Last Movie You Watched

[3DOP]

I was surprised at how much I liked Captain America. I get action overload with most of the superhero movies, and this one was not lacking for it. But it also had a story I could follow, suspense, and an admirable hero.

 

Looking around the theatre, it doesn't seem like they make any movies without monsters, aliens, or supermen of one kind or other. The Winter Soldier was a good movie without the action. What it looks like is that the market apparently just wants non-stop action because I can hardly believe that the rest of those monsters and aliens on earth or in space offer much more than a bunch of computer generated action that doesn't require any thought. I am ready to wait a year or two for my next action movie.

[Tacenda]

I was surprised at how much I liked Captain America. I get action overload with most of the superhero movies, and this one was not lacking for it. But it also had a story I could follow, suspense, and an admirable hero.

Looking around the theatre, it doesn't seem like they make any movies without monsters, aliens, or supermen of one kind or other. The Winter Soldier was a good movie without the action. What it looks like is that the market apparently just wants non-stop action because I can hardly believe that the rest of those monsters and aliens on earth or in space offer much more than a bunch of computer generated action that doesn't require any thought. I am ready to wait a year or two for my next action movie.

After this review, I'm going!! Last night I saw the new X-Men movie, I've only ever watched bits and pieces of the older ones. It was pretty darn good, even without knowing the story line leading up to the finale of the sequels! I much prefer a good story over "action only movies".

[Garden Girl]

I was surprised at how much I liked Captain America. I get action overload with most of the superhero movies, and this one was not lacking for it. But it also had a story I could follow, suspense, and an admirable hero.

 

Looking around the theatre, it doesn't seem like they make any movies without monsters, aliens, or supermen of one kind or other. The Winter Soldier was a good movie without the action. What it looks like is that the market apparently just wants non-stop action because I can hardly believe that the rest of those monsters and aliens on earth or in space offer much more than a bunch of computer generated action that doesn't require any thought. I am ready to wait a year or two for my next action movie.

 

I think this is a product of all the virtual games that have become a part of everyday life...continuous action... so to sit and watch a movie with talking that you actually have to listen to ... gasp... and story line that you have to think about to follow (without crashing cars, transformers, superheros, etc etc), it doesn't hold attention... because today's attention span among younger people has shrunk to the point that if there isn't the visual stimulation they just can't seem to become engaged... This is not to say that some of the action films and/or games are not quite entertaining, because they are... we've become so used to the action and special effects, to switch from the action and sound effects to simply listening to a plot unfold in conversation or sit and read a book can be pretty difficult. 

Too bad... my summers as a girl growing up were filled with trips downtown on my bicycle to the library, and rushing home with my basket filled with books like Nancy Drew, Zane Gray westerns like Riders of the Purple Sage, dog stories like Lassie Come Home, mysteries, adventure... and my imagination filled with images of my own construct as I read and thrilled to the tales contained in every page I turned...  

The same for the images that filled my mind while listening to my favorite radio programs... Sky King, Sgt Preston of the Yukon, the Shadow. Mystery Theatre...

 

GG

[3DOP]

I think this is a product of all the virtual games that have become a part of everyday life...continuous action... so to sit and watch a movie with talking that you actually have to listen to ... gasp... and story line that you have to think about to follow (without crashing cars, transformers, superheros, etc etc), it doesn't hold attention... because today's attention span among younger people has shrunk to the point that if there isn't the visual stimulation they just can't seem to become engaged... This is not to say that some of the action films and/or games are not quite entertaining, because they are... we've become so used to the action and special effects, to switch from the action and sound effects to simply listening to a plot unfold in conversation or sit and read a book can be pretty difficult. 

Too bad... my summers as a girl growing up were filled with trips downtown on my bicycle to the library, and rushing home with my basket filled with books like Nancy Drew, Zane Gray westerns like Riders of the Purple Sage, dog stories like Lassie Come Home, mysteries, adventure... and my imagination filled with images of my own construct as I read and thrilled to the tales contained in every page I turned...  

The same for the images that filled my mind while listening to my favorite radio programs... Sky King, Sgt Preston of the Yukon, the Shadow. Mystery Theatre...

 

GG

 

I was visiting my nephews out of town and they wanted to go. I was not disappointed at all. Jimmy and I figured out pretty early the identity of the Winter Soldier. There was stuff to figure out, and it was even a little poignant if you put yourself in a mood of credibility. It was good in the moral sense of the word. I don't want to just pan the rest of the genre. But you're right. My nephews love that fast eye stuff in video games too. Anyway, we had a good talk about what made this movie a little better than just a bunch of optic nerve stimulus. We give it thumbs up.

Edited May 25, 2014 by 3DOP

[thesometimesaint]

Just watched The Lone Ranger. I was disappointed. It should have been played for camp. But came across as unable to make up its mind whether to be serious or just a romp in the surreal of impossible stunts. Way too much violence in that it came off as almost cartoonish. Ultimately it just became a boring self parody. I normally enjoy Johnny Depp. This was not one of his better works.

[altersteve]

Just watched The Avengers again. I cherish this film. Not just because it's a great movie (which it is) but because I can tell it's going to hold a special place in my heart many years from now. It came out during a good time in my life and reminds me of a lot of those good memories.

Edited May 25, 2014 by altersteve

[Deborah]

I just watched "The Impossible." Talk about being in the wrong place at the wrong time. But such and uplifting story and truly miraculous. It sounds like the evens followed closely the true life events even though names and places were changed.

[Guest]

I just watched "The Impossible." Talk about being in the wrong place at the wrong time. But such and uplifting story and truly miraculous. It sounds like the evens followed closely the true life events even though names and places were changed.

That was a good movie.

[Garden Girl]

I rented two movies to watch yesterday...

 

1) Three Days to Kill... (PG-13) starring Kevin Costner... very entertaining.  He plays a CIA agent who finds out he has terminal cancer, and who is trying to get out of the business and make connection with his daughter again, now a teenager, before it's too late.  But he gets drawn back into one last job of tracking down a bad guy, etc.  It's actually a good story, filled with action, suspense, love, even humor... 

 

2) Hunger Games, Catching Fire... While pretty good, it was like watching the first Hunger Games, which is the trouble with sequels of this type where the plot is the same just with new characters.  I fell asleep during a portion of it and when I woke up didn't feel like I'd missed much... this is not to say it isn't filled with action, good special effects, etc.  I think my problem is I somehow missed the reason for the games in the first version... saving humanity?  Anyway, it's good... but not really good... IMO...

 

from the beach at 6:30 a.m. where Bob (cat) is driving me crazy because he wants to be fed, and I can't feed him because I have to have him at the vet's by 8:00 a.m.where is's going to have most of his teeth removed, which hopefully will solve or at least help a chronic problem of gingivitus.  This is common in cats where their immune system doesn't overcome bacteria in the mouth from food and the gums become red and sore.  so wish my Bobby well... and that I make it through this... 

 

GG

 

[seriously honestly]

I watched Hellboy again, but I don't know if that really counts; it's one of those movies that I "watch" while I'm doing dishes, or chasing the baby around, or vacuuming.  I've sat down and watched it before, but there must be something I'm missing--one minute there's a funeral, the next they're all in Russia, and I'm not sure why or how that happened...

[Calm]

It is the funeral of his adopted father who is killed by the assassin who works for Rasputin (he was pretending to be dead to get inside and alone with Hellboy's father). They go to Russia because they find out that is where Rasputin's supposedly buried.

[Calm]

I rented two movies to watch yesterday...

2) Hunger Games, Catching Fire... While pretty good, it was like watching the first Hunger Games, which is the trouble with sequels of this type where the plot is the same just with new characters.  I fell asleep during a portion of it and when I woke up didn't feel like I'd missed much... this is not to say it isn't filled with action, good special effects, etc.  I think my problem is I somehow missed the reason for the games in the first version... saving humanity?  Anyway, it's good... but not really good... IMO...

 

Not having read the books or seen the movies..I don't get into gladiator themes...from what I've heard the purpose of the games is crowd control...pits the weaker countries against each other so they don't join together to overthrow the top dog who keeps them poor and weak plus is basic entertainment for a corrupt society. Kids compete in the game for personal wealth and fame...and iirc my daughter told me their country gained in having getting more food and other necessities so they became heros as well.

[seriously honestly]

I hate that my quote function isn't working on the is computer....

 

To answer Garden Girl, a movie that is well done should be able to explain reasonings/meanings of things from the books to the audience even if the audience hasn't read them. That being said, the first Hunger Games movie was just bla.  In the books, it's explained that the Games are the Capitols way of reminding the districts that they lost the war during the rebellion 70+ years ago (referred to as "the Dark Days") when they decided to fight against the governments over-control.  The Capitol won, as punishment for rising up against the Capitol, it was decided that the districts had to sacrifice two children (essentially for the Capitols entertainment) as a reminder of the loss that was suffered for what their ancestor had done.  It's basically the Capitol's way of remind the oppressed that they (the districts) are not in control.

 

It should also be noted that all the districts are kept in a relative state of poverty, and the district from which the winning contestant comes from receives a years worth of food.  In addition the family of the victor also is allowed to move into a special house that actually has electricity, running water, phones, etc.  All the other districts get to sit by with mixed emotions of envy and loss for another year.

[seriously honestly]

How did they find out that that is where Rasputin was buried?  And was that a semi-resurrected version of Rasputin that the girl and assassin brought back?

[Ron Beron]

How did they find out that that is where Rasputin was buried?  And was that a semi-resurrected version of Rasputin that the girl and assassin brought back?

They raised a long dead convict from the grave who agreed to show them Rasputin's grave.  I don't Rasputin ever died.

Edited May 28, 2014 by Ron Beron

[Garden Girl]

I just watched "The Monuments Men" starring Geo Clooney, Matt Damon, Bill Murray and John Goodman as part of a real team of soldiers toward the end of WWII, whose assignment was to find and rescue the thousands of pieces of artwork stolen from museums, etc., by the Nazis.  This is not a movie that has a lot of visual action and/or special efffects.  It is  breathtaking, however, in the immensity of the numbers and types of artwork taken and stored in caves in several countries, etc.  There was one scene where the Nazi soldiers set fire to a stash of painting masterpieces rather than have them found and rescued and returned to proper city and country.  I let out an audible gasp when they turned on the flamethrowers...  excellent, true, historical movie...

 

GG

Edited May 29, 2014 by Garden Girl

[bluebell]

I was just going to mention Monuments Men as well.

It is a very good story, touching in parts and also sometimed humorous. There isn't a lot of action and if you aren't into art history it does make it harder to really care about the mission these men are on and what the risked their lives for, but it's definitely a top quality movie.

[Garden Girl]

Okay... I'm ready to give up...

Yesterday I rented a movie to watch last night... "Lymelife"... starring Alec Baldwin (like him as an actor not as a person), Timothy Hutton, 2 Culkin boys, Jill Hennessy...  I saw it was "R" but when I read the little blurb I thought it would be all right... the DVD box was pictured and I read it too, as follows:

First... four stars...

"Lymelife sends off sparks" Peter Travers, film critic

"Wonderful... Lymelife keeps you hooked"  NY Times

"Tender... finely realized performances" Chicago Sun Times

"Laugh out loud funny... entertaining and moving" Los Angeles Times

"Violently funny" Daily Variety

"...Quite extraordinary" Hollywood.com

 

Now don't you think this sounds like a good movie... Well, I agree that the storyline was pretty good... a coming of age story of a 15 year old who is experiencing his first love, as his parents' marriage is breaking up... the family dynamics of both his family and that of his girlfriend.

 

BUT... I was appalled by the everyday language of all concerned... the profanity that the characters used, men, women, children... I kept waiting for this wonderful, tender, moving, violently funny movie to kick in... for the "laugh out loud" moments... what I got was a pretty good story, even touching yes, but peppered throughtout with pervasive profanity.  I kept thinking... is this the way real people talk?  On an everyday basis?  Is this what the "world" considers laugh out loud funny, even violently funny??  I didn't even crack a smile at any time... anyway, it was to me a waste that I should have turned off (I've done so on other movies) but I kept waiting for the movie to catch up with the hype... IMO it didn't... and if this is the way real people and families talk to each other, we're in bigger trouble than I ever imagined....

 

GG

Edited May 30, 2014 by Garden Girl

[Tacenda]

Okay... I'm ready to give up...

Yesterday I rented a movie to watch last night... "Lymelife"... starring Alec Baldwin (like him as an actor not as a person), Timothy Hutton, 2 Culkin boys, Jill Hennessy...  I saw it was "R" but when I read the little blurb I thought it would be all right... the DVD box was pictured and I read it too, as follows:

First... four stars...

"Lymelife sends off sparks" Peter Travers, film critic

"Wonderful... Lymelife keeps you hooked"  NY Times

"Tender... finely realized performances" Chicago Sun Times

"Laugh out loud funny... entertaining and moving" Los Angeles Times

"Violently funny" Daily Variety

"...Quite extraordinary" Hollywood.com

 

Now don't you think this sounds like a good movie... Well, I agree that the storyline was pretty good... a coming of age story of a 15 year old who is experiencing his first love, as his parents' marriage is breaking up... the family dynamics of both his family and that of his girlfriend.

 

BUT... I was appalled by the everyday language of all concerned... the profanity that the characters used, men, women, children... I kept waiting for this wonderful, tender, moving, violently funny movie to kick in... for the "laugh out loud" moments... what I got was a pretty good story, even touching yes, but peppered throughtout with pervasive profanity.  I kept thinking... is this the way real people talk?  On an everyday basis?  Is this what the "world" considers laugh out loud funny, even violently funny??  I didn't even crack a smile at any time... anyway, it was to me a waste that I should have turned off (I've done so on other movies) but I kept waiting for the movie to catch up with the hype... IMO it didn't... and if this is the way real people and families talk to each other, we're in bigger trouble than I ever imagined....

 

GG

I totally agree, it's a rare "R" that can invoke the spirit.  I rented "Monument's Men" after reading yours and Bluebell's thoughts.  But realized this morning I forgot to watch it, so that will happen today, hopefully.  I think the current generation and the movies offered them is scandalous, I hope their elders show them some good oldies.  If they're willing to watch.  We should all put a top 100 movies list to refer to on the board.  I will start with my top 10ish...movies that were favorites as a child will be at the beginning, I'm sure I'll forget many until someone mentions them. 

 

Black Beauty

Gone With The Wind

Funny Girl

Stella Dallas

Wuthering Heights

The Grapes of Wrath

A Star is Born (Barbara Streisand)

Rocky

Schindler's List

The Color Purple

Forrest Gump

The Pursuit of Happyness

King's Speech

Gran Torino

The Help  

Les Miserables

[Garden Girl]

I totally agree, it's a rare "R" that can invoke the spirit.  I rented "Monument's Men" after reading yours and Bluebell's thoughts.  But realized this morning I forgot to watch it, so that will happen today, hopefully.  I think the current generation and the movies offered them is scandalous, I hope their elders show them some good oldies.  If they're willing to watch.  We should all put a top 100 movies list to refer to on the board.  I will start with my top 10ish...movies that were favorites as a child will be at the beginning, I'm sure I'll forget many until someone mentions them. 

 

Black Beauty

Gone With The Wind

Funny Girl

Stella Dallas

Wuthering Heights

The Grapes of Wrath

A Star is Born (Barbara Streisand)

Rocky

Schindler's List

The Color Purple

Forrest Gump

The Pursuit of Happyness

King's Speech

Gran Torino

The Help  

Les Miserables

All of the above... plus some of my picks...

 

Dead Poet's Society

The Searchers

Guarding Tess

The Impossible

Breakfast at Tiffany's

Airport

Broken Trail

To Kill a Mockingbird

Ten North Frederick

Gentlemen's Agreement

Marjorie Morningstar

The Other Boleyn Girl

Elizabeth, and Elizabeth: The Golden Years

The Apartment

Rosemary's Baby

Fried Green Tomatoes

Father of the Bride (I and II)

Jeanne Eagles

The Missing

True Crime

 

I could go on and on... there have been wonderful movies, the majority of which have no profanity, or just a few words... and no overt sexual content... it is only the more recent movies that take a good story like Lymelife and fill it with unnecessary, endless profanity that really adds nothing to the dialog, in fact IMO detracts... same with sexual content... like in the movie "Flight" starring Denzel Washington as an alcoholic airline pilot.  The first few minutes feature a woman in the background in full nudity.  That was absolutely unnecessary.  It could have been done differently yet get the point across that Denzel had had a night of drinking, drugs and sex before he left the hotel and headed to his flight assignment where he was the chief pilot.  Are movies like Lymelife really what the general public expects or even wants? 

 

GG

[bluebell]

Okay... I'm ready to give up...

Yesterday I rented a movie to watch last night... "Lymelife"... starring Alec Baldwin (like him as an actor not as a person), Timothy Hutton, 2 Culkin boys, Jill Hennessy...  I saw it was "R" but when I read the little blurb I thought it would be all right... the DVD box was pictured and I read it too, as follows:

First... four stars...

"Lymelife sends off sparks" Peter Travers, film critic

"Wonderful... Lymelife keeps you hooked"  NY Times

"Tender... finely realized performances" Chicago Sun Times

"Laugh out loud funny... entertaining and moving" Los Angeles Times

"Violently funny" Daily Variety

"...Quite extraordinary" Hollywood.com

 

Now don't you think this sounds like a good movie... Well, I agree that the storyline was pretty good... a coming of age story of a 15 year old who is experiencing his first love, as his parents' marriage is breaking up... the family dynamics of both his family and that of his girlfriend.

 

BUT... I was appalled by the everyday language of all concerned... the profanity that the characters used, men, women, children... I kept waiting for this wonderful, tender, moving, violently funny movie to kick in... for the "laugh out loud" moments... what I got was a pretty good story, even touching yes, but peppered throughtout with pervasive profanity.  I kept thinking... is this the way real people talk?  On an everyday basis?  Is this what the "world" considers laugh out loud funny, even violently funny??  I didn't even crack a smile at any time... anyway, it was to me a waste that I should have turned off (I've done so on other movies) but I kept waiting for the movie to catch up with the hype... IMO it didn't... and if this is the way real people and families talk to each other, we're in bigger trouble than I ever imagined....

 

GG

 

I have found that most movies that critics have raved about, i haven't liked that much.  

 

Like that movie Juno that came out a few years ago.  Or that movie Easy A.  Both got great reviews but i found them to be slightly offensive and not at all true to real life.  I think its' because the 'deep meaning' that most critics are looking for in movies, means nothing to me because it has no relevance to what I actually believe is important.

[Ron Beron]

I just watched "The Monuments Men" starring Geo Clooney, Matt Damon, Bill Murray and John Goodman as part of a real team of soldiers toward the end of WWII, whose assignment was to find and rescue the thousands of pieces of artwork stolen from museums, etc., by the Nazis.  This is not a movie that has a lot of visual action and/or special efffects.  It is  breathtaking, however, in the immensity of the numbers and types of artwork taken and stored in caves in several countries, etc.  There was one scene where the Nazi soldiers set fire to a stash of painting masterpieces rather than have them found and rescued and returned to proper city and country.  I let out an audible gasp when they turned on the flamethrowers...  excellent, true, historical movie...

 

GG

We have to stop thinking alike.  My wife and I saw the same.  Did you notice who played George Clooney as an old man?  His own father, Nick Clooney who was a newscaster in LA for years.  Also brother of Rosemary Clooney.  Great film.  I loved it.  I try and dislike G. Clooney, but his acting is so good.

[Ron Beron]

People today make movies to make money.  They probably always had, but today it seems more pervasive.  Whatever is pruient, violent, or evil seems to sell to the worst knd of audience: kids.  The big money makers are always family films that have a true message.  Too bad that producers and directors don't listen to their hearts. 

My list

 

Schindlers List

Apollo 13

Saving Private Ryan

The Wizard of Oz

Citizen Kane

The Godfather

The Birds

North by Northwest

Psycho

Singin in the Rain

East of Eden

Of Mice and Men

The Shootist

The Passion of the Christ

Casablance

On the Waterfront

2001

Some Like it Hot

Chinatown

The Grapes of Wrath

Unforgiven

The Apartment

Mr Roberts

Patton

Forrest Gump

Shane

Silence of the Lambs

Vertigo

 

ETC.....

[Garden Girl]

We have to stop thinking alike.  My wife and I saw the same.  Did you notice who played George Clooney as an old man?  His own father, Nick Clooney who was a newscaster in LA for years.  Also brother of Rosemary Clooney.  Great film.  I loved it.  I try and dislike G. Clooney, but his acting is so good.

We're cousins... what can I say?

 

GG

[cdowis]

Saw "Click" again the other day.  The usual PG13 stuff, but had a wonderful lesson about living life and the importance of family.  Very funny and enjoyable.

 

"Man for All Seasons" was inspirational.