What did you watch last night?

[HuskerGuy]

Machete - mostly bad, with a few hilarious scenes

[nmcmahan52]

Poltergeist, surprisingly I'd never seen the original, only the third one. It was pretty good nearly thirty years after the fact

[Idioteque...]

Yeah, the problem to me is that we just didn't get enough scenes showing him being a loser. We got him being supportive with a cig in his mouth and Nicolas Cage hair.

Small problem though.

Honestly I wish the film was a bit longer and showcased the tensions but we did get some idea he was a loser. It wasn't flat out, he drinks before he goes to paint people's houses that's about it, he never graduated high school and he worked as a mover before. He's working odd jobs basically but i honestly hope there is a directors' cut or extended cut because as i loved it, it didn't feel like a film 12 years in the making.

[twonunpackmule]

The Mechanic

Pretty enjoyable film. Not something I'd own, or watch again, but entertaining nonetheless. I'd give it a B-. Definitely made me laugh. That's always something that helps.

[BostonMA]

The Godfather Part II. I haven't watched this movie begining to end in one sitting in a long time, and no matter how many times I see it I'm absolutely hooked an interested the entire 200 minutes. Except for maybe Taxi Driver, this is probably my favorite movie of all time, and last night's viewing clarified the fact that I do prefer Part II to the original. The Godfather is one of the greatest films of all time and it's masterfully directed/acted/written/scored/etc. But I simply prefer Part II. The editing back and forth and the precision direction, the perfect score and with out a doubt some of the best acting in the history of film. Al Pacino's performance is one of my top 5 all time and it is the biggest oscar snub I can think of. Lee Strasberg is incredible as Hyman Roth, Robert Deniro earns his best supporting actor win, and Michael V. Gazzo makes Frankie Pentangeli one of my favorite characters in all three films of the trilogy.

yeah man, Part II is quite the film. the greatest sequel of cinema i'd say, with The Dark Knight coming in at a relatively close second for my personal favorite.

however, i'm one of the people that prefer The Godfather to its sequel. i think the overall story's much better and works much better as a Gangster epic, and of course, Brando (over De Niro) is another huge reason.

i also really love the ending of Part I. i think it's one of the best climaxes of film, with it's incredible editing and artful resonance, and that's the main reason why i like 1 over 2, as i think the ending 2, though still great, is a "try-to-match", or perhaps even "outdo", that of 1's, and it falls short IMO.

but, it's extremely hard to argue that the the cross-cutting between Vito Corleone's rise and Michael's downfall, complete with De Niro giving one of his most talented performances EVER (which is saying a whole lot, given that the man is one of the most talented actors ever [as well]), and Al Pacino cashing in on the potential of Part I's Michael (i agree, a terrible and ridiculous snub) doesn't offer an equal amount of astonishment.

either way, they're both incredible films. i'd label them #2 and #3 on the listing of the best films of the America's best decade for film. Chinatown would probably rank it right after at #4 too, love that movie.

[BostonMA]

Did a double feature: 127 Hours and Blue Valentine. Both were fantastic films.

127 Hours:

Very well directed. James Franco have an excellent performance, however, I think he will give better in his career. Not the career defining style Portman gave. Also great music/cinematography. I don't see it winning anything though. 9/10.

Blue Valentine:

One heck of a drama. Ryan Gosling deserves an Oscar nod more than Jeff orJesse for this. I'm shocked he was passed up. Michelle was also award worthy, and she's very attractive.

However, the film confused me. I felt like parts were missing. Cynthia complained that she couldn't deal with Dean anymore, but the whole film paints Dean as a hero. Strange.

9.5/10

i watched Blue Valentine yesterday as well and although i liked it a lot, i think you're overrating it by a solid amount.

to me, the "very good" factor was holding through throughout the film's runtime, with the ending really being something great and special

Spoiler:

i loved the cross cutting between their loving marriage and their "heartbreaking" split, and the very end capped it off just right with fireworks being shot up into the air...it really brought home the theme of "love on the rocks" as RT describes the film as

, so overall, i'd rate it an 8/10, due to the ending bringing it home, but fail to see why some critics and you rate it at the near-masterpiece level, and the main reason for that, other than nothing particularly great happening until the ending was the flaw you describe, which got me as well.

when the film's winding down i was wondering why

Spoiler:

Williams' Cindy was so hateful and "done" with Gosling's Dean. i mean yeah, the guy drinks in the AM and acts like a child at times but it did feel like the picture was missing a significant scene that provides the audience with an understanding as to why she feels as she does, but because that doesn't exist, she ends up coming off as a bit of an impatient bitch, and after all that Dean sacrificed earlier in his - life getting seriously involved and marrying a downright slut (sure she was a "confused teenager" and [perhaps] depressed but the woman had sex with 20-25 people, losing count pretty much, when she got pregnant) and indeed, treating her as nicely as he claims he does, and for her to just end it like that without giving him a chance to ever work it out in conversation put me on the side of Dean.

also Gam, i think you're really overrating Gosling's performance. the man's a very talented actor and may have deserved the nomination over Eisenburg, and maybe even Franco in 127 Hours, but i don't think his performance comes comes close to rivaling that of Bridges' new stellar turn in True Grit. as far as i'm concerned, Bridges' has put forth the BEST performance of the year, transforming himself into an entirely different person, again (whereas Gosling is simply himself though, with a powerful addition of emotion to the role), and he deserves to win the award for the second year in a row, but surely, the Academy wouldn't do that, and they'll probably present the statue to Colin Firth, whose work in The King's Speech is slightly overrated IMHO, proving to be better in last year's A Single Man.

Williams was great though, and i'm glad she got nominated. she successfully portrayed her character in two different states, the younger, naive, and confused teenager, and the more mature and adult mom and wife. her performance isn't worthy of winning the statue, but it was impressive and i'm glad she got recognized for it.



so, with all that said, i think Blue Valentine's an overall great film, but it falls short of my Top Ten on the year, and i really can't understand why anyone finds it to be THAT above any other troubled romance film.



as for 127 Hours, i watched it a few days ago, and really enjoyed Boyle and Franco's power throughout the film, with the ending really being something of an achievement, giving me goosebumps (thanks in part to the song 'Festival') and definitely making me think of it as one of the year's best.

[taygan315]

Red Hill (on my Mac). Thought the movie was pretty good. Got to say though...thought the main character was dumb as a box of rocks,lol.

[ben1080p]

Blue Valentine finally came to my local regal strangely enough and I went and saw it alone. Pretty amazing film. More endearing than anything. It makes you root for them almost. Definitely in my Top 5 of the year.

oh and its a TRAVESTY that Ryan Gosling did not get a nod for Best Actor. both him and Williams did a great job but out of the two I think the strongest performance was his. shame he was looked passed.

[HuskerGuy]

The Town. Solid flick, but I thought it was overrated based on everything I'd heard and read.

[Onslaught X]

The Town. Solid flick, but I thought it was overrated based on everything I'd heard and read.

I just don't like the ending very much. The rest of the movie is "good," though not great.

[gamma626]

Agree on The Town.

Watched Leon: The Professional. Excllent film. Gary, Jean and Natalie. Perfect triple threat.

Ip Man. One of the best martial arts films I've ever seen. Must watch for anyone interested in the genre.

Slumdog Millionaire. It's been a few years, but man do I still love it. I think ideas certainly deserving of best picture, however, once it was nominated, it got very overhyped. Excellently directed with one of my favorite film scores ever.

[BostonMA]

I just don't like the ending very much. The rest of the movie is "good," though not great.

those are my thoughts exactly more or less. everything besides the ending is "good not great" (all of though aside from being a theft attempt of Heat's greatness), with the ending being a straight copy job of The Shawshank Redemption, except that all of the feel-good emotional impact is lost in manipulation.

[taygan315]

Buried (on my Mac). Two words: Gut Buster.

[BostonMA]

6th viewing of Shutter Island - well i think this was finally thee viewing to calm it down for a long time for me. one of The Master's best in my eyes, as artfully brilliant as anything he's ever done, and still my pick for the 3rd best film of 2010. hopefully this excellent film gets the future treatment it deserves like Kubrick's Shining did.

[BostonMA]

Buried (on my Mac). Two words: Gut Buster.

i watched Buried too, a few days ago. great movie with a great performance from Ryan Reynolds.