The Last Movie You Watched?

The Saloon
8781

[size=12pt]Le pacte des loups [/size] - 2001- Christophe Gans

Also in French mode

Nice entertaining film, even if a bit too long. Not the usual French adventure flick though, and I start to realize the importance that Hong Kong action movies had in Western directors.
There are a lot of mixed genres for one film only, terror, martial arts, adventure, political thriller you name it. To be honest having a bit of everything is not actually bad, things are well balance, and the thriller part just pushed the film more than necessary.
First things first, this film got Monica Belluci, and she’s appears naked and not with her husband lucky bastard Vincent Cassel, who also appears in the film, so if not for more watch if for Monica.
Our hero the Royal Taxidermist (Samuel le Bihan, very solid actor), is a sort of Sherlock Holmes in steroids and got an exotic Dr Watson in the form of Mani (Marc Decascos) an Native American that Bihan character had previous meet in Canada during the Franco English war of the XVIII century, that knows much about martial arts, (both characters are not far from Guy Ritchie Sherlock films), they are send by the King to the French countryside to solve the mystery of a mystifying beast that is murdering people in the region.

Their mission is doomed from the start, cause the all thing is a plot to overthrow the King, and thing take place was before the French revolution. The political aspects of the film are quite interesting, and in a way unexpected,
Right wing coups are a constant thematic in French films, and to my surprise the plot o f the this period set film is not different, the strange thing is that the French King and French monarchy are portrayed here as some sort of Liberal model , when they were pure absolutists so you can imagine how far right the bad guys are in the story.

So there’s secret societies with templar connections, secret agents from the XVIII century in service of the King, a lot of exotic stuff and some cool action scenes.
The balance between the action and the more talky parts is not disastrous but not totally accomplish, but the solution for the end was not the better, there’s a sort of an anti-climax that spoiled things.

Still a cool movie, with a B-movie feeling (a Native American that knew kung-fu), embedded with some very nice scenarios and cool photography, visually the film is stunning, and the other girl in the film Emilie Dequene is also a beauty.

8782

Re-watched Drive (2011) and I think it was as splendid as after the first viewing. Everything is simply polished and perfect - editing, lighting, action scenes (no CGI shit), acting… everything is superb. It’s impossible not to enjoy this flick for me. 9/10

Only God Forgives (2013) will by my most anticipated movie of the year 2013.

8783

[B]The Getaway[/B] - Always loved this film. Probably my favourite McQueen. Could also possibly be my favourite Peckinpah too.

8784

Twilight Zone: The Movie.

Four tales from that unknown zone and a great mixture of tales. The opening segment is class stuff. You may not like all the tales like me, but there is bound to be one you like…

8785

[quote=“tomas, post:8771, topic:1923”]i second that - Ghost in the Shell is worth a view
Blade Runner, imo, changed notion about what science fiction movie genre is capable of
2001, Alien, Blade Runner and some other cult classics changed the face of the genre for better[/quote]

I’d have to say Ghost In The Shell 2: Innocence my be my favorite sci-fi film of all time and deserves to be seen especially by Blade Runner fans, it’s meditative with a handful of explosive action scenes, and intensely thought provoking, you can go in cold but I’d watch part 1 just to know the back story of part 2.

8786

Rewatched TAXI DRIVER

Never dissapoints, but makes you aware that Marty never reached this level of perfection again, and that is, in itself, a sad idea.
Funny to see that same thing goes for most other people involved: De Niro, Foster, Cybill Shepherd, even screenwriter Paul Schräder
The hyperviolent finale is still unsettling after all these years.

How could they ever overlook this film at the Academy ?

8787

Great build up in that film.

No Oscar, who knows, maybe the board were not ready for such a different character.

8788

Nati con la camicia, 1983… Spencer and Hill as wandering roustabouts who accidentally hijack a truck, then board a jet to Miami where they are mistaken for CIA-agents. It’s a little convoluted, but that’s okay because the script has a charming flow to it. The film has the look of being shot with minimal ‘takes’, so it seems too stage-y. It’s still a rollicking blend of action and comedy, and well worth a look.

8789

[quote=“ENNIOO, post:8787, topic:1923”]Great build up in that film.

No Oscar, who knows, maybe the board were not ready for such a different character.[/quote]

I suppose so.

What about the score, Ennioo? I love it. It’s as good as all other elements. Luckily it was at least nominated (the film got four nominations, Marty wasn’t nominated).

The only consolation (at least for me): the Oscar went to Annie Hall in that year, another absolute favorite.

8790

Yes such a lovely rich score to Taxi Driver, and shame the composer died at 64 as feel he still had alot of interesting scores to offer to the film world.

8791

[quote=“chameleon, post:8780, topic:1923”]Vengeance (2009) with Johnny Halladay

Well IMO, this is a pretty mediocre film. Halladay in the part of a former assassin- turned-chef looks old and tired. When his daughter, husband and the kids get murdered by a gang of thugs, he sets out and hires three assassins for revenge. The first half is hmmmm…okay the second half terrible, disappointing to say the least. Will not watch this again.[/quote]

I haven’t seen this but to tell you the truth, I really can’t stand most of the films coming from my birth place nowadays. Hong Kong cinema is becoming populated with films that value style over substance and scripts always seem to fall apart at the second half.

8792

For what it’s worth (nothing :stuck_out_tongue: ), I think Johnnie To is one of the greatest director working today.

8793

Red Cliff 1 & 2, Ip Man 1 & 2, were all amazing, imo… seems to be mostly ancient period films being made there these days…

8794

[quote=“scherpschutter, post:8789, topic:1923”]I suppose so.

What about the score, Ennioo? I love it. It’s as good as all other elements. Luckily it was at least nominated (the film got four nominations, Marty wasn’t nominated).

The only consolation (at least for me): the Oscar went to Annie Hall in that year, another absolute favorite.[/quote]

Actually no consolation for you there Scherps. Annie Hall won in 1977. Taxi Driver was beaten in '76 by Rocky. ???

8795

Really? I thought I had read it was nominated for the '77 proceedings. The movie is from '76 of course.
Let’s check.

8796

You’re right, Phil.

Unbelievable. Rocky better than Taxi Driver, John G. Avildson better than Martin Scorsese.

8797

Scandal …

(one of hundreds)

8798

i have to rewatch GITS Innocence - i’ll probably make a cyberpunk movie evening in the near future, just to check out how my favorite movies are doing and how they aged, plus i’ll add some stuff i haven’t seen yet - Gunhed, Tetsuo 2, Videodrome …

8799

[quote=“scherpschutter, post:8796, topic:1923”]You’re right, Phil.

Unbelievable. Rocky better than Taxi Driver, John G. Avildson better than Martin Scorsese.[/quote]

Yes, there are more, but this is an outrage

8800

“The Black Cat” - Lugosi and Karloff…better than most of those old Universal flicks…