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[milstar]

Hot Tub Time Machine

Urgh.  There is soooo much wrong with this film.  A retro 80s nostalgia comedy that has gross attitudes of the 80s alongside gross attitude of the 00s.  One of the most disturbing things is the depiction of the married man.  You want the best tip on how not to be henpecked and emasculated by your wife?  Shouting obscenity and verbally abusing a 9 year old girl.  That'll keep her in her place and make sure she doesn't cheat.  That's only the tip of the iceberg.  Fuck this film.

I still find it entertaining and it made me laugh more than once.  Fuck me as well, I guess.

So, the film is about arseholes, it has an arsehole attitude and doesn't have anything worthwhile to say about anything and the characters don't really learn any real lessons.  In the end, the take away for me is there is stuff I know is awful that I can happily watch.  I already knew that.  What a waste of time.

I think that's why I loved the film. That it didn't end with "oh, we were such assholes", which would turn the whole thing into redemption story, of which the world cinema is crowded lately.

Vampire's Kiss (1988)

Oh, God, I can't believe someone made a film like this. Nic Cage in his probably the most whacked up role; trashing his place, heavily erratic behavior, eating cockroaches and pidgeons alike, and harassing poor Maria Conchita Alonso. Because of his character, 1980s self-indulgent yuppie going mad, who imagines that he's turning into a vampire, it is the only value thing worth in the whole picture. Which is why this film has a small, but cult following and is responsible for numerous internet memes I am sure we're familiar with.

[pictsy]

So, the film is about arseholes, it has an arsehole attitude and doesn't have anything worthwhile to say about anything and the characters don't really learn any real lessons.  In the end, the take away for me is there is stuff I know is awful that I can happily watch.  I already knew that.  What a waste of time.

I think that's why I loved the film. That it didn't end with "oh, we were such assholes", which would turn the whole thing into redemption story, of which the world cinema is crowded lately.
[/quote]

I like a bit of redemption so long as the character is actually redeemed.  There was no redemption for this gaggle of wankers*.  I agree it would have been worse if they tried.  The same if they actually went for a moral.  Apparently there is a sequel without John Cusack in it.  I like John Cusack as an arsehole.  Like in High Fidelity.

Vampire's Kiss (1988)

Oh, God, I can't believe someone made a film like this. Nic Cage in his probably the most whacked up role; trashing his place, heavily erratic behavior, eating cockroaches and pidgeons alike, and harassing poor Maria Conchita Alonso. Because of his character, 1980s self-indulgent yuppie going mad, who imagines that he's turning into a vampire, it is the only value thing worth in the whole picture. Which is why this film has a small, but cult following and is responsible for numerous internet memes I am sure we're familiar with.

This film is a ride.  It is the standard of which I judge Cagery.  The film is pretty disturbing as well.  Packs a punch in more ways than one.  I'm still undecided whether I like it or not, but I can't deny it left a lasting impression on me.

*_{I think the collective noun of wankers might actually be a strangle.}

[The Legendary Shark]

I thought it was a fapping of wankers.

[milstar]

I like a bit of redemption so long as the character is actually redeemed.  There was no redemption for this gaggle of wankers*.  I agree it would have been worse if they tried.  The same if they actually went for a moral.  Apparently there is a sequel without John Cusack in it.  I like John Cusack as an arsehole.  Like in High Fidelity.

Yeah, John Cusack is cool in these type of roles. I don't see him often in pictures lately.

This film is a ride.  It is the standard of which I judge Cagery.  The film is pretty disturbing as well.  Packs a punch in more ways than one.  I'm still undecided whether I like it or not, but I can't deny it left a lasting impression on me.

*_{I think the collective noun of wankers might actually be a strangle.}

This film is standard for Cagery, which I don't think The Wicker Man could even top. No doubt it leaves an impression on you afterwards, for all wickedness in.

[Rara Avis]

Grant Morrison: Talking with Gods

I managed about half of this before needing a break - and might do the other half later. It is interesting, but also a bit like someone who won't shut up about their drug experiences and imagines they're more significant than coincidence. For some reason, I really like that sort of narrative from Bill Drummond but find it a bit smug coming from Grant Morrison. Does he really believe he's had an out of body experience to an extra-solar location, or is he just bullshitting for fun? I suppose I just don't find him credible.

Is it true that Alan Moore once referred to him as a Scottish tribute act?

[Dark Jimbo]

Grant Morrison: Talking with Gods

Is it true that Alan Moore once referred to him as a Scottish tribute act?

I hope so!

[radiator]

Yeah, John Cusack is cool in these type of roles. I don't see him often in pictures lately.

He's basically Nicolas Cage level in terms of how many straight to video/streaming garbage movies he appears in these days. It's pretty sad.

[Funt Solo]

Grant Morrison: Talking with Gods

I managed about half of this before needing a break - and might do the other half later. It is interesting, but also a bit like someone who won't shut up about their drug experiences and imagines they're more significant than coincidence. For some reason, I really like that sort of narrative from Bill Drummond but find it a bit smug coming from Grant Morrison. Does he really believe he's had an out of body experience to an extra-solar location, or is he just bullshitting for fun? I suppose I just don't find him credible.

Is it true that Alan Moore once referred to him as a Scottish tribute act?

Aw, c'mon! It's obvious that Moore based his entire schtick on ... erm ... ah ...

Nope - I just can't. For someone who leans so heavily into the existing creative multiverse, he really is one of a kind.

[Funt Solo]

Avengers: Infinity War
This is a really good action movie - although I feel sorry for anyone who watches it without having watched at least a few of the precursor movies, without which it would all seem like an enormously confusing in-joke. One of the main reasons I failed to appreciate The Dark Knight Strikes Again is because it felt like I needed a DC encyclopedia in order to know who half the characters were and therefore why their presence was significant. (Also, it's just a bit shit compared to the first one - which has probably not aged well.)

As it is, I've dipped into enough Marvel comics and MCU movies to be able to tag along successfully on this one. It's major strength is as a sequence of action vignettes that it's difficult to tear our eyes away from, and it drives forward apace. The *twist* is telegraphed fairly obviously by Clumperfrunk Bandersnatch, slightly diluting the light dusting [spoiler]applied to half the people you love[/spoiler] at the end.


Avengers: Endgame
Quite a fun "how do they get out of that", playing like an extended "A-Team stuck in a barn with everything they need to build a cabbage-firing-tank" montage with a slice of Ocean's 11 heist hijinks thrown in to take us towards the money shot battle to end all battles finale.

It doesn't work as well as Infinity War largely because it asks us to accept that one-note characters who are all about their massive egos (Tony, the archer guy) would give much of a shit about family life. You can see this in the scene where Tony/Robert tries to look lovingly into the eyes of his young daughter - he's simply checking his hair in the reflection from her irises, and doing his Blue Steel pout.

As a pay-off of everything that's come before it, this does actually work remarkably well, given its cast of thousands thirty-six.

[Colin YNWA]

... it lead me to a trailer for 'Dear Mr Watterson' a documentry that explores Calvin and Hobbes. I've only watched the first 3 or 4 minutes but it left me beaming from ear to ear. That ones next...

And the fact it leaves you beaming ear to ear is both the film's blessing and curse. Dear Mr Watterson is a lovely tribute to the greatest comic strip of all time (yes its better then Krazy Kat, and Pogo and Peanuts) and it makes you feel warm fuzzy and reminds you, if you could possibly need reminding that the strip is loved. Its creator has massive integrity. People have nothing but good things to say about it deservedly.

That's the problem, its so nice and warm and fuzzy its not that interesting. Mind when you've had a bad day and you need cheering up watch this as it will remind you that sometimes the world is a good place, with good things, sometimes those things are well worth exploring. So lets go exploring.

[Professor Bear]

The Void - like many horror movies, it seems unable to differentiate between scary and unpleasant, but overall I liked it, particularly the Lovecraftian flourishes.  Lots of splattery body-horror effects - if you like that kind of thing - and very reminiscent of a lot of 1980s straight-to-video schlock, minus the wink-wink vaporwave aesthetic that seems to plague modern examples of such.

Fortress 2: Fortress Harder -LOL remember Christopher Lambert?  Back in the 1990s he was the poor man's Gerard Depardieu before Gerard Depardieu opened his stupid mouth and became the poor man's Gerard Depardieu.  Anyway this film wasn't very good - it's just too obviously cheap and lacks the satirical undercurrent, playful sadism, and fun turns from recognizable b-players that made the first movie a guilty pleasure.  What tropes Fortress 1: Fortress played around with, Fortress 2: More Fortress just replicates uncritically.

[milstar]

The Iron Lady (2011)


I like to think that the whole reason for the existence of this film is basically filmmakers saying "let's make a movie about female UK PM and let's have Meryl Streep playing in and that's it". As biographer, this movie doesn't have much meat on its bones. True, Meryl's role is outstanding and not just in terms of striking make-up and haircut. Meryl really deserved her Oscar. But everything else is just...bland. The movie missed the opportunity to show what made Margaret Thatcher tick. Also, Meryl really played her character with guts, but real Margaret Thatcher was way more intimidating than this movie showed her to be. And the whole movie is basically brief segments of her coping with own dementia, intertwined with affairs od the past, sometimes in my humbly opinion unnecessary intercut to jarring effect. Situation with Folkland Islands takes about 5-10 minutes of the film, for example. The movie never actually shows the effects and times of her rule, except occassionally showing people protesting against her or people showing her support. However, filmmakers did one thing. They never offered any sort of judgement on Thatcher's time as politician, thankfully, it's all presented from rather neutral, if not flaccid point of view. All that in just above a hour and half, which again, imho, should've been longer.

[pictsy]

The Hot Chick

This film is mostly just homophobic jokes.  After that it's mostly casual racism.  It is clumsy, stupid, juvenile and stars Rob Schneider.

I had to delete my lengthy justification for liking the film.  There is no reason.  I don't even need to admit I like the film.  I could have got away with just tearing into it.  It's very bad and very wrong.  Ironically for a film that trades a great deal in sexist stereotypes, the female cast are all a lot of fun in this film.  Especially Anna Faris and Rachel McAdams.  My advice, don't watch, it's garbage.  I'm the only person who likes it and it's my cross to bare.

Fortress 2: Fortress Harder -LOL remember Christopher Lambert?  Back in the 1990s he was the poor man's Gerard Depardieu before Gerard Depardieu opened his stupid mouth and became the poor man's Gerard Depardieu.  Anyway this film wasn't very good - it's just too obviously cheap and lacks the satirical undercurrent, playful sadism, and fun turns from recognizable b-players that made the first movie a guilty pleasure.  What tropes Fortress 1: Fortress played around with, Fortress 2: More Fortress just replicates uncritically.

I must have skipped this one.  I saw Fortress when I was watching a load of Stuart Gordon films.  I'll use your review as confirmation bias and carry on avoiding this one.  Now I'm reminded of Robot Jox and Space Truckers.

[Professor Bear]

I keep meaning to watch Robot Jox one of these days.  Is it any good?

It is clumsy, stupid, juvenile and stars Rob Schneider.

Just copy and paste this into any review of a Rob Schneider movie and you'll be fine.  Apart from those people telling you that you forgot to add "racist".
True story: I know someone who used to be an usher* in our local cinema, and I asked her if she got sick of films after seeing them several times a day for a couple of weeks and she said she did, but the exception was Deuce Bigelow 2: European Gigolo, which always made her laugh and is still her favorite film.



* One of the many occupations that existed in The Before Time.

[pictsy]

I keep meaning to watch Robot Jox one of these days.  Is it any good?

Now that's a tough question to answer.  I wouldn't casually recommend it to just anyone.  All I really remember is some silly robot nonsense that replaced war or something.  I think I need to rewatch it at some point.