I've seen all the Halloween movies except the Rob Zombie reboots by now. The first one is the only unambiguously good one for me. The 2018 movie was fine I guess if only because it undoes most of the stupid that followed the original one.
Discuss and Rate the Last Film You Watched
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The Mummy Returns - 8/10
The movie that shot Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson into the public eye and on to bigger and better things.
I still really like this movie, but it’s last act battle is a victim of circumstances and some bad scenes that they probably couldn’t afford to redo. The CGI on the Scorpion King was awful when it was released, never mind now and Imhotep’s famously awful “Noooo” when Rick kills the Scorpion King is not going on Arnold Vosloo’s Oscar reel when he wins a best actor nom. Also the writer’s did not do enough research and like Hades before him, Anubis gets the short end of the stick.
But it’s still a good movie, all the characters are still fun and remarkably well acted. In fact Vosloo himself gets an excellent scene at the end when Anuk-Sunamun runs away to let him die: he looks and sounds genuinely heartbroken and he does this little smile at Rick and Evie before he allows himself to be taken into the underworld. And the O’Connell family dynamic is absolutely brilliant.
The movie that shot Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson into the public eye and on to bigger and better things.
I still really like this movie, but it’s last act battle is a victim of circumstances and some bad scenes that they probably couldn’t afford to redo. The CGI on the Scorpion King was awful when it was released, never mind now and Imhotep’s famously awful “Noooo” when Rick kills the Scorpion King is not going on Arnold Vosloo’s Oscar reel when he wins a best actor nom. Also the writer’s did not do enough research and like Hades before him, Anubis gets the short end of the stick.
But it’s still a good movie, all the characters are still fun and remarkably well acted. In fact Vosloo himself gets an excellent scene at the end when Anuk-Sunamun runs away to let him die: he looks and sounds genuinely heartbroken and he does this little smile at Rick and Evie before he allows himself to be taken into the underworld. And the O’Connell family dynamic is absolutely brilliant.
The Babysitter: Killer Queen
The Babysitter: Killer Queen is the most embarrassing thing I've experienced since I accidentally unplugged my headphones and my phone started blasting Laura Brannigan's Self Control to a crowded subway car. The button that lowers the volume doesn't work so I had to raise it even higher with the other button first so it would bring up the HUD on screen and could lower it from there.
I quite liked 2017's The Babysitter. It was set in the present but it made for a cute 80s throwback movie about a kid who likes an older girl, stays up late at night, eavesdrops into the world of "the bigger kids" and gets punished for it. That mystery between age gaps is gone by the sequel and so is the best part of the original, Samara Weaving as the archetypical hot babysitter/impossible crush to pre-teen in her care. Cole is now a teen and in the same age group as his satanic bullies, so that contrast is gone, and Cole is much less likeable for trying to fit in. Melanie (his neighbor & crush) is also even less likeable, but I won't get into spoilers. It seems pointless to have a Babysitter sequel without Samara Weaving in the title role, as pointless as continuing a story that banked on the WTF factor of a spin-the-bottle game devolving into ritual sacrifice. The sequel tries another spin on that WTF moment and it didn't work for me for two reasons: 1) you see it coming a mile away, 2) the universe in which the story takes place is already a big WTF. Everyone acts like a psycho on cocaine in this movie. The first movie built a more or less believable (if idealized) world to turn upside down one fateful night; Killer Queen has teens and adults alike acting like maniacs long before the bloodletting commences.
The Babysitter: Killer Queen is the most embarrassing thing I've experienced since I accidentally unplugged my headphones and my phone started blasting Laura Brannigan's Self Control to a crowded subway car. The button that lowers the volume doesn't work so I had to raise it even higher with the other button first so it would bring up the HUD on screen and could lower it from there.
I quite liked 2017's The Babysitter. It was set in the present but it made for a cute 80s throwback movie about a kid who likes an older girl, stays up late at night, eavesdrops into the world of "the bigger kids" and gets punished for it. That mystery between age gaps is gone by the sequel and so is the best part of the original, Samara Weaving as the archetypical hot babysitter/impossible crush to pre-teen in her care. Cole is now a teen and in the same age group as his satanic bullies, so that contrast is gone, and Cole is much less likeable for trying to fit in. Melanie (his neighbor & crush) is also even less likeable, but I won't get into spoilers. It seems pointless to have a Babysitter sequel without Samara Weaving in the title role, as pointless as continuing a story that banked on the WTF factor of a spin-the-bottle game devolving into ritual sacrifice. The sequel tries another spin on that WTF moment and it didn't work for me for two reasons: 1) you see it coming a mile away, 2) the universe in which the story takes place is already a big WTF. Everyone acts like a psycho on cocaine in this movie. The first movie built a more or less believable (if idealized) world to turn upside down one fateful night; Killer Queen has teens and adults alike acting like maniacs long before the bloodletting commences.
bwuh?
Most movies the Rock has been in are better than The Mummy Returns, at least certainly in terms of what he got to do in them. Why is that strange?
His roles are much better than the piece of meat he's in Mummy Returns, but has he been in a movie genuinely better than Mummy Returns? Not so sure about that (unless we uplift the divisive Southland Tales to cult film status).
Cuties
Yeah I watched it. The hot movie of the month. Now the hot topic about the movie: overblown reactions. And that's as much as I'll go into that in particular. The movie is set in a place of heightened realism: the main character, 11-year-old Amy can do pretty much anything she wants like steal a smartphone with no lock screens and unlimited battery life. Their little dance group can attend a big competition despite poorly imitating a youtube video in the audition (after lying their ages to apply, one must assume). Their parents could be from the Peanuts, yet the girls' borderline pathological behavior is still on them being busier in their own lives instead of looking after their children. Except Auntie. Auntie wants only what's best for Amy, and is there even when her mother is giving up, but Auntie's advice is that of a conservative Muslim woman and comes from a place where female sexuality shouldn't be used to entice the masses. Of course, it's movie magic that allows things to progress as well as deescalate so fast, and thus the theme of how adults should be in pre-teen girls' lives doesn't come up. Rather it's about how growing up without the proper support can make good girls go bad. For a little while. 6/10
The only one I can think of is Rampage, but I love it and Mummy Returns about almost the same. I have a bit more love for the latter because of my childhood, but I can watch either just fine.
Annihilation
I kinda forgot about it already, but it was still pretty neat. If that makes sense. That bear scene was pretty awesome, and that aligator looked really freaking realistic for a CGI creature. 99% of the time I can totally spot that shit, but with that gator I was squinting super hard to spot the "digital fuzz" and I just couldn't.
I kinda forgot about it already, but it was still pretty neat. If that makes sense. That bear scene was pretty awesome, and that aligator looked really freaking realistic for a CGI creature. 99% of the time I can totally spot that shit, but with that gator I was squinting super hard to spot the "digital fuzz" and I just couldn't.
Sniper: Assassin's End
Number 8 in the Sniper films series, (haven't found 7 yet). It was...ok, I guess. Not much sniping, and very low budget direct to DVD. The first movie in the series was legit good, the next few decent, went downhill.
Also, one of those "the federal agents can break whatever law they want" movies. Not just criminals, or people committing crimes under duress, but he pulls out a gun and threatens the hospital staff objecting to him torturing a guy.
EDIT: Oh, and there's a cringeable bit where the hero is shocked that the enemy sniper is female. Despite having fought with and against female snipers in the past.
Number 8 in the Sniper films series, (haven't found 7 yet). It was...ok, I guess. Not much sniping, and very low budget direct to DVD. The first movie in the series was legit good, the next few decent, went downhill.
Also, one of those "the federal agents can break whatever law they want" movies. Not just criminals, or people committing crimes under duress, but he pulls out a gun and threatens the hospital staff objecting to him torturing a guy.
EDIT: Oh, and there's a cringeable bit where the hero is shocked that the enemy sniper is female. Despite having fought with and against female snipers in the past.
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Arrietty - 9/10
The Borrowers by way of Studio Ghibli, with all that statement entails. I watched this last night with my kids and honestly we had a good time. If I have criticisms they are thus: Tom Holland (Sho) sounds very detached in his delivery; an affect that makes sense up to a certain point but is still distracting and the film is very mellow, even by Ghibli standards so it’s not exciting in the traditional sense.
But the UK dub is well done, the music is wonderful and the scenery is as if drawn by God himself it’s so achingly beautiful.
The Borrowers by way of Studio Ghibli, with all that statement entails. I watched this last night with my kids and honestly we had a good time. If I have criticisms they are thus: Tom Holland (Sho) sounds very detached in his delivery; an affect that makes sense up to a certain point but is still distracting and the film is very mellow, even by Ghibli standards so it’s not exciting in the traditional sense.
But the UK dub is well done, the music is wonderful and the scenery is as if drawn by God himself it’s so achingly beautiful.
287. Ghost in the Shell (1995)
(Meaning it's the 287th film or TV show season I've watched this year, not counting multiple watches the same year. This is from my own numbered log.)
Score: 7/10
I figured out after a helpful post a few days ago that Dolby Surround replaced Pro Logic II (which my receiver doesn't support), so I finally watched this in matrixed surround for my ninth viewing (over a thirteen year period) today. Didn't have a speaker system until my last viewing a year ago. This Japanese PCM 2.0 surround sound track is a great mix. Still wondering exactly what Dolby Surround sends to the Atmos speakers with these types of tracks. Although my receiver LED said they were enabled, I couldn't tell if anything was coming out of them. But I preferred it this way.
This 4K release from 2018 looks nice, but has just a little too much grain reduction. Not as bad as Akira's new master, but I wish they'd have left the grain and the details inherent in the grain alone. A USA version just came out, which has the same grain reduction and apparently is a little brighter, but I'll stick with this version, partly because it keeps the original ending music rather than the U2/Brian Eno song (saying this as someone who loves Eno). Didn't really have a problem with the colors anyway, and the USA release seems to have the same color range, just brighter.
I still prefer some things about the original manga. Found the stories flowed together a little more smoothly, less confusing for people unfamiliar with either version. But I really appreciate the style of this version and think the makers did a decent job with the story.
(Meaning it's the 287th film or TV show season I've watched this year, not counting multiple watches the same year. This is from my own numbered log.)
Score: 7/10
I figured out after a helpful post a few days ago that Dolby Surround replaced Pro Logic II (which my receiver doesn't support), so I finally watched this in matrixed surround for my ninth viewing (over a thirteen year period) today. Didn't have a speaker system until my last viewing a year ago. This Japanese PCM 2.0 surround sound track is a great mix. Still wondering exactly what Dolby Surround sends to the Atmos speakers with these types of tracks. Although my receiver LED said they were enabled, I couldn't tell if anything was coming out of them. But I preferred it this way.
This 4K release from 2018 looks nice, but has just a little too much grain reduction. Not as bad as Akira's new master, but I wish they'd have left the grain and the details inherent in the grain alone. A USA version just came out, which has the same grain reduction and apparently is a little brighter, but I'll stick with this version, partly because it keeps the original ending music rather than the U2/Brian Eno song (saying this as someone who loves Eno). Didn't really have a problem with the colors anyway, and the USA release seems to have the same color range, just brighter.
I still prefer some things about the original manga. Found the stories flowed together a little more smoothly, less confusing for people unfamiliar with either version. But I really appreciate the style of this version and think the makers did a decent job with the story.
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Cuties
What a load of fuss about nothing. Is alright, an acceptable coming of age story. I hate everything around this movie except the movie itself, especially the qanon cunts and their constant cultish misdirection of actual serious crimes.
The devil all the time
Also alright slightly meandering in a book adaptation sort of way but interesting nonetheless. Balances the dark humour and seriousness well enough.
What a load of fuss about nothing. Is alright, an acceptable coming of age story. I hate everything around this movie except the movie itself, especially the qanon cunts and their constant cultish misdirection of actual serious crimes.
The devil all the time
Also alright slightly meandering in a book adaptation sort of way but interesting nonetheless. Balances the dark humour and seriousness well enough.
I'm Thinking of Ending Things
Pretty good. It's yet another manic-depressive existential nightmare from Charlie Kaufman, whose work I think I appreciate more than I enjoy at this point. This time around the the movie wasn't as much of a downer as Synechdoche or Anomalisa, nor as obfuscating as I was expecting it to be. It's essentially a psychological horror thriller in the vein of Lost Highway, and VERY effective in creating that foreboding nightmare sense of disorientation and oppression. By the time the credits rolled I'd made up my mind what the hell it was all about and as I continue to think about the movie everything feeds my initial and as far as I'm concerned 100% correct theory. I was surprised to find out it's based on a preexisting novel as well. If it resembles the movie only even halfway then it was tailor-made for Kaufman to adapt.
Pretty good. It's yet another manic-depressive existential nightmare from Charlie Kaufman, whose work I think I appreciate more than I enjoy at this point. This time around the the movie wasn't as much of a downer as Synechdoche or Anomalisa, nor as obfuscating as I was expecting it to be. It's essentially a psychological horror thriller in the vein of Lost Highway, and VERY effective in creating that foreboding nightmare sense of disorientation and oppression. By the time the credits rolled I'd made up my mind what the hell it was all about and as I continue to think about the movie everything feeds my initial and as far as I'm concerned 100% correct theory. I was surprised to find out it's based on a preexisting novel as well. If it resembles the movie only even halfway then it was tailor-made for Kaufman to adapt.
From Up on Poppy Hill
The blandest Ghibli movie I've ever seen, directed by Hayao Miyazaki's son Goro. Yes it's very pretty and they get that cozy look and feel just right but the characters are all interchageably blank and there's little heart to them or what passes for a story. Ghibli movies can be funny, cute, creepy, sad, nostalgic, heartwarming... I got none of that from Poppy Hill. It's slice of life without all the things that make Kiki's Delivery Service work and stay in your head. And I don't appreciate the incestuous angle, of all things in a freaking kids' movie. The lead boy and girl are sharing a budding romance until it's revealed they're siblings, which puts a stop to the romance until they decide fuck it, we're still in love. It's later revealed they're NOT siblings which supposedy makes things ok but it was disturbing enough that they wouldn't care either way.
The blandest Ghibli movie I've ever seen, directed by Hayao Miyazaki's son Goro. Yes it's very pretty and they get that cozy look and feel just right but the characters are all interchageably blank and there's little heart to them or what passes for a story. Ghibli movies can be funny, cute, creepy, sad, nostalgic, heartwarming... I got none of that from Poppy Hill. It's slice of life without all the things that make Kiki's Delivery Service work and stay in your head. And I don't appreciate the incestuous angle, of all things in a freaking kids' movie. The lead boy and girl are sharing a budding romance until it's revealed they're siblings, which puts a stop to the romance until they decide fuck it, we're still in love. It's later revealed they're NOT siblings which supposedy makes things ok but it was disturbing enough that they wouldn't care either way.
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The Goonies
I'm 31 and had never seen The Goonies, so I'm too old for it now and there's no nostalgia in it for me either. But to the movie's credit it stays fun even if it never gets funny. A lot of it has to do with that Spielbergian breakneck pace (as far as I'm concerned he was puppeting Donner the whole way), a lot of it has to do with the bonkers nature of the plot, which throws in kids on bikes, buried pirate treasure, Indiana Jones gauntlets, comedy Italian mobsters and some kind of sci-fi/horror movie freak apropos of nothing. Things just keep being thrown in out of the blue. It's all very cheesy and corny but ultimately fun and entertaining. I will say all the screaming and falling was getting on my nerves by the end of it though. Could've done without the annoying fat kid.
I'm 31 and had never seen The Goonies, so I'm too old for it now and there's no nostalgia in it for me either. But to the movie's credit it stays fun even if it never gets funny. A lot of it has to do with that Spielbergian breakneck pace (as far as I'm concerned he was puppeting Donner the whole way), a lot of it has to do with the bonkers nature of the plot, which throws in kids on bikes, buried pirate treasure, Indiana Jones gauntlets, comedy Italian mobsters and some kind of sci-fi/horror movie freak apropos of nothing. Things just keep being thrown in out of the blue. It's all very cheesy and corny but ultimately fun and entertaining. I will say all the screaming and falling was getting on my nerves by the end of it though. Could've done without the annoying fat kid.
Nerve
Congratulations Netflix hired help Joost & Schulman, you've done it again - you took a more or less original premise and left the cameras rolling. And if the script describes the protagonist as shy, impressionable, easily manipulated and incurably unpopular maybe don't cast Emma Roberts, the most stylish, flashy, alpha-powered and gorgeously feminine person on the planet. What's the comedic value in watching her "embarrass" herself in a series of escalating Twitch-like live challenges when everything is tailored to her comfort? She has to kiss an icky random stranger and of course it's Dave Franco; she has to streak in her undies except who gives a shit, she looks perfect and fresh from the makeup department. Bleh. Throw in a tired boomer message about the dangers of peer pressure as compounded by social media and you've wasted 96 minutes of your life.
Congratulations Netflix hired help Joost & Schulman, you've done it again - you took a more or less original premise and left the cameras rolling. And if the script describes the protagonist as shy, impressionable, easily manipulated and incurably unpopular maybe don't cast Emma Roberts, the most stylish, flashy, alpha-powered and gorgeously feminine person on the planet. What's the comedic value in watching her "embarrass" herself in a series of escalating Twitch-like live challenges when everything is tailored to her comfort? She has to kiss an icky random stranger and of course it's Dave Franco; she has to streak in her undies except who gives a shit, she looks perfect and fresh from the makeup department. Bleh. Throw in a tired boomer message about the dangers of peer pressure as compounded by social media and you've wasted 96 minutes of your life.
Wow, I saw Goonies by accident 4 times in just the last week; how you made it to 2020 without seeing it at ALL is nothing short of a miracle. That said, I'd say your critique is accurate...
And then you said that. The Truffle Shuffle is a very fond part of every '80s babies' childhood; how fuckin' dare you? Get out.
I SAID GET OUT!!!!!
And without Chunk, they wouldn’t have got Sloth on their side.
Weirds me out that Brand is Thanos though.
I havent seen the Goonies in 20 year. And that was very deliberate. And I've deliberately not watched it since then. 4 accidents is not an accident
"4 times" was my being facetiously hyperbolic in response to someone not having seen an iconic '80s film until very recently. I've not seen Goonies in years myself, but I, and most people, HAVE seen it. Multiple times.