It'd be easy to dismiss Olivia Wilde's THE INVITE (2026, THEATER) as San Francisco liberal douchebag couples engaged in gross interactions/behavior unbecoming of polite society. But the beauty of this chamber dramedy with only four actors is how relatable to anyone who's been in a long, difficult relationship Wilde and Seth Rogen eventually reveal themselves to be. Whether you like Penélope Cruz's free-thinking therapist Piña and her beau Hawk (Edward Norton in "Primal Fear's" weakling Aaron mold) is irrelevant, as they're the catalysts that open up the repressed emotions Rogen/Wilde have been hiding from themselves (and their never seen small child) for years. Rogen can be annoying sometimes, but his endless humorous quips are welcomed comic relief from 105 minutes of tense-as-eff forced conversations. Highly recommended.
Rewatched the theatrical cut of Ben Stiller's TROPIC THUNDER (2008, KL 4K UHD) with like-minded folks at the weekly JR 4.0 Discord watchalong. Remove Robert Downey Jr's Kirk Lazarus and this over-the-top Hollywood satire would be toothless. RDJ's commitment to the vanity of his character's method acting ('I don't break character until after I record the DVD commentary.') is the glue that holds together his interactions with everybody else (especially Stiller when the latter has gone Brando-in-"Apocalypse Now" jungle mad!😂). On this rewatch I was blown away by then-child actor Brandon Soo Hoo as the kid leader of the military guerrillas, by Bill Hader holding his own against Tom Cruise's scene-chewing Les Grossman cartoon, by Matthew McConaughey keeping a straight face negotiating his client's Tivo privileges, and by the absence of any meaningful female characters. It's a $92 million dollar comedic sausage fest, but at least it's constantly making fun of itself from start (fake trailers) to finish (Grossman dance).
MOTOR CITY ('26, THEATER) is my introduction to Alan Ritchson (Amazon Prime's "Jack Reacher" series), and I really like the intensity and screen presence this guy brings to this revenge tale set in 1970's Detroit. Using choice needle drops (to complement Steve Jablonsky's moody electronic tunes) and slow-motion action/dramatic beats that put Zack Snyder's to shame (as you'd expect from director Potsy Ponciroli's music video background), "MC" lets the pictures/music tell a predictable narrative of obsession with a pretty girl (by both hero and villain), corrupt police officers, fellow Vietman soldiers helping out a buddy in need and, at the very end, an epic rampage of justified retaliation. The absence of spoken dialogue isn't new in contemporary action (John Woo pulled it off in 2023's "Silent Night"), but "MC" does it better and the supporting cast (Ben Foster, Pablo Schreiber, Lionel Boyce, Amar Chadha-Patel, Shailene Woodley, Ben McKenzie, etc.) tailor their performances to the style. It didn't need 35 (!) producers, but "MC" ultimately delivers the bloody revenge goods.
With a title like L.A. AIDS JABBER (1994, TUBI) you know you're in for a treat. Shot on video and looking more like 1984 than ten years later, a prone-to-anger young a-hole (Jason Majik) is diagnosed with AIDS and loses his shit. We're told by cops and local government types that Jeff Roberts is going on a rampage injecting prost!tutes (whom he blames for contracting AIDS) and civilians with syringes with his contaminated blood, but we only see him doing it twice. Jeff also kills the boss that fired him for being a bad worker, but he only beats the man to death with his own corded telephone. Worth seeing for the so-bad-it's-great SOV production values/performances, and an ironic ending meant to be tragic that changes nothing.🤨🙄
Not a fan of David Wain ("Wet Hot American Summer"), but GAIL DAUGHTRY AND THE CELEBRITY SEX PASS ('26, THEATER) made me laugh long and hard and the sitcom-like absurdity/execution of its premise (Zoey Deutch tries to bed John Hamm to get back at her fiancée for sleeping with Jennifer Aniston). Who knew John Slattery was such a badass ninja.😅
curious what you felt about the directing/intangibles of The Invite. this movie only hit my radar in the form of glowing reviews I kept seeing on social media for Olivia Wilde as a director. Seth Rogen in a movie is a hard pass for me so I will never see it, but am curious about this aspect only because whenever I hear about Olivia Wilde in the news its usually about some mess involving a relationship or a movie she's involved in. and then I learned that this Invite movie has been adapted in like 10 other countries and is a huge hit each time. no offense to Ms. Wilde (who I've been fond of since House) but curious if those comments were part of the promotion and publicity for her in the weeks leading up to its release or people genuinely find that she's showing talent as a director.
It's very theatrical material (4 characters, one large apartment, lots of talking) but it doesn't feel staged or limited by architecture. Camera movement/editing starts fast/furious (opening credits are crazy fast), then settles into a nice rhythm in which actors are the centerpieces of camera attention. Lots of close-ups, but also plenty of group shots and design of the vast apartment. Your loss if you let Rogen's presence dissuade you from seeing it, as he's the most important piece of this particular relationship puzzle. 🧐😶🌫️
thanks, good to hear. can't stand Rogen's voice, hearing it makes me smell stale cigarettes, it's a synesthesia thing. but perhaps if Olivia directs a remake of My Dinner with Andre starring Seth Rogen and Pedro Pascal I'll reconsider.
Had no idea Olevia Wilde wanted to direct. The buzz for "The Invite" is so good (another A24 success story) we're bound to get more films with her behind the lens. For your sake, Matt, l hope Seth Rogen isn't cast in any of them... although he's so good here! 🤗😍
i think Invite is her 3rd. first indie directorial debut was critically lauded. but her 2nd was a train wreck trifecta of bad critical reviews, on-set conflict and the end of her marriage to Jason Sudeikis. that's why I was curious if this was a rehab for her image or legit praise.
I like "The Invite" as a legit good, adult dramedy (Rogen supplies the laughs, the remaining trio the drama) that l'd recommend to friends/family. From me that's as good as it gets. ✊️🤠
The only SOV movie I unreservedly enjoyed is a Japanese production called Bloody Muscle Body Builder in Hell (1995). It mainly is a riff on The Evil Dead. I think it was the the strange title that drew me to it and remember not having any issues watching it.
Nicolas Winding Refn's HER PRIVATE HELL ('26, THEATER) is so far up its own ass it comes out of its mouth.🤢🤮 In typical NWR mise-en-scène, style towers over substance in what at its core is a slasher. A very sexy, very moody and very soap opera-patterned slasher in which a serial killer called 'The Leatherman' comes hidden in the mist that engulfs a 'futuristic' city where the rich live in hotel buildings far above the clouds. Sophie Thatcher ("Companion") plays Elle, a rich girl with daddy issues with a stepmother closer to her own age (Havana Rose Liu, "Tuner") that are forced by dad/hubby Johnny Thunders (Dougray Scott) to co-star in a "Barbarella"-type space movie. As Elle and stepmom's relationship deteriorates, The Leatherman strikes a building next door and soon sets his sights on Elle's penthouse floor. By far the most entertaining parts of "HPH" are the flashbacks to post-World War II Japan in which an American G.I., 'Private K' (Charles Melton), searches for his missing daughter, which allegedly is how The Leatherman created the ass-kicking antagonist that constantly stops his mist-covered killing sprees. As much grief as I give NWR for being pretentious, he at least made a third of "HPH" appealing to average folks like me who have zero interest in fashion, model-type women posing or bold style/color choices. Pino Donaggio's electronic music score carries the film while complementing cinematographer Magnus Nordenhof Jønck's gorgeous pictures. You know what you're getting with NWR, so I'm pleased that at least one third of "HPH" was amusing-enough to tolerate the other two.
Was feeling down, so pulled off the ol' DVD Box set of Nickelodeon's THE SECRET WORLD OF ALEX MACK (1994-98) to watch a handful of hand-picked episodes from seasons 2 and 3. This show was rarely repeated on Nick cable channels after its initial run, and it took until the late 2010's to come out on DVD. While the first season was too kiddy for me (a young Jessica Alba in her first role makes a handful of episodes worth seeing for the curio factor), the latter seasons showcased the lead character (played by Larisa Oleynik with down-to-Earth relatability) and her friends growing-up and maturing as young adults, a rarity for a kids network in which even the older teen actors behaved like hyperactive little children. This show is my comfort blanket, and reason why streaming can go choke a goat while I hold on for dear life to my physical media collection.😎👍
I rewatched the Narnia movies. I love them so much. The last one was about a ship so, I've been watching water movies since then.
Blue Crush is so good. It's become a comfort movie for me. Blue Crush 2 is also great.
Below (2002) is a pretty good sub movie. But it's leaning into horror and completely doesn't feel like WW2 by the end.
K-19 The Widowmaker (2002) A misunderstood masterpiece. This is one of the great submarine movies, that I inevitably rewatch once a year.
White Squall (1996) A movie about a bunch of rich privileged boys aboard a ship, well, I can't see that working. But it does. I love the ship in this one.
True Spirit (2023) Drama about a young girl who sailed all around the world. I really liked this but it was much more about the family thing than a sailing movie.
Adrift (2018) This was not very good. I does have a thing at the end which I wasn't expecting. It was ok.. I doubt I'll ever watch it again.
Blue Crush is definitely a comfort movie for me. I could watch it again right now. I was close to watching Titanic at one point. Wind? Holy moly, that's the exact movie I've been looking for. Thanks.
White Squall is great. Ridley Scott has made better movies, but this is set on a boat
Ah, so you're into yachts and/or yacht boating movies? Then seek out the recent remake of "Road House" on Amazon Prime with Jake Gyllenhaal. It's set in Florida and boats/yachts feature heavily into the plot. 🫵😎
One of the Junesploitation ideas I have been thinking about is a water theme: On The Water! Sharks, war, sailing and surfing could all fit into that category.
Saw The Odyssey yesterday in Dolby Cinema and loved it. However, did anyone else find it painfully loud? Fortunately, I recently bought some specialized earplugs that lower dB levels without reducing clarity specifically for seeing this movie.
My 70mm screening of "TO" didn't feel particularly loud, but l do find Dolby Cinema screenings much louder than usual. Saw "Disclosure" in DC and it was painfully loud. 😵🤔
As YouTube videogame reviewer Joe from 'Game Sack' keeps telling us, not all theater sound systems are created, tuned, assembled or mixed equallly. Joe out to know, he used to inspect, rate and certify theater sound systems for a living a lifetime ago. 🤓🧐
Has he been to the St. Laurent Mall theatre in Ottawa? Actually, they're ok, and it's a great theatre (with free popcorn refills, blessed). But when we when went to see Tenet, it swear they cranked the volume up. Maybe a little to much.
Speaking of one-time director (see Patrick's post from last week), here's one by renown, blacklisted, academy award winner while blacklisted, writer Dalton Trumbo, and his movie Johnny Got His Gun. As anti-war movie go, this is one of the most hard hitting. Do not watch if you're depressed, because the ending is bleak, in the 'the is no hope' kinda way. It's a great, singular movie, somehow forgotten in the archives of anti-war movie. No proper Blu-ray was ever released in North America.
Rush (2013): Ron Howard made some of the best Hollywood movies, but also some of the most boring. I think this is in the best category. It does help that I'm a fan of racing movies. I unnecessarily upgraded to 4k, the Blu-ray was already great, but since I get back to it every so often, I had to.
Death To Smoochy (2002): I finally got the Blu-ray, which according to tradition, they should announce a 4k in the next couple of weeks. The movie is a ton of fun and I don't know why I waited so long to get it. Patrick and Rob did a podcast on it, back in 2017. Go listen to it.
Keanu & Co: Part of my big Vinegar Syndrome Sale purchase, Patrick ordered me to watch it, so here I am 😜. Keanu is in only one of this short movies compilation, and they vary in quality. He's doing a fine job as a rebellious teenager. This is his first leading role, and apparently went to Hollywood right after that. If you get the blu-ray just for him, you might be disappointed, but the disc is packed to the brim with shorts, all Canadian productions, mostly directed and/or produced by Robert Fortier, mostly 'message' movies about not being a dïck and stuff like that.
The Edge (1997): A classic story of Man vs Wild. Not the type of thing I'd expect from David Mamet, or Lee Tamahori. It's all standard stuff for the time, slow build, introducing the characters and the environment, they get stranded to start the second act, then the bear (not CGI) chase begins not long after (but he doesn't show up a lot). It's weird to see Anthony Hopkins in this kind of movie, but he's as good as usual. And the bear gets his own credit. Harold Perrineau is an added bonus as the token black guy, who's always getting hurt... aaaaaand he's de4d. Old tired clichés aside, it's a good movie that made me want to rewatch The Grey.
"The Edge" has 3 things l like: a wild bear, Anthony Hopkins giving it his all, and still-handsome-but-mature Alec Baldwin before "Pearl Harbor" turned him into a prune. 😁😂 We didn't how good we had it in '97. 🥰
Footage from Johnny Got His Gun was used in the music video for Metallica's song One in the late 1980s. That is probably how it the film is best remembered today.
I read the Dalton Trumbo novel back in the 1990s. It is very harrowing story.
THE ODYSSEY (2026) a.k.a. The Devil Wears Sparta. It’s a total banger, with some huge set pieces while also creating a consistent throughline to tie it all together. And there’s so much color in this, compared to the usual Nolan brown/grey. Good stuff!
TROPIC THUNDER (2008) What kind of farmer are you?
FAUST: LOVE OF THE DAMNED (2000) A goofball movie, but it hit the spot during some 4 a.m. sleeplessness.
BATMAN (1989) Tim Burton goodness!
WICKED FOR GOOD (2025) I wanted to like this, but alas. The central conflict between Elphaba and Galinda keeps getting sidelined by other business, and it gets tedious after a while. Goldblum’s good, though.
And now for F These Comics: I continue to enjoy Ryan North on Fantastic Four and Joshua Williamson on Superman. I’ve been catching up on Amazing Spider-Man in the lead up to the historic issue #1000, but the whole “Peter Park in space” thing went on way too long.
I was back on the DVR this week for these watches.
FREEBIE AND THE BEAN (1974, dir. Richard Rush) – This is such a 1970s movie, and one that is wildly uneven. Freebie (James Caan) and Bean (Alan Arkin) are cops investigating the boss of a numbers racket in San Francisco. They are desperate for any kind of break, not showing any scruples when it comes to doing their work. I enjoyed the film with some reservations.
The Good: the banter between Caan and Arkin, wild car chases and crashes in the streets of San Francisco, effective comedy,
The Bad: a messy script, some not so good comedy
The Ugly: overt racism, misogyny, thuggish behavior toward suspects, surprisingly sadistic violence for the period.
THE THIEF WHO CAME TO DINNER (1973, dir. Bud Yorkin) – Crossing off another Warren Oates film. He plays an insurance investigator on the trail of a burglar targeting the wealthy families of Houston. In his sights is Ryan O’Neal, a computer programmer who decides to liven up his life by quitting the corporate life and becoming the Chess Burglar. It is a cat-and-mouse game between the two of them with a cast that includes the lovely Jacqueline Bisset and Ned Beatty. There are shades of The Thomas Crown Affair here. Warren Oates’ role did not give him much to do, but I did find The Thief Who Came To Dinner a watchable time-waster. An early script by Walter Hill.
COCOON (1985, dir. Ron Howard) – A film I have not seen since I was a kid. I certainly did not remember much about it. The residents of a senior facility in Florida discover that aliens have moved in next door. These happen to be the friendly aliens of the Spielbergian kind. The ghost of Steven Spielberg haunts the film, actually. James Horner is channeling John Williams. That is not a knock against Cocoon, which is largely an entertaining experience. It was not often in the 1980s that a geriatric cast dominates a big budget Hollywood film. All of them looked to be having a blast being the stars of film for the first time in decades. Their antics even get the ‘80s montage treatment, which is funny and goofy at the same time. I appreciated that the film treats the reality of leaving everything behind as a big dilemma, even if there is a lot to gain from doing so.
Wilfred Brimley’s interactions with the boy portraying the grandson reminded me spending time with my grandfather as a kid. Brimley was only around 50 when this was made, but, wow, he looked much older than he was. Brimley was great in this, but it somehow was Don Ameche who won a best supporting actor OSCAR
I 💓 Warren Oates! 🤩 "Thief Who Came For Dinner" dully noted. 😎 It was Don Ameche's last chance to get an Oscar for a lifetime of work with "Coccoon," and the Academy bypassed Wilford because it wasn't (and never would be) his turn. Sucks, but that's AMPAS for you. 🙄🤨
Though THIEF is a basically a Ryan O'Neal vehicle, Warren Oates does have enough screen time to make it worth while for his fans. I will consider watching any movie he is even if the experience is not so good. The worst one I have seen for that reason is a stinker called 92 In The Shade (1975). It is a terrible waste of a good cast.
Disclosure Day (2026): Is this a Netflix movie? At some point, The Josh O'Connor character says: "I have no idea what's going on". You and me both, buddy. Are we missing the first act? Then there's a God thing, that possibly bothered me more than it should. Or the 'magic thingy' that does whatever they need it to. Everybody's always talking like they're out of breath all the time. And as much as I like Emily Blunt, I think she's miscast here. What do I know? I haven't liked a Spielberg movie for the last 10 years. Part of the blame could be on David Koepp, who's capable of the best and the worst.
Toy Soldiers (1991): Accidental David Koepp double-bill (I swear those accidental double-bills are always accidental). Something about movies in prep schools in the 80-90s. This one has an extra 'Red Dawn' twist. It's fun to watch young Sean Astin being a rebellious teen. Also, another bad guy sidekick role for Michael Champion. I love movie endings from that era: k1ll the bad guy, everybody hugs for a minute, helicopter-camera flies away, credits.
Deep Water (2026): Aaron Ekhart being the sidekick airplane pilot again, and doing a Renny Harlin movie again. The plane crashing scene is extra graphic and I love it. Then the shark attack and surviving process begins. Don't look too deep into it, it's a B-movie at best, with bad CGI, predictable and passable dialogues. It is what it is, and I like it
The last Spielberg film l consider great was 2015's "Bridge of Spies"... and the involvement of the Cohen brothers as co-writers had a lot to do with it being good. "Disclosure Day" has Steven co-writing the movie with David Koepp, and while sometimes a Spielberg-penned script works (" Close Encounters...") more often than not it doesn't ("1941"). It's an embarrassment for all involved (except John Williams, he gets a lifetime pass 🥰), a reminder that he's still alive more than a chance to be exposed to great cinema he's no longer capable of delivering. 🙄🫣
Haven't seen "Toy Soldiers," and Koepp's involvement makes me less inclined to watch it. 😛 "Deep Water" is fun if you can appreciate the cheese a 'B' horror/shark movie helmed by Renny Harlin with compromised budget CG effects can still delivers. When l saw it first in theaters my expectations were high and it didn't come close to matching them. With lowered expectations "DW" is a ton of fun. 🤠🦈
I liked The BFG, which was right after Bridge of Spies
Toy Soldier is classic 90s movie. I had a ton of fun with it. The director co-wrote the movie, but is also the writer of Beverly Hills Cop, if that helps
would recommend Toy Soldiers also. Red Dawn is a good comp, also Die Hard in a boarding school. maybe its a movie that connects better if you are of the age range of the protagonists, haven't seen it since the 90s.
Hiya!😛
ReplyDeleteIt'd be easy to dismiss Olivia Wilde's THE INVITE (2026, THEATER) as San Francisco liberal douchebag couples engaged in gross interactions/behavior unbecoming of polite society. But the beauty of this chamber dramedy with only four actors is how relatable to anyone who's been in a long, difficult relationship Wilde and Seth Rogen eventually reveal themselves to be. Whether you like Penélope Cruz's free-thinking therapist Piña and her beau Hawk (Edward Norton in "Primal Fear's" weakling Aaron mold) is irrelevant, as they're the catalysts that open up the repressed emotions Rogen/Wilde have been hiding from themselves (and their never seen small child) for years. Rogen can be annoying sometimes, but his endless humorous quips are welcomed comic relief from 105 minutes of tense-as-eff forced conversations. Highly recommended.
Rewatched the theatrical cut of Ben Stiller's TROPIC THUNDER (2008, KL 4K UHD) with like-minded folks at the weekly JR 4.0 Discord watchalong. Remove Robert Downey Jr's Kirk Lazarus and this over-the-top Hollywood satire would be toothless. RDJ's commitment to the vanity of his character's method acting ('I don't break character until after I record the DVD commentary.') is the glue that holds together his interactions with everybody else (especially Stiller when the latter has gone Brando-in-"Apocalypse Now" jungle mad!😂). On this rewatch I was blown away by then-child actor Brandon Soo Hoo as the kid leader of the military guerrillas, by Bill Hader holding his own against Tom Cruise's scene-chewing Les Grossman cartoon, by Matthew McConaughey keeping a straight face negotiating his client's Tivo privileges, and by the absence of any meaningful female characters. It's a $92 million dollar comedic sausage fest, but at least it's constantly making fun of itself from start (fake trailers) to finish (Grossman dance).
MOTOR CITY ('26, THEATER) is my introduction to Alan Ritchson (Amazon Prime's "Jack Reacher" series), and I really like the intensity and screen presence this guy brings to this revenge tale set in 1970's Detroit. Using choice needle drops (to complement Steve Jablonsky's moody electronic tunes) and slow-motion action/dramatic beats that put Zack Snyder's to shame (as you'd expect from director Potsy Ponciroli's music video background), "MC" lets the pictures/music tell a predictable narrative of obsession with a pretty girl (by both hero and villain), corrupt police officers, fellow Vietman soldiers helping out a buddy in need and, at the very end, an epic rampage of justified retaliation. The absence of spoken dialogue isn't new in contemporary action (John Woo pulled it off in 2023's "Silent Night"), but "MC" does it better and the supporting cast (Ben Foster, Pablo Schreiber, Lionel Boyce, Amar Chadha-Patel, Shailene Woodley, Ben McKenzie, etc.) tailor their performances to the style. It didn't need 35 (!) producers, but "MC" ultimately delivers the bloody revenge goods.
With a title like L.A. AIDS JABBER (1994, TUBI) you know you're in for a treat. Shot on video and looking more like 1984 than ten years later, a prone-to-anger young a-hole (Jason Majik) is diagnosed with AIDS and loses his shit. We're told by cops and local government types that Jeff Roberts is going on a rampage injecting prost!tutes (whom he blames for contracting AIDS) and civilians with syringes with his contaminated blood, but we only see him doing it twice. Jeff also kills the boss that fired him for being a bad worker, but he only beats the man to death with his own corded telephone. Worth seeing for the so-bad-it's-great SOV production values/performances, and an ironic ending meant to be tragic that changes nothing.🤨🙄
Not a fan of David Wain ("Wet Hot American Summer"), but GAIL DAUGHTRY AND THE CELEBRITY SEX PASS ('26, THEATER) made me laugh long and hard and the sitcom-like absurdity/execution of its premise (Zoey Deutch tries to bed John Hamm to get back at her fiancée for sleeping with Jennifer Aniston). Who knew John Slattery was such a badass ninja.😅
curious what you felt about the directing/intangibles of The Invite. this movie only hit my radar in the form of glowing reviews I kept seeing on social media for Olivia Wilde as a director. Seth Rogen in a movie is a hard pass for me so I will never see it, but am curious about this aspect only because whenever I hear about Olivia Wilde in the news its usually about some mess involving a relationship or a movie she's involved in. and then I learned that this Invite movie has been adapted in like 10 other countries and is a huge hit each time. no offense to Ms. Wilde (who I've been fond of since House) but curious if those comments were part of the promotion and publicity for her in the weeks leading up to its release or people genuinely find that she's showing talent as a director.
DeleteIt's very theatrical material (4 characters, one large apartment, lots of talking) but it doesn't feel staged or limited by architecture. Camera movement/editing starts fast/furious (opening credits are crazy fast), then settles into a nice rhythm in which actors are the centerpieces of camera attention. Lots of close-ups, but also plenty of group shots and design of the vast apartment. Your loss if you let Rogen's presence dissuade you from seeing it, as he's the most important piece of this particular relationship puzzle. 🧐😶🌫️
Deletethanks, good to hear. can't stand Rogen's voice, hearing it makes me smell stale cigarettes, it's a synesthesia thing. but perhaps if Olivia directs a remake of My Dinner with Andre starring Seth Rogen and Pedro Pascal I'll reconsider.
DeleteHad no idea Olevia Wilde wanted to direct. The buzz for "The Invite" is so good (another A24 success story) we're bound to get more films with her behind the lens. For your sake, Matt, l hope Seth Rogen isn't cast in any of them... although he's so good here! 🤗😍
Deletei think Invite is her 3rd. first indie directorial debut was critically lauded. but her 2nd was a train wreck trifecta of bad critical reviews, on-set conflict and the end of her marriage to Jason Sudeikis. that's why I was curious if this was a rehab for her image or legit praise.
DeleteI like "The Invite" as a legit good, adult dramedy (Rogen supplies the laughs, the remaining trio the drama) that l'd recommend to friends/family. From me that's as good as it gets. ✊️🤠
DeleteThe only SOV movie I unreservedly enjoyed is a Japanese production called Bloody Muscle Body Builder in Hell (1995). It mainly is a riff on The Evil Dead. I think it was the the strange title that drew me to it and remember not having any issues watching it.
DeleteI saw that one. Pretty good for a SOV Japanese horror flick. 😎👍
DeleteA couple more reviews.
ReplyDeleteNicolas Winding Refn's HER PRIVATE HELL ('26, THEATER) is so far up its own ass it comes out of its mouth.🤢🤮 In typical NWR mise-en-scène, style towers over substance in what at its core is a slasher. A very sexy, very moody and very soap opera-patterned slasher in which a serial killer called 'The Leatherman' comes hidden in the mist that engulfs a 'futuristic' city where the rich live in hotel buildings far above the clouds. Sophie Thatcher ("Companion") plays Elle, a rich girl with daddy issues with a stepmother closer to her own age (Havana Rose Liu, "Tuner") that are forced by dad/hubby Johnny Thunders (Dougray Scott) to co-star in a "Barbarella"-type space movie. As Elle and stepmom's relationship deteriorates, The Leatherman strikes a building next door and soon sets his sights on Elle's penthouse floor. By far the most entertaining parts of "HPH" are the flashbacks to post-World War II Japan in which an American G.I., 'Private K' (Charles Melton), searches for his missing daughter, which allegedly is how The Leatherman created the ass-kicking antagonist that constantly stops his mist-covered killing sprees. As much grief as I give NWR for being pretentious, he at least made a third of "HPH" appealing to average folks like me who have zero interest in fashion, model-type women posing or bold style/color choices. Pino Donaggio's electronic music score carries the film while complementing cinematographer Magnus Nordenhof Jønck's gorgeous pictures. You know what you're getting with NWR, so I'm pleased that at least one third of "HPH" was amusing-enough to tolerate the other two.
Was feeling down, so pulled off the ol' DVD Box set of Nickelodeon's THE SECRET WORLD OF ALEX MACK (1994-98) to watch a handful of hand-picked episodes from seasons 2 and 3. This show was rarely repeated on Nick cable channels after its initial run, and it took until the late 2010's to come out on DVD. While the first season was too kiddy for me (a young Jessica Alba in her first role makes a handful of episodes worth seeing for the curio factor), the latter seasons showcased the lead character (played by Larisa Oleynik with down-to-Earth relatability) and her friends growing-up and maturing as young adults, a rarity for a kids network in which even the older teen actors behaved like hyperactive little children. This show is my comfort blanket, and reason why streaming can go choke a goat while I hold on for dear life to my physical media collection.😎👍
I rewatched the Narnia movies. I love them so much. The last one was about a ship so, I've been watching water movies since then.
ReplyDeleteBlue Crush is so good. It's become a comfort movie for me. Blue Crush 2 is also great.
Below (2002) is a pretty good sub movie. But it's leaning into horror and completely doesn't feel like WW2 by the end.
K-19 The Widowmaker (2002)
A misunderstood masterpiece. This is one of the great submarine movies, that I inevitably rewatch once a year.
White Squall (1996)
A movie about a bunch of rich privileged boys aboard a ship, well, I can't see that working. But it does. I love the ship in this one.
True Spirit (2023)
Drama about a young girl who sailed all around the world. I really liked this but it was much more about the family thing than a sailing movie.
Adrift (2018)
This was not very good. I does have a thing at the end which I wasn't expecting. It was ok.. I doubt I'll ever watch it again.
Tonight on Paul Calvert channel: "Titanic," followed by "Wind." Then, "Leviathan." Boats, boats, boats! 🙃🙂
DeleteSo, water theme this week? White Squall is so good, I wish I still had the blu-ray. I'll have to find it again.
DeleteBlue Crush is one of my comfort movie where I just like to hang out with it.
Dead Calm (1989) It's great to hear Kidman speaking without putting on an accent. Zane is so sweaty! Great movie.
DeleteBlue Crush is definitely a comfort movie for me. I could watch it again right now.
DeleteI was close to watching Titanic at one point. Wind? Holy moly, that's the exact movie I've been looking for. Thanks.
White Squall is great. Ridley Scott has made better movies, but this is set on a boat
Ah, so you're into yachts and/or yacht boating movies? Then seek out the recent remake of "Road House" on Amazon Prime with Jake Gyllenhaal. It's set in Florida and boats/yachts feature heavily into the plot. 🫵😎
DeleteI watched Below last October. It is not bad as a submarine film, but, as you stated, it fails to feel like a WWII story at all.
DeleteEspecially after the sub crew goes into the underwater caves. That's when "Below" becomes more a creature feature than a WWII submarine flick. 🫤
DeleteOne of the Junesploitation ideas I have been thinking about is a water theme: On The Water! Sharks, war, sailing and surfing could all fit into that category.
DeleteKeep the Junesploitation suggestions coming. I'm writing them all down for next April/May. 🙂😇
DeleteSaw The Odyssey yesterday in Dolby Cinema and loved it. However, did anyone else find it painfully loud? Fortunately, I recently bought some specialized earplugs that lower dB levels without reducing clarity specifically for seeing this movie.
ReplyDeleteMy 70mm screening of "TO" didn't feel particularly loud, but l do find Dolby Cinema screenings much louder than usual. Saw "Disclosure" in DC and it was painfully loud. 😵🤔
DeleteWhat are the earplugs? i might be interested in something like that
DeleteI think that might depend on the theatre. I saw Tenet and it was normal, but watched it again at the mall and it was crazy loud.
DeleteAs YouTube videogame reviewer Joe from 'Game Sack' keeps telling us, not all theater sound systems are created, tuned, assembled or mixed equallly. Joe out to know, he used to inspect, rate and certify theater sound systems for a living a lifetime ago. 🤓🧐
DeleteI can usually handle the Dolby near me and it's usually the Imax that is too loud. Either way, it didn't ruin the experience for me.
DeleteThe earplugs in question: https://a.co/d/03Fivyso
Has he been to the St. Laurent Mall theatre in Ottawa? Actually, they're ok, and it's a great theatre (with free popcorn refills, blessed). But when we when went to see Tenet, it swear they cranked the volume up. Maybe a little to much.
Deletetoo*
DeleteA little 2 much. Or... a little ✌️ much. 🤠
DeleteSpeaking of one-time director (see Patrick's post from last week), here's one by renown, blacklisted, academy award winner while blacklisted, writer Dalton Trumbo, and his movie Johnny Got His Gun. As anti-war movie go, this is one of the most hard hitting. Do not watch if you're depressed, because the ending is bleak, in the 'the is no hope' kinda way. It's a great, singular movie, somehow forgotten in the archives of anti-war movie. No proper Blu-ray was ever released in North America.
ReplyDeleteRush (2013): Ron Howard made some of the best Hollywood movies, but also some of the most boring. I think this is in the best category. It does help that I'm a fan of racing movies. I unnecessarily upgraded to 4k, the Blu-ray was already great, but since I get back to it every so often, I had to.
Death To Smoochy (2002): I finally got the Blu-ray, which according to tradition, they should announce a 4k in the next couple of weeks. The movie is a ton of fun and I don't know why I waited so long to get it. Patrick and Rob did a podcast on it, back in 2017. Go listen to it.
Keanu & Co: Part of my big Vinegar Syndrome Sale purchase, Patrick ordered me to watch it, so here I am 😜. Keanu is in only one of this short movies compilation, and they vary in quality. He's doing a fine job as a rebellious teenager. This is his first leading role, and apparently went to Hollywood right after that. If you get the blu-ray just for him, you might be disappointed, but the disc is packed to the brim with shorts, all Canadian productions, mostly directed and/or produced by Robert Fortier, mostly 'message' movies about not being a dïck and stuff like that.
The Edge (1997): A classic story of Man vs Wild. Not the type of thing I'd expect from David Mamet, or Lee Tamahori. It's all standard stuff for the time, slow build, introducing the characters and the environment, they get stranded to start the second act, then the bear (not CGI) chase begins not long after (but he doesn't show up a lot). It's weird to see Anthony Hopkins in this kind of movie, but he's as good as usual. And the bear gets his own credit. Harold Perrineau is an added bonus as the token black guy, who's always getting hurt... aaaaaand he's de4d. Old tired clichés aside, it's a good movie that made me want to rewatch The Grey.
"The Edge" has 3 things l like: a wild bear, Anthony Hopkins giving it his all, and still-handsome-but-mature Alec Baldwin before "Pearl Harbor" turned him into a prune. 😁😂 We didn't how good we had it in '97. 🥰
DeleteFootage from Johnny Got His Gun was used in the music video for Metallica's song One in the late 1980s. That is probably how it the film is best remembered today.
DeleteI read the Dalton Trumbo novel back in the 1990s. It is very harrowing story.
I didn't know that trivia until I saw the movie and was researching it. Last time I saw the videoclip was years ago.
DeleteI remember One getting into the weekly MTV top ten videos lists in 1989. Not bad for a 7-minute downbeat thrash song.
DeleteSo I don't need to get Keanu and Co.? Good to know! Thank you for the tip, Kunider!
DeleteTHE ODYSSEY (2026)
ReplyDeletea.k.a. The Devil Wears Sparta. It’s a total banger, with some huge set pieces while also creating a consistent throughline to tie it all together. And there’s so much color in this, compared to the usual Nolan brown/grey. Good stuff!
TROPIC THUNDER (2008)
What kind of farmer are you?
FAUST: LOVE OF THE DAMNED (2000)
A goofball movie, but it hit the spot during some 4 a.m. sleeplessness.
BATMAN (1989)
Tim Burton goodness!
WICKED FOR GOOD (2025)
I wanted to like this, but alas. The central conflict between Elphaba and Galinda keeps getting sidelined by other business, and it gets tedious after a while. Goldblum’s good, though.
And now for F These Comics: I continue to enjoy Ryan North on Fantastic Four and Joshua Williamson on Superman. I’ve been catching up on Amazing Spider-Man in the lead up to the historic issue #1000, but the whole “Peter Park in space” thing went on way too long.
TROPIC THUNDER (2008)
DeleteWhat kind of farmer are you?<=i>
I'm a lead farmer, motherf***er! 😡😂
I was back on the DVR this week for these watches.
ReplyDeleteFREEBIE AND THE BEAN (1974, dir. Richard Rush) – This is such a 1970s movie, and one that is wildly uneven. Freebie (James Caan) and Bean (Alan Arkin) are cops investigating the boss of a numbers racket in San Francisco. They are desperate for any kind of break, not showing any scruples when it comes to doing their work. I enjoyed the film with some reservations.
The Good: the banter between Caan and Arkin, wild car chases and crashes in the streets of San Francisco, effective comedy,
The Bad: a messy script, some not so good comedy
The Ugly: overt racism, misogyny, thuggish behavior toward suspects, surprisingly sadistic violence for the period.
Appropriate Junesploitation Categories: Cars, Buddy Cops, Cops
THE THIEF WHO CAME TO DINNER (1973, dir. Bud Yorkin) – Crossing off another Warren Oates film. He plays an insurance investigator on the trail of a burglar targeting the wealthy families of Houston. In his sights is Ryan O’Neal, a computer programmer who decides to liven up his life by quitting the corporate life and becoming the Chess Burglar. It is a cat-and-mouse game between the two of them with a cast that includes the lovely Jacqueline Bisset and Ned Beatty. There are shades of The Thomas Crown Affair here. Warren Oates’ role did not give him much to do, but I did find The Thief Who Came To Dinner a watchable time-waster. An early script by Walter Hill.
COCOON (1985, dir. Ron Howard) – A film I have not seen since I was a kid. I certainly did not remember much about it. The residents of a senior facility in Florida discover that aliens have moved in next door. These happen to be the friendly aliens of the Spielbergian kind. The ghost of Steven Spielberg haunts the film, actually. James Horner is channeling John Williams. That is not a knock against Cocoon, which is largely an entertaining experience. It was not often in the 1980s that a geriatric cast dominates a big budget Hollywood film. All of them looked to be having a blast being the stars of film for the first time in decades. Their antics even get the ‘80s montage treatment, which is funny and goofy at the same time. I appreciated that the film treats the reality of leaving everything behind as a big dilemma, even if there is a lot to gain from doing so.
Wilfred Brimley’s interactions with the boy portraying the grandson reminded me spending time with my grandfather as a kid. Brimley was only around 50 when this was made, but, wow, he looked much older than he was. Brimley was great in this, but it somehow was Don Ameche who won a best supporting actor OSCAR
I 💓 Warren Oates! 🤩 "Thief Who Came For Dinner" dully noted. 😎 It was Don Ameche's last chance to get an Oscar for a lifetime of work with "Coccoon," and the Academy bypassed Wilford because it wasn't (and never would be) his turn. Sucks, but that's AMPAS for you. 🙄🤨
DeleteThough THIEF is a basically a Ryan O'Neal vehicle, Warren Oates does have enough screen time to make it worth while for his fans. I will consider watching any movie he is even if the experience is not so good. The worst one I have seen for that reason is a stinker called 92 In The Shade (1975). It is a terrible waste of a good cast.
DeleteBusy day....
ReplyDeleteDisclosure Day (2026): Is this a Netflix movie? At some point, The Josh O'Connor character says: "I have no idea what's going on". You and me both, buddy. Are we missing the first act? Then there's a God thing, that possibly bothered me more than it should. Or the 'magic thingy' that does whatever they need it to. Everybody's always talking like they're out of breath all the time. And as much as I like Emily Blunt, I think she's miscast here. What do I know? I haven't liked a Spielberg movie for the last 10 years. Part of the blame could be on David Koepp, who's capable of the best and the worst.
Toy Soldiers (1991): Accidental David Koepp double-bill (I swear those accidental double-bills are always accidental). Something about movies in prep schools in the 80-90s. This one has an extra 'Red Dawn' twist. It's fun to watch young Sean Astin being a rebellious teen. Also, another bad guy sidekick role for Michael Champion. I love movie endings from that era: k1ll the bad guy, everybody hugs for a minute, helicopter-camera flies away, credits.
Deep Water (2026): Aaron Ekhart being the sidekick airplane pilot again, and doing a Renny Harlin movie again. The plane crashing scene is extra graphic and I love it. Then the shark attack and surviving process begins. Don't look too deep into it, it's a B-movie at best, with bad CGI, predictable and passable dialogues. It is what it is, and I like it
The last Spielberg film l consider great was 2015's "Bridge of Spies"... and the involvement of the Cohen brothers as co-writers had a lot to do with it being good. "Disclosure Day" has Steven co-writing the movie with David Koepp, and while sometimes a Spielberg-penned script works (" Close Encounters...") more often than not it doesn't ("1941"). It's an embarrassment for all involved (except John Williams, he gets a lifetime pass 🥰), a reminder that he's still alive more than a chance to be exposed to great cinema he's no longer capable of delivering. 🙄🫣
DeleteHaven't seen "Toy Soldiers," and Koepp's involvement makes me less inclined to watch it. 😛 "Deep Water" is fun if you can appreciate the cheese a 'B' horror/shark movie helmed by Renny Harlin with compromised budget CG effects can still delivers. When l saw it first in theaters my expectations were high and it didn't come close to matching them. With lowered expectations "DW" is a ton of fun. 🤠🦈
I liked The BFG, which was right after Bridge of Spies
DeleteToy Soldier is classic 90s movie. I had a ton of fun with it. The director co-wrote the movie, but is also the writer of Beverly Hills Cop, if that helps
would recommend Toy Soldiers also. Red Dawn is a good comp, also Die Hard in a boarding school. maybe its a movie that connects better if you are of the age range of the protagonists, haven't seen it since the 90s.
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