Last movie watched...

[von Boom]

Mad Max (1979). Mad Max is one of those rare films that stands up completely. I still find it thrilling and disturbing. There is a slow build-up of tension that tends to be lacking in modern films. Everyone one of the cast elevates the film far beyond what it should be.

[pictsy]

National Treasure: Book of Secrets

Less stupid than the first film, but more boring.  Nicolas Cage got to Nicolas Cage in this one and it was awful.

Moonwalkers

Comedy about Ron Perlman and Rupert Grint trying to fake the moonlanding.  It was OK.  I didn't have any major problems with it despite it being largely unremarkable.

[Keef Monkey]

Star Trek: The Motion Picture, must be decades since I watched this one! Enjoyed it, yeah it's slow and has dated in a lot of ways but I found it really absorbing and the big long slow sequences were pretty hypnotic to watch (I was sleepy and spaced out at the time so it fitted my mood).

Young Adult, which was not what I expected. Having had plenty of brushes with mental illness both in my own life and with family members it struck me that it's quite rare for a film to portray a character in this way, in that it isn't scared to show the character and her behavior as unlikable. There are definitely other films that do it, it maybe just struck me with this one because I didn't know what it was about going in and was expecting something lighter and funnier so it took me by surprise a bit. It means it really won't be for everyone but I know that when I was at my very lowest the ways I treated the people close to me definitely wasn't sympathetic so it was refreshing and unusual (and occasionally a bit painful) to see that particular brand of 'unwell' being depicted. I liked it.

For a change of tack I then watched Mulan, I don't often bother with the animated Disney offerings but the trailer for the live action version genuinely looks great so I thought I'd see the original. Enjoyed it, parts of it were great and lovely to look at, even if it did occasionally remind me why that brand of Disney isn't necessarily my thing (I forgot they have songs!).

[shaolin_monkey]

Mad Max (1979).

That reminds me - I watched Mad Max: Fury Road a few days back, in glorious 3D on my PSVR.

It's only the second time I've seen it, the first being at the cinema. I had forgotten what a relentless, bonkers, batshit crazy film it is.

The real stars of the show are Charlie's Theron and the other women, plus that young lad that switches sides. Hardy is a monosyllabic non-entity really, but that's ok.  The others more than make up for him.

Anyway, great film - thoroughly enjoyed the second viewing.

[Rately]

Mad Max (1979).

That reminds me - I watched Mad Max: Fury Road a few days back, in glorious 3D on my PSVR.

It's only the second time I've seen it, the first being at the cinema. I had forgotten what a relentless, bonkers, batshit crazy film it is.

The real stars of the show are Charlie's Theron and the other women, plus that young lad that switches sides. Hardy is a monosyllabic non-entity really, but that's ok.  The others more than make up for him.

Anyway, great film - thoroughly enjoyed the second viewing.

Just an astonishing movie. The imagery, sound.

I think I saw it three times in the cinema, but I haven't really appreciated just what an oddity, and bonkers bit of Gonzo cinema it is. No other filmmaker makes movies like George Miller.

[Keef Monkey]

Artemis Fowl, hard to judge because I'm really not the target audience! Feels very messy so I couldn't really get into it, but kids might not care about that stuff and could possibly just enjoy it as a colourful adventure film. Watched it because quite often I do enjoy that stuff myself, but this just didn't grab me. Definitely feels like something where if dumping it on Disney+ wasn't an option it might have just gotten shelved, because I can't imagine it standing shoulder to shoulder with similar fare at the cinema.

Like I say though, clearly not aimed at me and kids will probably like it! I definitely didn't actively dislike it, was just a bit numb about the whole thing.

[wedgeski]

Mad Max (1979).

That reminds me - I watched Mad Max: Fury Road a few days back, in glorious 3D on my PSVR.

It's only the second time I've seen it, the first being at the cinema. I had forgotten what a relentless, bonkers, batshit crazy film it is.

The real stars of the show are Charlie's Theron and the other women, plus that young lad that switches sides. Hardy is a monosyllabic non-entity really, but that's ok.  The others more than make up for him.

Anyway, great film - thoroughly enjoyed the second viewing.

Just an astonishing movie. The imagery, sound.

I think I saw it three times in the cinema, but I haven't really appreciated just what an oddity, and bonkers bit of Gonzo cinema it is. No other filmmaker makes movies like George Miller.

It's an incredible spectacle. The sheer *colour* of it all (which is ironic given how well the black and white version was received -- not for me, that one). Weird and interesting storytelling, with the titular character not much more than an instigator, and the real character arcs reserved for everyone else, even the bad guys. It's almost like they shot the prequel to an as-yet unfilmed *actual* Mad Max story *first*. And then the action, which is every bit as good as the originals. It took me a second watch to really understand what they were going for, but I've enjoyed it several times since then. Big screen, lights down, surround sound pumped up...it's pretty unique.

[Rately]

Mad Max (1979).

That reminds me - I watched Mad Max: Fury Road a few days back, in glorious 3D on my PSVR.

It's only the second time I've seen it, the first being at the cinema. I had forgotten what a relentless, bonkers, batshit crazy film it is.

The real stars of the show are Charlie's Theron and the other women, plus that young lad that switches sides. Hardy is a monosyllabic non-entity really, but that's ok.  The others more than make up for him.

Anyway, great film - thoroughly enjoyed the second viewing.

Just an astonishing movie. The imagery, sound.

I think I saw it three times in the cinema, but I haven't really appreciated just what an oddity, and bonkers bit of Gonzo cinema it is. No other filmmaker makes movies like George Miller.

It's an incredible spectacle. The sheer *colour* of it all (which is ironic given how well the black and white version was received -- not for me, that one). Weird and interesting storytelling, with the titular character not much more than an instigator, and the real character arcs reserved for everyone else, even the bad guys. It's almost like they shot the prequel to an as-yet unfilmed *actual* Mad Max story *first*. And then the action, which is every bit as good as the originals. It took me a second watch to really understand what they were going for, but I've enjoyed it several times since then. Big screen, lights down, surround sound pumped up...it's pretty unique.

I play it through a Projector, bargain basement one which does the job until I can upgrade, and through a Sonos Playbar. Lovely sound system. Big images, big noise and spectacle.

Have yet to watch the black and white version, but I'll definitely be getting around to that.

[repoman]

I really struggled with Fury Road myself.  I saw it in the cinema and after an hour I suddenly realised how bored I was.  To me it just seemed like cars bouncing off of a truck for a couple of hours.  I don't tend to like films set in deserts though as they just feel like one endless scene.

I think the issue for me is that if you put on a random ten secs of that film I'd have no idea what part of the film it was from.  I think films need different scenes and sets to help them feel like they are moving.  Unless you've got amazing dialogue.

That said, it is definitely due a second watch on a comfier sofa and with a better choice of snacks.

Anyway, recent watches.

The Omen 1, 2 and 3.   1 and 2 are still good.  Very creepy, great actors.  3 is better than I remembered but has the weakest ending this side of the third Predator film.

The Quiet Earth (1985).  Does the whole 'last man on Earth' thing quite well.  The set up is great and the actor does a good job of conveying a survival mentality while also going mad.  It kind of tails off a bit but I enjoyed it overall.

Dinner Rush (2000).  A great indie film about a restaurant that is run by a possibly Mafia-connected guy.  Has a ton of great actors in it and is just a very enjoyable watch from start to finish.  Mark Margolis as an art critic is just sensational.

[Keef Monkey]

Continuing a bit of a Star Trek rewatch watched Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan this morning, and it really is brilliant isn't it? The dialogue is sharp, the performances from the crew are great, the whole theme of them being older and facing mortality, the James Horner music, the horrible brain leeches that haunted me as a kid...a stone cold classic and perfect Star Trek movie. Not to mention the fact I've never gotten through the last chunk without crying and this was no different!

[Rately]

Continuing a bit of a Star Trek rewatch watched Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan this morning, and it really is brilliant isn't it? The dialogue is sharp, the performances from the crew are great, the whole theme of them being older and facing mortality, the James Horner music, the horrible brain leeches that haunted me as a kid...a stone cold classic and perfect Star Trek movie. Not to mention the fact I've never gotten through the last chunk without crying and this was no different!

I've seen the movie over the years in bits and pieces, and really need to get around to sitting down and watching it uninterrupted.

Vividly remember the final few scenes, though. Incredible, emotional stuff.

[pictsy]

The Quiet Earth (1985).  Does the whole 'last man on Earth' thing quite well.  The set up is great and the actor does a good job of conveying a survival mentality while also going mad.  It kind of tails off a bit but I enjoyed it overall.

How did you like the ending?

The Witches of Eastwick

I watched this because of the Mad Max talk.  I had a look at George Miller's filmography and I never realised he directed the film.  I remember enjoying it loads as a kid, but haven't watched it since.  It's an odd film.  There is very little exposition to the film so it has an enigmatic quality.  It isn't a straightforward film, but I found it hard to see it saying anything.  There is a "be careful what you wish for" quality to it, but that isn't entirely realised.  There are a lot of threads to pull on that don't necessarily go anywhere and because it's not just a straightforward film about witches summoning a Jack Nicholson (I am not entirely sure what he is in the film) I don't think I can take it on face value.  It's also not a bad film.  That all just makes it extremely esoteric.  I really enjoyed it and was very glad I revisited it.

[Dark Jimbo]

Goliath Awaits. In 1981 a diving team stumbles across the sunken wreckage of a luxury liner torpedoed by a U-boat in 1939 - and, impossibly, the colony of survivors who have lived down in the gloom ever since...

Think this first appeared on my radar when mentioned in reference to our own Leviathan, and there's very much a similar vibe, although Goliath is working with a fairly meagre budget (yay comics!)

Nobody can help a low budget; the real trouble is, the script's fairly functional, with few memorable lines or scenes in the whole 3-hour run-time - though there are some nice scenes towards the end. Best thing about it is Sir Christopher Lee as leader of Goliath's crew (that resonant bass voice giving gravitas to some occasionally mediocre lines) and John Carradine's scene-stealing turn as a fruity old thesp.

A bit slow and sometimes turgid, but certainly original and sometimes really atmospheric. Worth a go... just.

[Professor Bear]

Goliath Awaits was a tv miniseries, hence the deathly slow pace and excessive running time.

Blood Quantum - I am done with zombies to the point that if they're in games, movies or tv shows, it's an automatic pass from me, so why I watched this I cannot possibly say, but I am glad I did because it is pretty good.  Native Americans find themselves immune to the zombie virus, so fortify their reservation and dig in to wait out the end of the world, but as usual THE WHITE MAN has other ideas.  There's obviously a whole heap of metaphor going on here with the Native Americans hiding from an infection brought to them by white settlers - at one point someone burns a blanket just to make sure you get it - as well as a good dollop of self-awareness in things like the now-obligatory person who kills zombies with a sword ("I have no need of guns when I KNOW THE BLADE"), but the relatively low stakes make it feel like an episode of one of hose zombie tv shows, albeit a good one, and one with lots of gore - like seeing people get their ripped-out guts eaten by zombies?  This has your back.  Love seeing people get a chainsaw to the face?  This has your back.  Love to see pregnant zombie ladies swinging their dead zombie babies around like a mace?  Get some help you fuckin weirdo.

Domain - this seemed a bit crass, being a film about seven people trapped in isolated bunkers to wait out a pandemic while getting increasingly paranoid and only able to communicate with arseholes on the internet, but it was apparently made in 2017.  It tips its hand too early - even if you don't just guess after years of reading Future Shocks - what the twist is, and the mechanics of how/why it all supposedly works make no sense, but it commits to its bit and is satisfyingly dark right to the end.

[repoman]

How did you like the ending?

I was okay with it.  I think by the time it came I was ready for the film to be over and a film that weird was never going to have a normal ending!