What's on your Letterbox? I will start!
Quick Change: this deep cut Bill Murray movie - in fact, the only one he ever directed - is a frequently funny, curmudgeonly ode to a bygone NYC. Many people rightly compare Scrooged to Groundhogs Day as a kind of precursor or spiritual prequel. I might offer Quick Change in an offbeat way - Murray is trapped in a physical Hell, as if his environment is punishing him for his misdeeds, attitude, etc. And was there ever a better nail on the head for his onscreen persona than seeing Murray as - literally - a sad clown. Complemented by stellar character turns from Randy Quaid, Jason Robards, Geena Davis and more, this is an overlooked gem. A-
Last Movie You Watched
Re: Last Movie You Watched
Two Italian films with hunky actor Vittorio Sassman on the Criterion Channel
Bitter Rice 3.5/5
Il Sorpasso 4/5
British Kitchen Sink drama on Twilight Time Blu Ray
The L-Shaped Room 3.5/5
Harrowing short film exploring the manipulation of a black man by a white woman on a train. (Youtube).
Dutchman 4.5/5
Cuban spies in the 90s. Excellent cast with a dreamy Wagner Moura. Uneven but not as bad as I was lead to believe. (Netflix)
WASP Network 3.5/5
Bitter Rice 3.5/5
Il Sorpasso 4/5
British Kitchen Sink drama on Twilight Time Blu Ray
The L-Shaped Room 3.5/5
Harrowing short film exploring the manipulation of a black man by a white woman on a train. (Youtube).
Dutchman 4.5/5
Cuban spies in the 90s. Excellent cast with a dreamy Wagner Moura. Uneven but not as bad as I was lead to believe. (Netflix)
WASP Network 3.5/5
Re: Last Movie You Watched
Some of the most recent stuff:
Double Indemnity (rewatch): 5/5, all-time list inclusion. What a glorious film!
What Did the Lady Forget: 4/5. The weakest Ozu I've seen so far (of about 10), still really good
Two for the Road: 4.5/5. Astonishing
Little Women, Portrait of a Lady on Fire and Parasite (rewatches): 5/5. Each of them still stands among the finest films of recent years
Stagecoach (rewatch): 3.5/5. I don't think I quite get Ford. Pretty much every film is well-crafted and very solid but aside from The Searchers they do nothing for me
Martin Eden: 4.5/5. I loved Lost & Beautiful so it's wonderful to see him doing something of a bit of a larger scale and still make something as good as this
Shockproof: 2.5/5. Feels like a Sirk movie and a noir cut together into one. Doesn't really work despite everyone doing good work
Ball of Fire: 4.5/5. One of the funniest screwballs I've seen
Daddy Longlegs: 3.5/5. A slight disappointment but still quite strong
Double Indemnity (rewatch): 5/5, all-time list inclusion. What a glorious film!
What Did the Lady Forget: 4/5. The weakest Ozu I've seen so far (of about 10), still really good
Two for the Road: 4.5/5. Astonishing
Little Women, Portrait of a Lady on Fire and Parasite (rewatches): 5/5. Each of them still stands among the finest films of recent years
Stagecoach (rewatch): 3.5/5. I don't think I quite get Ford. Pretty much every film is well-crafted and very solid but aside from The Searchers they do nothing for me
Martin Eden: 4.5/5. I loved Lost & Beautiful so it's wonderful to see him doing something of a bit of a larger scale and still make something as good as this
Shockproof: 2.5/5. Feels like a Sirk movie and a noir cut together into one. Doesn't really work despite everyone doing good work
Ball of Fire: 4.5/5. One of the funniest screwballs I've seen
Daddy Longlegs: 3.5/5. A slight disappointment but still quite strong
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Reynolds Woodcock
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Wed Jun 24, 2020 9:47 pm
Re: Last Movie You Watched
most recently I've been making my way through the Man With No Name trilogy. I thought Fistful of Dollars was just okay, but For a Few Dollars More was very good!
finally got around to The Pianist after all these years. Really powerful stuff with a magnetic performance from Adrien Brody. Roman Polanski go to hell
Been rewatching all of Fincher's stuff in anticipation of Mank - most recently The Social Network (masterpiece) and The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (genuinely underrated).
follow me on Letterboxd!! https://letterboxd.com/aswhear/
finally got around to The Pianist after all these years. Really powerful stuff with a magnetic performance from Adrien Brody. Roman Polanski go to hell
Been rewatching all of Fincher's stuff in anticipation of Mank - most recently The Social Network (masterpiece) and The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (genuinely underrated).
follow me on Letterboxd!! https://letterboxd.com/aswhear/
Re: Last Movie You Watched
wow surprised you didnt catch Pianist before now - the 2002 Best Actor race is one the most competitive contests in my memory. Wonder how Brody holds up against DDL or Nicholson today.Reynolds Woodcock wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2020 2:28 pmmost recently I've been making my way through the Man With No Name trilogy. I thought Fistful of Dollars was just okay, but For a Few Dollars More was very good!
finally got around to The Pianist after all these years. Really powerful stuff with a magnetic performance from Adrien Brody. Roman Polanski go to hell
Been rewatching all of Fincher's stuff in anticipation of Mank - most recently The Social Network (masterpiece) and The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (genuinely underrated).
follow me on Letterboxd!! https://letterboxd.com/aswhear/
Re: Last Movie You Watched
I'd like to as well - or at least access HBO Max's new crop. How was Watermelon Man?!
Re: Last Movie You Watched
Babyteeth - 9/10
I really loved it - completely surprised me.
I really loved it - completely surprised me.
Re: Last Movie You Watched
The last two movies I watched were Da 5 Bloods and Seberg.
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Jesús Alonso
- Posts: 18
- Joined: Wed Jun 24, 2020 10:41 pm
Re: Last Movie You Watched
Eurovision Song Festival: the Fire Saga *** 1/2 / C+
Yet another Will Ferrell satire jumping the Atlantic to have a look on the Eurovision Song contest, and oddly enough not forgetting one of the basis of the song festival (budget and logistics to be able to organize it), building yet another but differently enough Talladega Nights, Anchorman, Semi Pro or Anchorman, now about European (sub)culture. Never boring, funny (a couple of moments are Oscar-worthy funny, like the scene with the two stars at the harbor, after they have performed in the Icelandic trials to get the ticket to represent the country, and both actors excell at comedic timing and performance), but admittedly this is a wild ride for fans of the Festival itself that could become puzzling for those unaware of it, and the threads of Will Ferrell's comedy formula are too evident at some places. Still a fun time and a Golden Globe competitor for Comedy/Musical (despite the reviews, trust me, the film is really fun and worthy of your time, if you are up for a good comedy) and it should be a lock for a nomination for Costume Design... think of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert and Velvet Goldmine... the multicameo scene with a pop-ourri of famous dance songs will struck you as odd if you do not know everyone performing has been a well known competitor (or even winner) of the Festival (thank God they just show them and not introduce each one of them), and there's a wonderful little cameo from the only winner from Portugal, delightfully playing the piano, in a little and short cute scene...
So yeah, recommended for a fun time, just do not expect this to be any masterpiece. But Rachel McAdams and Dan Stevens are truly award worthy, specially Rachel, who really shines.
One cut of the Dead ***** / A-
A must see for anyone who wants to shoot a film and has no budget. Better to not spoil anything, but things go beyond meta. Did I mention it is really fun to watch?
Yet another Will Ferrell satire jumping the Atlantic to have a look on the Eurovision Song contest, and oddly enough not forgetting one of the basis of the song festival (budget and logistics to be able to organize it), building yet another but differently enough Talladega Nights, Anchorman, Semi Pro or Anchorman, now about European (sub)culture. Never boring, funny (a couple of moments are Oscar-worthy funny, like the scene with the two stars at the harbor, after they have performed in the Icelandic trials to get the ticket to represent the country, and both actors excell at comedic timing and performance), but admittedly this is a wild ride for fans of the Festival itself that could become puzzling for those unaware of it, and the threads of Will Ferrell's comedy formula are too evident at some places. Still a fun time and a Golden Globe competitor for Comedy/Musical (despite the reviews, trust me, the film is really fun and worthy of your time, if you are up for a good comedy) and it should be a lock for a nomination for Costume Design... think of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert and Velvet Goldmine... the multicameo scene with a pop-ourri of famous dance songs will struck you as odd if you do not know everyone performing has been a well known competitor (or even winner) of the Festival (thank God they just show them and not introduce each one of them), and there's a wonderful little cameo from the only winner from Portugal, delightfully playing the piano, in a little and short cute scene...
So yeah, recommended for a fun time, just do not expect this to be any masterpiece. But Rachel McAdams and Dan Stevens are truly award worthy, specially Rachel, who really shines.
One cut of the Dead ***** / A-
A must see for anyone who wants to shoot a film and has no budget. Better to not spoil anything, but things go beyond meta. Did I mention it is really fun to watch?