Nothing else to say
Most recently, I finally got around to seeing 1928’s Steamboat Bill, Jr.
It was this film where Buster Keaton (arguably the most influential leading man who did his own stunts) stood perfectly still as the side of a house fell on him, only unscathed due to an open window (your move, Tom Cruise!). Every since Keaton’s days, the stunt man has been risking all for the purpose of the shot (more than enough have sadly died in the process).
Over the last month or so, I found myself watching three films from the 1950s that were definite products of their time (which is not to say they were bad).
The three films (The Incredible Shrinking Man, Them!, and Invasion of the Body Snatchers) most assuredly dealt with fears of the times: radiation, political invasion, and nuclear war. Thankfully, none of that has happened since then (well, maybe the invasion part, but that is not something I want to dive into), but they surely seemed like possible outcomes.
Going as far back as Kurosawa’s 1961 classic Yojimbo (and probably even before that), the revenge flick always has a unique place in the heart of the audience.
Whether it be a samurai, a war vet (ala Rambo), a 21st century Liam Neeson role, or (most recently) the John Wick films, we all have that inner being that wants to exact revenge. Whether it be a bully, a boss/co-worker, or someone who cut you off in traffic, our (much safer) alternative to vengeance is watching it dished out on screen.
One viewing of the trailer of Arthur the King is more than enough to see where this film is going.
When asked what movie I was going to see, I mentioned the title.
“What is that?”, I was asked.
“The Mark Wahlberg/Dog movie.”
“Dune Part 2 is the The Godfather 2 of Sci-Fi films.”
– My buddy Rudy
Like many, Rudy was able to see this movie this past Sunday (I was unaware of this early showing until I had already had my tickets). As great a movie lover (and friend) that he is, Rudy does tend to over hype things a bit (I fall into this same trap, but I am gradually improving a little).As the storytelling is more gradual and less bombastic as other sci-fi films, so was my appreciation for this epic sequel.
Recently, the MCU announced the long awaited casting decisions for the Fantastic Four going forward.
The cinematic stories showcasing “Marvel’s First Family” have been rather substandard at best. There was a nearly forgotten 90s movie followed by two lackluster films in the mid 2000s. There was promise when a new version was to be displayed in the mid 2010s with stars Miles Teller and Michael B. Jordan, resulting in Fan4stic Four, one of the worst comic book movies ever made. I never thought I would see a superhero film stoop that low again.
Enter Madame Web.
I was a Junior in High School when the Terri Schiavo case made headlines.
From what I remember, it was brought up in at least one of my classes as a potential debate topic, and it also was something I thought could hurt the film Million Dollar Baby at that year’s Oscars (it didn’t). Being what introduced the world (or at least me) to the term “euthanasia”, the whole impact of the ordeal seems to have been lost to time.
There are a lot of positives and negatives to look back on in 2023 when it comes to cinema, both industry wise and personally.
Of course, Hollywood had a big dent in the year with two strikes (which I did support, for what it is worth), While they have thankfully ended, we will probably feel the fall out of them in this upcoming year (and possibly into 2025). Looking back at the amount of films I have seen (just shy of 80, which is more than I have done in previous years), I saw nearly 90 percent of them (whether in theater or streaming) by myself. It would really be nice to have my friends and family have a better schedule for me, but such is life.
(Note: All actors regarded to are in the English version of the film).
I’m not sure if I was too late in joining the Studio Ghibli band wagon when I discovered Spirited Away (which, after two decades, is still the best animated film of the century), but I have yet to jump off of it.
It’s been a little less than a year and a half since we got Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis biopic with Austin Butler.
At first glance, one could easily assume it is poor timing to have another film about the king of rock n roll, but that is not the situation. The title of the film itself should prove that the film is not about Elvis, but his wife Priscilla.
Nothing else to say