What was the last movie you've seen?

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Gamerforlife
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Re: What was the last movie you've seen?

Post by Gamerforlife »

BurningDoom wrote:
Luke wrote:Yes, yes, yes.
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Seriously. Screw you Shao Kahn I'm gonna play Animal Crossing.
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Michi
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Re: What was the last movie you've seen?

Post by Michi »

The Gamma People
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I love it when TCM graces me with new things. This little Sci-fi gem has a little bit of comedy, a little bit of action, and a little bit of WTH. And unlike last weeks Stunt Rock, this one has a plot.

The Gamma People starts off innocently enough. Two jounalists, Mike and Howard, are on a train, off to cover some festival European festival. On the way there they enjoy, what I can only assume to be, a riveting game of chess...

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Who's turn was it again? I zoned out.

Because on the way to their destination their car gets dislodged from the rest of the train. Having no sense of fluctuating momentum they don't realize this and what's worse some village kids decide they're going to have some fun, so they pull lever and switch the tracks, sending the reports cart in another direction.

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Kids: Screwing up travel destinations since FOREVER.

When the train finally stops, the hapless travelers find themselves in Gudavia, a country that's so small it's not even on the map. They're first arrested, but then released with an apology. They want to let the whole thing go and just head off to their original destination, but there's no car to leave town, no incoming or outgoing trains, and the telegraph office is just there for show. They're promised a car eventually, but the powers that be don't seem to want them to leave with a bad impression.

It's quickly evident that something funny is going on. Howard runs across a bunch of dead-eyed, moaning men who spontaneously attack him one night and then just as quickly leave him alone. And don't forget the school boys roaming around town like a pack of wild dogs.

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The two men quickly find out that the townspeople's leader, Boronski, is up to no good and experimenting on the children. Once they realize what's going on they take it upon themselves to save the townspeople and save Hedda, a young girl who has been taken, before Boronski can perform any more experiments on her.

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Is...Is this the birth of Devo?

Released in 1956, The Gamma People was filmed just a few years after the war and had it been made any earlier it could have been used as propaganda. You've got two men, an American and an Englishman, infiltrating a European village filled with monstrous goons who've been brainwashed by a madman with a whistle. The kids all wear the same outfit, one that has obvious nazi influences, and speak constantly about striving for perfection. If anyone tried to say that there weren't WW2 influences in this movie they'd be lying through their teeth and doing a poor job of it.

The movie was directed by John Gilling, an English film director most known for his horror movies, most notably his Hammer Films. If you're at all familiar with Hammer films than that should give you a pretty good idea about the movies tone. Don't misunderstand, it's not a Hammer film, but it is very close in concept: a quasi-science fiction/political/comedy. A quasi-Hammer, if you will.

As for the actors, Leslie Phillips plays Howard, a stereotypical Englishman. He provides much of the comic relief. Most of it is pulled off with his familiar catch-phrases, so whether you find him amusing or gratingly annoying depends on your sense of humor.

Mike meanwhile is played by character actor Paul Douglas. Douglas is the no nonsense, straight man to Phillips humor. He does a commendable job of trying to give the film some seriousness, but like I said it's a Hammer-type film, so it was probably a lot cause. Even his attempt at kicking ass comes off as a bit campy.

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KAPOW!.....Wait! Stop! It'll hurt if you punch him without closing your fist first.

He's also given a sort of love interest in Eva Bartok (That woman you see in the picture below), but instead of coming off as romantic or heroic is just sort of comes off as awkward and icky.

But if there's one person you'll quickly want to punch in the face it'd be Hugo, played by Michael Caridia. And it's not just because he's the perfect little quasi-nazi. The kid's just a brat, pure and simple. If it weren't for the outfit and the historical context he'd be the stereotypical bully you'd see in every 80's movie. His supreme attitude, his cocky actions, everything he does is done for the sole purpose to piss you off.

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Even his art projects.

Overall, I enjoyed The Gamma People. It's a bit of a mixed bag, what with all the sci-fi and comedy and political situations, but it was fun and animated. It has a serious tone to it, but at the same time it doesn't feel like it's taking itself too seriously. So if you're looking for something a little more straight forward and serious, you may want to avoid this. But if you enjoy lightheared 50's Sci-fi and Hammer films, give this one a try. You'll probably get some joy out of it.

Also, as side-note, something I found interesting about this movie was the appearance of the Goons, the pale, dead-eyed youths who didn't turn out so well due to Boronski's experiments. Every time I saw them I kept thinking they looked familiar, but couldn't quite place it.

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Opps. Sorry. Thought you were someone else.

Then a couple days later I realized what they reminded me off.

This guy:

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*Points*

Do you see it? Am I alone?


PS.

Tonight and next Friday TCM will be showing movies I've already done write-ups on. Tonight they're showing The Iron Rose and next week they'll be replaying Equinox. So if you were at all interested in seeing them, or you just need something to watch those nights, keep that in mind.
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Luke
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Re: What was the last movie you've seen?

Post by Luke »

So considering the Reboot of Total Recall (massive spoilers ahead)...
The trailer makes it seem as if it is nearly identical to the original; it's not. First off, no "Mahhz". The movie is almost void of any mutants (they kept at least one extremely important mutant) and there is something sterile about the movie's settings. Keep in mind the movie isn't finished and no doubt it will look beautiful for its debut.

Kuato is a huge disappointment. Don't expect any baby mutant talking stomach thingy saying "Quaaaaid!". The action sequences are over the top, but not believable by any stretch. What KICK ASS did with Hit Girl was brilliant. She was a great assassin, but the movie never made us think she could over power a grown adult, which would be silly. In TR, they should have added the "head count meter" from Hot Shots.

It's a rough cut, but besides the visuals, I don't see it getting any better.
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Re: What was the last movie you've seen?

Post by elmagicochrisg »

Mrs. French's cat is missing. The signs are posted all over town. "Have you seen Honey?" We've all seen the posters, but nobody has seen Honey the cat. Nobody. Until last Thursday morning, when Miss Colette Piscine swerved her car to miss Honey the cat as she drove across a bridge. Well this bridge, now slightly damaged, is a bit of a local treasure and even has its own fancy name; Pont de Flaque. Now Collette, that sounds like Culotte. That's Panty in French. And Piscine means Pool. Panty pool. Flaque also means pool in French, so Colete Piscine, in French Panty Pool, drives over the Pont de Flaque, the Pont de Pool if you will, to avoid hitting Mrs. French's cat that has been missing in Pontypool. Pontypool. Pontypool. Panty pool. Pont de Flaque. What does it mean? Well, Norman Mailer, he had an interesting theory that he used to explain the strange coincidences in the aftermath of the JFK assasination. In the wake of huge events, after them and before them, physical details they spasm for a moment; they sort of unlock and when they come back into focus they suddenly coincide in a weird way. Street names and birthdates and middle names, all kind of superfluous things appear related to eachother. It's a ripple effect. So, what does it mean? Well... it means something's going to happen. Something big. But then, something's always about to happen...
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OldSchool_Boy
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Re: What was the last movie you've seen?

Post by OldSchool_Boy »

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Probably my favorite out of the entire series.
final fight cd wrote: moral of story: when in a shady part of town, don't ask random thugs where the sega is at.
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BoringSupreez
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Re: What was the last movie you've seen?

Post by BoringSupreez »

OldSchool_Boy wrote:Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Probably my favorite out of the entire series.
Me too. I don't know what about it makes it my favorite, but it is.
prfsnl_gmr wrote:There is nothing feigned about it. What I wrote is a display of actual moral superiority.
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OldSchool_Boy
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Re: What was the last movie you've seen?

Post by OldSchool_Boy »

BoringSupreez wrote:
OldSchool_Boy wrote:Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Probably my favorite out of the entire series.
Me too. I don't know what about it makes it my favorite, but it is.
Sean Connery playing as Indiana's father is a start.
final fight cd wrote: moral of story: when in a shady part of town, don't ask random thugs where the sega is at.
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indecks
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Re: What was the last movie you've seen?

Post by indecks »

BoringSupreez wrote:
OldSchool_Boy wrote:Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Probably my favorite out of the entire series.
Me too. I don't know what about it makes it my favorite, but it is.

The Nazis? lol

That's my favorite one too. Not a huge fan of Temple, but I wouldn't say Temple is a bad movie. Im just not a huge fan. But Crusade? Shit's tight.
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Luke
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Re: What was the last movie you've seen?

Post by Luke »

indecks wrote: Not a huge fan of Temple, but I wouldn't say Temple is a bad movie. Im just not a huge fan. But Crusade? Shit's tight.

Temple is a mixed bag, isn't it? RAIDERS set the bar so high that I wonder if Paramount and Lucasfilm said "Fuck it. No way we can top that, so lets have a little over the top fun".

I love Temple, it's fairly goofy but when it works it works extremely well. Short Round is definitely an adorable character, and if you don't honestly care about him during the voodoo doll scene you may need to check your pulse.

Anytime I see a mine cart, whether it be in real life or in a game like DKC, I always think of Temple. I know the visual effects aren't top notch (well, they do beat the flying inflatable raft scene) but I would classify them as "passable". RAIDERS was monumental, TEMPLE was a simple fun adventure that provided laughs and gasps and perfectly set up CRUSADE.

As the intro to TEMPLE says, "Anything goes".
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BoringSupreez
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Re: What was the last movie you've seen?

Post by BoringSupreez »

Heat
A great crime movie. Didn't feel too long, even though it was three hours longs.
prfsnl_gmr wrote:There is nothing feigned about it. What I wrote is a display of actual moral superiority.
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