What are ya watch'n [MOVIES]

[Kraken]

Four Christmases (2008) Reese Witherspoon, Vince Vaughn, and a whole lot of other names you'll know. A really strong cast has a weak script to work with. I mean, Carol Kane didn't even get any lines! It's a holiday-movie cash grab that deserves obscurity. Streaming on Hulu, but leaving soon, in case you want to watch it for some masochistic reason.

[Brian]

Four Christmases (2008) Reese Witherspoon, Vince Vaughn, and a whole lot of other names you'll know. A really strong cast has a weak script to work with. I mean, Carol Kane didn't even get any lines! It's a holiday-movie cash grab that deserves obscurity. Streaming on Hulu, but leaving soon, in case you want to watch it for some masochistic reason.

We saw it in the theater when it came out. It was a work sponsored event so it was free.
The worst part about it was after the movie ended and the lights came up, I looked around and was shocked at how the theater was absolutely trashed!!
I was absolutely embarrassed at the state my co-workers left that place. Popcorn every where, soda cups spilled, nobody took anything to the trash. I felt so bad for the theater crew that had to clean up that mess.
I raised the issue with one of the VPs of the company but never heard anything more about it.
Personally, if I was the head of a company that did that, I would likely have had some harsh words for the employees at the next company wide meeting.

People suck, I guess.

[Daehawk]

I think as a kid or teen Ive left a cup. But not since growing up. Always took it to the garbage as we left. I always hated a sticky movie floor.

[Zaxxon]

Some time after seeing Wicked, the soundtrack still hasn't left my head. It may not be next year--the Oscars love to hold most of their rewards for the final movie in a multi-part series--but it seems to me like Cynthia Erivo has surel-EGOT this thing wrapped up at some point. Fun fact: if she were to get an Oscar in 2025 or 2026, she'd be the youngest EGOTter so far.

Minutes 5-7 of Defying Gravity (required to be played at a loud volume)...

[AWS260]

My wife made me watch the Netflix Hallmark Christmas movie Hot Frosty. A snow sculpture of a hot young guy comes to life with a magic scarf and starts a relationship with a struggling widower in a small town. I'm not worried about spoilers; every one of you already knows exactly how this movie goes.

It was harmless cuteness. Even though I wanted to hate watch it, Craig Robinson and Joe Lo Truglio as the bumbling cops made it impossible to truly dislike.

I am now a Hot Frosty veteran as well. Regrettably, it is more bland than entertainingly terrible. Stick with A Karate Christmas Miracle for a so-bad-it's-fun holiday movie.

[Daehawk]

I see Hot Frosty stars Lacey Chabert...one of my favorites little hotties ..She is a doll and 5'2". 42 now..times a'fly'n

[Max Peck]

I watched Becky today. There was a certain sad irony in seeing a Redbox Entertainment flick streaming on Netflix.

Kevin James was unrecognizable as the main antogonist, and not just because of the beard and shaved head. I've only seen him playing jovial characters in comedies and had no idea it was him until I checked out the cast info after finishing the movie.

[YellowKing]

We watched Carry-On last night (Netflix). I mainly tuned in because I like seeing Jason Bateman play bad guys, and he's terrific as usual in this one. Aside from that, though, this quickly becomes an incomprehensible series of head-scratching circumstances that require a supreme suspension of disbelief. It's entertaining enough for a popcorn flick, just don't try to rationalize anything any of the characters do.

[Max Peck]

I followed up yesterday's movie with the sequel, The Wrath of Becky. If you liked seeing a 13-year-old girl massacre some neo-Nazis in the first film, you'll love seeing her fuck up some Proud Boys, er, "Noble Men" in the follow-up.

Two thumbs up, great fun for the whole family.

[YellowKing]

We just got back from Nosferatu and I loved it. Eggers manages to pay homage to all the versions of the Dracula tale that have been put on film before, while simultaneously putting forth a bold take that brings the "monster" back to vampire stories. Lily Rose-Depp is incredible, and the cinematography is top-notch. Eggers films many scenes with washed out grays, blacks, and whites to give it the appearance of a black and white film even though it's in color. You can tell this is a guy with a really deep love of the original film.

My daughter absolutely hated it, but she's 15 and has little patience with slow-burn arthouse films.

[Kraken]

My daughter absolutely hated it, but she's 15 and has little patience with slow-burn arthouse films.

This might be the most ringing endorsement I've read yet.

[ImLawBoy]

We watched Red One last night, and I must say I was pleasantly entertained. You had Chris Evans playing against type as a sleazy criminal, The Rock being....The Rock, and J.K. Simmons playing the most ripped Santa Claus in cinematic history. The lore was fun, it had a good message, what's not to love? I think it's only real flaw was being a touch too long, but other than that it's a film I'd like to see a sequel for. Sign me up for Red Two.

I think the critics were overly harsh on it, which is a shame. I think it will find success on streaming though. (Case in point, RT critic score is 30% while the audience score is a whopping 90%!)

Watched it with the kids when it came on Prime. It's not something I would watch on my own, but was fun with the family. I was surprised considering the headline for the review in the Chicago Tribune was that it was "everything that is wrong with Hollywood".

I also watched Blood Simple for the first time in ages. Not so much a family movie, but still a great one. The Coen Brothers set a high bar with their first feature. I was really impressed this time with the simple but effective score.

[Eel Snave]

We just got back from Nosferatu and I loved it. Eggers manages to pay homage to all the versions of the Dracula tale that have been put on film before, while simultaneously putting forth a bold take that brings the "monster" back to vampire stories. Lily Rose-Depp is incredible, and the cinematography is top-notch. Eggers films many scenes with washed out grays, blacks, and whites to give it the appearance of a black and white film even though it's in color. You can tell this is a guy with a really deep love of the original film.

My daughter absolutely hated it, but she's 15 and has little patience with slow-burn arthouse films.

We were so impressed with it. The sound design is especially UGGGGHHH. The sounds of

Spoiler:

Orlok swallowing her blood at the end

haunt my dreams.

[Isgrimnur]

the headline for the review in the Chicago Tribune was that it was "everything that is wrong with Hollywood".

‘Red One’ review: Santa smackdown is everything that’s wrong with Hollywood moviemaking. Merry Christmas.

And proceeds to not talk about the industry in any detail.

Some films go wrong in post-production. Some films go wrong in production. Some films go wrong before production, at various points where the script could’ve been saved. And some films, like “Red One,” start from a premise (producer Hiram Garcia gets a story credit here) that wasn’t right from the beginning.
...
So how’s the spectacle? Well, the flying-souped-up-Santa’s-sleigh digital effects, featuring eight reindeer and their glowing antlers, do not suggest a movie made for an estimated $250 million. Even the beach scenes filmed in Hawaii don’t look like actual tropical anything; they’re lit poorly enough to recall some disposable Netflix romcom. Screenwriter Chris Morgan wrote or co-wrote seven of the “Fast & Furious” movies, and brings the same pummeling gigantism of that franchise’s recent entries to this tale. In “Red One” he devotes a lot of time to repairing the broken relationship between Evans’ selfish dad and the isolated son (Wesley Kimmel, nephew of Jimmy) he barely knows. That plotline may well help put “Red One” over with undemanding audiences. Bad or good, naughty or nice, the industry needs hits right about now. It does not need a two-hour distress signal from a Hollywood that has lost its mojo.

[hepcat]

We just got back from Nosferatu and I loved it. Eggers manages to pay homage to all the versions of the Dracula tale that have been put on film before, while simultaneously putting forth a bold take that brings the "monster" back to vampire stories. Lily Rose-Depp is incredible, and the cinematography is top-notch. Eggers films many scenes with washed out grays, blacks, and whites to give it the appearance of a black and white film even though it's in color. You can tell this is a guy with a really deep love of the original film.

My daughter absolutely hated it, but she's 15 and has little patience with slow-burn arthouse films.

We were so impressed with it. The sound design is especially UGGGGHHH. The sounds of

Spoiler:

Orlok swallowing her blood at the end

haunt my dreams.

Saw it after work this afternoon.

I liked it quite a bit, but a few things kept it from being a standout film for me.

Spoiler:

One was Orlock’s voice. At first I found it a tad silly. Then I got used to it and just got annoyed at the times when I couldn’t make out what he was saying.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson, who I usually like, came across as someone parodying an aristocrat most of the time. But the rest of the cast was fantastic. Can we just give Simon McBurney a best supporting actor Oscar right now?

And Orlock’s staying until dawn at the end felt less than earned. In Herzog’s version, you understand that the vampire was tricked into it. In this, it seemed like just an idiotic mistake on his part. I think having Dafoe explain it would happen right before it happened took some of the power out of it too.

But it really is an amazingly crafted film. Every scene is beautifully shot. And the tribute paid to the original (the creeping shadow of Orlock’s hand crossing the city) was fun. The decision to portray Orlock as more of a corpse than an outright monster was fantastic too.

Oh, and showing Orlock drinking blood more like a leech than a classic vampire was a stroke of genius. That one small change drove home the belief that Orlock is a parasite.

Also, I wasn’t expecting that Nandor cameo!

[Hipolito]

I've now seen The Substance. Sanity update:
.
.
.
There was also a memorable scene in a diner with another actor, who looks familiar but I don't know his name. I looked at the movie's IMDB page but couldn't identify him; maybe he's uncredited. If anyone sees this movie and can recognize the old man in the diner--the one who drops his wallet, spills all his cards, and talks about feeling more lonely every day--let me know.

I've just learned that the role of "Man at Diner" was played by Christian Erickson. He also portrayed Lance Boyle, the memorable game show host of the otherwise awful 90s video game MegaRace.

[Punisher]

We just got back from Nosferatu and I loved it. Eggers manages to pay homage to all the versions of the Dracula tale that have been put on film before, while simultaneously putting forth a bold take that brings the "monster" back to vampire stories. Lily Rose-Depp is incredible, and the cinematography is top-notch. Eggers films many scenes with washed out grays, blacks, and whites to give it the appearance of a black and white film even though it's in color. You can tell this is a guy with a really deep love of the original film.

My daughter absolutely hated it, but she's 15 and has little patience with slow-burn arthouse films.

We were so impressed with it. The sound design is especially UGGGGHHH. The sounds of

Spoiler:

Orlok swallowing her blood at the end

haunt my dreams.

Saw it after work this afternoon.

I liked it quite a bit, but a few things kept it from being a standout film for me.

Spoiler:

One was Orlock’s voice. At first I found it a tad silly. Then I got used to it and just got annoyed at the times when I couldn’t make out what he was saying.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson, who I usually like, came across as someone parodying an aristocrat most of the time. But the rest of the cast was fantastic. Can we just give Simon McBurney a best supporting actor Oscar right now?

And Orlock’s staying until dawn at the end felt less than earned. In Herzog’s version, you understand that the vampire was tricked into it. In this, it seemed like just an idiotic mistake on his part. I think having Dafoe explain it would happen right before it happened took some of the power out of it too.

But it really is an amazingly crafted film. Every scene is beautifully shot. And the tribute paid to the original (the creeping shadow of Orlock’s hand crossing the city) was fun. The decision to portray Orlock as more of a corpse than an outright monster was fantastic too.

Oh, and showing Orlock drinking blood more like a leech than a classic vampire was a stroke of genius. That one small change drove home the belief that Orlock is a parasite.

Also, I wasn’t expecting that Nandor cameo!

Spoiler if needed but..
Was ot the actual Nandor as a vampire, the actor in a separate role or the actor in a separate vampire roll?
I obviously love Lazlo but Nandor is a close second. Mostly due to his accent. Something about it is charismatic as hell.

[YellowKing]

If there's one thing Eggers is a stickler for, it's historical accuracy, audience reaction be damned. I admire that, and it's what I think made his vision of Nosferatu so great.

[hepcat]

Also, I wasn’t expecting that Nandor cameo!

Spoiler if needed but..
Was ot the actual Nandor as a vampire, the actor in a separate role or the actor in a separate vampire roll?
I obviously love Lazlo but Nandor is a close second. Mostly due to his accent. Something about it is charismatic as hell.

Sorry, poor attempt at a joke.

[Punisher]

Also, I wasn’t expecting that Nandor cameo!

Spoiler if needed but..
Was ot the actual Nandor as a vampire, the actor in a separate role or the actor in a separate vampire roll?
I obviously love Lazlo but Nandor is a close second. Mostly due to his accent. Something about it is charismatic as hell.

Sorry, poor attempt at a joke.

Damn you!
Don't ever joke about Nandor or any of the crew like that!

[Rumpy]

We went out to see A Complete Unknown on Wednesday, and it was amazing. It captures well the essense of the 60's folk scene and both Edward Norton as Pete Seeger and Chalumet as Dylan are brilliantly cast. And then there's the singing; they all did their own singing and it's an incredible experience. I almost feel sorry for the fact that this movie was released so early in the year, as most will likely have forgotten this movie by the time the Oscars come around, but the cast and director need to get their dues and I hope they get them.

[hepcat]

The other thing is that in 2025, Chalumet will be starring in approximately 1 movie a week. So by Oscar time, there will be at least 47 other movies to select from for what will be renamed The Chalumet Award.

He's the James Franco of the new generation.

[Rumpy]

Is that your prediction?

[hepcat]

I just checked the release schedule for movies in 2025 and I was wrong. It's closer to 63.

[Isgrimnur]

Wife and I watched John Wick Chapte4r 4 last night.

[Jaymann]

Based on a YT review, I sought out Red Rooms, a psychological horror movie of the digital age. It is French-Canadian, so you have to be willing to follow subtitles. Not a big chore since the story is not hard to follow and the culture is accessible. Not for the squeamish, though the horrific parts are not conveyed graphically, but rather by showing facial reactions to witnessing the horror.

The motivations of the protagonist can be murky, and some of her actions are a bit baffling. But I like how it doesn't rub your nose in it and leaves you to draw some of your own conclusions. 7/8 bit coins.

[YellowKing]

Red Rooms was one of my favorite horror films of 2024.

I just finished Joker: Folie a Deux. I loved the first one, and I didn't mind the musical elements. I also adore Lady Gaga. But I just didn't get this one. While I know the bleakness of it is probably realistic, it's not necessarily something I want to be reminded of. Especially heading into 2025.

[Isgrimnur]

the horrific parts are not conveyed graphically, but rather by showing facial reactions to witnessing the horror.

Sounds perfect for Daehawk.

[hepcat]

Plus, he can then watch a reaction video of people reacting to people reacting to violence on screen!

[Jaymann]

It's reactions all the way down.

[Isgrimnur]

Reactception.

[hepcat]

I'm not sure how to react to that.

[Isgrimnur]

When you are, make sure to film it.

[hepcat]

I want someone to make an unboxing video at my funeral.

[hentzau]

This weekend I had a chance to go to see Rio Bravo at the Music Box theater here in Chicago. Rio Bravo is one of my all-time favorite Westerns, and probably in my top 10-15 movies. It was great seeing it on the big screen with an appreciative audience, even though the print was pretty beat up. Especially disappointing was the final reel, which was way too dark. Still had a great time. For those that don't know, Howard Hawks and John Wayne remade this movie two other times, in El Dorado and Rio Lobo, but this one was the first and the best (IMO).

I've been on a bit of a Howard Hawks kick, just last week I stumbled across a charming little movie on Prime called "Ball of Fire" with Barbary Stanwyck and Gary Cooper. I really enjoyed this one, mostly for the TONS of character actors you see through movies in the 30's and 40's that played the group of socially awkward academics.

The Music Box is doing a full Howard Hawks retrospective through January and February. Later in the series they're doing 3 other movies I hope to make it to, His Girl Friday, Bringing Up Baby, and To Have and Have Not.

[Eel Snave]

Also, I wasn’t expecting that Nandor cameo!

You really are the most devious bastard in all of Wiiisbooooorg, Germany.

[Torfish]

This weekend I saw Nosferatu and like many others I thought it was very good. Loved pretty much everything about it.

[hepcat]

Also, I wasn’t expecting that Nandor cameo!

You really are the most devious bastard in all of Wiiisbooooorg, Germany.

Tooo-Sahn, Air-a-zone-ya!

[Punisher]

Red Rooms was one of my favorite horror films of 2024.

I just finished Joker: Folie a Deux. I loved the first one, and I didn't mind the musical elements. I also adore Lady Gaga. But I just didn't get this one. While I know the bleakness of it is probably realistic, it's not necessarily something I want to be reminded of. Especially heading into 2025.

Yeah, we thought the same.
After the fact I read an theory that in reality there were no actual music numbers and MOST of the film is just in Arthur's head and/or the way he is interpreting his reality.
If so, it should have been cleaer.

[Jeff V]

Now that Sonic 3 is out, I'll probably be compelled by the kids to go see it.

And a few days ago, we did.