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Movies You've Seen Recently | Q2 2024
- Thread starter MidnightCowboy
- Start date
- Entertainment OT
The Blackening - Cute, even though it's billed as a horror comedy it's more like a low key/stoner friendly version of Scary Movie…very little horror if any.
I am watching mini Netflix series High water about Wroclaw flood in 90-s... Very strong movie
"Come to think of it, this country has treated life far too cheaply."
Godzilla Minus One
The film is very on-the-nose with its anti-government, sentimental, and melodramatic tone but in comparison to the 1954 original, there's something off about the feel-good message of the working class private citizens taking on Godzilla. At times it's hard to suspend disbelief, like how is there no conflict between the government and these sovereign citizens in using naval and other military resources. There is no bureaucratic tension like there was in Shin Godzilla or the original film. These are citizens betrayed by their government during the war, hence Japan now being at "minus one" after the atomic bombs and people living in the ruins. It really is a simple tale of people uniting against a common threat to recover the soul of a nation, and I get that being enough for a blockbuster but it doesn't hold a candle to the desperate mood and themes of the original.
However, the postwar human drama of Shikishima (Ryunosuke Kamiki) recovering after the shame of abandoning his mission as a kamikaze pilot whose war is not over, dealing with the trauma of a destroyed city and lost family, and caring for a found family is much more emotionally resonant. His character development from guilt-ridden husk to living for the future is believable and satisfying. Minami Hamabe as Noriko also goes through good character development, from an indifferent stray to a caring motherly figure, although a bit disappointing to not have more depth being the main female character in the film. Sae Nagatani as the orphaned girl Akiko is particularly good, and definitely evoked tears in my eyes when she calls Shikishima "daddy" in one pivotal scene. Across the board, the acting is good, and especially Kuranosuke Sasaki as the minesweeper captain Akito is fantastic as the motivator.
The visual effects, haunting music by Naoki Sato, action choreography, and setpieces are excellent throughout, with a good use of CGI and miniatures. Godzilla's chunky character design is classic but not as uniquely horrifying and creative as Shin Godzilla. I would have liked more of an exploration of what Godzilla was representing thematically, though. A figure of postwar punishment? Pessimism as Japan is now on its knees and now a monster with radioactive powers is, without reason, going to annihilate the population? When Godzilla makes it to mainland and is able to use its atomic heat ray to kill 30K people in a very effective and horrifying scene that recalls a nuclear attack, the after-effects are immediately ignored. No depiction of radioactive fallout, people reduced to burnt out zombies crawling in the city, and the hero who was right in it making out scot free. Sorry to bring up Shin Godzilla again, but Godzilla there was basically a radioactive victim, with frozen hands, charred skin, humanoid tail, and dead eyes, perfectly fitting in with the themes of the film while here the character design doesn't tell as much of a story.
Maybe with time, I'll be able to appreciate the film to see if it has deeper layers, but for now the war efforts part of the film is not as effective as the found family drama and not as thought-provoking as the original or Shin Godzilla. Still, being one of the better solo Godzilla features will count for a lot and a big step up for Takashi Yamazaki as a director.
Godzilla Minus One
The film is very on-the-nose with its anti-government, sentimental, and melodramatic tone but in comparison to the 1954 original, there's something off about the feel-good message of the working class private citizens taking on Godzilla. At times it's hard to suspend disbelief, like how is there no conflict between the government and these sovereign citizens in using naval and other military resources. There is no bureaucratic tension like there was in Shin Godzilla or the original film. These are citizens betrayed by their government during the war, hence Japan now being at "minus one" after the atomic bombs and people living in the ruins. It really is a simple tale of people uniting against a common threat to recover the soul of a nation, and I get that being enough for a blockbuster but it doesn't hold a candle to the desperate mood and themes of the original.
However, the postwar human drama of Shikishima (Ryunosuke Kamiki) recovering after the shame of abandoning his mission as a kamikaze pilot whose war is not over, dealing with the trauma of a destroyed city and lost family, and caring for a found family is much more emotionally resonant. His character development from guilt-ridden husk to living for the future is believable and satisfying. Minami Hamabe as Noriko also goes through good character development, from an indifferent stray to a caring motherly figure, although a bit disappointing to not have more depth being the main female character in the film. Sae Nagatani as the orphaned girl Akiko is particularly good, and definitely evoked tears in my eyes when she calls Shikishima "daddy" in one pivotal scene. Across the board, the acting is good, and especially Kuranosuke Sasaki as the minesweeper captain Akito is fantastic as the motivator.
The visual effects, haunting music by Naoki Sato, action choreography, and setpieces are excellent throughout, with a good use of CGI and miniatures. Godzilla's chunky character design is classic but not as uniquely horrifying and creative as Shin Godzilla. I would have liked more of an exploration of what Godzilla was representing thematically, though. A figure of postwar punishment? Pessimism as Japan is now on its knees and now a monster with radioactive powers is, without reason, going to annihilate the population? When Godzilla makes it to mainland and is able to use its atomic heat ray to kill 30K people in a very effective and horrifying scene that recalls a nuclear attack, the after-effects are immediately ignored. No depiction of radioactive fallout, people reduced to burnt out zombies crawling in the city, and the hero who was right in it making out scot free. Sorry to bring up Shin Godzilla again, but Godzilla there was basically a radioactive victim, with frozen hands, charred skin, humanoid tail, and dead eyes, perfectly fitting in with the themes of the film while here the character design doesn't tell as much of a story.
Maybe with time, I'll be able to appreciate the film to see if it has deeper layers, but for now the war efforts part of the film is not as effective as the found family drama and not as thought-provoking as the original or Shin Godzilla. Still, being one of the better solo Godzilla features will count for a lot and a big step up for Takashi Yamazaki as a director.
WTF did I just watch. Ari Aster if nothing else has a wild imagination and this is definitely the funniest film of his that I've seen. There are opening moments that I thought were hilarious and Joaquin is certainly committed to the character. Movie is very long and arguably gets even stranger as it reaches the conclusion. Hit up YouTube to see the many different theories as to what people think is exactly happening.
WTF did I just watch. Ari Aster if nothing else has a wild imagination and this is definitely the funniest film of his that I've seen. There are opening moments that I thought were hilarious and Joaquin is certainly committed to the character. Movie is very long and arguably gets even stranger as it reaches the conclusion. Hit up YouTube to see the many different theories as to what people think is exactly happening.
It's interesting how the same movie can make different people feel different things. To me this movie wasn't funny at all, I think it's actually the scariest movie I've seen in 2023. Absolutely terrifying! It took me three sittings to be able to get past the first 40 minutes. I couldn't handle it.
I'd say it's one goddamn fucked up horror picture.
The horror is on a different wavelength than Hereditary or Midsommar, but I guess the absurdity and extremeness of the scenes had me laughing.
last movie i watched was Killers of the flower moon. yeah it was quite long but i managed to stay awake for all of it. i just didn't think the story was all that great. the irishman was a million times better.
Had this in my list for a minute. The young kid does a good job in emulating the Ryan Reynolds style, but Reynolds himself mostly coasted throughout. Really bad villain too.
The Movies Of The Year 2023 voting thread should be coming out later tonight or tomorrow morning, after the Oscar nominations get announced. So get your votes ready!
YASSS! So kind and nice movie
Had this in my list for a minute. The young kid does a good job in emulating the Ryan Reynolds style, but Reynolds himself mostly coasted throughout. Really bad villain too.
I knew it was a comedy going in, but didn't realize how much they would crank up the tension and anxiety throughout. The setting, score, and camera movement really help in taking an uncomfortable situation and continuing to make it work it worse. A lot of funny moments throughout though.
MOTY 2023 voting thread is live!
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ResetEra Movies Of The Year (MOTY) 2023 - Voting Thread (voting ends April 30st 2024)
Welcome to ResetEra's official Movies Of The Year (MOTY) for 2023! (for rules, jump to the end of this post) 2023 was a rough year for superhero films, critically and commercially! But Barbenheimer was the shining beacon on those fronts, although that caused Mattel and other IP holders to dig...
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Was reading It by Stephen King and noticed a mention of a film called Rodan. Decided to look it up and watch it. Good kaiju film. It almost lost me in the last 20 minutes until I realised what they were doing. Never expected to get so depressed watched a dinosaur on a string. Ending was brutal.
Watched this on Hulu. When taking a dip into debauchery goes very wrong. Alexander Skarsgard isn't afraid to go weird in his acting roles and Mia Goth is both funny and kinda terrifying in this. Was hoping to see Cleopatra Coleman more, since I haven't seen her in a lot since Last Man on Earth.
If you like Burr's comedy and podcast, you will like this movie. I like both, so I enjoyed it.
This thread has been so dead. Letterboxd really ate our lunch.
I had an unplanned Holocaust-themed run recently, seeing The Zone of Interest, Origin, and Mr. Klein in the past week. 5/5, 2.5/5, and 4/5 respectively.
I had an unplanned Holocaust-themed run recently, seeing The Zone of Interest, Origin, and Mr. Klein in the past week. 5/5, 2.5/5, and 4/5 respectively.
Might be good to relaunch this thread and merge it with the Letterboxd one. LB has definitely turned this thread pretty quiet.
I watched Once Upon A Time in China 1 (1991) for the first time the other day, and was quite disappointed. It's such a highly praised movie, that I feel like I'm going to type a hot take below.
Jet Li is a weird figure for me. I consider myself a diehard HK movie fan, but for some reason some a lot of Li's filmography has mostly skipped me by. I saw Fist of Legend on DVD in the late 90s like everyone else, and when he hit the big time I watched his stuff like Hero, Fearless, Unleashed, etc. But I never considered myself a fan, and I never went back to watch his earlier filmography. Watching this movie I realised why, but more about Li later.
This movie is so bloated and aimless, it was a huge slog to get through it. I'm a history buff so I appreciated the setting and what it was trying to do, but the execution was lacking. There's no simple goal at the heart of the movie, it just keeps meandering along. There's many characters and subplots all jostling for screentime. Yuen Biao is criminally wasted. And weirdly, the action felt weightless and lacking impact. No doubt due to the extensive use of wires, but that's no excuse when plenty of older Wuxia hit hard.
Then there's Jet Li. I finally realised why I'm not a fan (only as an actor! He seems like a great guy). Outside of fight scenes he has no charisma or screen presence whatsoever. He never has. He's a technical wizard, with incredible on-screen fighting ability, but that's all he's got going for him. Of course he's handsome too, which is why he became a leading actor to begin with. But the guy is just so bland, so stoic, that it's ironically a blessing that this movie is so busy with characters and subplots, because it can't rely on him to carry it.
I think in the late 90s and early 00s when everyone was raving about Jet Li, the far superior performer Donnie Yen was tragically underrated. Though things have certainly switched around, with Li in retirement and Donnie now a global superstar.
Probably a hot take, but that's how I feel.
I watched Once Upon A Time in China 1 (1991) for the first time the other day, and was quite disappointed. It's such a highly praised movie, that I feel like I'm going to type a hot take below.
Jet Li is a weird figure for me. I consider myself a diehard HK movie fan, but for some reason some a lot of Li's filmography has mostly skipped me by. I saw Fist of Legend on DVD in the late 90s like everyone else, and when he hit the big time I watched his stuff like Hero, Fearless, Unleashed, etc. But I never considered myself a fan, and I never went back to watch his earlier filmography. Watching this movie I realised why, but more about Li later.
This movie is so bloated and aimless, it was a huge slog to get through it. I'm a history buff so I appreciated the setting and what it was trying to do, but the execution was lacking. There's no simple goal at the heart of the movie, it just keeps meandering along. There's many characters and subplots all jostling for screentime. Yuen Biao is criminally wasted. And weirdly, the action felt weightless and lacking impact. No doubt due to the extensive use of wires, but that's no excuse when plenty of older Wuxia hit hard.
Then there's Jet Li. I finally realised why I'm not a fan (only as an actor! He seems like a great guy). Outside of fight scenes he has no charisma or screen presence whatsoever. He never has. He's a technical wizard, with incredible on-screen fighting ability, but that's all he's got going for him. Of course he's handsome too, which is why he became a leading actor to begin with. But the guy is just so bland, so stoic, that it's ironically a blessing that this movie is so busy with characters and subplots, because it can't rely on him to carry it.
I think in the late 90s and early 00s when everyone was raving about Jet Li, the far superior performer Donnie Yen was tragically underrated. Though things have certainly switched around, with Li in retirement and Donnie now a global superstar.
Probably a hot take, but that's how I feel.
Nah, I totally agree with you regarding Jet Li. I grew up watching and loving all Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan (the whole 7 little fortunes gang) movies to no end. Tried to persuade myself to enjoy Jet Lis movies, but never did. Just not my thing and I hated the wired fighting, yes even in Matrix. As you mentioned he's an incredibly martial art performer, but his movies have never been of quality in my eyes and way overrated.
February movies:
El Camino
Heaven's Gate
Mission Impossible 2 & 3
Coherence
The Wailing
El Camino
It was fine but felt mostly unnecessary. I had no qualms about Jesse's ending in Breaking Bad and this didn't feel like it really added anything to his story. The movie pretty much leaves off with how his story ended in BB; just this time in Alaska with some dead bodies in his trail. I don't think the writing style quite translates into a movie; it really felt like a long TV episode. The Jane part at the end was nice.
Heaven's Gate
Watched on a whim after it was mentioned in a Patrick (H) Willems video about its impact on the film industry going into the 80s. It was a good movie but I think it could've really used some tighter editing. The film didn't do enough in my opinion to justify its 3.5+ hour runtime. It was fun seeing a younger Walken and Bridges. Prime had some weird subtitle glitch.
Mission Impossible 2 & 3
I never watched these growing up. MI2 is a bad movie and only gets some props for the action sequences (corny in a fun way to me). Every single line of dialog is bad and feels like it was a written by a group of 12 year boys. I think they unintentionally made an Austin Powers movie here without any of the charm of being a parody. MI3 is a lot better in that regard. Philip Seymour Hoffman is great and there's some tense scenes. I think my biggest gripe (and it's entirely on me - it's a damn movie, it doesn't have to be realistic ) is the complete non-reaction by Julia after being kidnapped, held hostage, watching her husband basically kill himself, and then having to kill two people herself.
Coherence
I really liked this film. The editing was jarring at first but once I got used to it I was along for the ride. I think the movie smartly kept the science fiction aspect of the events simple and letting your mind try and fill in the blanks. It could have easily bogged itself down trying to 'explain' the science behind what is happening.
The Wailing
I was really into the movie for the first 1.5 hours up and through the hex ritual scene. This would be my favorite type of 'horror' - not about jump scares but about gluing you to your seat as it builds up tension before finally going off the rails. Up through, and especially including the hex ritual scene, it felt it would sit nicely with Aster's Midsommar and Heredity. I think the movies trips after this with the zombie scene but brought me back in the last half hour.
Didn't realize this was the 3rd film in the series, but I had it in my Netflix queue for a while and wanted to check it out since it stars Lindsey Morgan and I hadn't seen her in anything since The 100 ended. The opening features enough exposition to get you to speed. Mostly a B grade sci-fi action film, with some fun moments and some interesting alien tech.
*Placeholder*
Turns out I missed some films I watched from last year.
Aftersun (2023) This was embarrassing... but throughout the movie I thought the main plot was in the present and the side bits was the flashback when it was the other way around. I'm just too used to the 2000s aesthetics to think of it as the past. The iconic dance climax is e very it as great as advertised and it's well-acted in general. Otherwise I doesn't quite stand out for me. 7.5/10
Triangle of Sadness (2023) It's definitely a fun look at how various people of race and class look at each other and what may happen when it all falls apart. It's good fun if you're the one to poke fun at the right (as it's usually deserved). Some of the satire was nice in the way the trouble keeps snowballing. At other points it's a bit too on the nose. 7/10
Women Talking (2023) This was an interesting take on something that happened in real life. It's a title that at least lives up to its name; the cast is nearly entirely women and it goes into a broad number of tops, both of their current situation and in their opinions in general. I ended up liking it for the most part. 7.75/10
Now for the stuff I watched this year.
My Sister Eileen (1942) - Here is a good example on how a stage play can be adapted into the big screen. It's a pretty simple plot held together by a strong cast. Rosalind Russell remains one of my favorite actresses of all time though she did have to reign in on her power level to depict a cynical yet fish-out-of-water Midwesterner in New York City. Mismatch aside, we have plenty of great slapstick along the way that mostly holds up. And who could forget that insane cameo at the end? 8/10
Big Fish (2003) - This is the kind of bizarre yet intimate kind of mid-budget movies that are hard to come by these days. It seems akin to Forrest Gump as the son listens to his dying father taking about his life over the years. As with many of these movies, there were a couple things that didn't age well. Yet the true highlight are the special effects that were used to bring the characters and world to life. It makes for an engaging film from start to finish. 7.5/10
The Book of Clarence (2024) The start was nice and all with top notch acting, specially effects and score, but it runs into continuity snares that ultimately trip up the film 6.25/10
The Sea Beast (2022) I heard a lot about this film as it was in contention for Best animated film, and I can see why. It's beautifully animated, has plenty of cool characters and tells an unorthodox story on monster hunting. I think the structure and pacing of the movie was what needed to be worked on for it to truly be great. 8/10
3:10 to Yuma (2007) - I can't believe I missed out on this one. It just goes to show that the western genre still had what it takes for some great movie experiences. In this case we have a father and son trying to deliver a ruthless yet charismatic criminal to the authorities. It helps that it has the structure of the original (which I'll need to check out in the future) 8.5/10
Mean Girls (2024) It's an example of a musical struggling to be compatible with the movie format with inconsistent singing and weird adaptation choices. 5.5/10
Femme Fatale (2002) I gotta say, this movie... went places. Places I had no idea Hollywood was capable of going. It definitely fulfills your needs if you want an erotic thriller akin to Basic Instinct. Otherwise, this will likely boil down to the kind of movie you want. 6/10
Ready to Rumble (2000) I think I've watched this from way back when I was a kid... and I can only think this was heavily edited to take out the more explicit scenes. I know a lot of the WCW old heads appreciate this movie, but I couldn't enjoy it. It has the kind of humor and jokes that I can't get into. The weird thing it looks like it wants to dance the line around homophobia... and I think it's ultimately against it? Anyways, I can't recommend this one and it's just another example why WCW had to die. 4.5/10
American Fiction (2023) Now, when it comes to the basics I thought they did a good job with it. The acting's great. The pacing is consistent and there's some nice editing into it as well. As for the message... I'm not sure where it's heading at. I understand the frustration with the main character's inability to stand out compared to what's working, but I feel like it's complaining to a problem that doesn't exist. If it did The Wire would have raked in the Emmys count. The show The Other Black Girl felt like a more realistic reality on being a black book editor. It's a solid movie in itself, but I don't agree with the message it's saying. 7/10
Finding Forrester (2000) Looks like another case of a poster obscuring the black main character in favor of the white one. Thankfully, Rob Brown is front and center as the true protagonist in the movie as he is given the opportunity to improve on his stellar writing skills. It's a solid watch from beginning to end, even if the movie rips off music from True Romance 8/10
Set it Off (1996) - It's the classic heist film with your tragic ending. Yet in this twist, you have the whole group consisting of black women. Overall I thought they did a good job of it all. 7.5/10
Black Girl (1966) Well... that escalated quickly. This is a short one, but ends up being powerful all the same with a Senegalese babysitter bmgetting duped into becoming a made for a French couple yet she doesn't take any of their shit. 7/10
Argylle (2024) Matthew Vaughn'a worst movie yet. Next time he should consult a romance novelist on how to make good chemistry. 4/10
My Sister Eileen (1955) It seems like every time I watch a 50s remake of a movie from the Golden Age, I like it less. This time someone had the bright idea to turn it into a musical. It's something that could be done with the film, but it felt more like they made the change to give an excuse for Bob Fosse to dance. There's also certain tweaks that end up making the film worse. Instead of having Bob Baker vouch for her as a fellow editor for a newspaper to the point of sacrificing his own job for it, he puts it up as part of a romance where he may be the head of the newspaper. And they get together in the end (tbf, I thought they hooked together in the 40s film too, but apparently it wasn't explicitly the case. Even when those two had better chemistry). The sisters are more believably Midwestern, but they don't share the same measure of slapstick. The jokes in general just don't land as much here. And while the songs are fine, they don't feel as necessary for the story in general. 6/10
Dance Girl Dance (1940) Not much to say about this one other than it had Lucille Ball in it. 7/10
Lisa Frankenstein (2024) The dialogue and some of the acting may not have been good, but it's plot, message and style warrants an interesting watch on its way to possibly become a cult classic. 6/10
Turns out I missed some films I watched from last year.
Aftersun (2023) This was embarrassing... but throughout the movie I thought the main plot was in the present and the side bits was the flashback when it was the other way around. I'm just too used to the 2000s aesthetics to think of it as the past. The iconic dance climax is e very it as great as advertised and it's well-acted in general. Otherwise I doesn't quite stand out for me. 7.5/10
Triangle of Sadness (2023) It's definitely a fun look at how various people of race and class look at each other and what may happen when it all falls apart. It's good fun if you're the one to poke fun at the right (as it's usually deserved). Some of the satire was nice in the way the trouble keeps snowballing. At other points it's a bit too on the nose. 7/10
Women Talking (2023) This was an interesting take on something that happened in real life. It's a title that at least lives up to its name; the cast is nearly entirely women and it goes into a broad number of tops, both of their current situation and in their opinions in general. I ended up liking it for the most part. 7.75/10
Now for the stuff I watched this year.
My Sister Eileen (1942) - Here is a good example on how a stage play can be adapted into the big screen. It's a pretty simple plot held together by a strong cast. Rosalind Russell remains one of my favorite actresses of all time though she did have to reign in on her power level to depict a cynical yet fish-out-of-water Midwesterner in New York City. Mismatch aside, we have plenty of great slapstick along the way that mostly holds up. And who could forget that insane cameo at the end? 8/10
Big Fish (2003) - This is the kind of bizarre yet intimate kind of mid-budget movies that are hard to come by these days. It seems akin to Forrest Gump as the son listens to his dying father taking about his life over the years. As with many of these movies, there were a couple things that didn't age well. Yet the true highlight are the special effects that were used to bring the characters and world to life. It makes for an engaging film from start to finish. 7.5/10
The Book of Clarence (2024) The start was nice and all with top notch acting, specially effects and score, but it runs into continuity snares that ultimately trip up the film 6.25/10
The Sea Beast (2022) I heard a lot about this film as it was in contention for Best animated film, and I can see why. It's beautifully animated, has plenty of cool characters and tells an unorthodox story on monster hunting. I think the structure and pacing of the movie was what needed to be worked on for it to truly be great. 8/10
3:10 to Yuma (2007) - I can't believe I missed out on this one. It just goes to show that the western genre still had what it takes for some great movie experiences. In this case we have a father and son trying to deliver a ruthless yet charismatic criminal to the authorities. It helps that it has the structure of the original (which I'll need to check out in the future) 8.5/10
Mean Girls (2024) It's an example of a musical struggling to be compatible with the movie format with inconsistent singing and weird adaptation choices. 5.5/10
Femme Fatale (2002) I gotta say, this movie... went places. Places I had no idea Hollywood was capable of going. It definitely fulfills your needs if you want an erotic thriller akin to Basic Instinct. Otherwise, this will likely boil down to the kind of movie you want. 6/10
Ready to Rumble (2000) I think I've watched this from way back when I was a kid... and I can only think this was heavily edited to take out the more explicit scenes. I know a lot of the WCW old heads appreciate this movie, but I couldn't enjoy it. It has the kind of humor and jokes that I can't get into. The weird thing it looks like it wants to dance the line around homophobia... and I think it's ultimately against it? Anyways, I can't recommend this one and it's just another example why WCW had to die. 4.5/10
American Fiction (2023) Now, when it comes to the basics I thought they did a good job with it. The acting's great. The pacing is consistent and there's some nice editing into it as well. As for the message... I'm not sure where it's heading at. I understand the frustration with the main character's inability to stand out compared to what's working, but I feel like it's complaining to a problem that doesn't exist. If it did The Wire would have raked in the Emmys count. The show The Other Black Girl felt like a more realistic reality on being a black book editor. It's a solid movie in itself, but I don't agree with the message it's saying. 7/10
Finding Forrester (2000) Looks like another case of a poster obscuring the black main character in favor of the white one. Thankfully, Rob Brown is front and center as the true protagonist in the movie as he is given the opportunity to improve on his stellar writing skills. It's a solid watch from beginning to end, even if the movie rips off music from True Romance 8/10
Set it Off (1996) - It's the classic heist film with your tragic ending. Yet in this twist, you have the whole group consisting of black women. Overall I thought they did a good job of it all. 7.5/10
Black Girl (1966) Well... that escalated quickly. This is a short one, but ends up being powerful all the same with a Senegalese babysitter bmgetting duped into becoming a made for a French couple yet she doesn't take any of their shit. 7/10
Argylle (2024) Matthew Vaughn'a worst movie yet. Next time he should consult a romance novelist on how to make good chemistry. 4/10
My Sister Eileen (1955) It seems like every time I watch a 50s remake of a movie from the Golden Age, I like it less. This time someone had the bright idea to turn it into a musical. It's something that could be done with the film, but it felt more like they made the change to give an excuse for Bob Fosse to dance. There's also certain tweaks that end up making the film worse. Instead of having Bob Baker vouch for her as a fellow editor for a newspaper to the point of sacrificing his own job for it, he puts it up as part of a romance where he may be the head of the newspaper. And they get together in the end (tbf, I thought they hooked together in the 40s film too, but apparently it wasn't explicitly the case. Even when those two had better chemistry). The sisters are more believably Midwestern, but they don't share the same measure of slapstick. The jokes in general just don't land as much here. And while the songs are fine, they don't feel as necessary for the story in general. 6/10
Dance Girl Dance (1940) Not much to say about this one other than it had Lucille Ball in it. 7/10
Lisa Frankenstein (2024) The dialogue and some of the acting may not have been good, but it's plot, message and style warrants an interesting watch on its way to possibly become a cult classic. 6/10
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Religion + a fractured psyche = Not so great results. Some very striking imagery and a really good performance at the center. Didn't realize the actress is the same one who plays Galadriel in the LOTR TV series. Sounds different and looks younger, kudos for delivering in 2 very different roles. A24 makes interesting films.
I keep meaning to participate more in this thread, but I'm forgetful (and definitely not lazy!). Here's what I watched in January, with detailed reviews that I put a great deal of thought and effort into.
Death Warrant (1990) +
The main villain has absolutely nothing to do with the actual plot, but Van Damme still manages to kill him 3 or 4 times. Two thumbs up!
Double Impact (1991)
Two Van Dammes? Two thumbs up!
Double Team (1997) +
This movie makes no goddamn sense, but Van Damme kicks a tiger in the head. Two thumbs up!
Hard Target (1993)
JCVD, John Woo, Lance Henriksen, and that hair? Two thumbs up!
Kickboxer (1989)
The greatest dance scene ever put to film (sorry Patrick Swayze), and the rest of the movie is pretty good too. Two thumbs up!
Lionheart (1990)
Missed opportunity to have JCVD also play his brother at the start and make this another two Van Dammes movie, but the big baddie loves his kitty, so two thumbs up!
Maximum Risk (1996)
Van Damme has to solve the murder of... another Van Damme?! Two thumbs up!
Nowhere to Run (1993)
The kids aren't completely annoying! Two thumbs up!
Street Fighter (1994)
"Now, who wants to go home, and who wants to go with me?" I would have gone home. Two thumbs up!
Sudden Death (1995) +
Van Damme does Die Hard. Two thumbs up!
The Quest (1996) +
This thing is like 8 different movies smashed together, and they're all awesome! Two thumbs up!
Timecop (1994)
This has to have the fastest TTS (Time-To-Splits) I've ever seen in a movie. Two thumbs up!
Universal Soldier (1992)
These American soldiers are more American than baseball and apple pie. Two thumbs up!
Universal Solder: The Return (1999)
I can't believe this cheap garbage was released in theaters, but Mr. Kruger is in it, so... two thumbs up!
* Most of these are rewatches, but I'm honestly not sure if I've seen some of them are not. Titles with a + are films I'm fairly certain are first time viewings.
The Rock (1996)
"I don't like soft-ass shit." Two thumbs up!
Con Air (1997)
Only Nicolas Cage could look at Van Damme's hair in Hard Target and say "Hold my beer." Two thumbs up!
* These two were rewatches, and I believe my 3rd time watching each.
Death Warrant (1990) +
The main villain has absolutely nothing to do with the actual plot, but Van Damme still manages to kill him 3 or 4 times. Two thumbs up!
Double Impact (1991)
Two Van Dammes? Two thumbs up!
Double Team (1997) +
This movie makes no goddamn sense, but Van Damme kicks a tiger in the head. Two thumbs up!
Hard Target (1993)
JCVD, John Woo, Lance Henriksen, and that hair? Two thumbs up!
Kickboxer (1989)
The greatest dance scene ever put to film (sorry Patrick Swayze), and the rest of the movie is pretty good too. Two thumbs up!
Lionheart (1990)
Missed opportunity to have JCVD also play his brother at the start and make this another two Van Dammes movie, but the big baddie loves his kitty, so two thumbs up!
Maximum Risk (1996)
Van Damme has to solve the murder of... another Van Damme?! Two thumbs up!
Nowhere to Run (1993)
The kids aren't completely annoying! Two thumbs up!
Street Fighter (1994)
"Now, who wants to go home, and who wants to go with me?" I would have gone home. Two thumbs up!
Sudden Death (1995) +
Van Damme does Die Hard. Two thumbs up!
The Quest (1996) +
This thing is like 8 different movies smashed together, and they're all awesome! Two thumbs up!
Timecop (1994)
This has to have the fastest TTS (Time-To-Splits) I've ever seen in a movie. Two thumbs up!
Universal Soldier (1992)
These American soldiers are more American than baseball and apple pie. Two thumbs up!
Universal Solder: The Return (1999)
I can't believe this cheap garbage was released in theaters, but Mr. Kruger is in it, so... two thumbs up!
* Most of these are rewatches, but I'm honestly not sure if I've seen some of them are not. Titles with a + are films I'm fairly certain are first time viewings.
The Rock (1996)
"I don't like soft-ass shit." Two thumbs up!
Con Air (1997)
Only Nicolas Cage could look at Van Damme's hair in Hard Target and say "Hold my beer." Two thumbs up!
* These two were rewatches, and I believe my 3rd time watching each.
i would be sure to jump ahead and watch day of reckoning and regeneration, they are easily the best of the series
Oh yeah, I saw those back when they were new-ish. I'm just doing a cleanup/rewatch of his films now so I'll be revisiting them soon.
Watched Argyll and One Life last night.
Really liked Argyll.
Pure dumb fun, absolutely brainless... but that's part of the fun.
One life was quite nice.
Very sad
Really liked Argyll.
Pure dumb fun, absolutely brainless... but that's part of the fun.
One life was quite nice.
Very sad
Sin City: A Dame to Kill For (2014)
Some excellently composed shots and good acting by Josh Brolin are the bright spots in this sequel that plods along.
I wasn't a fan of the "A Dame to Kill For" comics back in the day & the original segments created for this film are even weaker.
=2.5 out of 5
Yakuza Weapon (2011)
The most powerful Yakuza boss is killed and his son returns to Japan for revenge in this bloody action comedy. Tak Sakaguchi co-writes, co-directs (w/ Yudai Yamaguchi) and stars as the titular character.
There's some artistic touches and better than average fight choreography which leads to a 4:40 minute long single take where dozens of enemies are dispatched.
Tons of digital blood, bad acting, and a dumb script detract overall but I enjoyed it enough & it's certainly better the the previous films these guys made before with "Deadball" & "Battlefield Baseball".
=2.5 out of 5
Fires on the Plain (2014)
Shinya Tsukamoto (Tetsuo: The Iron Man) wrote, directed, edited, shot, stars in and self produced this adaption of the 1959 anti-war novel.
During the final days of World War 2 Japanese soldiers in the Philippines are driven to madness due to disease and starvation. Surrounded by death and suffering from tuberculosis the main character tries to survive this nightmare where the locals justifiably hate them, U.S. forces have landed and his fellow soldiers resemble zombies both in appearance and having resorted to cannibalism.
Often gory and punctuated by dark humor this is another interesting work from Tsukamoto who does the best he can with limited finances. Not among his best imo, but still very good.
=3.5 out of 5
The Cook, the Thief, His Wife and Her Lover (1989) rewatch
Found out that this got a region free Blu-ray release in Australia & I bought a copy to replace my DVD version as the U.S. rights seem to be a mess. While the transfer is disappointing, the film is still captivating. I love how every shot looks like a painting, the artistry of the sets & costumes, the music, the way it breaks it's own reality & the themes it explores.
As much as it's been said that director Peter Greenaway was commenting on Thatcher's UK & the 80's at the time, the parallels between Spica the Thief and Donald Trump are right here too. Both want their name put up in big letters, the obsession with gold furnishings, racism, misogyny, and a mention about loyalty.
They're both grotesque pigs and yet one was elected as president which is so perverse that in fiction it would be over the top & cartoonish, but instead our reality is both rage & despair inducing.
An amazing film that I continue to enjoy just as much as when I first saw it back in 1990. Outstanding.
=5 out of 5
This was a lot of fun. I expected more of a light hearted comedy but it gets deep!
An easy favourite of mine. This movie is still VERY relevant and I'm sad it isn't talked about more.
Probably one of the better "love triangle" type films, and specifically where it more unexpectedly goes with it. I love how flawed the main three characters are, but even despite that, they're still incredibly rounded out and great in totally different ways. You can really feel a lot of James L Brooks's clever "work humour" that translated SO well to what Simpsons would do in its incredible 90s run... the DNA is absolutely there.
Michael Mann's directorial debut is fantastic – I'm happy to FINALLY have watched it (on YouTube! 😬👍). While it doesn't hit the EPIC HIGHS and storytelling depths that Heat later would, you can see it all comes from here. In many ways, Thief feels like a no-nonsense version of what Heat did, and therefore more people will probably prefer Heat for being more complex and engaging... But I kinda loved how 'raw' Thief felt... There's less brooding, and more of Mann just letting his characters talk, finding practical solutions to big problems, and less complicated relationships (and not even in a bad way).
Where 'Heat' has characters more likely to ruminate on their choices, 'Thief' is more matter-of-fact.
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Watched on Hulu. I'm sure I saw it when I was kid, but it's been so long as an adult it was almost like watching it with fresh eyes. Certain scenes are so iconic I just remembered them from pop culture in general. Movie does a good job of hiding the alien for the most part and the tension really racks up towards the end. You can see how it really set the template for things to come. Have Aliens in my queue on Max and plan to check it out soon.
- Managed to watched it fully because of Helldivers 2 hype.
- For a 1997 film, I am surprised how fun & entertaining the film was in 2024.
- It deserves the cult status.
- Not to mention some gory scenes.
- And surprised with bare breasts & butts in the shower scene.
- Thoroughly enjoyed it.
See more Verhoeven films! Total Recall and Robocop (also lots of political satire here) are his other sci-fi classics. He puts nudity in a lot of his films, especially the non-english ones. See Benedetta and Elle from his recent films.
- Managed to watched it fully because of Helldivers 2 hype.
- For a 1997 film, I am surprised how fun & entertaining the film was in 2024.
- It deserves the cult status.
- Not to mention some gory scenes.
- And surprised with bare breasts & butts in the shower scene.
- Thoroughly enjoyed it.
Saw it last night in IMAX and really enjoyed it. Denis continues to deliver visuals like few others. Also great sound and performances throughout.
Hard to deny Slap Shot's appeal, the film is raw and really captures a specific point in time for hockey (i.e. where being a "hockey star" still meant having a side job in the off season). Not all of its aged well (which can be said of like a million old comedies); but like another favorite hockey movie of mine (D2: The Mighty Ducks lol) I love the camraderie between the team. There's something charming about hitting up bars between games, and all the long bus rides between the bars and games. It's great, it's dumb fun, and quite violent lol. Easy to see why it's a classic.
Boof... Um. I mean, it's been said before: This movie would be 100% less awkward if they aged-up Gary and aged-down Alana (and they both look like they can pull it off), cuz yeah: The budding and haphazard romance between a 15 and 25 year old is weird, and I don't get what point it serves. I don't get the joke the Japanese wives guy speaking like a jackass. I have no doubt a lot of this film is "accurate" to the style and adventerous spirit of the 70s, everyone trying to strike gold with a new 'big idea'; and it's a pretty fun ride between the characters you meet and hijinks that goes down... But I dunno, a few sticking points REALLY hold it back.
For the amount of belly aching about this film's concept, the script is SUPER careful with every character and development in the story. Jennifer is great with all the comedic punches (at one point: literally), and Andrew Barth Feldman* is great in the role and has a fantastic set of pipes on him (the cover of Maneater is great even if the song choice is a little on-the-nose). So instead we get a story about a broke/broken woman, and a super-awkward wallflower who both grow up as a result of their bizarre dalliance; and it wraps with a happy ending. Overall a fun raunchy comedy with a surprisingly solid core.
View: https://youtu.be/a1TcGP3cdlA
* (lol I thought he looked and even sorta sounded like stupid Linguini from Ratatooie..turns out he played him in some play version or something xD)
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