What Blu-Ray did you watch last night?

[Steve Klare]

We saw it at the local Arts Cinema maybe a month ago.

(I considered it kind of...lobbying because the other two want a dog!)

[Douglas Meltzer]

I had seen The Friend earlier this year in the theater and very much liked it. Naomi Watts consistently gives strong performances and doesn't get enough credit for her fine work.

[Ed Gordon]

Last night I watched The Friend (2025). It is a two hour film that could runs a bit slow, but overall is very well done and I enjoyed it.

Here is a user review that summarizes the film pretty well:

8/10
More Nuanced than Expected from the Trailer

I went in expecting a sentimental story about a woman and a big dog, and while that element is definitely there, The Friend surprised me with how layered and restrained it was. Naomi Watts gives a really thoughtful performance-quiet, a little distant, but grounded in real emotion. And Bill Murray, though only present in flashbacks and memory, adds a lot of warmth and depth to the story.

What really worked for me was the tone: melancholic without being heavy-handed, and gently funny in places without trying too hard. The relationship between Iris and the dog felt believable-not overly cute, just human and strange and a little awkward, like grief often is.

The trailer made it seem like a straightforward healing-through-pet story, but the film is more reflective than that, and it lingers in your mind afterward. Some scenes felt a little slow, but overall it earned its quiet pace.

Definitely worth seeing if you're into character-driven stories that give you space to feel without telling you how.

The trailer:

It may be in a theater near you, or it is available to stream on Apple TV or Amazon Video.

[Ed Gordon]

Ed,

I had a 16mm print of this. A bit over the top, but still an enjoyable film with fine performances from John Meillon and Rod Taylor.
I remember the title song and another, "Tap Tap", as being on the annoying side.

Yes, the music was a bit annoying!

The scene were the policeman questioned the projectionist about the use of a mix of Ether and Oxygen to run the projector lamp prompted me to look into how that might work. The only thing I found was the mention of using "limelight":

There was also a calcium burner option where electricity was not available. It burned a piece of lime in a hydrogen flame that gave off an extremely intense light.....limelight! thats's where the term came from
They used limelights in live theatre in the late 1800's before electricity.

I did get a laugh out of the scene of them putting out a nitrate film fire by covering the pile of film with a large piece of cloth.

[Douglas Meltzer]

Ed,

I had a 16mm print of this. A bit over the top, but still an enjoyable film with fine performances from John Meillon and Rod Taylor.
I remember the title song and another, "Tap Tap", as being on the annoying side.

[Ed Gordon]

The Picture Show Man (1977)

This is a movie that would probably only be of interest to anyone interested in motion picture exhibition history.

The Picture Show Man is a 1977 Australian film directed by John Power, about a travelling film exhibitor (John Meillon) in the 1920s. He has to deal with the rebelliousness of his son (Harold Hopkins) and a rival American exhibitor (Rod Taylor).

The film was Rod Taylor's first role in an Australian film for over twenty years. He was cast as an American because the producer was concerned about his ability to perform in an Australian accent.

Premise

Maurice Pym is a traveling cinema operator in the 1920s who tours country New South Wales with his son Larry and pianist Freddie.

Production

The film was based on the memoirs of Lyle Penn, whose father was a traveling film exhibitor. He saw Joan Long being interviewed on television about her documentary on early Australian cinema, The Pictures That Moved and sent his memoirs to her. She optioned them and adapted it into a screenplay. Long was reluctant to direct the movie, and she hired John Power.

The film was funded by the Australian Film Commission ($250,000), the New South Wales government ($120,000), the Women's Film Fund, private investors and with support from then-Premier of New South Wales Neville Wran.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Picture_Show_Man

Here is the trailer:

[Graham Ritchie]

Last night it was once again "The Mosquito Coast", this is a Spanish import Blu-ray, just select Ingles on the menu and away you go, image wise its pretty good, much better than the previous DVD I once had. I think Harrison Ford and director Peter Weir made it just after "Witness". It my not be as popular as Witness, but I still think its pretty good. Along with Harrison Ford are Helen Mirren, River Phoenix, who went on to do The Last Crusade. A couple of screen shots from last night

[Ed Gordon]

... How any of these film producers can expect anyone to sit through a film over 3 hours long without a break beats me. Not everyone has a cast iron bladder...

If the producers are so inconsiderate of the audience that they do not include an intermission, you can create your own. There is a website that can help you decide when to pause. The hollywoodhalftime website lists long films that either had an intermission or has suggestions on where to put your own intermission.

Oppenheimer is a good example.

Part 1 Time: 130 Minutes

Part 2 Time: 50 Minutes

Where does the first part end? J. Robert Oppenheimer (Cillian Murphy) walks outside following his congratulatory address to all those working on the Manhattan Project. Oppenheimer begins having visions of the devastation that the atomic bomb would have caused if it were dropped on Los, Alamos.

Final line of dialogue on the first part: “I wish we had it in time to use on the Germans!” Oppenheimer states to the members of the Manhattan project following the successful atomic bomb droppings at Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

First line of dialogue on the second part: “Dr. Oppenheimer, nice picture.” Presidential Aide (Kate French) states as Oppenheimer looks down at a copy of Time magazine.

Source: https://hollywoodhalftime.ca/oppenheimer-2023/

[Ken Finch]

I have DVDs of most of the films mentioned for the past week except The Abyss, which I did have but did not keep. I could never have afforded super 8 versions. How any of these film producers can expect anyone to sit through a film over 3 hours long without a break beats me. Not everyone has a cast iron bladder.😳. When Gone With the Wind was released it included an intermission. So did some of the silent “epics”. Fortunately our local cinema will put in an intermission to cater for aging patrons.😉

[Ed Gordon]

Graham, I hope you find a copy of the Bluray. It's too bad your DVD was not released in the anamorphic format. I have had good luck finding used Blurays and UHD discs on Ebay. You are correct about The Abyss being expensive ($40 US) new on Amazon.

I agree with your opinion on The Imitation Game. Cumberbatch seems to master any role he is given.

[Graham Ritchie]

Hi Ed

I have always liked this film however the DVD release here was not in 16:9 only masked 4 by3 transfer so the previous release to DVD was pretty bad. After reading your 4k review plus it includes the blu-ray. I will search it out locally at JB Hi Fi. I think its an expensive one, but drool over it the next time I am in town.

This week I watched three movies, the first was "The Zookeeper" starring Sam Neil, this one was disappointing. The directing, the cast, the script was all hopeless. It could have been made a lot better, it had the potential, but what what a fizzer. The next night it was the blu-ray of "The Imitation Game" and what a contrast to the previous night. "The Imitation Game" is based on the true story of Alan Turing who built the first computer, that was used to unlock the Enigma Code. The next time you use your cell phone, think about this guy, it was him and his team that were responsible, that started it all. How they built this machine is a amazing story, actor Benedict Cumberbatch did a brilliant job of acting in this film, what a story. Alan Turing and his team were the ones that shorted the war they say, by two years in doing so saving many many lives during the course of the war. I would highly recommend watching this film

Last night I had junior here tonight so we both watched "The Pianist" even though junior had spent the day with his friends on his mountain bike, he still survived 2hrs and 30 minutes watching this one late last night. Its a brilliant film and certainly its another one I would highly recommend.

[Ed Gordon]

Ed,

I'm a fan of Cameron's work, however not this particular film. Is it worth another look?

I saw the 1989 version of The Abyss back when it made it to DVD. It was ok, but nothing special. I watched it again a few years ago via a projector and and enjoyed it a bit more. When I heard about the special edition, and the mention that the additional footage filled in the plot holes that the cuts that Cameron had made were restored, it renewed my interest. The Bluray and the 4k UHD plus Dolby Atmos prompted yet another watch. The third viewing was well worth it.

So you may like it. I am not a Cameron fan either. I enjoyed the CGI in Titanic, but the storyline to be nothing more than a floating soap opera. Cameron's Titanic is my least favorite of the various versions produced.

If you have a digital projector and a 5.1 or 7.1 sound system*, it would be worth your while to look for a used copy of the 4k release.

* A Dolby Atmos decoder is not required. The Atmos is very effective without the additional channels.

Another BTW, The Abyss was did have a Super 8 release.

[Douglas Meltzer]

Ed,

I'm a fan of Cameron's work, however not this particular film. Is it worth another look?

[Ed Gordon]

Last night I watched the The Abyss Special Edition in glorious 4k and Dolby Atmos.

If you have seen the original release, you have not seen the movie James Cameron wanted to make. He had intentionally cut the original release because he thought audiences would not sit through a 171 minute movie. It is a long movie, but keeps your attention from beginning to the end.

[Brian Fretwell]

Supergirl, I thihnk I have the Super 8 trailer but on a reel woth others so I don't watch it often, This was an upgrade from the DVD. I think th ebackgound plates for the flying sequences are the best in the Superman/girl series. Also having Maureen Teefy (Doris in Fame) and Brenda Vacaro in it helped.

I did do a double take when Selina said that by Saturday she would control "Continental USA, Mexico and Canada" though!