Films Recently Watched

  On 7/31/2023 at 4:55 PM, MadameChaos said:

I felt like it was a film about feminism for people who never usually watch films about feminism. Every little helps I guess.

I don't know if I ever watched another film so overtly about feminism - can you recommend any?

Got a chance to see Oppenheimer this weekend. A treat, in part because w/ family duties etc. I almost never get to see films in the theater anymore. Only other film in last three years was Dune, another film that deserves the "big screen" treatment. 

Really loved it - I could quibble with a few things here and there, but the fact that the film is 3 hours long and I was utterly compelled the entire time is a testament to the filmmaking. Even scenes that might otherwise be turgid, like the interviews, are so well acted/directed/sound designed/edited that they are gripping. Cillian deserves a fucking Oscar, RDJ crushed it. 

Not much more to say. It's a film that I left feeling... somewhat sad. It exposes the callousness that human beings, particularly those in power, are prone to. I'm sure the ending is meant to have us think about what our choices as a species have potentially wrought for our future survival, and (maybe this is the point too) it also left me wondering if we should. 

My one little gripe (the algorithm reads my mind, as I actually saw an article about this exact thing this AM):

  On 7/31/2023 at 2:34 PM, beerwolf said:

I know Mr Scott isn’t really watmm cup of tea (apart from Bladerunner and Alien) but this looks pretty bad ass. 

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Looks dope af imop. I feel like Ridley Scott has good movies in him, but those movies no longer start with an A and end with an lien. 

  On 7/31/2023 at 5:26 PM, T3551ER said:

My one little gripe (the algorithm reads my mind, as I actually saw an article about this exact thing this AM):

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For as perfect the buildup to the actual detonation is in everything: sound design, acting, direction, editing - the actual explosion itself is underwhelming (sans the audio cut + eventual sonic blast which was amazing in a theater). His determination to rely on practical effects likely force the shot to be presented in close. However, what you miss in the way this was presented is the sense of scale, the sense of a tidal wave of force. I IMMEDIATELY thought about Ep 8 of Twin Peaks S3 and how much better this was pulled off (that's what the article I read this AM basically said). The way that shot is handled, the immense sense of scale and the slow pan into the blast are the sort of thing I would have wished to see. 

For reference: 

 

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Agreed. I did love the chemical reaction visualisations at the beginning of the film. Loved that!

Another gripe would be the CONSTANT music. Relax, Chris. God damn.

  On 7/31/2023 at 6:05 PM, Squee said:

Agreed. I did love the chemical reaction visualisations at the beginning of the film. Loved that!

Another gripe would be the CONSTANT music. Relax, Chris. God damn.

100% re the chemical reactions stuff at the beginning... some bits reminded me a little of interstellar. 

Lol, maybe it's an overcorrection for today's ADD audience / nervousness over having to capture people's attention for THREE HOURS. 

Did Halloween (2018), Halloween Kills and Halloween Ends in one sitting last night, after watching the original and H2O a couple of days ago (skipped all the rest). Expected to hate them more actually. Even though the first one of the latest bunch got the best ratings, I think I liked it the least. Make no mistake, these flicks have nothing to do with the original and its spirit, but somehow it made sense to me to manoeuver the franchise in an almost anthology-like direction, getting to know the fine citizens of Haddonfield a bit better and so on. A tiny bit of world-building there, which made the town feel more lived-in. These movies really lend themselves to a good binging, since they're all interconnected that way.

I was especially glad to see that Michael apparently had the chance to hone his craft in prison. Let's face it, he was actually one of the more lousy serial killers before, but now he's upped his game and had thrice as many kills under his belt in the 2018 movie alone than in Carpenter's Halloween (all of the sequels have apparently been retconned), to which I tip my hat.

Each movie had a dozen jump scares, none of which worked on me. Maybe I'm getting too old for this shit.

Oh, and Anthony Michael Hall has definitely seen better days.

That's all.

  On 7/31/2023 at 6:11 PM, T3551ER said:

100% re the chemical reactions stuff at the beginning... some bits reminded me a little of interstellar. 

Lol, maybe it's an overcorrection for today's ADD audience / nervousness over having to capture people's attention for THREE HOURS. 

Yeah, I actually joked about that during the break. But I guess that's just Nolan's style. ADD people's best friend.

Rewatched Dogma.. fun but so bad - Loki and Bartleby are telling people their crimes in the Mooby office and they are barely reacting... the shit demon was cool, but the way he is killed was so goofy and quick, for all the build up, Alan Rickman as the grumpy seraphim was great, Jason Lee as a demon was cool, nice spiteful manner, loved the buzzing fly sounds when demons were on screen... very dialogue heavy like all Kevin Smith films. The premise of a jealous angel was a nice plot driver, George Carlin as an ego-blinded self-important priest was very well played.

  On 7/31/2023 at 4:59 PM, hoggy said:

I don't know if I ever watched another film so overtly about feminism - can you recommend any?

I haven’t seen Barbie yet but this was a great movie…

  On 7/31/2023 at 6:27 PM, J3FF3R00 said:

I haven’t seen Barbie yet but this was a great movie…

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I guess you're joking, but looks like a fun b-movie anyway

One of my customers (who has pretty good taste) reckons Barbie is one of the best films he's ever seen. I reckoned he was pulling my leg, but he was adamant it was really good. And something totally unique to anything he's ever seen before. Still not sure if he was winding me up 

  On 7/31/2023 at 6:31 PM, hoggy said:

I guess you're joking, but looks like a fun b-movie anyway

Not joking at all. It’s intentionally styled to look like a B-movie… made in 2016 looks like it was made in the late 60s. The director is female and big time into feminist theory. 

  On 7/31/2023 at 6:40 PM, J3FF3R00 said:

Not joking at all. It’s intentionally styled to look like a B-movie… made in 2016 looks like it was made in the late 60s. The director is female and big time into feminist theory. 

Oh wow!! I'll check it out

If you haven’t seen part 1, don’t bother 

  On 7/31/2023 at 6:27 PM, J3FF3R00 said:

I haven’t seen Barbie yet but this was a great movie…

 

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her films are great. i highly recommend viva (where she plays barbie) or her early shorts

Nebraska, who is the flautist in your pic?

  On 7/31/2023 at 8:23 PM, Rubin Farr said:

If you haven’t seen part 1, don’t bother 

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Clearly a work of feminist cinema. 

  On 7/31/2023 at 8:36 PM, hoggy said:

Nebraska, who is the flautist in your pic?

that was part of that actors glamor shot campaign

SIlence of the Lambs - just incredible.. the shot composition, the placement of music, the distress and sickened fear in the music, the acting... beautiful film
 

^ Funnily enough, I just put the Blu-ray in the ol' Amazon basket about an hour ago when I realized I don't own it. Looking forward to rewatching it, it's been a couple of years. Absolute milestone.

  On 7/31/2023 at 4:59 PM, hoggy said:

I don't know if I ever watched another film so overtly about feminism - can you recommend any?

Yeah sure, it may be argued that these about about the female experience rather than being about feminism as such, but:

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077613/

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071115/

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0055852/

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2347569/

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4016934/

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0441909/

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088939

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9100054/

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0300214/

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0397535/

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2125435/

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9067182/

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2326554/

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101640/

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078748/

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3824458/

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067961/

This list contains some really strong titles. https://www.timeout.com/film/best-feminist-movies-of-all-time

  On 8/2/2023 at 3:36 PM, MadameChaos said:

Yeah sure, it may be argued that these about about the female experience rather than being about feminism as such, but:

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077613/

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071115/

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0055852/

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2347569/

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4016934/

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0441909/

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088939

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9100054/

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0300214/

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0397535/

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2125435/

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9067182/

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2326554/

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101640/

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078748/

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3824458/

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067961/

This list contains some really strong titles. https://www.timeout.com/film/best-feminist-movies-of-all-time

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Wow! Thanks! I've seen half of those, some of my favourites in there - will add the others to my "watch these films" list!

Silence of the Lambs, mentioned in the timeout article is definitely making a point about how Clarice is treated as weak, disrespected and ogled derisively, in a way that feels way more authentic than the equivalent scene in Barbie, when she first comes to the real world, which feels more like a caricature, but I guess that might just be a difference of style

I've watched all six Scream movies so you don't have to.

Ranking looks like this:

Scream (1996)

Scream VI

Scream (2022)

Scream 4

Scream 2

Scream 3

Don't trust anyone who says different.

The most horrifying part was helplessly watching Courtney Cox's face cycle through increasingly ghoulish iterations.

I will now go listen to loads of Autechre to restore the lost IQ points.

Brewster's Millions - actually made me laugh a lot at the beginning, genuinely hilarious as the mayhem ramps up, but then the weird male chauvinism kicks in and the film becomes a lot more meh. The depression after the party was nicely done though

  On 8/2/2023 at 11:38 PM, hoggy said:

Wow! Thanks! I've seen half of those, some of my favourites in there - will add the others to my "watch these films" list!

Silence of the Lambs, mentioned in the timeout article is definitely making a point about how Clarice is treated as weak, disrespected and ogled derisively, in a way that feels way more authentic than the equivalent scene in Barbie, when she first comes to the real world, which feels more like a caricature, but I guess that might just be a difference of style

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Yeah, they really needed a scene in Barbie where someone says "I can smell your c*nt!" and she shots a serial killer.

  On 8/3/2023 at 11:59 AM, MadameChaos said:

Yeah, they really needed a scene in Barbie where someone says "I can smell your c*nt!" and she shots a serial killer.

No but just like at least make it convincing enough that it contrasts with the unrealisticness of Barbieland