Rate The Last Movie You Saw

Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning.


Not a fan of the MI franchise but I've thoroughly enjoyed the last two (but didn't like the others). Fallout is still the superior film but this one comes in second, IMO.


4.5/5.

Children of the Corn (2020)
7.5/10.
These hobbits and this ent are not so friendly.

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Boldly going.

Please Murder Me! - This is what happens when you cast a wide net while looking for something to watch. Found this on some nondescript Roku noir channel after first using their somewhat new search feature. You type In Noir and it gives you a list of channels that apparently anyone can put together since most of it appears to be public domain offerings. Which means they share the same crappy quality along with limited libraries. The ones with commercials are of course better quality with the paid subscriptions being the best. So #1 cast a wide net and #2 don't throw any bottom feeders back.

The title drew me in but the cast is what made me give it a try. And once it got going it turned out to be relatively involving. It starts out with attorney Craig Carlson (Raymond Burr) in his darkened office dictating a confession of sorts into a tape recorder. He tells all about his wartime experiences and his lifelong friendship with the man who saved his life, Joe Leeds (Dick Foran). Joe is married to Myra (Angela Lansbury) and Craig announces that Myra is in love with another man and wants a divorce. He then confesses that he is that man. Joe tells him that he needs time to think it through which leads to all sorts of drama. About an hours worth more or less.

It's a quick flick of around 78 minutes. There's a murder trial in which Burr channels his soon to be most famous role of Perry Mason. There are secrets revealed, gold-digging hoochies and double crosses and maybe even a spy in the house of love. Who knows? Burr and Lansbury both make for compelling leads. I first thought that I would never have taken her for a femme fatale but then thought of The Manchurian Candidate and told myself to shut up and watch. It turned out to be not so shabby considering how spur of the moment it was.

I would definitely recommend avoiding any public domain offering though. If you should ever find yourself in the same situation and faced with watching either a low quality film print or one with too many commercial interruptions try looking for it on youtube. There's a better than even chance you'll be able to find a better, commercial free copy there.

70/100

That's a sentence that every student in Weaver High School dreads, but as fate had it, it would fall on meek student and school journalist Jerry Mitchell (Casey Siemazko). Three O'Clock High follows Jerry's day after he receives this threat from new student/juvenile delinquent Buddy Revell (Richard Tyson) when he awkwardly approached him in the school restroom for a school newspaper interview; something that Buddy's not happy about.

In this regard, the direction of Phil Joanou, helped by the cinematography of Barry Sonnenfeld, was really fantastic. The way they move the camera, the angles they choose, how they block certain scenes, it was definitely above the average teen movie standards. In addition, the two leads are pretty solid, which makes you wonder why both of them didn't have better careers. I do think the character of Buddy could've been more developed, but it was still a pretty good performance from Tyson.

Grade:


Full review on my Movie Loot

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Pretty Baby (1978) Rewatched on Kino Lorber blu ray with the commentary by Kat Ellinger. The film looks fantastic. Ellinger is articulate and her commentary is insightful and informative. This is a really well written, beautifully directed film with excellent performances.

Starting in 1969, Zodiac mostly focuses on Graysmith, but it also follows police detective Dave Toschi (Mark Ruffalo) and journalist Paul Avery (Robert Downey, Jr.), all of which "need to know" who this killer is for different reasons; even if it is at the expense of their careers, their families, or even their lives.

David Fincher uses a clever story structure to reel us in with a bunch of incredibly intense, and sometimes gruesome murder sequences during the first act. Much like the Zodiac Killer himself used different modus operandi for each murder, the way Fincher handles these sequences is different, but they're all incredibly effective. I can say that the Lake Berryessa scene is one that sticks with you.

Grade:


Full review on my Movie Loot

By May be found at the following website: https://www.cinematerial.com/movies/...218/p/jy9k28or, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=56758937

Barefoot Gen - (1983)

Barefoot Gen taught me that you can sometimes translate horror through animation in a way that captures the essence of said horror in a more psychologically confronting way than would otherwise be possible with real life performance. The atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima left a lasting scar on the Japanese psyche, and manga artist Keiji Nakazawa was 6-years-old and present in the city when the bomb was dropped. His experience was translated through his art starting in 1973, and a decade later this manga series was animated and released as the movie I watched last night. Seen through the eyes of Gen Nakaoka, who lives in Hiroshima with his sister, young brother and parents (his mother is pregnant, and yeah, she'll go into labour shortly after the bomb is dropped), Barefoot Gen gives you a glimpse of a sickening horror that could only be matched by the German concentration camps - a parade of burned, walking dead and doomed families trapped in the burning rubble of their houses, left to burn alive. It'll make you rethink the necessity of the bombing, and war itself - which the Japanese started and refused to stop long after the cause was lost. Animated horror, both in an emotional sense as far as Gen is concerned and in a more broad, psychological way that's sure to impact anyone who watches.

8/10


By DVD image, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=24407274

Barefoot Gen 2 - (1986)

The sequel to Barefoot Gen is hampered by the fact it doesn't have the horror of the day the bomb was dropped as part of it's narrative - it takes place 3 years later, and deals with the long-lasting aftermath, with the many orphans left eking out an existence amongst the sections of rubble still undisturbed, and cancer cruelling the lives of survivors, still dying from the dreaded poison "pika" brought with it. Cancer-wise, Gen's mother is riddled with it and only has months to live. Gen and his adopted brother, Ryuta, naively think the new drug on the market, penicillin, will cure her - so they join a gang of street urchins and put into motion plans through which they manage to scratch up food and money from the changed world they live in. If you've seen a few of these manga films, you'll know that they pretty much trade in bittersweet heartbreak - any positive note they end on lubricated with tears of grief and sadness.

6/10


By Studio and or Graphic Artist - Can be obtained from film’s distributor., Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=70642479

On the Count of Three - (2021)

Friends Val (Jerrod Carmichael) and Kevin (Christopher Abbott) put their suicide pact on hold to enjoy one last day of life, where the freedom of their impending death means they can settle accounts and do whatever they'd truly like to do without consequences. This directorial debut from Jerrod Carmichael is fun - I like black comedies and this one features suicide, murder, sexual abuse of minors, parental abuse and violence. Not for everyone, but in me it has a lover of anything Christopher Abbott is in and any comedy where taboos are transgressed. Simple and under 90-minutes in length, with a slick screenplay - there's not much to dislike. A very winning movie that's more positive underneath it's grim exterior than you'd think when you first encounter it.

7/10


By http://www.impawards.com/2007/transformers_ver13.html, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=32771845

Transformers - (2007)

I've never really been all that interested in Transformers, but what got me in the end is the fact they're still making sequels - so somebody must like 'em. What surprised me about this first film is how funny it's sporadic comedic elements are - but the action feels a little like being in a really bad car accident. I'm old - and after sitting though an hour and a half of robot movie, I don't really have the stamina for 40-straight minutes of concrete pulverizing, destructive non-stop action. What can I say - it's brash, it's dumb (it's Michael Bay) and it's loud, with a very basic premise - a cube macguffin which both good and bad extraterrestrial robots are after, with the fate of the world at stake. The special effects are admittedly good. Too long though - by at least 20 minutes. Maybe if I were a kid, I'd be more excited about it - but as it is it's expensive cinematic junk food.

5/10

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SF = Z


[Snooze Factor Ratings]:
Z = didn't nod off at all
Zz = nearly nodded off but managed to stay alert
Zzz = nodded off and missed some of the film but went back to watch what I missed
Zzzz = nodded off and missed some of the film but went back to watch what I missed but nodded off again at the same point and therefore needed to go back a number of times before I got through it...
Zzzzz = nodded off and missed some or the rest of the film but was not interested enough to go back over it

7 Women (1965)

The Red Violin (1998)

You might think there's some truth to this story but it's a fabrication inspired by the prestige and luxurious privelege of owning a Stradovarious violin. Tragic and sad throughout, the legend around this fictional violin is lost to time as its value shoots through the roof during auction. The added charm is that the entire film culminates into a word play on a particular actors' name. The disappointment is that it isn't a true story, but there's plenty of eye candy and great violin playing.

7.5/10

I really liked this film, and I think that if I were to rewatch it my rating might even go up a bit. The way that it pulls apart the traumas that people endure (bullying, abuse, domestic violence) and what it takes to live with them---or maybe not live with them---is really fascinating. And I also like that it leaves room for understanding that not everyone is the same: what one person can cope with might be unbearable for another, and there's no weakness or shame in that, just tragedy.

So long, ya bastard.

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Look, I'm not judging you - after all, I'm posting here myself, but maybe, just maybe, if you spent less time here and more time watching films, maybe, and I stress, maybe your taste would be of some value. Just a thought, ya know.

Umpteenth Rewatch...Even though I've lost track of exactly how many times I 've watched this 1979 Best Picture nominee, it's been at least a couple of years since my last viewing and I can't believe how entertaining this vibrant and edgy musical still is...mad re-watch appeal, Bob Fosse's version of 8 1/2, based on his own life, still has mad re-watch appeal, especially that Oscar-nominated performance by Roy Scheider and Fosse's one-of-akind choreography. That "Take Off With Us/Aerotica" number never gets old. Cabaret is still Fosse's masterpiece but this was a more than worthy follow-up.

Hacksaw Ridge (2016) –

This film should be used as a model example of everything you should avoid when making an anti–war film. This is what results from someone who's clearly never read or understood François Truffaut's musings on anti–war and doesn't understand that the tone of an anti–war film, as well as its themes, both need to be anti–war for this to work. There is a clear disconnect between the excitement and high energy of the action scenes and the anti–war themes which run throughout the film. Not only is the action exciting though, but I'd also describe it as over–the–top given the abundance of slow motion and the occasional ridiculous set pieces such as using a dead soldiers body as a meat shield, destroying entire bunkers with explosives, waves of soldiers being consumed by a wall of fire, or grenades being swatted out of the air (yes, I know Doss actually did this in real life, but not in dramatic slow motion like he did in the film). Simply put, you can't pass your film off as anti–war, while simultaneously including lengthy sequences of action which feel like a blend between a superhero movie and a Zach Snyder film. Granted, virtually all the action occurs in the second half, but the first half didn't impress me much either. The building romance between Doss and Dorothy in the first half hour is hobbled by some cheesy dialogue, much of which comes off as corny pick–up lines taken straight out of a chick flick. On the plus side, the second half hour at the boot camp is probably the strongest portion of the film (or the least glaringly flawed) since the conflict between Doss and the rest of his recruits was somewhat engaging to watch (even though I wasn't in love with this sequence or anything). Also, while I generally don't pay attention to acting, I felt Garfield's soft–spoken voice fit his character really well. As a whole though, the bad far outweighed the good and, given a couple war films we got in the years after this was released like 1917 and All Quiet on the Western Front which actually understood anti–war, this film seems pretty unremarkable and disposable by comparison.

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IMDb
Letterboxd

'Preciate the recommendation. Haven't seen this since it came out, but I do remember it being good. Looking forward to a re-watch. There are very few of Allen's movies that I didn't like.

Of an Age, 2022

Kol (Elias Anton) is a recent high school graduate who wakes up to a frantic call from his good friend Ebony (Hattie Hook), his partner for a dance competition. Ebony got trashed and is stranded in the middle of nowhere without her costume or a ride. Already walking a fine line with both their parents, Kol is able to get a ride with Ebony’s brother, Adam (Thom Green), to retrieve Ebony. On the ride, Adam and Kol strike up a flirty relationship that carries through the rest of the day and into the night.

Overall I thought that this was just a lovely film. Yes, the main characters are gay and that involves some specific story elements, but I think that anyone can relate to having had an encounter with someone that settled in your heart and gave you a new sense of the possibility of what your life could be and what kind of love you could receive and be worthy of. No complaints (though boy is Ebony annoying!), and just a lovely film that manages to pack punches all the way to the end credit.



Full review

By http://ent.tom.com/2007-12-05/001Q/50769605.html, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=16749007

The Red Awn - (2007)

Have not seen many films from China - so few I couldn't even put together a "Top 5", but The Red Awn was a really pleasing film to settle down and watch. Song (Yao Anlian) returns to his home town for the first time in 5 years and finds a son, Yongtao (Lu Yulai) with a burning rage concerning his father - a murderous, all-consuming hatred for the man who has come back with plans to earn money harvesting crops with his son and friend Yongshan's (Shi Junhui) red combine. With modernization threatening to steal away all the customers, a son who's literally trying to kill him, ailing health and a secret lover, Song will be hard pressed to teach his son, and be forgiven his transgressions. If the combine isn't breaking down, then it's Yongtao setting fire to crops - do all wounds heal, or has Song really lost his son forever? A hit at festivals, The Red Awn really hasn't been seen by enough people - it questions the worth of a father leaving the family unit to earn necessary money, but leaving a child directionless and alone. On letterboxd, 17 people have logged this, while another film I watched yesterday but was much inferior, Transformers : Revenge of the Fallen, has been logged by 393,000 people. Where's the sense in that? Where's the balance?

8/10


By http://www.movieposterdb.com/poster/ffb95e95, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=9402033

Destination Tokyo - (1943)

You have to give Destination Tokyo a little slack for being made during the war, but it only needs a little. Cary Grant's speech about young Japanese boys being taught to kill and some of the messages chalked on torpedoes might raise a few eyebrows today, but overall this stands as an eventful submarine film in which you get the thrill of naval combat on a scale that was good for it's day - plenty of models and a shaking camera. Highlights include the appendectomy performed despite no surgeons or doctors being aboard (a worried medic has to read how to perform one in a textbook), sneaky and stabby Japanese airmen who evade capture, depth charges and critical damage, Christmas day aboard a sub, an unexploded bomb stuck in the sub's superstructure, negotiating minefields and a submarine net in Tokyo bay, attacks from the air and more. A young Tony Curtis signed up after seeing this film - not knowing that one day he'd be impersonating Cary Grant in Some Like it Hot and costar with Grant in the submarine movie Operation Petticoat. Made to make the job look like an adventure (Das Boot shows us what it was really like), Destination Tokyo slows down a little during the Tokyo bay segment, but has enough variation to keep things interesting during it's long runtime - most films about subs used this as a starting template. Fun, if a little too lengthy.

7/10


By IMP Awards, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=22734684

Transformers : Revenge of the Fallen - (2009)

Watching Transformers : Revenge of the Fallen feels like rolling down a rocky hillside inside a barrel filled with bees and cats. It's special effects and explosive action taken to it's absolutely ridiculous and excessive limit - an exercise that proves bigger isn't necessarily better, and probably the biggest (and most successful) Razzie winner for Worst Picture. Underneath the constant noise and motion, there's a sense of humour and a few little clues that people made this, and that there are people in it - but mostly this is what it would be like if your spirit was stuck inside a malfunctioning video game arcade that was on fire.

4/10

Set near the beginning of World War II, The Conformist follows Marcello Clerici (Jean-Louis Trintignant), a Fascist that is instructed to assassinate his former mentor and professor. But things get complicated when he starts a relationship with the professor's wife. Will he pay the price?

Regardless of how much I appreciated its strengths, I still feel like I missed something. Overall, I enjoyed it, but I think that my inability to get into the film's vibe early on hindered its overall effect. Bottom line, this is a film I feel I might or should revisit again at some point to maybe appreciate it more. It is the price I must pay, and I shall pay it.

Grade:


Full review on my Movie Loot

The World of Henry Orient (1964)