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

[hash tag]

He is particularly vile. Marius is my one of my favourite characters across any show.

Sophie was introduced to the children far too soon in the relationship, yet alone sleeping over at Hugo's. Now up to 2. 7.

 

[redsquirrel]

The Last of Sheila - a smart, funny, well thought mystery/thriller penned by Anthony Perkins and Steven Sondheim and with a top cast (James Mason, James Coburn, Ian McShane, Dyan Cannon). Plot is that millionaire movie producerJames Coburn's wife Shelia was killed in a hit and run accident, a year later he brings together his friends (who may or may not be involved in the hit and run) on his yacht for a series of games where people's secret's will be revealed. Only some sister turns start to take place.

Considering the cast and the writers I'm surprised this is not better know. The major flaw it does have is it's very disturbing view of the secrets we have a shoplifter, a homosexual, an ex-con and a child molester! To any modern audience one of those things is definitely not like the others. But apart from that (big) flaw this is a clever film and well worth watching.

 

[belboid]

Only some sister turns start to take place.

Anna Freudian slip?

 

[DaveCinzano]

Emma Freudian Pillow Talk

 

[inva]

JSA Join Security Area
Park Chan-wook film from 2000, murder investigation in the demilitarised zone between North and South Korea by a 'neutral investigator' played by Lee Young-ae (who I didn't actually recognise from Lady Vengeance to begin with but I did recognise her voice, it's a strong and measured performance by her though) and finds all kinds of lines being crossed - lots of shots of things being trod on.

It has some of Park's flashy style but pared back compared with what would follow, and really this is a taut thriller where our knowledge of the outcome and the split structure causes the tension to wind and unwind very effectively throughout. A good film, really glad I got round to watching it.

 

[Elpenor]

Sophie was introduced to the children far too soon in the relationship, yet alone sleeping over at Hugo's. Now up to 2. 7.

Yes all a bit rushed.

 

[krtek a houby]

Finished season 2 of Pose. Anybody else watching this?

Still a few questions to be answered, wonder if they will be addressed in the final season?

Anyway, a heartwarming/moving/funny/tragic look at the African-American LGBT NYC "ball culture" of the early 90s. Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk hold back on the gore horror of AHS and (mostly) play it more straightforward in the OTT world that the characters of this unique culture inhabit. The horror is there, but it's the horror of prejudices and the devestation caused by AIDS.

 

[Elpenor]

I watched series 2 of Save Me on Now TV. Decent programme and good support cast but I’m not convinced by Lennie James’ acting. Stephen Graham is good as a paedo trying to resist temptations.

 

[inva]

The Little Stranger
2018 supernatural mystery of sorts directed by Lenny Abrahamson based on a novel by Sarah Waters. Set post WW2, Domnhall Gleeson plays a doctor from a working class background who is increasingly drawn into the declining upper class Ayres family played by Charlotte Rampling, Ruth Wilson and Will Poulter. The aristocratic decay and nicely paced building of paranormal elements creates a real unsettling feel, and the slow twisting of the narrative is hugely effective. A subtle and character focused film that treads familiar ground in an unusual way.

I thought Gleeson and Wilson's performances in particular were both really excellent. Might try and pick up the book some time.

 

[Elpenor]

I’ve started Show me a Hero which is superb. Public housing in a suburb just outside New York City in the 80s. Racism cloaked as protecting property value. A stellar cast including Oscar Isaac, Catherine Keener, Alfred Molina and Winona Ryder. Written by the chap who did The Wire.

 

[Buddy Bradley]

I’ve started Show me a Hero which is superb. Public housing in a suburb just outside New York City in the 80s. Racism cloaked as protecting property value. A stellar cast including Oscar Isaac, Catherine Keener, Alfred Molina and Winona Ryder. Written by the chap who did The Wire.

It's brilliant, and the ending is just so well done, you're in for a treat.

 

[Elpenor]

It's brilliant, and the ending is just so well done, you're in for a treat.

I actually think I’ve seen it before on a plane. Oddly enough the plane was going to New York.

 

[Elpenor]

I’ve started Show me a Hero which is superb. Public housing in a suburb just outside New York City in the 80s. Racism cloaked as protecting property value. A stellar cast including Oscar Isaac, Catherine Keener, Alfred Molina and Winona Ryder. Written by the chap who did The Wire.

It’s disconcerting how much he looks like a 90s Dave Quinnan from The Bill

 

[DaveCinzano]

It’s disconcerting how much he looks like a 90s Dave Quinnan from The Bill

Isaac, Molina or Simon?

 

[Elpenor]

Isaac, Molina or Simon?

Lol, Isaac

 

[DaveCinzano]

Lol, Isaac

Phew, because the others are definitely more Tosh Lines and Frank Burnside

 

[krtek a houby]

It’s disconcerting how much he looks like a 90s Dave Quinnan from The Bill

Uncanny

90s Dave Quinnan

Oscar Isaac

 

[petee]

Panic In The Streets

timely.

 

[Badgers]

 

[Elpenor]

Uncanny

90s Dave Quinnan

Oscar Isaac

If anything that supports my assertion

 

[Buddy Bradley]

Since I was stuck in a hotel with nothing but Freeview, I watched the latest Fantastic Four film (or FANT4STIC, if you prefer) last night. The alternative origin story was actually quite interesting, but the fact that it just sort of fizzled out without any real final battle made for a terrible finale. Overall it was badly paced, and the lead actress was very wooden. Miles Teller was good though. 5/10

 

[trabuquera]

Bram Stoker's Dracula - not the lurid, over-egged Francis Ford Coppola 1992 one with Gary Oldman but a much more low-key, low-budget but oddly effective 1974 version with Jack Palance (who has the cheekbokes to look Slavic and brings an unusual sort of quiet, almost silent, tragic dignity to it.) The film is dated and tonally odd but has some brilliantly creepy tableaux and it's from a whole different and much more serious world than the lurid campy shocks of the Hammer films treatments of the theme. You can see that Coppola ripped it off wholesale. Weird, baggy, not totally together - as always, the ladies' makeup is far too obviously 1970s not 1870s - but if you're a vampire completist this one is definitely worth a go.

 

[inva]

Thieves Highway
"I don't know what you're talking about but I have a new respect for apples."
1949 film of post war disillusionment directed by Jules Dassin. Apparently I posted on this thread six years ago that I was planning to watch this soon, and only just got round to it. I shouldn't have waited so long it's excellent. Richard Conte plays war veteran Nick Garcos whose triumphant return home quickly turns sour and he finds himself up to his neck in the savage exploitative world of the apple business. It took a little while for this to really click with me but it turned out to be a tightly written and directed film with a similar kind of seething tone to Dassin's earlier film Brute Force - Garcos' worldliness from his years in the navy dissolves as he's thrown into a civilian life that doesn't keep its promises. It was let down a bit by the abrupt incrongruous ending which I assume must have been ordered by the studio but you can overlook that.

The interest shown in the work, the market and the exploitation behind something as innocuous as an apple gives a strong political edge and maybe more than the slightly thin revenge plot provides the real drive of the film. Unsurprisingly Dassin was blacklisted during the anti communist witch hunt a year or two later, as was at least one of the cast Morris Carnovsky, while another cast member Lee J. Cobb named names to the HUAC.

A particular highlight was the performance of Valentina Cortese who brings a kind of laconic haunted energy to her role. Her character could have strayed well into cliche but it's a credit to Cortese that it doesn't feel that way when you're watching. Although she gets unfortunately sold out by the ending too.

Anyway this was great, so far I haven't seen anything directed by Jules Dassin that hasn't been, really need to find more of his to watch.

Also, crushed hopes and corruption after WW2 resulted in a lot of brilliant films didn't it?

 

[Chz]

Watched the Blu-Ray of Nomadland.

Well that was just lovely, wasn't it? Downside being that the mrs now wants to buy a camper and live on the road.

 

[platinumsage]

The Awakening - Apparently I've seen it before but had managed to forget everything including the twists at the end.

 

[Supine]

Watched the Blu-Ray of Nomadland.

Well that was just lovely, wasn't it? Downside being that the mrs now wants to buy a camper and live on the road.

Less keen on working in an amazon warehouse I’d imagine

 

[Chz]

Less keen on working in an amazon warehouse I’d imagine

I reckon she'd take it over her current job so long as it was seasonal-only. The question is what I would do, since I can't spend 8 hours on my feet without being heavily medicated.

 

[Buddy Bradley]

Watched the Blu-Ray of Nomadland.

Well that was just lovely, wasn't it? Downside being that the mrs now wants to buy a camper and live on the road.

We just watched that tonight as well (on Disney+). Just excellent, very moving. Well deserved Oscars.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

Planning to watch Letter to Brezhnev tonight - downloaded it from youtube, and thanks to whoever it was who posted the film on here.

 

[Johnny Vodka]

Just about to watch The Wild Gardener (live, but it will be on iplayer shortly).