Last Movie You Watched

[hopefullytrusting]

A true throwback: Rigoletto (1993)



First, the music is the whole reason to watch this movie. Second, you watch this movie because it is earnest. But, this is not family-friendly, unless you have a truly warped mind - I won't spoil what happens, but something horrific happens, and the way they resolve it - is not fairytale-like, which I think was their aim, at least not an American fairytale, lol.

In fact, this draws on one of my main fears as a black in the Unites States - Sundown Towns, and why I always meticulously plan out my trips (for example, I drove from Chicago to Las Cruces, at least 3 times - 21 hour trip - look at the states I had to drive through - all my stops were preplanned, lol).

In the end, I find this movie charming for the music and the earnestness of the actors (think Treasures in the Snow, a similarish film, but without the kickass OST).

[JBS]

A true throwback: Rigoletto (1993)



First, the music is the whole reason to watch this movie. Second, you watch this movie because it is earnest. But, this is not family-friendly, unless you have a truly warped mind - I won't spoil what happens, but something horrific happens, and the way they resolve it - is not fairytale-like, which I think was their aim, at least not an American fairytale, lol.

In fact, this draws on one of my main fears as a black in the Unites States - Sundown Towns, and why I always meticulously plan out my trips (for example, I drove from Chicago to Las Cruces, at least 3 times - 21 hour trip - look at the states I had to drive through - all my stops were preplanned, lol).

In the end, I find this movie charming for the music and the earnestness of the actors (think Treasures in the Snow, a similarish film, but without the kickass OST).

The Wikipedia entry for that film sounds nothing like your description!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rigoletto_(1993_film)

[hopefullytrusting]

The Wikipedia entry for that film sounds nothing like your description!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rigoletto_(1993_film)

Well, that synopsis isn't wrong, but that is not what the average person will takeaway from the the film, lol.

[ritter]

On DVD, Sacha Guitry's Les Perles de la couronne (The Pearls of the Crown), from 1937, starring the director himself, his then wife Jacqueline Delubac (his third of five), Arlettu, and Raimu. The music is by Jean Françaix.



A French historian and agents of, respectively, the Pope and the King of England, search for three pearls that allegedly had been part of a set of seven given to Catherine de' Medici by Pope Clement VII (the other four pearls are in the Imperial State Crown). The fate of the three pearls throughout the centuries is shown in historical flashbacks of deliberate inaccuracy. The final scenes are set aboard the famous S.S. Normandie...

Sometimes silly, sometimes hilarious, but always full of esprit. Very enjoyable!

[Papy Oli]

Raimu

What a very French reference   

[hopefullytrusting]

Crazy, Stupid, Love (2011)



This is a movie that would have never made it on my radar, but, out of boredom one day, I clicked on a clip of a scene with Gosling and Stone in it - the fight scene, and I was immediately drawn in - not only for how real, and funny, the fight was, but how accurate the surrounding acting and dialogue were - RomComs tend to avoid realism, so I was interested enough to invest time in the movie. That John Carroll Lynch, one of my favorite character actors, was in the scene, was my tipping point.

This is an all-cast: Carell, Gosling, Moore, Stone, Tomei, Bacon - all heavy hitters plus Lynch, for me, and a new discovery Jonah Bobo - who plays, I think, the most important pov character. This movie is charming, and Gosling is the glue - I am convinced that he can work with anyone and elevate them to the top of their game. Every scene he is in, even those with Stone, he is clearly the center of the universe, and he plays his role perfectly. The conflict that arises between him and Carrell is so natural, and you could tell that, off the set they probably shared real fondness for each other.

Another thing I loved about this movie is nothing was left lingering, and none of the jokes were played out - looking at you Helen Hunt and Meg Ryan. Yes, the story is a cliche, but it doesn't come off as one. It feels fresh, and it works because none of the conflicts are major, so the ending resolution is one grounded in the concrete, material conditions of reality, something that most RomComs never do, which is why they so often fail for me.

There really are no lessons to learn outside of things change when we get older, and I like that as well - moralizing is another thing that sinks most media.

All in all, this is a charming, loving movie and you will feel good, without suspending disbelief, by the end.

High recommendation. :-)

[ritter]

What a very French reference   

And I had forgotten to mention Arletty, another very French reference. 

She portrays a politically incorrect —by today's standards— but hysterically funny 16th century Queen of Abyssinia.

[Papy Oli]

And I had forgotten to mention Arletty, another very French reference. 

Atmosphère, Atmosphère...

That's going back !!

That said, a mention of Mexico in a random discussion in our household earlier made me channel my inner Luis Mariano!!! Not much better 

Mexi-iiiii-coooooo   

[Karl Henning]

The Tempest with commentary by Virginia Mason Vaughan (Massachusetts) and Jno. Bate (Warwick)

[SimonNZ]

The Tempest with commentary by Virginia Mason Vaughan (Massachusetts) and Jno. Bate (Warwick)

Worth a listen? I've played the directors commentary, but not the second option.

[Karl Henning]

Worth a listen? I've played the directors commentary, but not the second option.

Yes, I think so. I'll go back for the director's. 

[AnotherSpin]

One Battle After Another.  I have not seen a movie in a theater since the pre-Covid Disney disaster Star Wars: The Something.  You know, the one with the chick swinging a light saber and that guy who does stuff.  When I first saw a commercial for this Leo flick, I thought "meh".  It was not until I learned that Paul Thomas Anderson – probably the greatest living filmmaker – helmed this that the "meh" turned into a "heck yeah!"  Golly.  So monumental was the shift in outlook that this not only became the first movie I've seen on the big screen in six years, it is the first time I have made it to a movie on opening weekend since Noah.  I think, though I could be misremembering.  (On that note, I was originally planning on seeing Caught Stealing in theaters, but by the time I checked local cinemas about ten days after its release, it was gone, though I only checked theaters within a five mile radius.)  So pumped was I, in fact, that this is the first movie I have ever seen during Thursday "previews".

Inspired by a Thomas Pynchon novel, the flick starts off with the one of the most un/fortunately timed opening scenes as revolutionaries/terrorists – take your pick – stage an armed attack on an immigrant detention facility.  The entire opening act follows the repercussions of that, and most of the main characters get introduced, including Leo channeling his inner Dude as Bob Ferguson and Sean Penn acting very Jack D Ripper-y as Steven Lockjaw.  As it moves into its second act, years have passed and nothing has changed.  (To borrow from the great Josh Tillman, "things keep getting worse while staying so eerily the same." )  Leo is a burnout revolutionary in hiding, raising his daughter, and due to plot developments, Penn is hunting them down.  Shenanigans ensue for the next couple hours, though the length of the movie flies by.

The acting is uniformly very good or excellent, with Leo better than expected, and Penn does good work in a cartoonish way.  The dialogue is as original as Tarantino, but is more oblique.  PTA works in the phrase "bad hombre" twice, dropping  a hint, and he includes a line about the 90 yard line, which made my ears perk up for personal reasons.  All other aspects of filmmaking are masterful.  The song selection is ace, with a Tom Petty closer, and the original score is maximally effective.  The camerawork and compositions are likewise ace.  Several motifs pop up over and over – eg, blown out highlights, far left and far right subject framing, father and daughter plopped in front of big, single color walls in different scenes.  Telephoto lenses get used quite a bit for some nice, tightly cropped shots, with bokeh off the charts good in some scenes.  Violence is plentiful, but PTA spares the viewer excess graphic violence in scenes where he could have gone the other way.  And he shows that there is, in fact, a new and kick ass way to film a car chase, at least in my viewing experience.  He nods to some popular TV shows like Breaking Bad and Ozark, and throws in so much that at least one more viewing is required.  The film really is masterful and nuts.  One thing that typifies the bizzarro style is the use of Jim Downey as a bad guy.  Let that sink in.  So, yeah, it's a wildly good PTA movie, his best since his best, The Master.

Watched this film the other day, and overall I agree. It really is amazing. And mad. I won't argue that, after The Master, this is Paul Thomas Anderson's most memorable movie. The chase scene at the end is absolutely stunning. I've never seen anything quite like it. DiCaprio and Sean Penn are both excellent, especially Penn.

It's hard for me to say much about the plot itself. Revolutionary romanticism mostly annoys me, and I already know without movies that power is made up of maniacs. I loved the use of Gil Scott-Heron's song as the film's leitmotif, though I usually like that kind of thing anyway. It would be curious to see someone make interesting use of the Grateful Dead's legacy. Cinema hasn't yet reached those heights.

I'll probably give it another watch, even though that's extremely rare for me.

[Madiel]

Hero



More than 25 years ago I saw a number of Zhang Yimou's early films, and liked them a lot. In particular Raise the Red Lantern still resonates with me as one of the best films I've seen, and I keep wanting to see it again.

So I'd always meant to see this one that came out in 2002, which in some ways was consciously following on from the success of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (another film I haven't seen for many a year) with the intent of bringing Chinese martial arts films to the West.

And boy I should have seen this on the big screen. It's all about the visuals. Shot after shot is almost absurdly beautiful. The plot works well enough, with a Rashomon-like idea of several takes on the same sequence of events and each version is strongly colour-coded. And honestly if the plot didn't work I think it would affect the impact of the film. But the main thing here is to just take in the sublime look of it all. You could freeze-frame this at any point and you'd probably get something worth using as art.

[Florestan]

Conversations with My Gardener

An excellent bittersweet French movie (featuring Nabucco and Mozart's Clarinet Concerto). Highly recommended.

EDIT: I've known and admired Daniel Auteuil's acting for years. The real deal here is Jean-Pierre Darroussin.

[Brian]

I'll probably give it another watch, even though that's extremely rare for me.

Perhaps after a few small beers?

[AnotherSpin]

Perhaps after a few small beers?

Weird comment, tbh I'm not entirely sure what exactly you meant. I personally try to stay away from booze, especially as a sidekick to watching movies.

[Brian]

Weird comment, tbh I'm not entirely sure what exactly you meant. I personally try to stay away from booze, especially as a sidekick to watching movies.

At the end, the Benicio del Toro character tells the police, "I had a few small beers," after drinking the beers with Leo's character while driving in the car.

[AnotherSpin]

At the end, the Benicio del Toro character tells the police, "I had a few small beers," after drinking the beers with Leo's character while driving in the car.

Well, I don't really identify that much with movie characters. That said, Benicio del Toro's character is actually pretty likable.

[SimonNZ]

The history and (more importantly) the sociology of the ubiquitous typeface.

[Kalevala]

Had a nice time watching the Tim Burton version of Willy Wonka the other night with a friend [Hadn't seen it before now though we did miss a chunk of it--eating dinner].  Quite enjoyable!  Like how they went into the backstory of why WW was like he was and the ending [Don't want to give too much away here.].

K