Movies The Movie Thread! - Continuation - Part 1

[Riku]

Just watched the latest adaptation of The Orient Express. It wasn't that bad, the critique back then made it sound horrible, but it was pretty okay imho. Not by long shot a particularly good film. It was a little boring, didn't bring really anything new to the table to make it stand out from the previous two adaptations, the little it did add was just some cheap action and CGI shots. The cast was star-studded, but it didn't draw any stellar performances from any of them.

Still it wasn't a bad film though. Pretty okay, I were even a little moved in the end. But I still feel like it was totally carried by just how goddamn strong the source material is. 6.5/10.

Low-key interested in Murder at the Nile now. Not gonna pay for it either, but gonna give it a view after it comes to streaming services.

Also catching on my blockbusters - WW84 was a piece of shit. I felt there was something there in WWs talk no jutsu at the end, but they should have used year or two to rework the script still. It was a mess. 1/10.

I really did like Nomadland. Very touching film, nice melancholic atmosphere. Defitnetly a great film. But best of the year really? I need to see more to make that judgement, but my intuition says no. 8.5/10.

Also believe it or not, I only just recently watched Three Billboards and boy that was a film for me. 10/10. Perfect in every aspect.

Also saw Godzilla v Kong. In the cinema to boot, first time in over an year now. And I liked. By no means it's actually a good film, but it was funny and entertaining. Good over the top kaiju action and so grandiose silly plot twist at the end that I couldn't help but to giggle thorough the whole final fight. 7/10.

--- Double Post Merged, Jun 2, 2021, Original Post Date: Jun 2, 2021 ---

Did some re-watches too recently. Prepping for Alien RPG I watched the first three again. Alien 9/10, Aliens 8.5/10, Alien 3 7.5/10. I'll try to watch Resurrection, Prometheus, and Covenant before the campaign starts as well. Those are the suckier ones though.

Also caught the Revenant on tv and it grew on me the second watch. The images are absolutely stunning still and this time I grew more respect to script script. DiCaprios huffing and puffing though was less convincing and more annoying this time around. 8.5/10.

 

[FetherMan]

A Quiet Place: Part II - 8 / 10

Finally got a chance to return to the theaters and decided to see this follow up and it was alright. There's a slight expansion on how to survive these creatures that come from out of nowhere and the conclusion is very similar to Part I. Recently they announced a third film coming in 2023, I do hope there's an explanation for where these creatures came from and why.



Demon Slayer: Mugen Train - 9 / 10

First anime I got to see in theaters since reopening as well, enjoyed the story, characters and animation style. As a fan of the manga and anime, the film is a nice addition to the overall series.

 

[Faust]

Spoiler

音楽
Ongaku (2019)
Run Time: 71 Minutes
Director: Kenji Iwaisawa (https://twitter.com/iwaityawa)
Movie Adaptation of Ongaku to Manga by Hiroyuki Oohashi (https://twitter.com/osirioisosiru)

It's outrageous
It's deadpan
It's laid back
It's unpredictable
It's rich in references
It's rock n' roll
It's inspiring (at least for me)

Might be a case of recency bias, but I fuckin' love this movie.
It inspired me to compose/write songs although I can't play any instruments... not unless altar bells or/and church bell count(s)* xD

*I was an altar server acolyte for a short period of time lol

Watch this movie if you like:
Beck
PingPong Ani
Pop Team Epic
This Is Spinal Tap

 

[Brandish μ]

Watched Tenet about a month ago and couldn't really follow it. I kinda zoned out because the dialogue went to lol levels and even the main character was called the Protagonist The inverted scenes were also laughable. That said it was still a Nolan movie so it comes with the expectation of at least being good, but in all honesty this was a big step back from Dunkirk.

The Gentlemen from Guy Ritchie isn't a movie worth the time imo. I went away for about 30 mins of the movie and came back to see the plot was resolved by our main guys due to underestimation...

Today I watched So Long, My Son which is a Chinese film depicting three couples from the 70's or 80's up until the recent decade I think (there was no dates on things and I'm not familiar with Chinese culture... they were dancing to Boney M at one point when someone brought in trash/overseas music and that was roughly 80's I think...). Anyway this was a slow and emotional movie without going over the top but nearly at points. The main couple went through decades of grief after losing their son, tried to cope by running away and replacing their son and never really moved on until the end. Another couple carried a burden of guilt relating to the main couple's son and abortion of another baby. In the end I felt this movie did a great job showing how long guilt, grief, emotional suffering etc can stay in our lives. The one-child policy and cultural revolution in China makes the plot happen and is present without being a focus or making the movie political, at least to me. The camera work was noticeably exceptional as well. I really liked this.

 

[Jammin]

Something possessed me to revist a pair of movies I loved when I was a kid. The least known Star Wars movies, Ewoks 1 & 2. And, my god, was that time well spent.

The first is an ok kids movie. Kind of boring. But watching a bunch of closeups of those Ewok costumes that don't articulate at all was pretty great. No mouth movement whatsoever. Some good humor there. Other than that, aside from one Ewok death scene that seemed a bit dark for a kids movie, pretty tame.

The second one though, Ewoks: The Battle for Endor. Wow. What an experience that was. The little kids parents and brother getting murdered in front of her eyes was a shocker. I mean damn, man. It just sort of went from there too. As space orcs hunt for "power" in the form of a space ship battery they have no idea what is. And a witch right out of Conan the Barbarian helps them for no reason. Still, I have to say. It kind of works. I'm pretty sure I enjoyed watching this more than the prequels. And probably the last 2 new star wars movies. It was quite the pleasant surprise.

 

[Sanity Check]

Batman Soul of the Dragon 10/10

Tai Chi Zero 10/10

Tai Chi Hero 10/10

Windaria 10/10

 

[FetherMan]

Watched Tenet about a month ago and couldn't really follow it. I kinda zoned out because the dialogue went to lol levels and even the main character was called the Protagonist The inverted scenes were also laughable. That said it was still a Nolan movie so it comes with the expectation of at least being good, but in all honesty this was a big step back from Dunkirk.

The Gentlemen from Guy Ritchie isn't a movie worth the time imo. I went away for about 30 mins of the movie and came back to see the plot was resolved by our main guys due to underestimation...

Today I watched So Long, My Son which is a Chinese film depicting three couples from the 70's or 80's up until the recent decade I think (there was no dates on things and I'm not familiar with Chinese culture... they were dancing to Boney M at one point when someone brought in trash/overseas music and that was roughly 80's I think...). Anyway this was a slow and emotional movie without going over the top but nearly at points. The main couple went through decades of grief after losing their son, tried to cope by running away and replacing their son and never really moved on until the end. Another couple carried a burden of guilt relating to the main couple's son and abortion of another baby. In the end I felt this movie did a great job showing how long guilt, grief, emotional suffering etc can stay in our lives. The one-child policy and cultural revolution in China makes the plot happen and is present without being a focus or making the movie political, at least to me. The camera work was noticeably exceptional as well. I really liked this.

Guy Ritchie just did another film called "Wrath of Man" and it was pretty solid. It's a nice addition to films like "The Gentlemen", always enjoyed his style of films. And "Tenet" is definitely somewhat complicated, even more than "Inception".

 

[Sanity Check]

Black Widow (2021)

High points were Red Guardian and the superhero genre making fun of itself. Much better than I expected it to be.

Snowpiercer (2013)

Good messaging on climate change, wealth and wage equality and how centralized and organized modern society has become at every level.

Eyes Wide Shut (1999)

Watched this intending to identify and figure out hidden symbolism and signs in it. Stanley Kubrick is legendary for attention to detail.

 

[Jammin]

Watched two hitman action movies over the last few days.

Nobody

Just as good as I'd heard it would be. Highly enjoyable and fun throughout. It's different than John Wick. It's not nearly as stylized as that. But it's equally good in it's own way. Just a good time. 9 out of 10

Gunpowder Milkshake

This one I have more to say about. I would compare this one to Polar in that it's very comic book or cartoonish in terms of style. Unfortunately this is much worse than even that was; and I did not think highly of that movie. I think the issue here was mainly writing. Visually it looked it fine. There were some nice action set piece stuff. but unfortunately it feels like it's written around those scenes at the detriment of the movie itself. 4 out of 10

--- Double Post Merged, Aug 10, 2021, Original Post Date: Jul 31, 2021 ---

Watched The Suicide Squad.

Thought it was really good. By far the best DC Superhero movie. James Gunn just knows how to make a superhero movie with with actual characters and emotional beats in it.

 

[FetherMan]

The Green Knight - ???

I watched this film and completely lost on me. If anyone has seen please explain it to me like a 6 year old.

 

[Sanity Check]

Matrix Reloaded / Matrix Revolutions
Enjoyed both.
IIRC The Matrix 4 is due out 2022.

John Wick 1, 2, 3
Good humor and action sequences.
Wish they had taken a different direction with the end of the 2nd movie.

 

[Eigengrau]

IIRC The Matrix 4 is due out 2022.

Actually December 22, 2021, believe it or not.
Which is weird but I feel like if it was gonna be delayed it would've happened already by now.
~

Wow it's actually been a while, 5 months or so since I last posted, seen 92 films since then.
To be honest I feel like my posts were starting to be a bit too much so I didn't want to saturate people on here, maybe I'll try talking about the stuff that's worth mentioning... when I find the time that is

Currently attending a film festival, another one will start immediately once this one's over, I'll be going to the theater like every day for the next 2 weeks or so.

 

[Sanity Check]

Actually December 22, 2021, believe it or not.
Which is weird but I feel like if it was gonna be delayed it would've happened already by now.
~

I hadn't realized the wachowski brothers had transitioned to becoming the wachowski sisters around 2016.





2016 was a crazy year for sure.

 

[Riku]

Actually December 22, 2021, believe it or not.
Which is weird but I feel like if it was gonna be delayed it would've happened already by now.
~

Wow it's actually been a while, 5 months or so since I last posted, seen 92 films since then.
To be honest I feel like my posts were starting to be a bit too much so I didn't want to saturate people on here, maybe I'll try talking about the stuff that's worth mentioning... when I find the time that is

Currently attending a film festival, another one will start immediately once this one's over, I'll be going to the theater like every day for the next 2 weeks or so.

Well I loved your every post, so I don't mind if you keep going the way you used

So the movie event of the year - Dune:

Saw it last friday. It was a solid film. Audiovisually breathtaking. Especially the sound design and the music, I feel like Zimmer out did himself. The world-building is great too, very immersive. Everything is really fascinating - and the film makes it pretty easy to follow despite the original stuff being quite outlandish and weird. The weirdest things just run on the background as visual goodness, and the things that actually matter plot-wise are made very digestible. And of course - the sandworms are gorgeous.

However, I'm reluctant to name it the masterpiece many reviewers have it tagged as. First of all - I personally didn't connect to any of the characters. And when you don't connect to the characters, you don't really get too emotional during a film. For me the characters were rather one-dimensional and flat. Also, the film really takes it's sweet time setting up it's world and plot, before blossoming in it's last hour into what it actually is - a chase film on a desert. It's is a pretty good and intense chase film. I just can't shake of though, that Mad Max: Fury Road did chase on a desert pretty much perfectly just few years ago.

My biggest issue definitely is though how it ends. In the middle of the book. It's doesn't work as a stand-alone film, despite everything the marketing says. It doesn't deliver a satisfying ending and doesn't really deliver any themes, messages or the point of the story. You could argue Paul gets a full-character arc, finding his resolution in the end. But for me that feels like a mid-point. I really feel like I just saw half of the film. Thus I don't even wanna score it, because I feel like I can't judge a house that still misses the roof.

 

[Sanity Check]

Underwater (2020)

One of the better scifi horror films out in recent years. Physics and science in some areas were horrible. Design and visuals were epic. Tongue in cheek, slap stick humor, I didn't mind. Although some might be turned off by it.

Cruella (2021)

Better than expected. There's something about it that makes you think it will be terrible. But its actually pretty good.

The Witcher Nightmare of the Wolf (2021)

It seems like they tried to follow in the footsteps of the castlevania animated series. It was ok.

Mortal Kombat Legends: Battle of the Realms (2021)

This one also tried to follow in the footsteps of the castlevania animated series. Unfortunately it doesn't add anything to the mortal kombat universe. The plot is too similar to Mortal Kombat 11 game. Its more like a MK compilation or remake than a standalone title.

 

[Riku]

Cruella (2021)

Better than expected. There's something about it that makes you think it will be terrible. But its actually pretty good.

I have to disagree - I think this is the worst movie I have seen this year. It's too long for what it is - a silly comedy heist movie. It's mostly boring. It's writing is a mess - what is the movie trying to say in the end? That even having good supportive people around, wont change bad people, it's in the genes? I guess it's about how too much ambition and yearning for revenge ruins people, but still the depiction of it is just weird. It comes of as just rotten blood. Cruella is a disgusting person at the end of the film. I mean, not every film needs an happy ending, but considering this is primarily a children's film, the tone of it in the end is super weird. She gets rewarded for essentially becoming as evil as her antagonist. Also the actual ending is distubing - why would in the context of that story Cruella gift Roger Bongo? And why would Roger write such a scathing song about Cruella based on the story of the film? It actually makes Roger seem quite petty. And first and foremost - it implies that the 99 puppies from the original film are all inbred incest puppies. Yuck. And that's also a real-life problem of dog breeding and dalmatians.

If I have to look for positives, an Oscar nomination for the best costume design looks like a shoe in. I also chuckled like at one joke. And the little brown thied dog was cute.

 

[Brandish μ]

@Eigengrau if you're happy to continue writing about movies we'll read happily/what Ustegius said.

I remember your post about Long Day's Journey Into Night, and I had a chance to watch it recently.

The first hour or so the movie was playing out like a romance mystery, kinda engaging/made you pay attention because timeliness were mixed, characters were watchable although the main female was a bit fucked up as one of the lovers. And I knew the long take was coming so that was in the back of my mind.

Then the dream started. It felt like a video game at first, but as it went along it felt like a dream I would have, just with how seemingly random vignettes pop up that tell something about him (and in this case close out or explain things from the first hour).

He never really found her and I guess we were never meant to. He felt that deep down, when he pursued the woman in his dream that looked like her. He didn't need exactly her, a substitute would do. He was nagged by never having an ending, so we didn't get one either I suppose.

I can't imagine this dream sequence as a series of takes. Like I said it felt real and being a long take might be the main reason.

Glad to have experienced this.

 

[Sanity Check]

I have to disagree - I think this is the worst movie I have seen this year. It's too long for what it is - a silly comedy heist movie. It's mostly boring. It's writing is a mess - what is the movie trying to say in the end? That even having good supportive people around, wont change bad people, it's in the genes? I guess it's about how too much ambition and yearning for revenge ruins people, but still the depiction of it is just weird. It comes of as just rotten blood. Cruella is a disgusting person at the end of the film. I mean, not every film needs an happy ending, but considering this is primarily a children's film, the tone of it in the end is super weird. She gets rewarded for essentially becoming as evil as her antagonist. Also the actual ending is distubing - why would in the context of that story Cruella gift Roger Bongo? And why would Roger write such a scathing song about Cruella based on the story of the film? It actually makes Roger seem quite petty. And first and foremost - it implies that the 99 puppies from the original film are all inbred incest puppies. Yuck. And that's also a real-life problem of dog breeding and dalmatians.

If I have to look for positives, an Oscar nomination for the best costume design looks like a shoe in. I also chuckled like at one joke. And the little brown thied dog was cute.

I think Cruella (2021) carried a good nature versus nurture theme.

Spoiler

As a child, Cruella follows in the footsteps of her biological mother. (Nature) The shock of seeing her adoptive mother be chased off a cliff by dogs. And the compassion shown by the two thieves adopting her. Changed her. (Nurture)

Later in the story, Cruella begins to follow in the footsteps of her mother again. She treats people like inferior trash, the way her mother does. (Nature)

What I took from the ending arc, is Cruella deciding not to be exactly like her mother, but instead striving to be better than her. (Nurture defeats nature)

I think that was the conflict and theme of the story. (happy endings)

Some of the disturbing things you mentioned could foreshadow nature winning over nurture and Cruella ending up evil exactly like her biological mother. But they don't have to follow in the footsteps of 101 dalmatians and could reboot everything to have a twist.

It could be a story everyone can relate to on some level.

 

[Sanity Check]

Halloween Kills (2021)

Filler movie. Michael Meyers vs boomer fatletes. The plot doesn't advance & nothing happens.

Army of Thieves (2021)

The prequel to Army of the Dead starring safe cracker Ludwig Dieter's backstory. I loved the lore they developed around the fictional character Hans Wagner. Inconsistencies and oversights in the plot made 6/10 of what could have been 10/10 if better done.

Injustice (2021)

Animated feature length film of Superman gone bad. The ending and wrap up throws a nice curve most won't see coming.

DeadPool 2 (2018)

I can only imagine this being a troll fest of epic proportions for comic book fans. No one and nothing is sacred and almost everything gets thrown under a bus. Why bother.

Dune (2021)

This movie has a few glaring inconsistencies that make it unbelievable. The pacing and rhythm of it is offputting in the early segment. They did improve on certain facets of the story such as Duncan Idaho's last stand. All in all a disappointment.

 

[Jammin]

I've seen quite a lot of movies lately. Some old, some new. For the newer ones...

Old Henry (2021)

Very enjoyable western with a nice twist to it. I'd give it like a 7 out of 10

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)

This was better than I was expecting. Not the most likable or charismatic MC in a marvel movie and the flashback-itus it had was a bit rough but the asian themed visuals looked great and some of the fight scenes were terrific. Also really liked the villain and the actor(Tony Leung Chiu-wai) who played him. He was something of a show stealer. In the end though I'm docking it one point for being 30 mins too long. This should have been 90 mins. 6 out of 10

--------------------------------------------

In terms of older stuff was actually doing a bit of a monster movie marathon.

Underwater (2020)

I love this movie. It's just a simple underwater monster movie but it's 90 mins and a fun watch with solid performances from everybody. 8 out of 10

Crawl (2019)

Alligators eating people, a hurricane, and just enough family drama too keep it all interesting. If you can suspend your disbelief about how bite resistant this father and daughter are it's a great time 8 out of 10.

Alien (1979)

It's been a while since I've gone back and actually watched this start to finish and I discovered that it's not nearly as good as I remember it being. Lot of pointless strobe lights and dumb character decisions, even by creature feature standards(that stupid cat..). I continue to suspect I don't actually like Ridley Scott outside of The Martian and the original Blade Runner. 5 out of 10.

The Cave (2005)

This is a bit of a forgotten gem. It's just a great "Group of people get trapped in place with monsters". It's not an ambitious movie in the slightest but it does what it does really well. 7 out of 10.

Deep Rising (1998)

This is you basic dumb creature feature. Pretty fun if you can ignore Treat Williams not even trying to act. 5 out of 10

The Fog (1980)

Like a lot of John Carpenter movies this one really holds up. Probably the best movie with ghost pirates in it. Which is admittedly not saying much. 8 out of 10.

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954)

This movie doesn't hold up as well as I would like but it's got nostalgia on it's side. 6 out of 10.