Let's Talk Movies #36 - 2020 - Yep it is a new decade

[PeterG]

I re-watched the original Avatar this week. I found it captivating from start to finish. The beautiful look of the movie is still stunning, even though I watched the network re-airing of it on an old “boob tube” type of TV that is about twenty years old. And the story held my interest at all times. Sure there’s a few problems here and there, but that’s nitpicking.

The next thing that stood out to me was Zoe Saldana’s performance. I thought it was so strong that I wondered if she was considered a possible best actress nominee for the Oscars that year (Sandra Bullock won for The Blind Side). And Stephen Lang as the Colonel was all fire in his performance. I don’t remember there being Oscar buzz for him in the year where Matt Damon was nominated for Invictus and Woody Harrelson for The Messenger. Sigourney Weaver was of course great and Michelle Rodriguez was made for her role, which she was perfect in. Even Giovanni Ribisi was top-notch in a tiny role as the corporate administrator. He was so horrid I expected to see him expire in a gruesome death. But he left Pandora alive and will be in the sequel.

And lastly, I liked how in the final fight scene, the damsel who was in distress got out of that distress by herself and ended up saving her man. Kick-ass!

 

[watchthis!!]

Rebels On Pointe is a 2017 documentary about the drag ballet troupe Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo. The troupe began in 1972 under a different name and their success has grown so much now that they tour all over the world. They mix traditional ballet with comedy, making the ballet world more accessible to a new group of people. This documentary covers about a year in the lives of the troupe and the dancers. I enjoyed it. The movie is good and the dancers are nice enough. But there wasn’t anything really extraordinary to see. Just a nice enough way to pass ninety minutes.

 

[PeterG]

I kind of enjoyed Suddenly, Last Summer. It’s the 1959 movie starring Katharine Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift. It’s based on a Tennessee Williams one-act play, who co-wrote the screenplay with Gore Vidal. They’re the part of this movie that I didn’t like. It’s very “yakky”. Especially the first 30 minutes of the movie, which is basically a monologue for Hepburn, who natters on and on and on. It’s almost painful in how talky it is. Of course, Hepburn sells it for everything she’s worth, but sheesh lady, take a breath now and then!

Anyway, the movie is about Taylor’s character, who has experienced trauma and Clift playing a psychiatrist. Hepburn plays Taylor’s aunt, who seems hellbent on seeing that Taylor receives a lobotomy as quickly as possible. The movie is directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, who was a double Oscar winner (director and screenplay) two years in a row, for 1949’s A Letter To Two Wives and 1950’s All About Eve. So it’s not that he doesn’t know what he’s doing. The movie settles down in the second half, which was somewhat less of a rapid verbal assault on the viewer. But still so VERY dramatic. It seems one queen was far too much in the writing of this movie and two queens writing together just sent if WAY over the top.

Trailer for Suddenly, Last Summer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHAkalCkrLM

 

[olympic]

Saw Babylon this past weekend - meh

But the two reasons to see it are (1) the musical score, and (2) Margot Robbie. I've never wanted to get up and dance to 20s Jazz as much as I did listening to the music here -

Voodoo Mama (Official Audio) – Babylon Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, Music by Justin Hurwitz

“Babylon (Music From the Motion Picture)”, soundtrack out now: https://Babylon.lnk.to/Soundtrack Directed by Damien Chazelle with music by Justin Hurwitz, Ba...

www.youtube.com

IF you want to see something regarding decadence, the 20s, and 'Babylon', watch the German show 'Babylon Berlin'.

 

[Buzz]

Avatar: The Way Of Water passes $1bn at the global box office

James Cameron's long-delayed sequel is only the third movie to hit the milestone globally in 2022.

www.bbc.com

 

[text_skate]

I've watched "She Said" by Maria Schrader yesterday. It's just incredibly good. The ways she found to focus on the women (and not the perpetrator) is so good. Kudos to the scriptwriter Rebecca Lenkiewicz.
I particularly liked how the journlaistic process is shown. Nowadays quite some media outlets lack a lot of jounalistic ethics. So I really liked the way, it is depicted in this film. It shows the legwork, the search of two independent sources for each and every information. The way journalists approach sources in a respectful manner.
I knew, how the story will end, nonetheless I was glued to my seat, forgot I was sitting in an uncomfortable seat in a small cinema with seat neighbours, who were eating and drinking smelly things (I shouldn't've chosen the nearest, but the best equipped cinema).

SHE SAID | Official Trailer

She Said - Only In Theaters November 18.Two-time Academy Award® nominee Carey Mulligan (Promising Young Woman, An Education) and Emmy nominee Zoe Kazan (The ...

www.youtube.com

 

[annie720]

Saw Spielberg's The Fabelmans yesterday at the theatre. What a lovely film! Michelle Williams is brilliant in this. One aside - Paul Dano's appearance has always reminded me of the Christmas Story kid, and with his glasses in this film, it's even worse. I just cannot see it. Anyway, it's a really good movie. Wish more people were watching it.

 

[Seerek]

Saw Spielberg's The Fabelmans yesterday at the theatre. What a lovely film! Michelle Williams is brilliant in this. One aside - Paul Dano's appearance has always reminded me of the Christmas Story kid, and with his glasses in this film, it's even worse. I just cannot see it. Anyway, it's a really good movie. Wish more people were watching it.

You had mentioned the adults in the film, but for me, the true unsung heroes of the film were some of the younger actors, namely Chloe East (Sammy's girlfriend Monica) and Julia Butters (who played Fableman daughter Reggie/Anne).

Imo, Both of them managed to do lots with small roles.

 

[manhn]

I saw two small romcoms from the early 2010s. One is called The First Time, starring impossibly attractive Britt Robertson and Dylan o Brien, who are teens from different high schools who meet at a party. We see them grow their feelings during the course of a weekend (Friday night to Monday morning), and we see their firsts: sharing their innermost insecurities, love, sex. It is a bit too polished but the leads are adorable (o Brien is a movie star in the making), but there are moments of true inspiration.

Then there is Hank and Asha, about a young international student from India who is studying at a film school in Prague, who sees a documentary and sends a video message to the filmmaker. The filmmaker is a young man (his eyes!!!) who is trying to make it in NYC. They exchange video messages to each other. The film consists entirely of those video messages. I. LOVED. THIS. MOVIE. SO. MUCH.

 

[PeterG]

Then there is Hank and Asha, about a young international student from India who is studying at a film school in Prague, who sees a documentary and sends a video message to the filmmaker. The filmmaker is a young man (his eyes!!!) who is trying to make it in NYC. They exchange video messages to each other. The film consists entirely of those video messages. I. LOVED. THIS. MOVIE. SO. MUCH.

Is this movie streaming somewhere? It's on my To See List, the one where I can't find certain titles anywhere.

 

[manhn]

On the streaming service called Tubi. It’s free!

 

[Davy88gtbwxyc]

"The Lost City" starring Sandra Bullock and Chatum Tanning was mildly enjoyable. Cheesiness comes with the territory in these sorts of movies, but that's just par for the course, which ain't always a bad thing.

I've always romanticized the idea of being a novelist and was amused to see Sandra's character play that role within a unique comedic storyline of basically becoming a character from one of her own romance novels in a real-life setting.

The movie definitely has some laugh out loud moments, and it was kind of neat to see Daniel Radcliffe who we hopefully all know from the Harry Potter movies as a full-grown adult take on the role of a villainous character who will stop at nothing to achieve his goal.

 

[sk8pics]

There’s a new Tom Hanks movie out: A Man Called Otto. Seems to be about an apparently grumpy old man who‘s mourning the loss of his wife. Then a young family moves in across the street and he takes in a stray cat. I’m definitely going to see it!

 

[smurfy]

There’s a new Tom Hanks movie out: A Man Called Otto. Seems to be about an apparently grumpy old man who‘s mourning the loss of his wife. Then a young family moves in across the street and he takes in a stray cat. I’m definitely going to see it!

It is a remake of a Swedish movie called 'A Man Called Ove' which was excellent.

 

[manhn]

I am borrowing a bunch of dvds from the library and am kinda getting current with my movie watching. Dune? Boring! The Eyes of Tammy Faye? Not bad, slow start but very good ending. Jessica was fantastic. Respect? Boring!

Best movie of the bunch? Marry Me! J-Lo and Owen Wilson are adorable together, and the music is full of bops.

 

[sk8pics]

It is a remake of a Swedish movie called 'A Man Called Ove' which was excellent.

I think that was a book, too, wasn’t it? I had that impression from the trailer.

 

[MacMadame]

Best movie of the bunch? Marry Me! J-Lo and Owen Wilson are adorable together, and the music is full of bops.

That was a fun movie. Silly. But fun.

 

[Buzz]

This I didn’t see coming at all!

‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ Takes Down ‘Jurassic World’ as Seventh-Highest Grossing Film in History With $1.7 Billion

"Avatar: The Way of Water" is now the seventh-highest grossing film in history, passing "Jurassic World" in the global box office record books.

variety.com

 

[PeterG]

This I didn’t see coming at all!

‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ Takes Down ‘Jurassic World’ as Seventh-Highest Grossing Film in History With $1.7 Billion

"Avatar: The Way of Water" is now the seventh-highest grossing film in history, passing "Jurassic World" in the global box office record books.

variety.com

Why are you surprised that the sequel to the biggest movie of all time is doing well?

 

[Buzz]

Marvel Studios’ Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania | New Trailer

Witness the beginning of a new dynasty. Watch the brand-new trailer for Marvel Studios’ #AntManAndTheWasp: Quantumania and experience it in 3D February 17. ►...

www.youtube.com

 

[jenny12]

Saw Spielberg's The Fabelmans yesterday at the theatre. What a lovely film! Michelle Williams is brilliant in this. One aside - Paul Dano's appearance has always reminded me of the Christmas Story kid, and with his glasses in this film, it's even worse. I just cannot see it. Anyway, it's a really good movie. Wish more people were watching it.

Agreed. I really enjoyed it. I thought Gabriel LaBelle did a really great job at the center of the film and I loved the way the film portrayed his passion toward film making. Michelle Williams was great (even if I found the character a bit insufferable at times which I think was the point). Paul Dano was quietly moving as his father. Also, great supporting cast overall with an especially special appearance of a legend at the end of the film.

What can you say about Spielberg! Yes, he can be schmaltzy but the warmth and care that still goes into his filmmaking is just a joy.

 

[manhn]

I saw the latest iteration of Scream. I have not watched a horror movie in ages--the older I get, the more squeamish I become. The Scream movies were always my favourite of the genre, its humour and interaction made it more paltable for me. And I really enjoyed this most recent version. The newcomers are quite welcome, and the legacy characters still work.

 

[PeterG]

I recently watched Paris Follies (La Ritournelle) with Isabelle Huppert. I enjoyed her so much in last year's Mrs. Harris Goes To Paris that I added four of her movies to my To See list which are available through my library system. This was a good one, with much thanks to Huppert as expected. She plays a woman disenchanted with her life and her marriage. She travels into the city under the pretext of seeing a health specialist, but really she wants to "run into" a younger man she spoke with at a neighbour's party. He doesn't turn out to be what she had hoped for and instead spends a day (and night) with an older gentleman staying at the same hotel as her. But she doesn't know that her husband has also decided to go into the city.... Jean-Pierre Darroussin does a good job portraying her husband, I see that he is a Cesar award winner (France's Oscars) and five-time nominee. And the excessively handsome Pio Marmaï excels as the desireable young man who becomes less desireable the more you get to know him.

Trailer Of Paris Follies: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNDa1mhcjKY

 

[VGThuy]

I recently watched Paris Follies (La Ritournelle) with Isabelle Huppert. I enjoyed her so much in last year's Mrs. Harris Goes To Paris that I added four of her movies to me To See list which are available through my library system. This was a good one, with much thanks to Huppert as expected. She plays a woman disenchanted with her life and her marriage. She travels into the city under the pretext of seeing a health specialist, but really she wants to "run into" a younger man she spoke with at a neighbour's party. He doesn't turn out to be what she had hoped for and instead spends a day (and night) with an older gentleman staying at the same hotel as her. But she doesn't know that her husband has also decided to go into the city.... Jean-Pierre Darroussin does a good job portraying her husband, I see that he is a Cesar award winner (France's Oscars) and five-time nominee. And the excessively handsome Pio Marmaï excels as the desireable young man who becomes less desireable the more you get to know him.

Trailer Of Paris Follies: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNDa1mhcjKY

That sounds great! I’ll give it a watch.

 

[Cachoo]

I recently watched Paris Follies (La Ritournelle) with Isabelle Huppert. I enjoyed her so much in last year's Mrs. Harris Goes To Paris that I added four of her movies to my To See list which are available through my library system. This was a good one, with much thanks to Huppert as expected. She plays a woman disenchanted with her life and her marriage. She travels into the city under the pretext of seeing a health specialist, but really she wants to "run into" a younger man she spoke with at a neighbour's party. He doesn't turn out to be what she had hoped for and instead spends a day (and night) with an older gentleman staying at the same hotel as her. But she doesn't know that her husband has also decided to go into the city.... Jean-Pierre Darroussin does a good job portraying her husband, I see that he is a Cesar award winner (France's Oscars) and five-time nominee. And the excessively handsome Pio Marmaï excels as the desireable young man who becomes less desireable the more you get to know him.

Trailer Of Paris Follies: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNDa1mhcjKY

Is one of the films “Elle”—after I saw that I had two reactions: 1. Isabelle wuz robbed of the Oscar. 2. WTF was that? Very interesting and disturbing film…

 

[PeterG]

Is one of the films “Elle”—after I saw that I had two reactions: 1. Isabelle wuz robbed of the Oscar. 2. WTF was that? Very interesting and disturbing film…

No, but only because I've already seen that one. Elle is definitely a must-see movie!

 

[manhn]

Finished Promising Young Woman. It was interesting and well made, but there seemed to be so many plot holes that it ended up leaving me frustrated. I will just say it, I am tired of the All-Knowing-Revenge-Seeking-White-Woman movie, even though this one has a perhaps feminist (but not intersectional) angle. It is also weird that the ending heavily relies on the legal system working for the revenge plan to succeed, when the rest of the movie indicates that the system sucks. I watched it in its entirety (so way better than something like Mank) but meh.

 

[VGThuy]

Finished Promising Young Woman. It was interesting and well made, but there seemed to be so many plot holes that it ended up leaving me frustrated. I will just say it, I am tired of the All-Knowing-Revenge-Seeking-White-Woman movie, even though this one has a perhaps feminist (but not intersectional) angle. It is also weird that the ending heavily relies on the legal system working for the revenge plan to succeed, when the rest of the movie indicates that the system sucks. I watched it in its entirety (so way better than something like Mank) but meh.

I honestly thought it was an interesting concept with some good parts but is ultimately an example of a screenplay that needed a few more drafts and feedback from others. I also could tell it was made by a first time director. Promising with talent, but not yet there.

 

[MacMadame]

I was really sucked into the film but I don't know what to think about the ending. Like are we supposed to think Cassie won or that she lost or that it's ambiguous? I mean the fact that I can't tell means it was ambiguous but not in a good way because it's not clear it was supposed to be that way.

Even then I have questions, I do think it's a good film and has a lot of realism in how it showed people processing grief by engaging in destructive behavior and with recovery not being a straight path.

 

[PeterG]

How the 'Romeo and Juliet' lawsuit could force Hollywood to reckon with its history of child abuse

How the 'Romeo and Juliet' lawsuit could force Hollywood to reckon with its history of child abuse

From Judy Garland to Raven-Symoné, child stars have been sharing their stories of abuse in the entertainment industry for decades.

ca.yahoo.com

Wow. Lots of jaw-dropping information in this article.