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Harry's DVD Picks & Peeks - 1st 3 Weeks of Feb: AMADEUS, GANDHI, MAKE A PORNO, and much much more!
Hey folks, Harry here... First up, I'd like to apologize to all you readers of this column. I know how much so many of you love it. When this month started I had no intention in taking a hiatus. I had meant to get the first week of February up prior to leaving for Berlin. That 6 days worth of travel and the following write up took a lot out of DVD viewing. And when I came back, the first film I put in was SPACE BUDDIES - and frankly. It really kicked the shit out of me. I'm not sure why I put it in. I suppose it was duty to this column - but man. It really made me kinda hate my life for a bit. I decided that I would combine up a couple of weeks worth of columns and take some time off to just view some of the films in my collection for me. To take a few days to not watch anything. Just sort of clean the slate. 2 weeks turned into 3 weeks and nearly 4 weeks. So I've put together this catch up list. The titles that would have been in the last 3. Sometimes there's comments. Sometimes there isn't. And I'm going to hop back into the flow of things.
I hope to keep this column coming as regular as humanly possible. There's some very good titles I've missed recently - as always - the box art and titles are clickable to Amazon where you can learn more on the titles in question and purchase them if you feel like it. Here we go...
Tuesday, February 3rd, 2009
SPACE BUDDIES
This film… and I use the term lightly… has a 4 out of 5 star rating on Amazon.Com. I know you think it highly unlikely that I actually submitted myself to this dog shit, but I did. Now I know. I know. I’m not the audience for this film. This is meant to entertainment for our children. For kids ages 4-10. Do we really think so little of children? One of these dogs has a hip hop gangsta wannabe personality. The Russians are portrayed as alcoholic musical dimwits. It is a collection of fart and shit and piss humor. It is the worst of entertainment. A film that fails to invite even the slightest amount of wit, charm or education. At no level does this dreck do the slightest to further the minds of our young ones. It is offensively inoffensive. Be forewarned.
MADAGASCAR – ESCAPE 2 AFRICA
A lacking follow-up to a fun Animated film.
ZACK AND MIRI MAKE A PORNO
The title was ZACK AND MIRI in the copy I bought at Target - but on AMAZON they seem to have the full title. Or is that an outdated graphic? I don't know, but god damn this is a funny movie. Though upon reflection of the Blu Ray... I found myself wondering... Is it just me, or does the film feel awfully short. I never really look at running times on films. I just don't obsess on that sort of thing, but I really wanted a longer film here. I think it is that I loved these characters and wanted to spend more time with them. Kevin done good.
YENTL
For Jeff Mahler
NICK & NORAH’S INFINITE PLAYLIST
Missed this at theaters, but I thought it was a cute little film on Blu. Cera is just so easy to watch do his thing... but as I watched the film, I did wonder what else he can bring to a role. He's got this sort of character down to a science. And the entire time I was watching this, I was wondering exactly what Edgar Wright was going to do with Michael in SCOTT PILGRIM, that latest pic with the samurai sword got me giddy. Fun flick though not great.
FRIDAY THE 13TH Uncut (Blu-Ray)
Wow. The word on the street is that later this year we're going to get a huge BLU RAY box set of all the existing JASON films. So you may want to hold off, but man... this looks fantastic. And I really found myself wishing these next two were in Blu Ray too.
FRIDAY THE 13TH Part 2
The original BAGHEAD! Actually, I think technically its Sackhead. This is such a strange beginning for a series. The first one with the mother, then this odd Baghead thing. Then the next one...
FRIDAY THE 13TH, PART 3 3D
I kinda found myself wondering how this series survived long enough for Jason to get this Iconic Hockey Mask. I met the screenwriter of this one on INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS, he was the script continuity supervisor on Quentin's film. And he says - they really had no idea what they were doing on the first 3 films. Just sort of making it up as they went along. And I have to say it really shows. The 3D on this release is hilarious. LOTS of blatant slowly stabbing something at the audience moments. Cracked me up. However, a very chaste film. No titties - and really lacking gore, but Jason does get his mask!
HIS NAME WAS JASON: 30 Years of Friday The 13th
Fun doc about the making of all the Jason flicks. Some of this is terribly serious - and unintentionally funny and arty. Which kinda makes it awesome. A must have for Jason junkies.
OFFICE SPACE (Blu Ray)
You must see the stapler in perfect 1080p. It's like... awesome!
OUR MAN IN HAVANA
One of the top 5 Alec Guinness films ever made. Directed by Carol Reed, the man behind THE THIRD MAN - and a hilariously awesome spy tale. GREAT FILM also starring Maureen O'Hara, Burl Ives, Ernie Kovacs and more!
BEING THERE (Blu Ray)
After DR STRANGELOVE, my favorite film with Peter Sellers... and my favorite all time PETER SELLERS role. A film of haunting beauty, frighteningly dead on satire and poignance. It also has simply one of the greatest last shots in film history. Just... breathtaking. We lost Sellers too soon.
NATALIE WOOD Collection ( SPLENDOR IN THE GRASS / SEX AND THE SINGLE GIRL / INSIDE DAISY CLOVER / GYPSY / BOMBERS B-52 / CASH McCALL )
This collection isn't quite for me. I love SEX AND THE SINGLE GIRL and SPLENDOR IN THE GRASS, but the others have never really left an impact on me. But if you're a huge Natalie Wood fan... feel free to scream at my ignorance and enjoy them all!
VIBES
It stars Cyndi Lauper! That's all I need. Oh and it's cute as hell!
NAPOLEON DYNAMITE (Blu-Ray)
I really dislike this movie.
SIDEWAYS (Blu-Ray)
The film that made me stop drinking Merlot. Thank you all involved!
CLERKS II (Blu Ray)
I know most people tend to feel CHASING AMY is Kevin's best film, but honestly... I love CLERKS II. It is just fucking great. Rosario? OHMYGOD! She's just the girl you must love. And PILLOW PANTS? Genius.
TCM Greatest Classic Films Collection: Romantic Comedies (ADAM’S RIB / WOMAN OF THE YEAR / THE PHILADELPHIA STORY )
3 of the greatest Romantic Comedies ever bundled for 19.99
INSIDE MOVES
You read Beaks' interview with Richard Donner, but I'm betting you still haven't seen this absolutely wonderful film. I know it doesn't have a Superhero or Mel Gibson... but I promise you this is a film you won't forget. Great work by all involved and one of the great John Savage characters!
BRAIN STORM
After REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE, this is my favorite NATALIE WOOD film. I love BRAIN STORM! It is directed by brilliant visual effects man, Douglas Trumball - who brought some of the most flawless and stunning visual effects that have ever shaped our collective imaginations. And here, he brings soul and elegance and beauty to memories, lives and being. This film is brilliant. I love love love it! Wish to God it was on Blu Ray!
TCM Greatest Classic Films Collection: ROMANTIC DRAMAS ( EAST OF EDEN / CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF / A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE / REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE )
Speaking of Rebel. 4 Brilliant movies - 1 cheap price: 24.99. Good deal!
TCM Greatest Classic Films Collection: BEST PICTURE WINNERS ( CASABLANCA / GIGI / AN AMERICAN IN PARIS / MRS. MINIVER )
GIGI and AN AMERICAN IN PARIS are about to hit on Blu Ray! But if you don't have these four brilliant films - for 19.99... they're yours.
PAURA – Lucio Fulci Remembered Vol 1
A must for all who love the works of Fulci. Fascinating look at his work and life through his collaborators and friends. Loved it.
XANADU
Fuck you, I love it!
THE WIZ
Goddamn this movie is a weird load of shit.
THE MAGNIFICENT TRIO
This is a very fun Shaw Brothers flick. Definitely worth checking out!
Tuesday, February 10th, 2009
W.
I really like this film. I like that it doesn't flat out lampoon George. That it works to actually attempt to humanize Bush, while also showing why he is so loathed and possibly why he came up so short. A great film by Oliver Stone of his most difficult topic to date.
AMADEUS (Blu Ray)
I actually tried to write this column during this movie. Couldn't. Fucking film refuses to let you be distracted. I found myself constantly looking at the film, then sitting on the couch and finishing it. One of the greatest Biopics ever made.
THE BOONDOCK SAINTS (Blu Ray)
One of Massawyrm and Rav's favorite films.
FROZEN RIVER
WOW. See it!
TIM AND ERIC AWESOME SHOW, GREAT JOB!: SEASON 2
Brilliantly sublime.
MIRACLE AT ST ANNA
This film really got shat upon, and it seems critics love to crucify Spike Lee... but I really got caught up in this film. Tells a story of the Buffalo Soldiers of WWII and a little town in Italy called St Anna. It gets a bit weird and magical. But ain't nothing wrong with that. Sometimes that's how life goes. Just go with it.
DONNIE DARKO (Blu Ray)
Buy this instead of S.DARKO. Please.
MY NAME IS BRUCE
Sadly not the absolute perfect genius that we constantly hope from Bruce's every breath, but you know what. It'll put hair on chest! It's guaranteed to.
TALES FROM THE DARKSIDE: The First Season
I remember having to put TIN FOIL on rabbit ears to get the station that played TALES FROM THE DARKSIDE to come in. It was agonizing, but I religiously did it. And I used this show to terrify my little sister. I look forward to revisiting them all.
RAGING BULL (Blu Ray)
Brilliant film in every conceivable facet.
PRETTY WOMAN (Blu Ray)
This is rated R. Really? I know it should be. How many escorts did PRETTY WOMAN create? I really can't believe it is R rated though. There's no nudity that I can remember and I just rewatched this two weeks ago. And hardly any cussing. It's just adult situations. I agree with the rating. Just seems so tame by today's standards. I love the movie though. Seriously. It turns me into a weepy vag.
SHAUN THE SHEEP: Back In The Ba-a-ath
Latest Aardman Brilliance.
BLINDNESS
A really brutal experience. Watch it if you like douching with Tabasco.
A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE (Blu Ray)
What a great film. Seriously. I rewatched this the other day and again, could get no work done. It is a commanding film, with every step working to perfection. Ed Harris is chilling. But nowhere near as chilling as Viggo. Wow!
THE EXTERMINATING ANGEL – Criterion Collection
A truly great Bunuel film! Criterion did a great job with these extras:
SPECIAL EDITION DOUBLE-DISC SET FEATURES:
New, restored high-definition digital transfer
The Last Script: Remembering Luis Buñuel, a 2008 documentary featuring Jean-Claude Carrière and Jean Luis Buñuel
New interviews with filmmaker Arturo Ripstein and actress Silvia Pinal
Theatrical trailer
New and improved English subtitle translation
PLUS: A booklet featuring a new essay by film scholar Marsha Kinder and a reprinted interview with Buñuel
SIMON OF THE DESERT – Criterion Collection
Surrealism at its best by the greatest surrealist filmmaker ever, Luis Bunuel! This and THE EXTERMINATING ANGEL are godsends to film geeks!
New, restored high-definition digital transfer
A Mexican Buñuel (1995), 50-minute documentary by Emilio Maillé
New interview with actress Silvia Pinal
New and improved English subtitle translation
PLUS: A booklet featuring a new essay by critic Michael Wood and a reprinted interview with Buñuel
CHOCOLATE
One of the absolute most fun modern martial arts films. One that will have you screaming OWWWW a bunch. and features a RAIN MAN-esque girl that instead of counting, has a penchant for ass-kickery! GREAT FUN FILM
STREET FIGHTER Extreme Edition Blu Ray
A terrible film. THAT I LOVE TO WATCH! Raul Julia was dying of cancer while making this film - and he poured 12 movies of enthusiasm into this last performance. He devours every moment of this film. And the fight between him and Van Damme. Hilarity! God I miss Raul.
THE FOOT FIST WAY
Now for a serious Martial Arts film about the angst and pain that a humble redneck Tae Kwon Do instructor goes through to give to his students and to his art. It will make you cry.
Tuesday, February 17th, 2009
CHANGELING
I hated the trailers to this movie, but when I finally sat down to watch it. It isn't so much about the police and Angelina. That's a big part of the story. But the story of what happened to the boy. That tale as told by that one kid. HOLY SHIT! Jolie is great, but what is really great is the period attention. And for some reason, I loved that Telephone bank shot of her on the old school roller skates. How cool.
DEAD LIKE ME: The Complete Collection
The whole series is finally out. I don't know about you, but I love this series about Reapers. It's really really great.
RELIGULOUS
Bill Maher can be one incredibly annoying smug fuck. But he's also mostly right.
BODY OF LIES
Watched Ridley Scott's latest. Honestly, I thought it was kind of a waste of everyone involved. It just didn't do anything for me.
HOUNDDOG
I won't watch this film.
THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST (Blu Ray)
I love this movie. I love those creepy CG brown eyes - and the scary dwarves - and the bloodletting - and everything else. Just an absolutely brutal film featuring some of the most innovative and great gore effects in cinema history. Which you can now see in perfect clarity on Blu.
CHOKE
Must watch with your anal beads in place.
GANDHI (Blu Ray)
Wow. AMADEUS and now GANDHI. Another of the great Biopics. Ben Kingsley is so brilliant in this film. Wish the world had learned more from his messages and actions.
THE MIDNIGHT MEAT TRAIN
Surprisingly good. I'm so used to modern Clive Barker works sucking the ass out of a dead donkey, to find one that entertained and disgusted properly felt good. I still wait for something on the level of NIGHTBREED or better again.
HOBSON’S CHOICE – Criterion Collection
David Lean and Charles Laughton? Well, that's all folks that know cinema need to know. For DVD collectors - it's the name CRITERION. Great film and disc. Here's the extras;
New high-definition digital transfer--restoration by the BFI National Archive, funded by the David Lean Foundation and StudioCanal
Audio commentary featuring film scholars Alain Silver and James Ursini, co-authors of David Lean and His Films
The Hollywood Greats: Charles Laughton, a 1978 BBC documentary about the actor s life and career, featuring interviews with his friends and colleagues
Theatrical trailer
PLUS: A new essay by critic Armond White
THE SILVER CHALICE
Bizarre to see Paul Newman in a religious classic tale, but here he is. This whole film is just weird. Really, check it for yourself. Very odd.
PULP FICTION (Blu Ray)
All Region, but PAL. Check your system and buy.
KRAMER VS KRAMER (Blu Ray)
Watched this last Monday morning and cried. Why in Blu? Think about that Hallway scene. Wow. You clicked already?
GOOD WILL HUNTING (Blu Ray)
Academy Award Winning screenwriters Ben Affleck and Matt Damon!
CAPOTE / IN COLD BLOOD (Blu Ray)
This is such a cool release. To have PSH's CAPOTE and IN COLD BLOOD in the same box is very cool. I love black & white on Blu Ray. Such rich tones and sharpness. Great great film.
FREDDY VS JASON (Blu Ray)
Remember Camp Hacknslash!
CONSTANT GARDENER (Blu Ray)
Love this haunting film. Technically it is a thriller, but it is absolutely haunting. Fiennes and Rachel are so great in this film. Just wonderful
THE PRIVATE LIFE OF HENRY VIII
One of the great Charles Laughton roles. Directed by the great Alexander Korda and it absolutely has held up over the last 75-76 years. And another of the great Biopics of all time.
FACES (1968) – Criterion Collection
Are you familiar with the directing work of John Cassavetes? Well, if you are - you know about FACES. If you're not, check this film out, then check out all the other great films in John's repertoire. Brilliant filmmaking, acting and general craftmanship. Here's what you get in this edition:
SPECIAL EDITION DOUBLE-DISC SET FEATURES:
New, restored high-definition digital transfer
Seventeen-minute alternate opening sequence, from an early edit of the film
Cinéastes de notre temps (1968), a 48-minute episode from the French television series dedicated to Cassavates, featuring rare interviews and behind-the-scenes footage
Making Faces, a 2004 documentary including interviews with actors Lynn Carlin, Seymour Cassel, Gena Rowlands, and director of photography Al Ruban
Lighting and Shooting the Film, a short documentary from 2004 in which Ruban explains how he and the crew achieved the distinct look of Faces
PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by critic Stuart Klawans
This Tuesday, I'll have looks at FUTURAMA: INTO THE WILD GREEN YONDER, AKIRA (Blu), SEX DRIVE, FRENCH CONNECTION (Blu), FRENCH CONNECTION 2, IRONWEED, FOUR FLIES ON GREY VELVET , VANISHING POINT (Blu), THE LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT, SAMURAI 7 (Blu), ZULU (Blu), BIRD WITH THE CRYSTAL PLUMAGE (Blu), FRIDAY THE 13th Part 2, Part 3 (Blu), THE FOG (Blu), CYCLOPS, THE BUCCANEER, TOM BROWN's SCHOOLDAYS, THE WHIP AND THE BODY, HELL ON WHEELS, A POLICEWOMAN IN NEW YORK, And much much more. It will be up this Tuesday.
SPECIAL EDITION DOUBLE-DISC SET FEATURES:
New, restored high-definition digital transfer
The Last Script: Remembering Luis Buñuel, a 2008 documentary featuring Jean-Claude Carrière and Jean Luis Buñuel
New interviews with filmmaker Arturo Ripstein and actress Silvia Pinal
Theatrical trailer
New and improved English subtitle translation
PLUS: A booklet featuring a new essay by film scholar Marsha Kinder and a reprinted interview with Buñuel
New, restored high-definition digital transfer
A Mexican Buñuel (1995), 50-minute documentary by Emilio Maillé
New interview with actress Silvia Pinal
New and improved English subtitle translation
PLUS: A booklet featuring a new essay by critic Michael Wood and a reprinted interview with Buñuel
New high-definition digital transfer--restoration by the BFI National Archive, funded by the David Lean Foundation and StudioCanal
Audio commentary featuring film scholars Alain Silver and James Ursini, co-authors of David Lean and His Films
The Hollywood Greats: Charles Laughton, a 1978 BBC documentary about the actor s life and career, featuring interviews with his friends and colleagues
Theatrical trailer
PLUS: A new essay by critic Armond White
SPECIAL EDITION DOUBLE-DISC SET FEATURES:
New, restored high-definition digital transfer
Seventeen-minute alternate opening sequence, from an early edit of the film
Cinéastes de notre temps (1968), a 48-minute episode from the French television series dedicated to Cassavates, featuring rare interviews and behind-the-scenes footage
Making Faces, a 2004 documentary including interviews with actors Lynn Carlin, Seymour Cassel, Gena Rowlands, and director of photography Al Ruban
Lighting and Shooting the Film, a short documentary from 2004 in which Ruban explains how he and the crew achieved the distinct look of Faces
PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by critic Stuart Klawans
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When the fuck are you going to post your DVD colu-- My bad.
Looks like Blue-Ray is quickly taking over in the new release stakes. Which sucks for me as I'm one of those film-watchers who'd rather run through as many new movies as I can (by new, I mean ones I haven't seen before), rather than see the same shit in picture perfect quality. -
I won't be a victim of cutesy marketing campaigns!!!
Alright, alright it was a typo. -
Harry, I go through withdrawals when I don't have your recommendations to check out. Thanks for getting to this despite all the craziness!
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Feb 22, 2009 4:34:03 AM CST
harry, in the world of blu-ray there is no pal/ntsc just regions
by pjvader
all you have to worry about is if your player will play specific region :)
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I thought it said Ghandi Makes a Porno. Now that's a movie I'd pay to see.
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Harry seems you too can't sleep, the Vibes DVD is that different from the previous one released?
and have you heard anything on a dvd release of Dammnation alley?
that movie is my fav B-grade movie of all time, screams for a remake though
till then take care
I hope to make it to the Watchman premiere might see you there -
Brilliant film. Boondock Saints, on the other hand, is one of the most immature films I've ever seen. Watch Overnight instead.
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So many good movies coming out the last few weeks it's been hard tto keeep up with.i loved choke and thought body of lies was damn good
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this is the third time i've typed this but never mind :-)
still the best article you do harold. i just wish i had the cash to buy everything you recommend!
will only switch to blu ray though when they become as cheap as dvd's and that will only be for new releases. i can't abide the idea of paying for the same film twice. plus watching films in their original shitty states is half the fun. especially 80's slashers. -
I've never seen a single Friday The 13th movie. It's true! (Hands back geek card to Harry)
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...i was a huge kevin smith fan for 10 years, but with Z&M i feel like he sold his soul to rip off apatow to try and get a hit after 15 years of almost getting to the a-list.
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There's too much of this going on these days. A hack is a hack. There should be no tiptoeing around it.
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From what I understand, a hack is someone who rips off the style of other filmmakers. A director who is not original. What do you find about Smith's work that is not original? He has his own style of writing and his movies are fun. It just really baffles me when people call him a "hack".
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or those who dont live in the states. why else would you have three different articles linking to video that can't be viewed in you're not in the states? c'mon harry. you run a global site, not just for geeks in texas.
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But jesus harry, whats with some of the one-sentence reviews?
My name is Bruce was a bit of a let-down but Bruce delivers.
Blindness was a total fucking waste of time and I'd recommend it to those I truly hate. Logic was completely ignored by everyone involved. Fucking garage. -
. . . as "Amadeus and Ghandi Make a Porno" when I first glanced at it. I hope someone runs with that concept.
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but I'm pretty sure NOT A SINGLE FUCKING ONE OF US WAS PLANNING ON BUYING IT.That is all.Great to see the column again ya lazy bum.
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The feature is 1080/24p. All regions will play it.
The extras are sometimes NTSC/PAL specific (NTSC=720x480, 29.97i. PAL = 720x576, 25i) Nowadays, most televisions support all 18 standards in ATSC, but not all USA sets support the 25/50 fps modes, so check accordingly.
Again, if all you care about is the feature, don't worry about it. -
In case some smartass brings it up, what I meant by ATSC is the ATSC modes covered in A/53 Part 4 are supported by USA televisions, but not necessarily the standards covered in A/63.
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Your paranoid fear of being corrected probably isn't so paranoid around these parts. Anyway, the column. Some shitty movies are strangely watchable (Judge Dredd, Jumanji, Wedding Crashers), but is Street Fighter really one of them? Speaking of Natalie Wood, I think her daughter starred in a short-lived TV series called Pasadena. She actually seemed pretty damn hot and talented. Any smartasses out there with a tip on where to find it? Trust me, I've looked in all the usual places.
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Anyone else think he'd make a decent Gordon Freeman if given the chance?
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Nice to see the dvd review column back, but whatever happened to the AICN Awards? Last year, the awards were announced in the last days of December and were pointedly aimed as a campaign to influence Academy voters. (node 35156) The 2009 Oscars are already upon us, and AICN's opportunity to promote anything has been lost. This was a golden year, too. How often do we get a comic book film (THE DARK KNIGHT) that is so highly admired it has a shot at a Best Picture Oscar? I feel like AICN dropped the ball a little bit on this.
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Not questioning your love of the film, Harry. ONJ all cute and on skates? Hello. And for some reason I've always loved the guy skating right at the painting on the brick wall. I have a question mark on this one because I don't understand... why is it in this weeks column? That release of the film has been out since June.
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Harry, you didn't point out the most important point with Friday The 13th 3D. The disc actually includes the film IN 3D. Okay, it does say it on the cover but it should still be stressed. Back in the day I remember seeing video releases of "Part 3D" flicks on VHS where they would leave the title "Part 3D" but then put a little disclaimer on it saying, "Home video version not in 3D". It's such a bad film but... dammit I want it and I wish it was out on Blu-Ray.
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I try hard to do right by my kids in terms of the movies and TV I let them watch. (Boy-4, Girl-1). I endeavor to make sure whatever they watch has SOME degree of quality or redeeming value. I.E. Old school Disney, Classic WB cartoons, the oeuvre of Pixar, Clifford and Arthur on PBSkids, and yes my son is a budding Star Wars fan as well.
Then we leave the kids at my mother in laws for the day and when they are returned to me, I find that she bought them a copy of SPACE BUDDIES which my son now wants to watch ad nauseum.
After having the misfortune of sitting down to watch this with my son I can say with utmost certainty that will be the LAST time I leave my kids unsupervised at my in-laws again. I have some serious damage control to do. -
Feb 22, 2009 8:13:50 AM CST
Harry, you forgot Tracie Savage's titties...
by film_fanatic_in_the_original_black_and_w
They were the highlight of the movie for me really. :)
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...releases each week. "This movie was great before and it's even better in Blu-Ray!". "This movie sucked balls before and is sucks giant blue balls in Blu-Ray!" A quick list of the HighDef re-releases would suffice I think. Thank you.
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I saw this in a movie theatre. The movie was in regular 35mm and Dolby stereo until the scenes when the sensory headset was put on by the characters. Then the screen automatically went 70mm with 6-track Dolby. It was like being shot out of a cannon...really cool in the 1980s.
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I recently saw it, and it's NOT exploitative at all. There is no nudity to be disturbed by, and Dakota Fanning's performance is quite innocent and kid-like, which should be enough of a cue to the audience that they should view her as a child as well. Yes, there is are scenes where an older teen sees her as "sexy" and the rape scene (which is implied, not shown) is obviously NOT trying to "turn on" the audience, but enrage them at the perpetrator's refusal to see her as an innocent kid.
I'm sure you've seen "LEON" with it's nymphette little 12 year old deliberately acting grown up and seductive ... that film is WAY more offensive in it's ambiguity about whether it would be alright for a kid and an older man should have sex. So, my question is, WHY won't you see it? If you are afraid that the film is trying to arouse your inner pedophilia, relax. It's a pointedly and deliberately anti-pedophile and rape film. Quite uplifting, actually. -
...with the Merlot grape. Over marketing and frequent shoddy production turned Merlot into a cliche but there are certainly fine Merlots to be had. Blaming the grape is like blaming the film stock or the camera.
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It was a Seinfeld joke first!
And Harry, not to sound like a dick or anything, but isn't this site kinda your job? Wish I had the kinda career that allowed me to just sit around and let other people carry the load for a few days because I watched a shit movie.
Also, what is it with Blu-ray and bad cover art? I don't really care when it comes down to it, but the Blindness and Constant Gardener covers are fucking atrocious. On that note, I reckon that Blindness is pretty roundly misunderstood. Rag on it as defeatist, pessimistic and unrealistic all you like, but I think the point it's making is not so much about what people do to each other in terrible situation. I think the movie's about the nature of power. Yeah the main character could've prevented the whole thing from happening in the first place. The fact that she chose not to is the whole point. I think the idea is that people in certain situations often have a degree of power that they don't realise, or they realise it and don't use it. The sequel to Blindness, "Seeing", is actually all about what happens to a country when everyone basically refuses to vote, that is, when everyone stands up and says 'I have power, and I'm not going to put up with politicians' shit'. The kicker in Blindness, however comes in the last shot of the film, when the main character has accepted and embraced the fact that she's got power over everyone else in the world, and then all of a sudden everyone else can see again. Looking out over the city, "she's going blind". Compare that with the actions of Gabriel Garcia Bernal's character, who immediately recognised and exploited the power he had because of his gun, and I think a pretty interesting film emerges. Anyway, tl;dr
Finally, Harry, fuck you (not really, but whatever) as a film geek for liking The Passion. It's not a film, it's just a series of projected images. If someone's not familiar with the Bible how are they supposed to know what the fuck is going on? No characters are differentiated, no motivations are given, no set-up is actually given for the story, the violence is tedious because of its lack of context, and Gibson has Jesus inventing the fucking dinner table. It looks good, that's it. Gibson apes Caravaggio pretty well. It otherwise has no more merit than that Space Mutt movie. -
Probably had his fill after Let the Right One In. A pedo movie disguised as a vampire movie which was really just a shitty movie diguised as a good movie.
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He's always good for a fun time. I would imagine that David Lynch probably has a shrine built to the guy, since he's stolen a lot from him.
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Harry, on HISTORY OF VIOLENCE you make the comment...
"I rewatched this the other day and again, could get no work done."
Um.. do you watch movies 'in the background' while you're getting on with other stuff? Strikes me as a strange comment (and a very strange way to watch movies if that's the case). -
Lynch once said that he hadn't seen a single Bunuel film until well into the '90s. Whether that's true or not, I couldn't say. DL doesn't strike me as the type to make stuff like that up. Maybe he wiped his memory during one of his more extreme transcendental meditation sessions?
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it is also NOT a bad movie, but I think that most people say that it's his best, because it's his most serious one. Y'know, it's about love and real feelings, so you have to be a good critic and tell the world that Chasing Amy is better than his "silly" stuff like Clerks.
Haven't watched Zack & Miri yet. I mean, I was able to ignore the fact that Jennifer Lopez was in Jersey Girl because she died after 10 minutes, but Seth Rogen is in it all the time - and he is a black hole that suck every little piece of fun out of everything around him, so I'm not sure if I really wanna watch that movie. -
Was that it was odd how the series focused in on Jason with the hockey mask. Part 1 and 2 were the legendary ones to me... I was in middle school, I had just discovered Fangoria magazine... and the art of gore effects...
I remember thinking that part 3 was lame... and that all the others that concentrated on Jason and the hockey mask were settled in (no pun intended) a campy zone of horror. Even as kids we were eventually laughing at what we originally thought was supposed to be a scary franchise. I guess the franchise took that cue and went all the way comedy when it got to the more recent ones. Haven't even seen the new one.
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I have a 50" Samsung 1080p TV and Blu Ray player. 9 times out of 10 I see little to no appreciable difference between a well mastered DVD and its Blu Ray counterpart. I'm curious if anyone is seeing a huge difference in their own homes, perhaps the super high end TV's show a large difference? I'm buying select Blu Rays of new movies(Dark Knight, Iron Man, etc) but I'm not replacing existing movies at all, especially if the DVD is within the last 5 years. And I'm not buying dramas, comedies, or other genres that don't require crystal clear picture. Older movies are worth an upgrade, I'll admit I'm looking forward to "Elizabeth" on Blu because the DVD really looks like dog shit now. But most titles, I just do not see a reason in upgrading because the benefit is so incremental.
What does everyone else think? Are that many people really going to chuck their 2 Disc Special Edition of Pulp Fiction and buy it again on Blu Ray? Are there that many people that like Good Will Hunting so much that they would buy it again? I've got a ton of DVDs and most of the time I'm not sure why I bought them in the first place, except that they were on sale and cheap. Now most of them sit on my shelf collecting dust. Is this pretty common for everyone that has a job, family, etc and doesn't have the luxury like the AICN guys to watch movies all day? -
It's not that we can't get this info by just scrolling down Amazon's upcoming releases, it's your unique spin on these films (and overwhelming enthusiasm) that gets me to buy or rent 'em.
Glad to see you liked Midnight Meat Train, I was most pleasantly surprised. You should check out Alien Raiders as well. -
for the uncut Friday the 13th? I almost bought that but thankfully I read the back of the case and saw that there was only 10 seconds of extra footage! Not worth the money!
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It gives me a chance to not only see your recommendations, but also use the TB to talk about movies that came out this year (or last year) that I might've missed on the theatrical run. That being said, I really hated Miracle at St. Anna. I just felt that it didn't know what kind of a movie it wanted to be (mystery, war, romance) and it pissed me off that they didn't leave that goddamn town for 2 hours!!!, Jesus that wouldn't have been so bad if an hour and a half into the movie the soldiers got all packed up like they were ready to leave but then didn't for some reason we were never told. (End of rant)
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...but wouldn't mind a remake. Just make it completely different. I do think it has one of the coolest titles ever.
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It's unfortunate that you really dislike the movie, Harry. Tell me, did you see it before it got blown out of proportion in pop culture? I saw it as it was slowly widening its American release. I loved it and still love it. I'm not going to cast it out just because a bunch of idiots began quoting it with every other sentence they said.
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Jack Burton, I think the points you make are mostly bang on the money.
It's different strokes for different folks but as you say films that are 'low on spectacle', drama's, comedies, etc really don't benefit greatly from Blu - and I don't think anyone really expects something like GOOD WILL HUNTING to threaten the top ten sales chart.
However i'd reverse your equation - 9 times out of 10 I DO see an appreciable difference in quality between Blu and DVD. It just comes down to if you love a particular film enough to re-buy it. (For brand new 'spectacle-laden' flicks like TDK and IRON MAN it's a no brainer - Blu all the way, it costs a tad more but it's worth it imho). -
TheBlackKnight is right, I think it has a lot to do with seeing the movie before Vote For Pedro shirts we're all over the place.
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Gritty dramas, grindhouse type flicks, poorly shot Horror, well, DVD should be good enough for that.
I'm still holding out for a Jurassic Park Blu-Ray before "upgrading" to Blu. But I sure as shit am not doing what I did when I got a DVD player (ie. replacing all of my vhs titles with dvds). I'll repurchase movies I know I'll watch over and over again (Jurassic Park), but I don't think I need a blu-ray copy of Slap Shot. -
...I was watching SNEAKERS in old standard DVD on my new 1080p TV the other day...and I was thinking that it looked great...rich and a little soft around the edges...just the way it did when I saw it projected onto a theater screen when it first came out. It seems to me that high-def would just mess that up...older movies like that were never meant to be seen crystal clear on a giant computer monitor...
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Was indeed horrible, but still great. I watch it every time I happen to catch it on TV. I may have to pick up the Blu ray!
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The "Uncut" is the European version, which has 10 seconds of extra footage, but is horribly cropped, so that the image looks zoomed in on
Here's an example of what is missing from the Blu-Ray vs. the Friday the 13th Box Set DVD. (The DELUXE DVD actually has the same cropping problem... apparently any version of the "uncut" is cropped this way)
http://tinyurl.com/c4umxo
Here's an extensive review and comparison of the different Blu Ray and DVD versions
http://tinyurl.com/bexv5v
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...but love fucking Clerks II? Seriously?
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Thanks.
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Yeah, it's a free country. But this shit is easily a GAWD-AWFUL film. Bad everything... not an exaggeration.
For example... 10 minutes of arguing "Nobody goes ass to mouth."
Sheesh... -
The extended cut has somehow become the only one in print on standard def, I don't know if this bluray gives you the option of either cut. It should. I'll hold onto my outofprint copy of the theatrical cut where you have to flip the DVD halfway through.
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Feb 22, 2009 11:12:42 AM CST
and Sideways was actually the shit that people say Juno is
by spandau belly
Holy fuck, if there was a dramedy that was niether funny nor dramatic it was fucking Sideways. Fuck.
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I was waiting on this one to complete the Carol Reed/Graham Greene trilogy. Expected it to be Criterion like Third Man and Fallen Idol. How did I missed it?
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wasn't that movie made like 2 or 3 yrs ago if not longer? she looks too old there, could they have useds a more recent picture to try and attract people? its a great photo though, girl's gonna be so gorgeous when she's older.
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My review of the Godfather trilogy.
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Who else absolutely LOVES Tim & Eric's Awesome Show and who has seen there travelling show? It came to my town last month and I was super curious to just what in the hell it is all about. And what the audience must have looked and smelled like. . .
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Feb 22, 2009 11:27:58 AM CST
Anybody else think that Tom Hulce should have won the Oscar...
by soylentmean
over F. Murray Abraham? I mean, really, who had the more memorable (and fucking insane) performance? That has always bugged me.
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It was definitely one of the best films of last year. Haters be damned.
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Feb 22, 2009 11:36:02 AM CST
I blame Animal House for fucking up Hulce's chances
by seppukudkurosawa
See, Oscar panels being elitist isn't exactly a new thing.
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I seldom agree with their "choices" (campaigned for wins, bought by studio money and advertising strategies) yet I always watch the damn thing on tv. It's a yearly trainwreck of curiosity and frustration.
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Natalie Wood!
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China = plate = mate???I'm guessing, being a Septic not quite familiar with C.R.S.
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Why doesn't Natalie Wood like to take a shower? She prefers to wash up on shore.
Aw. Now I made myself sad. -
I promise not to say anything about your grammar if you buy a fucking dictionary. "Sublime". You have got to be fucking kidding.
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Wow, Clerks II was horrible. Just absolutely God-awful. From Kevin Smith's school of "saying gross things loudly and repeatedly gets funnier with every shout" acting, to the utterly unbelievable Lord of the Rings dork, to the flat impromptu musical performance, to the absurdity of Mr. Go-Nowhere-Slob-Who-Falls-Ass-Backwards-Into Beautiful-Women-Yet-Still-Spends-His-Life-Bitching, to the sad but undeniable realization that Mr. Smith dipped back into this very shallow well because his efforts to grow past his View-Askew-niverse (whatever the hell he calls it) have only met with failure ... ugh.
Napoleon Dynamite got laughs without a single curse word (try it, Smith, try making a film that doesn't milk laughs from DIRTY!!! WORDS!!! SHOUTED!!! LOUDLY!!), by creating memorable characters and scenarios that weren't tired years beforehand (seriously, a porno based on Star Wars? EDGY!!! Next you'll make a film about ... wait for it ... bisexual-ish lesbians! EDGIER!!! Having sex with animals! EDGIEST!!!).
But whatever, no accounting for taste. -
Feb 22, 2009 12:24:31 PM CST
One word reviews, recommendations on films you haven't seen...
by iamjack'suserid
A truly amazing effort here.
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All 3 BACK TO THE FUTURE movies got re-released on DVD this month for the first time in a non-box set form. You can buy them each individually. If you own the box set already then there is no need to buy 2 and 3: it's the exact same content. However, the first movie has a NEW bonus disc that features a couple new featurettes, but most notably: BACK TO THE FUTURE THE RIDE! That is enough reason to buy the first movie, even if you already have it.
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who here DOESN'T like douching with tabasco??
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nothing really controversial about it,dakota fanning's rape scene is much ado about nothing,i have seen worst things in movies, that was nothing. the movie's biggest sin is that it's boring and just plain bad
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You act as if this is something you have to do during your all too limited free time after you get home from pulling a double shift at the assembly line. Seriously. If you want to be considered a film critic, then fucking act like one and do your job. (Oh yeah, accepting a free trip to Europe to "hang out" with QT destroys any credibility or objectivity you might have had. A real critic, e.g. Ebert, would pay his own way or at least have his employer pay for it).
Let's assume a 40 hour work week. Four out of eight hours a day to watch movies (not a bad gig). That's at least 10 movies a week you could be reviewing. Also, you don't necessarily have to watch the entire film if it's the same cut you saw four months earlier in the theater. Just tell us what's good or bad about the features. So really, that's more like 15-20 new DVD's you could easily review each week. This is your job, after all. And it's not anywhere near as difficult a responsibility as managing the actual website might be.
And what's with the one sentence reviews? That's just fucking lazy. Any one of us can link to a site that will show us which DVD's are being released each week. We come to this site to find out what you thought of the various bells & whistles (if any) as well as a review of the film itself. If this is too much responsibility for you, hand it off to someone who cares. Then you can stick to the things that seem to interest you more, like visiting movie sets (comped by the studio of course). -
This film is a giant step down from the other two Reed/Greene collaborations. "The Third Man" is great, "The Fallen Idol" is very good. This one, despite some good points, is not in the same league. Its the one time that I felt Alec Guiness was miscast. He's OK with the comic bits but his relationship with Maureen O'Hara is totally unbelievable. The girl playing his daughter is another bit of miscasting.
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It's listed on the TCM box and the Amazon page as part of the set, but you only mention the other three films. Baby may get upset.
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I'll definitley be picking that up this tuesday. Oh, and Street Fighter is one of the most fun bad movies you'll ever watch. Van-Damme's one liners in that movie are absolutley hilarious!
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Really reveals some scary things about certain Christians.
You see, there are some Christians who define their faith based on the life & teachings of Mr. Jebus. To them, his death was only significant in terms of what they believe about the resurrection. They care more about how the man lived and what he actually stood for. To them (and I used to be one as a child) a film like this has very little meaning since it has nothing to do with how the man lived.Then you get the Christians (mostly those Evangelicals) who define their faith almost entirely on Jebus having "suffered for our sins", whatever that means. (I always thought he suffered and died because he rocked the boat, pissed off the local political and religious establishment and like ANYONE ELSE who did such things in those days, he was tortured and executed for it.) Anyway, those who see their faith in terms of his suffering NEED to see as much torture and violence as possible. Kind of sick, huh? In other words, the greater the amount of sadistic brutality, the more violence and pain, the greater the perceive sacrifice. It's torture snuff porn for the religious set and it's just plain disturbing. -
Feb 22, 2009 12:58:43 PM CST
I cried when Kramer vs Kramer beat Star Wars for best picture Os
by rolling_stone
And today who the fuck gives a shit for Kramer vs Kramer.
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And by the way Harry, I agree with the others that your one line reviews a pure laziness.
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If you laughed harry that is great. Yet someone has to try a bit harder with me. I don't laugh just because someone is saying cock or pussy? Or making schoolyard gay jokes.
I was gutted by this movie. I really feel this could be a career killer for Kevin.
This was meant to be a smash. Yet it really limped along at the box office.
I'm a huge Kevin and Seth fan. Seth sucks in this. He's unfocused waving his arms around?
The movie was just shot in a coffee shop or coffee shop set. God knows how this cost $30 million to make.
I don't get how Kevin is so well versed in comics or sci fi. Yet avoids making a genre movie like these like the plague. -
I have an DVD upconverting blu-ray player that makes DVD's look great, but there is nothing that approaches the clarity and tone of 35mm film projection in your home other than 1080 blu-ray on a tv with the right cine-phile settings. I'm confused with FlickaPoo's comment that a DVD looks more like a theatre projection... Any movie projected off a film print (even from the 1930's ) would have much more image clarity and tonal values than an ntsc DVD image... if the movie looked soft in the theatre, its probably because the projector was out of focus. There is much more pixel resolution in a 35mm film frame than a 720x480 pixel ntsc dvd frame. Now... a movie shot with cheaper cameras and lens like A Clockwork Orange will look softer... but that's a rarity for a distributed film (again... since the very beginning of film history) That's why a blu-ray of an old movie like Gone With the Wind or Casablanca looks incredible on blu-ray. Hi-def almost matches the discernible quality of film. If it's 1080p on a good tv.
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ACTUALLY - my job on this site is very complicated. 1st - I coordinate efforts of the site's editors. Work to get exclusives through studio contacts and others. I work and talk with the Ad team that works behind the scenes here on AICN. I also talk with the tech team regarding technical issues. Then there's the business affairs folks. THEN there's the promotions arena, where I arrange screenings and work with people domestically as well as abroad to pull off events. Then there's my own day to day posting on AICN. I love your idea of an 8 hour day. I really do. Such a novel concept. I'm on the site and doing site related business on average about 12-14 hours a day - often working through to the dawn... working on correspondences and relationships throughout the web. ADD TO THAT: my non-site businesses. ALL OF THAT, btw, takes precedence on this column which I attempt to continue to make room for, because typically the physical writing, coding and assembly takes roughly 6 dedicated hours in a row.
That said, I love the column and other than the Anime and Comics columns, this is the longest running column on AICN. Once every 8-10 months or so... it has a significant hiatus due to all sorts of circumstances - mainly having to do with taking some personal time to refresh. -
Home-made porn is old news now. Real old. YouTube old. Older than Star Wars-parody porn. But look at the last ten minutes of that film and imagine what might have been ... a sophisticated comedy that had potential to be actually edgy, and not faux-playground-giggle edgy.
If the film had been about a company that directed couples in their own "professionally done" home pornos, it could have explored relationships and what happens when they have sex in a fun, sex-positive, creative way.
Instead, you had the tired old relationship tropes ... "oh, they're good friends, but sex complicates everything, but what-do-you-know?-they-really-love-each-other-WOW!" bullshit we've seen a million times already.
That part of the film should have been the first ten minutes of the film. What I wanted to see was the pre-credit sequence in feature length form. THAT would have been something new. But don't worry, we'll see Smith again in a few years, maybe after another flirtation with big budget action films collapses under the weight of his flash-in-the-paniness ... for THE RETURN OF JAY AND SILENT BOB (a "clever" yet "reverential" ode to the Star Wars trilogy ... again ... only this time with even more gay jokes your 8-year-old nephew likes to tell). -
I hadn't heard that one before. I'll have to add it to my Natalie Wood joke repertoire (which is now two).
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Nothing comes close to the annoying performance of that blond lesbian in the movie. She whines every line of dialog. I couldn't make it through the whole movie and I saw it for free the night before it came out. After Clerks and Mallrats I was very disappointed. Gayer than Coldplay...
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You just revealed some scary shit about yourself. Have fun burning in Hell. Seriously. You'll have a good time.
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Amen brother Choke is definitely one of the best movies of 2008 which i thought was kind of a shitty year for movies
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Really good movie. 10X better than My Bloody Valentine 3-D or the new Friday the 13th.
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I suppose it's easy to sit here and bitch and you are an easy target. I guess sometimes we get mad at the tings we like when they don't go they way we think they should. Anyway, your point is taken and I apologize for being such a dick about it.
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I love Amadeus, it's one of my favorite movies, but it's not a biopic. It's just a fascinating take on Mozart but it's not what really happened.
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What's so scary about not wanting to get off spiritually on watching someone being tortured?
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Does anyone honestly consider Chasing Amy Kevin Smith's best movie?
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"not going to watch this". fair enough. "don't watch this". fair enough... can't review everything, i'm just glad it's all up there.
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And I'm a Kevin Smith super-fan. But that movie (apart from the genius Justin Long scene) irritated the fuck out of me. Were we supposed to take a SECOND of this movie seriously? If so then why are all the actual porno shoot scenes as ridiculous and cartoony as ORGAZMO? Smith has fallen into a rut of '90 minutes of sub-Apatow filth then a Brady Bunch ending'. Here's hoping RED STATE restores the remnants of his worth as a storyteller.
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Feb 22, 2009 2:28:02 PM CST
No Titties in part 3- Liar!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
by thepilgrim
Um.... Who walks out of the shower right after the handstand kill. Yeah that must have been the bathroom break or food moment for you.
Jesus!!! Fuck the Remake, Mears is the only good thing about it. Why they still try to ape tits in films is beyond me. Tit's are free all over the net, that and midgets fucking horses.
3 is fucking awesome. 4 is awesome. 5 is insaine and awesome. You didn't see em back then. You admitted that! You can't get it back the way it was when it first came out. I saw it when it came out when it worked. Frankenstein ain't scary today as he was in 1931 same for your drool over TDTESS flick. Some films had more power in their time frame on release. Friday worked.. Get over it! Remake sucks. Most retarded ending ever against any of the other films, even X! More inventive kills in 3 anyways..
We don't see eye to eye on this.. K. -
Feb 22, 2009 2:45:48 PM CST
repeat after me: "there's no PAL or NTCS on HD"
by lavatory love machine
in matters of compatibility that is, pal is slightly faster picture but any blu ray will play on player if it's all region regardless of being PAL
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I can get some enjoyment out of all of them, even the worst ones (I'm looking at you JASON TAKES MANHATTAN), but personally those two are what I really like about the Jason movies. They have the summer camp atmosphere, the goofy characters and the tense, energetic chase scenes. Part 3 if you're lucky enough to see it in real 3-D (not the crappy red and blue on the video) has the most entertaining 3-D gimmicks of all time, they even adjust rabbit ears and pass a joint in 3-D.
And actually I would argue that part 2 has a subtly clever script. For example there is the scene at the beginning where the head counselor makes a big speech about various dangers and they all come about later but not in the ways he expects. Like he says not to wear perfume because it will attract bears, and much later in the movie a girl puts on perfume right before being attacked by Jason. He is part bear I believe. -
Seriously, It won't get any better than The Exterminating Angel, until criterion releases, The Criminal Life of Archibaldo de la Cruz. Come on Criterion.
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Did I read the title of this article right?
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this whole group of kids just heads off to a bar somewhere and they are never heard from again and they escape jason. one of them was wearing rainbow suspenders and i really wanted him to die.
the wheelchair death makes up for it though. -
looks like shit! The regular release was better. And it's a cropped image! They need to recall or refund this turd. I don't think anybody did any quality control. Look at the night scenes. Holy crap, it's bad.
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I heard that this one is very good. Can't wait to see Zack & Miri also. Three movies I will definitely NOT waste my time on are Space Buddies, Hounddog and W. But overall a great list this month.
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Exactly what a Video game flick should be!
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i mean i want to bitch about that show NOW!
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but she sure gives me wood!
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The fucking drunks survive. Rules!!! Pfftttthhh. See people get it wrong when they say Friday was a Rip Off of Halloween. Sure if you mean it's a horror film that capitolizes on a event day. Friday 1 totally clever man, an american Giallo flick. Really more Twitch of The Dead Nerve than Halloween. Besides the teens Myers killed in Halloween 1 didn't die because they did drugs or drank or had sex. That was just happenstance. Sean must of read critic reviews for Halloween- with all of those critics reading into the "Why"...
Look Friday flicks are great- I don't care what you say, They take a turn for the worse around part 6. The remake is a Friday in name only to me. So many things could have been done better. Even the characters in the previous Friday under part 9 had well characterisms to them and semi real dialog exchange that didn't revolve around substance and fuck only. These new teens... All they do is get high and drunk and talk about fucking and fuck. One of thems an asshole and he pushes people around. Sure we've had that guy before in Manhattan. But well fuck it. I felt like I was drunk while watching the remake. Those kids got to the substance quick as hell, and all the normal speak between them ended- They said very little to one another that you could even call dialog, it was drink weed and fuck talk only- Then they all broke up in different ways into smaller groups. Black guys going to jerk off while dick head fucks hot drunk girl who is not his chick cause his assholism made her leave with the guy he was being an asshole too. Asian dude breaks a chair goes to shed to find tools, find champaign cabinet and drinks instead. Clay and that original girlfriend of dickhead look around for clues to see if they can hardy boy/nancy drew some info on whitneys disapearance, and they accidentally bump into Jason- well more like they see Jason, and remain hidden. Then they run back to dickheads rich parents cabin and Jason follows them. Fuck the movie was lame. Everyone says otherwise, but it really was. I hope they fix the Camp up in the next one and kids and counselors come back. And I hope Jason kills him some kids. Cause fuck those little Us's man.... They don't deserve a pass in this kind of environment. National Geographic proves me right, a hunter will go for whatever he can get. Weeds gone as far as I can tell. Hope we can move on from just drug booze and tits, hell hope the kills are more creative in the sequel too, jason has a weapon stockpile in that abandoned mine he lives in. -
Neca sells the mask from the mold for $20 at places liek ToysRUs. You pay 100 and somnething for it in the shadow box. It needs some work, but still 20 bucks man... Goign to be a lot of Jason's next halloween
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I agree, the only problem was Ryu and Ken standing around in the background most of the time, but still Raul Julia as M. Bison more than makes up for it!
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...i thought had too much of Ice Cube in paycheck mode, i mean not that the series had anything worthwile to begin with, even the first one was only interesting as a sentence someone would crack and then we'd all go HA HA for 2 seconds before forgetting about that fucking jungle gym rat hole they all live in. Although i liked that in Friday 2 that Ice Cube has his mother's dried applehead in his Projects cabin in the woods and his face looking so deformed.
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Hi. If I was a betting man. I would bet that this movie will NEVER get made.
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Harry- You forgot to mention the 2-3 hours a day you beat-off to European, soft core "Erotica". You need to move on from Laura Antonelli.
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You're right, a good DVD is just about as good as a Blu-Ray disc. I just upgraded to a 50" HD set and bought Master and Commander on Blu-Ray. I could see very little difference to the DVD. The only disc which looks really good so far is The Dark Knight, especially the pin-sharp IMAX scenes. In short, best to rent a Blu-Ray first to see if it's worth replacing a much-loved DVD.
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Is you're only allowed to be a freethinker if you agree with all the atheists.
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Looks like geeks hate Kevin Smith and his movies just slightly more than they hate Jesus or Harry for being late. Sad but true. Me on the other hand, I love Jesus, I think Harry should've updated his column sooner and I think that Kevin Smith is a really funny guy. I know what that makes me and I can live with it
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Looks like geeks hate Kevin Smith and his movies just slightly more than they hate Jesus or Harry for being late. Sad but true. Me on the other hand, I love Jesus, I think Harry should've updated his column sooner and I think that Kevin Smith is a really funny guy. I know what that makes me and I can live with it
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Fucking double poster.
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is a man, who is also a bear
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but Miracle at St Anne was dreadfully dull. Got 1/2 way through and would rather go in for a teeth cleaning than watch the rest of that shit-fest.
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Feb 22, 2009 7:11:47 PM CST
Friday 3 had the funkiest opening score...
by film_fanatic_in_the_original_black_and_w
I mean how can you live without that funky early 80s synthesizer theme while all of the "3-D" credits are zooming out at ya. I also like the fact that the color scheme for the opening credits is a blue background and red title cards, very 3-D. lol
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Without doubt, by far his best work. Clerks 2 has a traditional resolution of a couple just saying screw it, despite everything we should just be happy. I hate the traditional rom-com format. Chasing Amy is the anti rom-com. It is brutal and honest. It is painful and poignant. It is also just as funny as any of his other films. What is amazing is that he made that film for $250,000. Abso-fucking-amazing. Let me say that again. $250,000.
Oh, and Zach and Miri is being sold just as Zach and Miri by large retailers like Target and Wal-Mart, but the "full title" of Zach and Miri Make a Porno is sold online by places like Amazon. As for Zach and Miri being "short", it sat in the can for so fucking long (the studio was waiting for a good weekend where they though they'd do well) that Smith kept cutting the film. I believe the disc boasts 120 minutes in deleted scenes. So yes, it could have been a much longer film, but he cut ALL the fat from it. -
Honestly, the Weinsteins won't touch it with a ten-foot pole because apparently it touches too deeply on religious sensibilities and the Phelps clan loves to sue. The Weinsteins aren't the financial powerhouse they were under the Mouse.
That being said, QT should just attach his name to the project, like he has with 10 other movies he has had absolutely nothing to do with, and then the Weinsteins would fund it. -
Still funny and transgressive decades later.
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fuck u harry my kids read this site
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you put Clerks 2 and Zack and Mira above Napoleon Dynamite.?
REALLY? those are Smiths worst 2 flicks. Napoleon is the shit. You wet vag. -
you just made me smile.
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I'm glad I'm not the only one who hates that shit.
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XANADU showing Olivia Newton John with the high slit in her dress for me. I think THE FOOT FIST WAY movie guy was on LENO or CONAN with a pretending to be serious martial arts bit. He yelled at his students, etc.
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couldn't have sucked a fatter cock.
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...Harry's reply to JRB is the best writing he's done on this site for a long time. No typos, no grammar mistakes, real content. Wow.
To keep this on topic, though, as someone else asked, what's the deal with Xanadu? It's not even close to a new release. -
Bwahahaha
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also I love how Street Fighter is on blu ray, but Jaws, Jurassic Park, Back To The Future Trilogy, Saving Private Ryan, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Indiana Jones (original) Trilogy, original Star Wars Trilogy etc etc are not
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Feb 23, 2009 12:33:16 AM CST
Harry, "Vibes" is cute? What the fuck? Bye Bye credibility.
by finky089
oh wait, that left a long time ago. By the way, Amadeus = PROFESSIONAL! Hell, yeah!
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With the kids of one of the Producers of Passion of the Christ and they gave them a prop from the movie. It was a prosthetic thumb of Jesus from the big scene. How awesome of a souvenir is that?
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Directed the Wiz. Man whatever happened to that guy.
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Wrote the damn thing. Whatever happened to him?
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A lacking follow-up to a fun Animated film??? What film would that be? Bee Movie? Over the Hedge? Is this the sequel to Kung Fu Panda. Because surely you can't be saying that the first Madagascar was entertaining? That would blow my mind.
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Feb 23, 2009 4:03:24 AM CST
I too wish the world would learn more from Ben Kingsley
by bass ackwards
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the look of the site, and in the commentary script.
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Harry acts like it's his job (that he hates sometimes - poor Harry) to watch fucking SPACE BUDDIES. No one's asking you to watch Space Buddies- A) It definitely isn't fucking "cool"- this is still AintItCoolNews - no? did you honestly feel that Space Buddies falls into this category? B) You could have turned it off five seconds into it when you saw how agonizing it was. Nevertheless- something compelled you to finish watching it- and then to hate your job- which is reporting cool shit to us. So a month goes by with no dvd updates- by now everybody's bought their dvd picks or missed the first week of release dvd sales. This three week catch-up with tiny blurbs is a further slap in the face. I say further because we didn't ask you to watch Space Buddies- if you hate your job so much then hand headgeek over to a member of your team that actually loves what he does- god knows their reviews will be better and not read off like a rush job of blathering prepubescent stupidity - and also your response to JRB is so trumped up and exagerrated. You try to save face by inflating the stress and time consumption of your duties. Harry- you've got the best job in the world- stop being a baby and CONTRIBUTE FULLY to this thing that you deep down love. Get on the fucking ball- put an end to this COOL CUTS nonsense that's been taking the place of the DVD reviews- and leave the attention to the other half for the homestead. Be a professional for once and stop ramming it down our fucking throats. No offense to Yoko- I'm sure she's cool and all that- but this- as you've noted- is your JOB. This isn't a preschool playground. How do you want to be remembered Harry? As a guy who gets wooed by the big studios and writes half assed reviews whenever he feels like it when he's not giving his other half Yoko the top stories with crusty music picks on a website about anything but- or as a guy who buckled down- did his job with craft and love- skipped the Space Buddies and like crap- quit his whining and self loathing- stopped being wooed and pried by the studios with products that he shilled- as a guy who strictly gave his readers the heads up- the straight dirt- the heartfelt goods with thought put into it. Stop the excuses Harry- stop talking about your penis in every positive review- just... get on the fucking ball man. I'm saying this out of love. Wake the fuck up.
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You have to become familiar with the tech and then use a good online resource before you make purchases. For gear or movies both. Blu-ray.com is a great source for determining if the blu-ray disc you want is worth the purchase (or, more importantly, is it worth replacing the SD version?). Seriously, you should never shell out any coin to replace SD dvd's unless you've read up on the HD version. The T2 blu, for example, sucks inasmuch as it's only slightly better than the standard definition dvd. This is one reason why its listed at around $15 on blu in stores. If you own the SD dvd, do not buy the HD disc as the quality is marginally better (not to mention, rumor has it there's going to be a new HD release when Salvation hits home video). The first Terminator, on the other hand, looks stunning on hi-def. So do a lot of older movies: The Thing, The Fly, etc, all look wonderful on blu-ray but that is not a guarantee simply because the medium has the *capacity* to be of superior video quality.On the tech-side, any device running HD will up-convert SD to HD and, of course, some devices are better at this than others. You also have to have HD compliant cabling (s-video won't cut it, etc), etc. You may be using a LCD with a mediocre HD conversion processor while not using the one on your a/v receiver which might be better. Investigate and compare. In my system, my blu-ray player, my a/v receiver, and my flatscreen all do upconversion but the receiver and the blu-ray player deliver a far better image than the flatscreeen by itself.When watching high-def, EVERYTHING is relative to the viewing experience. Companies still do 'bare-bones' shitty bluray releases with no reprocessing of the signal so the blu is typically only slightly better than the SD dvd (even the worst blu will not be crappier than a SD dvd) so there would be no need to replace. The audio mix is probably the most important aspect in terms of what your system will play as the video formats are pretty standard at this point, but yet not all players decode them all. Plus, you may not have "lossless" audio if you're dumping the audio around to different devices.I only have a 720p HD flatscreen and the blu's I've gotten are simply beautiful with only an exception here or there (the Mission Impossible blu is probably not much better than the SD but I didn't have the SD version so not a total loss).Blade Runner, Incredible Hulk, Nightmare b4 Xmas, are simply stunningly beautiful films on hi-def. Infinitely superior than the SD version and if you don't see it then you either have a crap system, have it hooked up wrong, or do not have normal human senses. I was dvd reluctant way back in the day as I copied everything but this isn't the same thing as paying for extras...you really are paying for higher quality video than you'd get in most every theater (except the 70mm stuff, that's actually higher than 1080p I believe but it's as close as home theaters get at the moment).Psyched we finally got a new release of Brainstorm but I would love it on blue...those 70mm scenes do have a great impact when you're watching the movie and having HD to capture that same aspect from the theater (saw it there myself a million years ago and it was like being shot out of a cannon!). Plus, The Walken is in it and Natalie Wood was always beautiful...and imagine the impact this would have on the porn industry...gazillions, I say! gazillions!
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I've only saw it on VHS, probably 8 years ago, and it's basically the ideological groundwork for all of his 60s and 70s masterpieces.
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This show used to air once a week, late at night, on some obscure channel, where I lived. Once I caught onto it, I never missed an epsiode. Fantastic horror narratives that creeped the hell out of me. As I recall, it was produced my George Romero.
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PAL (Phase Alternating Line) is European standard definition.
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you could put PAL stuff on a bluray..but PAL is not HD.
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that fucking movie has so many wine errors. A/ some of the finest wine in the world (Right bank Bordeaux) are Merlot based...in fact his prized Château Cheval Blanc is almost 50% merlot! B/ "varietal" is NOT a synonym for "variety". when you are talking about different grapes or vines you are talking about "varieties"...when you are talking about a wine made from primarily a single variety..that called a Varietal. Varietal is a WINE NOT A GRAPE! just because everyone gets it wrong don't make it right. yeah i'm a wine geek.
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Feb 23, 2009 2:37:48 PM CST
not drinking Merlot becasue of Sideways make you an idiot.
by fleshmachine
a supreme lemming wine idiot.
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I know they're not exactly similar styles of humor, but it just seems odd to me that Harry would like one and not the other...
And NiceMarmot, I went and saw the T&E show in Atlanta a few weeks back. It was amusing and had a nice mix of old and new, along with some live performances from Quall, Hart, et al. The crowd smelled fine? It was made up of basically 18-30 year olds, heavy on the college students. There was a relatively decent amount of cute girls, too. -
"A really brutal experience. Watch it if you like douching with Tabasco." Sadly, Harry, I can't tell if that's a thumb's up or thumb's down. Are you saying it's brutal because it sucks or brutal hard-to-take-in-a-good-way-but-not-for-everyone?
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Biggest disappointment of last year. Not really saying much because its his weakest book.
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It's going to take a lot to beat that for greatest inane comment of the year!
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When Kevin finally spoke about Zack and Miri, on his podcast, he and mosier were bitching about the promotion of the flick...so many excuses.
It just isn't that good. Yet again the performances are flat, which is the director's MAIN responsibility. I'm not a hater, and enjoy most of his work, but he has lost something that was present in his earlier films. Everything feels very forced in his latter films. -
yet he liked the Clerks II shitsandwich.
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Feb 24, 2009 5:06:49 AM CST
i jumped the Smith bandwagon after Clerks II, might see Z&M one
by bmacsmith
after Clerks II i finally came to grips with the fact that he had nothing let in the tank. Some one told me Z&M was pretty funny, but i'm doubting it. might catch it on cable. but Kevin SMith fucking rocks for giving me Clerks and Mallrats.
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I notice you didn't mention Alien Raiders, a satisfactory little guilty pleasure that debuted at Fantastic Fest.
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This guy has talent, I dont know what the fuck he's doing making the same 2-bit shit for the past 15 years. I mean, he had a chance to direct Superman but blew it because he badmouthed the producer. Which you never do if you're going to direct a superman movie. I thought some parts of Zack and Miri were funny, but it didnt have the great dialogue from Clerks 1. Clerks 2 sucked, and so did Chasing Amy. Fucking Ben Affleck got on my nerves so much. He went in the right direction with Dogma but then he went back and did Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, which I'm not gonna lie is a pretty funny movie. Hopefully he'll direct something completely different from his usual stuff. I'm not saying it has to be a big-budget pic, but just something where he can experiment and develop his techniques.
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Thank God that Superman movie never happened. Fuckin Jon Peters....
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Must be watched with anal beads in place.
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gee, Harry, for one who stands up for the musical genre amid the faux macho men on your website who think their balls will fall off if they watch a movie with music and dance, you really surprised me. seems you've never seen GYPSY. this was THE movie of my youth that made me fall in love with Natalie Wood. if anything, it was her strip tease routine at the end of the movie. not only is it one of the great legendary works of Broadway, it's a fun movie. directed by Mervyn LeRoy, who you should be familiar with (i would hope). Roz Russell is great in it too. give it a look, if only to see Wood strip down to a g-string.
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