Matt’s Week in Dork! (2/26/12-3/3/13)

    I’ve been enjoying my weeks, lately.  Busy, but still full of my nerdy escapes.  And shocked though I was, I got a chance to see Coriolanus at the West End Cinema.  I like that little place.  I wish I was more into video games.  I’ve been looking at all kinds of Mass Effect images and thinking about how cool it seems.  But, knowing my game playing (not to mention current system limitations), it would not be worth my while to try getting into it.  Maybe I’ll read some of the novels. 


The Trans-Atlantic Mystery:  Creeper Donald Meek is back to investigate more nefarious deeds.  Jewel thieves, double crossers, and cold blooded murderers.  I don’t know what the weird doctor would do if there weren’t evil in the world.  He’d probably do some of his own.  What’s weird about this one is how long it takes for the doctor and his cop buddy to show up; more than half the runtime of this short.

Wild Boys of the Road:  The movie starts at a ‘Sophomore Frolic,’ which they did not have when I went to high school, let me tell you.  Our wild boys are with some pretty wild girls, and up to some pretty wild business.  But the Depression, man.  These boys have to face the grim reality of parents being out of work, and the world spitting in their eye.  Then they hop a train and head out into the wide world to find their fortune.  They find all kinds of crime and corruption, and then brutal violence and death.  Things get ugly on the road and on the tracks.  Another movie that shows the problems of today aren’t much different than the problems of yesterday.

Wild Bill: Hollywood Maverick:  It feels like William Wellman is a lost great.  He was a driving force behind some really great movies.  At least as colorful as the characters he put on film, he was a crazy and brash worker.  This documentary has an amazing line-up of interview subjects and covers his life with a dramatic flare, helped by narrator Alec Baldwin.  These kind of larger than life folks are the stuff of legendary America.  Some kind of quintessential, mythological essence of life taken on with two fists.  Like a good documentary, it makes me want to know more.  And like a good one about film, it makes me really hungry to watch a bunch of movies.  I found the home movies of Wellman especially effecting.

The Men Who Made Movies: William Wellman:  This documentary goes over much of the same material as Wild Bill: Hollywood Maverick, but from different angles.  One of the coolest things about it is the use of actual Wellman interview footage.  Obviously quite the character, hearing him tell his stories is extremely charming.

Isle of the Dead:  Another striking Val Lewton produced horror film.  This time we’re in Greece, and Boris Karloff is a cruel but somewhat tragic military man stuck on a plague infested island where his wife was buried.  Is it the plague?  Or is someone on the island an evil spirit?  An interesting study in paranoia, superstition, duty, and dignity.

Dark of the Sun:  Rod Taylor leads a band of mercenaries through hostile territory to rescue some people and reclaim some diamonds.  In the face of brutality and horror, Taylor and Jim Brown are stoic forces of order.  The plot travels in many strange directions, culminating in a crazy fight.  Broken and dangerous men in a broken and dangerous land.  The movie goes through some dark stuff.  Good though.

God’s Gun:  The great thing about Spagetti westerns is that even when everyone speaks English, they’re horribly dubbed.  Even when they have moderate actors, the acting sucks.  The music is terrible and everything looks crappy.  I’ve got NO idea what Jack Palance was going for.  Villain or no, his mannerisms seem more in keeping with an old time silent comedian.  Lee Van Cleef is double the awesome, though.

Vanilla Sky:  An interesting meditation on loss, love, and idealized youth seen through the eyes of a wealthy media scion.  Tom Cruise is good as the guy who has it all, then looses it to a jilted crazy woman.  The cast is solid (even the normally unbearable Cruz), the visuals interesting, and the music atmospheric.  Though I’ve heard many people complain that the movie was hard to understand, I think if you’ve got even the most rudimentary understanding of science fiction film, or have ever watched an episode of The Twilight Zone (or similar show), you shouldn’t have a hard time following along at home.  Granted, you also have to pay attention, so maybe that’s the issue.  It may not go on my list of best, but this is a worthy movie in the ‘what is reality?’ subgenre.

Smiley’s People:  I found this follow-up to Tinker Taylor Soldier Spy to be far more engaging.  Alec Guinness still plays it about as cool and detached as possible, but I think his more active involvement in the happenings helps.  Plus, the location shooting gives it far more credibility.  There’s something about continental Europe in the late 70s and early 80s, some depressing magic that takes me back with a twisted sort of nostalgia to the constant fear and paranoia of the Cold War.  What can I say, I grew up in the shadow of the Iron Curtain (psychologically) and so it reminds me of my youth.  Overall, I found this second series much more satisfying.  It’s too bad they were not able to make the second book in the semi-trilogy involving Smiley and his hunt for his elusive opposite on the other side.

Coriolanus:  The Beast Fiennes, covered in the gore and grime of fallen foes, spews hate at the mindless and easily swayed masses.  His disgust at the hoard mentality of the common man, fueled by fear and complacency is infectious.  The cast is awesome, and Fiennes loves to keep everyone in uncomfortable close-up.  He revels in everyone’s wrinkles, blemishes, and sweaty, hide-stretched bone structure.  Visceral in the extreme, this is Shakespeare’s Modern Combat.  And another reminder that when you have an ultra-loyal, ultra-competent killer devoted to you, don’t betray him.  It’s just asking for trouble.

Hannie Caulder:  Yikes.  Three degenerates (Strother Martin, Ernest Borgnine, and professional creep Jack Elam) plunder, murder, and rape their way through the wild west.  But they make a big mistake when they leave one victim (Raquel Welch) alive.  Then, in walks Robert Culp and his beard, who introduces her to Christopher Lee and his beard.  Welch is a knockout in this movie, and it’s one of her better performances (not really saying much).  There is some pretty bloody violence, as well as an extremely disturbing (though thankfully not graphic) sexual assault.  The final credit music is shockingly bad, though.  Not sure what’s up with that.  A good western, revenge film.

Frankenstein Conquers the World:  A slow radiated kid turns into a giant (still slow) monster and wanders around doing stuff while scientists waffle about trying to figure out what to talk about maybe doing sometime.  Then a giant demon dog with a glowing horn shows up to eat chickens.  This is Japanese.

Tarzan and His Mate:  Oh, my.  Maureen O’Sullivan is really something in this one.  Sure, the nude swimming scene is a body double/stunt woman.  But even so, O’Sullivan’s Jane is a super-charged, uninhibited sexual creature.  Tarzan remains little more than a grunting animal; a sort of embodiment of nature Jane has not only embraced, but mastered.  When folks from civilization show up with some dresses and make-up, trying to lull her back, Jane will have none of it, having freed herself from the chains of polite society.  And her loincloth get-up is nothing short of genius.

Tarzan Finds a Son:  As the title says, Tarzan (and Jane) find an orphan boy and adopt him.  Growing up in the jungle is dangerous, but fun for the trouble seeking little kid.  When some more interfering white people show up and cause a rumble in the jungle, Tarzan is less than amused.  This movie uses elements of Tarzan’s background from the books and places them on the adopted Boy.  Jane’s costume is a heck of a lot more conservative by this film.  Too bad.  And if these movies have taught me anything, it’s that if you even look at water, crocks will dive in and start chasing you.  There’s also a scene with chimps riding elephants.  Bam.

Bedlam:  Boris Karloff stars in another interesting more psychological horror from producer Val Lewton.  This time, he plays a cruel and conniving doctor at the titular asylum.  When a young woman calls him and his wealthy cronies, on their casual villainy, the bad doctor works to commit her.  Karloff is like the foundation of a good film.  If you give him good material, you can build something great on his shoulders.

    I watched some Tomorrow People this week.  Man, that show is crazy.  70s England mixed with really weird science fiction.  Telepathic kids.  Shifting paintings of alien worlds.  Teleportation.  And a new Tomorrow Person joins the group.  This story arc is all about the blue and the green.

    And to cap off the week, I showed Ben a couple episodes of the original Star Trek, ‘The Cage’ and ‘Where No Man Has Gone Before.’  I’m figuring on giving him a crash course in the best or the original series.  I miss the mad bastardry of that era’s science fiction, rarely captured in this era.

    I got some reading done this past week, which was nice.  Started off with a surprisingly not terrible comic about Burroughs’ Mars, and then ended off the week with two books from my new favorite Norwegian (seriously, what’s up with Norway producing so much awesome lately?).  Check out the reviews here.

-Matt

Matt’s Week in Dork! (2/19/12-2/25/12)

Other Men’s Women:  A kind of douchy guy starts hanging with his swell chum and said chum’s understanding wife.  All’s well for quite some time, until Douchy McDouche and the cute young wife get a taste of something extra.  Before they can go too far, McDouche takes his leave, but not soon enough.  Problems and troubles.  Blindness, drunkenness, and lots of coffee.  Pretty good movie, though the end, like a lot from the pre-Code days, is kind of bent.  Still not sure what James Cagney is doing in the movie, other than dancing.

The Purchase Price:  Barbara Stanwyck is a torch singing floozy, who flees the life and ends up in an arranged marriage in North Dakota.  OK, sure.  The weird premise ends up working for the most part, and the leads are all quite charming.  It’s a fun old timey romantic comedy with lots of colorful characters and adventures.

The Wall Street Mystery:  This short film is feels like a TV show episode from 30 years later, but it’s enjoyable in a light sort of way.  Though, yikes.  The horribly racist portrayal of the elevator attendant.  Wow.  The investigating doctor is an odd bird, that’s for sure.

Platinum Blonde:  This movie is the berries.  A wise cracking reporter gets a hankerin’ for a rich dame, breaking the heart of his best friend (also a dame!).  Whatever it was that Jean Harlow did to men in her day, she does not do to me.  She’s got comic timing and acting talent, but her sex symbol status is beyond me.  Loretta Young, however, has a certain doe-eyed pluck I find quite charming.  The movie takes on the idle rich as a working man is tempted by the luster of wealth.  Is he a bird in a gilded cage?

A Perfect Murder:  I can’t help it.  I want Michael Douglass to succeed at every turn.  First off, his wife is awful.  Secondly, her boyfriend is a douche.  And thirdly, Douglass is just so danged charming.  The film is extremely 90s, with its no nudity clause sex scenes and almost made for TV, over sanitized feel.  But frankly, Douglass’ reference to a woman as a “Castilian femme fatale” alone was worth the price of admission.  It does serve to remind me just how much I don’t care for Gwyneth Paltrow.  How did she have a career again?

Frisco Jenny:  A young woman from the wrong part of town takes on the world with her wits and cunning.  She’s anything but an angel, but she has one light, her son.  Adopted by a family with money, makes good; better than he’d ever have made with his mother.  Jenny tries to be the young man’s guardian angel, but her shady life and sordid history will haunt them.  The movie follows an interesting path, leading to an interestingly filmed and edited courtroom scene.  Ruth Chatterton gives a heck of a performance as the title character.

The Studio Murder Mystery:  Donald Meek is back as the weirdass doctor/investigator, on the prowl for a good mystery.  His cop buddy that keeps calling him in is great, too.  Just a big dumb lug.  Look, Meek is a strait-up creeper.  I have no idea why they made more than one of these shorts.  And there’s a dude that looks like Nic Cage (once again…vampire?).

Midnight Marry:  “I’ll give you a ring sometime…Maybe.”  A hard-luck kid gets chewed up and spit out by the system, turning into a wild child.  Loretta Young plays the corruptible young woman in this bleak movie about crime, poverty, and the depths of life on the street.  The Depression hit’s the streets like a gut punch.

Terror of the Bloodhunters:  Lacking in the dubious charm of a Corman movie of the same era, this movie is just a bit too dull, and not quite sensationalist as it should be.  The cast is easily forgotten, nor are there any particularly fun or memorable moments.  It is.  That’s about it.

Liane: The Jungle Goddess:  Bad dubbing and awkward, somewhat exploitative stock footage go along with a moderately attractive woman who doesn’t seem to mind taking her top off.  Not at all a good movie, it’s kinda amusing in its way.  Pretty typical of the ‘blonde jungle girl’ subgenre of lowbrow adventure films.

Metropolis:  OK, I know I’ve reviewed this before.  Probably several times.  Heck, I’ve seen this movie countless times (in myriad versions).  But, seeing the complete version, on the big screen at the AFI Silver, with a live band, was a real thrill.  And seeing it with a friend who had never seen it, and another who had never seen any silent film before was a special treat.  What a way to first experience the movie.  And it is a heck of a film.  You can see the roots of so many movies over the decades in its visuals and concepts.  And of course, like many true classics, its messages and themes are as timely today as when it was filmed.  One thing I really like about the movie is that the villains aren’t truly evil.  Even mad scientist Rotwang can be sympathized with.  He is a wronged man, lost in grief, and driven to set things right, not some soulless monster.  And it might be corny, but the overall theme that the head and the hand must be mediated by the heart is something I genuinely believe.  I appreciate the visceral and the cerebral, the high and the low, the mind and the body, the civil and the brutish, order and chaos.  Balance.

Tarzan, The Ape Man:  In an EXTREMELY loose adaptation of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ classic adventure novel, Tarzan appears as a dumb, if handsome, doof.  A plucky young woman enters his life, screams and complains a lot, and romance is born.  There are some pretty cool bits, but I can’t help wishing the book had served as more than a source of a title.  And am I nuts, or are those Indian elephants with prosthetic ears?  I’m not a biologist or anything, but they don’t look right.

Tarzan Escapes:  Much of the goofiness of the first film remains.  But dang if Maureen O’Sullivan doesn’t look seriously hot.  For some reason, Tarzan is still an idiot.  One would think that simply being around Jane and listening to her talk would have taught him a thing or two, but alas, he still does little more than parrot her words.  This movie also makes use of stock footage from previous films.  Watch out for ju-ju, man.  On-gawa.

Coffy:  The movie that made me fall in love with Pam Grier and Blaxploitation, Coffy is crazy.  It’s violent, deviant, filled with memorable characters and performances (not always good, but memorable none the less), and lots of flesh.  If you want a taste of Ms. Grier, the subgenre, or if you’re already a fan but haven’t seen this, check it out.  It’s a must.

Heroes for Sale:  “It may be the end of us, but it’s not the end of America.”  The horrors of war and the winds of fate take their toll on two men.  A fortunate son who turned yellow in the trenches ends up with awards and accolades, while a workaday schlub gets injured and hooked on morphine.  But schlub or no, he’s got grit and makes good.  But, as with a lot of movies from the time, things don’t go well for too long.  The system crushes all.  And after our hero has been chewed up and spit out, he gets stepped on and ground into the pavement.  It’s no shock that folks in the Depression would identify with movies like this.

    And Ben and I checked out a couple TV shows; John Adams, The Outer Limits, and The Twilight Zone.  John Adams seems pretty interesting.  I need to finish it off one of these days.  It’s not an era I’m especially familiar with, but should be.    And of course, I love me some classic anthology sci-fi.

    I also got through the second disk of Smiley’s People, which I’m enjoying much more than Tinker Taylor Sailor Spy.  It’s a good series, with a slow building tension that makes me hungry for the next episode.

       Book wise, I finished the Halo novel I’ve been picking at for a while.  It was a good deal of fun to read, and I’m interested in what the next one will bring.

    With all that, I still managed to host a second game night, which went quite well, I thought.  I’ll post about that later.

-Matt

New Release Tuesday (1/17/12) & (1/24/12)!!!

Okay, I'm playing a little catchup with last week's releases and even though there really wasn't much to really scream and shout about I wanted to get in a few choice words.  This week, however, has the Criterion Blu Ray Release of Godzilla and I won't be satisfied until its in my player.  Hopefully, I can run out early morning and score a copy.  But first--

1/17/12

Buy!

THE IDES OF MARCH:  Matt was a little lukewarm on George Clooney's latest directorial effort, and even though I ackknowledge that it's probably my least favorite of his films so far (the others being Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, Good Night and Good Luck, & Leatherheads) I still felt this was a superior political thriller--no, there is not some mysterious killing at its center like some might have thought or hoped for, but there is plenty of slippery morality and excellent dirty performances from Clooney, Ryan Gosling, Paul Giamatti, and Phillip Seymore Hoffman.

TRAFFIC (CRITERION BLU):  I have not seen this film in quite some time, but in 2000 I know it made my Top 10 Films of the Year and I'm really looking forward to revisiting Steven Soderbergh's multi-layered crime saga.  Despite my brief love affair with The Usual Suspects, I believe I didn't truly fall head over heals with Benecio Del Toro until this picture.  And I remember really digging the hell outta the gman relationship between Don Cheadle and Luis Guzeman.  The crazed Michael Douglas daughter stuff I could probably do without.

BELLE DE JOUR (CRITERION BLU):  I don't know why, but I've never seen (probably) the most famous film from surrealist madman Luis Bunuel.  Well, I gotta correct that immediately.  The below Three Reasons video promises for some stimulating arty entertainment.

THE LAST HARD MEN/SKY RIDERS (SHOUT FACTORY DOUBLE FEATURE):  A James Coburn Double Feature!  Yes!  But, honestly, all I really care about is the Versus Western with Charlton Heston.  I've heard mixed things about the film, but I'm really hoping that it proves itself worthy for Matt's next Hest Fest.  "Their Shootout Becomes Cinematic Legend!"

PROJECT X (BLU):  I'm guessing this film does not live up to my childhood memory, but as a kid I watched Project X over and over and over again thanks to a crappy VHS recording off of TNT or some such network.  Matthew Broderick ruled the 80s and a double feature of this with Wargames was the pinnacle of cool.  I was listening to some podcast recently (don't remember which one) and they said a great lead into the recent Rise of the Planet of the Apes would be Project X...hmmm, that sounds like the way to do it for me.  Done.

Rent!

ABDUCTION:  Okay, so yeah, this should probably be a great big Avoid! but I can't help myself.  It looks like stupid, fun junk.  And maybe I just want to laugh at Shark Boy as he fumbles his way through sadsack John Singleton action but let me have my cheap fun.

1/24/12

Must Buy DVD of the Week!

GODZILLA (CRITERION BLU):  Aw yeah.  Here we go.  Probably the most anticipated DVD release of the year, straight outta the gate from the good folks at Criterion.  2012 is definitely going to be the time I go Kaiju crazy and gorge myself on a messload of men-in-suit smackdowns and there is no better place to start than the granddaddy of them all.  I can't wait to dive into the original 1954 Japanese cut, but what I'm really looking forward to is revisiting the 1956 American dubbed "King of the Monsters" cut featuring Raymond Burr which I haven't seen since I was a wee lad.  Again, check out the below Three Reasons video to see why you should be as excited as I am.

Buy!

WINGS (BLU):  Having just thoroughly enjoyed director William Wellman's The Ox-Bow Incident, I think it's time that I delve into more of his unique back catalogue.  I've never seen Wings, but a melodrama about two World War 1 aviators in love with the same woman really appeals to me at the moment.  And I've been digging these Silent Film blu ray upgrades so much that I'm willing to go in on the blind buy.  Probably not the most financially sound decision, but I'm a nut that way.

LETHAL LADIES COLLECTION 2 (THE ARENA/FLY ME/COVER GIRL MODELS):  Another fun release from Shout Factory's Roger Corman Cult Classics collection.  The Arena is not my favorite Pam Grier outing (not by a long shot), but there is plenty of Gladiatorial cheese to keep you entertained.  I've never seen Fly Me or Cover Girl Models, but I have a strong feeling that they'll live up to their wanton potential.

Rent!

REAL STEAL:  Entertaining for a single viewing, but I seriously doubt I could get much outta this Robot Jox wannabe--yeah, that's right, I preferred the Stuart Gordon Full Moon adventure.  The idea of a future world in which Boxing is done via giant, mashing, smashing robots sounds like it could be all kinds of B Movie fun.  And Hugh Jackman knows how to ham it up when he should, but this film ultimately takes itself too seriously and the whole Father/Son relationship is eye-rollingly saccharine.  That kid's hip hop dancing must be stopped!  If you like the concept of the story than I suggest you read the original Richard Matheston story or watch The Twilight Zone/Lee Marvin original episode.

50/50:  Saw this by myself in the theater and pretty much cried during the entire proceedings.  Joseph Gordon-Levitt continues his streak of world wide domination and I can't wait to see where he goes after The Dark Knight Rises.  50/50 is a solid dramedy but I don't see a circumstance in which I'll just pop this film in for fun.  A lot of folks thought this was one of last year's best films and even though I wouldn't necessarily argue with them, I'd still rather watch Drive Angry again.

REBECCA/NOTORIOUS/SPELLBOUND (BLU):  A trilogy of masterful Hitchcock films hit blu today and it's pisses me off to no end.  I own all three of the Criterion standards and they are brilliant discs worth dozens upon dozens of rewatch.  But I want them in Blu!  Not these non-Criterion blus--ick!

THE WOMAN:  The last film I saw based on a novel by Jack Ketchum burned me something fierce.  The Offspring was a terrible piece of dreck not worthy of the plastic it was burned upon.  However, the adaption of Red starring Brian Cox was utterly fantastic and The Woman is supposedly a brutally satisfying horror tale from the little engine that could, Lucky McKee.  I really enjoyed his May and thought The Woods had some seriously groovy atmosphere.  But I also don't think I'm really in the mood for this right now.  It goes on my Netflix queue, but it's pretty far down the line.

Avoid!

PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 3:  I was dragged to see the first two films by my buddy Robert.  But somehow he didn't manage that feat with this third outing.  And unless he kidnaps me and drags me to his house for a viewing (something that I could actually see occurring), I'm going to stay clear of yet another found footage bore.


Bonus Blue Oyster Cult Music Video!

--Brad