CON AIR (1997, BLU-RAY) SIGNS (2002, AMAZON PRIME) THE BEAST WITHIN (2024, THEATER) DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE (2024, AMC DOLBY)
I felt like wasting two hours plus of my life without having anything to show for it, and "Con Air" (which I haven't seen in a long time, probably since it was part of the annual Twitter Film Fest) seemed like an appropriate candidate. This is such a stupid movie plot-wise (with a behind-the-scenes troubled production to match), but somehow the mix of smarts (Cyrus' plan), testosterone (explosions galore), pandering to the cheapest seats (Vegas Strip leveled) and family romance (the hero's quest to return to his loved ones) just plain works. Nic Cage is self-aware enough to be cute ('I'm going back to to save the day!') but is otherwise delivers his summer blockbuster action hero thing like a pro. And now that they've all had major careers in the past 27 years, "Con Air's" stacked supporting cast is just staggering: Malkovich, Cusack, Meaney, Chappelle, Rhames, Ticotin, Buscemi, Trejo, Gainey, Potter, Zuniga, etc. The Bruckheimer summer action template at its lowest common denominator best.
Now that "Trap" is out (will watch it later tonight), what better time than now to rewatch what is arguably M. Night Shyamalan's last GREAT movie? "Signs" (which I watched on Discord in a watchalong with Jury Room 4.0 members) even makes the most of the director's mandatory cameo being short, well-acted and directly tied to the plot (the you-know-what in his pantry comes back to bite Mel Gibson in the ass later on). On this viewing the kid acting by young Abigail Breslin and Rory Culkin stood out, both being cute and funny without crossing into obnoxious. I miss having Gibson commit totally to his roles like he does here, a former preacher that has lost his faith only for the plot/narrative to prop him back up. James Newton Howard's music knocks it out of the park... just like Joaquin Phoenix. ;-) Good transfer on Prime, probably from the recently-released 4K UHD.
I love walking into a movie not knowing anything about its plot or what it's even about. "The Beast Within" (released theatrically the same day as "Deadpool & Wolverine," which is hanging around while this one left NYC on Thursday) is a modern-day werewolf movie told from the point of view of a little girl (Caoilinn Springall) that watches as her mom (Ashleigh Cummings) and dad ("Game of Thrones'" Kit Harington) drive off with a pig that never returns. The kid's grandpa (James Cosmo) hangs around, but clearly is uncomfortable with the arrangement. The story makes it clear through its young protagonist's eyes that Harington is an abusive (or at the very least bi-polar) man, which forces audiences to try to sympathize with a werewolf curse victim that is also a bully. This dueling tonal shifts (Kit being a clown with his daughter, then an angry hubby), plus the filmmakers never committing to showing the final werewolf creature in full (just glimpses and outlines), ultimately doom "TBW" to disposable arthouse pretentiousness. Except for granda Waylon I didn't really care for these folks, though their property in the middle of the woods looks picturesque as hell. Poor Jon Snow deserved a better post-"GOT" career than this. :-(
Notched a couple of additional viewing of "Deadpool & Wolverine" viewings, one of which was in two-parts (the last 30 mins. in one theater, then an IMAX rewatch from the start to the point I had already seen) after I saw "Beast Within" to avoid going back to my hot-as-hell NYC apartment without AC. What can I say? I freaking love this movie despite its obvious shortcomings (which become magnified on repeat viewings). And as the box office and conversations with friends at work prove, I'm not the only one. :-D
I liked D&W enough, the cameos were surprising, but it could never be as great as the first one. I eventually ingot tired of playing the game of spot-the-reference.
The Chase (1994): Most people fell in love with Kristy Swanson in the original Buffy movie, but for me, this is where it all happened. The scene with the Red Hot Chili Pepper guys is very funny.
Cadence (1990): Not all anti-war movies have to be of epic proportion with big gunfights and explosions. Sometimes they can be on a smaller scale, almost intimate. The church scene is my favorite, the song is so beautifully sung (End Of My Journey). And their dance-walk routine is just awesome. Also, Lawrence Fishburne, which is always a win for us.
Buried in Barstow (2022): Surprisingly solid, entertaining and well-made Lifetime tv movie. After watching the godawful Good Advice (always had a crush on Denise Richards), I was in need of more Angie Harmon (I also have a crush on her), a quick search on imdb led me to this (Already seen Rizzoli & Isle a couple of times). Who doesn't love a good revenge story set in a small town centered around a crappy diner and its badass lady owner. It's far from perfect, but it hit all the right buttons with me. Unfortunately, it ends on a cliffhanger and there's no sequel in sight.
Abigail (2024): Just pure, nonsensical, gory fun. And Dan Stevens.
TWISTERS (2024) This was… good? It doesn’t reinvent the disaster movie wheel, but it delivers all the storm-chasing action it promises.
SIGNS (2002) This must have been a chill production, with Gibson and Phoenix on set all day.
JAWS 3-D (1983) And here I thought 3-D was supposed to make things look MORE lifelike.
MEAN GIRLS (2024) I wanted to like this, but it was a chore. My apologies to the fans.
GHOSTBUSTERS: FROZEN EMPIRE (2024) A disappointment. McKenna Grace is good, but everyone else feels like they’re collecting a paycheck. Again, apologies to the fans.
BOB MARLEY ONE LOVE (2024) I really enjoyed this one! A genuinely uplifting message, and the song performances are electric.
DEADPOOL AND WOLVERINE (2024) I’m not made of stone. I laughed at a lot of the goofs, and I delighted at most of the cameos. But I’m eye-rolling at Marvel trying to convince us that it’s not the multiverse, but “variants” or “anchor beings” that are the new cool thing.
The 1970s British sex comedy series CONFESSIONS... is hard to recommend, even to fans of this comedic genre. The juvenile humor is very dated now, as are the attitudes expressed toward women and minority groups. I saw one of the series a couple years ago, and I was curious about what the other entries offered. They are available on Tubi. The first film of the series is 1974’s CONFESSION OF A WINDOW CLEANER, which introduces the character Timmy Lea, a young man working for his brother-in-law’s window cleaning service. Timmy is not the most capable of employees, causing all kinds of mishaps on his rounds. It seems like half of the time, however, the service the female clients want is not cleaning windows. What sets this apart from the other films is Timmy's mature relationship with a young woman. Overall, …WINDOW CLEANER is relatively innocent fun. CONFESSIONS FROM A HOLIDAY CAMP (1977), on the other hand, was grating and tried too hard to get a laugh. Timmy and his brother-in-law are entertainment officers at a British holiday retreat that gets taken over by a loud-mouthed new owner. In order to save their jobs, they go about trying to organize a beauty contest. The premise runs out of steam very quickly, with the actresses’ flesh no replacement for an engaging story.
It truly was a mixed bag of watches this week. Though most of the films were not good, I was at least entertained by the majority of them.
STRONGER THAN LOVE (1955, dir. Tulio Demicheli) on MUBI – One thing I have learned about the Mexican cinema of this period is that melodrama was everywhere. Stronger Than Love is an exquisite example of it. The tempestuous relationship between Barbara, a woman from a wealthy background, and Carlos, a businessman of lower-class origin, is the centerpiece of this tale of business intrigue. The Cuban locations and music add a pleasant tropical element to the story. The weaving together of other subplots is handled well, and it is all wrapped up in entertaining fashion.
PARTY CAMP (1987, dir. Gary Graver) – There is to be no partying at this summer camp! Not so if Jerry Riviera, the new counselor at Camp Chipmunk, has his way. Even if it means giving beer to minors. Party Camp was another random find on Roku, and I immediately sensed that it would be on the stupid side. I was in the mood for something stupid, though, and it fit my desire for a summer-themed watch. Party Camp is definitely in the running for the dumbest film I have watched all year. The budget is low and the poor script a hodgepodge of story ideas and gags from other films. It leans heavily into the nerds vs. jocks mold. Jewel Shepard is the only person I recognized but was given an extremely thankless role. Strictly for those who want a deep cut of mediocre 1980s comedies.
NECROMANCER (1989) – I have been curious about this one since Vinegar Syndrome put it out many years ago. It is a cheesy demonic horror film with an I Spit On Your Grave plot, featuring the demon getting revenge this time. Having Elizabeth Kaiton, one of the most capable actresses of the 1980s B-movie world, in the lead elevates the film a little, but certainly not enough to stop it from being mediocre. What did surprise me about it is how seriously the r-a-p-e story is treated. I did have some fun with the cheap 1980s style, and there is a silliness to everything that I responded favorably to. Not the best and not the worst thing I have watched in my life.
92 DEGREES IN THE SHADE (1975, dir. Thomas McGuane) – With Warren Oates, Peter Fonda, Harry Dean Stanton, and Margot Kidder, this should be better than it is. That is not their fault. The meandering story of professional rivalry among fishing guides in the Florida Keys has newcomer Peter Fonda butting heads with a veteran guide (Oates) with a history of violence. The film often feels like a bunch of improvised scenes put together, completely failing to generate any dramatic tension. Although disappointing, 92 Degrees In The Shade at least takes another title off of the list of Warren Oates films I have not set seen.
I, A WOMAN, PART II (1968, dir. Mac Ahlberg) – Seemingly a sequel to a Scandinavian soft-core film (I have not seen the original), Part II goes into that territory but has some unexpected twists. The drama tends to overwhelm the soft-core element. Peter is a handsome antiques dealer in Copenhagen who scorns paying bills and has a k-i-n-k-y side that his wife indulges. The wife, Siv, gives the film an emotional edge that caught me off guard. As Peter’s arrogance grows and his demands increase, she gets more frustrated and alienated from him. Better than expected for this kind of film.
CON AIR (1997, BLU-RAY)
ReplyDeleteSIGNS (2002, AMAZON PRIME)
THE BEAST WITHIN (2024, THEATER)
DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE (2024, AMC DOLBY)
I felt like wasting two hours plus of my life without having anything to show for it, and "Con Air" (which I haven't seen in a long time, probably since it was part of the annual Twitter Film Fest) seemed like an appropriate candidate. This is such a stupid movie plot-wise (with a behind-the-scenes troubled production to match), but somehow the mix of smarts (Cyrus' plan), testosterone (explosions galore), pandering to the cheapest seats (Vegas Strip leveled) and family romance (the hero's quest to return to his loved ones) just plain works. Nic Cage is self-aware enough to be cute ('I'm going back to to save the day!') but is otherwise delivers his summer blockbuster action hero thing like a pro. And now that they've all had major careers in the past 27 years, "Con Air's" stacked supporting cast is just staggering: Malkovich, Cusack, Meaney, Chappelle, Rhames, Ticotin, Buscemi, Trejo, Gainey, Potter, Zuniga, etc. The Bruckheimer summer action template at its lowest common denominator best.
Now that "Trap" is out (will watch it later tonight), what better time than now to rewatch what is arguably M. Night Shyamalan's last GREAT movie? "Signs" (which I watched on Discord in a watchalong with Jury Room 4.0 members) even makes the most of the director's mandatory cameo being short, well-acted and directly tied to the plot (the you-know-what in his pantry comes back to bite Mel Gibson in the ass later on). On this viewing the kid acting by young Abigail Breslin and Rory Culkin stood out, both being cute and funny without crossing into obnoxious. I miss having Gibson commit totally to his roles like he does here, a former preacher that has lost his faith only for the plot/narrative to prop him back up. James Newton Howard's music knocks it out of the park... just like Joaquin Phoenix. ;-) Good transfer on Prime, probably from the recently-released 4K UHD.
I love walking into a movie not knowing anything about its plot or what it's even about. "The Beast Within" (released theatrically the same day as "Deadpool & Wolverine," which is hanging around while this one left NYC on Thursday) is a modern-day werewolf movie told from the point of view of a little girl (Caoilinn Springall) that watches as her mom (Ashleigh Cummings) and dad ("Game of Thrones'" Kit Harington) drive off with a pig that never returns. The kid's grandpa (James Cosmo) hangs around, but clearly is uncomfortable with the arrangement. The story makes it clear through its young protagonist's eyes that Harington is an abusive (or at the very least bi-polar) man, which forces audiences to try to sympathize with a werewolf curse victim that is also a bully. This dueling tonal shifts (Kit being a clown with his daughter, then an angry hubby), plus the filmmakers never committing to showing the final werewolf creature in full (just glimpses and outlines), ultimately doom "TBW" to disposable arthouse pretentiousness. Except for granda Waylon I didn't really care for these folks, though their property in the middle of the woods looks picturesque as hell. Poor Jon Snow deserved a better post-"GOT" career than this. :-(
Notched a couple of additional viewing of "Deadpool & Wolverine" viewings, one of which was in two-parts (the last 30 mins. in one theater, then an IMAX rewatch from the start to the point I had already seen) after I saw "Beast Within" to avoid going back to my hot-as-hell NYC apartment without AC. What can I say? I freaking love this movie despite its obvious shortcomings (which become magnified on repeat viewings). And as the box office and conversations with friends at work prove, I'm not the only one. :-D
I liked D&W enough, the cameos were surprising, but it could never be as great as the first one. I eventually ingot tired of playing the game of spot-the-reference.
DeleteThe Chase (1994): Most people fell in love with Kristy Swanson in the original Buffy movie, but for me, this is where it all happened. The scene with the Red Hot Chili Pepper guys is very funny.
ReplyDeleteCadence (1990): Not all anti-war movies have to be of epic proportion with big gunfights and explosions. Sometimes they can be on a smaller scale, almost intimate. The church scene is my favorite, the song is so beautifully sung (End Of My Journey). And their dance-walk routine is just awesome. Also, Lawrence Fishburne, which is always a win for us.
Buried in Barstow (2022): Surprisingly solid, entertaining and well-made Lifetime tv movie. After watching the godawful Good Advice (always had a crush on Denise Richards), I was in need of more Angie Harmon (I also have a crush on her), a quick search on imdb led me to this (Already seen Rizzoli & Isle a couple of times). Who doesn't love a good revenge story set in a small town centered around a crappy diner and its badass lady owner. It's far from perfect, but it hit all the right buttons with me. Unfortunately, it ends on a cliffhanger and there's no sequel in sight.
Abigail (2024): Just pure, nonsensical, gory fun. And Dan Stevens.
TWISTERS (2024)
ReplyDeleteThis was… good? It doesn’t reinvent the disaster movie wheel, but it delivers all the storm-chasing action it promises.
SIGNS (2002)
This must have been a chill production, with Gibson and Phoenix on set all day.
JAWS 3-D (1983)
And here I thought 3-D was supposed to make things look MORE lifelike.
MEAN GIRLS (2024)
I wanted to like this, but it was a chore. My apologies to the fans.
GHOSTBUSTERS: FROZEN EMPIRE (2024)
A disappointment. McKenna Grace is good, but everyone else feels like they’re collecting a paycheck. Again, apologies to the fans.
BOB MARLEY ONE LOVE (2024)
I really enjoyed this one! A genuinely uplifting message, and the song performances are electric.
DEADPOOL AND WOLVERINE (2024)
I’m not made of stone. I laughed at a lot of the goofs, and I delighted at most of the cameos. But I’m eye-rolling at Marvel trying to convince us that it’s not the multiverse, but “variants” or “anchor beings” that are the new cool thing.
Continued...
ReplyDeleteThe 1970s British sex comedy series CONFESSIONS... is hard to recommend, even to fans of this comedic genre. The juvenile humor is very dated now, as are the attitudes expressed toward women and minority groups. I saw one of the series a couple years ago, and I was curious about what the other entries offered. They are available on Tubi. The first film of the series is 1974’s CONFESSION OF A WINDOW CLEANER, which introduces the character Timmy Lea, a young man working for his brother-in-law’s window cleaning service. Timmy is not the most capable of employees, causing all kinds of mishaps on his rounds. It seems like half of the time, however, the service the female clients want is not cleaning windows. What sets this apart from the other films is Timmy's mature relationship with a young woman. Overall, …WINDOW CLEANER is relatively innocent fun. CONFESSIONS FROM A HOLIDAY CAMP (1977), on the other hand, was grating and tried too hard to get a laugh. Timmy and his brother-in-law are entertainment officers at a British holiday retreat that gets taken over by a loud-mouthed new owner. In order to save their jobs, they go about trying to organize a beauty contest. The premise runs out of steam very quickly, with the actresses’ flesh no replacement for an engaging story.
CONFESSIONS OF A WINDOW CLEANER
Delete(Edited)
ReplyDeleteIt truly was a mixed bag of watches this week. Though most of the films were not good, I was at least entertained by the majority of them.
STRONGER THAN LOVE (1955, dir. Tulio Demicheli) on MUBI – One thing I have learned about the Mexican cinema of this period is that melodrama was everywhere. Stronger Than Love is an exquisite example of it. The tempestuous relationship between Barbara, a woman from a wealthy background, and Carlos, a businessman of lower-class origin, is the centerpiece of this tale of business intrigue. The Cuban locations and music add a pleasant tropical element to the story. The weaving together of other subplots is handled well, and it is all wrapped up in entertaining fashion.
PARTY CAMP (1987, dir. Gary Graver) – There is to be no partying at this summer camp! Not so if Jerry Riviera, the new counselor at Camp Chipmunk, has his way. Even if it means giving beer to minors. Party Camp was another random find on Roku, and I immediately sensed that it would be on the stupid side. I was in the mood for something stupid, though, and it fit my desire for a summer-themed watch. Party Camp is definitely in the running for the dumbest film I have watched all year. The budget is low and the poor script a hodgepodge of story ideas and gags from other films. It leans heavily into the nerds vs. jocks mold. Jewel Shepard is the only person I recognized but was given an extremely thankless role. Strictly for those who want a deep cut of mediocre 1980s comedies.
NECROMANCER (1989) – I have been curious about this one since Vinegar Syndrome put it out many years ago. It is a cheesy demonic horror film with an I Spit On Your Grave plot, featuring the demon getting revenge this time. Having Elizabeth Kaiton, one of the most capable actresses of the 1980s B-movie world, in the lead elevates the film a little, but certainly not enough to stop it from being mediocre. What did surprise me about it is how seriously the r-a-p-e story is treated. I did have some fun with the cheap 1980s style, and there is a silliness to everything that I responded favorably to. Not the best and not the worst thing I have watched in my life.
92 DEGREES IN THE SHADE (1975, dir. Thomas McGuane) – With Warren Oates, Peter Fonda, Harry Dean Stanton, and Margot Kidder, this should be better than it is. That is not their fault. The meandering story of professional rivalry among fishing guides in the Florida Keys has newcomer Peter Fonda butting heads with a veteran guide (Oates) with a history of violence. The film often feels like a bunch of improvised scenes put together, completely failing to generate any dramatic tension. Although disappointing, 92 Degrees In The Shade at least takes another title off of the list of Warren Oates films I have not set seen.
I, A WOMAN, PART II (1968, dir. Mac Ahlberg) – Seemingly a sequel to a Scandinavian soft-core film (I have not seen the original), Part II goes into that territory but has some unexpected twists. The drama tends to overwhelm the soft-core element. Peter is a handsome antiques dealer in Copenhagen who scorns paying bills and has a k-i-n-k-y side that his wife indulges. The wife, Siv, gives the film an emotional edge that caught me off guard. As Peter’s arrogance grows and his demands increase, she gets more frustrated and alienated from him. Better than expected for this kind of film.