It's Back: Exceelent Movies I've Seen Lately

[johnnya24]

We finally got around to watching Nightcrawler last night. Acting was fantastic. Deserves all of the accolades it has been given.

Jake Gyllenhaal cannot be given too many props for his performance. I have not seen a lot of his work, because most of the movies he has been in do not interest me. This may have added to some of my unexpected over the top enjoyment of how he handled this role. He was brilliant.

Renee Russo also knocked it out of the park and was perfect for this movie.

Also check out Prisoners from a couple of years back

Also End of Watch is very good, as is Source Code.

[Gregg]

Also check out Prisoners from a couple of years back

Also End of Watch is very good, as is Source Code.

Thanks for the tips.

I actually did see Source Code and thought it was pretty good at the time. On the other hand I completely forgot about it and didn't remember that Jake was in it, so how good was it for me? I don't think I will be forgetting Nightcrawler anytime soon.

[bryanbutler]

i had mixed reaction to Prisoners. plenty of plot twists, to be sure, and tugs at the heart strings for anybody with kids, but i found it a bit contrived in the end.

[johnnya24]

i had mixed reaction to Prisoners. plenty of plot twists, to be sure, and tugs at the heart strings for anybody with kids, but i found it a bit contrived in the end.

I remember I liked Prisoners. But I don't remember much else. I'm sure I could flick back through this thread to find out what I think ... but ... effort

[Fresno Bob]

We finally got around to watching Nightcrawler last night. Acting was fantastic. Deserves all of the accolades it has been given.

Jake Gyllenhaal cannot be given too many props for his performance. I have not seen a lot of his work, because most of the movies he has been in do not interest me. This may have added to some of my unexpected over the top enjoyment of how he handled this role. He was brilliant.

Renee Russo also knocked it out of the park and was perfect for this movie.

I just watched Nightcrawler myself and enjoyed it very much. Everyone in it was great as was the soundtrack

[Teenwolf]

Polyester - 1981: This was a great watch. Funny and weird. I don't recall any gross-out humour, most of it seemed pretty tame, but certain sequences had me rolling. Divine was amazing in this. The phone call bit that's used in the classic Avalanches' song "Frontier Psychiatry" was awesome, just to make the connection. The song with Bill Murray singing "The first good thing to happen to Francine..." had my wife and I cackling. Can't wait to binge watch the rest of John Waters' films. I revisited Serial Mom about a year ago, and it blew me away.

The Girl Most Likely To... - 1973: Super interesting, provocative, and hilarious film written by Joan Rivers. Ahead of it's time, I'd wager. I searched far and wide to find a good copy of this, but it turns out the whole thing is on youtube. Stockard Channing plays a homely university student who is tormented, then comes back beautiful, killing off her former tormentors. Pretty strong first wave feminist stuff, while still being hilarious throughout.



Peggy Sue Got Married - 1986: Another Kathleen Turner powerhouse performance (she's also in Serial Mom). Similar to Pleasantville, in that they're time travelling back to the 50's, but not as heavy in tone. It's more like an extended episode of Quantum Leap, where Peggy Sue is tasked with deciding where to steer her life, towards her failed marriage to a super over the top Nic Cage, or taking a different path. It's about accepting faults and mistakes, and I found it surprisingly moving. The Nic Cage performance is truly something to behold, if you're a fan of Cage gettin' Cagey.

Detachment - 2011: I really enjoyed Adrien Brody in this slow and dark look at substitute teaching. Really powerful drama, and I normally avoid them these days. Directed by Tony Kaye, the director of American History X. Detachment is less on-the-nose than AHX, but just as powerful a story.

Class of 1999 - 1990: Pretty entertaining cinematic trash. Malcolm McDowell, Pam Grier, and Stacy Keach (as a white-pupiled mega villain who seductively eats bananas)...

The Wraith - 1986: Do you love High Plains Drifter, with Clint Eastwood? Because this is basically the same premise, set in California, where a mysterious stranger shows up in town to exact his revenge. The ghost of vengeance in this is played by Charlie Sheen! Loved this one.

Rosewater - 2014: Great film from Jon Stewart, regarding a political imprisonment that happened as a result of a Daily Show interview. Took a while to view it, as I figured it was too dark and depressing, but it wasn't as bleak as expected.

[Lucky]

I saw Whiplash last night. I was stunned. I thought it was an amazingly good movie, much better than I had expected.

The wife and I were with her sister. I was thinking it was maybe a guy's movie, but they flipped out over it. They wanted to watch it again as soon as it was over. The sister-in-law didn't know much jazz history, but she picked up how central it was to the film's plot, and she asked a bunch of questions afterwards.

I disagree with the sports movie analogy. I think the dynamic was more complex, and set up perfectly by the conversation in the bar. I won't say more at the risk of being a spoiler.

Thirty years ago, it would have been Ralph Macchio as the young drummer.

[DMT]

Finally saw my first of the 2014 Best Pic nominees, The Imitation Game, and my wife and I both thought it was excellent.

[Teenwolf]

I saw Whiplash last night. I was stunned. I thought it was an amazingly good movie, much better than I had expected.

The wife and I were with her sister. I was thinking it was maybe a guy's movie, but they flipped out over it. They wanted to watch it again as soon as it was over. The sister-in-law didn't know much jazz history, but she picked up how central it was to the film's plot, and she asked a bunch of questions afterwards.

I disagree with the sports movie analogy. I think the dynamic was more complex, and set up perfectly by the conversation in the bar. I won't say more at the risk of being a spoiler.

Thirty years ago, it would have been Ralph Macchio as the young drummer.

You mean Crossroads, from 1986? Macchio is taught to play guitar real good, and I believe he sells his soul to the devil to do so. Haven't seen it yet, but it's a Walter Hill movie, with a 7.0 on IMDB, so it's pretty much guaranteed to be awesome.

[GwynnInTheHall]

You mean Crossroads, from 1986? Macchio is taught to play guitar real good, and I believe he sells his soul to the devil to do so. Haven't seen it yet, but it's a Walter Hill movie, with a 7.0 on IMDB, so it's pretty much guaranteed to be awesome.

no he never sells his soul he wagers his soul to save the harp player.......

[Lucky]

You mean Crossroads, from 1986? Macchio is taught to play guitar real good, and I believe he sells his soul to the devil to do so. Haven't seen it yet, but it's a Walter Hill movie, with a 7.0 on IMDB, so it's pretty much guaranteed to be awesome.

I mostly meant the kid looked so much like Ralph Macchio. The Karate Kid would have been the example I would have used. Crossroads was horrible, IMO, except for some good blues references and watching Steve Vai. (Wasn't it Steve Vai? It's been years.)

[GwynnInTheHall]

I mostly meant the kid looked so much like Ralph Macchio. The Karate Kid would have been the example I would have used. Crossroads was horrible, IMO, except for some good blues references and watching Steve Vai. (Wasn't it Steve Vai? It's been years.)

It was kind of cheesy though the final scene was pretty cool and yes it was Stevie Vai.....

[johnnya24]

I saw Whiplash last night. I was stunned. I thought it was an amazingly good movie, much better than I had expected.

The wife and I were with her sister. I was thinking it was maybe a guy's movie, but they flipped out over it. They wanted to watch it again as soon as it was over. The sister-in-law didn't know much jazz history, but she picked up how central it was to the film's plot, and she asked a bunch of questions afterwards.

I disagree with the sports movie analogy. I think the dynamic was more complex, and set up perfectly by the conversation in the bar. I won't say more at the risk of being a spoiler.

Thirty years ago, it would have been Ralph Macchio as the young drummer.

My biggest problem with Whiplash was that I waited too long to go and see it! I'd have paid to watch it multiple times. Best movie of 2014 IMO.

[Lucky]

My biggest problem with Whiplash was that I waited too long to go and see it! I'd have paid to watch it multiple times. Best movie of 2014 IMO.

I agree 100%. I'll watch it again for sure.

One thing I noticed is that there are so many things which happen and yet are not dwelled upon by the characters. Many things you might expect to be discussed ad nauseum are not even mentioned. I think that helps drive the movie.

[GwynnInTheHall]

I agree 100%. I'll watch it again for sure.

One thing I noticed is that there are so many things which happen and yet are not dwelled upon by the characters. Many things you might expect to be discussed ad nauseum are not even mentioned. I think that helps drive the movie.

If I hadn't watched all of OZ I would never have thought Kim had that performance in him, but he destroyed it. I was pretty surprised it was considered a supporting role rather than featured actor.