The "I just watched a movie" thread

[Chad Peter]

Just realized we don't really have an all-encompassing "I just watched (a movie)" thread (for anything other than brand new movies). Lets get this thing started, shall we?

Romy and Michele's High School Reunion (1997) - hadn't seen this before. Loved it. Plays a bit dated now, but captured that pre-9/11 innocence that movies no longer are made with. Mira Sorvino took a risk with trying out that accent, and fucking nailed it.

Exhibit A: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8wQppcVkUQ

[Heiliger]

I just watched Frozen - finally. I've had a watermarked screener DVD sitting on my TV stand for at least a whole year now.

Couldn't stand most of it, especially the musical portions. The forced awkwardness of Anna was exhausting, the goddamn troll song was a test of endurance, and the fact that Elsa couldn't control her shit even after she had the revelations of "Let It Go" was just dumb. Much was made of the Act of Love at the end for being atypical of Disney, and I'll give them credit for that, but it did not make (or break) the movie all on its own. The animation of the ice and snow was very pretty. I wish as much attention had been paid to the characters in the story. Every woman in this movie looks cross-eyed. Every woman in this movie also looks exactly like Rapunzel from Tangled. It seriously looks like they just put new clothes on a template called "Disney Waif, Pale." The amount of effort that went into giving these characters life is tangible - so much so that it calls attention to itself. This is animation done to impress instead of convey real emotion. Olaf could have been better all around. Talk about a character that has just about zero impact on the proceedings and the proceedings have zero impact on him... Seems like an invention purely for marketing/merchandising's sake.

[Chad Peter]

Sooooo, you're saying it'll be hugely successful. Lol

[Chad Peter]

Watched "Hot Shots" again yesterday (for the first time in 20 years). Lank can confirm I nearly died laughing as I let the stupidity of the movie catch me off guard.

[Heiliger]

I always preferred Hot Shots Part Deux, but the first is still a riot.

[Chad Peter]

I always preferred Hot Shots Part Deux, but the first is still a riot.

I seem to remember feeling this way as well. I guess I'll have to watch Part Deux in another 20 years.

[Lank]

I read a story about Spielberg a few weeks ago where he was about to board a private jet but he wouldn't get out of the car until he had finished watching a particular scene from Roman Holiday on his iPad.

So when I heard the film was playing at AMC theaters last week I had to go. And yeah, that scene, and the whole movie, was great! Audrey Hepburn was incredible, as was her chemistry with Gregory Peck. They way they raised the stakes was brilliant for what is more or less a rom-com. And holy cow that last shot!

It also contained my favorite film concept (which I've mentioned before here), which is characters giving up the thing they not only want, but also deserve, in order to uphold a greater responsibility.

Glad I got to see it big!

[Mike]

...Roman Holiday...Glad I got to see it big!

I'm not a jealous guy, but DAMN YOU.

[Chad Peter]

...Roman Holiday...Glad I got to see it big!

I'm not a jealous guy, but DAMN YOU.

Hah, this is how I feel about Rear Window. Seeing that first shot/scene of Grace Kelly.... Well... see for yourself:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGASCP2mNaM

[Cory]

I just watched Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens and loved the crap out of it. It will (of course) take a few more viewings to really get a handle on how I feel about it, but my first reaction is very positive. Can't wait to see/hear everyone's reaction to the "I am your father"-like moment.

[Chad Peter]

I just watched Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens and loved the crap out of it. It will (of course) take a few more viewings to really get a handle on how I feel about it, but my first reaction is very positive. Can't wait to see/hear everyone's reaction to the "I am your father"-like moment.

That them there STAR WAR movie is a good'un. Posted my review in the TFA thread. Curious what the "I am your father" like moment is for you, because I feel like there are two or three of them (but don't post it here in the spoiler-free area lol).

[Mike]

I finally saw "The Hunger Games." Not bad at all. Predictable as hell, but well-paced and decent characterization. So *this* is where Jennifer Lawrence came from...I get it now.

[Nic]

Jennifer Lawrence actually came from a movie called "Winter's Bone", which is SPECTACULAR and vastly superior to anything she's done since.

[Chad Peter]

Hahaha... Best Jennifer Lawrence movie is still "Silver Linings Playbook" (not to be confused with "BEST movie", which Nic picked correctly) - if you want to fall in love with her, Mike. lol

https://youtu.be/jFb6BtSUqdU

[Mike]

Jennifer Lawrence actually came from a movie called "Winter's Bone", which is SPECTACULAR and vastly superior to anything she's done since.

Duly noted, and added to my watchlist.

[Mike]

Hahaha... Best Jennifer Lawrence movie is still "Silver Linings Playbook" (not to be confused with "BEST movie", which Nic picked correctly) - if you want to fall in love with her, Mike. lol

Duly noted, and added to...a different kind of?... watchlist.

[Chad Peter]

Hahaha... Best Jennifer Lawrence movie is still "Silver Linings Playbook" (not to be confused with "BEST movie", which Nic picked correctly) - if you want to fall in love with her, Mike. lol

Duly noted, and added to...a different kind of?... watchlist.

Haha, it *might* let you down if *that* is what you're seeking.

[Heiliger]

Last night I saw The Hateful Eight at an industry screening. No spoilers.

This is Quentin Tarantino's Spruce Goose. The first half hour alone almost had me quit, thanks to the overture and the incredibly, painfully long credits sequence where nothing much happens aside from the slow destruction of my eardrums by the theater's way too loud speakers. Not the movie's fault, but still. Many people were plugging their ears throughout the film. I was hoping to be taken in by the gorgeous 70mm print we were watching, but it wasn't all that gorgeous to be honest. It was just...a movie. They went to all this trouble of shooting on 70mm film and went to all this trouble of telling the world what a big fucking deal it is and how incredible it will be to see it that way and most of it felt like a Kevin Smith movie. (The Revenant looked far better if we're comparing the cinematic snowy vistas of 2015.)

The rest of the movie is really all about Tarantino seeing how much he can get away with. How many long winded stories can he force the audience to listen to? How many times can he make us watch the same thing over and over again? I don't know anything about his directorial process - or if anything was wildly different for him this time around - but something feels off. The violent parts take place in a universe where human bodies are made of gelatin. I don't shy away from gore or violence, but Christ on a cracker, these must be the most powerful pistols ever created by man. The parts that are supposed to be funny aren't nearly as funny as they should be. The comic timing of the whole film feels wrong, from editing to performances. For that matter, the dramatic timing, too, is off. I've read that Tarantino wanted this movie to be a sort of homage to The Thing. The Thing being one of the greatest genre movies ever made, you can sign me right up for that. However, Tarantino must think the only way to pay homage to John Carpenter is to do shit as slowly as possible.

There's a ton of good stuff in here and I liked the movie overall, but only barely. There's not 182 minutes of good stuff in here. I hope next time he (or anyone else) can reign it in a little.

[Chad Peter]

Last night I saw The Hateful Eight at an industry screening. No spoilers.

This is Quentin Tarantino's Spruce Goose. The first half hour alone almost had me quit, thanks to the overture and the incredibly, painfully long credits sequence where nothing much happens aside from the slow destruction of my eardrums by the theater's way too loud speakers. Not the movie's fault, but still. Many people were plugging their ears throughout the film. I was hoping to be taken in by the gorgeous 70mm print we were watching, but it wasn't all that gorgeous to be honest. It was just...a movie. They went to all this trouble of shooting on 70mm film and went to all this trouble of telling the world what a big fucking deal it is and how incredible it will be to see it that way and most of it felt like a Kevin Smith movie. (The Revenant looked far better if we're comparing the cinematic snowy vistas of 2015.)

The rest of the movie is really all about Tarantino seeing how much he can get away with. How many long winded stories can he force the audience to listen to? How many times can he make us watch the same thing over and over again? I don't know anything about his directorial process - or if anything was wildly different for him this time around - but something feels off. The violent parts take place in a universe where human bodies are made of gelatin. I don't shy away from gore or violence, but Christ on a cracker, these must be the most powerful pistols ever created by man. The parts that are supposed to be funny aren't nearly as funny as they should be. The comic timing of the whole film feels wrong, from editing to performances. For that matter, the dramatic timing, too, is off. I've read that Tarantino wanted this movie to be a sort of homage to The Thing. The Thing being one of the greatest genre movies ever made, you can sign me right up for that. However, Tarantino must think the only way to pay homage to John Carpenter is to do shit as slowly as possible.

There's a ton of good stuff in here and I liked the movie overall, but only barely. There's not 182 minutes of good stuff in here. I hope next time he (or anyone else) can reign it in a little.

I can't remember, but... is this the first film Tarantino has done since losing Sally Menke as editor? Oh, no... I guess there was Django, but honestly that was a bit long-winded as well. I don't fault Tarantino for having a style that encourages long-winded scenes, because he's got the balls to try it - but those balls are perhaps a bit too self confident and not as self evaluating as they should perhaps be these days.

[Cory]

I just watched The Martian the other day. I enjoyed it, but I can't say I loved it.