This dropped on Tubi today. I think I’ll finally check it out.
1 Like
Are you a fan of found footage fans in general, eg Paranormal Activity?
Few lines snap an audience into the reality of a situation like Brooks in The Shawshank Redemption slowly drawling out, “I saw an automobile once when I was a kid, but now they’re everywhere…”
One of the most emotional scenes of the film, and I don’t think it hits nearly as well without that framing. That’s what really brings home that this is a scared, kindly old man being dropped into what may as well be a different planet and being told with a shrug that he can go ahead and sink or swim.
I watched Shawshank many times when it was in its first 10 years of existence, but set it down for a long time and even began to wonder simply from not having watched it for a long time if my prior opinion may have overrated it. I continued to speak of how excellent it was when it would come up, but small doubts nagged me as it became less and less fresh in my mind. I rewatched it recently, and am happy to report: no, I did not overrate it, and it hasn’t lost a damn thing with ~25 years of age. It is still a masterpiece.
4 Likes
If Halloween III came out today, people would call it “elevated horror.”
1 Like
Also it would be called “Hallow3en”
5 Likes
Do you listen to The Watch? They used that phrasing in a recent ep, ie “elevated horror.”
Assuming you are not secretly Andy! Or this isn’t just a coincidence 
Don’t listen to that one, mostly I just listen to the Flop House but maybe I should check out more movie podcasts.
I do think there were some interesting anti-consumerist vibes going through it. Also the abstract idea of Halloween itself sort of becomes the real monster, which was also different and fun. I wish they’d kept up this energy instead of going back to the Michael Myers well.
1 Like
Don’t know this genre particularly well but I like it in principle, I’m all for ppl trying new ways to play with the frame (i really liked the “unfriended” movies for instance).
“Paranormal activity” i was curious about, but tbh the fact that their budget is even smaller than Blair Witch’s has me scared a little, I feel like for a horror movie there should be at least a minimum going into effects.
1 Like
Let’s goooooooo. I loved Rise, Dawn, and War. Matt Reeves did for Apes what Justin Lin did for Fast and Furious. Really curious what this next director will add. Planet of the Apes is a franchise that shows no signs of slowing down, nor any significant variance in quality.
I hear you. I think a recent episode of Corridor Crew dug into what they did for the VFX in Paranormal Activity, but I can’t seem to find it.
I think giving the filmmakers a budget (or the look of a budget) sort of betrays the fundamentals of the found footage genre, but I understand if you’re saying a bigger budget can better help the found footage movie work within those constraints.
If you’re looking for higher-quality found footage, would recommend Searching and the sequel Missing.
ETA: or Chronicle!! Oh shit that’s a good movie despite itself. Josh Trank hit a home run that one time.
1 Like
Not a surprise but new Miyazaki is great. Describing it would make it seem like the type of things he’s done a few times before but it still manages to feel fresh. Both relaxing and very engaging.
(hope he’s still got a few more left in him !)
2 Likes
I’m going to wait for Phylum of the Planet of the Apes.
1 Like
That was the arc of the first three movies
My recollection of the last one was that I didn’t enjoy it as much as the first two, but it was still a decent popcorn movie.
1 Like
I take it that the Mark Wahlberg atrocity is basically non-canon now? I assumed they would not only fold the franchise but also invest heavily in time travel in order to go back in time to disinvent it. But I guess if they just started over then that’s at least an appropriate level of disowning of that movie.
1 Like
I had completely forgotten about that movie. Thanks for dredging up terrible memories.
Yeah the one by Tim Burton is forgotten to time.
The newest trilogy was excellent. The first one begins in the human era. It was directed by Rupert Wyatt, which I only mention because while this gave the franchise a much-needed breath of fresh air, the next two were by Matt Reeves.
The first one stars James Franco as the human opposite the ape played by Andy Serkis. It’s worth seeing for Andy’s performance alone. The climax is spectacular, and I think the ending in particular (the real ending plays over the credits) will resonate for reasons I can’t specify without spoilers. You can watch it free on Tubi.
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and then War of the Planet of the Apes are both awesome and have an A-List cast (Woody Harrelson!) for the human characters, but the last two in particular are the Andy Serkis show. He and his team bring to life the ape civilization in a way that makes the Avatar movies look like kids playing with puppets.
I’d also mention if you are at all a fan of Matt Reeves, Dawn reteamed him with Keri Russell, the star of the show Felicity that earned him and JJ Abrams the careers they have now. Without Felicity, JJ wouldn’t have gotten Alias, which means we wouldn’t have gotten JJ as director for Mission Impossible 3, and Tom Cruise would probably have a very different career.
My favorite Ape movie. It goes from being goofy and campy to being dark and suspenseful.
Try as he might, James Franco never ever stops being that fucking doofus with WOAT-level acting in the Raimi Spiderman trilogy. And now he has Me Too issues also? That’s not quite the way to rehab my opinion. But I regularly watch bad people entertain me, so the true barrier to watching him act is the Harry performance in Spiderman. I have nightmares of him gently booping Mary Jane with a book.
I read Stephen King’s 11/22/63 book before it was ever adapted. For no real reason, as I read it I visualized the lead as Bob Odenkirk. He just sort of seemed like he fit the middle-aged high school teacher vibe. When it was adapted and JAMES FRANCO was the lead instead?? Yeah I haven’t seen that. Good book though.
(I admit I haven’t tried a lot else with Franco, though I’m in the middle of a first watch of Freaks and Geeks. Sorry for cross-pollinating TV show mentions into the movie thread.)
1 Like
I also read the book and haven’t seen the film. Although I don’t remember having a clear sense of how I visualized the lead, I remember strongly visualizing the female love interest as a younger Laura Dern.
2 Likes