Return of the RECENT VIEWING

[sloopjohnc]

Watched it with my son this weekend. He liked it.

[Snarfyguy]

TV: some of the 2016 X-Files comeback - really pretty terrible, in my opinion.

Parks and Recreation Season 1, which was rather amusing.

[pcqgod]

What did you think?

[joels344]

What did you think?

I thought it was great and definitely among the best from the superhero genre. Did you enjoy it?

[pcqgod]

I thought it was great and definitely among the best from the superhero genre. Did you enjoy it?

There was definitely a lot to enjoy about 'Logan.' The story was a bit bleak for my taste. Ironically, it seemed the least futuristic X-Men related movie, even counting the ones set in the 1960's and 70's.

[joels344]

I thought it was great and definitely among the best from the superhero genre. Did you enjoy it?

There was definitely a lot to enjoy about 'Logan.' The story was a bit bleak for my taste. Ironically, it seemed the least futuristic X-Men related movie, even counting the ones set in the 1960's and 70's.

I tend to find bleak and atmospheric apocalyptic stories the most appealing, so I definitely loved that aspect of Logan. It was the most stripped down and like you say, least futuristic in the X-Men franchise. At times, it acted more as a Neo-Western than futuristic superhero film.

[Matt Wilson]

Murphy's Law

Why do I sit and watch latter-day Bronson films when I know that they're mediocre?
Better still, why do I buy them as blind purchases, knowing what I know?

There is no excuse for my dumb-shitedness.

[BARON CORNY DOG]

Murphy's Law

Why do I sit and watch latter-day Bronson films when I know that they're mediocre?
Better still, why do I buy them as blind purchases, knowing what I know?

There is no excuse for my dumb-shitedness.

Bronson, I'd wager.

[Snarfyguy]

This was a bit over-pleased with its use of meta-narrative and what it boils down to is pretty ridiculous. But other than that it was okay.

[Matt Wilson]

Being There

One of Ashby's best pictures, and a highlight for Sellars. I hadn't seen it in decades and though the pace is sluggish there's enough going on to maintain interest. Probably better than Bound for Glory but not, in my estimation, as good as The Last Detail or Shampoo. It's been so long since I've seen Harold and Maude that I barely even remember it. Some people love this film, and if you can get with its offbeat appeal, it seems like a minor masterpiece. It's all in that last scene though, isn't it?

[...]

Saw this in HK while killing the 10 hours between getting kicked out of the hotel and getting to the airport in time for my flat.

Not generally liking superhero-type movies, had absolutely zero expectations of it and came away very pleasantly surprised indeed

[harvey k-tel]

Watched this last night. Still trying to wrap my head around a few bits of it, but a really good piece of social commentary done as a thriller/horror film.

[...]

Being There

One of Ashby's best pictures, and a highlight for Sellars. I hadn't seen it in decades and though the pace is sluggish there's enough going on to maintain interest. Probably better than Bound for Glory but not, in my estimation, as good as The Last Detail or Shampoo. It's been so long since I've seen Harold and Maude that I barely even remember it. Some people love this film, and if you can get with its offbeat appeal, it seems like a minor masterpiece. It's all in that last scene though, isn't it?

Used to be a big Jerzy Kozinski (who wrote the book on which the film was based) fan in the 70s and really enjoyed this. Only thing that spoiled it for me was Ashby''s insistence (apparently against Sellers' vehement objections) on running a series of outtakes in which Sellers rehearsed and mangled his lines under the final credits.

Arsehole of a human being PS might have been, but he was absolutely right as the section completely detracts from what is an otherwise sublime movie.

given the brilliance of what had gone before (last Detail, Harold and Maude and Bound for Glory) and the patchiness of what came after this (some throwaway rubbish about American football), think BT was very much HA's last hurrah before the long years of drug abuse finally kicked in and destroyed his talent.

High time to check out his earlier stuff again methinks

[joels344]

Saw this in HK while killing the 10 hours between getting kicked out of the hotel and getting to the airport in time for my flat.

Not generally liking superhero-type movies, had absolutely zero expectations of it and came away very pleasantly surprised indeed

Same here. I'm not a fan of the superhero genre at all, but found this one excellent on many different levels. For me, Logan ranks slightly behind The Dark Knight. I would've considered it my favorite superhero film had it not gone into schlocky territory when they introduced X-24 as an extra villain and starting having mindless Wolverine vs. X-24 superhero fight sequences. All of that was unnecessary and felt excessive at times. Considering how well they motivated Donald Pierce as a villain.

[joels344]

This is a great film. Watching it for the first time since I last saw it in theaters. Almost a forgotten classic from 2012, really.

[pcqgod]

Drop Dead Rock (1996)

I remember squeezing into a crowded Dobie Theater to watch this at a SXSW film showcase twenty years ago. At the time this low-budget screwball/black comedy seemed pretty dumb but also fun, and upon my first viewing since then, my opinion hasn't changed. Adam Ant and Deborah Harry are good in supporting roles, but Ian Maynard as "Spazz-O" steals the show. Also includes funny cameos by Tom Petersson of Cheap Trick, Joey Ramone, and Slayer.

[driftin]

This is a great film. Watching it for the first time since I last saw it in theaters. Almost a forgotten classic from 2012, really.

I really like that film but I feel the third act's slightly weak. The first and second are superb though.

[joels344]

This is a great film. Watching it for the first time since I last saw it in theaters. Almost a forgotten classic from 2012, really.

I really like that film but I feel the third act's slightly weak. The first and second are superb though.

Yeah, I never cared for the third act either. It doesn't add much to the narrative and relies too heavily on plot conveniences to establish meaning. Act I and Act II are excellent, though.

[Darkness_Fish]

I was really quite disappointed with this. Tom seemed to like it quite a lot, mind, but I was hoping for something that felt more realistic, and less like CGI muppets. An excellent voice cast, a slightly annoying child actor, and too much cartoonish CGI by half.



Whereas this was a really quite tense take on a single-concept horror. I'm beginning to think that the only way to make decent films these days is to limit the cast to a maximum of 5 people. Here, three thieves break into a blind war veteran's house to steal a compensation payout they know he's received, but find themselves barricaded inside with the murderous, twisted veteran, who shoots any direction he hears a noise emerging from. A strange take on the kids game musical statues, with no simplistic good vs bad morality in sight/touch.

[naughty boy]

Lots of by-now-familiar crime drama tropes - mumbling, tyres whirring up sand, diners, cops getting shot in the head and birds-eye shots of big open plains - but this was as good as this genre ever gets. And Jeff Bridges was outstanding. I love Jeff Bridges.