What Emmanuelle Movie Did You Just Watch?

[Martin]

Die Hard is the best Christmas movie ever.

[IggytheBorg]

"Now I haff a machine gun. Ho. Ho. Ho."

[Ben Thomas]

Mad Max

My first xmas present of the year - the trilogy on blu. Has to be said, the print looks fantastic, but I was put off by the American dub. Fortunately, the original Australian audio is available as an option - it just doesn't sound right having Jim Goose not be an Aussie.

This is still an amazing film. Before it goes all apocalyptic in The Road Warrior (which I shall also be watching tonight), you've got just a great action-revenge film with what seem to be Australian droogs as the biker baddies. There's so much Miller does so well that to claim that this changed action films may not be inaccurate. The relationship between Max and Jesse is played just right, even if it does become all too obvious that she's doomed. And yet, Miller manages to make the sequence where the gang stalk her, her dog and her child both brutal and restrained. Some of the auto action is insane - standout shots have to be the mini transit van that gets decimated and propelled off the road in the Nightrider sequence; the member of the gang that, after having been run off his bike by Max, then has his buddy's bike smash into the back of his helmet (surely a stuntman got a spinal for that shot); and the Toecutter's comeuppance, complete with the crazy bulging eyes closeup just before he hits.

I love the minor characters in this too. Jim Goose, Fifi the captain and his speech about making the people believe in heroes again, the stuttering car mechanic that builds the Pursuit Special, the old lady with the shotgun - Miller goes out of his way to populate every scene with something or someone weird or wonderful. And finally, he kills off the big bad before the end of the film. Johnnie the Boy is a minor character throughout, but I guess because he was involved with what happened to Goose, Max makes the extra effort to hunt him down and give him a deservedly horrible death after the rest of the gang and the Toecutter are gone.

Great film that holds up remarkably well, largely thanks to everything being done practically and in-camera. You just cannot top bodies being hurled through the air while vehicles turn to debris.

Now bring on part two and The Greatest Chase Sequence of All Time.

[Ben Thomas]

Die Hard is the best movie ever.

Fixed it for you.

[Abraham Smashington]

shit, I just realized I've never seen the original Max. Only the sequels. Your post makes me NEED to change that.

[Captain Russ]

Toecutter is the best villain of the series.

[Ben Thomas]

shit, I just realized I've never seen the original Max. Only the sequels. Your post makes me NEED to change that.

Oh, no joke, it's a must-see. It will seem odd, perhaps, because where the series goes is only hinted at by the desolate landscapes and the gang stealing petrol and scavenging. This is set 'a few years from now' but still in our world, where the other films are very much in another world completely. But this is a lean, badass film from start to finish, while also having some heart. Its Alien to The Road Warrior's Aliens.

[Matt]

MAD MAX is awesome. At times I even prefer it to the sequel for its sheer craziness. Glad to hear it rocks on blu ray...I've been thinking of getting that set.

[gravedigger]

SPRING BREAKERS- note today on the calendar because it marks the first time I've seen a Harmony Korine movie I liked. Granted, the movie itself isn't all that great but Franco is FANTASTIC. it's worth watching for him alone.

[B_Metal]

You guys know how I always say my wife watches action flicks and is a total dude about her movies? Yeah, bought the Die Hard Blu-ray for her, for xmas. New holiday tradition will be watching it every year.

[BillyG]

SPRING BREAKERS- note today on the calendar because it marks the first time I've seen a Harmony Korine movie I liked. Granted, the movie itself isn't all that great but Franco is FANTASTIC. it's worth watching for him alone.

look at my beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeed

[gravedigger]

LOOK AT MY SHEEEIT.

[Abraham Smashington]

We're The Millers. Now that's how you spell MEDIOCRE.

Fuck. 2 hours was 45 mins too long. I laughed maybe a handful of times and was pretty much bored the whole way through.

I have a feeling the script went much farther with many of the jokes but this felt neutered. Even the extended edition was meh.

[Captain Russ]

Why do you do this to yourself?

[Abraham Smashington]

Lesley bought it after hearing from multiple people (including my family) that it was "SO FUCKING FUNNY OMG SERIOUSLY IT'S SOOO GOOOD".

I did laugh at the spider bit scene pretty fucking hard though. If the whole movie had those kind of balls it would have been much better.