Movies you've just watched

[Stevens]

Aww Joe Pesci. Always gettin' whacked.

[BIL]

Legend has it Frank Vincent hollered "This is for Raging Bull and Goodfellas!" at Casino's denouement.

[Vexorg]

Strange World: *1/2

Probably the weakest Disney animated film in a while. They seem to be going for something of an Alice in Wonderland vibe here. but most of the creatures in this world seem to hover somewhere around "10-minutes-with-a-YouTube-Blender-Tutorial" level character design, and even the characters they appear to have put actual effort into look like they were scraped off the cutting room floor after Encanto went out the door. A standard issue environmentalist guilt trip story doesn't help matters any. If I was looking for one of those I'd just watch that new Avatar film, at least that one seems to have actual effort put into it.

[RGC]

The King of Comedy
what I think really hits the homerun is the surprising(?) ending which manages to feel completely believable despite how nuts it is.

Excellent flick! Weirdly though...

Spoiler

...my memory of the ending is that it is so unbelievable (the unattainable level of adoration he so painfully needed being met especially -- the endless ovation; the "wonderful", "just wonderful"s from the announcer), that to me it couldn't be anything but a glimpse into Pupkin's mind in full delusional flow as he fantacized from a prison cell. The ambiguity was probably intended though, and AFAIK the only example of this form of ending from Scorsese. It wouldn't have taken much tweaking to achieve something similar with Taxi Driver's conclusion, when the real rain finally came and washed the scum off the streets (not suggesting that would have improved the film!).

[Sumez]

Yeah, I thought the ending was ambiguous as well. I actually expected possibly

Spoiler

a short scene in the end where you see him in his prison, but I'm much happier that it ended as it did.
Ambiguity or not, seeing the kinds of people worshipped as celebrities and idols everywhere nowadays, I don't think there is anything far fetched about it, though. If something like that had happened in the real world, I'd honestly imagine it would have lead to the same thing.

It's incredibly dumb, sure, but not dumber than the real world.

[Some-Mist]

The Muppets Christmas Carol

Starts off really strong but peters out out a bit towards the end. But overall still fantastic. The missus had never seen it, and she loved it.

I have to watch it multiple times during the holidays because my s/o is muppet obsessed

And tbh I wouldn’t be mad if a bunch of classics were remade w/ muppets

[Lander]

Rambo III
WTB Rambo III: The Buddhist Cut - the touching tale of an old war dog shedding his military past and searching for enlightenment while paying his way via muscular kali stick pitfights.

It was alright. Plenty of good action, and Rambo willingly departing on a mission to rescue the colonel was a decent twist on expectations.
Someone on the production team clearly wanted to one-up Die Hard 2, since all of the numerous helicopter shots featured awesome-looking dust vortex effects.

But, it didn't shine like the first two. Brown hills just aren't as alluring as lush jungle, and Short Round's chipper demeanour felt a little out of place relative to the rest of the setting as a device to remind the audience that child soldiers exist.
And no big speech! I suppose it might creep into the formulaic if Sly were to give a stirring declamation at the end of every film, but you gotta wind up to He's Not Heavy He's My Broseph with something.

[Mischief Maker]

And no big speech!

Well there is the text that pops up saying the film is dedicated to the brave freedom fighters of the Mujaheddin. I imagine Sly is EXTREMELY happy he didn't add a speech to that film.

[BIL]

"I WANT WHAT EVERY OTHER GUY IN THIS GODFORSAKEN DESERT WANTS! TO FUCK TIGHT BACHA BAZI BUTT! AM I RIGHT OMAR-SAN?"
"Actually Mr. Sly, we are mandated by Allah to execute the homos and their boyish catamites alike, inshallah!"
"BRO WHAT THE FUCK I THOUGHT THAT WAS A CHICK, OH GOD AUUUUGHHH"

Sly's speech in Rambo III is "FUCK 'UM" right before he and The Trout go full Bill And Lance's Excellent Massacre on the Russkies.

(his speech in Rambo IV is "RUUUAAAAAAA!" as he cuts a truckload of Burmese GIs in half with his EDDIE MI CHINGA )

In Rambo V he legit goes George C. Scott OLDMANFORCE and I can't even make fun, legit sads. One of those occasional reminders (Rocky, Cop Land, Stop Or My Mom Will Shoot) that the guy can act.

[Herr Schatten]

And tbh I wouldn’t be mad if a bunch of classics were remade w/ muppets

There are at least Muppet versions of Treasure Island and The Wizard of Oz, although neither of them is as good as Christmas Carol.

[DenimDemon]

Eyes Without a Face (1960).

This is was the last film I’ve watch this year. Watch it last night, now in a new restored release.
Still one of the best horror films I ever watched. One of those films that’s just gets better with time. Great atmosphere, acting, directing and cinematography (or nothing beats 35mm black and white). Shilling stuff.
Really recommend it. One that will stay with you.

https://youtu.be/qSrgdWjOASc

[Lander]

John Rambo, a.k.a. Rambo IV

(Now Playing: Theme of Rambo: First Blood)
Thank goodness they brought the main theme back for the top and tail - as it should be, lovely bit of soulful salute-evoking music that it is.

Good fun, and with the jowliest Sly yet. More enjoyable than 3, I thought - 4 had enough new ideas and presentation to stay engaging throughout, whereas 3 had me zoning a bit during the middle third.

We're a tenday's march from filmic art at this point, with the missionary group practically glowing with Davey Do-Good energy during the first half. Cleric Girl's impassioned speech almost had me thinking they were shooting for an "innocent soul teaches idealism to gruff vet" angle for a moment, but thankfully they're just a vehicle for shell-shock.

I wasn't big on the idea of fully reframing Rambo as a dyed-in-the-blood war elemental, since it goes against the most heartfelt ideas of the first two films. The literal lightbulb moment and explosion of flashback footage was on-the-nose to put it mildly, though as silver lining we did get BLISTERING MANLY FOOTAGE of Sly POUNDING HARD METAL.

The inclusion of a first-class tier-one prize Cockney Cunt as mercenary commander was, however, most entertaining. Gaw fackin' blimey guv, I done a right two-an-fackin-eight on me fried fackin' eggs. Glasgow kiss, avabanana. Fack.
And of course, the mounted gun battle in full - absolutely brutal. A lesser soldier would have hit A+B by accident, front-flipped out, and wasted his vehicle. But not here!
Usage Instructions: Narrow end toward enemy. Extend jaw sideways to maximize war cry during operation.

Ignoring the presence of a sequel, I thought bringing it back full circle to the USA for that last shot was a lovely touch - the gulf of time encapsulated in the cut between R. Rambo's mailbox and the faded J. Rambo knapsack. Perhaps not entirely earned on account of being a different kind of movie for a different era of action, but a nice nod to the series' origins. Gorgeous idyllic scenery too.

Well there is the text that pops up saying the film is dedicated to the brave freedom fighters of the Mujaheddin. I imagine Sly is EXTREMELY happy he didn't add a speech to that film.

Ah, how context changes with the times!

Sly's speech in Rambo III is "FUCK 'UM" right before he and The Trout go full Bill And Lance's Excellent Massacre on the Russkies.

Dude, this is a totally huge platoon.
...Chyeah! *foomp* BRAKAOOW

Shout-out to the fellow who danced the hangman's jig and then EXPLODED too; pure undiluted 80s action decadence.

[lilmanjs]

Zerograd
A Russian murder mystery or maybe perhaps not? movie from 1988 that is absurd, and at times feels like they took all the good stuff from Monty Python and put it in a Russian context. Starts off about needing to get a design change for a production run of air conditioners and ends up with a lot of absurd stuff happening in a small city in the middle of nowhere after a chef is killed while our main character is eating at his place. Lots of characters and even a side-plot about rock n roll that's funny as heck.

[BIL]

first-class tier-one prize Cockney Cunt

Ol' mucker makes me think Bloodborne samples might get a look into that editing project, too.

*baby dropkicked into burning house that explodes* "This tahn's finished!" *headbutting zako GI to death* "I'W MASHUP YOUR BWAINS!!!" *quickroll*

[BurlyHeart]

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery

I had the exact same experience watching this as I did with the first movie. Start off by watching intently to try figure out what's going on and who will be the murderer. Realise the movie is just entertainment, decide to sit back and enjoy the ride wherever it may bring me. Get a kinda annoyed at the ending and the absurdity of it all. Then a while after the movie, once again realise it is just entertainment and that it was, in fact, entertaining.

So yeah, it's entertaining. Just don't take it too seriously.

[NYN]

Anyway, never saw The 'Lot. Read the novel and liked it enough. There is a new movie coming. I hear the Hooper one was made for TV. Does it show terribly?

I can answer my own question now. A-hem...

Salem's Lot

Yes, it does show. But not terribly. As a two-parter, one half is sluggish and the following conclusion is rather rushed. Also TV rules of the era apply, which makes it rather tame. The late Mr Marsten was no known criminal and satanist on top of being a murderer in TV-land, wouldn't want to shock great war vets Mom 'n Pop, now. No nude undead mom-cougar fight, as such. Has some EC horror moments though, that are sparse. Would've rated higher for me if I'd catch this mid-90s. I found some traces of Hooper in the creature and the rancid insides of the house, a TV-whiff of the TCM mayhem. Alas, no more. Recommended? Well...


BR 2049

2nd view. Grows. The horror of Wallace, who speaks only with reverberating echo in his womb of water tomb or whispering in ones ear the harsh hubris of being The Slaver. The women of the year 2049: Lt Joshi the murderous bureaucrat; Joi the friendly digital ghost; Luv the loveless; Mariette the plucky sex-doll; Dr Ana the bubbled visionary; Freysa the one-eyed army-leader. The horror...
Is it any surprise the norms couldn't accept this all-too human picture? Not to me.

[Lander]

Rambo: Last Blood
RWTB - Rambo Last Blood: Cut Before The Last Line Edition

Well well - a proper surprise to close out! Full-on format shift, saturated in a heavy, hand-wringing darkness for the middle third that was most effective at placing an aging Rambo into modern-day conflict without excess contrivance. Excellent cinematography as well - the use of colored lighting and silhouette was particularly striking.
I wasn't expecting such heavy use of spanish; noted that it was included as part of the english sub track, but I assume that's a bonus since nothing is baked into the base video. Said scenes were all pretty readable regardless, so I think it worked well as a device to make the viewer feel out-of-place.

Bringing it home with some righteous guerilla warfare porn was class - incredible variety, and a siege scenario was exactly what I was hoping for after the rescue sequence, cleverly juked with the touch of tragedy preceding it. My intuition tells me there was a bit of John Wick in the fight design, but that's another hole in my movie acumen that I'll have to watch in order to find out.
Cholo Tom Hardy was an effective don, well and truly earning his ultimate fate. And one-upping Swayze for that finale, fuck me dude that just about had me in hysterics going into the denoument.

And speaking of, we got a pretty good speech! As alluded to, I think it would have been more on-tone to cut it before the very last line, but at the same time... It's a Rambo movie, not Gran Torino. I get the sense that Sly loves the character too much to do him like that.

Still, bloody good as leathery swan songs go, so I hereby award the Rambo franchise my Made It To The Finish Intact award. Bravo!

[BIL]

Yeah it is a pretty novel thing, isn't it; an old, iconic, storied IP that's pretty inoffensive from Alpha to Omega. Every long-runner I can think of has at least a few notable howlers, if not a full-on crash landing into a sewage treatment facility. Robocop? Lost his lug nuts at III. Terminator? PFFFFFFFF Star Wars? *gunshot* Hellraiser? The box set is a literal Lament Configuration, open that fucker up and your weewee is getting interfered with boyo.

Says a lot for creative control. Assuming the creator isn't Chris Chan. Or George Lucas!

I was pleasantly surprised by Rambo vs ZETAFORCE too - actually, maybe not "surprised," because the first reviews I saw were the mainstream rags going "AWW GAWWD NO, IT'S REALLY VIOLENT" and I was like "D... did I hallucinate you ten years ago, dropkicked baby?" So I was pretty sure they'd at least kept the nose level, post-IV!

Ignoring the bedwetters, I found V credibly dark stuff; not in a comedy guro "beaten to death with his own dismembered arm" sense, just grimly believable WRT human trafficking and other cross-border horrors. Which is, again, pretty much IV's MO, down to the preposterously cathartic endgame that transforms the sum effect on sheer OLDMANFORCE (favourite Pro Gamer Move: Johnny letting the maimed enemy scream in mortal agony until his ALART LEVEL is at 100%, then re-enacting Scanners' headsplosion via both barrels to the back of the dome - Super Bait Bonus! )

Decent acting from the capably decent Sly, too! As a gruesome post-9/11 twosome, I suppose they're a natural contrast to the FAWK YEAAAAAA Reaganomic triumphalism of II+III. Needless to say, First Blood is off chilling somewhere with the original Rocky, well beyond earshot of the preposterous din.

[xxx1993]

Which version of Last Blood did you watch? Theatrical or international? Because the latter features an exclusive opening scene where Rambo tries to save some hikers in a flood, and that cut used to be free on Amazon Prime, but for some reason you have to pay for it now, which is a shame.

[GaijinPunch]

Malcom X
On the long voyage home with just a better than average seat, I figured this 3 hour and 20 minute power house would help pass the time, and that it did. I've always heard that this was a bit of a snub for both Denzel and Spike. Looking at the competition it's hard to say, but this was pretty peak material. Doesn't feel dated to the 90's, save for a few things that felt a bit out of place (which I couldn't name now if I had to). As much as I like Training Day, it's hard to say Denzel ever did better than this. Plays a different character in each act.

Airplane
And I needed to lighten up for the rest of the flight, so up next was this classic. Yeah, half of it's cancelled, but it's still funny as shit. Had to hold the laughter down as everyone was sleeping, and hold the screen up to my face when them tits came flying across the screen as there was an 8 year old kid sitting next to me. I picked the wrong week to stop sniffing glue. Never knew that was Jeff & Beau Bridges father until recently. Definitely made me realize how much I miss Leslie Nielsen as well.

[BryanM]

Still shocked no one told me Airplane! was a remake until this year. Normally the internet is on the ball about that kind of thing.

"Did u know doki doki panic..." etc

[GaijinPunch]

Still shocked no one told me Airplane! was a remake until this year. Normally the internet is on the ball about that kind of thing.

"Did u know doki doki panic..." etc

Yeah that was a revelation - I think I found out about 3 years ago, so I crushed you at finding out only 39 years later.

[Mischief Maker]

Still shocked no one told me Airplane! was a remake until this year. Normally the internet is on the ball about that kind of thing.

"Did u know doki doki panic..." etc

You mean Zero Hour?

I think it's more a satire than a remake.

[BryanM]

I think of it as an enhanced remake or port. Like how the dating sim Final Fantasy 7's Remakeport added in new scenes. It's got all the important old stuff, with a little extra






... now to find out what Flight into Danger was a remake of. This thing's got layers...
... I'm thinking Mystic Quest, maybe??

[GaijinPunch]

Some of the scenes were recreated frame by frame as well.

[GaijinPunch]

Dodes'kaden

An odd entry by Kurosawa. Admittedly I was in the wrong state of mind for this one - tired and distracted. Set in some really shitty slums, several stories of the inhabitants intersect. Shot in color, and sadly like a lot of Kurosawa's work, 4:3 ratio. It was adapted from a book and could easily be a play. Some pretty interesting set work, but hard to recommend.

[DenimDemon]

Dodes'kaden

An odd entry by Kurosawa. Admittedly I was in the wrong state of mind for this one - tired and distracted. Set in some really shitty slums, several stories of the inhabitants intersect. Shot in color, and sadly like a lot of Kurosawa's work, 4:3 ratio. It was adapted from a book and could easily be a play. Some pretty interesting set work, but hard to recommend.

What ? 1:33:1 is my favourite frame size.

[vol.2]

The Whale 2022 9.5/10

I didn't want to go see The Whale. My dad struggled with weight issues for most of what I can remember, and he ended up in the hospital because of it in the winter of 2014 and he came very close to dying that time. So I wasn't sure if I could handle it and maybe it was just a little too close to home. But I'm very, very glad that I did, and I'm glad I went to the theater because I don't think I would have wanted to be alone at home afterwards.

The acting is impeccable. The characters are well written and real and relatable. The music is pefect; I never felt like the music was leading me, or telling me what I should be feeling. It was only there if I consciously paid attention to it, but the drama is so riveting that I didn't. I have never seen a movie that is both so riveting and so drawn out and sad; I didn't even think it was possible.

I see it as being about the aftermath of addition; the point at which the damage has been done and there is no turning back, and the way that effects everyone who is personally invovled. I don't want to say anything specific here about plot points or specific performances because I don't want to spoil anything, and I believe that one of the main strengths of the narrative is the order in which we are given information.

It's the performance of Brandon Fraiser's life and totally worth going to see.

[Lander]

Hellraiser? The box set is a literal Lament Configuration, open that fucker up and your weewee is getting interfered with boyo.

I've heard all sorts of horror stories about that - through the depths of 2Str82Video, and into the molten core of rights-squatting ten buck budgets with staff-only private screenings. Now that's ghoulish

I was pleasantly surprised by Rambo vs ZETAFORCE too - actually, maybe not "surprised," because the first reviews I saw were the mainstream rags going "AWW GAWWD NO, IT'S REALLY VIOLENT" and I was like "D... did I hallucinate you ten years ago, dropkicked baby?" So I was pretty sure they'd at least kept the nose level, post-IV!

Ignoring the bedwetters, I found V credibly dark stuff; not in a comedy guro "beaten to death with his own dismembered arm" sense, just grimly believable WRT human trafficking and other cross-border horrors. Which is, again, pretty much IV's MO, down to the preposterously cathartic endgame that transforms the sum effect on sheer OLDMANFORCE (favourite Pro Gamer Move: Johnny letting the maimed enemy scream in mortal agony until his ALART LEVEL is at 100%, then re-enacting Scanners' headsplosion via both barrels to the back of the dome - Super Bait Bonus! )

The violence levels were certainly among the series' highest, slotting comfortably into the post-Game of Blood and Titties mediasphere for the more grisly cartel parts. (Critics, can't please 'em!)
IV's manchopping gibbitude was hardcore, but the added personal framing and dark tone made for some real wince-worthy impacts amid all that urban horror.

And the Super Shotgun was awesome, with its appropriately heaven-rending boom. They do say to always double tap
I thought the full horizontal launch of the magnesium shell corridor clear was a jaw-dropper as well - so much to choose from, send more disposable mooks at once.

Decent acting from the capably decent Sly, too! As a gruesome post-9/11 twosome, I suppose they're a natural contrast to the FAWK YEAAAAAA Reaganomic triumphalism of II+III. Needless to say, First Blood is off chilling somewhere with the original Rocky, well beyond earshot of the preposterous din.

I note that they tactically placed the Last Blood title drop in the gap between 1-3 and 4-5 during the credits montage; methinks a mark of almost self-deprecating reverence to the base trilogy!

Which version of Last Blood did you watch? Theatrical or international? Because the latter features an exclusive opening scene where Rambo tries to save some hikers in a flood, and that cut used to be free on Amazon Prime, but for some reason you have to pay for it now, which is a shame.

International - I thought the establishing shot was a nice callback to some of First Blood's signature forest visuals. It was a bit odd to see Sly rocking a sherriff's hat, but tinged with full-circle poetry and an effective scene all the same.

Airplane
Yeah, half of it's cancelled, but it's still funny as shit.

I watched that fairly recently - hilarious movie. I love the 'tommy gun loaded with jokes' style of the Zucker / Abrahams / Zucker stuff, even moreso when most of the shots hit the mark.

When the time comes, morticians will have to pry Excuse me miss, I speak Jive from my cold, dead funnybones
And so much timeless stuff besides, like the slapstick press 'taking' pictures and knocking over the phone booth.

I picked the wrong week to stop sniffing glue.

McCroskey is a real favourite. He's such a pitch-perfect caricature of the competent, put-upon Chief archetype ready to light fires under as many asses as it takes to get the job done.

[GaijinPunch]

Dodes'kaden

An odd entry by Kurosawa. Admittedly I was in the wrong state of mind for this one - tired and distracted. Set in some really shitty slums, several stories of the inhabitants intersect. Shot in color, and sadly like a lot of Kurosawa's work, 4:3 ratio. It was adapted from a book and could easily be a play. Some pretty interesting set work, but hard to recommend.

What ? 1:33:1 is my favourite frame size.

2:35:1 all the way.

When the time comes, morticians will have to pry Excuse me miss, I speak Jive from my cold, dead funnybones

How old are you and are you from the US? I have European friends that don't realize half of that joke is Barbara Billingsly delivering it.