Oh man Wolf Children has some of the best animation. Watch that ASAP
-
Ever wanted an RSS feed of all your favorite gaming news sites? Go check out our new Gaming Headlines feed! Read more about it here.
-
We have made minor adjustments to how the search bar works on ResetEra. You can read about the changes here.
Movies You've Seen Recently | June 2018
- Thread starter Divius
- Start date
Oh man Wolf Children has some of the best animation. Watch that ASAP
I know right.
Also Game Night is better than it has any right to be. This is exceptional for a mainstream comedy.
Nocturnal Animals
It was different than I had expected, and better than I had expected. I like the cast, and was impressed with it. Took me a while to get to, though, including one stop and start.
It was different than I had expected, and better than I had expected. I like the cast, and was impressed with it. Took me a while to get to, though, including one stop and start.
Humanoids from the Deep: Been quite some time since I saw this last! This definitely leans towards the sleazy side of the genre, complete with plenty of gruesome deaths for all walks of life and little in the way of nudity that isn't tied to inter-species rape. The nastiness does give the film a sense of momentum, as being sub-80 minutes means that it doesn't have much time to waste in terms of delivering the "goods," such as they are. But even then, the slipshod nature of the film reveals itself often, with characters getting unceremoniously killed off and reams of exposition happening between cuts that make it hard to invest in anything other than the raw B-movie thrills that the film provides, perhaps best encapsulated in its fiery climax, set during a carnival and featuring plenty of carnage and even some humor. It feels poorly made often enough that even the baser enjoyment comes with heavy caveats, though as I understand it, there may not have been much in the way of other outcomes with the film's troubled production being what it was. It's hard not to recommend Piranha over this, as everything is better realized there with none of the bad taste that this one leaves. While I can appreciate the lengths this film goes to in order to appeal to folks wanting something sterner with the aquatic horrors, it's clear that it needed a hell of a lot more than that to succeed.
Zama is undeniably a gorgeous film and the way it tackles the subject matter of colonialism in South America by the Spanish with a languid tragicomic pace and tone is admirable. However, for the first half it's a bit too slow with the plot at standstill and while plot doesn't matter as much for me as thematic examination and character exploration, it feels repetitive here where Zama is just continuously shown how he's not the boss as everyone makes him out to be. The feeling of Zama stuck in this purgatory of a place while he pines to go home outstays its welcome. The second half is ultimately more satisfying turning into a western where he is after his target, Vicuna Porto, this infamous bandit ruining the image of the colonialists. It starts to feel more Aguirre here with the focus of colonialists on greed and amorality consuming them. Of course it doesn't go to plan but as Zama is portrayed to be a bumbling fool and also part of the establishment, the misfortunes just happen with no emotional investment on my part. I really wish there was more a focus on the native characters, none of them get any depth. Especially after the recent western Sweet Country where natives are main characters, the contrast is noticeable. The film is more I can appreciate from far, but not connect to. Still worth watching just for the cinematography. Will watch other Lucrecia Mattel films.
Watched Game Night last week. It's so good. Like wtf this shouldn't work but it does
Rodan
Despite being a big Godzilla fan as a kid, and consuming the Showa movies in particular left and right, I had never actually seen Rodan's introductory film before he got spun off as a supporting player for Godzilla. It was alright. There's a creepy, murder mystery sort of tone in the beginning, when miners are being killed by...mutant ants? Dinosaur ants? I don't know what they are. Pacing pretty much grinds to a halt after that until the last 20 minutes, where all of the action happens at once. It feels dumb to complain about characters in a kaiju film, but these guys are seriously nobodies! Nobody makes any impression at all. The Rodan suit and destruction effects look great; this is the first time Honda depicted this monster and what he can do, and there's a certain freshness to it that subsequent Godzilla sequels don't have. The first-person view of the fighter pilots chasing Rodan and following his vapor trail was a nice touch too. Overall, it's alright.
6/10
Despite being a big Godzilla fan as a kid, and consuming the Showa movies in particular left and right, I had never actually seen Rodan's introductory film before he got spun off as a supporting player for Godzilla. It was alright. There's a creepy, murder mystery sort of tone in the beginning, when miners are being killed by...mutant ants? Dinosaur ants? I don't know what they are. Pacing pretty much grinds to a halt after that until the last 20 minutes, where all of the action happens at once. It feels dumb to complain about characters in a kaiju film, but these guys are seriously nobodies! Nobody makes any impression at all. The Rodan suit and destruction effects look great; this is the first time Honda depicted this monster and what he can do, and there's a certain freshness to it that subsequent Godzilla sequels don't have. The first-person view of the fighter pilots chasing Rodan and following his vapor trail was a nice touch too. Overall, it's alright.
6/10
Definitely funniest moment of the film XDThat llama, though.
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (1984): I wasn't quite sure what to expect from this film, but it definitely did not conform to whatever expectations I did have. What a gloriously imaginative epic. If not for Amadeus, this would be my favourite film of 1984.
Alone in the Dark 1982
This wasn't great by any stretch, but a slasher with Jack Palance and Martin Landau as lunatic serial killers? Yes please! We also get Donald Pleasance as a psych ward doctor and Dwight Schultz who would become Murdock from the A-Team not too far from when this was made. The only downside was the asylum placing its trust in electricity. Power outages are not good for keeping the crazies in. One wonders why safety mechanisms were not in place, but that really puts too much thought into such a simple flick.
This wasn't great by any stretch, but a slasher with Jack Palance and Martin Landau as lunatic serial killers? Yes please! We also get Donald Pleasance as a psych ward doctor and Dwight Schultz who would become Murdock from the A-Team not too far from when this was made. The only downside was the asylum placing its trust in electricity. Power outages are not good for keeping the crazies in. One wonders why safety mechanisms were not in place, but that really puts too much thought into such a simple flick.
Fury Road Black & Chrome version
Never seen it on the big screen or the black and white version. It was like falling in love all over again. There still hasn't been a better or more watchable action picture since. No idea how they'd follow this. I assume the only answer is that they don't.
Never seen it on the big screen or the black and white version. It was like falling in love all over again. There still hasn't been a better or more watchable action picture since. No idea how they'd follow this. I assume the only answer is that they don't.
Upgrade: One can tell a good deal about the ride they're about to be in for with a good title sequence, and even in the instance that the rest of the movie couldn't have measured up, Upgrade has such a clever and frankly innovative approach that is going to take a lot for another movie this year to match it. Thankfully, genre stalwart Leigh Whannell has plenty more tricks up his sleeve to ensure that the rest of the film is an immensely satisfying sci-fi thriller that wears its low budget heritage proudly while still presenting some really cool stuff that you seldom see in higher budget films. Ostensibly a revenge thriller from the onset, Whannell and a very, very game Logan Marshall-Green take full advantage of the setup, like what would happen if Steve Austin found himself in the plot of a Death Wish movie, and pushes forth some really rad ideas on how to present Grey's recent enhancements, particularly in hand-to-hand fights that find a way to present his predicament that also manages to keep the action in focus. Whannell definitely mirrors his BFF James Wan in how to deploy the stylistic touches, but they're all tasteful and even helpful in the storytelling beyond the explicit plot elements. Throw in some solid effects work for the tiny budget (near-future always plays better while also being cheaper), and you have a film that's punching above its weight in that regard. Of course, not everything is as it seems, and while it probably won't surprise too many versed in these kinds of stories by the time the big twist does occur, Whannell throws in quite a few genres throughout that help keep you guessing on where it's going to go next, and all of them are tied up with some really solid humor, especially with how well Marshall-Green is able to sell the intentional disconnect between head and body (he won't be nominated for anything major by the time awards start coming around, but what he does here is not easy at all and he sells every second of it 100%). In addition to the revenge thriller with heavy sci-fi leanings, we also get a detective tale, social commentary and, despite the humor to help ease people into it, a dash of body horror into this mix, and yet it all coalesces in a satisfying manner. The writing does feel fairly rushed in the end in terms of tying up all loose ends and putting people where they need to be for the finale, but it's not out of sorts for low budget thrillers to begin with and the strengths it has otherwise do a lot to circumvent their impact, especially the strong ending that is truly the logical conclusion while still being quite ballsy for this day and age. The other complaint I'd log against it is that the rest of the cast is not up to Marshall-Green's caliber, save only Simon Maiden as the voice of STEM, but they have far, far less to do than he does to begin with, so that also isn't a huge detriment. It's so nice to see a film like this hit major theaters when it could have just as easily landed on the VOD circuit immediately, as I feel like that will do wonders in generating the good word of mouth that it's currently enjoying and ensuring that I'm another to add to its chorus of praises. It's a damn good time out and an early frontrunner for the most pleasant surprise of the year.
Gifted - Rewatch -
This movie pleasantly surprised me the first time I watched it (months ago), so I recorded it again and sat down to watch it today. I still like it, although it was obviously better the first time around, and really like the main characters and how they're portrayed. Sure, it's something like I Am Sam, but it's different.
This movie pleasantly surprised me the first time I watched it (months ago), so I recorded it again and sat down to watch it today. I still like it, although it was obviously better the first time around, and really like the main characters and how they're portrayed. Sure, it's something like I Am Sam, but it's different.
Inning By Inning: Portrait of a Coach - **1/2
checking off one of the very few Linklater gaps I have left. (Only missing Suburbia and his travelogues starring that guy named "Speed" now. And apparently some very short doc with Daniel Johnston in it.) pure hagiography of a man who could've been made a whole lot more interesting and complicated if director Richard Linklater had zeroed in on his flaws. his entire coaching and life philosophy is about being present in every moment and becoming zen about the fact that for most of your life, especially in the wonderful game of baseball, you will fail—acknowledging the ways we fail helps us to not only figure out how not to fail next time but why it's worth it to try again. for the film to capture the true cost of his devotion to the game and coaching, we would have to see what he's given up and how this passion for america's rightful pastime has broken him. in a handful of his firebrand speeches or wistful interview monologues, Coach Augie speaks about baseball being his entire life. having zero hobbies. apparently no family life to speak of. there are hints at an estranged family. through manic tirades and loopy associative self-help speeches it becomes clear this man would be hard to live with. why these threads are ignored in favor of repetitive restatements of Augie's philosophies and history book timeline storytelling is unclear.
that Linklater made this becomes more logical when you remember the same man was taken enough by early Alex Jones to put him in Waking Life. Augie has a similar "appeal" when coaching.
Hey Divius I'd like to do the 3 thing this month, thanks for coordinating it.
checking off one of the very few Linklater gaps I have left. (Only missing Suburbia and his travelogues starring that guy named "Speed" now. And apparently some very short doc with Daniel Johnston in it.) pure hagiography of a man who could've been made a whole lot more interesting and complicated if director Richard Linklater had zeroed in on his flaws. his entire coaching and life philosophy is about being present in every moment and becoming zen about the fact that for most of your life, especially in the wonderful game of baseball, you will fail—acknowledging the ways we fail helps us to not only figure out how not to fail next time but why it's worth it to try again. for the film to capture the true cost of his devotion to the game and coaching, we would have to see what he's given up and how this passion for america's rightful pastime has broken him. in a handful of his firebrand speeches or wistful interview monologues, Coach Augie speaks about baseball being his entire life. having zero hobbies. apparently no family life to speak of. there are hints at an estranged family. through manic tirades and loopy associative self-help speeches it becomes clear this man would be hard to live with. why these threads are ignored in favor of repetitive restatements of Augie's philosophies and history book timeline storytelling is unclear.
that Linklater made this becomes more logical when you remember the same man was taken enough by early Alex Jones to put him in Waking Life. Augie has a similar "appeal" when coaching.
Hey Divius I'd like to do the 3 thing this month, thanks for coordinating it.
OP
OP
You are on the list.
Speaking of, I'm gonna do one of swoons picks for me tonight. I've been slacking!
Speaking of, I'm gonna do one of swoons picks for me tonight. I've been slacking!
For your reading pleasure tonight, an MGM oldie, and the Sam Bell Cinematic Universe.
Suzy (6/10) - This is pretty dopey, but still pretty charming. It's the only time Grant and Harlow were in a movie together so it's worth it for that; the musical "Did I Remember" scene lives up to its reputation. Also notable for using a bunch of outtakes from Hell's Angels for the fighter pilot sequence (apparently a lot of movies did this, ha). I liked the angle at the end - and the rest of this paragraph is spoilers, so skip ahead if you must - where everybody decides to lie about Charville and how he dies in order to preserve his image and reputation with the public, noting the power it wields with the public and their morale in wartime. It speaks to propaganda but also feels like a prescient metaphor for Grant's career, or the relationship between the celebrity and the public more generally. Shout-out to the German fighter pilot who crosses into enemy territory in order to buzz Charville's funeral and toss a bouquet of flowers onto the field in his honor. I was screaming.
Moon (6.5/10) - I saw this in theatres nine years ago, and this is my first time re-watching it. It mostly holds up, but there are some things I noticed this time that bothered me. I like the concept, and the way the two clones are establishing, but the weird visions and dreams didn't work here. I don't understand why there are apparent glitches in the station when they seem mostly to foreshadow plot reveals, and a) that foreshadowing is entirely unnecessary, given that the reveals will follow logically from the reveal of the second Sam Bell, but more importantly, and worse, b) have no direct impact on the plot at all (there is actually nothing wrong with the station). The dream is the worst culprit here, though. The second Sam Bell dreams about his wife, but then dreams about another Sam Bell crawling into his bed and reaching up through the sheets. Nonsensical, as far as I can tell, because it's again largely to foreshadow a reveal that is almost imminent (there are two Sam Bells, the first is still in the rover) but does so in a way that makes no sense, because a) Sam Bell has no way of knowing about the other Sam Bells or the specific situation involving the first and the rover, so why does he dream this, and b) these dreams also function in the story as glimpses into his implanted memories, and... that would not be there. Anyways, the film works insofar as Sam Rockwell is incredible, so good that the film's decision to have one clone burn his hand seems unnecessary, because the two clones are always easily recognizable. I like the story overall, even though it could have been developed more; it hits some good emotional beats, but leaves too much on the floor when it comes to exploring memory, identity, etc. Also, the throwaway reveal that Sam Bell sabotaged his wife's career so he could get into her pants is... yeah, parts of this film ain't looking so good today.
Mute (4.5/10) - It's not really as bad as I thought it would be, but it's definitely... not good. I liked some of the production design and atmosphere, not the most exciting or original stuff in the world, but I thought Jones did a decent job with certain aspects here, and I actually liked the mood and found the movie engaging for a decent chunk of time. It definitely goes places, though, some of which was incredibly transparent and some of which was dramatically incoherent. The way the two plot threads overlap is almost entirely nonsensical, and it's weird when you realize the bartender spends the whole moving getting yanked around and basically doing fuck all, but it's not half as weird as - and again, spoilers follow, so you can jump out here if you must - Justin Theroux being a pedophile for no other reason than to ensure Paul Rudd's death will be as soul-crushingly cruel as humanly imaginable, and why the fuck does the movie even go there when it has no interest in committing to any of it, because obviously the pedophile has to die now, but not after he gives the bartender a voice box so he can talk to him and... hold on a minute. This IS as bad as I thought it was going to be. Too bad. Random moments really did work for me, but this thing just doesn't hang together in any convincing or compelling way. It's willing to go to some very dark places, but surprisingly (get ready, I'm about to make an awesome pun) has nothing to say. Also, just realized this as I was typing the last couple sentences, but both Moon and Mute have male protagonists that are entirely motivated by reconnecting with an absent female who is dead now, too bad so sad. Can't wait to see how Zowie Bowie completes this trilogy.
Suzy (6/10) - This is pretty dopey, but still pretty charming. It's the only time Grant and Harlow were in a movie together so it's worth it for that; the musical "Did I Remember" scene lives up to its reputation. Also notable for using a bunch of outtakes from Hell's Angels for the fighter pilot sequence (apparently a lot of movies did this, ha). I liked the angle at the end - and the rest of this paragraph is spoilers, so skip ahead if you must - where everybody decides to lie about Charville and how he dies in order to preserve his image and reputation with the public, noting the power it wields with the public and their morale in wartime. It speaks to propaganda but also feels like a prescient metaphor for Grant's career, or the relationship between the celebrity and the public more generally. Shout-out to the German fighter pilot who crosses into enemy territory in order to buzz Charville's funeral and toss a bouquet of flowers onto the field in his honor. I was screaming.
Moon (6.5/10) - I saw this in theatres nine years ago, and this is my first time re-watching it. It mostly holds up, but there are some things I noticed this time that bothered me. I like the concept, and the way the two clones are establishing, but the weird visions and dreams didn't work here. I don't understand why there are apparent glitches in the station when they seem mostly to foreshadow plot reveals, and a) that foreshadowing is entirely unnecessary, given that the reveals will follow logically from the reveal of the second Sam Bell, but more importantly, and worse, b) have no direct impact on the plot at all (there is actually nothing wrong with the station). The dream is the worst culprit here, though. The second Sam Bell dreams about his wife, but then dreams about another Sam Bell crawling into his bed and reaching up through the sheets. Nonsensical, as far as I can tell, because it's again largely to foreshadow a reveal that is almost imminent (there are two Sam Bells, the first is still in the rover) but does so in a way that makes no sense, because a) Sam Bell has no way of knowing about the other Sam Bells or the specific situation involving the first and the rover, so why does he dream this, and b) these dreams also function in the story as glimpses into his implanted memories, and... that would not be there. Anyways, the film works insofar as Sam Rockwell is incredible, so good that the film's decision to have one clone burn his hand seems unnecessary, because the two clones are always easily recognizable. I like the story overall, even though it could have been developed more; it hits some good emotional beats, but leaves too much on the floor when it comes to exploring memory, identity, etc. Also, the throwaway reveal that Sam Bell sabotaged his wife's career so he could get into her pants is... yeah, parts of this film ain't looking so good today.
Mute (4.5/10) - It's not really as bad as I thought it would be, but it's definitely... not good. I liked some of the production design and atmosphere, not the most exciting or original stuff in the world, but I thought Jones did a decent job with certain aspects here, and I actually liked the mood and found the movie engaging for a decent chunk of time. It definitely goes places, though, some of which was incredibly transparent and some of which was dramatically incoherent. The way the two plot threads overlap is almost entirely nonsensical, and it's weird when you realize the bartender spends the whole moving getting yanked around and basically doing fuck all, but it's not half as weird as - and again, spoilers follow, so you can jump out here if you must - Justin Theroux being a pedophile for no other reason than to ensure Paul Rudd's death will be as soul-crushingly cruel as humanly imaginable, and why the fuck does the movie even go there when it has no interest in committing to any of it, because obviously the pedophile has to die now, but not after he gives the bartender a voice box so he can talk to him and... hold on a minute. This IS as bad as I thought it was going to be. Too bad. Random moments really did work for me, but this thing just doesn't hang together in any convincing or compelling way. It's willing to go to some very dark places, but surprisingly (get ready, I'm about to make an awesome pun) has nothing to say. Also, just realized this as I was typing the last couple sentences, but both Moon and Mute have male protagonists that are entirely motivated by reconnecting with an absent female who is dead now, too bad so sad. Can't wait to see how Zowie Bowie completes this trilogy.
Last edited:
Didn't mean to make it a Linklater week but the gf and I were looking for something to watch last night and she'd never seen Dazed and Confused. Surprise, still a 10/10. "Which one of you had the theory about how president Ford's old football head injuries is affecting the economy?"
"But with the head of Abraham Lincoln. The hat, the beard. Oh well. Best not think too deeply on this one." "Best not."
Mike Tony and Cynthia are the best. I love that you can infer how it is that they're friends with Pink despite the different social circles. Mike and Pink were probably neighbors and longtime friends or something and Pink stuck with them when he became an athlete, Cynthia has probably been friends with them for a decade and so they don't think of her as a *girl* and Cynthia likes that because she's clearly somehow proud of being outside the rest of the female population at the school. But all this comes out without a word of exposition, only via character interaction while bullshitting about what to do tonight.
Colossal was... eh. Really the only way I can describe it. The ending was a (kind of a) high point but by then I was almost falling asleep at it. Shame the idea was wasted, could see it executed miles better by someone else.
I remember reading a few people in the old place saying it went places they weren't expecting. I feel the opposite. It didn't go far enough.
I remember reading a few people in the old place saying it went places they weren't expecting. I feel the opposite. It didn't go far enough.
The Evil Dead: Been a while since I saw this last, too! Sam Raimi hit the ground running, even if meant Bruce Campbell taking some lumps as Raimi ran over him, and even now, it's a remarkable film for how much Raimi had already established in terms of his trademarks while still looking and feeling like nothing else he would put out again. While it does have its humorous touches, the sheer relentlessness of the horror here and how well it sustains itself despite the limited setting ensured that this would occupy a very special place in not only Raimi's own output, but also for the genre, making damn near every other backwoods horror film feel stodgy and boring as hell when compared to any two minutes of this. Even without the amount of gore present and just how much punishment is visited upon Ash, the pacing alone is enough to justify its title as "the ultimate experience in grueling horror." Truthfully, I find myself rating all of the Evil Dead films rather equally, despite them all offering something completely different, but the more straightforward horror thrills here hold me in a way the other films can't.
Deadpool 2
Didn't end up working for me so much. A whole lot of the jokes fell flat, becoming what it made fun of in the first movie was a little disappointing, and the third act and the cop out is no good. I did like a few of the funny bits and the action was shot really well, so there's that, at least!
Flower
A dark movie that takes a deep dive on characters you don't normally see in movies. Zoey Deutch is great in it, it goes places I wasn't expecting, and really ended up surprising me. Recommended!
Insidious: The Last Key
It's another one of them. If you like quiet and then a big bang, watch this, I guess.
Hereditary
Holy baby Jesus, now this is a movie. It got so tense a girl somewhere behind me had a panic attack and had to leave with her friend. It's a fantastic film, and the less said the better. It is still stuck in my brain, and it knows how to take hold of things that chill you to your bone and use them against you. I didn't want to sleep tonight, anyway. One of the absolute best of the year.
Ocean's 8
It's fun, it's fine. It's got Helena Bonham Carter and Anne Hathaway having fun and getting a lot of the good stuff, while having a third act that just kills any momentum the movie had made up to that point. It downgrades Cate Blanchett to Sandra Bullock's sidekick and moral compass of sorts, and doesn't give her much else to do, which is a crime against cinema. The heist part is well done, but the stakes aren't ever really high enough because of how confident Bullock plays things. It's a crowd pleaser type of movie, and a fine enough time.
Didn't end up working for me so much. A whole lot of the jokes fell flat, becoming what it made fun of in the first movie was a little disappointing, and the third act and the cop out is no good. I did like a few of the funny bits and the action was shot really well, so there's that, at least!
Flower
A dark movie that takes a deep dive on characters you don't normally see in movies. Zoey Deutch is great in it, it goes places I wasn't expecting, and really ended up surprising me. Recommended!
Insidious: The Last Key
It's another one of them. If you like quiet and then a big bang, watch this, I guess.
Hereditary
Holy baby Jesus, now this is a movie. It got so tense a girl somewhere behind me had a panic attack and had to leave with her friend. It's a fantastic film, and the less said the better. It is still stuck in my brain, and it knows how to take hold of things that chill you to your bone and use them against you. I didn't want to sleep tonight, anyway. One of the absolute best of the year.
Ocean's 8
It's fun, it's fine. It's got Helena Bonham Carter and Anne Hathaway having fun and getting a lot of the good stuff, while having a third act that just kills any momentum the movie had made up to that point. It downgrades Cate Blanchett to Sandra Bullock's sidekick and moral compass of sorts, and doesn't give her much else to do, which is a crime against cinema. The heist part is well done, but the stakes aren't ever really high enough because of how confident Bullock plays things. It's a crowd pleaser type of movie, and a fine enough time.
I would agree until you realize that's some A1 pedophilia. Don't you agree? It'd be a lot cooler if you did.
Oh no question it is and certainly was a horribly awkward comment to have even way back when, but that's why I remember it all these years later. There's a similar line in Swingers that cracks me up every time as well. Were definitely not talking about good tasteful jokes.
Messed up and missed most of the Bill Morrison collection on Filmstruck (though the opportunity to rewatch Decasia was worth it alone) so Dawson City and The Miner's Hymns will have to happen another time. Last night though I did get in his two early shorts. The Film of Her is a fun story about a Library of Congress archivist saving a vault of paper film in part because he has an early memory of a pornographic movie. Morrison's style and obsessions were there from the beginning, as this is fascinated with the magic that is our ability to disrupt time and decay through technology. It opens and closes with shots of an early magic lantern projector being lit (y'know, literally, this was just a candle in a box) and then blown out. The following short City Walk has less to recommend. It appears Morrison stuck an 8 or 16mm camera out the window of a moving car and drove around for hours, undercranking the camera and shooting in very high contrast. The impressionistic images of the city are nice for 3 minutes, but this is 7 minutes long. Plus the music isn't Michael Gordon's best work, feels like a man still trying to find his niche as a modern classical composer—like yeah I also like both Unwound and Steve Reich but blending them here doesn't work, especially with whoever it is doing those iffy vocals. this one may be an over baked music video but The Film of Her was a rewarding watch, glad I could see at least some of this Morrison collection.
"You cool man?" "...like how." "Ooookaaay."
L-I-V-I-N.
While Wooderson is far from my favorite character he's deservedly one of the more memorable. Also after rewatching I finally researched what his shirt is an image of and it turned out to be the cover for a pretty good Ted Nugent album.
Seeing Affleck as a bully is priceless. He's not done anything remotely like it since. I associate him with more of a dopey character for most of his career, but him running around with that paddle like a complete dick is just very much out of his norm.
Edit: damnit...now I need to rewatch Detroit Rock City again. That part with the hitchhiker came to mind and now I need to see the whole thing again...
Edit: damnit...now I need to rewatch Detroit Rock City again. That part with the hitchhiker came to mind and now I need to see the whole thing again...
Last edited:
Out of his on-screen norm but I've long suspected O'Bannion is closer to real-life Affleck (especially at 20) than he'd like people to know.
I'm running a gauntlet of emotions this weekend seeing Won't You Be My Neighbor, The Incredibles then Hereditary. I may not survive.
School of Rock
I've seen it before but was inspired to see it again after going to the theatre and really enjoying the musical. Jack Black just sells every moment of this movie but really it's Mike White's clever and fun script that needs the props - to take what's a pretty boilerplate "underdog sports movie" formula and centering it around the love and enjoyment of music is a universal theme and something everyone can relate to. I think White is a good writer, he also wrote Orange County which is pretty underrated, even though he's kind of fallen off the past few years. This script is a high point for him, though, and Linklater really handles the musical emotional tone well - never too much or too little and letting the characters really thrive. Loved it then, love it more now I think.
8/10
School of Rock
I've seen it before but was inspired to see it again after going to the theatre and really enjoying the musical. Jack Black just sells every moment of this movie but really it's Mike White's clever and fun script that needs the props - to take what's a pretty boilerplate "underdog sports movie" formula and centering it around the love and enjoyment of music is a universal theme and something everyone can relate to. I think White is a good writer, he also wrote Orange County which is pretty underrated, even though he's kind of fallen off the past few years. This script is a high point for him, though, and Linklater really handles the musical emotional tone well - never too much or too little and letting the characters really thrive. Loved it then, love it more now I think.
8/10
Hereditary
★★★★½
I'd describe the movie as a modern Rosemary's Baby, but actually what the movie most reminded me of was Possession. In that movie, take away the weird eldritch stuff and you're still left with a devastating drama of a dysfunctional crumbling relationship. And Hereditary felt similarly: even without the supernatural elements, it would still be an unnerving drama about grief and loss and mental health issues. Some of its most powerful moments weren't from something supernatural or gory but from the family dynamic.
That's not to say the supernatural horor wasn't effective because it absolutely was. I don't think I'd count a single jump scare in this movie. It was all creeping unease and looming dread or harrowing disturbing imagery that doesn't pull any punches, that lingers in memory and take a moment for you to register what is happening onscreen
All in all, a very memorable, uneasy, disturbing horror movie and easily one of the genre's best in a long while, up there with The Witch
★★★★½
I'd describe the movie as a modern Rosemary's Baby, but actually what the movie most reminded me of was Possession. In that movie, take away the weird eldritch stuff and you're still left with a devastating drama of a dysfunctional crumbling relationship. And Hereditary felt similarly: even without the supernatural elements, it would still be an unnerving drama about grief and loss and mental health issues. Some of its most powerful moments weren't from something supernatural or gory but from the family dynamic.
That's not to say the supernatural horor wasn't effective because it absolutely was. I don't think I'd count a single jump scare in this movie. It was all creeping unease and looming dread or harrowing disturbing imagery that doesn't pull any punches, that lingers in memory and take a moment for you to register what is happening onscreen
All in all, a very memorable, uneasy, disturbing horror movie and easily one of the genre's best in a long while, up there with The Witch
First Reformed - Felt it was a masterpiece unspooling in front of me the entire time I was watching. 5/5
Mother!- I liked it well enough. Weird as hell and pretty disturbing.
Solo- A Star Wars Story-I really enjoyed this. Figured it would be bad from the troubled production, but found it thoroughly enjoyable. Hope it gets a sequel, but it's box office coming in we'll under projections probably means we won't.
Solo- A Star Wars Story-I really enjoyed this. Figured it would be bad from the troubled production, but found it thoroughly enjoyable. Hope it gets a sequel, but it's box office coming in we'll under projections probably means we won't.
A Cure For Wellness
A visually stunning movie that's way, way too long for what it needs to do. It's two and a half hours of psychological horror and that just puts strain on you after a while. There's a taught, better version of this movie just on that subject alone. but there's also one that is less bizarre and weird and that doesn't change direction and focus every 20 minutes (most noticeable in its climax where we have a ton of unresolved plot threads and weird holes that it didn't need)
I particularly don't like genre movies like this that end scenes without conclusions - it likes to cut at a cliffhanger because it doesn't commit. Suddenly we're somewhere else again and again and we just have to assume something happened in between the moments. To me, that's writing without conviction and without a vision, which explains why the movie fails to even commit to its own premise. An utterly disappointing film that tosses its potential to the side.
2/5
A visually stunning movie that's way, way too long for what it needs to do. It's two and a half hours of psychological horror and that just puts strain on you after a while. There's a taught, better version of this movie just on that subject alone. but there's also one that is less bizarre and weird and that doesn't change direction and focus every 20 minutes (most noticeable in its climax where we have a ton of unresolved plot threads and weird holes that it didn't need)
I particularly don't like genre movies like this that end scenes without conclusions - it likes to cut at a cliffhanger because it doesn't commit. Suddenly we're somewhere else again and again and we just have to assume something happened in between the moments. To me, that's writing without conviction and without a vision, which explains why the movie fails to even commit to its own premise. An utterly disappointing film that tosses its potential to the side.
2/5
Free Fire
I think this is only like the second Ben Wheatley joint I've seen -- the other being A Field In England which I really liked a lot when I first saw it. Surprisingly, the most standout thing of the entire movie for me was how it really nailed the setting and atmosphere of a dilapidated factory. There's a lot of gross grit to everything the characters interact with and the script really takes advantage of that too as well as the cinematography. (Kinda chuckled harder at the cardboard armor joke because of that aspect too lol) As a result, it makes the violence all the more unnerving to watch as it is amusing. Apart from that, it feels like a way more streamlined but still enjoyable early Tarantino movie but with a lot more focus on visuals than on screenplay. Can't really comment much on the performances; everyone just serviceably played their part as they should. It's a solid weekend afternoon watch if you've got nothing else.
I think this is only like the second Ben Wheatley joint I've seen -- the other being A Field In England which I really liked a lot when I first saw it. Surprisingly, the most standout thing of the entire movie for me was how it really nailed the setting and atmosphere of a dilapidated factory. There's a lot of gross grit to everything the characters interact with and the script really takes advantage of that too as well as the cinematography. (Kinda chuckled harder at the cardboard armor joke because of that aspect too lol) As a result, it makes the violence all the more unnerving to watch as it is amusing. Apart from that, it feels like a way more streamlined but still enjoyable early Tarantino movie but with a lot more focus on visuals than on screenplay. Can't really comment much on the performances; everyone just serviceably played their part as they should. It's a solid weekend afternoon watch if you've got nothing else.
The Wizard of Oz: It was on TV, so hey! It never ceases to amaze me just how instantly recognizable every element of the film is as soon as even a single frame shows up in preparation for what's about to happen, but I'd argue this is the kind of film where the iconography is so prevalent that it really doesn't matter how the rest of the film holds up. This isn't to say I find the film to have aged poorly, far from it, but its significance these days is bigger than the film itself could ever hope to be, which says a lot about how deeply embedded it became in the public consciousness over the past few decades. I think there are better fantasy films, better musicals (though Judy Garland really did have the voice of an angel!), better family experiences and whatnot, but where on earth would they be without this serving as the Rosetta stone for so much of what's important and building such a great foundation for others to work from? It's a trailblazer the likes of which has seldom been seen in the medium, and we've gotten to the point where it's impossible to even speculate as to where we'd be without it.
Hey all,
Does anyone have any tips for the best way to watch older movies?
I used to get dvds by mail from Netflix and recently resubscribed, but it seems they are just letting the discs wear out and not replacing them. I wanted to watch some films from the 1990s and they don't have most of them available anymore. Oh, they will let you add them to your queue, but they are either punted to the "saved" section or listed as "very long wait". In either case, you aren't getting that movie.
I'm not really interested in owning 98% of the films I watch, and digital rentals seem expensive. I'm at a loss.
Does anyone have any tips for the best way to watch older movies?
I used to get dvds by mail from Netflix and recently resubscribed, but it seems they are just letting the discs wear out and not replacing them. I wanted to watch some films from the 1990s and they don't have most of them available anymore. Oh, they will let you add them to your queue, but they are either punted to the "saved" section or listed as "very long wait". In either case, you aren't getting that movie.
I'm not really interested in owning 98% of the films I watch, and digital rentals seem expensive. I'm at a loss.
I love Dazed and Confused
Anyways, I recently got home from Hereditary. Wow, what a fucking movie that was. I'm still frazzled from it. It has some issues, but it's one of the most memorable and visceral horror movies I've ever seen. Toni Collette wowed me in one particular part of the movie.
Anyways, I recently got home from Hereditary. Wow, what a fucking movie that was. I'm still frazzled from it. It has some issues, but it's one of the most memorable and visceral horror movies I've ever seen. Toni Collette wowed me in one particular part of the movie.
OP
OP
PSA: Final day to sign up for the, by now legendary, Pick 3 Get 3 of this month. Let me know if you want in!
Not sure how viable it may be, but I've moved to a mostly digital purchasing and streaming system. A lot of older movies are on sale for pretty reasonable prices in various different places, like on Xbox, iTunes, Google, etc. That might be a good way to find some of them. Plus there's Youtube rentals, though that can add up after a while like you mentioned. There's also Kanopy, Filmstruck, and Hulu, for streaming services. But it all depends on what you're looking for!
Films I saw this week:
...And Justice For All: The soundtrack dates the film heavily but it's still an intriguing court case here.
Lost in America: This one was a lot of fun. Nice satire of the counterculture values (specifically from Easy Rider) as well as those during the Reagan-era.
Thoroughbreds: I went into this knowing nothing about it and I'm glad I did. Full of intensity, especially with the sound design, and for one of Anton Yelchin's last on-screen appearances.... boy, did he go places I didn't expect him to go. If only his career and life weren't ended so abruptly.
...And Justice For All: The soundtrack dates the film heavily but it's still an intriguing court case here.
Lost in America: This one was a lot of fun. Nice satire of the counterculture values (specifically from Easy Rider) as well as those during the Reagan-era.
Thoroughbreds: I went into this knowing nothing about it and I'm glad I did. Full of intensity, especially with the sound design, and for one of Anton Yelchin's last on-screen appearances.... boy, did he go places I didn't expect him to go. If only his career and life weren't ended so abruptly.
It's honestly just gotten harder, the state of preservation of home media is dire. Like you I'm a longtime Netflix dvd devotee and the last several years as they've abandoned the dvd side have been hard. At this point I'm pretty much just using Netflix for movies from 2000 in and TV series. For any movie older than I find the best resources are 1) Library. Whether through Kanopy like Kevin said or going to the physical building. Like, my fairly small local library branch has Jia Zhangke films. And interlibrary loans mean you can request anything from anywhere in your library system. 2) Filmstruck. It's by no means comprehensive and it definitely leans pre-1980 in selection, so you may have trouble finding 90s films. Still, their library is excellent. 3) Brick and mortar dvd rental stores. As decimated as these were by Netflix dvd, the advent of streaming has, to my eyes, been a boon for the stores that stuck it out. By me there are two I can lean on. The quality varies—one is in disarray with no organization (except for the porn section which seems meticulously cared for) but they have a good selection of 90s on in good condition at good prices, the other is a more indie outfit with a deep catalog of foreign and independent cinema. With the latter kind of place, too, you might be able to make an argument for them buying a movie you're looking for that they don't have. They'll already have one promised rental, after all. I would search around for a store by you.