Thanks for digging deep in the TCM recommendations! Look great. My daughter and I watched *Predator* last night, in preparation for *Prey* tonight. Obviously, I've seen it a few times, but she had never seen it and yeah, we had a blast. It's a little slower to get going than I remember, but still packs a wallop. Can't wait for *Prey*!
Thanks for spotlighting Garbo, Ty! She was only 22 when she made this movie, and she sure lit up the screen as a seductive Russian spy (pre Mata Hari). The lighting by William Daniels, her fave cameraman, also helped create the Garbo mystique. I also love her first silent for M-G-M Torrent. She was 20 and so worldly and at the same time out of this world. My all-time favorite silent of hers is Flesh and the Devil. My grandfather's cousin, Marc McDermott, plays the villain. Racy stuff!
“Emily the Criminal” is terrific. I was impressed by the direction. It seemed cognizant of how sirens from Hollywood’s golden age were presented. Aubrey Plaza has the tools to seize your attention and they’re fully utilized through closeups. Also there are entrances that she makes at the start of the scene that emphasize her bold and confident gait.
I do agree, however, that the film is not as insightful as it’s presented to be. After talking it over with my wife, we could not articulate the message. The film presents raw capitalism well but what’s the alternative? We were disappointed that the film’s answer is “just beat capitalism at its own game.” I think that they should have ended the film with Emily gazing out at the ocean.
You really gave "Prey" thee and a half stars? I admit that it's been a long time since I've seen any "Predator" movie, but this wouldn't encourage me to go back if this is the best (or even second best) of the bunch. I found none of it believable, even though I did my best to suspend disbelief. I found Amber Midthunder adequate, but barely. Part of my problem with the whole film is probably the very transparent writing, especially the deliberate attempt to create a "kick-ass woman" who's rebelling against the constrictions of the males, and the trite statements from the males. As a woman who fought those battles over a long career, I find it nearly insulting when the pat storyline arises. In trying to be fair, I tried to imagine how a teenage girl might see the character, and that sort of redeems it, given that too many modern monster movies seem to be aimed at 13 year old boys. But that's not enough to redeem it. It's not even a pretty movie. A little color in the landscape and some good cinematography would have at least taken the visuals up a notch. It had potential, but it's clearly low-budget, even with the average CGI. You wondered why it didn't open on the big screen. I think that's pretty obvious.
Thanks for digging deep in the TCM recommendations! Look great. My daughter and I watched *Predator* last night, in preparation for *Prey* tonight. Obviously, I've seen it a few times, but she had never seen it and yeah, we had a blast. It's a little slower to get going than I remember, but still packs a wallop. Can't wait for *Prey*!
Thanks for spotlighting Garbo, Ty! She was only 22 when she made this movie, and she sure lit up the screen as a seductive Russian spy (pre Mata Hari). The lighting by William Daniels, her fave cameraman, also helped create the Garbo mystique. I also love her first silent for M-G-M Torrent. She was 20 and so worldly and at the same time out of this world. My all-time favorite silent of hers is Flesh and the Devil. My grandfather's cousin, Marc McDermott, plays the villain. Racy stuff!
“Emily the Criminal” is terrific. I was impressed by the direction. It seemed cognizant of how sirens from Hollywood’s golden age were presented. Aubrey Plaza has the tools to seize your attention and they’re fully utilized through closeups. Also there are entrances that she makes at the start of the scene that emphasize her bold and confident gait.
I do agree, however, that the film is not as insightful as it’s presented to be. After talking it over with my wife, we could not articulate the message. The film presents raw capitalism well but what’s the alternative? We were disappointed that the film’s answer is “just beat capitalism at its own game.” I think that they should have ended the film with Emily gazing out at the ocean.
You really gave "Prey" thee and a half stars? I admit that it's been a long time since I've seen any "Predator" movie, but this wouldn't encourage me to go back if this is the best (or even second best) of the bunch. I found none of it believable, even though I did my best to suspend disbelief. I found Amber Midthunder adequate, but barely. Part of my problem with the whole film is probably the very transparent writing, especially the deliberate attempt to create a "kick-ass woman" who's rebelling against the constrictions of the males, and the trite statements from the males. As a woman who fought those battles over a long career, I find it nearly insulting when the pat storyline arises. In trying to be fair, I tried to imagine how a teenage girl might see the character, and that sort of redeems it, given that too many modern monster movies seem to be aimed at 13 year old boys. But that's not enough to redeem it. It's not even a pretty movie. A little color in the landscape and some good cinematography would have at least taken the visuals up a notch. It had potential, but it's clearly low-budget, even with the average CGI. You wondered why it didn't open on the big screen. I think that's pretty obvious.