What Was The Last Movie You Watched?

[Yeps]

Sky Captain is another one of those movies that you watch as if you were a ten year old kid. You have to look at it like an old comic book. Otherwise it just falls flat. If you're looking for a movie with a deep plot and lots of symbolism, it just ain't that kind of flick. Pure action entertainment. But there's nothing wrong with the fact that you didn't like it. Inside, I'm nothing more than a 10 year old kid.

It has been a while since I saw it, but when I did I was rather bored by it. I love the type of movies you just described but Sky Captain... well, i just didn't think that it was particularly entertaining.

 

[John in Covina]

Some people are too young to reference Sky Captain, it has some interesting vintage roots. The robots and a lot of the animation aspects echo the Max Fleischer Superman series. The ray gun is stunningly spectacular as a "retro" representation of the ray gun concept from old comic books. Hidden bases, spies, interesting technology, the reference to using the top of the Empire State building as a zeppelin dock, privateer army aircorps, the plucky sidekick, the lady news reporter all add up to a movie that is in the tradition of sci-fi cliffanger. If you are old enough to have watched old B&W Flash Gordon serials or the B&W Superman you'll probably have a different perspective on Sky Captain.

On a similar note If you have only seen the last three Star Wars movies (which are actually the first 3) and then see the original Star Wars it doesn't translate as well, where as at the time of release it was a stunning film. The look and feel of the early ones are distinctly tied to the times although a twist on the cliffhanger also.

 

[Spitfire]

"The Motorcycle Diaries". Saw it when it came out and my wife and I bought the DVD and just watched it again. Great movie, well done, and bloody well acted.

Yes - bloody good film!

I just saw this amazing and moving piece of art:
"Welcome"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t40ANH4Pe14&feature=related

 

[Scott Wood]

Yes - bloody good film!

I just saw this amazing and moving piece of art:
"Welcome"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t40ANH4Pe14&feature=related

That looks amazing but at the end it was ambiguous as to whether it was a film or a series.
Whichever I have to see it so I guess I'll have to keep eyes peeled all over.
Thanks for the heads-up Spitfire :cool2:

 

[Silver Dollar]

Some people are too young to reference Sky Captain, it has some interesting vintage roots. The robots and a lot of the animation aspects echo the Max Fleischer Superman series. The ray gun is stunningly spectacular as a "retro" representation of the ray gun concept from old comic books. Hidden bases, spies, interesting technology, the reference to using the top of the Empire State building as a zeppelin dock, privateer army aircorps, the plucky sidekick, the lady news reporter all add up to a movie that is in the tradition of sci-fi cliffanger. If you are old enough to have watched old B&W Flash Gordon serials or the B&W Superman you'll probably have a different perspective on Sky Captain.

John, you hit the nail right on the head. Having been born in 1950, I also thought of the old Max Fleischer Superman cartoons when I saw this movie. I thought of the Flash Gordon and even a Rocketeer like series as well. Now I can see where everyone else is coming from and why Sky Captain doesn't translate well into the under 40 generations. This is what is driving my attraction to the movie. I honestly don't know why I never considered that fact like you did.:eusa_doh: I just want to let everyone know that I'd never criticize anyone or hold it against them if they didn't like the movie or anything like that. That would be downright arrogant and I don't want to give that impression at all. I hope I didn't come across that way.shakeshead I guess I was just trying to help people enjoy the experience like I did. :essen:

 

[Scott Wood]

John, you hit the nail right on the head. Having been born in 1950, I also thought of the old Max Fleischer Superman cartoons when I saw this movie. I thought of the Flash Gordon and even a Rocketeer like series as well. Now I can see where everyone else is coming from and why Sky Captain doesn't translate well into the under 40 generations. This is what is driving my attraction to the movie. I honestly don't know why I never considered that fact like you did.:eusa_doh: I just want to let everyone know that I'd never criticize anyone or hold it against them if they didn't like the movie or anything like that. That would be downright arrogant and I don't want to give that impression at all. I hope I didn't come across that way.shakeshead I guess I was just trying to help people enjoy the experience like I did. :essen:

I am right behind you SD... "They" have every right to be wrong
lol lol lol
I remember when I saw that movie I thought how much I love the new movies that capture that old style of larger than life, first half of the twentieth, space agey shiny silly out there films Raiders high on the list of course) and thinking that this one fell just slightly short in some indefinable way
[huh]

 

[Spitfire]

That looks amazing but at the end it was ambiguous as to whether it was a film or a series.
Whichever I have to see it so I guess I'll have to keep eyes peeled all over.
Thanks for the heads-up Spitfire :cool2:

It's a film. And a pretty amazing one too.

 

[Doctor Strange]

We discussed Sky Captain back when it came out:

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=646

I still feel that it's a beautiful-looking flick that entertainingly references a boatload of 30s/40s stuff... but it's dramatically DOA. Dumb plot, terrible pacing, lame dialog, and little-to-no chemistry between the actors... It proves that they should never let somebody who's never directed a movie before, and whose skills are that of a maverick techno-nerd rather than a storyteller, helm a feature!

 

[Edward]

I loved Sky Captain. It is, of course, a B Movie, but that never bothered me - a lot of my favourites are squarely in that category. I was gutted it didn't do well at the box office as I'd love to have seen a series of these, but that's the way it goes, I suppose. I think it was a little before its time - the wave of WW2 era stuff that came out a year or two later might have made it sit better with the mainstream movie-going public. I badly want that ray gun! (Looking at some replicas online, though the post is a killer, they all being based in the US...).

Friday night just past, I went to the Phoenix Cinema. This is the oldest, purpose-built cinema in the UK, having opened originally in 1910. It was last majorly redecorated in the 30s. The auditorium itself is still beautiful, pretty much exactly as it would have been back in the 10s. Run as a charity since 85. The building in general is in need of hardcore resotration, and they're currently worknig on that - the event I went to was a fundraiser. They are still open evenings and weekends until some time in June, when they will shut completely for a couple of months to finish the building work. They are planning to restore the frontage and add a cafe (which will help fund the cinema) to the front. The event I attended was a screening of an episode of BBC cmedy-noir Psychoville, written by and starring Reece Sheersmith and Steve Pemberton of League of Gentlemen fame. The particular episode they screened was an homage to Hitchcock's Rope, which was also shown, and the evening finished with a Q&A with the writers and the director. I'd forgotten how funny and sharp the dialogue in Rope is; watched it years ago as an undergrad as I studied the Leopold & Loeb case on which it is based. I badly want all the suits in it.... amazing tailoring.

 

[Scott Wood]

It's a film. And a pretty amazing one too.

Thank you, Thank you! Will be watching for it here.

 

[Mahagonny Bill]

Baazi

This week's Bollywood extravaganza was 1995's Baazi. I would not recommend it as your first taste of Bollywood, but it is worth mentioning for it's truly insane plot twists.

In this scene our hero, the maverick police commando, has been falsely accused of raping and murdering the police commissioner's daughter. He has been convicted and sentenced to death, escaped from jail, and now goes undercover as a female lounge singer to clear his name.

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After this the movie goes on to a "Die Hard" like hostage situation, where our hero kills every single bad guy who has been in the movie up to that point. Wonderfully bizarre.

 

[MisterCairo]

I finally got to see Public Enemies. Thoroughly enjoyable. To see a room full of bookies taking bets, everyone of them wearing their vests/waistcoats and ties, just classic! I'm also amazed at the range Johnny Depp can play.

 

[EmergencyIan]

"Hondo" - starring John Wayne. I thought it was a pretty good movie. The night before I watched "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance." It was even better.

- Ian

 

[Viola]

Aw, I love pulp-theme movies like Raiders and Rocketeer and The Shadow; maybe if Polly Perkins had better dialogue...?

It wasn't any Raiders, is all I'm gonna say.

Was Sherlock Holmes good? My guy wants to get the dvd of it.

 

[Silver Dollar]

I just finished watching Battle of Britain. My wife wanted to see it.
I wasn't going to argue with her.

 

[Professor]

"The City of Your Final Destination"

Saw this in Pasadena over the weekend, really enjoyed it...

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[Miss Golightly]

Paranormal Activity - really enjoyed this - thought it was done so well for such a small budget - good tension throughout and the ending was brilliant!

 

[Edward]

Paranormal Activity - really enjoyed this - thought it was done so well for such a small budget - good tension throughout and the ending was brilliant!

Interesting, what did you make of The Blair Witch? I say this as the marketing I saw for PA seemed to play to the audience for the former... and I loathed Blair Witch. Maybe if I'd never seen another horror film, I don't know, but I just found it ridiculously derivative - not a single thing in it, not even the central 'found footage' premise, was remotely original. Needless to say, I disliked it so much that nothing since which has tired the "if you like the Blair Witch..." marketing gamibt has appealed to me... Should I give Paranormal Activity a chance?

 

[AmateisGal]

The Young Victoria. Gorgeous costumes and locations. I rather liked it.

 

[Miss Golightly]

Interesting, what did you make of The Blair Witch? I say this as the marketing I saw for PA seemed to play to the audience for the former... and I loathed Blair Witch. Maybe if I'd never seen another horror film, I don't know, but I just found it ridiculously derivative - not a single thing in it, not even the central 'found footage' premise, was remotely original. Needless to say, I disliked it so much that anything since which has tired the "if you like the Blair Witch..." marketing gamibt has appealed to me... Should I give Paranormal Activity a chance?

I hated Blair Witch - I remember watching it in the cinema and wondering what on earth all the fuss was about - I think all the hype surrounding it killed it for me. I wouldn't compare the two to be honest - the only thing they have in common is a low budget. I would be interested to hear what you think about it if you get a chance to see it.

On the whole I love horror films - particularly of the psychological type - like the French movies "Ils" - have you seen it?