What did You Watch Last Week (20/07 - 26/07) 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

Kill the Messenger (2014, Michael Cuesta)
This is the film the CIA did not want you to see but for those who did it is a stark reminder of the evil of the American Empire. This true story follows a journalists discovery of the CIA's involvement in dealing drugs in poor neighbourhoods to fund their illegal regime change wars. The film itself is not inspiringly directed and has a weak score but the acting is strong enough, I wish it was more epic but it is good that this important story is out at all.
7/10

Things to do in Denver when you're Dead (1995, Gary Fleder)
After Tarantino's breakthrough there were a lot of immitators and those who were heavily influenced. This is one of those although a much more brooding affair. It has some individually great parts but does not work as a whole.
5.5/10

Of Unknown Origin (1983, George P. Cosmatos)
This somewhat of a horror film about a man (Peter Weller) going mad  as he tries to track down a rat living in his house is an odd little beastie. It certainly drags in places and goes buck wild in others. It takes itself very seriously but it is a rather quirky set up., I enjoyed it maybe more than the film is actually good by any other merit.
4.5/10

REPEAT MOVIE VIEWING

Being There (1979, Hal Ashby)
blu ray
Peter Sellers (Dr Strangelove) plays a simpleminded, sheltered gardener who becomes an unlikely trusted adviser to a powerful businessman and an insider in Washington politics. This film holds up wonderfully, big fan.
8/10

The Last Detail (1973, Hal Ashby)
blu ray
This rather simple premise of two Navy men who are ordered to bring a young offender to prison is brought to life by wonderful performances. They decide to show him one last good time along the way and that is where things get really interesting. Feels like a great time capsule.
7.5/10

Swingers (1996, Doug Liman)
blu ray
This low budget film set in Los Angeles was a springboard fr those in front of a behind the camera. The sharp dialogue hides the budgetary constraints and we end with a memorable and quotable tale of young men trying to find love and make their way in to show business in Hollywood.
7.5/10

Bonnie and Clyde (1967, Arthur Penn)
This film version of the true life team of robbers is a mixed bag, I have never been a fan though. I disliked it as a kid and did not finish my second attempt a few years bacl. This time I finished it but despite a few good sections, overall I did not like it and I still don't think Warren Beatty is a good actor.
5/10

WEEKLY FILM AWARDS

BEST FILM: Being There
BEST ACTOR: Jack Nicholson - The Last Detail
BEST ACTRESS: Faye Dunnaway - Bonnie and Clyde
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Vince Vaughn - Swingers
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Fairuza Balk - Things to do in Denver when You're Dead
BEST EDITING: Robert C. Jones - The Last Detail
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY: Caleb Deschanel - Being There
BEST SCRIPT: Jerzy Kosinski - Being There
BEST SCORE: Kenneth Wannberg - Of Unknown Origin
BEST DIRECTOR: Hal Ashby - Being There


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