Yeah, I think Warlock is probably the best thing either Julian Sands or Richard E. Grant were ever in.
OK yeah, that should probably give Tom and Christien both an aneurysm.
Why do you hate Julian Sands? Was it a Boxing Helena situation? I suggest a viewing of Timecode. He and Steven Weber are hilarious.
And, yeah, Warlock is kind of crappy, but in that endearing way that movies in the 80s were crappy. It helps to have read Richard E. Grant’s biography, With Nails. Warlock was his intro to Hollywood. He talks about how he was supposed to be a young Sean Connery in the movie. Which is wonderfully ridiculous and the key to enjoying the movie: “Hey, look at Richard E. Grant pretending to be a young Sean Connery!”
-Tom
Next with Nicolas Cage.
No, I’m not trolling. It’s an excellent pseudo-superhero movie. I’ve watched and enjoyed it several times.
I only liked Dark City the second time I saw it - and I realized the reason why was because I missed the first five minutes when they basically ruin the story. And it immediately struck me that they probably cludged that on for some reason. And sure enough, one Director’s Cut later, that was the case. So anyone considering watching it, be sure it is the Director’s Cut.
I wonder how many more people have seen Downfall than would have had it not been co-opted for that stupid Hitler meme? Because it really is an excellent film.
Sophie Scholl: The Final Days also deserves far more recognition than it’s received.
And, to round out the trifecta, the best Western of the last 20 years that nobody ever saw, for my money, was The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada.
Between the three of those, they earned $5.5 million, $680,331, and $5 million domestically.
Compare that to Clockstoppers, which made $10.1 million its first weekend, or I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, which made $120 million domestically.
Yeah, I used to lend out my old dvd copy to friends with the instructions to keep the volume muted through the first scene until the camera pans down and the voice-over would be finished.
I’d have to go with A Simple Plan - a really great thriller from Sam Raimi that was just forgotten after release.
Goddamnit I didn’t know that movie made a profit and now I can’t unknow it.
The Lives Of Others got some critical notice, but I don’t think many people saw it. A shame, because it is a powerful, beautiful movie.
Public Enemies
I’m with you in wishing more people’d seen it - better than the usual crop of oscar-bait that makes a decent splash - but 77m out of 2m isn’t bad for a smartypants movie.
Femme Fatale seems to be easily forgotten. Poor Brian dePalma.
Cutthroat Island is a wonderful movie - It so damn action packed, and Geena Davis is a blast in it. This is one of those that should have scored big-time!
Next with Nicolas Cage is a pretty cool movie, agree there.
But my all time favorite movie, must be Mindhunters. I mean come on! Christian Bale, Val Kilmer, LL Cool J, and of course the wonderful Patricia Velasquez. This is one intense movie, that everyone should watch at least once.
Wet Hot American Summer is hilarious and actually quite ahead of its time, if you look at the style of humor seen now on Adult Swim and other places. Has a ton of awesome comic actors (Amy Poehler, Elizabeth Banks, Paul Rudd, David Hyde Pierce, Jeneanne Garofalo, Michaels Ian Black and Showalter, Christopher Meloni, Joe Lo Truglio, Ken Marino) that all turn in hilarious work. Molly Shannon sucks in it, as always, but other than that one unfortunate fact it’s a perfect absurdist comedy.
Star Trek: The Undiscovered Country is the second-best Trek film after Khan, IMO. I can’t really defend it because I don’t know why so many people dislike it. I loved the quotes from Shakespeare and from Earth history. Christopher Plummer is just amazing, probably the best performance from a villain in a Star Trek movie. The costumes and the ship look the best they ever did in that era.
Fully agree with this… other than the shape-changing business (which I think is lazy), it had great ship battles, intrigue, villains, a plot that for once was political instead of end-of-the-universe/life as we know it, and I really cared. Loved the zero-g klingon bit, and Sulu in the Excelsior felt right too. Good stuff.
Plus, The Undiscovered Country had the best one-liners of pretty much any Trek film or tv show.
As much as I love Wrath of Kahn, Undiscovered Country is my favorite Star Trek film BECAUSE of the Shakespeare, the political intrigue, the murder mystery aspect and so on. The look, as you said, was also pitch perfect as well.
But Wrath of Khan is the tighter film, a great example of economy, of everything serving the story. I think Undiscovered Country is a little too meandering - in fact I think that whole section on the ice planet with Iman could just drop out with no loss. Except that great line from her about Kirk’s kissing himself being his greatest fantasy.
Not denying that. I love Kahn because it’s basically one big cat and mouse game trying to be set in the Age of Fighting Sail, but in space. It’s a VERY tight film about two ships and two commanders, and I love it for that. However, I also love the larger stakes in Undiscovered Country as well.
Undiscovered Country is disliked? I never noticed that. It’s one of the good “even numbered” Trek films. It made okay money, and it got solid reviews.
I personally love it. I think it’s solidly written, has good action, and Captain Fucking Sulu kicking ass.