watched another classic last night
King's Row
I never saw a Ronald Reagan movie before but this was a great story! Of course it has no explosions, no gunfights, no assault weapons, no vampires, no zombies, no sex, no fist fights. So probably no interest for the vast majority of movie goers, but I loved it.
10 out of 10 sadistic small town doctors
Why is it whenever someone mentions an artist that was clearly progressive (yet not the Symph weenie definition of Prog) do certain people feel compelled to snort "thats not Prog" like a whiny 5th grader?
First episode to the Raised by Wolves HBO Max series created by Ridley Scott and others. I don't have HBO, but I enjoyed the first eps. and look forward to watching more to see where it goes.
We watched the directors cut version of "Dr. Sleep" last night on HBO. I thought it was really well done and a good sequel to "The Shining".
Street Smart, 1987, Christopher Reeve, Morgan Freeman, Kathy Baker.
Christopher Reeve plays an ambitious journalist who is struggling to find a story that will get him noticed. Under threat of losing his job, he decides to invent a story about a pimp who has befriended and has been giving him warts and all information about how he works. Naturally the story is sensational and he is praised by his bosses. Until real life pimp Morgan Freeman sees similarities to his situation and assumes Reeve is writing about him. Naturally Freeman seeks Reeve out and an uneasy relationship begins. There are some interesting twists and turns as Freeman is up for murder, and sees his relationship with Reeve as a way to manipulate himself out of the situation.
It's an interesting premise, and while its not a bad film its not all it could have been. Its good to see Reeve play a different kind of role, and he is good if not spectacular. Kathy Baker invests the 'tart with a heart' role with more nuance than you would expect. But its Morgan Freeman that is the revelation here. Much younger, and at once terrifyingly threatening and friendly, as likely to shove a bottle in your face as to shake your hand. His performance reminded me of a younger Richard Pryor with a dash of Samuel Jackson thrown in. In fact Freeman was nominated for an oscar for this role.
But few people would know any of this because as usual, Cannon films who made it barely released it at all here in the UK. In fact, this was a pet project of Reeves that he wanted to make, and he had a deal with Golan and Globus that he would make Superman 4 in return for them financing this movie. And we all know how that turned out...
I only clicked on it because I thought it was going to be something more interesting...
Bump. Has no one seen this movie yet...?Originally Posted by Rogue Mail
I only clicked on it because I thought it was going to be something more interesting...
Greyhound (2020). In February of 1942, an international convoy of 37 Allied ships, led by lieutenant commander Ernest Krause (Tom Hanks) in his first command of a US destroyer, the Greyhound, crosses the treacherous North Atlantic while hotly pursued by a wolf pack of Nazi U-boats. (paraphrasing RottenTomatoes)
This movie feels a lot like a WWII movie from the '40s or '50s. If you're a fan of those, you'll like this. This is an action movie, however, so there's virtually no character development. But who cares? This is an enjoyable action movie. In fact, I liked it more than Dunkirk. I'm sure I'll be in the minority saying that but, oh well.
There is something that's a little confusing at first. In the opening scene, an escort plane and the Greyhound communicate but it's unclear how. All you see is the dialogue typed onscreen. If you look closely, tho, you'll see they're using signalling lamps and Morse code. Maybe on the big screen it would have been obvious, but on a TV, it's not. Incidentally, it was scheduled to be released in June of this year but since all the movie theaters closed, the distribution rights were sold to Apple TV.
Scores on RT: 78% (critics), 75% (audience). Score on IMdB: 7/10. I'll give it 8 out of 10 depth charges.
“From thirty feet away she looked like a lot of class. From ten feet away she looked like something made up to be seen from thirty feet away.” – Philip Marlowe
I quite enjoyed it. Great spectacle and effects but as you say little character development. Most of the dialogue involved crewmen shouting commands and orders at each other.
I only clicked on it because I thought it was going to be something more interesting...
Late to the party with this one I'm sure.. Watched Once upon a time in Hollywood this weekend.. didn't see it when it came out and it's been on a wait list from the library since early April.. Can't say I'm a huge Tarantino fan but there were moments with this one..
Team America - World Police.
I really didn't enjoy this first time around on release. And yet I like Parker and Stones movies, was a big fan of South Park etc. Plus I grew up on Gerry Anderson's puppet shows and loved them, so this should have ticked all the boxes for me.
But I just didn't find it funny. It all felt very obvious and juvenile. It seemed to go out of its way to shock and outrage, and somehow forgot to be funny.
And a second viewing last night really didn't change my opinion. Thank god I only paid 50p for it in a CEX store. And now I have a new drinks coaster...
I only clicked on it because I thought it was going to be something more interesting...
Time Trap (2017), on Netflix. Taylor and Cara go searching for their missing professor in a remote area of Texas. Taylor drafts his friend Jackie to give them a ride to the area; she brings her 13 year old sister and her friend Furby. When they reach their destination, they discover a cave and rappel into it. While exploring the cave, the group experience a series of bizarre and dangerous events related to time distortion." (Wikipedia, paraphrased)
Is it a great movie? Of course not. It looks and feels like a freshman effort from a student straight out of film school (which, apparently, it's not. it's actually the directors' sophomore effort. their first movie was the well-received Strings). But it goes in directions you don't anticipate, so the story's quite original. Overall, I'd give the movie a B, I guess.
Zombieland: Double Tap (2019). Not quite as good as the first movie. At times it feels a little like paint by numbers. But the gang's all here... and so is the humor. I just hope they don't wait another 10 years to make another sequel, if they do.
Overall, I'd say it's an enjoyable way to spend an hour and a half. Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of B+. That seems about right.
“From thirty feet away she looked like a lot of class. From ten feet away she looked like something made up to be seen from thirty feet away.” – Philip Marlowe
I liked that one ok, the idea of time warping was cool, but I agree that it wasn't great
7 out of 10 8 foot tall colonists from Mars
Saw Blade Runner 2045 last night. They did a good job making it feel the same as the original. Good twist too.
8 out of 10 little carved horses
Why is it whenever someone mentions an artist that was clearly progressive (yet not the Symph weenie definition of Prog) do certain people feel compelled to snort "thats not Prog" like a whiny 5th grader?
Wouldn't you consider that a spoiler? It's why I worded my synopsis the way I did: to avoid that.
I think you mean BR 2049.Saw Blade Runner 2045 last night. They did a good job making it feel the same as the original. Good twist too.
If you gave BR 2049 a score of 8/10, what would you give the original? Personally, I liked the sequel way more and don't care much for the original.
“From thirty feet away she looked like a lot of class. From ten feet away she looked like something made up to be seen from thirty feet away.” – Philip Marlowe
I for one give the original Blade Runner 11/10. It was the first science fiction movie I ever saw that really went into what it means to be human. And the Roy Batty monolog at the end is by itself. (Did you know Rutger Hauer rewrote that speech himself? He didn't like the one in the script and came up with that brilliant bit...)
Cobra handling and cocaine use are a bad mix.
Yeah Bladerunner is 10/10 for me, a masterpiece.
Ian
Host of the Post-Avant Jazzcore Happy Hour on progrock.com
https://podcasts.progrock.com/post-a...re-happy-hour/
Gordon Haskell - "You've got to keep the groove in your head and play a load of bollocks instead"
I blame Wynton, what was the question?
There are only 10 types of people in the World, those who understand binary and those that don't.
I love both, but give the edge to BR2049.
"That gum you like is going to come back in style."
I think original is much more groundbraking, a huge accomplishment. Much prefer it to 2049
What can this strange device be? When I touch it, it brings forth a sound (2112)
8 foot tall Mars colonist doesn't really give away much at all... at least I can't see how it does
re: the original BR
10 out of 10 thigh strangling women
Why is it whenever someone mentions an artist that was clearly progressive (yet not the Symph weenie definition of Prog) do certain people feel compelled to snort "thats not Prog" like a whiny 5th grader?
You can't? My synopsis nor Wikipedia's mention anything about that. Hell, not even Netflix's does. Why do you think that is?
“From thirty feet away she looked like a lot of class. From ten feet away she looked like something made up to be seen from thirty feet away.” – Philip Marlowe
really? that guy's significance to the story is minimal
Why is it whenever someone mentions an artist that was clearly progressive (yet not the Symph weenie definition of Prog) do certain people feel compelled to snort "thats not Prog" like a whiny 5th grader?
What?! The whole third act hinges on his appearance.
“From thirty feet away she looked like a lot of class. From ten feet away she looked like something made up to be seen from thirty feet away.” – Philip Marlowe
It's a great speech and Hauer is sorely missed. But I am not sure its fair to say he re wrote the whole speech. He may have contributed some lines to it though. There have been many different reports over the years regarding who actually wrote those final lines.
However, whats important to me is how Hauer spoke those lines, his inflection, emphasis, pauses etc. I think he really made it come alive and sold that speech.
I only clicked on it because I thought it was going to be something more interesting...
All I know is Hauer's story: he says he kept two lines from the original script.
Cobra handling and cocaine use are a bad mix.
In the grand scheme of things I guess it does not matter really, may be one of those apocryphal stories that is repeated over the years and inevitably changes with each retelling.
Either way...its a phenomenal speech.
Saw a couple good horror flicks on Netflix last night.
1 BR
Sarah is a young gal leaving her father's house to start a new life in L A. She sees a sign for a vacancy in an apartment building and goes to the open house.
Though there are many there at the open house, she gets the apartment. She spends the rest of the film learning what it is to be part of a community, and everything
is certainly not as it seems. No Oscar winner, but it is well done and adequately creepy.
#Alive
Netflix original. (Korean with subtitles)
Better than average zombie film. Ju awakens to a note that his parents and sister have gone out for the day and won't be home until late.
Hanging out at the apartment and playing video games, he gets texts from friends telling him to turn on the news, which he does to see that
a virus has swept across the land causing violent and cannibalistic behavior from the infected. Looking out the patio door from the balcony
of his apartment, he sees the chaos and eventually finds that he is the only one still alive. The rest of the film is his struggle to survive.
There is nothing new here, but it is very well done. Zombies have typical human mobility, and some have some semblance of intelligence.
I enjoyed it.
A Comfort Zone is not a Life Sentence
I saw 1 BR a couple weeks ago, I think. I didn't find it creepy as much as disturbing. I thought it was good, too, but like you said, no Oscar winner.
I have #Alive on the list.
“From thirty feet away she looked like a lot of class. From ten feet away she looked like something made up to be seen from thirty feet away.” – Philip Marlowe
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