Half in the Bag: 2024 Stragglers
Added 2024-12-31 16:54:16 +0000 UTC
Comments
I really enjoyed "Smile 2" until I didn't.
Manuel Johnen
2025-01-06 07:55:51 +0000 UTCI saw what Jay did there with Ebert's review of Freddy got Fingered, and I clapped.
Spamwise
2025-01-05 23:10:13 +0000 UTCSmile 2 is enjoyable enough but it also suffers from too much ‘what’s real and what’s fake’. There were compounding ‘this is all fake scenes’ to the point I lost interest. The third one is gonna turn into Bird Box.
David S
2025-01-05 04:47:07 +0000 UTCWell RLM, I've been a Patreon for over half a decade now. When am I getting my Pizza Rolls in the mail?
Bort Ward
2025-01-04 07:50:33 +0000 UTCI’m pretty sure The Substance takes place in the Dragonball universe and Pump It Up was Master Roshi’s favorite show.
Preston Petersen
2025-01-03 20:44:38 +0000 UTCNo I did not. I went to Cicis and played Hydro Thunder and ate cinnamon pizza for five hours
TheSingingBush
2025-01-03 01:03:50 +0000 UTCOur theater was giving away tickets for free to Megalopolis so we went opening weekend. There were a few other people in there, half left by the time Adam Driver was talking about pigs in a blanket. A completely silent theater the whole movie other than me and my husband trying to stifle constant laughter. It was so baffling that it is truly kind of amazing. And while watching it, I was constantly reminded of Breen. It looks like shit, the writing makes no sense, but I was not bored....I was so baffled I couldn't wait for what stupid thing they'd do next.
Jessica
2025-01-02 19:08:23 +0000 UTCI did have a better time with "Megalopolis" than with "The Substance", though, that one really drained me during its final act...
Manuel Johnen
2025-01-02 15:06:56 +0000 UTCI'm very conflicted about "Megalopolis"... in terms of movies being works of art, an 120 million $, self financed by the director arthouse indulgence inspired by Fellini and Lang without any commercial appeal at all like this is probably the american film that fits that description the most since "Apocalypse Now", but it's also hamfisted as all hell and its message is about as deep and subtle as "Avatar". I don't think it's a laugh riot or so bad its good and it is also badly paced and maybe not that entertaining objectively, but the constant sense of bewilderment pushed me through it. Also, I'm happy a movie like "Megalopolis" can exist today at all and I've got nothing but respect for Coppola for making it. None of the four people (myself included) in the theater laughed during my screening.
Manuel Johnen
2025-01-02 15:04:54 +0000 UTCI have to know... Did anyone else have a so bad it's good style experience watching this in theaters? When I saw it, the audience was laughing almost non-stop starting about 1/2hr into the screening.
The Real Zam
2025-01-02 06:56:09 +0000 UTCReally think one's experience watching Megaflopulus varies based on how they go into their viewing. I went into the theater (Alamo in LA) assuming it was going to be a Neil Breen film with top talent & a 9 figure budget. I just worried that the rest of the audience would take the movie too seriously. About 1/2hr in, someone giggled and then the audience was laughing for the rest of the film. It really felt like the cinematic experience of a so bad it's good film. This was probably the perfect environment for this type of reaction: LA is the heart of cinematic literacy, Alamo attracts hipster cinophyles & this was a 10pm Thursday night preview screening. I really want to know if anyone else had a similar cinematic experience with the film.
The Real Zam
2025-01-02 06:48:32 +0000 UTC"Megalopolis" (like you guys I watched only part of it before bailing) seemed like a much worse version of "The Man Who Killed Don Quixote". A deeply personal artist's vision (heck there are THREE other movies about how MWKDQ *failed* to be made several times by Gilliam), starred Adam Driver, bizarre visuals and editing, a million cameos, clearly trying to make sort of social point, things that might or might not be fourth wall breaks, etc. Except "Man Who Killed Don Quixote" was really good and "Megalopolis" was not.
Jeremy _
2025-01-01 21:12:21 +0000 UTCPersonally, just found it pretty boring and kinda pretentious.
AM
2025-01-01 20:31:27 +0000 UTCMore like Mike-o-apolis. But that movie’s plot and vibe just seem like fan fiction for Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged.
AM
2025-01-01 20:23:35 +0000 UTCthey should have made the new joker movie about how some other gotham villain is terrorising the gothamites, so commisioner gordon has to go to arkham, to get jokers advice on how to catch said villain. that way they could have made abother subpar version of a good film. anywho, cheers for the new years t. happy sucker
Stefan Wilde
2025-01-01 07:39:23 +0000 UTC1:55 I have never been called a sucker to my face, laughed about it, told my wife about it, and then continued to happily pay my monthly sucker dues…
Tristan Hardy
2025-01-01 03:38:55 +0000 UTCI'm gonna keep commenting on this thing, because it's worth noticing... how the RLM every now and then re:Visit their fountain of hack to keep their content consistent, funny and timeless (in an archival sort of way). You did it again, RLM! Happy New Year.
Juan Calvo
2025-01-01 00:29:11 +0000 UTC"Mike definitely shut Smile 2 off as soon as Kyle Gallner was no longer in screen." He missed nothing of relevance...
Manuel Johnen
2025-01-01 00:09:00 +0000 UTCMike definitely shut Smile 2 off as soon as Kyle Gallner was no longer in screen. Anyway, Happy New Year, guys!
Amanda B.
2024-12-31 23:25:24 +0000 UTCHappy new year to all of you, our dear Hack Frauds and, of course, Rich "Rich Evans" Evans!
Andre K
2024-12-31 23:12:12 +0000 UTCThe small films he always wanted to make were so small that nobody saw them... "Twixt" wasn't that bad imo...
Manuel Johnen
2024-12-31 22:00:59 +0000 UTCAlso, apropos their discussion of Coppola and how he should make a movie about a son going on a cross-country trip to find his father: FFC (kinda) did that already! ‘Tetro’ is basically the same premise and it was even referred to by the director himself as “the film I wanted to make as a young man before fame and fortune,” somewhat similar to Mike and Jay’s discussion. If anyone hasn’t seen it, it’s a good middle split of FFC’s ability to make a good movie and one that is smaller and more intimate in its approach.
Austin T
2024-12-31 21:56:12 +0000 UTCAlso Happy Hogmanay fuckers
aztectheater_employee
2024-12-31 20:44:50 +0000 UTCBut I’m at the bar drinking copious amounts of city brewed beer? I can’t watch this here! Guess hungover tomorrow with the cat it is.
aztectheater_employee
2024-12-31 20:40:26 +0000 UTCIt do indeed, Frazzled.
Amanda Thompson
2024-12-31 20:31:27 +0000 UTCBeedee Beedee
Frazzled Doo
2024-12-31 20:21:50 +0000 UTCI thought they were reviewing The Statler Brothers..
Frazzled Doo
2024-12-31 20:20:40 +0000 UTCDoes the Sedan take it in the tailpipe?.. just askin’
Frazzled Doo
2024-12-31 20:17:51 +0000 UTCFor more disappointments Buy Space-Cop!!
Frazzled Doo
2024-12-31 20:16:32 +0000 UTCYou want disappointment? Buy the full Space-Cop package from dumpster Dan outback, the price is great!!. …
Frazzled Doo
2024-12-31 20:15:33 +0000 UTCUniversal Translator’s down! Mr. Spuck!,raise photons and lower the tires!
Frazzled Doo
2024-12-31 20:12:16 +0000 UTCThe Rock firing a gun and yelling those words with crazy eyes was the best part of the movie. This movie also features some wangster firing a bazooka from atop a floating ice cream truck. You know...cinema!
Amanda Thompson
2024-12-31 19:24:45 +0000 UTCThat X-Files episode is where I first learned the term "Folie a Deux"
DonMac
2024-12-31 19:08:53 +0000 UTCDune Part Two seems to be the new The Batman. I wonder what huge pop culture movie they'll ignore in 2025.
Michael Parker
2024-12-31 19:01:44 +0000 UTCTHEY NEED THE MEGALOPON TO BUILD MEGALOPOLIS
Javier Barragan
2024-12-31 18:51:40 +0000 UTCHappy new year!
Jesper Lindberg
2024-12-31 18:44:38 +0000 UTCPHYSICAL MEDIA FOREVER, BITCHES!
Kendi Lawton
2024-12-31 18:35:53 +0000 UTCHappy New Year, RLM!
Jody
2024-12-31 18:29:23 +0000 UTCThe best “Folie a Deux” is The X-Files s5e19.
andrew
2024-12-31 18:28:13 +0000 UTCMy uplifting New Year's speech: Fuck Mr. Beast. Yeah, Space Cop. One aspect of Space Cop that I like very much is the writing (script and editing)! For a couple of years now, I've got the idea in the back of my mind to do a Space Cop review, but I need to know more about the whole filmmaking process in order to be able to do a quality review. Going by my feeling, there is lots to praise about Space Cop. See you all (RLM and Patreons) in 2025. 🥂
Marvin Falz
2024-12-31 18:16:59 +0000 UTC"Society" was a way better movie than this...
Manuel Johnen
2024-12-31 18:15:48 +0000 UTCI thought you were reviewing an indie film called Stragglers. You two should make that film. I've given you the seed that is the title.
Jimmy Rode
2024-12-31 18:11:53 +0000 UTCThe only thing I remember about Southland Tales is someone... possibly The Rock? shouting "Get to the back of the mega-Zeppelin!" and now I've typed that out I think I might be having one of my episodes.
Mojo
2024-12-31 17:53:38 +0000 UTCI thought the most blatant metaphor for The Substance was plastic surgery—a starlet starting out looking younger but then turning into a literal monster that people gawk at and shame. And while the film is fantastical, it constantly has to keep telling you, the viewer, that both of these people are the same person, except the movie undercuts itself several times. At one point, Margret Qualley wakes up and starts screaming that Demi Moore needs to get a hold of herself after being surprised at the state of the apartment—if they’re the same person, how would she not wake up with that memory already? Might be a Cinema Sins-esque ding, but it kept confusing me as to how the matrix and the younger self operate. I liked the film, especially since I went in blind, but I think it did too much to try and explain away certain things to keep it “rooted;” I didn’t need it to try and be explained into a corner. Also, it’s essentially a body-horror reboot of ‘All About Eve,’ at least in terms of story structure.
Austin T
2024-12-31 17:49:45 +0000 UTCHappy new year.
Michael Matzat
2024-12-31 17:45:43 +0000 UTCMegalopolis should have been an 18 part miniseries like Twin Peaks: The Return
Garry Shambling
2024-12-31 17:44:47 +0000 UTCI agree. For many of the same reasons. The editing, fisheye lens crap, and incessant obnoxious tone turned me off completely. It's very "French" for sure, but it's also the worst stylistic aspects, while trying to capture the tone of Terry Gilliam at his worst. Also, I don't liken it to Cronenberg so much as Brian Yuzna. Too bad there was no shunting!
AshesBoomstick
2024-12-31 17:44:01 +0000 UTCI would also like to hear their thoughts. I'm not a huge horror fan, but found Nosferatu to be classy and well-done. Perhaps Jay found the horrifying psychosexual elements to be too tame.
Amanda Thompson
2024-12-31 17:34:23 +0000 UTCMegalopopi immediately reminded me of Southland Tales, which is one of my absolute least favorite movies in this world and the next. Just a star-studded mess of pretentious nonsense, with completely not subtle messaging and inexcusably bad production design. I have to assume that Meganopelis also features a SUV mounting a sedan to make a point about machismo-laced consumerism.
Amanda Thompson
2024-12-31 17:32:28 +0000 UTC"Smile 2" was disappointing, too, not nearly as good as the first film. The original had a palpable sense of dread, all this has is gore and jump scares. And the final 30 minutes or so are completely worthless.
Manuel Johnen
2024-12-31 17:29:22 +0000 UTC"The Substance" did not work for me at all for several reasons: 1. I expected a real movie, not a fantasy satire/farce. 2. It has only one point to make, which it does over and over again until you are sick of it. 3. I never understood if Moore and Qualley are supposed to be the same mind that inhabits different bodies or if they're supposed to be two entirely separate entities. If the first thing is the case, all the sabotaging and warfare going on makes no sense... if the second thing is the case, the titular substance makes no sense. You'd gain nothing from taking it, because all it does is birthing another, prettier person into the world while you're still miserable and have effectively cut your own lifespan in half... 4. The last 30 minutes of this movie turn into ridiculous, stupid horseshit-splatter trash und are a worse case of film-doesn't-fucking-want-to-end than "Return of the King". Disappointment of the year for me, because I absolutely adored Fargeat's "Revenge" from 2017.
Manuel Johnen
2024-12-31 17:17:32 +0000 UTCThanks for the video for us non party goers! Happy New Year!!
Peter Varga
2024-12-31 17:16:48 +0000 UTCAnd you think one year of being a Patreon member entitles you to plow through the rich evans of redlettermedia’s Emersonian mind? Entitles me? Yeeeeeeesss
Jason DeMaria
2024-12-31 17:12:10 +0000 UTCAll I wanna know is did Jay see Nosferatu and did he enjoy it??
Amanda Foster
2024-12-31 17:11:23 +0000 UTCHappy new Years, guys. And everyone here
Howlrunner
2024-12-31 17:05:05 +0000 UTCHappy New Year fellas!
Nada Leona Sheppard
2024-12-31 17:00:54 +0000 UTCDa fuck?
Nick Kerr
2024-12-31 16:59:14 +0000 UTCWishing all you guys at RLM a very Happy New Year!
Michael Cooper
2024-12-31 16:57:42 +0000 UTC
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