Rate the Last Film You Watched
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jake scully
Kiznaiver
Snyders version was crap
Romero’s original will always be better
jake scully
Kiznaiver
Saw Switchblade Romance & Argentos underrated Sleepless this afternoon
jake scully
Kiznaiver
Last night saw the uncut Death Wish 2 & Death Wish 3
Just saw the uncut A Serbian Film
Just saw the uncut A Serbian Film
jake scully
Kiznaiver
Vertigo - my fave Hitchcock film
Snake Eyes - underrated DePalma thriller
Rabid Dogs - Mario Bava’s brilliant heist film
Snake Eyes - underrated DePalma thriller
Rabid Dogs - Mario Bava’s brilliant heist film
Dai
Death Scythe
Wonder Woman 1984
Considering its low IMDB rating, I was bracing myself for the worst going into this. Having watched it, I don't know what all the complaining was about. I can only assume that the people who spent £16 to rent it a few months ago, or risked their health to see it in the cinema, set the bar unrealistically high as a result.
It's a good movie with an interesting story about wishes and regrets, and does a surprisingly good job of building Steve Trevor into the story in a meaningful way, despite the decision to bring Chris Pine's character back obviously being down to his box office draw. Regarding the other complaints people have about this story contradicting the established continuity of the earlier DC movies, I think we just need to accept that Warner have decided not to care about continuity at this point, instead focusing on doing what each film needs in order to work internally. Having Wonder Woman active in the 80s ultimately works for the arc of this particular story, and the way it finishes makes it more satisfying as a result.
The action scenes tend to feel quite limited though. The choreography is good, and Wonder Woman's moves are suitably flashy, but the scope of the scenes never becomes as epic as you might hope. This is especially the case in the showdown against Cheetah, which takes plays in a dark setting that makes it difficult to follow the action. That's not where the story is really focusing its attention though, instead being more interested in choices and consequences, and it handles that aspect far better.
7/10
Considering its low IMDB rating, I was bracing myself for the worst going into this. Having watched it, I don't know what all the complaining was about. I can only assume that the people who spent £16 to rent it a few months ago, or risked their health to see it in the cinema, set the bar unrealistically high as a result.
It's a good movie with an interesting story about wishes and regrets, and does a surprisingly good job of building Steve Trevor into the story in a meaningful way, despite the decision to bring Chris Pine's character back obviously being down to his box office draw. Regarding the other complaints people have about this story contradicting the established continuity of the earlier DC movies, I think we just need to accept that Warner have decided not to care about continuity at this point, instead focusing on doing what each film needs in order to work internally. Having Wonder Woman active in the 80s ultimately works for the arc of this particular story, and the way it finishes makes it more satisfying as a result.
The action scenes tend to feel quite limited though. The choreography is good, and Wonder Woman's moves are suitably flashy, but the scope of the scenes never becomes as epic as you might hope. This is especially the case in the showdown against Cheetah, which takes plays in a dark setting that makes it difficult to follow the action. That's not where the story is really focusing its attention though, instead being more interested in choices and consequences, and it handles that aspect far better.
7/10
zrdb
Adventurer
Sleepy Hollow-classic Tim Burton fare, I rewatched it last night. It tweeks Ichabod Crane turning him into a constable from New York (instead of a school teacher in the original story) sent to investigate 3 mysterious murders. Johnny Depp and Christina Ricci star. I really liked the ambiance of the movie and heads did roll-literally!!
jake scully
Kiznaiver
The Editor
Amelie
The X Files
The Torturer
Shampoo
Amelie
The X Files
The Torturer
Shampoo
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Dai
Death Scythe
Rewatched Power Rangers (2017). Here's what I said about it when it first came out:
You could really see the struggle the creative team had in searching for a tone and direction for this movie, but on the whole I think it paid off. I was surprised at how instantly likeable many of the characters were, with Jason and Billy being especially great. Red rangers always run the risk of being bland; not an issue here. The dialogue was generally good too, though I didn't enjoy the few lapses into crude humour.
I can only think of three minor negatives. Rita's depiction didn't gel until late in the movie, being overly quirky at first, and not feeling like the threat Zordon bigged her up to be until her power was in full flow. Some of the cuts between scenes were awkward, with a puzzling lack of establishing shots that made it hard to figure out where certain scenes were taking place at first. Finally, if you've seen the first two trailers, you've seen the movie. That one is on the marketing team, of course, but in this case I think they had little choice. Structurally, this is a very old-school, 80s-esque movie, with all its big action money shots crammed into the third act.
Aside from those issues, it was a blast. It could have done with more time in the ranger suits, but the characters are entertaining enough in themselves that it didn't feel like a problem. Mostly though, it just felt like Power Rangers. Definitely something tonally at the darker RPM end of the spectrum rather than the original goofy Mighty Morphin', but a real Power Rangers story nonetheless.
You could really see the struggle the creative team had in searching for a tone and direction for this movie, but on the whole I think it paid off. I was surprised at how instantly likeable many of the characters were, with Jason and Billy being especially great. Red rangers always run the risk of being bland; not an issue here. The dialogue was generally good too, though I didn't enjoy the few lapses into crude humour.
I can only think of three minor negatives. Rita's depiction didn't gel until late in the movie, being overly quirky at first, and not feeling like the threat Zordon bigged her up to be until her power was in full flow. Some of the cuts between scenes were awkward, with a puzzling lack of establishing shots that made it hard to figure out where certain scenes were taking place at first. Finally, if you've seen the first two trailers, you've seen the movie. That one is on the marketing team, of course, but in this case I think they had little choice. Structurally, this is a very old-school, 80s-esque movie, with all its big action money shots crammed into the third act.
Aside from those issues, it was a blast. It could have done with more time in the ranger suits, but the characters are entertaining enough in themselves that it didn't feel like a problem. Mostly though, it just felt like Power Rangers. Definitely something tonally at the darker RPM end of the spectrum rather than the original goofy Mighty Morphin', but a real Power Rangers story nonetheless.
awadama
Mad Scientist
@Dai I'm always appreciative of an RPM mention!
I really liked the movie too (it's one of the few I've seen in the cinema over the last decade). It was a lot of fun and the cast was great (Bryan Cranston as Zordon isn't something I ever imagined, but he was an excellent choice).
I loved the bit with the original theme song during the big battle scene too.
I really liked the movie too (it's one of the few I've seen in the cinema over the last decade). It was a lot of fun and the cast was great (Bryan Cranston as Zordon isn't something I ever imagined, but he was an excellent choice).
I loved the bit with the original theme song during the big battle scene too.
Dai
Death Scythe
RPM is my favourite of the Power Rangers series I've seen; it's like that franchise's version of the Battlestar Galactica reboot. It's a shame that it coincided with a year when the robot designs were especially childish, but they did a great job of integrating that fact into the story.@Dai I'm always appreciative of an RPM mention!
I really liked the movie too (it's one of the few I've seen in the cinema over the last decade). It was a lot of fun and the cast was great (Bryan Cranston as Zordon isn't something I ever imagined, but he was an excellent choice).
I loved the bit with the original theme song during the big battle scene too.
I notice that Netflix has now removed most Power Rangers shows. There were several years where they had all of them, but now there's only a couple left.
awadama
Mad Scientist
It's a nuisance! I've seen most of the seasons, but there were a couple I was partway through.
They were on there since about 2012, so it was my own fault for taking so long to finish watching them all, but still...
Most of them are available on R1 DVD and the prices aren't too bad, but I just feel like they'll resurface on Netflix as soon as I buy some DVDs, so I'm kinda reluctant right now. I might just pick up some of my favs (SPD, Jungle Fury, RPM) and see how it goes.
Dai
Death Scythe
If Netflix were going to do that, I imagine they would have just extended the license when it was due for renewal. The DVDs have been around for years at this point, so it's probably best to grab them before they go out of print. RPM is the only one I own, and the DVDs are a little disappointing visually. Some episode look weirdly pixelated, like they're sub-SD resolution.It's a nuisance! I've seen most of the seasons, but there were a couple I was partway through.
They were on there since about 2012, so it was my own fault for taking so long to finish watching them all, but still...
Most of them are available on R1 DVD and the prices aren't too bad, but I just feel like they'll resurface on Netflix as soon as I buy some DVDs, so I'm kinda reluctant right now. I might just pick up some of my favs (SPD, Jungle Fury, RPM) and see how it goes.
Shout Factory have been releasing a lot of the original Super Sentai shows over the last few years. I bought Carranger, which is hilarious. It's weird to see a franchise do a parody of itself, but it works.
awadama
Mad Scientist
Some of the earlier seasons looked very odd on Netflix too - they were "wobbly", like when it's a hot day and you look into the distance. I'm sure there's a name for this (both the video issue and the heat thing), but I'm sure you know what I mean
I've got a few of those Super Sentai DVDs too, but I've only watched a bit of Zyuranger so far (the others have fallen into the same backlog/pit of despair as a load of anime I've bought) - it's pretty weird seeing the same monsters and ranger suits in completely different stories!
I'll probably pick up a few of the PR DVDs soon. I just found out the 1995 movie and the Turbo movie have been released on BD, so I'll probably get them eventually too
Dai
Death Scythe
Heat haze. Yes, I remember something weird like that on the stream. I think Netflix tend to slap a heavy smoothing filter over SD content to try and hide aliasing, so you can end up with all sorts of weird artefacts. I've just had a look at the RPM DVDs. They crammed 32 episodes onto 4 discs, so that explains the picture quality.Some of the earlier seasons looked very odd on Netflix too - they were "wobbly", like when it's a hot day and you look into the distance. I'm sure there's a name for this (both the video issue and the heat thing), but I'm sure you know what I mean
I think I'll grab Dino Thunder while I've got the chance. That one was a lot of fun; it was great to see Tommy from the original series return.
Dr. Strangelove (Or how I learned to stop worrying and love the bomb) (1964)
The first time I saw Stanley Kubrick’s famous Cold War satire, I found it too genuinely alarming to really laugh at it (I think I was also just too young to get it), but coming back to it with more knowledge about the political situation of the early 1960s, and how the film plays out, really allowed me get a lot more out of it. Its humour is pitch black, but it’s a very, very funny film, with endlessly quotable dialogue and a cast of characters like political cartoons brought to life, all scrabbling towards a nuclear Armageddon brought on more by incompetence and misadventure than any real desire for world war three. Stellar though the acting is all round, the film would not be half as memorable without the astonishing trio of performances from Peter Sellers, who inhabits the starchy RAF officer, the President of the United States and the titularnazi entirely trustworthy scientist, to such chameleon-like effect that it’s almost hard to believe all three are the same person.
The first time I saw Stanley Kubrick’s famous Cold War satire, I found it too genuinely alarming to really laugh at it (I think I was also just too young to get it), but coming back to it with more knowledge about the political situation of the early 1960s, and how the film plays out, really allowed me get a lot more out of it. Its humour is pitch black, but it’s a very, very funny film, with endlessly quotable dialogue and a cast of characters like political cartoons brought to life, all scrabbling towards a nuclear Armageddon brought on more by incompetence and misadventure than any real desire for world war three. Stellar though the acting is all round, the film would not be half as memorable without the astonishing trio of performances from Peter Sellers, who inhabits the starchy RAF officer, the President of the United States and the titular
jake scully
Kiznaiver
Still haven’t bought this yet
In The Darkside mag it gives it a good review but nothing is said about the English track which i read elsewhere has an echo like sound and ruins the film
It states listening to Italian track with subtitles is the best
Shame I couldn’t get to buy the US blu ray on Scorpion Releasing label
Fritz the Cat (1972)
A faintly notorious slice of adult animation, I didn't find the relentlessly horny misadventures of the titular feline particularly funny, but this film absolutely does catch something of a particular moment in time that might otherwise be overly filtered or sanitised.
Fritz is an aimless young college boy caught up in the sweeping social changes of 1960s New York, but his seedy quest to cop off at every opportunity is frequently interrupted by brushes with the law, heroic consumption of drugs, and half-assed attempts to align himself with people seeking a revolution. Which revolution? Any of them, just as long it makes him a somebody.
It's unlikely to be as genuinely shocking as it must have been at the time, but the crude, bathroom door level humour does give way to a certain sense of honesty. Much as it's seen through a haze of pot smoke, for better and worse, this feels like someone's lived experience of the period, right down to the cringeworthy racial caricatures (remember the crows in Dumbo?) and casual mysogyny. I think it does fall a little short of really saying anything about this though.
Split into three broad segements, Fritz's eye-opening trip to Harlem in the middle of the film hovers on the brink of being genuinely affecting (stereotypes notwithstanding), but feels undermined by his subsequent escape into a final episode dealing with a faintly Manson-esque gang of militants, whose nasty activities seem to be of oddly little consequence.
At barely 80 minutes, you could hardly say Fritz outstays its welcome, but I also find it hard to know who I would really recommend this film to exactly. Its rawness is appealing in its way, but I think it lacks the depth that would make it attractive as much more than a weird historical artefact.
A faintly notorious slice of adult animation, I didn't find the relentlessly horny misadventures of the titular feline particularly funny, but this film absolutely does catch something of a particular moment in time that might otherwise be overly filtered or sanitised.
Fritz is an aimless young college boy caught up in the sweeping social changes of 1960s New York, but his seedy quest to cop off at every opportunity is frequently interrupted by brushes with the law, heroic consumption of drugs, and half-assed attempts to align himself with people seeking a revolution. Which revolution? Any of them, just as long it makes him a somebody.
It's unlikely to be as genuinely shocking as it must have been at the time, but the crude, bathroom door level humour does give way to a certain sense of honesty. Much as it's seen through a haze of pot smoke, for better and worse, this feels like someone's lived experience of the period, right down to the cringeworthy racial caricatures (remember the crows in Dumbo?) and casual mysogyny. I think it does fall a little short of really saying anything about this though.
Split into three broad segements, Fritz's eye-opening trip to Harlem in the middle of the film hovers on the brink of being genuinely affecting (stereotypes notwithstanding), but feels undermined by his subsequent escape into a final episode dealing with a faintly Manson-esque gang of militants, whose nasty activities seem to be of oddly little consequence.
At barely 80 minutes, you could hardly say Fritz outstays its welcome, but I also find it hard to know who I would really recommend this film to exactly. Its rawness is appealing in its way, but I think it lacks the depth that would make it attractive as much more than a weird historical artefact.
Alphaville (1965)
Cinema studies textbook darling Jean-Luc Godard's dystopian sci-fi noir is one of the more accessible films from his great fertile period, playfully dropping vintage pulp novel hero Lemmy Caution into a weird modernist hellscape controlled by a raspy-voiced AI, but anyone unfamiliar with his particular brand of filmmaking may find the uneasy combination of philosophical musing and paperback thrills a little trying.
I remember it as something I loved the first time, but couldn't be bothered with when I tried to revisit it. Going through it a third time, I liked it well enough, even though all the other people I watched it with kinda hated it, which I think is understandable. It's a great looking film that arguably predicts cyberpunk as a genre, but with much of the dialogue being improvised over an uninvolving story framework, it only really comes together intermittently and the conclusion is ultimately a bit corny. Still worth seeing just for the cinematography though; rarely have the bright lights of '60s Paris looked so alien and imposing as they do in the harsh monochrome of this film.
Cinema studies textbook darling Jean-Luc Godard's dystopian sci-fi noir is one of the more accessible films from his great fertile period, playfully dropping vintage pulp novel hero Lemmy Caution into a weird modernist hellscape controlled by a raspy-voiced AI, but anyone unfamiliar with his particular brand of filmmaking may find the uneasy combination of philosophical musing and paperback thrills a little trying.
I remember it as something I loved the first time, but couldn't be bothered with when I tried to revisit it. Going through it a third time, I liked it well enough, even though all the other people I watched it with kinda hated it, which I think is understandable. It's a great looking film that arguably predicts cyberpunk as a genre, but with much of the dialogue being improvised over an uninvolving story framework, it only really comes together intermittently and the conclusion is ultimately a bit corny. Still worth seeing just for the cinematography though; rarely have the bright lights of '60s Paris looked so alien and imposing as they do in the harsh monochrome of this film.
RadFemHedonist
Mad Scientist
I've seen it as well, my reason for watching it was because it's a noteworthy animated film, and I thought it was decent enough to be worth watching once, but agree with a lot of your criticisms, Ralph Bakshi is an interesting animator but his films tend to be lacking something or another, thought I've not seen many of them. Have you seen American Pop? I quite liked that one.