# 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:** 308
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2026, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/6144 "2026-08-06T22:31:00Z")
> [@Wendell\_Wagner](#): > > There’s a scene in black and white with someone playing a detective in a trench coat which is at 0:33 in [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcR\_kw7NaCo](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcR_kw7NaCo) . Yeah, but it’s not obviously being Bogart, and doesn’t resemble any of his movies. I doubt that they’d need permission just to show a minion in a trench coat trying to be romantic. ---
**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:** [August 7, 2026, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/6145 "2026-08-07T01:02:50Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > I doubt that they’d need permission just to show a minion in a trench coat trying to be romantic. Maybe so, but the credits for _Minions & Monsters_ says that they got permission from Bogart L.L.C. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2026, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/6146 "2026-08-07T02:53:24Z")
> [@Wendell\_Wagner](#): > > Maybe so, but the credits for _Minions & Monsters_ says that they got permission from Bogart L.L.C. Yes, butb as I suggest above, that was probably for the use of the Bogart figure in the glass case. And just possibly for the “Play it Sam” reference. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2026, 9:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/6147 "2026-08-07T09:43:17Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > Tim has no meaning here That’s just _mean_. What did Tim ever do to you? I (re)watched **Moulin Rouge!** with the child, who hadn’t seen it before. It’s still a cornucopia of ADHD madness but I discovered that it loses much of its appeal if (like the sprog) you’re not familiar with the umpteen references to older songs. “Love is a many-splendored thing” indeed. For us old folks, however, the musical arrangements are great stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Gordon\_G](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3da27b/32.png) [@Gordon\_G](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gordon_G)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2026, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/6148 "2026-08-07T18:04:33Z")
I just watched _Practical Magic_ (1998) and enjoyed it. It was **FUN**! Although I prefer serious drama and interesting stories, I’m a sucker for occasional well-performed light sentimental romances. I love Nicole Kidman and the rest of the cast, led by Sandra Bullock, also gave good performances. Perhaps I should be embarrassed for lauding this film. It got only 6.4 at IMDB and a pathetic 27% at Rotten Tomatoes. Critics’ comments include - “a witch comedy so slapdash, plodding, and muddled it seems to have had a hex put on it.” - [Roger Ebert] “veering uncertainly from horror to laughs to romance … too scary for children and too childish for adults” - “has its flaws. Some scenes are weak, occasionally lines are a little muddled, and there is some plot underdevelopment. Yet it is daring and fun — a frolic for two charming actresses and a dapper film premise … The main source of attraction is undeniably the enchanting and witty witchcraft. It is simultaneously what makes the Owen sisters outcasts and what makes them special. With a few very sharp scenes, including a jazzy dance sequence, ‘Practical Magic’ is worth it. It is a step toward allowing women to assert themselves in the genre of dark comedy…” The “uncertain veering” didn’t bother me: The movie is just a fantasy/comedy/romance. I’ll endorse the third review above, by Garth Stahl of the _Hartford Courant_. ---
**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:** [August 7, 2026, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/6149 "2026-08-07T18:37:07Z")
> [@Gordon\_G](#): > > I just watched _Practical Magic_ (1998) and enjoyed it. It was **FUN**! Although I prefer serious drama and interesting stories, I’m a sucker for occasional well-performed light sentimental romances. I love Nicole Kidman and the rest of the cast, led by Sandra Bullock, also gave good performances. It’s from 1998 and its sequel is about to drop! I’ve never seen it. ---
**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:** [August 8, 2026, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/6150 "2026-08-08T00:45:42Z")
I’d like to ask a reverse question. Has anyone seen _Michael_? There were constant previews all spring in our theaters. Now no one seems to talk about it. Did it bomb? Did people ignore it because of what it doesn’t cover of Michael’s life? Do I just not hang out with the people that like it? ---
**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:** [August 8, 2026, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/6151 "2026-08-08T01:12:10Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > Has anyone seen _Michael_? There were constant previews all spring in our theaters. Now no one seems to talk about it. Did it bomb? Did people ignore it because of what it doesn’t cover of Michael’s life? Do I just not hang out with the people that like it? It did well financially. I know the guy who played Michael Jackson got praise for his dance moves and stuff. ---
**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:** [August 8, 2026, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/6152 "2026-08-08T01:38:04Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > the guy who played Michael Jackson His nephew Jaafar Jackson. ---
**Author:** ![iamatractorboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iamatractorboy/32/21261_2.png) [@iamatractorboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamatractorboy)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2026, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/6153 "2026-08-08T06:28:45Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > I (re)watched **Moulin Rouge!** I was introduced to that film on dvd in 2004 by a young lady I seeing at the time. I made it about a third of the way through and had to stop it because I didn’t want to hear the lyrics to Elton John’s _Your Song_ sung between Kidman and McGregor for the 53rd time in about 5 minutes. And I like Elton John. ---
**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:** [August 8, 2026, 10:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/6154 "2026-08-08T10:07:54Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > It did well financially. I’d say so, it’s taken in over $1B worldwide. ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2026, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/6155 "2026-08-08T16:19:15Z")
I watched _The Commitments_ last night in honor of Glen Hansard. It’s not a new movie, so I won’t summarize the plot. I found it really entertaining, and very funny in spots. The music was great, especially toward the end. All the performers in the band were great, and some of them (especially the women) did a fine job of sounding unpolished in the early parts of the movie. ---
**Author:** ![iamatractorboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iamatractorboy/32/21261_2.png) [@iamatractorboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamatractorboy)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2026, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/6156 "2026-08-08T17:47:03Z")
I saw that for the first time recently. Really enjoyed it, although that was pretty much only due to the music and the comic elements because the plot was almost non-existent really. Still, definitely recommended. Out of interest I looked up the actor who played the lead singer. That was his only acting credit! Wonder what stopped him pursuing a career. Edit: ok, he’s a professional singer. Which makes complete sense. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2026, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/6157 "2026-08-08T19:54:01Z")
FYI, _The Commitments_ is available on Peacock if anyone else wants to watch it. I just started it. I think I’ve seen it once before, though decades ago. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2026, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/6158 "2026-08-08T20:31:08Z")
> [@dirtball](#): > > **Repo Man**. I saw this one in the theater when it was released, and it didn’t much resonate with me. I’m not saying I thought it was bad, but it just didn’t draw me in. Then, just a couple of days ago, I saw that it was on the Criterion Channel, so I thought I’d revisit it and see how I’d react after all these years. Same thing, really. I just can’t get into it, and I don’t know why. “On paper,” I should. I may have been the perfect age for that movie. It was the most overly quoted movie in my friends group in high school. Loved it then and now. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2026, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/6159 "2026-08-08T20:33:45Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > FYI, _The Commitments_ is available on Peacock if anyone else wants to watch it. I just started it. I think I’ve seen it once before, though decades ago. And that reminds me that a decade ago, I saw the movie _[Sing Street](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sing_Street)_ in the theaters. It’s a bit like _The Commitments_, in that it’s about young people starting a band in Dublin, and it was written and directed by John Carney, who of course made _Once_. ---
**Author:** ![iamatractorboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iamatractorboy/32/21261_2.png) [@iamatractorboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamatractorboy)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2026, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/6160 "2026-08-08T21:00:43Z")
_Sing Street_ is a really fun film too. Definite similarities. ---
**Author:** ![Smid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/838e76/32.png) [@Smid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smid)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2026, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/6161 "2026-08-09T01:20:59Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > And that reminds me that a decade ago, I saw the movie _[Sing Street](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sing_Street)_ in the theaters. It’s a bit like _The Commitments_, in that it’s about young people starting a band in Dublin, and it was written and directed by John Carney, who of course made _Once_. The actress Maria Doyle Kennedy, who was Natalie in the commitments appeared significantly in Outlander, Downton Abbey, Dexter (nanny), The Tudors, Orphan Black, Wheel of time, Jupiter Ascending, and relevantly, Sing Street. Bronagh Gallagher, who played Bernie, had roles in The phantom menace, Pulp Fiction, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, and recently Derry Girls and How to get to heaven from Belfast. The one who seemed to be the most likely to succeed, Angeline Ball, did little of significance except the UK shameless. Robert Arkins did very little after that, which seems really strange given he was the lead. ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2026, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/6162 "2026-08-09T02:33:23Z")
> [@Smid](#): > > The one who seemed to be the most likely to succeed, Angeline Ball, did little of significance except the UK shameless. She was also in _The General_ (1998), a significant and well-regarded movie. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2026, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/6163 "2026-08-09T03:11:20Z")
I did not see Bullitt when it came out, nor later. It’s on TCM now and it’s good. But I keep thinking of how things would be changed it it was made now. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288.md?page=307) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288.md?page=309)