Recent viewings

[lester1/2jr]

I always thought jim carrey would be great in a "bloody pit" remake.  He'd have to work out alot first.


the 70's dimension (2007)  -  this is nothing more than a compilation of tv ads from the 70's.  most of these you could find on youtube I'm sure, but I enjoyed it.  I watch a lot of movies so I have been seeking out things that aren't strictly 90 minute / regular movie experience and this fit the bill.  I'm not a cultural anthropoligist but you can't help but notice the difference between then and now.  "Swank, cheesy, simple"  were words that came to mind.  much less hyper.  most of these were new to me though as a child of the 80's a remember "ring around the collar" and the "palmolive: you're soaking in it" one.

[schmendrik]

DORORO (Japanese, 2007) - I WANT MORE LIKE THIS!

Basic plot sketch: In some weird magical fantasy future ("the year 3048") where the whole world seems to be Japan, a warlord makes a pact with demons, selling his son's body piecemeal (each of 48 demons gets a piece) in exchange for taking over the world. The son is now an adult, killing demons to get his body back piece by piece.

The way I stumbled across this was somebody asked what it was in the "what was that movie?" area and posted a screen shot of the opening. I managed to decode "the year 3048" from it and a web search turned up this movie. It's been in my Netflix queue ever since.

That was a f-ing great movie. I need to figure out why I loved it so much so I can even figure out what "more like this" means. Let's see:
  - fight scenes: Though Bruce Lee is still the king, I think I actually like kendo best of all the martial arts to watch. There's something so graceful about that level of Japanese sword fighting.
  - main characters: they're kind of cliche (the tough chick in fantasy literature is always a thief, isn't she?) but I loved them and their relationship.
  - other characters: the demons are great. The demonic special effects are great. The bad humans are suitably complex and interesting. The mysterious bard is suitably mysterious. We also manage to work in some ninjas and what I think are various samurai types.

Apparently this movie is based on a manga. I'm not a huge fan of manga or anime. I don't think I would have enjoyed this at all as an animated film. But it was just fantastic as live action.

So maybe the genre is "Asian live-action fantasy"? "Japanese demon films"? I'm wide open for suggestions.

[schmendrik]

I always thought jim carrey would be great in a "bloody pit" remake.  He'd have to work out alot first.


the 70's dimension (2007)  -  this is nothing more than a compilation of tv ads from the 70's.  most of these you could find on youtube I'm sure, but I enjoyed it.  I watch a lot of movies so I have been seeking out things that aren't strictly 90 minute / regular movie experience and this fit the bill.  I'm not a cultural anthropoligist but you can't help but notice the difference between then and now.  "Swank, cheesy, simple"  were words that came to mind.  much less hyper.  most of these were new to me though as a child of the 80's a remember "ring around the collar" and the "palmolive: you're soaking in it" one.

Here's a weird thing. According to my wife, manicure places actually will soak your hands in Palmolive as part of the manicure. I remember making fun of a neighbor kid doing that back when the "Madge" commercials were current. I couldn't believe someone would actually take that seriously.

[metalmonster]

HORROR HOTEL

It's about a girl doing a report on witchcraft in new england
and she runs into a cult of modern witches


THE MONSTER MAKER

a mad scientist injects a man with a disfiguring disease and offers him the cure in exchange for letting him have his daughter

[Rev. Powell]

SHAOLIN DEADLY KICKS (1977): A man hunts 8 criminals, each of whom posseses a piece of a treasure map.  Some inventive weapons (like a metal claw attached to a chain) and decent fight choreography garnish the predictable story. The second  movie in the Martial Arts 50 pack.  2/5.

[lester1/2jr]

The Pawnbroker (1965) -  Excellent Arthur Miller (death of salesman )  ish tale of a tumultous day or so in the life of a  Professor Nazerman played by Rod Steiger, a  concentration camp survivor eaking out a living in his pawnshop in Harlem.    There's not alot in the way of cinematography but the story and dialogue are very strong, though it may seem a little stagey at first.   This has some of the shocking urbane elements of "blast of silence" or even "lady in  a cage" but it's focus is less exploitative and more about the holocaust itself and the effect it had on a generation of jews.  non jews can't understand, other jews understand all too well.  Money, not any sort of humanity, seems to connect the jews to their surrounding environs but wasn't that the problem in the first place?  isn't that sort of isolation and association with money what made it possible for them to be dehumanized?  Why embrace that same order?
   
      as you can see, this has big big issues well beyond that on most movies and it's not just some sort of oscar friendly rumination on the holocaust.  highly recommended   5/5

[Doggett]

Blade Runner 5/5
Not to everyone's taste, but the visuals and the score make this an unbeatable thriller for me.

[Psycho Circus]

Blade Runner 5/5
Not to everyone's taste, but the visuals and the score make this an unbeatable thriller for me.

I agree, it's amazing! 

[Wag]

Blade Runner 5/5
Not to everyone's taste, but the visuals and the score make this an unbeatable thriller for me.

I agree, it's amazing! 

My father tried to get me to watch it when I was younger against my will, so never actually sat down and watched it willingly. I have been a bit wary of it since as I could not get into it then. It sounds like it is worth a re-visit.

[Psycho Circus]

Blade Runner 5/5
Not to everyone's taste, but the visuals and the score make this an unbeatable thriller for me.

I agree, it's amazing! 

My father tried to get me to watch it when I was younger against my will, so never actually sat down and watched it willingly. I have been a bit wary of it since as I could not get into it then. It sounds like it is worth a re-visit.

Even if you don't get the story or like the characters, it's a true treat for the eyes. 

[Wag]

Blade Runner 5/5
Not to everyone's taste, but the visuals and the score make this an unbeatable thriller for me.

I agree, it's amazing! 

My father tried to get me to watch it when I was younger against my will, so never actually sat down and watched it willingly. I have been a bit wary of it since as I could not get into it then. It sounds like it is worth a re-visit.

Even if you don't get the story or like the characters, it's a true treat for the eyes. 

You have this on DVD? Might have to watch it next time I am at yours.

[Doggett]

Blade Runner 5/5
Not to everyone's taste, but the visuals and the score make this an unbeatable thriller for me.

I agree, it's amazing! 

My father tried to get me to watch it when I was younger against my will, so never actually sat down and watched it willingly. I have been a bit wary of it since as I could not get into it then. It sounds like it is worth a re-visit.

Even if you don't get the story or like the characters, it's a true treat for the eyes. 

You have this on DVD? Might have to watch it next time I am at yours.

It's best to watch on cold, rainy days.

Typical English summer, then.


What version you got, Circus ?

[Joe the Destroyer]

The Strangers- Honestly, I found it to be a disappointment.  It just didn't seem all that terrifying to me.  I mean, sure, if it really happened to me I'd probably pee my pants, but I just didn't feel all that terrified watching the movie.  Rather, I felt kind of bored. 

[Jack]

Return to House on Haunted Hill (2007) - Watched this again - a group of people go to the haunted asylum from the first movie, and basically suffer the same fate.  Characters are really good, the movie has a sense of humor about it sort of like Deep Rising, except a bit more low-key.  Action is good, special effects are decent for a direct-to-video movie.  I enjoyed it quite a bit.  4/5.

[Doggett]

Blade Runner The Final Cut 5/5
Not to everyone's taste, but the visuals and the score make this an unbeatable thriller for me.

Just watched it again. Still good.