Film; or The Silver Screen

Miscellaneous Blather
#461

Greyhound, on Apple TV+.

Starring Tom Hanks, that guy who always plays an Italian guy with a heavy accent who’s name you never know, some CGI, and the miserable looking Atlantic Ocean. Based on the novel by CS Forester.

This was tense and very well done - God bless those sailors, they’re certainly braver than I’ll ever be. Hanks is the star of the show with everyone else playing bit parts. Not sure why they bothered to introduce a love interest in the beginning, only to have it play no role whatsoever in the movie itself.

Only complaint is that it was at times hard to hear, but I’m not sure that that wasn’t intentional in an effort to illustrate the chaos Hanks is experiencing.

Also, try to not watch with your wife who has no concept nor understanding of WWII undersea warfare, convoy or u-boat tactics. You’ll enjoy it more should you not have to pause the movie on a regular basis :roll_eyes:

8 Likes
#462

Project Power, The Old Guard and 6 Underground - all on Netflix

My wife and I have been doing Saturday Night, Movie Night recently with these random Netflix Original action films.

Here is what you need to know. Project Power and 6 Underground are 5/10. The Old Guard is probably 5.5/10.

These are perfect 5/10 movies, pop some popcorn, see some cool chase/fight scenes, ignore the huge plot holes (or actual lack of plot) and just enjoy.

No need to tell you about the movies, watch the trailers, you know everything you need to know.

No regrets, just good dumb fun when you don’t feel like engaging brain.

3 Likes
#463

Bill and Ted’s Midlife Crisis. Just some cheerful stupid joy. It makes absolutely no sense, but that really does not matter. Some actual harmless innocent fun, badly needed.

3 Likes
#464

https://www.vulture.com/amp/2020/01/behind-the-scenes-of-terrence-malicks-a-hidden-life.html?

#465

Exorcist Aye-Aye-Aye. This is far better than I remembered. With a great duo of George C. Scott and Ed Flanders (not Ned) leading the way, two grumpy old men who obviously love each other and show it by giving each other unceasing shit, we have a horrific crime tale of a serial killer apparently returned from the dead. While big chunks of the good stuff are adopted from the novel, the medium of film means parts of it are chopped out and abridged, with the result that everything apart from Scott’s character is a sideshow, with some parts feeling vestigial or tacked on. The hospital is a great setting, and there are several brilliant, chilling set pieces. Scott does an incredible job, and although it feels like a 70s film in part thanks to him, it was made in 1990 and is more modern than I thought. Excellent little role for Brad Dourif too.

#466
4 Likes
#467

I was 4 years old when the original movie was in cinemas back in 1984.
I was 9 years old when my cousin showed it to me on a crappy small portable TV+VCR for the first time.
I was 9 years old when I read the (translated into German) book for the first time.
I was 13 years old-ish when I read all the (then) released books for the first time in English (among my first non-native books I read in full)
I may have been 13 as well when I saw the movie for the tenth time, played and finished Dune (1), and Dune 2 for the first (of many MANY) times.
…
I will be 40 when I am probably missing out on watching the remake on the big screen when (if?) it hits cinemas around here because of "these uncertain times"™…

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I watched several “classics” way after their original run on the big screen. I never had the chance with Dune…and now I may miss the chance a second time?

Edit:
Went back and started a fresh playthrough of Dune 1…argh what I am doing with my life?

7 Likes
#468

Akira, the 4K remaster. I got to see Akira on the big screen a couple of years ago for the 30th anniversary, and it was wonderful. Looked great, audio was all-encompassing, and it was subbed.

This version was somehow even better. While there is the odd moment of cheap animation, the vast majority of it is fluid, detailed, and beautiful, to the extent that the opening cityscape gave me a touch of vertigo. It looks absolutely stunning. I don’t think there’s another animated film that looks this good; certainly today many more corners are cut. The film itself is barely coherent as it tries to cover 2,000+ pages in one film, but it remains a seminal film and a watermark moment for film, animation, and myself personally.

2 Likes
#469

The Wolf of Snow Hollow. Now this is excellent. A small town suffers a series of murders, and the police force, out of their depth, struggles to cope. Jim Cummings wrote and directed it, but he also stars and does a fine job as an officer under intense pressure, alongside colleagues who are often none-too-dedicated. The film’s comedy is as sharp as its horror and its sadness. All three are often intertwined, as witnessing laziness motivates Cummings into angry chastising and scathing insults, but also inevitably sends him down the path of drinking too much and further alienating his family. Super film, very well rooted in the detail and particulars when it comes to how the characters interact.

#470

The Special. What if you went to a brothel and stuck your dick in something you shouldn’t have. This is in effect a longer episode of The Outer Limits with more wrong sex, with some particularly disgusting ramifications. Sometimes the low budget works in its favour, sometimes not. It has that particular look where it’s on location rather than on a set, but it looks like a set because of the production.

Possessor. If you remember Brandon Cronenberg’s Antiviral, you’ll be glad to know this is just as good and just as stylish. An assassin by remote control is hired for a big job, and gets stuck in the person she’s controlling. Extremely vivid imagery, and goreious scenes.

#471
#472

If you have Amazon Prime, the new Borat Movie Film is free for Prime members. We just watched it and it’s great, but I love SBC.

#473

I thought SBC was also pretty good in the new Netflix film, Trial of the Chicago 7.

1 Like
#474

Totally missed that was him. Might watch that tonight. thanks!

#475

Prospect. An impoverished father/daughter duo go mineral prospecting in space. All does not go well. Sophie Thatcher carries the film, but Pedro Pascal steals the show as a loquacious mercenary. Mostly succeeds despite what looks like a cripplingly low budget.

1 Like
#476

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNND I just found out they delayed Dune from Dec 2020 to Oct 2021.

Now I am not missing it on the big screen because of hiding under my blanket this year due to a pandemic…now I will miss it due to a post-pandemic Zombie-pocalypse next year…

And they havent shot “part 2” of that movie yet…now I fear that wont be made at all…

:sob:

#477

October!?!? Yikes! I heard it was delayed but that makes it a year away still. Ugh.

#478
4 Likes
#479

Oh no…

Please tell me this is a satire site. Please…

#480

There is a documentary on Prime called Gamasters that is about board game designing. Has anyone seen this?