What Movies Are You Watching?

[moldyfigg]

We watched "Smiles On A Summer Night" last night. This is a wonderful flick. I think Bergman was influenced by Der Rosencavalier. Of course he probably cohabited with all those beautiful ladies in the flick at some time. Woody Allen, Steven Sondheim and probably a few others used this great plot.

I now know where "Send In The Clowns" was derived.

[Cem]

[LennyH]

[moldyfigg]

TCM has better flicks that any of this crap that is in the theaters.

[Jazzooo]

"TCM has better flicks that any of this crap that is in the theaters."

How would you know, Clint? I think Birdman and Interstellar alone make for a pretty good fourth quarter, and apparently there are some other winners out there right now.

[moldyfigg]

We check them out when they get on cable. We don't go to theaters for flicks because of the ill-mannered clods who seem to be in every theater.


Watched "Swing Time" last night and "Big" the other night. Both are superior to anything out today.

[LennyH]

I saw Birdman in the theater again on Friday. I might have enjoyed it even more the second time. It's pretty unlikely that it won't end up my #1 film on the year. This film feels huge in the theater and I think it deserves to be seen there, if you can find it. There's some great music and sound as well, especially Brian Blade's drum sequences, which were very powerful and enveloping in the nice theater where I saw it. I'm anxious for my wife to see this, and I have a pretty nice home theater, but I'm afraid it will not be the same. I've seen about a dozen films in the theater over the past year or so, and, for me, this was the most important one to see in the theater.

I've been taking time off of work here and there and going to the theater on weekdays. It's awesome. On Friday, Birdman was enjoyed in that theater by me and exactly one other person. Perfect.

***** Spoiler Alert *****

Doug, I took the last 10 minutes or so of Birdman at face value both times I watched it, but now I feel pretty sure that things changed after the dramatic final scene in the play. I think the final chapter is pure fantasy.

[steve(thelil)]

[Jazzooo]

You could be right about that final scene in Birdman, Lenny.

I know Brian Blade played, but I think the lion's share of drum parts were by Antonio Sanchez. Did you read otherwise?

[LennyH]

[moldyfigg]

I enjoy good plots, active and writing where the flick producers do no have to rely of computerized special effects to make a flick enjoyable.

"August: Osage County" was the last current flick I saw that was that kind of click.

[LennyH]

[Jazzooo]

I'd rather be me--I liked Osage County and Birdman.

[moldyfigg]

Your tastes are certainly more catholic than mine.

Remember - this fig is covered in mold.

[Jazzooo]

Saint Vincent--

I really loved this small movie--a bit too "Little Miss Sunshine" at times, but overall there are plenty of nice gritty dark moments as well. Tailor-made for Bill Murray, but the entire cast is very good and the writing keeps you engaged and smiling.

[moldyfigg]

Watched that Budapest Hotel flick. Couldn't make head or tails out of it. I need to clean my brain and watch "Treasure of Sierra Madre."

[Jazzooo]

I couldn't make it through that one either, Clint.

[bluenoter]

[LennyH]

[Jazzooo]

Well, tganks all--I might give it one more chance. We were watching and got distracted and I never felt drawn to go back.

[LennyH]

Do you like other Wes Anderson stuff, Doug? I love The Royal Tenenbaums (easily my favorite of his) and we seem to end up watching pieces of Rushmore whenever we see it on cable. We happened to watch The Life Aquatic last weekend, which is considered one of his lesser films, but there's something I like about it. The Darjeeling Limited is one that my wife loves, but I might have to give another chance because it didn't work much for me. Moonrise Kingdom is one that I liked less then many critics and other Wes Anderson fans. I definitely preferred Grand Budapest to that one.

I did catch Wild in the theater a couple of days ago. Perfectly watchable. A 3 start film for me. I'm totally not going to that theater again, though, because of the inferior popcorn. I'm OK with crappy, but not super crappy .

I haven't beaten this dead horse enough, so back to Birdman: I regularly listen to some film podcasts and the reaction has pretty mixed. It's gotten some really positive attention by some critics, but it really rubs some people the wrong way. Some of the criticisms baffle me, because I just feel like they're not understanding certain things. One panel on one of my podcasts concluded that Emma Stone's final reaction can't be interpreted any way other than face value, and that it's an affirmation of the apparent reality, which is total bullshit! I tried, and failed, to find an email address for Dana Stevens at Slate because I think they're so incredibly wrong about this. I saw this film 3 times, and I can't say that my explanation is 100% right, but I feel like I'm in the ballpark.

OK, this time I'm shutting up about Birdman for realz .

[Jazzooo]

Lenny--I agree almost completely with these comments:

"I love The Royal Tenenbaums (easily my favorite of his) and we seem to end up watching pieces of Rushmore whenever we see it on cable. We happened to watch The Life Aquatic last weekend, which is considered one of his lesser films, but there's something I like about it. The Darjeeling Limited is one that my wife loves, but I might have to give another chance because it didn't work much for me. Moonrise Kingdom is one that I liked less then many critics and other Wes Anderson fans. I definitely preferred Grand Budapest to that one."

I didn't completely lose interest in Moonrise Kingdom but I was losing patience as it ended.

[LennyH]

[Gentle Giant]

Wish I Was Here, with Zach Braff, Kate Hudson, and Mandy Patinkin. Literally I saw it because of the Shins song on the soundtrack, but I liked it so much that I purchased a copy of the DVD the next day.

[Jazzooo]

That's a great recommendation, GG. I'll watch for it.

Last night we saw Good People, a routine and mostly dull thriller with James Franco, Tom Wilkinson and Kate Hudson. Not worth anyone's time. It wasn't badly made, really--just ultra-predictable. I can't imagine anyone pitching this and having a studio (or these actors) saying 'Wow, hell yes--let's make THAT!"