Films thread

[iank]

Um, no.

Spies Like Us. Chevy Chase and Dan Akyroyd are two bumbling low-level government employees chosen to be rushed through training and turned into actual agents/spies - with the intention of using them as expendable decoys while the real agents get things done. This mid 80s comedy is watchable enough - though the Afghan midsection borders on tedious - and is bouyed by its stars and that 80s charm, but suffers from the fact that, aside from a few chuckles from Chevy's smartassness, it's just not that funny.

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Mar 21, 2021 21:02:30 GMT iank said:

Um, no.

Spies Like Us. Chevy Chase and Dan Akyroyd are two bumbling low-level government employees chosen to be rushed through training and turned into actual agents/spies - with the intention of using them as expendable decoys while the real agents get things done. This mid 80s comedy is watchable enough - though the Afghan midsection borders on tedious - and is bouyed by its stars and that 80s charm, but suffers from the fact that, aside from a few chuckles from Chevy's smartassness, it's just not that funny.

That was on my Chevy Chase list actually. I'll still watch it eventually,  but shame to hear it's not as funny as it should be.

[Deleted]

The Spy Who Loved Me. I watched this again last night and find quite a bit to enjoy in it. The pre title ski chase is awesome and I dig Marvin Hamlisch's Bond 77 theme. Being the collector that I am, I'm going to add the soundtrack to my collection. Barbara Bach sadly is a bit wooden as the interesting Anya character although she's very easy on the eyes and think she's one of the prettiest Bond girls. Caroline Munro is also pretty hot. The Lotus action sequence is great as is the battle on the tanker. It's not as entertaining as either TMWTGG or Moonraker. Fine 70s adventure with enough good stuff to hold my interest. Not Moore's best though.

7/10

[iank]

Happiest Season. Kristen Stewart is heading off to spend her first Christmas with her girlfriend's family - and meet them for the first time - only to find out halfway there that they just think she's her roommate, because her girlfriend hasn't yet told them she's gay. This 2020 festive rom-com is pretty entertaining and likeable, with a good cast including Mary Steenburgen, Alison Brie and Victor Garber, and is genuinely funny, sweet and even touching. This was a good film, I liked it.

[iank]

The Pink Panther Strikes Back. Former Chief Inspector Dreyfus (Herbert Lom), driven insane by the spectacular incompetence of Inspector Clouseau (Peter Sellers) escapes from a mental asylum and begins creating a network of criminals while kidnapping a scientist to make him a superweapon with which he can hold the world to ransom, primarily for one purpose - get Clouseau. The fourth film in the long-running series is the silliest and most OTT, but that's why it's funny - basically being a Bond parody with Clouseau as a decidely unlikely Bond stand-in. Funniest bit is the world's deadliest assassins converging on Oktoberfest to kill Clouseau, only to accidentally knock off each other while he strolls through it all, oblivious. Silly fun.

[zarius]

Just finished watching the new Mortal Kombat movie.

It's not going to win any awards other than a ton of Razzies, but boy is it a lot of fun. I felt like a 90s kid again watching it. The fight scenes are well choregoraphed and satisfactory in how violent they are, but not in a way that would horrify children...indeed, this film feels like it was made for children who think this is what adult films look like.

Every line delivery is absurd and OTT. It's like watching Power Rangers done right on the big screen. The charisma of most of the actors is basic at best, but they all do have a heart and charm all their own to them, they're all very dependable and likeable in their roles.

More to the point, it's not woke and Sonya Blade is a strong empowering female character who EARNS her place as a guardian of the realm, it's not handed to her, and she doesn't dominate every scene. My big gripes is that the Mortal Kombat tournament isn't in the film and it's all just a slow-burn set up for a follow-up movie, and that it's far too short

Watch out for the aussie playing Kano, as well as the shorter contributions from his rival Kabal...both are scene stealers. Kano in particular gives every one of the most entertaining lines and his actor is an absolute hoot and a revelation.

[iank]

The Party's Just Beginning. A young woman spirals into depression and self-destructive behaviour in the year following the suicide of her best friend. Karen Gillan stars in, writes and directs this downbeat 2018 drama that's very well acted and made, and quite compelling in its way, but not exactly a barrel of laughs you'd put on to cheer yourself up.

[iank]

See No Evil. A young woman, recently rendered permanently blind in an accident, goes to live with her aunt and uncle and their daughter while she readjusts. After spending the day with her boyfriend, who is still committed to her in spite of her own fears of being a burden to him, she returns home... unaware that the whole family has been murdered and the killer is still on the premises. Mia Farrow stars in this early 70s thriller that manages to be entertaining throughout while never quite hitting full throttle.

[Monster X]

'The Belles of St Trinians' - classic British comedy - my comfort food.

"At most schools, girls are sent out quite unprepared for a merciless world but, when our girls leave here, it is the merciless world which has to be prepared."

[mott1]

Let The Right One In (2008). A Swedish vampire coming of age tale. Excellently acted (particularly by the two child leads), beautifully shot and well-written - no wonder it scores 98% approval ratings. Bleak and beautiful in equal measure.

It was remade as Let Me In, which I would also like to see at some point (whilst that also has good reviews they're a tad below this).

[iank]

One of my favourites.

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The Karate Kid trilogy overview:

I watched the three Karate Kid films starring Ralph Macchio this week. I will watch the fourth film with the delightful Hilary Swank this evening and review it at a later date, but right now I'm focusing on the Larusso/Miyagi entries.

The Karate Kid (1984): One of the best films of its kind, the Karate Kid is perhaps more popular now than it was at the time thanks to the successful Cobra Kai series. The chemistry between Pat Morita and Ralph Macchio is something to be cherished and Elisabeth Shue (the most beautiful woman ever?) is dynamite as the ultimate 80s girlfriend. The pop songs rock, there are plenty of well edited montages and the nostalgic feeling is very strong. The training sequences are inspirational and the fight scenes are well choreographed too. It's an essential 80s flick and superior to a lot of other "teen" movies from the decade. You can't help but smile at the end when Daniel defeats Johnny with the famous Crane Kick and wins the tournament. Did I mention that Elisabeth Shue is yummy in this movie? 10/10

The Karate Kid Part II (1986) : With breath-taking scenery and excellent cinematography, the second film in the series is a visual delight. I've always had a mixed relationship with this one, but I really enjoyed it when I watched it the other day. The scene in the parking lot with Kreese and Miyagi is a memorable way to open the film and the storm sequence is well handled and realistic. Daniel's relationship with Kumiko is also a highlight. She's very cute although I admit that I missed Elisabeth Shue in this movie. Sato and Chozen are great villains and I like the fight to the death scene at the end even if it the weakest fight on the trilogy. Miyagi gets to kick some arse too which is always fun to see. The film ends with the wonderful love song "Glory of Love" by Peter Cetera which is still one of my favourite songs from a movie. Overall, 7.5/10.

The Karate Kid Part III (1989): The final film in the trilogy is the most unpopular. It is in fact my second favourite in the series. Like the second film, I've had more of mixed relationship with the film over the years despite it being in my top ten favourite films when I first saw it initially. My last few viewings of it have been very positive and I regard in high regard these days despite the poor reviews. The cinematography is once again great and I like how the director mirrors shots from the original film most notably when Daniel walks into the Cobra Kai dojo again. The kata training looks great on screen and there's a stunning montage which highlights the differences in style between Cobra Kai's style and Miyagi's. The end fight is fantastic. The music is dramatic and I love when Daniel gets pissed off with Mike abusing him and finishes him with one move. Jessica is a nice additional to the film and I like the darker elements. It may not be the most sophisticated entry in the series, but I like it all the same. 8/10

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Watching Back to the Future. You know, Claudia Wells is actually quite beautiful in the film. I know I said I prefer Shue as Jennifer, but I forgot just how lovely Wells is. Definitely one of the top babes of the 1980s. Great film as well.

[iank]

Zodiac. The emergence of a serial killer who dubs himself "Zodiac" in 60s San Francisco creates a decades-long obsession for newspaper cartoonist Robert Graysmith, whose dogged investigations begin to screw up his marriage and mental health long after everyone else has moved on. David Fincher's late 2000s crime drama/thriller remains as effective and compelling as ever even with a butt-numbing running time.

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Going to watch Back to the Future Part II in an hour or so. I really like this one so I'm looking forward to it. I'll do an overview for the trilogy in a later post once I've finished all of the films like I did with the Karate Kid trilogy.