What ELSE (other than KUNG FU) has everyone been watching?

[Secret Executioner]

Continuing on my horror marathon with two movies I recall seeing in a store - one on VHS, the other on DVD - during my early days as a record/video store visitor - Wes Craven's New Nightmare and Feardotcom

 

[ShawAngela]

On 7/30/2019 at 6:40 PM, ShawAngela said:

Eveything I have is yours

Superb musical comedy with the couple Marge and Gower Champion. I love them !

I discovered them in the movie Give a girl a break with Debbie Reynolds years ago on TV and I decided to build a collection of their movies together.

I know that they divorced after 26 years of marriage, so sad. I recently found clips on youtube with Marge Champion at around 90 years old !

In this movie, there is a superb musical number called Casbah and even if the movie was horrible, it would be worth wtching it just for this number !

I heard that the great Marge Champion passed away a few days ago at age 101. In France, they just said a few words about her, and as it seems, she is only known here for being the dancer whose movements were taken to anime Walt Disney's White Snow ! A shame that French people don't even know about such a great actress and dancer  and aren't  even able to mention any  of her movies...

That's very sad news, may she rest in peace.

[Secret Executioner]

Continuing on my horror marathon. Entries number 26 and 27 were Halloween 4 - about time I watched something from this franchise, with Halloween just a few days away - and Zombi 3, both from 1988.

 

[DiP]

American Gangster (2007) - 9/10

[Secret Executioner]

A DTV horror film called Uninvited (USA, 1987) and Robo Vampire (HK, 1988), a Filmark movie that is not only confusing in terms of plot/story but also in terms of genre - is it more sci-fi for the cyborg (the titular "Robo" ?), action for the original Thai film it lifts footage from or horror because of the Gyonshi and other supernatural elements (and also the word "vampire" in the title) ? Or is it all 3 at once ?

 

[NoKUNGFUforYU]

Brides of Dracula with Peter Cushing and no Dracula. Basically a Van Helsing flick as Christopher Lee wasn't getting any dialogue in his Dracula roles. Actually pretty good flick, but when you compare the body count to most modern films I think there are what, 3 victims? And you don't actually know what happens to the two brides, we just assume they burned up I guess. I also felt like the film might have been cut on HITZ, or maybe they just got a cheap US TV version. Still, hard to go wrong with some old school Hammer...

[Secret Executioner]

Entry number 30 in my horror marathon this October: Horror Castle AKA Terror Castle AKA The Virgin of Nuremberg (original title: La Vergine di Norimberga) (Italy, 1963).

 

Wanted to make it to 31 horror movies watched, I feel I'll be going for some extra films this year.  

Edited October 28, 2020 by Secret Executioner

[NoKUNGFUforYU]

FARGO

Chris Rock as a gangster in the 1950s. Do I need to say more?

[Secret Executioner]

And I made it to 31 horror films watched this month. Make it 32 actually, as I watched two films today - Unfriended (USA/Russia, 2014) and Jason goes to Hell (USA, 1993).

 

[Secret Executioner]

Finished my horror marathon on a HORRIBLE note.

 

[nectarsis]

Haloween marathon:

The Wolf Man 1941

Slaughter High ( 1st time...soooooo bad its good)

Night of the Creeps (1st time in 20 years)

Dead Alive. (CLASSIC)

 

and as always Ill end it with Dawn of the Dead (my second favorite movie of all time)

Edited November 1, 2020 by nectarsis

[Secret Executioner]

Beavis and Butt-Head: Butt-o-ween

A home video release containing a collection of episodes.

"Bungholio: Lord of the Harvest" (Season 6, Episode 1) (1995)

Beavis and Butt-Head go trick-or-treating but Beavis becomes Cornholio after eating too much candy.

A rare occurence of a two-parter on the show, this Halloween special - yeah, a bt late - is also a very solid entry with a lot of hilarious stuff and some tension as well as a very spooky atmosphere through the second part.

 

"The Pipe of Doom" (Season 4, Episode 22) (1994)

Butt-Head gets stuck in a pipe while exploring a construction site.

Seasons 3 and 4 are IMO hit-and-miss, but this one's definitely a hit in spite of a very basic premise. The exchanges between the stuck Butt-Head and Beavis are notably hilarious, like Beavis saying it's cool Butt-Head is stuck but Butt-Head needs time to think about it though ventures to say it sucks or Beavis suggesting chicks could get stuck in the pipe with Butt-Head.

 

"Killing Time" (Season 5, Episode 2) (1994)

What are Beavis and Butt-Head to do when nothing good is on TV for the next two hours ?

Another very simple premise that's milked for an assortment of funny little sequences. Stewart makes a brief appearance.

 

"Leave it to Beavis" (Season 7, Episode 37) (1997)

Beavis, Butt-Head, Mrs. Stevenson, Stewart and Todd star in a spoof of the 1950s TV series Leave it to Beaver.

While I don't know a thing about the original show I'll say this episode is enjoyable for creatively using a black and white, 1950s setting (against the series being in colors and set in the 1990s) while staying in touch with its own rules. The episode is Beavis-centric, with him having to cope with a bully named Eddy (Todd) after preferring riding in the car with him over taking the bus to school. Mrs. Stevenson is the very loving and caring mother of Beavis while Butt-Head is the father and remains more or less similar to his original character.

 

"Ding-Dong-Ditch" (Season 7, Episode 4) (1997)

Ringing a doorbell and running away is apparently harder than it sounds.

People complain about Homer Simpson having been turned into an unbelivably stupid idiot in the more recent seasons of The Simpsons, but Beavis and Butt-Head seem to have had such a problem in episodes like this one. Granted the episode is overall good (season 7 is one of the show's best seasons, in spite of the music videos being pretty much dropped save for one at the end that's often a repeat from an older season) and has funny parts, but I feel Beavis and Butt-Head are idiots who can still manage to comprehend stuff and this episode really stretches how stupid they are.

 

"Late Night with Butt-Head" (Season 4, Episode 12) (1994)

The boys join an audio visual media class so they can get their TV show, a pale copy of David Letterman's.

IMO the weakest episode on here. I mentionned seasons 3 and 4 feeling hit-and-miss to me and it's one of the "miss" episodes. The premise has potential but the execution seems flat and lacks focus or a point. There's a couple of okay lines, but the episode (much like Beavis and Butt-Head on their "show") seems to run out of fuel and things to say. The sequence where Butt-Head imagines himself as Letterman and Beavis as Paul Shaffer is creative, though I'm sure there's a (very noticeable) switch to season 2's art style so they could recycle the animation of Beavis being hit in the eye with a pencil thrown by Butt-head from "No laughing" (Season 2, Episode 12).

 

"Candy Sale" (Season 5, Episode 23) (1995)

The boys have to sell candy for a fundraiser.

Basic premise, but an entertaining episode. The guy making the class sell candy is the same that tried to teach the class about manners in "Manners suck" (Season 4, Episode 21) and the ending of this episode is alluded to in a line. Both episodes end with the guy having a fight with a teacher.

[HeavenSword]

Buried (2010) - Possibly the most claustrophobic movie ever. After being ambushed in Iraq while delivering supplies , Ryan Reynolds ( in a rare dramatic role ) wakes up and realizes he’s in a coffin and has been buried alive . The only things he has with him are a lighter, a flask, a cell phone , glow stick , pen and a knife.  His kidnappers call and demand one million dollars by a certain time and we watch Ryan’s attempts at calling whoever he can to rescue him and meet the kidnappers demands . 
 

The crazy thing about this is that the entire movie takes place in a coffin ....and it never gets boring once. As the movie goes on, the intensity level gets higher and draws you in even more to see if Ryan will make it. There are a lot of movies that have fancy settings  and are still slow and dull, so the fact that this takes place in one setting and was also able to show great visuals as well is impressive.   My anxiety was through the roof watching this at times, but it was a great movie . 

Edited November 5, 2020 by HeavenSword

[SMK]

On 10/18/2020 at 6:55 PM, NoKUNGFUforYU said:

Love and Monsters

A cute movie about a guy who has PTSD and who usually freezes in battle, in a monster filled apocalyptic future. The twist is, everyone is really nice to him and they have him cook ("Don't try to fight, just run and hide!"). Instead of the dog eat dog future most movie promote, this one shows a humanity that for the most part tries to stick together and help each other. Even some of the creatures are pretty mellow, just huge.Of course there are gooey monsters and laughs and it never hurts to have an adorable dog in a movie.....Worth watching. 

Watched this one with my son and wife, we all liked it.

[masterofoneinchpunch]

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1941: Victor Fleming):  

Such a beautifully directed film. Great use of chiaroscuro. The pacing is a bit languid and focuses too much of the relationships, but it is a solid entry in 1940s horror. This came out a little earlier in 1941 than did The Wolf Man. Several themes are similar, but The Wolf Man is the more solid film, the more tragic. The transformation scene is also done better in The Wolf Man (and in the 1931 Dr. Jekyll). 

I have read a few complains on Spencer Tracy's performance. I think it is nuanced and overall good. It just is not as good as Fredric March's (and the superior 1931 version). Tracy has a little more trouble with the Hyde aspects. 

I have read a few complains on Spencer Tracy's performance. I think it is nuanced and overall good. It just is not as good as Fredric March's (and the superior 1931 version). Tracy has a little more trouble with the Hyde aspects. 

I still need to read The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. I do wonder how it will differ from all the filmed versions I have seen. My Hyde always seems more like the Id than actually evil. 

I like how the Hammer horror film The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll make Hyde more like the inverse of The Nutty Professor. 

[Secret Executioner]

@masterofoneinchpunch I had planned to see the 1941 film this year for my October marathon but went with other stuff as the month passed, so thanks for bringing it up.

I find the March version overall better. The 1940s film is deeper (more psychological) and has a very solid cast, but the 1931 (or is it 1932 ?) film has a better pace and the difference between Jekyll and Hyde is clearer - Hyde is also much more monstrous and I like his appearance and sometimes OTT personality more. The 1941 film feels rather slow at times and Hyde barely looks any different than Jekyll, which I think is a bit damaging on multiple levels since I feel the two looking distinct is not only easier for the audience to see the change but also can help in the story telling as the connection between Jekyll and Hyde is made only once someone eventually sees the transformation.

Nevertheless I feel the two versions complement each other greatly. But maybe I got this idea because I have the two on a same two-sided DVD and the backcover of that package is heavy on the comparisons.

 

[masterofoneinchpunch]

7 hours ago, Secret Executioner said:

@masterofoneinchpunch I had planned to see the 1941 film this year for my October marathon but went with other stuff as the month passed, so thanks for bringing it up.

I find the March version overall better. The 1940s film is deeper (more psychological) and has a very solid cast, but the 1931 (or is it 1932 ?) film has a better pace and the difference between Jekyll and Hyde is clearer - Hyde is also much more monstrous and I like his appearance and sometimes OTT personality more. The 1941 film feels rather slow at times and Hyde barely looks any different than Jekyll, which I think is a bit damaging on multiple levels since I feel the two looking distinct is not only easier for the audience to see the change but also can help in the story telling as the connection between Jekyll and Hyde is made only once someone eventually sees the transformation.

Nevertheless I feel the two versions complement each other greatly. But maybe I got this idea because I have the two on a same two-sided DVD and the backcover of that package is heavy on the comparisons.

I agree.  The March version is better.  The psychological scenes work well in the 1941 version, but sometimes it does feel like it drags.  Also, since it drags I started noticing more of the filming itself (sometimes when you pay too much attention to cinematography and other things than the plot the first time you watch it, the film might be dragging).

I definitely should have wrote that Hyde does not look that far different that Jekyll in the 1941 version. I noticed that as well.  Everyone else in the film acted like that were so far different and I was thinking it is so obvious that they are the same. Like Clark Kent and his glasses (Patrick Warburton in The Tick (first live action series) had a great episode making fun of this).

[Secret Executioner]

Good analogy with Clark Kent/Superman, even though one could argue glasses or the lack thereof may make people look different. Some comics like All-Star Superman tried expanding differences between Clark and Supes like different postures (Superman stand up straight while Clark has a more stooped posture), Clark having a more pushed out belly... I think there were times he would have different hairdos from one to the other too.

[masterofoneinchpunch]

Insidious 2 (2013: James Wan):  

Had fun with this. I like the references back to the first one. I also noticed Wan's direction is more sure, the cue of sounds is better (though sometimes a bit too obvious) though he still overdoes the shaking in exposition and action scenes. 

Though more sure with composition. Adds a little humor which helps and does not dominate. Becoming more of a Patrick Wilson fan. There are some nice scares, but after a few days of Twitter I'm really not afraid of anything now (kidding my real life is much more difficult). 

I'm glad we did not see son-of-Darth Maul here (though it is possible the ending refers to him). Definitely a thematic style similar to The Conjuring movies, though in a different Universe (I believe). I will watch either Insidious 3 or The Nun next out of these type of horror. 

I probably like this series more than I should (I liked it slightly more than the IMDB rating), but seeing Wan grow as a director, a continued storyline that keeps me interested and some frights here and there keep me into the Further. 

I just love this image:

[Koravec]

While martial arts related, hardly true martial arts movies. So Ill just include them here. Me and a couple friends had a triple feature of Shanghai Noon and Kill Bill 1 & 2. (yes Im impressed with myself for knocking out so many flicks in succession in a time where watching an entire movie in one sitting can feel like a feat lol). First time seeing all three of those, the only thing I ever remembered from shanghai is jackie pissing on a shirt in the jail cell lol

Will try to watch Shanghai Knights soon. Rumors of part 3 to both series, Shanghai Dawn is confirmed though right? Will be fun to get another hollywood jackie flick after so long, will even be a treat to see owen on the big screen despite not even being a big fan 

Edited November 16, 2020 by Koravec

[massa_yoda]

2 hours ago, Koravec said:

Will try to watch Shanghai Knights soon. Rumors of part 3 to both series, Shanghai Dawn is confirmed though right? Will be fun to get another hollywood jackie flick after so long, will even be a treat to see owen on the big screen despite not even being a big fan 

Shanghai Dawn has been rumored for a while. In fact, on the writers audio commentary for Knights, they claim to have the ending for Dawn already written out.  If it actually does move forward, I hope they retain the same writers so I can see what they had in mind.

[paimeifist]

Watched Rush Hour for the first time last night, caught it on TV and decided to give it a go.

 

A lot of fun, Jackie and Chris Tucker are both hilarious, and the action is fun even if it’s not Project A or something. There was a marathon featuring all three, but I wasn’t feeling that much movie-watching (with commercials) at once.

[NoKUNGFUforYU]

Tried to watch Utopia, but after 20 comic book/furry fans get shot in the face I grew weary. I like John Cusack, but hard pass. With Qanon and all the other nonsense out there conspiracy/prophecy stuff isn't so cool. Also, trying to be "ironic" as people get killed isn't all that funny. Sorry fan boys and girls. A shame, too.

[AlbertV]

I've been on a bit of a South African cinema kick the past few days:

Triggered (2020): Nine friends camping in the woods are set up by their old high school teacher, who straps suicide bomb vests to them after knocking them out. His intent is to track down who killed his son. However, after offing himself, the friends soon learn that they must kill each other until there is one (sound familiar?) but the catch is with each kill, the "killer" will inherit their victim's time to their vest, ensuring their chances of survival.

The Unforgiving (2010): Alastair Orr, the director of Triggered, made his feature film debut on this horror film that pays homage to the likes of the Saw franchise. Two survivors of a notorious killer attempt to get their stories told to a detective tracking down the killer. The film juxtaposes between interrogation and flashback through different filters. The third act brings a shocking twist and was a bit jaw dropping.

Lola (1980): A film catering to native Africans during Apartheid, this was one of the titles in Gravel Road's Retro Afrika Bioscope series and revolves around a young woman who attempts to prove to the boys that she can go to university AND continue her passion of playing volleyball. Harmless fun but my only gripe was that in sports movies, we get a congratulatory scene after the big game, but this "scene" extended to both a party AND a conversation the next day in the classroom...took up 20 minutes of the film's 75-minute runtime.

The Lullaby (2017): Reine Swart, who starts in Triggered and whose directorial debut The Hex comes to the U.S, next week, plays a 19-year old single mom whose forced back home with her overbearing mother and finds a sinister presence who plans to take her infant son while she slowly descends into madness. Swart did a great job IMO here and can't wait to see her behind the cameras on The Hex as I plan to get it.

 

[DiP]

Deja Vu (2006) - 8/10