Chaz McNulty
Footballguy
My girls are 18 and 20 now, but movie night was always special. There favorites from the 80's were The Princess Bride, Stand By Me, and Breakfast Club.
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Recently viewed movie thread - Rental, Streaming, Theater etc (3 Viewers)
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Eephus
Footballguy
Code of Silence (1985)
Before I close the book on 80s action, I wanted to watch a movie starring the man who launched a thousand Chuck Norris jokes. Code of Silence was directed by Andrew Davis who directed Above the Law, the Steven Seagal movie I watched last month. It's a strikingly similar picture--a gritty cop movie based in Chicago with the law pitted against two separate groups of bad guys. This time it's the mob and Colombian drug dealers rather than crooked CIA agents as in Above the Law but Henry Silva again appears as the main villain. He brings some sinister gravitas to the role but is no physical match for Norris.
Norris is an incorruptible police sergeant who drives a rusted out Pontiac Firebird. He's a straight arrow of few words who loses the trust of his colleagues after testifying against one of them. This plot device allows him to take on the bad guys singlehandedly. Code of Silence has some solid stunt work including a fight on a L train (as in Above the Law) and a car chase in the underground section of Wacker Drive that ends with a massive explosion. Norris gets a gratuitous gym scene to show off his martial arts prowess and later takes on a bar full of Colombians with just his fists and feet. The movie ends with an improbable one man assault on the gang's hideout but you don't mess with Chuck Norris.
I think Above the Law is probably the better film of the two. Norris and Seagal are both competent enough actors for what they're asked to do but I think Seagal's character was just more interesting. To humanize his character, the story gives Norris a subplot where he has to protect the teenage daughter of one of the mobsters. Interestingly, the actress went on to play Walker's mother in the recent TV reboot of Walker Texas Ranger. Neither movie was a masterpiece but they're both entertaining and very efficiently paced to prevent the audience from dwelling on the plot holes.
Before I close the book on 80s action, I wanted to watch a movie starring the man who launched a thousand Chuck Norris jokes. Code of Silence was directed by Andrew Davis who directed Above the Law, the Steven Seagal movie I watched last month. It's a strikingly similar picture--a gritty cop movie based in Chicago with the law pitted against two separate groups of bad guys. This time it's the mob and Colombian drug dealers rather than crooked CIA agents as in Above the Law but Henry Silva again appears as the main villain. He brings some sinister gravitas to the role but is no physical match for Norris.
Norris is an incorruptible police sergeant who drives a rusted out Pontiac Firebird. He's a straight arrow of few words who loses the trust of his colleagues after testifying against one of them. This plot device allows him to take on the bad guys singlehandedly. Code of Silence has some solid stunt work including a fight on a L train (as in Above the Law) and a car chase in the underground section of Wacker Drive that ends with a massive explosion. Norris gets a gratuitous gym scene to show off his martial arts prowess and later takes on a bar full of Colombians with just his fists and feet. The movie ends with an improbable one man assault on the gang's hideout but you don't mess with Chuck Norris.
I think Above the Law is probably the better film of the two. Norris and Seagal are both competent enough actors for what they're asked to do but I think Seagal's character was just more interesting. To humanize his character, the story gives Norris a subplot where he has to protect the teenage daughter of one of the mobsters. Interestingly, the actress went on to play Walker's mother in the recent TV reboot of Walker Texas Ranger. Neither movie was a masterpiece but they're both entertaining and very efficiently paced to prevent the audience from dwelling on the plot holes.
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Andy Dufresne
Footballguy
Re-watching Batman vs Superman in preparation to watch the Snyder cut of Justice League. 20 minutes in and I've already become greatly annoyed.
You know who might be the most important person on a movie project? The editor. Yes even more than the director.
Nothing throws a movie off the rails more than giving an audience feelings of:
A) "wait, how did I get there from here". The connective tissue between scenes just doesn't work. All of a sudden I'm in a Senate hearing where Superman is somehow getting blamed for what I just saw?
B) "what am I doing here". Scenes that show up without context. All of a sudden Lex Luther is a trusted government agent?
Outside of that is flimsy character motivations. But I don't have time to catalog the amount of that that's in this movie.
Edit: I just can't watch this movie. I turned it off.
You know who might be the most important person on a movie project? The editor. Yes even more than the director.
Nothing throws a movie off the rails more than giving an audience feelings of:
A) "wait, how did I get there from here". The connective tissue between scenes just doesn't work. All of a sudden I'm in a Senate hearing where Superman is somehow getting blamed for what I just saw?
B) "what am I doing here". Scenes that show up without context. All of a sudden Lex Luther is a trusted government agent?
Outside of that is flimsy character motivations. But I don't have time to catalog the amount of that that's in this movie.
Edit: I just can't watch this movie. I turned it off.
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Eephus
Footballguy
I usually put the blame on the director for poor continuity, pacing or flow, particularly as they relate to telling the story. Editors are more responsible for the technical arrangement of shots within a scene, e.g. exactly when to cut between characters having a conversation. They have some leeway but are typically working within a framework provided by the director's storyboards or shooting script.
If there's a disagreement between the director and editor, the editor usually loses particularly with a director as powerful as Zack Snyder. An exception would be when a director has checked out or has moved on to another project while the first film is in post-production.
ETA: Although with Snyder, there's probably another cut in the director's mind that he thinks is better than what's up on screen.
Andy Dufresne
Footballguy
I guess I should have said "how a movie is edited".
I was watching the "Ultimate Edition" which has to be Snyder's. Other than Man Of Steel, I think his movies are pretty terrible.
Edit: I like 300 too I guess.
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KarmaPolice
Footballguy
Still no decent internet, so more 90s action with Cliffhanger tonight. I saw so many pieces of glass broken last night that I am hoping to avoid that in this setting tonight.
KarmaPolice
Footballguy
Oh hell, I for some reason I thought Bill Paxton was in this one. I am in big trouble here...
Eephus
Footballguy
I'm waiting for Renny Harlin's turn as director of the month. I have some thoughts about Driven.
Andy Dufresne
Footballguy
Zone of Interest
Anyone who's studied The Holocaust in any depth is familiar with the phrase "banality of evil". This film makes you live it.
The incidental sounds and sights were quite menacing. Over the idyllic quietness in the house you can hear the low rumbling of the crematoria. Beyond this lovely shot of the garden is a black cloud, the contents of which you know aren't precipitation.
It's an affecting movie for sure.
Anyone who's studied The Holocaust in any depth is familiar with the phrase "banality of evil". This film makes you live it.
The incidental sounds and sights were quite menacing. Over the idyllic quietness in the house you can hear the low rumbling of the crematoria. Beyond this lovely shot of the garden is a black cloud, the contents of which you know aren't precipitation.
It's an affecting movie for sure.
KarmaPolice
Footballguy
Lol. Adventures of Ford Fairlane could be a fun conversation too.
I'm waiting for Renny Harlin's turn as director of the month. I have some thoughts about Driven.
Cliffhanger might have been one of the worst acted movies I've seen in a while. It's bad when it could have used the kid who plays young Van Damme in Bloodsport. About 20mins in I was also hoping for some damn breaking glass just so something broke up the long scenes of monotone deliveries.
beer 30
Footballguy
I watched Tales From the Apocalypse over the holiday. Wasn't expecting much but thought it was pretty good. 5 unrelated short stories, thought the last one was the best.
foxco
Footballguy
I loved it and hated it and felt like I really wanted to change species so I wouldn't be human, cause humans suck.
Ilov80s
Footballguy
Agree. One of the most violent movies I've ever seen and there's not a single bit of it portrayed on screen. I get why it didn't win over Oppenheimer but I think it was the best movie of 2023.
Andy Dufresne
Footballguy
33 years later and T2: Judgement Day still kicks all the ***.
Eephus
Footballguy
The Pink Panther Strikes Again
Do you have a rheum?
The Gator
Footballguy
I already lost it at "you have a bimp."The Pink Panther Strikes Again
Do you have a rheum?
Eephus
Footballguy
The Neon Highway (new on Netflix) is an understated indie drama about an aspiring songwriter whose song could be the ticket back to the big time for an old, broken down country music legend.
Beau Bridges plays the old man and he's a real piece of work; he's a drunk and a liar but is still a likeable character. The movie is at its best when he's on screen which unfortunately happens less frequently in the final 45 minutes but by then I was hooked. It's sweet, sad and sentimental like an country song.
Beau Bridges plays the old man and he's a real piece of work; he's a drunk and a liar but is still a likeable character. The movie is at its best when he's on screen which unfortunately happens less frequently in the final 45 minutes but by then I was hooked. It's sweet, sad and sentimental like an country song.
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El Floppo
Footballguy
I already lost it at "you have a bimp."The Pink Panther Strikes Again
Do you have a rheum?
Eet eez nawt mah dawg.
Fly Me to the Moon is a pretty entertaining two hours. Channing Tatum and ScarJo both excellent in their roles.
The movie plays off the old conspiracy theory --- What if NASA actually shot the moon landing on a sound stage?
For me I enjoyed the late 60s cars, fashion, and definitely the music.
The movie plays off the old conspiracy theory --- What if NASA actually shot the moon landing on a sound stage?
For me I enjoyed the late 60s cars, fashion, and definitely the music.
Longlegs
I was beyond excited to see this. Dragged my wife with me who was less than thrilled.
She liked it more than I did.
I was disappointed. And not because the marketing was so good that it couldn't live up to the hype.
I just thought it was an average movie. All the talk about Cage and his face was a joke.
I'm not going to spoil it, but I have no idea who these people are that thought he was scary or frightening.
The 3rd act went somewhere I'm not a fan of and this is where the movie went downhill for me.
Also, at an hour and 40 minutes, this was the first movie in a long time where I felt it could have used another 20 minutes.
I was beyond excited to see this. Dragged my wife with me who was less than thrilled.
She liked it more than I did.
I was disappointed. And not because the marketing was so good that it couldn't live up to the hype.
I just thought it was an average movie. All the talk about Cage and his face was a joke.
I'm not going to spoil it, but I have no idea who these people are that thought he was scary or frightening.
The 3rd act went somewhere I'm not a fan of and this is where the movie went downhill for me.
Also, at an hour and 40 minutes, this was the first movie in a long time where I felt it could have used another 20 minutes.
KarmaPolice
Footballguy
Whiplash is such a stressful movie.
TripItUp
Footballguy
I loved it...but I played percussion back in the day so I'm not a good test case.
KarmaPolice
Footballguy
Same and same, but it still stresses me out. Pretty sure I heard on a pod it was shot in less than 3 weeks.
Near perfect movie to me. My nitpick is the accident was a bit too much. Miles with a bleeding head wound is a bit much.
El Floppo
Footballguy
I've mentioned floppinho who is a percussionist. The classical world at Juilliard precollege... Not quite my tempo.
We both loved the movie.
Dan Lambskin
Footballguy
It’s on my list to watch. I caught the end of it on vacation because my kid put it on (apparently one of his fav movies he’s seen it 4 or 5 times). He plays trumpet and bass though, not percussion
KarmaPolice
Footballguy
It was on my mind because a podcast I listen to paired it with Black Swan. I had seen that recently, so I instead did a different drumming adjacent movie - Sound of Metal. Both fantastic movies for different reasons.
Ilov80s
Footballguy
and the global film fest moves forward with a long detour in France
Last Year in Marienbad: France. I knew roughly what I was getting into here. I've seen Alain Resnais' Hiroshima Mon Amour (masterpiece imo) so I knew this was going to be lacking in structure, maybe even in plot. I loved the sets, costume, hair, makeup, editing, etc. I just couldn't connect to the "story". It was successful in what it aimed to do: create a movie of the mind- thoughts and dreams but I just was not drawn to the final product. It's considered kind of a classic now but I see when it came out it was a very divisive movie. I for sure fall on the side that this thing is more mess than masterpiece.
Band of Outsiders: France. The male characters here really suck. Anna Karina is carrying them both. There are some fun scenes, creative stuff but I'm not sure the sense of whimsy that's intended always works. Not a miss for me but not a hit either.
Le Doulos: France. Director Jean Pierre Melville makes a crime film like Godard did with with Band of Outsiders but there's no whimsy here. No laughs. No smiles. Not even a smirk. I much prefer the Melville approach. Doulos is slang for a rat or a snitch and that's what this movie is all about. Fresh out of a prison, a criminal has a safe job lined up but when he's snitched on everything unravels. This is pure hardboiled noir. Melville absolutely rules.
Godzilla Minus One: Japan. The story was better than the usual Godzilla fare but in the end it's still a Godzilla movie which just doesn't move the needle much for me. It won an Oscar for FX but they didn't seem all that great (though I understand they were done on a small budget which I do appreciate). I am glad people liked this, it beats the heck out of those Zilla vs Kong things but this kind of monster movie won't ever be my thing.
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Eephus
Footballguy
+1 on mess.
I watched it when I was young and pretentious and didn't care for it much. I probably couldn't sit through it now that I'm old and pretentious.
Ilov80s
Footballguy
That’s real funny. It hasn’t improved with time. It’s a weird case where I think the craft of it is excellent and they accomplished exactly what they wanted but that is an artsy mess with no real message or meaning or point. I was sure I missed some important detail or got distracted and wasn’t connecting something. After I read some recaps and analysis only to be disappointed that there’s really nothing to this at all. It’s an exercise more than a film.
Eephus
Footballguy
It could probably be recut as a really nice Bryan Ferry video
Ilov80s
Footballguy
Saw Robot Dreams at the theater last night. Was tough ti find a screening, had to go to Ann Arbor but I thought the kid would really enjoy it. I was right, we both loved it. It’s a Spanish animated movie but don’t worry about a language barrier because there is no dialogue. It’s cute, funny, sad, moving, trippy and a great recreation of 1980s NYC. The music rules too. One of the better animated movies I’ve seen in awhile.
beer 30
Footballguy
Saw The Baytown Outlaws a few days ago. Stupid movie with some names in it but thoroughly entertained. You don't have to think too hard through this one, you get exactly what get.
Dan Lambskin
Footballguy
Tusk
WTF. Definitely an interesting movie
also had no idea that was Johnny Depp
WTF. Definitely an interesting movie
also had no idea that was Johnny Depp
Tick
Footballguy
That was a lot of fun. Haley Joel Osment as an adult, too.
Dan Lambskin
Footballguy
Baby Driver - had never seen that, that’s an all time car chase movie
KarmaPolice
Footballguy
Hell yeah- the opening set to Bellbottoms is so damn good.
Eephus
Footballguy
Thursday's Game (1974)
Bob Newhart (RIP) was a big TV star but most of his movie roles were as a character actor. Thursday's Game is a made for TV movie where Bob got second billing behind Gene Wilder but ahead of Oscar winners Ellen Burstyn and Cloris Leachman. If you've watched a lot of 70s sitcoms, the supporting cast will look very familiar including Nancy Walker, Norman Fell and Valerie Harper.
It's ostensibly a buddy comedy but Newhart and Wilder lead rather sad lives. They're both in loveless marriages and Wilder faces a crisis as the TV gameshow he produces is tanking in the ratings. It's the 70s so there's lots of talking about their feelings and the sense that these 40-something characters have just missed out on the sexual revolution. Newhart is definitely the second banana in the movie; he plays deadpan in his scenes with the more manic Wilder and Newhart's nutty wife played by Leachman. But as always with Newhart there's more going on beneath the placid exterior.
The movie was written and produced by James L. Brooks who was responsible for some of the greatest television shows of the 70s and 80s. Unfortunately this isn't one of them but there are a few laughs and some funky 70s decor.
There are three prints on YouTube. This one had the best picture even though it's in eight parts.
Bob Newhart (RIP) was a big TV star but most of his movie roles were as a character actor. Thursday's Game is a made for TV movie where Bob got second billing behind Gene Wilder but ahead of Oscar winners Ellen Burstyn and Cloris Leachman. If you've watched a lot of 70s sitcoms, the supporting cast will look very familiar including Nancy Walker, Norman Fell and Valerie Harper.
It's ostensibly a buddy comedy but Newhart and Wilder lead rather sad lives. They're both in loveless marriages and Wilder faces a crisis as the TV gameshow he produces is tanking in the ratings. It's the 70s so there's lots of talking about their feelings and the sense that these 40-something characters have just missed out on the sexual revolution. Newhart is definitely the second banana in the movie; he plays deadpan in his scenes with the more manic Wilder and Newhart's nutty wife played by Leachman. But as always with Newhart there's more going on beneath the placid exterior.
The movie was written and produced by James L. Brooks who was responsible for some of the greatest television shows of the 70s and 80s. Unfortunately this isn't one of them but there are a few laughs and some funky 70s decor.
There are three prints on YouTube. This one had the best picture even though it's in eight parts.
Ilov80s
Footballguy
Real good movie, I just don’t like the lead actor. He’s such a nothing.
BlackCrowes
Footballguy
Speaks more to show starved we are for something
Eephus
Footballguy
I didn't have Glen Powell box office king on my post-pandemic bingo card but good for him.
Ilov80s
Footballguy
Yeah he’s stepped into the Ryan Reynolds/Ryan Gosling world. Maverick, that Sydney Sweeney rom com, Hitman abd now this. Plus he announced he’s remaking The Running Man with Edgar Wright.
Ilov80s
Footballguy
And we are still just nostalgia obsessed. Gen X and millennials obviously carrying this movie at the box office.
Dan Lambskin
Footballguy
I like him, he’s really good in Tokyo Vice
Ilov80s
Footballguy
Haven’t seen that but otherwise he has the rizz of a white ankle sock.
Tick
Footballguy
It also betrays you and tries to get back to its master, which is certainly a bigger negative than the invisibility is a positive.
There's a Galadriel scene near the end of the first movie that shows a bit of what it could do if someone decided to use it. I think it's my favorite scene in the movies.
