Interior Chinatown (2024): Because tv shows are basically overlong movies now, I'm allowing myself to talk about this here. Also, because it's a pretty good idea that's never developed as much as it could. A parody/homage to cop shows like Law & Order, it's fun and weird and keeps you guessing until the end. It's overlong and at the same time the whole thing wraps up way too quickly. There's some missed opportunities and good ideas that I would've liked to see developed. On Hulu.
Holiday Touchdown - A Chiefs Love Story (2024): I don't usually talk about Hallmark movies, because those who knows, knows. And those who don't know, just don't get it. This one is special because it has a pretty good cast, not A-listers, but people you've seen around and like, and the Kansas City Chiefs logo is plastered all over the movie (no NFL logo, strangely enough), there's even a couple of players from the team. They really went all out with the sponsorship. The rest of the movie is standard Hallmark stuff, but a bit lighter and funnier than most, and stars my favorite Hallmark male lead, Tyler Hynes. I hope Adam and Alison watch this one and I hope they like it as much as I did.
Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight (1995): After years of buying crappy movies on blu-ray and dvds, I finally decided to get a movie that I always loved, but for some reasons never got it before now. The soundtrack is the best part, but the rest of the movie is a blast too. And who doesn't love William Sadler in a movie. It's been way too long since I watched it and the blu-ray was the perfect excuse to just rewatch it. And according to tradition, I'm sure they'll announce a 4k release very soon. It happened way too often by now, it's not even funny anymore.
Also, Galaxy Quest 4k was released this week. Always a classic.
Forgot to mention Juror #2. As mentioned before by Patrick and Adam, it's very good. A good old adult courtroom drama like they don't make anymore. I'm on and off with Eastwood directed movies, but this one i like
It sounds like Holiday Touchdown is capitalizing on the Taylor Swift - Travis Kelce relationship. My mother enjoys those Hallmark movies and is, ironically enough, a Chiefs fan. She has probably seen it.
EXCALIBUR (1981) Whew, this was a lot to take in all at once. It's almost like too much movie for one movie. I like it, but I feel like I need to see it again to get the whole experience.
KILL BILL VOL. 2 (2004) I couldn't watch the first one without following it up with second. I did a little reading about the Pai Mei character, in how he appeared in a bunch of films before Tarantino re-created him for this movie. In the old movies he was a ruthless villain, rather than a wise old teacher, which is fascinating.
THE MATRIX (1999) The Tick: "There is no SPOOON!!!"
HUNDREDS OF BEAVERS (2024) This had some good goofs, and I appreciate its commitment to the old-timey visuals. But it felt more like watching a series of comedy TikToks rather than a cohesive feature.
And now for F This Television: DUNE PROPHECY (2024) is somehow both confusing and boring. STAR WARS: SKELETON CREW (2024) is interesting, but feels like an original script that was rewritten to be SW. Old episodes of NEWHART (1982-90) hold up excellently.
All right, I was bored one night, and it is too calm on the weekend thread this week, so I did my ranking of the Mission Impossible movies, because why not. And we all like listing and ranking stuff. I'm not on Twitter, or any social media, so you guys are stuck reading it, sorry 😎.
1- Mission Impossible - Rogue Nation: Definitely my no.1. It's the only one I rewatch on a regular basis. This is where McQuarrie came into the franchise and, with Tom Cruise, pushed it to the furthest boundaries. Everything works in this one: the opening, the setpieces, how they lead to one another, the final act, everything is perfect to me.
2- Mission Impossible: I never watched the original series before watching this (I did in recent years though), so I never had the attachment to the guy who turned out to be a bad guy, but wasn't in the series. I just saw a cool Cruise movie trying to do James Bond, but on a more Spy-Noir style. I love it.
3- Mission Impossible 3: Possibly my first controversial placement, as I know it's not the favorite to most people. I get it, it's super dark, but Philip Seymour Hoffman is so good in this, it's hypnotizing. I can't look away.
4- Mission Impossible - Fallout: The second McQuarrie flick in the franchise. The actions scenes are beyond cool, but they don't lead to the next one as well as in Rogue Nation.
5- Mission Impossible - Ghost Protocol: This one is probably higher on most people's list, and I like it a lot, but for me it's just a good movie. To be fair, it's still better than most modern action movies. Up to this point, if I was to give a value to each movie, they'd probably all be pretty close to each other.
6- Mission Impossible - Dead Reckoning: All right, this is where people will hate me. I really don't like this one. The action scenes are fine, but I feel they happen just because they have to. And the killing of one girl just to be replaced by another girl is just pointless and is pissing me off every time I watch it. And I never cared for A.I. as the bad guy, so that's not helping. Just give me a lunatic with a chip on his shoulder. And it's half a movie, which is not a trend I'm liking right now.
DNF- Mission Impossible 2: Do I have to explain this one? It obviously has its defenders, but none of their arguments managed to sway me, I just can't do it. I've made controversial choices myself, so I can't blame anybody for liking it.
This is the content I love. Great use of the Weekend Thread! I don't disagree with you on DR1 at all and the last time I watched MI2 I liked it as a John Woo movie but not as an MI movie.
Love the idea and execution...thanks! Also, i gotta second your comment about PSH in pt3...i think about that performance all the time and regularly revisit some of his scenes...the plane interrogation being one of my favorite moments from the entire series. As for DR1, i sooooo agree with you...its honestly the first movie in the series that i came out feeling like it was a collection of scenes but didnt feel like a cohesive story...a shame really as i LOVE these movies. Ive been meaning to revisit to see if my attitude changes. Still, im stoked for the next one and hopeful that its the last as i think this series is about where it needs to be to end.
I got sidetracked by life and other matters this week, so there was not much watched. Both movies are on the old DVR that will expire this week.
DOWN ARGENTINE WAY (1940) – The film that established the template and the stars for the 20th-Century Fox Technicolor musicals of the 1940s is not as interesting to me as the films that followed. Down Argentine Way is more low-key in its story and visual design. That muted camp factor does not mean, however, that this does not feel like a “big” musical when the singing and dancing starts. There is a great number from the very athletic dance duo the Nicholas Brothers. As usual for a 20th-Century Fox musical, the songs are not great.
THE BLACK MARBLE (1980, dir. Harold Becker) – A very grown-up blend of police drama, comedy, and romance, The Black Marble is the kind of film that has largely disappeared from modern-day Hollywood. An alcoholic policeman gets teamed up with a very reluctant policewoman to investigate thefts in Los Angeles. One such case is a dognapping for ransom. With some implied violence toward animals, this film may be upsetting to pet lovers. The leads are very good (including the very underrated Paula Prentiss), but it is Harry Dean Stanton’s gambling-addict dog groomer who stands out. Though I did not always found the film engaging, but there is a lot of quality in the filmmaking.
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Interior Chinatown (2024): Because tv shows are basically overlong movies now, I'm allowing myself to talk about this here. Also, because it's a pretty good idea that's never developed as much as it could. A parody/homage to cop shows like Law & Order, it's fun and weird and keeps you guessing until the end. It's overlong and at the same time the whole thing wraps up way too quickly. There's some missed opportunities and good ideas that I would've liked to see developed. On Hulu.
ReplyDeleteHoliday Touchdown - A Chiefs Love Story (2024): I don't usually talk about Hallmark movies, because those who knows, knows. And those who don't know, just don't get it. This one is special because it has a pretty good cast, not A-listers, but people you've seen around and like, and the Kansas City Chiefs logo is plastered all over the movie (no NFL logo, strangely enough), there's even a couple of players from the team. They really went all out with the sponsorship. The rest of the movie is standard Hallmark stuff, but a bit lighter and funnier than most, and stars my favorite Hallmark male lead, Tyler Hynes. I hope Adam and Alison watch this one and I hope they like it as much as I did.
Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight (1995): After years of buying crappy movies on blu-ray and dvds, I finally decided to get a movie that I always loved, but for some reasons never got it before now. The soundtrack is the best part, but the rest of the movie is a blast too. And who doesn't love William Sadler in a movie. It's been way too long since I watched it and the blu-ray was the perfect excuse to just rewatch it. And according to tradition, I'm sure they'll announce a 4k release very soon. It happened way too often by now, it's not even funny anymore.
Also, Galaxy Quest 4k was released this week. Always a classic.
Forgot to mention Juror #2. As mentioned before by Patrick and Adam, it's very good. A good old adult courtroom drama like they don't make anymore. I'm on and off with Eastwood directed movies, but this one i like
DeleteIt sounds like Holiday Touchdown is capitalizing on the Taylor Swift - Travis Kelce relationship. My mother enjoys those Hallmark movies and is, ironically enough, a Chiefs fan. She has probably seen it.
DeleteYou know what, i never made the link with the Swift thing, but that tracks
DeleteEXCALIBUR (1981)
ReplyDeleteWhew, this was a lot to take in all at once. It's almost like too much movie for one movie. I like it, but I feel like I need to see it again to get the whole experience.
KILL BILL VOL. 2 (2004)
I couldn't watch the first one without following it up with second. I did a little reading about the Pai Mei character, in how he appeared in a bunch of films before Tarantino re-created him for this movie. In the old movies he was a ruthless villain, rather than a wise old teacher, which is fascinating.
THE MATRIX (1999)
The Tick: "There is no SPOOON!!!"
HUNDREDS OF BEAVERS (2024)
This had some good goofs, and I appreciate its commitment to the old-timey visuals. But it felt more like watching a series of comedy TikToks rather than a cohesive feature.
And now for F This Television: DUNE PROPHECY (2024) is somehow both confusing and boring. STAR WARS: SKELETON CREW (2024) is interesting, but feels like an original script that was rewritten to be SW. Old episodes of NEWHART (1982-90) hold up excellently.
You made me chuckle with Spoon
DeleteAll right, I was bored one night, and it is too calm on the weekend thread this week, so I did my ranking of the Mission Impossible movies, because why not. And we all like listing and ranking stuff. I'm not on Twitter, or any social media, so you guys are stuck reading it, sorry 😎.
ReplyDelete1- Mission Impossible - Rogue Nation: Definitely my no.1. It's the only one I rewatch on a regular basis. This is where McQuarrie came into the franchise and, with Tom Cruise, pushed it to the furthest boundaries. Everything works in this one: the opening, the setpieces, how they lead to one another, the final act, everything is perfect to me.
2- Mission Impossible: I never watched the original series before watching this (I did in recent years though), so I never had the attachment to the guy who turned out to be a bad guy, but wasn't in the series. I just saw a cool Cruise movie trying to do James Bond, but on a more Spy-Noir style. I love it.
3- Mission Impossible 3: Possibly my first controversial placement, as I know it's not the favorite to most people. I get it, it's super dark, but Philip Seymour Hoffman is so good in this, it's hypnotizing. I can't look away.
4- Mission Impossible - Fallout: The second McQuarrie flick in the franchise. The actions scenes are beyond cool, but they don't lead to the next one as well as in Rogue Nation.
5- Mission Impossible - Ghost Protocol: This one is probably higher on most people's list, and I like it a lot, but for me it's just a good movie. To be fair, it's still better than most modern action movies. Up to this point, if I was to give a value to each movie, they'd probably all be pretty close to each other.
6- Mission Impossible - Dead Reckoning: All right, this is where people will hate me. I really don't like this one. The action scenes are fine, but I feel they happen just because they have to. And the killing of one girl just to be replaced by another girl is just pointless and is pissing me off every time I watch it. And I never cared for A.I. as the bad guy, so that's not helping. Just give me a lunatic with a chip on his shoulder. And it's half a movie, which is not a trend I'm liking right now.
DNF- Mission Impossible 2: Do I have to explain this one? It obviously has its defenders, but none of their arguments managed to sway me, I just can't do it. I've made controversial choices myself, so I can't blame anybody for liking it.
This is the content I love. Great use of the Weekend Thread! I don't disagree with you on DR1 at all and the last time I watched MI2 I liked it as a John Woo movie but not as an MI movie.
DeleteSo your #2 is the 1996, first film of this series? Oo, I kind of want to watch the tv series now for Jim Phelps.
DeleteThe show is obviously very good. There's a reason it's a classic. Highly recommended.
DeleteThanks Patrick, always happy to talk movies
DeleteLove the idea and execution...thanks! Also, i gotta second your comment about PSH in pt3...i think about that performance all the time and regularly revisit some of his scenes...the plane interrogation being one of my favorite moments from the entire series. As for DR1, i sooooo agree with you...its honestly the first movie in the series that i came out feeling like it was a collection of scenes but didnt feel like a cohesive story...a shame really as i LOVE these movies. Ive been meaning to revisit to see if my attitude changes. Still, im stoked for the next one and hopeful that its the last as i think this series is about where it needs to be to end.
DeleteThe Cruise Era (era) will end, but the series will continue with somebody else, that i'm sure
DeleteI got sidetracked by life and other matters this week, so there was not much watched. Both movies are on the old DVR that will expire this week.
ReplyDeleteDOWN ARGENTINE WAY (1940) – The film that established the template and the stars for the 20th-Century Fox Technicolor musicals of the 1940s is not as interesting to me as the films that followed. Down Argentine Way is more low-key in its story and visual design. That muted camp factor does not mean, however, that this does not feel like a “big” musical when the singing and dancing starts. There is a great number from the very athletic dance duo the Nicholas Brothers. As usual for a 20th-Century Fox musical, the songs are not great.
THE BLACK MARBLE (1980, dir. Harold Becker) – A very grown-up blend of police drama, comedy, and romance, The Black Marble is the kind of film that has largely disappeared from modern-day Hollywood. An alcoholic policeman gets teamed up with a very reluctant policewoman to investigate thefts in Los Angeles. One such case is a dognapping for ransom. With some implied violence toward animals, this film may be upsetting to pet lovers. The leads are very good (including the very underrated Paula Prentiss), but it is Harry Dean Stanton’s gambling-addict dog groomer who stands out. Though I did not always found the film engaging, but there is a lot of quality in the filmmaking.
I messed up the last sentence badly. Oh well.
Delete