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Post by jcush on Apr 16, 2017 8:17:34 GMT
Yeah I'll probably watch Lucy eventually. I've only seen First Blood, so I'd need to watch the other ones first. I should probably check out The Neverending Story as well. to be honest you can skip part 2 and 3 without missing any of the story really, i fact i have the first and 4th as a double feature blu ray. I am a completist and i dont have the horrible 2nd and third entries. Yeah NeverEnding Story is an easy watch. Do you like any other 80's fantasy films? I'd still like to watch the other two (and rewatch the first one) before watching the fourth. I don't think I've seen a ton of 80's Fantasy films, but I do like some. Princess Bride is in my top 15 all time.
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Post by darksidebeadle on Apr 16, 2017 8:17:38 GMT
No Country for Old Men is on another level cinematography-wise than Silence and Fargo imo. All time great. I do love the cinematography in No Country, just not as much as you I guess. What's your 2007 lineup for cinematography? It was a pretty amazing year in that department. I wasn't sure if Silence would still be my cinematography win for last year, but this viewing reassured me. 2007 is a tough year for cinematography my rankings There Will Be Blood The Assassination of Jesse James... Zodiac Control No Country for Old Men Into the Wild My Blueberry Night
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Post by moviemouth on Apr 16, 2017 8:17:54 GMT
No Country for Old Men is on another level cinematography-wise than Silence and Fargo imo. All time great. I do love the cinematography in No Country, just not as much as you I guess. What's your 2007 lineup for cinematography? It was a pretty amazing year in that department. I wasn't sure if Silence would still be my cinematography win for last year, but this viewing reassured me. 1. There Will Be Blood 2. The Assassination of Jesse James By the Coward Robert Ford 3. No Country for Old Men Those three are all very close. 4. Zodiac 5. Into the Wild Except Zodiac I agree with the Oscar line-up. Probably my favorite cinematography Oscar line-up in history
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Post by darksidebeadle on Apr 16, 2017 8:18:50 GMT
to be honest you can skip part 2 and 3 without missing any of the story really, i fact i have the first and 4th as a double feature blu ray. I am a completist and i dont have the horrible 2nd and third entries. Yeah NeverEnding Story is an easy watch. Do you like any other 80's fantasy films? I'd still like to watch the other two (and rewatch the first one) before watching the fourth. I don't think I've seen a ton of 80's Fantasy films, but I do like some. Princess Bride is in my top 15 all time. I think NeverEnding Story is most comparable to Princess Bride but not as good
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Post by moviemouth on Apr 16, 2017 8:19:48 GMT
I'd still like to watch the other two (and rewatch the first one) before watching the fourth. I don't think I've seen a ton of 80's Fantasy films, but I do like some. Princess Bride is in my top 15 all time. I think NeverEnding Story is most comparable to Princess Bride but not as good I'd say it's more comparable to Legend in tone though.
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Post by jcush on Apr 16, 2017 8:21:22 GMT
1. There Will Be Blood 2. The Assassination of Jesse James By the Coward Robert Ford 3. No Country for Old Men Those three are all very close. 4. Zodiac 5. Into the Wild Except Zodiac I agree with the Oscar line-up. Probably my favorite cinematography Oscar line-up in history 1. There Will Be Blood 2. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford 3. No Country for Old Men 4. Atonement 5. Zodiac
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Post by moviemouth on Apr 16, 2017 8:26:45 GMT
1. There Will Be Blood 2. The Assassination of Jesse James By the Coward Robert Ford 3. No Country for Old Men Those three are all very close. 4. Zodiac 5. Into the Wild Except Zodiac I agree with the Oscar line-up. Probably my favorite cinematography Oscar line-up in history 1. There Will Be Blood 2. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford 3. No Country for Old Men 4. Atonement 5. Zodiac Atonement would be in my next 5. While it's technically very good, it lacks personality imo. Sorry I originally had The Diving Bell and the Butterfly in the place or Into the Wild, that is why it says it is the same as the Oscar line-up except for Zodiac.
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Post by darksidebeadle on Apr 16, 2017 8:44:56 GMT
to be honest you can skip part 2 and 3 without missing any of the story really, i fact i have the first and 4th as a double feature blu ray. I am a completist and i dont have the horrible 2nd and third entries. Yeah NeverEnding Story is an easy watch. Do you like any other 80's fantasy films? I'd still like to watch the other two (and rewatch the first one) before watching the fourth. I don't think I've seen a ton of 80's Fantasy films, but I do like some. Princess Bride is in my top 15 all time. 2nd rambo can be fun if your in the mood for a cheap 80's action film, it has a good Jerry Goldsmith score and some memorable scenes but a lot of monotonous action as well.
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Jawbox5
New Member
@jawbox5
Posts: 14
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Post by Jawbox5 on Apr 16, 2017 12:04:13 GMT
Yours:
The Lost Boys (1987, Joel Schumacher) - Enjoyably campy with a good balance of horror and laughs. The cast is really good and the soundtrack is excellent, one of Schumacher's best. 7/10.
The Place Beyond The Pines (2013, Derek Cianfrance) - A touch overdrawn at times, but admirable for its ambition. Interesting story, solid cast and brilliant score. I'd be interested in seeing it again. 7/10.
Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994, Tom Shadyac) - One of the better goofy comedies of its time. Carrey is fantastic and the vast majority of the jokes work well. 7/10.
GoldenEye (1995, Martin Campbell) - Big fan, it freshened things up perfectly. Easily Brosnan's best performance, Bean is a strong villain, the Bond girls are both great, the action scenes are fantastic and I even enjoy the synth heavy score. 8/10.
Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls (1995, Steve Oedekerk) - Much more hit and miss than the first film. Carrey gives it his best shot and some of the jokes are inspired, but a lot of them fail and the story feels tired. 5/10.
Mine:
The Wolverine (2013, James Mangold) – I liked the gritty tone the film has, the more deliberate pacing and how it used the Japanese culture in a lot of its ideas. Jackman also completely inhabits the role once again. Sadly the story meanders a bit too much, the villains are dull, character motivations make little sense half the time and the frenzied climax doesn’t fit at all. 5/10.
Guardians of the Galaxy (2014, James Gunn) – The main characters are too thinly drawn and underdeveloped to really suck you into the world or involve you in the cliché riddled story. Like most Marvel films it has a completely bland villain and a weak plotline, while a lot of the comedy feels forced or out of place and the emotional moments aren’t built up enough to be effective. 4.5/10.
Ant-Man (2015, Peyton Reed) – It’s nice to see Marvel do a ‘smaller’ story, with the heist being the main focus and a lot of time spent developing the characters. The story is somewhat predictable, but the solid direction as well as strong performances by Paul Rudd and Michael Douglas help a great deal. It has its share of funny moments, uses its premise to good effect and the climax based around a toy train track is really creative. 7/10.
Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015, Joss Whedon) – It certainly gets too muddled at times with choppy editing and Ultron is an inconsistent villain, but it does a lot right. The humour feels more natural this time, as do the interactions and the action sequences are exciting. Most importantly there are more character moments, resulting in everyone getting a chance to shine and more thematic depth. I prefer this to the first film. 6/10.
Chronicle (2012, Josh Trank) – This is certainly one of the better filmed found-footage films, but the use of the gimmick itself is unnecessary. The three leads all deliver good performances, it has a good dose of humour and it does convey a real sense of friendship. I think it loses steam the darker it gets however, ultimately suffering from a very weak ending and following the origin formula a little too closely. 5/10.
Hellboy (2004, Guillermo Del Toro) – Ron Perlman is an inspired choice for the title character and he’s great fun to watch whenever he’s on screen in this solid adaptation. Del Toro’s direction is good and he’s clearly a fan of the material, infusing the film with a decent share of action, comedy and a Lovecraftian vibe. It does feel oddly rushed in places with its weak villains and the story isn’t very strong, but I think the characters and atmosphere make up for it. 6/10.
Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008, Guillermo Del Toro) – It does what any good sequel should do which is explore its characters and the world they inhabit. Ron Perlman shines once again and the title character gets to show more dimensions too. Adding to that the action is bigger than before, the offbeat humour works excellently, the villain is interesting and side characters like Abe Sapien are given more focus. 7/10.
Pacific Rim (2013, Guillermo Del Toro) – Surprised by how dull and plodding this was. Bar a fun supporting turn by Charlie Day and a real sense of scale there’s little going for it. The story is painfully predictable, the romance is extremely forced, a lot of the action is in darkness which makes it hard to tell what’s going on, the characterisation was as cliched as possible and Charlie Hunnam is a charisma vacuum in the lead. 3.5/10.
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Post by darksidebeadle on Apr 16, 2017 13:25:10 GMT
Yours: The Lost Boys (1987, Joel Schumacher) - Enjoyably campy with a good balance of horror and laughs. The cast is really good and the soundtrack is excellent, one of Schumacher's best. 7/10. The Place Beyond The Pines (2013, Derek Cianfrance) - A touch overdrawn at times, but admirable for its ambition. Interesting story, solid cast and brilliant score. I'd be interested in seeing it again. 7/10. Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994, Tom Shadyac) - One of the better goofy comedies of its time. Carrey is fantastic and the vast majority of the jokes work well. 7/10. GoldenEye (1995, Martin Campbell) - Big fan, it freshened things up perfectly. Easily Brosnan's best performance, Bean is a strong villain, the Bond girls are both great, the action scenes are fantastic and I even enjoy the synth heavy score. 8/10. Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls (1995, Steve Oedekerk) - Much more hit and miss than the first film. Carrey gives it his best shot and some of the jokes are inspired, but a lot of them fail and the story feels tired. 5/10. Mine: The Wolverine (2013, James Mangold) – I liked the gritty tone the film has, the more deliberate pacing and how it used the Japanese culture in a lot of its ideas. Jackman also completely inhabits the role once again. Sadly the story meanders a bit too much, the villains are dull, character motivations make little sense half the time and the frenzied climax doesn’t fit at all. 5/10. Guardians of the Galaxy (2014, James Gunn) – The main characters are too thinly drawn and underdeveloped to really suck you into the world or involve you in the cliché riddled story. Like most Marvel films it has a completely bland villain and a weak plotline, while a lot of the comedy feels forced or out of place and the emotional moments aren’t built up enough to be effective. 4.5/10. Ant-Man (2015, Peyton Reed) – It’s nice to see Marvel do a ‘smaller’ story, with the heist being the main focus and a lot of time spent developing the characters. The story is somewhat predictable, but the solid direction as well as strong performances by Paul Rudd and Michael Douglas help a great deal. It has its share of funny moments, uses its premise to good effect and the climax based around a toy train track is really creative. 7/10. Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015, Joss Whedon) – It certainly gets too muddled at times with choppy editing and Ultron is an inconsistent villain, but it does a lot right. The humour feels more natural this time, as do the interactions and the action sequences are exciting. Most importantly there are more character moments, resulting in everyone getting a chance to shine and more thematic depth. I prefer this to the first film. 6/10. Chronicle (2012, Josh Trank) – This is certainly one of the better filmed found-footage films, but the use of the gimmick itself is unnecessary. The three leads all deliver good performances, it has a good dose of humour and it does convey a real sense of friendship. I think it loses steam the darker it gets however, ultimately suffering from a very weak ending and following the origin formula a little too closely. 5/10. Hellboy (2004, Guillermo Del Toro) – Ron Perlman is an inspired choice for the title character and he’s great fun to watch whenever he’s on screen in this solid adaptation. Del Toro’s direction is good and he’s clearly a fan of the material, infusing the film with a decent share of action, comedy and a Lovecraftian vibe. It does feel oddly rushed in places with its weak villains and the story isn’t very strong, but I think the characters and atmosphere make up for it. 6/10. Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008, Guillermo Del Toro) – It does what any good sequel should do which is explore its characters and the world they inhabit. Ron Perlman shines once again and the title character gets to show more dimensions too. Adding to that the action is bigger than before, the offbeat humour works excellently, the villain is interesting and side characters like Abe Sapien are given more focus. 7/10. Pacific Rim (2013, Guillermo Del Toro) – Surprised by how dull and plodding this was. Bar a fun supporting turn by Charlie Day and a real sense of scale there’s little going for it. The story is painfully predictable, the romance is extremely forced, a lot of the action is in darkness which makes it hard to tell what’s going on, the characterisation was as cliched as possible and Charlie Hunnam is a charisma vacuum in the lead. 3.5/10. The Wolverine - yeah I agree , especially on the ending. 5.5 guardianscof the galaxy - walks that fine line of being too goofy but manages to make it work, I hope the sequel doesn't go too far. 6.5 ant-man - a lot of fun, a nice smaller scale story 7 avengers age of ultron - this one smells of studio interference but it still works for the most part 7 chronicle - this one we disagree on, I thought this was really well executed 7-7.5 both hellboy films fall short for different reasons and end up with the same score 5.5 pacific rim - yup this is awful 3/10
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Post by mslo79 on Apr 16, 2017 13:56:35 GMT
First Viewings...
-Belle de Jour (1967) (Apr 11th 2017) - 6/10
-La La Land (2016) (Apr 14th 2017) - 6/10 (ill start by saying that prior to seeing this it could have easily been completely boring as i feel Musicals in general are one of those genres that are near universally disliked amongst us males as when they sing their dialog and sing certain types of songs, like Musicals typically do, they tend to get old VERY fast and that's what happened for the first 5 minutes of the movie (that stuff is a great example of what NOT to do in a musical as it's very boring) and it stayed nearly completely boring (had a brief glimmer of hope in the 16-17min range when Gosling was on piano and maybe a small bit or so after this (but this happens before 28min)) til about 28minutes into the movie then the movie started to largely stable out outside of a 4 min stretch from 32-36min or so (more singing crap but the overall scene is not as bad/boring as the intro singing(it's the scene on the cover of the main IMDb picture)). but from around the 36min range on forward it was much more stable from there til the end. basically once the movie focuses more around the relationship between Gosling/Stone is when the movie got more watchable/interesting and then it finished well. also, not all of the singing stuff is bad but a good portion of it is (basically the boring/bad singing stuff is all on the earlier side of the movie) and they had some more instrumental stuff which generally worked and that tune Gosling plays (you will know what i mean when you see the movie) works well enough to and there is some dancing but without people singing etc with instrumental stuff playing and that was decent enough. but later into the movie (basically the later half or so) when some singing etc occurs it actually works well enough in the moment of what's happening and is not boring unlike that first 5min which is a pretty great example of what makes Musicals get boring VERY fast in general(like that general style etc is quite bad), like i was saying. they should have found a way to trim a decent portion of the first 1/4th or so of the movie (it's a bit over 2 hours long) out early which would have helped my overall interest in the movie as it was a chore to get through that earlier part of the movie (roughly 30min or so) but thankfully it did not go on for TOO long, although it was pretty thin for a while(had the last 3/4th of the movie not noticeably improved i likely would have rated it a 4/10 TOPS and it could have easily been lower), otherwise i would have turned off the movie. so given my general impression of Musicals types of movies, which is quite negative in general, this one is the exception to the rule so far.)
-Sleepless (2017) (Apr 15th 2017) - 5/10 (a watchable action movie with Jamie Foxx but forgettable)
Re-watches...
nothing this week.
p.s. in general for me... 5/10 or less = Thumbs Down. 6/10 or higher = Thumbs Up.
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OP's...
-The Conjuring 2 (2016) - 5/10 (the first movie is better (i.e. 6/10) which i have seen twice now unlike this one which has no re-watch appeal)
-The Lost Boys (1987) - 5/10 (seen this back in Jan 2017. it's forgettable.)
-Rambo (2008) - 6/10 (was a 7-8/10 until June 4th 2014 re-watch. but then again this entire series, while i like them, are nothing special for me anymore.)
The Place Beyond the Pines (2012) - 5/10 (yeah, definitely over-hyped. but i think it had a little potential prior to seeing it but in the end it's forgettable/no re-watch value)
Lucy (2014) - 5/10 (forgettable. the only Luc Besson movies of any real worth for me are... 1)Angel-A (2005) (8.5-9/10) 2)The Big Blue (1988) (7/10). i used to be a huge fan of Leon (i.e. 10/10) but that movie no longer holds up as of a viewing on Nov 19th 2014. even Nikita (1990) i used to be a pretty big fan of (i.e. 8/10) but that dropped back to a 5/10 on Aug 8th 2015.)
Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994) - NS (but i think Jim Carrey's best from the old days is basically Dumb and Dumber/The Mask)
-Goldeneye (1995) - 5/10 (used to be a pretty big fan of this (i.e. 8/10) til Dec 29th 2014 and it no longer holds up. in fact, Brosnan is the only Bond actor that i don't like a single Bond movie from which is weird as years ago his Bond movies where amongst my favorites in general.)
-The NeverEnding Story (1984)... i might have seen this as a kid a long time ago. i don't have it rated.
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Post by FridayOnElmStreet on Apr 16, 2017 16:39:50 GMT
Yours The Conjuring 2 - 4/10 The Lost Boys - 7/10 Rambo - 10/10 Lucy - 6/10 Goldeneye - 9/10 Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls - 8/10
Mine - All first time views except Stay Alive. London Has Fallen (2016) - 7/10 Got poor reviews but I thought the action was very well done and pretty exciting. Gun (2010) - 6/10 Only has a 3.8 on IMDB but I liked it. Nothing great but amusing. The Counselor (2013) - 5/10 No Good Deed (2014) - 6/10 The Second Chance (2006) - 3/10 Sinners and Saints (2010) - 4/10 Wind (1992) - 3/10 Stay Alive (2006) - 3/10 Hated it when I first saw it in 06. Not as bad as I remember but still pretty bad. Panic Room (2002) - 6/10 A Perfect World (1993) - 5/10 Windrunner (1994) - 1/10 I tried 5 times to see this but I kept falling asleep. Finally I got through it. It sucks. Beyond a Reasonable Doubt (2009) - 6/10 A Perfect Murder (1998) - 6/10 When a Man Loves a Woman (1994) - 5/10 The Recruit (2003) - 5/10 6 Souls (2010) - 3/10
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Post by Matthew the Swordsman on Apr 16, 2017 16:57:04 GMT
I watched 2 features, 39 shorts (ranging from 1897 to 1974), 5 TV episodes, over a dozen vintage "News Brief" segments, 3 TV excerpts, plus various old TV commercials.
FILM: Shades of Puffing Billy (1967, Australia, 10 minutes) - 7.5/10. A documentary, without narration, showing the heritage railway known as Puffing Billy, an old steam train. This is actually somewhat near where I live, so this film was extra cool to me. You could probably do the same film today and it wouldn't be that different.
La petite fille et son chat (1899, France, 40 seconds) - 7/10. Just a cute little film depicting a child feeding a cat. Who doesn't love cat videos? There's nothing outstanding about this, but there is something charming about seeing a 19th century child, so happy and carefree.
Adelaide Advances (1954, Australia, 10 minutes) - 7.5/10. Short documentary (with odd narration), showing the Australian city of Adelaide. Unfortunately, the city has gone downhill since this film was made (cars aren't made there any more, for example). Fun fact: In 1955, when this short was shown in Sydney at the Hoyts Regent, it accompanied the Clark Gable film "The Tall Men", along with the short subjects "Volcano Violence" (not on IMDb), "Bearly Asleep" (with Donald Duck), and a Movietone newsreel. Sounds like a fun evening!
Play Safe (1936, USA, 8 minutes) - 8/10. Simple in storyline, but beautifully done, this is a wonderful cartoon short.
Christmas Comes But Once a Year (1936, USA, 8 minutes) - 7.5/10. An interesting cartoon, very much of its era.
Inquest (1939, UK, 58 minutes) - 7/10. Courtroom drama with a twist ending. A bit repetitive, but enjoyable. This film was based on a play, which during 1939 was also adapted for TV (yes, the British had TV in the 1930s).
Night Was Our Friend (1951, UK, 59 minutes) - 6.5/10. Odd that the rating on IMDb is relatively positive (6.1/10), yet the reviews are extremely negative. I thought this film was somewhat better than mediocre, although I admit the pacing is far too slow. But I don't mind slow pacing that much....it actually felt more like a live TV play than a film, which I don't think is a bad thing....
Egyptian Fakir with Dancing Monkey (1903, USA, under 2 minutes) - 7/10. Hard to rate this short, which depicts an entertainer. But it was interesting.
A Scrap in Black and White (1903, USA, Slightly over 1 minute) - 6/10. An odd little film. It depicts a boxing match between two kids, one of them white and the other black. Strangely there doesn't seem to be any racial tensions in this film, despite the violent subject matter and the period it was made.
Uncle Tom's Cabin (1903, USA, 19 minutes) - ?/10. An impossible to rate film. Everything about it is too far removed from our present-day world. But it is very interesting.
The Gay Shoe Clerk (1903, USA, slightly over 1 minute) - 8/10. It's the world's first sex comedy! Well, not exactly. We do get to see an ankle covered with a sock. But the humour is still funny, strangely enough.
West Country Journey (1953, UK, 26 minutes) - 7.5/10. Basically a travelogue showing the countryside. Filmed in colour. Not bad at all. From the DVD set "British Transport Films Collection One: A Future on Rail".
Under the River (1959, UK, 21 minutes) - 7.5/10. A documentary about the building of a train tunnel during the 19th century. From the DVD set "British Transport Films Collection One: A Future on Rail".
Holiday (1957, UK, 17 minutes) - 8/10. Wow. Scenes of a vacation in Blackpool, with little narration, a jazz soundtrack, and it's in glorious Technicolor! (well, more likely Eastmancolor, but it's still vibrant 1950s colour film). Very entertaining travelogue, better than most. From the DVD set "British Transport Films Collection One: A Future on Rail".
Turning the Tables (1903, USA, slightly over 1 minute) - 6/10. Poorly filmed comedy. With better direction this could have been a lot better. Is it just me, or do cops always have a bad time in silent film?
What Happened in the Tunnel (1903, USA, about 1 minute or so) - 7/10. Even with its racial stereotyping, the joke somehow works...the gender relations are interesting, and it is two women who get the last laugh on the man.
The Great Train Robbery (1903, USA, 12 minutes) - 7.5/10. Simplistic by today's standards, but for 1903, quite good. It still remains action-packed. The copy I viewed is from the "Edison: Invention of the Movies" DVD set, which featured a moderate amount of hand-tinting.
Rector's to Claremont (1904, USA, slightly under 4 minutes) - 7/10. This film is wrong, The ending is unsatisfactory, the pacing is too slow, the editing is bad, and it runs for too long (yes, a 4 minute film can run for too long!). One reviewer on IMDb suggests this film never saw release. That wouldn't surprise me at all. But I give it 7/10 for its views into a place back in the early 1900s.
I Am a Litter Basket (1959, UK, 6 minutes) - 8/10. A litter bin at a train station is greatly saddened by the fact that people refuse to put their rubbish in him. Instead these awful people keep dropping their rubbish all over the train station floor. The litter bin is hungry, and wants some rubbish. The litter bins then decide to travel across the train station, frightening people, in an effort to get them to put their trash in the bin. Yet no matter what, people keep refusing their put their trash in the bins. The litter bins are greatly saddened and depressed because of this. (yes, I am actually describing the plot of this film, which is truly one of the oddest things I've seen so far this year).......I watched this short via the DVD release "British Transport Films Collection: Volume One". There's also a copy on YouTube, but it is in fake widescreen. Ugh. I hate fake widescreen.
Designed in Britain (1959, UK, 14 minutes) - 8/10. If you like mid-century design, then you'll love this documentary short. There's little narration, just a rapid seres of shots depicting everything from cups to buildings, accompanied by music. Even the tower blocks look good. In glorious colour. The film can be viewed on the DVD set "The COI Collection Volume Two: Design for Today".
Danse fleur de lotus (1897, France, 1 minute) - 8/10. The "serpentine dance" film was a popular genre in 19th century cinema. This particular example is no better and no worse than most others. But this is such a delightful type of film that I really enjoyed it anyway. This film was directed by Alice Guy, the world's first female film director.
Parke Davis' Employees (1899, USA, under 1 minute) - 7.5/10. Although produced in 1899, it wasn't copyrighted until 1903, hence the date at the start of the film. I love seeing 19th century scenes of life. In this case, we see workers leaving a factory. Some of them are well-dressed women on bicycles, wearing simple hats. The film exists as a "paper print", a type copyright record which unintentionally preserved the films. In the 1950s the Library of Congress transferred these paper prints to film, and these new copies began circulating, at a time when interest in old films was increasing. I believe some of the paper prints have been re-transferred again, with improved picture quality compared to the 1950s transfers.
Train Time (1952, UK, 29 minutes) - 8/10. A documentary (with dramatised sequences) depicting the work at keeping trains on time. A lot more interesting than it sounds, with some beautifully filmed footage of trains in black-and-white. According to the DVD I watched it on, this short did receive a mainstream theatrical release. It's hard to imagine a documentary short getting a theatrical release these days. From the DVD set "British Transport Films Collection One: A Future on Rail".
Designing Women (1948, UK, 22 minutes) - 7.5/10. IMDb describes this as a "documentary", but is isn't, although it was intended to be educational. It features a married couple, moving into their new apartment, and trying to decide what furniture to use. Two women, "Miss Design" and "Miss Arty", magically appear and can make furniture appear from nowhere. Miss Arty's layouts for the rooms are too fussy, with showy furniture which is poorly made and impractical. Miss Design shows the furniture and decorations must be practical, well-made and pleasant to look at.....this short film was intended to show post-war housewives how to decorate their houses. I must admit, I don't know how it was distributed. I do know that it was shown on BBC TV in 1948, but I am certain it wasn't produced for TV (BTW, one of the broadcasts was on 19 July 1948, on a schedule which also included the classic feature film "Made for Each Other"). The film can be viewed on the DVD set "The COI Collection Volume Two: Design for Today".
Fully Fitted Freight (1957, UK, 19 minutes) - 7.5/10. A documentary about freight trains, beautifully filmed in black-and-white. From the DVD set "British Transport Films Collection One: A Future on Rail".
Watched a bunch of 1920s newsreel clips from British Pathe, including: "Le Mans Grand Prix" (1921), "Inside The Gates Of Soviet Russia" (1921), "Germany To New York Non Stop" (1924), "Motorcycle Trials" (circa 1920-1924), "Will The Tango Come Back?" (1925). "With Eve At Blackpool" (1926), "Paris Motor Show - 1926", "Morocco's Sultan Mohammed V In Procession" (1927), "Irish Dog Show" (1928), "Express Train Disaster" (1927), "In Fashion's Train" (1925), and "Parking Problem Solved" (1927).
IBM at the Fair (1965, USA, 7 minutes) - 7/10. Amusing little film using time-lapse photography, and filmed at the IBM Pavilion at the World's Fair. This was not a theatrical release, but shown to IBM employees for their amusement.
A Computer Glossary (1968, USA, 8 minutes) - 8/10. A non-theatrical release, this was shown at the 1968 World's Fair, and was produced for IBM. It takes common computer terms of the period and explains what they mean, and in the process explains how a computer works. This is done using a series of amusing animations.
Design for Today (1965, UK, 15 minutes) - 7.5/10. A short subject showing footage of all sorts of things, many of them with typically 1960s design. There's little narration, and the footage consists of very brief clips accompanied by a nicely dated soundtrack. Everything from vehicles to office equipment to interior design is covered. The film can be viewed on the DVD set "The COI Collection Volume Two: Design for Today".
Watched a bunch of "British Pathe" newsreel stories from 1957, including: "Malaya's New Era", "The Motor Show", "Hair Styles By Steiner", "U.S.S.R. - Satellite Dog", "Triple Crash In Grand Prix", "Alpine Rescue", "Tornado Havoc", "German Motor Show - Frankfurt", "Miss Europe Contest", "4th Boy Scout Jamboree In USA", "The Refugee Situation", "Hearing Aids", "Assassination Of President Armas Of Guatemala", "Britain's H-Bomb", and "Moscow - May Day Celebration". I posted links to these on the 50s TV board, even though they aren't TV clips.
Snowdrift at Bleath Gill (1955, UK, 10 minutes) - 7.5/10. Documentary about a train which is stuck in the snow. From the DVD set "British Transport Films Collection One: A Future on Rail".
The Masquerader (1914, USA, 12 minutes) - 7.5/10. Nothing outstanding, just an enjoyable one-reel comedy short. Charlie Chaplin was improving rapidly during this period.
His New Profession (1914, USA, 12 minutes) - 7/10. Another Charlie Chaplin comedy.
Watched a bunch of 1963 newsreel items from "British Pathe", including: "Motor Show", "Academy Awards", "Active Volcano Mount Agung Erupts", "Kennedy in Ireland", "Semi-Finals Leicester V Liverpool", "The Girl from Space", "A New Miss World", "Tragic Canadian Aircrash", "Canada Likes Hovercraft, "Cold War Ending?", and "Roulette Fashions".
Watched Australian Cinesound newsreel item from 1963: "36 Ince Water Pipe New Australian Invention Gets World Acclaim".....yes I really will watch anything!!
Watched a bunch of 1947 news items from the "British Pathe" series of cinema newsreels. These news items included "Latest Fur Fashions", "Travel Fashions", "People in Camera - Skirt Battle" (and some other story on the same YouTube upload), "Paris Fashions", and several of the "Fashion Feature" segments. I viewed these on YouTube, and posted links to them on the 40s TV board (although they aren't TV clips).
Watched a segment from a 1947 Australian Cinesound newsreel, "Australian Spring Fashions". I also posted this on the same thread as the above clips.
Watched yet more newsreel items from "British Pathe". These include: "Motor Show Opens" (1950), "Motor Show" (1951), "The Paris Motor Show" (1952), "Motor Show" (1953), "Britain's Cars On Parade Aka Britain's Cars On Show" (1954), "Italian Motor Show Aka Italy - Motor Show" (1955), "French Auto Show" (1956), "Motoring News - New York" (1956), "France's Motor Show" (1957), "Dutch Hold International Car Show" (1958), "Commercial Motor Show" (1958), and "Motor Show" (1959). I viewed these on YouTube, and posted links to them on the Automobiles board.
The Great Highway (1966, UK, 20 minutes) - 7.5/10. A documentary about the history of the British railway system. From the DVD set "British Transport Films Collection One: A Future on Rail".
The Heart Is Highland (1952, UK, 20 minutes) - 7/10. Another documentary (in this case a travelogue, showing scenes of Scotland. A rather dated film at times, but benefits from being filmed in colour (the credits mention Technicolor, but unfortunately it isn't three-strip). From the DVD set "British Transport Films Collection One: A Future on Rail", although it doesn't have the slightest thing to do with trains.
The Heart of England (1954, UK, 19 minutes) - 7.5/10. Another travelogue, showing off the English countryside. The narration tries a bit too hard to be poetic. Enjoyable though. From the DVD set "British Transport Films Collection One: A Future on Rail", although it doesn't have the slightest thing to do with trains. It was however produced by the British Transport Commission, and this is not unusual, since companies like Shell and BP also produced films without any trace of advertising.
Kepler's Laws (1974, USA, 3 minutes) - 6/10. Dated educational film of no note.
The Rounders (1914, USA, 13 minutes) - 8/10. Hilarious comedy featuring Charles Chaplin and Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle. It’s a rough film (in both content and production style), but it’s very enjoyable.
The New Janitor (1914, USA, 12 minutes) - 7.5/10. Another Charlie Chaplin short, this time with a good plot.
Cyclists Special (1955, UK, 15 minutes) - 7.5/10. A bunch of cyclists take a train ride, and then ride their bicycles in the English countryside. Beautifully dated in ways you’d never expect. From the DVD set "British Transport Films Collection One: A Future on Rail".
Danse du papillon (1900, France, Under 1 minute) - 7/10. Not a great dancing film, but the hand-tinting makes it special.
The Taming of the Snood (1940, USA, 16 minutes) - 7/10. Starring Buster Keaton. Although this isn't a great film by any stretch of the imagination, I don't think it is as bad as some reviewers make it out to be. I think it would have been a lot funnier if it was done at Keystone circa 1914......somehow, this kind of rough comedy doesn't work in the context of 1940.
Sixty Years of Fashion (1960, UK, 18 minutes) - 7/10. A breezy look into the history of British fashion from 1897 to 1960. A bit too breezy, to be honest. But hey, I was tired and bored, and this proved easy to watch.
TELEVISION: Eames Lounge Chair (1956, USA, 2 minutes) - 7/10. Stop-motion film depicting a chair being assembled, sat in, and then disassembled. This was produced as a segment for an episode of "Home", a short-lived series that didn't quite do for midday TV what "Today" had done for morning and "The Tonight Show" had done for late-night. I presume the episode this segment was produced for is lost (daytime TV broadcasts were usually junked after broadcast back then).
John Betjeman Goes by Train: King's Lynn to Hunstanton (1962, UK, 10 minutes) - 8/10. This is something you really don't see anymore these days, the "television short", something the BBC used to do fairly often at the time. It has a more casual approach than is usually the case for the period, the narrator speaking naturally. Some people would prefer it to have been filmed in colour, but I love the black-and-white photography in short, which provides some atmosphere.
"This Week in Britain" - Episode titled "Men's Fashions" (1973, produced in UK but not shown there, 5 minutes) - 7.5/10. This was a "filler" series, produced in the UK for showing elsewhere. In this episode, men's fashions are discussed. There is an interview with Tommy Nutter (whose clothes are nuts), and some models trying to dance on a flat-bed truck to some stock music while wearing some really silly 1970s fashions. The episode can be viewed on the DVD set "The COI Collection Volume Two: Design for Today".
"This Week in Britain" - Episode titled "Savile Row" (1976, produced in UK but not shown there, 5 minutes) - 7.5/10. Another episode of this filler series, which was shown around the world in order to promote Britain to other countries. Some men's fashions are shown, there's another interview with Tommy Nutter, and there's also a fashion show. All this in just 5 minutes. The episode can be viewed on the DVD set "The COI Collection Volume Two: Design for Today".
"This Week in Britain" - Episode titled "The Mary Quant Show" (1974, produced in UK but not shown there, 5 minutes) - 7/10. Some of the ugliest film stock I've ever seen. The episode can be viewed on the DVD set "The COI Collection Volume Two: Design for Today".
"BBC Television Newsreel" - circa 1951, UK - 7.5/10. An excerpt from a BBC TV newscast of 1951, showing the introduction of a new train:
"ABC News Brief" (various dates, USA, 45 seconds or so) - Cannot be rated. I watched various "ABC News Brief" segments from 1981, including those from the following dates: 21 May, 24 May, 11 July, 1 November, 8 November, and 22 November. It's like an ADHD version of the news! Plus the YouTube uploads of them include some fun vintage commercials.
"ABC News Brief" (various dates, USA, 45 seconds or so) - Cannot be rated. Watched yet more of these brief news reports, including those from 16 September 1977, 4 December 1977, 8 October 1978, 22 October 1978, 17 December 1978, 15 January 1979, 17 February 1979, 2 November 1979, 26 December 1979, and other dates (need these confirmed). Those late-1970s sure were troubled...also on the YouTube uploads were yet more fun vintage commercials!
Tops (1957, USA, 3 minutes) - 7.5/10. This is a segment produced for the TV series "Stars of Jazz”. It appears the episode it was used in is lost. This segments consists of beautifully filmed footage of spinning tops, accompanied by jazz music.
"Mary Mungo and Midge" - Episode titled "Toy Shop" (telecast 25 November 1969, UK, 15 minutes) - 7.5/10. An episode of this cartoon series.
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bill7576
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@bill7576
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Post by bill7576 on Apr 16, 2017 20:37:01 GMT
Hi, Dark. Yours: Personal Shopper 9/10 Saw it this week too. I love it actually, it has just a fantastic atmosphere, and I loved the ending too. Kristen Stewart is really great. I actually think I prefer it a bit to Sils Maria. The Lost Boys 5/10 I'm one of the few who didn't like it much actually. Haven't seen it in quite some time though. Rambo 7/10 I thought it was O.K. I preferred Rocky Balboa though. The Place Beyond the Pines 8/10 I liked it, I thought it was a bit overrated too though. The Ryan Gosling segment was my favourite. Lucy 8/10 It's really fun. I love that it goes really insane. Ace Ventura: Pet Detective 7.5/10 Watched it a long time ago, I thought it was fun. Goldeneye 7.5/10 I liked it. Loved Famke Janssen. I saw the Ace Ventura sequel, but I don't remember a thing. I think I only saw parts of The Neverending Story. Mine (besides Personal Shopper): Deadfall 6/10 It's a movie with Eric Bana and Olivia Wilde about a brother and sister who rob a casino and then get lost in a blizzard trying to reach Canada. I thought it was so-so, some things don't make much sense, IMO. Eric Bana is a bit miscast, I liked Olivia Wilde though, Charlie Hunnam too. Invitation to a Gunfighter 7/10 It's a western with Yul Brynner, he's a gunslinger who gets hired by a big banker to kill a civil war vet he screwed over his farm. It's O.K., I found it a bit bland maybe. Yul is really cool though. How to Beat the High Co$t of Living 8/10 It's a comedy with Jessica Lange, about three friends, all with big financial trouble, who decide to pull off a heist to get out of it. I liked it, it's really funny. It's from 1980, but I guess you could remake it today using the original screenplay without changing much. Also, young Jessica Lange was really hot.
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Post by cygnussnowdog on Apr 16, 2017 21:18:12 GMT
I don't have ratings for any of yours this week, although I think I saw Neverending Story long ago. This week I watched quite a bit of Mystery Science Theater 3000 in anticipation for the new season, so several of my ratings come from movies featured on the show:
Five the Hard Way (1969) - 1 Teenagers from Outer Space (1959) - 2 Zombie Nightmare (1987) - 2 The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971) - 5 Samurai Cop (1991) - 1 House on Haunted Hill (1959) - 7 Reptilicus (1961) - 3 Brute Force (1947) - 6 Night Moves (1975) - 4 Cry Wilderness (1987) - 1 Space Travellers (1964) - 4
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Post by darksidebeadle on Apr 17, 2017 0:18:27 GMT
Hi, Dark. Yours: Personal Shopper 9/10 Saw it this week too. I love it actually, it has just a fantastic atmosphere, and I loved the ending too. Kristen Stewart is really great. I actually think I prefer it a bit to Sils Maria. The Lost Boys 5/10 I'm one of the few who didn't like it much actually. Haven't seen it in quite some time though. Rambo 7/10 I thought it was O.K. I preferred Rocky Balboa though. The Place Beyond the Pines 8/10 I liked it, I thought it was a bit overrated too though. The Ryan Gosling segment was my favourite. Lucy 8/10 It's really fun. I love that it goes really insane. Ace Ventura: Pet Detective 7.5/10 Watched it a long time ago, I thought it was fun. Goldeneye 7.5/10 I liked it. Loved Famke Janssen. I saw the Ace Ventura sequel, but I don't remember a thing. I think I only saw parts of The Neverending Story. Mine (besides Personal Shopper): Deadfall 6/10 It's a movie with Eric Bana and Olivia Wilde about a brother and sister who rob a casino and then get lost in a blizzard trying to reach Canada. I thought it was so-so, some things don't make much sense, IMO. Eric Bana is a bit miscast, I liked Olivia Wilde though, Charlie Hunnam too. Invitation to a Gunfighter 7/10 It's a western with Yul Brynner, he's a gunslinger who gets hired by a big banker to kill a civil war vet he screwed over his farm. It's O.K., I found it a bit bland maybe. Yul is really cool though. How to Beat the High Co$t of Living 8/10 It's a comedy with Jessica Lange, about three friends, all with big financial trouble, who decide to pull off a heist to get out of it. I liked it, it's really funny. It's from 1980, but I guess you could remake it today using the original screenplay without changing much. Also, young Jessica Lange was really hot. Not seen any of yours this week bud
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Post by petrolino on Apr 17, 2017 1:03:07 GMT
I'm definitely thinking of seeing 'Personal Shopper' having read generally positive reviews on imdb2. 'The Lost Boys' is great gothic entertainment with the two Coreys on board for good measure. Sylvester Stallone did alot of research before making the violent sequel 'Rambo'. It's my favourite since 'First Blood', one of Stallone's greatest pictures, a punishing old school action spectacular that truly delivers on all fronts. I was knocked out by the hyperstylised 'Lucy' with its virtuoso turn from Scarlett Johansson. Awesome entertainment from a unique action filmmaker. Happy Easter everyone! --- --- --- --- Here's my viewings for the week ... ‘Fluke’ (1999, Fuks - Maciej Dutkiewicz) Low-rent thief Aleks Baginski (Maciej Stuhr) engages gangster’s moll Sonia (Agnieszka Krukówna) in a risky plot. ‘Fluke’ is a sexy screwball neo-noir in which an inexperienced young criminal is forced to raise his game by a woman who surrounds herself with danger. Agnieszka Krukówna is note-perfect as the femme fatale who isn’t all that she seems and a heavyweight support cast includes Janusz Gajos, Adam Ferency, Stanislawa Celinska, Krzysztof Stelmaszyk, Tomasz Dedek, Gabriela Kownacka and Ewa Salacka. The film is nicely photographed indoors and outdoors by experienced cinematographer Andrzej Jaroszewicz who was one of Andrzej Zulawski’s regular cameramen whenever he was working in Poland. ‘Oh, Charles 2’ (2011, Och, Karol 2 - Piotr Weresniak) Carefree yuppie Karol (Piotr Adamczyk) is able to juggle his demanding mistresses with ease but will he be as lucky in love? The glossy sequel ‘Oh, Charles 2’ feels like a slick remake of ‘Oh, Charles’ (1985) designed to iron out the original’s creases. Karol Górski, the eponymous hero of Roman Zaluski’s superior social satire, was played as an affable chancer by Jan Piechocinski who created a charming but hapless clown to rival Timothy Lea and Alvin Purple. Piotr Adamczyk’s turn as the college educated Casanova turns Karol into a smug, loathsome, self-satisfied jerk who revels in snarky snideness. This disastrous follow-up is a wretched affair that replaces the original’s qualities with stripped synthetic assets. ‘Chas & Dave : Last Orders’ (2012, Documentary – Julian Hendy) Chas Hodges and Dave Peacock reminisce about their upbringing and working lives in north London while preparing to call time with their final tour. ‘Chas & Dave : Last Orders’ is an old-fashioned knees-up with English heroes Chas & Dave whose novelty tunes and terrace anthems are sung in pubs up and down the country. They’re tremendous musicians.
‘Populaire’ (2012 - Régis Roinsard) Reality Magazine editor Louis Échard (Romain Duris) auditions bright young hopeful Rose Pamphyle (Déborah François) of Saint-Fraimbault to be his new secretary. The appetising comic book fantasy ‘Populaire’ celebrates the solitary digit power possessed by a demon typist. The story concerns the sexual revolution during the Silver Age of Comics, with picture postcard stencil drawings given candy-coloured coatings and a fructose syrup finish. Director Régis Roinsard has assembled an expert cast of farceurs including Bérénice Bejo, Miou-Miou, Eddy Mitchell, Frédéric Pierrot and Féodor Atkine but the picture belongs to Déborah François at her most enchanting. I think it would make a nice double bill with François Ozon’s comedy ‘Potiche’ (2010). ‘Squeeze : Take Me I’m Yours’ (2012, Documentary – Bob Smeaton) Members of the pop group Squeeze remember their days in south London making music. There’s a remarkable sense of calm to the documentary ‘Squeeze : Take Me I’m Yours’ which is reflective of the personalities and the music. Squeeze captured the simple pleasures of London life with an invigorating pop sensibility.
‘Beaster Day : Here Comes Peter Cottonhell’ (2014 – Snygg Brothers) Aspiring poet Brenda (Marisol Custodio) takes a job as a dog catcher to please her father Jake (Tom Cikoski), unaware that a giant killer rabbit is ravaging the local countryside. ‘Beaster Day : Here Comes Peter Cottonhell’ is a tiresome Easter-themed monster movie destroyed by dreadful CGI effects. Marisol Custodio carries the story on her shoulders as spunky heroine Brenda but nothing else works. The giant bunny appears static and immobile so it rarely makes contact with anyone and broken bodies are shown through dire digital images. John Fedele phones it in as Mayor Farnsworth who comes under increasing pressure to call a state of emergency and a raft of cameos from Fedele's fellow Seduction Cinema players adds nothing. This is just a terribly weak movie done off the cuff. ‘House of Manson’ (2014 – Brandon Slagle) Charles Manson (Ryan Kiser) confesses his sins to law enforcement. Among the litany of films addressing the horrific crimes of Charles Manson, be it directly or indirectly, ‘House Of Manson’ ranks for me as one of the most disappointing. It traces a well-beaten path from Manson’s birth in Cincinnati, Ohio to his cult’s killing spree in Los Angeles, California, but does so in a taxing, perfunctory manner. Ryan Kiser draws a blank as Manson and there’s no sense of time and place developed, with most everything shot in dark hues within the state of California. I found it a trial to sit through if I’m being honest. ‘Inherent Vice’ (2014 – Paul Thomas Anderson) Private eye Doc Sportello (Joaquin Pheonix) accepts a complicated case involving adultery and a big cash steal. ‘Inherent Vice’ is a shaggy dog story based on a novel by Thomas Pynchon. Set in the heady days of 1970, it’s California dreaming in the hands of two of the Golden State’s favourite sons, director Paul Thomas Anderson and cinematographer Robert Elswit. The sexually charged atmosphere powering Doc’s labyrinth investigation folds beneath ripples caused by goofs, oddballs and eccentrics; nobody’s making waves along the beachfront and a serpentine terror plot gets lost within dark shadows being cast by the crimes of Charles Manson and his cult. ‘R.E.M. By MTV’ (2014, Documentary – Alexander Young) A document of rock group R.E.M. built from footage found in the MTV vaults. ‘R.E.M. By MTV’ puts forward a potted history of the band by compiling a mannered assemblage of scattershot memories. It’s bedevilled by a proliferation of rapid cuts which is typical of MTV’s own productions. I feel it lacks the strategic planning required to craft a compelling chronicle of R.E.M.'s career and many of the clips and inserts seem random which grows frustrating. Only a few American college radio rock bands of the 1980s were able to consistently release longplayers of such high quality over so many years (Sonic Youth are a prime example, Violent Femmes and Throwing Muses also); this is partly because so many of the best bands broke up and few made it big like R.E.M. Still, if nothing else, ‘R.E.M. By MTV’ reminds us of the depth and diversity displayed by the band throughout their days as a four man unit. I think the definitive documentary on R.E.M. and their music has yet to be made.
‘The Big Short’ (2015 – Adam McKay) Inside traders Jared Vennett (Ryan Gosling), Michel Burry (Christian Bale) and Mark Baum (Steve Carrell) join forces to make a big earner while circumventing the downward spiral being initiated by mortgage brokers’ subprime lending. ‘The Big Short’ is a long, talky drama about the lead-up to the global financial crash of 2008 for which nobody seemed to be held accountable. It largely eschews the greed, gangster fantasies and bling culture of executive action ‘The Wolf In Wall Street’ (2013) in favour of education and explanation regarding the deliberately hard-to-decipher terms favoured by big corporations and financial institutions. Director Adam McKay invites Margot Robbie to sip champagne in a luxury bubble bath and establish a connection between his and Martin Scorsese’s films. McKay uses tricks like celebrity endorsements, time jumps, divided narration and straight-to-camera monologues in the style of Woody Allen. I don’t like the characters that populate ‘The Big Short’ but I found the story reasonably interesting. ‘The Conjuring 2’ (2016 – James Wan) Parapsychologists Ed Warren (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga) travel to north London to help the Hodgson family. ‘The Conjuring 2’ is James Wan’s quickfire follow-on to ‘The Conjuring’ (2013), with John Leonetti’s spin-off instalment ‘Annabelle’ (2014) coming in between. It’s loosely based on the strange case of the Enfield Haunting. What’s interesting to me about the ‘Conjuring’ films is their breakneck pacing, a departure from the slow, stately pace and sedate compositional style typical of classical haunted house pictures. Wan knows how to deliver a jump scare and what these films lack in atmosphere they make up for in jolts and thrills. I don’t think ‘The Conjuring 2’ works nearly as well in terms of storytelling as ‘The Conjuring’, and I preferred ‘Annabelle’, but it’s a solid sequel that serves up a decent night’s horror entertainment. ‘Gene Tierney : A Forgotten Star’ (2016, Documentary – Clara Kuperberg & Julia Kuperberg) An intimate portrait of 20th Century ‘Fox Girl’ Gene Tierney who rose through the studio ranks alongside Anne Baxter, Linda Darnell and Jeanne Crain. The documentary ‘Gene Tierney : A Forgotten Star’ constructs a personalised biography of Tierney by quoting carefully selected extracts from her memoir ‘Self Portrait’ (co-authored by ‘Mad’ Mickey Herskowitz). It’s heavy on projection though light on detail, proffering the general idea that Tierney’s measured gift for underplaying mystery significantly enhanced her enigmatic qualities therein. Dedicated fan Martin Scorsese leads the tributes. “From the moment she first appeared on the big screen, Tierney was a star. The critics weren’t always taken with her performances, but audiences loved her mix of exotic and girl-next-door beauty. She had a slight overbite, which Tierney refused to correct, when she came to Hollywood. In fact, she had it written into her contract that she had “control” of her teeth and hair. A clause like that may seem odd to us today, but during the reign of the major Hollywood studios it was unusual for an actor or actress to have those kinds of exceptions written into their contracts. Tierney was far from a diva or prima donna when it came to performing on the set. Known for her professionalism and kindness with both cast and crew, her first husband, Oleg Cassini said Tierney wanted everyone around her to “be happy.” Gene Eliza Tierney was born in Brooklyn, NY, on November 19, 1920.”
- Stephen Reginald, Meet Me At The Movies In Chicago
“Anne Baxter found herself in Hollywood at 16 and under contract with 20th Century Fox for the next seven years, appearing on screen in the western ‘20 Mule Team’ in 1940 starring Wallace Beery and Leo Carrillo. I haven't had the pleasure of seeing Anne's first film about refining Borax in Death Valley during the 1800's but I've been to Death Valley and all I can say is it's very hot and dry with tumbleweeds as far as the eye can see. Let's hope they weren't actually on location there while filming. That same year Anne was lucky enough to get a supporting role in ‘The Great Profile’, starring the great John Barrymore, Mary Beth Hughes and Lionel Atwill. Directed by Walter Lang, the comedy really is just a spoof on Barrymore's career and his private life which as we know involved a lot of hard drinking that was the root of a lot of his tempestuous behavior on set and in his personal relationships. Much credit goes to Anne's acting abilities to take on the role of the young and optimistic playwright who believes in Barrymore's character enough to take his career on as a project in the hopes of turning it around with her creativity and guidance. Of course we can't forget that Anne started filming at the ripe old age of 16, then she worked with Barrymore who was able to get himself to the set each day but consumed by alcoholism by this time, he would start to drink by noon and had to have his lines fed to him via giant cue cards and a giant blackboard. Somehow it all worked as Barrymore comes across as the consummate performer in light of these difficulties on set, to the credit of Walter Lang at the helm.”
- Page, ‘My Love Of Old Hollywood’
“Being beautiful was Linda Darnell’s curse. She was an emotionally intuitive actress, but almost from the beginning of her career, she was typecast because of her looks. Add in alcohol problems and a series of tortured relationships, and you have the recipe for a full-tilt Hollywood tragedy.”
- Jake Hinkson, ‘Noir’s Hard Luck Ladies’
“One of the series' weirdest juxtapositions pairs Mr. Scorsese's 1974 film, "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore," with Jean Negulesco's all-but-forgotten 1951 movie "Take Care of My Little Girl." In "Alice," a cross between a road movie and a traditional Hollywood "woman's picture" for someone like Bette Davis, a nervy young widow (Ellen Burstyn) with ambitions to be a singer breaks with convention and takes to the road with her prepubescent son. "Take Care of My Little Girl" portrays the rebellion of a student (Jeanne Crain) who chooses not to be a member of her mother's snooty and unprincipled college sorority. "The Negulesco film interested me because of the statement it made about conformity in early-50's America," Mr. Scorsese said. "If you overlook the conventions of the time, such as having the women playing the college-age kids be in their 30's, you can go with the movie and not laugh at it." No Throwaways. Along with the universality of Mr. Scorsese's taste, it is his passionate perceptiveness in discerning personal artistic visions and technical feats in the lowliest B movies that gives the series a genuine historic interest. "It's really important to me for some of these films to be seen, if just for fun," Mr. Scorsese said. "But I'm also trying to make a point that you never know how certain things will affect certain people. Out of 'Getting Gertie's Garter,' you can have an 'After Hours.' 'The Last Temptation of Christ' came through 'Accatone!' " Mr. Scorsese, who has been a passionate advocate for the preservation of old movies, was adamant about the ultimate worth of B movies and other Hollywood throwaways. "It's a dangerous situation if you have to start making value judgments about which ones should be saved and which not," he said. "Thirty years from now, the film you destroy could have been something that influenced 25 people to make wonderful movies."
- Stephen Holden speaks with Martin Scorsese about the Lincoln Center’s film retrospective ‘Mean Screens : Martin Scorsese at the Movies’, The New York Times
Dana Andrews & Gene Tierney :
Dana Andrews & Anne Baxter :
Dana Andrews & Linda Darnell :
Dana Andrews & Jeanne Crain :
Clara & Julia Kuperberg :
‘In A Valley Of Violence’ (2016 – Ti West) Hard-bitten drifter Paul (Ethan Hawke) clashes with the Marshal (John Travolta) of Denton, Texas, a makeshift township dubbed “the valley of violence”, when the Marshal's son Gilly (James Ransone) goes out of his way to pick a fight. The existential western ‘In A Valley Of Violence’ is a twisted morality play that confounds expectations and transcends traditional genre limitations. It’s a lean, green wholegrain oater with nutritious performances from Ethan Hawke as wounded warrior Paul, James Ransone as aggressive bully Gilly, Taissa Farmiga as local hotelier Mary-Anne, Karen Gillan as wanton hussy Ellen, Larry Fessenden as hostile hand Big Roy, Tommy Nohilly as hired muscle Tubby, Toby Huss as intense rifleman Harris and John Travolta as the self-appointed Sheriff who finds himself in way over his head. The cast are beautifully costumed by Malgosia Turzanska, their movements set to a throbbing soundtrack by Jeff Grace. Writer-director-editor Ti West crafts some exquisite establishing shots in the style of comic book panels, allowing cinematographer Eric Robbins’ clean compositions to occupy immaculate shot constructions assembled through crisp inter-cutting. West’s typically pared-down storytelling creates a tight frame for him to hang his obsessions with tantalising regularity including the act and art of redemption, the accidental or incidental discovery of illegitimate worlds, and the pressures upon misfits to find each other without the advantage of conventional social skills. On a miniscule shooting budget, West and his small crew have chiselled out a compact thriller that pulses with tension during its darker moments and engages humanity at others. This has instantly become one of my three favourite westerns of the decade so far with ‘Django Unchained’ (2012) and ‘The Hateful Eight’ (2015). ‘Keep It Up, Sue!’ (2016, Documentary – Simon Sheridan) Actress Sue Longhurst takes a brief look back on her career in movies. ‘Keep It Up, Sue!’ is a short, sweet conversation piece with Sue Longhurst who recalls working in the 1970s with vivifying candour. All her films were made between 1971 and 1979 and almost all were hits with European audiences. ‘Loans, Capital and Investments : The Extraordinary Success Story Of Felicity Devonshire’ (2016, Documentary – Bob Alexander) ‘Loans, Capital and Investments : The Extraordinary Success Story Of Felicity Devonshire’ is a mini-documentary that attempts to shed some light upon Felicity Devonshire’s sudden retreat from movies. All her films were made between 1971 and 1979 and almost all were hits with European audiences. Having demonstrated a great head for business, Devonshire left the film industry behind to make her fortune. ‘Respectable : The Mary Millington Story’ (2016, Documentary – Simon Sheridan) A candid illustration of the life and times of actress and anti-censorship campaigner Mary Millington. Film historian Simon Sheridan directs this frank examination of Mary Millington’s remarkable rise and fall, reflecting upon her despair, abandonment, persecution and addictions, as well as her unerring devotion to her mother. There are excerpts used from a recorded interview with Millington and video links with filmmakers Arnold Louis Miller, Stanley Long, Willy Roe, Michael Armstrong and Kenneth Rowles. Sheridan’s crafted an essential document of underground filmmaking in 1970s Britain with support from the British Film Institute. It’s also a sincere tribute to one of England’s most influential performers during the era of extreme film censorship promoted by Mary Whitehouse and Margaret Thatcher. ‘Respectable : The Mary Millington Story’ is narrated by actor Dexter Fletcher. "Mary Whitehouse has won, hasn't she; I mean she apsolootly has."
- Jilly Cooper, speaking in 1988
‘Darcey Bussell’s Looking For Audrey’ (2017, Documentary – Marion Milne) Dancer Darcey Bussell travels the world in search of the real Audrey Hepburn. “It used to be said that you can't be too rich or too thin. We now no longer believe this. Bankers and hedge fund managers are too rich; and now the celebrity magazines and tabloids lead the choruses of "Look how skinny's she's got!" The nicer way of saying the same thing, and making it a compliment, is to call the person elegant. Audrey Hepburn came to be synonymous with this form of elegance. Even in her early films, her height, her skinniness and her wistfulness combined to get her noticed. In the unhelpful role of Chiquita in ‘The Lavender Hill Mob’, she attracts the attention both of Alec Guinness and of the camera: a woman visually striking and possessed of a certain quality of unhappiness. Being slight and vulnerable, Hepburn could have made a career as one of cinema's perpetual victims – a leading lady for Alfred Hitchcock, maybe. But she was too thoughtful, and too smart in her choice of roles, to let that happen. Somehow, you can see it all in her childhood and adolescence.”
- Alex Cox, The Guardian
Audrey Hepburn in the kitchen :
Audrey Hepburn on the golf course :
‘Death Race 2050’ (2017 - G.J. Echternkamp) America’s chief superexecutive The Chairman (Malcolm McDowell) launches a new race to the death at the National Coliseum in Nueva York, U C A (the United Corporations of America) and pledges that the greatest nation on Earth will forever put ‘America First’. Lining up to compete are 4-time champ Frankenstein (Manu Bennett) who’s to be accompanied by Annie Sullivan (Marci Miller), Jed Perfectus (Burt Grinstead) and his sidekick Giggly Grace Tickle (Shanna Olson), MC Minerva Jefferson (Folake Olowofoyeku), Tammy The Terrorist (Anessa Ramsey) and the American Chair’s special wildcard A.B.E. It’s now 2050 in the ‘Death Race’ saga and advancements in science, technology and automation have left the vast majority of Americans out of work. Life is cheap and virtual reality participation has greatly enhanced the death race experience. But just remember one thing; ‘Cheerleaders don’t come to practise!”
Happy Easter everybody!
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Post by darksidebeadle on Apr 17, 2017 2:06:20 GMT
First Viewings...-Belle de Jour (1967) (Apr 11th 2017) - 6/10 -La La Land (2016) (Apr 14th 2017) - 6/10 (ill start by saying that prior to seeing this it could have easily been completely boring as i feel Musicals in general are one of those genres that are near universally disliked amongst us males as when they sing their dialog and sing certain types of songs, like Musicals typically do, they tend to get old VERY fast and that's what happened for the first 5 minutes of the movie (that stuff is a great example of what NOT to do in a musical as it's very boring) and it stayed nearly completely boring (had a brief glimmer of hope in the 16-17min range when Gosling was on piano and maybe a small bit or so after this (but this happens before 28min)) til about 28minutes into the movie then the movie started to largely stable out outside of a 4 min stretch from 32-36min or so (more singing crap but the overall scene is not as bad/boring as the intro singing(it's the scene on the cover of the main IMDb picture)). but from around the 36min range on forward it was much more stable from there til the end. basically once the movie focuses more around the relationship between Gosling/Stone is when the movie got more watchable/interesting and then it finished well. also, not all of the singing stuff is bad but a good portion of it is (basically the boring/bad singing stuff is all on the earlier side of the movie) and they had some more instrumental stuff which generally worked and that tune Gosling plays (you will know what i mean when you see the movie) works well enough to and there is some dancing but without people singing etc with instrumental stuff playing and that was decent enough. but later into the movie (basically the later half or so) when some singing etc occurs it actually works well enough in the moment of what's happening and is not boring unlike that first 5min which is a pretty great example of what makes Musicals get boring VERY fast in general(like that general style etc is quite bad), like i was saying. they should have found a way to trim a decent portion of the first 1/4th or so of the movie (it's a bit over 2 hours long) out early which would have helped my overall interest in the movie as it was a chore to get through that earlier part of the movie (roughly 30min or so) but thankfully it did not go on for TOO long, although it was pretty thin for a while(had the last 3/4th of the movie not noticeably improved i likely would have rated it a 4/10 TOPS and it could have easily been lower), otherwise i would have turned off the movie. so given my general impression of Musicals types of movies, which is quite negative in general, this one is the exception to the rule so far.) -Sleepless (2017) (Apr 15th 2017) - 5/10 (a watchable action movie with Jamie Foxx but forgettable) Re-watches...nothing this week. p.s. in general for me... 5/10 or less = Thumbs Down. 6/10 or higher = Thumbs Up. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- OP's... -The Conjuring 2 (2016) - 5/10 (the first movie is better (i.e. 6/10) which i have seen twice now unlike this one which has no re-watch appeal) -The Lost Boys (1987) - 5/10 (seen this back in Jan 2017. it's forgettable.) -Rambo (2008) - 6/10 (was a 7-8/10 until June 4th 2014 re-watch. but then again this entire series, while i like them, are nothing special for me anymore.) The Place Beyond the Pines (2012) - 5/10 (yeah, definitely over-hyped. but i think it had a little potential prior to seeing it but in the end it's forgettable/no re-watch value) Lucy (2014) - 5/10 (forgettable. the only Luc Besson movies of any real worth for me are... 1)Angel-A (2005) (8.5-9/10) 2)The Big Blue (1988) (7/10). i used to be a huge fan of Leon (i.e. 10/10) but that movie no longer holds up as of a viewing on Nov 19th 2014. even Nikita (1990) i used to be a pretty big fan of (i.e. 8/10) but that dropped back to a 5/10 on Aug 8th 2015.) Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994) - NS (but i think Jim Carrey's best from the old days is basically Dumb and Dumber/The Mask) -Goldeneye (1995) - 5/10 (used to be a pretty big fan of this (i.e. 8/10) til Dec 29th 2014 and it no longer holds up. in fact, Brosnan is the only Bond actor that i don't like a single Bond movie from which is weird as years ago his Bond movies where amongst my favorites in general.) -The NeverEnding Story (1984)... i might have seen this as a kid a long time ago. i don't have it rated. Just La La Land - i dont care for musicals so obviously i preferred the 2nd half where there are almost no traditional musical numbers, overall i gave it a 7
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Post by darksidebeadle on Apr 17, 2017 2:08:47 GMT
YoursThe Conjuring 2 - 4/10The Lost Boys - 7/10Rambo - 10/10Lucy - 6/10Goldeneye - 9/10Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls - 8/10Mine - All first time views except Stay Alive.London Has Fallen (2016) - 7/10 Got poor reviews but I thought the action was very well done and pretty exciting. Gun (2010) - 6/10 Only has a 3.8 on IMDB but I liked it. Nothing great but amusing. The Counselor (2013) - 5/10No Good Deed (2014) - 6/10The Second Chance (2006) - 3/10Sinners and Saints (2010) - 4/10Wind (1992) - 3/10Stay Alive (2006) - 3/10 Hated it when I first saw it in 06. Not as bad as I remember but still pretty bad. Panic Room (2002) - 6/10A Perfect World (1993) - 5/10Windrunner (1994) - 1/10 I tried 5 times to see this but I kept falling asleep. Finally I got through it. It sucks. Beyond a Reasonable Doubt (2009) - 6/10A Perfect Murder (1998) - 6/10When a Man Loves a Woman (1994) - 5/10The Recruit (2003) - 5/106 Souls (2010) - 3/10 Panic Room (2002) - 4/10 A Perfect World (1993) - 6.5/10 A Perfect Murder (1998) - 5.5/10 a so so remake of dial m for murder, couldve been worse
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Post by darksidebeadle on Apr 17, 2017 2:12:16 GMT
I don't have ratings for any of yours this week, although I think I saw Neverending Story long ago. This week I watched quite a bit of Mystery Science Theater 3000 in anticipation for the new season, so several of my ratings come from movies featured on the show: Five the Hard Way (1969) - 1 Teenagers from Outer Space (1959) - 2 Zombie Nightmare (1987) - 2 The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971) - 5 Samurai Cop (1991) - 1 House on Haunted Hill (1959) - 7 Reptilicus (1961) - 3 Brute Force (1947) - 6 Night Moves (1975) - 4 Cry Wilderness (1987) - 1 Space Travellers (1964) - 4 Brute Force (1947) - 7 Night Moves (1975) - 6 Read more: imdb2.freeforums.net/thread/19149/movies-watch-last-week-10?page=2#ixzz4eT8PFoRu
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