Alright, time to start actually using this thread again. Here's a few I've recently gone through:
A Night to Remember. Jame's Cameron's Titanic movie may have had the effects and budget to really show off the disaster side of the sinking, but this one's got the human element far better covered. It takes a while to get the hang of the mass amount of characters (whose stories you constantly hop back and forth from), but by midway you should be pretty well hooked. Also about as factually accurate as the movie could possibly be at the time (even if it really, really goes out of its way to blame the Californian for not coming to help), and, for my money, still the best movie on the ship out there. Cameron certainly liked it enough to crib more than a few scenes and shots from it. Also, this movie contains about the maximum amount of unflappable British stiff-upper-lip that can be fit into one two hour span.
The Italian Job. Original one here, and oh how I love it. I'm a sucker for a good caper film and old school British charm, and this crams in both (and also a young Michael Caine). It's also interesting how many people were involved in the heist. It's a serious crowd, far cry from the usual small crews you see in films of today (including the remarkably serviceable remake of this very film). And yet somehow, they make it work. Which is good, because that ending probably would've been a bit more abrupt if they didn't.
Shallow Grave. Rounding off the three films I watched from the UK is Danny Boyle's feature debut. A very solid mix of dark comedy, crime, and a little murder (as is the norm for Scottish affairs). Also one of those movies where you see an actor waaaaay back before they were big, in such a way that it's sort of a trip to see them so young. In this case, Christopher Eccleston and Ewan McGregor show they had good stuff even when they first started out. Also also, probably one of the most pro-attic movies ever made.
The Grey. Still one of my favorites of the year so far, without question. A grim, tough survival story that's also got a lot of ruminations over life, death, faith, and Liam Neeson's hyper-authoritative voice. It's Neeson's best (and most interesting) role in years, and he completely dominates from start to finish. And the ending (which is spot on for what it needs to be and do) makes me do some serious tearing up. Not all out bawling, but I need a minute to collect myself once the credits start to role.
Topic: What was the last movie you watched? (Read 1538328 times)
