What was the last movie you saw?

[j. d. worthington]

Hmmm... Been a while since I posted here, and this time it's... rather odd. The most recent I saw was watching Burton's film of Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd (the original Sondheim play was written with Hugh Wheeler) again... I know this isn't popular with some, but I think it was quite well done (though shorter than the original musical), and I quite like the unrelentingly grim... yet oddly humanistic... ending and the way it was handled. I have seen this film several times now, and my liking (and respect) for it grows with each viewing....

The other isn't, technically a film, but is also a video of a production of a Stephen Sondheim musical (this time with James Lapine), Into the Woods, which I have only seen bits and pieces of before. This time I got the bloody thing and finally got to see it from start to finish. Much lighter, overall, than Todd (albeit it does have its darker moments), but I very much like the way Sondheim uses such "mythic" material to address the human condition. The broader tone of this production (whereas the Burton is, naturally, reined in quite a bit, given the difference between stage and film) seems perfectly suited to it; and I thought it was a delightful and at times rather moving piece. (It was also at times deliberately silly and at others intentionally outrageous. And it was wonderful to see how Sondhein & Co. made hash of the entire "fourth wall" taboo, not to mention having a narrator for a play... who is an integral part of the play....)

[JunkMonkey]

Originally Posted by Diggler

Actually, The Truman Show and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind were quite good films. Though, as you pointed out, it's what he doesn't do that makes the difference.

I find Carey annoyingly OTT mannerisms unwatchable for the most part but I thought his turn in A Series of Unfortunate Events was pretty well judged.

[Starbeast]

Originally Posted by Diggler

I never watch the extra's. I think out of the 3125943 dvd's, Blu-Rays and HD-DVD's I own, I've only watched the extras on a handful of them.

I like looking behind the scenes and listening to the actors and actresses speak about their experiances, etc.

Actor Udo Keir who had a small role in the movie Suspiria, was a fan of director Dario Argento, and wanted to be in another movie of his. After many years his wish came true and Mr Keir was in Dario Argento's Mother of Tears.

Jonah Hex - The supernatural cowboy from DC Comics, wasn't a bad movie, it was a watchable steampunk horror adventure. I read some of Jonah Hex's weird western comics in the past, good stuff. I did also like the cartoon short stories DVD featuring other DC characters besides the supernatural cowboy Mr Hex....The Return of Black Adam

[j. d. worthington]

After having watched Burton's film, I got hold of a copy of an older video of the stage play of Sweeney Todd... something I've not seen the entirety of before, and haven't seen any of for many, many years. Some interesting differences there; a bit broader, of course, given the different media; but also some bits which would have taken a bit too much time in the film version are included here, which add depth to the characters. There is also (something I'd completely forgotten) the "Ballad of Sweeney Todd" which runs throughout the thing, and which would have been completely out of place in a film of that sort, yet works very well on the stage; recalling the original material (The String of Pearls) and the various takes on it since, as a popular legend or urban myth. (Incidentally, this is one of those techniques used in Doctor Who at one point, with "The Gunfighters"... rather well, I thought on a re-viewing a few years ago.)

However, in watching it this time, it became evident that, though Burton had to let that ballad go, he kept at least part of its emphasis in subtle ways, especially the final scene of the film, specifically Depp's performance and delivery....

Sweeney wishes the world away,
Sweeney's weeping for yesterday,
Hugging the blade, waiting the years,
Hearing the music that nobody hears....
Attend the tale of Sweeney Todd:
He served a dark and a hungry god
To seek revenge might lead to hell
But everyone does and seldom as well
As Sweeney... Sweeney Todd...
The demon barber of Fleet Street.

[Diggler]

Originally Posted by Starbeast

I like looking behind the scenes and listening to the actors and actresses speak about their experiances, etc.

Actor Udo Keir who had a small role in the movie Suspiria, was a fan of director Dario Argento, and wanted to be in another movie of his. After many years his wish came true and Mr Keir was in Dario Argento's Mother of Tears.

I actually like the behind the scenes stuff as well. Just the other half is not really into all the behind the scenes stuff, and I don't really want to bore her to tears with it

[Foxbat]

X The Unknown (1956)

A radioactive, flesh melting creature emerges from the depths to rampage through the Scottish countryside. A fairly decent horror/SciFi offering from Hammer and (I think) best described as a Quatermass movie without Quatermass.

[Foxbat]

In The Mood For Love


Set in early sixties Hong Kong, Tony Leung and Maggie Cheung star in this sumptuous and stylish slow burner of heart-felt friendship and unresolved desire. It has an economic yet perfect soundtrack to contrast the fine visual effect of director Wong Kar-Wai.

Quite simply, a fine movie.

[Phoenixthewriter]

Bridesmaids

I wish I had something more fun to type out there, but sadly, Bridesmaids was the last film I watched. Still itching to catch the Fast and Furious film though. I love movies

[Foxbat]

Damnation Alley
George Peppard and Jan-Michael Vincent star in this 1977 post apocalyptic road movie based (extremely loosely) on the Zelazny novel of the same name.

They battle giant scorpions and killer cockroaches in the real star of this movie - the Landmaster vehicle.

All in all, the skies may be burning in Damnation Alley but it's really a fairly tepid affair.

[No One]

Stalker (1979). Based loosely on Roadside Picnic, directed by Andrey Tarkovsky, and written by the Strugatsky brothers.

The film strips away virtually all of the sci-fi elements - and most characters - to focus on the heart of the story, which if nothing else helps to highlight the book's complicated purpose.

This comprised of long stretches of "stalking" in which tension, not action or any visual aid, is the priority, and long stretches of conversations pondering the meaning of many things.

I'd be hard-pressed to say I thought it was great, but I definitely liked it and can't deny it's status as a classic. Not for everyone though.

[alchemist]

Originally Posted by Phoenixthewriter

Bridesmaids

I wish I had something more fun to type out there, but sadly, Bridesmaids was the last film I watched. Still itching to catch the Fast and Furious film though....

Don't. Save yourself two hours of the worst acting ever. A female friend was recommending this for months. It was only after I saw it that I found out she was only looking at the muscles.

[Starbeast]

Originally Posted by Foxbat

X The Unknown (1956)

A radioactive, flesh melting creature emerges from the depths to rampage through the Scottish countryside.

Originally Posted by Foxbat

Damnation Alley
George Peppard and Jan-Michael Vincent star in this 1977 post apocalyptic road movie based (extremely loosely) on the Zelazny novel of the same name.

A pair of great cult classics.


The Killer Shrews (1959)

Giant mutant shrews pester people on an island. Lame and silly movie with bad dialogue, but funny with the Mystery Science Theater 3000 crew making comments about it throughout the movie.

Tarantula (1955)

Giant spider escapes a laboratory, attacks cattle and people, then is destroyed a very young Clint Eastwood piloting a jet.

[thatollie]

Two great westerns . . .

Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid

&

The Magnificent Seven

[Foxbat]

Originally Posted by No One

Stalker (1979). Based loosely on Roadside Picnic, directed by Andrey Tarkovsky, and written by the Strugatsky brothers.

The film strips away virtually all of the sci-fi elements - and most characters - to focus on the heart of the story, which if nothing else helps to highlight the book's complicated purpose.

This comprised of long stretches of "stalking" in which tension, not action or any visual aid, is the priority, and long stretches of conversations pondering the meaning of many things.

I'd be hard-pressed to say I thought it was great, but I definitely liked it and can't deny it's status as a classic. Not for everyone though.

I'd say your comments kind of sum up my feelings towards this movie too.

[Allegra]

Watched The Prestige for the 2nd time, as good as the 1st time; also Dorian Gray, Colin Firth is a good choice for Lord Henry but the actor for Dorian Gray is quite ordinary and not even as handsome as Dorian Gray should be.