Netflix: instaView rec's

[MagnificentUnicorn]

Watched the first few prisoners of Marco Polo last night. Turns out to be pretty good. I kept trying to figure out if the Khan they portray actually existed in real life. I'll have to do some research. Lots of hot naked Asian ladies too.

Kubilai Khan was definitely real.

Yes, lot of titties and bush for the Asian lovers out there.

[splat]

i will admit that NF streaming has been hit or miss for me since I started using it two years ago, but I still have close to 200 flicks in my queue and when a film hits, I've been happy (not so much so when they miss, which, sadly, is a little too often). That said, I've posted about a few of these recommendations previously, but here's a list of the films I've streamed (and that are still available) over the past two seasons that I've really dug:


Sushi Girl - a solid "containment noir" with some great B-actors.

Holy Motors - one of my favorite films from 2012. A bugged out entry in the very specialized "limousine movie" genre

Cosmopolis - David Cronenberg returning to his glorious twisted form after a few "mainstream" movies. The dude from Twilight can actually act, too.

B. Monkey - great femme fatale storyline featuring Asia Argento. It's in the league with a lot of those late '80s British noir films like Stormy Monday, not to mention Something Wild.

The Tall Man - Hitchcockian vibe from the director of Martyrs (one of the best horror films of the past decade, if you haven't seen that yet). Forget that Jessica Biel is in this, just watch it.

The War of the Arrows - solid historical action drama about the second Manchu invasion of Korea

Wu Dang - super solid wuxia-styled kung fu action/fantasy/adventure with nods to Indiana Jones, Enter the Dragon, and Game of death. Some of the best fight choreography and cleanest wire work since the over-the-top epics of the '90s (Once Upon a Time in China, Chinese Ghost Story, Dragon Inn, etc.). Way, way, way better'n Crouching TIger, imho.

Tai Chi Zero - over-the-top kung fu mahem that owes a small debt to Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. One of the funnest and most creative kung fu films in years.

Tai Chi Hero - the sequel and part 2 of the Tai Chi trilogy.

White Vengeance - another Chinese historical action film, this time about the Chu-Han Contention. Packed with great visuals and Macbethian twists.

The Innkeepers - nice, quietly atmospheric horror film that brings to mind Shirley Jackson's classic The Haunting. This one is directed by Ti West, who, when he is on (House of the Devil, his segment in VHS, this film) is on.

The Thieves - a wonderful Korean/Hong Kong heist thriller

The Cook, The Thief, Her Wife and Her Lover - Peter Greenaway's art house masterpiece

Exam - great psychological thriller

Painted Skin: The Resurrection - solid wuxia fantasy

Kill List - genre bending British film that mixes crime and folk horror in a twisted way.

Cashback - visually cool romantic film (think Garden State, but British)

Girl Walks into A Bar - cool, multi-character romp through L.A.

Sound of Noise - quirkily brilliant Swedish absurdist cops and vandals film.

Comes A Bright Day - interesting British heist/romance

Prince Avalanche - two dudes painting roads in the deep south; PoMo existential bromance par excellance.

The Painting - an engaging little French animated film about the life residing inside a painting.

The Extraordinary Adventures of Adele Blanc-Sur - a cool, comedic adventure yarn from Luc Besson; kind of like a campy, femme fatale Indiana Jones.

All The Boys Love Mandy Lane - although this horror flick sat on the shelf for several years, I found that it worked the "final girl" theme in very intriguing ways.

Beyond the Black Rainbow - one of the more visually stunning and weird sci-fi films I've seen in a long, long time. Great sound design, too.

Only God Forgives - Nicholas Winding Refn's follow-up to Drive got panned, but I loved it. Found that it owed a great debt to vintage David Lynch, Gaspar Noe, and Alejandro Jodorowsky (amongst others). It takes his anti-hero from Drive and turns him into a conflicted mama's boy. Great visuals (amazing use of saturated colors) and an immersive score/rich sound design won me over.

Berberian Sound Studio - a wonderfully creepy ode to '70s Italian Giallo and horror thrillers. Fantastic score by Broadcast and a captivating performance from Toby Jones.

The Grandmaster - perhaps my favorite take on the whole Ip Man legend. This one is directed by Wong Kar Wai (of Chungking Express fame).

London Boulevard - Thought this was a solid modern noir/crime thriller of the British persuasion.

After The Dark - An interesting take on the whole introspective post-apocalyptic genre that's been popular of late.

Man of Tai Chi - Forget about Keanu being in it, the action sequences are brutal and the story ain't that bad in regards to a classic kung fu revenge motif.

Rubber - What really needs to be said about a film where the protagonist is a sociopathic tire that enjoys having sex with women?

Vengeance - Nice Johnnie To directed HK thriller starring Johnny Hallyday (the French Elvis).

Damn, Dooks....You taking notes?

[creaky fossil]

want to talk about big letdown... Bill Burr's newest. looks like either (A) marriage, or (B) criticism re "misogyny" and "hate", or (C) both of the foregoing have worked their way on his comic impulse, because the newest show is dull and where historically he's been sharp, the edge has lost its temper.

many opportunities to blast religion, he only mocks "Christians". that's as PC as you can get. 180 shift for Bill Burr, hope it's just the honeymoon talking.

funniest line was at the start, mocking a Black-hater in Atlanta, saying heat makes for bigotry etc

"lemonade is for the white man"

*****************

the re-released version of Bertolucci's The Conformist was bizarre
too symbolic to help me understand the tensions existing under Mussolini
but obvious that the main character is like stuckie
bonus is in whenever Dominique Sanda's on screen
she had some presence and seemed the only actually alive person in the whole movie

[char]

If you watched Restrepo and enjoyed it, Korengal is out.

[PNWbrit]

I kept trying to figure out if the Khan they portray actually existed in real life. I'll have to do some research.

Seriously?

[creaky fossil]

wm coleridge taylor insists he did

[PNWbrit]

wm coleridge taylor insists he did

You'll make him wear out his Google.

[creaky fossil]

I think taylor inspired Olivia Newton-John as well

and her work should be construed as proof of the Khan's existence

[stupendous man]

Exit Through the Gift Shop - documentary by Banksy about the creation of faux artist mr. brainwash. slow to start, but great finish

[powpig]

So much of the stuff I see on Netflix is just plain forgettable. Here's a few good ones I've seen recently and definitely recommend:

The Suspect - Korean action flick w/subs.
John Dies At The End - Billed as a horror flick, but really just a comedy. Great dialog.
Jim Jefferies - Aussie stand up comic, rude & raunchy.

[Supermoon]

Seriously?

Yeah. There were like 500 Khans along the way, and I keep all their names straight. Three minutes of googling taught me everything I wanted to know.

[creaky fossil]

Broadchurch

[dookeyXXX]

RHYMES FOR YOUNG GHOULS

stumbled upon this one tonight and it surprised the hell out of me.
powerful and violent and very twisted coming of age drama that takes place on a Canadian Indian reservation in the early '70s.

[Tuckerman]

If you watched Restrepo and enjoyed it, Korengal is out.

Is it as good?

[creaky fossil]

Oculus is a trippy, mostly psychological horror. There's some gore, but a big part of the horror is mindfucking, like in Solaris.

[dookeyXXX]

Oculus is a trippy, mostly psychological horror. There's some gore, but a big part of the horror is mindfucking, like in Solaris.

gonna lend my 2 thumbs up fwiw.
very well crafted, low budget horror flick that relies on, as CF mentioned, psychological horror and creepiness rather than over-the-top gore.

[creaky fossil]

Also Katee Sackhoff bonus.

That actress in the lead is Scottish, you'd never know. Only when she says the word "haunted". The child actors are good, it's just a good all around movie. But creepy. I had to turn it off at 2 points to settle down.

[Chugachjed]

Oculus is a trippy, mostly psychological horror. There's some gore, but a big part of the horror is mindfucking, like in Solaris.

My wife is having to watch the wedding planner after Oculus, she's afraid to go to bed. Good movie.

[PowerWhore7]

Just about to finish Mad Men & Breaking Bad...WTF!

Walter kills someone unexpected? WTF

Don getting butthurt over PTD vagina? WTF

they call me, "day late dollar short"

[PassTheDutchie]

Just about to finish Mad Men & Breaking Bad...WTF!

Walter kills Mike? WTF

Don getting butthurt over pussy? WTF

they call me, "day late dollar short"

YO, spoilers douche! Not cool!

[char]

Is it as good?

No? It's almost like they had extra footage and decided to make another movie. It's not terribly long and has more interviews with the same guys from Restrepo.

[PowerWhore7]

YO, spoilers douche! Not cool!

woops, sorry about that . I would have edited my original post but some fucking dummy quoted it!

[stuckathuntermtn]

2 Days in New York was cute/funny. Not even in that shitty date movie kind of way, it was just a good movie. Chris Rock and some French MILFs who actually wrote and directed it.

[creaky fossil]

Kundo: Age of the Rampant was good. From the looks of things through the eyes of Kundo's director, the ancient Chinese seem to have been the original hipsters.
Blackthorn has its moments. Shepard is good.
Re-watched House of Flying Daggers and liked it again. The bamboo forest fight scene midway through and the "echo game" fairly early on are worth seeing even if you don't like martial arts movies.

[snapt]

No? It's almost like they had extra footage and decided to make another movie. It's not terribly long and has more interviews with the same guys from Restrepo.

It's worth a watch for some more background and perspective you didn't get from Restrepo, some of which would have been enlightening. Otherwise Char is spot on, extra footage, not a whole new film.