2025’s The Wedding Banquet, a remake of the 1993 film of the same name by Ang Lee, library Blu-ray.
The trailer makes it look like a fun, happy absurdist comedy about a group of gay friends who decide to have a sham “straight” marriage to placate one of the group’s traditional grandparents. Hilarity (and penis) does ensue. But, as one iMDB reviewer put it, “the trailer is not the film.” So much more goes on that the second half is nearly a different film, altogether.
I think sometimes I like to watch a film about 20-30 somethings making bad decisions, and seeing how they resolve them. Maybe because I never made bad decisions at that age, I dunno, like, maybe I missed something. Oh sure, some poor decisions, but I never got into a sham green card marriage, or got drunk and got my lesbian best friend pregnant.
Just watched the new Supergirl, it was… ok. Nothing special, it wasn’t bad and probably did not deserve to bomb. One thing I have noticed is that you just cannot make a successful super hero movie with nobody throwaway villains. Hero’s alone cannot carry this movies any more.
Based on reviews upthread, I started watching Juror #2 a few days ago. And turned it off after about 45 minutes, because it just seemed ridiculous. First of all, I had trouble believing he was even on the jury to start with. He was at the bar on the night in question, how did he manage to avoid any news stories about what happened that night? Also a medical examiner can’t tell the difference between blunt force trauma to the head and bodily injuries from a hit and run?
But over the weekend I decided to watch the rest of it and, ehh it wasn’t half bad. I still don’t understand why he didn’t get himself dismissed when he and the ex-cop wound up in front of the judge.
Repo Man at the Oriental Theater in Milwaukee; part of the Circle Jerks X Repo Man show
Repo Man is a favorite of mine since way back when and it was very fun to watch it with a theater full of fans. I love the movie’s music, the social commentary, and the wicked humor. Everyone in the theater had a great time and laughed, quoted the lines, and cheered throughout the show. I know the movie isn’t everyone’s bag, but I recommend it nonetheless.
Finally got around to seeing it and found it satisfying. The screen-time vs. physical toys hit home.
Rumor has it they’re going for a double trilogy, the first three being Andy’s story (in the background) and the second Bonnie’s after Andy gives the gang to her presumably ending when she passes them on to yet another kid.
I did like the Woody going bald bit. Apparently Geri’s restoration left a bit to be desired.
I saw a teaser for Practical Magic 2 Bullock, Kidman, Channing, and Wiest are all in it. Don’t know how much boyfriend trouble they might have.
Yes, we re-watched these. Again and again, forever. They are amazing. I’ve read the book 3-4 times and almost think these movies are underrated. They are awesome.
Documentarian Toby Amies tags along on the band’s anniversary tour and talks to current and former members about their tenure in the ever-evolving lineup. The late keyboardist Bill Rieflin shows an amazing amount of humor and grace, knowing this is his last tour. And Robert Fripp is of course very straightforward (and often enigmatic) in his perspectives about the group he has been the driving force of for half a century.
I’ve heard it mooted that he is a bit of a prickly, egotistic, perfectionist, difficult personality (aka verging on being a bit of a diva asshole). Which of course is not at all unusual in the arts generally and the music world particularly. Still love Larks Tongue in Aspic though, as well as some of the Adrian Belew-era stuff.
One Night Only
Not a lot of choices for new movies in the afternoon, presumably Spidey and Odysseus are taking up all the adult screens.
US has successfully banned non-marital sex except for one 12 hour period a year. If you can accept the premise, you end up with a standard ‘meet cute’ comedy as the protagonists keep running into each other in the search for a night of passion.
5.5/10 for a by-the-numbers plot. Could have been a 6 except they kept calling the scheme fascist. Which, sure for a non-dogmatic meaning, but after the 3rd or 4th time it got grating.
This is the sort of sequel and sort of remake to National Lampoon’s Vacation with Chevy Chase.
It’s cute, well intended, and mildly amusing. Just not quite funny enough, though. Chase and D’Angelo show up as their characters and that is pretty fun as well.
For the most part, it’s a similar concept to the original. I think the main issue is that too many jokes don’t land and there is a lot of unfunny segments that are painful to watch.
A mysterious rain seals every house (in the world, apparently) with its occupants permanently trapped inside. It’s an imaginative premise that explores what that experience is like for one family and the solutions they come up with to avoid starvation and boredom. As to the mystery about what caused it - Magic? Aliens? Monsters? -that part is rather a mess and kind of brings down the action-packed finale of the film.
Just saw this one tonight as well and I heartily agree! Matthew McConaughey is incredible and I really enjoyed the young girl who plays his foster daughter, Angelina LookingGlass. Apparently this is her first ever role!
Paper Moon, rented on Prime. I think it was a recent mention of the character Addie Loggins in a thread game that gave me the urge to see this one again, and it’s even more wonderful than I remembered. Good story, good chemistry between real-life father-daughter Ryan and Tatum O’Neal, very authentic feeling of Depression-era US. (I mean, I don’t really know because I didn’t exist back then, but it surely is convincing in every detail that I noticed.) And a special call-out to Madeleine Kahn for her “bone structure” monologue.
A 20 year old kid meets an amazing 79 year old woman and falls in love with her. Sounds strange…and is kind of strange. An odd movie, leaning into comedy sometimes and serious drama at others.
I’m stunned this came out in 1971. It feels much more recently made than this. A dark comedy of sorts, but very good performances and dramatic moments too.
Good movie. The copy on Kanopy that I saw was an excellent copy, looked like it was released yesterday. Must have been remastered.
This is a new edit of the 2008 film, which was just called X-files: I Want To Believe. The origiginal edit was superior and I DO recommend that movie. It’s a very solid 2-part X-files episode edited together. Solid, pretty good one.
The new edit is supposed to be the R-rated edit Chris Carter intended. However, this edit cuts out a lot of Mulder and Scully moments. It adds just a little bit more violence and gross stuff, but a lot of that could have been edited in without taking away Mulder & Scully stuff.
Anyway, a neat little curiosity, but the theatrical edit was better by quite a bit.
Skip it unless you are like me and want to see every bit of X-files that exists.
