For those outside Twitter:
I keep up with new releases as much as possible, particularly dramas, and I find myself a fan of 60s cinema if I’m watching something period.
— Oliver William Smith (@Ollie_Film) June 11, 2019
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Review: Little Women (no spoilers)
Why You Should Be Afraid Of The End Of The Paramount Decree
Review: Frozen 2 (spoiler-free)
Review: Marriage Story (spoilers only in the broadest sense)
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It shows how out of it I was in trying to be in it, acknowledging that I was out of it to myself, and then thinking, “Okay, how do I stop being out of it? Well, I get some legitimate illogical narrative ideas” — some novel, you know?
So I decided on three writers that I might be able to option their material and get some producer, or myself as producer, and then get some writer to do a screenplay on it, and maybe make a movie.
And so the three projects were “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep,” “Naked Lunch” and a collection of Bukowski. Which, in 1975, forget it — I mean, that was nuts. Hollywood would not touch any of that, but I was looking for something commercial, and I thought that all of these things were coming.
There would be no Blade Runner if there was no Ray Bradbury. I couldn’t find Philip K. Dick. His agent didn’t even know where he was. And so I gave up.
I was walking down the street and I ran into Bradbury — he directed a play that I was going to do as an actor, so we know each other, but he yelled “hi” — and I’d forgot who he was.
So at my girlfriend Barbara Hershey’s urging — I was with her at that moment — she said, “Talk to him! That guy really wants to talk to you,” and I said “No, fuck him,” and keep walking.
But then I did, and then I realized who it was, and I thought, “Wait, he’s in that realm, maybe he knows Philip K. Dick.” I said, “You know a guy named—” “Yeah, sure — you want his phone number?”
My friend paid my rent for a year while I wrote, because it turned out we couldn’t get a writer. My friends kept on me about, well, if you can’t get a writer, then you write.”
~ Hampton Fancher
“That was the most disappointing thing to me in how this thing was played. Is that I’m on the phone with you now, after all that’s been said, and the fundamental distinction between what James is dealing with in these other cases is not actually brought to the fore. The fundamental difference is that James Franco didn’t seek to use his position to have sex with anyone. There’s not a case of that. He wasn’t using his position or status to try to solicit a sexual favor from anyone. If he had — if that were what the accusation involved — the show would not have gone on. We would have folded up shop and we would have not completed the show. Because then it would have been the same as Harvey Weinstein, or Les Moonves, or any of these cases that are fundamental to this new paradigm. Did you not notice that? Why did you not notice that? Is that not something notable to say, journalistically? Because nobody could find the voice to say it. I’m not just being rhetorical. Why is it that you and the other critics, none of you could find the voice to say, “You know, it’s not this, it’s that”? Because — let me go on and speak further to this. If you go back to the L.A. Times piece, that’s what it lacked. That’s what they were not able to deliver. The one example in the five that involved an issue of a sexual act was between James and a woman he was dating, who he was not working with. There was no professional dynamic in any capacity.
~ David Simon
Been finding myself gravitating toward more new stuff these days, despite having shelves and shelves filled with unwatched DVDs and Blu-rays of classic/foreign/indie/doc films. Since I had kids I find myself having less and less energy for older or more taxing stuff, but I’ll try to fire one up every now and then. Have re-watched some favorite classics recently – Double Indemnity and Rear Window specifically.
I found the opposite, once I had kids I went right for the older stufff as a chaser to all the kids programming. Now I just don’t have time for much. I used to watch every SPC, Focus and Searchlight I could get my hands on (and supplemented those with Magnolia and IFC as methodone waiting for new releases). Now I am way behind on films of theirs I want to see much less the meh films on their slates.
And now it’s put on hold for the World Cup. In the past two days I have been struck with Alice Vickander size movie crushes on a Jamaican goaltender and the entire Italian squad.
Our art house theater had Double Indemnity on the big screen earlier this year. What a film! Barbara Stanwyck was a treasure.
I am a sucker for B&W Noir from the 40s/50s. TCM’s Noir Alley is a weekly ritual.
Both. I see as many new movies as possible but I also watch and rewatch old stuff all the time.
Has anyone seen the 1969 Dutch movie “Obsessions”?
I never even knew the film existed until two days ago.
It was co-written (!) by Martin Scorsese and scored (!) by Bernard Hermann.
Never received a U.S. theatrical release, but it was released two years ago on Blu-Ray by a niche h/vid distributer.
Off-topic but what a dire weekend for movies out. MIB and SHAFT are apparently terrible. Dead Don’t Die is getting mixed opinions but isn’t playing here. I’ll be staying in. So much to watch. HEAD COUNT. STARFISH. ANIARA. HIGH LIFE.
I may make time for the original MIB. The only reaction the new one is getting from me is the desire to watch the original. It’s a perfect little miracle.
Oh, also…I want that batshit Glenn Danzig movie in my eyeballs ASAP!
Really enjoyed “Late Night:” it’s like a cross between “The Mindy Project” and “The Devil Wears Prada.”
Hadn’t expected Emma Thompson to have the bigger role, but am glad that she did. (She’s dependably great, of course.)
Looking at the summer so far, struggling Godzilla and MIB, cratering X-Men, Booksmarts likely 3.5 times budget result isn’t looking too shabby anymore.
I have a picture in my mind of someone screening the dailies of Phoenix, Alita, and the Predator in late 2017 and saying “they would do better just to sell the damn place!”
Talk about X-Men cratering, Rocketman, which is no box office sensation like Bohemian Rhapsody, but still doing good business however, in its 14th day of release, is topping X-Men in its 7th day of release. And Godzilla too, by the way, also on its 14th day. Wow.
And you gotta wonder whether the wine at Will Smith’s house doesn’t taste especially good this weekend as Aladdin is laying the smack down on everything this summer apparently including MiB4. You gotta get an ego boost, no matter how humble you are when you step into the shoes of Robin Williams in arguably his most beloved and accessible role, and survive the early criticisms and predicted failure to emerge with over/under $300m, while the franchise that you help build is likely to open to about 1/2 of what the first instalment opened with some 22 years ago. Apologies to Tessa Thompson however, because I could watch her in everything.
Interesting that both “MIB” and “Shaft” are bombing. More sequels/reboots that aren’t hitting their targets. (Ha.)
It seems like the only retreads working are the ones (“Aladdin,” “Endgame”) made by Disney.
Of course, “Dumbo” stiffed, so…
“Dark Phoenix” was a major dud, but it was made by Fox before the Disney acquisition.
“Late Night” isn’t doing great either, but should have OK legs at least (hope so anyway).
Very strange b.o. year.
I’m sure “TS 4,” “Lion King” and (why oh why?) the latest “Spider-Man” will do just fine.
But not much else screams out as “sure fire” (not the “Child’s Play” reboot, the latest “Annabelle” sequel or certainly “Anna” which looks destined to be another Luc Besson bomb).
Hope “Yesterday” and Tarantino do well, although T.’s movie looks even more commercially iffy than “Hateful 8.”
And since most regular moviegoers (kids) don’t even know the Beatles or their songbook, it seems like a film that’ll principally have niche–i.e., old people–appeal. So odds of a breakout are slim to none.
Depressing to think that practically the only studio able to open multiple 300M+ movies a year anymore is Disney.
New Tarantino with Leo, Pitt, and Margot is way more commercially appealing than 8, I really don’t know how you could think otherwise. Even Sam Jackson seems to be heading into Nic Cage land.
Looking forward to Yesterday, but I’ve the sneaky suspicion it’ll flop badly. There’s hope for turnout for the music like with BoRap, but sung by some nobody? I don’t know. We all still remember Across the Universe. Or don’t, rather.
I love Yesterday’s trailer. I can’t remember laughing so hard at a ridiculous but strangely profound premise. I really hope it does well, although I’m not optimistic.
My concern is that 1969 Hollywood is an era that seems as remote to the majority of full-time moviegoers (i.e., the younguns) as the Crimean War.
Do any of them even know who Sharon Tate, Steve McQueen or Charlie Manson were?
There isn’t another movie I’m more anxious to see this year than the new Tarantino.
But I’ve got a feeling that a lot of people are likely to shrug and not give a damn.
If nothing else, it’ll be a major test of DiCaprio’s star wattage.
I’d love to see it succeed, at least as well as say, “Inglourious Basterds.”
Something tells me it won’t, though.
Hope I’m proven wrong.
Friday
6/14
(Estimates)
1 MEN IN BLACK INTERNATIONAL
Sony / Columbia
4,224 $10,400,000
— / $2,462
$10,400,000 / 1
2 THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS 2
Universal
4,564 $6,890,000
+54.9% / $1,510
$75,134,390 / 8
3 ALADDIN (2019)
Buena Vista
3,556 $4,746,000
+55.2% / $1,335
$251,480,314 / 22
4 SHAFT (2019)
Warner Bros. (New Line)
2,952 $2,730,000
— / $925
$2,730,000 / 1
5 DARK PHOENIX
Fox
3,721 $2,348,000
+59.7% / $631
$45,110,350 / 8
6 ROCKETMAN
Paramount
3,021 $2,335,000
+53% / $773
$59,677,725 / 15
People, even the young ones, know Tarantino and the subject matter will not be a deterrent. If anything, my bet is that it will generate a resurgence of interest in that era. Same was true of Kill Bill, when most people didn’t know his source references but it still got off the ground.
I have a feeling I’m probably gonna hate the movie (and I loved Kill Bill), but still, can’t wait to see it.
Like I said, I hope you’re right about the period (and Tarantino’s period fetishism: which is precisely what turns me on so much about the movie) being a turn-off to kids.
I guess we’ll see next month.
X-Men fell 83% from last Friday’s number. That’s brutal. Godzilla still has less egg on it’s face as it still crosses $100m, while X-Men and MiB4, not so much. I’m actually more surprised by the MiB4 number. The negative pre-release news on this one wasn’t as unanimous and loud as Dark Phoenix and it won’t even open above $30m. Harsh. Further proof that Marvel gave no real boost to these actor’s box office prowess in any way.
My wife is heading out shortly to see “Late Night.” I’m hoping to head out immediately after she gets back to catch a late show of “The Last Black Man in San Franciso.”
This lame new-release weekend seems like a good time to state what may be obvious by my relatively few curveball posts in these threads. I come here because I enjoy broad discussion of the box-office horse race, studio release strategy and comments about the theaterical experience from viewers who have been aroud long enough to speak from experience about what’s changed for better, or, usually, for worse.
But I simply am not interested in most big new releases, which is why, when I come here, I tend to bring up limited-release stuff. I know it’s not what drives these conversations, but enough of you see enough movies that you’re at least familiar with some of the smaller films, even if they’re not playing in your market.
Mark Harris tweeted yesterday about what strikes me about this weekend, and the increasing trend the past couple of years:
@MarkHarrisNYC
There is stuff being released into a kajillion theaters every weekend that I don’t believe anybody was excited about making or marketing on the PEAK DAY for that movie. And clearly nobody’s excited about seeing them.
==I’m certainly not. I do like tracking box office, but when the films are so lame, I look for more limited-release stuff – which is by no means a guarantee of quality, or that I’ll like the film. I just cling to the titles that keep me interested in going to movies. I worry that my decline in interest in wide releases means something grim about my future as a movie-lover. I don’t want that to happen, but I don’t know how to fight it.
So please indulge me as I grasp at the occasional limited-release straw in these discussions.
Grasp away. Variety is the spice of life, and if I happen to have an opinion about what you’re saying, I’ll probably chime in.
BD, I’m not sure the non-open of MIB shows the actors have no BO prowess. MIB is associated with Will Smith, so anyone else in that franchise will just be in Will’s shadow. It probably doesn’t help that Will Smith also happens to be thriving in a competing film at the moment.
Granted, I’m not arguing that they are big stars, just that I think the jury’s out.
Christian- Did an arthouse double-bill last week:
“The Souvenir” which is typically opaque (equals parts fascinating and frustrating) Joanna Hogg “Art Cinema,” but Honor Swinton Byrne is a fantastic discovery. I’m guessing that’s how people felt seeing Julie Christie or Vanessa Redgrave for the first time back in the ’60s.
Tilda’s daughter has a brilliant career ahead of her; if she chooses to pursue one, that is. Not sure she’s really interested. The only post-“Souvenir” credit on her IMDB page is Hogg’s “Souvenir” sequel w/ Robert Pattinson.
Arthouse Movie #2 was the delightful “Non-Fiction” which is Olivier Assayas in a playful, loosy-goosy mood. Although it won’t be remembered as an Assayas masterpiece (and he’s made quite a few in the past 25 years), I thought it was pure pleasure from start to finish.
Closing the movie w/ a Jonathan Richman song was a nice touch, too.
Also saw two recent-ish indies on DVD last week that I really liked:
“The Mustang” (everyone–Schoenaerts, Dern, Britton–is really good, and Jason Mitchell steals the movie); and Alex Ross-Perry’s “Her Smell” which takes awhile to find its groove, but that I wound up kinda/sorta loving. Moss IS miscast as a ’90s-era Courtney Love type, but commits so fully to the role that she somehow manages to pull it off.
Good supporting work from Virginia Madsen, Eric Stoltz and Amber Heard, too.
And Scorsese’s “Rolling Thunder Revue” is a must-see for both Scorsese and Dylan fans.
I’m both, so naturally I adored it.
There will be two probable $170m openers in the next three weeks. Which is worth considering before people start over-analysing the past few derisory box office weekends.
MM: I didn’t love SOUVENIR but agree that the lead is very good in it. Decided to skip the Assayas – not sure why, as I agree that his recent work includes more than one masterpiece, DVD for sure. And I loved ARP’s LISTEN UP PHILLIP (though I have friends who despise it) and am very much looking forward to HER SMELL. I’m also reminded that UNDER THE SILVER LAKE is now strwaming, though I’d been holding out for theatrical for that one. Probably a lost cause by now.
I loved “Silver Lake,” Christian. But that’s something of a minority opinion, lol.
If you liked Richard Kelly’s “Southland Tales,” you’ll probably like “SL,” too.
I share your enthusiasm for “Listen Up Philip.” I’ve liked all of Perry’s movies, but “Her Smell” could be his best since “Philip.”
Looking forward to Her Smell as well. Weird sentence to type. I don’t know what type of divining stick that her agent has (or its likely that people are in awe of her and she is willing to do small projects) but she has accumulated quite a slate of wonderful projects. She is certainly one of the few names who increases my interest 100% when I hear she is in a movie.
How do they screw up a Men in Black movie when every other studio release seems to be a Men in Black movie?
“How do they screw up a Men in Black movie when every other studio release seems to be a Men in Black movie?”
The reviews haven’t helped, but maybe franchises like this and Terminator fail becuase no one gives a shit anymore? MIB really is a one movie franchise. Does anyonre really remember, and remember enjoying, the two sequels?
With Terminator, boy oh boy I don’t know what has to happen to convince Hollywood it’s just DOA. Fundementally, my own take is they’re missing the main reason no one cares about these movies: T2 was a super hero movie in a time where we had none/what we did have was dreck. We are now lousy with superhero movies. There is nothing unique visually, from an action adventure beat, that the Terminator movies have to offer anymore.
And holy shit who the fuck wants to keep taking the same ride on the same time travel story that keeps looping and underlining why we hate time travel stories as we start to think about them.
Amblin, you may also be describing the meh reaction to the Secret Life of Pets sequel. They did a wonderful job selling the first one, that heavy metal poodle in the trailer sold 100 mil in tickets alone, it was a great sellable relatable idea, but the sequel has a seen it already feel. So many of these are simply flogging the dead horse. I can see why filmmakers would jump on board a Godzilla movie, but the same enthusiasm doesn’t seem to transfer to MIB or the Lego sequel or especially X-Men which seemed to only be made because, well we have to keep making them right?
Creative Bankruptcy can often lead to the real thing.
“The Last Black Man in San Francisco” lived up to the hype, I’d say. Lots of similarities to “Blindspotting,” one of my favorites from last year, but a sadder tone/mood. It’s similarly episodic, but the shot-making and color vibrancy are consistently surprising – where did Joe Talbot come from? – while the music will probably stay with me most of all. (I haven’t been able to get a performance montage of “San Francisco” out of my head since seeing the film Saturday night.) Oh, and as I google to find out if the score is available, I discover it’s streaming at NPR: https://www.npr.org/2019/06/16/732836622/the-score-of-the-last-black-man-in-san-francisco-sounds-like-no-other-in-2019
“I can see why filmmakers would jump on board a Godzilla movie, but the same enthusiasm doesn’t seem to transfer to MIB or the Lego sequel or especially X-Men which seemed to only be made because, well we have to keep making them right?
Creative Bankruptcy can often lead to the real thing.”
Yeah, no idea why they thought yet another Phoenix movie was necessary. We have zero investment in Game of thronesface in the role, so the entire premise behind her transformation/betrayal/yada is evaporated. First Class was excellent but the parts of it that worked had so little to do with X-Men lore or mutant powers. To this day I’m somewhat crestfallen we never got the Magneto-hunting-nazis movie they were planning. I guess what I’m saying here is this incarnation of X-Men really only worked in FC, and it was probably the best overal film of the series and the weakest “X-Men movie”. The Phoenix story is so ingained with that group’s specific mix of personalities that there’s no way it coud work in this context.
And again: there are a BILLION fucking stories they could tell. WHYYYY more angsty mutants-vs-mutants shit? How about a one off X-Men movie where they face off with the BRood? Totally derivative Alien knockoff villains, BUT the context would be cool: superheroes facing off against Alien.
I agree with your overall premise. I don’t understand why they keep going back to wells that would seem dried up, i.e. MIB and Terminator. They’ve thrown Schwarzenegger at the fanchise how many times now in fan service to try to goose it? Now it’s Linda Hamilton’s turn? c’mon. This story ended with T2. Full stop.
Looking forward to “Last Black Man,” Christian.
I’ll be traveling this weekend, so I’ll get a chance to see it in an actual; theater.
As opposed to so many indies that are invariably relegated to home-viewing because they never open anywhere near me.
I hope you like it, MM. Re: that NPR link – turns out it’s an audio story about the film, but not the full score.
Sometimes shoppers can tell a fish will smell just from the looks of it.
“I agree with your overall premise. I don’t understand why they keep going back to wells that would seem dried up, i.e. MIB and Terminator.”
Booksmart, Brightburn, Valerian, John Carter, Arrival, Jupiter Ascending, Tomorrowland, Tully, are reasons why. None exactly lit up the box office. They’d rather swing for the fences and hope they get another Jumanji/It/Halloween result. The audiences are for the most part opting to stream original content and save the big bucks for tried and expected. But like all things, it’s cyclical. Will the rejection of the recent reboots and sequels extend to Toy Story 4 which all of a sudden has the weight of saving early summer on its shoulders?
But right now, we deserve what we’re getting. Apparently studios have lost the ability to sell good movies based on original ideas. They’ve gotten lazy.
fear is the mind-killer
@bulldog: yes, I understand the premise behind going to a “safe” IP. My point is why is Terminator still considered a “safe” IP? Why return to that? Unless Cameron is directing, no one gives a shit. (And I kinda liked Mostow’s 3.)
“To this day I’m somewhat crestfallen we never got the Magneto-hunting-nazis movie they were planning.”
Were they really? Damn! Now I’m depressed too.
Took my 5-year-old to Pets 2. Granted I wasn’t expecting much and it’s second-tier animation but it’s not even a movie. It doesn’t seem like anyone is trying very hard. It’s three separate storylines (using story loosely here) and each one is just a bunch of gags for little kids. It’s like watching 15 5-minute clips consecutively. And I’ve already spent way too much time thinking about this movie. As with Dark Phoenix and apparently MiB:I theme appears to be phoning it in. Bummer summer.
Simon Kinberg’s post-mortem with Kim Masters reveals nothing under the guise of a brutally honest post-failure assessment. He says “I don’t know” about 50 times in 20 minutes and 98% of what he says sounds like disingenuous spin. Not that I expected anything more really but even with low expectations it’s boring.
Stella, I am seeing Pets tonight at the drive-in (work outing for our families). I held a little hope out, I didn’t really like the first one, but now my expectations are even lower.
On the Kinberg stuff, He should be keeping his mouth shut, the thing is still in theaters, he is doing a Port Mortem with the patient still on the table and it makes a bad situation worse. Plus everything he is saying is gibberish. He keeps saying he wanted to make something quieter, more character driven, that Memorial Day was the wrong opening day because it is not a tentpole. Well you spent 200 million jackass, there is no way that is not a tentpole.
Bulldog, I don’t know if Brightburn, Tully, and especially Booksmart belong in the rogues gallery you listed. Book and Bright were cheap enough to turn a profit and should have a strong shelf life. Tully did less business and was forgotten at awards time but its not like Focus was in the business of making blockbusters, Tully landed in the middle of their crowd.
And Arrival was an inarguable success. 50 million budget, 100 domestic, 200 worldwide. This is exactly the type of movie I would love to see more of. (did you maybe mean Annihilation?)
I agree Hcat. When Kinberg says he made a November movie for a contemplative audience and not a summer movie, I nearly spit coffee all over my steering wheel.
I’ve seen worse kids movies, but keeping expectations low seems very wise. Just pretend you are watching a series of YouTube clips.
Hcat, why I listed a combo of successful and unsuccessful films was that none could be utilized to significantly impact the bottom line of a studio. Duly noted about Arrival, but for every Arrival there is a Valerian, and while Terminator may not be “safe” IP, they prefer to swing for the fences in the hopes of scoring like Jumanji or It. To them its safer than trying to build an original franchise.
It now seems so long ago that we were awash in Potter/Rings/Twilight/Hunger Games money. #1 original movie last year was 10th on the money list, Bohemian Rhapsody, previous year, Coco #13, and if you remove toons from the equation it would be Dunkirk #14, in 2016, Hidden Figures with $169m and 14th for the year.
Since 2015 there have been three, count em, three movies that have grossed more than $200m that were originals, not toons, not sequels. Rhapsody, A Star is born were last year, the third was in 2015, The Martian.
Arrival money is great, and I’m in full agreement with you that we need more of those, but its called Show Business for a reason, and unfortunately the art side is losing. Where art is winning is on TV. I’m literally glowing from going from binge watching Chernobyl, (HA), to When They See Us. Excellent week of TV. Compare that to what is probably the most lazy superhero movie ever assembled in Dark Phoenix, and you see why people are staying home.
Love em or hate em, Marvel looked anything but lazy. They were aggressive to please and the fans felt it. They wanted happy customers and ensured that their product was delivering the goods. Moviegoers are all Janet Jackson now, “What have you done for me lately?” Then once they commit they get all Alanis Morissette, you better “Wine me, dine me, 69 me.”
Apologies for the long post.
Thanks for the Alanis quote, Bulldog.
Reminded me of her “God” in “Dogma” which put a smile on my face.
Smiles–like the even rarer laughter–come few and far between for me these days.
I hear ya Movieman. I have an ongoing battle with depression and movies have continued to be a lifeline for me. A bad day at the movies, yes even Dark Phoenix, is still a check in the win column for me. Glad I could bring a smile to your mug. 🙂
I hope whatever is the source of your depleted number of smiles begins to wield less power in your life.
Thanks for that, B-dog!
I can relate to your “bad days at the movies” comment: put me in mind of my recent discount theater matinee of “Pokemon Detective Pikachu,” lol.
Bulldog, did you call A Star is Born an original? I guess it is if you discount the movie’s three previous incarnations, but I wouldn’t.
Yeah, my bad on A Star is Born. But at least it was new enough for this generation.
“Midsommer” is 165 minutes?!?
Holy crap.
The first run time (140 minutes) I read seemed long enough.
Oh, well. Just more quality time to spend in the dark with my beloved Florence Pugh, I guess.
Hope my bladder holds out.
Agreed Bulldog. TV is an embarrassment of riches right now. It wasn’t that long ago that summer was reruns and reality and nothing else. Now I can’t keep up. I watched the first two seasons of The Handmaid’s Tale as they aired. Haven’t started three yet. Only watched one episode of Chernobyl. Need to finish it. Los Espookys. Would like to check it out. Probably won’t have time. There’s just too much to watch (first-world problems). Sure there’s still plenty of crap but TV is so, so good right now, all year long.
I’ve read a few things from folks who saw Midsommar last night and they say it’s 140 minutes. Hope it’s better than Hereditary. As much as I didn’t really like Secret Life of Pets 2, anything that is only 85 minutes long is much appreciated these days.
Variety listed “Midsommar” as 165 minutes, but the Fandango listings (and IMDB) still have it at 140.
So who knows?
165 seems pretty excessive, though.
It’s become increasingly difficult to get accurate runtimes before walking into a theater anymore. Not even multiplex management has a clue.
Sad.
“Los Espookys” is hilarious! The first episode anyway. It deserves a Sunday night (rather than late night Friday) airtime. Feels like it’s being ghettoized because 80% of the dialogue is in (subtitled) Spanish.
Give it a try, SB. I think you’ll like it. I laughed my ass off.
I was also really impressed with the premiere episode of “Euphoria.” It’s like a cross between Gasper Noe and (vintage) Larry Clark.
And Zendaya is phenomenal.
Speaking of HBO, I finally got around to “Leaving Neverland” and “The Inventor.”
The truly devastating “Neverland” almost has the feel of a pedophiliac “Sorrow and the Pity.” The four-hour length actually works for it.
After finishing it, I went to HBO On Demand to find the follow-up Oprah special. But neither it (or “Neverland”) were anywhere to be found. Pretty freaking strange since you can find practically every HBO series/special/original movie of the past decade On Demand. Does it have something to do with the lawsuit filed against HBO by the Jackson estate?
I was largely unfamiliar with the saga of Elizabeth Holmes, so much of the material felt brand-new. Pretty fascinating story. (I could picture Mackenzie Davis or Brie Larson as Holmes in a feature film version of the story.)
I know Ebert said no good movie is ever too long, but fingers crossed for 140.
I will try to watch it. Good to know. I also want to check out Euphoria. Looks quite interesting. Not sure I can stomach Leaving Neverland. I have no doubt it’s good. I’ve been afraid to watch though. I liked The Inventor a lot. It’s pretty gripping. Upcoming HBO docs I’m really looking forward to are True Justice and I Love You, Now Die.
“Neverland” IS gut-wrenching: particularly the detailed accounts of Jackson’s serial molestation by his victims.
But it’s brilliant documentary filmmaking that deserves as wide an audience as possible.
I’m glad that I recorded it in March since it’s apparently now been expunged from HBO.
P.S.= “Gaspar,” not “Gasper.” Spellcheck strikes again.
I have no trouble believing that. Wow you’re right it’s gone. It didn’t stick around very long. And speaking of so much TV, did you ever watch Little Drummer Girl? I recorded it but still haven’t watched it.
I’m a huge Park Chan-wook (and Florence Pugh) fan, but I was mildly disappointed in “Drummer Girl.”
I found a lot of the internecine spy business needlessly confusing, and I had a hard time discerning Park’s signature rococo style.
It didn’t look much different than, say, AMC’s “The Night Manager” (which I actually enjoyed more).
Aw that’s a bummer. I won’t rush to watch it then.
It’s 140.
Weird that Variety could have gotten it wrong…by 25 minutes.
That’s a major discrepancy.
140 minutes stated plainly in A24 press kit.
@Pete B:
Yup:
https://screenrant.com/plot-synopsis-x-men-origins-magneto/
I found this just with a quick search. I remember the Origins movies were gonna be a “thing” until Wolverine tanked hard, which it deserved because it’s one of the absolute worst movies ever in the history of all time.
Imagine that one scene in First Class in the bar with the former Nazis being a whole movie. With Fassbender. BIG BIG SIGH…
Glad it’s not 165 minutes (and I really want to see it).
Variety finally corrected the run time on their (mixed) review.
Now it’s listed as 145 minutes (vs. the A24 press kit’s 140) minutes, lol.
Finally got the chance to see “The Dead Don’t Die.”
Nope, it’s not as distinctive or strikingly original a genre film as Jarmusch’s fantastic “Only Lovers Left Alive” (could it be too self-reflexive for its own good?), but I had a pretty good time nonetheless.
And that cast (Murray, Swinton, Driver, Waits, Buscemi, Glover, Sevigny, Kane, et al) is beyond killer. I could’ve watched them read the phone book for 105 minutes and left with a smile on my face.
Amblin,
The scene with Fassbender in the bar with the former Nazis makes me really wish Matthew Vaughn could have done a retro James Bond. Fassbender as a 60s OO7 would have been great.
And Wolverine Origins gets my vote for worst X-Men film, even though I haven’t seen Dark Phoenix yet, or stayed awake through 3 attempts at Apocalypse.