tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4217427319662074458.post7234099984107732682..comments2024-03-27T15:16:57.305-05:00Comments on F This Movie!: Weekend Open ThreadPatrick Bromleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00771837625286775607noreply@blogger.comBlogger33125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4217427319662074458.post-41951828001895820932021-01-03T21:43:36.449-06:002021-01-03T21:43:36.449-06:00The first film is my favorite, but of the silly se...The first film is my favorite, but of the silly sequels Ebirah is the best I have seen. It is supremely ridiculous. (How does Godzilla get in the volcano?) That Dr. No plot had me laughing throughout the film. A Casual Listenerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02395983733474039015noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4217427319662074458.post-38947434304433916112021-01-03T20:32:05.906-06:002021-01-03T20:32:05.906-06:00Most recently Ebirah, Horror of the Deep, probably...Most recently Ebirah, Horror of the Deep, probably the most fun of them so far. (That's the one you said was your favorite, right Casual?) Mikko Viinikkahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16045016331246302112noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4217427319662074458.post-54844530056207073082021-01-03T19:41:17.618-06:002021-01-03T19:41:17.618-06:00One more funny thing - I knew after watching Sweet...One more funny thing - I knew after watching Sweet Bird of Youth I had seen Geraldine Page before. And I knew it was in the animated movie, THE RESCUERS. And I just checked and I was right! That's her as the bad lady! Tons of kids know her funny face.Meredith https://www.blogger.com/profile/11361935408436355904noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4217427319662074458.post-45175982915887850722021-01-03T19:28:49.178-06:002021-01-03T19:28:49.178-06:00Ah, good to know, thanks. Ah, good to know, thanks. Meredith https://www.blogger.com/profile/11361935408436355904noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4217427319662074458.post-31151848181798080922021-01-03T19:18:39.074-06:002021-01-03T19:18:39.074-06:00Yes, there are lots of terms in cinema. New Hollyw...Yes, there are lots of terms in cinema. New Hollywood refers to the period from the late 1960s to the late 1970s when directors like Francis Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese, Robert Altman, and Peter Bogdnovich redefined American cinema. It is my favorite era for Hollywood films. A Casual Listenerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02395983733474039015noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4217427319662074458.post-39084907721643482672021-01-03T19:10:15.650-06:002021-01-03T19:10:15.650-06:00Oh yea and thanks for reminding me I want to see t...Oh yea and thanks for reminding me I want to see the original The Beguiled. Sofia Coppola's movies make me want to poke my eyes out. But I did want to see the original. Meredith https://www.blogger.com/profile/11361935408436355904noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4217427319662074458.post-81505554152487272502021-01-03T19:02:00.536-06:002021-01-03T19:02:00.536-06:00Ohh, there are terms for these eras in movies like...Ohh, there are terms for these eras in movies like "New Hollywood". Of course. And I don't know any of those terms. <br /><br />Oh, please, watch Sweet Bird of Youth, Casual. I'll check out The Trip to Bountiful. The Verdict is in my queue :)<br /><br />I should rewatch Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. I saw it when I was a teenager but it's only as an adult that I really understand all the troubles in these stories. Meredith https://www.blogger.com/profile/11361935408436355904noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4217427319662074458.post-24187546766839055252021-01-03T18:55:20.666-06:002021-01-03T18:55:20.666-06:00I tend to think of Paul Newman as setting the stag...I tend to think of Paul Newman as setting the stage for the actors that became prominent in the New Hollywood period. The rough edge of the characters he played is much closer to 1970s Hollywood roles than those of the 1950s.A Casual Listenerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02395983733474039015noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4217427319662074458.post-54174633342082053412021-01-03T18:55:08.685-06:002021-01-03T18:55:08.685-06:00Young Newman was cool and all, but middled-aged an...Young Newman was cool and all, but middled-aged and even older ("The Verdict"), sell-out Paul ("Cars") still had it.J.M. Vargashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18293452334926334389noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4217427319662074458.post-57585954581384945392021-01-03T18:50:56.333-06:002021-01-03T18:50:56.333-06:00Geraldine Page was a great actress. My introductio...Geraldine Page was a great actress. My introduction to her was through the original version of The Beguiled. I do not think she was in a lot of movies. Sweet Bird of Youth is one that I have intended to watch but never got around to. The Trip to Bountiful features her most renowned performance. <br /><br />I read that she was being considered for the role of the mother in a film adaptation in Tennessee Williams' play The Glass Menagerie when she died. That would have been terrific performance. <br /><br />Speaking of Tennessee Williams, Paul Newman is in the excellent film adaptation of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. Elizabeth Taylor and Burl Ives steal the show in that, though. A Casual Listenerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02395983733474039015noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4217427319662074458.post-37180527081486917632021-01-03T18:23:30.681-06:002021-01-03T18:23:30.681-06:00Ah, yea, Newman and Brando both studied at The Act...Ah, yea, Newman and Brando both studied at The Actor's Studio. That sounded familiar. Anyway, how did all the famous stars back in the day go to that one school. That's weird. But they were also all so good. Better than so many working actors today. Meredith https://www.blogger.com/profile/11361935408436355904noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4217427319662074458.post-13930082226596466412021-01-03T17:56:20.468-06:002021-01-03T17:56:20.468-06:00Going through Scott Glenn's filmography was ki...Going through Scott Glenn's filmography was kinda fun because I would never have seen a lot of those films otherwise. (THE KEEP is still in my queue). So I've decided to do it with other actors I like because at least I know there'll be something pretty to look at. (I'm old, I'm tired, real life is very busy, my eyes hurt, etc...so...) young Paul Newman is up next!<br /><br /><br />Watched THE LONG HOT SUMMER (1958), THE YOUNG PHILADELPHIANS (1959), FROM THE TERRACE (1960), SWEET BIRD OF YOUTH (1962). And recently I rewatched THE HUSTLER (1961), HUD (1963) and COOL HAND LUKE (1967).<br /><br />So...damn, Paul Newman was a STAR. No one I've ever seen onscreen was more starlike than him. Except maybe Meryl Streep actually - he's the male Meryl. He got all the best characters, monologues, best costars, screenplays, directors, all set up for him to pretty much peacock around and be a star. I'm kind of just in awe of him.<br /><br />He kept reminding me of Marlon Brando, in facial expressions and posture (like EXACT). Maybe they went to the same acting schools? <br /><br />Hud, The Hustler and Sweet Bird of Youth were my favorite of what I watched. Sweet Bird of Youth is based on Tennessee William's play and it starred Geraldine Page (who hires Newman's character to take care of her...pleasures). Ok so Geraldine Page was AMAZING. HOLY COW. Soooo heartbreaking and maddening and relatable. I haven't given it a lot of thought but I don't know how Tennessee Williams makes sex and sexuality so..completely..depraved. Depraved. He's the best at that.Meredith https://www.blogger.com/profile/11361935408436355904noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4217427319662074458.post-3657003283562872302021-01-03T17:22:38.329-06:002021-01-03T17:22:38.329-06:00ok you guys can say which ones are worth itok you guys can say which ones are worth itMeredith https://www.blogger.com/profile/11361935408436355904noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4217427319662074458.post-82780199123116249522021-01-03T15:28:21.585-06:002021-01-03T15:28:21.585-06:00What Godzilla movies did you watch, Mikko?
I have...What Godzilla movies did you watch, Mikko?<br /><br />I have not been seeing anything recent, either. A Casual Listenerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02395983733474039015noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4217427319662074458.post-37173124059063353592021-01-03T14:35:35.678-06:002021-01-03T14:35:35.678-06:00Last not really last (ran out of space above), WE ...Last not really last (ran out of space above), <b>WE SUMMON THE DARKNESS (Netflix)</b> ends with a killer third act that almost, ALMOST makes it worthwhile to put up with the so-cliché-it-hurts Satanic Panic set-up. Points for showcasing Ring Pop candy (plus a cameo from the van in "Onward" :-P) and name-dropping Nintendo ("I 'Metroid' like a mofo!") as a clear sign the flick's taking place in 1988 Indiana. In the end not even Johnny Knoxville as a TV preacher can distract from the fact "WSTD," unlike "Rent-A-Pal," overpromises and underdelivers. J.M. Vargashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18293452334926334389noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4217427319662074458.post-29677151622993419082021-01-03T14:32:23.646-06:002021-01-03T14:32:23.646-06:00Wow. Stumbled onto some excellent-to-me 2020 movie...Wow. Stumbled onto some excellent-to-me <b>2020 movies</b> and a handful of decent ones. :-)<br /><br />One of the most profound statements I've heard JB make about horror movies is that villains are best understood as sad, lonely people who wouldn't have turned bad if someone had loved them enough to keep them from going over the edge. No movie I've seen in 2020 (or many years prior) personifies this idea better than <b>RENT-A-PAL (Hulu)</b>. Imagine if "V/H/S" was a character-focused narrative set in 1990 Denver, and followed a man (Brian Landis Folkins) developing an unhealthy relationship with a VHS talking head (Wil Wheaton's Andy). Besides 100% nailing late 80's VHS culture, the horror comes from watching a good man victimized by life's circumstances. This might be the best three-character operatic horror movie I've seen since Cronenberg's "The Fly," and I guarantee you will see Wil Wheaton's Andy sweater in your nightmares. Highly recommended if you can stand "going there," and an unexpected contender for a spot in my 2020 Top 10 list.<br /><br />When you're not distracted by the titanic struggle Miki Caro's <b>MULAN (Disney+)</b> has balancing a Disney historical fantasy with a respectful-of-China-censors culturally sensitive Asian tale, it's just a gorgeous action spectacle. The decision to jettison sidekick animals and keep the comedy to a minimum elevates the dramatic stakes, especially when Mulan (Yifei Liu) and witch Xianniang (Gong Li) share a couple of unexpectedly deep scenes. Forget Donnie Yen and Jet Li collecting a paycheck. Between a truly nasty villain (Jason Scott Lee's Böri Khan), battle scenes worthy of "Dynasty Warriors" videogame comparison and production values galore, "Mulan" entertained me more than the last few "Pirates... Caribbean" sequels combined. Enough said.<br /><br /><b>AVA (Netflix)</b> starts, ends and is sprinkled throughout with the typical action/thriller tropes and convoluted plot of a beautiful assassin (Jessica Chastain) dispatching targets for a handler (John Malkovich) who reports to a higher-up (Colin Farrell). The bulk of the plot deals with Ava's lifetime of substance abuse problems putting a damp on her relationship with sister Judy (Jess Weixler), hairdresser mother (Geena Davis) and former beau Michael (Common, surprisingly likable given his gambling addiction subplot). You've seen this one a million times before, but the ace cast and commitment to the portrayal of an addict struggling to stay sober gives it a slight edge.<br /><br />Thanks to Patrick for recommending Guillaume Pierret's <b>LOST BULLET (Netflix)</b>, which lives up to its reputation as a tight little French action flick for car freaks that doesn't skimp on character development (even a-hole villain Areski gets a scene that humanizes him) or hand-to-hand combat (escaping a police station without firing a shot). It's no "Baby Driver" (Alban Lenoir's Lino is no Ansel Elgort), but it could teach the recent "Fast/Furious" pics how to tell a compelling tale of co-workers bonding over tragedy without sacrificing the thrill of a well-staged, ass-kicking car chase with life-or-death stakes. Recommended.<br /><br />Brandon Trost, the cinematographer of "This Is The End" and "The Disaster Artist," makes his feature directorial debut in Seth Rogen's <b>AN AMERICAN PICKLE (HBO Max)</b>. So it's no wonder that a lot of the humor in this tale of a Jewish immigrant waking up in present day New York after falling into a pickle tank ("Sleeper" anyone?) is visual. From the switch in aspect ratios for the prologue (a clear nod to "Grand Budapest Hotel") to the obsession with corporate logos, the look of the movie contributes to its clash-of-cultures, fish-out-of-water comedic bouts. Since this is the Seth Rogen show from start to finish your mileage will vary, but often its heart/pathos (Ben G.'s lapsed Judaism) is bigger than the laughs it generates. Worth seeing.J.M. Vargashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18293452334926334389noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4217427319662074458.post-24691900585715453732021-01-03T12:24:30.630-06:002021-01-03T12:24:30.630-06:00Good man. If you don't feel like rockin' n...Good man. If you don't feel like rockin' new-to-you 2020 movies don't bother knocking them. 🥳 Stick with the tried and true champs of popcorn cinema, including "Robocop 3" (a true so-bad-it's-good entertaining dumb flick). 🥵😎J.M. Vargashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18293452334926334389noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4217427319662074458.post-26086236216447265032021-01-03T11:52:39.197-06:002021-01-03T11:52:39.197-06:00Hi gang! I've been meaning to go over a lot of...Hi gang! I've been meaning to go over a lot of 2020 movies, but I'm just not feeling it, so I realized I don't actually <b>have</b> to watch anything I don't want to. So lately, I've watched The Fifth Element, Apollo 13, the RoboCop trilogy, and Godzilla movies. They're all great! (Well, not RoboCop 3.)Mikko Viinikkahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16045016331246302112noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4217427319662074458.post-49193952802604297392021-01-03T02:28:38.833-06:002021-01-03T02:28:38.833-06:00My long comment got deleted before I posted it so ...My long comment got deleted before I posted it so here's some short takes.<br /><br />Soul: watched it twice. Amazing. Possibly pixar's best, at least top 3. Possible "spoiler" here: I had to wonder if it might have been more powerful, yet still in touch with the theme, if the ending (like last 30 seconds ending) went a bit differently. Regardless I loved this movie. go pete doctor ily.<br /><br />Incredibles 2: Super fun, creative action nonstop, funny and well written dialogue all around. Enjoyed it more than I thought I would, esp considering how much I love the og. Look forward to watching them back to back and seeing how that plays. go brad bird.<br /><br />Toy Story 4: Can't believe this was praised so much, and considered a better sequel than incredibles 2. bs! It was the same rehashed plot, generic hijinks that honestly bored me, and a forced emotional ending that felt rushed and weird. Point being, it did not justify it's existence after the great ending of 3. The only thing I liked was Bo Peep; maybe if it did something a bit more interesting and focused on her completely it would have been something. Was it "bad"? No. But I didn't plan on watching it and almost feel lied to that it got so much praise that I did.<br /><br />Ratatouille: For the, idk, 15th time. I think I came to terms that this might just be one of my favorite movies, period. I think it's pixars best, only rivaled by Soul, I'd say those two and incredibles are prob their three best movies. It's so wonderful. This time I appreciated how relatable and realistic Linguini is in a way, esp compared to other animated characters. I noticed many details I haven't even seen despite how many times I've seen it over the years.lukemhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15281828818647984159noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4217427319662074458.post-59027916217430492972021-01-02T21:09:55.663-06:002021-01-02T21:09:55.663-06:00Yep. Lifetime movies, BET movies (NOT the same as ...Yep. Lifetime movies, BET movies (NOT the same as Tyler Perry ones), Hallmark movies, etc. By sheer mathematical process of elimination some of them have to be great... but who decides which handful rise up above the rest? 🤓🧐J.M. Vargashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18293452334926334389noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4217427319662074458.post-76421920381644754762021-01-02T20:55:18.673-06:002021-01-02T20:55:18.673-06:00I know i liked a few Hallmark movie. Mainly becaus...I know i liked a few Hallmark movie. Mainly because i liked the actors. I agree they're all pretty much interchangeable and predictable, but they are what they are. Hallmark is basically a genre by now. Can't blame anybody for not liking them. Kuniderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05872530831159876322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4217427319662074458.post-31914195460909486862021-01-02T19:48:42.881-06:002021-01-02T19:48:42.881-06:00Is this how it is with "Hallmark movies"...Is this how it is with "Hallmark movies", too? Everyone keeps talking about how good they are and I'm like - which one? Be specific! These are all crap!Meredith https://www.blogger.com/profile/11361935408436355904noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4217427319662074458.post-12853169081153268702021-01-02T19:09:45.842-06:002021-01-02T19:09:45.842-06:00Let's see. "Ready or Not" has a kick...Let's see. "Ready or Not" has a kick-ass, take-charge female lead, and "Knives Out" has suave Captain America hitting on Batman's girlfriend. So yep, shared universe indeed. 😎🤠J.M. Vargashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18293452334926334389noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4217427319662074458.post-8802151966581442222021-01-02T18:44:57.465-06:002021-01-02T18:44:57.465-06:00Watched THE BLUES BROTHERS (1980) on New Years Eve...Watched THE BLUES BROTHERS (1980) on New Years Eve. Still holds up! Motown legends and tons of car crashes, what's not to love? <br /><br />CLIFFHANGER (1993) Yes the movie is dumb, but it certainly entertains. Renny Harlin and co. keep the flick moving at such a quick pace that you enjoy all the fights and escapes, and not wonder how Stallone had time to build that snowman. <br /><br />JOHN CARTER (2012) Here's one that's not the disaster everyone says it is, but still not the best. The action is thrilling at first, but Carter's super-jumping starts to feel silly after a while. We're supposed to care about the fate of the green tusk aliens, but they're not quite endearing characters. I enjoyed on a cheesiness level, but I wish it was better. <br /><br />HONEY WE SHRUNK OURSELVES (1997) Honey, we diminished our returns. <br /><br />READY OR NOT (2019) This movie rules! I like how we get right into the premise in the first few minutes, not bothering with an overly-expository first act. The audience is here for the chase, so the movie goes ahead and starts there. And this is totally a shared universe with Knives Out, right? <br />Mac McEntirehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04665675426679622487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4217427319662074458.post-9901209592954239822021-01-02T17:52:44.674-06:002021-01-02T17:52:44.674-06:00I got the joke, J.M.I got the joke, J.M.A Casual Listenerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02395983733474039015noreply@blogger.com