What was the last movie you saw?

[Toby Frost]

Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl

An evil penguin plots his escape from the zoo by taking over robot gnomes designed by hapless inventor Wallace. Luckily his dog Gromit suspects that there is something up. I think that pretty much explains it, in as much as it can be explained.

Another hugely inventive stop-motion story from Aardman Animations, with weird inventions, many good jokes and a lot of nods to other films. The sheer density of comedy is amazing. I'm sure holes could be picked but overall this was excellent and I'd strongly recommend it.

 

[Randy M.]

I'm dreaming of a
BLACK CHRISTMAS 1974, just like the ones I used to know. This is one of the very first movies I ever saw. I saw it with the Exorcist. And I was very young--and the attic scene stuck in memory for a long time--I assumed it was a distortion of a scene from the Exorcist.
It does sustain a creepy atmosphere. I am not sure it makes sense--talk about a police oversight--not looking in the window outside but the question is, who is Billy? We may never know.

Directed by Bob Clark who later made ...

A Christmas Story (1983) starring Ralph Billingsley, Darren McGavin, Melinda Dillon

My wife and I first saw it when it was in theaters. Since, it's become a yearly staple for my family. My daughter can recite lines of which my favorite, when the kids are being bullied: "Randy lay there like a slug. It was his only defense."


A Christmas Story Christmas (2022) dir. Clay Kaytis; starring Ralph Billingsley, Erinn Hayes, Julie Hagerty

Sequel that can't live up to it's original. That said, it's obviously a labor of love for Billingsley and the other former child actors getting to revisit their greatest roles. Ralphie's father dies just before Christmas, so he goes to his mom's house and determines to make it the best Christmas ever for his two kids, wife and mom. It doesn't work out as planned. Hagerty is a good replacement for Melinda Dillon, who I assume was already ill by the time this was made as she died a few months after it was released.

 

[KGeo777]

Wow--Julie Hagerty from Airplane?? I was wondering what became of her. Her name doesn't come up often.


Bob Clark (who died in a horrific car crash with his son) was American but he took advantage of Canada's tax shelter program. Porky's was Canada's most financially successful English-language film. Technically it still is because all the ones claiming to have surpassed it were co-productions--Canada was the sole investor in Porky's, for better or worse.

 

[Parson]

For the first time ever (It's true!) I watched It's a Wonderful Life. I've heard so much about it over the years, and I know several families for whom watching it is a Christmas tradition. It surprised me in a couple of ways. First, the acting was so over the top, every event seemed to call forth an emotional outburst. Second, the main character George Bailey/Jimmy Stewart was a more violent man than I would have imagined. I found it hared to believe a man with inclinations like that would at the same time be touched with compassion for the unfortunate. Third, there was a much greater social conscious than I would have expected, with a fairly nuanced understanding of how lives were changed by people being given a fair shot. And I suppose sort of surprising was the fact that the movie recognized that one man with a couple of decades of good work could make a substantial difference in the lives many people without hardly seeing it all.

On the not surprising side. Looking at this movie through the eyes of a Christian Minister, the angel stuff was literally horrid. It has nothing in common with any sort of Biblical understanding of God's Messengers.

 

[Starbeast]

For the first time ever (It's true!) I watched It's a Wonderful Life. I've heard so much about it over the years, and I know several families for whom watching it is a Christmas tradition.

On the not surprising side. Looking at this movie through the eyes of a Christian Minister, the angel stuff was literally horrid. It has nothing in common with any sort of Biblical understanding of God's Messengers.

I look at it as fantasy film. I place it right next to the movie, A Christmas Carol. My favorite version is from 1938 with actor, Reginald Owen portraying Mr Scrooge.

As for It's a Wonderful Life, I look past the way people imagined what God's angels are like. It was a different time. People were very superstitious, many didn't like change and they didn't have access to information like we have today. I have a very strong faith in God too, and I find the way people perceived things long ago as whimsical and innocent.

Plus the character, George Bailey, he struggled his whole life trying to make his dreams come true. Then when given the chance to see what the world would have been like without him, he freaked out at this alternate reality. Who's to say how any of us would react in that extreme situation. In a small way I can relate to George, my big dreams didn't come true, but I still had a wonderful life thanks to the almighty being my accepted companion. He even lets me know that he's always there for me, in good times and bad.

So even if you never watch the movie again, it's cool. There's always something else to watch.

 

[thaddeus6th]

Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl

An evil penguin plots his escape from the zoo by taking over robot gnomes designed by hapless inventor Wallace. Luckily his dog Gromit suspects that there is something up. I think that pretty much explains it, in as much as it can be explained.

Another hugely inventive stop-motion story from Aardman Animations, with weird inventions, many good jokes and a lot of nods to other films. The sheer density of comedy is amazing. I'm sure holes could be picked but overall this was excellent and I'd strongly recommend it.

First non-news BBC content I've seen for ages. Also liked it a lot.

Yesterday I watched the first episode of The Tripods, a 1980s BBC sci-fi show. Slightly slow start but I like the premise (it's 2089, humans have regressed technologically, are ruled over by 'benevolent' gigantic tripod aliens, and at adulthood are 'capped', which ensures obedience and removes aggression and curiosity).

 

[KGeo777]

THE COP - 1970 -- Interesting French film of a Dirty Harry type but this one is much dirtier than Inspector Callahan. A cop has a suspended colleague (reminds me of an emotionless relative of Donald Pleasence or Ian Holm) help him with a gangland murder case. He is killed by a thug they were tailing, so his unscrupulous friend seeks to find the killer by any means. When a couple of hoods refuse to help, he shoots one then forces the other to take the gun and bullets--thus framing him for the murder and getting an informant. Later he confronts the cop killer (regular French gangster player Michel Constantin) who is rather philosophical. When Donald Holm tells him that the cop had a wife and 2 kids, the unrepentant hood says the cop was sick to have had a family when he was in such a risky career. Quite a bloody film for the time.

 

[THX1138]

Operation Mincemeat (2021)

"We're surrounded by them!"
"Germans?"
"No, writers!"

"I may vomit."
"I may vomit with you."

Looking forward to watching it!

 

[paranoid marvin]

First non-news BBC content I've seen for ages. Also liked it a lot.

Yesterday I watched the first episode of The Tripods, a 1980s BBC sci-fi show. Slightly slow start but I like the premise (it's 2089, humans have regressed technologically, are ruled over by 'benevolent' gigantic tripod aliens, and at adulthood are 'capped', which ensures obedience and removes aggression and curiosity).

Quite some time since I watched it, but I rememberThe Tripods as being possibly the slowest-paced action-tv series I ever saw. The show slows even further later in the series. But back then, many long running tv series were. But (for me at least) that made it even more enjoyable.

 

[Toby Frost]

On the subject of slow pacing, yesterday I watched some of The Magnificent Seven, which is fun in a very old-fashioned way. There's a long-winded, gradual quality to some old films. I think it's to do with the way they're edited. On the one hand, you could argue that people now have no attention spans, but on the other you could say that films expect their audiences to get what's going on with less explanation: if someone says they're going to the shop and the next scene, they're in the shop, you don't need to show how they got there. Anyway, it was entertaining.

 

[REBerg]

A Complete Unknown
Nice mix of biographgical drama and great music.

 

[REBerg]

Borderlands
Billed as a science fiction action comedy, this would more accurately described as an action film with attempts at comedy. Kevin Hart and Jack Black fell short of delivering laughs.

 

[pogopossum]

I will be attending the Case Western Reserve U. 36 hour movie Science Fiction Marathon. Jan17-18 2025.
Unfortunately, as it is the 50th anniversary event, almost all of the films are old favorites.
I usually decide before it starts , which films to sleep through, so that I will not doze during either a favorite or something new. This year there are a lot of dozable choices. Here's the list.
Friday, January 17
8:00pm Ready Player One (2018, PG-13, 70mm)
10:50pm It Came From Outer Space (1953, Approved, DCP)
Saturday, January 18
12:30am Surprise 1 (????, PG-13, 35mm)
2:35am The Black Hole (1979, PG, Digital)
4:30am One Million B.C. (1940, Approved, Digital)
6:05am This Island Earth (1955, Passed, DCP)
7:50am Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991, R, DCP)
10:25am Rich's Saturday Morning Cartoon Break (Various, Not Rated, Digital)
11:15am WALL·E (2008, G, 35mm)
1:10pm The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951, Approved, 35mm)
3:00pm The Lost World (1925, Passed, DCP)
5:05pm 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968, G, 70mm)
7:50pm Surprise 2 (????, Not Rated, DCP)
9:45pm The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension (1984, PG, 35mm)
11:45pm Deadpool & Wolverine (2024, R, DCP)

 

[alexvss]

Werewolves (2024). One year ago, a supermoon turned a million people worldwide into werewolves; now people prepare to survive yet another lycan apocalypse.

Silly monster movie starring Frank Grillo (who is slowly becoming a star of mindless, shut-down-your-brain action). It attempts to throw some science-fiction at the beginning, but it falls short. It was a fun 90-minute movie, but I think it fails to set the right tone.

 

[Jeffbert]

For the first time ever (It's true!) I watched It's a Wonderful Life. I've heard so much about it over the years, and I know several families for whom watching it is a Christmas tradition. It surprised me in a couple of ways. First, the acting was so over the top, every event seemed to call forth an emotional outburst. Second, the main character George Bailey/Jimmy Stewart was a more violent man than I would have imagined. I found it hared to believe a man with inclinations like that would at the same time be touched with compassion for the unfortunate. Third, there was a much greater social conscious than I would have expected, with a fairly nuanced understanding of how lives were changed by people being given a fair shot. And I suppose sort of surprising was the fact that the movie recognized that one man with a couple of decades of good work could make a substantial difference in the lives many people without hardly seeing it all.

On the not surprising side. Looking at this movie through the eyes of a Christian Minister, the angel stuff was literally horrid. It has nothing in common with any sort of Biblical understanding of God's Messengers.

There are other films with similar supernatural content, One had David Niven as a recently killed RAF pilot who upon entering the beyond 9or whatever) learns that he will be helping living pilots, etc. Very likely had angels, etc. Then, there is the one with Sydney Greenstreet, as a cruise ship director[?] into the next world. While I was very religious, & am now agnostic, I cannot recall ever thinking about the depiction of angels, or being annoyed by such films, then or now.

Yes, George Baily was violent, realizing his plans would never come to fruition. He had plans, etc., and at every turn, they were foiled. It took that intervention to force him to realize what was most important. Middle class was not in his plans; but he realized that also had value.

I heard [or read] that this film was considered Communist propaganda!

 

[Parson]

There are other films with similar supernatural content, One had David Niven as a recently killed RAF pilot who upon entering the beyond 9or whatever) learns that he will be helping living pilots, etc. Very likely had angels, etc. Then, there is the one with Sydney Greenstreet, as a cruise ship director[?] into the next world. While I was very religious, & am now agnostic, I cannot recall ever thinking about the depiction of angels, or being annoyed by such films, then or now.

Yes, George Baily was violent, realizing his plans would never come to fruition. He had plans, etc., and at every turn, they were foiled. It took that intervention to force him to realize what was most important. Middle class was not in his plans; but he realized that also had value.

I heard [or read] that this film was considered Communist propaganda!

If you go by the Biblical witness about angels than angels are almost always portrayed poorly. But it must be added that there is very little in the Bible which describes angels, and the words that are contained in the Bible are open to a lot of differing interpretation. But we can say that there is not a whiff in the Bible that angels are bumbling or sorta clueless or that humans are somehow turned into angels at death. These ideas can almost certainly be traced to human story telling often in the form of folk tales.

To be honest I've sometimes enjoyed angels in leading roles. I enjoyed a lot of what was for a time a hit TV show Touched by an Angel. They made a lot of stuff up too, but I thought the angels were treated with reverence and religion with respect. Right now the very best "religious" media has to be The Chosen. I've watched all of the episodes and although some of their picking and choosing of Jesus' words as well as the events that are placed in the show for "dramatic reasons," sometimes ring somewhat phony to me I enjoy the episodes. Or at least I have so far.

I do not doubt that It's a Wonderful Life would have been viewed suspiciously in 1948. The whole cooperation vs. competition aspect of community life would have rung false in the hyper-sensitive time adjacent to McCarthyism. I'd argue that the cooperation vs. competition would be very much in line with the Christian gospel. The Communist saying "From each according to his ability, to each according to his need" would be a good summary of the communal living conditions in the earliest church in Jerusalem after Jesus' resurrection, and not a bad way of describing what George Bailey was doing at least somewhat intentionally.

 

[hitmouse]

There are other films with similar supernatural content, One had David Niven as a recently killed RAF pilot who upon entering the beyond 9or whatever) learns that he will be helping living pilots, etc. Very likely had angels, etc. Then, there is the one with Sydney Greenstreet, as a cruise ship director[?] into the next world. While I was very religious, & am now agnostic, I cannot recall ever thinking about the depiction of angels, or being annoyed by such films, then or now.

Yes, George Baily was violent, realizing his plans would never come to fruition. He had plans, etc., and at every turn, they were foiled. It took that intervention to force him to realize what was most important. Middle class was not in his plans; but he realized that also had value.

I heard [or read] that this film was considered Communist propaganda!

The David Niven film is A Matter of Life and Death (1946) which is extraordinary, and which makes an interesting comparison with IAWL.
Both of these are essentially romantic fantasies which use supernatural devices, (angels, the afterlife) rather than religious allegories per se.

@Parson I would highly recommend AMOLAD. One of the great films. And at least partly in colour!

 

[JunkMonkey]

@Parson I would highly recommend AMOLAD. One of the great films. And at least partly in colour!

View attachment 128190

Nitpickery: the heaven scenes in a Matter of Life and Death are monochrome not B&W so it's all in colour (sort of). Apparently there is a difference but my brain collapsed while I was trying to work the difference between monochrome and B&W. Something to do with combining the three black and white film negatives that Technicolor was shot on (through filters) back onto a colour stock without the filters. I recall an interview with Michael Powell in which he said it gave a kind of 'pearly sheen' that black and white wouldn't have done.

Either way it's a genius film.

 

[Parson]

It took me a long while to work out AMOLAD was A Matter of Life and Death. I first discovered a comic strip of that name where death was personified and so was life. I think it was "eastern" the bubbles read from right to left and was working on the principle of ying and yang. I finally worked out it was a movie of that name. It was only after that that I figured out the IAWL was It's a Wonderful Life. (I'm getting progressively slower in my dotage.) I might give it a try. If I do I'll let you know what I thought. Being "spiritual" rather than "religious" is not a great calling card for me. Spiritual rather than religious sounds like making myself and my feelings the most important part of being human. A theory which I am utterly convinced is toxic for human society.

 

[hitmouse]

It took me a long while to work out AMOLAD was A Matter of Life and Death. I first discovered a comic strip of that name where death was personified and so was life. I think it was "eastern" the bubbles read from right to left and was working on the principle of ying and yang. I finally worked out it was a movie of that name. It was only after that that I figured out the IAWL was It's a Wonderful Life. (I'm getting progressively slower in my dotage.) I might give it a try. If I do I'll let you know what I thought. Being "spiritual" rather than "religious" is not a great calling card for me. Spiritual rather than religious sounds like making myself and my feelings the most important part of being human. A theory which I am utterly convinced is toxic for human society.

Apologies for the confusing abbreviation. AMOLAD is a love story, and I think it reflects a certain poignant sadness which was common at the time - it was released in 1946. It is quite surprising, and I don’t think it makes any pretensions to spirituality or moralisation.