What are ya watch'n [MOVIES]

[hepcat]

I’ve been anxious to see The Coffee Table since reading about it last year. The reviews for it are strong. It’s been available on Tubi for a little while, and I just got around to watching it tonight.

It’s a very well made film. It’s also one of the most disturbing films I’ve seen in a while. The subject matter is…bleak. I mean…there’s bleak….and then there’s BLEAK. This is the latter. It’s one gut punch after another.

There’s very little actual gore, but the implied…incident… is not for the weak of heart. It’s a Spanish film, and I doubt it could even be made in the United States.

I’m not sure I can recommend it to non horror fans. Even horror fans might find it either too slow or too bleak, or both. But it’s definitely original.

…it all begins with a coffee table with unbreakable glass.

[hepcat]

I just watched “The Gorge” on Apple TV. The premise was incredibly dumb, but the movie was exciting and fun if you left your brain out if it. The two leads were very good.

Spoiler:

The idea that starting in 1947 the Soviets and the Wset had a joint bio-chemical weapons program is ludicrous given rising Cold War tensions. And why wirk together on this since they both saw each other as their potential enemy? There were also missiles with warheads here - but who were they aimed at?

The Gorge is being studied by a renegade military contractor after a disaster shut down the project. But what of the government's involved? Why did they forget about the Gorge and the threat to humanity it holds? How was a private company able to take over The Gorge and manage its defenses? I could see governments allowing a contractor to continue studies but not manage the defenses of such a dangerous site? That makes no sense.

The Gorge presents an extreme threat to humanity, but its defense are not commiserate with the threat. Just two people to maintain and monitor the situation? With checking only once every 30 days? And the defenses are breeched early on and the heroes only barely repel the assault. Yet Girge is supposed to be primarily defended by automated defenses that only seemed to work very belatedly?


There’s a river that runs through The Gorge - what about all that contaminated water flowing it if the Gotge? And thus was z major project - where are the roads required to sustain thr project and fir the subsequently built defenses? They couldn’t bring in all that stuff plus construction equipment
by helicopter.

This is an absolute blast of a creature feature. Yeah, it's got some really stupid bits, as you point out. But man did I have fun with it. The hellscape they create is just so...STALKER. Even the CGI didn't bother me (I'm a practical effects lover).

Spoiler:

As for the stupid things: everything you noted, plus the biggest one for me. They protect every section of the Gorge with mines, auto guns, etc....except for one section with a goddamn bungee cord hanging down that is easily climbed by anyone. That section? ZERO defenses.

[Jaymann]

Thanks to the Critical Drinker for saving me from subscribing to Apple TV. Will watch it when it's free somewhere.

[hepcat]

Meh, I enjoyed it enough. It ain't gonna win any awards, but it's a fun Friday night creature feature. Most reviews found it okay.



Edit: I checked out The Critical Drinker. He spends a lot of effort on anti woke tirades, it seems. But I guess you gotta get them clicks somehow.

[Daehawk]

Im considering watching all the Percy Jackson movies..the older ones. Are they all good? I watched one years ago..think pt2..he was older. I remember Alexandra Didario in it and a I think a Cyclops.

[ImLawBoy]

I don't think they were well received by fans of the books. My son didn't like them, and he'd read Rick Riordan's grocery list if he'd publish it. He loved the new Disney+ series, on the other hand.

[Max Peck]

I recorded For All Mankind when it aired on TCM last week, and I'm watching it this morning. Much iconic, very wow!

[Punisher]

I recorded For All Mankind when it aired on TCM last week, and I'm watching it this morning. Much iconic, very wow!

If you are referring to the Apple show, I've watched it in full st least 5 times that I can remember. Tge next season (5?) is taking WAY too long for me.

[Max Peck]

I recorded For All Mankind when it aired on TCM last week, and I'm watching it this morning. Much iconic, very wow!

If you are referring to the Apple show, I've watched it in full st least 5 times that I can remember. Tge next season (5?) is taking WAY too long for me.

No, it's the 1989 documentary about the Apollo program.

For All Mankind is a 1989 documentary film made of original footage from NASA's Apollo program, which successfully prepared and landed the first humans on the Moon from 1968 to 1972. It was directed by Al Reinert, with music by Brian Eno. The film, consisting of footage from Apollo 7 through Apollo 17, was assembled to depict what seems like a single trip to the Moon, highlighting the beauty and otherworldliness of the images by only using audio from the interviews Reinert conducted with Apollo crew members.

[Punisher]

Got it.
I'd still recommend the other one if you have Apple TV.

[hepcat]

Both sound good. I’ll have to give them a go.

[disarm]

In my ongoing efforts to show my son the movies I loved in my younger days, we watched the original Predator last night.

He knows the Predator character from other things, but now he knows where it all started. This was also his first Arnold Schwarzenegger movie; in his words, "his muscles have muscles!" As for the movie, it's an action classic that still holds up really well, and my son loved it.

I think tonight we're going to watch The Terminator. While I think it's a great movie, I have a feeling my son might find it a little slow. The real goal is to get that one out of the way to set the stage for Terminator 2...one of my favorite action movies of all time

[Unagi]

As far as experiences at a theater go... I was at an opening night screening for Terminator 2. It was hands down -epic-

Starship Troopers was pretty fun too.

[Sudy]

Mickey 17 is highly enjoyable specifically due to its non-Hollywood pacing and storytelling. Pattinson continues to prove how talented of an actor he is. The film uses a lot of familiar tropes and plot points, and the satire and jokes don't always land. But they're captivating due to the method of their execution, and expectations are frequently defied. If you enjoy quirky, unconventional storytelling you'll probably like this a lot. I'm not familiar with Bong's work outside of Snowpiercer, but like that film, this definitely has the flair of indie/international filmmaking. It's a bit long, which doesn't usually bother me, but the film's environments tend to be harsh and claustrophobic. But it was impossible for me not to have fun.

6.3 out of 8 tentacles.

[hepcat]

I’m a huge fan of Bong Joon-ho. I keep debating seeing this in a theater or just waiting for home streaming though.

[Kraken]

That does look good. Somebody poke me when it's streaming.

[hepcat]

You’ve been given your watch list, young man. Evil Dead: Army of Darkness…and Big Trouble in Little China for good measure.

[Jaymann]

You’ve been given your watch list, young man. Evil Dead: Army of Darkness…and Big Trouble in Little China for good measure.

I remember when I first showed Army of Darkness to my son and his best friend. At first they were scoffing at the low budget production, by the end they were rolling on the floor.

[hepcat]

Any fan of Ray Harryhausen will also love it.

[Kraken]

You’ve been given your watch list, young man. Evil Dead: Army of Darkness…and Big Trouble in Little China for good measure.

Fine. Show me where I can stream for free (I currently have Prime, Hulu, Netflix, and YTTV). My taste in movies doesn't match yours but Wife is going away for a week, leaving me seven evenings free to watch whatever I want.

You do realize that if I complete my assignment, you'll be obligated to take one from me.

[Daehawk]

Is it too late to throw in some The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension?

[Kraken]

Is it too late to throw in some The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension?

Been there.

[hepcat]

You’ve been given your watch list, young man. Evil Dead: Army of Darkness…and Big Trouble in Little China for good measure.

Fine. Show me where I can stream for free (I currently have Prime, Hulu, Netflix, and YTTV). My taste in movies doesn't match yours but Wife is going away for a week, leaving me seven evenings free to watch whatever I want.

You do realize that if I complete my assignment, you'll be obligated to take one from me.

This wasn't for me. This is a mandatory requirement for membership on OO. I don't make the rules, I just point them out, my friend. You can stream AoD on Amazon Prime.. As well as Big Trouble in Little China I would also recommend Escape from New York, if you haven't seen it. But that may just be my John Carpenter/Kurt Russell fandom showing through.

And hey, I love classic movies, so bring it. My living room wall is covered with Orson Welle's prints from Third Man, Touch of Evil, Citizen Kane, etc.. I can discuss why Robert Mitchum's character from the Night of the Hunter is one of the greatest movie villains of the 20th century, and why Robert Wise's 1963 version of The Haunting is the perfect horror film until the cows come.

p.s. As I mentioned earlier, Army of Darkness is just one long love letter to the glory days of Ray Harryhausen stop motion special effects, as well as Three Stooges comedies (the stupidity of using the old "your shoe laces are untied" trick on a knight in medieval times...and it works...is just one example of the latter). See if you can spot the easter eggs referencing classic films from those periods/genres.

[AWS260]

Mickey 17 is highly enjoyable specifically due to its non-Hollywood pacing and storytelling. Pattinson continues to prove how talented of an actor he is. The film uses a lot of familiar tropes and plot points, and the satire and jokes don't always land. But they're captivating due to the method of their execution, and expectations are frequently defied. If you enjoy quirky, unconventional storytelling you'll probably like this a lot. I'm not familiar with Bong's work outside of Snowpiercer, but like that film, this definitely has the flair of indie/international filmmaking. It's a bit long, which doesn't usually bother me, but the film's environments tend to be harsh and claustrophobic. But it was impossible for me not to have fun.

6.3 out of 8 tentacles.

I just saw Mickey 17, and I generally agree with the 6.3 tentacle rating, although I might go as high as 6.5. It's not a disturbing masterpiece like the director's Parasite, but it is entertainingly weird. Pattinson is excellent, and Mark Ruffalo does a fun riff on Donald Trump for his character, a messianic politician.

It's not a grand epic or space opera. Mickey 17 feels like a sci-fi short story, exploring the implications of a bizarre premise and how they reflect on society. Worth a trip to the theater if that's your kind of thing.

[Jaymann]

I’ve been anxious to see The Coffee Table since reading about it last year. The reviews for it are strong. It’s been available on Tubi for a little while, and I just got around to watching it tonight.

It’s a very well made film. It’s also one of the most disturbing films I’ve seen in a while. The subject matter is…bleak. I mean…there’s bleak….and then there’s BLEAK. This is the latter. It’s one gut punch after another.

There’s very little actual gore, but the implied…incident… is not for the weak of heart. It’s a Spanish film, and I doubt it could even be made in the United States.

I’m not sure I can recommend it to non horror fans. Even horror fans might find it either too slow or too bleak, or both. But it’s definitely original.

…it all begins with a coffee table with unbreakable glass.

Dang you, hepcat, you got me. And the darkness goes on, and on, and on...

[Kraken]

Mickey 17 is highly enjoyable specifically due to its non-Hollywood pacing and storytelling. Pattinson continues to prove how talented of an actor he is. The film uses a lot of familiar tropes and plot points, and the satire and jokes don't always land. But they're captivating due to the method of their execution, and expectations are frequently defied. If you enjoy quirky, unconventional storytelling you'll probably like this a lot. I'm not familiar with Bong's work outside of Snowpiercer, but like that film, this definitely has the flair of indie/international filmmaking. It's a bit long, which doesn't usually bother me, but the film's environments tend to be harsh and claustrophobic. But it was impossible for me not to have fun.

6.3 out of 8 tentacles.

I just saw Mickey 17, and I generally agree with the 6.3 tentacle rating, although I might go as high as 6.5. It's not a disturbing masterpiece like the director's Parasite, but it is entertainingly weird. Pattinson is excellent, and Mark Ruffalo does a fun riff on Donald Trump for his character, a messianic politician.

It's not a grand epic or space opera. Mickey 17 feels like a sci-fi short story, exploring the implications of a bizarre premise and how they reflect on society. Worth a trip to the theater if that's your kind of thing.

I only know from the trailer, but the premise looks like Zowie Bowie's (Duncan Jones') "Moon." Valid comparison?

[Sudy]

I just saw Mickey 17, and I generally agree with the 6.3 tentacle rating, although I might go as high as 6.5.

I can see 6.4 but let's not be ridiculous.

I only know from the trailer, but the premise looks like Zowie Bowie's (Duncan Jones') "Moon." Valid comparison?

That's the first thing that popped into my head when I first saw the trailer. They share that plot focus and the theme of corporate exploitation, but the tone is fairly different. Moon is a much tighter, more focused film that emphasizes the mystery and loneliness of the main character's plight. It was also shot on a tiny budget (5 million vs. Mickey 17's 118.) Mickey 17 on the other hand juggles a bunch of subplots (mostly entertaining, but some might find it overstuffed), and is more lighthearted despite its dark themes. As well, it's a much more social film, spending a lot of time on the characters' relationships. It also leans heavily on dark comedy and satire where Moon was more of a psychological drama. It's kind of a Matrix vs. Dark City scenario, or Terminator vs. Robocop.

[Unagi]

I absolutely love Moon, it sounds like this would draw out the comparison and I'd end up judging it poorly because of it.

[hepcat]

I’ve been anxious to see The Coffee Table since reading about it last year. The reviews for it are strong. It’s been available on Tubi for a little while, and I just got around to watching it tonight.

It’s a very well made film. It’s also one of the most disturbing films I’ve seen in a while. The subject matter is…bleak. I mean…there’s bleak….and then there’s BLEAK. This is the latter. It’s one gut punch after another.

There’s very little actual gore, but the implied…incident… is not for the weak of heart. It’s a Spanish film, and I doubt it could even be made in the United States.

I’m not sure I can recommend it to non horror fans. Even horror fans might find it either too slow or too bleak, or both. But it’s definitely original.

…it all begins with a coffee table with unbreakable glass.

Dang you, hepcat, you got me. And the darkness goes on, and on, and on...

Yeah, that was one of the bleakest goddamn movies I've ever seen.

[Sudy]

I absolutely love Moon, it sounds like this would draw out the comparison and I'd end up judging it poorly because of it.

I was a bit worried about that going into it, but it really wasn't an issue once I started watching it. The tone and the story are much different beyond that governing plot point, and even then it's addressed differently; openly from the beginning, and humorously. But that's just me.

[Kraken]

King Solomon's Mines (1937). Funny thing about this; TCM introduced it as the 1950 Hollywood version, but the film they played was the 1937 British version. This story started out as an 1885 novel that created the new "lost world" genre and inspired Edgar Rice Burroughs to create Tarzan, among many other authors and stories. It became a silent movie in 1917 (now lost) and was remade as a talkie in 1937 -- the version I saw tonight. Wiki says it was adapted to film at least seven times, but the big-budget 1950 version is definitive, and now I kinda want to see it. The 1937 version was disappointing. Bad TCM!

[Daehawk]

I remember Richard Chamberlain and Sharon Stone doing their own Shiva dance at the mines in 1985. Loved that version.....I should watch that again.

[hentzau]

One of the free channels I get on my SmartTV is Cinevault Classics, basically it has access to a bunch of the Sony library of classic movies that they show with lots of commercials. When I turn on the TV it always launches to that channel. And about once a week, when I turn it on, it's usually in the middle of one of four Matt Helm movies, The Wrecking Crew, The Silencers, The Ambushers, and Murderer's Row. And I will always, ALWAYS get sucked into the movie until at least the first commercial break and I am able to come back to my senses.

These movies are bad. I mean, really bad. They're supposed to be camp spy stuff, but the humor falls flat, all the time. Dean Martin is just being Dean Martin in them. He's just showing up for the paycheck. They use his songs liberally in the movies, with some slight changes to the words to fit the scenes. Seems like there's a Frank Sinatra joke in every one of them. It's painful, really. And yet, I always, always watch. Some part of me just really enjoys these things.

If I'm being completely honest with myself, a big part of it is seeing so many young beautiful female movie stars early in their careers

Ann Margaret
Stella Stevens
Elke Sommer
Nancy Kwan
Daliah Lavi (first discovered her in the first Casino Royale movie. She left quite the impression on a young Hentzau)
Tina Louise (pre-Ginger)
Sharon Tate

So if you're ever in the mood for some late 60's bad spy camp, well, I can't really recommend them. But there you go.

[hepcat]

I own two Matt Helm movies on Vudu streaming and have been waiting on a sale to complete my collection. I love those cheesy, horribly cheap James Bond ripoffs. I could sit and watch those and the Our Man Flint films all day.

[Brian]

I remember Richard Chamberlain and Sharon Stone doing their own Shiva dance...

[Kraken]

Lonely are the Brave (1962), Kirk Douglas, Gena Rowlands, Walter Matthau, Carroll O'Connor, George Kennedy, and even Bill Bixby in a minor role. Douglas was the only big name when this came out, but with that cast of up-and-comers you know it's going to be a winner. In fact, Douglas called it his favorite movie and said it was the only perfect screenplay he'd ever seen, written in one take with no revisions. He plays an old-school cowboy who's at odds with the modern world; in the first major scene, he breaks into jail to rescue his best friend, who's serving two years for "smuggling wetbacks over the border." Things go downhill from there.

[Archinerd]

I’ve been anxious to see The Coffee Table since reading about it last year. The reviews for it are strong. It’s been available on Tubi for a little while, and I just got around to watching it tonight.

It’s a very well made film. It’s also one of the most disturbing films I’ve seen in a while. The subject matter is…bleak. I mean…there’s bleak….and then there’s BLEAK. This is the latter. It’s one gut punch after another.

There’s very little actual gore, but the implied…incident… is not for the weak of heart. It’s a Spanish film, and I doubt it could even be made in the United States.

I’m not sure I can recommend it to non horror fans. Even horror fans might find it either too slow or too bleak, or both. But it’s definitely original.

…it all begins with a coffee table with unbreakable glass.

Dang you, hepcat, you got me. And the darkness goes on, and on, and on...

Yeah, that was one of the bleakest goddamn movies I've ever seen.

More bleak than Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey?!

[hepcat]

Yes. And before you ask, it's even more bleak than The Day the Clown Cried.

[YellowKing]

My daughter had never seen Dumb and Dumber before so we watched it the other night. It actually hasn't aged as horribly as you might expect from a Farrelly Brothers film, but it was also not nearly as funny as I remembered.

I also rewatched Robocop in preparation to play Robocop: Rogue City, and it was still a good time. The violence isn't as shocking now as it was back in 1987, but it still holds up.

[Kraken]

Night on Earth (1991), dir. Jim Jarmoush, music by Tom Waits. Winona Ryder, Gena Rowlands, Giancarlo Esposito, Rosie Perez. A collection of five short vignettes -- not even stories -- each taking place in a taxi cab in a different city. Billed as a comedy, although only one piece really ever cracks funny. Moody, dialog-based character studies that don't add up to a greater whole...and that's OK. I don't recommend it but I didn't dislike it, either.