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VHS and Betamax You Have Recently Rented


Frankie Crisp

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See if you can spot the subtle connection between these films I  rewatched over the last couple of weeks...


The Truman Show I Haven't seen this for years, it's so lovely, I was struck by how restrained it was, it doesn't over explain anything including the ending which is allowed to be beautiful and inspiring in a vague yet powerful way.

Man on the moon  I've always liked this, I think it might fancy itself a bit more arty and meta than it is but it's still a great 90s biopic. Jim obviously does a wonderful job as Andy Kaufman even if looking back on it he was a bit over the top about channeling Andy to get that performance.

Cable Guy I've said it on here before but ridiculously it's possibly my fave performance ever and one of my all time favourite films too. I remember when it came out and it was the first thing Jim did that messed with his formula by going darker, people didn't know what to think at the time. I don't know if people changed their opinion on it over time but for me this is Jim's masterpiece.

Dumb And Dumber To This was sooo much better than I remember, I was laughing all the way through and now I think it wass probably misjudged when it came out. Jim was close to being on perfect 90s form and it feels like the same universe, and style as the first one which is what you want from it. I liked the daughter character too.

I love you Philip Morris This was ok, the best thing about it is that it exists as another film you can watch with Jim in the lead. It does have its moments and Jim being a crooked gay schemer in love is something a bit different for him at least. Ewan McGregor is SO bad in this, I'm not one to think everyone playing a character in a film needs to be that exact character in real life but I probably would have cast someone gay in Ewan's role here as he's extremely camp acting and Jim was already a straight guy acting gay in it.

Fun with Dick and Jane I hardly remembered this one, Jim and Téa Leoni turn to a life of crime when their comfortable life falls apart. It wasn't bad and had a few good laughs and scenes but always felt a bit B level, could have been a lot more fun with that premise.

Mr Poppers Penguins This is the only one I hadn't seen already, I love animals and kids films but this was a pretty bland family film and Jim wasn't really bringing it, could have been anyone in that role. Bonus points for having Carla Gugino in it.

Me myself & Irene I have a more difficult relationship with this film than any other on the list. I like the concept and loads of the jokes, but (and it pains me to say this) I just don't love the characterization Jim created for the psycho cop persona. Jim plays it as an over the top quiet cool Clint Eastwood parody and it doesn't always land for me, I get what he was going for but I think it would work better if he was more aggressive and shouty or something. Having said that, while watching all these films the bit that made me laugh most out of any of them was the breastfeeding scene in this, absolutely outrageous and Jim's face in it kills me.

Sonic 2  I love the Sonic movies despite not even being into the games as a kid, Jim is seriously on form in these. Sonic 2 is the most "Jim Carrey classic schtick" he has done in 20 years and for me at least he absolutely kills it. If he really is retired from this kind of thing then Sonic 2 is the perfect send off, I love him in it.

 

There was a discussion on here a while back about actors and directors that had great runs of films. I think its absolutely insane that Ace Ventura, The Mask and Dumb and Dumber were Jim's first 3 lead roles and all came out in 1994, how is that even possible?

Is Jim one of the greats or just another comedy actor who also tried a few dramas? For me personally it's the former.

 

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13 minutes ago, Bellenda Carlisle said:

Man on the moon  I've always liked this, I think it might fancy itself a bit more arty and meta than it is but it's still a great 90s biopic. Jim obviously does a wonderful job as Andy Kaufman even if looking back on it he was a bit over the top about channeling Andy to get that performance.

Have you seen the documentary? I really don't buy into method acting to that degree, but it's fascinating. 

And by fascinating, I mean, torture for the people around Jim at the time.

Having said that, love the film, love Jim. I get a bit sad seeing him now, he seems...not altogether with us. I even found it hard watching the Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee with him.

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Oppenheimer

Nah. The usual Chris Nolan over-directed, non-linear piss. I don't really like biopics anyway but I would have thought he'd have dedicated a lot more time to, y'know, the fucking bomb. Especially considering its three fucking hours long. Delighted I didn't pay to see this, I'm annoyed enough that I sat through it for free.

Eileen (cinema)

Excellent drama that turns into an even better neo-noir late on. Some of the Boston aaaaaaccents wobble a bit but Thomasin McKenzie, Anne Hathaway and Shea Whigham are all in great form and I enjoyed this enormously.

Vacation Friends 2

I don't care, I'd watch a bunch more of these idiot comedies although admittedly mostly for Big Match John and Meredith Hagner.

Leave the World Behind (Netflix)

Pretty good and really funny at times. A couple of great set piece scenes and a really good pace despite its length. Questionable politics and slightly obvious with it at times, but I had a good time with it. Final scene is an all-timer especially.

Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget (cinema)

It's fine. I think Aardman's best work has always been their shorter form TV stuff and I wasn't a big fan of the original, but it's passable and quite funny in places. Way below the Shaun the Sheep / Wallace & Gromit films though.

Shortcomings

It's been a superb year for Asian-American films and Randall Park's directing debut continues that. Maybe pushes its central character as too much of a knob but it's funny and smarter than most romcoms with some surprising turns. Really promising debut.

Crater

Best known now as the film Disney+ deleted from their catalogue a couple of months after its release for no fucking reason, and it's now impossible to find legally over here. Cunts. And it's a nice little film, too, and pleasingly anti-capitalist. Ahh, now I get it!

Love at First Sight (Netflix)

Fairly obvious romcom elevated by Haley Lu Richardson being waaaaaaay too good for this sort of thing. Watchable and cute but nothing more.

The Great Escaper

Michael Caine and Glenda Jackson's acting swansong, and a pretty good one. A bit more downbeat and anti-war than I was expecting but not without its funny moments - and excellent performances, obviously. Better than I expected.

Jules

An alien craft lands in Ben Kingsley's back garden and crushes his azalias. Funny and sweet sci-fi comedy which pushes the sentiment button too often to be all that great, but still good fun.

The Covenant (Prime)

Guy Ritchie continues his unexpected and unwelcome good run of films. Shame this goes a bit to pot in its second half because the first half was absolutely excellent. Still a good overall pcakage though.

Edited by Devon Malcolm
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1 hour ago, Devon Malcolm said:

Oppenheimer

It's so shit isn't it? Most overhyped film ever, boring as fuck and me and everyone I know didn't even enjoy the one bomb scene. The only thing i enjoyed was florence pugh's tits.

 

1 hour ago, SuperBacon said:

Have you seen the documentary? I really don't buy into method acting to that degree, but it's fascinating. 

And by fascinating, I mean, torture for the people around Jim at the time.

Having said that, love the film, love Jim. I get a bit sad seeing him now, he seems...not altogether with us. I even found it hard watching the Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee with him.

Yeah, that documentary was great  I've heard Jerry Lawler talking about the making of a few times and he really put Jim's nonsense into perspective. Jerry is like "Jim knew me and Andy Kaufman were rivals so he made my life hell on set, Jim needs to understand that me and Andy were friends and working together on everything".

Jim not understanding kayfabe to the person that was actually really there makes me cringe laugh everytime, no wonder Jerry hated him. Jim certainly does come across a bit weird these days but I think he's fascinating and i do hope he acts again.

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Leave The World Behind has some piss weak dialogue, especially some of Julia Roberts’ lines  but I haven’t seen Mahersha Ali for a while and I forgot how great he is, super charismatic in this too. I liked the ending too but wish they took a more show don’t tell approach to the plot and let the audience wonder a bit. Very weird in places and very unsettling. Kept me interested until the end.

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41 minutes ago, SuperBacon said:

I enjoyed it. Mahershala Ali and Julia Roberts dancing to Next - Too Close was just lovely.

I will probably never revisit it, but it was well made. There were some shots and scenes that I thought were just fantastic.

Absolutely this. It's something I'm glad I watched, especially from a visual standpoint, but it's not something I'd ever stick on again.

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On 12/13/2023 at 7:57 PM, Bellenda Carlisle said:

It's so shit isn't it? Most overhyped film ever, boring as fuck and me and everyone I know didn't even enjoy the one bomb scene. The only thing i enjoyed was florence pugh's tits.

 

Yeah, that documentary was great  I've heard Jerry Lawler talking about the making of a few times and he really put Jim's nonsense into perspective. Jerry is like "Jim knew me and Andy Kaufman were rivals so he made my life hell on set, Jim needs to understand that me and Andy were friends and working together on everything".

Jim not understanding kayfabe to the person that was actually really there makes me cringe laugh everytime, no wonder Jerry hated him. Jim certainly does come across a bit weird these days but I think he's fascinating and i do hope he acts again.

Any chance that he could be a Marvel villain? The Sonic films aren't that old. I guess he's in a position where he can pick and choose what he wants to do.

Edited by BigJag
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7 hours ago, BigJag said:

Any chance that he could be a Marvel villain? The Sonic films aren't that old. I guess he's in a position where he can pick and choose what he wants to do.

I really doubt he'd be intetested. I think Sonic is his version of that kind of thing and from everything he's said he's done with that kind of role. I loved him in his small role in kick ass 2. 

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1 hour ago, ReturnOfTheMack said:

Finally got around to watching Indiana Jones and The Dial of Destiny.

 

Well. Its better than Crystal Skull was. And Waller-Bridge is predictably good in it.

Is this the mirror verse or something? She is dire and even with the shoddy CG and opening sequence at least Crystal Skull felt like an Indy film.

That said I’m sure Onyx2 agrees with you

Edited by Hannibal Scorch
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1 hour ago, Hannibal Scorch said:

Is this the mirror verse or something? She is dire and even with the shoddy CG and opening sequence at least Crystal Skull felt like an Indy film.

That said I’m sure Onyx2 agrees with you

Look, I enjoy watching Not Going Out, as well as the first Fantastic Four films. I'm not exactly known for good taste in my media. 

I will, however, defend her performance in the film. 

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