What Movie Are You Watching?

[Eric]

Just want to give my take on some of these.

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Old (2021)- 50% at RT, critics and audience. A group of people including their kids on holiday discover that life is shorter than they thought. A mysterious beach where aging is just crazy and you can’t run away. It’s watchable, group dynamics were good, the answer to this mystery was ok, but glad I did not buy tickets for it.

M. Night Shyamalan had some intriguing movies around the turn of the century, but it seems to difficult to keep that sharp edge.

By far the worst film of the year IMO. If your goal is to watch a bunch of people nonsensically age into oblivion overnight with zero explanation until the last 5 minutes of the movie, then this is for you. I won't give anything away but it's 2 hours of my life I'll never get back.

Pleasantville, on Hulu. It get compared to The Truman Show, both about fake perfect suburban worlds and they were released close to each other. I think both are great movies but, I’m somehow drawn to Pleasantville a bit more. It’s weird in a great way. Casting is outrageous.

Both films are dark, but Pleasantville….the scene in the packed diner with the song Take Five is one my favorite scenes in cinema. There‘s a surreal tension that’s appealing.

Pleasantville was wonderful in so many ways that really touched on discrimination and a bit of coming to age. Really well written and one of Reese Witherspoon's best performances ever given to me.

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Downton Abbey: A New Era (2022)- If you have never seen this, watching the series first is a must. As a stand alone, don’t bother.

However, if you are vested in the series (97% audience score at RT), it’s good if you just want to spend some more time familiar characters you like. The Dowager Countess of Grantham inherits a Villa in the South of France from a romantic admirer from decades ago, the obvious question why would someone do this, along with some intrigue about whom a parent could be, a movie gets filmed at Downton to pay for a new roof, Violet Crawley bows out.

These brief interludes from 2019 and now 2022, just don’t cut it as compared to a series. It’s why I prefer a series to remain a series and a movie remain a movie franchise.

i enjoyed reading the critical reviews over at Rotten Tomatoes: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/do...views?intcmp=rt-scorecard_tomatometer-reviews

• The Anglophile equivalent of a Big Mac.
• The trials and tribulations of passive income earners, where every other scene seems to be a discussion over tea and crumpets on who is inheriting what, is almost delightfully absurd this time around

I'll admit I'm a sucker for these, we ended up binge watching the show during the pandemic and loved both movies.

 

[DT]

Jaws (1975)

You know, July 4th

Really does anything need to be said about this film? Pure genius, of the best ever, Spielberg, Scheider/Shaw/Dreyfuss, a movie made better by failure (of the original intent of how they planned to use the shark).

 

[Hrafn]

Back to the Outback. Tim Minchin always rocks. The rest of the cast is pretty stellar, as well. Fun, kids themed romp.

 

[DT]

We finally, just this weekend watched something, but I'm afraid to say what, @JayMysteri0 will show up and confiscate my Geek credentials ...

 

[JayMysteri0]

We finally, just this weekend watched something, but I'm afraid to say what, @JayMysteri0 will show up and confiscate my Geek credentials ...

Go on. Just admit you binged The Time Traveller's wife or something.

No one here will judge you, I promi-

 

[DT]

Hahaha, it was the most recent Doctor Strange (TMoM). We didn't see it at the theater, then didn't buy or rent, and it finally showed up on D+ and it still took us a while to get around to it.

Anyway, outstanding, fun, crazy, my head almost exploded from JK as RR (more so than anything else, even the post-credit scene)

 

[JayMysteri0]

Hahaha, it was the most recent Doctor Strange (TMoM). We didn't see it at the theater, then didn't buy or rent, and it finally showed up on D+ and it still took us a while to get around to it.

Anyway, outstanding, fun, crazy, my head almost exploded from JK as RR (more so than anything else, even the post-credit scene)

I enjoyed it. I actually brought it, even though it's on D+ in the Imax format. The end reveal was great, because it was the only one not spoiled on social media. Instead of all people it was the actor themselves that spoiled it, the second week.

The only problem I had with it, is a problem of Marvel's own making. We are so used to Marvel's movies having an over arching plot line to look forward to, and there's doesn't seem to be one yet in the newest phase. I don't miss the "big plot line", but I think Disney might want to tamper down expectations.

This week is Thor. I admit I want to see it, but not a fan of going back to the theatre. I did for Dr. Strange, and have to admit I wasn't completely comfortable. The policy of movies coming home 45 days after release, is one I am really starting to appreciate.

 

[DT]

Is the WOTS that Thor will also be a 45 day D+ release cycle?

Our theater visits have been in small, low occupancy situations, I'm not sure an opening first weekend/week or two will not generate too much anxiety (for Thor).

 

[Chew Toy McCoy]

When I go to the movies it's almost always a weekend matinee, the earlier the better. Big ups to the rare times they start before 10 AM. Not a fan of killing my day by inserting a movie in the middle of it, unless at home where I can pause and come back later. Even before Covid I couldn't tell you the last time there were more than 10 people in the theater at that time and sometimes it's just me and 1 or 2 other people.

I also couldn't tell you the last time I went to the movies that the experience would have been enhanced by a packed theater. Packed theaters are usually good for comedies but I also couldn't tell you the last time a comedy worth seeing was released. To me going to the theater at night on a weekend is like all the people who head out for a road trip on a 3 day weekend. They must just really enjoy traffic or are unaware the same locations are open other weekends of the year.

 

[ronntaylor]

I won't give anything away but it's 2 hours of my life I'll never get back.

I see his name and that's exactly what I expect. I will never watch any of his movies. Not for free. Not if paid. Never!

 

[Huntn]

Sicario (2015)- A grim, but excellent fictional story about a FBI agent who volunteers to join a secretive anti-drug joint task force to push back against the Drug cartels. Her perception of what is legal is jarred.

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[DT]

Sicario (2015)- A grim, but excellent fictional story about a FBI agent who volunteers to join a secretive anti-drug joint task force to push back against the Drug cartels. Her perception of what is legal is jarred.

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Spectacular.

Holy shit, that ending.

What an incredible group of talent, directed by Denis Villeneuve, written by Taylor Sheridan, and the cast:

Emily Blunt
Benicio Del Toro
Josh Brolin
Victor Garber
Jon Bernthal
Daniel Kaluuya
Jeffrey Donovan

All at the top of their game, especially Blunt and Del Toro.

Very highly recommended, but it is very intense, and extremely violent (as you might suspect from the subject matter).

 

[Huntn]

Spectacular.

Holy shit, that ending.

What an incredible group of talent, directed by Denis Villeneuve, written by Taylor Sheridan, and the cast:

Emily Blunt
Benicio Del Toro
Josh Brolin
Victor Garber
Jon Bernthal
Daniel Kaluuya
Jeffrey Donovan

All at the top of their game, especially Blunt and Del Toro.

Very highly recommended, but it is very intense, and extremely violent (as you might suspect from the subject matter).

I thought I saw Sicaro 2 mentioned somewhere?

 

[DT]

I thought I saw Sicaro 2 mentioned somewhere?

There is a sequel, Del Toro and Brolin are in it, but different writer/director, it's pretty mediocre.

 

[Chew Toy McCoy]

Looked at Netflix top 10 and there are way too many "retired guy with special set of skills comes out of retirement to use his special set of skills" movies. Please pump the brakes on that trope. It's gone from good dumb fun to just dumb.

 

[Chew Toy McCoy]

I watched the Kingmaker documentary which mostly focused on Imelda Marcos but also the pollical history of her husband’s rule over the Philippines, their subsequent exile, and then family return to the Philippines where she continued to be politically active.

It came out in 2016 and also covered her son’s, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., campaign for the vice presidency. He came close, but didn’t win. But in a long game plan almost reminiscent of the Roe v Wade overturn the documentary said all the key pieces and players were in place to assure he would become president in the near future. Philippine politics has largely been off my radar, but flash forward to a couple days ago when I see the article “Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr Tests Positive for Covid”. Seems like that documentary nailed the future.

In some fairness, the previous President’s administration was pretty brutal including thousands of drug dealers and users being executed by police in the street. I can’t imagine people would be enthusiastic to vote for more of that. But also the documentary showed that President was key to returning the Marcos family to power in a more active role than just acting like a brutal dictator people wouldn’t want to keep in power. He even said in a speech he would step aside to support Ferdinand becoming President and he said it without reservations as if welcoming the opportunity.

 

[Huntn]

Kate (2021)- Action thriller 50% Audience Score @RT. A hit woman, has second thoughts about her profession, some impressive fight sequences, the lead actress does a fine job, the story gets right to the point but is lacking

Spoiler

I’m going to be dead in 24 hours, I need to kill my way though a hundred or more thugs to get even with the crime boss.

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[Huntn]

Interceptor (2022 Netflix- 20% Audience score at RT. Military Die Hard, female lead, enjoyable to go with the flow, but don’t expect a realistic scenario. Surprise cameo by Chris Hemsworth who also was a producer.

 

[Huntn]

Avatar (2009)- Live action-animated like never before. The most incredible thing about this movie is besides the story (although the theme has been seen before but not in this setting) is the creativity on display, science fiction, the scope and epic nature of the conflict, a seemingly complete world created, amazing cinematography, and fidelity to physics, and the way imagined organisms would move. Hard to believe this was filmed in a warehouse.

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[Huntn]

Ace Ventura Pet Detective (1994)- This may have been the first time I saw Jim Carrie and I still laugh at this movie even though it may no longer be politically correct. . He is such a good physical, slapstick comedic actor.

“I’m sorry Mr Ace, I’ll have the plumbing checked right away”.
”Be sure that you do, if I had been drinking out of the toilet, I might have been killed!​