What is The Last Movie You Watched?

[Stavros]

Well, I too saw The Martian in an early preview last weekend and I will say this: if you liked Interstellar and Gravity, you will like this movie, but if you found flaws in the implausibility (even for sci-fi) with the above movies, this will not be a pleasant experience.


Next, the story: Well, it should be clear from the trailer, and since it is faithful to the book how it ends, but Stavros also spoiled it above. That doesn't ruin it really, because no one really wants to watch or make, for that matter, a depressing movie, but the manner in which the final plot unfolds, well sucks...which brings me too...

The science: please do not expect anything remotely plausible or factual as the movie is as bad at being accurate as Alien, Prometheus, Spaceballs and Machete Kills In Space are all rolled into one.

-Sorry if I spoiled the film, that was unintentional
-I don't think science fact is that important, most of us have no idea so as long as it looks plausible or tells the story, isn't that what matters?

[Stavros]

I finally got around to watching this. I started off with a long-assed commentary and think my login session timed out and lost it all. So i'll be brief: movie was good and accurately portrayed the cast of characters you'll run into in the Philippines on any given day at any given time. It really was like watching real-life unfold with the exception of the antagonist - can't say I've met anybody here with the knowledge or the burning desire to get answers to the big questions of life. Most people here tend to be suspicious of knowledge and people with knowledge. Trying to engage anyone in an intelligent, thoughtful discussion is like trying to get Obama to bomb Iran - it ain't gonna happen! I think the writer was trying to advocate that idea by just taking the main character with his knowledge and questions and turning him into an abomination to humanity. And if you're here for any amount of time you'll notice that anybody who purports to 'know stuff' is deemed 'boastful' and more or less shunned.

Really loved the way violence wasn't shown BUT the sounds were....in long and painful detail. Also loved the long, continuous shots of the environment without man and with nothing but audio to complement the scenery. Almost like the director was reflecting on the natural world and its correlation to society.

For another take on the Filipino existence try Metro Manila which was directed by a Brit, Sean Ellis. Really engaging, thoughtful movie that, for the most part, shows things as they really are although towards the end it veers into unlikely sentimentality. I felt the director, after showing the thorns, copped out and tried to redeem either the Filipino or his view of the Filipino.

Attachment 880684

I agree with a lot you say about Norte: The End of History, but I still find it too bleak at times. Metro Manila was predictable and run of the mill. Most Filipinos I know never watch these films, they prefer soap operas.

[trish]

-Sorry if I spoiled the film, that was unintentional
-I don't think science fact is that important, most of us have no idea so as long as it looks plausible or tells the story, isn't that what matters?

Already spoiled the movie by reading the book (which was great by the way). Thanks for the review, I'm definitely planning to see it.

[runningdownthatdream]

I agree with a lot you say about Norte: The End of History, but I still find it too bleak at times. Metro Manila was predictable and run of the mill. Most Filipinos I know never watch these films, they prefer soap operas.

Ahhhhh a little harsh on Metro Manila.......it had me glued to the screen until it turned predictable in the last 15 minutes or so......and then copped out entirely with that ending.......

Not sure if we touched on one called Manila, In the Claws of Neon before but try to find that one. Made in the 70s and an all Filipino production. Given when it was made I thought it was quite well-done......similar theme to Metro Manila but with a more spiritual vibe (not religious).

And you're right, the average Filipino is really engrossed with soap operas and all the popular movies I've seen or heard of are relationship-related drivel that involve women throwing temper tantrums, men almost lactating, and precocious children providing comic relief........almost all of it is predictable. Escapist stuff but it isn't hard to understand why its so popular.

[runningdownthatdream]

Haider
A contemporary Indian presentation of the Hamlet story - yes Indian and Hamlet! First let me be clear that popular Indian movies I've seen don't have a lot of attraction for me because I find them predictable, corny, escapist, unrealistic and lacking in substance. However, Haider sorta takes the concept of the popular Indian movie, adds some Shakespeare drama, current geopolitical and religious issues, a little song and dance (wouldnt be Indian without it), and some really nice acting but overly zealous direction and turns out a really entertaining film. The action sequences are well-done and the overall production looks great.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3390572/

[Stavros]

Not sure if we touched on one called Manila, In the Claws of Neon before but try to find that one. Made in the 70s and an all Filipino production. Given when it was made I thought it was quite well-done......similar theme to Metro Manila but with a more spiritual vibe (not religious).

And you're right, the average Filipino is really engrossed with soap operas and all the popular movies I've seen or heard of are relationship-related drivel that involve women throwing temper tantrums, men almost lactating, and precocious children providing comic relief........almost all of it is predictable. Escapist stuff but it isn't hard to understand why its so popular.

Lino Brocka is the director you are thinking of, and I believe he made Manila: In the Claws of Light and Manila: In the Claws of Darkness. I saw one of them but was not impressed, but would have to see them again as it was a long time ago and some of those 70s film directors I used to like (Antonioni for example) I now think little of.

Brocka in one book I read a long time was credited with promoting the career of an American actor with whom he had an affair, I don't know but I think it might have been Brad Davis.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0110653/

[jamesedwards]

Hell i am behind times on movies, last one was secret service men, that was dope.
Martian seems like a remake of that movie where don chedelle i think that's how spell his name, in the movie "mission to mars" he was the only one there on mars and they came back for him. Not going to see martian.

[runningdownthatdream]

Lino Brocka is the director you are thinking of, and I believe he made Manila: In the Claws of Light and Manila: In the Claws of Darkness. I saw one of them but was not impressed, but would have to see them again as it was a long time ago and some of those 70s film directors I used to like (Antonioni for example) I now think little of.

Brocka in one book I read a long time was credited with promoting the career of an American actor with whom he had an affair, I don't know but I think it might have been Brad Davis.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0110653/

should have known you would at least be aware of the movie! I heard about it from reading some list (possibly by Peter Bradshaw who I do believe you've mentioned you don't hold in high regard) of award-worthy 'foreign' movies from the 70s.

You might think differently about it.......I've found that things that were once trite sometimes take on new meaning with age and experience. the film may not have gotten better but maybe the story will have some attraction this time around.

Never heard of Brad Davis.........but did read that Lino Brocka liked the young boys.

[maxpower]

Brad Davis is best known for portraying the lead character of Billy Hayes in Midnight Express, the true story of an American man who is thrown into a cruel Turkish prison after being arrested for attempting to smuggle hashish out of the country. Brad Davis had other roles in his career, but nothing ever approaching the acclaim of this one. He died from AIDS in the early 90's.

[RallyCola]

-Sorry if I spoiled the film, that was unintentional
-I don't think science fact is that important, most of us have no idea so as long as it looks plausible or tells the story, isn't that what matters?

I don't mind that you spoiled it...because it is a book.

the story matters most, but you said it best yourself

...it is at its heart a feel-good rescue drama with a poor script, practical decision-making which would never happen in the real world, and standard acting...Overlong at 141 minutes but worth seeing in 3D.

it is not a must see movie that does anything new and impressive. it is just regular.

taken together, because it is just regular and had no moment of tremendous interest for me, I had to take issue with the science because the rest of the movie did not distract me. take for example, inception. as a neurologist, i shudder to think about how much someone was paid to write the "science" of inception but the actual story was compelling enough that i never even thought of the inaccuracies while watching it the first time...i found inception thoroughly entertaining. the martian on the other hand, didn't do that for me. movies are cheap fun...a few bucks for ~2 hrs of entertainment...so where someone can suspend disbelief, the movie is worth seeing, but all i am saying is do not expect the story to be extraordinary because it isn't.