What did You Watch Last Week (10/02-16/02) CLOSED

Welcome back to another week of the BEST & WORST edition of 'what movies did you see last week?' thread. For those who haven't been part of it before, basically your host (me) posts my weekly movies and you can comment on those and list your movie for the same time frame. I will get back to you on yours and you can talk to other users here about their films. It's a great place to talk about film.

FIRST TIME MOVIE VIEWING

None this week

REPEAT MOVIE VIEWING

Do the Right Thing (1989, Spike Lee)
blu ray
Set on the hottest day of the year on a street in Brooklyn, everyone's hate and bigotry smoulders and builds until it explodes into violence. This thought provoking  film took director Spike Lee to the next level and showcased a lot of great talent. 
8/10

Elvis & Nixon (2016, Liza Johnson)
blu ray
In 1970, a few days before Christmas, Elvis Presley (Michael Shannon) showed up on the White House lawn seeking to be deputized into the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs by the President (Kevin Spacey) himself.
This film speculates on what the conversation may have been liked and is very entertaining as well as nicely directed with a look that captures the era.
7/10

Joker (2019, Todd Phillips)
UHD
After the DC comics connected universe films came in under expectations (although still profitable), DC started planning out some stand alone films and Todd Phillips (Old School, The Hangover) approached them about doing a Joker film in a gritty style akin to The King of Comedy and Taxi Driver. With the film requiring a much lower budget than the usual superhero blockbusters it was green-lit.
The talk for the subsequent years of production of it being something we have not seen in the realm of comic book movies before have proved correct, as we have a character study/ drama with this film. In that respect it is a refreshing change. The film is indeed a gritty feeling serious drama with a great central performance from Joaquin Phoenix (Her) that raises the film to another level.
As far as the direction goes, the film looks good but my main issue is just how much it apes the two Scorsese films it is inspired by. Taking that tone is one thing but not only does this have similar story moments (also forgivable) but has shots/ scenes that feel duplicated. It will take film buffs out of the movie as they spot these pretty regularly throughout. So depending on how much the shameless aping of King of Comedy and especially Taxi Driver will bother you may effect your score. It bothered me a fair amount at times but I am sure it will bother others more than me and many less.
That aside it is a good character study with a memorable lead performance and a welcome change to the mainstream box office. As far as the controversy over subject matter, the people who want to be outraged by things will find things in it to be outraged about but in the end it's just a movie and also it doesn't appear to endorse things has just present a fairly believable story.
7/10

The Wicker Man (1973, Robin Hardy)
blu ray
This is the newly released third and  Final Cut of the film and this is the first time I've seen that cut. It is my favourite version of teh film even though it is only has subtle differences.
7/10

WEEKLY FILM AWARDS

BEST FILM: Do the Right Thing
BEST ACTOR: Joaquin Phoenix - Joker
BEST ACTRESS: N/A
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Danny Aiello - Do the Right Thing
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Frances Conroy - Joker
BEST EDITING: Barry Alexander Brown - Do the Right Thing
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY: Ernest R. Rickerson - Do the Right Thing
BEST SCRIPT: Spike Lee - Do the Right Thing
BEST SCORE: Hildur Guðnadóttir - Joker
BEST DIRECTOR: Spike Lee - Do the Right Thing


10/10 - Perfection (or as close to it as possible)
09/10 - An Excellent film
08/10 - A VERY Good film
07/10 - A Good film
06/10 - A Solid film
05/10 - An Average film
04/10 - Below Average film
03/10 - A mostly bad film
02/10 - A mostly terrible film
01/10 - Awful through and through
00/10 - Not only awful but offensive too