Last Seen Movie - The Latest Movie You Have Seen; ratings
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I've been resting at home due to Influenza... got complicated with a moderate bronchitis by a Strep but I'm doing fine right now... This time have been helpful in order to catch some films...
Ran (1985): At first I thought it was kind of underwhelming but the more I got into it the more effective it got. Loved the performances and technically of course the film is a gem. 8,5/10
Frost/Nixon (2008): It's great to be pleasently surprised. I finally took the decition to watch the film. I wasn't excited about it considering its director and the lukewarm reception it had, even among the members of this board, but I have to give Howard a lot of credit. The film is a great one indeed and totally deserving of the surname "Best Picture Nominee". Considering that the original story is a play, Howard improved a lot the language used in the storytelling creating a lot of cinematic moments, thus putting significant distance with the fact that this was that, a theater play (In contrast, this film explains by itself how wrong was the directing work in Doubt, which basically was a taped play in exteriors). He gave the film a perfect tone of intrigue. It got nerves and a pulse that might be the main aspects of this, probably his best directing effort. The cast was great and this is the kind of films that should be rewarded by the SAG award for best Ensemble. Of course they all are lead by the wonderful Langhella but everyone else was quite fitted for their roles. 8/10
Adaptation (2002): The screenplay was amazing, as I expected it to be, but the film didn't blew me away. Cage gave what I consider his best acting work to date, and both Streep and Cooper were terrific, even though in the end, when the film gets more satyrical and bizarre my attention and awe had diminished considerably as I felt it was getting too "oversmart/in-your-face". 7,5/10
Ran (1985): At first I thought it was kind of underwhelming but the more I got into it the more effective it got. Loved the performances and technically of course the film is a gem. 8,5/10
Frost/Nixon (2008): It's great to be pleasently surprised. I finally took the decition to watch the film. I wasn't excited about it considering its director and the lukewarm reception it had, even among the members of this board, but I have to give Howard a lot of credit. The film is a great one indeed and totally deserving of the surname "Best Picture Nominee". Considering that the original story is a play, Howard improved a lot the language used in the storytelling creating a lot of cinematic moments, thus putting significant distance with the fact that this was that, a theater play (In contrast, this film explains by itself how wrong was the directing work in Doubt, which basically was a taped play in exteriors). He gave the film a perfect tone of intrigue. It got nerves and a pulse that might be the main aspects of this, probably his best directing effort. The cast was great and this is the kind of films that should be rewarded by the SAG award for best Ensemble. Of course they all are lead by the wonderful Langhella but everyone else was quite fitted for their roles. 8/10
Adaptation (2002): The screenplay was amazing, as I expected it to be, but the film didn't blew me away. Cage gave what I consider his best acting work to date, and both Streep and Cooper were terrific, even though in the end, when the film gets more satyrical and bizarre my attention and awe had diminished considerably as I felt it was getting too "oversmart/in-your-face". 7,5/10
"If you place an object in a museum, does that make this object a piece of art?" - The Square (2017)
That Hamilton Woman (1941; Alexander Korda) 8/10
Lavish romance/propaganda, using the tale of the notorious affair between Lord Nelson (Laurence Olivier) and Lady Emma Hamilton (Vivien Leigh) to give the Blitz-weary Brits some inspiration. Extraordinary sets and costumes, Olivier and Leigh are marvelous, and there are some occasionally wonderful set-pieces, but the cummulative effect isn't as effective as I'd hoped. Still, definitely worth seeing.
Edited By Penelope on 1255923341
Lavish romance/propaganda, using the tale of the notorious affair between Lord Nelson (Laurence Olivier) and Lady Emma Hamilton (Vivien Leigh) to give the Blitz-weary Brits some inspiration. Extraordinary sets and costumes, Olivier and Leigh are marvelous, and there are some occasionally wonderful set-pieces, but the cummulative effect isn't as effective as I'd hoped. Still, definitely worth seeing.
Edited By Penelope on 1255923341
"...it is the weak who are cruel, and...gentleness is only to be expected from the strong." - Leo Reston
"Cruelty might be very human, and it might be cultural, but it's not acceptable." - Jodie Foster
"Cruelty might be very human, and it might be cultural, but it's not acceptable." - Jodie Foster
/HIDDEN/ (M. Haneke) - 7/10
This is a skillfully made movie with very strong indictments of the entitlement of the bourgeois. He says that beyond their culpability in the French-Algerian war, the entitled lie and hide because they can afford to. Both Georges and Anne range between telling white lies and leading secret lives. Haneke creates some terrifying imagery but I can't help but think that this is a brilliant concept shoehorned into another diatribe that Haneke keeps covering again and again. I would have prefered a thriller about who is sending the tapes all things considered.
THREE TIMES (Hou) - 6/10
I'd really like to like this movie more, I really would. Almost as much as I like being perceived as intelligent.
1. A man's idyllic dominion placed over a woman can be adorable.
2. A man's forceful dominion placed over a woman can be heartbreaking.
3. With all the freedom in the world, a woman is lost without history.
Ultimately it's all about history. I'm sure I don't know like some on this board about the repression of China's own history. I found Hou's final tale to be lethargic, and I couldn't relate to the entirety of the film on an emotional level. It's gorgeous filmmaking and the first story is incredibly transporting.
This is a skillfully made movie with very strong indictments of the entitlement of the bourgeois. He says that beyond their culpability in the French-Algerian war, the entitled lie and hide because they can afford to. Both Georges and Anne range between telling white lies and leading secret lives. Haneke creates some terrifying imagery but I can't help but think that this is a brilliant concept shoehorned into another diatribe that Haneke keeps covering again and again. I would have prefered a thriller about who is sending the tapes all things considered.
THREE TIMES (Hou) - 6/10
I'd really like to like this movie more, I really would. Almost as much as I like being perceived as intelligent.
1. A man's idyllic dominion placed over a woman can be adorable.
2. A man's forceful dominion placed over a woman can be heartbreaking.
3. With all the freedom in the world, a woman is lost without history.
Ultimately it's all about history. I'm sure I don't know like some on this board about the repression of China's own history. I found Hou's final tale to be lethargic, and I couldn't relate to the entirety of the film on an emotional level. It's gorgeous filmmaking and the first story is incredibly transporting.
"How's the despair?"
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Damn, that's why I hate my english. From all the versions that came after the original film... Jakson's might be the definitive one, according to some sources that talks too much about its accuracy and truthfulness to the original film. I couldn't know since I hadn't seen any of the previous adaptations. Now that I've finally seen the 1976 version I can say it was nice to watch. That's all...
"If you place an object in a museum, does that make this object a piece of art?" - The Square (2017)
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Yes FilmFan, I know you're right, that's why I said "it might be considered...". But I've read so many times that Jackson's film is the more truthful version to the original story that I had to said that.
"If you place an object in a museum, does that make this object a piece of art?" - The Square (2017)
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I think the definitive is the 1933 Merien C. Cooper/Ernest Schoedsack version, hands down!HarryGoldfarb wrote:King Kong (1976): 6,5/10
All I can say is that Jessica Lange was extremely hot... While Jackson's version might have a lot of strengths and might be considered the definitive version of the original story, at times this gets to be more entertaining. Jackson took the story to a level of seriousness that wasn't necessary. This was fun to watch.
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King Kong (1976): 6,5/10
All I can say is that Jessica Lange was extremely hot... While Jackson's version might have a lot of strengths and might be considered the definitive version of the original story, at times this gets to be more entertaining. Jackson took the story to a level of seriousness that wasn't necessary. This was fun to watch.
All I can say is that Jessica Lange was extremely hot... While Jackson's version might have a lot of strengths and might be considered the definitive version of the original story, at times this gets to be more entertaining. Jackson took the story to a level of seriousness that wasn't necessary. This was fun to watch.
"If you place an object in a museum, does that make this object a piece of art?" - The Square (2017)
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Blaze Starr Goes Nudist (1962) Doris Wishman 3/10
Man Made Monster (1941) George Waggner 4/10
Horror Island (1941) George Waggner 4/10
Anti Clock (1979) Jane Arden & Jack Bond 6/10
Midnight Mary (1933) William Wellman 4/10
Couples Retreat (2009) Peter Billingsley 1/10
Adam Resurrected (2008) Paul Schrader 7/10
Tricks (2007) Andrzej Jakimowski 4/10
Swastika (1973) Philippe Mora & Lutz Becker 6/10
Weekend at Dunkirk (1964) Henri Vernueuil 4/10
My Sister Maria (2002) Maximilian Schell 6/10
Who's Who (1979) Mike Leigh 7/10
Whatever Works (2009) Woody Allen 4/10
A Man Called La Rocca (1961) Jean Becker 4/10
Goryeo jany (1963) Ki-young Kim 8/10
This was the best film I've seen all week. It bares a very slightly similarity to the The Ballad of Narayama in that it's set in a village where the old are taken to die at a mountain when they reach the age of 70. However, the story unfolding under this mountain are far more disturbing then the Japanese films.
This film was an incredibly bleak and despairing experience, filmed mostly on a sound stage with theatrical style acting.
Unfortunately two reels of this 1963 film are missing (2 separate 10 minute sections) with only the soundtrack, dialogue and music, remaining.
Definitely worth seeking out.
Man Made Monster (1941) George Waggner 4/10
Horror Island (1941) George Waggner 4/10
Anti Clock (1979) Jane Arden & Jack Bond 6/10
Midnight Mary (1933) William Wellman 4/10
Couples Retreat (2009) Peter Billingsley 1/10
Adam Resurrected (2008) Paul Schrader 7/10
Tricks (2007) Andrzej Jakimowski 4/10
Swastika (1973) Philippe Mora & Lutz Becker 6/10
Weekend at Dunkirk (1964) Henri Vernueuil 4/10
My Sister Maria (2002) Maximilian Schell 6/10
Who's Who (1979) Mike Leigh 7/10
Whatever Works (2009) Woody Allen 4/10
A Man Called La Rocca (1961) Jean Becker 4/10
Goryeo jany (1963) Ki-young Kim 8/10
This was the best film I've seen all week. It bares a very slightly similarity to the The Ballad of Narayama in that it's set in a village where the old are taken to die at a mountain when they reach the age of 70. However, the story unfolding under this mountain are far more disturbing then the Japanese films.
This film was an incredibly bleak and despairing experience, filmed mostly on a sound stage with theatrical style acting.
Unfortunately two reels of this 1963 film are missing (2 separate 10 minute sections) with only the soundtrack, dialogue and music, remaining.
Definitely worth seeking out.
"I want cement covering every blade of grass in this nation! Don't we taxpayers have a voice anymore?" Peggy Gravel (Mink Stole) in John Waters' Desperate Living (1977)
Romeo and Juliet (1968; Franco Zefferelli) 9/10
Another one I hadn't seen in decades, but I've been thinking about it since seeing Bright Star--plus, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra is heavily promoting an upcoming concert of Prokofiev's Romeo & Juliet--so I've been reminded of it every day. It holds up very well; I still think the comedy is too forced, but the sets and costumes are magnificent, Nino Roto's score memorable and Leonard Whiting and Olivia Hussey are absolutely exquisite as the doomed lovers; as a bonus, Zefferelli really love to linger over Whiting's stunning beauty.
Another one I hadn't seen in decades, but I've been thinking about it since seeing Bright Star--plus, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra is heavily promoting an upcoming concert of Prokofiev's Romeo & Juliet--so I've been reminded of it every day. It holds up very well; I still think the comedy is too forced, but the sets and costumes are magnificent, Nino Roto's score memorable and Leonard Whiting and Olivia Hussey are absolutely exquisite as the doomed lovers; as a bonus, Zefferelli really love to linger over Whiting's stunning beauty.
"...it is the weak who are cruel, and...gentleness is only to be expected from the strong." - Leo Reston
"Cruelty might be very human, and it might be cultural, but it's not acceptable." - Jodie Foster
"Cruelty might be very human, and it might be cultural, but it's not acceptable." - Jodie Foster