Movies I Have Seen Lately

[The Baron]

Saw a Takashi Miike picture called The Great Yokai War. "Yokai" is a Japanese term for monsters from folklore, as opposed to the more familiar kaiju. It's a kids' picture, about a young boy from Tokyo sent out to live in the countryside with his older sister and his intermittently senile grandfather. When a vengeful spirit appears, the boy gets caught up in a war between warring groups of yokai and must find his courage to become the "Kirin Rider", the hero who will set everything to rights. It's not a bad picture - nothing deep, but an amusing story. Some of the yokai are really trippy, Japanese folklore can get pretty "out there", apparently.

[Travis Herrick (Modular Mod)]

A friend of mine recommended the movie Malignant to me, even knowing I don't really like horror. I always thought it was because I don't like being scared. It isn't, I realized my problem with most horror is: bad acting, bad story, and terrible special effects. So, yeah I thought it sucked.

[Jeff of Earth-J]

Travis, if you like smart horror, I think you might like season one of Netflix's The Haunting of Hill House. It's the opposite of what you describe. 

[PowerBook Pete, the Mad Mod]

I'll second Jeff's recommendation of The Haunting of Hill House. If you like Henry James, I'd also recommend the second series, The Haunting of Bly Manor.

[ClarkKent_DC]

I've said this before, but it bears repeating:

Every time there's a new James Bond movie, somebody will write a piece on the theme "Is James Bond Still Relevant in the Post-Cold War Era?" (like this one, or this one, or this one). Well, there's a new James Bond movie, No Time to Die, so, like clockwork, there's another one.

From The Week: "Is James Bond Still Relevant?"

[Travis Herrick (Modular Mod)]

Thanks for the recommendation Jeff and Pete. With Halloween right around the corner, maybe I;ll check it out.

[Richard Willis]

Beginning today, October 1, through Halloween, Shout Factory Live TV* is streaming horror movies all day. Unlike their streaming of old TV, these are live. Accessible on their website or on any streaming device. They are featuring special evening shows but (if you scroll to the bottom) they have a daily schedule of movies all day.

31 Nights Of Horror 2021 :: Shout! Factory TV | Live Events (shoutf...

* A free streaming service with commercials

[Jeff of Earth-J]

TERROR OF MECHAGODZILLA: I honestly don't recall which Godzilla movies I saw as a kid or which ones I saw first, but it was a lot. this movie is a direct sequel to Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla, but it strikes me as a good jumping on point for a kid. It begins with a recap of what Godzilla is, and the Big-G appears from the get-go. the plot becomes increasingly convoluted, but I don't know if that would be a detriment for, say, a ten-year-old. 

Based on [your/Bob's] recommendation, I have the Japanese version of The Return of Godzilla and plan to watch/re-watch that one soon. 

[Jeff of Earth-J]

STAR TREL VI: THE UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY: 

[The Baron]

I wathced the English language version of this last night.  Might watch the original Japanese version later tonight.

Jeff of Earth-J said:

TERROR OF MECHAGODZILLA: I honestly don't recall which Godzilla movies I saw as a kid or which ones I saw first, but it was a lot. this movie is a direct sequel to Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla, but it strikes me as a good jumping on point for a kid. It begins with a recap of what Godzilla is, and the Big-G appears from the get-go. the plot becomes increasingly convoluted, but I don't know if that would be a detriment for, say, a ten-year-old. 

Based on [your/Bob's] recommendation, I have the Japanese version of The Return of Godzilla and plan to watch/re-watch that one soon. 

[JohnD]

I just watched "Joker" starring Jochaim Phoinex. Brilliant.

At first, I thought that this film would be a Killing Joke inspired film (i.e. a "simpathy for the Joker" film); but, it very early on prooved to be a completely different animal (yes, there were many elements that recalled the comic book charactor we all know and love; but, all in all, this version stands independant). Clearly, Arthur Fleck, unlike the comic book Joker, is mentally flawed prior to the point where we meet him. The movie, and Jochiam Phoenix's brilliant portrial, goes out of its way to exemplify the lead charactor as someone who never had a chance from birth. To keep things consistent, almost nobody around him has any true simpathy. BUT, I found no simpathy for poor Arthur, myself. This goes beyond knowing what (who) Artur becomes; it speaks to who he is. Arthur Fleck is as every bit as unsimpathetic (excepting his gratefulness toward "Gaggy", his dwarf co-worker) towards the world as it is to him. This is a brilliant adaptation. "Pity me; but, @#$%& you!". I'm sorry, but mental illness or not, Arthur Fleck knows who he is and what he's doing. If not for the constant whining, and the lack of outwardly demonstrated intent, (he doesn't lead a chaotic movement, he's an unknowing catalyst) I would rank this charactorizition right there with Heath Ledger and Mark Hamil.

[Jeff of Earth-J]

"I watched the English language version of this last night. Might watch the original Japanese version later tonight."

If you do, let me know if it's significantly different enough from the Japanese that I should watch it, too. 

"I just watched "Joker" starring Jochaim Phoinex. Brilliant."

My favorite "superhero" (genre) movie and the only one I would recommend to a non-comic book reader.

THE TERROR (1963, color): Tracy was champing at the bit to watch another of her B-flicks, and next in queue was this Roger Corman film co-starring Boris Karloff and Jack Nicholson. (the assistant producer is Francis Copolla.) It has one of the loopiest twists (not in a good way) toward the end I have ever seen. It takes place in early 19th century France. There's a girl who might be a ghost or might be possessed or might be a bird. She also has her own portrait.

Here's the plot (including a spoiler for the twist). 20 years ago, the Baron takes a trip leaving his wife, 20 years his junior, by herself, He comes back to find her with a lover, Eric. the Baron kills Eric, then locks himself in his castle for the next two decades. Eric's mother, a witch, seeks revenge. By the end of the movie she gets it,  but the twist is that Eric was the one who actually killed the Baron, then assumed his role, even in his own mind, out of guilt. Karloff always adds a bit a class to any role he plays. 

[The Baron]

The Japanese version doesn't have the long narrated intro. Instead there are scenes from the previous film behind the opening credits.  There are a few other minor cuts.  I would say, if/when you feel like watching it again, try the Japanese version, but don't have special viewing.

According to the commentary track, this was the lowest-grossing Godzilla movie.

Apparently, the guy in the Godzilla suit also played Ultraman Taro, and the guy in the Titanosaurus suit played Ultraman Leo.

Jeff of Earth-J said:

"I watched the English language version of this last night. Might watch the original Japanese version later tonight."