Let's Talk Movies v.20! (Period Dramas, Skating Movies, Underrated Films...& More!)

[Artemis@BC]

Hitler's Children was on Tvo tonight did anyone watch it?

I saw it when it was on Knowledge (the BC equivalent of TVO) last summer. Great film, powerful "sins of the fathers" stuff. I was particularly glad it didn't try to solve anything or answer any problems, just let the story tell itself.

After being out in TV and DVD form for a while, I'm glad it's getting some theatrical release now too.

[PeterG]

Movies viewed this week:

9/10 – Retreat (Cilliam Murphy, Thandie Newton and Jamie Bell) – This is one of those movies that you like more and more the days after seeing it. Very well written and directed. And with the three actors involved…well you can’t get much better than that. I spotted this on the shelf at the library and it was very much on my To See list (after seeing a preview for it pretty recently). Was delighted to see it sitting there on the shelf…just waiting for me. And I was even more delighted after watching this movie!

8/10 – Rogue (Michael Vartan, Sam Worthington and Radha Mitchell) – Somewhat cheesy giant crocodile movie. But I love cheesy. Well paced, things keep moving along with just enough action to keep your interest high. One big bonus is the cinematography of the Australian landscape - so beautiful! Scenery so grand it makes you think, “I have to go there!”

6/10 – The Letter (Bette Davis) – Beautifully filmed in black and white. David looks beautiful and the action is campy and melodramatic. Imagine melodrama and camp in a Davis movie! This is one I had recorded from AMC a while back and the host spoke about how originally Davis’ character was supposed to live a long life of guilt, but the standards in the movie industry of that time required that the adulterer must go to jail or die. So the lusty lady bit the dust!

4/10 – Mulan – A movie that has been on my To See list forever. Decent for this kind of movie, I suppose. But the message that a female in ancient China only needs to go to battle and save her army to be respected as a human being is pretty

[Rex]

6/10 – The Letter (Bette Davis) – Beautifully filmed in black and white. David looks beautiful and the action is campy and melodramatic. Imagine melodrama and camp in a Davis movie! This is one I had recorded from AMC a while back and the host spoke about how originally Davis’ character was supposed to live a long life of guilt, but the standards in the movie industry of that time required that the adulterer must go to jail or die. So the lusty lady bit the dust!

I've posted it here before, but this has my favorite opening scene EVAH!!! It's like the climax occurs at the beginning of the film!!

I love the movie, although my latent PC-ness has issues with Gale Sondergaard's lacquered, vengeful Eurasian widow who is blackmailing Davis.

[Grannyfan]

I've said it before and I'll say it again, Natalie's dramatic acting was so hammy and overwrought in this film. And in others as well. Yes, she was lovely, but not the most subtle of actresses.

One of my favorite movies of hers is Inside Daisy Clover. I like her in it, and it has three other favorites of mine: the young and totally gorgeous Robert Redford AND Christopher Plummer AND Ruth Gordon.

[smurfy]

I saw Skyfall and really loved it. I think Daniel Craig is just great as Bond (not trying to rank/compare to others - Craig is just great), and the rest of the cast especially Judi Dench - just amazing. Loved Javier Bardem as the bad guy - he is just so entertaining. Also I liked Fiennes and Naomie Harris and the new Q. They definitely left things set up for more movies and left you wanting to see the next one. Don't want to give anything away, but we will be seeing some of the folks from this movie in the next and it will be cool to see how they develop. Total great popcorn movie that is best seen in the theatre. Definitely a darker, serious story, but enjoyed certaing parts, what Skyfall is, and Craig and Dench together - love their relationship and the action was crazy.
The opening big chase scene is in Istanbul - on the roofs - very similar scenes from Taken 2, which I only saw a couple of weeks ago with the same friend - very deja vu.

[Buzz]

Iron Man 3 trailer.
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5EjG-1U3wqA

[PeterG]

Iron Man 3 trailer.
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5EjG-1U3wqA

My mind malfunctioned and I thought your post said "Avengers 3". And I thought, "another one, did they film two at the same time??" Then I realized there's only been one...! Anyway, Iron Man 3 will have Guy Pearce and Ben Kingsley in it. The above link didn't work for me, it wanted to make changes to my computer. I said no and found this trailer in case the same thing happens to anyone else:

Iron Man 3 Trailer (April 26th, 2013 for the UK, May 3rd, 2012 for North America)

[Buzz]

A certain vampire movie scored the 5th best ever weekend opening behind; Harry Potter DH 2, Avengers, Dark Knight Rises, twilight NM, twilight BD 2.

[Nell411]

Never mind.

[Vash01]

I saw Lincoln today. It was very good. The acting was superb. DDL should be a lock for best actor Oscar this year.Tommy Lee Jones and Sally Field were also very good. A Best picture nomination should be a certainty; also best director, screen play (adapted), cinematography, costumes and art direction should get Oscar noms.

[PeterG]

Smaller movies opening this week listed below. How come I haven't heard anything about a movie starring Anthony Hopkins and Helen Mirren about one of the most famous directors of all time? And how pretentious does A Late Quartet look? The movies below are in the order that I found most interesting, the top two of the five are going on my To See list.

November 23 The Central Park Five (Documentary. From imdb.com: “A documentary that examines the 1989 case of five black and Latino teenagers who were convicted of raping a white woman in Central Park. After having spent between 6 and 13 years each in prison, a serial rapist confessed to the crime.”)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AehmA3hTLmA

November 23 Hitchcock (Biographical drama with Anthony Hopkins, Helen Mirren, Scarlett Johansson, Danny Huston, Toni Collette, Jessica Biel and Ralph Macchio)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rQuRLERl6A

November 23 Rust & Bone (French romantic drama with Marion Cotillard)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyAJDL3mTxI

November 23 Gottfried Helnwein and the Dreaming Child (Documentary. From imdb.com: “World famous Austrian artist, Gottfried Helnwein, takes on the contentious role of Production Designer for a never before seen opera in Tel Aviv, Israel in 2010.”)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvr1t1cJEo8

November 2 A Late Quartet (Drama with Christopher Walken, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Catherine Keener)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXFOYmsYCTA

[Wyliefan]

I saw Lincoln today. It was very good. The acting was superb. DDL should be a lock for best actor Oscar this year.Tommy Lee Jones and Sally Field were also very good. A Best picture nomination should be a certainty; also best director, screen play (adapted), cinematography, costumes and art direction should get Oscar noms.

The Oscar battle between this one and Les Mis (and probably Argo) will be interesting to watch. Even though I haven't yet seen any of them, I'm already rooting for Les Mis. I'd like to think Hugh Jackman could take that Best Actor award, but I've heard so many great things about Day-Lewis's performance that I imagine you're probably right about how that one will go.

[smurfy]

I saw 'A Late Quartet' in my preview film club over a week ago. I was excited based on the cast. The acting was very good, no dissappointment there. It was a bit soap operish and could have been worse with a lesser cast. PeterG - pretentious is a good word for this movie. But my love for Phillip Seymour Hoffman made it tolerable. I love Catherine Keener, but she played a similar part in The Oranges - hope she does not get typecast at the bitchy wife. Christopher Walken gave a restrained performance.

[Vash01]

The Oscar battle between this one and Les Mis (and probably Argo) will be interesting to watch. Even though I haven't yet seen any of them, I'm already rooting for Les Mis. I'd like to think Hugh Jackman could take that Best Actor award, but I've heard so many great things about Day-Lewis's performance that I imagine you're probably right about how that one will go.

I plan to see Argo and Les Mis. For Best actor, I think DDL is more likely to win because he portrayed a larger than life character. The Oscar often (though not always) goes to an actor who portrays a real person, particularly a very well known one.

[peibeck]

I saw "Quartet" (not to be mistaken for "A Late Quartet," which smurfy talked about a few posts before) this weekend.

This is the first film directed by Dustin Hoffman, and stars Maggie Smith, Tom Courtenay, Billy Connolly and Pauline Collins as opera singers living in a home for retired musicians. It's based on the play by Ronald Harwood ("The Dresser').

Obviously it's well acted. The "surprise" of climax was head-shakingly bad, IMO, but the movie is really about getting to see these great actors playing off each other. It might sneak into some acting noms in the Golden Globe race, but I'd be surprised if it gets any Oscar love.

[immoimeme]

"Magic Mike" worth a look -or um, as many as you want lol-at redbox prices.
"Brave"-the princess is perfectly adorable in a doll-like way, but other than that, what's the point of this movie? I had more fun watching the extras...
"Farewell" -a surpringly sensitive true-life spy film. v enjopyable even tho it's v tragic ending for the Soviet spy

whatever else I've watched, and I have, it's been unmemorable!!

[immoimeme]

Has anyone seen The White Ribbon? I read in Entertainment Weekly that Michael Haneke won the Palme D'or this year at Cannes for his movie Amour, which will be in theatres on December 19th. It mentioned that Haneke also won the Palme D'or for The White Ribbon in 2009. I looked it up at imdb.com and youtube. Looks not bad, but the trailer didn't really make me want to add it to my To See list. Here's the blurb from imdb.com:



And the trailer at youtube: The White Ribbon (2009 Palme D'or winner at Cannes)

it's booooring. and not all all intriguing or suspenseful. his more rcent film that I don't rcall the name of I saw was just as boooooring.

OTOH if you liked "Meloncholia," you'ld probably enjoy "The White Ribbon."

[jl22aries]

I saw Argo. It was a perfectly pleasant and entertaining film. But for all the oscar and critical buzz it's receiving, I was left slightly disappointed. I'll try my best not to spoil but please, if you're excited about seeing the movie THERE MAY BE SPOILERS AHEAD so you are warned.

I was delighted by how much suspense Affleck manages to create for a story we are somewhat familiar with (and even if you haven't much knowledge of that moment in history, the trailer is spectacularly revealing). The movie has a clear point of view, but some of his devices are still really obvious; when the camera cuts from a shot of one object to another to create suspense, for example. So in this light, the film isn't particularly creative,..it doesn't try particularly hard to hide it's manipulation of the audience (read: close up on face, the actor sighs and looks away, you are now to feel sad). Speaking of which, for me there is little to no character development and the movie could have been more powerful had we any emotional connection with the house guests. Also, some of the casting is problematic for me. Though the actors were working with a rather skeletal sketch of their characters and not very much dialogue, with different actors they could have found moments to imbue nuances to their characters. Victor Garber is one of the exceptions - having little to no dialogue and nil in character development, his character still feels more rounded and compelling, because Victor Garber rocks. John Goodman and Alan Arkin are fantastic. Affleck gives a great performance too...restrained.

Argo looks great. I enjoyed the documentary feel, those grainy "real footage" scenes. Affleck has a talent for film making. It's clear he also has a love for it. And it's always a pleasure to watch movies made by directors who clearly, nerdily LOVE the movies. I'm excited to see how Affleck continues to develop as he makes more and more movies. Also, he's aging hella fine. My god, I applaud the choice to include a gratuitous shot of him without his shirt on. Good choice, director. I wonder how that round table went with the producers: sooo I have these rock hard abs and I'm 40 and I busted my rock hard hump for them and I'm shirtless in this scene okay?

[Vash01]

I plan to see Argo this weekend, so I am trying to ignore jl22's post just above this one.

I saw Skyfall in IMAX today. Although I am not really into action movies, I thought this one went the extra mile to make it more than just an action film, because of how Bond and M related to each other. After Sean Connery I never truly liked any other 007, until Daniel Craig came along. He is great as James Bond, and Judi Dench was the smartest choice to play M. She is superb. Javier Bardem enters the movie rather late (I was waiting...waiting...waiting...), and is as scary as ever as the bad guy. I also really liked Ralph Fiennes in the relatively short role. The cinematography is stunning..... particularly Shanghai and Scottland. I had not seen a James Bond movie in a while and I am glad that I saw this one. Hopefully there will be more movies with this cast. Finally I cannot ignore the key ingredient- the director Sam Mendes (sp?). He has done a phenomenal job, and it never hurts to have a great cast to work with.

[Wyliefan]

I'm sure I'm in a minority -- probably a very tiny one -- but I'm inclined to call Lincoln the best film Spielberg has ever done. He struck a remarkable balance between hagiography and warts-and-all. It can't have been easy to do. And I agree, now, that Day-Lewis has that Oscar in the bag -- as he should.