Random Movie Thoughts Thread

[Bacopa]

Watched Quo Vadis Aida, about Srebrenica, good movie

 

[Tomb1]

yeah they've become a decent Hub for a number of different networks / properties, and also potentially for films that release simultaneously in theater and streaming.

meets a demand for sure...

 

[Totenkindly]

Watched Palm Springs last night. I'm not much into Andy Samberg (generally speaking), but he plays this role in unique fashion; and I'm a Cristin Milioti fan; and JK Simmons brings gravitas to a secondary role.

Despite the comparisons to Groundhog Day (this is another "stuck in time" trope film), I think "Palm Springs" manages to be its own unique story due to the foresight of the writers, the story decisions, and the actors.

Ultimately, I found it really enjoyable to watch and laughed a great deal. Also, at 1:30 run time, it does not overstay its welcome. I just wish emotionally something had lingered after.

 

[Totenkindly]

Lake Mungo Limited Edition Blu-ray

Lake Mungo is being limited released on bluray!

Typically you have to pay for streaming to see it. It might be on a beat-up DVD of horror compilations or an overpriced DVD somewhere, but .... very happy they have decided to put this out. It's got to be one of the most effective low-budget documentary-style horror flicks I've seen. People seem to regularly mistake it for an actual documentary, which is a testament to the actors and filming style. I am definitely keeping an eye out for this when it hits pre-order.

 

[Jaguar]

Excellent performance by Ethan Hawke in Adopt a Highway.

 

[Jaguar]

Fantastic montage.

 

[Doctor Cringelord]

Since the Alien franchise has been coming up a lot, I ended up watching Aliens again over the weekend. (I wish there was a 4K but maybe the transfer wouldn't be great based on when the movie came out; still, the bluray special edition, most recent, is pretty nice.)

It's odd -- I have typically viewed the film (the long version) as a story of motherhood, as you have a woman who lost her daughter through shit luck, who finds another girl who needs her and she becomes a surrogate mom, and this is pitted in a crazy way against the alien queen who is also a mother -- and you have two mothers drawn face to face by the end of the film, either fighting to preserve the lives of their children and/or wreaking revenge on each other for destroying their children. I've seen the film in light of that for many years now.

But this was the first time I looked at the film as a story of a trauma victim who ends up finding another trauma victim and the bond they build.

I mean, I don't really see Ripley as a "victim" in many ways because she is so damn proactive and strong. But the reality is that she basically watched her entire crew brutalized in the first film and barely escaped with her life aside from her own resourcefulness, courage, and perseverance. Then she gets home and finds out her daughter is now gone

dying at 66 of old age two years prior, after Ripley promised to be home for her 11th birthday or something -- and note she had no kids, did she never have kids because she knew how it felt to lose a parent and never wanted children to experience that pain?

and the whole opening segment of the film is Ripley basically experiencing terrible episodes of PTSD. (I'm pretty sure Burke either says that or highlights it, but the film kind of glosses over it once it starts rolling.) Ripley only goes back to LV-426 in fact because she is traumatized by her dreams and feels the only way to stop her nightmares is to convince herself that the aliens no longer exist and/or make sure they are all dead... plus her natural sympathy for others who might be experiencing the same horror she is.

And then she gets there and finds a little girl who lost not just her entire family but her whole community. Newt is ALSO experiencing PTSD after surviving for days without any help or weapons. She bites Hicks, flees Ripley, then fights like hell when Ripley puts her arms around her, then drops into dead silence for awhile. Even after she "engages", she's still marked by the highlights of a trauma survivor: She constantly is wedging herself into tiny spaces so that nothing can sneak up on her and/or to hide herself, and she's very pessimistic about their chances. "It won't matter," she says. It's as creepy AF to see the effect of her experiences on her. But there are so many moments that seem indicative of people who have suffered terrible trauma.

But it's another reason she and Ripley bond. Yes, Ripley becomes her surrogate mother just like Hicks becomes her surrogate husband (I have to say, it is one of the best moments I have seen in a film, emotionally, because it is so underwritten yet acted so well: Ripley tries to say goodbye to Hicks, knowing she will probably die and the rest of them after, and he corrects her by abruptly giving her his first name, and she is surprised and gives him hers, and he just says, "Don't be long, Ellen." Damn, there is so much to unpack in that 15-second sequence.), and it's even paid off at the end when Ripley wins and Newt calls her "Mommy" -- but it's also really obvious now on this viewing that they are both bonding because of being trauma victims. BOth of them also become proactive: Ripley takes charge of her destiny again, regardless of living or dying, to save Newt, and Newt opens herself up to Ripley.

It's just kind of incredible, the catharsis for both of these very scarred women, to try to heal and take control of their lives again. It's even in the last lines: "Can I dream?" asks Newt. "Yes, honey. I think we both can," replies Ripley.

I think this is why Aliens is one of those beloved action films that, aside from having many archetypical characters and memorable lines, operates on a few different authentic levels at once. It might be an action film, but it's just basically making "active" what amounts to strong dramatic arcs and truthful experience in how people deal with loss and trauma in ways that allow them to regain their humanity.


EDit: I gotta say too, I am trying really hard to reconsider Alien3 on the merits... but I can never ever EVER forgive how despicable the opening was, where basically a restored mother/daughter relations as well as the healing of trauma victims are both treated as little more than plot detritus to be discarded for a far lesser story. I mean, it makes my stomach churn just to think of it. It's absolutely vile.

Would it help to view alien 3 more as a stand-alone? Forget about aliens and just pretend you’re heading into it with little or no knowledge of the previous films?

Either way, I think Ripley’s repeat series of losses really defines her character and her arc. I just don’t think alien 3 would have worked as well with hicks and newt tagging along. It also doesn’t help that there was a 6 year gap between films, so they would’ve had to recast Newt. Also, didn’t the actress who played Newt retire from acting after Aliens?

As butthurt as James Cameron was about what they did in Alien 3, I think he is largely responsible for setting the trajectory of the series in that direction. I mean, Alien in is basically an ensemble film, with Ripley as a largely undeveloped final girl trope. Cameron really made it HER story in Aliens. The supporting characters, while great and well rounded, are still very much supporting her story as the primary focus. It would’ve been hard to include Hicks, Newt and Bishop with a sense of purpose without relegating Ripley back to ensemble player status

Just as her pain of missing out on her daughter’s life defines her arc in Aliens, her survivor’s guilt and nihilism defines her arc in Alien 3

Actually, the best way to bring Newt in to Alien 3, IMO, would be to do a radical flip and kill Ripley off early on in the film, turning it into Newt’s journey, with focus on her coming to terms with her own losses. But by that point Weaver was ‘The Star’. But I think this could’ve been a brave direction and it also would’ve really solidified the danger and threat of the Xenomorph as an indiscriminate murder machine

 

[Doctor Cringelord]

 

[Totenkindly]

Would it help to view alien 3 more as a stand-alone? Forget about aliens and just pretend you’re heading into it with little or no knowledge of the previous films?

Either way, I think Ripley’s repeat series of losses really defines her character and her arc. I just don’t think alien 3 would have worked as well with hicks and newt tagging along. It also doesn’t help that there was a 6 year gap between films, so they would’ve had to recast Newt. Also, didn’t the actress who played Newt retire from acting after Aliens?

As butthurt as James Cameron was about what they did in Alien 3, I think he is largely responsible for setting the trajectory of the series in that direction. I mean, Alien in is basically an ensemble film, with Ripley as a largely undeveloped final girl trope. Cameron really made it HER story in Aliens. The supporting characters, while great and well rounded, are still very much supporting her story as the primary focus. It would’ve been hard to include Hicks, Newt and Bishop with a sense of purpose without relegating Ripley back to ensemble player status

Just as her pain of missing out on her daughter’s life defines her arc in Aliens, her survivor’s guilt and nihilism defines her arc in Alien 3

Actually, the best way to bring Newt in to Alien 3, IMO, would be to do a radical flip and kill Ripley off early on in the film, turning it into Newt’s journey, with focus on her coming to terms with her own losses. But by that point Weaver was ‘The Star’. But I think this could’ve been a brave direction and it also would’ve really solidified the danger and threat of the Xenomorph as an indiscriminate murder machine

Yeah. No, sorry. I don't need the Alien3 apologetics, nor do I hold it in any special kind of reverence. Basically it's a tier down from the first two films but happens to be the third best Alien film (possibly -- I guess it would be on tier with Prometheus and Covenant -- and A4 and AVP would be in the bottom tier) and that is where it will stay.

They could have simply booted from later in the timeline rather than immediately trashing the prior film.

One cannot really fault Cameron either for making too good a franchise film and giving it a positive ending. American film franchises really suck sometimes, just like TV shows that continue three seasons past their expiration dates so that more money can be made.

---

Talking about comparative franchises -- Terminator Dark Fate actually is not a bad movie, it's rather decent aside from the opening five minutes... but unfortunately T2 happened in there. So it feels a bit like a remake/reboot/redundant. If it had been a standalone not in a franchise and the ideas had been more new to itself, it would be considered decent. Oh well.

 

[Doctor Cringelord]

Yeah. No, sorry. I don't need the Alien3 apologetics, nor do I hold it in any special kind of reverence. Basically it's a tier down from the first two films but happens to be the third best Alien film (possibly -- I guess it would be on tier with Prometheus and Covenant -- and A4 and AVP would be in the bottom tier) and that is where it will stay.

Alien 3 is definitely a tier above Prometheus and Covenant, if not in the same league as the first 2.

I'd put it

Alien/Aliens top tier
Alien 3 second tier
Prometheus third tier
Covenant/Resurrection fourth tier
we'll ignore the AvP films (Resurrection was still worlds better than either of these)

They could have simply booted from later in the timeline rather than immediately trashing the prior film.

Perhaps, although I do like how each film starts with Ripley waking up to a new nightmare. Even Resurrection starts with her clone waking up. It's the one thread of thematic consistency throughout those 4 movies.

One cannot really fault Cameron either for making too good a franchise film and giving it a positive ending. American film franchises really suck sometimes, just like TV shows that continue three seasons past their expiration dates so that more money can be made.

I wasn't faulting him. I like the direction he took it in, whereas the predictable thing for horror sequels of the time was usually to kill off the previous film's "final girl" in the opening act, thereby setting a new character up for a retread of the first film's plot. I'm so glad he didn't do that, because it easily could've gone that route. But he did turn the series into Ripley's Story (not faulting him for this either). Alien 3 just made the attempt at continuing Ripley's Story. It would've been a hard story to continue with Newt and Hicks cluttering up the storyline. Those 2 characters' arcs were largely completed in Aliens.

I could see it working if they did a time jump like you mentioned and those two were returned safely to Earth, with Ripley continuing on her own, but then we'd miss out on her survivor's guilt that defined her arc in 3, as well as the thematic consistency of starting out with her waking up to a new nightmare. Plus, the movie would've likely turned into a retread of Aliens. At least it did something different.

Third films in series always face a hard battle, especially when coming off of a wildly popular and loved second film. They get panned if they try to do something different (i.e. Matrix Revolutions), or they get panned for retreading the previous films (i.e. Return of the Jedi). It's a lose-lose scenario, and considering that, I think Alien 3 did a pretty good job of being its own film while also giving a satisfying conclusion to her arc. It was never going to live up to Alien and Aliens but I wouldn't change a thing about it.

Had the Assembly Cut been the version released in theaters, I think critics and audiences might have been a little less hard on it. I do see why the theatrical cut leaves a bad taste in the mouth and it was only until I saw the assembly that I truly appreciated and understood what it was trying to do. Everyone who hates Alien 3 needs to give the Assembly Cut a try. It becomes apparent Fincher wasn't really trying to shit all over Cameron's accomplishments in Aliens. I think he was trying to build on them, just as Cameron built on Scott's.

 

[Totenkindly]

I hope this ends up being good, considering who is involved...

Reminiscence First Look: The Sci-Fi Mystery Romance Is Out 9/3

 

[cascadeco]

Just finished Dunkirk on HBO and thought it was extremely good. Incredible cinematography combined with music (not that the music was in and of itself incredible, what I mean is the pairing of the two working well), and I loved that it was primarily visual with very minimal dialogue. Not an action movie, not a drama, not plot driven, minimal character development. It just 'was', and I found that quite good in and of itself. Almost poetic.

 

[Totenkindly]

Just finished Dunkirk on HBO and thought it was extremely good. Incredible cinematography combined with music (not that the music was in and of itself incredible, what I mean is the pairing of the two working well), and I loved that it was primarily visual with very minimal dialogue. Not an action movie, not a drama, not plot driven, minimal character development. It just 'was', and I found that quite good in and of itself. Almost poetic.

I think the two parts that stuck with me afterwards were the first five minutes (when one of the protagonists is climbing over the gate) and then the whole small boat sequence, with the civilians who went to rescue people. The rest of it blurs together for me, but I remember the emotions from those two sequences.

I think I saw it in IMAX (?) in the theater, I was driving home from another state so it was in a theater not anywhere near my house, where I happened to catch it.

 

[Jaguar]

Is there anything at all Gary Oldman cannot do?

 

[Totenkindly]

Is there anything at all Gary Oldman cannot do?

Be Gary Youngman again?

 

[Jaguar]

Be Gary Youngman again?

I want a divorce.

 

[Totenkindly]

I watched "The Little Things" on HBO Max.

First half of the film was rather flat and boring despite Rami and Denzel. (It's honestly the writing. It's just kind of aimless and flat, and directed to be such.)

Things pick up in the second half when Leto finally gets more involved. I begrudgingly will say that I understand why he's getting a golden globe nom for supporting actor, because he makes what should still be boring into something interesting. But the part itself is just terribly written and feels like just another attempt to make an enigmatic brilliant bad guy. Which makes the end of that arc even more confusing -- if he was so smart, what exactly WAS his end game there? It seems inevitable without serving any real purpose except as a plot twist. there are also other plot twists at the end that should have been set up dramatically better, earlier in the film. Basically the writer/director had a few good ideas but about 90 minutes of "meh." It's more a film about mood, just not as pervasive and good as a Fincher film -- kind of a cross between "hell or High Water" and "sev7en" in terms of look and feel but not even really coming close to either film.

Random trivia: the head sheriff is the guy who played Lamar, whose family Mitch's pals around with, in "The Firm" back in the 90's. I still can envision that moment when Lamar is sitting in his back yard lost in numbness as the sprinklers periodically splatter his trousers. I love watching film and recognizing less popular secondary actors across the years.

...also... thomas newman score. I called it early in, then looked it up after.

 

[Jaguar]

When The Golden Globes looks like this, we're in trouble.

 

[Bacopa]

Watched Quo Vadis Aida, pretty good movie.

 

[Saturnal Snowqueen]

I thought Studio Ghibl-esque films were my favorite genre, but French animated ones top them all. They don't dance around when it comes to the darker stuff. And something about the animation, it's minimalistic yet still so breathtaking and good at conveying emotion. I'm watching one called Funan, it's about the Khmer Rouge and it's almost painful to watch but it's just so beautifully written. It did end a little abruptly it felt like, and it didn't make me want to cry but it had a rather bittersweet ending and it had this little historical fact written on the last scene and I couldn't fully translate it but it looked like Vietnam was intervening which added to the bitterswetness.