Recent Viewings, Part 2

[lester1/2jr]

M.10rda - That's awesome.

Also, I tried to watch Human Centipede. I liked the concept, but it was a little too much for me when push came to shove ( I'm 51). I might try again tonight.

[Dr. Whom]

Project Hail Mary

Based on the buzz, I was expecting this to be a lot more serious. Instead, it rather reminded me of early Star Trek (TNG rather than TOS) and I do mean that as a compliment: two people thrown together to solve a deadly menace through ingenuity, showing basic faith in humanity (or rockiness?). The 'science' is basically plot devices. I found it also interesting that the alien used basically Japanese grammar.

They made a bold choice of combining the roles of the protagonist and comic relief into the same character, but Ryan Gosling pulled it off. Altogether very enjoyable, if a bit cheesier than I expected.

[M.10rda]

CHRONOVISOR (2026):  a priest's suppressed invention allowing a viewer to watch any event from the past as if it were a video recording

I've been meaning to write a play about this very subject/concept for 20 years.  This has happened a few times. Ah well, fame eludes me yet again!

[Rev. Powell]

I'm sure you know, M.10orda, people recycle premises all the time. I would be surprised if there wasn't a story before "chronovisor" using the same basic idea.

RIFFTRAX: CARNIVAL OF SOULS: Some will think riffing this is sacrilege, and I'm sympathetic. This is a terrible way to view this movie for the first time, or even the second or third. After that, when you know the story pretty well, the idea of inserting jokes into it stings less. It's one of the earlier rifftraxs, and they haven't really found their voice yet: there are some extended skits that are a bad idea. When they make jokes about the organ score or the pervy guy, it works; when they make jokes implying the movie is tedious or mocking Candace Hilligoss' performance, they come off as boorish. 3/5. As far as I can tell this is the third best movie RT has ever taken on, after CASABLANCA and NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD.

[lester1/2jr]

Human Centipede (2009) - Well, I girded my loins or whatever and proceeded on with this thingy. In the end, it was kind of a modern version of "I Spit On Your Grave": you could view it as just overtly shocking or as a kind of metaphor of modern life. ISOYG was life chews you up and spits you out, so you have to come back and kick it's ass. Human Centipede is like the government makes us work a billion hours a week and live in tiny living spaces and takes all our money or something.

The Japanese guy was a decently interesting character, the two influencer/ sex worker types less so.


I'm not going to watch the sequel where they make a 50 person human centipede or something.

4.5/ 5