Amazon Prime Instant Video Rec

[dookeyXXX]

On Thursday evening I was in the mood for something lighthearted as I had spent most of the day doing yard work and was beat.
I stumbled upon this:



Full-disclosure:
While I would not consider myself a KS fanboy by any stretch, I have seen and enjoyed pretty much all of his films.
Also, fwiw, in another lifetime I interviewed him 4 times somewhat early in his career (for Chasing Amy, around the time of Dogma, for Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, and for Jersey Girl). I found him to be incredibly amiable and was easily one of the Top 5 people I interviewed during my journalism career).
At any rate, I would not really call Smith a comedian. I find that he is more of a monologuist or, if you will, just a damn good storyteller. I would put him in the same category as Ron White or David Sedaris.
Anyway, this endeavor is highly entertaining if you dig Smith's cinematic schtick.

[bobz]

Yup, Paths of Glory was pretty great. Seemed to be setting up a little like A Few Good Men, except that Paths’ critique went way deeper than to lay it all on one arrogant commanding officer.


I really liked how, at the end of closing arguments, approaching The Verdict that the whole movie seemed to be heading towards, there’s a cut, and then Kubrick (SPOILER ALERT) just completely skips it, because, sigh, there was no way those poor bastards were ever going to be acquitted.

It's still on Prime for another day or so.

[billyk]

Yup, Paths of Glory was pretty great. Seemed to be setting up a little like A Few Good Men, except that Paths’ critique went way deeper than to lay it all on one arrogant commanding officer.


I really liked how, at the end of closing arguments, approaching The Verdict that the whole movie seemed to be heading towards, there’s a cut, and then Kubrick (SPOILER ALERT) just completely skips it, because, sigh, there was no way those poor bastards were ever going to be acquitted.

It's still on Prime for another day or so.

Yeah, great movie. I remember watching it years ago, and was impressed by it then. Even better rewatching it this time. Thanks to whoever mentioned this was on Prime.

[dookeyXXX]

Yup, Paths of Glory was pretty great. Seemed to be setting up a little like A Few Good Men, except that Paths’ critique went way deeper than to lay it all on one arrogant commanding officer.


I really liked how, at the end of closing arguments, approaching The Verdict that the whole movie seemed to be heading towards, there’s a cut, and then Kubrick (SPOILER ALERT) just completely skips it, because, sigh, there was no way those poor bastards were ever going to be acquitted.

It's still on Prime for another day or so.

Thanks for reminding me of this flick.
I had it in my queue for more than a year, so your mention of it leaving Prime finally lit the proverbial fire under my ass.
Watched it on the 29th. Yesterday it was gone from the "free" Prime section (you can rent it for $2.99, though)..

It has some fantastic camera work, Kubrick's fascination with architecture and space, and interestingly enough, it may very well be the most emotional of his films that I have seen, at least in terms of the characters displaying emotion (many of his later films have the actors coming off detached and distant, as if playing second string to the sets, production design, and camera work).
I can definitely need it's influence on 1917, that's for sure.

[dookeyXXX]

DUCK YOU SUCKER
4/5
Once you get past Rod Steiger in brownface, this is a fantastic zapata-cum-spaghetti western and easily the overlooked film in Sergio Leone's sparse canon.
It bristles with a fantastic Ennio Morricone score and charismatic turns from James Coburn, Steiger, and all others involved.
Furthermore, the in-your-face socio-political commentary is still rather relevant.
The film also feels and looks more violent than I remember any of Leone's films being (I am curious if this is because it came out in the wake of The Wild Bunch, which it seems to pay homage to with the opening scene).

[lifelinksplit]

Ooh. This looks right up my alley. I'll have to check it out soon.

[dookeyXXX]

THE MISSOURI BREAKS
4/5
A somewhat simple story about horse rustlers and the man hired to hunt them down, this quirky western crackles thanks to a fantastic (and ecclectic) cast, an unconventional John Williams score, and great scenery.
At the core is a wonderfully understated turn from Jack Nicholson, who exhibits some stellar chemistry with romantic counterpart Kathleen Llyod (why she didn't do more big screen work is beyond me). And then there is Brandi, who liberally chews every scene he is in with massive gusto (this may in fact be the role that had the most influence in Johnny Depp's career path as you can clearly see similarities between the two men in every one of Brandon's onscreen moments).
The supporting cast tingles, as well, with solid turns from a young Randy Quaid and the ever-reliable Harry Dean Stanton, amongst others.
And Williams' score? I grew up on his bombastic symphonic exploits, so the dusty, off-kilter rustic elements here are refreshing and immersive.

RIYL
McCabe and Mrs. Miller; Little Big Man

[PB]

YES!! Missouri Breaks re-awakened my waning interest in Westerns with it's dark/dirty/gritty feel, and Brando truly nailed it quirkiness-wise. Now that I think about it, I should have placed MB higher in my best westerns thread contribution.

[buttahflake]

That looks awful, how is Brando considered a great actor? And Jack looks like he’s overacting more than he normally does.
No thanks. I’ll take Richard Harris in A Man Named Horse over a Brando western, everytime.

[billyk]

Ah, it’s a good one. Not as good as Unforgiven, but pretty good. Worth watching.

[dookeyXXX]

That looks awful, how is Brando considered a great actor? And Jack looks like he’s overacting more than he normally does.
No thanks. I’ll take Richard Harris in A Man Named Horse over a Brando western, everytime.

Funny you should say this.
I went into the film thinking that Brando was ripe for being an actor who, up until this point, I had always felt was overrated. Then again, I have largely only seen his later work, during his so-called decline. Here he is gloriously sublime and so over-the-top qurky that it actually works and has sparked an interest in me exploring his earlier works.
As for Nicholson? While the trailer may suggest otherwise (and it is a pretty shitty trailer, mind you, one that fails to capture the real essence of the film), I found that he is at his most subdued in this picture; there are little to none of the trademarks (that incessant Cheshire Cat grin, for example) that would become so rote in his later career, just solid acting.
But, hey, it, as with other off-kilter Westerns like McCabe and Mrs Miller or Little Big Man, will definitely not be everybody's cup of tea.

FWIW, it was directed by Arthur Penn, best known for Bonnie and Clyde.

PS
A Man Called Horse is solid, as is the sequel, Return of A Man Called Horse, both of which, incidentally, are streaming on Prime right now...

[Brownski]

Missouri Breaks is a great movie. Brando is a little distracting and there are elements that don’t work but overall it’s a very good movie. Worth watching for sure.

[Aldo]

I'm not often a fan of British series but I just binged all three seasons of Humans and liked it.

Halfway thru the second episode she goes who recommended this to you?? I quickly replied it’s the guy who makes my skis. I’m sort of your synth dude.


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

[bobz]

Color Out of Space (streaming on Hoopla, though I imagine you can also rent it on Amazon): I liked it, for what it is. Here's the plot: Nicolas Cage and his family live on a farm deep in the woods, raising alpacas and livin' the dream. Then a meteorite lands on their property, and farm life reality proceeds to come more and more unglued. Oh, and Tommy Chong lives in a funky hut nearby; he's unglued even before the meteorite lands, which is why it all kind of makes sense to him.

If an over the top alien-presence horror flick with lots of flashy magenta hues, based on an HP Lovecraft story, and of course starring Nic Cage, sounds like your idea of fun, well then, consider Color Out of Space recommended. Or, if you want a movie with thought provoking sci-fi themes that you can take seriously, then you should probably skip it.

[up an down]

Barbarella ... the movie is ridiculous but has some amusing moments ..And Jane Fonda is hot.

[dookeyXXX]

MOLIERE
I rather enjoyed this satirical period biopic, which is delivered in a wonderfully wry manner, plus is teeming with excellent bouts of thespianism.

[dookeyXXX]

VIVARIUM
If you are game for a giant Twilight Zone-cum-Black Mirror mindfuck, then this little gem sufficiently fits the bill.
A deeply layered examination of suburban hell, this film manages to repeatedly lull you into a false sense of surreal ennui and then bitch slap you into a jarring twist when you least expect it.
Well acted, evenly paced, and teeming with just the right amount of WTFery.




PS
I highly recommend that you also watch the director and screenwriter's short film Foxes, either before or after you watch Vivarium. It actually was the precursor to Vivarium in terms of setting and some of the underlying themes.

[JongDoe]

Wow, goosebumps watching that Vivarium trailer. Gonna check that out this weekend.

[Marshall Tucker]

Watched transsiberian twice. recommended.

[4matic]

The Eurythmics 1983 video album. Annie Lennox. Wow. Talent
https://www.amazon.com/Eurythmics-Sw...o%2C203&sr=1-1

[Marshall Tucker]

^ yeah i remember thinking a lot of them/her in the day. Missionary man was a great song.

he's got god on his side and the saints and apostles backing up from behind....

[dookeyXXX]

Watched this subdued French thriller last night:

THE BRIDESMAID
This s a slowburn affair dripping with ennui laden menace and a detached unhingedness.
It unfolds as a deceptively innocuous family drama with a wicked twist on the boy-meets-girl trope.
The set-up is brilliant and deftly sly, with director/co-screenwriter Chabrol weaving a rich suburban tale about love, obsession, and acceptance that keeps an unnerving sense of weirdness percolating under the surface.

[dookeyXXX]

This looks promising...
Coming to Prime August 5th

[PB]

Sez May 5th .... delayed er sumpin'????

Definitely attractive - hopping for a more gritty, violent Justified.

I'm looking forward to Malkovich's next effort - after a serious slump he seems to be regaining his mojo.

[bobz]

On Kanopy (both of the films mentioned), not Amazon... I watched the recent German film In My Room a couple of weeks ago, and I didn't care much for it, really just too bland a story to justify its preposterous setup. The setup being, that one morning, a guy wakes up to find that he seems to be the only person left on earth, everyone else having flat out disappeared, without nuclear fallout mess or even rotting bodies left behind. So I just watched a much older movie, out of New Zealand, with the same concept, The Quiet Earth, which I can say definitely inspired the newer film (with a few winking references, like where, early on, the guy goes to a familiar house and enters by breaking the glass door). I liked the obscure classic Quiet Earth much better, even if its direction into sci-fi thriller ended up being kind of hokey.