Some guy who fell asleep during Vin Diesel's Bloodshot.

Apr 08, 2020

GUESS THE QUOTE

"The shadows betray you,
because they belong to me."

So I haven't really checked y'all in on the whole calamity that is the theatrical movie industry right now. But trust that I have been paying attention to all the "fun." You know it's still shut down of course. Everything is shut down. But what's happening behind the, ahem, curtain (besides North America's largest theatrical chain potentially filing for bankruptcy)?

Well, Trolls: World Tour, which was supposed to be a simul-release this Friday between theatrical and digital rental is now only a (n expensive) rental - though the early RT scores are decent enough. Then you have Sony moving almost it's entire slate to next year, a bunch of other movies shifting dates and even some movies being hauled off to streaming services (Paramount dealt The Lovebirds - Kumail Nanjiani and Issa Rae comedy - to Netflix and Disney is putting Artemis Fowl on Disney + ...wheeeere it shoulda been all along?). Disney's Chairman Bob Iger has said more movies will be going to +, and people think The New Mutants is a likelihood to get a Hulu release.

In lieu of theatrical release, lots of people are getting into this old movie watching thing. CBS is starting their own nostalgia fest on Sundays in May with airings of Titanic, Indiana Jones, Forrest Gump and more. James Gunn did a "Watch Party" of his movie Guardians of the Galaxy (people co-watch and then tweet during it). The Atlantic published 10 old movies to watch while "stuck at home," including last week's Does It Hold Up? entry, Midnight Run. Hell, the same week we started doing Does It Hold Up? the NY Times did their own viewing of Top Gun because apparently one of their editors had never seen it. And they've now continued with what they're calling their "Viewing Party!" series. Fun.

But getting back to our entry, Midnight Run. What did y'all think? Hold up, yay or nay? I'm gonna go with nay if you've never seen an 80's movie before, and somewhat if you have. I watched it with a group of friends (over Zoom, duh) and we all enjoyed ourselves - but in part because we all goofed on lots of the eighties"ness" of it. Although Charles Grodin was an unexpected find of comedy gold. As one of my friend's put it, "this is the 80's version of a Kevin Hart and Dwayne Johnson action comedy." Too true.

And in a new method of trying to solicit entries from y'all, what is one movie you've never seen that whenever you tell someone you haven't they always be like. I told you one of mine last week, Good Will Hunting. but in the spirit of giving, I'll tell you another - Fargo. See, exactly.

Note: probably should tell you Trolls: World Tour is coming o

Cutoff? Go here, click "most recent edition."

THE BIRDS
(1963)

PG-13 / 1 hr 59 mins
Universal / RT: 95% (55 reviews)

You pitch this movie today and well, let's just say you probably don't pitch this movie today. But then again, you're not Alfred Hitchcock, who directed not just one of, but some of the greatest movies ever made.

But still, it's a movie about friggen birds. How good, let alone how scary, could it really be? Can that seriously hold up?! Whelp, guess you're about to find out...

Note: other options were - Good Will Hunting, Ghost World, and Weird Science.

YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN
(1974)

One of the many pairings of Mel Brooks and Gene Wilder that was literally marketed as "the funniest comedy of all time." Still considered really damn funny, but with the world's shifting comedy sense shifting faster and faster... does it hold up?

ROMANCING THE STONE
(1984)

Kathleen Turner and Michael Douglas at their heights, as well as the adventure genre itself. Had lots going for it back when it was released: stars, "exotic" locations, romance, action, but... does it hold up?

THE TRUMAN SHOW
(1998)

Surreal dramedy where Jim Carrey's life is a total fabrication. Considered poignant, innovative and thought provoking at the time, but with lots of people live streaming many aspects of their lives themselves... does it hold up?

Side note: did you know Jim Carrey won a Golden Globe for this role? His acceptance speech was as funny as you'd imagine.

AMÉLIE
(2001)

Audrey Tautou in the cutest French whimsical romantic fantasy you ever did see. Elicited more aws than a Dodo video about a basket full of puppies when it was released, but... does it hold up?

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