Last Movie You Watched

[karlhenning]

Branagh's Hamlet deployed some truly inspired cameo appearances. If you didn't know any better, you would expect a Hamlet featuring Jack Lemmon, Billy Crystal, Robin Williams, Richard Attenborough, Gerard Depardieu, and Charlton Heston to be godawful.

The film overall I find a staggeringly fine achievement.

[DavidW]

If you have some time to burn this is amusing:

Andrew O'Hehir's insane, demented, paranoid review of Secretariat

Ebert replies to mock said review in his blog

Andrew O'Hehir's reply on salon

[Brian]

Wow, O'Hehir has a terrible sense of humor. Memo to Salon: I've written a couple dozen movie reviews. And they're all way better than that.

The comment by Ebert at the very end of O'Hehir's reply to Ebert (so, correspondence #4) is illuminating because it serves as a reminder of just how much more interesting, smart, and insightful Ebert is...and how much funnier he is, too.

[Brian]

The film overall I find a staggeringly fine achievement.

Yes! I didn't like the bizarre directorial choices surrounding Hamlet's Ghost and the scenes in the forest, but other than that it was a wonderful film. Branagh's other Shakespeare is great, too, of course: I think of the last scene from Much Ado, or the whole brilliantly directed span of Henry V, beginning with Derek Jacobi holding a candle in the dark...

[karlhenning]

Well, beginning really with him striking a match in the dark ; )

[Brian]

Well, beginning really with him striking a match in the dark ; )

True 

[karlhenning]

Have you seen Dead Again?

[SonicMan46]

If you have some time to burn this is amusing:

Andrew O'Hehir's insane, demented, paranoid review of Secretariat

Ebert replies..........................continues - 

David - thanks for the links; Secretariat received 2+* both in my local paper (David Germain of the AP) and in USA Today - not very good but consistent -   

For me, I love 'horse' movies (own National Velvet, Black Stallion, Seabiscut, & Hildalgo (probably a few others I'd consider buying, and may already have?) - also, I really like Diane Lane, so a couple of good reasons for me to see the film - but will put it on my Netflix list - can wait - Dave 

[Brian]

Have you seen Dead Again?

No, but I have heard nothing but (very) good things. Last semester, when I was teaching a class on murder mysteries, I almost ordered it, but didn't know if my university would pick up the check, especially as I chose to show my class Vertigo instead.

[DavidW]

I forgot, I watched the Green Zone and for a movie that was trumped up as being an accurate portrayal... I don't think so.  And the last action sequence was so long that instead of being on the edge of my seat... well I literally almost fell asleep.  It tried, it failed.  I also had this hated feeling that I was being preached at for most of the movie.

[DavidW]

David - thanks for the links; Secretariat received 2+* both in my local paper (David Germain of the AP) and in USA Today - not very good but consistent -   

For me, I love 'horse' movies (own National Velvet, Black Stallion, Seabiscut, & Hildalgo (probably a few others I'd consider buying, and may already have?) - also, I also like Diane Lane, so a couple of good reasons for me to see the film - but will put it on my Netflix list - can wait - Dave 

When I saw the trailer for Secretariat Dave I remembered that I never saw Seabiscuit... and my netflix queue grows even longer.

[AndyD.]

The Baby's Room and To Let

The former was a genuinely creepy ghost story...that turned out to not really be a ghost story. Very good, trick ending.

The latter was one of those slasher things that was overall pretty bloody and strange. It was one of those movies where you have to tell yourself more than once not to think too much , so knock two stars off for that. For any horror flick in general, you have to have at least a good facility of belief suspension. But too much and it's no longer a movie, it's actors in a shadowy building.

[DavidW]

If you want to continue on strange spanish flicks Andy check out Timecrimes.  It's pretty neat.   Unless you hate time travel.

I'll put Baby's Room on the queue.

[DavidW]

Oh wait Andy you have seen all of Guillermo del Toro's films right? If not, check out The Devil's Backbone and Cronos.  The former I think is on watch instantly if you go for that.

[listener]

a disc from a series on traveling in Japan on regional short lines.   It has no subtitles, the scenery is pretty, digressions to food are appetizing and the trains are clean.  This one seems to be the north of Honshu, Miyagi, Iwata and Aomori prefectures.  I'm on some pain-killers so pleasant but undemanding is satisfactory, might catch up on sleep...

[Philoctetes]

This weekend:

[AndyD.]

Oh wait Andy you have seen all of Guillermo del Toro's films right? If not, check out The Devil's Backbone and Cronos.  The former I think is on watch instantly if you go for that.

I'm not familiar with Del Toro, now I will be. Thanks David!

[MN Dave]

THE DEVIL'S BRIDE on TCM last night.

[Benji]

I forgot, I watched the Green Zone and for a movie that was trumped up as being an accurate portrayal... I don't think so.  And the last action sequence was so long that instead of being on the edge of my seat... well I literally almost fell asleep.  It tried, it failed.  I also had this hated feeling that I was being preached at for most of the movie.

Totally with you on that, plus I just didn't buy into Bourn... Damon's character.

[DavidW]

I'm not familiar with Del Toro, now I will be. Thanks David!

Oh really?  Then let me add every other movie he's made to the list.   I just assumed that you had seen his blockbusters but maybe missed his indie roots.  I hope that you will enjoy him, he is very imaginative.