what's the last movie you've seen

Saints and Soldiers: The Void




The Void” is set during the last days of the European theater in May 1945. Hitler has already committed suicide, and the Allies are sweeping away the last vestiges of the Nazi army. But even if many feel the war is over, others sense danger. When a destroyer tank crew is ambushed by German fire after being diverted into a danger zone called The Void, lives still hang in the balance.
But while “The Void’s” surface conflict is between the embattled American troops and the desperate German soldiers hunting them, the film’s title also carries a double meaning, referring to the gap between African-American soldiers and their white counterparts.
It is within this context that we meet Sgt. Jesse Owens (Danor Gerald), a former tank commander (and, no, not the Olympian) reassigned to driving duty under suspicious circumstances. Sgt. Owens is fighting two wars at the same time, against the Germans and the fellow Allied soldiers (led by Cpl. Carey Simms, played by Adam Gregory) who are uncomfortable with his presence. Gerald’s world-weary likability is a strong match for his character, and his relationship with Simms forms the moral center of the film.
The mark of the Saints and Soldiers franchise has been a mission to create an authentic visual product in spite of the limitations of a non-Hollywood budget. In “The Void,” this effort comes across through the use of several destroyer tanks, which are featured so prominently that they almost become characters in the film. And given the relative lack of religious content, you almost leave the theater wondering if “Tanks and Soldiers” might have been a more honest title.
Thanks to elements like these tanks, “The Void” boasts some effective moments and is able to work in some impressive pyrotechnic effects during its action sequences. But it also struggles against a sluggish script that uses expository dialogue to spoon-feed the audience rather than let the actors’ behavior send a more natural message.
"The Void" often seems too concerned with its uplifting message that's obvious to the audience, where more subtlety and a "show, don't tell" method might have resonated with more power. A focus on the ambiguity of an early scene in which American troops have to discern the intent of a German family stranded on the side of the road could have better embodied the tension and relief of the encounter, but instead the scene is used to quickly demonstrate the different levels of charity among the different soldiers.
This kind of subtlety is in use when it comes to “The Void’s” portrayal of war violence, which spares audiences the intense gore of a “Saving Private Ryan” while still demonstrating the harshness of war. This is never more apparent than in encounters with the sadistic Stalag commander (Christoph Malzl).
In sum, “Saints and Soldiers: The Void” offers an important message and some nice visuals. But there’s still the feeling that a little more focus on writing and execution would have etched a more enduring experience.

 

Great review! I loved S&S and Airborne Creed. Had planned on watching this one but now there's more of an urgency.

 

Dracula untold



It's always intriguing with an origin story, because it allows viewers to experience the change, in this case the man who will then become the monster we know as Dracula. This film did just enough on that part, while being sufficiently entertaining as an action flick. But it came with many minor flaws, one that culminates in a less overall dramatic experience.

On the good part, the action sequences were great, supported by some well worked visual effects. The cast is also brilliant, most notably Luke Evans and Charles Dance. Dominic Cooper portrayed a bad guy for the second time this year, and though he can perform, he never really looked the menacing villain. He never felt like a threat and neither was his men, so there was little suspense throughout the film. There was more suspense towards the very end, but it did not culminate in a fight, promptly ending the movie in it's rather short running time.

As an untold story, it's good to see the reasons and the set up as to how this man had to become the monster, yet it was not properly explored. The case was that Vlad was supposed to resist the temptation of human blood, but it was never explored in depth except for one initial moment. It could have been more dramatic if more scenes show of his struggle, and then maybe along with the repercussions that he may be hurting his own family because of this, which will ultimately be way more dramatic. Several other details like this were not properly explored, which made it a rather straightforward story, enough to make the plot move, but not to make it a dramatic experience.

VERDICT:

Good: Great action sequences, Decent visual effects, Excellent cast

Bad: Many minor flaws in the plot, Little suspense

MY SCORE: 6.5 star's.

Amy

 

I don't go to the theatre often. Once maybe twice a year. The last film I saw was Captain America: The Winter Solider, several months ago. I enjoyed it, thought it was pretty good. I liked the ending. It either leads into the next Avengers film or a third CA film, only time will tell.

 

Saw Guardians of the Galaxy. I didn't think I would enjoy it as much as I did. Still would like to watch Dawn of the Planet of the Apes though.

 

The Big Sleep. Bogie and Bacall. One of the best.

 

The Untouchables. Sean Connery is the only man I'd seriously consider having sex with.

 

Little deaths...

 

In the theatre: Guardians of the Galaxy.
Netflix: Mad Max

 

sex tape
jason segel and cameron diaz

 

Um... Guardians of the Galaxy. Been a while. Just hasn't been anything I've been interested in.

 

300: Rise of an Empire

i just had to see this one more time.



still one of the best war movies out there.

 

Fury





For the most part, Fury is a grittily realistic, punishing, often compelling film about the realities of war and what it can do to the souls of ordinary men...The only real letdown is the finale.

 

Salems Lot followed by Nosferatu. For a silent movie, it's creepy as hell

 

i like Nosferatu.

They don't make films like this faded, haunting masterpiece of silent cinema anymore.

When Dracula was first put on sale for movie rights; the one of the first men to grab it was F.W.Murnau one of the most of the famous German directors of his time. By the time word got back to them about using the rights of the name and storyline of Dracula (Owned by the rights of Florence's widow.) Murnau had alread started production on the film; so to get around it they cut out the name 'Dracula' and replaced it with Count Orlok, Jonathan Harker became Hutter and Ban Helsing became Professor Bulwer; Orlock stalks the gothic streets of Bremen instead of Vistorian London.

What is so different from Nosferatu and many of the others films of the time was that most of the film was shot on actually locations around Eastern Europe; the production hardly used any studio sets. What makes the most haunting feature tho is the sense of realism and the expressionism (most evident in the interiors od Orlok's Castle) that gives the film its hypnotic visual power.

If there is any film a film student would need to have in his/her collection, it's this film. Although it is a hard task to find any surving copies. The reason for this is when the film was released Florence Stoker (widow of the author of Dracula) noticed the comparsion; she pursued the case relentlessly and in July 1925 a German court ordered all prints of the film to be destroyed. Luckily for us several prints of the film survived; a few in which have still been lost over the last few 8 decades.

But thanks to the 2000 release of 'Shadow of a Vampire' a film which looks behind the filming of Nosferatu and starring John Malkovich (F.W.Murnau) and Willem Dafoe (Count Orlok) the film was released for the first time on DVD in it's full original length of 94 minutes.

Sadly soon after the film hit America in 1929; at the age of 43; Murnau was killed in a car crash.

"Men must die. Nosferatu does not die!" proclaimed the original publcity for the film. We can only hope it's the truth.

 

thanks for the background. A lot of that I knew but some I didn't. didn't know about "Shadow of a Vampire". I need to look it up. I think it is the sense of realism that makes it scary and, as you put so well, hypnotic visual power. This shares a lot of the concepts of German expressionism with another favorite of mine, "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari", which is creepy in its own right. I also love "Metropolis" mainly for the special effects that, for the time, was pretty good.
And you are so right. They just don't make movies like these any more, sadly. I didn't think anyone here would share my fondness for silent movies. Glad to know that you at least are knowledgeable of one of the greatest ever.
Thanks. And should anyone ask, I highly recommend the Kino International 2 disc release. Great info.

 

you are very welcome my friend.

Amy

 

I love Salems Lot. Scary flick.

 

I didn't know this. I need to pay more attention the next time mom makes me watch it with her.

 

Wowowowow, Eva Green....