The Last Movie You Saw On DVD or VHS or TV.

I saw Gran Torino last night and it was excellent. Eastwood may be older but he's still got it.

I would like to see that one, Nick. I'm with you on Clint.

Watched a strange movie last evening. I especially liked the soundtrack.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116908/soundtrack

Yeah,big-up for the Brits in The Golden Globes awards.Slumdog Millionaire is a cracker! Sally,under Mikes direction,triumphed in Happy-Go-Lucky.Not forgetting Kate's best lead and supporting awards.

Hi urs53,are you from Germany? If so,then you've probably seen my favorite German film ever....
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0405094/
The lives Of Others,starring the magnificent,but sadly now departed,Ulrich Muhe and the superb Martina Gedeck.
My mates laugh when I tell them of the latest sub-titled film that I've seen,but deep down,I know who's really the looser
There are some great foreign films out there!

Was gonna go to the pictures/movies but,due the lousy weather,decided to dive into the "to watch" DVD pile.
21 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0478087/
The only card game I can play is Snap,so the idea of 5 college students,guided by their maths teacher to "count cards" and take Las Vegas for millions sounds great,until rumbled by the soon to retire security head.At times,it had me scratching my head regarding their secret communication code,but even a dummy like me soon picks it up.
As usual,Kevin Spacey shines as the maths Prof and Laurence Fishburne plays the security guy that you just don't wanna cross.Kate Bosworth also deserves a mention,just because she looks so good.
Coming in at just under 2 hours,it's great to see these kids trying to stay one step ahead of the casinos.
(Thanks to Ms. Letty for the pointer)

So,after a toilet break and a home-delivery pizza,it was time for A History Of Violence http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0399146/
The director David Cronenberg is noted for making "wierd" films.I only like The Fly,Crash and this thrill packed actioner.A small town Cafe/Diner owner starts getting visits from "bad guys" who say they know him,and start stalking his family,who also start to question his past.
I caught this on TV over the Christmas period but it had advert breaks every 20 minutes or so,spoiling the flow and tension.Re-watching this on DVD was so much better.
Viggo Mortensen keeps us guessing,William Hurt is good but one of my favorite actors Ed Harris comes out on top for me.The rest of the cast are no less than very good.
Just don't let the kids see this!

It opened in London last week-end and is storming up the European charts....

Valkyrie Top Film Overseas -- Especially Germany

26 January 2009 1:32 AM, PST

Continuing to defy media experts who had predicted that his latest movie would be a disaster at the box office, Valkyrie debuted as the No. 1 attraction at the overseas box office over the weekend. According to trade reports, the movie earned an estimated $13.2 million in 13 countries. The film, which attracted enormous controversy in Germany even as it was being filmed in that country -- it concerns the World War II "generals' plot" to assassinate Hitler -- made its strongest showing at the German box office, where it took in about $3.4 million at 689 theaters. The film opened in second place in the U.K., however, despite a cast composed largely of veteran British actors. It was beaten out by the third week of Slumdog Millionaire, from British director Danny Boyle. Its opening in India -- the movie is set in the slums of Mumbai and the dialog is mostly in Hindi -- failed to impress as it collected just $1.9 million at 351 theaters. The film, which received 10 Oscar nominations and received the top film awards at the Producers Guild of America and the Screen Actors Guild over the weekend, was beaten out in India by a Hindi horror movie.

Info from IMDB

I'm gonna catch it this Saturday.

Over the weekend, two rentals - The Express (about Ernie Davis, the first black Heisman Trophy winner), and Appaloosa ( western with Ed Harris and Viggo Mortensen as 'lawmen' for hire).

The Express was shamelessly sentimental, as would be expected with sports hero movies. But I enjoyed the realistic football scenes, the bit of exploration of Jim Brown's character, and the way the nasty Jim Crow practices were interwoven into the develpoment of Dennis Quaid's character. Generally well-acted.

I also enjoyed Appaloosa. I'm a big fan of gritty westerns, and I really liked the sort of affable ruthlessness pulled off by both the main characters. Renee Zellwiger is a deliciously hateable stank-ass ho who I wish got more justice dealt to her, but oh well.

I've avoided seeing Appaloosa although I'm a fan of gritty westerns. The reason: I know the book (by Robert Parker) on which the movie was based and I just don't think Harris, Mortenson or even Zellweger are right for the roles.

Looking forward to Appaloosa.

Sometimes a movie on cable will grab me and I watch it every time I can catch it. Right now it's Juno. I've just seen it for the third or fourth time. It really is an interesting little gem and I like the actor who played the title character more and more with every viewing.

eoe, I've liked Ellen Page ever since I saw her in this movie (can't think of the title right now) about a young girl who pretends to go along with this guy who is intent on seducing her, but then turns the tables on him in a really sadistic way.

she is a very gifted actress.

(edit) just looked it up - it's called Hard Candy.

That's where I've seen her. I didn't watch all of Hard Candy but I do recall her now in the lead. With short hair.

I saw 2 interesting films last night. Away From Her with Julie Christie and Gordon Pinsent (I had to look up his name) and Before the Devil Knows You're Dead with Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Ethan Hawke. I'd been trying to catch both of them on cable and they came on back-to-back.

They were both very good.

Re -Away From Her.
Oh don't you just feel for Grant! After 50 years of married life he just has to "let her go".

I don't know if this was the intended reaction but I was mad as all hell with the facility she was in and if I'd been Grant, I may have been just crazed enough to sue them. Maybe if they hadn't shut him out for a whole month, that would have never happened, huh?

And I can't stand Michael Murphy. I've never like him since An Unmarried Woman.

You can't fight Alzheimer's.Fiona was in the best place possible.It's hard to accept the inevitable.

Faintheart http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1080012/
Made with the assistance of one of the largest on-line communities Myspace,Vertigo Films and Film4 premiered it in full a few days ago on Myspace for free!...
Geeks,don't ya just love 'em.From the WW2 folks wearing uniforms and driving Willis Jeeps or the peeps that attend Star Trek conventions suitably dressed,or,in this case,Viking warriors.
It's a story of a DIY salesman trying to win back the love of his long suffering wife who is fed-up with spending weekends in a damp tent while her hubby is off playing games.She eventually kicks him out,takes up with trendy new fella who just happens to be the P.T. teacher to his shy/confused son.
Realizing he must finally face up to his challenges,our hero and a merry band of assorted geeks embark on winning back the fair maidens heart.
Typical Film4 fare,down to earth and very entertaining from start to finish.

Nights of Cabiria (Fellini), Criterion collection.
Superb.

(I use Netflix, but here's the Amazon review..
http://www.amazon.com/Nights-Cabiria-Collection-Giulietta-Masina/dp/B00000IOKV)
See the first reader review...

Bolt 3D http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0397892/
I had a fun time watching this.Was laughing out loud or chuckeling all the way.Our hero is a dog in a top rated TV show but he doesn't know that,he thinks it's real.He's a cross between Buz Lightyear and Truman Burbank but with fur and a wet nose.Then he gets "lost" and reality is soon around the corner and he has to find his way "home".On his quest he is aided by pigeons, Mittens the cat,pigeons,Rhino the hamster,pigeons,and more pigeons.
The 3D effect works very well.The supplied eye glasses are smaller than those supplied at an IMAX theatre but fitted comfortably over my specs. There are a couple of obvious effects but you are really drawn into the film.The animation detail is very good.Hair,fur and feathers look very convincing.
Where would we be without pigeons?

Little Voice

what a cast : Jane Horrocks, Brenda Blethyn, Michael Caine, Ewan McGregor

The Crossing Guard.