Movies - Take Two. Action!

[SteveSly]

I'm curious about it, but having grown up with the original and seen it at several different stages of my life, I'm of the opinion that it can't be improved upon. Perhaps Señor Spielbergo can mine something that was undiscovered or underserved before, but I'm dubious. I do think it's good that he chose to cast latino/a actors in appropriate roles - perhaps the only weakness of the original.

Same here. I've seen the original film several times and seen it on stage several times. Still.......the new one is directed by Spielberg, so I may end up checking it out. I want to see some reviews first.

[Rogue Mail]

I'm curious about it, but having grown up with the original and seen it at several different stages of my life, I'm of the opinion that it can't be improved upon. Perhaps Señor Spielbergo can mine something that was undiscovered or underserved before, but I'm dubious. I do think it's good that he chose to cast latino/a actors in appropriate roles - perhaps the only weakness of the original.

I don't think the point of a remake is to improve upon the original, its just a new version. It happens in theatre all the time.

[nycsteve]

Watched Nobody , on Prime Payto View. Starts off well. Insane , graphic bus fight , 5 against 1 sets up story. The promising start devolves into a John Wick ripoff , complete comic book nonsense. Pretty violent , ok if you're a Wickian fan.

[headcrash]

Where did you view the Black Cat? TCM?

It's available to rent on Amazon Prime for four bucks.

[hippypants]

Is that the one where they unfreeze Krampus or something?

Yes, but it wasn't Krampus, that's a different movie.

[hippypants]

In promotion of Del Toro's new remake:

[mozo-pg]

Same here. I've seen the original film several times and seen it on stage several times. Still.......the new one is directed by Spielberg, so I may end up checking it out. I want to see some reviews first.

The remake of Blade Runner was excellent so who knows?. I agree that the original is extremely hard to follow. I think Natalie Wood was absolutely stunning in one of the lead roles. I'm going to likely take the plunge and check it out.

[hippypants]

A Woman Under the Influence--Criterion film with Gena Rowlands and Peter Falks. The title sounds like it's about a woman abusing alcohol or pills, but it's about her mental illness. Overall I'd give it a middling grade. It's about halfway interesting and half boredom. It's over indulgent and scenes go on way too long. Directed by John Cassavetes it's around two and a half hours, and most of the scenes seem to be improvised. The whole family in the film seemed pretty dysfunctional (except the children). The film in general is just about the family's home life. I made it thru the whole film, but had to speed up a few scenes.

[Jerjo]

My favorite Cassavetes movie will always be the pulpy Gloria. Gena Rowlands is outstanding as a mob moll with an attitude and a deadly aim. TCM should run this one.

[hippypants]

The remake of Blade Runner was excellent so who knows?

If you mean, Blade Runner 2049, that was a sequel I think.

[hippypants]

One of the reasons modern movies suck or it's the technology is the dialogue. I know I can turn on the CC, but sometimes it distracts from the picture. Here's an article on why movie dialogue has gotten more difficult to understand.

[spellbound]

That's a great article on movie sound and dialog. We have to turn on captions for pretty much everything. We thought it was just us. But I remember before captions were available or watching in theaters where there are no captions. Older movies, we could understand without captions. Newer ones, despite the technology, we often could not, or else the sound was deafeningly loud. Interesting to learn all the variables at play. Thanks for posting that.

[mozo-pg]

The remake of Blade Runner was excellent so who knows?

If you mean, Blade Runner 2049, that was a sequel I think.

Yes, that's the one!

[Progatron]

That's a great article on movie sound and dialog. We have to turn on captions for pretty much everything. We thought it was just us. But I remember before captions were available or watching in theaters where there are no captions. Older movies, we could understand without captions. Newer ones, despite the technology, we often could not, or else the sound was deafeningly loud. Interesting to learn all the variables at play. Thanks for posting that.

Yep, totally agreed here. I'm at the point now where I basically watch every movie and TV show with captions because I simply can't hear a lot of them, and I miss entire lines of dialogue. They practically whisper things now, but if I crank the volume, there will be some huge sound effect just around the corner that will shake the foundation. I don't understand why home movies have to emulate the theatre experience, they are not one and the same.

[spellbound]

Yep, totally agreed here. I'm at the point now where I basically watch every movie and TV show with captions because I simply can't hear a lot of them, and I miss entire lines of dialogue. They practically whisper things now, but if I crank the volume, there will be some huge sound effect just around the corner that will shake the foundation. I don't understand why home movies have to emulate the theatre experience, they are not one and the same.

Gotta agree with you. There is no reason watching a movie in my home should keep the neighbors awake for miles around. Captions for those of us who ain't deaf, yet, but want to show a little consideration for other people. Weird how the volume of sound effects ranges from a whisper to a scream, but the volume of dialog remains ever low.

If movies in your home emulate the theater experience, should music albums emulate the concert experience? Turn it up till your ears bleed and have people stand up in front of you to smoke and take pictures and talk constantly through the whole thing? Wouldn't that be great?

I have gone home from movies at the theater with my ears ringing from the loud volume, just as though I'd been to a concert, but without a night of good music to trade for my hearing loss.

[Progmatic]

Watched Stillwater (2021), a drama about an oil field worker who travels from Oklahoma to France to try to get his daughter freed from prison there. Quite good, if you don't go in expecting lots of action or a feel-good story.

What the ending! I loved it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[headcrash]

I caught Nomadland on Amazon. Riveting performance by Frances McDormand, which is not a shock since I have loved everything I've ever seen her in.

[SteveSly]

I have gone home from movies at the theater with my ears ringing from the loud volume, just as though I'd been to a concert, but without a night of good music to trade for my hearing loss.

With the exception of IMAX I am finding that theater sound is often not loud enough. My ears are probably getting bad, but theaters in our area don't seem to be as loud as they used to be.

[SteveSly]

I caught Nomadland on Amazon. Riveting performance by Frances McDormand, which is not a shock since I have loved everything I've ever seen her in.

We saw it in the theater. McDormand was amazing in it although not sure that I think it deserved a best picture, Oscar.

[spellbound]

The local movie theater finally has a few flicks I want to see, but the state has a mask mandate for indoor places. I don't think I want to wear a mask through an entire 2-hour movie. Guess dvd and streaming sales are up these days? I suppose it's been a while since I went out to a movie.

[hippypants]

Some of the better movies or series I've seen all year 2021 (not all came out in 2021):

Possessor
Once Were Brothers (music doc)
The Father
News of the World
Brother (Russian)
Brand New Cherry Flavor (series)
Malignant
The Sparks Brothers (doc)
Wake In Fright
99 River Street (noir)

[Jerjo]

Last night we streamed Blow the Man Down on Amazon Prime. "Welcome to Easter Cove, a salty fishing village on the far reaches of Maine's rocky coast. Grieving the loss of their mother and facing an uncertain future, Mary Beth & Priscilla Connolly cover up a gruesome run-in with a dangerous man. To conceal their crime, the sisters must go deeper into Easter Cove's underbelly and uncover the town matriarchs' darkest secrets." From the trailer I assumed it would be a dark comedy. It wasn't a comedy. But as the story unfolded, it was quite unpredictable. Periodically there is a chorus of fishermen singing sea chanties and it just gives it an even darker vibe. We liked it.

[hippypants]

Top Ten Critics list of films and more. I've only seen Dune, and I'm usually behind in watching the newest features.

[Rick L.]

Last night we streamed Blow the Man Down on Amazon Prime. "Welcome to Easter Cove, a salty fishing village on the far reaches of Maine's rocky coast. Grieving the loss of their mother and facing an uncertain future, Mary Beth & Priscilla Connolly cover up a gruesome run-in with a dangerous man. To conceal their crime, the sisters must go deeper into Easter Cove's underbelly and uncover the town matriarchs' darkest secrets." From the trailer I assumed it would be a dark comedy. It wasn't a comedy. But as the story unfolded, it was quite unpredictable. Periodically there is a chorus of fishermen singing sea chanties and it just gives it an even darker vibe. We liked it.

I might watch that sucker tonight.

[Progatron]

I watched Last Night In Soho tonight. Good psychological arthouse-style thriller/horror with some terrific imagery and good acting. Man, I do like that Anya Taylor-Joy some, yessir.