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

[krtek a houby]

Arsenic and Old Lace

Capra's 1944 classic with Cary Grant and some guy who looks like Boris Karloff.

It's been a while since seen this but it still stands the test of time. Can really see where Cleese got his schtick from.

 

[Elpenor]

Harry He’s Here to Help

French thriller from the year 2000, in the style of Hitchcock. While on holiday with his family, Michel, a teacher meets an old classmate, the titular Harry, who weaves his way into Michel’s life. Darkly funny in some places. Watched this on tv years ago, remember loving it, and finally gave it a rewatch tonight.

Having searched for it on here it seems that Reno is a fan also.

 

[Sue]

Harry He’s Here to Help

French thriller from the year 2000, in the style of Hitchcock. While on holiday with his family, Michel, a teacher meets an old classmate, the titular Harry, who weaves his way into Michel’s life. Darkly funny in some places. Watched this on tv years ago, remember loving it, and finally gave it a rewatch tonight.

Having searched for it on here it seems that Reno is a fan also.

2000? That makes me feel old -- saw it at the cinema when it came out...

 

[Elpenor]

2000? That makes me feel old -- saw it at the cinema when it came out...

I think you mean venerable

I can recall seeing a French film - Sitcom I think - at the cinema in 1998. I might revisit that at some point

 

[Sue]

I think you mean venerable

Precocious..?

 

[krtek a houby]

Enjoyed Jupiter's Legacy, a superhero series which apparently wasn't well received on account of its serious tone.

Having overdosed a bit on the quirky humour of Marvel, this was a pleasure and lots of nods to the Golden Age, King Kong and classic adventure serials.

Pity it was cancelled.

 

[Buddy Bradley]

Cecil B Demented (2000) - somewhat ramshackle but gloriously anarchic John Waters dark comedy about terrorist filmmakers. Decided to watch it because he just got a well-deserved star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

 

[platinumsage]

Golda - I thought it would be interesting, something about Golda Meir's role in the Yom Kippur War, but it appears to have gone down the route of "Golda Meir is an old woman who smokes a lot and has cancer" so we get lots of shots of her smoking, sitting on her bed and hobbling down corridors. The war is laughably conveyed through a serious of ridiculous radio transmissions from the front line "We're not sure what to do omg they're attacking we're all dying hi this is an Arab we killed them all" so I walked out half way through.

 

[May Kasahara]

Taxi Driver, watched with the boy. Because it, and De Niro, are so revered and so often referenced down the years, it can be easy to forget just how brilliant they both are. So I enjoyed being reminded. Still grim and fascinating and very relevant after all this time, De Niro is still utterly magnetic.

The boy also loved it and came out with some very astute commentary afterwards. 10/10 Saturday night viewing experience.

 

[platinumsage]

Barbie - not very funny, so a bit boring.

 

[platinumsage]

57 seconds - A tedious time travel caper inexplicably starring Morgan Freeman in which the protagonist finds a ring that can shift him back in time but only by 57 seconds. He immediately uses it to have sex with his new girlfriend repeatedly until she says she likes it, or something, because I stopped watching.

 

[Elpenor]

57 seconds - A tedious time travel caper inexplicably starring Morgan Freeman in which the protagonist finds a ring that can shift him back in time but only by 57 seconds. He immediately uses it to have sex with his new girlfriend repeatedly until she says she likes it, or something, because I stopped watching.

Sounds like the script was written for Adam Sandler

 

[T & P]

Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One. Apparently it has underperformed at the box office, and before I had got to watch it I had assumed it was chiefly down to bad planning and PR that resulted in it being released too close to Barbenheimer weekend and without sufficient fanfare.

But whereas that’s probably partly to blame, I felt rather underwhelmed by it, compared to recent instalments of the franchise. Felt largely like more of the same old tricks, as well as a palpable lack of screen chemistry between Cruise and the other main lead. The comic relief moments with them two, in particular during the underwhelming car chase scene that is too long and largely superfluous, fall completely flat. As a final complain, Cruise’s showpiece stunt felt mostly a CGI trick even though he did it for real. Ditto another much publicised stunt involving a steam locomotive.

Having said all of that, it’s not a terrible film. The premise is topical, and the antagonist one of the most menacing and formidable foes of the franchise. I certainly look forward to the franchise-concluding part II film. If only they would get Christopher Nolan to direct it…

 

[T & P]

Fight Club. Decided to rewatch it last night, after a good 12 years+ since the previous time. Still holds up pretty well and remains a highly enjoyable film.

 

[krtek a houby]

We watched the final episodes of Sex Education. Overall, the series was not as good as the previous ones. Several characters had been dropped and the new ones just weren't engaging enough.

That said, the finale was satisfactory and the main cast acquited themselves well. Ncuti Gatwa is going to make a fabulous Doctor Who. And kudos to a glorious cameo from a certain Irish Game of Thrones actor...

Wonder how the show is received in middle America. Imagine some would be freaking out over the subject matter.

 

[izz]

Currently watching Windtalkers. What utter, war-story-trite-shite. If I had a drink for every cliche, I'd need a new liver.

E2a: one of the characters has just begged for death. I know how he feels.

 

[Sasaferrato]

I'm currently watching The Good Doctor last thing.

 

[Sasaferrato]

Currently watching Windtalkers. What utter, war-story-trite-shite. If I had a drink for every cliche, I'd need a new liver.

E2a: one of the characters has just begged for death. I know how he feels.

Thanks for that, I won't bother now.

 

[DaveCinzano]

I can recall seeing a French film - Sitcom I think - at the cinema in 1998. I might revisit that at some point

I saw that, I rather enjoyed it, though it was pretty much the stereotype of arty, bourgeois values-obsessed French fare (that said it was also flecked with interesting narrative flourishes and run through with threads of transgressiveness)

 

[krtek a houby]

Bodies ep 3

Best DC adaptation since Sandman.

 

[belboid]

I have been catching up on recent horrors, in the run up to halloween. Supposedly the best of this decade, which is kinda sad, as none of them have had any great originality, although they have all been very well executed examples of their genre. Especially true of these first three:

The Black Phone - combo slasher/escape room flick. Quite preposterous and utterly derivative (thank god I have never read, seen, or even head of Silence of the Lambs, or I'd have known exactly what was going to happen from half way through) but well made and tense (until you sit back and thank about it for a moment).

Underwater - which is just Alien, but (guess what?) underwater. Kristen Stewart plays Ripley, pretty well and it's a good supporting cast. The 'alien' is reasonably scary. The director/producers were clearly lacking in confidence in it, so they have KS wandering around in just her knickers half the movie.

Barbarian - a woman on her own goes to an AirBnB in a part of Detroit you really wouldn't want to rent an AirBnB in and discovers it is double booked and strange things are happening. Then there's a good twist and whilst it doesn't quite go onto developing its promise fully, there are more amusing/horrifying turns that make it well worthwhile. Deffo the best of the three typical genre movies.

Unless I'm going to count Attachment - which I don't want to call derivative, even tho I guess it is. Jewish mysticism and possession - but who is going to be the possessed one? With Sophie 'The Killing' Grabol and Ellie 'Meera Reed from GoT' Kendrick, the charcters are just really believable and draw you in. It builds the tension really well, shifting your suspicion from character to character. The denouement is kinda by the book, but that doesn't really spoil it. Well worth a watch.

On the other hand, Infinity Pool, Brandon Cronenberg's latest, cannot be accused of being derivative at all. Starting off rich people being wankers on holiday, it switches to a brutal nightmare that may just be a dream come true, in a weird and perverse way. I was drawn in for a while, but in the end couldn't get over the fact that the basic concept was very very silly and completely impractical. And not consistently realised. Mia Goth is good in it.

 

[redsquirrel]

The Philadelphia Story - classic screwball comedy with Hepburn, Grant as her ex husband and Stewart as a journalist trying to get the exclusive story. Hepburn is about to remarry to a lunk, but can Grant or Stewart change her mind. The younger sister of Hepburn’s character is good value. Still don’t think anything can match Bringing Up Baby though for this type of film.

BFI recently curated a series on Hawks' Women you might find some other stuff you like

 

[Sue]

On the other hand, Infinity Pool, Brandon Cronenberg's latest, cannot be accused of being derivative at all. Starting off rich people being wankers on holiday, it switches to a brutal nightmare that may just be a dream come true, in a weird and perverse way. I was drawn in for a while, but in the end couldn't get over the fact that the basic concept was very very silly and completely impractical. And not consistently realised. Mia Goth is good in it.

I'm not really into horror and saw this kind of accidentally. It's a bit long but I really enjoyed it. And yes, Mia Goth is very good. (I saw Pearl round about the same time and she was very good in that too. If you haven't seen it, I'd recommend.)

 

[T & P]

Decided to rewatch Dogma. One of those comedy films you enjoyed fifteen years ago as a goofy movie that you fear might have aged really badly. But I am pleased to say it remains a great comedy film. One of Kevin Smith’s best, and much more clever and thought-provoking than most adult comedy films. For whatever reason, free on YouTube at the moment.

I miss Alan Rickman so much

 

[krtek a houby]

The much maligned "John Carter". If you like early 20th century pulpy science fantasy, it's a reasonable attempt. Am partial to Flash Gordon, Conan etc - so that's going to fit in that area. The film itself reminds of a hybrid of Indiana Jones, Avatar, Dune, The Mummy.

A shame that the studio chickened out with the name change, but enjoyably silly movie all the same.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

Watched Dawn of the Dead on Saturday night (the original 1978 version). Good fun if a bit daft.

 

[krtek a houby]

Watched Dawn of the Dead on Saturday night (the original 1978 version). Good fun if a bit daft.

That's the mall one, isn't it. Best of the original trilogy, imho.

 

[May Kasahara]

The Babadook. Absolutely superb, grief-stricken fear and mania unflinchingly examined. Teenage son rated it the best horror film he's seen for ages.

 

[krtek a houby]

Just finished Bodies tonight.

Well, despite the mixed reactions, reckon it was reasonably enjoyable. Previously described it as the best DC Vertigo adaptation since Sandman.

Maybe not. Some of the story didn't fuse well, some of the acting was cheesy and the ending is a bit off for a limited series.

Basically, it's Dark for those who don't want to do 3 whole seasons. I'd say if you haven't seen either, do Dark. It really is worth it, in a headfuck way.

An interesting attempt with mixed results.

 

[T & P]

Ambulance. The latest Michael Bay film, a kind of Heat meets the Fast and Furious.

As much a Michael Bay film as it gets. A third into the film I thought it was literally going to be a two-hour long car chase. And whereas it actually kind of is, for 2/3rds of it at least, it actually develops into a multilayered story that manages somehow to make it work, just about. By no means his best, though not his worst either. Far more three-dimensional than his Transformers films, anyway.