RE: https://beepboop.one/@Alexis/115819642062897116

#MovieThread VII: The Kino Awakens, Chapter Two — February Edition

From 2020 to 2025 I watched 2370 movies.
In January 2026 I watched another 35, for a total of 2405 movies.

This month:
* Wrapping up Fincher.
* More 1957.
* Barbra Streisand, probably.

 Previous thread:

Of the Missouri Emptymans? It's —

#36, or #2406, 2020's "The Empty Man."

My brother who doesn't like horror movies wants to see the YouTubesman's horror movie, so once again heading out into the cold to go see —

#37, or #2407, 2026's "Iron Lung."

What if I wrapped up David Fincher today, it's —

#38, or #2408, 2011's "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo."

Just "Mank" to go after this, I'm pretty sure.
(I've seen and won't be rewatching "Gone Girl" and "The Killer.")
I would simply not have a— Actually, no, dragon tattoo, pretty rad, no complaints from me.
Music video director David Fincher alive and well in this title sequence.
I would simply not print libelous statements in a country where that actually gets you in trouble, though.
Rooney Mara is here playing a cartoon hacker.
This Wikipedia article is all external links, madness.

"You'll be investigating thieves, misers, bullies, the most destestable collection of people that you will ever meet. My family."

ooh la la

Christopher Plummer gets sent pressed flowers every year, just like his long-missing niece used to gift him.

No scope calling it, she's alive, right?

"Quickly losing track of who's who here."

if it's too many swedes for him, what chance do I have

Just highlighting 9 out of every 10 sentences. Have some dignity. Make some actual selections.
I don't think even one man she's had a substantial interaction with in this so far has treated Lisbeth like a, you know, a person, always just as /something/ else. A problem, a tool, a victim.
I don't think this is the kind of story where she decapitates this wretched bank man, but she fucking should.
*considers the tone of Scandinavian noir* She might cut his dick off, though.
Her dragon tattoo /is/ pretty cool.

"I just want to get a clearer sense of what Harriet was like."
"Just... very messed up."

*squints* having already decided she's alive, the viewer reckons she must surely be hiding in plain sight, and looks at the camera

Well, okay, bank man is already so violently detestable less than halfway through the picture, he's surely designed to get some kind of comeuppance as we go.
ah there we go
good for her

"So I'm going to make it easier for you."

hahaha yeah dude

@Alexis I recently watched "Promising Young Woman" about a woman getting vengeance on sleezeballs. It was really good

@Alexis

:
Didn't you notice a powerful and obnoxious odor of mendacity in this room?... There ain't nothin' more powerful than the odor of mendacity... You can smell it. It smells like death.

@Alexis psychopath editors
@B [http:// 12june.com 12 June], [http:// 1951.com 1951].

Not in the mood to Mank, so let's instead check in with the man who so killed James Bond's sense of whimsy that Daniel Craig wasn't allowed to so much as smile in public for fifteen years, it's —

#39, or #2409, 1997's "Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery."

Austin Powers is from 1967 and wakes back up in 1997, a 30-year difference — only one year more than the time between this movie coming out and today.

Would a man from 1996 be as alien to us as a man from 1967 is to the people of 1997?

"Russian intelligence? Are you mad?"
"A lot's happened since you were frozen. The Cold War's over."
"Well, finally those capitalist pigs will pay for their crimes, eh? Eh, comrades, eh?"
"Austin, we won."
"Oh, groovy. Smashing. Yay, capitalism."

the comrade austin powers

"One million dollars!"

chump change. bread goes for two.

somebody really should've put Austin Powers through some basic human resources "don't do a sex harass" training before sticking him on a plane alone with literally any woman
"Alotta Fagina" is almost /subtler/, somehow, than "Pussy Galore."

"You can't judge him by modern standards!"

this does kind of have the ultimate excuse, doesn't it. he /is/ poorly aged

eos, his name is "Basil Exposition."

"People never think how things affect the family of a henchman."

if you don't want the consequences of working for Northrop-Martin & Wesson, don't work for Northrop-Martin & Wesson

"John Smith won't be coming. He was decapitated by an ill-tempered mutated sea bass."

and you're telling me these henchman mourning scenes weren't in the American cut? solid running gag, honestly.

This is just a solid Roger Moore climactic villain base sequence done quickly.
Has this aged absolutely perfectly? No, of course not. (Though it does, of course, have the perfect excuse.) But it’s a tight 90-minute fish out of water comedy with a pretty solid gag rate, and in that way, it holds up pretty well.
@Alexis no, but only because I often feel like a person from 1996. Like I pine for a time when the internet was still good.
@The_T We don't even dress /that/ differently.
@Alexis yeah, I think early 90s was the most style difference. But by 1996? Yeah
@Alexis You could play him up as a completely exaggerated grunge skater slacker, I suppose.
@kurt Alright, here's my pitch: "I'm Austin Powers, you're watching Jackass, and this is Getting Cryogenically Frozen for Thirty Years."

The movie that dares to ask, what if somebody wrote 1941's "Citizen Kane" and that somebody's name was —

#40, or #2410, 2020 David Fincher picture "Mank."

Surely, you might think, 1941's "Citizen Kane" was only directed? No, says 2020's "Mank," it was written also.

This should really be called "Mank!" with an exclamation mark. You wanna say it with some jazz hands.

👋 Mank! 👋

So far it's a lot about Gary Oldman lying prone.

"What makes you think it's meant to be anybody?"
"Everyone in the English-speaking world will recognise him instantly."

ruffalo in mickey 17

What's weird is this is high-energy funny but everyone is playing it low-energy.

"They showed that Hitler giving a speech, kissing babies. He is /creepers/."

i'll say

"Ah, Hitler Schmitler."

incredible 1930s Hitler discussion in this thing

A bit "and /this/ is where he got /that/ idea," this.
Oh, Bill Nye as Upton Sinclair.
This is kind of a hoot, honestly.

"How can I put this nicely?"

you never have, why start now

It’s all a bit “and THIS is where THAT bit of "Kane" comes from!” and it’s often high-energy funny being weirdly delivered low-energy, but it’s insightful, full of good performances, and kind of a hoot. Love hangin’ with Mank.

Watch as Mank writes while lying prone, watch as Mank drinks while lying prone, watch as Mank chats while lying prone! Sometimes he might even sit!

@Alexis No one *writes* movies. Surely all movies are only directed? A script falls out of a coconut tree and then someone directs it, we call this person the auteur, no author involved.
@kurt Well, no wonder I can't get a movie made, the nearest coconut tree is *thinks* probably on a South American island somewhere.

Does this schtick work for a /second/ 90 minute film? Let's find out with —

#41, or #2411, 1999's "Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me.

@Alexis If I remember correctly, yes... sorta... but with diminishing returns
@thevhswizard I expect by the end of "Goldmember" to feel like I definitely won't want or need /more/ Austin Powers.