What was the last film you watched?

DallasFanForever

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Preservation (2014)


In most circumstances I'd applaud a film that devoted much of its first act to creating atmosphere and spending time with the characters. Problem is, the characters are all so unlikeable there was nothing at all enjoyable about spending time with them. Each of the three leads is entirely self-obsessed, and the two brothers in particular are just nasty destructive idiots.

It's fairly effective. And the antagonists are nicely disturbing by virtue of the demographic they represent. It somehow seems a feasible scenario. But it's never as clever or as frightening as it's probably intended to be. And I wouldn't be in a rush to watch again.​
Ordinarily I’d go for something like this but I gotta say that preview did nothing for me, which is too bad cause I think it could’ve had potential.
 

Angela Channing

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Onward (2020)

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It's hard for me to overstate just how much I loved this film. I'm not a great fan of animated feature film but this is one of the best examples of the genre. A really strong story, well fleshed out characters and a satisfying ending. Parts of it were deeply moving and it even brought a tear to my eye which is something that even live action films often fail to do.
 

Mel O'Drama

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Ordinarily I’d go for something like this but I gotta say that preview did nothing for me, which is too bad cause I think it could’ve had potential.

Yes. It's a perfectly acceptable way to while away an hour and a half, but you're really not missing out by not watching.



I'm not a great fan of animated feature film but this is one of the best examples of the genre. A really strong story, well fleshed out characters and a satisfying ending. Parts of it were deeply moving and it even brought a tear to my eye which is something that even live action films often fail to do.

High praise indeed.

Pixar films have a way of speaking to the heart sometimes. The opening sequence of Up! is one of the most beautiful pieces of film and gets to me every time. Even thinking about it can make me tear up. I watched Coco on Christmas Day, and some of that was quite emotional as well.
 

Mel O'Drama

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The Stranger (1946)

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My first time with this one. It took me about a third of the film to settle into the slow pace and general quaintness, but from then on I found the film quite compelling. The references to Naziism and visuals of concentration camps took me aback a fair bit, as it would still have been very fresh and raw when this was made. A brave move, and it paid off.

As Franz Kindler, Orson Welles visually reminded me of - alternately - JR Ewing and Josh Henderson's John Ross. With Edgar Randolph's cheekbones, moustache and secret past.
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And it all takes place in a kind of Peyton Place, with a gorgeous New England town square set (and some good-looking young men that would give the Harringtons a run for their money).

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Mel O'Drama

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I was always intrigued with the greatness of Edward G. Robinson @Mel O'Drama. Such a terrific actor!! The guy could do anything. Drama, comedy, it didn’t matter.

He is great, and a proper character actor. I've probably seen him in more things than I realise (I think the last thing I watched in which he appeared was Double Indemnity) but it's easy to overlook because he's such a generous actor.

He always seems very familiar, which I suppose is a trait of the character actor. But apparently he's also the inspiration for a number of animated characters, such as Chief Wiggum from The Simpsons.
 

Mel O'Drama

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Dark Tide (2012)


My first time with this. I'd procrastinated around viewing it, partly because the reviews are terrible, but I'm glad I kept a healthy dose of scepticism about them.

It wasn't such a bad film in my opinion. Certainly not deserving of the battering it seems to have taken from critics and viewers. It seems it's often fashionable to criticise Halle Berry's acting or choices of vehicle. Sometimes that may be warranted, but neither is the case here. She's fine in the role and the film itself

It's far from your typical "shark film", which perhaps explains why some were disappointed. If you're expecting fast-paced glossy thrills with a shark attack every seven minutes you'll be disappointed. The shark sequences use real Great Whites as far as I can tell and are documentary-like. The sharks aren't mindless beasts that attack left, right and centre. They're not even particularly interested in the people and their boat until they're attracted. It just happens that some people insist on behaving in ways that invite an attack.

I liked that the film credits ended with a few facts about sharks, with a proper perspective about the low threat level to humans, the huge threat to sharks from man and the shark's crucial role in maintaining healthy oceans.​
 

Mel O'Drama

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Desolation (2017)


Fairly well acted. Some nice scenery. A promising premise. But it wasn't as suspenseful, creepy or scary as it promised. And the backstory with the death of the husband/father did little other than highlight how thin the present time plot was.

In a nutshell, it's The Blair Witch Project with more likeable protagonists and a sillier, less threatening baddie.

But it was a reasonable way to pass an hour or so.​
 

Angela Channing

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Joan of Arc (1948)

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More cheese in this film that a high street delicatessen. A film of it's time but once you look past that it still has a lot going for it. Visually, it's stunning and the performances are great and it's an interesting story of self sacrifice and devotion to faith. Also noticeable for a surprise appearance of a young Alan Napier who also played Alfred in the 1960s TV series.
 

Angela Channing

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My Beautiful Laundrette (1985)

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From the second when the titles first appear on the screen this film appears dated and low budget but don't be put off by that as it's a good story told in an engaging way that at times is funny and always is intelligent. It successfully captures the vibe of 1980s Britain, covering the racial tensions, views on homosexuality and generational and class differences that existed at the times and many ways still exist today.
 
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Grant Jennings

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The Fortune Cookie (1966)
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Jack Lemmon is a television cameraman who is knocked to the ground by a quarterback during a telecast of a Cleveland Browns football game. Walter Matthau is Lemmon's brother in law, an ambulance chaser who wants to milk the situation for all it's worth. It's the first time Lemmon and Matthau worked together and It's obvious why they were paired several more times, they play off each other very well. I found it interesting that the other two main roles (the quarterback and Lemmon's wife) were played by actors I didn't recognize yet almost every other role is played by actors whose names may not be recognizable but whose faces are very familiar. The movie is funny but also has poignant moments - especially the final scene. I highly recommend it.​
 

Angela Channing

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Blithe Spirit (1945)

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When I recently watched the 2020 film version of Blithe Spirit I didn't realise that an earlier version of the film existed until @Mel O'Drama mentioned it. As I didn't really like the new version I was curious to see if the original cinematic adaptation of the play was any better. Thankfully it was. Seeing Rex Harrison and Margaret Rutherford in 2 of the main roles it's easy to see how Dan Stevens and Judi Dench were so badly miscast in the remake. In the original film, the actors seem so at ease with the story it could have been written for them. Considering this version was made three quarters of a century earlier, I found the way the presented Elvira as a ghost was more convincing. The film is not a classic, and I doubt I would watch it a second time, but if you want to see a film of this play, the 1945 version is by far the better one to watch.
 

Mel O'Drama

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My Beautiful Laundrette (1985)

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From the second when the titles first appear on the screen this film appears dated and low budget but don't be put off by that as it's a good story told in an engaging way that is at times is funny and always intelligent. It successfully captures the vibe of 1980's Britain, covering the racial tensions, views on homosexuality, generational and class differences that existed at the times and many ways still exist today.

This has been on my viewing bucket list for some time. It looks like a fascinating film for all the reasons you mention.




When I recently watched the 2020 film version of Blithe Spirit I didn't realise that an earlier version of the film existed until @Mel O'Drama mentioned it. As I didn't really like the new version I was curious to see if the original cinematic adaptation of the play was any better. Thankfully it was.

Oh whew. I'm glad you liked it.
 
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