Career Opportunities

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Career Opportunities!

Original image located here. Accessed 10th July 2026

I think it's fair to say that this movie exists purely because of Jennifer Connelly. Indeed, if people know this movie it's because they've seen the footage of Connelly on the coin-operated horse.
But is there more to it than that? I mean it has John Huston's name as writer so it has to be good, right? Surely this movie has a reason to exist other than Connelly looking stunning?

Probably not. 

Okay seriously, this movie was many things: aimless, obnoxious, amateurish. And yet at the same time it was strangely goofy and our two leads made an oddly compelling duo. Yeah it wasn't great but hey I've seen worse. 

And lets face it: if it wasn't for Connelly, no one would care for this movie.

The Addams Family

This afternoon I saw the Addams Family. 

Original image located here. Accessed 4th November 2024

Granted I have already seen it before but consider this 2024's Halloween movie.

Even now this movie is still pretty funny. Yes there are some that will complain that there is little to no plot to speak of but the acting and the jokes are right on target ("But I didn't hate my mother! It was an accident!!"). 

It seems that in recent years Gomez and Morticia seem to be held up as the ideal couple - can you argue given that Raul Julia and Angelica Houston are going above and beyond to their commitment to these roles. And the one-liners are still funny and I'm still seeing new visual gags I missed the first time around.

Ife you told me that this movie was the genesis of the goth subculture I wouldn't doubt it.

There's Nothing Out There

And this week's Friday night movie has been.....There's Nothing Out There!

Original image located here. Accessed 13th October 2017

Has anyone heard of this? It's a B-Movie / Slasher Movie from the early nineties (although it looks like it was made in the previous decade).
I am not a fan of Slasher movies. Largely because they are populated by idiots - the type that don't fight back and instead do ridiculously dumb things. Granted, seeing such idiots getting hacked to bits is kinda the whole point of slasher movies but I will only indulge in a slasher movie if it does something different on a formula that, let's face it, has been well and truly run into the ground.
Which is where There's Nothing Out There comes in: I was drawn to it on the premise that's a parody with horror movie tropes pointed out. It's the film that did Scream's schtick well before Scream - and, according to some, did it better.

As for the movie itself, yeah it was all right. Getting past the B-Movie nature of it I found it to be entertaining. The jokes were dead on and it certainly is welcome to see people in this type of movie who aren't complete idiots.
So I went in to see a kick in the balls for the slasher genre and I sorta got it. That's good enough for me

Silence of the Lambs

And this week's Friday night movie has been.....The Silence of the Lambs!

Original image located here. Accessed 30th June 2017

In regards to selecting my Friday night movie, I only have one rule: The question of 'Have I seen this movie before?'. Needless to say, the movies I haven't seen are the ones that get watched. But this one is an intriguing selection: Largely because this movie has been referenced and parodied so many times that coming to the source is a challenge to say the least.

To be honest, there's not a lot else I can say about his movie that hasn't been already said. Yes that may sound like a boring answer but what else can I say? It's tense, disturbing, and it boasts Anthony Hopkins' most unforgettable role. Even if this movie has been parodied to death it still holds some considerable power twenty six years on.
Still, i doubt I've seen a movie with so many close ups XD

Only Yesterday

And this week's Friday night movie has been.....Only Yesterday!

Original image located here. Accessed 17th February 2017

Hayao Miyazaki may have become synonymous with Studio Ghibli but that does present a problem: Ghibli's other works (you know, the one's not directed by Miayzaki and/or not feature fantastical whimsy) may find themselves getting the shaft. Which is a shame because some of them are pretty good in their own right.

Which brings us to Only Yesterday. Once again, this is an anime movie that shows that Ghibli can do 'Slice of Life' anime really well. The art direction is astonishing and could well be the most beautiful of Ghibli's works - which is certainly saying something.
But I have to admit this movie does come with a degree of resonance for me: It is a reflection on a life lived and how one's choices can shape one's self - and how they can never hold anyone back. It's something for me to consider as I limp through my mid-thirties, and posting reflective Notes in this corner of cyberspace. Thus, if a movie has had such a profound effect then it must've done something right
Oh and special mention must go to the end-credits sequence - truly a thing of beauty.