What Are You Watching Right Now? Episode 3 - Turtles in Time

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Buscemi2
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Re: What Are You Watching Right Now? Episode 3 - Turtles in Time

Post by Buscemi2 »

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The surprises that you get sometimes. Fandango advertised that this was the 161 minute theatrical cut. It actually turned out to be the extended version with twenty extra minutes. And even with the additional footage, it does not feel like a three hour movie at all. Sergio Leone keeps you engaged with the story through the dialogue, large set pieces, and keeping you guessing on what's going to happen next. The ultimate in Spaghetti Westerns.

Up next: Rocky.
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Re: What Are You Watching Right Now? Episode 3 - Turtles in Time

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Nowadays, the Rocky franchise is known for being a series where a character became more superhuman as the series went on before he was brought back to Earth for the Creed series. But the original film is actually a quality example of New Hollywood, with Rocky Balboa in his humble beginnings, a palooka who gets the bout of a lifetime when becomes the challenger for a tune-in fight against Apollo Creed. We all know the story but it seems in a way like the sequels have overshadowed a lot of the original's strengths. It is another one of those strong mean streets movies and the rawness gives is a sense of realism. It's also one of Stallone's best performances, before his action hero phase.

All of the Rocky movies showed this week but I didn't have time for the sequels. Besides, I'm sure we'll see that Rocky IV director's cut released theatrically soon and they'll all return.
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Re: What Are You Watching Right Now? Episode 3 - Turtles in Time

Post by transformers2 »

August watches:
Headshot 7.5/10
Drop Dead Gorgeous 8/10
Orgazmo 7/10
Heat 7.5/10
One Cut of the Dead 8/10
Athlete A 7.5/10
An American Pickle 6.5/10
The Tax Collector 7.5/10
Boyka: Undisputed IV 7.5/10
Richard Jewell 8/10
The High Note 7.5/10
Incendies 5/10
Project Power 8/10
Spree 7.5/10
How to a Lose a Guy in 10 Days 4.5/10
Escape from New York 7/10
Doctor Sleep 8/10
48 Hrs. 7/10
Following 7/10
Capone 7.5/10 (yep, I'm the one asshole who liked this)
Stir of Echoes 6/10
Maleficent: Mistress of Evil 7.5/10
Bill & Ted Face the Music 7.5/10
BRING BRENDAN FRASER BACK TO THE BIG SCREEN DAMN IT
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W
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Re: What Are You Watching Right Now? Episode 3 - Turtles in Time

Post by W »

If I knew you were renting Bill & Ted I'd have split it with you. With sports going strong now and theaters just now opening up (and rewatching The Wire) I didn't see much in August:

The Outsiders 9/10
King of Staten Island 7/10
Slither 8/10
Strange Brew 7/10: Great dumb comedy. Happy to see Rick Moranis in anything. This is completely different than his "dweeb" persona over the next ten years.
Tenet 4/10: I do not see the difference between this and something like Gemini Man.
Tenet: Criterion Edition. Now with more Backwards Man.

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Re: What Are You Watching Right Now? Episode 3 - Turtles in Time

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Eh, it's alright. I'm willing to dish out the $20 when it's something I really want to see (this and King of Staten Island were the only PVOD rentals I've made to date). If you're interested in Antebellum in a couple weeks, I'll tip you off after I rent it and let you watch it before it expires.
BRING BRENDAN FRASER BACK TO THE BIG SCREEN DAMN IT
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Re: What Are You Watching Right Now? Episode 3 - Turtles in Time

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If you had an Alamo Drafthouse near you, you would have been able to see Bill & Ted for free last Wednesday like I did.

And I read Antebellum isn't very good. It looked like a Get Out ripoff from the trailers.
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Re: What Are You Watching Right Now? Episode 3 - Turtles in Time

Post by JohnErle »

My August viewing was mostly limited to that Film Noir retrospective and the Arrow/Criterion discs that finally arrived after a long delay. I dove into the Arrow titles first because this was my first experience with their discs, and I'm pretty happy with them so far.

Film Noir:
Pickup On South Street (8/10)
The best of the bunch. I saw it once before and wasn't too impressed but really dug it this time.

So Dark The Night (4/10)
More of a weak Hercule Poirot knock-off than an effective Noir.

Desert Fury (7/10)
A young Burt Lancaster in a Techincolor, homo-erotic Noir? It's hard to believe this movie even exists.

The Lady From Shanghai (6/10)
A bit too stylish and nonsensical, and Orson Welles' Irish accent is hard to swallow.

Black Angel (6/10)
It was interesting to see Dan Duryea as the hero for a change, and Peter Lorre is always welcome

Arrow:
Deep Red (5/10)
This confirms I prefer Bava to Argento.

Female Prisoner Scorpion Box Set (8/10)
A wild, shocking, thoroughly un-PC mix of sexploitation and arthouse sensibilities. Tarantino wishes Kill Bill was this awesome. I can't think of another film by a major studio with as much T&A as the first one, but the later films focused more on the violence and were just as interesting, except for the final one which had a different director and was a bit of a let down. Meiko Kaji never says much but is stunningly beautiful and has an incredible stare, making her the female equivalent of The Man With No Name. And the box set is really well put together.

The Bloodthirsty Trilogy (6/10)
These are basically Japanese knock-offs of Hammer Vampire movies, but the end result is not as fun as that sounds. They were all by the same director, and the series ended just as it was getting good with the effective third film much better than what came before.

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Re: What Are You Watching Right Now? Episode 3 - Turtles in Time

Post by numbersix »

If you like Pickup on South St thoroughly recommend any other Sam Fuller films, particularly The Naked Kiss and Shock Corridor. Even his later stuff like White Dog is incredible.

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Re: What Are You Watching Right Now? Episode 3 - Turtles in Time

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I have seen White Dog and The Big Red One, both of which are interesting, but I haven't gotten around to his other classics yet.

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Re: What Are You Watching Right Now? Episode 3 - Turtles in Time

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Indicator in the UK did a box set of his Columbia films while Criterion did an Eclipse (their DVD line of more obscure films) set of his early indies. That should be a good start.
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Re: What Are You Watching Right Now? Episode 3 - Turtles in Time

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A last-minute double feature due to schedule changes.

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These were two of three movies scheduled this weekend for an Alamo Drafthouse series involving movies that feature famous masks (the third one I'm seeing tomorrow night). And I know that Tranny hates it but I love Labyrinth and finally getting to see it on the big screen after multiple failed attempts (the first attempt was due to an ice storm, the second involved a broken projection, while the third time was that it sold out very quickly) was satisfying, despite having the person behind me (who might be the only person interested in seeing The War with Grandpa) talking throughout it. The puppetry, the expansive sets, David Bowie's bulge, it looks amazing in 4K and on a large screen. The 5.1 remix also hit the spot. Labyrinth might be the apex of 80's fantasy.

And Batman, also in a 4K restoration, also might be the best that film has ever looked. Watching Tim Burton's interpretation of the character again might force me to re-evaluate the Nolan trilogy. While being dark in that Burton way, it's also incredibly fun and extremely engaging in its eye candy, wonderful toys, Jack Nicholson's makeup, and those Prince songs. Now I'm hoping for Batman Returns to show at some point (maybe in a Christmas series).

Up next: The Mask.
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Re: What Are You Watching Right Now? Episode 3 - Turtles in Time

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When superhero movies and 90's indie films collided, we got The Mask, the middle of Jim Carrey's 1994 trilogy of comedies. And when you think about it, The Mask is basically a heroic version of The Joker, committing lots of mischief but eventually using his powers for good. Though vastly different from its source material (which was more horror-oriented), you really cannot imagine anyone but Carrey in the role. His physicality and charm sells the film and helps make it what it is. Sure, the visual effects and makeup help too. Also, that little dog steals the show.
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Re: What Are You Watching Right Now? Episode 3 - Turtles in Time

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A thrilling World War II-era piece about a factory worker who is accused of being a saboteur (that's the title!) against the U.S. and now must clear his name by stopping a bombing in Brooklyn. Sure, some of the themes are overt but it's an enjoyable early foray by Hitchcock into Hollywood.

Up next: A Clockwork Orange.
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Re: What Are You Watching Right Now? Episode 3 - Turtles in Time

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I think a lot of people missed what Kubrick was saying with this one. Alex is clearly the villain of the story and yet you had people trying to emulate him to the point where Kubrick had the film pulled from UK distribution for many years. But anyway, this is one chilling dystopian film that also works as one of the best horror films ever made. The way it overwhelms you with its visuals and sound makes it unforgettable. And its vision might be coming sooner than we think.
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Re: What Are You Watching Right Now? Episode 3 - Turtles in Time

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This week in older movies seen in a paying theatre:

Shadow of a Doubt - Hitchcock called it his masterpiece. I wouldn't go that far but it is interesting to note how many films it would go on to inspire, which might have muted the effects in this recent viewing. But it isn't hard to appreciate the performances and the strong script (co-written by Thornton Wilder). Another essential from the master of suspense.

Akira - the new 4K restoration is the way to see this one. With excellent remixed audio and the best it has looked visually, Akira for me was better than when I first saw it on DVD many years ago. Anime seems to play better when you watch it on a big screen with many other people with equal interest (this might have been the highest grossing movie this weekend in my area). Possibly the closest any film has come to matching Blade Runner in depicting a dystopia.

The Mask of Zorro - I was indifferent to it when I first saw it on VHS years ago. But on the big screen with the original aspect ratio and an excellent sound mix (which was Oscar-nominated), it was a more entertaining film that fulfills its goal of being enjoyable summer movie entertainment. I even felt like I was spending a lazy summer afternoon in 1998 watching it, in a theatre that actually played it when it was first released. I should give the sequel another chance now.

The Land Before Time - sure, the endless sequels made the franchise a punchline but who doesn't like the original? It's Bambi with dinosaurs, directed by the Internet's favorite animator, Don Bluth. And dinosaurs are cool.
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