Movies: Last Movie You Watched and Rate It | Cinema at the End of the World Edition
- Thread starter ProstheticConscience
- Start date
KallioWeHardlyKnewYe
Hey! We won!
- May 30, 2003
- 15,772
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Just wrapped my annual 24-hour horror movie marathon. This year’s lineup.
Army of Darkness. Great, goofy fun. If you don’t like it, screw.
Dead of Night. Classic British creeper anthology best remembered for a story about a ventriloquist and his dummy that’s been imitated many times over.
Raw. Finally got around to this. Every bit as unsettling and icky as promised.
Wes Craven’s New Nightmare. Not as good as I remembered. The meta plot is ahead of its time but there are also some long, dull stretches here. Not helped by the two leads (mother and son) leaving a lot to be desired. I do like the fairy tale-like climax.
Def by Temptation. Stylish. Nice mix of laughs, gore and an odd sincerity. The lead is a bit of a zero, but the supporting duo of Kadeem Hardison and Bill Nunn pick up the slack big time.
Exorcist III. A weird and unsettling movie. Blatty loves long rants about faith and philosophy which I dig, but may tire others. A lot of the horror is simply descriptions, but there are a couple of scenes here that really pack a punch both for shock and general discomfort.
Butcher Baker Nightmare Maker. Oooh buddy if you like whackado 80s horror, seek this out. I’ll just leave it at that.
Timecrimes. On my to-watch list for a while. Will have to revisit though. It was early morning and sleep overtook me about midway through. Everything is sketchy.
Spookies. Another nutty 80s horror flick, this one supposedly inspired by Hausu (a personal favorite of mine). It does have that “and then!” Cartoon craziness. It’s an entertaining mess, but not really a charming one.
Creature from the Black Lagoon. Beautifully shot classic monster flick. Might actually be my favorite of the famed Universal catalog. Bare bones story with a compelling, even sympathetic monster.
The Stone Tape. 1970s British TV movie about an electronics group who discovers a ghost and seeks to record it. Hamstrung by production values but the story and ideas were pretty engaging and the leads were better than something like this feels like it should have.
Prince of Darkness. I tracked down the former because it’s a big influence on this so I thought it’d be a good pairing. Underrated John Carpenter creeper about pure uncut liquid Satan. Not his best, but I think his second tier stuff is as entertaining as many horror director’s best efforts.
Army of Darkness. Great, goofy fun. If you don’t like it, screw.
Dead of Night. Classic British creeper anthology best remembered for a story about a ventriloquist and his dummy that’s been imitated many times over.
Raw. Finally got around to this. Every bit as unsettling and icky as promised.
Wes Craven’s New Nightmare. Not as good as I remembered. The meta plot is ahead of its time but there are also some long, dull stretches here. Not helped by the two leads (mother and son) leaving a lot to be desired. I do like the fairy tale-like climax.
Def by Temptation. Stylish. Nice mix of laughs, gore and an odd sincerity. The lead is a bit of a zero, but the supporting duo of Kadeem Hardison and Bill Nunn pick up the slack big time.
Exorcist III. A weird and unsettling movie. Blatty loves long rants about faith and philosophy which I dig, but may tire others. A lot of the horror is simply descriptions, but there are a couple of scenes here that really pack a punch both for shock and general discomfort.
Butcher Baker Nightmare Maker. Oooh buddy if you like whackado 80s horror, seek this out. I’ll just leave it at that.
Timecrimes. On my to-watch list for a while. Will have to revisit though. It was early morning and sleep overtook me about midway through. Everything is sketchy.
Spookies. Another nutty 80s horror flick, this one supposedly inspired by Hausu (a personal favorite of mine). It does have that “and then!” Cartoon craziness. It’s an entertaining mess, but not really a charming one.
Creature from the Black Lagoon. Beautifully shot classic monster flick. Might actually be my favorite of the famed Universal catalog. Bare bones story with a compelling, even sympathetic monster.
The Stone Tape. 1970s British TV movie about an electronics group who discovers a ghost and seeks to record it. Hamstrung by production values but the story and ideas were pretty engaging and the leads were better than something like this feels like it should have.
Prince of Darkness. I tracked down the former because it’s a big influence on this so I thought it’d be a good pairing. Underrated John Carpenter creeper about pure uncut liquid Satan. Not his best, but I think his second tier stuff is as entertaining as many horror director’s best efforts.
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Hockeyfrilla
Swe prospect fanatic
Army of Thieves (2021) - 4/10 (Disliked it)
The German safecracker from Army of the Dead gets an origin story in which he joins a team of international thieves to break into three of the world's most famous safes. It's an energetic but formulaic team heist movie that felt a lot like every other heist movie since Ocean's 11. It's a little low on suspense, though, as the safecracking consists mostly of Dieter with his ear to each safe while turning the combination dials (which is certainly not as exciting as when thieves force their way into safes) and not even while he's under much pressure. Logic is also nearly nonexistent, like how this is all going on while a zombie apocalypse is breaking out and how he plays Wagner while listening to the tumblers in the lock. It's not trying to be logical, but that contributes to the emphasis on entertainment over suspense. There are also occasional attempts at humor, mostly involving Dieter's ultra awkwardness, but I found them just as awkward, even slightly cringy. As for the positives, Matthias Schweighöfer (who also directed) is likable as the nerdy Dieter, as is Nathalie Emmanuel as his much cooler co-star. There's a playfulness to the film that's hard to hate. There's also some feeling at points and an emotional ending, which I appreciated. It all didn't quite make up for how formulaic and a little uninteresting the rest was, though. Overall, I can't say that I liked it, but I did like it better than Army of the Dead. If you enjoyed that, you'll probably enjoy this one more than I did, too. It works fine as a light popcorn action/comedy combination, but it's safe to say that it won't crack the top 10 movies of the year. It's now out on Netflix.
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Of course this advice represents a wonderful alternative to even good movies.
Bloody Hell (2020) - 7/10 (Really liked it)
An American who doesn't appreciate his sudden celebrity (Ben O'Toole) takes a trip to Finland to get away, but winds up being abducted by a deranged family of Finns. It's a horror comedy that's kind of like if Deadpool were kidnapped by the Texas Chainsaw Massacre family. It's more funny than scary or even gory, though, with an emphasis on dark humor, much of it coming from Rex talking to himself, literally. His conscience is often in the shot with him, sometimes giving him good advice and, sometimes, really bad advice. I was often amused. It's a bit absurd, but in a good way. The plot is really simple, but it's not trying to be deep like Get Out or go for twists and turns. It's just a silly popcorn escape movie that's meant to be entertaining and fun, and it was for me. If you feel like a good horror comedy, I can recommend renting it. Also, if Jussi ever invites me to visit him, I'm politely declining.
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24 City / 二十四城记 (Jia Zhangke, 2008)
Before Jia Zhangke transitioned to make primarily drama films in the 2010s (A Touch of Sin, Mountains May Depart, Ash is Purest White), he had a period in the 2000s of just releasing documentaries, or more accurately, films which blended the line between documentary and fiction. 24 City is the last of these films in that period. 24 City is a “documentary” which examines an old state owned airplane engine factory in Chengdu which has been sold and demolished to be made into luxury apartments. The film is consistent with Jia’s thematic commitment to exploring China’s transition from communism to state capitalism and what the human cost of these efforts are. Through interviewing three generations of workers and their children, generational divides become evident as the adult children of the factory workers, now educated and active participants in Chinese capitalism and never having to had worked in the factory are excited for this development project, while the older generations mourn the end of this relic of communism. The film is shot through single cut interviews with a mix of real locals and actors playing locals about their feelings of the development, blending fact with fiction, and makes a powerful documentary/fiction hybrid. I would consider 24 City to be a minor film in Jia’s oeuvre, but it complements and fits well within his body of work.
Before Jia Zhangke transitioned to make primarily drama films in the 2010s (A Touch of Sin, Mountains May Depart, Ash is Purest White), he had a period in the 2000s of just releasing documentaries, or more accurately, films which blended the line between documentary and fiction. 24 City is the last of these films in that period. 24 City is a “documentary” which examines an old state owned airplane engine factory in Chengdu which has been sold and demolished to be made into luxury apartments. The film is consistent with Jia’s thematic commitment to exploring China’s transition from communism to state capitalism and what the human cost of these efforts are. Through interviewing three generations of workers and their children, generational divides become evident as the adult children of the factory workers, now educated and active participants in Chinese capitalism and never having to had worked in the factory are excited for this development project, while the older generations mourn the end of this relic of communism. The film is shot through single cut interviews with a mix of real locals and actors playing locals about their feelings of the development, blending fact with fiction, and makes a powerful documentary/fiction hybrid. I would consider 24 City to be a minor film in Jia’s oeuvre, but it complements and fits well within his body of work.
A Bucket of Blood (1959)
2.75 out of 4stars
"Walter Paisley, nerdy busboy at a Bohemian café, is jealous of the talent and popularity of its various artistic regulars. But after accidentally killing his landlady's cat and covering the body in plaster to hide the evidence, he is acclaimed as a brilliant sculptor - but his new-found friends want to see more of his work."
A very predictable, yet very well done entertaining fun comedy horror "art satire". Dick Miller is perfect in the main role, and the side characters are great too. It does include some honest comical commentary about the artistic culture/community also. Learning this film was shot in 5days and low budget makes me appreciate it even more.
Neon Demon (2016)
2.70 out of 4stars
"An aspiring model, Jesse, has recently moved to Los Angeles. However, her beauty and youth, which generate intense fascination and jealousy throughout the fashion industry, may change her life forever."
A psychological thriller horror packed with style, evolution, and satire of the fashion/modeling industry. The viewer gets thrown into the most superficial business on the planet, one where legends are born and fortunes are made, and hierarchies/divides are created. A world where morality is absent, and only greed and envy exist. Looks and an "it" factor are worth their weight in gold. And the sum of it all is also a very interesting chicken and egg situation, is narcissism created or brought to life from working in such an industry? I am still unsure of how I feel about the ending. On one end, it brings everything full circle and gives the movie closure. On the other end I don't feel it's "true to the lifelike reflection of this story would end up in reality", if that makes sense, especially based on the protagonist's being up to that point in the film. Either way, the ending unquestionably has Refn's signature style all over it. PS=Those sensitive to seizures be warned, there are a few scenes that can cause that in this.
Duel (1971)
2.65 out of 4stars
"While traveling through the desert for an appointment with a client, the businessman David Mann from California passes a slow and old tanker truck. The psychotic truck driver feels offended and chases David along the empty highway trying to kill him."
Arguably Spielberg's first film (Firelight being the other) is a tight suspenseful mostly straight forward story told with visual splendor. I am not even close to a behind the scenes film buff, but I can tell here that Spielberg uses many different angles/perspectives and framings and "depths/ranges" that make you feel exactly what is going on from many ways all while entertaining you. A successfully fascinating way of making this movie.
The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms (1953)
2.50 out of 4stars
"A ferocious dinosaur awakened by an Arctic atomic test terrorizes the North Atlantic before finding it's way to New York City."
Early creature feature. While almost everything with the film is outdated and average at best, the creature scenes are excellently done and truly perilous and impacting. There is also a lot of ironically funny material, like the main scientist's accent changing all the time, subpar writing, and even a bit of corny dialogue lines (including one where I believe a solider is talked to as "bazooka man" without a solider name initially at all). Most famously being known as the first live-action monster movie, as well as one of the main influences of Godzilla.
Antlers (2021)
2.35 out of 4stars
"In an isolated Oregon town, a middle-school teacher and her sheriff brother become embroiled with her enigmatic student, whose dark secrets lead to terrifying encounters with a legendary ancestral creature who came before them."
A moody supernatural horror film with a lot more on it's mind than just monster scares. It carefully unleashes it's native american folklore beast and just about spoon feeds you "actual" horrors with their impacts regarding abuse, addiction, poverty, and family dynamic issues. While the movie does delve deep enough into those subjects, it never goes full bore enough with half of them and it feels like some of them are crammed into the movie rather then properly explored (maybe due partially to runtime and balancing issues). The sum of it's parts don't It's also beautifully shot and well acted, but the whole is not greater than the sum of it's parts. A fully fleshed out 2hr movie could have checked off all the boxes and possibly created a cult classic.
The Empty Man (2020)
2.15 out of 4stars
"A series of mysterious disappearances in a small Midwestern town may be linked to a supernatural entity."
Well, this mystery horror movie is a great example of good ideas and subpar execution. The bad includes overly long runtime, poor pacing, being both negligently and purposely convoluted, and a bit self-repetitive. That said, it's very ambitious and philosophical including subject matter and commentary on Nietzsche, Derrida, existentialism, manifestation, deities, and Buddhism. This material needed to be in much better hands than a first time writer/director to even have a chance at coming across coherently and appealing.
Last Night in Soho (2021)
2.85 out of 4stars
"An aspiring fashion designer is mysteriously able to enter the 1960s in London where she encounters a dazzling wannabe singer. But the glamour is not all it appears to be and the dreams of the past start to crack and splinter into something darker."
Wright has made a successful mystery thriller horror here that pulls it's audience in through multiple means and doesn't let up. The film is full of his signature creativity, visual flair, fast pacing, memorable tunes, and a couple humorous touches. Definitely not perfect though, including some repetitive bits in the beginning alongside the ending being a bit of a tease, yet relevant and well executed. All is mostly forgiven though when you are able to be entranced and transported into such worlds the way Wright does here.
2.75 out of 4stars
"Walter Paisley, nerdy busboy at a Bohemian café, is jealous of the talent and popularity of its various artistic regulars. But after accidentally killing his landlady's cat and covering the body in plaster to hide the evidence, he is acclaimed as a brilliant sculptor - but his new-found friends want to see more of his work."
A very predictable, yet very well done entertaining fun comedy horror "art satire". Dick Miller is perfect in the main role, and the side characters are great too. It does include some honest comical commentary about the artistic culture/community also. Learning this film was shot in 5days and low budget makes me appreciate it even more.
Neon Demon (2016)
2.70 out of 4stars
"An aspiring model, Jesse, has recently moved to Los Angeles. However, her beauty and youth, which generate intense fascination and jealousy throughout the fashion industry, may change her life forever."
A psychological thriller horror packed with style, evolution, and satire of the fashion/modeling industry. The viewer gets thrown into the most superficial business on the planet, one where legends are born and fortunes are made, and hierarchies/divides are created. A world where morality is absent, and only greed and envy exist. Looks and an "it" factor are worth their weight in gold. And the sum of it all is also a very interesting chicken and egg situation, is narcissism created or brought to life from working in such an industry? I am still unsure of how I feel about the ending. On one end, it brings everything full circle and gives the movie closure. On the other end I don't feel it's "true to the lifelike reflection of this story would end up in reality", if that makes sense, especially based on the protagonist's being up to that point in the film. Either way, the ending unquestionably has Refn's signature style all over it. PS=Those sensitive to seizures be warned, there are a few scenes that can cause that in this.
Duel (1971)
2.65 out of 4stars
"While traveling through the desert for an appointment with a client, the businessman David Mann from California passes a slow and old tanker truck. The psychotic truck driver feels offended and chases David along the empty highway trying to kill him."
Arguably Spielberg's first film (Firelight being the other) is a tight suspenseful mostly straight forward story told with visual splendor. I am not even close to a behind the scenes film buff, but I can tell here that Spielberg uses many different angles/perspectives and framings and "depths/ranges" that make you feel exactly what is going on from many ways all while entertaining you. A successfully fascinating way of making this movie.
The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms (1953)
2.50 out of 4stars
"A ferocious dinosaur awakened by an Arctic atomic test terrorizes the North Atlantic before finding it's way to New York City."
Early creature feature. While almost everything with the film is outdated and average at best, the creature scenes are excellently done and truly perilous and impacting. There is also a lot of ironically funny material, like the main scientist's accent changing all the time, subpar writing, and even a bit of corny dialogue lines (including one where I believe a solider is talked to as "bazooka man" without a solider name initially at all). Most famously being known as the first live-action monster movie, as well as one of the main influences of Godzilla.
Antlers (2021)
2.35 out of 4stars
"In an isolated Oregon town, a middle-school teacher and her sheriff brother become embroiled with her enigmatic student, whose dark secrets lead to terrifying encounters with a legendary ancestral creature who came before them."
A moody supernatural horror film with a lot more on it's mind than just monster scares. It carefully unleashes it's native american folklore beast and just about spoon feeds you "actual" horrors with their impacts regarding abuse, addiction, poverty, and family dynamic issues. While the movie does delve deep enough into those subjects, it never goes full bore enough with half of them and it feels like some of them are crammed into the movie rather then properly explored (maybe due partially to runtime and balancing issues). The sum of it's parts don't It's also beautifully shot and well acted, but the whole is not greater than the sum of it's parts. A fully fleshed out 2hr movie could have checked off all the boxes and possibly created a cult classic.
The Empty Man (2020)
2.15 out of 4stars
"A series of mysterious disappearances in a small Midwestern town may be linked to a supernatural entity."
Well, this mystery horror movie is a great example of good ideas and subpar execution. The bad includes overly long runtime, poor pacing, being both negligently and purposely convoluted, and a bit self-repetitive. That said, it's very ambitious and philosophical including subject matter and commentary on Nietzsche, Derrida, existentialism, manifestation, deities, and Buddhism. This material needed to be in much better hands than a first time writer/director to even have a chance at coming across coherently and appealing.
Last Night in Soho (2021)
2.85 out of 4stars
"An aspiring fashion designer is mysteriously able to enter the 1960s in London where she encounters a dazzling wannabe singer. But the glamour is not all it appears to be and the dreams of the past start to crack and splinter into something darker."
Wright has made a successful mystery thriller horror here that pulls it's audience in through multiple means and doesn't let up. The film is full of his signature creativity, visual flair, fast pacing, memorable tunes, and a couple humorous touches. Definitely not perfect though, including some repetitive bits in the beginning alongside the ending being a bit of a tease, yet relevant and well executed. All is mostly forgiven though when you are able to be entranced and transported into such worlds the way Wright does here.
Rabid Ranger
2 is better than one
Saw Dune on Friday and was actually very impressed. I had read the books and seen previous iterations and it's not the most accessible material but I thought this movie did a great job bringing the world/characters to life and in a subtle way continually informed the audience of what was going on. Very much looking forward to Part 2. 9/10 for me.
Arizonan God
Registered User
Dune - (2021) dir. Denis Villeneuve
Really enjoyed this. I haven’t read the first book, (although did read the first 100 pages or so a few years ago) but I never felt lost or anything like some criticisms I’ve heard.
Glorious visually, with a sense of scale that was perfect watching in full frame IMAX. The Bene Gesserit scene stood out for me. Really incredible stuff.
I’ve heard some people complain about it feeling lifeless or emotionless, and they are right to an extent, but I think Paul’s arc in part one is satisfying from an emotional stand point; how his anxiety and self doubt slowly but surely morph in to self belief and clarity (maybe too much!)
Not often that a blockbuster like this gets made. Enjoy it.
8/10
Really enjoyed this. I haven’t read the first book, (although did read the first 100 pages or so a few years ago) but I never felt lost or anything like some criticisms I’ve heard.
Glorious visually, with a sense of scale that was perfect watching in full frame IMAX. The Bene Gesserit scene stood out for me. Really incredible stuff.
I’ve heard some people complain about it feeling lifeless or emotionless, and they are right to an extent, but I think Paul’s arc in part one is satisfying from an emotional stand point; how his anxiety and self doubt slowly but surely morph in to self belief and clarity (maybe too much!)
Not often that a blockbuster like this gets made. Enjoy it.
8/10
ItsFineImFine
Registered User
- Aug 11, 2019
- 3,745
- 2,389
Boiler Room (2000) - 7/10
I said Dune is the best-looking film I've seen of this century which is still true but in terms of feel, I have a bias for how a mid-90s to early-00s Hollywood drama or comedy feels. It references Glengarry Glen Ross and Wall Street, it certainly plays up similar dialogue to them at times but there's a better more emotional father-son story. Unfortunately the more macho scenes take away and cause some huge shift changes but they do give some good chances for a bit of an ensemble cast to show its stuff including surprisingly Vin Diesel who can actually act when he's not doing mindlessly dumb movies.
Also thank God for free online brokerages or crypto exchanges nowadays. Imagine having to go to someone else in person or over the phone to buy and sell stock or even an index fund.
I said Dune is the best-looking film I've seen of this century which is still true but in terms of feel, I have a bias for how a mid-90s to early-00s Hollywood drama or comedy feels. It references Glengarry Glen Ross and Wall Street, it certainly plays up similar dialogue to them at times but there's a better more emotional father-son story. Unfortunately the more macho scenes take away and cause some huge shift changes but they do give some good chances for a bit of an ensemble cast to show its stuff including surprisingly Vin Diesel who can actually act when he's not doing mindlessly dumb movies.
Also thank God for free online brokerages or crypto exchanges nowadays. Imagine having to go to someone else in person or over the phone to buy and sell stock or even an index fund.
Poltergeist (Tobe Hooper, 1982)
When a family’s young daughter disappears into the TV screen, they soon find out that their suburban house is filled with ghosts causing trouble and trying to abduct their daughter forever. Produced, written a̶n̶d̶ ̶d̶i̶r̶e̶c̶t̶e̶d̶ by Steven Spielberg, I was looking for something scary but not too scary to watch on Halloween since I’m a big scaredy cat and this fit the bill. “Directed” by Tobe Hooper, this film looks and feels like a Spielberg version of a horror film rather than a Hooper style horror like Texas Chainsaw Massacre, because Spielberg allegedly directed it. I was a little put off by the Spielberg influence in the beginning, Spielberg can be very hit and miss for me, and I didn’t realize going into the film that Poltergeist was really his film, but it does hit its stride towards the end of the film, though I think the story would have been more interesting actually in the hands of Hooper. The film really is more of a black comedy and kind of underwhelming as a horror film.
When a family’s young daughter disappears into the TV screen, they soon find out that their suburban house is filled with ghosts causing trouble and trying to abduct their daughter forever. Produced, written a̶n̶d̶ ̶d̶i̶r̶e̶c̶t̶e̶d̶ by Steven Spielberg, I was looking for something scary but not too scary to watch on Halloween since I’m a big scaredy cat and this fit the bill. “Directed” by Tobe Hooper, this film looks and feels like a Spielberg version of a horror film rather than a Hooper style horror like Texas Chainsaw Massacre, because Spielberg allegedly directed it. I was a little put off by the Spielberg influence in the beginning, Spielberg can be very hit and miss for me, and I didn’t realize going into the film that Poltergeist was really his film, but it does hit its stride towards the end of the film, though I think the story would have been more interesting actually in the hands of Hooper. The film really is more of a black comedy and kind of underwhelming as a horror film.
Last Night in Soho didn't work for me. Flashy, messy, ultimately silly. 4A
You had quite the Halloween, though, didn't you? That is some marathon,
ItsFineImFine
Registered User
- Aug 11, 2019
- 3,745
- 2,389
Shang-Chi (2021) - 7/10
So this was overrated. It was good but it proves my point of Marvel films becoming too politicized now with how people rank them, Black Widow was just as good as this and was really slagged off.
Visuals are good, CGI battle in the end is poor, comedy is average, characters are okay (Simon Wiu isn't allowed to be very charismatic here), pacing is fine, villain arc and tension is poor though. It doesn't connect to other Marvel films which is one problem with the first film in a series. The villain is the dad except then he turns into the good guy then he turns into the bad guy again and then at the end the villain ends up being a CGI dragon who has no lines and who we didn't know the existence of until the final act. Decent otherwise but the lack of a good villain arc tends to be the downfall of certain Marvel films (excluding Civil War).
So this was overrated. It was good but it proves my point of Marvel films becoming too politicized now with how people rank them, Black Widow was just as good as this and was really slagged off.
Visuals are good, CGI battle in the end is poor, comedy is average, characters are okay (Simon Wiu isn't allowed to be very charismatic here), pacing is fine, villain arc and tension is poor though. It doesn't connect to other Marvel films which is one problem with the first film in a series. The villain is the dad except then he turns into the good guy then he turns into the bad guy again and then at the end the villain ends up being a CGI dragon who has no lines and who we didn't know the existence of until the final act. Decent otherwise but the lack of a good villain arc tends to be the downfall of certain Marvel films (excluding Civil War).
Last Night in Soho didn't work for me. Flashy, messy, ultimately silly. 4A
You had quite the Halloween, though, didn't you? That is some marathon,
That was actually my entire week pre-Halloween day. I got 5 movies in yesterday but 1 definitely isn't even worth reviewing and was suggested by a friend (Night Teeth, 2021). I try and let the movies I see soak in until I am ready to properly review them and have the proper time to write my thoughts on them out. Generally Mon-Friday after work is never ideal and I try to get in at least 3 movies over that time period also, so I usually start writing them Saturday and finish them off Sunday morning. So the Halloween day movies I'll post about Sunday most likely.
I can see your reasoning for Last Night in Soho. A few things didn't work for me, but the whole package was more than entertaining and pleasantly extraordinary. Even when Wright has a misstep here or there, his movies are always higher quality popcorn fair in those sequences still, well for me at least.
Chili
Time passes when you're not looking
- Jun 10, 2004
- 8,788
- 4,924
Flags of Our Fathers-2006
I have seen the John Wayne film Sands of Iwo Jima, in contrast the focus here is more on the men who raised the American flag on Iwo Jima. One photo became a legend and the basis of a war bond campaign. There are some battle scenes but the majority of the film is the lives of three of the men after raising the flag in the picture, based on a book by the son of one the men. Very nice score, co-written by Clint. Well told story.
Letters From Iwo Jima-2006
The Companion to Flags of Our Fathers, the story from the defenders side. A key theme is the letters that the soldiers write and receive as they are left to defend an island against overwhelming opposition. The Japanese fleet has already been defeated and there is no air support. The defenders know the fate that awaits them.
Lee Marvin was a marine who served in the Pacific and I read that he found a letter on a dead Japanese soldier. He kept it and had someone translate it for him. When he heard the words (the man just looked forward to the end of the war and getting home to his family) he realized the other side was very much like him, somewhat played out in Hell in the Pacific. There is a scene here that reminded me of that story.
Outstanding film.
PK Cronin
Bailey Fan Club Prez
- Feb 11, 2013
- 34,533
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Blade Runner (1982) - 5.5/10
I've been meaning to watch this for a long time and finally got around to it. I was underwhelmed. Felt like the premise was good, some of the cinematography and scenery was cool, everything else was pretty flat. The acting wasn't good, the dialogue was bad, the audio was muddled. In 1982 I could see this being better received but it just doesn't hold up well today. It has such a high rating on IMDB so it makes me feel like I'm really missing something with this one.
I've been meaning to watch this for a long time and finally got around to it. I was underwhelmed. Felt like the premise was good, some of the cinematography and scenery was cool, everything else was pretty flat. The acting wasn't good, the dialogue was bad, the audio was muddled. In 1982 I could see this being better received but it just doesn't hold up well today. It has such a high rating on IMDB so it makes me feel like I'm really missing something with this one.
Primary Assist
The taste of honey is worse than none at all
- Jul 7, 2010
- 6,085
- 6,132
The Exorcist (1973) - Masterpiece
Since I'm not a fan of giving movies letter grades or scores of out 10, I'll just come out and say that this film is an absolute masterpiece. Although I've always known that this was a legend of horror nothing ever "possessed" me to actually give it a shot. Then, after needing another horror book to sate my appetite after devouring World War Z I decided to pick up a copy of Blatty's The Exorcist from my local library. The novel took me all of 4 days to complete and at that point I was just begging to sit down and watch the movie.
The only problem... it was dark outside and I'm kind of a wimp. So I waited until this past Saturday, at 10 AM, so that I could sit down and watch the film in broad daylight. Completely unnecessary. Although I can see why the film is one of the scariest pieces of art ever committed to cellulose, I was too enraptured by the quality of the film to actually be scared. Again, I'm not saying that this movie isn't scary - it is downright frightening. But every single decision made by Friedkin drew my attention away from the sheer terror of watching an innocent girl waste away and to the undeniable filmmaking legacy of this picture.
The set design, the costumes, the pacing, the lighting, the casting, the mise-en-scene, Regan's makeup and the practical special effects, EVERY single little detail of this film was right on the money. This is the type of film that should be taught worldwide in film classes to give students an idea of not only how to tell a story, but how to tell it in a way that simply cannot be surpassed. There was a moment about halfway through the film, when Father Karras first met with Chris MacNeil, when I had a mini-epiphany that I was watching something special. Not just a great story, not just a technical wonder, but a hugely influential film that stretches its roots all across modern horror and pop culture. So many cultural references - the head-spinning, the vomit, the "the power of Christ compels you!" - are taken directly from this movie and an entire subset of the horror genre, namely possession films, are direct descendants of this masterpiece.
One of the most badass lines in the movie comes from the titular character. When Father Karras asks Father Merrin if he would like an explanation regarding the situation, Father Merrin simply, and not the least bit rudely, responds: "Why?" Simple lines of dialog like this bely the intricacy of the story but convey the stakes of the issue at hand. Not a single beat was wasted in setting the viewers up for the climax. The film doesn't even waste time on a denouement, once it's over we get a brief scene to send us home and that's it. A gutsy choice, but one that shows that, along with Regan's ordeal, the story's over.
Now, Halloween is also over and it ain't coming back until after next Columbus Day, but do yourself a favor and read the book and then watch the movie. As much as I loved the book, I honestly believe this is the rare instance of the film surpassing the novel. The film isn't quite in public domain status yet, but at $2.99 on Amazon Prime it's well worth it. Besides, couldn't you spare a dolla for an old altar boy?
Since I'm not a fan of giving movies letter grades or scores of out 10, I'll just come out and say that this film is an absolute masterpiece. Although I've always known that this was a legend of horror nothing ever "possessed" me to actually give it a shot. Then, after needing another horror book to sate my appetite after devouring World War Z I decided to pick up a copy of Blatty's The Exorcist from my local library. The novel took me all of 4 days to complete and at that point I was just begging to sit down and watch the movie.
The only problem... it was dark outside and I'm kind of a wimp. So I waited until this past Saturday, at 10 AM, so that I could sit down and watch the film in broad daylight. Completely unnecessary. Although I can see why the film is one of the scariest pieces of art ever committed to cellulose, I was too enraptured by the quality of the film to actually be scared. Again, I'm not saying that this movie isn't scary - it is downright frightening. But every single decision made by Friedkin drew my attention away from the sheer terror of watching an innocent girl waste away and to the undeniable filmmaking legacy of this picture.
The set design, the costumes, the pacing, the lighting, the casting, the mise-en-scene, Regan's makeup and the practical special effects, EVERY single little detail of this film was right on the money. This is the type of film that should be taught worldwide in film classes to give students an idea of not only how to tell a story, but how to tell it in a way that simply cannot be surpassed. There was a moment about halfway through the film, when Father Karras first met with Chris MacNeil, when I had a mini-epiphany that I was watching something special. Not just a great story, not just a technical wonder, but a hugely influential film that stretches its roots all across modern horror and pop culture. So many cultural references - the head-spinning, the vomit, the "the power of Christ compels you!" - are taken directly from this movie and an entire subset of the horror genre, namely possession films, are direct descendants of this masterpiece.
One of the most badass lines in the movie comes from the titular character. When Father Karras asks Father Merrin if he would like an explanation regarding the situation, Father Merrin simply, and not the least bit rudely, responds: "Why?" Simple lines of dialog like this bely the intricacy of the story but convey the stakes of the issue at hand. Not a single beat was wasted in setting the viewers up for the climax. The film doesn't even waste time on a denouement, once it's over we get a brief scene to send us home and that's it. A gutsy choice, but one that shows that, along with Regan's ordeal, the story's over.
Now, Halloween is also over and it ain't coming back until after next Columbus Day, but do yourself a favor and read the book and then watch the movie. As much as I loved the book, I honestly believe this is the rare instance of the film surpassing the novel. The film isn't quite in public domain status yet, but at $2.99 on Amazon Prime it's well worth it. Besides, couldn't you spare a dolla for an old altar boy?
John Wick (Chad Stahelski, 2014)
The things we’ll do for pets.
On the day following his wife’s funeral, the arrogant spoiled brat of a Russian mobster kills John Wick’s (Keanu Reeves) puppy and steals his vintage Mustang. That spoiled brat picked the wrong day and the wrong guy to steal a nice car. John Wick is a retired assassin grieving over his dead wife, and killing his puppy is just the type of thing that will put him over the edge. So begins a murderous rampage as John Wick seeks to get revenge for his puppy and kill that Russian mobster (Michael Nyqvist), who Wick used to work for, and his son (Alfie Allen).
I was put off by the first 10 minutes or so of the film, because it felt like just an extended commercial for Ford Mustangs as John Wick just spends the entire time driving it around complemented by nice shots of the car and its power. But once the action starts, I was hooked. John Wick is a relentless action film with extremely well choreographed fight scenes clearly inspired by Hong Kong martial art films but with more guns. But where the film really excels is the world that is created in the film. The universe of John Wick is a universe filled with assassins who are honourable and follow a code. They have their own form of currency (gold coins of course) and they all work out of a luxury hotel where they mingle like salespersons on a business trip and where killings are not allowed. There are no civilians in the cities where they fight, and the police never interfere with their business. It feels almost like a modern version of a spaghetti western but with a lot more action. Keanu Reeves is normally limited as an actor, but here his limitations are used well and his stoic acting style provides depth to his character; but his character is really secondary to the action and worldbuilding. By no means is John Wick a masterpiece, but if you’re looking for a pure action movie, it is pretty great.
The things we’ll do for pets.
On the day following his wife’s funeral, the arrogant spoiled brat of a Russian mobster kills John Wick’s (Keanu Reeves) puppy and steals his vintage Mustang. That spoiled brat picked the wrong day and the wrong guy to steal a nice car. John Wick is a retired assassin grieving over his dead wife, and killing his puppy is just the type of thing that will put him over the edge. So begins a murderous rampage as John Wick seeks to get revenge for his puppy and kill that Russian mobster (Michael Nyqvist), who Wick used to work for, and his son (Alfie Allen).
I was put off by the first 10 minutes or so of the film, because it felt like just an extended commercial for Ford Mustangs as John Wick just spends the entire time driving it around complemented by nice shots of the car and its power. But once the action starts, I was hooked. John Wick is a relentless action film with extremely well choreographed fight scenes clearly inspired by Hong Kong martial art films but with more guns. But where the film really excels is the world that is created in the film. The universe of John Wick is a universe filled with assassins who are honourable and follow a code. They have their own form of currency (gold coins of course) and they all work out of a luxury hotel where they mingle like salespersons on a business trip and where killings are not allowed. There are no civilians in the cities where they fight, and the police never interfere with their business. It feels almost like a modern version of a spaghetti western but with a lot more action. Keanu Reeves is normally limited as an actor, but here his limitations are used well and his stoic acting style provides depth to his character; but his character is really secondary to the action and worldbuilding. By no means is John Wick a masterpiece, but if you’re looking for a pure action movie, it is pretty great.
Tkachuk4MVP
32 Years of Fail
KallioWeHardlyKnewYe
Hey! We won!
- May 30, 2003
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Tkachuk4MVP
32 Years of Fail
Never even heard of that platform, thank you!
Very underrated platform and you should have free access (for a few movies a month) through your local library. Lot of hidden gems on kanopy
Kanopy is a pretty smart service, hiding its gems behind local libraries. No one would ever look there.
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If it makes you feel any better, you're not alone, and I even grew up with it. I should love it because I love sci-fi and the 80s, so I occasionally re-watch it, hoping to appreciate it more, but I may actually appreciate it less each time. It's rather gloomy, slowly paced and not very entertaining, like many other Ridley Scott films. It's unfortunate because I love the setting and aesthetic and like the premise. They're strong and unique enough that they've made the film a classic and keep me coming back to it, but I can't help but imagine how it could've been even better if it were actually entertaining, as well. It's too bad that neither movie was commercially successful because I'd like to see more stabs at the franchise. I'd really welcome a series.
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