Rate The Last Movie You Saw

[cigar joe]

The Return of Martin Guerre (1982) - 8/10. Dramatization of a famous 16th Century trial, with Gerard Depardieu in the title role. The story is interesting (after being away at war for years a man returns to take up his life as a farmer but gradually his wife, family, and neighbors begin to doubt his identity) and the photography of village life is pretty (the new Blu of the restored film looks very good, with correct colors, skin tones, and plausible grain). Perhaps Daniel Vigne, the director, tries to explain too much--I would have liked a bit more ambiguity at the end. Still, this has long been a favorite of mine.

I've seen it also, remember liking it.

[noodles_leone]

I've only caught it on TV. Several times, but low res. I liked the idea of the movie more than the movie itself. It lives on its premise more than on anything else, but it still stays with you.

[dave jenkins]

Città violenta (1970) - 5/10. Chuck and Jill, together again for the first time. Sollima takes a simple story makes it obscure by fracturing the chronology and then hiding the cues the audience needs to follow the time jumps. Oh well, there are some nice set pieces: the car chase at the beginning, the racing assassination, the scenes with Telly, the final elevator killings. I laughed at the line,  "The blind man is my connection." Also, it was nice to see shots of Ms. Ireland's ass  (never to be repeated once she became Mrs. Bronson). And of course, a better-than-average Morricone score. Mrs. Jenkins really liked Mr. Savalas. I guess I'll have to get her some Kojak episodes.

[dave jenkins]

I rewatched The Master last night (after Joker, Mrs. Jenkins wants to see everything J.P. is in) and had some thoughts on it. But turning to the Leone board, I find T.H. has already expressed very similar ideas, and quite cogently, so I'll just copy those and say "amen."

Thus sayeth T.H. (a few years back):

This is very hard to rate because I enjoyed every second of it, it was beautiful to look at, Hoffman and Phoenix had very good chemistry and it's pretty much endlessly analyzable...but it also feels like a hollowed out version of a great film, a skeleton missing its flesh and organs. There weren't any truly great scenes (though many good ones) and the story never really clicked. While the bond between the two leads and the supporting cast does compensate (to some degree) for the lack of the plot coming together perfectly, it still feels disappointing. I know that Anderson wasn't trying to make a 'big' film but The Master still feels like the studio hacked off 40-50 minutes of a great, 3 hour epic.

Another potential issue is that Hoffman's character is more interesting than Phoenix's and the movie would have been better with a larger scope and told from Hoffman's point of view. Still, what we see is definitely a good movie but it should have been a great movie.

8/10

[T.H.]

Thanks, you've saved me a lot of typing here so I'm glad to pay the favor back.

[noodles_leone]

A lot of good points about The Master. It would be a way to phrase the ambivalent way I feel about it.

The Witch 8.5/10
Second viewing, even better.

[dave jenkins]

Stuffed (2019) - 7/10. A documentary about taxidermy. Great if you like taxidermy, not so much if the subject doesn't interest you. But how will you know unless you try? This film included lots of shots of live animals, so it's not ALL about stuffing.

[T.H.]

Devil in a Blue Dress (1995) - A nice nod to Chandler with its Big Sleep type of plot that I'm fully invested in but couldn't answer any questions about. This is probably my favorite Denzel movie because he doesn't star in a lot of genre movies that aren't remakes or blockbusters. His understated performance is great and it's a shame that there wasn't an Easy Rawlins film series starring Denzel -- now there's a connected film universe I would have liked to see.

The flaw with this movie is the cinematography, which some praise, but it's too ordinary looking and not noir enough - if you will. This should have been shot in scope with way less medium close up shots with a starker look that really would have hammered home the mostly excellent location work. The narration should have got tossed as well, it adds nothing and serves mostly as boring exposition. The costume choices were a little uninspired as well - it felt like a very mid 90s take on the 40s.

Don Cheadle is great in a supporting role that had to be viewed as a miscast on paper. Cheadle has a very friendly demeanor that's hard to shake but you believe that his character can kill in an instant. Denzel is a secure and generous enough actor that he lets Cheadle and Sizemore steal their scenes. "B"


The Doors (1991) - This is a genius bad movie, almost like a better Zabriskie Point in its silliness and ultimate misfiring -- yet they movies stay with you and have some beautiful moments and are way better than adequate films. There's even a nod to Zabriskie Point in the desert tripping scenes. The Doors is beautifully shot but it looks at Morrison through the eyes of a 15 year old Doors fan, the character is portrayed solely as the Morrison mystique that I'm assuming by 1991 was a little cliche and by the last hour of the movie, the Morrison character becomes stale.

It also doesn't help matters that Meg Ryan was horrifically miscast as Morrison's main squeeze Pam. The thanksgiving scene where her character says, and I quote, "I just have one more thing to say to you Jim Morrison, you just ruined another Thanksgiving" is just so strange and campy.

Even though there are way too many concert scenes, they are probably the best that the movie has to offer since they're beautifully shot and feel incredibly authentic. The first hour or so does an excellent job of recreating late 60s LA - I would think most people who were there would agree.

It's a hard movie to rate because there are sequences that are both brilliant and stupidly campy - like the whole Warhol party scene and aftermath. It's all over the place, it's silly but I think it's beautifully shot and weirdly genius. "B-"

[drinkanddestroy]

Devil in a Blue Dress (1995) - A nice nod to Chandler with its Big Sleep type of plot that I'm fully invested in but couldn't answer any questions about. This is probably my favorite Denzel movie because he doesn't star in a lot of genre movies that aren't remakes or blockbusters. His understated performance is great and it's a shame that there wasn't an Easy Rawlins film series starring Denzel -- now there's a connected film universe I would have liked to see.

The flaw with this movie is the cinematography, which some praise, but it's too ordinary looking and not noir enough - if you will. This should have been shot in scope with way less medium close up shots with a starker look that really would have hammered home the mostly excellent location work. The narration should have got tossed as well, it adds nothing and serves mostly as boring exposition. The costume choices were a little uninspired as well - it felt like a very mid 90s take on the 40s.

Don Cheadle is great in a supporting role that had to be viewed as a miscast on paper. Cheadle has a very friendly demeanor that's hard to shake but you believe that his character can kill in an instant. Denzel is a secure and generous enough actor that he lets Cheadle and Sizemore steal their scenes. "B"

I saw this one, and another from Carl Franklin called  One False Move. Both good.

[cigar joe]

His understated performance is great and it's a shame that there wasn't an Easy Rawlins film series starring Denzel -- now there's a connected film universe I would have liked to see.

He could still do it, the novels go from post war L.A. almost to the present and the character ages in each novel, for instance one takes place during the Watts Riots. My favorite of the novels so far is White Butterfly

[cigar joe]

A lot of good points about The Master. It would be a way to phrase the ambivalent way I feel about it.

The Witch 8.5/10
Second viewing, even better.

I'll have to check this on out then.

[cigar joe]

I've seen a lot of stuff

The Fat Black Pussycat (1963) This film is a mess. It may be Noir by meddling. It's hard to tell it's original intent as is.

Directed by Harold Lea. Written by Harold Lea, and M.A. Ripps. Cinematography was by Urs Furrer, Music was by Don Bader and Harry Glass

Supposedly Michael Ripps who took a turkey called Bayou (1957) and with added exploitation scenes turned it into a hit called Poor White Trash (1960). expected to do the same here.  It didn't quite work with this one. Though the added scenes are interesting.Things get a bit confusing as we go along. There is a black cat side bar with a wacko theory that the cat picks up on the brainwaves of dying people. Gruesome inserts and plot changes are evident and even our films star disappears for the final denouement. It does have some chuckle inducing sequences. Its New York Independant/Grindhouse film-making an alternative for sure to Hollywood. It doesn't always work but has value for shooting a lot on location, an archival record of a NYC that is gone.

Passion in the Sun (1964) Sexploitation Film Soleil is also known as The Girl and the Geek. It's got two superficial storylines basically the escape of a geek from a freak show at an amusement park, and the kidnapping of a stripper at an airport.

These plot points are the premise for depicting what can only be described as a lot of Tits & Ass for  Grindhouse movie theaters. The value with a lot of these Exploitation flicks is three fold. The first and foremost is their archival value, they are basically a good and candid record, in this case of circa 1963-4 coastal Texas. Equally interesting in an archival manner are the circa '64 stripper dance routines. They are quite quaint by today's standards.

The second is that they occasionally contain some quite beautiful crisp Black and White cinematography. The third is that they helped to spearhead the sexual revolution and also the bounds of what was acceptable at that particular moment in time, their cheapness requiring a good amount of creativity. Can be found to download or on DVD from Something Weird Video. 5.5/10

I, Tonya (2017) Neo Bio Noir On Skates. A Bio Noir that is a fantastically entertaining combo of ice-skating Noir Suspense (1946) (yes there was one), small time racketeering in The Setup (1949), the victim of circumstances of Detour (1945), the end of the professional road depicted in Requiem For A Heavyweight (1962), with the dimwit three stooges like shenanigans of the cheap crooks in Deadline At Dawn (1946), Manhandled (1949) Raising Arizona (1987), Wild At Heart (1990), Hit Me (1996), Fargo (1996), The Big Lebowski (1998), and Before The Devil Knows You're Dead (2007).

Directed competently and stylishly by Craig Gillespie. The film was written by Steven Rogers and based on the sometimes contradictory interviews with all the participants. I, Tonya sort of depicts a modern take on the type of small time racketeering that in Classic Hollywood would have focused on boxing or horse racing. That it is about the "seedy underworld" of ice skating (who would of thunk it) makes it all the more hilarious. Aftermath interviews are displayed in 4:3 ratio. It's a lot of fun to watch 9/10.

[noodles_leone]

I'll have to check this on out then.

You’ll at least like the flawless attention to historical details. The sets, costumes, props and as much as possible even the animals and plants are consistent with the period. Everything was built with materials that puritans were using at the time.

[PowerRR]

Here are some movies I've been watching recently with quick thoughts:

A Hidden Life (Terrence Malick, 2019) - 10/10
I already posted this one, but it's been a month and hasn't left my brain. A masterpiece.

All About My Mother (Pedro Almodovar, 1999) - 7.5/10
Stay away from this one, drink.

Daddy Longlegs (Safdie Brothers, 2009) - 8/10
A Cassavettes-inspired dramedy. Ronald Bronstein is an enigmatic lead in this, with a unique charm to him that reminds me of 70's-era Elliot Gould. it's a shame he doesn't seem to want to act anymore. Great writer, though.

Heaven Knows What (Safdie Brothers, 2014) - 9/10
I typically hate hyper-realism in indie movies, but something really fucking works here. This heroin drama makes Requiem for a Dream look like a joke, and has a dark sense of humor to boot (maybe? or am I a sick fuck?). It's completely harrowing with an opening ten minutes that grabs you by throat and kicks you in the balls over, and over, and over.

Good Time (Safdie Brothers, 2017) - 9/10
Everyone at SLWB, watch this right away. One of the better, convention-bending crime / heist / neo-noir films I've seen in a long time. And the best part is the clear Of Mice and Men influence.

Uncut Gems (Safdie Brothers, 2019) - 8/10
Caught the follow-up to Good Time a bit early at New Hampshire Film Fest. Probably Adam Sandler's best performance. Definitely best performance of the year (yes, including Joaquin). It's a bit too long for it's own good, and I was pretty drunk, so I was getting a bit lost toward the end. I'm excited to rewatch this with a pause button in hand - could be a 9. These Safdie guys are gonna be big. This is Scorsese-produced for a reason (unlike other films he has produced).

The Lighthouse (Robert Eggers, 2019) - 8.5/10
Another one I can't wait to see again. The black and white photography is a 10/10. It's a comedy with the vibe of a horror film. One of the year's best, and a much much better film than his previous, The Witch.

The Witch (Robert Eggers, 2015) - 6/10
Beautifully constructed, but boooooooooorrrrrriiiiiinnnnggg. Subtitles required.

Western Stars (Bruce Springsteen, 2019) - 7/10
Concert movie. A solid performance. For Bruce fans only.

Some forgettable 4's and 5's and 6's going around the film fest circuit: Colewell (2019), Monos (2019), South Mountain (2019). Wouldn't be surprised if Monos gets some love after some time, but it's not my thing.

[stanton]

All About My Mother (Pedro Almodovar, 1999) - 7.5/10

A masterpiece from one of the best directors who are still working.