Freeza Under The Shower
Member
Isn't there one with Richard Gere and Sean Connery? What about that one?
*looks up imdb, sees 5.9 score*
Never mind.
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Movies You've Seen Recently |OT| June 2017
- Thread starter Divius
- Start date
Isn't there one with Richard Gere and Sean Connery? What about that one?
*looks up imdb, sees 5.9 score*
Never mind.
Messofanego
Banned
Honestly, why do you bother spending money on these kind of movies? I've never seen you post about a good movie here, I feel for your sanity. Is it a hate watch thing, a masochism thing to watch bad movies and post about them? Next thing you're gonna review Transformers...
Freeza Under The Shower
Member
FOR SCIENCE!
thankfully, Chez Lindsay seems to be handling the TF thing already, so we don't have to go that far. Also that series is surprisingly great, considering the topic of Michael Bay.
thankfully, Chez Lindsay seems to be handling the TF thing already, so we don't have to go that far. Also that series is surprisingly great, considering the topic of Michael Bay.
Glass Rebel
Member
FilmGAF, is it fair to ignore someone's opinions on film if they call The Handmaiden "campy" and dismiss the comedic bits as "slapstick".
Discotheque
Banned
Not at all. But their opinion on that film is off the mark. Although I think a lot of serious Korean films tend to have some level of camp to them. Even in Handmaidem you could argue that the crazy guy who tortures people was a bit of a campy over the top villain
Slapstick tho. I dunno what the hell that person is talking about
No. I guess everyone hates a few movies which are widely regarded as great. And in the case of The Handmaiden I can certainly see where the "campy" criticism comes from, although I don't necessarily agree.
Citizen Mane
Member
John Boorman's Excalibur is pretty sweet if you haven't seen it yet! It's definitely silly/campy but also really well shot and the action is quite brutal.
Discotheque
Banned
that was pretty cool for sure. it has a pretty hazy dream-like quality to it that I really fucked with , and the cast is dope. A lot of names in there that later became pretty big (Liam Neeson, Patrick Stewart, Helen Mirren)
Glass Rebel
Member
It's not really about them not liking the movie (they actually do) but being dismissive of the movie's narrative and technical merits stemming from a failure to situate it in its historical and socio-cultural context. If you not only don't look at the performances of the uncle and Fujiwara from a post-colonialist and feminist perspective but actively dismiss it when it's brought up, your opinion on the film isn't worth much to me.
Seen that one, it wins by default.
I've actually seen that. Yeah it's bad.
Hey that's not fair, I watch all kinds of stuff. I was just curious about it, and I've liked Guy Ritchie movies up to a certain degree before. Kinda liked the trailers. Maybe I was just in the mood for a fantasy film, we don't really get much of those. It wasn't that terrible anyway. It was no Transformers.
Maybe I have been reviewing too much crap in the last couple of months, but reviewing stuff you dislike is sometimes more fun!Messofanego
Banned
Yup, knew you were a masochist! 😂Hey that's not fair, I watch all kinds of stuff. I was just curious about it, and I've liked Guy Ritchie movies up to a certain degree before. Kinda liked the trailers. Maybe I was just in the mood for a fantasy film, we don't really get much of those. It wasn't that terrible anyway. It was no Transformers.
I don't think it's as black and white as this. Elements of movies can certainly serve as commentary on all kinds of issues and a film can be richer because of that. But in my opinion that does not mean that these elements are exempt from criticism concerning the classical film qualities (i.e. acting, dialogue, story etc.).
For example, in my opinion, Hidden Figures is a terrible movie although you could certainly "talk away" all its issues by referring to its message.
When you scrape the bottom...no Sharknado is the bottom and it had some small merit. When you dig into the bottom and actually force yourself to finish some total piece of shit like Yoga Hosers...then you start failing your sanity checks and you'll need a high dose of Criterion to come back...tread carefully...tread carefully. The abyss looks back.
Recently I watched Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, since it's a huge franchise and I kind of didn't wanna miss out on the spectacle. I watched the first one back in April and wasn't all too fond of it, but the sequel fared better to me. I still think most of the autobots and decepticons lacks personality and that the designs are way too busy having no distinction between them. I like these movies most when they are about Witwicky and Mikaela but I've heard that they aren't in later movies so that's a bummer. Plot wasn't anything to write home about.
Another movie I saw yesterday was Assassin's Creed since I'm in such a mood for these games ever since the announcement of Origins. I completed the first game just a few days ago, and so I though the movie was very faithful to the games and for that it was fun to watch. As a movie to stand on its own legs it lacks depth to its plot and it's all kind of over the place, so on paper it's fine while execution lacks something to be desired. I still had fun.
With those two action movies I needed one that was much lighter and so I looked back into Edgar Wright's catalogue and put on Hot Fuzz which I've heard so many great things about, and I had no idea what to expect before going into it other than a buddy cop movie but it wasn't quite like it. This was something rather strange and convoluted and yet it knew what it wanted to do. This was one hell of a drug taking me through insane moments only Edgar could come up with. That said, I liked it less than At World's End and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, so you could say I've liked his work more and more for each movie he has released. And thus I'm at the point thinking about booking a ticket for Baby Driver next week which is a movie I'm really excited about. And I've never been excited for any of his work.
And so today after many months delay I finally decided to start up Kingsman: The Secret Service since the sequel is coming up, and I needed some comedy for the daytime moment. This one did not disappoint, and quite reminded me of old spy movies, with a flair of British charm.
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen - ★★★☆☆
Assassin's Creed - ★★★☆☆
Hot Fuzz - ★★★★☆
Kingsman: The Secret Service - ★★★★☆
Come to think of it, I've forgotten to rank my top 5 new watches out of 7 seen in May, so here goes:
I rewatched The Avengers and Captain America: The First Avenger. Other new watches include Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice - Ultimate Cut and Superman (1978).
Another movie I saw yesterday was Assassin's Creed since I'm in such a mood for these games ever since the announcement of Origins. I completed the first game just a few days ago, and so I though the movie was very faithful to the games and for that it was fun to watch. As a movie to stand on its own legs it lacks depth to its plot and it's all kind of over the place, so on paper it's fine while execution lacks something to be desired. I still had fun.
With those two action movies I needed one that was much lighter and so I looked back into Edgar Wright's catalogue and put on Hot Fuzz which I've heard so many great things about, and I had no idea what to expect before going into it other than a buddy cop movie but it wasn't quite like it. This was something rather strange and convoluted and yet it knew what it wanted to do. This was one hell of a drug taking me through insane moments only Edgar could come up with. That said, I liked it less than At World's End and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, so you could say I've liked his work more and more for each movie he has released. And thus I'm at the point thinking about booking a ticket for Baby Driver next week which is a movie I'm really excited about. And I've never been excited for any of his work.
And so today after many months delay I finally decided to start up Kingsman: The Secret Service since the sequel is coming up, and I needed some comedy for the daytime moment. This one did not disappoint, and quite reminded me of old spy movies, with a flair of British charm.
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen - ★★★☆☆
Assassin's Creed - ★★★☆☆
Hot Fuzz - ★★★★☆
Kingsman: The Secret Service - ★★★★☆
Come to think of it, I've forgotten to rank my top 5 new watches out of 7 seen in May, so here goes:
- Blue Valentine
- Your Name
- Get Out
- Wonder Woman (2009)
- Fargo
I rewatched The Avengers and Captain America: The First Avenger. Other new watches include Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice - Ultimate Cut and Superman (1978).
Glass Rebel
Member
It goes further than that though. I certainly don't think a movie's message makes it exempt from criticism but I feel it's important to recognize how it's embedded in the world from a socio-cultural perspective and how that affects that affects stylistic choices. In the case of The Handmaiden, not recognizing how Japanese occupation affects the actions and behaviour of the uncle and Fujiwara is being intentionally ignorant. And it's not like you need to have a detailed understanding of history to see what Park was going for.
But I'm just venting.
I am slacking...badly but the Friday the 13th game hit and I got wrapped back up in Destiny so movies have taken a back seat.
I Want You Inside Me It's up on Shudder and is something you really just need to see rather than be told about. I liked this as a short, not sure it would be good as a full length film. I mean it kind of blows its load and your done.
The Puppet Man This really looks like a Rob Zombie film on the surface with all the neon colors but there's nowhere near enough profanity or his wife and Carpenter did the soundtrack so its not 70's enough but it really does have Zombie's visual style. Too bad this didn't go anywhere beyond that.
The Battle of Midway Started the Five Came Back series on Netflix and saw that this was not only in the first episode but on Netflix. It's a bit of a frantic mess but this was filmed as the attack on Midway commenced so it gets props for the camera guys not shitting a brick and leaving.
Silver Streak Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor had a good chemistry and this could have been a lot better. It wasn't terrible but It really wasn't that funny either. A bit more of a drama.
Child Eater I see that this short made its way to a full movie. I hope it turned out well because this was a pretty damn good short.
The Banishing This is probably the best short Shudder has posted. I loved the banishing ritual and the ending is just something you have to see. It took a unique turn that I rather enjoyed.
XX According to Letterboxd this is my first film from 2017. So that only took six months to get into this years films. I have to say this was pretty good. If you like horror anthologies I think this is one of the better ones. It's no Trick r Treat but its good.
I Want You Inside Me It's up on Shudder and is something you really just need to see rather than be told about. I liked this as a short, not sure it would be good as a full length film. I mean it kind of blows its load and your done.
The Puppet Man This really looks like a Rob Zombie film on the surface with all the neon colors but there's nowhere near enough profanity or his wife and Carpenter did the soundtrack so its not 70's enough but it really does have Zombie's visual style. Too bad this didn't go anywhere beyond that.
The Battle of Midway Started the Five Came Back series on Netflix and saw that this was not only in the first episode but on Netflix. It's a bit of a frantic mess but this was filmed as the attack on Midway commenced so it gets props for the camera guys not shitting a brick and leaving.
Silver Streak Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor had a good chemistry and this could have been a lot better. It wasn't terrible but It really wasn't that funny either. A bit more of a drama.
Child Eater I see that this short made its way to a full movie. I hope it turned out well because this was a pretty damn good short.
The Banishing This is probably the best short Shudder has posted. I loved the banishing ritual and the ending is just something you have to see. It took a unique turn that I rather enjoyed.
XX According to Letterboxd this is my first film from 2017. So that only took six months to get into this years films. I have to say this was pretty good. If you like horror anthologies I think this is one of the better ones. It's no Trick r Treat but its good.
Do we have any idea when The World of Us is coming out internationally? I've been waiting a long time and I still don't know when to expect it. I'm super excited about it.
Checking around, it looks like it made a festival circuit, and then stopped in March. It looks like it released in South Korea and Slovenia randomly. It's possible that distribution hasn't been figured out yet, but since it's been over a year, I'm not quite sure what the hold-up may be.
Where does it rank among Nolan's best for you? Personally, I'd put it below the Dark Knight Trilogy, Memento, and Inception, but ahead of his other films.
1. The Dark Knight is top for sure.
2. DKR
3. Inception
4. Prestige
5. Batman Begins
6. Memento
7. Interstellar
I watched Memento not too long ago and while I still loved it I think I've cooled a bit on it.
Thank you for this. I loved, and still love, The Dark Knight Rises.
I thought it was a very strong closer to the trilogy.
Agreed 100%.
Anomalisa
This is quite the movie. I loved the hell out of it. This is the most real animated film I've ever seen. David Thewlis and Jennifer Jason Leigh do fantastic work in a sea of Tom Noonan's, the existentialism and loneliness seeping through every minute of this film. Thank you, Charlie Kaufman, for another incredible movie.
The Virgin Suicides
A rewatch as I dive back into Sofia Coppola's filmography again on my way to The Beguiled next weekend. I originally saw this when it was doing its HBO run back in 2000/2001 area, so I was 13 or 14 and it made an impact at that age. Still a really great movie, the standouts being Kirsten Dunst, James Woods as the aloof and friendly people-pleasing teacher/father, and Josh Hartnett. Turns out he can act! But only in this and Penny Dreadful, apparently. I guess he just needs really good actresses to play off of, like Dunst in this and Eva Green in Dreadful.
Child Eater (Short Film and Feature Film)
Watched the short and the feature film. The short seems to weirdly have more production value than the feature. But the special effects and monster design are much better in the full film. I definitely prefer the short, though, as the additions to the full version are not so hot (dumb cops and father being the chief of police/daughter silliness), and it comes off as a stretched version of the short rather than using it as a jumping off point.
Lion
I was absolutely in love with the first half, and really wished that the movie just stayed in that time period. But since it's based on a true story, I understand why it had to move on from there. But that first half is so good! The second half definitely has merit as well, but came off as weaker for me.
This is quite the movie. I loved the hell out of it. This is the most real animated film I've ever seen. David Thewlis and Jennifer Jason Leigh do fantastic work in a sea of Tom Noonan's, the existentialism and loneliness seeping through every minute of this film. Thank you, Charlie Kaufman, for another incredible movie.
The Virgin Suicides
A rewatch as I dive back into Sofia Coppola's filmography again on my way to The Beguiled next weekend. I originally saw this when it was doing its HBO run back in 2000/2001 area, so I was 13 or 14 and it made an impact at that age. Still a really great movie, the standouts being Kirsten Dunst, James Woods as the aloof and friendly people-pleasing teacher/father, and Josh Hartnett. Turns out he can act! But only in this and Penny Dreadful, apparently. I guess he just needs really good actresses to play off of, like Dunst in this and Eva Green in Dreadful.
Child Eater (Short Film and Feature Film)
Watched the short and the feature film. The short seems to weirdly have more production value than the feature. But the special effects and monster design are much better in the full film. I definitely prefer the short, though, as the additions to the full version are not so hot (dumb cops and father being the chief of police/daughter silliness), and it comes off as a stretched version of the short rather than using it as a jumping off point.
Lion
I was absolutely in love with the first half, and really wished that the movie just stayed in that time period. But since it's based on a true story, I understand why it had to move on from there. But that first half is so good! The second half definitely has merit as well, but came off as weaker for me.
Hot Fuzz is utterly brilliant. Managing to be both a parody of and an actual buddy cop movie, it's absolutely hysterical while also weaving an incredibly clever tale of small town cops who try to uncover a conspiracy within their town. Pegg and Frost, as always, make a wonderful pair, with Pegg's ultimate stickler proving to be a perfect match for Frost's silver spoon son. They lead an ensemble cast of some of Britain's finest comedians, full of cameos or really fun bit parts. Wright's trademark humor is on full display, with the editing constantly making the jokes sing to their maximum potential. The real wonder though is the third act, which takes all the references set up in the film and knocks them down in glorious fashion. Seeing a huge Michael Bay-esque setpiece executed in the most mundane setting imaginable is both outrageously funny and absolutely invigorating. Hot Fuzz mixes the action and comedic strength of Edgar Wright to its ultimate conclusion, in this genre-smashing fare that is utterly original despite the many cues it takes from other films. Delightful. 9/10
Showed Moana[/B ]to kids at work. They seemed to enjoy it, and I did too. It's still a very good movie with wonderfully catchy music and delightful characters. For the heck of it, it's better than Frozen and slightly behind Tangled. We need more animated movies like Moana. 7/10
Honestly, it was worth seeing Cars 3 in theaters just to see Lou. An incredible feat of both animation and storytelling, it's already easily in my top 3 Pixar shorts ever. Really charming and utterly beautiful.
"Every time you lose, you damage yourself."
"Damage the brand, you mean."
Cars 3 is shockingly dull. It attempts to be more than the other films in the franchise by exploring Lightning McQueen's character in-depth, but unsurprisingly, there's not much there under the hood. Sure, it's fun to see a passing-the-torch film, but when you do in such a pedestrian way, one wonders what the point of it all is.
Admittedly, Cruz is a fun new deuteragonist, and the third act manages to bring it home in an engaging way that the rest of the film lacks. However, the only aspects that come off as truly exemplary here are the gorgeous animation (to be expected from Pixar) and the score, which although it doesn't really stand-out, it's just nice to hear a new score from Randy Newman, whose evocative tone brings the only nostalgia to be mined here.
Cars 3 really lacks all the imaginative nature one comes to expect from Pixar, serving up an average story anchored by the completely forgettable characters this franchise has to offer. Not even the few saving graces to be found here make it watchable, as the slog of a second act completely weighs down the film into something nearly unbearable. An utterly mediocre film that damages the recent revival of Pixar's brand. 3/10
Full Metal Jacket is a stunning examination of the Vietnam War and the culture such a setting inspires. The entire cast is excellent and Kubrick directs with confidence, knowing well that the story is strong enough to make the points he wants to make. Ermey and D'Onofrio are clear highlights of the cast, but the film's strongest aspect is its cinematography, which constantly feels like actual war photographs brought to life, making this film gorgeous in an unconventional sense. The only issue the film has is the jarring difference in tone in the two halves make it at points feel at odds with itself (although it is worth noting that the transition between the halves is masterfully done). Full Metal Jacket is a incredibly strong war film that always fascinates despite not necessarily always working as a complete narrative piece. However, it is still very good in spite of anything off-putting about its structure. 8/10
The Book of Henry is truly insane. Feeling like four movies combined in a blender, it's a complete mess tonally and story-wise. Frequent laughter will occur as what is put on screen is truly unbelievable. The actors do their best with the work they have and Giacchino delivers a decent score, but neither can save the maudlin script and ho-hum direction. Going more in-depth would be a disservice to it, as this is a film that has to be seen to be believed, the type of horrible film that is never boring and always outrageously entertaining. The Book of Henry is the biggest mess I've seen this year, but what a glorious trainwreck it is. 3/10
Iron Man kicks off the MCU in a spectacular fashion. Robert Downey Jr.'s performance here is still his best as the character, portraying so many different elements of what makes Tony Stark the famous hero he is. The villain leaves a lot to be desired, and Stark's relationship with Potts is a lot more underwritten than I remembered. Still, Iron Man succeeds thanks to a more unique tone and a strong hero for the ages. 7/10
Following begins as a suave and fun crime thriller but then sadly becomes the prototype for a lot of Nolan tropes that have become very cliche. This isn't a surprise, and one could argue this isn't a fault of the film, but the story being presented here is nothing exciting. The anachronic order is annoying and does nothing to help the tale being told. The use of females in this film is constantly disturbing, more so than usual in a film by Christopher Nolan. However, the acting is universally good, with Haw's Cobb being truly charismatic in the best sense, and the first half of the film is very engaging. Following is a decent debut film, but when one knows what's to come from its director, it ultimately ends up being just a curiosity rather than a good film. 5/10
It Comes at Night is a very intriguing film. Joel Edgerton puts forward an excellent performance, and the film is brimming with atmosphere galore and beautiful cinematography. Unfortunately, its themes are explored at a cursory level at best, and there's little to no pay-off in the third act. Thus, it all just feels like a waste of time at the end, even if the journey there captures the mind well. It Comes at Night ends up sadly being quite average, despite having the building blocks to be something truly special. 6/10
"You have no soul."
"That is why I have no fear!"
Transformers: Age of Extinction is just how I remember Transformers movies as being, despite it being six years since I've watched one. They're fascinating beasts, bloated with maybe a few sequences of sheer entertaining schlock. There's explosions, racial stereotypes, ugly CGI, and one-liners for the robots that make you wish they were no-liners. Biggest disappointment with this had to be the Dinobots being in it for a mere ten minutes, but considering the rest of the film, maybe that's a good thing.
As for the entertaining elements, most of that belongs to Stanley Tucci's fun mugging for the camera including a bizarre half hour segment where he's really the only human we follow. The rest of the fun comes from Optimus Prime's random bouts of anger where he comes off as more evil than any Decepticon in this and T.J. Miller's all too brief role in the proceedings.
The rest is business as usual, with incomprehensible action and boring characters that fit into the most dull archetypes imaginable. Bay shoots it with his usual panache, and despite there being no returning human characters from the previous films, it still feels like more of the same. He's got a clear style to shooting these films though, one that does offer moments of amusement, but that's all you'll get - moments.
The Transformers movies have often been criticized for being soulless blockbusters. I'd argue that they've got more soul to them than most modern blockbusters. It's just a shame that the soul is so ugly and hateful. Michael Bay is fearless in putting his vision on screen, and we all must suffer the consequences.2/10
"Look at all of these things that people built. You might see a mess -"
"Exactly! And a bunch of weird, dorky stuff that ruined my perfectly good stuff!"
"Okay. What I see are people inspired by each other, and by you. People taking what you made and making something new out of it."
Phil Lord and Christopher Miller's best film is about what they do best. They take their inspirations and what they love, and make something new out of what seems old every time. The sheer humor and heart found in this film is something to behold. Rarely do I break down in tears at the end of a film, but this film does it for me every time. The power of creativity and love defeat cynicism and fear of the new. Lord and Miller's greatest work displays exactly why they're some of Hollywood's best filmmakers working. The LEGO Movie shows how experimentation and fresh takes bring about humanity's greatest triumphs, while also being one of the most enjoyable films to grace theaters in the past decade.
It's an utter masterpiece, and arguably the greatest CGI film produced yet. Thank you, Lord and Miller, for this wonderful film. May your future endeavors be more fruitful than your most recent one. I will be there on opening night, ready for whatever adventure you have in store for me. I hope it will be soon, but no matter how long it takes, I know it will be worth it. 10/10
Showed Moana[/B ]to kids at work. They seemed to enjoy it, and I did too. It's still a very good movie with wonderfully catchy music and delightful characters. For the heck of it, it's better than Frozen and slightly behind Tangled. We need more animated movies like Moana. 7/10
Honestly, it was worth seeing Cars 3 in theaters just to see Lou. An incredible feat of both animation and storytelling, it's already easily in my top 3 Pixar shorts ever. Really charming and utterly beautiful.
"Every time you lose, you damage yourself."
"Damage the brand, you mean."
Cars 3 is shockingly dull. It attempts to be more than the other films in the franchise by exploring Lightning McQueen's character in-depth, but unsurprisingly, there's not much there under the hood. Sure, it's fun to see a passing-the-torch film, but when you do in such a pedestrian way, one wonders what the point of it all is.
Admittedly, Cruz is a fun new deuteragonist, and the third act manages to bring it home in an engaging way that the rest of the film lacks. However, the only aspects that come off as truly exemplary here are the gorgeous animation (to be expected from Pixar) and the score, which although it doesn't really stand-out, it's just nice to hear a new score from Randy Newman, whose evocative tone brings the only nostalgia to be mined here.
Cars 3 really lacks all the imaginative nature one comes to expect from Pixar, serving up an average story anchored by the completely forgettable characters this franchise has to offer. Not even the few saving graces to be found here make it watchable, as the slog of a second act completely weighs down the film into something nearly unbearable. An utterly mediocre film that damages the recent revival of Pixar's brand. 3/10
Full Metal Jacket is a stunning examination of the Vietnam War and the culture such a setting inspires. The entire cast is excellent and Kubrick directs with confidence, knowing well that the story is strong enough to make the points he wants to make. Ermey and D'Onofrio are clear highlights of the cast, but the film's strongest aspect is its cinematography, which constantly feels like actual war photographs brought to life, making this film gorgeous in an unconventional sense. The only issue the film has is the jarring difference in tone in the two halves make it at points feel at odds with itself (although it is worth noting that the transition between the halves is masterfully done). Full Metal Jacket is a incredibly strong war film that always fascinates despite not necessarily always working as a complete narrative piece. However, it is still very good in spite of anything off-putting about its structure. 8/10
The Book of Henry is truly insane. Feeling like four movies combined in a blender, it's a complete mess tonally and story-wise. Frequent laughter will occur as what is put on screen is truly unbelievable. The actors do their best with the work they have and Giacchino delivers a decent score, but neither can save the maudlin script and ho-hum direction. Going more in-depth would be a disservice to it, as this is a film that has to be seen to be believed, the type of horrible film that is never boring and always outrageously entertaining. The Book of Henry is the biggest mess I've seen this year, but what a glorious trainwreck it is. 3/10
Iron Man kicks off the MCU in a spectacular fashion. Robert Downey Jr.'s performance here is still his best as the character, portraying so many different elements of what makes Tony Stark the famous hero he is. The villain leaves a lot to be desired, and Stark's relationship with Potts is a lot more underwritten than I remembered. Still, Iron Man succeeds thanks to a more unique tone and a strong hero for the ages. 7/10
Following begins as a suave and fun crime thriller but then sadly becomes the prototype for a lot of Nolan tropes that have become very cliche. This isn't a surprise, and one could argue this isn't a fault of the film, but the story being presented here is nothing exciting. The anachronic order is annoying and does nothing to help the tale being told. The use of females in this film is constantly disturbing, more so than usual in a film by Christopher Nolan. However, the acting is universally good, with Haw's Cobb being truly charismatic in the best sense, and the first half of the film is very engaging. Following is a decent debut film, but when one knows what's to come from its director, it ultimately ends up being just a curiosity rather than a good film. 5/10
It Comes at Night is a very intriguing film. Joel Edgerton puts forward an excellent performance, and the film is brimming with atmosphere galore and beautiful cinematography. Unfortunately, its themes are explored at a cursory level at best, and there's little to no pay-off in the third act. Thus, it all just feels like a waste of time at the end, even if the journey there captures the mind well. It Comes at Night ends up sadly being quite average, despite having the building blocks to be something truly special. 6/10
"You have no soul."
"That is why I have no fear!"
Transformers: Age of Extinction is just how I remember Transformers movies as being, despite it being six years since I've watched one. They're fascinating beasts, bloated with maybe a few sequences of sheer entertaining schlock. There's explosions, racial stereotypes, ugly CGI, and one-liners for the robots that make you wish they were no-liners. Biggest disappointment with this had to be the Dinobots being in it for a mere ten minutes, but considering the rest of the film, maybe that's a good thing.
As for the entertaining elements, most of that belongs to Stanley Tucci's fun mugging for the camera including a bizarre half hour segment where he's really the only human we follow. The rest of the fun comes from Optimus Prime's random bouts of anger where he comes off as more evil than any Decepticon in this and T.J. Miller's all too brief role in the proceedings.
The rest is business as usual, with incomprehensible action and boring characters that fit into the most dull archetypes imaginable. Bay shoots it with his usual panache, and despite there being no returning human characters from the previous films, it still feels like more of the same. He's got a clear style to shooting these films though, one that does offer moments of amusement, but that's all you'll get - moments.
The Transformers movies have often been criticized for being soulless blockbusters. I'd argue that they've got more soul to them than most modern blockbusters. It's just a shame that the soul is so ugly and hateful. Michael Bay is fearless in putting his vision on screen, and we all must suffer the consequences.2/10
"Look at all of these things that people built. You might see a mess -"
"Exactly! And a bunch of weird, dorky stuff that ruined my perfectly good stuff!"
"Okay. What I see are people inspired by each other, and by you. People taking what you made and making something new out of it."
Phil Lord and Christopher Miller's best film is about what they do best. They take their inspirations and what they love, and make something new out of what seems old every time. The sheer humor and heart found in this film is something to behold. Rarely do I break down in tears at the end of a film, but this film does it for me every time. The power of creativity and love defeat cynicism and fear of the new. Lord and Miller's greatest work displays exactly why they're some of Hollywood's best filmmakers working. The LEGO Movie shows how experimentation and fresh takes bring about humanity's greatest triumphs, while also being one of the most enjoyable films to grace theaters in the past decade.
It's an utter masterpiece, and arguably the greatest CGI film produced yet. Thank you, Lord and Miller, for this wonderful film. May your future endeavors be more fruitful than your most recent one. I will be there on opening night, ready for whatever adventure you have in store for me. I hope it will be soon, but no matter how long it takes, I know it will be worth it. 10/10
I'm four episodes behind on purpose, haha. The first four were damn good, but I was concerned that the show would be a little slow to follow every week and so I've been building them up. But at the same time, I'm dying to watch them. Super good to hear that you're loving it!
Escape Goat
Member
I just saw Get Out and there was a lot of thought put into the satire, but that's pretty much where most of thought went. The big reveals were fairly obvious early on in the film. Both what was happening to the black people and Rose's true intentions. I'd say once the movie starts the third act it begins to fall apart. Rel Howery really was unnecessary and kills the pacing of the third act entirely.
Hmm, very strange. Is it possible that it might never come out in other territories?
That would be very unfortunate as it's supposed to be one helluva movie.
And oh yes! Booked a ticket for Baby Driver on Wednesday, looking forward to that one.
[edit] Just finished rewatching Rise of the Planet of the Apes, and I am amazed by it. I'm not sure if I've actually seen it before. I was surprised to see James Franco in the leading role and I think he did well with what he got. I loved the pair of him and Caesar, and how he got to grew up in his home. His father having alzheimers also hit close to home as I have a father with dementia, so I understand his desperation to help out his dad, and I was glad to see it work at first. I wish Freida Pinto had more to do as I've loved her in what I've seen her in, but here she isn't more than the girlfriend in a supportive role, and she never really get anything to work with. I hope she got something to work with in Dawn. The work of Andy Serkis and how he made all the apes come to life was quite a feat, and everything from motion to details like their hair and mouths was stunning. As much as I as a viewer came to like Caesar and understood how they were oppressed by Gensys, I really think they solved it the wrong way. I really do not agree with the apes causing havoc in the city, attacking the corporation and damaging properties on the way. They are dangerous apes and needs to be contained. As much as these animals wants their freedom, and by nature deserves it, they have caused way too much damage with their increased intellectual that I cannot see them anything but taken down. So as of this moment I am with the humans on this one, and unless something changes, I will be on the humans side when Dawn of the Planet of the Apes starts. It was pretty cool that Caesar learned to speak and even communicate with sign language, and it was the perfect ending when he whispered to Will at the end.
Rise of the Planet of the Apes - ★★★★☆
TissueBox
Member
"It's, like, you don't know what it is... that you're supposed to do, but, uh..."
"...it's gotta be different."
I am sleeping tonight with thoughts in my brain... as a noir should, this un-remembered piece of cinema compels you to feel, ache, and ponder for the sinful and jaded. In the middle of nowhere, both in his life and literally, Collie is a wandering ex-serviceman and boxer who stumbles into the arms of an entrancing woman in a desert town with troubles of her own. He learns things, but he pretty much knows it all already -- why he is, what he is, where he's destined to go. But it's not until you reach a certain point, tangled in dysfunction, crime, desperation, mistrust, do you see perhaps all you needed to know all along.
In other words -- if you haven't seen this movie, errghh, rewind..! Check it out on a sleazy mid-week evening or Saturday night, it will be the drawling angst of fallen cherabims, sand on their cheeks, one could have used during a bitter-tasting week of woe, with a slowly building storyline, taken performances, and a presentation of quiet power; a cinematic gem buried in Desert Noir.
After Dark, My Sweet
(I will periodically be coming in to remind the world of the movie's existence as of now btw.)
"...it's gotta be different."
I am sleeping tonight with thoughts in my brain... as a noir should, this un-remembered piece of cinema compels you to feel, ache, and ponder for the sinful and jaded. In the middle of nowhere, both in his life and literally, Collie is a wandering ex-serviceman and boxer who stumbles into the arms of an entrancing woman in a desert town with troubles of her own. He learns things, but he pretty much knows it all already -- why he is, what he is, where he's destined to go. But it's not until you reach a certain point, tangled in dysfunction, crime, desperation, mistrust, do you see perhaps all you needed to know all along.
In other words -- if you haven't seen this movie, errghh, rewind..! Check it out on a sleazy mid-week evening or Saturday night, it will be the drawling angst of fallen cherabims, sand on their cheeks, one could have used during a bitter-tasting week of woe, with a slowly building storyline, taken performances, and a presentation of quiet power; a cinematic gem buried in Desert Noir.
After Dark, My Sweet
(I will periodically be coming in to remind the world of the movie's existence as of now btw.)
Rhomega Beta
Member
Hero: A Chinese action movie with great choreography and a good story with it, but what I love the most is the use of color, using different sets for different parts of the story. I really enjoyed it, and it's worth checking out.
Everybody Wants Some!!
This movie isn't super ambitious and barely has a plot in the traditional sense, but it's fantastic for what it is. Linklater perfectly captures the 80s aesthetic in every way, and all the actors were great, despite being mostly unknown. I found the characters really likeable, despite not really being able to relate to being a jock. A really fun and charming film, made me wish I grew up in the 80s.
8/10
This movie isn't super ambitious and barely has a plot in the traditional sense, but it's fantastic for what it is. Linklater perfectly captures the 80s aesthetic in every way, and all the actors were great, despite being mostly unknown. I found the characters really likeable, despite not really being able to relate to being a jock. A really fun and charming film, made me wish I grew up in the 80s.
8/10
Cripplegate
Member
I'm still getting caught up on new Twin Peaks but oh my god it's incredible. I'm completely obsessed. Call for help.
Cold Water (6.5/10) - A tough one to rate. Not a debut for Olivier Assayas, but still sort of feels like one. It's a formative film, as images and concepts here will repeat throughout his work (so it was interesting to watch if only for that, being completely unaware that so many moments of his cinema, and stylistic and thematic elements, had their genesis in this particular film). It has the rough and uneven qualities of a debut, as well (Assayas will build on elements of this film in much stronger ways later in his career). Some of the dramatic confrontations are dull. Some plot threads go nowhere. Olivier Assayas was actually at my screening (Cold Water is being restored by Criterion, and Toronto is currently hosting a retrospective of his work, so he showed up to do a Q&A for the film) and he described the film as a mixture of memories and fantasies, a partly autobiographical account of his teenage years. And on that note, the final sequence is quite clearly a fantasy, and I can't shake the feeling that it's an incredibly stupid fantasy. Olivier kinda went up his own ass on that one.
But, the good part: The parts of the film that deal more specifically with memories are wonderfully realized. The centerpiece of the film is a lengthy party that features a parade of licensed music tracks and I wasn't timing it but it felt like it could have been a good half hour (it's a significant part of the running time, no doubt). This sequence is spellbinding, a rhythmic, impressionistic display of youth and raw emotions, of music and drugs and love and destruction. It's as good as anything Assayas will direct later in his career, and the clear highlight of a film I am otherwise feeling lukewarm about. This sequence is worth the price admission, so to speak. The soundtrack is brilliant, both in the choice of songs and the way they are used (arranged, edited) throughout the sequence to modulate the overall mood (so at least when it comes to music, Assayas seems to have always been on point).
So... it's still pretty good, I guess, but I did kinda hate parts of it. Far from my favorite Assayas joint.
Cold Water (6.5/10) - A tough one to rate. Not a debut for Olivier Assayas, but still sort of feels like one. It's a formative film, as images and concepts here will repeat throughout his work (so it was interesting to watch if only for that, being completely unaware that so many moments of his cinema, and stylistic and thematic elements, had their genesis in this particular film). It has the rough and uneven qualities of a debut, as well (Assayas will build on elements of this film in much stronger ways later in his career). Some of the dramatic confrontations are dull. Some plot threads go nowhere. Olivier Assayas was actually at my screening (Cold Water is being restored by Criterion, and Toronto is currently hosting a retrospective of his work, so he showed up to do a Q&A for the film) and he described the film as a mixture of memories and fantasies, a partly autobiographical account of his teenage years. And on that note, the final sequence is quite clearly a fantasy, and I can't shake the feeling that it's an incredibly stupid fantasy. Olivier kinda went up his own ass on that one.
But, the good part: The parts of the film that deal more specifically with memories are wonderfully realized. The centerpiece of the film is a lengthy party that features a parade of licensed music tracks and I wasn't timing it but it felt like it could have been a good half hour (it's a significant part of the running time, no doubt). This sequence is spellbinding, a rhythmic, impressionistic display of youth and raw emotions, of music and drugs and love and destruction. It's as good as anything Assayas will direct later in his career, and the clear highlight of a film I am otherwise feeling lukewarm about. This sequence is worth the price admission, so to speak. The soundtrack is brilliant, both in the choice of songs and the way they are used (arranged, edited) throughout the sequence to modulate the overall mood (so at least when it comes to music, Assayas seems to have always been on point).
So... it's still pretty good, I guess, but I did kinda hate parts of it. Far from my favorite Assayas joint.
Ether_Snake
å®å®å®å®å®å®å®å®å®å®å®å®å®å®å®
Verdict, 1974 French-Italian movie with Sophia Loren, about a woman trying to get her son acquitted for murder.
Why are 70s movies so good? Such a clash with how modern movies are filmed and acted.
Why are 70s movies so good? Such a clash with how modern movies are filmed and acted.
Baby Driver - Edgar Wright's cinematic language is so unique and always full of energy that even when, in the case of Baby Driver, it's not quite your typical Edgar Wright film, you can't imagine how anyone else could ever do a movie like it. There's not another movie that comes to mind that's like it including Wright's own. It's like a controlled demolition - every moment and piece with purpose but explosive with a sense of vital and frantically paced action that makes it easily one of the best movies of the year.
Also that Jon Hamm...so dreamy.
Also that Jon Hamm...so dreamy.
More_Badass
Member
For me, I blame $7 matinees. I've seen King Arthur, Transformers, Alien: Covenant, Power Rangers, The Mummy....although Transformers was less interest and more "I got to see if it's as crazy(ily bad) as the reviews were saying"
Freeza Under The Shower
Member
I've been asking myself that question too. It might be that actors were still actually acting in sets back then, so the link to theater was more pronounced. The 80s as we've elected to remember them (which is not how they actually happened) were special effects dominated and no money that depends on those more than its actors is ever any good.
Batman Returns (1992) was the last movie to be shot in 'old Hollywood' style, with miniatures and matte paintings and all, according to the imdb trivia. After that it went blue / green screen I guess.
And now we're getting sick of that. Or maybe I am.
But on the topic of people trying to get back to realism-without-realism:
John Wick (2014): John Wick is kind of messy in its angles and distance from important story actions. I found it hard to follow at times, not really too clever about creating different scenes, and as such kind of boring.
I mean, when the 'people talking' scenes are the more interesting parts, that kind of says it all. Also, if all those civilized killers all know each other to the point of having clubs and everything, how does that city even function? I mean, the murder count must be staggering.
Alex Anderson
Member
Enjoyed a couple cheesy lines in Point of No Return
I knew what the second line was going for but it just sounded so simplistic and dumb. I howled
Watched the movie it was remade from, Nikita. Which was like almost scene for scene the same.
...which led me to La Femme Nikita which I am looooving. Am about ~30 eps in
Why don't you kiss my ass right on the crack?
That's the only time I'll ever kiss you.
I knew what the second line was going for but it just sounded so simplistic and dumb. I howled
Watched the movie it was remade from, Nikita. Which was like almost scene for scene the same.
...which led me to La Femme Nikita which I am looooving. Am about ~30 eps in
Infernostew
Member
My buddy just texted me today and said Baby Driver was awesome and he (like me) wasn't all that hot on the trailer. My concern has completely vanished.
More_Badass
Member
I just realized there's a movie I want to see coming out every week for the next month
Baby Driver, Spiderman, War, Dunkirk, Atomic Blonde
That's crazy. I can't remember the last time there was a streak like that
Baby Driver, Spiderman, War, Dunkirk, Atomic Blonde
That's crazy. I can't remember the last time there was a streak like that
Just because the assassins have a central hub, doesn't mean they're all active at the same time, or in the same place.
BlueTsunami
there is joy in sucking dick
Its certainly better relative to last years shitfest
Puck Beaverton
Banned
I hope Atomic Blonde is good.
Yep, that's a fantastic streak of movies! I'm adding The Beguiled, A Ghost Story, and Valerian to that list. I'm going to be in the theatre a lot in July, haha.
Stuff!
Out of the Past: Superb film noir with some absolutely terrific characterization to fill in the gaps that aren't being covered by the top notch dialogue being lobbed out by the principles. To no one's surprise, director Jacques Tourneur proves to quite the adept choice for film like this, mining his experience from his days as Val Lewton's director of choice for the moody visuals on display here. Of course, he was just as handy with the actors, and here, he gets nothing but heavyweights here, though with how well they play their parts here, it's hard to imagine that this was the film that made the careers of Mitchum, Greer and Douglas, rather than another storied landmark along the way. Despite being as young as they were, they all look 10 years older, which suits their parts perfectly as they all vie to be the last man standing, or as the film so eloquently puts it, learn how to lose slower. The story here is rather well told, with a complex structure that does its twists and turns justice, along with a healthy budget that allows for the surprising sprawl to really come alive as it hops around cities and countries. Really great stuff!
My Neighbor Totoro: Think of something cute and pleasant, and I can guarantee you that this film will trump that thing several times over. With a plot that can be summed up in its entirety as "young sisters make friends with a giant bear-cat and have fun shouting at things," one might think that there's not a lot going on here, but thanks to the typically and endearingly fussy direction from Miyazaki that so beautifully captures the sheer locomotion of being a youth in a new setting and the easygoing acceptance that yes, the forest in these parts are home to giant bear-cat things that only children can see and that's OK, you will hardly care with how lovely the film is to look at, to hear and to simply experience as a whole. It has just enough incident to keep people moving around with purpose, and plenty of little moments off in the margins to round out the cast so that they're not completely overshadowed by the antics and adventures of Satsuki and Mei. It's the kind of whimsical optimism wedded to top notch visual design that films for all ages tend to gloss over, making this film too rare and weird a breed to not be an immediate classic, but even now, I'm still reeling from what a truly lovely time this was at the theater.
The Pocket Man: Short but sweet, erm, short revolving around the diminutive title character as he tries to go about his day picking up loose items to furnish his digs. As bad luck would have it, there's someone that can't stop stomping around his parts, so he decides to do something about it. What happens next changes the situation quite considerably, but this charmer has quite a way of worming into your heart with both its nice message and neat visual design that resembles something hand-crafted. Catchy score, too, so it won't leave your head, even if you want it to!
Out of the Past: Superb film noir with some absolutely terrific characterization to fill in the gaps that aren't being covered by the top notch dialogue being lobbed out by the principles. To no one's surprise, director Jacques Tourneur proves to quite the adept choice for film like this, mining his experience from his days as Val Lewton's director of choice for the moody visuals on display here. Of course, he was just as handy with the actors, and here, he gets nothing but heavyweights here, though with how well they play their parts here, it's hard to imagine that this was the film that made the careers of Mitchum, Greer and Douglas, rather than another storied landmark along the way. Despite being as young as they were, they all look 10 years older, which suits their parts perfectly as they all vie to be the last man standing, or as the film so eloquently puts it, learn how to lose slower. The story here is rather well told, with a complex structure that does its twists and turns justice, along with a healthy budget that allows for the surprising sprawl to really come alive as it hops around cities and countries. Really great stuff!
My Neighbor Totoro: Think of something cute and pleasant, and I can guarantee you that this film will trump that thing several times over. With a plot that can be summed up in its entirety as "young sisters make friends with a giant bear-cat and have fun shouting at things," one might think that there's not a lot going on here, but thanks to the typically and endearingly fussy direction from Miyazaki that so beautifully captures the sheer locomotion of being a youth in a new setting and the easygoing acceptance that yes, the forest in these parts are home to giant bear-cat things that only children can see and that's OK, you will hardly care with how lovely the film is to look at, to hear and to simply experience as a whole. It has just enough incident to keep people moving around with purpose, and plenty of little moments off in the margins to round out the cast so that they're not completely overshadowed by the antics and adventures of Satsuki and Mei. It's the kind of whimsical optimism wedded to top notch visual design that films for all ages tend to gloss over, making this film too rare and weird a breed to not be an immediate classic, but even now, I'm still reeling from what a truly lovely time this was at the theater.
The Pocket Man: Short but sweet, erm, short revolving around the diminutive title character as he tries to go about his day picking up loose items to furnish his digs. As bad luck would have it, there's someone that can't stop stomping around his parts, so he decides to do something about it. What happens next changes the situation quite considerably, but this charmer has quite a way of worming into your heart with both its nice message and neat visual design that resembles something hand-crafted. Catchy score, too, so it won't leave your head, even if you want it to!