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

[Scarred4life]

The Shining- 1980

I'm not a fan of horror films, although this one is an exception. Jack Nicholson was spectacular, (as always) and the overall the film was entertaining, interesting, and suspenseful. The viewer was not bombarded with constant pop-outs, and the film was not a 'dark' horror film, most of the scenes were lighted, or in daylight, save the labyrinth scene.

Overall, 5 stars.

[UmbrellaFish]

Evita- I can't compare it to anything like TheSequelofDisney did, but I must say Madonna did a better job than I would have expected her to. Antonio Banderas was great, and Jonathan Pryce as well (actually, I had to look his name up while I was watching the movie because he looked soo familiar to me- Elizabeth Swann's father!). Best of all was the music. As I said before, I'm not incredibly familiar with Webber, but my God, that was just beautiful. I'm tempted to pick up the B'way or West End album now...

Oh, and it took me until halfway through the movie to realize it was a rock opera.

Too tired to watch Phantom right now, and I'll be camping until Tuesday starting tomorrow, but I'll get to it.

[Khonnor]

On Thursday I went to watch Shrek 4 and Twilight 3 and they both were kinda "meh". On Friday I went to see Toy Story 3 and liked it, but thought it was just a tiny bit too long.

Yesterday we tried to watch A Nightmare On Elm Street 6 on DVD, but fell asleep after a mere 15 minutes.

Shrek Forever After - 6/10
Twilight: Eclipse - 6/10
Toy Story 3 - 7/10

[TheSequelOfDisney]

Evita- I can't compare it to anything like TheSequelofDisney did, but I must say Madonna did a better job than I would have expected her to. Antonio Banderas was great, and Jonathan Pryce as well (actually, I had to look his name up while I was watching the movie because he looked soo familiar to me- Elizabeth Swann's father!). Best of all was the music. As I said before, I'm not incredibly familiar with Webber, but my God, that was just beautiful. I'm tempted to pick up the B'way or West End album now...

Oh, and it took me until halfway through the movie to realize it was a rock opera.

Yay! I'm glad you liked it. The music truly is amazing. I would suggest both albums: the Original Broadway Cast Recording and the 2006 London Cast Recording. The OBCR is the complete recording and LuPone does an amazing job. The 2006 London recording has Elena Roger (who's from Argentina) and she gives a great authentic quality to it, but it isn't the complete show like the OBCR is. Oh, plus if you wait for 2012, Elena Roger is coming to Broadway for New York's first revival of Evita (Ricky Martin is going to be Che, too, if you care). Watch Phantom soon! It's great!!!

[Margos]

Sergeant Rutledge - I am usually not that into Westerns, but this one was pretty good. To me, it felt like Lonesome Dove meets To Kill a Mockingbird. I liked the whole courtroom drama set-up, and the twist at the end was suitably shocking. I gotta say, I liked this film! CAPTAIN BUFFALO!!!

The Searchers - John Wayne has an annoying way of speaking. The plot of this movie was weird. For like, 10 years, these two guys search for a little girl kidnapped by Comanches. For anyone who thought SotS was historically inaccurate and not very nice, never watch this film. First of all, the girl returns willingly to her family. Most people taken by Indians wouldn't have dreamed of doing that, since most (especially those taken as children) were treated very well and considered themselves part of the tribe. And if John Wayne said "buck" one more time, I would have built a time machine and slapped him. (Well, OK, that's an exaggeration. Old movies don't know any better. But still, it got annoying.) More of a typical western that Sergeant Rutledge, and definitely not as good.

[Goliath]

The Searchers [...] For anyone who thought SotS was historically inaccurate and not very nice, never watch this film. First of all, the girl returns willingly to her family. Most people taken by Indians wouldn't have dreamed of doing that, since most (especially those taken as children) were treated very well and considered themselves part of the tribe.

Oh, you don't have to tell me that. I've seen the film in a theater as part of my education. Of course none of the students were surprised that the film wasn't a bit historically accurate. Hollywood Westerns (with the possible exception of the rare Westerns from the 1990's) have never been accurate. In fact, they're the reason many Americans have an over-idyllic view of 'the good old days', that in reality never existed. It's the myth of the frontier and the lone hero who doesn't need the authorities or the government to solve his problems that has shaped a lot of Americans' thinking --contrary to the facts of the actual old West, where the government financed the exploration of the West.

And if John Wayne said "buck" one more time, I would have built a time machine and slapped him. (Well, OK, that's an exaggeration. Old movies don't know any better. But still, it got annoying.)

Not only that, but what about the scene where Wayne's sidekick kicks his 'squaw' down a hill, when she wants to cuddle at night? The whole crowd I watched this film with bursted out in laughter, just at how obviously offensive it was, and at how the audiences of the 1950's took this seriously.

Interestingly, I read in the acclaimed British film magazine 'Empire' that John Wayne was a really racist guy in real-life, making derogatory comments about Afro-Americans deep into the 1980's. He saw them as being 'less civilized' than white people, and said 'they' couldn't be trusted with positions of responsibility or authority.

[DT6011]

Karate Kid (2010) watched the new one last last day and it was terrific. everything in the movie was just awesome. from the storyline to the cast.. a must see and was the best movie for 2010 for me.

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We are all in the gutter but some of us are looking at the stars. - Oscar Wilde
My flash drive: Lexar Echo ZE

[jpanimation]

The Searchers is one of my all-time favorite westerns, tied with Stagecoach as my favorite Ford western (with The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance in close 3rd). One of the better John Wayne westerns is Red River, which is pretty epic. If you don't like the American westerns, try a spaghetti western by Sergio Leoni (any of The Man with no Name trilogy or Once Upon a Time in the West). If you like Clint, I recommend The Outlaw Josey Wales and Unforgiven. One with a different feel that surprised me by just how much I liked it was The Wild Bunch. I also really enjoyed the remake for 3:10 to Yuma even more then the original.

If you want a completely different western that lacks a lot of action and is mainly a character piece with lessons in morality, try Shane or High Noon (both great movies). I guess Dances With Wolves would be closer to these movies (it's the longer and better version of Avatar).

Interestingly, I read in the acclaimed British film magazine 'Empire' that John Wayne was a really racist guy in real-life, making derogatory comments about Afro-Americans deep into the 1980's.

John Wayne died in 1979 from lung cancer. Although, you are correct about him being racist. As a matter-of-fact, he was a white supremacist who went on record saying some racist things during a 1971 Playboy interview.

[Margos]

Not only that, but what about the scene where Wayne's sidekick kicks his 'squaw' down a hill, when she wants to cuddle at night? The whole crowd I watched this film with bursted out in laughter, just at how obviously offensive it was, and at how the audiences of the 1950's took this seriously.

Well, I don't know, I didn't particular see that as being race motivated so much as "No! I'm in love with someone else! Get off of me!" Especially since that guy was part Indian, too. But I did think it was overkill, and concerned that she might be hurt. But it's just a movie, so I didn't think it was that big of a deal. But yeah, the whole film certainly clashes with our 21st century sensibilities.

[Timon/Pumbaa fan]

The Searchers - John Wayne has an annoying way of speaking. The plot of this movie was weird. For like, 10 years, these two guys search for a little girl kidnapped by Comanches. For anyone who thought SotS was historically inaccurate and not very nice, never watch this film. First of all, the girl returns willingly to her family. Most people taken by Indians wouldn't have dreamed of doing that, since most (especially those taken as children) were treated very well and considered themselves part of the tribe. And if John Wayne said "buck" one more time, I would have built a time machine and slapped him. (Well, OK, that's an exaggeration. Old movies don't know any better. But still, it got annoying.) More of a typical western that Sergeant Rutledge, and definitely not as good.

I'm rarely on these forums anymore, but I occasionally browse through it and I have to defend The Searchers.

The movie is really a commentary about racism itself. The reason the movie is called "The Searchers" is not just because it is a search for the girl, but it is search of John Wayne's character, who tries to have a "normal" life after serving in the civil war, but really doesn't belong anywhere, as shown by that wonderful shot at the end of the movie.

The reason critics love this movie and why it is often highly regarded as one of the greatest movies, period, by places like AFI is because it has America's most beloved star is playing a racist, yet still is able to redeem himself by the end of it, which shows that there is a good in every human being, even in people we don't particularly like. Its a concept that some people don't want to accept, but because of it makes "The Searchers" a very powerful and thought-provoking movie that influences other great movies like Scorsese's Taxi Driver and Eastwood's Gran Torino.

Oh and the fact John Wayne was a racist in real life is hogwash. Yeah, I know of that quote he made in that magazine(which to me is politically incorrect more than racist), but it is a well-known fact John Wayne often fought hard to keep black people cast in his movies. Granted, they were often just supporting roles, but most people(or at least the studios) didn't even want to see black people in westerns then. It seems to me people hate John Wanye honestly is the same reason why a lot of people hate Walt Disney; it's twisted jealousy of the fact they're still beloved, popular household names who are celebrated decades after their passing while the same can't be said of all of their critics, who really don't mean much in the long-run.

[Escapay]

I'm rarely on these forums anymore, but I occasionally browse through it and I have to defend The Searchers.

I nearly did a double-take when I saw your name there, Justin.

You should post more often. If only because I'm sure the debates between you and Goliath would be legendary.

But I agree with much of what you said regarding The Searchers. It was made as a commentary on racism, and that eventually, people can rise above their own prejudices.

I took a film class a couple years ago (more or less to have a "fun" class that wouldn't be as intensive as my elementary education ones), and we had to write a paper on one of four films (The Searchers, The Thing, Body Heat, and one other that I can't remember). I didn't care to re-watch The Thing again, and couldn't remember the other, so I opted to do either The Searchers or Body Heat, depending on which DVD I could buy cheaper at a video store, as I intended on owning either film anyway and put off buying them. I found the single-disc version of The Searchers for about $7, so I chose that over Body Heat (which I still haven't bought )

The paper was very cookie-cutter, we simply had to devote one page each (or more if we wrote more) to summary of the film, icons of the genre, conventions of the genre, formula of the genre (and if the film followed it), departures from the genre, themes of the film, and the critical/public reception. Since I didn't take the class seriously (well, I took it seriously in that I loved films and what we were learning, but not seriously in that I didn't care how I was graded), I titled my paper "How I Learned To Stop Brooding and Love My Comanche Niece," which amused my professor.

albert

[UmbrellaFish]

^

Hmm... That's a face you don't see around here often.


Anyways, I got back a day early and watched The Phantom of the Opera.

The reason I had put off watching it before was because I heard the movie version was widely panned by critics, but watching it for myself, with very little previous knowledge of the original musical, I enjoyed it a lot. And yep, I want to pick up the recordings of this play, too.

[PeterPanfan]

Welcome back, Justin!

^

Hmm... That's a face you don't see around here often.


Anyways, I got back a day early and watched The Phantom of the Opera.

The reason I had put off watching it before was because I heard the movie version was widely panned by critics, but watching it for myself, with very little previous knowledge of the original musical, I enjoyed it a lot. And yep, I want to pick up the recordings of this play, too.

I'm glad you're enjoying Webber! He's a bit overrated, but you can't deny his talent.

Since you seem to enjoy musicals, I'm wondering if you're a fan of Sondheim? Or, more modernly, Rent?

[UmbrellaFish]

I'm glad you're enjoying Webber! He's a bit overrated, but you can't deny his talent.

Since you seem to enjoy musicals, I'm wondering if you're a fan of Sondheim? Or, more modernly, Rent?

I haven't really listened to enough Sondheim to determine whether or not I like him. I've seen the film versions of West Side Story and Gypsy and I've heard bits and pieces of Company, A Little Night Music, Sweeney Todd, Sunday in the Park with George, and Into the Woods, mostly thanks to the documentary Broadway: The American Musical. I guess I'm a little split. He's great, of course, but I usually like something more along the lines of Rodgers and Hammerstein and Lerner and Lowe.

However, I did watch Rent on FX (which I'm sure was cut to pieces, but whatever) and I loved it. I'd seen it before, but I don't think I really got it, because all I remembered was how bizarre "Today 4 U" was. Oh, and I watched two versions of Wicked on YouTube, as well. One with Menzel and Cheno and another one with Marcie Dodd and somebody else whose name I can't remember. Anyway, I loved that too!

[ajmrowland]

Just watched Dispicable Me. more info in that thread.

[Margos]

Since you seem to enjoy musicals, I'm wondering if you're a fan of Sondheim? Or, more modernly, Rent?

Or, if you want a really, really, really obscure and underrated musical, you should check out Metropolis (There's no film version of the musical, and it is rarely performed. But the Original London Cast soundtrack recording is excellent, and includes the full libretto if you buy it new or from a reputable seller).

[Goliath]

John Wayne died in 1979 from lung cancer. Although, you are correct about him being racist. As a matter-of-fact, he was a white supremacist who went on record saying some racist things during a 1971 Playboy interview.

I stand corrected. I was writing from memory, and must have changed the dates in my head. All the other things I wrote were correct, though.

As for your suggestions: I've seen (and enjoyed) most of them. I generally like (American) Westerns a lot. The original [i[3:10 to Yuma[/i] even is one of my favorite films. But John Wayne, I don't like a lot. Not because of his off-screen personality, but because he couldn't act.

You should post more often. If only because I'm sure the debates between you and Goliath would be legendary.

I can't wait!

@ Timon/Pumbaa Fan: in the 1971 'Playboy'-interview, Wayne said: "I believe in white supremacy until the blacks are educated to some point of responsibility. I don't believe in giving authority and positions of leadership to irresponsible people." Rereading the article in 'Empire', I also remembered another good reason to dislike Wayne personally: he was one of the 'friendly witnesses' for the House Un-American Activities Committee, who helped Jospeh McCarthy in his witchhunt for 'communists' in Hollywood. This led to the blacklisting of many people working in the movie industry, and ruïning many a career.

[Goliath]

Last film I watched:

Bend it like Beckham (2002)

A comedy/drama about a young British girl of Indian descent who wants to play professional soccer, but is hindered by her traditional family. The film follows various familiar patterns, formulas and clichés, but does so in a way that didn't disturb me much. None of it was surprising or exciting, but it was executed well enough. What's remarkable is that the then 28 years old Parminder Nagra convincingly pulled off playing a 16- or 17 year old girl.

[Margos]

Spellbound - My first Hitchcock experience, and I loved it! It was fabulous! I loved the psychoanalysis angle, because I think that psychology is fascinating, and both Gregory Peck and Ingrid Bergman were magnificent. I also really loved the old teacher guy, he was hilarious! My favorite line was probably, "Any husband of Constance is a husband of mine, so to speak!" It was sooo cute! I just loved Constance's character, and I thought that all of the twists at the end were fabulous! I remember, when John got arrested, I thought, "OMG! That's a horrible end for a movie!" I made the mistake of thinking it was over! Hah! I was really, really surprised at the end... But I loved this movie! I'm going to have to watch a heck of a lot more Hitchcock, now! Oh, and another highlight for me personally was the Dali-inspired dream sequence. That was just plain cool.

[jpanimation]

^Great, another Hitch fan

While Spellbound isn't one of his best films, it's still really enjoyable. I agree with everything you said about the film. I have to mention the score by Miklós Rózsa, which I consider one of his very best (if not his best), and it comes close to matching Bernard Herrmann greatness. I'm thinking you may like Rebecca or Notorious, as they're a similar type of movie to Spellbound.

My personal favorites are Strangers on a Train, Rear Window, North by Northwest and Psycho (among MANY others).