2026 Movie Discussion Thread

[HarryArchieGus]

On 1/10/2026 at 10:51 AM, Curt McGirt said:

I've watched the uncut version so long that I can't remember what it's like not to have those scenes, so I can't say it does or doesn't lack any momentum, but I'd like to say they were short enough not to affect anything. 

On 1/10/2026 at 7:31 PM, Curt McGirt said:

I swear I don't remember the courtroom scene being in the Director's Cut, and maybe it wasn't.

Oh it's in there, and it competes with the extended version of the jailbreak as the worst part of Stone's longer cut. On two separate occasions I've convinced two different ppl to watch the Theatrical Cut after they'd both seen and disliked the Director's Cut. On both occasions, they ended up liking the film. I seem to hear more from ppl who didn't like the film than did, and I always wonder what version they saw. I'd love to hear back if you ever do a double watch. I definitely think there's a pacing and momentum issue with the clumsy DC edit. 

On 1/10/2026 at 5:43 PM, RazorbladeKiss87 said:

I've always been curious about what a QT directed NBK would look like but ultimately, like "True Romance," I doubt it'd be better than what we got. 

The uncut version was the only version I saw for a long time until I got a copy of the laserdisc. I definitely feel the difference in pacing. Not sure which I prefer. Probably the theatrical. 

Great soundtrack. One of my favorite 90s soundtracks, along with Lost Highway and the Crow. 

All excellent and zeitgeist 90s soundtracks. True Romance could definitely have benefitted from QT's musical selections. I had a lot qualms with Tony Scott's choices for True Romance over the years, but the last time I screened it (on Laserdisc), I thought it was a very fun movie. Maybe it was the Laserdisc gaze? Oh wow, somebody else with the NBK Laserdisc! Do you still have your LD collection? Most stuff I watch on Blu/DVD/Streaming on our larger QLED set-up, but I have a real affinity for 1990s films in particular on LD. I have my player hooked up to an early 2000s standard 4:3 screen. It's not an extravagant TV, but very nice from that time. It's a wonderful little nostalgic retreat. 

Edited January 13 by HarryArchieGus

[RazorbladeKiss87]

25 minutes ago, HarryArchieGus said:

Oh it's in there, and it competes with the extended version of the jailbreak as the worst part of Stone's longer cut. On two separate occasions I've convinced two different ppl to watch the Theatrical Cut after they'd both seen and disliked the Director's Cut. On both occasions, they ended up liking the film. I seem to hear more from ppl who didn't like the film than did, and I always wonder what version they saw. I'd love to hear back if you ever do a double watch. I definitely think there's a pacing and momentum issue with the clumsy DC edit. 

All excellent and zeitgeist 90s soundtracks. True Romance could definitely have benefitted from QT's musical selections. I had a lot qualms with Tony Scott's choices for True Romance over the years, but the last time I screened it (on Laserdisc), I thought it was a very fun movie. Maybe it was the Laserdisc gaze? Oh wow, somebody else with the NBK Laserdisc! Do you still have your LD collection? Most stuff I watch on Blu/DVD/Streaming on our larger QLED set-up, but I have a real affinity for 1990s films in particular on LD. I have my player hooked up to an early 2000s standard 4:3 screen. It's not an extravagant TV, but very nice from that time. It's a wonderful little nostalgic retreat. 

I actually just shipped the last of my LD collection (Angel, Paris is Burning and an Ed Wood collection) out a few weeks ago. My player broke and I was having trouble finding one locally and need to downsize anyway. I love LD though. Collected all the Bond Criterion Collection discs. 

[Andrew POE!]

Selected movies today....

Leaves of Grass (Criterion Channel, leaving on 1/31) - 2.5/5 stars

Spoiler

Leaves of Grass at times feels like a "Made For TV / Made for DVD" version of a Coen Brothers movie (the Coen Brothers get a thanks in the credits). The movie title is a bit of clever wordplay, since one of the characters grows marijuana and another character cites Walt Whitman.

It's out there enough to be one of their movies, but barely rises above being a middling dark comedy / drama. Edward Norton as Bill and Brady Kincaid is where the movie is at its best; Norton's character work for both show the differences really well. Having Susan Sarandon as Bill/Brady's mother and Richard Dreyfuss as Pug Rothbaum give the movie a bit of a lift, I just wish their parts were more substantial. Sarandon's part is in only a few scenes and she plays off of Norton well, but nothing beyond that. Keri Russell's part as a love interest for Bill has great chemistry with Norton, but is hardly significant to the movie.

Where the movie loses its way is in the last 30 minutes. An orthodontist that Bill meets on the airplane ride to Tulsa named Ken Feinman (Josh Pais) researches and confronts Bill and Brady about Pug's murder and gets killed over it. Then, the college student Anne (Lucy DeVito) getting Bill in trouble with the college over the appearance of their relationship (despite Bill pushing her away). These plot threads were lacking and feels too sudden when they are resolved. The movie spends a bit of time on each character for them to simply be rushed out of the movie. It makes Ken’s financial concerns more tragic and desperate; I wish there had been a better way to give Brady an exit from the story (maybe the two brothers that Pug worked with tried to kill Brady and Bill and Brady dies).

I would say that this is Tim Blake Nelson's weakest effort. Quite honestly, O, The Grey Zone, and Anesthesia are his best directorial features since they are in tune with stage plays and are better written. This is just worth it for the amusement of Edward Norton playing two parts.

Watched A Chinese Ghost Story II and A Chinese Ghost Story III on Criterion Channel. Joey Wong is a really pretty actress. 

[odessasteps]

Watched a couple Philo Vance films with William Powell. These are fairly short (under 90 m) and decent detective fare.  The two I watched both had Jean Arthur and one had Louise Brooks as the vixen. As it turns out, it’s was the film that ended her career as she wanted a raise to do ADR (it was a silent film converted to sound) and the studio just had someone else do it and she was done. 

[The Natural]

Can't believe today is the ten year anniversary of Alan Rickman's passing, one of my favourite actors. Fuck cancer. Alan Rickman played two of the best baddies ever, Hans Gruber in Die Hard and the Sheriff of Nottingham in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. Both iconic. Great as Alexander Dane in Galaxy Quest as well. RIP Alan Rickman.

[HarryArchieGus]

16 hours ago, RazorbladeKiss87 said:

I actually just shipped the last of my LD collection (Angel, Paris is Burning and an Ed Wood collection) out a few weeks ago. My player broke and I was having trouble finding one locally and need to downsize anyway. I love LD though. Collected all the Bond Criterion Collection discs. 

Totally get that. I try to keep my collection limited as to not take up too much space. I've had three players breakdown in the last 10 years or so. My current player was very well looked after and operates beautifully (currently), but I keep my eye out for back-ups. As you may know, it's extremely difficult to find ppl who repair LDs. And those old guard technicians are checking out. Hoping 'AI' can save the day on this one. 

[Execproducer]

I still have my LD collection and player. No way I'm ever getting rid of them. Paid $1,000 dollars for the player the year before DVD hit the market. Player still works and I use it sparingly. Last time I counted, the LD collection was just north of 100 and I've acquired a handful since then. Breaks down roughly to about 20% HK imports, 20% other foreign imports, 60% domestic from silents to late 90's.  Also about a dozen LD's I picked up in Tokyo in 2004. Han shoots first but there are hard-coded Japanese subtitles. It's a trade-off I can live with. 

[Curt McGirt]

Saw most of The Dogs of War (1980) when I woke up this morning. Soon as I saw it was Walken heading the cast I was in. It's a film about him as a mercenary hired by a mining executive to assassinate the dictator of an African country based on Angola so they can put in a puppet regime and mine for platinum. He plays a tough-as-nails dude (think of Walken as Rambo) with few moral scruples but some kind of vague sympathy with them, if that makes any sense. He's also masterfully short and cold in conversation like only he can be (think True Romance). Then there's a scene where he just stares at a woman with these bulging eyes and you think "this is the craziest dude I have ever seen in my entire life". Even the way he uses a gun is like Frank White in King of New York where he's holding an Uzi at arm's length at his side with his wrist loose just spraying bullets; in this one he'll be hiding under the cover of oncoming fire and then just stand up and face the enemy without looking and shoot like he doesn't care that he's being shot at and could be capped just by rising from his spot. Tom Berenger is one of his mercenary buddies who doesn't seem to take things all that seriously and at a crucial moment shows he has a heart, which is a bad move. Good picture. 

I also just caught the end of Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry again and boy that end is always a doozy. The '70s did not let you off the hook at the cinema, that's for damn sure.

EDIT: There's a moment where the mercenaries are discussing the job and at the end they toast in French with "Vive le mort, vive le guerre, vive le sacre mercenaire" which is some frankly evil-sounding shit for a toast. I can imagine some Blackwater dicks doing that with their Bud Lights. 

Edited January 14 by Curt McGirt

[J.H.]

Magnum Force - God I love Dirty Harry movies. Harry taking on a rogue faction of the LAPD is gold and the cast is loaded. Hell, this had me believe Tim Matheson could be a badass!

I meam Christ! Magnum Force itself is chock full of 70s talent. Matheson, Robert Urich and a pre-Hutch David Soul are killet as motorcycle cops who are blowing away bad guys and Harry has to stop them. The thing about Harry Callahan is that he's a shoot first and ask questions later cop but he still believes In the system. Magnum Force are cops who think Harry has the right idea but they want to skip the pesky courts and just execute criminals on the spot.

This might be my favorite Dirty Harry film. It moves along at a clip and gives us a great Dirty Harry one-liner ("A man has got to know hid limitations"). I love th8s movie and damn if it doesn't rank high in Eastwood's filmography for me.

James

Edited January 21 by J.H.

[Eivion]

On 1/13/2026 at 12:53 AM, Curt McGirt said:

I got Keith David and Eric Roberts. Whats sad is I know a good half of these names when not confronted directly about them. The second I am that info magically leaves my brain.

[HarryArchieGus]

5 hours ago, Execproducer said:

I still have my LD collection and player. No way I'm ever getting rid of them. Paid $1,000 dollars for the player the year before DVD hit the market. Player still works and I use it sparingly. Last time I counted, the LD collection was just north of 100 and I've acquired a handful since then. Breaks down roughly to about 20% HK imports, 20% other foreign imports, 60% domestic from silents to late 90's.  Also about a dozen LD's I picked up in Tokyo in 2004. Han shoots first but there are hard-coded Japanese subtitles. It's a trade-off I can live with. 

I started buying up discs around 2005ish. There's a local shop that had a killer collection. I just loved the look and feel of those discs. And in 2005, the price was right. I don't think I paid more than 5-8$ (CDN) for anything I got. I've never really had a high end player, but have no complaints. I actually started buying discs before I even had a player. I imagine a $1000 player is something like a Pioneer automatic flip gold model, yeah? I'm at around 100 discs as well. Mostly, as I mentioned, 90s-80s era. Somewhat nostalgic stuff - the whole LD presentation gives me that inner childlike glow. I'm just amazed by this technology. Technology, that as a kid, I barely even knew existed. I'm also a bit of a sucker for buying up Criterion releases - tho I tend to stay away from movies I want or own on Blu/DVD. I gotta go with the better picture when it comes to most of my favorites, but I will say - the audio of these Laserdiscs is second to none. I generally watch my LD player with my Sennheiser headphones, and it's total Cinema Quality! I don't need to explain that you tho.

[odessasteps]

6 hours ago, Execproducer said:

I still have my LD collection and player. No way I'm ever getting rid of them. Paid $1,000 dollars for the player the year before DVD hit the market. Player still works and I use it sparingly. Last time I counted, the LD collection was just north of 100 and I've acquired a handful since then. Breaks down roughly to about 20% HK imports, 20% other foreign imports, 60% domestic from silents to late 90's.  Also about a dozen LD's I picked up in Tokyo in 2004. Han shoots first but there are hard-coded Japanese subtitles. It's a trade-off I can live with. 

Still have all my Looney Tunes LDs. 

[Execproducer]

33 minutes ago, HarryArchieGus said:

 I imagine a $1000 player is something like a Pioneer automatic flip gold model, yeah?

Pioneer CLD-D605 with both side play. Also a karaoke function and dedicated CD tray. Not that I've ever used either of those. 

[HarryArchieGus]

3 minutes ago, odessasteps said:

Still have all my Looney Tunes LDs. 

I wouldn't mind some Looney Tunes. I do have the Wallace and Gromit 3 movie set featuring (maybe) the greatest movie of all time 'The Wrong Trousers'. 

[Curt McGirt]

Sinners is coming back to theaters right before the Oscars. For your consideration, I suppose?

[Andrew POE!]

31 minutes ago, Curt McGirt said:

Sinners is coming back to theaters right before the Oscars. For your consideration, I suppose?

Hamnet is getting showings near me this weekend. So I think it's getting a push from Golden Globes. I may try to see if I can get my dad to go see it. 

[Andrew POE!]

Selected movies today.....

Rio Bravo (Criterion Channel, leaving on 1/31) - 4.5/5 stars

Spoiler

Rio Bravo almost loses its way quite a few times. It has probably the best opening for a movie - all the actions performed and shown onscreen are silent. The camera follows to where the characters' eyes are looking. A man gets killed in a bar and Joe Burdette (Claude Akins) did it. A silver dollar gets thrown into a bucket and the sheriff John T. Chance (John Wayne) stops the town drunk "Dude" (Dean Martin) from getting it. Chance and "Dude" fight with Chance getting knocked out then Burdette beats up "Dude" before killing a man. He's taken to jail by the sheriff and "Dude."

The entirety of the story isn't about the sheriff, it's about "Dude." The interesting thing is "Dude"'s real name is never revealed; the thought would be it would be like "The Man With No Name" where the character wanders into town to right wrongs and act as an embodiment of death. The further is from the truth; "Dude" doesn't have a name because he's lost the self-respect to feel he's earned it. He's resigned to a state of loserdom that another "Dude" in The Big Lebowski is also resigned to being. His being deputy and taking it seriously shows a change in him; the change is reflective in the clothes he wears. At first, he wears a raggedy orange shirt with holes in it. Once he decides to take seriously being a deputy, his demeanor changes then his clothes. He wears a black vest and blue shirt with a scarf around his neck. One shot I liked was after "Dude" cleans up and is looking at his reflection in a horse trough; "Dude" is now a deputy and is now sober. Yet he's ambushed; he feels because he got ambushed, he shouldn't be deputy and should be what he always was - a drunk.

What's interesting is how the movie's tone and the rest of the movie goes against this; "Dude" and his troubles aren't really the other characters' focus. It's keeping Burdette in jail. Most of the movie is essentially 'bidding our time' until Burdette is taken to the US marshal.

John Wayne had a problem with High Noon and called it 'un-American.' Yet, a similar premise to it has the sheriff not seemingly being bothered with impending threats to spring Joe Burdette out of jail. Even though, the character should be bothered. Chance elicits the help of Colorado Ryan (Ricky Nelson), who refuses it twice. The sheriff only has "Stumpy" (Walter Brennan), who sole purpose is to stay in the jail. Even eventually "Stumpy" realizes that he's not much help beyond that. The scene with "Stumpy" realizing this is heartbreaking to watch.

Despite Chance's attitude about the impending threats, the threats keep mounting. Pat Wheeler (Ward Bond), Colorado's boss, is gunned down. Nathan Burdette (John Russell) has the musicians at a bar play a song that was played at the Alamo before the Mexican Army killed the Americans holding the Alamo. Chance is nearly ambushed twice but other people rescue him. Colorado decides to join as a deputy as "Dude" loses his confidence about "Dude" being a deputy. Yet Chance is steadfast in keeping Joe Burdette in jail despite having absolutely not much in help and whatever help there is has a tenuous control over it at best.

From a modern lens, it's somewhat disappointing that "Feathers" (Angie Dickinson) wasn't given more than to be a love interest (and I wouldn't even say she was a love interest) to the sheriff. "Feathers" throughout the movie cares more for the sheriff than he deserves and leaves when he doesn't want it. There's an element of misogyny with the instructions, as if "Feathers" is constructed to not be able to contribute and fend for herself. She's smart enough to play cards and win while potentially being someone that cheats at it. "There's 3 cards that were missing - all aces," the sheriff says. "I wouldn't know anything about that" is the response. "Feathers" is told to go 'on the stage' but doesn't. She sticks around and helps Chance survive both of the ambushes. Her part in the survival is throwing a potted plant through a window.

Like "Dude" and "Stumpy," "Feathers" isn't given a real name.

The movie loses its way with the fact that Chance and the others have no proactive approach to eliminating Burdette and his men from town. Everything that they do is a reaction. The shootout towards the end is the only bit of reactionary actions taken and they almost don't succeed. The sheriff and Colorado are the only two to go to where "Dude" is being held. What's great is how the 'prisoner swap' was filmed as the camera swaps back and forth between "Dude" and Joe Burdette. "Dude" tackles Joe Burdette and the gunfight is on. "Stumpy" eventually appears to help shoot at Burdette's men and throw dynamite at the house. Carlos Robante (Pedro Gonzalez Gonzalez), who was seen as the somewhat racist comic relief, appears to help fire guns at Burdette's men.

Part of me wished that "Feathers" and Consuela (Estelita Rodriguez) and other townspeople appear to help with guns and fire upon Burdette's men and the house. Because the problem with Joe Burdette is their problem too; a community can't just sit back and let aggressors have their way. It doesn't just boil down to 'good guys with a gun,' it's everyone speaking up and firing their guns too. A different writer and a different director would have focused a bit more about "Dude" and his journey (maybe given him a name) and given secondary characters a bit more of a backstory. Carlos Robante didn't just manage an inn because the story called for it, he got there out of his doing. "Feathers" has a name too and is more than capable to fire a gun too.

The scenes where "Dude" and Colorado and "Stumpy" sing and play instruments honestly seems out of place. As does the romance between Chance and "Feathers." I would think if an impending showdown were to happen, the last thing that should be a concern is singing songs and two people kissing.

What prevents this from being a lower rating is how Howard Hawks did this movie; it's more in line with Only Angels Have Wings than Red River. It's one of Hawks' last movies (with five more after that), so he's settled into a way of doing his movies. There's less of the focus on the panoramic scenery than there is a focus on the actors and the camerawork follows the actors. One scene I really liked was when "Dude" decided to go into a bar to find the guy who killed Pat Wheeler. The shakedown is very much like what William Friedkin would do with Popeye Doyle in The French Connection and that movie's shakedown. A camera angle showing the person who killed Wheeler as he sits perched overhead; the audience sees that "Dude" is in danger before he does. Yet he reacts to it and guns down the killer due to blood dripping into a beer that only he sees (and the camera focuses on).

For the most part, Rio Bravo is a great Western that does a bit differently than the solemn and serious Westerns. It also seems to be the epitome of the "John Wayne movie."

DIG! XX (Criterion Channel, leaving on 1/31) - 3/5 stars

Spoiler

I haven't seen the original documentary, but having watched this, there's apparently two paths to take as a band: you can either be like The Dandy Warhols and actually try to gain commercial success while almost failing at it or be like The Brian Jonestown Massacre and implode constantly due to one member named Anton Newcombe ensuring that the band doesn't succeed.

While watching the documentary, it seems to be repetitive: the Dandy Warhols fight with their labels but stay employed and together and the Brian Jonestown Massacre has Newcombe fighting with the audience and with the band members. BJM get pulled over in Georgia and have to deal with 'shit for brains' local police which sends Newcombe to jail, while Dandy Warhols are fined for drug possession in France. It shows the difference between places like Georgia and France: the French have a more relaxed view of drugs and the performing arts. Those in Georgia that are cops instantly think those smoking grass are going to distribute it but a local kid that failed the breathlyzer can drive around on Georgia highways because his dad is a county commissioner.

Anyway, most of BJM's portions are remarkably the same with Newcombe complaining and griping about how he does all the work and the rest of the band sucks. The truth is, almost all the songs of Brian Jonestown Massacre sound the same. Same jangly psychedelic rock guitar chords and vocals buried in the mix. The Dandy Warhols eventually get commercial success due to a German phone commercial having their song. Their success isn't in America, but in Europe where they play to 70,000 people.

Although there are complaints about the Dandy Warhols - their drummer indicated that Courtney Taylor didn't pay or gave credit. It's not quite cohesive, but generally the Dandy Warhols are a bit more mature about their work. The comment later that they all 'got houses, marriages, and cars' isn't necessarily what they thought would happen.

The 2024 post-script shows that nothing has changed, except the musicians are older. BJM is still a messed up group with a fight in Australia ending their tour.

Also, watched What Happened, Brittany Murphy? documentary on HBO Max. 

[tbarrie]

2 hours ago, HarryArchieGus said:

I wouldn't mind some Looney Tunes. I do have the Wallace and Gromit 3 movie set featuring (maybe) the greatest movie of all time 'The Wrong Trousers'. 

Surely the greatest movie title, at least.

[RazorbladeKiss87]

12 hours ago, Andrew POE! said:

Selected movies today.....

Rio Bravo (Criterion Channel, leaving on 1/31) - 4.5/5 stars

  Reveal hidden contents

Rio Bravo almost loses its way quite a few times. It has probably the best opening for a movie - all the actions performed and shown onscreen are silent. The camera follows to where the characters' eyes are looking. A man gets killed in a bar and Joe Burdette (Claude Akins) did it. A silver dollar gets thrown into a bucket and the sheriff John T. Chance (John Wayne) stops the town drunk "Dude" (Dean Martin) from getting it. Chance and "Dude" fight with Chance getting knocked out then Burdette beats up "Dude" before killing a man. He's taken to jail by the sheriff and "Dude."

The entirety of the story isn't about the sheriff, it's about "Dude." The interesting thing is "Dude"'s real name is never revealed; the thought would be it would be like "The Man With No Name" where the character wanders into town to right wrongs and act as an embodiment of death. The further is from the truth; "Dude" doesn't have a name because he's lost the self-respect to feel he's earned it. He's resigned to a state of loserdom that another "Dude" in The Big Lebowski is also resigned to being. His being deputy and taking it seriously shows a change in him; the change is reflective in the clothes he wears. At first, he wears a raggedy orange shirt with holes in it. Once he decides to take seriously being a deputy, his demeanor changes then his clothes. He wears a black vest and blue shirt with a scarf around his neck. One shot I liked was after "Dude" cleans up and is looking at his reflection in a horse trough; "Dude" is now a deputy and is now sober. Yet he's ambushed; he feels because he got ambushed, he shouldn't be deputy and should be what he always was - a drunk.

What's interesting is how the movie's tone and the rest of the movie goes against this; "Dude" and his troubles aren't really the other characters' focus. It's keeping Burdette in jail. Most of the movie is essentially 'bidding our time' until Burdette is taken to the US marshal.

John Wayne had a problem with High Noon and called it 'un-American.' Yet, a similar premise to it has the sheriff not seemingly being bothered with impending threats to spring Joe Burdette out of jail. Even though, the character should be bothered. Chance elicits the help of Colorado Ryan (Ricky Nelson), who refuses it twice. The sheriff only has "Stumpy" (Walter Brennan), who sole purpose is to stay in the jail. Even eventually "Stumpy" realizes that he's not much help beyond that. The scene with "Stumpy" realizing this is heartbreaking to watch.

Despite Chance's attitude about the impending threats, the threats keep mounting. Pat Wheeler (Ward Bond), Colorado's boss, is gunned down. Nathan Burdette (John Russell) has the musicians at a bar play a song that was played at the Alamo before the Mexican Army killed the Americans holding the Alamo. Chance is nearly ambushed twice but other people rescue him. Colorado decides to join as a deputy as "Dude" loses his confidence about "Dude" being a deputy. Yet Chance is steadfast in keeping Joe Burdette in jail despite having absolutely not much in help and whatever help there is has a tenuous control over it at best.

From a modern lens, it's somewhat disappointing that "Feathers" (Angie Dickinson) wasn't given more than to be a love interest (and I wouldn't even say she was a love interest) to the sheriff. "Feathers" throughout the movie cares more for the sheriff than he deserves and leaves when he doesn't want it. There's an element of misogyny with the instructions, as if "Feathers" is constructed to not be able to contribute and fend for herself. She's smart enough to play cards and win while potentially being someone that cheats at it. "There's 3 cards that were missing - all aces," the sheriff says. "I wouldn't know anything about that" is the response. "Feathers" is told to go 'on the stage' but doesn't. She sticks around and helps Chance survive both of the ambushes. Her part in the survival is throwing a potted plant through a window.

Like "Dude" and "Stumpy," "Feathers" isn't given a real name.

The movie loses its way with the fact that Chance and the others have no proactive approach to eliminating Burdette and his men from town. Everything that they do is a reaction. The shootout towards the end is the only bit of reactionary actions taken and they almost don't succeed. The sheriff and Colorado are the only two to go to where "Dude" is being held. What's great is how the 'prisoner swap' was filmed as the camera swaps back and forth between "Dude" and Joe Burdette. "Dude" tackles Joe Burdette and the gunfight is on. "Stumpy" eventually appears to help shoot at Burdette's men and throw dynamite at the house. Carlos Robante (Pedro Gonzalez Gonzalez), who was seen as the somewhat racist comic relief, appears to help fire guns at Burdette's men.

Part of me wished that "Feathers" and Consuela (Estelita Rodriguez) and other townspeople appear to help with guns and fire upon Burdette's men and the house. Because the problem with Joe Burdette is their problem too; a community can't just sit back and let aggressors have their way. It doesn't just boil down to 'good guys with a gun,' it's everyone speaking up and firing their guns too. A different writer and a different director would have focused a bit more about "Dude" and his journey (maybe given him a name) and given secondary characters a bit more of a backstory. Carlos Robante didn't just manage an inn because the story called for it, he got there out of his doing. "Feathers" has a name too and is more than capable to fire a gun too.

The scenes where "Dude" and Colorado and "Stumpy" sing and play instruments honestly seems out of place. As does the romance between Chance and "Feathers." I would think if an impending showdown were to happen, the last thing that should be a concern is singing songs and two people kissing.

What prevents this from being a lower rating is how Howard Hawks did this movie; it's more in line with Only Angels Have Wings than Red River. It's one of Hawks' last movies (with five more after that), so he's settled into a way of doing his movies. There's less of the focus on the panoramic scenery than there is a focus on the actors and the camerawork follows the actors. One scene I really liked was when "Dude" decided to go into a bar to find the guy who killed Pat Wheeler. The shakedown is very much like what William Friedkin would do with Popeye Doyle in The French Connection and that movie's shakedown. A camera angle showing the person who killed Wheeler as he sits perched overhead; the audience sees that "Dude" is in danger before he does. Yet he reacts to it and guns down the killer due to blood dripping into a beer that only he sees (and the camera focuses on).

For the most part, Rio Bravo is a great Western that does a bit differently than the solemn and serious Westerns. It also seems to be the epitome of the "John Wayne movie."

DIG! XX (Criterion Channel, leaving on 1/31) - 3/5 stars

  Hide contents

I haven't seen the original documentary, but having watched this, there's apparently two paths to take as a band: you can either be like The Dandy Warhols and actually try to gain commercial success while almost failing at it or be like The Brian Jonestown Massacre and implode constantly due to one member named Anton Newcombe ensuring that the band doesn't succeed.

While watching the documentary, it seems to be repetitive: the Dandy Warhols fight with their labels but stay employed and together and the Brian Jonestown Massacre has Newcombe fighting with the audience and with the band members. BJM get pulled over in Georgia and have to deal with 'shit for brains' local police which sends Newcombe to jail, while Dandy Warhols are fined for drug possession in France. It shows the difference between places like Georgia and France: the French have a more relaxed view of drugs and the performing arts. Those in Georgia that are cops instantly think those smoking grass are going to distribute it but a local kid that failed the breathlyzer can drive around on Georgia highways because his dad is a county commissioner.

Anyway, most of BJM's portions are remarkably the same with Newcombe complaining and griping about how he does all the work and the rest of the band sucks. The truth is, almost all the songs of Brian Jonestown Massacre sound the same. Same jangly psychedelic rock guitar chords and vocals buried in the mix. The Dandy Warhols eventually get commercial success due to a German phone commercial having their song. Their success isn't in America, but in Europe where they play to 70,000 people.

Although there are complaints about the Dandy Warhols - their drummer indicated that Courtney Taylor didn't pay or gave credit. It's not quite cohesive, but generally the Dandy Warhols are a bit more mature about their work. The comment later that they all 'got houses, marriages, and cars' isn't necessarily what they thought would happen.

The 2024 post-script shows that nothing has changed, except the musicians are older. BJM is still a messed up group with a fight in Australia ending their tour.

Also, watched What Happened, Brittany Murphy? documentary on HBO Max. 

DIG! was a constant watch at my apartment in college. BJM is really good, maybe a modern day version of the Replacements (not in sound but in ability to (sometimes) wrangle greatness out of chaos.) Dandy Warhols...eh. 

Edited January 15 by RazorbladeKiss87

[Curt McGirt]

@Andrew POE! how did you feel about the Murphy doc? I'm not exactly a conspiracy theorist about her death but I really do miss her. She should have been in Black Swan.

[Andrew POE!]

3 minutes ago, Curt McGirt said:

@Andrew POE! how did you feel about the Murphy doc? I'm not exactly a conspiracy theorist about her death but I really do miss her. She should have been in Black Swan.

I didn't really like it - it was informational for the first episode, but the second episode was a bit exploitive (an interview with Perez Hilton too yuck). I feel like Murphy's husband murdered her, but through his inaction he died too. His lying to other people made me feel that she lied to Murphy too and probably lied to her about her illness. 

[Curt McGirt]

Yuck. Don't wanna watch that then. I was happy (well, not really) thinking she just died of pneumonia so I don't really want to delve any further. 

I was wondering why you weren't reviewing some of these and I think I have my answer now haha

[Andrew POE!]

Just now, Curt McGirt said:

Yuck. Don't wanna watch that then. I was happy (well, not really) thinking she just died of pneumonia so I don't really want to delve any further. 

I was wondering why you weren't reviewing some of these and I think I have my answer now haha

I'm reviewing them on Letterboxd, but I either didn't like the review or didn't want to share every review this year lol. 

[J.H.]

12 hours ago, Andrew POE! said:

Selected movies today.....

Rio Bravo (Criterion Channel, leaving on 1/31) - 4.5/5 stars

  Reveal hidden contents

Rio Bravo almost loses its way quite a few times. It has probably the best opening for a movie - all the actions performed and shown onscreen are silent. The camera follows to where the characters' eyes are looking. A man gets killed in a bar and Joe Burdette (Claude Akins) did it. A silver dollar gets thrown into a bucket and the sheriff John T. Chance (John Wayne) stops the town drunk "Dude" (Dean Martin) from getting it. Chance and "Dude" fight with Chance getting knocked out then Burdette beats up "Dude" before killing a man. He's taken to jail by the sheriff and "Dude."

The entirety of the story isn't about the sheriff, it's about "Dude." The interesting thing is "Dude"'s real name is never revealed; the thought would be it would be like "The Man With No Name" where the character wanders into town to right wrongs and act as an embodiment of death. The further is from the truth; "Dude" doesn't have a name because he's lost the self-respect to feel he's earned it. He's resigned to a state of loserdom that another "Dude" in The Big Lebowski is also resigned to being. His being deputy and taking it seriously shows a change in him; the change is reflective in the clothes he wears. At first, he wears a raggedy orange shirt with holes in it. Once he decides to take seriously being a deputy, his demeanor changes then his clothes. He wears a black vest and blue shirt with a scarf around his neck. One shot I liked was after "Dude" cleans up and is looking at his reflection in a horse trough; "Dude" is now a deputy and is now sober. Yet he's ambushed; he feels because he got ambushed, he shouldn't be deputy and should be what he always was - a drunk.

What's interesting is how the movie's tone and the rest of the movie goes against this; "Dude" and his troubles aren't really the other characters' focus. It's keeping Burdette in jail. Most of the movie is essentially 'bidding our time' until Burdette is taken to the US marshal.

John Wayne had a problem with High Noon and called it 'un-American.' Yet, a similar premise to it has the sheriff not seemingly being bothered with impending threats to spring Joe Burdette out of jail. Even though, the character should be bothered. Chance elicits the help of Colorado Ryan (Ricky Nelson), who refuses it twice. The sheriff only has "Stumpy" (Walter Brennan), who sole purpose is to stay in the jail. Even eventually "Stumpy" realizes that he's not much help beyond that. The scene with "Stumpy" realizing this is heartbreaking to watch.

Despite Chance's attitude about the impending threats, the threats keep mounting. Pat Wheeler (Ward Bond), Colorado's boss, is gunned down. Nathan Burdette (John Russell) has the musicians at a bar play a song that was played at the Alamo before the Mexican Army killed the Americans holding the Alamo. Chance is nearly ambushed twice but other people rescue him. Colorado decides to join as a deputy as "Dude" loses his confidence about "Dude" being a deputy. Yet Chance is steadfast in keeping Joe Burdette in jail despite having absolutely not much in help and whatever help there is has a tenuous control over it at best.

From a modern lens, it's somewhat disappointing that "Feathers" (Angie Dickinson) wasn't given more than to be a love interest (and I wouldn't even say she was a love interest) to the sheriff. "Feathers" throughout the movie cares more for the sheriff than he deserves and leaves when he doesn't want it. There's an element of misogyny with the instructions, as if "Feathers" is constructed to not be able to contribute and fend for herself. She's smart enough to play cards and win while potentially being someone that cheats at it. "There's 3 cards that were missing - all aces," the sheriff says. "I wouldn't know anything about that" is the response. "Feathers" is told to go 'on the stage' but doesn't. She sticks around and helps Chance survive both of the ambushes. Her part in the survival is throwing a potted plant through a window.

Like "Dude" and "Stumpy," "Feathers" isn't given a real name.

The movie loses its way with the fact that Chance and the others have no proactive approach to eliminating Burdette and his men from town. Everything that they do is a reaction. The shootout towards the end is the only bit of reactionary actions taken and they almost don't succeed. The sheriff and Colorado are the only two to go to where "Dude" is being held. What's great is how the 'prisoner swap' was filmed as the camera swaps back and forth between "Dude" and Joe Burdette. "Dude" tackles Joe Burdette and the gunfight is on. "Stumpy" eventually appears to help shoot at Burdette's men and throw dynamite at the house. Carlos Robante (Pedro Gonzalez Gonzalez), who was seen as the somewhat racist comic relief, appears to help fire guns at Burdette's men.

Part of me wished that "Feathers" and Consuela (Estelita Rodriguez) and other townspeople appear to help with guns and fire upon Burdette's men and the house. Because the problem with Joe Burdette is their problem too; a community can't just sit back and let aggressors have their way. It doesn't just boil down to 'good guys with a gun,' it's everyone speaking up and firing their guns too. A different writer and a different director would have focused a bit more about "Dude" and his journey (maybe given him a name) and given secondary characters a bit more of a backstory. Carlos Robante didn't just manage an inn because the story called for it, he got there out of his doing. "Feathers" has a name too and is more than capable to fire a gun too.

The scenes where "Dude" and Colorado and "Stumpy" sing and play instruments honestly seems out of place. As does the romance between Chance and "Feathers." I would think if an impending showdown were to happen, the last thing that should be a concern is singing songs and two people kissing.

What prevents this from being a lower rating is how Howard Hawks did this movie; it's more in line with Only Angels Have Wings than Red River. It's one of Hawks' last movies (with five more after that), so he's settled into a way of doing his movies. There's less of the focus on the panoramic scenery than there is a focus on the actors and the camerawork follows the actors. One scene I really liked was when "Dude" decided to go into a bar to find the guy who killed Pat Wheeler. The shakedown is very much like what William Friedkin would do with Popeye Doyle in The French Connection and that movie's shakedown. A camera angle showing the person who killed Wheeler as he sits perched overhead; the audience sees that "Dude" is in danger before he does. Yet he reacts to it and guns down the killer due to blood dripping into a beer that only he sees (and the camera focuses on).

For the most part, Rio Bravo is a great Western that does a bit differently than the solemn and serious Westerns. It also seems to be the epitome of the "John Wayne movie."

 

[J.H.]

I livexRio Bravo!

I shouldn't given it was made to be anti-communist and rebuttal to High Noon, which Wayne thought Communist. Weird!

I mean, I mean, if a Rio B4avo is about a town coming together. That is way more Communist than High Noon.

I need to go back and watch Hogh Noon. It isva very different movie than Rio Bravo l. Rio Bravo is all bluster and typical John Wayne fanfare. High Noon is a very stark film. Hell, it is practically an art film and I don't think RhevDuke was much for art f8oms.

James 

Edited January 15 by J.H.