What Movies Have You Seen, Part 8

Lois Gilbert · February-3rd-2008, 09:50 PM

Well

walto · February-3rd-2008, 10:31 PM

I really enjoyed Proof last night. Best thing I've ever seen Paltrow do. She was brilliant, and the movie (and, presumably the play) is very moving.

shrugs · February-3rd-2008, 10:52 PM

next up is That Obscure Object Of Desire.

my gal hasn't seen it and I've only seen a crappy VHS copy.

Surfer · February-4th-2008, 12:22 AM

No End (Kieslowski, 1985)

Pete C · February-4th-2008, 07:25 AM

3:10 to Yuma. America is a wonderful country. Where else can a Welshman and an Austrailian play adversaries in a western? Italy, maybe.

Gary Sisco · February-4th-2008, 07:50 AM

We watched "Idiocracy" last night. It was entertaining. Disturbingly like the present ...

Jazzooo · February-4th-2008, 09:28 AM

Gone Baby Gone. Aside from a rather convoluted explanation, this was a decent and even gripping crime story directed by Ben Affleck. Casey Affleck, who was so good as the weasel Robert Ford in The Assassination of Jesse James, turns in a very strong performance. Morgan Freeman and Ed Harris are both as good as you'd expect them to be.

I also saw The Contract, with Freeman again and John Cusak. Nothing but a paycheck for these two--Freeman gets to play a ruthless hit man, but of course he has a heart of gold. (Has Freeman played anyone without a heart of gold since Street Smart?) Cusak's face is frozen in one expression the entire time. The supporting cast is actually pretty terrible, the plot is good enough to start a movie but not to finish it by the time the writer adds in his 'twists.'

Monte Smith · February-4th-2008, 10:14 AM

I saw and enjoyed Meet the Spartans. Like last year's 300, this movie gives us a glimpse of the Hellenic conflict with ancient Persia. As with that picture, one can quibble with the exactitude of the portrayal of the battle of Thermopylae. In Meet the Spartans, anachronistically, the force that confronts Xerxes's invasion drinks Starbucks and marches to Gloria Gaynor.

Scott Dolan · February-4th-2008, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pete C

3:10 to Yuma. America is a wonderful country. Where else can a Welshman and an Austrailian play adversaries in a western? Italy, maybe.

Well, look at it this way, back then they WERE all foreignors for the most part. So it's not like it is that far from realistic.

Gary Sisco · February-4th-2008, 11:37 AM

I think also a lot of "spaghetti westerns" were filmed in Spain, to add to the mish mash.

Root Doctor · February-4th-2008, 12:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gary Sisco

We watched "Idiocracy" last night. It was entertaining. Disturbingly like the present ...

I love the bit with the doctor: "Well, don't want to sound like a dick or nothin', but, ah... it says on your chart that you're fucked up. Ah, you talk like a fag, and your shit's all retarded. What I'd do, is just like... like... you know, like, you know what I mean, like... "

groover · February-4th-2008, 12:51 PM

Blood Diamond (Two-Disc Special Edition) (2006)
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Djimon Hounsou Director: Edward Zwick Rating

I enjoyed this, though I would seriously question the statement Jennifer Connelly's character makes about how fewer Americans would want diamonds if they knew it cost some African their hand. Most women here probably wouldn't lose much sleep over it, as long as they get their ring. Has there been any drop in diamond sales since this movie came out?

Jazzooo · February-5th-2008, 10:48 AM

Goya and the Inquisition. An interesting mess, a combination of good acting and bad acting, way too long, inappropriately TV-Movie music score. Bad casting. Did I say way too long?

Borat Pri Hagafen · February-5th-2008, 02:38 PM

jesus marion joseph · February-5th-2008, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gary Sisco

We watched "Idiocracy" last night. It was entertaining. Disturbingly like the present ...

I caugth the latter half of that flick on TV. I liked how the jail was called the "House of Particular Individuals".

Gary Sisco · February-6th-2008, 08:29 AM

Once a young woman was giving her account of a speaker's talk to Bookchin. She spoke, like, one sentence? She said "We were, like, eeyyooo." Bookchin said, "I'm sorry, darling, but could you explain to me what 'like, eeyyooo' means?"

patricia · February-6th-2008, 08:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by groover

Blood Diamond (Two-Disc Special Edition) (2006)
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Djimon Hounsou Director: Edward Zwick Rating

I enjoyed this, though I would seriously question the statement Jennifer Connelly's character makes about how fewer Americans would want diamonds if they knew it cost some African their hand. Most women here probably wouldn't lose much sleep over it, as long as they get their ring. Has there been any drop in diamond sales since this movie came out?

Probably not. But, there has been a huge demand for the diamonds which are being mined and marketed in Yellowknife in the nothern part of British Columbia in Canada. They are not being handled by de Beers. These top quality diamonds are etched with a polar bear to differentiate them from the conflict diamonds from Africa.

Pete C · February-6th-2008, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Root Doctor

That's some double-feature.

steve(thelil) · February-6th-2008, 09:26 AM

I just saw The Savages. It was very well done, and somewhat depressing. Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Laura Linney were both wonderful. Some of the reviews suggest it is more of a comedy than a drama. The humor worked, but its not really a comedy at all. I wouldn't go to it if you are looking for a feel good flick.

Brian Olewnick · February-7th-2008, 09:27 AM

Three stories about growing up female in Iran. A nine-year old who's obliged to take on her role as an adult, observant woman, a young married woman engaged in bicycle racing much to the displeasure of her husband, family and tribe and an aged, somewhat senile lady going on an end-of-life shopping spree. All very sad, effectively portrayed. Filmed on Kish Island, Iran. Good stuff.

Root Doctor · February-7th-2008, 09:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pete C

That's some double-feature.

That's the way we roll in the North Country, Pete.

Scott Dolan · February-7th-2008, 10:14 AM

Root Gangsta!!

Gary Sisco · February-7th-2008, 10:56 AM

OG!

Root Doctor · February-8th-2008, 03:12 PM

lazarus · February-8th-2008, 04:10 PM

Am I the only one here who actually enjoyed this film? I thought it was very well done and highly entertaining.

Brian Olewnick · February-9th-2008, 05:08 PM

Add this to my five-star Netflix list....

me wag · February-11th-2008, 12:12 AM

Wonderfully creepy movie starring Ida Lupino as a tormented woman who will stop at nothing to keep her two sisters from being commited to an insane asylum. Lupino is almost always great but this has to be one of her best roles. It's a dark psychological thriller with some truly frightening moments. The poster above is actually kind of misleading since the movie is in black & white. In fact, despite the fact that this is set in an English country home, it has a lot of noir-ish qualities to it.

shrugs · February-11th-2008, 01:39 AM

yet another the gf hadn't seen and I only on a crappy VHS tape:

patricia · February-11th-2008, 02:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by me wag

Wonderfully creepy movie starring Ida Lupino as a tormented woman who will stop at nothing to keep her two sisters from being commited to an insane asylum. Lupino is almost always great but this has to be one of her best roles. It's a dark psychological thriller with some truly frightening moments. The poster above is actually kind of misleading since the movie is in black & white. In fact, despite the fact that this is set in an English country home, it has a lot of noir-ish qualities to it.

Ida Lupino evolved from being an actress in many film noir roles into an excellent director, starting in 1949 in an era when a woman being a film director was rare.
She directed the 1953 classic film, "The Hitchhiker" and several of the episodes of the "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" television series. She continued to act and direct well into the 1970s.

Brian Olewnick · February-11th-2008, 08:14 AM

Linda's Netflix pick this week. I'm guessing Haynes' idea was to shoot a movie that takes place in 1957 as it may have been filmed in '57, including broadly brushed characters, clunky dialog and post-noirish titled camera angles. Well, he succeeded making a tedious movie as far as I'm concerned. Didn't buy any of the characters for a second. The color schemes and costumes were highly distracting, screaming out, "Look! Look at me! I'm 1957!!!".