THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY (1966), JAWS 2 (1978) and THE CROW (1994, ALL 4K UHD) THE CROW (2024, IMAX) STRANGE DARLING and SKINCARE (2024, THEATER)
"TGTB&TU" is easily my most-watched, most-listened (Ennio Morricone score) and just plain favorite western of all time. It's so great I don't even consider it part of Sergio Leone's 'Dollars/Man With No Name' trilogy but its own beast, a muscular spaghetti western sporadically interrupted by an equally compelling Civil War melodrama. Clint Eastwood and Lee Van Cliff are iconic as eff, but it's Eli Wallach's Tuco who drives the action (wherever Tuco goes, Blondie and Angel Eyes follow), delivers much needed comic relief and starts/ends the film with exciting bangs. Not a giant resolution boost over BD, but good enough.
The filmmakers behind "Jaws 2" commit the cardinal sin of structuring the narrative in such a way that nobody sees the new killer shark's attacks early on, thus ensuring Chief Brody (a visibly uncomfortable Roy Scheider) is perceived as unhinged and fired by the end of the second act. The third act where Amity kids (including the Brody boys who'd go on to "Jaws 3/4" infamy) and helicopters are attacked in the ocean by Bruce 2.0 lift things up, but Brody plunging the East Coast into a blackout to save the day feels more forced than earned. "Cruel Jaws" remains the only entertaining "sequel" to OG "Jaws" to date. :-P
No joke, 30 mins. before Thursday's 7PM IMAX debut of the rebooted "Crow" I stumbled on a killer deal for a 4K disc of 1994's "The Crow" at B&N (under $15 brand new). I watched it last night (never seen the sequels), and besides the transfer looking better than ever OG "Crow" is just iconic and timeless. So many good supporting actors in roles small (Jon Polito, Ernie Hudson, David Patrick Kelly, etc.) and larger than life (Michael Wincott somehow chewing scenery by underplaying Top Dollar's sadistic tendencies), so much talent and care put into the cinematography, art design, miniatures and costumes. And my God, Brandon Lee's facial expressions (anger, joy, pain, pleasure at being an immortal avenging a-hole) and body movement during fight choreography or just standing still are what you want from a film-to-comic book adaptation. "Dark City" remains Alex Proyas' magnum opus, but "The Crow" isn't too far behind.
Believe it or not "The Crow" 2024 isn't terrible or unwatchable. It looks great (director Rupert Sanders knows how to use subtle-but-stylish visuals to convey emotions), the expanded role for Shelly (FKS twigs, not a good actor but likable enough) is welcomed, Danny Huston's heavy is a selfish a-hole you want to see go down hard and Bill Skarsgård (whose "Boy Kills World" earlier this year covered similar ground) looks the part of a love-smitten musician who doesn't know how to control his newfound resurrected-from-death powers until he gets seriously effed-up learning. The super-soaker bloody third act (the climax of "The Godfather Part III" on peyote) and sequel-setting finale are decent, and it's good enough that I overheard young people at my screening say it was their favorite movie of the year. But ultimately "The Crow '24" is an inferior version of a story that was told better and more entertainingly 30 years ago (the new batch of henchmen aren't even worth comparing to Top Dollar's memorable crew), with the added sadness of Brandon Lee's untimely death taking it's status and cred over the top. Worth seeing after the hype dies down.
"Strange Darling" starts pompously ('Made Entirely in 35mm Film') and pretentious ('A Thriller Told in 6 Chapters,' Giovanni Ribisi as co-producer and DP), but by the end it won me over with its simple but clever storytelling hook. Go in completely dark about and it'll impress you more. Trailer is so misleading! :-P
"Skincare" has great moments (Nathan Fillion as TV host, Lewis Pullman channeling father Bill's goofy charm, etc.) but suffers from predictable Hollywood melodrama tropes. Elizabeth Banks deserves better than to play a low-rent version of Kelly Ripa in an IFC "suspense" flick.
Overall, it was a diverse week of watches. I continued with the theme of summer films. Since one of the October movie challenges that I partially followed in 2023 is out, I started putting together a list for Scary Movie Month. Over the past few years I have found the challenges a convenient way to expand the range of horror films I watch, especially with ones made after 2000.
ELIZABETH TAYLOR: THE LOST TAPES (2024) on MAX– Several recorded interviews made during Elizabeth Taylor’s lifetime anchor this documentary about her Hollywood career and much publicized personal life. The best material comes from a candid interview in 1964, which was at the height of her career and when the relationship with Richard Burton was just beginning. With such rich material available for that time period, most of the documentary focuses on events up to the 1960s. The rest of the recorded material comes from the 1980s, when she switched gears toward AIDS activism. This leaves the 1970s and last two decades of her life largely overlooked. Whether anyone without an interest in Taylor or the Hollywood studio system would get much out of this doc is debatable.
THE FACE OF ANOTHER (1966, dir. Hiroshi Teshigahara) – Disfigurement, alienation, identity, nuclear war…. Teshigahara certainly did not hold back his ambitions for The Face of Another. When an industrial accident severely burns a man’s face, he falls into a spiral of self-pity and doubt about his place in society. In order to get back to a feeling of normality, he opts to try an advanced life-like mask to get back into the human world. For anyone who has seen Woman In The Dunes, the Teshigahara style will be evident immediately. Although the narrative meanders, particularly with a parallel plot that feels completely out of place, the visuals are very striking and filmed in unusual ways. The soundscape of the film, moreover, is experimental. Being more orientated toward a fun cinematic experience recently, I probably was not in the right frame of mind for this. I am definitely open for a re-watch.
SUMMER FANTASY (1984) – Baywatch before Baywatch even existed. From the personal drama to the rescues and the equipment being used, the similarity with that show is striking. A random find on Prime, I did not realize that Summer Fantasy was a TV movie until I started watching it. Recent high school graduate Joanna gets a lifeguard job at a California beach and wrestles with what she wants out of life. It only gets more complicated when she gets romantically involved with one her colleagues. Corny is the word that kept popping into my thoughts while watching this.
STATE PARK (1988) – Even my tolerance for bad 1980s films was pushed to limit with this hodge-podge of characters and story elements. It is a frustratingly unfunny comedy about a chemical company dumping waste in a park. A local dressed up as a bear sabotages the company at every chance while the summer visitors to the park get up to all kinds of hijinks. It all culminates in a zany race through the park to, I guess, have some kind of random competition in the story. Perhaps the funniest aspect of the film was seeing American flags while simultaneously hearing distinctly Canadian accents throughout the scene. It was shot in Quebec.
THE SALZBURG CONNECTION (1972, dir. Lee Katzin) – This espionage thriller has everything going for it except a clear storyline. The cast is excellent, and the Austrian locations bring a distinct look to the film. The plot revolves around an American attorney (Barry Newman) who unwittingly gets involved in the intrigue surrounding a metal case recovered in an Austrian lake. Trying to figure out who wants the case and for what reason was surprisingly exhausting. It was necessary to rewind many scenes to understand what was going on. By the conclusion, I truly did not care. At least State Park did not make me work so hard for my disappointment.
12 TO MIDNIGHT (2024) – Probably not a film that many will be watching on a big screen this weekend. I saw it at the Circle Drive-In Theater in Scranton, PA, which is not far from where the bulk of the film was shot. 12 To Midnight is a DTV horror film that stars Robert Bronzi, the Hungarian Charles Bronson lookalike, doing a very Bronsonesque turn as a detective looking for a vicious killer in Pennsylvania’s anthracite coal region. Is the killer human or animal? There are references to several Charles Bronson films and a running joke of characters saying that Bronzi looks familiar. I will not say the film is great, but I certainly had a good time watching it. It does a lot with a modest budget. With several people involved in the production present at the drive-in, I had to the chance to ask some questions about it.
My order from the Severin sale finally arrived this week. I picked up some Italian horror titles (Danza Macabra Vol. 2, Burial Ground) and other assorted trash (Jess Franco, The Sinful Dwarf) to enjoy. It was one of the best sales I have encountered from a big label, with most of the blu-rays under $8.00. In July, there was also a small purchase from Vinegar Syndrome's Subscriber Week (Blood-A-Rama, Burning Paradise) and a pick-up of some Synapse titles from an unexpected sale. It sucks when the sales come all at one time. I generally get a few Mondo Macabro releases for its fall sale, but it may not happen this year.
Joysticks (1983): it's not a good movie, it barely counts as one, but it's a fun movie. It's also very horny, it's an 80s teen comedy after all, what do you expect. The director averages a score of 3/10 on imdb, which might tell you a little about the quality of this thing. But, one of the commentary tracks is hosted by the great Heath Holland, that alone is worth getting the blu-ray.
Purple Rain (1984): What an opening to a movie. First you get a banger with Prince, with a montage introducing the two main characters. And then we dive directly into another banger with Morris Day and the Times. And then we get banger after banger throughout the movie. I'm not a huge fan of Prince or Morris Day, but in a movie setting like this, they're great. Prince is not a bad actor too. He won't win any Oscars, but he can hold the movie, which I didn't expect the first time I saw this a few years ago. This time was on the 4k disc, which looks beautiful, and it was important to have a good transfer, the movie is very colorful, with a lot of... purple. It's a decent price too on amazon, highly recommended.
The Trial (1962): if you ever wondered what 'kafkaesque' meant, just watch this, it will give you some idea. First time I saw this was a few years ago when I got a japanese blu-ray, which was the only way to get the movie at the time, and was hypnotized right away. Welles movies have a tendency to do that to me. I bought the Criterion blu-ray last year, but didn't watch it for some reasons. JB's article on Lady From Shanghai revived the flame I have for this movie, and anything done by Orson Welles. Strangely for a Welles movie, I didn't read about any behind the scenes drama. Usually there's something, like studios meddling, but nothing big that i could find here.
Longlegs (2024): I'm difficult when it comes to horror. Usually, I'll like the ones with a comedic twist. Well, I liked this one, and there's zero comedy in it. I guess it hit the right level of suspense and horror elements for me. And of course, Nic Cage.
Joysticks is more of a series of skits and gags strung together. As you say, it is a fun time. King Vidiot and his entourage is the highlight for me. If you have not seen Losin' It, Kunider, I can recommend that as a fun and engaging teen sex comedy from the same time. It's from the director of L.A. Confidential, too.
The Trial is a film I watched a long time ago, probably when I was still an undergraduate. From what I remember reading about it, Welles had a free hand in making the kind of film that he wanted. The cinematography is gorgeous.
I watched Losin' It, it was fine, but i didn't have as much fun as i did with Joysticks. The best part was the last act when everything is coming down. But Shelley Long was as cute as ever, so it helped to like it a little more
Glad you gave it shot, Kunider.There are some darker elements to Losin' It, and it is more of a drama than Joysticks. Tom Cruise's (he is so young here) character is likeable, but his friends tend to act like jerks. The trouble they get into is, frankly, deserved. Joe Spinell as the border guard made me laugh.
NIGHT SWIM (2024) With “haunted swimming pool” as the premise, you’d think this would go a lot campier. But the filmmakers are more interested in the family drama of it all.
ALIEN ROMULUS (2024) I’m torn on this one. There are some genuinely thrilling and suspenseful scenes, but I don’t know that it had anything new to say.
THE LAST STARFIGHTER (1984) Something something Death Blossom something.
THE BLOB (1960) Best theme song ever?
CUCKOO (2024) Delightfully weird movie, but not as confusing as some have said.
CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND (1977) We don’t talk enough about what a wild choice it was to cast Francois Truffaut as the lead scientist.
I want to talk that Maika Monroe performance in Longlegs....I'm used to her being cute as hell in things and her being dressed down and never looking people in the eye just worked for me in how she's a terrible FBI agent. It's a really unsettling movie.
Loving all the reviews today! thanks team F this!!
The Gangster, The Cop, and The Devil (2019 Tubi)
came across a youtube list of movies on Tubi....im super late to Tubi, mistakenly thought "if its free it wont be good", but holy cow i was wrong, there's a ton to find! Anyhoo, this movie is AWESOME. Its a South Korean crime drama that i cant suggest enough. The setup is that a serial killer unintentionally draws the attention of the mob and the mob and police team up to try and find him. Some incredibly realistic fight scenes, great characters, and awesome transposition between the mob and police roles. Also the writing for the finale was just next level. It bears noting that the standout performance is from actor Ma Dong-seok who im relatively new to but i just love (he's getting some great attention for the super entertaining Roundup series of action flicks).
I love Tubi, but it is so easy to get lost just going through the amount of movies that are available. Choosing just one thing to watch can be challenging.
There is a John Waters weekend coming up next month at the Mahoning Drive-In with the man in person making an appearance. He is a great talker. I went to the weekend last year with him and had a great time. He is a great talker. Watched Pink Flamingos, Desperate Living, and Pecker all in one night. Cecil B. Demented is one of the films being shown this year.
My friend came over to watch a couple of movies saturday night. We started with Perfect Days (2023), by Wim Wenders. This is a kind of movie that I like a lot. It's a slice of life, where nothing seems to happen on the surface, but it's more than that. It's a peaceful and beautiful movie, proof that Wenders is still a master. Then we watched Labyrinth (1986) because we felt like it and it's a masterpiece.
Thanks to amazon next day delivery, I was able to buy and watch the 4k disc of M3GAN (2023) so I could finally see the Unrated version. I knew it was nothing to write home about, but I like the movie and I was curious. Lo and behold, it's the same movie, just a bit of gore.
THE SPIRAL STAIRCASE (1946) Thanks for this recommendation, Casual. I enjoyed it! Some old school spookiness. I was right about Dorothy McGuire - she's really good. I've never seen Bride of Frankenstein, but I think I will soon because Elsa Lanchester's face is irresistible.
I thought you would enjoy that one, Meredith. It is a great spooky time film, and it shows different side of her acting. Bride of Frankenstein is a classic, with Boris Karloff giving one of his best performances. Though Elsa Lancaster is not in the film for long, she makes an indelible impression.
Yeah, it is different, because Dorothy McGuire often played moms. It's crazy. She seems so young in Spiral Staircase but around the same time, if not before, she played the mom in A Tree Grows In Brooklyn, which is the most mature mother role I've ever seen in a movie. I am REALLY a fan.
THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY (1966), JAWS 2 (1978) and THE CROW (1994, ALL 4K UHD)
ReplyDeleteTHE CROW (2024, IMAX)
STRANGE DARLING and SKINCARE (2024, THEATER)
"TGTB&TU" is easily my most-watched, most-listened (Ennio Morricone score) and just plain favorite western of all time. It's so great I don't even consider it part of Sergio Leone's 'Dollars/Man With No Name' trilogy but its own beast, a muscular spaghetti western sporadically interrupted by an equally compelling Civil War melodrama. Clint Eastwood and Lee Van Cliff are iconic as eff, but it's Eli Wallach's Tuco who drives the action (wherever Tuco goes, Blondie and Angel Eyes follow), delivers much needed comic relief and starts/ends the film with exciting bangs. Not a giant resolution boost over BD, but good enough.
The filmmakers behind "Jaws 2" commit the cardinal sin of structuring the narrative in such a way that nobody sees the new killer shark's attacks early on, thus ensuring Chief Brody (a visibly uncomfortable Roy Scheider) is perceived as unhinged and fired by the end of the second act. The third act where Amity kids (including the Brody boys who'd go on to "Jaws 3/4" infamy) and helicopters are attacked in the ocean by Bruce 2.0 lift things up, but Brody plunging the East Coast into a blackout to save the day feels more forced than earned. "Cruel Jaws" remains the only entertaining "sequel" to OG "Jaws" to date. :-P
No joke, 30 mins. before Thursday's 7PM IMAX debut of the rebooted "Crow" I stumbled on a killer deal for a 4K disc of 1994's "The Crow" at B&N (under $15 brand new). I watched it last night (never seen the sequels), and besides the transfer looking better than ever OG "Crow" is just iconic and timeless. So many good supporting actors in roles small (Jon Polito, Ernie Hudson, David Patrick Kelly, etc.) and larger than life (Michael Wincott somehow chewing scenery by underplaying Top Dollar's sadistic tendencies), so much talent and care put into the cinematography, art design, miniatures and costumes. And my God, Brandon Lee's facial expressions (anger, joy, pain, pleasure at being an immortal avenging a-hole) and body movement during fight choreography or just standing still are what you want from a film-to-comic book adaptation. "Dark City" remains Alex Proyas' magnum opus, but "The Crow" isn't too far behind.
Believe it or not "The Crow" 2024 isn't terrible or unwatchable. It looks great (director Rupert Sanders knows how to use subtle-but-stylish visuals to convey emotions), the expanded role for Shelly (FKS twigs, not a good actor but likable enough) is welcomed, Danny Huston's heavy is a selfish a-hole you want to see go down hard and Bill Skarsgård (whose "Boy Kills World" earlier this year covered similar ground) looks the part of a love-smitten musician who doesn't know how to control his newfound resurrected-from-death powers until he gets seriously effed-up learning. The super-soaker bloody third act (the climax of "The Godfather Part III" on peyote) and sequel-setting finale are decent, and it's good enough that I overheard young people at my screening say it was their favorite movie of the year. But ultimately "The Crow '24" is an inferior version of a story that was told better and more entertainingly 30 years ago (the new batch of henchmen aren't even worth comparing to Top Dollar's memorable crew), with the added sadness of Brandon Lee's untimely death taking it's status and cred over the top. Worth seeing after the hype dies down.
"Strange Darling" starts pompously ('Made Entirely in 35mm Film') and pretentious ('A Thriller Told in 6 Chapters,' Giovanni Ribisi as co-producer and DP), but by the end it won me over with its simple but clever storytelling hook. Go in completely dark about and it'll impress you more. Trailer is so misleading! :-P
"Skincare" has great moments (Nathan Fillion as TV host, Lewis Pullman channeling father Bill's goofy charm, etc.) but suffers from predictable Hollywood melodrama tropes. Elizabeth Banks deserves better than to play a low-rent version of Kelly Ripa in an IFC "suspense" flick.
Glad you liked The Crow 24. The reviews are not good, but i love the 94 version, so of course i'll see it.
DeleteGood weekend to everyone.
ReplyDeleteOverall, it was a diverse week of watches. I continued with the theme of summer films. Since one of the October movie challenges that I partially followed in 2023 is out, I started putting together a list for Scary Movie Month. Over the past few years I have found the challenges a convenient way to expand the range of horror films I watch, especially with ones made after 2000.
ELIZABETH TAYLOR: THE LOST TAPES (2024) on MAX– Several recorded interviews made during Elizabeth Taylor’s lifetime anchor this documentary about her Hollywood career and much publicized personal life. The best material comes from a candid interview in 1964, which was at the height of her career and when the relationship with Richard Burton was just beginning. With such rich material available for that time period, most of the documentary focuses on events up to the 1960s. The rest of the recorded material comes from the 1980s, when she switched gears toward AIDS activism. This leaves the 1970s and last two decades of her life largely overlooked. Whether anyone without an interest in Taylor or the Hollywood studio system would get much out of this doc is debatable.
THE FACE OF ANOTHER (1966, dir. Hiroshi Teshigahara) – Disfigurement, alienation, identity, nuclear war…. Teshigahara certainly did not hold back his ambitions for The Face of Another. When an industrial accident severely burns a man’s face, he falls into a spiral of self-pity and doubt about his place in society. In order to get back to a feeling of normality, he opts to try an advanced life-like mask to get back into the human world. For anyone who has seen Woman In The Dunes, the Teshigahara style will be evident immediately. Although the narrative meanders, particularly with a parallel plot that feels completely out of place, the visuals are very striking and filmed in unusual ways. The soundscape of the film, moreover, is experimental. Being more orientated toward a fun cinematic experience recently, I probably was not in the right frame of mind for this. I am definitely open for a re-watch.
SUMMER FANTASY (1984) – Baywatch before Baywatch even existed. From the personal drama to the rescues and the equipment being used, the similarity with that show is striking. A random find on Prime, I did not realize that Summer Fantasy was a TV movie until I started watching it. Recent high school graduate Joanna gets a lifeguard job at a California beach and wrestles with what she wants out of life. It only gets more complicated when she gets romantically involved with one her colleagues. Corny is the word that kept popping into my thoughts while watching this.
STATE PARK (1988) – Even my tolerance for bad 1980s films was pushed to limit with this hodge-podge of characters and story elements. It is a frustratingly unfunny comedy about a chemical company dumping waste in a park. A local dressed up as a bear sabotages the company at every chance while the summer visitors to the park get up to all kinds of hijinks. It all culminates in a zany race through the park to, I guess, have some kind of random competition in the story. Perhaps the funniest aspect of the film was seeing American flags while simultaneously hearing distinctly Canadian accents throughout the scene. It was shot in Quebec.
THE SALZBURG CONNECTION (1972, dir. Lee Katzin) – This espionage thriller has everything going for it except a clear storyline. The cast is excellent, and the Austrian locations bring a distinct look to the film. The plot revolves around an American attorney (Barry Newman) who unwittingly gets involved in the intrigue surrounding a metal case recovered in an Austrian lake. Trying to figure out who wants the case and for what reason was surprisingly exhausting. It was necessary to rewind many scenes to understand what was going on. By the conclusion, I truly did not care. At least State Park did not make me work so hard for my disappointment.
continued...
ReplyDelete12 TO MIDNIGHT (2024) – Probably not a film that many will be watching on a big screen this weekend. I saw it at the Circle Drive-In Theater in Scranton, PA, which is not far from where the bulk of the film was shot. 12 To Midnight is a DTV horror film that stars Robert Bronzi, the Hungarian Charles Bronson lookalike, doing a very Bronsonesque turn as a detective looking for a vicious killer in Pennsylvania’s anthracite coal region. Is the killer human or animal? There are references to several Charles Bronson films and a running joke of characters saying that Bronzi looks familiar. I will not say the film is great, but I certainly had a good time watching it. It does a lot with a modest budget. With several people involved in the production present at the drive-in, I had to the chance to ask some questions about it.
My order from the Severin sale finally arrived this week. I picked up some Italian horror titles (Danza Macabra Vol. 2, Burial Ground) and other assorted trash (Jess Franco, The Sinful Dwarf) to enjoy. It was one of the best sales I have encountered from a big label, with most of the blu-rays under $8.00. In July, there was also a small purchase from Vinegar Syndrome's Subscriber Week (Blood-A-Rama, Burning Paradise) and a pick-up of some Synapse titles from an unexpected sale. It sucks when the sales come all at one time. I generally get a few Mondo Macabro releases for its fall sale, but it may not happen this year.
Joysticks (1983): it's not a good movie, it barely counts as one, but it's a fun movie. It's also very horny, it's an 80s teen comedy after all, what do you expect. The director averages a score of 3/10 on imdb, which might tell you a little about the quality of this thing. But, one of the commentary tracks is hosted by the great Heath Holland, that alone is worth getting the blu-ray.
ReplyDeletePurple Rain (1984): What an opening to a movie. First you get a banger with Prince, with a montage introducing the two main characters. And then we dive directly into another banger with Morris Day and the Times. And then we get banger after banger throughout the movie. I'm not a huge fan of Prince or Morris Day, but in a movie setting like this, they're great. Prince is not a bad actor too. He won't win any Oscars, but he can hold the movie, which I didn't expect the first time I saw this a few years ago. This time was on the 4k disc, which looks beautiful, and it was important to have a good transfer, the movie is very colorful, with a lot of... purple. It's a decent price too on amazon, highly recommended.
The Trial (1962): if you ever wondered what 'kafkaesque' meant, just watch this, it will give you some idea. First time I saw this was a few years ago when I got a japanese blu-ray, which was the only way to get the movie at the time, and was hypnotized right away. Welles movies have a tendency to do that to me. I bought the Criterion blu-ray last year, but didn't watch it for some reasons. JB's article on Lady From Shanghai revived the flame I have for this movie, and anything done by Orson Welles. Strangely for a Welles movie, I didn't read about any behind the scenes drama. Usually there's something, like studios meddling, but nothing big that i could find here.
Longlegs (2024): I'm difficult when it comes to horror. Usually, I'll like the ones with a comedic twist. Well, I liked this one, and there's zero comedy in it. I guess it hit the right level of suspense and horror elements for me. And of course, Nic Cage.
Joysticks is more of a series of skits and gags strung together. As you say, it is a fun time. King Vidiot and his entourage is the highlight for me. If you have not seen Losin' It, Kunider, I can recommend that as a fun and engaging teen sex comedy from the same time. It's from the director of L.A. Confidential, too.
DeleteThe Trial is a film I watched a long time ago, probably when I was still an undergraduate. From what I remember reading about it, Welles had a free hand in making the kind of film that he wanted. The cinematography is gorgeous.
I'll check Losin' It
DeleteI watched Losin' It, it was fine, but i didn't have as much fun as i did with Joysticks. The best part was the last act when everything is coming down. But Shelley Long was as cute as ever, so it helped to like it a little more
DeleteGlad you gave it shot, Kunider.There are some darker elements to Losin' It, and it is more of a drama than Joysticks. Tom Cruise's (he is so young here) character is likeable, but his friends tend to act like jerks. The trouble they get into is, frankly, deserved. Joe Spinell as the border guard made me laugh.
DeleteNIGHT SWIM (2024)
ReplyDeleteWith “haunted swimming pool” as the premise, you’d think this would go a lot campier. But the filmmakers are more interested in the family drama of it all.
ALIEN ROMULUS (2024)
I’m torn on this one. There are some genuinely thrilling and suspenseful scenes, but I don’t know that it had anything new to say.
THE LAST STARFIGHTER (1984)
Something something Death Blossom something.
THE BLOB (1960)
Best theme song ever?
CUCKOO (2024)
Delightfully weird movie, but not as confusing as some have said.
CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND (1977)
We don’t talk enough about what a wild choice it was to cast Francois Truffaut as the lead scientist.
Yeah, Truffaut's awesome. I think he was cast just because Spielberg is a fan of his work.
DeleteI want to talk that Maika Monroe performance in Longlegs....I'm used to her being cute as hell in things and her being dressed down and never looking people in the eye just worked for me in how she's a terrible FBI agent. It's a really unsettling movie.
ReplyDeleteI agree. I saw The Guess a few times (last time was last week), so seeing her in this was jarring.
DeleteLoving all the reviews today! thanks team F this!!
ReplyDeleteThe Gangster, The Cop, and The Devil (2019 Tubi)
came across a youtube list of movies on Tubi....im super late to Tubi, mistakenly thought "if its free it wont be good", but holy cow i was wrong, there's a ton to find! Anyhoo, this movie is AWESOME. Its a South Korean crime drama that i cant suggest enough. The setup is that a serial killer unintentionally draws the attention of the mob and the mob and police team up to try and find him. Some incredibly realistic fight scenes, great characters, and awesome transposition between the mob and police roles. Also the writing for the finale was just next level. It bears noting that the standout performance is from actor Ma Dong-seok who im relatively new to but i just love (he's getting some great attention for the super entertaining Roundup series of action flicks).
I love Tubi, but it is so easy to get lost just going through the amount of movies that are available. Choosing just one thing to watch can be challenging.
ReplyDeleteI just did my round of checking movies to my list for future viewing.
DeleteCurrently watching Cecil B Demented. What a picture!
There is a John Waters weekend coming up next month at the Mahoning Drive-In with the man in person making an appearance. He is a great talker. I went to the weekend last year with him and had a great time. He is a great talker. Watched Pink Flamingos, Desperate Living, and Pecker all in one night. Cecil B. Demented is one of the films being shown this year.
DeleteI cannot go this year because of prior obligations for that weekend.
DeleteI have 80 movies on saved on Tubi. Thinking I need to start a regular Tubi Tuesday thing. Anyone game?
DeleteMy friend came over to watch a couple of movies saturday night. We started with Perfect Days (2023), by Wim Wenders. This is a kind of movie that I like a lot. It's a slice of life, where nothing seems to happen on the surface, but it's more than that. It's a peaceful and beautiful movie, proof that Wenders is still a master. Then we watched Labyrinth (1986) because we felt like it and it's a masterpiece.
ReplyDeleteThanks to amazon next day delivery, I was able to buy and watch the 4k disc of M3GAN (2023) so I could finally see the Unrated version. I knew it was nothing to write home about, but I like the movie and I was curious. Lo and behold, it's the same movie, just a bit of gore.
THE SPIRAL STAIRCASE (1946)
ReplyDeleteThanks for this recommendation, Casual. I enjoyed it! Some old school spookiness. I was right about Dorothy McGuire - she's really good. I've never seen Bride of Frankenstein, but I think I will soon because Elsa Lanchester's face is irresistible.
I thought you would enjoy that one, Meredith. It is a great spooky time film, and it shows different side of her acting. Bride of Frankenstein is a classic, with Boris Karloff giving one of his best performances. Though Elsa Lancaster is not in the film for long, she makes an indelible impression.
DeleteYeah, it is different, because Dorothy McGuire often played moms. It's crazy. She seems so young in Spiral Staircase but around the same time, if not before, she played the mom in A Tree Grows In Brooklyn, which is the most mature mother role I've ever seen in a movie. I am REALLY a fan.
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