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

[shukocarl1441996347]

12 hours ago, ShawAngela said:

Great series. I loved it, but I was very dissapointed with the last episode when I watched it many years ago on French TV.

I love the last episode as it's just echoes the time it was made in. It's probably resonate even more today.

Bee seeing you

[masterofoneinchpunch]

Letters From Iwo Jima (2006: Clint Eastwood): the second film in a diptyque with Flags of Our Fathers being the first.  One way to tell a good film from a great film is watch a great film after a good one.  Why is this one better?  The characters are more in depth here.  We get to know them deeper than the ones in Flag of Our Fathers.  We sympathize with them and understand their plight of home versus patriotism. 

Clint was first interested by the story of General Nagaru Kuribayashi and the letters that he had sent home when he was in the United States as a military attaché.  Kuribayashi thought it was a bad idea to go to war with the United States, but regardless he would fulfill his duty as an officer. 

Casting is of crucial importance to a film. Ken Watanabe’s (Inception, Tampopo) Kuribayashi is a sagacious pick. I liked Takeichi Nishi (Tsuyoshi Ihara) as the former Olympian as well who has a western philosophy, a love of horses and you can also see why he was sent to Iwo Jima. Also, the performance of Saigo, the baker, and his relationship with Kuribayashi works well (and probably the most fictional aspect of the movie along with Takeichi Nishi’s death). 

Kuribayashi was probably assigned to this post at Iwo Jima because of dissatisfaction with the upper echelon.  It was a suicide position, but he was going to make the best of it.  Though he did not know at the time he was not going to get Japanese support nor that he was going to have fellow officers object to his strategy (the ones who would have had a full beach front would have shortened their stay on Iwo Jima and there would have been less US casualties). Kuribayashi was also different in the way he treated lower-rank officers and enlisted men.  He was a good officer and what they needed even if his superiors thought he was expedient. 

One big issue I have here is the cinematography.  Why use such a de-saturated look when you could have just gone for black-and-white?  The color is so murky here and the composition would have worked better with a concentration on chiaroscuro instead of this muddy look. 

A few scenes are shared with Flags of Our Fathers.  Eastwood is known for being an on time and on budget director (Don Siegal influenced as well as being pragmatic).  And these two films work well together.  However, this is the better one and understandable that it had the better critical reception (still does). 

Doing some research on this by reading both Marc Eliot’s American Rebel book on Eastwood and Richard Schickel’s Clint: A Retrospective, they have barbs against each other in both books.  Schnickel’s section on this film is a lot better because he goes over it and does not dismiss it as Eliot does (and I notice a few mistakes in Eliots section, some serious mistakes).  Eliot also seems surprised that “Clint was back as well with a Best Director nomination, but not for Flags of Our Fathers – it was, shockingly, for Letters from Iwo Jima.”  However, this is not shocking if you watch both films.  I am also a little surprised that Spike Lee included this film in his criticism of Flags of Our Fathers. 

 

[Jizzmaster Jerry]

I watched all my Brian Regan DVDs, my favorite comic since around 95.  He started in the early 80’s.  Why do I only have 4 of his DVDs?  Why aren’t there at least 20 DVDs with him?  I heard him recently on Dan Patrick and he was asked about being a clean comic.  I never realized he was clean.  Never even thought about it because he’s just that funny I guess.  Love his bit on how manslaughter sounds worse than it is.  What are you in for? MANSLAUGHTER!!!!!  I slaughtered a man.  Just like a pig.  Put him on a spit and put an apple in his mouth.  

Edited May 26, 2023 by Jizzmaster Jerry

[Yggdrasil]

Currently watching Young GTO. A Japanese series with 8 episodes. Prequel to the 1998 version and other remakes.

 

[PandaPawPaw]

Ohhh I'll have to check Young GTO out. The Anime and Jdorama/Movie was great.

Appleseed Alpha - Great CGI but weak story. Briareos looks great as does all the cool mecha/robots.

Appleseed XIII/Movie 1 & 2 - Really bad CGI. Backgrounds look utter shite. The story is again weak and the movies are just recaps of the series.

The Devil And Father Amorth (2017) - One of the dumbest things I've seen. William Friedkin documents a real exorcism and follows around an Italian priest called Gabriele Amorth. The supposedly real exorcism is bad especially with the fake devil voice. It doesn't help that Friedkin seems to have a hard on for himself and The Exorcist.

[Yggdrasil]

1 hour ago, PandaPawPaw said:

Ohhh I'll have to check Young GTO out. The Anime and Jdorama/Movie was great.

Appleseed Alpha - Great CGI but weak story. Briareos looks great as does all the cool mecha/robots.

Appleseed XIII/Movie 1 & 2 - Really bad CGI. Backgrounds look utter shite. The story is again weak and the movies are just recaps of the series.

The Devil And Father Amorth (2017) - One of the dumbest things I've seen. William Friedkin documents a real exorcism and follows around an Italian priest called Gabriele Amorth. The supposedly real exorcism is bad especially with the fake devil voice. It doesn't help that Friedkin seems to have a hard on for himself and The Exorcist.

Which Jdorama version did you see/prefer? @PandaPawPaw

The original 1998 version with Takashi Sorimachi or the 2012 remakes? There's GTO in Taiwan too.

 

 

 

Edited May 26, 2023 by Yggdrasil

[PandaPawPaw]

On 5/26/2023 at 5:09 PM, Yggdrasil said:

Which Jdorama version did you see/prefer? @PandaPawPaw

The original 1998 version with Takashi Sorimachi or the 2012 remakes? There's GTO in Taiwan too.

I've seen just the Sorimachi Jdorama/Movie. I did come across the 2012 remake but I didn't bother watching it though the new Onizuka looks more accurate.

It's been decades since I saw the original but I don't remember the Sorimachi version being anywhere as pervy as the anime. From what I remember his version was tamer.

I might have to check the 2012 remake out now.

Great theme song too.

There is a Young GTO anime too.

Edited May 28, 2023 by PandaPawPaw

[Yggdrasil]

12 minutes ago, PandaPawPaw said:

I've seen just the Sorimachi Jdorama/Movie. I did come across the 2012 remake but I didn't bother watching it though the new Onizuka looks more accurate.

It's been decades since I saw the original but I don't remember the Sorimachi version being anywhere as pervy as the anime. From what I remember his version was tamer.

I might have to check the 2012 remake out now.

Great theme song too.

There is a Young GTO anime too.

I've never seen the anime, having watched the drama first in 2001. Bought the anime R1 boxset but I couldn't get into it, because he didn't resemble the character from the 1998 series. 

I suppose you could say, with Young GTO and 2 series of GTO 2012, as well as GTO in Taiwan, these match the anime/manga, whereas the first live action drama didn't. 

Definitely a great song. It wouldn't be the same without it. And  Sorimachi's a good singer too.

Edited May 28, 2023 by Yggdrasil

[shukocarl1441996347]

The 5 Man Army (1969) A wondreful, underrated Zapata western with one of Morricone's best opening themes.

[Coliseum1972]

Steel Magnolias 4.5/6 , its good......movie set in NOLA with Parton as beautician , MacLaine as cranky sour , Darryl Hannahs character is getting married and Tom Skeritt and Sally Field

 

 

Edited May 29, 2023 by Coliseum1972

[morpheus]

Le Gang (1977)

 

[Super Ninja]

On 5/26/2023 at 5:20 PM, PandaPawPaw said:

The Devil And Father Amorth (2017) - One of the dumbest things I've seen. William Friedkin documents a real exorcism and follows around an Italian priest called Gabriele Amorth. The supposedly real exorcism is bad especially with the fake devil voice. It doesn't help that Friedkin seems to have a hard on for himself and The Exorcist.

That's the priest Russell Crowe is playing in The Pope's Exorcist. Franco Nero is the pope, that's some praiseworthy casting. Anyway, wasn't impressed enough with the movie or father Amorth to dig deeper so I'll be skipping that one, especially if it sucks as you say.

[PandaPawPaw]

46 minutes ago, Super Ninja said:

That's the priest Russell Crowe is playing in The Pope's Exorcist. Franco Nero is the pope, that's some praiseworthy casting. Anyway, wasn't impressed enough with the movie or father Amorth to dig deeper so I'll be skipping that one, especially if it sucks as you say.

Yeah The Pope's Exorcist sucked. I'm not a fan of Crowe and knew I should of stayed away from it. His Italian accent was horrendous and the sight of him on a tiny scooter was funny to see (no wonder it was his idea).

Not scary either, just plain dull.

Speaking of not scary. Evil Dead Rise - Started off OK but then just went on and on. The gore became boring and OTT. Acting was average. The SFX was done really well though. I liked the bathtub scene near the beginning. The way Ellie falls from the wall into the tub was cool.

[PandaPawPaw]

2 hours ago, morpheus said:

Le Gang (1977)

 

"Bruce Lee taught Jackie Chan -- Jackie Chan taught Alain Delon -- Alain Delon taught Stallone -- Stallone taught Ti Lung. Ti Lung told me. Didn't he tell you? Oh, well."

Sorry but when I hear Delon's name I always think of that scene from Tiger on Beat.

[AlbertV]

Esme, My Love (2023): A mother takes her daughter on a trip to her family's abandoned farm. There, strange things begin to happen when the mother finds herself seeing an angel and the daughter sees a demonic variation of her mother. Pretty good directorial debut for sound engineer Cory Choy driven by great chemistry between stars Audrey Grace Marshall and Stacey Weckstein.

Hollywood Dreams and Nightmares: The Robert Englund Story (2023): The life and career of legendary horror icon Robert Englund is told. From his days as a stage actor to supporting actor before two things happened in the 80s; V and A Nightmare on Elm Street made him a household name. There are interviews with Robert, his wife Nancy (who he met on the set of his directorial debut 976-EVIL) and those who worked with him, who have nothing but praise for him. 

Doom Asylum (1987): This horror film has two major Gs: Goofiness and gore! After a car accident which claims the life of his girlfriend, a lawyer is disfigured and lives in an abandoned asylum. Ten years later, said girlfriend's daughter and friends go to the asylum to party and have issues with both a female rock girl trio and the lawyer, who resorts to using medical tools as his weapon of choice. Will be known for having Patty Mullen (Frankenhooker) in dual roles and the film marking the debut of Sex and the City star Kristen Davis (who gets the best death of the film IMO). 

[morpheus]

The 13 minute Ernie Fosselius classic......Hardware Wars (1978)

 

Edited June 2, 2023 by morpheus

[masterofoneinchpunch]

Bridge of Spies (2015: Steven Spielberg):  

James B. Donovan (Tom Hanks) fits in with the Spielbergian protagonist of an individual (like his Lincoln) swept up in the tide of history, but instead of being drowned with the task, does more than what is expected. 

He is assigned to be the attorney of an alleged spy Rudolf Abel – a thankless job in a case that was supposed to be a quick and easy verdict against him with a rudimentary defense by Donovan.  Of course, that did not happen.  While he was still found guilty, he did not get the death penalty. 

As soon as you see Francis Gary Powers in the picture you know where this is heading.  A swap was imminent.  I’m curious, was Powers as hated in real life as it was mentioned in this film?  But because of Donovan’s tenacity in the trial and that he was not part of the government he gets assigned as a liaison to make this trade.  It is a fascinating bit of history. 

I liked Hank’s performance here.  It is an understated but a strong unwillingness to bend under pressure from others though sometimes he comes off as stubborn and not pragmatic, which is not always in your client’s best interests. He is trying to do what he thinks is the right thing.  It is interesting to compare this to Mark Rylance’s taciturn and stoic character who is resigned to what he has to do and what he has done – and does not complain because it would not help.  I would not consider them a doppelgänger, but two people who come to respect each other. 

This is more like a John le Carré novel than an action film (which I was surprised by and apparently because of the trailer it also surprised a lot of people and what does not surprise me is how many people saw this connection).  It is patient and it is a game of thrones, I mean human chess where lives are at stake (depressing when you think about this).  

I am not sure how true to life this scene was with the judge (the movie was mostly true with a few fabrications like Donovan seeing someone show and having his coat stolen and his house being shot up) but it made the judge look so incredibly stupid.  Regardless of his leanings, what he did could/would have resulted in a mistrial and possible disbarment if it turned out that he was trying to influence a decision. 

Rudolf Abel’s fake family was hilarious.  I also think they would have been better prepared.  With this failure you think it would be off to the gulag for them. 

I am down to four main movies from Spielberg to watch: The Fabelmans, West Side Story, The Post and BFG – notice that they are all later ones. 

An enjoyable patient thriller that covers an interesting bit of history.  Spielberg’s technique is quite good, and Hank was well cast with Rylance.  Worth watching. 

https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/bridge-of-spies-2015 Brian Tallerico’'s review  

[ShawAngela]

Yesterday, I watched a Russian movie (and French subbed !) that I had never heard of (but I'm not skilled enough in Russian cinema) called The elusive avengers.

I tells the story of three young boys (one of them being a Tsigane) and a young girl, who are faithful to the Red Army and struggle against the Cosaques people during the civil war in the 1920's.

This was a very nice movie, with a good plot and nice action. The four teenagers are very clever and the movie is dedicated to the young heroes of the war.

[Jizzmaster Jerry]

The 13th Warrior-  this one gets better every time I see it.  Haven’t watched it in about 10 years and it was quite refreshing.  It got me thinking, do they make big budget action movies anymore without CGI?  Is anybody able to restrain themselves?  It seems like you can’t even take a bong hit in a movie anymore without CGI smoke.  Im getting tired of it.  Like hey I heard you don’t CGI.  Well check this out I’m gonna blow some CGI right in your face.

[morpheus]

Ingrid Bergman's academy award winning performance in......Gaslight (1944)

(I do have this original poster -linen-backed- and paid a fortune for it.)

 

[DiP]

Shooter (2007) - 7.5/10

[Coliseum1972]

Good Morning Vietnam 5/6 , great movie....still cant believe Williams is gone

Noble who played CD on Walker TX Ranger stars as a general , he was a few pounds lighter then  

(officer Crabtree : Gudd maurning , Viet-nom ! , lol)

(I liked the episode with Englund on MacGyver)

 

Edited June 6, 2023 by Coliseum1972

[DiP]

Batman Begins (2005) - 9.5/10

[SMK]

After seeing a small clip on social, I looked into this show, and have been watching it and have been hooked since. I'm currently on Season 5. 

[Jizzmaster Jerry]

Super Mario Brothers- after growing up with Mario my whole life and loving every Mario game I’ve played there’s almost no way that a movie could meet my expectations.  It’s ok.  I guess Nintendo learned their lesson and didn’t want to let someone get too ambitious with it.  A good replacement for the live action Mario movie disaster.  Though not worth the wait of 30 years for it to come out.  

Edited June 9, 2023 by Jizzmaster Jerry