Miscellaneous Movie Musings - Page 389

Alex · 11-12-2008, 02:52 PM

Ooh, a reminder that sometimes I did talk about things not directly involving gay people.

Recently (last two weeks) I've watched:
Suddenly, Last Summer (1959) - Maybe it was just trying to be arty with the subject but the prancing around the homosexuality (DAMN IT! GAY PEOPLE!) of the central but not present character felt really old fashioned. Good monologues and some witty writing but didn't do much for me. For some reason I just can't buy Montgomery Clift in any role indicating great intelligence.

Madagascar (2005) - Had to watch it so I could review the sequel. Way too much emphasis on movie spoofs but some good laughs mixed in with the crap.

Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (2008) - Actually a bit better than the first. Less moving spoofing, more time with the funny penguins and lemur. My MousePlanet review here.

Mad Max (1979) - I was sure I'd seen this before but it turns out I hadn't. All of my memories of it must be from Road Warrior. Anyway, it is a crap movie.

Cactus Flower (1969) - I wish someone had told me sooner that there exists a romantic comedy coupling Walter Matthau with Ingrid Berman (and at one point she does the bugaloo) so I wouldn't have waited 34 years to see it. It is not a great film and I don't know how Goldie Hawn got her Oscar out of it, but there are some great lines and I always love Matthau.

30 Days of Night (2007) - For a cheesy vampire horror movie it wasn't bad. The timeline involved made no sense (or the vampires were much more incompetent than they were made to appear for reasons not explained). There should be a creepy Ben Foster in every movie. Yes, every movie.

Fahrenheit 451 (1966) - The best of the spate of bad science fiction cult classics from the '70s I've watched recently. Maintained the essence of the book without needing to be a slave to it (someone is working on a new version and I am not looking forward to a visualization of the Mechanical Hound). Plus it all looks super goofy.

Lord of War (2005) - Nicolas Cage in the least annoying performance in quite a while. "Based on true events" story of a gun runner. Nothing worth remembering, nothing worth deriding.

Ghoulish Delight · 11-12-2008, 02:52 PM

This just made my day!

Alex · 11-12-2008, 02:57 PM

I'm simultaneously happy and full of dread.

Ghoulish Delight · 11-12-2008, 03:01 PM

Yes, always the chance they'll mangle it after the time away from it and in expanding it to feature format. The thing it has going in favor of it is that it was in many ways produced like a film anyway (a bit of a fatal flaw making it an expensive tv show to make), so it won't be a huge leap to the big screen.

Deebs · 11-12-2008, 03:46 PM

OK, so I watched Hairspray with my daughter last night. Not the good one, the new one. Well, new to me, as I am years behind watching films on DVD that I meant to see in the theater but never did.

Was John Travolta channeling Cher, or what? I'd assume someone has made this observation before, it is just such an obvious comparison.

My girl loved it, but I told her she needs to see the John Waters version. It's been years since I've seen it, but yeah. I really wanted to like the new one. It wasn't bad, I guess. But Divine > John Travolta.

innerSpaceman · 11-12-2008, 04:22 PM

The old Hairspray hasn't aged all that well, but I still think it's awesome ... and the pair is one of the rare movies and remakes where both are good.

Alex is dead wrong about Mad Max. It's terrific. Not nearly as good as its sequel, also quite the rare switcheroo.

Eliza Hodgkins 1812 · 11-12-2008, 05:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by innerSpaceman

Alex is dead wrong about Mad Max. It's terrific. Not nearly as good as its sequel, also quite the rare switcheroo.

Ditto.

Alex · 11-12-2008, 06:42 PM

I fail to see what was potentially terrific about it. Here's the plot:

Boring
Boring
Some action
Boring
Some action
Action ends, fortunately considering the aforementioned action was boringly paced
Boring
Boring
Boring
Boring and brooding
Some action
Boring
Boring
Boring
Boring
Boring
Boring
The entire movie wraps up with 4 minutes of action which is refreshing in its understatedness compared to today's flash and overblown sequences but still doesn't reward the preceding plot of boring.

Morrigoon · 11-12-2008, 07:24 PM

I wanna see The Duchess. I finished reading the book (a very academic biography, but the subject was a fascinating character). Is it even still playing?

Not Afraid · 11-12-2008, 08:13 PM

I really like Mad Max. i saw both films back to back and they were a revelation at the time.

I will not take a dismissal of Suddenly last Summer from ANYONE. I adore that film. (And, one of my alter ego names comes from the film).

11-12-2008, 02:52 PM	#3881
Alex . Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 13,354	Ooh, a reminder that sometimes I did talk about things not directly involving gay people. Recently (last two weeks) I've watched: *Suddenly, Last Summer* (1959) - Maybe it was just trying to be arty with the subject but the prancing around the homosexuality (DAMN IT! GAY PEOPLE!) of the central but not present character felt really old fashioned. Good monologues and some witty writing but didn't do much for me. For some reason I just can't buy Montgomery Clift in any role indicating great intelligence. Madagascar (2005) - Had to watch it so I could review the sequel. Way too much emphasis on movie spoofs but some good laughs mixed in with the crap. *Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa* (2008) - Actually a bit better than the first. Less moving spoofing, more time with the funny penguins and lemur. My MousePlanet review here. Mad Max (1979) - I was sure I'd seen this before but it turns out I hadn't. All of my memories of it must be from Road Warrior. Anyway, it is a crap movie. Cactus Flower (1969) - I wish someone had told me sooner that there exists a romantic comedy coupling Walter Matthau with Ingrid Berman (and at one point she does the bugaloo) so I wouldn't have waited 34 years to see it. It is not a great film and I don't know how Goldie Hawn got her Oscar out of it, but there are some great lines and I always love Matthau. *30 Days of Night* (2007) - For a cheesy vampire horror movie it wasn't bad. The timeline involved made no sense (or the vampires were much more incompetent than they were made to appear for reasons not explained). There should be a creepy Ben Foster in every movie. Yes, every movie. Fahrenheit 451 (1966) - The best of the spate of bad science fiction cult classics from the '70s I've watched recently. Maintained the essence of the book without needing to be a slave to it (someone is working on a new version and I am not looking forward to a visualization of the Mechanical Hound). Plus it all looks super goofy. *Lord of War* (2005) - Nicolas Cage in the least annoying performance in quite a while. "Based on true events" story of a gun runner. Nothing worth remembering, nothing worth deriding.
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11-12-2008, 02:52 PM	#3882
Ghoulish Delight I Floop the Pig Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Alternative Swankstyle Posts: 19,348	This just made my day! __________________ 'He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me.' -TJ
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11-12-2008, 02:57 PM	#3883
Alex . Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 13,354	I'm simultaneously happy and full of dread.
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11-12-2008, 03:01 PM	#3884
Ghoulish Delight I Floop the Pig Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Alternative Swankstyle Posts: 19,348	Yes, always the chance they'll mangle it after the time away from it and in expanding it to feature format. The thing it has going in favor of it is that it was in many ways produced like a film anyway (a bit of a fatal flaw making it an expensive tv show to make), so it won't be a huge leap to the big screen. __________________ 'He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me.' -TJ
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11-12-2008, 03:46 PM	#3885
Deebs ... Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 961	OK, so I watched Hairspray with my daughter last night. Not the good one, the new one. Well, new to me, as I am years behind watching films on DVD that I meant to see in the theater but never did. Was John Travolta channeling Cher, or what? I'd assume someone has made this observation before, it is just such an obvious comparison. My girl loved it, but I told her she needs to see the John Waters version. It's been years since I've seen it, but yeah. I really wanted to like the new one. It wasn't bad, I guess. But Divine > John Travolta.
	Submit to Quotes

11-12-2008, 04:22 PM	#3886
innerSpaceman Kink of Swank Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Inner Space Posts: 13,075	The old Hairspray hasn't aged all that well, but I still think it's awesome ... and the pair is one of the rare movies and remakes where both are good. Alex is dead wrong about Mad Max. It's terrific. Not nearly as good as its sequel, also quite the rare switcheroo.
	Submit to Quotes

11-12-2008, 06:42 PM	#3888
Alex . Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 13,354	I fail to see what was potentially terrific about it. Here's the plot: Boring Boring Some action Boring Some action Action ends, fortunately considering the aforementioned action was boringly paced Boring Boring Boring Boring and brooding Some action Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring The entire movie wraps up with 4 minutes of action which is refreshing in its understatedness compared to today's flash and overblown sequences but still doesn't reward the preceding plot of boring.
	Submit to Quotes

11-12-2008, 07:24 PM	#3889
Morrigoon I throw stones at houses Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Location: Location Posts: 9,534	I wanna see The Duchess. I finished reading the book (a very academic biography, but the subject was a fascinating character). Is it even still playing? __________________ http://bash.org/?top "It is useless for sheep to pass a resolution in favor of vegetarianism while wolves remain of a different opinion." -- William Randolph Inge
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11-12-2008, 08:13 PM	#3890
Not Afraid HI! Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 17,108	I really like Mad Max. i saw both films back to back and they were a revelation at the time. I will not take a dismissal of Suddenly last Summer from ANYONE. I adore that film. (And, one of my alter ego names comes from the film).
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