What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5
- HungFist
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5
Miami Connection (USA, 1987) [BD] - 3.5/5
Korean-American B-action with a rock band made of tae kwon do black belts fighting Miami motorcycle ninjas. Bad movie fans should get their kicks from sloppy action and hilariously bad acting. The real reason to watch the film, however, is the fantastic soundtrack and beautiful 80s aesthetics, including long club sequences, a great beach scene, and a band of ninjas riding motorcycles on the streets of Florida. Star Y.K. Kim has his own broken charm; he can barely speak and makes Van Damme and Lundgren look like character actors in comparison.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R43dYg_Kuc0
Korean-American B-action with a rock band made of tae kwon do black belts fighting Miami motorcycle ninjas. Bad movie fans should get their kicks from sloppy action and hilariously bad acting. The real reason to watch the film, however, is the fantastic soundtrack and beautiful 80s aesthetics, including long club sequences, a great beach scene, and a band of ninjas riding motorcycles on the streets of Florida. Star Y.K. Kim has his own broken charm; he can barely speak and makes Van Damme and Lundgren look like character actors in comparison.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R43dYg_Kuc0
- HungFist
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5
True. That's why for example Samurai Cop is a rather fun film, while the recent sequel looks just utter crap. It's like someone slipping on a banana peel... it's not very funny if you do it on purpose and inform the audience in advance that you're gonna try and slip on a banana peel.Mo wrote:Miami Connection sounds right up my alley. I've heard about movies in recent years that are made to be so bad they're good on purpose, and that doesn't make any sense to me. You can't try and make a movie that's as laughably bad as Manos or Kung Fu Fever. It has to happen naturally.
Generally speaking, though, I really hate the expression "so bad it's good". I think most of the time it's used by culturally ignorant people watching foreign films (I've seen Kinji Fukasaku films called "so bad they're good" for God's sake!) or people who are afraid to admit they enjoy a non-fashionable/non-intelligent film (e.g. every other 80s action movie).
Besides, there are very few films that are enjoyable just because of their badness. I haven't seen Manos or Kung Fu Fever, but Samurai Cop is one of the few films I can name that partly fall into that category. I say "partly" because while it's full of unintentionally funny scenes that make it more enjoyable, it still has good pacing and good enough technical execution to actually be watchable. Genuinely bad films are just unwatchable.
- Markgway
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5
In other shocking news... the Pope is a Catholic!Mo wrote: I've only seen Kirk Douglas in a couple movies. He never stood out to me but he's great here. He kept reminding me of another actor, Michael Douglas. So I went to IMDB to research. Turns out they are father and son. I had no idea.
Stay tuned for more!
- Masterofoneinchpunch
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5
I still like the film. I actually still reference it now and then: especially the house and a few scenes. I had seen it several times and I thought the plot could have been better overall -- not a damning of the movie, just hurt rewatches.Mo wrote:...
Also watched The Burbs. Great movie, although not as great as I remember. So I had to give masterofoneinchpunch credit for calling me out on it asking why I had it ranked so high.
That Douglas line made me laugh. Now have you not seen Spartacus (1960) or Paths of Glory (1957) or Ace in the Hole (1951)?
- Masterofoneinchpunch
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5
I've seen that too. It is so goofy. What do you think of it?Mo wrote:Off the top of my head the only other movie I've seen with Douglas is The Villain 1979.
- Markgway
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5
Delirium (1987-Italy) *½
Disappointing giallo from Lamberto Bava; a minimum of suspense, a good dose of T&A (the leading lady has spectacular breasts it has to be said).
Disappointing giallo from Lamberto Bava; a minimum of suspense, a good dose of T&A (the leading lady has spectacular breasts it has to be said).
- Markgway
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5
Unthinkable (2009-USA) **½
Muslim convert plants three nuclear devices in major US cities; can the authorities make him talk before they detonate?
Thought-provoking thriller asks us if the torture of a terrorist is justified to save innocent lives. Obviously, it is, at least in this case, but film does a decent job of stringing us along...
Muslim convert plants three nuclear devices in major US cities; can the authorities make him talk before they detonate?
Thought-provoking thriller asks us if the torture of a terrorist is justified to save innocent lives. Obviously, it is, at least in this case, but film does a decent job of stringing us along...
- Markgway
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5
Blue Thunder (1982-USA) **½
Slick, well-made actioner with Roy Scheider as police pilot out to uncover government conspiracy. Excellent photography, aerial battles.
Slick, well-made actioner with Roy Scheider as police pilot out to uncover government conspiracy. Excellent photography, aerial battles.
- Markgway
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5
Sorority Babes in the Slime Bowl-O-Rama (1987-USA) **
A demonic Imp is unleashed from a bowling trophy(!)
Amusing low budget horror comedy; total cheese, but works as late night cable fodder.
Very little gore, fair bit of nudity (though not from Linnea Quigley who keeps her clothes on).
A demonic Imp is unleashed from a bowling trophy(!)
Amusing low budget horror comedy; total cheese, but works as late night cable fodder.
Very little gore, fair bit of nudity (though not from Linnea Quigley who keeps her clothes on).
- Markgway
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5
The Perfume of the Lady in Black (1974-Italy) *
If anyone tells you they know what the fork this was all about they're probably lying...
If anyone tells you they know what the fork this was all about they're probably lying...
- Markgway
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5
Malice (1993-USA-Canada) **½
Good, twisty mainstream thriller; red herring subplot doesn't fit though.
Good, twisty mainstream thriller; red herring subplot doesn't fit though.
- Markgway
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5
Friday Foster (1975-USA) **
Tongue-in-cheek blaxploitation; no great shakes, but Pam Grier is fun to watch.
Tongue-in-cheek blaxploitation; no great shakes, but Pam Grier is fun to watch.
- Markgway
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5
Grimsby (2016-UK-USA-Australia) **
Spectacularly vulgar action comedy crams in as many crude gross out gags as possible in a short run time.
How on earth did this manage to get a '15' and what on earth did they cut from the '18'?
I laughed several times, but the sappy underclass 'scum' (wrongly cited as working class) are worthwhile message feels obligatory and mars the satirical bite. Also, some of the bad taste elements are just sour.
Spectacularly vulgar action comedy crams in as many crude gross out gags as possible in a short run time.
How on earth did this manage to get a '15' and what on earth did they cut from the '18'?
I laughed several times, but the sappy underclass 'scum' (wrongly cited as working class) are worthwhile message feels obligatory and mars the satirical bite. Also, some of the bad taste elements are just sour.
- Markgway
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5
Kinjite: Forbidden Subjects (1989-USA-Israel) **½
Sleazy Charlie Bronson vehicle best taken as a black comedy.
Sleazy Charlie Bronson vehicle best taken as a black comedy.
- Markgway
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5
Hail, Caesar! (2016-UK-USA-Japan) **½
Coen Bros. parody of 50s Hollywood; some good individual scenes, but they don't gel, and there aren't quite enough laughs.
Coen Bros. parody of 50s Hollywood; some good individual scenes, but they don't gel, and there aren't quite enough laughs.
- Markgway
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5
Green Room (2015-USA) **
Violent, gory thriller in which a punk band (whose music sucks) becomes trapped in a neo-Nazi compound after witnessing a murder. Not without merit, but the storytelling is very clumsy.
Violent, gory thriller in which a punk band (whose music sucks) becomes trapped in a neo-Nazi compound after witnessing a murder. Not without merit, but the storytelling is very clumsy.
- Markgway
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5
Keanu (2016-USA) **
One-joke comedy doesn't know whether it wants to challenge tired stereotypes or reinforce them; the kitten is adorable, however.
One-joke comedy doesn't know whether it wants to challenge tired stereotypes or reinforce them; the kitten is adorable, however.
- HungFist
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5
Terminator: Genisys (USA, 2015) [VoD] - 2.5/5
Surprisingly watchable sequel isn't nearly as bad as the abysmal Terminator: Salvation. The film mainly suffers from boring CGI action and bland (though not terrible) new cast; however, it is surprisingly well written with a genuinely interesting storyline - for the first 80 minutes at least. Oh, and of course Arnold is fun to see on screen even in a mediocre movie.
I must say I misjudged two major films based on their trailers... Terminator: Genisys looked terrible but turned out to be entirely watchable (2.5/5), and Jurassic World was actually a good film (3/5). Unfortunately both films saved the worst for the last... with better final thirds there would've been an additional 0.5 stars to both ratings.
Surprisingly watchable sequel isn't nearly as bad as the abysmal Terminator: Salvation. The film mainly suffers from boring CGI action and bland (though not terrible) new cast; however, it is surprisingly well written with a genuinely interesting storyline - for the first 80 minutes at least. Oh, and of course Arnold is fun to see on screen even in a mediocre movie.
I must say I misjudged two major films based on their trailers... Terminator: Genisys looked terrible but turned out to be entirely watchable (2.5/5), and Jurassic World was actually a good film (3/5). Unfortunately both films saved the worst for the last... with better final thirds there would've been an additional 0.5 stars to both ratings.
- Markgway
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5
Everybody Wants Some!! (2016-USA) *½
Hugely disappointing (thematic) follow up to Richard Linklater's masterpiece Dazed and Confused.
The charm, the heart, and the wit have evaporated in the ensuing 23 years, only to be replaced with boorish behaviour, tired drug material, and (surprising) sexism.
Hugely disappointing (thematic) follow up to Richard Linklater's masterpiece Dazed and Confused.
The charm, the heart, and the wit have evaporated in the ensuing 23 years, only to be replaced with boorish behaviour, tired drug material, and (surprising) sexism.
- Markgway
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5
Messenger of Death (1988-USA-Israel) **½
Newspaper reporter investigates slaughter of Mormon family.
Nice change of pace for Charlie Bronson, ending's a bit of a damp squib though.
Newspaper reporter investigates slaughter of Mormon family.
Nice change of pace for Charlie Bronson, ending's a bit of a damp squib though.
- HungFist
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5
I skipped this one. I was under the impression it was one of the weaker Bronson films.Markgway wrote:Messenger of Death (1988-USA-Israel) **½
Newspaper reporter investigates slaughter of Mormon family.
Nice change of pace for Charlie Bronson, ending's a bit of a damp squib though.
- Markgway
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5
It's not a kill fest, sure, but I found the plot pretty interesting.HungFist wrote: I skipped this one. I was under the impression it was one of the weaker Bronson films.
The denouement could've done with a re-shoot, however.
It's not edgy like 10 to Midnight or Kinjite, or off its tits like Death Wish 3, but it passes the time acceptably.
If you have a spare 90m give it a shot.
- Markgway
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5
M (1931-Germany) **½
Dated, though still reasonably effective thriller about the hunt for a child murderer.
The finale tends toward preaching and is unduly abrupt, but for most part this is worthwhile.
Dated, though still reasonably effective thriller about the hunt for a child murderer.
The finale tends toward preaching and is unduly abrupt, but for most part this is worthwhile.
- Masterofoneinchpunch
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5
As you whistle In the Hall of the Mountain King when you go out in public. I thought Lorre was fantastic in this. In a few years he would be off to Hollywood. One of my favorite of his earlier roles would be 1935's Mad Love.Markgway wrote:M (1931-Germany) **½
Dated, though still reasonably effective thriller about the hunt for a child murderer.
The finale tends toward preaching and is unduly abrupt, but for most part this is worthwhile.
- Markgway
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5
Lorre is intense for sure, his eyes bulging out their sockets, but there's no nuance or subtlety in his performance. It's of its time to be honest.