What was the last film you watched?

[Angela Channing]

Joker (2019)

An outstanding film. Easily the best film based on a character from a comic book. At times it reminded me of Martin Scorsese's The King of Comedy but with more menace and danger.

 

[Seaviewer]

Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

My Christmas tradition.

This is one of those film that you can keep watching and discovering new things. Take Kris's cane, for example. Sawyer and Pierce argue about whether he would use it as a weapon but we have already seen him threaten Drunk Santa with it in the opening scenes, and he will hit Sawyer with it just as he fears. It might be a single, measured blow but it's still resorting to physical violence, so Sawyer is right about that.

In fact, that's what makes the film so intriguing. No one, "hero" and "villain" included, is wholly right or wholly wrong. Everyone is acting independently for what they see as the best and the result is something planned by no one.

That's what all the remakes get wrong. They're all rewritten so that someone gets the idea and orchestrates the outcome, so that there's actually no miracle at all.

There is one nice little addition in the 1973 telemovie that I like, though - when Tom Bosley, as the judge, emerges from the mound of envelopes and surreptitiously slips his own grandchildren's letters into the pile.

 

[Willie Oleson]

She might have turned evil

For two whole minutes.

 

[Angela Channing]

Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

My Christmas tradition.

I have a similar Christmas tradition but different in that I alternate between rewatching Miracle on 34th Street and It's A Wonderful Life each year and for additional variety, I alternate between the original black and white release of those films and newer colourised versions.

However, this year I've decided to change that tradition and add a third film to my Christmas viewing rota and tomorrow I'll be watching the 1951 version of Scrooge, starring Alastair Sim, starting with the black and white version and will watch the colourised one in 3 years time. (I have a copy of both versions of all 3 films).

I agree with your comments about Miracle on 34th Street. One of the great things about the film is that it never establishes whether or not the man who called himself Kris Kringle was in fact the real Santa Claus or just thought he was because what was important was that people believed he was Santa.

I would add that in some ways it can be viewed as a metaphor for the Christian faith in that we can't prove that Jesus is the son of God but for Christians it's important to believe he is. Christmas is about belief in sonething as much (if not more) as it's about the facts.

 

[Jimmy Todd]

Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

My Christmas tradition.

This is one of those film that you can keep watching and discovering new things. Take Kris's cane, for example. Sawyer and Pierce argue about whether he would use it as a weapon but we have already seen him threaten Drunk Santa with it in the opening scenes, and he will hit Sawyer with it just as he fears. It might be a single, measured blow but it's still resorting to physical violence, so Sawyer is right about that.

In fact, that's what makes the film so intriguing. No one, "hero" and "villain" included, is wholly right or wholly wrong. Everyone is acting independently for what they see as the best and the result is something planned by no one.

That's what all the remakes get wrong. They're all rewritten so that someone gets the idea and orchestrates the outcome, so that there's actually no miracle at all.

There is one nice little addition in the 1973 telemovie that I like, though - when Tom Bosley, as the judge, emerges from the mound of envelopes and surreptitiously slips his own grandchildren's letters into the pile.

I love A Miracle on 34th St(1947)!
It's a movie that makes me happy. The actors are all perfect. We even get Fred Mertz!

 

[Jimmy Todd]

Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

My Christmas tradition.

This is one of those film that you can keep watching and discovering new things. Take Kris's cane, for example. Sawyer and Pierce argue about whether he would use it as a weapon but we have already seen him threaten Drunk Santa with it in the opening scenes, and he will hit Sawyer with it just as he fears. It might be a single, measured blow but it's still resorting to physical violence, so Sawyer is right about that.

In fact, that's what makes the film so intriguing. No one, "hero" and "villain" included, is wholly right or wholly wrong. Everyone is acting independently for what they see as the best and the result is something planned by no one.

That's what all the remakes get wrong. They're all rewritten so that someone gets the idea and orchestrates the outcome, so that there's actually no miracle at all.

There is one nice little addition in the 1973 telemovie that I like, though - when Tom Bosley, as the judge, emerges from the mound of envelopes and surreptitiously slips his own grandchildren's letters into the pile.

I love A Miracle on 34th St(1947)!
It's a movie that makes me happy. The actors are all perfect. We even get Fred Mertz!

 

[Jimmy Todd]

Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

My Christmas tradition.

This is one of those film that you can keep watching and discovering new things. Take Kris's cane, for example. Sawyer and Pierce argue about whether he would use it as a weapon but we have already seen him threaten Drunk Santa with it in the opening scenes, and he will hit Sawyer with it just as he fears. It might be a single, measured blow but it's still resorting to physical violence, so Sawyer is right about that.

In fact, that's what makes the film so intriguing. No one, "hero" and "villain" included, is wholly right or wholly wrong. Everyone is acting independently for what they see as the best and the result is something planned by no one.

That's what all the remakes get wrong. They're all rewritten so that someone gets the idea and orchestrates the outcome, so that there's actually no miracle at all.

There is one nice little addition in the 1973 telemovie that I like, though - when Tom Bosley, as the judge, emerges from the mound of envelopes and surreptitiously slips his own grandchildren's letters into the pile.

I love A Miracle on 34th St(1947)!
It's a movie that makes me happy. The actors are all perfect. We even get Fred Mertz!

 

[Jimmy Todd]

I just saw Terence Malick's new film A Hidden Life. It was a masterpiece, imho. Inspiring and humbling. Makes me think, "What would I have done in that situation?" Sadly, I'm not fit to hold Franz Jagerstatter's coat.

 

[Richard Channing]

Excellent. Stellar performances from the two leads and also a great supporting cast including Laura Dern, Ray Liotta, Alan Alda and even Elaine from 'Airplane'! Highly recommend it. (Netflix)

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

GREEN BOOK

 

[Willie Oleson]

Pretty and pompous, but not very surprising.
Recommended to those who like the kitsch classics such as Frankenstein and The House Of Wax.

 

[Willie Oleson]

Wonderful, amazing!

 

[Mel O'Drama]

A first for me. I was expecting it to be rather terrible, but I enjoyed it very much.

British. 1970s. Farcical. And with a starry cast of familiar faces. It's near enough what I imagine the Carry Ons might have become had Norman Hudis continued to write them into the Seventies.

What more could one ask?

​

 

[Angela Channing]

The Two Popes (2019). Interesting idea, superbly cast, great performances and a well executed film but ultimately I think it would have worked much better as a stage play.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

Please Sir!

Another first for me, and very welcome to help round off my viewing of the series and its spinoffs.​

 

[Willie Oleson]

Yes, another one. But I watch them mainly for the set designs, and this movie has some cool rooms. No gore whatsoever so it's also doable for those who don't like horror.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

First time out for me. The "Hollywood takes on The Troubles" thing is at best awkward. But I've yet to see a Harrison Ford performance I didn't like.​

 

[Mel O'Drama]

The Da Vinci Code

Yet another film I've watched for the first time.​

 

[Richard Channing]

Some good moments, but on the whole...underwhelming.

 

[Willie Oleson]

I found it very Bird Box-y