Movies you've seen recently (Part 1)

I agree with this. It’s not great but not bad, either – a fine little scifi/horror thriller. Its rating on RT of 70% with a lot of “fresh” accolades is not too far off the mark. I almost didn’t watch it because although I don’t consider critics’ ratings to be the final word on anything, its rating of 5.7 on IMDb seemed like a red flag, though IMO I now think this is much too low.

One thing that struck me while watching was the quality of the cinematography. The scenic setting probably helped, but although the technical credits reference digital post-production, I suspect the entire process was digital right from the original photography. That and the competent acting helped to elevate this relatively low-budget production into something reasonably worthwhile, even if there is sometimes a bit of silliness in the writing…

Night Swim

Not Recommended.

My first 2024 release and unfortunately, a bad one. I don’t know why, but I was under the impression this was more of a movie than simply a generic horror movie. Nope, this movie comes out of the extremely generic mold of typical horror movies and has nothing to offer other than being competently made in terms of movie production. Acting? Yep, fine. Directing? I guess fine. Everything else is fine…but this is a quick opening weekend cash grab and has nothing long-term to remember.

Skip this one entirely.

I agree with everything you said, I didn’t type that only because I thought it would have raised the bar and I was trying to keep expectations as low as possible. At least that’s where my head was at when I watched and enjoyed this.

I liked Significant Other as well. I went in blind and was impressed because they had some twists and so forth that were well timed and hidden. It was a good example of a low budget movie using craft to create a movie that looks like it had more money than it did. Everyone is good in it. They cast against type as well, which was smart.

Absolutely, I would liken it to Coherence (2013) Sci-fi on a budget. Significant Other was released 2022, so like I said upthread, there will be a clearly defined genre called something like ‘COVID Films’ or the like characterized by these small casts, limited budgets, and short film schedules.

I dig it, almost like an Indie avant-garde movement inside Hollywood. But it isn’t going to last and may already be over.

Perhaps encouraged by an interview examining its outstanding special effects, I watched The Creator last night. It may be the lingering effects of my current bout of Covid but I really had trouble staying awake through it.

I now feel a bit guilty about not having raved enough about Farmageddon (which btw came out in 2019, not “two years ago”) when I saw it to bring it to your attention.

Let’s not make the same mistake about the 2021 Aardman film The Flight before Christmas, which I thumbs-upped here.

(And if you liked Were-Rabbit, I hope you made sure to see 2008’s A Matter of Loaf and Death? At last, a love interest for Gromit!)

ETA: Woot there’s about to be a new one!!

I just rewatched The Producers, thanks to TCM. Zero Mostel is so much better than Nathan Lane.

Mind you, the re-do had nice music and Uma was great. Oddly the 2005 version bombed while the 1967 version (the one I just saw) was a 'sleeper hit".

I love TCM.

Ditto. If I had to whittle my TV time down to one channel, that’s the one I’d choose.

Agreed. I love Nathan Lane, but he played it with too much energy. Zero Mostel played the role like life crapped down his throat.

Oh, and Gene Wilder was head and shoulders better than Matthew Broderick.

I actually hated the 2005 movie and I was really looking forward to it. It is true that Gene Wilder and Zero were a whole lot better. Like, a million times better.

Though keep in mind that both Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick started in the Broadway version. Perhaps their performances played better on stage? I wish I’d seen them doing the show on Broadway.

Saw their pre-Broadway show in Chicago. Lane still had too much energy, and I couldn’t understand how Broderick was nominated for a Tony.

I remember the Broadway show was huge, making all sorts of money and winning piles of Tony Awards.

Yep. Whats niice is almost the only horror they play is the old school stuff, which i dont mind so much.

You have seen him in “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” I assume?

Ugh, I want my 2 1/2 hours back - with interest!

I would say it mirthlessly lampoons the rich. Hard pass.

And Dick Shawn was so good they didn’t even try to cast the character for the musical.

Oh, absolutely. Love Zero. Did you know his son played Herod in Jesus Christ Superstar?

Yeah, I kinda get that. I don’t think “modern” audiences would get the beatnik character as much as they did in the late 60s. Plus, Roger DeBris singing “Heil Myself” flamboyantly gay wouldn’t work as well with the beatnik.

ETA - was looking up Dick Shawn on IMDB. Didn’t know he voiced Snow Miser.

BTW the lead tenor singing “Springtime for Hitler” in the (musical) film was John Barrowman, he of Doctor Who fame. So now you know.