EWB Film Club

[Jimmy]

On 4 November 2016 at 09:54, Gigan Lars said:

I've watched Misery for this week's theme and I liked it a lot. Mainly because the performances of James Caan and Kathy Bates bring it to another level. The story itself was good too and I just fucking loved the small part of Lauren Bacall! Lovely to see her again. This might be one of the best Stephen King films! Now it might be time to read the book! 

I also just realised Rob Reiner directed this. Boy, that guy had a diverse career! 

I also watched Misery this week. I think I enjoyed it a little less thank you, but I took a lot from it. Caan and Bates are both excellent. I was particularly impressed with Caan's performance because he seems to get left out in the discussion a lot because there's a lot of (rightful) praise for Bates. It's a nice two-hander, a psychological thriller that works well as a drug addiction analogy, which is wholly its own thing, but also obviously indebted to Rear Window in some capacity. I wasn't always completely captivated by it, but there's so much there I like, especially Reiner's direction. I really appreciate the fingerprints of a good director on 80's and 90's thrillers, they function and work in such a satisfactory way: especially something like this which isn't looking for jump scares, but knows how to create tension through a zoom or through a really fun soundtrack which is totally of its time. Not my favourite King adaptation, or Rob Reiner film, but there's more than enough here to make a very good adaptation, got a lot of time for films like this. 

And, on another note, seems like a pretty broad and successful first week. Hopefully we can keep this kind of participation up -- would definitely be nice to, at some point, attempt to narrow down the selection so we're talking about similar films, but I really enjoyed reading about thoughts on The Mist, I now really want to watch The Dead Zone when it wasn't on my radar before, it's cool that people have been able to tick off some classics and then broad selection totally gave everyone a bit of freedom. Good stuff. 

[Monkey D. Lars]

What will the next theme be?

[King Ellis]

Add me to the Misery group, definitely gets a thumbs up from me. When this theme was suggested, it did get me thinking about all the different ones I'd seen. I tend to group them either as good or that 'so bad it's good', cheesy sort of thing (which is where you get your Maximum Overdrive, Children of the Corn, Dreamcatcher types). This earns it's place amongst the good group, even if Annie's flipping between being all sweet and kind, and menacing do lean toward the move over the top side of things.

But, this has such an intensity to it that keeps it from going too far. Like:

Her smashing his feet when she discovers he's been getting out or her shooting the cop. Really brutal.

 

[Benjamin]

Those two scenes Ellis spoilered are probably my favourite scenes from Misery.

[Jimmy]

8 hours ago, King Ghidorah Ellis said:

Add me to the Misery group, definitely gets a thumbs up from me. When this theme was suggested, it did get me thinking about all the different ones I'd seen. I tend to group them either as good or that 'so bad it's good', cheesy sort of thing (which is where you get your Maximum Overdrive, Children of the Corn, Dreamcatcher types). This earns it's place amongst the good group, even if Annie's flipping between being all sweet and kind, and menacing do lean toward the move over the top side of things.

But, this has such an intensity to it that keeps it from going too far. Like:

 

  Hide contents

Her smashing his feet when she discovers he's been getting out or her shooting the cop. Really brutal.

 

 

 

So brutal. That whole sequence is really well done, from him going round the house for a second time to finding her scrapbook,  to retrieving the knife: then the climax of all that build-up is she quickly injects him and goes through with the 'hobbling' heart.

8 hours ago, Gigan Lars said:

What will the next theme be?

@DFF is choosing when he's next on. 

Edited November 6, 2016 by Jimmy

[MDK]

13 hours ago, Jimmy said:

I also watched Misery this week. I think I enjoyed it a little less thank you, but I took a lot from it. Caan and Bates are both excellent. I was particularly impressed with Caan's performance because he seems to get left out in the discussion a lot because there's a lot of (rightful) praise for Bates. It's a nice two-hander, a psychological thriller that works well as a drug addiction analogy, which is wholly its own thing, but also obviously indebted to Rear Window in some capacity. I wasn't always completely captivated by it, but there's so much there I like, especially Reiner's direction. I really appreciate the fingerprints of a good director on 80's and 90's thrillers, they function and work in such a satisfactory way: especially something like this which isn't looking for jump scares, but knows how to create tension through a zoom or through a really fun soundtrack which is totally of its time. Not my favourite King adaptation, or Rob Reiner film, but there's more than enough here to make a very good adaptation, got a lot of time for films like this. 

And, on another note, seems like a pretty broad and successful first week. Hopefully we can keep this kind of participation up -- would definitely be nice to, at some point, attempt to narrow down the selection so we're talking about similar films, but I really enjoyed reading about thoughts on The Mist, I now really want to watch The Dead Zone when it wasn't on my radar before, it's cool that people have been able to tick off some classics and then broad selection totally gave everyone a bit of freedom. Good stuff. 

I love a film that can tell and sell a story when it is told in just one room. I know she pops out a few times, and I know he crashes his motor but the film is pretty much set in one room. And it takes skill to make a film that good with just one or two people sitting in a room. Which is why I love Locke.

The Mist might as well be one of those films you can only watch once. Once you know the twist there is no point in watching the film again.

[Monkey D. Lars]

How about the scenes were Caan crawls through the house. Loved that stuff.

[MDK]

1 hour ago, Gigan Lars said:

How about the scenes were Caan crawls through the house. Loved that stuff.

It is creepy as fuck. How do you make crawling through a house scary? That is good acting/directing.

[DFF]

19 hours ago, Jimmy said:

Nope, not missed. Everyone (including me) has about six hours left.

But, to keep things rolling (as who knows when he'll see it, or whatever) this week the pick falls to @DFF. 

Thanks! 

For the next one, how about... any film pre-1970. 

[King Ellis]

Welp, that's Jericode out...

[Your Mom]

I'm in! I've been looking for an excuse to finally watch Metropolis 

[Jimmy]

35 minutes ago, Fly the W! said:

I'm in! I've been looking for an excuse to finally watch Metropolis 

You're in for a treat! I saw it in the cinema and it was an incredible experience.

[Monkey D. Lars]

19 minutes ago, Jimmy said:

You're in for a treat! I saw it in the cinema and it was an incredible experience.

 

SSSSSST!!!! Don't make me so jealous. You see everything at the cinema

[Jimmy]

Just now, Gigan Lars said:

 

SSSSSST!!!! Don't make me so jealous. You see everything at the cinema

we're lucky enough to have an amazing cinema selection in London, yeah. Between The BFI, Prince Charles, ICA and your usual chain you get an incredible selection from past and present. They're showing The Apartment at the BFI in December, so I'll definitely go see that on the big screen again.

[RPS]

Someone give me a pre-1970s movie to watch that I probably haven't seen. I'm open to return the favor. 

[Monkey D. Lars]

SHUT UP JIMMY "LOOK WE HAVE INCREDIBLE CINEMA'S IN LONDON WHILE YOU ONLY HAVE SILLY CINEWORLD AND PATHE AND THEY SHOW MOVIES WITH BREAKS" DEAN!

Just now, RPS said:

Someone give me a pre-1970s movie to watch that I probably haven't seen. I'm open to return the favor. 

The Apartment Jimmy just mentioned. 

[Jimmy]

1 minute ago, RPS said:

Someone give me a pre-1970s movie to watch that I probably haven't seen. I'm open to return the favor. 

Will rattle off a couple of suggestions, obviously not sure what you've seen or not, but these are some of my favourite movies of all time. 

A Matter of Life and Death. 

Eyes Without A Face.

Wild Strawberries. 

The Red Shoes.

 

 

[MDK]

27 minutes ago, RPS said:

Someone give me a pre-1970s movie to watch that I probably haven't seen. I'm open to return the favor. 

 

[GoGo Yubari]

Alright, I'm gonna join in on this one. Time to open up my Doc file where I literally transcribed all of the movies into the copy of 1001 Movies To See Before You Die I got for Christmas like a decade ago to see what I'm watching.

[Jimmy]

WEEK ONE - WATCHED

The Dead Zone - DFF

Apt Pupil - Myke

The Shining - TCD

Children of Corn - I DDT

The Mist - RPS

A Good Marriage - C-Mil

Misery - Lars, Jimmy, Ellis

Stand By Me - GA

Films Watched: 8 

Participants: 10

Most Popular Choice: Misery

Same deadline for next week. It's a really open week, but a good opportunity to watch some amazing stuff.