Rate The Last Movie You Saw

[stanton]

Most of the last half hour's devoted to Del Torro going on a killing spree... sorry, seeking revenge. Which could be lifted from just about any action movie of the last 70 years.

But it works differently here than in any other action movie, cause the film before set a different context than the usual revenge movie. And the real end is the one with Del Torro and Blunt, which is much more important than the revenge part.

[noodles_leone]

But it works differently here than in any other action movie, cause the film before set a different context than the usual revenge movie.

For me it didn't work "differently" because it didn't work at all.

And the real end is the one with Del Torro and Blunt,

Groggy said the truth: "Most of the last half hour's devoted to Del Torro going on a killing spree"

which is much more important than the revenge part.

I think we all agree on that.

I really liked the movie by the way, I'll buy the BD as soon as possible.

[PowerRR]

Irrational Man (2015) - 7.5/10
A surprisingly decent and fun Woody Allen flick. Definitely a one up from last years Magic in the Moonlight.

[Groggy]

42 - 5/10 - Banal Jackie Robinson biopic, which plays like an adaptation of one of those children's picture biographies.

Love and Mercy - 8/10 - Entertaining biopic of Beach Boy Brian Wilson (played by John Cusack and Paul Dano at different ages), his battle with mental illness and fight with a manipulative therapist (Paul Giamatti). Somewhat awkward in juggling its "modern-day" and 1960s storylines but very compelling, using sound and Wilson's own music to signal his mental decline.

[cigar joe]

Le Trou (1960) great prison escape flick 10/10

[Groggy]

A lesser Coppola marathon:

One from the Heart - 4/10 - Frederic Forrest and Teri Garr argue over who's uglier (literally), then break up. He hooks up with Natassja Kinski, she with Raul Julia. Scored to an endless drone of Tom Waits songs, commenting interminably on the action. The deliberate, loopy artificiality (studio sets and matte paintings representing Las Vegas, elaborate fantasy scenes) wears thin fast, so you've got whiny, unlikeable characters performing a bad genre pastiche without conviction.

Gardens of Stone - 6/10 - Okay military drama about soldiers serving in the Old Guard, keeping watch over Arlington Cemetery during the Vietnam War. Solid performances from James Caan, James Earl Jones and D.B. Sweeny but no real dramatic hook beyond half-assed debates over Vietnam. Overall, it's more middling John Ford (The Long Gray Line, say) than Coppola.

Tucker: The Man and His Dream - 7.5/10 - Fictionalized biopic of auto designer Preston Tucker, charmingly portrayed by Jeff Bridges, and his battle with the Detroit automakers and their government stooges. Basically a libertarian plea for free enterprise (or an artist's whine against studio interference disguised as such), filmed in an endearingly retro, Capraesque style. Not much substance but Coppola's earnestness and a solid cast makes it work. Nice period score by Joe Jackson.

[PowerRR]

The Assassin (2015) - 5.5/10
It's not bad. In fact, I bet I'd like it a lot more if I invested my time in a couple more viewings to understand it better (for having so little dialogue it's still unnecessarily confusing - maybe I just can't tell Asians apart). But unfortunately, it just wasn't quite appealing enough for me to want to do that. Sorry DJ, but a bit too slooooooooooow for my tastes and the crickets-only soundtrack doesn't help.

[dave jenkins]

The Assassin (2015) - 5.5/10
Sorry DJ, but a bit too slooooooooooow for my tastes and the crickets-only soundtrack doesn't help.

There are more than crickets on that soundtrack--better watch it again!

Bound For Glory (1976) - 6/10. Woody Guthrie bio-pic. Lies mostly, but beautifully shot.

The Story of the Last Chrysanthemums (1939) - 10/10. Well over 2 hrs. and not a single CU. In the world of kabuki, Mizoguchi shows up the false distinction between giri and ninjo: duty IS the greatest pleasure.

[Groggy]

Peggy Sue Got Married - 5/10 - Tries to be Back to the Future for adults but isn't clever enough to pull it off. Bonus points for an extra-annoying Nicolas Cage, who talks like Eddie Deezen impersonating a surfer dude. Another Coppola slumming effort.

Misery - 6/10 - The Critic parody is much better. I kept waiting for James Caan to tell Kathy Bates "BUY MY BOOK!"

[noodles_leone]

Peggy Sue Got Married - 5/10 - Tries to be Back to the Future for adults but isn't clever enough to pull it off. Bonus points for an extra-annoying Nicolas Cage, who talks like Eddie Deezen impersonating a surfer dude. Another Coppola slumming effort.

Believe it or not, the French dubbing is even worst. I saw it ten years ago but that awfully annoying "Je t'aime, Peggy Sue" is still stuck somewhere in my brain.

[dave jenkins]

Emperor of the North Pole/ Emperor of the North (1973) 8/10. Lee Marvin is the hobo A-No. 1; Borgnine is the RR man with a hard on for anyone trying to ride without a ticket.  Fire, meet Gunpowder. Robert Aldrich is da man!

[T.H.]

Emperor of the North Pole/ Emperor of the North (1973) 8/10. Lee Marvin is the hobo A-No. 1; Borgnine is the RR man with a hard on for anyone trying to ride without a ticket.  Fire, meet Gunpowder. Robert Aldrich is da man!

Pretty much thoughts.

I was thinking to myself that this seems like a perfect TT release, and lo and behold, it was released a few months ago. I might have to pop for this.

[dave jenkins]

I've got the DVD, which looks very nice. I considered upgrading, but TT is so expensive that the image improvement would have to be staggering. Web reports seemed to suggest that the improvement was merely incremental. So I put my upgrade money into other titles. However, if I hadn't already purchased the DVD, I would certainly be getting the BD.

[Groggy]

You're a Big Boy Now - 7/10 - Early Coppola tries to be an American version of those Mod British comedies proliferate in the '60s (The Knack, Billy Liar, etc.). Doesn't pull it off, but it has an interesting energy all its own.

[drinkanddestroy]

RE: early Coppola: Have you seen THE RAIN PEOPLE? I liked it.