Let's Talk Movies #34 - Kingsmen, Murder, Blade Runners and...IT!

[PeterG]

I watched the mini-series The Night Manager recently and while I found the first third to be so-so, it really kicked into gear after that. I've never been much of a Hugh Laurie fan, but I am now seeing him do a great job with the villain role here. Tom Hiddleston and Olivia Colman are top-notch, but I expected nothing less from either of them. Glad to see all three of them won Golden Globes for their performances. Just checking now to see if the writing and direction won some much deserved recognition... It got a Golden Globe nomination for "Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television". It won Emmy's for direction and music. Emmy nominations for the three lead actors mentioned as well as for limited series, writing, casting and five more nominations in technical categories. At the BAFTA's, it won for best supporting actor for Tom Hollander and two technical category wins. Four other technical BAFTA nominations...but none for the three lead performances. Weird. Glad Hollander got a win for his role, he was equal to the three bigger names in this. All the recognition this series got was deserved in my opinion, just seemed the writers were (undeservedly) left out of the loop. I would definitely rate The Night Manager as a "don't miss".

 

[Wyliefan]

I saw The Man Who Invented Christmas this afternoon. Whether you like Dickens or not, you should go see Dan Stevens play him. It's a brilliant performance -- and it helps that the role is really well written. Also, Christopher Plummer is just as great a Scrooge as you'd expect him to be.

 

[watchthis!!]

Why so serious? It’s time for comedies to get major awards consideration
https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/why-so-serious-its-time-for-comedies-to-get-major-awards-consideration/2017/11/23/13eaeb82-cedb-11e7-81bc-c55a220c8cbe_story.html?utm_term=.9e6196f8ce48

A large part of this article talks about the movie "Get Out" and how the production company is gearing it toward the comedy film category at the Golden Globe awards. Later the article references these comedies which will hopefully get some award season recognition:

Girls Trip
The Big Sick
Lady Bird
Thor: Ragnarok
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Battle of the Sexes
Colossal

I think awards shows would be more interesting if they didn't focus so much on only drama. Think of the famous actors from the past who have been most known for comedy...and were brilliant at what they did. Then you see others who won Oscars for their dramatic work and you think, "this person won when the comedy guy never even got an Oscar nomination"? Plus imagine seeing somebody like Will Ferrell one day win an Oscar. (It could happen!) Would make for a great acceptance speech!

 

[Wyliefan]

Three Billboards is a comedy?? It must be a very dark one, if so. I haven't seen it, but all the descriptions I've seen sounded anything but comedic.

 

[watchthis!!]

Speaking of comedy...how did this motion picture not make a blip on our radar???

Lake Placid vs. Anaconda - Official Trailer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_AIV9c0FWc

Not a comedy, but it sure looks funny.

Three Billboards is a comedy?? It must be a very dark one, if so. I haven't seen it, but all the descriptions I've seen sounded anything but comedic.

I think that like with Get Out, because the movie uses satire or farce, they are being placed in the comedy category. Not sure if that has more to do with there being few comedies compared to drama, or if production companies think these movies could more easily win awards in the comedy category instead of the drama category.

We saw roman j Israel for our thanksgiving evening. I did not like it - a downer of a movie. My once wanted to be a playwright bf loved it. He said everyone in his playwriting class would have been blown away by the development of Denzel's charcater. Which that was true - there was an in depth look at a complicated guy - but his character was a downer.

The trailer didn't look good. Which surprised me considered the movie has Denzel Washington as the lead character. Also, I don't even remember seeing Colin Farrell in the movie's trailer. How big is his role in the movie?

 

[VGThuy]

People say they want the comedy winners at the Globes to win the Oscar over the drama winners but that happened with Best Actress last year and when it did happen I was like no thank you. Same thing when it happened in 2012.

 

[snoopy]

Colin had the second largest role but it was still small. The movie was overwhelmingly about Denzel's character. If there would have been more balance among characters it might have been a better movie.

The trailer didn't look good. Which surprised me considered the movie has Denzel Washington as the lead character. Also, I don't even remember seeing Colin Farrell in the movie's trailer. How big is his role in the movie?

 

[PeterG]

Seth Meyers Confirmed For Golden Globes Hosting Gig

The article mentions that Meyers' talk show is #1 (along with The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon) for late-night TV. And some of his previous work:

Meyers’ previous hosting duties have included the 2010 ESPYs and the 2014 Primetime Emmys, as well as the 2011 White House Correspondents Dinner, in which he skewered then reality-host Donald Trump.

The Globe Globe nominations come out Dec. 12th. The awards show will air on NBC January 8th.

 

[VGThuy]

I just saw Lady Bird and I absolutely loved it. Saoirse Ronan is becoming one of my favorite actresses and Greta Gerwig’s directing and screenplay shows she’s really gifted and I look forward to more of her work.

 

[PeterG]

I found an interesting article about movies which critics and viewers have extremely different appreciation for (or lack of appreciation!). Which linked to another article about movies which critics themselves are very divided in regards to. That one came first, so I'll link to it first:

The Most Critically Divisive Films According To Data

Fifty films are listed, the most divisive film was Lars von Trier's "Melancholia" (starring Kirsten Dunst, Charlotte Gainsbourg and Kiefer Sutherland). Rounding out the top five:

#2 - The Counselor (Michael Fassbender, Penélope Cruz and Brad Pitt)

#3 - Sin City

#4 - The Neon Demon (Elle Fanning, Christina Hendricks and Keanu Reeves)

#5 - Inception

And the other article (also listing fifty titles): The Films Where Audiences And Critics Disagree Most

#1 - Warcraft (Travis Fimmel, Paula Patton, Ben Foster)

#2 - Constantine (Keanu Reeves, Rachel Weisz, Djimon Hounsou)

#3 - Starsky and Hutch (Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Jason Bateman)

#4 - Collateral Beauty (Will Smith, Edward Norton, Kate Winslet)

#5 - Love Actually

 

[manhn]

I didn't realize critics disliked Love Actually. I liked it but found it uneven. And some subplots got no resolution. How it has become such a holiday fixture kinda escapes me.

I didn't get why Collateral Damage got so lambasted. It wasn't great by any stretch, but I didn't mind it. It was exceptionally short, though.

 

[VGThuy]

I loathe Love, Actually, but I have a friend who loves it and makes me watch it every year. It’s one of those things where I grin and bear it because it obviously makes her really happy and I’m glad it has brought similar joy to others. There are many things I love that others tolerate with figure skating probably being one of them.

 

[emason]

Also dislike Love Actually. Just don’t see what others do in it and really can’t understand why it’s so popular.

 

[Erin]

This article does a pretty good job of summing up my mixed feelings about Love, Actually.
https://www.thehairpin.com/2011/12/hate-actually/

I mostly hate the movie for the reasons stated in the article yet I still can't help watching it whenever it's on TV. I think if the entire movie consisted of the Bill Nighy subplot, the John and Judy (porn standins) subplot, throw in a bit of Hugh Grant dancing and then him and his chauffeur singing and an emotional scene from Emma Thompson and it would be a good movie. Oh and maybe a tiny part of the scene where the American girls like Colin's accent (the part where they repeat bottle, then realize table is the same is cute...the part where they are inviting him over and saying they all sleep naked in the same bed is stupid). So basically I think there is a decent 20 minutes in there.

 

[smurfy]

This article does a pretty good job of summing up my mixed feelings about Love, Actually.
https://www.thehairpin.com/2011/12/hate-actually/

I mostly hate the movie for the reasons stated in the article yet I still can't help watching it whenever it's on TV. I think if the entire movie consisted of the Bill Nighy subplot, the John and Judy (porn standins) subplot, throw in a bit of Hugh Grant dancing and then him and his chauffeur singing and an emotional scene from Emma Thompson and it would be a good movie. Oh and maybe a tiny part of the scene where the American girls like Colin's accent (the part where they repeat bottle, then realize table is the same is cute...the part where they are inviting him over and saying they all sleep naked in the same bed is stupid). So basically I think there is a decent 20 minutes in there.

Love this article- thanks for posting. Love Actually is a guilty pleasure
The reasons why he loves the part with Colin Firth- perfect explanation
And the part abt Liam and Natasha

 

[manhn]

I hated the Bill Nighy part. And I still don't understand why Laura Linney was in that movie. But her boy toy was really hot. Really enjoyed Liam, Emma and Hugh.

 

[annie720]

I think I like Love Actually because it makes me laugh, I don't take any of it seriously, and there's just enough holiday flavor to set a mood without turning me off.

 

[PeterG]

Love Actually is...still on my To See list...

 

[MacMadame]

It's a Christmas movie. You've got 29 days.

 

[made_in_canada]

I love Love Actually. I watch it twice a year because it just makes me feel good. Though I agree with Erin about Colin's storyline.

 

[cocotaffy]

So talking about Holiday Season, what are your go to holiday movies ? I need inspiration for some family movies weekend with hot wine and chestnuts (my favorite part the the holidays, esp. the hot wine )

 

[MacMadame]

It's a Wonderful Life, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

 

[PeterG]

I wanted a good popcorn movie, so my hopes were high for Into The Grizzly Maze. It's an action/thriller movie about a small group of people trying to get out of the remote Alaskan wilderness while trying to escape the attacks of a gigantic Grizzly bear short on food and possibly out for revenge after poachers have killed tens of bears in the area for bear body parts that can fetch them a lot of money on the black market. The script is bearable, but the direction leaden. David Hackl is the culprit (his surname is pretty apt if you remove the last letter of his name) whose only previous direction credit of note was Saw V. How he managed to have a cast that includes James Marsden, Thomas Jane, Piper Perabo, Scott Glenn and Billy Bob Thorton is beyond me. Now that I think of it, I wonder if another director was lined up but had to drop out and then they scrambled to find somebody to sit in the director's chair and Hackl was the best they could get. A cast as talented as this definitely deserved somebody more up to the task. On the plus side, the cinematography is beautiful with the forests of the great Vancouver area standing in for the Alaskan country side. And James Marsden is beautiful to look at. So lots of pretty, but that doesn't make up for the mess that made it's way onto the screen. Still, if you like outdoor action movies and this cast, this one is worth your time if it's raining and you want something to get you through a wet afternoon.

 

[watchthis!!]

A List Of Other Great Movies You Should Watch From Taika Waititi
http://emptylighthouse.com/list-other-great-movies-you-should-watch-taika-waititi-867529203

I saw this list after Thor came out people started paying attention to Waititi. I've heard of Boy and What We Do In The Shadows, but not the Eagle Vs. Shark one. The trailer for it didn't look good. But I'd like to see the other two. I'm pretty sure they've both been recommended here before.

So talking about Holiday Season, what are your go to holiday movies ? I need inspiration for some family movies weekend with hot wine and chestnuts (my favorite part the the holidays, esp. the hot wine )

I googled "Christmas movies" to see which ones I would recommend. But nothing caught my attention! My first thought was The Wizard of Oz, but then I thought that has nothing to do with the holidays. Maybe they played that around Christmas time when I was a kid? It's funny to see some of the movies that came up when I did my google search. One of them was Die Hard!

 

[Seerek]

The Most Critically Divisive Films According To Data

Fifty films are listed, the most divisive film was Lars von Trier's "Melancholia" (starring Kirsten Dunst, Charlotte Gainsbourg and Kiefer Sutherland). Rounding out the top five:

There were actual groans in the audience in the theatre I went to as Chapter One (focusing on Kirsten Dunst) was reaching its (non)-"resolution". Logic would indicate that von Trier's been around long enough that people should already expect the unexpected when watching his films.

In some respects, Nymphomaniac was a little more consistent in critic vs viewer response (Charlotte Gainsbourg great, but overblown as to what transpired across the 2 volumes).

 

[Aussie Willy]

A List Of Other Great Movies You Should Watch From Taika Waititi
http://emptylighthouse.com/list-other-great-movies-you-should-watch-taika-waititi-867529203

I saw this list after Thor came out people started paying attention to Waititi. I've heard of Boy and What We Do In The Shadows, but not the Eagle Vs. Shark one. The trailer for it didn't look good. But I'd like to see the other two. I'm pretty sure they've both been recommended here before.

Boy is definitely worth seeing along with The Hunt for the Wilderpeople

 

[Buzz]

The Avengers Infinity War trailer will be released tomorrow and Marvel Entertainment is the absolute worst flirt ever!! I clicked on the link expecting to get a teaser trailer instead I get a trailer tease! Hehehe Marvel you terrible terrible flirt!
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3VbHg5fqBYw

 

[Xela M]

Ok, this is a really trashy film, but as trashy films go I absolutely loved it!!

Trainwreck (with Amy Schumer)

 

[cocotaffy]

Ok, this is a really trashy film, but as trashy films go I absolutely loved it!!

Trainwreck (with Amy Schumer)

Oh I laughed my ass off with this one. We all need it sometime.

Watched Gerald's game yesterday and it was not at all what I had expected. I thought scary movie but it went in a complete other direction which thinking of it is very accurate with the time. It's a metaphor for

Spoiler

sexual assault survivor and how they feel totally trapped, powerless suffering from lifelong consequences so absolutely accurate for the time we live in right now

It's not the most subtle movie but it does make you think, but also did engage my gag reflex couple of times, especially during the pivotal scene of the movie.

 

[PeterG]

Welcome To The Rileys (2010)...amazing movie. It stars James Gandolfini and Melissa Leo star as a couple whose marriage has crumbled after the death of their teenage daughter. Gandolfini goes on a business trip and meets Kristen Stewart's character, a young woman working as a stripper in a club near to his hotel. The two start up a fiery connection and later, Leo drives to New Orleans to show her husband that she can't give up on their marriage, which is more impactful because she has been unable to leave their home ever since the death of their daughter. What's great about this movie is the characters rarely do the things movie characters usually do. Instead, most of the time, they stop when a drama arises and work on collecting themselves and figure out what the best thing to do is. And they don't give up on each other even when the situation is pulling them away from one another.

So I would say Ken Hixon is the star here as the screenwriter. Hixon wrote City by the Sea (Robert DeNiro and Frances McDormand) and Inventing The Abbotts (Liv Tyler, Jennifer Connelly, Joaquin Phoenix). But nothing after Welcome To The Rileys until recently. There are two movies in post-production that he wrote including Finding Steve McQueen (a crime caper romance with Travis Fimmel, Rachael Taylor and Forest Whitaker). So that's one I'll definitely keep my eye on.

Jake Scott directed Welcome To The Rileys, like Hixon, his resume is sparse since this movie, but he does have a movie in post-production called The Burning Woman, a thriller starring Christina Hendricks, Sienna Miller, Aaron Paul, Amy Madigan and Will Sasso. Another movie I'll be looking forward to. By the way, Jake Scott just happens to be the son of Ridley Scott and the nephew of Tony Scott.

And Gandolfini, Stewart and Leo are a very winning trio of actors that beautifully bring this movie to life. The DVD extra mentions that Stewart was cast in this movie before Twilight came out. I found that her (sullen) character in Twilight kind of bled into her later film roles. So it was nice to see that not be present here, even though her character is often (deservedly) moody. She's great and Leo really shines here, like she did in other movies she was in around this time (The Fighter, with Christian Bale and Conviction with Hilary Swank and Sam Rockwell). And Gandolfini carries the movie even though his role isn't as splashy as his co-stars. But he brings a lot of life to his role and to the movie.

Overall, I was thinking this movie might end up making my 100 favourite movies of all time list. But it didn't quite sneak in there, but I've added it to the "other favourite movies" section of that list so I remember to watch it again at some point in my life. So...100% recommended for your viewing pleasure.