The Black Dahlia (2006), dir. Brian De Palma
with Scarlett Johansson, Hillary Swank, Mia Kirshner, and a surfeit of lame dudes.
I was trying to watch the last few episodes of "Bodies" and got bored and somehow wound up watching this again. Last time I saw it, I hated Josh Hartnett, but I think he's been good recently so... no, he's still miscast in this. ScarJo, Swank, and Kirshner are a lot to look at. I think that part still holds up. It's basically about a wannabe actress who, like hundreds of thousands of wannabe actresses before her, get used and abused by Hollywood men, except in this instance, the actress is cut in half, exsanguinate, and given a Glasgow smile, among other punishments. I could have lived without seeing that image, by the way.
This time round I enjoyed the De Palma touches, like having someone in foreground while the action is in the background, some bravura overhead crane shots, the framing, the lighting, some of the quick editing, the music flourishes - it's stylish as feck. Can't make my mind up on some De Palma films but when he's gone (he's 84 now), I think he will be reassessed as some golden age throwback we never fully appreciated. Have films gotten this bad that his status is now elevated, or was he always misunderstood? I remember his films being stylish but also sex-crazed and occasionally cheesy. He has a visual style and elan that is an homage to the studio era. The way they make the female leads look in this is amazing, like "movie stars" of yesteryear.
This film is about two cops who get obsessed with the murder case of Betsy Short, aka The Black Dahlia. Way too much time is spent with Hartnett and Echkart fecking around, boxing, copping, shit-talking, and with them plus ScarJo, and not enough with the actual historical case. I think I fell asleep. Hartnett was still doing his speak-in-a-low-voice-without-moving-his-lips shtick, and I just don't get a lot of emotion out of him in this, and he's just not suited to the James Ellroy tough cop dialogue. You'd never buy Hartnett and ScarJo as a couple... except didn't they get married at one point in real life? they dated for two years. Lucky son of a bitch.
Plot-wise, Hartnett
suddenly shoots Swank because Swank hooked up with Short once, and her father was being blackmailed because of a stag film? Swank says, "you want to feck me, not shoot me" and the gun goes bang, flash edit, then she's dead on the floor in a pool of blood. They just kinda gloss over the fact that this hero cop murdered her. Or did he? Was it shot this way to imply he didn't really shoot her, and it was just in his mind? Was this some 11th hour plot change? Because it makes no sense.
I still have no idea why Short was killed or even what this film put forward as a possible reason.
Some good body horror but like Fargeat last film it’s again all far too predictable. The world and the themes of the film are maybe 30 years out of date. It has nothing to say on beauty standards in 2024.
Also I’m not a big plot guy so I mostly don’t care if things make sense but…what is Demi Moore getting out of using the substance ? Her and Margaret Qualley act like completely different characters and their goals are in conflict with each other. Moore signs up for the substance so someone else can replace her as a big aerobics star(Who the feck is watching tv aerobics in 2024). It’s very strange.
Still I can’t discount the shallowness(Or the lack of substance!)of the film as Fargeat critiquing the shallowness of Hollywood itself. Its a fun watch(run time is too long)and Moore gives a great performance but overall a wasted opportunity.
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Decent enough attempt at a sequel but it also seemed to be a bit of nostalgia by the numbers. Good that they got lots of the original cast back (apart from the paedo) and it looked good but overall a bit meh. 5/10
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Decent enough attempt at a sequel but it also seemed to be a bit of nostalgia by the numbers. Good that they got lots of the original cast back (apart from the paedo) and it looked good but overall a bit meh. 5/10
Hollywood is running on fumes these days. Sequels to moribund movies like Ghost Busters, Beverly Hills Cop, Beetlejuiice, just why, why are they doing this?
Indian movie which is basically Die Hard on a train. It’s all very odd to an Indian cinema noob like me. There’s a bizarrely chaste and saccharine love story at the centre of the film which ends up justifying an insanely violent and gruesome rampage from our hero. It’s hard to get your head around the notion that kissing - or even an implication of a sexual relationship - is completely off the cards but a lengthy and explicit beat down which ends with someone’s skull literally pancaked on the floor is absolutely fine. Once you get past that it’s actually quite fun. The relentless hand to hand combat is well choreographed and nasty, in a good way. There’s an interesting attempt to give the baddies some depth as they spent most of the film in a state of anguished grief over all their pulverised homies. The main protagonist is watchable and does a decent job of selling the idea that he’s an unstoppable remorseless killing machine (despite being a soppy virgin). Soundtrack is banging and gives a kinetic energy that keeps things ticking along nicely. All in all, worth a watch, with low expectations.
The Platform 2
I thought the first one was decent, it came at the right time and had a simple story/concept. This one goes overboard with the rules right off the bat that had me trying to remember like 6 things at once whilst getting to know new characters and the allegory was far more convoluted. The rules aren't followed and characters just keep doing dumb things. It was clearly a cash grab. There were some good scenes peppered in but that's not enough to justify this movie 3/10
Hollywood is running on fumes these days. Sequels to moribund movies like Ghost Busters, Beverly Hills Cop, Beetlejuiice, just why, why are they doing this?
The thing that gets me is that it’s reboots and sequels. Just make similar movies and drop the old title.
You don't have to title something ‘Ghostbusters’ to have a team of people chasing ghosts. If you drop the overalls and ambulance and fire station, you can modernise the whole thing. If you drop the historic title you’re not living in service of the stuff that went before. If you’ve gotta nod to it, just have some old posters in the background, or a casual line that “Egon Spengler invented the first version of this thing. He’d have loved to see how far we’ve come”. It can be in the same universe without replicating it.
Same with Beverley Hills Cop. They were just good movies about an oddball cop. Hell, Bad Boys was practically the same movie and was a roaring success, they then milked that to death.
Lord knows what current 18-25 year olds will see as being nostalgic in 15 years. They’re being force fed nostalgic shite from my past.
There is something about Andrew Garfield that I've always liked. Hacksaw Ridge, Never Let Me Go, Silence all benefit from his performance. He looks odd, he acts odd and it almost shouldn't work but he's somehow always compelling to watch. He has something of the James Stewart about him, maybe not the same gravitas but a similar off kilter magnetism. Has always seemed a good guy. Didn't see his Spiderman.
There is something about Andrew Garfield that I've always liked. Hacksaw Ridge, Never Let Me Go, Silence all benefit from his performance. He looks odd, he acts odd and it almost shouldn't work but he's somehow always compelling to watch. He has something of the James Stewart about him, maybe not the same gravitas but a similar off kilter magnetism. Has always seemed a good guy. Didn't see his Spiderman.
I thought he was the closest to Peter Parker looks/personality wise (personal opinion). It was a shame that the films were written really badly. He's my favourite Spiderman.
The thing that gets me is that it’s reboots and sequels. Just make similar movies and drop the old title.
You don't have to title something ‘Ghostbusters’ to have a team of people chasing ghosts. If you drop the overalls and ambulance and fire station, you can modernise the whole thing. If you drop the historic title you’re not living in service of the stuff that went before. If you’ve gotta nod to it, just have some old posters in the background, or a casual line that “Egon Spengler invented the first version of this thing. He’d have loved to see how far we’ve come”. It can be in the same universe without replicating it.
Same with Beverley Hills Cop. They were just good movies about an oddball cop. Hell, Bad Boys was practically the same movie and was a roaring success, they then milked that to death.
Lord knows what current 18-25 year olds will see as being nostalgic in 15 years. They’re being force fed nostalgic shite from my past.
I thought he was the closest to Peter Parker looks/personality wise (personal opinion). It was a shame that the films were written really badly. He's my favourite Spiderman.
I still think they should make a Spider-man movie and cast someone who really is as described in the comics: a 15 year-old scrawny, zit-faced science nerd. The nerdiest, dorkiest, shortest kid in the school suddenly gets superpowers and can kick anyone's ass, and the hottest girl in the school wants him. That's what Spider-man is about. They forget all that in movies, although Maguire and Holland are diminutive. Garfield at 5'10" is actually way too tall. In the Ultimate series, Spidey is 5'5". He makes Licha look towering. Maguire, Garfield, Holland, even the cartoon Miles Morales, none of them are that character.
I still think they should make a Spider-man movie and cast someone who really is as described in the comics: a 15 year-old scrawny, zit-faced science nerd. The nerdiest, dorkiest, shortest kid in the school suddenly gets superpowers and can kick anyone's ass, and the hottest girl in the school wants him. That's what Spider-man is about. They forget all that in movies, although Maguire and Holland are diminutive. Garfield at 5'10" is actually way too tall. In the Ultimate series, Spidey is 5'5". He makes Licha look towering. Maguire, Garfield, Holland, even the cartoon Miles Morales, none of them are that character.
The Platform 2
I thought the first one was decent, it came at the right time and had a simple story/concept. This one goes overboard with the rules right off the bat that had me trying to remember like 6 things at once whilst getting to know new characters and the allegory was far more convoluted. The rules aren't followed and characters just keep doing dumb things. It was clearly a cash grab. There were some good scenes peppered in but that's not enough to justify this movie 3/10
Disappointing. It’s had mainly negative reviews from most people it seems. I enjoyed the first one so I’m still tempted to give this a try. Another film that probably didn’t need a sequel.
The Platform 2
I thought the first one was decent, it came at the right time and had a simple story/concept. This one goes overboard with the rules right off the bat that had me trying to remember like 6 things at once whilst getting to know new characters and the allegory was far more convoluted. The rules aren't followed and characters just keep doing dumb things. It was clearly a cash grab. There were some good scenes peppered in but that's not enough to justify this movie 3/10
Disappointing. It’s had mainly negative reviews from most people it seems. I enjoyed the first one so I’m still tempted to give this a try. Another film that probably didn’t need a sequel.
I never got around to seeing The Platform. How gory or disturbing would you say it is? @Dirty Schwein is hardcore and nothing phases him, but maybe @Cole9 can offer the perspective of someone whose soul hasn't been worn down to a tiny nub by all of the damaging material he's beamed at his eyes.
I never got around to seeing The Platform. How gory or disturbing would you say it is? @Dirty Schwein is hardcore and nothing phases him, but maybe @Cole9 can offer the perspective of someone whose soul hasn't been worn down to a tiny nub by all of the damaging material he's beamed at his eyes.
Heard so many people talk about The Princess Bride but for various reasons, never got round to watching it. Mate was going on about it Friday so thought I’d watch it this weekend.
Understood it was a hilarious spoof of the old swashbuckling style films that Errol Flynn tended to be in and was expecting something akin to Airplane or Blazing Saddles (spoofs of other genres).
Just watched it and sure I’m in the minority but really didn’t think it was funny.. more homage than spoof. Painful watching people like Peter Cook lisping and Mel Smith as some pale gaoler.
I never got around to seeing The Platform. How gory or disturbing would you say it is? @Dirty Schwein is hardcore and nothing phases him, but maybe @Cole9 can offer the perspective of someone whose soul hasn't been worn down to a tiny nub by all of the damaging material he's beamed at his eyes.
I watched it and appreciated it, so clearly it wasn't particularly gross or gory. I think the metaphor petered out a bit at the end, but overall it's an interesting and fairly successful concept film. (That really didn't ask for a sequel. I watched its trailer and won't watch the film.)
I saw Captain Phillips last night, a 2013 Paul Greengrass film about a captain (Tom Hanks) whose freight ship gets boarded by Somali pirates (based on true events). The first hour was strong and captivating, but I thought the second half was a bore.
The film is based on the guy's book, so of course he'll survive. So we're in that survival ship super long, with flashes of dapper US navy personnel working on a solution, while the ending is never in doubt. It's just lame. That time could have been used for some proper conversation, to better understand the motivations of the pirates and make us actually care about the eventual ending and add drama, and also add a bit of actual societal relevance to the film. But no, it's a tense thriller and stays a tense thriller - and could have done with at least 30 mins less.
I'll admit I was distracted for periods though, so maybe I missed exactly what I'm now criticizing?
I saw Captain Phillips last night, a 2013 Paul Greengrass film about a captain (Tom Hanks) whose freight ship gets boarded by Somali prates (based on true events). The first hour was strong and captivating, but I thought the second half was a bore.
The film is based on the guy's book, so of course he'll survive. So we're in that survival ship super long, with flashes of dapper US navy personnel working on a solution, while the ending is never in doubt. It's just lame. That time could have been used for some proper conversation, to better understand the motivations of the pirates and make us actually care about the eventual ending and add drama, and also add a but of actual societal relevance to the film. But no, it's a tense thriller and stays a tense thriller - and could have done with at least 30 mins less.
I'll admit I was distracted for periods though, so maybe I missed exactly what I'm now criticizing?
I saw Captain Phillips last night, a 2013 Paul Greengrass film about a captain (Tom Hanks) whose freight ship gets boarded by Somali prates (based on true events). The first hour was strong and captivating, but I thought the second half was a bore.
The film is based on the guy's book, so of course he'll survive. So we're in that survival ship super long, with flashes of dapper US navy personnel working on a solution, while the ending is never in doubt. It's just lame. That time could have been used for some proper conversation, to better understand the motivations of the pirates and make us actually care about the eventual ending and add drama, and also add a but of actual societal relevance to the film. But no, it's a tense thriller and stays a tense thriller - and could have done with at least 30 mins less.
I'll admit I was distracted for periods though, so maybe I missed exactly what I'm now criticizing?
I remember being in the front row in the cinema for that one right up at the screen and I still managed to fall asleep for half of it. Says a lot about the film, I think.
Heard so many people talk about The Princess Bride but for various reasons, never got round to watching it. Mate was going on about it Friday so thought I’d watch it this weekend.
Understood it was a hilarious spoof of the old swashbuckling style films that Errol Flynn tended to be in and was expecting something akin to Airplane or Blazing Saddles (spoofs of other genres).
Just watched it and sure I’m in the minority but really didn’t think it was funny.. more homage than spoof. Painful watching people like Peter Cook lisping and Mel Smith as some pale gaoler.
I watched it and appreciated it, so clearly it wasn't particularly gross or gory. I think the metaphor petered out a bit at the end, but overall it's an interesting and fairly successful concept film. (That really didn't ask for a sequel. I watched its trailer and won't watch the film.)
Heard so many people talk about The Princess Bride but for various reasons, never got round to watching it. Mate was going on about it Friday so thought I’d watch it this weekend.
Understood it was a hilarious spoof of the old swashbuckling style films that Errol Flynn tended to be in and was expecting something akin to Airplane or Blazing Saddles (spoofs of other genres).
Just watched it and sure I’m in the minority but really didn’t think it was funny.. more homage than spoof. Painful watching people like Peter Cook lisping and Mel Smith as some pale gaoler.
I can't remember it that well but I think it was something to do with using youth to deliver the message that the current economic structure is messing up future generations. Something like that. But I could be remembering the ending wrong.
Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark
A young girl sent to live with her father and his new girlfriend believes that she has released creatures from a sealed ash pit in the basement of her new home. This movie didn't really do much for me. Apart from a couple of good moments, this was a film stuffed with generic horror tropes and not creepy at all. I tend to feel this way with films involving Guillermo Del Toro. Maybe it's the fantastical/gothic nature or the whimsical scores... his films just don't do anything for me (in terms of being scared/creeped out) 3/10
I watched Certified Copy in the weekend. I have watched a few of Abbas Kiarostami's movies before and they have been a bit hit and miss for me - Taste of Cherry was great, while stuff like Where Is the Friend's House? and The Wind Will Carry Us didn't really do anything for me.
Certified Copy reminds me a bit of Before Sunset in some ways, and while not as brilliant as that it's still quite stunningly good. It's slow but hypnotic, the acting is top (Binoche is incredible) and the dialogue is always pulling you in. The whole thing about original vs copy is interesting and the way the movie is set up as a reflection of that is really well done. The ambigious nature of it makes it linger in my mind. Just an all around top film and something really up my alley.. For me Abbas' strongest work of what I have seen.
I would like to watch The Wave but aren't there different movies that are called the Wave? Which one is the definitive one to watch? It's about a classroom experiment for how Germans could go along with the Nazis.
I would like to watch The Wave but aren't there different movies that are called the Wave? Which one is the definitive one to watch? It's about a classroom experiment for how Germans could go along with the Nazis.
There is something about Andrew Garfield that I've always liked. Hacksaw Ridge, Never Let Me Go, Silence all benefit from his performance. He looks odd, he acts odd and it almost shouldn't work but he's somehow always compelling to watch. He has something of the James Stewart about him, maybe not the same gravitas but a similar off kilter magnetism. Has always seemed a good guy. Didn't see his Spiderman.
A rare nostalgia sequel that's actually as good if not better than the original. Only slight criticism is that maybe there was one too many subplots crammed in (not sure what the Monica Belluci one really added) but that's a minor niggle and you can tell that the whole cast was having fun with it.
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
I really enjoyed this, probably as much as (if not more) than the original. A bit chaotic with too many narratives and Monica Belluci's character had a lot of setup and no real payoff but it was a really fun film. Nice seeing Michael Keaton back and Tim Burton having fun in this world 7/10
What a load of shite. Build up? None. Character development? Forget about it. Main characters who somehow manage to not know how to whisper and still manage to be loud in the middle of NYC? Check. The kinda disaster/thriller/horror movie with the characters doing so much dumb shit and with so many inconsistencies it makes anyone with half a brain want to punch the screen.
1/10
1 for who the feck knows. At least the movie gave my subwoofer a workout. Which is kind of hilarious when you think about the premise.
The man from earth (2007):
Meh. This has been on my watch list since college more than 10 years ago. Did NOT live up to the hype. Felt like a mediocre TOS or TNG Trek episode, with an interesting premise but not executed in a particularly interesting way. 6/10
Wasn't surprised to find on wiki that the writer did write a TOS S3 (the worst season) ep.
