Ryan McNeil
Weirdest thing:
With baseball, kittens, family, a holiday, and podcasting taking up a lot of time this week…I had thought that this light-ish week was spelling a large downturn in my viewing for the year. But then I looked at where I was at this time last year, and I am pretty much bang-on my totals for both first-timers and rewathces. The only thing that’s down slightly is screenings, and I chalk that up to a lower Hot Docs tally than usual.
Even that number could likely change by month-end when Lightbox gets done with its Altman series.
It’s weird, isn’t it…that one can feel like they’re watching more or watching less and it turns out they are watching just as much?
Here’s The Week at Hand…
Screenings
MAGIC IN THE MOONLIGHT – More on this tomorrow.
Blu-Rays/DVD’s I’ve Never Seen
THE SPECIALS – Have fun, Andrew.
COUNTDOWN – One of the few Altman films Lightbox won’t be screening, and I sorta get why.
TROUBLE IN PARADISE – One of the best Lubitsch films I’ve seen yet!
Blu-Rays/DVD’s I’ve Seen Before
BARRY LYNDON – Something tells me I’ll actually be watching this again before the year is out.
ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST – I’m recording the 1975 episode of The Dew Over this week.
ROCKY – This is what happens when Lindsay picks the dinner-watch.
SUNSHINE ON LEITH – Actually, this is what happens when Lindsay picks the dinner-watch.
M*A*S*H – Yeah, I’m in full-on Altman mode!
THE BROTHERS BLOOM – Seen it?
Trouble in Paradise is so good! It might be the only Lubitsch film that I’ve seen, and watched it when I was going through Ebert’s first Great Movies book a while ago. It was one of my favorites from that project.
My movie total is quite a lot lower than you, but I agree that it does tend to get into a similar number by the end. This year will probably be a little lower, though I did watch 15 in July. I’m hoping to keep the momentum going this month.
That said, this week was pretty slow beyond some Disney shorts:
Almost Famous: The Bootleg Cut – finished this on Sunday and still loved it, even in the longer form.
Fun and Fancy Free – Another Disney package film, and neither short was that exciting.
Der Fuhrer’s Face – a crazy propaganda short with Donald Duck dreaming that he’s a Nazi
Reason and Emotion – another Disney propaganda film for the war, and it’s look at gender isn’t so hot
You’re taking me down memory lane with all of those shorts man – I’ve seen ’em, but not for the *longest* time. Der Fuhrer’s Face is bananas ain’t it?
As for the bootleg cut, I (of course) adore it. Ordinarily with director’s cuts, I find myself weary by the end feeling that most of the additional scenes really didn’t bring much to the table. With Almost Famous, I actually adore every additional scene…and feel a little sad that the pacing of the film caused them to go.
PS – see ya Thursday!
It says a lot about the Bootleg Cut that some of the moments that I could have sworn were in the theatrical version were new. That’s telling since it shows how well they fit into the story.
Der Fuhrer’s Face is nuts; it’s only eight minutes, but there’s so much to talk about with it.
FANBOYS – Aggravating, unfunny, hacky. Horrible.
RUN RONNIE RUN – For Mr. Show fans only, and only for a few select scenes.
LADIES AND GENTLEMENT MY NAME IS PAUL HEYMAN – WWE produced documentary about the life of a long time manager and producer. It’s actually very good and has some degree of interest for non-fans.
TALLADEGA NIGHTS – Pulled a chest muscle this week so lots of familiar comedy while lying down healing.
I LOVE YOU MAN – see above
THEY CAME TOGETHER – see above
TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES (1990) – Honestly in the conversation as my favorite movie of all time.
NYMPHOMANIAC – Vol 1 is awesome. Vol 2 has moments but blows its momentum and is ultimately tedious.
THE CENTRAL PARK FIVE – eh
KIDNAPPED FOR CHRIST – even more eh, but of interest for anyone who has seen Hell House or Jesus Camp.
If you pulled a chest muscle, wouldn’t that make laughing a painful ordeal? (Ouch, by the way)
Got to three this week, didn’t review a single one of them. It was fun!
All first time:
Machete Kills
From Up on Poppy Hill
Only God Forgives
I often wonder what that feels like. Oh wait – I know what that feels like! I decided not to review this week’s new release after all! It feels great!
How’d you make out with Only God Forgives?
I didn’t like it much. It’s pretty, though. I didn’t like Drive either, but I think I liked this a little more. Too much of characters staring off into space for me, but I do still feel oddly compelled to watch more Refn films.
First-Timers: Naqoyqatsi, Sans Titre, The Good German, David Bowie-Five Years, The Internship, Pola X, and later tonight, The Invisible Woman.
Re-watches: Deliverance and American Hustle.
After taking part in Criticwire’s Soderbergh poll this week and soaking up episode one of The Knick, I think it’s high time that I re-watched The Good German.
I feel thoroughly incompetent to even comment on this post, because the only movie you viewed that I have seen is The Brothers Bloom! I didn’t care much for it, but I feel like I’d have to give it another watch because it’s been such a long time since I’ve seen it. I feel Mark Ruffalo makes a lot of interesting film choices, and for me, The Brothers Bloom topped that list of “interesting choices.” Would love to read a review of the movie if you’ve written one, or are planning to!
I don’t think you need to feel incompetent for missing out on The Brothers Bloom. As much of a following as Rian Johnson has built himself over the last ten years or so, he definitely hit the mark a lot closer to the bullseye with Brick and Looper.
There are plenty of titles that if you confessed to me at the bar that you hadn’t seen them would be greeted with an exclamation of “WHAT!!??”, but Bloom ain’t one of them.