The "last movie I saw" thread

[Northwestcoug]

Spoiler for A thought:

Well, I think there's another way to read that scene. The central question to the crash, as PAC mentioned above, is did being high/sober allow him to make decisions he would have otherwise not been able to make? Now you put him in those same circumstances (high/drunk) at the investigation, and return to the central question: did it embolden him to take a course of action he otherwise wouldn't have pursued? I think it was a bit more layered than just saying he turned on a dime.

The thing I was more confused on was the film's position on God. There were all these several overt references to God, but I'm not sure what was being said. Was it simply that God puts people in the right place at the right time to fulfill their destinies and He is in control? Or was it that despite those unexplained acts of God, our decisions still ultimately control our outcomes?

Spoiler for response to your thought:

I just read PAC's post. I think we're talking about 2 different things. It just seemed too contrived to me when he publicly confessed. He really showed no significant remorse about his actions, other than when he cleared the alcohol out right after the crash. If the movie would have spent more time with his angst, I might have bought it better. As it was, it seemed to be trying to make the story end on a good note too quickly.

The God angle is interesting. I picked up on a couple of vague references during the film. But like you, I'm not sure if it was trying to say something more meaningful. Maybe another missed opportunity.

[MarkGrace]

Spoiler for response to your thought:

I just read PAC's post. I think we're talking about 2 different things. It just seemed too contrived to me when he publicly confessed. He really showed no significant remorse about his actions, other than when he cleared the alcohol out right after the crash. If the movie would have spent more time with his angst, I might have bought it better. As it was, it seemed to be trying to make the story end on a good note too quickly.

The God angle is interesting. I picked up on a couple of vague references during the film. But like you, I'm not sure if it was trying to say something more meaningful. Maybe another missed opportunity.

Spoiler for Spoiler:

Unless I'm not understanding, we're talking about the same thing. The public confession is returning to the same central question as the crash itself (ie., could he have done it if not under the influence).

I'm not entirely disagreeing -- I felt the contrivance as well -- I'm just saying I think there was a question there that made it a little more nuanced than a simple turn on the dime for no reason at all. And of course now that I'm thinking about it there is an additional angle there because the turn doesn't happen until they want him to pin the alcohol on the deceased flight attendant. That's kind of a different consideration than just lying about one's own actions. But to be honest that question was just really kind of stupid -- they set it up as he either had to condemn himself or her, but reallly the question didn't require that either/or scenario.

[Northwestcoug]

Spoiler for Spoiler:

Unless I'm not understanding, we're talking about the same thing. The public confession is returning to the same central question as the crash itself (ie., could he have done it if not under the influence).

I'm not entirely disagreeing -- I felt the contrivance as well -- I'm just saying I think there was a question there that made it a little more nuanced than a simple turn on the dime for no reason at all. And of course now that I'm thinking about it there is an additional angle there because the turn doesn't happen until they want him to pin the alcohol on the deceased flight attendant. That's kind of a different consideration than just lying about one's own actions. But to be honest that question was just really kind of stupid -- they set it up as he either had to condemn himself or her, but reallly the question didn't require that either/or scenario.

Gotcha. I also agree with the last part of your second paragraph.

[wuapinmon]

Searching for Sugar Man. A documentary about an American singer songwriter named Sixto Rodriguez who recorded two albums in the seventies that were total flops and failures in America. Unbeknownst to Rodriguez, a bootleg copy of one of his albums ended up in South Africa where he became a huge star. The film is about how he was tracked down decades later by some south African journalists and how his life turned out, how he was ripped off by the music industry and how he is still beloved in south Africa. It was a FANTASTIC film of a truly remarkable story about a remarkable man. I strongly recommend it. I note that it has a 95% positive review rate at Rotten Tomatoes. It is a well deserved rating. If you can you should check this out.

I want to check this one out. His music is on Spotify, and it's pretty good.

[LA Ute]

"The Words." I watched it on a plane flight. It was OK. The plot was a little confusing but it was engrossing, and it's a pleasure to watch the character actor Jeremy Irons has become. (It's always a pleasure to watch him.)

[BoylenOver]

Watched "The Artist" with my dad and stepmom.

Afterwards, I don't know how it came up, but my dad asked me what "catfish" meant, because he's heard it on sports talk radio this week. We rented it on Amazon Instant.

[il Padrino Ute]

I couldn't sleep the other night and came across a film called "Rescue Dawn" on the Sundance channel. It's a true story about a US fighter pilot who was shot down over Laos during the Vietnam War and his days in captivity until he and other prisoners were able to escape. Christian Bale was in the role of the main character.

I actually liked it, as it was a rather compelling story of survival. Anyone else see it?

[Green Lantern]

I couldn't sleep the other night and came across a film called "Rescue Dawn" on the Sundance channel. It's a true story about a US fighter pilot who was shot down over Laos during the Vietnam War and his days in captivity until he and other prisoners were able to escape. Christian Bale was in the role of the main character.

I actually liked it, as it was a rather compelling story of survival. Anyone else see it?

Totally underrated movie by the great director Werner Herzog. I love that movie. Il Pad, if you liked the story, Herzog actually made a documentary about the real guy just a few years earlier called Little Dieter Needs to Fly. Worth seeking out.

[il Padrino Ute]

Totally underrated movie by the great director Werner Herzog. I love that movie. Il Pad, if you liked the story, Herzog actually made a documentary about the real guy just a few years earlier called Little Dieter Needs to Fly. Worth seeking out.

I'll have to check that one out, though I don't know where to get it. I don't have Netflix, but I do have a DVD player.

[Green Lantern]

Watched "The Artist" with my dad and stepmom.

Afterwards, I don't know how it came up, but my dad asked me what "catfish" meant, because he's heard it on sports talk radio this week. We rented it on Amazon Instant.

What did you think of Catfish?

[BoylenOver]

What did you think of Catfish?

I've seen it before. I'm too lazy to add the spoiler tags on my phone, so I'll be vague, but Abbey's family and what motivates them to have this relationship with Yiv is really interesting.

[Jeff Lebowski]

I couldn't sleep the other night and came across a film called "Rescue Dawn" on the Sundance channel. It's a true story about a US fighter pilot who was shot down over Laos during the Vietnam War and his days in captivity until he and other prisoners were able to escape. Christian Bale was in the role of the main character.

I actually liked it, as it was a rather compelling story of survival. Anyone else see it?

Totally underrated movie by the great director Werner Herzog. I love that movie. Il Pad, if you liked the story, Herzog actually made a documentary about the real guy just a few years earlier called Little Dieter Needs to Fly. Worth seeking out.

Both are great. Especially the Herzog documentary.

[PaloAltoCougar]

I liked Django Unchained, a lot. I'd be happy sitting for a couple of hours listening to nothing but Christoph Waltz doing Tarantino dialogue, and I'll likely watch the movie again soon just for him. The movie is a hybrid of the Blaxploitation movies of the late 60s and early 70s with a Spaghetti Western, where Clint Eastwood becomes Shaft.

Except for the dogs and Mandingo fight, the over-the-top violence was cartoonish and didn't bother me, but a lot of people will find it repellent, along with the anachronisitic vulgarity.

The eclectic soundtrack was great--Enrico Morricone is always very good--several original songs plus the combination of Beethoven and Verdi with strange additions like Jim Croce and Richie Havens.

I'm still laughing about the Ku Klux Klan wardrobe malfunction scene [this is a very minor story point, not a spoiler] that's hilariously weird given the admixture of frightening malevolence (dozens of masked riders with torches swooping down from the hill) and a bunch of dimwits ripping on their costume designer.

A few flaws, but overall a very entertaining movie for those with a strong stomach.

[Jeff Lebowski]

I liked Django Unchained, a lot. I'd be happy sitting for a couple of hours listening to nothing but Christoph Waltz doing Tarantino dialogue, and I'll likely watch the movie again soon just for him. The movie is a hybrid of the Blaxploitation movies of the late 60s and early 70s with a Spaghetti Western, where Clint Eastwood becomes Shaft.

Except for the dogs and Mandingo fight, the over-the-top violence was cartoonish and didn't bother me, but a lot of people will find it repellent, along with the anachronisitic vulgarity.

The eclectic soundtrack was great--Enrico Morricone is always very good--several original songs plus the combination of Beethoven and Verdi with strange additions like Jim Croce and Richie Havens.

I'm still laughing about the Ku Klux Klan wardrobe malfunction scene [this is a very minor story point, not a spoiler] that's hilariously weird given the admixture of frightening malevolence (dozens of masked riders with torches swooping down from the hill) and a bunch of dimwits ripping on their costume designer.

A few flaws, but overall a very entertaining movie for those with a strong stomach.

Tarantino dialogue is such a pleasure. I recently went on a Tarantino binge and re-watched Kill Bill 1&2, Pulp Fiction, and True Romance. I think I enjoyed the dialogue even better the second time around. Soundtracks are great too.

[Commando]

Tarantino dialogue is such a pleasure. I recently went on a Tarantino binge and re-watched Kill Bill 1&2, Pulp Fiction, and True Romance. I think I enjoyed the dialogue even better the second time around. Soundtracks are great too.

Here's a lil' treat for ya!

[YOUTUBE]NzY9a-WmE6o[/YOUTUBE]