Last Movie You Watched

[Artem]

I have this. Underwhelming.

What was it that you didn't like about it, James?

As for me, I found "White" the most enjoyable. I'd even say it is my favorite Kieslowski movie, probably because it doesn't suffer from the kind of ambiguity that is present in the other parts of the trilogy, but retains his visual style, including the attention to insignificant, fleeting details, that I like about Kieslowski's style.

[bhodges]

On its way, will be watching it soon. Haven't been this excited for a Criterion release in a few years...


[asin]B011SDC25S[/asin]

Saw this when it came out - loved it - but haven't seen it since. Have the non-Criterion version on the "to watch pile," hopefully in the near future with some friends who haven't seen any of Lynch's films. I think he is one of the greatest, most original American filmmakers.

On a slightly different topic, just ran across Time Out's "100 Best Horror Films," and given that no list will satisfy everyone, this is a pretty good assortment. I liked the diversity of eras and countries - not to mention types of horror (from suggestive to all-out-graphic) - and there are at least 7 or 8 of these that I've never even heard of. (Glad that Simon Pegg was one of the voters.)

http://www.timeout.com/london/film/best-horror-films

--Bruce

[SonicMan46]

On a slightly different topic, just ran across Time Out's "100 Best Horror Films," and given that no list will satisfy everyone, this is a pretty good assortment. I liked the diversity of eras and countries - not to mention types of horror (from suggestive to all-out-graphic) - and there are at least 7 or 8 of these that I've never even heard of. (Glad that Simon Pegg was one of the voters.)

http://www.timeout.com/london/film/best-horror-films

Hi Bruce - thanks for the link - a 'checklist' was available - I've seen about 30 of the 100, and probably own a dozen of these films on DVD/BD - Dave

[SonicMan46]

Some more BD additions (several DVD replacements) to my movie collection:

A Soldier's Story (1984) w/ Howard E. Rollins, Jr., Adolph Caesar, Robert Townsend, Denzel Washington, et al - restoration received 4*/5* (HERE) for both the video & audio.

Absence of Malice (1981) w/ Paul Newman, Sally Field; Sydney Pollack, director - also excellent restoration (4/5 video; 3.8/5 audio) from the blu-ray disc review (same source as above).

Monte Walsh (1970) w/  Lee Marvin, Jack Palance, & Jeanne Moreau - (3.5/5 video; 4/5 audio, source above) - own the remake TV film w/ Tom Selleck from 2003 - will need to re-watch for a comparison.  Dave

   

[Karl Henning]

There you go, Bruce. Modify your evaluation accordingly  <g>

[bhodges]

Eraserhead is one of the stupidest movies I have ever seen. Dune was total crap.

Ah well, de gustibus and all that. Eraserhead is some kind of minor masterpiece. And I'll grant that Dune was disappointing (especially compared to Frank Herbert's great novel), though it still had its moments. The one I am eager to see is Inland Empire, supposedly the "darker" complement to Mulholland Drive.

[asin]B000QQFKYE[/asin]

--Bruce

[pjme]

I liked La giovinezza / Youth very much. Intelligent, beautiful, food for thought.
The scene with Michael Caine/ Ballinger conducting cows, birds, mountains and trees is enchanting.



Son of Saul .... is on my list...The Belgian press gave this (shockingly hard) Hungarian film rave reviews.

[Karl Henning]

Remarks like "one of the stupidest I've seen" and "total crap," just hurled out there with no effort to illuminate the opinion, are (wait . for . it . ) being the wasteland:

Oblivious to the irony of being the barren wasteland he makes a show of decrying . . . .

[Karl Henning]

And, incidentally, I am no great fan of Eraserhead.

[bhodges]

And, incidentally, I am no great fan of Eraserhead.

I can empathize; it's an oddity. To me it conjures up, as few films do, the unpleasant, clammy sensation of an actual dream - not a nightmare that has you screaming, but one that has you waking and trying to shake off claustrophobia. The mise en scène is just so weird - the strange household, the constantly hissing radiator - coupled with actions that sometimes seem to have no grounding in reality. Things occur that are totally unexpected, and unsettling. And the black-and-white photography is odd, too, giving a vaguely vintage feeling to the entire thing; it seems older than a film made in 1977.

The story unfolds patiently and (as I recall - it's been awhile) elliptically, with some repetition that increases the hypnotic effect. It doesn't always sustain itself - if the film were three hours long it would be a real exercise in impatience - but for its length, it creates a unique aura of strangeness. Lynch would go on to even better things (e.g., Lost Highway and especially, Blue Velvet), but for a debut, it's pretty fascinating.

--Bruce

[Karl Henning]

I can empathize; it's an oddity. To me it conjures up, as few films do, the unpleasant, clammy sensation of an actual dream - not a nightmare that has you screaming, but one that has you waking and trying to shake off claustrophobia. The mise en scène is just so weird - the strange household, the constantly hissing radiator - coupled with actions that sometimes seem to have no grounding in reality. Things occur that are totally unexpected, and unsettling. And the black-and-white photography is odd, too, giving a vaguely vintage feeling to the entire thing; it seems older than a film made in 1977.

The story unfolds patiently and (as I recall - it's been awhile) elliptically, with some repetition that increases the hypnotic effect. It doesn't always sustain itself - if the film were three hours long it would be a real exercise in impatience - but for its length, it creates a unique aura of strangeness. Lynch would go on to even better things (e.g., Lost Highway and especially, Blue Velvet), but for a debut, it's pretty fascinating.

--Bruce

Yes, I've more respect than affection for it

[Cato]

The one I am eager to see is Inland Empire, supposedly the "darker" complement to Mulholland Drive.

--Bruce

I thought I was eager to see it too...until I saw it and became less eager!   

I am a great fan of Mulholland Drive, Lost Highway, Twin Peaks, etc. and especially The Straight Story, but Inland Empire...  I gave it a chance twice, was more tolerant of it the second time, but...

On the other hand, if you would like Eraserhead taken to an extreme, this might be the movie for you!  0:)

[Drasko]

[Karl Henning]

I thought I was eager to see it too...until I saw it and became less eager!   

I am a great fan of Mulholland Drive, Lost Highway, Twin Peaks, etc. and especially The Straight Story, but Inland Empire...  I gave it a chance twice, was more tolerant of it the second time, but...

On the other hand, if you would like Eraserhead taken to an extreme, this might be the movie for you!  0:)

"Those for whom Eraserhead is just too lucid ...."

[bhodges]

I thought I was eager to see it too...until I saw it and became less eager!   

I am a great fan of Mulholland Drive, Lost Highway, Twin Peaks, etc. and especially The Straight Story, but Inland Empire...  I gave it a chance twice, was more tolerant of it the second time, but...

On the other hand, if you would like Eraserhead taken to an extreme, this might be the movie for you!  0:)

Thanks, Cato - these comments are making me chuckle. (I think I *might* like "Eraserhead taken to an extreme"...) And The Straight Story is wonderful.

--Bruce

[TheGSMoeller]

Ah well, de gustibus and all that. Eraserhead is some kind of minor masterpiece. And I'll grant that Dune was disappointing (especially compared to Frank Herbert's great novel), though it still had its moments. The one I am eager to see is Inland Empire, supposedly the "darker" complement to Mulholland Drive.

[asin]B000QQFKYE[/asin]

--Bruce

I'm bias, anything Lynch touches is fantastic to me, including Inland Empire, which may top the list for his most disturbing experience (sitcom about Rabbits?), I feel this factor played heavily from being filmed on digital video, giving it an at times low quality-home video atmosphere, and with Lynch really taking this format to the limits.
But like I said, I'm bias, even if Lynch made a film about an old man traveling cross-state on a lawnmower, I'd love it. 

[TheGSMoeller]

Hmmm, should I really post my thoughts? And risk the backlash? 

[Mookalafalas]

Hmmm, should I really post my thoughts? And risk the backlash? 

  I thought there was some amazing stuff in this.  It was a shame he felt he had to dwell on the plot so much. That part was tedious.

[bhodges]

Scorsese: The Aviator (2004) - Revisiting this in a week or so, again on the big screen - haven't seen it since its premiere. What I recall are Cate Blanchett's spot-on depiction of Katharine Hepburn, and the spectacular scene when Leonardo DiCaprio crashes his plane.

[asin]B00080ZG10[/asin]

--Bruce

[Karl Henning]

. . . and the spectacular scene when Leonardo DiCaprio crashes his plane.

What, no stunt double?  0:)