Rate The Last Movie You Saw

I like what Brody said about the film (on the greatest medium for communicating complex thoughts of all time, Twitter):

"The only daring thing about Boyhood is the 12-year filming; the scenes--images, script, performances, time sense--are utterly conventional which isn't a value judgment, there are many wonderful things about the film; 'radical' (no value judgment, either) isn't one of them."

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Mubi

I knew what you meant. I will say that if you rate a movie based on how much you can wonder about it and discuss during or after you watch it or how ambitious it is, Boyhood probably deserves a full rating, but I rate it based on how successful I think it is and how much I like it. Most critics and reviewers seem to be in awe of its ambition and think it's so far removed from typical Hollywood that it's got to be worthy of total praise. This does happen with several films a year though.

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It's what you learn after you know it all that counts. - John Wooden
My IMDb page

Hey Im glad you liked it.. since you took the recommendation from me in Sexy Celebrity's "Pretend you are crazy" thread.... (we all know he's a bit crazy).

I see. I rate movies based on both, but I'm expecting it to be the other way around. I suspect it's going to be successful in what it tried to achieve and I'll end up enjoying it, but ultimately, I fear it's going to be something I'm going to forget the next month.

I'm quite curious, still

I watched it for the movie tournament but I did think you liked it.

Both I would say. War and Peace is pretty much an exception to everything.

The Virgin Spring



Had real high hopes for this one after thinking that the first three Bergman films I watched were as close to perfect as you can get. This one just didn't work for me emotionally like those so left me feeling cold. I am sure there is a lot of allegory that went past me so that didn't help. I heard that old fashioned Catholic guilt coming in loud and clear though.

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Letterboxd

This is definitely a De Palma flick. It has his style written all over it. The extended shots with no dialogue, the visual storytelling during said shots, split screens, a few bits of voyeurism, a twist ending, and it is an erotic thriller. While I still think Dressed to Kill is his best movie, this was still pretty awesome. Making this my 12th De Palma film.

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Fear and Loathing in MoFo... The Gunslinger 45's Top 50 Favorite Films

In the 10 Ring: Gunslinger45's reviews

Man oh man, that's a bummer. This is great IMO.

I prefer the Bergman he made from 1957 to 1960 (including this one) to all his "close to perfect" movies, some of which leave me cold too. but I guess that's what makes the world go round.

I liked The Virgin Spring more than sean did, but it's definitely my least favorite of the three Bergmans I've seen.

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I've seen 11 of his films and rated that right in the middle of them. From memory it was the first of his I saw.

It's a shame you didn't like it more but if you like the heavy emotional films just stick to his later ones. Scenes From a Marriage is one I haven't seen but want to get to soon - that may be more to your liking.

I though Virgin Spring was the most entertaining Bergman but not the best.

The Holy Mountain

I actually shut the movie off after twelve minutes, because it felt like a waste of time and I was turned off by what felt like animal cruelty, but I took a breath and dived back in. And for a while I found the film oddly compelling. But only for a while. The random nonsense just became mind-numbing. I get that it was playing off the Tarot deck, but the religious imagery and mystical mumbo jumbo became overbearing, and I don't get the connection with a lot of the images to the Tarot, which seemed more of a jumping off point for the film than its defining theme. I'm sure there's a lot I just didn't get, but that's okay. I have little interest in analyzing it more. And it's continual attempts at shock value were a turn off given what I presume was the subject matter. It seems to wallow in the smuttiness of the human soul far too often. The very ending of the movie, I admit, does go a long ways in redeeming the film.

I don't know how to rate the movie, but for me I give it a C rating. It's interesting, in a way, and also just stupid at times.

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I may go back to hating you. It was more fun.

Its lunchtime, so i can post these.


Late Autumn (1960)




The Butler (2013)



Despite a decent enough rating, Late Autumn was a disappointment for me, as i was expecting better, maybe too much. It was touching and really well acted but it just didn't do enough for me.

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Too weird to live, and too rare to die.

Harold and Maude (1971)

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A normal man? For me, a normal man is one who turns his head to see a beautiful woman's bottom. The point is not just to turn your head. There are five or six reasons. And he is glad to find people who are like him, his equals. That's why he likes crowded beaches, football, the bar downtown...

The Rover (2014)

The first 40 minutes of this movie were excellent, very intense, but then the Robert Pattinson character started to play a pivotal role. At that point, the movie seemed to lose it's spark. It didn't become bad, but it became average. Still, an excellent performance from Guy Pearce, and a great beginning, are enough for me to at least give it a favorable rating.

yeah, The Virgin Spring is mediocre Bergman. The scene with Von Sydow wrestling with a tree is a highlight though.

Not to mention the scene where he picks up and throws a dude.

Fear and Loathing In Las Vegas

Very interesting movie

8/10

Strange Days (1995)

If you like sci-fi movies, Strange Days is a good one. It's a bit too violent for my tastes, but the story is interesting and it will keep you glued to the screen throughout the movie. Great performances by the entire cast, especially Ralph Fiennes and Angela Bassett, and I always like seeing Vincent D'Onofrio, even in smaller parts like this one.