What Non-New Films Have You Seen? (2020 Edition)

[Small Man Big Horse]

Get Crazy (1983) - It's New Year's Eve 1982, and a concert is being set up where Reggie Wanker (Malcolm McDowell) will see in the new year with a bunch of other unusual musician types including Lou Reed and Piggy (aka punk singer Lee Ving). But oh no, Colin Beverly (Ed Begley Jnr) wants to ruin everything by buying the venue and knocking it down and building a skyscraper on top of it, and he's prepared to blow it up if it helps him get his way, so stage manager Neil (Daniel Stern) and his new beau Willy Loman (Gail Edwards) have to save the day, all the while staging a gig no one will ever forget. It's an unusual old thing, half sort of concert film half very silly almost Airplane-esque comedy, and it's definitely something of an acquired taste, but it tickled my fancy and then some, and is a film I'm all rather fond of. 7.7/10

Edit: It's up on youtube if anyone fancies watching it - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-w0z68nFzk

[Sin Agog]

Think I had a stab at that as I adore Rock N Roll High School by the same director Allan Arkush.  The quality of the copy was too washed out for me to get into, I think, as I don't remember reaching the end.  Will try again as there was a phase there where Malcolm McDowell didn't just autovillain it for years, and I like the idea of seeing him do a Jagger impression.

[Small Man Big Horse]

Think I had a stab at that as I adore Rock N Roll High School by the same director Allan Arkush.  The quality of the copy was too washed out for me to get into, I think, as I don't remember reaching the end.  Will try again as there was a phase there where Malcolm McDowell didn't just autovillain it for years, and I like the idea of seeing him do a Jagger impression.

I can upload the version I've got to mediafire if you like Mr Agog, it's not a huge amount better than the youtube version but at least it doesn't get pixelated or anything like that.

[Sin Agog]

That's amazingly sweet of you but I'm going to do the noble thing and steal the movie off Lady Karagarga instead of making you do all that work.  Think I'll grab his collab with Joe Dante, Hollywood Boulevarde, while I'm there.  Looks like some knowing, sleazy Cormantainment.  Might even get this Andy Kaufman vehicle as it looks bats: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082507/

[Small Man Big Horse]

That's amazingly sweet of you but I'm going to do the noble thing and steal the movie off Lady Karagarga instead of making you do all that work.  Think I'll grab his collab with Joe Dante, Hollywood Boulevarde, while I'm there.  Looks like some knowing, sleazy Cormantainment.  Might even get this Andy Kaufman vehicle as it looks bats: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082507/

I got Heartbeeps earlier today as it looks ridiculously daft, and hopefully falls in to the so bad it's good genre.

[Sin Agog]

I got Heartbeeps earlier today as it looks ridiculously daft, and hopefully falls in to the so bad it's good genre.

Let me know how it goes, ése!

[Small Man Big Horse]

Let me know how it goes, ése!

I certainly shall good sir.

Arsenic And Old Lace (1944) - Mortimer Brewster (Cary Grant) was the symbol of bachelorhood and had written four million words against marriage but now he's gotten hitched himself - but that's the least of his problems as when he pops in to say goodbye to his Aunts before going on honeymoon, he finds

Spoiler alert

out they're serial killers and then life then becomes even more complicated as his long lost murderous

[close]

brother Jonathon (Raymond Massey, often quite disturbing) arrives on the scene, looking for somewhere to hide out with Peter Lorre. It's based on a play so a little claustrophobic at times, while it's also overlong and a slightly odd mix of farcical black comedy and thriller, but the script is sharp, smart and often witty, and occasionally weird, and due to that I liked it a fair bit. 7.7/10

[SteveDave]

Little Murders

Holy shit where has this film been all my life?

It's quite strange and hilarious but Donald Sutherland and Alan Arkin's one scene monologues are out of this world.

[Sin Agog]

Little Murders

Holy shit where has this film been all my life?

It%u2019s quite strange and hilarious but Donald Sutherland and Alan Arkin%u2019s one scene monologues are out of this world.

Aye, that wedding scene's a classic, and the whole movie's a weird old thing.  Not a bad bit of juxtaposition to Arsenic & Old Lace, actually, being another black comedy based on a play.

[chveik]

Ten (2002, Abbas Kiarostami)

very thought provoking*, and the format perfectly suited the subject.

The film was recorded on two digital cameras, one attached to each side of a moving car, showing the driver and passenger respectively

the dialogues between the woman driving and the different actors were semi improvised and partially based on her life, which makes the whole thing even more moving.

(Godard strongly disliked the film, and after having been extremely enthusiastic about Kiarostami's work, I said that Ten was just 'sub-Antonioni'. I have no idea but what he meant by that, but that's JLG for you)

anyway I strongly recommend it

* for instance it really represented for me what 'world cinema' actually means which can often give you a much more direct and accurate vision of what it's like to live in that particular country than reading the news. in this one paradoxically the minimalistic approach really highlights the contradictions women have to face in Iran - well I know things have changed since 2002 but it's still basically the same type of regime.

[A Hat Like That]

I love Raymond Massey's wee bit in the 49th Parallel.

This week has been POW camp movies.

The Wooden Horse - weakest of the three so far, but still a decent watch.

The other two do more with the setting.

Danger Within - lots of people you will recognise (including a future Labour MP), murder mystery plot that drives the whole thing along. Decent watch.

Stalag 17 - excellent. all the little character bits are really well done. It is getting a rewatch - there's well over an hour of build up before the reveal. Want to see if there's anything I missed - my hunch on the stoolie was completely wrong.

[Small Man Big Horse]

I love Raymond Massey's wee bit in the 49th Parallel.

I was blown away by how disturbing he is in Arsenic And Old Lace, Cary Grant's playing it as broad as can be (apparently on the instance of Capra, with Grant not happy about it) but Massey's is a distressing presence who you can easily imagine taking enormous delight in murdering the entire cast.

[Small Man Big Horse]

Let me know how it goes, ése!

Well, that was definitely, um...something that sort of looks like a film? It definitely falls in to the "How the hell did that get made?" genre, but I kind of sort of enjoyed it. Here's the mini-review I wrote for my files:

Heartbeeps (1981) - One of the oddest films I've ever seen, it's impossible to recommend, but at the same time I'm glad I've seen this big old bag of weirdness. In it Andy Kaufman and Bernadette Peters play two robots who fall in love, all the while accompanied by another robot whose programming as a stand up comedian means all he can do is trot out appalling jokes, and the baby robot they build. Way too many jokes revolve around their clunkily robotic way of talking, but at least on the genuinely funny front is Crimebuster, a fat dalek lookalike who's trying to track down the others and is a hilariously pompous twat. It's often jarringly edited and I'd be amazed if that wasn't due to studio intervention, but at least at 77 minutes it doesn't outstay it's welcome, and as long as you don't mind really fucking strange misjudged movies you might not regret watching it. 5.6/10

[Sin Agog]

Sometimes you want broccoli and sometimes you get a mad yen for some unhealthy, radioactive-looking imported candy made out of God knows what.  Sounds like exactly what I'm searching for when I throw on a b-movie.  Really appreciate you fast-tracking that, SMBH!

[Small Man Big Horse]

Sometimes you want broccoli and sometimes you get a mad yen for some unhealthy, radioactive-looking imported candy made out of God knows what.  Sounds like exactly what I'm searching for when I throw on a b-movie.  Really appreciate you fast-tracking that, SMBH!

Well I hope you enjoy it and look forward to hearing your thoughts, it's definitely not boring at the very least! And I checked and apparently it was cut down to 77 minutes by the studio, which makes me want to see the original version now but it's only just been released on blu-ray and there doesn't seem to be any plans for a director's cut sadly.

[kittens]

doing all the kubricks! all in order. got up to 2001 this morning. so far, most bangingest has been paths of glory. very very pretty and 'human'. 5 stars! the killing was also wicked, but sadly the plot was a bit ruined by reading it

Spoiler alert

was an inspiration for reservoir dogs, so once the crew started getting killed, i kinda knew what was gonna happen to em.

[close]

spartacus was looong. lolita was ok. didn't know it was gonna be so comedy going in, which was a bit weird given the subject. didnt watch strangelove as i saw it recently and thought very little of it. given his turns in lolita and strangelove, i think i just find peter sellers annoying, more than anything. 2001 was good. next up is clockwork orange, which i loved as a teenager because i thought them goin crazy and beatin shit up was cool. let's see how i feel this time!

[chveik]

funny, I think Paths of Glory is his worst, just too many good sentiments. the war scenes are impressive though

[kittens]

i'll have you know i studied film for seven years so i am something of a "film buff"

[A Hat Like That]

watching King Kong (1933) - its really good fun, isn't it? zips along and the special effects have something that still holds up 80+ years later

[peanutbutter]

Waves

Since Krisha its felt like Trey Edward Shults is gonna make a fucking amazing film at some point, I reckon he thought this was it but there's far too much going on for any of it to carry any heft and the tensions of the first half are stretched and compounded upon way past whats necessary that they overwhelm the film to the point of harming the impact of the stronger second half.
Still liked it overall, mind

[Small Man Big Horse]

Galaxy Of Terror (1981) - A needlessly complicated sci-fi horror produced by Roger Corman where a bunch of idiots including Robert Englund, Grace Zabriskie and pornographer Zalman King land on a planet, go exploring, and their hallucinations come to life and kill them, which rather unfortunately includes a scene where

Spoiler alert

a maggot rapes a woman to death

[close]

which she rather enjoys, and which was a scene that Roger Corman reportedly directed himself. One of the first films James Cameron worked on as a production designer and second unit director it actually looks pretty decent at times but why certain things take place is never quite explained, and then

Spoiler alert

there's a huge exposition dump at the end which is rather clunky and odd

[close]

. It's a shame it's such a weird bastard of a film as there are elements which are really effective, as mentioned it often looks great, and some of the deaths are fun, but it's all a bit of a mess and I'm not surprised in the slightest that afterwards director Bruce D. Clark never helmed a film again. 5.1/10

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

given his turns in lolita and strangelove, i think i just find peter sellers annoying, more than anything.

That's madder than anything Peter Sellers ever said or did.

[kittens]

i refer you to my previous comment

[Rizla]

Well, that was definitely, um...something that sort of looks like a film? It definitely falls in to the "How the hell did that get made?" genre, but I kind of sort of enjoyed it. Here's the mini-review I wrote for my files:

Heartbeeps (1981) - One of the oddest films I've ever seen, it's impossible to recommend, but at the same time I'm glad I've seen this big old bag of weirdness. In it Andy Kaufman and Bernadette Peters play two robots who fall in love, all the while accompanied by another robot whose programming as a stand up comedian means all he can do is trot out appalling jokes, and the baby robot they build. Way too many jokes revolve around their clunkily robotic way of talking, but at least on the genuinely funny front is Crimebuster, a fat dalek lookalike who's trying to track down the others and is a hilariously pompous twat. It's often jarringly edited and I'd be amazed if that wasn't due to studio intervention, but at least at 77 minutes it doesn't outstay it's welcome, and as long as you don't mind really fucking strange misjudged movies you might not regret watching it. 5.6/10

Very odd film this. The story goes that Andy Kaufman and Bob Zmuda wrote a screenplay for The Tony Clifton Story, but the studio wanted to see if AK was able to carry a film on his own so they put him in this, which convinced them he couldn't. Thus the Tony Clifton story got shelved, after a number of rewrites basically obliterated the original premise. The good version of the script is available to read here - https://subcin.wordpress.com/2014/05/03/the-tony-clifton-story-andy-kaufman/ I highly recommend everyone reads it, it would have been superb I reckon.

[Puce Moment]

next up is clockwork orange, which i loved as a teenager because i thought them goin crazy and beatin shit up was cool. let's see how i feel this time!

The rapes are a lot of fun!!!!!

[peanutbutter]

Breathless (1983)
Wasn't great, not sure what I was expecting tbh...


Dark Waters
No clue, was okay I guess. It's one of those awkward ones where the pieces are very interesting and important, but the way they rolled out were deliberately tedious as hell by the defendants and as a result it becomes very hard to pull a compelling narrative out of it.
Get the impression the film was more about raising awareness around the ongoing legal actions against DuPont than being a compelling piece of entertainment. Fair enough in that case.

[SteveDave]

Get Crazy (1983) - It's New Year's Eve 1982, and a concert is being set up where Reggie Wanker (Malcolm McDowell) will see in the new year with a bunch of other unusual musician types including Lou Reed and Piggy (aka punk singer Lee Ving). But oh no, Colin Beverly (Ed Begley Jnr) wants to ruin everything by buying the venue and knocking it down and building a skyscraper on top of it, and he's prepared to blow it up if it helps him get his way, so stage manager Neil (Daniel Stern) and his new beau Willy Loman (Gail Edwards) have to save the day, all the while staging a gig no one will ever forget. It's an unusual old thing, half sort of concert film half very silly almost Airplane-esque comedy, and it's definitely something of an acquired taste, but it tickled my fancy and then some, and is a film I'm all rather fond of. 7.7/10

Edit: It's up on youtube if anyone fancies watching it - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-w0z68nFzk

This film has got my favourite Lou Reed song in it "Little Sister" though it really should be called "Baby Sister"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbOG-2ahx4w

[Custard]

The Party's Just Beginning (2018)

"In a bleak Inverness midwinter, Luisaidh is careering off the rails after the suicide of her best friend. She medicates her misery with joyless sex, chips and a belief in the power of positive drinking. Surrounded by bittersweet memories, she struggles to find someone to talk to or some reason to make life worthwhile at the most stressful time of the year".

Karen Gillan is excellent in this, and does a great job of directing too.

It's bleak, but scattered throughout are light and funny little moments

[kittens]

just got up to the shining which has earned kubrick his second 5 star rating. big banger. tense as fock. not doing full metal jacket cos i done that recently. just eyes wide shut left hope it's good lads

[Sebastian Cobb]

The Party's Just Beginning (2018)

"In a bleak Inverness midwinter, Luisaidh is careering off the rails after the suicide of her best friend. She medicates her misery with joyless sex, chips and a belief in the power of positive drinking. Surrounded by bittersweet memories, she struggles to find someone to talk to or some reason to make life worthwhile at the most stressful time of the year".

Karen Gillan is excellent in this, and does a great job of directing too.

It's bleak, but scattered throughout are light and funny little moments

I saw this at the Glasgow film festival and then never heard anything else about it. I thought it was quite good although

Spoiler alert

thought it could be verging on 'problematic' in the bit where she gets shitfaced and then shagged by 3 blokes and was quite nonchalant about it despite being too drunk to consent. I think it fell out around the metoo era so I wondered if they stopped promoting it or something

[close]

.

Good film and directorial debut though.