Stumbled upon this Russian series the other week. It's apparently the first part of a 3-part maxi-series (each "season" being 6 episodes). The series was actually released in theaters in Russia.
From what I was able to gather from Wikipedia (which I take with a grain of salt), the series is loosely based on the writings of Nikolai Gogol, who seems to have been Russia's answer to Edgar Allen Poe.
The series is like Sherlock Holmes crossed with supernatural shit.
Very slick gothic vibes. Cool atmosphere. Lottsa demons, ghosts, and malevolent entities.
Pretty cool.
In Russian with subtitles.
02-08-2020, 08:42 PM
spanghew
The Nose:
Major Kovalyov awakens to discover that his nose is missing. He grabs a mirror to see his face, and there is only a smooth, flat patch of skin in its place. He leaves his home to report the incident to the chief of police. On his way to the chief of police, Major Kovalyov sees his nose dressed in the uniform of a high-ranking official. His nose is already pretending to be a human being. He chases his nose into Kazan Cathedral, where he confronts his nose in the midst of prayer. The nose refuses to return to his face. Kovalyov becomes distracted by a pretty girl, and while he is not watching, the nose escapes.
02-08-2020, 08:51 PM
dookeyXXX
Quote:
Originally Posted by spanghew
The Nose:
Major Kovalyov awakens to discover that his nose is missing. He grabs a mirror to see his face, and there is only a smooth, flat patch of skin in its place. He leaves his home to report the incident to the chief of police. On his way to the chief of police, Major Kovalyov sees his nose dressed in the uniform of a high-ranking official. His nose is already pretending to be a human being. He chases his nose into Kazan Cathedral, where he confronts his nose in the midst of prayer. The nose refuses to return to his face. Kovalyov becomes distracted by a pretty girl, and while he is not watching, the nose escapes.
Spollers much?
I guess I can thank you for saving me/us the time of watching the entire show since you pretty much told us everything that happens...
::eek:
02-08-2020, 09:32 PM
spanghew
It's a short story. All that stuff happens in the first 3 pages . . . and plenty happens afterwards. There are plenty more where that came from, all the way up to Dead Souls, so all is not lost . . .
02-08-2020, 11:25 PM
dookeyXXX
Quote:
Originally Posted by spanghew
It's a short story. All that stuff happens in the first 3 pages . . . and plenty happens afterwards. There are plenty more where that came from, all the way up to Dead Souls, so all is not lost . . .
Color me confused...is "The Nose" a short story by Nikolai Gogol or is it a show streaming on Amazon Prime?
02-11-2020, 12:11 AM
dookeyXXX
Honey Boy just popped up on Prime.
Shia LaBeouf's script is poignant and intense, as is his performance.
A really fun film. Takashi Miike is kind of a Japanese version of Quentin Tarantino with a fraction of the budgets and a shooting schedule that rarely exceeds a month. He is one of the most prolific directors in the history of film. The undisputed king of Japanese grindhouse. The guy has a real gift for making crazy films.
A really fun film. Takashi Miike is kind of a Japanese version of Quentin Tarantino with a fraction of the budgets and a shooting schedule that rarely exceeds a month. He is one of the most prolific directors in the history of film. The undisputed king of Japanese grindhouse. The guy has a real gift for making crazy films.
This is perhaps one of his most "mainstream" films, too!
There are actually quite a few of his films on Prime at the moment:
Gozu
The Dead or Alive trilogy
02-24-2020, 08:21 PM
goldenboy
Quote:
Originally Posted by dookey67
HUNTERS looks really interesting and promising. Al Pacino and Logan Lerman as Nazi hunters in 1970s NYC....starts end of Feb.
There’s a movie on Amazon right now called Attack Force Z about Australian commandos on a secret mission in the Pacific theater in WW2. Young Mel Gibson, (like pre-road warrior young) young Sam Neal, some cool Klepper kayaks (folboats maybe?). I’m not saying it’s perfect but I remember really enjoying it when I was a kid and it was on HBO in the 80s and I watched it again the other day- still fun
Ha, one I missed over the year. Added to Watchlist, thanks!
02-25-2020, 02:14 PM
GeezerSteve
My Name is Nobody, a spoof spaghetti western directed by Tonino Valerii (and, some say, co-ghost directed by Sergio Leone)
02-25-2020, 02:35 PM
MontuckyFried
Quote:
Originally Posted by garyfromterrace
Me and the mrs just power watched the first season last week and are now happily binging season 2. Nice one ACH, we're loving it!
Just wrapped up season 2 ourselves. Show REALLY gets going. Can't wait to watch season 3 now!!!
02-25-2020, 09:01 PM
dookeyXXX
Quote:
Originally Posted by GeezerSteve
My Name is Nobody, a spoof spaghetti western directed by Tonino Valerii (and, some say, co-ghost directed by Sergio Leone)
:yourock:
That is a good one. Vintage Terence Hill and Henry Fonda making fun of his Once Upon A Time In The West character.
03-01-2020, 11:38 AM
ex-powderbroker
Quote:
Originally Posted by dookey67
FAULTS
4/5
Riley Stearns’ (The Art of Self Defense: https://www.tetongravity.com/forums/...16#post5729516) debut feature is a dark, creepy, and incredibly unnerving little motel room thriller. The film bursts out the gate introducing our warped and erratic protagonist, who is acerbic, eccentric, and not the least bit likable. An “expert” on cults, he is soon hired to deprogram a couple’s young daughter. Things go off the rails from the moment the woman is “kidnapped” and taken to a motel where she is contained in the hopes of being reunited with her family. The film is played low-key and every character is just a bit off, creating a surreal and disturbing aura. Things move along in a dreamlike state (actually, it’s a bit more like a stifling nightmare) with subtle events unfolding in a deliberate pace, one which keeps you wondering just exactly what the fuck is happening from moment to moment.
RIYL: Sound of My Voice; The Invitation; Martha Marcy May Marlene
I didn't see that ending coming. Thanks.
ETA:
Whoah, she's in a band with Dan the Automator that sounds like Portishead:
03-03-2020, 10:10 PM
Lvovsky
Gogol is usually the forth one in the list after the usual Russians Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, and Chekhov. Gogol is from Ukraine but lived and worked in Russia... one empire you know... Don’t know if Poe is the right comparison but whatever. Cool recommendation, will check it out... .
03-15-2020, 09:31 PM
dookeyXXX
Stumbled upon this "gem" today.
I had no idea that there was even a genre of film known as "vansploitation".
PS
This is by no means a good film in terms of acting, plot, or technical aspects, but it does provide an interesting look at independent film from the era, not to mention not-so-subtle commentary on the 1970s oil crisis...I mean the film is pushing the idea of a fully solar-powered van!
03-19-2020, 11:28 AM
dookeyXXX
If you dig musicals, zombie films, and Christmas themed comedies, then ANNA AND THE APOCALYPSE is a hoot.
Think Glee-meets-Dawn Of the Dead.
I watched it on St. Patrick's Day, which seemed oddly appropriate.
03-19-2020, 09:30 PM
Supermoon
Quote:
Originally Posted by dookey67
If you dig musicals, zombie films, and Christmas themed comedies, then ANNA AND THE APOCALYPSE is a hoot.
Think Glee-meets-Dawn Of the Dead.
I watched it on St. Patrick's Day, which seemed oddly appropriate.
I didn’t read the Christmas part of this post so was kind of surprised about that, but watched it tonight and thoroughly enjoyed it. Definitely better actors than you average Hallmark Christmas movie and a fun zombie movie overall.
03-20-2020, 03:50 PM
dookeyXXX
Just stumbled upon this:
RIYL: Adventure Time; The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack; Regular Show
03-20-2020, 04:39 PM
JongDoe
Quote:
Originally Posted by mcski
Jack Ryan Season 2: ugh.
I enjoyed season one. Nothing earth shattering or new, but pretty well put together plot and decent acting. Season 2 was like a shitty effort to make jack into Claire in Homeland. When the entire plot revolves around the lead that making one retarded move after another, the viewing gets tedious. Just way too many moments that strained credulity, which was kind of opposite of Tom Clancy books. I felt bad that the actors weren’t given better material. 2/5
I love spy movies and have read several Clancy novels, so I thought I'd be all over this series, but I found the first couple of episodes of season 1 pretty ridiculous and couldn't watch any more. I remember a couple of pickup trucks with machine guns surprise attacking a fortified camp in the middle of the desert and rescuing a prisoner that was as important to Bin Laden. How they didn't see the pickups coming miles before they got there in the open desert was absurd. And then how they weren't annihilated even when they "surprised" them was equally absurd. Then the scene where he is at the party and the choppers land in the water to take him to headquarters??? WTF. I've got a big tolerance for unbelievable shit in espionage movies, but that was hard fro me to get past.
03-20-2020, 04:42 PM
JongDoe
Quote:
Originally Posted by dookey67
MIDNIGHT MEAT TRAIN
Here's another great late night watch (sober or off-tilt).
An early Bradley Cooper vehicle that is a slick, yet harrowing cinematic adaptation of a classic Clive Barker story.
Vinnie Jones, too.
And Leslie Bibb.
Plus Brooke Shields.
Directed by Ryuhei Kitamura, it is his first English language film. If you are unfamiliar with Kitamura's work, I highly recommend checking out Versus, as well as Aragami, both are killer arthouse genre fare that twist up both the zombie motif and the demonic motif, respectively.
Holy shit. My heart is pounding watching that trailer. Gotta watch that.
03-23-2020, 12:19 AM
dookeyXXX
This visceral little ditty just popped up.
It is the debut feature from the director of Birdman and The Revenant.
03-23-2020, 10:39 AM
schindlerpiste
Probably mentioned, but I just finished The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.
Very good movie depicting jewish life in NY in the 50-60s.
It reminded me of a lot of my friends parents. Funny shit.
It made me start watching Lenny Bruce stuff on Youtube. Speaking of which, "Lenny" is an excellent film.
03-24-2020, 08:10 PM
dookeyXXX
Watched a coupla Shaw Brothers joints the other day (there are a wealth of them on Prime right now).
8 DIAGRAM POLE FIGHTER
The plot is a bit convoluted and hazy, but methinks this might be the result of the bad dubbing. Whatever the case, the film kind of plods along until the final 25-minutes, which are pure gonzo brilliance. I would say to fast-forward to the end, but there's some crucial callback stuff that's set-up early in the film and plays a major role in the conclusion.
HEROES OF THE EAST
A weird, hammy, and over-the-top comedy that places Chinese vs. Japanese sentiments at the forefront. Quick summary: a priviledged Chinese son marries a Japanese woman (it is an arranged marriage). They spat about who has better martial arts, China or Japan. She leaves him and goes back to Japan. It's a clunky comedy, but the pay-off is worth it as the Chinese "hero" eventually has to fight 7 different Japanese masters of different kinds of martial arts (kind of like Game of Death). The last 45-minutes are pretty brilliant, in that Old School Shaw Brothers way (fake stage-like sets, lots of thrusting and parrying, etc.)
While neither of these are essential (like 5 Deadly Venoms or 36 Chambers of Shaolin, for example), they do provide some fun escapism and some amazing acrobatics. They also confirm that I vastly prefer watching martial arts/kung fu films in their native language with subtitles...
03-25-2020, 12:42 AM
dookeyXXX
Sergio Leone set the Spaghetti Western bar extremely high with Once Upon A Time In The West and The Dollars Trilogy, but if one is willing to take a deep dive into the genre, then you may stumble upon some of the worthy post-Leone films lurking out there.
CEMETERY WITHOUT CROSSES is one such film.
Considerably quieter than Leone's signature output, it is no less enthralling.
Directed by and starring French auteur Robert Hossein, the film is a richly textured melodrama of revenge.
Tinted with suitably grungy, yet crisp cinematography, it has that gritty sheen which any decent Spaghetti Western needs to have. It also has an infectious score.
Hossein makes for a strangely compelling anti-hero as he is perhaps the polar opposite of Clint Eastwood.
Lots of great shots and interesting moments (the dinner scene at the Rogers ranch is fantastic) further add to its watchability.
PS: while this trailer has subtitles, the version streaming on Prime is dubbed in English...
