Horror? Watch: Psychomania (1971)

Watched:  07/21/2018
Format:  BluRay
Viewing:  First
Decade:  so, so 1970's

Watched for a podcast we're saving for the Halloween season

Noir Watch: Roadblock (1951)

Watched:  07/18/2018
Format:  TCM Noir Alley on DVR
Viewing:  First
Decade:  1950's

PODCAST! Marvel Watch: Ant-Man and The Wasp (2018)

Watched:  07/15/2018
Format:  Alamo Slaughter Lane
Viewing:  First
Decade:  2010's

It's a PODCAST!  Starring our own Jamie!  As the Ant-Man partners up with The Wasp, so we team up with our better half to talk big about getting small.  This one is a bit shorter than other podcasts at a trim 35 minutes, so jump right in to hear the good, the bad and the tiny of Ant-Man and The Wasp (2018).

Airplane Movie Watch: Proud Mary (2018)

Watched:  07/10/2018
Format:  American Airlines seatback screen
Viewing:  First
Decade:  2010's

B-Ball Watch: Uncle Drew (2018)

Watched:  July 3, 2018
Format:  Alamo Drafthouse Slaughter Lane
Viewing:  First
Decade:  2010's

Noir Watch: The Man Who Cheated Himself (1950)

Watched:  07/02/2018
Format:  Noir Alley on TCM/ DVR
Viewing:  First
Decade:  1950's

Spaghetti Western Watch: The Great Silence (1968)

Watched:  06/26/2018
Format:  Alamo Ritz
Viewing:  First
Decade:  1960's

SPOILERS AHEAD

Oh Hai Watch: The Disaster Artist (2017)

Watched:  06/22/2018
Format:  Amazon Prime Video
Viewing:  First
Decade:  2010's

Noir Watch: The Clay Pigeon (1949)

Watched:  06/12/2018
Format:  Noir Alley on TCM (DVR)
Viewing:  First
Decade:  1940's

Horror Watch: The Fog (1980)

Watched:  06/09/2018
Format:  Amazon Streaming
Viewing:  First
Decade:  1980's


Lately I've been having an ongoing conversation with Stuart about the tendency of critics to use the phrases "it's not really a horror film" or "but it's good" in discussing the horror genre when they want to get folks to at least consider viewing something made as a horror movie.  This thinking and talk offends the horror purists, but as someone who tends to think of the endless line of cheapo slasher flicks that lined the walls of video stores during his formative years - I kinda get it.  I understand the coded message: this is horror, but it's not going to just make you queasy and wonder why this is supposed to be a good way to spend 90 - 120 minutes of your life.

I'm of the firm belief that horror is a pretty good indicator that nobody goes to the movies for the same reasons (I usually get very little from horror, but I will have to be carried into a Katherine Heigl RomCom on one of those Silence of the Lambs dolleys).  Still, this does make me think a bit about how I talk about horror films - what I like and don't.

During the course of the chat, Stuart was stunned to learn somehow I'd never seen The Fog (1980), and I had no real reason I hadn't seen it and one convincing Adrienne Barbeau to suggest I absolutely *should* see The Fog.  It's not like I don't dig John Carpenter's other films I've watched - so I broke it up over a couple of nights as I was winding down in Bozeman.

Musical Watch: An American in Paris (1951)

Watched:  03/26/2018
Viewing:  First
Format:  TCM on DVR
Decade:  1950's

I just found this in my drafts.  Yeah, so back in March I watched An American in Paris (1951).  Never wrote it up, just started the post. 

So I'm not writing one now.  But there's plenty out there on this movie, so...  there you go.

X-Marvel Watch: Deadpool 2 (2018)

Watched:  05/29/2018
Format:  Alamo Slaughter Lane
Viewing:  First
Decade:  2010's

Noir Watch: Crime Wave (1953)

Watched:  05/28/2018
Format:  Noir Alley on TCM - DVR
Viewing:  First
Decade 1950's

Sometimes casting can save the day for a fairly standard plot in a movie - it can be a real pleasure to see your favorite actors, character or otherwise, play out the parts in your boilerplate movie.  Other times that same old jazz standard gets a new look, a new interpretations and the execution is enough to make you stand up and applaud.

Star Wars Watch: Solo - A Star Wars Story (2018)

Watched:  05/26/2018
Format:  Alamo Drafthouse Slaughter
Viewing:  First
Decade: 2010's

Noir City Austin: The Unsuspected (1947) & The Threat (1949) - Sunday shows

Watched:  05/20/2018
Format:   Noir City Austin at Alamo Ritz in 35mm
Viewing:  fourth/ first
Decade:  1940's

We attended two films on the final day of Noir City Austin, The Unsuspected (1947) and The Threat (1949).  Two extremely different movies, but both a real treat.  The Film Noir Foundation isn't just Eddie Muller, and as he had to depart, we were lucky to have author Alan K. Rode in attendance to introduce the films.

Noir City Austin: The Accused (1949) & The Underworld Story (1950)

Watched:  05/19/2018
Viewing:  First/ First
Format:  Noir City Austin at the Alamo Ritz
Decade:  1940's/ 1950's

Both films were shown as part of Noir City Austin, hosted by TCM Noir Alley host, Eddie Muller and presented in 35mm. 

Noir City Austin: I Wake Up Screaming (1941) and Quiet Please: Murder (1942)

Watched:  05/18/2018
Format:  Noir City Austin at Alamo Ritz
Viewing:  Second/ First
Decade:  1940's

It's Noir City Austin 2018 down at The Alamo Ritz!  As in prior years, Eddie Muller - the Czar of Noir and host of TCM's Noir Alley series is in attendance.  As he does so well for Noir Alley, Eddie introduces each film, providing Hollywood history and necessary context, as well as any anecdotes he's dug up over the years, often from first-hand interviews.

I can't make it to all the movies this year, but I am trying to make it out to see a few.  Friday night SimonUK and I took in the first two films, I Wake Up Screaming (1941) and Quiet Please: Murder (1942).

Noir Watch: Caged (1950)

Watched:  05/15/2018
Format:  Noir Alley on TCM (on DVR)
Viewing:  First
Decade:  1950's

There are probably two ways to watch Caged (1950), either as a camp classic or through the lens of 1950.  JimD taught me several valuable phrases, and in the top three I include "chronological snobbery".   Basically - chronological snobbery is that thing you do when you watch a movie made from a time probably before your birth and nod sagely to yourself saying "oh, thank goodness we figured out how to make better movies, people sure were dumb as both filmmakers and as an audience back then."

Okay Watch: Revenge (2017 - US Release 2018)

Not all movies are for all people.  Sometimes a movie, despite a rip-roaring ad, when I see the movie, in practice, I am fifteen minutes in and realize "oh no..." but there you are.

Rifftrax Watch: Honor & Glory (1993)

Watched:  05/11/2018
Format:  Rifftrax on Amazon Prime Streaming
Viewing:  First
Decade:  1990's

It's possible that Cynthia Rothrock movies aren't as good as I remember finding them in high school.