What Movies Are You Watching Lately

[noob in 89]

#98 POLICE ACADEMY (1984)

I sit here on my phone typing these tiny pretend keys at a total loss for what to say about this film. Just so we’re clear, is there anyone who hasn’t seen it? That would be a minor tragedy. This film is as familiar as breathing.

When the mayor lifts restrictions on who can become a police officer — the old, the fat, the...women(?) — there is a surge of new applicants, and hilarity ensues. At least, I think it does. The archetypal characters (the sarcastic misfit, the gun-loving tough guy, the fat guy) are pretty one-note, but they hit that one note well — well enough to have made this movie into a 145 million international success.

If there is any justice or sanity in this world, people will still be quoting it for decades to come.

Most of the franchise is currently available on Netflix.


Early Me: 10
Current Me: 9

 

[Texasmade]

Saw the new Shaft movie. They had original Shaft, Sam L Jackson Shaft, and some other dude as the grandson Shaft. I can’t believe that Sam L is only like 6 years younger than Roundtree but Roundtree looks 20 years older.

 

[Journeyman]

#98 POLICE ACADEMY (1984)

If there is any justice or sanity in this world, people will still be quoting it for decades to come.

Police Academy, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, and Airplane! (Flying High, as it was also called) were my favourite movies for a few years in high school, with the Kentucky Fried Movie close behind. Naked Gun was great, too.

 

[noob in 89]

#97 SCANNERS (1981)

Scanners! A timely movie that examines every thirteen year-old’s preoccupation: what would happen if one dangerous telepath were to battle another — telepathically? The answer, we’re soon shown, is a little fire, a lot of blood, and one famously exploded head. Michael Ironside stars as Revok, a bad guy with a totally plausible surname who delights in killing people with his mind and not having a job. He’s pursued by Clarence (source needed), a befuddled-looking man duped by an evil corporation into doing their bidding. Clarence has sort of just learned he’s telepathic, too, and is eager to flex nuts on all who oppose him, and some who don’t. Their confrontations become increasingly bloody, which, in the film’s lonely plus column, can be very unnerving, as this was pre-cgi. That gore you’re seeing is real, man! (Sort of).

If all this sounds Canadian, that’s because it is. It’s an early Cronenberg movie, which should tell you all you need to know. But what it lacks in cool haircuts, new wave music and ******* is almost made up for in stoner conceits (telepaths are like early human wi-fi) and inventive effects.


Early me: “Let’s just watch until that dude’s head explodes.”

Current Me: “Can you believe this guy eventually made Dead Ringers?”

 

[Van Veen]

Marriage Story.

Watched this one in the daytime so we had time to recover. Overall a solid movie, but I hated the score. It seemed so out of place. I think that was the point, but I still hated it. (Not surprised to find out it was Randy Newman. He did a better job scoring Star Wars.) Watching this movie without knowing much about it, it seemed so obviously autobiographical. It seemed to come from a deep-seated hatred of divorce lawyers, and a weird combination of self-loathing and defensiveness. Well, I am not surprised to find out that Baumbach was married to Jennifer Jason Leigh (Hollywood actress whose career fizzled a bit, and was known for a teen movie where she showed her ****), they met while she was starring in a play on Broadway, had a son, and had a divorce that took 2-3 years to settle. But "Marriage Story is not about my marriage in any way." Okay, buddy.

 

[beargonefishing]

Whoever mixed the sound for uncut gems deserves a smack in the face and an ordrer of deportation to a prison colony in outer space.

 

[noob in 89]

Jennifer Jason Leigh (Hollywood actress whose career fizzled a bit, and was known for a teen movie where she showed her ****)

Ouch. That’s a pretty uncharitable take on Leigh, who’s a good actress.

Having been a fan of Baumbach’s since his silliest first movies in the 90s, I can believe Marriage Story isn’t a 1:1 to his own life. He’s had an interesting career. His father was a pretty solid novelist known mostly by other writers, and he’s gotten some good material from that (Squid & the Whale), though maybe obliquely. Anyway, I haven’t seen Marriage Story yet but I kind of wish he’d get back to some comedy again...

 

[venessian]

Michael Pena is great in every movie he's in.

I agreed with this (and still generally do) when beargonefishing posted, but I watched

on Netflix the other night.

Hmmmmm....

Pena is OK, Skarsgard a bit less so (more one-dimensional) but the direction and dialogue (and the overall concept) are just far too cute and hack beyond words. It devolves into pretentious pseudo-intellectual "wit" right at the very outset (literally the first line) and then just rides that sled all the way down hill until it flames out and crashes. Ugh.

1.25/5.

 

[beargonefishing]

I agreed with this (and still generally do) when beargonefishing posted, but I watched

on Netflix the other night.

Hmmmmm....

Pena is OK, Skarsgard a bit less so (more one-dimensional) but the direction and dialogue (and the overall concept) are just far too cute and hack beyond words. It devolves into pretentious pseudo-intellectual "wit" right at the very outset (literally the first line) and then just rides that sled all the way down hill until it flames out and crashes. Ugh.

1.25/5.

That movie wasn't good.

 

[Van Veen]

Ouch. That’s a pretty uncharitable take on Leigh, who’s a good actress.

Having been a fan of Baumbach’s since his silliest first movies in the 90s, I can believe Marriage Story isn’t a 1:1 to his own life. He’s had an interesting career. His father was a pretty solid novelist known mostly by other writers, and he’s gotten some good material from that (Squid & the Whale), though maybe obliquely. Anyway, I haven’t seen Marriage Story yet but I kind of wish he’d get back to some comedy again...

I’m not saying it’s 1:1 to his own life, but obvious parallels are obvious. I know JJL is know for more than showing her **** in “fast times” but if you watch the movie I think you’d get what I’m saying. I don’t want to say any more so I don’t spoil it.

 

[budapest12]

Ouch. That’s a pretty uncharitable take on Leigh, who’s a good actress.

Having been a fan of Baumbach’s since his silliest first movies in the 90s, I can believe Marriage Story isn’t a 1:1 to his own life. He’s had an interesting career. His father was a pretty solid novelist known mostly by other writers, and he’s gotten some good material from that (Squid & the Whale), though maybe obliquely. Anyway, I haven’t seen Marriage Story yet but I kind of wish he’d get back to some comedy again...

Kicking and Screaming. Seen it too many times to count.

 

[Texasmade]

I’m not saying it’s 1:1 to his own life, but obvious parallels are obvious. I know JJL is know for more than showing her **** in “fast times” but if you watch the movie I think you’d get what I’m saying. I don’t want to say any more so I don’t spoil it.

You give her too little credit. She was also nude in several other movies of which I can’t remember.

 

[noob in 89]

#96 FROM THE HIP (1987)

Sometimes I feel like I’m on the crap end of a bad Dorian Gray deal, in which year by year, I get older, while the image of Judd Nelson on the VHS in my basement will remain, annoyingly, forever young — firm of body, fluorescent of skin, a full head of hair in perpetual tousle. And I tell you: it sucks. But it is not this injustice From The Hip seeks to explore, or any really. It merely aims to entertain you with its tale of that particularly 80s hero, the buttoned-up rebel. In this case, it’s Judd Nelson as Robin “Stormy” Weathers, a first-year lawyer fighting to be noticed in a stodgy Boston firm. After some unusual antics land him in the spotlight, he’s given the chance to defend a high profile client (a stiffly British John Hurt) accused of murder. Roger Ebert didn’t like it, but it’s a pretty solid film from the guy who would go on to create an entire parallel Boston universe with Ally McBeal, Boston Legal, and many other shows. It’s got a little bit of everything: a fun Judd Nelson in full sarcastic swagger, a support staff that includes Pee Wee from Porky’s and David Alan Grier, and then some weightier drama when John Hurt enters the scene.


Early Me: 7
Current Me: 7

 

[Gus]

Watched Jojo Rabbit last night. Seems like they were trying and failed to be a Tarantino or something. Pathetic. I don't see how they ever got Scarlett Johansson. People calling it a heartwarming twisted satire.....um, yeah, sure, whatever you say.

 

[imatlas]

I really liked this. It doesn’t exactly break new ground, but it covers familiar territory with new intensity. I think I prefer this to the original Wicker Man - will need to rewatch that to decide.

Shockingly gory at a couple of spots, with very realistic practical effects. I particularly admired cinematography - powerful use of color and light.

4.5 out of 5 stars.