What's the latest movie you've seen?

[dubiousbystander]

I watched "Yesterday". I really enjoyed the character played by Himish Patel who is somehow transferred to an alternate reality in which he is the only person who remembers The Beatles. He is a singer and guitarist who has struggled for years to make it as a performer of his own songs. Now, he can introduce Beatles songs to the world. There is a lot of good humor in the movie and Himish really can play guitar and sing the Beatles songs!

Among the humor being the moments when we find out that it isn't only The Beatles different in this world!

[Cyrus The Great]

I watched "Yesterday". I really enjoyed the character played by Himish Patel who is somehow transferred to an alternate reality in which he is the only person who remembers The Beatles. He is a singer and guitarist who has struggled for years to make it as a performer of his own songs. Now, he can introduce Beatles songs to the world. There is a lot of good humor in the movie and Himish really can play guitar and sing the Beatles songs!

[dubiousbystander]

Ha, I also recently watched Dune! I was pretty pleased with it. Only a few things bothered me, but I enjoyed all the languages, and I liked the scene on Salusa Secondus. Though I can't decide how ridiculous I feel about the Sardaukar kneeling in the blood of victims. I mean, are these other people on Salusa Secondus, or what?

[Ceridwen]

Just watched the new Dune. Kid who played Paul was very good, wasn't so keen on the interpretation of Jessica. Over all good performances, but numerous little annoyances like the pointlessly altered pronunciations, apparently just to differ from the original film, and the fact that it takes a very long time to tell just half the story. I do rather like the new sand worm design, though. I'd say its thoroughly watchable, but it is not all that and a bag of chips.

[LamBear*]

Identity Thief. Seen it before, but I just love Jason Bateman and Melissa McCarthy.

[Cyrus The Great]

Labyrinth - I saw this movie years ago, probably when it first came out. I had pretty much forgotten everything about it. I have watched some David Bowie movies recently (main reason I picked this from the library) and I did remember that he was in this movie, but I had forgotten that a very young Jennifer Connelly co-starred. The movie was fun to see again, but I was even more interested in the extra features. For one, they showed the hand manipulation expert who was up against Bowie's back for the glass ball tricks. Looked very uncomfortable for both men! Also interesting was the choreographer for all the dancing scenes with actors and puppets. Her name was Cheryl McFadden. She caught my eye instantly and I thought she must be the identical twin sister of Gates McFadden who played Dr. Crusher on Star Trek TNG. I looked up Cheryl and discovered that her full name is Cheryl Gates McFadden who is both an actor and a choreographer. She chooses to be credited by the different names depending on which professional category she is doing.

[Ceridwen]

Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day
What a quietly delightful little film. Starring the outstanding cast of Frances McDormand, Amy Adams, Lee Pace, and Mark Strong. There are no shoot outs, no explosions, no body count, just people caught up in one chaotic and pivotal day. It's funny, touching, and quite satisfying.

[Cyrus The Great]

The Spy Who Dumped Me - This was a fun movie to watch: good comedy combined with action and adventure. I'm a fan of Mila Kunis, but combining her talents with those of Kate McKinnon produced a great result!

[Cyrus The Great]

And morbid. Don't forget morbid. I believe we end with the implication that his failure has doomed his world.

I agree with you. The ending was rather sad. In a way, I feel like the movie speaks to our own human failures to be good stewards of Planet Earth. Your comment helped to illuminate this aspect. Thanks.

[dubiousbystander]

I watched Spontaneous, a 2020 movie. It was startlingly good, as far as I'm concerned. Great acting, morbid humor. The only catch for me was that the problem was narrowed down to the senior class of one school in a small town. That wasn't a huge problem for enjoying the movie. I'm reading the book now. So far it looks like the movie stuck quite close and the book is good.

[dubiousbystander]

The Man Who Fell To Earth - Mid '70's movie starring David Bowie. I learned about it from watching Bowie in Berlin. An ET comes to earth from a dying planet that has almost no water. He is much smarter and knowledgeable than the brightest humans. He makes a fortune inventing useful things. However, he succumbs to human temptations like alcohol and sex. Eventually, the government discovers he is not human and imprisons him for a time as an experimental subject. After some years, he regains some degree of freedom, presumably by trading his knowledge. The movie is supposedly a sci-fi cult classic, but I found it rather confusing and unfocused.

And morbid. Don't forget morbid. I believe we end with the implication that his failure has doomed his world.

[Cyrus The Great]

The Man Who Fell To Earth - Mid '70's movie starring David Bowie. I learned about it from watching Bowie in Berlin. An ET comes to earth from a dying planet that has almost no water. He is much smarter and knowledgeable than the brightest humans. He makes a fortune inventing useful things. However, he succumbs to human temptations like alcohol and sex. Eventually, the government discovers he is not human and imprisons him for a time as an experimental subject. After some years, he regains some degree of freedom, presumably by trading his knowledge. The movie is supposedly a sci-fi cult classic, but I found it rather confusing and unfocused.

[dubiousbystander]

I just watched The Happening again. I have a new perspective on it now. However, the more idiotic bits are still more idiotic.

[Cyrus The Great]

Bowie in Berlin

This was a movie length documentary about David Bowie's three years living in Berlin in the 70's. Bowie was living in Los Angeles. He went to the hospital to visit his friend Iggy Pop who was near death from drug addiction. Bowie had a bad cocaine habit at that time too. So, Bowie and Iggy decide to move to Berlin and try to clean up their lives through musical collaboration. While there, Bowie created three of his best albums and helped Iggy to produce two albums. Bowie also worked a lot with Brian Eno while in Berlin and was inspired by the German band Kraftwork, who incidentally, told Bowie they were too busy to collaborate with him (their loss!). It was one of the most creative and productive periods of Bowie's life.

[Ceridwen]

Blue Miracle. Not bad, a nice underdog story. Pretty formulaic despite being based on a true story, but that's just a weakness with the writing. The fabulous Dennis Quaid elevated this past its short comings doing a great job as the jaded an crusty boat captain.

[Cyrus The Great]

Porco Rosso

This is one of several very well done animated movies by Japanese Studio Ghibli that I have seen recently. The original movies are in Japanese, but later they are redone with English speaking actors, some of whom are quite famous. The role of Porco was voiced by Michael Keaton. Another character was voiced by Cary Elwes.

[dubiousbystander]

I look forward to Yesterday, then, though it seems so far away!

Today I watched two Russian movies dubbed relatively decently into English.
Coma, from 2019, which was really quite good.
A Rough Draft, from 2018. This was also interesting, confusingly good, sometimes odd and a bit cliche. The ending was a bit rough, a setup for a sequel but too light to what had been going on.

Both movies had some good world-building going on.

[Ceridwen]

Yesterday
Although the premise - a world without the Beatles - is scary, it's not a horror pic. Struggling musician Jack seems to be the only person to recall that there were once Beatles, and sets out to recreate their songs for his own career's benefit - and as a public service. Clever story telling, humor, and musical moments make this a very watchable film. The comedy part is by far the stronger portion, and the rom half of the equation seems a little forced, but nevertheless, the film is quite enjoyable thanks in large part to the stars' engaging performances and the screenwriter's originality.

[MidnightBlue]

Camille Claudel

[Ceridwen]

It's worth watching.

[johnnybear]

Dracula 3 the other night (although how and why he changed from Stephen Billington into Rutger Hauer wasn't explained) and tonight I've got Near Dark. so a Vampire week for me then!
JB

[dubiousbystander]

42
This is an outstanding movie, well acted from every angle, with a cast that includes Chadwick Boseman, Harrison Ford, Alan Tudyk, and Lucas Black you'd have had to really work to make it bad. These guys were all on the mark and it's a well told, well acted tale. The recent tragic passing of the star has made this one a little heart wrenching to watch as well. It's a tale of morality and social change, and provides a glimpse at the character and strength required by those involved and a non-cliché drama.

Thank you for talking about it. Hadn't heard of 42. Now I will get it and watch it! It will break my heart in so many ways to see him so young. Also the story. History, the more truth to it, is pretty painful sometimes.

[Ceridwen]

42
This is an outstanding movie, well acted from every angle, with a cast that includes Chadwick Boseman, Harrison Ford, Alan Tudyk, and Lucas Black you'd have had to really work to make it bad. These guys were all on the mark and it's a well told, well acted tale. The recent tragic passing of the star has made this one a little heart wrenching to watch as well. It's a tale of morality and social change, and provides a glimpse at the character and strength required by those involved and a non-cliché drama.

[dubiousbystander]

In a slightly related, because it's a video podcast about Deliver Us From Evil, and about Quiet Cool, because they are interviewing Clay Borris, beloved by Highlander TV series fans!

[~mj~]

James Bond-Diamonds are Forever