Happy Holidays and Merry New Year to Each and Everyone of You!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Jester 2 (2025 Shudder)
I know..i know...its an odd choice as: 1) Its a sequel to a movie ive never seen, nor heard of. 2) Its CLEARY wading dangerously close to outright plagiarism of Art the Clown (face painted mute 'silly' serial killer) who, aside from great graphic kills, im not a fan of. Buuuut i was intrigued that the protagonist was a young magician. Im a huge fan of magic. And...to my surprise...i had a lot of fun with this! The Jester ties magic into his kills and found a creative way to verbally communicate at times. The final girls interaction with the Jester is a bit more nuanced than shifting 'predator and prey'. Its nothing amazing but would make a DANDY entry into scary movie month.
7 Word Review: Imitating Art is sincerest form of flattery.
Between being gifted physical media and being giving a generous Apple gift card that I was able to use to its fullest potential on digital releases, I amassed 17 new movies over the holiday, lol. Get ready for a huge list:
Criterion Blu-ray: Inside Llewyen Davis Sorcerer
Digital: Juice The Edge of Seventeen Perfect Blue Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves Top Gun: Maverick Midnight Run The Dark Crystal Little Big Man Weapons Dune Dune Part 2 The Muppet Christmas Carol Upgrade Mission Impossible - Rogue Nation Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?
While out getting groceries on Friday, I stopped by a Salvation store and picked up four DVDs of interest: The Bourne Identity, Bottle Rocket, Ip Man, and the 3:10 To Yuma remake. I have not seen any of them before. If I just feel like watching a movie, a DVD will do.
I am noticing more blu-rays in the donation bins now. It is probably not a good sign for the physical media market in general, but I would be more than pleased to find a blu-ray of a film I enjoy for a couple dollars. A blu of Airplane! is a recent find.
Im with ya A-Casual! As one who adored shopping for pvd dvds back in the day, and then pvd Redbox (one of the greatest bluray deals ever), there's few options left these days. Therefore i like to hit up Half Price Books and local Salvation Army once and while to see whats out there. Always great to trip over a fun find!!
AVATAR FIRE AND ASH (2025) Not sure what to think. We spend the whole movie following all the characters' subplots, but I don't know if they all tie together in the end. I think I need to see it again in order to "get" it.
FANTASTIC FOUR FIRST STEPS (2025) Feel the same way as the first time. I could nitpick this to death, but overall I think the movie does a good job of establishing why these characters are a big deal.
GREMLINS (1984) The scene where the mom fights the Gremlins in the kitchen? Movies don't get much better than that.
NATIONAL TREASURE (2004) Nicolas Cage goodness!
ALIEN VS. PREDATOR REQUIEM (2007) I might be coming around on this one. Sure, it's crap, but dare I suggest that it's also... fun?
I just rewatched Gremlins in the lead up to Christmas and was amazed at a) how early in the movie that kitchen scene happens and b) how dark and bloodthirsty it is considering the Gremlins haven't actually done that much yet.
OOOO thanks for the heads up. Im not a Downton Abbey fan at all however i saw the trailer for Fackham and it looked funny. I think its only paid rental right now but when it hits regular streaming ill check out ASAP.
A lot of things needed my attention and time this week. (With a return to tax work soon, that will be an even bigger brake on my ability to focus on movies.) I did not get to as many Christmas-themed movies as I wanted to.
SANTA CLAUS CONQUERS THE MARTIANS (1964) – “Hooray for Santy Claus.” Sci-fi meets Santa mythology. It has been a while since I watched this holiday oddity. It reflects a lot of early 1960s culture: the rise of television, the space race, and (of course) the Cold War. Any respectable low-budget sci-fi film of the era would have plenty of stock footage. As cheap a production as SANTA CLAUS is, there is an undeniable charm to the sincerity of the story.
A CHRISTMAS CAROL (1984) – George C. Scott’s natural gruffness is perfect for the role of Ebeneezer Scrooge, and there is a strong British cast to back him up in this television adaptation of the Charles Dickens story. Melodrama is the dominant style of the film, but there are some surprising horror elements that show up. I enjoyed this version.
Television is a recent theme of my viewing activities. Pee-Wee's Playhouse was a Saturday morning staple for me in the late 1980s. I put on some episodes while doing chores, the first time I have delved into the show for about a decade. Like that last time visiting the playhouse as an adult, I am struck by the amount of "grown-up" elements in the show. So much went over my head as a kid.
The anime series Sailor Moon showed up on Prime. Knowing about the following this show has gained, I decided to let the first few episodes play. A 14-year-old protagonist dealing with school and life issues while also discovering that she also can transform to fight monsters did the opposite of drawing me in. I can skip the nearly 200 hundred episodes that remain without any regrets. I can still see the appeal of the show, though.
Going through the news, I saw that French actress Brigitte Bardot died at age 91. Her work in movies began seven decades ago, becoming one of the major stars of French cinema and a sex symbol of the 1950s and '60s. There are not many big names of the cinematic world from that period still among the living.
I hope everyone has been having a wonderful holiday season. I've been sick as a dog, so between family events my watching has been mainly Star Trek while on the couch and napping on and off. During the long drive home, I feverishly relistened to the Holiday Show while the kids slept.
I have been there too, Paul. A cold began right before Christmas. When I should have been at a pleasant Christmas Eve gathering, I was at home feeling miserable.
Happy Holidays and Merry New Year to Each and Everyone of You!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThe Jester 2 (2025 Shudder)
I know..i know...its an odd choice as: 1) Its a sequel to a movie ive never seen, nor heard of. 2) Its CLEARY wading dangerously close to outright plagiarism of Art the Clown (face painted mute 'silly' serial killer) who, aside from great graphic kills, im not a fan of. Buuuut i was intrigued that the protagonist was a young magician. Im a huge fan of magic. And...to my surprise...i had a lot of fun with this! The Jester ties magic into his kills and found a creative way to verbally communicate at times. The final girls interaction with the Jester is a bit more nuanced than shifting 'predator and prey'. Its nothing amazing but would make a DANDY entry into scary movie month.
7 Word Review: Imitating Art is sincerest form of flattery.
Between being gifted physical media and being giving a generous Apple gift card that I was able to use to its fullest potential on digital releases, I amassed 17 new movies over the holiday, lol. Get ready for a huge list:
ReplyDeleteCriterion Blu-ray:
Inside Llewyen Davis
Sorcerer
Digital:
Juice
The Edge of Seventeen
Perfect Blue
Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
Top Gun: Maverick
Midnight Run
The Dark Crystal
Little Big Man
Weapons
Dune
Dune Part 2
The Muppet Christmas Carol
Upgrade
Mission Impossible - Rogue Nation
Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?
While out getting groceries on Friday, I stopped by a Salvation store and picked up four DVDs of interest: The Bourne Identity, Bottle Rocket, Ip Man, and the 3:10 To Yuma remake. I have not seen any of them before. If I just feel like watching a movie, a DVD will do.
DeleteI am noticing more blu-rays in the donation bins now. It is probably not a good sign for the physical media market in general, but I would be more than pleased to find a blu-ray of a film I enjoy for a couple dollars. A blu of Airplane! is a recent find.
"a Salvation Army store"
DeleteIm with ya A-Casual! As one who adored shopping for pvd dvds back in the day, and then pvd Redbox (one of the greatest bluray deals ever), there's few options left these days. Therefore i like to hit up Half Price Books and local Salvation Army once and while to see whats out there. Always great to trip over a fun find!!
DeleteAVATAR FIRE AND ASH (2025)
ReplyDeleteNot sure what to think. We spend the whole movie following all the characters' subplots, but I don't know if they all tie together in the end. I think I need to see it again in order to "get" it.
FANTASTIC FOUR FIRST STEPS (2025)
Feel the same way as the first time. I could nitpick this to death, but overall I think the movie does a good job of establishing why these characters are a big deal.
GREMLINS (1984)
The scene where the mom fights the Gremlins in the kitchen? Movies don't get much better than that.
NATIONAL TREASURE (2004)
Nicolas Cage goodness!
ALIEN VS. PREDATOR REQUIEM (2007)
I might be coming around on this one. Sure, it's crap, but dare I suggest that it's also... fun?
I just rewatched Gremlins in the lead up to Christmas and was amazed at a) how early in the movie that kitchen scene happens and b) how dark and bloodthirsty it is considering the Gremlins haven't actually done that much yet.
DeleteAnybody watched Fackham Hall? It's like if the ZAZ directed Downton Abbey. It's hilarious.
ReplyDeleteOOOO thanks for the heads up. Im not a Downton Abbey fan at all however i saw the trailer for Fackham and it looked funny. I think its only paid rental right now but when it hits regular streaming ill check out ASAP.
DeleteA lot of things needed my attention and time this week. (With a return to tax work soon, that will be an even bigger brake on my ability to focus on movies.) I did not get to as many Christmas-themed movies as I wanted to.
ReplyDeleteSANTA CLAUS CONQUERS THE MARTIANS (1964) – “Hooray for Santy Claus.” Sci-fi meets Santa mythology. It has been a while since I watched this holiday oddity. It reflects a lot of early 1960s culture: the rise of television, the space race, and (of course) the Cold War. Any respectable low-budget sci-fi film of the era would have plenty of stock footage. As cheap a production as SANTA CLAUS is, there is an undeniable charm to the sincerity of the story.
A CHRISTMAS CAROL (1984) – George C. Scott’s natural gruffness is perfect for the role of Ebeneezer Scrooge, and there is a strong British cast to back him up in this television adaptation of the Charles Dickens story. Melodrama is the dominant style of the film, but there are some surprising horror elements that show up. I enjoyed this version.
Television is a recent theme of my viewing activities. Pee-Wee's Playhouse was a Saturday morning staple for me in the late 1980s. I put on some episodes while doing chores, the first time I have delved into the show for about a decade. Like that last time visiting the playhouse as an adult, I am struck by the amount of "grown-up" elements in the show. So much went over my head as a kid.
The anime series Sailor Moon showed up on Prime. Knowing about the following this show has gained, I decided to let the first few episodes play. A 14-year-old protagonist dealing with school and life issues while also discovering that she also can transform to fight monsters did the opposite of drawing me in. I can skip the nearly 200 hundred episodes that remain without any regrets. I can still see the appeal of the show, though.
Going through the news, I saw that French actress Brigitte Bardot died at age 91. Her work in movies began seven decades ago, becoming one of the major stars of French cinema and a sex symbol of the 1950s and '60s. There are not many big names of the cinematic world from that period still among the living.
ReplyDeleteI hope everyone has been having a wonderful holiday season. I've been sick as a dog, so between family events my watching has been mainly Star Trek while on the couch and napping on and off. During the long drive home, I feverishly relistened to the Holiday Show while the kids slept.
ReplyDeleteI have been there too, Paul. A cold began right before Christmas. When I should have been at a pleasant Christmas Eve gathering, I was at home feeling miserable.
Delete