What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5

[RetroRobot]

The Mighty Quinn- 1989

Early starring vehicle for Denzel Washington with a real laid back Caribbean island vibe. Hard to define, but I guess murder mystery is a somewhat apt description. Not exactly brimming with energy and excitement, but a pleasant watch due to a good cast, relaxed pace and beautiful island scenery.

Army of Darkness- 1992

I remembered this as a much better film, or maybe i've just grown out of it... who knows? I love physical effects, but some of this stuff was almost too low budget looking for my taste. And all the slapsticky stuff didn't do it for me anymore. I think this is the most clear example of how much Sam Raimi was influenced by the HK movie style. Some things looks straight out of Chinese Ghost Story and the likes. Unlike many similar films from the same era, I don't think this one aged very well.

[Markgway]

Have you seen the director's earlier films

No, I haven't.

[RetroRobot]

Firebirds- 1990

This flick couldn't be more formulaic if it tried. It's the kind of movie where you can predict every single scene and overall outcome from watching the first five minutes. The dialogue is straight up awful, and it's made even worse by watching decent actors like Nicolas Cage, Sean Young and Tommy Lee Jones having to spout it off. It's nothing but another lame Topgun clone, and doesn't even have the balls or imagination to try and rise above that at any point. Thankfully it is only an hour and 17 min. before the end credits puts it out of its misery.

[grim_tales]

The Mighty Quinn- 1989

Early starring vehicle for Denzel Washington with a real laid back Caribbean island vibe. Hard to define, but I guess murder mystery is a somewhat apt description. Not exactly brimming with energy and excitement, but a pleasant watch due to a good cast, relaxed pace and beautiful island scenery.

Army of Darkness- 1992

I remembered this as a much better film, or maybe i've just grown out of it... who knows? I love physical effects, but some of this stuff was almost too low budget looking for my taste. And all the slapsticky stuff didn't do it for me anymore. I think this is the most clear example of how much Sam Raimi was influenced by the HK movie style. Some things looks straight out of Chinese Ghost Story and the likes. Unlike many similar films from the same era, I don't think this one aged very well.

Ironically I felt some shots of Chinese Ghost Story are very Evil Dead-like (eg the tree spirit moving through the undergrowth etc)

[RetroRobot]

Oh there was no doubt some cross influencing going on.

[Markgway]

Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (2013-USA-Russia) **½
Competent, occasionally exciting spy thriller undermined by an impenetrable plot (unless perhaps you're an economist) and by-the-numbers direction.

[Killer Meteor]

Last Year at Marienbad (Alain Resnais, 1961)

I haven't a clue what this is about, but Delphine Seyrig in monochrome with eerie organ music is a full evening's entertainment and then some. It's probably best to interpret this as a ghost story, not least because of its visual and aural resemblance to the following year's Carnival of Souls.

7/10


Sharknado (some guy, 2013)

Boy, Tara Reid looks unhappy. The actual concept is terrifying, and I laughed a lot so...

...4/10 (better than Ghost Shark, anyway)


Scarlet Street (Fritz Lang, 1945)

Superb film noir with Edward G. Robinson playing a lonely artist ensnared by Joan Bennett in a scheme that gets wackier by the reel. Gripping, and with a final scene that is a real punch to the gut. Can't wait to listen to the David Kalat commentary!

10/10

[Markgway]

Warm Bodies (2013-USA-Canada) ***
Surprisingly engaging zombie comedy with a most unusual human-undead central romance.
We've come a long way from the banning of Zombie [Flesh Eaters]; this was passed uncut with a '12' complete with scary 'bonies', head shots, and actual brain munching.

[RetroRobot]

Basic Instinct- 1992

Positively tame by today's standards, but still a well crafted thriller who wears its Hitchcockian influence proudly, mixed with the erotic factor from the sleazy pen of writer, Joe Ezsterhas. I never found Sharon Stone attractive, so her gratuitous boobs and beaver shots does little for me. But I like Michael Douglas, though he is hard to root for here. I remember seeing the plot twist coming a mile away when first viewing this back in the day, but I still applaud Verhoeven's directorial style and DeBont's atmospheric cinematography. I think that if Hitchcock had lived to see this, he would have loved it.


Ruthless People- 1986

Rather disappointing comedy from the Airplane/Naked Gun/Hot Shots team, that leaves the spoofy material behind for more straight fare. But despite the effort, the laughs just aren't there. The performances from DeVito, Midler, Reinhold and co. are fine, but the material is just not very funny or engaging in any way. Considering this was written by Dale Launer, who's credits include Blind Date and My Cousin Vinny... this was a let down.

[HungFist]

Basic Instinct- 1992
Positively tame by today's standards, but still a well crafted thriller who wears its Hitchcockian influence proudly, mixed with the erotic factor from the sleazy pen of writer, Joe Ezsterhas. I never found Sharon Stone attractive, so her gratuitous boobs and beaver shots does little for me. But I like Michael Douglas, though he is hard to root for here. I remember seeing the plot twist coming a mile away when first viewing this back in the day, but I still applaud Verhoeven's directorial style and DeBont's atmospheric cinematography. I think that if Hitchcock had lived to see this, he would have loved it.

I have such great memories of seeing this on TV secretly when I was 11 or 12. The ending was really scary. I kept checking under my bed for Sharon Stone for a week

The stabbed face was another scene that stayed in a little boy's mind for a good while.

[RetroRobot]

The face stabbing was a Rob Bottin contribution, and he was one of the best in the biz. The Thing, The Fog, Maniac, The Howling, Innerspace, Robocop, Total Recall and tons more. A ridiculous resumé of awesomeness.

[Markgway]

The face stabbing was a WTF moment back in 1992 (when I was 13).
The BBFC usually cut such things.

Unlike Retro I totally wanted to pork Sharon Stone.

[RetroRobot]

An American Werewolf in London- 1981

I still appreciate the groundbreaking FX work, the atmosphere, the darkly comical tone and other aspects here. But watching this film again after many years, it has lost some of its appeal for me. It has pacing problems, and needed a bit more action and suspense in my opinion. I still marvel at Rick Baker's fantastic job in the transformation scene and consider this a benchmark film in the realm of special and make up effects, but im not blind to its shortcomings anymore.

[Markgway]

Band of the Hand (1986-USA) **
A group of juvenile delinquents are taught jungle survival before being unleashed back into Miami to clean up the streets. Well-intentioned, but highly improbable action drama.

8 Million Ways to Die (1986-USA) *½
An alcoholic ex-cop investigates the murder of the client he was hired to protect. Noisily profane, muddled thriller, with irritating characters and a mannered Andy Garcia as the obvious villain; waste of a solid noirish premise.

[RetroRobot]

Band of the Hand sounds like my kind of flick. Im gonna check it out. I remember liking 8MWTD way back in the day, but haven't seen it in years.

watched....

The Presidio- 1988

When you have a poor script, poor dialogue and poor direction, it's not surprising you're gonna end up with a poor movie. I love both Connery and Mark Harmon, but they can do very little here as the material is crap and Peter Hyams' direction is all over the place. Not only does it feel disjointed and rushed, but you get the sense that there are entire scenes missing here and there, which I don't think there is, but that is how slapdash this film is. Too bad, they had the actors and the premise, but it was all wasted.

[Markgway]

Band of the Hand sounds like my kind of flick. Im gonna check it out.

Funnily enough... that thought crossed my mind whilst I was watching it.

I remember liking 8MWTD way back in the day, but haven't seen it in years.

Apparently the director threw out the script and let the actors improvise. Original writer Oliver Stone tired to have his name removed from the movie.

I love both Connery and Mark Harmon, but they can do very little here as the material is crap and Peter Hyams' direction is all over the place.

Not a fan of Hyams' work. I like Timecop and Sudden Death purely because of Van Damme. The only bit I remember in The Presidio is Connery beating up a young thug with his thumb!

[RetroRobot]

The thumb fight is a cool scene in and of itself, but is completely out of place and ill fitting with the rest of the movie. The guy he beats is Rick Zumwalt who played Bull Hurley, Sly's nemesis in Over the Top.

[Markgway]

I bet that scene was added at Connery's insistence.

"Oi, Hyams! Thish shcript makesh me a look like shome old pusshy!
I want to beat up shome young punk with my thumb!"

I believe Connery wanted Kevin Costner for the Mark Harmon part (and wasn't too complimentary about his eventual co-star).

[Markgway]

Pale Rider (1985-USA) **½
A mysterious drifter/preacher rides into town to save unlucky gold hunters from corrupt mining corporation. Reasonably solid Clint Eastwood western; lacks a compelling villain and exciting climax Clint defeats everyone too easily and the set-piece showdown needs more visceral impact.

Extremities (1986-USA) **
A woman is terrorised in her home by a serial rapist... until she gets the upper hand. Obviously based on a stage play, the translation to the big screen needs more power. Farah Fawcett is OK in the lead, and like the film as a whole gets better as it goes long. The confession ending is a pat non-event. The attack scenes, though not graphic, are protracted and tough to watch.

[RetroRobot]

I remember Siskel & Evert ripping Extremities to shreds.... and The Presidio too, for that matter. Been watching all the old episodes of S&E ATM from the 80's and 90's lately.... and while I have some serious problems with their analytical skills (especially Siskel), I really enjoy watching them. Their 'worst of the year' shows are classic.

[RetroRobot]

Grand Canyon- 1991

Well intentioned, but so overdrawn and poorly put together that whatever spiritual and socially concious message it's trying to convey, is lost on the viewer. We get ham handed flashbacks, awkward dream sequences, bad editing and amateurish screen writing masquerading as profound social commentary. Also, the characters are really not that interesting or even likable.... except for the black characters, who are of course handled with kid gloves here, which just makes them boring. This was written by director Lawrence Kasdan and his wife, and it stinks of self indulgent vanity project. All of the issues of the film are filtered through white guilt, political correctness and misguided Hollywood liberalism, which makes for a rather nauseating end result.

[Markgway]

That sounds like the 'Grand Canyon' I remember... though I saw it in 1993.

I've seen a couple of those old Siskel & Ebert shows over the years (most recently the 'Full Metal Jacket' one). On that episode I mostly agreed with Siskel, so it really depends on the film.

There's possibly too many to watch them all, so if you have any eps you'd especially recommend post a link and I'll check them out.

[RetroRobot]

Check this site out.

http://siskelandebert.org/videos

They are organized by year, and the specials by category. They are obviously old VHS recordings so the quality varies, but overall they are very watchable. I think i've watched all of them, and especially like the ones from the mid 80's to the mid 90's. The ones where Siskel is visibly ill from '98 and '99 are pretty hard to watch, I think, so haven't watched them much.

If you wanna watch a classic episode, check out their Worst Of '93 special. Siskel liked Carnasour, which Ebert found laughable, and Ebert liked Cop and a Half which Siskel gives him massive shit for

I would say on average I agree with them half the time. But sometimes they just miss the mark entirely, I don't like when they hold films from the same genre up against each other, instead of reviewing a film on its own merits, and when Siskel is having a bad day....or week, he can be really brutal.... unfairly so. Also, at times their somewhat prudish moral outrage over sexual content or horror/slasher stuff is a little lame. But overall, I love watching these cuz it's my favorite era of filmmaking (eps. start around '75 and goes up to Siskel's death in '99 and a bit beyond) and I just like the two guys, flaws and all.

[Killer Meteor]

I remember being really confused by the Mayor Ebert gag in the '98 Godzilla.

[RetroRobot]

Not being American I of course never saw the tv show when it originally aired. But I remember seeing them on Leno, Letterman etc. which was shown here in the 90's. So I got the gag in Godzilla when it first came out. The reason it was in there was obviously cuz S&E panned Universal Soldier, Stargate and Independence Day, all from Devlin and Emmerich.