Movies you have seen recently

[Daytona74]

Not a movie, but I've rewatched the two seasons so far of "Fargo" this week on account of being home in bed with the flu...

If you haven't watched either season, it's just such a great show. Not only is season one in particular very true to the original movie, but also, in season two, they've gone a few steps beyond and created a whole new storyline that is just very well written.

Also, in season two, they've really done an amazing job with all the visuals. They've recreated the whole late 1970s Midwestern small town vibe with such immense accuracy and attention to visual detail that you're just blown away by it. You'll also love all those great 70s American cars. And in post-production, they've given the picture a very idiosyncratic warm hue that will remind you of all your paper photographs from the 1970s. The degree of perfection of scene composition and color palette choice will almost remind you of the best days of Miami Vice...

Season one is closer to the movie, but season 2 is just all around a more cinematic experience, where season one is more a bleak film noir piece reminiscient of some modern Scandinavian crime dramas.

But also, I like that whole Midwestern small town atmosphere. You wouldn't think that Kansas City is such a hub for organized crime, but "Fargo" paints a very believable picture. And you'll even forgive them for letting alien spaceships play such a pivotal role in the events of season two...

Given that season three is on its way this April, now might be a good time to catch up on the series so far. Personally, I'd start in reverse order and watch season two first (after all, it takes place 27 years before season 1). But if you liked the movie and want to ease yourself into the series, start with season one.

Edited February 18, 2017 by Daytona74

[Matt5]

Yes I agree great show ! I liked both Seasons very much 

[Daytona74]

I watched all of the "Insidious" movies last week.

I have to say, they are really well made horror films. In the way that they're not necessarily always about gory visuals, but that they really mess with your head on a more suspense oriented level. Like, characters think they see somebody standing behind a curtain or a door, and they go and look. But then a lot if times there actually is somebody there who jumps out at them. So they take it that one step further. And you see it coming, but you still very nearly wet yourself everytime it happens. Even though it was so obvious.

One thing that's odd is that somehow most scenes are in low light and/or have people carrying flashlights through dark rooms, where you think that's really an old scary movie cliché, but what they do in the movies is that they're saying "Oh yes, we're going there, and we're gonna make your skin crawl no matter how cheesy you think this is". So in a way, they give you a good scare even though none of the visual effects or plot devices are anything genuinely new. It just somehow "works", and the films are quite a ride.

I also liked the concept of "the further", which is the dark space where dead souls live and are met by the living who know how to contact them.

If you liked movies like "Room 1408", "Sinister" or "Drag Me To Hell", then the "Insidious" series is for you. I am looking forward to part four which is due out this autumn.

Edited March 6, 2017 by Daytona74

[Vicefan7777]

I agree the  Insidious franchise is scary good fun.  That is one thing my wife and I can agree on. 

[vicegirl85]

I watched Hacksaw Ridge yesterday.  Amazing what Desmond Doss accomplished in one night, in the dark and with the hazards of terrain and the constant presence of the enemy close at hand.   

I believe some of you have been in combat before, and also I understand the idea of the soldier's silence when it comes to discussing what happened on the battlefield.  So if no one wants to answer, it's OK.  A number of brutally explicit scenes in the movie made it clear that sudden,violent and bloody death was imminent and completely unpredictable (as well as terrible injuries).  What that did for me was to give me some tiny (and sterile, lacking the touch, taste and smells) appreciation for the soldier's experience--that I couldn't have had by reading a book or seeing a more sanitized version.

I  closed my eyes a few times, but saw enough horrible effects of combat, hand to hand and with firehoses that it was hard to watch. I'm glad I did, though.

Maybe the very grittiness of the cinematic depiction might make it hard for someone who has been through the real experience to watch; might cause flashbacks, etc.  I don't know.  I'd love to hear anyone else's thoughts on whether it's better to show more of the violence and horrible injuries for the sake of accuracy (I hope it's accurate and not gratuitous), or whether less explicit violence would serve the movie's message as well.

[Stinger390X]

I also saw Hacksaw Ridge and thought it was a very good movie. I did depict the reality and horrors of war very well.

Another movie I just saw last week was "LION". Fabulous movie about a man seeking his true family and the best part was it was a true story! There wasn't a dry eye in the theatre when they reunited!!!!

[Vicefan7777]

Had to watch again one of my favorite 50s classic monster movies. 

As a child living in Michigan I would watch giant monster movies every Saturday afternoon on channel 50 broadcast from Detroit. This movie scared me so much that it took maybe three times before I could watch it to the point of actually seeing the giant ants.

Filmed in 1954 at a time when the world was in the beginnings of the atomic age and the fear many people had as to what all the bomb testing would do to our world. The testing of the original atomic bomb in New Mexico had a terrifying affect as desert ants mutate to become 12 foot meat eating creatures.

The story opens with two state troopers searching the desert because of a report of a child wandering alone. A search plane sees her and the troopers pick her up. She is in total shock and unable to speak. The spotting plane notices a trailer a few miles away and suggests the troopers check it out. They go there and discover a scene of destruction and bloody clothing and evidence the little girl came from there. This is when we first hear the terror of screeching. But what was it?

The troopers leave the trailer when the 1950s version of a CSI team arrives. They then head on over to a local store to see if the owner might know anything about the trailer. It is night when they arrive and a sandstorm is in progress. They find the owner died and a large hole in one wall. One trooper stays behind to guard the crime scene while the other drives away to see the little girl in the hospital. The left behind trooper then hears that same screeching noise nearby. He exits the building and a moment later we hear him scream.

From then on the FBI gets involved along with a father-daughter team of scientists. Eventually we see the giant ants and they are a true terror to behold. I can see that the studio spent good money to make the ants as realistic as possible. No CGI in 1954. They really are scary!! The story line goes from discovering the nest to finding out that two queen ants have flown away.

These queen ants have to be found and destroyed before they can make new nests and hatch new queens. If not found and killed the human race would become extinct within a year.

Eventually one queen is found on a merchant ship and destroyed while the other is suspected as laying her nest in the sewer system of Los Angeles. The hunt is on as the Army is sent in. A final battle with the giant insects and mankind is saved.

"But what about all the other atomic tests"? Have they produced anything other to threaten us?

I watch this film at least six times a year and anyone who is a fan of classic sci-fi or monster films should see this.

[Stinger390X]

I too was a huge fan of Saturday afternoon classic black and white sci-fi movies.

Some of my favourites were "The Day the Earth Stood Still", Attack from Outer Space, Attack of the Fifty Foot Woman, and so many more of those hokey space and radiated bug movies that turned them into giants. I remember cold winter afternoons and choosing a warm blanket and a cheezy film, over going outside to play.

[Vincent Hanna]

I was watching a bit of "It came from beneath the sea" the other day and thought it was pretty cool. Need to see more of these old sci-fi/B-movies.

^The Day the Earth Stood still's got to be one of the best sci-fi movies of all time, my favourite part is when klaatu lands on Earth and as soon as he steps outside his spaceship he gets shot by the military. Humans are such clowns man.

[Daytona74]

I saw "World War Z" last night.

Strangely unengaging movie. And it's not because I am generally not a big fan of zombie movies or Brad Pitt isn't my favorite actor (his best days were during the Twelve Monkeys, Fight Club and Oceans Eleven era, but that was a long time ago). No, somehow the story stays on the surface of things pretty much, and everything just flashes by in a matter of fact kind of way. You don't get much insight into the characters, and you really don't learn much about them at all besides the fact that Brad Pitt's character used to work for the UN as a special agent.

The action scenes have a kind of uninspired egoshooter videogame aesthetic, and not in a good way. They, too, are just done in a very unengaging way. You just don't feel like you're part of the action. This movie does not get under your skin.

I am not sure how this movie managed to get the kind of critical acclaim that it did. For about the first 45 minutes, I was very tempted to just turn it off and watch something else. Movies like the "Dawn of the Dead" remake are definitely a better choice if zombies are your type of thing.

Edited March 17, 2017 by Daytona74

[OCBman]

Recently, I have been on a Miguel Piñero kick:

Fort Apache, The Bronx (1981)

Very interesting police drama starring Paul Newman. Piñero does a great job as a baddie, as usual.

 

Short Eyes (1977)

In addition to Piñero, there were several other actors that were also featured in MV.

Tito Goya was featured in "Calderone's Return" parts I and II.

Jose Perez was featured in "Miracle Man" and "Junk Love".

Shawn Elliott was featured in "Milk Run" and "Heroes of the Revolution".

Luis Guzman was featured in "The Prodigal Son" and "Free Verse".

One additional connection: The film was directed by Robert M. Young, who later went on to direct Edward James Olmos in The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez (1982).

I would love to hear any thoughts from those who have seen these movies.

 

Edited March 17, 2017 by OCBman

[AzVice]

saw Logan  last night. Good movie , downbeat and pretty violent. Not a kids comic book movie.

[Stinger390X]

On ‎17‎/‎03‎/‎2017 at 3:15 AM, Vincent Hanna said:

I was watching a bit of "It came from beneath the sea" the other day and thought it was pretty cool. Need to see more of these old sci-fi/B-movies.

^The Day the Earth Stood still's got to be one of the best sci-fi movies of all time, my favourite part is when klaatu lands on Earth and as soon as he steps outside his spaceship he gets shot by the military. Humans are such clowns man.

Yeh... I know exactly what you mean!

I always get a kick out of any of those old movies as the military always shoots first and asks questions later. Their weapons are useless against these creatures etc, but in any good old American classic its "lets shoot them" ........and it never works!

Then you get into the newer movies of modern gendre and they do the exact same thing!!!! Shoot at the person! I could name twenty movies or more like this but sadly that is what Hollywood does.

One funny one that I can think of is "Plan 9 from Outer Space" The actor playing the cop pulls out his gun and takes the barrel and pushes the brim of his hat up to scratch his head with the gun. Then he fires on the zombies and of course the don't go down, but he empties the gun anyway. just hilarious and such poor acting!  Good for a laugh on a rainy day!

[Tommy Vercetti]

I like '50s sci fi too. Especially The Incredible Shrinking Man. Excellent film with great special effects and a smart script. The original The Fly is excellent too. I like it better than Cronenberg's version which I find too disgusting. Invasion of the Body Snatchers is great too and the 1978 version is even better. The original tapped into Communism fears (It can't be a coincidence that the lead actor's name was McCarthy) and the 1978 version tapped into the paranoia of the Watergate era. Both great films with the 1978 version the better of the two.

The Moviedrome intro for the original Body Snatchers:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYFi9wTOVEE

The Moviedrome intro for the '78 version. This is an especially brilliant intro:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7aADxdLdn0

OCBman, I saw Short Eyes too and I thought it was great and one of the best prison films I've ever seen. Miguel Pinero was a great writer and he had been though the crime and prison life which made his writing even more authentic. You can see why Michael Mann hired him as a consultant on his prison TV movie Jericho Mile. Short Eyes is powerful, gritty and realistic.

A film I'd compare it to is The Glass House (1972), which is also similarly gritty and raw and was filmed in a real prison. It was based on a Truman Capote story a and it's also one of the best prison films ever made IMO.

Another great gritty prison movie is American Me directed by and starring Edward James Olmos about a Mexican prison gang in a California joint. 
I'd also recommend Scum (1979), set in a British juvenile prison, and Midnight Express for more great gritty prison films

Edited March 19, 2017 by Tommy Vercetti

[OCBman]

Tommy Vercetti,

Thanks for the other films you listed. Of those, the ones I've seen are:

Jericho Mile (1979), I still have a copy of this on my hard drive. I really need a rewatch.

Midnight Express (1978). I highly recommend the book by Billy Hayes. It's truly amazing stuff.

American Me (1992), which equally fantastic. I will never forget:

Quote

 

"It was easy to blame my father for everything I did.

Isn't that the life of every kid?

Sh_t...took me a long time to understand that rhyme."

 

That is one great movie.

I will definitely check out The Glass House and Scum. Thanks for the recs!

 

[Matt5]

I watched "The Accountant" starring Ben Affleck recently - not too bad,

[Vicefan7777]

Got out my DVD of a film I first saw in 1982.  That film is Excalibur (1981).  This British production tells the story of King Arthur.  

 I was captivated from the opening minutes. This movie took me on a thousand year old adventure. The magic of the King Arthur story has always fascinated me. This movie is the best telling of the fable. This movie has bloody violence, humor and terror rolled into a great story.  The cast has some actors who would go on to superstar status--Patrick Stewart, Liam Neeson and Helen Mirren.

We see King Arthur's life story from his conception due to a rape, being taken away by Merlin to be raised, to discovering as a young man he was born to unite Britain, to falling in love, to betrayal by his half sister, to his final battle and death.

The actor who portrays Merlin gives in my opinion the best performance. The magic of the sword Excalibur and its importance to Arthur is given its due. The score is hauntingly beautiful. The sets are beautiful. The battle scenes are realistic. But it is the overall story that makes this movie one of my absolute favorites.

[Stinger390X]

With all the internet hacking stories on the news, I stumbled onto a fabulous Michael Mann film called "BLACKHAT"

It's a thriller about hackers and the storyline is very good. The cinematography is totally "Mannesque" .

Fabulous movie and I highly recommend it!

[FerrariDaytonaSpyder]

Watched "The Edge of Seventeen" the other night with my college sophomore daughter.  She wanted to watch a movie, so I let her pick.  About 3/4 of the way through, I was debating leaving the room, not because it wasn't any good, but rather I was having a hard time relating to the main character, played by Hailee Steinfeld.  There was one scene that completely turned the movie, and I'm glad I stuck around.  Woody Harrellson plays a high school social studies teacher, and I found myself laughing at his character in almost every scene he was in, but he provided some real depth later in the film.  I'd give it a 7/10.  I wouldn't have to see it again, but it ended up being not bad.

[Marc]

 

I'd heard about this film for years but only got to see it a month or so back. Words cannot explain how great a film it is. The stylish direction, hilarious dark humour and possibly one Ennio Morricone finest soundtracks which says a lot. I had a big grin on my face as it unfolds. You'll recongise the main actor as being from Fistful of Dollars and Few Dollars More, his performance is jaw-dropping good as the police chief.

[Matt5]

I enjoyed "Hell or High Water " recently a new 2016 film starring Jeff Bridges 

[Stinger390X]

On ‎4‎/‎13‎/‎2017 at 1:05 AM, Vicefan7777 said:

Got out my DVD of a film I first saw in 1982.  That film is Excalibur (1981).  This British production tells the story of King Arthur.  

  this movie one of my absolute favorites.

Couldn't agree more. Just loved the story, good acting and I am absolutely appalled at the new remake. It is just all CGI and short clip editing for people with sort attention spans. The story line gets too obsessive and wanders all over the place.

The original was so much better with good story telling. It didn't need CGI and unrealistic special effects to sell the story.

[Tommy Vercetti]

I'm afraid I can't share the enthuisiasm that other's here have for Excalibur. I thought it was awful. It was meandering, uninteresting, unentertaining. The acting in Excalibur was good? Really? I thought it was horrible and the worst acting I've ever seen actually. Everyone was screaming their dialogue in ridiculous voices. That's good acting?
I think the only good thing about the film was Helen Mirren. But then Helen is absolutely enchanting (especially when she was younger) and a great actress so how couldn't she be?
John Boorman is an erratic director. He's directed some good films but he's also directed garbage (Exorcist II: The Heretic, Zardoz anyone?)

Edited January 8, 2018 by Tommy Vercetti

[Vicefan7777]

So my wife and I were spending the day watching horror movies on Netflix.  She's pick one then me and so on.  I saw one from 1986 called The Wraith.  It starred a youthful Charlie Sheen who portrayed a man who returns from the dead to get revenge on a gang of thuds who murdered him. He drives a futuristic car which he uses to eliminates those responsible one by one. He also gets romantically involved with the gang leader's girl friend.  I must say I enjoyed this film.  I honestly loved the soundtrack.  It had great 80s music from slow love songs to rocking hair band music.  1986 was a great year for Charlie as in was also in Ferris Bueller's Day Off and the award winning Platoon.  So if you like this kind of film, check it out. 

[Sonny-Burnett]

I liked The Wraith also, with great car chase scenes, a good 80s soundtrack with some notable songs (e.eg, Billy Idol and Robert Palmer, the cool one from Addicted to Love fame) and some feature characters like Dennis Quaid and Sherilynn (sp?) Fenn.  It was made loooong before Sheen went loco.