What are you watching?

[Barry M Super Fiend Find all posts View Profile Close Barry M]

Slash / Back
(Nyla Innuksuk, 2022)

Now this one on the other hand, I really liked!

Basically, what we've got here is 'Over the Edge' meets 'The Thing', set in an Inuit village just south of the Artic Circle, where a gang of bored teenage girls are forced to defend their community from body-hopping alien monsters whilst their parents are off getting drunk at a square dance.

It's all very nearly ruined by terrible CGI animals and some scarcely-much-better, "guy in a mask" level practical effects... but the horror aspect is soft-pedalled throughout, so it doesn't matter too much. It's all just an excuse to get the girls into tense and scary situations, allowing them to bond and develop, and to use their combined 'ancient hunting culture + modern digital teen' style moxie to fight back against the invaders, which is where the film really excels.

The setting is an unusual and compelling one for an action/adventure story, giving us a lot of casual insight into life as experienced by tribal peoples in Canada's far north, and the central characters are just AWESOME -- they speak and behave like real teenagers, but are also hugely likeable and super-cool, which is a difficult balance to pull off (again, I'm reminded of 'Over The Edge' in this regard).

I guess this is more-or-less teen-friendly viewing, but it's in no way condescending or juvenile, and it's easy to imagine that viewers in the girls' own age group would get a kick out of seeing them kick ass with hunting rifles and giant choppers, so a solid recommendation for "family movie night" for anyone out there with kids.

Seconded, SLASH/BACK was a hit here. Anyone who enjoyed ATTACK THE BLOCK, or BLOOD QUANTUM, Jeff Barnaby's zombie movie should check it out. RIP, Mr Barnaby.

[Jason C Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Jason C]

True Lies: I haven't seen this since the 90s. On a rewatch it's got the wrong screenwriter and the wrong leading man. Cameron nails the action stuff, as you'd expect, and the comedy in the action is fine. Terribly dialogue though. Cameron has a very blunt, obvious approach to dialogue. You can always guess the next line a Cameron protagonist is going to say. It doesn't sit well with comedy.

Mostly though, how do you cast Arnold Schwarzenneger in this role? a) the man has zero comic instincts. b) he's supposedly to be a mild mannered computer rep but he's built like Mr Universe. When he interrogates his wife and asks her to tell him about her husband how is part of her response not: 'he's surprisingly jacked'? It makes no sense. I'm forgetting who the leading man options were back then but if this was a modern movie cast, say, Colin Farrell in that role and you've got yourself a movie.

I definitely cannot argue what your saying about Arnold, but I think the novelty of seeing Arnold play James Bond makes up for the fact that its absurd. There is comedy in seeing Arnold playing that role and delivering those lines. Fans of Arnold will enjoy his larger than life persona doing things that only make sense in the Arnie-verse. In a vacuum and with no context TRUE LIES doesn't work, but as an Arnold Schwarzenegger flick, its a fun ride. Every Arnold film is a fantasy film so why not let him play a secret agent, Chicago mobster or a deep cover FBI agent.

To me, it makes more sense to think of True Lies as starting out with "I want to work with Arnold again, what type of role should we give him next". I can't imagine it stated with "we have a secret agent film called True Lies, who would be best for the role".

All that said, I feel like True Lies is aging worse than most of Arnold's films. And for the me the reason is the running time. The middle third drags a bit so I'm ready for the film to end by the time the bridge blows up.

[BW Haggar Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close BW Haggar]

Seconded, SLASH/BACK was a hit here. Anyone who enjoyed ATTACK THE BLOCK, or BLOOD QUANTUM, Jeff Barnaby's zombie movie should check it out. RIP, Mr Barnaby.

I'm glad to hear you enjoyed it too Barry.

It's such a nice, low key, cynicism-free kinda 'cool little movie', I feel the need to champion it.

Oddly, 'Attack The Block' didn't occur to me as a comparison for some reason, but, yeah... clearly they have a lot in common.

[killer must kill again Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close killer must kill again]

I definitely cannot argue what your saying about Arnold, but I think the novelty of seeing Arnold play James Bond makes up for the fact that its absurd. There is comedy in seeing Arnold playing that role and delivering those lines. Fans of Arnold will enjoy his larger than life persona doing things that only make sense in the Arnie-verse. In a vacuum and with no context TRUE LIES doesn't work, but as an Arnold Schwarzenegger flick, its a fun ride. Every Arnold film is a fantasy film so why not let him play a secret agent, Chicago mobster or a deep cover FBI agent.

yeah, isn't it the whole point of true lies that arnold is miscast? it's fucking hilarious! I rewatched it 1 year ago, it drags a little in the middle section but the jet fighter ending is still stupidly entertaining as hell!
also prime tia carrere and a milfy jamie lee curtis doing striptease... what's not to like?

[Dom D Spoon! Find all posts View Profile Close Dom D]

yeah, isn't it the whole point of true lies that arnold is miscast?

That's probably fair as it stands. I was just figuring there's a non-gimmick movie in there. It worked out for me though. Because I watched True Lies Disney decided I would probably want to watch Commando. Disney were right! It had been too long. Commando's gotta be the ne plus ultra of a certain type of trash.

[Matt H. Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Matt H.]

Commando's gotta be the ne plus ultra of a certain type of trash.

This is true.

[Jason C Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Jason C]

Commando's gotta be the ne plus ultra of a certain type of trash.

As much of an Arnold fan as I was in the 80's, Commando was not a favorite of mine back then. I assume its because I was watching a tape of the TV broadcast, and unlike Predator, it lost much of the appeal with the toned down violence. That has certainly changed in recent years as its made it way into a yearly rotation for me. It's bonkers and I love it.

[Dom D Spoon! Find all posts View Profile Close Dom D]

The Bloodstained Lawn:


upload image

The fuck was that?!

A wealthy couple is draining the blood of hippies in their basement and selling it to the highest bidders overseas. Simple enough really but the execution! It's frequently so boring youll want to top yourself but just as you're preparing the noose it perks up for some groovy 70s naked dancing and fun- Frightened Woman an influence? Maybe I can't be bothered to check release dates. If so the influence never lasts as it quickly switches back to being unbearably boring. It's all over the shop. Occasionally it feels like moneys been spent on it and then goes to looking completely threadbare. It's just very strange all round.

[Jason C Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Jason C]

That is some amazing artwork.

[Randy G Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Randy G]

Watching 68 Kill on Tubi. Good so far.

[Barry M Super Fiend Find all posts View Profile Close Barry M]

Captains of the Clouds (Michael Curtiz, 1942). Cagney's a bush pilot, and a dick, but the Warner blu-ray does the Technicolor up right, the way propaganda oughta look. The Canadian locations are, well, Canadian. Billy Bishop cameo, Churchill on the box, and Byron Haskin & Rex Wimpy effects. A+

[Barry M Super Fiend Find all posts View Profile Close Barry M]

Starship Troopers (Paul Verhoeven, 1997). Want to know more?

[Oily Maniac Member Find all posts View Profile Close Oily Maniac]

Delirium (1979) Prime example of a movie that SHOULD be remade as the story outshines the low budget and filmmaking.
Streetwalking (1985) was nice to see some realistic '80s street fashion in this tale of a young street walker and her maniac pimp.

[Dom D Spoon! Find all posts View Profile Close Dom D]

Starship Troopers (Paul Verhoeven, 1997). Want to know more?

I watched that about 3 days ago. Despite not liking it I've seen it about half a dozen times and despite not liking it I decided to watch it again. Actually enjoyed it this time round. It's a very odd piece of cinema.

[Barry M Super Fiend Find all posts View Profile Close Barry M]

I laughed at the 90210 look when I first saw it, but it won me over, and now I find myself nodding sagely. "Yes, yes, good point. Valid." Problematizing Heinlein would be a good romcom. Working up to BLACK BOOK.