hototogisu
Poked the bear!!!!!
"Who is this guy with the weird avatar reviewing things exactly the same way kihei does?", I briefly asked myself.
Movies: Last Movie You Watched and Rate It (Part XXVI)
- Thread starter hototogisu
- Start date
- Status
Felt like I needed a change of pace. Family members questioned my sanity. Not that that's anything terribly new.
Finding Dory (2016) Directed by Andrew Stanton and Angus MacLane 7A
Dory, a Blue Tang tropical fish afflicted with short term memory loss, suddenly remembers that she has a family somewhere and swims off to find them with the help of her Clownfish pals Marlin and Nemo and with the assistance of a few obliging sea turtles who are migrating toward near the California coastline anyway. Thus begins an underwater adventure that is almost the equal of its predecessor Finding Nemo. As is true of most sequels, the follow-up can never compete with the sense of discovery and wonder that one experiences with the original work. But Finding Dory has a lot of appeal anyway. New characters include Hank, an octopus interested not in escape but in getting to a Cleveland aquarium; Destiny, a friendly and supportive whale shark; and Bailey, a helpful beluga. Hank especially is great fun. Ellen Degeneres again does superb voice work as the immensely likeable Dory. I don't think this is one of Pixar's best films and though the animation is excellent, the 3D treatment seems pretty much unnecessary. Bottom line, though, Finding Dory is a sweet movie that kids will love and adults will be charmed by.
The next morning: Fine movie, but I must say it bugs the living hell out of me that Pixar gave the octopus two eyes.
Last edited:
SJSharksfan39
Registered User
Thor The Dark World (2014) - D+
This is my second least favorite Marvel films, and after watching the previous films close together, it's easy to get why. I liked Thor, but part of that was was because I thought the movie had personality and humor. The Dark World felt bland in comparison, with a bad unmemorable villain and a story that was just not very interesting. However, there was some good bits, like Darcy being the humorous sidekick, and getting a little more screentime, and we got some consequences to Eric's story from Avengers. Also, the best part of this movie was Loki, but mainly because he makes such a very interesting multi-dimensional character. This is a very average film, and comparing it to the rest of the MCU, it's one of the weakest.
This is my second least favorite Marvel films, and after watching the previous films close together, it's easy to get why. I liked Thor, but part of that was was because I thought the movie had personality and humor. The Dark World felt bland in comparison, with a bad unmemorable villain and a story that was just not very interesting. However, there was some good bits, like Darcy being the humorous sidekick, and getting a little more screentime, and we got some consequences to Eric's story from Avengers. Also, the best part of this movie was Loki, but mainly because he makes such a very interesting multi-dimensional character. This is a very average film, and comparing it to the rest of the MCU, it's one of the weakest.
Savi
Registered User
The Neon Demon - Thank you Refn 
Fantastic movie from start to finish. Aesthetically, he's in a class of his own when it comes to directors IMO. Elle Fanning was brilliant as well, perfect casting.
Fantastic movie from start to finish. Aesthetically, he's in a class of his own when it comes to directors IMO. Elle Fanning was brilliant as well, perfect casting.Gotta see this. Plus, I really like Fanning. I hope she keeps getting challenging roles.The Neon Demon - Thank you Refn
Sicario 7/10
I think it was a very well done movie from every technical standpoint and in terms of acting. For much of the movie it it a compelling look at the horrors of the drug wars in Mexico. Add in particularly good performances from Benicio Del Toro and Josh Brolin and all that along makes it a very solid movie. I'd like to give credit to Emily Blunt as her performance was commendable. But her character was one of the biggest weak points of the movie. The entire purpose of her character was to a.) be the witness whose eyes we saw the movie through b.) try to create a crisis of morality in the ethics and legality of the way the American task force was combating the drug trade. Feature b absolutely falls on its face though. In theory we as the audience are supposed to be behind Blunt's character in thinking that it's not okay for The Americans to overstep the law and basic human decency to fight the cartels (but in a horrid contradiction she gets rather furious the one time they follow the rules because it hinders progress of the operation). But throughout the movie, the events that take place would make almost everyone (at least I would think) think that if the Americans didn't bend the rules or abuse them, no progress would be made at all and the problem would get a lot worse. At least that's how I and my family were feeling, and it just led to me not liking Blunt's moral stance and since that was her biggest contribution to the plot it made the character pretty pointless. And then the Americans just succeed snd it all feels very "so what?"
The best part of the movie is Del Toro's mysterious character and when things unfold for him it's an entertaining and compelling revenge story that should've gotten more focus than Blunt's silly moral dilemma plot.
Sicario is well crafted from a technical perspective and it shows a jarring tale of Mexico that many don't see. But the plot itself is mostly forgettable outside of Del Toro's subplot.
The Nice Guys 8/10
I didn't expect to like this as much as I did. Decided to see it on a whim because it was the only thing playing at the time we felt like seeing a movie. The only way I can describe it is that it was the movie I always wanted Inherent Vice to be. It's a somewhat similar premise but the plot is far more coherent and the humor, though slapstick at times, is funnier. The humor in inherent vice is the kind that gives you a light self satisfied chuckle that you got what they were trying to say. It prided itself on intellectual whimsy but it just resulted in an incoherent product. The Nice Guys may be almost too easy to follow by comparison but it's a lot more fun. I'm normally not a huge fan of Ryan Gosling but I thought he made this movie. He was a lot of fun if a little too silly. The girl that plays his daughter rises above the typical child actor these days but the writing gave her one truly cringe worthy moment with Russell Crowe. Overall it's a fun time at the movies and definitely a movie I'd see again at least once.
I think it was a very well done movie from every technical standpoint and in terms of acting. For much of the movie it it a compelling look at the horrors of the drug wars in Mexico. Add in particularly good performances from Benicio Del Toro and Josh Brolin and all that along makes it a very solid movie. I'd like to give credit to Emily Blunt as her performance was commendable. But her character was one of the biggest weak points of the movie. The entire purpose of her character was to a.) be the witness whose eyes we saw the movie through b.) try to create a crisis of morality in the ethics and legality of the way the American task force was combating the drug trade. Feature b absolutely falls on its face though. In theory we as the audience are supposed to be behind Blunt's character in thinking that it's not okay for The Americans to overstep the law and basic human decency to fight the cartels (but in a horrid contradiction she gets rather furious the one time they follow the rules because it hinders progress of the operation). But throughout the movie, the events that take place would make almost everyone (at least I would think) think that if the Americans didn't bend the rules or abuse them, no progress would be made at all and the problem would get a lot worse. At least that's how I and my family were feeling, and it just led to me not liking Blunt's moral stance and since that was her biggest contribution to the plot it made the character pretty pointless. And then the Americans just succeed snd it all feels very "so what?"
The best part of the movie is Del Toro's mysterious character and when things unfold for him it's an entertaining and compelling revenge story that should've gotten more focus than Blunt's silly moral dilemma plot.
Sicario is well crafted from a technical perspective and it shows a jarring tale of Mexico that many don't see. But the plot itself is mostly forgettable outside of Del Toro's subplot.
The Nice Guys 8/10
I didn't expect to like this as much as I did. Decided to see it on a whim because it was the only thing playing at the time we felt like seeing a movie. The only way I can describe it is that it was the movie I always wanted Inherent Vice to be. It's a somewhat similar premise but the plot is far more coherent and the humor, though slapstick at times, is funnier. The humor in inherent vice is the kind that gives you a light self satisfied chuckle that you got what they were trying to say. It prided itself on intellectual whimsy but it just resulted in an incoherent product. The Nice Guys may be almost too easy to follow by comparison but it's a lot more fun. I'm normally not a huge fan of Ryan Gosling but I thought he made this movie. He was a lot of fun if a little too silly. The girl that plays his daughter rises above the typical child actor these days but the writing gave her one truly cringe worthy moment with Russell Crowe. Overall it's a fun time at the movies and definitely a movie I'd see again at least once.
BonMorrison
Registered User
Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation - 7.5/10
Generally what you'd expect. Fun and sleek with some spectacular looking action set pieces. A formulaic MI film that keeps to the pace of Ghost Protocol but doesn't add too much. That being said, it's a formula that works and Cruise continues to march on as a bankable action star past the age of 50.
Generally what you'd expect. Fun and sleek with some spectacular looking action set pieces. A formulaic MI film that keeps to the pace of Ghost Protocol but doesn't add too much. That being said, it's a formula that works and Cruise continues to march on as a bankable action star past the age of 50.
jasonleaffan
Registered User
https://youtu.be/wXuT57kIMs8
This morning I watched the 2010 film Trust, directed by David Schwimmer.8/10
Very powerful eye opening film that introduces viewers to the effects internet child predators have on their victims and families after the crime has been committed. A must watch for any parent especially of teenage daughters.
This morning I watched the 2010 film Trust, directed by David Schwimmer.8/10
Very powerful eye opening film that introduces viewers to the effects internet child predators have on their victims and families after the crime has been committed. A must watch for any parent especially of teenage daughters.
Virtanen18
SAMCRO
SJSharksfan39
Registered User
Finding Dory - B
I would call this a decent sequel to Finding Nemo. It was fun, and had the Pixar emotion you would come to expect. It's nowhere near as good as Inside Out, which I think is Pixar's best film, but it was nice.
I would call this a decent sequel to Finding Nemo. It was fun, and had the Pixar emotion you would come to expect. It's nowhere near as good as Inside Out, which I think is Pixar's best film, but it was nice.
Hadoop
Registered User
Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping: 8/10
Hilarious mockumentary and I would definitely recommend it. Was surprised to see such low box office numbers for this movie but maybe it will do better when it comes out on DVD.
Hilarious mockumentary and I would definitely recommend it. Was surprised to see such low box office numbers for this movie but maybe it will do better when it comes out on DVD.
ProstheticConscience
Check dein Limit
10 Cloverfield Lane
with John Goodman and two people utterly overshadowed by John Goodman
Michelle has just left her husband/boyfriend, tossed some clothes into a suitcase, and driven off into the nether. Hours later, she finds herself knocked off the road and into a ditch. Ouch. She wakes up in a concrete bunker hooked up to an iv drip and chained to the wall. In comes an unkempt, looming psycho who's clearly not in anyone's right mind named Howard (Goodman) who announces he saved her life, she's not going anywhere, and...oh yeah, the world ended while she was unconscious. How much worse can Michelle's day get? Quite a lot, as it turns out.
Howard's a doomsday prepper who (in his mind) graciously granted the miracle of survival on Michelle and Emmett, a dumb-as-a-brick local who helped him build his shelter, and Howard wants some respect, dammit! Goodman is in his terrifying intimidating zone in this one, and he looms over the whole movie. The rub is...turns out it really might be the end of the world out there. And that means our trio might be holed up for a very long time indeed. But what's scarier: unknown chemical/biological/nuclear/alien/whatever dangers outside, or an unhinged John Goodman within? Watch and weigh the options.
Actually quite suspenseful and keeps you guessing, which is pretty rare these days. You really don't see the ending coming from a mile away. John Goodman continues to be one of the most underrated actors working today, and you can cut the brittle paranoia with a knife. And if I ever meet John Goodman in real life, I'm definitely not going to piss him off.
with John Goodman and two people utterly overshadowed by John Goodman
Michelle has just left her husband/boyfriend, tossed some clothes into a suitcase, and driven off into the nether. Hours later, she finds herself knocked off the road and into a ditch. Ouch. She wakes up in a concrete bunker hooked up to an iv drip and chained to the wall. In comes an unkempt, looming psycho who's clearly not in anyone's right mind named Howard (Goodman) who announces he saved her life, she's not going anywhere, and...oh yeah, the world ended while she was unconscious. How much worse can Michelle's day get? Quite a lot, as it turns out.
Howard's a doomsday prepper who (in his mind) graciously granted the miracle of survival on Michelle and Emmett, a dumb-as-a-brick local who helped him build his shelter, and Howard wants some respect, dammit! Goodman is in his terrifying intimidating zone in this one, and he looms over the whole movie. The rub is...turns out it really might be the end of the world out there. And that means our trio might be holed up for a very long time indeed. But what's scarier: unknown chemical/biological/nuclear/alien/whatever dangers outside, or an unhinged John Goodman within? Watch and weigh the options.
Actually quite suspenseful and keeps you guessing, which is pretty rare these days. You really don't see the ending coming from a mile away. John Goodman continues to be one of the most underrated actors working today, and you can cut the brittle paranoia with a knife. And if I ever meet John Goodman in real life, I'm definitely not going to piss him off.
Voight
#winning
The Nice Guys
7.5/10
Really thought it would be better. There were some funny moments but I feel like there could have been a lot more, and said moments could have had better humour, plot was a little all over the place too. However, Gosling and Crowe have some really good chemistry together, was not expecting that.
7.5/10
Really thought it would be better. There were some funny moments but I feel like there could have been a lot more, and said moments could have had better humour, plot was a little all over the place too. However, Gosling and Crowe have some really good chemistry together, was not expecting that.
Led Zappa
Tomorrow Today
Saw this last night. Good write up.
I hated Cloverfield, but this was pretty damn good.
Everest (2015) 5/10
My thought throughout is I never really felt the tension. I don't know why. Things just fell flat even in the movie's most dangerous moments. Maybe it was the music or at times lack thereof...but I never felt it. Even worse was the ascent. Everything from the beginning to reaching the summit was honestly boring, and I won't fault the movie for that because they had to establish what is required to climb the mountain and then show the ascent. But I never felt the high stakes. Among an all star cast and brilliant natural visuals I just didn't feel bad when people died, and I didn't feel nervous when they were risking their lives. I can't explain it but it felt like a 2 and a half hour slog that only left me not wanting to ever climb Everest. But I could've figured that having read Krakauer's Into Thin Air. It's a problem in my opinion if a book makes me feel more tension than a movie based on the same events. I remember reading into thin air sophomore year of high school and remember I couldn't put it down because it was so well written and tense. There's something about this movie that made me feel very little. Back to the cast, it's a great ensemble but no one shines. The most notable performance to me was Kiera Knightley as the wife of Rob Hall helplessly following along by phone as her husband struggled to stay alive and Micheal Kelly as Jon Krakauer, simply because compared to his House of Cards character Doug Stamper, Kelly was very charismatic and likable as opposed to creepy and brooding.
I have zero interest in seeing this again. Visually impressive but it's got little else going for it. Even the emotional moments had a lack of authenticity.
My thought throughout is I never really felt the tension. I don't know why. Things just fell flat even in the movie's most dangerous moments. Maybe it was the music or at times lack thereof...but I never felt it. Even worse was the ascent. Everything from the beginning to reaching the summit was honestly boring, and I won't fault the movie for that because they had to establish what is required to climb the mountain and then show the ascent. But I never felt the high stakes. Among an all star cast and brilliant natural visuals I just didn't feel bad when people died, and I didn't feel nervous when they were risking their lives. I can't explain it but it felt like a 2 and a half hour slog that only left me not wanting to ever climb Everest. But I could've figured that having read Krakauer's Into Thin Air. It's a problem in my opinion if a book makes me feel more tension than a movie based on the same events. I remember reading into thin air sophomore year of high school and remember I couldn't put it down because it was so well written and tense. There's something about this movie that made me feel very little. Back to the cast, it's a great ensemble but no one shines. The most notable performance to me was Kiera Knightley as the wife of Rob Hall helplessly following along by phone as her husband struggled to stay alive and Micheal Kelly as Jon Krakauer, simply because compared to his House of Cards character Doug Stamper, Kelly was very charismatic and likable as opposed to creepy and brooding.
I have zero interest in seeing this again. Visually impressive but it's got little else going for it. Even the emotional moments had a lack of authenticity.
hototogisu
Poked the bear!!!!!
Foxcatcher: 6.5/10
I intentionally kept myself in the dark about the central story so I could go into the movie blind. It just took me longer than I expected to get around to watching the movie. At first I was very much impressed with the cinematography and direction, which are not usually meant to be eyecatching in a biopic like this. But as the movie started to sag in its second act, it felt more dull than artistic. The umpteenth time we're subjected to a misty shot of the estate with a plinky piano backing score, you start to wonder if these shots are standing in for the fact that the movie doesn't really have a whole lot to say in the end. It never attempts to delve into the psychology behind John du Pont or his motivations, and it generally keeps all of its characters at a frustrating remove. And by the end of the film I was left to wonder "is that all there is?" which I suppose is a natural byproduct of making a movie about a senseless event. Full marks to the three principal actors (even though I felt Steve Carrell's accent, as good as he was overall, was a little all over the place) and the film is certainly gorgeous to look at, I just wish there were more.
Jurassic World: 5/10
I didn't think it was bad as some people were saying, but it wasn't that great either. The Jurassic Park franchise relies on very smart people making consistently dumb and illogical decisions, and maybe it's because we're four films (right?) deep now but those illogical decisions feel harder to stomach than ever. The biggest problem for me was that the movie doesn't ever really feel fun, at least not in the sense the original did. Almost from the word go we're dropped into a park where things are (a) motivated by capitalistic greed and (b) going dangerously wrong. Where's the fun in that? Two other problems were the two annoyingly trope-y kid characters and the hilariously shoehorned-in romantic subplot. Some of the dinosaur kills felt remarkably gratuitous (even though, unlike JP, the horror aspect is almost completely dropped, so these gory kills feel weirdly out of place) and you're never totally sure who to cheer for between Chris Pratt and his group, or the militant guy and his crew who do make some decent points, or the heel-turning raptors, or the main "big bad" dinosaur, or what. It just led to disinterest for me.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens: 9/10
Although I like the franchise, I'm not even a huge Star Wars fan and even I could tell just how much was being borrowed from the original trilogy. But you know what they say...if you're going to steal, steal from the best. I thought the movie was really fun, and to invoke a stupid cliché, It Really Felt Like Star Wars Again when the prequels often did not. I thought the chemistry between John Boyega and Daisy Ridley was a joy to watch. I was not expecting Harrison Ford back in such a big role but he really carried a lot the movie unexpectedly. Even Adam Driver, probably my last choice in the world for someone to play a villain in a Star Wars movie, looked great. So what I liked overall was that the script seemed to draw great performances out of lesser known actors, whereas the prequel scripts seemed to drag down even objectively excellent actors (Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman). Really lots of fun and well done.
Clouds of Sils Maria: 7/10
I will confess that I am a sucker for self-referential plots in movies. What I mean is, Kristen Stewart and Juliette Binoche are rehearsing a movie script in the Swiss alps and the movie frequently and cleverly blurs the lines between the script and their relationship. Even if, admittedly, I'm a little unclear as to the ends it achieved in this movie, I was still dazzled in a couple of scenes. The actresses are both great, especially Stewart (maybe because we expect it more from Binoche and less from her) and Chloe Grace Moretz was very good too. I probably couldn't explain this movie to you very well, but as far as a movie about an actress coming to terms with her aging self and faced with the threat of a younger generation (not at all a new concept in cinema by any means) I found it quite interesting.
Unfriended: 7/10
I'll give this movie maybe a slightly higher score than it deserves just because I was suckered in by the central premise (gimmick if you prefer): a horror movie where the action takes place entirely on a computer screen, via Skype, Spotify, Gmail, Facebook, Chatroulette, etc. It delivered very cleverly on this premise and handled its central technology very well and believably. As a horror movie, I'm forced to admit it falls short in some areas. It's just not that scary, and for a while the movie dips into a little too much "teenage revenge drama" and neglects the scares for entirely for too long. So I enjoyed it, it moved along briskly (barely 75 minutes long too which is an ideal length for a movie like this) and it kept me entertained and engaged the entire time. No classic but a nice, clever little movie.
Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping: 6/10
Even if we all know that's Andy Samberg and the Lonely Island guys pretending to be pop stars and making a fake documentary, what's the point in presenting yourself as a documentary when you just cast big stars in other roles? Tim Meadows is the manager, Sarah Silverman is the publicist, Maya Rudolph is an appliance salesperson. If the movie isn't willing to make any effort to sell itself as a documentary, even if it's a comedy, why should I care? The movie doesn't stop there but even stoops to lame meta-jokes: Justin Timberlake plays the group's chef, and in one scene he's singing to himself, and the guys tell him to shut up and leave the singing to the pros! Get it? Because, in real life, in fact, Justin Timberlake is the pro!!! It's like casting Tony Iommi or Joe Perry as a guitar tech for the Spinal Tap guys and winking at the camera the entire time. Surely this is close to if not the lowest form of comedy?
As if that isn't enough, Popstar is jam-packed with more celebrities, playing themselves, giving on-camera testimonials to the group's greatness - Carrie Underwood, Nas, A$AP Rocky and Ringo Starr to name just a few of the many. In literally every scene there's a new celeb cameo designed to elicit a titter of recognition from the crowd, which smacks of laziness to me.
But that's, overall, my problem (ideologically) with this movie. Everybody is so clearly in on the joke, so obviously having fun with the notions of what it means to be a pop star in 2016, that how could the satire not be completely toothless? How can you offend anyone if you're trying so hard to include everyone?
All of that may maybe be enough to sink the movie on its own merits...but it's actually a pretty funny movie. Notwithstanding my examples above (or once you get past them). Undoubtedly, the Lonely Island guys know comedy pretty well. There are a lot of jokes and lines that are quite funny, and even if they don't land, there's another joke coming up in three seconds that might be more to your taste. So, of course, it's the old dilemma of picking the movie apart versus shutting up and just laughing along. It's easier to say Popstar works on some levels and not on others. If you give up your hopes of Popstar being a biting satire and instead just enjoy it for what it is, you may find yourself laughing more than you expected. At least I did. I'm not in a hurry to watch it again but if I turned on the TV and it was playing, I'd probably stick around till the end. For whatever that's worth.
I intentionally kept myself in the dark about the central story so I could go into the movie blind. It just took me longer than I expected to get around to watching the movie. At first I was very much impressed with the cinematography and direction, which are not usually meant to be eyecatching in a biopic like this. But as the movie started to sag in its second act, it felt more dull than artistic. The umpteenth time we're subjected to a misty shot of the estate with a plinky piano backing score, you start to wonder if these shots are standing in for the fact that the movie doesn't really have a whole lot to say in the end. It never attempts to delve into the psychology behind John du Pont or his motivations, and it generally keeps all of its characters at a frustrating remove. And by the end of the film I was left to wonder "is that all there is?" which I suppose is a natural byproduct of making a movie about a senseless event. Full marks to the three principal actors (even though I felt Steve Carrell's accent, as good as he was overall, was a little all over the place) and the film is certainly gorgeous to look at, I just wish there were more.
Jurassic World: 5/10
I didn't think it was bad as some people were saying, but it wasn't that great either. The Jurassic Park franchise relies on very smart people making consistently dumb and illogical decisions, and maybe it's because we're four films (right?) deep now but those illogical decisions feel harder to stomach than ever. The biggest problem for me was that the movie doesn't ever really feel fun, at least not in the sense the original did. Almost from the word go we're dropped into a park where things are (a) motivated by capitalistic greed and (b) going dangerously wrong. Where's the fun in that? Two other problems were the two annoyingly trope-y kid characters and the hilariously shoehorned-in romantic subplot. Some of the dinosaur kills felt remarkably gratuitous (even though, unlike JP, the horror aspect is almost completely dropped, so these gory kills feel weirdly out of place) and you're never totally sure who to cheer for between Chris Pratt and his group, or the militant guy and his crew who do make some decent points, or the heel-turning raptors, or the main "big bad" dinosaur, or what. It just led to disinterest for me.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens: 9/10
Although I like the franchise, I'm not even a huge Star Wars fan and even I could tell just how much was being borrowed from the original trilogy. But you know what they say...if you're going to steal, steal from the best. I thought the movie was really fun, and to invoke a stupid cliché, It Really Felt Like Star Wars Again when the prequels often did not. I thought the chemistry between John Boyega and Daisy Ridley was a joy to watch. I was not expecting Harrison Ford back in such a big role but he really carried a lot the movie unexpectedly. Even Adam Driver, probably my last choice in the world for someone to play a villain in a Star Wars movie, looked great. So what I liked overall was that the script seemed to draw great performances out of lesser known actors, whereas the prequel scripts seemed to drag down even objectively excellent actors (Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman). Really lots of fun and well done.
Clouds of Sils Maria: 7/10
I will confess that I am a sucker for self-referential plots in movies. What I mean is, Kristen Stewart and Juliette Binoche are rehearsing a movie script in the Swiss alps and the movie frequently and cleverly blurs the lines between the script and their relationship. Even if, admittedly, I'm a little unclear as to the ends it achieved in this movie, I was still dazzled in a couple of scenes. The actresses are both great, especially Stewart (maybe because we expect it more from Binoche and less from her) and Chloe Grace Moretz was very good too. I probably couldn't explain this movie to you very well, but as far as a movie about an actress coming to terms with her aging self and faced with the threat of a younger generation (not at all a new concept in cinema by any means) I found it quite interesting.
Unfriended: 7/10
I'll give this movie maybe a slightly higher score than it deserves just because I was suckered in by the central premise (gimmick if you prefer): a horror movie where the action takes place entirely on a computer screen, via Skype, Spotify, Gmail, Facebook, Chatroulette, etc. It delivered very cleverly on this premise and handled its central technology very well and believably. As a horror movie, I'm forced to admit it falls short in some areas. It's just not that scary, and for a while the movie dips into a little too much "teenage revenge drama" and neglects the scares for entirely for too long. So I enjoyed it, it moved along briskly (barely 75 minutes long too which is an ideal length for a movie like this) and it kept me entertained and engaged the entire time. No classic but a nice, clever little movie.
Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping: 6/10
Even if we all know that's Andy Samberg and the Lonely Island guys pretending to be pop stars and making a fake documentary, what's the point in presenting yourself as a documentary when you just cast big stars in other roles? Tim Meadows is the manager, Sarah Silverman is the publicist, Maya Rudolph is an appliance salesperson. If the movie isn't willing to make any effort to sell itself as a documentary, even if it's a comedy, why should I care? The movie doesn't stop there but even stoops to lame meta-jokes: Justin Timberlake plays the group's chef, and in one scene he's singing to himself, and the guys tell him to shut up and leave the singing to the pros! Get it? Because, in real life, in fact, Justin Timberlake is the pro!!! It's like casting Tony Iommi or Joe Perry as a guitar tech for the Spinal Tap guys and winking at the camera the entire time. Surely this is close to if not the lowest form of comedy?
As if that isn't enough, Popstar is jam-packed with more celebrities, playing themselves, giving on-camera testimonials to the group's greatness - Carrie Underwood, Nas, A$AP Rocky and Ringo Starr to name just a few of the many. In literally every scene there's a new celeb cameo designed to elicit a titter of recognition from the crowd, which smacks of laziness to me.
But that's, overall, my problem (ideologically) with this movie. Everybody is so clearly in on the joke, so obviously having fun with the notions of what it means to be a pop star in 2016, that how could the satire not be completely toothless? How can you offend anyone if you're trying so hard to include everyone?
All of that may maybe be enough to sink the movie on its own merits...but it's actually a pretty funny movie. Notwithstanding my examples above (or once you get past them). Undoubtedly, the Lonely Island guys know comedy pretty well. There are a lot of jokes and lines that are quite funny, and even if they don't land, there's another joke coming up in three seconds that might be more to your taste. So, of course, it's the old dilemma of picking the movie apart versus shutting up and just laughing along. It's easier to say Popstar works on some levels and not on others. If you give up your hopes of Popstar being a biting satire and instead just enjoy it for what it is, you may find yourself laughing more than you expected. At least I did. I'm not in a hurry to watch it again but if I turned on the TV and it was playing, I'd probably stick around till the end. For whatever that's worth.
Last edited:
ProstheticConscience
Check dein Limit
And should be mentioned for anyone who's considering seeing it and doesn't remember any of the press it got when it was in theatres, it has nothing to do with Cloverfield. It's a completely self-contained story unrelated to handicam footage of idiots stumbling through New York during a random monster attack.
Board game night was definitely my favourite part. "I KNOW what you've been doing...! I SEE you when you're sleeping...I KNOW when you're awake...!"
AAAAAAA!!!
Desdichado93
Registered User
The latest two movies I have seen are Glory and Black Mass.
Matthew Broderick was very good as Robert Gould Shaw and I liked this movie allot even if some of the characters are fictional and some of the things that was portrayed may have been altered for the film.
However still a very good movie and definitely a film that anyone interested in history should watch.
The movie focus mainly on the Colonel and the regiments rise from a large gathering of volunteers to a fully functioning and active in battle-regiment. So there are only 2-3 battle scenes.
I would give 7.5-8.
-----
Black was also pretty good, no masterpiece but still worth a look.
Imo Johnny Depp does a very good performance in this "serious movie" (Unlike the gazillion of POTC sequels).
Depp plays mob boss James 'Whitey' Bulger and the movie focus on his time as informant for the FBI.
Joel Edgerton also does a very good performance as FBI-agent John Connolly.
Overall a pretty good movie but not "goodier" then around 7.
Matthew Broderick was very good as Robert Gould Shaw and I liked this movie allot even if some of the characters are fictional and some of the things that was portrayed may have been altered for the film.
However still a very good movie and definitely a film that anyone interested in history should watch.
The movie focus mainly on the Colonel and the regiments rise from a large gathering of volunteers to a fully functioning and active in battle-regiment. So there are only 2-3 battle scenes.
I would give 7.5-8.
-----
Black was also pretty good, no masterpiece but still worth a look.
Imo Johnny Depp does a very good performance in this "serious movie" (Unlike the gazillion of POTC sequels).
Depp plays mob boss James 'Whitey' Bulger and the movie focus on his time as informant for the FBI.
Joel Edgerton also does a very good performance as FBI-agent John Connolly.
Overall a pretty good movie but not "goodier" then around 7.
Spring in Fialta
A malign star kept him
Todd Barry - The Crowd Work Tour 7/10
That was pretty fun and it went better than I anticipated.
That was pretty fun and it went better than I anticipated.
Spring in Fialta
A malign star kept him
Voight
#winning
Shareefruck
Registered User
A Brighter Summer Day (1991) by Edward Yang - 5.0 (Masterpiece)
When I was trying to get into Edward Yang a few years ago, I decided to watch Yi Yi instead of this because the video quality was so unappealing (like watching a handheld camera bootleg), and I just couldn't sit through that picture quality for four slow as molasses hours. I thought Yi Yi was really good in a more normal kind of way, but not the most incredible thing in the world-- But after watching this, I've realized that Yang's a whole other level of genius.
Criterion recently released the new remastered version of the film so I jumped on it-- I think I'm going to go out and buy the blu ray right away-- It's one of the most beautiful films I've ever seen. You feel like you've experienced a lifetime in these four hours, and while it's not the most eventful movie in the world, every frame is perfectly placed and perfectly shot, every idea/theme perfectly resonates and feels unforced/fulfilling.... it's humanizing and devastating at the same time. One of those films that feel like they'll stick in my memory forever as if they were my own.
It really crystalizes this strong feeling I have that alot of the easy fun movies that I'm compelled to watch are a pointless distraction whereas these brands of movies, although much more alien/tedious/challenging, are where the real rewards are.
This is currently my second favorite film of all time.
Favorite Films:
1. Tokyo Story (1953) by Yasujiro Ozu
2. A Brighter Summer Day (1991) by Edward Yang
3. La Dolce Vita (1960) by Frederico Fellini
4. Children of Paradise (1945) by Marcel Carne
5. Dr. Strangelove (1964) by Stanley Kubrick
6. Charulata (1964) by Satyajit Ray
7. My Neighbor Totoro (1988) by Hayao Miyazaki
8. No Country For Old Men (2007) by The Coens Brothers
9. In the Mood for Love (2000) by Wong Kar Wai
10. Breathless (1960) by Jean Luc Godard
11. Three Colors by (1993-1994) by Krzysztof Kieslowski
12. Uncle Boonmee Recalls His Past Lives (2010) by Apichatpong Weerasethakul
13. Late Spring by (1949) Yasujiro Ozu
14. 2001 A Space Odyssey (1968) by Stanley Kubrick
15. Manhattan (1979) by Woody Allen
Last edited:
- Status
