The "I'm watching/just watched *movie title* thread....

[Étouffée]

I've watched The Big Lebowski at least 47 times and I still choke up at the end of Walter's eulogy for Donny. 

This is a love story about friendship. And bowling.

[albrecht]

A great doc is titled The most insane amusement park ever. It is awesome. It shows archival footage and interviews people that used to go to the park. It was Action Park in New Jersey. Oddly I hear they are going to reopen Action Park very soon. As far as Documentaries go I rate this very high. You tube has clips worth checking out.

That sounds sounds awesome. Will check out. Going to some kinda anniversary showing of "Heavy Metal Parking Lot" later this week. Before the youtubes someone had genius idea of going to the parking lot in Landover, MD before a Judas Priest show and filming. Saw them in SA a few years ago and scene was so similiar (though more Mexicans.) But just as fun.

[21st Century Man]

A movie I dare anyone to see is titled The million dollar hotel. It stars Mel Gibson. It is perhaps the worst movie of all time.

There's a lot of competition for that title.  I haven't seen it though I wanted to.

I'm going to throw out a movie which may not be the worst film of all time but I hated it with a passion, American Beauty. Talk about over-rated claptrap.  I will never watch it again.  I like Kevin Spacey but not that film and to answer your question star, I haven't seen House of Cards.  I don't watch much series TV though I am catching up on the Starz Miniseries, The White Queen.  Pretty good show.  I like history so I tend to watch those sort of shows.

[akwilly]

That sounds sounds awesome. Will check out. Going to some kinda anniversary showing of "Heavy Metal Parking Lot" later this week. Before the youtubes someone had genius idea of going to the parking lot in Landover, MD before a Judas Priest show and filming. Saw them in SA a few years ago and scene was so similiar (though more Mexicans.) But just as fun.

Judas Priest! I haven't heard them mentioned in a long time. I don't know "Heavy Metal Parking Lot" but will look into it. As far as music type docs a good one is titled Awesome: I Fuckin Shot That. It is The Beasty Boys being film by random people in the audience that were handed cameras before the concert.

[akwilly]

There's a lot of competition for that title.  I haven't seen it though I wanted to.

I'm going to throw out a movie which may not be the worst film of all time but I hated it with a passion, American Beauty. Talk about over-rated claptrap.  I will never watch it again.  I like Kevin Spacey but not that film and to answer your question star, I haven't seen House of Cards.  I don't watch much series TV though I am catching up on the Starz Miniseries, The White Queen.  Pretty good show.  I like history so I tend to watch those sort of shows.

Agree on American Beauty. It sucked! WTF with the guy filming a freaking plastic bag floating around?

[21st Century Man]

I have seen The Big Lebowski so any times I nearly know the script by heart. I think the reason why we didn't see very much character development with Donny (Buscemi) was because we saw all we needed to see. We knew everything about him the moment Walter first tells him to "shut the f up". He's an amiable, unassuming sidekick of Walter's. We know he's usually not very attentive as he changes the subject when Walter and The Dude are having a conversation. We probably know as much about him as the characters in the movie do. He's just that guy who hangs out with Walter. I actually think any more character development would actually ruin it. I look at The Big Lebowski as a modern film noir. And it's a movie you can watch a dozen times and still find something new. Every scene is a masterpiece in film making in my opinion. But that is the Coens.
The Last Picture Show was a great movie as well. Early Jeff Bridges is fun to watch. Thunderbolt and Lightfoot is another good one, though not nearly as classic as The Last Picture Show.

The Big Lebowski is one of those films that I am going to have to watch again and again to catch all of the subtleties.

My wife said she hated The Last Picture Show when she saw it in Athens, GA in the 90's so she urged me not to watch it.  She absolutely despised the film so I went into that movie thinking it was going to be slow and dull.  It was a pleasant surprise and I told my wife she was wrong.

[albrecht]

Judas Priest! I haven't heard them mentioned in a long time. I don't know "Heavy Metal Parking Lot" but will look into it. As far as music type docs a good one is titled Awesome: I Fuckin Shot That. It is The Beasty Boys being film by random people in the audience that were handed cameras before the concert.

I will check that out also. Seriously u might be able to find on the youtubes but Heavy Metal Parking Lot is hilarious (even if u dont like the music.) The amateurs filmers caught a scene. Later they (or someone) dix a retro spective and found some of the people. Sorta 'where are they now." And the quotes, people, and scene are classic.

[zeebo]

Agree on American Beauty. It sucked! WTF with the guy filming a freaking plastic bag floating around?

I think there's a funny Family Guy take-off on that pretentious scene.

[analog kid]

I think there's a funny Family Guy take-off on that pretentious scene.

Pretentious is a good word for American Beauty. Another one I didn't like that was critically acclaimed was Adaptation. I may be alone on that one, but I had no sympathy for any of the characters and had a hard time making it through it.

[zeebo]

...Another one I didn't like that was critically acclaimed was Adaptation. ...

That movie really annoyed me too.  However I did like another of Kaufman's movies - Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.

[coaster]

Going to watch the latest episode of 11.22.63 tonight. I just can't get enough of the show. I've actually been rereading the book the last couple of nights as well. Such a wild story.

[21st Century Man]

     I'll mention a couple of other movies that I watched.  First up, Charles Laughton, in Captain Bligh mode, plays the strict father of the large Barrett family.  He loves his bedridden daughter, Elizabeth Barrett(Norma Shearer),  a bit too much in The Barretts of Wimpole Street (1934).  His love suffocates Elizabeth and makes her miserable.  She in fact may have been dying but then Robert Browning (Fredric March) comes into her life and a great love is born and she actually gets better.  Her father will have none of that and tries to foil Browning at every corner.
     Maureen O'Sullivan is delightful as Elizabeth's sister, Henrietta and Shearer while perhaps too glamorous is entrancing in her performance.  Maureen Clayton Anderson provides hilarious comic relief as Elizabeth's wisping (lisping) cousin, Bella.  Ian Wolfe who had a long long career plays Bella's fiancee. Una O'Connor in a subtle performance far removed from her broad interpretations in The Bride Of Frankenstein and The Invisible Man plays the maid and is quite good.  Watch as she floats across the floor attending to Elizabeth's needs.  Laughton is even rather subtle for the most part. He pretty much steals the film and is able to personify depravity with a gleam in his eye. The only fault I can find in the film is Fredric March who I think is inappropriately cast with his New York accent. All-in-all a wonderful film and if you get a chance, catch it.  4.25 stars out of 5.

     The last film I watched was The Notorious Bettie Page (2005) and it was a pretty good film but Gretchen Mol as the title character had quite a thankless task as Bettie was one of a kind.  For those of you who don't know who Bettie Page was, she was a hot model  who pretty much started the bondage film craze in the 50's.  There was an innocence to her that one won't find today in the pornographic field.  Her stuff was not graphic but it set the stage.  I think Mol captured her persona fairly well and she was suitably sexy in the role but, again, she is no Page.
      The script for the film had some holes in it.  Bettie from an early age was a faithful Christian and she felt that displaying her body was no big deal after all Adam and Eve were nude before the Fall.  After her boss, Irving Klaw, has been forced to leave the business- see the Senate Subcommittee on Juvenile Delinquency- Bettie finds herself at a loss of what to do with her life.  She is Born Again and decides to preach, still believing the human body was beautiful and she didn't regret her past.  So why was she born again?  At no point in the film does Bettie leave the Christian fold. I sympathize with her beliefs.  It's ok in today's society to show the grossest goriest shit in film and tv but not ok to show sex? I don't get it.  Anyway, I enjoyed the film and felt it was generally good.  Lots of boobs and a bit of FFN.  3.25 stars.
     

[akwilly]

Nice breakdown of The Barretts of Wimpole street. I generally don't like old movies but enjoy them because of their innocence. There is nothing that bothers me more in movies than when little kids curse. I curse all the freaking time but seeing kids on film do it bothers me. It ruined the new Vacation movie for me.

[albrecht]

Nice breakdown of The Barretts of Wimpole street. I generally don't like old movies but enjoy them because of their innocence. There is nothing that bothers me more in movies than when little kids curse. I curse all the freaking time but seeing kids on film do it bothers me. It ruined the new Vacation movie for me.

Not being critical of you but it is not that "old movies," are innocent but use acting, plof, allusions, for the same themes. Often for btter effect. (Not replying to a specific movie but in general)

[21st Century Man]

I also saw a stag film from 1968 called Babette and it was pretty bad.  Basically a silent film with narration and a groovy music score consisting of 3 or 4 1968 rock instrumentals played over and over again.  One of the songs was a cover of Time Has Come Today.  Lots of nudity and sexual content consisting mostly of various female bodies rubbing themselves together but nothing too graphic. However, the whole thing was as erotic as watching grass grow. The narration got old really fast. I guess the raincoat brigade got off on it in '68 but I doubt it would do too much for guys today.  It was one of those Something Weird videos. Doubled with another flick called Monique, My Lovely made by the same director with the same freakin' score which I decided to skip.  I've only seen a few of those Something Weird videos with Fuego featuring Isabel Sarli being the best.




Anyway, Babette rates 1.5 stars.

[akwilly]

Not being critical of you but it is not that "old movies," are innocent but use acting, plof, allusions, for the same themes. Often for btter effect. (Not replying to a specific movie but in general)

I agree. The "innocence" I meant was the use of innuendo and such. Like when people were goinga have sex or whatever it was implied not explicitly shown.

[analog kid]

That movie really annoyed me too.  However I did like another of Kaufman's movies - Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.

That one I enjoyed, but I've never been able to rewatch it. I'm watching I Origins at the moment, which reminds some people of Eternal Sunshine. It's an analytical scientist nonbeliever meets a spiritualist, which has them at odds, especially considering the subject of his research. It eventually and evidently becomes about reincarnation. The Jury is still out, but I had to pause it because it was getting on my nerves.

[analog kid]

Going to watch the latest episode of 11.22.63 tonight. I just can't get enough of the show. I've actually been rereading the book the last couple of nights as well. Such a wild story.

Thanks for reminding me. I'm off to watch the pilot episode.

[21st Century Man]

Nice breakdown of The Barretts of Wimpole street. I generally don't like old movies but enjoy them because of their innocence. There is nothing that bothers me more in movies than when little kids curse. I curse all the freaking time but seeing kids on film do it bothers me. It ruined the new Vacation movie for me.

Well, there was an underlying theme in Barretts that was anything but innocent.  Laughton had incestuous thoughts about his daughter who was the only one of his 12 children that he "loved".  It was never said out loud but it was heavily implied.

[akwilly]

Well, there was an underlying theme in Barretts that was anything but innocent.  Laughton had incestuous thoughts about his daughter who was the only one of his 12 children that he "loved".  It was never said out loud but it was heavily implied.

Ya I sensed that in you're write up about the father daughter thing. Is this movie a comedy?

[21st Century Man]

I agree. The "innocence" I meant was the use of innuendo and such. Like when people were goinga have sex or whatever it was implied not explicitly shown.

Like foreplay,  innuendo is usually far more erotic than the act itself.

[21st Century Man]

Ya I sensed that in you're write up about the father daughter thing. Is this movie a comedy?

No, it is a drama with some comedic moments.  I love a lot of old movies.  I used to watch a lot of them as a kid on our black and white TV.  I also saw a lot of then current movies in the movie theater.  Dad and Mom took me to see Barbarella when I was 2 years old and I saw the Godfather when I was 5 or 6.  That horse-head scene freaked me out and I wailed and screamed but luckily it was a drive-in movie.  Anyway, I guess I have a wider range of films that I like than most people today.

[akwilly]

No, it is a drama with some comedic moments.  I love a lot of old movies.  I used to watch a lot of them as a kid on our black and white TV.  I also saw a lot of then current movies in the movie theater.  Dad and Mom took me to see Barbarella when I was 2 years old and I saw the Godfather when I was 5 or 6.  That horse-head scene freaked me out and I wailed and screamed but luckily it was a drive-in movie.  Anyway, I guess I have a wider range of films that I like than most people today.

Drive in movies were awesome. I went as a kid but honestly don't remember what I saw. I think I have a wide range of films that I like. I just like good movies that are smartly written. Some movies can be great even with bad writing if the acting is great. For instance my favorite movie is titled Stay away Joe. It stars Elvis and Burgess Maradith. If made today the politically correct police would shut it down.

[akwilly]

Like foreplay,  innuendo is usually far more erotic than the act itself.

An example of a movie that didn't have teenagers cursing, using drugs, or getting naked was Napolian Dynamite. Some people hate the crap out of it. I found it great.

[zeebo]

That one I enjoyed, but I've never been able to rewatch it....

That's funny, I think I feel the same way actually.  It's a pretty mind-twisting movie.  Maybe one of those "one-and-done" films that you never watch again but it still leaves a big impression.

[21st Century Man]

Drive in movies were awesome. I went as a kid but honestly don't remember what I saw. I think I have a wide range of films that I like. I just like good movies that are smartly written. Some movies can be great even with bad writing if the acting is great. For instance my favorite movie is titled Stay away Joe. It stars Elvis and Burgess Maradith. If made today the politically correct police would shut it down.

I haven't seen that Elvis film.  Seems like he had some interesting roles towards the end of his movie career.  He also had good ones in the beginning but the movies made between '64 and '67 really sucked.  He usually played some guy name Steve or Mike and there was the formulaic plot with lousy songs and a few pretty chicks.

[21st Century Man]

That one I enjoyed, but I've never been able to rewatch it. I'm watching I Origins at the moment, which reminds some people of Eternal Sunshine. It's an analytical scientist nonbeliever meets a spiritualist, which has them at odds, especially considering the subject of his research. It eventually and evidently becomes about reincarnation. The Jury is still out, but I had to pause it because it was getting on my nerves.

I found it depressing but I might watch it again as I have the DVD.

[21st Century Man]

Anyway, akwilly, check out the flicks made in Hollywood between '31 and '34.  They are generally called pre-code films as they are a lot naughtier than the films made after that time when the Production Code was enforced.

[akwilly]

Anyway, akwilly, check out the flicks made in Hollywood between '31 and '34.  They are generally called pre-code films as they are a lot naughtier than the films made after that time when the Production Code was enforced.

I will. Thanks for the info.

[21st Century Man]

I will. Thanks for the info.

Start with Babyface with Barbara Stanwyck about a small-town girl who sleeps her way to the top of the corporate ladder.  One of her conquests is young John Wayne.