Films Recently Watched

[chim]

Son of Saul

Real sleeper hit here, totally blindsided by it. I was a bit hesitant due to he filming style (and it being yet another WW2-era drama), but the exalting reviews led me to give it an honest chance. I can understand the divided opinions and am a bit undecided on the exploitative significance of what is essentially a holocaust theme park ride, but damn! The insanely visceral and fucked up cinematography grips hard and doesn't let go. Once you step in rhythm with the feverish and cramped camera work, it makes so much sense as it enables the subjective experience in which the mechanical routine of slave laboring at Atrocities'R'us (something that is effectively portrayed but never forced) becomes a constant yet slightly subdued backdrop because of the desensitization of the people forced to work in its midst. One of the interviewees in Shoah described having no emotion at all during his experience. When the dehumanization is complete, every misstep risks the penalty of death and the human will starts to present itself in this environment, you as a viewer can't prevent holding your breath in every turned corner, every head turn that could be percieved as insubordination. The oppressive rhythm marches on unceasingly and the film maintains a tempo which effectively prevents the viewer from reflecting on what's going on and completes the nausea. The plot feels a bit forced at times and doesn't always makes sense, but I'll allow that a circumstance like this really isn't supposed to make sense. Very much on par with Come and See, if you stuck it in a blender. I have to see it again soon.

[Nebraska]

an engrossing, immediate depiction of late 80s los angeles, this film is elevated by the electrifying performances of the eye candy hall of famers linnea 'scream queen' quigley, ginger 'score' lynn and karen 'slurp' russell as they infiltrate an illegal porn making venture and dodgy prostitution ring on hollywood blvd. what really sets this one apart from it's contemporaries is the level of realness the film delves into as the ladies are forced to strip down to their bare essence to nab the crooks.

essential late-night viewing 

[brian trageskin]

joker: stunning photography 

[Rubin Farr]

22 hours ago, Nebraska said:

an engrossing, immediate depiction of late 80s los angeles, this film is elevated by the electrifying performances of the eye candy hall of famers linnea 'scream queen' quigley, ginger 'score' lynn and karen 'slurp' russell as they infiltrate an illegal porn making venture and dodgy prostitution ring on hollywood blvd. what really sets this one apart from it's contemporaries is the level of realness the film delves into as the ladies are forced to strip down to their bare essence to nab the crooks.

essential late-night viewing 

Have u seen this un?  80s sexploitation has become a hobby recently, finding obscure trackers that pop up:

 

[Nebraska]

^^ yes. i have the entire andy sidaris oeuvre titled 'bullets, bombs and babes'. one of his muses was julie strain who, just recently, was rumored to be dead, but turned it to be a crude hoax. 

[Taupe Beats]

In a vaguely similar context, I really want to see this:

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091459/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

[Taupe Beats]

On 3/22/2019 at 3:51 PM, rhmilo said:

La Vie de Jesus was really good. Or at least I thought so back when it came out.

Late response but wanted to follow up. This film is brilliant. His visual style is fully-realized already (the shot that emphasizes epilepsy as "The Sacred Disease" is amazing). The references that subtly relate or connect to the history of this region (the Somali tv footage reflecting WWI, Armistice Day, etc.) give such a cold but unavoidable context for the inescapable misery in these characters' lives.

It's amazing how arguably every film he's made since can be directly or indirectly tied to elements/characters in this film (and that's not including Bailleul itself). I now have the Renan work this film is based on in my reading list.

Then to think about Dumont's career trajectory (esp. over the past ~5 years) and how it still has its roots in this era/style. I personally don't care if he keeps polishing the same stone. It's a hell of a stone!

[may be rude]

Is it just me or does Al Pacino fucking suck?

[Squee]

1 hour ago, very honest said:

Is it just me or does Al Pacino fucking suck?

He was pretty good in The Scent of a Woman, but... yeah, I know what you mean. I like holding actors/actresses up against Daniel Day Lewis in There Will Be Blood because that is a fucking pinnacle of acting.

[chim]

7 hours ago, very honest said:

Is it just me or does Al Pacino fucking suck?

A GREAT ASS!

[dr lopez]

he was good until scarface and then somehow he couldnt STOP YELLIINNNNGGGGG

Edited January 21, 2020 by dr lopez

[may be rude]

14 minutes ago, dr lopez said:

he was good until scarface and then somehow he couldnt STOP YELLIINNNNGGGGG

 

that's pretty much my take. he was trying when he was younger and then got too confident. go full spaz and call it a scene. 

[Nebraska]

this wasn't that bad, but not sure it was that great either. obviously sam mendes loved 'gravity' because he gives this similar treatment and wants you to hold your breathe the full duration of his film. problem is- when there's nothing happening, the main characters have these boring chats- then something happens and you're like "wait- what's happening now?" before there's another boring chat about to happen.

there's one scene where 'the main character' is walking around this bombed out city and that was just a mindblowing shot the entire scene. but besides that i'd say it was just a little above "okay" 

[zero]

7 hours ago, Squee said:

I like holding actors/actresses up against Daniel Day Lewis in There Will Be Blood because that is a fucking pinnacle of acting.

The only complaint I had with his performance in that was that he was so perfect that it made the rest of the cast look like amateurs. One thing I found noticeably distracting was that his accent and speech mannerisms matched the period perfectly, and everyone else sounded like it was 2007.

[Rubin Farr]

The rumored 3 hour Director's Cut of Doctor Sleep has surfaced:

https://bloody-disgusting.com/home-video/3601563/mike-flanagans-3-hour-directors-cut-doctor-sleep-now-streaming/

 

 

[Squee]

2 hours ago, zero said:

The only complaint I had with his performance in that was that he was so perfect that it made the rest of the cast look like amateurs. One thing I found noticeably distracting was that his accent and speech mannerisms matched the period perfectly, and everyone else sounded like it was 2007.

Paul Dano was excellent as well!

14 minutes ago, Rubin Farr said:

The rumored 3 hour Director's Cut of Doctor Sleep has surfaced:

https://bloody-disgusting.com/home-video/3601563/mike-flanagans-3-hour-directors-cut-doctor-sleep-now-streaming/

 

 

I'm not sure that'll help that heaping pile of shit that was the theatrical cut.

[Candiru]

On 1/21/2020 at 5:46 AM, very honest said:

Is it just me or does Al Pacino fucking suck?

I love Al Pacino, tbqh. Even when he yells. I love Heat. 

[Nebraska]

On 1/21/2020 at 1:58 PM, Rubin Farr said:

The rumored 3 hour Director's Cut of Doctor Sleep has surfaced:

https://bloody-disgusting.com/home-video/3601563/mike-flanagans-3-hour-directors-cut-doctor-sleep-now-streaming/

tried watching this and got to about 15min in before i turned it off. not my thing at all. i never really liked the shining that much but i did get through that. this just seemed to pander to that film

[marf]

1972 Frenzy
(Hitchcock, ), loved it. One of the only movies i can think of with drama and comedy mixed perfectly

1971 ,  Andromeda Strain. A Feast for the eyes. Much like the first Alien in that way. con: there is a crying baby.

[Silent Member]

23 hours ago, Nebraska said:

tried watching this and got to about 15min in before i turned it off. not my thing at all. i never really liked the shining that much but i did get through that. this just seemed to pander to that film

I was forcing myself to watch it, but after a full hour of dumb garbage I just couldn't take anymore.  77% fresh on Rotten tomatoes? Someone should be ashamed of themselves.

[Nebraska]

On 1/16/2020 at 8:06 AM, Nebraska said:

wow, this was incredibly entertaining. it switches from exploitation to stylistically artsy in the same scene making for some head-damagingly weird visuals. basically nami matsushima gets chucked into prison for the attempted murder of an ex-boyfriend; who just happened to be an undercover cop- who used to capture a yakuza clan. once inside prison though- she begins to coz havoc with the warring female gang groups before everything leads to an all out war betwix prison personnel and guards. and guess what's the root of all this debacle

the 2nd part in this series, this is probably my favorite; a no holds barred epic assault on the senses. nami escapes from prison with a gang of 6 other inmates- then go on some kind of hallucinatory journey through the wilderness before the final showdown with the guards. it sounds simple- and has your obligatory "rape" scenes- but the photography mixed with comic book style visual edits and brain melting flashbacks/flash-forwards/screen tears and fantasy sequences really make this a fun and unique film.

p.s. this has one of the sexiest endings i've seen in an exploitation film

things slow down a bit in the 3rd part as nami seeks refuge with a prostitute who's having an incestuous relationship with her mentally challenged brother. a thug recognizes her and threatens to give her up unless she becomes "his main woman" while the prostitute harboring her is shaken down by the local yakuza. meanwhile- there's a cop with one arm on her heels and another inmate with a score to settle. 

 

there's a scene where a guy gets a kettle of scolding hot water thrown in his face and that's what it feels like watching these films one after the other

Edited January 24, 2020 by Nebraska

[Squee]

I thought we had a Sonic The Movie thread? Anyway...

Holy shit, this is bad, hahaha

 

[ignatius]

"Dark Water" -  (dupont is fucking evil bastards - in case you didn't already know - and your blood is teflon)

[dr lopez]

i actually want to see that

[marf]

there are two Distinct Pacinos