Blu-ray thumbs

[Johann]

THE BREAKFAST CLUB (1985)


80’s Gold.
This very basic and simple film defined a generation.
John Hughes directs Emilio Estevez, Ally Sheedy, Molly Ringwald, Anthony Michael Hall and Judd Nelson in THE coming-of-age movie.
5 students are sent to detention on a Saturday.
They have unique personalities and outlooks. They are thrown together, and by day’s end they bond.
Part of the fun of the movie is the vice-principal, who’s a dick.
The kids manage to avoid their essay assignment, smoke pot, and generally skirt their punishments.
Eminently watchable classic film.

[Chris Knipp]

Rewatched recently because a new movie inspired by it was coming out, Nicholas Celozzi's The Class (2022). Nothing compares with Hughes. Peter and I share the taste.

[Johann]

Yes, John Hughes is special.
I read that John Cusack was going to play Bender, but Hughes felt he didn’t look menacing enough.

[Chris Knipp]

Good decision.

[Johann]

THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT (2010)


Annette Bening and Julianne Moore star as a lesbian couple who’ve successfully raised two kids.
The kids are curious about their father (Mark Ruffalo), and track him down via the sperm bank.
They meet, they hit it off and he goes to dinner with the moms.
He’s charming and attentive, something Julianne feels is lacking in her marriage.
She eventually kisses him, in an awkward moment. Things lead to a sexual fling, defying her lesbian marriage. This movie focuses on marriage in general, it’s not a statement or manifesto.
There is no movie like this, and It’s topical, addressing real world problems.
Golden globe winner for Bening!
Directed by Lisa Cholodenko.

[Chris Knipp]

I reviewed it at the time. I found the acting excellent, but thought it got mired in detail. It was popular with some, and a critical hit.

[Johann]

You go into great detail (with accuracy) about the film.
I’m not particularly drawn to such a movie but I’m glad I saw it.
Ebert noted that marriage is unnatural, that we are not raised to co-habitate with another adult!

[Johann]

UNFORGIVEN (1992)


"I'm here to kill you Little Bill. For what you did to Ned".


Clint Eastwood's masterpiece.
See it at all costs. It's the story of a farmer with a bad past who does one more killing job for money.
This won 4 Oscars, including best picture and director and supporting actor for Gene Hackman.
Hackman is thoroughly loathsome as Sherriff "Little Bill" Daggett.
Morgan Freeman shines as Ned, Eastwood's pal. And even the guy who plays the Schofield Kid is great.
One of the best westerns you'll ever see.

[Johann]

TAKERS (2010)



One of the best heist films you'll ever see.
A group of professional bank robbers pull off spectacular robberies- the opening one is great, the last one unbelievable.
Idris Elba is the leader, and they make a hasty plan with "Ghost", an ex-con to pull off a major heist involving C-4 and armoured trucks. Problem is Ghost involves too many people, including the russian mob. The heist gets pulled off, but not without hitches; 2 LAPD cops are on their trail and the russians are seriously pissed off, leading to a bombastic (slow-motion!) shootout at the Roosevelt Hotel.
Of note is a really exciting hot pursuit chase of Chris Brown- very well shot and edited!
Well worth your time.
I'd never heard of this film until today.

[Chris Knipp]

I'm glad you liked it. I went to it for the cast which included Hayden Christensen, Matt Dillon. It didn't get particularly good reviews at the time, to put it mildly: Metascroe 45%.

[Johann]

AEON FLUX (2005)


Karyn Kusama’s futuristic film about the last city and an underground operative named Aeon is not that interesting.
I remember the anime being much more exciting and visceral.
Charlize Theron is the emotionless Aeon Flux, fighting her way thru oppressive situations.
It looks ok- they had some vision for the production design and costumes and weapons.
The problem is a lot happens and we’re not engaged…

[Chris Knipp]

Metacritic rating 36%!
https://www.metacritic.com/movie/aon-flux

[Johann]

Accurate.
This film is bad. It lacks coherence!

[Johann]

THE WOLFMAN (2010)




I can't believe that this was a box office bomb.
Loved it.
Joe Johnson directs Benicio del Toro, Anthony Hopkins and Hugo Weaving in this gothic atmospheric film.
It won a well deserved Oscar for best makeup. The creature is rendered extremely well.
The movie really takes off after Benicio is attacked by the werewolf.
Two thumbs up!

[Chris Knipp]

Probably many enjoyed it and will do. But look at Metacritic (as I do) and you'll glimpse why critics didn't, finding it a "totally unnecessary remake", contains "little genuine human emotion," and off-puttingly "races through its opening scenes," despite good points such as makeup, for a score of 43% but ratings at the top of 75 and 63; nothing higher. It may also be though that the horror genre lacks caché despite its current appeal.