{"id":13920,"date":"2024-12-01T11:47:10","date_gmt":"2024-12-01T16:47:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/?p=13920"},"modified":"2024-12-01T11:49:11","modified_gmt":"2024-12-01T16:49:11","slug":"weekly-movie-roundup-98","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/?p=13920","title":{"rendered":"Weekly Movie Roundup"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>I had the week off from work, thanks to the Thanksgiving holiday (but also a dentist appointment right before that), so I ended up watching 9 movies:<\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0031593\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/1-198x300.jpg\" alt=\"Love Affair\" width=\"198\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-13911\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/1-198x300.jpg 198w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/1-675x1024.jpg 675w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/1-768x1165.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/1-1013x1536.jpg 1013w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/1.jpg 1120w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 198px) 100vw, 198px\" \/><\/a><\/td>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0089461\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/2-203x300.jpg\" alt=\"The Last Dragon\" width=\"203\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-13912\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/2-203x300.jpg 203w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/2.jpg 580w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 203px) 100vw, 203px\" \/><\/a><\/td>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0045917\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/3-206x300.jpg\" alt=\"Invaders from Mars\" width=\"206\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-13913\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/3-206x300.jpg 206w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/3-704x1024.jpg 704w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/3-768x1117.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/3-1056x1536.jpg 1056w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/3.jpg 1299w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 206px) 100vw, 206px\" \/><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<ul>\n<li>It&#8217;s a little strange, watching <a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0031593\/\">Love Affair<\/a> without ever having seen the much better known remake <em>An Affair to Remember<\/em>. Still, Irene Dunne and Charles Boyer are charming enough together.<\/li>\n<ul><\/ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0089461\/\">The Last Dragon<\/a> is cheesy but fun.<\/li>\n<ul><\/ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0045917\/\">Invaders from Mars<\/a> is pure &#8217;50s-era science fiction: more than a little corny, bordering on camp but never aware that it&#8217;s doing so, but still pretty fun.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt18412256\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/4-203x300.jpg\" alt=\"Alien: Romulus\" width=\"203\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-13914\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/4-203x300.jpg 203w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/4-691x1024.jpg 691w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/4-768x1138.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/4-1037x1536.jpg 1037w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/4-1382x2048.jpg 1382w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/4-scaled.jpg 1728w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 203px) 100vw, 203px\" \/><\/a><\/td>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt7544820\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/5-209x300.jpg\" alt=\"Too Funny to Fail: The Life &amp; Death of The Dana Carvey Show\" width=\"209\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-13915\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/5-209x300.jpg 209w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/5-714x1024.jpg 714w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/5-768x1101.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/5-1072x1536.jpg 1072w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/5-1429x2048.jpg 1429w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/5-scaled.jpg 1786w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 209px) 100vw, 209px\" \/><\/a><\/td>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt19356262\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/6-203x300.jpg\" alt=\"Drive-Away Dolls\" width=\"203\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-13916\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/6-203x300.jpg 203w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/6-691x1024.jpg 691w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/6-768x1138.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/6-1037x1536.jpg 1037w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/6-1382x2048.jpg 1382w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/6-scaled.jpg 1728w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 203px) 100vw, 203px\" \/><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<ul>\n<li>The first twenty minutes of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt18412256\">Alien: Romulus<\/a>, before the movie really lets on that it&#8217;s a legacy sequel, are kind of interesting, suggesting an originality that the rest of the movie seems to be actively fighting against. But if the remainder was just another stale <em>Alien<\/em> knockoff, I think I could have still handled that\u2014even after the unnecessary AI deepfake of Ian Holm shows up, and even after the movie starts directly (and nonsensically) quoting previous films in the franchise. But when the movie reveals itself to be a <em>Prometheus<\/em> sequel as well, and insists on unconvincingly tying every last bit of continuity together, that&#8217;s when my waning interest turned into active annoyance. There are still some things to like about the film, some able direction and a couple of decent performances, but it feels more like a wasted opportunity to bring anything new or interesting to the table.<\/li>\n<ul><\/ul>\n<li>You won&#8217;t learn much from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt7544820\/\">Too Funny to Fail: The Life &#038; Death of The Dana Carvey Show<\/a> if you weren&#8217;t already familiar with its history. But it&#8217;s also hard to imagine why you would watch it if you weren&#8217;t already familiar with it. There are some interesting, if not revelatory, interviews with nearly all of the principals involved\u2014head writer Louis CK being the notable exception. (It&#8217;s easy to imagine interviews with him having been filmed, but then scrapped in the wake of the allegations around him.) This soft doc doesn&#8217;t necessarily make a case that the show should have lasted, or that there&#8217;s even something to learn from its failure, but it&#8217;s an entertaining enough.<\/li>\n<ul><\/ul>\n<li>Almost everything that works about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt19356262\/\">Drive-Away Dolls<\/a> is thanks to the actors, who give every weird line reading and wink-wink-isn&#8217;t-this-kooky plot twist their all. (Margaret Qualley in particular is a lot of fun.) But it&#8217;s all a bit too much, really. Even if you didn&#8217;t already know this was directed and co-written by one of the Coen Brothers, the movie would feel like one of their collaborations but warmed over and therefore half-baked. There&#8217;s a lot going on here\u2014too much, honestly\u2014and it never comes together in a particularly satisfying way.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0040823\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/7-199x300.jpg\" alt=\"Sorry, Wrong Number\" width=\"199\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-13917\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/7-199x300.jpg 199w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/7-679x1024.jpg 679w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/7-768x1159.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/7-1018x1536.jpg 1018w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/7-1357x2048.jpg 1357w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/7-scaled.jpg 1696w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 199px) 100vw, 199px\" \/><\/a><\/td>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0066450\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/8-195x300.jpg\" alt=\"They Call Me Mister Tibbs!\" width=\"195\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-13918\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/8-195x300.jpg 195w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/8.jpg 666w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 195px) 100vw, 195px\" \/><\/a><\/td>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt1740707\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/9-204x300.jpg\" alt=\"Troll Hunter\" width=\"204\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-13919\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/9-204x300.jpg 204w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/9-698x1024.jpg 698w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/9-768x1128.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/9-1046x1536.jpg 1046w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/9.jpg 1395w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 204px) 100vw, 204px\" \/><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0040823\/\">Sorry, Wrong Number<\/a> is a little convoluted, and Stanwyck&#8217;s performance teeters almost constantly on the edge of silly hysteria, but there&#8217;s a lot to like here.<\/li>\n<ul><\/ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0066450\/\">They Call Me Mister Tibbs!<\/a> is no <em>In the Heat of the Night<\/em>. I appreciate the attempt to give Poitier&#8217;s character more life, and both he and Landau are pretty good, but the movie itself is a little dull.<\/li>\n<ul><\/ul>\n<li><a rhef=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt1740707\/\">Troll Hunter<\/a> does exactly what it says on the tin. Unfortunately, that&#8217;s kind of all it does. The workmanlike CGI has aged well enough, likely because it&#8217;s mostly hidden in shadow, but the truth is the movie just doesn&#8217;t do a whole lot and then kind of peters out. A late attempt at a surprise reveal can&#8217;t really change the fact that this feels like a short film padded unnecessarily. There&#8217;s a good short film inside it, but that&#8217;s kind of all there is.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>I also re-watched <a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0036775\/\">Double Indemnity<\/a>, which I hadn&#8217;t seen since my college film class, and which is just a pitch-perfect film noir.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I had the week off from work, thanks to the Thanksgiving holiday (but also a dentist appointment right before that), so I ended up watching 9 movies: It&#8217;s a little strange, watching Love Affair without ever having seen the much better known remake An Affair to Remember. Still, Irene Dunne and Charles Boyer are charming &#8230; <a class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/?p=13920\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13920","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13920"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=13920"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13920\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13924,"href":"https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13920\/revisions\/13924"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=13920"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=13920"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=13920"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}