script could definitely have been improved. 

[Kalevala]

Over the weekend, I watched Jurassic World Rebirth (2025).  It's definitely not flawless, and sure it's derivative but there are 38 Godzilla movies and those are sometimes fun and formulaic too.  You kind of know exactly what you're going to get when you go in to these films and that's a generally fun, intense monster mayhem movie.  They are made up of action set pieces and some are quite thrilling.  The characters weren't particularly likable (didn't really care for any of them) so the script could definitely have been improved. 

I heard earlier today that one of the leads, Jonathan Bailey, was awarded People Magazine's "Sexiest Man of the Year".

I haven't seen this JP movie, but I enjoyed most of the earlier ones.

K

[Spotted Horses]

The Conversation



Harry Caul (Gene Hackman) is a surveillance expert hired to record a conversation between two people trying to remain anonymous, walking in circles in Union Square, San Francisco. Caul faces a moral dilemma based on the ambiguous content of the conversation. A brilliant film and a brilliant performance by Hackman.

One bit of trivia, the original cinematographer, Haskell Wexler was fired during production and all of his scenes reshot except the opening sequence depicting the recording of the conversation. I found Wexler's work to be the highlight of the film.

A personal high point is seeing Union Square as it was in 1973. I have a soft spot for Union Square, which I always frequented when I visited San Francisco in the past. Now I read that Union Square is not what it was, since post-pandemic work-from-home culture has robbed San Francisco downtown of its local foot traffic, and Union Square only has wealthy foreign tourists to cater to.

And no corny cable car sequences.

[Madiel]

True Grit



One of the Coen Brothers' more straightforward films and often praised for it, and for being true to the novel it's based on.

I probably damaged my viewing experience a little by having a gap of several days right in the middle, but I still thought this was rather good. The cinematography of the landscape is a definite highlight (it was shot in New Mexico and Texas). Jeff Bridges is sometimes a little difficult to understand as a somewhat mumbling drunkard, though it's also the 19th century dialogue. But he and Hailee Steinfeld (genuinely the age of her character) really carry the whole film very well.

[SimonNZ]

Glad I gave this a second viewing, because I've almost completely reversed my position. Its not at all like its rushing or struggling to get through all the plot you need a miniseries to do justice, in fact its remarkable how leisurely and unhurried it is and how confident it is that it can move the story in just minimal gestures rather than big talky scenes. Though if you hadn't seen the miniseries or read the novel already I can't say how quickly lost you might be by the lack of clearer explanations.

When did Benedict Cumberbatch become a household name? Because I don't remember thinking of the young guy as him from the first viewing. Likewise Tom Hardy.

[relm1]

Glad I gave this a second viewing, because I've almost completely reversed my position. Its not at all like its rushing or struggling to get through all the plot you need a miniseries to do justice, in fact its remarkable how leisurely and unhurried it is and how confident it is that it can move the story in just minimal gestures rather than big talky scenes. Though if you hadn't seen the miniseries or read the novel already I can't say how quickly lost you might be by the lack of clearer explanations.

When did Benedict Cumberbatch become a household name? Because I don't remember thinking of the young guy as him from the first viewing. Likewise Tom Hardy.

I wish I get around to seeing this one of these days.  My big brother said the original film with Sir Alec Guiness was even better and that intrigued me because he was always right.  He also said Dr. Who (1960's) was better than Star Trek and I still haven't seen an episode of that show!  One day I need to see these.

[Cato]

I wish I get around to seeing this one of these days.  My big brother said the original film with Sir Alec Guinness was even better and that intrigued me because he was always right.  He also said Dr. Who (1960's) was better than Star Trek and I still haven't seen an episode of that show!  One day I need to see these.

Your "big brother" is probably right, although I have not seen the version above.

But it will be difficult to beat Alec Guiness!

Speaking of whom, recently we re-watched a classic from David Lean:



Over 40 years old now!  It is difficult (for us) to believe that Judy Davis is now old enough (70 yrs.) to play Peggy Ashcroft's role of Mrs. Moore, who was 76 or 77 at the time.

Peggy Ashcroft had been a great stage actress, but was in some classic movies earlier in her career, e.g. The 39 Steps (one of the early successes of Alfred Hitchcock ) and The Nun's Story with Audrey Hepburn.

We had not watched it in some time, but Mrs. Cato's best friend had never seen it, so we had to fill that gap in her cinematic experience!

I was even more impressed by Alec Guinness as the Indian professor/philosopher, and by the evocation of mystery, especially erotic mystery, throughout the movie.  David Lean, of course, became a master of the wide-screen camera shot, and those are used - sparingly to be sure - to great effect for establishing an atmosphere of strange and arcane happenings.

The great Victor Banerjee is a wonder, portraying Dr. Aziz with an endearing, child-like sensitivity.

I should mention: I find this version of the story preferable to E. M. Forster's novel, and that I have the same preference for David Lean's Dr. Zhivago over Boris Pasternak's original story.  In both, I found deeper, more compelling characterizations and situations than in the books.