Sam's Thread of Chattin' w/ Jake & Other Robust Subjects

[JGlass]

That... is disappointing. I'm still going to see it, but that review took a lot of the wind out of my sails.

Maybe it can be one more thing we disagree on.

 

[Барбоса]

I got the vibe from Craig that he doesn't give much of a shit anymore while the director was seemingly not immediately interested post-Skyfall, so it doesn't surprise me to hear that Spectre might be uninspired.

 

[Uncle Sam]

Batista though. Batista. Is it worth seeing for Batista? No. But he's in a pretty good action scene.

 

[Dowdsy McDowds]

I had to stop telling people "It wasn't as good as Skyfall" because there is far too big a gulf in class between them.

If it is Craig's last outing as Bond then I might like it a little more in hindsight...

Spoiler

but I couldn't buy into the idea of him deciding that blonde lassie was the one who would make him leave the service. I mean, her?

Spoiler

All the ads beforehand were incredibly annoying and they showed the old Star Wars trailer, which I thought was a bit odd.

I saw John Wick while I was away and it was as if someone remade Equilibrium without any neo-philosophical hooplah and a lot more close-range head-shot punches. Might have enjoyed it more than Spectre to be honest.

 

[Uncle Sam]

One could say it was the awkward marriage of Moore-era Bond with, well, Craig-era Bond that made Spectre so underwhelming, but I think it's more to do the last thirty minutes being bereft of anything I can imagine anyone finding interesting or entertaining. The two hours before that have more downs than ups.

 

[Dowdsy McDowds]

That's a pretty sound assessment.

I think that knowing the run-time before going in was a little counter-productive too because once you met everyone, you knew how it was going to play out but then it took soooo long for it all to actually play out.

Batista's role was actually one of the better Bond throwbacks - big, silent, determined hit-man who can put a hurting on Jim.

 

[Dowdsy McDowds]

I had to drive through London earlier on. 2 fucking hours to get from Hammersmith to the M11. Sat-nav even put me through the congestion zone for shits and giggles.

Do you ever have to drive through the place Sam or do you leave it to the public transport drivers to have the meltdowns?

 

[Uncle Sam]

1. Mad Max: Fury Road ★★★★★
2. Spy ★★★★
3. It Follows ★★★★
4. Whiplash ★★★★
5. Inside Out ★★★★
6. The Lobster ★★★
7. Slow West ★★★
8. The Martian ★★★
9. Ex Machina ★★★
10. Jurassic World ★★★
11. Ant-Man ★★★
12. Song of the Sea ★★★
13. Fast & Furious 7 ★★★
14. Avengers: Age of Ultron ★★★
15. Pitch Perfect 2 ★★★
16. Kingsman: The Secret Service ★★★
17. Amy ★★
18. Inherent Vice ★★
19. Straight Outta Compton ★★
20. The Gift ★★
21. Macbeth ★★
22. Big Hero 6 ★★
23. Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol ★★
24. Spectre ★★
25. Terminator: Genisys ★

As willfully obtuse films go, The Lobster is rather funny, cohesive and, overall, pretty enjoyable. It feels like a James Incandenza film, which is a reference you'll only get if you've read Infinite Jest.

 

[Dowdsy McDowds]

You watching Peep Show later?

 

[Uncle Sam]

Oh, is that tonight? I didn't even finish the most recent series, I thought it'd really fallen off its perch. Seeing as it's the last ever series and is one of my favourite shows, I don't see why not.

 

[X]

Thank you both for reminding me of that. I adore Peep Show and forgot the new series was coming up. Too bad I'm not British and don't get your fancy channels. Oh well, Jez would approve of my streaming.

 

[Dowdsy McDowds]

Admittedly I have a tough time remembering what happened in which season after 4 but I've never struggled to get through a season.

Hopefully Dobby is reappearing this season, she was an awesome counter-balance to Mark (and Jez at times).

 

[X]

I had a really strange crush on Dobby a few years back. She kind of reminds me of a British version of my ex.

 

[Dowdsy McDowds]

Dobby's outward geekiness coupled with her inner sparkiness is a fine combo.

Plus, that cupboard.

Edit "I do want to watch Octopussy and have a Twirl, but I don't want to give him the fucking satisfaction."

 

[Uncle Sam]

Edgar Wright's A Fistful of Fingers was profoundly enjoyable - and not just for something a 21-year-old directed. It's like a Mel Brooks film, only with better gags and a more British sensibility.

 

[X]

You should watch the 1978 remake of Invasion of the Body Snatchers if you've never seen it.

That's all.

 

[Uncle Sam]

The one with Jeff Goldblum? I have and always thought it was a bit of a mess, albeit fun in places. I don't know what it is about me and Donald Sutherland but we just don't really get along.

 

[Lee]

Watched it follows last night with the girl, we both loved it. We have two conflicting ideas about the ending:

Her:

Spoiler

Paul passed it on to prostitute so it will walk past them.

Me:

Spoiler

Paul passed to prostitute who passed it to someone else but it has killed them both and is now vying for Paul.

 

[X]

The one with Jeff Goldblum? I have and always thought it was a bit of a mess, albeit fun in places. I don't know what it is about me and Donald Sutherland but we just don't really get along.

Yes that's the one with a young Goldblum. Bah humbug on you, if it's been years, watch it again. I'm curious as to why you think it's a mess. I saw it years ago and really liked it and watched it again about a week ago and adored it, I was in the mood for cerebral, cynical 70s Sci Fi and it delivered in spades. Such a creepy little film with great acting and rad special effects that still stand up to this day.

And a double bah humbug on you for not getting along with Donald Sutherland. WHAT?! Have you not seen Don't Look Now good sir? MASH? Animal House for god's sake?! He's one of the very best leading men of the 70s man. His inhuman scream at the end of Invasion is one of the creepiest things ever.

Watched it follows last night with the girl, we both loved it. We have two conflicting ideas about the ending:

Her:

Spoiler

Paul passed it on to prostitute so it will walk past them.

Me:

Spoiler

Paul passed to prostitute who passed it to someone else but it has killed them both and is now vying for Paul.

Great flick, love that 70s/Carpenter influenced score so much. One of the biggest legit jump scares I've had in years was that scene where the fucking giant man just comes walking up behind that girl's friend halfway through the film into the room with her, holy shit did that one get me, last time I jumped like that in a theater was the girl in the closet when I saw The Ring remake over a decade ago.

 

[FunKay the Inevitable]

You should watch the 1978 remake of Invasion of the Body Snatchers if you've never seen it.

That's all.

Having never seen either the original (or the 70's/Sutherland version for that matter) I have to ask, assuming you've seen it X, is it worth watching? I mean, Don Siegel's directed it so clearly there is some quality there already, but is it any good man?

 

[X]

Having never seen either the original (or the 70's/Sutherland version for that matter) I have to ask, assuming you've seen it X, is it worth watching? I mean, Don Siegel's directed it so clearly there is some quality there already, but is it any good man?

Absolutely. It's not quite the five star classic it's remembered as, but it's still one of the absolute best Sci Fi films of the 50s and worth your time. Would be a better film if the studios didn't force a wrap-around segment in the beginning and end of the film to tack on a happy ending against Siegel's wishes, kind of ruining the total downer atmosphere of the film.

The 78 one is better though and the best version of the four different film versions of the story. The Abel Ferrara one from the early 90s is fun too, but more cheesy horror than cold-blooded Sci-Fi.

 

[FunKay the Inevitable]

Absolutely. It's not quite the five star classic it's remembered as, but it's still one of the absolute best Sci Fi films of the 50s and worth your time. Would be a better film if the studios didn't force a wrap-around segment in the beginning and end of the film to tack on a happy ending against Siegel's wishes, kind of ruining the total downer atmosphere of the film.

Not a real shock given the studio system in place at the time and with the Red Scare/Blacklist etc... but good to know its worth a look.

Was watching Siegel's version of The Killers with Lee Marvin (and Ronald Reagan of all bloody people) the other day and it struck me he's always been a bit edgy compared to most studio-bred directors - extreme close-ups, odd shot composition, use of old-school techniques past their sell-by-date (back projection in particular).

Seems he's one of those first guys in the States to really fully incorporate the film noir/expressionist aesthetics outside of that period and still make a commercially viable and entertaining movie.

 

[Барбоса]

Every time I watch the Mummy Returns, the decision not to have the Rock appear at the end to fight O'Connell and Imhotep in a Triple Threat, rather than the half-man/half scorpion we got, even before the crapiness of the CGI, just seems more and more perplexing.

 

[Dowdsy McDowds]

The Rachel Weisz/Marta from Arrested Development fight is probably the best one in that film.

Saddest thing connected with Mummy Returns is that Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje left Oz for his role in the film. (Probably Lost too to be fair)

 

[Uncle Sam]

I saw Steve Jobs (the film, not the corpse). It was alright.