NOW CLOSED ; List some movies you've watched recently. Theatre, rental, TV... and give a */10

[Exterous]

I know I'm behind but I finally watched Rise of Skywalker. I refused to for a while because of how bad the series was to that point

The best thing I can say is that it did not shit all over my childhood as much as I thought it would. Beyond all the other negative things (lack of story arc cohesion, bad pacing etc) the thing that really gets me is that the Empire keeps building massive explody things and apparently needs like zero resources to do so. The rest of the galaxy can't stand up to a couple of planets that churn out superweapons like candy. And for the love of god stop with the "everything the Empire builds has at least one critical weakness where a single person can make this giant thing explode"

I finally caught up on the Mandalorian though so that helped sooth my childhood memories. I wish the last fight scene in episode 16 had more third person footage and less 'lets watch through grainy video monitors' but I'm guessing that was a budgetary decision

 

[sactoking]

Godzilla VS Kong. 5/10

Fun Kaiju action. Predictable plot. Bad sound balancing. Plot line involving Millie Bobby Brown and the fat kid from Christmas Chronicles 2 (who also happens to be the fat kid from Deadpool 2) was completely unnecessary. Parts of the "plot" were confusing. I haven't watched any of the previous Godzilla or Kong movies. I thought they were unrelated? This one assumes that the viewer has some relevant prior knowledge if they are unrelated.

 

[DigDog]

American Traitor: The Trial of Axis Sally
(2021)

I found it appropriately slow paced for the issues addressed. I like unusual court dramas and this case presents one, with very interesting and unexpected facts uncovered about the world in Germany for a beautiful American singer actress forced to make hard choices . As Hamlet famously expressed it, To blow or not to blow, that is the question .
7.1

American Traitor: the trial of Axis Sally (as it should properly be capitalized) - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7050946/

I would agree with deustroop, it was pretty good. Not EXCITING, but well made.
The story you can look it up on wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mildred_Gillars although i do not know how accurate the film is.
So the story isn't terribly exciting, but there are at least two interesting things, the Axis Sally bits, where the protagonist, Mildred Gillars (played by a pretty good Meadow Williams, but don't google her, you don't want to read her personal life), does her Axis Sally show in WW2 Germany, while both feeling entrapped, but also trying to grab fame by the horns. And the courtrooms parts, which fit Al Pacino like a glove - he's done this very same part his whole career and the somber courtroom dialogue really helps him deliver.

My vote: 7/10 - somehow a decent film out of a mediocre story.

 

[JEDI]

American Traitor: the trial of Axis Sally (as it should properly be capitalized) - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7050946/

So the story isn't terribly exciting, but there are at least two interesting things, the Axis Sally bits, where the protagonist, Mildred Gillars (played by a pretty good Meadow Williams, but don't google her, you don't want to read her personal life), does her Axis Sally show in WW2 Germany, while both feeling entrapped, but also trying to grab fame by the horns. And the courtrooms parts, which fit Al Pacino like a glove - he's done this very same part his whole career and the somber courtroom dialogue really helps him deliver.

My vote: 7/10 - somehow a decent film out of a mediocre story.

Meadow Williams - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

nothing intriguing in her personal life.
what am i missing?

 

[JujuFish]

I went to see A Quiet Place Part II today. I enjoyed it.

 

[sportage]

BIRTH 2004. A bit old of a film, but I think this was Nicole Kidman's best work. If Hollywood were to cover the subject of reincarnation, this was the way to do it.

 

[DigDog]

what am i missing?

big time golddigger.
Married a millionaire 31y older than her, who died 5 years later, went to court with his children, and kept all ($800M) of his money.

 

[zinfamous]

I'm scrathcing my head because i watched Brian DePalma's awful The Black Dahlia - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0387877/?ref_=tt_urv

How do you take a story by James Ellroy, with Hillary Swank and Scarlett Johansson, directed by the guy who did The Untouchables, and somehow come up with this shit?

Found your answer!

(that dude has always been a hack)

 

[DigDog]

..i wouldn't call him a hack. Now, i haven't watched all his films, but quite a few of those i did watch are fairly good.

Good NOTEWORTHY stuff by Brian De Palma:

Phantom Of Paradise - incredibly kitsch, a modernized version of hippie opera.
Carrie - which i personally find to be total shit, but was ridiculously popular at the time. You can cut out the first 90% of the film and lose none of the substance so, wtf is wrong with people.
Blow Out - interesting use of Travolta for this role, and the character of incapable protagonist. Idk it's been 30 years, but i remember finding it an unusual-format thriller.
also apparently Dressed To Kill was successful, didn't watch it.
Scarface - ..you know, it's a competent film. People love it, that's gotta be worth something. The protagonist is an absolute piece of shit.
The Untouchables - love this film, and i don't care that it's mostly fiction. Not only the story is interesting, the characters are well written, well balanced, the film is well paced, and has a standout performance by DeNiro. This and Dances With Wolves make Kevin Kostner into a respectable actor.
then you got two films both praised for presenting two actors in roles previously thought unsuitable for them:
Casualties of War - Sean Penn
Bonfire Of Vanities - Tom Hanks
Carlito's Way - .. i like the film, but am disturbed by the fact that it's the exact same film as Scarface. Same protagonist, same setting, same dialogues. "Scarface Gets Out Of Jail".
Mission Impossible (1) - which .. is fine.


On the subject of Ellroy James, i worship American Tabloid.

 

[K1052]

Carlito's Way - .. i like the film, but am disturbed by the fact that it's the exact same film as Scarface. Same protagonist, same setting, same dialogues. "Scarface Gets Out Of Jail".

I'm of the maybe controversial opinion that Carlito's Way is a better film than Scarface, especially considering Sean Penn's performance.

 

[DigDog]

i watched Two Kabuki Flowers Of Evil, itself contained within an episode of Kabuki Kool - https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/tv/kabukikool/

yeah that's not a IMDb page, it hasn't got one, or even a Wikipedia page.
It's a TV show by NHK, the Japan national tv company, where the show a Kabuki theater play in Japanese, while two hosts explain it and comment on it in English.
It's *very* different. And entertaining.

Thing is, i don't know where to find much more of it. AFAIK you can only find this one and Soga Mono (The Revenge Of The Soga Brothers), but from the video file i can see that Flowers is S08E05, so there is got to be more.

The kind of tv that you put on to get your nerd on but mostly wind up sleeping to: 7/10

 

[deustroop]

Brexit: The Uncivil War (2019)

Staring Benedict Cumberbatch (whom we loved in The Courier recently)

7.8

The IMDB summary says : the story of political strategist Dominic Cummings leading the campaign to convince British voters to leave the European Union, the LEAVE campaign.

This is an insider's experience of political campaigning, applicable wherever votes are to be counted. Cummings who is brilliant but unconventional, is recruited to lead the LEAVE campaign. We are over his shoulder as his people desperately come up with catchy slogans, identity potential swing votes in different areas of the country and smartly acquire the latest analytics algorithms to do so. Nerdy there but not so's you'd notice.

The plot focuses on the competition between two different strategies used to convert voters: modern analytics combined with media platform skills, as used by LEAVE , versus the Old School methods favoured by the I"M IN group, with conventional polling techniques, mostly of MP and volunteer canvassing, using door to door research .

The film's tone is somewhat skeptical of algorithm software,, maybe even subversive. I think the whole point of the plot may well be to suggest these techniques ultimately fail . If the medium is the message, the message itself gets lost. Oh ! However recall that the LEAVE option won the vote. But that's not the end of the film.

This film competently lays out a very interesting issue about our ways of holding votes in a democracy. Sounds heavy, I am aware, but its a very well acted and lively piece about current issues. What's not to like ?

 

[Muadib]

Who killed Sara? My wife made me watch season 1, and I'll admit that it's all over the place. However it drew me in, and I'm addicted now. Season 2 was just posted, watch now!! 7/10

 

[JEDI]

Tom Clancy's Without Remorse (2021) 6/10

Elite Seal.. blah blah.. far fetched conspiracy plots.. blah blah.. nonsensical situations.

side note:
This movie is the prequel to Rainbow Six

 

[ultimatebob]

The Bo Burnham Inside "Comedy" special on Netflix was kinda lame.

Perhaps it would have been funnier six months ago, but I'm already tired of the blend of 2020 quarantine isolation "jokes" and white guilt "jokes" peppered throughout the special. Again, I use "comedy" and "jokes" in quotes because none of it was all that funny.

Perhaps it will age better, and become a cleverly edited time capsule of sorts for when it was produced. As a comedy special, though, it sucks. 4/10.

 

[DigDog]

Plan B - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13172796/reference

a cross between a female version of Porky's and Bend It Like Beckham.
16yo, ethnically-challenged highschooler Sunny is dreaming of her "first time", which rapidly goes from romantic prince & white horse stuff to getting jizzed by a rando during a house party. Together with her actually-bangabe best buddy Lupe, they venture forth into the night to buy a Plan-B packet of birth control; along the way they meet weirdos, perverts, fake ID selllers, etc.
Some vague comedy along with a big does of guilt.
Probably a decent watch for the 20yo female target audience but not great for us guys.

 

[ultimatebob]

Plan B - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13172796/reference

a cross between a female version of Porky's and Bend It Like Beckham.
16yo, ethnically-challenged highschooler Sunny is dreaming of her "first time", which rapidly goes from romantic prince & white horse stuff to getting jizzed by a rando during a house party. Together with her actually-bangabe best buddy Lupe, they venture forth into the night to buy a Plan-B packet of birth control; along the way they meet weirdos, perverts, fake ID selllers, etc.
Some vague comedy along with a big does of guilt.
Probably a decent watch for the 20yo female target audience but not great for us guys.

I liked that movie more than you did, but then we definitely weren't the target audience. I'd give it a 6 out of 10, but a 19 year old girl would probably give it an 8.

Also, it didn't have enough nudity to really be compared to a Porky's movie. Ferris Bueller's Day Off, perhaps? Definately had that coming of age travel adventure movie vibe.

 

[thedarkwolf]

Primal second half of season 1 9/10
Do I really need to say anything? This is the best thing to come from Adult Swim in many years. The whole thing is on HBO Max. Go watch it.

 

[sactoking]

Finished Shadow and Bone, ended up really liking it. 8/10

Looking forward to a Season 2 but since it's a Netflix show odds that they get to finish telling their story seem low. Netflix seems to be operating under the assumption that 1 season of three shows, regardless of show quality, is almost always better than 3 seasons of a show of good quality.

Oh look, Netflix canceled another show after only one season.

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/jupiters-legacy-cancelled-netflix-already-223308276.html

 

[Charmonium]

Cruella - 8.5

Very much a "Disney" movie in many ways but I still enjoyed it. It seems that they've "re-imagined" the character and I think it works as long as you're not a stickler for canon accuracy - at least as much as I remember - which, honestly, probably isn't very accurate.

It's true that they just don't make villains like they used to. I've seen so many so-called "action" serials like stuff from Marvel and DC where the ubermench hero agonizes about shooting some degenerate chicken f***er. Sweet Jesus man, have you never heard that some people just need killin'? So stuff your pud back in your Speed Racer undies and f*** some folks up.

 

[DigDog]

Cruella - 8.5

Very much a "Disney" movie in many ways but I still enjoyed it. It seems that they've "re-imagined" the character and I think it works as long as you're not a stickler for canon accuracy - at least as much as I remember - which, honestly, probably isn't very accurate.

It's true that they just don't make villains like they used to. I've seen so many so-called "action" serials like stuff from Marvel and DC where the ubermench hero agonizes about shooting some degenerate chicken f***er. Sweet Jesus man, have you never heard that some people just need killin'? So stuff your pud back in your Speed Racer undies and f*** some folks up.

The Starlight Barking - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[DigDog]

Wrath Of Man - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11083552/reference

Starts pretty darn strong, both in what you've seen in the trailer (the quasi-Matrix shooting scene) and the introduction to that, where we meet H, a silent and broody character, who has just joined Fortico, an armored truck security company that gets held up once a week on average.
Quickly enough we are made to realize that there is more to this man, who just the week before barely passed his shooting assessment. Even, with a touch of dark humour.

But then the film changes tone and it becomes a military-ops shooter, with very little character motivation - we don't even know who the villain is, and the protagonist's motivation is made clear only in the very last scene. (but don't think this is a Usual Suspects affair, it's not)

Boring. Because the character who are supposed to carry the story are absolutely flat and gunshots and bullets on their own do not carry a story.

Probably a solid 7/10 if all you ever watch is the trailer, but if you actually sit down to this film: 5.5/10 - too much Jason Statham JasonStathaming all over the place.

 

[MetalMat]

Stranger Things Season 3 - 8/10

I actually jumped off the Stranger Things bandwagon after I was disappointed in the 2nd season. I was done with the series but decided to try out the 3rd season out of boredom one day and to my surprise really liked it. It's great! I love the plot line, I like the action, I thought the story was really cool. Yes you do need to have some reserves to the story as things get a little ridiculous but overall I thought it was great.

 

[MetalMat]

Cruella - 8.5

Very much a "Disney" movie in many ways but I still enjoyed it. It seems that they've "re-imagined" the character and I think it works as long as you're not a stickler for canon accuracy - at least as much as I remember - which, honestly, probably isn't very accurate.

It's true that they just don't make villains like they used to. I've seen so many so-called "action" serials like stuff from Marvel and DC where the ubermench hero agonizes about shooting some degenerate chicken f***er. Sweet Jesus man, have you never heard that some people just need killin'? So stuff your pud back in your Speed Racer undies and f*** some folks up.

I just find the idea of Cruella Deville to be a bit ridiculous to build on. I mean are you really going to find someone evil enough to want to make a coat out of puppy skins? Even as a kid I thought that idea was rather dumb and far fetched.

 

[Mai72]

The Conjuring 1 2013 9/10
The Conjuring 2 2016 7/10

The series is currently on HBO Max and both movies are suspenseful and have a TON of jumpscares. But, the jumpscares are timed very well.
Both are very creepy. I watched both movies in the dark.