What movies have you seen recently?

Post Reply New Topic

"A Trip To The Moon" (Color restoration on Blu-Ray) by Georges Melies - it's nice to see a color version of this film. I've seen a few other Melies films with hand painted color which adds to the whimsical qualities of the films. Anyway, this is a very extensive restoration, although I was a bit disappointed to see that a significant amount of the hand painting was done in a computer.

One serious downside to this release is that the only music track available on the color version calls far too much attention to itself and does not support the film. I had to turn the music to a very low volume to stop it from interfering with the film. (I haven't seen it yet, but apparently the black and white version has an unobtrusive soundtrack.)

As for the story, there's not much time (about 15 minutes) to tell the story of the building and launch of the space ship, the exploration of the moon and fight with the inhabitants, and the escape back to earth. But it is all done in very exaggerated sets with whimsical visual effects. There is a great deal of goofy humor and I can see why it is such an enduring classic of early movies.

I saw Gravity on Wednesday. Complete immersive, and tremendously tense. Worth the price in 3D, and I feel that's what it's made for. Granted, it'll lose spectacle on DVD or Blu-Ray, but it still adds up to be a brilliantly tense film and excellent story.

Last night I watched Apocalypse Now: Redux. An already truly powerful war film, the Redux I feel adds tremendous depth to an already compelling story. Again, immersive as always, with the extra 50 or so minutes flying by for me.

Blackfish

An independent documentary-style movie that went on a limited arthouse release in the US last year in 2012. Disturbing real life accounts (by former employees) of the lengths Seaworld went to to hide the deaths of its orca (killer whale) trainers, and by extension the questionable practices of other marine parks. I found it rather difficult in places to watch but I don't regret it. Gripping educational stuff.

Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins
Scooby-Doo-Mask/Blue Falcon
Scooby Doo! Stage Fright
Big Top Scooby Doo!

Vertigo

Hitchcock film where a former detective with acrophobia is asked by an old friend to investigate his wife's strange activities.

Manhattan,it was great although I don't take any Diane Keaton character seriously.She is the same every single time.And not beautiful at all.

Just finished watching Drive, again. My favorite probable Aspie movie.

Wreck It Ralph on tv

it was actually really good. i liked it. don't know why i put off watching it for so long.
i liked seeing all the behind the scenes of video games...or actually the "off the game screen"
it was all really interesting! not sure if a sequel is workable...but i have a feeling they'd do one anyway.

Riddick 2013

Hunger Games Catching Fire...very well done... go see it now because i said so!

The Daisy Chain

A 2008 IFB (Irish Film Board) and BBC psychological horror-drama by Aisling Walsh centred on the Changeling phenomenon; in European folklore, it's believed changelings were in fact human children swapped for those of mythical humanoid creatures, most commonly faeries.

Rather than a straight out Percy Jacksonesque fantasy, the film is more down-to-earth beginning with Tomas and Martha moving to a remote Irish village in order to start a new family after the death of their premature baby. Shortly after meeting the titular character (a young orphan whom Marta believes is heavily autistic due to her somewhat inexplicable behaviour and non-communication, though others accuse her of being a malevolent almost demon-like creature) strange events begin to occur... accidents, deaths, and a growing wedge between Tomas and Martha themselves, and the wider community.

I rather enjoyed this film, a bit like a smaller-budget Irish answer to Stephen King's The Omen or Walter Salles' adaptation of Dark Water. Ending was a bit flat but young Marian Anderson was chilling as Daisy. Fairly entertaining stuff.

The Place Beyond The Pines.

The actions of a bank robber and the police officer who kills him has unforeseen consequences for their sons. Great drama.

Jack Reacher

Based on Lee Child's novel "One Shot", Tom Cruise stars as the title character who is recruited to prove the innocence of the prime suspect in a mass shooting.

Like him or not, Tom Cruise can act and Chris McQuarrie is a brilliant writer/director.