I stuck to my guns and watched Winne the Pooh: Blood and Honey part 2 and honestly it was actually quite good. The acting was better and there were more characters along for the ride like Tigger and Owl. Tigger was an absolute psychopath who actually unnerved me (he ate someones eyes and pawed someone up like a cat with a toilet roll) and Owl was less kill-happy and more creepy than hands on. It's always interesting watching modern British horror, the accents make them a little too close to home and less believable but that didn't happen this time. I was too shocked throughout to notice. I'm screening the new Conjuring movie for some friends over the weekend so that will be next, I only subjected one friend to tonight's movie. I think they are questioning their life choices.
These violent delights have violent ends & in their triumph die, like fire & powder Which, as they kiss, consume.
I added Rawhead Rex to the list for the weekend, it's one of those rare low budget (really low budget) horror movies that are so bad they are good and I want others to experience it. The Church has been added too because it scared the hell out of me as a child and I quickly fell in love with Argento's work. It's the third film in his Demons series. It's the same director as Cemetery Man too, an absolute masterpiece. I need to also add El día de la Bestia (The Day of the Beast) but I can't find my VHS copy so it might have to be DVD or Blu-ray (sadly)
These violent delights have violent ends & in their triumph die, like fire & powder Which, as they kiss, consume.
@GirlVersusGame I used to admire the work of Goblin, with regard to Argento's film soundtracks. Back when I was a rock/metalhead. Anyway, I think their soundtracks are always interesting to listen to, for any cinephile/soundtrack fan. Suspiria was a great movie too, seen that one.
"Preoccupied with a single leaf, you won’t see the tree. Preoccupied with a single tree, you’ll miss the entire forest. Don't be preoccupied with a single spot. See everything in its entirety...effortlessly. That is what it means...to truly "see." "
@Elfuggingjefe I hear it is very good visually while people seem more mixed on the rest. I tried to get into the previous to Tron movies recently but found they weren't for me, so I'll skip this one (I also have some Jared Leto issues I struggle to overcome ). Would love to hear what you think of it, though. Hope you'll enjoy it!
Watched It Feeds yesterday, thought from the marketing it was gonna be some cheap and naff late 00s tween boo horror riff, but it actually ruled. Really really enjoyed it. In a week where most of the stuff I watched was pretty rubbish, this was like the shining light at the end of the tunnel.
Today I watched Noroi, not watched this in years and years, I remember loving it in the past but I was just a young teen. Really didn't enjoy this at all on a rewatch. Extremely baggy and just kinda boring.
There's a lot I can say about The Conjuring Last Rites, but I'll keep it short. About 5% of it follows the original case (unlike the made for TV movie by Fox in the 90's that did) and that alone is a shame but what makes it even worse is the painfully cringe jump scares that felt cheap and incredibly predictable. Had I watched it alone I'd have turned it off about an hour in. The whole movie was one big build up to absolutely nothing. It almost felt like they were purposefully making a bad movie so they could get out of ever having to make another, even-though it already is the last movie in the series.
Here's a link to the 90's movie I mentioned above. It was very faithful to the source material.
These violent delights have violent ends & in their triumph die, like fire & powder Which, as they kiss, consume.
I've seen quite a few movies in the last few weeks, so I'll try to keep my thoughts on them fairly short, but I fear this will be a long one. Sorry
Caught Stealing (Cinema): Maybe the least "Aronofsky" movie Darren Aronofsky's made and some claim that it is his most accessible. I liked it, and yes, it is "accessible", but I like Aronofsky when his movies are difficult (hello "Requiem for a Dream") so whether that is to the film's detriment or not will be down to preference. I find it worth mentioning that, while I liked it, it's far from his best and it may even be described as a bit "pedestrian" compared to his other films. Fantastic cast, though (I never recognised Liev Schreiber until his name appeared in the credits and Vincent D'Onofrio I only recognised near the very end).
The Conjuring - Last Rites (Cinema) I loved James Wan's entries in this franchise and I hated the third film and the spin-offs, so I was so excited for Wan to wrap up the series with this one. Turned out that I was very mistaken about Wan's involvement with this one and when I found out he hadn't returned to direct this, I adjusted my expectations accordingly. I think that helped. When all was said and done, I thought it was an okay conclusion to the franchise and while it was nowhere near as bad as "The Devil Made Me Do It", it can't hold a candle to the first two in the franchise. As much as I love the two first movies, I am fine with leaving Ed and Lorraine behind now.
The Long Walk (Cinema): A fine adaptation of the King (as Richard Bachman) novel. The movie is every bit as bleak and brutal as the novel, but it changes the ending quite significantly and I think I prefer this one. The cast, led by Cooper Hoffman, is very good, but David Jonsson as McVries is in a league of his own, with effortless charm and charisma. That is one actor I'll be keeping an eye on. The movie does suffer a little bit in the believability of its own premise; even within the parameters of the world it inhabits it feels "off", but if you can get past that, the journey the movie takes is a good one.
One Battle After Another (Cinema): Why this is hailed as the best movie of the year and a masterpiece confounds me. It is a perfectly fine movie, with some good turns by DiCaprio and Penn in particular, but the satire doesn't work all that well in my opinion and I fail to see anything truly special about it. I think I actually may have enjoyed it a lot more if I hadn't been bombarded by critics hailing it as something truly special beforehand, something I don't think the film delivered on. It is also easily 30-40 minutes too long and could have benefitted from a slight trim. I loved the "car chase", though, putting it in quotes because of the sheer originality of the sequence. Very well done. Good movie, not a masterpiece, IMO (I liked "Caught Stealing" better).
Critters (VOD/Streaming): I remember loving these creatures back in the day, but couldn't remember any detail of the movies they were actually in, so I decided to revisit. Turns out the movie was completely forgettable and unremarkable, even with the efforts of vets Dee Wallace and M. Emmet Walsh. Will still check out the sequels, but the quality of this one put that particular project on the back burner
Possesion (VOD/Streaming): Second Sight is about to release a truly gorgeous limited edition of this one and as it has been on my radar for a while, I figured it was time to see if it was any good. Of all the movies in this post, this is the one I'm having the most difficulty with. It is very much a product of its time and the direction and acting choices of Sam Neill and Isabelle Adjani are... a bit much. This is one of the loudest movies I've seen in a while and I'm pretty sure a standing directorial instruction was "remember to shout and scream your lines". It also gets quite weird in terms of character work and motivation, but it's the kind of weird that I tend to like and it gets quite bonkers towards the end. I considered giving up a few times and I'm glad I didn't, because when all is said (shouted) and done, I liked it. Don't think I'll ever want to sit through it again, though, so that beautiful 4K box won't be making its way to my shelves (I'm sort of sad to say).
Nightmare Alley (VOD/Streaming): Guillermo Del Toro's crime noir is getting a Criterion release soon and, to my shame, I hadn't seen it yet, so now was the time to "audition" it to see if it was worth a purchase or not. I was pretty sure I'd like it, all signs pointed in that direction, but I was unprepared for how insanely beautiful it was! When watching Dark City recently, I lamented how the art of lighting dark scenes seems to have been lost in recent years ("Dark City" is a masterclass in lighting, IMO), but "Nightmare Alley" shows that the art is far from lost and the movie takes its place among the best of the best in that department. And what a cast! This movie also serves as a reminder that David Strathairn is an almost criminally overlooked actor with some serious chops - must see "Good Night, and Good Luck" again soon. I think this is my favourite of GdT's English language films and that Criterion release is on pre-order.
@FuriousMachine glad you loved Nightmare Alley! (We knew you would) I think it is so well lit because they made it as if it were a black and white movie. And the whole concept kind of relies on it in such a way that it would be awful if it wasn't so well thought out (I'm possibly inferring this, as I can't remember if I read him saying it himself. But the way it looks, and the fact it has a black and white version included heavily points to that fact, any way)
I've been weighing up whether to watch it a second time on streaming before deciding on an order, or to just buy it confident that it is one I love. But your impression certainly helps me be more confident that I am indeed correct in my memories and it is one that I would be happy to own, and I'd kind of want to save a second watch for then, rather than overdo it and take away from that experience and the ceremony of opening it and screening it in its best home cinema form.
@JohnnyShoulder Nice! Love that movie and easily Marshall's most acclaimed movie (though I have an even softer spot for "Dog Soldiers"). This will definitely join my collection when it comes out!
@Ravix Yeah, that is probably a factor, but in addition to the lighting, the colours... good grief, so vibrant and beautiful! So much so that the B&W version feel almost sacrilegious. Same DP as "Crimson Peak", which is also a very pretty movie (though not as good, IMO). Will revisit that soon, too - my Arrow 4K release is still in its packaging.
Either way, from what you say, I think you're fairly safe ordering it. There's never any guarantee, of course, but this feels close
Oh, and guess what? "Lawrence" has shipped!
@FuriousMachine 😱😱😱😱😱 Genuinely hope you get it in good condition after all that time. The lead up to you owning it has been more of an epic than the movie itself at this point 😄
Good job Criterion includes the theatrical release and the b&w extended director’s cut then! They really have thought of everything for the meagre price of "bloodyhowmuch?" (Damn you Criterion) I honestly can't remember much of the movies pallette, maybe lots of dark green vibes, and firey oranges, and some neon, perhaps. I think the documentaries would be a good watch too though, I love the craft and thought required for a good noir.
Now, I was currently debating whether to put on a Mickey 17 or some sh**y teen dystopian drama in the form of The Hunger Games 😂 (might need more booze to fuel the wierd nostalgia for that) to get through some of the remaining 'summer flicks' I bought. But now i'm tempted to put something more autumnal and serious on the docket instead. Or even risk Nightmare Alley on streaming. But the plan was for some physical movie nights this weekend, so I must resist Nightmare Alley, hmm 🤔 have you any guidance on the matter?
@Ravix hahaha, yeah, it's been a journey. Won't believe it until I actually hold it in my hands and I might not even believe it then either
Criterion's UK releases are somewhat expensive, yeah. At my Norwegian dealer, the UK version of "Nightmare Alley" is almost £13 more than the US version. While I have a player that can play US Blu's, a "local region" release feels more "future proof", so I'm eating the extra cost for that one.
Been meaning to rewatch the Hunger Games movies myself. I liked them fine when they came out and I haven't seen the latest, so I figured I'd rewatch, but, yeah, more of a summer fare than autumn/October thing. Same with "Mickey 17", I'd say.
Serious and autumnal, are you thinking horror (my mind is nearly incapable of thinking of any other genre at this time of year) or maybe some dark/bleak drama/thriller type thing?
@FuriousMachine The Hunger Games was 100% a nostalgia buy, potentially whilst under the influence at the time, but I got a set for cheap and I love a bargain. And I bet they are still pretty decent in their own way. Definitely in the realm of the potter-likes where you can stick them on and not be offended by their eras version of cheese. (Are they basically the US answer to Harry Potter for teens? In a way I suppose they are. Delightful Carved Wands and magic vs Lethal Weaponry and starvation is about right for the american market. But I digress)
Eh, i'll have to share my growing collection with you at some point, as obviously choosing a movie I own phsycially is hard when you don't know the current state of the collection 😅 I've gone back to the thinking of getting any remaining popcorn flicks out of the way, before kicking off the real autumnal and winter viewing, which will include various drama, war, thrillers, and anything with a bit of rain and darkness to it. As i'm not a big horror buff I can get away with October not being set in stone in that way.
@Ravix Providing thoughts on films in a collection with unknown contents would require a bit back and forth, yes
I think my main obstacle to truly enjoying Hunger Games on the same level as I enjoy the Potter films is that HG is basically a blatant rip-off of the brilliant Japanese "Battle Royale" (which is also quite a bit less tween-friendly) and that is hard to overlook... but, yeah, inoffensive and easy, your average McDonalds meal to BRs juicy steak, if you will.
@FuriousMachine haha I was just flip flopping on whether to stick to my guns, or veer off to something more dramatic or artistic after being tempted to consider streaming Nightmare Alley or picking something similar, tbh. I suppose Mickey 17, to some extent, is more artsy, but it is also quite on the nose, and I prefer my satire more subtle, unless it is a full blown parody. I guess that it is fitting that I lumped it in with the Hunger Games in the end.
In future, if I can't decide between a few what to put on I shall make a proper list for you to consult 🫡 I need to start using that app that tracks movies owned, really. I'm not at the stage where i'm in danger of buying something I already own by mistake (i've heard stories of people doing just that) but I am starting to think having what I own tracked would help keep sight of where i'm up to, and it may be a good way to sort things into genres and themes to help make plans for viewings.
The Autumn/Winter collection is going to be so much better than the more general throwaway fare. And if I keep loving Yotei I might have to commit to getting some Kurosawa in the collection sooner rather than later, too. Though some burn-out could be induced if I do.
Current movies high up on the 'to acquire' list are Sicario, Looper, The Fifth Element and Super 8. Firstly to top up the Deakins collection, and then to continue adding Sci-Fi.
Steelbooks have definitely evolved into just checking what is due and getting the most important or interesting to me, after my initial wave of building a small display and collection. The best recent edition being The Shining.
Apologies for blathering on. And yes, the analogy works, though i'm not one for fast food (or steaks for that matter) but a cheap and cheerful meal/big budget teen fodder movie can be as worthwhile an eat/watch as an expensive, well crafted meal/lower budget, but artistically unique film. It just depends on the mood, the guests, the drinks pairings etc. It is all very analogy-y... I have totally lost the plot at this point and haven't been concentrating on what i'm typing for a while tbh 😁
How fares your collection at the moment? Do you list what you have for easy reference? And... if you do... a copy/paste-job for me to nosey at would do just nicely, for my noseyness cannot be denied.
When it seems you're out of luck.
There's just one man who gives a f*************ck
⚔️🛡🐎
@FuriousMachine Glad you ended up enjoying Nightmare Alley so much!
I've not seen the trailer for The Descent trailer I posted, but if it is as a special/limited/steelbook edition, I will have deceide if I like it enough to pony up for it.
Life is more fun when you help people succeed, instead of wishing them to fail.
Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt.
Finally watched Sinners! Wowza! Django Unchained with Vampires sorta. Kinda made me realise how much 80stalgia horror I watch where the period actually serves no function at all, and what a period can do for a movie when its done with actual intention for the narrative.
@Ravix It's growing and, weirdly, my bank account seems to be shrinking - wonder if there's any correlation? I track my movies on blu-ray.com and while there are duplicates, they are so far intentional and not accidental (I have a couple of accidental duplicates on vinyls, which is why I'm now tracking those on Discogs.com). I have the phone app with the barcode scanner, which makes it easy to add new items, but I think there have been a couple of times early on where I forgot that there's a "confirm" step, so I'm not 100% sure I've registered each and every title. Still, it should be mostly complete - at least for the 4Ks and Blu-Rays. I haven't really started adding DVDs yet, but I'll save that for after moving next year. The plan is to digitise the ones I wish to keep and place them in storage and getting rid of the ones I've already upgraded to 4K or for some reason neither want to keep nor upgrade. The collection is here but I don't know if it's viewable by anyone else. I tried to log out to see if it was available, but you will need an account to see it, at the least, but if that is enough, I don't know.
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