Film and Episodic Content Discussion Thread

Discussion in 'Random Thoughts' started by purr1n, Jan 8, 2020.

  1. ColtMrFire

    ColtMrFire Writes better fan fics than you

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    Just a heads up about my Cine-Mechanic channel. From now until the week of November 22nd, videos will be released Thursdays at noon Central instead of Wednesdays. I will be on set for a film shoot, and can't deal with posting stuff until my days off, which is Thursday. The Wednesday schedule will resume the week of the 22nd. Thanks.
     
  2. Pharmaboy

    Pharmaboy Friend

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    Exactly. Stuff that flowed over me like water years ago really gets under my skin now.

    Re this: "Im not sure if Vince Vaughn is an underrated actor. Seems to be capable of a broad range of things." Interesting comment. I've had my own journey in how I view VV:
    • Starting with his break-out role in SWINGERS, and lasting through a series of comedies/RomComs that followed, I viewed him as a charming lightweight: tall, handsome, funny, too willing to trade on his charm.
    • But early on there were signs that he could do more--for example, CLAY PIGEONS, where his serial killer character was unsettling precisely because it was tall, handsome, charming Vince Vaughn emanating subtle signs of malice & sociopathy
    Since then he occasionally does something different. He definitely was trying for different in his TRUE DETECTIVE run, though slowed by an inconsistent script.

    Now he's older, heavier, with more character in his face and less bounce in his step. I respect him greatly for doing 2 dark roles back to back (BRAWL... and DRAGGED...). If Mel Gibson, who has more to atone for than Vince Vaughn ever will, could find mid-to-late career redemption in violent/retribution roles, why not Vince, too?
     
  3. Pharmaboy

    Pharmaboy Friend

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    Let's talk about an actor who impresses me. Aaron Pederson starred in 2 excellent Australian films. MYSTERY ROAD (2013), available on Prime Video; and GOLDSTONE (2016), available on Netflix. In both films Pederson plays the same character, an aboriginal territorial policeman caught up in murderous plots where he at first seems over-matched. Now MYSTERY ROAD is a new Prime Video series (I'll watch it very soon).

    Pederson's character is a man of few words; much of his acting is done with eyes and face, and in this I feel he has few peers. A great deal of emotion & drama is communicated wordlessly in these films. That's no coincidence, as in these films aboriginal persons living among whites in the deep outback seem voiceless, invisible, existing in the margins. This lack of agency is a constant presence & plot point in these films: Pederson's character is often menaced in explicitly racist terms by both peers and suspects for daring to work on crimes the white elite would rather remain hidden.

    I strongly recommend these films. Aaron Pederson is now among the growing group of aboriginal actors I follow in Australian film & TV, including Rob Collins (GLITCH; SECRET CITY); Tessa Rose (GLITCH); and Aaron McGrath (GLITCH).

    FWIW, my interest in Australian film and aboriginal themes began with 2 great films, Nicholas Roeg's WALKABOUT (1971) and Peter Weir's THE LAST WAVE (1977)--both are unforgettable. And now thanks to streaming video, I'm getting back into it.
     
  4. ColtMrFire

    ColtMrFire Writes better fan fics than you

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    I recommend Wake In Fright for one of the most terrifying, anxiety inducing Australian films I've seen.
     
  5. Pharmaboy

    Pharmaboy Friend

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    Damn, this is interesting. Just read up on this one/added to my Prime list. Films like this generally lay me out like poleaxed mule--but i'll have to try it.

    This is an entire category of arresting cinema: films that feature generalized dread and dystopia. Some of my favorite films are in this bucket (DONNIE DARKO; ENEMY; THE MOTHMAN PROPHECIES; REPULSION; so many others).

    Great tip!
     
  6. ColtMrFire

    ColtMrFire Writes better fan fics than you

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    Wake in Fright is up there with Straw Dogs for gut wrenching uncomfortableness. For dread and dystopia I'll add most of David Lynch's filmography (especially Eraserhead and Mulholland Drive), most of Cronenberg's stuff (especially early stuff like Videodrome and Shivers), Dawn of the Dead (the original), The Thing (Carpenter's remake), alot I'm not remembering...
     
  7. Pharmaboy

    Pharmaboy Friend

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    Let's not forget WAITING FOR MR. GOODBAR.

    I came out of STRAW DOGS really disgusted with Sam Peckinpah (a director I greatly admired) & the screenplay. There was no one & nothing in this entire film to root for. Just 2 hours of ugliness. I know that to some, that's a nihilistic achievement, a film that exposes ugliness in our culture. Regardless, for me it was the equivalent of having my head dunked in a full toilet bowl.

    (call this a defect in my nature--I'm unable to partake of the worst, most grotesque horror for the same reason)
     
  8. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    That film was messed up.
     
  9. Pharmaboy

    Pharmaboy Friend

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    A week before Halloween is vampire time for me:

    1. Now rewatching 30 DAYS OF NIGHT on Prime Video. Always liked this ultra-violent, to-the-point tale of vampires wilding in Alaska. Genuine innovation in the depiction of vampires is rare--and here it is. The conception of these creatures as lethally violent killers using the town as a blood buffet is rather frightening (their teeth, vocalizations & stylized/streamlined predator faces are especially scary).

    2. SALEM'S LOT is my favorite Stephen King book. The 1979 TV mini-series version remains IMO one of the best SK adaptations ever. The Daily Beast has a nice article about this show. I wish it mentioned Bonnie Bedelia's haunting role as doomed Susan Norton (a beautiful & talented actress). I'm not sure how the producers talked James Mason into his dread-inducing role: his acting is superb, a big reason this adaptation is so scary.

    https://www.thedailybeast.com/hallo...g-tobe-hoopers-terrifying-salems-lot?ref=home
     
  10. Velomane

    Velomane Acquaintance

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    I had no idea that Salem's Lot series was by Tobe Hooper. I remember being spooked by it. Makes sense, in retrospect. I guess I have to revisit it now. Thanks for posting.
     
  11. ColtMrFire

    ColtMrFire Writes better fan fics than you

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    In my latest, I revisit Terminator 2 and talk about how it redefined the action genre. Not only in terms of scale, mayhem, stunts and visual FX, but story and character. It raised the stakes for every action flick that followed, and to this day it remains THE gold standard on how to craft an exciting, thrilling, suspenseful, and emotionally satisfying cinematic experience. How James Cameron wasn't at least nominated for an academy award for directing this movie remains a mystery to me. If Silence Of The Lambs, a horror movie, can win best picture, Terminator 2 deserved to at least be seated at the same table. I got the same chills from seeing Sara, John and the Terminator escape the mental institution from the T-1000, as I did seeing Hannibal Lecter's escape from the Tennessee courthouse. It just shows how little respect the action genre gets.

    Anyway, new videos every Thursday at 12 noon Central, until the week of the 22nd. Then it's back to Wednesdays.

     
  12. Pharmaboy

    Pharmaboy Friend

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    Thanks for another excellent video analysis of a beloved film. I agree with 99% of your comments, which are insightful as usual.

    I don't wholly agree with your comments about the lack of female characters in THE THING. I'm not sure why Carpenter wanted all male actors--perhaps it was that way in the book? (which I haven't read). But after any number of superlative female characters in the bleak Sci-Fi epics of the '79s/'80s (Ripley, Sarah Connor, et al), I hope any doubt whether women belong in these stories has been put to rest.

    (I need to read that book now, evidently!)

    Funny to hear your comments about E.T. I was a grown man when this came out and already was quite unhappy with wholesome entertainment such as E.T. I was far more interested in stories that featured the full range of human dysfunction; this remake in particular rang true to me on many levels...and remains painfully relevant during this pandemic, which to a great degree feels self-inflicted/prolonged (such that we are vanguished not solely by nature--but also by our own nature).

    BTW, I absolutely love the original film of which this was a remake (THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD). But that film took a wholly different approach to the underlying material--being a rousing, perfectly choreographed ensemble piece, complete with seamless overlapping dialogue. IMO, in tone TTFAW hearkens back to war movies of the time, in which heroic group cohesion helped to vanquish an implacable enemy (the Korean War was underway when TTFAW debuted; WWII was just 6 years past).
     
  13. ColtMrFire

    ColtMrFire Writes better fan fics than you

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    All the characters in the book are male. I don't see any problem with that, either in the book or the movie. Most movies have male/female casts, so it's not like there is a shortage. It was nice to see something different. And the all male-ness, coupled with the bleak, uninhabitable environment created a distinct feeling of unease. There is lots of testosterone flowing in a hyper charged, dangerous environment... it just worked that much more in ratcheting up the tension as the movie progresses.
     
  14. Rockwell

    Rockwell Friend

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    I just watched the first episode of season 2 of Mandalorian. So far I find this series epic, involving and beautiful. There are so many little genius moments & tie ins to the original series thrown in, old characters and classic story archetypes revisited in greater depth or explored in new ways...it's a joy to behold. With a number of franchises and memories of my childhood being cashed out or having the integrity of the story or universe sacrificed on the altars of greed, shortsightedness, stupidity or social justice agendas (looking at you, EPs VII - IX) in this year characterized by most other things going sideways it's a treat to be able to sit down and enjoy a great story unfold before me set in arguably my favourite fictional universe whose primary concern seems to be fidelity to the spirit of the original series and storytelling craft in general. Nicely done.

    At this point it feels a bit retro (and refreshing) to have to wait for a new episode each week rather than binge the whole thing at once...looking forward to episode 2.
     
  15. ColtMrFire

    ColtMrFire Writes better fan fics than you

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    Out of all the actors to play Batman, Michael Keaton really nailed it in my opinion. Find out why in my latest video.

     
  16. nishan99

    nishan99 Friend

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    Just finished The Boys 2nd season (no spoilers).

    This picture sums my opinion.

    [​IMG]


    The writing is two tiers below the first season with too many asspulling and plot holes which were immersion killers.
    And a lot of the dialogs were so bad that they remind me of porn dialogs!.

    There is also some bad acting here and there which didn't help the already dead immersion. Really boner killer compared to the first season which had very good writing with good actions which is very rare to find even in some big budget movies.

    All in all it didn't feel like an Amazon budget show especially with all the marketing and ads surrounding it.
    It felt rushed and uninspired season :(.

    It was a good watch nevertheless, good enough if you have a lot of free time to waste. They're still the boys, how can you not enjoy their adventure :D.

    I will rate the season 7/10 (good) if not for the last two episodes which were great and more to the 1st season quality level, so it's more like 7.5/10, good to very good season.
     
  17. ColtMrFire

    ColtMrFire Writes better fan fics than you

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    It's been a while since I posted a Better Than You Remember video. This time it's one of my favorite supernatural thrillers from the 90s, Flatliners. Bacon, Sutherland, Baldwin, Roberts, Platt... yeah, 90s thrillers often had insane casts like this. It's also one of Joel Schumacher's better films.

     
  18. Pharmaboy

    Pharmaboy Friend

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    Can't really explain this, but I somehow never saw MONEYBALL until tonight. I'm about an hour into it on Netflix & am very impressed. The script, casting, plot, pacing--this flick is hitting on all cylinders. It's up there with the best Brad Pitt I've seen. Very impressed.
     
  19. zonto

    zonto Friend

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    Moneyball is great. I rewatch every few years.

    -----

    I finished The Queen's Gambit on Netflix this past weekend. It's an adaptation of Walter Tevis' 1983 novel with the same title. Billed as a "limited series", so more of an episodic movie.

    It's my favorite thing I've watched in the last few years, easily. I absolutely devoured this show. Great sense of authenticity with the costumes, hair and sets. A wonderful cast, and a riveting performance by Anya Taylor-Joy. I highly recommend it!
     
  20. Pharmaboy

    Pharmaboy Friend

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    I love this video. The title is perfect & perfectly true.

    I remember seeing & liking this film, but it then blurred into memory & that was that. Now the video puts this project into context by explaining all the talent in front of & behind the camera, as well as the intriguing themes and locations.

    I will now find a way to rewatch this film, bearing in mind your commentary.

    PS: William Baldwin was one of those iconic early '90s faces that was soon overtaken by other new faces. Clearly he had model good looks, but I thought he could act well in character roles. Exhibit A for that assertion is his work in INTERNAL AFFAIRS, which came out the same year. In that film it was weirdly appalling to see 2 of the prettiest faces in Hollywood, Billy Baldwin & Richard Gere, pitted against each other so unequally, with Baldwin's unwitting victimization being difficult to watch--underscoring Gere's sociopathic compulsion to win regardless of cost.
     

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