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Recently viewed movie thread - Rental, Streaming, Theater etc (5 Viewers)

No secret I am a PTA fanboy, but I do think that he suffers from a little bit of Stephen King syndrome in that the endings of his movies sometimes leave me with a odd feeling and sometimes a bad taste in my mouth.  It has made my initial reactions on his movies less favorable than after repeat viewings.  There Will Blood was like that as was Magnolia and the frogs.  Even Boogie Nights does a bit of a 180 towards the end as we get a bit dark with the characters.   I still think he is one of the most talented directors walking around, and I am really interested in seeing this new collaboration with DDL that evidently made DDL retire from acting.  

 
jdoggydogg said:
You know, it's not essentially pretentious to put weird #### in your movies.

David Lynch's films are weird as heck, and he's the least pretentious director around.
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I find Lynch to be just about the most pretentious guy in film. Maybe I just don't get it? 

 
The Disaster Artist- A-. It helps to have seen The Room, but if not you get the just. Both Franco boys were really good. James Franco completely immerses himself into his role. Lots of  :lmao:  but some tough moments to watch.

Not giving anything away, but the side by side shots at the end were very eerie 

 
Mr. Mojo said:
After watching Moonrise Kingdom, Grand Budapest and Inherent Vice, I'll take a Wes film over a PT one anytime.
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Pretentious doesn't necessarily mean bad. I love Wes but his movies are very pretentious. Also the new PTA film is getting rave reviews. 

 
Ilov80s said:
Pretentious doesn't necessarily mean bad. I love Wes but his movies are very pretentious. Also the new PTA film is getting rave reviews. 
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Agreed. Again, don't remember much of Magnolia, but I do remember liking it AND thinking it was pretentious.

For me, pretentiousness in film is a director (or actor) trying too hard... With any of it. I appreciate that over the typical Hollywood cynical crap that that gets churned out without trying at all.

 
The reason I asked is because a lot of time I just see people equating something as being pretentious if it has an artsy feel and they didn't like it.  I guess I think of the term as having some sort of intent from the artist to be self important and they think they are creating the greatest thing ever.  I have listened to interviews (granted interviews could be different than them IRL or while working on the movie) with guys like Lynch and PTA and they seem pretty down to earth.  Dudes like Tarantino and Michael Bay come off as being more self important than some of the more "artsy" directors.  

It's been quite awhile since I've seen Magnolia, so I can't remember the ending and the context of the frogs (if there was any).  PTA does have a thing with religion and biblical references though.  As far as terrible, unlikeable characters, I think some of the most interesting movies feature people that are unlikeable and/or directors trying to get us to be on their sides.  

 
El Floppo said:
Agreed. Again, don't remember much of Magnolia, but I do remember liking it AND thinking it was pretentious.

For me, pretentiousness in film is a director (or actor) trying too hard... With any of it. I appreciate that over the typical Hollywood cynical crap that that gets churned out without trying at all.
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I get that, but I take that as being subjective unless we know the motivations of the director/actor.  I guess I assume that is just the way their minds work and how they are able to relay their ideas on screen.  Like JDogg said, weird <> pretentious.    I don't know, I like the conversation, I was just curious as to what is the threshold for people where something crosses into pretentious territory.  

 
I'm watching this movie Hardcore Henry, which is a first person shooter in the guise of a film.  Kind of disorienting, but it was a good experiment. Ultimately I can't recommend it, but it was done about as well as this kind of thing could have been done.  The horse thing, serious LOL there.  

 
Just watched:

The Dressmaker

I liked this one about Winslet returning to her small odd Aussie town. Lots of humor and interesting characters though it turns dark in the last third.

The Beguiled

Sofia Coppola bombs again. Very slow and then goes nuts too quickly. It was as if the Director and Editor couldn't agree on anything. What a waste of the actors.

 
Statorama said:
I'm watching this movie Hardcore Henry, which is a first person shooter in the guise of a film.  Kind of disorienting, but it was a good experiment. Ultimately I can't recommend it, but it was done about as well as this kind of thing could have been done.  The horse thing, serious LOL there.  
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I thought it was interesting for what it was. Obviously not going to be a masterpiece, but it was ok. 

 
GilbertGrape said:
Statorama said:
I'm watching this movie Hardcore Henry, which is a first person shooter in the guise of a film.  Kind of disorienting, but it was a good experiment. Ultimately I can't recommend it, but it was done about as well as this kind of thing could have been done.  The horse thing, serious LOL there.  
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I thought it was interesting for what it was. Obviously not going to be a masterpiece, but it was ok. 
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Agree with you both. Not something to buy, or probably see again. But an enjoyable watch. :thumbup:

 
Ilov80s said:
I find Lynch to be just about the most pretentious guy in film. Maybe I just don't get it? 
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Pretentious means "attempting to impress by affecting greater importance, talent, culture, etc., than is actually possessed." As a person, Lynch seems down to Earth. So I don't see him "attempting to impress" anyone. His movies are weird because that's what he finds interesting. By calling him pretentious, you're assuming traits that I don't concede Lynch has. I know that people have this picture in their heads where a director throws in a bunch of scenes that are meant to impress the viewer into thinking of the director as highly intelligent. But I can assure you that's not as common as you believe. 

 
badmojo1006 said:
Nope, Wes Anderson by a long shot
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If you've heard Anderson interviewed, he's just a quirky, obsessed dude that stocks his movies with odd characters and highly curated set design because that's what pleases Wes. I think people are mixing "pretentious" with "weird" - and weird is interesting to me.

 
My first criteria for 'pretentious' is someone thinking theyre better than they are. More often than not, i've not appreciated where either Anderson or Lynch has taken me (a fairly linear guy), but i've accepted each their invitations more than once, something the pretentious cannot achieve

 
wikkidpissah said:
My first criteria for 'pretentious' is someone thinking theyre better than they are. More often than not, i've not appreciated where either Anderson or Lynch has taken me (a fairly linear guy), but i've accepted each their invitations more than once, something the pretentious cannot achieve
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To me, Anderson and Lynch are kooky dudes that have a lot of bizarre images in their heads that they obsess about and want to put in a movie. I don't think that's remotely pretentious. Pretentious is the pedantic college student at a party going on and on about Proust.

Pretentious is this guy

 
jdoggydogg said:
To me, Anderson and Lynch are kooky dudes that have a lot of bizarre images in their heads that they obsess about and want to put in a movie. I don't think that's remotely pretentious. Pretentious is the pedantic college student at a party going on and on about Proust.

Pretentious is this guy
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Actually, i was going to give post-AnnieHall Woody Allen as an example of pretentious, but i have an ambivalence toward his pseudo-intellectualism and felt citing such a culturally relevant figure in my life would be jejeune

 
badmojo1006 said:
Lady Bird A- Excellent acting, great story of a mother and daughter trying to make it through her senior year of high school.
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I just got back from this.  Was planning to go see Star Wars at another theatre right afterwards, but I just can't.  This Lady Bird film was so good and resonated with me on so many different levels I just need to eat a burrito and reflect, not trip out on some CGI space ####.  I'm so glad I got this MoviePass subscription which is allowing me to see some of these more indy films I'd only really watch at home.  Something about being in an audience looking at the big screen that helps you dissociate more and get sucked into the emotion of a good performance and story. 

 
To Have and Have Not - 8/10

Sure the plot is a rehash of Casablanca but THAHN has its own snappy dialog.

And how the heck was Bacall only 19 when they filmed this? She's on fire.

 
Mr. Mojo said:
Just watched:

The Dressmaker

I liked this one about Winslet returning to her small odd Aussie town. Lots of humor and interesting characters though it turns dark in the last third.

The Beguiled

Sofia Coppola bombs again. Very slow and then goes nuts too quickly. It was as if the Director and Editor couldn't agree on anything. What a waste of the actors.
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The original Beguiled is pretty weak, but at least original.  Why did they remake this?  Waiting for A Boy and His Dog remake next.

 
jdoggydogg said:
To me, Anderson and Lynch are kooky dudes that have a lot of bizarre images in their heads that they obsess about and want to put in a movie. I don't think that's remotely pretentious. Pretentious is the pedantic college student at a party going on and on about Proust.

Pretentious is this guy
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Or ponytail dude from Good Will Hunting?

This is what I have problems deciphering and it's a difficult one to put your finger on -  I am sure most are just talented people and that is how their mind works, but I bet there are some out there that are just pretending.   Directors like Malick and Kubrick are also put in there, but their movie style also makes sense with Malick's philosophy background and his obsession with man's place in nature and  Kubrick coming from photography and obsessing about every frame in this movies needing to be perfect.  

I guess I just find it hard to believe that too many directors would put #### in their million dollar movies just to look cool or seem important.  It's been awhile, but that's why I asked about the frogs in Magnolia and couldn't remember if there was any sort of context to that.  I guess I can't really think of many movies or directors that I would consider being pretentious.  Using Wikkid's definition of thinking you are better than you are would open it up for people to think an overrated (in their mind) director's stuff would be pretentious.  If you think his stuff sucks and is just artsy crap, I imagine Malick's walks through the grass with the camera or PTA's frog rain would qualify.  

 
KarmaPolice said:
Or ponytail dude from Good Will Hunting?

This is what I have problems deciphering and it's a difficult one to put your finger on -  I am sure most are just talented people and that is how their mind works, but I bet there are some out there that are just pretending.   Directors like Malick and Kubrick are also put in there, but their movie style also makes sense with Malick's philosophy background and his obsession with man's place in nature and  Kubrick coming from photography and obsessing about every frame in this movies needing to be perfect.  

I guess I just find it hard to believe that too many directors would put #### in their million dollar movies just to look cool or seem important.  It's been awhile, but that's why I asked about the frogs in Magnolia and couldn't remember if there was any sort of context to that.  I guess I can't really think of many movies or directors that I would consider being pretentious.  Using Wikkid's definition of thinking you are better than you are would open it up for people to think an overrated (in their mind) director's stuff would be pretentious.  If you think his stuff sucks and is just artsy crap, I imagine Malick's walks through the grass with the camera or PTA's frog rain would qualify.  
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I've listened to a couple of PT Anderson's voiceovers on his films, including Boogie Nights. Guy doesn't seem to be pretentious at all. I'm guessing that Anderson read about the frog rain - which really happened - and thought it'd be an interesting metaphor for his movie.

 
jdoggydogg said:
I've listened to a couple of PT Anderson's voiceovers on his films, including Boogie Nights. Guy doesn't seem to be pretentious at all. I'm guessing that Anderson read about the frog rain - which really happened - and thought it'd be an interesting metaphor for his movie.
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Seemed pretty cool on his WTF interview too.  Speaking of, I am about to start the new WTF with Aronofsky.  

 
Andy Dufresne said:
To Have and Have Not - 8/10

Sure the plot is a rehash of Casablanca but THAHN has its own snappy dialog.

And how the heck was Bacall only 19 when they filmed this? She's on fire.
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Yeah it's pretty clear they were going for Casablanca 2 and tossed in the Hemingway name for some buzz. They really did a number on the plot too. If you want to see an equally as good (and much more faithful) adaptation, check out The Breaking Point with John Garfield and directed by Casablanca director Michael  Curtiz.

 
Ilov80s said:
Yeah it's pretty clear they were going for Casablanca 2 and tossed in the Hemingway name for some buzz. They really did a number on the plot too. If you want to see an equally as good (and much more faithful) adaptation, check out The Breaking Point with John Garfield and directed by Casablanca director Michael  Curtiz.
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Crazy that the story was written by Hemmingway but the screenplay was done by Faulkner.

 
Ilov80s said:
Hemingway, Faulkner, Hawks, Bogey and Bacall. It's quite a collection of American talent. 
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but all the art & skill pales in comparison to watching the burgeoning attraction between the two leads turn to love. as immense cinematically as Kubrick's monolith, de Mille's Red Sea, Lucas's cruiser, Cuaron's 3D space

 
wikkidpissah said:
but all the art & skill pales in comparison to watching the burgeoning attraction between the two leads turn to love. as immense cinematically as Kubrick's monolith, de Mille's Red Sea, Lucas's cruiser, Cuaron's 3D space
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Howard Hawks was the force behind everything, even Bogey and Bacall. It was Hemingway's worst book and Hawks knew it, but he made a bet with Ernest that he could turn it into a good movie. Who does he hire to help him write it? His other literary drinking buddy William Faulkner (and a guy names Jules Furthman who was first class) to help him write the script. They scrap like 80% of the book and turn it into an alternate universe Casablanca. As for the great romance with Bacall, it was Hawks that discovered her, renamed her, dressed her, changed her voice and when he saw how good she was, had the script rewritten day to day to add more scenes with her. 

 
KarmaPolice said:
Seemed pretty cool on his WTF interview too.  Speaking of, I am about to start the new WTF with Aronofsky.  
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Nice. Didn't know about the Arronofsky interview, but I'm eager to listen. My favorite quote from a director on the WTF podcast was Todd Solondz being unable to understand why his movies aren't big hits.

 
Kingsman,  The Golden Circle. 

Granted the entire plot of this movie was 100% stupid.  But I love this franchise.  I can just laugh for two hours.  Kingsman,  Statesmen..... can't wait until they go to Asia.......

 
Saw Atomic Blonde and it was surprisingly bad.

I think Theron is usually very good, but even she looked bored with the whole thing.

The action got silly before long and the plot had so many twists, by the end I was just thinking "Oh, OK, yeah, right".

 
Wind River

I didn't walk away from seeing this thinking it was some sort of genius film making, but it was very entertaining, well written, well acted.  It got my attention early and held it until the very end.  I think Jeremy Renner is hit or miss but his performance in this was a home run! The best I've ever seen of him.  Graham Greene is always fun to watch, his role wasn't enormous but I thought he earned Supporting Actor Oscar consideration.  I don't know the girl that plays the FBI investigator, but she was good and I liked the character. 

Excellent story telling. 

 
On The Rocks said:
Wind River

I didn't walk away from seeing this thinking it was some sort of genius film making, but it was very entertaining, well written, well acted.  It got my attention early and held it until the very end.  I think Jeremy Renner is hit or miss but his performance in this was a home run! The best I've ever seen of him.  Graham Greene is always fun to watch, his role wasn't enormous but I thought he earned Supporting Actor Oscar consideration.  I don't know the girl that plays the FBI investigator, but she was good and I liked the character. 

Excellent story telling. 
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You don't know Scarlet Witch?? ;)

I have liked her in a quite a few movies and first noticed her in Martha Marcy May Marlene.  Bad name, but one of the best movies that year it came out.   Did a few indie things, and seemed to jump to the bigger stuff quickly with the Godzilla remake, Marvel movies, and that horrible Spike Lee version of Old Boy.  

 
KarmaPolice said:
You don't know Scarlet Witch?? ;)

I have liked her in a quite a few movies and first noticed her in Martha Marcy May Marlene.  Bad name, but one of the best movies that year it came out.   Did a few indie things, and seemed to jump to the bigger stuff quickly with the Godzilla remake, Marvel movies, and that horrible Spike Lee version of Old Boy.  
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She did look familiar to me, and I knew I had seen her in a few things, but I didn't know her without looking her up.  I typically don't like seeing young actresses play mature roles like the one in Wind River, but her age showing a lack of experience fit the character perfectly. 

 
KarmaPolice said:
You don't know Scarlet Witch?? ;)

I have liked her in a quite a few movies and first noticed her in Martha Marcy May Marlene.  Bad name, but one of the best movies that year it came out.   Did a few indie things, and seemed to jump to the bigger stuff quickly with the Godzilla remake, Marvel movies, and that horrible Spike Lee version of Old Boy.  
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Interesting role in Silent House too.

 
wikkidpissah said:
One of the truly great silent pictures, Sunrise, is on TCM @ midnight EST
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Nice catch, I have it on the DVR. It's one that has long escaped me. 

Other TCM movies this week:

If you like old school musicals, Thursday night there is a nice trio: 42nd Street, Yankee Doodle Dandy and Swing Time. If you aren't really a music person, I still suggest Yankee Doodle Dandy. Cagney is just so much fun. 

If you are in the Christmas spirit, Friday has Meet Me in St Louis and Christmas in Connecticuit. I think both are on again Sunday as they go full tilt holiday mode. 

 
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