2024 MOVIES DISCUSSION THREAD

[elizium]

2 hours ago, Contentious C said:

Glenn Frey?  Eeuhhgghgh. Were the slippers warm because they were full of dog vomit?

let's have a little more respect for crockett and tubbs most trusted ally

[HumanChessgame]

"Smuggler's Blues" and "You Belong to the City" are bangers and I won't hear otherwise.

[Andrew POE!]

Movies today, didn't watch as much as I wanted to. Although today, inspired by the earlier Abel Ferrara talk, I bought a copy of the 4K version of Bad Lieutenant. Now I get to that movie in all its 4K glory!

Shakespeare-Wallah (Mubi, leaving at the end of the month) - 3/5 stars

Spoiler

I haven't seen much of James Ivory's movies so I decided to go through what's on Mubi in chronological order that's leaving this month. Shakespeare-Wallah was up first.

The film at times is rather dry and almost dull. The moment to moment character interactions are decent at times. In a lot of ways, this film is a bit ahead of its time with interracial love story. (This was at the time that Guess Who's Coming To Dinner was going to come out in 1967 and that was viewed rather controversially).

There's a few scenes I enjoyed - I loved the kissing scene in the fog where the fog seems to naturally roll in. One of the scenes I enjoyed was the fight breaking out during a performance.

Much of the conflict of the movie is between the Shakespearean actress (Felicity Kindley) and the Indian film industry actress (Madhur Jaffrey) and their affections for Sanju (Shashi Kapoor).

It's interesting that James Ivory is regarded as a "British film director" despite being an American. His sensibilities as a film director seems to lend itself very easily to British acting performances.

What Ever Happened To Baby Jane? (Criterion Channel, leaving at the end of the month) - 5/5 stars

Spoiler

Along with Hitchcock's Psycho, Rear Window and Vertigo, so much of this movie was the genesis of psychological horror films that it's hard to understate it. Without this, movies like X and Single White Female wouldn't have been the same.

The movie begins in the 1930s and unlike a lot of films at the time, there's no introductory credits or theme. You see the two main characters and the child actresses involved tell the story through their facial expressions brilliantly.

The introduction with the car crash tells you how much Jane Hudson (Bette Davis) is damaged.

What I love about this is the horror is more verbal than physical. Joan Crawford as Blanche Hudson and her physical reactions - varying from ill to upset to distraught - tell the story as much as the words she says. The repeated image of the phone is Blanche trying to reach to the outside world. When she finally does so, it's denied. Jane Hudson intimates her to get the doctor off of her.

I especially loved the scenes where Maidie Norman (Elvira Stitt) is tricks her way back into the house (the car and the bus passing the bus stop and the car driving by is just brilliant in its staging) and argues with Jane Hudson about Blanche's condition. Jane strikes Elvira and Blanche is horrified at the result that we don't see directly - showing it would have ruined the effect.

The ending is absolutely brilliant as Jane Hudson is completely lost in her own world, as if she were back on stage at the beginning. I loved how the camera was setup for the final scenes - it far off to show the whole beach and at an angle. The final shot of the movie is at a heightened angle, showing that both Jane is mentally gone and Blanche is possibly physically gone too. When the scenes were playing out, my thought was that Blanche was already dead and Jane imagined their final conversation somehow.

 

Edited July 5 by Andrew POE!

[odessasteps]

46 minutes ago, elizium said:

let's have a little more respect for crockett and tubbs most trusted ally

 

Wasnt that Phil Collins? 

[Technico Support]

Speaking of Beverly Hills Cop songs, I specifically remember a local radio DJ announcing Bob Seger’s “Shakedown” back in the day and he actually quipped, on air, something to the effect of “Bob is changing his sound to appeal to the black audience.”  This was in Baltimore, not like it was a small market nobody was listening  to.  The old days were insane.

Edited July 5 by Technico Support

[Technico Support]

12 hours ago, elizium said:

let's have a little more respect for crockett and tubbs most trusted ally

Horrible trigger discipline, all three of them.  Is the photographer still alive?

[J.H.]

Rewatched Logan to psyched for Deadpool & Wolverine. There's way too much dust in this room, keep having to wipe my eyes...

It's just a great movie and everyone is bringing their A game. It also makes me wish the Quesolupa was a thing!

James

[Andrew POE!]

3 hours ago, J.H. said:

Rewatched Logan to psyched for Deadpool & Wolverine. There's way too much dust in this room, keep having to wipe my eyes...

It's just a great movie and everyone is bringing their A game. It also makes me wish the Quesolupa was a thing!

James

Logan had me hoping that Hugh Jackman would play Joel in The Last of Us movie / TV show instead of Pedro Pascal.

[odessasteps]

Watched the 1940 Mask of Zorro, as a copy popped up in my YouTube feed.

Basil Rathbone is so great as a heel.

[Andrew POE!]

Movies today...

Young Ahmed (Mubi, leaving next week) - 4.5/5 stars

Spoiler

This is my first time seeing a Dardenne Brothers film and it’s easy to see where Sean Baker emulated his film-making style.

Ahmed (Idir Ben Addi) is an awkward, confused young man having to handle adolescence plus his religious convictions. At times, it seems like he is fighting against what he is saying or wanting to do but feels like he has no choice. This is especially true in scenes like his deciding to murder his teacher during a jail visitation but having to change his mind after she bursts into tears.

A lot of the movie is well shot and the cinematography is great. The downside is the movie is a bit on the short side.

I’ll check out more from the Dardenne Brothers.

MaXXXine (saw in the theaters) - 3/5 stars

Spoiler

This movie copies Brian De Palma so much, he should be sending a cease and desist letter.

The convertible and cocaine usage from Scarface + some plot points from Blow Out + some more plots points from Dressed To Kill + Frankie Goes to Hollywood song appearing & Melanie Griffith’s character and finale from Body Double = Maxxxine.

Although the movie is largely derivative and isn’t as scary as a result, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t work. Ti West did a great job setting a vibe and an aesthetic. There are elements of giallo horror but they weren’t as strong as I hoped. Black gloves doesn’t equal giallo. I hope what he does next isn’t in the horror genre and really stretches out.

Mia Goth honestly is the best part of the movie and has a convincing Southern accent, Her character isn’t original but she sells it and does great with what’s there.

The drawback is with so many more famous people (Kevin Bacon, Bobby Canavale, Giancarlo Esposito) involved, their character arcs weren’t as strong as I hoped. They seemed to exist to move to the next homaged moment from another.

Still, this movie isn’t bad, if you ignore the obvious copy of a copy going on.

The Beguiled (2017) (Netflix, leaving next week) - 2.5/5 stars

Spoiler

A tad dry in acting until the last 30 minutes or so. The cinematography is superb and sometimes appears like a Southern Gothic Barry Lyndon. Nicole Kidman is almost by the numbers in this role (the days of her experimenting in her parts is long gone), Kirsten Dunst is a bit miserable as always, and Colin Farrell does fine. I wonder how this movie would have gone if Lars Von Trier directed it since two of the people he worked with.

The sound design is great. I loved the final shot of the movie.

 

[J.H.]

How does the remake of The Beguiled compare to the original?

James

[Andrew POE!]

31 minutes ago, J.H. said:

How does the remake of The Beguiled compare to the original?

James

I haven't seen the original, but the remake is more dimly lit and Colin Farrell's character is a bit more sympathetic and less outwardly charming than Clint Eastwood's. The remake is more focused on the women in the story versus the original.

[Tabe]

On 7/2/2024 at 10:26 PM, Ace said:

Noises Off is one of my all-time favorite plays and films.

Bottoms

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Complete and absolute camp. Ayo Edebiri is an absolute star. Marshawn Lynch sneakily steals almost every scene he is in.

 

Trigger Warning (Netflix)

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Jessica Alba is the least convincing CIA Agent/Commando there is. The film is weaker than her ability to be stealthy clopping about in cowboy boots in plain sight.

 

I saw the trailer for Trigger Warning and just cracked up. Absolutely nothing about Alba gives off a vibe that she'd be credible in such a role. 

I'll probably still watch it though. 

[HarryArchieGus]

20 hours ago, Andrew POE! said:

The Beguiled (2017) (Netflix, leaving next week) - 2.5/5 stars

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A tad dry in acting until the last 30 minutes or so. The cinematography is superb and sometimes appears like a Southern Gothic Barry Lyndon. Nicole Kidman is almost by the numbers in this role (the days of her experimenting in her parts is long gone), Kirsten Dunst is a bit miserable as always, and Colin Farrell does fine. I wonder how this movie would have gone if Lars Von Trier directed it since two of the people he worked with.

The sound design is great. I loved the final shot of the movie.

I've been curious to revisit this one. And take a look at the Eastwood original for comparison. Maybe a bit hard on Kidman here no? What's the beef with Dunst? I just rewatched Marie Antoinette, and thought she was 10 fold better than my original impression. I also thought she was particularly good in the underwhelming anti-war-but-lets-glorify-war-anyway 2024 offering Civil War. Sofia's post Antoinette catalog never quite meets the promise of her first few, but her aesthetic choices no matter what the overall feeling of the film are always impeccable. 

Curious why Von Trier came to mind here? And...

On 7/2/2024 at 11:30 PM, Andrew POE! said:

The House That Jack Built (Hulu, leaving Wednesday) - 4/5 stars

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The movie is not really a study of a serial killer (like Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer or Man Bites Dog) as it is an examination of human nature attaching meaning to art and to evil acts. In some ways, it also examines Lars Von Trier's own movies and his motivation for making those movies.

I've seen Dogville years ago and thought it was one of the better films of Von Trier that I've seen. While it's not shot the same way, this movie does have some parallels to that (especially the usage of David Bowie).

The one drawback I can say is the movie is a bit long at times. Also, the primary focus is on Matt Dillon's character Jack that other characters aren't as important since they are just victims of Jack.

You're probably correct about this film being Lars Von Trier examining '(his) own movies and his motivation for making those movies.' This rings even more true concerning the whole Horror genre and Horror fans in general. I'd love for every Bloodlusting Horror nut to watch this and raise these questions amongst themselves. To me this was a sickening movie, but I admire the purpose.

Speaking to Von Trier's best, two movies stand above for me, Breaking the Waves and the Idiots. 

Edited July 6 by HarryArchieGus

[elizium]

Kirsten Dunst gets a lifetime pass for On Becoming a God in Central Florida. Absolute crime it never got a second season

[odessasteps]

Much like Kane, I can’t pass up watching Gold Diggers of 1933 when it’s on TCM or the app. 

I totally forgot Sterling Holloway was in Gold Diggers of 1933.

Edited July 7 by odessasteps

[Andrew POE!]

3 hours ago, HarryArchieGus said:

I've been curious to revisit this one. And take a look at the Eastwood original for comparison. Maybe a bit hard on Kidman here no? What's the beef with Dunst? I just rewatched Marie Antoinette, and thought she was 10 fold better than my original impression. I also thought she was particularly good in the underwhelming anti-war-but-lets-glorify-war-anyway 2024 offering Civil War. Sofia's post Antoinette catalog never quite meets the promise of her first few, but her aesthetic choices no matter what the overall feeling of the film are always impeccable. 

Curious why Von Trier came to mind here? And...

You're probably correct about this film being Lars Von Trier examining '(his) own movies and his motivation for making those movies.' This rings even more true concerning the whole Horror genre and Horror fans in general. I'd love for every Bloodlusting Horror nut to watch this and raise these questions amongst themselves. To me this was a sickening movie, but I admire the purpose.

Speaking to Von Trier's best, two movies stand above for me, Breaking the Waves and the Idiots. 

 

I'm hard on Kidman and Dunst because they're two of my favorites but they disappoint me sometimes. Nothing can surpass Kidman in Birth/Margot at the Wedding/Dogville for me and Dunst in Spider-Man 2 and The Virgin Suicides for me but nothing will. Dunst seems to have a perma-scowl in about every movie I've seen of hers. I'll have to check out Marie Antoinette at some point - hopefully it's better than Vanity Fair with Reese Witherspoon was.

The Beguiled (2017) was a bit of a disappointment for me and was actually kinda boring.

Von Trier I like for Dogville and Melancholia (although for whatever reason, every time I start to watch Melancholia I never finish it). I'll probably go through the rest of his film catalog and watch his other movies (even Antichrist, The Kingdom and Nyphomaniac).

[HarryArchieGus]

22 minutes ago, Andrew POE! said:

I'm hard on Kidman and Dunst because they're two of my favorites but they disappoint me sometimes. Nothing can surpass Kidman in Birth/Margot at the Wedding/Dogville for me and Dunst in Spider-Man 2 and The Virgin Suicides for me but nothing will. Dunst seems to have a perma-scowl in about every movie I've seen of hers. I'll have to check out Marie Antoinette at some point - hopefully it's better than Vanity Fair with Reese Witherspoon was.

The Beguiled (2017) was a bit of a disappointment for me and was actually kinda boring.

Von Trier I like for Dogville and Melancholia (although for whatever reason, every time I start to watch Melancholia I never finish it). I'll probably go through the rest of his film catalog and watch his other movies (even Antichrist, The Kingdom and Nyphomaniac).

I've not considered Vanity Fair to be something I ought to see, but Marie Antoinette is excellent. I say this after years of being underwhelmed by the first watch. Beguiled might be worth having another look at some time. 

If you haven't seen Breaking the Waves make a point of it. It's not an easy watch, but well worth every second spent inside it's emotionally dense world. The Idiots is a divisive piece of filmmaking, but you don't strike me as somebody who would flinch at the challenge. I very much like Dogville too. And Kidman is at top flight. Add to your trio of her best Eyes Wide Shut. It's as good as anything.  

[Andrew POE!]

Movies today....

Lilith (Criterion Channel, leaving at the end of the month) - 3/5 stars

Spoiler

More of a Fellini/Antonini style drama or Resnais French New Wave style film than most American movies are. Warren Beatty is almost too quiet and seems to almost disappear into the furniture. The movie focuses on Beatty's psychosis as much as it focuses on Jean Seberg's. I loved the scene where they are going to the park and the movie calls attention to the rushing water as Lilith (Seberg) stares into the water. The scene where Beatty and Seberg's characters consummate their love seems to be almost a dream sequence or a blur.

The movie at times seem almost oblique as its story. Cinematography and camerawork kept it interesting for me.

It's a shame that this was Robert Rossen's final film. Imagine if he had been alive long enough to continue on this European art film style. I can see where this movie influenced Shutter Island.

Kill (saw at the theaters) - 3.5/5 stars

Spoiler

Better than Monkey Man, The Raid or John Wick 4 for me. This movie isn't very deep and it's not supposed to be - but it's a great action movie. Lakshya doesn't have much acting range, but he didn't need to. Raghav Juyal (Fani) carried the movie and Tanya Maniktala (Tulika) helped as well.

I did like how it focused a bit on the bandits' being concerned with whether continuing with their plans were even a good idea. It did give them more of a humanistic approach. Amrit (Lakshya) hanging up the bodies and everyone including the hostages walking by the end really was messed up and made me wonder if Amrit was more of a villain than the actual villains.

There were some pacing and structural issues with the movie, but it's honestly not bad.

Can't wait for the American remake and for Lakshya to show up in the next Mission: Impossible as the Henry Cavill role.

In Cold Blood (Criterion Channel, leaving at the end of the movie) - 5/5 stars

Spoiler

If you want to know where modern dramas get a lot of their ideas, look at In Cold Blood. It should be studied like a sacred text for filmmakers. Editing, shot selection, cinematography, lighting design, sound design, and all technical aspects of movies are best exemplified with this.

I loved the interrogation room scenes because I can think of at least two movies in the last 20 years that used that for inspiration. I loved the scene where they were passing over a bridge, one of them threw a cigarette out and it cut to a crane lifting material out of the water.

If you told me, it came out in 1967, I wouldn't have believed you. It still holds up today.

“Everybody will pass the buck. Next month. Next year. Same thing will happen again.”
“Maybe this will help to stop it.”
“Never has.”

Those lines still are true today.

The only drawback is I don't think anyone was aware of how much of an actual psycho Robert Blake was.

Live it, study it, breathe it, experience it. Like other perfect films, this movie gets into your oxygen and into your blood (no pun intended).

 

[Andrew POE!]

Movies today....

This Much I Know To Be True (Mubi, leaving tonight) - 3/5 stars

Spoiler

Great documentary with wonderful camerawork and photography although the songs being documented sound rather same-y. I found myself enjoying the interviews and behind the scenes aspects a lot more than some of the songs (which truth be told I couldn't tell you which song was which). I listened to Nick Cave from earlier years up to Nocturama and he seems to end up creating 'safe' music (despite not trying to do so). The Nick Cave that did From Her To Eternity or Kicking Against The Pricks is not the same one today.

I really love the segment where he answers a question from his website to a gentleman who lost everything and having to grapple with it. I found Cave's answer to be poignant and so true.

Enforcement (Hulu, leaving next week) - 1.5/5 stars

Spoiler

Almost like Night Shift with being a movie about cops having to deal with the perception of the police due to their own actions. I probably need to quit watching these copaganda films because it's gritty for the sake of it and without much of characters involved being any decent.

Close Encounters of the Third Kind (saw at the theaters) - 5/5 stars

Spoiler

Saw this at a Fathom screening. I’ve seen this before and found myself having to fight sleep (not due to boredom, just literally sounds and visuals lulling my brain to a state of sleep).

I still get nauseous at the mashed potatoes scene and have to look away.

If I were a space alien, I too would want to visit earth for a lovely man like Francois Truffaut (and probably ask him for a screening of all his movies at that time on my spaceship).

Don’t know if this were caught but John Williams’ score included echoes of “When You Wish Upon A Star” for certain scenes.

Point Blank (Criterion Channel, leaving at the end of the month) - 5/5 stars

Spoiler

When watching this movie, several thoughts came into my mind:

- Another review mentioned that this is "Antonioni meets Robert Aldrich." Accurate but I haven't seen enough Antonioni to determine that.
- This is French New Wave inspired American film noir. You can practically see the influences of Godard's Breathless and A Band of Outsiders with how the story is told.
- This predicted Inception (the first 30 minutes or so had a 'dream within a dream' haze to it)
- This predicted Tarantino, Steven Soderbergh and Cohen Brothers' films and their darkly comic overtones.

Honestly, this is just an amazing film to watch.

Here's things that I've seen that showed up in later movies:
- Walking down a hallways loudly while a woman does her makeup/dresses/etc,
- Quiet elevator ride in a glass elevator while another character watches for the elevator
- Main character in elevator while goons don't notice him
- Broken mirror where two characters appear in the mirror
- Angie Dickinson hitting Lee Marvin while waiting for the guy to show up
- Multiple characters rolling around in bed
- Angie Dickinson dancing to music in a moment of tension (which shows up in a lot of Tarantino movies)

Some downsides to it: Don’t watch expecting any characters or character arcs. Lee Marvin’s character is pretty close to being Takeshi Kitano’s character in Fireworks, Kikujiro or Brother or any number of his gangster movies.

The line from '40s film noir to '60s French New Wave to modern crime/film noir passes through Point Blank.

 

Edited July 8 by Andrew POE!

[odessasteps]

I saw Close Encounters was on TCM last night. But I watched Gold Diggers instead.

Point Blank is indeed a great movie. 

[Andrew POE!]

Movies today...

Lisa Frankenstein (Peacock, leaving at the end of the month) - 3.5/5 stars

Spoiler

I dug the "John Hughes does Heathers" inspired darkly comic tone the movie takes despite some scripting, pacing and characterization issues. Kathryn Newton has an Ally Sheedy/Winona Ryder quality to her (but a bit hotter yet more deranged) that wouldn't be out of place in a John Waters movie. Henry Eikenberry I wished had more of a fulfilling character than his aping of Judd Nelson in The Breakfast Club; it's hard to feel anger, sadness or anything when his character pretty much dies (same with Carla Gugino's character despite her religious inspired backstory).

The movie does do some interesting sequences like having someone getting murdered while "On The Wings Of Love" is playing. The piano section where Cole Sprause plays "I Can't Fight This Feeling" is inspired. Some of the humor doesn't really land and is obvious in its Heathers inspiration but lacks the biting humor.

The movie achieves more than the execution based on Zelda Williams' direction and Kathryn Newton's acting.

Moneyball (Netflix, leaving at the end of the month) - 4/5 stars

Spoiler

Even though this involves sports and the management of playing sports, it doesn't feel like a sports movie. The movie is more about self-discovery like Eat Pray Love except in the language of men. It just happens that the person who is undergoing this bit of self-discovery is a baseball GM Billy Beane (Brad Pitt).

Throughout the movie, we see flashbacks of Beane's earlier career as he comes to grips with his present life. Brad Pitt demonstrated well a person having to maintain his cool while seeing his present situation (the A's losing games) mirror his past.

This is probably Jonah Hill's best role. He's still funny but he's not over the top or hatefully annoying (his role in Superbad for example). Phillip Seymour Hoffman brings a realism to his role as a baseball manager as well.

I really loved the final scenes with Hill and Pitt in the video room watching a guy hitting a homerun and not knowing it and Pitt listening to his daughter sing on a CD.

I still wish Beane took the $12.5 million, but what can be done.

The Death of Stalin (Hulu, leaving next week, is on Mubi though) - 4/5 stars

Spoiler

So pitch black as a comedy that it's night-time, The Death of Stalin seems familiar to people who watched In The Loop and other movies from Iannucci.

The movie is less about Soviet Russia as it is about the US at the time of Donald Trump. What builds with the darkly comic tone of the movie is a lot of the actors involved don't even bother with Russian accents. Simon Russell Beale as Beria is practically Christian Bale in Adam McKay's Vice.

The camerawork and cinematography is just superb and I loved the opening sequence.

 

[zendragon]

Moneyball reminds me of the 1st Rocky movie as its more of a character study than a sports movie

[J.H.]

Did a double-shot of Clint Eastwood last night because I was in a mood...

Any Which Way But Loose - I love this movie. Clint doing comedy can be hit or miss but you put him in there with an ape and it's gold. Of course this is during Clint's days using Sondra Locke in everything l, since they were clapping bodies together. Locke is just... bland. Everything I've seen her in (which is basically Clint Eastwood movies). It blows my mind how much money this made!

Gran Torino - A coming of age story with Clint trying to guide a young Hmong boy to be less of a dumb as and make better decisions in life. How does he choose to do this?

Through the power of racism! I mean, obviously I'm kidding. It's really more about how an elderly widower comes out of his gruff codgery shell to be a better neighbor/part of his community.

I think it is an underappreciated Clint movie, though I remember quite a few people on this board (including me) really enjoying it. Add this to the list of watch every 10 years or so, because it's just a nice little Clint outing.

James

[Andrew POE!]

24 minutes ago, J.H. said:

Did a double-shot of Clint Eastwood last night because I was in a mood...

Any Which Way But Loose - I love this movie. Clint doing comedy can be hit or miss but you put him in there with an ape and it's gold. Of course this is during Clint's days using Sondra Locke in everything l, since they were clapping bodies together. Locke is just... bland. Everything I've seen her in (which is basically Clint Eastwood movies). It blows my mind how much money this made!

Gran Torino - A coming of age story with Clint trying to guide a young Hmong boy to be less of a dumb as and make better decisions in life. How does he choose to do this?

Through the power of racism! I mean, obviously I'm kidding. It's really more about how an elderly widower comes out of his gruff codgery shell to be a better neighbor/part of his community.

I think it is an underappreciated Clint movie, though I remember quite a few people on this board (including me) really enjoying it. Add this to the list of watch every 10 years or so, because it's just a nice little Clint outing.

James

I'll have to watch Gran Torino at some point. I loved the movie he directed the same year Changeling and I really enjoyed Jersey Boys.

It's weird but movies that Eastwood directs that he never acts in I like a lot better.