Following from Bubba Ho-Tep...
Buckaroo Banzai (W.D. Richter, 1984)
Full title: The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension, but I can never remember all that. I knew full well the cult quality of this movie, mostly thanks to the numerous easter eggs laying around the various iterations of Star Trek, but I'd never actually seen it. Even though I'm a Peter Weller fan (and I don't have a justification for THAT either). Anyway, I can see the cultishness in it, and repeat viewings are certainly rewarding, but it didn't capture my imagination THAT much. The DVD does a good job, however, of making it seem like there's a lot more to the Buckaroo Banzai universe (as the film did). I like it as the movie version of a comic you pick up mid-run, with no context of what's going on, but that it still undeniably cool. And you can't argue with the famous line: "No matter where you go... there you are."
Bullitt (Peter Yates, 1968)
Bullitt had always been on the periphery of my DVD buying: There were copies of the film in every 10$ bin, and I was aware of its place in movie history, with its first "modern" chase scene. But I took the plunge last year when Steve McQueen boxed sets came out at quite a low price, one of which included Bullitt (plus The Getaway, The Cincinnati Kid, and some lesser films). Yes, good chase scene, great performances, and a plot that probably doesn't stand up to scrutiny. It's the 60s equivalent of a Guy Ritchie caper.
Carrie (Brian De Palma, 1976)
I don't own a lot of horror films, and I'm especially not a fan of Stephen King's, but Carrie is my "roommate movie". My girl Gwen is the Catch Phrase Queen and someone I used to watch a lot of old movies with (I still remember an Omen marathon that ended at 4 in the morning). 4-5 years later, Gwen is still doing "They're all gonna laugh at you!" in Piper Laurie's creepy voice, and "crazy Carrie, crazy Carrie" as performed by De Palma's grandson on a bike. Later, Carrie became associated with another roommate, Carolynn, who always worked the hardest on her Halloween costumes:
She was orange for days.
Casino (Martin Scorsese, 1995)
Already discussed in a recent Geekly Roundup. Purchased as a push towards getting more Scorsese films in my collection, along with Mean Streets and The Departed. Regardless, Goodfellas remains my favorite, that hasn't changed. My next Scorsese buy will probably be Raging Bull, which, believe it or not, I've never seen. But will it dethrone Goodfellas? I doubt it.
Casino Royale (Martin Campbell, 2006)
After seeing it in theaters, I posted an interesting Multiple James Bond Theory and knew this would become the first (only?) Bond film in my collection. I've been asking myself whether I should invest in more, but the answer always comes back negative. I wonder why. Personally? I blame Moonraker.
But what did YOU think? Next: Challenge of the Super-Friends to Clerks.
Buckaroo Banzai (W.D. Richter, 1984)Full title: The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension, but I can never remember all that. I knew full well the cult quality of this movie, mostly thanks to the numerous easter eggs laying around the various iterations of Star Trek, but I'd never actually seen it. Even though I'm a Peter Weller fan (and I don't have a justification for THAT either). Anyway, I can see the cultishness in it, and repeat viewings are certainly rewarding, but it didn't capture my imagination THAT much. The DVD does a good job, however, of making it seem like there's a lot more to the Buckaroo Banzai universe (as the film did). I like it as the movie version of a comic you pick up mid-run, with no context of what's going on, but that it still undeniably cool. And you can't argue with the famous line: "No matter where you go... there you are."
Bullitt (Peter Yates, 1968)Bullitt had always been on the periphery of my DVD buying: There were copies of the film in every 10$ bin, and I was aware of its place in movie history, with its first "modern" chase scene. But I took the plunge last year when Steve McQueen boxed sets came out at quite a low price, one of which included Bullitt (plus The Getaway, The Cincinnati Kid, and some lesser films). Yes, good chase scene, great performances, and a plot that probably doesn't stand up to scrutiny. It's the 60s equivalent of a Guy Ritchie caper.
Carrie (Brian De Palma, 1976)I don't own a lot of horror films, and I'm especially not a fan of Stephen King's, but Carrie is my "roommate movie". My girl Gwen is the Catch Phrase Queen and someone I used to watch a lot of old movies with (I still remember an Omen marathon that ended at 4 in the morning). 4-5 years later, Gwen is still doing "They're all gonna laugh at you!" in Piper Laurie's creepy voice, and "crazy Carrie, crazy Carrie" as performed by De Palma's grandson on a bike. Later, Carrie became associated with another roommate, Carolynn, who always worked the hardest on her Halloween costumes:
She was orange for days.
Casino (Martin Scorsese, 1995)Already discussed in a recent Geekly Roundup. Purchased as a push towards getting more Scorsese films in my collection, along with Mean Streets and The Departed. Regardless, Goodfellas remains my favorite, that hasn't changed. My next Scorsese buy will probably be Raging Bull, which, believe it or not, I've never seen. But will it dethrone Goodfellas? I doubt it.
Casino Royale (Martin Campbell, 2006)After seeing it in theaters, I posted an interesting Multiple James Bond Theory and knew this would become the first (only?) Bond film in my collection. I've been asking myself whether I should invest in more, but the answer always comes back negative. I wonder why. Personally? I blame Moonraker.
But what did YOU think? Next: Challenge of the Super-Friends to Clerks.
Comments
Why?
1) Bond was too cold, too angry. The Bond I like is like a fox: cunning, handsome and cool. This Bond is like a wolf, or a hawk, cold efficient killer.
2) Too many plot twists in the end. I watched the ending at least three times, and it seems everyone except Bond and M is a double-agent.
3) Don't get me started on that Digitalis intoxication scene...
Just my 0,02$
To add to the Doc's list of over-the-top elements, I was totally turned off by the unrealistic poker scenes.
LOVED the foot chase/city jumping though. I'd watch the whole movie again just for that scene.
James Bond used to be an inside joke, like the 60s Batman show. Except it lasted wayyyyy too long.
Doc: 1) That's what he is. The other movies make him seem callous (because killing is a joke to him). Killing is not a joke. And this Bond knows that.
2) The plot is INTRICATE, but the "twists" are not gratuitous, IMO. Three times for a film you didn't really like?
3) Well, medicine is often butchered on film.
Pout: Expectations are the devil. I can't for the life of me evaluate something based on how it matched against my expectations. And again, this is truer to Fleming's vision that ANY previous Bond film.
It's like John Boucher trashing Batman Begins because the Joker wasn't Batman's parents' killer. Johnner, I love you, but TIM BURTON IS THE ONE WHO HAD IT WRONG!
Where's Bass when I need him?
As for the rest of the Bond films, as much as I love them they feel almost hollow to me now, as the most recent one had such an effect on me.
I have no hesitation in recommending Raging Bull as Scorcese's best work. I avoided it for a long time because I'd heard how utterly horrible the protagonist was meant to be, and believe me, he really is. But the extent to which you find yourself empathising with him is absolutely extraordinary, with the film as a whole remarkably engaging. I'd advise picking it up as soon as possible.
The ENTIRE Batman series was awful! Burton didn’t rape my childhood… he raped Batman! From getting the bat emblem wrong on the suit, to making the Joker the Wayne’s killer to killing off the Joker. IT WAS WRONG! From start to finish. But then… sequels came in the picture… And started building on the Tim Burcrap stuff.
Same thing happened to Bond. In Dr.No, there are hardly any gimmicks, there are no gadgets, and Bond is tough. It was in the sequels that the trouble started, the gimmicks came into play and the gadgets started flying. And like photocopying a photocopy… the results got worst.
I wont even start on Superman. Especially Kriptonite dynamics…
What I’m saying is…
Movie Reboots are essential for the characters in these stories. They need to be celebrated not caricatured. Great characters are works of art and should be treated as such.
To respect a character, is to strip it down to the grit, and let is shine in it’s own light, not in someone else’s interpretation of the character.
Where I disagree is that I believe they should be taken back to basics occasionally to actually encourage reinterpretation. It's been said many times that the concept of Batman is strong enough to carry a comedic pop-art show, pulp action, or a Tim burton fairy tale. This is how the appeal of these characters endures.
-Adam West Batman: Goofy, harmless fun.
-Michael Keaton: Not my favorite vision, but there's some good stuff in there. Tim Burton's vision inspired the cartoon and a lot of other superhero movies/tv (for better or worse).
-Kilmer/Clooney: A sad way to sell toys, a noisy mess.
-Animated Batman: Probably best of the best.
-"The" Batman animated show: More SF and gadgety than the previous show's noir take, but enjoyable.
-Batman Begins: Excellent.
As far as "in the spirit of" goes, just how do you gauge that given that comics have given us the Golden Age gun totter, Haney's hipster doofus, Morrison's JLA powerhouse, Miller's dark crimefighter, O'Neil's international traveller, etc, etc. But choosing a vision (or crafting your own), you must now execute it well (in character, plot, atmosphere, etc.).
Oh, and sorry if you've posted on this already, but given your wonderful ongoing series of star trek recaps, what do you think of all the recent casting news about the new film? Or am I opening a can of worms in asking? (:
Thanks for the recommendations Cinephile.
No can of Star Trek worms, don't worry. I'm only peripherally aware of the "Reboot Movie", since information is pretty bare (I still remember how First Contact, then Star Trek Assimilation, had this whole plot with Lwaxana Troi, Q and the Borg homeworld... I don't put much faith is pre-release information).
Zachary Quinto is set to play Spock (I haven't heard of any other casting). He's got the look, certainly. I think he can sell it.
JJ Abrams as director has nothing in his resume that impresses me, but more worryingly, we've got a screenplay by Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci (Transformers, MI3). All three met while producing Alias, I guess, but those movies are not known for their good screenplays, you know?