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Post by Hurdy Gurdy Man on Nov 28, 2021 17:41:27 GMT
Hello, good folks of FG. The weekly film discussion thread is back. The topic under discussion is made clear in the title. Made-for-TV, direct-to-video, streaming, TV series/episodes, documentaries, short films can also be listed. The minimum requirement is that a numerical rating out of 5 or 10 be provided - whichever the poster wishes to choose - and it'll be even more helpful if he/she also writes a few thoughts regarding his/her experience with the feature/documentary/short/TV series' season. This will help in starting discussions, which is one of the main intentions of this thread. I also request all those who reply here to go through the whole thread once and see if you can see some common topic to discuss with other posters.
Last week, I finished the Die Hard series:
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SECOND VIEWING
I am glad to say that I still dug the hell of it. There are some stupid moments, some unexplained mistakes ("Schieß dem Fenster")... but overall, this is that rare breed of an action-thriller that respects the audience's intelligence and does not talk down to them. I noticed this time that for an action film, there is not that much of action in it in terms of quantity but what is there is of excellent quality. The action setpieces are well paced alongside story and character development. This aspect would increasingly be sidelined in the sequels.
10/10
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SECOND VIEWING
My rating may still be the same as before but I liked this film less than previously. The action sequences are fun to watch but now they have replaced all story buildup and characterization. The first film had its share of plot holes like any action film but most of them could be explained away without stretching disbelief beyond breaking point. The same cannot be said about this film. The airplane crash was where the film lost my hope and goodwill. I have an idea about how it could have been handled better but that's a subject for another thread.
5/10
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SECOND VIEWING
John McTiernan brought his expertise at staging and executing action sequences back to the series. A capable support as well as opponent to Bruce Willis was sorely needed by this point and Samuel L. Jackson and Jeremy Irons are both terrific in their respective roles. In fact, the high quality of acting is what truly makes this a great action film in its own right. Because by this point, John McClane has become less of a reluctant hero and more of a pro-active one, courting danger and excitement rather than being pushed into it against his will.
8/10
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I had expected it to be worse than the previous three but it ended up being slightly better than Part II in my estimation. The action setpieces were filmed in such a way that I managed to see as well as follow them. This should be a minimum bar in an ideal world but in terms of today's action cinema, even if a film fulfills this requirement it ought to be considered halfway good, in light of its competition. Willis looks tired but still manages to convey some of the old John McClane vibe. The plot is far more preposterous than the earlier films. Timothy Olyphant flat out sucks as the villain. I don't remember liking him in anything I have seen him in. I guess he was okay in The Crazies.
5/10
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This one entirely deserves all the bad reviews it is getting... and more. The action, acting, plot, chemistry, camerawork, editing... not one feature of this travesty is anywhere near satisfactory. It left me with a headache.
2/10
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Post by politicidal on Nov 28, 2021 18:05:33 GMT
First Viewings:
Capricorn One (1978) 8/10
Weekend at Bernie's (1989) 4/10
Springfield Rifle (1952) 5/10
Repeat Viewings:
Jaws II (1978) 7/10
Jaws 3-D (1983) 6/10
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Post by James on Nov 28, 2021 19:31:42 GMT
Die Hard - 8/10
Die Hard 2 - 7/10
Die Hard With a Vengeance - 7.5/10
Live Free or Die Hard - 7/10
A Good Day to Die Hard - 6/10
All are first time viewings:
Jungle Cruise (2021) - 7/10
Candyman (2021) - 7/10
Free Guy (2021) - 7/10
Blood Quantum (2019) - 7/10
Jingle All the Way (1996) - 6.5/10
Ernest Saves Christmas (1988) - 7/10
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Post by FridayOnElmStreet on Nov 28, 2021 20:10:21 GMT
Die Hard - 10/10
Die Hard 2 - 10/10
Die Hard: With a Vengeance - 10/10
Live Free or Die Hard - 8/10
A Good Die to Die Hard - 8/10
mine:
Home Sweet Home Alone (2021) - 2/10
A 6th Home Alone film? Was this needed? Its a poor cash grab that has the bad guys as a couple trying to save their home!
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010) - 6/10
Good but my least favorite Harry Potter film.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011) - 7/10
Solid finale to the series.
Spiral: From the Book of Saw (2021) - 6/10
Good Saw follow up that is solid for the most part but gets predictable towards the end.
Space Jam: A New Legacy (2021) - 6/10
After hearing that this film was really bad in every way...I didnt think it was too shabby. Its about as good as a Space Jam sequel could be. Its nice and colorful.
Free Guy (2021) - 3/10
I really enjoyed this film for about the first 20 minutes. Then it gets pretty boring and predictable. The villain is just annoying.
Prison Song (2001) - 4/10
Watchable but forgettable prison film.
The Last Thanksgiving (2020) - 6/10
Pretty good holiday horror film.
ThanksKilling (2009) - 3/10
Its a killer Turkey film. It is what it is.
Things I Do for Money (2019) - 2/10
Dull heist film.
Night Hunter (2018) - 4/10
A thriller that starts out interesting but goes downhill fast.
Self/less (2015) - 5/10
My other Ryan Reynalds film this week. Its an OK body switch thriller.
Jumanji: The Next Level (2019) - 5/10
Simple Jumanji sequel. Not as good as the first but better than he second.
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Post by theravenking on Nov 30, 2021 22:37:37 GMT
First Time Viewing:
Multiplicity (1996; Harold Ramis) - An overworked man (Michael Keaton) gets the opportunity to clone himself to relieve stress, but instead of helping him, his clones end up messing up his life. A fun idea badly executed, this has a handful of mild laughs, but is mostly boring. The always watchable Keaton is clearly committed, but the weak script does him no favours.
4.5/10
Mermaid Chronicles Part 1: She Creature (2001; Sebastian Gutierrez) - This made-for-TV monster movie about a killer mermaid has effects by Stan Winston, but largely feels like a missed opportunity.
4.5/10
Documentary Viewing:
The Lost Leonardo (2021; Andreas Koefoed) - The story of a newly discovered Renaissance painting supposed to be by the great Leonardo Da Vinci and how it ended up becoming the most expensive piece of art ever sold at an auction. This is mostly about the various machinations of the several arts dealers and experts and less about the painting itself, meaning it's mostly made up of interviews and in the process feels a bit flat visually.
7/10
Repeat Viewing:
Fantomas (1964; André Hunebelle) - This is the first and I would say weakest film in this trilogy. The first act is fun, but it somewhat runs out of steam around the middle and culminates in a seemingly endless action/chase sequence which feels very dated and dull by today's standards.
6/10
The Raven (2012; James McTeigue) - Disappointing serial killer thriller which tries to cross the works of E. A. Poe with a dark murder mystery, but fails both as a horror and as a suspense movie.
4.5/10
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Post by theravenking on Nov 30, 2021 23:16:06 GMT
Hello, good folks of FG. The weekly film discussion thread is back. The topic under discussion is made clear in the title. Made-for-TV, direct-to-video, streaming, TV series/episodes, documentaries, short films can also be listed. The minimum requirement is that a numerical rating out of 5 or 10 be provided - whichever the poster wishes to choose - and it'll be even more helpful if he/she also writes a few thoughts regarding his/her experience with the feature/documentary/short/TV series' season. This will help in starting discussions, which is one of the main intentions of this thread. I also request all those who reply here to go through the whole thread once and see if you can see some common topic to discuss with other posters.
Last week, I finished the Die Hard series:
**********************************************************************************************************
SECOND VIEWING
I am glad to say that I still dug the hell of it. There are some stupid moments, some unexplained mistakes ("Schieß dem Fenster")... but overall, this is that rare breed of an action-thriller that respects the audience's intelligence and does not talk down to them. I noticed this time that for an action film, there is not that much of action in it in terms of quantity but what is there is of excellent quality. The action setpieces are well paced alongside story and character development. This aspect would increasingly be sidelined in the sequels.
10/10
**********************************************************************************************************
SECOND VIEWING
My rating may still be the same as before but I liked this film less than previously. The action sequences are fun to watch but now they have replaced all story buildup and characterization. The first film had its share of plot holes like any action film but most of them could be explained away without stretching disbelief beyond breaking point. The same cannot be said about this film. The airplane crash was where the film lost my hope and goodwill. I have an idea about how it could have been handled better but that's a subject for another thread.
5/10
**********************************************************************************************************
SECOND VIEWING
John McTiernan brought his expertise at staging and executing action sequences back to the series. A capable support as well as opponent to Bruce Willis was sorely needed by this point and Samuel L. Jackson and Jeremy Irons are both terrific in their respective roles. In fact, the high quality of acting is what truly makes this a great action film in its own right. Because by this point, John McClane has become less of a reluctant hero and more of a pro-active one, courting danger and excitement rather than being pushed into it against his will.
8/10
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I had expected it to be worse than the previous three but it ended up being slightly better than Part II in my estimation. The action setpieces were filmed in such a way that I managed to see as well as follow them. This should be a minimum bar in an ideal world but in terms of today's action cinema, even if a film fulfills this requirement it ought to be considered halfway good, in light of its competition. Willis looks tired but still manages to convey some of the old John McClane vibe. The plot is far more preposterous than the earlier films. Timothy Olyphant flat out sucks as the villain. I don't remember liking him in anything I have seen him in. I guess he was okay in The Crazies.
5/10
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This one entirely deserves all the bad reviews it is getting... and more. The action, acting, plot, chemistry, camerawork, editing... not one feature of this travesty is anywhere near satisfactory. It left me with a headache.
2/10
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Die Hard (1988; John McTiernan) – What to say about this? It’s still one of the best action and Christmas movies out there. Willis is iconic and Alan Rickman’s charismatic baddie is a worthy antagonist setting the template for action movie villains for years to come. 9/10 Die Hard 2 (1990; Renny Harlin) – While arguably inferior to the first movie I still find this to be an immensely entertaining action flick. There are some goofy moments mostly involving Franco Nero’s character, but it has enough memorable set pieces and overall, just the right spirit. 7.5/10 Die Hard With A Vengeance (1995; John McTiernan) – This keeps enough of the series DNA to be recognizable as a Die Hard movie, yet also introduces some interesting new elements. Jeremy Irons was perfectly cast as the other Gruber brother and Samuel L. Jackson proves to be a real asset having great chemistry with Willis. The last act has some problems with the ending being rather anti-climactic, but otherwise this still holds up well. 8.5/10 Live Free Or Die Hard (2007; Len Wiseman) – It could’ve been worse but with its bland villain, overall lack of style and far too outlandish action scenes this doesn’t feel like a proper Die Hard movie, but more like a modern reboot/rip-off. 5/10 A Good Day To Die Hard (2015; John Moore) – But certainly a bad day for the Die Hard franchise or action films in general, it almost beggars belief how inane this is. I don’t know what was worse watching Willis’ cynical, cash-grab performance or listening to some of the worst dialogue ever written for a mainstream movie (whoever came up with that Chernobyl-Grenoble joke should’ve been locked in a nuclear reactor for the rest of his life). 2/10
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Post by Hurdy Gurdy Man on Dec 3, 2021 5:21:02 GMT
First Viewings:
Capricorn One (1978) 8/10 Weekend at Bernie's (1989) 4/10 Springfield Rifle (1952) 5/10
Repeat Viewings:
Jaws II (1978) 7/10 Jaws 3-D (1983) 6/10 Now this is a coincidence. Because I am going to watch Capricorn One next. I hope I find it to be as entertaining as you do. Or at least as entertaining as Hyams's Outland.
Not a fan of either Jaws II or Jaws 3-D. In the former, only the climax is well done, it is a long and boring wait till the film gets there. In fact I don't even think very highly of the first Jaws - I mean, it is good, I just don't see it as a masterpiece.
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Post by Hurdy Gurdy Man on Dec 3, 2021 5:27:52 GMT
Die Hard - 8/10 Die Hard 2 - 7/10 Die Hard With a Vengeance - 7.5/10 Live Free or Die Hard - 7/10 A Good Day to Die Hard - 6/10 All are first time viewings: Jungle Cruise (2021) - 7/10Candyman (2021) - 7/10Free Guy (2021) - 7/10Blood Quantum (2019) - 7/10Jingle All the Way (1996) - 6.5/10Ernest Saves Christmas (1988) - 7/10I have only seen Jingle All the Way once. I kept reading all these bad things about it but when I saw it, I did laugh a number of times. Especially at all of Phil Hartman's scenes. I think it is an average, forgettable excuse for popcorn but nothing like one of the worst Christmas movies or anything.
From the others, Candyman is the one I am interested in, as a fan of Clive Barker.
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Post by Hurdy Gurdy Man on Dec 3, 2021 5:33:25 GMT
Die Hard - 10/10 Die Hard 2 - 10/10 Die Hard: With a Vengeance - 10/10 Live Free or Die Hard - 8/10 A Good Die to Die Hard - 8/10 mine: Home Sweet Home Alone (2021) - 2/10
A 6th Home Alone film? Was this needed? Its a poor cash grab that has the bad guys as a couple trying to save their home! Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010) - 6/10
Good but my least favorite Harry Potter film. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011) - 7/10
Solid finale to the series. Spiral: From the Book of Saw (2021) - 6/10
Good Saw follow up that is solid for the most part but gets predictable towards the end. Space Jam: A New Legacy (2021) - 6/10
After hearing that this film was really bad in every way...I didnt think it was too shabby. Its about as good as a Space Jam sequel could be. Its nice and colorful. Free Guy (2021) - 3/10
I really enjoyed this film for about the first 20 minutes. Then it gets pretty boring and predictable. The villain is just annoying. Prison Song (2001) - 4/10
Watchable but forgettable prison film. The Last Thanksgiving (2020) - 6/10
Pretty good holiday horror film. ThanksKilling (2009) - 3/10
Its a killer Turkey film. It is what it is. Things I Do for Money (2019) - 2/10
Dull heist film. Night Hunter (2018) - 4/10
A thriller that starts out interesting but goes downhill fast. Self/less (2015) - 5/10
My other Ryan Reynalds film this week. Its an OK body switch thriller. Jumanji: The Next Level (2019) - 5/10Simple Jumanji sequel. Not as good as the first but better than he second. I haven't seen any of those yet. Since a number of those are sequels and I happen to have seen some of the earlier entries from those series, there is still a chance that I might end up watching them in the future.
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Post by Hurdy Gurdy Man on Dec 3, 2021 6:04:08 GMT
First Time Viewing: Multiplicity (1996; Harold Ramis) - An overworked man (Michael Keaton) gets the opportunity to clone himself to relieve stress, but instead of helping him, his clones end up messing up his life. A fun idea badly executed, this has a handful of mild laughs, but is mostly boring. The always watchable Keaton is clearly committed, but the weak script does him no favours. 4.5/10 Mermaid Chronicles Part 1: She Creature (2001; Sebastian Gutierrez) - This made-for-TV monster movie about a killer mermaid has effects by Stan Winston, but largely feels like a missed opportunity. 4.5/10 Documentary Viewing: The Lost Leonardo (2021; Andreas Koefoed) - The story of a newly discovered Renaissance painting supposed to be by the great Leonardo Da Vinci and how it ended up becoming the most expensive piece of art ever sold at an auction. This is mostly about the various machinations of the several arts dealers and experts and less about the painting itself, meaning it's mostly made up of interviews and in the process feels a bit flat visually. 7/10 Repeat Viewing: Fantomas (1964; André Hunebelle) - This is the first and I would say weakest film in this trilogy. The first act is fun, but it somewhat runs out of steam around the middle and culminates in a seemingly endless action/chase sequence which feels very dated and dull by today's standards. 6/10
The Raven (2012; James McTeigue) - Disappointing serial killer thriller which tries to cross the works of E. A. Poe with a dark murder mystery, but fails both as a horror and as a suspense movie. 4.5/10 I loved The She-Creature. It was part of a series where old AIP B-pictures were re-interpreted. Most of these new versions were radically different from the older ones, sometimes only sharing the title and nothing else. The original The She-Creature was a colossal bore. The new one was suspenseful and entertaining. Even though the end creature looked similar to the Alien queen as well as the final monster in The Faculty, I still dug it.
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Post by Hurdy Gurdy Man on Dec 3, 2021 6:06:55 GMT
Die Hard (1988; John McTiernan) – What to say about this? It’s still one of the best action and Christmas movies out there. Willis is iconic and Alan Rickman’s charismatic baddie is a worthy antagonist setting the template for action movie villains for years to come. 9/10 Die Hard 2 (1990; Renny Harlin) – While arguably inferior to the first movie I still find this to be an immensely entertaining action flick. There are some goofy moments mostly involving Franco Nero’s character, but it has enough memorable set pieces and overall, just the right spirit. 7.5/10 Die Hard With A Vengeance (1995; John McTiernan) – This keeps enough of the series DNA to be recognizable as a Die Hard movie, yet also introduces some interesting new elements. Jeremy Irons was perfectly cast as the other Gruber brother and Samuel L. Jackson proves to be a real asset having great chemistry with Willis. The last act has some problems with the ending being rather anti-climactic, but otherwise this still holds up well. 8.5/10 Live Free Or Die Hard (2007; Len Wiseman) – It could’ve been worse but with its bland villain, overall lack of style and far too outlandish action scenes this doesn’t feel like a proper Die Hard movie, but more like a modern reboot/rip-off. 5/10 A Good Day To Die Hard (2015; John Moore) – But certainly a bad day for the Die Hard franchise or action films in general, it almost beggars belief how inane this is. I don’t know what was worse watching Willis’ cynical, cash-grab performance or listening to some of the worst dialogue ever written for a mainstream movie (whoever came up with that Chernobyl-Grenoble joke should’ve been locked in a nuclear reactor for the rest of his life). 2/10 An extremely good summation all around. Well done! 
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