Let’s Talk Movies! #31: Pandas, Zombies, Male Models, Superheroes, Greeks and…Caesar!

[gk_891]

For me, the ending of a movie is extremely important as it's the last image or impression that it leaves the viewer. I think some of the greatest movie endings I've seen might include Bonnie and Clyde, Shame (Skammen), The Blue Angel, The Purple Rose of Cairo, Korczak, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Brazil, Pixote A Lei Do Mais Fraco, Salaam Bombay, La Historial Oficial, Raging Bull, The Wicker Man (the older one), Dogville (I found that ending to be very very satisfying), The Bicycle Thief, Planet of the Apes, Chinatown, and The Godfather.

 

[Vash01]

For me, the ending of a movie is extremely important as it's the last image or impression that it leaves the viewer. I think some of the greatest movie endings I've seen might include Bonnie and Clyde, Shame (Skammen), The Blue Angel, The Purple Rose of Cairo, Korczak, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Brazil, Pixote A Lei Do Mais Fraco, Salaam Bombay, La Historial Oficial, Raging Bull, The Wicker Man (the older one), Dogville (I found that ending to be very very satisfying), The Bicycle Thief, Planet of the Apes, Chinatown, and The Godfather.

Wow! I have not seen most of these movies, and in some cases i don't remember the endings of the ones I did see.

I didn't particularly like or dislike the cemetery ending of SPR, but to me the whole movie was impactful and that's the lasting impression on my mind.

Talking of cheesey endings, The Martian was the worst in that respect in my recent memory. It brought down the movie slightly but I don't throw away a whole movie because of a poor ending.

 

[gk_891]

Sometimes a poor ending won`t hurt the movie too badly. But it sometimes leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth and can bring it down either just ever so slightly or significantly (depending how poor it was).

I remember years ago, I saw an interesting British movie called Hilary and Jackie. I thought the beginning was poorly done but it got much more interesting after a rocky start. But the ending was (IMO) cheesy and stupid even though I understand what it tried to aim for.

Also forgot to mention Andrei Rublev in terms of great endings (although I mentioned it in the previous page when Xela brough the movie up). Truly a magnificent ending.

Another good ending was Dangerous Liasons. I personally liked Milos Forman`s Valmont better but Dangerous Liasons had a very striking finish to it that left an impression on me.

 

[watchthis!!]

Last night I watched a phenomenal movie, "Slow West". It stars Kodi Smit-McPhee, Michael Fassbender and Ben Mendelsohn. My first thought about this movie is about how beautifully filmed it was. But I quickly started to like the characters and then the situation they were in. And it just kept getting better. And then "more better"! It's a short film, only 84 minutes, and it moves at a great pace, never giving you any filler that you expect (due to too many others putting in unnecessary filler). It just keeps getting to the part of the story you want it to get to. Unfortunately, this movie did not get any Oscar nominations. But it should have received a cinematography nomination and maybe a screenplay nomination too. And perhaps two best actor nominations for Fassbender and Smit-McPhee. This one is a must-see.

 

[smurfy]

Ever see 'Damage' with Jeremy Irons. I found the movie slow at at times, but what happens in the end is worth the wait.

 

[gk_891]

Haven`t seen Damage yet but I know of it. I heard Miranda Richardson was incredible in it.

 

[Simone411]

Sorry I'm in this thread late, @PeterG There were 6 of those movies listed that totally interest me. Since I have a hard time going to see movies anymore, I usually wait and watch them on Netflix. I also have what's called the HD Extra Pack (Sony Movies, HDNet movies, MGM), FX, A&E, AMC and have found that some of the year old movies eventually show up on those channels.

Anyway, I just want to thank you for taking the time to find all the trailer videos and information. I know that takes a lot of time and effort. It's appreciated.

 

[Vash01]

Sometimes a poor ending won`t hurt the movie too badly. But it sometimes leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth and can bring it down either just ever so slightly or significantly (depending how poor it was).

I remember years ago, I saw an interesting British movie called Hilary and Jackie. I thought the beginning was poorly done but it got much more interesting after a rocky start. But the ending was (IMO) cheesy and stupid even though I understand what it tried to aim for.

Also forgot to mention Andrei Rublev in terms of great endings (although I mentioned it in the previous page when Xela brough the movie up). Truly a magnificent ending.

Another good ending was Dangerous Liasons. I personally liked Milos Forman`s Valmont better but Dangerous Liasons had a very striking finish to it that left an impression on me.

Andrei Rublev is on my Netflix list. I may move it up.

 

[PeterG]

Charlotte Rampling clarifies controversial diversity remarks

Stupid quotes here from Michael Caine as well, not just Rampling. Ugh. So disappointing when people who have talent you admire say such docile things.

Academy Award-nominated actress Charlotte Rampling said her comments that an Oscars' boycott is "racist to white people" were misinterpreted. In a statement to CBS News' "Sunday Morning" on Friday, Rampling said she wished every performance was given equal opportunity for consideration.

How can she not understand that it's not about the performances? It's about the opportunities (of lack of opportunities, depending on the shade of your skin). Rampling's movie, "45 Years" was written by a white guy, directed by a white guy and probably produced by a bunch of white people. Are these people writing, directing and producing works which accurately reflect the percentage of races in their countries? If one is an non-white actor/actress and an un-proportionate number of roles are available to you because of an unseen, but deeply seated form of racism that exists....how can your performance be "given equal opportunity for consideration"...when your role...was never even written??

Rampling, 69, previously told France's Europe 1 radio Friday that, while it's impossible to know for sure, "maybe the black actors didn't deserve to be in the final stretch." She told "Sunday Morning" that "I regret that my comments could have been misinterpreted."

"I regret that my comments could have been misinterpreted."

Nobody is misinterpreting anything. You made an a***** remark and everybody saw it. I think Rampling is a great actress, but there's just too many actresses of colour out there who are equally talented to her...many who we will never be aware of because their opportunities are limited in comparison to hers. I haven't come up with a good analogy yet, but the best I've thought of was in times of slavery...were there fall fairs where the women's cooking was judged for blue ribbons? If so, the white women were winning all the prizes because the black women were working out in the fields and didn't have a chance to be part of the contest. Bad, out-dated and overly dramatic example, I know. Like I said, I'm working on something better! But for a (seemingly) intelligent woman like Rampling to be so oblivious to reality is disheartening to say the least.

Then we get to Caine...

Veteran British actor Michael Caine, meanwhile, urged black actors to "be patient" and said recognition would come.

Oh for f***'s sake! It's more than just black actors, you sh**head. And to suggest that entire, large groups of people should be "patient" to get what was available to you the day you were born...you pompous prick...

"Be patient," said 82-year-old Caine, who has won two supporting-actor Oscars. "Of course it will come. It took me years to get an Oscar, years."

You can't win an Oscar if you're not nominated because nobody's writing Oscar-worthy roles for you to perform. IDIOT!! He should look at the "Births" section of Wikipedia's "1933 In Film" (the year Caine was born). The names I recognize:

• January 18 - John Boorman, English director

• January 23 - Chita Rivera, American actress, dancer and singer

• February 13 - Kim Novak, American actress

• March 14 - Michael Caine, English actor

• April 5 - Frank Gorshin, actor and comedian (died 2005)

• April 19 - Jayne Mansfield, actress (died 1967)

• April 26 - Carol Burnett, actress, television host and comedienne

• May 23 - Joan Collins, English actress

• June 11 - Gene Wilder, actor

• June 20 - Danny Aiello, actor

• August 1 - Dom DeLuise, actor and comedian (died 2009)

• August 16 - Julie Newmar, actress, dancer and singer

• August 25 - Tom Skerritt, American actor

• September 18 - Robert Blake, American actor

• November 28 - Hope Lange, actress (died 2003)

• December 15 - Tim Conway, actor and comedian

Caine doesn't even have any contemporaries who are people of colour that were given enough opportunities to even get a mention at Wikipedia (except for Chita Rivera). Pretty white list there, Mr. Caine. Speaking of white lists, how about we look at the actors who shared your category the six times you were nominated for an Oscar?

39th Academy Awards (1967) - Caine and four other white guys
45th Academy Awards - Caine and three other white guys with Paul Winfield for Sounder
56th Academy Awards - Caine and four other white guys
59th Academy Awards - Caine and four other white guys
72nd Academy Awards - Caine and three other white guys with Michael Clarke Duncan for The Green Mile
75th Academy Awards - Caine and four other white guys

It's actually amazing to me that two men of colour out of the possible thirty spots here made it to the list. But for Caine to tell people of colour to be patient? How many more decades of patience? Or are we talking centuries?

 

[Xela M]

For me, the ending of a movie is extremely important as it's the last image or impression that it leaves the viewer. I think some of the greatest movie endings I've seen might include Bonnie and Clyde, Shame (Skammen), The Blue Angel, The Purple Rose of Cairo, Korczak, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Brazil, Pixote A Lei Do Mais Fraco, Salaam Bombay, La Historial Oficial, Raging Bull, The Wicker Man (the older one), Dogville (I found that ending to be very very satisfying), The Bicycle Thief, Planet of the Apes, Chinatown, and The Godfather.

I've not seen most of the films on your list, but the ending to Godfather Part I is one of the most iconic endings ever! Perfection.

Also forgot to mention Andrei Rublev in terms of great endings (although I mentioned it in the previous page when Xela brough the movie up). Truly a magnificent ending.

Andrei Rublev is on my Netflix list. I may move it up.

The story of the bell in Andrei Rublev is one that has stayed with me for life. It's like Tarkovsky has captured the essence of Russia in that one episode. If you understand the story of the bell, you understand Russia.

 

[agalisgv]

@PeterG--is there a reason you're posting your thoughts about the Oscars here instead of in the Oscar thread? Those quotes from Rampling and Caine have already been posted and discussed over there.

 

[gk_891]

Does anyone like the 1976 version of Carrie? I thought it was deliciously over-the-top and hysterically funny, especially Piper Laurie's performance as Margaret.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GToOFNVrQ6E

 

[PeterG]

@PeterG--is there a reason you're posting your thoughts about the Oscars here instead of in the Oscar thread? Those quotes from Rampling and Caine have already been posted and discussed over there.

Any thoughts I have about this year's Oscars I've been posting in that thread. Any topics that's a broader movie topic than the 2016 Oscars I post here.

 

[Jay42]

I agree with you on one thing - 90% of Brando's films are terrible/unwatchable and he took the mickey and acted badly, usually because he was in conflict with the director or just couldn't be bothered to make an effort. HOWEVER, there really is a reason why superstars like Jack Nicholson, Robert De Niro, Daniel Day Lewis, Al Pacino etc all consider him to be the best actor of all time and their "teacher" and if you watch 'A Streetcar Named Desire' you will understand why. It's the performance that changed Hollywood. It's the performance that drove women all over America to insanity. And as you can see from this thread, I'm not the only one who considers this to be the best performance by a male lead ever. The film is generally a very good adaptation and the whole cast is brilliant, but Brando is - special. Tennessee Williams would not have anyone else play Stanley Kowalski.

As for the 'Godfather'... I've not seen the trailer, but I'm guessing it didn't do it justice. Godfather Part 1 is a film where everthing just came together and 'clicked' to create perfection. There is not a wrong note, not a superfluous scene, not a single bad choice. From the music, the script, the cinematography to the director, the cast - just everything worked. It's also the most romantic and least violent of all the mafia films (nothing like Scorcese's movies). I actually envy you because you haven't seen it. And Brando is superb in it. It's a role with which he made a statement "I still got it"! After his antics in the 60's, he was considered to be the death of any director, unmanageable, unemployable and way past it. Hollywood was mocking him and using him as an example of a cautionary tale of how far the mighty can fall. Brando wanted to show them all that he is still the best. I don't think you can say you don't like Brando until you've seen his two most iconic performances.

But my favourite performances in 'The Godfather' came from James Caan as Sonny and Robert Duvall as Tom.



I have never seen 'The Manchurian Candidate' or many of the other films people list as their favourites. I'm going to watch it/them if you watch 'The Godfather' or 'A Streetcar Named Desire' and then we can compare what we think on here.

I don't think you should watch The Manchurian Candidate or the other movies people list as their favourites unless you actually want to. Like I said, I'm going to watch Streetcar, but it's going to be a while because the ridiculous city I live in only has one movie rental place and it has next to nothing from before 1980. I'm afraid I still won't be watching The Godfather unless I find someone to watch it with. I'm not going to make the effort on my own. The Godfather triggers my apathy like you wouldn't believe.

 

[MacMadame]

Since I love the tv show Limitless, I decided I should watch the movie. The entire time I was sure I had seen it before but I also had no memory of it. This is a bad sign. It means either the movie was so predictable that it felt like I had seen it before or I really did see it before but immediately forgot about it.

 

[Xela M]

I'm going to ask something very silly, but I've seen many people mention on here that they rent DVDs. Honestly, I didn't know people still did that Is that common in North America? Is there a reason you don't watch films online?

 

[gk_891]

I'm going to ask something very silly, but I've seen many people mention on here that they rent DVDs. Honestly, I didn't know people still did that Is that common in North America? Is there a reason you don't watch films online?

In my home city, video rental places have disappeared. In a large city like Toronto though, there are a few places left but they typically specialize in super-obscure and hard-to-find films from all over the world and they do good business since some of their films are likely to be hard to find otherwise, even online.

 

[Xela M]

In my home city, video rental places have disappeared. In a large city like Toronto though, there are a few places left but they typically specialize in super-obscure and hard-to-find films from all over the world and they do good business since some of their films are likely to be hard to find otherwise, even online.

I guess I'm lucky because I speak Russian and there literally is not a film in the world you can't find online in Russian, but even in English, there are very few films you can't stream online for free. Certainly all the classics are online. Renting DVDs is such an odd thing to do nowadays

 

[smurfy]

I'm going to ask something very silly, but I've seen many people mention on here that they rent DVDs. Honestly, I didn't know people still did that Is that common in North America? Is there a reason you don't watch films online?

Not a silly question.
Last year I wanted to see a particular movie (2nd of 3rd Hobbit movie) -it was available in Netflix -but only via DVD, not streaming. It did surprise me. I did sign up for a month to get it, and ended up also seeing Band of Brothers (tv show) via DVD.
I do not know why -but that is how it was 1 year ago.

 

[Jay42]

I'm going to ask something very silly, but I've seen many people mention on here that they rent DVDs. Honestly, I didn't know people still did that Is that common in North America? Is there a reason you don't watch films online?

In my case, I always preferred watching movies on my TV as opposed to my computer. I'm kind of old school. The other problem is, being in Canada we charge for data overages now and I don't actually pay for my internet, it's included. So if we go too far over our data plan I'll have to start paying for my internet and I'm trying to save my money. Plus the wireless to my room really, really sucks and it drops out sometimes on my laptop and gaming consoles so Netflix and my Apple TV don't always work super well.
My room is also pretty far from the modem and the wifi booster I bought doesn't work as well as I hoped it would.

 

[manhn]

I just borrow whatever is available at the library.

 

[PeterG]

So - rarely do I start a movie and not finish it. I figure if it makes it onto my To See list, then it's there for a good reason. Mind you, I often watch movies at double-time with the subtitles on....but that doesn't necessarily mean I'm not enjoying it. It's just a little slow-paced for my taste. But "Sherman's Way"...I DID give up on. The characters were somewhere between unlikeable and annoying...whichever is the worst spot between those two things! There's enough talented people in the cast, James Le Gros, Lacey Chabert [Party Of Five], M. Emmett Walsh and Enrico Colantoni & Ryan Hansen [both from Veronica Mars]. But I didn't like the characters any of them played. And to watch unlikeable people do stupid and annoying things over and over again. So I gave up. Too many good movies to see still, no time to waste on movies of this ilk!!!

Michael Jackson Goes ‘Off the Wall’: Spike Lee’s Sundance Doc Debuts First Trailer
http://www.slashfilm.com/spike-lee-michael-jackson-documentary/

I loved "This Is It", so I'm really looking forward to this. I think Jackson's career was seen to be in a lull before Off The Wall (and it was in comparison to the success of that album, but there was great music in that lull. Enjoy Yourself in '76, Show You The Way To Go in '77, Blame It On The Boogie in '78 and Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground) in '79. Hopefully this documentary will cover this period in his life when the great music he was making wasn't necessarily selling incredibly well.

Last night I watched Mistress America. If you liked Frances Ha, you'll like this one too -- it's basically Greta Gerwig playing an almost identical character, and Gerwig & Noah Baumbach writing the same offbeat tone of script. I actually thought this one was a better movie in many ways than Frances Ha, at least in the traditional film sense, as the story has more of an arc and the characters have more of a journey.

Had you seen the trailer for this movie before you watched it? For me, it's one of the movies that captured my attention...and then I watched the trailer. And said, "no thanks..." I'm just wondering if the trailer does the film a disservice or if it actually represents the movie well.

 

[Seerek]

I'm not a fan of Woody Allen or Mia Farrow (I think both are annoying beyond belief) and I felt ambivalent when I first saw The Purple Rose of Cairo. But that ending was so brilliant that it made sitting through the movie all worth it. For me anyways.

I find Purple Rose has aged much better today compared to Allen's other 1980s works (I think a lot has to do with the fact that the movie is already set in a different period - 1930s).

There's one particular movie that I go back and forth on a lot and it's Requiem For a Dream. The music, the editing, etc are all top-notch and when I first watched it years back, I was stunned by it. But years later, I found it kind of over-the-top even if there were marvelous aspects to it. I'm also less fond of Ellen Burstyn's performance years later. It's a very flashy role but I kind of felt like it was Oscar-baiting in some respects.

I think Requiem created quite a buzz in 2000 because people were very new to Darren Aronofsky's approach to film-making.
In 15 years, there have been quite many copycats to this style of hyper image/heavy use of dreams.
Plus, Aronofsky himself has put out films since then that are pretty consistent in tone with Requiem (Black Swan, Wrestler), making Requiem seem rather "old hat" relatively speaking.

 

[Artemis@BC]

Had you seen the trailer for this movie before you watched it? For me, it's one of the movies that captured my attention...and then I watched the trailer. And said, "no thanks..." I'm just wondering if the trailer does the film a disservice or if it actually represents the movie well.

Hmm, I'm not sure. I just checked on YouTube and there are at least 3 different trailers, but this one gives pretty accurate depiction of the flavour of the movie. Like I said, if you liked Frances Ha you'll like this one, but it's definitely not for everyone. And I don't think I'd want a steady diet of Gerwig & Baumbach, but every once in a while it's a nice change of pace.

 

[Xela M]

For me, the ending of a movie is extremely important as it's the last image or impression that it leaves the viewer. I think some of the greatest movie endings I've seen might include Bonnie and Clyde, Shame (Skammen), The Blue Angel, The Purple Rose of Cairo, Korczak, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Brazil, Pixote A Lei Do Mais Fraco, Salaam Bombay, La Historial Oficial, Raging Bull, The Wicker Man (the older one), Dogville (I found that ending to be very very satisfying), The Bicycle Thief, Planet of the Apes, Chinatown, and The Godfather.

Your post made me look at the Godfather ending again. I never get tired of watching this...

Spoiler: Part 1 ending

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DvD9OryD6mY

Re your comment on Woody Allen, I must say I like his films a lot, but there hasn't been a film yet that Mia Farrow didn't ruin for me! Absolutely cannot stand her and cannot believe anyone thought of casting her as Daisy in 'The Great Gatsby'! Ahhhhh

 

[gk_891]

Your post made me look at the Godfather ending again. I never get tired of watching this...

Spoiler: Part 1 ending

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DvD9OryD6mY

Re your comment on Woody Allen, I must say I like his films a lot, but there hasn't been a film yet that Mia Farrow hadn't ruined for me! Absolutely cannot stand her and cannot believe anyone thought of casting her as Daisy in 'The Great Gatsby'! Ahhhhh

She was godawful in The Great Gatsby! But in general, she almost always grates on my nerves!

 

[orbitz]

Just finish watching 'The Martian'. The rescue sequence at the end was very excitingly filmed, and Matt Damon was a very engaging lead. Highly recommended.

 

[Allskate]

I'm going to ask something very silly, but I've seen many people mention on here that they rent DVDs. Honestly, I didn't know people still did that Is that common in North America? Is there a reason you don't watch films online?

Most of the recent movies aren't available to stream online. At least, not legally. You have to rent a DVD. Netflix has two services. One streams, but it's mostly past tv shows and some older movies. The best movies and the more recent ones are only available through DVD. Amazon also streams some movies. But, again, many of the more recent ones are not available. They also are better for tv shows than they are for recent movies.

 

[Xela M]

Most of the recent movies aren't available to stream online. At least, not legally. You have to rent a DVD. Netflix has two services. One streams, but it's mostly past tv shows and some older movies. The best movies and the more recent ones are only available through DVD. Amazon also streams some movies. But, again, many of the more recent ones are not available. They also are better for tv shows than they are for recent movies.

I understand about the latest films (although everything is available in Russian as soon as it hits US cinemas) but all classics are available online and many of them on youtube.

I do understand it if there are data and Internet speed related issues though as a poster mentioned.

Maybe it's a European thing - we don't really do DVDs anymore.

 

[Cachoo]

Peter said: " Whether Tarantino's work reflects the violence that is out there, or people are influenced by violence they see on a screen...to me is a discussion that's not as important as why do we find humans harming other humans as something to entertain us? Do we need movies or video games to be aware that violence exists? Why perpetuate a problem by shining a greater light on those problems? That's why I love somebody like Tom Hanks who is involved in creating work which makes us wonder about who we are as people, but from a perspective of...how can I be a little bit "more"? (More talented, more loving, more giving, more creative...) And any Hanks movie that includes violence is done in a way that makes you see the horror of what is done when there were other options, and that the character in a way mourns his choice when he could have done something which would have brought about a better possibility. If there could be twice the number of Tom Hanks movies to replace all output Tarantino could make in the future, that would make me very happy. And Tarantino could get a job cleaning restrooms at the Mall of America."

I think the question that concerns me is "why do we find humans harming other humans as something to entertain us?" I agree with everything you said and I applaud it. The problem is there are people that love those movies. As the basketball website (mostly young/middle-aged males) they are excited for the next Tarantino project. We have a separate thread for "Star Wars" here and they have one for "Hateful Eight." But the same group of people had a discussion about two brothers on death row and the latest in their appeals. And almost all of us have the same reaction. Their crimes were so awful that we want them to meet their end. So you see these awful things in Tarantino movies and shrug but at least the anger and horror when it occurs in real life is still there. I can't explain why you want to see this in a film. At least I know the same people do not celebrate the violence when we see it occur in reality.