Released late in 2015, This crossover Western/Horror film was shot right about the same time as Quentin Tarantino's "Hateful Eight", and Kurt Russel sports the same wonderful mustache in both to wonderful effect.
I heard about this film from the crew at the "F! This Movie" Podcast in their 2015 movie roundup. It clearly had an impact on the host, Patrick Bromely, but was so well spoken about that I knew I would have to track it down. It appeared on Netflix sometime later, and I took advantage of the break over Christmas this year to watch.
I knew that there was one scene in there that was of particular noteworthiness. A scene that was so graphically intense, the phrase "I can never un-see that" had been used about it more than once.
Now, I'm not a big horror fan. The classic slasher films (Friday the 13th, Nightmare on Elm St. etc) have no appeal to me. Buy there's something about the crossover of genres that makes me take a look. I have had wonderful fun watching "Shawn of the Dead" and "Cabin in the Woods". I had more fun in "CABIN" than I really should have, since I hadn't seen any of the referenced films, but I knew enough about them to get much of the referenced material. (And now my wife and I attend the occasional "Horror and Tequila" nights with friends of our, where we screen some campy horror movie and make jokes as the screen so prolifically that between the rewinding to hear dialogue we talked over and stopping to get more tequila, a 90 minute movie takes about 3 hours.)
So, Bone Tomahawk was a Horror/Western crossover, and with Kurt Russel heading up the cast, AND with strong recommendations from F! This Movie, I had to check it out. It is a surprisingly good western: Good characters, good dialogue, good acting, good cinematography. But overlaid with a very graphic, bloody, violent story element that it's not for the easily queasy.
AND... that scene you can never un-see? Yup. never unseeable. Pretty much the most horriffic death-at-the-hands-of-cannibals scene ever. It shows up on several "10 most brutal death/most violent death/most horriffic death scene" lists on the internet. A quick google will let you see one minute you may never forget.
All that said, If that's your thing, I recommend this film.
Sunday, January 15, 2017
#13 - Independence Day: Resurgence
Ah, Lucky number 13.
I have no problem with the number 13. I was born on the 13th. As luck a number for me as any other. (Probability & Statistics not withstanding).
I remember seeing Independence Day back in 1996. My wife and I had just moved to Calgary that weekend. We hadn't even moved in to our house yet. And She was 6 months pregnant with our first child. But here's this big blockbuster Roland Emmerich. So we went. Besides, there's the added bonus of the actors Jeff Goldblum AND Brent Spiner. What's not to like?
Cinemasins frequently puts out their "everything wrong with..." series of YouTube videos (most enjoyable: check them out) and Independence Day was as guilty of plot-holes and general goofiness as any Hollywood film, but it was fun, and I liked it. Will Smith is also a "take-him-or-leave-him" actor, but his on my "like him" list, so it make for a good time.
20 years later, the creative team decided that this was a milk-able franchise. At least, that's the way it feels. The followup story is weak, the writing was unmemorable, and lead actors mostly wasted. Jeff Goldblum drops some cheeky one-liners here and there, which he;s good at, but they're not particularly good, and mostly given away in the trailers. Brent Spiner's Dr. Okun, a wacky scientist at the Area 51 lab, who was given up for dead in the original film, reappears freshly awoken from a long coma, and within hours is leading the revitalized research program, still wearing his open-back hospital gown. Stuff like this stretches the suspension of disbelief to its breaking point.
Ugh. Bill Pullman: wasted. Judd Hirsch: wasted. Jeff Goldblum and Brent Spiner: Wasted.
Two Hours: Wasted.
I have no problem with the number 13. I was born on the 13th. As luck a number for me as any other. (Probability & Statistics not withstanding).
I remember seeing Independence Day back in 1996. My wife and I had just moved to Calgary that weekend. We hadn't even moved in to our house yet. And She was 6 months pregnant with our first child. But here's this big blockbuster Roland Emmerich. So we went. Besides, there's the added bonus of the actors Jeff Goldblum AND Brent Spiner. What's not to like?
Cinemasins frequently puts out their "everything wrong with..." series of YouTube videos (most enjoyable: check them out) and Independence Day was as guilty of plot-holes and general goofiness as any Hollywood film, but it was fun, and I liked it. Will Smith is also a "take-him-or-leave-him" actor, but his on my "like him" list, so it make for a good time.
20 years later, the creative team decided that this was a milk-able franchise. At least, that's the way it feels. The followup story is weak, the writing was unmemorable, and lead actors mostly wasted. Jeff Goldblum drops some cheeky one-liners here and there, which he;s good at, but they're not particularly good, and mostly given away in the trailers. Brent Spiner's Dr. Okun, a wacky scientist at the Area 51 lab, who was given up for dead in the original film, reappears freshly awoken from a long coma, and within hours is leading the revitalized research program, still wearing his open-back hospital gown. Stuff like this stretches the suspension of disbelief to its breaking point.
Ugh. Bill Pullman: wasted. Judd Hirsch: wasted. Jeff Goldblum and Brent Spiner: Wasted.
Two Hours: Wasted.
#12 - Pleasantville
My daughter writes her provincial English test soon. As part of the curriculum, she got to screen 1998's Pleasantville.
One of those movies I knew of, but had not yet seen. . Sometimes better than watching a movie for fun is watching a movie WITH A PURPOSE. So, we sat down and screened it
It was rental via iTunes, for $5.
The story is about a couple of high school teenagers, dealing with the trappings of life: High school popularity angst, a miserable divorced mom, dating, sex. But coming up this weekend is the "Pleasantville" TV marathon and trivia contest. Pleasantville is a 1950's era black and white TV show, with all the stereotypciality of Leave it to Beaver, Father Knows Best, Andy Griffith, Danny Thomas, and Donna Reed all rolled into one.
Through a magical plot device, Don Knotts shows up as the mysterious tv repair man (Wink wink, Andy Griffith show...) and the teens, David and Jennifer, get zapped from 1998 California into Pleasantville, taking on the personas of Bud and MarySue.
Most notably, their entire existence is now in black and white. The world of Pleasantville is indeed pleasant, but stiflingly idyllic, to point of puritanical and repetitive. Just like 1950's tv, there is no sex, the fire department never actually puts out fires, and even the bathrooms have no toilets. The outside-world knowledge that David and Jennifer bring with them begins to alter the ideas and norms of Pleasantville life. And as each resident reach a new level of enlightened change, they themselves change from black and white to colour. And those who have not changed, fearing the differences that have arise, start on their own little Sneeches-like journey. When the "No Coloreds" sign goes up in the department store window, the metaphor hits home like a ton of bricks.
The movie is full of fun throwback references, humour, and meaningful parallels to the journey we all take as we adapt to changes of many kinds.
The 1998 scenes are dated, but so much of the film takes place in the 1950/out-of-time Pleasantville, that it becomes timeless.
I recommend it.
One of those movies I knew of, but had not yet seen. . Sometimes better than watching a movie for fun is watching a movie WITH A PURPOSE. So, we sat down and screened it
It was rental via iTunes, for $5.
The story is about a couple of high school teenagers, dealing with the trappings of life: High school popularity angst, a miserable divorced mom, dating, sex. But coming up this weekend is the "Pleasantville" TV marathon and trivia contest. Pleasantville is a 1950's era black and white TV show, with all the stereotypciality of Leave it to Beaver, Father Knows Best, Andy Griffith, Danny Thomas, and Donna Reed all rolled into one.
Through a magical plot device, Don Knotts shows up as the mysterious tv repair man (Wink wink, Andy Griffith show...) and the teens, David and Jennifer, get zapped from 1998 California into Pleasantville, taking on the personas of Bud and MarySue.
Most notably, their entire existence is now in black and white. The world of Pleasantville is indeed pleasant, but stiflingly idyllic, to point of puritanical and repetitive. Just like 1950's tv, there is no sex, the fire department never actually puts out fires, and even the bathrooms have no toilets. The outside-world knowledge that David and Jennifer bring with them begins to alter the ideas and norms of Pleasantville life. And as each resident reach a new level of enlightened change, they themselves change from black and white to colour. And those who have not changed, fearing the differences that have arise, start on their own little Sneeches-like journey. When the "No Coloreds" sign goes up in the department store window, the metaphor hits home like a ton of bricks.
The movie is full of fun throwback references, humour, and meaningful parallels to the journey we all take as we adapt to changes of many kinds.
The 1998 scenes are dated, but so much of the film takes place in the 1950/out-of-time Pleasantville, that it becomes timeless.
I recommend it.
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