HarryArchieGus
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Posts posted by HarryArchieGus
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1 hour ago, Technico Support said:
Anybody see “Love and Death” on Max? Plemons was really great in that, as was Elizabeth Olson and my favorite bit player Tom Pelphrey.
Absolutely! Love and Death was truly (and kinda quietly) excellent. I loved Plemmons and became a big fan of Ms. Olsen from her spectacular performance. Very excited to see what comes her way in the future.
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On 5/3/2024 at 11:01 AM, NikoBaltimore said:
I feel awful for Ethan. The guy was getting shredded with the hopes of getting some gold this year. And he cut a helluva promo on ROH about his title plans and doing it for his daughter which felt felt pretty damn real to me. He seemed motivated but it sucks they didn't have anything for him. I mean I practically forgot Kyle Fletcher is the TV champ but you couldn't have had Page at least make a run towards a title match to see how people like it? If it worked out then great but if not then yeah I guess that's for him but they could have at least tried. Instead he meandered around after MOTY so unless something fucked up happened I feel bad for him.
That said WWE would be a good place if he gets in but I'm not sure how far he'd go. Now an indy run where he goes back to pyscho mode nuking fools in revenge for the release would be fun to see. I liked when he would do that and it was great in the Darby feud.
We differ on the quality of Page's ROH promos, but he was definitely putting the time in for his physique. Apparently, the Fletcher bout was delayed and cut due to visa issues. The word going around a year or so ago was WWE was interested in him (Fightful? WO?).
22 hours ago, NikoBaltimore said:To be honest I treated ROH for the longest time as just another AEW show though a lot more self-contained. It's Dark but with titles/purpose and better matches. I know that sounds dismissive but I love everything about it. If anything it led to me enjoying the shows a lot more as I'm paying attention to things I would have glossed over. I figure if they're not losing much money and people are checking the shows (which at least live they are and seem to get into) then no harm no foul. And hey I'm still streaming them on Thursdays on Discord whether people watch it or not so it could be worth a look if y'all are curious. And I would even be down for giving a monthly ROH report in the AEW thread for those not watching or paying attention to the ROH thread.
I also cringe when somebody says TK buying them was a mistake. It was a drop in the bucket for him and it keeps ROH alive for old and new fans. Plus it gives wrestlers another chance to get some reps in. Doesn't sound like a mistake to me. Now I do understand if people expected a lot more to come out of this but honestly I think it's already paid off for them.
As a regular enough viewer I'm not quite seeing a show better than Dark these days. The titles and purpose is a good call concerning the Women's Division, but questionable on the Men's side. Title holders seem to make rare appearances, and in the case of the Tag and TV champions - used as enhancement talent on AEW TV. Wheeler Yuta's been the Pure Champion without a defense, or word of his existence, since 5 months ago. The booking feels, to be kind, listless. I look at this show regularly and wonder how much time Garrison, Karter, Lee Johnson, the Infantry, etc. need before recongnizing they might not be worth sinking time and money into developing. I could and hope to be wrong on any one of them. I love ROH providing reps, both in ring and on the mic, but very much welcome a roster refresh (on the Men's side).
I get what you're saying on the 'buying mistake' comment, and probably share many similar opinions, but thus far there's been plenty of good reasons to question the choice of buying ROH and running it in this bland manner. At this point too few care to even watch the product let alone question these choices of it's existence.-
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2 hours ago, Matt D said:
Quick thoughts:
- I think I liked the Copeland match on paper with the limb focus but no one wants to see evil spooky Copeland teases.
- Shibata looked so happy the first time he dropped Jericho on the hockey pucks!
- Pandering babyface Serena Deeb trying to connect with the audience is something. No one else except for MJF was acting that way though so it kind of works in the moment because it's so over the top and the audience really wants to be pandered to.
You’re reading the current Deeb role as pandering to the crowd - like (a much toned down) Learning Tree? I think she’s just tweening while readying a more overt heel for Timeless Toni. Matt, what are your thoughts on the paradise lock?
Agreed, nobody wants to see spooky Copeland. Even so, very much looking forward to Malakai v Adam!!!
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I think the missing element of Ethan Page is the Writer. He has good delivery on the mic, but struggles to find much meaning or purpose. Heavily reliant on cliches. In ring he's pretty solid if a bit bland for Wednesdays. I don't think he did himself any favours having such a brutal version of the Razor's Edge for a finish. The Men of the Year team with Scorpio were going pretty strong until around their pairing with Lambert, but that whole debacle had everything to do with weird-heat-babyface-getting-booed Guevara. Heel Scorpio Sky didn't seem a great fit either. Page did have a quietly impressive outting anchoring a trios match with the MMA guys. His consistent solid work led to a fair push around a Number 1 contender tournament that he ended up losing to Ricky Starks (another guy who could use a writer for similar reasons). Fans and critics didn't seem to be buying Ethan winning on the way to that bout. I think he got a fair chance to succeed, he just couldn't get passed his level. Still, he had some small successes. Sting believed in him enough to have his first live match back against he and Scorp. And it was a lot of fun. A refresh could be a really good thing for his career.
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20 minutes ago, Peck said:
Ethan Page is gone from AEW/ROH, according to Sapp.
Somebody needs to compile a 'Best of Babyface Ethan Page Promos' from his ROH run. Perfect fodder for the promos folder. Rotten babyface run aside, I like Page and wonder if he wouldn't be better suited for the world of Sports and Entertainment offered on the other channel.
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Such a great show. The Omega/Elite angle was tremendous. Excellent promo from Kenny and then everything that followed had good timing and excellent execution. I'm amongst the lowest voters on Authority Figures, heel or otherwise, but not the Jacksons nor the creative offended my sensibilities here. The opening was terrifically funny, TK included, as was everything they did on the show. Loved the Opening video. Willow v Skye Blue was my match of the night. Willowmania is fast approaching. She's now killing it on the mic weekly along with the fantastic in-ring work. Skye has been wonderful since the heel turn. Total star in the making. Both Skye and Willow murdered their shit beautifully in the Main. Some incredibly brutal spots. The Women's Division as as whole has been 10 fold better in the last number of weeks. Mariah v Serena was also a strong bout. Stoked for Serena v Toni. That said, the corny Paradise lock has got to go. That's the worst. Not quite sure of the title shot logic, but I'm game for Swerve v Christian. So happy to have the Wayne Family back on my TV. Mother Wayne stood tall in the opening segment. Heel Christian is a gift that keeps on giving. Copeland v Buddy was a solid opening match with an excellent latter half. More dumb angling from the House perfectly laid out above by @JLowe (how do we tag now?). Samoa Joe v Isaih Kassidy was a perfect TV enhancement match. The Walk Off/Dive was absolutely brutal looking and completely awesome. OC/Trent angle was brief but effective. I love Don Callis looming around this. Jericho v Shibata was fantastic. Murderous chopping galore. The puck to the face looked brutal. Everytime Jericho meanders as a babyface ppl always seem to forget what a capable to excellent heel he is. Jericho/Bill is perfection. I would not be surprised if this pairing Actually results in Bill becoming a top star. "Aside from my own actions, what did I do to deserve this treatment?' Stokely is really coming into his own in combination with Stat and Willow. Claudio v Brian Cage was a nice showcase. I wanna see this one again. Copeland/O'Reilly promo was very good. I like that pairing. Papa Magie brings great energy to the broadcast booth. I liked him pointing out how great White/Asses entrance music is. I wholeheartedly agree. Jay White v Dante was a strong TV bout. All these matches would obviously have benefitted greatly from a bit more crowd heat, but the work was tight regardless. Excellent Deonna promo. I love her going all FBI. I sense, in her proper heel role, she may surprise a few who may have written her off early in this run. Good Swerve promo. Working off Christian should benefit his fair to good mic game. Romero v O'Reilly seems to have gotten slept upon. Not enough story for some, not enough heat for others. The tight solid wrestling thrilled me throughout. Saraya/Harley promo was excellent as per usual. Harley makes the most of her minutes. I'm endlessly entertained by her hilarity. Very curious to see what Harley v Tiny Storm looks like. Good Roddy/Kingdom promo even if nobody cares. By the way, Arkady Aura is terrific. It certainly wouldn't have hurt to throw a name plate under her. Or give her an introduction of sorts (same goes for her innocuous debut on Collision). Even early in her run, she's clearly a natural broadcaster. The hour 3 Rampage portion underserved the star power and inevitably lost audience momentum, but nonetheless there was a lot to like in the hour. Overall, this was a terribly fun Rampage/Dynamite combo.
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On 5/1/2024 at 10:15 AM, Andrew POE! said:
Yeah, I wonder if La Chimera will work for me better on a repeated viewing (I'll track down the Blu Ray). What's strange for me is I dug Challengers a hell of a lot more than I did Civil War, even though the cinematography of Civil War was unmatched.
My movie watching schedule is a little intense. Basically, I get up and before work, I watch a movie. I do work stuff, but try to schedule a movie around lunch time then finish up work for the day. I finish the movie after work. I then watch two (or three if I'm lucky) movies in the evening.
For longer movies (that take two to three hours), I break it up during the course of a day. For longer than 3 hours (like Norte End of History recently), I won't watch it in one sitting and it may take multiple days. There have been instances (like The Turin Horse, Lost Illusions and Neighbouring Sounds) where it can be a long movie and completely engross me all the way through.
On Thursday - Sunday night, I try to catch movies in the theater through AMC A-List.
The main thing for me is if I find I'm getting bored with the movie on a streaming service, I take a break or in some cases, just don't finish it. Lightning Strikes Twice (which left Criterion Channel) was that way for me. The movie just wasn't appealing to me. Mubi had a few that I never finished from April as well for the same reason.
Thanks for sharing on your watching schedule. I saw Civil War today.
SpoilerNot enough redeeming qualties to get over the gratuitous use of 'cool violence'. The De La Soul music video scene featuring uncaring violence set to a beat followed by Joel's 'What a rush' line made it difficult to really give a shit about any lives being lost going forward. The trailer misled me to believe Jesse Plemmons had a substantial or lasting role in the film. A bit disappointing, but he, Plemmons, was great in his limited role. I liked many of the performances - Dunst especially. I agree the cinematography was generally excellent. I loved those shots of the planes. I needed a thicker denser weight of dread over everything following that first explosion. I tried to get into the movie in more of a classic action/adventure Spielbergian vein, but it just felt far too hollow in the end.
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To the previous AEW thread conversation surrounding the need for more story. I personally don't need or want any kind of elaborate Story, but setting the table of any contest with a modicum of build thru production packages and promos goes a long way in providing a crucial shine. The last number of weeks of AEW TV has provided lots of worthwhile and necessary reminder/builder videos, and it's a quiet improvement. It's not perfect, but it's a good sign. There's also been a lot of really good promos - it is a bit unfortunate that so many of the best ones go unseen on twitter.
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On 4/14/2024 at 10:38 PM, Andrew POE! said:
Movies I saw today...
La Chimera (saw at the theater)
This would be like if Robert Altman and Pier Pasolo Pasolini worked together and directed a movie about archaelogy. I'll have to track down the other movies Alice Rohrwacher directed, but there were parts I liked and parts I didn't. The first hour dragged somewhat, but it did pick towards the end and had a satisfying conclusion (even though the main character is pretty much dead).
Except for the main character Arthur (Josh O'Connor) and Flora (Isabella Rossellini), there weren't really that many interesting characters. The various people around Arthur just as well been one person. Italia (Carol Duarte) tried but seemed to exist in the movie to be put down by Flora. The scene where she gets angry over Arthur and the people working with him robbing graves was the only bit of character work she showed.
Robert Altman-esque bits were where characters spoke over each other in certain scenes.
It's not a completely terrible movie though. I love some of the shots that were set up in the movie (the upside camera angle was particularly inventive).
Worth checking out.
Civil War (saw at the theater)
For me, films are about capturing a specific feeling or emotion and having a story embody it thoroughly. There's a lot that Civil War does right. There's a few things that it does wrong. What it does right is the sound design - gunshots in the movie sound like actual gunshots or close to it. A lot of the scenery is setup beautifully.
The main crux of the movie - civil war - isn't exactly spelled out why people involved are fighting. It never tells you the reasons but you can somewhat guess (more likely the end of the road that the US is currently on with the current political parties).
Having played a lot of video games and recently going back into watching films, lots of scenes remind me of scenes I've seen in The Last of Us and The Last of Us Part II. The movie invoked a lot of the same feelings those games did - anxiety and paranoia throughout the story.
Kirsten Dunst was really great throughout the movie and is not the same woman seen in the Tobey Maguire Spider-Man trilogy or Mona Lisa Smile. Her sighs and worn facial expressions convey so much of the character's trauma and history.
What was troublesome is how Dunst's character Lee Smith and Stephen McKinley Henderson's character Sammy die almost senselessly. There was no grand speeches or gasping for last breaths - they just get shot and killed.
The other troubling thing is how apparent the film tries to 'both sides' journalism in armed conflicts. The film not definitely saying what the civil war was about or spell out the aims of each side leads the film to not saying anything directly. The crux coming out of the film seems to be "war is bad, mmkay" rather than why the president is wrong (or why he's right). Journalism seems to be about "if it bleeds, it leads" and taking graphic pictures of people being killed rather than those journalists making a direct statement.
Despite all of this, this is a great piece of cinema and will be talked about in the years to come.
I finally saw La Chimera last week. We definitely saw the same film. This is the second Alice Rohrwacher film I've seen - the first being the previous Happy As Lazzaro. This felt like somewhat of a repeat. Like Lazzaro there was something missing for me. That said, and like the previous film, the performances were terrific, especially O'Connor in the lead. Honorable mention to the director's charming sister Alba Rohrwacher in a nice supporting role. The cinematography was strong and worth noting as were many of the production choices. I didn't love the movie, but I did like it. It also made my imagination run wild (alongside a matinee buzz) which is troubling for movie focus, but sometimes a welcome experience with a less engaging yet creatively rich film. There are some Godard films that work similarily for me. Looking forward to seeing both Challengers and Civil War shortly.
Curious, what is your movie watching schedule? How do you pack so many titles into a day?-
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I saw the AEW 'TV' live experience on Saturday, and to no surprise it wasn't nearly as fun as watching with no commercials, the international version, and in the morning with breakfast.
I hope somebody out there is compiling the Best of Don Callis? He is so effective as a heel while also being incredibly funny. Don's admiration of Trent's win this week was my number 1 highlight. His chewing out of Fletcher and Ospreay wasn't far behind. -
20 hours ago, SovietShooter said:
I remember a long time ago I read something where they were talking about SNL, and how everybody always says "It was so much better back when 'X' was on the show" or similar thoughts. They then compared SNL to Mad Magazine, in that the 'golden age' for it will be when you first discover it, and get into it, and that as time goes on, it won't ever seem as good as it was when you viewed it for the first time.
I think that really does apply to pro wrestling too.
To a lot of folks my age, nothing will ever be better than Hogan vs Savage, or Dusty vs Flair, or whatever their memories are from the 80s boom. To folks in their 30s or whatever age, it'll be the Monday Night Wars, and the NWO, DX, Stuff like that.
So, to folks that are in their 20s now, when they look back on wrestling from their childhood, it is stuff like Super Cena, and "going 1-on-1 with the Undertaker playa". WWE was the only 'major league' in town, and for the 5-10yr olds that discovered wrestling in the '00s, that stuff is the good shit from their childhood.
When you mix that in with how media consumption changes more and more the younger the demographic is, well no wonder people go to wrestling shows and don't boo or cheer.
It’s a good comparison. Not to split hairs, but SNL’s decline in quality is more accurately based on overtly commercial interests exceeding artistic concerns. There was an A&E biography in the late 90s that nicely showed how the show was written/developed over the years. In the first couple decades the creativity flowed in a far more spontaneous setting. In the late 90s a bunch of suits were deciding what’s funny. This method continues to this day. All that said, your point rings true. On the subject of wrestling, the Irish Whip alone makes the Nostalgia crew’s inability to move forward and ‘back in my day’ argument feel like a big ol’ yawn.
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Chuck v Trent tops the week of AEDub TV for me. Fun, simple, bloody! If this wasn’t the highlight of the week it was Don Callis admiring Barretta’s work from the monitors. Yes! The Women’s Division had a pretty good week. Mina and Toni v Jay were both terrific fun. So great to see Toni figuring out how to balance the character. Jay’s getting consistent and quietly preparing herself for the next level for when it arrives. Deonna v Thunder was perhaps the strongest of all. Deonna embracing her natural heel feels so right. Good Deonna/Thunder twitter promos that nobody will see. I really liked Willow’s celebration. I forgive her for the camera miscue and focus on her very good mic work. Things are slowly starting to feel right with Mercedes heeling. The Casino Gauntlet provided some fun with all the Ospreay combinations. So into Ospreay v Roddy. I loved the Ospreay/Callis/Fletcher promo following. Don Callis is the quintessential example of making the most of your minutes. I loved him reprimanding Ospreay for not using the Tiger Driver and Fletcher for losing. So great! Big week for Swerve v Fletcher/Claudio. The Claudio match in particular – a bit unfortunate it got no build prior the show. Jericho/Bill promo provided the lifting of a great weight. Heel Jericho is totally acceptable and sometimes kinda awesome, babyface Jericho never. I sense this could be big for Bill. Sad night for Hobbs v Mox. A bit unfortunate that they couldn’t find some time to promote the returns of Rush and Fenix, but pleased to have both back in the fold. Fenix v Mortos was sensational. Mortos is currently one of the best in the world. The presentation may be too goofy to get behind with a push, but it won’t get in the way of him having weekly TV classics. Nice debut from the Grizzled Young Veterans v Acclaimed. Bowens/Caster have looked a lot better in tags over the past couple weeks. Great to see Billy back on the floor. Garcia/Shibata v Taylor/Moriarty was excellent minus the ridiculously lengthy double teaming. Glad Nigel called it out. I really wish they’d let Daddy Magic join Collision regularly. Schiavone’s best as part of a trio. Let’s get STP a couple wins, no? Shibata seems to be getting some buzz for his Siri promos. Khan/Perry/Bucks angle was very amusing to me. As was Tony bluntly suggesting ‘WWE is the Harvey Weinstein of pro wrestling’ and wearing the neckbrace all around on TV. And quietly on top of all that we got a very fun Top Flight/Andretti v BCG bout. So relieved to have proper defending Trios champions again. White’s incredible talents have really lifted the Asses whom looked great here. Loved the Gunns playing fans spot. Andretti is another quietly ascending star in the making. So consistent. There’s still a need for selling more of the sizzle, but the video packages are becoming consistent. The Switcher and Camera Operators could use to improve. So many hits. So few misses (that aren’t amusing). I’m having a little too much fun to care about the ups and downs of the money metrics. I sense we’ll be okay without my worry about it. AEDub world ruling!
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Regardless of the obvious outcome, this will be a great platform for the Powerhouse to show his stuff. Mox rocks against the big boys. Shirakawa v Jay intrigues me. Curious to see what Jericho has in store for the FTW Championship. Willow's shown herself capable of cutting a promo, i hope this celebration provides a nice opportunity to further the cause. I'm down for Swerve v Fletcher ~weird style!
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I like the opening production of this show. The video looks good and they've been presenting some fun promos off the top pretty regularly. Case in point the Mark Briscoe Promo from Collision. I do wish they'd show the outside of the arena of the city they're in. Solo v Keith was a nice competitive showcase. I wish Bryan Keith well in finding a stronger finish than flipping stunner. Solo is a great hand. I ffwd the Righteous/Archer squash and a lot of this show. ROH features some particularly weak promos every week, but I do like the commitment to the reps and production. Leila Grey/Diamante/Taya v HIrsch/Hogan/Adora a terrific TV match. I was hoping for a Leila win there. I sincerely hope this is not a sign of them giving up on her. She was starting to look really good before her injury/hiatus. What I saw of Lady Frost v Marti Belle looked strong. Belle seems like a fun heel. So pleased to see Lady Frost potentially on the upward. I'm not in the market for Dark Order squashes, but I did catch Uno's awesome looking run. The crowd was hot for the DOs. Garrison v Briscoe was really strong. Mark Briscoe can have a really fun to excellent match with anybody. Everyone knows how good he is yet he's still underrated. The listing of Beast Mortos v Nick Comoroto made me seek out this episode. I wasn't disappointed. Comoroto is hilarious in this new look/presentation. That said, I hope at some point he goes back to his debut look and wins a few matches (in ROH). The Beast Mortos is senesational. There are several talents on this show that I have zero current interest in, but I do appreciate the company's commitment to developing talent, and providing substantial opportunities.
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Holy smokes! What an unbelievable Monday morning gift! Okada v Pac to begin and St Louis is goddamn electric! Rainmaker pose into the bird flip may have been the top highlight among many. That slo-mo of Pac's moonsault is certainly a contender. I especially loved the 'he's our bastard' Pac standing ovation. God I love Pac! That's how you start a marathon of excellence. Eddie/Briscoe/Copeland v The House follows perfectly. There were some incredible matches on this card, like this one, that will no doubt be forgotten amongst the MOTYCs. All 6 were spectacular. Loved the Briscoe step up chair dive. Here's hoping these 6 pair off in singles going forward. Julia v Willow was short and sweet. Willowmania is now running and preparing to go wild shortly. At some point in her run, Willow will be money for this company. Roddy v Kyle O Reilly was every bit as sensational as I hoped it would be. Glad the Kingdom stooges were left in the back other than Wardy's near involvement. Nice clean win. Hook v Jericho was perfectly fine, and nicely laid out. I hope that Jericho both embraces this heat and smashes the shit out of that meaningless title - Poffo/Hennig style. Rosa v Storm exceeded my expectations like most. I loved seeing Toni wrestle a bit more straight up again. And has Rosa ever looked that good? Deonna in her sparkling onesy made quite a mark. Ma-ri-ah! Bryan Danielson v Will Ospreay was pure joy. A goddamn masterpiece. Everything about this from the video package to the post match was a work of great art by two beyond great artists. No surprise that FTR v Bucks find a way to aptly follow that. And ppl complain about TV death spots. I generally hate ladder matches, but certainly there's an exception to be made for these 4 pros. Ladder matches are always marred by the pretend slow climbs, but these guys proved it's not a shitty requirement. I hope others were taking notes. Cash Wheeler wrestled like he was willing to die for his art. The inevitable Jack Perry run-in was fantastic. Loved the reaction and very much looking forward to this next run. Nothing but love for Jack. Samoa Joe v Swerve followed all that and put on a helluva bout. Not that I'm surprised. These 5 hour shows take their toll on these live crowds, and zero heat for the false finishes was a bit disappointing if understandable. That said, they were all ready to come alive for the title switch. Very happy for Swerve Strickland - even if I wanted Joe's reign to keep going. Unreal. I always love AEW on PPV, but this felt even more satisfying than usual. AEDub most definitely earned the Dean call on this one.
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Spun is most definitely not in the Criterion Collection. I've never seen it, but I've also never heard a positive thing about it. Maybe I've been misled, are you a fan Curt?
1999 was a great filmgoing year. Ghost Dog, the Limey, the Straight Story, Boys Don't Cry... I wonder how Boys Don't Cry holds up? Other than the Insider, I saw everything I (knew about and) wanted to see in the Cinema that year. Including the (arguably) grossly underrated Psycho remake. There was a '99 retrospective just prior to the pandemic here in Toronto, and I was fortunate enough to see many of the screenings - The Insider, Being John Malkovich, Bringing Out the Dead, Three Kings, Any Given Sunday, Existenz, American Beauty, The Talented Mr. Ripley, Election, Magnolia, All About My Mother and Eyes Wide Shut. I actually just watched Eyes Wide again last night, and I can report that it's still a stone cold masterpiece. Nicole Kidman is unreal. One of the greatest to ever do it.-
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56 minutes ago, EVA said:
Agreed, baby faces should *only* ever make challenges for RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW, LET’S DO THIS.
Or telling said foe 'I'm coming', and let the reply or match graphic later tell us 'it is happening'. In general, AEW could use to improve the timing of their match announcements. The turnaround of match graphics featuring two or more ppl that have immediately before said graphic been in a scrum is a bit ridiculous. Go to Renee for the update.
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55 minutes ago, JLowe said:
Given all the attention to Nyla, maybe they could have bumped the Trent-Sydal match that literally no one but Sue and Sydal’s brother care about and given Nyla a Zero Hour match,
I know we’re all rightfully ready for the Acclaimed trios run to end, but can’t help but feel they’ve been cooled down because of Caster’s antics.
I totally disagree. Tho, I couldn't care less about Caster's online presence. I think if you look over the oeuvre you'll agree that Assy, Bowens and Caster are very well deserving of their status as 3 cold fish. I'm still amazed at what a rotten lecture they laid on us here in Toronto. No Anthony, not everyone loves the Acclaimed. Hoping that catchphrase catches a proper jeering starting at the PPV.
Also, count me in with Mother Sue and Mikey Sydal. I'm loving every moment of this Trent/OC build. I thought the hooded Trent attack on Wednesday was totally on point. I've long loved Trent and am so pleased to see him find at least a momentary purpose. I suspect the OC/Trent series will turn some heads. I also suspect many whom are upset by the Trent turn come around to the fact that they're actually buying the emotion more than they're giving themselves credit for. It's difficult dealing with the loss of such a beautiful friendship.-
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56 minutes ago, Andrew POE! said:
Yeah, I'll probably try to watch everything from Powell/Pressburger. Let's not forget The Red Shoes (which I see at Barnes & Noble and it calls to me but I never answer the call). They are seriously a film school by themselves. It's almost like all our favorite directors (Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola, Nolan, etc) watched their films religiously for the right way to do it.
I'm finding I like Gene Tierney as well now. She has intelligence and personality in her roles - if she were alive today, she would be there with Meryl Streep and Glenn Close.
It's sad that Jean Luc Godard had some disappointing movies that are leaving Mubi. His earlier work aged better than his later work - the two movies I saw yesterday from the '80s and '90s had everyone in a perpetual state of being mad at each other.
I like the red shoes but am a lower voter than most. That said, I plan to revisit it soon.
I’ve seen a few latter Godard and did not find much enjoyment. I don’t think it’s so sad tho, he did what he wanted to do free of constraints. I find it interesting, speaking more of his prime era, how I’ll watch a film and like it then watch it a second time and kinda hate it and then a third time and love it, or any mix of those three. Truly unique and wholly original presenting countless inspirational ideas. Of the new wave I much prefer Rohmer and Truffaut, but I’ll never stop indulging the Jean-Luc catalog. Maybe more for unique creative stimulation than entertainment.
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On 4/5/2024 at 6:33 PM, ohtani's jacket said:
The Chameleons' Script of the Bridge... I would not argue with anyone who said this was the best album of 1983 and that The Chameleons were the best post-punk band in music at the time. I don't think too many people would see The Chameleons are tremendously underrated despite their influence on the Manchester music scene, but that small pocket from '83-86 has me gushing the same way people used to do over The Stone Roses. This is their best album, though.
Talking Heads' Speaking n Tongues... this would be a lot of people's pick for the best album of 1983, and I would not argue with them. This record is phenomenal. That moment when Burning Down the House kicks in still makes me jump. And the music is so freaking good. I'm not sure that people realize what an amazing synth funk record this is. This album is so good that an instrumental version would have been just as good. The Stop Making Sense film is awesome. David Byrne is awesome.
Yeah, Script of the Bridge is excellent. It's been on rotation since around the time of this post. This album is like if the Killers had a truly great album before going overly commercial. I've read their celebrity vocalist is a fan amongst many, many others. The underrated call on this album and this band's catalog seems to have much to do with their presentation. They seem like a key study in great bands without strong aesthetic choices - they're sorta forgettable looking (that's okay) and have consistently rotten album covers (Script included). Apparently this presentation was a point of pride. One of the band members was responsible for the atrocious sleeve design. Kinda wonder what signing to Factory, with in house Peter Saville cover art, would've done for this group? They also were noted as being signed to a major label which lost them the Indie press they so needed in the UK.
I always forget how much I know and dig Speaking in Tongues. It was one of the first vinyl LPs I purchased. A real old beater copy that I've long since replaced. Great album. I feel like I indulge a lot of these songs outside the massive single via (arguably the greatest concert film ever made) Stop Making Sense.-
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On 4/17/2024 at 10:35 PM, Andrew POE! said:
More movies today...all on the Criterion Channel, all leaving this month.
The Ghost And Mrs. Muir
Great movie although physical copies of this are really expensive and hard to find.
This seems to be the second movie that Gene Tierney finds herself aged up (although I find odd that her housekeeper and the adult version of her daughter look to be similar age - I guess makeup does that).
Slight misogynistic streak and a bit of sadness throughout the movie. Rex Harrison as Captain Daniel Gregg veered into parody at times but the chemistry between him and Gene Tierney is noticeable.
The start of the movie lead me to believe it would become a gothic horror film, but it turned into a romantic film. Bernard Hermann's score is incredible and I loved the location shots, presumably of English coastline (or it could very well be the California coast).
Love Unto Death
Deeply unsettling yet strangely on the nose, this is one of Resnais' lesser movies. I enjoyed it although not nearly as much as I did My American Uncle (Mon Oncle D'Amerique).
The interlude music made some of the scenes almost comedic, especially after Simon dies again. The earlier part of the movie where Simon seemingly recovers is normalized until Simon starts to wonder why he's still alive.
Here Comes Mr. Jordan
Great movie although the last 15 minutes were a bit deus ex machina for me (how did everyone get from Mr. Farnsworth mansion to the arena that quickly?).
Robert Montgomery had a great turn as Joe Pendleton I mean Farnsworth I mean Murdock. Dude leaped into more bodies than Scott Bakula did in Quantum Leap.
A Matter Of Life And Death
One of the most perfect films ever made. The movie is about love, but also about humanity, war, and philosophy. Every shot is perfect. Every scene is perfect. The movie had so many setups, shots, scenes, acting and camera angle that influenced movies that came later.
It influenced Defending Your Life. It influenced Atonement. It had some of the most memorable scenes - a simple crowd shot while soldiers practice Shakespeare in the background while Peter Carter (David Niven) and June (Kim Hunter) play chess. The court room scene had hundreds of people (although earlier films like Birth of a Nation among others had as many).
This is leaving this month on Criterion Channel. Just watch it seriously.
I just recently watched A Matter of Life and Death, and loved it thoroughly. I wanna see everything by Powell-Pressburger. Black Narcissus is calling to me. I've been eyeing The Ghost and Mrs Muir for a long while. Thanks for the 'leaving' reminder and terrific review. Big Gene Tierney 'mark' here.
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Fantastic way to spend an early Thursday morning. Mox promo to open was pretty on point. Big Will v Mox, sign me up! Mercedes Mone promo was a huge improvement and easily earns my thumbs up. Copeland/Willow v Brody/Julia was a whole lotta fun. Willow's interactions with Brody were particularly great. Cope's consistency is second to none. Dude brings his working boots every time out. Samoa Joe promo was excellent. Swerve's retort was fair. I have questions whether Strickland's mic work is at the level of a World Champion. Not saying it isn't. The camera work during these promos was a bit ugly, but who's counting. I loved the hijacking of the Bucks/FTR package into the pre-match Bucks/Okada promo. I like seeing them poke at the boss. Bucks/Okada v Garcia/Penta/Pac was wonderful television. Garcia's t-shirt was terrible/great! La-la-loved the Superkicks into the Rainmaker finish. Okada continues to look like a king. The post match beatdown and save added nicely to the quarter hour. I felt a lot softer on the Jericho/Hook/Taz promo. I'm pleased middle of the road/jeered babyface Jericho is going towards his proper heat now. He was good here. Unfortunately, this segment kinda reminded how green Hook still is. Mariah May v Deonna was really good til the kinda lame if passable finish. Deonna's mat work is sensational. I love May's offense. I wish they toned down the Toni switches to black & white. It's great for the entrance and promos, but the switches during the match look so silly. Loved seeing Rosa smash Luther. Then Toni. The whole post match angle was spot on. White/Asses promo was terrific. Jay has come a long way with his mic game. Nice flow. The Assclaimed promo that followed smelt foul. Billy outing himself as an abusive father was an interesting choice. This is a sad, sad act. OC v Shane Taylor was strong in-ring, but this multiple cornermen bullshit is awful. At least Matt Taven wasn't out there mugging for the camera and chewing up the scenery. Spandex Taylor was great here. I loved the post match hooded Trent chair attack. This OC/Trent angle is building some nice heat. I'm All in for what will no doubt be a pretty awesome bout. Or selection of bouts. Ospreay v Claudio was a goddamn dream come true. Nothing but love for this beautiful violent artwork. So many great counters! The post match Callis Family/Ospreay/BCC angle was terrific. Glad to have Mox back in the fold. Look at that incredible line-up for Dynasty. The Joe/Swerve angle to close was one of the better go home angles they've ever done. The Swerve stomp on the Job Squad made for an excellent visual. Superstoked for the PPV. And Collision. And Rampage baby. 'Tickle Him' indeed! AEMFNDub roolin' the world!
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2 hours ago, Craig H said:
I didn’t think the match was that good. To be honest, Deonna has kinda sucked in AEW. Part of me wonders if she works better in a smaller pond like TNA, similar to Brian Cage. And the Mone promo wasn’t bad, but this smoke and mirrors bullshit with her only talking is death by a thousand cuts. Look, if she can’t wrestle, then there was no reason to rush her debut. That is another unforced error in a litany of them for AEW. The toothpaste is out of the tube though, it’s just what they’re doing now with her talking every week isn’t working. The other thing that really, really, really sucks is that the dream was Mone and Britt and Britt’s back sounds beyond fucked up. Second place would be Mone and our queen and savior Jayme Hayter, but she’s also on the shelf with a fucked arm. In a perfect world, this would have worked so much better if Mone could have dueling promos with Britt or have some battles with Hayter. Instead we get…this. So I get Alvarez’s frustration. It’s also hard when you watch WWE and see similar things to be frustrated about there where you have the greatness of one or two particular women’s programs and the rest is just filler.
How women’s wrestling turned into a thing where the top two promotions can only afford the bandwidth to have one to two good programs each when both promotions have hours of TV is kinda bullshit. I’m not expecting either to become Stardom lite, but damn, you can do more.
Deonna Purrazzo is a natural heel. There is nothing about her that says babyface. That is her issue, and not anything she is doing wrong. Her in ring skill set and especially her mic skills seem pretty apparent. Further, she came in as an awkward babyface to challenge a heel champion who is seen by at least 98% of the audience as a babyface. None of that is on Purrazzo. I do sense from her promos that Deonna will be an official heel shortly, so no sweat.
Fair enough you didn’t like the match, but Alvarez’s reaction was unnecessary as per usual. His weekly burial of the Division has become plainly obvious for awhile now. Im not sure I understand agreeing with him but seeing ‘More’ as the solution. I like the efforts of many in the Womens Division, but what or who is lighting the world on fire in need of more segments? This argument has been going on since the beginning. Does hindsight tell us Big Swole and the rest of the original division just needed more time? More time should be advocated for performers killing their segments and making the most of their minutes. If you’re clamouring for more from the Division, try ROH on Honorclub. So too anybody in the first three years wanting more - all your favourites are there - Nyla, Diamanté, Velvet, Kiera, Shida, Hirsch etc.
I totally agree they should’ve waited on Mone’s debut. But… it is what it is, and we move on, and Mercedes promo was pretty clearly much improved on the previous weeks. That’s a positive sign no matter what the previous folly. If you, very fairly, have disliked much of Mercedes talking like the rest of us, are you sure you have a want for promo battles with Baker? That'd require as big a carry job as the match, but vice versa. No reason to fret, let's just be patient for the healing, and Hayter v Mone will be as wonderful as we both suspect.
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Mercedes Mone’s promo this week was very good. One step at a time. Bryan Alvarez shitting on this and especially his weekly burial of the women’s match, in this case a pretty damn good match, makes one wonder what his deal is?
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General Music Discussion Catch-All
in MUSIC
Posted
I'm biased towards Kendrick because I'm from Toronto. Er... more accurately because Lamar is an interesting artist. I'm not so well read on Drake but, correct me if I'm wrong, he reps fame obsession, commerce and telephones? He also seems greatly responsible for our fair city's shitty nickname 'The 6'.