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Mallrats

Thought I'd stick with the Smith agenda on the off chance I had a grump on with Clerks, turns out making a John Hughes knockoff is somehow harder making a Linklater inspired effort, if it wasn't for Jason Lee, and lubbly Ms Forlani I'd most likely given up, doesn't bode well for Amy

 Turnip Jedi wrote:
Mallrats

Thought I'd stick with the Smith agenda on the off chance I had a grump on with Clerks, turns out making a John Hughes knockoff is somehow harder making a Linklater inspired effort, if it wasn't for Jason Lee, and lubbly Ms Forlani I'd most likely given up, doesn't bode well for Amy

While I get that Clerks was more appropriate for its audience, I actually 'got' Mallrats better than Clerks. I could at least recognize people I knew in the characters.

Chasing Amy is a lot more serious than the others- the tone is completely different. [As is Jersey Girl, but for different reasons. It should be titled 'How to be a Crappy, Bitter Parent.' It wasn't funny, or uplifting or particularly relevant, just 'here's a crappy life, on screen, because someone doesn't know you can hire nannies in New York City']
I've got mixed feelings about Amy, but by and large I think its a better film? But not particularly enjoyable for a re-watch.

I don't think any of Smith's films hold up very well. Clerks 2 and Jay and Silent Bob in particular very forgettable (the jokes and subjects are way past their prime). Dogma's a very warped take on someone's fragmented memories of a Catholic upbringing, but despite the warp its very predictable and trite.

Chasing Amy has some great little scenes in it, and Jason Lee makes his scenes enjoyable. If you were into comics in the 90’s, you’ll get more out of the movie.

True story: my mom heard good things about Chasing Amy, so she rented it and we all watched it as a family. I can think of few things more painfully awkward than watching Chasing Amy with one’s parents (especially in the 90’s).

Also, I might be an outlier but I found Clerks 2 really funny while I thought Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back was painfully unfunny. And Dogma was unfunny and forgettable. Whenever I try to think about the plot or bad guys in Dogma, my brain says “data not found” and substitutes in their counterparts from The Devil’s Advocate.

Roman wristbands.

https://www.facebook.com/CouldBeWorseComic

 BobtheInquisitor wrote:
Chasing Amy has some great little scenes in it, and Jason Lee makes his scenes enjoyable. If you were into comics in the 90’s, you’ll get more out of the movie.

True story: my mom heard good things about Chasing Amy, so she rented it and we all watched it as a family. I can think of few things more painfully awkward than watching Chasing Amy with one’s parents (especially in the 90’s).
.

Oh, it definitely has great scenes. Just the movie as a whole isn't something I want to sit through again.

Yeah, I can't even imagine watching that one with the parents, especially at the time. The resulting muddle of confusion and pitchforks (respectively) and demands that 'you aren't like that, right?' would have been nightmarish. It was awkward enough explaining that I didn't actually believe in vampires one holiday break simply because I was watching a vampire TV show.

Allan Quatermain and the Lost City of Gold

Well, it’s an Indiana Jones knock off, isn’t it? But hey, aside from offensive racial stereotypes, Quatermain suddenly being American and well dodgy cinematography?

It’s got James Earl Jones and Sharon Stone. I fear it’s not going to get any better though.

 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
Allan Quatermain and the Lost City of Gold

Well, it’s an Indiana Jones knock off, isn’t it? But hey, aside from offensive racial stereotypes, Quatermain suddenly being American and well dodgy cinematography?

It’s got James Earl Jones and Sharon Stone. I fear it’s not going to get any better though.

Uh, no, indiana jones is a knockoff of Allan Quartermain.

Offensive racial stereotypes? Yeah, temple of doom was full of them, and had offensive sexist stereotypes too.

Quartermain being american? Ok, guilty.


In just watched an old one, "The manitou". A creepy monster movie likely inspired by rosemary's baby. it had its moments, i admit. If you're a 70s horror fan it might appeal to you depsite being 'offensive' to some today.

Oh this film is an Indiana Jones knock-off, regardless of the source material. Really pretty awful!

Now?

Coming 2 America

This is actually rather fun! As with pretty much any late stage sequel I was expecting an out of date car crash, relying on jokes from yesteryear which you know, kinda belong in yesteryear.

So far, nothing to dislike. Some decent call backs, and it certainly feels a continuation of what is a classic 80’s comedy.

 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
Allan Quatermain and the Lost City of Gold

Well, it’s an Indiana Jones knock off, isn’t it? But hey, aside from offensive racial stereotypes, Quatermain suddenly being American and well dodgy cinematography?

It’s got James Earl Jones and Sharon Stone. I fear it’s not going to get any better though.

There are some fun bits on that one on the excellent Cannon Films documentary "Electric Boogaloo". Highly recommended. To be watched over and over and over.

 Matt Swain wrote:

 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
Allan Quatermain and the Lost City of Gold

Well, it’s an Indiana Jones knock off, isn’t it? But hey, aside from offensive racial stereotypes, Quatermain suddenly being American and well dodgy cinematography?

It’s got James Earl Jones and Sharon Stone. I fear it’s not going to get any better though.

Uh, no, indiana jones is a knockoff of Allan Quartermain.

Why not both!

I think we can agree Quartermain would not have been made if not for Indiana Jones.

Indeed.

Street Fighter

Come for Raul Julia, flee from everything else. Oh gods it is awful, apart from the Tuesday line.

Double Dragon

Oh dear god why do I do this to myself? What vile part of my soul not only starts watching such utter tripe, but has to watch it all to absorb the full crapitude?

I mean....Robert Patrick. We know you can act. You were phenomenal in Terminator 2. Did you need that new Conservatory so bad, or was Mr Tax Man just not taking “no” for an answer. Oh the humanity!

It’s been a while since I’ve seen it, but was Double Dragon one of those movies where every actor was just having fun?

I have the feeling I’d enjoy it the same way I enjoyed Surf Ninjas.

 BobtheInquisitor wrote:
It’s been a while since I’ve seen it, but was Double Dragon one of those movies where every actor was just having fun?

I have the feeling I’d enjoy it the same way I enjoyed Surf Ninjas.

Robert Patrick is channelling Dave Stewart, I can tell you that much. And a certain scene is ripped straight out of The Warriors. Though exactly how the gang dressed as Mimes with Micky Mouse style gloves got taken seriously and not just beaten up by everyone I don’t know.

Punks? Look hard and scary. Skinheads? Look hard and scary. The guy in Lederhosen was probably just lost, but saw a pagga* and thought “well, why not”. But everyone not just descending on the mimes, with their ping pong ball tipped gloves not just getting their poop wrecked by everyone on sight? Inexplicable.

*pagga. A free-for-all street brawl between anyone who wants to join in.

 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
Indeed.

Street Fighter

Come for Raul Julia, flee from everything else. Oh gods it is awful, apart from the Tuesday line.

Double Dragon

Oh dear god why do I do this to myself? What vile part of my soul not only starts watching such utter tripe, but has to watch it all to absorb the full crapitude?

I mean....Robert Patrick. We know you can act. You were phenomenal in Terminator 2. Did you need that new Conservatory so bad, or was Mr Tax Man just not taking “no” for an answer. Oh the humanity!

Yeah, there's some people (presumably obnoxiously young ones) who try to pretend that Street Fighter was very funny and so on, but it's just crap.

My brother, my sister and I recently looked for fun films to watch. Of course Double Dragon was a candidate, so we watched the trailer on youtube. After that we decided not to watch it. It seems very, very bad.




For a few Dollars more (1965)

Clint Eastwood and Lee van Cleef team up to get the bounty on a fearsome band of bandits.

Never seen it before, it's great. Watch It.

Opinion is actually softening a bit on Double Dragon

It remains far from great, and it has really jarring serious moments involving the police department.

But it lies somewhere between the surprising brilliance of the first Ninja Turtles movie and the Schumacher Batman films.

The plot is daft, and the acting ropey at best (though Robert Patrick’s physical acting remains on point), but overall the production values are actually.....pretty good. The composite external shots of New Angeles are certainly above par for the era.

If I’d perhaps seen this in my early yoof, it might’ve been a childhood favourite bordering on Guilty Pleasure. Certainly I’ve seen far, far better films based on video games and general 80/90’s pop culture - but I’ve also seen far, far worse.

I reckon kids would get a decent kick out of it.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Also, the final scene is a giggle.

But the use of The Farm’s “Altogether Now”, a song about the Christmas Truce of 1914, whilst a most excellent track, is kinda jarring.

Moxie

This is a new movie directed by Amy Poehler about a girl who starts a feminist 'Zine in her HS after the misogyny gets too strong.

I am torn about this film in several ways....

1. It seems a bit "out of time" as most kids today are not into the Punk aesthetic or DIY in the way Amy Poehler probably was when she was a teen.

2. The actions of the administration seem totally plausible and in line with how I have seen institutions handle things.

3. The ending glosses over the fact that the protagonist would have the book thrown at her and destroy her life by the authorities and the antagonist would get a slap on the hand and go about their life.

4. I am unsure about the "Tiger Mom" sub-plot. They make a great point about how the White protagonist has never had to deal with being a 2nd-Gen immigrant kid after the 1st gen worked so hard to give them the chance in the US. However, it also is itself a stereotype which seems incongruous in a Feminist movie.

5. Clark Greg is in it, so that is good.

Bill

Comedy about Shakespeare, brought by the cast of Horrible Histories.


It is of course brilliant.

Some current ones:
Nomadland: Already won a buttload of awards. A woman loses here job and becomes basically a wanderer in a van, part of a subculture that exists (multiple roles are actual wanderers). Its...hard, but really really good. I think its the best film I've seen maybe since the Wrestler.

US vs. Billie Holliday: About...Billie Holliday the singer. Visually very good with some good music. Again pretty rough, but if you google her life, they sugar coated it actually.

Just waiting for the rental for Minari to go down to watch, and next up I Care A Lot

Also a TV shoutout to Clarice: Good mood, not great but has some good actors in it including Bull from Band of Brothers.

Michael Clayton
Procedural lawyer tense drama thing. Nothing exciting but a reasonably distracting two hours.

The king of Staten Island
I usually give a film at least 15 minutes before deciding it's not for me. This one didn't make it past three.

Reservoir Dogs
I don't get the love for Tarantino. Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown, Kill Bill, I don't understand the fascination. I utterly adore the first half of Hateful Eight and despise the second half with contempt.

But Reservoir Dogs is magnificent. There isn't a character study of all the players, but then we don't need it. We don't need to know the back story of why Mr Pink is a paranoid contrarian or why Mr Blonde is a headcase. We're given enough to keep the story tight. The crime itself isn't shown and that keeps the story where it needs to be. If this were a modern day A* title, the film would have been padded out with an expensive and loud 45 minute gun battle as the crime is acted out and it would have only made the film worse.

Even the white guys talking about Black people works for me. It's painful to watch but it fits and is believable. About the only bit I don't like is the "Like a virgin" monologue, because Tarantino. Fortunately it's over with quickly and he is out of the film before he's a nuisance.

I feel like loving the first half of Hateful Eight and hating the second is a default position for a lot of people XD It did that thing a lot of Tarantino movies do where they have this intriguing premise and a unique flair, and then promptly squander both.

Killers

This was an Ashton Kutcher and Catherine Heigel vehicle. Also has Tom Sellick and Catherine O'hara as scene stealers.

A professional killer settles down into a normal suburban life with his wife. Eventually, killers start to come after them.

This movie is an "action-comedy" that has surprisingly great action choreography and really weak comedy.

For a moment I thought you were talking about this movie:




I had to see if it was on YouTube for inspiration after WGA’s Resistance kit dropped, and it is! (Unfortunately, it’s the inferior translation.). It still holds up!

More of a mini-series, but we watched Queen's Gambit (7 episodes total) about a young woman growing up in the 60s and her battles with addiction as she becomes a world renowned chess champ. Well written and acted all around with interesting characters.

Something that I liked in addition to all those pluses was it was a limited series/mini-series. Not everything needs to be Grey's Anatomy including Grey's Anatomy for sticking around. Nice to see something with a definite endpoint that wasn't forced by sagging ratings and shark-jumps.

Peppermint

The Good Jen of the South shows up the modern crop of action star boys as the bunch of softer than Walter the Softy pretty boys by going full Neeson in a silly shoots and splodes revenge yarn (heck she also matches Liam in the prodigious appendage stakes as hers is so big it was once mistaken for The Batman)

The Tick

Previously avoided this as the pilot was not very Tick, the show proper fixes a lot of that and embraces the gloriously silly nature of the Tick comic book

 BobtheInquisitor wrote:
For a moment I thought you were talking about this movie:




I had to see if it was on YouTube for inspiration after WGA’s Resistance kit dropped, and it is! (Unfortunately, it’s the inferior translation.). It still holds up!

No, that movie rules. The Ashton Kutcher one..... not so much.....



War Machine

The story of General Stanley McCrystal as performed by Brad Pitt. You may recall, Gen. McCrystal was the overall allied commander in Afghanistan during the Obama years, and got sacked after a Rolling Stone article caught him and his staff talking smack about the Pres and VP. He and Patreus (sp) were early advocates of the COIN strategy and the idea of the Surge.

Brad is a damn fine actor and totally transforms himself, now if he is anything like the General, that I do not know. Anthony Michael Hall also does a great job as a fellow general with an anger management issue. However, this movie suffers from a narration that is unneeded and takes away from the movie.

From what I can tell, it seems like a pretty accurate translation of the article to the screen. That doesn't make it a good movie though. Kind of boring. Interesting as history, but most of us are not into that here..... right?

 Easy E wrote:
...Interesting as history, but most of us are not into that here..... right?

Oi! We're wargamers, of course we're all into history.

I watched War Machine (despite it being a Netflix production). Maybe it would have worked better for me if they hadn't turned the main character into such a caricature. Overall I think I share your opinion of the thing: It's alright, but kinda superfluous. Very much a Netflix production: Big name, seemingly interesting topic, but ultimately without substance. At least it's a film and not a tv show.



Last night I watched The Matrix. Fun film, still. And of course very interesting on several levels, not just the background ideas of the thing. Today I got a book, read a bit into it, and part of it deals with how the last time films were up to date with issues and worked with current concepts and develop them on and so on was the late 1990s and early 2000s. Since then, film's always been a bit behind because stuff develops so quickly. Interesting point, I thought. And kinda plays into me seeing the Matrix last night.

Monstrous 2020. (Amazon Prime.)

You'd be forgiven for expecting this to be a run of the mill creature feature about Bigfoot from the marketing, and in some ways you'd be right.

The movie opens to the background of a rash of disappearences in the vicinity of the self styled home of Bigfoot in New York State, and the prologue gives you a clear indication of why that might be. Once we move into the meat of the film, the friends of one of the missing are trying their best to find out what happened.

The movie plays with the creature concept just enough to feel like it is at least trying to do something fresh.

There's a second act twist that probably isn't the revelation that the film makers hoped for, but I kind of enjoyed it, and the cast and crew deserve a lot of credit for producing something of the quality they have on what is clearly no money. The monster itself is, one or two dodgy close ups toward the end aside, by and large pretty effective, thanks in part to decently self aware shot framing and other production tricks to avoid exposing the joins.

3/5.

Zack Snyder's Justice League

I never felt the need to watch the original due to the monumental farce that was Batman Vs Superman. In truth I wouldn't have watched this if it were not such a talking point. I have no skin in the Marvel / DC game, the comic medium does nothing for me and I don't give a crap about Snyder and Wheedon and their personal issues. I'm here for the film. Marvel is a mixed bag for me with some hits and some misses, mostly better than worse, though overall not as good as most people make out. I've watched four DC movies - Man of Steel (intriguing), Birds of Prey (frustrating), Wonder Woman (if you ignore the last twenty minutes you have a very enjoyable film) and the aforementioned calamity that is BvS.

I watched it last night and have spent today trying to decide what angle to take with my review. What did I get from the film? What did it leave me with? What will I take from it into the future to consider while watching other movies?

The answer... nothing.

This was a great big four hour nothing of a movie. It is so nothing that it isn't even bad enough for me to criticise to any noticeable degree. There's certainly little good to talk about. About the only thing I can say is that I have no experience with movie making and even I could have cut an hour of chaff from this nothingness without making any impact on the overall product. Oh, and slow-mo. If I ever find myself watching it again I'm playing a drinking game - drink while there's slow-mo on. I'll be hammered in under an hour.

On the plus side I did get my guilty movie stiffy when the WW theme played early. I love that theme. Don't know if I've linked this before but there's a YouTube musical theorist who breaks it down and it's well worth a watch.

Wally's Wonderland

Nick Cage agrees to clean a place overnight in exchange for a dude spotting him the money to cover a tow and a new set of tires
Part way through the night, the animatronic stage band start coming for him one by one as he continues to clean, play the staff pinball machine,
and drink an entire case of soda
At no point does he talk, just a few noises in fights and during pinball excitement

Beneath

Netflix seem to be pushing this hard, and for the love of God avoid it.

The message, that people, not giant rubber implausible looking fish, are the real monsters, is so vehemently rammed home that we're left in a situation where the character with the most redeeming features is an anamatronic trout. People died, I didn't care a bit, they all fething deserved it.

Humourless, bleak and with little to redeem it. The only reason I can offer to watch it is to see the fish, and wonder at the fact that somebody somewhere looked at it and thought "that'll fool people."