Movie Talk

Redford was right. And such a schlock song at that.

I came across this list. You can check the movies that you've seen, and you get a score at the end. Takes a couple of minutes.

https://www.listchallenges.com/jim-emersons-102-movies-to-become-movie-literate/

I scored 75% so I've still got about 25 movies that I should see. Most of which were on my "to see" list already, but there were a handful I had not heard of before.

It was a surprise to see Streisand-Kristofferson on the list instead of Garland-Mason (or even Gaynor-March).

ETA: Well. (In my best Jack Benny impression.) It was supposed to be Garland-Mason after all. Whoever picked the illustration is testing my movie literacy? Ha-rumpf. 

https://www.rogerebert.com/scanners/101-102-movies-you-must-see-before

Oof. Wrong Scarface, too.

Movies: 102

Black stars and directors (not counting GWTW): 3*

* As far as I can tell. I scored only a 64.

Yeah, I had forgotten about the Streisand-Kristofferson version. Surprised that was there too. I've not seen it.

As for the list, I have a definite Fellini deficit. Could use more noir too.

My Mum is a massive fan of old b&w movies and we only had one TV, so I'm sure I've seen more than the measley 57 I could count here. So much for this former Film Studies student.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and recommend a movie. I have seen Groundhog Day almost as many times as Bill Murray wakes up in it, and I love it. Last Saturday I watched Palm Springs on Netflix, which is clearly a rip-off of Groundhog Day's premise - someone get caught in a single day time-loop and can't figure out how to escape - but it takes that premise and goes to some really interesting and funny places with it. It is definitely up there with Groundhog Day, but it's a funny and full of heart and Andy Samberg, who I usually have no time for, is great in it, alongside Cristin Milioti who steals the show and the always dependable JK Simmons. I'm not going to spoil anything it, as it's very well-crafted, but I would highly recommend for a light rom-com with a lot of (understandable) swearing and some truly laugh-out-loud moments.

ridski said:

I'm going to go out on a limb here and recommend a movie. I have seen Groundhog Day almost as many times as Bill Murray wakes up in it, and I love it. Last Saturday I watched Palm Springs on Netflix, which is clearly a rip-off of Groundhog Day's premise - someone get caught in a single day time-loop and can't figure out how to escape - but it takes that premise and goes to some really interesting and funny places with it. It is definitely up there with Groundhog Day, but it's a funny and full of heart and Andy Samberg, who I usually have no time for, is great in it, alongside Cristin Milioti who steals the show and the always dependable JK Simmons. I'm not going to spoil anything it, as it's very well-crafted, but I would highly recommend for a light rom-com with a lot of (understandable) swearing and some truly laugh-out-loud moments.

Thanks for the recommendation - Groundhog Day is also very well known in my household.  So we watched Palm Springs on this day that was too hot to do much outside, and really enjoyed it. 

Oh, and it's on Hulu not Netflix in case anyone else is interested.

I watched it too. Pretty clever and funny, but I need to watch it again because I think I missed some stuff.

I’m glad you guys enjoyed it,  probably because I’ve recommended things before and everyone hated it.

ridski said:

I’m glad you guys enjoyed it,  probably because I’ve recommended things before and everyone hated it.

 I wanted to ask you if you have watched a newish series but I'll get in trouble if I talk series on the movie thread so that's where you'll find the question.

Whew, rules are tough to live by.

Just watch this, with Nick Offerman (also with Ted Danson, Toni Collette and Blythe Danner).  Very bittersweet, a little funny, with great music.  Takes place in Red Hook, Brooklyn.

https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/hearts_beat_loud

Looks like it’s on Hulu, so I might try it out

Saw Birdman of Alcatraz for the first time in many years. 

What a great movie. Tour de force by Lancaster. And what a sad, infuriating, yet uplifting story.

drummerboy said:

I came across this list. You can check the movies that you've seen, and you get a score at the end. Takes a couple of minutes.

https://www.listchallenges.com/jim-emersons-102-movies-to-become-movie-literate/

I scored 75% so I've still got about 25 movies that I should see. Most of which were on my "to see" list already, but there were a handful I had not heard of before.

Only 45% for me.  Some I've never heard of and some I'm very surprised to see on the list.

yahooyahoo said:

Only 45% for me.  Some I've never heard of and some I'm very surprised to see on the list.

 I saw most of them but there were a couple, one was The Bicycle Thief, that I wasn't sure if I had watched the whole film so I was at 82% or 83% because I backed up and then lost the page.

There were a few that I would have swapped for different picks under the same director.

I remembered liking Eisenstein's Alexander Nevsky over Potemkin. 

Probably would have chosen another Bergman.

I had the advantage of living in the Village where the Bleecker Street Cinema offered an endless array of art films.

If you want to see something both beautiful and mysterious try Kwaidan  I would have put it on the list.

Speaking of Japanese movies, anyone know Woman in the Dunes?

A strange but fascinating movie

drummerboy said:

Saw Birdman of Alcatraz for the first time in many years. 

What a great movie. Tour de force by Lancaster. And what a sad, infuriating, yet uplifting story.

 It's a good movie but complete BS, historically.  The real guy was actually a major troublemaker and hated psychopath.

Director Alan Parker has died.

Bugsy Malone
Midnight Express
Fame
Shoot the Moon
Pink Floyd – The Wall
Birdy
Angel Heart
Mississippi Burning
Come See the Paradise
The Commitments
The Road to Wellville
Evita
Angela's Ashes
The Life of David Gale

drummerboy said:

Director Alan Parker has died.

Bugsy Malone

Thought about that one when Scott Baio came up for discussion the other day.

drummerboy said:

Speaking of Japanese movies, anyone know Woman in the Dunes?

A strange but fascinating movie

 Yes!!! I was going to add that one. Also, if you like black & white Japanese films, try the eerie Onibaba. 

Anything with Toshiro Mifune. I once went to his Kendo exhibition. Very cool. 

Morganna said:

 I saw most of them but there were a couple, one was The Bicycle Thief, that I wasn't sure if I had watched the whole film so I was at 82% or 83% because I backed up and then lost the page.

There were a few that I would have swapped for different picks under the same director.

I remembered like Eisenstein's Alexander Nevsky over Potemkin. 

Probably would have chosen another Bergman.

I had the advantage of living in the Village where the Bleecker Street Cinema offered an endless array of art films.

If you want to see something both beautiful and mysterious try Kwaidan  I would have put it on the list.

 Historically, Potemkin is more important than Nevsky, but the latter is overall better.

It's Barbara Stanwyck night on TCM, starting at 8.

Ball of Fire (which I haven't seen) w/ Gary Cooper

Double Indemnity

Meet John Doe

drummerboy said:

Director Alan Parker has died.

Bugsy Malone
Midnight Express
Fame
Shoot the Moon
Pink Floyd – The Wall
Birdy
Angel Heart
Mississippi Burning
Come See the Paradise
The Commitments
The Road to Wellville
Evita
Angela's Ashes
The Life of David Gale

 Some film's I really liked on this list. 

Midnight Express,

Fame

Mississippi Burning

The Commitments

Morganna said:

 Some film's I really liked on this list.

I haven’t seen it since, but I really liked Birdy when it came out. One of the stars left a big impression on me — a relative newcomer named Nicolas Cage. 

drummerboy said:

It's Barbara Stanwyck night on TCM, starting at 8.

Ball of Fire (which I haven't seen) w/ Gary Cooper

Double Indemnity

Meet John Doe

 I may have to move off of my austerity program and get TCM again.

But, how's this for competition at 8: Dog Day Afternoon It's on one of the cable channels called Movies.

It's following Scarecrow, 1973 Hackman and Pacino.

Then again Double Indemnity is pretty hot stuff. And as for Meet John Doe, I never pass up a Frank Capra film.

Is that Gene Krupa in Ball of Fire when they play Drum Boogie?

(google pause...)

Yup.

drummerboy said:

Is that Gene Krupa in Ball of Fire when they play Drum Boogie?

(google pause...)

Yup.

One of my favorite movies and one of my favorite songs. .

Walk on the Wild Side. Great female roles for some interesting actresses including Barbara Stanwyck. Loved the young Jane Fonda as Kitty Twist. Good performances by Capucine and Ann Baxter. One of my favorite openings.

Morganna said:

Train_of_Thought said:

 I watched Butch & Sundance and Absence of Malice just in the past week.

 Haven't seen Absence of Malice play for years. Where did you find it?

Came up somewhere on the Fios cable channels. My wife and I couldn't NOT watch it. An all-time fave.