S-T Posted October 15, 2023 Report Share Posted October 15, 2023 Missing in Action: I don't remember it taking so long to get to the rescue mission. It's been a long time since I have seen it, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dread Posted October 16, 2023 Author Report Share Posted October 16, 2023 On 10/15/2023 at 9:17 AM, S-T said: Missing in Action: I don't remember it taking so long to get to the rescue mission. It's been a long time since I have seen it, though. I think I only really remember part 2...that's the one with the guy hung upside down with a burlap sack of rats tied onto his head right? Metalocalypse: The Doomstar Requiem - A Klok Opera: I finally saw it. As the title says, this is an opera, rather a rock opera, but it is a new thing in the world of Metalocalypse. There's always been death metal songs as part of the show, but it's never been a musical. What a fucking accomplishment from Brendon Small who composed the whole damn thing. Funny that they really limited the voice actors on this one to the regular show cast, Jack Black, Mark Hamill and Corpsegrinder from Cannibal Corpse. I also get the criticisms, because it's a real departure from the show. Having the show end on this would be absolutely heretical. So... Metalocalypse: Army of the Doomstar: ...when they release a feature length Metalocalypse film that has the look and feel of the show, I should be happy right? No. Reused plots, hardly any jokes and the plot of a twenty minute episode stretched over an 80-something minute runtime make this the heretical ending. Too bad. Renfield: review forthcoming Features: 104 Shorts: 1 Documentaries: 8 Rewatches: 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S-T Posted October 17, 2023 Report Share Posted October 17, 2023 17 hours ago, Dread said: I think I only really remember part 2...that's the one with the guy hung upside down with a burlap sack of rats tied onto his head right? Yes, but Braddock kills it with his teeth. The very first thing I noticed in the first one, in the scene in Vietnam, was that Chuck Norris' hair was too long and did not meet military regulations. Certainly not in the 60's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dread Posted October 19, 2023 Author Report Share Posted October 19, 2023 The Pocket Film of Superstitions: my friend Greg Lamberson dissolved his joint film festival (Buffalo Dreams) and started his own called Amazing Fantasy Fest. Of course, I wanted along for the ride. This was the first submission. Kind of a pseudo-doc in the vein of a cheeky Haxan. Hinter-Land: an animated short from Canada. Slasher/Night Feeding: shorts for the festival Baby J: John Mulaney's post treatment special. Pretty funny. Features: 105 Shorts: 4 Documentaries: 9 Rewatches: 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donomark Posted October 22, 2023 Report Share Posted October 22, 2023 The Lost Boys: Directed by Joel Schumacher A much more tonally variable viewing than Falling Down, I enjoyed this way more than the previous Schumacher flick this year. I'd seen some of this years ago at band camp the summer before senior year of high school, but only in snatches. I remembered the train sequence, and not much else. This movie is a lot of fun. 1980s media is hit or miss for me as a lot of it is really cool and exploding with creativity, but sometimes it's so overrated by Gen Xers that the period elements of some cultural products can take collateral damage. This movie would seemingly be one of those lost causes when you see the tagline and the wild hair, but I found this to be completely unpretentious. It's a fun, stylish, dynamic movie with just a sly wink at the audience without being smug or smarmy about it. I love the set-up that some dweeby kids fashion themselves experts on vampires purely because they read comics, and they're dweeby throughout but completely correct at the same time. That's hilarious, and this is a rare movie where all of the then-child actors were 100% funny. Corey Haim's Sam's a teeny bit annoying at times, but that's honestly due to some repetitious scenes of him trying to warn or lie to Dianne Wiest. The acting across the board is superb, with the lightest players being Jason Patric and Jami Gertz. Their romantic lead characters don't have nearly as much personality compared to everyone else, but they don't let the film down. They charm the film with their sexy faces, which adds to the whole romantic theme of vampires. At the end of the day, I came to this movie for Keifer Sutherland, and he didn't disappoint. I love how underplayed he took to this role, and from start to finish his David character remained fascinating just being an anti-villain. He's absolutely the bad guy, totally the antagonist and an evil dude, but he really sells someone who doesn't view themselves as evil and considers themself as just living their best life without coming off as totally arrogant. After Brotherhood of Justice, I want to check out more of Keifer's young man roles. I also loved the soundtrack. It had both a wonderfully dated but nevertheless effective rock opera score that despite some song played several times were effective in making certain scenes twice as exciting. Spoiler My one and only disappointment is that I thought the film was setting up for a way better ending. When David is killed and everyone is slowly realizing he wasn't the Head Vampire, I thought for sure it'd turn out to be Star. The imagery with Michael's face against hers in shadow had me thinking they were about to reveal that at any moment, and she'd been mostly useless throughout the entire picture, so I was genuinely very excited until the film went "No, actually it really was the Max guy all along". I dig the Peter Pan parallels with him wanting Lucy the whole time, but I still feel Star being revealed as the big bad would've been way cooler. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S-T Posted October 24, 2023 Report Share Posted October 24, 2023 Missing in Action II: A much better movie than the first one. You feel the personal stakes much more in this one. Better than the first, by a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S-T Posted October 28, 2023 Report Share Posted October 28, 2023 Chill Factor - I watched this on VHS back in 2000 and don't remember very much of it. Probably a little bit too much comedy given the stakes. I do not understand what Colonel Brynner was going to do with the bio weapon once you got a hold of it, unless he has some way to keep it cold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dread Posted October 29, 2023 Author Report Share Posted October 29, 2023 On 10/28/2023 at 3:12 AM, S-T said: Chill Factor - I watched this on VHS back in 2000 and don't remember very much of it. Probably a little bit too much comedy given the stakes. I do not understand what Colonel Brynner was going to do with the bio weapon once you got a hold of it, unless he has some way to keep it cold. Skeet Ulrich and Cuba Gooding Jr. right? I remember that being a mess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dread Posted October 30, 2023 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2023 rabbit.: short for the festival When Evil Lurks: watched this on Shudder. An Argentinian possession film that has fuck-all to do with Catholicism, so I am here for it. The Last Voyage of the Demeter: review forthcoming. Renfield: rewatch because NOW review is forthcoming. Features: 107 Shorts: 5 Documentaries: 9 Rewatches: 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S-T Posted November 1, 2023 Report Share Posted November 1, 2023 On 10/29/2023 at 7:54 PM, Dread said: Skeet Ulrich and Cuba Gooding Jr. right? I remember that being a mess. Yep. Brynner actually has a point, as he was legit screwed over by the government. They should have made him a bit less cartoony, because he had a compelling story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dread Posted November 7, 2023 Author Report Share Posted November 7, 2023 Insomnia: I visit this from time to time as it was shot in my hometown. Stacy had never seen it, so we watched it. Good shit, as always. 2Moebius: Adventures in Monsterland/The Demoniacs: features for the festival. Head of the Family/Children of the Corn: reviews forthcoming Clash of the Titans (original and remake): reviews forthcoming Blue Beetle: this was...fine. For a first/origin movie it was ok. Took way too long to get going. The whole conversation with Dad in the back yard was completely unnecessary. It is the rare superhero movie that is better in the second half than the first. Xolo is a far better actor in this movie than he is in Cobra Kai and the girl who plays his sister is great too. What the hell is with Ted Kord's daughter being Brazilian with a thick accent? Isn't that a little weird? They're trying to set up a dichotomy between the poor Mexcian neighborhood and the high and mighty corporate leeches across town, but they made the corporate lady a latina with a heavier accent than even Jaime's grandmother? Seems like a weird casting decision to me. George Lopez on the other hand, saved the movie. Wrath of the Titans: review forthcoming Suitable Flesh/Opera: reviews forthcoming Children of the Corn (remake): forgot to count this one. Review forthcoming. Skinned Deep/Jug Face: a couple other ones I forgot to log over the past few weeks. Reviews forthcoming. Monsters Within: feature for the festival Features: 121 Shorts: 5 Documentaries: 9 Rewatches: 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davedevil Posted November 26, 2023 Report Share Posted November 26, 2023 The Marvels - Had a bit more going on than Captain Marvel, which I found kinda bland outside of Brie Larson's acting. Pretty uneven though. When it's on, it's really fun at least, with the first fight scene being the highlight for me personally. On the whole, it just makes me want a season 2 for Ms. Marvel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dread Posted November 27, 2023 Author Report Share Posted November 27, 2023 Christmas Bloody Christmas/ Redeemer: Son of Satan!: reviews forthcoming Books of Blood: this was a real disappointment. The wraparound segment is the only one based on a Clive Barker story. Big disappointment. Talk To Me: definitely one of the better horror films of the year. Watched it home sick yesterday, but I should probably talk about it on the podcast. Features: 125 Shorts: 5 Documentaries: 9 Rewatches: 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donomark Posted November 29, 2023 Report Share Posted November 29, 2023 The Marvels: Methinks this is a big case of bad press and bad luck afflicting a film which at the end of the day is perfectly decent. It's not mega grand or anything, but it's nowhere near bad, and honestly a lot more entertaining IMO than Captain Marvel was. Iman Vellani is the film's MVP, and any time she or her family are on-screen, I'm into the film. But I like Carol and Monica too. and I think they're far less stoic than most reviews are accusing them of being. The plot/villain are whatever, but the actress does what she can. The action scenes are great, not quite Winter Solider level, but show more interest than the last several Marvel movies. Overall it's on the lower end of the good camp of MCU films. Great mid-credit teaser. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dread Posted November 30, 2023 Author Report Share Posted November 30, 2023 The Boogeyman: this one kind of came in under the radar this year and is also one of the best horror films of the year. The lead girl was incredible, and there were several intense scary moments/scenes. I'm definitely doing a better job of seeing the movies I want to see this year, this year. Disciples of the Crow: a Stephen King dollar baby short film based on Children of the Corn that came out a year before the first film in the series. A pretty damned faithful adaptation. May December: lots of hype for this one, but I think it's pretty weak. Aimless and miserable without anything to really say. Features: 127 Shorts: 6 Documentaries: 9 Rewatches: 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
You Know Who Posted December 4, 2023 Report Share Posted December 4, 2023 Wish: To be covered in the last proper episode of Part of Your World next year before it goes on hiatus. Saying more would be revealing too much. 🤐 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davedevil Posted December 5, 2023 Report Share Posted December 5, 2023 I'm still doing my comic/superhero movie gap filling on Letterboxd, and the latest that really fascinated me was Popeye from 1980. What a quirky movie. It's Popeye Begins: The Musical? Sure. And the town is incredible, it feels like a real place (apparently it's been preserved as a park/museum since then, which makes sense). I don't think it's a really great movie, I wasn't very engaged by the first act or so, but the cast is all-in (I wish Williams did a bit less mumbling though) and I think it's one of those that would be really fun to have on VHS growing up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donomark Posted December 9, 2023 Report Share Posted December 9, 2023 On 11/30/2023 at 11:59 AM, Dread said: May December: lots of hype for this one, but I think it's pretty weak. Aimless and miserable without anything to really say. I kinda agree with you, I left the film annoyed at what felt like two hours of playing with ideas and concepts without finding anything to zero in on. Charles Melton is rightly praised for his acting, and his character ends up being the one the film recognizes as the true focus of the story, but also doesn't care that much. The angle they went with Natalie Portman's character was definitely interesting but the campiness with both her and Julianne Moore (who, despite the character being based on a very real person came across as a complete caricature) took me out of the movie. To be honest the story they're basing everything on is so sordid and ugly that it didn't seem like they fully mastered reconciling with it before adapting. IDK if 25 or so years later "camp" is really the right approach to take with telling a story of abject child rape, although I suppose it's been done before elsewhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S-T Posted December 11, 2023 Report Share Posted December 11, 2023 28 Weeks Later: It makes no sense that Don is so much smarter than all of the other Infected, or that he would be able to track his family. Or have any interest in doing so. Not as good as the first one, but still worth rewatching. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dread Posted December 11, 2023 Author Report Share Posted December 11, 2023 On 12/8/2023 at 10:45 PM, Donomark said: I kinda agree with you, I left the film annoyed at what felt like two hours of playing with ideas and concepts without finding anything to zero in on. Charles Melton is rightly praised for his acting, and his character ends up being the one the film recognizes as the true focus of the story, but also doesn't care that much. The angle they went with Natalie Portman's character was definitely interesting but the campiness with both her and Julianne Moore (who, despite the character being based on a very real person came across as a complete caricature) took me out of the movie. To be honest the story they're basing everything on is so sordid and ugly that it didn't seem like they fully mastered reconciling with it before adapting. IDK if 25 or so years later "camp" is really the right approach to take with telling a story of abject child rape, although I suppose it's been done before elsewhere. It's quite weird. I saw a FB post on the movie yesterday, but it was about the original case and featured a picture of her and him (the actor looks RIDICULOUSLY close to the real guy, btw) and there were several people like "Oh, she was so beautiful" or "what an angel" all very weird comments. The double standard here is absolutely shocking. Back to the movie, it really felt like Portman, Moore and Melton are in three completely different movies. And not in a good way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dread Posted December 11, 2023 Author Report Share Posted December 11, 2023 Leave the World Behind: a pretty fascinating movie that has one central tenet being the importance of physical media, which is interesting for a Netflix movie. Seriously though, Mahershala Ali, Julia Roberts, Kevin Bacon and Ethan Hawke all in the same movie? Yes, please. Also, I think this is the first time Bacon and Hawke have been in a movie together. Or am I wrong about that? Edit: Ok, I just looked it up, I don't think Julia and Ethan have ever worked together either. Of course, Bacon and Roberts were in Flatliners back in the day, but I don't think ever again. And Bacon and Hawke have never worked together. Also, apparently there's a conspiracy theory that Hawke and Bacon are the same person? That's fucking dumb. It's not a conspiracy theory, it's just people that are stupid. Men Behind the Sun: this 1988 Chinese film depicts the squadron from Japan's army called Unit 731. They invaded China, took it over and then began experimenting on Chinese,Russian and Manchurian prisoners with exceedingly brutal methods. Made by Chinese Nationalist filmmaker, TF Mou, its notoriety stems from the fact that there was no special effects in China at the time outside of wirework, so they used real cadavers. It's absolutely stomach-churning to watch in a few places. Presented as a dead serious docudrama, the movie doesn't really have anything to say other than depicting what the Japanese did with impunity during WW2. Presents itself as a primal scream of sorts. Fascinating. Not sure I'll ever watch it again. Violent Night: for Monday's episode Infinity Pool: fuck me. What a movie. Features: 131 Shorts: 6 Documentaries: 9 Rewatches: 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donomark Posted December 27, 2023 Report Share Posted December 27, 2023 Rebel Moon - Part 1: A Child of Fire: Yeah, this isn't good. Genre exercises are fine, and I'm not all that bothered by the tracing over Star Wars (Apparently this script was first brought to LucasFilm as a Star Wars idea), but the film's pretty lame. It's major problem are the characters. They're all archetypes without any nuance. Once they're brought into the film like a bad RPG, they've got nothing to do but stand by and watch the plot unfold with little to say about it. Some characters die to the tune of a god choir as though we're supposed to care when 90% of the cast has had 1-2 scenes of screentime. All of it has been done before with zero variation or innovation. One or two visual creations were kind of neat, but Snyder just cannot conjure up a story with fleshed out characterization to save his life. This is the flattest, more baseline cast in any of his films, I honestly feel bad for them. And I'm all for Sofia Boutella to be the main badass in any film, but she's rendered too generic in this movie to care about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dread Posted December 28, 2023 Author Report Share Posted December 28, 2023 Barbie:I thought Gosling and McKinnon were hilarious. I thought the movie was overbearing, unfocused and confused. But if you make a Barbie movie with me as the target audience, you've made a grave error. I just don't think it's as profound as others make it seem. Features: 132 Shorts: 6 Documentaries: 9 Rewatches: 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
You Know Who Posted December 31, 2023 Report Share Posted December 31, 2023 Wonka: Still processing it but as of now think it’s probably the most consistently strong of the Wonka films. It’s easily the most visually innovative and least cynical of the three, though not without a few dark Dahlian characters and scenes. Chalamet, the actress who plays his sidekick, and the supporting cast are all great (especially Olivia Colman and Paterson Joseph). It won’t be to everyone’s taste but overall I really enjoyed it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dread Posted January 1 Author Report Share Posted January 1 Office Christmas Party: a movie I never knew existed from a few years ago featuring Justin Bateman, Kate McKinnon, Jennifer Anniston, TJ Miller and the girl that John Mulaney left his wife for. You know, Psylocke from that X-Men film. It was a fun watch for whoever stayed around (it whittled down to me and Stacy). Kate McKinnon is hilarious and seems to almost be doing her Hilary Clinton impression with less attack in her voice in this one as the office HR prude. This is decent. 3/5 Sisu: Glad I waited to finalize my yearend list until I watched this one. Pure violent perfection. The stakes are gold, and pride, and (put your own theme here), but it's one of the most exciting film's I've seen this year. My list comes out tomorrow, but...spoiler alert....this one's pretty high. Saltburn: absolute dogshit. My vote for worst of the year. Not the final tally. One more to finish. Features: 135 Shorts: 6 Documentaries: 9 Rewatches: 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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