Rate The Last Movie You Saw

Sweet thoughtful movie. I enjoyed it. Huge fan of Mike White who wrote & directed.

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I’m here only on Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays. That’s why I’m here now.

Jungle Cruise (2021)

I think a blockbuster movie is a bit like a theme park ride, really, and Disney are in the business of theme parks and movies so it makes a lot of sense to combine the two. This movie does exactly what it says on the tin. There's absolutely nothing new or groundbreaking here - this could have been made pretty much anytime in the past 30 years. But in a way, that old-fashioned adventure charm is exactly the appeal. It's certainly why I went to see it. I ate my popcorn and I enjoyed it very much.

+

The person I crossed swords with constantly. But I can't remember which of us.

Wow.
I was gonna skip it entirely because it just looks so ridiculous and of course its predecessor was one of the worst big-budget, financially successful movies I've ever seen.
Now I have to consider this.

If you like James Gunn, I can’t see you not liking this. Outside of his own films, it’s basically like if Dirty Dozen, Escape From New York and Troma’s War got tossed in a blender.

The first was a train wreck and it’s embarrassing seeing how they’re butchered it, trying to make it like Gunn’s Guardians. Especially in seeing what happens when they actually get Gunn to do it himself.

I watched two directed by Vernon Zimmerman, both of which featured an unexpected name in the credits:



Unholy Rollers (1972)
A while back I watched Kansas City Bomber, which starred Raquel Welch as a roller derby-ist (?) derby-er? a roller derby person.
This was made the same year, and has basically the same plot- Pretty lady joins the team and must prove herself to the other players, etc. But this is a Roger Corman production so it's decidedly more crass. More boobs, more gay jokes, more cussing. A gropey doctor giving physical exams played for laughs, etc. Fine if you're in the mood for such goings-on, but Kansas City Bomber is better.
Surprise name in the credits: MARTIN SCORSESE, EDITOR !


Deadhead Miles (1972)
This is mostly a standard "trucker hauling illegal goods and dodging Smokey" story, but with a kind of meandering vibe to it and featuring an idiosyncratic performance from Alan Arkin. Not for everybody, but I was into it.
Surprise name in the credits: TERENCE MALICK, SCREENPLAY !

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Captain's Log
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ps-- I should point out that I haven't seen any of the films that Malick has directed, but I have seen Deadhead Miles. I think I might be doing this wrong.

Or maybe you’re the only one doing it right.

If you’re not a fan of the genre, you can skip this one. Pales in comparison to Guardians. It’s not a bad movie, but you can tell he was too interested in seeing how many characters he could kill off “just because “.

Where did you find this one Mark? It looks like my cup of grim.

It's on the Criterion Channel this month

Yeah, Martin Scorsese also directed Roger Corman's Boxcar Bertha in 1972, a film I saw a couple of months ago. He showed his first cut to John Cassavetes, who told him it was great, but also exploitation garbage and that Scorsese was so much better than that - he went on to prove Cassavetes right.

Ironweed (1987)

Aww, but why? It was a lot of fun

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Monster Squad is fun, but it’s more of a guilty pleasure then anything.

I don't believe in "guilty pleasures".

Me either. If you like something you like it. No reason to feel guilty.

By May be found at the following website: IMP Awards, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=46727168

Sicario - (2015) - Rewatch

Excellent film. Love director Denis Villeneuve's stuff. Love screenwriter Taylor Sheridan's stuff. Love cinematographer Roger Deakins' stuff. Great score from Jóhann Jóhannsson. Great performances from Emily Blunt, Benicio Del Toro and Josh Brolin. All comes together for a powerful film about the war against drug cartels and how they should be fought, which forces an internal debate. Do the ends justify the means?

8/10

Bull Durham (1988)

The Suicide Squad (2021)

James Gunn does it again with The Suicide Squad a retooling of a failed film from 5 years ago. Out with the old in with the new, 4 characters from the orginial return (Waller, Flagg, Captain Boomerang, and Quinn) and Deadshot is basically redone as Blood Sport. Though the difference being Deadshot felt like Will Smith in a costume while Blood Sport is an actual realized three dimensional character. One of the many reasons why the 2021 film is superior to the 2016 version.

The Suicide Squad even succeeds where GOTG failed. If you watch GOTG you know that it has a Middle Eastern political structure in the sense that Ronan is basically ISIS, and that the GOTG are basically meant to represent different corners of the geopolitical landscape. It's overtly complicated and not given time so it takes a bit to get it and even then...it's labored. The Suicide Squad has no labor's the political elements are front and center. You have scenes in this film that are straight out of Bananas (1971)...and done very well.

Based on the trailers you assume King Shark is going to be the star of the film but really, Sebastian, Ratcatcher II, and Polka Dot Man are all much more effective in the film. Taika Waititi's has really one scene in the film and he just nails I almost teared up. As a Kaiju film Starro looked great everything was in daylight which is important events were hidden with rain or shadows or speed like in other DC films.

My only criticisms with the film is that they had several opportunities to elevate the film into a BP candidate. The other thing with Harley Quinn While at the end of the day it won't get Oscar consideration...I do expect it to show up on top ten lists.