What Have You Watched Recently?

[DShomshak]

I remember Michael Dunn as Alexander, from the ST: TOS episode, "Plato's Stepchildren." Not a great episode, but Alexander was an interestin g character: not just the only dwarf among the normal human-sized Platonians, but the only one who didn't have their telekinetic powers. Which means that since Platonians are near-immortal, Alexander survived more than 2,000 years among people who could kill him with a thought. That means someone with enormous self-control, to withstand millennia of humiliation, and pretty impressive social chops as well. I would like to have seen what became of Alexander after Kirk took him away from the Platonians. I suspect he would have done well.\ and become a notably powerful person in the Federation.

 

Oh -- and the icy contempt with which Alexander finally rebukes the casually sadistic, self-pampering Platonians. I suspect Mr Dunn did not have to dig very deep for that scene.

 

Dean Shomshak

Edited July 21 by DShomshak

[Old Man]

Twisters was pretty good for a sequel.  It nailed the fun pseudoscience feel of the original almost perfectly while updating the story for the Age of Tiktok.  Glen Powell is perfectly cast as the antagonist.  Early credits slideshow, no post credits scene.

[slikmar]

1 minute ago, Old Man said:

Twisters was pretty good for a sequel.  It nailed the fun pseudoscience feel of the original almost perfectly while updating the story for the Age of Tiktok.  Glen Powell is perfectly cast as the antagonist.  Early credits slideshow, no post credits scene.

Is it a sequel? All the previews seemed more like a remake.

[Old Man]

Just now, slikmar said:

Is it a sequel?

 

Barely.

[death tribble]

55 minutes ago, slikmar said:

Is it a sequel? All the previews seemed more like a remake.

One of the tornadoes is the son of the last one in the original and is out for revenge !

[Starlord]

Are there sharks?

[Lord Liaden]

I heard there weren't any cows.

[Logan D. Hurricanes]

Godzilla x Kong is a freaking blast.

The best kind of dumb

[Old Man]

2 hours ago, Lord Liaden said:

I heard there weren't any cows.

 

There's a couple of cows, I guess.

 

But no sharks.

Edited July 23 by Old Man

[Old Man]

No Country For Old Men (2007).  Excellent neo-western-noir film from the Brothers Coen.  Dark in a very Cormac McCarthy way, perhaps because it is a faithful adaptation of a Cormac McCarthy novel.  After my experience reading The Road, I probably would not have bothered watching this film if I'd know where the story was from.  Still, it is brilliantly shot and acted, extremely sparing in dialogue and score in a way that really puts the film on the actors' shoulders.  It's easy to see why Javier Bardem won an Oscar for this one, as he manages to be extraordinarily frightening without even doing or saying much.  It's also easy to see why the movie won Best Picture, even up against There Will Be Blood (which was also excellent and also super dark). 

 

Strongly recommended.  122 minutes, no idea if there are any post-credits scenes since Amazon tried to autoplay The Boys as soon as the movie ended.

[Dr. MID-Nite]

On 7/22/2024 at 8:41 PM, Logan D. Hurricanes said:

Godzilla x Kong is a freaking blast.

The best kind of dumb

 

It's the Godzilla vs Megalon of the Monsterverse.

[L. Marcus]

8 hours ago, Old Man said:

No Country For Old Men (2007).  Excellent neo-western-noir film from the Brothers Coen.  Dark in a very Cormac McCarthy way, perhaps because it is a faithful adaptation of a Cormac McCarthy novel.  After my experience reading The Road, I probably would not have bothered watching this film if I'd know where the story was from.  Still, it is brilliantly shot and acted, extremely sparing in dialogue and score in a way that really puts the film on the actors' shoulders.  It's easy to see why Javier Bardem won an Oscar for this one, as he manages to be extraordinarily frightening without even doing or saying much.  It's also easy to see why the movie won Best Picture, even up against There Will Be Blood (which was also excellent and also super dark). 

 

Strongly recommended.  122 minutes, no idea if there are any post-credits scenes since Amazon tried to autoplay The Boys as soon as the movie ended.

"Hey Lloyd, where'd ya get the gun?"

 

"At the gettin' place."

[death tribble]

Guess what ? Yeah a lot of stuff from me so grab some refreshment and here we go !

 

And Then There Were None

This is the 1945 version of Ten Little Indians by Agatha Christie. Eight people arrive at an isolated island off the coast of Cornwall at the invitation of a Mr Owen. There they are greeted by two servants who explain their host is not present yet. At dinner all eight plus the servants are accused of causing the deaths of others. Then they are picked off one by one. The book's ending is bleak and has only been filmed once for TV in the original version in that everyone dies. This version set in motion that there would be survivors at the end to explain what happens. The other versions may have had more stars in the cast but this is the one that still holds up well. Some things are changed like the name of the first victim and that one person is not the one who committed a crime. But this version is the one to see.

 

The Dark Light

This is about a motor yacht arriving at a lighthouse that is not working so the people onboard investigate. After one of the party finds blood we flash back to find out what happened to the crew. The crew recovered three people who are actually involved in a bank robbery. They wreck the radio and try to get to land despite the efforts of one of the crew to stop them. This is a short, so it is over pretty quick.

 

You Pay Your Money

A married couple get caught up in a smuggling operation which in turn is targeted by another group who want something that is being smuggled in (books). An early role for Honor Blackman, this is another short.

 

Night of the Ghouls

This is an Ed Wood film which means that quality is an afterthought. Bad dialogue ? Check. Bad acting ? Check. Lousy script ? Check. And the same faces as in several of his other films. The police investigate a house which was the site of a mad scientist's experiments after two teenagers are killed by what appears to be a ghost. The house is now owned by a fraud psychic who is trying to bilk rich people out of money as they contact the dead. Said psychic Dr Acula (yes really), has actually managed to raise the dead although he does not know it and they come for him and one of his associates. It is better than some of his work but that ain't saying much.

 

The Adventures of PC 49

This is a film of a policeman who was featured on radio and in the Eagle comic. 49, the improbably named Archibald Berkeley Willoughby, wants to get into plains clothes and due to a shortage of men is seconded into an assignment to find out about truck hi-jackings/robberies. He is aided by his girlfriend, and by finding a piece of origami which leads him to the gang. But the boss of the gang is a surprise as they are the owner of a greasy spoon where the truck drivers take a break.

 

A Case for PC 49

a sequel to the above but none of the cast in the previous one except character actor Michael Ripper playing a different part. 49 is assigned to ensure no-one enters/leaves the apartment of a glamour model who is being threatened by her ex. However she entices him in and her colleague struggles with the ex which leads to his death. Except the whole thing is a put up job. And the colleague is also working with a bunch of thieves who are unhappy with their cut leading to his death. The thieves also grab 49's girlfriend so he goes after them.

 

The Stranger Came Home

A man comes home after four years having recovered from amnesia. On a fishing trip with three others one of them slugged him and tried to kill him. Now he is back and out for retribution. But then one of the three is killed and the police think he did it. Together with his wife he tried to prove his innocence and discover the truth. 

 

Bulldog Drummond's Bride

A bank is robbed and the thief hides in Bulldog Drummond's new flat which is being decorated as one of the workmen. He feigns madness in order to get past the police cordon hiding the proceeds of the robbery in a radio in the flat. However the radio is sent abroad to Phyllis, Drummond's amour, which results in the robbers and Drummond going there to get it. It is not bad.

 

The Wrong Arm of the Law

Peter Sellars and Bernard Cribbins are rival criminal gang leaders who are targeted by three Australian criminals impersonating police officers. They are using inside information provided by Sellars girlfriend. The crooks decide to team up with the police in order to find the fakes who become aware of the impending trap and try to get away. Lionel Jefferies plays the incompetent police inspector Nosey Parker. Well worth a look.

[Logan D. Hurricanes]

Knox Goes Away. Crime drama / human drama directed by and starring Michael Keaton.

A hitman develops rapidly deteriorating dementia (Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease) and has a limited time of awareness left, but there are a few things he needs to do. Excellent movie. Keaton has a real feel for storytelling in front of and behind the camera. 

Also has Pacino and Marcia Gay Harden in smaller roles. James Marsden gives probably his best performance (that I've seen).

[Tech]

Watched the old black and white movie of "Moby Dick". First time seeing it.

[Michael Hopcroft]

On 7/20/2024 at 10:16 AM, Lord Liaden said:

 

Of all the "little person" actors I've seen over the years, Michael Dunn was by far the most talented. He was Oscar-nominated for his supporting role in Ship of Fools, and Tony-nominated for The Ballad of the Sad Café. And he had a beautiful singing voice -- he performed a musical stage show with his long-time friend Phoebe Dorin. He was known as a fascinating raconteur, and a tireless charity worker for children with dwarfism.

 

Died much too young, but with his lifelong health problems that was probably inevitable.

The alcohol probably didn't help -- many if not most of the actors working regularly in Hollywood at the time had some issues with the stuff, so it's not something to hold against him.  The movie came out about 20 years too soon.  If he would take the part, I could see Peter Dinklage as a formidable Loveless. He wouldn't be Dunn's character, because nobody else could have played it the way he did, but he's played ruthless types before who are aware of their limitations and overcome them with brains and guts. 

 

Which in some ways describes Loveless to a T. He is an outcast who has probably gone through a lot, and does not want anyone to suffer what he suffered again. Even when: his goals are laudable, his methods are extreme. Yet Loveless clings tenaciously if not effortlessly to his dignity. "The Night the Wizard Shook the Earth" is a pretty great bit of television, as if the entire episode was designed to showcase this fantastic character who everyone knew would be back. Dunn's performance in that episode is a tour de force, especially for the times. While many WWW villains would twirl their moustaches if they had one, Loveless' thing is that he will take on noble but Quixotic tasks, with an intellect and perseverance that conceals his ruthlessness until it is too late to strike back.

[Lord Liaden]

I'd also like to applaud the cast addition of Richard Kiel as Voltaire, Loveless' principle bodyguard and enforcer. The towering Voltaire provided the physical force and intimidation to complement Loveless' equally towering intellect. Not that Michael Dunn needed Kiel to be intimidating. Loveless' personality was already ten feet tall.

[Michael Hopcroft]

7 hours ago, Lord Liaden said:

I'd also like to applaud the cast addition of Richard Kiel as Voltaire, Loveless' principle bodyguard and enforcer. The towering Voltaire provided the physical force and intimidation to complement Loveless' equally towering intellect. Not that Michael Dunn needed Kiel to be intimidating. Loveless' personality was already ten feet tall.

And Voltaire was also capable of great kindness and great cruelty. He adores Loveless, and would go to the ends of the Earth for him and do anything he commands, but I don't see him as an evil character even thoughhe does some very bad things.

[DShomshak]

I somehow missed Wild Wild West when it was new. You persuade me I should see if the library has it on DVD.

 

Dean Shomshak

[Lord Liaden]

WWW was essentially American James Bond in the Old West. Two special agents reporting directly to President Grant, traveling the country in a customized private train. James West, master fighter with fists or guns, and of course, with his looks and sex appeal. Artemus Gordon, chameleon, master of disguise and accents. Cunning clockwork versions of Q's gadgets. And a parade of colorful Bondian villains with unique quirks and gimmicks, and grandiose schemes. You might be surprised at the "name" actors who guested on this show in their early careers.

 

Tremendous fun.

[Ternaugh]

2 hours ago, DShomshak said:

I somehow missed Wild Wild West when it was new. You persuade me I should see if the library has it on DVD.

 

Dean Shomshak

 

The DVDs are very good. My set has episode introductions by Robert Conrad that gives additional insights on the filming. Amazon has the complete series for $19.99, if your library doesn't have it.

[DShomshak]

The 2024 Paris Olympics Opening Ceremonies, as presented on NBC. Taped it, finally got around to watching it.

 

This is the most bonkers thing I've seen in years. Maybe ever. I imagine the committee brainstorming what should be in the ceremonies starting off with advice to "think outside of the box, dare anything," and ending by saying, "Heck, let's do all of it."

 

Giant heads and golden statues in the Seine? A burning piano? A bridge turned into a haut couture runway, replete with crimes of fashion? Long segments of a hooded figure parkouring the Olympic torch through Paris landmarks, that the people actually attending can't see? Minions?

 

But I will say, the light show around, and deployed from, the Eiffel Tower was magnificent. Celine Dion singing, likewise. And now that I know what she's going through medically, her performance was a victory lap for the human race.

 

Nice to put the team of refugee athletes at the start of the boat parade, right after Greece. Having no country at all, the empty space for their name logically comes before 'A'.

 

The presentation was, however, marred by the vapid interviews and commentary by the NBC presenters. And I did not tune in to see Snoop Dogg. This is to celebrate the athletes -- the whole world's athletes, please, not just the Americans -- and the host country. Other celebrities yammering on is not needed.

 

Dean Shomshak

[slikmar]

12 minutes ago, DShomshak said:

The 2024 Paris Olympics Opening Ceremonies, as presented on NBC. Taped it, finally got around to watching it.

 

This is the most bonkers thing I've seen in years. Maybe ever. I imagine the committee brainstorming what should be in the ceremonies starting off with advice to "think outside of the box, dare anything," and ending by saying, "Heck, let's do all of it."

 

Giant heads and golden statues in the Seine? A burning piano? A bridge turned into a haut couture runway, replete with crimes of fashion? Long segments of a hooded figure parkouring the Olympic torch through Paris landmarks, that the people actually attending can't see? Minions?

 

But I will say, the light show around, and deployed from, the Eiffel Tower was magnificent. Celine Dion singing, likewise. And now that I know what she's going through medically, her performance was a victory lap for the human race.

 

Nice to put the team of refugee athletes at the start of the boat parade, right after Greece. Having no country at all, the empty space for their name logically comes before 'A'.

 

The presentation was, however, marred by the vapid interviews and commentary by the NBC presenters. And I did not tune in to see Snoop Dogg. This is to celebrate the athletes -- the whole world's athletes, please, not just the Americans -- and the host country. Other celebrities yammering on is not needed.

 

Dean Shomshak

Your last comment is similar to an annoyance I had. This seems to only be a problem on the main NBC channel. so, 9:30am pacific time, watching the women's gymnastics team finals, that was only on this channel or streamed. 8 teams  in pairs of 2 on each apparatus rotating - USA/ITALY, BRASIL/CHINA (the 2 teams expected to give USA a run for their money), ROMANIA/JAPAN and GREAT BRITAIN/CANADA. So the coverage was so USA centric, that we saw the Brazilians maybe 6 times, mostly when they were failing, China a few less also when failing, 1 Canadian, 2 GBs, Italy we actually saw a few more times because when they were on USA weren't and saw NO Japanese or Romanian gymnasts. There were times when the camera would sit on the American performer sitting waiting for her score (Simone got this the most, but not only one) while you know other stuff was going on. Silly me, even as an American, wanting to maybe watch all the teams compete.

[Starlord]

Points for trying something new.  The athlete's traveling by boat and incorporating the most beautiful/famous sites of Paris was interesting.  However, the different performances at the different areas were mostly meh at best and it suffered from clearly being something you could only enjoy on tv and didnt pull it off very well.  This wasn't anywhere close to Beijing or Rio...probably should have kept it in a stadium.

[csyphrett]

Watched JLU as the Justice Guild die to save the world, Etrigan lends a hand against Morgan le Fay, Metamorpho is created by mutation, and the JL, Blackhawks, and Easy Company save the world from Vandal Savage.

CES