Rate The Last Movie You Saw [Archive] - Page 334

Thief

08-24-24, 10:26 PM

THE ROBBERY
(2017, Cummings)

https://i.imgur.com/GOJHkv4.jpeg

"How did I get here?"

With a 10-minute runtime, The Robbery presents Crystal as a lot of things. She is a bit laid-back, a bit desperate, a bit dick-ish, and clearly pushed to the edge because of multiple situations, and Gray excels in every single angle. As usual, Cummings shows his mastery at exposition by not giving us all the information, instead revealing little crumbs as the story advances.

In addition, as seems to be the trademark with a lot of Cummings' shorts, the whole film is shot in one continuous take, which makes everything even more impressive. So it doesn't matter if you're won over by Gray's excellent performance, Cummings' hilarious dialogue, or his skill with the camera, the important thing is that you got here.

Grade: 4

Full review on my Movie Loot (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2482173#post2482173)

MovieGal

08-24-24, 10:47 PM

100605
The Lord of The Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
(2001)
4/5

Let me explain why I will rate The Lord of the Rings high. Yes, the are epic films and the acting is decent, but I crochet as a hobby and when I start a large project, these are my go to films. When they came out, I saw them in the theatre and liked them. Seen them a few random times but I can watch them, listen if I'm crocheting and look up at important times. I know exactly what is going on otherwise.

Thief

08-24-24, 10:51 PM

DIAL M FOR MURDER
(1954, Hitchcock)

https://i.imgur.com/nsHDiyW.jpeg

"In stories things usually turn out the way the author wants them to; and in real life they don't... always."

Dial M for Murder follows Tony Wendice (Ray Milland), a retired tennis player who has discovered that his wealthy wife Margot (Grace Kelly) is having an affair and secretly plans to murder her to inherit her money. Can he carry out the "perfect murder" or will "stupid mistakes" lead to everybody looking at him in the end?

This is a film I've seen several times and one that I have ranked on my Hitchcock Top 5, maybe even Top 3. What I love the most about it is Milland's performance as the calm and collected Tony. The whole first act when we see him detail his plan to his would-be accomplice, C.A. Swan (Anthony Dawson), is a masterclass in acting, but also in directing as Hitchcock makes the most of the enclosed space of an apartment to make us feel the tension from the characters.

Grade: 4

Full review on my Movie Loot (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2482182#post2482182)

Thief

08-24-24, 10:57 PM

IS NOW A GOOD TIME?
(2024, Cummings)

https://i.imgur.com/lAKfldY.png

"No, it's nothing. It's just like the other ones."

Is Now a Good Time? is Cummings' latest short film; the second he releases this year as part of a career that has been defined by a sort of DIY attitude, an evident love for filmmaking, constant and affable fan interaction, charisma, and non-stop grinding. This is part of what makes it so interesting AND funny to see him take jabs at the massive, "conveyor-belt-like" production system of Marvel/Disney.

Grade: 4.5

Full review on my Movie Loot (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2482187#post2482187)

Galactic Traveler

08-24-24, 11:16 PM

Suddenly (1954)

3.5

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SpelingError

08-24-24, 11:31 PM

Meet the Spartans (2008) - 1.5

Though I haven't watched them in years and am unlikely to ever rewatch them, I used to have a fondness for parody films. They're not the best and probably miss much more than land in terms of comedy, but I guess I just like the incongruity of seeing out of place celebrities/modern product placement intruding in on the film, especially with films like this which are set thousands of years in the past. While I appreciated the incongruity of what was being referenced in this film, when it came to the actual quality of the comedy of those references, they ranged from mean-spirited (Paris Hilton and Britney Spears) to overlong (the entire "This is Sparta" sequence) to forced (which is technically everything) and the parodies of those celebrities weren't remotely clever. As a whole, I don't think the film got any laughs from me in that department. Now, when it came to poking fun at the eccentricities of Snyder's film or exaggerating certain scenes/characters in it, I was somewhat able to get on board with the film since that's the idea to parodying something, correct? The training scenes of Leonidas beating his son up, poking fun at the nudity/sex scenes in 300, exaggerating Xerxes' piercings, or painting abs onto the Spartans worked well enough for me. While it's not hilarious per se, that's what I want from parody films. There was more potential with parodying the excessive slow motion which they didn't capitalize on though, aside from recreating some of the slow motion effects at a couple points. As a whole though, I mostly found this really boring to sit through and frequently dry of clever jokes to keep me on board with it. I'd still give it some points for the comedy which landed, but everything else dragged it down like a rock.

Thief

08-24-24, 11:41 PM

GODZILLA x KONG
THE NEW EMPIRE
(2024, Wingard)

https://i.imgur.com/gKfZivI.jpeg

"If Kong draws Godzilla down here... they can make their stand in Hollow Earth."

In Godzilla x Kong, Kong's control of Hollow Earth is threatened by an evil monkey called Skar King and his "pet" lizard, Shimo. This forces Kong to team up with Godzilla as he tries to take back his home. At the same time, Dr. Ilene Andrews (Rebecca Hall) has to deal with the struggles of her adoptive daughter Jia (Kaylee Hottle) to adapt to "regular life".

There is a certain amount of silliness expected from a film like this, but it has to be handled properly. Godzilla vs. Kong did a solid job with it; this one, not so much. It's just one stupid contrivance after the other surrounded by a whole bunch of pseudo-scientific mumbo-jumbo that doesn't make any sense. Did I mention the underground civilization that communicates telephatically while using portals to travel to the surface? It's just too much nonsense.

Grade: 2

Full review on my Movie Loot (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2482215#post2482215)

Robert the List

08-25-24, 02:52 AM

A Touch of Zen (1971)
If ever a movie was too long this one would be a candidate.
2 hours would have been fine instead of 3. For me the longer it went on the longer, the more it lost its punch. Why not introduce another couple of baddies, do the whole thing again in a different location and make it 5 hours??
That said, there had never been an epic of this kind, and it galloped along at a good pace.
It was beautiful to look at, and the sound track worked well.
The lead male's character was weak as hell, and didn't really seem to justify his presence.
I'll give it a 9.

Robert the List

08-25-24, 06:32 AM

Cries and Whispers (1972)
Unusual for me to get through a whole Bergman, or the whole of a film that I like as little as this.
Looked nice but I found it all fairly pointless, and not sure what reaction he was hoping for with the romantic relationship between 2 of the sisters.
7/10

LeBoyWondeur

08-25-24, 07:46 AM

Poison (1991)

A creepy, funny, poignant and semi-erotic triple vignette, and it's mostly the distinctive style that makes it so fascinating and entertaining.
8.5/10

Robert the List

08-25-24, 08:42 AM

The Friends Of Eddie Coyle (1973)
Completely different to the other movies I've been watching. Not one that cares much about artistic quality.
It grew on me though. Some of it was a bit like an episode of Quincy or Colombo, but it was more than that. An interesting take on US small time gangster life, and had some characters you became a little bit involved with. It engaged me. Some slightly ropey acting from the drug runner just takes it down .25.
Worth an 8.5.

Siddon

08-25-24, 10:39 AM

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Stream (2024)

After the surprise success of Terrifier 2 the producers are now launching a half dozen new films. Stream is basically The Purge in a hotel...four masked killers hunt/track/murder a collective group of people. The cast is a who's who of horror vets from Danielle Harris to Dee Wallace to Jeffery Combs.

The film is a mixed bag...the narative/rules/exposition gets pretty clunky in the third act. The movie doesn't make sense however the film has an artisan charm to it. It's a proper slasher film with sex/nudity(could have used more), proper FX and makeup(should get Oscar consideration), and enough pulpy twists to make the 2 hours fly by.

I'm not going to oversell it because it did have some flaws in it

3

Torgo

08-25-24, 12:11 PM

Goodbye, Dragon Inn - 4

When something ends with a whimper instead of a bang, we tend to accept that it happens and move on with our lives. While some endings like this are par for the course, others are tragic because they should have been the other way around. This movie provides a proper burial for two such endings, those being a grandiose movie theater in Taipei, which also signifies the end of Taiwanese cinema's heyday. It successfully conveys the sadness of these endings - a teary-eyed actor from the final movie screened at the theater, Dragon Inn, and the use of Yao Lee's song "Can't Let Go" are highlights - but it would not be wrong to label this movie as a comedy. Despite how annoying they can be in real life, theater patrons who are there for reasons besides watching the movie are a bigger source of laughs than you would realize. If it's not a Japanese tourist who tries and fails to have a gay sexual encounter, it's a woman who may be into the movie, but she seems much more interested in finishing her very noisy bag of candy. If her loud manner of eating doesn't make you laugh, you'll at least enjoy the ASMR from the repetition. Credit also goes to the fading spirit of the theater in the disabled cashier (Shiang-chyi, who was justly rewarded) and the moments where we glimpse scenes from Dragon Inn, especially for how well they contrast with all the decay and indifference.

You may have read that this is an example of slow cinema, which fits because of its many qualities, the deliberate pace stands out the most. Besides the obvious in making you pay attention and letting the movie linger in your thoughts, the slowness also adds emphasis. No greater moment makes the tragedy more apparent than an extended one where we see how many (empty) seats the theater has. On the other hand, it is not always to the movie's benefit: as amusing as the tourist's failed attempts at trysts may be, the pace makes his and the other patrons' behavior seem less natural. This flaw still does not prevent the movie from succeeding as a feature-length elegy to an era of cinema. I would describe it as a quieter, slower and much slyer alternative to Cinema Paradiso.

Robert the List

08-25-24, 01:14 PM

Taipei Story (1985)
WOW
9.75

FilmBuff

08-25-24, 01:14 PM

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Strange Darling
4.5

This movie's pretty darn near a modern masterpiece, and if you really want to enjoy it, you should go and watch it ASAP and try not to read anything about it beforehand.

Knowing as little as possible about the film is probably the best way to get the most out of it - frankly the narrative structure kinda threw me for a loop at the beginning (in the best way possible) and it kept me trying to figure stuff out... that alone easily made it a top-notch experience.

Trying to be as vague as possible, I'll just say that this is one of those movies where things may not be what they first appear to be. Also, Willa Fitzgerald is absolutely riveting in one of the lead roles. How and what exactly she is will be revealed to you by the end of the movie, and it's absolutely delicious.

Kyle Gallner, in the other lead roles, is also pretty darn fine, although his is easily the least showy role.

There is one glaring plot hole in the narrative - one which happens so fast, you may not even notice it - that almost completely undermines everything else that this movie does so well. It's a fairly minor quibble, but if you're paying attention it will probably stick out like a sore thumb.

Nevertheless, the movie is pretty gripping and pulls you along relentlessly. The supporting cast includes Ed Begley Jr and Barbara Hershey playing (what else?) a couple of older hippies.

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The Killer
1.5

As a huge fan of John Woo's early HK movies, his reworking of The Killer comes as one of the biggest disappointments of the year.

I was relatively lucky to be able to watch Woo's HK films at a time when the only way you could watch them in America was with imported copies. Practically no one in the US knew who he was or the kind of movies he was making.

And even today, the original version of The Killer is frustratingly unavailable in streaming and OOP in disc format.

That's a big shame, because this movie tries hard, but just can't deliver a fraction of what Woo's early films accomplished with such amazing ease. The cast is very appealing, though Nathalie Emmanuel is arguably badly miscast here, with her talent being much more in line with fluffy, nonsensical films like the F&F series.

And why did they have to make Sam Worthington even try an Irish accent? It's not very convincing, they might as well have made his character an Australian.

Compared to Woo's earlier films made in HK, this one is fairly stultifying, with only one or two action sequences even coming close to capturing the magic of those early movies. It's a sad sign of the times that a lot of people will probably consider this to be perfectly OK entertainment.

It's just a sad reminder of how good Woo used to be before coming to work in Hollywood.

doubledenim

08-25-24, 01:23 PM

What are you talking about?

LChimp

08-25-24, 04:52 PM

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Conan The Barbarian - (1982)

First time watching my son. I'm pretty sure he liked it.

Robert the List

08-25-24, 07:37 PM

The Runner (1984), Iran, 9.25
My new favourite Iranian film, beating Taste of Cherry fairly comfortably.

Fabulous

08-25-24, 09:31 PM

Snow Cake (2006)

3.5

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PHOENIX74

08-25-24, 11:28 PM

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By IMP Awards, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10955898

Day Watch - (2006)

Never has the term "all over the place" been as confidently used by me to describe films as it is in regard to Timur Bekmambetov's trilogy in two parts Night Watch and Day Watch. I remember there being quite a lot of expectant noise when the first came out, but I couldn't get into the film itself and gave up on it - only picking it up again recently in the hopes I could stomach the whole saga and give it a fairer go. Unfortunately, I didn't quite grasp everything in it, and I watched it in February, which means I'm a little hazy on the rules of Sergei Lukyanenko's "light and dark" universe. Day Watch was funny in parts, and pretty crazy - but damned if I could tell you exactly what was going on. Watching this took me back to a time when I was a kid watching a movie that was a little above my intellectual range, but having a basic feel for what was what. Body swapping, the supernatural police, good vs evil, a son turned to the dark side, a love story - and a climactic showdown. A piece of chalk with which you can erase past mistakes. It's one of those movies where everything makes sense, but it feels like you're missing something - some kind of ultimate explanation as to why characters are behaving the way they do. It feels like Russia's attempt at an American tentpole blockbuster, but in all actuality it's a little bit of a chaotic mess. It has it's moments, for sure, but failed to win me over completely.

5/10

FilmBuff

08-25-24, 11:50 PM

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Between the Temples
3.5

It's certainly possible New Yorkers might have a head start with this one, a pretty off-kilter dramedy starring Jason Schwartzman as a moody cantor searching for some normalcy in his life.

Carol Kane is in top form as the unlikely would-be student who somehow manages to change the cantor's life, in unexpected and surprising ways.

The movie is somehow reminiscent of both The Graduate and Harold and Maude, yet it would be a disservice to call it derivative in any way. It is extremely original in what it does.

The movie was shot in 16mm and looks gorgeous!

*Sky*

08-26-24, 02:40 AM

Incendies (2010) - Denis Villeneuve: 5/10

Fabulous

08-26-24, 06:21 AM

Bullets Over Broadway (1994)

3.5

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/6zfPDvqeZUleXjNaU5iWQwHUtCN.jpg

Robert the List

08-26-24, 06:25 AM

Incendies (2010) - Denis Villeneuve: 5/10
Your marks are super harsh!

Robert the List

08-26-24, 07:09 AM

The Match Factory Girl (1990, Finland) 9/9.25.

Marco

08-26-24, 08:12 AM

The Gauntlet (1977)
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/55/The_gauntlet.jpg
One of Clint's lesser appreciated films, this is a tight thriller with great action sequences. The story itself isn't brain surgery but both Clint (as the disenchanted, alcoholic cop) and Sondra Locke (as the mob involved call girl) acquit themselves well. I saw this years ago and thought "meh" but on rewatch found it to be very entertaining. Inevitably Bill McKinney is in it too;)
3.5

Galactic Traveler

08-26-24, 08:23 AM

Phantom Lady (1944)

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Robert the List

08-26-24, 09:15 AM

The Double Life of Veronique 8.5

This is such a strange film, which for me is ultimately disappointing.

It's visually beautiful. It's engaging an at one point it was becoming intriguing, but I feel that it ended as what would be at best akin to an episode of Tales of the Unexpected and at worse unintentional farce.

Let me recap the plot as I understand it:

1. We are following the life of a young woman Polish woman called Weronika
2. One day, she sees her double on a passing bus. The double is taking photographs.
3. Weronika is performing as a classical singer one day, when she has a heart attack and dies.
4. We are now following the life of her double, a young French woman called Veronique
5. Veronique feels like she has just lost someone in her life but can't explain it.
6. One day, Veronique sees a puppet show, and is attracted to the puppeteer.
7. She received a cassette tape in the post. She plays the tape and can hear announcements being made in a train station.
8. She works out which station it is and travels there. She finds the puppeteer in a cafe and joins him.
9. They go to a hotel where they make love. He says he wants to know everything about her, so she empties her handbag.
10. One of the things that falls out is the negatives of the photos she took when Weronika saw her on the bus. She sees Weronika and starts crying.
11. The puppeteer shows her his puppets, and they are her and Weronika. He explains something about their childhoods and how they were connected to each other.
END

Gideon58

08-26-24, 12:33 PM

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1st Rewatch...Economic and exciting thriller that finds Liam Neesom playing a retired FBI agent who uses his very special skillset to find his daughter when she is kidnapped in Paris. I love the scene when he is on the phone with her just before she is snatched and tells her exactly what to do before they capture her and he hears her being abducted over the phone. The skills he utilizes to find his daughter are extraordinary and makes the viewer so curious as to what this guy did when he still worked for the feds. Neesom's stone-face works perfect for this role. The film is action packed and features first rate photography and editing. The film is so good it inspired two sequels that are just as good.

Gideon58

08-26-24, 12:40 PM

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5th Rewatch...Tina Fey's Oscar-worthy screenplay is the real star of this wicked teen comedy about a girl named Cady Heron (Lindsay Lohan) who is attending public school for the first time since being raised in Africa where she was home schooled who finds herself torn between genuine friends Janice and Damian and trying to fit in with a bitchy group of girls known as the Plastics, led by the nasty Regina George (Rachel George) while also attempting to steal Regina's ex-boyfriend, Aaron (Jonathan Bennett). Fey's screenplay nails the teenage female psyche unlike any movie I've seen and provides lots of laughs while doing it. McAdams is a revelation as Regina and solid support is provided by Lacy Chabert as Gretchen, Tim Meadows as the principal,, Fey as Miss Norbury., and I LOVED
Rajiv Surendra as mathlete Kevin Gnapoor. This has become one of those films I never tire of re-watching. 4

Marco

08-26-24, 12:40 PM

That They May Face the Rising Sun (2023)

A soft drama about a couple that have recently left London and returned to Country Leitrim in Ireland, she an art dealer and he a writer. Interacting with the old locals can be challenging to say the least as the area they live in is pretty much deserted farmland. It's portrayed well as we really see little youth to indicate that most have cleared off and don't want to keep up traditions. The quiet atmosphere and the haunting piano music are very well done.
3.5

Gideon58

08-26-24, 12:43 PM

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2nd Rewatch...Adam Sandler was robbed of an Oscar nomination for his raw nerve of a performance in this intense drama about a fast talking New York jeweler trying to stay ahead of some serious gambling debts and having to walk a very thin tightrope to do so. Sandler really proved himself an actor of substance with this unhinged performance that keeps this drama on sizzle. 4.5

Gideon58

08-26-24, 12:50 PM

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2nd Rewatch...A frighteningly unhinged performance by James Franco that should have earned him an Oscar nomination anchors this offbeat biopic of an eccentric and enigmatic filmmaker named Tommy Wiseau, who earned his 15 minutes directing a bizarre little movie called The Room. The movie follows Tommy's relationship with Greg (Franco's real life brother, Dave) and how their lack of success at getting acting jobs leads Tommy to the decision to write and direct a movie himself and have Greg star in it. The real meat of the story is the mystery behind who Tommy Wiseau really was...he spoke with a middle European accent and claimed he was from New Orleans, he spent 5 million dollars to make the movie and wouldn't tell Greg or anyone else where the money came from and wouldn't tell anyone how old he was. Especially love the end of the film where they show excerpts the movie's version of The Room and the same clips from The Room. Franco also directed the film and it received an Oscar nomination for Adapted Screenplay. An oddly riveting film experience. 4

Gideon58

08-26-24, 12:56 PM

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1st Rewatch...Surprisingly rich film version of the Judy Blume bestseller that follows a young girl adjusting to her family's move form Manhattan to suburban New Jersey and thrown into an emotional tailspin about the fact that she hasn't gotten her first period. Fans of the Bo Burnham movie Eight Grade will have a head start with this often movie look at pre-teen growing pains that pre-teens go through, not just puberty but a completely believable look at religious beliefs that climaxes in a sizzling dinner party where Margaret's Christian grandparents and her Jewish Grandmother battle for her soul. Abby Ryder Forston is a revelation as Margaret and gets solid support from Rachel McAdams as her mom and veteran scene-stealer Kathy Bates as her Jewish grandma. 4

Stirchley

08-26-24, 01:03 PM

Gideon58

08-26-24, 01:12 PM

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1st Rewatch...Clint Eastwood initially seemed an odd choice for the director's chair on this one, but he actually nails this beautifully expanded version of the Broadway jukebox musical that traces the rise and fall of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. With solid assistance from the screenplay Marshall Brickman and Rich Elice, Eastwood mounts a full bodied story that makes no bones about the fact that the group was initially funded by the mob. John Lloyd Young is allowed to reprise his Tony-Award winning role as Frankie Valli, utilizing that gorgeous voice of his, I could listen to this guy sing all day. That scene in the nightclub where Bob Gaudio first hears Frankie sing gives me chills. The real acting honors go to Erich Bergen as Gaudio and especially Vincent Piazza, who Boardwalk Empire fans might remember as Lucky Luciano,who pretty much steals the show as group leader Tommy DeVito. This film never got the acclaim it deserved for making a real movie out of a jukebox stage musical. As always with an Eastwood movie, production values are splendid, loved the way the musical numbers were given authentic sound and didn't sound just like dubbed in original recordings. 4

Gideon58

08-26-24, 01:23 PM

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3.5

Allaby

08-26-24, 01:27 PM

Because of Eve (1948) Watched on Tubi. A married couple, each with a sexual secret, go to a doctor while trying to conceive. Secrets are revealed and the doctor shows the couple education films about sexually transmitted diseases and childbirth. An explicit, at times graphic film, with more nudity than you would expect for 1948. If you enjoy these types of pretend educational (ie. exploitation) films, you will likely get a kick out of this. It's entertaining in its own way. 4

Robert the List

08-26-24, 01:56 PM

Frances Ha (2012)
Agh man.
So. Like, firstly I think they over do it imo. A fair bit of the middle of the movie for me is 'this is too much, it's too silly'. It loses marks for that.
Secondly, it's a beautiful looking film. Really, top quality work and all natural (I think). Now that is odd in a comedy, particularly a kooky comedy. It loses some of its beauty marks for that, but still gets some marks all the same.
Thirdly, "you're engaged?" is worth AT LEAST 0.25 on its own. Fourthly, it pulled it back to a really strong ending.
Sod it, I'll give it a 9.

Stirchley

08-26-24, 02:06 PM

Gideon58

08-26-24, 02:13 PM

Robert the List

08-26-24, 02:28 PM

Hated Frances Ha...a link to my review:

https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/1993049-frances_ha.html
This might be completely unfair of me, but I wonder if maybe you don't understand people who have to struggle?

Gideon58

08-26-24, 02:35 PM

I don't know, I do know I didn't understand this movie.

Stirchley

08-26-24, 02:46 PM

This might be completely unfair of me, but I wonder if maybe you don't understand people who have to struggle?

Strong statement from someone who’s only been here one month.

Gideon58

08-26-24, 03:48 PM

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/3b/Beverly_hills_cop_axel_foley_xxlg.jpg

3.5

pahaK

08-26-24, 04:05 PM

This might be completely unfair of me, but I wonder if maybe you don't understand people who have to struggle?

This might be completely unfair of me, but I wonder if maybe you don't understand that people have different tastes?

Galactic Traveler

08-26-24, 05:10 PM

A Kiss Before Dying (1956)

3

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Citizen Rules

08-26-24, 05:33 PM

A Kiss Before Dying (1956)

rating_3

https://resizing.flixster.com/_kuK4zvP3C4V6fF1BLO_ux5h7OI=/fit-in/180x240/v2/https://resizing.flixster.com/-XZAfHZM39UwaGJIFWKAE8fS0ak=/v3/t/assets/p4878_p_v8_ae.jpgThat's a good one. Virginia Leith one of my favorite 1950s actresses. Link to my review (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=2255705#post2255705)

LeBoyWondeur

08-26-24, 05:45 PM

Repulsion 1965

10/10 (I can't think of anything that would have improved this film)

matt72582

08-26-24, 06:12 PM

The Meetings of Anna - 4/10
Chantal Akerman sucks. But I know some think they're supposed to like her.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/b2/Les_Rendez-vous_d%27Anna_poster.png

Darth Pazuzu

08-26-24, 06:19 PM

My latest addition to my home collection...

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81Q4ms7dZGL._AC_UY218_.jpg

Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (John Sturges / 1957)

Not necessarily my favorite Wyatt Earp / Doc Holliday / Tombstone / O.K. Corral film - or even my favorite John Sturges film - but this is definitely a classy, well-made example of a Hollywood Western from the late '50s. And the new 4K transfer is just beautiful. I've actually seen Sturges' 1967 quasi-sequel Hour of the Gun (with James Garner and Jason Robards). Although I don't actually have it in my collection yet, I sort of regard that as slightly superior to this one. Interestingly enough, Hour of the Gun was the first movie to deal with the so-called Vendetta Ride, beginning with the notorious gunfight and then dealing with the aftermath and consequences, whereas with the earlier films the gunfight itself was the be-all / end-all that everything led up to. (The more recent films, 1993's Tombstone and 1994's Wyatt Earp, also deal with the Vendetta Ride.)

And at the local theater...

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/c/cb/Alien_Romulus_2024_%28poster%29.jpg/220px-Alien_Romulus_2024_%28poster%29.jpg

August 20, 2024

ALIEN: ROMULUS (Fede Álvarez / 2024)

Well... what can I say? First of all, on the upside, it was actually pretty darn good overall. I've been an admirer of Fede Álvarez's past films - including the oft-underrated 2013 Evil Dead remake - and here I think he did the best job he possibly could. While I don't think it's as good as Mike Flanagan's Doctor Sleep (2019) - in my opinion the Gold Standard of classic horror revisitations - it's also not the overly calculated franchise course correction that J.J. Abrams' Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) was. Chronologically speaking, it's sort of an "alternative sequel" to Ridley Scott's original Alien from 1979, not overriding the chronology or negating James Cameron's Aliens from 1986. There are actually quite a few really cool twists in the story here, in particular the zero-gravity shootout setpiece in which our characters have to dodge the floating acidic alien blood. I also like the fact that for the first time, we actually have a concrete reason why the big-bad Weyland-Yutani Corporation wants to get its hand on the Xenomorphic genome. It has to do with giving humanity a genetic boost to aid in the survival of humanity in the environments of less hospitable alien worlds marked for colonization. I also don't really mind the use of a certain now-deceased actor's facial and vocal likeness in the resurrection of a certain character from Ridley Scott's 1979 original. (You all probably know who it is at this point.) Hey, just so long as the actor's estate gets properly compensated! On the other hand, Alien: Romulus is really not much more than a "greatest hits" reel of past franchise successes (albeit an effective one), blending the atmosphere and aesthetics of Scott's '79 original with the weaponry and action beats of Cameron's '86 sequel (as well as a shameless callback line) - with a hefty dose of the mad-science-gone-too-far excesses of 1997's Alien Resurrection and Scott's own Prometheus from 2012. And although Scott himself has been displaced from the director's chair now occupied by Álvarez, as producer he manages to maintain continuity and even throws in a few references to the myth-making of his previous two films in the franchise.

In short, a very good franchise sci-fi / horror film, scary in places and maintaining the disturbing frisson of the original concept. (The physical effects are quite visceral and gooey without being overly reliant on CGI.) But I wouldn't necessarily call it a classic by any means...

Robert the List

08-26-24, 06:22 PM

This might be completely unfair of me, but I wonder if maybe you don't understand that people have different tastes?

FYI:

1. I rated Frances Ha (as a 9)

2. Gideon replied saying he/she didn't like it and pointing me to his/her review, which gave the movie 4/10.

3. Perhaps unlike others who have passed comment, I read Gideon's review.

4. I noted that the review was very critical of the lead character (a dancer struggling to find her way in life and struggling to make ends meet). Gideon's review include the comment that,

"She is an apprentice for a dance company because she thinks she's a dancer, but not really...People who are really good at what they do or really successful at what they do usually have a passion for it and Frances doesn't really have a passion for anything. When people ask Frances what she does for a living (which seems to be her least favorite question to answer), she says she's a dancer, but every time the director of the dance company where she works (Charlotte D'Ambroise) offers her studio time and space for her own work. she makes an excuse as to why she's not interested.".

5. I perceived from the review, that Gideon might potentially not relate to people who are struggling in life the way the lead is in Frances Ha, and that might be a reason for the difference in our assessments which Gideon had pointed out.
I raised that in a respectful and polite manner.

6. Gideon replied constructively saying he/she wasn't sure, but he/she didn't understand the film.

7. In summary, Gideon sought to discuss the film with me in response to my rating, and I replied to that response. Gideon seemed fine with that. I see no reason to suspect that I have an issue with people having different views on films to my own. It was in fact Gideon who showed me his/her opinion of the film in response to me stating my opinion.

Robert the List

08-26-24, 06:27 PM

The Meetings of Anna - 4/10
Chantal Akerman sucks. But I know some think they're supposed to like her.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/b2/Les_Rendez-vous_d%27Anna_poster.png
The best thing Ackerman did impo, was the first 30 minutes of her first film Je, Tu, Il, Elle.
Imo that was fantastic, ground breaking and mould setting for slow cinema. I thought that the film went downhill from there, and I've not liked anything else I've seen of hers (apart from Letters Home which was quite a neat idea and seemed decent)!

matt72582

08-26-24, 09:02 PM

The best thing Ackerman did impo, was the first 30 minutes of her first film Je, Tu, Il, Elle.
Imo that was fantastic, ground breaking and mould setting for slow cinema. I thought that the film went downhill from there, and I've not liked anything else I've seen of hers (apart from Letters Home which was quite a neat idea and seemed decent)!

Same with this movie. Decent start, and then .... Although I liked the one you mentioned more. "An Apartment in NY" was decent. Never liked "Jeanne Dielmann"

MovieGal

08-26-24, 10:04 PM

This might be completely unfair of me, but I wonder if maybe you don't understand that people have different tastes?

He doesn't.

He tried to suggest a film and tell me I would like it. It was some 1960s film. Citizen said that it was a good idea to understand that wasn't my type of movie.

Robert the List

08-27-24, 12:46 AM

He doesn't.

He tried to suggest a film and tell me I would like it. It was some 1960s film. Citizen said that it was a good idea to understand that wasn't my type of movie.

WHAT YOU CLAIM HAPPENED
1. I tried to suggest a 60s film and tell you you would like it.
2. Citizen said that it was a good idea to understand that wasn't my type of movie.

WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED
1. On a thread about the 60s, I mentioned Alphaville (1965), and said it was so influential, including on things like Blade Runner and even stuff like Naked Gun
2. You said this is a thread about the 60s, don't mention films like Naked Gun as they aren't from the 60s.
3. I jokingly replied saying that Naked Gun is the greatest 60s film
4. Citizen said don't say things like that to MovieGal or you are asking for trouble

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

TheManBehindTheCurtain

08-27-24, 01:48 AM

Mission: Cross (2024) - 4/5

Korean comedy/thriller. Yum Jung-ah is terrific as the wise-cracking police woman investigating fraudsters … and maybe her husband. Lots of good fun. Netflix.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c5/MissionCrossFilmPoster.jpg

iluv2viddyfilms

08-27-24, 03:52 AM

La Piscine (1969) - A
The Man Who Wasn't There - A-
Any Number Can Win - A+

Enjoying some Alain Delon films since the news of his passing... and yes a Coen’s film in between. Each of those are on Criterion Channel now btw.

Fabulous

08-27-24, 05:01 AM

Miracle Mile (1988)

4

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/1wE1FqYnGL8cUOCT7XYDBxi9WLP.jpg

PHOENIX74

08-27-24, 06:06 AM

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/f5/HotelTransylvania.jpg
By http://alienbee.net/final-one-sheet-for-hotel-transylvania/, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=32034660

Hotel Transylvania - (2012)

It's not the funniest animated comedy going around, this one, but it's kind of sweet and I'll be damned if I didn't glom onto these characters as if they were real. The design of each one is okay, but overall I get the impression that Hotel Transylvania is a bit of a knock-off and cash grab - with songs that sound like they were written by cynical people in it for the money. I'm coming to the end of a 'stack' - another pile of DVDs where I'm getting to the titles I still want to see, but want to see the least. Sometimes I'm pleasantly surprised, sometimes the movie is just as bad as I though it'd be, and sometimes it's way worse. Hotel Transylvania surprised me by getting me strangely emotionally invested - but I was going through some of my old stuff and feeling nostalgic while wondering about sliding doors. I was susceptible. If I were a kid though, this might have been a guilty pleasure for me (and I would have felt very guilty and told nobody about it.) Dracula's daughter finds a human boyfriend - it's not Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, and it's no threat to Monsters Inc. But I liked it a little bit, despite the fact that the screenplay had some awful lines in it (for those Happy Madison schlubs to let out.) Somehow this has heart despite itself.

6/10

Robert the List

08-27-24, 08:39 AM

I reckon Frances Ha is like a comedy version of Whiplash.

LeBoyWondeur

08-27-24, 08:49 AM

The Scarlet Empress 1934

Not the most compelling story but there are many other things to enjoy, and of course the grotesque set pieces are to die for.
Louise Dresser seems to enjoy playing the bitchy Empress and Sam Jaffe is properly creepy as the Grand Duke.
The bombastic score is a little intrusive sometimes, especially during the wedding ceremony that seemed to go on forever.

7/10

FilmBuff

08-27-24, 12:15 PM

https://thefilmstage.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/SLINGSHOT-Final-Poster-1-1383x2048.jpg

Slingshot
3.5

If you enjoy movies that have a tendency to pull the narrative rug from beneath your feet, Slingshot might just be your cup of tea (and if you don't, then maybe you shouldn't even try to watch it).

There is little about it that can be said without potentially spoiling many of the movie's twists (and there are many). On the surface it appears to be about a trio of astronauts embarking on a dangerous mission to Titan by means of a dangerous maneuver called a "slingshot" that seeks to take advantage of a planet's gravitational field.

But, as the expression goes, sometimes things are not what they seem.

Whether you think the movie is a valiant effort to explore the mysteries of the human mind, or nothing more than a shaggy-dog joke told over the space of 2 hours, is going to have to be up to you to determine.

If you're like me, you'll have fun trying to determine what's real, what isn't, what might be real, and what definitely isn't. And it's not as easy as it sounds.

iluv2viddyfilms

08-27-24, 12:49 PM

I reckon Frances Ha is like a comedy version of Whiplash.

There's a good idea there, but the characters are incredibly shallow and not interesting to watch nor is there any investment in their conflict. Also the main actress is beyond horrible and sounds like she is reading her lines.

Robert the List

08-27-24, 01:18 PM

nor is there any investment in their conflict

what does this mean please?

Gideon58

08-27-24, 01:36 PM

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BY2NkZjEzMDgtN2RjYy00YzM1LWI4ZmQtMjIwYjFjNmI3ZGEwXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNzkwMjQ5NzM@._V1_.jpg

5th rewatch...Though over the years I have to admit to preferring Casino in terms of pure entertainment value, there is no denying that this film is Martin Scorsese's masterpiece. Robbed of the 1990 Oscar for Best Picture, This is the true story of how a young man named Henry Hill who fulfilled a lifelong dream of becoming a gangster that brought the glamour of being a mobster to the story, led to Hill being taken down and living the rest of his life in witness protection until his death a few years ago. Scorsese's mob epic is explosively bloody and unapologetic with one riveting scene after another. The story of Billy Bats and Henry's stormy marriage to Karen are definitely standout elements of the story, as well as ticking time bomb Tommy DeVito, who we never know what he's going to do from one scene to the next. Joe Pesci won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his DeVito and Lorraine Bracco received a supporting actress nomination for her fiery Karen. 5

Gideon58

08-27-24, 01:43 PM

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMTc0NDY4MDA5M15BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwNTQyMzcwMzE@._V1_.jpg

1st Rewatch...Despite a near brilliant performance from Seth Rogen, this 2009 black comedy did not play as well as it did on my original watch. Rogan plays Ronnie Barnhardt, a mall cop who takes his job a little too seriously who is determined to catch a flasher who has been exposing himself to female shoppers in the parking lot. He is determined to catch the guy until his boss calls in a police detective (Ray Liotta) to handle the case. Ronnie then decides to pursue his real dream of enrolling in the police academy and when the academy refuses admittance because of suspected mental issues, something inside Ronnie snaps and this is where the movie goes off the rails. It starts off relatively funny, but around the halfway point, the laughs begin to peter away into some squirm worthy violence and odd character reveals that make it hard to stay invested in everything. This film starts out very funny but gradually just becomes sad and scary, though Rogen fans should definitely give it a look. 2.5

Gideon58

08-27-24, 01:49 PM

https://i5.walmartimages.com/seo/Blazing-Saddles-Blu-ray_a751d17a-f2d0-47c6-8e17-b88a43130213.3390fa648d5e41f781c5d0f4f7079b9b.jpeg?odnHeight=768&odnWidth=768&odnBg=FFFFFF

Umpteenth Rewatch...Mel Brooks originally wanted Richard Pryor to play Sheriff Bart, but studio heads wouldn't allow it because they felt Pryor was too controversial a personality to headline the project, though Pryor did end up participating in the screenplay, allowing Cleavon Little the opportunity to deliver a star-making performance as the sheriff initially shunned by the small western town of Rock Ridge who comes to their rescue. Harvey Korman steals every scene he's in as the evil Hedley Lamarr and Madeline Kahn's Lilli Von Schtupp earned her a Best Supporting Actress nomination...her musical number "I'm Tired" never gets old. Gottq give a shout out to Slim Pickens as Taggart too. The movie still makes me laugh out loud as it did during its release 50 years ago. 5

Allaby

08-27-24, 01:58 PM

Kinds of Kindness (2024) The wonderfully weird Yorgos Lanthimos strikes again with another odd and enjoyable winner. Good performances from a great cast including Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, and Willem Dafoe, and an interesting screenplay make this unusual film a rewarding and entertaining experience. I would rank this as the 5th best film of the year so far. 4

Gideon58

08-27-24, 02:00 PM

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNzAzOTk1OTIyM15BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwNDIzNTQzMQ@@._V1_.jpg

3rd Rewatch...Will Ferrell had one of his funniest outings here that a lot of people didn't care for, but I think it's hysterical. Ferrell plays professional stock car driver Ricky Bobby who has it all: a gorgeous wife, two kids, money, fame, and Cal, his own Barney Rubble who doesn't mind staying in Ricky's shadow. Everything changes when Ricky has a meltdown on the track after an accident and has to be hospitalized for several months. When he gets out, he discovers Cal has moved in with his wife and kids and is terrified of ever racing again, until his deadbeat dad returns to his life and vows to help Ricky get back on the track. The film features a smart and funny screenplay that takes some nice potshots at stock car acing and the advertising business. Ferrell also has a terrific cast backing him, including Step Brothers co-star John C Reilly as Cal, Lesiie Bibb as his wife, Sasha Baron Cohen as a rival driver, Jane Lynch as his mother, Michael Clarke Duncan, Jack MacBrayer, Jenna Fisher, David Koechner, Molly Shannon, Greg German, though the film is just about stolen by the ridiculously versatile Gary Cole as Ricky's father. Lots and lots of laughs here. 3.5

Gideon58

08-27-24, 04:35 PM

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNTUxMTExODctNTE4Yy00MWNhLWJjN2MtMzcyYjUyZDBkNzM2XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTk5MjAyMjM@._V1_.jpg

3

Thief

08-27-24, 04:46 PM

SEVEN DAYS IN MAY
(1964, Frankenheimer)

https://i.imgur.com/J9IoUwF.jpeg

"Why in God's name do we elect a man President and then try to see how fast we can kill him?"

Seven Days in May follows President Jordan Lyman (Fredric March), who finds himself in that lose-lose situation after he agrees to sign a nuclear disarmament treaty with the Soviet Union. His intention to end the Cold War and try to bring peace to the world is seen as a weakness and a threat by General James Mattoon Scott (Burt Lancaster), who decides to lead a cabal of military leaders to organize a coup against the President. In the middle of the crossfire is the Director of the Joints Chief of Staff, Colonel "Jiggs" Casey (Kirk Douglas), who serves Scott but who's also able to understand Lyman's actions.

As most of Frankenheimer's films, he does a great job of building up tension. It's worth noting that this is a political thriller and not an action film, so most of that is done through conversations and meetings. The fact that they work shows how skillful Frankenheimer is as a director. There is also some gorgeous cinematography in terms of how certain camera angles are used and how characters are positioned in certain scenes that I found to be quite effective.

Grade: 4

Full review on my Movie Loot (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2483028#post2483028)

LChimp

08-27-24, 04:54 PM

https://images.fineartamerica.com/images/artworkimages/medium/3/evangelion-333-anime-prints.jpg

Evangelion 3.33 You Can (not) Redo - (2012)

Honestly, I didn't understand anything that was being shown. Literally nothing

3/10

Mr Minio

08-27-24, 05:16 PM

Honestly, I didn't understand anything that was being shown. Literally nothing
If you look straight into the sun and lose your sight don't blame the sun, but your eyes.

LeBoyWondeur

08-27-24, 07:10 PM

https://media.fstatic.com/C6iPPaLLwLLFWXHdvRODUkSn2Mc=/322x478/smart/filters:format(webp)/media/movies/covers/2019/10/add_por_funeste_ygsTiRw.jpg

A brilliantly eccentric comedy drama co-written and co-directed by the very talented Alexis Kanner who - for whatever reason - never made it as "big" as he could have.
Perhaps the obscurity adds to his appeal, but I could easily picture him as a 1970s or 1980s James Bond villain.

Anyway, Mahoney's Last Stand deserves a proper DVD release (hello, Criterion?)

9/10

chawhee

08-28-24, 09:59 AM

Blade Runner (1982)
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/56/9c/0b/569c0b9a78da875d7d7f9cb6b404ec08.jpg
4
I really did myself a disservice by not watching this before BR2049...finally found a way to watch the original here, and I would argue it holds up very well (acting, effects, and otherwise).

Allaby

08-28-24, 12:03 PM

The Adventures of Snow White and Rose Red (2018) Watched on Tubi. Real life sisters Demetra Zorbas and Callista Zorbas star as Snow White and Rose Red who go on a journey where they encounter famous fairy tale characters, most of whom are played by teens or kids. This was quite charming and delightful. The cast is super cute and they give enjoyable performances. I liked the costumes and the cinematography too. 4

FilmBuff

08-28-24, 12:17 PM

Snow White really has been in the spotlight lately... :p

Allaby

08-28-24, 12:19 PM

Snow White really has been in the spotlight lately... :p

This one might be the cutest Snow White I've seen in a movie though.

Gideon58

08-28-24, 01:47 PM

SEVEN DAYS IN MAY
(1964, Frankenheimer)

https://i.imgur.com/J9IoUwF.jpeg

Seven Days in May follows President Jordan Lyman (Fredric March), who finds himself in that lose-lose situation after he agrees to sign a nuclear disarmament treaty with the Soviet Union. His intention to end the Cold War and try to bring peace to the world is seen as a weakness and a threat by General James Mattoon Scott (Burt Lancaster), who decides to lead a cabal of military leaders to organize a coup against the President. In the middle of the crossfire is the Director of the Joints Chief of Staff, Colonel "Jiggs" Casey (Kirk Douglas), who serves Scott but who's also able to understand Lyman's actions.

As most of Frankenheimer's films, he does a great job of building up tension. It's worth noting that this is a political thriller and not an action film, so most of that is done through conversations and meetings. The fact that they work shows how skillful Frankenheimer is as a director. There is also some gorgeous cinematography in terms of how certain camera angles are used and how characters are positioned in certain scenes that I found to be quite effective.

Grade: 4

Full review on my Movie Loot (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2483028#post2483028)

I attempted to watch this a couple of times when I was a teenager but got bored with it and turned it off, I might have to give it another go.

Gideon58

08-28-24, 01:57 PM

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BN2E1ZmU5NDQtNjdlZC00Y2VhLTk2MWMtMmU0M2YyY2E3MTkyXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTAwMzUyOTc@._V1_.jpg

1st Rewatch...James L Brooks followed up his Oscar winning Best Picture Terms of Endearment with this lavish romantic comedy set in the world of television news. The core of the film is a triangle about Jane (Holly Hunter), a compulsive control freak television producer who finds herself involved with Tom (William Hurt) a pretty boy news anchor who has skated through his career on his looks and Aaron (Albert Brooks) a brilliant journalist who is a walking encyclopedia of news history and madly in love with Jane. The refreshing thing about this story is that these three lead characters know exactly who they are and don't pretend to be someone they're not. Needless to say, with Brooks at the helm, this is not your average love triangle that keeps you guessing as to exactly if and how it will resolve itself. There is a subplot about a 24 million dollar budget cut at the station that will involve a lot of people at the station losing their jobs that makes the film longer than it needs to be, but when it concentrates on the romantic triangle, it totally works. The 1987 film received seven Oscar nominations, including Best Picture and nominations for all three leads, with a standout performance by Brooks, arguably his finest performance. There's also a glorified cameo from Jack Nicholson as the station's #1 anchor. Appointment viewing for fans of James L Brooks and Albert Brooks. 3

Thief

08-28-24, 02:03 PM

I attempted to watch this a couple of times when I was a teenager but got bored with it and turned it off, I might have to give it another go.

I can see how "teenage" me might've been bored by it as well. There are no action sequences and it all moves through conversations, meetings, etc.

Gideon58

08-28-24, 02:04 PM

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BODgwYzI3ZGMtODRiOC00MDIzLWIyOTQtOTUwMmZiNTcxZDAxXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTA4NjE0NjEy._V1_.jpg

1st Rewatch...This crime drama features some strong visuals that are pointless because of a story where a lot of characters involved make some really stupid moves. Jamie Foxx and TI play a pair of Las Vegas cops who steal a shipment of cocaine and when the real owner of the coke learns what happens, Foxx's teenage son is kidnapped right from his car with Foxx in the driver's seat. Foxx;s dilemma is further complicated by a pair of internal affairs officers (Michelle Monaghan, David Harbour) tracking his every move. The movie is OK up to the kidnapping, but after that, everyone involved in the story start making a lot of stupid moves that make no sense, leading to an 11:00 reveal that makes no sense either. The film even sets up a sequel at the end, but thank God, that never came to fruition. Foxx and Monaghan are good, as is Scoot McNairy as bad guy Novak, but can't disguise all the dumb stuff that happens here. 2

Gideon58

08-28-24, 02:14 PM

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BOGUyZDUxZjEtMmIzMC00MzlmLTg4MGItZWJmMzBhZjE0Mjc1XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTMxODk2OTU@._V1_FMjpg_UX1000_.j pg

1st Rewatch...Stylish direction and a ferocious Oscar-winning screenplay by Aaron Sorkin are the true stars of this blistering docudrama focusing on internet guru Mark Zuckerberg and how he stole the idea for Facebook from a pair of rowing crew twins, which eventually leads to him facing twin lawsuits. Everything works here, especially the presentation of Zuckerberg, which makes no attempt at making the character likable. Jesse Eisenberg's icy performance as Zuckerberg earned him a Best Actor nomination. There is also standout work from Andrew Garfield as Eduardo Savarin, Justin Timberlake as Sean Parker, and a remarkable performance by Armie Hammer as the rowing twins. In addition to Sorkin's screenplay, the film also won Oscars for film editing and music score. Mesmerizing and uncompromising movie entertainment. 4.5

Stirchley

08-28-24, 02:19 PM

matt72582

08-28-24, 02:26 PM

July Rain - 6.5/10
The 2nd half is much better.

https://youtu.be/37LJpExHdLQ

FilmBuff

08-28-24, 04:54 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAwQsObHgzA

解密
1.5

解密, or Decoded as it's being called in the U.S., is a decidedly bad adaptation of a novel that actually got pretty good reviews, and which was written by an actual former member of the Chinese military.

That the novel on which this is based was written by someone with possible actual experience in the Chinese military tells us - absolutely nothing; as reviewers pointed out when praising the novel (https://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/04/books/review/decoded-by-mai-jia.html), it probably is mostly entirely fictional.

The movie does seem, at first impression, to have at least a vaguely tenuous connection to real-life spycraft.

But what little resemblance to real life counter-intelligence activities this might have had go largely out the window once it becomes its protagonist (Liu Haoran) will rely largely on the interpretation of his own dreams to crack the toughest encryption ever devised by U.S. intelligence at the height of the Cold War.

Yup, you read that correctly: a single Chinese code-breaker relies on interpreting his own dreams to crack the toughest encryption hitherto devised by the U.S. National Security Agency.

You see, it also happens that the cryptography expert at the NSA is none other than Professor Liseiwicz, played with broad abandon by a puffy-looking John Cusack; the professor was the former mentor of the Chinese code-breaker, after which the young man was recruited by China's top military agency.

If that wasn't already loopy enough, the Chinese code-breaker's dreams are brought to life with extraordinarily cheesy computer graphics, which most closely resemble an AI program with remarkably bad taste, or a computer screensaver from the 1990s.

To make matters worse, the movie goes on for a mind-numbing 2 and 1/2 hours.

But you might have drifted off long before the movie ends, enjoying some sweet dreams of your own.

Thief

08-28-24, 05:01 PM

SING STREET
(2016, Carney)

https://i.imgur.com/aSrjSWq.png

"I don't know who I am. Maybe I'm happy-sad, too. I don't know."

Set in the mid-80's, Sing Street follows Conor (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo) as he embarks on this search for identity through music. When he is transferred to a new school because of his parents impending separation and divorce, he seeks refuge in forming a music band with some classmates. Conor's "muse" comes in the form of Raphina (Lucy Boynton), an enigmatic older girl who hangs in front of their school. After he dares to approach her, she agrees to appear in their music videos, which ultimately fuels their musical journey. On the sideline, there's also Conor's older brother, Brendan (Jack Reynor) who gives him frequent advice about music, life, love, and other stuff.

The musical angle is on-point, with most of the songs being really catchy. I don't know if they will stick with me as much as the ones in Once did, but I enjoyed listening to them. I also appreciated the way the film shows the camaraderie and rapport between the band members, especially Conor and Eamon (Mark McKenna). The way they play that Lennon/McCartney vibe felt special, and I wish I could've gotten more of that symbiotic musical relationship as they both grow and evolve. They are growing, going through all the changes that teendom brings, which in many cases means you're going to be "happy-sad" and not sure of what you are or how you feel.

Grade: 4

Full review on my Movie Loot (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2483318#post2483318)

Dead2009

08-28-24, 05:13 PM

Longlegs - 3/10

Tugg

08-28-24, 05:31 PM

Greedy People (2024) 2.5
https://i0.wp.com/themoviedb.org/t/p/w780/1UzAEzVO34cBAQ5Hk3r7QoqK42P.jpg
Longlegs (2024) 3.5
https://image-cdn.hypb.st/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2024%2F07%2F14%2Flonglegs-debuts-22-6-million-usd-box-office-tw.jpg?w=960&cbr=1&q=90&fit=max

FilmBuff

08-28-24, 05:52 PM

http://fr.web.img4.acsta.net/pictures/17/03/02/10/12/219700.jpg

Orpheline
3

Arnaud des Pallières's cryptic look at challenges faced by several women in France is noteworthy for featuring Gemma Arterton in a rare French-language performance; equally memorable is Adèle Exarchopoulos as a teenage runaway.

But the story is diffusive and inconclusive, just as likely to baffle as to illuminate, so YMMV.

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BZDM0Njc5MDgtYzkxMC00YWJiLWI0NzAtNGE5OTEyN2U5YmI4XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjA4OTAyOQ@@._V1_FMjpg_UX1000_.j pg

Bronco Bullfrog
3

One of those rare movies that, if anything, seems to have gotten better with age; this 1969 British teen drama is like fine wine.

Shot in London’s East End in 1969, the film has been compared to the work of other (more prestigious) British filmmakers like Mike Leigh and Ken Loach - but with a bit of punk spirit.

Looked at with the benefit of hindsight, Bronco Bullfrog is the filmic grandaddy of Trainspotting.

LeBoyWondeur

08-28-24, 06:43 PM

https://www.allaboutmovies.com.au/media/k2/items/cache/27892e90448a15450607187ca395af57_M.jpg

It reminds me very much of the 80s TV movies from anthology series like Hammer House Of Mystery And Suspense (the follow-up to Hammer House Of Horror).
It's very pleasant and has its moments of intrigue but it just doesn't feel special enough for a theatrical release. Robert Powell is as enigmatic as you'd expect him to be, and the rest of the cast is OK (but not spectacular).

6.5/10

Marco

08-28-24, 08:39 PM

Killer's Moon (1978)
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/19/Killer%27s_Moon.jpeg
Slasher (but not that slashy) about 4 rum gentlemen with mental issues treated at a country farm with LSD and told to "live out their fantasies". So escape, rape and murder we're talking here. The poor unfortunates that become the brunt of their mania are a group of posh school-girls who's coach breaks down on the way to a concert. The fellas believe they are in a collective dream you see and it is part of their "therapy". I saw this as a kid as a Vid Nasty and fancied a rewatch (it's in Youtube). The nudity is sparse and the image of the girls running about with their white nightgowns years on retains it's memory. The 4 dudes are very funny also.
3

Fabulous

08-28-24, 08:52 PM

The Scalphunters (1968)

3.5

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/5F4UVIChHtekl5i8nUXrI0hCxd9.jpg

Galactic Traveler

08-28-24, 10:24 PM

Murder, My Sweet (1944)

3 out of 5

https://resizing.flixster.com/Eg5hL7TP4uUuqcoiZ0qA4k_exxA=/fit-in/180x240/v2/https://resizing.flixster.com/-XZAfHZM39UwaGJIFWKAE8fS0ak=/v3/t/assets/p5230_p_v10_ag.jpg

PHOENIX74

08-29-24, 04:39 AM

https://i.postimg.cc/kgmJ57Xz/wally.jpg
Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=39195833

The Honourable Wally Norman - (2003)

A drunk politician accidentally nominates an average, everyday worker for parliament - and then tries to fix things, via sabotaging his campaign, so he doesn't get elected when he decides to take up the challenge. I've read so much that perfectly describes The Honourable Wally Norman. "Lacks bite", "dreary", "pretty bland", "a shallow and contrived affair" and "like being offered a dried-out chop, fake mash and over-cooked broccoli, when you were invited over for a juicy lamb roast." The problem with Australian political satires is the fact that so many films here these days are bankrolled via government grants, and nobody wants to offend the people putting up the money for your movie - and in any event, when you step outside the norm and fail here you'll be crucified to the extent that you'll certainly never work again, so it's safer to fail with much more conventional offerings and live another day. This is the kind of Australian film that doesn't even have an overseas market, and made $181,395 at the box office - which is too much if you ask me. It gets a score as high as 4 because Shaun Micallef is in it - a comic genius (who's not given much to work with at all.) Another few million dollars down the toilet.

4/10

xSookieStackhouse

08-29-24, 08:22 AM

waiting for someone to do the crow remake review, i dont know if im gonna watch it or not cause the crow (1994) original movie is my #1 favorite movie of all time

matt72582

08-29-24, 03:26 PM

Three Poplars in Plyushchikha - 7.5/10
A movie friend I know recommended me this, describing it like "Brief Encounter" (Lean). When I saw the photograph of the woman, I wanted to see the movie. The other two times I did see a movie based on a face (thanks to Stirchley posting), they were both great. I really liked this woman, but I also like to see how things are (even if it's just a movie) in Russia.. She was so flirtatious in the first half of the movie, but in a very cute way.

I loved a comment she made about America.. "It's dangerous there"

And it's on Tubi.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/7c/Three_Poplars_in_Plyushcikha.jpg

FilmBuff

08-29-24, 05:08 PM

https://i1.wp.com/www.themoviedb.org/t/p/w1280/xzLHtzyAYP2BbgRJktxMKMIObXx.jpg

Searching for Mr Rugoff
2.5

A documentary that manages to be fairly fascinating, without necessarily being particularly well-made, Searching for Mr. Rugoff will take you back to the halcyon days of indie and foreign-language movies making a big splash in the theaters of New York City's Upper East Side.

Granted, that might sound like something that requires a lot of insider knowledge - but it really doesn't. All it takes is that you know about some of the landmark film releases that were making huge waves with discriminating viewers in the late 60s and early 70s, and the zeal of the man who (by all accounts) made this happen.

At the height of his career, Rugoff was extremely close with filmmakers like Jean-Luc Godard, Francois Truffaut, Lina Wertmuller, Costa-Gavras, Robert Downey Sr, and all of Monty Python. He championed many of their films and helped them gain wide popularity in America

The days when someone like Rugoff could almost single-handedly change the face of film releasing in the US are definitely behind us - even indie film today depends largely on corporate-owned distributors.

The studios were caught flat-footed once, and they did not intend to let it happen again.

Galactic Traveler

08-29-24, 10:17 PM

The Big Sleep (1946)

4 out of 5

https://resizing.flixster.com/GL0zi71pTDfUQxUlFogXC1MApsk=/fit-in/180x240/v2/https://resizing.flixster.com/-XZAfHZM39UwaGJIFWKAE8fS0ak=/v3/t/assets/p905_p_v8_aa.jpg

FilmBuff

08-29-24, 11:52 PM

https://s3.amazonaws.com/nightjarprod/content/uploads/sites/3/2024/08/28105404/afraid-poster.jpg

AFRAID
3.5

Does AFRAID seem like the kind of movie that is written by AI?

Oddly enough, no, I don't think there's an AI program in the world that could master the kind of campy cheesiness this movie embraces in the most reckless way imaginable.

Which doesn't make it a great movie, of course, but definitely an entertaining one in its own brand of awfulness.

A fairly good cast does what it can to keep things from getting too wacky, and for the most part succeeds, as the movie can be dumb fun so long as you don't start to think about it too hard.

And, at a mere 84 minutes, it really doesn't overstay its welcome, unlike the AI maleficence that is the movie's indestructible villain.

Fabulous

08-30-24, 02:15 AM

Bad Boys (1995)

3

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/x5ALlgbSQoK5NMiHWxgy3sOKrGU.jpg

PHOENIX74

08-30-24, 02:24 AM

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/71/Bait_theatrical_poster.jpg
By The poster art can or could be obtained from Early Day Films., Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=62303991

Bait - (2019)

Bait is a very moody film, and works at you emotionally without being an intellectual exercise, but at the same time there's a cornucopia of experimental movie-making techniques that Jenkin plays with for one to analyse.

8/10

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/9e/Hersmellposter.jpg
By Studio and or Graphic Artist - IMP Awards, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=58417361

Her Smell - (2018)

Working through the corridors, dressing rooms, toilets, mirrors, drug-laden tables and chairs made me think briefly of racing through a submarine in Das Boot - tight spaces where the only implosion will be that of a rock star - all the glamour, sparkle and shine turned to horror via fame and it's chemical attendees.

8/10

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/19/Aniara_%282018%29_Film_Poster.jpg
By Meta Film Stockholm; Meta Film - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7589524/mediaviewer/rm3000397056, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=63026201

Aniara - (2018)

I love science fiction related to space travel/exploration when done well, and this was. What I also liked was the fact that Aniara was so far removed from the Hollywood version of this (seen in the likes of Passengers), getting it's hands dirty and acknowledging how messy we are - in every way. It's limited by it's budget, but I liked it very much all the same.

7/10

Fabulous

08-30-24, 07:36 AM

We Are Marshall (2006)

3.5

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/q2PpX9mCvVOawgBW6P5gPfQgD2R.jpg

Thief

08-30-24, 12:08 PM

BAD LIEUTENANT
(1992, Ferrara)

https://i.imgur.com/IkLV60w.jpeg

"I've been biting the fu¢king bullet since I was 14. No one can kill me. I'm blessed... I'm a catholic."

Bad Lieutenant follows the titular character (Harvey Keitel), a corrupt cop that revels in drugs, sex, and gambling; biting the bullet since he was a teenager. When a young nun ends up raped and tortured, the investigation puts him face to face with his own inner demons of guilt and regrets.

This is one of those films that's not a pleasant experience, which is totally the intention. The film transmits the seediness of the main character onto the screen, with a grimy look and vibe that you just want to shake off afterwards. We see LT, as he is often called, wallowing in all kinds of excesses in a way that's far from pretty and enticing. His actions being probably a reflection of his tortured soul.

Grade: 3.5

Full review on my Movie Loot (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2483827#post2483827)

Thief

08-30-24, 01:09 PM

THE ASCENT
(1977, Shepitko)

https://i.imgur.com/8YDBAAL.jpeg

"We're soldiers. Soldiers. Don't crawl in shit. You'll never wash it off."

Set in the Soviet Union in the middle of World War II, The Ascent follows two soldiers: Sotnikov and Rybak (Boris Plotnikov and Vladimir Gostyukhin), that end up away from their unit, injured, and lost in the wilderness. As they try to find their way back to safety, they seek refuge in the house of struggling mother Demchikha (Lyudmila Polyakova). As the Nazis draw closer, the three have to wrestle with the enemy, cold and hunger, as well as their own consciences.

This is a film I hadn't heard of before, but what a pleasant surprise it was. The story presents these characters thrust in an impossible situation where "crawling in shit" seems inevitable. The question remains in who is willing to do so, even when it means not being able to "wash it off" afterwards. That quote was from Sotnikov to Rybak; a warning not to try to appease the enemy and cooperate, but rather "to be true to yourself".

Grade: 4

Full review on my Movie Loot (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2483850#post2483850)

Gideon58

08-30-24, 01:46 PM

https://i5.walmartimages.com/asr/33dea865-a476-46a3-a459-98681a8c50d2.bde4c85a35982f55f645b49dc3dd309b.png

1st Rewatch...The Oscar-worthy performance by Nicolas Cage is the best thing about this feature length episode of The Twilight Zone which finds Cage playing a college professor who starts appearing in strangers' dreams, where the dreamer is in some kind of danger and he just is standing to the side and observing. These dreams make him an instant celebrity until the nature of the dreams change and he starts participating in the dreams in varied ways. Cage works very hard at making us accept this, but the story is just not rooted in any kind of logic or reality. 3.5

Gideon58

08-30-24, 01:52 PM

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81Ppvu0AZJL._AC_UF894,1000_QL80_.jpg

1st Rewatch...Improper marketing and an oddball story hurt this film about an unhappy magazine writer named Lloyd Vogel (Matthew Rhys) who finds his life changed when he is given an assignment to interview the legendary Fred Rogers (Tom Hanks) of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. TPTB tried to market this film as a Fred Rogers biopic but the film is not really about Rogers, it's about this very damaged writer Lloyd Vogel and the strained relationship with his father (Chris Cooper). Rhys is excellent and Hanks works very hard to be a believable Fred Rogers but he never disappears into the character the way we want him to, we never forget it's Tom Hanks. If you're looking for a movie about Fred Rogers, you'll fare much better with a documentary called Won't You Be My Neighbor?. 3.5

Gideon58

08-30-24, 02:01 PM

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91K7-GdNx1L._AC_UF894,1000_QL80_.jpg

1st Rewatch...This gritty and slow-moving drama of crime and family dysfunction features a solid cast but sluggish direction. Russell (Oscar winner Christian Bale) and Rodney (Oscar winner Casey Affleck) are brothers who are trying to start their lives over again in the steel mill town where they grew up. Russell has just finished a lengthy jail term and Rodney has just finished four tours of Iraq. Rodney has some serious debt to a slimy drug dealer (Woody Harrelson) that he is trying to take care of through bare-knuckle fist fighting, which doesn't go as planned and when Rodney disappears, Russell decides to take the law into his own hands to find his brother. The characters are interesting, but this movie seems seven hours long. The opening scene which introduces Harrelson's character, is one of the most disturbing introductions of a movie character I have ever seen, but it's Affleck's explosive performance that owns this film, though it's enough to prevent the occasional checking of the watch. 2.5

Tugg

08-30-24, 02:03 PM

Strange Darling (2023-2024) 5
https://imageio.forbes.com/specials-images/imageserve/66c90079676eccf1d4cd8a38/-Strange-Darling--partial-poster/0x0.jpg?format=jpg&crop=1080,607,x0,y716,safe&width=960

Gideon58

08-30-24, 02:06 PM

https://people.com/thmb/zr0xTYA-GdKY6s67Ua4B15AotQI=/4000x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(674x0:676x2)/barbie-film-040623-3-2000-7397405bc6f0493d80ef365a55fba7eb.jpg

4th Rewatch...This sparkling comic fantasy is just as entertaining as the first watch thanks to an imaginative screenplay by director Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach, extraordinary production values, and charming performances by Margot Robbie in the title role, America Ferrera's Oscar nominated performance as Gloria, Will Ferrell as the President of Mattel, and especially Ryan Gosling, in his Oscar-nominated performance as Ken that just lights up the screen. People seem to either really love this movie or really hate it. Count me in on the former. 4

Gideon58

08-30-24, 02:07 PM

BAD LIEUTENANT
(1992, Ferrara)

https://i.imgur.com/IkLV60w.jpeg

Bad Lieutenant follows the titular character (Harvey Keitel), a corrupt cop that revels in drugs, sex, and gambling; biting the bullet since he was a teenager. When a young nun ends up raped and tortured, the investigation puts him face to face with his own inner demons of guilt and regrets.

This is one of those films that's not a pleasant experience, which is totally the intention. The film transmits the seediness of the main character onto the screen, with a grimy look and vibe that you just want to shake off afterwards. We see LT, as he is often called, wallowing in all kinds of excesses in a way that's far from pretty and enticing. His actions being probably a reflection of his tortured soul.

Grade: 3.5

Full review on my Movie Loot (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2483827#post2483827)

Loved this movie

Stirchley

08-30-24, 02:10 PM

Loved this movie

I love this movie too until they started cleaning it up. No clue now which is the version to watch. Huge fan of Keitel.

Thief

08-30-24, 03:47 PM

I love this movie too until they started cleaning it up. No clue now which is the version to watch. Huge fan of Keitel.

I think I watched it on Tubi. However, right after I finished it, started reading up and stumbled upon bits and pieces that I didn't see. So I went back and looked for the film through other, umm, mediums... and saw a couple of scenes that weren't in the one that I saw. Not sure how much of an impact that had on my perception, but well.

exiler96

08-30-24, 03:49 PM

Sid and Nancy (1986) - I gave the Never Mind the Bollocks... album a listen before watching this biopic which ended up like my experience with Sex Pistols itself; fun, dirty, childish and you're tired of it before it's over.

Gary Oldman, whose performance I had heard about for years, was rock solid as expected. As the iconic Sid Vicious he owns every mannerism and every clothing item. He and the equally dedicated Chloe Webb fight glouriously against a script that doesn't let us feel anything for and through these two until near the end, when their addiction has gotten out of hand, and their final scenes are imagined and staged interestingly (shot by Roger Deakens, again!) and just sad... there's a child-likeness to their passion, their freakouts and their self-destruction that probably mirrors the idea of the band and their times itself.

Wouldn't recommend highly to everyone, but worth-watching for it's acting duo and outstanding costume design... 6ish/10.

https://lwlies.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/sid-and-nancy-review-768x539-c-default.jpg

Gideon58

08-30-24, 04:08 PM

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BZjRlN2JjN2EtMjRiMS00NGMyLWFkZjEtNDdlYTU0NTY4N2Y4XkEyXkFqcGc@._V1_.jpg

3

Stirchley

08-30-24, 04:25 PM

I think I watched it on Tubi. However, right after I finished it, started reading up and stumbled upon bits and pieces that I didn't see. So I went back and looked for the film through other, umm, mediums... and saw a couple of scenes that weren't in the one that I saw. Not sure how much of an impact that had on my perception, but well.

IIRC, the original version had a scene where Keitel is naked in the shower?

Thief

08-30-24, 04:32 PM

IIRC, the original version had a scene where Keitel is naked in the shower?

Don't remember if he was in the shower, but he is indeed naked full frontal in a scene on the version I checked later. The threesome scene is longer and more explicit, and the scene with the young women in the car is longer. The version that I saw first cuts when he implies they need to do something, while the version I checked after features the whole bit with him masturbating.

Stirchley

08-30-24, 04:34 PM

Don't remember if he was in the shower, but he is indeed naked full frontal in a scene on the version I checked later. The threesome scene is longer and more explicit, and the scene with the young women in the car is longer. The version that I saw first cuts when he implies they need to do something, while the version I checked after features the whole bit with him masturbating.

I just hate it when a movie is bowdlerized.

Thief

08-30-24, 05:41 PM

THE SIN
(1965, Barakat)

https://i.imgur.com/yAhAUuo.jpeg

"Maybe I should kill myself... but it's a sin."

The Sin follows Aziza (Faten Hamama), a poor woman that has to work in the fields under harsh conditions. When her husband falls ill and is unable to work as well, the pressure to sustain the family falls solely in Aziza. After being raped by a guard and ending up pregnant, she is faced with some harsh decisions. Does she reveal what happened sacrificing both her dignity and her family's means of survival, or does she carry on risking shame and punishment in the future?

As I was browsing for films from Egypt, this often came up as one of the most well-regarded films from the country. Considering the time and place it was made, it's understandable the impact it probably had. Even in more progressive societies nowadays, there are still films that shy away from addressing issues like rape, unwanted pregnancies, abortion, and suicide, or its religious/spiritual implications. So to have this come out from a Muslim country, back in 1965, is quite something.

Grade: 3

Full review on my Movie Loot (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2483945#post2483945)

FilmBuff

08-30-24, 10:19 PM

I think I watched it on Tubi. However, right after I finished it, started reading up and stumbled upon bits and pieces that I didn't see. So I went back and looked for the film through other, umm, mediums... and saw a couple of scenes that weren't in the one that I saw. Not sure how much of an impact that had on my perception, but well.

I watched it when it opened in theaters. IIRC it was released with an NC-17 rating and the major chains wouldn't show it at all.

Marco

08-30-24, 10:31 PM

Kinds of Kindness (2024)
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/9c/Kinds_of_Kindness_film_poster.jpg
I went into this with a knowledge of Yorgos Lanthimos (the directors) style...it is absurd. A story told in 3 stages...a triptych with the same actors and changes in their personalities ("have you been eating enough?" etc). I liked this but might be because I'm in a wistful mood. It didn't really knit overall but it's still cinema that makes you think "WTF is going to happen next". I still hold out that Dogtooth is the directors best. :)
[rating]3.5[rating]

FilmBuff

08-30-24, 10:50 PM

https://www.vitalthrills.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/1992poster.jpg

1992
2.5

1992 is Die Hard in da Hood.

OK, that might actually give the impression that it's a better movie than it actually is. As far as urban thrillers go, it's passable - and despite what the trailer might lead you to think, it definitely isn't focused on the 1992 L.A. riots, which quickly become just background noise.

The film starts out giving the impression it's going to try to paint a much bigger picture of what went down on that ominous day of 1992. But as the movie goes on, it becomes an increasingly conventional heist story, and it grows more predictable by the minute.

This is also the last movie Ray Liotta finished before his untimely passing, and it's a shame it didn't give him a chance to play more than a thoroughly conventional baddie.

As for Tyrese Gibson, he's as far removed from his goofy character from the Fast & Furious movies as you could probably expect, and it's a nice change of pace; he really does a good job of carrying the movie on his shoulders.

https://connect.gtcmovies.com/CDN/Image/Entity/FilmPosterGraphic/HO00004318

Reagan
1

Twelve years ago, one of the greatest biopics ever made about an American president premiered in theaters; Lincoln was directed by Steven Spielberg at the height of his powers and featured an absolutely brilliant performance by one of the greatest actors of all time, Daniel Day-Lewis.

This weekend, a movie about Ronald Reagan is being released through an indie distributor so obscure even I had never heard about it, and it features a thoroughly hammy lead performance by a Hollywood has-been. Oh, and it was directed by a complete hack called Sean McNamara.

What could account for the difference in the way these two presidents were treated when it came to their respective movies?

I honestly couldn't say; I haven't come across any stories in the trades that could help to shed some light into this enigma.

Reagan features performances that belong in a bad SNL sketch, with terrible makeup and cheap wigs; the cringeworthy script and the hoary cliches are worthy of a bad midnight movie, and the whole thing reeks of mediocrity in every imaginable way. There isn't a hint of subtlety or nuance; even the B-movies Reagan actually starred in were better than this.

In the time since Reagan was actually president, Robert Davi has gone from playing a Latin drug lord in a 007 movie to playing Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev in this one. I think he was more convincing as the Latin drug lord, but it's awfully close.

The absolute worst impersonation of a former world leader probably has to go to Lesley-Anne Down, whose turn as Margaret Thatcher absolutely deserves to win a Razzie. It's enough to make you wonder if she's ever even seen any actual footage of Thatcher. It really has to be seen to be believed.

There is one bright spot in the cast for this movie: Peaches Quaid (Dennis's dog in real life) is credited as playing Reagan's dog. It is the only performance in the movie for which the actor was totally and unquestionably qualified.

Marco

08-30-24, 10:53 PM

Nausicaä

08-31-24, 01:18 AM

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4f/Boy_kills_world_poster.jpg/220px-Boy_kills_world_poster.jpg

3.5

SF = Z

Viewed: Blu ray

https://i.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExZHNlYzRuZWx3aTBkNGFzMzMwajIzb2VwNmM4bDk2YTg0YXNvNTQzdCZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfY nlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/5jq7Ovmhlfaxj84Rxl/giphy.gif

[Snooze Factor Ratings]:
Z = didn't nod off at all
Zz = nearly nodded off but managed to stay alert
Zzz = nodded off and missed some of the film but went back to watch what I missed
Zzzz = nodded off and missed some of the film but went back to watch what I missed but nodded off again at the same point and therefore needed to go back a number of times before I got through it...
Zzzzz = nodded off and missed some or the rest of the film but was not interested enough to go back over it

hownos

08-31-24, 01:19 AM

Trap: 5.5/10

wositelec

08-31-24, 02:43 AM

Vojtík a duchové (1997) - 7 / 10

The free continuation of the fairy tale Cyprian and the Headless Great-Grandfather takes us again to the castle of Cyprian Knight of Višně, which used to be full of ghosts.

https://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w936/files/images/film/photos/000/085/85258_8bd64c.jpg

Fabulous

08-31-24, 04:39 AM

Blue Streak (1999)

2.5

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/7S39uQ7iKMtCI6wUbxiVHwSWHkP.jpg

exiler96

08-31-24, 06:22 AM

Prick Up Your Ears (1987) - A step-up from Sid and Nancy as in I criticised that movie yesterday for it's writing but I'm bewildered by this one's; which is actually another British biopic about a doomed, artistic couple of lovers starring a young Gary Oldman.

As the confident, pervy, talented, and ultimately tragic Joe Orton, Oldman puts the "prick" in the title and gives a performance different than anything else I've seen from him. His Sid Vicious had this childlike nature to him which was acted out in freewheeling, sad and self-destructive tantrums... while Joe (or John) could also be seen as a child - in the way that he runs to creative work (playwriting and briefly stage-acting), believing he can erase his origins - but one with an understanding beyond his years, who takes time to realize his opportunities and get a handle of power in his interactions wether with his causal sex partners or literary agent. Even more brilliant is Alfred Molina as his anxious, frustrated, pathetic and painfully human roommate-to-lover. Vanessa Redgrave is a scene-stealler on her own right as well.

The film - pretty ballsy for it's time, I should say - is funny throughout, which makes the ending all the more schocking for somebody who doesn't know the story. Stephen Frears isn't talked-about enough... 7-8/10.

https://www2.bfi.org.uk/sites/bfi.org.uk/files/fb-images/prick-up-your-ears-1987-012-alfred-molina-gary-oldman-bed-bfi-00m-pbg_1000x750.jpg

FilmBuff

08-31-24, 11:45 AM

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/klTJKS9iWeEi7XMP6tYvDNIU2yA.jpg

盲獣, Mōjū
4

Is this one of the most bonkers movies ever made?

Oh, without a doubt. Even after 50 years, this one is... pretty nuts.

It has been called "One of the most fascinatingly freakish of all the big screen adaptations of the works of Japanese mystery writer Edogawa Rampo"

If it were released today, it would probably have to be preceded by some kind of trigger warning - there's so much happening here.

I'm not going to say a lot about the plot, because, if you haven't seen it, you really should watch it knowing as little as possible beforehand; if you have seen it, then you know how bat**** crazy the whole premise is.

I would give absolutely anything to experience this movie with an audience at the time of its initial release, but since that's clearly impossible, I'm just hoping I can watch it at some revival house one of these days.

*Sky*

08-31-24, 05:45 PM

Your marks are super harsh!
That is your opinion. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

FilmBuff

08-31-24, 05:53 PM

https://i.postimg.cc/fWc6w0Sb/IMG-1020.jpg

*Sky*

08-31-24, 06:05 PM

Thanks, that is one valid point. I also happen to base my ratings on objective criteria. ;)

Allaby

08-31-24, 08:33 PM

Designer Pups (2015) This was fun. I really liked Teagan Sirset's performance and Torrey Halverson was an entertaining foil as the egotistical, villainous scheming fashion designer, Michel. The dogs are super cute and delightful. I was engaged in the story and rooting for Stacy and her pups. I had a doggone good time and laughed multiple times. I give this family comedy two paws up Watched on Tubi.. 4

Nausicaä

08-31-24, 09:13 PM

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/f/f0/Madame_Web_%28film%29_poster.jpg/220px-Madame_Web_%28film%29_poster.jpg

2.5

SF = Z

Viewed: Blu ray

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/7/77/Imaginary_2024_film_poster.jpeg/220px-Imaginary_2024_film_poster.jpeg

3

SF = Z

Viewed: Blu ray

[Snooze Factor Ratings]:
Z = didn't nod off at all
Zz = nearly nodded off but managed to stay alert
Zzz = nodded off and missed some of the film but went back to watch what I missed
Zzzz = nodded off and missed some of the film but went back to watch what I missed but nodded off again at the same point and therefore needed to go back a number of times before I got through it...
Zzzzz = nodded off and missed some or the rest of the film but was not interested enough to go back over it

cricket

08-31-24, 10:37 PM

Stingray Sam (2009)

4

https://resizing.flixster.com/d2MI_PrvnXCAmldEHAFXpqQ0AGM=/fit-in/352x330/v2/https://resizing.flixster.com/-XZAfHZM39UwaGJIFWKAE8fS0ak=/v3/t/assets/p3534670_i_h9_aa.jpg

An hour long Sci-Fi/musical/comedy in black and white. Had never heard of it until Miss Vicky recommended it to me and it's an odd little gem. The episodic set up seems unnecessary although it didn't bother me. Loved the characters, all the songs, the illustrations?, and it is very funny. Free on YouTube.

Marco

08-31-24, 11:15 PM

A Million Little Pieces (2018)
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/ce/Million_Little_Pieces_poster.jpg
A film about a fella that has taken all the wrong choices in life and due to addiction ends up in a rehab facility. Aaron Taylor-Johnson plays the main character and does a decent job. The narrative itself was pretty predictable but not uninteresting. Perhaps the fellow sufferers had to be painted in a jaunty way but it doesn't really hang together right given the subject matter.
2

Thief

08-31-24, 11:37 PM

REFUSED CLASSIFICATION
(2021, Elena)

https://i.imgur.com/xnrJFuC.jpeg

"We make suggestions of that nature; that will be censorship and, uhh, we are not here to censor you."

Refused Classification follows Matt, Amy, and Pamela (Sam O'Sullivan, Gabrielle Scawthorn, and Bernie Van Tiel) as the three prepare to start a relationship. However, their intimate and personal moment is overseen by a strict monitor (David Whitney) who will ultimately assign an MPAA rating to their "scene". As they bargain for what to say or do and what not to, they start to question the need for such a rating.

Grade: 4

Full review on my Movie Loot (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2484235#post2484235)

Takoma11

08-31-24, 11:41 PM

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fm.media-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FM%2FMV5BNmRiNzhmOGMtZjBhNS00YjdmLWFhYjQtZTU0NjIyM2E3MmYyXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyOTc5MD I5NjE%40._V1_.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=9767c65419ae34f6ad685cc46eebe30c00cc5c3b34fad162ae241e7687b4d9e3&ipo=images

Calvaire, 2004

Marc (Laurent Lucas) is a traveling entertainer who performs largely for a crowd of older people. On his way home for the holiday, his van breaks down in an isolated rural town. Stranded at the home of the oddball Bartel (Jackie Berroyer), who offers accommodation and the promise of the ability to repair the van. Soon, however, Bartel’s interest in Marc’s company takes a sinister turn, and the people living in the village may be just as demented.

A foreboding atmosphere and discomforting imagery make for an eerie trip through a strange village.

3.5

FULL REVIEW (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2484238#post2484238)

PHOENIX74

09-01-24, 12:14 AM

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/95/Train_to_Busan.jpg
By The poster art can or could be obtained from the distributor., Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=50461677

Train to Busan - (2016)

I'm pretty sure all the aliens out there binging on the movies travelling through the galaxy on the airwaves are convinced that zombie hoards are a real menace on Earth - but while the whole subgenre has become commonplace, it was much rarer from a South Korean point of view. Yeon Sang-ho's Train to Busan was huge, but I'm only getting to it now and was encouraged by watching The Wailing the other night (it had a trailer for Busan playing before it that I was enjoying so much I skipped the rest so as not to spoil anything, and decided then and there to watch it the next night.) It gets both the action and horror absolutely right, and those two aspects help to amplify each other - the more horrified you are by the undead, the more excited you are when a hoard of them are mere moments from breaking through a window as it seems there's no escape for our protagonists and other train passengers. Busan also has a very generous helping of social commentary - something of a zombie film staple, but melded so well into this that it doesn't stick out or take you out of the film (aside for one particular scene at least.) So many emotional highs and lows - which as far as I'm concerned made this a damn fine night's viewing. Train to Busan works on many, many different levels.

8/10

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/eb/The_Wailing_%28film%29.png
By The poster art can or could be obtained from the distributor., Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=50529742

The Wailing - (2016)

'16 was a great year for South Korean film. The Wailing s an excellent and very rewarding excursion into the supernatural that is as much a thriller as it is a horror film. It has everything - possession, religion, mythology, zombies, demons - but it somehow manages to integrate all of that into such a grounded bed of reasonableness that the end result is unnerving. Full review here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=2484096#post2484096), in my watchlist thread.

8/10

*Sky*

09-01-24, 12:21 AM

The Sting (1973) - George Roy Hill: 8/10

Galactic Traveler

09-01-24, 12:25 AM

Gilda (1946)

4 out of 5

https://resizing.flixster.com/Dr6wTiP9bHIGp4YYXW76O3Q5j6k=/fit-in/180x240/v2/https://resizing.flixster.com/-XZAfHZM39UwaGJIFWKAE8fS0ak=/v3/t/assets/p3337_p_v10_aa.jpg

MovieGal

09-01-24, 01:08 AM

100709
Mr. Jones
(2019)
3.75/5

A biopic on Welsh journalist Gareth Jones who went into the Ukraine in 1932 and broke the news to the world of Stalin's forced famine, the Holodomor.

This film can be a hard watch with the show of death and cannibalism.

Fabulous

09-01-24, 04:22 AM

Reality Bites (1994)

3.5

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/hgOWBaNvSCqHQTd6KzcZKgYei3U.jpg

exiler96

09-01-24, 07:20 AM

Shadow of the Vampire (2001) - An underdiscussed little movie from 2000, covering the on-set struggles of the original Nosferatu between the star Max Schreck and the crew. Could've been a deeper experience had it depicted a richer interior life for Murnau (I imagined him going to bed every night of the production, monologue to himself perhaps as to what the creation of this film means to him personally) than giving so much screentime to other guys behind the camera (seeing Cary Elwes commenting on everything in particular was distracting)...

But this is still an interesting and endearing look into the making of one of the oddest and greatest films ever made; featuring one of only two Oscar nominations for Willem Dafoe, who's the horror and the heart of it... the very end scene, capturing the death of the vampire on celluloid, is going to live on my mind for a while. 6-7/10.

https://www.moriareviews.com/rongulator/wp-content/uploads/Shadow-of-the-Vampire-2000-6.jpg

chawhee

09-01-24, 11:28 AM

Jerry Maguire (1996)
3
https://luna-askmen-images.askmen.com/720x540/entertainment/better_look/movies-for-moneymakers/4-jerry-maguire-1464947720.jpg
Maybe I missed the boat on seeing this 20+ years ago, because I don't really understand the love and reputation for this movie. The acting was good, but the plot pieces are severely underdeveloped. We have multiple relationships and friendships starting and ending over who knows how long of a timespan, with elements of comedy/romance/drama that made me unable to focus on caring about any of it.

Thief

09-01-24, 11:36 AM

MOUNTAINS OF MOURNE
(2017, Cummings)

https://i.imgur.com/t2oYRfZ.png

"♪ So I just took a hand at this digging for gold,
But for all that I found there I might as well be ♫
♪ Where the Mountains o' Mourne sweep down to the sea"

The short opens up with Jordan (Casey Thomas Brown), a social media influencer, walking into a hotel on a wheelchair. He is joined soon after by his brother Jim (Cummings) who has come to help him with something. The short stays true to Cummings' style and techniques for various reasons: first, because it is all shot in one take, but mostly for its smart mixture of tones ranging from comedy and drama.

Grade: 4.5

Full review on my Movie Loot (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2484354#post2484354)

Thief

09-01-24, 12:22 PM

HYDRANGEA
(2017, Cummings)

https://i.imgur.com/zx5ADhk.jpeg

"I'm not acting! I'm not acting like anything."

Hydrangea follows two parents, David and Hannah (David Henry Gerson and Hannah Elder) in what seems to be the shooting of an ad, along with their son Anthony (Toby Grey). However, when the director yells "cut", we can clearly see that things aren't what they seem and appearances are the rule.

Grade: 3.5

Full review on my Movie Loot (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2484364#post2484364)

Allaby

09-01-24, 12:45 PM

Working Girls (1931) Watched on Criterion Channel. Directed by Dorothy Arzner and starring Judith Wood, Dorothy Hall, and Charles 'Buddy' Rogers. I thought the performances were pretty good, but I didn't find the story very interesting. Still worth a watch for fans of 1930s cinema. 3

Thief

09-01-24, 01:09 PM

US FUNNY
(2017, Bales & Cummings)

https://i.imgur.com/tXa0QTd.jpeg

"You know where we are?... We're in Memory Lane."

Us Funny follows Jim as he goes down "memory lane" remembering various key moments in his life with Julia; when they met, a dinner together. It is all beautifully portrayed by both Cummings and Bales, who excel in their roles. Cummings in particular has such a talent to portray a natural vulnerability, which is something that often comes up in his works.

Grade: 4

Full review on my Movie Loot (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2484383#post2484383)

matt72582

09-01-24, 01:10 PM

The Incredible Life and Mysterious Death of Joseph Stalin

https://youtu.be/lnQ21_lZW8k

Thief

09-01-24, 01:49 PM

CORY COMES TO CHRISTMAS
(2017, Cummings)

https://i.imgur.com/qdXHt8b.jpeg

"Right now, you're just gonna have to pretend like you love me, and like I've done nothing wrong, ok?"

The above quote is the plea from Grace (Annie Hamilton) to her family as she prepares to introduce her boyfriend, Cory (Joseph Lee Anderson). Her plea might seem loaded with guilt and shame, but the preceding 5 minutes of the short have already shown us a bit of how her family is.

Cory Comes to Christmas is another Jim Cummings short film where he shoots it all in one take. The skill he shows to move the camera around the house as we meet all these characters is tremendous. However, it is Hamilton's performance what carries the short as we see her run the gamut of emotions.

Grade: 3.5

Full review on my Movie Loot (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2484388#post2484388)

exiler96

09-01-24, 03:43 PM

State of Grace (1990) - lemme tell you somethin; this was never as tight as The Departed (another undercover-cop crime drama it usually gets paired with) but kept me mostly engaged throughout, thanks to the performances of Gary Oldman, Ed Harris and R.D.Calls to a lesser degree (bro seemed like an aging Ron DeSantis from some angels lol)... shoutout to Robin Wright for her character got the least from the screenplay (as females usually do with this type of movie) but damn she looked smoking. 6/10.

https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/50d144f6e4b05aff8e5b9c8c/1401857327264-HMMJHY7ZVS9H9FVC0PMK/image-asset.jpeg

cricket

09-01-24, 04:51 PM

The Young Girls of Rochefort (1967)

3.5

https://64.media.tumblr.com/d7fd547b91f97a0b0151f0a87fa98833/7f663ad4c70e15ff-fa/s540x810/f1dd7c51238e07bf41779c0f1142bbdcfd621968.gifv

AKA Skinny Bitches Who Don't Wear Black, this pretty much had everything that makes me not a fan of Hollywood musicals. Of course there's a line, because I loved Umbrellas of Cherbourg. This film had a similar charm and visual appeal, it just wasn't at striking and it lacked the emotional impact. I didn't know Gene Kelly was in this, that was a nice surprise which helped. It has a chance to make the bottom end of my ballot.

Burning

09-01-24, 05:43 PM

https://cdn.cinematerial.com/p/297x/csaedmkp/kingdom-of-the-planet-of-the-apes-malaysian-movie-poster-md.jpg?v=1713866472

I've seen only Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and Tim Burton's remake. I guess this movie was not that near to Dawn and it felt actually a bit "not that different nor interesting". But I can say, I wasn't bored at all. The movie gives a feeling like this is a really familiar story, but it is not that bad actually. The characters, especially the main character, are good and some elements are keeping you in the movie. And somehow you like it at the end. They managed to find something about animal-human priorities and relations again. I don't know how long they can keep doing this. I think I can keep watching Noa, but the story needs a bit more diversity.

6.8/10

exiler96

09-01-24, 07:07 PM

Romeo is Bleeding (1993) - This took a (long) while to get fun... but when it did, it was fun.

My boy Gary threw himself into pretty much everything didn't he... For every role I've seen him in for this recent mini-marathon of mine he completely reinvented his looks and his voice (which totally helped shaping his performances) and imbued the screen with his gusto, his energy... here, he's not fit for the detective with a great wife and a loyal side-chick part of his character (that kind of charisma requires an American type of chin perhaps; a Fred MacMurray or a Michael Douglas for the 90s), but he kills the "man in trouble" side which overtakes the second half of the ride... Similiarly I thought Lena Olin's presence was exaggerated in her sexuality and confidence, until it reached a degree where that became the point of it all. It became so unhinged that all I could do was to enjoy the sleazy high I was on, before crashing down to that surprisingly sad closure. He was dumb, she was the terminator.

Unhinged stuff. Will re-watch someday... 5-6/10.

https://i0.wp.com/www.espectadorerrante.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/romeo_2.jpg?resize=840%2C542

FilmBuff

09-01-24, 07:15 PM

this pretty much had everything that makes me not a fan of Hollywood musicals.

Wait, so are you comparing Les Demoiselles de Rochefort to Hollywood musicals? Not sure I follow that line of thought.

Gideon58

09-01-24, 07:20 PM

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMTQ2MzYwMzk5Ml5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwOTI4NzUyMw@@._V1_FMjpg_UX1000_.jpg

Umpteenth Rewatch....This was the movie that I'm pretty sure made Will Ferrell a star. He plays an arrogant news anchorman during the 1970's whose world is rocked when a female anchor (Christina Applegate. This is another movie that people really love or really hate. This movie still makes me laugh out loud, it's like Blazing Saddles funny in my humble opinion. 4

Gideon58

09-01-24, 07:26 PM

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMDk4MTdhYzEtODk3OS00ZDBjLWFhNTQtMDI2ODdjNzQzZTA3XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjMxOTE0ODA@._V1_.jpg

1st Rewatch...Fans of the Anthony Hopkins film Magic will have a head start with this slightly cheesy nail biter that stars Allison Williams as robotics engineer who designs a doll/robot that takes on a life of its own. The movie provides scattered boos and chuckles, but it just leaves too many questions unanswered. It was only released two years ago and there's already a sequel. 3.5

exiler96

09-01-24, 07:39 PM

Umpteenth Rewatch....This was the movie that I'm pretty sure made Will Ferrell a star. He plays an arrogant news anchorman during the 1970's whose world is rocked when a female anchor (Christina Applegate. This is another movie that people really love or really hate. This movie still makes me laugh out loud, it's like Blazing Saddles in my humble opinion. 4

"I love lamp."

Did you like it's sequel?

Gideon58

09-01-24, 07:45 PM

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81rdim+gX4L._AC_UF894,1000_QL80_.jpg

3rd Rewatch...This near brilliant comic confection works thanks to a smart story, a terrific ensemble cast, and a gifted veteran in the director's chair. This American version of the French play and film La Cage Aux Folles stars the late Robin Williams, the gay owner of a Florida drag club where his lover (Nathan Lane) is the headliner who is visited by his son (Dan Futterman) who informs him that he is marrying the daughter of a conservative Senator (Gene Hackman) and that he is coming for dinner the next night. The son then informs Williams that he has to tone down the house and Lane haas to leave town for a few days. The late Mike Nichols masterfully directed this splashy comedy that unfolds slowly but not too slowly. On this fourth viewing of the film, something really stuck out for me tis time...Val, Dan Futterman's character. is really kind of a jerk. He just swoops in with no warning, announces his engagement and demands that his father change everything about themselves and one of them he actually demands to leave the house! I wouldn't have put up with that crap from my son, but it's still a fantastic movie which also featured the only opportunity to see Gene Hackman in drag.. 4

Gideon58

09-01-24, 07:53 PM

"I love lamp."

Did you like it's sequel?

I liked it but not as much as the original

Gideon58

09-01-24, 08:02 PM

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71GUUUEJwyL._AC_UF894,1000_QL80_.jpg

Umpteenth Rewatch...I've loved this movie ever since I was a kid. This musical version of The Philadelphia Story stars a breathtaking Grace Kelly, as Tracy Lord, preparing for her wedding to a milquetoast named George Kittredge, but finds competition for her affections from a reporter named Mike Conner (Frank Sinatra) and her ex-husband, Dexter (Bing Crosby). Kelly generates chemistry with both of her leading men and Celeste Holm and Louis Calherrn steal every scene they're in. And you can't beat that Cole Porter score "I Love You Samantha", "Little One", "Now You has Jazz", "What a Swell Party This is", "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire", "You're Sensational;", and the Oscar-nominated "True Love." A sparkling musical comedy that doesn't have the bits of the original movie, but still provides pretty solid entertainment. 3.5

cricket

09-01-24, 08:24 PM

Wait, so are you comparing Les Demoiselles de Rochefort to Hollywood musicals? Not sure I follow that line of thought.

Yes, the old classic musicals.

cricket

09-01-24, 08:26 PM

Once (2007)

4

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS90ZRW8xxcAI1dGbhkKMnLOTa_KvBIBmUd_q9OqkZTzKs0Q62X7JJH1oL5AYMj8tE3cAiik8mfBj7Z8p-a6x_0_wJNBj4t7tQ0bf1ZX1PlDEAlBlG_9bwRUB89c5UVF8m44RewVNhUYk/s1600/Once.jpg

An excellent musical for someone like me who doesn't generally like musicals. The film's heart won me over in the first scene. The characters are likable and I cared about them, so a bit of emotion. None of the fancy choreography that I'm not a fan of, but rather a more realistic take. The music itself is solid, and I thought the early song from the girl as she walked the street at night was exceptional. The ending was not expected and just right.

exiler96

09-01-24, 09:34 PM

Once (2007)

4

An excellent musical for someone like me who doesn't generally like musicals. The film's heart won me over in the first scene. The characters are likable and I cared about them, so a bit of emotion. None of the fancy choreography that I'm not a fan of, but rather a more realistic take. The music itself is solid, and I thought the early song from the girl as she walked the street at night was exceptional. The ending was not expected and just right.now I don't mind a good choreography, but this might just be my #1 musical ever.

exiler96

09-01-24, 09:50 PM

The Firm (1989) [Re-watch]... Won't forget the first time I discovered this memorable TV-film (thanks to TotalFilm's recommendation of it) a good ten years ago... The torrent file I had downloaded back then offered no subtitles, so while I appreciated the grittiness of what I was witnessing I didn't get that the story was about "Football Hooliganism"; a term I hadn't heard about until recently... but tonight with this watch on Youtube I found out at last, just exactly how meaningless the circle of violence depicted here is. In around just one hour, Alan Clarke and Oldman give us a captivating and raw slice of a (miserable) life of a self-destructive manchild in the form of Bexie; and his minions who sheepishly follow him. Well, the ones who never wake up anyway. 7/10.

https://i0.wp.com/moviemarker.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/The-Firm-2.jpg?resize=740%2C315

FilmBuff

09-01-24, 09:50 PM

https://auctions.c.yimg.jp/images.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/image/dr000/auc0307/users/12079f8669f42bbef9c1b5dc43dcefbf5a8d96c1/i-img787x1200-1658046946yttlo0292842.jpg

刺青
4

刺青 (Irezumi) is over 50 years old, and still a knockout.

In what might essentially be described as Japanese noir, Ayako Wakao plays one heck of a femme fatale, a deadly geisha whose destiny appears to be cast as soon as she's forced to have a freaky giant spider tattooed on her back.

A simple summary of the plot mechanics wouldn't quite do the movie justice, as much of the pleasure it offers stems not from knowing what happens, but watching it happen bit by bit.

Ayako Wakao is reportedly still alive (she'd be about 90 now) and one simply has to wonder what amazing stories she might have to tell about the making of this movie.

Marco

09-01-24, 10:39 PM

Marco

09-01-24, 10:44 PM

Takoma11

09-01-24, 11:03 PM

It's been years since I watched this (Lovefilm!) but the dance still gives me the heebie jeebies.

I sort of get why people frequently bring up the dance as being creepy what with the discordant piano tune and all, but I have to admit that it's kind of funny to me that it gets mentioned so much seeing as it's the only weird consensual thing that we see happen. Like, those dudes are choosing to dance with other dudes. At least no one's getting hurt!

exiler96

09-01-24, 11:10 PM

Exiler96 have you tried I.D (1995)? I think it's arguably a better film but with the same topic.I had not. Thank you Marco!

cricket

09-01-24, 11:17 PM

Moulin Rouge (2001)

2.5

https://64.media.tumblr.com/2c5ebcbcb494f726db14cb5134e242e9/4bc4fce0f4a505fd-7f/s540x810/647ee98b87119469be545584b1294f94b6f74b37.gif

Crazier than I had expected but unfortunately I didn't like it any more than I expected. Kidman is hot and there were a lot of familiar songs that I love. It is quite lively but not a lot here for this viewer. I felt it's length and it's not even that long.

PHOENIX74

09-01-24, 11:54 PM

I sort of get why people frequently bring up the dance as being creepy what with the discordant piano tune and all, but I have to admit that it's kind of funny to me that it gets mentioned so much seeing as it's the only weird consensual thing that we see happen. Like, those dudes are choosing to dance with other dudes. At least no one's getting hurt!

You just described the reason I enjoy that part of the film so much! It's a rare moment I can sit back and kind of enjoy how weird it is to see an entire village that has collectively gone insane - the rest of the film I'm gritting my teeth and shifting uncomfortably in my chair. I think the English-language title this film has in some places is The Ordeal - which describes my experience watching it. Like you, I can see why some people might find that scene creepy - but I suddenly find the question of communal insanity fun and really interesting, and wonder what the hell led to what I'm witnessing in this tavern. It's a funny little tension-easer that at the same time doesn't break the mood entirely.

Takoma11

09-02-24, 12:11 AM

You just described the reason I enjoy that part of the film so much!

Oh, I definitely enjoy the scene and think it's a standout in the film. But I've seen it cited by multiple people as the creepiest/scariest part, and for the reasons I mentioned, I just don't personally find that to be the case.

But maybe it's more that the dance sequence is very memorable (and weird!), and so it's what people remember most about the film?

PHOENIX74

09-02-24, 12:32 AM

Oh, I definitely enjoy the scene and think it's a standout in the film. But I've seen it cited by multiple people as the creepiest/scariest part, and for the reasons I mentioned, I just don't personally find that to be the case.

But maybe it's more that the dance sequence is very memorable (and weird!), and so it's what people remember most about the film?

I think it's the most memorable for sure. It probably stands out because it's this weird little interlude, and in a movie as relentless in it's building tension and later onslaught, something that stands out like that kind of sticks with you like a little oasis on a train trip through a desert. It turns what was your stock standard insane person tormenting some poor captive (along with some other much less savory moments when Marc explores his surroundings) into a fascinating and bizarre premise. A little, "okay...wow" moment, and like you said - I think people find it creepy because of the discordant piano tune being played (and the feeling that people who dance like that, though seemingly happy in the moment, might be dangerously and violently out of their minds.)

PHOENIX74

09-02-24, 12:59 AM

https://i.postimg.cc/2527cGYc/sabrina.jpg
By Illustrator unknown. "Copyright 1954 Paramount Pictures Inc." - Scan via Heritage Auctions. Cropped from the original image., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=87070083

Sabrina - (1954)

During Audrey Hepburn's heyday, while she was in her 20s, she ended up being paired with most of the leading actors of her time who were decades older than her. I mean, I get it. Fred Astaire, Humphrey Bogart, Cary Grant, Gregory Peck - not only did they bring the audiences in, but I'm sure Hepburn was thrilled to get to work with them. There was just this weird dichotomy between male and female performers that allowed male stars to build their status over a career where the female ones burst onto the scene in their youth and then had to fight to keep their status as they got older. The likes of Katherine Hepburn (no relation to Audrey) managed to buck the trend, but the way the system worked we were always destined to see young women swept off their feet by men 30 or so years older than them - again and again. To help put a Prince Charming stamp on proceedings, these characters were usually filthy rich as well - these were fairy tales, and since the United States didn't have their own royal family or monarchs, the closest thing to that was money. In Sabrina Hepburn plays Sabrina Fairchild, the poor daughter of a chauffeur who nevertheless has the money to send his daughter to Paris for her education. Humphrey Bogart and William Holden play Linus and David Larrabee respectively - heirs to a business empire.

So, I wasn't expecting to find out that Sabrina would move me all that much - but Billy Wilder (who to me seems to have two distinctly different modes of directing) has his less goofy hat on, and directs this with the panache I love when he takes things seriously. Also, in this story instead of Sabrina being swept off her feet, David and Linus are men she's known all her life. She's had a crush on David for a long time, but David Larrabee is a playboy thrice married already. Nevertheless, after discovering glamour and poise in Paris, David falls for her despite the fact that it'll cost the Larrabee family big time - he was meant to be marrying into a family that would help them seal a business deal worth a fortune. As Linus tries to break the couple up, he ends up falling for Sabrina as well. I'm skeptical - probably because I'm getting too old to believe that sudden fairytale romances really mean happily ever after - but I simply enjoyed watching Bogart, Hepburn and Holden enjoy their work with Wilder. Especially Bogart, whose iconic status was surely deserved and who was edging closer to his untimely death. The way Linus rescues Sabrina from an attempted suicide aches with kindness, care and an unspoken understanding that makes it the highlight of the film for me.

8/10

Gideon58

09-02-24, 01:50 AM

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BZmVlYWMwM2EtN2UyZi00YjM2LTljZTctMTIzMWMxYjIwNjUzXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjUyNDk2ODc@._V1_.jpg

2.5

Fabulous

09-02-24, 04:54 AM

Age of Consent (1969)

4

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/e9VGO5hPvLQltVnibjbQ2LS0fpQ.jpg

Marco

09-02-24, 09:23 AM

I had not. Thank you Marco!

No worries, ID2 is not too bad but nowhere near as good and somewhat falls into the Craig Fairbrass (you slag, you nonce, you toilet). Other recommendation is "Away Days" with Stephen Graham, much more about the social and peer-pressure reasons behind organised hooliganism. It's a really good film just didn't get promoted (sorry for football pun!):)

Marco

09-02-24, 09:30 AM

I think it's the most memorable for sure. It probably stands out because it's this weird little interlude, and in a movie as relentless in it's building tension and later onslaught, something that stands out like that kind of sticks with you like a little oasis on a train trip through a desert. It turns what was your stock standard insane person tormenting some poor captive (along with some other much less savory moments when Marc explores his surroundings) into a fascinating and bizarre premise. A little, "okay...wow" moment, and like you said - I think people find it creepy because of the discordant piano tune being played (and the feeling that people who dance like that, though seemingly happy in the moment, might be dangerously and violently out of their minds.)
I think that Marc leaving the show and the interaction between him and Mademoiselle Vicky (the adult actress Brigitte Lahaie) was actually quite touching. The low-key start to the film does not prepare you for what occurs after that. I'm going to have to rewatch as I really enjoyed it (as I remember!).

Takoma11

09-02-24, 09:42 AM

I think that Marc leaving the show and the interaction between him and Mademoiselle Vicky (the adult actress Brigitte Lahaie) was actually quite touching. The low-key start to the film does not prepare you for what occurs after that. I'm going to have to rewatch as I really enjoyed it (as I remember!).

I didn't recognize Lahaie at the beginning, but was thrilled to see her name in the credits!

For me, what's interesting (and what stuck with me) was that last act, and particularly the way that the different delusions start to overlap. So many of the people in the village believe Marc is Gloria. But Boris thinks that the calf is his dog while the creepy family knows that it's a cow. So I find that layering of the delusions really interesting.

honeykid

09-02-24, 11:23 AM

Exiler96 have you tried I.D (1995)? I think it's arguably a better film but with the same topic.

I'd put forward The Football Factory as well and Green Street, but I didn't care much for that.

I felt it's length and it's not even that long.

Best review I ever got when I was a gigolo. :D

Stirchley

09-02-24, 11:52 AM

Stirchley

09-02-24, 11:56 AM

100728

Never seen Tom Holland in a movie before (how come Brits do American accents so well?).

Thought him very good in this over-long not bad movie. Amazed I finished it.

100729

Good sweet movie. Justin Timberlake has grown into a very handsome man & he was excellent in this somewhat saccharine movie. (Juno Temple seems to have a lock on playing strange American women.).

Allaby

09-02-24, 01:32 PM

Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead (2024) This was better than expected. Simone Joy Jones is likeable and does a good job in the lead role. June Squibb is amusing with limited screen time. Ayaamii Sledge was quite funny and played my favourite character. There is some witty dialogue and laugh out loud moments. Even though I don't think this remake was necessary, it did end up being entertaining and fun. 3.5

Stirchley

09-02-24, 01:40 PM

Allaby

09-02-24, 01:47 PM

Squibb was her usual amusing self in Palmer above.

Yes, I liked Palmer too and rated it a 7/10.

Stirchley

09-02-24, 02:24 PM

Yes, I liked Palmer too and rated it a 7/10.

Nothing major, but a solid movie.

LeBoyWondeur

09-02-24, 02:55 PM

I decided to ignore BARBIE while it was still in the midst of its hype, so last night I watched it for the first time.

After the introduction or BarbieLand (I'm a sucker for life-size toy/cartoon worlds but the pink overload made me feel a little nauseous) the story starts with the impending crisis courtesy of the person playing with Barbie. This part reminded me of the perfect sitcom world of Pleasantville gettin upset by the real world teenagers.
Once Barbie and Ken arrive in the real world it becomes a mix of parody and homage, and the trick is to find the right balance so that nothing has to be sacrificed.
It's not as good as Galaxy Quest but I thought it was getting pretty close.

Then at some point the real world mother starts a passionate speech about the hardship of being a woman (as if being man doesn't come with any expectations at all) and this really took me out of the fantasy. It felt like a bad moment of telling rather than showing.
But then suddenly it struck me that everything she said doesn't make sense in the context of role reversed BarbieLand.
In fact it is Ken (the film's temporary antagonist) whose story arc is told from a female oppressed point of view, and this should immediately take the sting out of any alleged wokeness.

And while it may be dressed up as a liberation of women from the real world's point of view, BarbieLand itself strongly advocates and even battles for the idea that is "in fact" perfectly alright to aim for pretty airheadedness and fantasies about super careers don't really mean a thing. But from a child's point of view it doesn't have to mean anything and it's really only about acting out fantasies.
I think this is why both the film and Mattel are massively getting away with it. The critique simply makes way for the reinforcement of Barbie.

It's got tons of gags and even if I didn't laugh at everything then at least there wasn't anything in it that annoyed me.
"Just pick a direction and run!"
The gates with the magnetic card keys "oh we didn't need them" - no you didn't because you could simply have stepped over the gates. And this kind of hilarity goes and on and on.
There's also no holding back when it comes to the Ken jokes, and I just loved all of it. And he also got the songs.

So when all that great stuff has happened I guess they didn't want to compromise its ending by giving Barbie and Ken a happily ever after.
Barbie going into the real world "Little Mermaid" style could also be interpreted as Barbie leaving the film and return to the shelves of the toy stores where all toys belong until they're being chosen by someone who wants to play with them.

9/10

Allaby

09-02-24, 02:55 PM

Not a Pretty Picture (1976) Watched on Criterion Channel. A powerful, haunting, disturbing, harrowing, uncomfortable, and honest experience. Directed by Martha Coolidge, this film is a blend of documentary and narrative and is based on the director's own experience of being sexually assaulted as a teenager. Michele Manenti, as young Martha, is excellent and Coolidge is really brave and vulnerable making this. The lead male actor, Jim Carrington, is frightening in his performance as the rapist but also makes some revealing and disturbing comments as himself. Not an easy watch, but an excellent and unusual documentary that is both ahead of its time and sadly still timely. 4.5

cricket

09-02-24, 03:14 PM

Porgy and Bess (1959)

3.5

https://static.life.com/wp-content/uploads/migrated/2013/02/05_05563969-1024x696.jpg

It's unfortunate that this is somewhat of a lost film in that there's about 20 minutes missing and there's no great copy. I found one that was watchable on YouTube. It's a melodramatic musical that's on the current top 100 passions list. Controversial in its time, not just because it features murder, rape, and drug addiction, but because it's essentially an all black cast being directed by a white man (Otto Preminger). There are some songs done in opera style that I didn't care for, but the rest of the music was great. Sidney Poitier, Dorothy Dandridge, and Sammy Davis Jr are all terrific.

SpelingError

09-02-24, 05:03 PM

Park Lanes (2015) - 4

I remember when my brother worked in a factory. Though the overnight hours were tolerable (for him, at least), the work itself wasn't. Having to do the same task over and over again had an incredibly short shelf life and, by the time he got out for the day, he was too worn out to do anything else in his spare time. He only lasted three weeks in that industry. While I can't say I understand what it's like to do that kind of work, Everson's film acts as an accurate simulation of such. Factory work is notoriously tedious and, by stretching the film out to eight hours and showing the workday in real time, Everson not only highlights the mundanity of the industry but also puts us in the worker's shoes. And that he's able to accomplish this via a fly-on-the-wall camera which simply documents a standard workday highlights how effortlessly he makes this point. Regardless of how intricate or involved the work is, the reality of the situation is that the contraptions produced aren't unique and are just numbers. Those who find this overlong or repetitive are feeling the full force of its slow-burning tragedy. The noticeable ratio of African American/Vietnamese workers to white employees also calls attention to the racial disparities which are engendered by capitalism/hierarchy without directly mentioning either subject.

At a couple points, the camera moves away from the machines and into the break room. Given the monotony of what we saw beforehand, their laughter and friendly relations here act as a relief. One worker even breaks character by jokingly acknowledging the camera's existence. These are the only moments where some semblances of joy disrupt the visual drone of their work. As brief as these moments are, they're about as much as one can hope for.

Gideon58

09-02-24, 07:49 PM

https://cdn11.bigcommerce.com/s-yzgoj/images/stencil/1280x1280/products/2893122/5904855/MOVIJ7175__20712.1679560615.jpg?c=2

3trd Rewatch...Billy Wilder might have created his masterpiece with this dark and noir-ish drama about a struggling screenwriter named Joe Gillis (William Holden) who accidentally stumbles into the decaying orbit of a silent screen legend named Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson). This instant classic grows richer with each viewing and stays with the viewer long after the credits roll. Swanson is mesmerizing, I love the scene where she imitates Charlie Chaplin and the scene where she reunites with Cecil B DeMille at the studio because she thinks he wants to make the movie she wrote. The film was nominated for 11 Oscars including Best Picture, Director for Wilder, Lead Actress for Swanson, Lead Actor for Holden, Supporting actor for Erich Von Stroheim, Supporting Actress for Nancy Olson. It won Oscars for Wilder and Charles Brackett's screenplay, film editing, and art design/set design. In every sense of the word, a classic. 5

Gideon58

09-02-24, 07:56 PM

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BYzczNDE0ZTQtMTg2Ny00Zjg3LTkyODktNzM3OTc1ODdlYzBmXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjUzOTY1NTc@._V1_.jpg]

5th Rewatch...The late Rodney Dangerfield had one of his biggest hits with this amusing comedy about a millionaire whose son is flunking out of college and he decides to encourage him by going to school with him. The story is a little on the predictable side, but Dangerfield keeps the laughs coming with a solid supporting cast including Sally Kellerman, Ned Beatty, Burt Young, Paxton Whitehead, and Robert Downey Jr. There's even a hysterical cameo by the late great Sam Kinison. This one is still so much fun. 4

Darth Pazuzu

09-02-24, 08:12 PM

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81FiIgeszuL._AC_UY218_.jpg

THE MEXICO TRILOGY:

El Mariachi (Robert Rodriguez / 1992)
Desperado (Robert Rodriguez / 1995)
Once Upon a Time in Mexico (Robert Rodriguez / 2003)

Just released from Arrow Video last Tuesday (and on sale for 50% off at Barnes & Noble). Once again, here's a film franchise that I had never delved into before now. I mean, yeah, I had been a long-time fan of Rodriguez's collaborations with Quentin Tarantino (Four Rooms, From Dusk Till Dawn, Kill Bill: Volume 2, Sin City, Grindhouse), but my familiarity with those was largely due to the fact that I was mainly a Tarantino fan. But for some reason, I had never really gotten around to seeing the so-called "Mexico Trilogy".

Well, this is an extremely handsome package - as usual - from the good folks at Arrow Video. This has actually got four discs: All three movies on remastered Blu-rays, and a special 4K UHD transfer of Desperado. When I first became aware of the fact that only the second movie was being made available in a 4K transfer, I was admittedly a bit perplexed. That is, until I actually saw the movies. While Desperado was the only film in the trilogy to be actually shot on proper film, the low-budget El Mariachi was originally shot on video, while the climactic Once Upon a Time in Mexico was Rodriguez's first film to be shot digitally. So in the case of the first and third films, anything more advanced than a Blu-ray version would presumably be either inapplicable or redundant. At least that's my educated guess as to why Desperado is the only film in this set with a 4K version.

As far as the movies themselves, I found them to be a great deal of fun. The $7,000-budgeted El Mariachi - the one with Carlos Gallardo in the title role of the guitar-playing pistolero - is really quite amazing given the scant resources Rodriguez had at his disposal. But then again, this man is quite adept at finding the creative inspiration to make do and work with whatever resources he's got at hand! Desperado gives us Antonio Banderas in the lead role and the lovely Salma Hayek in the role of Carolina. Much more polished and professional than the debut, but just as wild and inventive in its action sequences and even more over-the-top. It's got amusing if brief performances from Steve Buscemi and Quentin Tarantino as well. My personal favorite, however, is the concluding chapter, Once Upon a Time in Mexico. Liberated by advances in digital technology, Rodriguez pulls out all the stops and delivers a complex epic action tale with even more outrageous action set pieces and a larger cast of characters, including Johnny Depp's rogue psycho CIA agent, Willem Dafoe's drug kingpin, and a snazzy-suited Mickey Rourke with his pet chihuahua.

While one of Rodriguez's most obvious inspirations for this trilogy is Sergio Leone's "Dollars Trilogy" (1964-1966) with Clint Eastwood as The Man With No Name (A Fistful of Dollars, For a Few Dollars More and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly), you could also draw a parallel between this and Sam Raimi's The Evil Dead trilogy (1981-1993), in that we start with a primitive but inventive, practically zero-budget debut and gradually work our way up to large-scale Hollywood epic. (Although I think 1992's Army of Darkness is the weakest of Raimi's trilogy, while Once Upon a Time in Mexico more closely follows the Leone template in being the culminating grand finale of the series.)

I haven't heard Robert Rodriguez actually make any references to Sergio Corbucci in interviews or commentary, I can't imagine there isn't just a little bit of Django (1966) in the mix as well. After all, Franco Nero's Django may be named after a famous guitar player (Reinhardt), but El Mariachi can actually play the guitar. (To quote Jason Robards as Cheyenne in Leone's Once Upon a Time in the West from 1968: "He not only plays, he can shoot too!") And of course, I can detect more than just a little of Corbucci's so-called "Zapata Westerns," The Mercenary (1968) and Compañeros (1970). Not to mention that at the end of El Mariachi, the hero's hand is injured (and of course that's a trope with a long history in American and Italian Westerns, also being the fate of the real-life guitarist Django Reinhardt). Rodriguez also shares Corbucci's cruel streak with regard to certain characters. Just as in Django when the Gino Pernice character's ear is severed by the Mexicans as punishment for spying, Johnny Depp's rogue operative Sands in Once Upon a Time in Mexico has his eyes gouged by the villains for his machinations!

LChimp

09-02-24, 08:32 PM

https://dcdn.mitiendanube.com/stores/004/687/740/products/pos-03710-bf0f4e0bad127a930017204670237959-1024-1024.jpg

Twisters - (2024)

6/10. Predictable

Darth Pazuzu

09-02-24, 08:43 PM

Meanwhile, last Tuesday at the local theater...

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/f/f9/Strange_Darling_poster.jpg/220px-Strange_Darling_poster.jpg

August 27, 2024

STRANGE DARLING (JT Mollner / 2024)

Believe me, the less I actually say about this movie, the better. But suffice it to say that Strange Darling was one the most fun and rewarding - and exhilaratingly f***ed up - experiences I've had at my local theater in quite some time! While I did manage to successfully guess one or two of the story's twists, I would have to chalk that up to being just a lucky shot on my part rather than being due to any inherent predictability on the part of the film itself, because the story's events could just as easily gone one way as the other. Or at least that's the way it felt to me... ;)

To sum things up as unrevealingly simple as possible: This is a serial-killer thriller with a difference. First off, we've got a non-linear storytelling style quite similar to that of Quentin Tarantino's best work, or of Christopher Nolan's Memento (2000). The events are subdivided into six "chapters" told completely out of order. The two unnamed leads of the story (identified only as the Lady and the Demon) are played by Willa Fitzgerald and Kyle Gallner. When the two characters first meet, they seem like two total strangers who are attracted to each other but one of whom has a kinky side and initiates a BDSM session at a local motel. As one can probably safely predict, things go rather haywire from there. But exactly how they go is something I will not reveal. Suffice to say, a number of innocent bystanders get killed along the way.

You may already have seen Strange Darling, and you might know the story's main twist. I will say this much: I personally didn't particularly perceive anything trendily political in it. (If anything, a later scene in the movie involving two quarreling cops openly invites us to side with a "non-PC" character.) But then again, that's just me...

Highly recommended for those not averse to a little blood! :up: :D

Marco

09-02-24, 08:44 PM

Darth Pazuzu

09-02-24, 08:53 PM

Three Colours: Red (1994)
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/0a/Three_Colors-Red.jpg
Just an incredible depiction of love, regret and hope. For me the strongest of the Krzysztof Kieślowsk trilogy. A film I don't want to break down into it's components as it wouldn't even make sense. It's essence is how you see human interaction and that is portrayed beautifully. Good or bad. Stunning film making.
4.5

I haven't seen this yet, but I am a fan of actor Jean-Louis Trintignant, being a fan of his performances in Sergio Corbucci's The Great Silence (1968) and Bernardo Bertolucci's The Conformist (1970).

Who knows? Maybe one of these days...

cricket

09-02-24, 08:57 PM

Fame (1980)

3+

https://64.media.tumblr.com/4e9649815dedb7b18e448f5a50e7608d/fdf62848faca490f-83/s540x810/859dced30917df5fef3debf76e84333d88eff62a.gif

Considering when I started watching movies it's a little strange that this was my first time watching this. It's on our top 100 cheers list, but I watched it for it's reputation as a musical. I don't feel like I watched a musical, although the few musical numbers are great, and I didn't find it very cheery. It's good and it suits my taste pretty good, but I thought it ended up a bit uneven.

FilmBuff

09-03-24, 02:33 AM

the low-budget El Mariachi was originally shot on video

Where did you get that crazy idea? Rodriguez most definitely didn't shoot his first movie on video, it would have looked really awful! El Mariachi was actually filmed in 16mm (https://www.sundance.org/blogs/el-mariachi-at-30-years-looking-back-at-the-scrappy-passion-that-brought-the-film-to-life/); when Columbia acquired the rights to the movie, they did a 35mm blowup and that's the version that played in theaters.

Gideon58

09-03-24, 02:48 AM

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3

Fabulous

09-03-24, 06:06 AM

Come True (2020)

3.5

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/yZ7tWWEVK8MNjEv6XEJRONFABH.jpg

Siddon

09-03-24, 07:41 AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqWo7DYLTrw

https://whiteriverstatepark.org/wp-content/uploads/Fly-1536x864-1.webp

Fly(2024)

Three couples of base jumpers take you on a journey into this gyspy style lifestyle. This was good, romantic, stunning and life affirming. It's not the masterpiece that Free Solo was but it's pretty close. If you have the chance to see it today I would recomend it because the story of the couples will draw you in and the visuals are incredible.

4

PHOENIX74

09-03-24, 07:44 AM

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/f9/Strange_Darling_poster.jpg
By Miramax - IMDb, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=77256678

Strange Darling - (2024)

My habit of going to movies knowing as little about them as possible really payed off in the case of Strange Darling, although knowing it's a film full of surprise shouldn't have one overthinking the movie they're about to watch. Just accept what you're given when it's up there, and go with the flow as it's non-linear, chapter-based, cat-and-mouse hunt unfolds like a flower. Blood is a given, because this is a film based around a serial killer - and you'll leave the theater with bright red imprinted on your brain - but it's not Giovanni Ribisi's visuals that make the biggest impression. What does is the narrative scream which makes a point of being unrelenting in it's overdrive forward propulsion - like a rock star who knows he/she's giving the performance of their lifetime. Even a simple breakfast-making while we catch our breath goes for broke - itself an ode to excess of a good kind. I'd like to talk about some of the deeper central issues - but I must wait for everybody who is going to see this to see this. You might guess what's coming, but still be surprised by the way it explodes forth. Like a one-night stand that holds the promise of lifelong love - a love that, like the song says, hurts. Really, really hurts.

Any uneasy feelings though? Only once. No, not when the film announces that it was filmed in 35mm - surely there was enough awareness going around to make this overly self-aware pronouncement some kind of thing that was above my head and not dumb. It was a moment of good intention from a female police officer that goes awry - and it felt so wrong as far as the film's general outlook goes. It felt too pointed - and pointed the wrong way at that. But before I go off and get too reactionary regarding such an enjoyably twisted slant on serial killers and their fictional exploits, it shouldn't wreck Strange Darling for you. Especially if you walk away thinking of this as a love story. A sick, depraved, violent and blood-soaked love story where many people get killed granted, but when you add the right songs, then an insane mindset, you have to concede that love is something different to all of us - even the monsters. Strange Darling is an electrifying thriller with fantastic performances (Willa Fitzgerald!), a daring screenplay, startling visuals (I think it was filmed in 35mm...) great music and a lot of daring. Destined to be argued about in the future I think.

8/10

Allaby

09-03-24, 02:58 PM

Mothers' Instinct (2024) I enjoyed the performances from Anne Hathaway and Jessica Chastain. The story takes some interesting twists and turns and some of it stretches credibility, but I was entertained the whole time. 4

Thief

09-03-24, 04:54 PM

SPY CAT
(2018, Lauenstein & Lauenstein)

https://i.imgur.com/uQfd2eb.jpeg

"We're just a bunch of losers."

Spy Cat follows Marnie, a tabby cat that is often pampered by her owner Rosalinde. She spends most of her days eating special foods and watching detective TV shows, dreaming of an adventure some day. Her adventure comes in the form of Phil, the uncle of Rosalinde who pretends to be wheelchair-bound while moonlighting as a thief in the neighborhood. When Marnie catches him off guard, he tricks her into thinking he's a detective and recruits her to "help" him by sending her away. As she makes her way back, she makes friends with "a bunch of losers" that might help her catch Phil.

Obviously this was a watch mostly for the kids, but as usual, I sat down and watched it as well. Most of the fun comes from the odd pairing of this "bunch of losers". The gang is comprised of Elvis, a grumpy abused pitbull running from home; Eggbert, a neurotic rooster trying to escape from being cooked; and Anton, a donkey that dreams of joining a circus by pretending to be a zebra. As is expected, they are pretty one-dimensional, but they all have fairly distinctive qualities that make the kids root for them.

Grade: 2.5

Full review on my Movie Loot (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2484949#post2484949)

Darth Pazuzu

09-03-24, 05:15 PM

Where did you get that crazy idea? Rodriguez most definitely didn't shoot his first movie on video, it would have looked really awful! El Mariachi was actually filmed in 16mm (https://www.sundance.org/blogs/el-mariachi-at-30-years-looking-back-at-the-scrappy-passion-that-brought-the-film-to-life/); when Columbia acquired the rights to the movie, they did a 35mm blowup and that's the version that played in theaters.

My mistake, I guess. I must have got my wires crossed and missed some vital bits in the commentary track. :lol: I'm just sort of wondering why the movie wasn't given the 4K treatment...

FilmBuff

09-03-24, 05:16 PM

My mistake, I guess. I must have got my wires crossed and missed some vital bits in the commentary track. :lol: I'm just sort of wondering why the movie wasn't given the 4K treatment...

A movie shot in 16mm isn't going to look any better than it already does on blu-ray.

Darth Pazuzu

09-03-24, 05:19 PM

A movie shot in 16mm isn't going to look any better than it already does on blu-ray.

That's kind of what I thought. And neither I suppose is a film shot on digital. Which I'm guessing is why Desperado is the only film of the trilogy released on 4K.

cricket

09-03-24, 05:42 PM

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007)

3.5

https://64.media.tumblr.com/d53c8cb7fd6fcc3338e3478b873bbb81/tumblr_nvftb6OR2a1r8dxfio1_r1_400.gif

Musicals are tough for me but this is the 1st one to make me think why are we doing this every time someone started to sing. It just seemed unnecessary, but I believe it's based on something and that would be my answer. Great cast and I enjoyed it, an extra half popcorn if there were no singing.

matt72582

09-03-24, 05:45 PM

Stalin Biography of Soviet Leader Joseph Stalin

https://youtu.be/JlHL5zEP3rM

Thief

09-03-24, 06:08 PM

REAR WINDOW
(1954, Hitchcock)

https://i.imgur.com/Nd9cMJr.jpeg

"We've become a race of Peeping Toms. What people ought to do is get outside their own house and look in for a change. Yes sir. How's that for a bit of homespun philosophy?"

Rear Window follows photographer L.B. Jefferies (James Stewart) who, after an accident at work, finds himself confined to a wheelchair and with nothing better to do than spy on his neighbors. When he sees and hears strange things, he starts suspecting that one of them (Raymond Burr) might've killed his wife. Jefferies tries to convince his girlfriend Lisa (Grace Kelly) and his nurse Stella about it, and although they dismiss his beliefs as pure paranoia, both of them find themselves quickly obsessed with finding out what really happened.

This was one of the first Hitchcock films I saw back in the 90s; probably the second. The film is yet another example of Hitchcock at his pure best. The casting of Stewart is perfect, and his chemistry with Kelly, despite the age difference is great. And speaking of Kelly, she is gorgeous, but more important, has that playful charm that is perfect for the role. Ritter is also perfect as the cynical and sarcastic nurse, while Burr rounds out the cast in a role that requires him to use his physique instead of his voice.

Grade: 4.5

Full review on my Movie Loot (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2484978#post2484978)

hownos

09-03-24, 06:09 PM

6.5/10

https://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=100523

LeBoyWondeur

09-03-24, 09:14 PM

I was browsing prime looking for something thought-provoking and profound, and when my eyes clocked Memoirs Of A Geisha (2005) I thought "that must be it. that's the one".
It didn't take me very long to realise that there wasn't going to be anything profound or genuine about it, but I was kinda intrigued to see a Japanese story with such a strong Christmassy and neo-Dickensian vibe.
The second and biggest act is actually quite entertaining and always stays on the right side of bitchy soap opera.
But the third and last act, when the war between Chiyo/Sayuri and Hatsumomo ends and a world war breaks out, becomes a nightmare of cringey and cliché melodrama with seriously bad dialogue.

4/10 (4 stars for Hatsumomo)

Marco

09-03-24, 10:35 PM

I haven't seen this yet, but I am a fan of actor Jean-Louis Trintignant, being a fan of his performances in Sergio Corbucci's The Great Silence (1968) and Bernardo Bertolucci's The Conformist (1970).

Who knows? Maybe one of these days...

Darth, also a fan on The Conformist, I will have to search out The Great Silence, thankyou for the recommendation:):)

iluv2viddyfilms

09-04-24, 12:54 AM

How to Get Ahead in Advertising (1989, Bruce Robinson) - Very, very bizarre gross out commentary satire film on marketing, advertising, consumerism, and capitalism. Think Fight Club meets Jon Waters.

Grade: B-

PHOENIX74

09-04-24, 01:33 AM

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/65/TheNewspapermanPoster.png
By Kundhart Film and/or HBO - https://img.reelgood.com/content/movie/195cebbc-1fe9-4a92-9810-7490f194c7c1/poster-780.jpg, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=57053686

The Newspaperman : The Life and Times of Ben Bradlee - (2017)

This is a good biographical documentary - it features not only a lot from Ben Bradlee himself, but gets right up close and personal with many of the famous figures he knew along with friends and family. Many stones are lifted and looked under. Apparently JFK followed Bradlee's second wife, Antoinette, to the bathroom during one function and when she told him "no" he forced himself on her regardless. It's kind of glossed over by way of saying "Oh, that Kennedy, he sure was a risk taker!" I was thinking of a different "r" word. Bradlee himself says he never knew the President was behaving in the manner we all now know he was, but others say you'd have to have been blind not to have known. Anyway Bradlee presided over the Washington Post during an era when the press were respected and revered - and his time was ending at the same time a Washington Post scandal erupted and signified that some of that trust was about to erode. That and the internet have changed the landscape significantly. Anyway, this didn't shy away from including blemishes to Bradlee's character, and I found it informative.

7/10

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/97/Jeremiah_Johnsonposter.jpg
By IMPAwards.com, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=16438872

Jeremiah Johnson - (1972)

Gripping account of real-life "liver-eating" Jeremiah Johnson's adaptation to the Rocky Mountains, with a pace that surprised me in it's nimble forward progression from start to finish. Whether it be difficulty or calamity, there's one event after the other or else the characters in this film are facing challenges that keep a viewer very much invested all the way through. Full review here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=2485070#post2485070), in my watchlist thread.

8/10

Fabulous

09-04-24, 06:02 AM

Charlie's Angels (2000)

2.5

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/tTgcmb9y56dfS3NsYcgzqqVpQWr.jpg

exiler96

09-04-24, 06:04 AM

Bad Day at Black Rock (1955)... a better "man of honor dueling a town during a 24-hrs period" western from the 50s than High Noon tbh... filled with tension and the cast is stacked. 8+/10...

https://media.timeout.com/images/100363541/750/422/image.jpg

chawhee

09-04-24, 09:41 AM

Thief

09-04-24, 10:28 AM

ORGAN TRAIL
(2023, Jann)

https://i.imgur.com/7wfJQr5.jpeg

"Suffering ain't noble. It's just suffering."

Set in the 1870s, Organ Trail follows Abigale Archer (Zoé de Grand Maison) and her family, as they travel the Oregon Trail. When tragedy hits at the hands of a group of outlaws led by Logan (Sam Trammell), Abigale is determined to do whatever it takes to retrieve her family's horse. She is joined in her journey by Erik (Clé Bennett), a married rancher that might be getting in too deep in this situation.

I'm a sucker for a good western, and I think this one delivered pretty much what I was asking from it. The first act as we meet the Archer family is traagic and brutal. It then hits a bit of a lull as we get to know the four outlaws, but the performances and characters are interesting enough to keep me engaged. Perhaps the most notable is Rhys (Nicholas Logan), who is a bit of a psychopath that can't feel pain. There's also Cassidy (Olivia Grace Applegate), a woman that is rescued by the Archers and whose allegiances pretty much shape the course of the film.

Grade: 4

Full review on my Movie Loot (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2485115#post2485115)

Deschain

09-04-24, 11:30 AM

Thief

09-04-24, 12:21 PM

CONSPIRACY
(2001, Pierson)

https://i.imgur.com/qWxs22Y.jpeg

"Politics is a nasty game. I think soldiering requires the discipline to do the unthinkable and politics requires the skill to get someone else to do the unthinkable for you."

Conspiracy gives us a chance to see that banality in the works as it dramatizes the events of the Wannsee Conference in 1942. The meeting, attended by a small group of Nazi officers, was supposed to be a moment to decide on the "Final Solution" for Germany's "Jewish problem". The meeting is organized by Adolf Eichmann (Stanley Tucci) and led by Reinhard Heydrich (Kenneth Branagh). Tucci and Branagh are surrounded by an ensemble of respected TV and stage actors.

This is a film I've easily seen about a dozen times and I've loved it since the first one. This is not a film of booms and bangs, but more a film of dialogue and subtle performances. The film is full of these little moments of great direction and non-verbal acting that help establish the personalities of every character. Be it in the way they arrive, how they are addressed, and how they mingle with each other, you know who each person is. Some characters establish their authority with their attitudes and demeanor, while others prance around pimping their credentials.

Grade: 5

Full review on my Movie Loot (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2485149#post2485149)

Thief

09-04-24, 12:29 PM

I’ve seen the title Organ Trail pop up before which made me think it’s a horror movie, and IMDB lists one of its genres as horror. But the synopsis and Thief’s review doesn’t make it seem like one. Would be this be a good October watch? Or is it not really horror?

I wouldn't call it full "horror", but it certainly has horrific elements to it, mostly in the way some characters are killed. There is also an element of "slasher/horror" towards the last act with a bad guy that just keeps coming back, but overall, this leans more towards thriller, with tinges of horror, action, and drama.

Allaby

09-04-24, 12:31 PM

Broadway Limited (1941) This was just okay. The story isn't very interesting, but the acting is decent. The baby is the best character. 3

Stirchley

09-04-24, 12:37 PM

100756

Good movie. I enjoyed it. Hanx put in 100% & Caleb Landry Jones was excellent as “Jeff”.

Stirchley

09-04-24, 12:39 PM

System won’t let me post for Evil Does Not Exist, but it’s a good Japanese movie.

Gideon58

09-04-24, 02:27 PM

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61-l0H-mdnL._AC_UF894,1000_QL80_.jpg

1st Rewatch...This juvenile and painfully unfunny comedy stars Paul Rudd and Seann William Scott as energy drink reps who get in enough trouble that to avoid a year in jail, they are sentenced to 150 hours of community service in the form of a mentoring program called Sturdy Wings, where they are assigned to be big brothers to a nerdy teenager who is into medieval battle reenactments and a foul mothed, boob-obsessed black pre-teen. Paul Rudd and Elizabeth Banks deserves so much better and looks pretty embarrassed to be involved in this mess and an actor I hate like a coldsore, Ken Jeong, has a major role in this. The only real laughs here come from Jane Lynch, in a precursor to Sue Sylvester, as the director of Sturdy Wings. 2

Gideon58

09-04-24, 02:37 PM

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BYmFmOGZjYTItYjY1ZS00OWRiLTk0NDgtMjQ5MzBkYWE2YWE0XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNjU0OTQ0OTY@._V1_FMjpg_UX1000_.j pg

4th Rewatch...Where feature length film re-imaginings of classic television series go, this is one of the very best. Harrison Ford takes over the role of Dr. Richard KImble from the late David Janssen, who played the role on the 60's series. Dr. Kimble has been falsely convicted of murdering his wife and is sent to prison, but an accident during transport provides the opportunity for Kimble to escape. While he's trying to evade recapture and simultaneously trying to prove his innocence, he is being pursued like a dog by a US Marshall named Sam Gerard (Tommy Lee Jones) who is determined to get his man no matter what. This is a rare case of allowing the story to unfold slowly is an asset. Unlike the TV series, we know Kimble is innocent, but we understand that Gerard is just doing his job. Love that moment before Kimble jumps into the falls and tells Gerard he didn't kill his wife and Gerard casually counters with "I don't care." Ford completely disappears inside this character offering one of the strongest performances of his career and Tommy Lee Jones won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor (personally I think he should have won for JFK). Exciting movie with endless rewatch appeal. 4.5

Gideon58

09-04-24, 02:42 PM

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMmNiNDEyYjUtN2YzYi00MTBlLWIzNzYtOGM2YWUzNTY4ZDNlXkEyXkFqcGc@._V1_FMjpg_UX1000_.jpg

3rd Rewatch...A rather ordinary story is given a boost it doesn't really deserve thanks to an eye-opening performance by Mark Wahlberg that was the first time I noticed the guy had some acting chops, though it has become fashionable these days to diss the guy. He plays a guy who begins going out with a virginal high school student (Reese Witherspoon) who is slowly revealed to be a genuine psychopath. The film is nearly forgotten for some reason but Wahlberg's performance makes it worth a look. 3.5

Gideon58

09-04-24, 02:49 PM

https://media.services.cinergy.ch/media/box1600/011b8f21a641bb073ab0ab8f4407792e6cc41029.jpg

Umpteenth Rewatch...The meticulous direction by the legendary Stanley Kubrick and an electrifying performance by Jack Nicholson that didn't even earn him an Oscar nomination make this 1980 film version of Stephen King's novel. Nicholson plays a writer who gets a job taking care of an isolated Colorado resort during its down season and how the isolation and the haunting thoughts of what happened in this hotel many years ago start to drive the man insane. Truthfully, there is a lot of stuff in the novel that is left out here, but you just don't care because Nicholson is just so damned good, he makes up for anything that’s wrong with this movie and anything he doesn't do, Kubrick does. I debate daily whether this or Dr Strangelove is Kubrick's masterpiece. Nicholson has never been better. This performance is better than any of the ten performances that did earn him Oscar nominations. When I did my list of favorite Nicholson performances, this one came in at #1 of course. Remade as a miniseries in 1997 with Steven Webber, but nobody seems to care.
5

Thief

09-04-24, 03:37 PM

CIVIL WAR
(2024, Garland)

https://i.imgur.com/KfqvfgK.jpeg

"Every time I survived a war zone, I thought I was sending a warning home - 'Don't do this'. But here we are."

Set in the middle of a civil war in the United States, the film follows a group of war journalists traveling to Washington, DC to try to interview the President before the capital is taken over. Leading the group are Lee Smith (Kirsten Dunst), a war-torn and cynical war photographer that seems to be questioning the purpose of everything as the violence around her rages on, and Jessie (Cailee Spaeny), a younger, and seemingly more optimistic and naïve photographer who idolizes her.

I think the biggest act of provocation from this film is to actually call it Civil War. I don't know how intentional or not that might be, but with a title like that, this may very well be a film that lives or dies on your expectations, or how well you adjust to what the film is actually offering you. Civil War does take place during a "civil war", and the war does move the plot forward, of course; but the film is not about *the war* but rather about how people, namely these group of journalists, react and approach it.

Grade: 4

Full review on my Movie Loot (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2485213#post2485213)

Thief

09-04-24, 04:53 PM

SYRIANA
(2005, Gaghan)

https://i.imgur.com/8ifvDdy.jpeg

"We're looking for the illusion of due diligence, Mr. Pope."

Syriana follows an ensemble cast through four main storylines, all tied to a corporate fight for oil rights in the Middle East. There's Prince Nasir (Alexander Siddig), who wants to take his country into a more progressive path, and Bryan Woodman (Matt Damon), the energy analyst that he hires to assist him. Then there's Bob Barnes (George Clooney), the veteran CIA agent that is assigned to eliminate Nasir under the illusion of him being a threat. Finally, there's a subplot about Pakistani oil workers that are being affected by all the struggle between the oil companies.

That's just a bit of what's going on, cause there's a lot. I've seen this film easily 10 times, and I still forget details of what is going on until I'm watching it again. Regardless, I just find it to be one of the most thrilling films I've seen. Director and writer Stephen Gaghan, who also wrote Traffic, brings some of that fast-paced jump between storylines without it feeling suffocating. Plus, every storyline has a character that serves as an effective anchor for the audience.

Grade: 4.5

Full review on my Movie Loot (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2485230#post2485230)

iluv2viddyfilms

09-04-24, 05:25 PM

Top Gun (1986)
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMTQzNDI0MDUyMV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwNTI0MDM2OQ@@._V1_SY500_CR0,0,322,500_AL_.jpg
4
Hard to judge this movie accurately since it came out before I was born, but I can definitely understand the sentiment and coolness that this movie has earned and maintained after all these years.

It's still great... sure it's a two hour long US Navy ad and the quintessential Reagan era 80s film, but it's been one of my favorites through my life and the sequel was even better and is my favorite film of 2022... not that I've seen a ton from that year.

cricket

09-04-24, 06:27 PM

Strange Darling (2023)

4+

https://aftercredits.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/StrangeDarlingFeat.jpg

I had never heard of this until a couple of members posted about it in this thread the last couple of days. It seemed like something I needed to see, so while fighting with my wife I went to my car in the pitch dark with my iPad and found a copy online. Besides some dude saying "oh sh*t" about half way through, it was like watching Netflix. My fear when going into a film advertised as the type to watch blind or with an enormous twist is that the whole film will turn out to be a dream or something stupid like that. Nothing like that here thankfully. 6 chapters and an epilogue told out of order except for the last chapter and the epilogue. Initially I thought I'd be going back to each chapter, but it was just that the film flies by. As easy to follow as if everything was told in order. Looks good, terrific acting for a film like this, especially by the girl. A must see for fans of horror/serial killer fans. Looking forward to seeing it when I can watch it on my TV.

iluv2viddyfilms

09-04-24, 11:35 PM

A Poem is a Naked Person (1974, Les Blank)

https://lesblank.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/A_POEM_IS_A_NAKED_PERSON_LANDSCAPE_1080-768x432.jpg

This is a very rough documentary from Les Blank about songwriter and musician Leon Russell, who to be fair, I haven't really heard of before nor have I known much about him. This film is very loose and random without any kind of narrative or even commentary or thesis. There's no narration... it's simply the camera rolling on Russell during his concerts, before, and after, and during his minor excursions with his crew. It features some very startling imagery and scenes... a couple of the more interesting ones include a pet snake eating a baby chick with some philosophical ramblings as voice over, a man who gives a speech and then proceeds to eat glass, and a painter who claims parents are denying their children's inner artist by not allowing them to scribble on the walls of their rooms. It's all very interesting material from the man who brought us Burden of Dreams and Werner Herzog Eats His Shoe, but it doesn't really give us insights into Russell or his music or process or the meaning behind his music or what it means to people. What it does is give a snap shot into a behind the scenes look at the man, so for those like myself unfamiliar with Russell, it will have less appeal than I would imagine it would to his fans. Still worth a watch for those dedicated to a canon of documentary films or who enjoy Les Blank's work. It's currently on the Criterion Channel.

Grade: C+

PHOENIX74

09-05-24, 04:01 AM

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/de/Gattaca_poster.jpg
Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=64010284

Gattaca - (1997)

Cool, Art Deco, dystopian future sci-fi that I've watched a couple of times recently - I'd gotten it on Blu-Ray, and couldn't resist seeing it again. Gattaca is a film that has grown on me - and the fact that Ethan Hawke really shines in one of his earlier roles helps it's esteem in my eyes. A shame Alan Arkin didn't get a meatier role as a lead detective on the hunt for a murderer and accidentally catching the scent of Vincent Freeman (Hawke), who is posing as Jerome Eugene Morrow (Jude Law) because he has inferior, natural genes and as such shouldn't be the astronaut he aspires to be. Included are Uma Thurman, Gore Vidal, Ernest Borgnine and Tony Shalhoub. Loads of style - and really is a nice-looking movie in many ways. Looks at whole new ways us human beings can discriminate by, and posits that we have every right to live free from discrimination altogether by presenting a world driven by invasive testing. It goes for a look over realism, but I think it's quite good.

8/10

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/37/Bean_movie_poster.jpg
By http://www.impawards.com/1997/bean_ver4.html, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4734680

Bean - (1997)

Incidental watch - but hey, I like it. It mightn't be as good as the TV show, but it's funny - Atkinson's creation is something truly otherworldly.

7/10

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/04/Fallen-Angels-Poster.jpg
By The poster art can or could be obtained from the distributor., Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=28342605

Fallen Angels - (1995)

Never has murder felt more peripheral, or neon felt more like sunlight glowing on the cheeks of young men and women who are right in the moment, and alive. This is a desert island movie, for I reckon it's one I could watch over, and over, and over. Full review here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=2485352#post2485352), in my watchlist thread.

10/10

Fabulous

09-05-24, 07:18 AM

The Last American Hero (1973)

2.5

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/e8BESINFPHODsKEfGuaESBqs104.jpg

exiler96

09-05-24, 11:51 AM

Joan of Arc (1948) - Painfully ordinary movie about an extraordinary figure... colourful sets and look (it won two Oscars for cinematography and costume design, which were deserved I guess) but few scenes stood out in the first half - main one really is when Joan recognizes the hidden prince with that proper score playing over it; where you finally begin to "believe" her - and while it gets more engaging as it goes along (it should be a positive that it doesn't feel it's length much), you can't feel it's doing it's subject matter much justice... goes without saying that it doesn't hold a candle to Drayer's milestone of course.

What holds it together is Ingrid Bergman's performance though. Every guidance, praying and objection she gives is with mighty conviction. Everytime the camera frames her graceful face, while she's searching for courage within herself or letting out a smile to her prosecutors, the movie wins. Has anyone seen Rossellini's output too? Do tell if it's better that this...

Basically 5/10, but I up it to 6 for Ingrid.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EtUqqlQWgAUf94p.jpg

exiler96

09-05-24, 02:55 PM

Anastasia (1956) - Another mediocre "history" drama with Bergman as the lead, who gets to do a variety of actions (play drunk, play scared -if not traumatized, needy and commanding...it's quiet a role now that I think about it) and makes this watchable especially in her scenes with (a one-note but reliable) Yul Brynner and one long, effective scene with Helen Hayes (as the Empress)...

I also appreciated the royal interior decorations and background music (you're gonna recognize a tune or two lemme tell you), but as a whole, I felt emotionally detached from this... I often struggle with stories that do not have a serious antagonist force in them (in Joan of Arc, for example, our girl is surrounded by them) and the direction and progression here is wooden and predictable like a lot of standard Hollywood pictures of the time. And yes, the 1996 20th Century Fox animated version beats the ball out of this. 5-ish/10...

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/47/f0/32/47f032ae706c281b965c1f1d8cf50302.jpg

FilmBuff

09-05-24, 05:11 PM

https://www.cinemaonett.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Beetle-Juice-new-poster-1382x2048.jpg

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice 2024 AD
2.5

The original Beetlejuice is easily one of my favorite 80s films, and probably my #1 Tim Burton movie, so I should probably preface this by saying that I didn't totally dislike this sequel, but I also didn't feel like I was watching the kind of movie Burton was so fearlessly making while still in his prime.

Is this movie entertaining enough? In its own sweetly mediocre way, yes. Is this something that could be considered a good movie applying strictly objective standards? No, not really.

The movie has a really wonderful cast, but it has too many characters and needless subplots and doesn't ever really seem to find its focus. The fish-out-of-water element that made the original film so sweet and charming is also pretty much non-existent.

While the original felt fresh and edgy, this one feels... cheugy and overstuffed.

It certainly does feel like all the lead actors must have had fun while making it. And while it's great to see Keaton back in one of his most iconic characters, even he doesn't seem quite as edgy or irrepressible anymore (maybe in this day and age, some of his most inappropriate habits just can't be shown on screen anymore).

Well, there's still some cool stuff in the film, including a cameo by an old Burton buddy, and a sequence that seems to pay homage to a famous Italian filmmaker.

But all in all, there's too much plot, too many characters, too many ideas left unexplored, and a deep sense that this is all just kind of rehashing some of the best bits of the original while not really coming up with anything that's nearly as inventive.

Allaby

09-05-24, 07:57 PM

Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice (2024) This was fun. Keaton hasn't lost any of his spark or energy and does a great job. Ryder, O'Hara, Orega, and Dafoe were good too. Although not quite as good as the original, this is an entertaining and enjoyable sequel. 4

xSookieStackhouse

09-06-24, 01:29 AM

5 i really enjoye4d it i loved the cast and loved the music and loved the storyline and its one of amazing movies
https://cdn.eventcinemas.com.au/cdn/resources/movies/18045/images/largeposter.jpg

doubledenim

09-06-24, 05:55 AM

Fabulous

09-06-24, 07:02 AM

Varsity Blues (1999)

2.5

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/wLNBmjGsRm1ibb3Wq3sf0JJZnYU.jpg

LChimp

09-06-24, 10:40 AM

https://www.originalfilmart.com/cdn/shop/files/moon_2009_original_film_art_b1c9698a-4499-4309-944b-0ef1b863f796_5000x.jpg?v=1711655478

Moon - (Duncan Jones, 2009)

Quite excellent, actually. I think Sam Rockwell should be talked about more, he is an amazing actor. 9/10

FilmBuff

09-06-24, 10:41 AM

https://static1.colliderimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/sharedimages/2024/06/the-front-room-2024-poster-brandy.jpg

The Front Room
3

The Front Room definitely isn't for everyone - but if you're into outrageous dark humor, you might just find yourself really digging it.

This is the kind of movie that should probably come with a trigger warning. While most horror movies are happy to let the blood gush freely once the action begins, this one revels in, let's just say, other kinds of bodily excretions, and it really isn't a pretty sight (it's a horror movie, so it's supposed to have something horrible in it, right?)

If that doesn't faze you, then this movie might just be your cup of tea.

Stirchley

09-06-24, 12:15 PM

SYRIANA
(2005, Gaghan)

https://i.imgur.com/8ifvDdy.jpeg

Syriana follows an ensemble cast through four main storylines, all tied to a corporate fight for oil rights in the Middle East. There's Prince Nasir (Alexander Siddig), who wants to take his country into a more progressive path, and Bryan Woodman (Matt Damon), the energy analyst that he hires to assist him. Then there's Bob Barnes (George Clooney), the veteran CIA agent that is assigned to eliminate Nasir under the illusion of him being a threat. Finally, there's a subplot about Pakistani oil workers that are being affected by all the struggle between the oil companies.

That's just a bit of what's going on, cause there's a lot. I've seen this film easily 10 times, and I still forget details of what is going on until I'm watching it again. Regardless, I just find it to be one of the most thrilling films I've seen. Director and writer Stephen Gaghan, who also wrote Traffic, brings some of that fast-paced jump between storylines without it feeling suffocating. Plus, every storyline has a character that serves as an effective anchor for the audience.

Grade: 4.5

Full review on my Movie Loot (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2485230#post2485230)

Excellent movie.