What Was the Last Movie You Watched?

I’m a sucker for outlaw gangster movies set in the 1930’s, and Public Enemies on Netflix fit the bill for me, with Johnny Depp barely recognizable as John Dillinger. Whatever you think of him personally, Depp is a master of his craft, and can play light or serious roles equally well. His Dillinger is smart, slick, stylish, ferociously fearless, and incredibly brassy, robbing banks over a period of 13 months following an unbelievable escape from prison and holding a young FBI at bay until shot to death after viewing…a gangster movie!

There’s plenty of period atmosphere, wonderful vintage vehicles, and awesome machine gun fights in this one…what a rush, and of course the good guys win, but you almost don’t want them to, so
compelling is Depp’s Dillinger…🙀

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200 Meters (prime video)​

A Palestinian father trapped on the other side of the separation wall is trying to reach the hospital for his son.​


The film itself has a few surprises up its sleeve, a little more of a thriller than you might expect from its opening scenes and a little more nuanced dramatically once it starts ratcheting up the tension the closer Mustafa’s rideshare gets to the border. Nayfeh has a great feel for how real people would react in such an intense situation and listening becomes a real superpower, not only in Mustafa’s ability to understand Hebrew and speak to Israeli authorities when necessary to cover up the group’s use of Arabic, but in hearing others’ out to forge a connection.

Suliman naturally draws you in with his warmth as Mustafa, but “200 Meters” broadens out its appeal by investing generously in the supporting characters who take the ride along with him, exposing the subtle ways in which the walls have shaped their lives and perspectives. In a film where ideas of distance are relative, Nayfeh beautifully closes the gap geographically and emotionally to understand what barriers need to be brought down.

Venice Film Fest 2020 Review: Borders Come in All Forms in Ameen Nayfeh's Heartfelt "200 Meters" - The Moveable Fest
 
Dancing at Lughnasa - Meryl Streep et al

This must be my third viewing perhaps and I do need breaks inbetween but I do love all things Irish having been associated with them throughout my life. A very sad ; poignant and moving lovely film - about a family of sisters with a few token males falling apart in rural Ireland. Started as a play in Ireland originally then got spotted and taken up - Meryl is as usual very good but not the best by a long mark. Sad; funny ; poignant and very Irish! : Highly recommended
 

Shadow in the Cloud on Netflix is a bizarre mashup of a movie that combines WWII dogfights with a creature feature and a strong, can-do feminist character. Since I like both war and horror movies, I thought I might like this one.

If you’ve seen William Shatner in the Twilight Zone episode Nightmare at 20,000 Feet, you’ve seen a shorter treatment of the horror elements. The plot centers on a rare female pilot and mechanic gaining passage on a WWII bomber that tangles with Japanese fighters, and has a very active gremlin on board as well that gradually seeks to disable the plane. The gremlin in question is bat-like, with formidable teeth and claws. While the durability of the female lead character is utterly unbelievable, the movie is good escapist entertainment, and a fun ride…🙀

 
I got drawn into watching this 1949 film noir movie, "The Window". https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0042046/

Little Tommy makes up tall tales for fun, but when he sees a real murder one night he tries to tell all the adults in his world, even the police, but they don't believe him. When the killers find out he saw them, they go after Tommy to try to kill him.

The police do not come off as very smart in this film, and you'll wonder why Tommy's parents were not charged with child neglect. But, overall, very suspenseful and good acting from Bobby Driscoll the little kid. You will also be grateful for air conditioning and telephones.

I just read Driscoll's short bio over at IMDB and the poor guy died homeless. So terrible.
 
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I watched 2 movies last night. One was The Letter with Bette Davis, circa 1940. I have it in my movie collection. The other one I watched was Red Dawn, the updated version (2012) with Chris Hemsworth. Good movie :)
 
A Million Days (2023)

Low budget sci-fi. I found my attention wandering constantly, and by the end I didn't care what the heck this was about. :D
 
The Seventh Day is an exorcism horror movie playing on Netflix. It pales against the original 1970’s movie The Exorcist, and certainly doesn’t get under your skin as much in terms of creepiness or horror. In the movie, a young priest and exorcist in training teams with a renowned older exorcist to provide some field experiences, and their case of possession involves a young boy as opposed to Linda Blair. It turns out that both the master exorcist and his trainee harbor some demons of their own, both figurative and one literal…

If you’re in the mood for an exorcism flick, this might be worth a look. I especially liked the world-weary, plain clothes character of the experienced priest/exorcist, who’s seen and done it all...

I’ve always wondered, though…if you don’t pay your exorcist, do they re-possess you? 🤔

 
'Upgraded' (2024) on Prime Video. I enjoyed story and the cast (except the love interest guy). If you're looking for a couple hours to relax with your brain turned off, this one is fine.
 
I watched Made In Italy (again) with Liam Neeson and his son, Michael Richardson. The story is about the healing of a father/son relationship during the revival of the Tuscan villa Neeson owned with his wife but let it go to ruin because it was too painful to keep it years after she died tragically. The story is so much like what happened to Neeson's wife, Natasha Richardson, who died unexpectedly in 2009. Very good movie.

 
“Upgrade” is a worthwhile science fiction movie on Netflix that exposes both the promise and the potential abuses of artificial intelligence, and is a believable extension of current technologies or those presently under development.

When a man and his wife are exposed to a vicious attack that kills her and leaves him a paraplegic, an Elon Musk-type character implants him with an experimental computer chip that kind of rewrites the man neurologically, restoring his mobility plus giving him enhanced strength and speed. The man then goes on a revenge tour to locate and hold accountable his attackers, internally dialoguing with the artificial intelligence within him. When that AI is given free rein to control him, the man essentially functions as a cybernetic superhero.

As the man battles thugs and other enhanced individuals, there are several plot twists and a surprise ending. This is interesting viewing, and surprisingly believable as artificial intelligence continues to grow and advance in its capabilities… 🤖

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Like Upgrade, Atlas is a science fiction movie playing on Netflix that delivers the goods, and delves into good and bad versions of artificial intelligence. “Atlas“ (Jennifer Lopez) is actually the name of a woman whose mother created and raised her with an artificially intelligent android that went rogue, and reprogrammed others like itself to attack mankind so as to thin the population and supposedly save the human race by doing so. 🙄

After a prolonged war, the “bad” AI was driven off the planet, seeking sanctuary on an inhospitable planet where it has regrouped, and readied another, more devastating attack on humanity. A group of space marines is sent to destroy the bad AI (called Harlan), and Atlas goes with them as the person knowing the enemy best. Most of the space marines who fight in “mechs” (large robotic suits) are promptly killed, leaving Atlas to locate the evil AI so it can be properly bombed out of existence. She does so also in a “mech” suit, developing a relationship with the “good “ AI (called Smith) that powers it.

This is quality science fiction with decent acting, a storyline, and great special effects. Who doesn’t like to see space marines in a pitched battle fought in robotic suits? 🤖

 
Tried to watch Jerry Seinfeld's "Unfrosted" last night. In Jerry's own words UNWATCHABLE. Well, he actually used the term "Undatable."

Switched to Lady Gaga's concert on HBO. Divine. Simply divine. What a hard worker she is! Puts everything, ALL she had, into that marvelous show. She reminded me a bit of Madonna. Don't really care for Madonna, though I have great respect for her work and energy. I prefer my GaGa.

When I used to come to NYC to visit my mother, I would visit friends in the Village, Lower East Side. There were banners posted for her shows. She wasn't famous then, except among locals. Lady Gaga, I thought, what is she?

Wonderful, that's what she is. Wonderful
 
Boy Kills World (2024)

An absolutely terrible movie. It's beyond redemption.

I had watched a video of Kermode (a move reviewer) saying it was decent, so I jumped in. It was NOT decent. It was appalling. I did make it all the way through. I'm not proud of it.
 


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