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MOVIES: What are you watching?

T tanglenetMember
quote:
Originally posted by winetarelli:
quote:
The Oranges - another film marketed as a comedy that isn't and leaves a bad taste or you feel like taking a bath afterwards. In the vein of Blame it on Rio with similar plot: best friend sleeps with best friend's (young adult) child and the fallout on the families involved. Yuck. Who green lights this stuff?


I saw this movie a few weeks ago. I wasn't at 'yuck'. More like 'yawn but irritable'. This movie could have been a serious, dramatic (if at times light hearted) romance between a 50-something man and a 24 year old young woman, addressing the problems that such an age gap creates in their otherwise healthy, loving relationship; including addressing how this effects their relationships with their own families as well as one-another's families. (Maybe even address his relationship with his estranged wife.)... Or, it could have been a serious movie about about two good people who attempt to engage in a destructive relationship -- partially due to age difference, perhaps -- and the heartache, not only to them, but to their respective families that it creates... Or it could have been a sex movie... Or one or both of the main characters could have been intentionally unlikeable, or even bad... Or they could have tried to make it into a slapstick, intentionally offensive, hammy, hard 'R' rated raunchy comedy.

That isn't what happened. At every turn the movie pussies out of making any decision that might offend anyone and instead, the movie managed to be one of the crappier, more disingenuous, more unappealing movies I have seen in a while.

And the acting. I cannot believe such good actors (Hugh Laurie, Oliver Platt, Catherine Keener, Allison Janney) signed on to this. For them, it was a paycheck, I guess. And you could totally tell that they knew they were in a bad movie the entire time. "Phoning it in" doesn't come close to giving their performances the (in)justice they deserve. The girl, on the other hand (Leighton Meester) you could tell was really trying (unsuccessfully) and may not have known she was in a crap movie. Which I think may have made it even worse.

The premise of the movie is quite raw, and they could have gone a ton of different directions with the raw premise to make a good and interesting movie. Attempting to turn the raw premise innocuous and inoffensive to all, however, created one of the lamest, least interesting, movies I've recently seen.


Hey, we agree! Razz
T tanglenetMember
quote:
Originally posted by The Old Man:
quote:
Originally posted by steve8:
Lolita

Just brilliant.

Which, the unfaithful masterpiece or the faithful blob?


Years ago I came across the Anthony Burgess novel Clockwork Orange after I had seen Kubrick's movie. It also was not faithful to the book. The book was far superior, complex, educational (teaching you Russian when you didn't even know it) and not all circular, which Kubrick made it out to be.
steve8steve8Member
quote:
Originally posted by tanglenet:
Years ago I came across the Anthony Burgess novel Clockwork Orange after I had seen Kubrick's movie. It also was not faithful to the book. The book was far superior, complex, educational (teaching you Russian when you didn't even know it) and not all circular, which Kubrick made it out to be.


Eek Sorry Tanglenet, but on this one I couldn't disagree more. As good as Burgess' novel was, Kubrick's adaptation was one of the few movies I liked better than the book. Kubrick was rarely faithful to the book, but that usually made his films interesting.
T tanglenetMember
quote:
Originally posted by steve8:
quote:
Originally posted by tanglenet:
Years ago I came across the Anthony Burgess novel Clockwork Orange after I had seen Kubrick's movie. It also was not faithful to the book. The book was far superior, complex, educational (teaching you Russian when you didn't even know it) and not all circular, which Kubrick made it out to be.


Eek Sorry Tanglenet, but on this one I couldn't disagree more. As good as Burgess' novel was, Kubrick's adaptation was one of the few movies I liked better than the book. Kubrick was rarely faithful to the book, but that usually made his films interesting.


Very cool. You are one of the few people I know that ever read it!
The Old ManThe Old ManMember
quote:
Originally posted by tanglenet:
quote:
Originally posted by steve8:
quote:
Originally posted by tanglenet:
Years ago I came across the Anthony Burgess novel Clockwork Orange after I had seen Kubrick's movie. It also was not faithful to the book. The book was far superior, complex, educational (teaching you Russian when you didn't even know it) and not all circular, which Kubrick made it out to be.


Eek Sorry Tanglenet, but on this one I couldn't disagree more. As good as Burgess' novel was, Kubrick's adaptation was one of the few movies I liked better than the book. Kubrick was rarely faithful to the book, but that usually made his films interesting.


Very cool. You are one of the few people I know that ever read it!

You don't know me, but I read it in the 70s. I saw the film when it first opened. In those days it was rated "X." Though that version is now rated "R" on DVD. I've always made it a point not to compare films and books, but if I had to here I'd say there's no question that the Kubrick film is more powerful.
winetarelliwinetarelliMember
12 Years A Slave

Well crap. That "A-" I gave Gravity? Make it a "B". I had forgotten what it is like to go to the cinema and be blown away. IMO, this is better than any movie that came out in the past two years.

The photography was wonderful, you can tell MvQueen used to be a visual artist and he still enjoys it maybe a bit too much, but somehow despite his indulgence in it, it did not detract from the experience. Chiwetel Ejiorfor will not only win the Oscar, it will be a coronation. All the performances were masterful. Michael Fassbender was doing something quite theatrical but still awe-inspiring as well. Only Sarah Paulson underperformed, imo. She seemed a bit stiff. Oh, and half of the best (well, a lot, anyway) actors in the business show up at one point or another in the movie, from Paul Giamatti to Brad Pitt, even if they are only in the movie for a short while. They are all fantastic.

Not as good as Schindler's List or The Pianist but worthy of mention along side those masterpieces. This movie got to me in its haunting realism -- no stylization whatsoever.

The movie is brutal in its realism, though far fewer deaths than a typical PG-13 movie, or even maybe PG. I would think about bringing a 14 year old based upon how he or she responds to that type of stuff. But I would say this movie is absolute essential required viewing for all people of all stripes, ethnicities and backgrounds aged 15 and above. Yeah, 14, too. It is special, tough, honest, and brilliant.

There are flaws, to be sure. But I went in thinking it would be just good. Maybe that is why I liked it so much; it blew away my expectations and after reading this others won't like it as much because I'm talking it up too much? But, for me, this is easily the best movie released since The Descendants two years ago -- and more important.

A
Last edited by winetarelli
A adam10Member
quote:
Originally posted by winetarelli:
12 Years A Slave

Well crap. That "A-" I gave Gravity? Make it a "B". I had forgotten what it is like to go to the cinema and be blown away. IMO, this is better than any movie that came out in the past two years.

The photography was wonderful, you can tell MvQueen used to be a visual artist and he still enjoys it maybe a bit too much, but somehow despite his indulgence in it, it did not detract from the experience. Chiwetel Ejiorfor will not only win the Oscar, it will be a coronation. All the performances were masterful. Michael Fassbender was doing something quite theatrical but still awe-inspiring as well. Only Sarah Paulson underperformed, imo. She seemed a bit stiff. Oh, and half of the best (well, a lot, anyway) actors in the business show up at one point or another in the movie, from Paul Giamatti to Brad Pitt, even if they are only in the movie for a short while. They are all fantastic.

Not as good as Schindler's List or The Pianist but worthy of mention along side those masterpieces. This movie got to me in its haunting realism -- no stylization whatsoever.

The movie is brutal in its realism, though far fewer deaths than a typical PG-13 movie, or even maybe PG. I would think about bringing a 14 year old based upon how he or she responds to that type of stuff. But I would say this movie is absolute essential required viewing for all people of all stripes, ethnicities and backgrounds aged 15 and above. Yeah, 14, too. It is special, tough, honest, and brilliant.

There are flaws, to be sure. But I went in thinking it would be just good. Maybe that is why I liked it so much; it blew away my expectations and after reading this others won't like it as much because I'm talking it up too much? But, for me, this is easily the best movie released since The Descendants two years ago -- and more important.

A


Thanks, I wanna see this now.
P parcivalMember
quote:
Originally posted by winetarelli:
12 Years A Slave

Well crap. That "A-" I gave Gravity? Make it a "B". I had forgotten what it is like to go to the cinema and be blown away. IMO, this is better than any movie that came out in the past two years.

The photography was wonderful, you can tell MvQueen used to be a visual artist and he still enjoys it maybe a bit too much, but somehow despite his indulgence in it, it did not detract from the experience. Chiwetel Ejiorfor will not only win the Oscar, it will be a coronation. All the performances were masterful. Michael Fassbender was doing something quite theatrical but still awe-inspiring as well. Only Sarah Paulson underperformed, imo. She seemed a bit stiff. Oh, and half of the best (well, a lot, anyway) actors in the business show up at one point or another in the movie, from Paul Giamatti to Brad Pitt, even if they are only in the movie for a short while. They are all fantastic.

Not as good as Schindler's List or The Pianist but worthy of mention along side those masterpieces. This movie got to me in its haunting realism -- no stylization whatsoever.

The movie is brutal in its realism, though far fewer deaths than a typical PG-13 movie, or even maybe PG. I would think about bringing a 14 year old based upon how he or she responds to that type of stuff. But I would say this movie is absolute essential required viewing for all people of all stripes, ethnicities and backgrounds aged 15 and above. Yeah, 14, too. It is special, tough, honest, and brilliant.

There are flaws, to be sure. But I went in thinking it would be just good. Maybe that is why I liked it so much; it blew away my expectations and after reading this others won't like it as much because I'm talking it up too much? But, for me, this is easily the best movie released since The Descendants two years ago -- and more important.

A


On my must watch list for near future
J juicyMember
quote:
Originally posted by The Old Man:
quote:
Originally posted by winetarelli:Not as good as Schindler's List or The Pianist but worthy of mention along side those masterpieces.

Spielberg has never, and will never, make a masterpiece. His populist sensibilities will always get in the way.


What is your definition of "masterpiece"?
The Old ManThe Old ManMember
quote:
Originally posted by Juicy:
quote:
Originally posted by The Old Man:
quote:
Originally posted by winetarelli:Not as good as Schindler's List or The Pianist but worthy of mention along side those masterpieces.

Spielberg has never, and will never, make a masterpiece. His populist sensibilities will always get in the way.



What is your definition of "masterpiece"?

Citizen Kane

La Dolce Vita and about 6 other Fellini movies

The Seventh Seal and about 10 other Bergman movies

The Seven Samurai and about 10 other Kurosawa movies

2001: A Space Odyssey and 4 other Kubrick movies

Chinatown

Vertigo and about 5 other Hitchcock movies

Fargo

The Third Man

Jules and Jim
and...
and...
and...
purplehazepurplehazeMember
quote:
Originally posted by wineismylife:
Pitch Perfect

Masterpiece. Not quite as masterful as it would've been in the hands of El Maestro Steven Spielberg but top notch nonetheless.


LOL

I got roped into watching this by one of my grandchildren recently. Formulaic and predictable. That said, pretty friggin' funny stuff. Pleasant surprise.

PH
The Old ManThe Old ManMember
quote:
Originally posted by steve8:
quote:
Originally posted by The Old Man:

2001: A Space Odyssey and 4 other Kubrick movies


Clockwork Orange?
Barry Lyndon?
Lolita?
... Dr. Strangelove or Spartacus?

Paths of Glory
Lolita
Clockwork Orange
Dr. Strangelove

Spartacus is a Hollywood mess, partly because the original director was fired and Kubrick and Douglas (who also produced the film) never were on the same page.
The Old ManThe Old ManMember
quote:
Originally posted by sunnylea57:
What did you think of The Shining and Eyes Wide Shut?

I've been a Kubrick fan since I first saw 2001 when it first opened, as I did with Clockwork Orange. On TV in those days I managed to catch his early, amazing heist filmThe Killing. A viewing of Dr. Strangelove rocketed a second Kubrick (along with 2001) to my top ten list. I was stunned at the events portrayed in Paths of Glory and was amused, and entertained, by the over the top sand and sandal epic of Spartacus. And then came that awful day around the time of my 23rd birthday in December 1975...

I had read articles about the upcoming new Kubrick picture. In particular there was an article in American Cinematographer about the innovative photography--natural lighting using candles, special lenses developed for the movie and other details which I poured over. So there I was in the downtown Chicago theatre--The Oriental (in the last days of the great downtown movie palaces.) The amazing shot in the meadow with the song Women of Ireland by The Chieftains (whom I was already familiar with.) And then Barry Lyndon played out with the plainly wrongly cast, Ryan O'Neal. And I had my first major disappointment with a Kubrick film.

Another year sitting in the theatre watching a 30 second coming attraction with blood pouring out of an elevator and flooding a hotel hallway, floating furniture in its wash. This shot is only partially used in the next major disappointment for me--The Shining. For me the flaws of the movie are demonstrated right at the beginning with the helicopter shot following the VW Beetle as it goes through the mountains. At one point the car goes one way and the helicopter goes the other. So much wrong with The Shinning. First it's a horror film that isn't scary so much as irritating. Between the non-stop screeching of Shelly Duvall and the uncontrolled performance of Nicholson the movie can't sustain any feeling of dread. And what a ridiculous ending. We're suppose to see the picture in the bar and go--Ah ha, that explains everything!

Never again would Kubrick do anything of interest for me. Full Metal Jacket? I don't remember anything about it except I would never feel the need to watch it again. And then the shame of Eyes Wide Shut. If Kubrick could make a non-scary horror movie, he could also make a non-erotic erotic movie. Kubrick through his entire career always had one great talent--the right film shot for the scene he's shooting. If he uses hand-held it was for a reason, his choice of lens-always dead on. He was also the master of detail. And his last movie is just pure slop in this regard. Minor example--look for the same mailbox to be used in two scenes in different locations. Worth pointing out? Perhaps not, but a symbol for the lack of focus that Kubrick had at the end of his life.

So, many a great director has had failings at the end. Hitchcock made some real clunkers at the end (though they all have something worthwhile in them.) Kubrick, and a few other directors, made films that should last forever in the history of the art of film. And that's good enough for me.

Thanks for listening.
robsutherlandrobsutherlandMember
My WIFE and not me, said she felt like a fighty action movie with some "soul" (I sometimes shake my head at her).

We ended up watching "Warrior". Nick Nolte playing a part probably pretty close to home was wonderful. Tom Hardy always amazes me with his ability to really be in the role (like Bronson). Jennifer Morrison, well as long as she wasn't as annoying as she was in that movie, well I wouldn't kick her out of bed...

Certainly a case of the actors elevating a so/so script.
The Old ManThe Old ManMember
quote:
Originally posted by wine+art:
The Last Seduction

Once upon a time there was an attempt to break Linda Fiorentino into the big time. This movie was the final attempt. It had much fanfare, but director John Dahl (himself a minor director who was a great hope) didn't have what it takes to get Fiorentino into the next Femme Fatale.

He became a TV director and she has just faded with time.
winetarelliwinetarelliMember
quote:
Originally posted by The Old Man:
quote:
Originally posted by wine+art:
The Last Seduction

Once upon a time there was an attempt to break Linda Fiorentino into the big time. This movie was the final attempt. It had much fanfare, but director John Dahl (himself a minor director who was a great hope) didn't have what it takes to get Fiorentino into the next Femme Fatale.

He became a TV director and she has just faded with time.

I always really liked this movie.

Liked Fiorentino, too.

She was in Men in Black...
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