MOVIES ~ Any of ya'll seen any good (or shitty) movies in recent weeks/months? Post reviews, feedback, movie news, trailers, recommendations, etc ...

[blackbull1970]

Fear of a Black Hat
1993

7/10

Watched this yesterday at home. I had recorded from TCM.

The last time I saw this flick was when I saw it originally released in theaters back in 1993.

The premise is basically a Black version of the cult comedy classic “This Is Spinal Tap”.

The film is based on what the current state of Hip Hop was in during the early 1990s with “Gangster Rap” and all the Sex/Violence in popular rap music.

Ironically, a lot of the satire is currently true up to today with popular Hip Hop music, so it’s pretty clear nobody has learned anything from this film.

The comedy is not LOL funny, but it’s humorous in delivering the message without getting preachy about it. Another film came out the same time called “CB4” starring Chris Rock which had a bigger budget and marketed heavily, unlike this film which was a small independent feature.

When the film gets to the end and rolls credits, continue watching it thru the credits because the film continues thru the credit roll.

Synopsis

This mock documentary follows sociologist Nina Blackburn (Kasi Lemmons) during the year she spends studying hip-hop artists Ice Cold (Rusty Cundieff), Tasty-Taste (Larry B. Scott), Tone Def (Mark Christopher Lawrence) and a series of disappearing white managers. Every rap cliché is on display: sex, sexism, violent imagery and paint-peeling profanity -- all of it, the group insists, with a deeper political meaning -- plus the inevitable rivalry with other rappers and ultimately themselves.

​

 

[blackbull1970]

Deadtime Stories: Volume 1
2009

4/10

I was going thru my cable box and stumbled onto George A. Romero’s filmography. I discovered some projects of his that I was unaware of and starting watching them yesterday since there ain’t shit else on TV right now.

I watched this on tubi yesterday.

This is an anthology film with 3 stories. Not much to say but there is some blood/gore in each one if you enjoy that. The stories come off as rejected stories for the classic TV series “Tales From The Darkside”.

Basically watch if you are a hardcore Romero fan and enjoy whatever he has out there. Vol. 2 is also on tubi, I will get too it at some point.

Synopsis

An anthology of horror tales depicts a woman searching for her husband in the jungles of South America, a man finding a jade box on a beach that holds something sinister, and a doctor finding -- during a house call -- a boy with a mysterious illness.

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[playahaitian]

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[playahaitian]

@blackbull1970






I don't do full reviews but I recently watched Home Alone 1 and 2 with the family and surprised how well they hold up. Especially being a Warner Brothers cartoon come to life. I don't think you could do that NOW as well. Chris Columbus was special as he would prove with pulling off Harry Potter.

The violence is almost SAW level back now. That kid was Mcguyver and John McClaine (who should have been shown as his never seen Uncle) The second was better than the first just because of the much improved acting and bigger budget.

The mist impressive thing is that everyone enjoyed. No one was scared or offended or bored.

All the sequels are horrible.

I don't know why they couldn't get the gang back together for a complete proper trilogy.



I got a funny story well before this dropped.


It was funny how my kids already created a Home Alone universe where Kevin begins a master security expert. He never has his own kids but his niece is kidnapped and he goes full Taken. And discovers his family is involved in a John wick level assassination guild and he had special skills since childhood and the story is filled with twists and turns connecting the first two movies and its filled with holiday revenge and betrayal. Let me not spoil this before their idea gets stolen and they blame me.

 

[Helico-pterFunk]

@blackbull1970

I don't do full reviews but I recently watched Home Alone 1 and 2 with the family and surprised how well they hold up. Especially being a Warner Brothers cartoon come to life. I don't think you could do that NOW as well. Chris Columbus was special as he would prove with pulling off Harry Potter.

All the sequels are horrible.

I don't know why they couldn't get the gang back together for a complete proper trilogy.


It was funny how my kids already created a Home Alone universe where Kevin begins a master security expert. He never has his own kids but his niece is kidnapped and he goes full Taken. And discovers his family is involved in a John wick level assassination guild and he had special skills since childhood and the story is filled with twists and turns connecting the first two movies and its filled with holiday revenge and betrayal. Let me not spoil this before their idea gets stolen and they blame me.

Your kids' ideas for a universe sound damn good.


Definitely much better than all the straight-to-dvd sequels they did after the first 2 Home Alone movies.


Funny side note ... my grandpa was never known to go to the movies. But he joined us kids and our mom for Home Alone right around opening weekend back in the day. Theater was packed. Lots of kids and families. We weren't sure how he liked it and asked him and he enjoyed it.

Hell ... one of my best friends is a Vietnamese guy in his late-60s. Asked him what some of his go-to movies are for laughs - Home Alone, Grumpy Old Men, and Mr. Bean.

Time flies ... went to the old Station Square Cinema in Burnaby (for Home Alone) - Long gone now. They had a great location. Walking distance from the mall, and close to clothing and sports store, an electronics place, grocery store, A&W (for burgers), and directly across from a big arcade. It was a great place to go with friends ...

 

[playahaitian]

Your kids' ideas for a universe sound damn good.


Definitely much better than all the straight-to-dvd sequels they did after the first 2 Home Alone movies.


Funny side note ... my grandpa was never known to go to the movies. But he joined us kids and our mom for Home Alone right around opening weekend back in the day. Theater was packed. Lots of kids and families. We weren't sure how he liked it and asked him and he enjoyed it.

Hell ... one of my best friends is a Vietnamese guy in his late-60s. Asked him what some of his go-to movies are for laughs - Home Alone, Grumpy Old Men, and Mr. Bean.

Time flies ... went to the old Station Square Cinema in Burnaby (for Home Alone) - Long gone now. They had a great location. Walking distance from the mall, and close to clothing and sports store, an electronics place, grocery store, A&W (for burgers), and directly across from a big arcade. It was a great place to go with friends ...

Memories my friend...

I understand

Simpler time.

 

[Helico-pterFunk]

Memories my friend...

I understand

Simpler time.

Absolutely.


Streetball games for hours on end.


Cassette tapes, CDs, arcades, copious amounts of junk food (high metabolism). Good shit.

 

[playahaitian]

​

 

[playahaitian]

Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore respond to Vili Fualaau’s 'May December' criticism

'May December' stars Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore have responded to criticisms of the film from Vili Fualaau, whose relationship with Mary Kay Letourneau loosely inspired the film.

ew.com

 

[playahaitian]

Jennifer Lawrence, Lenny Kravitz have 'Hunger Games' reunion at Golden Globes

Katniss and Cinna forever: Jennifer Lawrence and Lenny Kravitz had an impromptu 'Hunger Games' reunion at the 2024 Golden Globes.

ew.com

 

[joneblaze]

Eileen





Friendship Follies

PRAISE: Eileen (Thomasin McKenzie)is leading a sad life in which she is mentally abused by her alcoholic father,overcome by loneliness and works for a boys prison. Then a blonde bright spot enters her life a new prison psychologist Dr. Rebecca St. John (Anne Hathaway) .
Eileen's antics in the film are odd as well as her sexual fantasies but I found all of it to be interesting visually especially with the chances she takes. As Eileen Mckenzie does a great job of displaying her loneliness and longing for something more than the dreadful life that she has.
Hathaway who seemingly seems like the perfect and friendly fix can handle roles like Rebecca in her sleep by now. When the two team up I immediately started thinking about what kind of trouble they were going to get into.
There's a ton of dark humor in this film and some moments that are stomach turning especially how another character responds to rape.
When the film enters its third act I started to question everything that came before but in a good way. Have I been duped? Has a person's mind created something to act out in a way that they feel is justified?

PROBLEMS: The middle portion of the film started to drag a bit. It felt like something was missing or there wasn't enough there to connect to what happens in the final act. I'm all for ambiguous endings but as I said before it needed something more.

Scale of 1 to 10 a 7½



Night Swim



Panic Pool

PRAISE : There have been haunted mansions,caves,hotels and even sewers but what about the good old swimming pool?
Night Swim takes old folklore of enchanted waters and mixes them up with modern day horror. I thought the mixing of the two worked well in the first hour of the movie.The movie is about a former baseball player Ray Waller moving into a new house with his wife and two children. But there's something off about the pool everyone seems to enjoy.The family dynamic was pretty good.
The movie does provide several jump scares coupled with some good visuals. I enjoyed how sinister the backstory was.

PROBLEMS: The story goes down a couple of predictable paths. I questioned a couple of things the characters did because there's no way in the world a rational person would have entertained such actions. A few of the decisions the family makes were unintentionally funny.
Wouldn't a tragic story that happened in a town be well known without having to Google search it?
I started losing interest as the last twenty minutes played out,except for one good moment that happens.

Scale of 1 to 10 a 5

 

[playahaitian]

​

 

[Helico-pterFunk]

How Do You Make a Movie About the Holocaust?

With “The Zone of Interest,” Jonathan Glazer is just the latest director to confront the problem.

www.nytimes.com

Oppenheimer and the resurgence of Blu-ray and DVDs: How to stop your films and music from disappearing

In an era where many films and albums are stored in the cloud, "streaming anxiety" is making people buy more DVDs, records – and even cassette tapes.

www.bbc.com

 

[Helico-pterFunk]

‘Night Swim’ Is Scary—and Silly—Enough to Be the New ‘M3GAN’

A guide to the week’s best and worst TV shows and movies from The Daily Beast’s Obsessed critics.

www.thedailybeast.com

The Haunted Swimming Pool Movie is Surprisingly Good!

Dip your toes into the surprisingly effective haunted-pool fright flick “Night Swim.” January horror hits are back!

www.thedailybeast.com

 

[playahaitian]

Shannen Doherty Tells Kevin Smith Her Film Career ‘Died’ Because of ‘Mallrats’ Box Office Failure: It ‘Was a Little Brutal’

'Mallrats' star Shannen Doherty told director Kevin Smith her film career never recovered after the 1995 slacker movie bombed.

variety.com

 

[playahaitian]

Ryan Reynolds Gives Emmys Speech as Deadpool: ‘The Oscars, You’re on Notice Motherf—ers! Maybe We Can Get a Token VFX Nod Next Year’

Ryan Reynolds celebrated Emmy wins for "Welcome to Wrexham" by reviving Deadpool to send a message to the Oscars: "You're on notice!"

variety.com

 

[blackbull1970]

Streetwalkin'
1985

5/10

Started watching these hooker flicks that were real popular back in the 1980s for some odd reason.

I watched this one last night. Wasn’t expecting much but it actually played out well to a degree.

The story goes right into with the White teenager runaway arriving in NYC at the Port Authority Bus Terminal. The main Pimp is a White Boy she hooks up with and the actor playing him actually does a believable job at it which surprised me.

The film co-stars some veterans like Antonio Vargas and Julie Newmar. Julie looks comical playing an old hooker.

There is a number of well known actors who co-star who are at the start of their careers in the film.

It’s an entertaining film and shows how scummy NYC was back then.

Synopsis

A high-school dropout runs away to New York and becomes romantically involved with a man who turns out to be a pimp. He soon manipulates her into working as a prostitute on the city streets.

​

 

[playahaitian]

Adam Driver Made the ‘Star Wars’ Set ‘More Exhausting Than It Should Have Been,’ Says ‘I’m Not Doing Any More’ Films in the Franchise

Adam Driver says playing Kylo Ren again in the "Star Wars" universe is not in the cards.

variety.com

 

[ThaBurgerPimp]

Night Swim



Panic Pool

PRAISE : There have been haunted mansions,caves,hotels and even sewers but what about the good old swimming pool?
Night Swim takes old folklore of enchanted waters and mixes them up with modern day horror. I thought the mixing of the two worked well in the first hour of the movie.The movie is about a former baseball player Ray Waller moving into a new house with his wife and two children. But there's something off about the pool everyone seems to enjoy.The family dynamic was pretty good.
The movie does provide several jump scares coupled with some good visuals. I enjoyed how sinister the backstory was.

PROBLEMS: The story goes down a couple of predictable paths. I questioned a couple of things the characters did because there's no way in the world a rational person would have entertained such actions. A few of the decisions the family makes were unintentionally funny.
Wouldn't a tragic story that happened in a town be well known without having to Google search it?
I started losing interest as the last twenty minutes played out,except for one good moment that happens.

Scale of 1 to 10 a 5

‘Night Swim’ Is Scary—and Silly—Enough to Be the New ‘M3GAN’

A guide to the week’s best and worst TV shows and movies from The Daily Beast’s Obsessed critics.

www.thedailybeast.com

The Haunted Swimming Pool Movie is Surprisingly Good!

Dip your toes into the surprisingly effective haunted-pool fright flick “Night Swim.” January horror hits are back!

www.thedailybeast.com

Shouldve had Parliament's Aqua Boogie on the soundtrack..slowed down to sound more ominous

"Never learn..TO SWIMMMM*echo*..."

 

[Flawless]

I had to check if this movie was recorded on film, but it was recorded on digital and edited with the retro look. I've seen so many movies fail to get that 70's 80's movies look but this movie nailed it.

 

[blackbull1970]

The Pink Panther
1963

7.5/10

Back in the late 70’s I attempted to watch this film thinking it was connected to the Saturday morning cartoon.

I started watching it and within 10 minutes I turned it off cuz I had no clue on WTF I was watching and the only connection it had to the cartoon was the animated opening credits roll.

I never made an attempt to watch it again until last night.

The film is a crime/ comedy based around the Inspector Closeau character protecting the Pink Panther Diamond (it’s a diamond with a flaw that has an image of a Pink Panther in it). Peter Sellers for an extended period of time is not even in the film, the film is more focused on the their trying to get his hands on the diamond.

The main comedy is with Peter Sellers when he appears. The film and his scenes are not LOL funny but humorous. The sexual themes were ahead of their time being sex was depicted very conservatively in films prior. There is no nudity and when sexual stuff happens, it usually done off camera. I suspect with how they did it, it was very risqué at the time and revolutionary. Today you can see more on daytime soaps.

It’s an entertaining film. Henry Mancini’s classic score is played thru-out when attempts are made to get the diamond along with other tunes he does.

Overall it’s an entertaining film.

Synopsis

In this first film of the beloved comic series, dashing European thief Sir Charles Lytton (David Niven) plans to steal a diamond, but he's not the only one with his eyes on the famous jewel known as the "Pink Panther." His nephew George (Robert Wagner) also aims to make off with the gem, and to frame Charles for the crime. Blundering French police inspector Jacques Clouseau (Peter Sellers) intercedes, but finds his career -- and his freedom -- jeopardized.

​

 

[ViCiouS]

The Pink Panther
1963

7.5/10

Back in the late 70’s I attempted to watch this film thinking it was connected to the Saturday morning cartoon.

I started watching it and within 10 minutes I turned it off cuz I had no clue on WTF I was watching and the only connection it had to the cartoon was the animated opening credits roll.

I never made an attempt to watch it again until last night.

The film is a crime/ comedy based around the Inspector Closeau character protecting the Pink Panther Diamond (it’s a diamond with a flaw that has an image of a Pink Panther in it). Peter Sellers for an extended period of time is not even in the film, the film is more focused on the their trying to get his hands on the diamond.

The main comedy is with Peter Sellers when he appears. The film and his scenes are not LOL funny but humorous. The sexual themes were ahead of their time being sex was depicted very conservatively in films prior. There is no nudity and when sexual stuff happens, it usually done off camera. I suspect with how they did it, it was very risqué at the time and revolutionary. Today you can see more on daytime soaps.

It’s an entertaining film. Henry Mancini’s classic score is played thru-out when attempts are made to get the diamond along with other tunes he does.

Overall it’s an entertaining film.

Synopsis

In this first film of the beloved comic series, dashing European thief Sir Charles Lytton (David Niven) plans to steal a diamond, but he's not the only one with his eyes on the famous jewel known as the "Pink Panther." His nephew George (Robert Wagner) also aims to make off with the gem, and to frame Charles for the crime. Blundering French police inspector Jacques Clouseau (Peter Sellers) intercedes, but finds his career -- and his freedom -- jeopardized.

​

this was really david nivens' movie
but by the end of filming the movie peter sellers' scenes had stolen it completely

 

[ThaBurgerPimp]

finally..


Just over two decades after unleashing a zombie epidemic, modern horror classic 28 Days Later is getting a new sequel. Maybe even a trilogy of sequels.
Danny Boyle and Alex Garland, the director and writer of the 2002 movie, are reuniting for 28 Years Later, a new zombie thriller that is expected to hit studios, streamers and other potential buyers later this week, according to multiple sources. WME, which reps Boyle and Garland, will take out the package and handle the sale.
The package isn’t just a simple modern sequel installment; the movie already had a follow-up with 28 Weeks Later, released in 2007 which the duo were only involved with as executive producers. Now, the hope is to launch a new trilogy.

 

[Flawless]

finally..


Just over two decades after unleashing a zombie epidemic, modern horror classic 28 Days Later is getting a new sequel. Maybe even a trilogy of sequels.
Danny Boyle and Alex Garland, the director and writer of the 2002 movie, are reuniting for 28 Years Later, a new zombie thriller that is expected to hit studios, streamers and other potential buyers later this week, according to multiple sources. WME, which reps Boyle and Garland, will take out the package and handle the sale.
The package isn’t just a simple modern sequel installment; the movie already had a follow-up with 28 Weeks Later, released in 2007 which the duo were only involved with as executive producers. Now, the hope is to launch a new trilogy.

Danny be knocking these hoes down

 

[playahaitian]

​

 

[joneblaze]

Danny be knocking these hoes down

Went to a screening years ago in which he was the host and he was dating Rosario at the time and he praised her and then some LOL

 

[joneblaze]

The Bricklayer






Multi Layered

PRAISE: I have to admit I thought this was going to be the usual straight to DVD or Download flick but I had a lot of fun watching this movie about Steve Vail, a seasoned ex-CIA operative, is drawn back into the shadows to confront a formidable extortionist threatening the agency's very existence.
As Vail Aaron Eckhart does a great job of displaying a disillusioned ex CIA op who now just enjoys brick laying. I think it's very cool that he did most of his own stunts for the movie. As Kate Bannon Nina Dobrev is exactly what she's supposed to be an Intel operative who's a novice to actually being part of the action. Clifton Collins Jr is really good as a rogue agent and as CIA Director O’Malley Tim Blake Nelson gives his usual I don't know if I can trust you vibe. Renny Harlin still has the goods as a director.
The action sequences are pretty good for the most part they are coupled with some pretty cool and intense kills. Some are so impressive I wondered how they pulled them off. I really enjoyed what they did with the second half of the film and how twisty,cold and sinister it was. I really enjoyed how Vail carries around his brick laying tools as if it's a superhero utility belt that often comes in handy.

PROBLEMS: There are some things so obvious in the movie that it waters down some of the suspense. There's some very clichéd moments coupled with been there done that story paths.

Scale of 1 to 10 a 7½




Breakwater





Water Logged

PRAISE: The performances from the cast including Dermot Mulroney,Darren Mann,Alyssa Goss ,Sonja Sohn and J.D Evermore uplift the movie from its basic plot in a story about
Dovey ( Mann), a young, impressionable ex-con breaking his parole to do a solid for his prison mentor.As I was drawn in trying to figure out what one character was trying to do
there's another character who definitely had me fooled and I liked how much of a chameleon the character was. I admire the movie for trying to infuse some of the classic movie twists that are in films like Double Indemnity or Black Widow.
There's almost a Hitchcockian vibe running through the movie. I was about to question the actions of one character but then I started to think about not being able to experience things for a few years and said yeah I would likely have done the same thing.

PROBLEMS: There are a couple of things that happen in the movie I couldn't get on board with because they were just to blatantly obvious. The movie never reaches the huge levels of suspense its aiming for even though it really tries.

Scale of 1 to 10 a 7

 

[blackbull1970]

The Big Ask
2013

5/10

This is another film with my future ex-wife Melanie Lynskey in it that I watched tonight on tubi.

I have watched a number of her films but only post the ones that stand out that I think you cats might be interested in.

I went into this one not expecting much and not expecting to review it, but when I got around 8 minutes into the film, that’s when it got interesting and I got sucked into it.

Not gonna spoil it, but overall the film plays out like a dark version of the sitcom “Friends”. If you enjoy watching White folks make a mess of shit with their lives, you will enjoy it.

Jason Ritter (John Ritter - Threes Company) son co-stars. He and Melanie are married in real life (Bastard) and this film is where they met. They have a quicky Fuck session in the film. No nudity, but Melanie is still holding up being she is at this point still co-starring on “Two and a Half Men” when this was filmed. They did make her look crappy in the film.

It’s basically a small indie film, not much too it.

For the Foot Fiends, there are a number of shots of WW feet, soles and toes.

Synopsis

Three couples head to the desert to help a friend heal after his mother dies.

]​

 

[blackbull1970]

A Shot In The Dark
1964

7/10

I just watched this one tonight on MAX.

It’s the sequel to The Pink Panther film I reviewed earlier.

This film turned out way better with Peter Sellers is in it for the entire film. Like the first one, it’s not LOL funny but watching Peter doing his antics thru-out the film is funny. Majority of his comedy involves physical acting.

The Pink Panther Diamond is not in the story. The plot revolves around a murder mystery. The last 20 minutes is the best part with Inspection Closeau bringing all the characters together to solve the murder.

It’s a good entertaining film to watch.

Synopsis

A chambermaid at the Ballon residence in Paris is accused of murdering her lover. Against the wishes of Chief Inspector Dreyfuss, the infamous Clouseau is assigned to the case. Death follows the maid wherever she goes, yet Clouseau is stubbornly convinced of her innocence.

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[MistaPhantastic]

Danny be knocking these hoes down

 

[playahaitian]

Vincent Gallo Movie Under Investigation by SAG-AFTRA After Actors Alleged He Made Sexual Comments During Auditions

SAG-AFTRA is investigating claims of inappropriate behavior against Vincent Gallo during the audition process of new film "The Policeman."

variety.com

 

[playahaitian]

Role Play Review - IGN

Kaley Cuoco plays an international assassin keeping her job a secret from her family in a romantic thriller that repeatedly falls flat.

www.ign.com

 

[playahaitian]

Hellraiser Remake Director Set to Reboot Another Beloved Horror Film

After rebooting Hellraiser for Hulu, David Bruckner has been hired by Warner Bros. to reimagine another iconic horror classic.

www.cbr.com

 

[Helico-pterFunk]

Hellraiser Remake Director Set to Reboot Another Beloved Horror Film

After rebooting Hellraiser for Hulu, David Bruckner has been hired by Warner Bros. to reimagine another iconic horror classic.

www.cbr.com

Gonna make his money becoming the go-to reboot king.

 

[playahaitian]

Daniel Day-Lewis emerges from retirement to honor Martin Scorsese

Daniel Day-Lewis made a rare public appearance to present Martin Scorsese with a director award, and his former collaborator suggested they do 'one more' together.

ew.com