May the 4th be With You...Revenge of the 5th...umm....Wookiechewie 6th?? (wheels kinda came off at the end)
The Parallax View (1974 Criterion Blu)
The last on my recent watch/re-watch of some 70s Conspiracy classics. Glad i saved this one for last as i think its my fav. Amazing movie. Tone for days. Also it is jam packed with genuine surprising moments/reveals..not just tacked on twists, but rather reallly creative writing. It is very much a complex cat and mouse game where the viewer experiences it real time with the protagonist. Warren Beatty is outstanding as an undercover reporter digging into a potential conspiracy. HIGHLY suggest seeing this one.
Barry (S4 HBO)
I know this is TV but i simply must comment as i adore the show. We are half way through the final season, with every episode directed by the wonderful Bill Hader, and it continues to meet or exceed the high bar set by each previous season. If you've been on the fence with this one, i assure you the writing, drama, humor, acting, execution, and overall viewing experience are just superb. I have no idea where its going but im stoked to see where it ends.
Parallax View is really good. I didn't click with the first movie of his 'trilogy', Klute. The third movie being All The President's Men, which is a well known masterpiece
I should check out The Parallax View. Speaking of conspiracy thrillers, my local indie theatre is playing a bunch of good stuff this month, including The Manchurian Candidate. The past couple months they haven't been playing anything that interested me (older movies) but this month will be good. They're also playing The Treasure of the Sierra Madre! John Huston!!! And I've been wanting to see this one.
Last week I saw The Long Goodbye (1973, dir. R. Altman) at that theatre and while enjoying it quite a bit, there's still something that didn't sit quite right with it. I think it might have been Elliott Gould's performance? There's just nothing compelling about him. And the movie is so meandering. But the vibe and shot composition and the score were all so good. I was surprised that many in the audience were cracking up about mildly humorous things. Was it supposed to be comedic? The only other Altman movie I've seen was M*A*S*H which also left me kind of sitting on the fence about whether I really liked it. It too is apparently comedic but I didn't find it funny at all.
Oh yeah, the score throughout the movie is wonderful lazy dreamly jazz songs all repeating the same theme, and then right at the end when it goes into credits it breaks into another song that completely clashes with the whole vibe. I'm mystified.
I think it was somebody here that recommended The Long Goodbye as an entry to Altman after I expressed that M*A*S*H didn't work for me. I feel like I'm missing something, but maybe he just doesn't work for me. I'm certainly going to check out some more of his work at some point.
I just want to give the biggest of shoutout to the Pope, the great JB, who generously gifted me with Cinderella 4K blu-ray and shipped it all the way to Canada. Words can't explain how cool this is and how super grateful i am. I have yet to watch it, but it will happen soon, i'm saving it for the perfect time. Thank you JB.
Good weekend for everyone. For a change, I actually have something to write about this week.
On Sunday I braved a terribly rainy night to see the 1993 film FREAKED at the Mahoning Drive-In. The print was pristine, probably because it has barely been shown for three decades. FREAKED is a deliberately strange mixture, part satire, slapstick comedy, sketch comedy, and horror. Alex Winter, one the its creators, is a former child actor who goes to a South American country to promote a dangerous chemical but ends up in the clutches of the deranged sideshow manager Elijah Skuggs, amusingly portrayed by Randy Quaid. Turned into a freak by Skuggs, Winter has to learn how to live in the sideshow world and find a way to escape his predicament. Though uneven and frequently incoherent, Freaked does feature some great prosthetic work and practical effects.
I also watched a couple of Mexican films on MUBI directed by Arturo Ripstein. THE BLACK WIDOW (1977) is a broad satire on the Catholic Church and bourgeois hypocrisy in a small Mexican town. The story does go off the rails by the conclusion, but star Isela Vega gives a very gutsy performance as the lover of the town’s priest. The 1979 release LIFE SENTENCE was a far more satisfying film when it comes to a cohesive story. This is a compelling drama about a man put into a terrible predicament. Tarzan, a former pimp and thief, is now trying to live a straight life by working for a bank and raising a family. His random encounter with the corrupt cop who sent him to prison leads to an ultimatum to pay “protection” money. Cynicism runs deep in LIFE SENTENCE.
Last weekend I was doing some pet sitting. Searching for something to watch late on Saturday night, I found SLEEPAWAY CAMP showing on a Roku channel. This was not my first watch of it, so I was looking at it in a different light. I found it a lot funnier this time around. The overacting of the actress portraying the aunt had me cracking up. I had completely forgotten about the curling iron killing.
Hello everyone! 3.5 WEEKS UNTIL JUNESPLOITATION!!!!!! I can’t wait. But in the meantime, it’s been a bit hit or miss with movies.
I watched Yesterday (2019, dir. D. Boyle) which, like Mikko, I found mostly annoying. I just couldn’t get past the premise that people would be magically entranced by a shitty musician playing Beatles covers solo on his guitar. It’s so stupid. There’s some serious George Martin erasure as well. At the same time it was nice just hearing the music (I love the Beatles).
I watched The Fourth War (1990, dir. J. Frankenheimer) on Tubi after seeing they would discuss it on Tarantino’s podcast. Pretty fun movie, about a Vietnam vet who starts sneaking across the demilitarised zone out of boredom to fuck with the enemy, almost starting a new war in the process. Das Boot is my favourite movie ever, so it’s always nice seeing Jürgen Prochnow pop up.
The Killer Elite (1975, dir. Sam Peckinpah). Only 2 more Peckinpah movies to go after scratching this one off the list. I wish I had liked it more, but it kind of ended with a flump after a strong beginning. It’s just unevenly paced, and the inclusion of ninjas was not a good idea in a gritty crime thriller. The opening is so good, with Duvall and Caan chewing up the script, but then we get to see Caan go through physical therapy in real time for a while, which isn’t cinematic at all. This is the first Peckinpah that didn’t work for me. Next up, The Osterman Weekend.
The Edge (1997, dir. Lee Tamahori) was an enjoyable 90’s action movie. Anthony Hopkins stunt double should have been top billed for all the screen time he had. Elle Macpherson is in this! Horny teen me had that Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition cover permanently etched into my brain. She was decent in her small part. I don’t know why her film career didn’t take off.
Behold a Pale Horse (1964, dir. Fred Zinnemann) was really good, and about an older legendary guerrilla fighter that is getting back into the game. Starring Anthony Quinn, Omar Sharif and Gregory Peck. It’s interestingly filmed in B&W which was unusual for a movie of that time. Apparently it was banned in Spain and wasn’t distributed anywhere else for a couple decades because the Spanish government threatened the movie studio (it’s pretty critical of what was still a dictatorship in Spain at the time), so it isn’t as well known as it could have been.
AHHHHH!!!!! 3.5 weeks!?! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!! im beyond stoked. Gonna really hunker down this year and try to watch as much crazy sh@t as possible!!! Bat sh#t Crazy sh#t!!!
I can't wait! Blogger has been hit or miss about letting me post this morning, so you probably won't read this. But I CAN'T WAIT! My kids have participated a little bit the past couple of years. I mentioned that Juneploitation was coming up, and was pleased to see them express anticipation for it too!
To begin Junesploitation preparations, I went through my movie collection this week. I ended up pulling out a medium-sized box full of blu-rays and DVDs. Although I know that most will likely not get a watch, there are a lot possible categories covered by the selections.
I'm in the same boat. I've got stakes of movies I have yet to see, and lots of stuff on my watchlist available online (Tubi!). I don't plan out the month ahead, but just play it by ear. Reading people's mini-reviews often gives me suggestions for days later in the month, and I'll rent some of them if they're not available for free. At the same time, it's a good motivation to dig through my DVD's to see if I have something that fits; something I've been looking for an excuse to watch since I bought it.
There is a level of planning involved with my Junesploitation watches, particularly since I try to catch up with my purchases, yet it is necessary to leave choices open for some spontaneity. That is why I look forward to the free days so much. My list inevitably changes as people watch things that intrigue me, and sometimes you just need to add variety (a different time period, genre, or style) in order to keep the viewings fresh.
I'm with you Casual, I always have a few options for each day and will choose between them based on mood on the day. I already made a list and have something picked for each of the regular themes, mostly from unwatched discs on my shelf, but the list will definitely evolve, both before and during June.
The Counsellor (2013, dir. R. Scott) was a strange one that I did however enjoy. Ridley directs the heck out of it, however the story is at the same time seemingly complicated and hard to follow, but also lacking tension and at the end I was left thinking “That was it?”. Cameron Diaz is great playing a femme fatal type character. My favourite scene was after a gun fight, there’s a scene where it’s switching back and forth between the truck getting the gun holes plugged and a guy getting his gun holes sewn up. AND THEN, it cuts to a guy standing a bit away and we realise the blazing music was diegetic as we hear it from a distance from his POV. Ridley’s the best. This movie is famous for a “se5y” moment with Diaz and a car, but there’s another scene near the beginning with Penélope Cruz that’s legitimately super er0tic. She’s a bit of a celeb crush for me, so I admit it made me blush!
I definitely will! It's playing in Ottawa until at least next Thursday. I tried to take the kids yesterday, but they ended up having plans with friends. I already had this on my watchlist, but I don't remember whether it was recommended by our friend Mikko here, or whether I heard about it elsewhere.
That's great that it's playing fairly wide in North America. This is the 2nd week it's playing here (Ottawa) in Canada's 4/5th biggest city. There's not many foreign movies that are played in our major movie chain (Cineplex), and the ones that are tend to be one night showings and limited to theatres that are in the more diverse parts of the city. Looking forward to it!
Yep, I saw GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 3 (2023). Agreed with what most everyone has been saying, that it's a lot of fun and has a lot of heart. My only quibble is that the movie doesn't know what to do with Adam Warlock. Such a great character in the comics, but you could cut him out of this movie and it'd be pretty much unchanged. Still a super popcorn flick, though.
DRIVE ANGRY (2011). No disrespect to all the Cage fans, but this one didn't quite work for me. It's trying way too hard to be edgy and extreme. But, I suppose it's good that oddities like these exist.
RETURN OF THE JEDI (1983). "He's more machine now than man..."
BEAU IS AFRAID (2023). What can I say? I'm sure some film fans will spend a lot of time digging deep into this movie's psychology and symbolism, while others will argue that it's meant to be a comedy and not taken seriously. Me, though, I just found the whole thing unpleasant, and I don't plan on ever watching it a second time.
ARSENIC AND OLD LACE (1944). Checking another one off my never-seen-it-before list. Its reputation as a screwball comedy classic is well-deserved, with Cary Grant getting more and more exasperated as things keep getting crazier and crazier. But it's also a spooky movie, going full-on Addams Family/Munsters at times. Actor Raymond Massey is especially great as the monstrous villain. Great movie!
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May the 4th be With You...Revenge of the 5th...umm....Wookiechewie 6th?? (wheels kinda came off at the end)
ReplyDeleteThe Parallax View (1974 Criterion Blu)
The last on my recent watch/re-watch of some 70s Conspiracy classics. Glad i saved this one for last as i think its my fav. Amazing movie. Tone for days. Also it is jam packed with genuine surprising moments/reveals..not just tacked on twists, but rather reallly creative writing. It is very much a complex cat and mouse game where the viewer experiences it real time with the protagonist. Warren Beatty is outstanding as an undercover reporter digging into a potential conspiracy. HIGHLY suggest seeing this one.
Barry (S4 HBO)
I know this is TV but i simply must comment as i adore the show. We are half way through the final season, with every episode directed by the wonderful Bill Hader, and it continues to meet or exceed the high bar set by each previous season. If you've been on the fence with this one, i assure you the writing, drama, humor, acting, execution, and overall viewing experience are just superb. I have no idea where its going but im stoked to see where it ends.
Parallax View is really good. I didn't click with the first movie of his 'trilogy', Klute. The third movie being All The President's Men, which is a well known masterpiece
DeleteI should check out The Parallax View. Speaking of conspiracy thrillers, my local indie theatre is playing a bunch of good stuff this month, including The Manchurian Candidate. The past couple months they haven't been playing anything that interested me (older movies) but this month will be good. They're also playing The Treasure of the Sierra Madre! John Huston!!! And I've been wanting to see this one.
DeleteLast week I saw The Long Goodbye (1973, dir. R. Altman) at that theatre and while enjoying it quite a bit, there's still something that didn't sit quite right with it. I think it might have been Elliott Gould's performance? There's just nothing compelling about him. And the movie is so meandering. But the vibe and shot composition and the score were all so good. I was surprised that many in the audience were cracking up about mildly humorous things. Was it supposed to be comedic? The only other Altman movie I've seen was M*A*S*H which also left me kind of sitting on the fence about whether I really liked it. It too is apparently comedic but I didn't find it funny at all.
Oh yeah, the score throughout the movie is wonderful lazy dreamly jazz songs all repeating the same theme, and then right at the end when it goes into credits it breaks into another song that completely clashes with the whole vibe. I'm mystified.
DeleteI think it was somebody here that recommended The Long Goodbye as an entry to Altman after I expressed that M*A*S*H didn't work for me. I feel like I'm missing something, but maybe he just doesn't work for me. I'm certainly going to check out some more of his work at some point.
As an entry for Altman, i'd go for Gosford Park, or The Player. While i really like The Long Goodbye, i wouldn't start there
DeleteThanks for the recommendations. I had another friend also say that The Player would be a better entry.
DeleteI just want to give the biggest of shoutout to the Pope, the great JB, who generously gifted me with Cinderella 4K blu-ray and shipped it all the way to Canada. Words can't explain how cool this is and how super grateful i am. I have yet to watch it, but it will happen soon, i'm saving it for the perfect time. Thank you JB.
ReplyDelete(Boy, he is going to be PISSED OFF when he discovers that this was all an elaborate practical joke, and the disc case is empty…)
DeleteYou're funny JB... wait, did you really?... You didn't, did you?...
DeleteCurse you JB!!! May all the movies you watch be long and boring!!!
Good weekend for everyone. For a change, I actually have something to write about this week.
ReplyDeleteOn Sunday I braved a terribly rainy night to see the 1993 film FREAKED at the Mahoning Drive-In. The print was pristine, probably because it has barely been shown for three decades. FREAKED is a deliberately strange mixture, part satire, slapstick comedy, sketch comedy, and horror. Alex Winter, one the its creators, is a former child actor who goes to a South American country to promote a dangerous chemical but ends up in the clutches of the deranged sideshow manager Elijah Skuggs, amusingly portrayed by Randy Quaid. Turned into a freak by Skuggs, Winter has to learn how to live in the sideshow world and find a way to escape his predicament. Though uneven and frequently incoherent, Freaked does feature some great prosthetic work and practical effects.
I also watched a couple of Mexican films on MUBI directed by Arturo Ripstein. THE BLACK WIDOW (1977) is a broad satire on the Catholic Church and bourgeois hypocrisy in a small Mexican town. The story does go off the rails by the conclusion, but star Isela Vega gives a very gutsy performance as the lover of the town’s priest. The 1979 release LIFE SENTENCE was a far more satisfying film when it comes to a cohesive story. This is a compelling drama about a man put into a terrible predicament. Tarzan, a former pimp and thief, is now trying to live a straight life by working for a bank and raising a family. His random encounter with the corrupt cop who sent him to prison leads to an ultimatum to pay “protection” money. Cynicism runs deep in LIFE SENTENCE.
Last weekend I was doing some pet sitting. Searching for something to watch late on Saturday night, I found SLEEPAWAY CAMP showing on a Roku channel. This was not my first watch of it, so I was looking at it in a different light. I found it a lot funnier this time around. The overacting of the actress portraying the aunt had me cracking up. I had completely forgotten about the curling iron killing.
Watching Sleepaway Camp with the FTM commentary is really fun, in case you didn't know they did a commentary.
DeleteHello everyone! 3.5 WEEKS UNTIL JUNESPLOITATION!!!!!! I can’t wait. But in the meantime, it’s been a bit hit or miss with movies.
ReplyDeleteI watched Yesterday (2019, dir. D. Boyle) which, like Mikko, I found mostly annoying. I just couldn’t get past the premise that people would be magically entranced by a shitty musician playing Beatles covers solo on his guitar. It’s so stupid. There’s some serious George Martin erasure as well. At the same time it was nice just hearing the music (I love the Beatles).
I watched The Fourth War (1990, dir. J. Frankenheimer) on Tubi after seeing they would discuss it on Tarantino’s podcast. Pretty fun movie, about a Vietnam vet who starts sneaking across the demilitarised zone out of boredom to fuck with the enemy, almost starting a new war in the process. Das Boot is my favourite movie ever, so it’s always nice seeing Jürgen Prochnow pop up.
DeleteThe Killer Elite (1975, dir. Sam Peckinpah). Only 2 more Peckinpah movies to go after scratching this one off the list. I wish I had liked it more, but it kind of ended with a flump after a strong beginning. It’s just unevenly paced, and the inclusion of ninjas was not a good idea in a gritty crime thriller. The opening is so good, with Duvall and Caan chewing up the script, but then we get to see Caan go through physical therapy in real time for a while, which isn’t cinematic at all. This is the first Peckinpah that didn’t work for me. Next up, The Osterman Weekend.
DeleteThe Edge (1997, dir. Lee Tamahori) was an enjoyable 90’s action movie. Anthony Hopkins stunt double should have been top billed for all the screen time he had. Elle Macpherson is in this! Horny teen me had that Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition cover permanently etched into my brain. She was decent in her small part. I don’t know why her film career didn’t take off.
Behold a Pale Horse (1964, dir. Fred Zinnemann) was really good, and about an older legendary guerrilla fighter that is getting back into the game. Starring Anthony Quinn, Omar Sharif and Gregory Peck. It’s interestingly filmed in B&W which was unusual for a movie of that time. Apparently it was banned in Spain and wasn’t distributed anywhere else for a couple decades because the Spanish government threatened the movie studio (it’s pretty critical of what was still a dictatorship in Spain at the time), so it isn’t as well known as it could have been.
AHHHHH!!!!! 3.5 weeks!?! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!! im beyond stoked. Gonna really hunker down this year and try to watch as much crazy sh@t as possible!!! Bat sh#t Crazy sh#t!!!
DeleteWoot!!!
I can't wait! Blogger has been hit or miss about letting me post this morning, so you probably won't read this. But I CAN'T WAIT! My kids have participated a little bit the past couple of years. I mentioned that Juneploitation was coming up, and was pleased to see them express anticipation for it too!
DeleteTo begin Junesploitation preparations, I went through my movie collection this week. I ended up pulling out a medium-sized box full of blu-rays and DVDs. Although I know that most will likely not get a watch, there are a lot possible categories covered by the selections.
DeleteI'm in the same boat. I've got stakes of movies I have yet to see, and lots of stuff on my watchlist available online (Tubi!). I don't plan out the month ahead, but just play it by ear. Reading people's mini-reviews often gives me suggestions for days later in the month, and I'll rent some of them if they're not available for free. At the same time, it's a good motivation to dig through my DVD's to see if I have something that fits; something I've been looking for an excuse to watch since I bought it.
DeleteThere is a level of planning involved with my Junesploitation watches, particularly since I try to catch up with my purchases, yet it is necessary to leave choices open for some spontaneity. That is why I look forward to the free days so much. My list inevitably changes as people watch things that intrigue me, and sometimes you just need to add variety (a different time period, genre, or style) in order to keep the viewings fresh.
DeleteI'm with you Casual, I always have a few options for each day and will choose between them based on mood on the day. I already made a list and have something picked for each of the regular themes, mostly from unwatched discs on my shelf, but the list will definitely evolve, both before and during June.
DeleteMaybe censoring some words will work.
ReplyDeleteThe Counsellor (2013, dir. R. Scott) was a strange one that I did however enjoy. Ridley directs the heck out of it, however the story is at the same time seemingly complicated and hard to follow, but also lacking tension and at the end I was left thinking “That was it?”. Cameron Diaz is great playing a femme fatal type character. My favourite scene was after a gun fight, there’s a scene where it’s switching back and forth between the truck getting the gun holes plugged and a guy getting his gun holes sewn up. AND THEN, it cuts to a guy standing a bit away and we realise the blazing music was diegetic as we hear it from a distance from his POV. Ridley’s the best. This movie is famous for a “se5y” moment with Diaz and a car, but there’s another scene near the beginning with Penélope Cruz that’s legitimately super er0tic. She’s a bit of a celeb crush for me, so I admit it made me blush!
Guys, go see Sisu in theaters. It's everything you think it is, and more
ReplyDeleteI definitely will! It's playing in Ottawa until at least next Thursday. I tried to take the kids yesterday, but they ended up having plans with friends. I already had this on my watchlist, but I don't remember whether it was recommended by our friend Mikko here, or whether I heard about it elsewhere.
DeleteI kinda remember Mikko saw it a while ago, and recommended it, but i can't remember when
DeleteSeconded
DeleteAnother argument for the movie, it has a strong Django vibe, almost felt like Corbucci directed it.
DeleteI definitely raved about it in February when it came out in Finland. I'm glad you liked it Kunider.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteThat's great that it's playing fairly wide in North America. This is the 2nd week it's playing here (Ottawa) in Canada's 4/5th biggest city. There's not many foreign movies that are played in our major movie chain (Cineplex), and the ones that are tend to be one night showings and limited to theatres that are in the more diverse parts of the city. Looking forward to it!
DeleteYep, I saw GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 3 (2023). Agreed with what most everyone has been saying, that it's a lot of fun and has a lot of heart. My only quibble is that the movie doesn't know what to do with Adam Warlock. Such a great character in the comics, but you could cut him out of this movie and it'd be pretty much unchanged. Still a super popcorn flick, though.
ReplyDeleteDRIVE ANGRY (2011). No disrespect to all the Cage fans, but this one didn't quite work for me. It's trying way too hard to be edgy and extreme. But, I suppose it's good that oddities like these exist.
RETURN OF THE JEDI (1983). "He's more machine now than man..."
BEAU IS AFRAID (2023). What can I say? I'm sure some film fans will spend a lot of time digging deep into this movie's psychology and symbolism, while others will argue that it's meant to be a comedy and not taken seriously. Me, though, I just found the whole thing unpleasant, and I don't plan on ever watching it a second time.
ARSENIC AND OLD LACE (1944). Checking another one off my never-seen-it-before list. Its reputation as a screwball comedy classic is well-deserved, with Cary Grant getting more and more exasperated as things keep getting crazier and crazier. But it's also a spooky movie, going full-on Addams Family/Munsters at times. Actor Raymond Massey is especially great as the monstrous villain. Great movie!