Hi, titoli!
I think - as with my case - one bad experience was enough. Personally, I’d rather wait for a good film to come out on Bluray, and then watch it in the security of my own home, with the Surround System at full blast, and the ability to pause the film, when the urge for cheese selection and Ruby Port calls…
Anyhows…to each his own…and I hope that you continue to have a great time at the cinema…
Adios, amigo.
You all forget one main point for cinema, I watch there films with friends, and that’s always fun.
Good for you, ‘stanton’…as with ‘titoli’, I sincerely hope that you continue to experience great cinema!
You’ve got friends, Stanton??? 
And likes …
That is beautiful news. Love it.
Back in the saddle:
Nocturnal Animals - Tom (not John) Ford
Visually and thematically rich film which tells its story on 2 contrasting but complementing narrative levels. One is a novel from her ex-lover which Amy Adams reads, and which reflects in a tricky way their past relationship. 9/10
La La Land - Damien Chazelle
La, la, love you baby … yesterday “only” a 8, but like Nocturnal Animals it begins to grow later. Probably already a 9, and I have the desire to re-watch it immediately.
The glorious return of the cinema musical as homage to the 50s style represented by Gene Kelly, Stanley Donen and Vincente Minelli seen through the eyes of Jacques Demy.
I think my last outing was La La Land, and Hell or High Water (2nd viewing)
John Wick 2( yes Franco Nero has a small part in this), and it wasn’t a bad film, but overtly exciting, as Keanu reeves is only an average actor.
Atomic Blonde - David Leitch
Atomic good 8/10
Charlize forever …
Blade Runner 2049
I was on Alien Covenant in May and when it ended, i wanted they give me my money back. Fuck. I love Prometheus with all its shortcomings, but with AC i was a lot disappointed.
Wonder Wheel (Woody Allen, 2017)!
Woody Allen’s latest mixes the venom of Blue Jasmine (2013) - his most recent classic - with the nostalgia of some of his earlier work. The film is set in the 1950s Coney Island (the beach and amusement park). Kate Winslet stars as Ginny, a tragic middle-aged woman - a sort of modern day Anna Karenina - who causes her own downfall. When she was down on her luck, she was saved by Humpty (Jim Belushi), uncivilized but deep down inside loving and caring person. Things start falling apart again when Ginny falls in love with Mickey (Timberlake), a young lifeguard who dreams of being a famous playwright …
While not entirely as convincing as Blue Jasmine, this is still a good film by a man who knows his trade through and through. Winslet and Belushi are both terrific and Juno Temple is a nice surprise as Carolina, Humpty’s daughter, who ran away from her underworld husband and also starts developing feelings for the young lifeguard … It goes on a bit too long (it probably should have ended with the scene of Carolina walking away from Mickey) and some of the more explicative dialogue seems superfluous.
The last few I saw in theaters were
The Killing of a Sacred Deer
Darkest Hour
Wonderwheel
Only God can Judge Me
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, MIssouri
Wind River
The Shape of Water
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri - Martin McDonagh
Very entertaining stuff with a good mix of drama and humour, and lots of differentiated characters. 8/10
More a screenplay film than a director’s film btw
L’amant double - Francois Ozon
A tricky thriller by one of the most interesting modern directors. 8/10
I had the choice between that movie and the latest Woody (the rest of the program were uninteresting blockbusters). I opted for Woody.
Not bad, but far from great. Fantastic central performance by Gary Oldman.
Terrific picture. A bit like a Coens movie (when they’re in a more serious mood). A big step up for writer/director Martin McDonagh imo from Seven Psychopaths and In Bruges, neither of which stood out for me (I realise this is a minority position and that most regard In Bruges as a modern classic).
Didn’t rate it at all. Didn’t think I was going to tbh but I thought I’d look in on it anyway since, on balance, I like GDT’s work more often than I don’t. But no, did nothing for me. Its incredibly well made but it has that arm’s-length sheen across it typical of del Toro’s movies which is fine with a bombastic, shallow piece like Pacific Rim or Blade II but which adversely affects films aspiring to be more intimate than that, imho.
That was the third choice we had. I don’t think I’ll ever watch it. This director and I are not on speaking terms, so to … well, speak. Incredibly well made, I guess so, but his movies are simply not my cup of art
I liked the shape of water, but I was a bit underwhelmed… it just didn’t have enough of a soul… what really blew my mind was Wind River. Three Billboards also … great but overrated. Oldman’s performance in Darkest Hour is remarkable, a great film.
Haven’t had the time to watch the Shape of Water, but contrary to Sherp, I usually like Del Toro’s films, Faun’s Labyrinth and The Devil’s backbone are all time favorite of mine, films where its’ possible to see some SW and specially Giallo’s influence.
Have seen Three Billboards… it’s a good film, but yes not so good as In Bruges, clearly a typical effort from a play/screenwriter, and very similar to Coen Brother’s stuff, the acting was great