What are we watching lately?

[Badgertooth]

Kinda grim watching Antichrist with your young child in the room.

That's like sitting down and watching Mulholland Drive with your depressed failed actress friend.

Considering its premise and opening salvo... yes. But to a 2 month old with colic it means nothing.

 

[DamageInc]

Yes of course, I just thought it was funny.

 

[Badgertooth]

She's four now and I found her thumbing through one of my Saga trade paperbacks and having to explain why a naked robot was stabbing someone in the face

 

[jessf]

2007 must have been a good year for you.

Have you seen The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford?

Oh yes. I don't recall how many times but thanks for the reminder as ill need to watch it again.

 

[crockerculinary]

GLOW (gorgeous ladies of wrestling) on netflix was pretty entertaining.

 

[oval99]

Kinda grim watching Antichrist with your young child in the room.

That's like sitting down and watching Mulholland Drive with your depressed failed actress friend.

Still not as bad as my friend who took a blind date to Pasolini's Salo: Or the 120 Days of Sodom. That's worse than the DeNiro/Cybill Shepherd date in Taxi Driver in my book. The mind boggles.

 

[LifeByA1000Cuts]

@oval99 If that blind date is successful... and you're hardcore open... she's a keeper!

 

[oval99]

@oval99 If that blind date is successful... and you're hardcore open... she's a keeper!

LOL!

 

[limpet]

When I do get in the mood to go back in time (warning: GEEK! alert ahead) I pull out my Babylon 5 DVD's. IMHO another show that was not given the love it deserved.

Forget the whole space opera thing, it was extremely well written AND acted with numerous major and minor plot arcs which were weaved together in a masterpiece of storytelling. The interplay among the two actors playing (supposedly) mortal enemies was art in action.

Indeed. Epic series, more so than for example any Star Trek variant. because it all fits together over all seasons. Usually, the first season in these types of series contains a lot of trial and error, but here I like how much important stuff they introduced and connected it to later seasons. Well, as I remember it, the last season was a bit to much epilogue for me, but otherwise a really good show.

Now some technical nitpicking: Watching it in anamorphic widescreen on DVD means upscaled CGI scenes (space battles with ships etc) with a lot of cringe-worthy jaggies and other scaling artififacts. Those scenes were unfortunately mastered digitally in regular academy format, standard definition, while the live action was filmed with real movie cameras prepared and framed for cropped widescreen. So if they want to make a blu-ray they will have to remake all CGI scenes. Not impossible though, since they've done that with Star Trek TOS and NG.

 

[limpet]

Yes, my tastes tend to skew towards older films. But I should point out that movies in general are a great escape, even if they're not necessarily "light." And there's still plenty of room for airy, cotton-candy type films. My main complaint is that these types of films these days are way too long. There's no excuse for a Transformers or Pirates of the Caribbean movie to be 2+hours. Roger Corman used to make genre films that delivered the goods in a snappy 80 minutes.

I must say, however, that newer films offer something classics can't: a far more sophisticated understanding of minorities and their stories. "Moonlight" is a prime example of this. I recently watched Hitchcock's Strangers on a Train and was shocked at how "otherized" blacks were in that film: they were shown only in subservient roles and seen but not heard :doublebanghead:. Boy is it desperately needed to see and hear minorities' stories in films now. It's about time.

Finally, I should also mention I cut my teeth on cult/horror/Hong Kong action films, so I like me some pure escapist fare too:bliss:

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I'm also into old classics and cult classics, more so now than new movies. And you're right, one of the biggest problems with classics are their treatment of minorities and women. Of course, if a movie from the 40s has a story that takes place during the same time period and contains a racist stereotype made for laughs, it's realistic I guess, but still a bit of a party pooper. Like an old-relative-at-a-party-pooper telling an old joke that is no longer acceptable.

 

[limpet]

Lately I've been on a late night tear of re-watching original Twilight Zone episodes. Man was that show ever ahead of its time on so many levels.

Got them all on blu-ray. Watched the first 3 seasons or so, then I got a bit "full" and took a break. But you're right, they often contain some really good scifi. Here's one of my favorite scenes from one of my favorite episodes, "The Lonely".

[video=youtube;8SSoBs9diyk]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SSoBs9diyk[/video]

 

[LifeByA1000Cuts]

Another BCS/BB thing that strikes me... why did they HAVE to engineer a downfall for Saul in... it's a bit like The Addiction (Ferrara Movie) where the end scene nearly reverses the overall statement ...

 

[oval99]

Another BCS/BB thing that strikes me... why did they HAVE to engineer a downfall for Saul in... it's a bit like The Addiction (Ferrara Movie) where the end scene nearly reverses the overall statement ...

Never seen The Addiction, but it fills my heart with joy that someone on here knows who Abel Ferrara is. MS. 45 is an all-time favorite.

 

[oval99]

Watching the "San Francisco International" MST3K ep. Some of the funniest riffing Mike and co. ever did.

Also watched my Blu-Ray of TRESPASS. An incredibly punchy, lean, and very mean slab of urban action. Has a great cat-and-mouse/DIE HARD feel to it (right down to the De'voreaux White performance!). This truly was Bob Zemeckis's final hurrah before he did Gump and set American film back decades.

 

[LifeByA1000Cuts]

@oval99 the weakness of that movie is that, without the christian morality infused ending (yes I know, Ferrara's christian...), it would be a perfect case for "viable to be atheist/amoral/satanist, if you are willing to handle that you're on your own about the consequences, no more no less" [video=youtube;xynKKfXmNv0]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xynKKfXmNv0[/video] key scene. with christopher. walken.

 

[DamageInc]

Saw Nocturnal Animals. Very decent.

 

[limpet]

Hmm, I'll probably rewatch some great movies just to be able to rant about them in this thread. I apologize for often pushing "artsy" or "weird" movies, but mainstream Hollywood movies needs no recommendation, you will probably watch them by accident anyway.

Just rewatched the masterpiece Last Year at Marienbad from 1961, directed by Alain Resnais. It's a French movie, it's black & white, it has a lot of talking, it has a weird soundtrack and it has a very slow pacing. So it's not for everyone. I've seen a lot of movies and this is truly unique. I think the closest someone has come to this is David Lynch.

The story takes place at a large hotel and the guests often behave somewhat like badly programmed robots, repeating themselves, talking superficial nonsense. Everything happens at a very slow pace, it feels like a dream. One man behaves differently. He is trying to convince a woman that they met and fell in love last year. He wants her to leave this place, run away together with him. She initially insists he must be wrong, but slowly, slowly she changes from her robot self, showing more feelings. Maybe she is starting to remember something?

Intentionally weird movie that really needs to be watched more than once. Excellent, truly excellent cinematography and black & white photo. Delphine Seyrig is fantastic as the woman.

Just to demonstrate the excellent photo and cinematography, check out this clip with short cuts from the movie (along with modern music, not the OST obviously).

[video=youtube;lxXTIU3AxQ4]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxXTIU3AxQ4[/video]

 

[DamageInc]

Went and saw Baby Driver last night. Good and entertaining, but not Edgar Wright's best.

 

[Keith Sinclair]

My idea of a good French movie is Et Dieu Crea La Femme . Can't help myself watching Tour De France.

 

[TheCaptain]

Re-watched Bladerunner with some friends recently. Completely amazed at how well it's held up 33 years later. That soundtrack though...

 

[StonedEdge]

Captain are you kidding me? I re-watched Blade Runner on Sunday night and my first thought was oh my God 80s soundtracks ftw!

It's so bad it's great

 

[TheCaptain]

Dude, you're dissing a Vangelis soundtrack that purposely infused synthesizers into the jazz and classical themes to match the genre of the move! Think about it, total Genius!!!

We're not talking Fast times at Ridgemont High, here! This stuff is timeless!

 

[StonedEdge]

I'm a 1990 baby, please forgive my ignorance in such matters as synth-infused jazz. Although I must say nothing else would really jive with that film. 10/10 from me on the "it's so bad it's good" scale. Timeless indeed both film and soundtrack! Not taking anything away from Vangelis' genius.

FWIW I've already written off the upcoming version of Bladerunner as a loss in my books.

Edit: Holly ****, that's the first time in a dinosaur's age I've heard anyone mention Fast Times

 

[LifeByA1000Cuts]

Well, born in the 80's, but if you ask me about 80s music... well they had Depeche Mode, Shriekback, and that kind of stuff, all good... they already had metal that emancipated itself from being just biker rock, even better... so...

 

[TheCaptain]

(Grinning wildly) You guys have just not experienced it the same way I did. Saw it the first time on the big screen and it was visually stunning!

Then re-watched it recently with some friends, one of whom is a total fanboy/savant/seriousphotographicmemory genius. His enthusiasm and knowledge of trivia surrounding the movie, and dust up between Vangelis and the director/producer, is epic. Seriously - don't EVER play trivial pursuit with this guy.

It's hard not to enjoy something when you've got a genius friend in the room extolling the virtues of nuances you've missed entirely. I put it in the top 10 greatest sci fy movies of all time.

 

[Nemo]

Brilliant movie. One of the first in the cyberpunk genre IIRC.

Of course the most important question is "did you watch the original or the director's cut"?

Lots of room to debate which is best

 

[Keith Sinclair]

I got DVD's a few years back of some of my favorite movies. Blade Runner directors cut one of them. Easy top 5 best Sci Fy ever.

 

[DamageInc]

Final cut is best cut.

I have both the 180g vinyl and the SACD of the Blade Runner soundtrack. Absolutely brilliant stuff. Vangelis at his peak. Listen to it all the time.

 

[Dirt]

How bout that reboot eh?

 

[jessf]

Anyone seen The Lobster? If not, you should.