TV/Movies Megathread

[Ideologue]

[celedhring]

Altered States is good, but it's definitely a piece of DUI cinema.

[CountDeMoney]

What's your damage?

Having seen Altered States. 

I had the MAD magazine issue that had Altered Alfred on the cover.  Was the better version.

[Savonarola]

The Red Kimona (1925)

This is a Dorothy Davenport social conscience extravaganza.  Gabrielle Darley (Priscilla Bonner) is a victim of bad parenting; so she runs off with a man and becomes a prostitute in New Orleans.  Her pimp leaves to marry another woman, so she hunts him down and shoots him in the back.  The jury finds her not guilty, a wealthy matron takes her in and uses her for photo-ops and publicity.  After the matron tires of her, she casts her out.  Due to her past Gabrielle isn't able to find work anywhere; and in the end we all learn a valuable lesson.  (Strangely enough, the lesson isn't to not shoot unarmed people in the back.)

This is "Based on a True Story," so much so that Davenport didn't bother to change the name of the protagonist.  The real Gabrielle Darley sued Dorothy, and nearly drove her to bankruptcy.  Today Darley probably wouldn't have won, since her trial was a matter of public record; but, interestingly, in the 1920s United States there was something of a "Right to be forgotten."

This isn't a great film.  It features has heavy handed symbolism (notably the hand tinted red kimono Gabrielle wears) and hammy acting.  Gabrielle is no more than a pasteboard cut-out victim of fate.  She's an entirely passive character; even shooting her pimp is presented as something that happened to her, rather than something that she did. 

For me this film really brought home what a great director Lois Weber was.  Weber also directed message pictures in the same era, but her characters are complex, dynamic and active.  Even if Weber's messages are questionable by our modern standards (as I've mentioned before) her films are considerably more convincing.

[katmai]

@ syt, yes that is Vision up there

[mongers]

'American Hustle' worth a viewing?

[citizen k]

Anybody watching del Toro's "Strain" series?

[mongers]

'American Hustle' worth a viewing?

I'll answer this myself:

Pleasantly surprised, a simple uncomplicated piece of entertainment, decent con.artist film with Christian Bale, excellent soundtrack.

[Josephus]

Anybody watching del Toro's "Strain" series?

I am. Pleasantly surprised with it. campy but good

[Eddie Teach]

Anybody watching del Toro's "Strain" series?

I am. Pleasantly surprised with it. campy but good

I'm enjoying it too. Don't know that I would call it "campy" as there's not a whole lot of humor going on. 

[citizen k]

Anybody watching del Toro's "Strain" series?

I am. Pleasantly surprised with it. campy but good

I'm enjoying it too. Don't know that I would call it "campy" as there's not a whole lot of humor going on. 

[Ideologue]

Ace in the Hole (1951).  Asshole reporter Kirk Douglas finds a man trapped in a cave-in and manipulates events to keep him there, presiding over the most depraved media circus you'll ever see.  Though his indifference to suffering and immoral ambition is sickly fascinating, the film really gets going when it becomes a retelling of The Tell-Tale Heart, right through to the end.

A

[Razgovory]

Expendables- I've somehow avoided seeing this until now. It is fun. I expected a cheesy 80s style action film but...not to this extent. Even outside of the action they really go all out for the super cheese. It made me smile.

Yeah, the first one was pretty good. The second one went straight into self parody. It was still good, though, despite having to roll my eyes a lot at the movie.

Honestly, I liked the second one better.  If you are going to make a silly movie like this, just go all out.  I just like seeing all the old action film guys shooting up a bunch of stuff.

[celedhring]

I think the first one is a better film overall. I thought the second one was rather boring and stupid until the very end, when it became very fun and stupid. That whole set-piece at the airport is great, but it's a bit of a drag until it gets there.

Will catch the third one on video, I guess.

[Maladict]

Will catch the third one on video, I guess.

Smart move, the reviews so far have been terrible.