The Young Victoria (Jean Marc-Vallee, 2009) 6/10
Well acted film with good production values. Emily Blunt vividly brings to life Victoria and Rupert Friend is equally good as Albert. Both actors have great chemistry. Blunt is on the verge of receiving an Oscar nod.
Last Seen Movie - The Latest Movie You Have Seen; ratings
Creation (Jon Amiel, 2009) 3/10
Terribly morose film about Charles Darwin's controversial theories clashing with his wife's religious beliefs.
Nine (Rob Marshall, 2009) 5/10
Really guys the film was not all that bad or maybe after reading all the remarks on the board I was expecting something deformed and horrific. Yes, Day-Lewis is all wrong for the part and I hated what Dion Beebe did with his lighting which makes the film look grubby. Even the outdoor scenes are shot terribly. I liked the songs sung by Nicole Kidman (the one next to the fountain....was she dubbed, I wonder?) and Cotillard. Great production design and costumes. Of the performances I liked Kidman and Dench with Cotillard a standout in the film. Very odd that she was not nominated and they instead gave a nod to Penelope Cruz who clearly didn't deserve it. Loren looks like a waxwork.
(500) Days of Summer (Marc Webb, 2009) 6/10
Fresh romantic comedy with great performances by both Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel.
Edited By Reza on 1265618939
Terribly morose film about Charles Darwin's controversial theories clashing with his wife's religious beliefs.
Nine (Rob Marshall, 2009) 5/10
Really guys the film was not all that bad or maybe after reading all the remarks on the board I was expecting something deformed and horrific. Yes, Day-Lewis is all wrong for the part and I hated what Dion Beebe did with his lighting which makes the film look grubby. Even the outdoor scenes are shot terribly. I liked the songs sung by Nicole Kidman (the one next to the fountain....was she dubbed, I wonder?) and Cotillard. Great production design and costumes. Of the performances I liked Kidman and Dench with Cotillard a standout in the film. Very odd that she was not nominated and they instead gave a nod to Penelope Cruz who clearly didn't deserve it. Loren looks like a waxwork.
(500) Days of Summer (Marc Webb, 2009) 6/10
Fresh romantic comedy with great performances by both Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel.
Edited By Reza on 1265618939
-
Precious Doll
- Emeritus
- Posts: 4453
- Joined: Mon Jan 13, 2003 2:20 am
- Location: Sydney
- Contact:
Woman is the Future of Man (2004) Sang-soo Hong 5/10
Dog Tags (2008) Damion Dietz 4/10
Lou Reed's Berlin (2007) Julian Schnabel 4/10
Fish Tank (2009) Andrea Arnold 7/10
The Secret People (1952) Thorold Dickinson 6/10
Broken English (2007) Zoe Cassavetes 4/10
Dog Tags (2008) Damion Dietz 4/10
Lou Reed's Berlin (2007) Julian Schnabel 4/10
Fish Tank (2009) Andrea Arnold 7/10
The Secret People (1952) Thorold Dickinson 6/10
Broken English (2007) Zoe Cassavetes 4/10
"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)
-
anonymous1980
- Laureate
- Posts: 6399
- Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2003 10:03 pm
- Location: Manila
- Contact:
Last couple of weeks
Where the Wild Things Are (2009, Spike Jonze) - 5
Up in the Air (2009, Jason Reitman) - 6
The Road (2009, John Hillcoat) - 7
The Pride of the Yankees (1942, Sam Wood) - 8
The Search (1948, Fred Zinnemann) - 9
Valkyrie (2008, Bryan Singer) - 4
Gomorrah (2008, Matteo Garone) - 7
Hoop Dreams (1994, Steve James) - 8
Where the Wild Things Are (2009, Spike Jonze) - 5
Up in the Air (2009, Jason Reitman) - 6
The Road (2009, John Hillcoat) - 7
The Pride of the Yankees (1942, Sam Wood) - 8
The Search (1948, Fred Zinnemann) - 9
Valkyrie (2008, Bryan Singer) - 4
Gomorrah (2008, Matteo Garone) - 7
Hoop Dreams (1994, Steve James) - 8
-
anonymous1980
- Laureate
- Posts: 6399
- Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2003 10:03 pm
- Location: Manila
- Contact:
-
Precious Doll
- Emeritus
- Posts: 4453
- Joined: Mon Jan 13, 2003 2:20 am
- Location: Sydney
- Contact:
Inju (2008) Barbet Schroeder 1/10
This and Desperate Measures are the major lows of Schroeder's erratic directional career to date. Most of the story takes place in Japan where a French writer (Benoit Magimel) is promoting his latest book. The 'villian's' identity and the outcome of the film are very obvious early on. It's pretty silly stuff screaming for an equally appalling Hollywood remake.
Precious (2009) Lee Daniels 4/10
Overblown cliched soap opera that is a somewhat more somber experience then Lee Daniels far more entertaining first feature, Shadowboxer.
The only aspect of the film that impressed me was Mo'Nique who brought some life and energy to the film. I probably responded well to Mo'Nique beacuse she reminded me of Divine's portrayal of Dawn Davenport in John Water's Female Trouble. One particular scene (which Mo'Nique does not appear in) looks like a direct homage or rip-off of the school classroom scene from Female Trouble.
Funnily enough another scene owes something to Chang-dong Lee's Oasis though I suspect this would be nothing more then a consequence.
A bit of trivia - the name of the supporting character played by Mo'Nique in Daniel's Shadowboxer was called Precious.
Edited By Precious Doll on 1265362664
This and Desperate Measures are the major lows of Schroeder's erratic directional career to date. Most of the story takes place in Japan where a French writer (Benoit Magimel) is promoting his latest book. The 'villian's' identity and the outcome of the film are very obvious early on. It's pretty silly stuff screaming for an equally appalling Hollywood remake.
Precious (2009) Lee Daniels 4/10
Overblown cliched soap opera that is a somewhat more somber experience then Lee Daniels far more entertaining first feature, Shadowboxer.
The only aspect of the film that impressed me was Mo'Nique who brought some life and energy to the film. I probably responded well to Mo'Nique beacuse she reminded me of Divine's portrayal of Dawn Davenport in John Water's Female Trouble. One particular scene (which Mo'Nique does not appear in) looks like a direct homage or rip-off of the school classroom scene from Female Trouble.
Funnily enough another scene owes something to Chang-dong Lee's Oasis though I suspect this would be nothing more then a consequence.
A bit of trivia - the name of the supporting character played by Mo'Nique in Daniel's Shadowboxer was called Precious.
Edited By Precious Doll on 1265362664
"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)
-
Big Magilla
- Site Admin
- Posts: 19383
- Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2003 3:22 pm
- Location: Jersey Shore
Ethan Frome (1993) John Madden 5/10
Muted, if well acted version of Edith Wharton's novel of love and regret in rural mid-19th Century Massachusetts with Liam Neeson as the brooding farmer, Joan Allen his sickly wife, Patricia Arquette his true love, Tate Donovan the new minister and Katharine Houghton the old friend. Time has not been kind to this one.
The House of the Seven Gables (1940) Joe May 8/10
Re-tooled version of Nataniel Hawthorne's classic tale of revenge is nevertheless powerful in its own right with excellent performances from Vincent Price, who even gets to sing, as the wrongfully accused murderer and Margaret Lindsay as the woman who waits for him. Also with George Sanders (top billed as the villain) and Dick Foran and Nan Grey as the young lovers. Frank Skinner's score was nomianted for an Oscar.
The Man With Two Faces (1934) Archie Mayo 6/10
A showcase for Edward G. Robinson as an actor who uses stage makeup to conceal a murder in plain sight. Not bad, but not exactly a missing masterpiece either. The rest of the cast, including Mary Astor, Richardo Cortez, Mae Clarke and Louis Calhern is rather under-utilized.
Union Depot (1932) Alfred E. Green 7/10
Pre-code double entendres fly fast and furious in this depression era romp with Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. as a bum playing "gentleman for a day" opposite Joan Blondell as a down at her heels chorus girl. The Warner Bros. stock company is in good stead in support both billed (Guy Kibee, Alan Hale, Frank McHugh) and un-billed (Ethel Griffies, Maude Eberne, Dickie Moore).
Muted, if well acted version of Edith Wharton's novel of love and regret in rural mid-19th Century Massachusetts with Liam Neeson as the brooding farmer, Joan Allen his sickly wife, Patricia Arquette his true love, Tate Donovan the new minister and Katharine Houghton the old friend. Time has not been kind to this one.
The House of the Seven Gables (1940) Joe May 8/10
Re-tooled version of Nataniel Hawthorne's classic tale of revenge is nevertheless powerful in its own right with excellent performances from Vincent Price, who even gets to sing, as the wrongfully accused murderer and Margaret Lindsay as the woman who waits for him. Also with George Sanders (top billed as the villain) and Dick Foran and Nan Grey as the young lovers. Frank Skinner's score was nomianted for an Oscar.
The Man With Two Faces (1934) Archie Mayo 6/10
A showcase for Edward G. Robinson as an actor who uses stage makeup to conceal a murder in plain sight. Not bad, but not exactly a missing masterpiece either. The rest of the cast, including Mary Astor, Richardo Cortez, Mae Clarke and Louis Calhern is rather under-utilized.
Union Depot (1932) Alfred E. Green 7/10
Pre-code double entendres fly fast and furious in this depression era romp with Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. as a bum playing "gentleman for a day" opposite Joan Blondell as a down at her heels chorus girl. The Warner Bros. stock company is in good stead in support both billed (Guy Kibee, Alan Hale, Frank McHugh) and un-billed (Ethel Griffies, Maude Eberne, Dickie Moore).
-
The Original BJ
- Emeritus
- Posts: 4312
- Joined: Mon Apr 28, 2003 8:49 pm
The Lovely Bones (Peter Jackson, 2009) 7/10
I would now like to read the book although it should have been the other way round. Well made film but extremely downbeat despite the ''colourful'' view of the dead. I didn't understand the end. Why didn't the police followup on the lead found by the daughter? Or did they? Divine intervention adds closure instead. Stanley Tucci is excellent. And I liked Susan Sarandon.......more her ''look'' than the performance.
I would now like to read the book although it should have been the other way round. Well made film but extremely downbeat despite the ''colourful'' view of the dead. I didn't understand the end. Why didn't the police followup on the lead found by the daughter? Or did they? Divine intervention adds closure instead. Stanley Tucci is excellent. And I liked Susan Sarandon.......more her ''look'' than the performance.
...catching up on a few this weekend+...
The Messenger
7.5/10
I am amazed everytime I see Samantha Morton. And she is the biggest standout in this. The uncut scene in the kitchen between her and Ben Foster is hypnotizing! Why is she not a lock for a nomination?!
An Education
7.5/10
A Serious Man
8.5/10
I am so impressed! I loved it.
The White Ribbon
6.5/10
Very disappointed. For a film filled with mulitple mysterious events I waited through almost two and a half hours to an ending which revealed nothing at all!
The Messenger
7.5/10
I am amazed everytime I see Samantha Morton. And she is the biggest standout in this. The uncut scene in the kitchen between her and Ben Foster is hypnotizing! Why is she not a lock for a nomination?!
An Education
7.5/10
A Serious Man
8.5/10
I am so impressed! I loved it.
The White Ribbon
6.5/10
Very disappointed. For a film filled with mulitple mysterious events I waited through almost two and a half hours to an ending which revealed nothing at all!