Rate The Last Movie You Saw

[noodles_leone]

Yes, this is a very good one.
Much better than expected, before I missed every opportunity to watch a film by Larrain, now I will change that.

Don't know about Santiago, but Neruda is shit. Of course, Ema is very, very good.

What are your take on Jackie and Spencer? I thought they were interesting but now that I've seen Ema they both look quite disappointing.

[dave jenkins]

Haven't seen 'em (after Neruda, I'm avoiding his bio pics).

A really good one, though, is No (2012), which combines found footage with newly shot stuff tailored to make it match the found material. The approach is appropriate for the subject matter: In 1988 Pinochet called a plebiscite to give his presidency legitimacy. The film posits two advertising execs in the same firm in competition, one representing the "Yes" campaign, the other working for the "No." Plenty of actual advertising spots are incorporated into the film.

[dave jenkins]

La Prisonniere (1968) - 6/10. Clouzot (in his last film, the only one in color) takes a journey through Marquis de Sade territory, with mixed results. The standard initiation formula is employed, but here used more intelligently than usual. Still, the plot relies on the heroine's latent masochism gradually being exposed, something I always find hard to credit. And then Clouzot wants to develop things into a bonafide love story. Puh-lease!  Still, the pop art stuff is well done, and the music choices are good (Mahler, Webern, Xenakis). The film has been restored and considering its age looks really, really good on this new Kino blu-ray.

Yup, I pretty much agree with Jenkins. Maybe it rates a "7", though.

[dave jenkins]

A Woman's Vengeance (1948) - 6/10. From IMDb: "When Henry Maurier's (Charles Boyer) wife Emily (Rachel Kempson) dies suddenly, suspicion falls on him in. . . . Maurier is an unhappily married womanizer; his wife Emily is a neurotic invalid. Her good friend Janet (Jessica Tandy) visits at Maurier's urging to cheer Emily up. . . . After lunch with Janet and Emily, Henry leaves to meet his girlfriend (Ann Blyth); Emily retires to her room and dies. The maid (Mildred Natwick) suspects Henry, goes to the police, and the body is exhumed. Emily was poisoned! Henry is arrested, charged with murder, found guilty, and sentenced to death." Also in the cast is Cedric Hardwicke, in the pivotal role as Dr. Libbard, the character who is both the author's mouthpiece and the one who solves the murder. The whole thing is rather play-like, but the chat is pretty good. It is derived from "The Gioconda Smile", a story by Aldous Huxley that the author himself adapted for the screenplay. The movie is a good example of Hollywood using its English colony of actors to simulate a British film. The film has been remade several times, often for TV.

Russell Metty's photography and Rozsa's music also add a lot of value to the film. Now available on blu from KL.

[dave jenkins]

The Woman in White (1948) - 8/10. Sydney Greenstreet is Count Fosco--his greatest performance/role ever.

[dave jenkins]

All That Breathes (2022) - 9/10. Two brothers in New Delhi develop a rescue business for damaged kites--not the toy, the bird. Beautiful photography abounds. This film is on track to win the Best Documentary Oscar, and I'm betting on its success.

[dave jenkins]

L'Immortelle (1963) - 5/10. Robbe-Grillet's first feature is just Marienbad 2, with Francoise Brion this time, and in Istanbul. Beautifully lit, shot, edited, but . . . why?

I'm liking this more now. The film remains a pointless exercise in obfuscation, but it can be pleasant to let the images wash over you. Certainly the scenery (Istanbul, Francoise Brion) is worth looking at. I'm raising my rating to a "6."

[Novecento]

What are your take on Jackie and Spencer? I thought they were interesting but now that I've seen Ema they both look quite disappointing.

Jackie is amazing. Spencer is really good.

Was a little underwhelmed by Ema because of the plot, but the brilliant craftsmanship was there as usual

Totally disagree with DJ about Neruda, which is also amazing. Totally agree with DJ about ?No?

Couldn?t get through Tony Manero: it was too unpleasant.

Loved Fuga.

Haven?t seen The Club or Post Mortem.

[dave jenkins]

Christmas vacation is here! I finally have the chance to catch up on some movies. Here's what I saw today:

Babylon (2022) - 2/10. Utter shite. I really like Brad Pitt, though, so I put in a few points for him.

The Menu (2022) - 9/10. The satire is a little wet, but the idea of conflating the slow food movement with death cultists is a good one. Also, the script writers do a great job of getting everything they can out of the premise. Ralph Fiennes, as the maniacal chef, really sells this one. The protagonist is played by the odd-looking Anya Taylor-Joy.

[dave jenkins]

Stolen Pleasure (1962) - 7/10. Another winner from Yasuzo Masumura: https://ok.ru/video/4251021478510

[dave jenkins]

Three perfect films in a row.

Singin' In The Rain (1952) - 10/10. Way better than that crappy new remake.

He Walked By Night (1948) - 10/10. John Alton's masterpiece.

Wings of Desire (1987) - 10/10. BS, 24 frames a second.

[noodles_leone]

Avatar: The Way Of Water (James Cameron, 2022), 3D Dolby Cinema HFR with chairs that become beds with the push of a button - 6.5/10 (if you watch it without the whole 3D HFR terrific sound thing: 4/10)
Lots of great scenes, way more than in the first one. Way less immersive, but the action is better shot. Every shot feels like it should be in the trailer, every frame feels like it should be the poster. But while they keep selling you the movie, they rarely actually have a movie to put in front of your eyes.
Like many have noted, it's highly ironic to watch a movie that claims to be about ecology and actually likes it much better to spend its time with space marines. And if we're gonna spend time with some actual "nature", let's spend that time with a whale, which is actually a water bulldozer way more than a whale. And the "ecology" movie's sales pitch is 100% focused on how high tech the movie is. Anyway. Not that it makes it a bad movie, but it makes it either dumb or hypocritical, probably both.
Also, way too much music (as in: it only stops when you leave the theater).

Bardo (Inarritu, 2022) - 7/10
Inarritu at his most Kaufmanesque. Mostly fun, sometimes moving, a tad repetitive (i don't think it's a smart move to show us so often the metaphorical, oniric scene and then the actual one: why not chose and show us just one version of it?). Terrific soundtrack.

[dave jenkins]

EO (2022) - 4/10. Pretentious, sloppily made re-imagining of a Bresson classic, with animal rights posturing substituting for transcendental truths.

Emily the Criminal (2022) - 7/10. Noir plot in 2022 clothing. Solid construction.

[T.H.]

The Godfather (1972) - The photography really stands out on the Xth viewing. Its 1940s world looks so authentic. I don't have anything insightful to add, and it could be the only three hour movie, that wouldn't be bogged down by 15-20 more minutes in the last hour. But it's perfect. A++

Vice Squad (1982) - One of the best midnight movies ever, and holds up on an additional view. The pacing is almost as relentless as Ramrod. A

[drinkanddestroy]

Former Pope Benedict died. It?s a good time to watch the Netflix movie THE TWO POPES, about Francis taking over from Benedict, and extensive conversations between the two (Jonathan Pryce playing Francis, Anthony Hopkins playing Benedict.) I saw the movie a while ago, I think I gave it like a 7.5/10

p.s. every one of my Catholic friends says they dislike Francis, for whom global warming seems to be more important than traditional morality. But I assume n_l is a deeply religious Catholic these days.