Rate The Last Movie You Saw

[Groggy]

Two of those movies stink, while I haven't heard of the other two.

[dave jenkins]

Two of those movies stink, while I haven't heard of the other two.

Thus rendering your judgment moot.

[Dust Devil]

The Shooter (2007) - 4/10

Crap.

[drinkanddestroy]

DJ, I'm just wondering if when you rate a blu ray so highly, A) your rating includes the quality of the blu ray disc; OR B) the rating is entirely on the movie itself (so that if you had watched it on dvd, you would give it the same rating)?

[drinkanddestroy]

Somebody Up There Likes Me (1956) 8/10

The story of Rocky Graziano, who grew up on the means streets of the Lower East Side, and became boxing's middleweight champion. Paul Newman in his second movie (after the disastrous The Silver Chalice nearly wrecked his career before it began).

Newman's Italian street accent is not very convincing, it's almost cartoon-like, but the performance is enjoyable nonetheless. Everett Sloan is very good as Irving Cohen, Graziano's manager who is a former salesman of women's lingerie. Pier Angeli plays Graziano's Jewish wife Norma Unger (Angeli's Italian accent is standing in for what I guess should be an Eastern European accent).

The movie is based on Graziano's autobiography of the same name (which I didn't read, so I have no idea how much of the movie is accurate).

A very young Steve McQueen has an uncredited, early scene as a member of Rocky's gang.

There's a good use of makeup, Newman has a very realistic looking busted nose, etc. http://www.imdb.com/media/rm1049729024/tt0049778

[Groggy]

Thus rendering your judgment moot.

No, baby!

[cigar joe]

5 Steps to Danger (1957) Sterling Hayden, Ruth Roman, and Werner Klemperer road pic with commie spy angle, 6/10

[dave jenkins]

DJ, I'm just wondering if when you rate a blu ray so highly, A) your rating includes the quality of the blu ray disc; OR B) the rating is entirely on the movie itself (so that if you had watched it on dvd, you would give it the same rating)?

I'm rating the film. The blu-ray renders it the best possible way for home video at the moment. It may be that a good presentation can cause me to appreciate a film more than I would if I saw it on DVD, just as a cinema presentation might do. But I only rate the disc/transfer if I state that expressly.

As for example:

Tokyo monogatari (1953). 9/10. First Blu-ray viewing. Good Ozu, but not Best Ozu. The BFI transfer is a bit disappointing, and doesn't seem to improve on the DVD much. I'm sure it's the fault of the materials (I can live with all the speckles, but the contrast is really annoying). I remember hearing that there was a restoration under way (many moons ago) and perhaps that's the reason why Criterion hasn't issued this on blu yet. Well, it would be nice if something better came along. Blu-ray: 6/10.

[Groggy]

So where did you see Outcast of the Islands?

[drinkanddestroy]

So where did you see Outcast of the Islands?

Looks like there's a DVD-R and DVD available on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1/178-4543430-1580435?url=search-alias%3Dmovies-tv&field-keywords=outcast+of+the+islands

[drinkanddestroy]

Anatomy of a Murder (1959) 9/10 -- 2nd viewing

Brilliant movie. Brilliantly acted all around. Just fucking brilliant. The greatest courtroom movie I have ever seen (possible exception is The Verdict, but I have to see that one again to refresh my opinion).

Every lawyer gets a kick out of:
Ben Gazzara:  "How can a jury disregard what they've already heard?
Jimmy Stewart: "It can't!"

[cigar joe]

Anatomy of a Murder (1959) 9/10 -- 2nd viewing

Brilliant movie. Brilliantly acted all around. Just fucking brilliant. The greatest courtroom movie I have ever seen (possible exception is The Verdict, but I have to see that one again to refresh my opinion).

Every lawyer gets a kick out of:
Ben Gazzara:  "How can a jury disregard what they've already heard?
Jimmy Stewart: "It can't!"

Agreed

[drinkanddestroy]

zero dark thirty 8/10

[dave jenkins]

Stand Up Guys (2013) 3/10. Pacino and Walken, together again for the first time! And why not throw Alan Arkin into the mix, too? And then, make them gangsters. Old gangsters. Hey, it's Grumpy Old Goodfellas: what a concept! Stories that sentimentalize old people are bad enough; stories that sentimentalize criminals are worse: but a story that sentimentalizes people who are both old and criminals? Where do I go to vomit?

[Groggy]

Stand Up Guys (2013) 3/10. Pacino and Walken, together again for the first time! And why not throw Alan Arkin into the mix, too? And then, make them gangsters. Old gangsters. Hey, it's Grumpy Old Goodfellas: what a concept! Stories that sentimentalize old people are bad enough; stories that sentimentalize criminals are worse: but a story that sentimentalizes people who are both old and criminals? Where do I go to vomit?

Sounds like a rip-off of Mad Dog Time. I'll pass.