Movie News, Reviews, and Discussion Super-Thread

[Leadbelly]

Dracula (1979)


Why is it so hard for anyone to make a straight adaptation of Dracula? Sure you could condense some stuff, but every adaptation has to change character relationships or straight up remove characters, none of them get Dracula accurate as described in the book. Would have loved for my boi Donald Pleasance to be a wild out of control Van Helsing in the vein of Halloween 4/5 Loomis and apparently he was offered the role of Van Helsing but turned it down because he had just done Halloween and thought it was too close to Loomis  Even as Dr. Seward he was chewing the scenery and very noticeably fucking with props (especially food) in every scene 

Frank Langella was magnetic as Dracula but also isn't much like book Dracula at all. The visual look was interesting with the heavily desaturation that looked almost black and white at times so it evoked the Lugosi version, but it also definitely had late 70s gross ass Britain look to it. Driving the cars looked like a nightmare  The ADR especially in the first 15 minutes was so bad 

This felt pretty jumbled and like it was speeding through the story but skipping 35% of every page.

I watched that version about a month ago.

There has been so many versions of Dracula. You get the book adaptions, which this particular movie is one of them, and then you get all the spin-offs. And in terms of the British look of the film, I've always liked the Hammer Horror Dracula films. Christopher Lee (Dracula) and Peter Cushing (Van Helsing).

You would always have a Hammer Horror movie on TV from time to time when I was a child. It's funny actually because Twins of Evil came to mind. And I know why. It's because the twins spend most of the time in their see-through night gowns. I found that endlessly fascinating when I was a kid. lol



edit:

[EchoRin]

Athlete A - Yup. US Gymnastics and Michigan State dun goofed. When the ladies speak in front of sick fuck Nassar in the court room. *whew*

[Joe Molotov]

Went to Wal-Mart to buy a new Roku for my dad (he's still using my old Roku 2 that is sunsetting harder than a Biden v Trump debate) and they had some actual good Blu-Rays there. 



Usually they just have new releases, cartoons, and religious movies (what's the difference? lulz) but low and behold they were rolling back prices on Shout Factory releases this week. $10-12 instead of the usual $20-25 to get my John Carpenter fix, me gusta.

Annnnndddd just because it's been a while since I've done a "Physicool media you've purchased recently" round-up...

[team filler]

thinking about getting a roku for mum  never had one before, easy setting it up?

[Joe Molotov]

thinking about getting a roku for mum  never had one before, easy setting it up?

The hardest part is putting all Netflix/Hulu/Amazon/HBO/Disney+/Showtime/whatever passwords into a new device.

[team filler]

no software to install? 

[Joe Molotov]

no software to install? 

Nah, it's pretty much plug and play. All the major services come preinstalled. If you're into some weird shit like anime, you might have to go to their app store and download the app for that.

[Great Rumbler]

thinking about getting a roku for mum  never had one before, easy setting it up?

The hardest part is putting all Netflix/Hulu/Amazon/HBO/Disney+/Showtime/whatever passwords into a new device.

Most [or all] of those have an option where you can log in on a PC and input a code from the Roku and then it'll automatically log it in.

[Tektonic]

brb, checking amazon for that Godzilla boxset....

 

[Leadbelly]

So I watched a horror movie called, Portrait of Beauty. It is a Turkish film. I've never heard of it before, just watched it for something to watch. I have to say the movie had me until the final twist. I was like, "No!". I turned it off after that. It was the sort of twist where you lose that suspension of disbelief and can no longer continue after that. I mean, there is a reason you don't see that twist coming, and it is because it comes right from left field, and not in a good way.

[Joe Molotov]

brb, checking amazon for that Godzilla boxset....

 

It's pretty sweet. I've been working my way through the series over the past few months, really having only seen a few of them before in their entirety and then bits and pieces of other ones on TV as a kid.

[Madrun Badrun]

Uncut Gems was amazing. 

[VomKriege]

Film theaters reopened in France but they're mostly playing still the films they had just before lockdown (Elephant Man, which has a limited run, is a small hit) still. Saw the Blumhouse Invisible Man.

I liked it but it's too long and I'm a bit ambivalent about some of the story choices. The movie starts as very subdued and an exploration of an abusive relationship through the prism of the invisible man hook... but at the middle point it shifts gears hard. The stakes get much higher and it works as a shock escalation but honestly I got the impression it became a lot more by the numbers and conventional despite the movie trying to mix things up. I think I would have rather seen the original half brought to its conclusion but it would have been too depressing and subtle for a typical horror / Blumhouse schtick.

Great performance by Elizabeth Moss, good visual with a real care for overall design and identity, it never gets too cheap and dumb with the jump scares and even if it is schlocky it's always well crafted.

Edit : Transhuman didn't like the villain but I thought this was one of the bits that was handled the best in the second half.

spoiler (click to show/hide)

Thought it was appropriate we only see him, really, so late and so little and I liked the touch of the adorkable nice guy™ veneer that you know is really, really thin considering you witnessed how much of a total creep he is.

I agree the off-brand Terminator 2 hospital scene is a bit jarring, despite being effective. And man, it was a bizarre touch that the armed guards all knew the protagonist by name and a couple sounded compassionate to her while they were under a brutal attack. Surprising in a good sense, somewhat justified because more than a couple of them clearly see she's not the attacker... But also comical to have an infinite spawn point of cops for the Invisible Man to rekt.

[close]

[Nintex]

Watched Kill Bill 2 after seeing Kill Bill a few weeks back.

Again with the same friend who had never seen it. Kill Bill 2 has more story than Kill Bill 1 and more world building.
What we really need is Kill Bill The Whole Bloody Affair. Even though Kill Bill is inspired in part by martial arts movies and anime it has unmistakably influenced movies that came after it.

These movies aged like fine wine. I really enjoy them and would've loved to see a prequel with Beatrix traveling the world killing dudes and gals for Bill.
Alas, the only thing we can hope for now is a sequel years after the events of KB2.

RIP David Carradine, the absolute king nailed every scene in that movie.

[VomKriege]

That whole "sequel hook for 20 years into the future" idea (I guess that's what you are referring to ?) always sounded like total dogshit to me as far as being an actual prospect. If producers are set on a sequel, they'll find a way to conjure some nonsensical explanation if needed to do so while bringing whatever actor they want ("I'm Chow Yun Fat twin brother, equally skilled with guns"), that's part of the charm. "Kill Bill world building" is also pretty  and high on a list of nobody actually cares about that shit, no matter what they may think. "You know what would make Meals on Wheels a better cinematic universe ? Some world building on Chinese food vans in Catalunya and the immigration process from China to Spain" said no one ever.

I remember thinking the second part being more interesting even if the first one has the iconic moments and I remember it a lot better. I liked a lot the whole coffin segment, at least. Didn't really care for the Carradine monologue tho.

[Transhuman]

Film theaters reopened in France but they're mostly playing still the films they had just before lockdown (Elephant Man, which has a limited run, is a small hit) still. Saw the Blumhouse Invisible Man.

I liked it but it's too long and I'm a bit ambivalent about some of the story choices. The movie starts as very subdued and an exploration of an abusive relationship through the prism of the invisible man hook... but at the middle point it shifts gears hard. The stakes get much higher and it works as a shock escalation but honestly I got the impression it became a lot more by the numbers and conventional despite the movie trying to mix things up. I think I would have rather seen the original half brought to its conclusion but it would have been too depressing and subtle for a typical horror / Blumhouse schtick.

Great performance by Elizabeth Moss, good visual with a real care for overall design and identity, it never gets too cheap and dumb with the jump scares and even if it is schlocky it's always well crafted.

Edit : Transhuman didn't like the villain but I thought this was one of the bits that was handled the best in the second half.

spoiler (click to show/hide)

Thought it was appropriate we only see him, really, so late and so little and I liked the touch of the adorkable nice guy™ veneer that you know is really, really thin considering you witnessed how much of a total creep he is.

I agree the off-brand Terminator 2 hospital scene is a bit jarring, despite being effective. And man, it was a bizarre touch that the armed guards all knew the protagonist by name and a couple sounded compassionate to her while they were under a brutal attack. Surprising in a good sense, somewhat justified because more than a couple of them clearly see she's not the attacker... But also comical to have an infinite spawn point of cops for the Invisible Man to rekt.

[close]

Invsible man is scary until you figure out his secret weakness.

spoiler (click to show/hide)

a handful of dust, squeaky floorboards, or light rain

 

[close]

[Mupepe]

KB2>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>KB1

[Bebpo]

I watched that Eurovision movie with Will Farell and Rachel McAdams. First movie I watched in a couple months, but was up for something light and it seemed to fit the bill.

It was cute. McAdams puts in a lot of effort and there's some funny bits, but overall just a light feel good movie.

It kinda reminded me of a lot of anime in tone.

[paprikastaude]

KB2>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>KB1

It takes some time to come to that conclusion, but it's the truth.

[EchoRin]

Yeah the Eurovision flick got laughs out of me too. Almost surprised I liked it as much as I did. Pierce Brosnan plays a quality "disappointed dad" figure too haha. I'm checking you out

Creed 2 - eh. Big ol shrug. I like how the final fight concluded though. I don't know how the movie was received, but I'd say it deserves like a 40% rotten tomatoes score. The premise is fine, but I think it just needed to be rewritten. No way the this was written by the same writers as Creed 1 right?

Mid 90s - I was not ready for this. I was expecting some more chill middle class experience, but instead got a more lower class and broken families and tough surroundings with no guidance and awful awful decisions around every turn experience. Love the innocence of the main boy. To have that character be the lead I think was great. But the movie is just sad. Even his friends are all shitty (even if the black kid as the movie goes on seems to start thinking past his immediate surrounds and happenings and becomes somewhat of a mentor to our little guy). I don't know what in the hell is up with the older brother, but fuck. Just awful. The mom tries and you realize she has had her own transformation in life (probably made one too many bad decisions as a teen or young adult too), but she really has no grip on her sons.
Just damn man. You feel bad for people who find themselves in an environment that has a good chance of bringing them down and destroying their ambitions. Hard to not conform and get sucked into a shitty life. Fuck Fuck Shit.
oh yeah. I love the homophobia and masculinity issues brought up in the movie. *whew*. It really is super mid 90s in that regard.
But yeah. You thought everyone was an unlikeable piece of shit in Uncut Gems and enjoyed it? Well I got a movie for you.

[Nintex]

KB2>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>KB1

It takes some time to come to that conclusion, but it's the truth.

Yeah I think so too. Still Kill Bill 2 would not be the same without 1 but 2 is more Tarantino and less action flick and every scene has more time to play out

[Madrun Badrun]

I just realized in Harry Potter 2, when they find out the kids are in trouble, all the other profs are like "OK we will leave this up to you gilderoy"  with a knowing wink wink that he is a fraud even though the kids are in danger.  Pretty sure this isn't like this in the books. 

[Leadbelly]

So I knew Richard Hatch was that old guy who starred in really terrible B movie trash. I'm currently watching Diminuendo, and I was thinking, "who the fuck is this guy anyway".

So I searched him. He's that guy!. Age is a motherfucker.

[Tektonic]

Trancers

So after my Nemesis series watch, I looked for something suitably as bad, and Tim Thomerson as Jack Deth was just the ticket. I'd never seen any of these Trancers movies, and after watching the first 5, I'm not sure that was such a bad thing.

So quickly, the tier goes: Trancers - Trancers 2 --------- Trancers 3 ------------------------------------------------------------- Trancers 4 & 5

Trancers has Jack Deth go back in time to prevent super-criminal/badguy Whistler and his trancer army. This is a pretty fun 80's flick, with cool time travel gimmick (you inhabit the consciousness of a relative in the past) and some pretty fun dialogue "Only squids get tranced". I'd recommend it, perhaps in a double-header with Nemesis.

Trancers 2 - Return of Jack Deth  Megan Ward is hot
Trancers 3 - Deth Lives! see Trancers 2 - except worse

Trancers 4 - Jack of Swords & Trancers 5 - Sudden Deth both filmed back to back, when Jack's TLC is damaged with a fight with a Solenoid, he is sent to a parallel universe and the world of Orpheus. There he must battle a race of Trancer vampires lead by Caliban. This is cheese, pure and simple, but the actress that plays Shaleen is quite beguiling.

It seems the idea of a Trancer seems to change from movie to movie, but Jack Deth keeps truckin on. He loses a lot of his character by movie 3, and then randomly in 4 & 5 they heap on the charm, but it falls flat because they are so cheaply made. Then again, in Trancers 2 the same Greenworld security guards get killed 4 times in the space of 20 seconds, so cheap was always the operative word.

TLDR; watch Trancers. If you think Megan Ward is hot, watch Trancers 2.

[toku]

which is the one which opens with him as a doll in a scrapyard or something like that

[Tektonic]

which is the one which opens with him as a doll in a scrapyard or something like that

that's Tim Thomerson in Albert Pyun's Dollman... https://tubitv.com/movies/464276/dollman

[Sman]

I've just watched the director's cut of Doctor Sleep.

It was ok. Long (3 hours!). Kinda super-hero-ish in a way. More like nice-to-have-a-follow-up-but-not-quite-as-good-as-the-original kind of movie. Not particularly scary though.

It's well-shot, the recreation of some of the original sets (or were they real locations?) is nice, some of the old characters played by new actors more hit or miss though.

I thought the third act was a bit disappointing. I like the idea of returning to that hotel, with some extra character development, but I didn't think the payoff was really there. Especially with the main villain.


 

[toku]

which is the one which opens with him as a doll in a scrapyard or something like that

that's Tim Thomerson in Albert Pyun's Dollman... https://tubitv.com/movies/464276/dollman

yeah there are holes in my brain

[Tektonic]

which is the one which opens with him as a doll in a scrapyard or something like that

that's Tim Thomerson in Albert Pyun's Dollman... https://tubitv.com/movies/464276/dollman

yeah there are holes in my brain

especially when you watch these types of movies

[Bebpo]

Hamilton was great. Lived up to expectations. Will check out the soundtrack for In The Heights soon.

[Great Rumbler]

Before We Vanish was just the right combination of off kilter humor, japanese absurdity, and existential noodling

Yep, it's a Kiyoshi Kurosawa movie.

[Leadbelly]

I recently came across these reunite videos. Some of them are great.

Like this one. There is one for the Goonies as well.

[Nintex]

https://twitter.com/CultureCrave/status/1280409068893425665

 

[Great Rumbler]

Jared Leto tho

[EchoRin]

Oh well. At least it will look cool in IMAX again I suppose.

[Tasty]

https://twitter.com/CultureCrave/status/1280409068893425665

 

I feel like I read this rumor 1.5-2 years ago

[Tasty]

Ban Nintex if this is an old rumor that got re-dredged

[Tasty]

https://twitter.com/Great_Katzby/status/1280155115094237187



I'm on board

[Great Rumbler]

https://twitter.com/CultureCrave/status/1280409068893425665

 

I feel like I read this rumor 1.5-2 years ago

Some people were saying that the Jared Leto rumors have been around for a while, but the other stuff came out recently.

[Akala]

https://twitter.com/spikepoint/status/1280538582155845632

[Tasty]

https://twitter.com/CultureCrave/status/1280409068893425665

 

I feel like I read this rumor 1.5-2 years ago

Some people were saying that the Jared Leto rumors have been around for a while, but the other stuff came out recently.

But there's nothing else to the story then, other than maybe there's a script that exists, and is done, and people like it? Seems pretty vapor-y to me... 👀

[Tasty]

https://twitter.com/pleasedtomeetya/status/1280566202503495681

Still waiting on dat Disney confirmirmation 👀

Weird they'd just let some Twitter rando break it on a Tuesday morning 👀 👀 👀 👀

spoiler (click to show/hide)

BAN NINTEX

[close]

[Nintex]

Hopefully they can match the awesome atmosphere and soundtrack with a much better movie this time.
It is probably the best music video ever made though 

[chronovore]

Highlander reboot looks dope:

[Tripon]

https://twitter.com/DiscussingFilm/status/1280994415432085525 Hollywood breaking quarentine.

[Joe Molotov]

Big deal, these guys made a movie during quarantine too.

[Tasty]

I'm putting together two short films right now and goddamn is it a nightmare, they definitely did it right there. Hats off to them on keeping their heads down and not letting shit, even shit like a global pandemic, distract from their art

[chronovore]

JOKER arrived on Netflix Japan.

It's well-shot, could've been edited a bit more tightly. Pacing felt self-indulgent, prideful of its own cleverness. I don't see it as being pro-incel so much as anti-society. It owes a substantial debt to Taxi Driver, King of Comedy, and any number of unreliable narrator movies. I'm unsure how much of the film is meant to be real, and how much is solely in Arthur Fleck's delusional head.

Phoenix elevates the material, and there are some good bits. Not just good emotional presentation, but he nails the laugh. All the Looney-Tunes chase sequences emphasize the disconnect with consensus reality.

[EchoRin]

Wanted to share this as I'm a huge Sakamoto fan and Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence is one of my favorite movies

https://www.criterion.com/current/posts/7015-ryuichi-sakamoto-finds-a-melody-for-the-unnameable

[Joe Molotov]

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/b/criterion/_/N-1p0i

Barnes & Noble is doing their 50% off Criterion sale this month. I bought War of the Worlds for $20 ($28 on Amazon) and Bruce Lee: His Greatest Hits for $62 ($99 on Amazon).

[Don Rumata]

Got me curious about the movie, will give it a shot.

[Stoney Mason]

Overview of things I watched recently


The Boondock Saints

Had friends who had always recommended this movie to me. Now I know never to trust those people again. Just fucking awful. This wouldn't have been edgy to me in 1999 and in 2020 its downright laughable. Painful waste of two hours. At least I never have to watch the sequel since the original stunk so bad. Felt like Tarantino without wit, style, or charm. Hated it.

ET

Even though I'm old as fuck now, I had never seen ET. Even as a kid I was just never overly into feel good movies like this. All that being said, its not bad for what it is. It's mainly a piece of 80's nostalgia for me but it has an excellent soundtrack. A solid framework of a movie for what it is. I think this is a movie that probably works on you better if you saw it when you were young. Kind of like The Wizard of Oz which I saw as a young kid and always adored. But if you saw Oz as an adult, it probably doesn't hold the same sway. ET feels exactly like that to me.   

John Wick 3

Loved it. Three movies and I've liked all of them. Personally liked this one more than the 2nd one. Probably not as much as the first. But still really enjoyed it and of course the wonderful tone it sets and its awesome action. Amazing that we already got three great Wick movies but only ever got one super good matrix movie.

Hamilton

Loved it. And I'm not generally much of a musical guy but I really like this one. The modern music and style of music helped. Fun, Lively, really good stuff. I could watch it in 10 years and still super enjoy it.

[EchoRin]

ET as a feel good movie eh? I'm pretty sure it made me weep the same way The Fox and Hound did. Though it was more triumphant feeling in the end, yes.

[Stoney Mason]

ET as a feel good movie eh? I'm pretty sure it made me weep the same way The Fox and Hound did. Though it was more triumphant feeling in the end, yes

It probably hits harder if you go in blind but due to cultural osmosis, I knew every beat of the plot without having seen it so that dampens the impact somewhat.

[Great Rumbler]

The Boondock Saints

Had friends who had always recommended this movie to me. Now I know never to trust those people again. Just fucking awful. This wouldn't have been edgy to me in 1999 and in 2020 its downright laughable. Painful waste of two hours. At least I never have to watch the sequel since the original stunk so bad. Felt like Tarantino without wit, style, or charm. Hated it.

You should have just watched the documentary instead:

[Transhuman]

I remember enjoying Overnight but it is painful to watch.

[Tasty]

https://twitter.com/empireAlC/status/1281529396550139904

Yay, progress?

[chronovore]

Overview of things I watched recently


The Boondock Saints

Had friends who had always recommended this movie to me. Now I know never to trust those people again. Just fucking awful. This wouldn't have been edgy to me in 1999 and in 2020 its downright laughable. Painful waste of two hours. At least I never have to watch the sequel since the original stunk so bad. Felt like Tarantino without wit, style, or charm. Hated it.

ET

Even though I'm old as fuck now, I had never seen ET. Even as a kid I was just never overly into feel good movies like this. All that being said, its not bad for what it is. It's mainly a piece of 80's nostalgia for me but it has an excellent soundtrack. A solid framework of a movie for what it is. I think this is a movie that probably works on you better if you saw it when you were young. Kind of like The Wizard of Oz which I saw as a young kid and always adored. But if you saw Oz as an adult, it probably doesn't hold the same sway. ET feels exactly like that to me.   

John Wick 3

Loved it. Three movies and I've liked all of them. Personally liked this one more than the 2nd one. Probably not as much as the first. But still really enjoyed it and of course the wonderful tone it sets and its awesome action. Amazing that we already got three great Wick movies but only ever got one super good matrix movie.

Hamilton

Loved it. And I'm not generally much of a musical guy but I really like this one. The modern music and style of music helped. Fun, Lively, really good stuff. I could watch it in 10 years and still super enjoy it.

Boondock Saints is a shitty, style over substance movie.

I might give Wick 3 another watch. I remember feeling like the fight scenes were too long.

[Lonewulfeus]

Highlander reboot looks dope:

Watched this today while grinding out quest mode in virtua fighter 5, i really enjoyed it.  Great popcorn flick, action was fun, story was good.

[chronovore]

Highlander reboot looks dope:

Watched this today while grinding out quest mode in virtua fighter 5, i really enjoyed it.  Great popcorn flick, action was fun, story was good.

Me, too! It was the first legitimately good Netflix-made action film. The others I've seen have all been pretty poor, but I actually hope they do a sequel to this.