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Much obliged, sir.
The quality of writing for the film, and the series, is impeccable. Gilligan likes to draw scenes out, upping tension to uncomfortable levels, and he is a Master at mis-leading the viewer to think they actually know what will happen next.
Fans of the series should not miss this.....
Thanks. Will do. Eventually.
@peter You binge-watched 63 episodes…over two weeks?!
It started two Wednesday’s ago when I woke up with a cold. I couldn’t do anything and my son begged me for years to watch the show (I had tried several times in the past, but was distracted).
So on that fateful day, I killed Season One. The following day I was still fighting the cold and ate chunks out of Season Two....
I was downing about four episodes, Sunday through Friday but, on the two Saturdays, I watched ten episodes a day (my daughters are at dance all day with my wife, so it was just me and my two furry children)... Not my finest hours, but i still got work done, got daily exercise in, cooked for the family, did meetings (although I was quietly thinking of all my friends back in Albuquerque...)
I finished the entire run this past Tuesday...
I have a slightly addictive personality. And at the end of each episode, things were getting darker and darker and I NEEDED to know what was going to happen...
So, since the show has given me PTSD and anxiety disorders, what I did is not recommended for anyone....
@peter That's the best (or worst!) thing about having a cold; the likelihood of being in the mood to bing-watch content increases drastically – and then you can't stop! Still though, that many episodes is impressive, if not a bit worrying…
I tried to get into Breaking Bad years ago, but it just didn't do it for me. It's not the only popular show I've struggled with though; I gave up on Game of Thrones after four episodes, The Walking Dead after two, Mr. Robot (sorry Rami!), Hannibal (sorry Mads!), The Americans, Boardwalk Empire, True Blood, Justified, Broadchurch, Arrested Development, Person of Interest, The Blacklist, The Affair, Fargo, The Sopranos (!), Homeland, Blue Bloods, Lost, Bones, Dexter, Ray Donovan, Fringe, Masters of Sex, Jessica Jones, Heroes, Monk, White Collar, Halt and Catch Fire, The Killing, Girls, The Newsroom, Burn Notice, TURN, Nikita. The list goes on.
Writing this list actually surprised me a bit. I think there's a greater chance of me giving up on a show than sitting through it!
But, over the years, with my son begging me to watch it-- and then friends and colleagues-- this sick day a couple of weeks made me shrug and go into it with an open mind.
And I'm glad I did. Pitch-black humour. Tense and suspenseful writing. Wonderful characters. With the Sopranos, I think it's by far the best thing I've seen on TV. And, dare I say, it was great art.
I understand what you're saying about being more likely not to stick with a show... (I also think it has tp do what genres you're interested in-- for example, I will never be able to get into GoT, but I was in for The Killing, Sopranos, Dexter (only until S4), Ray Donovan, Fargo...)
@peter I definitely agree with genres being a factor with what you're likely to get into. With BB it was likely the premise/subject matter, and with GoT the genre was likely the reason; it seemed like everyone went crazy about that show no matter if they were fantasy fans or not, so I made a rare exception – which was a waste of time unfortunately. As for those other shows they all had things about them that seemed appealing, but it wasn't for me. I'm particularly annoyed I didn't enjoy Sopranos (you kinda have to, right?) - and to some extent The Americans.
Another thing I only noticed just now, is that all shows on that list but Broadchuch are American shows. I do enjoy British shows very much, so it might be a cultural thing. I never grow tired of British crime shows, and particularly period set ones. Endeavour is my favourite ongoing show right now, which is a 1960's prequel to Inspector Morse and it's sequel, Lewis.
The way the Brits structure each season is also different; longer episodes and less episodes each season certainly leaves you wanting more. Each Endeavour episode is usually around 1h 30mins long.
@peter Certainly! And with shows that feature longer episodes (Sherlock is another example), you're watching the story (and character portrayals) develop at what's essentially the length of a movie. Add a season of three-six episodes to that, and you have something that really allows us to connect with the characters.
That's not to say that I can't connect with the characters in an American network show (the type of show with a 20-something episode season, for example), but the development of the characters happens over a much greater amount of episodes – and if I'm not "hooked" after two-four of episodes, then it's suddenly a chore to get through to the rest of the episodes, in the hope of that show eventually delivering something you find rewarding.
__________
Getting a bit off topic, so here are my latest viewings:
The Hound of the Baskervilles (1939)
It's been a long time since I've watched a film this old, but I've always wanted to see Basil Rathbone's portrayal of Sherlock Holmes, and when I found The Hound of the Baskervilles on Youtube I had to give it a try. And it's quite good! I read the book as a teen so I know the story, and this is a very enjoyable adaptation with great performances. Rathbone is particularly good as Holmes – maybe the best portrayal of the character I've seen (if excluding the modern-day portrayals of Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller, which are quite different).
I also watched a more recent Sherlock Holmes film:
Holmes & Watson (2018)
Despite the bad reviews I was curious about this one. It has a decent cast after all.
I don't know what to write about Holmes & Watson really. Is it a good film? No. The story is quite thin, the portrayals aren't particularly good, but I did have a few laughs – and that's what I wanted from this one.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mera-Queen-Atlantis-Dan-Abnett/dp/1401285309/ref=sr_1_1?crid=XBVYM4UEV94H&keywords=mera+comic&qid=1573991562&sprefix=mera+comic,aps,155&sr=8-1
Some knowledge of what's been going on in the Aquaman comics in recent years helps with understanding that though. Warning you now.
Anyway. Took my daughter to a cinema screening of Star Trek The Motion Picture yesterday. I know it's not gone down in history as one of the greatest movies ever made - but it was fun on the big screen.
When we got back we watched my blu ray of Shazam!. OK. I do like the movie - BUT it's not going to save the DC movie universe in anyway. I don't know why they're making movies like these and that Harley Quinn thing next year when they SHOULD be concentrating on trying to get Superman right.
Anyway.
Fantastic films. I have seen them both in the cinema.
Nice! I have not sadly. I do own all the classics though and love to revisit them.
Congratulations to everyone involved. Todd Phillips has delivered the best DC movie yet. Captivating and powerful from start to finish. This must be the movie of the year.
James Caan steps into the well-worn shoes of Phillip Marlowe, previously occupied by Mitchum, Garner, Gould ( :-?? ), Bogart etc.. I saw this about 10, 15 years ago, and kinda liked. I still do. Caan does a good job of playing a wearier Marlowe. Mitchum is still the best Marlowe, but Caan had a good go of it.
Though one to find, I would not mind seeing this movie, liked the Robert B Parker novel a lot.
You can say that again. Took me a lot of searching to finally get my hands on a copy of the DVD.
Great film although a little overrated.
Really sharp and satirical script with performances to match. If America does remake it then surely the Coen brothers are ideal candidates..
Enjoyable Anton Corbijn documantary that crosscuts clips from their Berlin concert last year with the stories of six different fans present from around the world.
After suffering through the relatively disappointing horror output of the '90s, with only a handful of truly innovative efforts, I for one welcomed the new batch of J-horror finding its way into the West. RINGU and JU-ON are definitely my favourites of the genre. Both spawned sequels and remakes and even one crossover film--so far.
JU-ON is the title of four films made by Takashi Shimizu, who, incidentally, also directed the first two American GRUDGE films for Sam Raimi. Often named
JU-ON: THE CURSE 1
JU-ON: THE CURSE 2
JU-ON: THE GRUDGE 1
JU-ON: THE GRUDGE 2,
these four films form more or less one whole of separate yet interlinked stories set in and around one house in Japan in which a tragedy took place, so fierce that it left a curse. Everyone who enters, will suffer the consequences.
Meowing kid Toshio and his infamous ghost mother Kayako may not be that appealing to some but they really do it for me. Shimizu plays with Lynchian twists on the urban ghost film genre, using distortions of time and perspective in his narrative as powerful tools. The fact that the curse or grudge is inescapable, that one doesn't stand a fair chance against Kayako, could easily invite dullness--except that in this case, there's a viciousness to Kayako's attacks that is so relentless, borderline shocking, I'm never not enjoying her traps. Also, the Japanese setting and the cultural background of the pale, dark-haired ghost girls offer me much pleasure.
The two "Curse" films represent an early YouTube level production quality that might suggest "found footage" or "documentary" if one didn't know better. In a sense, the cheapness of the whole thing aids in giving the horror a closer-to-you feeling many big Hollywood productions fail to inspire. Even the two cinematic "Grudge" films aren't reaching for much more than average television quality. And yet, the horror remains unaffected by this, which is even more stressed by two 4-minute shorts that originally introduced Toshio and Kayako even before the "Curse" films hit the video medium.
I know that for some, the grimy video quality, non-linear storytelling, foreign culture and language can be a hindrance. I, however, love the atmosphere of these films, the scares, the story and its many awkward twists. I've read the novel and manga; I've seen the many sequels and remakes and I'm looking forward to the new Sam Raimi entry. I'm a big fan of the series. But I'm careful about recommending these films to everyone else.
Funny, saw it for the second time myself on Wednesday, as well. An absolute modern day masterpiece, that one.