What DVD / Video did you watch last night? (pt3)

[Reno]

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. I always thought that CG animation films all look a bit the same when so much could be done with the medium. This proves it, the film is endlessly visually inventive and fantastic on a visual level. On the downside, despite all the meta aspects, it’s yet another Spider-Man movie and with its heavy mythology, it may be more meaningful to those who’ve read the comics, than those like me, who have not. It’s good, but I’m not on board with declaring it the greatest animation film ever, as some have done.

The Quake, Norwegian disaster movie and the sequel to The Wave. Claims for the earlier film were that it was the thinking persons disaster movie because it was European and had subtitles. It was not, it was full of the cliches of all disaster movies, just the actors looked a lot less movie-star glamorous. This is more of the same with the added ridiculousness that the same family would find itself in a similar situation all over. But once the quake hits, it’s actually pretty exciting and the special effects are far more spectacular than for the previous film. It nicks from a lot of other movies (Jaws, Cloverfield, Towering Inferno) but it’s good fun, if you like that sort of thing.

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three, the original of course. There is nothing that has dated badly about it, it's just great ! Has maybe the greatest last shot of any movie. What was Tony Scott thinking when remaking this.

 

[DaveCinzano]

What was Tony Scott thinking when remaking this.

 

[Idris2002]

Crystal meth was my verdict after watching that travesty.

 

[Ming]

The Dirt on Netflix. I'm a huge Motley Crue fan (used to glam up and go to The Web club at The Astoria in the late 80's/early 90's and saw them live on the Dr Feelgood tour at Wembley Arena). Fucking excellent entertainment even if you hate them. And the book's probably my favourite rock biography. I can't believe they got the 'Bullwinkle' scene in it.

 

[Orang Utan]

Saw the 1944 version of Gaslight, with Ingrid Bergman and Charles Boyer - Reno is right - Bergman owns this, but Walbrook is the star of the 1940 version. I think I prefer the 1940 version all the same. They're both excellent films and their cultural resonance is warranted.

 

[belboid]

Free Solo


I have been climbing and have seen a few climbing movies, and they all have their 'fucking hell, what a madman' [it is always a man] moments, but none of them prepare you for this. Just the vertiginous shots overlooking the climb routes set my vertigo off, well before any of the ridiculous moves that have to be made. But then there are the climbs.....that bloke falling off...that thumb hold. Sorry, it wasn't a 'thumb hold' it was a slight indent in the rock where a thumb would just about fit, before you had to swap thumbs and basically leap to an almost certain death (unless you've got ropes on). I was completely wide of eye and slack of jaw for half the film, whilst mrs b was looking away, far more scared than by anything seen in Hereditary. Bloody brilliant.

 

[Supine]

Yeah free solo was great. Watched it with my mum who covered her eyes at points

I've just downloaded dawn wall which is about a difficult climb on that same slab but using ropes this time.

 

[belboid]

using ropes this time.

wusses!

 

[krtek a houby]

Sorcerer - Wages of Fear remake that bombed spectacularly on release (77) but is now rightly considered a classic. William Friedkin directs and aparently was akin to the problematic shoot that Herzog and Coppola had with Fitzcarraldo and Apocalypse Now, respectively.

The 36th Chamber of Shaolin - influential Shaw Bros classic martial arts flick (78). Best bit is the training, the climax feels a bit rushed.

Piranha - Remake of 70s film, gore galore, gratuitous nudity, severed limbs and appendages all floating about. Elizabeth Shue, Ving Rhames, Kelly Brook and Steve McQueen (grandson of the Steve McQueen) and that bloke from Parks & Recreation all star.

 

[yield]

First 2 episodes of Doom Patrol (DC Comics property that had a soft introduction during Titans Season 1).

Basically a loose 'family' of misfits and experiments brought together by Timothy Dalton's mad professor patriarch.

It's proper batshit and fun, but has some genuine pathos mixed in too, very enjoyable.

Some decently big names in quirky roles, including Brendan Fraser, Matt Bomer and the aforementioned Dalton.

Not to mention the always great Alan Tudyk as both the narrator and antagonist, leading to much 4th wall breaking and potshots at the various superhero cliches / format.

Well worth a watch, you'll know after the 1st episode if you want to carry on

It's really good! Similarities with Legion. Superpowers as mental illness.

 

[Nine Bob Note]

Original two series over the past week

 

[krtek a houby]

I carried on with my Bourne rewatch with The Bourne Legacy. I really like this one and think it’s underrated. It’s a great action film and by revealing what Threadstone did, it goes a bit more towards science fiction but that’s not a bad thing. It has a more high stakes plot and I find Renner a more likeable hero than Damon.

The Bourne films have been considered a more modern take on the Bond movies but now they look like a more low key take on the superhero film. These guys are the product of mad scientists and must be on the same superpower level as Captain America.

Watched last night, and a lot better than expected. Good call.

 

[pesh]

Black Monday. 10 parter starring Don Cheadle. Wolf of Wall Street meets Caddyshack. Daft, highly offensive. 7/10

 

[Part 2]

Minding The Gap. A coming of age documentary about 3 skateboarders, their relationship with each other, and parenting. It was nominated for the oscar for Best documentary.

While one of the 3, Bing Liu is the director and remains behind the camera for most of the film, it's his understanding of the shared experience of poor parenting and toxic masculinity that seem to motivate him. Shot over 12 years it follows the changes in their lives and relationships. It's a must see, for young men especially. A real insight into the relationships between friends, parents and their children....and skateboarding.

Mid90s. On a similar theme, Jona Hill's film about a bunch of skateboarders who pick up a new recruit, a younger kid who's having a tough time at home. The relationships within the group feel very real although some of the acting/dialogue is a bit clunky at times. It's been described as cliched and there's a lot of comparison to 'Kids' which I've never seen. I enjoyed it.

 

[MBV]

Minding The Gap. A coming of age documentary about 3 skateboarders, their relationship with each other, and parenting. It was nominated for the oscar for Best documentary.

While one of the 3, Bing Liu is the director and remains behind the camera for most of the film, it's his understanding of the shared experience of poor parenting and toxic masculinity that seem to motivate him. Shot over 12 years it follows the changes in their lives and relationships. It's a must see, for young men especially. A real insight into the relationships between friends, parents and their children....and skateboarding.

Mid90s. On a similar theme, Jona Hill's film about a bunch of skateboarders who pick up a new recruit, a younger kid who's having a tough time at home. The relationships within the group feel very real although some of the acting/dialogue is a bit clunky at times. It's been described as cliched and there's a lot of comparison to 'Kids' which I've never seen. I enjoyed it.

Thanks for the Mid90s tip - I really liked it. I wasn't what I thought it was going to be.

 

[May Kasahara]

Brief Encounter. Never seen it before and was mightily impressed - it was much more emotionally direct and vivid than I expected.

 

[8115]

Brief Encounter. Never seen it before and was mightily impressed - it was much more emotionally direct and vivid than I expected.

It's one of my favourite films, if not my favourite film.

 

[Sue]

Brief Encounter. Never seen it before and was mightily impressed - it was much more emotionally direct and vivid than I expected.

It's a great film.

 

[krtek a houby]

The Cabinet of Dr Caligari (1920)

Unexpectedly magnificent. I mean, I'd read about it over the years but can see the huuuuge influence on Tim Burton there.

 

[May Kasahara]

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, watched with my son on the sofa yesterday while in the grip of a truly spectacular hangover (me, not him). Perfect recovery viewing.

 

[Orang Utan]

Brawl In Cell Block 99, S. Craig Zahler's follow up to Bone Tomahawk, this is also sickeningly violent. I suspect I wouldn't like Zahler's politics, esp since reading about his next film, Dragged Across Concrete, which is out soon. He's like a cross between Tarantino and John Milius - an exhilarating but troubling film maker.

 

[trabuquera]

Jayne Mansfield's Car - bizarre, loopy, looping, shaggy, baggy Southern-Gothic character drama set in 1969. Many generations of war-scarred men deal with near-farcical family drama between them and an equally war-scarred English family after an unexpected death. Absolutely astonishing cast (Robert Duvall, John Hurt, Billy Bob Thornton, Kevin Bacon, Ray Stevenson, Robert Patrick) all acting up a storm though the women's roles are totally underwritten. Most of them are bonkers in one way or another and there's plenty of oddball humour, oddly gruesome jokes, surprising (verbal) filth and accidents with LSD and firearms. Goes on too long and a bit of an acting-studio bro-fest, but atmospheric and unusual. worth a punt if Tennessee Williams meets Angry Young Men might be your thing.

 

[cybershot]

Ben Is Back - Julia Roberts stars as the caring mother that's been put through hell (but lives a very nice life thanks to her wealthy husband) by her drug abusing son who returns home one Christmas Eve attempting to put things right, of course things go a little wrong.

Aquaman - two hours and twenty minutes of utter confusion that I won't get back.

 

[Chz]

Finally got around to Three Billboards.

A meh flick, saved by some absolutely outstanding acting.

 

[Part 2]

Black Dynamite. 2009 Blaxploitation action comedy. Every cliche in the book, done very well. I laughed, lots.

 

[Indeliblelink]

Roxanne Roxanne (2017) - biographical film about rapper Roxanne Shante, acting is OK from Chante Adams & Mahershala Ali but the story is more of a misery memoir family drama about her abusive partner, it would of been better had it shown the rise of The Juice Crew, as it is a few members are portrayed but there's not even a mention of the Bridge wars with BDP/KRS1. Worst of all for a music business biopic set in the 80's New York rap scene there's hardly any music, it should of been packed with classic rap tracks but we don't even hear Shante's best tracks, no "Bite this", "Have a nice day" or "Go on girl". Disappointing.

 

[DotCommunist]

Brawl in Cell Block 99

more intense than I'd thought, agree with Orang Utan that it was a ride, but yes problematic also. Are we to take the cross on his head as far right? None of tha sort of thing is actually said (dialouge is fairly sparse overall! longest chat I can remember is with the prosecutor guy 'every now and then I see someone across that table who could be in my chair etc') but theres an undercurrent/overcurrent

 

[belboid]

Disobedience

2017 film with Rachel Weisz and, Rachel McAdams, by Sebastián Lelio who did Gloria and A Fantastic Woman. All about a woman returning to her Orthodox Jewish home after the death of her father. The community no longer really recognises her as his daughter for reasons which become clear as we progress. It's all very muted, in look and tone, not at all preachy, and quite satisfying without being sensational in any way. Solid film-making.

 

[Sue]

The Killers. Classic noir with Burt Lancaster in his first screen role and a young Ava Gardner as the beautiful but double-crossing dame he falls in love with.

 

[T & P]

Life of Brian. Seeing as it's Easter, and the 40th anniversary of its release to boot. As funny as ever