A couple of Wednesdays ago the Jury Room 4.0 gang decided on Andrew Davis' CHAIN REACTION (1996, AMAZON PRIME) as our weekly Discord watchalong. It was Davis' second bomb in a row after 1995's "Steal Big Steal Little," both mid-budget thrillers made after the director's massive success with 1993's "The Fugitive." As we watched "Chain Reaction" we couldn't help but notice how similar the '96 movie was to the formula of the '93 Academy Award-winning hit. In "CR" Keanu Reeves and Rachel Weisz are Chicago-based environmental scientists on the run after their group's breakthrough in 'cold fusion' (though those words are never mentioned, going instead with 'green alternative energy'... whatever! 😠🫤) is blown to bits by a massive explosion that takes out several blocks of abandoned factories. We know anonymous bad guys did it, but they're the prime suspects of murdering their colleagues.
No "Man of Steel"-type civilian casualties from the explosion, but the FBI (Fred Ward and Kevin 'Transformers dad' Dunn, this flick's version of Sam Gerard and his U.S. Marshals team) sets a manhunt to apprehend 'Eddie Kasalivich' (Keanu) and Dr. Sinclair (Weisz). The boss of the research team, Morgan Freeman, gets into philosophical arguments with Brian Cox, which are cool because the actors are great and not because we know what the hell is going on. Many impressive-but-soulless action set-pieces (Keanu atop a lifting bridge, a helicopter chasing after a boat in a frozen lake, etc.) follow, and it all comes to a ticking clock device that will either prove the team's research or blow them all to kingdom come. I don't care! 😁😇 Despite competent direction by Davis', his usual cadre of working-class actors and other recognizable faces, "Chain Reaction" is one of the worst 90's action movies I've ever seen. Hated it.
Then last Wednesday night, someone at JR 4.0 had the sense of humor to pick THE FUGITIVE (1993, AMAZON PURCHASE) as an apology of sorts for having subjected the Discord group to the ordeal that was "Chain Reaction" a week prior. It's almost unfair to compare the two because the '93 blockbuster has everything (great actors as leading men, smart script by Jeb Stuart and David Twohy, the goodwill of a well-remembered 1970's TV series, a personal quest for redemption/revenge anyone in the audience can relate to, etc.) the '96 movie completely lacked. It's over two hours long, but it just moves fast and its few action set-pieces (the bus/train crash, the jump from the dam, the St. Patrick's Day Parade escape, etc.) hit hard by mixing well the improbable with the believable cat-and-mouse game that follows.
And then there's the Tommy Lee Jones factor. No shade on Harrison Ford, he's the star that brought butts to seats. Richard Kimble's ability to walk through Chicago like he owns the place while a manhunt is chasing after him is only possible because we like the guy, the type of good doctor we know wouldn't kill his wife because he risks his freedom to save a hurt little boy in a hospital. But he's also bland and safe, while TLJ's Samuel Gerard provides the jolt of energy that keeps the manhunt intense even when nothing major is happening. That intensity bounces off from everyone TLJ interacts with, whether it's Ford ('I don't care!') or Kimble's doctor friend (Jeroen Krabbé wearing a poker face) or anyone in Gerard's team of subordinates (Pantoliano, Wood, Caldwell, etc.). Hadn't seen "The Fugitive" in a while, and this rewatch was made even better after seeing the same crew/director blow it in '96. Thanks, "Chain Reaction." 👆😡
Coming just after "The Invite" showed her prowess as a dramatic actor/director, Olivia Wilde's turn in Gregg Araki's I WANT YOUR SEX ('26, THEATER) is a revelation. Playing Erika Tracy, an L.A. artist whose trashy exhibit about sex is coming together slowly, Wilde completely disappears into the role of a self-assured, h0rny businesswoman who takes advantage of her low-rank employee Elliot (Cooper Hoffman, "The Long Walk") to fulfill her S&M sexual desires so she can better work on her show. Elliot is no innocent, as his unfulfilled relationship with girlfriend Minerva (Charli XCX) and casual friendship with a co-worker at Tracy's (Mason Gooding's Zap) and a lifelong bestie (Chase Sui Wonders' Apple), all come to a messy halt because of Elliot's obsession with Erika. Told as a flashback while Elliot's being interrogated by two cops (Margaret Cho and Johnny Knoxville) about an opening scene reveal, "I Want Your Sex's" fantastic tale would be dull if it wasn't so freaking funny and sexy as hell because of Wilde not holding back. Recommended if you're not a prude about casual sex/nudity as a comedic storytelling device.
Seijun Suzuki's A TALE OF SORROW AND SADNESS (1977, RADIANCE BLU-RAY) finds the Japanese master of 60's crime and colorful pop art 'B' movies back in the director's chair after a 10-year absence. Like a scaled-down "Mad Men" that slowly morphs into a mini-"Network," the small scale story centers on average-at-best Japanese female golfer Reiko Sakuraba (Yoko Shiraki) being 'created' by a sports ad agency keen on using her image to compete against wealthier sports agencies with access to international sports superstars. Between Reiko not being a good actor (the bonus features on the disc reveal she was the producers' mistress, which explains her lack of on-camera polish), the uniformly sexist treatment of women by the mostly male cast (Yoshio Harada, Masumi Okada, Kōji Wada, etc.) and the eventual reveal of a female neighbor as an even bigger danger than an actual male stalker (with flowers), "A Tale of Sorrow and Sadness" is both atypical Suzuki territory and the most grounded-in-reality of his movies before his late career shift into more artistic, visually-driven esoteric features. Even the weird conversations between Reiko's pre-teen brother and a girl who may or may not be real have a certain daydream charm. Worth seeing as a time capsule of dog-eat-dog Japanese urban and suburban society in the late 70's.
After many years unseen I rewatched George A. Romero's DAY OF THE DEAD (1985, SHOUT!/SCREAM FACTORY 4K) and was overwhelmed by how unprepared I was for the avalanche of hatred between the characters that I already knew was there. I've owned the Anchor Bay DVD for decades (never upgraded to Blu-ray) and I've seen the movie plenty of times. But maybe because I've gone out of my way to avoid news and stay away from needless social media conflict until after 2028 (get it? 🥺😓), the torrent of anger between the human factions in that Florida underground bunker was suffocating. It's not a criticism of the film as much as an acknowledgement that the pressure cooker atmosphere it depicts, while sometimes over-the-top and cartoony (the dialogue borders on comic book prose), translates to both the cinematic end of the world and the end of the world as we all knew it we've been living under since 2016. Alas, when the (infrequent) zombie action kicks this becomes an impressive demo reel of some of the best practical gore effects ever filmed, the marriage of Tom Savini and the seeds of KNB (Nicotero and Berger working alongside Savini) in perfect blood-and-guts soaked harmony. Rhodes' final reckoning? That took guts to make. 😲🫣
While a few performances pop (Joe Pilato, Richard Liberty, etc.) "Day of the Dead" is the 'Bub' show for a reason. Without Sherman Howard giving the hint of a human life that can still be accessed through the living dead malfunction by imperfect-but-necessary methods from a well-meaning-but-wacko Frankenstein-like scientist, the points of Romero's difficult-to-watch story would be lost. Other than the 4K not looking leaps and bounds better than DVD (interpositive print isn't a negative, but beggars can't be choosers) and the lack of a cool booklet or written material, Shout's best new feature for this 4K re-release of "Day"? English subtitles, which Anchor Bay never embraced and I'm so happy to finally have alongside 'Bub' appreciating Beethoven's 5th Symphony. A "bloody" good time, mate. 😺🤠
I had a pretty good review for THE END OF OAK STREET (2026, IMAX) that Blogger just won't post, despite numerous changes. Ask Patrick, he's probably seen the deleted files. 😪🥺 So please refer to my mini-review of "TEOOS" on the comments section of Rob DiCristino's review: https://www.fthismovie.com/2026/08/reviews-teenage-sex-and-death-at-camp.html?showComment=1786711430524#c8832984478136427737
Of course I watched Tenet. Any excuse to do it. The mere mention of the word is enough to trigger me. That opening scene is one of the best ever, and John David Washington is excellent, I like his run in that opening, he really goes for it. If I had to rank it in my Nolan list, it would most likely be in the top 3, possibly 1.
Coup De Torchon (1981): Criterion finally upgraded this great movie by French director Bertrand Tavernier, who had an excellent blog before his passing, where he talked about movies and books. I can finally retire my 25 years old DVD. It was restored in 4k, but the disc is not, which I find very annoying. I'm not complaining though, I'm beyond happy to finally have an upgrade of this fabulous movie. As a bonus for me, the artwork was made by one of my favorite comic book artists, Sean Philips.
Mars Attacks! (1996): In glorious 4k. Guys, I swear this exist because of me, I manifested it. Not long ago, I bought the regular Blu-ray on eBay, it was scratched so it was skipping, got a refund, but I didn't get a new copy. 2 weeks after, Warner announced the 4k, and now it's in my greasy little hands.
Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass (2026): It's fun, in a 'spot the cameo' kinda way, and just bonkers enough to keep my attention, David Wain does bring the weird. But honestly, all it did is make me want to watch Confess Fletch, which I promptly ordered on eBay.
I liked " Gail Daughtry..." but to me David Wain is a hot-or-miss director. Jon Hamm and John Slattery look like they're having fun. 😁 This one hit hard (Weird Al AND Penn, together at last? 😄), but others ("Wet Hot American Summer," "They Came Together") are total strikeouts. YMMV.
Not in the mood for "Tenet," but l own the 4K so a rewatch is inevitable. Never been a fan of "Mars Attacks!," so only a dramatic jump in picture quality from the ol' Blu-ray would even tempt me to consider an upgrade. Not every movie that ges a 4K upgrade deserves a spot in your collection if you're never gonna rewatch it. 😇
If my other blu-ray wasn't scratched, I possibly would've skipped Mars Attacks, but when they announced it, it was a good time to upgrade. It's a great transfer and I'm sure JB is licking his tv right now 🤣
I still remember rolling my eyes when the MCU rebooted spidey for Civil War. "Another spiderman!? sheesh". And then i instantly dug the casting choice. The stand alone Spidey flicks have been consistently great. Im happy to report this one is a LOT OF FUN. I enjoyed it immensely. A relatively grounded/contained story showing emotion, growth, and a bit of MCU expansion. In a sea of meh superhero flicks and malaise, this one was a nice return to form. OOOOO also, contained some of the best web flying moments ive seen!
You should seriously consider rewatching "BND" in 3D. Those flying through NY scenes look sick in 3D, even if its a stereo upconvert (but a really good one). 😎👍
New Rando Review Category: "Miscellaneous DVD Binder Revisit". (I ended up transitioning dvds to binders years ago to clear up space. Dont revisit enough.)
Overnight (2003 DVD)
Its hard to overstate the independent explosion of the 90s. I will say that the discovery of Kevin Smith, Tarantino, Guy Ritchie, and others absolutely changed and expanded my cinema love greatly. So when i came across this movie, a documentary focusing on the rise (and self sabotage) of an independent film production, i was eager to revisit.
This documentary is almost entirely comprised of video recordings following Boston based bartender Troy Duffy and his friends/band as they navigate the murky waters of hollywood movies. Troy wrote the script for The Boondock Saints (a sort of 90s anti-hero stylistic shoot em up) which Mirimax originally scooped up and backed. I found the documentary fascinating in that it really feels like you are a fly on the wall for so much of the good/bad/ugly (troy). Though i take it all with a grain of salt as its hard to believe people are 100% genuine when being filmed. In the end it presents a wild story of an individual given some pretty big opportunities in cinema. It also doesnt paint a very good picture of Troy as while hes certainly confident of his abilities, he's also very abrasive and sh@t talking to those around him and those hes working with.
How many discs in your binders, Mashke? Only DVD's or are there Blu-ray and 4K UHD binders? What about discs that come with unique/striking packaging? Are the cases tossed, put in another box? I could use more free space in my apartment, but the thought of putting discs in binders and throwing away the cases make me weep in self-pitiful sorrow. 😭😰
JM: the answer to you questions are: SOOOOO many DVDs. Did it before a move and discarded cases (and then years later inserts...sniff). Ive kept most blu's and all 4ks in original packaging as i typically watch that format the most.
IMO, DVDs are generally not worth the space of a disc, let alone a standard case. Outside of maybe a few favorites, I recommend ripping them to an external hard drive, then compressing them with Handbrake to a fraction of their native file size for no discernible quality loss. I then plug said hard drive to my Sony Blu-ray player through its USB input for projection.
I got rid of a lot of my Blu cases, and put the discs in three wood "Bellagio-Italia" disc binder boxes that look like large, ancient, leather-bound books and look classy as heck on a bookcase. Sadly, those boxes, from who knows where (via Amazon), seem to be discontinued.
The bottom line: a man-den filled with cases and such is one thing, but disc cases should never be visible in any living room; those are for books only. IMHO.
Now I'm wondering what TRAP 2 could be. Like, will he be escaping from a sports arena during a big game this time? Or maybe it'll be another Shyamalan crossover and he has to escape from The Village...
Quite simply one of the best and most spectacular action movies ever made. As a lifelong midwesterner, it is cool to see the rural midwest rust-belt featured beautifully as a character in this movie. Oh yeah, it also stars arguably the greatest movie star of all time.
I bought used bargain-bin Blus of this and The Kingdom (not at the same time), but ended up discarding both because of the excessive rapid-fire editing and shaky cam. It's a shame, because I like both movies otherwise, but life's too short for that kind of unnecessary headache, IMO. :P
I gave the 2021 Tom Holland/Daisy Ridley flop Chaos Walking a try this week, to see how just how much of an disaster the pandemic-dumped flop was, and... I really enjoyed it! It's just plain fun. The script, which underwent heavy revisions and reshoots, definitely has some bumpy spots if one looks for them, but the story works just fine if one goes alone for the ride, as it's essentially a Western chase flick. I have a few more thoughts here, but the bottom line is it's totally worth a rental, or, in my case, a library Blu loan. Fans of Firefly in particular should check it out for its grungy sci-fi/Western vibes.
Saw this in a mostly empty theater when it opened (way too early in the post-pandemic). It was fine but underwhelming. Wish Daisy Ridley had gotten a bigger fame bump from her "SW" movies. She's too good an actor for the kind of stuff (mostly indie 'B' tier work) she's been relegated to over the past few years. 😕😞
I'm not sure I've seen enough of her work to judge her skill level, but I agree she's charming, and I'd like to see more of her. Seems to me she could really have used a crowd-pleasing rom-com post TROS to diversity her stardom, but there are hardly any of those released theatrically anymore. That said, she does appear to have one coming next year, co-starring... Alden Ehrenreich. (Once we see them smooch and coo at each other, will we ever be able to view Rey's scenes with Harrison Ford's Han Solo the same way again?! May-December kinkiness!) She's also got a minor part in the upcoming Johnny Depp Christmas Carol flick, which, ugh.
Daisy has officially entered the 'anything for a paycheck' part of her career. Let's hope a "SW" project, either in theaters or Disney+, does for her what "Ahsoka" did for Hayden Christensen's. 🙂🤠
A couple of Wednesdays ago the Jury Room 4.0 gang decided on Andrew Davis' CHAIN REACTION (1996, AMAZON PRIME) as our weekly Discord watchalong. It was Davis' second bomb in a row after 1995's "Steal Big Steal Little," both mid-budget thrillers made after the director's massive success with 1993's "The Fugitive." As we watched "Chain Reaction" we couldn't help but notice how similar the '96 movie was to the formula of the '93 Academy Award-winning hit. In "CR" Keanu Reeves and Rachel Weisz are Chicago-based environmental scientists on the run after their group's breakthrough in 'cold fusion' (though those words are never mentioned, going instead with 'green alternative energy'... whatever! 😠🫤) is blown to bits by a massive explosion that takes out several blocks of abandoned factories. We know anonymous bad guys did it, but they're the prime suspects of murdering their colleagues.
ReplyDeleteNo "Man of Steel"-type civilian casualties from the explosion, but the FBI (Fred Ward and Kevin 'Transformers dad' Dunn, this flick's version of Sam Gerard and his U.S. Marshals team) sets a manhunt to apprehend 'Eddie Kasalivich' (Keanu) and Dr. Sinclair (Weisz). The boss of the research team, Morgan Freeman, gets into philosophical arguments with Brian Cox, which are cool because the actors are great and not because we know what the hell is going on. Many impressive-but-soulless action set-pieces (Keanu atop a lifting bridge, a helicopter chasing after a boat in a frozen lake, etc.) follow, and it all comes to a ticking clock device that will either prove the team's research or blow them all to kingdom come. I don't care! 😁😇 Despite competent direction by Davis', his usual cadre of working-class actors and other recognizable faces, "Chain Reaction" is one of the worst 90's action movies I've ever seen. Hated it.
Then last Wednesday night, someone at JR 4.0 had the sense of humor to pick THE FUGITIVE (1993, AMAZON PURCHASE) as an apology of sorts for having subjected the Discord group to the ordeal that was "Chain Reaction" a week prior. It's almost unfair to compare the two because the '93 blockbuster has everything (great actors as leading men, smart script by Jeb Stuart and David Twohy, the goodwill of a well-remembered 1970's TV series, a personal quest for redemption/revenge anyone in the audience can relate to, etc.) the '96 movie completely lacked. It's over two hours long, but it just moves fast and its few action set-pieces (the bus/train crash, the jump from the dam, the St. Patrick's Day Parade escape, etc.) hit hard by mixing well the improbable with the believable cat-and-mouse game that follows.
DeleteAnd then there's the Tommy Lee Jones factor. No shade on Harrison Ford, he's the star that brought butts to seats. Richard Kimble's ability to walk through Chicago like he owns the place while a manhunt is chasing after him is only possible because we like the guy, the type of good doctor we know wouldn't kill his wife because he risks his freedom to save a hurt little boy in a hospital. But he's also bland and safe, while TLJ's Samuel Gerard provides the jolt of energy that keeps the manhunt intense even when nothing major is happening. That intensity bounces off from everyone TLJ interacts with, whether it's Ford ('I don't care!') or Kimble's doctor friend (Jeroen Krabbé wearing a poker face) or anyone in Gerard's team of subordinates (Pantoliano, Wood, Caldwell, etc.). Hadn't seen "The Fugitive" in a while, and this rewatch was made even better after seeing the same crew/director blow it in '96. Thanks, "Chain Reaction." 👆😡
Coming just after "The Invite" showed her prowess as a dramatic actor/director, Olivia Wilde's turn in Gregg Araki's I WANT YOUR SEX ('26, THEATER) is a revelation. Playing Erika Tracy, an L.A. artist whose trashy exhibit about sex is coming together slowly, Wilde completely disappears into the role of a self-assured, h0rny businesswoman who takes advantage of her low-rank employee Elliot (Cooper Hoffman, "The Long Walk") to fulfill her S&M sexual desires so she can better work on her show. Elliot is no innocent, as his unfulfilled relationship with girlfriend Minerva (Charli XCX) and casual friendship with a co-worker at Tracy's (Mason Gooding's Zap) and a lifelong bestie (Chase Sui Wonders' Apple), all come to a messy halt because of Elliot's obsession with Erika. Told as a flashback while Elliot's being interrogated by two cops (Margaret Cho and Johnny Knoxville) about an opening scene reveal, "I Want Your Sex's" fantastic tale would be dull if it wasn't so freaking funny and sexy as hell because of Wilde not holding back. Recommended if you're not a prude about casual sex/nudity as a comedic storytelling device.
ReplyDeleteSeijun Suzuki's A TALE OF SORROW AND SADNESS (1977, RADIANCE BLU-RAY) finds the Japanese master of 60's crime and colorful pop art 'B' movies back in the director's chair after a 10-year absence. Like a scaled-down "Mad Men" that slowly morphs into a mini-"Network," the small scale story centers on average-at-best Japanese female golfer Reiko Sakuraba (Yoko Shiraki) being 'created' by a sports ad agency keen on using her image to compete against wealthier sports agencies with access to international sports superstars. Between Reiko not being a good actor (the bonus features on the disc reveal she was the producers' mistress, which explains her lack of on-camera polish), the uniformly sexist treatment of women by the mostly male cast (Yoshio Harada, Masumi Okada, Kōji Wada, etc.) and the eventual reveal of a female neighbor as an even bigger danger than an actual male stalker (with flowers), "A Tale of Sorrow and Sadness" is both atypical Suzuki territory and the most grounded-in-reality of his movies before his late career shift into more artistic, visually-driven esoteric features. Even the weird conversations between Reiko's pre-teen brother and a girl who may or may not be real have a certain daydream charm. Worth seeing as a time capsule of dog-eat-dog Japanese urban and suburban society in the late 70's.
ReplyDeleteAfter many years unseen I rewatched George A. Romero's DAY OF THE DEAD (1985, SHOUT!/SCREAM FACTORY 4K) and was overwhelmed by how unprepared I was for the avalanche of hatred between the characters that I already knew was there. I've owned the Anchor Bay DVD for decades (never upgraded to Blu-ray) and I've seen the movie plenty of times. But maybe because I've gone out of my way to avoid news and stay away from needless social media conflict until after 2028 (get it? 🥺😓), the torrent of anger between the human factions in that Florida underground bunker was suffocating. It's not a criticism of the film as much as an acknowledgement that the pressure cooker atmosphere it depicts, while sometimes over-the-top and cartoony (the dialogue borders on comic book prose), translates to both the cinematic end of the world and the end of the world as we all knew it we've been living under since 2016. Alas, when the (infrequent) zombie action kicks this becomes an impressive demo reel of some of the best practical gore effects ever filmed, the marriage of Tom Savini and the seeds of KNB (Nicotero and Berger working alongside Savini) in perfect blood-and-guts soaked harmony. Rhodes' final reckoning? That took guts to make. 😲🫣
ReplyDeleteWhile a few performances pop (Joe Pilato, Richard Liberty, etc.) "Day of the Dead" is the 'Bub' show for a reason. Without Sherman Howard giving the hint of a human life that can still be accessed through the living dead malfunction by imperfect-but-necessary methods from a well-meaning-but-wacko Frankenstein-like scientist, the points of Romero's difficult-to-watch story would be lost. Other than the 4K not looking leaps and bounds better than DVD (interpositive print isn't a negative, but beggars can't be choosers) and the lack of a cool booklet or written material, Shout's best new feature for this 4K re-release of "Day"? English subtitles, which Anchor Bay never embraced and I'm so happy to finally have alongside 'Bub' appreciating Beethoven's 5th Symphony. A "bloody" good time, mate. 😺🤠
I had a pretty good review for THE END OF OAK STREET (2026, IMAX) that Blogger just won't post, despite numerous changes. Ask Patrick, he's probably seen the deleted files. 😪🥺 So please refer to my mini-review of "TEOOS" on the comments section of Rob DiCristino's review: https://www.fthismovie.com/2026/08/reviews-teenage-sex-and-death-at-camp.html?showComment=1786711430524#c8832984478136427737
ReplyDeleteBlogger strikes again
DeleteWon't be the last time either. 🫤
DeleteOf course I watched Tenet. Any excuse to do it. The mere mention of the word is enough to trigger me. That opening scene is one of the best ever, and John David Washington is excellent, I like his run in that opening, he really goes for it. If I had to rank it in my Nolan list, it would most likely be in the top 3, possibly 1.
ReplyDeleteCoup De Torchon (1981): Criterion finally upgraded this great movie by French director Bertrand Tavernier, who had an excellent blog before his passing, where he talked about movies and books. I can finally retire my 25 years old DVD. It was restored in 4k, but the disc is not, which I find very annoying. I'm not complaining though, I'm beyond happy to finally have an upgrade of this fabulous movie. As a bonus for me, the artwork was made by one of my favorite comic book artists, Sean Philips.
Mars Attacks! (1996): In glorious 4k. Guys, I swear this exist because of me, I manifested it. Not long ago, I bought the regular Blu-ray on eBay, it was scratched so it was skipping, got a refund, but I didn't get a new copy. 2 weeks after, Warner announced the 4k, and now it's in my greasy little hands.
Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass (2026): It's fun, in a 'spot the cameo' kinda way, and just bonkers enough to keep my attention, David Wain does bring the weird. But honestly, all it did is make me want to watch Confess Fletch, which I promptly ordered on eBay.
I liked " Gail Daughtry..." but to me David Wain is a hot-or-miss director. Jon Hamm and John Slattery look like they're having fun. 😁 This one hit hard (Weird Al AND Penn, together at last? 😄), but others ("Wet Hot American Summer," "They Came Together") are total strikeouts. YMMV.
DeleteNot in the mood for "Tenet," but l own the 4K so a rewatch is inevitable. Never been a fan of "Mars Attacks!," so only a dramatic jump in picture quality from the ol' Blu-ray would even tempt me to consider an upgrade. Not every movie that ges a 4K upgrade deserves a spot in your collection if you're never gonna rewatch it. 😇
You should own every movie ever made 😁
DeleteIf my other blu-ray wasn't scratched, I possibly would've skipped Mars Attacks, but when they announced it, it was a good time to upgrade. It's a great transfer and I'm sure JB is licking his tv right now 🤣
'and I'm sure JB is licking his tv right now 🤣'
Delete😢🤢🤮🥶
John David Washington runs like he eats mac and cheese
DeleteHowdy Y'all!!!
ReplyDeleteSpiderman Brand New Day (2026 Theatrical XD)
I still remember rolling my eyes when the MCU rebooted spidey for Civil War. "Another spiderman!? sheesh". And then i instantly dug the casting choice. The stand alone Spidey flicks have been consistently great. Im happy to report this one is a LOT OF FUN. I enjoyed it immensely. A relatively grounded/contained story showing emotion, growth, and a bit of MCU expansion. In a sea of meh superhero flicks and malaise, this one was a nice return to form. OOOOO also, contained some of the best web flying moments ive seen!
You should seriously consider rewatching "BND" in 3D. Those flying through NY scenes look sick in 3D, even if its a stereo upconvert (but a really good one). 😎👍
DeleteThanks JM!! Ive been a lifelong lover of 3D. The death of it in home TVs saddens me still. Sounds like a great idea!
Delete"BND" will be in theaters for a while. No rush. 😄
DeleteNew Rando Review Category: "Miscellaneous DVD Binder Revisit". (I ended up transitioning dvds to binders years ago to clear up space. Dont revisit enough.)
ReplyDeleteOvernight (2003 DVD)
Its hard to overstate the independent explosion of the 90s. I will say that the discovery of Kevin Smith, Tarantino, Guy Ritchie, and others absolutely changed and expanded my cinema love greatly. So when i came across this movie, a documentary focusing on the rise (and self sabotage) of an independent film production, i was eager to revisit.
This documentary is almost entirely comprised of video recordings following Boston based bartender Troy Duffy and his friends/band as they navigate the murky waters of hollywood movies. Troy wrote the script for The Boondock Saints (a sort of 90s anti-hero stylistic shoot em up) which Mirimax originally scooped up and backed. I found the documentary fascinating in that it really feels like you are a fly on the wall for so much of the good/bad/ugly (troy). Though i take it all with a grain of salt as its hard to believe people are 100% genuine when being filmed. In the end it presents a wild story of an individual given some pretty big opportunities in cinema. It also doesnt paint a very good picture of Troy as while hes certainly confident of his abilities, he's also very abrasive and sh@t talking to those around him and those hes working with.
Troy
How many discs in your binders, Mashke? Only DVD's or are there Blu-ray and 4K UHD binders? What about discs that come with unique/striking packaging? Are the cases tossed, put in another box? I could use more free space in my apartment, but the thought of putting discs in binders and throwing away the cases make me weep in self-pitiful sorrow. 😭😰
DeleteI remember that doc, it was indeed fascinatjng
DeleteJM: the answer to you questions are: SOOOOO many DVDs. Did it before a move and discarded cases (and then years later inserts...sniff). Ive kept most blu's and all 4ks in original packaging as i typically watch that format the most.
DeleteSo you're a 480p tech discriminator? You tech racist... 🤨😂
DeleteIMO, DVDs are generally not worth the space of a disc, let alone a standard case. Outside of maybe a few favorites, I recommend ripping them to an external hard drive, then compressing them with Handbrake to a fraction of their native file size for no discernible quality loss. I then plug said hard drive to my Sony Blu-ray player through its USB input for projection.
DeleteI got rid of a lot of my Blu cases, and put the discs in three wood "Bellagio-Italia" disc binder boxes that look like large, ancient, leather-bound books and look classy as heck on a bookcase. Sadly, those boxes, from who knows where (via Amazon), seem to be discontinued.
The bottom line: a man-den filled with cases and such is one thing, but disc cases should never be visible in any living room; those are for books only. IMHO.
THE FUGITIVE (1993)
ReplyDeleteOne of the all-time greats. There are very few big action set pieces, and yet the whole thing just MOVES.
TOY STORY (1995)
People say early Pixar doesn't hold up compared to the new stuff, but this one still looks really good to me.
HELLBOY (2004)
I want a real-life version of Hellboy's cool jacket.
ALIEN (1979)
Let's everybody chest-burst!
THE LOST WORLD: JURASSIC PARK (1997)
Spielberg goodness!
FINAL DESTINATION (2000)
That rare franchise where the sequels are better than the first one. (Well, mostly.)
TRAP (2024)
This is why I don't go to concerts very often.
Only one of the seven movies you listed doesn't have a sequel or offshoot. Sad. 🤓🧐
DeleteNow I'm wondering what TRAP 2 could be. Like, will he be escaping from a sports arena during a big game this time? Or maybe it'll be another Shyamalan crossover and he has to escape from The Village...
DeleteNow you got me curious. Get Shyamalan on the line, you need to pitch this 🤣
DeleteSince M. Night's.daughter is involved (she was the singer helping out the cops) a vanity sequel isn't too far out a possibility. Fingers crossed? 🤞🤨
DeleteUnstoppable (2010, dir. Tony Scott)
ReplyDeleteQuite simply one of the best and most spectacular action movies ever made. As a lifelong midwesterner, it is cool to see the rural midwest rust-belt featured beautifully as a character in this movie. Oh yeah, it also stars arguably the greatest movie star of all time.
Big fan of Chris Pine, aren't you 'Trekkie' Sollenberger? 😉😛
DeleteI bought used bargain-bin Blus of this and The Kingdom (not at the same time), but ended up discarding both because of the excessive rapid-fire editing and shaky cam. It's a shame, because I like both movies otherwise, but life's too short for that kind of unnecessary headache, IMO. :P
DeleteI gave the 2021 Tom Holland/Daisy Ridley flop Chaos Walking a try this week, to see how just how much of an disaster the pandemic-dumped flop was, and... I really enjoyed it! It's just plain fun. The script, which underwent heavy revisions and reshoots, definitely has some bumpy spots if one looks for them, but the story works just fine if one goes alone for the ride, as it's essentially a Western chase flick. I have a few more thoughts here, but the bottom line is it's totally worth a rental, or, in my case, a library Blu loan. Fans of Firefly in particular should check it out for its grungy sci-fi/Western vibes.
ReplyDeleteSaw this in a mostly empty theater when it opened (way too early in the post-pandemic). It was fine but underwhelming. Wish Daisy Ridley had gotten a bigger fame bump from her "SW" movies. She's too good an actor for the kind of stuff (mostly indie 'B' tier work) she's been relegated to over the past few years. 😕😞
DeleteI'm not sure I've seen enough of her work to judge her skill level, but I agree she's charming, and I'd like to see more of her. Seems to me she could really have used a crowd-pleasing rom-com post TROS to diversity her stardom, but there are hardly any of those released theatrically anymore. That said, she does appear to have one coming next year, co-starring... Alden Ehrenreich. (Once we see them smooch and coo at each other, will we ever be able to view Rey's scenes with Harrison Ford's Han Solo the same way again?! May-December kinkiness!) She's also got a minor part in the upcoming Johnny Depp Christmas Carol flick, which, ugh.
DeleteDaisy has officially entered the 'anything for a paycheck' part of her career. Let's hope a "SW" project, either in theaters or Disney+, does for her what "Ahsoka" did for Hayden Christensen's. 🙂🤠
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