BreakBeatDJ

33 minutes ago, Casiusco said:

The Way Back (Gavin O'Connor, 2020)

 

Here we have a film that is really two films.

 

On the one hand, we have a drama starring an alcoholic man, who has a serious personal trauma, and who has sunk into a situation of isolation and self-destruction. Both the narrative and the mise-en-scène have opted for an interesting minimalist point of view, which is marked from the very first scene. In its silences, the exposition of a situation without the need to emphasise it.

 

On the other hand, we have a typical, anodyne, lifeless sports tv-film, where we know that in the end the ball is going to go in, and that the poor will be rich. We even have the typical humble boy with problems at home, and we see the problems he faces to be able to play. Nothing we haven't seen many times before, told here in the same usual way.

 

As a whole, I think it's an entertaining film, and I'm very grateful that it was suggested because I had a good time yesterday night watching it. However, I don't think it's a great film, but its shortcomings and imbalances limit what would have been a good film to just a film to use, hang out, and forget.

 

How do you balance the narrative when you're making two such different films? In the end, far from being a problem, it was an opportunity if you establish both layers as two counterpoints; the silent exterior, with the main character living his torment on the inside, and the noisy basketball interior, where he does open up and can let go; where maybe he has a chance to come back to life. 

 

But to achieve this is very difficult, it requires a talent or luck that has not been present enough here. Instead of establishing it as a counterpoint, contrasting two different worlds whose collision unleashes the tension that distresses the protagonist, we have two films almost independent of each other, where the first, the drama, fails for not deciding to give more space to a (good) Ben Affleck of whom we only see a summarised version, so summarised that it ends up being superficial; and where the second, the team, ends up being a clichéd addition that entertains but does not contribute what it should to the main character, where everything is predictable and artificial like in a TV film.

 

I like the ending, and that far from the happy-ending of the basketball film, the drama prevails. The problem to go from being an entertaining film to being a great film, is that this drama, despite the interesting minimalist point of view in its staging, is undeveloped. We see silences that are a summary -highlights- of other silences, but we never see Ben Affleck's character really broken after assume what happened (and which is rightly hidden from us for half a film); we don't perceive his anguish, his real day-to-day life.

 

I think this character and this story of loneliness deserved to be developed a little more. Because, although maybe the "coolest" thing is to show the drunkenness and the occasional family gathering, deep down, that darkness was born in the silences, when he was alone. 

Wonderfully thought through review. 

2 hours ago, Billy Talent said:

The incredible Phoebe bridgers, got all her records on vinyl (double dip, even triple dip) some of which are insanely rare and sought after.

Been following her before she dropped her debut, give her a listen, John mayer and Taylor Swift seem to agree 

 

As a grown-a$$ man, I know that female whisper pop/ballads are not written with me in mind.  But so many of Bridgers/Yumi Zouma/Barrie/Dodi songs get to me.  Smoke Signals is friggin heart breaking.  
 

good stuff.  Thanks for posting.  

1 minute ago, GuyIncognit0 said:

Wait a minute…is Sorcerer week ending today? Did I miss an entire week?

Nope, it starts today.  It is Now Showing!  I think some have already watched it.  I am trying to stay on a schedule and watch the movie for the week each Friday.  You're good.  Glad you're back around buddy.

1 minute ago, Gary K said:

Agreed about Infinity Pool…and the trailer seeming to give a bit too much away.  That said, I felt the same way about the trailer for Possessor and when I saw the film didn’t feel as though it had been spoiled.

Yeah,  you make a good point.  No doubt B Croney has some surprises up his reel.   Some movies I'm good with a spoiler trailer, because I feel like when I see the title, the stars, and the director, I sorta know what's going to be anyway.  But some filmmakers, like B Croney, are so freaking smart, I don't want to be primed for it too much.  I wonder what those convos are like between filmmaker and marketing, how that balance is/isn't struck.

2 hours ago, Fortis93 said:

 

This release is sponsored by Milka. 😄

2 minutes ago, Baphomet said:

For sure going to watch Sorcerer tomorrow since I have the day off, and it's a Friedkin movie that I have not seen yet, so I am excited. 

 

@Reagh I think that my pick of movie will be Possessor by Brandon Cronenberg. It's been one of my favorite movies that have come out in the past couple of years and I can't wait for Infinity Pool to come out a little later this month, so the hype for that one made me realize this should be my pick here. Specifically the Uncut version, but the normal version should be fine too for those that can't find it. 

yeah, excited about Infinity Pool as a well.  Don’t watch the trailer, fyi, for those of you interested, imho.  I’m one of those who hates trailers that are basically a fast cut treatment of the movie.  I’ll still enjoy it, and am excited, but wish I hadn’t seen the trailer.  My 2 cents.   

2 minutes ago, Gary K said:

Interesting release strategy.  

Do you mean the marketing of non-cgi, old school practical effects?   It’s a new genre, analog-horror.  😆

44 minutes ago, R1s1ngs0n said:

LotR Premium Box Set now available to order from Theory11

This premium box set includes four decks: two standard edition and two special GOLD FOIL edition Lord of the Rings Playing Cards, with glistening gold foil on the back of each card. The box set is secured with a magnetic enclosure - and a map of Middle Earth inside!

 

of course I’m in on this.  But I was hoping they’d go the citizens direction.   
 

2 minutes ago, Billy Talent said:

 

I see you over here regularly, and have been hoping you'd post something.  I'm sure you have posted many times before, but I missed it.  I look forward to listening to this when I have a chance.

_____________________________

2023 BREAKBEATDJ WATCH LOG

16 TOTAL

1 Blu-Ray/DVD

3 Blu-Ray UHD

11 Streaming

0 Theater

1 TV Shows 

* rewatch

_____________________________________

JANUARY

01/01/23 Top Gun Maverick* 2022 BR UHD 3.5 STARS | POS: nostalgia, creative flight scenes NEG: too obvious, eject at mach 10?

01/01/23 A Night To Remember 1958 BR 4 STARS | POS: the portrayal of the Carpathia and California NEG: inconsistent class representation

01/02/23 Druk (Another Round)* 2020 Prime 4 STARS | POS: Neo-Dogme Vinterberg NEG: too ambiguous?

01/02/23 Interstellar* 2014 BR UHD 4.5 STARS | POS: well crafted intelligent sci fi NEG: unconvincing black hole sequence

01/03/23 On the Count of Three 2017 Hulu 4.5 STARS | POS: black comedy buddy movie NEG: inexperienced director, some poor scenes

01/03/23 Wonderstruck 2017 Prime 3.5 STARS | POS: imaginative directing by Todd Haynes NEG: too much plot coincidence

01/05/23 The Disaster Artist* 2017 Hulu 3 STARS | POS: well crafted, bizarre true story NEG: James Franco overacting got annoying

01/05/23 The Northman* 2022 Prime 2 STARS | POS: Alexander Skarsgard top notch NEG: low production value for 70 mil budget

01/06/23 Delicious 2021 Prime 4.5 STARS | POS: charming pre French Revolution foodie movie NEG: the "invention" of the restaurant too on the nose

01/06/23 Top Gun* 1986 BR UHD 3.5 STARS | POS: nostalgia, perfect buddy action film NEG: Maverick cockiness overplayed

01/09/23 Wings* 1990/91 Season 1&2 Hulu 3 STARS | POS: mindless TV for background noise NEG: mindless TV for background noise

01/10/23 The Electrical Life of Louis Wain 2021 Prime 4 STARS | POS: Interesting true story, Benedict Cumberbatch NEG: Decent in to madness uneven

01/12/23 True Grit 2010 HBO Max 4 STARS | POS: Jeff Bridges just kills, great casting NEG: Not greatest Coen Bros film, lacks usual multi-dimensions

01/13/23 The Way Back 2010 HBO Max 3.5 STARS | POS: Well crafted traditional redemption story, basketball NEG: Too predictable

01/14/23 My Dinner WIth Andre* 1981 HBO MAX 4.5 STARS | POS: Brilliant look at playwrights in NYC | NEG: It's a filmed play, not cinematic at all

01/14/23 The Player* 1991 HBO Max 3.5 STARS | POS: Brilliant look at Hollywood, Robert Altman | NEG: Tim Robbins lacks gravitas

2 minutes ago, Rambo said:

yeah that sounds about right 😎

https://music.apple.com/us/album/gone-troppo/1031464405

That's the best one, Gone Troppo

 

Their self titled album is also good 

Pissfart Records!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! I love these dude.  There appears to be a transparent 180g vinyl edition available from 2015.

1 hour ago, Rambo said:

was blaring the entire album at work today

I feel like I'm at CBGB.  What album is their best one?   

Thanks @ShadowWarrior.  I've been wondering if this one would ever show up.  The other two are lonely with out it.

1 minute ago, Rambo said:

the older I get the easier I find to control that tbh. I have rules with buying premiums, etc. 

 

I also just sold off 3/4 off my mondo steelbooks because I don't really care for them. it gets easier

If you start a 12 step program, I'll sign up.

7 minutes ago, Rambo said:

I also don't get why you would buy something if you don't like the film. just my 2 cents. 

 

I have three stamp albums full of stamps I'll never use and 1/3 I don't like . . . the collector's disease.

1 minute ago, Reagh said:

Some makeshift Swag

 

 

 

Nice. In the other pic It looked like a monolith on its side.   Thought maybe you were holding out on us with an ML 2001.    You know my

monolithophobia.  

6 minutes ago, Reagh said:

since I’m a displaced Cajun, I envisioned a alternating Deep purple, Deep Forrest Green & splashes of Gold. And if I hate it when it’s finished, I’ll take them down and start from scratch. I’m not really a builder kinda guy, before this the only thing I’ve ever built was…….. suspense. I definitely learned a lot through trial and error on this, and if I had a chance to do all over again, I think I can definitely improve on some things 

Half the furniture in the house is from Room And Board.  Your design feels like a miniature of something from them.  For not having the experience, your shelves look legit. 
 

What is that dark thing to the left of Age of Innocence?
 

1 minute ago, Reagh said:

since I’m a displaced Cajun, I envisioned a alternating Deep purple, Deep Forrest Green & splashes of Gold. And if I hate it when it’s finished, I’ll take them down and start from scratch. I’m not really a builder kinda guy, before this the only thing I’ve ever built was…….. suspense. I definitely learned a lot through trial and error on this, and if I had a chance to do all over again, I think I can definitely improve on some things 

Ooooh, forget what I said, I wanna see that paint job.  
 

3 hours ago, R1s1ngs0n said:

I’ve never owned any edition of this movie so it’s definitely not a movie I would call one of my absolute favorites, although I do like it a lot as it seems to suck me in whenever it’s on tv

Exactly my experience.  Clicking through channels, see Andy Dufresne, and I end up watching the rest of the movie.  

2 hours ago, Reagh said:

I spent yesterday reorganizing and building a few new shelves. Here’s what all I’ve accomplished so far. It’s still a work in progress. I still have to paint them, and build more on the wall to the left of the pictures and add more artwork & such. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wow.  Love the design, the alternating open ended shelves.  Very nice.  Don’t paint them!   I love that light natural wood.  Looks modern but warm.  What color were you thinking?

1 minute ago, Reagh said:

 

 

Under Siege / Erika Eleniak Left & Right. A truly dynamic duo 

 

 

Exhibit A - DD

 

 

 

 

 

  Reveal hidden contents

 

@TheAmarayMan  @camwjohn95

29 minutes ago, Fortis93 said:

 

Try this:

 

https://collectors-junkies.com/preorder-stream/

Boom!  Thanks for this.