It's Back: Exceelent Movies I've Seen Lately

[heyelander]

I'm very mixed on re-watching old movies you thought were once great. I remembered "I'm Gonna Git You Sucka" as being one of my favorite comedies as a teen. I got though about 20 cringe-worthy minutes on a recent re-watch before I had to shut it off in disgust. Best to leave that one as a memory. I also re-watched "Beverly Hills Cop" with my kids. Pretty much pure unfunny trash right there now, although they liked it.

I've discovered that you're right, much of 1970s/1980s comedy relied on miscommunication, which many kids simply can't relate to these days. The smartphone basically killed everything, which is why many movies these days have to turn to being a pre-smartphone "period piece."

1 rib...

[Bene Futuis]

I also re-watched the classic Xmas movie Gremlins, which held up awesomely.

[Gregg]

My wife and I had the pleasure of introducing Die Hard to one of my daughters friends.

Some time last year we were talking in a group setting about our favorite Christmas movies and the food we like to have paired up with it. I mentioned Die Hard and Popeye's Fried Chicken. Erin said that she had never seen the movie nor experienced Popeyes. I gave her the invite then and there for this last Christmas week. She liked the chicken, loved the movie. She said to no one/everyone/herself "How did I get to this age and have never seen this movie!

The three of us experiencing Erin watch as the movie unfolded was pure joy.

[DMT]

Good stuff Gregg!

Spider-Man: No Way Home was very good, I'd place it 2nd tier in the MCU. For some reason, that seems to offend everyone who loved it. 2nd tier doesn't mean bad!

[TranaGreg]

Good stuff Gregg!

Spider-Man: No Way Home was very good, I'd place it 2nd tier in the MCU. For some reason, that seems to offend everyone who loved it. 2nd tier doesn't mean bad!

I think you gotta disclose how many tiers you have in your rating system ... could be 10, could be only two!

[DMT]

I think you gotta disclose how many tiers you have in your rating system ... could be 10, could be only two!

Four: great, very good, solid, meh

[Teenwolf]

Some recents:

Ghostbusters: Afterlife - meh. Some parts were funny, but bringing back the original three (well, really four, as they hologram in a mute Harold Ramis in one super ultra-cheesy scene) was a little eye-rolling. The central character is a 12-year old girl who seems to have a PhD in Physics. Much better for kids than adults.

Pretty much agree with this review, but I liked it more than you. I'm often less sensitive to new content from beloved franchises, and give them more leeway to simply touch on some memories that give me the warm-fuzzies, add something new that breaks out of the past. I found it ridiculous, the amount of science, history, etc, these kids knew. But I think for a target audience of today's kids, it works. Some of the jokes fell flat, but I laughed a lot through the first half hour or so.

[Teenwolf]

I'm off work for another 6 weeks or so, and I've caught a ton of great movies.

Just watched 2 new music docs: The Velvet Underground on Apple, and Tiny Tim: King For A Day. Both about artists coming up in New York in the 60's and 70's. I liked the Tiny Tim one better, as I found the VU one to be a little heavy-handed, the Tiny Tim one much more modest and relatable.

Also watched 2 punk-rock flicks, SLC Punk, and Dinner In America. SLC Punk is from '98 and I'd never seen but loved it. It's about punk lifestyle and living in Utah in the 80's. Dinner In America is a new indie punk rock movie that plays a lot like a grittier Napolean Dynamite.

The Thirteenth Floor is a great sci-fi flick from '99. Had never seen it because the cover art is terrible, but it's very similar concept to Inception, different planes of reality, etc. Hated Inception, but loved this.

Clay Pigeons from '98 is a fun black comedy, with Joaquin Phoenix and Vince Vaughn. Kind of like River's Edge, the way the characters are so casual in response to murder. Very strange tone, but overall a lot of fun.

Dogfight from 1991, starring River Phoenix and Lili Taylor. It's about marines holding a contest to see who can bring the ugliest girl to a dance, on the day before they ship out overseas. Lili Taylor is fantastic in a very demanding role, and the music is top notch.

Lastly, watched 2 good Jonathan Demme movies, Swing Shift and Something Wild, the latter being truly exceelent. From '86, Jeff Daniels meets a wild girl played by Melanie Griffith, also starring a super menacing early part for Ray Liotta. Probably the best of this bunch.

[revo]

Good stuff Gregg!

Spider-Man: No Way Home was very good, I'd place it 2nd tier in the MCU. For some reason, that seems to offend everyone who loved it. 2nd tier doesn't mean bad!

I think I agree with this review of Spider Man. But it did introduce to mainstream audiences their concept of the multiverse (which really was introduced in the animated Spider Man - Into the Spiderverse, but I'm assuming many adults passed on that one), which kind of allows for them re-telling stories or re-introducing characters.

[DMT]

I think I agree with this review of Spider Man. But it did introduce to mainstream audiences their concept of the multiverse (which really was introduced in the animated Spider Man - Into the Spiderverse, but I'm assuming many adults passed on that one), which kind of allows for them re-telling stories or re-introducing characters.

My main criticisms were that not only did they replicate much of Spiderverse, but then they left out Miles Morales! So many possibilities there.

[revo]

My main criticisms were that not only did they replicate much of Spiderverse, but then they left out Miles Morales! So many possibilities there.

Jamie Foxx did make a nod to him in the film, but they did miss a big opportunity there, agreed.

[johnnya24]

Don't Look Up was very good - should be a shoe-in for The Best Documentary Oscar.

Was randomly looking on Netflix for a movie ... found The Old Guard - was surprisingly impressed - and they're making a sequel.

Have gotten out of the habit of watching movies these last few years. Not sure why.

Will watch Power of the Dog next ... when I'm in the mood.

[Gregg]

It has been many years since I watched The Big Sleep. I asked Mrs. Gregg if she would watch it. She didn't remember if she had seen it before but said yes. We both had fun with it. The dialog is so so good.

It surely belongs on our Exceelent Movies list.

[rhd]

It has been many years since I watched The Big Sleep. I asked Mrs. Gregg if she would watch it. She didn't remember if she had seen it before but said yes. We both had fun with it. The dialog is so so good.

It surely belongs on our Exceelent Movies list.

A Bogey classic. The book goes into more detail about what's happening in the story. In the book, Martha Vickers' character, Carmen, tries to kill Bogey's character at the end but he realizes it beforehand and loads her gun w blanks. Carmen was a real sexual psychopath.

[Gregg]

A Bogey classic. The book goes into more detail about what's happening in the story. In the book, Martha Vickers' character, Carmen, tries to kill Bogey's character at the end but he realizes it beforehand and loads her gun w blanks. Carmen was a real sexual psychopath.

Curious if you read the book first or saw the movie first?

I am tempted to read the book but the movie is so good it would have influence and I might not like it.

A few nights ago we watched To Have and Have Not. I liked it but it was no Big Sleep or Key Largo.