# Movies you've seen recently (Part 2) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** movies\ **Created:** [August 27, 2024, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288 "2024-08-27T05:10:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 254
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2026, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/5064 "2026-03-18T23:42:02Z")
**The Man Who Wasn’t There** (2001). Beautiful vintage Coen Brothers that I’d seen before but not for many years. JFC, do those boys know how to tell a story! Moody, melancholy, and totally captivating, this is an extraordinary crime drama featuring a great performance and narration by Billy Bob Thornton, and a great performance by Frances McDormand and pretty much the whole cast, including a very young Scarlett Johansson. As with most films that these genius brothers make, very highly recommended. ---
**Author:** ![Hatchie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hatchie/32/3983_2.png) [@Hatchie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hatchie)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2026, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/5065 "2026-03-19T07:31:43Z")
**Season of the Witch** (1973) There are at least four movies with this title. This one is by George Romero, and I’d never heard of it but ran across it on Pluto TV streaming. And it’s strange - its very strange. The first few minutes especially, where a woman is led through a landscape full of daffodils, and there’s a baby, and the soundtrack has electronic beeps and boops and other alien sounds. The woman in question is shown a house by a real estate agent, who points out all the advantages including women she doesn’t seem to know and a daughter she seemingly has never met. Her house, in other words, which comes completely furnished including friends and family. The women gossip, each one with a terrible hairdo and lots of sparkly jewelry. The main character Joan argues with the only male guest, and becomes very alienated by her husband. She decides to take up witchcraft. The famous Donovan song of the film’s title is heard, and sound effects from the Julie Driscoll/Brian Auger album containing their version of the song also pop up. It gets somewhat boring, and for stretches of the film you can only notice the stilted line readings, the wretched red and black wallpaper, the creepazoid figurines and decorations strewn about the house, not to mention the man in the rubber monster mask who attacks Joan - and then it hit me - this is almost like a prequel to Twin Peaks. Could David Lynch have been taking notes? A bunch of normies who really aren’t, inhabiting a weird landscape that has its own internal illogic. It won’t frighten you, but might invade your brain nonetheless. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2026, 10:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/5066 "2026-03-19T10:22:50Z")
**Misery** (1990). A Rob Reiner film, co-produced and directed by Reiner. Starring James Caan and Kathy Bates. So the quality was there, but at times a little hard to watch because of the difficult subject matter and limited scope because a lot of it was about a woman who was keeping a writer (James Caan) captive in her house after he was badly injured in a car accident, and forcing him to write a novel for her. Does have some suspenseful moments, though, and Bates is very good at playing a batshit crazy lady. Recommended, but not as highly as some other recent movies. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2026, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/5067 "2026-03-19T12:30:12Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > **Misery** (1990) This movie actually did a decent job of following the Stephen King novel of the same name, IMO. There was one major difference, but it didn’t alter the overall plot. If you liked the movie, I would suggest reading the book. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2026, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/5068 "2026-03-19T12:32:41Z")
Seconded! And the book is better (of course), because you get to read parts of the book he’s writing, as well. I’m a King fan, and Misery is my favorite. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2026, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/5069 "2026-03-19T13:02:35Z")
**Testament of Ann Lee** Recommended. So close to being a great film, but just ending up being a pretty good movie. It’s at least somewhat a musical. But for the most part, it’s a pretty interesting biography of Ann Lee. I was aware the Shakers existed, but I knew nothing of where they came from. The movie claims they stopped out at 6,000 members, but only have 2 today. Celibacy is required, so it’s a group entirely reliant on new members. Music is good, cinematography is great, acting is fine. Still, it only ends up being pretty good. I can bet that Amanda Seyfried hoped for an Oscar nomination, but she’s doing a great job in an OK film. I have zero clue what was true and what was not true about Shakers. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2026, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/5070 "2026-03-19T13:22:28Z")
**Roman J. Israel, Esq.** Enjoyable legal drama, and - as would be expected - excellent performance by Denzel. My biggest challenge is that I do not understand exactly what he did that was illegal. I can imagine how it might have been unethical, leading to professional sanctions, but not sure what laws he broke. Other than possibly concerning not reporting large cash transactions. ---
**Author:** ![ShadowFacts](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shadowfacts/32/2934_2.png) [@ShadowFacts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShadowFacts)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2026, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/5071 "2026-03-19T14:25:59Z")
Given that we’ve had a lot of discussion of Martin McDonagh’s films here recently, the trailer for his next movie - [Wild Horse Nine](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Haw_sznA5aQ) - just dropped. It stars John Malkovich and Sam Rockwell, among other notables. Note that the trailer includes some NSFW language. I will watch it, of course, because I’m a big fan, but it feels to me based on this trailer that he’s repeating himself a bit. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2026, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/5072 "2026-03-19T14:59:03Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > Bates is very good at playing a batshit crazy lady. She’s apparently good at a lot of things. I didn’t realize that _Misery_ was her first major film role, and that she won both an Oscar and a Golden Globe for it. She then went on to become a highly respected actress. ---
**Author:** ![Smid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/838e76/32.png) [@Smid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smid)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2026, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/5073 "2026-03-19T15:11:00Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > She’s apparently good at a lot of things. I didn’t realize that _Misery_ was her first major film role, and that she won both an Oscar and a Golden Globe for it. She then went on to become a highly respected actress. From about that period, Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe and Dolores Claiborne are similarly great performances from her. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2026, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/5074 "2026-03-19T16:02:17Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > Clayne Crawford plays John Taylor, What, did he clean up his act? He got shitcanned from the Lethal Weapon TV series because he was such as asshole. I liked his acting, even as far back as L&O Criminal Intent, but then, I didn’t have to work with him. My movie for the thread: _Lover Come Back_, the second of three Rock Hudson/Doris Day (& Tony Randall) romantic comedies. I had seen it before, and thought it was funny the first time, but the one-sidedness of the plot bugged me more this time. Rock manipulates Doris, but she barely gets anything over on him. Then, in something I didn’t expect from the 50s, she gets drunk, married and pregnant and annulled in one night. Hilarity ensues I guess! Vip! I didn’t know I needed it, until I got it, now I can’t live without it! ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2026, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/5075 "2026-03-19T17:57:14Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > What, did he clean up his act? He got shitcanned from the Lethal Weapon TV series because he was such as asshole. The movie was from 2010, before Lethal Weapon. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2026, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/5076 "2026-03-19T18:05:13Z")
> [@EllisDee](#): > > The movie was from 2010, before Lethal Weapon. Ah! Missed that detail. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2026, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/5077 "2026-03-21T21:52:05Z")
**The Smashing Machine** , a biopic of UFC fighter Mark Kerr. Dwayne Johnson did a credible acting job, as did most everyone else in the film. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2026, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/5078 "2026-03-21T22:12:00Z")
I’m rewatching Prometheus and what I’m discovering as I get older is that I really enjoy the sci-fi elements but I like the body horror less and less. Which, I realize, misses the point. But still, everything is very well shot and directed. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2026, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/5079 "2026-03-21T22:30:41Z")
Twelve Monkeys. I think it would have been better as a book. If I didn’t have the internet to tell me what the story was about, I’d have probably bailed. But my respect for Brad Pitt’s acting ability got a boost. I suppose Bruce Willis was fine also. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2026, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/5080 "2026-03-21T23:11:45Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > **The Smashing Machine** , a biopic of UFC fighter Mark Kerr. Dwayne Johnson did a credible acting job, as did most everyone else in the film. I find that I think about this movie zero and I only saw it months ago. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2026, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/5081 "2026-03-21T23:25:23Z")
Do you know that it’s a new version of the 1962 short film _[La Jetée](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Jet%C3%A9e "La Jetée")_? ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2026, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/5082 "2026-03-21T23:30:25Z")
> [@Dung\_Beetle](#): > > Twelve Monkeys. I think it would have been better as a book. If I didn’t have the internet to tell me what the story was about, I’d have probably bailed. But my respect for Brad Pitt’s acting ability got a boost. I suppose Bruce Willis was fine also. We really liked the television show 12 Monkeys as well…but when we re-watched in a couple years ago, we were stunned. It wasn’t as good as we had remembered. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2026, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/5083 "2026-03-22T02:25:12Z")
I did not. The concept is interesting. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288.md?page=253) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288.md?page=255)