Guest EXPAT Posted December 15, 2008 Posted December 15, 2008 I did a movie marathon in LA this weekend. I saw "The Day The Earth Stood Still" on Friday night. Then on Saturday I saw "Doubt", "Gran Torino" and "Slumdog Millionaire" all in a row at the great Arclight Theatre off of Sunset Boulevard. I recommend all of the movies, but I especially recommend Meryl's acting in "Doubt". She always overwhelms me and this role was no exception. But my favorite movie of them all was "Slumdog Millionaire". If anyone watched the BBC America show "Skins" you will recognize the main star of this movie. It was an amazing movie and very well acted. I could not recommend it more. Quote
caeron Posted December 15, 2008 Posted December 15, 2008 I too enjoyed The Day the Earth Stood Still, but say so with the proviso that I am entertained by schlocky sci-fi movies. If you like bad hollywood movies, you'll like it. If you want a coherent plot, you'll be disappointed. I liked Quantum of Solace too. It's still very much a hollywood james bond, but with some actual thought put into the character, and I like the fact that you walk out of the theatre with some questions. They've got more of the story to tell, and don't feel obliged to wrap the whole thing up with a bow at the end. For TV, we've been captivated by Dexter recently. The writers have done a good job of making a likeable, but sort of squicky serial killer. Quote
Members TownsendPLocke Posted December 16, 2008 Members Posted December 16, 2008 If Merryl Streep does not win Best actress this year for her amazing role in Doubt then there is no justice! I felt Phillip Seymour Hoffman really dragged the movie down.I like him as an actor-but he is a little bit "one note" and I almost felt he was a little to ready to condem his own charecter=not the intention of the play at all. Also=I loved Bolt! I snuck in to see it and thought it was one of the funniest films I have seen this year. Quote
Members BigK Posted December 27, 2008 Members Posted December 27, 2008 I'm hoping to catch up on some movies this weekend. Sorry I missed Changling. Guess I'll have to netflix it. On T.V. .... check out AMC's Breaking Bad. Quote
Members BigK Posted December 29, 2008 Members Posted December 29, 2008 Saw Valkerie & The Curious Case of Benjamin Button today. Button was long & strange, but I loved the period aspect of the movie especially old New Orleans. Valkerie had great acting, a gripping story, and excellent period scenary. I never knew the back story of the attempted take over of Berlin Comand and Control. Still looking forward to seeing Gran Torino. Quote
Members BigK Posted December 29, 2008 Members Posted December 29, 2008 Rent Joyeux Noel (Merry Christmas) a 2005 movie "Inspired by a true story, this heartwarming tale unfolds on Christmas Eve, 1914, in the midst of World War I. As the French, Scottish and German soldiers prepare to open their presents, a momentous event occurs that changes the destinies of four people: an Anglican priest, a French lieutenant, a world-class tenor and his soprano lover. Diane Kruger, Benno Furmann, Guillaume Canet, Gary Lewis, Dany Boon and Daniel Bruhl star." This a great movie and the perfect time of the year to watch it. 4 out of 5 stars on Netflix (Average of 133,185 votes). Has anyone seen Gran Torino yet? Quote
Members BigK Posted January 2, 2009 Members Posted January 2, 2009 I just watched Charolette Gray. Netflix rated 4 of 5. More like a 3. Performances sort of wooden. Charlotte (Cate Blanchett) is a Scottish woman searching for her missing pilot boyfriend during World War II. Going undercover as a housekeeper in a French town, she meets a local farmer (Michael Gambon) and his son, Julien (Billy Crudup), a leader in the resistance who's harboring two Jewish children. When the children's lives are threatened, Charlotte must choose between finding her lost love and taking a stand. Quote
Guest Barr1965 Posted January 3, 2009 Posted January 3, 2009 "Saw Valkerie & The Curious Case of Benjamin Button today. Button was long & strange, but I loved the period aspect of the movie especially old New Orleans." I saw Curious Case of Benjamin Button, too. I felt the movie dragged and it is too long. The make up artist did a pretty good job and I love the character of Queenie. This week-end am plan to see Slumdog Millionaire and Doubt. Got free tickets from my brother Quote
Members BigK Posted January 3, 2009 Members Posted January 3, 2009 Ben Lyons of At the Movies just named Benjamin Button as best movie of the year. I think that is streaching it a bit, but it's definately worth seeing. Milk made both their top 10 lists. Quote
Members JKane Posted January 4, 2009 Members Posted January 4, 2009 I saw Curious Case of Benjamin Button, too. I felt the movie dragged and it is too long. The make up artist did a pretty good job and I love the character of Queenie. Brad Pit is computer generated for about the first 3rd of the movie (mostly just the head though). It's pretty remarkable. The way the story meanders and doesn't manage to say anything kinda disappointed me. It's a lot like Forrest Gump except we're just passively watching, not involved and really caring about what's going on... I liked Queenie a lot too, so the way they paid so little attention to her at the end kind of annoyed me, and it was like the current spirit of post-racism was somehow magically extended back into the period Buttons was set in... Doubt had some great acting but again, in the end, what did it say that was worth saying? Best actress and maybe actor and supporting may be a lock though. I really liked Frost/Nixon. It's not a film for everyone, but I think anybody who enjoyed Doubt would like it. Gran Torino was another great accomplishment by Clint Eastwood, but I'd have liked to see some threads wrapped up a little more thoughtfully at the end. Spirit was schlocky crap. Samuel L. Jackson almost managed to take it so over the top it was good again, but didn't get there. Ended up a low-budget knockoff of Sin City, V, and 300. Day the Earth Stood Still, dear god, this may be studied in future film schools as a low in 21st century film making. Horribly disappointing because for about 20 seconds it has an truly important message. The scene with John Cleese is nearly magical. Then it abandons it to throw in another couple product placement shots--IN A ROW and go on another car chase. Quote
Guest Conway Posted January 4, 2009 Posted January 4, 2009 I don't see many movies. But, I was invited to The Wrestler this weekend. it is a great and compelling movie. Not at all what one would expect from the title and plot. Quote
caeron Posted January 4, 2009 Posted January 4, 2009 Saw slumdog millionaire last night and recommend it. I feared it would be too cute and contrived, but didn't feel that way. I thought it was heartwarming without being saccarine. Gritty but sweet maybe is a better way to describe it. And the flashback mechanism for telling the story I thought really worked well. Quote
Guest EXPAT Posted January 5, 2009 Posted January 5, 2009 I saw "Last Chance Harvey" and "Revolutionary Road" this past week. "Last Chance Harvey" wasn't really that good. It's always nice to see Dustin Hoffman on the screen and I liked that it was filmed in London, but I was bored with the movie and the characters. I doubt that it will do very well. "Revolutionary Road" was excellent. But beware, it is an emotional rollercoaster and has a very sad ending. So be prepared. I'm sure that both actors were exhausted after every day of filming. If you like the TV show "Mad Men", you will like this movie. It's worth the price of admission. Quote
caeron Posted January 5, 2009 Posted January 5, 2009 Thanks for the warning about revolutionary road. I'd been interested from the preview, but will take a pass. A depressing story about a guy trapped in a middle management job that ends badly sounds too close to home :-) Here's Stanley Fish's list of top 10 movies from the ny times: http://fish.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/01/04/t...ican-movies/?em I thought it was funny that only two movies on the list were after 1958: Raging Bull and Groundhog Day. Groundhog day is brilliant though. Quote
Members BigK Posted January 6, 2009 Members Posted January 6, 2009 Here's Stanley Fish's list of top 10 movies from the ny times:http://fish.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/01/04/t...ican-movies/?em I thought it was funny that only two movies on the list were after 1958: Raging Bull and Groundhog Day. Groundhog day is brilliant though. Seen them all. Pretty good list. I just watched Raging Bull for the first time in December. Quote
