WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

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JackFavell
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Re: WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

Post by JackFavell »

I think Heavenly Creatures was a really incredible film, if a bit scary (being a mom myself now). I don't remember any of the parts that seemed down on sci fi.... I just remember the saturated color of the imagination sequences, and how gripping it was, and rather funny. I remember thinking it was brilliantly directed, and couldn't decide who was better, Kate or Melanie Lynskey. It's definitely worth seeing, I think it's time for me to revisit it.
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movieman1957
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Re: WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

Post by movieman1957 »

"August Rush." TheBride liked it so much she had friends over and she really liked it. Me, not so much. It's a fairy tale in that a boy, taken from his mother by his grandfather, turns out to be a musical prodigy of untold proportions. He grows up in an orphanage "knowing" his parents are out there to be found. His parents, having had a one night stand and musicians themselves, spend years looking for each other, always missing each other. The mother finds out 11 years later that her son is alive and goes on her great journey to find him.

Some of it a little too contrived and coincidental to buy. A nice performance by Freddie Hightower as the boy and Robin Williams as the selfish manager you would love it if he were hit by a bus.

Good music and even better sound editing helps a movie that suffers from a slow and slightly confusing start. It picks up pace but it still a bit long.
Chris

"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana."
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charliechaplinfan
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Re: WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

Post by charliechaplinfan »

JackFavell wrote:I really like the movie too and I've been appreciating Rossano Brazzi lately myself. :D
Have you seen Summertime? If you haven't you must catch it next time it's on.

Kingme, I felt when watching The Barefoot Contessa that Ava was playing herself, from what I've read about her, not so much the marriage but the taste for roughing it and being footloose and fancy free. Now you've mentioned Rita, I can see the similarities to her.
Failure is unimportant. It takes courage to make a fool of yourself - Charlie Chaplin
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JackFavell
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Re: WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

Post by JackFavell »

I always watch Summertime when it is on! It's my favorite Rossano Brazzi performance. I have a copy already, but still can't help myself if it's playing on TCM.

This week I woke up with a song in my head. It's been at least a couple of weeks since I saw the movie last. All day, I was trying to figure out what the melody was, I kept thinking it was french. Everywhere I went, the song went with me. It was that theme from Summertime, that Rossano sings to her, and that the little orchestra plays for them at the cafe. It was very nice, having it humming along with me all day, but it took me till evening to figure out what it was. :)
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charliechaplinfan
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Re: WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

Post by charliechaplinfan »

I've only seen it once, I was really impressed with it and with Katharine Hepburn, she's one of my favorite actresses anyway but this made me appreciate her even more.

I've carried on with Fellini this week and have watched I, Vitelloni I have to recommend this one too, I'd seen clips briefly in Martin Scorsese's documentary on Italian film making, similar to La Strada rather than 81/2 I think this was the first film that made the public sit up and notice Fellini. It follows the paths of 5 guys, the spiritual leader of the group, Fausto a womaniser who is also a risk taker and his 4 friends, each of them going through a transition and each of them out of work. Fausto has got his girlfriend pregnant and tries to flee but his father makes him face the music, his father far smaller than he but still respected as the head of the household, Fausto doesn't run, he dutifully goes through with his marriage and as soon as he gets back from honeymoon and whilst in the cinema with his wife he comes on to another woman. Later he loses his job when he comes on to the middle aged wife of his employer. As Fausto's problems continue the problems and lives of the other friends flit across the story. The moral barometer of the friends and the only one who manages to leave is Moraldo, the youngest one. This film contains many memorable scenes and strange happenings, not least stealing a huge angel and then trying to see it to the local convent and priest. Worth seeing just for the carnival.
Failure is unimportant. It takes courage to make a fool of yourself - Charlie Chaplin
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JackFavell
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Re: WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

Post by JackFavell »

I was going to try La Dolce Vita, but maybe I should go for I, Vitteloni instead. We'll see, I have some other movies to watch before I get to Fellini again. I am really enjoying him, so far..
Mr. Arkadin
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Re: WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

Post by Mr. Arkadin »

JackFavell wrote:I was going to try La Dolce Vita, but maybe I should go for I, Vitteloni instead. We'll see, I have some other movies to watch before I get to Fellini again. I am really enjoying him, so far..
I was going to reply to the 8 1/2 conversation, but I've little time these days and missed out. Probably the best way to discover Fellini is to watch the films in the order they were created because the films logically progress from an everyman's point of view to Fellini's personal vision. Don't forget the great films in between these two; Il Bidone (1955), my personal favorite, and Nights of Cabria (1957), which contains one of Masina's greatest performances.
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JackFavell
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Re: WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

Post by JackFavell »

Thanks, Arkadin! Perhaps chronological is the way to go. Please do write about Fellini when you get time. I would love to hear your thoughts.
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charliechaplinfan
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Re: WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

Post by charliechaplinfan »

That's good advice Mr Arkadin. I Vittelloni comes before La Strada, Il Bidone is on my rental list. I like La Dolce Vita, it was the first Fellini I ever saw and had to see it twice to appreciate it fully. Nights of Cabiria isn't available here, more's the pity. Yesterday I watched Guiletta of the Spirits 1965 and Fellini's first colour movie and despite it starrig Giulietta Masina it was a bit of a miss with me, interesting but I don't think I fully appreciated it. I read one review that said Fellini showed himself to be really ni tune with women, not British ones but it has to be seen to be believed. I've shyed away from Fellini's later movies because they look so strange. However I did love Ginger and Fred, a brilliant pairing of Masina with Mastroiani as Italy's answer to Fred and Ginger.
Failure is unimportant. It takes courage to make a fool of yourself - Charlie Chaplin
Mr. Arkadin
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Re: WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

Post by Mr. Arkadin »

charliechaplinfan wrote: Yesterday I watched Guiletta of the Spirits 1965 and Fellini's first colour movie and despite it starrig Giulietta Masina it was a bit of a miss with me, interesting but I don't think I fully appreciated it. I read one review that said Fellini showed himself to be really ni tune with women, not British ones but it has to be seen to be believed. I've shyed away from Fellini's later movies because they look so strange. However I did love Ginger and Fred, a brilliant pairing of Masina with Mastroiani as Italy's answer to Fred and Ginger.
Here's a teaser I wrote for Juliet of the Spirits when it showed on TCM, with a little Fellini banter thrown in:

http://silverscreenoasis.com/oasis3/vie ... f=1&t=1248
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charliechaplinfan
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Re: WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

Post by charliechaplinfan »

Thanks for the link to that thread, it's helped me understand what Fellini was trying to express a little better. I didn't feel that Fellini was exploiting women in this film, I thought he was trying to understand this woman Guilietta, I felt the film was a homage to his wonderful wife who plays her role so straight, with such indignation at times and at others when viewing some of the more bizarre images, a childlike sense of wonder or amazement. It was Masina that made me stay with it and I can see a lot of similarities with 81/2 I did find 81/2 a far more accessible film, although I didn't pick up everything that was going on it flowed a lot better than the later film. Worth seeing and will probably be revisted one day.

I'm not sure I will try any of his later works as I feel he gets further and further away from what I really like about his work, I think my favorite films are La Strada and I Vitteloni because they are so human, La Dolce Vita and 81/2 are something else, visual spectacles with disconnected characters, very enjoyable but a different experience.
Failure is unimportant. It takes courage to make a fool of yourself - Charlie Chaplin
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Rita Hayworth
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Re: WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

Post by Rita Hayworth »

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND - 1977 STEVEN SPIELBERG CLASSIC

It was on Encore Mystery today, and I have not seen this movie in years - Richard Dreyfuss was incredible in this movie; the music score is haunting, the special effects and visual effects are beyond years at that time. Great Cast, and better yet the classic ending of aliens and humankind communicating with profound respect of each other. I love the expressions of the people - the scientists in awe seeing the mother ship at the end of this movie. Its almost like a silent movie in a way - Spielberg did a masterful job putting all together and the music of John Williams at its best.

This movie is always remains a classic - its one the best films that came out in 1977. I was a junior in high school and I went with several friends from school to see it on a Saturday matinée - my 2nd favorite scene in that movie is where all the returning "missing people, military guys, and etc) and seeing there name accounted for by using a black tape to mark them off telling the world that they have returned.

I enjoy the fast paced, the direction, and most importantly the "the sheer madness of Dreyfuss motivation" to find where the aliens is landing and so forth. In the earlier part of the movie - of where his family is sitting down at the supper table - of where he takes globs and globs of mashed potatoes and trying to recreate his warped and twisted mind of where the "aliens" will be landing. He literally recreated a sculpture of "Devil's Tower" - but doesn't know where it is ... so in the course of the next 12-24 hours - he went stir crazy of building a more elaborate Devil's Tower using dirt from his gardens, and materials from his home and everything he can think of and then some.

Until he glance at his Television Set - and a :idea: came to him and proceed with grave determination to get to there.

That's my favorite part of the movie.

He was determined to get there and be part of this Encounter with aliens from outer space.

That's my friends - is pure Science Fiction as its best. I love Spielberg's direction in this movie and so wonderfully edited and all. Great Movie.
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ken123
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Re: WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

Post by ken123 »

Back when Close Encounters was released I saw it at a local movie theatre with my wife, She thought that it was OK. To me it was long & dull, me not being a Dreyfuss fan didnt help. Sorry, I just didnt care it it. :|
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mrsl
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Re: WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

Post by mrsl »

.
Kingme:


I have to agree with you about Close Encounters of the Third Kind. For me it's one of those pictures that if you land on it while you're channel surfing, you HAVE to sit and watch until the end, not matter where you came in. I have about 20 movies like that. I always thought the building of Devil's Tower in his living room was a bit much, but it's only one scene. My favorite scene is when the mother ship comes and just hovers and all the people just stare at it with wonder and shock. This is the only movie where aliens are not greeted with army reserves and gunfire. That sounds funny considering it's only a movie, but sadly, it's the way we treat all unknown things going as far back as the American Indian. I think Spielberg was trying to say a few different things with this movie about love and acceptance, and understanding. I also think it was a beginning to his quest to tell the true story of his heritage, which he finalized with Schindler's List. Spielberg always tells a complete story with a beginning, a middle and an end. He doesn't cheat the audience with making them do the detective work, yet he gives his audience credit for being intelligent enough to know what he is saying. I don't think there are any Steven Spielberg movies that are not of top notch quality, and Close Encounters is close to being No. 1.
.
Anne


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klondike

Re: WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

Post by klondike »

mrsl wrote:I don't think there are any Steven Spielberg movies that are not of top notch quality . . .
Ever seen 1941 ?
:x :x :x :x :x :x
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