TODAY I WATCHED (Movies, TV Shows) 2020

Shin Godzilla

What's your opinion of that manny?

As the resident Godzilla freak I've put off watching it because my brother (who is an even more avid fan of the "Big G" than I am - if you can believe that - told me about how much time the movie spends basically "farting around"). 

I mean most Godzilla movies "fart around" a lot anyway so he (and I) are used to that crap but if he thinks it's excessive in this one then it probably is.

I started an interesting movie today on the elliptical:

"Train to Busan"

It's basically a Korean zombie flick but it takes place on a train where a businessman and his young daughter are travelling so he can drop her off with his estranged wife so she stops bitching about it.

Thirty minutes in and I really like it.   These aren't your slow-moving, take-forever to become zombie types; these things move FAST and it only takes a few seconds for you to become a zombie after you're bitten.

I've been pretty much over zombie movies for quite a while but this one seemed to be a little different and well-executed based on what I saw in the previews that were on the Phantasm collection I recently bought and so far I'm enjoying this one.

I finished up watching a series on Prime that I originally saw years back on History called America's Book of Secrets. Very knowledgeable and thought provoking- especially the one on Fort Knox. I personally don't believe there is mountains of gold there, but that might just be me. I didn't know this when I first watched it, but it's narrated by the guy who plays the neighbor on Last Man Standing.
I like the guys voice.

"Live and Let Die" (1973)

Roger Moore's first mission as James Bond sends him to Harlem, New Orleans, and the Caribbean, where the prime minister of a small island nation is also in charge of a major heroin smuggling ring. The influence of the then-current "blaxploitation" film craze is all over this one (check out when the villain tells his henchman, "Take this honky outside and WASTE him!"), so obviously it hasn't aged particularly well, but it's a fun adventure anyway.

April Fool's Day(2008)-a rich socialite throws a party as a cover for a cruel prank she has planned for a girl at her party she hates. The prank backfires, resulting in the victims death. One year later, the people who had a hand in the prank start being killed off one by one. The survivors now have to figure out who has come for revenge and try to stop them before they're knocked off themselves. This loose remake of the 80's comedy/slasher didn't really impress me that much as it was kind of predictable and was fairly bloodless to boot. The movie even had the same twist ending the original film had, even if they did add a bit more to it. I guess the joke was really on me after all. I give it 1.5 out of 5.

"Comic Book Confidential" (1988)

A breezy documentary that takes viewers through the history of American comic books, via vintage films and photos as well as interviews with legends like Jack Kirby, William M. Gaines, Al Feldstein, Robert Crumb, Frank Miller, and many more. Obviously it's quite out of date now -- a sequel about the changes in the comics industry from the 90s to the present would be an interesting follow-up -- but otherwise, this is neat stuff for vintage-comic fanboys.

Man, Netflix is full of bad movies. The Tall Grass, The Open House, Would You Rather and Truth Or Dare. Watched that one this morning and it is lame. Right now have Demonic playing and it is kind of lame as well.

mikeinfla wrote:

Man, Netflix is full of bad movies. The Tall Grass, The Open House, Would You Rather and Truth Or Dare. Watched that one this morning and it is lame. Right now have Demonic playing and it is kind of lame as well.

I liked the Tall Grass. I never watched the others.

I watched 2 short docs on the Titanic. The wife and daughter were out at the in laws, so I made some dinner and enjoyed having the TV to myself.

Fat Freddy wrote:

"Comic Book Confidential" (1988)

A breezy documentary that takes viewers through the history of American comic books, via vintage films and photos as well as interviews with legends like Jack Kirby, William M. Gaines, Al Feldstein, Robert Crumb, Frank Miller, and many more. Obviously it's quite out of date now -- a sequel about the changes in the comics industry from the 90s to the present would be an interesting follow-up -- but otherwise, this is neat stuff for vintage-comic fanboys.

That's cool. An updating would be great regarding the rise of Image and Valiant and the chromium foil wraparound cover madness that was the early 1990's in the world of comics.

I re-watched Django Unchained. I was surprised how much of the movie I didn't remember. Or just how violent it was. And the copious use of the n-word.

I don't recall liking it that much when it first came out, but the 2nd viewing was better. Kinda long though. Nearly 3 hours. After the 2 hour mark, I just want movies to end!!

More of "Train To Busan" on the elliptical today.

Man this movie is great!  Unlike 99% of zombie movies I don't know what's going to happen next.  And unlike 99.99% of zombie movies this one actually has about half a dozen well fleshed-out characters whose relationships to each other are evolving as the movie goes along.  And you actually care about these characters.  It's also ultra-timely; this is like what would happen if the corona virus caused zombification.  I am super-impressed with this flick!

tohostudios wrote:

More of "Train To Busan" on the elliptical today.

Man this movie is great!  Unlike 99% of zombie movies I don't know what's going to happen next.  And unlike 99.99% of zombie movies this one actually has about half a dozen well fleshed-out characters whose relationships to each other are evolving as the movie goes along.  And you actually care about these characters.  It's also ultra-timely; this is like what would happen if the corona virus caused zombification.  I am super-impressed with this flick!

Thanks for the idea! Just downloaded it for my next elliptical session. And Django Unchained. Downloaded both.

Enjoy!

I thought I was done with zombie movies but this one breathes a breath of much-needed fresh air into the genre IMO.

I watched the first Airplane! movie. I have seen it a million times since the 1980's and I still laugh my ass off every time.

"A Liar's Autobiography: The Untrue Story of Monty Python's Graham Chapman" (2012)

Highlights of Graham Chapman's life and career are presented via actual recordings of his voice (taped in the '80s, reading from his book of the same name) and brought to life in a series of animated sketches. It's an interesting idea, but the animation styles vary from segment to segment and the clashes between them (going from ultra-realistic to artsy/surreal, cartoony, and sometimes downright ugly) eventually becomes a distraction. Most of the surviving Python members (except Eric Idle) have voice parts in the film, which is a nice touch, but I was bored long before it ended. Even Python diehards will probably find this to be a tough slog. Disappointing.

0.0 Mhz (2019)



South Korean import about a group of college paranormal researchers called 0.0 Mhz (apparently the frequency needed to communicate with the dead) going to a remote abandoned and haunted village, where they end up involved with the devil spirit dwelling there. A home-based but effective thriller with a couple of cute Korean girls in the cast.

Blood Quantum (2019)



Wow. I've seen a lot of zombie movies over the years, some good, some not so good and some downright terrible. This one belongs in the good category. It deals with a zombie outbreak around a Native American reservation and it is soon discovered that the Native Americans are immune to the effects of the infection. Soon the standard zombie movie shenanigans begin but this was done with Romero-like efficiency, with good gore (some cgi, some with practical effects). I recommend this one.

Finished "Train To Busan" on the elliptical today.

Man, there's a scene in a trainyard toward the end of the film that's one of the coolest disaster sequences I've ever seen.  The other cool thing is that you never know who will live and who will die but here's a clue: most of the main characters die. 

This film has it all; fast and really scary looking zombies, great gore FX, lots of character development, action, pathos...and it's not very predictable.  And you actually care about the characters and what happens to them.

Highly, HIGHLY recommended!!!!!!

"We Are The League" (2019)

A wildly entertaining documentary about The Anti-Nowhere League, the raunchy, obnoxious early '80s English punk legends best known for the tracks "Streets of London," "I Hate People," and of course, "So What" (later made famous by Metallica). Lead singer "Animal" (the only original member still in the band) comes off like a punk Lemmy, and he and his mates mix lots of foul-mouthed, gross and hilarious stories with a bunch of never-before-seen vintage performance footage. A cool portrait of a band that's still bad ass as ever, nearly 40 years on. Essential punk viewing. Long live the League!

tohostudios wrote:

More of "Train To Busan" on the elliptical today.

Man this movie is great!  Unlike 99% of zombie movies I don't know what's going to happen next.  And unlike 99.99% of zombie movies this one actually has about half a dozen well fleshed-out characters whose relationships to each other are evolving as the movie goes along.  And you actually care about these characters.  It's also ultra-timely; this is like what would happen if the corona virus caused zombification.  I am super-impressed with this flick!

Hands down the BEST zombie movie to come out in a LONG time!

Definitely! 

And I thought I was burned out on zombie movies.  This thing is simply stellar! On all levels.

Trying to watch Train To Busan while working and it is more difficult than I expected. I had no idea there were subtitles so I am going to have to pay close attention. This isn't one I can listen to, glace at and work at the same time. Will have to watch what I can now and then save for the elliptical machine.

That "Busan" movie has been in my watch list for a while, haven't gotten to it yet though. I don't mind movies w/subtitles but I have to be in the right mood.

I use to really hate subtitled movies but thanks to my love of Asian gore flicks and Godzilla movies as they were meant to be seen I got over it.  Now it doesn't bother me at all.

But yeah Mike, you can't "half-watch" a subtitled movie.  You wouldn't want to with this one though even if it was in English.  But that's why I find subtitled movies especially effective for the elliptical; you have to concentrate on watching it a little  more and it makes it easier to forget that you're exercising.