The Terminator - Snapshot

As part of yet another run-up to an iconic franchise, I decided to fire-up The Terminator for a re-watch. When this movie was released in 1984, clearly I was too young to see it, and my parents flatly disallowed it. In fact, it was only after seeing Terminator 2:  The Judgement Day, that I got around to watching the opening installment. My first experience with it was an original region 4 Australia DVD; specs were really good, and on a modest TV with a stereo home-theater setup, it was a decent watch. I recall the movie being a little slow, and not so much a blockbuster like the sequel. Watching it today in 2015, as a much more discerning viewer, on a 5.1 surround sound system, and a big screen, introduced me yet again to the beginning of the Terminator saga. Online research will tell you that this was a comparatively low budget effort, that was unexpectedly successful, which garnered a cult following of sorts. In keeping with that, the movie has its dull dated almost B-movie moments. Expect no glitz and glamour, usually reminiscent of blockbuster movies. Special effects are decent, considering the age of this movie; and the 6 channel surround is actually pretty impressive. I was pleasantly surprised by the positional audio in many of the scenes, some even being just ambient environment sound transitions. Though the budget was low, the acting limited, and the movie slow and dark, what shines is the narrative process. Some of it is predictable, but that’s not to say that the slow exposition of key story elements isn’t interesting. Knowing and having seen the rest of the franchise, the awe and surprise is somewhat lessened. Camera work, angles, and how some sequences are depicted are quite distinctive and memorable. There are some slightly gruesome scenes, especially the manual repair sequences for the cyborg Terminator. Going into the franchise though, a lot of the key characters are introduced here, including the doctor at the mental institution in the next installment. Similarly there are several iconic dialogs, including “Come with me if you want to live”, and “I’ll be back”. If you’re a Terminator fan, this is a must watch. On the other hand, general modern day action movie goers may find it hit or miss. 

My Recommendation: Watch It (The humble beginnings of possibly the best movie franchise ever)

I Love You, Beth Cooper - Snapshot

During a road-trip vacation in 2013, a couple of friends and I decided to watch a movie post dinner on a netbook, and the random pick from a portable external drive happened to be I Love You, Beth Cooper. Having stumbled onto it completely by accident, it came as a surprise to me to see Hayden Panettiere in it; whose existence I was unaware of, prior to the extremely popular TV serial, Heroes. Online research revealed that she has in fact done a bunch of movies and TV serials prior to Heroes, and this was one of them. The rest of the cast is not really popular, but it’s worth mentioning that they all did well, in this crazy high-school comedy. The male lead Paul Rust is pretty funny in his geeky performance, alongside other stereotype yet funny characters. Going into it, I knew nothing about the movie, but watching the non-stop nonsense unfold in a manner similar to the Harold and Kumar movies, made for a pretty entertaining watch. The bulk of the movie happens over the course of an all-night adventure, which undoubtedly ends well. Just think Harold and Kumar with a touch of romance, and that’s I Love You, Beth Cooper for you. The content we sampled was a lossy DivX DVD rip, so picture was washed out, and audio was a plain-Jane stereo mp3; for casual viewing on a small screen though, it sufficed. If you’re in the mood for something casual, silly, and fun, you’ll probably enjoy I Love You, Beth Cooper.

My Recommendation: Watch It – (A run of the mill, high-school comedy)

Bruno - Snapshot

Ever since my Borat experience I have been an ardent Sacha Baron Cohen fan, because what he delivers as a package, from the concept, to the lead role, is usually fantastic, and makes for phenomenal comedy. That’s how I stumbled upon Bruno, released in 2009, three years after Borat. Though the critical acclaim was lesser, I finally got myself an HD rip and checked it out. In keeping with his over the top concepts and portrayal is Bruno, a very queer, intensely ridiculous, story of an Austrian entertainer who wants to make it big in showbiz. Similar to Borat he moves to the US, this time in search of fame, only to do things that are wrong at so many levels. Be warned that if you’re homophobic, Bruno as a movie is literally on the edge of what maybe too much. That said, this intensity is why Sacha Baron Cohen is brilliant, and expect to be cracking up and just totally losing it. As expected, he owns, lives, and breathes the Bruno character. The documentary style shooting, the narration from the lead character, and the overall plot progression of ridiculous and obnoxious attempts at achieving a goal is very much in keeping with the format used in Borat. If you enjoyed that craziness, in all likeliness this is worth the watch. On the other hand if you’re looking for something completely original and different, or are easily put-off by queer themes, steer clear of Bruno. The content I was sampling was a 720p rip from Bluray, with a 6 channel DTS soundtrack. The video has a documentary film camera kinda look, with film grain. The presentation was clear and favored warm colors. The strategic use of music to amplify funny moments was done brilliantly.

My Recommendation: Watch It (Gratuitously Gay Madness)