Interesting, I see the likes of Lewis, Oldman and others of this calibre to be Chameleons taking the craft to the next level.
RATE or REVIEW The Last Movie You Watched.
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Mr Neeson has a few more in the pipeline.
It is said by some, Watch out for the old fella he has less to lose.
Waterworld: The Ulysses Cut - 7.5/10
I loved Waterworld back when I was a kid. I can't count how many times I built the mariner's trimaran from Lego. I always thought this movie got an undeserved bad rap. Granted, it's not the best movie in the world and I liked it more when I was younger, but it still is very entertaining.
A couple of nights ago I was able to watch the Ulysses Cut. Which is basically a European TV version of the movie with added scenes. It was both better and worse than the theatrical cut. Better because you get quite a bit of extra scenes displaying the motives of some characters and how they are the way they are. Worse because it uses a number of location shots as filler or to show where certain characters are. This results in mistakes, like showing the Atol under attack with the trimaran in it, while it had already escaped the atol. A number of scenes showing the trimaran in different sailing configurations that don't match the narrative at that point and worse of all, spoiling the 'Deez (and the oars) way before you get to see it in action in the theatrical cut. So while it was fun to watch this extended version, I'll probably stick to the theatrical one in the future.
I loved Waterworld back when I was a kid. I can't count how many times I built the mariner's trimaran from Lego. I always thought this movie got an undeserved bad rap. Granted, it's not the best movie in the world and I liked it more when I was younger, but it still is very entertaining.
A couple of nights ago I was able to watch the Ulysses Cut. Which is basically a European TV version of the movie with added scenes. It was both better and worse than the theatrical cut. Better because you get quite a bit of extra scenes displaying the motives of some characters and how they are the way they are. Worse because it uses a number of location shots as filler or to show where certain characters are. This results in mistakes, like showing the Atol under attack with the trimaran in it, while it had already escaped the atol. A number of scenes showing the trimaran in different sailing configurations that don't match the narrative at that point and worse of all, spoiling the 'Deez (and the oars) way before you get to see it in action in the theatrical cut. So while it was fun to watch this extended version, I'll probably stick to the theatrical one in the future.
Been on a historical epic kick over the last few months.
Alexander (Ultimate/4th Cut) - 5/10
Alexander (Theatrical Cut) - 7/10
Watched this for the first time, starting with the most recent Ultimate cut, then the theatrical to compare. No idea why the later cuts are so favored; the theatrical is a much tighter movie. Chronology is easier to follow, which better sells the theme of Alexander losing himself the further he gets from home. 7 instead of a 6 because I simply love these kinds of films. Even at their clumsiest, they're still comfy.
Kingdom of Heaven (Director's Cut) - 8/10
My second time watching this and I enjoyed it even more. Haven't seen the theatrical version, but I can't imagine this without the story of Sibylla's son. While I still think Bloom is miscast, he works well enough and plays into the everyman vibe they were going for.
Troy (Theatrical Cut) - 8/10
Must have been my 20th viewing, but still a pleasure. I watched the director's cut about ten years ago and remember it being overlong with less interesting musical choices, so the theatrical is my go-to.
Alexander (Ultimate/4th Cut) - 5/10
Alexander (Theatrical Cut) - 7/10
Watched this for the first time, starting with the most recent Ultimate cut, then the theatrical to compare. No idea why the later cuts are so favored; the theatrical is a much tighter movie. Chronology is easier to follow, which better sells the theme of Alexander losing himself the further he gets from home. 7 instead of a 6 because I simply love these kinds of films. Even at their clumsiest, they're still comfy.
Kingdom of Heaven (Director's Cut) - 8/10
My second time watching this and I enjoyed it even more. Haven't seen the theatrical version, but I can't imagine this without the story of Sibylla's son. While I still think Bloom is miscast, he works well enough and plays into the everyman vibe they were going for.
Troy (Theatrical Cut) - 8/10
Must have been my 20th viewing, but still a pleasure. I watched the director's cut about ten years ago and remember it being overlong with less interesting musical choices, so the theatrical is my go-to.
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Yeah I almost always end up preferring the theatrical cuts to the extended ones (with Blade Runner and BVS being some of the rare exceptions).
I need to give KoH another go, can't remember much about it to be honest but that means it didn't make an impression on me when I watched it first.
I've tried Alexander a number of times and it just doesn't sell me on what I'm supposed to feel about this man one way or another. If anything I don't like him, I don't like what he's trying to do and so I'm kind of against him at every step of the way...is that what was intended?
Troy is simple enough. An enjoyable film. I know Peter O Toole thought it was ***te, Brian Cox probably the same. What can I say, it worked as far as I'm concerned.
That's also how I felt about Kingdom the first time. I had to revisit it because I couldn't remember anything.
My takeaway from Alexander is that he was... complicated. But like Ptolemy said, even his failures towered over other men's successes. An impressive life considering the chaos inside and out.
I didn't know O'Toole wasn't a fan of Troy. He was fantastic, as was Cox. My favorite scene in the film is his interaction with Achilles over Hector's burial.
Well since the Furiosa thread is closed at the moment...
Furiosa -- 7/10
Just saw this and... thought it was alright. There are some cool action sequences, Hemsworth makes for a fun villain, and Anya a good Furiosa. And I appreciated that it's a very different movie from Fury Road... but it also drags in quite a few places and feels like a lot of backstory we didn't really need to see.
Yeah we see all the struggles and pain Furiosa went through growing up, and how exactly she loses her arm and becomes Immortan Joe's trusted lieutenant... but it's nothing that makes her a more compelling character than she already was. And a lot of that pain and resentment was already communicated through Charlize's eyes anyway.
And sad to say there is quite a bit of obvious CGI in this and a lot of digital doubles that make this feel a lot less gritty and thrilling to watch than Fury Road. And the glimpses of FR we get during the end credits just makes the difference even more obvious, and made me wish I had been watching that amazing, iconic movie in the theater again instead.
Furiosa -- 7/10
Just saw this and... thought it was alright. There are some cool action sequences, Hemsworth makes for a fun villain, and Anya a good Furiosa. And I appreciated that it's a very different movie from Fury Road... but it also drags in quite a few places and feels like a lot of backstory we didn't really need to see.
Yeah we see all the struggles and pain Furiosa went through growing up, and how exactly she loses her arm and becomes Immortan Joe's trusted lieutenant... but it's nothing that makes her a more compelling character than she already was. And a lot of that pain and resentment was already communicated through Charlize's eyes anyway.
And sad to say there is quite a bit of obvious CGI in this and a lot of digital doubles that make this feel a lot less gritty and thrilling to watch than Fury Road. And the glimpses of FR we get during the end credits just makes the difference even more obvious, and made me wish I had been watching that amazing, iconic movie in the theater again instead.
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greygoose
Super Freak
ebor
Super Freak
Furiosa : 8/10
Yes lots of CGI
They fleshed out some more characters - introduced a few other interesting ones
Miller could easily take the SW route - and have several series fleshing out other featured baddies ( but this would likely mean going to bed with the likes of Amazon Prime / apple - please God not Disney! They would trash this franchise)
Yes lots of CGI
They fleshed out some more characters - introduced a few other interesting ones
Miller could easily take the SW route - and have several series fleshing out other featured baddies ( but this would likely mean going to bed with the likes of Amazon Prime / apple - please God not Disney! They would trash this franchise)
Leave the World Behind -- 8/10
Finally gave this movie a try on Netflix, and thought it was surprisingly really good. I know many were apparently upset with the lack of answers or a resolution, but personally I prefer these kind of slow-build post-apocalyptic movies where things are just slightly off and weird, and you're never really sure what's going on. And it's more just about the character interaction and a general sense of unease.
Plus it was just fun watching these actors together, and seeing Julia Roberts play a bitter and angry Karen type. Lol
Finally gave this movie a try on Netflix, and thought it was surprisingly really good. I know many were apparently upset with the lack of answers or a resolution, but personally I prefer these kind of slow-build post-apocalyptic movies where things are just slightly off and weird, and you're never really sure what's going on. And it's more just about the character interaction and a general sense of unease.
Plus it was just fun watching these actors together, and seeing Julia Roberts play a bitter and angry Karen type. Lol
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Dune 2: the Revenge of Dune: 7.5/10
Really well done, Villaneuvre is arguably the best director working today. Acting was really good, story was really good while also being wacky and out there with the weird psychic powers and the worm's poison blood which I enjoy. But at the same time the movie doesn't resonate with me in the way that some others do. I had to sit and think for a few minutes to even remember any details from the thing since I saw this about a week ago. So I don't think this one will stick with me. I thought they were going to wrap it up with this one but they just are setting up another sequel. The guy who played the Sting character from the David Lynch version did a really good job.
Top Gun 2: Electric Boogaloo: 8/10
Pure testosterone driven fantasy. It encapsulates the 80s action spirit, but executes it better than the majority of 80s action movies.
Fright Night: 7.5/10
I have a soft spot for this movie. It has a lot of flaws if you look at it objectively, but it's very charming for what it is and it does what it sets out to do very well. The evil vampire in particular is just perfect, but really all the roles are well cast. Roddy McDowell was a particularly inspired choice.
Lethal Weapon: 7.5/10
Much to love about this one. The silliness of the whole thing is striking as I see it now. Much more than I noticed in the past. There are so many things in this movie that make no sense whatsoever, that's a big part of the charm but also part of what holds it back. Something like predator or aliens still has fantastic, unrealistic elements but it feels authentic in the film, hear this stuff is fun but you more or less have to enjoy the movie like a roller coaster ride. I was really impressed with Danny Glover on this watching, and it's easy to forget how good Gary busey was back in the '80s. Mel Gibson too was magnificent back in those days, and for me this is right behind mad Max this is most iconic performance.
American Fiction: 8/10
Hilarious and wonderful. Really glad I have this one a shot.
Really well done, Villaneuvre is arguably the best director working today. Acting was really good, story was really good while also being wacky and out there with the weird psychic powers and the worm's poison blood which I enjoy. But at the same time the movie doesn't resonate with me in the way that some others do. I had to sit and think for a few minutes to even remember any details from the thing since I saw this about a week ago. So I don't think this one will stick with me. I thought they were going to wrap it up with this one but they just are setting up another sequel. The guy who played the Sting character from the David Lynch version did a really good job.
Top Gun 2: Electric Boogaloo: 8/10
Pure testosterone driven fantasy. It encapsulates the 80s action spirit, but executes it better than the majority of 80s action movies.
Fright Night: 7.5/10
I have a soft spot for this movie. It has a lot of flaws if you look at it objectively, but it's very charming for what it is and it does what it sets out to do very well. The evil vampire in particular is just perfect, but really all the roles are well cast. Roddy McDowell was a particularly inspired choice.
Lethal Weapon: 7.5/10
Much to love about this one. The silliness of the whole thing is striking as I see it now. Much more than I noticed in the past. There are so many things in this movie that make no sense whatsoever, that's a big part of the charm but also part of what holds it back. Something like predator or aliens still has fantastic, unrealistic elements but it feels authentic in the film, hear this stuff is fun but you more or less have to enjoy the movie like a roller coaster ride. I was really impressed with Danny Glover on this watching, and it's easy to forget how good Gary busey was back in the '80s. Mel Gibson too was magnificent back in those days, and for me this is right behind mad Max this is most iconic performance.
American Fiction: 8/10
Hilarious and wonderful. Really glad I have this one a shot.
Sixth Scale Man
Super Freak
The Thing (1982)......3 guesses at my rating 
My classic 80's rewatch to show my kids awesome movies continues. Nothing really new to add to any discussions on this. I just appreciate the streamlined story, the effective characterisations, the tension, the paranoia, the gooooooo (insert Honest Trailers voice here). Those creature FX are just amazing. Kurt Russell IS a god.
An American Werewolf in London - 8/10
OK, so I didn't show my kids this one. Again, super-simple! Great characters. Amazing FX. That transformation is still incredible. Fully lit room, no hiding stuff in shadows. I hadn't watched it in years and was a bit taken aback at the abrupt ending though. I could have sat through another 20 minutes of the Kesslerwolf! The Picadilly Circus rampage is phenomenal.
Rik Mayall was in this...huh!
My classic 80's rewatch to show my kids awesome movies continues. Nothing really new to add to any discussions on this. I just appreciate the streamlined story, the effective characterisations, the tension, the paranoia, the gooooooo (insert Honest Trailers voice here). Those creature FX are just amazing. Kurt Russell IS a god.
An American Werewolf in London - 8/10
OK, so I didn't show my kids this one. Again, super-simple! Great characters. Amazing FX. That transformation is still incredible. Fully lit room, no hiding stuff in shadows. I hadn't watched it in years and was a bit taken aback at the abrupt ending though. I could have sat through another 20 minutes of the Kesslerwolf! The Picadilly Circus rampage is phenomenal.
Rik Mayall was in this...huh!
Garfield (New one): 2.5/10
Try to avoid this one if you can. My daughter enjoyed it but I'm not sure why. It wasn't funny at all, which is probably the worst sin you can commit with a Garfield story. Superficial, by the numbers, and overly sentimental, it feels like it was made for 6 year old kids and below exclusively if you take out one pretty shocking death (though they don't dwell on it long enough for rven that to register with kids in the audience).
Try to avoid this one if you can. My daughter enjoyed it but I'm not sure why. It wasn't funny at all, which is probably the worst sin you can commit with a Garfield story. Superficial, by the numbers, and overly sentimental, it feels like it was made for 6 year old kids and below exclusively if you take out one pretty shocking death (though they don't dwell on it long enough for rven that to register with kids in the audience).
I was at the Grammy museum in LA last week and they had a section devoted to the 40th anniversary of Thriller, with a documentary where Landis talked extensively of his experience. He was a great filmmaker around this time. I came away being possibly more impressed with his wife, however. She was the costume designer who made Indiana Jones's jacket and the suit for Michael Jackson in thriller. Now she's a distinguished professor at UCLA.
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I’ve been fostering an American thriller series lately and have powered through The Client, The Firm, Presumed Innocent and The Pelican Brief. All really solid but PI is probably the best of the bunch. I’m curious to see how they turn such an efficient 2 hr thriller into a TV show but the movie is terrific. Really tight direction, snappy dialogue, Ford, Greta Scacchi, John Spencer AND Bradley Whitford and the always amazing Raul Julia. What more could you want? Well an amazing John Williams score as well! 8.5/10
I’ve also watched a bunch of Arrow 4K discs recently. American Werewolf In London, RoboCop, From Beyond. The first two are pretty much 10/10 both perfection in their own way. And FB is in category of its own. 7/10. Absolutely gonzo in the best possible way, Stuart Gordon did justice to Lovecraft like no one else. Barbara Crampton in bondage gear in 4K is just too much. Arrow’s work on these films is god like, I never thought FB in particular could look as good as it does.
Lots more in the kids series. Both Hot Shots movies which they loved, the F/X movies they loved as well, Cool Runnings, which I had forgotten how absolutely delightful that film is “feel the rhythm, feel the rhyme”. Inception was a mind bending pleasure for them. My eldest admitted he didn’t have a clue but he loves all Nolan films. My youngest was incredible and was tracking, on a first viewing, what number each dream was during the big heist. I was impressed.
Independently, my kids have interesting separate tastes. My eldest is loving more adult material, Crimson Tide and Chef. I had forgotten how great both of these films were and are probably around the 8/10 mark. My youngest fascinates me. He begs for Marvel and Star Wars but his older brother hates those. So he’s developed a bit of a thing for the Terminator films and we have watched the first four. He has a thing for time travel, he also loves the BTTF movies. These vary wildly in quality. The first two are 10/10 lol but the next two I would put around 6/10. I will say Salvation is not as bad as I remember it.
I’ve also watched a bunch of Arrow 4K discs recently. American Werewolf In London, RoboCop, From Beyond. The first two are pretty much 10/10 both perfection in their own way. And FB is in category of its own. 7/10. Absolutely gonzo in the best possible way, Stuart Gordon did justice to Lovecraft like no one else. Barbara Crampton in bondage gear in 4K is just too much. Arrow’s work on these films is god like, I never thought FB in particular could look as good as it does.
Lots more in the kids series. Both Hot Shots movies which they loved, the F/X movies they loved as well, Cool Runnings, which I had forgotten how absolutely delightful that film is “feel the rhythm, feel the rhyme”. Inception was a mind bending pleasure for them. My eldest admitted he didn’t have a clue but he loves all Nolan films. My youngest was incredible and was tracking, on a first viewing, what number each dream was during the big heist. I was impressed.
Independently, my kids have interesting separate tastes. My eldest is loving more adult material, Crimson Tide and Chef. I had forgotten how great both of these films were and are probably around the 8/10 mark. My youngest fascinates me. He begs for Marvel and Star Wars but his older brother hates those. So he’s developed a bit of a thing for the Terminator films and we have watched the first four. He has a thing for time travel, he also loves the BTTF movies. These vary wildly in quality. The first two are 10/10 lol but the next two I would put around 6/10. I will say Salvation is not as bad as I remember it.
Sixth Scale Man
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How much fun is it showing the kids some of the older movies?
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It’s the best. I doubt any other kids at their school would be watching b/w movies. They watched Dr Strangelove a few weeks ago.How much fun is it showing the kids some of the older movies?
Sixth Scale Man
Super Freak
Awesome.
Fant4Stic (Josh Trank): 5.5/10
I didn't hate this as much as everyone else seems to. Yes, the ending was rushed and sucked, the lapse in time wasn't handled very well, and Doom's design and powers were lame. But I thought the 4 themselves were handled pretty well, and first 3/4 of the movie was decent. It was extremely well cast and even if Teller was phoning it in a bit (he put a lot more work into Top Gun in my opinion) everyone did a good job. And the origin part of the story was fine. I don't mind the grittier mood here. A shame whatever issues they had resulted in such a rushed and odd ending.
Blood Simple: 8/10
Great little film that foreshadowed the brilliance of the Coens. I went down a rabbit hole on YouTube watching interviews with the Coens, McDormand, and Walsh about this and had to rewatch. This wouldn't have happened if not for Sam Raimi. Evil Dead's influence can't be overstated.
I didn't hate this as much as everyone else seems to. Yes, the ending was rushed and sucked, the lapse in time wasn't handled very well, and Doom's design and powers were lame. But I thought the 4 themselves were handled pretty well, and first 3/4 of the movie was decent. It was extremely well cast and even if Teller was phoning it in a bit (he put a lot more work into Top Gun in my opinion) everyone did a good job. And the origin part of the story was fine. I don't mind the grittier mood here. A shame whatever issues they had resulted in such a rushed and odd ending.
Blood Simple: 8/10
Great little film that foreshadowed the brilliance of the Coens. I went down a rabbit hole on YouTube watching interviews with the Coens, McDormand, and Walsh about this and had to rewatch. This wouldn't have happened if not for Sam Raimi. Evil Dead's influence can't be overstated.
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A Million Ways to Die in the West - - 6/10
Finally gave this a try and it actually wasn't too bad and had some decent laughs (and it was nice to see Charlize Theron laughing and having fun on screen for once). But not sure Seth was the best choice to lead the movie, and I feel like a Steve Carrell or Wil Farrell would have been able to elevate the comedy a bit more and make you care about the character.
Finally gave this a try and it actually wasn't too bad and had some decent laughs (and it was nice to see Charlize Theron laughing and having fun on screen for once). But not sure Seth was the best choice to lead the movie, and I feel like a Steve Carrell or Wil Farrell would have been able to elevate the comedy a bit more and make you care about the character.
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