rate the last movie you saw

[AndyDursin]

Ditto on the "church massacre" sequence. Loved the movie until that poiunt, but once I got past that part the movie went down a few notches. That kind of "black" comedy like sequence with the townsfolk violence worked in HOT FUZZ, but this movie hit too close to home. Maybe he thought this kind of thing might go over well in England and the rest of Europe, but it was distasteful here in the states, where there seems to be this assault on religion in general right now.

It reminded me of the simple-minded portrayal of "country folk" in Simon Pegg's PAUL, where everyone off the highway was an intolerant, religious, gun-toting, bible-thumping right-wing nut. I'm not sure if everyone in England believes that's what the US is like, but I'm guessing it is for for lib celebrities who come over to Hollywood to make movies.

That KINGSMAN sequence was also mentioned in Variety's review as being a disaster -- they noted it should have been cut or reshot prior to release. It certainly felt out of place, and smacked of ignorance IMO at the very least. For me it left a sour taste that offset a lot of the good things the rest of the film did.

Anyway, regarding KING OF THE GYPSIES, Andy. This was my cousin's Joey's first big picture. He had done some TV before then, namely an episode of ALL IN THE FAMILY. My dad and I used to goof on him in this picture. I haven't seen it in a couple of decades, but I seem to remember an outdoor night sequence with Eric Roberts where I recall good ol Joey pacing back and forth with a cigarette in his mounth. My dad laughed saying that he never even smoke in his life. In fact, I don't recall it even being lit in that scene.

What was his name? Did he have a long career?

EDIT - is his name Joe Zaloom?? I note the family resemblance! (Is that his real name?)

[Jedbu]

Thank you, Eric, for the correction on Cady-those Paul Henning shows all kind of run together for me after a while (I recall some crossover shows towards the end of their runs) although I do still enjoy GREEN ACRES somewhat surreal touches.

Many people here know my political viewpoints, and even I really thought that the church scene in KINGSMEN felt like it was dropped in out of nowhere as well as felt like a VERY heavy-handed political comment, but it also felt just plain mean, racked up a huge body count for no reason and came across as the filmmakers shouting out "Hey-looky what we can do!" This video from the Cinema Sins site sums up my feelings about the film rather nicely:

[Edmund Kattak]

Ditto on the "church massacre" sequence. Loved the movie until that poiunt, but once I got past that part the movie went down a few notches. That kind of "black" comedy like sequence with the townsfolk violence worked in HOT FUZZ, but this movie hit too close to home. Maybe he thought this kind of thing might go over well in England and the rest of Europe, but it was distasteful here in the states, where there seems to be this assault on religion in general right now.

It reminded me of the simple-minded portrayal of "country folk" in Simon Pegg's PAUL, where everyone off the highway was an intolerant, religious, gun-toting, bible-thumping right-wing nut. I'm not sure if everyone in England believes that's what the US is like, but I'm guessing it is for for lib celebrities who come over to Hollywood to make movies.

That KINGSMAN sequence was also mentioned in Variety's review as being a disaster -- they noted it should have been cut or reshot prior to release. It certainly felt out of place, and smacked of ignorance IMO at the very least. For me it left a sour taste that offset a lot of the good things the rest of the film did.

Anyway, regarding KING OF THE GYPSIES, Andy. This was my cousin's Joey's first big picture. He had done some TV before then, namely an episode of ALL IN THE FAMILY. My dad and I used to goof on him in this picture. I haven't seen it in a couple of decades, but I seem to remember an outdoor night sequence with Eric Roberts where I recall good ol Joey pacing back and forth with a cigarette in his mounth. My dad laughed saying that he never even smoke in his life. In fact, I don't recall it even being lit in that scene.

What was his name? Did he have a long career?

EDIT - is his name Joe Zaloom?? I note the family resemblance! (Is that his real name?)

+

That's it. Joe Zaloom. It's his real name. I remember he had a bit part in KINSEY, but that was the last time I kept track. He's still around after 40 years- but I think he does off-Broadway stuff now. Funny, he used to play a lot of middle-eastern roles. I guess you get what you can..

[Eric Paddon]

Which AITF was it? They don't list that on imdb though they do list a "Kojak" (which also had Richard Gere and Michael "Time to make the Donuts" Vale)

[Edmund Kattak]

It was the episode where Archie gets arrested for having mace, but it's a non-speaking "blink and you'll miss him scene when Archie was in the ail cell. I never saw the Kojak episode, although I remember he mentioned it to my dad when GYPSIES came out.

[Monterey Jack]

-Funny People (2009): 3/10

-This Is 40 (2012): 3.5/10

Hey Judd, remember when you made COMEDIES instead of Misery Porn for ridiculously affluent jerks? You know a movie's bad when it even makes Paul Rudd completely unlikable.

[Monterey Jack]

-Southpaw (2015): 8/10

Tough-minded, moving boxing drama has been raked over the coals by critics for wallowing in the riches-to-rags-to-riches clichés inherent to the genre, but, seriously...they weren't fresh even forty years ago when Stallone was making the first Rocky. Jake Gyllenhall adds to his impressive recent roster of strong character roles, and the young actress playing his daughter is a real find (and their strained interactions as he fights to redeem himself in both her eyes and that of the court as he fights for custody rights are wrenching). And, to address the elephant in the room...James Horner's subtle, restrained music will probably disappoint those hoping for one last Krull, but it's the kind of quietly functional underscoring that creeps up on you, a wash of moody synths, echoing piano melodies and subtle horns that accentuates the film's drama without drowning it in saccharine sentiment (and Horner receives a moving dedication in the end credits as the film fades to black). I don't know if I'd actually buy it on CD (need to listen to some samples first), but it's a great example of Horner's peerless gift for finding the right "sound" for a particular project, and while it's not the blow-out orchestral showpiece that his mourning fans might have wanted, it suits the film's gritty, street-level realism perfectly and accentuates the loss of this gifted composer all the more.

[AndyDursin]

MISSION IMPOSSIBLE
6/10

Revisited this for the first time in a while, and really, it's amazing this series has endured for nearly 20 years after starting off with this disappointing fizzle that nearly -- but not quite -- ended this Tom Cruise franchise before it had a chance to get going. The reason the movie narrowly avoids disaster is the memorable Langley break-in set-piece, which is tense and exciting, and the ridiculous but fun train finale, which has that great moment in Danny Elfman's score when it rips right into Schifrin's TV theme full blast.

Otherwise, very little in this film works: the plot is glum and depressing, the opening half-hour positively dreadful in its set-up. Certain elements are dated (watch Tom Cruise HUNT FOR CLUES IN USENET GROUPS for five minutes!), and Emmanuelle Beart was completely DOA as the female lead -- so much the movie cut out her love scene with Ethan Hunt (even though it's glimpsed in the trailers and even the movie's opening montage).

In some ways, this first film is the weakest in the series, despite having top line talent across the board associated with it -- which makes it doubly surprising it's still going strong with a pair of critical triumphs in its 4th and 5th entries here in the 21st century.

BTW for anyone who is interested in the series: I imported the Scandanavian Blu-Ray, which has AVC encodes and DTS MA soundtracks for 1-3 (the US Blu-Ray has inferior MPEG-2 encodes and 5.1 Dolby Digital soundtracks for the first two movies). The original MI has such a WEIRD transfer too -- ugly and doused with DNR for the first 30 minutes, but it markedly improves at about the hour mark. The bigger improvement are the soundtracks -- far improved on these releases. Alas, the US versions continue to be recycled despite their lousy technical quality. Thanks Paramount!

[AndyDursin]

MISSION IMPOSSIBLE - ROGUE NATION
8/10

Yup, it's another "ride" -- but it's also the best movie of the summer. Stylish, classy, fun without being idiotic, action packed without relying on CGI, humorous but still serious enough that you can feel the dramatic stakes, this is arguably the most MISSION IMPOSSIBLE-esque (in terms of its relation to the TV show) than all the prior movies -- and arguably the most entertaining on balance (though I still liked GHOST PROTOCOL...let's call it a draw).

As for the rest -- Rebecca Ferguson. She's awesome...and steals the movie out from everyone else. Reason enough to buy a ticket!

Full review here:
http://andyfilm.com/2015/07/29/8-4-15-a ... l-edition/

[Paul MacLean]

The New World (extended cut) (4/10)

I saw this film when it was first released, and liked it at the time. But it doesn't hold up very well today, especially with the added running time. The imagery is just remarkable, and the star Q'orianka Kilcher utterly captivating in the role of Pocahontas. There's an amazing film somewhere in there -- but the narrative is so random, and so ponderous, it seems more like a rough assembly of footage than a finished film. The movie does draw-in the viewer at the outset, but as it progresses, it just gets slower and more vague, and doesn't really pick-up until near the end, when the characters travel to England. In fact one wishes there was more of the England sequence -- which there probably is on the cutting room floor, considering that they went to the trouble and expense of casting Jonathan Pryce as James I, and he doesn't have a single line of dialog in the final cut.

The film also falters in the casting of Colin Farrell, who simply lacks the star quality and charisma to carry the film. The reserved, brooding approach both Farrell and the other leading man, Christian Bale, take to their respective roles doesn't help liven things up either. They are also upstaged by a supporting cast of better actors, including Christopher Plummer and David Thewlis.

Malick's use of music is another fatal flaw. The scenes where he utilizes James Horner's score benefit greatly from the composer's musical talent -- and unimpeachable dramatic sense (even if the cues aren't necessarily those written for the scenes in which they're used, they work well, because Horner "gets" the tone of the film). The use of the Mozart piano concerto is rather less successful (and doesn't suit the tone of the film), while the use of Wagner's "Entrance of the gods into Valhalla" is perfectly ludicrous, never once connecting with the drama or imagery, and its portentousness actually renders the film unintentionally funny (particularly at the end).

Emmanuel Lubezki's photography is extraordinary, and the costumes and art direction are first rate. Terrence Malick crafts a beautiful-looking movie, and then ruins his own picture because he has no sense of how to tell a coherent story. The New World is gorgeous to behold -- but dispassionate bore-and-a-half to sit through.

[Eric Paddon]

They had a Mozart piano concerto in a movie that takes place 150 years before there was a Mozart????

[Monterey Jack]

Terrence Malick creates a potentially beautiful movie...and then ruins his own picture because he has no sense of how to tell a coherent story.

This is why I've never been much of a Malick fan...one can only take so many "poetic" shots of sunsets and blowing grass (accompanied by pretentious voiceover and scraps of classical music) before one pines away for any sense of traditional dramatic structure or emotional connection. Aside from Days Of Heaven (the closest to an actual story he's ever attempted, although I admit I have yet to have seen Badlands), I have tolerated Malick's films at best, with Tree Of Life kind of being the straw that broke the camel's back. Like Wes Anderson, his particular "style" is one I have not been able to warm to (and, believe me, in the case of both filmmakers, I have tried), and both directors have basically devolved into self-parody over the years by doing the same things over and over and OVER. The funniest, most pompous description of Malick I ever read from a critic was "Most directors make films...Malick builds cathedrals" Yeah, I'd rather sit in a cathedral for three hours than sit through another Malick movie at this point.

[AndyDursin]

The "jig"is up with Malick. I agree completely with Paul, I was entranced with the visuals/cinematography on first viewing but was underwhelmed with the story. Seeing it again -- I couldn't even make it through all the way. I'd downgrade my initial reaction to 2.5 stars (but a 4 for the cinematography).

A shame he tossed most of Horner's score...at least there would've been something nice to listen to.

[Paul MacLean]

Daniel Schweiger conducted a lengthy (and very revealing) interview with James Horner a number of years ago, in which Horner candidly described his experiences scoring The New World...

http://www.filmmusicmag.com/?p=14799

Discussion of The New World begins at 38:47. He also provides some interesting background on Troy (covering both Gabriel Yared's score and his own contribution).

[Monterey Jack]

Lifeforce (1985): 5/10 (actual quality) 10/10 (WTF scale)

Oh my.