Movies

Especially the Moore movies. But I think Die Another Day might be the worst one. But maybe this rewatch will change my opinion on some of them.
Moore is who I identified the most as Bond growing up, mostly because he had the longest run and most "modern" Bond at the time I was watching in the early 90s (Timothy Dalton's 2 films would occasionally pop up on TBS/TNT).

That all changed when GoldenEye came out in '95. Roger Moore became the "retro" Bond. And Connery, well, he might as well have been in black and white in my eyes. All I knew from him was The Rock, which I was obsessed with but he was nearing retirement by that point. So I still need to revisit his era.
 
Watched Five Easy Pieces, The Taking the Pelham 1 2 3 and Blue Collar tonight. I enjoyed the first two but it was the least iconic of the three that really blew me away.

Blue Collar was a theamtically rich, 100% timeless masterpiece. For those who haven't seen it, it's Paul Schrader's 1978 directorial debut about three union members who decide to rob the charter safe. Harvey Kartel and Richard Prior are excellent, there's more humor than in most of Paul's films as well as several absolutely riveting sequences.

I'd probably put it at #5 or #6 on that above list which means I obviously think all of you should find a way to watch it.
 
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Watched Five Easy Pieces, The Taking the Pelham 1 2 3 and Blue Collar tonight. I enjoyed the first two but it was the least iconic of the three that really blew me away.

Blue Collar was a theamtically rich, 100% timeless masterpiece. For those who haven't seen it, it's Paul Schrader's 1978 directorial debut about three union members who decide to rob the charter safe. Harvey Kartel and Richard Prior are excellent, there's more humor than in most of Paul's films and there several absolutely riveting sequences.

I'd probably put it at #5 and #6 on that above list which means I obviously think all of you should find a way to watch it.
Blue Collar is such a righteously pissed off movie; it was on Criterion Channel for a bit.
 
If you're not subscribed to Netflix, they've just uploaded Nimona in full to YouTube!

This 3D-animated adaptation of the charming comic almost met its demise after Disney's acquisition of 21st Century Fox and subsequent closure of its subsidiary Blue Sky Studios, but the project got rescued as a Netflix exclusive.

It's not perfect, but it is dang good and really tugs at the heartstrings.

 
Thought i would add the ranking of the theme songs as well.

This one dragged a bit and could probably have been 15 min. shorter.

IMG_7544.jpeg

Rank (Movie):
Goldfinger
From Russia With Love
Dr. No
Thunderball

Rank (Song):
Shirley Bassey - "Goldfinger"
The John Barry Orchestra - "James Bond Theme"
Tom Jones - "Thunderball"
Matt Monro - "From Russia With Love"
 
Thought i would add the ranking of the theme songs as well.

This one dragged a bit and could probably have been 15 min. shorter.

View attachment 195818

Rank (Movie):
Goldfinger
From Russia With Love
Dr. No
Thunderball

Rank (Song):
Shirley Bassey - "Goldfinger"
The John Barry Orchestra - "James Bond Theme"
Tom Jones - "Thunderball"
Matt Monro - "From Russia With Love"
 
Past Lives really is something, huh? Deserves tons of awards.

I really enjoyed it while also not loving it as much as so many others and feeling a bit disappointed because my expectations were so high.

Got to American Fiction last night. Felt a little clusmy in some spots in regards to the family stuff and touch outdated in some of its Hollywood critiques but I also laughed as hard as I have at any film not named Bottoms this year. Fluctuating between a 3.5 and a 4 and would say it's my least favorite of the BP noms without having seen Maestro.

Of note, watched it with my buddy who is black and is about to leave his career as a journalist behind after getting laid off by Business Insider last month. He laughed his ass off too but walked away mostly wanting to read the book.
 
2023 films ranked: overlooked films in bold
(Still need to see Society of Snow, all the docs, Maestro)

*****
1) Killers of the Flower Moon
2) Poor Things
3) Bottoms
4) Return to Seoul

****1/2
5) A Thousand a One
6) The Killer
7) The Iron Claw
8) The Holdovers
9) Asteroid City
10) Zone of Interest

****
11) They Cloned Thyrone
12) Anatomy of a Fall
13) Past Lives
14) Oppenheimer
15) Dream Scenario
16) May December
17) Barbie
18) How to Blow Up a Pipeline
19) TMNT: Mutant Mayhem
20) Blackberry
21) Spiderman: Across the Universe (brilliant in spots but the 3rd act is hurt by 2nd film syndrome)
22) No Hard Feelings
23) American Fiction

***1/2
24) Sick of Myself
25) Saltburn
26) Air
27) Freemont
28) Monster
29) Infinity Pool
30) Dungeons and Dragons
31) M3gan
32) Talk to Me
33) The Night of the 12th
34) Godzilla Minus 1

***
35) The Civil Undead
36) Pricilla
37) Beau is Afraid
38) Leave the World Behind
39) Joyride
40) The Creator
41) Dumb Money

**1/2
42) Showing Up (I'm always in the minority with Kelly's films)
43) The Adults
44) The Mario Movie
 
I really enjoyed it while also not loving it as much as so many others and feeling a bit disappointed because my expectations were so high.
It really resonated with me as someone who eschew's nostalgia and was "someone who leaves" to others growing up. I loved that it didn't fall into the tropey trappings of Hollywood romance/drama and, even further, ran counter to them.
 
I really enjoyed it while also not loving it as much as so many others and feeling a bit disappointed because my expectations were so high.

Got to American Fiction last night. Felt a little clusmy in some spots in regards to the family stuff and touch outdated in some of its Hollywood critiques but I also laughed as hard as I have at any film not named Bottoms this year. Fluctuating between a 3.5 and a 4 and would say it's my least favorite of the BP noms without having seen Maestro.

Of note, watched it with my buddy who is black and is about to leave his career as a journalist behind after getting laid off by Business Insider last month. He laughed his ass off too but walked away mostly wanting to read the book.
I knew to expect this based on critics/letterboxd, but I think it's funny that a movie that markets itself 100% off racial satire is like 70% not about that at all. Which worked for me; I was actually not excited for two hours of what felt like a one-joke premise. The marketing fit into that theme: frontload your work with what people expect, and you'll get butts in seats. But its pleasures came in a similar way I felt with The Holdovers; it was nice to watch a movie that was just about people.
 
It really resonated with me as someone who eschew's nostalgia and was "someone who leaves" to others growing up. I loved that it didn't fall into the tropey trappings of Hollywood romance/drama and, even further, ran counter to them.

All fair. I think that, as somebody who worships the Before Trilogy and had just watched Return to Seoul, I couldn't help compare to them while watching... perhaps to Past Lives detriment. I'm also 36 and still single because of being the type who was shy (without realizing I was good looking while young), worked crazy hours in my 20's and now is only willing to get into a relationship if it seems really compatible. So despite re-igniting a fling with an ex-from college (after she got divorced) who was kind of the one who got away in my head last year... I don't have the ability to directly relate to the film.

But as seen by the list above-- I still really liked it. It was a very strong year for movies.
 
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Was in the mood for some sci-fi junk. Figured Rebel Moon would deliver that in spades, and I was right (extra emphasis on the junk factor). I feel bad for anyone who went into it with any degree of expectation on release. What a baffling mess! Total waste of Bae Doona and Djimon Hounsou. Their time on screen was fine, but the introductions and establishment of their characters is nonexistent.
 
While taking the youngest daughter (13) to the school bus, she played If You Leave by OMD which got us talking about other John Hughes films she hasn't seen yet. The wife is very opposed to watching Sixteen Candles as the humor in it hasn't aged well. So that got us thinking about other Hughes films the kids haven't seen yet. Which led to us watching this. I'll argue this is his most mature film to date. I don't think my heart died but it is funny how this movie hits a little differently as a parent. 3 out of 4 felt Ally Sheedy was better before the makeover.

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Tonight I have a man date with 2 of my buddies. We're going to go see Madame Web because I really wanted to see possibly the worst Marvel adjacent movie ever made. I'm expecting great and terrible things. Beer will be consumed before and during.
 
While taking the youngest daughter (13) to the school bus, she played If You Leave by OMD which got us talking about other John Hughes films she hasn't seen yet. The wife is very opposed to watching Sixteen Candles as the humor in it hasn't aged well. So that got us thinking about other Hughes films the kids haven't seen yet. Which led to us watching this. I'll argue this is his most mature film to date. I don't think my heart died but it is funny how this movie hits a little differently as a parent. 3 out of 4 felt Ally Sheedy was better before the makeover.

images



Tonight I have a man date with 2 of my buddies. We're going to go see Madame Web because I really wanted to see possibly the worst Marvel adjacent movie ever made. I'm expecting great and terrible things. Beer will be consumed before and during.
I just listened to “The Watch” Podcast where they talked about Madame Web and it sounds like a beautiful disaster.
 
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