Friday, July 5, 2013

Netflix This Movie! Vol. 33

While we're all enjoying ourselves at the F This Movie! BBQ, you should watch these movies!
Adam Riske: Only The Strong (1993, dir. Sheldon Lettich) Specificity. That is why I really like Only the Strong. Someone got the idea that Capoeira, an Afro-Brazilian break-dance martial art, was worth centering an entire movie around. The movie is batshit crazy and super entertaining. It tells the story of a green beret who comes back to his old high school in Miami to make a difference, teaching the worst students on campus respect by kicking each other in the face and taking out the local druglord (who, coincidence should have it, is also an expert in Capoeira). Who will be the Capoeira Mestre (aka Drift King)? Watch Only the Strong to find out! Worth noting, this movie was a favorite of Karate Blood -- my sort of group/gang from 5th grade. No one messed with us.
Heath Holland: Lionheart (1990, dir. Sheldon Lettich) I've pretty much decided that I'm the only person in the world who really likes this movie. It takes itself too seriously to have much fun while watching it, yet it doesn't rise to the heights of movies like Bloodsport or Hard Target. Still, there's something about this movie that I really enjoy. Maybe it's the scene where a spandex-clad Van Damme fights the spandex-clad bad guy in a pool while girls in neon bikinis look on. Maybe it's the way that cars pull in tightly and create a circle that serves as the ring in the underground fight club. Maybe it's all the bloody, bare knuckle fighting. I don't know, but I do know that I really enjoy Lionheart. It's corny and disposable, but I wouldn't have it any other way.
JB:  Rosemary's Baby (1968, dir. Roman Polanski) "What have you done to his eyes?" "Why, he has his father's eyes, my dear."
Patrick: Goddamn Netflix Instant. They keep adding movies that would have worked great for Junesploitation after the fact. This week, Galaxy of Terror showed up, which could have been used for '80s Horror, Sci-fi, Sid Haig OR Roger Corman day. They also added Back to the Beach, which might have made a great double bill for anyone who watched Beach Party on Teensploitation day.

But Junesploitation is over (phew), and it's time to move on. Because we're lighter on recommendations than usual this week (what with the holiday and all), I'm going to suggest two movies. First is The Rainmaker (1997, dir. Francis Ford Coppola), the best of all the John Grisham movies and Coppola's last great film. Terrific dialogue (and even better narration), a cast of character actors that TO A PERSON just crushes it and a bunch of interesting cases. I could not have been less interested in seeing this movie in '97, and it ended up being one of my favorites of that legendary year. If you haven't seen it yet, you don't know what you're missing.

I'll also recommend Strange Days (1995, dir. Kathryn Bigelow), a sci-fi sort-of-classic. Every time I watch Strange Days, I want it to be the best movie ever made. It is not. It is a really good movie with Greatness in it; like a couple other newer sci-fi movies (I'm looking at you, Minority Report), it squanders an ingenious idea and first-rate worldbuilding on a disappointing mystery. Kathryn Bigelow directs the shit out of it, because that's what she does, and the good stuff makes it all worth it. It's not quite the masterpiece I want it to be (or some people call it), but it's well worth your time.

14 comments:

  1. Nice to see some love for The Rainmaker, that's one of the few films to have a great case as well as a lot of nice personal stakes, usually in courtroom movies I see one tends to outweigh the other but this movie gets the balance just right.

    Heath I will be definitely checking out Lionheart. After seeing JCVD in Death Warrant I am trying to feed a fix I have. JB I also may revisit Rosemary it's been a long time. My only negative is Only the Strong, I am sorry Adam I just can't join you on this one. I saw this movie a couple times as a kid and would just scream "He's dancing just shoot his ass", have a great BBQ guys and don't eat the Soylent Green brand weiners:)

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    1. But that's ALL JB eats - even more since he found out the secret ingredient!

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  2. I love love love love LOVE Only The Strong. It's just so charmingly sincere, and as silly as capoeira may seem it's kind of mesmerizing to watch. Honorable mention to the Adrian Paul-alike villain with the killer accent and vajazzled purple vest. Oh, and good luck EVER getting the song out of your head.

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  3. JB, I actually just watched 'Rosemary's Baby' about a month ago and that movie is pretty brilliant! I'm against Roman Polanski as a person (as everyone should be) but you can't deny he made/still makes(?) some great movies.

    And Patrick, I watched Strange Days awhile ago (actually after seeing The Hurt Locker, I wanted to see what else Bigs [as I call her] directed so...Strange Days) and also wanted it to be the best thing ever. You got Bigs directing and a "story by James Cameron" (not so much "screenplay" cause, yea, his writing isn't great) so how couldn't the movie be the best? I mainly remember the beginning which, again, after seeing I was like, "yep, this is gonna be one of my favorite movies." You really cant deny/debate the power of that opening, can you?

    Jeez, now I'm in the mood to watch Strange Days...

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    1. That opening is great. The movie has Apocalypse Now Syndrome.

      There's a ton to like in the movie. It's just never the movie I keep hoping it will be when I come back to it.

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    2. SPOILERS for Strange Days...

      I remember watching that movie in the theatre. As we reached the climax, my pulse quickened - oh my God! We're really going to see an honest-to-God REVOLUTION take place!

      Thank heavens the old white guy in charge showed up to fix everything...

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    3. Huh, I can't go with you on that one, I love Apocalypse Now. But, speaking of Coppola, I might actually check out The Rainmaker 'cause I really wanna see some more of Coppola's work, post-Apocalypse Now. But, when looking over his other movies (based on synopsis, alone, admittedly not the best way too judge the merits of a movie) I have no interest.

      One From the Heart? Nah. The Cotton Club? Meh. I've actually seen 'Jack' and, while TOO 90's at times, I like 'Jack'. I also like The Outsiders, which isn't great. Rumble Fish is probably more interesting on a pure aesthetic level compared to The Outsiders. But, I don't know, The Rainmaker seems like the most competent/interesting (although I haven't seen it but I trust the Fthismovie crew) out of his post-Apocalypse Now movies.

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    4. Apocalypse Now is great. I just mean that when I see the opening shot, I'm convinced it's the best movie ever. It is not, but the first scene makes me feel that way. Strange Days does something similar.

      I love, love The Rainmaker, but it's much more of a 'studio' movie than his crazy ambitious stuff like One From the Heart and The Cotton Club. There are pluses and minuses to that. Hopefully you'll give it a chance and let me know what you think!

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    5. Patrick, I totally get what where you're coming from on Apocalypse Now - obviously not to say it isn't a very good movie overall, but the opening bit is SO great the rest of the movie just never quite lives up to it (and probably never could).

      I'm pumped for The Rainmaker - it's one of the few Grisham adaptations I haven't seen and I didn't realize it was one of Coppola's, let alone one of his good ones!

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  4. Patrick I totally agree about Strange Days. So many awesome elements that just can't come together as a great movie. Juliette Lewis sings! I seem to remember seeing the trailer 8 billion times. It was all over the place in 94/95.

    Also can we retire the term "batshit" crazy? Is it just me or is it getting really old?

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    1. Hi Matt,

      Thanks for commenting. What is a good substitute for the phrase you don't like? Help me out.

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    2. How about "Mattshit Crazy"? Seriously though, I'd have to strongly disagree - bullshit, horseshit, apeshit and batshit are some of our greatest words - if anything I'd like people to use them all more often.

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  5. How about Shannon-shit insane.. in honor of the craziest movie performance I could think of (Michael Shannon in Bug.. Holy shnikeys). Nah doesn't have the same ring to it.. I'm out of ideas.

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    1. I have not seen Bug, nor did I know Michael Shannon was in it - now I must watch.

      Shannon does deserve his own "crazy" ajective - how about Bugshit. Or Zodshit.

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