Turkeys and Kangaroos

He didn’t survive the embarrassment of starring in Kevin Smith’s Tusk.

Kanga-urkey: Almost Famous

Now I'm not saying this is a bad movie. On the contrary, I've always really enjoyed it and I know most people do as well. My main issue is one that I have with many Cameron Crowe films and it really drives me crazy after a while. Many of his movies, from Almost Famous to Jerry Maguire, have really notable and quotable scenes that people still reference all the time. The thing is these are characters who would never, ever exist in society doing and saying things that no one would ever do or say. Cameron Crowe movies are often about real people with real, relatable problems. Relationships, acceptance, accomplishing goals and doing the right thing, all are meant to attract an audience. That's why it drives me crazy when we have characters like William goes through these forced scenes that would never happen, beginning with him finding out that he's actually younger than his mom originally let on (why?) to his melodramatic scenes with Penny Lane ('Who am I to you?' is cringe-worthy yet people love it). Characters in this movie are more like caricatures after a while, from Lester Bangs to William's stewardess sister. It's a good movie worthy of it's reputation and accolades, just some of the things that rubbed me raw at first have only worn on me even more as time goes on.

Turkey: For a Few Dollars More

Before everyone gives me shit for this, let me say up front I still like this movie a whole lot. Eastwood is still great, Lee Van Cleef is super cool, and the film has a handful of really good scenes. As a teenager though, I thought this was a stone-cold classic and one of the best Westerns ever. Watching it as an adult, I still like the movie a lot, but I see it more as a stepping stone for Leone to make his true masterpieces.

Kangaroo: Batman Returns

I'm sure Neverending will get a kick out of this. I've been all over the place with this movie. As a teen, the film annoyed me because of how much it differed from the comics. But as time goes by and comic book movies have become increasingly homogenized, Batman Returns general weirdness has only become more charming. There's so much creativity on display in terms of visuals and character. What's more, the film's bizarre perversions make for a great study of a bunch of lonely misfits who are shuned by society and find themselves lashing out in their own ways. In this regard, the film which seemingly doesn't "get" Batman actually proves a very interesting reflection of the character's psyche. The film also boasts the same amazing art direction and score which made Tim Burton's first Batman film a classic.

When I saw Coop's headline of 'Turkey: A Fistful of Dollars' I was about to go into beast mode but it's a fair point, it's a stepping stone especially when compared to The Good, The Bad and the Ugly.

Kangaroo: Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery

Austin Powers is a character who's near and dear to my heart believe it or not. I was in junior high/high school when it was huge in the mainstream, the perfect age for peak enjoyment of those films. When we think of Austin Powers nowadays we think of Fat Bastard, Mini-Me and a bunch of stupid puns that are funny if you're 14. We think of the apex of Mike Myers' career, now a dated franchise, a relic of the 90s/early 2000s like Limp Bizkit and Britney Spears. While the Austin Powers series is more or less defined by the characters and scenes found in the 2nd and 3rd movies, the original is still a very funny film. The first was more than a spoof on James Bond, it was a spoof on pop culture of the 60s and 90s. Sure there were sex and dick jokes but there was more to it than that, there were actual set-ups and payoffs. There were actual jokes, unlike the sequels which were strictly sex and dick references and total carbon copies of jokes from the original. Had Austin Powers stuck to one movie I think it would be much more highly regarded than it is today and while we all had fun growing up with them it's best to leave the franchise where it is, in the early-00s. Still, the original Austin Powers is a solid comedy.

I agree.

Kangaroo: Chinatown

I re-watched this a couple weeks back, and did my opinion of it jump up.  Not that I originally thought it was bad or anything, but before, I think I just liked/admired it or didn't fully appreciate it.  This time, though, I did.  Polanski's direction is phenomenal and the plot unfolds at a compelling and intriguing pace.  And I was much more invested in everything as well.  I can't really think of anything about it that was lackluster in any way.  Great, great film.

Sidenote: Chinatown and Vertigo make for a pretty awesome double feature.

You won’t be talking shit about this movie when rich people are living in the moon and you’re rotting here on Earth.

And with two South African rappers as the leads who can't act worth shit.

I remember reading an interview with blomkamp and he made it abundantly clear he does not care to tell a story with allusions and hints to the real world. He does not want to say a single thing outside telling the story he has written down.

It's unfathomable someone working in science fiction for as long as he has to not try to go beyond the strictures of sci fi to allude to greater causes and shine a light on things he considers important. He is not an artist.

I do love how he openly shits on all things ninja tho. DA puts on a good show but likable they certainly are not. The stories from filing chappie are legend.