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Post by Martin Stett on May 27, 2024 13:37:12 GMT
Omkara (2006) - A damn good Othello adaptation, impeccably acted. This Vishal Bhardwaj guy is two-for-two on top-drawer movies (my other experience being Haider, his Hamlet riff). 8/10
Slow Horses (Season 1) - Cute and entertaining enough, but the silliness of our "losers" doesn't mesh with the seriousness of the kidnapping plot - they're two mismatched halves that never form into anything resembling a cohesive whole. It's fine in the moment, but as soon as each episode ends I feel unfulfilled. 5/10
El Conde (2023) - On-the-nose "satire" that feels the need to explain its jokes at every turn. 3/10
Return to Oz (1985 rewatch) - Extraordinary production and sound design (seriously, the production design is out of this world) with some magnificent visual effects create a perfectly realized eerie world of implied horror. It's a shame that the narrative is so ramshackle and the characters so shallow. This is more interesting to talk about as an expensive folly than as a movie in itself. 6/10
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Post by mhynson27 on May 27, 2024 14:06:15 GMT
Mrs. Doubtfire
Total Recall (1990)
Had a great time with both of them.
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hilderic
Junior Member
Posts: 329
Likes: 140
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Post by hilderic on May 27, 2024 18:06:21 GMT
Lucky Sunil
France
The Bears' Famous Invasion of Sicily
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Post by taranofprydain on May 27, 2024 18:45:11 GMT
OK, let's do it.....
I commented already on Veronica Guerin (2003; 9.25/10), True Believer (1989;6.5/10), and Mother Night (1996;9/10) on the other thread here (last film you watched), but there are others to add.....
Matchstick Men (2003) -- 8/10. Quite uneven in sections, with a final "twist" that is easily foreseeable, but this has some extremely good scenes as well as sterling performances from Nicolas Cage (one of his best) and Allison Lohman. It also has more character to it than many other recent Ridley Scott films.
Black Hawk Down (2001) -- 6/10. Extremely well staged in terms of action scenes and sound design, but the ceaseless carnage wore on me quickly, coupled with bland, interchangeable characters.
The Phantom of the Opera (2004) -- 9/10 One of the few big musicals I hadn't seen, and I had been avoiding it for years due to the bad critical reception when it opened....but as it turns out, its the type of lavish musical romance that is pure catnip to me. I really liked it.
Anything Else (2003) --7.5/10. I'd heard it was one of Woody Allen's weakest, but it's still OK. It hasbeen a while since I saw one of his films for the first time, so I really appreciated the wonderful dialogue rhythms. Loved seeing Stockard Channing again briefly.
I Dreamed of Africa (2000) -- 5.5/10 Well-meaning film with Kim Basinger as an animal rights activist is handsomely made, and decently acted, but the script and direction is sluggish and not very exciting.
The Exterminating Angel (1962) --6.5/10 Bunuel does another castic satire on the upper classes. It's a bit diadactic for my tastes, but it has good moments.
Sylvia (2003) -- 5/10. A real slog to watch. Yes, Sylvia Plath was well known as being a depressive who ending up taking her life, but didn't she have a single happy moment in her life? The glumness of this film is oppressive, and chokes some decent acting.
Out of Time (2003) -- 8/10 Neo-noir finds Denzel Washington as a shady police chief tied up in a case that has ties with arson and murder. The film has panasche, which helps to paper over some glaring story holes.
The Missing (2003) -- 5/10 Dark-hued western looks good but is extremely tepid, uninvolving, and bland.
25th Hour (2002) -- 5.5/10. I know many like this, but I just couldn't get into it.....
Lord of the Flies (1963)-- 8/10. Small-scale, but savage and well-handled in its look at the banality of growing evil among boys who survived a plane crash on a deserted island.
Bamboozled (2000) -- 8.5/10. Spike Lee at his angriest. Has all the makings of a new version of Network that also skewers the shameful practice of blackface and how audiences accepted it for a long time until it missteps into melodrama involving terrorists near the end. Still, mostly an extremely strong fil..
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Post by Pittsnogle_Goggins on May 27, 2024 20:27:04 GMT
Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice (1969)
Fear City (1984)
Targets (1968)
The Bricklayer (2023)
Killing Them Softly (2012)
Atlas (2024)
IF (2024)
No Mercy (1986)
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Post by urbanpatrician on May 27, 2024 20:29:28 GMT
Falling Down - 7.5
A bit worse than I remembered it but it would slide into my lower Top 10 of a weak year.
Anyone But You - 6
Well....Sydney can't sing. The romance is not believable and those are courtship situations that are just not gonna happen irl. But you know what....maybe Sydney is onto something, and this movie is the beginning of something for her. 20-25 year old girls like her.
Scooby Doo on Zombie Island - 7.5
One of favorite movies as a kid and probably my overall favorite Scooby Doo movie. It was the year 1999 for us old CartoonNetworkers. Such a gothic tale tinged with tragedy.. you're not sure who is more the victim of tragedy, the cat girls or her zombies they drained.
Son of Frankenstein - 5
So removed from the original franchise. It's not even a Frankenstein movie anymore. Not sure if this is the point where the franchise starts sliding but this movie was boring.
La Grande Illusion - 8
Well Renoir is the director of the 30s. Only thing I would say here is that the class examinations is a total 30s thing and has degraded in its importance and relevance nowadays. The first hour and 20 minutes or so is also not that interesting, but the escape on becomes a humanist story tinged with poetic realism. And that Dita Parlo segment deserves a 2nd movie. Not sure if this is my least favorite of his 4 from 1936-1939 tho but it's not as good as The Rules of the Game or A Day in the Country.
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Post by JangoB on May 27, 2024 23:38:55 GMT
Danny Collins - Here's the great thing about late-period Pacino: yes, he may agree to appear in a lot of junk, but he's still more than capable of giving a truly wonderful performance. This is one such case. The movie is fine too but mostly due to the cast elevating it.
Challengers - Fiery. Luca's back!
The Offence - Some terrific performances, including the great Sean Connery really challenging himself with a tough character to play, but the movie is just decent. Feels like a play, kind of drags... but there's enough goodness in it too.
Hoosiers - Fans of very traditionally spirited sports movies will probably cream themselves over this. I'm not quite in that group so I merely enjoyed it. Still a fine, well-acted (too bad Hackman was apparently a total dick on set), well-made film. At its best before they start playing, tbh.
A Beautiful Mind - REWATCH. Yeah, it's Oscar Bait 101 through and through, but I consider it a really good example of that... so there. One aspect of it film aficionados don't appreciate enough is Jennifer Connelly in a perfect tailor-made-for-the-camera performance. Ronny directs her as if she's starring in a silent movie, making it all about the movements, the face, the eyes. And she more than rises to the occasion.
Veronica Guerin - A thoroughly mediocre piece of cinema, Joel Schumacher and Jerry Bruckheimer wasting their natural talents in boring and ill-fitting awards mode. Blanchett's good in it, and it certainly brings a compelling real story to light, but as a movie it barely works.
Manglehorn - The film's meandering nature is both a flaw and a virtue: you kind of want it to expand its emotional reach beyond rambling montages, but at the same time those have a certain something to them too. I mostly enjoyed it but I do acknowledge that it and its pleasures are quite minor. Is Pacino excellent in it? You bet he is.
Civil War - The flimsiest 7/10 of all the 7/10s Garland has made, although I already feel that initial rating of mine dropping. A superficial but nicely put together videogame-like ride (quite literally) through what could've been a much more interesting and complex film.
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Post by therealcomicman117 on May 28, 2024 2:58:45 GMT
Upgrade - 7.5 / 10
The Judge - 3 / 10
Paprika - 8 / 10
Madagascar 3 - 6 / 10
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bigmilko
New Member
Posts: 213
Likes: 62
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Post by bigmilko on May 28, 2024 15:17:59 GMT
Catch Me If You Can (2002) - 10/10: Spielberg's funniest movie, I think, just an overall blast. Hanks's accent is a bit cartoonish, but given he's playing an FBI agent from the 60's I'll let it slide
The Straight Story (1999) - 9/10: such a tender and soft movie, I would've never guessed Lynch directed it if I went in 100% blind. Farnsworth gives quite the performance
RW Uncut Gems (2019) - 10/10: Very funny, especially in IMAX. Sandler just gets so lost in the role it still blows me away. Not as white-knuckling (expect for the auction scene) but its still so loud and constantly in your face, you cant help but just appreciate the chaos going on
Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter (2015) - 7/10: Turned out to be a lot more somber and jaded, than the title and premise lead me to believe, but as a fan of Fargo, and a Minnesotan, there is a lot to appreciate, especially with the cold cinematography
This is a True Story (2003) - 6/10: 30 minute documentary about the actual true story that Kumiko is based on
RW Top Gun: Maverick (2023) - 10/10: the way I lit up inside when Glenn Powell showed up, Movie Magic
Lake Michigan Monster (2020) - 5/10: First feature from the Hundreds of Beavers people and uh, it feels like it. Definitely works better as a "proof of concept" than a good movie, but that seems to be just me
RW Videodrome (1983) - 8/10: Blew me away at how good the pacing is on this one, Cronenberg's movies have always felt slower, so I was really impressed when I realized just how much time had flown by. Long Live the New Flesh
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (2024) - 8/10: Never as astronomically impressive as Fury Road. It still has an insane amount of juice and fuel constantly being pumped into it. And to the movies credit, Its never trying to be FR, its distinctly its own beast
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Post by Tommen_Saperstein on May 28, 2024 16:58:33 GMT
The Snows of Kilimanjaro (1952) -- based on the Hemingway short story. The story drags with very little momentum. Gregory Peck pines after his lost love while injured and being nursed by Susan Hayward in the African bush. Ava Gardner and Hayward are the best things about it. 5 Les Girls (1957) - a cheeky Cukor musical comedy about the romantic tensions between three dancers in a cabaret troupe and their manager played by Gene Kelly. Les girls are Mitzi Gaynor, Kay Kendall and Taina Elg and all throw themselves into the campy material, especially Kendall who steals the show. The full truth of what occurs is obscured through the Rashomon-esque framework utilizing (amazingly) a libel trial and a scandalous tell-all book, and Cukor has a lot of fun with it. 7.5 The Five Pennies (1959) - this one snuck up on me. Another musician biopic but of a different flavor. Danny Kaye plays jazz cornetist Red Nichols whose dreams become subsumed by a troubled family situation and he has to choose between his art and his family. Kaye's scenes with his character's little daughter were incredibly sweet, and there's an extensive portion in the middle that's just a long scene of the daughter refusing to go to bed, cajoling Kaye into playing poker, singing songs, and finally taking her out to a jazz club in the middle of the night to watch Louis Armstrong (coolest dad ever?). Armstrong has a big presence in the film and at several points Kaye and Armstrong sing and play together and it's pretty magical, especially as captured by DP Daniel L. Fapp. Gorgeous cinematography. 7.5 The Crimson Pirate (1952) - a fun swashbuckling adventure. light on its feet and beautifully rendered. Burt Lancaster is clearly having a lot of fun and he was meant to play a pirate. Overall a lot more fun than Against All Flags, but my favorite 50s pirate movie is still definitely Anne of the Indies. 7 The Tales of Hoffmann (1951) - the ultimate example of something being simply not for me. This is a gorgeously crafted opera adaptation directed by Powell & Pressburger and while the visuals truly are stunning, everything else -- and I mean EVERYTHING else -- about the plot, characters, conflicts, etc unfolds via opera. If you don't watch with subtitles, you'll be completely lost. At a certain point I gave up and resigned myself to just enjoy looking at the beautiful sets and pretty outfits. 6.5 Queen Bee (1955) - Joan Crawford plays a minxy Georgia matriarch in this lurid Southern gothic melodrama. Crawford is evil as ever. Manipulative, spiteful, seductive, completely aware of her power and completely unable to prevent herself from following her darkest impulses. Her performance in the main event and everything revolves around her, but even at just over 90 minutes the movie felt a tad long and the melodrama wears thin in the back-stretch. 7.5
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