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Post by Hurdy Gurdy Man on Apr 1, 2024 2:34:03 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. All first viewings for me in the last week :
Author, Author! (1982, Arthur Hiller) : This comedy is an atypical effort in Al Pacino's filmography. Pacino is not always at ease with the style but when he manages to loosen up, he is pretty good with his wry, earthy witticisms as well as warmth for his large, extended family of five stepchildren. Tuesday Weld also excels as Pacino's impulsive, neurotic wife who leaves him and her family to live her own life.
6/10
Trailer :
I have little idea what the point and purpose of this film was. It is apparently based on a much-praised novel and several famous and talented people had tried to adapt it before. I can only say I disagree with them.
None of the characters were worth watching and a lot of them did not make any sense. Brando plays an army man who is either impotent or a closeted homosexual or both. I am not a big fan of his constipated style of acting and it was in full display here throughout. Elizabeth Taylor does her usual shrill sexy woman routine. Brian Keith leaves so little impact, he might as well have been invisible. Julie Harris plays a woman depressed because she has lost a child and is said to have cut her nipples off with garden shears .
The two supporting characters are the most baffling and pointless characters of them all. One is a near-mute stable boy (Robert Forster) who likes to ride naked in the woods and sneaks up to Taylor's bedroom in the night while she is sleeping to watch her, night after night. The other is a flagrantly foppish Filipino houseboy (Zorro David) who is the confidante of Harris and somehow is also an intellectual and artistically gifted. Every time he appeared on the screen, my brain went into a trance. And not the good kind of trance.
The only reason why I am not rating this any lower is because of the infinitesimal chance that the fault lies with me and not the film. I shall give the film that much benefit of doubt.
4/10
Trailer :
This futuristic prison film has its share of contrivances and plot inconsistencies but I can safely stay that I had a good time watching it. Stuart Gordon's background in sci-fi-horror comes in handy as he introduces several creative aspects to the usual prison film template. A few examples are: abdominal devices that explode intestines and can also double as bombs when outside the body, mind-scanning technology that can access even a person's dreams and cyborgs, both mindful and mindless.
7/10
Trailer :
This late sequel to Fortress seems to have been made with the sole purpose of squeezing a little money from the DTV market.
It doesn't have much in the way of creativity displayed in the original despite now being set on a space station, which would have offered a variety of scenarios. It is also a significantly drab and ugly looking film compared to the original. Patrick Malahide is a poor replacement for Kurtwood Smith as the villain.
The only part I somewhat enjoyed was the snarky interplay between the villain and the AI-endowed supercomputer.
3/10
Trailer :
Ron McDonald, Dave Chappelle, Elaine Stritch and Danny DeVito are very talented actors, so they did manage to provoke several chuckles from me due to their wit and banter. However, even the most talented actors require a good script to bring their best game to the table and that was sorely missing in this.
4/10
Trailer :
Good film co-produced by Tom Cruise about the career of star athlete Steve Prefontaine starring the severely underrated Billy Crudup and Donald Sutherland.
8/10
Trailer :
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Post by jcush on Apr 1, 2024 3:07:39 GMT
Author! Author! - Only seen it once, but I thought it was pretty good, with a strong turn from Pacino. 7/10
Reflections in a Golden Eye - Didn't fully come together for me, but it had some good stuff. 6/10
First Time Viewings:
Mysterious Island (1961, Cy Endfield) - 7/10
Altered States (1980, Ken Russell) - 7/10
The Naked Kiss (1964, Samuel Fuller) - 7.5/10
Lean on Me (1989, John G. Avildsen) - 7/10
The Woman Condemned (1934, Dorothy Davenport) - 6.5/10
The Informant! (2009, Steven Soderbergh) - 7/10
Plunder Road (1957, Hubert Cornfield) - 7/10
The Shadow of the Cat (1961, John Gilling) - 7/10
Repeat Viewings:
Mad Max (1979, George Miller) - 6/10
Mad Max 2 (1981, George Miller) - 6/10
Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985, George Miller & George Ogilvie) - 6/10
Mad Max: Fury Road (2015, George Miller) - 7.5/10
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964, Stanley Kubrick) - 10/10
Upgrade (2018, Leigh Whannell) - 8/10
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Post by James on Apr 1, 2024 3:19:10 GMT
Not watched any of yours. All of mine are first viewings.
The Favourite (2018, Yorgos Lanthimos) – 8/10
The Lobster (2015, Yorgos Lanthimos) – 8/10
The Impossible (2012, J.A. Bayona) – 8/10
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Post by theravenking on Apr 1, 2024 15:22:40 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. All first viewings for me in the last week :
6/10
Trailer :
4/10
Trailer :
This futuristic prison film has its share of contrivances and plot inconsistencies but I can safely stay that I had a good time watching it. Stuart Gordon's background in sci-fi-horror comes in handy as he introduces several creative aspects to the usual prison film template. A few examples are: abdominal devices that explode intestines and can also double as bombs when outside the body, mind-scanning technology that can access even a person's dreams and cyborgs, both mindful and mindless.
7/10
Trailer :
This late sequel to Fortress seems to have been made with the sole purpose of squeezing a little money from the DTV market.
It doesn't have much in the way of creativity displayed in the original despite now being set on a space station, which would have offered a variety of scenarios. It is also a significantly drab and ugly looking film compared to the original. Patrick Malahide is a poor replacement for Kurtwood Smith as the villain.
The only part I somewhat enjoyed was the snarky interplay between the villain and the AI-endowed supercomputer.
3/10
Trailer :
Ron McDonald, Dave Chappelle, Elaine Stritch and Danny DeVito are very talented actors, so they did manage to provoke several chuckles from me due to their wit and banter. However, even the most talented actors require a good script to bring their best game to the table and that was sorely missing in this.
4/10
Trailer :
8/10
Trailer :
Haven't seen any of yours this week, although I'm slightly curious about Fortress.
Mine:
First Time Viewing:
Killer Joe (2011; William Friedkin) – This movie stirred up some controversy on release, although having now watched it, I’m not sure what all the fuss was about. Matthew McConaughey is charismatic as the titular psycho, but the film looked cheaply-made and couldn’t fully engage me.
4/10
Waltz with Bashir (2008; Ari Folman) – This Israeli war movie is unusual in being an animated documentary and this original approach initially pulled me in, but I would’ve needed more historical background to fully appreciate its take on the Israeli-Lebanese conflict.
5/10
Repeat Viewing:
The Big Lebowski (1998; The Coens) – This used to be one of my favourite comedies. I recall it being rip-roaringly funny, however on this rewatch it didn’t hold up that well. It’s still a good movie, but I didn’t laugh as often as I should’ve.
8/10
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Post by moviemouth on Apr 1, 2024 15:44:30 GMT
Ranked from favorite to least favorite Late Night with the Devil (2023 Cameron Cairnes & Colin Cairnes) - 9/10On Halloween night in 1977 a desperate talk show host (David Dastmalchian) attempts to summon the devil on live TV in order to boost his ratings. Also starring Laura Gordon, Ian Bliss, Ingrid Torelli, Rhys Auteri and Fayssal Bazzi.  Mystery Street (1950 John Sturges) - 7/10A small-town policeman (Ricardo Montalban) is assisted by a Harvard professor (Bruce Bennett) after the discovery of a human skeleton on a Massachusetts beach. Also starring Sally Forrest, Elsa Lanchester and Jan Sterling.  Shirley (2024 John Ridley) - 6.5/10
Shirley Chisholm (Regina King) makes a trailblazing run for the 1972 Democratic presidential nomination after becoming the first Black woman elected to Congress. Also starring Lance Reddick, Lucas Hedges, Terrence Howard, Michael Cherrie, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Christina Jackson and André Holland.  A Foreign Affair (1948 Billy Wilder) - 6/10In occupied Berlin, an army captain (John Lund) is torn between an ex-Nazi café singer (Marlene Dietrich) and the U.S. congresswoman (Jean Arthur) investigating her. Also starring Millard Mitchell.  Monty Python's and Now for Something Completely Different (1971 Ian MacNaughton) - 5.5/10An anthology of the best sketches from the first and second seasons of Monty Python's Flying Circus (1969). Starring John Cleese, Michael Palin and Eric Idle.  Champions (2023 Bobby Farrelly) - 5.5/10A former minor-league basketball coach (Woody Harrelson) is ordered by the court to manage a team of players with intellectual disabilities. He soon realizes that despite his doubts, together, this team can go further than they ever imagined. Also starring Kaitlin Olson, Kevin Iannucci, Cheech Marin and Ernie Hudson.  Fritz the Cat (1972 Ralph Bakshi) - 5.5/10Fritz (voiced by Skip Hinnant) drops out of college, starts a riot in Harlem and hits the road with an ex-girlfriend before getting mixed up with domestic terrorists.  The Burning Season: The Chico Mendes Story (1994 John Frankenheimer) - 5.5/10Based on the true story of a Brazilian rubber tapper (Raul Julia) who leads his people in protest against government and developers who want to cut down their part of the rainforest for a new road and ranch land. The rich and the powerful will stop at nothing, and frequently resort to murder. Also starring Sonia Braga, Esai Morales and Edward James Olmos.  Bob Marley: One Love (2024 Reinaldo Marcus Green) - 5.5/10The story of how reggae icon Bob Marley (Kingsley Ben-Adir) overcame adversity, and the journey behind his revolutionary music. Also starring Lashana Lynch.  Beyond Therapy (1987 Robert Altman) - 3.5/10
After their blind date goes horribly wrong, two eccentrics (Jeff Goldblum and Julie Hagerty) and their unconventional therapists (Tom Conti and Glenda Jackson) cross paths resulting in ridiculous interactions. Also starring Christopher Guest.  |
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Post by Roberto on Apr 1, 2024 16:46:12 GMT
Not heard or seen any of those ones.
First Time Viewings:
Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021)
A huge improvement to the original theatrical release in every possible way. A much more cohesive story with better developed characters, and a much more visually beautiful movie, although I could have done without the 4:3 aspect ratio, but it's fine and you quickly get used to it. Cyborg gets much more development here and he's a very compelling character and was the standout for me. The special effects were amazing and really shone especially during The Flash's slow mo scenes. Steppenwolf was a very compelling and even somewhat sympathetic villain. Just a really enjoyable movie but it makes me sad that may never get a sequel to this. Ben Affleck truly was a great Batman. One thing I was not big on was the epilogue. While it was cool to see all that stuff, it felt too random and tacked on, and should have been saved for an after credits scene, or just omitted altogether and released as it's own little short film.
7.5/10
The Suicide Squad (2021)
A bit better than the first one. It's a much better looking film and a better production, but the story was still a bit weak, and the villain felt too ridiculous for its own good. Where it shines is the characters. Margot as Harley is great as usual, but isn't given the best stuff to do in this, and I think I preferred her look in the first Suicide Squad and her solo movie. But she does get some great moments and one very cool action sequence. Idris Elba was great as usual, as Bloodsport, but the standout character for me was Daniela Melchior as the rat girl. Very fun character. John Cena as Peacemaker was good, but since I knew he got his own spinoff TV series, I expected much more from him. The movie also had too much immature humour for me.
5.5/10
Barbie (2023)
A weird, poorly written movie with some very good moments, striking original visuals and wonderful performances. The two leads were fantastic in their roles and do the best with what they were given. Margot has a few very emotional scenes and Gosling is quite funny as Ken. The story is quite weak and has been done much better in movies like Enchanted and The Lego Movie. But I'm not sure the story was the filmmakers priority, as it seemed to be more concerned with its message. While it's a very important one, it is executed in a very in your face and obnoxious way. It's also not particularly funny other than a handful of moments, mainly involving Ken and Allan, and some of the humour simply makes no sense, like Ken and everyone else on the beach being surprised by him not being able to ride a fake solid wave. But then I'm probably giving this more thought than the filmmakers ever bothered to. The amount of sexual innuendo in this is kind of concerning as well. Isn't Barbie mainly a kids toy? I can't imagine kids enjoying this all that much. It feels to me it's aimed mainly at women in their 40s. Weird times we live in. The Dua Lipa song featured early in the movie slaps.
4/10
The Batman (2022)
This was surprisingly very good. A cool new take on Batman. Pattinson is wonderful and everyone else is very well casted. The story is very compelling and focuses more on detective work and mystery, with some great payoff. I love the mood/tone of the movie, and Giacchino's score is very chilling. The Batmobile reveal and subsequent chase scene was awesome. I felt the movie loses it's way a little bit towards the end though, with a particular action sequence, and there's an eyeroll worthy cameo that I could have done without. The main issue with this movie, as great as it is, is that it suffers from being far too self-aware that it's a "new Batman movie", and having to follow in the footsteps of some of the greatest films of all time. Because of this, it feels like some of the choices it makes with the story and characters, like what to or not to include, were just intended to make the movie feel new and different, rather than being focussed entirely on being it's own thing.
7.5/10
Repeat Viewings:
Bumblebee (2018)
A much more simple and smaller scaled Transformers story, but one that is still a lot of fun and filled with a ton of heart. Hailee Steinfeld is fantastic and really carries the movie and its always a joy to see John Cena. The special effects and action sequences while not being as impressive are very enjoyable. It doesn't reach the heights of the Shia trilogy but its still a very worthy instalment in the franchise. I appreciated it a tad more the second time around as well. Love the end credits song by none other than Hailee Steinfeld. While it works very well as a standalone and that technically Rise of the Beasts is a sequel to this, I would have liked to have gotten more of these characters.
7/10
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Post by brandomarlon2003 on Apr 1, 2024 18:13:14 GMT
Immaculate (6/10) - The film's plot focuses on a young woman of devout faith, who is invited to reside at a picture-perfect Italian convent, but slowly realizes that the convent harbors terrifying secrets. The film has a very eerie atmosphere and a strong performance by Sydney Sweeney.
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (6/10) - In the film, Kong encounters more of his species and must unite with Godzilla to stop their tyrannical leader and a powerful, frost breathing Titan from destroying the surface. As usual, the story is terrible and the human characters are very annoying (especially the usually reliable Brian Tyree Henry). The film is watchable because of great special effects and good titan fight sequences.
Last Man Standing (6.5/10) - During Prohibition, a gun for hire named John Smith (Bruce Willis) causes problems for warring Irish and Italian mobsters in a small tumbleweed Texas town. Has excellent, well-staged John Woo style gunfights but the plot does drag at times. Christopher Walken is fun as one of the Irish mobsters.
The Gentlemen (6/10) - A Guy Ritchie directed action-comedy featuring Matthew McConaughey as an American cannabis wholesaler in the UK who is looking to sell off his business. This causes a great deal of violent and farcical situations. Excellent supporting performances by Colin Farrell, Charlie Hunnam and a scene-stealing Hugh Grant as a blackmailing private detective.
Mom and Dad Save the World (5.5/10) - A bored suburban couple named Dick and Marge Nelson (Jeffrey Jones and Teri Garr) living in Woodland Hills, CA are brought to an alien planet whose ruler (Jon Lovitz) has the hots for Marge. Very silly comedy will either be a hit or miss, depending on your tolerance level. Lovitz and Jones give good comedic performances. Garr is somewhat underused.
A Haunting in Venice (5/10) - Hercule Poirot (Kenneth Branagh) is retired and now living in Venice. He attends a séance that leads to multiple murders. The least enjoyable in Branagh's Poirot trilogy. The characters are not well-defined and the story feels rushed and underdeveloped. Good production values and strong performances by Branagh and Michelle Yeoh (who despite prominent billing is barely in the film).
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Post by Hurdy Gurdy Man on Apr 5, 2024 6:12:51 GMT
Author! Author! - Only seen it once, but I thought it was pretty good, with a strong turn from Pacino. 7/10 Reflections in a Golden Eye - Didn't fully come together for me, but it had some good stuff. 6/10 First Time Viewings:Mysterious Island (1961, Cy Endfield) - 7/10Altered States (1980, Ken Russell) - 7/10The Naked Kiss (1964, Samuel Fuller) - 7.5/10Lean on Me (1989, John G. Avildsen) - 7/10The Woman Condemned (1934, Dorothy Davenport) - 6.5/10The Informant! (2009, Steven Soderbergh) - 7/10Plunder Road (1957, Hubert Cornfield) - 7/10The Shadow of the Cat (1961, John Gilling) - 7/10Repeat Viewings:Mad Max (1979, George Miller) - 6/10Mad Max 2 (1981, George Miller) - 6/10Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985, George Miller & George Ogilvie) - 6/10Mad Max: Fury Road (2015, George Miller) - 7.5/10Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964, Stanley Kubrick) - 10/10Upgrade (2018, Leigh Whannell) - 8/10I have written my thoughts on Reflections in a Golden Eye now and I am thinking about posting them on the Classic Film board, maybe those classicists will shed more light on it for me.
My rating of Dr. Strangelove is the same as yours; it's perfection.
Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome is my favourite of the series. The late Tina Turner is amazing in it. I don't like the first film, the second one and fourth one are merely good, only the third film reaches greatness.
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Post by Hurdy Gurdy Man on Apr 6, 2024 13:06:34 GMT
Not watched any of yours. All of mine are first viewings. The Favourite (2018, Yorgos Lanthimos) – 8/10The Lobster (2015, Yorgos Lanthimos) – 8/10The Impossible (2012, J.A. Bayona) – 8/10Haven't seen any of those directors' works. |
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Post by Hurdy Gurdy Man on Apr 6, 2024 13:08:51 GMT
Haven't seen any of yours this week, although I'm slightly curious about Fortress.
Mine:
First Time Viewing:
Killer Joe (2011; William Friedkin) – This movie stirred up some controversy on release, although having now watched it, I’m not sure what all the fuss was about. Matthew McConaughey is charismatic as the titular psycho, but the film looked cheaply-made and couldn’t fully engage me.
4/10
Waltz with Bashir (2008; Ari Folman) – This Israeli war movie is unusual in being an animated documentary and this original approach initially pulled me in, but I would’ve needed more historical background to fully appreciate its take on the Israeli-Lebanese conflict.
5/10
Repeat Viewing:
The Big Lebowski (1998; The Coens) – This used to be one of my favourite comedies. I recall it being rip-roaringly funny, however on this rewatch it didn’t hold up that well. It’s still a good movie, but I didn’t laugh as often as I should’ve.
8/10
I like The Big Lebowski a lot but maybe it won't hold up as well on a rewatch for me. Remains to be seen.
I have seen more than half of William Friedkin's filmography; Killer Joe is among those I have missed.
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Post by Hurdy Gurdy Man on Apr 6, 2024 13:11:16 GMT
Ranked from favorite to least favorite Late Night with the Devil (2023 Cameron Cairnes & Colin Cairnes) - 9/10On Halloween night in 1977 a desperate talk show host (David Dastmalchian) attempts to summon the devil on live TV in order to boost his ratings. Also starring Laura Gordon, Ian Bliss, Ingrid Torelli, Rhys Auteri and Fayssal Bazzi. Mystery Street (1950 John Sturges) - 7/10A small-town policeman (Ricardo Montalban) is assisted by a Harvard professor (Bruce Bennett) after the discovery of a human skeleton on a Massachusetts beach. Also starring Sally Forrest, Elsa Lanchester and Jan Sterling. Shirley (2024 John Ridley) - 6.5/10
Shirley Chisholm (Regina King) makes a trailblazing run for the 1972 Democratic presidential nomination after becoming the first Black woman elected to Congress. Also starring Lance Reddick, Lucas Hedges, Terrence Howard, Michael Cherrie, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Christina Jackson and André Holland. A Foreign Affair (1948 Billy Wilder) - 6/10In occupied Berlin, an army captain (John Lund) is torn between an ex-Nazi café singer (Marlene Dietrich) and the U.S. congresswoman (Jean Arthur) investigating her. Also starring Millard Mitchell. Monty Python's and Now for Something Completely Different (1971 Ian MacNaughton) - 5.5/10An anthology of the best sketches from the first and second seasons of Monty Python's Flying Circus (1969). Starring John Cleese, Michael Palin and Eric Idle. Champions (2023 Bobby Farrelly) - 5.5/10A former minor-league basketball coach (Woody Harrelson) is ordered by the court to manage a team of players with intellectual disabilities. He soon realizes that despite his doubts, together, this team can go further than they ever imagined. Also starring Kaitlin Olson, Kevin Iannucci, Cheech Marin and Ernie Hudson. Fritz the Cat (1972 Ralph Bakshi) - 5.5/10Fritz (voiced by Skip Hinnant) drops out of college, starts a riot in Harlem and hits the road with an ex-girlfriend before getting mixed up with domestic terrorists. The Burning Season: The Chico Mendes Story (1994 John Frankenheimer) - 5.5/10Based on the true story of a Brazilian rubber tapper (Raul Julia) who leads his people in protest against government and developers who want to cut down their part of the rainforest for a new road and ranch land. The rich and the powerful will stop at nothing, and frequently resort to murder. Also starring Sonia Braga, Esai Morales and Edward James Olmos. Bob Marley: One Love (2024 Reinaldo Marcus Green) - 5.5/10The story of how reggae icon Bob Marley (Kingsley Ben-Adir) overcame adversity, and the journey behind his revolutionary music. Also starring Lashana Lynch. Beyond Therapy (1987 Robert Altman) - 3.5/10
After their blind date goes horribly wrong, two eccentrics (Jeff Goldblum and Julie Hagerty) and their unconventional therapists (Tom Conti and Glenda Jackson) cross paths resulting in ridiculous interactions. Also starring Christopher Guest. I haven't seen any of those yet but A Foreign Affair and Fritz the Cat are in my watchlist. |
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Post by Hurdy Gurdy Man on Apr 6, 2024 13:13:01 GMT
Not heard or seen any of those ones. First Time Viewings:Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021)A huge improvement to the original theatrical release in every possible way. A much more cohesive story with better developed characters, and a much more visually beautiful movie, although I could have done without the 4:3 aspect ratio, but it's fine and you quickly get used to it. Cyborg gets much more development here and he's a very compelling character and was the standout for me. The special effects were amazing and really shone especially during The Flash's slow mo scenes. Steppenwolf was a very compelling and even somewhat sympathetic villain. Just a really enjoyable movie but it makes me sad that may never get a sequel to this. Ben Affleck truly was a great Batman. One thing I was not big on was the epilogue. While it was cool to see all that stuff, it felt too random and tacked on, and should have been saved for an after credits scene, or just omitted altogether and released as it's own little short film. 7.5/10 The Suicide Squad (2021)A bit better than the first one. It's a much better looking film and a better production, but the story was still a bit weak, and the villain felt too ridiculous for its own good. Where it shines is the characters. Margot as Harley is great as usual, but isn't given the best stuff to do in this, and I think I preferred her look in the first Suicide Squad and her solo movie. But she does get some great moments and one very cool action sequence. Idris Elba was great as usual, as Bloodsport, but the standout character for me was Daniela Melchior as the rat girl. Very fun character. John Cena as Peacemaker was good, but since I knew he got his own spinoff TV series, I expected much more from him. The movie also had too much immature humour for me. 5.5/10 Barbie (2023)A weird, poorly written movie with some very good moments, striking original visuals and wonderful performances. The two leads were fantastic in their roles and do the best with what they were given. Margot has a few very emotional scenes and Gosling is quite funny as Ken. The story is quite weak and has been done much better in movies like Enchanted and The Lego Movie. But I'm not sure the story was the filmmakers priority, as it seemed to be more concerned with its message. While it's a very important one, it is executed in a very in your face and obnoxious way. It's also not particularly funny other than a handful of moments, mainly involving Ken and Allan, and some of the humour simply makes no sense, like Ken and everyone else on the beach being surprised by him not being able to ride a fake solid wave. But then I'm probably giving this more thought than the filmmakers ever bothered to. The amount of sexual innuendo in this is kind of concerning as well. Isn't Barbie mainly a kids toy? I can't imagine kids enjoying this all that much. It feels to me it's aimed mainly at women in their 40s. Weird times we live in. The Dua Lipa song featured early in the movie slaps. 4/10 The Batman (2022)This was surprisingly very good. A cool new take on Batman. Pattinson is wonderful and everyone else is very well casted. The story is very compelling and focuses more on detective work and mystery, with some great payoff. I love the mood/tone of the movie, and Giacchino's score is very chilling. The Batmobile reveal and subsequent chase scene was awesome. I felt the movie loses it's way a little bit towards the end though, with a particular action sequence, and there's an eyeroll worthy cameo that I could have done without. The main issue with this movie, as great as it is, is that it suffers from being far too self-aware that it's a "new Batman movie", and having to follow in the footsteps of some of the greatest films of all time. Because of this, it feels like some of the choices it makes with the story and characters, like what to or not to include, were just intended to make the movie feel new and different, rather than being focussed entirely on being it's own thing. 7.5/10 Repeat Viewings:Bumblebee (2018)A much more simple and smaller scaled Transformers story, but one that is still a lot of fun and filled with a ton of heart. Hailee Steinfeld is fantastic and really carries the movie and its always a joy to see John Cena. The special effects and action sequences while not being as impressive are very enjoyable. It doesn't reach the heights of the Shia trilogy but its still a very worthy instalment in the franchise. I appreciated it a tad more the second time around as well. Love the end credits song by none other than Hailee Steinfeld. While it works very well as a standalone and that technically Rise of the Beasts is a sequel to this, I would have liked to have gotten more of these characters. 7/10 I haven't seen any of those and frankly, not keen on them. |
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Post by Hurdy Gurdy Man on Apr 6, 2024 13:19:14 GMT
Immaculate (6/10) - The film's plot focuses on a young woman of devout faith, who is invited to reside at a picture-perfect Italian convent, but slowly realizes that the convent harbors terrifying secrets. The film has a very eerie atmosphere and a strong performance by Sydney Sweeney. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (6/10) - In the film, Kong encounters more of his species and must unite with Godzilla to stop their tyrannical leader and a powerful, frost breathing Titan from destroying the surface. As usual, the story is terrible and the human characters are very annoying (especially the usually reliable Brian Tyree Henry). The film is watchable because of great special effects and good titan fight sequences. Last Man Standing (6.5/10) - During Prohibition, a gun for hire named John Smith (Bruce Willis) causes problems for warring Irish and Italian mobsters in a small tumbleweed Texas town. Has excellent, well-staged John Woo style gunfights but the plot does drag at times. Christopher Walken is fun as one of the Irish mobsters. The Gentlemen (6/10) - A Guy Ritchie directed action-comedy featuring Matthew McConaughey as an American cannabis wholesaler in the UK who is looking to sell off his business. This causes a great deal of violent and farcical situations. Excellent supporting performances by Colin Farrell, Charlie Hunnam and a scene-stealing Hugh Grant as a blackmailing private detective. Mom and Dad Save the World (5.5/10) - A bored suburban couple named Dick and Marge Nelson (Jeffrey Jones and Teri Garr) living in Woodland Hills, CA are brought to an alien planet whose ruler (Jon Lovitz) has the hots for Marge. Very silly comedy will either be a hit or miss, depending on your tolerance level. Lovitz and Jones give good comedic performances. Garr is somewhat underused. A Haunting in Venice (5/10) - Hercule Poirot (Kenneth Branagh) is retired and now living in Venice. He attends a séance that leads to multiple murders. The least enjoyable in Branagh's Poirot trilogy. The characters are not well-defined and the story feels rushed and underdeveloped. Good production values and strong performances by Branagh and Michelle Yeoh (who despite prominent billing is barely in the film). My thoughts on Last Man Standing from the weekly thread dated August 7, 2022:
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