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Magic Marmalade

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3619 Points / Moderator / Joined 30 Jun 2014 /

England / Kent

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Half record collector... half druid... complete unit.

More human than human.

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Member	Item		Review/Comment
Magic Marmalade 22nd Jun 2024		Cinema Dangerous Days: Making Blade Runner (2007)	Rated 8/10 This is a monster of a documentary! (And effectively a movie in it's own right) Running over three and a half hours or so, it is brilliant at tracking the genesis, development and production of the best movie of all time, as well as it's legacy. I'd never actually seen this, as I am actually one of those rare people who doesn't generally like having the illusion of the finished product spoiled, or my own consideration of it tainted by even the creator's realities... (I don't like all the extra "stuff" that comes either on dvds or reissue records - demos, outtakes and the like - just give the final magic trick straight, and don't show me how it was done, and ruin the magic of the experience!) ...However, this is a feature disc that comes with the "Final Cut" version of the dvd, which is why I bought it, out of curiosity, as I'd always been resistant to this latest "cut" - being both sentimentally attached to the original theatrical cut with voice over (which I grew up with), and completely devoted to the later Director's Cut - ...And yup, the "Final Cut" ain't for me. ("I want more life.... F£%*er!" ... Not: "I want more life... Father!" - a minor quibble, but has more impact, and is symptomatic of a litany of things I don't like about this "Last" version) ((Using a lot of quotation mark here, aren't I!?! :)) Anyway, back to our scheduled programming... The great point of interest about this for me, is as it shows the development stage, how there were so many things original intended to be in the story that were opted against, but actually found their way into Blade Runner 2049 - So Villeneuve basically said: "Well, if you ain't gonna use 'em... I will!" Requires a lot of stamina to get through this doc / movie, as if you are a Blade Runner geek, you can't pull yourself away from it, but my ass was numb from watch this, I've got to say, and was peeing like a racehorse after it was over. Great stuff though. (Just got to get my sticky little hands on that dvd box set now, so I can get that original theatrical voice-over cut again - must see it again!) 2 people found this review helpful. ✔︎ Helpful Review?
Magic Marmalade 22nd Jun 2024		TV Jack The Ripper [1988] (1988)	Rated 8/10 Difficult to judge anything to do with such a historically nebulous figure as Jack The Ripper, as theories abound, and "facts" come and go... But outside of "historical documentaries" and the like, it does make for great dramatic material in which to explore theories and hypotheses... ...This, in my opinion, is the best of them - A very engaging, and excellently realised examination of the "facts" of the case, such as was available to the production at the time, and from a particular point of view, or points of view. Certainly required viewing for current or prospective "Ripperologists". (But even if you are not either of these, cracking drama for those who like a mystery / intrigue / "conspiracy theory" watch) ✔︎ Helpful Review?
Magic Marmalade 21st Jun 2024		Cinema The Rocketeer (1991)	Rated 7/10 Saw this in the cinema at time of release, and really liked it... ...Unfortunately, most of the rest of the world didn't very much, and so, it seems mostly forgotten. It is probably the best "superhero" movie of it's time - way ahead in terms of production values and budget, and I don't think you would see it's like for almost another twenty years when the MCU started up it's epic journey. In fact, watching this again makes me realise that this is undoubtedly the movie that got Johnston the job of directing the Captain America: The first avenger movie - as it plays the old "retro" superhero movie to a tee. As with CapAm, it has a powerful whiff of an Indiana Jones movie in the retro style - perfectly capturing that time period in look and feel, with a slight nod to Metropolis, with all that post Art-deco styling of the helmet and such. ...But this is not surprising either, as Johnston also worked on those Indiana Jones movies as art director, as well as later designing the Iron Giant in the animated feature. It has a prototype rocket pack designed by Howard Hughes, which is being hunted by Nazis, gangsters, a Zeppelin, and Timothy Dalton as a quintessential British baddy, all fighting against the accidental Rocketeer hero, a local pilot who by chance, happens across said rocket pack, and decides to use it. Great rip roaring adventure fun of the old matinee variety, which they just don't make anymore... well, except for the Indiana Jones movies... And that first Captain America movie... and it still looks great, and works well, both in the production, and the special effects, which still work for me. (Incidentally, the DVD I got of this was a German release, which is merely called: "Rocketeer" (dropping the: "the") - not sure of my German , so stand to be corrected, but is this because the German rendering would be: Die Rocketeer (mildly amusing in English, but not exactly what the filmmakers want it to be known as). 2 people found this review helpful. ✔︎ Helpful Review?
Magic Marmalade 18th Jun 2024		Cinema Black Swan (2010)	Rated 8/10 Exceeded all my expectations. I am in the mode of picking up dvds of all those movies that have made a dent in the general consciousness over time, but at time of release, I said to myself... meh... not for me. In this case, the whole ballet business left me rather cold. ...But, it turns out, that's only the circumstance, and it doesn't matter if you're into ballet, or like me.... not. As this is more a tale of artistic obsession, and the darker places of both mind and soul this takes someone to. It's actually almost identical, plot wise, to Whiplash, but with the marked difference that here, Portman's character is rather meek, oppressed, self conscious, and a but of a put upon lamb, who's "dedication" to her craft and the opportunity this presents to her, brings something more out her, by degrees... just can't keep it in people, if it wants, and needs to get out! But, thankfully, you don't need to have an ounce of consideration or care for ballet, or that world to thoroughly enjoy the performance Portman gives, or the story told here... Just watch t for the drama, the character study, the tragedy and the psycho-melodrama, and it's really quite brilliant. 1 person found this review helpful. ✔︎ Helpful Review?
Magic Marmalade 14th Jun 2024		Cinema Heaven	Rated 9/10 This is one of those quirky oddment curios that seems to have become lost to recent memory. ...It blends a serious dramatic subject and tone with an almost sublime, surreal fairy-tale quality (very lightly). Blanchett plays a school teacher who seeks to get revenge on a drug dealer who's been pushing to kids at her school, by planting a bomb in his office... Unfortunately, the explosion kills a child, and she is naturally inconsolable at what she has done... ...Upon arrest, and under interrogation, one of the officers (Ribisi) begins to fall in love with her, and so devises a way to help her escape - but does she want to? It's one that I caught by accident on tv late night once, that I found myself transfixed by, and curious about as it went along. Ultimately, it's become something of a favourite of mine due to those disparate qualities, which seems to make sense when watching it; The gentle pacing, calm, almost glacial feel makes it oddly mesmerising. Great. 1 person found this review helpful. ✔︎ Helpful Review?