What Movie Did You Just Watch? ...Rises

[jpanimation]

As for Vertigo being on the list...I haven't a clue why it's there.

Opinions can change, sometimes from one extreme to another. I know my worldview has changed a lot since high school and it has affected my taste in movies. At your age, a lot is happening and you have much more of life to experience.

When I do give Casablanca another go and see the Godfather at Christmas, maybe I will love your entire top five after all.

Maybe, I hope you do, but some movies just don't appeal to everyone.

[Avaitor]

Third time was the charm for me with Casablanca. I liked it the first two times I saw it, but I didn't think it was really anything special for me when I did watch it those times. After I decided to watch it again one night though, I totally got why it's so revered, and instantly shot up to my top 10. Everyone's different, but I think it's a movie that just gets better with age.

And Vertigo is definitely not a film you can watch just once. In fact, every time I see it, I seem to have a different reaction to it. The first time I watched it, I didn't get the big deal behind it. The second time I did, I saw why it's so beloved in Hitchcock's canon. Then I watched it for a third time after that experience, and couldn't get into it. A while later, I saw it yet again and fell in love all over again. No matter how I thought about the film after I saw it though, I always admired Herrmann's magnificent score, the beautiful camera angles, and Stewart's engrossing performance, even if everything else didn't click.

I think that's why the film is so highly regarded, in that it can be so polarizing just by your own reactions. It's really a cynical, lifeless film, even by Hitch's standards, which can be a great thing or awful thing depending on how you spin it.

Oh, and I thought you said that you didn't like the Muppets themselves, jpanimation. Honestly, I really liked the new movie, but I do agree that it's not perfect. Walter, the new Muppet, really wasn't much of a character, and neither were Jason Segel or Amy Adams' characters. I also wasn't crazy on a lot of the numbers, but then again, I never really was with a lot of Muppet songs, as much as I love the characters. And some characters seem underused, particularly Gonzo, which pissed me off, since his puppeteer is the only one of the original Henson crew to still be working on him today.

But I still got a lot of laughs and was thoroughly entertained throughout, so I shouldn't be too hard and criticize too much. Compared to just about anything Muppet-related done since Henson's death, it's easily one of the best projects out there.

Also, I thought King Kong was your favorite movie, jp.

[jpanimation]

Also, I thought King Kong was your favorite movie, jp.

That was kind of a thank you for introducing me to classic movies but I need to be honest with myself, as much as I love it (and I certainly do, bad acting and all), I enjoy those other 5 more (or at least, I pop them in the player more often). Cool that you remember though.

Psycho and Kong can duke it out for 6th place..oh wait, Jaws...aww, these lists are never solid

[Dr Frankenollie]

The Lady Vanishes (1938) - Following a slightly slow start and a lacklustre model set, this film EXPLODES with excitement, mayhem, humour and sophisticated wit. The characters Charters and Caldicott are hilarious; it's completely mesmerising even after all these years; and Michael Redgrave oozes charisma as the music-loving Gilbert. Utterly ingenious.

[UmbrellaFish]

Over the past couple of days:

Thumbelina
Spider-Man
Alice in Wonderland (2010)
The Little Mermaid
The Dark Knight
Christmas in Connecticut
Pygmalion

[blackcauldron85]

Yesterday I saw The Muppets for the second time. Love it!!!

[Dr Frankenollie]

After watching the wonderful Lady Vanishes, I decided to watch a number of my favourite Hitchcock films, watching one more yesterday and two today:



Psycho (1960) - It's not hard to see why this is Hitchcock's magnum opus. How much more inventive can you possibly get? The main character - portrayed by a Hollywood superstar by the way - is killed about forty minutes in, and so is the apparent MacGuffin of the $40,000. She appears to have been killed by the mother of a lonely and pitiful motel owner, who we side with (even when he's hiding the victim's body!). But guess what? 'Mother' is dead and the motel owner is the killer!

Janet Leigh is stellar as Marion Crane and 12 Angry Men's Martin Balsam is good in a supporting role, but of course it's Anthony Perkins who steals the show completely. This recent viewing also reminded me of something I'd forgotten about: Joseph Stefano's script is superb! As well as character-revealing lines like "A boy's best friend is his mother", there are also a handful of funny lines too ("He was flirting with you! I guess he saw my wedding ring"). Finally, it goes without saying that Hitchcock's direction is flawless and Bernard Herrmann's all-strings theme is terrifying.



Vertigo (1958) - I decided to give this film another go after a disappointing viewing a few months back, and chose to formally review it: http://onethousandandonemovienights.blo ... eview.html



North by Northwest (1959) - I only just finished watching this film for something like the fifth time, and I still adore it. Cary Grant is instantly likable, the thrills frequent and fun, the sexual innuendos amusing, the comedy well-timed and the icing on the cake (as usual for a Hitchcock film) is Bernard Herrmann's restless, urgent score. Also: I think Leonard (Martin Landau, aka Bela Lugosi in Tim Burton's Ed Wood) can join Norman and Mrs Danvers in the Hitchcocks' Psycho Club. The moment on Mount Rushmore when Roger Thornhill begs Leonard to help him and the villain responds by standing on Thornhill's hand is deliciously evil.

[PixarFan2006]

It's a Wonderful Life (1946) - You just cannot have a Holiday viewing log without this gem. It may not have much to do with Christmas at first, but after a while it only becomes more and more apparent why this is always a must see around this time of year. James Stewart is always terrific as down on his luck man looking for a reason to live. You can only hope nobody ever tries to remake this.

[TheValentineBros]

Sherlock Holmes: The Game of Shadows and The Muppets.

[SillySymphony]

Ratings based on a 5 star method.
[Blue = 1st time rating and/or viewing]

Puss in Boots (2011) ✰✰✰1/2
Dumbo (1941) ✰✰✰✰1/2
War Horse (2011) ✰✰✰✰
(Read the book. New what was coming. Cried anyway.)
King George VI: The Man Behind The King's Speech (2011) ✰✰1/2
(The King's Speech was well done. This accompanying documentary was poorly edited and executed.)

[carolinakid]

Going My Way (1944) absolutely enchanting!

[PixarFan2006]

Kung Fu Panda 2(2011) - A more enjoyable animated film (and sequel) than Cars 2, even though the plot is kind of far fetched (an explosive that can wipe out Kung Fu forever). It also had good animation, just like in the first film.

4/5

[Goliath]

Die Hard (1988)

My all-time favorite Christmas movie. Bruce Wllis shooting up 15 terrorists is my idea of the perfect holiday spirit. I like few action films, but this one succeeds because -as opposed to other flicks in the genre, and unlike the abysmal fourth installment in the series- it features a reluctant and unwilling 'hero', who's not infallible or invincible, like so many other action heroes. He's bloodied, hurt, in pain and way in over his head. Often, he succeeds with more luck than wisdom. That makes John McClane instantly likable. Plus, it has a great villain in Alan Rickman (which was sorely lacking from parts 2 and 4).

Limelight (1952)

Often overlooked classic from Chaplin. I didn't like it as much as I did the first time and certainly see more flaws in it than before, but it's still a beautiful ode to the kind of theater that Chaplin loved, a dying breed, just like Chaplin's way of telling movies was slowly dying out by that time. You can't help but thinking the lead character is just Chaplin himself under another name. His speeches are a bit too bombastic upon second viewing, but his passion for his subjects shines through loud and clear and he manages to pass it on to me as a viewer.

Biutiful (2010)

A feel-good film, this is not. It's the tale of Uxbal, an impoverished Spaniard who will soon die of cancer, but in the meantime must take care of his children and his mentally unstable (ex-)wife --among other things. The world he lives in is harsh and unscrupulous and he has a hard time coping with the different things that come on his path. Javier Bardem is an amazing actor who plays the leading part beautifully; very touching.

[PeterPanfan]

I highly recommend that everyone go see The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo! It was fantastic, and despite its near three hour running time, I was never bored and actually was hoping it would continue when it did end. Rooney Mara was fantastic, especially since this is one of her first lead roles. She definitely needs to be nominated for an Oscar, and I may place my bet on her winning the award. Daniel Craig was great, as always, as was Joely Richardson. The score was incredible, and I cannot wait to read the book series and watch the original Swedish trilogy now.

I also just got done watching The Crush on Instant Netflix, which starred Alicia Silverstone (in her first film role) and Cary Elwes. Silverstone was really great - and really sexy - and because of the two lead actors, it was an above average erotic thriller, in the vein of Lolita, Poison Ivy, or Devil in the Flesh.

[Dr Frankenollie]

In the past few days, I have watched:

Tangled (2010)

Never mind what Disney Duster says; this is filled to the brim with the real 'Disney Essence.' I can easily forgive the fact that some of the jokes are weak and the songs aren't up to Alan Menken's 1980's-90's standard, because the animation is so vibrant, colourful and detailed, with the backgrounds being especially beautiful. The story is well-paced and structured, there are some genuinely touching moments, some genuinely suspenseful moments, and despite what I said about the songs, there are two songs sung and presented very well: "Mother Knows Best" (and its reprise) as well as "I See the Light."

Furthermore, Flynn and Rapunzel have believable chemistry, and Rapunzel is one of the most likable and well-developed princesses Disney's ever done; in fact, she's second only to Ariel. In a similar way, even though some of his lines' modernity can be distracting and even annoying at times, Flynn is the best human Disney hero besides Aladdin. Yes, Tangled is flawed and there are more than just a few moments in the film that I wish had been done better, but overall, I really like it.

Goodfellas (1990)

It was my first viewing, and it won't be my last, because if I'm perfectly honest, I'm not exactly sure what to make of it all. Nonetheless, a lot of good things stood out for me: the fantastic cinematography, especially the well-known tracking shot that goes on for minutes; Scorsese's flawless direction; the entertaining blend of comedy and violence; and the whole story itself. The setting is just really interesting, and the inner dealings of the mafia are fascinating to learn about.

Barton Fink (1991)

A surreal satire on filmmaking and Hollywood which I've reviewed on my movie blog; it features enjoyable performances from John Turturro and Michael Lerner, and a superb portrayal by John Goodman. It's hilarious, it's creepy, it's confusing, it's original, and it's all about the movies. What's not to love?

Raising Arizona (1987)

Comparable to even the ZAZ comedies (e.g. Airplane, The Naked Gun trilogy), this is a zany riot with a fun concept and hilarious set-pieces; the Coens really outdid themselves with a script bursting at the seams with screwball comedy jokes that I will not soon forget. Another good performance from Goodman, and Nicolas Cage and Holly Hunter are marvellous too. Also, is it just me, or did one of The Shawshank Redemption's most iconic scenes get stolen from this cult classic?

[yamiiguy]

Well I think it's safe to say I've failed my challenge to watch 365 films in a year but I managed to get over the 300 mark at least. This post I made back in February 2010 couldn't be further from the truth anymore. Over the past year I've discovered something much more to film than mere popcorn entertainment, I've discovered the ultimate artform. I don't think any of my top 10 films back then would remain there today. Anyway, back on topic:

Blade Runner
The film has went through many iterations since its release but the latest, dubbed "The Final Cut" is probably the best. Taking notes from Fritz Lang's Metropolis and the film noir genre, Ridley Scott's dark sci-fi tour-de-force is a remarkable work of art - profoundly philosophical and visually breathtaking it somehow manages to remain entertaining throughout.

[PeterPanfan]

Last night I went to go see Young Adult starring Charlize Theron, and I thought it was great. It was definitely a dark comedy, and I don't think the marketing of the film is accurate... most of my friends I saw it with either hated it or felt indifferent towards it. It's definitely stuck with me and I recommend it to those who know what to expect.

I just finished watching John Carpenter's The Ward, which I've been wanting to see for a few months. It was pretty good... not as bad as other people made it out to be, but nowhere near his greatest. I thought the acting was excellent, especially on Amber Heard's part (who is, by the way, one of the most gorgeous actresses ever!) Recommended for horror enthusiasts, but not a "must-see."

[Dr Frankenollie]

Yesterday and today I watched:

The Graduate (1967)

Simply marvellous. Dustin Hoffman is relatable and likable as the titular graduate, Benjamin Braddock, whose fears about his future and life in general are understandable and well presented by Mike Nichols' smart direction. His social awkwardness allows plenty of funny gags, and the shift from drama-comedy to drama-romance is gripping. The final sequence is entertaining and well-edited, and the Simon & Garfunkel songs are the icing on the cake.

Network (1976)

I count two other of director Sidney Lumet's films amongst my favourites: 12 Angry Men and Dog Day Afternoon. This particular Lumet film didn't completely live up to my expectations, but there are a lot of positives. Peter Finch gives a loud, powerful and almost melodramatic performance as TV's 'Mad Prophet' Howard Beale, and the main concept is not only very clever, but rather prescient. Despite it's intelligent message and the great rants by Finch/Beale, there are several dull bits in-between, and I wish it had focused much more on its message rather than subplots like William Holden's character's affair. As a whole, it's pretty good, but it could have been better.

[Lazario]

Streets (1990 / directed by: Katt Shea)



Christina Applegate as (any kind of) prostitute is impossible to believe. As is the film's absurd, tv-trite "what a day we had" ending. Yeah: you were both stalked by a albino Terminator rapist in a fairly pretentious, wannabe-arty but wannabe-realistic (the movie has no idea what it's doing, methinks) exploitation thriller expose about 90's homeless city kid streetlife. Thankfully though, it's not very dialogue heavy (save for a bad "this is how I got here" storytelling scene trying its' hardest to convince us Applegate is a believable 'ho because her mother was a prostitute and the streets are all she knows... man, recasting is direly needed here) and all the scenes featuring the psycho cop killing everyone he comes into contact with (the cat lives though, yay) are brief. However, as an actor- he's the only one in the cast doing a pretty good job (oh, I know, Patrick Richwood isn't too bad either but... the movie's brevity in his case didn't do him any favors). So, forget Applegate. This is the guy we want to know more about. This is not the time to be pulling a Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer and leave all the headstuff up to our imaginations. So, maybe the movie deserves points for trying to be better than most movies of its' type (given the low budget and the fact that it was produced for Roger Corman's company which had pretty much given up trying to make good movies and just focused on entertaining direct-to-video trash) but it can't seem to decide if it wants to be hard-hitting or hazy.



Angel in Red (aka: Uncaged) (1991 / directed by: "Lisa Hunt")



I doubt Streets started a trend, but if it did- this was a sure knock off. And, shockingly, for what it was intended to be, one I think is easily superior. The acting takes a step down (you probobably won't even notice Jeffrey Dean Morgan here as a bad Nic Cage clone- he's had something of a significant career after this), and the soundtrack choices are ghastly, but they not only found a way to make me care about the characters (Pamella D'Pella and Sheila Scott-Wilkenson have great camaraderie, as does adorable Jason Oliver and every female member of the cast), they also fixed the back-and-forth between art and phony reality problem of Streets. By making all of this phony reality. In short- it's bad. But it's the right kind of bad for the time it was made and the market it was sold to. As a matter of fact, I still say the worst thing is the songs. Which, compared to Leslie Bega's grating performance as the film's heart-of-gold hooker, are truly cringe-inducing.

[jpanimation]

For those who don't know, I rate movies based on the IMDB standard and what I feel it should have on that site.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011) 7/10 - It was actually pretty decent this time around. After that painfully dull mess they called Half-Blood Prince and that cringe worthy high school melodrama they called Deathly Hallows Part 1, it was nice to see a Potter film that wasn’t a chore to sit through. While this movie lost quite a bit of steam as it headed toward - you guessed it - a final battle encompassing all those involved in the series thus far (even dead people have to show up), it was satisfying. Probably the worst part of this whole movie is the epilogue, where we see Potter and family all grown up, where some of the worst effects since the first movie are present (nobody, and I mean nobody, is buying these character being nearly 40 years old). It was just soo saccharine and overtly forced; there only to play off the nostalgia of fans (did I mention how poorly executed it was?).

Now that it’s over, I’m really hoping Universal rethinks putting more Potter in their parks. Occupying both of their parks with a single franchise is just overkill, especially since it’s over and just doesn’t take into account all those people who don’t care for it. Interest in the franchise will wane with the years, and to invest soo much in a property that they don’t even own (they have to pay licensing fees), only to eventually have to replace it all when interest is gone or licensing negotiations fall through (imagine the expense if they expand it to the size of a park?) just doesn't make sense. I love Jaws and the Amity area, you didn’t need to see the movie to get something out of it (a big fucking shark is attacking your boat, I never saw the move as a kid, but you better believe the ride scared me shitless), so don’t replace it with more Potter, something only fans appreciate.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011) 7.5/10 - Wow, it was soo much better then I expected. I like the first Planet of the Apes, although it’s dated effects and other campy aspects are hard to get by (Heston as a scientist, don’t by it), but all the others in the franchise have been pretty freaking bad. Tim Burton’s remake, outside of having excellent makeup effects by Rick Baker, just didn’t do anything for me. So as you can imagine, I walked into this with very low expectations, expecting another underwhelming cash grab but walked out pretty surprised at the amount of care that was put into this. Some of the story bits are a little cliched but this movie is really about the characters. I was just soo wrapped up in Caesar and his story that the underdeveloped human characters didn’t bother me as much as they normally would’ve (Serkis and Weta are the masters). I also was eating up all the references to the past films. The breakout at the end was thrilling but what it all lead up to was very anticlimactic (AKA Caesar running around in a forest).

Was I seriously the only person who thought Koba was going to kill Caesar for being soft and then lead a more aggressive rebellion? I felt like they filled his face with character [scars], where as all the others apes looked the same, to give him a purpose and payoff. I thought after all the torture he had been through in laboratories that he would want to get revenge on humans and that Caesar constantly stopping the apes from harming them in addition to having a human friend was going to cause some problems. If they never planned on utilizing his character, then why spend the time to distinguish him from the others? The ending just didn't feel right.

EDIT: After a quick google search, I found out that the current ending was a last minute change that they filmed a couple of months before it's release. The original ending contained everything I was hoping to see, the Caesar / Koba confrontation, James Franco's character getting shot and that setting off Caesar to lead an aggressive attack but it was all changed to the happy ending when FOX execs decided this was going to make money and they wanted Franco's character back for the sequel. Cast and crew have confirmed that this ending was filmed but they're not sure why it didn't show up on the Blu-ray like originally planned. Probably would've given this an 8/10 with the original ending but I'd have to see it first.

The Help (2011) 7.5/10 - I actually enjoyed this one quite a bit. It shows the struggles of blacks in the segregated south brought on not just by racists but by laws our own government had in place prohibiting equal treatment. You’d think with such a touchy subject that this might be a downer but it’s actually a fairly upbeat movie (so don’t expect a sullen atmosphere throughout like The Color Purple). For the characters, there is no real grey, as they seem to be either good or bad. Even so, they’re appealing and well developed, important since this movie depends almost entirely around you liking them. I was also surprised at how funny parts of this movie were, as I found myself with a grin cheek to cheek with satisfaction when you find out about Minny’s “chocolate pie”. I just found it to be pleasant, I’d probably even label it a feel good movie.

The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn (2011) 7/10 - Good-ish but should’ve been better considering the source material. I’ve heard people complain about pretty much everything when it comes to this movie. Usually it’s John William’s score, the camera movements, the gratuitous amounts of action, the relentless pacing, the lack of character development with Tintin (never in the comics), but mostly it’s the semi-real designs of the characters and the use of mo-cap. Surprisingly, none of that bothered me (well, the facial mo-cap was more expressive in Rise of the Planet of the Apes but it was still pretty good here). It wasn’t the presentation I had problems with (I actually feel they made the right move not going hand drawn or live action, as now they can make it feel real but get away with the slapstick) but it’s the story. When reading The Secret of the Unicorn, I was confused like Tintin as to what was going on and part of the thrill of reading was that mystery. In Spielberg’s adaption, he takes a hatchet to all the mystery aspects of both The Secret of the Unicorn and The Crab with the Golden Claws and simplifies the shit out of it. You no longer have multiple suspects but are introduced to the villain within the first few minutes of the film. What’s worse is that he’s a poor excuse for a villain, who’s motives have been reduced to an ancient family grudge. I won’t even start on the ridiculous climax exclusive to this movie (where there is a quick nod to The Crab with the Golden Claws). Tintin is a boring character, made interesting by his exciting adventures and the wonderful characters he surrounds himself with (including the villains). You majorly impact the appeal of Tintin by taking out all the mystery and dumbing down the villains. A great example is how they drastically reduced Ben Salaad’s role in this film and how unexciting the action sequence that follows his appearance is (however spectacular it looks). Suffice to say, this movie falters only where it deviates too far from the source material. If it had stuck closer, it could've been something special.