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Saw Cocaine Bear yesterday. It's the kind of movie where you know everything you need to know from the title, including if you will even like it. I loved it.

Also watched Nope at home last night. I felt like there was a good movie in there somewhere, but it needed about 30-40 minutes of cuts to get to it. Didn't hate it or anything -- there were parts I really liked; I just thought there were parts that dragged and moved too slowly.
 
I stll have the Ant Man In Quantumania film to watch, obviously, but I do think based on the first two that the Ant Man films are the crown jewels of the MCU.

The Ant Man films (I haven't seen Quantumania yet either) are among my favorites too, and might be my overall favorites of the franchise. Which is interesting, because I also feel that they're underrated by many fans, and I'm not sure why that is.
 
I am watching it and it is odd. At nearly 2 hours per episode, I can normally only watch one per day. The first two episodes seemed completely unconnected, which was odd. Maybe they'll connect things together later on. The second episode was really irritating as the volume was so low that my headphones kept cutting out, as long period of no background noise confuses them.

Refn's idea is to make the series explicitly for tv. He remembers before streaming and the net where one would leave the tv on all the time and if you wanted to do something couldn't pause the show so you'd wander in and out of the tv room, sometimes only catching bits of the show. So he made the series with the idea that is is almost like an installation that you can wander in and out of and not miss much.

Everything does tie together and despite the strange tone it really is a mostly straight forward crime drama written by Ed Brubaker, just purposefully slowed to such a crawl that it can feel almost plotless. Kinda like parts of Twin Peaks: The Return in that regard.

So yeah, it is some hardcore arthouse tv, obviously not remotely made for everyone.

Now that I've finished Copenhagen Cowboy as well, which gets significantly wilder as the supernatural element grows more overt in the final episodes, I see some similarities with TOTDY which also introduces an apocalyptic supernatural element in its later episodes.
 
I rarely watch anything on the trad, conventional networks these days (NBC, ABC, CBS) but heard good things about Poker Face so I checked it out.

I'm not down on the trad networks but the quality to noise ratio is a lot higher than elsewhere so when something good does pop up on them I'm usually a bit late to the party.

Not so Poker Face, which is about 8 episodes into its first season.

It is a really fun, cinematic yet episodic series with Natasha Lyonne as a Columbo-like non-detective, traveling from town to town solving murder 'mysteries' (the audience usually knows who the killer is within the first segment).




There's a lot of interesting stuff going on here with structure and style as well. It manages to draw inspiration from both classic 70s gritty crime classics AND 70s/80s-era episodic mystery tv.

Makes me realize how much modern 'prestige' tv has overtly not drawn on the history and form of tv, in such contrast to the film-history-drunk love that is such a defining characteristic of film culture.

Ironically this series' embrace of the classic episodic structure of tv's past now feels more radical and fresh than the modernday obsession with season-long arcs.
 
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Saw Cocaine Bear yesterday. It's the kind of movie where you know everything you need to know from the title, including if you will even like it. I loved it.
I think its the kind of movie where you love it or not. I fall into the latter category. There were some fun bits, but it was a slog to get there.
 
I started to watch X, but I wasn't really getting into it. I switched over to FBI: International to catch up. I'll go back to it tomorrow, because I know once it's gets down to the killing, it should be good.
 
This movie....this fucking cartoon...

OK, I'm like 4 or 5 years old, and I see these two cartoons on TV one night, and for some reason, this becomes a "Core Memory", the way just random things occasionally do in childhood.

The first one is a Disney short that I've seen several times since, Mickey as the Tailor that fights a giant.

The second one, for the rest of my life, I don't know the name of, only know the basics of the plot. And whenever I try to describe the plot to anyone over the years I always get pointed to Lambert, The Sheepish Lion. And I'm like, no, that wasn't it. But it happens so often, and the plots are similar enoughish that after years I eventually convince myself it was Lambert, and I just misremembered the film. But there's this nagging feeling in the back of my mind because I can see certain scenes in the film so clearly, burned into my young pysche.

Until finally I find it.

The film I actually saw all those years ago. A 1978 Japanese film released in the West as Ringing Bell...

MV5BNGY2YTI4OTctZTBlZi00Y2I4LWI5.jpg


Looks freakin' cute, don't it? Like maybe too cute, obsequious in the way of like Ponyo. And yeah, if you just watched the first 15 minutes of the movie, you'd be correct. Y'now...before the murdering of parents in front of their children starts.

OK, you know those cartoons from the 70s and 80s that scarred a generation? Watership Down, Plague Dogs, that one scene from The Adventures of Mark Twain...

giphy.gif



You know what I mean...children's entertainment that wasn't afraid to tackle very adult, dark themes for a young audience, that Karens and Whataboutthechildrenz Moral Busybodies have whinged about ever since?

Yeah, this film is worse than any of those. This film scarred me, and when I watched it again as an adult, I was still like..."Holy Fuck, this is DARK."

Ringing Bell is Berserk for children.

Think I must be exaggerating? Here are some quotes from reviews online:

"How far are you willing to go for revenge?" - Brie D Anderson

"A quick punch to the face of childhood innocence" - Anime News Network

"Ringing Bell did an excellent job of portraying how hellish life is" - Iridium Eye Reviews

"It would scar and traumatize me had I seen it at the age I first saw "Bambi." - 2DAniCritic

"I remember crying my eyes out over it. I realize now that this was very traumatic for me as a child. I remember picking it up at the kid section at our libraries video section. This was not a cozy family movie. This was an animated video about the unfairness of life and the things we do to cope with that unfairness. It terrified me as a kid but did inspire me to be tough." - Miss Nefaria

"Ringing Bell is about a cute little lamb who has fun adventures--nothing traumatizing happens at all..." - T. Fox

"Here's an adorable little lamb/goat thing. Look how cute he is! Do you love him yet? You do? Good. Gooooooooood.
Now, watch as his entire life falls apart before your very eyes. See him in absolute despair and pity him. You wish you could make it all better for him don't you. But you can't can you? Hahaha you pitiful, powerless child, stare helplessly in abject horror as your innocent little lamb becomes twisted into the very thing he hates and fears in the name of vengeance. Observe his grim fate of isolation and guilt for accomplishing his grisly mission. Yes, child, cry, cry, for George R R Martin is thirsty
." - Stephen M Guckemus

"DEAR GOD DO NOT BUY THIS FOR A CHILD!" - Amazon Review



Anyways, yeah...solid 8/10. Highly Recommend.
 
I finished the first season of "Dark," and have started the second one. I like it a lot, but I struggle sometimes to keep all the different temporal versions of all the characters straight. Those little montages they do when they show the younger versions of the characters in a split screen style next to the older ones help with that, though.
 
Watched UFO, the documentary series from I Can't See There Are Lens Flares In My Eyes (as Producer). Paramount + in 2021.
It pushed the usual ETH (Extraterrestrial Hypothesis) stuff, with a few interesting divergences.

Solely based on her volunteering in Burma in her youth, am now convinced Leslie Keene is also a CIA-trained disinformation agent.
Mostly joking. Never can tell in a field of disinformation, quarter-truths and outright nonsense. Richard Doty is a reprehensible human being. The Usual Suspects are very good at con-artistry, even if Remote Viewing is a Thing. Billionaires are mad, unchecked, and seem to form social circles around themselves who will readily reinforce their notions.

The UFO mythology is very Americana 20th century, but that said the ideas behind it are much older.
Here's a great book, written by an Englishman living a medieval lifestyle in the deserts of Spain, that details how previous empires have entertained very similar notions. Both the French and Spanish languages have equivalent stories, in both anecdotal and fictional forms, that correspond to the myths and legends around this topic today.

Finally, John Mack died because London is a left-hand drive city and he was from the US. Really not that complicated. Sad, but sometimes the simplest explanation is the best.
 
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Well, I managed to locate the Cowboy Bebop movie. Admittedly I was sleepy during the last half hour or so, but it was a slight disappointment. Lots of good stuff with an underwhelming ending.
 
The change of light, indicative of a change of location for shooting, almost had me quit Mayor of Kingstown.
I am giving the show a second-chance, but Pittsburg doesn't look as good as Canada.
EDIT: It got better. But like most shows, Season 1 is always the best season. The rest is Stockholm Syndrome.
 
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Makes me realize how much modern 'prestige' tv has overtly not drawn on the history and form of tv, in such contrast to the film-history-drunk love that is such a defining characteristic of film culture.

Ironically this series' embrace of the classic episodic structure of tv's past now feels more radical and fresh than the modernday obsession with season-long arcs.
Another issue is streaming services like Disney+ blurring the lines between movies and shows. It means you have services putting movie people in charge of TV shows, but they producing movies and producing TV shows are entirely difference art forms.

Look at the early "prestige" shows. The Sopranos was made by a guy who cut his teeth on Kolchak: The Night Stalker and The Rockford Files, and Breaking Bad came from one of the best writers on The X-Files. They understood that even if you have longer arcs, you still need solid, individual episodes.

Poker Face looks like a lot of fun, and the only reason I haven't taken a look at it yet is my lack of a Peacock subscription.

I've been alternating between episodes of House of the Dragon and re-watching The Brave Archer movies the last week. I also just watched The Terminator for the first time in decades, and that unsurprisingly still held up. I'll be reviewing that with BedrockBrendan BedrockBrendan on his podcast this afternoon.
 
Another issue is streaming services like Disney+ blurring the lines between movies and shows. It means you have services putting movie people in charge of TV shows, but they producing movies and producing TV shows are entirely difference art forms.

Look at the early "prestige" shows. The Sopranos was made by a guy who cut his teeth on Kolchak: The Night Stalker and The Rockford Files, and Breaking Bad came from one of the best writers on The X-Files. They understood that even if you have longer arcs, you still need solid, individual episodes.

Poker Face looks like a lot of fun, and the only reason I haven't taken a look at it yet is my lack of a Peacock subscription.

I've been alternating between episodes of House of the Dragon and re-watching The Brave Archer movies the last week. I also just watched The Terminator for the first time in decades, and that unsurprisingly still held up. I'll be reviewing that with BedrockBrendan BedrockBrendan on his podcast this afternoon.

Looking forward to discussing terminator
 
Just finished The French Dispatch and loved it. I rarely enjoy media at the time it is released so even though I am a huge Wes Anderson Fan it took me two years to get around to watching it.
 
Finished The Musketeers - one of the few shows where I was in suspense over the fate of the characters towards the end, and one of the few shows with a really good ending.
 
While Season Two of Mayor of Kingstown is okay?
That 'tent city' prison set is the most unconvincing set of a prison since Andromeda Season 3.
It's awful, and distracts from an otherwise okay show.
 
Just finished The French Dispatch and loved it. I rarely enjoy media at the time it is released so even though I am a huge Wes Anderson Fan it took me two years to get around to watching it.

I'm way behind on Anderson, still need to watch Moonrise Kingdom, Grand Budapest Hotel and French Dispatch. My favourite film of his remains his debut Bottle Rocket, which has a lived-in looseness that is so different from his later films.

With Owen Wilson appearing to be back in action I hope he'll return to co-writing a feature with Anderson (Wilson co-wrote Bottle Rocket, Rushmore and The Royal Tennebaums).
 
went and saw Cocaine Bear today with my friend. As we were the only two people in the theater, we were laughing our asses off at the absurdity of the story. I loved it. It felt like a throwback to the direct to video films of the 80's, but with a better cast and budget. I'd love to see a sequel, given the way the film ends.
 
Just finished The French Dispatch and loved it. I rarely enjoy media at the time it is released so even though I am a huge Wes Anderson Fan it took me two years to get around to watching it.
Absolutely love Wes Anderson films, I think I've seen all of them except Bottle Rocket.
Highly addictive once you get into his mind set
 
went and saw Cocaine Bear today with my friend. As we were the only two people in the theater, we were laughing our asses off at the absurdity of the story. I loved it. It felt like a throwback to the direct to video films of the 80's, but with a better cast and budget. I'd love to see a sequel, given the way the film ends.
To me it was like dumb and dumber- but with a coked out bear. The story was so absurd that I almost walked out- but in the end I'm glad I stayed. It tries to walk that fine line between absurdity and stupidity, and does it passingly well, but does veer over the line at times.
 
Now I want to see Cage's character from Mandy team up with Cocaine Bear to take on an apocalyptic cult in the forest

You should be working in Hollywood. At least you come up with ideas for entertaining movies!
 
Finished 1923 last night.
It was pretty solid, I will never tire of seeing rapist priests and English gentry being murdered, humiliated, or both.
I imagine the second series won’t be called 1924, as this will confuse most people.

I liked Weird for awhile, Daniel Radcliffe gives it his all. But at some point, right about when they killed Pablo Escobar and Madonna decided she wanted to take over the world drug trade, I got bored. So I walked out of a movie in my own home, and went to bed.
Now that’s what I call character development!

I suspect I am not enjoying movies anymore, my mind is more geared towards a streaming series format due to exposure.
But now and again, a really good movie comes along, and my expectations are met. So who knows?
 
Finished Too Old to Die Young and it was very strange. It could have been cut down quite a lot and would have lost nothing but long, lingering shots for no real reason. I think I enjoyed it.

Started Season 2 of Carnival Row, which seems as good as Season 1. I am on steadier ground when I say I am enjoying this.
 
Finished Too Old to Die Young and it was very strange. It could have been cut down quite a lot and would have lost nothing but long, lingering shots for no real reason. I think I enjoyed it.

Started Season 2 of Carnival Row, which seems as good as Season 1. I am on steadier ground when I say I am enjoying this.
Carnival Row was fantastic.
It was a real pity it never got a third season.
 
You should be working in Hollywood. At least you come up with ideas for entertaining movies!
He went mad avenging the murder of his wife to some cult. She's a bear who likes cocaine and carnage. Together, they travel the forests of the Pacific Northwest, preventing evil cults from bringing about the apocalypse. First they blow shit up their nose, then they blow shit up for real.
 
We're binging season 2 of Next in Fashion on Netflix. Definitely highbrow, quality entertainment :clown:. One of the hosts is Tan France from Queer Eye.
 
He went mad avenging the murder of his wife to some cult. She's a bear who likes cocaine and carnage. Together, they travel the forests of the Pacific Northwest, preventing evil cults from bringing about the apocalypse. First they blow shit up their nose, then they blow shit up for real.

Dude, you're totally hired!

I mean seriously? Wouldn't that be a hit movie? Is it just me? Bueller?
 
Dude, you're totally hired!

I mean seriously? Wouldn't that be a hit movie? Is it just me? Bueller?
Thank you! It's the kind of movie I'd want to see. And if it has sequels, you can let Cage play other characters he's played in other films if you need to. Eventually though, there's a crossover with Violent Night, so we get Cocaine Bear, Cage and Viking Santa going off on Terrorists trying to ruin Christmas! I'm sure Santa's magic bag has plenty of blow to keep the bear content :clown:

When Terrorists threaten to derail Christmas, Santa recruits Cocaine Bear and Red Miller (Cage's Mandy character) to help save the day. Full of snow, blow, blood & Guts.

It just writes itself

In the meantime, I've watched a couple of episodes of FBI, then some movie from China called Underground War on Tubi. It's a sci-fi movie, but is basically just set in the future where everyone has to live underground due to increased solar radiation. It's mostly action. The weird thing is the subtitles were ahead of the dialogue, so was hard to follow sometimes. That's never happened to me before watching a film on Tubi.

I started a new Fong Sai Yuk movie on Tubi this morning. While most of these mainland China movies look good, they don't have the storytelling Hong Kong films have
 
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Re-watching the MCU in order with the kids.

Enjoying them, especially the Captain America and Guardians films, but I think that once we finish I will be forever done with superhero movies.
 
I finally got around to seeing John Wick (the first one). It was enjoyable. Not quite to The Transporter levels of over the top action action, but several levels beyond Lethal Weapon or Die Hard. It was consistent in its over the topness though which to me is important.

I did find it oddly reminiscent of Nobody (or in reality I guess Nobody took some cues from John Wick, seeing as how it is a more recent movie that I happened to watch out of order from release).

Absolute best scene in the movie was the phone call to the chop shop guy from the mobster.
Mobster - I heard you struck my son.
Chop shop guy - Yes sir I did, he stole John Wicks car and killed his dog.
Mobster - Oh... click.


:hehe:
 
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