What Was The Last Movie You Watched?

[Edward]

I found Frost/Nixon very entertaining too; Michael Sheen is a wonderful actor, especially when he takes on these 'real-life' characters. He even made me greatly enjoy The Damned United, and I loathe soccer (pretty much all sports, really).

I've just returned from a week in Beijing with work, and as ever that means I've watched well over a dozen films between the plane and HBO Asia in the hotel room. Some great ones among them, including Thor 2 and Ender's Game, though most relevant to the lounge would be Lincoln (a cracking yarn), Gangster Squad (a bit sub-LA Confidential but I enjoyed it very much and it looked lovely), Peter Jackson's King Kong (beautiful, though still fifteen minutes too long), and Midnight in Paris. That last one I loved both for its commentary on nostalgia and its portrayal of a twenties scene I'd have liked to have visited, if not lived in.

 

[Miss Golightly]

Fading Fast - Frost/Nixon was on my "To Watch" list for a very long time & it didn't disappoint. Sheen & Langella both gave sterling performances.

Edward - I agree - Michael Sheen is a fantastic actor - by chance have you ever seen Dirty Filthy Love? His performance as a man suffering from OCD & Tourettes was remarkable - both funny and very touching:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0411291/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_44

I loved him in The Damned United as well - and like you I have absolutely no interest in "The Beautiful Game"!

 

[Fading Fast]

Miss Golightly and Edward - I, too, thought Michael Sheen did an outstanding, superb, incredible job in "The Damned United" and, I, too, have no interest in soccer. He is an actor who I would watch a movie for just because he is in it. Kristen Scott Thomas is another as she is an incredible actress and, usually, chooses interesting roles in interesting, offbeat, movies.

 

[Miss Golightly]

Miss Golightly and Edward - I, too, thought Michael Sheen did an outstanding, superb, incredible job in "The Damned United" and, I, too, have no interest in soccer. He is an actor who I would watch a movie for just because he is in it. Kristen Scott Thomas is another as she is an incredible actress and, usually, chooses interesting roles in interesting, offbeat, movies.

Again, I agree with you about Kristen Scott Thomas - she's a wonderful actress who tends to take more unusual roles. The last movie I saw her in was Partir (Leaving) - one of a few of the French-speaking roles she's taken that I have seen - as per, she was superb in it.

 

[Worf]

"300 Spartans" - You know, the one BEFORE they ruined it with CGI. Good film, but not great. Loved the "cast of thousands" as every swingin' that could hold a spear and a shield was pressed into service particularly for the Persians. It's on Netflix... what it sometime.

Worf

 

[DesertDan]

"Dangerous Days - Making Blade Runner" Facinating documentary included in the boxed set.
I am a big fan of "Making of" docs. Some, like The Lord Of The Rings, I have watched as many times as the movies themselves.

 

[Gregg Axley]

"300 Spartans" - You know, the one BEFORE they ruined it with CGI. Good film, but not great. Loved the "cast of thousands" as every swingin' that could hold a spear and a shield was pressed into service particularly for the Persians. It's on Netflix... what it sometime.

Worf

I started watching the 300 CGI, jeez what a snoozer.
Well it would be, but the version I have is the Rifftrax version.
You know, the guys from MST3K making fun of it.
Much better, too bad the movie itself doesn't have much of a plot THAT FOLLOWS HISTORY.
Including the inaccurate fighting done, because the director thought the accurate way didn't quite look as cool on film as his way. :eusa_doh:

Tonight I'm watching Bye Bye Birdie.
Not big on musicals, but with Dick Van Dyke in his debut role, Paul Lynde, and a young Ann Margaret, how can I pass it up?
Plus the sets, including the Leave It To Beaver house and the house used on Bewitched.

 

[Panadora]

I am a big fan of "Making of" docs.

My favourite would probably be Les Blank's "Burden of Dreams" about the making of Werner Herzog's "Fitzcarraldo".

 

[Fading Fast]

Again, I agree with you about Kristen Scott Thomas - she's a wonderful actress who tends to take more unusual roles. The last movie I saw her in was Partir (Leaving) - one of a few of the French-speaking roles she's taken that I have seen - as per, she was superb in it.

Yes, I enjoyed that one. I just looked at her movies on IMDB, she has starred in many good, off-the-radar movies and some, relatively, high-profile ones as well. Always a great job acting / usually in a good to very good movie.

 

[Wally_Hood]

Finishing School (1934) with Frances Dee, Billie Burke, Ginger Rogers, Bruce Cabot, Beulah Bondi, and Sarah Haden. Dee is daughter of rich folks shuttled off to snooty finishing school. Cabot is a waiter who not what he seems. Drama ensues...
Started watching Sunshine Boys and turned it off about 10 minutes in. Not funny or even clever. Waited for George Burns to appear, hoping the comedy would begin. Nope.

 

[1mach1]

The Hunger Games. Wife's choice.

 

[Fading Fast]

Watched "Platinum Blonde" yesterday (recorded from "Get TV," a new-to-my-cable channel that plays old movies with commercials - hate the commercials, love a selection expanded beyond TCM).

Good, solid pre-code about a regular guy newspaper man marrying into a wealthy family where both the bride and groom struggle to cope with their different social standings.

What is odd is that Jean Harlow is cast as the daughter of the wealthy family. She seems very regular girl to me - her brassy voice, her very bleached blonde hair, her aggressive body english is all girl from the street not from the manor born.

Adding to the casting mystery is a beautiful Lorreta Young playing the newspaper women and regular-girl friend of the groom. She is lithe, refined and elegant in an easy natural way. She doesn't have or convey any of the street harshness one would assume a newspaper women would have had in 1931. She could easily be from a very wealthy family.

Once you put that odd casting choice aside and recognizing that this was made in 1931 when the industry was still figure its way with dialogue - and if you accept a few plot contrivances - it's a fun quick romp.

 

[Worf]

"Men of Honor" - I haven't seen this film in years. Made when Cuba Gooding Jr. still had some acting chops and hadn't completely lost his mind and way in the H-Wood Morass. Gooding and Deniro play well off one another and by the film's end you almost want to do the slow clap. The Navy Brashear fought to integrate was by far the most segrepated of all the armed services and this is glossed over to make sure everyone "feels good" by the film's end. The only thing that keeps you from going into sugar shock during this movie is the fact that the story is TRUE and I don't mean "inspired by" I mean BASED on. Facts tht you can look up in Navy records. Much as I hate the Navy I do like this film

Worf

 

[EmergencyIan]

"Shamus" (1973) starring Burt Reynolds.

I hadn't heard of the movie before. He plays a New York City private investigator. It's not a great movie, but it is fun and full of action.

- Ian

 

[Fading Fast]

Wally Hood - "Finishing School" I saw this one several years ago and remember it being a good little movie, but better for its time travel aspect - the clothes, the school, the social conventions and prejudices of the day.

Worf "Men of Honor" I saw this when it came out and remember thinking that Cuba Gooding Jr. is going to have one heck of a career, but then I don't remember much else from him. Your post implies the Hollywood vortex did him in - anything in particular? He seemed to be such a young talent at the time. It is a shame.

 

[jamespowers]

 

[DesertDan]

But.......Bogey didn't use "Blazing Automatics" in that movie. :eusa_doh:

 

[Worf]

Worf "Men of Honor" I saw this when it came out and remember thinking that Cuba Gooding Jr. is going to have one heck of a career, but then I don't remember much else from him. Your post implies the Hollywood vortex did him in - anything in particular? He seemed to be such a young talent at the time. It is a shame.

He had much going for him, a starring role in "Boy's in the Hood". A "Best Supporting" Oscar for Jerry M'Guire and this role. You think he could've had his choice of decent roles BUT he began making poor choices in roles I mean "low dirt poor" choices. "Snow Dogs", "Boat Trip" started the slide and its been almost all downhill from there... Sigh.

Worf

 

[Worf]

But.......Bogey didn't use "Blazing Automatics" in that movie. :eusa_doh:

It actually looks more like they grafted his picture from "Petrified Forest" onto this poster. That's "Mad Dog Killer" Duke Mantee if ever I see'd him!

Worf

 

[Fading Fast]

It actually looks more like they grafted his picture from "Petrified Forest" onto this poster. That's "Mad Dog Killer" Duke Mantee if ever I see'd him!

Worf

Yes, I thought the same thing. And it makes no sense as "Petrified Forest" was five years prior and "Maltese Falcon" wasn't a low budget picture nor was Bogey not a star at that point. Very odd. (Notice my triple negative - off to grammar jail for me.)