Caught two 35MM SCREENINGS AT BROOKLYN'S NITEHAWK CINEMA, THE FLY (1986) & LASERBLAST (1978), on separate nights. The former remains my favorite movie of all time, a pitch-perfect operatic (that Howard Shore score! ๐ฅฐ) mixture of body horror, off-kilter romance, tragedy and pathos. The latter is silly, disposable post-"Star Wars" 'PG' exploitation drive-in fare from Charles Band with a higher-than-average budget for slomo car explosions and David Allen-animated special effects (with some Eddie Dezen-as-a-bully mugging on top). A good time was had by all at both screenings, though some folks watching "The Fly" were visibly shaken/upset by that birthing scene. ๐๐ฑ
l freaking love Maggie Gyllenhall's THE BRIDE! (2026, IMAX), even though the opening minutes introducing us to Jessie Buckley's Ida (who's also narrator Mary Shelly in a nebulous B&W afterlife) actively repulsed me. By minute 20 The Bride's alive and, unlike her dying-soon-after routine in Whale's classic, takes command of the narrative despite Christian Bale's 'Frank' constantly threatening to steal the movie. It isn't perfect (too much "Bonnie and Clyde" love), but when it strikes out "The Bride!" is going for broke with 1935-themed characters/set pieces (including imaginary musicals that are integral to the story, unlike "Joker Follie ร Deux") that defy easy categorization outside broad terms like 'feminist' and 'punk.' Annette Bening and Penรฉlope Cruz have choice supporting roles, but the men (particularly the director's hubby and brother) feel like nepotism. Even if you end up disliking "The Bride!" you gotta admire a big-budget IMAX release that swings for the fences this hard, something that'll never happen under a Paramount-helmed regime. Highly recommended. ๐
It's nice to have Gore Verbinski back after a nine-year absence from directing, especially with a Sam Rockwell vehicle like GOOD LUCK, HAVE FUN, DON'T DIE that juggles special effects, dark humor and a high concept that owes a lot to "Groundhog Day" and "The Terminator." Playing a man from the future stuck on a loop that stars at a Los Angeles diner that could end with the world saved if he chooses the correct mixture of patrons willing to sacrifice their lives for humanity's sake, the testy 134 min. running time is offset by interesting/fun supporting characters (Juno Temple, Michael Peรฑa, etc.) that earn their background spotlights, "Weapons"-style. Yes, having a rogue A.I. as the ultimate baddie (not a spoiler) isn't original, but the destination getting there and the lessons learned along the way are where most of the fun comes from. Give it a rental now that it has left theaters. ๐ฅบ
PROTECTOR ('26, THEATER) is genre-swapped "Taken" set in New Mexico (because tax incentives), with middle-aged Milla Jovovich using her special forces training to dismantle/slaughter the human trafficking ring that abducted her daughter. Matthew Modine is clearly having a ball playing the Trautman to Milla's Rambo, aka Nikki. There's a twist at the end that's meant to be dark but feels silly, like a dumb suggestion made by Paul W.S. Anderson (one of 31 credited producers! ๐ณ๐ต) that the filmmakers actually took seriously. Dumb fun.
Luc Besson's DRACULA ('26, THEATER) feels like a French fried, stripped-down version of Francis F. Coppola's 1992 movie. The same characters/story/plot beats are present, only with Paris replacing London and CG gargoyles (the fuck?! ๐) as Drac's castle minions. Even the fun prospect of Christoph Waltz as this narrative's Van Helsing (only called 'Priest') is diminished by Waltz being on "Django Unchained" autopilot. Caleb Landry Jones and Zoรซ Bleu are not bad as the pair of doomed lovers, but the production around them often gets in their way. I enjoyed it as disposable trashy fun, but YMMV. ๐คจ
Last and least, HOW TO MAKE A KILLING ('26, THEATER) continues A24's and Glen Powell's losing streak. Not a bad dark comedy about pursuing wealth at all costs, just not up to the studio/actor's high standards. Shame. ๐ค
I'm not a Verbinski fan, but Rockwell and the two endings after the "happy" finale really put the film over the top and on a new level. That said, the movie only made $8 million on a budget of $20 million. Most people are on your side with this one, Kunider. ๐ฅบ๐
Here's 2 weeks backlog because of last week F This Movie Fest.
Westworld (1973): Finally, I was able to sit down and watch it. We all love sci-fi and westerns, and it's merging both in one movie. It's fantastic. I was never a fan of the tv show, too convoluted. This is so simple, a theme park filled with robots, there's a bug in the system, they start k!ll!ing people. The disc is the usual Arrow slam dunk: good looking and filled with extras.
Excalibur (1981): Another near perfect release from Arrow. There are not many adaptations of the Excalibur story, not with that level of production anyway. I must admit it took a couple of viewing over the years to truly enjoy the movie, but once I unlocked it, it stayed with me. The only other great adaption that comes to mind is the french tv show Kaamelott, that show is hilarious.
Narrow Margin (1990): Wait, JT Walsh is not playing a douchebag, what kind of movie is this? Joking aside, it's very good, great recommendation Patrick.
Cast Away (2000): Yes, the movie is still great. I'm still annoyed by the giant Fedex ad though. The plane crash is also a problem. The movie is nothing without Tom Hanks. It's a good pairing with Send Help.
Love Stinks (1999): French Stewart is not a romcom leading man. Otherwise, it's entertaining enough. I feel it wants to be crazier, but they never dare to cross that line to go fully unhinged. This should be the Better Off Dead of romcoms. The plot twist ending was funny though.
28 Years Later The Bone Temple (2026): It's a very good movie, Ralph Fiennes is the best part, but I'm very annoyed by the ending. Much like the previous movie, the cliffhanger ending pissed me off, to the point of spoiling the entire thing. These things bother me more and more and I wish they'd stop doing it.
Speaking of Fiennes, I watched Strange Days (1995). I miss the look and feel of 80s and 90s movies. Was it better? I don't know, but they sure felt less like a product and more like a real movie to me.
Reckless (2026): Scott Adkins doesn't make triple-A movies, but d@mn if they're not a ton of fun every time.
War Machine (2026) is fine. People are losing their sh!t over it, so be prepared for 15 sequels. It's good, worth the watch.
The Bluff (2026): Pirate movie, practical effect, cool action scenes, badass Priyanka Chopra. This is the movie people should fawn over, but pirate movies were never that popular (except the Johnny Depp ones).
Ghost Dog The Way of the Samurai (2000): Patrick talked so much about it (not that much) that I just caved and got the 4k from the UK. Jim Jarmusch is not my favorite director, but he did a couple movies I like, including this one. I'm not a big rap/hip hop fan, but the soundtrack really works here. And of course, Forrest Whitaker is great.
Ralph Fiennes, indeed, steals "28YL: Bone Temple" and his scenes/relationship with Sampson make me like this more than Danny Boyle's prequel. Like you, Kuniter, l hate that both movies end with blatant sequel baits, but l guess that's how Boyle and writer/producer Alex Garland had to sell it to the studio for them to even agree to do the first one. ๐
"Narrow Margin" '90 is underrated. No, J.T. Walsh is not a douche, but he still gets it pretty bad on his end. Happy to see Gene Hackman and Anne Archer in mainstream action roles different from what you think their usual roles entail. Fun fact, many action scenes from "NM" were reused in the 2014 Danny Trejo vehicle "Bad Ass 2: Bad Asses." ๐ณ๐ซฃ
My 4K Arrow "Excalibur" is waiting. Didn't get "Westworld" because not sure there's a movie there that I'd like. And "Ghost Dog" is cool (only Jim Jarmush film l've ever liked without reservation, mostly because Forest W. rules) but the Criterion Blu-ray is plenty for me, no need to seek out a pricey 4K. Good watching! ๐๐
Ghost Dog, i got the 4k just because I didn't already have the Criterion, but you're fine, you're not missing anything. The movie is always the main attraction
Westworld! That flick was part of a huge "OMG!!!" cinema moment for me. One of the few authors i realllly connected with early in life was Michael Crichton. I love me some techno fiction. Then one day i was blown away to find out that he directed Westworld which i adored as a kid. Googling around i found out he directed TWO other all time childhood favs that were not based on his books....Looker and Runaway! Mind blown!!!
Very few authors that also became good-to-great filmmakers. I can only think of Crichton and Clive Barker. And no, Stephen King directing "Maximum Overdrive" doesn't count. ๐
Westworld is a movie? I had always found the premise of the TV series to be interesting (robots in the wild west?), but I don't have time for a TV series. If I did have time, I would be watching Hornblower which I already own on DVD. But a movie? I always have time for a movie!
Not only a movie. A 73 minutes movie. Written and directed by Michael Crichton, the guy who wrote the book for Jurassic Park. Apparently he really likes theme parks
People loved the tv show, but i thought it was long and boring and convoluted
Michael Crichton dabbled in producing/directing movies long before "Jurassic Park." Heck, in the 70's besides being a best-selling author the man directed a ton of stuff, some good ("Coma" with Michael Douglas), some meh ("The Great Rain Robbery" with Sean Connery) and some unknown to me ("Westworld" with Yul Brenner). Crichton was so prolific he could be his own category on the Junesploitation! calendar. ๐๐ผ
A few more pics watched along the past couple of weeks.
Neil Marshall's CENTURION (2010) and Bruce Campbell's MY NAME IS BRUCE (2007, BOTH ON AMAZON PRIME) are relatively obscure entries from their directors' bodies of work that capture their overall spirit. For "Centurion" Marshall wanted to deliver a "Gladiator"-type 'Romans on the run' action epic on the cheap, with only one main set (a fort that's re-dressed for multiple re-use) and Scotland's Highland locales. Main hero Quintus (Michael Fassbender) and his fellow Ninth Legion survivors engage in guerrilla warfare to survive the party of Germanian trackers (including Olga Kurylenko as a wordless savage) chasing after them. Stealing liberally from "Last of the Mohicans" and "Butch Cassidy..." (not to mention Ridley Scott's 2000 classic) "Centurion" feels more like historical thriller than action spectacle (constant bloody beheadings/stabbings notwithstanding). It's no "The Descent," but a great calling card that got Neil to direct a handful of choice "Game Of Thrones" episodes. 'It's fine.'
"My Name Is Bruce" finds Mr. Chin in front and behind the camera doing a blatant thematic ripoff of "Three Amigos." Stoned teens in a small Oregon town resurrect an ancient Chinese demon, and a young Bruce Campbell fan calls on his down-in-the-dumps movie hero from the "Evil Dead" movies to save the day and get some MiLF sugar. It's all silly low-budget hijinks played for laughs (so many decapitations l lost track), but "MNIB" has nothing to offer if you're not a fan of Bruce's best-known work. A Raimi shows up (Ted, not Sam) but the cast of mostly unknowns don't stand a chance to outshine the director/star's constant self-deprecating mugging. Good luck to Bruce in real life as he battles a demon far more evil than any deadite, cancer. ๐ข
Back to movie theaters, PSYCHO KILLER ('26) is writer/producer Andrew Kevin Walker's latest attempt to mimic the success he had with "Se7en" 31 years prior... minus David Fincher's Midas touch. A faceless hulking mass murderer (James Preston Rogers) kills the Kansas patrolman of policeman Jane Archer (Georgine Campbell), setting up the latter's cross-country chase. Neither the piece of s*** the reviews claim it is nor a hidden masterpiece, "Psycho Killer" is just another 'meh' cinematic attempt to cash in on people's fascination with serial murderes. Better-than-expected ending (it gives Archer's revenge quest a higher purpose) but this one is better to watch on free streaming... eventually. ๐ซค
Last but not least, UMAMUSUME: PRETTY DERBY - BEGINNING OF A NEW ERA (THEATER) is a 2024 theatrical anime feature that just made its American debut. It's "Rocky" with horse racing, except the horses are anime chicks with tall ears and tails genetically bred to want to race/win above anything else. Jungle Pocket is the protagonist/main girl, but Agnes Tachyon is the rival whose scientific/impersonal approach at racing drives the narrative. It's fine, but nothing that'd make me want to seek out/play the mobile games that inspired this peculiar IP. Harmless anime fun. ๐
The absence of Sam Raimi in "MNIB" is deeply felt, but both men worked on "Spider-Man 3" the same year this came out... and that made close to a billion dollars in '07.๐ฒ๐ค
Are you in the mood to have your mood completely ruined? Then this French, found footage flick is for you! A deeply disturbing look at vlogging culture and the absence of the "European Dream."
Yeah it's a tough movie to recommend because it's very disturbing. You'll understand if you check it out lol. Though, the guy playing the main character did a fantastic job.
F THIS Movie Fest: Woo Hoo! Absolute blast! First one i managed to pull off watching the entire thing. The F This commentary was a hoot all day long. Thanks again Patrick and co. So. Much. Movie. Loving. Fun.
A few Rando Observations: 1) Charlies Angels is sooo freaking weird, funny, silly, and good. Hadnt seen forever. Loved it. 2) Pitch Black is still a "miss" for me. A shame as i feel there's alot there. I think its the pacing that throws me? Not sure. 3) As with several others this was a first time watch of Replacments for me. Wasnt much of a sports movie person growing up. OMG i adored it. Its 100% a rag-tag band o misfits and relative copy of Major League but i connected with it early and had a blast. Highlight of the day.
Todays intentional theme: Late 90s Horror:
In Search Of Darkness (1995-1999, Shudder)
Im a HUUUUUGE fan of the ISOD series'. They are incredibly well made deep dives into different timelines of Horror cinema. Jam packed. This one was the biggest surprise to me with regards to how many gaps i have. I considered myself well "read" with horror but boy do i have some catching up to do! To that end......
Deep Rising (1998)
Ok...this one id seen before but it was a hoot of a revisit. I kinda love it. Its like part Die Hard on a boat meets Aliens? The CG creatures regrettably are very very early CG but otherwise its a fun cast with some great setpieces.
The Faculty (1998)
As a HUGE fan of Robert Rodriguez from the jump, i have no idea how this movie escaped me??? I loved it. They say there are only so many original stories and when it comes to Invasion of the Bodysnatchers thats kinda true as its constantly redone. But in this case it just grabbed me and wouldnt let go. Robert Patrick is AMAZING. Theres also some nods to other Invasion offshoots including a beat for beat recreation of the Thing blood test scene. I had lots of fun. Its SO 90s.
Wishmaster (1997)
A fun concept of an evil genie from a bottle tricking people into making bad choice wishes. Unique in that its one of few films helmed by Kurtzman who is the K of KNB effects. As such, while i found the film kinda dragged a bit in the middle, there are at least two huge setpieces that play like incredible demo reels for practical horror effects. He throws the kitchen sink into the carnage.
I ๐ "Deep Rising," bad CG and all. Jean Grey, Xander Drax, Magua... so many cool badasses on parade. Not crazy about "The Faculty" (how do decapitated humans return at the end totally normal? ๐ณ๐ฅด) but "Wishmaster" feels like an updated late 90's KNB demo reel. ๐คฉ๐↕️
Yeah, Fthismoviefest WAS a blast. It was the first time in a few years I managed to watch all the movies. I usually end up napping a little bit mid festival. I love movies, but I also love napping. The Replacements was super fun. We had a couple "sports" movies and they both played well. Gone in 60 Seconds had such a loaded cast and I loved it. I had never seen Angelina Jolie in a movie before somehow (other than voice work in Kung Fu Panda). Gladiator was awesome. Peak Scott, peak Crowe, peak Zimmer.
THE COMMITMENTS (1991) "It's 'Ride Sally Ride,' not Roi-ed Sally Roi-ed.'"
THE BEYOND (1981) Lucio Fulci goodness!
CENTURION (2010) Not much in the way of story, but some great slice n' dice swordfight action. It's... fine.
THE ADVENTURES OF BUCKAROO BANZAI ACROSS THE 8TH DIMENSION (1984) Best movie fashion ever, or... best movie fashion ever?
THE GOLDEN COMPASS (2007) It's a decent effort, but it can't recreate the magical tone of the book. The bear fight is awesome, though.
SCREAM 7 (2026) Just sad. Yes, Ghostface is back, as is Neve Campbell and other familiar faces. The problem is that this movie has no point of view, nothing to say. This is the franchise that's supposed to be all meta and commenting on the state of horror, but this one can't be bothered. Yes, there are chases and slashings and jump scares, but it's all hollow.
MY NAME IS BRUCE (2007) Let's all sing along: "Guan-di is his name..."
I recently discovered a small cafรฉ near me (15 minutes walk) that also sells music, comics and blu-rays. The selection is small, but pretty solid and the prices are good. I think I should just skip ahead and declare bankruptcy at this point. I already bought one comic and three movies (4k obviously).
Rollerball (1975): time to retire the old Twilight Time blu-ray. Gotta love 70s dystopian sci-fi.
Once A Thief (1991): I will buy any Chinese-era (era) John Woo movie that Shout will release.
The Driver (1978): Walter Hill goodness. This movie is way more influential than most people know.
As for the comic, I got Monsters, by Barry Windsor-Smith, known for the series Weapons X, which tells how Wolverine got his metal skeleton. Good stuff. Monsters was originally supposed to be a Hulk story, but after it got rejected, BWS rewrote it as a n@zi experiment gone wrong and released it with an independent publisher in 2021, and won all the awards for it.
Those Twilight Time BD's command a premium on the used market depending on the title. You'll probably get enough from selling the TT "Rollerball" to buy another 4K... right before the bankruptcy lawyer calls. ๐ค๐
Walter Hill is one of my favourite directors, but I still haven't gotten around to The Driver. It's unsurprising that there's a cool cafe close to you. Montreal is great. I regret never having lived there. I used to go spend the weekend there every 2-3 months, but haven't been since 2022ish. My couple friends who lived there have since moved away.
The Lighthorsemen (1987). Australian war movie set during WW1 and the Battle of Beersheba. My god, this is one the best horse movies ever. The 3rd act is where they storm the city, and a bunch of men on horseback rushing into the face of artillery is really something. Lots of great horse (and horse rider) stunt work in this.
The Lost City (2022). This was a ton of fun. And already 4 years ago? Sandra and Channing are 2 of our most charming actors and they carry it.
Beneath the Planet of the Apes, Escape from the Planet of the Apes, Conquest of the Planet of the Apes. Ape Ape Ape Ape Ape! I was sick and took a day off of work. Don't know whey I skipped the first one, and I didn't make it to the last. Beneath played better than any time before. The 1st half is kind of meh but after that it's awesome.
My son and I went to see The Revenant (2015) which was playing 1 or 2 nights for the 10th anniversary. I love that movie. Unfortunately, I wasn't in great shape and ended up sleeping through most of it. My son loved it though.
My son and I also went to see Marty Supreme at the local indie theatre. Great movie! Chalamet has been in so many things recently that there's a risk of the public getting "burned out" on him. (see Glenn Powell). But it's not the case apparently, as we continue to love him. He's amazing in Marty Supreme. I kind of hate Gwyneth Paltrow for her hocus pokus business stuff, but she's great in it too. There are a lot of weathered faces in it.
Malcolm X (1992), what a picture. I am woefully ignorant of most of Spike's filmography. I should correct that.
Lean on Me (1989). I love a good "how can I help these kids" movie, and this is one of the best.
I have a 4K boxset of the old "Apes" movies and 2/3 of the new ones that l have yet to open (bought it cheap during a sale ages ago). "The Lost City" is very cheap on 4K; saw it in theaters when it came out, 'it's fine' but feels like "Romancing the Stone" with the rough edges removed. "Malcolm X" is great but man, the time commitment to watch the whole thing in one sitting is brutal. ๐ฅต "Lean on Me" rules, and "Marty Supreme" annoys me. ¯\_(ใ)_/¯
I just realised the 4k are just for the recent movies, not the old ones. I already have everything (save for the Burton one), so i'm ok. Crisis averted
It won't breath, the money will just go somewhere else. I have my eyes on the Angel's Egg 4k super-duper-collector-edition, available at the cafรฉ ๐คฃ๐ต๐ซ
I'm hanging on to my 720p TV for dear life. Used DVD's are all I need. My bank account is safe as long as this TV keeps working :)
For the amount of movie love I have, I really should get a bigger TV. The main issue why I haven't upgraded is my TV is also my computer monitor. A bigger TV wouldn't fit the space the same.
When I watched Malcom X a few years ago, I had problems with it, and was "why does this movie hate me, a white man". But it completely connected with me this time and I think I understood what Spike was going for much more.
The opening credits goes super fucking hard. Wow. Yeah it's a little long. But the legacy of Malcolm X certainly earns every minute. Denzel is out of this world good in it.
The scene where one of Malcom X's kids drops her stuffed animal and the guy who would go one to murder her dad picks it up and gives it back and is so kind. It's so heart wrenching knowing what's coming.
Though Spike Lee has tackled racism in some of his movies after "Malcolm X" ("Bamboozled," "BlacKKKlansman," "Get On The Bus," etc.) he hasn't been able to top the work he did in "92. Not only because Denzel was at the top of his game, but "X" had angry moments offset by thoughtful and sympathetic ones. "Malcolm X" is an epic, ala "JFK" or "Schindler's List," and most filmmakers alive are lucky to helm one of those in their lifetime. ๐ง๐
I agree that not many filmmakers reach that level. However JFK is a conspiracy laden affair. Great movie, but nearly everything in it is contrived. It's nowhere close to Schindler's List or Malcom X. It's in a complete other dimension. A compelling one, for sure. But not a factual one.
I probably saw The Lighthorsemen on VHS with my father. (A long time ago.) There are not many films about the fighting in the Middle Eastern theater of World War I.
Paul, don't get a bigger TV; get a projector! Film is meant to be seen projected. I for one don't care one bit if what I'm seeing is a digital or analog projection, but unless I'm on a plane or something, watching a movie on an electronic (TV/computer) screen is just the worst. Projection forever! I even go out of my way to project not only TV shows but ordinary YouTube videos. :P
Last night I was at the Gap Theatre at midnight with around 40 other people to watch one of the notorious movies of the 21st century. Surprisingly, A SERBIAN FILM (2010) does work well as a midnight movie. Milos, a washed-up Serbian p-*-r-n s-t-a-r, gets an offer to star in a mysterious production. Despite his misgivings about not knowing what he is expected to do, the money is too tempting to turn down. The acts he does and witnesses get increasingly dark as the film progresses. To the film's credit, the more extreme aspects are implied more than shown. Politics is everywhere, with the theme of individuals being drawn into a corrupted system and forced to do acts that violate morality being prominent. A Serbian Film is not a fun watch in any way and one that I will not seek to see again.
With work and other matters taking up much of my energy the past two weeks, there has not been much opportunity to watch things. I did push myself to at least see a couple of films, though.
KILL BILL: THE WHOLE BLOODY AFFAIR (2006) – While many of you were enjoying FTHISMOVIE Fest last Saturday, I was at The Gap Theatre watching KILL BILL for the first time in any form. Quentin Tarantino’s mash-up of spaghetti westerns, kung fu, and Japanese revenge and yakuza films is undoubtedly entertaining pulp storytelling. It may also be the most “Tarantino” film besides OUATIH that I have seen. Outside of the homage vs. plagiarism (the Lady Snowblood finale) debate surrounding his films, Tarantino does have a style that you can easily spot. Kill Bill is also well put together, with the editing and sound design particularly catching my attention. I had a good night after a day on the job.
TURA! (2025) – When dealing with fatigue, I often find documentaries to be an easier watch than a narrative film. This doc recently showed on Prime. It is about the highs and lows of the life of Tura Yamaguchi, who became known to the world of burlesque and B-movies as Tura Satana. Her tough portrayal of Varla in Faster, Pussycat. Kill! Kill! is what she is remembered for. Tura! is a mix of biography and gossip, full of fans and fanboys (fangirls?) celebrating a woman whose image was ahead of her time. As for the human being, there was a lot of unpleasantness she had to endure growing up before embracing a life in some of the more disreputable aspects of the entertainment business. Tura! is not a perfect documentary but effectively tells her story.
I was feeling tired that night, J.M., but I thought seeing The Whole Bloody Affair on a big screen was the right way to experience it. I am glad I did.
A Serbian Film does at times seem like a dare film, Kunider. Though it is generally well-made, provocation is the main agenda. It is not as extreme as its reputation but does go into some dark territory, especially involving children.
Hello. ๐๐
ReplyDeleteCaught two 35MM SCREENINGS AT BROOKLYN'S NITEHAWK CINEMA, THE FLY (1986) & LASERBLAST (1978), on separate nights. The former remains my favorite movie of all time, a pitch-perfect operatic (that Howard Shore score! ๐ฅฐ) mixture of body horror, off-kilter romance, tragedy and pathos. The latter is silly, disposable post-"Star Wars" 'PG' exploitation drive-in fare from Charles Band with a higher-than-average budget for slomo car explosions and David Allen-animated special effects (with some Eddie Dezen-as-a-bully mugging on top). A good time was had by all at both screenings, though some folks watching "The Fly" were visibly shaken/upset by that birthing scene. ๐๐ฑ
l freaking love Maggie Gyllenhall's THE BRIDE! (2026, IMAX), even though the opening minutes introducing us to Jessie Buckley's Ida (who's also narrator Mary Shelly in a nebulous B&W afterlife) actively repulsed me. By minute 20 The Bride's alive and, unlike her dying-soon-after routine in Whale's classic, takes command of the narrative despite Christian Bale's 'Frank' constantly threatening to steal the movie. It isn't perfect (too much "Bonnie and Clyde" love), but when it strikes out "The Bride!" is going for broke with 1935-themed characters/set pieces (including imaginary musicals that are integral to the story, unlike "Joker Follie ร Deux") that defy easy categorization outside broad terms like 'feminist' and 'punk.' Annette Bening and Penรฉlope Cruz have choice supporting roles, but the men (particularly the director's hubby and brother) feel like nepotism. Even if you end up disliking "The Bride!" you gotta admire a big-budget IMAX release that swings for the fences this hard, something that'll never happen under a Paramount-helmed regime. Highly recommended. ๐
It's nice to have Gore Verbinski back after a nine-year absence from directing, especially with a Sam Rockwell vehicle like GOOD LUCK, HAVE FUN, DON'T DIE that juggles special effects, dark humor and a high concept that owes a lot to "Groundhog Day" and "The Terminator." Playing a man from the future stuck on a loop that stars at a Los Angeles diner that could end with the world saved if he chooses the correct mixture of patrons willing to sacrifice their lives for humanity's sake, the testy 134 min. running time is offset by interesting/fun supporting characters (Juno Temple, Michael Peรฑa, etc.) that earn their background spotlights, "Weapons"-style. Yes, having a rogue A.I. as the ultimate baddie (not a spoiler) isn't original, but the destination getting there and the lessons learned along the way are where most of the fun comes from. Give it a rental now that it has left theaters. ๐ฅบ
PROTECTOR ('26, THEATER) is genre-swapped "Taken" set in New Mexico (because tax incentives), with middle-aged Milla Jovovich using her special forces training to dismantle/slaughter the human trafficking ring that abducted her daughter. Matthew Modine is clearly having a ball playing the Trautman to Milla's Rambo, aka Nikki. There's a twist at the end that's meant to be dark but feels silly, like a dumb suggestion made by Paul W.S. Anderson (one of 31 credited producers! ๐ณ๐ต) that the filmmakers actually took seriously. Dumb fun.
Luc Besson's DRACULA ('26, THEATER) feels like a French fried, stripped-down version of Francis F. Coppola's 1992 movie. The same characters/story/plot beats are present, only with Paris replacing London and CG gargoyles (the fuck?! ๐) as Drac's castle minions. Even the fun prospect of Christoph Waltz as this narrative's Van Helsing (only called 'Priest') is diminished by Waltz being on "Django Unchained" autopilot. Caleb Landry Jones and Zoรซ Bleu are not bad as the pair of doomed lovers, but the production around them often gets in their way. I enjoyed it as disposable trashy fun, but YMMV. ๐คจ
Last and least, HOW TO MAKE A KILLING ('26, THEATER) continues A24's and Glen Powell's losing streak. Not a bad dark comedy about pursuing wealth at all costs, just not up to the studio/actor's high standards. Shame. ๐ค
More later.
I really didn't care for Good Luck. I should like it, it's usually my kind of weird, but somehow it didn't work for me.
DeleteI'm not a Verbinski fan, but Rockwell and the two endings after the "happy" finale really put the film over the top and on a new level. That said, the movie only made $8 million on a budget of $20 million. Most people are on your side with this one, Kunider. ๐ฅบ๐
DeleteThe reviews are good, but box office is disappointing. I wish it made more money just so we'd get more Verbinski movies
DeleteHere's 2 weeks backlog because of last week F This Movie Fest.
ReplyDeleteWestworld (1973): Finally, I was able to sit down and watch it. We all love sci-fi and westerns, and it's merging both in one movie. It's fantastic. I was never a fan of the tv show, too convoluted. This is so simple, a theme park filled with robots, there's a bug in the system, they start k!ll!ing people. The disc is the usual Arrow slam dunk: good looking and filled with extras.
Excalibur (1981): Another near perfect release from Arrow. There are not many adaptations of the Excalibur story, not with that level of production anyway. I must admit it took a couple of viewing over the years to truly enjoy the movie, but once I unlocked it, it stayed with me. The only other great adaption that comes to mind is the french tv show Kaamelott, that show is hilarious.
Narrow Margin (1990): Wait, JT Walsh is not playing a douchebag, what kind of movie is this? Joking aside, it's very good, great recommendation Patrick.
Cast Away (2000): Yes, the movie is still great. I'm still annoyed by the giant Fedex ad though. The plane crash is also a problem. The movie is nothing without Tom Hanks. It's a good pairing with Send Help.
Love Stinks (1999): French Stewart is not a romcom leading man. Otherwise, it's entertaining enough. I feel it wants to be crazier, but they never dare to cross that line to go fully unhinged. This should be the Better Off Dead of romcoms. The plot twist ending was funny though.
28 Years Later The Bone Temple (2026): It's a very good movie, Ralph Fiennes is the best part, but I'm very annoyed by the ending. Much like the previous movie, the cliffhanger ending pissed me off, to the point of spoiling the entire thing. These things bother me more and more and I wish they'd stop doing it.
Speaking of Fiennes, I watched Strange Days (1995). I miss the look and feel of 80s and 90s movies. Was it better? I don't know, but they sure felt less like a product and more like a real movie to me.
Reckless (2026): Scott Adkins doesn't make triple-A movies, but d@mn if they're not a ton of fun every time.
War Machine (2026) is fine. People are losing their sh!t over it, so be prepared for 15 sequels. It's good, worth the watch.
The Bluff (2026): Pirate movie, practical effect, cool action scenes, badass Priyanka Chopra. This is the movie people should fawn over, but pirate movies were never that popular (except the Johnny Depp ones).
Ghost Dog The Way of the Samurai (2000): Patrick talked so much about it (not that much) that I just caved and got the 4k from the UK. Jim Jarmusch is not my favorite director, but he did a couple movies I like, including this one. I'm not a big rap/hip hop fan, but the soundtrack really works here. And of course, Forrest Whitaker is great.
So many movies, so little time to reply! ๐ฅต
DeleteRalph Fiennes, indeed, steals "28YL: Bone Temple" and his scenes/relationship with Sampson make me like this more than Danny Boyle's prequel. Like you, Kuniter, l hate that both movies end with blatant sequel baits, but l guess that's how Boyle and writer/producer Alex Garland had to sell it to the studio for them to even agree to do the first one. ๐
"Narrow Margin" '90 is underrated. No, J.T. Walsh is not a douche, but he still gets it pretty bad on his end. Happy to see Gene Hackman and Anne Archer in mainstream action roles different from what you think their usual roles entail. Fun fact, many action scenes from "NM" were reused in the 2014 Danny Trejo vehicle "Bad Ass 2: Bad Asses." ๐ณ๐ซฃ
My 4K Arrow "Excalibur" is waiting. Didn't get "Westworld" because not sure there's a movie there that I'd like. And "Ghost Dog" is cool (only Jim Jarmush film l've ever liked without reservation, mostly because Forest W. rules) but the Criterion Blu-ray is plenty for me, no need to seek out a pricey 4K. Good watching! ๐๐
Ghost Dog, i got the 4k just because I didn't already have the Criterion, but you're fine, you're not missing anything. The movie is always the main attraction
DeleteWestworld! That flick was part of a huge "OMG!!!" cinema moment for me. One of the few authors i realllly connected with early in life was Michael Crichton. I love me some techno fiction. Then one day i was blown away to find out that he directed Westworld which i adored as a kid. Googling around i found out he directed TWO other all time childhood favs that were not based on his books....Looker and Runaway! Mind blown!!!
DeleteVery few authors that also became good-to-great filmmakers. I can only think of Crichton and Clive Barker. And no, Stephen King directing "Maximum Overdrive" doesn't count. ๐
DeleteMashke, you ever seen Futureworld, sequel to Westworld? Done without Crichton, definitely not as good, but I think it's worth the watch
DeleteWestworld is a movie? I had always found the premise of the TV series to be interesting (robots in the wild west?), but I don't have time for a TV series. If I did have time, I would be watching Hornblower which I already own on DVD. But a movie? I always have time for a movie!
DeleteNot only a movie. A 73 minutes movie. Written and directed by Michael Crichton, the guy who wrote the book for Jurassic Park. Apparently he really likes theme parks
DeletePeople loved the tv show, but i thought it was long and boring and convoluted
Michael Crichton dabbled in producing/directing movies long before "Jurassic Park." Heck, in the 70's besides being a best-selling author the man directed a ton of stuff, some good ("Coma" with Michael Douglas), some meh ("The Great Rain Robbery" with Sean Connery) and some unknown to me ("Westworld" with Yul Brenner). Crichton was so prolific he could be his own category on the Junesploitation! calendar. ๐๐ผ
Delete73 minute movie? With robots in the wild west? Hell fuckin yeah. Directed by Crichton is just icing.
Delete[continued from first post above]
ReplyDeleteA few more pics watched along the past couple of weeks.
Neil Marshall's CENTURION (2010) and Bruce Campbell's MY NAME IS BRUCE (2007, BOTH ON AMAZON PRIME) are relatively obscure entries from their directors' bodies of work that capture their overall spirit. For "Centurion" Marshall wanted to deliver a "Gladiator"-type 'Romans on the run' action epic on the cheap, with only one main set (a fort that's re-dressed for multiple re-use) and Scotland's Highland locales. Main hero Quintus (Michael Fassbender) and his fellow Ninth Legion survivors engage in guerrilla warfare to survive the party of Germanian trackers (including Olga Kurylenko as a wordless savage) chasing after them. Stealing liberally from "Last of the Mohicans" and "Butch Cassidy..." (not to mention Ridley Scott's 2000 classic) "Centurion" feels more like historical thriller than action spectacle (constant bloody beheadings/stabbings notwithstanding). It's no "The Descent," but a great calling card that got Neil to direct a handful of choice "Game Of Thrones" episodes. 'It's fine.'
"My Name Is Bruce" finds Mr. Chin in front and behind the camera doing a blatant thematic ripoff of "Three Amigos." Stoned teens in a small Oregon town resurrect an ancient Chinese demon, and a young Bruce Campbell fan calls on his down-in-the-dumps movie hero from the "Evil Dead" movies to save the day and get some MiLF sugar. It's all silly low-budget hijinks played for laughs (so many decapitations l lost track), but "MNIB" has nothing to offer if you're not a fan of Bruce's best-known work. A Raimi shows up (Ted, not Sam) but the cast of mostly unknowns don't stand a chance to outshine the director/star's constant self-deprecating mugging. Good luck to Bruce in real life as he battles a demon far more evil than any deadite, cancer. ๐ข
Back to movie theaters, PSYCHO KILLER ('26) is writer/producer Andrew Kevin Walker's latest attempt to mimic the success he had with "Se7en" 31 years prior... minus David Fincher's Midas touch. A faceless hulking mass murderer (James Preston Rogers) kills the Kansas patrolman of policeman Jane Archer (Georgine Campbell), setting up the latter's cross-country chase. Neither the piece of s*** the reviews claim it is nor a hidden masterpiece, "Psycho Killer" is just another 'meh' cinematic attempt to cash in on people's fascination with serial murderes. Better-than-expected ending (it gives Archer's revenge quest a higher purpose) but this one is better to watch on free streaming... eventually. ๐ซค
Last but not least, UMAMUSUME: PRETTY DERBY - BEGINNING OF A NEW ERA (THEATER) is a 2024 theatrical anime feature that just made its American debut. It's "Rocky" with horse racing, except the horses are anime chicks with tall ears and tails genetically bred to want to race/win above anything else. Jungle Pocket is the protagonist/main girl, but Agnes Tachyon is the rival whose scientific/impersonal approach at racing drives the narrative. It's fine, but nothing that'd make me want to seek out/play the mobile games that inspired this peculiar IP. Harmless anime fun. ๐
MNiB is a ton of fun, but as you said, mostly for fans of Bruce. I should pop in the blu-ray, it's been a while
DeleteThe absence of Sam Raimi in "MNIB" is deeply felt, but both men worked on "Spider-Man 3" the same year this came out... and that made close to a billion dollars in '07.๐ฒ๐ค
DeleteSorgoi Prakov (2013)
ReplyDeleteAre you in the mood to have your mood completely ruined? Then this French, found footage flick is for you! A deeply disturbing look at vlogging culture and the absence of the "European Dream."
You're really selling it haha. It's on Tubi here in Canada (under the title Descent into Darkness). Added to my watchlist.
DeleteYeah it's a tough movie to recommend because it's very disturbing. You'll understand if you check it out lol. Though, the guy playing the main character did a fantastic job.
DeleteG'day Crew!
ReplyDeleteF THIS Movie Fest: Woo Hoo! Absolute blast! First one i managed to pull off watching the entire thing. The F This commentary was a hoot all day long. Thanks again Patrick and co. So. Much. Movie. Loving. Fun.
A few Rando Observations: 1) Charlies Angels is sooo freaking weird, funny, silly, and good. Hadnt seen forever. Loved it. 2) Pitch Black is still a "miss" for me. A shame as i feel there's alot there. I think its the pacing that throws me? Not sure. 3) As with several others this was a first time watch of Replacments for me. Wasnt much of a sports movie person growing up. OMG i adored it. Its 100% a rag-tag band o misfits and relative copy of Major League but i connected with it early and had a blast. Highlight of the day.
Todays intentional theme: Late 90s Horror:
In Search Of Darkness (1995-1999, Shudder)
Im a HUUUUUGE fan of the ISOD series'. They are incredibly well made deep dives into different timelines of Horror cinema. Jam packed. This one was the biggest surprise to me with regards to how many gaps i have. I considered myself well "read" with horror but boy do i have some catching up to do! To that end......
Deep Rising (1998)
Ok...this one id seen before but it was a hoot of a revisit. I kinda love it. Its like part Die Hard on a boat meets Aliens? The CG creatures regrettably are very very early CG but otherwise its a fun cast with some great setpieces.
The Faculty (1998)
As a HUGE fan of Robert Rodriguez from the jump, i have no idea how this movie escaped me??? I loved it. They say there are only so many original stories and when it comes to Invasion of the Bodysnatchers thats kinda true as its constantly redone. But in this case it just grabbed me and wouldnt let go. Robert Patrick is AMAZING. Theres also some nods to other Invasion offshoots including a beat for beat recreation of the Thing blood test scene. I had lots of fun. Its SO 90s.
Wishmaster (1997)
A fun concept of an evil genie from a bottle tricking people into making bad choice wishes. Unique in that its one of few films helmed by Kurtzman who is the K of KNB effects. As such, while i found the film kinda dragged a bit in the middle, there are at least two huge setpieces that play like incredible demo reels for practical horror effects. He throws the kitchen sink into the carnage.
I ๐ "Deep Rising," bad CG and all. Jean Grey, Xander Drax, Magua... so many cool badasses on parade. Not crazy about "The Faculty" (how do decapitated humans return at the end totally normal? ๐ณ๐ฅด) but "Wishmaster" feels like an updated late 90's KNB demo reel. ๐คฉ๐↕️
DeleteYeah, Fthismoviefest WAS a blast. It was the first time in a few years I managed to watch all the movies. I usually end up napping a little bit mid festival. I love movies, but I also love napping. The Replacements was super fun. We had a couple "sports" movies and they both played well. Gone in 60 Seconds had such a loaded cast and I loved it. I had never seen Angelina Jolie in a movie before somehow (other than voice work in Kung Fu Panda). Gladiator was awesome. Peak Scott, peak Crowe, peak Zimmer.
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ReplyDeleteTHE COMMITMENTS (1991)
ReplyDelete"It's 'Ride Sally Ride,' not Roi-ed Sally Roi-ed.'"
THE BEYOND (1981)
Lucio Fulci goodness!
CENTURION (2010)
Not much in the way of story, but some great slice n' dice swordfight action. It's... fine.
THE ADVENTURES OF BUCKAROO BANZAI ACROSS THE 8TH DIMENSION (1984)
Best movie fashion ever, or... best movie fashion ever?
THE GOLDEN COMPASS (2007)
It's a decent effort, but it can't recreate the magical tone of the book. The bear fight is awesome, though.
SCREAM 7 (2026)
Just sad. Yes, Ghostface is back, as is Neve Campbell and other familiar faces. The problem is that this movie has no point of view, nothing to say. This is the franchise that's supposed to be all meta and commenting on the state of horror, but this one can't be bothered. Yes, there are chases and slashings and jump scares, but it's all hollow.
MY NAME IS BRUCE (2007)
Let's all sing along: "Guan-di is his name..."
Buckaroo Banzai, also best end credit ever
DeleteI recently discovered a small cafรฉ near me (15 minutes walk) that also sells music, comics and blu-rays. The selection is small, but pretty solid and the prices are good. I think I should just skip ahead and declare bankruptcy at this point. I already bought one comic and three movies (4k obviously).
ReplyDeleteRollerball (1975): time to retire the old Twilight Time blu-ray. Gotta love 70s dystopian sci-fi.
Once A Thief (1991): I will buy any Chinese-era (era) John Woo movie that Shout will release.
The Driver (1978): Walter Hill goodness. This movie is way more influential than most people know.
As for the comic, I got Monsters, by Barry Windsor-Smith, known for the series Weapons X, which tells how Wolverine got his metal skeleton. Good stuff. Monsters was originally supposed to be a Hulk story, but after it got rejected, BWS rewrote it as a n@zi experiment gone wrong and released it with an independent publisher in 2021, and won all the awards for it.
Those Twilight Time BD's command a premium on the used market depending on the title. You'll probably get enough from selling the TT "Rollerball" to buy another 4K... right before the bankruptcy lawyer calls. ๐ค๐
DeleteWalter Hill is one of my favourite directors, but I still haven't gotten around to The Driver. It's unsurprising that there's a cool cafe close to you. Montreal is great. I regret never having lived there. I used to go spend the weekend there every 2-3 months, but haven't been since 2022ish. My couple friends who lived there have since moved away.
DeleteThe price dropped for a lot of the TT titles, thanks to the 4k reprints done by other companies ๐ต๐ซ
DeleteA few things I've watched:
ReplyDeleteThe Lighthorsemen (1987). Australian war movie set during WW1 and the Battle of Beersheba. My god, this is one the best horse movies ever. The 3rd act is where they storm the city, and a bunch of men on horseback rushing into the face of artillery is really something. Lots of great horse (and horse rider) stunt work in this.
The Lost City (2022). This was a ton of fun. And already 4 years ago? Sandra and Channing are 2 of our most charming actors and they carry it.
Beneath the Planet of the Apes, Escape from the Planet of the Apes, Conquest of the Planet of the Apes. Ape Ape Ape Ape Ape! I was sick and took a day off of work. Don't know whey I skipped the first one, and I didn't make it to the last. Beneath played better than any time before. The 1st half is kind of meh but after that it's awesome.
My son and I went to see The Revenant (2015) which was playing 1 or 2 nights for the 10th anniversary. I love that movie. Unfortunately, I wasn't in great shape and ended up sleeping through most of it. My son loved it though.
My son and I also went to see Marty Supreme at the local indie theatre. Great movie! Chalamet has been in so many things recently that there's a risk of the public getting "burned out" on him. (see Glenn Powell). But it's not the case apparently, as we continue to love him. He's amazing in Marty Supreme. I kind of hate Gwyneth Paltrow for her hocus pokus business stuff, but she's great in it too. There are a lot of weathered faces in it.
Malcolm X (1992), what a picture. I am woefully ignorant of most of Spike's filmography. I should correct that.
Lean on Me (1989). I love a good "how can I help these kids" movie, and this is one of the best.
Chalamet said some things recently that might get him pushed out instead of burned out
DeleteLove the old Planet of the Apes movies
I have a 4K boxset of the old "Apes" movies and 2/3 of the new ones that l have yet to open (bought it cheap during a sale ages ago). "The Lost City" is very cheap on 4K; saw it in theaters when it came out, 'it's fine' but feels like "Romancing the Stone" with the rough edges removed. "Malcolm X" is great but man, the time commitment to watch the whole thing in one sitting is brutal. ๐ฅต
Delete"Lean on Me" rules, and "Marty Supreme" annoys me. ¯\_(ใ)_/¯
Hold on, there's a 4k of all the old movies?!?!? How did i miss that? I've been waiting for the first movie on 4k for years
DeleteDamn it, gonna have to spend again
Unrestrained 4K spending will be the early grave for both of us. ๐ฑ๐ค
DeleteI just realised the 4k are just for the recent movies, not the old ones. I already have everything (save for the Burton one), so i'm ok. Crisis averted
DeleteMy bad, l thought ALL "Apes" movies in the '50 Years' Box Set were 4K. Your bank account can breath a sigh of relief. ๐ฎ๐จ๐
DeleteIt won't breath, the money will just go somewhere else. I have my eyes on the Angel's Egg 4k super-duper-collector-edition, available at the cafรฉ ๐คฃ๐ต๐ซ
DeleteI'm hanging on to my 720p TV for dear life. Used DVD's are all I need. My bank account is safe as long as this TV keeps working :)
DeleteFor the amount of movie love I have, I really should get a bigger TV. The main issue why I haven't upgraded is my TV is also my computer monitor. A bigger TV wouldn't fit the space the same.
When I watched Malcom X a few years ago, I had problems with it, and was "why does this movie hate me, a white man". But it completely connected with me this time and I think I understood what Spike was going for much more.
DeleteThe opening credits goes super fucking hard. Wow. Yeah it's a little long. But the legacy of Malcolm X certainly earns every minute. Denzel is out of this world good in it.
The scene where one of Malcom X's kids drops her stuffed animal and the guy who would go one to murder her dad picks it up and gives it back and is so kind. It's so heart wrenching knowing what's coming.
DeleteThough Spike Lee has tackled racism in some of his movies after "Malcolm X" ("Bamboozled," "BlacKKKlansman," "Get On The Bus," etc.) he hasn't been able to top the work he did in "92. Not only because Denzel was at the top of his game, but "X" had angry moments offset by thoughtful and sympathetic ones. "Malcolm X" is an epic, ala "JFK" or "Schindler's List," and most filmmakers alive are lucky to helm one of those in their lifetime. ๐ง๐
DeleteI agree that not many filmmakers reach that level. However JFK is a conspiracy laden affair. Great movie, but nearly everything in it is contrived. It's nowhere close to Schindler's List or Malcom X. It's in a complete other dimension. A compelling one, for sure. But not a factual one.
DeleteI probably saw The Lighthorsemen on VHS with my father. (A long time ago.) There are not many films about the fighting in the Middle Eastern theater of World War I.
DeletePaul, don't get a bigger TV; get a projector! Film is meant to be seen projected. I for one don't care one bit if what I'm seeing is a digital or analog projection, but unless I'm on a plane or something, watching a movie on an electronic (TV/computer) screen is just the worst. Projection forever! I even go out of my way to project not only TV shows but ordinary YouTube videos. :P
DeleteLast night I was at the Gap Theatre at midnight with around 40 other people to watch one of the notorious movies of the 21st century. Surprisingly, A SERBIAN FILM (2010) does work well as a midnight movie. Milos, a washed-up Serbian p-*-r-n s-t-a-r, gets an offer to star in a mysterious production. Despite his misgivings about not knowing what he is expected to do, the money is too tempting to turn down. The acts he does and witnesses get increasingly dark as the film progresses. To the film's credit, the more extreme aspects are implied more than shown. Politics is everywhere, with the theme of individuals being drawn into a corrupted system and forced to do acts that violate morality being prominent. A Serbian Film is not a fun watch in any way and one that I will not seek to see again.
ReplyDeleteWith work and other matters taking up much of my energy the past two weeks, there has not been much opportunity to watch things. I did push myself to at least see a couple of films, though.
KILL BILL: THE WHOLE BLOODY AFFAIR (2006) – While many of you were enjoying FTHISMOVIE Fest last Saturday, I was at The Gap Theatre watching KILL BILL for the first time in any form. Quentin Tarantino’s mash-up of spaghetti westerns, kung fu, and Japanese revenge and yakuza films is undoubtedly entertaining pulp storytelling. It may also be the most “Tarantino” film besides OUATIH that I have seen. Outside of the homage vs. plagiarism (the Lady Snowblood finale) debate surrounding his films, Tarantino does have a style that you can easily spot. Kill Bill is also well put together, with the editing and sound design particularly catching my attention. I had a good night after a day on the job.
TURA! (2025) – When dealing with fatigue, I often find documentaries to be an easier watch than a narrative film. This doc recently showed on Prime. It is about the highs and lows of the life of Tura Yamaguchi, who became known to the world of burlesque and B-movies as Tura Satana. Her tough portrayal of Varla in Faster, Pussycat. Kill! Kill! is what she is remembered for. Tura! is a mix of biography and gossip, full of fans and fanboys (fangirls?) celebrating a woman whose image was ahead of her time. As for the human being, there was a lot of unpleasantness she had to endure growing up before embracing a life in some of the more disreputable aspects of the entertainment business. Tura! is not a perfect documentary but effectively tells her story.
Wow! ๐ณ First-time watch of "Kill Bill" and it's "The Whole Bloody Affair" version? You're so lucky, I'm jealous. ๐ "Serbian Film," though... nope. Just... NO! ๐ซฃ๐ฌ
DeleteI have yet to see A Serbian Film. I really want to, i'm very curious
DeleteI was feeling tired that night, J.M., but I thought seeing The Whole Bloody Affair on a big screen was the right way to experience it. I am glad I did.
DeleteA Serbian Film does at times seem like a dare film, Kunider. Though it is generally well-made, provocation is the main agenda. It is not as extreme as its reputation but does go into some dark territory, especially involving children.