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Saturday Evening Movie Thread [moviegique]: Year-end roundup
The end of the year numbers are looking pre-pandemic levels, with over 100 films seen in theaters and drive-ins all over the country! (OK, Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Let me have this!) Hopefully 2025 will be even better. Here's a round-up of the past three weeks of movie viewing.
Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964)
Catherine Deneuve plays the ingenue in this odd French musical about a sixteen-year-old who wants to marry her twenty-year-old boyfriend, has sex with the night before he's deployed to Algeria, then ends up gestating and dithering because of the boy's ambiguous letters home while a rich local courts her. (I know, right? French!) This is a very odd film. When La La Land came out, my friend (@JulesLaLaLand, fittingly enough) used to warn people by saying it was more Cherbourg than Singin' In the Rain, and I came out of this thinking Damien Chazelle had basically lifted this movie to make La La Land. Oh, it's careers rather than the draft and a pregnancy driving people apart, but somehow that felt to me like details. The Boy was not much impressed by my evaluation, nor the movie. The film is ninety-six minutes but it can actually feel like it drags a bit because a) the characters never stop singing; b) the singing is basically what we'd call recitative. That is, it's like an opera without the arias. Everyone delivers their dialogue in song, but very low-key song without, e.g., choruses or a lot of repetition. So it sort of feels like one hour-and-a-half long song. It worked for me, in that the theme of the movie, which is frequently recapitulated, feels completely different at the end than it does at the beginning, and the ending is bittersweet, to say the least. Chazelle turns it up to eleven for La La Land, giving a dramatic visualization of what might have been: This is far more low-key.
"Maybe if we sold something other than umbrellas, I wouldn't have to marry some rich guy?"
Flow
To follow on last time's Pakistani animated feature (The Glassworker), this time we have a Latvian cartoon. That's right, the land of tall, beautiful blondes is getting in on the drawn pictures bit with this remarkable silent film, Flow. When I say "silent," I mean there's no dialogue, and why should there be? The lead character is a cat. Well, those of us with experience in these things might point out that being a cat is no barrier to speaking in the movies, to which I would only note that the co-stars are dogs, storks, lemurs, a capybara—and yes, yes, we've seen them all talk before, but these animals are realistic. Well, semi-realistic. They seem pretty good with abstract thought and ship navigation. But perhaps I should explain. Flow is an apocalyptic story. A cat realizes the water is rising and runs home, the water continues to rise and rise and rise and ultimately she(?) ends up on a boat with an assortment of animal which are not geographically coincident. I spent a silly amount of time wondering when and where this was. The boy said "Aren't ring-tailed lemurs native to Madagascar," to which I replied, "Yes, they like to move-it move-it." But capybaras are New World creatures! Anyway, I think the point is, this is an apocalyptic movie of some other timeline. It feels very biblical, if not quite Biblical, as the stork-like birds are unlike any other bird I've seen, and seem to be angelic or demonic or otherworldly. (One literally seems to go to Heaven.) What's it about? Very primal things: Survival, adaptation, friendship. Things like that. It's 86 minutes and keeps your interest the whole time, even if you're not quite sure what you just watched. I don't know what Hollywood's putting out these days as far as cartoons, but it's probably not as good as either this or The Glassworker.
Having a capybara at the helm doesn't bother me, but the ship was made by Boeing! Heyooooo!
The Wages of Fear (1953)
This recently remade classic French film is so good, so excellent as a character study and an action film, that I'm willing to overlook its ridiculously stupid French ending. A bunch of losers (Italians, French, Germans) living in the ass end of Mexico, have a chance to escape when a oilfield fire requires a shipment of nitroglycerin be delivered, and the oil company doesn't want to risk good people. Given a potential payout of 2,000 American dollars, these desperados are eager to make the trip. So, we spend about forty minutes getting to know Mario (Yves Montand) and his roommate Luigi (yes, I'm not making this up), and then the next two hours in trucks with them as they navigate poorly maintained roads and high tempers in an attempt to not blow up. One-hundred fifty minutes of great moviemaking with a great, moving ending, and then a little coda which sucks, but which is very French-cinema-in-the-'50s. I kept dreading it, because I saw it coming early on. Just ignore it, or turn it off at the end—you'll know when, actually. In a typical modern blunder, the movie was remade last year about a "crack squad of illicit" whatevers for French Netflix.
I am not making this up: Left, Luigi. Right, Mario.
The Last Dance
A man whose wedding planner business is ruined by the pandemic lockdowns ends up taking over his girlfriend's uncle's funeral business, in this very human film from the maker of Things You've Never Heard Of starring People You've Never Seen. I mean, I'm assuming on your behalf. While many looked familiar to me, I'm not versed enough in Chinese cinema and television to get past a "they all look alike" thing. It always fascinates me when people I've never heard of can make a movie on a topic I've never even considered—in this case, the Funeral-industrial Complex—and hit it out of the park. Our hero, Dominic, is an upper middle-class guy with a lot of debt from trying to keep his business going and his employees employed during the lockdown who inherits half of a mortuary (essentially). The other half is owned by a Taoist priest who, along with his minions, performs the ritual of Breaking The Hell's Gate. This grouchy old priest, known as "Mr. Hello" for reasons we don't know until the end, is a crusty, old-fashioned type who jangles with the modern Mr. Dominic, but who is instantly endearing for his sincerity toward a tradition which is essentially a racket. (Notably, the Taoist Priests are supposed to be vegetarian, and they are—publicly. Mr. Hello is genuine, and Dominic offends him by bringing him a full Chinese dinner (including a full sucking pig) to butter him up. Dominic's character arc begins when he takes on, for the money, a crazy woman who wishes to have her young son embalmed rather than cremated. Because no one will do it, he ends up handling the job himself, and this leads him to learning all the aspects of his trade. Beyond the superficial marketing (where the survivors will make up souvenirs of the deceased for attendees in the form of, e.g., tiny racecar tchotchkes), he begins to realize that he serves a genuinely spiritual purpose, for the living. Mr. Hello's story arc has to do with his tendentious relationship with his children. His son is exactly the sort of terrible Taoist priest he dislikes, one who converts to Catholicism in a bid to gain admittance for his own son in a quality Catholic school, and then tries to keep this secret from his father. Meanwhile, his daughter is an EMT who is...let's say modern. She wanted to be the Taoist priest, but "women are filthy". The whole arc on this is surprising and moving. It worked for us, though we might have felt different if we were Cantonese Taoists.
"The first rule is...avoid bright light."
Her Story
Another film which would be completely unwatchable if it came out of Hollywood becomes quality in the hands of the Chinese, Her Story is about a single mom editor/journalist who's trying to figure out life, while her ex-husband and boy toy drummer try to out-Alpha each other in increasingly hilarious ways. I found myself asking why this story, which would seem positively trite in a Hollywood film, works? And the answer is: Because the answers aren't obvious. Our heroine, Timei, is the strong, single woman that everyone looks up to. And she's kind of a mess. And the others around her looking up to her are looking up because of their own defects. At the same time, you kind of like everyone. The men are peripheral characters, mostly, yes, but they're not weenies for that. They're mostly confused about what woman want, and they're just trying to measure up to essentially non-existent standards. But mostly, I think it's just very human. The Chinese still remember how to human. The one-upmanship between the men is comically relatable, and the little lies and machinations of the wacky neighbor Ye are understandable. Timei herself has given up journalism because she's too tired and afraid to print things people won't like. And by "people," I mean the government that has the ability to censor immediately whatever she writes, and risks her ability to the pay the bills. I assume, on some level, this is all a sham double-bluff reverso, since the PRC could probably just vanish anyone they didn't like. Nonetheless, someone making the movie knows what makes a good story.
The "Her"s in question.
Nosferatu (2025)
I don't know. A remake of a German silent horror picture, or a remake of a remake of a German silent horror picture, that carries the essential message of "promiscuity is the harbinger of societal doom" did not strike me as a likely hit, and I had wagered with The Boy that this would turn out $50M-ish at the box office. It currently sits at $60M+ so, good job on your biggest hit, Mr. Eggers. I had a hard time getting into this movie, even as I loved all the typical Eggers-ian stuff—the moody, atmospheric, immersive historical sense of living in a German sea town as a plague descends, combined with gloriously old-fashioned horror techniques. I think, and I am not kidding, it's because there were too many people in the audience. I may go re-watch, actually. But the amazing thing about this movie is that embraces all the wonderful (and presumably schlocky) effects of old school horror. Since at least the '70s, there's been an effort to make Dracula into an action franchise. This completely eschews all that for creaking doors, shadows reaching over the townscape (which actually reminded me a lot of Murnau's Faust), and spooky noises. Like, a classic moment in any Dracula is when he appears at the window. How is he going to come in. In the 1931 version, he's a bat on a string, cut to horrified girl, cut back to Bela Lugosi. Later on the bat animates into Lugosi (and other Draculas). By the '70s, he's a cloud of smoke coalescing. And so on. Here? He's at the window. Cut to horrified girl. Cut to Skarsgaard. Loved it. There were a lot of little things I loved, and yet couldn't believe my eyes as the Mina character—from the first scene—is to blame for Nosferatu due to a moment of teenage weakness that an alpha bad boy exploits. I mean, Dracula is often considered a sexual metaphor of sorts (too much, in my opinion) but this just outright spells it out: Keep it zipped ladies, or you doom us all. I really didn't expect that to catch on with a modern audience.
Spooky! That's Johnny Depp's kid!
Strait-Jacket (1964)
I closed out the year with Joan Crawford in this William Castle classic, Strait-Jacket. Crawford begins as a middle-aged woman who is widowed and remarries Lee Majors for love. Turns out, Lee Majors needs a lot more love than Crawford can give him, and before you can say "Lizzie Borden", Joan has chopped their heads off with an axe. The movie mostly takes place twenty years later and a supposedly recovered Joan has been released from the sanitarium and gone to live with her surviving daughter, an endlessly forgiving woman who has completely gotten over witnessing the beheading twenty years later. But wouldn't you know, even modern psychiatric efforts can't guarantee our poor lady's sanity, and people start turning up headless again right and left. Legitimately the best movie William Castle ever made, with Crawford's acting being a highlight (even if it doesn't quite all add up in a character development sense), the quality may be its downfall. By far the best parts are the campy, ham-handed and audacious aspects, such as a lanky, young George Kennedy beheading a chicken, or the rich dairy farmer father of Crawford's daughter keeping a pitcher of milk out the way you would water, and constantly offering a glass of milk to people. The rather predictable script by Robert Bloch will not surprise you if you've ever seen a Castle film. Diane Baker (who played the senator in Silence of the Lambs) is Crawford's daughter. Castle had an eye for young beauty. The cast is full of has-beens and would-bes, as any great B-movie will be. A fun way to close the year out, with my final observation is that, by age, had Crawford been born in the '60s, she'd be starring in Babygirl today.
I prefer my actress to be raised cage-free.
Comments
(Jump to bottom of comments)Posted by: moviegique (buy my books) at January 04, 2025 07:32 PM (asXVI)
Posted by: Mrs. Leggy at January 04, 2025 07:35 PM (dyL4B)
I seen it, it's not historical, but costumes and uniforms are quite outstanding to see. And gives a vague outline of his life, just don't think it really happened as you see it but then most period movies are like that.
Posted by: Skip at January 04, 2025 07:37 PM (fwDg9)
Posted by: Skip at January 04, 2025 07:41 PM (fwDg9)
Posted by: Miguel cervantes at January 04, 2025 07:41 PM (dJR17)
A bunch of losers (Italians, French, Germans) living in the ass end of Mexico, have a chance to escape when a oilfield fire requires a shipment of nitroglycerin be delivered, and the oil company doesn't want to risk good people. Given a potential payout of 2,000 American dollars, these desperados are eager to make the trip.
----
Huh???
That's the plot of Sorcerer. So I looked it up. Turns out... yes, Sorcerer is a remake of TWOF.
I learned something new today.
Posted by: BurtTC at January 04, 2025 07:41 PM (lH8E4)
Posted by: Skip at January 04, 2025 07:42 PM (fwDg9)
Posted by: San Franpsycho at January 04, 2025 07:42 PM (RIvkX)
Posted by: BeckoningChasm at January 04, 2025 07:43 PM (CHHv1)
Posted by: Skip at January 04, 2025 07:44 PM (fwDg9)
Posted by: Skip at January 04, 2025 07:41 PM (fwDg9)
Luigi sure as heck looks like Mario, and I guess if you put a mustache on Mario, he'd be a dead ringer for Luigi.
Now I gotta believe this isn't accidental, that the video game creators saw this film.
Posted by: BurtTC at January 04, 2025 07:45 PM (lH8E4)
Posted by: Pete in Texas at January 04, 2025 07:46 PM (ZxH6f)
The voice near the beginning - "A secret report within the guild" - that's Kyle MacLachlan.
The 3rd stage guild navigator's voice - "We have just folded space from Ix" - that's Everett McGill.
Posted by: BeckoningChasm at January 04, 2025 07:48 PM (CHHv1)
Posted by: Miguel cervantes at January 04, 2025 07:48 PM (dJR17)
Posted by: Skip at January 04, 2025 07:49 PM (fwDg9)
Do they jump over any barrels?
Posted by: Dr. Claw at January 04, 2025 07:51 PM (3wi/L)
Posted by: Auspex at January 04, 2025 07:51 PM (j4U/Z)
Posted by: BeckoningChasm at January 04, 2025 07:43 PM (CHHv1)
It grew on me as it went, and probably warrants a rewatch at this point.
I think it's possible Willem Dafoe is the greatest actor of our age. And since we're on the topic of Nosferatu, if you have NOT seen "Shadow of the Vampire," you should stop what you're doing right now to watch it.
Guess what character Dafoe plays. Go ahead. Guess.
Posted by: BurtTC at January 04, 2025 07:51 PM (lH8E4)
Strait-Jacket is well worth watching: suspenseful, scary and...Diane Baker, who I have always found very attractive. She's still alive, btw (86 years old).
Posted by: Paco at January 04, 2025 07:52 PM (mADJX)
Posted by: Mrs. Leggy at January 04, 2025 07:53 PM (dyL4B)
Posted by: Bram Stoker at January 04, 2025 07:54 PM (3wi/L)
https://is.gd/QljNdc
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Now Is the Winter of Our Discontent at January 04, 2025 07:54 PM (L/fGl)
Posted by: Miguel cervantes at January 04, 2025 07:54 PM (dJR17)
Posted by: Dr. Claw at January 04, 2025 07:51 PM (3wi/L)
No, but there's a strangely long looong scene of the two eating turtle soup*.
*I've not seen the film, I may have made this up.
Posted by: BurtTC at January 04, 2025 07:55 PM (lH8E4)
Posted by: moviegique (buy my book!) at January 04, 2025 07:55 PM (asXVI)
Posted by: Miguel cervantes at January 04, 2025 07:59 PM (dJR17)
Posted by: moviegique (buy my books) at January 04, 2025 07:32 PM (asXVI)
I think I'll wait for the sequel, "Lair of the White Tapeworm".
Posted by: Hour of the Wolf at January 04, 2025 07:59 PM (VNX3d)
Posted by: davidt at January 04, 2025 08:01 PM (i0F8b)
One of the great things about that movie is that one really does notice something new each time it's viewed. The big thing for me was ultimately discovering that the piano player in the bar scene (in the alternative world, without George Bailey) was the great Meade Lux Lewis.
Posted by: Paco at January 04, 2025 08:02 PM (mADJX)
Posted by: Puddleglum at work at January 04, 2025 08:02 PM (WBro8)
Posted by: moviegique (buy my book!) at January 04, 2025 08:03 PM (asXVI)
It's like I don't even know you people any more...
Posted by: Just Some Guy at January 04, 2025 08:04 PM (q3u5l)
Ever notice what Potter has on his desk?
Posted by: moviegique (buy my book!) at January 04, 2025 08:03 PM (asXVI)
Voldemort's balls?
Posted by: BurtTC at January 04, 2025 08:05 PM (lH8E4)
Posted by: Miguel cervantes at January 04, 2025 08:05 PM (dJR17)
-
Loved it. It was also remade by William Friedkin shortly after his smash hit The Exorcist so in a classic bait and switch they named it Sorcerer. I was so angry I can't really objectively judge that movie.
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Now Is the Winter of Our Discontent at January 04, 2025 08:05 PM (L/fGl)
Keep your powder dry for "The Mega 3 Radicalized Sushi"
Because Jason Statham
Posted by: Brad at January 04, 2025 08:05 PM (oOc/o)
Posted by: Paco at January 04, 2025 08:06 PM (mADJX)
Wages of Fear is a favorite of mine, even with the nihilistic Froggish ending. The ending fits though, as every one of the characters is a dumbassed loser who put themselves into their hopeless situation.
One film noir reviewer remarked that you should put the VHS in, and then get ready to claw the leather off of your sofa for the next 2 hours.
Posted by: IllTemperedCur at January 04, 2025 08:07 PM (FoIOl)
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Now Is the Winter of Our Discontent at January 04, 2025 08:05 PM (L/fGl)
Yeah, I can't think of a better example of a title not matching the film.
Still, it's a great movie, with so much tension, by the end it's something of a relief... I mean for the characters, not just the viewer.
Posted by: BurtTC at January 04, 2025 08:07 PM (lH8E4)
Posted by: Paco at January 04, 2025 08:08 PM (mADJX)
Posted by: Just Some Guy at January 04, 2025 08:08 PM (q3u5l)
It's like I don't even know you people any more...
---
Plenty of love for both!
"Strait-jacket" borrows from "Tingler," in fact. By opening with a scream. It never reaches the audacity of instructing the audience to scream to save themselves, however.
Posted by: moviegique (buy my book!) at January 04, 2025 08:09 PM (asXVI)
Posted by: Paco at January 04, 2025 08:11 PM (mADJX)
Posted by: Dr. Claw at January 04, 2025 08:13 PM (3wi/L)
That and other minor observations, noted here. Like, after he calls Mary "brainless" for not liking coconut, he piles on a bunch of it on her sundae.
https://moviegique.com/2016/12/its-a-wonderful-life-1946/
Posted by: moviegique (buy my book!) at January 04, 2025 08:17 PM (asXVI)
Yes, in Bewitched, too.
Posted by: Auspex at January 04, 2025 07:51 PM (j4U/Z)
Driving dynamite trucks up the Al-Can highway was a summer job dad talked about looking at when he was in college in the 50's in Tacoma. He said it was good money but if the cooler went out you parked the truck and waited for the next one
He worked in Grandpa's garage instead.
Posted by: Kindltot at January 04, 2025 08:17 PM (D7oie)
Posted by: Just Some Guy at January 04, 2025 08:18 PM (q3u5l)
Posted by: Paco at January 04, 2025 08:19 PM (mADJX)
youtube.com/watch?v=18DMUyhOVAc
"Female on the Beach" (1955) Trio of con artists preys on lonely rich old ladies, plying them with beefcake and booze. Grifter Jeff Chandler's chesty charm is so irresistible, Joan Crawford yields, despite being wise to the brawny beast. Note the close-up of Joan's 49-year-old gam; is it really hers, or is it the leg of a drumstick model standing in? Natalie Schafer (Mrs Thurston on "Gilligan's Island") and Cecil Kellaway are amusingly cast.
Posted by: gp's Movie Laffs at January 04, 2025 08:20 PM (6jaDd)
Bette Davis is such a bad girl, she's Kill or Cure!
I've got a Victrola in my pocket, just for her.
The moral of this deliciously tawdry story: don't give your daughters boys' names ... or the car keys. Davis said this was the worst movie ever made. She's so very wrong! The naughty pixie deserves a proper spanking for that reckless remark.
Posted by: gp's Movie Laffs at January 04, 2025 08:20 PM (6jaDd)
Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at January 04, 2025 08:21 PM (63Dwl)
Posted by: Miguel cervantes at January 04, 2025 08:21 PM (dJR17)
Posted by: gp's Movie Laffs at January 04, 2025 08:21 PM (6jaDd)
Posted by: Dr. Claw at January 04, 2025 08:22 PM (3wi/L)
Was 'Sorcerer' (1977) a remake of this? Sure sounds like it.
Posted by: Puddleglum at work at January 04, 2025 08:02 PM (WBro
The Big Gamble was about an Irishman who set up as a transportation trucker in Africa and is driving a truckload of beer across Africa to make a profit
it was directed, apparently, by the same director who did The Vikings, and Tora, Tora, Tora
Posted by: Kindltot at January 04, 2025 08:23 PM (D7oie)
Posted by: gp's Movie Laffs at January 04, 2025 08:25 PM (6jaDd)
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Now Is the Winter of Our Discontent at January 04, 2025 08:25 PM (L/fGl)
Posted by: Anna Puma at January 04, 2025 08:25 PM (xoWED)
No word on cause. He was 47.
Posted by: BurtTC at January 04, 2025 08:26 PM (lH8E4)
That's a potential competitor for his best, next to "Strait-jacket".
Posted by: moviegique (buy my books) at January 04, 2025 08:26 PM (asXVI)
Posted by: Nightwatch at January 04, 2025 08:27 PM (TDvv2)
Posted by: Anna Puma at January 04, 2025 08:27 PM (xoWED)
Posted by: gp's Movie Laffs at January 04, 2025 08:28 PM (6jaDd)
Posted by: gp's Movie Laffs at January 04, 2025 08:28 PM (6jaDd)
That has occurred.
I saw "Strait-jacket" at my local bijou hosted by the guy who hosts all the classics and he kept repeating how they showed ACTUAL classics, too.
I'm, like, buddy, sit down and let us enjoy Joan Crawford decaptating people, wooja?
Posted by: moviegique (buy my books) at January 04, 2025 08:28 PM (asXVI)
Happy New Year Anna.
Posted by: Nightwatch at January 04, 2025 08:28 PM (TDvv2)
Posted by: Anna Puma at January 04, 2025 08:31 PM (xoWED)
Posted by: Puddleglum at work at January 04, 2025 08:31 PM (WBro8)
Part of the plot was that he missed the emissary, so he didn't need to make the run in the first place.
Posted by: sal at January 04, 2025 08:32 PM (f+FmA)
Posted by: Anna Puma at January 04, 2025 08:32 PM (xoWED)
------
Have you considered diversifying? Maybe into heavy infrastructure? Or bioweaponry?
Posted by: Umbrella Corporation at January 04, 2025 08:32 PM (BI5O2)
Posted by: gp's Movie Laffs at January 04, 2025 08:33 PM (6jaDd)
Or something radical, hats.
Posted by: Anna Puma at January 04, 2025 08:33 PM (xoWED)
Posted by: Just Some Guy at January 04, 2025 08:33 PM (q3u5l)
Not sure if the 2024 is coming to town.
Posted by: sal at January 04, 2025 08:34 PM (f+FmA)
I think we all are going to have to cinch the seatbelts down to max for this coming year.
Just my thoughts.
Posted by: Nightwatch at January 04, 2025 08:35 PM (TDvv2)
The leads are as lifeless as Count Orlock. Everyone else inspires little interest.
It has a fetish-like sex scene that has cuck overtones.
Like a lot of movies that advertise themselves as a slow burn or atmospheric, this is just boring.
All the praise mystifies me.
Posted by: bear with asymmetrical balls at January 04, 2025 08:36 PM (YVuAl)
Posted by: Miguel cervantes at January 04, 2025 08:36 PM (dJR17)
I don't count the stuff he produced as his, unless he also directed it. Like, "Lady from Shanghai" is not in there as a "William Castle joint" in my reference.
Posted by: moviegique (buy my books) at January 04, 2025 08:37 PM (asXVI)
Posted by: mot at January 04, 2025 08:38 PM (fIPNY)
Disney's, The Wages of Fear
The young brothers Mario and Luigi are playing, cutaway to their father careening off the road and dying. Funeral, sentimental scenes. They grow up taking over their father's truck-driving business. They are now grownup brothers. Funny hijinks. Happy times. They are offered a big-paying job to deliver nitroglycerin. Action and excitement. They succeed! They find their dream job working oil fields in a small, isolated South American town. The Endeavor.
Disney movie plots are the same as euro depressing post WWII movies, just in reverse. You could do The Bicycle Thief the same way. Lighthearted Disney classic. Disney:Tragedy -> emotional journey -> hijinks -> excitement -> joy. Reverse that for post-WWII euro.
The difference is whether the denouement is tragedy or joy.
Posted by: banana Dream at January 04, 2025 08:38 PM (Y6IkP)
This year we should all be standing up with one foot out front bracing for whatever may come.
Posted by: Nightwatch at January 04, 2025 08:38 PM (TDvv2)
Have a great evening everyone
Posted by: Skip at January 04, 2025 08:39 PM (fwDg9)
A Levin book that I would like to see re-made, perhaps as a mini-series, is "A Kiss Before Dying". The Robert Wagner version is good, but there is so much more in the book.
Posted by: sal at January 04, 2025 08:39 PM (f+FmA)
Posted by: Anna Puma at January 04, 2025 08:40 PM (xoWED)
Demonic baby flying over audience's head at the end of the picture?
|| It has a fetish-like sex scene that has cuck overtones.
It certainly does! Again, I would've thought this would be a turn off. We'll see. if it peters out in the $60-70M, we can chalk it up to good marketing.
|| Like a lot of movies that advertise themselves as a slow burn or atmospheric, this is just boring.
It didn't engage me like his other films which are definitely slow-burn and atmospheric. But perhaps the bear didn't like those?
Posted by: moviegique (buy my books) at January 04, 2025 08:40 PM (asXVI)
If you want to watch a legal movie...stick to My Cousin Vinny...
It was disappointing that Clint seems to have lost his step now...
Posted by: Nova Local at January 04, 2025 08:40 PM (exHjb)
Posted by: gp's Movie Laffs at January 04, 2025 08:41 PM (6jaDd)
Posted by: Rusty Nail at January 04, 2025 08:41 PM (TdCYS)
No word on cause. He was 47.
Posted by: BurtTC at January 04, 2025 08:26 PM (lH8E4)
People Magazine said suicide.
Posted by: Nova Local at January 04, 2025 08:42 PM (exHjb)
Posted by: Common Tater at January 04, 2025 08:43 PM (A4BvX)
My goal this year is to see 'Jaws' from start to finish. We're having a "Summer Blockbuster" series this year and I'm sure it's on the top of everyone's list- start with the first one.
Posted by: sal at January 04, 2025 08:44 PM (f+FmA)
Posted by: Just Some Guy at January 04, 2025 08:45 PM (q3u5l)
I love The Witch. Like The Northman. And think The Lighthouse is okay.
I really wanted to like Nosferatu. But no.
Posted by: bear with asymmetrical balls at January 04, 2025 08:45 PM (YVuAl)
No word on cause. He was 47.
Posted by: BurtTC at January 04, 2025 08:26 PM (lH8E4)
People Magazine said suicide.
Posted by: Nova Local at January 04, 2025 08:42 PM (exHjb)
The only film of his I've seen is "The Little Hours," which I thought was a waste of a talented cast. A trite story about nuns, in a prior age. With basic, banal things happening.
Posted by: BurtTC at January 04, 2025 08:47 PM (lH8E4)
Posted by: Just Some Guy at January 04, 2025 08:45 PM (q3u5l)
It's a perfect little movie for what it is. It takes place during the Cuban Missile Crisis as a backdrop. Great sense of time and place, excellent performances even in small roles.
Posted by: sal at January 04, 2025 08:48 PM (f+FmA)
Posted by: Mr Aspirin Factory, red heifer owner at January 04, 2025 08:49 PM (dR6yv)
And Catherine Deneuve is one of the most beautiful women ever
Posted by: Smell the Glove at January 04, 2025 08:49 PM (8KaXd)
Posted by: Just Some Guy at January 04, 2025 08:50 PM (q3u5l)
Hmm. Well, maybe it's just not as good.
And maybe that's why it's more popular.
Posted by: moviegique (buy my books) at January 04, 2025 08:50 PM (asXVI)
"Fitzcarraldo", a 1982 epic adventure-drama film written, produced, and directed by Werner Herzog,
Posted by: Nightwatch at January 04, 2025 08:51 PM (TDvv2)
TCM needs to have "Gigolo Day".
Posted by: sal at January 04, 2025 08:51 PM (f+FmA)
Chalamet did a terrific job as Dylan, an artist with an empty past, wanting only to create and perform his poetic music however it evolved. I began college when his first album was released, the campus was in Cleveland's east side, and while the streetscapes weren't a match for NYC's East Village, the interiors, the vibes, clothes, hair, and attitudes were. And the music was everywhere.
Both Chalamet and Ed Norton did great work emulating Dylan's and Pete Seeger's voices, postures, moves, and stagecraft, and each sang and played their own instuments throughout. Amazing!
Posted by: M. Gaga at January 04, 2025 08:51 PM (KiBMU)
Posted by: sal at January 04, 2025 08:44 PM (f+FmA)
It's funny, I think with time, the film has lost much of its luster. The story is flimsy, the action scenes are not particularly exciting to watch. The best scenes are the characters interacting with each other.
Although I wouldn't ask for a remake. CGI would do the shark much good, but I don't think they could pull it off today, due to the douchbaggery that is rampant in Hollowoood.
Posted by: BurtTC at January 04, 2025 08:51 PM (lH8E4)
Posted by: Don Black at January 04, 2025 08:51 PM (/7KEl)
Fun, fun flick. Fun guy to talk to.
---
"Like others I immediately thought Sorcerer when you mentioned Wages of Fear "
You and a lot of other people, apparently. "Sorceror" has been on my "to see" list for years, but I somehow thought it was the name of a horse!
Posted by: moviegique (buy my books) at January 04, 2025 08:52 PM (asXVI)
this constitutes my contribution to the thread
Posted by: Don Black at January 04, 2025 08:51 PM (/7KEl)
Gladiator2 earns 2 piles. It's not good.
Posted by: Mr Aspirin Factory, red heifer owner at January 04, 2025 08:53 PM (dR6yv)
And Catherine Deneuve is one of the most beautiful women ever
Posted by: Smell the Glove at January 04, 2025 08:49 PM (8KaXd)
I generally need someone to root for, but this is one of those films where, yeah, nobody deserves it.
Still, you can't help but cringe and hang on tight with every challenge they encounter. In the end, it ends as it should.
Posted by: BurtTC at January 04, 2025 08:53 PM (lH8E4)
Posted by: moviegique (buy my books) at January 04, 2025 08:52 PM (asXVI)
I've not seen Wages of Fear, but it sounds like if you've seen one, you've seen the other. Just with different actors.
And of course Sorcerer is not so french. Which is usually a good thing.
Posted by: BurtTC at January 04, 2025 08:55 PM (lH8E4)
---
The plot of "Fitzcarraldo" is the cornerstone of the 2010s "Scooby Doo" reboot, "Mystery Inc.
Posted by: moviegique (buy my books) at January 04, 2025 08:55 PM (asXVI)
"It's funny, I think with time, the film has lost much of its luster."
I like "Jaws" way more now than when it came out.
"The story is flimsy"
Always was.
"the action scenes are not particularly exciting to watch"
No real opinion on that aspect. Not sure that matters much. It's man-versus-shark, quality adventure fodder, with the characters are convincingly in peril.
"The best scenes are the characters interacting with each other."
Absolutely.
Posted by: moviegique (buy my books) at January 04, 2025 08:57 PM (asXVI)
Posted by: Nightwatch at January 04, 2025 08:58 PM (TDvv2)
Posted by: bear with asymmetrical balls at January 04, 2025 08:59 PM (YVuAl)
The Forbidden Kingdom.
Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at January 04, 2025 08:59 PM (D6PGr)
Context: it is the sixth movie is a series, and I have the previous 5 on DVD. It started as a generic low-budget run-around-in-the-woods fantasy movie, but the producers stuck with it, and eventually turned it into a 5-movie epic! And, for the most part, I enjoyed it. I would re-watch any of the Mythica movies before I would even look at Rings of Power, Wheel of Time, or the Witcher vs shows...
(continued)
Posted by: Castle Guy at January 04, 2025 08:59 PM (Lhaco)
Haven't seen Jaws in quite some time, and probably won't see it again unless I can be sure the version on screen doesn't include the voice over that was added in later for the moments near the finish when Scheider's shooting at the shark.
Posted by: Just Some Guy at January 04, 2025 09:02 PM (q3u5l)
Posted by: Eric Cartman at January 04, 2025 09:03 PM (i0F8b)
Posted by: Just Some Guy at January 04, 2025 09:04 PM (q3u5l)
---------
Jeez, Cartman, don't give 'em ideas.
Posted by: Just Some Guy at January 04, 2025 09:04 PM (q3u5l)
Turns out Jaws is the hero, fighting against global warmening.
Posted by: BurtTC at January 04, 2025 09:06 PM (lH8E4)
This movie takes place after a time-skip from the original films, and introduces a whole new cast of characters. Almost. Halfway through the film, they go into the main character's backstory, and he turned out to be a minor character from the first act of the first film, who had been forgotten about ever since. As a guy who likes minor characters, and who thought that this minor character really should have made a return earlier, I was thrilled. At that moment, I was watching open-mouthed, and was ready to proclaim the movie as my new favorite. Alas, the third act killed some of my awe, as they dragged out some forced drama, and they dropped hints of 'modern audience' content....So, its good, but not great.
One other interesting aspect of the movie, it takes place in a fantasy world, but it is structured like a locked-in-a-mansion murder-mystery. In the midst of a storm, a string of suspicious characters all take shelter at an inn, and the tension builds as bad things inevitably happen. I have to give the Mythica movies credit; they are happy to generic fantasy stuff, but they are just as happy to stretch the genre when necessary.
Posted by: Castle Guy at January 04, 2025 09:07 PM (Lhaco)
https://moviegique.com/2008/04/forbidden-kingdom/
I also have it on my Plex.
And I am surprised every time I see it because I can't remember it in the slightest.
Posted by: moviegique (buy my books) at January 04, 2025 09:07 PM (asXVI)
Posted by: jsg at January 04, 2025 09:07 PM (kQ9+2)
---
The what-now?
Posted by: moviegique (buy my books) at January 04, 2025 09:09 PM (asXVI)
No real opinion on that aspect. Not sure that matters much. It's man-versus-shark, quality adventure fodder, with the characters are convincingly in peril.
"The best scenes are the characters interacting with each other."
Absolutely.
Posted by: moviegique (buy my books) at January 04, 2025 08:57 PM (asXVI)
I didn't state any of that very well. I'm not saying anything negative about the film, really, just speculating on the movie viewing experience, especially for those who've never seen it before.
Last time I watched it wasn't too long ago, and it didn't capture my attention the way it had in the past, which can happen any time one is re-viewing a film.
Anyway, I wouldn't want to discourage anyone who hasn't seen it from doing so. It's a great film. Full stop.
Posted by: BurtTC at January 04, 2025 09:10 PM (lH8E4)
Posted by: jsg at January 04, 2025 09:10 PM (kQ9+2)
Posted by: Sue Backlinie at January 04, 2025 09:12 PM (89Sog)
Last time I watched Jaws, when Scheider was shooting at the oncoming shark, there was voice-over (sounded like Scheider, so maybe he recorded it or they got Mel Blanc, who knows?) saying things like "Show me the tank. Come on, blow up!" Suggesting of course, that he's aiming for the compressed air tank still in the shark's mouth, which suggests also that whoever had that put in thought the audience was too damn stupid to realize what had happened when he hit the tank and it blew.
That voice over was NOT in the theatrical release; I saw the flick a couple of times during its first run. And it's obvious from Scheider's face when it blows that the character wasn't expecting that either. Hitting the tank was blind luck -- he was shooting at the shark, not consciously aiming for the tank.
Posted by: Just Some Guy at January 04, 2025 09:15 PM (q3u5l)
https://tinyurl.com/BOC-JC-Scary
Posted by: Sharkman at January 04, 2025 09:17 PM (/RHNq)
https://tinyurl.com/BOC-JC-Scary
Posted by: Sharkman at January 04, 2025 09:17 PM (/RHNq)
But we're talking about Jaws now.
Posted by: BurtTC at January 04, 2025 09:17 PM (lH8E4)
The Young Women of Rochefort
Which rules everything
Posted by: Scottst at January 04, 2025 09:18 PM (FXekL)
Posted by: Just Some Guy at January 04, 2025 09:15 PM (q3u5l)
I wasn't aware of that, I guess it makes sense that it was an add-on, as audiences can be dumb. I can't say it bothers me though, there are many more egregious examples of narrators feeling the need to explain what's happening.
Posted by: BurtTC at January 04, 2025 09:19 PM (lH8E4)
Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at January 04, 2025 09:21 PM (D6PGr)
Scorsese narrates but someone else wrote the screenplays and directed. I was disappointed that part of the running time is a "Martin and Friends" chat about each saint because Father James Martin, the LGBTQ+everything advocate is such a pill.
So far, so good:
1. Joan of Arc. This is more of a cable-channel documentary than a docudrama, complete with cheesy effects of flames. Liah O'Prey is a good Joan of Arc.
2. John the Baptist. This is more like it! Interesting and informative explanation of what made him so dangerous to leaders of his time. Yahya Mahayni plays John the Baptist.
3. St. Sebastian. Yeah! This has the historical drama feeling that I really like. Locations look great, the dialogue is great, and handsome Lorenzo de Moor as Sebastian depicts the earnestness of the saint.
4. St. Maximilian Maria Kolbe. The highlight so far. Shot in B&W so that historical footage blends with Milivoje Obradović's convincing portrayal. Male nudity warning.
Posted by: NaughtyPine at January 04, 2025 09:23 PM (93YMr)
Posted by: jsg at January 04, 2025 09:23 PM (kQ9+2)
Posted by: Heavy Meta at January 04, 2025 09:26 PM (GTqXr)
---
I actually did, though!
---
That voice over was NOT in the theatrical release;
---
I don't recall it from when I saw it most recently (about 5-6 years ago), which doesn't mean anything. I can find lots about whole SCENES being added to Jaws, and some about lines being deleted for obsecnity, but nothing about an added voiceover.
Which also doesn't mean much but, that's all I got.
Posted by: moviegique (buy my books) at January 04, 2025 09:27 PM (asXVI)
Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at January 04, 2025 09:28 PM (D6PGr)
Posted by: gp's Movie Laffs at January 04, 2025 09:29 PM (6jaDd)
I think it pretty much began Spielberg's philosophy of "take the interesting idea and throw the rest of the book out."
You might say "the book is better" but when you're talking Spielberg, that's very often not the case.
Posted by: moviegique (buy my books) at January 04, 2025 09:31 PM (asXVI)
Posted by: gp's Movie Laffs at January 04, 2025 09:31 PM (6jaDd)
I thought the book was good except that part actually.
Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at January 04, 2025 09:34 PM (D6PGr)
-----------
I think it pretty much began Spielberg's philosophy of "take the interesting idea and throw the rest of the book out."
You might say "the book is better" but when you're talking Spielberg, that's very often not the case.
Posted by: moviegique (buy my books) at January 04, 2025 09:31 PM (asXVI)
In one of those features accompanying the Dinsey version of 'Jungle Book," one of the writers or illustrators said Walt came in and asked before they started "who has read the Kipling book?"
Anyone who raised their hand, he said "forget everything you know about it."
Posted by: BurtTC at January 04, 2025 09:34 PM (lH8E4)
Posted by: moviegique (buy my books) at January 04, 2025 09:36 PM (asXVI)
Except Mowgli is the precious cargo, instead of old dynyoomite.
Posted by: BurtTC at January 04, 2025 09:37 PM (lH8E4)
Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at January 04, 2025 09:38 PM (D8Izn)
Posted by: That guy who always says... at January 04, 2025 09:38 PM (mH6SG)
I liked the movie anyway though I thought it was unnecessary. I guess Hollywood doesn’t like straight forward happy endings.
Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at January 04, 2025 09:39 PM (D6PGr)
I've seen references to Scheider's line "Smile, you son of a bitch" being edited to remove the word 'bitch' -- and that line suggests that maybe he actually is shooting at the tank, but as he can't know that tank is still in the shark's mouth, or see it, I don't think I buy that. From the look on his face at explosion time, it takes him a moment to realize what has just happened. IMHO.
Posted by: Just Some Guy at January 04, 2025 09:39 PM (q3u5l)
Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at January 04, 2025 09:39 PM (D6PGr)
You have to go to San Fernando Valley for those.
Posted by: BurtTC at January 04, 2025 09:42 PM (lH8E4)
Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at January 04, 2025 09:38 PM (D8Izn)
Illicit Chinese options are my favorites, man.
Posted by: Hunter Biden at January 04, 2025 09:43 PM (zddDv)
Yeah I think he knew the shark had it in its mouth when the shark took it instead of him when the ship was going down, he just couldn’t see it
Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at January 04, 2025 09:45 PM (D6PGr)
Someone in the factory needs to read up on Asimov's three laws.
Posted by: gKWVE at January 04, 2025 09:46 PM (gKWVE)
Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at January 04, 2025 09:47 PM (D6PGr)
Posted by: Kindltot at January 04, 2025 09:47 PM (D7oie)
Posted by: The Deputy at January 04, 2025 09:48 PM (89Sog)
Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at January 04, 2025 09:48 PM (D6PGr)
The film's original star Jason Robards became sick halfway through filming, so Herzog hired Kinski, with whom he had previously clashed violently during production of Aguirre, the Wrath of God (1972), Nosferatu the Vampyre (1979), and Woyzeck (1979). Their fourth collaboration fared no better. When shooting was nearly complete, the chief of the Machiguenga tribe, whose members were used extensively as extras, asked Herzog if they should kill Kinski for him. Herzog declined.
Posted by: Helena Handbasket at January 04, 2025 09:49 PM (YTktQ)
Thanks for the thread, moviegique.
Have a good one, gang.
Posted by: Just Some Guy at January 04, 2025 09:49 PM (q3u5l)
Posted by: Kindltot at January 04, 2025 09:47 PM (D7oie)
Brody had a walkie talkie?
Posted by: BurtTC at January 04, 2025 09:49 PM (lH8E4)
Posted by: gKWVE at January 04, 2025 09:50 PM (gKWVE)
They should have killed him. He raped his own daughter.
Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at January 04, 2025 09:51 PM (D6PGr)
He started out strong in the political folk-singer genre. Notably at a gathering filmed at the McGee farm.
The theory is he swore off being political in exchange for not being drafted. “Magee’s Farm” is said to have been an explanation of sorts.
Posted by: Common Tater at January 04, 2025 09:53 PM (i31XB)
Punjabis would want dibs on the relative-raping
Posted by: gKWVE at January 04, 2025 09:54 PM (gKWVE)
Posted by: Patrick From Ohio at January 04, 2025 09:56 PM (FCrpy)
They changed Kiplings ending for the movie Captains Courageous.
I liked the movie anyway though I thought it was unnecessary. I guess Hollywood doesn’t like straight forward happy endings.
Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth
Cattle Drive had a happy ending.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0043389
Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at January 04, 2025 09:56 PM (63Dwl)
Posted by: Archer at January 04, 2025 09:59 PM (IDphi)
Posted by: Just Some Guy at January 04, 2025 09:15 PM (q3u5l)
So maybe it's a mandela effect, but my recollection from that scene was Scheider saying, "Smile, you sonofabitch", making me believe he was aiming for the tank...
Posted by: Joe Kidd at January 04, 2025 10:02 PM (Cbio9)
Posted by: Common Tater at January 04, 2025 10:02 PM (i31XB)
Posted by: mindful webworker - party on doods at January 04, 2025 10:04 PM (erzCX)
Posted by: Common Tater at January 04, 2025 10:02 PM (i31XB)
Bonanza had an episode similar. They lit the nitro on fire.
Posted by: davidt at January 04, 2025 10:04 PM (i0F8b)
Posted by: Bulg at January 04, 2025 10:04 PM (77rzZ)
Posted by: Archer at January 04, 2025 09:59 PM (IDphi)
I'm listening to the fucking song!
Posted by: Steve Hanson at January 04, 2025 10:05 PM (YTktQ)
Posted by: Archer at January 04, 2025 09:59 PM (IDphi)
I'm listening to the fucking song!
Posted by: Steve Hanson at January 04, 2025 10:05 PM (YTktQ)
Can’t tell you how many times I’ve said “wool by the pool’
Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at January 04, 2025 10:07 PM (D6PGr)
‘ I think Gunsmoke had an episode’
I remember a Little House on the Prairie episode where Charles and Mr. Edwards were transporting nitroglycerin too.
Posted by: Dr. Claw at January 04, 2025 10:07 PM (3wi/L)
Posted by: Archer at January 04, 2025 10:07 PM (IDphi)
I think Gunsmoke had an episode of transporting touchy nitro in glass bottles in a horse drawn wagon over bad road. Must have been a writer’s block that week
Posted by: Common Tater
The Big Valley used it too.
Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at January 04, 2025 10:08 PM (63Dwl)
Posted by: Gen'ral Amos T. Halftrack at January 04, 2025 10:08 PM (89Sog)
Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at January 04, 2025 10:09 PM (D6PGr)
Posted by: Archer at January 04, 2025 10:09 PM (IDphi)
Posted by: Nemo at January 04, 2025 10:13 PM (S6ArX)
Posted by: Cicero (@cicero43) at January 04, 2025 10:14 PM (dDmld)
Posted by: Nemo at January 04, 2025 10:15 PM (S6ArX)
Posted by: Dr. Claw at January 04, 2025 10:15 PM (3wi/L)
Posted by: Nemo at January 04, 2025 10:15 PM (S6ArX)
-------
I will call your Rifleman and raise you one Wagon Train.
Posted by: Cicero (@cicero43) at January 04, 2025 10:16 PM (dDmld)
Posted by: davidt at January 04, 2025 10:17 PM (i0F8b)
----
there is a scene earlier in the movie where Brody is thumbing thru a book on sharks, and stops on a picture of a shark with a SCUBA tank in its mouth
This is Spielberg telling the audience how the shark will be killed
Posted by: Don Black at January 04, 2025 10:17 PM (/7KEl)
Posted by: davidt at January 04, 2025 10:17 PM (i0F8b)
----------
*amnesia has entered the chat*
Posted by: Cicero (@cicero43) at January 04, 2025 10:17 PM (dDmld)
Posted by: Joe Kidd at January 04, 2025 10:17 PM (Cbio9)
Posted by: Don Black at January 04, 2025 10:17 PM (/7KEl)
---------
Foreshadowing, how does it work?
Posted by: Cicero (@cicero43) at January 04, 2025 10:18 PM (dDmld)
They made a wicked salad dressing.
Posted by: That guy who always says... at January 04, 2025 09:38 PM (mH6SG)
__________________________
Buddy of mine in elementary school won a contest sponsored by the US Postal Service and NASA. They wanted a caption for the stamp that showed Neil Armstrong standing on the moon. The caption my buddy sent in was, "Tell Mission Control it's Rochefort."
He won, but then they announced a different winner due to the "off humor" of his contribution. He still got the money and something else, just not the accolades.
Posted by: Orson at January 04, 2025 10:18 PM (dIske)
Posted by: Cicero (@cicero43) at January 04, 2025 10:17 PM (dDmld)
amnesia is a huge plot device in Korean soaps. Amnesia and being swapped at birth.
Posted by: Kindltot at January 04, 2025 10:19 PM (D7oie)
Nitro glycerin was the quicksand of westerns.
Posted by: davidt
The last episode of The Rifleman had a quicksand plot.
Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at January 04, 2025 10:19 PM (63Dwl)
Posted by: Nemo at January 04, 2025 10:15 PM (S6ArX)[/i[
I think every Western had the 'sensitive nitro in a glass bottle driven/rode over rough terrain' plot line.
Posted by: RickZ at January 04, 2025 10:20 PM (gKDq2)
Posted by: RickZ at January 04, 2025 10:20 PM (gKDq2)
Posted by: Don Black at January 04, 2025 10:20 PM (/7KEl)
Posted by: Bulg at January 04, 2025 10:04 PM (77rzZ)
Yup
One of the reasons I took french in high school.
Posted by: Diogenes at January 04, 2025 10:20 PM (W/lyH)
One of the reasons I took french in high school.
Posted by: Diogenes at January 04, 2025 10:20 PM (W/lyH)
---------
Did it work?
Posted by: Cicero (@cicero43) at January 04, 2025 10:21 PM (dDmld)
Posted by: NaCly Dog at January 04, 2025 10:22 PM (u82oZ)
Posted by: Don Black at January 04, 2025 10:23 PM (/7KEl)
Posted by: NaCly Dog at January 04, 2025 10:22 PM (u82oZ)
-----------
Executing Operation Market Garden to perfection, perhaps?
Posted by: Cicero (@cicero43) at January 04, 2025 10:24 PM (dDmld)
Posted by: Some Garbage Rat at January 04, 2025 10:25 PM (+VovS)
Posted by: bear with asymmetrical balls at January 04, 2025 10:26 PM (YVuAl)
I remember (I think I remember) an episode of Gunsmoke where some guy is "boiling" nitroglycerin out of dynamite sticks.
Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (Mzdiz) at January 04, 2025 10:27 PM (w6EFb)
One of the reasons I took french in high school.
Posted by: Diogenes at January 04, 2025 10:20 PM (W/lyH)
---------
Did it work?
Posted by: Cicero (@cicero43) at January 04, 2025 10:21 PM (dDmld)
***
Sadly no.
Miss K, the French teacher wound up dating my cousin rather than make me a man.
My cousin was happy though.
Posted by: Diogenes at January 04, 2025 10:27 PM (W/lyH)
Gilligan, hand me two coconut shells and a palm frond.
Posted by: The Professor at January 04, 2025 10:27 PM (dDmld)
It was always there. In the theatre in 1975 it sounded like he was mumbling something. For the DVD, they may have cleaned up the audio mixing so you can make out what he is saying (and perhaps read the closed captioning). And it's foreshadowed enough in the film that he is doing it intentionally. (there's a picture of a shark with a tank in its mouth in one of the books Brody is looking at, Hooper says that the tanks can explode if mishandled)
Posted by: Chuck C at January 04, 2025 10:28 PM (D0HYP)
Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (Mzdiz) at January 04, 2025 10:29 PM (w6EFb)
Posted by: Inisfree at January 04, 2025 10:30 PM (3g6r+)
Posted by: Some Garbage Rat at January 04, 2025 10:25 PM (+VovS)
Someone saw them in a window and just had to have it.
Posted by: OrangeEnt at January 04, 2025 10:30 PM (0eaVi)
1 3/5
2 2/5
3 3/5
4 4/5
5 4/5
Posted by: gKWVE at January 04, 2025 09:50 PM (gKWVE)
Not much love for the second movie. Ouch. I liked the two elven huntresses, and the idea of a magic wand that had a limited amount of spell changes (like bullets in a gun) but I will concede that it had as many missed opportunities as good payoffs...
Still, I'm just shocked that anyone, even someone on this site, watches the same sort of movies I do...
Posted by: Castle Guy at January 04, 2025 10:31 PM (Lhaco)
Posted by: bear with asymmetrical balls
I had no expectations of 'Goon' except i was bored so I watched it. It surprised me. I liked it. A lot!
Posted by: Puddleglum at work at January 04, 2025 10:31 PM (WBro8)
Posted by: Altaria Pilgram at January 04, 2025 10:33 PM (Q8Bj8)
Posted by: OrangeEnt
So, Miss Scarlet, in the ballroom, with the curtain rod.
Posted by: Some Garbage Rat at January 04, 2025 10:33 PM (+VovS)
My Undead Yokai Girlfriend
I am two episodes in, and it is mindless entertainment. And the Girlfriend has nice thighs, but not quite as good as Gal Gadot's.
On Prime.
My only criticism - wtf is a fat black guy doing in Japan?
Posted by: anchorbabe fashion cop at January 04, 2025 10:34 PM (ufFY8)
Posted by: anchorbabe fashion cop at January 04, 2025 10:34 PM (ufFY
Diversity, yo.
Posted by: Heavy Meta at January 04, 2025 10:35 PM (GTqXr)
Posted by: lin-duh at January 04, 2025 10:35 PM (VCgbV)
Posted by: Cicero (@cicero43) at January 04, 2025 10:36 PM (dDmld)
Posted by: Some Garbage Rat at January 04, 2025 10:38 PM (+VovS)
Posted by: mindful webworker - party on doods at January 04, 2025 10:40 PM (erzCX)
Posted by: From about That Time at January 04, 2025 10:40 PM (4780s)
Posted by: anchorbabe fashion cop at January 04, 2025 10:34 PM (ufFY
Diversity, yo.
Posted by: Heavy Meta at January 04, 2025 10:35 PM (GTqXr)
Very jarring seeing a black guy speaking Japanese, lol. His character is pretty funny.
Posted by: anchorbabe fashion cop at January 04, 2025 10:40 PM (ufFY8)
Congrats, lin-duh!
Posted by: Some Garbage Rat
----
Thank you! I'd like to thank my husband and children, I couldn't have done it without them. I'd also like to thank my mother for.... oh, wrong thread...
Posted by: lin-duh at January 04, 2025 10:40 PM (VCgbV)
Posted by: Lily vonSchtupp at January 04, 2025 10:43 PM (dDmld)
Posted by: Altaria Pilgram at January 04, 2025 10:44 PM (Q8Bj8)
Posted by: Bulg at January 04, 2025 10:44 PM (77rzZ)
Posted by: Some Garbage Rat at January 04, 2025 10:44 PM (+VovS)
Posted by: From about That Time at January 04, 2025 10:44 PM (4780s)
Posted by: Cicero (@cicero43) at January 04, 2025 10:45 PM (dDmld)
Well, I'll have to whine here. I'm pooped. Took down the treats and everything except the Kresch. That stays on the table until Epiphany.
But I'm tarred. And have a headache. And my back hurts. And it's 40 and dark and raining.
But the worst thing? I FUCKING FORGOT TO BUT COFFEE AT THE STORE TODAY, SO I DONT HAVE ANY FOR TOMORROW MORNING.
Posted by: nurse ratched at January 04, 2025 10:45 PM (aExPs)
Evening, all! I'm spiffing up my portfolio for a new job hunt. It's a new year!
Posted by: Blonde Morticia at January 04, 2025 10:46 PM (lCaJd)
Posted by: Bulg at January 04, 2025 10:46 PM (77rzZ)
Posted by: Bulg at January 04, 2025 10:46 PM (77rzZ)
---------
*scans sky fearfully*
Posted by: The Wicked Witch of the East at January 04, 2025 10:47 PM (dDmld)
Posted by: From about That Time
I was surprised Mumia Abu-Jamal and Leonard Peltier didn't get one for most oppressed and misunderstood youths.
Posted by: Altaria Pilgram at January 04, 2025 10:48 PM (Q8Bj8)
Posted by: From about That Time
Kinda surprised george floyd didn't get one in absentia.
Posted by: Some Garbage Rat at January 04, 2025 10:48 PM (+VovS)
Posted by: gKWVE at January 04, 2025 10:49 PM (gKWVE)
Posted by: gKWVE at January 04, 2025 10:49 PM (gKWVE)
--------
Nope. Biden would only pin it on her if it had a 10-inch spike.
Posted by: The Wicked Witch of the East at January 04, 2025 10:50 PM (dDmld)
Posted by: gKWVE at January 04, 2025 10:51 PM (gKWVE)
Posted by: Don Black at January 04, 2025 10:51 PM (/7KEl)
Posted by: From about That Time at January 04, 2025 10:51 PM (4780s)
Posted by: nurse ratched
I gotta think it might be possible to find a cup of coffee in Seattle.
Posted by: En Mi Casa Toman Bustelo at January 04, 2025 10:52 PM (G5+As)
Posted by: Altaria Pilgram at January 04, 2025 10:52 PM (Q8Bj8)
If you have been waiting for a billionaire on our side to fight as hard as the ones on the left have been doing your wait is over. Worth signing up on X just to watch the fallout.
Posted by: JackStraw at January 04, 2025 10:52 PM (LkLld)
Posted by: Don Black at January 04, 2025 10:51 PM (/7KEl)
I thought it was a guy named Abbie?
Posted by: OrangeEnt at January 04, 2025 10:52 PM (0eaVi)
Posted by: Puddleglum at work at January 04, 2025 10:53 PM (WBro8)
Posted by: Puddleglum at work at January 04, 2025 10:54 PM (WBro8)
Posted by: JackStraw at January 04, 2025 10:52 PM (LkLld)
And vocal support for AfD in Germany. Musk knows which way the wind blows.
Posted by: Heavy Meta at January 04, 2025 10:54 PM (GTqXr)
---------
The guy from Welcome Back Kotter?
Posted by: Cicero (@cicero43) at January 04, 2025 10:54 PM (dDmld)
Posted by: Puddleglum at work at January 04, 2025 10:55 PM (WBro8)
Posted by: Puddleglum at work at January 04, 2025 10:55 PM (WBro8)
Posted by: Don Black at January 04, 2025 10:56 PM (/7KEl)
Posted by: Cicero (@cicero43) at January 04, 2025 10:56 PM (dDmld)
Posted by: Puddleglum at work at January 04, 2025 10:57 PM (WBro8)
Posted by: nurse ratched
Planned on making pizza Saturday. Went to get the yeast out of the fridge and realized I forgot to buy some. Bought everything else to make a pizza, even having made sauce and prepped the toppings, but forgot to buy yeast. Had to walk to the store at 6 a.m. Saturday for yeast.
Posted by: RickZ at January 04, 2025 10:57 PM (gKDq2)
This is a crisis. The idea of HAVING to go out in the miserable Seattle rain on a Sunday when don't have the mindset to find that somehow a romantic Seattle moment - yeah, that is the shits.
Posted by: Altaria Pilgram at January 04, 2025 10:58 PM (Q8Bj8)
Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at January 04, 2025 10:58 PM (8zz6B)
Posted by: RickZ at January 04, 2025 10:57 PM (gKDq2)
Pizzas are like the Sun: they rise in the yeast, and set in the vest.
Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at January 04, 2025 10:59 PM (8zz6B)
Posted by: nurse ratched
-------
This why I *always* keep a full 1 1/2 lb. can in reserve, plus...one of these in the freezer
t.ly/k0pX_
I can use ditch water and an open fire if I have to...but I will have coffee in the morning. Paid dividends in the aftermath of the storm.
Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at January 04, 2025 11:00 PM (XeU6L)
Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon
Maybe if we say its name three times?
Posted by: Some Garbage Rat at January 04, 2025 11:00 PM (+VovS)
Posted by: Zuzu Bailey at January 04, 2025 11:00 PM (zddDv)
Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon
All threads evolve into something else - let us evolve this to an open ONT thread and go for 1000 comments. OK, 750 comments. Nah, 500 if we are lucky.
Posted by: Altaria Pilgram at January 04, 2025 11:00 PM (Q8Bj8)
Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at January 04, 2025 10:59 PM (8zz6B)
LOL! Must be a Canadian saying. Never heard that one in Brooklyn.
Posted by: RickZ at January 04, 2025 11:01 PM (gKDq2)
Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at January 04, 2025 11:02 PM (8zz6B)
Maybe if we say its name three times?
Posted by: Some Garbage Rat
------
I think we have to turn around three times also, but this is a red button/green button choice. CW or CCW?
Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at January 04, 2025 11:02 PM (XeU6L)
Can't recall that Chicago's Ford City theater's sound system (or my hearing) was bad enough at the time for me to miss something like "Show me the tank" in the Jaws theatrical release, but if you heard it then I'll take your word for it.
Though that bit still annoys me.
Back to Strait-Jacket. Bests to all.
Posted by: Just Some Guy at January 04, 2025 11:03 PM (q3u5l)
Sometimes you have to take matters into your own hands.
It's 11:00 pm on Saturday night. Take about whatever you want to take about.
Posted by: JackStraw at January 04, 2025 11:03 PM (LkLld)
What say you, Horde?
Posted by: TRex at January 04, 2025 11:03 PM (IQ6Gq)
Posted by: TRex at January 04, 2025 11:03 PM (IQ6Gq)
Armed and dangerous, TRex!
Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at January 04, 2025 11:05 PM (8zz6B)
Posted by: Zuzu Bailey
Y'all've already filled six pinheads! Chill!
Posted by: the server hamsters at January 04, 2025 11:05 PM (DgGvY)
Posted by: JackStraw at January 04, 2025 11:05 PM (LkLld)
Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at January 04, 2025 11:06 PM (XeU6L)
The lead actress is Dakota Fanning...I sort of recognized her but only after I looked up the movie afterwards did I realize it was this particular child actress. So I read about her and was amused to see she had been in a scandal...
Apparently Fanning had posed at 17 an ad for some perfume called Oh Lola that was banned in some countries for being too sexy. So...I assume Lola means Lolita here. And...the guy that owns the perfume company is one of the biggest homos in the world (seriously he won an award for it from Out magazine). Wow do we live in stupid times don't we? A gay guy tarts up a girl to get press coverage so middle aged women will buy up his perfume?
Posted by: 18-1 at January 04, 2025 11:06 PM (t0Rmr)
Posted by: Altaria Pilgram at January 04, 2025 11:06 PM (Q8Bj8)
Oh the war is by no means decided. Though our side though appears to *finally* be starting to fight back.
Posted by: 18-1 at January 04, 2025 11:08 PM (t0Rmr)
Posted by: JackStraw at January 04, 2025 11:10 PM (LkLld)
Posted by: OrangeEnt at January 04, 2025 11:10 PM (0eaVi)
The cinematography and acting are great but the plot is a miserable mess. And there is a weird gay undertone.
Posted by: 18-1 at January 04, 2025 11:10 PM (t0Rmr)
And yes, it has manual controls to open the doors, should all battery power fail.
Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at January 04, 2025 11:11 PM (8zz6B)
Posted by: mot at January 04, 2025 11:11 PM (fIPNY)
Posted by: Altaria Pilgram at January 04, 2025 11:11 PM (Q8Bj8)
the tell tale heart still beats
Posted by: Don Black, recent recipient of the the Presidential Medal Of Freedom at January 04, 2025 11:11 PM (/7KEl)
Guess who the world thinks the POTUS is right now.
Whenever I see her among a bunch of her Euro-nik peers I'm reminded that a female politician can still actually look like a woman and not some desiccated husk of a human being.
Posted by: 18-1 at January 04, 2025 11:12 PM (t0Rmr)
Just sayin'
Posted by: Diogenes at January 04, 2025 11:13 PM (W/lyH)
-----
Yeah, but will it be any good?
Every coffee place within 20 miles of Seattle was wannabe Charbux, last time we went there... Yuck. Don't know what that crap IS, but it ain't coffee!
Posted by: JQ at January 04, 2025 11:13 PM (YoCnN)
Posted by: Walter Freeman at January 04, 2025 11:13 PM (KitM9)
Posted by: 18-1 at January 04, 2025 11:15 PM (t0Rmr)
I like her. Petite woman with a huge pair.
Posted by: JackStraw at January 04, 2025 11:16 PM (LkLld)
Posted by: Big Fat Meanie at January 04, 2025 11:17 PM (YIxO9)
Posted by: nurse ratched at January 04, 2025 11:17 PM (5He9w)
Death.
Taxes.
And the AoSHQ Overnight Thread.
uh...
wait...
Posted by: mindful webworker - slightly off at January 04, 2025 11:18 PM (erzCX)
fashion designers!
WT EFFING F
Posted by: Don Black, recent recipient of the the Presidential Medal Of Freedom at January 04, 2025 11:18 PM (/7KEl)
Posted by: Puddleglum at work at January 04, 2025 11:19 PM (WBro8)
Things like... Bill Bixby in the Magician... and a lot of them are not available at all... even on pay services.
Seems like a lost opportunity.
Posted by: Romeo13 at January 04, 2025 11:19 PM (QAkQ3)
Posted by: Big Fat Meanie at January 04, 2025 11:20 PM (YIxO9)
Posted by: 18-1
The Sheetz in Ebensburg, PA has better coffee!!
Posted by: Puddleglum at work at January 04, 2025 11:21 PM (WBro8)
fashion designers!
WT EFFING F
I'd like to say its a perfect image of our decline as a society but this list of winners has always been full of these sort of fundamentally unimportant, unserious people
Posted by: 18-1 at January 04, 2025 11:21 PM (t0Rmr)
Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at January 04, 2025 11:21 PM (8zz6B)
Oh the war is by no means decided. Though our side though appears to *finally* be starting to fight back.
Posted by: 18-1 at January 04, 2025 11:08 PM (t0Rmr)
Musk taking over Twit was a Fort Sumpter moment... most don't know that the South had succeeded 6 months prior to any conflict... and the north had done nothing to fight it.
Posted by: Romeo13 at January 04, 2025 11:21 PM (QAkQ3)
Things like... Bill Bixby in the Magician... and a lot of them are not available at all... even on pay services.
Seems like a lost opportunity.
Posted by: Romeo13
One thing about over the air TV is they require a TON of programming. It'll show up sooner or later.
Posted by: Some Garbage Rat at January 04, 2025 11:22 PM (+VovS)
We don't need no stinkin' ONT.
Posted by: Diogenes at January 04, 2025 11:22 PM (W/lyH)
Posted by: Big Fat Meanie at January 04, 2025 11:22 PM (YIxO9)
Posted by: nurse ratched at January 04, 2025 11:17 PM (5He9w)
are the bikini coffee shacks all gone, now?
Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at January 04, 2025 11:23 PM (8zz6B)
Posted by: Romeo13 at January 04, 2025 11:23 PM (QAkQ3)
This is about me?
Posted by: Purpled haired, Connecticut, ancient Congress creature at January 04, 2025 11:23 PM (WBro8)
Seems like a lost opportunity.
The old mail you a DVD netflix had an amazing collection including older and rarer stuff. I honestly don't understand how their business model failed.
People would really rather have a choice of a handful of newer movies, a few older movies, and whatever crap their own streaming service has made versus basically most movies that have been released at least 6 months ago and wait two days to get them? Really?!?
Posted by: 18-1 at January 04, 2025 11:23 PM (t0Rmr)
Posted by: JackStraw at January 04, 2025 11:24 PM (LkLld)
Posted by: Big Fat Meanie
I was looking forward to it, gave it a watch.
I'll give 'em another episode to impress me.
Posted by: Some Garbage Rat at January 04, 2025 11:25 PM (+VovS)
Posted by: nurse ratched at January 04, 2025 11:17 PM (5He9w)
are the bikini coffee shacks all gone, now?
Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at January 04, 2025 11:23 PM (8zz6B)
***
They are in Puyallup.
Not that i go there but I do drive by.
Posted by: Diogenes at January 04, 2025 11:25 PM (W/lyH)
Posted by: Common Tater at January 04, 2025 11:28 PM (RnW+X)
Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at January 04, 2025 11:21 PM (8zz6B)
AOP, try reloading a few rounds with it.
Posted by: Pete Bog at January 04, 2025 11:30 PM (BYt3l)
Ralph Lauren and Anna Wintour both received the Presidential Medal Of Freedom today
fashion designers!
WT EFFING F
Posted by: Don Black
===================
Yeah... well, I feel the same way about professional golfers. Especially ones who paid girls to pretend they were so attracted to him on an "accidental" first date that they were compelled to go home with him, all while he had a wife and little kids at his real home, but
those medals have been as degraded as the Nobel and the Pulitzer as far as I'm concerned.
Posted by: Blonde Morticia at January 04, 2025 11:32 PM (lCaJd)
Posted by: Harry Case at January 04, 2025 11:39 PM (I3R+4)
This why I *always* keep a full 1 1/2 lb. can in reserve, plus...one of these in the freezer
Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at January 04, 2025 11:00 PM
Yes, always have a stash!
Posted by: Pikov Andropov at January 05, 2025 12:01 AM (y7zkd)
Posted by: Castle Guy at January 04, 2025 10:31 PM
I will add the series to my playlists. I had no hope that it was anything but trash - till now. THank you.
Posted by: NaughtyPine at January 05, 2025 12:24 AM (93YMr)
Posted by: MachiasPrivateer at January 05, 2025 10:28 AM (avPX7)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NM_P8b2OJ8
or their version of Quien Sera
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2eFv02al2c
Posted by: MachiasPrivateer at January 05, 2025 10:34 AM (avPX7)
Posted by: J at January 05, 2025 01:58 PM (jbvxJ)
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All-Time Best NBA Players, According to Senator Robert Byrd
Other Bad Things About the Jews, According to the Koran
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Collective Names for Groups of People
John Kerry's Other Vietnam Super-Pets
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Changes to Make Christianity More "Inclusive"
Secret John Kerry Senatorial Accomplishments
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My Own Micah Wright Style Confession of Dishonesty
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The Story the Rightwing Media Refuses to Report!
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Liberal Consistency and Other Myths
Kepler's Laws of Liberal Media Bias
John Kerry-- The Splunge! Candidate
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