What was the last movie you saw...? Part IV

[Thelemech]

I will watch North by North West next
I have noticed that Alfred likes to work with James Stewart and I don't blame him as Jimmy is a great actor

I payed 100 bucks for the set but for 16 movies I thought it was a good deal 🤔

[Charger]

I remember reading back in the day that their relationship was very strained, but I think Hitchcock really respected Jimmy's acting abilities eventhough they personally didn't get along and that's why they did 4 movies together...Rear Window being my favourite of the 4 I think.

100$ for 16 movies isn't too bad....although I'm not all that familiar with current bluray prices as I've stopped buying them...

[Typhon]

Annihilation (2018)

A biologist (Natalie Portman) signs up for a dangerous and secret mission to explore an increasingly expanding area that is bordered by a mysterious mist.  Interesting science fiction film.  8/10

[Charger]

^^^
Hmm...
...

ANNIHILATION

A strange meteor hits and creates a bizarre new ever expanding bubble where rules of conventional nature do not apply and where people sent into investigate do not return. A new team of all women scientists is sent in to figure out just what is going on. They come across some strange mutations and beasts and discover they themselves are changing into something new.

Natalie Portman and Jennifer Jason Leigh lead the expedition in somewhat clichéish mannor and just kind of go through the motions.

The movie was marketed as a Sci-Fi horror movie that was supposed to have some great and twisted creatures...well it had none of that. The "horror" elements were bland and lackluster and the effects for the most part were incredibly cheapish and made with bad CGI. There was very little action and most certainly no suspense what so ever and the ending was absolutely ridiculous.

Natalie Portman was the only good thing about the movie and it was clear she wasn't very interested either.

The basic elements of the story were rather brilliant and it could have been made into something spectacular instead we got this hot mess of cheap trickery with a horrible childish ending.

* ½

Avoid.

Fun fact:
The test screenings for the movie were pretty bad and the studio demanded drastic changes especially to the ending but director/writer Alex Garland refused to make any changes.
Sometimes it's good to stick to your guns but as evident here sometimes it would be good to listen to some constructive criticism.

[Typhon]

ANNIHILATION

Natalie Portman was the only good thing about the movie and it was clear she wasn't very interested either.

I did not understand this comment.  How can someone do a good job in a role, but not be interested?   

[Charger]

I didn't say she did a good job now did I, I think actually that implies the opposite. But she is nice on the eyes which is what I meant to imply in a subtle way.

[Typhon]

The Statement (2003)

Set in France in the 1990s, a man (Michael Caine) is pursued for assisting the Nazis in the killing of 7 french Jews during WWII.  The film also exposes those who helped him hide for so many years.  8/10

[Charger]

NICO


A tough cop gets mixed up in a plot of rogue CIA agents plan to assassinate a senator. He himself being an ex CIA officer has to find a way to stop his old nemesis.

The first movie featuring Steven Seagal. He also wrote part of the script. Seagal who was a stunt fighter and a martial arts expert started his action star journey with this movie directed by Andrew Davis who he would work with again in Under Siege.

This set the tone of most of his movies with brilliant and brutal action and showcasing his incredible Aikido skills.

Story wise this is bit erratic but this does warrant it's place as a cult classic and a mile stone in the action movie genre.

Along with Seagal we see Pam Grier as his partner, Sharon Stone as his wife and Henry Silva as the bad guy.

Steven Segal's best work was yet to come but this paved the way nicely.

*  *  *

Fun Facts:
This movie also goes by the title ABOVE THE LAW which is a frase repeated in the movie by Nico.
Henry Silva broke Seagal's nose in the final fight scene!

[Thelemech]

I know the film as Above The Law and it was my introduction to Steven Seagal and as a young teen I was blown away by the movie and it is still one of my favorite action films from the period

[Typhon]

Copshop (2021)

On the run from an assassin, a con artist plans to hide out inside a small-town police station. However, when the hit man (Gerard Butler) turns up at the precinct, an unsuspecting rookie cop finds herself caught in the middle of the entire ordeal.  A fairly violent, yet, interesting film.  However, it does get a bit over-the-top as those with gunshot wounds continue to fight on.  6/10

[KiloDeltaCharlie]

Some rentals I've seen not that long ago include 3 from a studio I'd never heard of before - Signature Entertainment. The films were all low-ish budget ($20-40m) action thrillers...

The Land of Bad 2024

A covert special forces unit is ambushed behind enemy lines and the survivors must get back to safety with the help of a drone operator. Liam and Luke Hemsworth (no sigh of Chris anywhere!) are part of the special forces unit whilst Russell Crowe is the dependable drone guy.

There's no mention of exactly where events take place but it's probably Iraq/Afghanistan. No attempt is made to make them American, but I guess it's possible the Aussies had this sort of involvement in those conflicts! Not great, and some of the problems they experienced are a little far fetched but it was ok. 5/10

Fast Charlie 2023

Charlie is a fixer for a crime boss called Stan. The man Charlie has just "hit" no longer has his head so he can't prove that he's completed the job to  third party gang lord. Charlie enlists the wife of the deceased man as she has the contacts and skills which he'll need. Meanwhile Stan's homestead has been attacked and many of his men are either dead or no longer working for him! Charlie is Pierce Brosnan, the ex-wife is Morena Baccarin and Stan is James Caan in what I believe is his final role before his death. The production design and script maybe needed a little work but not bad. 6/10

Freelance 2023

Stuck in a dead-end desk job, an ex-special forces operative reluctantly accepts a freelance gig to provide private security for a washed-up journalist as she interviews a ruthless - but impeccably dressed - dictator. As she's about to get the scoop of a lifetime, a military coup breaks out and the unlikely trio must figure out how to survive the jungle and each other to make it out alive. This stars John Cena, Alison Brie, Juan Pablo Raba, Christian Slater, Alice Eve and Marton Csokas. Laughable plot but some of the action pieces are quite fun. 6/10

[Vyn]

Stagecoach

Back in 1937, John Ford read a story in Collier's that inspired him to gin up an
outline for a Western movie. One thing led to another and in February of 1939
the finished product was premiered in Los Angeles. It was titled, "Stagecoach,"
and was the first big-production Western movie to hit the silver screen since,
"The Iron Horse," a silent film from 1924 that was a massive epic by none other
than Mr. John Ford.

Basically, Western movies had fallen to the wayside in terms of popularity
amongst movie-goers, and although there were plenty of "talkies" in the genre
prior to, "Stagecoach," they were all low-budget, throw-away B-movies. From which
the leading man for, "Stagecoach," was plucked.

Starring John Wayne, "Stagecoach," reignited the public's interest in Western
movies, rocketed John Wayne from B-list player to major movie star contender,
and has since become known amongst those "in the know" as one of the best
Western movie ever created.

If you haven't seen in, watch it. Don't get lost in the outdated effects, engage
in the story and the natural beauty of the location, and a fine time is
promised to be had.

 

[Typhon]

   Can this be true?  Vyn watched a movie!

No, I must be dreaming.   

[Charger]

Stagecoach is an absolute classic! Have seen it many times when I was a kid.

Haven't seen it in over 25 years though.

[KiloDeltaCharlie]

I don't think I've seen Stagecoach, but maybe I have seen it when I was a kid but don't remember!


Three films I've seen in the cinema recently...

Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere

A biopic of Bruce Springsteen during the writing and recording of early 80s album Nebraska. Starring Jeremy Allen White, Jeremy Strong, Steven Graham, Gabby Hoffman, Paul Walter Hauser and Odessa Young.

This was a promising film to start with, the concert footage at the start seemed quite authentically recreated. After that it's mainly about Springsteen (White) undertook the writing and recording process which can be quite technical, particularly when they discuss methods of using the actual cassettes he recorded at home and which needed to be cleaned up. We see flashbacks to his childhood with dad (Graham) and mother (Hoffman). They throw in a romantic side story which just feels tagged on. While not a bad film, those who like the technical aspects of the recording process might get more out of it than I did. 5/10

Regretting You

... regretting the moment that the girlfiend said she wanted to watch this garbage! It's got Mckenna Grace in the lead (Young Sheldon, the recent Ghostbusters reboot) who I quite like so I'll add a point for her! 2/10

Nuremberg

A retelling of the trials after WW2 where the Nazi leaders where put on trial to answer for their crimes. Starring Russell Crowe, Rami Malek, Michael Shannon, Leo Woodall and Richard E Grant.

Whether we needed another film after the highly regarded Judgment at Nuremberg many, many years ago I couldn't say. However this film has a lot of good things about it not least the surprisingly good performance of Russell Crowe as Herman Goring, many people have said it's his best performance in 20 years! Rami Malek plays Kelly, a psychiatrist, sent to evaluate the 22 high ranking Nazi on trial. Shannon is the chief prosecutor, Woodall is the translator who assists Kelly. Grant plays the British prosecutor and some have said he nearly steals the film!

There's some quite harrowing genuine footage of concentration camps, and the hanging at the end seemed quite realistic! A historic moment told quite well, but I'm not convinced Malek was the best choice for Kelly. 8/10