What movies have you seen recently?

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Army of Darkness (1992)

This film is so much fun.

Watched on Screwhead Edition Blu-Ray. I originally saw this on the Sci-Fi channel years ago. I saw it a few times on the Sci-Fi channel. The first time I started midway through. I appreciated the skeleton model animation.

I should have watched The Evil Dead 2 first, for continuity. I'll watch it next.

The Evil Dead 2 (1987)
Watched from Blu-Ray

This movie initially confused me, when I first watched it a few years ago. I did not realize that the beginning was a recap of what happened in the original film. I thought it was more of a remake. Then I learned the recap was not a verbatim recap, because it had to be re-filmed. Sam Raimi could not use the original film as a recap, because he did not have rights to the original print. The recap only contains Ash and his girlfriend, and not the other two characters. The recap varies a bit from the original story in other areas as well. Eventually, the new story picks up where the original film ends.

On the scale of goofy versus scary, this is less goofy, but it is still has it's funny moments. It's not as goofy as Army of the Dead. It ends where Army of the Dead begins, Ash, his car, and a tree falling through a time vortex. Again, by the time Sam made Army of the Dead, there were slight changes in costumes. I'm not going to let that bother me. If Sam were George Lucas, he would have inserted the start of Army of the Dead as the ending of The Evil Dead 2. The differences would have bugged George too much to let it be.

Lust och fägring stor

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113720

The kind of cumming-of-age movie that could only have been made in Sweden and nowhere else. If Hollywood does a remake of this one, I'll eat my hat.

Lady Vengeance (2005)

Korean film written and directed by Park Chan-wook
Watched from Blu-Ray. Not sure if it is steaming anywhere.
The Blu-Ray I have has two versions, the original full color release, and a release where it gradually turns into a black and white film. The black and white images are very striking. However, I watched the original release. I may watch the black and white version tonight, or wait until tomorrow.

Wikipedia: Lady Vengaence - Plot

The music in this film is quite beautiful. It's orchestral, and sometimes choral. The main theme is a melancholy waltz.

It stars Lee Yeong-ae, when she was 34. It is an excellent performance. I mention previously I just watched her in Inspector Koo on Netflx. She was excellent in that as well.

(next morning)
Watched the Fade to Black and White version of Lady Vengeance.

Parts are funny. I don't think I mentioned that.

One thing I put together was a symbolic meaning for the ending scene, in the alley, holding a cake she has made, standing with her daughter, with the snow falling, and she buries her head in the cake, eating it. I always thought this was just funny, and goofy. But this ties to when she is released from prison and offered Tofu. Offering Tofu is a gesture for starting the life out of prison (there's more to it, but I'm keeping it short). Her actions and the cake echo what happens earlier in the film when released prisoners eat their Tofu. I also noticed that one of the blocks of Tofu has the same embossed design that Geum-ja's cake has. I JUST realized this. It changes it from what appears to be a funny moment to a happy/bittersweet moment.

Palm Springs (2020)

Lighthearted romantic comedy with some sci-fi thrown in. It was fun! I laughed, I'd watch it again. I rated it 4 out 5 stars on Letterboxd.

Barbie 2023

I was not sure if I would enjoy this film or not. I saw the film purely based on Greta Gerwig, the director and co-writer, along with her husband Noah Baumbach. I'm a fan of both their work. I was not disappointed. It was a fun, sometimes silly film, and it was a film that dealt with the real problems people face, and what it is to be human with all the complications of being alive and being human. The script was very good. The production was very good.

Plus, I learned a little about the history of the Barbie toy line. Excellent film Ms. Greta Gerwig.

Favorite small things about the movie. The dog that poops. Will Ferrell, who always commits to his character.
Midge Barbie

and by extension... Alan, played by Michael Cera. Alan and Midge were the Happy Barbie Collection, withdrawn from the market.

The Great Santini
great role for Robert Duvall.

Gambling Ship (a 1930s film starring Cary Grant as a gangster wanting to leave the gangster life)

The War Wagon (a 1960s Western starring John Wayne and Kirk Douglas)

Phantom of the opera
the musical.

Timecop
Kind of fun. I enjoyed it.