movies What's the last film you watched? And rate it!

Ah! It's been such a horrible week, I haven't seen a film until today :(

A Cat In Paris directed by Jean-Loup Felicioli & Alain Gagnol - 7/10
A fine little animated film with good storytelling. This is a good example of how a film can tell a story in just 60 minutes. I like the visuals a lot, but I was disappointed with the way that the film just isn't very powerful. Following the story is fun and there are some humorous moments, but this is just a fairly entertaining film that doesn't offer much else other than a good time. Although I think it's awesome that the film is only 60 minutes, there are films (both old and contemporary) that do so much more with a short running time. Although I enjoyed the film, it was pretty disappointing since I thought the overall film was going to be as awesome and distinctive as its visual style.
 
Ravenous 3/5
A strange film about cannibalism that willingly embraces a departure from reality. I enjoyed this, and recommend you cook a nice plate of bone-in chicken wings to devour as you watch this engaging flick. My only warning.. DO NOT VISIT THE IMDB PAGE FOR THIS FILM. The cast/actor information gave me a spoiler that is not supposed to be revealed until half way through :( Such a disappointment.

Gravity 3/5
I was hoping this movie would be one of those rare flicks that gets a 4/5 for me.. unfortunately I was bored in the middle and found myself checking how much longer it was going to last. Not a good sign… Overall this movie was pretty average, I think it would have been better in a 3d theatre but I don't go to those things.. I prefer to watch films at home.
 
Amélie directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet - 4/10
Now this is a film that really disappointed me! I didn't have the highest expectations in the world but since a lot of people love this film, I expected at least some nice good fun. However, this film just has a ton of caricatures rather than any real characters, and one of the most ineffective love stories I have ever seen. At first the style is a bit charming, but it just seems to have that one note throughout the entire film. I also don't see what's so brilliant about the film's visual style, it has colors that are more painterly rather than real-life looking, but lots of films also do and are much more effective at it. There are some good scenes that are really cute, but for the most part I was not engaged in this film and I was mostly bored throughout the film. Rather than being charming, nearly everything in the film irritated me. I haven't felt this way about a film lol, I usually like even rather mediocre films, maybe I'm having a bad day, I'll try to re-watch this film (though I don't really want to, I'll see it way later on in life lol).
 
The last film I watched was the first Die Hard - 10/10

It had been quite some time since I last saw this film and I had forgotten how many funny moments there were throughout and picked up on the verbal nods to Rambo and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

It still works as an action film, is still very entertaining and is still the best of the franchise.
 
Drums Along The Mohawk directed by John Ford - 8/10
A very fine Old Hollywood film that was entertaining and engaging. Although the film's story is not the most developed, John Ford proves that he is a master by taking this pretty good (but not great) material and making a really good movie. This is his first color film, and he already shows that he is a master at using color in cinema. As usual with Ford, there are some amazing painterly compositions here. Henry Fonda is awesome as usual, and there is a nice cast of characters. The great thing about Ford IMO is that even his lesser works are pretty great, especially when it comes to formal mastery of the medium. This film reminded me that I have to explore more of John Ford's filmography especially since I have access to at least seven or eight of his films (including three of his most celebrated classics).
 
Three Ages directed by Buster Keaton & Edward F. Cline - 8/10
This is Buster Keaton's parody of D.W. Griffith's Intolerance and for the most part it works. It has some very hilarious gags and Buster Keaton proved to me once again that he is a comedic genius! However, this film is not as great as his masterpieces so I won't give it higher than an 8. Anyone into silent comedy films should watch it, but someone just starting to watch silent comedies should check out some of Keaton's other work first.
 
sfoster said:
I had an Oliver Stone marathon.
Every single movie was over two hours :lol:
[ ... ]
The Doors 3/5
I can't believe I watched this sober. This movie made me want to drop acid and party like a rock star. Also can't believe that with a whole world of drugs at his fingertips jim's poison of choice was to drink himself to death. I've just never gotten that much joy out of alcohol. Also this guy didn't really know how to party in the first place, getting drunk and walking out on ledges threatening to kill yourself isn't cool. It's being an attention whore (in a bad way)

Also thought it was nuts that he kept getting back with meg ryan. They both tried to kill each other at different points and yet no one broke it off.. I had a girl almost kill me once, that was the end of our relationship. Then again I don't have an obsession for flirting with death like these two
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It's definitely worth noting that Oliver Stone films should not be taken as historical documents. Don't get me wrong, I like a lot of his films and find them entertaining, but he sets his own bar for accuracy.
 
Dreadylocks said:
It's definitely worth noting that Oliver Stone films should not be taken as historical documents. Don't get me wrong, I like a lot of his films and find them entertaining, but he sets his own bar for accuracy.
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Oliver stone contains a lot of fact in his films.. and I take him at his word in his director commentaries. He also notes where he takes liberties.
 
Totally, I wasn't trying to imply that everything is a lie. But he does like to take a firm side on an issue and present it as complete truth (in film) where there may otherwise be a lot of debate.

It's not a criticism, like I said, I really like some of this films. But they're not documentaries.
 
Dreadylocks said:
Totally, I wasn't trying to imply that everything is a lie. But he does like to take a firm side on an issue and present it as complete truth (in film) where there may otherwise be a lot of debate.

It's not a criticism, like I said, I really like some of this films. But they're not documentaries.
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Yes, I'm a big fan of his commentaries for pointing out the factual stuff, although i must admit for the doors it bothered the hell out of me that he kept pronouncing the word idea with an 'r' :hmm:

I wish heaven and earth came with a commentary for the truth behind tommy lee jones' character
 
Mambo Girl directed by Yi Wen - 8/10
A wonderful musical melodrama! The best moments are when the film feels like one non-stop party that you can't help but join and dance in. The opening sequence has got to be one of the most energetic scenes I have seen in my life. Grace Chang is just incredibly charming and this film highlights her talents in a great way. The melodramatic aspect of the film is pretty mediocre (probably due to the script) but the directing is actually always awesome. I could never fault the cinematography, and the pacing was almost always very good. In fact, there were some pretty amazing compositions in the film such as the opening shot (http://www.coffeecoffeeandmorecoffee.com/archives/mambo girl 1.jpg). There was also some nice tableau staging going on in the film at moments, and even the less 'artistic' shots are pretty stellar. As much as I love this film, it's a mixed bag. At its best it has some of the best musical moments in cinema, but on the other hand the actual dramatic aspects of the film aren't very good. Still thanks to its musical moments (which I consider to be masterpieces), wonderful lead performance, and overall strong directing this would still land on my favorite films list! Anyone into popular Chinese cinema should check this film out.
 
Great Gatsby 3/5
I liked the color

Lincoln Vampire Hunter 3/5
Silly film of course, but the guy they got for the lead was actually pretty good! Showed some nice potential
 
Top Hat directed by Mark Sandrich; starring Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers - 10/10
What a wonderful musical! This is the perfect mix of wonderful music, dance, comedy, and drama. Anyone who likes Astaire & Rogers musicals knows what to expect and they'll just be satisfied, it follows a similar pattern to The Gay Divorcee only it has better choreography, songs, and overall filmmaking. Following the crazy plot of this film is also a lot of fun because it's just full of misunderstandings that are understood by the audience. I've got two more Astaire & Rogers films in my collection and I have no idea why I haven't seen all of these films a million times by now!
 
That guy who was in that thing 3/5
Entertaining, but I still don't know any of their names :lol:
And I'm a huge 24 fan

Alex Cross 3/5
First tyler perry move i've ever seen, it was okay but I don't buy that he beat this guy in a hand to hand fight at the end. the dude was like.. a professional fighter and perry is a psychologist.. come on now. and the fighter got the jump on him too. And also waaay too much shaky cam during the fight

Playing Good 3/5
Good flick with a nice cast. although there is that one music track that I cannot help but think of the matrix :lol:

Also I am changing my previous rating for with nail and I.. 4/5 from 3/5. yes the middle with harry potters gay uncle sucks. but the beginning and end are just so well written, that I am going to overlook that.
 
Phoenix directed by Keisuke Kinoshita - 5/10
Ah, this is a minor early film by one of Japan's great directors. I was very disappointed in this melodrama. The entire plot is revealed in the first ten minutes so there is no surprises in the film and I never got to care about the characters much. There is some good aspects such as the first flashback montage sequence which was awesome storytelling without any dialogue, there are some great compositions, and some sweet moments. However, there are so many greater melodramas from Japan during this period that it's hard to appreciate this film. I will say that I cannot give my final proper evaluation due to the fact that about half of the film on the copy I saw didn't have subtitles, maybe there is some powerful dialogue that I missed that would raise this score to a 6 or a 7, but this is by no means a great film.
 
Seven Pounds directed by Gabriele Muccino - 1/10
Whenever I mention those awfully boring mediocre dramas that I hate, this is the kind of movie I'm talking about. Everything is just mediocre but not quite bad that I can't get any laughs from it, so it's even worse than a bad film in my opinion. I thought The Pursuit Of Happyness was a decent movie (not good/great though) so I at least hoped it'd be decent but this is one of the few films (possibly even the only one) that I have fallen asleep to (and worse of all, I'm not even sorry).

The Red Balloon directed by Albert Lamorisse - 10/10
Okay, this film just restored my faith in cinema! :)
What a wonderful film, it's just a simple pure masterpiece. I don't even have much to say since I think this film is just so obviously amazing. But one thing I'll mention is that it's incredible how the balloon in this film is a much better character (and one that I cared about) than the characters in most films. When I have children I'll show them this film, I hope they'll be as enchanted by it as I am. Seeing this film was like getting to experience childhood again for a half an hour. This is a magical masterpiece!

Clannad: The Motion Picture directed by Osamu Dezaki - 7/10
A fine school romance anime film. My friend loves the anime series so I gave it a shot (I hate watching series, I only like movies!) through cinematic form. I like the quirky characters, some of the catchy songs, and it has a nice simple story. The protagonist though is mostly uninteresting until the second half of the film, I think it's because this story started as an animated novel and so like most RPG video games, the main character has to be someone that you basically fill in for. There was some kind of experimentation here with different animated styles, unfortunately they never work to serve the story or artistry of the film and are usually distracting so I don't like it. I also don't like how this film has too much light, part of the image seems intentionally whited out (but once again, it doesn't add anything to the film, in fact it is distracting). The second half of the film has more depth than the first half but it feels too condensed so it ends up being very flawed. To sum it up, a pretty good story with some awesome quirky anime characters, but the animation leaves a lot to be desired!

Ferris Bueller's Day Off directed by John Hughes - 10/10
Another amazing John Hughes film! This is a very funny film that is endlessly entertaining. As I watched most of the film I thought it was great but it wouldn't reach the transcendent moments that The Breakfast Club had but boy was I wrong, I would say I like this one even more. John Hughes' best films perfectly capture a timeless universal spirit of youth (I can tell since I'm still in high school) and at the same time he adds transcendent moments that show truths that can change teen lives (he's essentially cinema's "philosopher of adolescence" as Ebert called him). Scene for scene this is one of the most entertaining conventional narrative films that I have ever seen.
 
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The Heroic Trio directed by Johnnie To - 8/10
Maggie Cheung, Michelle Yeoh, and Anita Mui starring in an action film directed by Johnnie To! That seems like a real dream come true! Unfortunately, the film isn't the masterpiece that all this talent suggests but its still a lot of fun. It's an entertaining movie from beginning to end, but I feel that the third act is really just amazing. If the whole film was as entertaining as the third act then it would be at least a near masterpiece of Hong Kong action! The lighting, cinematography, stars, costumes, and the fun make this film worth watching. If you want a good story or even good action choreography then you can skip this film, but if the charms of Hong Kong action cinema is enough for you then definitely give it a watch. I'd say the overall quality of the film should be 7/10 but the ending plus the overall quality filmmaking make this an 8/10 for me. It's one of the few films that make me want to watch the sequel immediately, I may even watch the sequel right now lol.
 
Under the Skin: scarlet johanson is naked go see it :) On a serious note I enjoyed the sci fi journey through out the film. The soundtrack was awesome and the acting johanson does with out speaking is amazing. The darkside of it will make you say what the #%%^

9/10
 
Executioners directed by Ching Siu Tung & Johnnie To - 7/10
Same great cast, same great overall direction like The Heroic Trio but it has a completely different tone and is not as fun. The film is still very engaging, though it was missing really excellent moments that elevated the original from a good film to a great one (IMO). I feel like there is a lot less emphasis on action here, and there is definitely less emphasis on comedy. That being said, the actual action choreography itself is better (even though there are fewer fights I think), and this one attempts to be even more emotional. It still has the charms of a classic Hong Kong film, but it's not quite on par with the original. In some ways I feel like this is a completely different film but they just added The Heroic Trio cast, but at least this film is actually pretty good I think compared to something like A Better Tomorrow III which had nothing to do with the series and was very mediocre.
 
All About Ah-Long directed by Johnnie To - 8/10
I guess I'm having a bit of a Johnnie To (particularly his early works) weekend. This is a surprisingly awesome melodrama with a great performance by Chow Yun Fat! Sylvia Chang also does an awesome job in this film (she was also awesome in Edward Yang's film That Day, On The Beach). This film was engaging from beginning to end, but I can't quite call it a masterpiece because it doesn't yet have a mature directing style or anything particularly unique aside from an amazing father-son relationship. I think that if this film would have focused a little more on the father-son relationship rather than the relationship between the mother and the father then it could've been an early masterpiece for Johnnie To. Also, I have mixed feelings about the ending. At first I thought that it was going to give us a cheap happy ending by faking out one of the sadder elements of the film, but then it just ends in complete tragedy. In a way, I think this was brilliant, and the ending on its own is a great visceral emotional experience (similar to the way the ending of Dancer In The Dark affected me). However, I wonder if it even really goes with the tone of the rest of the film. While the film is always filled with melodrama, I never expected this ending (which I guess is a good thing, but I'm not sure still). Anyway, the ending really left a huge impact on me so I'm still glad I saw it. It's kind of like the endings in classic Japanese melodramas which often end in suicide, which I never see coming but always come up in the films! For better or worse, depending on who you are, this feels like a typical Hong Kong film as opposed to an auteurist work, but for me these charms are work and I sometimes like listening to mediocre Cantopop songs in films (I wish they'd use better Cantopop songs but oh well lol) and slightly over the top or corny scenes. Overall this is a very good melodrama that had the potential to be an early masterpiece (IMO) by a master Hong Kong filmmaker.
 
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