Carnifex
SasqWatch
To my recollection there are only two flicks that I've cared for that Vin Diesel has participated in as an actor: Pitch Black and Saving Private Ryan. I've seen others and either changed the channel or went back to my book.
What I've Been Watching: The Catch-All Film Thread
- Thread starter xSamhainx
- Start date
The only Vin Diesel film I liked was The Chronicles of Riddick.
danutz_plusplus
SasqWatch
- Joined
- Jul 31, 2007
- Messages
- 5,642
I have a certain fascination with old movies, and every now and then I like to watch some.
They have such a particular mood, and everything is just slower and more laid back. And they also have a certain naivete that makes them feel a lot more honest.
So I saw A Child is Waiting.
It was an interesting film. Nothing too remarkable, but it was interesting.
The premise is Judy Garland's character gets a job at a sort of children's hospice, where severe sufferers of various mental diseases, predominantly Down syndrome, are left by their parents.
It was probably the only film I've ever seen that filmed so many children suffering of various mental diseases. It was really a different time. I don't think you could film that sort of thing nowadays.
It was very effective across many moments in the film, in showing their humanity but also showing a small glimpse of how their situation usually ends up as. Very depressing film.
Next up i started, but haven't got too far into A Christmas Carol from 1938. I again love the atmosphere and slow pace of it.
en.wikipedia.org
They have such a particular mood, and everything is just slower and more laid back. And they also have a certain naivete that makes them feel a lot more honest.
So I saw A Child is Waiting.
It was an interesting film. Nothing too remarkable, but it was interesting.
The premise is Judy Garland's character gets a job at a sort of children's hospice, where severe sufferers of various mental diseases, predominantly Down syndrome, are left by their parents.
It was probably the only film I've ever seen that filmed so many children suffering of various mental diseases. It was really a different time. I don't think you could film that sort of thing nowadays.
It was very effective across many moments in the film, in showing their humanity but also showing a small glimpse of how their situation usually ends up as. Very depressing film.
Next up i started, but haven't got too far into A Christmas Carol from 1938. I again love the atmosphere and slow pace of it.
A Christmas Carol (1938 film) - Wikipedia
Last edited:
- Joined
- Jul 31, 2007
- Messages
- 5,642
Carnifex
SasqWatch
I remember watching A Child is Waiting some years ago, might have to rewatch that sometime. I'm a huge Garland fan.
Shin Godzilla
This one released in 2016, but I hadn't see it until now. Turns out I wasn't missing much. While it's not the worst Godizilla film I've seen, it's not one of the better ones either imo. It's yet another reboot that focuses on just Godzilla with no other kaiju in the film.
It does have the somewhat interesting twist in that Godzilla starts out smaller and mutates several times throughout the film. The plan they execute to stop him is just silly though, and the acting is pretty bad even by Godzilla standards.
This one released in 2016, but I hadn't see it until now. Turns out I wasn't missing much. While it's not the worst Godizilla film I've seen, it's not one of the better ones either imo. It's yet another reboot that focuses on just Godzilla with no other kaiju in the film.
It does have the somewhat interesting twist in that Godzilla starts out smaller and mutates several times throughout the film. The plan they execute to stop him is just silly though, and the acting is pretty bad even by Godzilla standards.
Carnifex
SasqWatch
I watched one of Lynch's films that I've not seen since I first watched it in a theatre some years ago, the Straight Story. It's a magnificent tale, I'm not sure a film like this would ever get made these days, so I'm pleased it exists for us to enjoy. It just needed more Harry Stanton, imo. -)
danutz_plusplus
SasqWatch
- Joined
- Jul 31, 2007
- Messages
- 5,642
I accidentally stumbled onto a fun film on prime, from the 90s. Cadillac Man, with Robin Williams and Tim Robbins.
It was pretty fun and entertaining, with a lot of soul.
It was pretty fun and entertaining, with a lot of soul.
- Joined
- Jul 31, 2007
- Messages
- 5,642
Carnifex
SasqWatch
Cadillac is a good film, I've watched that one a few times. Great story, solid humour and superb acting.
Another Sci-fi flick that looks good. Rebel Moon.
This doesn't look like the usual woke bullshit that I've come to expect from Netflix. Could Zack Snyder finally be returning to form? Fingers crossed...
This doesn't look like the usual woke bullshit that I've come to expect from Netflix. Could Zack Snyder finally be returning to form? Fingers crossed...
Shagnak
SGLF Founder
We've had some sickness through our household, so gaming has paused.
Here's a movie I watched instead:
The Pope's Exorcist
There's not much you can do with possession and exorcism that hasn't been done before, so usually all it needs to be is reasonably entertaining to be considered a pass. Unfortunately, this one is pretty disappointing.
Russell Crowe does okay as the titular exorcist, though his performance goes from engaging to silly and back again with frequency. At least he's entertaining.
The mother and daughter give solid performances. Every other performance (seriously) is lackluster. The actor who played the young priest gives a particularly unconvincing performance, and given that the character is pivotal in the whole "testing of faith" theme, that hurts the movie a lot.
As for the possessee, as soon as the weird looking kid appeared on camera my wife and I looked at each other and immediately agreed that the kid would get possessed. The kid was so weird looking, it could be no one else. My wife pointed out that the voice of the kid (when possessed) sounded a lot like Andy Serkis (it isn't), and the kid looked a lot like Gollum, so I found it impossible to take them seriously. It was like they had Gollum tied to a bed. All I needed was for him to say "precious" and I swear I would have shut the movie off right then.
The plot is some sort of Catholic apologia for past evils ("we didn't mean to kill and torture all those people - the debil made us do eet"), and all I can say is - fuck that. Suck a dick.
Is the horror action worth it? Not really. It's telling that the best bits are very short homages to The Exorcist.
The end also devolves into a CGI mess.
Final verdict: Even a fan of this sort of thing can safely skip this one.
If you want to watch a movie that glorifies frauds that is actually good, watch The Conjuring instead.
Here's a movie I watched instead:
The Pope's Exorcist
There's not much you can do with possession and exorcism that hasn't been done before, so usually all it needs to be is reasonably entertaining to be considered a pass. Unfortunately, this one is pretty disappointing.
Russell Crowe does okay as the titular exorcist, though his performance goes from engaging to silly and back again with frequency. At least he's entertaining.
The mother and daughter give solid performances. Every other performance (seriously) is lackluster. The actor who played the young priest gives a particularly unconvincing performance, and given that the character is pivotal in the whole "testing of faith" theme, that hurts the movie a lot.
As for the possessee, as soon as the weird looking kid appeared on camera my wife and I looked at each other and immediately agreed that the kid would get possessed. The kid was so weird looking, it could be no one else. My wife pointed out that the voice of the kid (when possessed) sounded a lot like Andy Serkis (it isn't), and the kid looked a lot like Gollum, so I found it impossible to take them seriously. It was like they had Gollum tied to a bed. All I needed was for him to say "precious" and I swear I would have shut the movie off right then.
The plot is some sort of Catholic apologia for past evils ("we didn't mean to kill and torture all those people - the debil made us do eet"), and all I can say is - fuck that. Suck a dick.
Is the horror action worth it? Not really. It's telling that the best bits are very short homages to The Exorcist.
The end also devolves into a CGI mess.
Final verdict: Even a fan of this sort of thing can safely skip this one.
If you want to watch a movie that glorifies frauds that is actually good, watch The Conjuring instead.
Carnifex
SasqWatch
Since it'd been a few years since I'd watched Joker, I rewatched it over the past two evenings. I think it was even better the second time around.
danutz_plusplus
SasqWatch
- Joined
- Jul 31, 2007
- Messages
- 5,642
I'm really curious as to how Joker 2 will be like, seeing as they're saying it's gonna be a musical, and with Lady Gaga. I'm not much of a fan of her as an actress. I hope they don't ruin it.
Also, I had seen The King of Comedy, after I saw Joker. And indeed, Joker is so very similar, in structure and beats, mostly. But the atmosphere is completely different. But I think I loved Joker more. The music and atmosphere really make that film. So depressing and sour.
- Joined
- Jul 31, 2007
- Messages
- 5,642
If that's true, I guess I'll be skipping it. I thought the first movie was a little overrated anyways.
Carnifex
SasqWatch
Ugghh yeah, if they make the sequel like you've described, I'll likely take a huge pass on it. That premise sounds both awful and ridiculous.
Couchpotato
Part-Time News-bot
Gaga is playing his sidekick Harley so yeah she's defenetily a victim he mind breaks. Anyway I enjoyed A Star is Born which WB claims is an inspiration for the movie.
If it goes full musical Disney then I'll pass and never watch it.
If it goes full musical Disney then I'll pass and never watch it.
Shagnak
SGLF Founder
I've only ever seen Lady Gaga act in American Horror Story, and she was okay at it. She played some ancient sexy vampire. Lots of vamping around being moody and seductive [edit: and weird], which probably wasn't much of a stretch.
I haven't even seen the first one, but if the second is a full on musical, sounds odd enough to at least watch it once, to satiate my curiosity.
I haven't even seen the first one, but if the second is a full on musical, sounds odd enough to at least watch it once, to satiate my curiosity.
Last edited:
The first film is ok. Just go in with realistic expectations. I had a few friends that were hyping it up like it was the best thing since sliced bread, so I ended up being a little disappointed. It's worth watching though.
Drithius
Magic & Loss
Nightmare Alley, a 2021 film by Guillermo Del Toro. An absolutely star-studded cast, with Bradley Cooper, Cate Blanchet, Ron Perlman, Willem Dafoe, and plenty others I recognize but whose names elude me. Set during the early 1940s, [primarily] within a Carnie troupe, it follows the lead character (played by Bradley Cooper) as he hustles his way to success, no matter the cost.
It gave me the feeling of old Twilight Zone episodes, but extrapolated to 2 1/2 hours. It could have benefitted from some tighter editing (lots of superfluous stuff and potential plot points leading nowhere), but I still enjoyed it for the most part. After thinking on the Twilight Zone familiarity, I wonder whether this could have been one of Guillermo's ideas for a [then] upcoming Cabinet of Curiosities, one that he wound up padding for length.
6.5/10
It gave me the feeling of old Twilight Zone episodes, but extrapolated to 2 1/2 hours. It could have benefitted from some tighter editing (lots of superfluous stuff and potential plot points leading nowhere), but I still enjoyed it for the most part. After thinking on the Twilight Zone familiarity, I wonder whether this could have been one of Guillermo's ideas for a [then] upcoming Cabinet of Curiosities, one that he wound up padding for length.
6.5/10
Carnifex
SasqWatch
I enjoyed Nightmare Alley a great deal when I saw it last year. I went in with low expectations and was pleasantly surprised.
Last night I watched the Covenant, and as a huge Ritchie fan, I was hoping for a slam-jammer war flick. It was ok, honestly I was expecting better, and I won't rag on the flick yet I'll also say it's not one I'd ever watch again.
Last night I watched the Covenant, and as a huge Ritchie fan, I was hoping for a slam-jammer war flick. It was ok, honestly I was expecting better, and I won't rag on the flick yet I'll also say it's not one I'd ever watch again.