Official last movie you saw thread

Warning Shot (2018)

American thriller drama film. It's about a single mother and her young daughter held hostage at an isolated farmhouse by two men sent by the grandson of an old family business rival to coerce them into giving up valuable water rights.
For these "honouring a recently passed legendary actor by watching only movies with them in it for a week" things I always plan to watch their very first movie first, then some other great movies they've been in throughout their career, and their very last performance at the end. But for James Earl Jones I've already seen his very first but also his very last movie (Coming 2 America (2021)), but also his second-to-last (Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019)) and his third-to-last (The Lion King (2019)), so this was actually his fourth-to-last movie he's done. And he was in it for only a little bit, but still, it was one of his last movies. It was not that good but also not as bad as I would've expected. Some nice tension that I did enjoy. Overall I can't really recommend this, though.

Of course, James Earl Jones was most known for his role as the voice of Darth Vader, probably the most popular fictional villain of all time. And he was perfect for that. But he did a lot more. Fascinating, scene-stealing characters in so many different movies. James Earl Jones was a great actor with a big voice and an even bigger influence on so many that came after him. May he rest in peace.

The History of Future Folk (2012)

American science fiction comedy film. It's about two aliens who have come take over Earth, but when they discover an amazing human invention called "music", everything changes. It's very funny and the music is good, but considering this is actually the fictional origin story about a real NYC-based folk music comedy duo (who I haven't heard of before watching this) that didn't come as that big of a surprise. Overall this is entertaining, wholesome and fun. And if you like know the band, it's probably even better. I can definitely recommend it if you're in the mood for something lighthearted.

Clean Slate (1994)

American mystery comedy film. It's about a private investigator who is the key witness in a murder case, but after suffering a head injury, he has developed a rare form of amnesia that causes him to forget anything that happened to him the previous day. Great cast (Dana Carvey, Valeria Golino, James Earl Jones, Michael Murphy, Kevin Pollak, Bryan Cranston, Bob Odenkirk, Michael Gambon, Christopher Meloni, Reg E. Cathey and more). This is a comedy, but there also some more serious parts, which Dana Carvey also plays surprisingly well. The story is fun, there's a dog with a depth perception problem that always runs into things, overall I liked this and I think you'll like it too, even for the cast alone. Recommended.

Lady in the Lake (1947)

American mystery crime thriller film. It's about a private detective finding himself involved in murder after he was hired by the editor of a crime magazine to find the wife of her boss. It's a good film noir but it mostly lives on it's gimmick, being a movie shot in first person. If that interests you I can very much recommend it, if you're just looking for a good film noir there are better ones out there.

Clockstoppers (2002)

American science fiction action comedy film. It's about a teenager who accidentally acquires a time manipulation device and finds himself on the run from agents of the corporation which created them. It's quite a fun movie, definitely something I would've loved if I'd watched it back then. But even now it's some entertaining, lighthearted fun with nice VFX. Can recommend.

Quest for Fire (1981)

Canadian-French prehistoric fantasy adventure film. It's about a few different tribes of early humans and their struggle for control of fire. The special thing about this movie is that it's classified as having no language, but it does have a primitive one, consisting of grunts, groans and gestures, and that was created by Anthony Burgess, who also wrote A Clockwork Orange (and thus created Nadsat, the fictional language the main characters in that movie speak). It was also Ron Perlman's movie debut. The story is not that innovative or new, but it's fascinating how you just understand most of what these characters are "talking about", even though the movie doesn't have subtitles. In that regard this is quite interesting, so I can recommend it.

• The Killer: A Girl Who Deserves to Die
• Dr. Cheon and Lost Talisman
• The Super Mario Bros. Movie
• Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In

Child 44 (2015)

American-British-Czech-Romanian-Russian mystery thriller film. It's about a disgraced member of the Russian military police who investigates a series of child murders during the Stalin-era Soviet Union. Great cast (Tom Hardy, Gary Oldman, Noomi Rapace, Joel Kinnaman, Vincent Cassel, Paddy Considine, Jason Clarke, Charles Dance, Ned Dennehy, Mark Lewis Jones and more). Sadly, in my opinion, this movie wasn't all that good. It definitely had potential but maybe there's a reason it's not well known, despite not even being 10 years old. Overall I can't really recommend it.

Finder's Fee (2001)

American drama thriller film. It's about a man who finds a wallet with a winning lottery ticket in it. Watched this yesterday. Good cast (Erik Palladino, Dash Mihok, Matthew Lillard, Ryan Reynolds, James Earl Jones, Robert Forster, Frances Bay and more) but due to the setting also a very limited one. This is, after all, a single location movie. And some of you might know how much I love those. Definitely lives on its screenplay, because with a miniscule budget and a single location you gotta rely on the acting. I gotta say, it being a single location movie adds a few points for me personally, so if you're not as big of a fan of that kind of filmmaking you might at times even find it a bit boring. I thought it was better than expected, though. So I can recommend it.

Just finished with the Godfather trilogy, as I was preparing to play Mafia for next month.
Re-watching after a decade probably, first one is the classic.Second one was decent. The third one....what was happening in there.
I didn't realise it was so bad! Honestly wasn't so sad about the death at the end. Their acting was soo terrible. It irritated me every time that person was in a scene. Also wish we had Tom Hagen in the 3rd. He was one great character, they could have given him a complex trajectory. I read the actor had some money dispute becz which he didnt join part 3. They should have paid him more, dropped the whole silly Vatican angle.

I had rated Part 1 a 9/10, Part 2 a 10/10 and Part 3 a 8/10 on IMDB back when i first watched it. Would definitely not rate Part 2 and 3 the same, crazy how movies feel different after many years. This made me think of re-watching the old classics or stuff I rated high back then.

Also had the thought that IMDB is the OG BLAEO haha.

Mabel at the Wheel (1914)

American comedy short film. It's about a young woman having to take her boyfriend's place in an auto race because his rival kidnapped him. This was released on the 18th of April 1914 and his first movie was released not even 3 months prior, on the 2nd of February 1914. So that means Charlie Chaplin was still very new to that whole film business but he plays his character very well. But the real star is not Chaplin, it's the legendary Mabel Normand, who was so famous at the time that she not only had her own film studio and production company, she wrote and directed movies (this one included) and just called the character she'd play by her real name. Mabel Normand played the character Mabel in Mabel at the Wheel (1914), written and directed by Mabel Normand. Oh, and of course co-starring a young up-and-coming talent called Charles Chaplin. It's neat to see Chaplin as a villain with a small forked evil-looking beard in addition to his famous toothbrush moustache. As a big enthusiast of cars from that era I especially enjoyed watching that race and as a big enthusiast of movies from that era it's sad to know that Mabel Normand died of tuberculosis in 1930 at only 36 years old. I'm sure she would've made an even bigger impact on cinema if she lived a life of normal length.
But coming back to the movie, I think it's quite good. Overall I can recommend it.

Child in the House (1956)

British drama film. It's about a young girl who is left with her aunt and uncle while her mother is in the hospital and her criminal dad is allegedly out of the country. This was just a nice little drama. Overall I can recommend it, but don't expect anything special.
But more importantly this was Maggie Smith's first movie, with an uncredited appearance as "Party Guest". She only had a few lines but delivered them well. Of course we all know what became of that young actress, only 22 at the time. She went on to become one of the most beloved actors around the world with massive success even late in life. Now she passed away and left a hole in the heart of every fan of her, wether they know her from comedy or drama, Shakespeare or Harry Potter, or even from Downton Abbey. I'm looking forward to a week full of her movies, some of which she even won an Oscar for.

Late Night with the Devil (2023)

The few 'twists' i could see a mile away but that didnt take anything away from the experience. The premise(original! a horror film!) alone won me over and the actual execution was stellar, from the talent to the production to the whole set and ambience- it felt like 1977 and watching some tv show from the era(albeit remastered).

For those unaware the premise is that the film is a restored version(+behind the scenes) from the polemical last episode of a live late night show gone wrong, surrounded in rumours and controversy because something gone wrong- on a special halloween episode with an sceptic and a supposedly possessed girl live.

Genious idea and overall very entertaining. Not so much on typical horror fare but it have its own creepy vibe that growns on you. Highly recommended.

California Suite (1978)

American anthology comedy film. It's about the misadventures of four groups of guests at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Incredible cast (Alan Alda, Jane Fonda, Michael Caine, Maggie Smith, Walter Matthau, Elaine May, Bill Cosby, Sheila Frazier, Richard Pryor, Gloria Gifford and more). A funny coincidence is that Maggie Smith plays an actress on her way to the Academy Awards ceremony (but ends up not winning the Oscar) and then, in real life, she did win an Oscar for playing that character. Everyone plays so well off their respective partners, but especially Alan Alda and Jane Fonda, and Michael Caine and Maggie Smith are amazing together. Incredible banter all around. Overall I think this is very good, so I can recommend it.

Nothing Like A Dame/Tea With the Dames (2018)

British documentary film. It's about four legendary actresses meeting up and having a chat. Those legendary actresses are Dame Maggie Smith, Dame Joan Plowright, Dame Judi Dench and Dame Eileen Atkins. This documentary is definitely for you if you've ever thought to yourself "If I could just be a fly on the wall and listen to them..." and it's also a great documentary in and of itself, showing conversations between the Dames interspersed with scenes from their careers on film and stage. Overall this is delightful and fascinating to watch and listen to. Highly recommended.

Gosford Park (2001)

British-American-Italian satirical black comedy mystery film. It's about a group of pretentious rich and famous in the 1930s who get together for a weekend of relaxation at a hunting resort, but when a murder happens, each one of them becomes a suspect. At first the movie is a somewhat of a comedy drama, but after the murder it turns into more of a whodunit. The cast is outstanding (Michael Gambon, Kristin Scott Thomas, Maggie Smith, Charles Dance, Geraldine Somerville, Tom Hollander, Bob Balaban, Kelly Macdonald, Clive Owen, Helen Mirren, Eileen Atkins, Alan Bates, Emily Watson, Derek Jacobi, Richard E. Grant, Jeremy Swift, Sophie Thompson, Stephen Fry and more). Fun fact: The TV series Downton Abbey was originally planned as a spin-off of this (both were written (and in the case of the series also created) by the same guy), but in the end the series was set earlier and is only inspired by the movie. Still, if you liked Downton Abbey and you're looking to watch something adjacent to it, this might be of interest to you. And even if you've never seen Downton Abbey (like me), you'll still enjoy this very good movie. Definitely recommended.

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1969)

British drama film. It's about a teacher whose extravagantly romantic ideas about life and love overly impress her young pupils and bring her into direct conflict with her school's conservative headmistress. I can see why Maggie Smith won an Oscar for this, she was brilliant in the title role. Overall this is a really good drama and I can definitely recommend it.

A Dangerous Method (2011), a drama film about Freud, Jung and others (who you probably know about already). Pretty good acting by all involved. I rate 7/10.

Commando 👍

Quartet (1981)

French-British period drama film. It's about a young woman who accepts the hospitality of a strange couple who let her live in their home after her art-dealer husband is convicted of theft. Very good cast (Maggie Smith, Isabelle Adjani, Alan Bates and more). This is set in 1927, so if you ever wanted to see Maggie Smith and Isabelle Adjani in the Roaring Twenties, this is the movie for you. Overall I can recommend it.

The Lady in the Van (2015)

British comedy drama film. Rewatched this yesterday. It's about a old homeless woman who lives in her van that's parked in actor, author, playwright, and screenwriter Alan Bennett's driveway. It's still very good and Maggie Smith really disappears in that role. Can recommend.

The Miracle Club (2023)

Irish-British period comedy drama film. It's about a group of working-class women from Dublin on a pilgrimage to Lourdes in France. There were good things, there were not so good things, all in all it's just one of those small British indie films. You know the kind. Some good performances from a very good cast (Maggie Smith, Kathy Bates, Laura Linney, Stephen Rea and more) but Kathy Bates with an Irish accent just sounds weird. Overall I think it's good, though. So I can recommend it.

And with that my week of Maggie Smith movies comes to an end. What a legend. In every era of her I just witnessed for the first time this week she was fierce, she was attention-grabbing and she was in the focus, wether she played the main character or not. She was never phoning it in. She gave it her everything, no matter what kind of movie it was. Dame Maggie Smith meant so much to so many people who worked with her (as you might've seen from all the reactions to her passing) and to so many people who watched her on stage or film at any point in her career. She was absolutely one of Britain's greatest actors. Rest in peace to a legend!

John Wick 2 👍

The Bikeriders (2023)

American period crime drama film. It's about the lives of the Vandals Motorcycle Club, a fictional version of the Outlaws Motorcycle Club. I was interested in watching this movie since I first heard of it. Of course no cinema near me had even a single screening. Then I kinda forgot about it and only remembered it recently. Now I've seen it and I think it's very good. It may not be perfect but it's very entertaining and the cast (Jodie Comer, Austin Butler, Tom Hardy, Michael Shannon, Mike Faist, Boyd Holbrook, Norman Reedus and more) is great. Overall I can definitely recommend it.

The Platform 2 (2024)

Spanish science fiction horror film. It's about a vertical prison where you get food delivered via a platform but the lower you get the more of it other people have potentially already eaten. It's been a while since I've watched and rewatched the original and both times I thought it was very good. This movie is not quite on the same level (pun not intended) but also still very good. This movie just came out a few days ago, so I don't want to go into any detail here. A surprisingly recognizable cast too, for a Spanish movie. Milena Smit, who was brilliant in Parallel Mothers (2021). Hovik Keuchkerian, who you might recognize from the hit series La casa de papel/Money Heist, if you've watched that. He was also in Terry Gilliam's The Man Who Killed Don Quixote (2018) and that 2016 Assassin’s Creed movie. Natalia Tena, probably the most well known member of this cast. You might've seen her as Nymphadora Tonks in the Harry Potter movies, as Osha in Game of Thrones or in the Black Mirror episode White Christmas. You know, the one with John Hamm and the egg. She was also in John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023). So yeah, a surprising amount of recognizable faces. And it's a prequel, so if you ever wanted to know more about the world after watching the first one, definitely watch this. Also, if they're making a third movie I hope it won't take another 5 years. Overall I can very much recommend this. Obvio.