Last Movie You Saw, Name & Review Movie • Page 163

Definitely the first time contemporary reviewers have been wrong, I guess. Haha

Even if he only wrote "no cheeses for us meeses" it would be a masterpiece. But it gave us the rhythmic invention of "One More Sleep Til Christmas" with Kermit just bouncing all over little upbeats. It gave us "It's the summer of the soul in December" and a summary of what amounts to The Muppets Creed in "It Feels Like Christmas". And it gives us one of the most emotionally powerful performances in Michael Caine's legendary career on "When Love Is Gone" even though he's not a singer by any stretch of the imagination. I cry every single year at his duet delivery on "It was almost love. It was almost always."

Etc.

 

The Sweetest Thing (2002) - I was on holiday with friends and this was on. It was so stupid. and then it got even stupider which was better. Parker Posey shows up and I almost thought oh is this actually good and going to have a good ending?? Yes a blow job accident into song! Perfect. Psyche! There's another scene and It's the how I met your met mother bit to finish the rug pull back into the bin

 

Big Daddy - 7.5/10
As sweet and mature as a 90s Sandler comedy can be. Impossibly charming, even if it's occasionally dated. Good for the soul.

 

Literally can't see or hear any reference to a hippopotamus without quoting that one.

 

Yet another problematic Schneider role, but strangely his most likable lmao

 

The Boy and the Heron - 10/10

I’ve only seen a couple films more than once in theaters and I think this will be one of them.

 

Really recommend listening to the Blank Check podcast episode about this movie, tons and tons of context. Really added to it, IMO

 

Listening to Blank Check while watching Blank Check

 

P2 - 8/10
Kind of like watching Loony Tunes parody iconic scenes from Misery and Silence of the Lambs, and I mean that in the best way possible. It's not exactly innovative, but it's a lean, tense, and unique holiday thriller with enough blood to satiate slasher fans. Way better than you would expect a film like this from 2007 to be.

School of Rock - 8/10
Very much lives in a similar place in my heart as Big Daddy. Sentimental, charming, and sporadically very funny. The child acting and casting is just so good. I always forget this is a Linklater film based on how accessible it is, but it makes sense when you watch it. I got a little emotional watching their performance at the end of the film because I thought, "The kids are gonna be alright," and then I did the math and the kids are my age. I'm not alright.

 

Leave the World Behind - 5/10
What a frustrating watch. All the pieces were there. The set pieces were original and imaginative. The performances were stellar. The soundtrack was gripping. Taken individually, each element was done expertly. It captured how disorienting and isolating an actual cyber attack would be. But ultimately I feel like they didn’t all come together. I don’t need a film to give me all the answers, but the first thing I said when the credits rolled was “…Okay?” It didn’t seem to have a big thesis to tie it all together.

 

One Hour Photo - 8.5/10
Really, really well-done. I mean, Williams is obviously great in his role, but beyond that, it really strives to make you feel empathetic towards his character, which is key in pulling off the film's batshit crazy third act; many thrillers in the same vein skip that part. In other words, One Hour Photo doesn't go out of its way to shock the audience, but does so because the atypical way its antihero(?) finally reacts. The action figure callback at the end is brilliant. One of the best Yuppie Nightmares I've seen, if you really want to call it that.

The Brain - 7.5/10
I was factory-made to love anything with practical effects that look like this, ESPECIALLY when paired with an evil corporation and the fact that it was filmed in rural Canada. For all of those reasons and none having to do with the film's "plot," this is really good lo-fi sci-fi horror video store rental fare. It might even be great after a few drinks (couldn't tell you, I have COVID right now).

The Gingerdead Man - 6.5/10
I'm almost certainly overrating this, but what can I say? I love these cheapo Full Moon Features flicks. I love Gary Busey voicing a killer gingerbread man puppet. I love the Casio keyboard strings score. I love that it looks like I'm watching a YouTube rip of a softcore porno. I love the 70-minute runtime. It's all vibes, baby.

Bowfinger - 7.5/10
Eddie Murphy is doing some prophetic proto-Kanye/Tracy Jordan stuff here and honestly, it's incredible

 

Have wanted to revisit Bowfinger for a while now

 

Bowfinger still slaps

 

Gingerdead Man is a fun bad B-movie. Like you said, Gary Busey playing a killer gingerbread man, what’s not to love?

 

Bowfinger is one of a bunch of very god comedies from Frank Oz, who's underrated as a comedy director.

 

Gary Busey being nuts was an inside joke for my friends in middle school, so finding Gingerdead Man was a revelation for us

 

Jingle All The Way - 8/10, I know I'm an easy mark for this era of Arnie, but I'll never get the hate this movie gets. I don't think it's strongly directed or edited but Arnie, Sinbad and especially Hartman are bringing so much juice. And there's some genuinely great scenes throughout.

I think the ending is the only thing that loses a bit of steam.

 

LOVE Jingle All the Way. Still an all-timer for me.

 

Home Alone - 8.5/10
It's funny, as a kid, you mostly remember the Wet Bandits even though that's relegated to like a 20-minute sequence towards the end of the film. As an adult, it's fun, but everything else surrounding that sequence works better. Shocked to report I got a little misty during the church scene and the payoff with his neighbor's son. It holds up!

Home Alone 2 - 7.5/10
There's no getting around the fact that this is, at times, a bit for bit rehash of the first film. Additionally, it lacks nearly any bit of nuance that makes the first film so special (Kevin looks directly at the camera!?). Still, I'd rather hear a good cover of a great song than a shitty original. The fade from The Grinch into Tim Curry's face is one of the greatest transitions in cinema history.

Telemarketers - 7.5/10
It's admirable, depressing, charming, and dark as hell in equal measure. We don't have control over much in this life, but good on these fellas for doing what they can.

 

Home Alone is a 10/10

 

Watching it again recently I was also surprised how little of it is actually the robber set pieces.

 

I also don't understand the hate considering it's one of the best Christmas movies of all time.

 

Home alone is great
Jingle all the way is bad

 

Spoken like a true grimace