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BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA
(1986, Carpenter)
(1986, Carpenter)
"I'm a reasonable guy. But, I've just experienced some very unreasonable things."
Big Trouble in Little China follows trucker Jack Burton (Jack Russell) as he tries to help his friend Wang Chi (Dennis Dun) rescue his fiancée from an underworld gang led by an evil sorcerer named Lo Pan (James Hong). Joining them in this journey full of unreasonable things is an assorted group of allies, which include Wang's businessman friend, a friend of Wang's fiancée, and an old magician.
This is a film I'm pretty sure I saw a couple of times when I was a teen. However, for some reason, it had been easily 25-30 years since I last saw it; which is a shame cause the film is a ton of fun. Even if things doesn't make much sense and seem "unreasonable", like Lo Pan himself said, we are "not brought upon this world to get it!". Especially since the film is carried by Russell's charisma and the great chemistry between the cast, as well as the fantastic setpieces and colorful villains.
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Full review on my Movie Loot
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5th Rewatch...This lavishly prodfuced but long and lumbering musical was definitely a departure for director Martm Scorses that, for the most part, audiences stayed away from in droves, but for hardcore Minnelli and DeNiro fans, there is a lot to like here.
Last edited by Gideon58; 07-11-24 at 03:04 PM.
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Oh, Susanna, 1936
While on a train, Gene Autry (as himself) is accosted by the villainous Wolf Benson (Boothe Howard), who trades outfits with the singing cowboy and throws him off of the train. Arrested as Wolf, Autry must find a way to escape the hangman’s rope, with the help of friends Frog (Smiley Burnette) and Ezeckial (Earle Hodgins).
The substance of the film is pretty much all in the musical numbers, which are all perfectly fine, and in the case of the bicycle number pretty funny. This is nothing grand, but it’s sweet and unpretentious.
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Invincible (2001)
Semi-factual drama by Werner Herzog (though the timelines are well off), of Zishe Breitbart, a Polish Jewish strongman. He goes to Berlin and is manipulated by the con-man Hanussen to first start out as an Aryan spectacle of strength in his mystical cabaret show (best scenes of the film) and then as "Samson" when he announces his Judaism. This is entertaining and both (separate) stories of the protagonists are just as interesting in real life. I can forgive Herzog because he melds both stories together and never claimed it was the truth (the wily old fox).
Semi-factual drama by Werner Herzog (though the timelines are well off), of Zishe Breitbart, a Polish Jewish strongman. He goes to Berlin and is manipulated by the con-man Hanussen to first start out as an Aryan spectacle of strength in his mystical cabaret show (best scenes of the film) and then as "Samson" when he announces his Judaism. This is entertaining and both (separate) stories of the protagonists are just as interesting in real life. I can forgive Herzog because he melds both stories together and never claimed it was the truth (the wily old fox).
Robot Monster
There's not a lot that can be said for a sci-fi movie where the main monster is a gorilla with a diving helmet!
A real curio from the 1950s, it deserves to be seen in 3D, even if the 3D really isn't all that great (and of course there's no 3D effects at all in the dinosaur footage borrowed from some other movie).
The Man Who Wasn't There (1983)
Somebody should have told the producers the only thing that's invisible in this comedy is... the comedy.
This Steve Guttenberg vehicle is definitely among the very worst of the early-80s 3D fad, and perhaps the quality of some of these 3D efforts is part of the reason it was such a short-lived fad.
And obviously the 3D effects in this one aren't anything to write home about, either - especially the very fake-looking ones of people falling from a great height.
One is almost sorry for Lisa Langlois, who was asked to take her clothes off for this movie several times, for no good reason. Guttenberg, on the other hand, definitely should have stayed fully clothed throughout.
Look quickly for Miguel Ferrer in one of his earliest film appearances (he plays a waiter).
The Wolf's Call
A really dope little French submarine thriller. Great use of visual storytelling and creating tension and action without relying on typical hero/villain tropes. I was very impressed, especially since I never heard of it except for a quick mention on the Blank Check podcast. It's on Amazon Prime.
A really dope little French submarine thriller. Great use of visual storytelling and creating tension and action without relying on typical hero/villain tropes. I was very impressed, especially since I never heard of it except for a quick mention on the Blank Check podcast. It's on Amazon Prime.
Branching Out (2024) A Hallmark tv movie about a single mom who tracks down her daughter's biological father. This was cute and sweet, one of the better Hallmark films.
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Wer - (2013)
The ending was kinda meh, but overall, a solid spin on the werewolf trope. 7/10
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There has been an awekening.... have you felt it?
There has been an awekening.... have you felt it?
The Merry Widow, 1934
Madame Sonia (Jeanette MacDonald) is a wealthy widow who owns a large portion of the kingdom of Marshovia. When she decides to leave the country for Paris, the panicked King Achmet (George Barbier) and Ambassador Popoff (Edward Horton) order ladies man Danilo (Maurice Chevalier) to woo her so that she will return.
Charming and cheeky, just like its main characters.
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SF = Zzz
Viewed: BBC iPlayer.
The music...
[Snooze Factor Ratings]:
Z = didn't nod off at all
Zz = nearly nodded off but managed to stay alert
Zzz = nodded off and missed some of the film but went back to watch what I missed
Zzzz = nodded off and missed some of the film but went back to watch what I missed but nodded off again at the same point and therefore needed to go back a number of times before I got through it...
Zzzzz = nodded off and missed some or the rest of the film but was not interested enough to go back over it
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Longlegs
"Today I wore my long legs..." shudder.
Longlegs is the creepy brother to Zodiac and Silence of the Lambs. On the surface it looks like any other crime thriller procedural involving a young detective trying to identify a serial killer, but early on you get this uneasy sense of dread...and it never lets up the entire film.
Perkins' direction is extremely confident with how he frames his shots, I found myself scanning the background of dozens of scenes just waiting for something to appear in a doorframe or hallway. How he lingers on things, slow zooms, aspect ratio changes, everything is crafted to make you squirm just a bit.
I don't even know how to describe Nic Cage's character. Just when you think the man couldn't be anymore unhinged, he goes and does something like this. Perkins' is smart enough to not let Cage take over the film, his scenes are restrained in terms of screentime and he cuts away from revealing too much of his face for a good amount as well. That act of cutting away everytime we're about to see him also gives you this uneasy feeling. The man looked unrecognizable to me and I was onboard with his performances from the get-go. Maika Monroe is again, a star waiting to really explode onto the scene. She has carved out great performances in genre films and this is one of her best.
Don't let the hype ruin this movie for you. It's not the scariest thing put to celluoid. Some directions in the story might take some people out of the experience, but overall, this is a great horror film that knows exactly what tone is wants.
More like this please.
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Suspect's Reviews
"A laugh can be a very powerful thing. Why, sometimes in life, it's the only weapon we have."
Suspect's Reviews
Last edited by TheUsualSuspect; 07-15-24 at 10:22 PM.
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Longlegs (Oz Perkins, 2024)
For as creepy and well-made as this film is (and I think it's both), I am hoping the hype train doesn't kill it, simply because too often a movie deserving of love can be tainted by hyperbole. Fortunately, because this is a movie that works due to the subtlety and nuance in its craft and horror, I do think it'll have staying power. I hope it does. Everything about it works, including the humor that *should* feel out of place but doesn't. Cage delivers here, with a theatrical and chilling performance, and although my appreciation for his bewildering character is growing, I still think I actually liked everything surrounding his creepy killer (one whose presence is always felt, if not always seen) more than the killer himself - from Monroe's different but possibly superior performance, to the excellent revelation/explanation at the end that was compelling and vague enough to not feel cheesy or contrived, like I was worried about, and was instead extremely captivating and creative. Moreover, Perkins shines here as writer/director, never falling into cliche, and it's time people pay attention to him if they aren't already.
For as creepy and well-made as this film is (and I think it's both), I am hoping the hype train doesn't kill it, simply because too often a movie deserving of love can be tainted by hyperbole. Fortunately, because this is a movie that works due to the subtlety and nuance in its craft and horror, I do think it'll have staying power. I hope it does. Everything about it works, including the humor that *should* feel out of place but doesn't. Cage delivers here, with a theatrical and chilling performance, and although my appreciation for his bewildering character is growing, I still think I actually liked everything surrounding his creepy killer (one whose presence is always felt, if not always seen) more than the killer himself - from Monroe's different but possibly superior performance, to the excellent revelation/explanation at the end that was compelling and vague enough to not feel cheesy or contrived, like I was worried about, and was instead extremely captivating and creative. Moreover, Perkins shines here as writer/director, never falling into cliche, and it's time people pay attention to him if they aren't already.
When people like @Swan and @TheUsualSuspect talk about a horror film that well, I take notice. I don't have netflix but I'll keep an eye out.
The Eyes Of Laura Mars - + It wasn't well liked at the time and it's not well remembered, but there's something about this that I like. In part it's nostalgia, but it has the feeling of a low key Giallo but it's very much if its time and culture. There's nothing great or showy about it, but it has a strong cast, a decent director and John Carpenter was one of the writers and feels very evocative of its time.
Food Of The Gods + It is what it is, a 70's humans are ****ing up the world and nature will fight back genre with some wonderfully 'outsized' animals but also some effects which are genuinely good (the way the animals look as if they actually have been shot is very effective) which does help put it a little above the people being attacked by obviously friendly or disinterested animals films of this type. A definite alcohol/snacks/friends movie but if you like the genre there's probably enough for you here to enjoy.
The Eyes Of Laura Mars - + It wasn't well liked at the time and it's not well remembered, but there's something about this that I like. In part it's nostalgia, but it has the feeling of a low key Giallo but it's very much if its time and culture. There's nothing great or showy about it, but it has a strong cast, a decent director and John Carpenter was one of the writers and feels very evocative of its time.
Food Of The Gods + It is what it is, a 70's humans are ****ing up the world and nature will fight back genre with some wonderfully 'outsized' animals but also some effects which are genuinely good (the way the animals look as if they actually have been shot is very effective) which does help put it a little above the people being attacked by obviously friendly or disinterested animals films of this type. A definite alcohol/snacks/friends movie but if you like the genre there's probably enough for you here to enjoy.
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