For some reason there was a spate of Beowulf movies that all came out at the same time circa 2000, after virtually none before that (only an animated version of Gardner’s Grendel came out earlier).
But you had:
Beowulf (the Zemeckis CGI version, which really liked)
The 13th Warrior (also liked)
Beowulff (1999, staring Christopher Lampert) – interesting, set in what seems tobe a post-apocalyptic future. It anticipated the Zemeckis version in using CGI and in having the same plot twist.
Beowulf and Grendel (2005, starring Gerard Butler) Filmed in Iceland. Grendel and his mom are Neanderthals, or something. Very atmospheric.
Grendel (2007 SciFi channel movie. It’s got Marina Sirtis) Also uses limited CGI for Grendel and his mom. Interesting but not inspired.
Outlander (2009) – No, not the Diana Gabaldon series. This was a heavcily science fiction take on the story where the Beowulf character crashes his spaceship on an inhabited planet (actually Bronze age Norway) and the creature he’s transporting serves as the Grendel/Grendel’s Mom. With Jim Caviezel, John Hurt, and Ron Perlman. Definitely worth a look.
I just rewatched Guardians of the Galaxy 3, on cable. Not a good film. Starlord spends WAY too much time moping and felling sorry for himself (why do writers like this? In the newest Dresden book- which has a great 3rd part, it is nearly 2/3 moping and felling sorry for himself. Too much of this turns me off), then hitting on the alt-Gamora. The Rocket Racoon origin story was Okay, but making a cuddly otter into a creepy monster was not. And the soundtrack was pretty damn bad, unlike the first film, with many hits and faves.
The Package 1989 Gene Hackman, Tommy Lee Jones, Dennis Franz, Joanna Cassidy
I thought that I’d seen most of Hackman’s films. I’d never heard of this one.
It’s a political thriller. Hackman is a Top Sergeant that is assigned escort duty. He looses the prisoner and then discovers the guy he escorted is a different person.
Lots of high level conspiracy as Hackman tries to uncover the truth.
The Package has been one of my favorites. I was stationed overseas when I first saw it so something about it really clicked with me and Hackman, Tommy Lee Jones, and the rest of the cast really do great work in their roles. The only knock on the movie, I think, is that it is so locked into the time when it was made. It is probably the 1989est of all 1989 movies.
I watched Odd Man Out a couple of nights ago. It was directed by Carol Reed in 1947, and stars a young James Mason. It’s only the second movie I’ve seen by Reed (the other is The Third Man).
It’s set in Northern Ireland. Mason plays Johnny McQueen, the head of a local IRA chapter (though in the movie it’s always called “The Organization”). At the beginning of the movie, McQueen leads an armed robbery that goes wrong. He shoots and kills someone, and is shot and badly wounded himself. He ends up separated from the rest of his gang, and from that point on he’s in hiding as a wanted man.
What makes the story interesting is not the crime itself, but how people respond to McQueen. Some want to capture him. Some want to save him. Some want the reward that’s offered for him. Some want nothing to do with him. Some have other motives.
The dialogue in this movie is excellent, as is the black-and-white cinematography. Most of the parts are character roles, and the acting is really good. In particular I liked F.J. McCormick as a scheming, weaselly character named “Shell.”
I vaguely remember when it came out, and remember dismissing it at the time as one of those heart-rending, based on a true-story, Oscar-bait movies. One night last week I was looking for something to fall asleep to and found it on HBO and hit play based on my original (mistaken) understanding of the movie. It is not based on a true story, but is a masterful piece of crime fiction. I wound up staying up late that night.
With an outstanding cast (Woody Harrelson, Frances McDormand, Sam Rockwell, Peter Dinklage) it is unlike any film I’ve ever seen. Is it a crime drama? Yes. Is it a comedy? Yes. Is it a tragedy? Also, yes. This movie out-Coened the Coen brothers. Written and directed by Martin McDonagh (whom I had never heard of, although I loved the Banshees of Inisherin too). I’d give you the plot synopsis, but honestly, I think you’ll enjoy it more going in cold, like I did. The basic plot is that Frances McDormand’s character rents 3 billboards criticizing the local police chief (Woody Harrelson) for not solving her daughter’s murder.
Comments here have led me to check out Brick. I haven’t seen any of the Knives Out movies, but I really like Poker Face.
Well, Brick doesn’t work for me. Yes, because of the age thing. Johnson gets the whole cynical, nihilistic, alienated attitude noir characters should have, but to my way of thinking, that attitude should come from life experience that high school students aren’t likely to have. A large part of it is a certain weariness that takes time to develop, through a few years of being lied to, betrayed, stolen from, cheated on, and worn down through simply not being able to catch a break. A teenager could have started down that path, but a more few years of it gives the resulting world view a different tone, one that makes the character more interesting. Otherwise, that outlook in a teenager (to me) just comes across as trying to be edgy or some such thing.
That’s not to say high school students couldn’t possibly have the “tone” I’m talking about, but as a writer/director, you’re setting yourself up for a FAR greater challenge to make it work, and I don’t think Johnson meets the challenge. Now, some scenes do indeed just straight-up work. Others, to me, had a feeling like the characters were kids play-acting as gangsters. I do admire the spirit of risk-taking, and I respect the effort, but in my book, it’s ultimately a miss.
I liked it a lot, despite whatever flaws. I liked it the second time I watched it, too. And I totally misremembered it as being a Coen bros film until I was corrected here.
McDonagh’s movies are so good, of course, because he cut his teeth writing for the theatre, and he knows how to create original, complex characters and crackling dialogue. His very first professional play, The Beauty Queen of Leenane, is incredible - brutal and beautiful at the same time. He’s written many Tony and Olivier nominated and awarded plays. I strongly recommend seeing one of his plays if you ever get the chance.
ETA: I personally preferred Three Billboards… over Seven Psychopaths, even though the latter features Tom Waits in a fabulous role.
