Movie Record 2022 Edition - The Bear and Badger

Moot_Geeza

Just did a 'no way is Drive 20yrs old OMG', then realised it isn't.

davyK

Eek. Fixed!

Cos

48. Dolemite is My Name
An interesting story I knew nothing about with great performances from Murphy and Wesley Snipes. Felt a bit slow in the middle but thankfully picked up again towards the end. Nothing special but perfectly entertaining. [6]

49. Boiling Point (1990)
Possibly the oddest Takeshi Kitano film I've seen so far. There are some good laughs throughout but there's minimal plot and dialogue so found it difficult to engage at times. It goes off on a crazy tangent in the final third and overall felt a bit too 'loose'. The type of film might be more interesting to analyse than enjoy. [5]

50. High Life
Slow paced, thoughtful sci-fi. Adored pretty much everything about this, particularly the aesthetic and soundtrack. Pattinson really is a fine actor, well supported by Binoche and others here but it's his film at heart. One of those films I'm looking forward to rewatching and will be telling anyone who'll listen to check it out. [9]

hylian_elf

Cos wrote:

50. High Life Slow paced, thoughtful sci-fi. Adored pretty much everything about this, particularly the aesthetic and soundtrack. Pattinson really is a fine actor, well supported by Binoche and others here but it's his film at heart. One of those films I'm looking forward to rewatching and will be telling anyone who'll listen to check it out. [9]

Sounds good. I'll check it out.

hylian_elf

23. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness - 8/5
A bit 'all over the place' but still fun. Quite graphic and disturbing with horror elements, even for a 12A. Glad it was 'only' 2 hours.
[6]

ShabbyMcCrabby

hylian_elf wrote:

Cos wrote:

50. High Life Slow paced, thoughtful sci-fi. Adored pretty much everything about this, particularly the aesthetic and soundtrack. Pattinson really is a fine actor, well supported by Binoche and others here but it's his film at heart. One of those films I'm looking forward to rewatching and will be telling anyone who'll listen to check it out. [9]

Sounds good. I'll check it out.

You liked it because of the

Spoiler:

didn't you

Cos

Heh. It didn't hurt.

Paul the sparky

I've not heard of that before

Cos

51. The Equalizer 2
Too long, lazy writing and barely coherent. There is so much crammed into this film yet barely any of it is interesting or relevant to what little plot there is. Feels like the merging of ideas from several scripts. Denzel is watchable as ever but even he's sleepwalking through this one. Avoid. [3]

52. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
A lot going on in this, almost to the point of excess at times but overall it was thoroughly enjoyable. The multiverse stuff was generally pretty well executed, set pieces didn't disappoint (a couple of really strong sequences) and the uber-nerd in me loved all the little references. Run time could've been trimmed a bit, though stops short of feeling overlong. The level of violence/creepiness was unexpected and definitely wouldn't recommend for kids. It does seem they let Raimi do his thing - spotting some of his trademark touches throughout was fun. Not top tier marvel but another impressive entry. [7]

Spoiler:

hylian_elf

I liked the little jingle tune when whatsisface turned up.

Cos

Yeah, that was a nice touch.

Spoiler:

hylian_elf

Yep I liked that.

Gremill

I've been wanting to see The High Life for ages.

Gremill

36. In Bruges
Just brilliant. Colin Farrell is absolutely superb in this, but then so is Brendan Gleason and Ralph Fiennes. Fiennes in particular is so fucking menacing, he's up there with Don Logan as people that you wouldn't ever want to have a conversation with. Amazingly funny and, because of the cast, very poignant too. 9

Cos

I bloody love that film.

‘You’re an inanimate fucking object!’

hylian_elf

Due a rewatch. Love it.

davyK

Taxi (1998)

Nice driving but paper thin plot and ropey acting. I expected more from Besson. I dread to think what the remake is like. Poor.

Moot_Geeza

It's no A Taxi Driver.

Cos

davyK wrote:

Taxi (1998) Nice driving but paper thin plot and ropey acting. I expected more from Besson. I dread to think what the remake is like. Poor.

That's a shame. Had a soft spot for it but haven't seen it in 20 years or so.

The remake is, as expected, complete shite.

davyK

Cos wrote:

Taxi (1998) Nice driving but paper thin plot and ropey acting. I expected more from Besson. I dread to think what the remake is like. Poor.

That's a shame. Had a soft spot for it but haven't seen it in 20 years or so. The remake is, as expected, complete shite.

It's OK. I suppose at the time it would have gone down better. But even the car stunts have a real contrived look to them with A-Team style car rolls etc.

Had the two male leads been better at doing the buddy thing it would have made it a great deal better. But Hollywood is so very good at that it makes others' attempts at it look watered down.

davyK

Moot_Geeza wrote:

It's no A Taxi Driver.

gnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn

Cos

53. Drive My Car
A leisurely paced but engrossing drama about a theatre actor/director dealing with the death of his wife. I'd heard positive reviews of this and it really didn't disappoint. I was surprised to see the 3 hour run time when I started it but pretty much every minute is well used and it never felt like a slog. The intimate view of the characters' lives is as gripping as any thriller at points, with the growing bond between driver and passenger revealing more about their history and motivations. Elements of Murkami's short story are clear but have been well expanded upon to deliver an exceptional film. [9]

davyK

Enough with car capers!

davyK

Night of the Hunter No-one does bad bastard the way Robert Mitchum did it. His turn in Cape Fear was far more realistic and threatening than DeNiro's cartoon baddy of the remake. He does a realistic predator here too but there's a cowardly streak portrayed too which makes him all the more horrific...even though it's at times played for comedy - like a jackal waiting his chance but quick to high tail it when there's a challenge.

There's almost Home Alone-esque sections too with the kids' making their getaway from him but this is no comedy.

Beautifully and at times stylistically shot - it's a pity Charles Laughton was put off directing by its box office failure as he would have gone on to do really interesting stuff going by the way this was made. I can see why it didn't do well at the time - even now it comes across as an odd film - it puts the viewer on the back foot. It just feels a bit weird. Considered a classic and rightly so but Mitchum is the star on show here with his iconic "LOVE" "HATE" finger adornment.

tin_robot

davyK wrote:

Night of the Hunter No-one does bad bastard the way Robert Mitchum did it. His turn in Cape Fear was far more realistic and threatening than DeNiro's cartoon baddy of the remake. He does a realistic predator here too but there's a cowardly streak portrayed too which makes him all the more horrific...even though it's at times played for comedy - like a jackal waiting his chance but quick to high tail it when there's a challenge. There's almost Home Alone-esque sections too with the kids' making their getaway from him but this is no comedy. Beautifully and at times stylistically shot - it's a pity Charles Laughton was put off directing by its box office failure as he would have gone on to do really interesting stuff going by the way this was made. I can see why it didn't do well at the time - even now it comes across as an odd film - it puts the viewer on the back foot. It just feels a bit weird. Considered a classic and rightly so but Mitchum is the star on show here with his iconic "LOVE" "HATE" finger adornment.

I love Night of the Hunter, I think it's extraordinary, and still pretty unique.

As you say, it's a weird film - you have this central performance of brilliant malevolence from Robert Mitchum - but it takes a sharp left turn into a dreamlike fairytale. It was, as you say, a critical and commercial flop at the time. It's a disorientating, contradictory film - a movie which warns of the perils of trusting those who use religion to justify their deeds, yet offers salvation in the form of a Bible studying old lady.

I guess it turns out there's a reason why no-one else had tried to make an expressionistic horror comedy. I imagine it's probably one of the most influential flops of all time - the Love/Hate knuckles, and the speech that accompany them, being almost certainly more famous than the film itself.

But yeah, a great film - Mitchum's performance, that weird boat ride, the shot of Shelley Winters in the car...

"Well now, what's it to be Lord? Another widow?"

davyK

As much as Mitchum is famous , I believe him under-rated. He could do threat like no-one else but he also played the cuckolded schoolmaster in Ryan's Daughter to great effect.

Cos

54. Oslo, August 31st
A day in the life of a recovering addict on release from his rehab programme. The film follows as he meets old friends, attends a job interview and wrestles with what's next in his life. I loved the minimalist nature of this, one of those films where interactions feel very natural and the camera lingers on aspects of everyday life. It has a bleak vibe but hinting at hope and certainly carries an air of authenticity. Powerful stuff. [8]

ShabbyMcCrabby

54. Tale of Two Sisters
I'm guessing this landed better when it first came out and before The Sixth Sense copies drove this concept into the ground. I found it to be dull and obvious and the scares to be bland and cheap. Sorry not sorry.
[3]

55. The Sacrament
Had a lot of fun with this found footage cult movie movie from Ti West. I liked the central conceit and apart from some loose execution of the found footage side it was quite effective throughout.
[7]

Moot_Geeza

Haven't seen it since it first hit dvd but I really liked A Tale of Two Sisters. Will dodge a rewatch then, just in case.

ShabbyMcCrabby

Tbh I was surprised I didn't like it because it is so we'll regarded. I have a feeling I'd be in the "like it" camp if I'd watched it back in the Eastern Eye/Tartan/Asia Extreme DVD days

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