Brothers (2009) Jim Sheridan- 7/10
I found this a pleasant surprise with little expectations going in...in the hands of a different director you'd have the potentially for a pretty shitty film. The performances across the board were impressive.
Last Seen Movie - The Latest Movie You Have Seen; ratings
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Big Magilla
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Julie & Julia (2009) Nora Ephron 7/10
Better than I expected. The Julia segments rule, but I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the Julie segments.
Public Enemies (2009) Michael Mann 7/10
Great cinematography, art direction and costume design but the this Bonnie and Clyde wannabe provides nothing really new to the Dillinger legend.
Terminator Salvation (2009) McG 4/10
Interminable nonsense but second lead Sam Worthington who stars in Avatar is definitely a tar on the rise.
Orders to Kill (1958) Anthony Asquith 8/10
Under-rated gem about the training of an American assassin who is then ordered to kill a Frenchman who may or may not be guilty of betraying allied spies. Knockout performance by Irene Worth as his French handler for which she won a Bafta as did star Paul Massie as best newcomer.
Gambit (1966) Ronald Neame 8/10
Where has this film been? The Universal Region 2 DVD release with a commentary by 98 year-old Neame indicates this to be a much better caper film than its contemporary competition, How to Steal a Million, featuring charismatic performances by Michael Caine, Shirley MacLaine and Herbert Lom and plenty of twists. It was nominated for 3 Oscars, but has pretty much falling into obscurity.
Better than I expected. The Julia segments rule, but I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the Julie segments.
Public Enemies (2009) Michael Mann 7/10
Great cinematography, art direction and costume design but the this Bonnie and Clyde wannabe provides nothing really new to the Dillinger legend.
Terminator Salvation (2009) McG 4/10
Interminable nonsense but second lead Sam Worthington who stars in Avatar is definitely a tar on the rise.
Orders to Kill (1958) Anthony Asquith 8/10
Under-rated gem about the training of an American assassin who is then ordered to kill a Frenchman who may or may not be guilty of betraying allied spies. Knockout performance by Irene Worth as his French handler for which she won a Bafta as did star Paul Massie as best newcomer.
Gambit (1966) Ronald Neame 8/10
Where has this film been? The Universal Region 2 DVD release with a commentary by 98 year-old Neame indicates this to be a much better caper film than its contemporary competition, How to Steal a Million, featuring charismatic performances by Michael Caine, Shirley MacLaine and Herbert Lom and plenty of twists. It was nominated for 3 Oscars, but has pretty much falling into obscurity.
Sugar (2008) Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck 7/10
This is a sports story that Hollywood would never make. It's a small, poignant film that doesn't try to be more than what it is. It's about baseball but ultimately more about the importance of community, culture, and economic opportunity. I really like that, even though things don't go well for the protagonist, there are no obvious villains in the movie. Definitely worth checking out.
This is a sports story that Hollywood would never make. It's a small, poignant film that doesn't try to be more than what it is. It's about baseball but ultimately more about the importance of community, culture, and economic opportunity. I really like that, even though things don't go well for the protagonist, there are no obvious villains in the movie. Definitely worth checking out.
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anonymous1980
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Precious Doll
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Greek Pete (2009) Andrew Haigh 4/10
The Private Lives of Pippa Lee (2009) Rebecca Miller 7/10
Trade (2007) Marco Kreuzpaintner 1/10
Rage (2009) Sally Potter 2/10
Mark of an Angel (2008) Safy Nebbou 7/10
Skin (2009) Anthony Fabian 4/10
The Immortal Woman (1963) Alain Robbe-Grillet 4/10
The Private Lives of Pippa Lee (2009) Rebecca Miller 7/10
Trade (2007) Marco Kreuzpaintner 1/10
Rage (2009) Sally Potter 2/10
Mark of an Angel (2008) Safy Nebbou 7/10
Skin (2009) Anthony Fabian 4/10
The Immortal Woman (1963) Alain Robbe-Grillet 4/10
"I want cement covering every blade of grass in this nation! Don't we taxpayers have a voice anymore?" Peggy Gravel (Mink Stole) in John Waters' Desperate Living (1977)
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Big Magilla
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A Christmas Carol (1954) Ralph Levy 6/10
Truncated musical made-for-TV version with a score by Bernard Herrmann and lyrics by Maxwell Anderson.
Hermann's background music is superb as always, but the songs, all sung by minor characters, are instantly forgettable.
Fredric March won an Emmy nomination for his performance and he's good as usual but even so can't hold a candle to Alastair Sim's interpretation of just three years earlier.
Basil Rathbone, who would play Scrooge himself in a TV production two years later, makes a scary Jacob Marley and all but steals the show from March. It would be nice to someday see how well he did as Scrooge.
Ray Middleton has a dual role as Scrooge's nephew and the Ghost of Christmas Present. Marilyn Horne dubs the singing voice of Belle, young Scrooge's sweetheart, and ten year old Bonnie Franklin plays one of the Cratchit girls.
Director Levy is best known for directing the pilot episode of I Love Lucy and dying on that show's 50th anniversary.
Edited By Big Magilla on 1260053587
Truncated musical made-for-TV version with a score by Bernard Herrmann and lyrics by Maxwell Anderson.
Hermann's background music is superb as always, but the songs, all sung by minor characters, are instantly forgettable.
Fredric March won an Emmy nomination for his performance and he's good as usual but even so can't hold a candle to Alastair Sim's interpretation of just three years earlier.
Basil Rathbone, who would play Scrooge himself in a TV production two years later, makes a scary Jacob Marley and all but steals the show from March. It would be nice to someday see how well he did as Scrooge.
Ray Middleton has a dual role as Scrooge's nephew and the Ghost of Christmas Present. Marilyn Horne dubs the singing voice of Belle, young Scrooge's sweetheart, and ten year old Bonnie Franklin plays one of the Cratchit girls.
Director Levy is best known for directing the pilot episode of I Love Lucy and dying on that show's 50th anniversary.
Edited By Big Magilla on 1260053587
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anonymous1980
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HarryGoldfarb
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Precious Doll wrote:Leaves Al Gore's powerpoint presentation in the dust.
Great line... totally captures my feeling towards that film. While an interesting though plain film, I never understood the "greatness" of it neither how it got so critically acclaimed by then. Maybe by the time I finally got to see it my expectations were really high...
Edited By HarryGoldfarb on 1259845906
"If you place an object in a museum, does that make this object a piece of art?" - The Square (2017)
/The New World/ (Terrence Malick) - 7/10
The least of his films by far. I just watched the 3 Hour-ish extended cut and it suffers from painful familiarity that does not plague his other films. It's a gorgeous experience but I just don't think the John Smith/Pocahontas story can be interestingly done. Malick comes pretty close to making a great film but at the center is a very confused relationship. I find it condescending.
Werckmeister Harmonies (Bela Tarr) - 9/10
Wrestlin' over here...
It's as gorgeous as any piece of filmmaking I've ever seen. Between a ravishing first act (which lasts almost an hour) and an astonishing third act (of roughly forty minutes) is a second that is incredibly episodic and features neither rise nor build until Janos goes back to see the whale again. Yet for what I find lacking, it more than compensates with virtuoso which is not one simply delegated to that which is technical. It's a sad, painful film about a city stranded in time in a state of flux. The time is right for change but the engines are grinding onward towards revolt, suppression, and a circle that continues. I watched this after Obama's speech last night...
The least of his films by far. I just watched the 3 Hour-ish extended cut and it suffers from painful familiarity that does not plague his other films. It's a gorgeous experience but I just don't think the John Smith/Pocahontas story can be interestingly done. Malick comes pretty close to making a great film but at the center is a very confused relationship. I find it condescending.
Werckmeister Harmonies (Bela Tarr) - 9/10
Wrestlin' over here...
It's as gorgeous as any piece of filmmaking I've ever seen. Between a ravishing first act (which lasts almost an hour) and an astonishing third act (of roughly forty minutes) is a second that is incredibly episodic and features neither rise nor build until Janos goes back to see the whale again. Yet for what I find lacking, it more than compensates with virtuoso which is not one simply delegated to that which is technical. It's a sad, painful film about a city stranded in time in a state of flux. The time is right for change but the engines are grinding onward towards revolt, suppression, and a circle that continues. I watched this after Obama's speech last night...
"How's the despair?"
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Precious Doll
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The Haunting in Connecticut (2009) Peter Cornwell 2/10
Gigantic (2009) Matt Aselton 5/10
Colin (2009) Marc Price 2/10
Doghouse (2009) Jake West 4/10
Vengeance (2009) Johnnie To 5/10
The Informant (2009) Steven Soderbergh 7/10
The Age of Stupid (2009) Fanny Armstrong 7/10
Whilst not the best documentary of the year this it is without a doubt the most important. It deals with the issues relating to climate change in a fresh inventive way with the participation of actor Pete Postlethwaite.
Leaves Al Gore's powerpoint presentation in the dust.
Edited By Precious Doll on 1259827005
Gigantic (2009) Matt Aselton 5/10
Colin (2009) Marc Price 2/10
Doghouse (2009) Jake West 4/10
Vengeance (2009) Johnnie To 5/10
The Informant (2009) Steven Soderbergh 7/10
The Age of Stupid (2009) Fanny Armstrong 7/10
Whilst not the best documentary of the year this it is without a doubt the most important. It deals with the issues relating to climate change in a fresh inventive way with the participation of actor Pete Postlethwaite.
Leaves Al Gore's powerpoint presentation in the dust.
Edited By Precious Doll on 1259827005
"I want cement covering every blade of grass in this nation! Don't we taxpayers have a voice anymore?" Peggy Gravel (Mink Stole) in John Waters' Desperate Living (1977)