Recent Viewings, Part 2

[Jim H]

The Thin Man (1934) - Quite entertaining mystery comedy.  Lots of good dialogue and two very good lead performances.  I did find this occasionally a bit hard to follow - the mics of the mid 30s make vocals hard to hear sometimes, and there's a bit too much dialogue requiring you to remember who like 6 different named characters are and what they're doing and have done based almost entirely on this dialogue.  But the movie zooms right over this and never stops being fun in spite of it.  Well worth a watch, I'll probably check out the sequels eventually as well.

[Dr. Whom]

Belle (2021)

A very ponderous retelling of the Beauty and the Beast for the age of social media, which in the last half hour takes a left turn and becomes something altogether more poignant. It didn't do very much for me. There are some stunning visuals, a catchy theme song, and the most evil schoolgirl life in the history of film.

An interesting companion to his earlier Summer Wars, which I liked a lot more.

[lester1/2jr]

Land of the Blue Lakes (2021) - 95 percent of this movie is a bunch of friends in Latvia kayaking around in some marshy lakes. The crew are likeable enough and the lakes are rather scenic. It would probably be a fun thing to do with a six pack or so, but I'm trying to watch a horror movie not make possible future travel plans.

The film is badly missing a connection from the vacation to the horror part and instead just tries to be the most ridiculous found footage movie ever.

It's one thing to be forthright in setting up your story and not worry so much about commercial aspects. Blatantly lacking the creativity to make a movie genuinely work is another.

1/5

I strongly disagree with this https://filmthreat.com/reviews/the-land-of-blue-lakes/ review

[zombie no.one]

"X-Ray" (aka "Hospital Massacre," 1982)
A strange blend of "My Bloody Valentine" and "Halloween II," starring the ridiculously gorgeous Barbi Benton. She goes to the hospital for a routine checkup on Valentine's Day, only to be stalked and terrorized by a crazed slasher who's been obsessed with her since they were children.
Plot wise, "X-Ray" is a muddled mess, but it gets by thanks to some decent gory bits and of course the MAJOR eye candy courtesy of Ms. Benton. Watchable, but not essential.

love this one actually. drags a little toward the end but the randomness of it all is great. right about barbie benton. stunning!

[zombie no.one]

ENTRAPMENT (1999)

without ever watching it I had this down as some kind of slowburning intrigue thriller. not sure why. more like a corny wannabe crime action blockbuster. catherine zeta jones is awful.

[Jim H]

Out West (1918) - the first Fatty Arbuckle short I've seen.  It's a doozy.  Virtually plotless, Fatty is a drifter who wanders into a tiny western town and gets a job at Buster Keaton's bar/gambling den.  Hijinks ensue, including what must be 10 people getting shot to death, several good sight gags, and a seemingly indestructible outlaw.  It's bizarre, and doesn't quite add up the way Keaton or Chaplin's better shorts do, but it's consistently entertaining start to finish. 

[FatFreddysCat]

Finishing off my foray into the "Psycho" franchise...

"Psycho IV: The Beginning" (1990)
Norman Bates calls in to a talk radio program about matricide, proceeds to tell the host how he became such an infamous mother killin' nut case, and hints that he may be ready to kill again.
Better than expected made-for-cable sequel does a nice job of filling in the blanks in Norman's back story via flash backs that star Henry Thomas (yes, the kid from "E.T.") as teenaged Norman and the still MILF-y Olivia Hussey as Mrs. Bates. This would be Anthony Perkins' last turn as Norman before his death in 1992.

"Bates Motel" (1987)
In this made-for-TV flick (not to be confused with the early 2000's A&E TV series by the same name), Norman Bates has died while incarcerated in the asylum, and left his close friend and cell mate "Alex" (Bud Cort) the run-down Bates Motel property.. When Alex is paroled he moves into the creepy old Bates house and re-opens the Motel with a cast of weird supporting characters that includes the annoying Lori Petty and a teenage Jason Bateman. Oh, and old Mrs. Bates' ghost may still be hanging around the place, too.
Yes, it's just as awful as it sounds.
This was intended as a pilot for a TV series that I guess would've recast the Bates Motel as a supernatural "Fantasy Island" location, but it's hokey, poorly acted and dull as dirt. Be thankful it never became a weekly show.

[Cult_Moody_Movies]

Dune (2021) and Play Misty for Me (1971)

[zombie no.one]

DIE HARD 2 (1990)

never properly watched this. just caught the odd section on tv until now, and possibly saw it drunk.

way too long. somehow feels like it should be nearing the end about 1 hour in... then you realise there's another hour left.... lost interest despite the action and loud explosions. main baddie not used enough. it's not terrible though

[Trevor]

DIE HARD 2 (1990)

never properly watched this. just caught the odd section on tv until now, and possibly saw it drunk.

way too long. somehow feels like it should be nearing the end about 1 hour in... then you realise there's another hour left.... lost interest despite the action and loud explosions. main baddie not used enough. it's not terrible though

When it was shown in Pretoria in 1990 at a local multiplex, some moron there arranged for a wrecked aeroplane to be hoisted up on the roof and used as an advertising billboard. The result: more than a few traffic accidents near the cinema when people were distracted by the thing on the roof 

[zombie no.one]

well I've heard of a 'box office smash', but that's ridiculous.

(gets coat)

[JuanSnz]

When it was shown in Pretoria in 1990 at a local multiplex, some moron there arranged for a wrecked aeroplane to be hoisted up on the roof and used as an advertising billboard. The result: more than a few traffic accidents near the cinema when people were distracted by the thing on the roof 

I wish to know, how was the advertisement for Showgirls. 

[indianasmith]

FIFTEEN THINGS YOU DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT BIGFOOT (2021) This was a hilarious little bit of social satire.  An aspiring journalist keeps being assigned to silly stories, but longs for a major network deal to do "serious" journalism.  But his bosses send him to a Bigfoot convention in Georgia, and while on an expedition with a local Bigfoot hunter, he has an encounter that changes his mind about nearly everything he believes . . .
4.5/5

[Trevor]

When it was shown in Pretoria in 1990 at a local multiplex, some moron there arranged for a wrecked aeroplane to be hoisted up on the roof and used as an advertising billboard. The result: more than a few traffic accidents near the cinema when people were distracted by the thing on the roof 

I wish to know, how was the advertisement for Showgirls. 

They asked me to pose nude for that 

[Rev. Powell]

MARCELLO MASTROIANNI: I REMEMBER (1997): Three hours of the charismatic star reminiscing about his career, interspersed with classic clips. Sure, it's unfocused and too long, but would you interrupt Mastroianni when he's explaining why he prefers Chekhov to Shakespeare, or describing the obscene doodle Fellini showed him when he asked to see a copy of his latest script? 3/5.

ENCANTO (2021): Mirabel is the only member of her family born without magical powers; will she destroy the clan's legacy, or save it? All the usual sparkle of Disney animation, it also leans heavily on Lin Manuel Miranda's toe-tapping songs, to compensate for the fact that the story and supporting characters are a little weak. 3.5/5.