What Was The Last Movie You Watched?

[1967Cougar390]

I wanted The Killing this evening. It was a good film noir drama with a documentary feel to the story. The actors brought the script too life. It takes a little time to settle in to the story but the flow is good and the camera angles are great in many scenes.

Steven

 

[Zombie_61]

Logan...Whoever the little girl is who played Laura has CHOPS! She'll turn up again, if she hasn't already. I was more impressed by her than anything or anyone else in the entire movie. Here's hoping she won't grow up to be a mess. Or get typecast and only put in sci-fi/fantasy...

Her name is Dafne Keen, and I couldn't agree more. An impressive performance by such a young actress.

 

[Fading Fast]

"Fast and Loose" from 1939 starring Robert Montgomery and Rosalind Russell

The reason lead actors - actors with the skills, personality and screen presence to engage your attention - command a lot of money is because good ones are rare and can make mediocre material - like "Fast and Loose -" enjoyable to watch.

This "Thin Man" copycat movie has Montgomery and Russell in the married-couple role playing rare book sellers pulled in to solve a by-the-numbers multiple-murders mystery.

While Montgomery and Russell don't out Nick-and-Nora William Powell and Myrna Loy, they are enjoyable as heck playing a loving couple making fun of each other's foibles. Montgomery is in his sweet spot here as an unflappable and urbane book seller playing detective (and wearing suits about as well as anyone ever has) while Russell shows again that she was put on this earth to play smart, piquantly sarcastic women who can give as good as they get.

And that's the only reason to watch this one. The story you know as you've seen version of it before (and don't really care about it even as the bodies at the "rich man's" estate keep piling up and the detectives fumble along), the other actors are solid and the sets and production quality are first rate, but this movie is all about Montgomery and Russell playfully throwing sharp elbows at each other and the "heavies" in the story while keeping us in on the secret that they are really in love and want to solve the murders to help the innocent.

No "Thin Man," but an acceptable imitation.

 

[Touchofevil]

It works better that way than as a movie in full.

How'd the doctor apt go re the heel?

I had surgery Tuesday. 18 pins and a plate were all that was needed to put my heel back together. I have been mostly trying to sleep through the past couple of days.

 

[Fading Fast]

I had surgery Tuesday. 18 pins and a plate were all that was needed to put my heel back together. I have been mostly trying to sleep through the past couple of days.

Holy Cow - but to be honest, when you described the multiple breaks, it sounded bad. Glad surgery is behind you - the best for a speedy recovery (and some good TCM movies to help you pass the time while recovering).

 

[Worf]

I had surgery Tuesday. 18 pins and a plate were all that was needed to put my heel back together. I have been mostly trying to sleep through the past couple of days.

Yikes man... didn't know you were such a state. Of course I'll join with FF in the East Coast choir of sending you best wishes for a speedy recovery. I won't ask how it happened... That'll teach to kick walls... they don't move! Seriously get well... keep em flyin'!

Worf (doing his half nekid healing dance)

 

[1967Cougar390]

I watched His Girl Friday this morning. I loved this fast talking, fast paced romantic comedy. Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell deliver great performances. Their chemistry and wit compliment each other’s characters. The story line is way different than the average romance of the time. Hindy and Walter are divorced but still have their attraction towards each other. Hindy is getting married to another man but Walter won’t let that little fact stand in the way of their newspaper story and winning her back.

Steven

 

[Fading Fast]

"The Petrified Forest" is on TCM right now - I must not watch it again. I've seen it at least twice this years and God knows how many times in my life. I must have something more important to do than watch the same movie three times in one year: I must, umm, I'm thinking, uh, do...um, what was it, oh boy, I got nothing. It looks like it will be another viewing of "The Petrified Forest." Gotta run, it's already started.

 

[Fading Fast]

I watched His Girl Friday this morning. I loved this fast talking, fast paced romantic comedy. Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell deliver great performances. Their chemistry and wit compliment each other’s characters. The story line is way different than the average romance of the time. Hindy and Walter are divorced but still have their attraction towards each other. Hindy is getting married to another man but Walter won’t let that little fact stand in the way of their newspaper story and winning her back.
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Steven

I agree completely. It is quite possibly my favorite romcom / screwball comedy of all time. I've commented on it lot and thought you might enjoy some of them:

https://www.thefedoralounge.com/thr...ovie-you-watched.20830/page-1251#post-2401146

https://www.thefedoralounge.com/thr...ovie-you-watched.20830/page-1226#post-2351678

https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/your-perfect-films.86410/page-4#post-2401513

 

[Fading Fast]

"The Petrified Forest" just ended, I can now resume my regularly scheduled day.

Worf, I guess this means that "The Petrified Forest" is a stop-and-drop movie for me.

 

[Zombie_61]

"The Petrified Forest" is on TCM right now - I must not watch it again. I've seen it at least twice this years and God knows how many times in my life. I must have something more important to do than watch the same movie three times in one year: I must, umm, I'm thinking, uh, do...um, what was it, oh boy, I got nothing. It looks like it will be another viewing of "The Petrified Forest." Gotta run, it's already started.

My wife and I just finished watching The Petrified Forest as well. I've only seen it two or three times previously, but my wife couldn't recall having seen it before.

Now we're watching The Story of G.I. Joe (1945) starring Burgess Meredith as war correspondent Ernie Pyle. I've seen parts of it here and there before, but haven't seen it start to finish in one sitting.

 

[Fading Fast]

My wife and I just finished watching The Petrified Forest as well. I've only seen it two or three times previously, but my wife couldn't recall having seen it before.

Now we're watching The Story of G.I. Joe (1945) starring Burgess Meredith as war correspondent Ernie Pyle. I've seen parts of it here and there before, but haven't seen it start to finish in one sitting.

And what did you and your wife think of it?

 

[Zombie_61]

And what did you and your wife think of it?

Assuming you're asking our opinion of The Petrified Forest (since we're still watching G.I. Joe) it became a favorite of mine the first time I saw it. Writing, casting, the performances, editing, cinematography--it's one of those "perfect storm" movies where every element came together almost perfectly. My wife isn't the "movie buff" that I am; she either likes a movie or she doesn't, often with a lot of gray area in between. So her review was simply, "I liked it," with no elaboration. *shrug*

 

[Worf]

"The Petrified Forest" just ended, I can now resume my regularly scheduled day.

Worf, I guess this means that "The Petrified Forest" is a stop-and-drop movie for me.

In my best Ed McMahon voice....

"You are correct Sir!"

Worf

 

[Worf]

Now we're watching The Story of G.I. Joe (1945) starring Burgess Meredith as war correspondent Ernie Pyle. I've seen parts of it here and there before, but haven't seen it start to finish in one sitting.

One of the finest War films ever made. To paraphrase Ernie Pyle:

The G.I. lives so miserably and dies so miserably..."

Made during the war, Pyle never got a chance to see it as he was killed by Japanese soldiers in the Pacific before its release. I heard some time ago that his home town had to close the Museum dedicated to his memory due to lack of attendance IIFC. Sad... very, very sad. The scene where Sgt. Warnke finally breaks under the strain of 3 years of constant combat... brings me to tears.

Worf

 

[Julian Shellhammer]

Did I mention we've started our traditional Christmas movie viewings? Started with Miracle on 34th Street, then Elf, then Elf again as my daughter wants to expand our viewing to include the grandkids. They did okay with Elf; they might do okay with A Christmas Story, but I'm not so sure about Holiday Inn, White Christmas, It's a Wonderful Life, and so on.

 

[Zombie_61]

One of the finest War films ever made. To paraphrase Ernie Pyle:

The G.I. lives so miserably and dies so miserably..."

Made during the war, Pyle never got a chance to see it as he was killed by Japanese soldiers in the Pacific before its release. I heard some time ago that his home town had to close the Museum dedicated to his memory due to lack of attendance IIFC. Sad... very, very sad. The scene where Sgt. Warnke finally breaks under the strain of 3 years of constant combat... brings me to tears.

Worf

The events of the day conspired against me, so I was once again unable to just sit and watch Story of G.I. Joe. I enjoyed what I was able to watch, so I'll have to keep looking for it on TCM.

 

[Fading Fast]

Assuming you're asking our opinion of The Petrified Forest (since we're still watching G.I. Joe) it became a favorite of mine the first time I saw it. Writing, casting, the performances, editing, cinematography--it's one of those "perfect storm" movies where every element came together almost perfectly. My wife isn't the "movie buff" that I am; she either likes a movie or she doesn't, often with a lot of gray area in between. So her review was simply, "I liked it," with no elaboration. *shrug*

I'm with you on "The Petrified Forest" almost every element of it is perfect and, for me, it gets more enjoyable with each viewing.

Your wife sounds like my mother:

Me: How was the movie?
Mom: I liked it
Me: What did you like about it?
Mom: It was good, it was interesting
Me: What was interesting in it?
Mom: Um, I liked the story
Me: What was the story about - why was it interesting?
Mom:Uh, it was about a couple
Me: And what happened to the couple / why was it interesting?
Mom: It felt like real life
Me: How?
Mom: Oh, you know, just real, like real life
Me: Uh-huh, who were the stars, how'd they do?
Mom: They were great
Me: Who were they?
Mom: I don't remember, the girl [referencing, possibly a 40 year old actress] was wonderful
Me: You enjoyed it though?
Mom: Really good movie, you should see it
Me: I'll put it in my Netflix queue - what's it called?
Mom: I don't remember
Me:

 

[Fading Fast]

"Night Train to Munich" 1940 staring Margaret Lockwood, Rex Harrison and Paul Henreid

• Outstanding on-the-brink-of-WWII spy drama that's right up there with what Hitchcock was doing at the time

• It has a strong echo of "Mortal Storm," another on-the-brink-of-WWII thriller that showed early on that the evil of Nazism wasn't a secret kept until the end of the war

• Harrison is an odd-duck leading actor IMO - a too-thin with a sometimes-squeaky voice and not classically handsome man who somehow, in the right role, is the perfect combination of quirkiness and force-of-nature to make it work
  • This is absolutely one of those times as he plays the English spy - trying to steal back from Germany a critical scientist - loose when called for, but is deadly serious when the mission demands it and is completely believable at all times

• Lockwood is not an odd-duck leading actress at all - she's quietly talented, quietly beautiful and fully believable as the daughter of a famous scientist here the pawn of two different country's spy efforts

• While the mid-movie train scene offers outstanding tension (and Fedora Lounge and train-buff eye-candy), the climatic over-the-Alps escape scene is '40s movie action-adventure at its best with bullets flying* (Harrison has one of those magic guns that fires 20+ bullets out of a six cartridge gun) amidst the heavy machinery turning the tram providing - for the leads - the excruciatingly slow last-chance-for-an-escape out of Nazi Germany

* I think Worf would approve of the overall action and bullet (and body) count.

 

[Doctor Strange]

Good review FF, but you didn't mention the appearance of Charters and Caldicott!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charters_and_Caldicott

I watched the 2017 film adaptation of Journey's End on Amazon Prime. It's okay if you are in the mood for another seriously depressing visit to the trenches of World War I. Though the 1928 play is undoubtedly important, and led directly to some of the great Universal horror films (playwright R.C. Sheriff wrote The Invisible Man, director James Whale and star Colin Clive of course made Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein)… even with modern filmmaking, it's creaky, and doesn't really hold up compared to other great WWI dramas.