Zodiac (2007): for some reasons, some companies think it's a herculean task to put extended or director's cut on 4k, so they just provide the regular blu-ray with the DC and put the theatrical cut on the 4k disc. So, I had no choice but to watch the TC (I know, life is hard). Still a great flick. Let's be honest, in this case, the DC won't change your mind if you don't like the movie. But I'm betting you do, because it's an awesome movie and I never heard a bad comment about it.
The Cell (2000): Thanks to the delays still affecting Canada Post following their month-long strike, I finally received the new Arrow 4k disc, after almost 3 weeks. Just in time to pair it with Zodiac, which I received the day before. This movie is visually spectacular, there's some trippy stuff in there, so an HDR release needs to be perfect. I'm happy to say it delivers and then some. Another jam-packed disc that is technically great. The story is good too, if a little basic, the visuals more than make up for it, though it borders on the torture p-o-r-n at times, mostly on women. J.Lo and Vince Vaugn were still developing their drama acting chops, but they do the job fine. Those interested, you get 3 covers: the slipcover and the 2-sided sleeve, all different. Early contender for release of the year. Seriously, just the 90min interview with the director, and the 50min interview with the cinematographer are worth the price. Can't wait for Umbrella's release of The Fall.
Robocop (2014): I've been on a Robocop kick recently (the movies and recent videogame), so I had to rewatch this one. As remake go, it's not too bad. Joel Kinnaman does the job well, the action is fun. It's no masterpiece, but it does the job. I got the regular blu-ray for 5$, so it was a no-brainer.
September 4 (2024): I'm a big fan of Peter Sarsgaard, and I've enjoyed John Magaro in movies ever since I noticed him in The Big Short. The director did the movie Hell in 2011 which I very much enjoyed back then. The great JB said this movie deserve more recognition, and I agree with him. Broadcast tv was wild back then. Paired with Spielberg's Munich, you're in for a great, but heavy night.
The Transporter (2002): Still good, silly, action-packed fun.
Speaking of Bridget Fonda (reference to this week's podcast), I finally got Jackie Brown (1997) on 4k. Some would say it's Tarantino's best, I feel they say that just to be contrarian, it's a great movie that I really like, and this new 4k is the best opportunity for a rewatch. Well worth it if you like the movie.
The House with a Clock in Its Walls (2018): You'd never know Eli Roth directed this, he usually does scarier and violent stuff. This is light and fun and everything you'd want for a family-horror movie. Jack Black (cgi baby JB is hella creepy) is doing his thing, Cate Blanchet is having fun, the kid is a decent actor. What else do you need, a Kyle MacLachlan cameo? Well, I have news for you... Also, for 2$, it was a no-brainer.
Another week, another batch of movie goodness! :-D
QUICK CHANGE (1990, AMAZON). Essentially "The Warriors" remade as a Bill Murray comedy vehicle, the trio of way-over-their-heads, would-be bank robbers (Bill, Randy Quaid and Geena Davis) trying to get to JFK airport while the nastiness of 80's NYC stands between them lives or dies by (a) cast chemistry and (b) the perception (then and/or now) of Gotham as hell on earth. Davis and Murray generate surprisingly hearty chemistry, but it's constantly undermined by the script's need for their characters to babysit Cousin Eddie's constant whining. Except for Tony Shalhoub and Jason Robards, though, most New Yorkers fail to register as anything but glorified extras. Worth the rental fee, but I'm good for another 35 years.
THE STENDHAL SYNDROME (1996, BLUE UNDERGROUND BLU-RAY). An upgrade to my old BU DVD, which I only watched 2-3 times because of the off-putting (and Blogger-triggering) content. Rewatching it for the first time in years, I was quietly blown away by how much better than I remembered this is. Dario Argento directs with the confidence of a madman that would cast his daughter Asia (in her best acting work to date) and subject her to such psychological, physical and you-know-what challenges. Despite his screen time being limited, Thomas Krestchmann's Alfredo is the stuff nightmares are made of. :-O The terrible English dub on Asia's detective character is a not-insignificant flaw dragging this one down, but it compensates for with beautiful cinematography (Giuseppe Rotunno) and an haunting Ennio Morricone score for the ages. Both Argentos' last true masterwork, IMHO.
COMPANION (2025, IMAX). I was lucky to see this one without knowing anything about it other than it's the latest work from the same filmmaking team behind "Barbarian." To my shock afterwards even looking at the poster is a spoiler. If you can manage to catch this with as little knowledge as possible while also setting your expectations appropriately (as in 'This isn't anywhere near as good as "Barbarian," but it's A-OK') you'll have a good time, especially the pitch-black humor from "Barbarian" resurfacing as a borderline comedic farce of the best kind. Jack Quaid is dangerously close to being typecast as his "Scream" character, but Sophie Thatcher and some invisible tech work help carry the day. Worth a look.
LOVE HURTS ('25, AMC DOLBY CINEMA). Is it wrong that I like Ke Huy Quan more in this generic action/comedy than in his much-acclaimed "Everything... Once" role? He's such an affable guy, even when he pretends to be a Jackie Chan-like dormant badass being forced by a dream girl from his hired assassin past (Ariana DeBose) to kick ass and destroy the new Wisconsin real estate salesman life he worked hard to earn. Except for Lio Tipton and Mustafa Shakir sharing a couple of gripping scenes, though, "Love Hurts" plays like "Violent Night" (same filmmakers) without the heart or reason. It's mercifully short (83 min.) but also quite forgettable. Should have been a direct-to-streaming flick. :-(
HEART EYES ('25, AMC PRIME). A self-aware rom-com slasher timed/themed for Valentine's Day sounds terrible on paper, but the beauty of this Josh Ruben flick ("Werewolves Within") is that he and his writers aren't out to deconstruct the genres they're mashing together. They want the audience that knows and loves horror to have a good time, and in that regard this one comes close to James Wan's "Malignant" (also set in Seattle for no reason whatsover) is absolutely blowing my mind. Equal parts dead serious, grotesque, silly and laugh-out loud gory, "Heart Eyes" entertained like few holiday-themes slashers have. The lead couple has great chemistry, and it's only in the final act when it doesn't fall apart as much as follow the newest "Scream" movies in overexplaining itself. If you love horror make sure to watch this one, it's the first pleasant surprise lovefest of the year for me. :-)
The Father (2020): I'll keep this brief for anyone who slept on this one like I did. It's definitely worth going into this knowing as little as possible. It stars Anthony Hopkins who gives an unbelievably, believable performance of an old man suffering from late stage dementia. This was hands down the most terrifying movie I've seen in a long time, perhaps ever. 10/10
Late to the party as i was trying to avoid adding another streaming service. This show is AMAZING. Incredible premise, performances, writing, direction, and pacing. The best part is, as a sci-fi dystopian nerd, i adore the little clues and wonderful theories from fellow show fans (note: the drawback to this is invariably some level of spoilers). One of my favorite TV viewings in a long, long time.
Naturally i adore 4k but also feel standard Bluray is so good that sometimes its not a big jump. That being said, this was my first revisit in a long time and this disc looks and sounds fabulous! What an amazing ride of a movie...Miller throws us in the drivers seat almost immediately and doesnt let up. Therons Furiosa is one of the best parts of the entire Max series of flicks. DIG IT!
Gods of Egypt (2016, dir. Alex Proyas) had a pretty bad reputation, but I enjoyed the heck out of it. It’s all CGI but I thought was done well and told a visual story that couldn’t be done through practical effects. Courtney Eaton is perhaps the most beautiful human ever.
So I decided to follow it up with Cleopatra (1963, dir. Joseph L. Mankiewicz) last night. I only watched until the intermission. This is a long movie. I really loved the scene where they were burning the dead Caesar and all the common folk were rushing in to throw wooden furniture to fan the flames. I will watch the rest this weekend.
The Beekeeper (2024, dir. David Ayer). I kept bees for a handful of years, so all the “sometimes a drone is needed to kill the queen” is super fucking dumb (and inaccurate), but I loved that they kept referencing bee stuff throughout
This was from a while ago, but around Christmas I re-watched Where Eagles Dare (1968, dir. Brian G. Hutton) and it was a bloody good time. I had a bowl full of licorice sweets and treated myself to some Christmas cake (ie. Fruit cake with marzipan and hard icing). That movie is so much fun. Watching British war movies during Christmas is a favourite.
The Mechanic (1972, dir. Michael Winner) is Bronson being his best self. It opens strong, lags a bit, then an explosive conclusion. What more could you want.
ooooo good timing...i was JUST looking at an unwatched blu double feature of Eagles/Kellys Heroes thinking i should watch Where Eagles Dare soon. Your review is the push i needed. cheers!
I had a great time with The Beekeeper. The villains were very easy to hate!
I hope you enjoy Where Eagles Dare! It feels more like an adventure movie, men on a mission, than a serious war movie.
I finished Cleopatra. There was an awesome giant sea battle in the 2nd half, but there was a lot of melodrama that didn't quite work. Rex Harrison (as Caesar) died before the intermission, and he was maybe the best part. It's a big gorgeous movie though, and am glad I finally watched it.
VENOM: THE LAST DANCE (2024) I know the premise is supposed to be "Venom and Eddie go on a road trip" but I wonder if it should have been "Venom and Eddie go to Vegas" instead, because the Vegas stuff is when the movie really sparks to life.
QUICK CHANGE (1990) I do enjoy this wonderfully weird movie. I really "get" this style of quirky humor.
THE INCREDIBLES (2004) Brad Bird goodness!
KALKI 2898 AD (2024) I'm no doubt missing a lot of cultural context here, what with all this talk about reincarnation and Vishnu, but this movie certainly delivers on big-scale sci-fi/fantasy spectacle.
I too love the National Treasure movies and I'd love a third one as well. But after seeing how bad Disney's attempt at a show was, I feel it's unlikely.
Saturday night movies with the friends, we're on a Ralph Bakshi kick, so there's going to be one for the next few seance. Also, we accidentally chose movies that are 50 years appart, and watched them in order.
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920): It's been so long since I watched this, that I forgot the twist at the end. Also, I'm almost surprised it was never remade properly (like Nosferatu), so we had a bit of fun casting the remake. Nothing very special, the usual stuff like: directed by Tim Burton, with Dany Devito, Helena Bonham Carter, Wynona Ryder, Johnny Depp, with a bit a left field with Oscar Isaac and Crispin Glover.
Fritz The Cat (1972): my friends and I love The Lord of the Rings and Fire & Ice, but are fully aware that Ralph Bakshi usual output is a bit 'rougher'. We got a glimpse of it with Cool World a few weeks back, but this was the first real look at what Bakshi does best... Crazy, filled with social commentary, gonzo, almost amateur animation. But still a fun time.
Annihilation (2018): Alex Garland has been around for a while, but it's only with Ex Machina (2014) that he became a recognizable name. We watched this one on 4k, and it's one of those 'you have to see it in 4k'. The green of the dense forest, the colors the shimmer, the HDR color make them shine like you've not seen it before.
Ya know, I try to upgrade my standard DVDs to Blu-ray or 4k before upgrading my Blu-ray to 4k but now you just sold me on upgrading my Blu-ray of Annihilation to 4k. You almost got me with Zodiac too!
Solid movie week for me...
ReplyDeleteZodiac (2007): for some reasons, some companies think it's a herculean task to put extended or director's cut on 4k, so they just provide the regular blu-ray with the DC and put the theatrical cut on the 4k disc. So, I had no choice but to watch the TC (I know, life is hard). Still a great flick. Let's be honest, in this case, the DC won't change your mind if you don't like the movie. But I'm betting you do, because it's an awesome movie and I never heard a bad comment about it.
The Cell (2000): Thanks to the delays still affecting Canada Post following their month-long strike, I finally received the new Arrow 4k disc, after almost 3 weeks. Just in time to pair it with Zodiac, which I received the day before. This movie is visually spectacular, there's some trippy stuff in there, so an HDR release needs to be perfect. I'm happy to say it delivers and then some. Another jam-packed disc that is technically great. The story is good too, if a little basic, the visuals more than make up for it, though it borders on the torture p-o-r-n at times, mostly on women. J.Lo and Vince Vaugn were still developing their drama acting chops, but they do the job fine. Those interested, you get 3 covers: the slipcover and the 2-sided sleeve, all different. Early contender for release of the year. Seriously, just the 90min interview with the director, and the 50min interview with the cinematographer are worth the price. Can't wait for Umbrella's release of The Fall.
Robocop (2014): I've been on a Robocop kick recently (the movies and recent videogame), so I had to rewatch this one. As remake go, it's not too bad. Joel Kinnaman does the job well, the action is fun. It's no masterpiece, but it does the job. I got the regular blu-ray for 5$, so it was a no-brainer.
September 4 (2024): I'm a big fan of Peter Sarsgaard, and I've enjoyed John Magaro in movies ever since I noticed him in The Big Short. The director did the movie Hell in 2011 which I very much enjoyed back then. The great JB said this movie deserve more recognition, and I agree with him. Broadcast tv was wild back then. Paired with Spielberg's Munich, you're in for a great, but heavy night.
The Transporter (2002): Still good, silly, action-packed fun.
Speaking of Bridget Fonda (reference to this week's podcast), I finally got Jackie Brown (1997) on 4k. Some would say it's Tarantino's best, I feel they say that just to be contrarian, it's a great movie that I really like, and this new 4k is the best opportunity for a rewatch. Well worth it if you like the movie.
The House with a Clock in Its Walls (2018): You'd never know Eli Roth directed this, he usually does scarier and violent stuff. This is light and fun and everything you'd want for a family-horror movie. Jack Black (cgi baby JB is hella creepy) is doing his thing, Cate Blanchet is having fun, the kid is a decent actor. What else do you need, a Kyle MacLachlan cameo? Well, I have news for you... Also, for 2$, it was a no-brainer.
Another week, another batch of movie goodness! :-D
ReplyDeleteQUICK CHANGE (1990, AMAZON). Essentially "The Warriors" remade as a Bill Murray comedy vehicle, the trio of way-over-their-heads, would-be bank robbers (Bill, Randy Quaid and Geena Davis) trying to get to JFK airport while the nastiness of 80's NYC stands between them lives or dies by (a) cast chemistry and (b) the perception (then and/or now) of Gotham as hell on earth. Davis and Murray generate surprisingly hearty chemistry, but it's constantly undermined by the script's need for their characters to babysit Cousin Eddie's constant whining. Except for Tony Shalhoub and Jason Robards, though, most New Yorkers fail to register as anything but glorified extras. Worth the rental fee, but I'm good for another 35 years.
THE STENDHAL SYNDROME (1996, BLUE UNDERGROUND BLU-RAY). An upgrade to my old BU DVD, which I only watched 2-3 times because of the off-putting (and Blogger-triggering) content. Rewatching it for the first time in years, I was quietly blown away by how much better than I remembered this is. Dario Argento directs with the confidence of a madman that would cast his daughter Asia (in her best acting work to date) and subject her to such psychological, physical and you-know-what challenges. Despite his screen time being limited, Thomas Krestchmann's Alfredo is the stuff nightmares are made of. :-O The terrible English dub on Asia's detective character is a not-insignificant flaw dragging this one down, but it compensates for with beautiful cinematography (Giuseppe Rotunno) and an haunting Ennio Morricone score for the ages. Both Argentos' last true masterwork, IMHO.
COMPANION (2025, IMAX). I was lucky to see this one without knowing anything about it other than it's the latest work from the same filmmaking team behind "Barbarian." To my shock afterwards even looking at the poster is a spoiler. If you can manage to catch this with as little knowledge as possible while also setting your expectations appropriately (as in 'This isn't anywhere near as good as "Barbarian," but it's A-OK') you'll have a good time, especially the pitch-black humor from "Barbarian" resurfacing as a borderline comedic farce of the best kind. Jack Quaid is dangerously close to being typecast as his "Scream" character, but Sophie Thatcher and some invisible tech work help carry the day. Worth a look.
LOVE HURTS ('25, AMC DOLBY CINEMA). Is it wrong that I like Ke Huy Quan more in this generic action/comedy than in his much-acclaimed "Everything... Once" role? He's such an affable guy, even when he pretends to be a Jackie Chan-like dormant badass being forced by a dream girl from his hired assassin past (Ariana DeBose) to kick ass and destroy the new Wisconsin real estate salesman life he worked hard to earn. Except for Lio Tipton and Mustafa Shakir sharing a couple of gripping scenes, though, "Love Hurts" plays like "Violent Night" (same filmmakers) without the heart or reason. It's mercifully short (83 min.) but also quite forgettable. Should have been a direct-to-streaming flick. :-(
HEART EYES ('25, AMC PRIME). A self-aware rom-com slasher timed/themed for Valentine's Day sounds terrible on paper, but the beauty of this Josh Ruben flick ("Werewolves Within") is that he and his writers aren't out to deconstruct the genres they're mashing together. They want the audience that knows and loves horror to have a good time, and in that regard this one comes close to James Wan's "Malignant" (also set in Seattle for no reason whatsover) is absolutely blowing my mind. Equal parts dead serious, grotesque, silly and laugh-out loud gory, "Heart Eyes" entertained like few holiday-themes slashers have. The lead couple has great chemistry, and it's only in the final act when it doesn't fall apart as much as follow the newest "Scream" movies in overexplaining itself. If you love horror make sure to watch this one, it's the first pleasant surprise lovefest of the year for me. :-)
I'm seriously bummed about Love Hurts, but i'll wait for streaming to see it
DeleteThe Father (2020): I'll keep this brief for anyone who slept on this one like I did. It's definitely worth going into this knowing as little as possible. It stars Anthony Hopkins who gives an unbelievably, believable performance of an old man suffering from late stage dementia. This was hands down the most terrifying movie I've seen in a long time, perhaps ever. 10/10
ReplyDeleteFTHISTVSERIES
ReplyDeleteSeverance (S1 & S2 ep 1-4 Apple TV)
Late to the party as i was trying to avoid adding another streaming service. This show is AMAZING. Incredible premise, performances, writing, direction, and pacing. The best part is, as a sci-fi dystopian nerd, i adore the little clues and wonderful theories from fellow show fans (note: the drawback to this is invariably some level of spoilers). One of my favorite TV viewings in a long, long time.
Mad Max Fury Road (2015 4k)
ReplyDeleteNaturally i adore 4k but also feel standard Bluray is so good that sometimes its not a big jump. That being said, this was my first revisit in a long time and this disc looks and sounds fabulous! What an amazing ride of a movie...Miller throws us in the drivers seat almost immediately and doesnt let up. Therons Furiosa is one of the best parts of the entire Max series of flicks. DIG IT!
I watched this again today. "What a picture". And also features my newfound crush, Courtney Eaton.
DeleteGods of Egypt (2016, dir. Alex Proyas) had a pretty bad reputation, but I enjoyed the heck out of it. It’s all CGI but I thought was done well and told a visual story that couldn’t be done through practical effects. Courtney Eaton is perhaps the most beautiful human ever.
ReplyDeleteSo I decided to follow it up with Cleopatra (1963, dir. Joseph L. Mankiewicz) last night. I only watched until the intermission. This is a long movie. I really loved the scene where they were burning the dead Caesar and all the common folk were rushing in to throw wooden furniture to fan the flames. I will watch the rest this weekend.
The Beekeeper (2024, dir. David Ayer). I kept bees for a handful of years, so all the “sometimes a drone is needed to kill the queen” is super fucking dumb (and inaccurate), but I loved that they kept referencing bee stuff throughout
This was from a while ago, but around Christmas I re-watched Where Eagles Dare (1968, dir. Brian G. Hutton) and it was a bloody good time. I had a bowl full of licorice sweets and treated myself to some Christmas cake (ie. Fruit cake with marzipan and hard icing). That movie is so much fun. Watching British war movies during Christmas is a favourite.
The Mechanic (1972, dir. Michael Winner) is Bronson being his best self. It opens strong, lags a bit, then an explosive conclusion. What more could you want.
Beekeeper is a bit silly, but it's so satisfying to watch him kill a bunch of phone scammers
Deleteooooo good timing...i was JUST looking at an unwatched blu double feature of Eagles/Kellys Heroes thinking i should watch Where Eagles Dare soon. Your review is the push i needed. cheers!
DeleteI had a great time with The Beekeeper. The villains were very easy to hate!
DeleteI hope you enjoy Where Eagles Dare! It feels more like an adventure movie, men on a mission, than a serious war movie.
I finished Cleopatra. There was an awesome giant sea battle in the 2nd half, but there was a lot of melodrama that didn't quite work. Rex Harrison (as Caesar) died before the intermission, and he was maybe the best part. It's a big gorgeous movie though, and am glad I finally watched it.
VENOM: THE LAST DANCE (2024)
ReplyDeleteI know the premise is supposed to be "Venom and Eddie go on a road trip" but I wonder if it should have been "Venom and Eddie go to Vegas" instead, because the Vegas stuff is when the movie really sparks to life.
QUICK CHANGE (1990)
I do enjoy this wonderfully weird movie. I really "get" this style of quirky humor.
THE INCREDIBLES (2004)
Brad Bird goodness!
KALKI 2898 AD (2024)
I'm no doubt missing a lot of cultural context here, what with all this talk about reincarnation and Vishnu, but this movie certainly delivers on big-scale sci-fi/fantasy spectacle.
NATIONAL TREASURE (2004)
Realism: The Movie!
I very much enjoyed Venom 3 and can't wait to rewatch it. I'm waiting for the 4k price to drop a bit, so i can actually wait a little longer 😁
Deletei remain the eternal optimist that someday we'll get a National Treasure 3. Loooove those goofy davinci code ripoffs.
DeleteI too love the National Treasure movies and I'd love a third one as well. But after seeing how bad Disney's attempt at a show was, I feel it's unlikely.
DeleteSaturday night movies with the friends, we're on a Ralph Bakshi kick, so there's going to be one for the next few seance. Also, we accidentally chose movies that are 50 years appart, and watched them in order.
ReplyDeleteThe Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920): It's been so long since I watched this, that I forgot the twist at the end. Also, I'm almost surprised it was never remade properly (like Nosferatu), so we had a bit of fun casting the remake. Nothing very special, the usual stuff like: directed by Tim Burton, with Dany Devito, Helena Bonham Carter, Wynona Ryder, Johnny Depp, with a bit a left field with Oscar Isaac and Crispin Glover.
Fritz The Cat (1972): my friends and I love The Lord of the Rings and Fire & Ice, but are fully aware that Ralph Bakshi usual output is a bit 'rougher'. We got a glimpse of it with Cool World a few weeks back, but this was the first real look at what Bakshi does best... Crazy, filled with social commentary, gonzo, almost amateur animation. But still a fun time.
Annihilation (2018): Alex Garland has been around for a while, but it's only with Ex Machina (2014) that he became a recognizable name. We watched this one on 4k, and it's one of those 'you have to see it in 4k'. The green of the dense forest, the colors the shimmer, the HDR color make them shine like you've not seen it before.
Ya know, I try to upgrade my standard DVDs to Blu-ray or 4k before upgrading my Blu-ray to 4k but now you just sold me on upgrading my Blu-ray of Annihilation to 4k. You almost got me with Zodiac too!
DeleteI hesitated a lot on Zodiac because the DC is not 4k, but I don't regret it. Annihilation was one of the first i upgraded when i got my tv
Delete