Movies You've Seen Recently | September 2019

[Deleted member 18407]

Shadow (2018) is an interesting movie. I'm pretty sure there's a lot of cultural context that makes perfect sense from a Chinese perspective that I'm missing for it all but it's an absolutely gorgeous film that effectively uses its black-and-white ink-and-paper influenced aesthetic. It looks like brush strokes in real life, especially with the flowing clothing and hair. The story can be a bit of a slog in the beginning, and there's a lot to get through, but it's worth it for the battle scenes that start when we finally get to the duel they have been talking about for the entire movie. The choreography and clever use of weaponized umbrellas (it makes sense in context) is a wonder to watch.

The themes of duality and harmony are obvious and front & center in it, with the most blatant stuff being the color scheme, the main character living two lives, the tai chi symbols repeating often, and the masculine/feminine fighting styles coming into play being the klaxon blaring style of obvious. I think this is the kind of movie that requires another watch to really take it all in. Don't expect a martial arts extravaganza but more of a political drama with palace intrigue with a very cool martial arts set piece.

Don't watch Edtv (1999). It's not good and it's so very dated. I watched it 20 years ago in the theater and time has not been good to it. It hammers its point in over and over clumsily and without adding anything new to the discourse. I don't know why I felt like watching this one again but I regret it.

 

[Deleted member 6949]

The part in Pulp Fiction where Vincent marvels at the $5 milkshake is so trippy now. I was at a baseball game recently and they were asking $12 for a plastic 12oz bottle of Bud Light.

 

[Ridley327]

Liquid Crystals: Dazzling microscopic photography, courtesy of our dear friend Jean Painlevé, captures the crystallization of several different liquids as they create impossibly small universes all of their own. Folks looking for even the faintest of narratives need not apply here, as Painlevé lets the light show speak for itself, and rather convincingly I might add.

 

[Einchy]

Yesterday

At was a decent romance film for any Beatles fans.

Anyway, what I really wanna talk about is Ed Sheeran's role in this film because it fucking kills me. From a narrative perspective, they needed someone who could be the current day Beatles, so when this guy came in signing Beatles tunes, he could upstage that era's Beatles with the real Beatles. The problem is that there is no current day Beatles so they settles for Ed Sheeran. I mean, not to shit talk the guy but, like, he's no Beatles. No one is right now.

There's this one scene that fucking kills me because I'm 99.99% sure it wasn't supposed to be funny when

Spoiler

Ed Sheeran and the main character have a competition to see who writes the best song in ten minutes or so. Ed Sheeran sings about Penguins or whatever and the main character pulls out a classic Beatles tune. Someone asks the audience to applaud to see who wins and Ed says to stop because the clear winner is the main character then he says something like, "they told me one day someone better would come". He also says main dude is like Mozart and he's like some no name I already forgot.

All of this is played 100% straight and it's supposed to be kinda sad that this guy is feeling so diminished in comparison to a guy that's lying about writing these songs. All of this could've worked so much better if it was a main up artist who we could believe was this new timeline's The Beatles, someone who was doing what they did but it's Ed fucking Sheeran. I can't just pretend Ed Sheeran is The Beatles.

 

[BeeDog]

Just finished watching The Wailing, God DAMN that was an excellent movie. Its long runtime did it favors, the cinematography was beautiful (some daytime nature shots were fantastic), the story was clearly presented despite a boatload of subtext and possibilities for interpretation, and the acting was good. That exorcism scene will stay with me for a long, long time, one of the coolest things I've seen in a movie in a long time.

I'm definitely curious about how people interpret its plot and the characters.

 

[Kyuuji]

My second time watching Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle and I'm still impressed by how enjoyable it is. I was a massive fan of the original growing up and had put off watching this one for awhile on account of not wanting to tarnish that oh so precious nostalgia.

Well, rhinos to that. It's nothing revelatory but it doesn't need to be. Scattered with good gags and a charming presentation it's an easy ride, plus Kevin Hart and Dwayne Johnson riffing off of each other will always put a smile on my face. The effects get quite ropey toward the end and there are moments that don't quite land (flirting segment, vapid blonde trope) which prevent it from climbing higher than a casual romp, but if that's all you're looking for then you'll find it here.

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle is a solid film to tuck in with at night for a few cozy laughs.

 

[fontguy]

I can't recommend Steven Universe: The Movie enough. I'm a guy who loves horror, and my favorite movies are probably The Thing and American Psycho. So naturally I would be super into a musical for a kids cartoon I don't even watch. If you've ever experienced neglect or abuse from someone you loved, this film is therapeutic, cathartic, and maybe even a little difficult. I just wanted to watch a vengeful rubber hose toon fuck shit up and instead I got feelings.

Absolutely crushing.

 

[MidnightCowboy]

Deadwood: The Movie

Objective analysis is all but impossible because I've been in love with these characters for practically a decade now, but like Twin Peaks before it, what an absolute treat it is to reacquaint with old friends and finally have some sense of closure. The passage of time may have lead to more wrinkles and gray hairs, but it hasn't dulled Milch's penchant for world-class dialogue and character interaction (his Alzheimer's diagnosis is such a bummer), nor the abilities of perhaps my favorite assemblage of talent in the history of the medium (I'm no TV expert, but Mad Men is the other contender). Obviously it's a two hour movie, so not everyone gets equal screen time, but I'd be hard-pressed to say anyone was shafted.

Some assorted thoughts:

Charlie 😢 Him and Ellsworth were beacons of decency in a cruel world.

Trixie berating Sol like old times put a big ol' smile on my face, and their wedding induced an even bigger one.

With a cast this great, sometimes Timothy Olyphant's hothead performance can get overlooked, but he really shines here. His scene with Samuel near the end is hella powerful considering their shared history, as is his final embrace with Martha (Anna Gunn is forever underappreciated!). He's sure grown as an actor.

After all he's wrought, Hearst getting stomped out by the crowd was among the most satisfying beatings I can remember seeing.Bonus points for sneaking my boy Garret Dillahunt in one last time.

Joanie and Jane! Lifting each other out of darkness' embrace till the end of time ❤️

A true shame Powers Boothe and Ralph Richeson weren't alive to witness this glorious reunion.

That finger twitch! If you know, you know. What a final shot.

 

[Ridley327]

The House by the Cemetery (rewatch): Fulci closed out his Gates of Hell trilogy (or is it four films, since no one ever seems to agree with whether or not Zombi 2 should count) in what should have been a more intimate kind of apocalypse, offering up a haunted house film with the kind of Lovecraftian overtones that the previous installments were so well known for. Compared to the other films, this one was always a bit more back-loaded with the gore, opting to use the mounting terror of living in the house as a means to build an effective amount of suspense and dread that something horrible is bound to happen. Sure, Fulci can't quite shake some of his more exploitative touches in the opening scene with the random female nudity, but given how brief it is and the rest of the film being absent of it, it comes as quite the pleasant surprise, especially with the film possessing many striking shots and ideas throughout that makes one believe that everyone's favorite Italian Godfather of Gore has finally turned a new leaf. Unfortunately, Fulci's worst instincts tend to be in the storytelling department, and in a career that's marked by many low points of borderline ineptitude, this film in particular crosses that border and takes up permanent residency in the realm of the truly inexplicable. The only way the plot or any aspect of the story makes any sense whatsoever would need to be filtered through the lens of whatever cosmic horror that the good Dr. Freudstein was trying to unleash, and even then, I suspect that it too would give up in frustration. In that sense, it is somewhat appropriate that the story seems to be cobbled together by three madmen trying to make sense out of the ramblings of one another, but as a viewer, it gets far too easy to get distracted by the incoherence to pay as much attention to the strong qualities of the horrors that Fulci is attempting to unleash, tying his successes to a rock that he's hellbent on throwing over a cliff. The film itself is not a failure per se, but it will frustrate you when it seemed like it could have so easily been a real knockout, only to see it do everything in its power to dissuade that opinion with each baffling detail that unfurls at an alarmingly rapid pace.

 

[Window]

I've been listening to the Charles Manson series from You Must Remember This before watching Once Upon a Time in Hollywood based on the recommendation in the last thread. I'd heard a lot about the podcast but this is the first time I'm listening to it. Wow this is fantastically made. It's such a well told story...but that's something I find weird. The clarity with which Longworth articulates each person's motivations and thoughts sounds like its bordering on being fiction rather than history. It can at times sound like a story strung together from gossip and biased first hand accounts. I'm sure it's all rooted in fact but I find the mythologising of the events and characters a bit weird. A really worthwhile listen though, particularly Longworth's assessment and critique of counter-culture of the era.

 

[sackboy97]

I've been listening to the Charles Manson series from You Must Remember This before watching Once Upon a Time in Hollywood based on the recommendation in the last thread. I'd heard a lot about the podcast but this is the first time I'm listening to it. Wow this is fantastically made. It's such a well told story...but that's something I find weird. The clarity with which Longworth articulates each person's motivations and thoughts sounds like its bordering on being fiction rather than history. It can at times sound like a story strung together from gossip and biased first hand accounts. I'm sure it's all rooted in fact but I find the mythologising of the events and characters a bit weird. A really worthwhile listen though, particularly Longworth's assessment and critique of counter-culture of the era.

Click to shrink...

I'd imagine that gossip and first hand accounts definitely had an important part in writing the podcast, but I'm sure they did their best to check what was true and what wasn't (as much as possible at least). I believe she also at times points out that they can't be certain of some details or how some parts are speculation on some level.
I agree though, it's very good and it made me enjoy Once Upon a Time in Hollywood a lot more than I would have otherwise, I feel.

 

[Window]

I'd imagine that gossip and first hand accounts definitely had an important part in writing the podcast, but I'm sure they did their best to check what was true and what wasn't (as much as possible at least). I believe she also at times points out that they can't be certain of some details or how some parts are speculation on some level.
I agree though, it's very good and it made me enjoy Once Upon a Time in Hollywood a lot more than I would have otherwise, I feel.

Click to shrink...

It was also surprising to learn (though I'm not sure why) how much of a cesspool Hollywood's always been.

 

[thenexus6]

Parasite

Fantastic, can't fault it at all. I purposely went in completely blind and it was awesome.

 

[dennett316]

Hobbs and Shaw - The first Fast and Furious movie I've watched since Tokyo Drift, and it was absurdly fun...emphasis on absurd. It's big dumb action done right. Thoroughly entertained, The Rock and Jason Statham had great chemistry, Vanessa Kirby was fun too, and Idris Elba was a great, ludicrous villain. Everyone looked like they were having fun, and it was kind of wholesome in its own weird way. I enjoyed it a lot, and I'm going to go back now and catch the rest of the series that I missed out on. The one complaint I have was during the climax they were driving around doing insane shit, then you'd get a random quick cut to the logo of the car company on the steering wheel, then back to the action. That shit was blatant, might as well just have had that Family Guy smoking ad guy pop up and say "Chevrolet", "Chevrolet", "Have you bought a Chevrolet yet!?".

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood - That was, at least, 45 minutes too long. I was feeling the length, "indulgent" is the word of the day. It was OK. This is the first Tarantino movie I've seen since Death Proof and I'm now kind of hesitant to go back to something like Hateful Eight knowing it's almost 3 hours long. DiCaprio was great as an actor struggling with his career lull, acting wise I can't really fault anyone, it was just a long-ass film. The foot thing...is he parodying it now? Guy needs to chill out or just make his next movie a bunch of feet with googly eyes stuck on them and have them talk.

 

[meowdi gras]

Shutter Island (2010); a.k.a., Telegraph: The Movie; a.k.a., Marty on Autopilot: The Movie

Managed to avoid this late-career Scorsese nonstarter until this afternoon when bestie wanted to screen it for me. Guessed

Spoiler

every one of its tired twists 20 minutes into the movie

. Still another exhaustingly-fervid, scowly-scowl turn from DiCaprio. Kingsley and von Sydow know the drill and hit their prescribed marks. Blink and you'll miss Ted Levine, clothed merely in an impersonation of Ted Levine this time. Apparently, Marty deemed this codswallop unworthy of a facsimile of elegance. (They can't all be passion projects, I suppose.)

As illusory "puzzle films" go, Don't Look Now is infinitely more adroit and much shorter.

 

[Borgnine]

Her Smell: 4/10. omg shuuttt uppppppppppppp
Crumb: (rewatch) 10/10. Imagine a movie where out of everyone Robert Crumb is the most well adjusted.
Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence: 8/10: (rewatch) gaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

 

[Ridley327]

Ticks: Sometimes, all you need is a lot of exploding ticks. A creature feature that wins no awards for originality, it's able to provide a rollicking good time all the same with its quick pacing, a knack for gooey spectacle on a low budget, and being just self-aware enough to make the humor shine without it coming across as smug as to make the characters unlikable. It also boasts a shockingly good cast, headlined by Seth Green, Alfonso Ribeiro, Ami Dolenz, Peter Scolari and not one, but two of Ron Howard's relatives, with good ol' Clint is having a hoot of a time as a result. The ticks themselves are a rather impressive creation, both in terms of the sheer quantity to go around along with an impressive amount of detail for their size, though the film saves the best for last with quite the creation that serves as the final obstacle for our plucky band of survivors. Some might begrudge the small body count this boasts, but it's hard to fault the film for a lack of blood and gore when it's so eager to blow up as many ticks as possible, releasing globs of blood and guts into the environment and onto the actors, for a decidedly moist yet hollering good time to be had by all.

 

[Einchy]

His mumbles are powerful. 🙏

Might be the best sadboy actor tbh. Though he is treading all too familiar ground now

Click to shrink...

I love Casey Affleck, he's great in everything I've seen him in.

Also, his voice is really fucking good. He should do audio books.

 

[patientzero]

Quickie update via my Letterboxd reviews -

The Wandering Earth - 2 stars
Defining Moment: The flurry of ending sequences which ping-pong between emotionally affecting, mildly incoherent, and utterly predictable. Someone in the Chinese film industry intensely studied Roland Emmerich's oeuvre.

I, Tonya - 3 stars
Defining Moment: The first skiing sequence, adroitly shot in medium close-up so that we live in the moment and movement with Tonya, which encapsulates every moment of resounding success quickly met with defeat.

How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World - 3 stars
Defining Moment: A flight through the titular hidden world that bursts with color and a flurry of motion, evoking Miyazaki's films for Ghibli in all of their awe in the face of the depths of the natural world.

Pokemon: Detective Pikachu - 2 stars
Defining Moment: The early walkthrough of Ryme City, replete with many a Pokemon sighting and in-joke, all of which avoid the stilted dialogue, by-the-numbers mystery, and rushed plot points. It's here that we see a vision of a far better film, one invested in the setting beyond references and hackneyed save-the-world antics.

The Lego Movie 2 - 3.5 stars
Defining Moment: During the Armamageddon, as a combination of character reveals and real-world adolescence coalesce to show us a movie that wants to tackle the concept of toxic masculinity in its nascent form but ultimately doesn't go far enough in outlining the real root of the problem, instead settling for rebuking putting away childish things.

 

[lazybones18]

Star Trek: The Motion Picture

I won't say the movie was bad (fairly decent), but good grief it can be so slow at times. Do we really need a 3-5 min scene of Kirk & Scotty looking at the fucking Enterprise before entering the ship? And that slow-mo sequence in the wormhole...I guess it can be called impressive. Did like the look of V'Ger when Spock went exploring. Maybe in my lifetime I'll get around to seeing Movies 3-6.

 

[ThirstyFly]

Child's Play (2019) [Lars Klevberg]
I was pleasantly surprised by Child's Play. With Chucky being almost a parody of modern devices and our dependence on it, I didn't expect the movie to feel so 80s. The tone and the characters fit right in with other 80s technology gone amok films like Chopping Mall and Deadly Friend.
I wouldn't have minded a little more cat and mouse antics during the kills, especially since this Chucky is so playfully demented. The final act definitely could have used more of Chucky's confused attempts at playfulness instead of what he does do, and the kids other than Andy could have been fleshed out a little more, but overall I really enjoyed this and was glad they went with a more over-the-top, comedic film than just trying to do a more serious take of material like you'd expect.
Recommended.

The Dead Don't Die (2019) [Jim Jarmusch]
I don't think I've ever seen a movie show such contempt for its audience than The Dead Don't Die. Jim Jarmusch actually made a movie that spits in the face of viewers, and somehow even got it released in theaters.
Thinking it's more clever than it is, the "movie" beats you about the face and neck with bits of self-referential "humour", such as Rosie Perez playing a character named "Posie Juarez", or the movie constantly stopping so the characters can reference the movie's theme song, breaking the 3rd wall in the most boring, obnoxious ways possible.
The nonexistent story actually taunts the viewer with the hope of a bit of characterization for the paper thin characters, or a tease of a backstory, then yanks it away, laughing like a cruel child teasing a pet with food.
I'm a big zombie movie person. I've seen a lot of them, including many, many bad ones. This may very well be the worst. It's right up there with Automaton Transfusion and Zombie Lake. Perhaps it's even worse... Those movies were completely inept, but at least it looks like they attempted to do something. I can't say the same here.
Don't even watch this out of curiosity to see how bad it is. If you've read this review, you've already spent too much of your time on it.
Avoid The Dead Don't Die like Bill Murray avoids phone calls from Dan Aykroyd.

 

[Divius]

Can someone give me a new invite link to the Film Era Discord? The one in the OP has expired. Thanks

 

[Window]

Finished listening to the Manson series on You Must Remember This. I'll reiterate, this is fantastically made. But wow what a sad chain of events. That passage by Didion from her essay, Lennon's interview and Waters' interview so perfectly capture the senseless of it all and the attempt to find answers. The whole series was an interesting look at the hollowness of the counter culture of the time.

 

[Rhomega]

Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019): Well, it had nice kaiju fights. That's about it.

 

[MidnightCowboy]

On Dangerous Ground

I adore this film's structure, one half of which is a mostly plotless nighttime drift through a seedy urban neighborhood, with rain-slicked streets and dark alleyways, as a trio of cops looks for a lead on a case; the other half its exact inverse, an extended chase sequence and budding romance set against a rural Rocky Mountain backdrop, with bright snowy vistas and cozy cabins. Robert Ryan is tremendous in the lead role, as a violent cop who can't take much more of wading through the muck of city life. It's all in his face, so lonely and lost. "Why do you make me do it? You know you're gonna talk! I'm gonna make you talk! I always make you punks talk! Why do you do it? Why?" he shouts before beating a confession out of someone, the anguish in his voice palpable. I was unfamiliar with Ryan beforehand (actually I saw The Wild Bunch years ago, so I've seen something with him), but he rules. Based solely on this film I say he should have been a superstar.

I was likewise unfamiliar with Ida Lupino, for shame because she gives a great performance as a blind woman, powerful eyes and an atypical sense of physicality as she maneuvers through the environment. Also it sounds like she was a kickass director, in the studio system to boot! She must have been a total boss.

The city parts feature some cool handheld shaky cam and POV shots, pretty unusual for this era of filmmaking. The whole movie looks gorgeous. The bleakest of nights and the sunniest of days. Bernard Herrmann's score bumps as well. Crank up the opening credits, trust me. All in all, Nick Ray just doesn't seem to miss. For sure one of my absolute favorite directors.

Age of Consent

I mean naked Helen Mirren is hot and all, but have you seen bearded James Mason? 😳

 

[Kyuuji]

Nightcrawler doesn't build tension, instead it sets a fundamental tone of unease that doesn't peak or dip, maintaining a steady level that's almost unnerving in and of itself.

This isn't an 'axe-through-the-door' type of crazy, it's a sinister smile, awkward conversation and eyes that look like they're analysing you rather than seeing you. When it comes to this Gyllenhaal does crazy like few others, absolutely disappearing into the part of Lou Bloom in a performance that stays just under your skin.

Lou is a socially inept and introverted grifter struggling to find employment and make ends meet. On driving home one day he spots an accident and, curiosity prevailing, pulls over. While eyeing the scene from afar he's shunted aside by a man with a camera chasing the action to sell footage to local broadcast stations. As the scene unfolds we see Lou captivated by the idea. Like a cat eyeing a mouse it's a stalking sense of attraction, an intent beyond just interest.

As Lou falls headlong into this world we're met with a variety of contrasts. We feel disgust as we witness Lou treat crime scenes like a nature documentary, keenly curating shots of victims as they lie bloodied and clinging to life. Yet the same scenes are sold and broadcast to millions, feeding a hunger for drama, danger and lifting the veil on the ugly parts of life. A need to check that "someone always has it worse" box. We also view Lou with the same transfixed fascination he observes his subjects with; like that of a strange ornament. In this Gyllenhaal is entrancing as he dances on a knife's edge between unhinged and creepy during conversations with those around him. It's wholly convincing.

The cinematography throughout is also impeccable. Prowling the streets of Los Angeles at night, colours bleed out of lights into the black as sirens wail and neon flares. You're soaked in the atmosphere throughout and the sprawling streets only compound the feeling of Lou being on the hunt when met against the tiny claustrophobic apartment he calls home. The film feels like a nature documentary, in the same way that Lou treats his subjects like wildlife. Intimate in the portrayal but distant to the subject matter.

Nightcrawler is brilliant and although I saw the events of the "final shot" coming from a mile away, I'm pretty sure you're supposed to. Like I said before, this isn't a film of ramping tension or changes of pace; it's a steady, consistent madness. You knew what Lou was capable of from the start, you just couldn't look away.

 

[Deleted member 18407]

Nightcrawler doesn't build tension, instead it sets a fundamental tone of unease that doesn't peak or dip, maintaining a steady level that's almost unnerving in and of itself.

This isn't an 'axe-through-the-door' type of crazy, it's a sinister smile, awkward conversation and eyes that look like they're analysing you rather than seeing you. When it comes to this Gyllenhaal does crazy like few others, absolutely disappearing into the part of Lou Bloom in a performance that stays just under your skin.

Lou is a socially inept and introverted grifter struggling to find employment and make ends meet. On driving home one day he spots an accident and, curiosity prevailing, pulls over. While eyeing the scene from afar he's shunted aside by a man with a camera chasing the action to sell footage to local broadcast stations. As the scene unfolds we see Lou captivated by the idea. Like a cat eyeing a mouse it's a stalking sense of attraction, an intent beyond just interest.

As Lou falls headlong into this world we're met with a variety of contrasts. We feel disgust as we witness Lou treat crime scenes like a nature documentary, keenly curating shots of victims as they lie bloodied and clinging to life. Yet the same scenes are sold and broadcast to millions, feeding a hunger for drama, danger and lifting the veil on the ugly parts of life. A need to check that "someone always has it worse" box. We also view Lou with the same transfixed fascination he observes his subjects with; like that of a strange ornament. In this Gyllenhaal is entrancing as he dances on a knife's edge between unhinged and creepy during conversations with those around him. It's wholly convincing.

The cinematography throughout is also impeccable. Prowling the streets of Los Angeles at night, colours bleed out of lights into the black as sirens wail and neon flares. You're soaked in the atmosphere throughout and the sprawling streets only compound the feeling of Lou being on the hunt when met against the tiny claustrophobic apartment he calls home. The film feels like a nature documentary, in the same way that Lou treats his subjects like wildlife. Intimate in the portrayal but distant to the subject matter.

Nightcrawler is brilliant and although I saw the events of the "final shot" coming from a mile away, I'm pretty sure you're supposed to. Like I said before, this isn't a film of ramping tension or changes of pace; it's a steady, consistent madness. You knew what Lou was capable of from the start, you just couldn't look away.

Click to shrink...

I need to watch Nightcrawler again. I don't think I paid enough attention the first time I watched it ages ago.

Everyone should watch Paper Moon (1973) if you haven't. It's funny, it's touching, and it's filmed beautifully. What more can you ask for? It's one of the easiest to watch comedies that I've ever seen. It's about a con man who gets forced into a father/daughter style realtionship with a young girl who may or may not be his daughter because he owes her $200. They go on a road trip doing scams together and of course things go sideways eventually. It's all filmed in black-and-white, effectively bringing its Depression-era setting to life. It feels almost like a documentary at times. Oh, it's also screamingly funny. I was laughing a lot. Tatum O'Neal deserved her Oscar for this. Why don't people talk about this one more often?

 

[Kyuuji]

I need to watch Nightcrawler again. I don't think I paid enough attention the first time I watched it ages ago.

Everyone should watch Paper Moon (1973) if you haven't. It's funny, it's touching, and it's filmed beautifully. What more can you ask for? It's one of the easiest to watch comedies that I've ever seen. It's about a con man who gets forced into a father/daughter style realtionship with a young girl who may or may not be his daughter because he owes her $200. They go on a road trip doing scams together and of course things go sideways eventually. It's all filmed in black-and-white, effectively bringing its Depression-era setting to life. It feels almost like a documentary at times. Oh, it's also screamingly funny. I was laughing a lot. Tatum O'Neal deserved her Oscar for this. Why don't people talk about this one more often?

Click to shrink...

Looks good! Added to my watchlist, thanks. Have a load to work through but few comedies so good to balance.

Nightcrawler is an odd one because it's not necessarily an enjoyable film in the sense of keeping you entertained throughout. More you're kept going through fascination, which is why I felt it's like the subject of the film itself or a nature doc. Teetered between a 4 and a 4.5 but fell on the latter just because he absolutely runs with that part. Unnatural in some scenes almost.

 

[Borgnine]

Why don't people talk about this one more often?

Click to shrink...

No region 1 blu-ray. That's not actually why I'm just projecting. Been waiting literally like 12 years.

 

[patientzero]

Nightcrawler was the subject of my first major article in grad school, focusing on how it reflected trends in tabloid journalism over the last few decades with a specific focus on the field of psychogeography.

 

[Deleted member 18407]

No region 1 blu-ray. That's not actually why I'm just projecting. Been waiting literally like 12 years.

Click to shrink...

Yeah, I was really confused by that too. I broke down and imported the UK blu-ray and it was totally worth it.

 

[Ridley327]

Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror (rewatch): The documentary so nice that it got me to buy the book a few months back and, soon, their combined efforts will result in the focus of entire week for the upcoming October festivities! Just a wonderful and engaging documentary from start to finish and if anyone gets the chance to add in something horror adjacent in the near future, I don't think I could recommend it enough. But I'll try, damn it!

 

[Book One]

Late Night is very scattershot, a movie that feels like it has some good ideas and potential but can't put it all together and execute it as well as you'd hope. Too many attempts to tackle too many different ideas and social issues and plotlines get a little too mixed up with characters that can never quite feel likeable or relatable enough to buy into. It's not a bad movie necessarily, but it just felt a little too lost in what it was trying to accomplish.

 

[Peru]

I was likewise unfamiliar with Ida Lupino, for shame because she gives a great performance as a blind woman, powerful eyes and an atypical sense of physicality as she maneuvers through the environment. Also it sounds like she was a kickass director, in the studio system to boot! She must have been a total boss.

Click to shrink...

One of my favorite directors. Social realism, domestic issue films meets stylistic, symbolic film noir. Just stunning, all of her studio movies. She had to step in for Ray on parts of this movie, too, when he reportedly suffered a breakdown.

 

[Sean C.]

No region 1 blu-ray. That's not actually why I'm just projecting. Been waiting literally like 12 years.

Click to shrink...

I keep expecting it to show up in the Criterion Collection. It and What's Up, Doc?, for that matter. It's weird how the peak of Bogdanovich's career has been largely neglected in recent media releases.

Hustlers (2019): Discussed already in the main thread, but a really well-made crime drama/character study. While her role her isn't huge, I was really happy to see Lili Reinhart getting a supporting role in a successful, acclaimed film.

Bonnie and Clyde (1967): I rewatched this for the first time in a few years, motivated partly by the fact that the current figure skating season has featured several Bonnie & Clyde programs (based on the 2000s musical). This is, I believe, the first time I've watched it since I read Mark Harris' excellent Pictures at a Revolution account of the 1967 Best Picture nominees and how they represented various trends in Hollywood in the late 1960s. It's such an offbeat choice for the material that Clyde seems to have issues getting an erection until near the end of the movie, given that Bonnie and Clyde are the archetypal sexy bandits (and played here by Dunaway and Beatty at peak movie star attractiveness).

 

[KenobiLTS]

Spider Man Far From Home
Too much teenage cringe.

 

[Atisha]

Alita Battle Angel


Spectacular until they borked the story, and went off the rails in a way that induced severe groaning near the end of the second act. I blame James Cameron for that one. Then the ending is pure blue balls.

Watching Alita Kick Major Ass in high style was invigorating
Had the potential to be all around awesome but nope.

 

[overcast]

Well.. It Chapter 2 was probably the worst movie I've seen from 2019.

 

[Illithid Dude]

Was lucky to catch a 35mm print of Paper Moon during a Bogdanovich retrospective in NY. Fantastic film - everyone needs to watch What's Up Doc now too.

 

[MidnightCowboy]

Out of Sight

First I was made uncomfortable by how attractive George is, then I was made uncomfortable by how attractive JLo is—give us uggos a break! I mean jeez are these beautiful people, the trunk scene is so goddamn charming and sexy it hurts. Just a fun, sleek ride man. Rock solid script, Soderbergh directs the hell out of it. Wonderful, wonderful editing, the hotel scene is masterclass, jumping back and forth, the glittering snow in the background. Almost as gorgeous as the leads. And what a supporting cast! The ever dependable Ving Rhames, a great villainous turn from Don Cheadle, good vibes from Steve Zahn as he's prone to do (I'll fight anyone, been a fan since I was a kid), + great bit roles by Catherine Keener, Albert Brooks, Michael Keaton (Jackie Brown!), Dennis Farina, Nancy Allen, Viola Davis, and Samuel L Jackson. Can definitely see myself revisiting this from time to time. White Boy Bob tripping on the stairs 🤣

 

[kvetcha]

over the last week:

Porco Rosso (nth rewatch): still among my very favorite movies. just a perfect little diamond amidst Miyazaki's considerable oeuvre, and easily his funniest movie.

Night is Short, Walk on Girl: visually dazzling, outre, and so packed with incident that it seems to go on much longer than it actually does. Found myself thinking about it a lot the next day, will probably end up rewatching before too long.

Bridget Jones' Diary: a charming, breezy twist on some well-worn tropes. I find it hard to dislike a movie with a Colin Firth and Hugh Grant operating so completely within their comfort zones. it ain't deep, but it is fun.

When Marnie Was There: what a sad way for Studio Ghibli to go out. it's got some of the surface level charm of its studio predecessors, but lacks any sort of directorial stamp. feels like it could have been made for TV. interesting ideas, poorly served.

The African Queen: the movie essentially rides on the charms of Bogart and Hepburn (both glorious). sharp and unusual on-location cinematography really helps sell the setting.

 

[Sleuth]

LATE NIGHT - Damn, I really really hate this movie. Everything about it is just flat out terrible. Its attempt at being topical are just so corny. Its also completely unfunny. Thank god I didn't see this at the theater.

 

[shaneo632]

Saw a screener of The Peanut Butter Falcon yesterday. What a lovely film. A little contrived in the third act but Shia LaBeouf killed it.

 

[overcast]

Well.. It Chapter 2 was probably the worst movie I've seen from 2019.

Click to shrink...

To dive a little deeper.

I wasn't expecting a whole lot because the first movie was largely uninteresting, despite being a decent time at the theaters. This one on the other hand was dreadfully boring, jumping from set piece to set piece without much care. Endless jump scares that follow the exact same pattern every single time, I'm pretty sure the middle hour

Spoiler

of the characters going on a scavenger hunt

had 6 similar scenes back to back. Much like the first, the tone of the movie seems mismatched scene to scene. Critical character threads are brought up haphazardly before being tossed aside in the rushed conclusion. A whole character exists for seemingly no reason at all. Throughout the climax of the movie my Gf and I were groaning about when the end would come. I've never read the book, but if the second part is faithfully adapted I see no reason to.

At least the theater was empty, but I would have preferred getting angry at somebody talking honestly.

1.5/5

 

[Ridley327]

Promare: Coming across like the digest film of a 13-episode anime series that never was, this can feel a bit overwhelming as it puts more of a focus on the larger plot machinations over development for most of the characters, who do wind up feeling one note. But when you're dealing with a studio as delightfully unrestrained as Trigger, taking this tale of firefighting gone truly epic as it merges mecha, X-Men (with a shockingly timely update, if not a particularly subtle one), Gurren Laggan, macho overdosing with just enough latent homoeroticism to keep it from getting too roided out, self-aware humor and well beyond for an aesthetically mind-bending experience that hits the gas from frame one and doesn't let up for nearly two hours. It's an exhausting experience no doubt, but one that hits the finish line just right when it needs to and leaves you rather satisfied with the insane spectacle that you just witnessed and, somehow, some way, were also able to comprehend with relative ease. That doesn't mean you shouldn't pack an ibuprofen or two just in case, but this does give you rush of energy and spirit just before the migraine hits. Probably!

 

[More_Badass]

Any hype for Ad Astra? Probably going to see it Friday, really excited for some big-budget sci-fi onscreen

 

[overcast]

Any hype for Ad Astra? Probably going to see it Friday, really excited for some big-budget sci-fi onscreen

Click to shrink...

Yeah, I'm really hyped. Going to probably watch it in the middle of the week though. I don't trust the weekend crowd at my theater with that kind of movie.

 

[MidnightCowboy]

Any hype for Ad Astra? Probably going to see it Friday, really excited for some big-budget sci-fi onscreen

Click to shrink...

Gonna check it out on Friday too. Hopefully Brad goes 2 for 2 this year.

 

[Osahi]

Any hype for Ad Astra? Probably going to see it Friday, really excited for some big-budget sci-fi onscreen

Click to shrink...

Going to see it tonight. Really looking forward to it, though the reviews in the Belgian press are average

 

[Peru]

I hope Ad Astra is good.. As for the commercial prospects, James Gray has that uncanny ability to not please audiences, even when the premise is ostensibly mainstream.