Rate The Last Movie You Saw

[dave jenkins]

The Hunt (2012) - 9/10
Vinterberg movie. Absolutely fucking phenomenal. It's an obvious masterpiece, only not a 10/10 because it's far too depressing and harrowing for me to ever watch again. anyone see it?

I've been avoiding this one for the very reason in bold. If it's too much to watch a second time, I probably won't be able to get through the first one. I have no doubt of it's quality, though.

[PowerRR]

I've been avoiding this one for the very reason in bold. If it's too much to watch a second time, I probably won't be able to get through the first one. I have no doubt of it's quality, though.

Eh whatever. Watch it anyways. the best movie i've seen in a long time.

[moviesceleton]

The Hunt (2012) - 9/10
Vinterberg movie. Absolutely fucking phenomenal. It's an obvious masterpiece, only not a 10/10 because it's far too depressing and harrowing for me to ever watch again. anyone see it?

I remember giving it an 8/10. Basically I recognize it's as well made as they get but I was somewhat lacking a personal connection to the story. Also the script (which has become the go-to reference in terms of script writing) feels almost too good, too well structured to feel authentic or alive but that's a minor complaint.

[noodles_leone]

Leningrad Cowboys Go America 6/10

The film is some kind of cheap garbage full of amazingly great imagery.
+1 for personal reasons (I discovered the band when watching the DVD of their concert with the Red Army Choir shot by Aki Kaurismäki when I was studying in a great bar in Ottawa)

[dave jenkins]

a great bar in Ottawa

What is the name of that bar? (you never know, I may get to Ottawa one of these days).

[noodles_leone]

The bar is called "L'avant-garde".
It's not very far from the university. The owner is a cool Russian with a heavy accent (I couldn't understand half of what he was saying), the bar is decorated by "avant-garde" art (soviet in paintings, very geometrical mostly in red and white... the definition is written on the wall next to the door) and they show word music videos and concerts all day long: the Tiger Lilies is another band I discovered on their DVDs. They also have live country music once in a while (many musicians, they all do a couple songs and then the next one comes).
Oh and the killer feature: they serve espressos.

http://www.avantgardebar.com/

[cigar joe]

 The Wrong Man (1993) Monkey Business in Mexico

This one is way off the radar or "noirdar". Probably because its never seen or mislabeled as fluff.

I'll do a full review soon, It's probably forgotten for two reasons, one it was an HBO film, and two it had a lot of T&A but its all germane to the story, and it's as noir a tale as you can get.

Kevin Anderson plays a young 30-ish American on the lam from a second degree murder charge. His cargo ship is working the Gulf coast of Mexico, think of the classic Noir roles of (Steve Cochran or William Holden). John Lithgow plays the "ne plus ultra" Ugly American channeling Henry Fonda, he's very entertaining in the role, an excellent performance. Rosanna Arquette plays his young wife/common law friend with benefits, a real Floozy Femme Fatale named Missy. Arquette is playing the exact type of role that in the late 50s early 60s would have been given to Brigitte Bardo, Arquett is smoking-ly sultry in this film.

There is also a good policier angle that is nicely fleshed out of a young Mexican Criminal Law graduate vs. the old school police chief.

I had to order this off Ebay from Hong Kong, it's worth it. It's equal to the best Neo Noirs of the 90s, great soundtrack by Los Lobos too, 10/10

[noodles_leone]

Another Day in Paradise 6/10
Another well shot and well acted neo-noir with interesting dialogues and a cool atmosphere. Like most of those, though, they forgot to write a plot in the movie. It's directed by Larry Clark, so of course there is as much underage sex as possible.

21 Jump Street 7/10
Hey, nobody told me this was actually fun! Sub-hot fuzz, in a more American and far more audience friendly way. I laughed many times.

[dave jenkins]

The Enemy Below (1958) 1080p - 7/10. Classic duel between U-boat and destroyer, later remade as a Star Trek episode. With a bitchin' Mitchum and Curd Jürgens AS Curt Jurgens. Great depth charge scenes, and some effective model work. One of the worst scores ever, though. Produced and directed by Dick Powell. The Japanese Blu-ray looks a bit thick throughout, and skin tones are usually too ruddy.

[PowerRR]

21 Jump Street 7/10
Hey, nobody told me this was actually fun! Sub-hot fuzz, in a more American and far more audience friendly way. I laughed many times.

I did.... 22 just as fun

Jurassic World - fun fun fun 8/10
Wicker Man (1973) - insultingly awful 3/10

[noodles_leone]

Jurassic World (3D) - 6/10

Fun movie. Lots of comedy elements. Really good action. Lots (a bit too much) of tributes to JP. Many "à la Spielberg" shots.
But also: everyone is stupid. They act randomly, causing tens of murders. It's like they're trying to get as many people as possible killed. When you're dumber than a giant lizard, you know you have a problem. They tried to put Spielberg characters all over the place with family issues, and this kind of things rarely work when the guy in charge actually believe in it (see: Spielberg) so when it's an imitation, that's plain ridiculous.

All in all, I had a good time and the hate about this movies isn't deserved, but I'll never see it again.

[Groggy]

The Wonderful, Horrible Life of Leni Riefenstahl - 9/10 - Excellent overview of the great filmmaker/propagandist's extraordinary life and controversial works. Doesn't pass judgment on Riefenstahl's motives, which is probably best: Riefenstahl's own evasiveness and feigned naivety condemn her more than editorializing would. It's especially fascinating to watch the transition between the charming Leni of the rehearsed interviews and the snappish, domineering Leni of the candid shots snuck into the narrative.

[noodles_leone]

Leaving Las Vegas - 6.5/10

Cage plays a drunk who had it all but destroyed his personal and professional life by drinking because of some kind of traumatic experience we'll never know about. He goes drink himself to death in Las Vegas, where he meets a lonely but good hearted hooker (Elisabeth Shue). They start a relationship based on the principle that they won't change for each other: he'll drink, she will do her job.
Nice atmosphere and performances in this redundant but touching and desperate love story. The script is very by the book, so is the direction and most of the editing (the few experimental tricks aren't what the movies does best). It should be a 5/10 but a few strong scenes, the actors and the radicalism of the plot will probably keep the movie in my mind for years.

Shot on super 16 on a $4 million budget. Based on the last book of a drunk writer who killed himself 2 months before the production started.

Cage interview by Ebert from 1995, just after the film premiered at Toronto Film Festival:
http://www.rogerebert.com/interviews/cage-relishes-operatic-role-in-tragic-leaving-las-vegas

[cigar joe]

Very nice opening noir shot/sequence then more conventionally lighted till end where it goes noir again, has a coffee in the face scene that predates The Big Heat, with George Raft & Lynn Bari. 7/10

[PowerRR]

After Hours - 10/10 (tenth viewing? fifteenth?)
Top 10 movies I've ever seen. Marty's best