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What Non-New Films Have You Seen? (2018 Edition)

Started by zomgmouse, January 07, 2018, 12:20:15 PM

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Big Mclargehuge

Finished "Fright night" last night for the first time (The 80's version) while Roddy Mcdowell is amazing in it and the last 20 minutes are pretty good fun. the rest of it was a load of bollocks to me...

SteveDave

Quote from: phantom_power on June 11, 2018, 04:34:25 PM
Any good?

It killed a few hours. My wife loved it. The ending was nice. In all 4/7.

zomgmouse

Cohen and Tate, an independent neonoir starring Roy Scheider and Adam Baldwin as a couple of hitmen charged with bringing a kid back to some mobsters. It's essentially a road film and inverse of a buddy cop film. Some bleak and fun stuff in here.

St_Eddie

Quote from: Big Mclargehuge on June 12, 2018, 08:58:21 AM
Finished "Fright night" last night for the first time (The 80's version) while Roddy Mcdowell is amazing in it and the last 20 minutes are pretty good fun. the rest of it was a load of bollocks to me...

I like all of Fright Night but I absolutely agree that the main draw is Roddy McDowall, whom completely steals the show and the last act, which is a exhilarating ride through a haunted house of sorts.

bgmnts

Blade.

The first ten minutes is just beautiful.

sevendaughters

I watched Leap of Faith again this morning and the whole thing with the kid walking again reminds me of the kid who casts the bell in Andrei Rublev, God intervening on behalf of the wretched in a way that benefits the charlatan. Good performance from Martin. Not an amazing film though. Rublev is.

Howj Begg


Sin Agog

Quote from: Howj Begg on June 12, 2018, 09:50:14 PM
Herostratus (1967). Amazing.

Word. One of my favourites.  Some killer extras on the BFI DVD 'n' all if you haven't got it.

Eerie to think that both the star and the director killed themselves in the following years.  I guess it proves that one should be careful about messing about with suicidal ideation, even for the sake of great art like Herostratus.  Considering it was shelved for a few years, it anticipates the lysergic end of the '60s amazingly well.

zomgmouse

Quote from: St_Eddie on June 12, 2018, 07:46:54 PM
I like all of Fright Night but I absolutely agree that the main draw is Roddy McDowall, whom completely steals the show and the last act, which is a exhilarating ride through a haunted house of sorts.

Oh Chris Sarandon is a mega force in this though. No denying.

St_Eddie

Quote from: zomgmouse on June 12, 2018, 11:27:20 PM
Oh Chris Sarandon is a mega force in this though. No denying.

Well, quite.  Regardless of the number of fingers Mr. Sarandon is sporting in any given role, he is always a welcome addition to any film.

Big Mclargehuge

Quote from: St_Eddie on June 12, 2018, 07:46:54 PM
I like all of Fright Night but I absolutely agree that the main draw is Roddy McDowall, whom completely steals the show and the last act, which is a exhilarating ride through a haunted house of sorts.
I dunno, to me I just found the initial 70 minutes or so a little bit miandering and more often than not on the wrong side of 80's cheese for my taste...I think had they focussed a bit more on the relationship between McDowall, Ragsdale and Sarandon and less on Ragsdale blindly trying to prove on his own that Sarandon is a vampire I'd have probably been a bit more on board with it. though as you say I absolutely cant fault McDowall, he makes the film worth watching at least once just for his performance alone. and the special effects are really quite something (And I didnt realise until now that the sfx guy was the same bloke who did all the effects for "Ghostbusters"which now that I think about it really shows in this movie...I cant believe I never drew the comparison before)

Quote from: zomgmouse on June 12, 2018, 11:27:20 PM
Oh Chris Sarandon is a mega force in this though. No denying.

^Agreed. the guys unstoppable in this.

St_Eddie

Quote from: Big Mclargehuge on June 13, 2018, 10:59:15 AM
I dunno, to me I just found the initial 70 minutes or so a little bit miandering and more often than not on the wrong side of 80's cheese for my taste...I think had they focussed a bit more on the relationship between McDowall, Ragsdale and Sarandon and less on Ragsdale blindly trying to prove on his own that Sarandon is a vampire I'd have probably been a bit more on board with it. though as you say I absolutely cant fault McDowall, he makes the film worth watching at least once just for his performance alone.

I understand, I really do.  I don't consider Fright Night to be a flawless movie; far from it.  It's very much a slice of 80's cheese and I simply can not deny that without Roddy McDowall, it's not a movie which I would have revisited as many times that I have.  It's just that, I enjoy the movie as a whole.  I always become transfixed to the screen whenever McDowall is onscreen but at the same time, I can't say that I'm bored by the moments when he's not onscreen; they're just less interesting scenes.

If you want to see something truly boring and by the numbers, then check out Fright Night: Part II.  Not even Roddy McDowall can save that movie (although admittedly, it has its moments.  Just nowhere near enough to make it worthwhile).

Big Mclargehuge

Quote from: St_Eddie on June 13, 2018, 11:52:40 AM
I understand, I really do.  I don't consider Fright Night to be a flawless movie; far from it.  It's very much a slice of 80's cheese and I simply can not deny that without Roddy McDowall, it's not a movie which I would have revisited as many times that I have.  It's just that, I enjoy the movie as a whole.  I always become transfixed to the screen whenever McDowall is onscreen but at the same time, I can't say that I'm bored by the moments when he's not onscreen; they're just less interesting scenes.

If you want to see something truly boring and by the numbers, then check out Fright Night: Part II.  Not even Roddy McDowall can save that movie (although admittedly, it has its moments.  Just nowhere near enough to make it worthwhile).

Thats fair enough really, I will say that where the film is good, it's great. just to me those less interesting scenes were pretty flat for me. Though I will admit I always have a soft spot for the Vincent Price/Peter Cushing style character performance but McDowall just nails it in this one!

I actually looked up the plot for the sequel because I wanted to see if it was worth bothering with I read the opening line on wikipedia which said something along the lines of "It's 2 years after the first movie, Charlies in therapy and has forgotten vampires exist, his girlfriends left him and he has a new girlfriend and Peter Vincents been fired again. something something vampires turn up again" and I just thought "DONE." I wont be visiting that one unless I review it under mild sufference for my site xD

St_Eddie

Quote from: Big Mclargehuge on June 13, 2018, 12:01:05 PM
I actually looked up the plot for the sequel because I wanted to see if it was worth bothering with I read the opening line on wikipedia which said something along the lines of "It's 2 years after the first movie, Charlies in therapy and has forgotten vampires exist, his girlfriends left him and he has a new girlfriend and Peter Vincents been fired again. something something vampires turn up again" and I just thought "DONE." I wont be visiting that one unless I review it under mild sufference for my site xD

Yeah, it's just a retread of the first movie, except infinitely less interesting and this time it's Peter Vincent trying to convince Charlie that vampires are real.  I watched it last year and I can remember all of two scenes from it.

magval

Quote from: bgmnts on June 12, 2018, 09:06:34 PM
Blade.

The first ten minutes is just beautiful.

Aye, Lem and his heatseeker and that bangin' New Order remix.

New Jack

Saw Dazed and Confused for the first time, which shouldn't have taken so long as I've watched most of Linklater's other stuff including Everybody Wants Some!!

It was ace! I really liked the vibe in the second half, when the cliques all meet at the party and the tales intertwine. Was quite fun and rambunctious, obviously a period piece but works as a comparison to now and approached it in the right way, and I think elements like the hazing were shot with that in mind so they've aged just fine. It's right-headed.

Also tippled it was the source of, via Wooderson, some classic lines. I mean, I've heard them before - 'That's what I love about these high school girls, man. I get older, they stay the same age', but what a brilliant character.

Liked the underlying themes, and identified with the characters too. Wooderson being older and trying to hold onto something temporary was a nice counterpoint to nostalgia, which would be easy to fall into with this flick. Pink's longing for individuality. The desire to punch some fucker for having a go at you.

Felt a really warm, charming film, the pace was absorbing and I liked the near-aimlessness of the plot as it had quite a lot going on, and a lot of heart.

The best film adaptation of an annoying magazine I've ever seen

phantom_power

I like how there is this threat of something bad happening that runs throughout the film but in the end everyone pretty much has a great night, apart from Ben Affleck. Even "I just wanna dance!" man gets a light beating and a story to tell

The only film I can think of with lower stakes is Everybody Wants Some, where the most that happens is someone nearly gets into a scuffle at a bowling alley. Great film though. Linklater really captures that "mates hanging out" vibe without all the characters being impossibly witty

zomgmouse

It's a real anti-nostalgia kinda film which I dug. There's certainly a lot of care put into recreating a particular time and feel but the underlying message seems to me to be "this really sucked - I had a decent time, but by god is there more ahead".

Sin Agog

Not sure I agree with that interpretation- and I rewatched it only yesterday.  Sure, that's what the skinniest quarterback ever says out there on the football pitch, but unless you've handled adulthood better than me, halcyon nights like that one are pretty thin on the ground.  There's no way Linklater wasn't looking at that soundtrack, those giant cars, tight jeans and blazed conversations with rheumy, nostalgic eyes.  I think lines like 'If I ever start referring to these as the best days of my life, remind me to kill myself,' are more a commentary on young people's grass is greener approach to looming adulthood, when the reality is it's generally nowhere near as liberated as that brief adolescent window when you've just been thunderstruck with self-awareness and everything still feels fairly new and exciting to you.

Also, I always felt him, Wiley Wiggins' character, and McConaughey represent one person in three stages of development.  No doubt he'll drop out early and end up glomming onto the younger generations in an attempt to recapture his glory daze for the rest of his life.

Z

Pirahna
Meh, funny at times but kinda overdoes it's knowing nods and winks. Would have benefitted from being 15-20 minutes shorter.


The Color of Pomegranates
Looks great, sounds great, is a total fucking chore. Couldn't connect with most of it at all and what I could seemed astoundingly heavy handed, I'd be surprised if I thought more of the bits I didn't get if I had the knowledge base to know what they were referring to.
The kind of thing I can't outright dismiss cos it was doubtlessly amazing upon release, but I also imagine it exclusively influenced things I hate.


A Brighter Summer Day
Took a bit to get over all the 50s culture references (have a hardwired "ugh, baby boomer bullshit" response to that) but once I did this was a peach. Think Yi Yi might be better but this is great stuff.

St_Eddie

Quote from: Z on June 13, 2018, 10:03:18 PM
Pirahna
Meh, funny at times but kinda overdoes it's knowing nods and winks. Would have benefitted from being 15-20 minutes shorter.

Which version?  There's the following releases...

* Piranha (1972)
* Piranha (1978) - Directed by Joe Dante, fact fans.
* Piranha (1995)

There's also...

* Piranha II: The Spawning (1981) - Co-directed by James Cameron, fact fans.
* Piranha 3D (2010)
* Piranha 3DD (2012)

Incredibly, I've somehow managed to watch four of the above.


Avril Lavigne

Quote from: Big Mclargehuge on June 13, 2018, 10:59:15 AM
I didnt realise until now that the sfx guy was the same bloke who did all the effects for "Ghostbusters"which now that I think about it really shows in this movie...I cant believe I never drew the comparison before)

Yeah, the huge-mouthed girl vampire featured on the cover is actually the original face designed for the Library Ghost from the beginning of Ghostbusters, which was rejected for being too scary.

St_Eddie

Quote from: Avril Lavigne on June 13, 2018, 10:54:12 PM
Yeah, the huge-mouthed girl vampire featured on the cover is actually the original face designed for the Library Ghost from the beginning of Ghostbusters, which was rejected for being too scary.

Ah, yes.  That's right.  It's a great design...


Avril Lavigne

Quote from: St_Eddie on June 13, 2018, 11:05:27 PM
Ah, yes.  That's right.  It's a great design...

It is! Although I'm not sure the version used in Ghostbusters is actually less scary, they're both pretty hideous for different reasons.

I always find it weird that the same actress, supposedly a teenage character in Fright Night, started playing Marcy in Married With Children just a year or two later.

Oh, and the most recent non-new film I saw was Wake In Fright this weekend.  A very good, raw depiction of a descent into booze-fuelled madness/debauchery, but since I went in blind on a friend's recommendation I had no idea it would feature genuine, lengthy footage of real kangaroos being shot to bits which rather marrs the experience.

Z

Quote from: St_Eddie on June 13, 2018, 10:30:09 PM
Which version?  There's the following releases...

* Piranha (1972)
* Piranha (1978) - Directed by Joe Dante, fact fans.
* Piranha (1995)

There's also...

* Piranha II: The Spawning (1981) - Co-directed by James Cameron, fact fans.
* Piranha 3D (2010)
* Piranha 3DD (2012)

Incredibly, I've somehow managed to watch four of the above.
Piranha (1978) - written by John Sayles, fact fans

AsparagusTrevor


zomgmouse

Quote from: Sin Agog on June 13, 2018, 06:49:04 PM
Not sure I agree with that interpretation- and I rewatched it only yesterday.  Sure, that's what the skinniest quarterback ever says out there on the football pitch, but unless you've handled adulthood better than me, halcyon nights like that one are pretty thin on the ground.  There's no way Linklater wasn't looking at that soundtrack, those giant cars, tight jeans and blazed conversations with rheumy, nostalgic eyes.  I think lines like 'If I ever start referring to these as the best days of my life, remind me to kill myself,' are more a commentary on young people's grass is greener approach to looming adulthood, when the reality is it's generally nowhere near as liberated as that brief adolescent window when you've just been thunderstruck with self-awareness and everything still feels fairly new and exciting to you.

Also, I always felt him, Wiley Wiggins' character, and McConaughey represent one person in three stages of development.  No doubt he'll drop out early and end up glomming onto the younger generations in an attempt to recapture his glory daze for the rest of his life.

I guess what I mean by anti-nostalgia is that it's not a film that just casts a rose-tinted light on everything. With all the cool music and parties and hanging out there's still the humiliation of the junior classes and so on. There's a quote by Linklater on the commentary track I think where he says, "You can't go back." And to me that sort of sums up the sentiment, both positive and negative.

St_Eddie

#927
Quote from: AsparagusTrevor on June 14, 2018, 08:15:13 AM
Quote from: St_Eddie on June 13, 2018, 11:05:27 PM
Teal and orange in the 80s!



Nah, this is what Fright Night would look like if it were released today.

phantom_power

Quote from: zomgmouse on June 14, 2018, 09:16:25 AM
I guess what I mean by anti-nostalgia is that it's not a film that just casts a rose-tinted light on everything. With all the cool music and parties and hanging out there's still the humiliation of the junior classes and so on. There's a quote by Linklater on the commentary track I think where he says, "You can't go back." And to me that sort of sums up the sentiment, both positive and negative.

Yeah you definitely see both sides. You get the ones like Wooderson where high school it the pinnacle and it is all downhill from there, and then you get the geeks in the car with Beck's wife who can't wait to get away and start life proper

Shit Good Nose

4K restoration of Fat City.  It might just be John Huston's best film amongst many great films.

Original Italian version of Companeros.  Still my favourite Corbucci film, and Franco Nero's got a great look in it.

Cockfighter.  First time in 25-odd years, and I'm sure I last saw it on TV (probably in a very heavily cut version).  Maybe Warren Oates' best performance.

Bridge of Spies.  Second viewing, this time with Mrs Nose.  A lot more humour in it than I remembered.  I still like it a lot.