The Official Last Movie You Saw Thread (Part 2)

[Joneslab]

Nightcrawler.

This was reviewed elsewhere but I just got to it on Netflix. Clearly this was seen as a vehicle for Jake Gyllenhaal to get really creepy, and it is a treat to watch his bug-eyed sociopath turn into a moneymaking member of the paparazzi. But the script here is pretty flat, and the takeaway--Television news is gory and super-violent!--is so obvious that it's not really interesting. Some of the coincidences are a little far-fetched, but more than that there's just not a whole lot to this movie that better films haven't explored before.

Middling.

Don't Think Twice.

Mike Birbiglia-directed and Ira Glass-produced film about improv comedy, this is a sweet film that doesn't really hit all its notes but is definitely worth a watch. The film focuses on a five-person improv comedy group that becomes split apart due to a falling-out over a Saturday Night Live-type behemoth that poaches its most popular member (played by Keegan-Michael Key), but really the movie is about friendship. I liked how it deals with the struggle of making art, and how these characters--all in their thirties--are grinding to make it in a world that's unforgiving. The ending is a little rushed, and most of the jokes are more clever than laugh-out-loud funny, but this is a moving film about the lengths people go to in search of artistic fulfillment.

Recommended. It's also on Netflix.

(P.S.: Probably funnier than the movie is this episode of the podcast This American Life which features most of the actors from the movie doing improv.)

[Joneslab]

Another thing that bothered me about Nightcrawler was the music.

I hardly ever say that, but there was this weird disconnect between the tone of the movie and parts of its score. For some unknown reason they chose to put in this kind of '80s guitar riff through a couple of long sequences, and for a movie that should have gone for creepy/disorienting/weird, it gives the movie almost this cheesy patina. I hated it.

[Joneslab]

Wind River.

Revenge thriller that's brutal in both its cinematography and its tone, this one stars Jeremy Renner as a game warden who begins to literally hunt down the killer of a young Native American girl. The scenery is bleak, the subject matter bleaker, and Renner's dialogue mostly consists of stilted fortune cookie sayings. But the movie is very pleasing because it's so visceral, and the denouement is one of the most kick-ass you'll see in a revenge movie. It also has four or five just tremendous little moments that show Taylor Sheridan's talent as a storyteller.

For those reasons this is highly recommended. The kind of movie you want to cheer along to by its bloody last act.

[TrueblueCATfan]

Kidnap.....with Halle Berry......was on the edge of my seat.....things mothers will do when her child is in trouble

[Joneslab]

So there's this theater I used to go to in Somerset. The SOMERSET MALL THEATER. Outside of a few bookstores and my home and Rupp Arena, it's my favorite place in the world.

Well, five or so years ago it closed. There's a free-standing theater across the street so that makes sense. Nobody but the nostalgia lovers would go to Somerset Mall to watch a movie.

On Facebook yesterday I was browsing, looking at pictures of people's cats, and lo and behold there's a link to an article. The article says that a local dentist is REOPENING THE THEATER and bringing back some of the old management.

My heart skipped a beat. I was deliriously happy.

Then I read what he plans to do with it.

There's a quote from the dentist in the article. He's going to show movies, but they will only be movies aimed at a particular niche. The guy says something like, "Most of what Hollywood puts out is trash." So he's going to show movies, but they will only be Christian movies and "family-oriented" stuff.

I've never felt so broken.

And I love family movies. I have a family. But you can't run a theater just showing these Christian films. Maybe some of them are good, I'd have no idea, but that whole thing is going to fall apart in six months.

Update on this post from above.

The theater is open and they're actually not showing just family films. It looks like they're showing a couple of first-runs and then some movies that aren't playing at another cinema that sits across the street.

They were showing Baby Driver on one screen this weekend when I drove by. Have no idea if it will last but I'm glad someone's at least giving it a shot.

I feel like theaters, along with shopping malls and bookstores and record shops, will be a thing of the past in twenty years.

[KCKUKFan]

Saw both wind river and logan lucky today. Both were entertaining, if derivative of other, better movies.

seeing IT tomorrow night. The buzz and hype is at an all time high.

[Blue Heaven]

Saw both wind river and logan lucky today. Both were entertaining, if derivative of other, better movies.

seeing IT tomorrow night. The buzz and hype is at an all time high.

Anxiously awaiting your IT review. I am going to see it today and can't wait. Pretty crazy reviews for a horror movie.

[KCKUKFan]

IT - Flawed, but massively entertaining big budget popcorn horror flick. As a longtime fanboy of the source material, I've been waiting for a faithful adaptation of IT for twenty or so years. The 1990 miniseries has aged poorly, and aside from a memorable Tim Curry performance, is pretty uneven. So, when I heard that they were remaking it for its big screen debut (with an R rating, to boot) I was seriously excited. I was worried when Cary Fukanaga left the production because of "creative differences," but relieved after reading his ridiculous script. Director Andy Muschietti, himself a big fan of the novel, picked up the pieces and was able to put together a very entertaining piece of pop entertainment that should make large audiences quite happy. He wisely has split the book in half, focusing this first film on the children's portion of the story. Because of this creative choice, we get to know and care about these characters more than if they tried to lump the adult portion of the story in. Even though most of the kids are still just archetypes (fat kid, black kid, stuttering, wise-ass, only girl, etc.), the performances from these seven rather unknown young actors really push the movie to another level. Part "Goonies," part "Stand By Me," Muschietti absolutely nails this portion of Stephen King's original work. We genuinely like these kids and root for them to win. The movie is very funny, too! As for the horror aspect, it's not exactly the terror-fest that the trailers would lead you to believe. A lot has been made of Bill Skarsgard's portrayal of Pennywise the Dancing Clown, and he makes it his own, with a lithe, creepy, and acrobatic performance. He's nuts, and if you're a-scared of clowns, then beware. Other than his performance, there's a lot of blood (poor Georgie), there's a lot of creepy dead kids, some jump scares of various quality, and an undercurrent of creepiness throughout the hefty 135 minute runtime. Another place where Muschietti nails the source material is focusing on the haunt that is Derry, Maine, itself. Aside from having to deal with an ancient alien evil trying to murder them, these kids have to deal with a town that is completely under the influence of IT: abusive or indifferent parents, sociopathic bullies, etc. There's some expository dialogue about Derry's violent and tragic history, but the movie does a fine job of making us feel at home in this town. Overall, I was very impressed. It has its flaws (some over-reliance on CGI, some necessary omissions and unnecessary changes from the novel), but overall, this is a fast-paced, highly entertaining popcorn entertainment, and certainly in the upper echelon of King adaptations. Don't expect the scariest movie ever going in, or you might disappointed. If you go in expecting a hard-R rated "Stranger Things," Speilebrg-esque kids-on-bikes-in-the-80s coming-of-age creepy adventure, you'll love it.

Also, two side notes: even though all the kids are great, major kudos go to Finn Wolfhard (Mike from "Stranger Things") who makes Trashmouth Richie Tozier one of the film's highlights. Nearly every vulgar thing that came out of his mouth had our screening in stitches. And, even though they set the table for a "Chapter Two" with the adults, the final battle with Pennywise was slightly disappointing. The way the kids beat IT in the novel is nearly unfilmable (something about a cosmic turtle and an ancient telekenetic ritual), but I'm not sure if the denouement here worked 100%. At least IT didn't turn out to be a giant puppet spider.

[Blue Heaven]

Such a good movie It was. If you liked Goonies/Stand By Me/Stranger Things then you will love this. This movie is all those but with a killer clown. Not a lot of jump scares, but just creepy as hell. That creep factor is a 10+ but the kids make this movie. I never read the novel but one hasn't had to to enjoy this. A MAJOR recommendation as far as I am concerned. I LOVED this movie. The hype is real folks.

[TrueblueCATfan]

thanks for the reviews......seeing IT on Sunday......can't wait

[Joneslab]

IT.

I echo the thoughts above. The set pieces don't all work; some have the feel of really expertly pulled off haunted house bits. But there are so many set pieces, so many scares packed into this, that the success rate still has to be around 90%. All that said, the kids are unbelievable in this; Finn Wolfhard is so good that he should be considered for an Oscar. The best thing though is the insane creepiness of the town of Derry. King's novels are heavy with "Derry-is-evil" references, and the director nails this. The adults are grotesque, the sense of wickedness is everywhere, and by moving the story into the 1980s Muschietti gets the bizarre feel of that era exactly right just like the makers of Strangers Things did a few months back.

Highest recommendation. Outside of Shawshank and The Shining this is the best King adaptation ever made.

[Joneslab]

Two more things.

We saw it at Baxter Avenue. We came out into the parking lot, well after 11:00, and somebody had tied a red balloon onto the backseat of an open red convertible. Very creepy image and kudos to whoever the genius was who did that.

Also: this was the first horror movie my son, 13, has ever seen in his life. I knew it would be intense, but was pretty confident he was ready to watch it. I mean, I was watching crap when I was 8 and it didn't bother me. He loved it..but flash forward to about 2:00 this morning, and he starts texting us. The one to me says this: "Dad, I can't sleep. Will you come upstairs?" LOL. So we end up putting him on the couch with the TV on.

Welcome to young adulthood, son. Sleepaway Camp is next.

[KCKUKFan]

IT.

I echo the thoughts above. The set pieces don't all work; some have the feel of really expertly pulled off haunted house bits. But there are so many set pieces, so many scares packed into this, that the success rate still has to be around 90%. All that said, the kids are unbelievable in this; Finn Wolfhard is so good that he should be considered for an Oscar. The best thing though is the insane creepiness of the town of Derry. King's novels are heavy with "Derry-is-evil" references, and the director nails this. The adults are grotesque, the sense of wickedness is everywhere, and by moving the story into the 1980s Muschietti gets the bizarre feel of that era exactly right just like the makers of Strangers Things did a few months back.

Highest recommendation. Outside of Shawshank and The Shining this is the best King adaptation ever made.

Your son's experience reminds me of watching the original miniseries the night it aired on ABC in 1990. I was six years old. I fell in love immediately and started reading the book (the first of many times) the very next day.

We live over off Westport Road in Coldstream and there have been three or four red balloons tied to the sewer grates in our neighborhood.

The hype is real, folks. This movie is tracking to make a LOT of money; I think we're looking at a true pop culture zeitgeist moment. Which, as a longtime fan of the novel, makes my heart extremely happy.

[KCKUKFan]

IT.

Highest recommendation. Outside of Shawshank and The Shining this is the best King adaptation ever made.

I think "Misery" and "Stand By Me" are better as well.

But this is still right up there in the upper echelon, on par with stuff like "The Green Mile," "The Mist," and the original "Carrie."

Apparently, Muschietti wants to tackle "Pet Sematary" next, and I'm all for it, as I believe that to be King's scariest novel. Based on his take on "IT," he seems to get King better than any filmmaker not named Frank Darabont.

[Joneslab]

Blackfish.

Interesting CNN-produced documentary that's on Netflix. Its description says it's about a single killer whale, but that's really not true. It's really about SeaWorld and the mysterious things they do in the name of entertainment over the welfare of these highly intelligent animals. There's a lot of frightening footage in this, and some intriguing descriptions about whales in general, but the argument that's being laid out is a little squishy, and sometimes it's difficult to tell who is whom in the legal debate that acts as the centerpiece of the movie. This is a similar film to Grizzly Man but not nearly as effective because it's not as focused.

For all that the creepy footage makes this, as well as the beautiful shots of killer whales in their natural habitats. Recommended.