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Film What's the Last Film You Saw? v. Tell Us What You Thought!

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Lost in Translation (2003)

This film was great, yet the very definition of melancholy I felt (yeah, fuck you Lars von Trier). Two strangers played by Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansen keep crossing paths, as they spend a lonely few weeks in Tokyo, their respective spouses far away or busy.

We watch as their romance blooms, slowly, shyly. Never pushy. In fact they barely even kiss towards the end... and yet you cry, you cry for all that was lost that could have been. In the end, the amazing soundtrack, compliments of Air and a few other contemporary bands at the time, really gives you the feels. You want so badly for Murray and Johansen to embrace and love one another... yet in the end, they can't.

This film was Sofia Coppola in her best form. Here I thought she couldn't top The Virgin Suicides... yet here we are, with an even better film, full of amazing character development yet very little dialogue.

Some say she stands on the shoulders of her father; well, financially, most likely. Yet her films are very unique from her father's films. This is no Francis Ford Coppola film, this is truly his daughter's own work.

An amazing, melancholic film with a fantastic soundtrack. I really enjoyed it despite crying my eyes out at the end.

Lost in Translation... such an apt name for this film.

8.5/10



The Rainbow (1989)

Ken Russell was at the directing helm of this D.H. Lawrence adaptation, with some help from his wife on adapting the screenplay. In typical Russell fashion, this film is sumptuous to look at, yet for once he packed a heck of a lot more substance into it. This is like 50% of the usual Russell style we see in his other 80s films.

In essence, it's a coming of age film about a young woman in Ireland... but not for those too young ;) lots of nudity, lesbianism, the works. Definitely an adult film. Anyways, it was very easy to relate to the main character played amazingly by Sami Davis. The runtime is a bit long, but still worth the watch, most especially if you're trying to kill a slow Sunday morning or just want something visually exciting to take up the end of an acid trip.

Not a film for everyone, but a great coming of age flick if that's your thing.

6.8/10
 
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Cream Gravy? said:
Nah, not familiar with that one. What's it about?
Click to expand...

It's a Ken Russell film. Pretty crazy, over-the-top movie...from what I remember (saw it long ago) it kind of brings together wild psychosexual themes together with political intrigue set in the late middle ages/early modern state period. Stars Oliver Reed, of Hammer film fame (but who most movie audiences probably know from the film "Gladiator").

Check it out, it's good!

en.wikipedia.org

The Devils (film) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org
 


Very surprised how well this indie horror was done, suspenseful throughout with hardly any dialogue but kept you on the edge of your seat for the entire film. Will be interesting to see what the director does next in the horror/thriller genre.

4/5

As always there’s films and reviews I forget to post here so check out my Letterboxd profile as I log everything there 😊
 
Gonna shoot off some reviews for films I either don't recall as well or didn't enjoy quite so much:


Spotlight (2015)

This was an amazingly depressing movie truth be told. I grew up Catholic. I never wanted to think that the Church would turn a blind eye the way it has in the past...

If this film wasn't a complete fictionalization of the whole priest-pedophilia fiasco that has been going on for centuries, well... it still convinced me to turn away from the Church. I already had, but this seals the deal. The Catholic Church, the Pope, they are not conduits or messengers of God anymore. Maybe they once were. I still have great respect for Pope John Paul II... nonetheless, these egregious crimes have been permitted in various fashions in perpetuity. Until we all stand up and say, "No more," to organized religions, these things will continue to happen; holy wars, pedophilia, coverups, the works.

Give this film a watch if you need your Catholic faith shook up. It'll get you good.

Amazingly executed, with great pacing, fantastic acting, the whole nine-yards. Worth a watch even if you already hate the Church. Deserved its Oscar wins for sure.

8/10


Cool Hand Luke (1967)

This was a boring ass film with a fantastic troop of a shit ton of would-be 70s-90s actors such as Dennis Hopper and Harry Dean Stanton. We don't see much of them... oh well.

The lead (Paul Newman) does a very meh job of portraying an anarchistic war hero who goes to prison for drunkenly sawing the tops off a bunch of parking meters. He winds up spending lots of time on a chain gang on a good ol' Southern style work farm from the early 20th century. In this respect, the film is mildly interesting; 20th century penology is fascinating. It was a more effective, brutal, and natural time of punishment. Anyhow...

Luke doesn't like prison (he's an anarchist essentially if you recall) and makes a fuss about it a lot. Him and the Warden quarrel. I can't even recall the end to this film to tell you the truth, it was just that darn dull.

This was/is a highly regarded film by many. I'd love for them to show me why. The Oscar for best supporting actor was deserved (George Kennedy) but the Academy Awards have always been a joke anyhow...

"What we've got here is a failure to communicate." Damned straight, I don't really know what was communicated to me here. This film did not age well at all.

4/10


Moonrise Kingdom (2012)

Another Wes Anderson flick. Can't go wrong. I don't recall much of this one (was probably pretty doped up during viewing) but all the classic actors were there. It was a classic W. Anderson film; quirky, quick editing, witty word play, etc.

As they sum up on IMDb:
A pair of young lovers flee their New England town, which causes a local search party to fan out to find them.
Click to expand...

That's about it. The young lovers happen to barely be preteens as well, adding to the quirkiness. Hilarity ensues of course.

I'll try and give this one another watch sometime to give it a fair shake, but I'm more attached to his earlier The Darjeeling Limited lately and have rewatched it instead a few times (great flick btw).

7/10
 
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I didn't much care for "Cool Hand Luke" either. It's strange because usually I'm a sucker for "individual vs. institution"-type stories, but that one just didn't grab me.
 
Burnt Offerings said:
It's strange because usually I'm a sucker for "individual vs. institution"-type stories, but that one just didn't grab me.
Click to expand...
Same here. Not sure why it became such a 'classic'. Another example of how 'classics' are subjective. Roger Ebert loved the movie. The man also had horribly bad taste in films. Yet he's the most famous film critic of all time... life never stops baffling me.
 
Dredd (2012)

I'm not one for comic book stuff but I immensely enjoyed this version of Dredd starring Karl Urban. This film was aesthetically like a Gaspar Noe or N.W.R. film, but with a way more entertaining plot than they seem to average.

I thought it funny that the reason the 'Judges' are around is to crack down on drug-use related crime; they don't seem to care about any other crimes but drug use and murder related to it... perhaps commentary on American policing? Who knows.

Great sci-fi though. Over the top visuals and gore, yet you don't feel sickened. Wife and I watched it and felt none of the sickness we felt while watching The Neon Demon. Really enjoyable action sequences and great pacing. No real substance here though, just pure movie watching pleasure.

Might add it to my shelf someday.

7.8/10


The Founder (2016)

Michael Keaton did an amazing job in this film (as did Nick Offerman as one of the McDonald brothers, hats off) as the man who stole MacD's and turned it into the money-grubbing machine it is today. Obviously the man revolutionized fast food... but at what cost?

There's a particular bit at the end where Keaton really, really shows his acting chops through a slowly changing facial expression. I very much enjoyed his acting throughout, it was gripping and real. American is the word I'd use. He really captured the American entrepreneur perfectly.

If you enjoy dramas about real life events, this one might be up your alley. I don't like to eat at MacD's but I enjoyed the heck out of this film truth be told.

7.5/10
 
Cream Gravy? said:
Cool Hand Luke (1967)
4/10
Click to expand...
Wow. Granted I haven't seen this film in a few years but I remember enjoying it, Newman's performance in particular. Overrated? Possibly, but I am surprised by your rating. Maybe I should revisit. Not that I'm inferring this is relevant to the rating, but, would you agree there are parallels between this one and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, specifically from the angle of the protagonists? Just some food for thought.




I signed up for Criticker. I'm enjoying the site. I haven't had a chance to try out any of the recommendations because I have my own queue to work through first, but it's been mostly accurate in some of its predictions for movies I've already seen.

I think I'll post my full reviews on there and do quick quips here:

Koyaanisqatsi: Life Out of Balance (1982) by Godfrey Reggio
I'm a sucker for well-synced audiovisual and this film has it in spades. Oh, and Philip Glass. Love the way it tickles my synesthesia. 4.5/5

Defending Your Life (1991) by Albert Brooks
Written, directed, and starring Albert Brooks. And Meryl Streep. Soul did this story better. This one felt cookie cutter and . . . sterile. 2.75/5

WALL·E (2009 ) by Andrew Stanton
Finally watched this one, expectations were high. Expectations were not met. Still a cute movie with a lot of fucking heart and solid laughs tho. 4.25/5

The Shawshank Redemption (1994) by Frank Darabont
According to IMDB, this is the best film of all time but it honestly felt like a Lifetime movie. A fantastic Lifetime movie, but a Lifetime movie nonetheless. Missing a certain pizzazz to really be one of the all-time greats. 4.25/5

Busanhaeng AKA Train to Busan (2016) by Sang-ho Yeon
South Korean zombie flick. Some of the best sfx I've seen, specifically with the 'horde'. Not much takes place outside of the train to Busan, so the title is fairly spot on lol. 3.75/5

Trois couleurs: Bleu AKA Three Colors: Blue (1993) by Krzysztof Kieslowski
First in the Colors Trilogy. Another highly rated film that just didn't deliver. This film just felt too pretentious, ultimately. 2.75/5

The Kid Detective (2020) by Evan Morgan
Reminded me of a 2000s CBS sitcom, not necessarily in a good or bad way. It had enough humor to keep me entertained as to not feel like a complete waste of time. 3.75/5

(500) Days of Summer (2009) by Marc Webb
Wow, I really liked this one. The non-linear plot, the acting, the directing. Pixies and Bergman references abound. Plus Zooey is probably my dream girl. This film just resonated with me. 4.5/5

Kes (1969) by Ken Loach
Some nice, English-countryside cinematography. Always enjoy a 'every day slice of life' film, when its well done. A UK 400 Blows. This film has a bit more heart tho. 4.25/5

Repulsion (1965) by Roman Polanski
"A woman's descent into madness". It's been done before, no? I could see film schools having a field day with this one. Shout out Chico Hamilton and Gabor Szabo for the jazzy soundtrack. 3.5/5
 
Yeah I thought that was funny too, in "Dredd", how humanity was living in some kind of squalid dystopian wasteland in the future, yet somehow the "war on drugs" was still a thing that people were taking seriously lol. I liked it though, it was one of those style-over-substance ones that's actually good IMO. The fictional drug featured in the film ("slo-mo") is pretty fun. It's also one of the few films I've seen that features the actor who played Avon Barksdale in "The Wire", that was a major role in one of the most popular/critically-acclaimed TV shows of all time but it doesn't seem like I ever see him in other TV shows or films, it's strange

"The Founder" was great too IMO. Good character study of Ray Kroc and the morally-questionable ways he leveraged things his way...he kinda horned in on other people's stuff, whether it was the brothers' business or that one guy's wife. He was good at that kind of thing, but wasn't really portrayed in the film as a "villain", necessarily...just a complex character and not necessarily a "good guy". The film as I remember kinda implies subtly that maybe it was something Ray Kroc had to look himself in the mirror and live with later on in life, despite his ostensible success as a businessman. Michael Keaton definitely is fantastic in the role and casting him was a smart decision in a film that doesn't beat its audience over the head with the its message
 
Max Power said:
Not that I'm inferring this is relevant to the rating, but, would you agree there are parallels between this one and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, specifically from the angle of the protagonists? Just some food for thought.
Click to expand...
Parallels, yes. I did greatly enjoy One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. There was something very wrong about the execution and the protagonist imo though with Cool Hand Luke. I would say they're in the same genre but one is a classic and the other, a 'classic' if you will. Maybe I just didn't get it.

Max Power said:
Koyaanisqatsi: Life Out of Balance (1982) by Godfrey Reggio
I'm a sucker for well-synced audiovisual and this film has it in spades. Oh, and Philip Glass. Love the way it tickles my synesthesia. 4.5/5
Click to expand...
Ohhh I loved that one. Wife and I watched it a few months ago together, great background film.

Max Power said:
The Shawshank Redemption (1994) by Frank Darabont
According to IMDB, this is the best film of all time but it honestly felt like a Lifetime movie. A fantastic Lifetime movie, but a Lifetime movie nonetheless. Missing a certain pizzazz to really be one of the all-time greats.
Click to expand...
Lol, couldn't agree more. One of the best boring films of all time somehow. Like, only worth one watch, but really worth just that one watch.

Burnt Offerings said:
The film as I remember kinda implies subtly that maybe it was something Ray Kroc had to look himself in the mirror and live with later on in life, despite his ostensible success as a businessman. Michael Keaton definitely is fantastic in the role and casting him was a smart decision in a film that doesn't beat its audience over the head with the its message
Click to expand...
Hit the nail on the head with that one (y)
 
Cream Gravy? said:
Dredd (2012)

I'm not one for comic book stuff but I immensely enjoyed this version of Dredd starring Karl Urban. This film was aesthetically like a Gaspar Noe or N.W.R. film, but with a way more entertaining plot than they seem to average.

I thought it funny that the reason the 'Judges' are around is to crack down on drug-use related crime; they don't seem to care about any other crimes but drug use and murder related to it... perhaps commentary on American policing? Who knows.

Great sci-fi though. Over the top visuals and gore, yet you don't feel sickened. Wife and I watched it and felt none of the sickness we felt while watching The Neon Demon. Really enjoyable action sequences and great pacing. No real substance here though, just pure movie watching pleasure.

Might add it to my shelf someday.

7.8/10


The Founder (2016)

Michael Keaton did an amazing job in this film (as did Nick Offerman as one of the McDonald brothers, hats off) as the man who stole MacD's and turned it into the money-grubbing machine it is today. Obviously the man revolutionized fast food... but at what cost?

There's a particular bit at the end where Keaton really, really shows his acting chops through a slowly changing facial expression. I very much enjoyed his acting throughout, it was gripping and real. American is the word I'd use. He really captured the American entrepreneur perfectly.

If you enjoy dramas about real life events, this one might be up your alley. I don't like to eat at MacD's but I enjoyed the heck out of this film truth be told.

7.5/10
Click to expand...
I absolutely loved Dredd. Especially the slow motion bits when they take that drug.
 
youtube has like my 2 fav joints for free so i stay watching big trouble in lil' china and clue religiously ya dig shouts out to google . like if you would told me i'd be streamin this shit in hd for free when i had t he fucking VHS i'd be like WTF are you on ? thank god for wifi
 
The Midnight Sky (2020)

Watched it to give Netflix a chance again; they disappointed me as usual. Apparently this was a book adaptation... hope the book was better.

Good acting? Yes. Good effects? Yes, amazing. Soundtrack, dialogue, etc.? Fine stuff, not bad. Plot? Barely existent and horribly boring!!!

The plot holes in this film were simply too hard to ignore. Not only that, but it felt the whole time like I was watching an even more boring version of Lars von Trier's Melancholia. The ending was pretty much the same. We're given no explanations, no answers, no background as to what's causing the air to go bad on Earth, where the other space missions disappeared to... just two hours of straight decent eye candy with literally no substance.

Don't waste your time on this one if you care at all about a decent plot. It might be worth watching if your feeling real lazy and down and you've literally nothing better to do.

3/10
 
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