Rate The Last Movie You Saw

High Fidelity (2000)

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[ J ] - [ S ] - [ F ]

Nomad (1982) - Two (or three) parallel young love stories, told in a New Wave style; it's a Hong Kong film but recalls the French... scenes cutting before you could catch a break and you're thrown in a scene without an immediately recognizable relation to the previous one, overwhelming locations and a variety of music choices (and camera angles) make Nomad the kind of movie that keeps one on their toes.

My one other Patrick Tam film (Love Massacre) scared the crap out of me so I was awaiting something deeply strange and alienating this time again but while at times, the tone and especially the last 7 minutes get jaw-dropping weird, I'm surprised at how much I liked the characters in this one and how many times I chuckled; at an unreal meet-cute, the apartment pollution bit when two of our love birds wanted to have "good clean fun" as a poster on the wall suggests, the love-making in the public bus that follows... all in all, I hadn't seen anything quite like this one. Maybe WkW, but he came after this... 8/10

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HEI guys.

Breen is one of today's most important American directors. Maybe THE most important. The transformation of his Messianic auteur figure from a self-inserted troubled genius in a Malick-derivative (but BEFORE that kind of Malick) milieu to an Inland Empire-like hero and anti-hero in one flesh (in a meta sense; two persons in one body disguised as simply playing identical twins) also saw him warming up to the kind of CGI prevalent in inept African no-fi outsider art.

He's a true auteur in the sense that he just does his thing and doesn't care about the 'rational' criticism that is fiendishly easy to use to dismiss his work. I think his films are some of the most entertaining and artistically intriguing works in US cinema of the last 30 years, and it's a rarity an oeuvre is both these things at the same time.

And all this doesn't stop him from calling books boring in every single review on his Letterboxd account.

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San Franciscan lesbian dwarves and their tomato orgies.

Longlegs - (2024)

Not nearly as scary as people are saying. It's a good movie, but the hype is totally unjustified. 7/10

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There has been an awekening.... have you felt it?

Very strange, but good movie. Two leads are excellent.

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I’m here only on Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays. That’s why I’m here now.

1st Rewatch...This silly and confusing Bond spoof is pretty much for hardcore fans of the stars. Cameron Diaz plays June Havens, a garage mechanic flying home for her sister's wedding who ends up on a plane with Roy Miller (Tom Cruise), a disgraced CIA agent who everyone on the plane tries to murder, plunging him and June into a world-wide road trip pursuing two sets of bad guys. Directed James Mangold (Ford Vs Ferrari, Walk the Line) mounts some viable action sequences, but the story is all over the place and the movie seems to go on forever. Didn't notice this the first time, but Cruise's character is named Miller and Diaz' character is named Havens, so I have no idea where the title of the movie comes from.

1st Rewatch...The 1963 instant comedy classic that made Peter Sellers a star, after 20 years in the business. Sellers still brings the funny as the bumbling Inspector Clouseau who is trailing a jewel thief known as the Phantom (David Niven), completely clueless that his wife (Capucine) is working with him. Sellers proves to be a master of physical comedy here, able to get laughs out of the simplest things, even just taking off a bathrobe. Blake Edwards proves to be a master behind the camera, producing a film so funny that it produced seven sequels, an animated television, a remake with Steve Martin and a sequel to that film.

2nd Rewatch...Six years after their smash hit Dumb and Dumber, Jim Carrey and the Farrelly brothers reunited for this crude, raunchy, but very funny comedy that starred Carrey as Charlie Baileygates. a trooper for the Rhode Island State Police, who has allowed people to treat him like a doormat for his entire life, who finally snaps and develops an alternate personality named Hank, who doesn't take any of the crap that Charlie does, which complicates Charlie's mission to transport and protect a woman on the run (Oscar winner Renee Zellweger). It takes a minute to get going, but this one really delivers the laughs, thanks primarily to Carrey, who creates two very distinct character in Charlie and Hank that are both entertaining in their own way. Carrey and Zellweger also have a solid supporting cast behind them including Oscar winner Chris Cooper, Robert Forster, Richard Jenkins, Anthony Anderson, and Tony Cox. Appointment viewing for Carrey fans.

1st Rewatch...A rich performance by the late Robin Williams playing a character who starts out extremely sympathetic and does a complete 180 is at the crux of this black comedy written and directed by Bobcat Goldwait. Williams plays Lance, an unpopular poetry teacher who really wants to be a writer, who teaches at the same school that his son, Kyle attends. Kyle is a sex-obsessed, obnoxious jerk who treats his father, and just about everyone else in his orbit, like dirt. One night, Lance discovers that Kyle has died in a very embarrassing way so he decides to cover it up, which includes an elaborate suicide note berating everyone for being mean to Kyle. Somehow the suicide note hits the internet and makes Kyle and his father media celebrities. Flattered by the attention he's getting, Lance decides to take it a step further and composes a fake journal for Kyle, garnering his creepy son even further fame. This story makes me very uncomfortable, it reminds me of the Broadway musical Dear Evan Hansen, but Williams does make it worth checking out. Goldwait's screenplay is unapologetic.

To Live and Die in L.A. (1985)

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Perfect Days follows Hirayama (Kōji Yakusho), a humble man that works cleaning public toilets in Tokyo. When he's not working, he spends his time through a daily routine that includes listening music on his cassette tapes, reading, looking at trees and photographing them. The above quote seems to be his mantra, as he remains unfazed by what tomorrow might bring, but rather focused on the little pleasures that today might give him.

This is my first Wim Wenders film, a notable blindspot in my movie-watching journey, and I couldn't be more pleased with it. The way he delineates Hirayama's daily routine is great and Yakusho's performance is, for lack of a better word, perfect. Wenders then goes on to contrast Hirayama's way of living with characters like his co-worker, his niece, and his sister, among others, all while patiently revealing little tidbits of his past.

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Full review on my Movie Loot

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Set in a small town in 1950s Italy, Luca follows the titular character (Jacob Tremblay), a sea creature, who meets Alberto (Jack Dylan Grazer), a fellow sea creature who lives alone. After discovering that he changes to human form when he's on land, the two set out to enjoy the summer, which will include exploring the nearby town of Portorosso. It is there that they meet Giulia (Emma Berman) and end up as the "underdogs" in a triathlon competition with the local bully.

This was a watch with the kids. I think they had seen it before, but it was a first-time watch for me, and I enjoyed it quite a bit. There is a charming simplicity to its story of friendship and acceptance that I enjoyed. The relationship between the three friends, especially Luca and Alberto, is well built, and it's fun to see them as "underdogs" looking out for each other. I think that aspect is the most important of the film.

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Full review on my Movie Loot

Cafe Lumiere (2003) 9

Trap (2024)

Oh boy. Despite mediocre reviews I was expecting Trap to be an entertaining picture based chiefly on the reputation of director M. Night Shyamalan (Split; Glass). But alas it was a real turkey. It gradually became poor enough that I began to wonder if it was a spoof. But it wasn't.

A man named Cooper (Josh Hartnett) and his daughter attend an arena rock concert. We soon learn that the entire venue has become surrounded by police, having heard that the contemporary serial killer, "The Butcher" is in the building. They let the viewer know pretty quick that it is Cooper who is The Butcher, so the rest of the film features how they try to catch him, his evasion, and a hint at a sequel.

Right off the bat one of the problems is that we are not shown why or how Cooper has become The Butcher. There are no flashbacks of his evil deeds. Hitchcock once said that whatever is not shown to the audience is completely lost on them. That's the case here.

Of course the other problem is that the story is utterly unbelievable. Add to that the poor dialogue, and one finds oneself sitting there wondering why one is watching the movie. There is some decent acting, but with the silly dialogue, the actors have tall orders to sound convincing.

If you're a big Shyamalan fan then you might get something out of this one. But if not, you were warned...

Doc's rating: 3/10

Rouge (1987) - A tragic romance; commenting on the rigidness of traditional family (and social) rakings while crossing time to tell of an unforgettable ghost story (they seem to be Stanley Kwan's thing; look also Center Stage)... The score is pretty great and Anita Mui as Fleur is simply captivating... 8/10.

By http://www.impawards.com/2024/beetle...ice_ver11.html, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=75976584

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice - (2024)

Here it is finally! Surprisingly, I didn't completely hate Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, which I was really fearing all the more after a terribly wobbly and unfunny first half - but somehow Burton or something or someone really switches into gear and salvages what could have been a lot worse. It really feels like this has had 30 minutes or so cut out of it for pacing reasons, which on the one hand worked fine, but on the other left me feeling like I'd been short-changed considering what modern belated sequels usually deliver. It's sane 104 minutes adds to the feel that this film's sensibilities and tone make it a sequel that feels like it could have been made in 1989, and I'm sure nobody would have questioned anything if it had of been made back then. Soul train? Only filmmakers in their mid-60s could think such dated inventiveness deserves so much attention and repeated call-backs. Talking about too much attention - when certain jokes flop, it doesn't help to sustain the joke for a long period of time, making us shift uncomfortably in our seat, praying the film can continue some time in the near future. Sad to see Monica Bellucci and Willem Dafoe wasted in roles that promised so much more. All that said though, Keaton has enough charisma to bring this old classic character back to life (that line in the original : I've seen the EXORCIST ABOUT A HUNDRED AND SIXTY-SEVEN TIMES, AND IT KEEPS GETTING FUNNIER EVERY SINGLE TIME I SEE IT... - that's one of my favourites.) What amazed me was that some of the jokes really worked, and that there was so much more energy in this than I expected - nobody is embarrassed to be here, and although some narrative twists really don't work, it mostly fits together surprisingly neatly. I was actually enjoying myself at times - almost had to pinch myself to be sure that was really happening. A mixed bag to be sure - the very definition of a mixed bag - but it wasn't awful by a long shot (just awful at times.) Overall, it's worth seeing if you feel the urge to do so, like I did.

Winona Ryder - I didn't think that was a really great performance, but I hope the audience loves you regardless and you do okay.

6/10


By https://neweuropefilmsales.com/featurefilms/, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=71834776

Godland - (2022)

Godland doesn't totally rely on it's stunning photography - it has a lot more going for it - but that is one aspect that really sets it apart. I found it ironic that Iceland should have so few witnesses to it's splendour and magnificence, but I guess that's one of the reasons it's kept that beauty intact up until now. It's as if the God that Lucas (Elliott Crosset Hove) believes in made that place for those who can appreciate what it takes to survive it and still have faith this all means something. Full review here, in my watchlist thread.

8/10

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Set in the small desert town of Perfection, Tremors follows Val (Kevin Bacon) and Earl (Fred Ward), two friends working odd jobs that are trying to get out of town to find something better. That is until the town starts being attacked by three giant creatures from under the g-oddamned ground. It's up to Val and Earl, along with geologist Rhonda (Finn Carter), to stop the monsters while trying to save the people of Perfection.

This is a film I've seen dozens of times since I was a kid. It was a constant staple on TV, so I was very familiar with it. However, it has been a good while since I last saw it, so I decided to travel to Perfection once again, and what a fun trip it was. Tremors manages to strike such a great balance between action, adventure, thrills, and humor that not many films succeed at.

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Full review on my Movie Loot

Rebels of the Neon God (1992) 9.5
Tsai Ming Liang debuts with a masterpiece