What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5

[grim_tales]

Birdman 2/5 This movie has been garnered with praise,oscar contender etc...i found it a pretentious bore in the main.Michael Keaton plays a washed up actor previously famous for playing super hero Birdman trying to make a comeback by acting and directing a broadway play.The cast includes Ed Norton,Naomi Watts,Emma Stone but they are such an obnoxious and unlikeable bunch you can't connect with them.some nice camerawork in there is one thing in it's favour.

I'm wondering about this, is it anything to do with the 60's Birdman?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alXW_hS0gSo

[Masterofoneinchpunch]

Icheckmovies

i'm trying to add Drunken Master to my list of watched movies but it doesn't seem to be listed at icheckmovies

Don't forget you can find me at https://www.icheckmovies.com/profiles/m ... inchpunch/

[Markgway]

The French Connection, like many gritty 70s "classics" hasn't dated terribly well.

I think anyone coming to it fresh with 21st century eyes would be underwhelmed.

[Masterofoneinchpunch]

... Probably my favorite De Niro performance. I can't think of a better one. ...

Have you seen Taxi Driver or Raging Bull?

Did you like the chase scene in French Connection?

[Masterofoneinchpunch]

I've seen both. King of Comedy is another great performance.

The chase scene was great. I didn't see it coming which made it even better. I've heard many times that there was a great car chase, but to my surprise it is a car chasing a train.

I also love his performance in King of Comedy.

It's in my top 10 car chases of all-time. I was planning on arguing with you if you did not like it .

[Markgway]

I can't remember much else about TFC other than the car chase.

[Masterofoneinchpunch]

Good realistic stuff. I feared for Hackman's life. He went a bit crazy in that chase.

What do you think of the ending master? I think the director tried to get arty with it and it falls flat.

I wrote a note to rewatch it. I remember the cow sounds and there was something that interested me about it. I'll get back to you on this.

Now Mo, what are some of your favorite car chases?

[saltysam]

French Connection is a great movie.i will have to disagree with Mark, 70's movies are a like a fine wine they've aged well,80's ones not so much imo.Maybe it's an age thing (i'm nearly 51)

[HungFist]

I've always had an issue with people calling movies dated. Ok, some movies do get worse by time, but I think most movies get better (even if only marginally). The setting and social background (in the lack of better term) in those mpovies only get more interesting. This is probably most evident with exploitation movies, which really become very interesting time capsules as they age (ironic, isn't it).

Of course there are some films that do get worse by time, but just because it's different doesn't mean it's worse (tends to be the opposite thanks to all the modern CGI and digital crap). Maybe it's "dated" but I don't agree with the negative connotation most of the time.

[Markgway]

French Connection is a great movie.i will have to disagree with Mark, 70's movies are a like a fine wine they've aged well,80's ones not so much imo.Maybe it's an age thing (i'm nearly 51)

Old fart!

[Tenchu1998]

The French Connection, like many gritty 70s "classics" hasn't dated terribly well.

I think anyone coming to it fresh with 21st century eyes would be underwhelmed.

Yeah, I will have to disagree with this. I recently watched The French Connection on Bluray, and just the quality of the way it is shot, in combination with the new gorgeous print, makes it look as if it was filmed last year, in my opinion. You can clearly see how it laid so much foundation for TV series like 'Homicide: Life on the Streets' and 'The Shield', while probably being influenced by gritty 1960s shows like 'The Naked City'.

The footage just makes everything look so alive and vibrant, and it's really engaging in the utmost exciting way, I think. The strength of the movie is really how well they shot everything on location and edited it together. It really captures New York City in its vastness, and it's the 1970s and everything looks so gritty, torn apart and dangerous, which is what New York was back then. They captured that period like a docudrama. You must respect the ambition of this project.

I think the story is awesome, and it is really a cop movie all the way through. Every character is connected by this French Connection case, and all their interaction takes place within it. It's perfect.

I love this movie.

[Masterofoneinchpunch]

Think Fast, Mr. Moto (1937: Norman Foster):

This is of interest to martial art fans because the protagonist is a jiu-jitsu expert and is one of the earlier films to feature that art form prominently. Now Peter Lorre did not do any of the stunts that would be Harvey Parry (and possibly Johnny Kascier[font=verdana, sans-serif]) who [/font]would go on to double Lorre in many films. There is a nice little interview with Parry as an extra on the DVD.

This is based on the John P. Marquand books of Mr. Moto (though you may notice if you read the synopsis that the novel titled Think Fast, Mr. Moto has almost nothing to do with the movie) and is the first of eight films with Peter Lorre as the titular character. Moto as portrayed by him is an interesting character. He sounds like Lorre so there is no forced accent on his part. But Lorre can put nuance and veiled meaning in almost everything he does. His viciousness is especially shown in one scene where he throws an assailant overboard. His scenes with Sig Ruman (a favorite of mine) work well. His make-up does seem to be a bit too dark sometimes, though it does seem to be of different hues throughout the movie. Unfortunately the Chinese characters, with exception of Lela Liu (Lotus Long), are the brunt of ignorant tourist banter that makes you occasionally wince (though one may argue that it might be true to the character of “Ugly American” Bob Hitching.)

The plot is a somewhat meandering “detective” picture with a smuggling operation as the impetus behind Moto traveling to Shanghai (of interesting coincidence Japan invaded Shanghai in the Second Sino War in 1937, literally a couple of weeks before this picture was released) and befriending the owner of the fleet’s son Bob Hitching (Thomas Beck) who is mostly a goof-off and is caught in the middle of the smuggling’s schemes especially after falling for Russian Princess (Virginia Field) in China (reminding me somewhat of Charlie Chaplin’s last film A Countess in Hong Kong) who happens to be working for crime boss Nicolas Marloff (Sig Ruman.)

Obviously the character was doomed for a long existence as a sympathetic Japanese character would not have made it past the Tripartite Pact. I am curious to how this series of films will progress as Lorre was not in it as much as I would have liked. I also wonder if these roles was of benefit to Lorre’s career (always so much to learn.)

[Masterofoneinchpunch]

.

Hmmm, did you see my top 10 movie chases thread yet? EDIT: nevermind

[Markgway]

His viciousness is especially shown in one scene where he throws an assailant overboard.

That was my favourite bit. I remembering thinking 'Charlie Chan wouldn't have done that!'.

I don't remember much else... but I did enjoy the series.

[Markgway]

John Wick (2014-USA-Canada-China) *½
They stole his car! They killed his puppy! Big mistake!!
Keanu takes on the Russian mob in this ugly, mindlessly violent revenge saga.
How can a movie with so much killing be so boring?

[saltysam]

Haunted House Of Horror 1.5/5 late 60's early british slasher type movie has not aged well. Cast of well known british actors ( George Sewell,Richard O'Sullivan,Jill Haworth) with the wooden Frankie Avalon as the lead.props for an interestingly shot climax but little else works.

Death Wish 2 2.5/5 unpleasant but solid sequel defies logic at times but is pretty entertaining. after what happened in the first movie Kersey wouldn't realise that by stealing his wallet the thugs would know where he lived? Anthony Franciosca ans J.D. Cannon feature briefly,Jill Ireland is extremely wooden as the love interest.

[Markgway]

The Babadook (2013-Australia) **½
A malevolent creature is brought to life from a storybook by the anxieties of a tired single mother and her highly strung boy (who gives a tooth-grindingly annoying performance). Fairly well-made psycho-horror, with an intense central performance by Essie Davis, loses some of its effectiveness when it literalises its sinister manifest. I was more impressed when there was legitimate doubt about the mental health of the protagonists..

Ten Little Indians (1965-UK) **½
OK second screen version of Agatha Christie's classic novel; disparate bunch of suspects are gathered in a secluded house where the fall prey one-by-one to a killer.

[grim_tales]

I'm not sure but wasnt Christie's book also called 'And Then There Were None' (and originally 'Ten Little N*ggers'..)

[Markgway]

I'm not sure but wasnt Christie's book also called 'And Then There Were None' (and originally 'Ten Little N*ggers'..)

No, it was called 'Ten Little Niggers'.

[Markgway]

Runaway (1984-USA) **
Cheesy futuristic actioner with Tom Selleck on the trail of a cyber-terrorist.

[Masterofoneinchpunch]

Good realistic stuff. I feared for Hackman's life. He went a bit crazy in that chase.

What do you think of the ending master? I think the director tried to get arty with it and it falls flat.

Spoilers to The French Connection:

I like the ending. The cinematography is pretty effective as you go through that old building with the broken toilets, the mud, etc... It also shows his obsession with the killing and his monomania. Great reaction after his partner tells him who he shot (which he knew; this did not happen in real life according tot he director.) The soundtrack through it all works well for me (especially the sounds after the final gunshot.) I can see the last gunshot itself being a bit confusing, though it most likely him just shooting at shadows or symbolically represents his internal mindset (the director does not give an answer to this on the commentary.)

Just read this on the film: The French Connection: shock of the old

[Markgway]

The Garden Murder Case (1936-USA) **½
Light, trim Philo Vance murder mystery from MGM; Edmund Lowe and Virginia Bruce are charming leads.

[Masterofoneinchpunch]

The Garden Murder Case (1936-USA) **½
Light, trim Philo Vance murder mystery from MGM; Edmund Lowe and Virginia Bruce are charming leads.

Do you have the Philo Vance Murder Case Collection (DVD-R)? I've been interested in seeing this and getting the set. On previous post: I do own Runaway, but I'm not sure when I'll get to seeing that though. Actually I'm interested in a different reason: I've read all of the director Michael Crichton's books and have been interested in finishing up his short filmography.

[Markgway]

Do you have the Philo Vance Murder Case Collection (DVD-R)? I've been interested in seeing this and getting the set.

My Dad has it. Haven't seen any of the others. I just caught that one. I may watch more. The print wasn't remastered.

[Markgway]

Thief of Hearts (1984-USA) **
Sociopathic burglar stalks and seduces the married woman who's house he's just burgled (after reading her raunchy diaries). The inherent creepiness of the premise doesn't come through (in other hands this could've been an effective psycho horror) and while the filmmakers flirt with this being a thriller it's really more of an erotic (though in this version not-terribly-explicit) drama/romance. Apparently the European VHS versions are uncut.