Films thread

[iank]

It's a scene in Dragonfire, Sylv tries to distract a guard with an intellectual conversation, only to find himself bamboozled by the guy literally quoting The Unfolding Text at him. It's very funny even if you don't know where it's from, even funnier when you know what they've done.

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Oh yeah that'll do it, the last time I watched Dragonfire was when I was literally a child. Might put that on tonight actually, give the season 24 box set a spin.

[rushy]

Is anyone else excited for Furiosa?

I do wish we had another actual Mad Max movie (Hardy and especially Miller aren't getting any younger), but this franchise hasn't let me down yet.

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The Harry Hill Movie (2013)

I saw this a few years ago but I found myself bored on a drizzly Saturday afternoon and thought I'd give it another spin. And wow, I was actually pleasantly surprised. For one, the colour palette is gorgeous; they even somehow managed to get ahold of a suburban street and paint all the housefronts in these lurid, psychedelic colours. The musical numbers are pleasant enough and don't overstay their welcome. There are lots of obviously filled-in bits like the "Dachshund Five", the race of shell people that Harry ends up marrying into, the Godzilla segment with Jim Broadbent in drag, and even the stuff with Matt Lucas as evil twin Otto feels like a last-minute addition that was made when the writers realised they didn't have much of a plot on their hands; and even then, what plot does exist is very thin on the ground to say the least. The film mostly consists of loosely connected vignettes as Harry and his nan (Julie Walters) make their way across the country on a surreal road trip to Blackpool with their sock-puppet hamster Abu, voiced by a punch-drunk Johnny Vegas. The actual comedy value varies from scene to scene, but there are enough titillating zingers to keep the adults' heads above the water while the kids laugh at Harry gurning and gooning around dauntlessly in between exciting set-pieces. Some of the jokes fall flat, like the French fox who is a master of disguise, and a gratuitous scene involving chickens operating gatling guns and throwing grenades, but really for just under an hour and a half of fun, it's little to complain about. I think what really sells this film to me is how much everyone is clearly having a blast making it. It's not like the Nan Movie (2022) where you can tell that no one wanted to be there, not even Catherine Tate herself. This feels a lot less exploitative, cheap and pandering in comparison; there was clearly passion and a vision behind this, despite the "cheap as chips" approach it was always going to end up taking. 

In terms of influences, it has the vibe of Monty Python crossed with a late-stage Carry On film, which of course means it has its questionable moments. There are a few crossdressing jokes that would simply not fly nowadays, as well as some borderline inappropriate sex references (nan complaining about "curlies" in the bed and a scene where two characters are implied to be getting it on under the covers) that push that "PG" rating to its very limit. But really it is a completely harmless movie that will endeavour its best to brighten up your overcast afternoons. 

Thus concludes what is probably the longest stream of text anyone has ever typed up about this movie.

[iank]

Cherry Falls. A small town is plagued by a serial killer targeting virginal teens, prompting the high school brigade to organise their own orgy! Brittany Murphy and Michael Biehn star in this 2000 slasher flick that has gained a cult following since. I recall not thinking much to it at the time, and while I can see why it's better than most of the stuff coming out today. Forgettable but entertaining enough, and Murphy is very cute.

[Cherry Pepsi Maxil]

Apr 29, 2024 21:23:34 GMT iank said:

 Murphy is very cute.

Died quite young sadly.

[iank]

I know, very sad.

[rushy]

I'm so excited to learn that Jeff Bridges will be returning for the new Tron film. I've had my doubts about it (director of Pirates of the Caribbean 5, Jared Leto as the star), but his presence definitely adds a touch of legitimacy. And both him and Cameron Monaghan have praised the imaginative and practical sets, which is a big plus.

I really want this to at least live up to the first two flicks. Tron doesn't have to be a masterpiece, but it should be fun and visually spectacular.

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Professor Branestawm Returns (TV Movie, 2015)

Watching the sequel to 2014's The Incredible Adventures of Professor Branestawm, it has become obvious to me that the villains in these parochial British comedy pieces are always nosy landlords, petty bureaucrats and clipboard-clutching councillors. There is just something that captivates us as a nation about the slow creep toward fascism as seen through the small-time machinations of little Hitlers and Mussolinis. This film, of course, stops short of genuine commentary on the subject matter, though there is a healthy disrespect for traditional authority figures throughout, such as the bumbling bobby who always ends up crashing his bike, the histrionic heiress who can't make up her mind about how to dish out her fortune, and David Mitchell's drab dweeb Harold Haggerstone, who is an entertaining archetype to watch in action, especially when set against the underbaked narrative which sees Connie (Madeline Holliday) becoming disillusioned with Harry Hill's unmoved and distrait Professor Branestawm. It's certainly a weaker fare than its predecessor, the feminist slant having been all but dispensed with, but I think you'd be missing a trick by getting wound up over what is ostensibly a bit of pre-Christmas Dinner festivity (despite the film's summertime setting).

[Deleted]

Unfrosted (2024)

Really listless, insipid "comedy" from the out-of-touch Jerry Seinfeld. It's only 90 minutes long but it's dragging by the 10-minute mark. I guess you'd enjoy this if you like tepid, watered-down humour and anachronistic cultural sight gags.

[iank]

I Start Counting. A teenage girl's everyday life and adolescent crush on her much older (adopted) brother start to go awry when she begins to suspect he might be the serial killer stalking women in her community. A very young Jenny Agutter stars in this early 70s British drama/thriller. Enjoyable enough, though it's a bit more coming of age drama and less thriller than I was hoping for.

[Deleted]

Damn I'm the complete opposite of you lol, I much prefer character drama to cheap thrills

[iank]

Thrills are not cheap, they're very costly.

[Deleted]

A thrill, by definition, is a fleeting moment of excitement or pleasure. That, to me, reads cheap.

[iank]

Tower Block. The remaining residents of a due-for-demolition tower block find themselves under attack from a sniper with a score to settle. Sheridan Smith and Jack O'Connell star in this 2012 British thriller. Been trying to watch this on Shudder for bloody ages but for some reason it was refusing to play. They seem to have finally fixed the issue though so I watched it last night. Not bad.