Hi. :-D Too pooped from the just-concluded SMM '24 to have watched anything in the past 48 hours. But Barnes & Noble has a simultaneous Criterion/Kino 50% Off sale going on in the States, so I've shopped for some pretty good deals. Anyone else also shopped the B&N sale and got anything? I'd list my purchases but on a train going to work at 4AM. My brain is mush. :'(
Twist ending: Scary Movie Month ISNT over. (7 words)
Fury (2014 Netflix)
Wow. I cant believe im just finding this film. It is an incredible look at tank warfare in the thick of WW2. Taken at face value it appears to be solely about "a day in the life" of a grizzled tank crew deep within enemy lines. However upon further reflection it seamlessly weaves in SO many themes: the death of innocence, the brevity of life during war, the citizen experience, the effects of weaponry imbalance, the mental effects of unimaginable human horror, and so much more. Incredible casting, directing, set pieces, tone, and cinematography. Also...one of the best quotes ive ever heard in a war movie.....
"Ideals are peaceful. History is violent" -don wardaddy collier
OOOO...one more thing..i forgot to mention the incredible writing. Example: there is an extended "dinner table" sequence in the movie that is a masterclass of tone and psychology. It covers: sadness, fear, rage, anger, jealousy, civility, calm, longing, loneliness, violence, desperation, and so much more.
I also like the movie (and that sequence), but it's got one of the biggest movie film of this millennium: it makes a big deal out of Brad Pitt's character finally getting a chance to shave... and then as soon as he leaves the house, he's covered in stubble again! The heck?!
No, I didn't only watch horror for the past month 😁
Driven (2001): I started this movie willing to give it a second chance... It was a mistake. It's as bad as I remember. Some of the worst racing footage I've seen in movies. Stallone is miscast, dialogues are bad, Kip Pardue is a black hole of acting. I don't think the script is necessarily bad, but there's definitely a problem with editing. Then there's the car chase across town, which is weird at best. And I have friends who worked on the movie. It's always fun to tease them about it.
Then I watched Cliffhanger (1993) to remind myself that Renny Harlin is capable of doing good stuff. It's not my favorite of his, but at least it's better than the other one. Somebody's gonna have to explain how John Lithgow plays such great villains, while also being the funniest man alive.
I was on a roll, so I watched The Bricklayer (2023), also from Harlin. It's clichés on top of clichés, not always good, not always make sense, but entertaining enough. Aaron Ekhart chews every scenery and I'm okay with it.
I should just rewatch Die Hard 2 and Cutthroat Island, those are good movies.
Not much is happening since the month changed. I did watch one film to start my Noirvember selections, NAKED ALIBI from 1954. Starring Sterling Hayden and Gloria Grahame, it is a film noir about a cop (Hayden) with questionable interrogation tactics pursuing a hunch about a suspect to some extreme ends. It is a quality film noir with some vintage chiaroscuro imagery.
The image for the thread is very appropriate for today. Shankweiler's Drive-In is showing Smokey And The Bandit and Convoy, and I plan to be there with my layers of clothing and blankets. It should be around 30 degrees Fahrenheit tonight. Unlike most of the drive-ins in this area, Shankweiler's stays open year-round.
It was a good night. Smokey and the Bandit was the only one I did not see all the way through because I met someone from my early days at the Mahoning Drive-In that I had not seen in years. We had a good chat. Convoy is a weird movie, going off in several directions at once and not fully wrapping anything up. Besides the main features, there were two extras: Van Nuys Boulevard and Galaxina. Galaxina is... a film in some way. So much of it does not work.
My top 5 new-to-me movies I watched during this year’s #ScaryMovieMonth:
5) MR. SARDONICUS (1961) A nifty thriller with a cool villain who has a unique look, and it’s topped off with a fun William Castle gimmick.
4) ELVIRA’S HAUNTED HILLS (2001) More of Elvira’s wonderfully hackneyed jokes, but also a loving tribute to the Corman Poe films.
3) IMMACULATE (2024) A woman in an unthinkable situation. The metaphor is palpable, and it shows how great Sydney Sweeney can be when given good material.
2) THE GHOUL (1933) Boris Karloff rises from the grave to enact bloody revenge on those who wronged him. It’s the ‘30s version of The Crow.
1) THE SHIP OF MONSTERS (1960) Rubber suit monsters, a clunky robot, a spaceship piloted by buxom showgirls, and a bunch of rootin’-tootin’ cowboys. What’s not to love?
The Last Stop in Yuma County (2024 Prime (rental))
(So HUGE thanks to Patrick and other F This crew for not only bringing this to my attention but giving it such high praise on multiple podcasts that i had to seek it out ASAP. Hands down one of my favorite movie watching experiences in a looong long time.)
Heres the skinny: we movie fans love our genres. And one of my countless fav genres is Heist Films. Of course with any genre thats been around for a while, its challenging to do something new or original. Welp Last Stop in Yuma County is a wildly original, entertaining, and crazy well written take on a Heist gone awry. Its a tightly wound 90 minutes set almost entirely in one location. I cant suggest it enough and i cant wait to revisit. I will watch any/all future projects by writer/director Francis Galluppi. Check it out!!!
I recently got the Gregg Araki's Teen Apocalypse Trilogy from Criterion. While they're good movies, it was not a good idea to watch them all in a row. They're kind of same-y, especially when one actor James Duvall is one of the main characters in all 3 movies. Anyway, good movies, good set, recommended.
Speaking of Duvall, next I went with Donnie Darko, because why not and it's been a while since I last watched it.
Then I told myself, screw it, get me Independence Day, because Duvall is also in it. And look at that, Darko's mom is there too. Say what you will, but Will Smith was a true movie star back then and ID4 is just a good time. I'll always remember the time my cinema teacher spent a 2h course just trashing the movie. I was young and stupid back then so I drank the kool-aid, but eventually realised she was an idiot (typical failed director turned teacher, a bad one too) and learned to make my own opinions.
I really want to pick up that Teen Apocalypse set (I won't, money being what it is these days). At one point The Doom Generation was my most disliked movie, but then Nowhere kind of turned me around. Can't wait to eventually revisit them all.
If you do, get the regular blu-ray. The 4k is nice, but not worth the extra money. And only 2 movies are actually 4k (and not HDR) , the first movie is only regular HD
Hi. :-D Too pooped from the just-concluded SMM '24 to have watched anything in the past 48 hours. But Barnes & Noble has a simultaneous Criterion/Kino 50% Off sale going on in the States, so I've shopped for some pretty good deals. Anyone else also shopped the B&N sale and got anything? I'd list my purchases but on a train going to work at 4AM. My brain is mush. :'(
ReplyDeleteScream & Scream 2 (1996 1997 Blu)
ReplyDeleteTwist ending: Scary Movie Month ISNT over. (7 words)
Fury (2014 Netflix)
Wow. I cant believe im just finding this film. It is an incredible look at tank warfare in the thick of WW2. Taken at face value it appears to be solely about "a day in the life" of a grizzled tank crew deep within enemy lines. However upon further reflection it seamlessly weaves in SO many themes: the death of innocence, the brevity of life during war, the citizen experience, the effects of weaponry imbalance, the mental effects of unimaginable human horror, and so much more. Incredible casting, directing, set pieces, tone, and cinematography.
Also...one of the best quotes ive ever heard in a war movie.....
"Ideals are peaceful. History is violent" -don wardaddy collier
I'm not a big fan of David Ayer, but this one I really like
DeleteOOOO...one more thing..i forgot to mention the incredible writing. Example: there is an extended "dinner table" sequence in the movie that is a masterclass of tone and psychology. It covers: sadness, fear, rage, anger, jealousy, civility, calm, longing, loneliness, violence, desperation, and so much more.
DeleteI also like the movie (and that sequence), but it's got one of the biggest movie film of this millennium: it makes a big deal out of Brad Pitt's character finally getting a chance to shave... and then as soon as he leaves the house, he's covered in stubble again! The heck?!
DeleteKunider: agreed.....Ayer is pretty inconsistent in output.
DeleteGaith: totally cracked up at your observation. no one can hold back Pitts stubble!
No, I didn't only watch horror for the past month 😁
ReplyDeleteDriven (2001): I started this movie willing to give it a second chance... It was a mistake. It's as bad as I remember. Some of the worst racing footage I've seen in movies. Stallone is miscast, dialogues are bad, Kip Pardue is a black hole of acting. I don't think the script is necessarily bad, but there's definitely a problem with editing. Then there's the car chase across town, which is weird at best. And I have friends who worked on the movie. It's always fun to tease them about it.
Then I watched Cliffhanger (1993) to remind myself that Renny Harlin is capable of doing good stuff. It's not my favorite of his, but at least it's better than the other one. Somebody's gonna have to explain how John Lithgow plays such great villains, while also being the funniest man alive.
I was on a roll, so I watched The Bricklayer (2023), also from Harlin. It's clichés on top of clichés, not always good, not always make sense, but entertaining enough. Aaron Ekhart chews every scenery and I'm okay with it.
I should just rewatch Die Hard 2 and Cutthroat Island, those are good movies.
Not much is happening since the month changed. I did watch one film to start my Noirvember selections, NAKED ALIBI from 1954. Starring Sterling Hayden and Gloria Grahame, it is a film noir about a cop (Hayden) with questionable interrogation tactics pursuing a hunch about a suspect to some extreme ends. It is a quality film noir with some vintage chiaroscuro imagery.
ReplyDeleteThe image for the thread is very appropriate for today. Shankweiler's Drive-In is showing Smokey And The Bandit and Convoy, and I plan to be there with my layers of clothing and blankets. It should be around 30 degrees Fahrenheit tonight. Unlike most of the drive-ins in this area, Shankweiler's stays open year-round.
I had no idea about Smokey & the Bandit! I was just in a Burt mood, but what a cool coincidence!
DeleteIt was a good night. Smokey and the Bandit was the only one I did not see all the way through because I met someone from my early days at the Mahoning Drive-In that I had not seen in years. We had a good chat. Convoy is a weird movie, going off in several directions at once and not fully wrapping anything up. Besides the main features, there were two extras: Van Nuys Boulevard and Galaxina. Galaxina is... a film in some way. So much of it does not work.
DeleteNoirvember is on! Looking forward to comparing notes next Saturday, Casual!
DeleteMy top 5 new-to-me movies I watched during this year’s #ScaryMovieMonth:
ReplyDelete5) MR. SARDONICUS (1961) A nifty thriller with a cool villain who has a unique look, and it’s topped off with a fun William Castle gimmick.
4) ELVIRA’S HAUNTED HILLS (2001) More of Elvira’s wonderfully hackneyed jokes, but also a loving tribute to the Corman Poe films.
3) IMMACULATE (2024) A woman in an unthinkable situation. The metaphor is palpable, and it shows how great Sydney Sweeney can be when given good material.
2) THE GHOUL (1933) Boris Karloff rises from the grave to enact bloody revenge on those who wronged him. It’s the ‘30s version of The Crow.
1) THE SHIP OF MONSTERS (1960) Rubber suit monsters, a clunky robot, a spaceship piloted by buxom showgirls, and a bunch of rootin’-tootin’ cowboys. What’s not to love?
The Last Stop in Yuma County (2024 Prime (rental))
ReplyDelete(So HUGE thanks to Patrick and other F This crew for not only bringing this to my attention but giving it such high praise on multiple podcasts that i had to seek it out ASAP. Hands down one of my favorite movie watching experiences in a looong long time.)
Heres the skinny: we movie fans love our genres. And one of my countless fav genres is Heist Films. Of course with any genre thats been around for a while, its challenging to do something new or original. Welp Last Stop in Yuma County is a wildly original, entertaining, and crazy well written take on a Heist gone awry. Its a tightly wound 90 minutes set almost entirely in one location. I cant suggest it enough and i cant wait to revisit. I will watch any/all future projects by writer/director Francis Galluppi. Check it out!!!
Yeah, movie's fantastic, can't wait to see what he does next. According to imdb, he's supposed to do an Evil Dead movie at some point
DeleteOOOOOOOO that could be sooooo much fun.
DeleteA heist day would be a worthy edition to the Junesploitation calendar. There are a lot of films to choose from.
Delete"...worthy addition." It is getting late.
DeleteI recently got the Gregg Araki's Teen Apocalypse Trilogy from Criterion. While they're good movies, it was not a good idea to watch them all in a row. They're kind of same-y, especially when one actor James Duvall is one of the main characters in all 3 movies. Anyway, good movies, good set, recommended.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of Duvall, next I went with Donnie Darko, because why not and it's been a while since I last watched it.
Then I told myself, screw it, get me Independence Day, because Duvall is also in it. And look at that, Darko's mom is there too. Say what you will, but Will Smith was a true movie star back then and ID4 is just a good time. I'll always remember the time my cinema teacher spent a 2h course just trashing the movie. I was young and stupid back then so I drank the kool-aid, but eventually realised she was an idiot (typical failed director turned teacher, a bad one too) and learned to make my own opinions.
I really want to pick up that Teen Apocalypse set (I won't, money being what it is these days). At one point The Doom Generation was my most disliked movie, but then Nowhere kind of turned me around. Can't wait to eventually revisit them all.
DeleteIf you do, get the regular blu-ray. The 4k is nice, but not worth the extra money. And only 2 movies are actually 4k (and not HDR) , the first movie is only regular HD
Delete