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

A number of years ago, I saw "Inception" in a theatre. I remember that I did not like it at the time. Although we have streaming, which we use all he time, Mr. P. insisted in digging through the $5- cheapies at Wal-Mart.

Anyhow, I has the "dubious" pleasure of watching that film, again. Can you imagine a movie that is photographed beautifully, acted and directed well, and is a complete and utter bore? Well, Inception wins that prize, IMO. I understand the concept, but it is so convoluted, that I could not make much sense of it.

The most annoying thing, is that when I checked on IMDB, they gave it an 8.8.

When I first saw the movie Slumdog Millionaire, I thought it was one of the worst movies that was so popular. I didn't understand how such a movie rated such high acclaim when the story was so convoluted with the back and forth between the scenes.

However, I watched it again on DVD at home, and finally realized the story within the story, and how this young boy came to answer all the questions in Who Wants To Be A Millionaire.

It was a aha moment when I realized I judged the film too quickly when I watched it the first time.

However, I still didn't understand why it was rated so high. It was "good," but not worth the 10 Academy Awards it received.

I watched "Grand Hotel" earlier this night. It was made in 1933 and starred Greta Garbo, Joan Crawford, John & Lionel Barrymore and Wallace Beary plus a bunch of other I recognize from old films but was too lazy to look up. I love the dialogue and gestures. But probably for the wrong reasons, the pronunciation and catch phrases make me laugh.

I watched "For Whom The Bell Tolls" last night with Gary Cooper. As most know, it was written by Ernest Hemingway about the republican war in Spain.
I really enjoyed that movie, because on my visits to Cuba, I've visited his home and many of the haunts he used to frequent in Havana. They just reopened Sloppy Joe's bar earlier this year, and I know several of the workers there and the manager.

Every time I see a Hemingway book turned into a movie I wonder, how would it have turned out with Humphrey Bogart in the lead role.

Even in For Whom The Bell Tolls, it seemed Gary Cooper seemed out of place in that movie. I think somebody who resembled Ernest Hemingway would have filled the position much better. As for Humphrey Bogart, I'm not so sure.

I watched the Tuskegee Airmen today; a great movie about a true story about black aviators during WWII. I highly recommend this movie to all!

There are movies which are one rewrite away from having a good script and there are movies with scripts so bad that you wonder why the excellent cast signed on ("Once Around" with Gena Rowlands, Holly Hunter and Richard Dreyfus is the defining model of that sort of picture).

"The Last Station" falls somewhere inbetween but a bit closer to the terrible script than to the script in need of just one more revision.

It stars Helen Mirren and Christopher Plummer as the Tolstoys (sounds a little like the Russian version of The Waltons already) and Paul Giametti. Then there are two roles played by actors who are sometimes good, Anne-Marie Duff and James McAvoy.

It's based on a "biographical novel." I wonder if it had been based on a biography if it would have been better? McAvoy's character continually sneezes, which is not only sit-com silly but difficult for the actor to pull off. I keep expecting the rest of the cast to break into fake sit-com laughter each time he does it.

Then there is the fall that Mirren has to take at a pivotal time in the skit. Couldn't the writer have found a better way out of the situation?

A Socialist online magazine said that the movie isn't about Tolstoy and the NYT says all of the actors chew scenery. Yeah, but that is the director's fault.

Things are bad enough -- or, perhaps, just short of good enough -- for me to inwardly remark, "Gee, for Russians, they speak English well."

That all stems from the WWII movie convention in which the actors portraying Nazis use "Cherman" accents while the actors portraying the "Good Germans" speak with British or American accents.

Perhaps, it is the Russian convention of calling people by their first, middle and last names. That certainly casts a certain pall over the film. Perhaps, it is the feeling that this is a circa-1940 B picture that the director and script writer conspire to evoke. Oh, was that out loud?

When iinally iinshed atchingthe picture earnedthatthedirectorwrotethescript

Great review POM, though the last line was puzzling.

I just watched Night Nurse (1931) -- a simpler movie, with a simpler plot, from a simpler time.

The co-star/reporter from Meet John Doe stars in it.

Went mad at the flickers this week.

Seen; 2 Guns, Kick Ass 2 & We're the Millers.

Enjoyed all of them.

2 Guns, Denzel & Mark Smahlberg, great, non stop action. Can't go wrong with Denzel.
Bill Paxton & Edward James Olmos add to a good film.

Kick Ass 2, funny and plenty of action.

We're The Millers, hilarious, funniest film I've seen in a while.
There's one line in it had me in stitches, I wont say it, no spoiler me.
The scene where their (David & Kenny) are sitting on the steps of their apartment and a nicey nice family pull up in an RV looking for directions... funeee.

Unlike you I have to see kids films. I've seen The Lone Ranger, Despicable Me 2 and Planes.

Despicable Me 2 was very good, and despite what the critics say The Lone Ranger was pretty good too. It's worth two and a half hours just for Johnny Depp who has all the best lines.

Planes not so good, generic, predictable and lousy gags.

Hiya Izzy,
In fairness I've done my kids to the movies duties and for the most part enjoyed it.
Although one film sticks out in my mind that I hated, Godzilla .
I had to bring my son and a few of his mates to see it and I came out of the cinema deaf, literally. It was so loud my teeth were vibrating. Of course the kids loved it.

I'm guessing you're talking Grandkids, I haven't got to that stage...... Yet.

I haven't seen Planes or Despicable Me 1 or 2 although I've been told the latter is great.
I have see The Lone Ranger, I enjoyed it fast paced & funny, I came away from it thinking Pirates of the Caribbean in the wild west.
I do like Ruth Wilson, them eyes, them lips. quack quack.

No I'm bloody well not you cheeky git.

Ha Ha, sorry ol' man.

Go see We're the Millers, I know you'll enjoy it and don't forget your hearing aid.

Incidentally if their ever looking for somebody to play Jack Nicholson in a movie I think Jason Sudeikis, star of We're the Millers might be the one to do it.

I'll have to wait until my little boy is back at school. There's just the two of us right now, my daughter's in China.

Something to look forward too.

Snap just me and the son here at the moment.
She who must be obeyed and the daughter holidaying in France, fine for some.

My daughter won't be back until June. She's just finishing a Summer School before studying at Xiamen University for a year. We talk on Skype a lot. She's having a great time as well.

Make sure you get Mrs. Eurocelticyankee to bring you back some Calvados.

She's in the right place, they have a great learning ethos, fair play to her.

I wonder if your skype chat is monitored, or is that just America.

I still want to know what happened Tank Man???

Fancy French Cider, hmmmm.
I don't imbibe anymore, long ago escaped the evil clutches of the demon drink. he.
Used to like my cider though. oh yeah.