I Just Watched (Films)

[Stormbringer]

Since 2022, [Miller has] been accused of committing assault, burglary, disorderly conduct, harassment, and grooming of minors, resulting in multiple widely publicized arrests, citations, and restraining orders.

Miller has claimed to be Jesus, the devil, and the next Messiah. It also reported that [Miller] believed their relationship with Iron Eyes would bring about the apocalypse and Freemasons were sending demons to kill them.

[Stormbringer]

Red Heat

A film I had never heard of until a couple of days ago when you guys were talking about it in this thread.

I actually really enjoyed it! A nice little throwback into classic 80s culture with some great music and plenty of action. The way Arnie acts in it, I had to remind myself in almost every scene that he wasn't a T-800 posing as a Russian agent. Superb!

[Raid]

Red Heat

A film I had never heard of until a couple of days ago when you guys were talking about it in this thread.

I actually really enjoyed it! A nice little throwback into classic 80s culture with some great music and plenty of action. The way Arnie acts in it, I had to remind myself in almost every scene that he wasn't a T-800 posing as a Russian agent. Superb!

I'm glad someone got some enjoyment out of it. I mostly wished I could have the 90 minutes back.

Since 2022, [Miller has] been accused of committing assault, burglary, disorderly conduct, harassment, and grooming of minors, resulting in multiple widely publicized arrests, citations, and restraining orders.

Miller has claimed to be Jesus, the devil, and the next Messiah. It also reported that [Miller] believed their relationship with Iron Eyes would bring about the apocalypse and Freemasons were sending demons to kill them.

Yes, I read that same passage. They've admitted that they're suffering from quite severe mental health issues and are apparently getting help for them, so I was underselling it a bit.

[eny]

Sling Blade


After seeing it so often in the YT algorithm, I finally bit. Billy Bob Thornton at his finest, such a great little film

[Stormbringer]

Apocalypse Now: The Final Cut

All three hours. What a wild ride. I've watched this film several times; I think I've seen every cut. It has to be one of my favourite films of all time, and each time I watch it, I notice something more or gain some new insight. A masterpiece. The Final Cut has more material in it than the theatrical cut, but not as much as the Redux version from 2001. It was a bit disappointing to have missing content, but apparently this 'final' version is the one Coppola prefers over all. The intensity of it all is just mind-blowing.

After this watch, I feel inspired now to read Heart of Darkness by Joe Conad, From Ritual to Romance by Jessie Weston, and The Golden Bough by James Frazer.

[Wrathbone]

I appreciate Apocalypse Now as a quality film, but I can’t say I’ve ever enjoyed it. It’s the same with the Godfather films - something about Coppola’s filmmaking style leaves me cold, even though objectively I can rarely fault his work.

I can however fault the dinner scene in the French house, which I believe was included in the director’s cut and final cut. What a complete waste of time that kills the film’s momentum and adds virtually nothing.

[Stormbringer]

I don't enjoy the Godfather films either, but I love Apocalypse Now and Dracula.

I haven't seen any of his other work.

I can however fault the dinner scene in the French house, which I believe was included in the director’s cut and final cut. What a complete waste of time that kills the film’s momentum and adds virtually nothing.

Yes, indeed...I still don't really see the point of that. The only part of that scene which makes narrative sense is the burial of Clean. But the dinner itself...other than making some political commentary about French colonialism in Indochina...it really does interrupt the flow. Not quite sure why it made the 'final cut'. I guess Coppola really liked it!

[Stormbringer]

My looped soundtrack for this week.

[Stormbringer]

Silence

A 2016 Martin Scorsese film where Francisco Garupe (Adam Driver) and Sebastião Rodrigues (Andrew Garfield) — both Jesuit Priests from Portugal, but based at a Catholic university in China — smuggle themselves into to Edo-period Japan (specifically 1639 AD), where Christianity is outlawed, to find their missing mentor and confessor, Cristóvão Ferreira (Liam Neeson). According to rumours passed back to China from Dutch merchants, Father Ferreira has committed apostasy, i.e. abandoned his faith in Christ and 'gone native'. It is a slow-burning piece, reminding me very much of something that Terence Malick would make, and highly thought-provoking; a study in where exactly the line is drawn between faith and apostasy, between true belief and external rites.

[Wrathbone]

Karate Kid Legends

A fun but shameless cash-grab, clinging to the success of Cobra Kai while doubling as a Tekken 8 advert. Everything about it feels rushed and puddle-deep, which is a shame because the lead kid in question is pretty good and there’s the trappings of what could have been a decent story. Instead, the majority of the film is shown as montages, which isn’t an exaggeration - I think there may literally be more of the film shown in a montage than not. Anything that could potentially slow the film’s frantic pace down, like dramatic obstacles to overcome or good old fashioned character development, are simply handwaved in favour of punches, or flips, or kicks, or quips, or all of those at once.

If you want a film that doesn’t require a modicum of thought (you won’t have time for any thinking), it’s worth a glance.

6/10

[Raid]

Does that have any links to Cobra Kai at all, or is it its own continuation of the Karate Kid story? I can't say I recognised any of the actors other than Macchio from the trailer.

[Wrathbone]

It appears to take place after Cobra Kai has finished (based on a brief final scene) and Ralph Macchio is only in it for the last 20 minutes or so. The only real link between Karate Kid/Cobra Kai and this is that Jackie Chan's character knew Mr Miyagi, which he uses as leverage to get Macchio to train his student for a few days (in a montage, of course).

[Animalmother]

Weapons
This was great! By the guy that made Barbarian and its very similar in tone. Dark but darkly comical.

Watched this last night. Loved it! Very much a slow burn but really good. A lot of fun and creepy as fuck in places. I've not watched Barbarian but I definitely will now.

Spoiler

It's an analogy for a school shooting isn'tit?

[Sly Boots]

Barbarian is crazy for how the first half of the film you think it's one thing, and then it suddenly becomes something else. Not had that kind of tonal whiplash since From Dusk till Dawn.

I enjoyed it though.

[Alan]

Weapons
This was great! By the guy that made Barbarian and its very similar in tone. Dark but darkly comical.

Watched this last night. Loved it! Very much a slow burn but really good. A lot of fun and creepy as fuck in places. I've not watched Barbarian but I definitely will now.

Spoiler

It's an analogy for a school shooting isn'tit?

Could be or could just be the kids are creepy trope.

He’s making the next Resident Evil movie and apparently knows the games so…. that’s a fucking waste of his talent but hayho :p




Uh, what have I watched…

Eddington
Ari Asters new film about Covid. It’s funny, it’s batshit and it goes places(off the rails places). I’m honestly not sure what I thought about it. It’s probably slightly above Beau and not as good as Midsommar or Hereditary. I dunno though, after not liking Beau at first it’s grown on me over time so I’m not sure how the Aster movies rank

Nobody 2
It’s just exactly what you expect. Bob goes on holiday and shit goes boom. A fun, less serious John Wick. It’s funny how I think of this as old man John Wick when they’re probably about the same age. They underuse Sharon Stone, she deserved a bit more kickassery.

Ugly Stepsister
A review said “the substance but bridgerton” which isn’t far off. It’s a body horror of sorts retelling of Cinderella from the point of view of an “ugly” stepsister as she does various things to make her more beautiful for the prince. It’s good, really liked it!