Which movie did you watch today and how would you rate it?

[angelo]

I'm going through my second childhood. I bought a whole heap of Looney Tunes cartoon classics from Amazon. Yosemite Sam, Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Sylvester, Road Runner and more. I'm loving them all over again, and by the way, there's a warning at the rear of the DVDs that many of the cartoons are for adults. .
9/10.

 

[thebeave]

Along with Leon, my favorite films from Besson (if you leave out the movies in his filmography where he probably didn't have much creative influence, like The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada) are The Fifth Element, which is so amazing visually, and The Extraordinary Adventures of Adele Blanc-Sec[/I], which Besson directed with an unbelievably light touch.

I thought this would be good, steampunky and Indiana Jones-ish. Instead it's soo camp and cheesy that it was painfully stupid to watch.

Now for tonight's movie:

The Gumball Rally

7/10

This one tells a fictionalized version of the Cannonball Baker Sea-To-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash, often known simply as the Cannonball. It's hard to write about this one without comparing it to The Cannonball Run, which came out a few years later and also recounts a fictionalized Cannonball race. While Cannonball Run boasts lots of star power (Burt Reynolds at the peak of his stardom, Roger Moore at his peak, along with Dom DeLuise, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., and more) and also can claim none other than Brock Yates (the sportswriter who created the Cannonball) as screenwriter, I liked Gumball Rally better. It tells a more coherent story, and its humor has more bite. And as someone who was growing up during the somewhat crazy 1970s, I like the way it captures a little slice of what America was like in that decade.

Is that the one with Michael Sarrazin? Oh, damn. I didn't know he died!!

If so, yeah, this was funny. Watched it on reruns late one night.

My brother adopted that line from the Italian driver - Raul Julia? - He rips off the rear view mirror and declares "What is behind me, is not important!"

Sadly, both Raul Julia and Michael Sarrizan died too young. I remember watching that movie in the theater as a kid with a bunch of my friends. Laughing our asses off the whole way through. Especially the reply from God, "Because you're an asshole, Roscoe!". Also, at the end when Linda Vaughn distracts the Raul Julia character with her big boobs. Hubba hubba! I watched it more recently as an adult and it was entertaining, but lacked the punch I remember from my younger days. I guess I'm getting to be an old codger.

 

[angelo]

I thought this would be good, steampunky and Indiana Jones-ish. Instead it's soo camp and cheesy that it was painfully stupid to watch.

Now for tonight's movie:

The Gumball Rally

7/10

This one tells a fictionalized version of the Cannonball Baker Sea-To-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash, often known simply as the Cannonball. It's hard to write about this one without comparing it to The Cannonball Run, which came out a few years later and also recounts a fictionalized Cannonball race. While Cannonball Run boasts lots of star power (Burt Reynolds at the peak of his stardom, Roger Moore at his peak, along with Dom DeLuise, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., and more) and also can claim none other than Brock Yates (the sportswriter who created the Cannonball) as screenwriter, I liked Gumball Rally better. It tells a more coherent story, and its humor has more bite. And as someone who was growing up during the somewhat crazy 1970s, I like the way it captures a little slice of what America was like in that decade.

Is that the one with Michael Sarrazin? Oh, damn. I didn't know he died!!

If so, yeah, this was funny. Watched it on reruns late one night.

My brother adopted that line from the Italian driver - Raul Julia? - He rips off the rear view mirror and declares "What is behind me, is not important!" [emoji38]

Sadly, both Raul Julia and Michael Sarrizan died too young. I remember watching that movie in the theater as a kid with a bunch of my friends. Laughing our asses off the whole way through. Especially the reply from God, "Because you're an asshole, Roscoe!". Also, at the end when Linda Vaughn distracts the Raul Julia character with her big boobs. Hubba hubba! I watched it more recently as an adult and it was entertaining, but lacked the punch I remember from my younger days. I guess I'm getting to be an old codger.

You mean the big boobs didn't have the same impact on you as they did when a whipper snapper?
That's understandable!

 

[credoconsolans]

I thought this would be good, steampunky and Indiana Jones-ish. Instead it's soo camp and cheesy that it was painfully stupid to watch.

Now for tonight's movie:

The Gumball Rally

7/10

This one tells a fictionalized version of the Cannonball Baker Sea-To-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash, often known simply as the Cannonball. It's hard to write about this one without comparing it to The Cannonball Run, which came out a few years later and also recounts a fictionalized Cannonball race. While Cannonball Run boasts lots of star power (Burt Reynolds at the peak of his stardom, Roger Moore at his peak, along with Dom DeLuise, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., and more) and also can claim none other than Brock Yates (the sportswriter who created the Cannonball) as screenwriter, I liked Gumball Rally better. It tells a more coherent story, and its humor has more bite. And as someone who was growing up during the somewhat crazy 1970s, I like the way it captures a little slice of what America was like in that decade.

Is that the one with Michael Sarrazin? Oh, damn. I didn't know he died!!

If so, yeah, this was funny. Watched it on reruns late one night.

My brother adopted that line from the Italian driver - Raul Julia? - He rips off the rear view mirror and declares "What is behind me, is not important!"

Sadly, both Raul Julia and Michael Sarrizan died too young. I remember watching that movie in the theater as a kid with a bunch of my friends. Laughing our asses off the whole way through. Especially the reply from God, "Because you're an asshole, Roscoe!". Also, at the end when Linda Vaughn distracts the Raul Julia character with her big boobs. Hubba hubba! I watched it more recently as an adult and it was entertaining, but lacked the punch I remember from my younger days. I guess I'm getting to be an old codger.

LMAO!!

Oh, yeah! Great scene. Michael Sarrazin's character, near the homestretch strip of road, has hired a pretty blonde with enormous boobs and has her jump up and down yelling hello at the Italian driver in the other car.

Dirty trick. It works. The Italian driver can't resist. He HAS to pull over, get out of the car and go hug her.

 

[MarkW]

Tequila Sunrise

8/10

Robert Towne's ambitious crime drama/romance suffers somewhat from an overly complex plot, but overall it works pretty well. The three leads--Mel Gibson, Michelle Pfeiffer and Kurt Russell--all play well off of each other and the love triangle between the trio is quite convincing. Pfeiffer is especially good as a Hitchcock style ice-cool blonde.

 

[MarkW]

LMAO!!

Oh, yeah! Great scene. Michael Sarrazin's character, near the homestretch strip of road, has hired a pretty blonde with enormous boobs and has her jump up and down yelling hello at the Italian driver in the other car.

Dirty trick. It works. The Italian driver can't resist. He HAS to pull over, get out of the car and go hug her.

Ah yes, Emergency Plan Alpha. A great scene to be sure.

 

[MarkW]

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011 feature film)

6/10

I was disappointed in this adaptation of the novel by John Le Carré when I saw it during its theatrical release, and didn't really find it any better when re-watching it tonight. The very big problem is the script. Le Carré's novel has a very intricate plot, and virtually all of it is concerned with the main story-line; there are no subplots that can be excised without damaging the main narrative. The 1970s BBC miniseries managed to present this core story, with a few excisions and consolidations but without any loss of narrative flow, but did so over a total length of about five-and-a-half hours. The feature film runs right around 2 hours, and about one-tenth of that consists of scenes that were completely new to the film and did virtually nothing to advance the plot. So the viewer is watching a very stripped-down version of Le Carré's story. Even extremely important scenes--like the one where George Smiley (Gary Oldman) gradually persuades Toby Esterhase (David Dencik) to help in his molehunt--are given a rush treatment. I was able to follow what was happening and keep track of who was who, but I have read Le Carré's novel a number of times and watched the miniseries several times as well. I recall more than one discussion of the film back when it came out where people who lacked my familiarity with the source material told me how difficult it was for them to understand what was going on.

The cast is an impressive roster, but most of them do not have enough screen time to make a strong impression. A couple of exceptions: Tom Hardy is a terrific Ricki Tarr, and although Benedict Cumberbatch looks too young for his part (largely due to a schoolboy-style haircut), he is otherwise a very good Peter Guillam. Oldman, although he's a fine actor, cannot hold a candle to Alec Guinness as George Smiley.

 

[credoconsolans]

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011 feature film)

6/10

I was disappointed in this adaptation of the novel by John Le Carré when I saw it during its theatrical release, and didn't really find it any better when re-watching it tonight. The very big problem is the script. Le Carré's novel has a very intricate plot, and virtually all of it is concerned with the main story-line; there are no subplots that can be excised without damaging the main narrative. The 1970s BBC miniseries managed to present this core story, with a few excisions and consolidations but without any loss of narrative flow, but did so over a total length of about five-and-a-half hours. The feature film runs right around 2 hours, and about one-tenth of that consists of scenes that were completely new to the film and did virtually nothing to advance the plot. So the viewer is watching a very stripped-down version of Le Carré's story. Even extremely important scenes--like the one where George Smiley (Gary Oldman) gradually persuades Toby Esterhase (David Dencik) to help in his molehunt--are given a rush treatment. I was able to follow what was happening and keep track of who was who, but I have read Le Carré's novel a number of times and watched the miniseries several times as well. I recall more than one discussion of the film back when it came out where people who lacked my familiarity with the source material told me how difficult it was for them to understand what was going on.

The cast is an impressive roster, but most of them do not have enough screen time to make a strong impression. A couple of exceptions: Tom Hardy is a terrific Ricki Tarr, and although Benedict Cumberbatch looks too young for his part (largely due to a schoolboy-style haircut), he is otherwise a very good Peter Guillam. Oldman, although he's a fine actor, cannot hold a candle to Alec Guinness as George Smiley.

I adored this movie.

I thought it was well done. The acting from everyone is excellent.

I had no problem following the plot, though it is one of those movies that you can't be distracted, talking to friends or checking your phone. I chose a cold rainy winter night when nothing else was going on, turned it on and paid attention. To me, the script was really straight forward.

The movie did so well, Oldman has been talking every so often about doing Smiley's People.

 

[RavenSky]

Not really a movie, but even 30 years later - just as relevant and just as funny

[YOUTUBE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXHmNaEHgKU[/YOUTUBE]

 

[ZiprHead]

My brother adopted that line from the Italian driver - Raul Julia? - He rips off the rear view mirror and declares "What is behind me, is not important!"

Haven't seen that movie in probably thirty years but I still remember and use that line.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Pentagon Wars - Remember the days when it was the bureaucratic machines of DC that was the most frustrating aspect of Government and not a bunch of Limbaugh weened maniacs who were given control of the House of Representatives and tried to bankrupt the nation? Step into the time machine when tails were allegedly waging dogs, when dresses were stained with semen, and HBO created this film about the simpler times of military bureaucracy in the 60's through 80's.

This film is solid and an early HBO film effort dealing with the development of the Bradley Fighting Vehicle in the Army. Great cast (including some Viola Davis chick) and a depressing but well told and paced story. The film tells you that one person can make a difference and the cost of the price to make that difference... with a 'B' of course. Have HBO GO? You can watch it. No? Don't look at me... what do I look like, Netflix?!

4 of 4

 

[bradw]

Sansho the Bailiff (1954)

Set in feudal Japan.

The father shows empathy for the enslaved peasants, and is exiled. The mother, son and daughter are kidnapped and sold into prostitution and slavery.

And then things start to go bad.

The story lacks plausibility, and the acting isn't always top-notch, but if you like a movie where things are always going from bad to worse.....

6.5/10

I think I'll go watch The Shining. That'll cheer me up.

 

[angelo]

Charlie's Angels. 2000. Starring the delicious Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore, and Lucy Liu.
It's a tongue in cheek adaption of the spin off from the 70's TV series. Made all the better by the easy on the eyes leads.
6/10.

 

[RavenSky]

the day the earth stood still 2008 version 5/10

keanu reeves makes a good alien though

 

[credoconsolans]

My brother adopted that line from the Italian driver - Raul Julia? - He rips off the rear view mirror and declares "What is behind me, is not important!"

Haven't seen that movie in probably thirty years but I still remember and use that line.

It's in our family as well.

Me [backing up out of the driveway]
Mom: Did you check behind you?
Me: What is behind me is not important.

 

[MarkW]

Charlie's Angels. 2000. Starring the delicious Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore, and Lucy Liu.
It's a tongue in cheek adaption of the spin off from the 70's TV series. Made all the better by the easy on the eyes leads.
6/10.

I watched this one tonight myself. It's not a great movie by any means but it doesn't make any pretense of being one. It sets out to be fun and entertaining, and succeeds at both. Not only are all three leads, as you note, very easy on the eyes, all three have a definite knack for comedy; as a result, unlike many supposed "action comedies," this one is genuinely funny ("flip your god damn hair" alone gets it an extra point in my book). There's even an early-in-career Melissa McCarthy cameo.

 

[TSwizzle]

American Hustle, 6/10: A strong cast with Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper and Amy Adams. The pace of this movie clips along at a decent pace about an ambitious FBI agent (Cooper) trying to put a sting together to bring down some corrupt low level politicians. Bales character is drafted in to make the sting more believable to the targets. At the end, I was not sure who was conning who or if the outcome was intended or the con was so elaborate I just couldn't follow it. The plot is a bit similar to "The Sting" in set up.

 

[MarkW]

Escape Plan

5/10

Staring Stallone and Schwarzenegger, this one is pretty much what the title implies. I always think of "escape" films as essentially being caper films in reverse; instead of the object being to get into someplace that's very secure, the goal is to get out, but otherwise the plot elements tend to be very similar. This one was very routine. There were a few good set-piece sequences and some enjoyable interplay between Sly and Ah-nult, but there was also an unusual level of violence and the talented supporting cast was largely wasted.

 

[Thomas II]

I'm just saying...not bad, not bad at all...

 

[MarkW]

Comanche Station

8/10

The last of the so-called "Ranown" Westerns of the late fifties, all of which starred Randolph Scott (of "you'd do it for Randolph Scott" fame), directed by Budd Boetticher, and usually scripted by Burt Kennedy, and produced by Scott and his business partner Harry Joe Brown (hence Ranown). The series of six films had several things in common--1) Scott as a tough, laconic loner protagonist, usually a man with some dark tragedy in his past, 2) A female lead who is in some way under Scott's protection (played here by Nancy Gates), 3) one or more likable outlaw characters, of whom one generally has a history with Scott's character (in this film, Claude Akins, and 4) some sort of journey, generally through unsettled territory (hence, no need for large casts of extras to portray the population of a town), with a story focusing on the interactions and rivalries between the characters, with periodic outbursts of action. I've seen 4 or 5 of the Ranown films through the years; all of them are good and collectively they're a fairly important addition to the Western film canon. This was the next to last film in Scott's long career, followed a couple of years later by Sam Peckinpah's classic Ride the High Country.