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I got about an hour into "Inherent Vice" before it departs HBO Max today, hopefully I can finish it. It's an adaptation of a book and directed/written by Paul Thomas Anderson, whose films I generally love.
Of course Joaquin Phoenix is in the film, with Wolverine sideburns and looking like he was dragged out of a dumpster on a 70's back alley. I wonder what he smelled like on set, the guy goes all in when he takes a role.
The things I didn't know is (1) how many other famous folks were tucked away inside this film and (2) how funny it would be. I found myself laughing ridiculously at how weird so much of this film is right now. It's like a drug trip of its own and I haven't hit the halfway point yet. And it's just all out there, Anderson doesn't coddle anyone with language. Phoenix seems like he's half-addle-brained through much of the film. Is he actually high?
I got about an hour into "Inherent Vice" before it departs HBO Max today, hopefully I can finish it. It's an adaptation of a book and directed/written by Paul Thomas Anderson, whose films I generally love.
Of course Joaquin Phoenix is in the film, with Wolverine sideburns and looking like he was dragged out of a dumpster on a 70's back alley. I wonder what he smelled like on set, the guy goes all in when he takes a role.
The things I didn't know is (1) how many other famous folks were tucked away inside this film and (2) how funny it would be. I found myself laughing ridiculously at how weird so much of this film is right now. It's like a drug trip of its own and I haven't hit the halfway point yet. And it's just all out there, Anderson doesn't coddle anyone with language. Phoenix seems like he's half-addle-brained through much of the film. Is he actually high?
Oh, Zazu, don't be ridiculous. All you need is a little garnish.
I love this movie. I see it as PTA's take on the Big Lebowski. Less homages and references to Marlowe/Bogart noir, and more just general weirdness. It's one of those things that gives you a contact high just by watching it, much like the Action Bronson shows.
I love this movie. I see it as PTA's take on the Big Lebowski. Less homages and references to Marlowe/Bogart noir, and more just general weirdness. It's one of those things that gives you a contact high just by watching it, much like the Action Bronson shows.
But I'm dyin' over all the other cameos. Just... wow. I don't know if I want to ever rewatch this, but it is really amusing on first watch. I usually only feel this high watching Tarantino craziness. And Josh Brolin - LMAO. Everything is just so crazy, unexpected, zany, from the cathouse, to the skeevy tie closet, he's hooking up with the DA or something (Reese Witherspoon?)....
One thing I forgot is how tall Katherine Waterston is, she towers over Joaquin in one moment... he's only 5'8", she's 5'11" and I think she's also wearing a few inches of heels. I did not even recognize her at first, with the long blonde hair.
I got about an hour into "Inherent Vice" before it departs HBO Max today, hopefully I can finish it. It's an adaptation of a book and directed/written by Paul Thomas Anderson, whose films I generally love.
Of course Joaquin Phoenix is in the film, with Wolverine sideburns and looking like he was dragged out of a dumpster on a 70's back alley. I wonder what he smelled like on set, the guy goes all in when he takes a role.
The things I didn't know is (1) how many other famous folks were tucked away inside this film and (2) how funny it would be. I found myself laughing ridiculously at how weird so much of this film is right now. It's like a drug trip of its own and I haven't hit the halfway point yet. And it's just all out there, Anderson doesn't coddle anyone with language. Phoenix seems like he's half-addle-brained through much of the film. Is he actually high?
Oh, Zazu, don't be ridiculous. All you need is a little garnish.
I love this movie. I see it as PTA's take on the Big Lebowski. Less homages and references to Marlowe/Bogart noir, and more just general weirdness. It's one of those things that gives you a contact high just by watching it, much like the Action Bronson shows.
This is my go-to thread on the forum now. Once again I saw this in the nick of time and am half an hour into it now. Several laughs so far, and the comparison to modern Lebowski seems apt.
This is my go-to thread on the forum now. Once again I saw this in the nick of time and am half an hour into it now. Several laughs so far, and the comparison to modern Lebowski seems apt.
haha! I've got about twenty minutes to go, it gets a little more serious near the end but I'm really dyin' here...! This is probably the funniest PT Anderson film I've seen, most are more serious.
Tom & Jerry leaves tonight too, and some other films. I think Godzilla vs Kong opens today though on HBO Max.
I think part of it is how straight they play it while it's all so ridiculous. One of the funniest things is Bigfoot yelling at the Japanese cook in the Japanese restaurant, he's the only guy in there with Doc, and after he shouts at the guy in emphatic Japanese intimidating him, he's like, "The pancakes here aren't nearly as good as mother used to make, but what I come here for is the respect." it's so random and so awful, I lost it. [Who goes to a Japanese restaurant for pancakes? And it's not respect, he's browbeating him.]
it's like when Bigfoot's wife tells him not to act like a whipped dog, while totally lambasting him like a harridan to basically cow him.
And all the banana jokes with Bigfoot. it just doesn't stop.
... oh yeah, I did see the segment with Martin Short. my opinion of Short is that he's one of the best comedic character actors alive (even compared to his fellow SCTV cast members), in the sense that usually when comedy folks do characters, they're a little too extreme and are clearly caricatures. Short has this ability to make his characters super-funny and yet they still feel like real people even if extreme. He just kind of melts into the character.
Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994) – don’t remember much except smart for a film of this type.
Hancock (2008) – great concept, but the studio + Smith didn’t have the guts to carry the idea through and it kind of flips genres in the middle.
How to Train Your Dragon (2010) – One of the greatest animated films made in terms of story. Highlight of the trilogy.
Inception (2010) – Nolan’s most popular film among General Audience and is always worth a watch despite its over-expository style at times.
Minority Report (2002) – a bit of a weak ending but a really enjoy Spielberg/Cruise team-up. The backstory is pretty sad. Decent acting in scifi.
Sleeping with the Enemy (1991) – haha, omg. I have this film on bluray, I think. I can’t say it’s a GOOD film, but it definitely evokes feeling and Patrick Bergen is crazy, he kind of looms over the film and is so intense. It’s a not-great film I still kind of enjoy because of how nutty the drama is.
The Abyss (1989) – I prefer the extended edition if you can find the DVD. I wish they would release this on bluray and/or 4K. It’s one of Cameron’s least discussed films, but Ed Harris and Mary Mastrantonio are so good.. .and I love it’s an F guy + a T woman. Their relationship feels so real.
The Happening (2008) – kinda the last straw with Shyamalan. The first five minutes are great, watch that then turn it off.
What About Bob? (1991) – “It’s DEATH THERAPY, BOB!†If you want to watch Richard Dreyfuss winding himself up so tight he goes insane due to Bill Murray’s antics, this is the right film. The daughter grew up to do a lot of TV stuff plus I think was in Stir of Echoes. This film also probably has the funniest unexpected joke I have ever encountered in a film, where Bob stays overnight with Siggy and they get in trouble…
Arrival – What else can I say about this wonderful film? Another Villenueve classic. Adams is great.
The Gift – Joel Edgerton, low-key thriller. Worth a watch, messes with your head.
Friends with Benefits – if you gotta watch this, watch “No Strings Attached’ instead, came out at the same time, same concept, but better film.
Insidious – Best of the Insidious films, novel at the time, characters sometimes try to act sensibly, a few good jump scares. Lin Shaye is always a joy.
The Pianist – Roman Polanski film, Adrian Brody. Good film, although I’ve seen quibbles of Polanski getting best director.
Yes, Man – Critics were mixed, audiences seemed to like this?
Legally Blonde – Never watched, supposed to be great
Sky High – Silly teen-oriented superhero film but Mary Elizabeth Winstead is so awesome!
The Master – Another TBA film. If you like this director and Joaquin + PSH, must see. Great film if so inclined.
Synchronic – 2020 film, scifi with bits of horror woven throughout. Same guys that made The Endless, with a larger budget here. Kind of bittersweet. Cool low-key effects.
EDIT: Enjoy these links, because it is the only situation where I'll probably ever share something from Fox News, rofl
I'm thinking the Kong/Godzilla movies are not really for me.
I remember being really bored through the 2014 Godzilla film. The best parts were the fight scenes and the movie held out on the audience much of the time. We only go to these to watch the fights!
I missed Godzilla, King of the Monsters, although I bought a 4K copy cheap last year -- i just haven't felt like watching it yet.
Today I started watching Godzilla vs Kong. I made it about 15 minutes before I had to turn it off, I was bored to tears. I'm glad to see Adam Wingard doing a big film, but I think I find his more horror-y smaller stuff more interesting. At least he learned that people just want to see the monsters, the film pretty much opens with one and within ten minutes the other makes an appearance, and there are numerous battles so that is cool. But the dialog/script is boring AF, I'd rather they just threw the monsters in a ring and battled non-stop for 90 minutes if the writers are gonna phone it in.
The Kong interpretation was a little new, he looked like a single 40-something guy waking up, picking at his ass, and waddling around his house without a concern in the world. Amusing, although not intriguing.
I'm still kind of in love with Jackson's extended King Kong cut from 2004-2005, that movie held my attention dramatically and then action wise, and really moved me. I surprisingly also enjoyed Kong: Monster Island, which was a different take but actually was pretty decent for an action film. But these Godzilla films...? Eh. I dunno. In any case, I hope others can enjoy them, it would be a shame for all this money to go into them and not have them go anywhere.
I didn't know they were looking at New Gods, although I was aware of the Trench Aquaman spinoff.
Honestly... I'm just not real keen on Ava DuVernay after she really screwed up "A Wrinkle in Time." That film was such a disappointment. I was fine with the family casting and the lead, but the Witches casting felt really off, and the whole script/plot after 15-20 minutes in just flattened out. I'm not sure why she was picked to participate, and I'm not sure what in her movie history suggested she'd be a decent fit for New Gods (Jack Kirby) either.
Maybe they are realizing this... and maybe also the appearance of Darkseid in JLSC is making them reconsider the property.
I don't want to hate on DuVernay, I've heard Selma was good -- and maybe she was a good fit for that material. I feel like she is about messaging, but not necessarily about plotting, etc. Like, maybe she wasn't a good fit for the latest material they are shoving at her. I think Ryan Coogler worked out with Black Panther because he was already making good dramatic films with plots, and when you watch his films, they do present a black experience and yet they are not just about "getting woke," they're telling a regular story just from a perspective that has been underutilized. Like, they are just good dramatic stories. When you use movies just as a vehicle to preach an idea, you're basically about as good as all those "Christian" films like "God's Not Dead" or "Left Behind." Basically you want to weave your idea with a little more finesse into the story.
FINALLY watched Primal Fear (Edward Norton, Richard Gere, Laura Linney). I have actually owned a blu-ray of this for years but ended up watching it free on streaming finally, I just was never in the mood; I was also sick of actively dodging spoilers, although I had a fairly good idea of where it was going and was just curious to see if my hunch was correct.
Gere is a DA defending pro bono a choir boy accused (and tied to the crime) of murdering an arch-bishop in Chicago. There are a few subplots, and the question is more about how Gere will get his client off, since by midway we have a better sense of whether or not he actually did it.
I am thinking maybe the book this film is based on did a better job of working the subplots and legal strategies into the story, because this is probably the weakest part of the film -- it's never really clear what strategy Marty (Gere) is taking since he seems to jump off a lot on tangents. There's also a few moments that made me wonder whether that kind of thing was allowed in court. (For example, I don't think you can just call a blind witness, especially related to the firm of the prosecutor, you have to provide your witness list to the opposition ahead of time, don't you -- unless the judge sees some good reason for it and allows it? I don't think this would count.)
I'm also not clear how the title has anything to do with the film. I am hoping the book was better at tying it in.
Where I think the film succeeds is the twists (since there are a few), even if one is way too on the nose -- and mainly the strength of the actors. THIS is why you hire a quality cast for your film, especially if the film has only an average script. This was also Norton's first film appearance, and he was quite good for being an unknown. (I think he won a Golden Globe too, so... yeah.) But Gere and Linney breathe life into what could be generic characters, they are both pretty nuanced. They also used to be lovers in the film, but she left. It's interesting, because he's still into her, and she's still on some level into him or at least attracted to him, but also seems him as bad for her in some ways and doesn't want to get back together. Their scenes are the most electric in the film. Alfre Woodard is also a pretty hard-assed judge, I really liked her here -- it might be a kind of stock character type, but she feels like one of the best versions of it I've seen. Frances McDormand plays an academic shrink interviewing the accused.
There's also a ton of other stock characters played by people who would become more well-known over the years.
What's interesting to me is that there are two more books after this one, and apparently the revelation here drives two more tales.
This is the hugest spoiler of the film, so... read at own risk.
For the novels, this first book/film would be "Birth of a Serial Killer." It turns out that Stampler and Marty Vail do this dance two more times over the years. Norton is really good with his personas here. I consider the ending to be a script flaw, the reveal is WAY too much on the nose -- a better film would have just had Marty realize the truth, go back, and Stampler drop back to his infuriatingly opaque Aaron role, leaving Marty to wonder whether he was off the wall. However, it does allow for one of the best lines in the film, where Vail says, "So... there was never a Roy?" and Stampler says he's disappointed in him, because "no, there was never an Aaron." He also rubs his face in a bunch of things that Vail has said to others through the movie, using similar phrases that cut at Vail's sense of himself. I think it is a fun scene, but kind of trivializes the film a bit since it's not nuanced. Again, another reason why you hire good actors -- the lines on page are a bit thin, but the acting is decent. Norton is actually physically terrifying in the solo scene with Gere, when he cuts loose.
Rewatching "Jacob's Ladder" on HBO Max. I don't think I've seen it for twenty years, so I was planning on a rewatch at some point.
Since I already know what's going on, I'll just say I think the film shows its hand too early in the film. I'm not sure how to fix this, as much of it feels like a fever dream. I think maybe if Jacob referred more to the past event that has traumatized him as something that was resolved / fixed, then that would redirect the viewer early on? Sometimes movies can get away with showing their hand early in the film... but you have to have the proper setup. (Shyamalan's "The Sixth Sense" is a great example of this -- it parades the truth in front of the viewer until the final ten minutes, because it has successfully redirected everyone away from it early on.) Jacob's Ladder is not as deft.
That being said, it's still kind of interesting and very unsettling (like that whole sequence at the dance party? Yeesh).
There's a lot of actors here who showed up more in later films/TV, so it's a joy to pick them out of the crowd. Ving Rhames? lol. I know that guy's voice anywhere. Two of note, though:
- Macauley Caulkin. I think this film came out shortly before "Home Alone." His first appearance in this film is a photo and I was like "shit, that's Culkin." He has such a distinctive head shape and mouth. He's apparently uncredited. But he actually shows up "fer reals" later in the film. His deliveries of his lines are actually good, for a ten year old. So he actually could act. I've seen many more stilted ten-year-old boy actors, he's better than that.
- Elizabeth Pena. I wish I had watched more stuff with her. She is just lovely here. I am aware that she fought like hell to get this part in JL. She's beautiful, full of energy, fully alive. She anchors much of the film by her presence. I'm just looking at her with fresh eyes. She was around 30 at this time. She just kind of takes the breath away. The other thing I know her very well in (which is ironic) is "The Incredibles," since she played Mirage... who is very white and has a totally different body shape. But the voice is the same, and kind of understated for her. It shows the range of her acting ability, though. I remember feeling gut-punched when she died in 2014. It was made worse that she was only 55 and died of cirrhosis of the liver, from a chronic alcohol problem. My own grandmother died at 54 or so from the same thing, so it feels very personal to me. I just feel so sad today watching this, she is so alive still on screen even if her body has moved on. What a loss.
It's too bad we never got more Abraxas movies. He'd been a "finder" for 10000 years, I'm sure he had all kinds of adventures. There are so many more small Canadian towns to explore. Or we could learn about Secundus and how he "saw too much" and became "no longer a good man", perhaps a mishap involving "Sardacian oil" caused the relationship between Abraxas and Secundus to deteriorate.
I still love the Twilight movies after all these years. It's fun to re-watch when I'm more mature, able to recognize all the unhealthy behaviors, and also things that I used to do in the past. I was a lot like Bella in my relationships (not as extreme), being all about that person, neglecting friendships, wanting to die and isolating myself when the relationship ended.
Eclipse is my favorite. For one, it was actually a lot more colorful than the previous movies, and it was filled with more action. Plus Kristen and Rob were even more attractive in this one, lol.
Saw Godzilla vs. Kong. This is a good example of why Digital cinematography sucks. The faces were bland even in close-up, and hollow earth looked like straight-up Anime.
Yes, to answer this question, I think Ridley Scott definitely intended Prometheus as a remake or correction of sorts and I’ve thought this since I first watched it and noticed the many structural similarities to AvP. I think it really got under his skin that AvP happened, he felt it was fucking with what he saw as his baby, and I think Prometheus was a deliberate attempt to rewrite the lore established in AvP. I’m not defending AvP—Prometheus, despite its many flaws, was the superior film.
That said, I think AvP could have been a great film with the right script and the right vision. It aimed way too low. I don’t think crossover films are impossible to execute well, it’s just rare to see one executed well
I’ve also never liked the theory that Deckard is a replicant. I don’t think Scott intended this from the beginning, I think he came to like the idea later and it was something subsequently implied in later cuts of the film. Deckard is more interesting as a human character.
I’ve also never liked the theory that Deckard is a replicant. I don’t think Scott intended this from the beginning, I think he came to like the idea later and it was something subsequently implied in later cuts of the film. Deckard is more interesting as a human character.
I'm inclined to agree. I feel like the sequel works against this theory, anyway. It's a big deal that Rachel was pregnant, but nobody mentions anything about Deckard. It's never stated, but I think we're meant to conclude he's human.
I'm inclined to agree. I feel like the sequel works against this theory, anyway. It's a big deal that Rachel was pregnant, but nobody mentions anything about Deckard. It's never stated, but I think we're meant to conclude he's human.
I really like the sequel a lot, it's its own thing yet manages to build off motifs from the first film, and it manages to deal with the Chosen One trope uniquely.
That said, I think AvP could have been a great film with the right script and the right vision. It aimed way too low. I don’t think crossover films are impossible to execute well, it’s just rare to see one executed well
Well, that it did. It never really did aim that high, it embraced its reality being a symbiote mashup.
I'm still kinda sore on Scott's last two additions to the genre. Great production quality and set design and good actors, but the script and editing... Kills / Debases the films. Elizabeth Shaw deserved better.
