What Movies Are You Watching?

[Jazzooo]

Good to hear, Lenny. I go by myself at least once a week, sometimes twice. I've always got a couple of hours to kill in the afternoon, so why not? As you said, you've got the place to yourself.

[stonemonkts]

I really miss going to the movies alone. The little mom and pop theater I frequented (like you guys, empty weekday matinees) has been closed now for years. Nothing like having a big screen basically all to yourself with an enormous bucket of popcorn and a mammoth diet coke. Like Lenny, that would be my lunch and dinner. Stuff my face and feast my eyes and ears.

Last film I saw like that was the first Star Trek reboot.

[Jazzooo]

Why, stone? I often catch a 1, 2 or 3 pm showing at a multiplex and I'm almost always alone in the theater.

Where is the TV thread? I've started watching Louie and I can't stop!

[stonemonkts]

Why, stone? I often catch a 1, 2 or 3 pm showing at a multiplex and I'm almost always alone in the theater.

Where is the TV thread? I've started watching Louie and I can't stop!

I haven't had a chance to check out another theater yet (keep putting it off). I've been to movies since, but not in the same way as before (alone during the day).

Louie is perfect for binge-watching.

[LennyH]

Why, stone? I often catch a 1, 2 or 3 pm showing at a multiplex and I'm almost always alone in the theater.

Where is the TV thread? I've started watching Louie and I can't stop!

That's my experience, too. I went to see American Hustle in a new Imax theater (15 screens) on the Friday it opened and there couldn't have been a dozen people in there. It's perfect. That's the only one I saw with a companion (perfect because my brother in law went with me and afterwards we hit a bar for lunch and a few beers). I invited him last Friday and was a bit relieved that he couldn't go. Something about being there alone. It's quality time with my favorite person . Plus I went to the bar after anyway!

Louis is great. Did you get to the episode where he was watching the female newscaster on TV in his bedroom? Season 2, I think. I think that's my favorite scene in the whole show. I re-winded it and watched it 3 or 4 times. Be sure to watch the closing credits on that one.

[LennyH]

Last night we watched Drinking Buddies on DVD. The title and the fact that Olivia Wilde is in it might give you the impression that this film is something it's not. It's definitely an independent film and you can tell that there's a lot of improvised dialogue. It turns out that Olivia Wilde can actually act. Recommended.

[LennyH]

I really miss going to the movies alone. The little mom and pop theater I frequented (like you guys, empty weekday matinees) has been closed now for years...

I didn't even realize until recently that we do have an art house theater in Wilmington, DE. I haven't had a chance to go there yet because their show times are very limited. Like, they are going to show Blue is the Warmest Color in a week or so at 7PM on a Tuesday night. But that's the only showing! I'd rather wait for DVD.

[Jazzooo]

I haven't seen that one, Lenny, but I know that I will. I just watched the episode that revolved around masturbation--what a riot!

I know what you mean--I have two friends, both very nice people who don't talk or fart noticeably in the theater, who always say "Let me know when you're going to a movie!" and I rarely do. I do take Rosario and that is usually fun, but if a movie is too silly or violent she's a pain in the ass afterwards with lectures about what is wrong with the world. We go to see Spanish movies without subtitles once in a while, but unless it's a predictable comedy I get a little lost.

[steve(thelil)]

Jan and I were both quite disappointed by the new Spike Jonze flick "Her" starring Joaquin Phoenix.

The reviews I read were all either clearly positive or even glowing. It's supposed to be about a guy who falls in love with his operating system, which is supposed to be like a more evolved Siri. So it's supposed to examine the relationship between humans and their technology.

Except there was virtually nothing about the Operating System (named "Samantha" played by the voice of Scarlett Johanssen) that was like an operating system or technology - other than the facts that she didn't have a body and had incredible processing power.


The processing power barely entered into it, and the Operating System's personality was exactly like a fully formed adult woman, so the movie too often felt like one extended phone call between an overly cutesy couple. The last movie that I found this annoyingly disappointing was Slumdog Millionaire.

One Monte.

[Jazzooo]

isn't anybody else going to see The Secret Life of Walter Mitty?

[steve(thelil)]

I fantasized that I will.

[Chazro]

Went by myself yesterday to see American Hustle. Didn't meet my expectations, some of the reviews I read actually were comparing it to The Sting, not even close! When it ended I was like; "that's it??". The actresses were nice eye candy but I don't know, I was expecting something smarter. Oh well. Have a happy and safe New Year!

[LennyH]

Went by myself yesterday to see American Hustle. Didn't meet my expectations, some of the reviews I read actually were comparing it to The Sting, not even close! When it ended I was like; "that's it??". The actresses were nice eye candy but I don't know, I was expecting something smarter. Oh well. Have a happy and safe New Year!

This movie is going to do this to people, Chazro. I think that even people who like it a lot, like me, will generally understand why some people won't. My 2 cents anyway.

I had another vacation day to burn on Monday and someone gave me movie passes for Christmas. There was nothing else I wanted to see so I went to see American Hustle again and liked it just as much. This time I thought that Christan Bale was the best actor. I loved the way that, at the end, they went to black when they hit that crescendo in Jeep's Blues where, in the earlier scene, Christian Bale threw his arms up at the same point.

Also confirmed that the scene in the TV trailer that I saw where Jennifer Lawrence walks across the bar and says something like "These people that you're so scared of look like the perfect people to buy me a drink" is not in the film. I'm not totally nuts. Well, I know what scene that's from but that line didn't make the cut.

[walto]

I saw American Hustle yesterday. It did kind of remind me of The Sting. I liked Bale and Adams in it very much, but Bradley Cooper was annoying--replaying, basically, his Hangover role--and Jennifer Lawrence's NJ accent came and went (though I thought she was otherwise good).

I didn't think the biz about the Bale character "doing a solid" for the DeNiro character at the end made much sense (I think he'd still be on a hit list), but otherwise I enjoyed it.

[LennyH]

I didn't think the biz about the Bale character "doing a solid" for the DeNiro character at the end made much sense (I think he'd still be on a hit list), but otherwise I enjoyed it.

Yeah, a very minor modification to the script could have made that go down easier. I've been known to nitpick about details like that but, in this case, I wasn't bothered too much by plot details. I was just more into the characters and the fun of it.

Amy Adams's English accent was a mess, but of course she wasn't supposed to be English.

[walto]

Amy Adams's English accent was a mess, but of course she wasn't supposed to be English.

Right. I think Adams' accent was intentionally awful.

[walto]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moSFlvxnbgk

Is that character supposed to have strabismus?

[LennyH]

Amy Adams's English accent was a mess, but of course she wasn't supposed to be English.

Right. I think Adams' accent was intentionally awful.

I thought about baiting you by asking about Amy Adams's cleavage. But I'm too mature for that .

[sozamora]

I thought about baiting you by asking about Amy Adams's cleavage. But I'm too mature for that .

There are five reasons I want to see American Hustle. One of which is it looks like a good movie.

[LennyH]

I thought about baiting you by asking about Amy Adams's cleavage. But I'm too mature for that .

There are five reasons I want to see American Hustle. One of which is it looks like a good movie.

You dog!

I was just thinking that I was going to see yet another 2013 film, Ain't Them Bodies Saints, in the year it was released but, alas, next to me it sits and it's no longer 2013.

[walto]

It was extremely weird for us to go to the movies twice in one week--we usually go only a couple times a year. But we did, and they were both Jennifer Lawrence movies.

[Jazzooo]

"It was extremely weird for us to go to the movies twice in one week--we usually go only a couple times a year. But we did, and they were both Jennifer Lawrence movies."


I think she's been the busiest North American actress in 2013.

[Monte Smith]

Funny Games, (1997). Wow. There's a picture that gets you thinking. It seemed like an appalling and sadistic movie, but it was a movie about an appalling and sadistic movie. Four Montes.

[stonemonkts]

I remember that movie and thinking he was too obvious about his parody, if that's the right word for it.

I saw Bernie with Jack Black. Funny.

Bling Ring - Not my cup of tea. I liked many of her other films, but not this one. I just don't care about any of it, and it was continuously annoying to me. Could have been my mood.

Spring Breakers - Enjoyed this one more mostly for James Franco.

The Shop on Main Street (1965 Czech film) - wonderful.

[Chazro]

Wolf Of Wall Street - What can I say, I really enjoyed this flick! Language is filthy, the behavior depicted, complete debauchery, over the top drugs, sex, and rock and Wall Street. It's been a few decades so I guess it's OK to admit that except for the Wall Street money, I was totally into this 'scene' in NY back in the day (the time period depicted in the movie). So I totally identified with what I was seeing on the screen! Judging from the audience reaction (theater was packed!), I wasn't the only one. I found this movie to be infinitely funnier than 'American Hustle'. I've read that Scorcese's taking a few hits due to the subject matter and the way it's depicted. This really makes me laugh, as if the subject matter in his greatest movies was ever g-rated. I'll admit to being pleasantly surprised when the audience applauded at the end of it!