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More impressively, it’s the only ‘kinda reboot’ that I’ve never heard a bad word against.

 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
More impressively, it’s the only ‘kinda reboot’ that I’ve never heard a bad word against.

Yep, and I think there are a lot of reasons for that - but that's for another thread

What about the Planet of the Apes kind-of reboot trilogy?

True, true. Still not seen the third one, but accepted into that hallowed hall!

Who Framed Roger Rabbit

Absolute masterpiece.

It’s on Disney+. Go watch it, then debate me. If you can.

Terror Beneath the Sea
This movie is a real treat to watch as it has tons of opportunity for riffing. My daughter and I went crazy on this film.

It is like a James Bond movie mixed with a Japanese monster movie. Glorious stuff. This movie must have been a victim on MST3K, but if it has I have not seen it.

I recommend it for a good time, but it really makes no sense.



The Brain Eaters
A strange cone arrives on the outskirts of town, and bad things start to happen.

You know, this movies has a decent idea and then completely fumbles it. The director did have some interesting shots to make things seem "out of sorts" including some good opening credits sequence and using angled shots. The "Two-fisted Man of Science" is also enjoyable in this film. Too bad the rest of the cast is dumb as rocks and the plot just meanders along. The Brain-eaters are always ten steps ahead of the "heroes". Then, the "ending" makes no sense at all.

Not as fun to riff on either.

Star Trek Continues

Youtube-based fan-series continuing the original series. Similar to Star Trek Phase II (founded by America's greatest Elvis Impersonator who used his vast Elvis Impersonating Fortune to live his dream of playing Captain Kirk). Unlike Phase II, Continues really works to feel like a 60s episode, same lighting, same shots, even the effects aren't really that different. The closest thing we can get to new 'old' episodes. And a lot of plots hew very close to the same sort of veiled social commentary as TOS. The only sore bit for me has been the cameos and stunt casting, I don't like running to wikipedia during a show to figure out who that guy is. Though having Apollo from BSG in an episode with Apollo from TOS was cool.


https://www.youtube.com/user/StarTrekContinues

Watched 2 documentaries last night. . .

First was "Death by Metal". . . a doc about the band Death, but mostly focusing on Chuck Shuldiner's life and creative process, etc. . . Pretty good and interesting, if you're interested in death metal or the metal genre in general.

Second was one called "Lo Sound Desert". . . another really interesting look into an underground music scene lifting its head: California desert rock. Its got interviews with a bunch of the musicians from the area, including Josh Homme (one of the main reasons why more people are now discovering desert rock, I'd say)

Live Free or Die Hard:

Synopsis: Terrorists are trying to steal all the monies, and only John McClane can survive the vicious ass-kicking required to save the day. Not to be confused with all the other Die Hard movies, this one pokes fun at how old people don’t understand technology.

Analysis: Do you like Die Hard 1,2,3, or 5? Chances are good you’d like this one too. Nothing new, sticks to the script. The only thing more dangerous than a pandemic is being related to John McClane. Fun non-super hero pop corn movie.

I genuinely really enjoy Live Free or Die Hard, an exceptionally fun popcorn movie. I think it's a PG-13 one too? Either way, fun action, fun writing, love me some Justin Long - excellent character interaction, etc. Overall it's really fun.

Sadly the follow up was...terrible by comparison. :(

Not a movie, Gargoyles on Disney+

Never seen it before, but only head good things.

Two nights ago I watched Streets of Fire again. Around christmas I realized I somehow had lost my dvd. So I bought a second hand one for like 2€. Suckers. So I got a German and an English language DvD cover now (with a DVD that says "not for retail". Must have been from one of the many dissolved video store collections). Anyway, watched it again, because it's my favourite film. Wrote mini reviews of it several times.

I was on the verge of thinking that maybe it's not all that entertaining and that I basically only like the first and last scenes, with a big slump in the middle because I hadn't seen it for a year or two. Of course I was wrong. It's a brilliant film. Also look at how young everybody (and I mean everybody) in that film was. Rick Moranis I think was the eldest of the cast at about 30. Yeah, sure, Michael Paré isn't that good in this film. He's young and I think it's really hard pulling off a stoic, seemingly-unaffected kinda badass soldier when you're 18 and know you don't quite look the part (but are very pretty). There's also not all that much chemistry with Diane Lane (but she's so awesomely pretty. And I don't use that adjective usually. In this case it fits though.). So at least both leads are very pretty. The way they two work with each other also kinda gives their relationship an interesting spin that doesn't go badly with the story. Amy Madigan is just a fun character. The role was written for a big, burly dude, but she pulls it off. And it's fun to see this buddy relationship between her and Michael Paré's character.

Rick Moranis' character is possibly the strongest (along with Madigan's). He takes a lot of abuse, but also hands it out when he's in the position. Which is cool. when we see Rick Moranis (in a classic Rick Moranis look in that film too), we expect him to be this comedic, zany wet blanket type, but he certainly isn't in that film.He's out of his element for most of the film, but competent when it comes to stuff he knows about. I like that in a character. Make'em count.

Also pay attention to the extras in that film. They are amazing. Concert audiences, café visitors, bikers. In so many scenes you'll find extras in the back which just fit the scene perfectly. They round it off. Then there's the scene in the middle of the film where they have to pass the inner city on foot. And suddenly we got this explosion of colours and extravagant clothes, but the people in those clothes are all seedy characters, either over- or underexcited. It's such an interesting scene because it's such a contrast.

The whole film is such a proper personal project. Hill made it for him and himself alone. There are so many ideas and visual tricks put into every scene that make the film feel vital and driven and just going. Then there's these amazing night shots (IIRC they built a huge tent over Universal's parking lot) with the neon lighting and just this whole amazing city set in general. The city always feels slightly claustrophobic (with this 'roof' of railways above everything), very cramped and alive with action. A proper sprawl.

The music of course is beyond discussion. I wouldn't call it a musical, but of course the music is a huge part of this film. Hill even bloody got the line "long live Rock&Roll" into the film. Just as a throw-away line mumbled by a stagehand, but that makes it even better.

Also: pretty memorable villain. Maybe not in terms of character (even though he does have a theatric bent), but it's made very clear that he's a bad guy. And this Rock&Roll Fable needs a good bad guy to contrast the good guy. And we got that in Raven Shaddock and his upsetting pants. Speaking of the good guy, count how many times they say his name in the film. It's like they're establishing a band there or if it was a comicbook titled Tom Cody. It's just so gut. I could gush on and on about this film. Go watch it. Some will love it, some will find it really silly, but nobody will find it just 'meh' I believe. It's a unique film, and it's an interesting film, and those are the ones which stand the test of time (despite bombing at the box office). Nobody will remember that Moby Dick origin story film, The Mummy (Tom Cruise film) or The Heat in 30 years time. Streets of Fire, in it's weirdly timless-but-complete-time-capsule setting and timeless fairy tale story and characters will prevail. Kinda like rock&roll.




After having watched the new Ghostbusters film I also decided to re-watch Ghostbusters. And yeah, it really is a good film. Better than the new one of course, but also just good. So yeah, the new one made me look at the original more fondly.

Streets of Fire use to be one twice a year (at least) Saturday afternoon on the local channel when I was a kid. I have seen it about a dozen times, but it has been ages. I might have to give it another go.

I need to see that movie.

I heard about it only recently, in a review of the Last Dragon, and I love that movie.

10 Things I Hate About You.

Stone cold classic.

The Patriot: Typical Emmerich style 6/10 movie. Decent cast...okay writing...okay action...soft-ball approach to conflict, etc. Satisfies my occasional desire to see muskets go pop.

2012

Watching a disaster flick during a disaster is a bit.... unusual feeling. I don't think I would want to watch a movie like Outbreak or Contagion right now. I couldn't shake the feeling that I was one of those anonymous background characters who are doing their best to survive, but since we aren't the leads we don't get to be action stars and survive.... or even make it to the 3rd act. Instead, I am the comic relief faceless person in peril......

@Easy E: That's the crazy thing - I tend to think that I was someone who's at least somewhat familiar with 80s and 90s b-films or a certain level of belovedness. And I hadn't heard of Streets of Fire until I happened across it by accident on late night TV in like 2004. Insane. Long live late night tv. Well, until it died and made way for these insufferably gakky crime shows they run all the time now. Or insufferably gakky military shows. Or Supernatural. Austrian TV seems to have this incredible love for Supernatural. Each time I turn it on at night (from 11 to 2am) they seem to have bloody Supernatural on. Of course I never watched an episode. I also never sat through an episode of NCIS. And I can not count the times I turned on the TV, it said that Lethal Weapon was on, I'm happily thinking 'alriiiiiiigh' and then it's the gakky tv show. And don't get me started on Last Man Standing's title popping up in the TV's menu misleading me.... Anyway - watch it. Based on the stuff you watch I think you'll enjoy it. Also: You have to show it to the rest of the family!

As for 2012 - yeah, watching catastrophe films now probably feels weird. I actually saw 2012 in the cinema as part of a birthday evening out. I found it perfectly entertaining. The last quarter or so was a bit meh, but overall, it was a fun little film.



@Bobtheinquisitor: Yes, you do. As I said - I love it.


So during these weird times, what are films you can put on any time and they'll always make you feel better than when you started watching them?
The ones I can think of right now are:
.) There's something about Mary
.) Harold&Kumar go to Whitecastle
.) Pappa Ante Portas
.) Maverick
.) Bridge of Dragons
.) Probably Miami Connection
.) MST3k in general, apart from the odd KTMA(?) episode, Blood Waters of Dr.Z or the Fu Manchu one.

Maybe Friday? My Neighbor Totoro for sure.

I also enjoy Harold and Kumar go to Guantanamo Bay. The bit where they are interrogating Harold's Dad is hilarious. Never gets old to me. Captures the feel of the time so well.

Never got myself to watch the sequel. I heard so much bad about it and never quite made it past the first 5 minutes or so. Seemed very "Next Friday" to "Friday to me, and I got burned on that one already! But I'll see that I give it another chance.

Jay and Silent Bob Reboot:

Free with Prime. Sadly, this is pretty awful. Loaded with lampshading that the movie is basically an acting credit for his daughter with a cast mostly made up of friends doing a favor after his brush with death, which.... fair, but doesn't make it good. Leans a lot on Mewes to carry the film which goes about as well as you'd expect. Act 3 is actually pretty okay. Lots of comic/film industry jabs with the right actors to make it appropriately self deprecating. Pretty low effort affair.

 LunarSol wrote:
Jay and Silent Bob Reboot:

Free with Prime. Sadly, this is pretty awful. Loaded with lampshading that the movie is basically an acting credit for his daughter with a cast mostly made up of friends doing a favor after his brush with death, which.... fair, but doesn't make it good. Leans a lot on Mewes to carry the film which goes about as well as you'd expect. Act 3 is actually pretty okay. Lots of comic/film industry jabs with the right actors to make it appropriately self deprecating. Pretty low effort affair.

I'll give it a go but Kev and I haven't been getting on since Tusk (Red State was also muddled mess but for an out of the comfort zone effort I let it slide)

We recently saw Destroy All Monsters on Tubi. This classic Godzilla film has it all, from hokey costumes to cheesy props, silly dub voices and retro sound effects, with a pace slow enough to let you think of all the best jokes while you wait for the epic monster throw down. Definitely going to watch again.

I have been loving all the crappy old movies on Tubi ... that is where I have been watching most of my schlock.

If I’d known about Tubi earlier, I might not have stocked up on so many bargain bin DVDs.

 Turnip Jedi wrote:

 LunarSol wrote:
Jay and Silent Bob Reboot:

Free with Prime. Sadly, this is pretty awful. Loaded with lampshading that the movie is basically an acting credit for his daughter with a cast mostly made up of friends doing a favor after his brush with death, which.... fair, but doesn't make it good. Leans a lot on Mewes to carry the film which goes about as well as you'd expect. Act 3 is actually pretty okay. Lots of comic/film industry jabs with the right actors to make it appropriately self deprecating. Pretty low effort affair.

I'll give it a go but Kev and I haven't been getting on since Tusk (Red State was also muddled mess but for an out of the comfort zone effort I let it slide)

to be fair, even he gives himself gak for tusk

still need to watch jay and silent bob reboot myself now that i think of it

 Ensis Ferrae wrote:
Watched 2 documentaries last night. . .

First was "Death by Metal". . . a doc about the band Death, but mostly focusing on Chuck Shuldiner's life and creative process, etc. . . Pretty good and interesting, if you're interested in death metal or the metal genre in general.

Thank you for this. One of my favourites but I was unaware the doc existed.

Watched the Wizard of Oz last night. My kindergartener spent most of it pointing out the differences between the book and the movie, so I guess she's well on her way.

Later, I watched Knives Out, which is just delightful. Easily one of the most satisfying whodunnits I've seen in years.

Breakfast Club's back up on Netflix (what a crappy, crappy system). One of my absolute favorite.s Decided to just have a peek into it, and all of a sudden I had watched the whole thing. It's such an easy and nice watch.

started watching Bloody Pit of Horror for the ..... 5th or 6th time or so. Didn't finish before I had to go do something else. I always get a good smile from watching it.


The Last Witch Hunter
The Vin Diesel film about an immortal witchunter. The story and world building isn't terrible, but Vin hits on the character's main issue about half way through the film in a bit of dialogue.

"I don't fear anything any more. It's kind of boring really."

Indeed Vin. Indeed.

Plus the scenes with him and Michael Caine..... well..... makes it pretty obvious who the veteran actor is and who the action star is......painfully obvious.

Overall though, I enjoyed it for what it was.

 Easy E wrote:
started watching Bloody Pit of Horror for the ..... 5th or 6th time or so. Didn't finish before I had to go do something else. I always get a good smile from watching it.


The Last Witch Hunter
...
"I don't fear anything any more. It's kind of boring really."

Indeed Vin. Indeed.
....

Vin Diesel is such a weird case. He seems like kind of a nice guy and sure seems to be passionate about making (action) genre films. But he's just such a non-presence on the screen. Few weeks ago I chaught about 10 minutes of "xXx: Return of Xander Cage". It was just.... naff. Not quite rubbish, but also not anything but rubbish.