Author Topic: Respond to the last movie you watched  (Read 684813 times)

1SO

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Re: Respond to the last movie you watched
« Reply #2680 on: September 15, 2018, 10:20:45 PM »

Trouble for Two (1936)

I normally wrestle with films that try to cover too many genres because the tone is all over the place. Trouble for Two is about a reckless Prince (Robert Montgomery) who escapes to London with his bodyguard (Frank Morgan) to flee an arranged marriage. He meets a woman in trouble (Rosalind Russell) and a vapid playboy (Louis Hayward) who lead him to a mysterious organization known as The Suicide Club, headed by the mysterious Mr. Noel (Reginald Owen). It starts as a light-hearted comedy, but as the mystery deepens, becomes more of a Horror-Mystery-Thriller with an undercurrent of Romance.

That should be too much for one film to bear, but the actors know how to shift gears smoothly and the lighting and staging fits whatever each scene requires. The journey to the Club (involving cream tarts) is confusing, but the aim of the Club has the same intrigue as Fincher's The Game and takes an equally twisty path. I wish I had saved this for Mrs. 1SO's Shocktober because it's exactly the right amount of slightly scary and classic actors I'm always looking to show her. I'm marking this one as a Discovery.
Rating: * * * - Good

1SO

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Re: Respond to the last movie you watched
« Reply #2681 on: September 16, 2018, 11:47:12 PM »

Mandy (2018)
"You vicious snowflake!"

I was not a fan of filmmaker Panos Cosmatos' debut Beyond the Black Rainbow and this follow-up is a more assured work. I'm just as assured that Cosmatos is not a filmmaker for me. Replacing an incomprehensible story with one as simple as the plot of Revenge, it's more clear that Cosmatos has a strong visual aesthetic, one that seems inspired by images airbrushed on the side of vans in the 70s and 80s. He's quickly become the master of red light and a fervent believer in pulsating levels of brightness. There's an amazing image where two people are blended bit by bit so that you realize how similar they look. It's all done at half speed and double volume, so that Nicholas Cage's crazy ranting can feel right at home.


I was fascinated by the number of positive reviews online, and I wonder how the numbers breakdown for people who watched this in the theater versus streaming. I do think you lose something on the small screen, but I can't imagine the script plays any better on the big one. Nearly every line is an unintentional hoot or the rambling of the annoying drunk at a party everyone tries to get away from. There's no logic to the cult of Jesus freaks or their black-leather monster companions, but admirers would say faulting the movie for this is missing the point. I'm supposed to pump my fist over the grindhouse violence, cheer on the insanity of a chainsaw duel. To me, Mandy is a bad cover version of the worst of Nicholas Winding Refn.
Rating: ★ ½

Junior

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Re: Respond to the last movie you watched
« Reply #2682 on: September 17, 2018, 07:27:29 AM »
I'm going tonight after not enjoying BtBR either. But hopefully my big screen viewing will help.
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goodguy

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Re: Respond to the last movie you watched
« Reply #2683 on: September 17, 2018, 10:45:34 AM »
Mandy

... this follow-up is a more assured work. ...

 :o

A more incomprehensible comment than the story of "Rainbow". Unlike that film - of which I wasn't a fan either - his new work hasn't the tiniest spark of intrigue or originality. Andrea Riseborough's eerie presence might be worth noting, but barely. New worst film of the year.

« Last Edit: September 17, 2018, 10:49:52 AM by goodguy »

philip918

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Re: Respond to the last movie you watched
« Reply #2684 on: September 17, 2018, 02:23:15 PM »
Upgrade (2018)

The plot of Ex Machina implanted in a Robocop-esque action thriller makes the movie sound much better than it actually is. It's an assemblage of sci-fi tropes and ideas that aren't cohesive and the film doesn't bother exploring. None of the performances stand out, or are even particularly good.

Support the Girls (2018)

I really wanted to support this movie, but despite grappling with very worthy subject matter, I found the storytelling choices, the pacing, and the editing a chore. There are so many scenes that just have dead space and feel like they're happening on a movie shoot and not in the real world. The actors all seem to be in different films. Regina King is quite good, but her performance feels very theatrical, Haley Lu Richardson is more cartoonish than any King of the Hill character, and Shayna McHayle is grounded, spouting bone-dry sarcasm, and easily the best part of the film.

FLYmeatwad

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Re: Respond to the last movie you watched
« Reply #2685 on: September 17, 2018, 07:52:08 PM »
How are so many people seeing Mandy??? It's only playing in NYC by me, hoping that it hits Philly this weekend.

EDIT: Doesn't seem like it, from what I can tell. I strongly hope they're not pulling some 'Hold It For The Festival' BS like they did with The Florida Project last year.
« Last Edit: September 17, 2018, 08:09:38 PM by FLYmeatwad »

1SO

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Re: Respond to the last movie you watched
« Reply #2686 on: September 17, 2018, 09:47:35 PM »
You can rent it on Amazon Prime, Vudu and YouTube.

Junior

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Re: Respond to the last movie you watched
« Reply #2687 on: September 17, 2018, 09:51:04 PM »
It's also playing in Columbus, but, alas, I didn't get to it today. Hopefully later in the week.
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FLYmeatwad

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Re: Respond to the last movie you watched
« Reply #2688 on: September 17, 2018, 10:02:04 PM »
Wonder if it just won't play Philly. Hope that's not the case, I have a good TV, but I want to see this sucker on the big screen.

philip918

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Re: Respond to the last movie you watched
« Reply #2689 on: September 18, 2018, 12:15:20 PM »
How are so many people seeing Mandy??? It's only playing in NYC by me, hoping that it hits Philly this weekend.


I haven't watched it yet, but I rented it on iTunes.