what was the last movie you watched?
- Thread starter Folsom Al
- Start date
Aliens late last night (Special Edition). I hadn't watched it in forever and thought it would be good to revisit. It still holds up pretty well overall. Some of the special effects were a bit dated, especially the scenes flying the dropship and some of the explosions throughout. Some of the acting was just a *tad* bit over the top (looking at you in particular, Hudson) but given when the movie was made (mid 1980's) it isn't egregious. Still a great flick with some fantastic actors.
Löwenherz
Starter
Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair (20XX) - Theaters
No idea what release year to put, so let’s just give it two rad Xs.
After more than 5 hours in the theater I can say with confidence the worst part of this was the 15 minute intermission … and whatever the hell that post-credit Fortnight tie-in animated scene was supposed to be.
Otherwise, if you have the bladder for it, this is the definitive Kill Bill.
No idea what release year to put, so let’s just give it two rad Xs.
After more than 5 hours in the theater I can say with confidence the worst part of this was the 15 minute intermission … and whatever the hell that post-credit Fortnight tie-in animated scene was supposed to be.
Otherwise, if you have the bladder for it, this is the definitive Kill Bill.
What few changes I noticed all happen in
Vol 1:
-O-Ren’s origin story animation is expanded to include her killing the specific henchman who murdered her father, and not just the mob boss.
-The Battle in the House of Blue Leaves is entirely in color.
-The scene in which The Bride tortures Sofie for information, and what Bill tells Sofie afterward in the hospital is changed. (and the “clip show” teasing Vol. 2 is absent)
So not really significant changes, and for the most part, The Whole Bloody Affair is merely watching both volumes back-to-back without needing to swap out the DVDs. But it’s that last change that makes all the difference: Bill doesn’t ask Sofie if Beatrix knows B.B. is still alive. Meaning, if this is your first time through, the audience doesn’t know B.B. is still alive either.
That reveal was put in place to set up Vol. 2, but is much more appropriate for the audience to learn at the same time Beatrix does when she finally confronts Bill directly. It’s a rug-pull moment allowing a reflection in real time on the blood-soaked path she took, complicating her revenge story against the father of her child, and its fantastic.
When I first saw them decades ago, I thought Vol 1. was exhilarating and fun, but annoyingly incomplete, while Vol. 2 was more subdued and much less exciting, but had a great climax and payoff.
But with both halves combined, the second half’s more deliberate approach feels completely appropriate immediately following the bonkers chaos of the House of Blue Leaves scene. Together, each individual element more readily synergizes with the others.
It’s a glorious mash-up of genres: kung fu classic, blaxploitation, neo westerns, samurai movies and probably a half dozen more I couldn’t spot all in support of an over-the-top and supremely sleek and cool revenge epic in the vein of Lady Snowblood.
-I also much more appreciate the appearances of Hattori Hanzo and Pai Mei than I did 20 years ago.
-And that GoGo Yukari is played by Chiaki Kuriyama from Battle Royale
-And that the Two Pines church is on Agua Caliente street, which in addition to simply meaning “hot water” is also the town at the end of For a Few Dollars More.
-And that The Bride’s yellow jumpsuit is a nod to Bruce Lee in Game of Death
-And that Elle’s thrashing is reminiscent of Pris’ death in Blade Runner.
You guys, I hadn’t even seen Blade Runner when I first caught Vol 1. on opening night in 2003.
I didn’t even like Pulp Fiction yet.
My how I’ve grown.
Vol 1:
-O-Ren’s origin story animation is expanded to include her killing the specific henchman who murdered her father, and not just the mob boss.
-The Battle in the House of Blue Leaves is entirely in color.
-The scene in which The Bride tortures Sofie for information, and what Bill tells Sofie afterward in the hospital is changed. (and the “clip show” teasing Vol. 2 is absent)
So not really significant changes, and for the most part, The Whole Bloody Affair is merely watching both volumes back-to-back without needing to swap out the DVDs. But it’s that last change that makes all the difference: Bill doesn’t ask Sofie if Beatrix knows B.B. is still alive. Meaning, if this is your first time through, the audience doesn’t know B.B. is still alive either.
That reveal was put in place to set up Vol. 2, but is much more appropriate for the audience to learn at the same time Beatrix does when she finally confronts Bill directly. It’s a rug-pull moment allowing a reflection in real time on the blood-soaked path she took, complicating her revenge story against the father of her child, and its fantastic.
When I first saw them decades ago, I thought Vol 1. was exhilarating and fun, but annoyingly incomplete, while Vol. 2 was more subdued and much less exciting, but had a great climax and payoff.
But with both halves combined, the second half’s more deliberate approach feels completely appropriate immediately following the bonkers chaos of the House of Blue Leaves scene. Together, each individual element more readily synergizes with the others.
It’s a glorious mash-up of genres: kung fu classic, blaxploitation, neo westerns, samurai movies and probably a half dozen more I couldn’t spot all in support of an over-the-top and supremely sleek and cool revenge epic in the vein of Lady Snowblood.
-I also much more appreciate the appearances of Hattori Hanzo and Pai Mei than I did 20 years ago.
-And that GoGo Yukari is played by Chiaki Kuriyama from Battle Royale
-And that the Two Pines church is on Agua Caliente street, which in addition to simply meaning “hot water” is also the town at the end of For a Few Dollars More.
-And that The Bride’s yellow jumpsuit is a nod to Bruce Lee in Game of Death
-And that Elle’s thrashing is reminiscent of Pris’ death in Blade Runner.
You guys, I hadn’t even seen Blade Runner when I first caught Vol 1. on opening night in 2003.
I didn’t even like Pulp Fiction yet.
My how I’ve grown.
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I have never owned Kill Bill on any home media because I was always waiting on this. I haven't bought much physical media since 2020 when before that I used to go to Best Buy or wherever and scoop up every Blu-Ray under $10 but I am day one 4k on this one. I think I can still get tickets to see a 70mm print but honestly I don't go to theaters much when I have a solid projector based and 7.1 setup in my basement. But it's tempting since I can't think of the last time I saw a screening on real film let alone 70mm.
I had been trying to get my son to watch Spinal Tap all weekend so we could watch the sequel together and failed but after yesterday's shocking news I decided I'd just watch it.
I was expecting the absolute worst based on reviews which kept me away from theaters but I thought it was rather charming. No it does not hold a candle to the original. Nor is it as good as Guest's best (Waiting For Guffman and Best In Show), it's just a bunch of fan service with some big cameos and cheerful high spots. Standout newcomers are Chris Addison as the truly awful concert promoter and Valerie Franco as the band's new drummer, who comes to the band after one of the funnier sequences where high profile drummers all politely declining the gig.
Sadly there are no "these go to eleven" or "what's wrong with being sexy?" type of lines that came at you almost non stop in the original. It's much more deliberate in setting up the big cameos and featured collaborations on the classic Tap material, ultimately arriving at the reunion concert, which was done well. It's not going to stand the test of time as an infinitely quotable series of vignettes playfully poking fun at the excesses of rock stars, instead it feels like a companion piece celebrating the 40(+1) years of Spinal Tap's influence on the culture it spoofed, and that's alright.
I was expecting the absolute worst based on reviews which kept me away from theaters but I thought it was rather charming. No it does not hold a candle to the original. Nor is it as good as Guest's best (Waiting For Guffman and Best In Show), it's just a bunch of fan service with some big cameos and cheerful high spots. Standout newcomers are Chris Addison as the truly awful concert promoter and Valerie Franco as the band's new drummer, who comes to the band after one of the funnier sequences where high profile drummers all politely declining the gig.
Sadly there are no "these go to eleven" or "what's wrong with being sexy?" type of lines that came at you almost non stop in the original. It's much more deliberate in setting up the big cameos and featured collaborations on the classic Tap material, ultimately arriving at the reunion concert, which was done well. It's not going to stand the test of time as an infinitely quotable series of vignettes playfully poking fun at the excesses of rock stars, instead it feels like a companion piece celebrating the 40(+1) years of Spinal Tap's influence on the culture it spoofed, and that's alright.
