Spoilers What Movie Are You Watching?

[Huntn]

​

Wounds my heart with a monotonous languor, The Longest Day (1962)- 90% RTAS. released 18 years after the Normandy landings, a great movie filled with an International All Star cast. An opportunity to see a portrayal of this historic event that feels real without the gore. For gore, see Saving Private Ryan, also an excellent movie with a Normandy Landing sequence.

One of the biggest liberties taken by the movie makers was the portrayal elaborate miniature dummies that exploded with firecrackers on contact with the ground to fool the Germans into thinking paratroopers were landing where they were’nt. This exaggeration was not needed, although miniature crude doll forms were dropped, they did not make noise upon landing.

Last year we had the honor of visiting the sites of these landings, Saint Mere Eglise, Pegasus Bridge, the Beaches, and the American Cemetery.

​

 

[ucfgrad93]

Gladiator (2000)- 87% RTAS. I walked out of this movie at the theater and said Best Picture! One of my good guesses. Russel Crowe in his prime, his best performance in a movie. Oliver Reed is outstanding too.

View attachment 917808
Are you not entertained!?​

Excellent movie, one of my favorites.

 

[JayMysterio]

Loved this movie!

 

[Huntn]

​

The Great Escape (1963)- 95% RTAS. WWII drama, thriller with an all star cast, appropriate for Memorial Day viewing.

Although I was born soon after WWII, my parents experienced it, and I‘ve realized that as we move away from it with later generations it will be viewed as more of a historical event, without the personal connections.

Special feature from the DVD.​

 

[D.T.]

Loved this movie!

re: Miyazaki, did you see HBOMAX is going to have all the Studio Ghibli titles?

 

[Huntn]

The Dirty Dozen (1967)- 90% RTAS. Decent fictional WWII story inspired by a real-life WWII unit of behind-the-lines demolition specialists from the 101st Airborne Division named the "Filthy Thirteen" (I assume with a lot of liberties). I like the cast with John Cassavetes getting special mention. Archer Maggot (Telly Savalas) is the most disturbing character in this story.

Filmed around the UK (link) the French Chateau where the climax takes place was a giant set, 240 feet across and 50 feet high, built on the old MGM Borehamwood backlot. I loved the Mad Magazine Parody of this movie.

​

 

[Huntn]

Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)- Have you ever noticed some actors are so in love with their own voice, that should be enough? George Clooney and his monotone delivery, just like every one of his movies. Looks like claymation. My guess is some of you love this movie, so I’ll stop here.

 

[JayMysterio]

re: Miyazaki, did you see HBOMAX is going to have all the Studio Ghibli titles?

I was watching it today on Netflix while I was doing some rewrites.

 

[D.T.]

I was watching it today on Netflix while I was doing some rewrites.

Yeah, I have it in my queue Ugh, which is HUGE ...

 

[pachyderm]

Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)- Have you ever noticed some actors are so in love with their own voice, that should be enough? George Clooney and his monotone delivery, just like every one of his movies. Looks like claymation. My guess is some of you love this movie, so I’ll stop here.

Yeah, I love it.

 

[44267547]

Huntn, Genuinely and well naturally curious, A lot of times, you post two, if not three movies a day on this specific thread, do you really watch three movies a day on average? I kind of doubt that, or, Maybe you have that much time on your hands being you’re retired. Definitely nothing wrong with your choice, as I’m a movie buff myself, wish I just had more time.

However, If my stats are correct, [which I detest math😁], you’d be averaging between Anywhere from 4-6-ish hours a day/32-40 hours a week worth of movies. That some serious binging time.😁

 

[akash.nu]

Huntn, Genuinely and well naturally curious, A lot of times, you post two, if not three movies a day on this specific thread, do you really watch three movies a day on average? I kind of doubt that, or, Maybe you have that much time on your hands being you’re retired. Definitely nothing wrong with your choice, as I’m a movie buff myself, wish I just had more time.

However, If my stats are correct, [which I detest math], you’d be averaging between Anywhere from 4-6-ish hours a day/32-40 hours a week worth of movies. That some serious binging time.

Ha ha ha. My movie times are always just Friday evening on average and possibly one over the weekend.

 

[pachyderm]

View attachment 918621​

The Great Escape (1963)- 95% RTAS. WWII drama, thriller with an all star cast, appropriate for Memorial Day viewing.

Although I was born soon after WWII, my parents experienced it, and I‘ve realized that as we move away from it with later generations it will be viewed as more of a historical event, without the personal connections.

Special feature from the DVD.​

You've sent me down a rabbit hole of youtube videos on this!

 

[Huntn]

Huntn, Genuinely and well naturally curious, A lot of times, you post two, if not three movies a day on this specific thread, do you really watch three movies a day on average? I kind of doubt that, or, Maybe you have that much time on your hands being you’re retired. Definitely nothing wrong with your choice, as I’m a movie buff myself, wish I just had more time.

However, If my stats are correct, [which I detest math😁], you’d be averaging between Anywhere from 4-6-ish hours a day/32-40 hours a week worth of movies. That some serious binging time.😁

Usually I post a movie when I watch it or sometimes when I’m sitting by the TV and the movie is on (wife watching it). Now yesterday was the exception, where I posted 3 movies, but only really watched the first 2, the third one, I bailed on after 15minutes. 2 is above average and usually one movie is my limit per day.

 

[Huntn]

You've sent me down a rabbit hole of youtube videos on this!

The Great Escape- What is interesting besides escaping, is how did they come up with enough wood to brace the tunnels (Bed slats among other things) and find enough places to distribute that much dirt being removed from the tunnel.

If I have a critique about this movie, it is something I never questioned before, was the insertion of American actors as US soldiers into this story, if in reality there were none involved. If accurate, my guess is that the soldiers who were actually involved might have been bothered by the decision, unless the Americans were supposed to be Canadian.

List of Allied airmen from the Great Escape - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[LizKat]

The Great Escape- ... If I have a critique about this movie, it is something I never questioned before, was the insertion of American actors as US soldiers into this story, if in reality there were none involved. If accurate, my guess is that the soldiers who were actually involved might have been bothered by the decision, unless the Americans were supposed to be Canadian.

List of Allied airmen from the Great Escape - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Different time in Hollywood, to be sure. And setting that aside, just looking at the roster of actors, who could be assured of getting all in that particular ensemble even to agree to work with each other in real life as actors today?

 

[Huntn]

Back To The Future (1985)- 94% RTAS. An outstanding time travel story, Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd are excellent. Unlike many time travel movies, this one is easy to swallow. The big monkey wrench would be if both of his parents recognized him from 1955! 😝

 

[D.T.]

Back To The Future (1985)- An outstanding time travel story, Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd are excellent. Unlike many time travel movies, this one is not hard to swallow.

View attachment 919013​

... and like so many excellent film posters shared here, this one is also the brilliant Drew Struzan.

 

[S.B.G]

Oh the candy man can...

Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971)

 

[Mefisto]

Watched a couple of movies last night, one oldie but goodie and one I hadn't seen before.

Andrew Davis: The Fugitive (1993)

Have seen this many times before, but it's been a while and found this on Netflix so why not. Still good. A very entertaining story about a vascular surgeon sentenced to death for killing his wife who manages to escape during a prisoner transport to run around Chicago and clear his name, and the U.S. Marshal who's tasked with bringing him back to justice.

It's cool how the film plays with the flashbacks to the night Mrs. Kimble was killed. It takes a while for the one-armed man to make an appearance, and until he does the film keeps (or at least kept when it was released almost 30 years ago) the viewer guessing about Dr. Kimble's guilt and involvement in his wife's demise. Good stuff. I read somewhere that Arnold Schwarzenegger was considered for the role of Richard Kimble. Not sure about that one, to be honest, Ford did a great job. As did Jones (Lee Jones..?) as the relentless Samuel Gerard tracking him.

Atom Egoyan: The Captive (2014)

This one I hadn't seen before. The previous film by Egoyan called Devil's Knot was based on a book by the same name about the West Memphis Three and the murders in general, and it wasn't too bad so I thought I'd give The Captive a shot. The cast was interesting, and again, Netflix, so why not. The story revolves around a kindnapped little girl. Eight years after the abduction the parents receive some clues that point to her possible being alive.

This was a strange movie. The cast delivered good work, but the whole atmosphere was somehow off. And I'd say that was a good thing, as it kind of made the film with it's already depressing subject matter even heavier. Really disjointed stuff at times. The subject matter being what it is and thinking about some of the characters in the film still makes my blood boil, but I guess that means the film did something right. Not even close to the league of Denis Villeneuves brilliantly infuriating Prisoners (2013), but still not an entirely bad way to spend ~100 minutes.

 

[LizKat]

Next up for me:

SCORE: A Film Music Documentary (2017)​

Hoping this one's better than the trailer, which seemed to be trying to let too many say too much too soon, or something. From reviews the film sounds like it may be similarly hit and miss, but I'll enjoy hearing what a few of the soundtrack composers I've come to admire have to say.

But while watching the trailer I was put in mind of a few movies (not the ones referenced there) in which I had found the soundtrack occasionally intrusive or just ill considered in some scenes. Maybe I'll learn something from this docu about how THAT happens too. I bet there have been some interesting battles over who gets to work a film's magic via the soundtrack and who gets the final word on what rolls out.

 

[D.T.]

The Fugitive (1993)

So good, really holds up - er, with the exception of some sketchy train F/X Schwarzenegger would've been so painfully wrong, Ford got the everyman, but "the smartest guy at the table" just right. Andreas Katsulas (the one armed man), did a lot of "genre" TV, but famously (from my perspective!) was G'Kar in Babylon 5!



Richard Kimble: "I didn't kill my wife!"

Gerard: "I dont care!"

 

[S.B.G]

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)

 

[44267547]

The most transformative actor in the last 20 years is Johnny Depp. From a pirate in P.O.C, playing a mobster in both ‘Public enemies’, and playing Whitey Bulger in ‘Black Mass’, Edward Scissorhands, A vampire, an Indian in the Lone Ranger, ect. He’s done it all. And I think the thing that makes him so unique, is how adaptive he is, all the way from a children’s role perspective to a more sinister character. I think that’s what makes his acting so dynamic.

I actually generally feel bad for him, being his career is on the ruin given his ‘personal drama‘ with another actress, (which I’m not interested in discussing due to PRSI.) What’s interesting about Johnny Depp, he actually doesn’t even watch his own performances on film once they’re actually ready for the final edit cut/public release. Which is interesting, because you think actors Would watch their films to see what they could’ve changed or approachEd differently, But being how he always seems to deliver, shows how natural of an acting he can meet on any level throughout his career.

 

[LizKat]

The most transformative actor in the last 20 years is Johnny Depp. From a pirate in P.O.C, playing a mobster in both ‘Public enemies’, and playing Whitey Bulger in ‘Black Mass’, Edward Scissorhands, A vampire, an Indian in the Lone Ranger, ect. He’s done it all. And I think the thing that makes him so unique, is how adaptive he is, all the way from a children’s role perspective to a more sinister character. I think that’s what makes his acting so dynamic.

I actually generally feel bad for him, being his career is on the ruin given his ‘personal drama‘ with another actress, (which I’m not interested in discussing due to PRSI.) What’s interesting about Johnny Depp, he actually doesn’t even watch his own performances on film once they’re actually ready for the final edit cut/public release. Which is interesting, because you think actors Would watch their films to see what they could’ve changed or approachEd differently, But being how he always seems to deliver, shows how natural of an acting he can meet on any level throughout his career.

It's interesting to think how directors and their casting directors look at a versatile actor. On the one hand it's tempting to reach for a typecast guy to play a particular role because

"You can just see him in that garden scene, am I right?"​

Yeah. But the other guy, the one who's played six characters so different they'd never even meet each other in real life, yet a guy who helped make those films great at the box office... well he's also very tempting to a director who wants to make that garden scene fresh and unforgettable, whether it's a murder or a seduction or the handoff of stolen documents in a spy thriller.

Probably how some wild fights over casting break out with producers getting involved as well. Lots of risk when an actor tries to break out of typecasting, but also when a versatile one gets asked to stretch one more time into yet some other persona.

Black Mass languishes on my queue, I should try to make time for that one.