50 First Dates

  And this week's Friday night movie has been... 50 First Dates!

Original image located here. Accessed 29th September 2023

If there has been a theme with my film selection of this year, it is the notion that I have been going through my 'To Watch' list and clearing some of the titles on it. Some of which have been on there for so long that I may have forgotten why I put it on there in the first place.
So why this movie? Beats me.
It's not much of a stretch to say that Adam Sandler is something of a punchline making crummy movies, through his production company Happy Madison, that are notorious for some really lousy humour. I can't say I have actively sought out his work but Still I was at least willing to give this film a chance. After all, if Adam Sandler can form a production company, Happy Madison, so he and his friends can make the movies they want then that is no different than Margot Robbie forming a production company, Lucky Chap, so she and her friends can make the movies they want.

It seems that when you watch a Happy Madison movie, you know exactly what you're getting in for: Dumb jokes that both repulse and age like milk. So given that these jokes are present in this movie, I should hate this movie. Likewise, this movie has become disreputable in recent years for it's depiction of a guy manipulating a woman with short term memory loss into making her fall in love with him. 
Major strikes to be sure but what works in this movie works wonders. Sandler and Barrymore make for an engaging on-screen couple, clearly Sandler is trying something different compared to the rest of his oeuvre, the tragic angle of living with someone with short term memory loss and certain moments that hit hard.
So yeah, when the movie works it works great. And almost makes the uncomfortable stuff excusable.

...........Almost

The Martian

 And this week's Friday night movie has been... The Martian!

Original image located here. Accessed 22nd September 2023

It's no secret that my preferred brand of science fiction is of the hard variety. You know: the kind that is based on science fact. My reasoning is based purely that people will take what they see on screen as gospel so the film-makers have a responsibility to apply science fact whenever and wherever possible.
Regardless of whether the film-makers like it or not. 

Given the success of Mythbusters, it has since become commonplace to show fictional characters solving a problem, applying a combination of ingenuity, engineering, scientific theory, testing and trial & error. And that is the key strength of The Martian: Showing how a guy marooned on a planet and the methods he applies in generating oxygen, growing food and trying to make contact with Earth using what limited resources he has. This is pretty much a survival story and is never once dull. 

Mind you, as I watched this, my eye did divert, however briefly, to Keira's Sailor Moon paraphernalia in the bedroom - and long enough to bring to mind the observation that: "Hey, if you're stuck on Mars go find Rei, she'll help you out" XD

The Nice Guys

   And this week's Friday night movie has been... The Nice Guys!

Original image located here. Accessed 15th September 2023

Won't say no to a buddy/action/comedy movie. Sure I've seen plenty of them but they are always fun to watch. And this one is no exception. 
As per expected of this genre of movie, the jokes are pretty funny and and the action sequences are well done. But the real treat is the interplay between the cast: Russell Crowe is fun to watch as a heavy, Ryan Gosling shines and the interaction between them is great. But the real MVP is Angourie Rice, bringing pizazz to every line and instance she appears on screen.

So yeah. great movie and worth checking out

Out of Sight

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Out of Sight!

Original image located here. Accessed 8th September 2023 

I recall when this movie was released: It wasn't a major box office hit but it did make some headway in proving George Clooney could successfully make the transition from TV to move star.

Personally I feel that this movie deceived me: I went in expecting to see an action movie - with a title like that one would expect a movie with a whole load of car chases - but what I got was more akin to a slow burner. There's a lot of talking and some shots that come across as well constructed (and admittedly wouldn't have been out of place in a Stanley Kubrick movie). There is humour to be sure and a lot of small moments that ultimately add up to a substantial package. 

So yeah, not what I was expecting but there was much to enjoy

The Naked Kitchen

  And this week's Friday night movie has been... The Naked Kitchen!

Original image located here. Accessed 1st September 2023

Anyone heard of this? I know I've been throwing a lot of curveballs with my movie selection this year but  this may be the biggest curveball yet.
With a title like that one would think this is a porno but no: It's a South Korean rom-com. I only came about it when Kiera dropped the dvd case in front of me and insisted that I watch it.
I suppose that is one way to get's one attention.
And they say physical media is dead, eh?

As for the movie itself, I'm not sure what to make of it: Guy wants to open a restaurant, brings in a chef to assist him and chef ends up having a fling with Guy's wife? Yeah, not doing much for me. 
As such, I found the movie dull and a chore to get through. 
Easy come easy go I guess