What I've Been Watching: The Catch-All Film Thread

[you]

Definitely Maybe - very sweet - very good.

 

[SirJames]

Vox Lux. Avoid like the plague!

 

[danutz_plusplus]

Vox Lux. Avoid like the plague!

I hear it's actually quite good, with certain caveats. At least that's the opinion of YMS, who's tastes I like quite a bit. I'm planning on see it for myself.

 

[SirJames]

I hear it's actually quite good, with certain caveats. At least that's the opinion of YMS, who's tastes I like quite a bit. I'm planning on see it for myself.

Yeah, look, I had high hopes. It sounded cool, Portman is always fantastic. It's just insanely boring. Nothing at all happens. Everything seems unnecessary. The whole movie seems unnecessary. You could edit it down to 15 minutes and you wouldn't miss a thing.

I'd be interested to hear your take on it after you see it.

I give it 3/10

 

[Darth Tagnan]

A Star is Born

I have a hard time rating this. It was well-made, well-acted and touching in places. But something was very off about the pacing and the way certain things evolved. I haven't seen any of the other versions, so I can't speak to the changes.

The beginning was strong - and most of the first half was good. But then things started changing in what felt like a forced way - and events were rushed and didn't feel natural or plausible to me.

I really liked Gaga in the role, that's for sure. She reminded me of a couple of girlfriends that I've had in terms of being down-to-earth and very natural in her interactions with people. Nothing fake about her - and that's always appealing. Very attractive in a way that's both very vulnerable and strong.

That said, I don't know her as a musician and AFAIK she makes pop music, which isn't my genre to put it kindly. To me, having that kind of talent and wasting it on pop is sad - but that's just the snooty side of me.

Cooper is a fine actor, but I don't think he's a great actor. That said, he did better in this movie than most I've seen him in. Maybe he should stick to directing - as he's got a knack for it.

There's no denying they can both sing - and I guess that's another thing in favor of the movie.

But, again, something was off.

~7/10

 

[joxer]

Bleh.
But it was nominated for Oscar and won something, not sure what nor care really.

Speaking about Oscars, I think a few of us already covered Black Panther which I desperately wanted to win (we can discuss elsewhere why) so it would be only fair to put an impression or a few on other nominees/winners.
So I'll put a few words about two winners that were nominated in separate categories (best picture, best animated). Expect in some later post a word about nominees, Shoplifters and Roma most definetly.

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Green Book won the best picture.

What's it about? A sort of italian immigrant with racial issues is hired to drive a black pianist on his concert tour in USA's south cca 50 years ago.
First to say that this initial setup to me sounds like scifi/fantasy and don't get me wrong when I say that outside of USA the premise feels not interesting/not understandable.
In other words, the movie is an USA history centric movie which would mean what usually? An utter boredom and an urge to smash TV. Especially when something like that wins an oscar - it must be a garbage best to avoid, right?

Well no. The movie is not boring a single bit. It succeeds as road movie, as drama and as presentation of two human beings with "normal" personality. It's the movie about two worlds living inside the third one, where two leading characters are practically aliens trying to find their place in a society that has prejudices towards both.

There is no patheticness, soap nor melodrama exaggerated here, there is no excessive patriotism - the very reasons why I didn't think this movie can grab the statue.
On the other hand, this is one of those feelgood movies. Remember Amelie or True Lies for example? Movies when in the end you're for no reason happy?

An awsome script. Precise direction and outstanding camera. A perfect performance by two leeds. Amazing music. What do you need more?
Remember that I'm a person who hates history/drama/biography/war stuff. Green Book is a work aimed to prove to genre haters like me not all such movies are utter garbage.

Even if just like me you can't care less about USA history, Green Book is a masterpiece you need to watch before dying. Even if you hoped Oscar would go to another title like I did, in this case I don't believe you'll complain. I won't. Can't.

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Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse won best animated movie oscar.

It's different from comics Miles Morales origin story, it mixes different "spidermen" from different universes and it's about, whatta surprise, saving the world from yet another Kingpin's mischief. Won't spoil the story more.

Well okay, we've seen this and that <something>verse before, we've seen CGI similar to this before (at least in our games), and it's spiderman again OMG… Why on earth does it work?
Becuase it mixed hollywood's not_fun humor with japanese crazy/hilarious humor. That's why. There is absolutely no way you won't laugh in this one for all the different reasons.

Sadly it's not perfect. Here and there you'll notice stuff missing or forced. For example "Spiderpig" is underused, or should I say abused for a "pig"-"I'm here" scene.
Music is outright horrible and don't tell me that's because I most probably hate/misunderstand rap. No, all of it plain sux.
Did we agree years back anorexia is, well, not good. Why on earth is Morales anorexic then? "Daddy tummy" on Parker doesn't help!
And excuse me, but where's the romance? Next time someone complains on romances in games, I'll just point my finger onto this movie and ask you how that cringyness there, worse than any ingames romance, won an oscar then.
The reason this one grabbed the statue is because other nominees were not as good. Sorry, but that's what I think.

Into the Spider-Verse doesn't contain any single moment that'd bore you and it's a perfect choice to watch with friends and family. While you won't remember it in a few years, you shouldn't miss it, it wanted only to be fun and it delivered.

 

[Carnifex]

I watched Religulous the other night, as I'm a fan of Maher I thought it was about time that I actually saw his movie. Some of the location choices were great, but Maher spent way too much time being just outright hostile to some of the people that he was interviewing, which made it difficult to watch, at least for me. I don't regret viewing it, but not likely a movie I'd ever rewatch, and it could have been much better, in my opinion.

 

[ilm]

The last witchhunter. Went in thinking it was some B-movie but hey, it's with famous actors! I was surprised to recognize Vin Diesel, the Scottish girl from GoT and Doctor who (loved her in the mirror horror movie), Frodo (also voice acted broken age) and Alfred from Batman

Was it good? Yep, better than expected if you are looking for an entertaining action movie (it's Vin after all). Don't expect depth or sane decisions. Most irritating was the relation between Vin and the young witch because it changed so fast (from frightened to having sympathy) and I didn't care for it at all.

De Poel. Dutch horror movie (see Netflix). Two families go camping near a pond and slowly go mad because of a presence in the pond (basically). It's more of a psychological slow burner than jump scares and it is done quite well. You could argue they don't make rational decisions but the whole idea is their thinking gets compromised and things just go insane.

 

[Darth Tagnan]

Even if just like me you can't care less about USA history, Green Book is a masterpiece you need to watch before dying. Even if you hoped Oscar would go to another title like I did, in this case I don't believe you'll complain. I won't. Can't.

It was probably the least deserving Oscar winner of the bunch, which isn't a surprise.

Hollywood has a fondness for the saccharine and anything black is very much in these days.

That said, I liked Green Book for what it was. A cute imaginary version of real events - with amazing performances by the two leads.

 

[you]

Saw it on tv a week or two past - I'll agree it was better than expected but i wouldn't call it good - mildly entertaining while doing other stuff - just maybe a bit better than a 'B' movie and a touch entertaining but good - well i think i would call it just so so.

The last witchhunter.

Was it good? Yep, better than expected if you are looking for an entertaining action movie (it's Vin after all). Don't expect depth or sane decisions. Most irritating was the relation between Vin and the young witch because it changed so fast (from frightened to having sympathy) and I didn't care for it at all.

 

[joxer]

It was probably the least deserving Oscar winner of the bunch, which isn't a surprise.

I wouldn't say it's the least deserving - that'd be Vice, I mean who tf cares about politics and politicians.
Maybe it's about taste. Anyway, while it wasn't surprising to you, it did surprise me.

But the surprise didn't really start on that win, I was surprised not seeing two movies nominated for best picture.
One is First Man, a movie that was torture and pain for me to watch how boring it is. Oscars usually nominate such boredom style.
The second one is Ben Is Back. It's yet another drug addict bullshittery, smells like oscar nominee from a mile.
As you might guess, I'm not recommending watching any of those two. Ever. For some reason, the academy wasn't impressed with these either.

 

[Darth Tagnan]

As you might guess, I'm not recommending watching any of those two. Ever. For some reason, the academy wasn't impressed with these either.

Well, in case of First Man, it's probably because it was a genuinely fantastic movie that wasn't covered in easy-to-digest sugary chocolate.

You know, a movie with a heart and a soul - based in truth. But it did demand something of the viewer - and it had no clear message as such.

These days, Hollywood prefers the racially charged repeat of the same message over and over again.

It's sort of hard to blame them for that, as the message clearly isn't sinking in with a lot of them.

From my point of view, having been born and raised with that kind of message being an automatic truth - it's kinda dull to hear about.

I mean, hearing that we're all equal or that we should be equal, to me, is like saying it's better to breathe fresh air than drown in shit. I sort of already know - it's in my DNA.

Also, I'm a big Mahershala Ali fan, but Sam Elliot should have won that Oscar.

 

[Darth Tagnan]

Tried rewatching Alien Covenant - hoping I was wrong about it the first time around.

I wasn't.

 

[Carnifex]

I watched the Death of Stalin last night, I'm not sure just how accurate a film it was, because a lot of the people at the center of the ensuing chaos didn't survive for long, but it was entertaining. I'm just not certain how actually informative it was.

 

[Drithius]

One is First Man, a movie that was torture and pain for me to watch how boring it is.

It's a Ryan Gosling movie - what did you really expect?

With all the Oscar Buzz surrounding, I watched Green Book the other day. It was enjoyable enough, but an incredibly formulaic film. I wonder just how much of it happened and how much was embellished with cliche and all-too-predictable Hollywood scripting. Sad to see it win Best picture - I can see why Spike Lee got drunk. :lol:

 

[joxer]

Dart escaped again so… Is there any point to write about some movies I wanted him to pan with failed remarks (sacharine in the last case)…

Ah well. Let's do something else then.

There were a few posts about A Quiet Place and Bird Box, some liked them, some didn't one or both, doesn't matter now.
What matters is shallowness and ignorance of internet and modern journalism. If you google for similar movies, internet will point you to mostly (sometimes bad) horrors totally ignoring what were those two movies about really: a handicap becoming strength due to devastating global phenomenon. The genre doesn't matter. Nor should.

Los últimos días aka The Last Days is a sort of spiritual predecessor of those two and of course no "professional" wrote it.
It happens that all of the humanity gets extreme case of agoraphobia (open space fear) and can't exit closed spaces (buildings, underground) or they die.
People are suddenly left without technology benefits, enough food and water is a problem and as this ain't Hollywood's movie, males grow beard and everyone is dirty instead of leaving spa's yesterday. By dirty I don't mean just the outlook, it's the mindsets that turn upside down where former positives become monsters and recent scum seek redemption.
Unlike Quite Place used as pro-guns pamphlet, unlike Bird Box used as a shelterseeking drama, here, the new "underground" society is just trying to survive as best as they can in future's "black death" epidemia. We're following a pair of two completely different persons in an impossible otherwise cooperation, crawling through sewers trying only to find their loved ones (wife/father).
Unlike Quiet Place there will be no "cure" at the end, unlike Bird Box there will be no "ultimate shelter" - there will be something else as a highly optimistic end to this movie.
There is one more thing to note, The Last Days is not horror nor is trying to be one. It's a simple postapoc survival movie with depth.

I have no idea how is it possible this spanish near masterpiece got ignored, I mean Netflix had it (not any more sadly) in their catalogue.
If you at least liked A Quiet Place or Bird Box, give this one a chance. It's available on Amazon and iTunes. No, not before Hollywood's silly remake - luckily Hollywood seems unaware of it's existence so no remakes planned (for all I know).

 

[SpoonFULL]

Watched Brawl in Cell Block 99, very good but disturbing. Reminds me of Oldboy (original) and 13 Assassins in terms of strong expression of raw violence without music/drama.

 

[vurt]

I read an article about shocking movies that were hard to sit through. The Green Inferno peaked my interested (adventure, horror), seemed like an interesting theme that isn't done a lot in horror. I was expecting something truly terrible in terms of performance, editing etc but i got to say it was pretty good. Real native tribes of the Amazon forest are in the movie too. Really well made in that sense, not an easy location to film in, or get to..

In terms of "shock value", yeah, i can take most stuff but i guess i have a phobia for seeing women getting hurt in their genitals.. As a 13-14 year old kid, in school we had to watch a video about what they do in Africa to small girls (mutilation of genitalia). It was extremely graphic and quite shocking. I still find stuff like that unbearable to watch so i decided to skip that part rather quickly.. The scenes with cannibalism were quite well made.

Overall i wasn't too impressed with the movie, it actually reminded me the South Park episode Rainforest Shmainforest - basically activist fighting for the rainforest and its native people, ends up wanting them dead. This could have been a really interesting movie but they decided it was going to be about gore and shock. Started great, middle and ending very poor. 5.5/10.

 

[JDR13]

Mortal Engines

Entertaining enough as a casual popcorn flick but nothing special. I should have known not to expect anything more out of a Peter Jackson produced film.

I was interested because of the setting which is a blend of Steampunk and post-apocalyptic. It's based on the novel by Philip Reeve, but, after reading a synopsis of the book, it's obvious Jackson and his cohorts made significant changes to the story when they wrote the screenplay.

It's worth watching if you like the setting, but I suspect the novel is probably far superior.

 

[joxer]

We have a different definition of popcorn flick. I mean… There is nothing there to make me an urge to grab popcorn. All I wanted from it is to end already.

Mortal Engines is just as Aquaman full of kindergarden kiddie style dialogues, no real thrills and no soul - only CGI eyecandy.
Style over substance is there only to milk kids and parents who'll pay for it. If you're not a kid, current mainstream target seems to be braindead people who didn't lose their eyesight yet.

When it comes to film, it holds artistic value of 0 and wasted potential of otherwise talented cast proven in other works.
Watch only if you don't have anything better to do. Or if you can't say "no" to your kid.

If this was a chinese movie, I'd think the try to redeem dumb script with expensive CGI is caused by extreme censorship. But it's not.
Ban that scriptwriter duo from movies industry already.