Lethargic NetFlix Reviews #4
A number of these were on my queue but I actually caught them out-of-sequence during our September trip to Israel & Turkey.
THE LIFE AQUATIC WITH STEVE ZISSOU: * * * *
Watched on IFC as I was packing for the trip to Turkey. Considering that the actual sequel to BUCKAROO BANZAI (* * * * *) was never made, this is a fine stand-in - Buckaroo as an aging man, New Jersey has gone from protege to rival, things didn't work out with Penny so much but there's this kid now... Of the three Wes Andersons I've seen so far, my favorite, even without the extra zing of the imagined Hong Kong Cavaliers context. (Darjeeling Limited and Bottle Rocket are later in the queue.)
INDIANA JONES AND THE CRYSTAL SKULL: * * *
Actually watched this on the flight back from Turkey, but it was in my queue so it counts. It was fine. Soviets as Nazi replacements worked okay, but I really think Indy's at his best when faced with Judeo-Christian mysticism rather than Mayan or Hindu or American UFO mythology. I should go back and watch TEMPLE OF DOOM (* *) and see if I still really dislike that one enough to still call it two stars.
SPEED RACER: * * * * *
Also watched on the flight home and thought it was awesome. There are almost certainly a great many people who saw this on the big screen while very very high and I envy them. It'll be interesting to see how much of the visual style of this film leaks into the rest of the industry. I don't think it can be helped; it's gonna. The only question is, will it be as obvious as THE MATRIX (* * * * *) was, or will it be subtler?
X-MEN 3: * * *
Also also watched on the flight home. Good looking people in bodysuits fight scary looking people in bodysuits. Felt like everyone was acting at about 80% of their efforts in previous films, and I'm sorry, but I fundamentally disapprove of a Dark Phoenix storyline that doesn't end with her regaining control long enough to make the choice for death herself.
CREATURE COMFORTS SEASON 1: * * * *
I loved the original short piece when I was in college. Rented mostly for Liana, who showed only mild interest in it at the time. But then she asked for it again after it had been sent back, and it was on Amazon cheap, so I bought it and she started watching it a lot. A *lot* a lot, so we've had to scale back her intake.
WAYNE'S WORLD: * * *
C and I get the occasional pang of nostalgia and decide to revisit some old favorite. This was one of them, but we both felt like it really didn't stand up to our own memory of how much we'd liked it originally. Perhaps it's just that, at this point, there's been so much more Mike Myers crap in which he just does more Mike Myers crap, that the fresh original crap he did in the early days has become indistinguishable. For me, the breaking moment was when he's fooling around with Tia Carrere in bed and he asks her if she's still going to love him when he's old and confused and having his "guru phase". Sorry, Mike: now that you're actually in your actual Guru Phase, I just don't love you anymore. Also, I miss Dana Carvey.
THE DEPARTED: * * * *
I really, really like stories about people who are, in effect, charged with hunting their own selves down. NO WAY OUT (* * * * *), for example, is probably my favorite thriller of the 80s. Nicholson only lapses into aping himself a couple of times. Everyone else is nicely focused. And Mark Wahlberg is pure joy from, like, the very first sentence he utters. I wish there had been even more of him.
DUCK SOUP: * * * *
I think it was Andy Khouri who mentioned a recent article online about DUCK SOUP's ability to remain relevant to every financial crisis that has happened in the world since it was made. Bailouts, faked-up wars, the corruption of incompetence... Total classic. Also, if it hasn't already been done, someone needs to make an art exhibit in which a robot stands opposite you and perfectly mirrors your every move and expression.
THE BOURNE SUPREMACY: * * * *
Yeah, Matt Damon continues to run around and bust the hell out of everyone who messes with him. I may need to go through a phase in the near future where I watch a whole string of these. THE TRANSPORTER, right? That's another thing along the same lines?
THE CONVERSATION: * * *
Had never seen it before. I know, I know. So several different folks told me I would totally like and... actually, I only kinda liked it. It's an interesting character piece and the subject matter should have been really fascinating but... I dunno, overall, its slow pacing left me feeling like I wanted more to happen, especially since I had sassed out the basic shape of the ending midway through and was hoping it was Even Smarter than that. Still, was worth seeing and I'm glad it's in my cinematic lexicon at last.
------
For consideration: in the next batch, a couple of classics; post-apocalyptic nostalgia; and a couple of TV series that everyone said I would like and I thought I didn't at first and then I'll be damned they grew on me
THE LIFE AQUATIC WITH STEVE ZISSOU: * * * *
Watched on IFC as I was packing for the trip to Turkey. Considering that the actual sequel to BUCKAROO BANZAI (* * * * *) was never made, this is a fine stand-in - Buckaroo as an aging man, New Jersey has gone from protege to rival, things didn't work out with Penny so much but there's this kid now... Of the three Wes Andersons I've seen so far, my favorite, even without the extra zing of the imagined Hong Kong Cavaliers context. (Darjeeling Limited and Bottle Rocket are later in the queue.)
INDIANA JONES AND THE CRYSTAL SKULL: * * *
Actually watched this on the flight back from Turkey, but it was in my queue so it counts. It was fine. Soviets as Nazi replacements worked okay, but I really think Indy's at his best when faced with Judeo-Christian mysticism rather than Mayan or Hindu or American UFO mythology. I should go back and watch TEMPLE OF DOOM (* *) and see if I still really dislike that one enough to still call it two stars.
SPEED RACER: * * * * *
Also watched on the flight home and thought it was awesome. There are almost certainly a great many people who saw this on the big screen while very very high and I envy them. It'll be interesting to see how much of the visual style of this film leaks into the rest of the industry. I don't think it can be helped; it's gonna. The only question is, will it be as obvious as THE MATRIX (* * * * *) was, or will it be subtler?
X-MEN 3: * * *
Also also watched on the flight home. Good looking people in bodysuits fight scary looking people in bodysuits. Felt like everyone was acting at about 80% of their efforts in previous films, and I'm sorry, but I fundamentally disapprove of a Dark Phoenix storyline that doesn't end with her regaining control long enough to make the choice for death herself.
CREATURE COMFORTS SEASON 1: * * * *
I loved the original short piece when I was in college. Rented mostly for Liana, who showed only mild interest in it at the time. But then she asked for it again after it had been sent back, and it was on Amazon cheap, so I bought it and she started watching it a lot. A *lot* a lot, so we've had to scale back her intake.
WAYNE'S WORLD: * * *
C and I get the occasional pang of nostalgia and decide to revisit some old favorite. This was one of them, but we both felt like it really didn't stand up to our own memory of how much we'd liked it originally. Perhaps it's just that, at this point, there's been so much more Mike Myers crap in which he just does more Mike Myers crap, that the fresh original crap he did in the early days has become indistinguishable. For me, the breaking moment was when he's fooling around with Tia Carrere in bed and he asks her if she's still going to love him when he's old and confused and having his "guru phase". Sorry, Mike: now that you're actually in your actual Guru Phase, I just don't love you anymore. Also, I miss Dana Carvey.
THE DEPARTED: * * * *
I really, really like stories about people who are, in effect, charged with hunting their own selves down. NO WAY OUT (* * * * *), for example, is probably my favorite thriller of the 80s. Nicholson only lapses into aping himself a couple of times. Everyone else is nicely focused. And Mark Wahlberg is pure joy from, like, the very first sentence he utters. I wish there had been even more of him.
DUCK SOUP: * * * *
I think it was Andy Khouri who mentioned a recent article online about DUCK SOUP's ability to remain relevant to every financial crisis that has happened in the world since it was made. Bailouts, faked-up wars, the corruption of incompetence... Total classic. Also, if it hasn't already been done, someone needs to make an art exhibit in which a robot stands opposite you and perfectly mirrors your every move and expression.
THE BOURNE SUPREMACY: * * * *
Yeah, Matt Damon continues to run around and bust the hell out of everyone who messes with him. I may need to go through a phase in the near future where I watch a whole string of these. THE TRANSPORTER, right? That's another thing along the same lines?
THE CONVERSATION: * * *
Had never seen it before. I know, I know. So several different folks told me I would totally like and... actually, I only kinda liked it. It's an interesting character piece and the subject matter should have been really fascinating but... I dunno, overall, its slow pacing left me feeling like I wanted more to happen, especially since I had sassed out the basic shape of the ending midway through and was hoping it was Even Smarter than that. Still, was worth seeing and I'm glad it's in my cinematic lexicon at last.
------
For consideration: in the next batch, a couple of classics; post-apocalyptic nostalgia; and a couple of TV series that everyone said I would like and I thought I didn't at first and then I'll be damned they grew on me