What was the last movie you saw?

[WarriorMouse]

Watched "DOWNSIZING" last night.

It deserves its Rotten Tomatoes rating.

 

[Vince W]

Hellboy (2004). I've not watch it in a donkey's age and I'd forgotten how good it actually is. Good action, some scares, and some good humour. It's such a shame the sequel was so bloody awful.

 

[Victoria Silverwolf]

Mr. Moto Takes a Vacation (1939)

Our hero, now said to be working for the "international police," protects the newly uncovered crown of the Queen of Sheba from three groups of bad guys. (A gang of ordinary crooks, a man-and-woman team of European criminals, and a mysterious super-criminal known as Metaxa [also the name of a Greek booze, by the way.]) The multiple villains keep the movie moving at a rapid pace. Unfortunately, a lot of the minimal running time is wasted with comic relief offered by a bumbling British detective. Moto begins the movie disguised as an Austrian professor; surely a joke about actor Peter Lorre in the role, as he was born in the Austro-Hungarian empire. Some nice scenes set in a very rainy Chinatown in San Francisco.

 

[Heijan Xavier]

Daniel Tiger's Tiger Family Trip (2016)

Daniel learns that there are so many things to do and see when you're on a trip with your family. When he get's to Grandpere Tiger's lighthouse, dinner is already made and the tables set outdoors, overlooking the water.

 

[Victoria Silverwolf]

The Day the Sky Exploded (La morte viene dallo spazio, 1958)

Said to be the first Italian science fiction movie. Astronaut on the first trip around the moon runs into trouble and ejects from the spacecraft. It winds up in the "delta asteroids" and the space rocks head for Earth. Cue stock footage of disasters. The nations of the world join forces to blow them up with missiles. Realistic and sedate for most of the running time. Padded with soap opera subplots about the astronaut's marriage and the beautiful but emotionally cool female scientist at mission control. Cinematography (and, if rumor be true, direction) by Mario Bava.

 

[HanaBi]

Saw (2004)

Possibly the granddaddy of all "torture-porn" films of the 21st cetury, and certainly captured the vivid imagination of the discerning public as it became an immense box-office hit on its release in 2004, earning over $150 million globally on just a $2 million budget.

However, when you sweep away the smart editing and the relentless torture scenes, you are reminded of the need for a good logical story, and this film doesn't have it! And neither is it particularly engaging, probably because both lead characters are not at all sympathetic or redeeming. And as a consequence I really couldn't have cared if they lived or died. And it's because of that lack of character empathy that makes this film shallow and pointless.

The only highlight was the ending, but having said that I could see that coming almost from the off.

This particular saw lacks teeth.

2/5

 

[Victoria Silverwolf]

Mysterious Mr Moto (1938)

This entry in the series starts off with a bang, as Moto, disguised as a murderer, escapes from Devil's Island with another prisoner. Of course, it's only so he can be hired by the grateful fellow as a servant. That way he can keep an eye on the guy, who is one of an organization of assassins. Most of the story takes place in Hollywood's London, with lots of local color. There's one heck of a fight in a pub, which covers up a murder. Moto stays one step ahead of the bad guys and Scotland Yard as he works to protect the next intended victim. There's a beautiful fellow agent of the "international police" for Moto to work with, and an action-packed climax at an art gallery.

 

[HanaBi]

"Carol" (2015)

Summary

In this adaptation of the novel "The Price of Salt" by Patricia Highsmith, Therese (Rooney Mara), a young department-store clerk in 1950s Manhattan, meets Carol (Cate Blanchett), a beautiful older woman stuck in a depressing marriage of convenience. As their bond deepens and they become romantically involved, Carol finds the strength to leave her husband (Kyle Chandler). Unfortunately, her spouse starts to raise questions about her fitness as a mother when he realizes that Carol's relationships with her best friend Abby (Sarah Paulson) and Therese are more than just friendships. Directed by Todd Haynes.

- Courtesy, Rotten Tomatoes

I managed to track this film purely through recommendation, thinking that this melodrama of forbidden love between two women in 1950s Manhattan, would not be quite my cup of tea. However, after resisting the temptation to find something far more interesting to do, I sat back in my chair and let this truly wonderful film unveil itself upon me.

Brilliant performances all round, but the chemistry twixt Blanchett & Mara, is truly beguiling and utterly believable. And the film itself is done in the best possible taste given the delicate subject matter, especially the love scene between both women. There is no hint of blatant exploitation of just throwing such a sex scene in just to attract attention from those who don't care for the story, but just want the action.

Come the end of the film I was almost on the edge of my seat, wondering what will happen twixt these two mysterious yet somewhat familiar women.

The film earned many award nominations, but regrettably won none of the majors (Oscars, Golden Globes, BAFTA). Not that that really matters, but this film is deserving of far more exposure and respect. It is a remarkable and truly endearing drama, that I will no doubt watch again and again.

5/5

 

[Rodders]

Timecrimes. A Spanish movie which was pretty interesting. I need to rewatch it, is I don’t think I grasped all the ins and outs of it. Totally recommended.

Morgan. Another interesting movie.

Stake land. Not t my usual thing at all, but interesting enough.

 

[Cathbad]

Timecrimes sounds interesting. I'll check it out!

 

[Jeffbert]

Its been a while since I was here. Anyway, I like the Mr. Moto films, which I saw over 10 years ago, when I 1st joined NF. Do not think I have seen D Vs. Frankenstein, but I am sure I would enjoy it.

Recently, I have seen My Follow Americans (1996), which had James Garner & Jack Lemmon as ex 1 term presidents, 1 a D, the other an R. both in deep doo doo. Fairly amusing, but far from great.

The H-Man (1958) Japanese horror film; 3rd time I saw it. Pretty good! Radiation transforms guy into living slime that dissolves and consumes his victims.

Madigan (1968) Very tense cop drama directed by the same guy who did DIRTY HARRY. Richard Widmark as a cop who fumbles his pistol while attempting to arrest a suspect. Reminds me of Toshiro Mifune in Stray Dog (1949). Nice to see Widmark as good guy. In both cases, the cops are at wits end worrying about the possibility of murders using their stolen guns.

Noir: Stranger on the 3rd Floor (1940) Reporter just happens to see Elisha Cooke's character with murdered man, & assumes he did him in. Guy is convicted & sentenced to the chair. Reporter then finds himself in the same situation!

Spoiler

P. Lorre as an escapee from the funny farm who wields a straight razor, WHO DID THE DIRTY DEEDS. As he confesses while dying, reminds me of 'M' in which, he portrayed a similar character.

No Questions Asked (1951) Insurance agent ends up as go-between for recovering stolen goods from crooks for the insurance companies that offered rewards saving the crooks from the need to 'fence' the stolen goods. Ends up causing rapid rise in thefts, ire of cops, etc. 1st time I had seen this one. Very good!

 

[Victoria Silverwolf]

J.D.'s Revenge (1976)

Surprisingly effective supernatural blaxploitation film. New Orleans, 1942: J.D. witnesses the murder of his sister, but is blamed for it and shot dead on the spot. Thirty years later, he possesses the body of a hard-working cab driver/law student. Despite the exploitative elements (primarily lots of gratuitous female nudity), the film takes itself seriously, without campy elements, and is very well-acted.

 

[Victoria Silverwolf]

Five on the Black Hand Side (1973)

This African-American comedy-drama came with this memorable tag line.

You've been coffy-tized, blacula-rized and super-flied - but now you're gonna be glorified, unified and filled-with-pride.

That indicates the fact that this kind of an anti-blaxploitation film. Lots of characters and subplots, but basically it's about a martinet who completely controls his wife, while his two grown sons are political activists and his grown daughter is about to be married. The wife quickly decides to rebel, but everything works out well at the end. It's all rather like an extended, and somewhat more serious, version of an African-American sitcom of the time, dealing as it does with race and gender issues.

 

[Jeffbert]

I heard of J.D.'s Revenge (1976), but never saw it. I did see Black Gestapo (1875). Rather absurd, as I recall. They form a militant squad of vigilantes who protect the people from gangsters. After expelling the mob, they themselves become the oppressors.

Blackenstein (1973) was rather a poor film, at least, in my opinion.

 

[J Riff]

The Brute Man, with Rondo Hatton, who plays a handsome athlete who is made hideous by an accident he blames on his pals at college. He disappears, then returns to kill people as 'The Creeper'. A blind girl befriends him, but he keeps on a'killin' till they nab him.

 

[Jeffbert]

Sunset BLVD (1950) Wm Holden is a Hollywood screenwriter who is out of work; he is three months past due on car payments, & similar on rent. While hiding his car from the repo man, in what he thinks is the garage of a vacant house, he meets a 50 something ex silent screen starlet (Gloria Swanson) & her butler (E. Von Stroheim). Then it becomes rather interesting, and unexpected things are revealed. Holden narrates; as the film opens, there is a dead man floating face-down in a pool, identity unknown.

Spoiler

& tells the tale, even though he is dead; though that is only revealed at the end. The butler was the starlet's 1st of 3 husbands, and the director who discovered her. He so loves her, that he deludes her into thinking that she is still adored by fans (he writes her fan mail), & desired by studios, etc. Holden's character is stuck as her new beau; much to his dislike/dismay. He cannot escape, when he tries, she attempts suicide. He just cannot leave her, though he hates the situation. True, she spoils him with clothes, and other expensive items, & he has his needs met, except freedom.

I was not sure I would like the film, but am a fan of EVS. I did enjoy it, rather well.

 

[Parson]

I Can Only Imagine .... This is the surprise hit of this season. Low budget, but great acting and a great true story. My wife and I seldom like the same movie, but this was the rare and happy exception. ---- For those of you unfamiliar with the song of that title, it is the story about how a modern classic contemporary Christian song came to be through the lens of the abusive youth of the writer and singer of the band which popularized it. --- I can't emphasize enough how good I thought the acting was. The only somewhat poor scene was a football scene, but that was seen through my eyes and I am a former football coach. Others might not see how fake it really was.

 

[Jeffbert]

I am not a sports fan, but can relate to the scrutinizing of such things. I had a friend who had been a sonar tech on an attack sub. We went to see Hunt for Red Oct. & Das Boot. He simply would not keep his mouth shut; continually saying how this or that was not realistic. The Silent Service, BS!

 

[Hilarious Joke]

Black Panther. Was good!

 

[Roj Blake]

Ready Player One

It was brilliant, typically Spielberg.

It's a multigenerational love letter to those of a certain persuasion.