What Movie Did You Just Watch? - Shh! It's Starting!

[Scarred4life]

Just finished watching Alice In Wonderland. (Didn't have time yesterday)

[blackcauldron85]

A Bug's Life (It really is an uplifting movie, very good- I hadn't watched it in a long time), and half of TP&tF (I was exhausted so I fell asleep after "When We're Human").

[PeterPanfan]

Bad Girls From Valley High - I watched this just for Julie Benz, and it was actually pretty awful, despite Benz, Janet Leigh, Christopher Lloyd, and Monica Keena. It was gross, and I would only recommend it for the awesome ending featuring Leigh. It was too cheesy, in a bad way.

Abandon - I actually really liked this! It was definitely some of the best acting I've seen from Katie Holmes, and Zooey Deschanel was great as always. The pacing was slow, but the end result was great and thrilling.

Cry-Baby - I've only seen two John Waters films; this one and Hairspray. And those are two of his lightest, or so I've heard. I really loved this, more than Hairspray, and I'm not even a big Johnny Depp fan. I really enjoyed Amy Locane, and I'm one of the few who loved her character on Melrose Place. It was hilarious, cheesy, and just plain fun to watch. The songs and dancing were great, surprisingly.

Flakes - TOTAL surprise here. I rented this for two reasons: 1. Zooey Deschanel co-starred in it. 2. It was from the same director as "Heathers", a film I love. This movie was hilarious, and a bit touching. The genre, romantic comedy, doesn't come into play until near the end of the movie, which was good because sometimes too much romance can be a bad thing. The plot was quirky: A group of friends meet at a cereal bar every morning (A restaurant that only serves cereal), a few of the friends actually work there. Zooey plays the girlfriend of the main character played wonderfully by Aaron Stanford. Christopher Lloyd also plays a pretty big part as the zany owner of the cereal bar, aptly named Flakes. Recommended.

[Lazario]

*Warning: Explicit, Adult Language*

Bad Girls From Valley High - I watched this just for Julie Benz, and it was actually pretty awful, despite Benz, Janet Leigh, Christopher Lloyd, and Monica Keena. It was gross, and I would only recommend it for the awesome ending featuring Leigh. It was too cheesy, in a bad way.

Something about that description and that you say it's gross reminds me of that other direct-to-video flick I've heard a lot of bad things about; Death to the Supermodels. I gather I'll be avoiding both.

Cry-Baby - I've only seen two John Waters films; this one and Hairspray. And those are two of his lightest, or so I've heard.

You heard accurately. Although, Polyester is dark but not gross, and Pecker is really gross but not at all dark in tone. It's his romantic-comedy. Depending on your taste, I'd recommend you check out both. Pecker bored me because it was too nice. And if you have any idea what Waters' heavy stuff is like - even in your wildest imagination - just remember that Cecil B. Demented is child's play (no, not the Chucky movies) compared to Desperate Living and Female Trouble. And probably the most disgusting film ever made (at least before Scary Movie, Epic Movie, Date Movie, Dumb & Dumber, There's Something About Mary, etc.); Pink Flamingos. Which features things I can't even describe in text, a Mod would have no choice but to edit them out.

I really loved this, more than Hairspray, and I'm not even a big Johnny Depp fan. I really enjoyed Amy Locane, and I'm one of the few who loved her character on Melrose Place. It was hilarious, cheesy, and just plain fun to watch. The songs and dancing were great, surprisingly.

I hated Cry-Baby and think it's by far one of Waters' weakest films. On the other side of the scale, I think Hairspray is probably his best. Tied with Pink Flamingos (okay... in spite of the unbelievable things that happen in the movie, it's also one of the most intelligently bat-shit crazy camp movies ever made - the dialogue is inspiring, to say the least).




my latest re-watch:





I have one... One complaint about this movie. The scene of Ralph Macchio and Mitchell Whitfield (who is so ridiculously my-type!) on the prison yard where they're walking down the row between the chain-fences with a long row of guards and prisoners standing behind them. Why the hell do they stop walking in front of the camera just to stand there and talk without one of the guys behind them saying something like, "get the fuck moving!" ? The guard behind them just stands there like he doesn't care. That had to be intentional on the part of the director. But... why? That's it.

Everything else about the movie is perfect. I did think it was a little strange how, if you removed the ultra-foul mouthed Lisa and Vinny characters, this R-rated movie would easily be a PG (not even a PG-13!). But, top to bottom- this movie is as intelligent as a mainstream Hollywood comedy gets. Even the characters we're not supposed to exactly like, such as the very mean and angry Judge, and the cocky Prosecutor, give excellent performances and I actually enjoyed them. Anyone else notice Legally Blonde totally ripped this movie off? The moment where Elle has her "brilliant" moment of clarity and then she just zaps the Prosecution's entire case in a flashy line of zinger-questions leading to a dismissal of all-charges. Yeah, Morisa Tomei steals the show. But before her big "Deer" and "Fossit" speeches, Fred Gwynne and Bruce McGill were running things- so there are a lot of powerhouses here. And, that dialogue is just rapid-fire, and damn funny. No surprise this was directed by the same guy who directed Clue.

[PeterPanfan]

Thanks, Laz, for the... recommendations?

[jpanimation]

Lazario, I totally love My Cousin Vinny

The movie cracks me up and really says something about false convictions. The part with the magic grits and obstructive dirty window/trees is hilarious ("don't be afraid just shout 'em right out when you know 'em"). As if I didn't love Joe Pesci enough and then he has to go and say some of the most quotable dialog ever lol It helps having Marisa Tomei in this movie. She's still smoking hot to this day, gotta rank her with Courtney Cox and Halle Berry as one of the hottest actresses in their 40's, and George Costanza would agree with me. Anyways, Herman Munster as a judge and the Karate Kid as the accused, awesome. Great movie that I picked up on DVD for only a $1!

[ajmrowland]

Zombieland-funny. And not as mindless as the advertising.

I particularly laughed at a montage scene where they're driving in the truck and briefly Abigail Breslin is seen in the Driver's seat, yet they pay no mind to the fact the 12 yr old's taken the wheel. It just doesn't really cross their minds that much.

On second thought, maybe it did.

[Scarred4life]

Mary Poppins- I must say, those two children are mighty bratty.

[Lazario]

Mary Poppins- I must say, those two children are mighty bratty.

I didn't think they were so bad. They were very nice kids, they just were very bored. This is Disney, we're not supposed to pay attention to the very serious things. Such as them running off and not telling anyone about it. Yeah, in real life, they deserved to be grounded for a month for that. But in Disney World... they're really little angels.

Do you think their behavior improved for The Gnome-Mobile?

Lazario, I totally love My Cousin Vinny

The movie cracks me up and really says something about false convictions. The part with the magic grits and obstructive dirty window/trees is hilarious ("don't be afraid just shout 'em right out when you know 'em"). As if I didn't love Joe Pesci enough and then he has to go and say some of the most quotable dialog ever lol

My favorite is definitely "...You got it, honey!! THE CASECRACKER... ME IN THE SHOWER!!!"

Watching the movie again, I realized they may've made a mistake in editing. Before he finishes saying "the casecracker," they cut away to the picture. If they had left the shot on him another second, they could have made us believe maybe he was serious... I know I did when I first watched the movie in my high school law procedures class. Then, he says "Me in the shower!" and I nearly died laughing. I still consider that one of my all-time biggest movie laughs. Best reactions a comedy got from me.

Anyways, Herman Munster as a judge and the Karate Kid as the accused, awesome. Great movie that I picked up on DVD for only a $1!

I still don't own it yet. Been too busy buying Disney DVD's (and that'll keep me busy 'til well into next year). But far as I know, it's been up on Netflix Watch Instantly for at least 5 months. And on YouTube.

Thanks, Laz, for the... recommendations?

You're welcome. Just so I can add some more drops in the bucket of things you've heard about Waters' films... 1981's Polyester was considered by some of his fans to be him selling out, trying to get mainstream appeal. His three 1970's feature films, as mentioned in the previous post (1972's Pink Flamingos, 1975's Female Trouble, 1977's Desperate Living) were so graphic and nasty, they didn't even bother taking them to the MPAA. They showed them as-is in where I imagine would've been grindhouses. I do think I remember Waters telling a story about how before Rocky Horror Picture Show kinda invented the Midnite-Movies phenomenon which gave his movies the exposure they have today coupled with the edgy reputation for Waters as a pop culture figure along with his many nicknames (such as "Prince of Puke" and "Pope of Trash")... New Line Cinema booked (as it were) Pink Flamingos for showings in porno theaters. The audiences hated it. Because it was an art film and it was meant to be shown in art theaters, where they would show stuff by classy Euro filmmakers like Godard, Cocteau, Fellini, Bergman, Buñuel, Truffaut, etc. All 3 have since been rated by the MPAA, none of them got an R.

But something tells me most people would/will stay away from these 3 NC-17 "delights" (they're all actually quite repellent, ) just because they're old and MEGA-low budget. But New Line treated the DVD's of Pink Flamingos and Female Trouble beautifully. Widescreen, shockingly attractive video restoration, and the music was remixed in Stereo and all songs sound incredible. Especially on Pink Flamingos, though as people who've seen the movie know you should just close your eyes when "Surfin' Bird" and "How Much is That Doggie in the Window?" come up. Desperate Living got the short end of both sticks though. No Stereo remix, no widescreen. Just a trailer and an audio commentary where one of the lead actresses talks about going to jail for refusing to rat out someone in the mob.

[PeterPanfan]

So would you recommend those movies, Laz? Which one would be a good starting off point into some of his other works?

[Lazario]

So would you recommend those movies, Laz? Which one would be a good starting off point into some of his other works?

First movie to start with? Serial Mom! His best tied with Hairspray. Then Polyester.

Then... it depends on your tastes. If you like good-hearted gross-out, Pecker. After that, if you liked that and liked Cry-Baby as well? Cecil B. Demented. If you somehow make it through both, A Dirty Shame will be a breezer. But be warned - different warning than the 70's films - these are very goofy movies; Cecil, Pecker, and Dirty. Like a strangely softer John Waters than even Cry-Baby would have you believe. Actually, I still think Hairspray is very edgy (especially for a PG).

Then before you touch so much as the DVD rental cases for Pink Flamingos, Female Trouble, and Desperate Living, remember they - unlike A Dirty Shame - are rated NC-17 for graphic nudity and strange sex and themes that I now have to just say: incest (simulated), beastiality (real), graphic oral sex (partially real), scat (real), gential mutilation (simulated), rape (simulated), onscreen-abortion (simulated), cannibalism (simulated), child pornography (partially real). Nothing is left to the imagination in these movies. But they're about people hanging out in Baltimore, Maryland, with too much time on their hands, a lot of sick ideas, and with a love for ranting and raving. Oh and... they look like documentaries / after-school specials. Not like real movies. Polyester is the first John Waters movie that looks like a real movie. And it's hysterically dark and funny. Like a soap opera where all the main characters either die, kill someone else, or end up wishing they were dead.

Let me just trailer you up on the old ones:

Pink Flamingos (hey, gay people did actually get on-camera in the 1970's... other than Paul Lynde) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjHo9kFN3Yg
Desperate Living & Female Trouble in 1 = http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQYcducyi40 (I would have tried to get them separately, but the sound quality for the separate Female Trouble trailer is TERRIBLE!)

[PeterPanfan]

How is there child pornography in a movie? That's illegal... and especially if it's "partially real"?

And Serial Mom looks hilarious! That will be the next one I check out.

[PixarFan2006]

My biggest complaint about this movie is the length. The story was good, the special effects were great and the acting was fine. I liked it a little better than the first film since the story was told a little better, but I felt they could have cut a few minutes out.

[Goliath]

Mr Deeds goes to town (1936)

Why this film receives so much critical acclaim and a 'classic' status, I don't understand. Maybe I'm too cynical to appreciate it. I find it to be overly saccharine sweet, much too moralistic, and exaggerated. The courtroom scene was nothing but piling cliche on cliche. All characters were cut out of cardboard, and the over-acting was terrible (even for a 1930s film). I agree with Capra's message, but it was jammed down my throat. It was just too much.

The pursuit of happyness (2006)

I said this already when I reviewed Lions for Lambs, but I will repeat it: everybody. should. watch. this. movie.

It's a tough film to stomach, I'll admit. It piles hardship on hardship, bad luck on bad luck, misery on misery. It's the story of an average working-class American (Will Smith) who goes through every single form of misfortune that exists just to provide for his little son. It's so frustrating to watch him try the best he can, working as hard as he can, and still not being able to make it. After a while, you get as disillusioned as he is. People who think that being poor is always somebody's own fault, and that the government should give them a handout, should watch this. They may feel very different upon having seen it.

But it avoids the mistake Capra made with his film. It doesn't preach, it doesn't moralize, it doesn't shove its 'message' in your face (if it has a message at all). It shows you what bad things can happen to good men.

Basically, it shows all the things that make me a socialist. (And no, in my country that's not a scary/dirty word or an insult.)

[ajmrowland]

The Lion King- as good as ever. It may be my system, but after four hours, the subwoofer's still ringing in my head.

[jpanimation]

Mr Deeds goes to town (1936)

Why this film receives so much critical acclaim and a 'classic' status, I don't understand. Maybe I'm too cynical to appreciate it. I find it to be overly saccharine sweet, much too moralistic, and exaggerated. The courtroom scene was nothing but piling cliche on cliche. All characters were cut out of cardboard, and the over-acting was terrible (even for a 1930s film). I agree with Capra's message, but it was jammed down my throat. It was just too much.

No, I'm a huge Capra fan but this one isn't one of my favorites of his. Hell, I'd say its equal to the Adam Sandler remake (may even like the Sandler version more, blasphemy). I have all the complaints you list.

The pursuit of happyness (2006)

I said this already when I reviewed Lions for Lambs, but I will repeat it: everybody. should. watch. this. movie.

I second that. It really shows what hard work and determination can do in the face of adversity, basically a rags to riches story and the ultimate champion for capitalism. The acting was fantastic (Will Smith and his kid were oscar worthy) and it's just such a feel-good film. At one point (during the subway bathroom scene) I was balling up but by the end I had a grin on my face reaching my ears. It reminded me of the moment from The Shawshank Redemption, when after enduring all the hard-to-watch stuff throughout the entire movie, you finally get to see everything come together in a manner most satisfying (trying not to spoil anything). It's a powerful movie.

Oh yeah, it's a true story. I've seen interviews with the real Chris Gardner and it's an amazing story. BTW, I saw Seven Pounds thinking it would be as good as this but all it did was depress the hell out of me. Not recommended.

Sherlock Holmes (2009) 7/10 - better then I expected. I walked in with very low expectations, thinking they would dumb it down to nothing but a Jerry Bruckheimer action flick. It was actually a little more then that. I'll admit I'm completely unfamiliar with the original source material by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (novels and short stories) and only have the countless commercials, parodies, Sherlock Hound TV series, and The Great Mouse Detective deviations to go by. That said, I had a basic understanding of the character and what I saw in the commercials did not represent that. With that said, I enjoyed Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law's takes on their characters. While I don't think the chemistry was all there (maybe just not established right), they were quite enjoyable to watch and they played their parts well. The rest of the cast was good, except Rachel McAdams, who really disappointed me. I've never really seen her this bad before. The story wasn't the greatest but just intelligent enough to make any viewer feel proud of themselves for solving the mystery (some "mysteries" being more obvious then others). The ending just was a little too cliché for me but I guess the plot device that ties everything together usually is disappointing. The Hans Zimmer score was probably his most impressive in a LONG time. He actually made something that stands out and doesn't just sound like one of the cookie-cutter Hans Zimmer scores (a trend that he helped to establish). Review score may improve upon second viewing (it's just one of those movies). Oh yeah, and what a big-ass setup for a sequel.

[PeterPanfan]

Date Night - HILARIOUS! Freaking hilarious. Tina Fey and Steve Carell were awesome, and so were the supporting cast members: Mark Wahlberg, Mark Ruffalo, Mila Kunis, Leighton Meester, and James Franco! GO SEE IT!

[Margos]

The Black Cauldron - Very good! The PQ on the DVD is pretty bad, though. I gotta say, I love those witches of Morva! They are hilarious! I wish Disney would do something with them. Anything, really, I don't care. I also love the concept of them as really more "chaotic neutral" than evil, because they're not really villains. I just think they're a very interesting trio.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs - The one that started it all. I don't know why, but this time around, I noticed the gags a lot more. They really are quite funny. Oh, and those little animals are just eye-meltingly cute. I paused for a while on a frame of jus the animals. Man, I wishe animals really looked like that. Oh well, they're still pretty cute in real life.

Tinker Bell - Probably one of the best DTV films ever. Not as good as Lost Treasure, though. Really, it's amazing how far the animation came between those two films. And from the previews of Great Fairy Rescue, it just keeps getting better! And I just love how Wendy's music box plays "You Can Fly! You Can Fly! You Can Fly!" Such a lovely little tribute.

Fantasia 2000 - Positively breathtaking. The Firebird Suite is my favorite part, but Rhapsody in Blue is also very good. Really, the design of the Sprite makes her one of the coolest-looking Disney characters of all time. I would just love to have a T-Shirt with her on it, or maybe they could make a doll (which would be very difficult, but could be very beautiful if done correctly). Anyway, I was shocked when I heard that they had intended to keep the original ending for The Steadfast Tin Soldier in Piano Concerto No. 2. I am SO glad they didn't.... That piece of concept art where they're in the fire, and his suit is starting to blacken and her hands and feet are burning away.... Ugh, it made me feel a little sick, I'll admit.

[Mooky]

Teenage Caveman - One the worst (if not *the* worst) movies I have ever seen. Avoid it like plague.

The Truth About Jane - Amazing TV drama about a young girl coming to terms with her sexual orientation and the effect it has on her relationship with her mother. It's exceptionally well made for a TV movie. Stars Stockard Channing and Ellen Muth. Highly recommended.

Suspiria - I've heard great things about this film so naturally my expectations were high. I'm happy to say they were all met. Simple story, but such a great film on so many levels. It's not particularly scary, but rather atmospheric, with a fantastic soundtrack that only emphasizes the creepiness factor. I am now eager to see "Inferno" and "Mother of Tears" to complete the trilogy. Highly recommended.

[Lazario]

Suspiria - I've heard great things about this film so naturally my expectations were high. I'm happy to say they were all met. Simple story, but such a great film on so many levels. It's not particularly scary, but rather atmospheric, with a fantastic soundtrack that only emphasizes the creepiness factor. I am now eager to see "Inferno" and "Mother of Tears" to complete the trilogy. Highly recommended.

And the director has spoken on numerous occasions about how much it's influenced by Disney. The film's unbelievable use of color. I almost want to say the 2.35:1 widescreen...but Argento had been using that since 1969.

About the so-called sequels... approach Mother of Tears with caution. It couldn't be less like Suspiria. In fact, it feels a lot more like The Omen but with a female protagonist. Or... a Fulci movie.