Netflix: instaView rec's

[dookeyXXX]

I need to check out Daredevil this weekend. Seems to be getting good reviews so far.

watched the first 3 eps last night.
might help a wee bit if you're familiar with the character via the original comics (1964 Lee/Everett series, as well as a bit of the Kevin Smith re-boot).
they are unfolding the whole origin story slowly, which at first was frustrating, but actually works as a device to keep you watching (kind of like a subdued serial approach). they are also setting up the Daredevil/Kingpin clash nice and slow, too.
action sequences are well-done.
good cast, although the guy playing Murdock/Daredevil seems like an odd choice at first, but i'm warming up to him; definitely better than Affleck was.
i would say it's worth a watch if you like dark, gritty crime noir comic book stuff (i.e. like Batman or even Arrow: it's actually rather a lot like Arrow, albeit less gimmicky and less soap-opery).
bonus is that Foggy Nelson is played by the side-kick kid from Idle Hands.

and, fwiw, the series was created by Drew Goddard, the cat who wrote Cloverfield and wrote Cabin in the Woods (amongst other things). Daredevil is not as cheeky as the latter, though.

[splat]

Halt and Catch Fire

Great look into the race to develop computers in the early 80s wrapped around good characters and a lot of tension.
Very good shit.

[Grange]

watched the first 3 eps last night.
might help a wee bit if you're familiar with the character via the original comics (1964 Lee/Everett series, as well as a bit of the Kevin Smith re-boot).
they are unfolding the whole origin story slowly, which at first was frustrating, but actually works as a device to keep you watching (kind of like a subdued serial approach). they are also setting up the Daredevil/Kingpin clash nice and slow, too.
action sequences are well-done.
good cast, although the guy playing Murdock/Daredevil seems like an odd choice at first, but i'm warming up to him; definitely better than Affleck was.
i would say it's worth a watch if you like dark, gritty crime noir comic book stuff (i.e. like Batman or even Arrow: it's actually rather a lot like Arrow, albeit less gimmicky and less soap-opery).
bonus is that Foggy Nelson is played by the side-kick kid from Idle Hands.

and, fwiw, the series was created by Drew Goddard, the cat who wrote Cloverfield and wrote Cabin in the Woods (amongst other things). Daredevil is not as cheeky as the latter, though.

I really enjoyed the show. I like the fact that the story arch moved along at a decent pace. A few areas where I thought it bogged down a little, but compared to a 22-24 episode season it was great.

[dookeyXXX]

finished watching Daredevil.
realized that it actually owes more to the Frank Millar incarnation of the character from the mid-'80s than anything else.
good series.
hoping they continue the high caliber with the forthcoming Luke Cage, Iron Fist, and Defenders projects...

[dookeyXXX]

For those of you that dug Oculus (and I know there were a few of you), chances are good that you'll enjoy The Babadook.
This Aussie horror flick has been making the festival rounds for quite some time and finally got released Stateside.
Reminded me of The Exorcist, Wendigo, and Oculus.
The little kid in the film is spastic-creepy beyond reproach (and his mom is kind of nuts, too).
Good use of sound (and the absence of sound) as well as shadows and light to create tension and unnerving atmosphere.

[creaky fossil]

grade A

Wrong Turn at Tahoe -- great jobs by Cuba Gooding Jr and Miguel Ferrer

The Slap (Aus version, not US version) -- finally a movie about rideit's pathetic selfishness and egocentrism. hooray.

grade B

The Code

Reminded me of ...Wendigo....

3 cheers for Larry Fessenden

[dookeyXXX]

THE PIRATES

Solid Korean swashbuckler loaded with swordkwondo, cannonkwondo, hand-to-handkwondo, whalekwondo, and quirky humor.

[splat]

Pump.

Exposes the fallacy that we need gasoline. It costs twice as much to defend our oil interests as we actually pay for the oil out of the middle east. Triples the cost. I bet John D. Rockefeller is snickering in his grave. Ethanol and methanol can power every vehicle in America with a car computer update. Brazil already proved they needed no gas imports. Damn good movie along the lines of Who Killed the Electric Car?

I had no idea Rockefeller made prohibition happen to keep America from using alcohol as car fuel.

[boltonoutlaw]

No No: A Dockumentary, is up. The story of Dock Ellis, and his pitching an MLB no-hitter on LSD.

[Dantheman]

Birdmen was pretty cool.

[stompinlines]

Chefs Table.
Episode 3.
Very well done.

[doughboyshredder]

Daredevil is surprisingly good. Excellent actually.

[Rip'nStick]

have to say Sixth Sense is one of the best child performances by Haley Joel Osment or however you spell that name. And the directing by m night shamalamlam wasn't bad either. Great screenplay and writing too. Good work guys

[Dantheman]

No No: A Dockumentary, is up. The story of Dock Ellis, and his pitching an MLB no-hitter on LSD.

Watched this last night, pretty good.

[huckbucket]

Blues Brothers. They're on a mission from God.

[PNWbrit]

Chefs Table.
Episode 3.
Very well done.

Excellent.

Prepare to be very hungry.

[grskier]

Fell asleep during episode 1 of chef's table, but it's now going to be in the rotation.

[stompinlines]

Watched all of the Chefs Table series. It is excellent. . If food interests you in the least. David Gelb is only 31. Mad talent.
The production value and the polished finish on this show is simply incredible. I hope he continues digging into this genre and follows many more skilled chefs.

[MMP]

Original Bad News Bears

One of our kids is playing youth baseball, and they fucking SUCK! Our guy is solid, but the team? My wife started calling them the Bad News Bears. FInally the kid asked what that was so we put the original on for him. We have a projector so he and a friend sat down there and watched it. I figured I'd sit and watch the first few minutes, but got sucked in and watched the whole thing.

"jews, spics, niggers, queers, and now a girl" You just don't see that in a kids movie anymore.

[LegoSkier]

Watched all of the Chefs Table series. It is excellent. . If food interests you in the least. David Gelb is only 31. Mad talent.
The production value and the polished finish on this show is simply incredible. I hope he continues digging into this genre and follows many more skilled chefs.

Have watched a couple. Really an excellent series but I really want to be Francis Mallman. Let's see: banging hot younger chicks...check, drinking good wine...check, living on a private island in Patagonia...check, continuously grilling and eating large pieces of meat...check.

[skinipenem]

Bad news bears... One of the all time greats!

[dookeyXXX]

For those of you inclined to enjoy martial arts movies, a number of Jet Li's '90s era flix have popped up.

I humbly suggest viewing Fist of Legend, Li and Director Gordon Chan's 1994 re-envisioning of Bruce Lee's seminal Fists of Fury. Action direction by the legendary Yuen Woo-Ping.



I further humbly suggest watching it in Cantonese with English subtitles.

[dookeyXXX]

Nightcrawler will be popping up on June 11.


It's in the vein of Taxi Driver in a a lot of ways. There's an underlying social commentary on how sensationalist the news has become, but towering over that is JG's creepy protagonist who will go to all ends to scoop a story. Has what is easily one of the best car chase sequences in recent cinematic memory; may even rival To Live and Die in LA, in terms of West Coast car chases.
Easily made my Top 10 Films of 2014 list.

[dookeyXXX]

THE DIVINE MOVE

Super slick and well-made Korean flick that's like Ocean's Eleven - 7 + Oldboy + The God of Gamblers + A Classic Kung Fu Revenge Saga all wrapped up in the ancient intricacies of GO.

[JAREDS]

Black Mirror. Two seasons, 3 episodes each.
Like twilight zone episodes, but technology-focused. Really well-done. Really dark and depressing and dystopian.