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As for Afrique noire, when I read about it, I was intrigued by the fact it's set in 1981. That's 26 years after the year in which Cairo is set, but only 15 years had passed between the two films. I wonder why they made that decision. Is what happens in the third film specific to that time period, in politics, technological advancements, etc.?
I haven't seen this one, but I'm curious to know what you disliked about the score.
You definitely should see the sequels, @mattjoes! I find Cairo, Nest of Spies and Lost in Rio just as funny, and since both feature exotic locations, they manage to capture that globetrotter feel of the spy films of the era they're set in. And From Africa with Love isn't that bad either, just not as good as the first two.
They do touch upon the specifics of that time period, both with politics and technological advancements. For example they joke about the upcoming election and François Mitterrand, who in the end became the first socialist President in France following the election of '81 – and we see Hubert Bonisseur de La Bath using a computer for the first time! They also touch upon the "old dog" theme with his interactions with Serge (OSS 1001) for example, and you can draw a few comparisons to the Craig era in that regard. That being said, he isn't physically aged by that much at least, so you get a sort of floating timeline that's not much different to the Moore era in a way. As for other Bond nods, you have a Brownjohn/Binder/Kleinman inspired title sequence along with a title song, and a general FYEO/NSNA feel to the film itself. Bill Conti's FYEO score was apparently an inspiration for the soundtrack.
It's worth noting that Michel Hazanavicius didn't return to direct this one though, and left because of creative differences regarding the script. According to IMDb, "Michel Hazanavicius' original plan was to feature an aging and bald OSS 117, set the film in the 1970s and take inspiration from blaxploitation movies." A missed opportunity in my opinion!
It's set in 1981 after all, so it's no surprise they took a bit of inspiration from that film in particular :-)
There's also a brief AVTAK nod in the score. Forgot to mention that above, but it's very obvious. Listen to the bid from 30 sec onwards:
This almost goes too far at times, but it s damn funny.
Oh yes, that's very noticeable.
I saw Punch-Drunk Love for the first time on Saturday and really enjoyed it; I rented it when I was much younger but it wasn't the typical goofball Sandler comedy so I didn't make it very far in. It's easier to appreciate and enjoy when you're older and I'm glad I finally saw it in full.
Dead Ringers has some great performances from Jeremy Irons as twin gynecologists but the film isn't so much horror as some of his other works. It gets a bit repetitive after a while (though still remains interesting) and sadly isn't anywhere near being one of my favorites from Cronenberg (I don't think Videodrome can ever be topped).
I gave Chaplin's Modern Times a rewatch - it's full of comedy and slapstick but I think I've been watching too much Buster Keaton lately because I was feeling myself wanting more in the way of danger and high-flying stunts. It's still a classic, don't get me wrong, but I should've adjusted expectations in the way of more comedy and humor than what I've come to expect from Keaton's films lately.
And I rewatched Christopher Landon's Freaky last night. The comedy works way better than the horror aspects and it wasn't anywhere near as positive as my first viewing was, but it does have a few lines that get a lot of laughs out of me and I really love the dynamic between "Vaughn" and his "friends," running around trying to save themselves.
I didn't care much for Rio Does Not Respond, but Cairo Nest Of Spies is hilarious.
Probably the most outrageous of all of Sasha s films.
Let me give this some thought….
…so many films to choose from, this makes my pending Title Sequence rankings look easy….
…ok….for the record (and for the amusement of my fellow Bond fans):
Honorable Mentions: Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964), Invasion of Astro-Monster (1965), Ebirrah, Horror of the Deep (1966) – my very first G film 😊 at 7 years of age, Godzilla vs. Biollante (1991), and Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (1995) – Like Bond in NTTD, the title character dies at the end. For some reason, however, G’s death affected me more….perhaps because composer Akira Ifukube’s “Requiem” gave him such a moving musical final.
Now, how could Craig’s Bond have survived that missile attack?........
Sorry about the OT post.
Wow! I am a uber Rocky fan this was amazing.
Middling Hitchcock. The opening scenes are examples of masterly filmmaking, but as the film gets bogged down in the soggy "psychological" plot you might begin noticing the increasingly unconvincing painted backdrops and rear projection. This is a film by an old master coasting on skill. Its conception of psychology is corny-crude in a very mid-20th century way, built on simplistic notions of trauma and bastardized Freud; you wonder what Hitchcock saw in the story. Wasn't it obvious that someone who falls apart whenever they something red wouldn't be much of a thief?
Tippi Hedren is competent enough, but her career is proof that a great director cannot create a superstar--she won't make you forget Grace Kelly, the original choice for the role. Sean Connery brings genuine superstar charisma and magnetism to his role, but the part is obviously meant for a WASP Yankee and its conception is schizoid. At times Connery's character is little short of being an outright villain, at others he's a therapist manqué. Marnie is not at all a bad film--there's enough craft and depth of feeling for the film to avoid failure--but only the most hardline auteurist would consider it great.
Cringe
Robocop: Not as perfect as I remember it being but it's still a killer, gritty 80's sci-fi/action mash-up, where the villains are great at chewing scenery and Robocop himself is great at delivering justice.
Pink Flamingos: I've been on a huge John Waters kick lately and it took me a while to seek this one out but I finally managed to find a good copy and really loved it. It's foul, it's trashy, it's perverse, it's outrageously offensive, and most of all, Waters and the Dreamlanders do wonders in making it all so damn comedic and fun in the process.
The Killer: Hadn't seen this one in maybe 5-10 years, so I paired it one day with Hard Boiled, since I hadn't seen them both in quite a while. They're both full of interesting and budding relationships between two men on opposite sides of the law (or, in the latter's case, two men on the same side of the law playing different roles). The practical effects and firefights are obviously the highlight here, with Hard Boiled being way more impressive in that regard.
Alphaville: I so desperately wanted to love this Jean-Luc Godard flick - a bizarre amalgamation of science fiction and futurism mixed with a modern day gumshoe thriller - but it missed the mark for me. Eddie Constantine was brilliant but there are way too many convoluted ideas on display, most that aren't fleshed out nearly as well as they should be, and it drags the film down heavily. Maybe it'll be better on a rewatch but it'll be a while before that happens.
Gold: A new survival thriller driven by greed and generic characters making idiotic decisions. Brownie points go to Marie from Wentworth appearing but there's nothing on screen here that you haven't seen executed much more strongly hundreds of times in the past. Efron was pretty solid and the makeup effects were great, that's about it.
The Long Good Friday: I actually tried to watch this a couple months back for the first time but just wasn't in the right headspace for it. I gave it another shot and couldn't take my eyes off the screen. Bob Hoskins is gritty and egotistical as a British gangster, visionary in his attempts to turn London into the new hub for the Olympic Games and working with the American Mafia to do so. As the Americans come to visit and debate the plans, his soldiers and businesses come under attack, leading him to defuse the Americans' worries and seek out the perpetrators (or the mole) simultaneously. It's so great watching his mental state sink as his business is crushed and his level of anxiety and ego excel at the same time. Great, great film (and a baby-faced Brosnan playing an IRA assassin was a treat).
The Matrix Reloaded/The Matrix Revolutions: I rewatched both of these one night to complete my recent rewatch of the first installment and the insanely disappointing The Matrix Resurrections. They're both nowhere near capturing the magic and grit of the first one, as perfect as it is, but they're still great action treats (the third one, less so, due to the focus on the attack of Zion and all the bad CGI that comes with it) and they further cement Reeves' legacy as an action star.
Flesh for Frankenstein/Blood for Dracula: I dove into the world of Paul Morrissey with both of these trashy '70s horror flicks (that are "Andy Warhol's" despite him having virtually nothing to do with either of them). The acting here is outrageously bad (Udo Kier is very solid though), both times shoehorning the awful Joe Dallesandro into some antihero that saves the day, even though he's garbage (in terms of skill and as a character) in both films. Some moments of gore are exciting, others occur off-screen, and the effects themselves are really low budget. The atmosphere was much better in Blood for Dracula but I really didn't like either of these whatsoever, neither scary nor funny or satirical.
Three Ages: This was a delightful early feature from Buster Keaton, his very first full-length film that was actually divided into three different eras, hence the title, as insurance for the studio in case his leading man abilities didn't translate to something so long, which would've led them to split the three up into separate short films. For me, I wish it had gone in the opposite direction, having all three as their own standalone films, because I enjoyed the time with each one and felt they would've played even better had they been given more time to breathe. Sometimes one segment will quickly segue into another and details and moments are then left to the imagination. Still delightful, though.
Glad you enjoyed The Long Good Friday @Creasy47 one of my all time favourites and one of the best British films of all time IMO.
Perhaps not a great film, but I loved it. It was far more fun than the Conan movies. A shame they didn t make more.
from 2018, directed by J. Audiard.
Loved this back then , and the film is certainly a good one. The rewatchability isn t that great however. Love the ending, though.
The Bourne Supremacy 2004 Not so....
A few scenes that were copied for the DC bond films ?
Shaky cam copied for qos.
A beautiful adaptation of the novel. A visual and sonic feast. Love the 'Thropters' from the book brought to life and the sand worms are just epic.
It's a shame certain scenes from the book are cut short or omitted because the runtime just flies by. I could easily watch another hour.
Obviously this film only tells half the story so we still have part 2 to look forward to. But so far this is gearing up to be an incredible epic.
Not only a stylish study of modern society but also a film that changed the narrative concept of cinema forever.
This one is truly one of the greatest cinematic achievements of all time, featuring one of the best end scenes I have ever witnessed.
A must-see really for every cinephile.
in reverse order
1. Casino Royale 2006: apart from me still wondering who Vesper is praying for during each of the card battles (as she is strict roman catholic) this film is top notch sure Not time to Die and Spectre almost bring this film down for me (knowing where this story ends and the meta knowledge it was always supposed to be this way) but over all it's my favorite Bond film Quantum gives it a good run for its money but I have to give it to this film.
2. Spiderman No Way Home: I honestly haven't watched a Spiderman film since 2012's Amazing Spiderman but this film brought me back
3. When Harry Met Sally: one of 2 classic New Years Day movies in my household and its an amazing movie I forgot how good Billy Crystal can be and Meg ryan is a delight over all I forget how good this movie is.\
4. Casino Royale 1954: I always start of the year with this film and honestly its such a strong little film I feel sad that only me and maybe one other bond film like this short 1 hour tv show episode... I will say its stronger then most people give it credit for I wish Barry Nelson could of had the foresight to see what the character would become and maybe adapt his performance a bit... but Lorre is great and the fact Linda Christian has never been in a bond girl Friday is an out right tragedy if I knew how to post photos I would do it..
1. Casino Royale 2006
2. Spiderman: No Way Home
3. When Harry me Sally
4. Casino Royale 1954
Great Expectations (1946) - A fantastic adaptation and one of my favorites from David Lean. I've been on a roll with his films lately and he doesn't disappoint. This one may very well have some of my all time favorite black and white cinematography. It's gorgeous.
Pig - Another recent hit from Nicolas Cage. It didn't play out at all like I thought, setting itself up as a sweet revenge action movie, as he searches for his beloved foraging pig and the guys who stole it, but ends up being a meditation on loss and talent while playing out like a sort of unique culinary thriller. It was so good.
Nanook of the North - The first big feature length documentary to achieve some success, visionary in its achievement but upsetting to me in that it's more of a docu-drama, with Robert J. Flaherty, despite his commitment to return for more footage after an accident destroyed his previously captured work, fictionalizing a lot of the events and character relationships. Still, it was a nice look into a group of people that are rarely put to film.
The House - A pretty solid British stop-motion film that tells three disconnected stories - "past, present and future" - all revolving around a mysterious house with gripping powers. The first story was my favorite, very haunting and cold, the second one wasn't too bad, one that makes you ponder the ludicrous, unspoken events unfolding, and the third was much more adventurous, ending the film on an upbeat note.
Oliver Twist - Another brilliant Dickens adaptation from David Lean, albeit one with an offensive Jewish caricature (Fagin) that was inexplicably fought for by Lean to keep in the film. Still, the cast is excellent, the story is timeless, and the ending is quite exciting and dangerous.
Diabolique - This instantly became one of my new favorite psychological horror-thrillers after the credits ended. The finale has some of the most scary, uncomfortable imagery I've ever seen and I love the ambiguous hinting that the final minute or so offers to the audience. The big twist is brilliant and instantly demands a second viewing to see what clues or hints you might've missed out on the first time through.
Scream 4 - This might be my least favorite installment of the series, but after having rewatched them all recently in anticipation of the fifth one, I found that none of the sequels made a real impact on me. I loved the first three as a kid, but now, it's clear that the original is a masterpiece of its genre and nailed the tone, atmosphere and characters perfectly. The fourth installment here is when the series really dove into all the overbearing meta nonsense and tried to inject way too much dark humor into the proceedings that usually misses the mark. This one and the new installment have this irritating habit of constantly preaching how you "don't mess with the original," only to do just that, over and over and over again until you want to puke. The twist was pretty unexpected for me in this one, at least, and while I haven't seen it since I saw it in theaters, it was fun to pick up on those "killer reveal" clues throughout.
Andrei Rublev - A film with gorgeous cinematography and a proper Russian epic that simply isn't for me. It's objectively a technical masterpiece and the performances are haunting and devastating but it ran way too long (though was finely cut up into numerous chapters, bookended by a prologue and epilogue) and isn't always the most engaging film. I'm glad I experienced it finally but I doubt I'll ever see it again.
The Tale of the Fox - A surprisingly effective and impressively detailed French stop-motion film from the late '30s, one of the first full length animated films of its type and a film that's musically inviting and full of danger and spectacle.
Time Bandits - A fun little action-adventure film from the mind of Terry Gilliam, even if it squanders its impressive talent at times with little screentime. The likes of Sean Connery, Ian Holm and John Cleese are incredible here but are given so little time to make an impact. I found the villain and his shower-liner-clad goons to be quite cheesy and innocent too, taking away from a lot of the danger of the finale.
Branded to Kill - Another solid yakuza thriller with a jazzy score and atmosphere from Seijun Suzuki, starring Joe Shishido and his stand out, artificially puffy cheeks. The action is a lot of fun, if not very impactful in its devastation, and I loved getting to watch a highly capable and cunning hitman slowly descend into madness, paranoia and alcoholism after one tiny butterfly messes up a job and spells doom for his profession and his life.
Nightmare Alley - A beautifully shot and tragic adaptation of the 1946 novel and remake of the first adaptation in 1947. Guillermo del Toro has a special way of inviting me into his meticulously created universes while never making me feel like I'm just watching a movie. The film is somehow front-loaded with a stupid amount of talented actors, only to still manage to pack it with even more stars when the film steps away from the carnival after a time jump. I know it's a story decision in and of itself but the film does drag at times for me once we get into the back half; I was really, really enjoying the atmosphere and wonder and amazement of the parlor tricks and deception in the carnival universe and wasn't as engaged once Cooper's Stan Carlisle finds great success in the city and starts working to manipulate a very dangerous man.
Blood Simple - For the directorial debut of the Coen brothers and for Frances McDormand's very first film, this one still holds up very well as a tight thriller where miscommunication (or not speaking entirely) spells doom for the few key players involved. It's got a unique soundtrack that's out of place yet totally befitting the fateful events unfolding, and even as the credits are set to roll, characters are still left in the dark over what's happening and who's involved. It's genius in that respect.
Ali: Fear Eats the Soul - I'm a big, big fan of Rainer Werner Fassbinder yet I had never pulled the trigger on this one until last night, and I loved it so very, very much. Fassbinder's films are so pensive, quiet and observing, refreshingly so. It's a film rife with love yet heartbreak, adversity and conflict yet undying love and commitment, packed with a lot of his usual friends and family to fill out miscellaneous roles.
Brief Encounter - Another David Lean hit that features two beautiful people engaged in a monthlong tryst that's doomed to fail, for the betterment of all. It's unique in its storytelling, in that we're shown the mysterious ending of their affair at the start before getting to experience the preceding events through the mind of the lead female, telling it via an imagined, internal monologue confession to her husband. It's personal and romantic and a visual treat.
Diabolique, Brief Encounter, …
Fine choices.
Edit: I seem to have missed you did not like Andrei Rublev, have you enjoyed other films of Tarkovsky or is he simply not your cup of tea?
The only other films I’ve seen of his are Stalker and Ivan’s Childhood, both of which I loved. I still heavily appreciate this one, I gave it a 3/5, it just wasn’t for me overall, I’d say.
Dolph Lundgren is in front of, and behind the camera for this b action film. $3M in cold hard cash, lies hidden in Castle Falls Hospital, which in a matter of hours, is due to be demolished. Several individuals descend on the place to grab the cash, and get out before the building come crashing down; a former MMA fighter put out to pasture, a father in need to money for his daughters chemotherapy and some criminals that don’t believe in honour among thieves. Scott Adkins gets a decent fight on the rooftop in the last few seconds before the blast, but I was surprised by Lundgren who in his fight with his younger co-star, held his own. Like JCVD, Lundgren obviously keep himself in shape.
La Noche de Walpurgis aka Werewolf Shadow (1971)*
The 5th (or 4th, depending on if we should could The Nights Of The Wolf Man) Daninsky film starring Paul Naschy. Gothic, tragic, sexy, nightmarish and haunting, so it's no wonder this was a hit in it's Native Spain, making it the most successful film of Naschy's career. This film even inspired Armando de Osorio to create the Blind Dead films, lifting not only a piece of the score, but also the look for his creation from a hooded creature that Daninsky kills.
*Amongst numerous other titles, but my DVD release is of Werewolf Shadow.