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MinaVladimir's Replies
The movie ended, and then in just kept going for another hour!
Either the Hunger Games bit should've been cut down significantly, since it's not about them anyway (and they weren't that interesting imo). Or, the story should've been split into two movies. As is, it just felt like two different movies glued together.
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Sound of Metal (2019)
Ruben can’t hear so good no more, and has to learn how to deal. IDK why I was under the impression this was going to be similar to Whiplash… maybe cuz the guy was a drummer? Turns out I’m a dumber. I found Ruben to be a frustrating character at times. The doctor says no loud noises, and you go straight back to banging drums… But, real people are frustrating like that, so it’s no detriment to the film. This made his journey and gradual acceptance and finally being at peace with his situation more satisfying. And the character's own frustration was very well depicted by Riz Ahmed. Didn’t this win Best Sound Design at the Oscars? Because the sound design was indeed very good. Yeah, good movie.
The One (2001)*
Jet Li has to stop himself from killing himself. The opposite of Highlander, in that there absolutely, under no circumstances cannot be Only One. But there’s still lightning energy transfer thingies when one moves close to becoming The One. This movie uses Let the Bodies Hit the Floor, Down with the Sickness _and_ Last Resort unironically. The early 2000s were a more innocent time. I wish Jet Li had more fight scenes with himself (or, you know, with his body double) because that was the only fight scene I actually enjoyed. You can see The Matrix influence clearly. Jason Statham was fun. It had a kooky, sci-fi premise which I liked, and miss. For what this movie is, it was fine.
Can't see a theme this week, but if you type The One in the MovieChat search, the first hit is not The One, it's Kanoe Reeves, which is cute.
*Edit: This did _not_ come out in 2021 lol
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Billy Elliot (2000)
Billy has a dream, and that dream is to dance goofy all over the place. Seriously though, I know he took ballet, but that dancing he was doing was definitely not ballet lol. Anyway, I’ve seen this a few times now, and the dancing was never my favourite part. What I enjoy is the emotional contents, and the performances. The British have a knack for making these types of movies set in the backdrop of some sort of community struggle, but they’re never overly inspirational or dripping in saccharine. The humour and growth of the characters flow naturally, and reality is never forgotten. I’d put The Full Monty and Kinky Boots in this same category. Rating – If I see it on TV again, I’d probably watch it.
I Girasoli (1970) Sunflower
Giovanna and Antonio get hitched during WW2. Then he goes off to the Russian front, and never comes back. Years after the war Giovanna goes to Russia looking for him, unconvinced that he is dead. What she finds there is his new wife, and his child. This film is very zoom heavy. Also, lots of people crying in train stations. Sophia Loren has some very overly dramatic moments in this film, which I’ll chalk up to Italians just being dramatic people (as per stereotype). The first half was a bit boring. The second half was more interesting and emotionally packed, and I enjoyed the performances more. Especially Sophia Loren’s, once she stopped throwing herself about. The quiet realization when she meets the Russian wife, etc. It’s the sadness of a lost love, and people moving on. But also all those years lost in grief and stuck in limbo, is he alive isn’t he, when she could’ve moved on with her life. Half good – half ok-ish.
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Just cuz I like you, I'll let this "🐀 🐀 🐀 🐀/10" slide just this once.
So glad you liked Ginger Snaps 2! And Tatiana Maslany is just great, isn't she? Just like, in general lol. There's more Ginger (of sorts) in the 3rd one, but I'm hesitant to recommend a purchase. Maybe watch it on Youtube if you have any interest in finishing the trilogy.
I know I've seen My Bloody Valentine, no memory if I liked it or not. All I remember is a mine, and Jensen Ackles was in it.
Let Him Go (2020)
Diane Lane and Kevin Costner are reunited in the role of parents, of a very much human son this time, who is actually vulnerable to falling of a horse and dying. Now they have to go chasing after their ex-daughter-in-law in an attempt to get back their grandson, and end up battling the family of her new abusive husband. This begins slowly, and chugs along, showing us the search for the grandbaby. And then it gets incredibly violent. I really enjoyed the scenic shots of… wherever in the US this was shot, beautiful. Some good performances. But, again, the Dumb Woman getting everybody killed trope rears its ugly head. I have to say I was quite shocked how violent it got towards the end there, for what I thought was a drama. IDK, it was… a movie, and I watched it. 3 out of 7 severed fingers.
Casper (1995)
The desire of Casper the Friendly Ghost to get an alive human girl girlfriend lead to Christina Ricci and President Thomas J. Whitmore moving into the dilapidated mansion him and his not-so-friendly uncles haunt. And those ghosts will definitely not go gently into that good night. There is obviously CG in this movie. But there are also actual sets, which are wonderful. As a kid I wanted to live in that mansion (maybe sans the ghosts). Great score, great cinematography (courtesy of Dean Cundey). Cathy Moriarty and Eric Idle are top tier 90s sleazeballs. A kids movie, but it doesn’t treat its audience like actual babies. IMO a very well made movie, and quite enjoyable still.
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Nice to see you're still around, R_Kane!
Yeah, we know you're "a weirdo" haha, but I bet there'd be some folk out there whose whole world view would be turned upside-down if we ever get proof of aliens, or even some bugs on Mars.
It's a perfectly fine film for any occasion! haha Though I suppose, it's very much "you either get it, or you don't" type of thing, from my understanding.
Sticking with what SETI would potentially find, it'll be too far away and probably too far in the past to directly harm or benefit us, imo. Same with contacting it back. Would there still be aliens there to pick up the phone?
I won't hold my breath for any uniting, we're still not on the same page about Evolution, vaccines, or the frigging Earth being round.
I would be worried about the impact on society. Specifically on how people with very strong religious views would react and process a discovery like that, if they accept it at all.
Not all people in the former Eastern Bloc were communists, they just happened to live there during this time period and had to play with the cards they're dealt. Some actively refused to become Party members, like my parents.
All he had to get used to is living in a totalitarian state, imo. Which I wouldn't think would be that difficult considering Italy itself was Fascist in the 30s and 40s. Now, to stay I assume he would have had to prove he was in line with the Party's ideology, as a foreigner, but people faked that all the time to get promotions or a better station in life.
Hallo!
None of yours this week, but I did eat plenty of corn.
The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension (1984)
Renaissance man Buckaroo Banzai has to stop the Earth from destroying itself by helping the good aliens in their fight with the bad aliens, aided by his jovial posse of crime-fighters and the long lost twin sister of his dead wife. Are the adventures across the 8th Dimension? Of course they’re not. Is this film filled with literal non-sense? Of course it is. Funny, fun and fueled by the power of imagination. The cast is great; John Lithgow steals the show imo. He made a choice, and it was the right choice, and he was absolutely bonkers. It must have been fun to make the props for this, very inventive. The end credits are awesome. I’ve read not all people enjoy it, but it’s right up my alley.
The Eternal Daughter (2022)
Tilda Swinton talks to herself in various rooms, goes chasing after a dog, a lot, and walks up and down corridors. It might shock you, but I missed the very beginning of this film, which means I didn’t really know it was supposed to be a ghost story. Which, it kinda was, and kinda wasn’t. Fairly repetitive, by design is my guess. I don’t need to say that Tilda Swinton gives a great performances here. I liked the music and the cinematography. There is a reveal at a point in the film, which I think literally made me go “What the fuck?!”, and I liked it lol. It was done very well too. An interesting examination of a mother/daughter relationship and grief is my take on it, in an atmospheric setting, with some creaky floors. Honestly, I don’t think I fully understood this film, so I will be looking out for it when it inevitably comes on repeat on HBO or Cinemax, or wherever I saw it.
The End!
Why would he?
Two movies this week had a mass of people moving together in circular motion. Very cool.
There certainly is a theme throughout these movies this week, that was unintentional. Life sucks, and even when you have a win, you ain’t really winnin’, but you can always distract yourself with a SHOW.
Byeee!
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They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (1969)
Life goes on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on, and it never lets up, and it’s all terrible, and even if you win, they’d bill ya! I never paid attention for how long they danced in previous viewings, and they’d danced for 1,491 hours by the time Fonda called bullshit and quit. That’s like over 60 days. OVER 60 DAYS!!! And these dance marathons were a real thing, that happened! This film is so well done, interesting techniques, great editing. You can feel the mental and physical exhaustion of the characters, their desperation. And don’t get me started on the exploitation of the contestants, which we still see in reality TV competitions. It’s all a show, folks! All performances are good, but Jane Fonda is a stand out. Such a bitter, confrontational, beat down by life character. She really laid into the pregnant girl “What are you gonna FEED that THING?!”(not an actual quote, but a pretty accurate approximation). And she was right, what _was_ she gonna feed it? The ending is a bummer, the whole movie is a bummer, but in a good way. Highly recommend it.
The Stand (1994) AKA How Anti-Vaxxers Think The Covid Pandemic Should Have Been Handled
In all fairness I can’t really review this, because I lost interest somewhere in episode three, after all the world ending was done with. But acting choices were made, especially by Bill Fagerbakke, who went full Tropic Thunder, and Corin Nemec who was the King of Nerds, fake pimples, glasses and all. I still can’t get over the fake pimples lol. Anyway, episodes 1 and 2 were okay, for what they were. Acting was hit or miss. If I ever finish it, I might have a proper review, since all I wanted to do today was have 2 Anti-Vax “jokes”. (Mods, don’t banish me into the hellscape that is the Politics board, pls)
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My Carpenter craving wasn’t satiated by The Thing.
Escape from New York (1981)
A bad night turns worse when Mr. Snake "Call me Plissken" Plissken is kindly asked by The Man to save the President of… something... 🤷♀️ from a gang of 80s kooky baddies, since he’s headed to New York City anyway. He has no time for romance, the theater or saving random women from rape, and is aided in his mission by a friendly cab driver, a guy with a big brain and Adrienne Barbeau’s boobs. IDK how you guys watch this movie and are able to focus on the action with Barbeau’s cleavage in this lol. On a related note, how is Kurt Russell so good looking, and how is his hair so gorgeous? Anyway, the more I watch it, the more I grow to appreciate this movie. Snake is the coolest, but also a real anti-heroes’ anti-hero. One gripe, I know it’s set at night, and the lighting is very good, but also, it’s still a little dark for my tastes. Oh, and the ending! Cuz of my shitty memory I completely forgot how it ended. I literally jumped, clapped and did a little dance. I CLAPPED! They make you jump through hoops, just to screw you over at the end… the least you can do is screw them over in return. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
They Live (1988)
Wake up sheeple! Put on a cool pair of shades and see the alien overlords for what they really are - a bunch of actors with goofy plastic masks on lol. A rite of passage for any teen imo, when you’re in that “woow, they’re forcing us into conformity and filling our lives with distractions and stuff to subdue us, duuude. Did you know magazines sell you THINGS?!” phase. I’m not knocking on Carpenter, he has a good point. And when times are tough, you either join em’ or you try to change things. Though, it didn’t work out for Nada and Frank, but it also kinda did. The switching between colour and black and white, simple, but effective. Great performances. And I liked that he got a little dig at Siskel and Ebert at the end there.
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Wasn't sick last week, so less time to watch MOOVIES!
None of your this week for me, but for the first time I actually looked at the dates in your subject, and it didn't compute, and it felt like I went somewhere for a moment or like had a minor stroke. Why you put the month before the day? Is it to pander to those pesky Americans? tsk tsk
I should look into Two heads creek, cuz I hear 20 mins of bonkers, I'm interested. Crimewave sounds interesting too.
DISCLAMER: All allusions to what Anti-Vaxxers think are written purely in jest and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Cell (2016) AKA What Anti-Vaxxers Think Would Happen to All The People Who Took the Covid Vaccine vis-a-vis 5G.
Your phone is literally turning you into a mindless hive-minded killing machine: The Movie. Is this movie dumb? Yes. Is this movie fun? Yes. John Cusack has somehow moulded into Nick Cage in this, look-wise. Sam LLLL Jackson is always reliable. The first time I watched this I think I had just read the book, and that may have influenced my opinion. Now I have literally zero memory of the book, and I had fun, the 5G “zombies” were cool-ish, the flocking was also cool-ish. And I like the downer of an ending, even though that final shot is very weird. Not a masterpiece by any means.
Actually it might be good for your Movie Club thing, and it’s on Youtube!
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Like it or not, you got ME! :D
I really hope you like Ginger Snaps 2, I don't want to be responsible for you spending money on something you don't like! I'm pretty sure GS3 is on YT lol.
<blockquote>if women wear makeup....
can men wear fake muscles, and lie about thier savings account? :D</blockquote>
If you had asked if women wear spanks, can men wear fake muscles, it would've made more sense, since it's a body shape thing. And yes, shapewear exists, and it is available to both women and men.
Savings account? Not in any way analogous to make up.
And to be clear, women do not fake who they are by wearing make up, because our face is not the entirety of our being. We also have a personality, interests and hobbies, and sometimes, shocking as it may sound, our own savings.
As for the porn thing, porn performers work on camera. And as someone who is posting on a MOVIE DISCUSSION WEBSITE you should know that people who work on camera need to wear very heavy make up. Both women and men. It's like asking why the News work so well...
But since we're going with porn, tell me how you're going to put fake muscles on a naked man, and should a new category be created? "Studs with huge savings accounts"?
The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane (1976)
Rynn is new in town, having moved there with her poet dad, who is nowhere to be found when someone comes to call. And, boy, do a lot of people come by that house bothering her! But it’s okay, she’s armed with enough cyanide and almond cookies to help deal with all of them, permanently. She’s also 13, the age when girls turn to murder, apparently. Erm, almost turned it off after the very creepy, uncomfortable first scene when we’re introduced to Frank, the town’s pedo. But, I stuck with it, and it was an interesting watch. Great performances by all, Martin Sheen was the creepiest creep that ever creeped. Again, very distinct soundtrack, very 70s, not funky, just… that goofy music they used to have, majority of it didn’t fit the tone imo. Aanyway, ye, didn’t think the nude scene that was supposed to be 13 year old Foster was needed, at all, but overall good. 4/7 Child Predators.
The Thing (1982) when you google The Thing 1982 Google does … a thing
There was a Carpenter thread last week and I had a craving.
It was the first goddamned week of winter when Sweden declared war on the US Antarctic research station. Some voodoo bullshit happens, things get a warmed up a little, and trust becomes hard to come by. I meeean, it’s The Thing, it’s awesome; there isn’t a line of dialogue that isn’t endlessly quotable; a shot that isn’t masterfully set up; a performance that isn’t amazing. And because I have a shitty memory, every time I watch it I don’t know who’s the thing and who’s not. Rating - Watch it
Both MC recommendations star Robert Maillet, three out of all movies feature a detached eyeball in some form, and two are about killer 13 year olds.
I should hire an editor.
Vicious Fun (2020) davodikum recommendation
Joel accidentally crashes a serial killer support sesh. Like AA, but for murderers, and they don’t actually want to quit. Good thing Carrie is there to save Joel’s ass, cuz she’s a murderer’s murder see. Carnage ensues, cops are dumb, fun times are had. Evan Marsh was a liiiiiittle too goofy for my liking, did not like his performance one bit. In contrast, Ari Millen gives us the full Canadian Psycho (wink, wink). Maan, he’s great, I loved him in Orphan Black as well. Julian Richings is always great. Is it like a law in Canada that he must be in any horror thing? Because I would support a law like that. Amber Goldfarb as Carrie was standard tough hot chick, very pretty though. I’m a sucker for neon and synths, no complains on that front. Over all, I enjoyed it.
The Tunnel (2011)
A news crew goes into the tunnels under Sydney so investigate just what the hell is happening down there with the homeless people going missing, and a new water recycling plan being scrapped. Turns out there’s something down there, and it’s weird and pissed off, whatever it is. I’m not much of a fan of the Dumb Woman getting everybody killed trope, but besides that, it was a solid faux-cumentary/found footage movie. It took its time setting everything up, it was tense, the performances I thought were good and believable for the most part. Rating – Boo!
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Becky (2020) SK recommendation
Turns out I _could_ take Kevin James, and so could Becky! Nazies break out of a prison, and invade Becky and Dad’s holiday home looking for a very important Macguffin that does… something. Who cares, a 13 year old girl takes them all out. This is perfect evidence that girls mature faster than boys. I imagined it would have a lighter tone. I liked the second half more, the first was too family drama, surly teen for my liking, and probably killing off Joel McHale helped lol. Lulu Wilson was great in the role, and Kevin James wasn’t half bad. Also, wtf is happening on this movie’s board here? Gross.
The Wrath Of Becky (2023) I recommended this to myself
The Becky Returns. And this time she has trained and prepared to deal with any Nazi life throws her way. She has traps, backpacks, weapons, a boiler suit. She. Is. Prepared. So when plot happens, she goes to stalk a group of would be insurgents, and takes them out, again, one by one. The Macguffin returns, still no idea what it does. This stars Seann William Scott as the main bad guy (kinda), and honestly, much better than Kevin James. Lighter tone, they didn’t make a carbon copy of the first one. Some more fun things in terms of presentation were added. Liked it more than the first one, by a mile.
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Stigmata (1999)
Mothers mean the best, but sometimes they shouldn’t gift us rosaries bought by shady street merchants containing the angry spirit of a disgruntled Catholic priest in hiding from the Vatican… So Frankie has stigmatas galore to deal with, along with a leaky roof. Good thing she has the help of the OG Hot Priest, Father Andrew (well, I guess the OG Hot Priest would be the guy from Thorn Birds, but you catch my drift). This film has all of the editings, transitions, cuts, jumps, slow-mos, like ever. Soundtrack is SOOOOO 1999. Enrico Colantoni made a CHOICE with that accent. Features Pope Francis, back in his Cardinal years, in a very prominent role (I can’t be the only one that thinks Pope Francis and Jonathan Pryce look very alike). 13 year old me thought this movie was the coolest back in the day, now… idk. It is very much a film fully of its era style-wise - the editing, the music, the costumes. I think I like the second half of it better now, with the conspiracy to maintain the status quo of the Church and not make known to the world the supposedly containing the true words of Christ texts. All the stigmata things are a little dated now in terms of how they were edited/shot/etc. imo. Rating - 4 bleeding wounds and kiss from a priest.
The Hot Flashes (2013)
Beth f*cked up with some paperwork, and now has to assemble a ragtag team of middle-aged, menopausal women to help raise money for the towns mobile mammogram unit, by playing 3 games of basketball against a bunch of teen girls. Gift of gabs, obstacles and overcoming insecurities happen. This almost fell into the Hallmark TV Movie category, but managed to stay just above the line. Except for Eric Robert’s performance, that was pure TV Movie acting. Surprisingly well known cast, typical underdog sports thing movie story. It was fun for the most part, perfectly serviceable, but not great by any means. Still, I had a good time and I’m not mad I saw it. Rating – Ladies, go for your annual check-up.
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