WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

[charliechaplinfan]

He certainly had a varied career and covered a lot of different ground. I've looked for The Whisperer but to no avail at the moment. I hadn't come across Seance on a Wet Afternoon before, it was a nice little treat.

[MikeBSG]

Today, I watched "No Country for Old Men" for the first time.

I had never read the book, and I hadn't really read any reviews of it.

It started out pretty good, then got very good. The cat and mouse between Bardem and Brolin was very well done, although the movie made me think of "The Terminator" with the science fiction subtracted on several occasions.

And then the movie ran into a ditch. It became super elliptical, didn't show us the fate of key characters, and then just had us sit and listen to folk wisdom speeches before the movie suddenly ended.

And I wanted to throw something through the screen. I am not a Coen Brothers fan, and I guess I will never be one.

[movieman1957]

And I wanted to throw something through the screen. I am not a Coen Brothers fan, and I guess I will never be one.

Which I think was their intention. There were some folk wisdom speeches and I guess if you have to do them Barry Corbin is as good as anyone. I've not been a fan of the brothers but with this one and "True Grit" I like them better. Does that mean they are becoming more main stream?

[CineMaven]

I liked "No Country For Old Men" lock, stock and barrel.

* * * *

Moira, I shared our thoughts on "NIAGARA" with my friend Robert, and here are his comments. He may join the Message Board under his own steam one day. But for now, I'd like to share them with you and the Oasis.

"As usual, you and Moira are a joy to read on "Niagara." As it happens, I agree with both of you. It's quite clear that the two of you, and I, admire and respect Marilyn, but are looking at her and this film from a different angle. I agree with Moira, because this first starring role locked her into the image that she would only momentarily escape for the rest of her all too short career. I agree with you, because this is the first film which she dominates, as she will from here on, though she does get some serious competition in this regard from Tony and Jack.

Before I saw "My Week with Marilyn", I hadn't seen any of her movies for some years, so I spent time revisiting most of those she made from "Niagara" on. The feeling that I got from just about all of them, each a variation on the Niagara-established "Marilyn Monroe", was not so much sadness as embarrassment at seeing a woman of demonstrated talent and with a natural screen presence of great power bound and limited in her work by her physical appearance. This is, of course, something that all actors are forced to deal with. Even such exceptional filmmakers as Wilder, Huston, and Preminger seemed to find it difficult to keep her *** out of the foreground. Not that it was unattractive, but there was more to her than her body. Even in her "Niagara" character which you characterize so well, there is a loneliness and longing that marked all her best performances and are probably the real reason for her tremendous popularity that continues half a century later."

[Mr. Arkadin]

And then the movie ran into a ditch. It became super elliptical, didn't show us the fate of key characters, and then just had us sit and listen to folk wisdom speeches before the movie suddenly ended.

And I wanted to throw something through the screen. I am not a Coen Brothers fan, and I guess I will never be one.

I am not a fan of the Coen brothers, but I loved this film, perhaps precisely for all the reasons you hated it. The movie presents two different philosophies: The idea of fate, or determinism versus free will, or personal responsiblity. These concepts are played out in several different scenerios, leading up to the final scene where Bell, who has chosen to retire rather than pursue a dangerous criminal, talks of a dream which forshadows his own demise. While he has chosen to stay alive, he is still a lawman and knows that Anton is a killing machine, who offers little chance of survival. The film leaves us hanging because it wants us to contemplate these concepts. Do we weave the fabric of our lives or is the pattern already chosen?

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[charliechaplinfan]

Today I watched They All Laughed, I had mixed feelings about it, it's not as good as What's Up Doc, I found it somewhat frustrating, the angle with Ben Gazzara and Audrey Hepburn had far the best angle but their scenes were too few for me. Ladies, what is it about Ben Gazzara? A middle aged man who I'm meant to believe can bed anything that comes his way, I'm completely convinced, is it the smile, or the slightly grizzled look? Anyhow I'm completely convinced, from a 23 year old taxi driver to Audrey Hepburn. Running concurrently with the Gazzara/Hepburn romance are two other private eyes who work with Gazzara, all these men fall for the girls they are following. John Ritter, who I was convinced was Peter Bogdanovich for the first few scenes, Dorothy Stratten, very beautiful, I've never seen her in anything before, the film is dedicated to her, she was lovely but it is hard to judge how good an actress she would have been. Sean Ferrer as her boyfriend, who leaves her for a country singer, another private eye with an Afghan hound type of hairstyle. It tries to be as silly as What's Up Doc and I can see Cary grant trying to escape in John Ritter (is it Bringing Up Baby I see, especially at the roller disco). New York was as much the star, it was part travelog. Apart from Gazzara and Hepburn my favourite was Patti Hansen who is the taxi driver. Rarely does Hepburn have serious sexy chemistry with a male co star, she achieved it with Albert Finney but topped it with Gazzara.

[RedRiver]

I'm going to start cranky, then get a little more positive. I like nothing about THEY ALL LAUGHED. I don't find it the least bit funny (It is a comedy, isn't it?). The relationships don't excite me. The story never wants to end. I take little satisfaction from the Coen film either. Maybe I missed something. But to me, it's PRIMARILY about "a killing machine." Meaning, there's not a heck of a lot more to it.

I did, however, like THE WHISPERERS. A lot. An elegant, sad British film; neatly played, and featuring artful black and white photography. The quiet story of an elderly woman whose sensibilities are leaving her, and whose family already has. The director's use of quiet despair is eerie and dramatic. Not scary in the "somebody's after me" sense, but in a more realistic way. It depicts a threat that happens in every city, every day.

The story does contain a violent crime. I'm not sure that's necessary. The sequence is exciting. It doesn't detract from a fine movie. But the real drama, the conflict, is in old age and loneliness; poverty and fear. That storyline is enough to carry the film.

[JackFavell]

I'm so glad you liked The Whisperers, Red. It's a very good, absorbing movie, if sad.

[CineMaven]

[CineMaven]

I am not a fan of the Coen brothers, but I loved this film, perhaps precisely for all the reasons you hated it. The movie presents two different philosophies: The idea of fate, or determinism versus free will, or personal responsiblity. These concepts are played out in several different scenerios, leading up to the final scene where Bell, who has chosen to retire rather than pursue a dangerous criminal, talks of a dream which forshadows his own demise. While he has chosen to stay alive, he is still a lawman and knows that Anton is a killing machine, who offers little chance of survival. The film leaves us hanging because it wants us to contemplate these concepts. Do we weave the fabric of our lives or is the pattern already chosen?

I'm not a believer in Predestination...I think we make our own luck, though there IS something to be said about being in the right place at the right time. Gee, I have to revisit this film. It's been a few years since I've seen it. I saw Javier Bardem interviewed in the New York Times' auditorium where they give a series of interviews/lectures. He was handsome, of course, and very very funny. They showed the scene from "No Country..." where Bardem does the coin toss with the man in the store, one of the most tense-filled scenes I have EVER scene. When the audience was allowed to ask questions, a woman stood up...and said her husband happened to have been the actor in that scene with Bardem. "Is he here?" "Yes he is" and she nudged him to stand up...to thunderous applause. I've got to revisit this movie.

* * * *

"RIFF-RAFF". I gotta tell ya Wendy, your boy Joey C is definitely the best dressed bad guy I've seen in movies. A Maltese Beau Brummel...he can really wear a suit. Look at Harlow...hot stuff coming through. She could melt a wooden Indian statue. Look at Spencer Tracy. Before Gable and before Kate...he was a real fast-talking, live wire with a hot-cha personality.

Waldo.

[JackFavell]

Poor Joey! He dresses nice, he tries to make up to Harlow, but he hasn't got a chance with Tracy around. Take Tracy out of the picture and who else is left? Vince Barnett? oooh.

I'd take Joey, ridiculous accent and all.

[charliechaplinfan]

I'm going to start cranky, then get a little more positive. I like nothing about THEY ALL LAUGHED. I don't find it the least bit funny (It is a comedy, isn't it?). The relationships don't excite me. The story never wants to end. I take little satisfaction from the Coen film either. Maybe I missed something. But to me, it's PRIMARILY about "a killing machine." Meaning, there's not a heck of a lot more to it.

I did, however, like THE WHISPERERS. A lot. An elegant, sad British film; neatly played, and featuring artful black and white photography. The quiet story of an elderly woman whose sensibilities are leaving her, and whose family already has. The director's use of quiet despair is eerie and dramatic. Not scary in the "somebody's after me" sense, but in a more realistic way. It depicts a threat that happens in every city, every day.

The story does contain a violent crime. I'm not sure that's necessary. The sequence is exciting. It doesn't detract from a fine movie. But the real drama, the conflict, is in old age and loneliness; poverty and fear. That storyline is enough to carry the film.

I expected far more from They All Laughed it wasn't that funny, not as funny as I think it was meant to be, thank heavens for Gazzara and Hepburn.

[CineMaven]

Haha...Joe. Take the Brylcreme outta his hair and he can keep that fox fur and there is nobody else. What a wild ride "RIFF RAFF" is. There is a lotta screaming, like you said, JackaaAaay. The characters blow hot and cold all in a nanosecond. They love and turn on each other on a dime. Look at Mickey Rooney, 15 years old and so accomplished, I think; screen presence. Una Merkel...fast-talkin'. Humbling a blow-hard... women's prison prison break ( ) Wow!! Bar room brawls. They threw in everything. ...They packed a lot in this movie. We could write this. There's a pattern to it all.

"His Brother's Wife" too...misunderstandings. A proud guy. A sacrificing dame. A happy ending.

Vince Barnett. Where's Allen Jenkins when you need him?

I love the 30's.

[JackFavell]

I wasn't sure about Riffraff the first time I saw it. It worried me during the first half, all that yelling. Spence as a goofy dockside tough, all brawn, no brain.... But when I saw the redemption aspects of the second half, I really enjoyed the film a lot. He's got to go through it all so he can become a human being.... and I think this is where we see the real greatness of Tracy, towards the end, humbled and deeper somehow. Jean Harlow is fantastic, you root for her all the way through. Una Merkel is so sadly underrated, the way she tosses those lines! Golly she's terrific. And she cracks me up with the little terror, Rooney ("he's such a good boy..." ).

And then there is Joe, who is the bad guy, but not so bad as all that. A stereotype to be sure - who but a 'dumb foreigner' would put goose grease in his hair? Sheesh. I wonder what was going through his mind as he played that scene? But then he makes me laugh, and somehow makes a real character out of Nick, someone you feel a little heartache for. I thought his scene with Georges Givot was hilarious, and his humanity makes the politically incorrect part melt away. Calleia often injects humor, whether he's a bad guy or just misunderstood. He's such a good actor that it always works. I love that irony he brings to his performances. It shows a real brain behind the acting, to be able to play the scene as a real living man, yet somehow make you see the ludicrous or less savory qualities as well. Boyer has that overarching irony too. No matter how many times I watch Joe, I can't help but be drawn to him, his acting choices, the way he moves and his expressions. He makes it real, as so many unsung character actors did.

Oh, and I love the scenes with J.Farrell MacDonald! especially the one with the apple. You won't see too many people steal a scene from Tracy, but he manages it. I imagine Tracy learned his lesson at the hands of a master, and never let it happen again.