last movie you watched

[Greystoke]

Next today I watched Typist Artist Pirate King, which I saw on release and liked, and certainly admired as a sensitive and affectionate portrayal of the artist, Audrey Amiss. Taking the form of a road movie, Carol Morley directs with a gentle touch and two fine central performances from Monica Dolan, as Amiss, and Kelly Macdonald as a social worker who befriends the long-suffering artist.

Amiss, who suffered from paranoid schizophrenia, is depicted very kindly by Morley, although the relationship she develops with Macdonald's character doesn't come easy. With Amiss living a solitary life in state of disrepair that makes sense to her, but would be chaotic for anybody else.

Importantly, Amiss is never robbed of her intellect by a writer and director who clearly understood and had a great deal of affection for Amiss, and the characters she created in this film. Amiss is challenging to those around her, both those she knows, and those she thinks she knows, and not once does Morley undermine or ridicule actions and situations that at times embarrass or frighten in public places, and alone with strangers.

It's broad at times, with some underwritten roles and momentary flights of fantasy, but this is grounded and compassionate filmmaking that rings true in many ways. It's also quite moving and unafraid to be funny.

[Greystoke]

I watched Gorky Park last night, which is a film I hadn't seen in a very long time, probably twenty years or more. Set in Moscow, this is a police procedural with quite an interesting cast, whilst it's focused on time, place, and character without feeling the need for the actors to resort to faux Russian accents, including Alexi Sayle, Iain McDiarmid, and Rikki Fulton -- the Russians all have British accents.

William Hurt stars as the Moscow police inspector who is called to a gruesome murder scene where three bodies have been mutilated. He's pulled between working on the case and letting the KGB handle it, and whilst it's clear that there are political machinations afoot, Hurt plays the kind of straight and good cop in the middle of something that's going to lead him to places he doesn't expect.

I found it well-paced for the most part, with good location work in Sweden (standing in for Moscow) and whilst the plot isn't entirely compelling, the characters often are, especially their motivations and purpose in Russia. Including Americans, played by Brian Dennehy and Lee Marvin. This said, it does feel quite mannered at times, and an inability to genuinely ratchet up the tension and the stakes was a drawback. But this was good to see again.

[Greystoke]

I watched the 1999 version of The Thomas Crown Affair tonight, having watched the original film once again a few weeks ago, and knowing I would probably watch this one again pretty soon thereafter. It's a film I've always liked, even though the high stakes are somewhat muted by an absence of danger or the notion that Pierce Brosnan's Thomas Crown probably won't get caught for his crime.

It's playful and sexy, with Rene Russo co-starring as the insurance investigator who gets close to and romantically involved with Crown, and Dennis Leary adding good value as the cop Russo's character is working with. There are echoes of the 1968 film, not least of all the inclusion of Faye Dunaway in somewhat of an unnecessary role as Crown's therapist, whilst Bill Conti's jaunty score flirts with the theme song from the earlier film, Windmills of Your Mind.

Russo and Brosnan have great chemistry together, and whilst they're sexy and flirtatious, they're also intelligent in their roles, and speak in ways that often suggest that they're thinking a few steps ahead. And whilst it's elaborate, it's also a lot of fun in spite of the plot holes, and how luxurious it all feels. Russo has rarely been so engaging, in my opinion, whilst Brosnan was truly in his element here.

[Greystoke]

I saw Longlegs at the cinema this morning, which is the latest film from Osgood Perkins, who both wrote and directed. It's his best film to date, in my opinion, with the story beginning in the 1970s, then jumping forward to the nineties, as a rookie FBI Investigator, played by Maika Monroe, is working to track down a serial killer.

Signing his name on cryptic clues as "Longlegs," this is a character who is introduced early in the film, with Nicolas Cage on effectively creepy form as the FBI's person of interest. It's quite a remarkable performance from Cage, who is first seen from a child's perspective, and not entirely in view, with his pale skin and wild hair akin to Der Struwwelpeter by way of seventies glam rock as a corpse.

By contrast, Monroe's FBI agent is introverted and removed, showing little in the way of emotion, although psychic abilities that are hinted at early in the film aren't mined much further. Whilst the pursuit of the killer unfolds over three parts, and without haste or a great sense of immediacy. Longlegs is very much about mood and atmosphere, with a satanic game of cat and mouse unfolding through some chilling ideas and ominous imagery.

In some respects, I found it quite predictable all the same, whilst the film loses some of its grip when the story widens in the final act. It could have been more nasty and tense for my liking, although I found much to like here. Monroe and Cage, certainly. Whilst there's glints of humour that contrast well against the mental state of the film's two central characters.

It's unfortunate, however, that the final act doesn't have the kind of payoff needed to genuinely rattle and become even more thought-provoking, but this is fine work from Perkins. Good soundtrack, too. I also thought the editing was really sharp and I was drawn in immediately by the starkness of blacks and reds in the opening credits.

[pmp]

I see that US Criterion are issuing a double bill in October of I walked with a Zombie and The Seventh Victim. I already have Zombie but will probably get it for 7th Victim. No news on a UK release, alas.

[Greystoke]

I see that US Criterion are issuing a double bill in October of I walked with a Zombie and The Seventh Victim. I already have Zombie but will probably get it for 7th Victim. No news on a UK release, alas.

That's another fantastic announcement from Criterion, and it's one I'll import pretty soon after it's released. They also announced Demon Pond on 4K. And Criterion have really upped their game again over the past year, especially after finally starting to release 4K Blu-ray. I've got Le Samourai ready to check out later tonight once I have a look at Prime Day when it goes live after midnight. Hopefully a few releases that I've still to get hold of are reduced. It would be good to see a few Warner Archive titles around the £10 mark, too.

Sony also made a very welcome announcement today, too, with Body Double getting a 4K release later in the year. I'm looking forward to that one.

[Walter Hale 4]

I watched Gorky Park last night, which is a film I hadn't seen in a very long time, probably twenty years or more. Set in Moscow, this is a police procedural with quite an interesting cast, whilst it's focused on time, place, and character without feeling the need for the actors to resort to faux Russian accents, including Alexi Sayle, Iain McDiarmid, and Rikki Fulton -- the Russians all have British accents.

William Hurt stars as the Moscow police inspector who is called to a gruesome murder scene where three bodies have been mutilated. He's pulled between working on the case and letting the KGB handle it, and whilst it's clear that there are political machinations afoot, Hurt plays the kind of straight and good cop in the middle of something that's going to lead him to places he doesn't expect.

I found it well-paced for the most part, with good location work in Sweden (standing in for Moscow) and whilst the plot isn't entirely compelling, the characters often are, especially their motivations and purpose in Russia. Including Americans, played by Brian Dennehy and Lee Marvin. This said, it does feel quite mannered at times, and an inability to genuinely ratchet up the tension and the stakes was a drawback. But this was good to see again.

Good one, Greystoke

[Greystoke]

Last night I watched Breakheart Pass and Black Angel. Both murder mysteries in different settings, and both featuring superb casts, although Black Angel is the more inventive and taught film of the two. With Dan Duryea starring as the husband of a murdered singer, who teams up with the wife of the accused, who was seen leaving the scene of the crime. She has a clue to who the killer is, and he's able to stay sober long enough to help.

Breakheart Pass is a film we've discussed in the past, I believe. It's certainly rewatchable, and Charles Bronson is good here in a western set aboard a train, where a series of murders and foul play raise suspicions about where the train is heading.

The story is good, as is the location work and the stunts, but it lacks better pacing and a sense of genuine mystery, although a fine cast is welcome in spite of this, including Ed Lauter, Charles Durning, Ben Johnson, Richard Crenna, and an underused Robert Tessier. Tom Gries directs with a nuts and bolts sensibility, and Jill Ireland is fine in the type of role she often found in Bronson's films.

It's Bronson who makes it work for the most part, though. He's cool, lithe, and wears are really great coat at the start of the film. Whilst his more laconic qualities made him ideal for a role that finds his character watching and listening before taking action and revealing his own true motives.

[LSP-4445]

Last movie I watched was Furiosa.
I`m a big fan of 2 of the Mad Max movies but this was just boring at times.
5/10 while Fury Road was 8/10….my favorite Mad Max 2 = 9/10

[pmp]

Last night I watched Breakheart Pass and Black Angel. Both murder mysteries in different settings, and both featuring superb casts, although Black Angel is the more inventive and taught film of the two. With Dan Duryea starring as the husband of a murdered singer, who teams up with the wife of the accused, who was seen leaving the scene of the crime. She has a clue to who the killer is, and he's able to stay sober long enough to help.

Breakheart Pass is a film we've discussed in the past, I believe. It's certainly rewatchable, and Charles Bronson is good here in a western set aboard a train, where a series of murders and foul play raise suspicions about where the train is heading.

The story is good, as is the location work and the stunts, but it lacks better pacing and a sense of genuine mystery, although a fine cast is welcome in spite of this, including Ed Lauter, Charles Durning, Ben Johnson, Richard Crenna, and an underused Robert Tessier. Tom Gries directs with a nuts and bolts sensibility, and Jill Ireland is fine in the type of role she often found in Bronson's films.

It's Bronson who makes it work for the most part, though. He's cool, lithe, and wears are really great coat at the start of the film. Whilst his more laconic qualities made him ideal for a role that finds his character watching and listening before taking action and revealing his own true motives.

Alistair MacLean, whose novel Breakheart Pass is based on, is one of those authors whose books and films were everywhere when I was growing up, and yet have almost completely vanished now. It's strange how such things can go out of fashion so quickly, even if the films of Guns of Navarone, Where Eagles Dare, and Ice Station Zebra tend to get revived on TV from time to time.

Tonight, I watched the second That's Entertainment films. I'd forgotten how much of a come down it is compared to the original movie. Much of the problem is due to the trite and hokey linking sessions. Yes, it's great to see the ageing Astaire and Gene Kelly back together, but the new lyrics they are given for songs such as the title number and Be a Clown in the linking segments are downright appalling. Oddly, Astaire, now in his mid-70s, seems far more vibrant here than in Finian's Rainbow, made nearly ten years earlier, but the dancing sequences he and Kelly put together for the linking segments are just a shadow of the past. Perhaps the original idea of just giving basic spoken introductions instead might have been better, and certainly would have quickened the pace of the film.

As for the clips themselves, some are great, but some seem like filler, and the mixing of musicals with comedy and drama sequences doesn't really work, and just make the whole thing seem remarkably disjointed. The pacing is out, too, compared to the first film. Whereas the original often leaves you wanting more when the clips move on, this one all too often needs the clips to be shorter. Some seem to outstay their welcome by some distance - most noticeably the Marx Brothers excerpt and a sequence from Kiss Me Kate. It's fine on a wet Sunday afternoon, but it take some willpower not to reach for the fast forward button on the remote control. On the plus side, I know that the final film (made nearly two decades later) is a considerable improvement.

[pmp]

It's going to be a costly few months. Indicator have now announced a 6 film set of Columbia horror:

Behind the Mask
Black Moon
Soul of the Monster
Air Hawks
Cry of the Werewolf
Island of Doomed Men.

Not all are strictly horror, but a good set.

[Greystoke]

It's going to be a costly few months. Indicator have now announced a 6 film set of Columbia horror:

Behind the Mask
Black Moon
Soul of the Monster
Air Hawks
Cry of the Werewolf
Island of Doomed Men.

Not all are strictly horror, but a good set.

It really is. That was a nice announcement from Indicator today, although their limited editions aren't prone to selling out very quickly, unlike Eureka and 88 Films' releases. So I might hold off on that Columbia set until later in the year.

[Greystoke]

I watched the first half of Cobra Kai season six tonight, which is only five episodes of around 35 to 45 minutes in length. The second half is due in November, with a new Karate Kid movie also in production. And whilst I've really enjoyed Cobra Kai, and remain a fan of the Karate Kid films, I do feel as though Cobra Kai has ran its course.

It's still fun, and knowingly absurd, with likable characters, boo-hiss villains, and some good ideas. But those ideas have become thin and repetitive by this stage, with exposition aplenty and even more backstory. I enjoyed it. I'm certainly going to watch the finale in November. But I do think the time is right for it to come to an end.

[Greystoke]

I saw Twisters at the cinema this morning, which certainly has much the same mood and tone as Jan de Bont's 1996 film, although it isn't a direct sequel. Here, Lee Isaac Chung directs, with the screenplay adapted from a story by Joseph Kosinski. This said, there are traces of Michael Crichton's storytelling D.N.A. here, although I was never a big fan of the original film.

I did like Twister, and it's undoubtedly a film that holds a lot of nostalgia for some people. I'm not one of those people, though, so my expectations were quite tempered for another trip down Tornado Alley with a new team of storm chasers.

Twisters, therefore, is a film that's very much what one might expect -- a large scale disaster movie that wears its heart and its influences on its sleeve. I liked the cast, especially Daisy Edgar-Jones as Kate, a storm chaser and meteorologist who is introduced in the film's opening set piece, before jumping forward five years.

Glen Powell co-stars as Tyler, a storm chaser who lives for the thrill but has somewhat of a Robin Hood sensibility, despite the braggadocio of what he does. Powell is surely having a moment right now, and he's able to bring the kind of screen presence to a role that a film like this needs. Whilst Anthony Ramos is good as Kate's friend and former storm-chasing colleague, who comes back into her life with a new proposition.

Unfortunately, most of the other characters are either underwritten or exist purely as types, which is a pity when one of the keys to a good disaster film is getting to know the characters and their individual experiences. And there are good actors here, from Sasha Lane to Katy O'Brian, Daryl McCormack, and David Corenswet. Although I don't think Twisters was built to go much further or deeper than spectacle, and it does offer that.

[pmp]

This afternoon I watched That's Entertainment III, which might well be my favourite of the three movies - and it's certainly miles better than the second installment. It holds particular interest for film fans because of its unearthing of multiple songs that were cut from the respective movies - and even more are included as bonus features. But on a more basic level, it's pacing is much improved over part 2, and its good to see the various ageing stars introducing segments. It lives up to its title, and is great fun, and the two hour running time just flies past.

Also this week was a revisit of The Lost Boys - a revisit to my youth! - and a first time viewing of the sequel, The Tribe. The Lost Boys remains a fun popcorn movie, but the second doesn't really know what it's trying to do. Is it a teen movie like the first one, or is it a straight horror movie? It fails in both areas. I don't know much about the star, Tad Hilgenbrink, other than that he was really very good in a gay-themed movie made around the same time called The Curiosity of Chance, but he hasn't got much to work within the Lost Boys sequel, and it all just falls flat, sadly.

I also watched Scooby-Doo: Return to Zombie Island, a sequel to the 1998 film Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island which is generally regarded as one of the best entries in the whole Scooby Doo franchise. There are problems with the sequel, though, in that they rewrite elements of the first film rather than break the chronology of the films that have come since. Beyond that, it's fine, and better than I remembered, and more child-friendly than the 1998 original, which is probably the nearest to straight horror than the series has come sto.

[Greystoke]

I might follow your lead with the That's Entertainment films quite soon, Shane. This afternoon I watched The Valdez Horses, which is a film I've always found quite fascinating, with Charles Bronson in the leading role as Chino, a wrangler who is torn between whites and Native Americans. He can't exist peaceably with the whites, and the Native Americans, who are friends, are prone to taking the wild horses he prizes.

Bronson is quite good here, especially with regards to how melancholy the film is, although there's a naivity found in young Vincent Van Patten, who plays a boy that comes to work for and befriend Chino. The screenplay, by Clair Huffaker, boasts themes that are familiar to his work, although it's based on a novel by Lee Hoffman, which is quite good.

The script is wanting for more depth, all the same, although John Sturges directs with a sure hand that's bolstered by appealing cinematography from Armando Nannuzzi. Nice score, too. And much like the film, its theme song is more gentle and introspective than most western theme songs of the era, especially those featuring in spaghetti westerns.

Jill Ireland plays Bronson's love interest in quite a thankless role, although she's fine as the half-sister of a landowner who Chino is at odds with. This said, the film is uneven at times and occasionally clumsy, whilst there's an uncertainty in the direction it sometimes takes. Although it's focused more on character than plot, whilst a number of reshoots designed to inject more action and sex don't manage to detract from the film's better aspects.

[Greystoke]

It was more Bronson for me again tonight, with The Valachi Papers, which is an interesting film in a lot of ways, and whilst this was also quite an ambitious film, it's wanting for better production values and more inventive direction.

This said, its biggest flaw is an inability to mine greater emotional and psychological depths within a narrative told in flashback from recollections given by Bronson's Joe Valachi to the F.B.I. Valachi recounts his life and experiences as a member of the Cosa Nostra, showing his rise through the ranks and eventual incarceration.

Bronson was too old for the role in some respects, given the age range, but he gives a commited and convincing performance, with Terence Young's direction allowing the actors a lot of space to make the most of their environments and sets. Young seemed determined to make a modern gangster film, for which violence, sex, and different moral code came with the territory, but it's perhaps too sympathetic towards Valachi. And is more concerned with confession than repentance or punishment.

Jill Ireland once again appears as Bronson's love interest, playing the woman Valachi married, and whilst her role is small, she's quite ineffective here and isn't well cast. The wider cast is fairly good all the same. And as I've mentioned, it's an interesting film in many ways, from the story itself and how broad the narrative is, to Bronson's performance and bursts of violence. But it's never involving enough and it doesn't effectively indicate changes from one era to another, although musical cues are present for this reason. And despite its sympathies, it never makes Valachi a character worth caring about.

[pmp]

I'll be absent from the board for a few days as I shall be in London at the Proms, but when I come back I'm hoping to follow up the That's Entertainment films with Cabin in the Sky and Good News, which I still haven't got around to watching yet!

[Greystoke]

I'll be absent from the board for a few days as I shall be in London at the Proms, but when I come back I'm hoping to follow up the That's Entertainment films with Cabin in the Sky and Good News, which I still haven't got around to watching yet!

Safe travels, Shane. I'm thinking about making a trip to London myself towards the end of the year. I would quite like to see Gladiator 2 and Wicked at the BFI IMAX.

[pmp]

I'll be absent from the board for a few days as I shall be in London at the Proms, but when I come back I'm hoping to follow up the That's Entertainment films with Cabin in the Sky and Good News, which I still haven't got around to watching yet!

Safe travels, Shane. I'm thinking about making a trip to London myself towards the end of the year. I would quite like to see Gladiator 2 and Wicked at the BFI IMAX.

I have five trips there planned between now and February. Two Proms and three operas to commemorate turning 50 this year!

[Greystoke]

I'll be absent from the board for a few days as I shall be in London at the Proms, but when I come back I'm hoping to follow up the That's Entertainment films with Cabin in the Sky and Good News, which I still haven't got around to watching yet!

Safe travels, Shane. I'm thinking about making a trip to London myself towards the end of the year. I would quite like to see Gladiator 2 and Wicked at the BFI IMAX.

I have five trips there planned between now and February. Two Proms and three operas to commemorate turning 50 this year!

That's a great way to do it. I haven't been to London since before lockdown, although Justin Timberlake is playing the 02 and I'm kind of kicking myself for not getting a ticket. I did think he would stop in Glasgow again, given that he's been here during previous tours. But that's highly unlikely at this stage.

[pmp]

I'll be absent from the board for a few days as I shall be in London at the Proms, but when I come back I'm hoping to follow up the That's Entertainment films with Cabin in the Sky and Good News, which I still haven't got around to watching yet!

Safe travels, Shane. I'm thinking about making a trip to London myself towards the end of the year. I would quite like to see Gladiator 2 and Wicked at the BFI IMAX.

I have five trips there planned between now and February. Two Proms and three operas to commemorate turning 50 this year!

That's a great way to do it. I haven't been to London since before lockdown, although Justin Timberlake is playing the 02 and I'm kind of kicking myself for not getting a ticket. I did think he would stop in Glasgow again, given that he's been here during previous tours. But that's highly unlikely at this stage.

I've been a couple of times - both to Proms - since lockdown. It's good to see audiences back to pre-pandemic levels. The Albert Hall was only about 60% full in 2022, about 90% full last year, and most Proms only have a handful of tickets left this year, unless you want to sit up in the gods. That said, the one I'm going to on Tuesday has lots of empty seats, but it's a late night prom, and my understanding is that its normal for them to get smaller audiences - although the person performing is really quite well known. The one I'm seeing in September has just one seat available, except for those seats right at the top.

[Greystoke]

I'll be absent from the board for a few days as I shall be in London at the Proms, but when I come back I'm hoping to follow up the That's Entertainment films with Cabin in the Sky and Good News, which I still haven't got around to watching yet!

Safe travels, Shane. I'm thinking about making a trip to London myself towards the end of the year. I would quite like to see Gladiator 2 and Wicked at the BFI IMAX.

I have five trips there planned between now and February. Two Proms and three operas to commemorate turning 50 this year!

That's a great way to do it. I haven't been to London since before lockdown, although Justin Timberlake is playing the 02 and I'm kind of kicking myself for not getting a ticket. I did think he would stop in Glasgow again, given that he's been here during previous tours. But that's highly unlikely at this stage.

I've been a couple of times - both to Proms - since lockdown. It's good to see audiences back to pre-pandemic levels. The Albert Hall was only about 60% full in 2022, about 90% full last year, and most Proms only have a handful of tickets left this year, unless you want to sit up in the gods. That said, the one I'm going to on Tuesday has lots of empty seats, but it's a late night prom, and my understanding is that its normal for them to get smaller audiences - although the person performing is really quite well known. The one I'm seeing in September has just one seat available, except for those seats right at the top.

The Music of Sherwood Forest celebration is one I'll probably listen to if it's broadcast on the BBC, given that Korngold's score from The Adventures of Robin Hood is featuring.

[Greystoke]

Last night I watched Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives, Apichatpong Weerasethakul's poetic and quite beautiful supernatural tale about spirituality and mysticism. It remains one of the most captivating films of its kind, in my opinion, with its gentility and hallucinogenic qualities brushing up against elements of absurdity.

The plot is quite straightforward -- an old man who is dying brings his relatives together to discuss his life and past lives, but has some unfinished business before passing away. In some respects, it recalls Bergman's The Seventh Seal, although I had been meaning to watch this film again after All of Us Strangers. Spellbinding filmmaking!

[brian]

Has anyone seen the movie Lifeguard with Sam Elliot and would you recommend it? It's a 1976 film.