What was the last movie you've seen?

[MrPopo]

My favorite part of Solo was that Lando makes references to all three of the old Lando Calrissian Adventures stories.

[Ack]

Meanwhile, in totally different movies we sometimes blog about...



Sugar Hill

Ever think Blaxploitation needs more zombies? Well, that's why we have Sugar Hill. One day, Baron Samedi is gonna dig my grave. I hope it's not today, but when he does, we're gonna celebrate with cigars and rum, and maybe we'll sick some zombies on some racist mobsters too. Should be a fun time.

That's sort of the plot in this movie. Sugar Hill's boyfriend gets murdered by the mob, so she makes a pact with a voodoo death god to get revenge by controlling a zombie horde. In the end, she doesn't have to even pay much for this power; Baron Samedi is happy to take the mob boss' racist girlfriend as a new wife. If you want to see the logical 1970s expansion of the zombie in I Walked with a Zombie, this is it.

[REPO Man]

Based on a novel and part of the famed Criterion Collection, this crime drama recounts the murder of a local businesswoman's second husband from the title character's viewpoint, starting with her life as a housewife and mother of two.

I thoroughly enjoyed this.

[Ziggy]

Silence of the Lambs



I decided to rewatch this classic, and I forgot how good it is. It's easy to take this movie for granted, with so much of it becoming cliche. But it won the "big five" which is one of only three movies to ever accomplish that. Just look at how perfectly insane Anthony Hopkins looks as Dr. Lecter.

And the famous turned cliche:

This is definitely a "must watch" movie.

[REPO Man]

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald. Excellent followup to the previous Fantastic Beasts films.

Personally I wanna see a spinoff set in the American school Ilvermorny. I could see Anthony Rapp, Sarah Paulson, Jessica Lange and Patti LuPone as faculty members.

[Michi]

Finally, a new write-up:

Basket Case

[prfsnl_gmr]

Took the family to Detective Pikachu last night. I thought it was very fun and very funny. It assumes the audience is very familiar with Pokémon - not a problem with my family - and the setting is fantastic (if, admittedly, a little bonkers). It has its flaws, and the story deviates a bit from the video game (in both good and bad ways). The ending is also a bit weak compared to the very strong opening. Nonetheless, we left the theater very satisfied with the movie and happy Warner Bros. is planning a follow up.

Thinking about it a bit, and this may sound odd, the movie it reminds me of the most is Blade Runner...but for family friendly...and with lots of Pokémon. If that sounds like something you’d enjoy, I recommend checking it out when you have the chance.

[Michi]

Next new movie write-up: Sleepaway Camp.

[Ack]

Ha, I should post mine yet. I really need to stop forgetting. That said, you're killing it, Michi. Nice work, as always.

[samsonlonghair]

I was fortunate to see Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind in the movie theater Monday night in commemoration of the film's 35th anniversary. It's one of my favorite Miyazaki filmes. I've seen it on DVD a hundred times, but I never saw it on the big screen before.

The sound design really blew me away this time. I never really took the time to listen to Joe Hisaishi's score until now. He used electro-synth to great effect during the scenes in the toxic jungle.

On a personal note, I feel lucky to live in a place where I can see classic anime films in the theater on a weekday.