Re-watched Memento… this one holds up very well I think. It’s a unique story, lots of twists and turns. You do have to focus in on what’s going on, it’s not a movie to have on in the background, unless you know it backwards and forwards, pun intended.
I seem to be in the minority, as I really like Midnight Run. To the point that it’s one of only a handful of DVDs that I bought back in the day. I’ve re-watched it recently and still liked it. I like DeNiro’s comedic performances more than some in this thread. The scene where they confiscate the “counterfeit” money makes me laugh even thinking about it. I felt it was a good combination of comedy/action/buddy movie. Similar to Running Scared with Gregory Hines and Billy Crystal, which I’ve also re-watched recently.
The Man Who Would Be King (Prime, 1975) My young son and I watched Zulu a while back and he asked me for something similar. He enjoyed this classic as well. 9/10 for him.
I had seen it many times and feel it holds up. It’s strange but I think Billy Fish has aged better with time, he’s essentially an Indian version of an Uncle Tom. Now that sounds offensive, particularly as the character was written by an unapologetic white British Subject, but I think there is more complexity.
Kipling loved India, and it was a part of him. I cannot describe what being in India is like other than saying from the first moment you step into the street India gets inside you forever. The dust, heat, sound, smells, everything. Doesn’t matter where you are after that, the Western World feels like sitting in a Doctor’s Office for all the good and bad that is. So even as a boy Kipling felt his privilege, but also kinship and bonds with real people like Billy Fish, a person with their own goals and thoughts but have submitted themselves completely to the social organization of The Raj. It’s not racist to say this or show it. It’s only racist to not understand that is what Billy is doing, he doesn’t like British people, they exist and he has to deal with them and can possibly profit by helping. I think that was the side-eye Rudyard was trying to get across, but then I haven’t read the story in a long time.
Shakira Caine in the film was self indulgent, she’s not right for the role and cannot act.
I don’t know why, but period pieces about The Raj speak to me at some level - I love both of these movies. Reincarnated imperialist, I guess. Rule Brittania.
I found Zulu Dawn to be more interesting and realistic than Zulu. FWIW.
Watched the original Dracula on Svengoolie last week. Nothing original to add onto everything that’s been written about it and its subsequent vampire genre.
But it struck me that it mainly resonates as a stalker boyfriend allegory. Just like Frankenstein movies lost Mary Shelley’s central question for many childhoods’ “why did you bring me into this world if you couldn’t love me? How did you expect me to behave with that?” among all the monster makeup and Modern Prometheus stuff; Dracula without the formal evening-wear and not reflecting in mirrors has the relevant message “leave her alone you selfish creep!”
To modern sensibilities, doesn’t it come across as “you can’t tell her what to do, only we can tell her what to do!” Maybe Mina likes the guy in evening wear.
This is a favorite of mine, though I haven’t seen it in years. Caine and Connery are an excellent match, and the whole film has that rough authenticity that Director John Huston delivered so well in this and many other films. Unlike period pieces that just look too…clean I guess…this is genuinely dirty, as life in that time and place would be. And I remember reading that the background people were not actors. They were real people. Just a great film. Glad your son liked it. He’s showing very good taste at a young age.
I thought the acting and characterization was better in Zulu but the combat in Zulu Dawn much spookier because of how well it captured the feeling of quickly impending - and painful - doom.
Kill
Recommended.
Indian action movie and a really good one. It avoids some of the cliche’s of many Indiana movies. It is less than 2 hours, features zero dancing numbers, and actually plays like a full R-rated movie. I liked it from beginning to end, the second best action movie of the year* this year after Furiosa.
Takes place almost entirely on a train, which keeps all the action in close quarters. Impressive stuff.
*Technically played at festivals in 2023, but only released in 2024 wide.
No chase scenes in corn fields?
So, a question I had (immense spoiler):
In the last scene, on the train platform, is our hero dead?
Oh, I didn’t think so, but perhaps I needed to pay more attention. Hmmm…I have to read about this movie much. Maybe?
Yes, that was my impression.
He sits down after being mortally wounded, looks up and is finally reunited with his love and we hear his quote from earlier about how he’d die to be with her. He’s dead.
@Mahaloth , you should probably fix that quote, since the spoiler shows up as visible.
[Moderating]
Added spoiler tags.
[/Moderating]
Thanks. I was leaning that way, but there was enough ambiguity to introduce some doubt.
Boy, for a John Wick/Die Hard on a train, they didn’t mind fridging characters that normally have maximal plot armor!
I’ve started watching the newest Ghost Busters film on Netflix. No real opinion as of yet, although it looks like more of the same at this point.
I have seen both of the news ones and thought they were both pretty lame.
McKenna Grace shines, though. She’s ridiculously talented and accomplished for someone who is only 18. Shouldn’t be allowed.
I liked the original better because the various ghosts were threatening and also cute/loveable.
The library ghost, the grey lady was fairly harmless until provoked. Slimer, the hotel ghost was a tribute to John Belushi. The ghost at the end was a huge Marshmellow Man.
Ghostbusters is a lot of fun and a little scary.
The recent sequels seemed darker. I can’t even remember the ghost’s forms.
I liked seeing the original cast reunited in the last sequel. It was a big hit of nostalgia wattching them suit up again.