Criterion 1998 - A silly movie but an amusing distraction. Starring a young and gorgeous Gwyneth Paltrow as a woman we get to see have two outcomes depending whether she caught a subway train or not. Being a Rom-com the characters don't act like actual people but it was still fun.

Kids wanted to watch a comedy so I pulled out Me Myself and Irene.

still some good laughs, but not as good as I remembered.

I've been laid up, so have been watching some crap, just to pass the time.

Fubar II

A Big Bold Beautiful Journey Sony Pictures Blu-Ray
Colin Farrell, Margot Robie. Directed by Kogonada. 2025
An imaginative tale of two strangers and the unbelievable journey that connects them.

"A Big Bold Beautiful Journey" is very much a Romantic Fantasy. Two attractive strangers are compelled by "Meet Cute" circumstances to take a whimsical road trip together, and along the way they encounter magical doorways that allow them to walk back into significant events of their lives. By re-evaluating these key moments, the pair are better able to decide if they should risk a relationship.

"A Big Bold Beautiful Journey" banks everything on the charisma of Colin Farrell and Margot Robie, who certainly make an attractive couple. They're almost too ideal, and it sort of isolates them from everyone else in the film, but perhaps that is intentional. The movie often comes across as a stage play, filled with emotional monologues revealing how vulnerable Colin and Margot are, and then they act out scenes that explore their hurts. It's all pretty basic stuff you've heard in a hundred other films, and it's all very low-key. This is one of those films where I felt the R-Rated profanity was totally unnecessary and cheapened the film.

Peacock

Sharon Stone chewing the scenery though she is not the greatest actress.

The Evilmaker (2000) — While not terribly shot compared with other of these shot-on-shiteo movies, this is just as dull and boring as those along with terrible dialogue. At least Stephanie Beaton was easy on the eyes. Clocking in at 99-minutes, it's also too long by a good 20 minutes. Yawn. *¼/***** (Blu-ray)

Song Sung Blue Focus Features
Hugh Jackman, Kate Hudson. Directed by Craig Brewer. 2025
Lightning and Thunder, a Milwaukee husband and wife Neil Diamond tribute act, experience soaring success and devastating heartbreak in their musical journey together.

"Song Sung Blue" would be a real eye-roller of a Melodrama were it not based on a documentary of the same name. The film provides a terrific role for Hugh Jackman, playing to his strengths, much as "The Greatest Showman" did. Jackman plays Mike Sardina, an alcoholic (sober for twenty years) with heart problems who (barely) supports himself as a singer and musician. When he meets Claire, another singer, he is immediately smitten and they end up forming a Neil Diamond Tribute Band. Eventually Mike and Claire marry and form a blended family, and along the way they face both triumph and hardship. I haven't seen a Kate Hudson film in a while, but she is terrific here and very convincing as a forty-something wife and mother and an able singer as well. Hudson has a mature look that serves her well, and I must admit I found her quite appealing.

"Song Sung Blue" is sad and sweet in equal measures, but it left me with a smile on my face. It's essentially a Musical, filled with the songs of Neil Diamond. It's easy to forget just how many great songs are in his catalog ("Sweet Caroline" with its baked-in "Audience Participation" chorus is given a wink as a running gag). Younger audiences might find Diamond's style cheesy, but the performances in the film are dynamic and carry the story through its heavier plot-turns. The supporting cast includes Michael Imperioli, Jim Belushi, Fisher Stevens, and promising young actress Ella Anderson as Claire's daughter Rachel. I think this is one of those overlooked films that is going to gain some appreciation once it hits streaming.

I was a bit surprised that there was only one photo of the real "Lightning and Thunder" during the end credits, but perhaps that has something to do with the documentary being out there. The documentary is available on you.tube, though it's better to see the movie without the story being spoiled.

2025

Starz

I did not think it was that bad but more of a indie movie so big box office grosses was expecting too much.

Zahn McClarnon stole the movie.

The Halsey character was annoying.

Now need to find a shy girl with a stuttering problem that looks like Sydney Sweeney.

2022

Hulu

"After a bad breakup, a young woman retreats to a remote cabin and continues modelling for an adults-only, livestreaming website. However, she soon discovers she's not alone as a masked killer begins to stalk and terrorize her."

If you wanted to see Amber Benson in a Jason hockey mask pleasuring herself in a bathtub your dream comes true.

Why was Luis Guzman in this drek along with Pamela Anderson playing a police officer?

I always enjoy Baz Luhrmann in over the top mode and this certainly qualifies. Sometimes I wished I could follow the dialog but I know the story and we've seen lots of updates with modern dialog so what would be the point? Great example of Show Don't Tell. The actors looked like they were having fun, perhaps doing Shakespeare the first time since college.

If I'd seen this in High School I might have put more effort into the assigned reading.

Over the past 2 weeks I have watched on Tubi:

Eve Of Destruction
The Octagon
L.A. Bounty
Wanted Dead Or Alive

Except for Eve Of Destruction my first viewing of these films.

Primitive War Fandango at Home
Ryan Kwanten. Directed by Luke Sparke. 2025
Vietnam. 1968. A recon unit known as Vulture Squad is sent to an isolated jungle valley to uncover the fate of a missing Green Beret platoon. They soon discover they are not alone.

When I first saw the trailer for "Primitive War" it looked like another Asylum knock-off for the SyFy Channel (though half the time they're not even showing legit Sci-Fi). However, it's better than the average Straight-to-Streaming movie, though average in that category is generally ...pretty average. "Primitive War" tries a little harder; it's a longer film that gives more time to developing its characters and situations. Of course, there are the usual Viet Nam cliches (you know its Viet Nam because John Fogerty is all over the soundtrack), but I didn't mind since it adds some grit to the story

Australian actor Ryan Kwanten (best remembered for playing Sookie's brother in "True Blood") is the platoon commander with Tricia Helfer playing a tough Russian woman with all the answers that the troop encounters. Hollywood outcast Jeremy Piven brings his usual angry energy as a shifty colonel who sends the troop on a secret mission. The only disappointment is the Russian Big Bad who just feels like someone they pulled off the street.

There are a lot more CGI dinosaurs than you would expect for a low-budget film and the violence is gruesome and R-Rated. The big Action Finale is ridiculously over-the-top and all the better for it. "Primitive War" is a far better Adventure Film than "Jurassic Park: Rebirth" and I wish I'd seen it on the big screen. The CGI dinosaurs aren't as polished as Universal's big budget production but they're a lot more intimidating.

1946. Story is told in flashback, within a flashback, within a flashback. Flashbacks go three level deep so story occupies four moments in time simultaneously. Reverses course and backs out of each flashback until back to the present where movie started.
Reminded me a little of Inception.

This sounded interesting since I like Robert Mitchum but I checked my notes and I and already seen and dismissed this. "Early Robert Mitchum. A klepto doesn't make much of a femme fatale. Flashbacks deep to childhood trauma. Too much psychobabble and ruined by a final unrealistic twist." I enjoyed this quote from the IMDB "This film is noted for a flashback within a flashback within a flashback. Needless to say, hairstyles and fashions pay no attention to this whatsoever."

Might be worth a re-watch to goof on it.

The Egyptian (1954)

Saw this long long ago and it still holds up for me.

It's not that great. I got involved enough to want to see how it turned out.

An actual dialog. I thought that was what this thread was supposed to be about.




It's already spring here in Florida so I've been overdosing on Rom-Coms. Walter Matthau is always great and I have a thing for nerdy women so I liked Elaine May's performance. I had an Alfa Romeo Spider back in the day and it was about as reliable as Henry's Ferrari so I laughed ever time it broke down. I think I liked it better when I saw it in a theater but it's still pretty funny.

Just got back from seeing Labyrinth at the 40th Anniversary Fathom Event. I was surprised to discover all three Sunday showings at my Cinemark were nearly sold out. I had to buy tickets for the front row, but was able to move back to a handicap companion seat once the movie started. Being one of my favorite childhood movies, I was happy to finally see this on the big screen. Apart from me, the audience was made up of parents bringing their kids. Most were well-behaved, save for a woman with four antsy children who loudly came in to take up the front row a half hour after the movie started. Her kids were constantly walking up and down the aisle, but thankfully they were partially obscured by the half wall this theater has in front of each row to block your view of anyone seated in front of you.

So I just saw the tops of their heads moving back and forth, which was slightly less distracting - but still annoying. Around the time the junk lady scene started, one of these kids loudly crashed their drink and candy all over the floor. The mother quickly hustled them out of the theater. I thought she was going out to ask one of the staff to help clean it up, but (thankfully) none of them came back. I checked the seating chart after I got out and discovered their seats were not reserved and she'd clearly snuck them all in without paying - which made their previous distractions piss me off all the more. Less annoying was the woman who paused right in front of me on her way out to groove to Bowie singing "Underground" over the end credits. A bit awkward, but it was nice to see her enjoying herself.

Abomination: The Evilmaker II (2003) — Yawn. I didn't like the first one at all and this sequel was worse, though more boring than anything to go along with bad writing, acting and direction. I had some hope early on that they upgraded the cameras but that only lasted a few minutes before going back to the shot-on-shitio "style". Only positive is it is 20 minutes shorter. */***** (Blu-ray)

I own this.

Strange Jim Carrey did not receicve a Oscar nomination but he did win a Golden Globe and got a SAG nomination.

Maybe Andy Kaufman and the movie alienated people back in 1999.

RIP Milos Foreman who did a lot of great movies.

2025

Netflix

"A woman breaks out of an abusive commune, but when the queenpin kidnaps her younger sister and sends a crooked cop after her, she has no choice but to infiltrate the very place she escaped from."

It was ok and Kiefer Sutherland the most entertaining thing about the movie.

Endless narration to start a movie gets irradtating after a while.

2025

Netflix

"Reuniting Kyra Sedgwick and Kevin Bacon on screen for the first time in twenty years, THE BEST YOU CAN is a sharp, touching, and laugh-out-loud exploration of change, losing our bearings, and finding connection in the most unexpected places. This character-driven comedy is a reminder that sometimes the people who understand us best are the ones who are nothing like us. ?

Not perfect but I enjoyed it.

Judd Hirsch is also in it.

A nice doc and he is a generous tipper too

The Tin Star Amazon Prime
Henry Fonda, Anthony Perkins. Directed by Anthony Mann. 1957
A cynical ex-sheriff turned bounty hunter helps a young, recently appointed acting sheriff with his advice, his experience, and his gun.

"The Tin Star" doesn't seem like your typical Arrow Video Blu-Ray. but Amazon has been tempting me with "coupon pricing" for the disc for a while. Fortunately, Amazon just saved me from making a blind buy.

Anthony Mann is noted for his darker character-driven Westerns, particularly his memorable run of films with James Stewart. "The Tin Star" features Stewart's pal Henry Fonda, who brings a lot of dimension to his role as a bitter bounty hunter who mentors a younger man. Fonda is solid as expected, but I was equally impressed with Anthony Perkins playing a more mature, less twitchy role than he was usually given at the time. It's a fairly routine "Old School" Fifties Western as Perkins takes his time learning the lessons Fonda has to teach him, but it is entertaining for fans of that particular niche. Lee Van Cleef and Neville Brand are The Heavies (of course!) and genre vet John McIntire is the crusty but beloved Town Doctor. Betsy Palmer is the (conveniently) widowed mother who becomes Fonda's love interest, twenty years or so before she'd start killing camp counsellors at Crystal Lake.

Serenity (4K)...just great all-around movie. one of my comfort movies and one of favs of all-time.