What Was The Last Movie You Watched?

[welshbairn]

The French Dispatch. Wes Anderson "art house" whimsy, occasionally very funny. Big name cast. Should have gone on my own with a hipflask, my sister thought it was a documentary and my Mother slept and farted all the way through. 7/10.

Edited November 18, 2021 by welshbairn

[BFTD]

On 14/11/2021 at 18:58, velo army said:

Phoebe Waller Bridge needs to be nowhere near a Bond film. The dialogue in the scenes she wrote (you can tell where the re-shoots and re-writes happened) were characterised by goofy and neurotic "humour" that bordered on shite parody.

The Craig films are absolutely packed with references to the classic Bond films, and I just took that stuff as nods to the Roger Moore films, the tone of which was (thank God) almost completely ignored 'til then. It was borderline for me, but still hugely preferable to the shite attempts at "humour" in those films.

On 15/11/2021 at 07:42, mishtergrolsch said:

Watched Geostorm last night.

Holy fucking hell is it shite.

I've seen that film three times, as all I can ever remember is that it stars GERARD BUTLER! and is utter dung. There's not a moment of the story that has stuck in my head but, thankfully, I think I've finally filed it away in the "avoid at all costs" section.

33 minutes ago, Detournement said:

This is like looking back on an ancient society.

Love Rear Window. I don't think there's another film like it, with the single set and the prurient, hovering camera. I can't think of another film that feels quite like it.

It's a theory I need to test with the wean but, while the trappings of the film may have aged, I think it would probably still stand up as a gripping thriller. Shockingly, I don't think I've shown him any Hitchcock films yet  

[BFTD]

Thunderball (DVD) - didn't really remember this one much. More of a traditional threat, with Bond saving the world (spoilers) from nuclear disaster after SPECTRE commandeer some nukes and hold America and the UK to ransom. Really quite entertaining watching Bond stoat about tracking down the operative responsible, but it becomes less interesting in the final third, leading to a big underwater battle that the wean found hilarious (and I just found a bit dull). A good film regardless and, good Lord, Fiona Volpe  

As I'm bored, here's a rundown on the Bond theme tunes so far. We've skipped Dr. No and From Russia With Love, but they introduced The James Bond Theme, which is probably the best of them, and a stunning ball-swinging brass extravaganza that I refuse to believe that anybody doesn't like. I quite like Matt Monro's From Russia With Love, but it's a bit of a shite theme for a Bond film. They'd still be establishing the formula at that stage, though.

We've also heard the 007 Theme, another quality instrumental that works its way into the background of many Bond films and conjures up images of globetrotting adventures. Shirley Bassey's Goldfinger theme is obviously iconic for the series and a cracking tune that she absolutely nails. What a set of pipes. Thunderball gave us the daft title track, which works despite some utterly duff lyrics, mainly due to another tremendous performance by a Welsh singer. Mr Kiss Kiss Bang Bang also makes its debut here, which is a cool, laid-back swing number that provides a nice break from the usual Bond soundtracks.

In order, so far:

1. James Bond Theme
2. Goldfinger
3. 007 Theme
4. Mr Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
5. Thunderball
6. From Russia With Love

[DeeTillEhDeh]

Thunderball (DVD) - didn't really remember this one much. More of a traditional threat, with Bond saving the world (spoilers) from nuclear disaster after SPECTRE commandeer some nukes and hold America and the UK to ransom. Really quite entertaining watching Bond stoat about tracking down the operative responsible, but it becomes less interesting in the final third, leading to a big underwater battle that the wean found hilarious (and I just found a bit dull). A good film regardless and, good Lord, Fiona Volpe  
As I'm bored, here's a rundown on the Bond theme tunes so far. We've skipped Dr. No and From Russia With Love, but they introduced The James Bond Theme, which is probably the best of them, and a stunning ball-swinging brass extravaganza that I refuse to believe that anybody doesn't like. I quite like Matt Monro's From Russia With Love, but it's a bit of a shite theme for a Bond film. They'd still be establishing the formula at that stage, though.
We've also heard the 007 Theme, another quality instrumental that works its way into the background of many Bond films and conjures up images of globetrotting adventures. Shirley Bassey's Goldfinger theme is obviously iconic for the series and a cracking tune that she absolutely nails. What a set of pipes. Thunderball gave us the daft title track, which works despite some utterly duff lyrics, mainly due to another tremendous performance by a Welsh singer. Mr Kiss Kiss Bang Bang also makes its debut here, which is a cool, laid-back swing number that provides a nice break from the usual Bond soundtracks.
In order, so far:

1. James Bond Theme
2. Goldfinger
3. 007 Theme
4. Mr Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
5. Thunderball
6. From Russia With Love

I like Lulu's "The Man with the Golden Gun".

The film less so.

Mary Goodnight is a shite Bond girl.

And they killed the one good thing (Maud Adams) halfway through.

The Solex Agitator must be the dullest MacGuffin in cinema history.

Lee's Scaramanga is a so-so villain but not a Blofeld.

And probably the most unlikeable version of Bond that Moore did.

[Detournement]

19 hours ago, welshbairn said:

The French Dispatch. Wes Anderson "art house" whimsy, occasionally very funny. Big name cast. Should have gone on my own with a hipflask, my sister thought it was a documentary and my Mother slept and farted all the way through. 7/10.

I really enjoyed this which I was surprised at after not being too impressed rewatching Grand Budapest Hotel. Lea Seydoux posing for Bencio De Toro was a highlight. 

 

[NotThePars]

14 minutes ago, Detournement said:

I really enjoyed this which I was surprised at after not being too impressed rewatching Grand Budapest Hotel. Lea Seydoux posing for Bencio De Toro was a highlight. 

 

I've watched Grand Budapest, Life Aquatic and Royal Tenenbaums in the last month and I'd probably place them in that order. I think the first two do more to earn their endings and have refined the formula better than RT. Ben Stiller's "it's been a hard year, dad" line is very, very good though.

[Detournement]

5 hours ago, NotThePars said:

I've watched Grand Budapest, Life Aquatic and Royal Tenenbaums in the last month and I'd probably place them in that order. I think the first two do more to earn their endings and have refined the formula better than RT. Ben Stiller's "it's been a hard year, dad" line is very, very good though.

Royal Tenenbaums and The Life Aquatic were very of their time despite being obviously nostalgic. The characters feel fully formed and I don't think there is anything comparable to Luke Wilson and Gweneth Paltrow in the tent or Cate Blanchett and Owen Wilson in TLA in GBH. The relationship between Agatha and Zero is very deliberately downplayed because Anderson wasn't interested in characters any more. 

In Grand Budapest Hotel F Murray Abraham says of M.Gustave that "his world had vanished before he even entered it" which is obviously Anderson commenting on himself. GBH is a half step between the earlier optimistic films and French Dispatch which basically says Culture Is Dead.

 

 

[accies1874]

I'll probably like The French Dispatch more with time but it did frustrate me at the time with how much each segment seemed to drag. There was obviously a reason for that but I'll be fucked if I know what it was.

It was great to see in the cinema though. There were a few really nice moments that worked well on the big screen.

[DeeTillEhDeh]

I've watched Grand Budapest, Life Aquatic and Royal Tenenbaums in the last month and I'd probably place them in that order. I think the first two do more to earn their endings and have refined the formula better than RT. Ben Stiller's "it's been a hard year, dad" line is very, very good though.

GBH is one of my favourite films - it's knowingly over-the-top plot and setting meshed with dark humour is truly wonderful.

[NotThePars]

13 hours ago, Detournement said:

Royal Tenenbaums and The Life Aquatic were very of their time despite being obviously nostalgic. The characters feel fully formed and I don't think there is anything comparable to Luke Wilson and Gweneth Paltrow in the tent or Cate Blanchett and Owen Wilson in TLA in GBH. The relationship between Agatha and Zero is very deliberately downplayed because Anderson wasn't interested in characters any more. 

In Grand Budapest Hotel F Murray Abraham says of M.Gustave that "his world had vanished before he even entered it" which is obviously Anderson commenting on himself. GBH is a half step between the earlier optimistic films and French Dispatch which basically says Culture Is Dead.

 

 

Aye I see where you're coming from. I think it's singularly lifted by Fiennes though who is superb and has a terrific arc that's maybe one of the best for me in his movies only one that hit as hard was Murray's in Life Aquatic.

I agree with the take you've got in the second paragraph. Anderson battering this out and then I think another one very soon says to me that he reckons Disney are about to call time on him so he's getting what he wants made while he still can which sucks. He's easy to meme but he's still a good filmmaker and I'd rather a hundred of his schtick than the homogeneous flavourless committee content Disney are churning out now.

[NotThePars]

19 minutes ago, DeeTillEhDeh said:

19 hours ago, NotThePars said:

I've watched Grand Budapest, Life Aquatic and Royal Tenenbaums in the last month and I'd probably place them in that order. I think the first two do more to earn their endings and have refined the formula better than RT. Ben Stiller's "it's been a hard year, dad" line is very, very good though.

GBH is one of my favourite films - it's knowingly over-the-top plot and setting meshed with dark humour is truly wonderful.

The punch scene on the train with the Nazis is very good.

[Fullerene]

On 18/11/2021 at 21:15, BFTD said:

Love Rear Window. I don't think there's another film like it, with the single set and the prurient, hovering camera. I can't think of another film that feels quite like it.

I would suggest Rope (also Hitchcock as you know).

12 Angry Men is mostly one set.

[DeeTillEhDeh]

I would suggest Rope (also Hitchcock as you know).
12 Angry Men is mostly one set.

12 Angry Men is brilliant - the whole tense claustrophobia and the weaving in and out of the personal stories behind each of the individuals is engrossing. The changing of the atmosphere through lighting and the weather.

Fonda holds it altogether but the acting from the ensemble cast is just great - for me Lee J Cobb as juror number 3 is just brilliant.

Possibly Lumet's finest work.

[18May1991]

Ghostbusters Afterlife. Really enjoyed it. Well cast. Some decent laughs and bits that make you jump, sort of. 

[DeeTillEhDeh]

No Time to Die - 5/10

It was alright - the biggest issue was the villain - Rami Malik's Safin was pretty meh.

[JustOneCornetto]

Silent Running (1972)

Hadn't seen this for years so thought it would be good to watch again especially as it seems particularly relevant in today's climate change agenda. Set far in the future Earth has become a synthetic world with no plants or vegetation. A number of greenhouse domes have been sent into orbit around Saturn to try and preserve as many plants as possible for eventual return to Earth. Bruce Dern is like an eco warrior and he has to make some big decisions to try and save the dome he's in charge of. Not a bad wee film.

7/10

Edited November 21, 2021 by JustOneCornetto

[Mark Connolly]

7 hours ago, 18May1991 said:

Ghostbusters Afterlife. Really enjoyed it. Well cast. Some decent laughs and bits that make you jump, sort of. 

I really enjoyed it. I think they got the balance of nostalgia and evolution spot on. The two scenes during the credits were class as well.

[Lofarl]

Ghostbusters Afterlife.  
 

First film I can ever mind watching as a kid at the cinema was the original.  Used to watch the VHS of it loads as a kid.  If you watched any of the trailers then you kinda knew that this was essentially just a remake of the original.  It worked for JJ Abrams with Star Wars.  And it works for this too.

It is a nostalgic blast.  Has enough classic nods and a few decent laughs.  Wished I stuck around for the second end credits scene because I left after this first one when the cast list was showing and I was thinking when was that person in it.

The end sequence is a bit cheesy and had it not been a film about ghosts then probably distasteful.  But it’s better than that other reboot probably.  The one nobody saw.

 

8/10

 

 

Edited November 21, 2021 by Lofarl

[MSU]

4 hours ago, JustOneCornetto said:

Silent Running (1972)

Hadn't seen this for years so thought it would be good to watch again especially as it seems particularly relevant in today's climate change agenda. Set far in the future Earth has become a synthetic world with no plants or vegetation. A number of greenhouse domes have been sent into orbit around Saturn to try and preserve as many plants as possible for eventual return to Earth. Bruce Dern is like an eco warrior and he has to make some big decisions to try and save the dome he's in charge of. Not a bad wee film.

7/10

Love this movie. Remember scene with the robot and the watering can breaking my heart when I was a wee boy.

[Detournement]

On 20/11/2021 at 12:12, NotThePars said:

Aye I see where you're coming from. I think it's singularly lifted by Fiennes though who is superb and has a terrific arc that's maybe one of the best for me in his movies only one that hit as hard was Murray's in Life Aquatic.

I agree with the take you've got in the second paragraph. Anderson battering this out and then I think another one very soon says to me that he reckons Disney are about to call time on him so he's getting what he wants made while he still can which sucks. He's easy to meme but he's still a good filmmaker and I'd rather a hundred of his schtick than the homogeneous flavourless committee content Disney are churning out now.

He's already making another one. It's called Asteroid City and Billy Murray is in it. The cast is supposedly even bigger than TFD so they must work for relative peanuts. In the cinema the other night I was saw Elizabeth Moss at the beginning of the film and thought Yas then she was barely in it.

I think Wes Anderson, PTA, the Coens, Malick, Spike Jonze and even Schrader will get to make whatever films they want for the rest of their lives. The problem is that there aren't many decent directors under the age of 50.