Movies - Take Two. Action!

[Rogue Mail]

Watch Collateral with Jamie Foxx. He plays a contract killer. Directed by Michael Mann. Some of the best (and most accurate) weapons handling I've seen (add in the first John Wick movie) in a film. The scene where Cruise takes out two guys in an alley is perfection.

Not a Cruise fan either, but this one is a keeper for the weapons-work alone.

Yep. I'm a big Mann fan and this is one of his better later efforts. Cruise is very good here as is Foxx. Great support too, from the likes of Barry Shabaka Henley, Mark Ruffalo Javier Bardem and Bruce McGill.

And LA looks great at night due to the digital cameras used.

Some of the dialogue between Cruise and Foxx in the cab is brilliant...Cruise has a very focused sense of clarity and purpose, and constantly exposes and belittles Foxx' naive, childish ambitions and pipe dreams.

And yes...that scene in the alley is a standout.

[jlneudorf]

Saw Bohemian Rhapsody last night. Just a great show, terrific acting and an overall very 'moving' experience. As a life long fan it made me realize how much I miss this band and especially Freddie.

Jon

[Sturgeon's Lawyer]

You want to see a really good Stallone movie? Check out Oscar, about a mob boss trying to go straight (with the help of Tim Curry as his dialect coach).

[nosebone]

Chappaquiddick (2017)

The Ted Kennedy 1969 car accident that claimed the life of campaign strategist, Mary Jo Kopechne.

Excellent period piece, highly recomended!

[mozo-pg]

Darkest Hour - Gary Oldman as Churchill was a stunning accomplishment. Thoroughly enjoyed the movie.

[dropforge]

And I'd also bring Legend into the mix, but there again, more so because of Mia Sara, Tim Curry, the Tangerine Dream score, and the Bryan Ferry/David Gilmour song that plays over the closing credits, than Katie Holmes' future ex-husband.

If you want to go there, Tangerine Dream's music for Risky Business is WAY better than the syrupy stuff they turned in for Legend. Yeah, they culled some of it from their albums, plus Edgar's solo track "Sobornost," but the use of their music throughout the film is exceedingly well done.

[NogbadTheBad]

Just back from Bo Rhap, really enjoyed it, all the main actors seemed to put in very credible performance. Yes there's a bunch of historical errors but they seem to have got the feel right & May & Taylor seem to have been heavily involved.

[GuitarGeek]

If you want to go there, Tangerine Dream's music for Risky Business is WAY better than the syrupy stuff they turned in for Legend. Yeah, they culled some of it from their albums, plus Edgar's solo track "Sobornost," but the use of their music throughout the film is exceedingly well done.

Well, yeah, Risky Business was still during the Virgin era, wasn't it? So it's gonna be musically better. But really, as far as the music in Legend goes, it's really the Bryan Ferry song that's the keeper, and like I said, it doesn't hurt that he had David Gilmour play on it.

[dropforge]

Well, yeah, Risky Business was still during the Virgin era, wasn't it? So it's gonna be musically better. But really, as far as the music in Legend goes, it's really the Bryan Ferry song that's the keeper, and like I said, it doesn't hurt that he had David Gilmour play on it.

It's got nothing to do with Virgin or Relativity. The same line-up (Froese, Franke, Schmoelling) recorded from '80-'85, but I know I don't have to tell you that because you were on Datta's list. They also did Heartbreakers and The Park Is Mine right before Legend, and I also like those much better. For some reason, Legend has never been my cuppa, though anything bearing Johannes' touch is usually inspiring.

[Hal...]

I'm not a Cruise fan, either. That said, he's usually very savvy at picking good movies. I can't stand the ones where he's a hot dog, tho (e.g. Top Gun, The Color of Money). But the good ones are:

Taps
Rain Man
A Few Good Men
The Firm
Jerry Maguire
Eyes Wide Shut
Vanilla Sky (his best role?)
Minority Report
the aforementioned Collateral (one of his best)
War of the Worlds (my favorite, probably because it's really faithful to the novel)
Jack Reacher (surprisingly good)
Oblivion
Edge of Tomorrow (surprisingly very good)

Most of those I thought would only be okay and one I suspected would suck (Edge of Tomorrow), but I was wrong. They're all at least very good and I've seen almost all of them at least twice; two I own (A Few Good Men and War of the Worlds, both of which I picked up cheap at Half-Price Books).

I think I've seen Magnolia, too, but for the life of me can't remember anything about it.

You were right. This was pretty good!

Right?! It was one of those I was on the fence on, but decided to give it a whirl because it was just over an hour and it would give me time to watch something else if it sucked lol. Was pleasantly surprised.

I saw that about a year ago and thought I recommended it here, but maybe not.

Another pretty good one is called Devil (2010). It's about a group of people trapped in an elevator with someone who may be Satan himself.

[Lou]

Another pretty good one is called Devil (2010). It's about a group of people trapped in an elevator with someone who may be Satan himself.

Agreed! I thought it was quite good.

[mozo-pg]

I'm going to see Bohemian Rhapsody tomorrow night. I really enjoy quite a bit of Queen's catalog and think the band story must be interesting.

[JKL2000]

I feel like Bergman's a category unto himself. But I suppose you can say that about any auteur. I took a film studies course on Bergman. And from what I know of the culture, Bergman's films are sooo Swedish. They're serious, philosophical, though provoking, and often depressing. Honestly, I found most of them boring. The only two I liked were The Seventh Seal & Persona and we watched at least 10. That said, his B&W films are probably about the most beautiful films ever put to celluloid, B&W or color!

How about Fanny & Alexander? That's a pretty colorful film - we watch it almost every Christmas. Yeah, it has some more serious parts, but overall it's uplifting.

[MYSTERIOUS TRAVELLER]

TCM aired a movie I had never known about called Failsafe. Crazy premise... super twisted storyline. Made ya think but it just seemed all wrong at the end. Anyone else ever see this film?

[GuitarGeek]

TCM aired a movie I had never known about called Failsafe. Crazy premise... super twisted storyline. Made ya think but it just seemed all wrong at the end. Anyone else ever see this film?

Are you talking about the Henry Fonda picture? That's a classic.

[progeezer]

Fail Safe was the movie Kubrick satirized in Dr. Strangelove. Fonda is at his stoic best. Both released in 1964.

[Sturgeon's Lawyer]

War of the Worlds (my favorite, probably because it's really faithful to the novel)

Did we even see the same movie?

Yes, it hit a number of the plot points from the book, but the basic concept was so distorted ... and the nonsense with throwing a grenade into the tripod ...

And the novel is definitely not about a family man on the outs with his wife.

[GuitarGeek]

God Told Me To: 1975 thriller, about a police detective investigating a series of murders, where each killer gives his motive as "God told me to". Strange movie, but what else would you expect from Larry Cohen. Andy Kaufman gives possibly his best performance ever, as one of the killers.

[Hal...]

How about Fanny & Alexander?

Saw it. Didn't like it. <shrugs> But like I said, I've only liked two of his movies, so just ignore me.

Fail Safe was the movie Kubrick satirized in Dr. Strangelove. Fonda is at his stoic best. Both released in 1964.

I'm sorry, but that first sentence is incorrect. Strangelove was based on Peter George's Red Alert, which Kubrick bought the rights for in '60. In fact, George & Kubrick sued the authors of Fail-Safe for plagiarism since George's novel had been published first. The case was settled out of court.

But, yes, Fonda is his usual excellent self in it.

[Klonk]

God Told Me To: 1975 thriller, about a police detective investigating a series of murders, where each killer gives his motive as "God told me to". Strange movie, but what else would you expect from Larry Cohen. Andy Kaufman gives possibly his best performance ever, as one of the killers.

I liked this one...bizarre ending!

[Klonk]

Another pretty good one is called Devil (2010). It's about a group of people trapped in an elevator with someone who may be Satan himself.

Yeah...this one surprised me.

[progeezer]

Saw it. Didn't like it. <shrugs> But like I said, I've only liked two of his movies, so just ignore me.


I'm sorry, but that first sentence is incorrect. Strangelove was based on Peter George's Red Alert, which Kubrick bought the rights for in '60. In fact, George & Kubrick sued the authors of Fail-Safe for plagiarism since George's novel had been published first. The case was settled out of court.

But, yes, Fonda is his usual excellent self in it.

One is never too old to learn.

[spellbound]

Hey, Geez

I saw your license plate on a Nevada vehicle: GEEZR.

[GuitarGeek]

re: God Told Me To,

I liked this one...bizarre ending!

You mean the bit on the courthouse steps, or the last reel in general? That's what happens with B-movies, sometimes you feel like the writer went down a cul-de-sac, as it were, and couldn't figure a suitable way out.

[progeezer]

Hey, Geez

I saw your license plate on a Nevada vehicle: GEEZR.

My Wisconsin license plate is PROGEZR.