What was the last movie you saw...? Part IV

[KiloDeltaCharlie]

Went to the cinema for the first time since before Christmas. Initially because the choice of films didn't excite me, partly because I felt COVID rules had been relaxed too quickly, but more recently because I'd just got out of the habit. Anyway I really wasn't going to miss this one...

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (PG 13, 2hrs 6mins - Dir. Sam Raimi)

The Marvel Cinematic Universe trundles on with the return of Doctor Strange for his second solo outing. This film stars Benedict Cumberbatch, Elizabeth Olsen, Rachel McAdams, Benedict Wong, Xochitl Gomez and Chiwetel Ejiofor. There are some cameos thrown in for good measure including from Marvel products which haven't appeared in the MCU before (X-Men, Fantastic 4)

America Chavez (Gomez) is a girl who can jump between universes when she is stressed, she finds herself in our universe being rescued from an Octopus like beast by Strange (Cumberbatch) and Wong (err Wong!). It transpires that Wanda/Scarlet Witch (Olsen) thinks she can harness this power to find the universe where her children really exist (as explained in WandaVision). This will require the death of Chavez which Strange is opposed to and so Scarlet Witch becomes the films main villain. There ensues some multiverse jumping including getting to a world where there are alternative versions of the Avengers.

As pre-warned this is the first MCU film with genuine horror elements -- demons, zombies, bloodshed etc. -- as you would expect with a film directed by Sam Raimi! It is an enjoyable film on several levels (horror, comedy, action, surprises), but the driving motives of Wanda doesn't really hold up to close scrutiny, but that's a minor complaint. 9/10

I'll place this 9th on the MCU listing.

[KiloDeltaCharlie]

^^^^^^
If your girlfiend gets frightened even a little bit by scary movies, then she will be holding on to you a lot during BWP.  I don't get scared all that much, but that one was pretty effective. 

She won't go to see horror films, she almost walked out of the 2016 Ghostbusters reboot, which if you've seen it you'll know it not scary at all!!

[KiloDeltaCharlie]

I’ve never watched a Harry Potter movie and don’t intend to.

@Kilo, how has such a movie buff like you never watched Raging Bull? I’m staggered and bewildered 

Top Gun Maverick is getting rave reviews

The Harry Potters were great films, but they're not for everyone.

Yes I am a movie buff but only for the last 16-18 years, I've got a load of classic films to catch up on, I noticed on TV tonight that they were showing Citizen Kane, another one I've never seen (I noticed it too late to actually watch it tonight!). I am catching up though, albeit slowly.

Yes, I'd seen that about Top Gun: Maverick.

[Zzzptm]

KDC's list of not-seens is also the case with me, with the exception of the first Nightmare on Elm Street movie.

I have seen the Harry Potter films. I like the first 2-3 the best, when they were just kids. As the films got more serious, the plot problems got worse in my view.

[Charger]

^^^
Just for the record I've never seen, Raging Bull, Gandhi, Gone with the Wind or Once Upon a Time in the West. Iv'e never seen a Halloween, Nightmare on Elm Street or Blair Witch Project.

I haven't seen Gandhi or Raging Bull either...I've once watched about an hour of Gone With The Wind and gave up...god that was a snooze fest.

But you are missing out on Halloween and Nightmare on Elm Street both killer movies (pun intented). Blair Witch Project on the other hand was absolutely horrible...a nightly trip to the toilet is more scary than that garbage.

As far as Harry Potter's go I'd like to watch them through at some point...I've only seen the first one and it had some good bits but it wasn't totally to my liking...mainly because of all the annoying kids...

I never really understood what the fuzz was about with Citizen Kane...another very boring movie...not one I'd ever want to watch again.

[Typhon]

I’ve never watched a Harry Potter movie and don’t intend to.

Ditto. 

Blair Witch Project on the other hand was absolutely horrible...a nightly trip to the toilet is more scary than that garbage.

What the what! 

[Zzzptm]

Citizen Kane is one I enjoy, but my wife can't stand, lol.

Revisited Zoolander tonight for the hell of it. Had some laughs and some cringe.

[Zzzptm]

We watched Citizen Kane tonight, since my wife is out of town. My kids thought it was all right. Not best ever movie ever all right, but a strong film with a compelling character study.

I got pulled right on in and loved going back to that film again. Third time I've seen it.

[Vyn]

Random movie thoughts:

Due to the child-to-adult ratio in my home at the time, I've seen Harry Potter. Not at the theater, but at home. It was much like one would expect a movie targeted at 10 year olds would be.

I saw Raging Bull when it came out but not since. I have not seen Ghandi. I've seen about five minutes of Chariots of Fire.

I saw Star Wars when it came out. Also saw the Empire Strikes Back. Have not seen any of the others nor have I seen those two since.

I saw the first Star Trek movie at the theater. Have not watched any of the others, nor any of the Star Trek TV series' that came out other than the one in the '60's.

I've seen just about any movie you can name that was made prior to 1950. That's a stretch, but I've watched a lot of them. One of my favorites is the German version of M starring Peter Lorre. Highly recommend it. I've seen very few movies that have come out since 1990.

Citizen Kane is middle of the road for me as a vehicle for entertainment. A lot of technical acumen went into the cinematography and production, and of course the acting was top notch. But I don't think it has aged very well.

Speaking of character studies, I recommend Persona for something different. Holy smokes.

[KiloDeltaCharlie]

Top Gun: Maverick

The sequel, 36 years after the original (although originally scheduled for summer 2020), sees the return of Tom Cruise as the titular Maverick. Val Kilmer returns for a brief cameo and is otherwise the only other returning actor from the original film. The film stars Cruise, Miles Teller, Jennifer Connelly, John Hamm, Glenn Powell plus a few other new faces to me.

Maverick has essentially taken a step back from flying, but gets called back to Top Gun in order to train some of the top navy pilots for a secret and dangerous mission. Much of the film follows the training so that Maverick can select the 4 who will undertake the mission. In his spare time he attempts to re-ignite a romance with Connelly's character which has had a bumpy history!

What makes this film, of course, is the flying sequences, most of which is done for real with minimal CGI, all the shots of the actors in the aircraft is real, indeed the actors had do their own camera, sound, make-up adjustments whilst in the air. Kilmer's "Iceman" has a short cameo, Iceman has throat cancer like the actor and although much of the cameo has him typing on a computer screen, the last few lines he does speak, but I've seen it suggested that they may have used old snippets.

It's a really good movie, yes the plot might be a little flimsy but it's all about the action really. Much better than the first film which is showing its age.  8.5/10

[Zzzptm]

M with Peter Lorre is bone-chilling.

[Typhon]

The U.S. President, low in the opinion polls, gets talked into raising his popularity by trying to start a cold war against Canada.  Good laughs, and especially appropriate in today's environment, showing how the government can manipulate public perception with the help of the media.  8.5/10

[Zzzptm]

I remember that one. I loved the cameos from Steven Wright and Dan Ackroyd.

[Charger]

The Dead Don't Die

In a sleepy town the Sheriff (the brilliant Bill Murray) and his deputies (Adam Driver and Chloe Sevgny) are faced with the end of the world as something strange begins to happen to the earth and moon and as a result the dead rise from their graves.

Jim Jarmusch takes a rather different and unique approach to a classic Zombie movie and just turns the strange up to 11 and lets loose.

This has to be the weirdest zombie movie ever made and it is rather brilliant. The humor is subtle but it's constant and there are so many inside jokes and fourth wall breaks that it makes your head spin. But there is also a good ammount of gore eventhough it's basically just a slow comedy. But the ending delivers a real spinner and makes you go "Oh wow...that too huh!?"

With an even slightly worse cast this could have been a real mess but this cast delivers the goods...You've got Tilda Swinton, Danny Glover and Steve Buscemi in smaller roles and Chole Sevigny takes the whole dumb hysteric woman to near perfection...and even Adam Driver is stellar.

You need an open mind (and maybe a beer or two) to watch this one but if you do...it's worth it.

* * * ½

[Zzzptm]

For Your Consideration

Another Christopher Guest ensemble cast film, this one about an unlikely Oscar contender. LOTS of great character work, but the ending just... happens... no real plot to it, mostly for folks who like to watch Guest and his partners Catherine O'Hara, Eugene Levy, and others have a laugh. I happen to like them in character work, so it was a fun time, even though it ended like a Monty Python skit.