I Just Watched (Films)

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Achtung Englander
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Re: I Just Watched (Films)

Post by Achtung Englander » Fri Mar 15, 2019 2:38 pm

13th

A pretty somber look at the incarceration of black people in the States. While I do not agree with everything shown in the documentary I did learn a lot from it. I thing there is something to be said that white Americans have an issue and that is putting it lightly. I am not sure what it is but there is manifest racism in that country and that is borne from nothing more than hating someone who does not have the same skin tone.
7/10

Don't Breathe

This is actually pretty decent thriller / horror with a brilliant simple premise. Worth a watch, I think its on Prime.
7/10
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Wrathbone
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Re: I Just Watched (Films)

Post by Wrathbone » Mon Mar 18, 2019 9:07 pm

Fantastic Beasts 2

Cripes, what a convoluted, unclear, bleak mess. While the first Fantastic Beasts was enjoyable but disappointing, this is a series of miserable and vaguely connected events which barely constitute a story. It’s a film with no meat, no reason to exist other than because the studio execs demanded five films, and sadly the never-ending onslaught of poor CGI and name-drops from days of Potter past do nothing to alleviate the tedium. The most excitement it provides is watching Jude Law strain out a passable impersonation of both Richard Harris and Michael Gambon, though his role as Dumbledore is little more than quest-giver and unsolicited wisdom dispenser.

Some of the ‘plot’ twists are bewildering:
Spoiler
Queenie’s entire reason for joining Magic Hitler’s circle of evil is so she can marry a muggle, who leaves her because she’s gone evil, when they’ve already established at the start of the film that they can marry legally in Britain anyway. FFS.

Grindelwald’s master plan is to convince wizards to spread the word that he’s not evil, and then immediately destroy Paris with big blue magic dragons. Brought to you by the Stop Hitting Yourself school of villainy.
My concern for this series is that when it was conceived, they had in mind a beginning chapter and an end chapter, but it seems like they have no idea how to go from A to B. They’ve treated this film like a pot hole on the road which they’ve filled with gravel. I dread to think what comes next.

Finite rantatum.

4/10

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Stormbringer
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Re: I Just Watched (Films)

Post by Stormbringer » Mon Mar 18, 2019 10:33 pm

Is there a gay sex scene between Grindelwald and Dumbledore? ¬_¬
Wrathbone wrote:
Mon Mar 18, 2019 9:07 pm
Dumbledore is little more than quest-giver and unsolicited wisdom dispenser.
That's pretty much the case with all the Potter films, though, right?

By the way, on the subject of Dumbledore, I'm sure this has been said for many a year now, but I think Richard Harris was waaaay better than Michael Gambon. The latter was, in my view, completely the wrong choice for Harris' replacement.
Last edited by Stormbringer on Tue Mar 19, 2019 8:55 am, edited 1 time in total.
Between tedium and fright
Such is the song of the nether world
The hissing of rats
And the jarring chants of angels

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Wrathbone
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Re: I Just Watched (Films)

Post by Wrathbone » Tue Mar 19, 2019 8:23 am

Stormbringer wrote:
Mon Mar 18, 2019 10:33 pm
Is there a gay sex scene between Grid
All we get is:

"You two were friends?"
"Oh, we were much more than friends!"

Image
Stormbringer wrote:
Mon Mar 18, 2019 10:33 pm
Wrathbone wrote:
Mon Mar 18, 2019 9:07 pm
Dumbledore is little more than quest-giver and unsolicited wisdom dispenser.
That's pretty much the case with all the Potter films, though, right?
Yeah, fair point, though I'd argue in the Potter films he has at minimum a semblance of a fully rounded character, plus a reason to be there since he's the headmaster. In FB2 he serves two purposes: first, to act yet again as the one wizard the Big Bad fears to overcome (which could be achieved without him appearing in the film); and second, so that the film can go "Look, it's Dumbledore! You know, that guy from the Potter films! Oh wow guys, look, he's friends with some of the new characters - they must be really cool if Dumbledore likes them, right? Hey, now he's doing a Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson! I wonder what other crazy shenanigans he'll get up to next time we check in for no reason!"

As for Harris vs Gambon... honestly, I like them both as Dumbledore, for very different reasons. Harris was a perfect representation of book Dumbledore, whereas Gambon is not even remotely like book Dumbledore. Gambon's take on him emphasises the reckless, pragmatic side that makes him a wildly different interpretation, but one that I think works for the films. I get why some people don't like it, though. The scene where Harry's name is called from the Goblet of Fire is the epitome of the stark difference - book Dumbledore calmly scrutinises Harry, trust and fairness being the key elements, whereas Gambon angrily bellows his name and grabs him by the shoulders in an accusatory manner. I understand Gambon's take on it - DD is frustrated and terrified that it's always that little shit Potter who drags himself into these things, so it only makes sense that he'd try to drag himself into the tournament.

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Stormbringer
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Re: I Just Watched (Films)

Post by Stormbringer » Tue Mar 19, 2019 9:20 am

I can't stand Gambon's interpretation of the character. I think he did a poor job and even has the wrong face.

I think Rutger Hauer should have replaced Harris.


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Between tedium and fright
Such is the song of the nether world
The hissing of rats
And the jarring chants of angels

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Alan
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Re: I Just Watched (Films)

Post by Alan » Sat Mar 23, 2019 12:01 pm

Us
A very good, well executed concept that really falls on its face in the last third when it trys to give depth it didnt need. Then it adds something that feels like a sociopolitical statement though I have no real idea what the implications of it are supposed to be, I just know it was stupid as fuck.

Kept simple this could have been awesome, its sadly not.
A man who could tell more truth and eat fewer pies.

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Stormbringer
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Re: I Just Watched (Films)

Post by Stormbringer » Mon Mar 25, 2019 11:13 am

The Great Wall

Let's get one thing out of the way before I start on this film: I am NOT somebody who makes a fuss about the thing so-called "cultural appropriation". I am of the belief that any human being wearing the "traditional attire" of another culture is absolutely fine, and is part of how cultures evolve and how humans share their creativity, so long as it's not done for the purposes of belittling or mocking other cultures. However, sometimes it is inappropriate in the context of historical movies. For example, it would be very weird to have a black African man starring in a film about the 1746 Battle of Culloden, wearing a great-kilt with a tartan bonnet on his head. And that is why, when I saw the first trailers for this film, back in 2016, I thought:

"What is this? Why is Matt Damon, a white American man, dressed up as a Chinese soldier and fighting alongside actual Chinese soldiers in a medieval setting? What's going on here? Are the film-makers pretending he's Chinese, but ignoring his actual ethnicity because they imagined the film would sell better to an American audience this way? That would be seriously weird."

Then later on I thought:

"Wait...could this be another film where a white hero saves a non-white kingdom from an enemy they cannot defeat on their own. Really? In this day and age? Surely not. No, there MUST be something deeper, more meaningful, here."

But no, it is literally just that.

It's also a shallow, fairly meaningless and illogical CGI action fest, whose biggest crime, I'd say, is featuring Willem Dafoe in what could possibly be his most wasted role (a massively talented actor given a minor role of no consequence in a film of no weight).

However, it is better than the last meaningless and illogical CGI action fest I watched, "Assassin's Creed", by 13 country miles (the length of The Great Wall).
Last edited by Stormbringer on Wed Mar 27, 2019 7:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Between tedium and fright
Such is the song of the nether world
The hissing of rats
And the jarring chants of angels

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Maturin
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Re: I Just Watched (Films)

Post by Maturin » Wed Mar 27, 2019 6:45 pm

Just looking at the trailer for that film, it looked ruddy awful. Nice paycheck for Damon though I guess.

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Re: I Just Watched (Films)

Post by Animalmother » Mon Apr 01, 2019 12:57 pm

Polar

This film has terrible reviews and seems to have been universally panned so I went in with very low expectations. Turns out I really enjoyed it. A hitman is set to retire in a week but another group of hitmen are out to get him. It's very much of the style of John Wick but nowhere near as good. The plot is pish but the action is great and pretty brutal in places. A very much switch your brain off and enjoy the bloody silliness.

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Re: I Just Watched (Films)

Post by Stormbringer » Mon Apr 15, 2019 1:18 pm

Viking Destiny

A strange, low-budget film about a Viking princess who claims the throne of a fictional Norse kingdom called Völsung. Despite some questionable acting, strangely choreographed fights and a fairly shallow plot, it has some spectacular visuals. I'm not going to recommend it to anyone, but it was fun to watch with the wife and laugh at all the absurdities.
Between tedium and fright
Such is the song of the nether world
The hissing of rats
And the jarring chants of angels

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Wrathbone
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Re: I Just Watched (Films)

Post by Wrathbone » Fri Apr 26, 2019 7:09 pm

Avengers: Endgame

All I want to say for now is HOLY FUCK, what a fantastic end to the first 11 years of the MCU. I couldn’t have wished for more.

The best MCU film, and those who are aware of how much I love the MCU know I wouldn’t say that lightly.

10/10

arqueturus
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Re: I Just Watched (Films)

Post by arqueturus » Sat Apr 27, 2019 11:56 am

Wrathbone wrote:
Fri Apr 26, 2019 7:09 pm
Avengers: Endgame

All I want to say for now is HOLY FUCK, what a fantastic end to the first 11 years of the MCU. I couldn’t have wished for more.

The best MCU film, and those who are aware of how much I love the MCU know I wouldn’t say that lightly.

10/10
Surely that makes you opinion highly unrelible? :lol:

To be fair if it's less of a borefest that Infinity War then I'll be happy.
Last edited by arqueturus on Sat Apr 27, 2019 5:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Wrathbone
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Re: I Just Watched (Films)

Post by Wrathbone » Sat Apr 27, 2019 12:20 pm

I don’t claim to be an impartial barometer - clearly I’m biased in favour of the MCU. What I mean is that considering how much I love the first Avengers film, the fact that Endgame tops it for me is substantial praise.

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Mantis
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Re: I Just Watched (Films)

Post by Mantis » Sun Apr 28, 2019 3:14 pm

I'm going to see it on Tuesday and am squarely in the "knows nothing about comics and is a bit sick of Marvel movies" camp, so that'll be a different perspective for those curious as to how good the last movie is.

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Re: I Just Watched (Films)

Post by Raid » Sun Apr 28, 2019 6:46 pm

Avengers: Infinity War
I decided I wanted to re-watch this before seeing Endgame. It's the second time I've seen it, and I don't think it lost anything on the second viewing.
I still think it's impressive how much and how many big names they managed to cram into this film without it feeling cramped or overproduced. Pretty much every major hero character from the franchise has a significant part to play, with each playing to their strengths and with their personalities intact. It's an incredible production that could so easily have been a mess.

Aaaaaand....

Avengers: Endgame - Before I start with the spoilers, I will say that I still have yet to see Captain Marvel and Ant Man and the Wasp. Without saying too much, there are elements from both which have a bearing on the plot of Endgame, and while I think the film makes sense without having seen them, I'm looking forward to watching both to get a little more context.

Major spoilers follow:
Spoiler
....I wish I hadn't watched Infinity War last night prior to seeing this, because honestly I thought the first part was stronger. It is by no means a bad film, it's not even a bad Marvel film, but I just don't think this was as well written. Much more so than the first, it feels like they've had to shoehorn in characters that weren't necessary and are only there because it's the big finale and they wanted everyone present.

The time travel plot was I suppose one of the few ways they could have corrected the situation that the first part left them with. Still, there's something unsatisfying about using time travel as a plot device but not revolving the plot around it, and I think this was a perfect example. They even lampshade the problem by telling us that all of the other big time travel films aren't how time travel works. Without that entertaining cause and effect loop that, say, the Back to the Future films wield so expertly, it's like they're simply rewriting their own screenplay rather than travelling into their own past.

It did feel a bit of a cop out for Thanos to have destroyed the Infinity Stones off-screen, but having the fully assembled Infinity Gauntlet available was always going to make a typical story structure near impossible without spending 90 minutes chasing Thanos across the universe. Still, with Thanos being established as a pretty good villain in the first film, I can't decide whether that would have been preferable.

The reason I referred to the first film having characters with their abilities and personalities intact above is because it felt like Endgame took a few too many liberties. There's just too much improvement that's just glossed over; Scarlet Witch can pretty much take on Thanos by herself now. I know he doesn't have the Infinity Gauntlet at that point, but the combined efforts of Stark, Rogers and Thor made less impact than just Maximoff by herself. Earth is now capable of scanning the universe for energy signatures when they've barely just discovered they're not alone in the universe. Stark can build an Infinity Gauntlet, when the last one had to be forged in the heat of a neutron star where the universe's other most powerful weapons are created. Steve Rogers can now fully wield Mjolnir, which while being the coolest thing in the entire film, is a pretty big step up from the slight nudge he manages in Age of Ultron. All in all it felt like they just went with what looked the coolest. Rule of Cool is a fairly big trope in Marvel films, but they dialled it up for this one.

All of which is not to say I didn'[t enjoy it, because I really did. It's a satisfying end to the first ten years of the MCU, but.... it just feels like it could have been better. The time travel element was a bit rushed, and with more screen time could have been something quite special.

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