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MOVIES: What are you watching?

T tanglenetMember
quote:
Originally posted by patespo1:
quote:
Originally posted by tanglenet:
Somm - great documentary on wine
Angels' Share - comedy-drama about single malt whiskey. Thank god there were subtitles for the Scottish (Glaswegian) brogue.


I agree on Somm; what's your review of Angels' Share?


Starts out as a depressing drama about the dead end prospects for a violent young man and his crappy life. We watch him to start to take responsibility. He improves his lot in life which is when the film morphs to a feel good uplifting comedy. Not great but entertaining. Very low budget.

FYI We saw it on Netflix and I don't know if it was our broadband or the film but it looked like it was shot on 16mm with lots of grain and sometimes out of focus. Could have been a Comcast issue.
The Old ManThe Old ManMember
quote:
Originally posted by tanglenet:
Caligula- I saw this when it came out. It was controversial as it had A+ actors but produced by the publisher of Penthouse. I thought that it was soft core porn and took liberties with history. I later read Suetonius's Lives of the Ceasars and realized that it was true to his book. Kinky and sadistic stuff.

I'm in the midst of rewatching I, Claudius, which I consider the greatest mini-series ever made. Coming out three years before Caligula one of its great virtues is on display in its treatment of Caligula, who is so well played by John Hurt. In the series we almost never really see Caligula do anything horrifying on screen. But due to the strength of writing, acting and direction the horror of what he does is firmly planted in our minds.

As an aside the movie continued the Penthouse magazine founder, Bob Guccione, in his quest to best Hugh Hefner. Hefner eight years earlier had produced Roman Polanksi's Macbeth. While not a great film it is a pretty good one and it stands head and shoulders over Caligula. I do not condemn the film for its debauchery just for its ineptitude. Best explained here by Roger Ebert: Roger Ebert-review
mneeley490mneeley490Member
quote:
Originally posted by tanglenet:
Caligula- I saw this when it came out. It was controversial as it had A+ actors but produced by the publisher of Penthouse. I thought that it was soft core porn and took liberties with history. I later read Suetonius's Lives of the Ceasars and realized that it was true to his book. Kinky and sadistic stuff.

I saw this when it first came out, also. But that was the X-rated version. Guccione couldn't help himself and inserted porn actors in some of the scenes not directly involving the principles. Probably been cut from the dvd editions.
T tanglenetMember
quote:
Originally posted by mneeley490:
quote:
Originally posted by tanglenet:
Caligula- I saw this when it came out. It was controversial as it had A+ actors but produced by the publisher of Penthouse. I thought that it was soft core porn and took liberties with history. I later read Suetonius's Lives of the Ceasars and realized that it was true to his book. Kinky and sadistic stuff.

I saw this when it first came out, also. But that was the X-rated version. Guccione couldn't help himself and inserted porn actors in some of the scenes not directly involving the principles. Probably been cut from the dvd editions.


I don't have any desire to see it again but would be interested to hear if it has been edited.
The Old ManThe Old ManMember
quote:
Originally posted by mneeley490:
quote:
Originally posted by tanglenet:
Caligula- I saw this when it came out. It was controversial as it had A+ actors but produced by the publisher of Penthouse. I thought that it was soft core porn and took liberties with history. I later read Suetonius's Lives of the Ceasars and realized that it was true to his book. Kinky and sadistic stuff.

I saw this when it first came out, also. But that was the X-rated version. Guccione couldn't help himself and inserted porn actors in some of the scenes not directly involving the principles. Probably been cut from the dvd editions.

The movie was never cut to add scenes. Guccione shot and put in harder scenes into the film before release. All cuts, in the US (and in other countries) were to make it releasable in those countries. This includes a 1981 R-rated cut in the US.
S spoMember
quote:
Originally posted by The Old Man:
quote:
Originally posted by mneeley490:
quote:
Originally posted by tanglenet:
Caligula- I saw this when it came out. It was controversial as it had A+ actors but produced by the publisher of Penthouse. I thought that it was soft core porn and took liberties with history. I later read Suetonius's Lives of the Ceasars and realized that it was true to his book. Kinky and sadistic stuff.

I saw this when it first came out, also. But that was the X-rated version. Guccione couldn't help himself and inserted porn actors in some of the scenes not directly involving the principles. Probably been cut from the dvd editions.

The movie was never cut to add scenes. Guccione shot and put in harder scenes into the film before release. All cuts, in the US (and in other countries) were to make it releasable in those countries. This includes a 1981 R-rated cut in the US.


I watched it on Netflix streaming and thought it was pretty wild stuff. Some of the stuff in that Roger Ebert review I did not see in this version.
S seaquamMember
Just got back from a screening of Spinning Plates, a documentary that compares certain elements of 3 diverse restaurants-- Alinea in Chicago, a 4th generation family-run successful eatery in rural Iowa, and a struggling Mexican place in Tucson run by an inexperienced couple-- and shows both the similarities and differences, some obvious and some surprising, among them. Besides the expected stuff that's of interest to foodies, there was a really powerful human interest angle focussed on the owners.

We really enjoyed this film. It's in limited release throughout North America, and worth seeking out if it shows up somewhere near your home.
glennkglennkMember
quote:
Originally posted by Seaquam:
Just got back from a screening of Spinning Plates, a documentary that compares certain elements of 3 diverse restaurants-- Alinea in Chicago, a 4th generation family-run successful eatery in rural Iowa, and a struggling Mexican place in Tucson run by an inexperienced couple-- and shows both the similarities and differences, some obvious and some surprising, among them. Besides the expected stuff that's of interest to foodies, there was a really powerful human interest angle focussed on the owners.

We really enjoyed this film. It's in limited release throughout North America, and worth seeking out if it shows up somewhere near your home.
It's on iTunes as well. I watched it last week on a business trip and enjoyed it for the same human interest angle that you mentioned. Dining at places like Alinea just doesn't interest me as much as it used to, but it was cool to hear their story. I would love to eat the hometown cooking of that place in Iowa. That was my favorite story. The food at the Mexican place just didn't look that good or authentic which is why I think they were struggling.
W wine+artMember
quote:
Originally posted by The Old Man:
quote:
Originally posted by wine+art:
Les Yeux Sans Visage

Ah, a nice light start to the weekend. Perhaps a double feature with Almodovar's La Piel que Habito?

My own favorite of the plastic surgery horror storey is John Frankenheimer's great overlooked classic Seconds.


Razz

I had an Academy Award winning actress sitting next to me on the plane. She tapped me on the shoulder to ask me what I was watching. Big Grin
Last edited by wine+art
The Old ManThe Old ManMember
quote:
Originally posted by wine+art:
quote:
Originally posted by The Old Man:
quote:
Originally posted by wine+art:
Les Yeux Sans Visage

Ah, a nice light start to the weekend. Perhaps a double feature with Almodovar's La Piel que Habito?

My own favorite of the plastic surgery horror storey is John Frankenheimer's great overlooked classic Seconds.


Razz

I had an Academy Award winning actress was sitting next to me on the plane. She tapped me on the shoulder to ask me what I was watching. Big Grin

At least it wasn't the porn you're always watching. Razz
S seaquamMember
quote:
Originally posted by GlennK:
quote:
Originally posted by Seaquam:
Just got back from a screening of Spinning Plates, a documentary that compares certain elements of 3 diverse restaurants-- Alinea in Chicago, a 4th generation family-run successful eatery in rural Iowa, and a struggling Mexican place in Tucson run by an inexperienced couple-- and shows both the similarities and differences, some obvious and some surprising, among them. Besides the expected stuff that's of interest to foodies, there was a really powerful human interest angle focussed on the owners.

We really enjoyed this film. It's in limited release throughout North America, and worth seeking out if it shows up somewhere near your home.


It's on iTunes as well. I watched it last week on a business trip and enjoyed it for the same human interest angle that you mentioned. Dining at places like Alinea just doesn't interest me as much as it used to, but it was cool to hear their story. I would love to eat the hometown cooking of that place in Iowa. That was my favorite story. The food at the Mexican place just didn't look that good or authentic which is why I think they were struggling.


For me, I am much more interested in eating at Alinea now that I've seen that movie. My favourite of the 3 stories was also the Iowa restaurant (although they don't seem to have good stemware and there was no indication of how much they charge for corkage Smile).

I think the reason the Mexican couple was struggling was that they simply didn't have a clear business plan or know how to allocate their resources-- he drove a pretty nice new-ish truck, and they clearly spent a fair amount on their daughter's toys and clothes. They worked hard and are willing to work harder, but they need to know how to market their business, the demographics in their area (which didn't look as though it would have much foot traffic), etc. I was really rooting for them, and he clearly bought into the American Dream in a naive way, but they'll need more than effort, hope and prayer to succeed in the highly competitive business that they're in. Otherwise, you and I could open up a restaurant tomorrow, too.
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