What was the last movie you saw?
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Jeffbert
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THE WIZARD OF OZ (1939) nothing new or original to say about it, except Dorothy might have protested to Glenda (?) that she wanted nothing to do with the conflict between good & bad witches. Keep the shoes for yourself!
Oh, 1 thing: why was there a bucket of water in the WW of the W's castle?
Tex Avery: King of Cartoons (1988) Tex invented Bugs? I had no idea, I did not even know he had worked for Warner Bros! Interesting program!
CAIN AND MABEL (1936)
Mabel (Marion Davies) is an ex-waitress turned stage performer, who is practicing her dance in the hotel room directly above prize fighter Larry Cain (Clark Gable), who cannot sleep because of all the noise. The big fight is tomorrow, & he will lose because of his lack of sleep. Thus, a bitter hatred for each other occurs, but as both are in a slump, the one's publicity guy decides they should date each other, which will put them in the newspapers, and maybe increase ticket sales.
Oh, 1 thing: why was there a bucket of water in the WW of the W's castle?
Tex Avery: King of Cartoons (1988) Tex invented Bugs? I had no idea, I did not even know he had worked for Warner Bros! Interesting program!
CAIN AND MABEL (1936)
Mabel (Marion Davies) is an ex-waitress turned stage performer, who is practicing her dance in the hotel room directly above prize fighter Larry Cain (Clark Gable), who cannot sleep because of all the noise. The big fight is tomorrow, & he will lose because of his lack of sleep. Thus, a bitter hatred for each other occurs, but as both are in a slump, the one's publicity guy decides they should date each other, which will put them in the newspapers, and maybe increase ticket sales.
Guttersnipe
mortal ally
Spontaneous (2020): Not sure if this counts, because I only made it halfway through. Interesting premise, too much teen romance drivel and failed attempts at comedy.
therapist
Well-Known Member
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The Man from Earth 2007
This low budget movie was fantastic. The entire film is literally just a group of college professors sitting in a room having a discussion—don't expect anything more. But their conversation is fascinating and full of wonder. I'm not going to say what it's about, but urge anyone who enjoys a good premise to go in blind. Don't read the synopsis/blurb if you want to watch this. It is written by Jerome Bixby, an old writer for Star Trek and The Twilight Zone.
This low budget movie was fantastic. The entire film is literally just a group of college professors sitting in a room having a discussion—don't expect anything more. But their conversation is fascinating and full of wonder. I'm not going to say what it's about, but urge anyone who enjoys a good premise to go in blind. Don't read the synopsis/blurb if you want to watch this. It is written by Jerome Bixby, an old writer for Star Trek and The Twilight Zone.
Guttersnipe
mortal ally
I love this film. No action, all drama, and it's worth it. A fine film if you like your sci-fi philosophical; not recommended for impatient people.
alexvss
Me doesn't knows no grammar.
Come True (2020). A runaway girl, who sleeps at wherever she can and has trouble with nightmares, enrolls in a (slightly illegal) sleeping test: she would earn money while the scientists monitor her sleep. They built a way to see what the person sees in a dream, and they've discovered that many people often dream with shadows. And some of these dreams start to come true.
Although it has very soft sci-fi, the jungian psychology part is strong. The ending is ambiguous, and it lingers with you. And I have to give a shout about the soundtrack, which was recorded by the director's band. People have been calling this the most original horror movie since It Follows (2015), and I think I agree. I've certainly seen better since 2015, but nothing as different as this. It is also a Canadian Film. We don't see these very often. The ones I remember are Splice (2009), and Cronenberg's and Villeneuve's early career films.
Make sure you don't sleep on this (pun intended).
Although it has very soft sci-fi, the jungian psychology part is strong. The ending is ambiguous, and it lingers with you. And I have to give a shout about the soundtrack, which was recorded by the director's band. People have been calling this the most original horror movie since It Follows (2015), and I think I agree. I've certainly seen better since 2015, but nothing as different as this. It is also a Canadian Film. We don't see these very often. The ones I remember are Splice (2009), and Cronenberg's and Villeneuve's early career films.
Make sure you don't sleep on this (pun intended).
Judderman
The Iceman cometh
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Wander (2020). This is an odd film but I enjoyed it. An investigation into a murder and various interesting goings on. Gets somewhat confusing at times. One of those films where it goes back and forth in timelines via the main character's memories. Aaron Eckhart does a great job in the lead role of the stressed, conspiracy theory enthusiast and ex-policeman character. Tommy Lee Jones and Heather Graham provide great acting support, and good to see Katheryn Winnick (Lagertha from Vikings) in a new film role too. The US native town in Texas is an interesting setting too.
Judderman
The Iceman cometh
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The Empty Man (2020) is another interesting and sometimes odd movie. It is a horror with a spooky, mysterious vibe which I like. There is a theme of people calling a spirit with a special method, a bit like Candyman. Not entirely original. Then there is also a theme with a weird cult that isn't that original either. But the way they put the two themes together is quite original.
Though probably the best part is the intro scenes set in spectacular mountains of Bhutan.
Though probably the best part is the intro scenes set in spectacular mountains of Bhutan.
Canada has a stronger film industry in the 1970s. They avoided making their own content for decades--Hollywood discouraged it to some extent-and some filmmakers went to the US or England instead.
DR. BLOOD'S COFFIN and DEVIL DOLL are examples from the 60s that comes to mind. Canadian directors. Alan Gibson is another--he worked for Hammer Films. James Cameron obviously--he left for Hollywood---he never did any movies in Canada.
There's a film FRANKENSTEIN ON CAMPUS -1970 --not a good movie but the story was interesting--the ending twist especially--but very cheap and completely obscure.
RITUALS which Stephen King really liked was another notable one--a Canadian Gothic horror film--although most of the time the director and writer are not from Canada. It's the quirkiest thing--you can name US or UK films where the director and writer are both from there--but in Canada there are very few examples if the film is well-regarded.
Then in the mid-80s they declared the industry a failure and switched mainly to slice-of-life stuff. Most of the money came from the government itself. There's no independent businesses--though--Uwe Boll moved to Canada because he was able to get funding easier.
The UK situation is sadder because they had a strong film industry for a long time and then it collapsed after the 1970s. Not a failure of talent just opportunity.
DR. BLOOD'S COFFIN and DEVIL DOLL are examples from the 60s that comes to mind. Canadian directors. Alan Gibson is another--he worked for Hammer Films. James Cameron obviously--he left for Hollywood---he never did any movies in Canada.
There's a film FRANKENSTEIN ON CAMPUS -1970 --not a good movie but the story was interesting--the ending twist especially--but very cheap and completely obscure.
RITUALS which Stephen King really liked was another notable one--a Canadian Gothic horror film--although most of the time the director and writer are not from Canada. It's the quirkiest thing--you can name US or UK films where the director and writer are both from there--but in Canada there are very few examples if the film is well-regarded.
Then in the mid-80s they declared the industry a failure and switched mainly to slice-of-life stuff. Most of the money came from the government itself. There's no independent businesses--though--Uwe Boll moved to Canada because he was able to get funding easier.
The UK situation is sadder because they had a strong film industry for a long time and then it collapsed after the 1970s. Not a failure of talent just opportunity.
AE35Unit
]==[]===O °
The Unholy (2015)
A low budget British horror based in the 70s with wooden acting and cheap sets. At one point the woman falls into a sewer and breaking through, you can clearly see the concrete is thin sheets of polystyrene, the kind you used to see as ceiling tiles. And a scene where the house catches fire, its clearly a miniature set.
A low budget British horror based in the 70s with wooden acting and cheap sets. At one point the woman falls into a sewer and breaking through, you can clearly see the concrete is thin sheets of polystyrene, the kind you used to see as ceiling tiles. And a scene where the house catches fire, its clearly a miniature set.
AE35Unit
]==[]===O °
Yes the new film with that name is based on Shrine by James Herbert
AE35Unit
]==[]===O °
Spirit 2001
A haunting with a difference, not scary at all. Stars a young Elizabeth Moss who would later star in The Handmaid's Tale
A haunting with a difference, not scary at all. Stars a young Elizabeth Moss who would later star in The Handmaid's Tale
Victoria Silverwolf
Vegetarian Werewolf
More stuff watched at home as part of the "Great Adaptations" collection:
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1955) -- An episode of the TV series Climax! that runs less than fifty minutes. Omits the runaway slave Jim entirely in an extremely loose adaptation which is mostly about Huck and Tom preventing two con artists (the King and the Duke [John Carradine] in the novel) from getting their hands on the treasure they found in Injun Joe's cave. Not the best version of the book.
Daniel Boone (1936) -- Mostly about Boone against a renegade white guy (John Carradine) who is leading the Indians against the settlers of Kentucky (who have a good reason to be upset, I'd think.) Besides some late 18th century costumes, pretty just a typical Western.
The Jackie Robinson Story (1950) -- The baseball great stars as himself just a few years after he broke the color line. An OK biopic; Robinson is a decent actor.
Lola (1970) -- Based on the screenwriter's own experience, this is a comedy/drama about a 38-year-old writer (Charles Bronson) who marries a 16-year-old schoolgirl (Susan George). Despite their tremendous love for each other, not everything works out well. Not a movie likely to be made these days. Besides the disturbing aspects of the premise, most notable for George's extremely short skirts.
The Missouri Traveler (1958) -- Set in the early 20th century, this is a "family" film about a teenage boy on his own who winds up getting involved with the folks in a small town, particularly the guy who worked his way up from poverty and is now the richest person in the place (Lee Marvin.) Marvin starts off mean, turns out to be a good guy in the end. It was OK, maybe a little too sweet and too much slapstick comedy thrown in.
Mr. Robinson Crusoe (1932) -- Not really an adaptation of the Defoe novel, this tells of a modern day guy (Douglas Fairbanks [Sr.]) who bets he can survive alone on a tropical island. He does so with absurd success, building all kinds of stuff from raw materials, and getting mixed up with a woman who escapes her own island to avoid getting married to a guy she doesn't like. Mostly played for comedy, and notable for lots of real Pacific Islanders playing the "natives."
Nancy Drew . . . Detective (1938) -- The title teenager gets mixed up in a murder case. Lots of comedy, and comes to a complete halt for a musical number in a Chinese restaurant. Not very good.
Saigon: Year of the Cat (1983) -- Made-for-TV movie about the romance between a banker and a CIA agent in Vietnam just before the end of the war. The historical stuff is more interesting than the romance.
Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon (1942) -- One of the many Basil Rathbone/Holmes movies, updated to have him fight the Nazis. Lionel Atwill stars as Moriarty. Very loosely based on the story "The Adventure of the Dancing Men." An average entry in the series.
The Time of Your Life (1948) -- Film version of the William Saroyan play. Deals with a bunch of eccentrics in a San Francisco bar. Best described as heartwarming. Seems to be more or less just a filmed version of the play, with very little time spent away from one set.
Two Women (1960) -- Classic neorealist film about a woman (Sophia Loren) and her young daughter escaping the bombing of Rome during World War Two. The climactic scene is still pretty shocking today.
When the Bough Breaks (1983) -- Made-for-TV thriller/mystery about a child psychologist investigating murders that lead to a ring of pedophiles. The plot is very hard to follow. Interesting for the fact that the police detective on the case is a gay man, and this is treated as nothing very notable.
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1955) -- An episode of the TV series Climax! that runs less than fifty minutes. Omits the runaway slave Jim entirely in an extremely loose adaptation which is mostly about Huck and Tom preventing two con artists (the King and the Duke [John Carradine] in the novel) from getting their hands on the treasure they found in Injun Joe's cave. Not the best version of the book.
Daniel Boone (1936) -- Mostly about Boone against a renegade white guy (John Carradine) who is leading the Indians against the settlers of Kentucky (who have a good reason to be upset, I'd think.) Besides some late 18th century costumes, pretty just a typical Western.
The Jackie Robinson Story (1950) -- The baseball great stars as himself just a few years after he broke the color line. An OK biopic; Robinson is a decent actor.
Lola (1970) -- Based on the screenwriter's own experience, this is a comedy/drama about a 38-year-old writer (Charles Bronson) who marries a 16-year-old schoolgirl (Susan George). Despite their tremendous love for each other, not everything works out well. Not a movie likely to be made these days. Besides the disturbing aspects of the premise, most notable for George's extremely short skirts.
The Missouri Traveler (1958) -- Set in the early 20th century, this is a "family" film about a teenage boy on his own who winds up getting involved with the folks in a small town, particularly the guy who worked his way up from poverty and is now the richest person in the place (Lee Marvin.) Marvin starts off mean, turns out to be a good guy in the end. It was OK, maybe a little too sweet and too much slapstick comedy thrown in.
Mr. Robinson Crusoe (1932) -- Not really an adaptation of the Defoe novel, this tells of a modern day guy (Douglas Fairbanks [Sr.]) who bets he can survive alone on a tropical island. He does so with absurd success, building all kinds of stuff from raw materials, and getting mixed up with a woman who escapes her own island to avoid getting married to a guy she doesn't like. Mostly played for comedy, and notable for lots of real Pacific Islanders playing the "natives."
Nancy Drew . . . Detective (1938) -- The title teenager gets mixed up in a murder case. Lots of comedy, and comes to a complete halt for a musical number in a Chinese restaurant. Not very good.
Saigon: Year of the Cat (1983) -- Made-for-TV movie about the romance between a banker and a CIA agent in Vietnam just before the end of the war. The historical stuff is more interesting than the romance.
Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon (1942) -- One of the many Basil Rathbone/Holmes movies, updated to have him fight the Nazis. Lionel Atwill stars as Moriarty. Very loosely based on the story "The Adventure of the Dancing Men." An average entry in the series.
The Time of Your Life (1948) -- Film version of the William Saroyan play. Deals with a bunch of eccentrics in a San Francisco bar. Best described as heartwarming. Seems to be more or less just a filmed version of the play, with very little time spent away from one set.
Two Women (1960) -- Classic neorealist film about a woman (Sophia Loren) and her young daughter escaping the bombing of Rome during World War Two. The climactic scene is still pretty shocking today.
When the Bough Breaks (1983) -- Made-for-TV thriller/mystery about a child psychologist investigating murders that lead to a ring of pedophiles. The plot is very hard to follow. Interesting for the fact that the police detective on the case is a gay man, and this is treated as nothing very notable.
CupofJoe
Some medals you wear on your heart not your sleeve
- Joined
- Mar 29, 2019
- Messages
- 1,704
We'll smile again [1942]
This is a Flanagan and Allen vehicle, a variety act that was popular during the 30s and 40s. Think Abbott & Costello or Morecambe and Wise [there is even the "What's a Greek urn?" gag]* but with more songs. Flanagan plays the down at heel Bob Parker and Allen the film's leading actor, Gordon Maxwell.
The plot is not complex. It is about a film being made and Nazi agents planting codes in it to time an uprising. The plucky Bob Parker gets wind of this and sets about stopping them. The film is an excuse for variety gag after gag and a lighthearted song or two that the audience would probably have known well. This was wartime entertainment, meant to please, not challenge the people.
To me, what is interesting is the attitudes to race. While everyone seems very supportive of the recent emigres and refugees there is tension about their effects on society. There is a bit about someone with a thick middle European accent declaring that he has been "a proud Englishman for many days now". And Bob Parker does wonder why there are so many foreigners working on the film. Add to this that all the baddies have German or East European accents, all the goodies, English or American. This will have reflected attitudes of the time as the content would have been carefully vetted by the Government. It doesn't feel malicious, but more of a carefully chosen way of letting the subject be aired and thereby diffused.
* About £4 a week...
This is a Flanagan and Allen vehicle, a variety act that was popular during the 30s and 40s. Think Abbott & Costello or Morecambe and Wise [there is even the "What's a Greek urn?" gag]* but with more songs. Flanagan plays the down at heel Bob Parker and Allen the film's leading actor, Gordon Maxwell.
The plot is not complex. It is about a film being made and Nazi agents planting codes in it to time an uprising. The plucky Bob Parker gets wind of this and sets about stopping them. The film is an excuse for variety gag after gag and a lighthearted song or two that the audience would probably have known well. This was wartime entertainment, meant to please, not challenge the people.
To me, what is interesting is the attitudes to race. While everyone seems very supportive of the recent emigres and refugees there is tension about their effects on society. There is a bit about someone with a thick middle European accent declaring that he has been "a proud Englishman for many days now". And Bob Parker does wonder why there are so many foreigners working on the film. Add to this that all the baddies have German or East European accents, all the goodies, English or American. This will have reflected attitudes of the time as the content would have been carefully vetted by the Government. It doesn't feel malicious, but more of a carefully chosen way of letting the subject be aired and thereby diffused.
* About £4 a week...
AE35Unit
]==[]===O °
Possessed 2000
Sup bar Omen-esque child possession film set in the 50s, starring Timothy Dalton as a priest and ex WWII soldier. Messy
Sup bar Omen-esque child possession film set in the 50s, starring Timothy Dalton as a priest and ex WWII soldier. Messy
emrosenagel
Well-Known Member
Whisper of the heart 1995
I'm a sucker for Ghibli movies (who isn't?) and I had recently been watching all the ones I haven't seen, including When Marnie was there and From up on poppy hill. Whisper of the heart hit just the right spot for me. Not only did I feel a connection with Shizuku because we share the same dream of writing stories, but also because we both struggle with feeling inferior. It wasn't as epic as Spirited away or Howl's moving castle, but sometimes those sweet slice-of-life stories can move your heart just as much (or even more). While I still can't say it is my favorite Ghibli movie, my favorite was inspired by it! I like to think that maybe Shizuku grew up and wrote the story of The Cat Returns.
I'm a sucker for Ghibli movies (who isn't?) and I had recently been watching all the ones I haven't seen, including When Marnie was there and From up on poppy hill. Whisper of the heart hit just the right spot for me. Not only did I feel a connection with Shizuku because we share the same dream of writing stories, but also because we both struggle with feeling inferior. It wasn't as epic as Spirited away or Howl's moving castle, but sometimes those sweet slice-of-life stories can move your heart just as much (or even more). While I still can't say it is my favorite Ghibli movie, my favorite was inspired by it! I like to think that maybe Shizuku grew up and wrote the story of The Cat Returns.
Victoria Silverwolf
Vegetarian Werewolf
Another "Great Adaptation":
The Last of the Mohicans (1920): The lousy copy of this silent version of the Cooper novel that was included in my "50 Movie Pack" runs only 40 minutes, and the full movie runs nearly 80 minutes, so with half of it gone and the rest in poor condition, it's unfair to say much about it. What is left is impressive, indicating a big budget and excellent outdoor locations.
The Last of the Mohicans (1920): The lousy copy of this silent version of the Cooper novel that was included in my "50 Movie Pack" runs only 40 minutes, and the full movie runs nearly 80 minutes, so with half of it gone and the rest in poor condition, it's unfair to say much about it. What is left is impressive, indicating a big budget and excellent outdoor locations.
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