Blood Simple is a 1984 American independent neo-noir crime film written, edited, produced, and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen, and starring John Getz, Frances McDormand, Dan Hedaya, and M. Emmet Walsh. Its plot follows a Texas bartender who finds himself in the midst of a murder plot when his boss discovers that he is having an affair with the boss’s wife. It was the directorial debut of the Coens and the first major film of cinematographer Barry Sonnenfeld, who later became a noted director, as well as the feature-film debut of Joel Coen's wife, McDormand, who went on to star in many of his features....
While the film was only a modest box-office success, it was a huge critical success. It currently holds a 94% "fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 99 reviews, with a weighted average of 8.27/10. The critical consensus reads: "Brutally violent and shockingly funny in equal measure, Blood Simple offers early evidence of the Coen Brothers' twisted sensibilities and filmmaking ingenuity." ...
I agree.
According to the TV presenter the Coens wanted Holly Hunter for the lead, but she had a theater commitment. She suggested her 25 year old roommate McDormand, who aced her audition. She and Joel fell in love and got married 2 years later. They’re still together. McDormand's 1st Academy Award for Best Actress was for the Coen brothers' Fargo. Idk if Hunter gets kickbacks.
A clown with a flamethrower still has a flamethrower.
-- Charlie Sykes on MSNBC
1312. ETTD.
In 1976 five Jodie Foster films were released: Taxi Driver, Bugsy Malone, The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane, Freaky Friday & Echoes of a Summer (The Last Castle). Each but the last was an unquestioned triumph. At 13 years old Foster already had a more stellar career than 95% of actors.
A clown with a flamethrower still has a flamethrower.
-- Charlie Sykes on MSNBC
1312. ETTD.
I always thought de Niro was a most excellent creep in "Cape Fear." I especially liked the part where he was smoking a cigar in the movie theatre and laughing maniacally. Pristine.
I always thought de Niro was a most excellent creep in "Cape Fear." I especially liked the part where he was smoking a cigar in the movie theatre and laughing maniacally. Pristine.
Pretty good, and it rang somewhat true to my high school years not that long before it was made. Perhaps the most notable thing about it is its "no name" cast, several making their film debuts:
Sean Penn
Jennifer Jason Leigh
Judge Reinhold
Phoebe Cates
Amanda Wyss
Forest Whitaker
Eric Stoltz
James Russo
Nicolas Cage
Nancy Wilson of Heart
Wow. Imagine what it would have cost to put them all in a film in 1992.
A clown with a flamethrower still has a flamethrower.
-- Charlie Sykes on MSNBC
1312. ETTD.
eXistenZ is a 1999 science fiction thriller film written, produced and directed by Canadian director David Cronenberg. The plot of the film follows a game designer named Allegra Geller, played by Jennifer Jason Leigh, who finds herself targeted by assassins while playing a virtual reality game of her own creation. An international co-production between Canada, the United Kingdom, and France, it also stars Jude Law, Ian Holm, Don McKellar, Callum Keith Rennie, Sarah Polley, Christopher Eccleston, Willem Dafoe, and Robert A. Silverman.
I watched it long enough ago, maybe in ’99, that I couldn't remember the many plot twists.
A clown with a flamethrower still has a flamethrower.
-- Charlie Sykes on MSNBC
1312. ETTD.
"a 2008 romantic comedy-drama film written and directed by Adam Brooks, and starring Ryan Reynolds, Isla Fisher, Rachel Weisz, Elizabeth Banks, Abigail Breslin, and Kevin Kline."
Awww, love is grand.
A clown with a flamethrower still has a flamethrower.
-- Charlie Sykes on MSNBC
1312. ETTD.
A Simple Favor is a 2018 American black comedy crime thriller film directed by Paul Feig from a screenplay by Jessica Sharzer, based on the 2017 novel of the same name by Darcey Bell. The film stars Anna Kendrick, Blake Lively, Henry Golding, Andrew Rannells, Linda Cardellini, Rupert Friend, and Jean Smart and follows a small town vlogger who tries to solve the disappearance of her mysterious and elegant friend.
A Simple Favor was released in the United States on September 14, 2018 by Lionsgate. Critics praised the plot twists, and the performances of Kendrick, Lively and Golding. The film grossed $97 million worldwide on a $20 million budget....
Critical response
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 85% based on 236 reviews, with an average rating of 6.98/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Twisty, twisted, and above all simply fun, A Simple Favor casts a stylish mommy noir spell strengthened by potent performances from Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively." On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 67 out of 100, based on 40 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale, while PostTrak reported filmgoers gave it a 76% positive score.
Amy Nicholson of Variety magazine wrote: "The film feels a lot like the Serge Gainsbourg number that Stephanie dances to in the kitchen: jazzy, a little sleazy, and worth a cult following."
A clown with a flamethrower still has a flamethrower.
-- Charlie Sykes on MSNBC
1312. ETTD.
A Simple Favor is a 2018 American black comedy crime thriller film directed by Paul Feig from a screenplay by Jessica Sharzer, based on the 2017 novel of the same name by Darcey Bell. The film stars Anna Kendrick, Blake Lively, Henry Golding, Andrew Rannells, Linda Cardellini, Rupert Friend, and Jean Smart and follows a small town vlogger who tries to solve the disappearance of her mysterious and elegant friend.
A Simple Favor was released in the United States on September 14, 2018 by Lionsgate. Critics praised the plot twists, and the performances of Kendrick, Lively and Golding. The film grossed $97 million worldwide on a $20 million budget....
Critical response
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 85% based on 236 reviews, with an average rating of 6.98/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Twisty, twisted, and above all simply fun, A Simple Favor casts a stylish mommy noir spell strengthened by potent performances from Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively." On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 67 out of 100, based on 40 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale, while PostTrak reported filmgoers gave it a 76% positive score.
Amy Nicholson of Variety magazine wrote: "The film feels a lot like the Serge Gainsbourg number that Stephanie dances to in the kitchen: jazzy, a little sleazy, and worth a cult following."
What platform?
Eamus Catuli~AC 000000000101010202020303010304 020405....Ahhhh, forget it, it's gonna be a while.
I'm not sure why either or both feed on aging 1980s teen pop stars, but I'll consider watching just to see them get eaten. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1680138/
A clown with a flamethrower still has a flamethrower.
-- Charlie Sykes on MSNBC
1312. ETTD.
Instant Family is a 2018 American family comedy-drama film starring Mark Wahlberg and Rose Byrne as parents who adopt three siblings, played by Isabela Merced, Gustavo Quiroz, and Julianna Gamiz. Also starring Margo Martindale, Julie Hagerty, Tig Notaro, and (Auburn's) Octavia Spencer, the film is directed by Sean Anders, who wrote the screenplay with John Morris, based in part on Anders' own experiences.
Instant Family was released in the United States on November 16, 2018. It grossed over $120 million worldwide, and was called an "earnest, heartwarming comedy" by critics, who also praised the performances.
A little maudlin, but not too too, and well written with a stellar cast. No wonder its ratings are so high.
A clown with a flamethrower still has a flamethrower.
-- Charlie Sykes on MSNBC
1312. ETTD.
Top Five is a 2014 American comedy film written and directed by Chris Rock. Produced by Scott Rudin and Eli Bush, the film stars Rock, Rosario Dawson, and Gabrielle Union, and follows New York City comedian and film star Andre Allen (Rock), who has to confront his past and comedic career while doing an interview with journalist Chelsea Brown (Dawson)....
Made me more of a Chris Rock fan.
A clown with a flamethrower still has a flamethrower.
-- Charlie Sykes on MSNBC
1312. ETTD.
The Foreigner is a 2017 action thriller film directed by Martin Campbell and written by David Marconi, based on the 1992 novel The Chinaman by Stephen Leather. An American-British-Chinese co-production, it stars Jackie Chan, Pierce Brosnan, Michael McElhatton, Liu Tao, Charlie Murphy, Orla Brady and Katie Leung. The film follows a British-Nung Chinese man who seeks revenge for the death of his daughter....
Critical response
... The film was viewed positively by most critics. Peter Travers of Rolling Stone gave the film three out of four stars and praised Chan's performance, saying: "It's the most dramatic role Chan has ever tackled, and he plays it with coiled intensity and raw emotional power." Clarence Tsui of The Hollywood Reporter also praised Chan, writing, "It's good to see Chan swapping his happy-go-lucky persona for two hours for some gravitas as a tragic rogue with a marked past." John Berra of Screen Daily praised the action sequences, Cliff Martinez's score and the direction, stating "Campbell's unfussy style works well with Chan’s choreography. The star’s willingness to look his 63 years makes the falls look like they really hurt and creates a sense of jeopardy when Quan finds himself outnumbered." He also observed that the film "never commits the cinematic sin of suggesting that terrorism is a threat than can be readily dispatched with a few one-liners." Ignatiy Vishnevetsky for AV Club described the film as "good, lean cut of meat—in other words, a typical Martin Campbell movie, expeditious and cold-blooded in its cross-cut, cloak-and-dagger plotting and violence." The Chicago Reader also commended the performances of Chan and Brosnan and called The Foreigner a "twisty, bracing political thriller, giving Chan room to display his dramatic ability." The Times of India gave a positive review of Campbell's direction and the film's suspense, stating that it can keep viewers "engrossed." ...
I'm not much of a Jackie Chan fan and haven't watched a lot of his films, but he and Pierce Brosnan are great in this one.
A clown with a flamethrower still has a flamethrower.
-- Charlie Sykes on MSNBC
1312. ETTD.
Love sucks.
. Maybe I'll check it out. Only 51% of viewers liked it, though, so maybe not. More info at