rate the last movie you saw

[Paul MacLean]

I confess that I have basically lost interest in this series. I liked the first two movies a great deal, enjoyed the third (but didn't love it), but after that it's been a steady and steep decline -- from merely ok (the 4th and 5th movies) to outright tedium (this film).

Besides one or two minor quibbles, I enjoyed Goblet of Fire and thought it worked better than Prisoner of Azkaban as a movie (though PoA was the better story). I felt that Mike Newell restored some of the "heart" of the Columbus films while retaining some of Alfonso Cuarron's positive contributions (without getting too "arty" like Curron did). Goblet's primary weakness was the score.

I'd say HALF BLOOD PRINCE is a film only HP fans can really enjoy -- it's talky and dull, not particularly well made, and goes on forever. I think perhaps if you had read the book you'd probably get more enjoyment out of it, but I didn't and was simply bored to tears watching it.

Actually a lot was jettisoned in order for them to fit into the prescribed under-two hour running time. Yet a few scenes found nowhere in the books were invented for the Yates movies!

David Yates is not a particularly capable filmmaker. His background is in British TV, not features, and it shows. There has been no cinematic inspiration from his approach in either one of his installments and I agree Michael, I'm not going to be expecting to see one now.

WB clearly figures that established (i.e. expensive) directors with numerous features under their belts are no longer necessary when the cast and the look of the films is pretty much established. But there is something "small" about the Yates movies, whereas there was an epic scale to the Culumbus movies. Visually, Yates is also much too influenced by current trends in cinematography (dark, low-key lighting, bleach-bypass processing, the dreary, washed-out color scheme) which promise to date his films terribly.

The biggest problem with the past three films however is John Williams' absence. Williams' music for Harry Potter is as much a part of the films as it is for Star Wars or Indiana Jones. Doyle at least attempted something in that style (though he just didn't have what it took to pull it off). I think Hooper is a better composer than Doyle, but his scores were just too subdued (and both composers' scores were thematically nondescript). They simply didn't spin the films higher and leave you enthralled the way Williams' scores do.

Personally I think Chris Columbus should have turned-down the offer to direct the Percy Jackson movie to come back to finish the Potter series, with Williams in tow of course. Well, maybe John Williams will score the final film anyway.

[AndyDursin]

But there is something "small" about the Yates movies, whereas there was an epic scale to the Culumbus movies. Visually, Yates is also much too influenced by current trends in cinematography (dark, low-key lighting, bleach-bypass processing, the dreary, washed-out color scheme) which promise to date his films terribly.

I just find no distinguishing characteristic in his direction. It's all by the numbers and bland. The "look" and cast are there -- but it's almost like point and shoot.

To be honest, I almost think he's a hack. There, I said it!

Actually a lot was jettisoned in order for them to fit into the prescribed under-two hour running time. Yet a few scenes found nowhere in the books were invented for the Yates movies!

The last two movies have been 2.5 hours long though. They keep getting longer. (actually I am fairly sure none of them were under 2 hours in length).

Either way I found the last movie unbelievably dull. I don't even think Williams could've saved it.

[Eric Paddon]

"Return Of The Pink Panther" (1974). 9 of 10. This was the first Sellers Pink Panther film I ever saw as a child, and even though it's harder to keep laughing at something you've seen so many times over the years, this will always be my favorite of the Panther films. Plus, it deserves special mention for relaunching the franchise after it had been dormant for ten years following "A Shot In The Dark."

The fact that this relaunch was done by low-budget ITC and not by UA the original rights holders in a way makes the film less overblown than the latter two sequels (especially the last one, "Revenge Of The Pink Panther"). Sellers slips back into the role with total ease after being away for a decade as do Herbert Lom and Burt Kwouk. Catherine Schell's presence also enhances the film. She was so overly made up facially on "Space 1999" that for years I never realized that she was the same actress from that show!

[mkaroly]

"Return Of The Pink Panther" (1974). 9 of 10. This was the first Sellers Pink Panther film I ever saw as a child, and even though it's harder to keep laughing at something you've seen so many times over the years, this will always be my favorite of the Panther films. Plus, it deserves special mention for relaunching the franchise after it had been dormant for ten years following "A Shot In The Dark."

The fact that this relaunch was done by low-budget ITC and not by UA the original rights holders in a way makes the film less overblown than the latter two sequels (especially the last one, "Revenge Of The Pink Panther"). Sellers slips back into the role with total ease after being away for a decade as do Herbert Lom and Burt Kwouk. Catherine Schell's presence also enhances the film. She was so overly made up facially on "Space 1999" that for years I never realized that she was the same actress from that show!

"Code name? I don't have a code name!"

"Only the REAL Chief Inspector would know that..."

Lol....I don't apologize for saying that NO ONE has been able to capture the Clouseau persona better than Sellers...least of all Steve Martin. And they should stop trying. The PINK PANTHER movies are treasures to me and I remember watching them over and over again as a kid whenever they came on TV. Great entertainment.

[Paul MacLean]

I just endured a screening of INGLORIOUS BASTERDS.

I HATED this film. Seriously, how can anyone sit through any of Quentin Tarantino's movies? That man just cannot tell a coherent story.

The introduction of Brad Pitt and his commando squad gives the impression one is going to see an homage to action-adventure movies like The Dirty Dozen or Where Eagles Dare -- but the problem is Inglorious Basterds is much too boring, static and devoid of action to be an action movie. And after only a few minutes of screen time, Pitt and co. disappear for a for quite a while, and the movie suddenly turns into a stilted, derivative imitation of Francois Truffaut's The Last Metro -- but unfortunately Tarantino is just too shallow to pull-off the kind of multi-layered explorations of character and relationships the way Truffaut did.

The film is never sure what it is supposed to be. Is it an action movie? A romantic character study? A slapstick comedy? A dark exploration of Naziism? It attempts to be all of these at different times, but never succeeds as any of them (mostly because none of these styles are really reconcilable in a single movie).

There are also noticeable goofs in the movie -- most obviously the earplugs which are plainly visible in the SS officer's ears as shoots at the girl fleeing the farmhouse.

And why does a movie set in WWII France use music from Ennio Morricone westerns and a David Bowie song?

But finally, the film is just plain BORING. Tarantino -- as usual -- subjects the viewer to endless, verbose dialog scenes, all of which are twice as long as they need to be. In fact so much of what is on screen is so tediously irrelevant, that the film feels more like an outtakes reel than an actual movie.

[AndyDursin]

I love how it's called INGLORIOUS BASTERDS when the movie isnt about any of the Basterds!

And the self-aware last line was all about Tarantino fueling his ego more than serving the story.

[Eric Paddon]

"Bandolero" (1968). 6 of 10.
-Forget the abuse that usually gets piled on Raquel Welch, who notwithstanding her struggle with the Spanish accent, I think does fine in a thankless window dressing role (Raquel I always felt should have been an action heroine in her own right. Her gunning down Martin's killer at the end reveals what she was really capable of). To me, the biggest implausibility is the notion that Jimmy Stewart and Dean Martin could be brothers.

I also noticed that the prison cell where Martin and his gang are held at the beginning of the film looks a lot like a a redressed version of Taylor's cell from "Planet Of The Apes."

Goldsmith's Main Title sounds fairly similar to his later one for "Take A Hard Ride."

[Monterey Jack]

Beetlejuice (1988): 7.5/10

Ah, Winona Ryder...you were the hardcore crush of my adolescence.

[Paul MacLean]

I watched 500 Days of Summer last night. It was one of the most touching films I've seen in a long time -- but in some ways it was also hard for me to watch, having personally gone through similar experiences (with two different women).

But the main thing about this movie was that I actually FELT something while watching it...and I can't say that's true of most of the films I've seen in the past several years.

[Eric Paddon]

"Inspector Clouseau" (1967) (1 star out of 10)
-I've been a fan of the Panther films of Peter Sellers for decades and I had avoided watching this film, made during the ten year interlude between "A Shot In The Dark" and "Return Of The Pink Panther" simply because I didn't think I could accept anyone, not even an actor I respect like Alan Arkin, in the role that was Sellers through and through.

Today though I watched it. Ouch. When this makes even "Curse Of The Pink Panther" with Ted Wass seem tolerable by comparison, that says plenty. Arkin is just all wrong in this part but the biggest problem is the film just isn't funny.

[Monterey Jack]

The 40 Year Old Virgin (2005): 9.5/10

The most beautiful love story ever filmed.

[mkaroly]

DEPARTURES (2008) 9.5/10. Although I wasn't really convinced about the father-son storyline, this was an amazingly powerful yet subtle film about life and death. It was directed by Yojiro Takita and this was the most moving film I've seen in years. It's about people who ritually prepare bodies for burial, and I cried several times watching the respect, honor, and dignity that those people gave to the deceased and those left behind. Amazing film.

[Monterey Jack]

Edward Scissorhands (1990): 10/10

Tim Burton's masterpiece. I always cry at the end. Elfman's greatest score, as well.

[AndyDursin]

I watched 500 Days of Summer last night. It was one of the most touching films I've seen in a long time -- but in some ways it was also hard for me to watch, having personally gone through similar experiences (with two different women).

But the main thing about this movie was that I actually FELT something while watching it...and I can't say that's true of most of the films I've seen in the past several years.

Exactly! It's a remarkable movie for me on a number of levels -- particularly the way it manages to be touching, but not overly saccharine. It's not melodramatic. It FEELS "real," while still being incredibly well made and cinematically interesting. And Gordon-Levitt is going to be one of the best actors of his generation, his range (being able to do that or a silly escapist lark like GI JOE) is already impressive.

I think hiring that director to do Spider-Man is quite interesting -- but it's a gamble worth taking, because he showed a lot in how the film was crafted and the interaction between the characters.

For me it was one of the best movies of last year, unquestionably. And ultimately upbeat, even though its core relationship doesn't work...but that's life. We've all been there at one time or another, for whatever reason.

But Paul, don't tell that to the Academy -- they felt AVATAR was a better movie!

[Monterey Jack]

Bad Boys II (2003): 0/10

Disgusting.