rate the last movie you saw

[Paul MacLean]

Exactly what it is -- an Internet Explorer problem. Works in Chrome and Firefox.

Doesn't show up in Safari either. The links work though.

[Monterey Jack]

I don't see the pics either.

[AndyDursin]

Check that....size limitation!!

[Eric Paddon]

Just tried Chrome. Still not showing!

[AndyDursin]

It's the size of the image that's the problem. I tried on a different Chrome and it doesn't show up, so I guess only as an administrator was I able to see the images.

However, it's not my formatting and the links are good -- the images were just too big.

This one I'm guessing is going to work:

[Eric Paddon]

Special privilege for the administrator to see the large sized Bo only?

This foreign poster is even better by having the same image against a more appropriate jungle backdrop.

[AndyDursin]

CAPTAIN PHILLIPS
9/10

Exciting, suspenseful account of an American tanker, the Maersk Alabama, and its captain, Richard Phillips (a terrific Tom Hanks performance), after it’s taken over by Somali pirates in the Indian Ocean in 2009.

This searing thriller – adapted by Billy Ray from Phillips and Stephan Talty’s account of the event that made headlines around the world – is one of Paul Greengrass’ best films, detailing the escalating tension between the Somalis and their captain (excellently portrayed by Barkhad Abdi) as the emaciated pirates try to exact a ransom from their captives. Crisply edited and atmospherically shot by Barry Ackroyd, “Captain Phillips” is one of 2013′s best, anchored by Hanks’ performance and Greengrass’ involving direction.

Sony’s Blu-Ray offers a marvelously detailed image (mastered from a 4K source) and DTS MA 5.1 soundtrack, the latter featuring the film’s weakest element – a cliched music score credited to Henry Jackman that reportedly had been rewritten by Hans Zimmer and numerous others. Visually the film is marked by authentic filming on a Maersk tanker in Malta — there’s no CGI green-screening here. That’s a real ship, that’s a real ocean, and the film benefits enormously from the production’s realism. A commentary with Greengrass and a comprehensive, hour-long “Capturing Captain Phillips” Making Of documentary (offering news footage of the actual event and interviews with the cast and crew plus Phillips himself) are also included in Sony’s BD/DVD combo pack.

[Jedbu]

SKIDOO 2.5/10

Just watched Otto Preminger's late 60's cinematic melange SKIDOO on the DVR...that was the damndest thing. Some parts were interesting-LSD in the prison food and Jackie Gleason having an acid trip, but the whole thing with the hippies seemed like it was shoehorned in and Groucho looked like he was reading everything off of cue cards, and Carol Channing...in a kind of see-through bra and pantyhose...then later in a long blond wig and some colonial American sailor outfit...you just cannot make this stuff up!

All-star cast, including Burgess Meredith, Peter Lawford, Mickey Rooney, Cesar Romero, Frank Gorshin (3 "Batman" villains in front of the camera and one behind it-cool). And was that Jay Leno playing a policeman about 20 minutes in, rousting some hippies from the street-probably too young but damn sure looked like him. And Nilsson did the songs, including that bizarroid end credit one. Lastly-nice plug for an earlier, better Preminger/Paramount film, using clips from IN HARM'S WAY, a film that even at 165 minutes, seemed shorter than this. Egads....Preminger's career was so uneven in its last decades....this film, HURRY SUNDOWN, ROSEBUD-at least he ended with a film that got him some decent reviews, THE HUMAN FACTOR.

I think Preminger's biggest problem with a film like this is he was a man who had no real sense of humor as far as directing comedy was concerned (see: his destruction of the two Lubitsch films he completed-A ROYAL SCANDAL & THAT LADY IN ERMINE, also THE MOON IS BLUE, which, while nicely directed, needed a lighter touch than Preminger had). Let me put it this way: what Preminger was to comedy, Richard Attenborough and John Huston were to musicals. He makes Stanley Kramer look like Leo McCarey!

[Eric Paddon]

It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963) 7 of 10

-Got the restored Blu-Ray today. The long cut is fascinating to see in the fullest version possible especially two scenes for which audio only is missing, one of which clarifies that Dick Shawn is stealing Barrie Chase's car (or rather that of her husband that she's cheating on!) and another which clarifies Buster Keaton's role and why Tracy was driving there after he takes the money. The laugh quotient is still erratic but as a historical document it is fascinating. Big thumbs up to the commentary as well which is what a commentary is *supposed* to be!

Raise The Titanic (1980) 5 of 10

-Also got the Blu-Ray of this today. The first time since 1980 I've seen it in its original widescreen ratio. The F/X still hold up well. In fact, when the submersibles find the Titanic there is a trailing shot over the bow with the forward anchor chains that eerily foreshadows the most famous image of the actual Titanic wreck when it was discovered five years later. But alas, the translation of Cussler's novel remains dreadful. Leaving aside the outrageous moral equivalence ending that was not part of the novel, the film's real problem is that instead of being a Bond style action flick as Cussler wrote it, they went for a too cerebral approach in which more time was spent with the underwater searching accompanied by Barry's lovely score and less time on developing the plot. Case in point is how a critical detail of a Soviet spy passing on info to the Russians from the salvage team is glossed over in a throwaway scene wherea sin the novel and the first draft of the script there is a murder of a crewman that makes this a critical point to stay focused on for some time. This is what's known as building up *suspense* that the film is lacking. And Anne Archer's character is a total waste serving a pointless and underdeveloped purpose (the Dana character in the novel is *far* different).

THe points come from the score and the F/X and in widescreen the film is at least passable now in ways it wasn't before. But the waste of a good novel is still quite evident.

[Monterey Jack]

Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit: 5/10

Wow...this actually makes Sum Of All Fears look good. Hideous shakey-cam action sequences (hard to believe that Kenneth Branagh was behind the camera...bring back the Thor Dutch angles, all is forgiven!), recycled situations (a bathroom fight/drowning in a bathtub scene is a lame rip-off of Casino Royale), and a plot that's generic and thinly-stretched even at a slight 100-minute runtime. Patrick Doyle's score is okay in a James Newton Howard Salt sort of way, but otherwise, it's easy to see why Paramount dumped this into January.

[AndyDursin]

Wow...this actually makes Sum Of All Fears look good.

I liked SUM OF ALL FEARS. Sure, it had bland leads in Affleck and Bridget Moynahan, but otherwise had many good elements going for it (one of Jerry's best scores from the end of his career, Liev Schrieber was solid, excellent supporting cast, fine cinematography). Personally I prefer it to CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER and put it on the same level as PATRIOT GAMES. Not on the level of HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER but entertaining enough and well executed.

it's easy to see why Paramount dumped this into January.

Makes you wonder if the whole story about moving it because WOLF OF WALL STREET was finished was just a smokescreen.

Ironic that SUM OF ALL FEARS did $118 million domestic -- in 2002 dollars -- but didn't do well enough to keep the series going at the time (the post-9/11 aspect and working a premise within that time frame didn't make it easier of course. Paramount decided it was just easier to shelve it).

This new film couldn't even open to $20 million even with inflation -- a spectacularly bad performance...as bad as any so-called "event franchise" or "reboot" in recent memory. But with Clancy gone and over 10 years inbetween installments, this is one instance where it was too long between sequels(prequels, whatever) and the studio should've just let it go.

[Jedbu]

THE HUDSUCKER PROXY: 8/10

Watched my favorite Coen Brothers movie tonight-THE HUDSUCKER PROXY, starring Tim Robbins, Paul Newman and Jennifer Jason Leigh. A nice tribute to Preston Sturges and Howard Hawks, this is about a young schmo who comes to New York from Muncie Business College to make a name for himself. He gets a job in the mail room of Hudsucker Industries just around the time the head of the company decides to make an impression on the sidewalk from the 44th floor (not counting the mezzanine). Through no fault of his own he becomes the new president while the board of directors-led by Newman-are trying to force the price of stock down so that they can take over. Again, through no fault of his own he comes up with a product ("You know-for kids") that takes the world by storm and now the company is successful again and you know that the board will now hate him and try to destroy him...

This film was a major financial flop when it was released 20 years ago, which is understandable-it is very stylized, has a lead character who flip-flops between being somewhat aware and being obtuse, a female lead who channels Katharine Hepburn (with wildly varying results and the only part of this film that I have a real problem with) and has your typical Coen outlook on the world with people who either have no idea of what is going on or might be just to hip to everything. The critics didn't know what to make of it and many accused the brothers of just copying some of the formula of the classic screwball comedies of the 30's and 40's-which I think they did brilliantly, along with putting a dazzling visual spin on it. The miniature effects work in this film is still mind boggling, Carter Burwell's score is majestic and I love that Paul Newman gets to play a funny villain in this. Watching the Blu-Ray (a truly gorgeous transfer both in picture and sound from Warner Archive), I was able for the first time to pause and really see the jobs that Robbins sees in the window of an employment agency when he gets to town. MINSTREL, BEADLE (?!), EXOTIC DANCER, SHEPHERD, and my favorite-ORTHINOLOGIST, which, considering it isn't a real word and the job titles go by so fast, might have been a deliberate mistake...or not-and all the jobs require experience, even THIRD BASE COACH.

While I love the Coen's dramas (FARGO, NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN, BLOOD SIMPLE, TRUE GRIT), I think I still prefer their comedies like this, O BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU?, RAISING ARIZONA, if only because they hold true to how Preston Sturges looked at the human race-he felt that there were two types of people: dumb ones, and those that didn't realize how dumb they were. Perhaps there is a little bit of Mark Twain in them, as well, which, considering he is my favorite author, explains a lot.

[Paul MacLean]

Skyfall

My third screening of the film, which I'm happy to say holds-up to multiple viewings. I still think it is one of the best Bond films, and I love how the story addresses his contentious (but devoted) relationship with M, and sldo lends insight into his past. Everything comes together beautifully in this movie -- action sequences are some of the best, Craig is hitting his stride in the role, and the appearance of the Aston Martin DB5 is a great, iconic nod to the series' legacy. Daniel Kleinman's title sequence is superb, as is Adele's song (which is in the classic 007 mold). I just wish Thomas Newman had been allowed to "let loose" a little more, and held-back the percussion loops and "bleeps" (M's final scene needed a stronger musical backbone).

Another thing that lept-out at me this time, is that this is possibly the best-looking Bond film ever -- particularly the Asia sequence. The Shanghai sequence has an arresting "Blade Runner" quality in its use of lighting, and the way the city is photographed overall (though it's fair to say our world is also starting to resemble Blade Runner in a lot of ways). Likewise, the Macau scenes have a beautiful, dreamlike look, again reminiscent of Blade Runner. Here's hoping Roger Deakins returns to capture more of 007's adventures.



I also love the promising template Skyfall has set-up for future Bond stories, with Ralph Fiennes as M, Ben Whishaw as Q, and the fetching Naomie Harris as Miss Moneypenny. Lets hope they make good on it!

[Monterey Jack]

Loved Skyfall, one of the very best 007 movies ever made. I just pray that we'll get the gunbarrel back where it belongs in the next film...at the beginning!

[AndyDursin]

Loved Skyfall, one of the very best 007 movies ever made. I just pray that we'll get the gunbarrel back where it belongs in the next film...at the beginning!

Agreed! The one thing about Craig is that his character certainly isn't much of a lover -- 007 needs a real love interest in this next installment and not just a femme fatale who doesn't make it out of the picture alive.