Films you've seen lately

[MrGongGong]

I didn't think it was too long, but I did think it was a typical Hollywood sequel in many ways, and striking how in 2017 a supposedly intelligent film can still use female characters only as props in the development of the male ones.

Indeed, and lots of folks I know have commented on the gender roles in it.

[johncorrigan]

supposedly intelligent film

'Supposedly intelligent'...that's what it lacked for me, Richard - intelligence. Some set-piece conversations between Gosling and Ford were like waiting for the result to be announced in a paint-drying contest - felt like endless, pointless silence. I was so disappointed...I mean, it wasn't terrible, just not good enough.

[johncorrigan]

As a late run for the end of Christmas, me and the lad took in 'Hostiles' yesterday afternoon. Thought it was terrific. I wasn't aware of having seen Christian Bale in anything before, but he was fab as the dour, veteran Cavalry Officer. The Cinematography was sensational, and for me 'Hostiles' has as good a soundtrack as I have heard in many a long day, composed by Max Richter.

[Dave2002]

Mudbound.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2396589/

Brilliant but shocking. Has really nasty scenes in the latter stages. IMDB gives it 4 stars, but it also gives 4 stars to last year's Oscar Winner - Moonlight.
Mudbound is better IMO - though some might find it too slow. If you can cope with the nasty bits - you won't know till you're well in to it - then you may find it overwhelming. Highly recommended - but you have been warned.

Rotten Tomatoes critics give varying reviews - some very positive, others less so.

https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2017/11/mudbound-review/546455/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/goingoutguide/movies/in-mudbound-the-portrait-of-a-country-being-forged-in-blood-and-soil-for-better-and-for-worse/2017/11/16/f9f8f2a0-c4bc-11e7-afe9-4f60b5a6c4a0_story.html?tid=kp_google&utm_term=.ed24fe9b5702

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/nov/16/mudbound-review-powerful-tale-from-jim-crow-america-has-real-sinew

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I suppose I might be laughed at if I were to mention "The Last Jedi". John Williams' score is almost Wagnerian.

[johncorrigan]

I suppose I might be laughed at if I were to mention "The Last Jedi". John Williams' score is almost Wagnerian.

Went to see the most recent episode of Star Wars over the holidays. It was better than I thought it was going to be. Mind you, they just change all the names around and do the same stuff and roll out the old guns to keep the aficionados happy. But I agree, Eine, there were points in the film where I found myself thinking, 'That is one fine theme tune they've got going there!'

They've got a rubbish baddie, mind you, like a very poor version of Snape...and the BIG BAD baddie kept reminding me of the BFG...but it kept me more entertained than a lot of other Lucas offerings over the years.

[Dave2002]

Did I mention Paddington 2? Great fun - as was Paddington 1.

[MrGongGong]

I suppose I might be laughed at if I were to mention "The Last Jedi". John Williams' score is almost Wagnerian.

You might find this useful

https://www.academia.edu/33487589/Complete_Catalog_of_Star_Wars_Leitmotifs_Compiled_by_Frank_Lehman?auto=download

plenty more elsewhere as well

[Lat-Literal]

Groundhog Day.

[johncorrigan]

Groundhog Day.

Talking of cuddly creatures, Lat, in the 'Last Jedi' there are some mighty annoying puffin-like birds on Skywalker's island. It seems that they're there, not to make extra funds for Lucas, but they are CGI versions of real puffins which kept landing on the island during shooting and they had to try to cover them up for the movie.

[Lat-Literal]

Talking of cuddly creatures, Lat, in the 'Last Jedi' there are some mighty annoying puffin-like birds on Skywalker's island. It seems that they're there, not to make extra funds for Lucas, but they are CGI versions of real puffins which kept landing on the island during shooting and they had to try to cover them up for the movie.

That's interesting JC.

I thought that there was a green colour that could be used in film to remove what is actually there but I suppose if the puffins were moving around a lot that wasn't possible.

Here are 24 interesting facts about the groundhog movie: http://metro.co.uk/2016/02/02/24-fac...g-day-5658114/

It has gained much stronger appreciation among critics and film historians since its release. Desson Howe of The Washington Post noted that the film was good but it would never be designated a national film treasure by the Library of Congress. Despite this, the film was selected by the National Film Preservation Board for preservation in the Library of Congress in 2006. In 2009, American literary theorist Stanley Fish named the film as among the ten best American films ever. In 2011, Time Out named it the 5th-greatest comedy film of all time.

[johncorrigan]

That's interesting JC.

I thought that there was a green colour that could be used in film to remove what is actually there but I suppose if the puffins were moving around a lot that wasn't possible.

Here are 24 interesting facts about the groundhog movie: http://metro.co.uk/2016/02/02/24-fac...g-day-5658114/

It has gained much stronger appreciation among critics and film historians since its release. Desson Howe of The Washington Post noted that the film was good but it would never be designated a national film treasure by the Library of Congress. Despite this, the film was selected by the National Film Preservation Board for preservation in the Library of Congress in 2006. In 2009, American literary theorist Stanley Fish named the film as among the ten best American films ever. In 2011, Time Out named it the 5th-greatest comedy film of all time.

Great...I didn't know a lot of that, Lat. Murray often turns up in Jarmusch films among which is 'Broken Flowers' with the great Mulatu Astatke soundtrack. But of course the great Bill Murray story remains that on a crowded street, he puts his hands over a stranger's eyes from behind and says "Guess who?" When he lifts his hands to reveal his identity as Bill Murray, he tells the gobsmacked stranger, "No one will ever believe you." Wish it had happened to me.

[Serial_Apologist]

Great...I didn't know a lot of that, Lat. Murray often turns up in Jarmusch films among which is 'Broken Flowers' with the great Mulatu Astatke soundtrack. But of course the great Bill Murray story remains that on a crowded street, he puts his hands over a stranger's eyes from behind and says "Guess who?" When he lifts his hands to reveal his identity as Bill Murray, he tells the gobsmacked stranger, "No one will ever believe you." Wish it had happened to me.

I did do that once, in fact - and the gobsmacked red-haired woman concerned was indeed a stranger!!!

[kernelbogey]

Toni Erdmann, Germany 2016 dir Maren Ade.

A witty German comedy: the estranged father of an uptight business woman goes to extreme lengths to get her attention and back into her affection.

Probably not to be found now in the cinema (I saw it at our local film society) but worth tracking down. The Guardian gave it a very high rating in its 100 best films of 2017.

[Lat-Literal]

Great...I didn't know a lot of that, Lat. Murray often turns up in Jarmusch films among which is 'Broken Flowers' with the great Mulatu Astatke soundtrack. But of course the great Bill Murray story remains that on a crowded street, he puts his hands over a stranger's eyes from behind and says "Guess who?" When he lifts his hands to reveal his identity as Bill Murray, he tells the gobsmacked stranger, "No one will ever believe you." Wish it had happened to me.

I did do that once, in fact - and the gobsmacked red-haired woman concerned was indeed a stranger!!!