The Road Home 1999 made in China
The Right Stuff.
for the 2nd time.
1. as usual, the book is better.
2. some fake Hollywood drama thrown in.
3. ok movie, but fast-forward is your friend.
Watched Dredd (2012) although I have read very few Judge Dredd comics in my lifetime.
It looks low budget even though the budget was $45m. The film takes place in one building and the actors are relative unknowns. For comparison Chappie (2015), also shot in South Africa, had a budget of $49m. I wonder if they could have done more films had they gone properly low budget.
Captures the feel of the comic better than what I remember of the Stallone Dredd film.
Doesn’t have a bloated runtime which helps with the lack of variety in the shooting location. Recommended for fans of the comic, the more familiar you are the more you might appreciate this adaptation.
I notice that The Critical Drinker has a review
I got a hold of Platoon on Bluray, last time I saw it may have been 15 or more years ago. In the “YouTube” era there’s so much extra analysis to go along with films these days. I think I learned of Oliver Stone through IMDB back in the day. Never saw Platoon until I rented it myself as an adult, but that poster image is one that’s hard to forget once you saw it on VHS store shelves.
Platoon goes for realism concerning a very dramatic time and place. I can see why it was a “sleeper hit”. The audiences were in for a film with a lot of substance and a big impact even if it was a low budget film with (at the time) unknown actors.
To me the idea of a war in Vietnam is increasingly bizarre as time goes on, given that Vietnam is now a tropical tourist destination that manufactures electronics, and their food is popular in the west. But then Eisenhower did warn about the dangers of a “military industrial complex”. Sad that the Australian government sent troops over there…
Nobody (2021)
An excellent movie with Bob Odenkirk (of Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul fame). I highly recommend it.
Begin Again (2013)
A chance encounter between a down-and-out music-business executive and a young singer-songwriter, new to Manhattan, turns into a promising collaboration between the two talents.
A really good movie about music, family, parentship, and managing talent in New York City.
Iceberg Slim.
1. the book, Pimp: The Story of My Life, is a magnitude better.
2. which is the only reason i watched the whole movie.
3. essentially, it is a bunch of people talking about IS.
but, this was all started by Dave Chappell….
Bliss (2019) might be OK if you are really into gory horror movies, but it is not very good.
I saw Better Watch Out (2016).
[One of my favorite movies of all time.]
I love this movie.
The acting is excellent, as is the script.
The music is very good.
The movie is a little slow for my taste, but I say that about most movies.
This film is quite entertaining, and it's not your average horror flick.
The way the movie ends is just perfect.
I really enjoy when a movie has a strong ending, like this movie does.
If you like horror movies, then be sure to check this one out.
Friends with benefits
rom/com with Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake
Decent enough, even though it isn’t a very funny movie.
Ha! Srdjan Todorovic is in there (“Srpski Film”)!
Return of the Hero. (Le retour du héros)
French with subtitles.
A delightful light rom-com. Dujardin is in his swashbuckling prime and Laurent shines with sparkling intelligence.
“Comedic French period piece set in 1809 France about an accidentally over-praised soldier, starring Oscar winner Jean Dujardin (The Artist) and Mélanie Laurent (Inglourious Basterds).”
Kung Fu Hustle
This came around on a late night movie.
Perhaps the finest Kung Fu comedy movie of all time.
If you even sorta like Kung Fu movies, this is a must see.
I may have mentioned before. But it’s worth seeking out.
All the Best,
Jeff
Lovelace
The story of Linda Lovelace, who is used and abused by the porn industry at the behest of her coercive husband before taking control of her life.
somewhat watchable movie, not my favorite but not a plot I had seen before.
since Kung Fu was mentioned…
this is the one that makes me laugh.
here are some high (?) lights:
I saw The Endless (2017).
This movie is pretty good.
I didn't recognize any of the actors or actresses, but the acting is extremely good.
The music is also amazing.
I wouldn't say that it is all style, no substance.
Instead I would say that it is mostly style, with some substance.
(If it had more substance to it, I would enjoy the movie even more.)
The atmosphere of the film is really thick and creepy.
It's a strange and trippy movie, but at least it made sense in the end.
Ach… I got a copy but haven’t watched it yet. Definitely sounded good.
1984 
!
!
1984: I saw that and thought it was well done, but it depressed me for days. John Hurt was one of the best actors ever. Wasn’t that Richard Burton’s final film appearance?