Two for the Road: Movies with Matt and Adam

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It's UFO week.

Close Encounters sets the frame of "human to UFO" contact. The final chunk is the highlight. Is Dreyfus a terrible person - maybe? Arrival is a bit more nuanced. Amy Adams kills it. Matt was not at all bored by all the "feels" in the film. That's sayin' something. Maybe the Tin Man has a heart after all...

Next week: The Strawberry Statement (1970) and La Haine (1995) 

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This week's theme: A dame walks in. 

The Maltese Falcon has a complicated plot, but who cares? It's enough to watch Bogart be Bogart. The writing and supporting cast shine as well. Under the Silver Lake is Finch-esque (except when it is more like De Palma), yet something is missing. It might be for everyone, but it is an interesting watch.

Next week we discuss alien visitors with Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) and Arrival (2016). 

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The Korean War - the forgotten war. Samuel Fuller is a gritty dude with a gritty vision. Is this the most woke Korean war film? Tae Guk Gi is much more modern and melodramatic. Matt does not like the wasted scenes. Adam likes the ambiguous loyalty of the characters. Where does "Short Round" come from?

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It's Revenge Week with a couple modern indie flicks. We start with the stark, gritty focus of Blue Ruin. Not a wasted moment and just the right amount of dialogue for Matt's liking (almost none). I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore has more humor and likable, unpretty characters. The end gets gory, but we both welcome it. Elijah Wood is a tiny fella, but he is on point with the ninja star. 

Both films on Netflix. 

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We are Coen crazy! Somehow, Adam had not seen either of these movies. The guys celebrate the somewhat convoluted Miller's Crossing and praise the actors (Tim Roth agrees). No weak links here, but a lot of hats as Matt studiously notes. Fargo is a more masterful example of storytelling. Only one wasted scene by our summation. We have lots of digressions, but we love both films. Favorite Coen bros?

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Well, it isn't often that we curse on the show, but this is a big F--- YOU, NAZIS! pod. We start with Charlie Chaplin's first talkie, which has a lot to say. We prefer the verbal satire over the slapstick, which feels dated. Historically this movie is hugely important, but we think that the final speech will likely be the one thing that lives on. It should be given at every graduation, at every level of schooling, forever. JoJo Rabbit has a better sense of humor and irony. It feels absurd and energetic, but it never loses its heart. Every performance is remarkable. And, Hitler gets kicked in the balls (Matt edit: ball). 

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We finish up grand conspiracy week with a couple of Adam's oddball choices. They Live! has an incredible premise that feels relevant today. Rowdy Roddy Piper does not really meet the moment with his acting, but we love Keith David. Surprisingly, it kept Matt's attention and he has notes for expanding the story. The Nice Guys is just a fun f---ing movie from action flick royalty, Shane Black. Gosling and the guy from Gladiator have unbelievable chemistry. The dialogue is fantastic and the violence is cartoonish (in a good way). It stumbles at the end, but we still love it. It's like Lethal Weapon (without Mel Gibson secretly hating Danny Glover). 

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We discuss two 1970's paranoia/conspiracy thrillers. The Day of the Jackal is very procedural, almost to a fault. It does not quite hold up to Matt's memory, but we find some redeeming qualities. Matt Damon would be an awesome Jackal in the remake. The Conversation is much slower and quieter. Hackman does not disappoint. The ending leaves us wondering what was actually real. We did find some time to crap on Harrison Ford (Sorry, Indy!) in a discussion that distinguishes between actor and movie star. 

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We celebrate the great British director Ben Wheatley. We discuss the raw, brutality of Kill List, and we just mean the family bits. Wheatley's direction is masterful and makes the whole thing seem dream-like and disjointed. The ending leaves us with questions about cult protocol. Sightseers has the same style but a lot more humor. Is dark-rom-com a thing? We enjoyed it but wish it was darker or funnier. 

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It is Paul Thomas Anderson day here at Two for the Road. We start by discussing an old short from PTA that is a precursor to Hard 8, available on Youtube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xu6ekUxjasQ Then we get into the excellent movie-making decisions in Hard 8. Matt extols the acting of our 4 characters, especially Phillip Baker Hall. Then Adam apologizes for never having seen Magnolia, but he has excuses (spoiler: 1999 was just an awesome year). Both guys riff on how this movie is epic without feeling tedious. The scenes, the performances, the frogs. We can't lie, the conversation is as scattered as these stories, but we hope you enjoy the ride. Layers, man....layers. 

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