I think it’s incredible but it’s extremely operatic. There are so many doves!
Film The Redcafe Movie review thread
- Thread starter golden_blunder
- Start date
As a cage fanatic, it gave me what I wanted. I am basically the character of Pedro Pascal minus the handsome looks and drug links.
Valley Girl
Racing With the Moon
Birdy
Peggy Sue Got Married
Raising Arizona
Moonstruck
Vampire's Kiss
Wild At Heart
Honeymoon In Vegas
Amos & Andrew
Red Rock West
Leaving Las Vegas
The Rock
Snake Eyes
Adaptation
Matchstick Men
National Treasure
Kick-Ass
Joe
I haven't seen all of Nicolas Cage's films - and woe betide those who have - but these movies listed do not require any contortions to appreciate (e.g., it was so corny it was good, he was so over the top it was fun, etc.).
In and amongst these, though, he has done some of the worst movies I've ever seen. Not his acting per se, but sometimes the entire project from the outside seems cursed. Case in point: "It Could Happen To You", maybe the worst movie title ever. Its original title was "Cop Gives Waitress $2 Million Tip". Both should have been a warning sign to halt production immediately. It's the dumbest fecking thing I've ever seen, not believable from the first to last frame, absolutely tragically miscast, and a script that appears stitched together from dead pieces of sitcom plots. However, after seeing something like "Mandy", it makes me wonder if the entire time he has been pulling our collective leg, having us on, whatever. Like, his whole career he has just been fecking with us. That's why he doesn't care anymore about quality: because he never did care.
Racing With the Moon
Birdy
Peggy Sue Got Married
Raising Arizona
Moonstruck
Vampire's Kiss
Wild At Heart
Honeymoon In Vegas
Amos & Andrew
Red Rock West
Leaving Las Vegas
The Rock
Snake Eyes
Adaptation
Matchstick Men
National Treasure
Kick-Ass
Joe
I haven't seen all of Nicolas Cage's films - and woe betide those who have - but these movies listed do not require any contortions to appreciate (e.g., it was so corny it was good, he was so over the top it was fun, etc.).
In and amongst these, though, he has done some of the worst movies I've ever seen. Not his acting per se, but sometimes the entire project from the outside seems cursed. Case in point: "It Could Happen To You", maybe the worst movie title ever. Its original title was "Cop Gives Waitress $2 Million Tip". Both should have been a warning sign to halt production immediately. It's the dumbest fecking thing I've ever seen, not believable from the first to last frame, absolutely tragically miscast, and a script that appears stitched together from dead pieces of sitcom plots. However, after seeing something like "Mandy", it makes me wonder if the entire time he has been pulling our collective leg, having us on, whatever. Like, his whole career he has just been fecking with us. That's why he doesn't care anymore about quality: because he never did care.
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I'm not saying don't write as much as you want. Just most people want a quick way of knowing what you thought of it.
And Cage really isn't versatile. He just plays a very slightly different version of himself. Not that he would be alone there.
And most films over recent years aren't that great or at least aren't worth the effort. Storytelling in tv is currently so much better.
There have been a few exceptions e.g Oppenheimer (despite me not liking Nolan films much since his early stuff) and Blade Runner 2049 but on average - meh.
Monster (2023)
What a phenomenal film. Characteristic Kore-eda cinematography. Amazing performances from all the actors. Such a powerful story. Influenced by Roshomon. My previous three best films of 2023 were Past Lives, Killers of the Flower Moon and Oppenheimer. Monster is at least on par with those if not a little better.
9-9.5
@Scandi Red On my drive home after the movie I was thinking about what you said. For me, I think Shoplifters, Broker, Monster were all about even. I couldn't fault anyone for picking any of the three as their favorite and together they form such a powerful trio of films about the modern state of affairs in South Korea-Japan but with themes that can apply to anywhere. Also thanks to @Invictus for letting me know about this.
What a phenomenal film. Characteristic Kore-eda cinematography. Amazing performances from all the actors. Such a powerful story. Influenced by Roshomon. My previous three best films of 2023 were Past Lives, Killers of the Flower Moon and Oppenheimer. Monster is at least on par with those if not a little better.
9-9.5
@Scandi Red On my drive home after the movie I was thinking about what you said. For me, I think Shoplifters, Broker, Monster were all about even. I couldn't fault anyone for picking any of the three as their favorite and together they form such a powerful trio of films about the modern state of affairs in South Korea-Japan but with themes that can apply to anywhere. Also thanks to @Invictus for letting me know about this.
@oneniltothearsenal I'm happy to see more love for this film!
You're telling me there's no versatility between his performances in Joe vs. Kick Ass?
There's loads and loads of great new film. Problem with TV shows is they often churn out as many episodes as possible just to milk the damn thing, which completely dilutes and buggers the storyline(s) as they inevitably overegg it. Not always, but often.
Have you watched Guillermo Del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities on Netflix? One of them is directed by yer man who made Mandy and it's quite something. The show is a mixed bag overall but that episode is fuuuuuuucking bonkers. In a good way. It also features Robocop. What more could you want?
Yes and that was probably one of the better episodes for me personally.
Still just him painfully badly acting/ playing himself, scowling in one and wearing fancy dress in another.
Watching Mandy in the cinema was a fecking ride. Didn't read up about it before going in. Great fun.
He's obviously a versatile actor, his body of work and the performances prove that. He needs to be channeled, but he can do a lot. One of my favourite performances by him was Bad Lieutenant - Port of call New Orleans, him and Herzog were made for working together!
Also, started re-watching Face/Off last night (30mns or so left of it, it was late) and goodness gracious me, what a film! Somehow, Travolta manages to overact even more than Cage does!
Shocking
I tried making this a thing in my household. It didn't go down well
It's an insane film, really.
I generally agree and think its because shows like Sopranos, The Wire showed people how much storytelling was possible in the show format whereas it seems like everything in the 70s-90s was all that "episode of the week" type of story. With TV, a lot more character development can happen for more characters than is possible in a 2-3 movie of course.
Any recommendations for neo noirs? Think Basic Instinct, Cape Fear, Cop Land, LA Confidential etc.
Chances are I've seen most of the good ones...
Chances are I've seen most of the good ones...
Two brilliant Japanese neo noirs films - Cure(1997)and Angel Dust(1994).
Both on YouTube.
Dark City, Brick, Nightcrawler, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang probably counts?
Another review for Fincher's The Killer - a good film to watch on a sick day when I'm feeling very slow. As is to be expected from Fincher, it's all meticulously made and acted, nothing you could find fault with really. Although maybe the understated tone of it all makes the film a bit of a drag sometimes, but it comes with the subject matter really.
The issue is rather the story. I suppose the emotional depth is to be found in how our killer learns to abandon his mantras and live life; but then that's entirely obvious from the moment he starts talking to us, as his 'wisdom' is so superficial that you can't but expect things to turn around for him. Other than that, though, there are some surprises in what actually happens with his targets and how things play out, so it's not all bad.
3/5 I suppose, maybe 3.5.
The issue is rather the story. I suppose the emotional depth is to be found in how our killer learns to abandon his mantras and live life; but then that's entirely obvious from the moment he starts talking to us, as his 'wisdom' is so superficial that you can't but expect things to turn around for him. Other than that, though, there are some surprises in what actually happens with his targets and how things play out, so it's not all bad.
3/5 I suppose, maybe 3.5.
As for the spoilered part:
At the start of that 'chapter' (a bit gimmicky, that), he mentions that police effort is proportional to the wealth or importance of the victim, or something to that effect. He then comments on how wealthy this guy is. So I suppose he sees considerable risk in this killing and prefers to avoid it.
Take it youve seen Chinatown 1974
Cage has been in some absolute shite in his career but 11 of his last 13 films are rated over 50% on RT. Only 4 of his previous 13 got over 50%. He’s recently been on a hot streak of pissing gold by his normal standards. He’s also made those 13 films in 4 years. The guy is prolific.
Bound, Palmetto, Body Heat, Drive, Blue Velvet, Brick, Romeo Is Bleeding, Bad Times at the El Royale, To Live And Die In LA, Blood Simple, Croupier, After Dark My Sweet, Desperate Hours, The Grifters, Miami Blues, 8 Million Ways To Die, Millers Crossing, Delusion, A Kiss Before Dying, One False Move.
Yes I have.
Have seen Nightcrawler only, not the other 3.
Motherless Brooklyn, Nightmare Alley, The Man Who Wasn't There, Drive
Cheers!
There's some fantastic 90s noir/neo noir films you should check out too - Se7en, Usual Suspects (you mentioned LA Confidential, but that's pretty much the Kevin Spacey noir trilogy there), Miller's Crossing as well.
Seen all of those mentioned. The 80s and 90s were fantastic for this.
@VorZakone This is a good list above. I would add:
Night Moves, Thief, Sorcerer, Obsession, Dressed to Kill, Taking of Pelham 123(original), Brief History of Violence, Sexy Beast, Cold in July, Blow Out
Non-English
Wild Goose Lake, Decision to Leave, Touch of Sin, The Yellow Sea, Black Coal Thin Ice, Insomnia (original), Only the River Flows, Memories of Murder
Loved Wild at Heart.
LAW IN TEHRAN
Solid police procedural with a cop who makes Popeye Doyle look like a moderate. Interesting insight into the Iranian justice system with a streak of black humour in places.
8/10
Solid police procedural with a cop who makes Popeye Doyle look like a moderate. Interesting insight into the Iranian justice system with a streak of black humour in places.
8/10
I thought it might be a small section out of context but he is pretty much like this for 50 minutes. They both seem like nice people but the conversation is a bit meh.
I mean it’s basically my wife telling me about her day at work
Killers of The Flower Moon
Very tough watch, Lily Gladstone was superb, she's elegant yet passionate. I'd say not LDC best work, but overall a very solid drama.
8.5/10
Very tough watch, Lily Gladstone was superb, she's elegant yet passionate. I'd say not LDC best work, but overall a very solid drama.
8.5/10
@VorZakone the only one not mentioned so far i think is the long goodbye (1973)
I liked Leave the World Behind, but I generally like anything Sam Esmail does because his cinematography is so good. It was a pretty unsettling film but I can see the end really polarising people. Ultimately I guess I’m not sure what the fecking point of it was, but it was a fun ride.
oh and I don’t get why the animals started going crazy given this is as a man made apocalypse but whatever
oh and I don’t get why the animals started going crazy given this is as a man made apocalypse but whatever
Sam Neill is a good man.