01-05-2023, 04:12 AM | #14401 |
I am the cheese
Posts: 51,204
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Glass Onion (A Knives Out Mystery) - 6/10
The fundamental issue with the movie is does the one thing a Whodunnit absolutely can never do: its stupid. It tries to make that a plot point but it doesnt work. Its never clever. The characters are all very weak and honestly calling them characters is wrong to begin with. Theyre paper thin memes. The performances are good and I always like Jessica Henwick just as a rule. Kate Hudson remains a smoke show and i would drink her bath water. Last edited by Destor; 01-05-2023 at 04:33 AM. |
01-05-2023, 04:37 AM | #14402 |
I am the cheese
Posts: 51,204
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Shoutout to the original Scream. It reamins the most recent truly great Whodunnit
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01-05-2023, 09:32 AM | #14403 |
In His hands...
Posts: 25,281
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Our son is a HUGE horror fan, tons of collectibles (including an autographed Jason mask from Kane Hodder and autographed pic of "The Shape" from Nick Castle ((fun fact, The Shape was the name of the Michael Myers character before they gave him a name))
He watched the OG scream with my wife and I last Halloween and was hooked. He started getting Ghostface merch after, and even got a shirt for Christmas. I was worried because it had some pink writing on it, but he didn't even care. Woot. Scream remains a solid great movie, and I'm the type of person who really dislikes multiple re-watches (I get bored). |
01-05-2023, 03:34 PM | #14404 |
the heartbreak king
Posts: 48,449
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the menu - 9/10
i absolutely loved this movie. the marketing campaign has you thinking it will be a cannibal affair, and it absolutely is not. everyone turns in really solid performances, but extra special praise to ralph fiennes, anya taylor-joy, and especially nicholas hoult. he really shines when he's playing a bit of a creep, and he's a real scum bag in this one. it's working in a similar world to glass onion thematically in that it certainly critiques the rich, but this does it in a more elegant way through the use of artistry and the service industry. the intertitles for each course are also great, and get increasingly funnier as the action goes the opposite way. i will definitely be watching this one again. |
01-05-2023, 03:53 PM | #14405 |
the heartbreak king
Posts: 48,449
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and i have to concur with destor on glass onion. i wanted to like it more, and it is a fun movie, but it's as deep as a puddle across the board. considering i spotted the hand off between norton and bautista that lead to bautista's death, that part of the mystery was already done for me and it made getting there for the finale a bit tedious. i agree that all of the performances were great, and i'll give a special tip of the hat to janelle monae for convincingly playing two different parts.
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01-05-2023, 04:15 PM | #14406 |
I am the cheese
Posts: 51,204
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You forgot to mention kate hudson is sex incarnate
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01-05-2023, 04:17 PM | #14407 |
I am the cheese
Posts: 51,204
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I preordered The Menu based of WeXs take. Anya Taylor Joy is the best young actress going so its an easy purchase. Her eye for scripts (or her agents at least) is highly consistent.
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01-05-2023, 04:23 PM | #14408 |
the heartbreak king
Posts: 48,449
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01-05-2023, 04:27 PM | #14409 |
the heartbreak king
Posts: 48,449
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i wish that i enjoyed last night in soho more than i did, but she made it worth watching. she's really grown on me over the past year or so. not that i didn't like her before, i just wasn't paying enough attention.
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01-05-2023, 04:35 PM | #14410 |
I am the cheese
Posts: 51,204
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Soho was visually captivating. Story stumbled on a few beats but i really liked the movie. As much for its technical aspects as anything. Some of those shots were REALLY complex
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01-05-2023, 04:36 PM | #14411 |
the heartbreak king
Posts: 48,449
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agreed. they had me hooked with the ads giving a very suspiria-esque vibe with the lighting alone.
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01-05-2023, 04:56 PM | #14412 |
World Class References
Posts: 30,770
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I watched “The Menu” a couple of nights ago and it was very good. Ralph Fiennes is always good but Nicholas Hoult caught me off guard with how well he turned in a character performance to support ATJ, and Fiennes.
Tonight I’m watching “The Banshees of Inisherin” and I had to pause it in the middle just to post that it’s shaping up to be Martin Mcdonagh’s best film. I might do a proper review because his and his brother’s films are always worth watching a few times each. It’s films like these that make film the greatest art form for me. Last edited by Seanny One Ball; 05-13-2023 at 02:03 PM. |
01-05-2023, 06:22 PM | #14413 |
World Class References
Posts: 30,770
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That was quite the film…
Though it feels almost as if the other Mcdonagh brother wrote it. It’s reminiscent more of “Calvary” than “In Bruges” but it’s another film about deep, dark interpersonal shit and the good old human condition. Colin Farrell was great in this, this is probably the best performance he will ever give. |
01-06-2023, 04:43 AM | #14414 |
I am the cheese
Posts: 51,204
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Manhattan (1979) - 7/10
I loved the visuals. Especially the city shots. Film is done in black and white and coupled with an outstanding score it creates a very old hollywood feel and aesthetic. Easily its peak is the atmosphere. I think what makes it inferior to Annie Hall is its 3rd act is a bit of a mess on the page and on the screen. Its a fine romcom that isnt really about the specific relationships so much as a meta commentary on dating in the period. Objectively a lot of that is lost as the now of it has become then and with that change we see the details of the moment fade beyond memory. All of it works though. Until the 3rd act when it just becomes a bit of a jumbled mess. Some characters who were played for laughs are now needed for higher drama and there's no character progression getting them or the audience there, and theyre still sort of played for laughs on top of it, leaving a string of scenes that just kind of fall apart. Ultimately i think Allen had something say on dating at that time of his life but didnt have an answer to the problems, and who does really. The problem is if he had admitted that he'd have had a better ending. |
01-06-2023, 04:44 AM | #14415 |
I am the cheese
Posts: 51,204
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Its still good and very funny. Its just not as good as it should have been
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01-06-2023, 06:39 AM | #14416 |
I am the cheese
Posts: 51,204
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Thinking about this a bit more. The visual/audio style call back to a bygone era mostly of the 50s. This would have played nostalgicly in 79. This is juxtaposed over the material which is the state of dating post the sexual revolution. It doesnt impact the 3rd act in any way but it adds a layer to the style of the film thats worth noting.
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01-06-2023, 11:20 AM | #14417 |
World Class References
Posts: 30,770
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Soon Ye will see a sexual revolution, just be sure to keep your night light on after Rosemary goes to bed.
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01-08-2023, 05:52 AM | #14418 |
I am the cheese
Posts: 51,204
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The Purple Rose of Cario- 7/10
Im struggling to put my thoughts together on this. Its impressive how on the surface this is a very digestible film. Easy to follow and straight forward. A woman during the great depression who is broke and married to the worst kind of man uses film to escape her life and imagine happiness. One the day reality breaks and a character leaps from the screen and falls in love with her. The movie is genuinely funny and jeff daniels, playing two characters, is a show stealer. But under all that is a much more interesting film and im trying to get a handle on it. Woody Allen has touched on the essence of not just the catharsis of film but in dreaming. Longing. And how film, perhaps more broadly; narrative as a whole, facilitates that. This is definitely a picture I'll have to chew on a bit to really be able to put it into words. On the surface its very cute. Some of this bits are as funny as they were 30+ years ago. The romantic, and idyllic, scenes maintain the magic of the classic film. All while being underpinned with a really rich layer depth that seems to go as deep as youll care to look. And at no point does it demand you look any deeper than the surface. A lesson modern film could really learn from. |
01-10-2023, 09:38 AM | #14420 |
the heartbreak king
Posts: 48,449
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just watched the trailer for ari aster's beau is afraid. got major charlie kaufman vibes and I dig it.
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01-10-2023, 10:58 AM | #14421 |
World Class References
Posts: 30,770
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Charlie Kaufman is one of the better writers and one of the worst directors, which is something I suppose.
I guess I’ll avoid that like the plague until any and all hype dies down so I can trash it to my own standards if need be. |
01-13-2023, 08:00 PM | #14422 |
Hey Mister!
Posts: 54,947
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01-13-2023, 08:23 PM | #14423 |
Posts: 55
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That movie Get Out from 2017 was pretty good. Didn’t expect it to be that great but it was!
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01-13-2023, 08:23 PM | #14424 |
Posts: 55
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I also liked that movie UnFriended from 2014.
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01-14-2023, 08:15 AM | #14425 |
Hey Mister!
Posts: 54,947
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If you liked unfriended, look up Host.
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01-14-2023, 02:46 PM | #14426 |
Posts: 55
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01-18-2023, 11:20 AM | #14427 |
World Class References
Posts: 30,770
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“Sick” - 2/4
Standard slasher fare dressed up as Covid commentary. The unforgivable crime was making the hot protagonist look less hot as the film progressed. Whatever happened to Ally MacGraw’s syndrome for horror, huh? Jamie Lee Curtis Concussion or something… |
01-19-2023, 11:29 AM | #14428 |
Hey Mister!
Posts: 54,947
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The Menu- 8/10
Such enjoyable performances from everyone involved. Sense of disbelief takes a beating in certain parts, but given that there are very clear satirical elements, thats excusable. |
01-20-2023, 10:08 PM | #14429 |
is brat
Posts: 88,141
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The Kings of the World - 7.7/10 Sad story......
Fall - 6/10 Friend wouldn't shut up about it so I watched it... was pretty much what you'd expect.... |
01-21-2023, 11:04 AM | #14430 |
World Class References
Posts: 30,770
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Fall is just tits on a pole
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01-21-2023, 11:50 AM | #14431 |
is brat
Posts: 88,141
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As DAMN iNATOR would put it, those were a nice couple of reasons to enjoy the movie at least a little bit.
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01-21-2023, 01:59 PM | #14432 |
Temporary
Posts: 15,569
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Rurouni Kenshin “The Beginning” 7.5/10
Rurouni Kenshin “The Final” 6.5/10 The action is great, but there was 30-45 minutes where not much happened. Also they used a few too many scenes from “The Beginning.” Again though great action. Rurouni Kenshin “Orgins” 8/10 awesome all the way around. So I watched movies 4 and 5 of the series first, because I thought I had scene the first 3 movies. After watching clips of the first 3 movies on YouTube I realized I had never seen them. So either way these are really awesome anime adaptations. It’s really hard to believe how good the movies are. The fights are really good and really impressive how they were able to bring them into a live action movie. |
01-21-2023, 07:40 PM | #14433 |
TPWW Fire Pro Champ
Posts: 33,998
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Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery - 4/5
I thought the first one was slightly better. |
01-22-2023, 05:03 PM | #14434 |
Trickster Demon
Posts: 59,781
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Skinamarink - 8/10
I really enjoyed this. Note - this type of movie will not be for everyone. It's a very liminal spaces meets found footage type of film...it's not a traditional movie. I really enjoyed it and have gathered the part that caught me most 'off guard' is the same part that caught everyone else most off guard while watching. |
01-23-2023, 01:23 AM | #14435 |
Trickster Demon
Posts: 59,781
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M3GAN - 8/10
What a fun horror film. That was a good time. |
01-23-2023, 03:34 PM | #14436 |
World Class References
Posts: 30,770
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Spring - 3/4
I forgot to watch this after I found it online and ended up watching it two nights ago. I went in knowing it was created entirely by two geniuses and bore the typical hallmarks of their outstanding filmography - tiny cast, ethereal atmosphere intermittently disturbed by the precipice of an unseen abyss, real dialogue… Every film that Benson and Moorhead make is special for the pleasure it brings on both sides of the creative fence. The viewers get a great gift and it’s always given with a wry, knowing smile. If anybody hated “The Shape Of Water” as much as I did and for the same reasons - watch “Spring”. Lou Pucci is always a great choice in a dialogue driven film with dark/light running parallel through it(watch “Thumbsucker”) because he looks like he has attitude born from tragedy in the centre of his soul. I wasn’t particularly impressed by the actress opposite him but she had a lot of disadvantages going into it so it’s a minor quibble that possibly won’t matter when I see it again. |
01-23-2023, 03:42 PM | #14437 |
Trickster Demon
Posts: 59,781
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I really like SPRING
Before I read what you wrote I said to myself "I hope it's the horror movie from Moorhead/Benson" so I was very happy to see it was indeed |
01-23-2023, 04:52 PM | #14438 |
World Class References
Posts: 30,770
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They’re creating an entire universe one film at a time. I didn’t see the red flower/drug in this one though, but I probably missed it.
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01-24-2023, 11:10 AM | #14439 |
World Class References
Posts: 30,770
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“Housebound” - 3/4
From the mind behind “M3GAN” coincidentally, and a very funny if slightly exasperating horror comedy. It reminded me of “A Fantastic Fear Of Everything” only with a bigger cast and more contrived plot but with a far higher laugh ratio and some real horror in it. New Zealand cinema is either dark and dramatic or dark yet absurdly funny. Watch out South Korea… Last edited by Seanny One Ball; 05-13-2023 at 02:06 PM. |
01-24-2023, 11:11 AM | #14440 |
World Class References
Posts: 30,770
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I’ll watch M3GAN later tonight.
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