Watch, Watched, Watching: Anybody but Superman

[Nictarion]

Watched Red Eye (2005) for the first time tonight. Not sure how I never saw this before, but it’s a pretty fun thriller. Rachel McAdams, Cillan Murphy, and a much younger looking Brian Cox. I would have never guessed it was directed by Wes Craven. 

[Veltigar]

On 4/11/2024 at 10:52 AM, TheLastWolf said:

Top off my head I can say La La Land. 500 Days of Summer had a scene where Tom breaks into a jig with pedestrians in sync. But yeah, few and far between.

I have seen 500 days of summer and I didn't remember that at all XD Very good of you to remind me there.  La La Land I'd disqualify because it's an explicit musical I guess? I'm more envisioning something like Top Gun but then all of a sudden the Sweet Balls of Fire sequence gets supersized to give us something like this

Although come to think of it, a lot of these dance sequences really don't give a f**k about fitting in with the story. They just snap you out and go to completely different locales. I love the gall and brazenness of it all you know? 

On 4/11/2024 at 10:52 AM, TheLastWolf said:

Why I'm frustrated is that there are really great films from India, many as good or even better than, say, The Lunchbox. It's always the RRR type excesses getting international attention that irks me.

I'm a sucker for those type of romance films though, so you'll have a hard time convincing me to give up on The Lunchbox, but please do try, what gems of (any of the various types of) Indian cinema do we need to check out?

And agree on the skepticism about RRR. I was rather disappointed by it. Some amazing dance sequences, but in hindsight I would have rather watched those on YouTube, as the rest of the film was an incredible slog.

10 hours ago, dbunting said:

I can't stand those sequences generally.  The Marvels comes to mind. Also the dancing waterfall scene in Black Panther.  Hate both of those sequences.

I do have a vague recollection of a western movie where all of a sudden the cowboys break out in a dance, then go right back to normal, which I found amusing but that's as close as I get.

I haven't seen The Marvels and probably never will because of how poorly it was received, but I'm guessing that even a dance sequence couldn't save that film from itself if the reviews are to be believed.

That sequence in Black Panther didn't ring a bell either. I looked it up and it's very short, more like some fluff to set up the real scene rather than an actual B/Tollywood style stand-alone dance sequence no?

[Isis]

On 4/11/2024 at 9:19 AM, Veltigar said:

 

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Story wise, I really liked the hijra involvement in the story. The set-up was pretty well done and how they then go on and fight with the enemy goons was something you wouldn't see in a purely western film and was a real asset.

Directorial (in the wide sense of the word, as I'm sure some of this is down to the fight choreographer and other creatives than purely the director) flourishes I appreciated were the training montage paired to the Indian drums, the vivid use of colours throughout (I first wanted to describe it as Refnian, but reconsidering it, I think the inspiration here rather comes from the Red Circle sequence in Wick 1), the brothel fight with the axe-wielding pimp and the use of the stray dog to bring in the revolver.

 

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I think the film indeed tells us that he was always an amazing fighter. The crucial difference between the beginning fights and the latter fights however, comes about due to the substance he inhales in the hijra temple. These help him to face and process his trauma.

Before he did that, he could never exploit his true prowess since he was always held back by his own need for punishment. I think the Hijra guru pretty much spells it out that Patel's character blamed himself for not saving his mother and therefore allows himself to be beaten as he uses the physical harm this brings with it as a form of self-flagellation.

Due to his "therapy", he realizes that he is not to blame for his mother's sad demise and that he can honour her legacy by fighting for the people (like the hijra) who are currently being dispossessed. Thus, his need to hold back disappears and he can go completely ape-shit (pun intended) on his opponents. 

This was actually another flourish I really liked, since it's a lot more credible than the usual post-training montage step up in skills.

I remember that film. Pretty good work-out songs in it. The story is absolutely preposterous, but I do agree that the cast gives such good performances that you can go along with it. Sad that it isn't more widely appreciated.

I agree this reasoning makes sense, when you stand back and view all the component parts. I like it better now that I've resolved that section into the whole story arc.

Spoiler

He had 'it' all along but was holding it back for multiple reasons. Then he goes on a self-developmental (mental) journey where he processes his past and decides to use his force for justice. NB I am also glad that the dog was ok. 

More Ripley this evening and then Civil War on Sunday night. 

[TheLastWolf]

58 minutes ago, Veltigar said:

Although come to think of it, a lot of these dance sequences really don't give a f**k about fitting in with the story. They just snap you out and go to completely different locales. I love the gall and brazenness of it all you know? 

Well I got saturated with decades of such numbers so forgive my disinterest. But I understand your affinity, when done right they're quite something.

1 hour ago, Veltigar said:

what gems of (any of the various types of) Indian cinema do we need to check out?

Satyajit Ray first and foremost. To paraphrase Kurosawa, to not have seen his films is to have not seen the sun or the moon in one's lifetime. It's not that artsy, if that's a problem. 

I made a letterboxd list for ya'll out west but I deleted my account so please bear with me while I come up with something comprehensive

[TheLastWolf]

On 4/12/2024 at 2:49 PM, Veltigar said:

what gems of (any of the various types of) Indian cinema do we need to check out?

Spoiler

Gangs of Wasseypur, (whole bloody picture like Kill Bill) the best in the crime genre

Tumbbad and the recent Bramayugam if you like some Eggers and Aster like folk horror 

Masaan, social drama

Vidheyan, transition from the feudal era masterpiece, with a Fyodor Karamazov like landlord wrecking havoc

Hey Ram, historical regarding the Gandhi assassination but so much more

Virumaandi, contemporary Rashomon 

Visaranai, brilliant Kafkaesque police procedural

Jallikattu by Lijo Jose Pellissery, lays bare primal human instincts

Super Deluxe, hyperlinked Magnolia but lighter more colourful and I daresay better

Andhadhun (our very own Coen/Safdie brothers equivalent), Aaranya Kaandam (download uncut but mid qlty from Youtube and then sub) are the only neo noirs worth the label

Sholay and Raavanan (Tamil version), good ol' western equivalents with the bandits/dacoits of the heartland taking over, mythical parallels in the latter

Caste issue films later on

And you've seen The Lunchbox

Lot of historical movies which Zorral would love but not really great enough I omit

did my best to choose those least culture specific but nobody is perfect so pls bear that in mind

ETA Filtered a few so I don't frighten you all at once

Edited April 13 by TheLastWolf

[dbunting]

13 hours ago, Veltigar said:

That sequence in Black Panther didn't ring a bell either. I looked it up and it's very short, more like some fluff to set up the real scene rather than an actual B/Tollywood style stand-alone dance sequence no?

It just made no sense, they all appear out of the hidden caves to dance and they can't even see what's happening(the scene they're setting up) because it's above on the now dry river bed.  Most importantly, I remember the CGI as looking like it was on a loop, like the same CGI characters were doing the exact same thing. Yes I know how dancing works, but it looked like a loop versus looking like natural dancing and it took me out of the action based zombie trance I was in.

[dbunting]

16 hours ago, Deadlines? What Deadlines? said:

The guy on the right with the white coat; I have no idea what he’s doing.

 

If that's what I'm thinking of then it makes sense why it didn't bother me. Anything done in that movie would seem to fit.  That one, A History of the World Part 1, Kentucky Fried Movie...anything could have happened in those movies and it would seem to fit in.

[Nictarion]

Rewatching the old HBO series Tales from the Crypt for the first time since I was a kid. It’s crazy how many fairly big stars they had on this. 

[Ran]

4 minutes ago, Nictarion said:

Rewatching the old HBO series Tales from the Crypt for the first time since I was a kid. It’s crazy how many fairly big stars they had on this. 

The one featuring Joe Pesci is the only one that's really stuck with me. I suspect that has to do more with his co-stars than him and his fate, though; I was 14 when it aired. Heh.

[Isis]

On 4/13/2024 at 10:03 AM, Nictarion said:

Rewatching the old HBO series Tales from the Crypt for the first time since I was a kid. It’s crazy how many fairly big stars they had on this. 

Aww. I wanted to watch this (have never seen it) but it got vetoed. I'll have to watch on my own.

But Ripley omg episode 5 

Spoiler

This hour long episode was so tense and awful to watch, especially the body horror elements of it, banging the bleeding head of a corpse off of EVERYTHING, getting blood on EVERYTHING. It's a good job DNA hadn't been invented yet lol.

That magnificent cat though. It's the MVP. Nothing had better happen to it.

[kissdbyfire]

1 hour ago, Isis said:

Aww. I wanted to watch this (have never seen it) but it got vetoed. I'll have to watch on my own.

But Ripley omg episode 5 

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This hour long episode was so tense and awful to watch, especially the body horror elements of it, banging the bleeding head of a corpse off of EVERYTHING, getting blood on EVERYTHING. It's a good job DNA hadn't been invented yet lol.

That magnificent cat though. It's the MVP. Nothing had better happen to it.

Oh is it good? I haven’t started it yet, will probably do so later today. And if there’s a cat it should be kept safe no matter what!

[Mr. Chatywin et al.]

On 4/13/2024 at 4:03 AM, Nictarion said:

Rewatching the old HBO series Tales from the Crypt for the first time since I was a kid. It’s crazy how many fairly big stars they had on this. 

I really don't recall the series (so I'm going to check it out), but the two movies are amazing cheese horror comedies. 

[Nictarion]

Civil War was really good. The two biggest things that stood out to me were the sound design (it’s intense!), and Cailee Spaeny. I think the only thing I’ve ever seen her in before this was Bad Times at the El Royale. 

[BigFatCoward]

Paw patrol the mighty movie was very derivative. 

[williamjm]

I watched Suzume, which I thought was very good. There are parts of the premise which are sometimes a bit reminiscent of Makoto Shinkai's previous films, but while there are certain themes he's obviously keen on there's also a lot of new ideas here. The thing that happens to one of the two protagonists early in the film is definitely unusual and memorable. It also did a good job of hiding some twists about some of the characters until near the end of the story. I thought Suzume and Souta were both good characters, but felt that some of the supporting characters' actions felt a bit implausible at times. I also thought it was effective in tying together the fantastical parts of the plot with more mundane concerns about Japan's propensity for natural disasters. As ever with his films the animation was gorgeous.

[Mr. Chatywin et al.]

3 hours ago, Nictarion said:

Civil War was really good. The two biggest things that stood out to me were the sound design (it’s intense!), and Cailee Spaeny. I think the only thing I’ve ever seen her in before this was Bad Times at the El Royale. 

That movie was such a disappointment. I still liked it, or at least parts of it, but I was expecting something great.

Spaney has been in a few other movies I've seen, but they may have been smaller roles cause I don't remember her at all in them. Looks like she's one of the leads in a new Alien film, which btw I've heard nothing about. 

[Corvinus85]

Civil War was good, but not great. It fell short on most accounts in terms of any kind of messaging. It didn't really show any more than a standard zombie apocalypse media sans the zombies. Some people being heinous and terrible, empty cities, some destruction, some hopeful moments, and a bit of action. It was competently done, great cinematography, and good acting.

[Ramsay B.]

7 hours ago, Nictarion said:

Civil War was really good. The two biggest things that stood out to me were the sound design (it’s intense!), and Cailee Spaeny. I think the only thing I’ve ever seen her in before this was Bad Times at the El Royale. 

Spaeny was good in Devs, a show which I enjoyed but seemed to be kinda divisive iirc. She was also apparently in Mare of Easttown but I don’t recall her role.

Gonna see Civil War this week.

[DMC]

I think anyone expecting Alex Garland to deliver some grand message on the current political zeitgeist was kidding themselves.  Including, at least based off some interviews I’ve seen/read, apparently Alex Garland.

[Nictarion]

1 hour ago, Ramsay B. said:

Spaeny was good in Devs, a show which I enjoyed but seemed to be kinda divisive iirc. She was also apparently in Mare of Easttown but I don’t recall her role.

Gonna see Civil War this week.

Apparently I have seen her in a few other things then. I watched both those shows.