Last Movie You Watched

[Oz]

Masaki Kobayashi's Harakiri

I was a bit disappointed to be honest. The drama leading up the big reveal was nice but then the climax was sort of a letdown. It was just lacking emphasis really.

[Trajan]

I'm sorry, the ending just didn't really resonate with me.

[Oz]

So only the climax lacked emphasis? I thought you said that about the film in general. I thought that was a pretty dumb thing to say since Harakiri spells out its "honor" and "paradox of samurai code" themes so clearly throughout the film. I'd say the ending doesn't need to be even more dramatic since the film is already quite melodramatic for its own sake and that sort of disturbing-and-not-so-human ending fits perfectly to the cruel thematics.

[Xard]

Harakiri is my favourite samurai film after Seven Samurai and Rashomon. Superb piece

[Ceimoa Nan]

I just watched The Andromeda Strain, the 1971 film. I'd been meaning to watch it for a while, especially after I read on this site's wiki that Evangelion alluded to it a lot, and I've also read Crichton's Prey. I loved it. Pretty slow in the beginning, but I was surprisingly involved in the second half. I loved the Wildfire facility. Definitely goes up there with my favorite retro-futuristic underground research facilities like Nerv HQ and the DHARMA Initiative Swan Station. I loved the soundtrack. That lonely 70s and 80s sci-fi music that reminds me of the atmosphere and certain tracks from Super Metroid. And since I'm just beginning to take health-related classes, I enjoyed seeing how they figured stuff out. "Oh, hey, I knew that uncontrolled diabetes can lead to acidosis! I think that means I'm smart or something!"

I've always liked the idea of scientists as heroes, but I realized that usually in fiction they had to put down their microscope and pick up an AK-47 to save the day. But in this, Crichton (well, I didn't actually read the book, but I get the feeling the movie followed it very closely) really made routine scientific research interesting. And without a CSI montage that skips over it all. I think that's a cool thing to pull off. I should try finding more hard sci-fi like that.

[Guyver Spawn]

I saw The Lorax with my two younger cousins of mine since I was babysitting them. They like the movie and I thought it was pretty enjoyable. I feel like the Lorax was in the movie more often and I was not sure about the changes that they did with the story. Dr. Seuss stories work great as specials, not feature films.

[Trajan]

The Sweet Smell of Success

Awesome, awesome movie. Burt Lancaster and Tony Curtis were both phenomenal, the script was excellent, and the pacing was great. It's a shame this is Alexander Mackendrick's only noteworthy film.

[MugwumpHasNoLiver]

Alfred Hitchcock's Shadow of a Doubt and Otto Preminger's Laura.

Both wonderful films. If you want to know why I felt so wonderful, you only need to ask. It's five AM here, and I'm in the middle of a fast which has left me in minor annoyance, and besides, writing out my opinions in regards to films is tiresome work. The fact that Jimbo used to do it five times a day is proof enough that he was some sort of homunculus.

I will say that men from that era were impeccably stylish, and thus make for some great eye candy. Joseph Cotten's performance as Uncle Charlie was riveting; equally parts kind and playful and contemptuous and horrible. I also loved how fleshed out the family was, as aside from providing some mild amusement, it also really drove home little girl Charlie's refusal to expose her Uncle as the killer and upset her mother. The only thing that seemed kind of off was how sudden and intense her relationship with the detective was. One scene, they're talking in a house, the next they're madly in love and things stay that way. He looks incredibly familiar to me, but I can't for the life of me remember what else I've seen him in, and can't be bothered to look it up at the moment.

As for Laura, well it was not only interesting seeing Vincent Price--as I've never actually seen him in a film before--but seeing him so young and as a character nothing like his pop-culture persona created through osmosis, homages and parodies. Waldo whatshisface, is a damn fine character entirely because he's so smug and preening. Also, he has a lavish bathroom with a swerving platform over the bath where he keeps a typewriter. I want to type in the bath. Also, the main guy, the detective, Mark McPherson, he's hot.

Both films were slow building and really do a lot with atmosphere and characterization before the main plots really come into play; in both cases more than half-way in. I don't think I'd have enjoyed either nearly as much had I read plot synopses before-hand. My imagination got to run wild. During the first hand of Shadow of a Doubt, for instance, I was convinced Uncle Charlie was an impostor due to his inability to remember things, the little girl saying he looked different, and the fact that his recital of childhood trivia sounded so rehearsed. (His sister bought the disguise because they hadn't seen each other in so long.) Well, if Hitchcock wasn't gonna use that plot, maybe I will. I hate instant gratification. I don't need story shoved in my face. It should grow out like a vine, or an erection full of blood.

Well, now there's no need to ask me anything, is there?

[Fireball]

Watched The Expendables

Well, that was complete trash. And not in the it's so bad it's good kind of way. So many stars and so little done with it...horrible camera work, fucklolstory, crappy CGI, gut-wrenching bad dialogues. I get making a homage to old action flicks but then make the action at least entertaining. I really would have preferred to go all 80s and make some nice good looking explosions and less CGI invested shaky camera angles. Sly's face is getting worse and worse. That eyeliner botox soaked up facials made Mickey Rourke look fucking natural. So distracting.

Imma go hang a pirate now.

[Bomby von Bombsville]

Saw an old, beat up 35mm print of Johnnie To's The Heroic Trio. This is seriously one of the "best" movies ever. Seriously. It has babies being stolen, evil demons, cannibals, wildly inappropriate death scenes, a cheesy melodramatic score, Anthony Wong as a depraved monster, not to mention Anita Mui, Michelle Yeoh, and Maggie Cheung at the height of their beauty doing spectacularly choreographed wire-fu (courtesy of Ching Siu-Tung, my favorite action choreographer) in rubber superhero costumes. If more movies were like this, more movies would be awesome.

[tomrule123]

Watched The Expendables

Well, that was complete trash. And not in the it's so bad it's good kind of way. So many stars and so little done with it...horrible camera work, fucklolstory, crappy CGI, gut-wrenching bad dialogues. I get making a homage to old action flicks but then make the action at least entertaining. I really would have preferred to go all 80s and make some nice good looking explosions and less CGI invested shaky camera angles. Sly's face is getting worse and worse. That eyeliner botox soaked up facials made Mickey Rourke look fucking natural. So distracting.

Imma go hang a pirate now.

When I saw this, it felt like Mike Bay's Transformers films: lots of explosions, too many characters, climax that's too bold and flashy for us to handle, etc... but I find this more enjoyable than Transformers. (Transformers had bad puns and more bad scriptwriting than "The Expendables" has.) Yes it's not one of the best action films ever made, but I never thought that it was the worst. Is it worth seeing the sequel to it? Probably not. (only version I saw was the Expanded cut.)

"Hugo". Finally saw it, and... it's too bad it didn't win "Best Picture". The discovery that the film was exploring is extraordinary,

SPOILER: Show

something that fits under Scorsese's understanding of film history.

The film's actual premise is definitely different than what the ads were providing, and what is actually presented is probably the best that I've ever seen. Film buffs have got to see this... Mandatory.

[Trajan]

^
Agreed. It's a fantastic movie, but Scorsese already got an Oscar back in 2006 and the academy generally doesn't like giving one person the award multiple times anymore. I have yet to see the Artist, but I have heard good things about it. Hopefully it will hold up better than Slumdog Millionaire.

[Fireand'chutes77]

^
Agreed. It's a fantastic movie, but Scorsese already got an Oscar back in 2006 and the academy generally doesn't like giving one person the award multiple times anymore.

But what about James Cameron and Titanic? Or did that happen before "anymore"? (My wording's unclear, sorry.)

[Bomby von Bombsville]

The Hunger Games

It was pretty good, for most of the movie at least. I purposely saw the movie before reading the books (not out of laziness but because of my greater interest in film as a medium than the story being told), so I was fresh to the story itself, which became too predictable after a certain point.

SPOILER: Show

Rue's death. Poor little girl. She was the one I actually wanted to win, though I kind of figured she wouldn't.

It's hard to talk about this film without mentioning Battle Royale, which I also just thought was "pretty good." I thought BR was the better film between these two, at least in terms of the actual film making itself. The camera work in The Hunger Games was kind of annoying at first, and during the scenes of violence never ceased to be annoying. I know it's not supposed to be an "action" movie, but I would prefer not to be confused about what the hell is actually happening when two characters are trying to kill each other. Which of these vague blurs of a human am I supposed to be going for? Who has the advantage?

I'll let people debate among themselves which story was better. Battle Royale was very Japan-specific, but The Hunger Games felt more universal.

[BrikHaus]

The Descendants. Pretty good movie. Too lazy to write a review.

[Bomby von Bombsville]

Found myself in a theater watching 21 Jump Street of all movies. In other words, I had a free movie pass and it got good reviews. Surprisingly, I actually did kind of enjoy it. It seemed to be making fun of itself. Nick Offerman's cameo was quite apt.

Lots of cameos by lesser known actors that I kind of like. Especially the girl who played Cathy in the last few episodes of The Office. She's kind of hot. Also, I'm kind of shallow.

[ONIAgent150]

The Hunger Games

It was pretty good, for most of the movie at least. I purposely saw the movie before reading the books (not out of laziness but because of my greater interest in film as a medium than the story being told), so I was fresh to the story itself, which became too predictable after a certain point.

SPOILER: Show

Rue's death. Poor little girl. She was the one I actually wanted to win, though I kind of figured she wouldn't.

It's hard to talk about this film without mentioning Battle Royale, which I also just thought was "pretty good." I thought BR was the better film between these two, at least in terms of the actual film making itself. The camera work in The Hunger Games was kind of annoying at first, and during the scenes of violence never ceased to be annoying. I know it's not supposed to be an "action" movie, but I would prefer not to be confused about what the hell is actually happening when two characters are trying to kill each other. Which of these vague blurs of a human am I supposed to be going for? Who has the advantage?

I'll let people debate among themselves which story was better. Battle Royale was very Japan-specific, but The Hunger Games felt more universal.

I also saw The Hunger Games and liked it a lot. However, it had a couple of minor things that really screwed with an otherwise great flick. Who are the pink lady and crazy beard man? It didn't really matter, but the scene with Katniss in the tree is AWFUL. Just burn her out of the tree! Also: why does the wasp net suddenly appear only when Rue points it out? Whatever. Good film, great acting, and stellar camerawork. I really do like shaky cam and this movie used it expertly.

[MugwumpHasNoLiver]

I also saw The Hunger Games. It was superb. Because it's so popular and recent, I will be using it as an example during casual conversation for why films with good pacing can be longer than one and a half hours and not feel like it. None of the characters were really memorable, but I connected with them because of how the film took its time, and really fleshed them out. I almost started bawling when little Rue died. Yes, my black rapist heart still has a shred of empathy in it, what gives? ... I really wish more films has the balls to take their time. I think the emphasis on the main girl's character really helped mask how derivative the basic dystopian sci-fi plot elements were.

I also saw Mirror, Mirror. It's a visual feast, but that was a given, seeing as who directed it. The script is hit or miss, but enough of the humor worked that I enjoyed it. The only section that really stood out as being awful was when Armie Hammer starts acting like a dog for some stupid reason I won't get into. It wasn't too grating, though, because Armie Hammer is a sexy, sexy man.

I've also watched Ghost in the Shell, Double Indemnity and Mildred Pierce. Every single one was excellent, but seeing as they aren't recent films, and you've probably either never heard of them, or heard too much about them, I won't bore you with any details. Yes, the latter criterion surely applies to recent films, but they're topical, so fuck off.

Who are the pink lady and crazy beard man? It didn't really matter, but the scene with Katniss in the tree is AWFUL. Just burn her out of the tree! Also: why does the wasp net suddenly appear only when Rue points it out?

The pink lady was some kind of official in charge of selecting and training the tributes from District 12. I don't know if she had some kind of official title, but that's the gist of it. I'm not sure which guy is "crazy beard man" though. Are you referring to the drunk who won the games before and is now giving them advice, or the president, prime minster or whatever?

As for the tree... Well, what would they burn it with? I don't know if basic kindling could really take down a whole tree. I suppose they could have theoretically ran back to the cornucopia and gotten some explosives, but that was before they stockpiled everything, and there were other kids still on the lose, so it probably never occurred to them.

As for the bee only appearing when Rue points it out? Well, Rue was the only one who saw it. I myself thought it was more unlikely that she just happened to run up the one tree with a mutant wasp's nest as the top, but then that kind of when away when I remembered that the area seemed to be designed for maximum havoc, so there were probably more in other places.

[Trajan]

Drive

Completely. Awesome.

[Fazmotron]

Well, I watched a freaking ridiculous number of films last month so I think I'll need some spoiler tags:

SPOILER: Show

March:
The Recruit (2003)
11'09"01 September 11 (2002)
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (2010)
Hackers (1995)
Love and Other Drugs (2010)
Robocop 3 (1993)
Sunshine (2007)
I, Robot (2004)
The Island (2005)
28 Days Later (2002)
The Grey (2012)
28 Weeks Later (2007)
Broken Blossoms (1919)
127 Hours (2010)
Dark City: Director’s Cut (1998)
Thor (2011)
Forbidden Planet (1956)
Ararat (2002)
Imposter (2002)
Limitless (2011)
The Illusionist (2006)
The Cooler (2003)
Grosse Pointe Blank (1997)
The Crow (1994)
Knocked Up (2007)
Dreamcatcher (2003)
Drive (2011)
True Grit (2010)
Metropolis (1927)
John Carter (2012)
The Great Train Robbery (1903)
His Girl Friday (1940)
Knowing (2009)
Mystic River (2003)
American Gangster (2007)
Matchstick Men (2003)
Body Of Lies (2008)
Paradise Now (2005)
The A-Team (Extended) (2010)
Déjà Vu (2006)
Election (1999)
In The Line Of Fire (1993)
Le Voyage Dans La Lune (A Trip To The Moon) (1902)
Sucker Punch (2011)
Altered States (1980)
Black Hawk Down (2001)
21 Jump Street (2012)
Double Indemnity (1944)
Aliens (Extended)(1986)
Alien 3 (Assembly Cut)(1992)
Alien Resurrection (1997)
Alien vs. Predator (2004)
Festen (1998)
War Games (1983)
Mind Game (2004)
The Matrix (1999)
The Matrix Reloaded (2003)
The Matrix Revolutions (2003)
The Game (1997)
The Hunger Games (2012)
A Woman Under The Influence (1974)
The Shadow (1994)
Caché (Hidden)(2005)
Somersault (2004)

Also, can't be fucked going through and reviewing them all either. But I will say this; you should all see Somersault because it is amazing.