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Movies You've Seen Recently |OT| July 2017
- Thread starter Divius
- Start date
Fancyarcher
Member
Lost City of Z - 7.5 / 10
Beasts of The Southern Wild - 8.5 / 10
Beasts of The Southern Wild - 8.5 / 10
GLOW. Or Halt and Catch Fire, or Easy. Wait shit these are TV shows I'm in the wrong thread.
Cripplegate
Member
Okja is better than most of the blockbusters you'd make a trip to the theatres to see this summer.
Scope out the in-flight entertainment. The last time I was on a 12 hour flight I watched The Big Short, Spotlight, and Taken 2, and this being while the first two were still playing in theatres. Helped me get caught up on Oscar nominees.
(For the record, I was mostly indifferent to The Big Short, really liked Spotlight, and Taken 2 was a movie called Taken 2.)
Scope out the in-flight entertainment. The last time I was on a 12 hour flight I watched The Big Short, Spotlight, and Taken 2, and this being while the first two were still playing in theatres. Helped me get caught up on Oscar nominees.
(For the record, I was mostly indifferent to The Big Short, really liked Spotlight, and Taken 2 was a movie called Taken 2.)
Baroquemantic
Member
Kubo and the Two Strings
What an amazingly beautiful movie. I really loved it. Definitely one of my favorite animated movies ever. The only thing I didn't like was the ending with the grandfather.
Anyway, the soundtrack is pretty fantastic, and that rendition of "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" was great. I also really love the art and the way in which this was animated. Very unique.
9.5/10
What an amazingly beautiful movie. I really loved it. Definitely one of my favorite animated movies ever. The only thing I didn't like was the ending with the grandfather.
It felt like he got off too easy or something.
9.5/10
The Red Balloon: Utterly charming tale of a boy who finds a balloon, only to discover that it may be a bit more magical than it initially seems. With the perfectly downtrodden setting to help contrast the splash of color our hero provides and a genuine innocence that makes you believe in the fantastical elements that the film delves into (complete with surprisingly effective and largely invisible special effects), it's hard not want to be in the boy's shoes for even a few minutes, just so you can have your own adventures with a lively balloon.
The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog: Hitchcock before he was Hitchcock! This does nicely as a kind of Rosetta stone for virtually everything he would become known for, including a genuinely surprising swerve in the finale that turns the film into something different yet familiar in the man's body of work, but not surprisingly, it's not quite up there with the best he's done. The biggest culprit is how the film divides its time with the suspense and the romance, with the latter taking up the lion's share, which can feel a bit underwhelming with the rapid speed that it blossoms in. Sure, Ivor Novello was a handsome son of a bitch, but it's a tad unbelievable all the same. Still, one can definitely see Hitchcock's talent beginning to bud, with plenty of stylish shots and a nice tendency to uproot your narrative expectations. He would become even better at all the elements that comprise the film, but it's a real treat to see just how much he was able to figure out so early on.
Spider-Man: Homecoming: Easily the most Spider-Man Spider-Man movie of them all, and that's less about putting the other films down and more about how well this film treats its central figure in both aspects of his life. It's also probably the most balanced film in the MCU as it regards fun and drama, as the lighter tone is maintained consistently, rather than trying to use jokes to defuse a serious situation that would have been better off just letting it be. Top marks for both Tom Holland and Michael Keaton, but the entire supporting cast is aces, and I really enjoyed all the twists they did to all the familiar faces in Peter's life. This is definitely a top-notch superhero film, and for me personally, the best since Winter Soldier.
The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog: Hitchcock before he was Hitchcock! This does nicely as a kind of Rosetta stone for virtually everything he would become known for, including a genuinely surprising swerve in the finale that turns the film into something different yet familiar in the man's body of work, but not surprisingly, it's not quite up there with the best he's done. The biggest culprit is how the film divides its time with the suspense and the romance, with the latter taking up the lion's share, which can feel a bit underwhelming with the rapid speed that it blossoms in. Sure, Ivor Novello was a handsome son of a bitch, but it's a tad unbelievable all the same. Still, one can definitely see Hitchcock's talent beginning to bud, with plenty of stylish shots and a nice tendency to uproot your narrative expectations. He would become even better at all the elements that comprise the film, but it's a real treat to see just how much he was able to figure out so early on.
Spider-Man: Homecoming: Easily the most Spider-Man Spider-Man movie of them all, and that's less about putting the other films down and more about how well this film treats its central figure in both aspects of his life. It's also probably the most balanced film in the MCU as it regards fun and drama, as the lighter tone is maintained consistently, rather than trying to use jokes to defuse a serious situation that would have been better off just letting it be. Top marks for both Tom Holland and Michael Keaton, but the entire supporting cast is aces, and I really enjoyed all the twists they did to all the familiar faces in Peter's life. This is definitely a top-notch superhero film, and for me personally, the best since Winter Soldier.
Fancy Clown
Member
Baby Driver: "The moment you catch feelings is the moment you catch a bullet." Well I caught a hell of a lot of feelings in this movie, but thankfully I lived to tell the tale. Modern day maestro of the editing room Edgar Wright delivers his sharpest directorial effort yet, this time focusing his encyclopedic film love squarely on the specific house of crime film that Michael Mann and Walther Hill built. This time though, rather than crafting a razor sharp pastiche of the genre ala the Cornetto films, Wright instead uses the genre as a vehicle for this miraculous blend of musical and action film. The characters are all archetypal, and at times perhaps a sketched a bit too thin, but they are imbued with enough charm, humor, and legitimate menace from their performers--and script--that they certainly give the movie enough heart for you to care about what's going on beyond just admiring the absolutely absurd level of technical craft that went into making this film.
What surprised me the most about Baby Driver is that it feels like a departure in Wright's catalogue in that he veers the movie into more serious drama than we've seen from him yet (although the inherent darkness in The World's End was a good hint for where he was headed), but it still feels thoroughly like a film only he could make. There's still plenty of fast cuts, clever transitions, visual gags, background details, expertly staged action, perfect sound cues, and a beautifully over the top climax, but it's all layered on to a movie that feels like it wants to be legitimate part of the genre its aping, rather than being about it. While it's perhaps a bit too much of a love letter to other great films to be the next touchstone in its lineage, it's certainly great enough and personal enough to be a major milestone in Edgar Wright's excellent career (right now I'm thinking maybe second only to Hot Fuzz) and the film to beat in 2017. And, much like his other films, I'm sure my fondness for Baby Driver will only grow with each rewatch.
Spider-Man: Homecoming: If capturing the specific essence of Spider-Man from the comics and translating it to the screen is the most important aspect of a Spider-Man movie to you, then Homecoming will likely please you to no end. If a good movie is what you're looking for, then... you can rest easy on that count as well, because thankfully this is good movie. It's not Spider-Man 2 good, but as someone who hasn't been particularly impressed with most of Marvel's cinematic output I was pretty happy with how this turned out. Rather than just being an acceptable product that packages the requisite super-hero moments in and just barely squeaks by the lowest level of character development, Spider-Man: Homecoming, I'm happy to say, has a really good handle on the pathos that makes Spider-Man --and more importantly Peter Parker-- work, and it uses this to tie all the characters and subplots around a meaningful theme about growing up, and what it means to take responsibility (without ever once repeating the well trodden "with great power" line). The strong central and supporting cast bring a lot of life to what could otherwise be fairly tired roles (special shoutout to Keaton for bringing some paternal menace to one of the more compelling Marvel villains).
There's definitely still some Marvel-ness that puts a damper on the film of course --most regrettably in its "who gives a shit" climax centered around heist involving more Avenger tie in stuff-- but it never brings it down enough to crap on the fun of this surprisingly focused effort from the studio.
What surprised me the most about Baby Driver is that it feels like a departure in Wright's catalogue in that he veers the movie into more serious drama than we've seen from him yet (although the inherent darkness in The World's End was a good hint for where he was headed), but it still feels thoroughly like a film only he could make. There's still plenty of fast cuts, clever transitions, visual gags, background details, expertly staged action, perfect sound cues, and a beautifully over the top climax, but it's all layered on to a movie that feels like it wants to be legitimate part of the genre its aping, rather than being about it. While it's perhaps a bit too much of a love letter to other great films to be the next touchstone in its lineage, it's certainly great enough and personal enough to be a major milestone in Edgar Wright's excellent career (right now I'm thinking maybe second only to Hot Fuzz) and the film to beat in 2017. And, much like his other films, I'm sure my fondness for Baby Driver will only grow with each rewatch.
Spider-Man: Homecoming: If capturing the specific essence of Spider-Man from the comics and translating it to the screen is the most important aspect of a Spider-Man movie to you, then Homecoming will likely please you to no end. If a good movie is what you're looking for, then... you can rest easy on that count as well, because thankfully this is good movie. It's not Spider-Man 2 good, but as someone who hasn't been particularly impressed with most of Marvel's cinematic output I was pretty happy with how this turned out. Rather than just being an acceptable product that packages the requisite super-hero moments in and just barely squeaks by the lowest level of character development, Spider-Man: Homecoming, I'm happy to say, has a really good handle on the pathos that makes Spider-Man --and more importantly Peter Parker-- work, and it uses this to tie all the characters and subplots around a meaningful theme about growing up, and what it means to take responsibility (without ever once repeating the well trodden "with great power" line). The strong central and supporting cast bring a lot of life to what could otherwise be fairly tired roles (special shoutout to Keaton for bringing some paternal menace to one of the more compelling Marvel villains).
There's definitely still some Marvel-ness that puts a damper on the film of course --most regrettably in its "who gives a shit" climax centered around heist involving more Avenger tie in stuff-- but it never brings it down enough to crap on the fun of this surprisingly focused effort from the studio.
AngmarsKing701
Member
Spiderman: Homecoming (2017) - a movie with a lot of heart and a ton of fun. There's a bit of a message here too, about how the younger generation should be heard rather than ignored, but whether that was an intentional theme or the method used to get Spidey into various hair-raising antics, it works. Perhaps one quibble is the notion that Spidey is but 15. I think I would have veered a bit older for him (say, 17), but ok.
Holland is a perfect pick. Full of vibrancy and energy as he makes the role his own, while differentiating himself from Maguire and Garfield with just a ton of youth and enthusiasm. It helps that the plot stays away from Uncle Ben, which is a web structured to keep the previous two Spiderman installments grounded in emotional conflict. Here, Holland is able to worry more about growing up as fast as he can and making a name for himself rather than having to do his stupid homework (something so many of our teenagers can relate to... I should know, I have two of them).
RDJ is suitably Iron Manly, Keaton makes for a decent villain with an understandable rationale backing up his criminal ways, and Zendaya is an understated but great choice. We also get a wonderful friendship with Jacob Batalon. Some really fantastic scenes once he learns the truth.
But let's not forget Marisa Tomei, whose May is great. But then, I absolutely larb Marisa Tomei. ;-)
4 / 5
Holland is a perfect pick. Full of vibrancy and energy as he makes the role his own, while differentiating himself from Maguire and Garfield with just a ton of youth and enthusiasm. It helps that the plot stays away from Uncle Ben, which is a web structured to keep the previous two Spiderman installments grounded in emotional conflict. Here, Holland is able to worry more about growing up as fast as he can and making a name for himself rather than having to do his stupid homework (something so many of our teenagers can relate to... I should know, I have two of them).
RDJ is suitably Iron Manly, Keaton makes for a decent villain with an understandable rationale backing up his criminal ways, and Zendaya is an understated but great choice. We also get a wonderful friendship with Jacob Batalon. Some really fantastic scenes once he learns the truth.
But let's not forget Marisa Tomei, whose May is great. But then, I absolutely larb Marisa Tomei. ;-)
4 / 5
TheOnlyOneHeEverFeared
Member
Mr Right has a real boring plot and not great action, but the charm and chemistry between Kendrick and Rockwell pulls it back from being a complete trainwreck.
AngmarsKing701
Member
The Zookeeper's Wife (2017) - based on a true story, this film recounts the story of Antonina and Jan Zabinski, who used their position at the Warsaw Zoo to hide more than 300 Jews from the Germans during WWII. Chastain is the titular character and gives a strong portrayal of a woman willing to do just about anything for her family and for the people she's keeping hidden.
There's some conflict (some of which was structured for the purpose of the film) between Antonina and Lutz Heck, portrayed by Daniel Bruhl.
There were parts of this movie that dragged a fair amount, but I could be biased by the fact I watched Spiderman this afternoon and was sort of amped up on what was essentially the movie version of a Monster Energy drink. So coming into a WWII drama akin (but not nearly as good as) Schindler's List was sort of swinging the pendulum from one end of the spectrum to the other.
Bottom line: if you like WWII histories like Schindler's List, then Zookeeper's Wife is a decent flick.
3.5 / 5
She also flashes a nipple or two.
There were parts of this movie that dragged a fair amount, but I could be biased by the fact I watched Spiderman this afternoon and was sort of amped up on what was essentially the movie version of a Monster Energy drink. So coming into a WWII drama akin (but not nearly as good as) Schindler's List was sort of swinging the pendulum from one end of the spectrum to the other.
Bottom line: if you like WWII histories like Schindler's List, then Zookeeper's Wife is a decent flick.
3.5 / 5
Feeling like the only person on earth disappointed by Spider-Man: Homecoming made me want to revisit the Raimi films, which I hadn't seen in nearly a decade. I'd also never seen the infamous 3 after being scared away by reviews word of mouth, so I thought it would be fun to work up to it and see what that was all about.
I like how Spider-Man gets straight to the point by opening on the day Peter gets bitten. Despite that it's striking how deliberate the storytelling feels compared to your average 2017 blockbuster (Homecoming included). It takes its time to let us get to know the characters a bit before any major dramatic incidents or action happen. Shots are held much longer than they are in today's blockbusters too. It's surprisingly classical, with a fair number of scenes built around sustained mid shots that track the actors through dolly work, something unthinkable in today's tentpole movies.
The set-up about Peter getting his powers, Ben's death, making his mark as Spider-Man, is great. Dunst is lovely and the romance is sweet. The big problem is that once the Green Goblin is introduced, the movie doesn't know what to do with him. Dafoe is funny and scary, but after he kills the leaders of Oscorp, what's his motivation? He wants to kill Spider-Man and cause random chaos, but why? "He's crazy" isn't dramatically interesting.
I like how brutal Goblin and Spidey's final battle gets and I admire the filmmakers for going with the downer ending.
JK Simmons, of course, kills it. I laughed through every one of his scenes.
The stylistic shift towards something more contemporary is immediately apparent in Spider-Man 2, with more close-ups and faster editing. I think the 2.35:1 frame (Spidey 1 is 1.85:1) pushes directors toward this kind of style - mid shots can easily look awkward in the wider frame, and often tight close-ups work best to minimise negative space.
The movie works from the get-go. I love how the opening sequence gives him a low-stakes goal and action sequence right away that's fun to watch while also establishing the major theme of the film, the conflict between Peter's greater calling and his ordinary responsibilities and desires.
Hiring Raimi, of the OTT dramatics and swooping, swivelling, spinning camera, was an inspired choice for Spider-Man, and he really cuts loose here in a way he didn't in the first movie. There are so many great sequences here - the horror movie take on Doc Ock's origin, his heist at a perfectly cartoony bank, and the bit the teaser spoiled (an awesome trailer that still gets you hyped btw) where he ambushes Peter and MJ at a cafe stand out. And of course, the train sequence, is an incredibly constructed progression from combat to heroics to pathos. In a way the first movie never did, the action here really fulfils the promise of what a Spider-Man movie could be - dynamic, cartoonish, omnidirectional, but still easy to follow, and it never outstays its welcome.
Dr. Octopus is a great design (the alternately threatening and cute tentacles are a nice touch), and a sympathetic villain with a great performance from Molina, but the film is smart to not let him overshadow the focus on Peter's struggles. I love that this movie is playful enough to throw in a montage to 'Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head' with a goofy freeze frame at the end of it.
Homecoming similarly depicted Peter having to make sacrifices to be a hero, but it never made me feel it. I think it's because that movie is in such a constant rush, with so much going on, that I never got to know Peter's hopes and dreams like I do here. It's all very surface level, and to me it felt like teen movie cliches, rather than something emotionally genuine. I can understand the desire to make it less heavy than SM2 - a good chunk of that movie is dedicated to Peter getting shat on by the universe - but I think there was room to imbue his struggles with more gravitas while still being a light comedy.
The romance with MJ really works - you can feel her frustration at Peter's back and forward nonsense. Her speech at the end about saving his life really ties the whole thing together.
It's an incredibly charming, fun, stirring movie. Spider-Man's New York feels expansive and lived in, with a memorable visual style.
I think this is the peak of superhero movies to date.
The CGI of Spidey swinging away in the closing sequence is really bad. I don't know how that got in there - they must have been pretty pressed for time.
Spider-Man 3 seems like a film made out of obligation. It's clear they didn't have much of a story to tell. Characters act so as to move the plot along, rather than out of their circumstances. Peter becoming smug with his newfound success I can buy, but recreating his kiss with MJ with a classmate is a step too far - way out of character for such a value driven man as we've gotten to know. Harry coming to murder Peter on the goblin glider similarly seems extreme. Norman's last words were "don't tell Harry", and Peter kept the secret at a cost to himself. Now that we've reached the moment Norman had hoped to avoid, it carries no weight whatsoever. There's no indication that Harry falters in his devotion to his dad in light of the massive revelation that he was a psychopathic murderer, and he doesn't reconsider what he believes to be Spider-Man's acts in light of the threat he posed to New York. Then after showing himself to be a petty and unreasonable ass, he goes back on all of this and decides to help Spider-Man simply based on his butler conveniently confirming that Peter wasn't responsible for his father's death (seriously, where did this guy come form and why did he wait until this moment to convey this information?). There's no way the guy we've seen in this movie was forgiving Spider-Man that quickly, especially after the disfiguring of his face.
The Sandman is whatever. The stuff about his daughter is barely in this movie so it's impossible to give a shit. The idea of the narrative culminating with Peter, MJ and Harry all showing forgiveness is nice, but it's a jarring transition to go from Sandman pummelling Peter after agreeing with Eddie that he wants him dead, to suddenly being reasonable and calmly explaining himself to Peter. Why didn't he try that earlier?
Why is Venom in this movie? Eddie Brock is a boring vengeful psychopath who is gone as quickly as he turns up.
Rami seems seriously unengaged. Aunt May and MJ's relationship with Peter was pretty sensitively and movingly handled before, but here it's all rehashed, going through the motions filler. The direction is notably less creative than in Spider-Man 2, with way less memorable images. When Peter gets the symbiote suit, it's unclear how it improves things for Peter. In the scene where he decides to stick with the suit, Peter says it feels good and he likes it, but this is illustrated by him doing typical Spider-Man stuff, with no indication that the suit makes him dramatically stronger or better.
The choice for Peter isn't really much of a choice at all - since it's unclear if or even how the suit improves him and it's clearly fucking up his personal life, duh, of course he should get rid of it. It could be a source of internal conflict, but all we know is that it feels 'good'. How good? Like, heroin good? As an aside, the symbiote bonds to one of his suits, as opposed to actually merging with Brock's body, so why do they show it covering his face when he's sleeping?
While I loved the action in 2 and felt like it was well staged and choreographed, issue could be raised with how the bodies being flung around and the restless CG camera create a feeling of weightlessness. Here the weightlessness takes over completely. The use of the CG camera is now completely unrestrained, to the detriment of cohesion or excitement. It spins all over the place, from way too tight an angle - beyond being exhausting to watch, it sucks away the threat or the grandeur of the spectacle.
I knew about the ridiculousness of Symbiote Peter from the memes, but what I didn't expect is that it's the only time the movie really comes alive. Why he gets an emo haircut whenever he decides to give in to his dark side, I have no idea, but it's a funny example of the kind of goofy absurdity the movie is revelling in. I really wish the movie had embraced this and we'd gotten a full on comedy. Emo Parker and Harry's exchanges are hilariously bitchy (the cake scene is classic camp), and the dance stuff had me laughing out loud.
I think this movie has seriously damaged people's memories of the Raimi films. I've heard them talked about as though they get bogged down in tedious soap opera, but SM1 and 2 have the best take on romance I can recall in a summer blockbuster and it's a high point of those films. It's only in this movie that it becomes dull and repetitive. People mock Maguire's performance, but I thought in one and 2 he gives a really nice take on the aww-shucks innocence of the character that's in keeping with the cheesy universe Raimi establishes. 3 brings the histrionics and whininess that he seems to be associated with now.
I think it's a shame Raimi never got to have another go-around to redeem the series with 4, but if they weren't going to give him more control again it was better to step away then, I guess. I feel bad for Dylan Baker, who was great in his little bit as Connors and was teased for two movies only for that to never go anywhere.
On a non-Spider-man note, I caught a screening of the 4K restored The Fifth Element, which I also hadn't seen in a long time. I wish more popcorn junk today would show this kind of imagination, or take these kind of risks. It's a nice take on Star Wars and associated sci-fi pulp that already feels unhinged before Chris Tucker shows up for his 'everything at 11' part. It would be a better movie if the relationship that the whole thing ends up hinging on had actually been developed in any meaningful way, but it is what it is - a 12 year old boy's fantasy brought to insane life.
I like how Spider-Man gets straight to the point by opening on the day Peter gets bitten. Despite that it's striking how deliberate the storytelling feels compared to your average 2017 blockbuster (Homecoming included). It takes its time to let us get to know the characters a bit before any major dramatic incidents or action happen. Shots are held much longer than they are in today's blockbusters too. It's surprisingly classical, with a fair number of scenes built around sustained mid shots that track the actors through dolly work, something unthinkable in today's tentpole movies.
The set-up about Peter getting his powers, Ben's death, making his mark as Spider-Man, is great. Dunst is lovely and the romance is sweet. The big problem is that once the Green Goblin is introduced, the movie doesn't know what to do with him. Dafoe is funny and scary, but after he kills the leaders of Oscorp, what's his motivation? He wants to kill Spider-Man and cause random chaos, but why? "He's crazy" isn't dramatically interesting.
I like how brutal Goblin and Spidey's final battle gets and I admire the filmmakers for going with the downer ending.
JK Simmons, of course, kills it. I laughed through every one of his scenes.
The stylistic shift towards something more contemporary is immediately apparent in Spider-Man 2, with more close-ups and faster editing. I think the 2.35:1 frame (Spidey 1 is 1.85:1) pushes directors toward this kind of style - mid shots can easily look awkward in the wider frame, and often tight close-ups work best to minimise negative space.
The movie works from the get-go. I love how the opening sequence gives him a low-stakes goal and action sequence right away that's fun to watch while also establishing the major theme of the film, the conflict between Peter's greater calling and his ordinary responsibilities and desires.
Hiring Raimi, of the OTT dramatics and swooping, swivelling, spinning camera, was an inspired choice for Spider-Man, and he really cuts loose here in a way he didn't in the first movie. There are so many great sequences here - the horror movie take on Doc Ock's origin, his heist at a perfectly cartoony bank, and the bit the teaser spoiled (an awesome trailer that still gets you hyped btw) where he ambushes Peter and MJ at a cafe stand out. And of course, the train sequence, is an incredibly constructed progression from combat to heroics to pathos. In a way the first movie never did, the action here really fulfils the promise of what a Spider-Man movie could be - dynamic, cartoonish, omnidirectional, but still easy to follow, and it never outstays its welcome.
Dr. Octopus is a great design (the alternately threatening and cute tentacles are a nice touch), and a sympathetic villain with a great performance from Molina, but the film is smart to not let him overshadow the focus on Peter's struggles. I love that this movie is playful enough to throw in a montage to 'Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head' with a goofy freeze frame at the end of it.
Homecoming similarly depicted Peter having to make sacrifices to be a hero, but it never made me feel it. I think it's because that movie is in such a constant rush, with so much going on, that I never got to know Peter's hopes and dreams like I do here. It's all very surface level, and to me it felt like teen movie cliches, rather than something emotionally genuine. I can understand the desire to make it less heavy than SM2 - a good chunk of that movie is dedicated to Peter getting shat on by the universe - but I think there was room to imbue his struggles with more gravitas while still being a light comedy.
The romance with MJ really works - you can feel her frustration at Peter's back and forward nonsense. Her speech at the end about saving his life really ties the whole thing together.
It's an incredibly charming, fun, stirring movie. Spider-Man's New York feels expansive and lived in, with a memorable visual style.
I think this is the peak of superhero movies to date.
The CGI of Spidey swinging away in the closing sequence is really bad. I don't know how that got in there - they must have been pretty pressed for time.
Spider-Man 3 seems like a film made out of obligation. It's clear they didn't have much of a story to tell. Characters act so as to move the plot along, rather than out of their circumstances. Peter becoming smug with his newfound success I can buy, but recreating his kiss with MJ with a classmate is a step too far - way out of character for such a value driven man as we've gotten to know. Harry coming to murder Peter on the goblin glider similarly seems extreme. Norman's last words were "don't tell Harry", and Peter kept the secret at a cost to himself. Now that we've reached the moment Norman had hoped to avoid, it carries no weight whatsoever. There's no indication that Harry falters in his devotion to his dad in light of the massive revelation that he was a psychopathic murderer, and he doesn't reconsider what he believes to be Spider-Man's acts in light of the threat he posed to New York. Then after showing himself to be a petty and unreasonable ass, he goes back on all of this and decides to help Spider-Man simply based on his butler conveniently confirming that Peter wasn't responsible for his father's death (seriously, where did this guy come form and why did he wait until this moment to convey this information?). There's no way the guy we've seen in this movie was forgiving Spider-Man that quickly, especially after the disfiguring of his face.
The Sandman is whatever. The stuff about his daughter is barely in this movie so it's impossible to give a shit. The idea of the narrative culminating with Peter, MJ and Harry all showing forgiveness is nice, but it's a jarring transition to go from Sandman pummelling Peter after agreeing with Eddie that he wants him dead, to suddenly being reasonable and calmly explaining himself to Peter. Why didn't he try that earlier?
Why is Venom in this movie? Eddie Brock is a boring vengeful psychopath who is gone as quickly as he turns up.
Rami seems seriously unengaged. Aunt May and MJ's relationship with Peter was pretty sensitively and movingly handled before, but here it's all rehashed, going through the motions filler. The direction is notably less creative than in Spider-Man 2, with way less memorable images. When Peter gets the symbiote suit, it's unclear how it improves things for Peter. In the scene where he decides to stick with the suit, Peter says it feels good and he likes it, but this is illustrated by him doing typical Spider-Man stuff, with no indication that the suit makes him dramatically stronger or better.
The choice for Peter isn't really much of a choice at all - since it's unclear if or even how the suit improves him and it's clearly fucking up his personal life, duh, of course he should get rid of it. It could be a source of internal conflict, but all we know is that it feels 'good'. How good? Like, heroin good? As an aside, the symbiote bonds to one of his suits, as opposed to actually merging with Brock's body, so why do they show it covering his face when he's sleeping?
While I loved the action in 2 and felt like it was well staged and choreographed, issue could be raised with how the bodies being flung around and the restless CG camera create a feeling of weightlessness. Here the weightlessness takes over completely. The use of the CG camera is now completely unrestrained, to the detriment of cohesion or excitement. It spins all over the place, from way too tight an angle - beyond being exhausting to watch, it sucks away the threat or the grandeur of the spectacle.
I knew about the ridiculousness of Symbiote Peter from the memes, but what I didn't expect is that it's the only time the movie really comes alive. Why he gets an emo haircut whenever he decides to give in to his dark side, I have no idea, but it's a funny example of the kind of goofy absurdity the movie is revelling in. I really wish the movie had embraced this and we'd gotten a full on comedy. Emo Parker and Harry's exchanges are hilariously bitchy (the cake scene is classic camp), and the dance stuff had me laughing out loud.
I think this movie has seriously damaged people's memories of the Raimi films. I've heard them talked about as though they get bogged down in tedious soap opera, but SM1 and 2 have the best take on romance I can recall in a summer blockbuster and it's a high point of those films. It's only in this movie that it becomes dull and repetitive. People mock Maguire's performance, but I thought in one and 2 he gives a really nice take on the aww-shucks innocence of the character that's in keeping with the cheesy universe Raimi establishes. 3 brings the histrionics and whininess that he seems to be associated with now.
I think it's a shame Raimi never got to have another go-around to redeem the series with 4, but if they weren't going to give him more control again it was better to step away then, I guess. I feel bad for Dylan Baker, who was great in his little bit as Connors and was teased for two movies only for that to never go anywhere.
On a non-Spider-man note, I caught a screening of the 4K restored The Fifth Element, which I also hadn't seen in a long time. I wish more popcorn junk today would show this kind of imagination, or take these kind of risks. It's a nice take on Star Wars and associated sci-fi pulp that already feels unhinged before Chris Tucker shows up for his 'everything at 11' part. It would be a better movie if the relationship that the whole thing ends up hinging on had actually been developed in any meaningful way, but it is what it is - a 12 year old boy's fantasy brought to insane life.
The Alchemist Cookbook: What in the hell is this? It's definitely never boring with all of the absolutely insane things that happen in it, but man alive, this is some crazy stuff. If anything, there's definitely a nicely rendered vibe of what it must be like to be delusional and all on your own with no one to snap you out of your trance, which the non-existent budget allows for, but without the need to really get particularly graphic with anything (unless, of course, seeing someone eat cat food gets your stomach churning), it leaves enough to imagination to give you a case of the creeps with some rather surprisingly effective sound design to keep you on edge. It's also pretty funny with its homespun design, though anyone with a particular aversion to humorous dialogue that begins and ends with "sprinkling profanity in it for emphasis" is likely going to be driven up the walls, as incidental as such conversations turn out to be. It's a strangely engaging film, even if I do not possess the faculties to tell you about what it could all possibly mean.
Shambalakan
Member
Lego Batman
10/10
Wow! That was fantastic! From beginning and first seconds to ending, enjoyed every second of it. Characters, voice acting, easter eggs and references and
I loved Lego Movie, but this was even better than that!
10/10
Wow! That was fantastic! From beginning and first seconds to ending, enjoyed every second of it. Characters, voice acting, easter eggs and references and
those scenes from Batman movies and tv series! lol
Watched Jeremy Saulnier's Blue Ruin yesterday. After seeing it, I read it was realized through a kickstarter campaign. Really happy for Saulnier and co. that they were able to make this movie and gain a platform. Just an allround solid movie. And - dat transformation when Macon Blair shaves :O. Refreshing take on the renegade/vigilante genre that circumvents a lot of the tropes of the genre.
Watch Revanche, for some of that, if you haven't.
Discotheque
Banned
definitely agreed with Krev that Spider-Man Homecoming falls short of the first two Raimi movies. It doesn't have the heart or charm of those ones, there's a greater emotional center in those movies where the struggles of being a superhero, and the romance and joy involved is so much stronger. Whereas in the latest Spidey flick it doesn't seem concerned in ever stopping and giving us that outside of some brief moments of him abandoning what he wants for what he's gotta do (but they are ineffective scenes imo, I love these characters but I don't really care much about them with what we're given here)
BUT, I still thought Homecoming was a pretty entertaining superhero movie. Tom Holland is dope casting, the new york opening scenes were fun in particular. And they have a great cast going here for the teachers. I hope we see more of Hannibal and Martin Starr in the sequels for example since it seems apparent the whole trilogy will keep him in high school. And grounding (dat pun) the Vulture as a more blue collar figure was great, Keaton displays a solid amount of menace to make the character what is prolly the best mcu villain, or at least up there in the discussion.
Crazy Heart
Jeff Bridges won a long overdue best actor oscar for this movie, which is great since he delivers such a likable and world-weary performance to what could otherwise have ended up a generic 'old man long past his prime' drama.
You've seen this movie numerous times before. Alcoholic main character full of regrets, develops nice relationship with a woman, fucks it up, learns his lesson and gets a second-wind at life and his career. Cue the beautiful end credits song about living a life full of sorrow and picking yourself up.
I definitely recommend it though if you're a fan of Bridges (which everyone should be, if you aint then fuck you) and folksy music and outlaw country (cash, jennings etc.). Also you get a nice little appearance from Robert Duvall later in the film.
btw Jeff Bridges has a good voice for this type of music. He belongs in this world in all the musical performances. But what surprised me was da gawd Colin Farrell. Breh plays a minor part (but a major presence in the plot as Bridge's popular protege) but when he steps out with his Keith Urban hair and cowboy accent and starts singing you'd swear the dude is ready for a record contract right now.
Decent flick, the soundtrack and lead performance makes it worthwhile for sure. End credits song in particular (performed by Farrell in the movie and then a few minutes later by some artist) was good.
director of this got a new movie out this year, Loveless, that is getting really strong reception right now.
BUT, I still thought Homecoming was a pretty entertaining superhero movie. Tom Holland is dope casting, the new york opening scenes were fun in particular. And they have a great cast going here for the teachers. I hope we see more of Hannibal and Martin Starr in the sequels for example since it seems apparent the whole trilogy will keep him in high school. And grounding (dat pun) the Vulture as a more blue collar figure was great, Keaton displays a solid amount of menace to make the character what is prolly the best mcu villain, or at least up there in the discussion.
Crazy Heart
Jeff Bridges won a long overdue best actor oscar for this movie, which is great since he delivers such a likable and world-weary performance to what could otherwise have ended up a generic 'old man long past his prime' drama.
You've seen this movie numerous times before. Alcoholic main character full of regrets, develops nice relationship with a woman, fucks it up, learns his lesson and gets a second-wind at life and his career. Cue the beautiful end credits song about living a life full of sorrow and picking yourself up.
I definitely recommend it though if you're a fan of Bridges (which everyone should be, if you aint then fuck you) and folksy music and outlaw country (cash, jennings etc.). Also you get a nice little appearance from Robert Duvall later in the film.
btw Jeff Bridges has a good voice for this type of music. He belongs in this world in all the musical performances. But what surprised me was da gawd Colin Farrell. Breh plays a minor part (but a major presence in the plot as Bridge's popular protege) but when he steps out with his Keith Urban hair and cowboy accent and starts singing you'd swear the dude is ready for a record contract right now.
Decent flick, the soundtrack and lead performance makes it worthwhile for sure. End credits song in particular (performed by Farrell in the movie and then a few minutes later by some artist) was good.
director of this got a new movie out this year, Loveless, that is getting really strong reception right now.
IbukiLordSA
Member
Spiderman Homecoming - I didn't enjoy this at all, it had a few good scenes but it felt mostly dragged out, boring and childish. It's cool if that's what they wanted to go for but it wasn't for me. Wife enjoyed it at least.
Thanks for the recommendation! I've got Kraftidioten (In Order of Disapperance) up next for something lighter, but I'll lookunto Revanche next.
Kraftidioten sounds like a Danish movie?
It's funny. I'm Danish but rarely watch Scandinavian movies.
Norwegian. I just spend a week canoeing in Sweden/Norway and am in the mood of hearing some more of the language
By the way from my point of view, you Scandinavians are kings of weird, dark comedy. There's a whole treasure trove of fabulous movies out there. To name a few:
Elling
Man & Chicken
Together
Klovn - this one is just... off the charts.
Green Butchers
Force Majeure
And then there's of course the wonderful stuff Aki Kaurismäki puts out such as The Man Without a Past and The Other Side of Hope.
In Order of Disappearance is a lot of fun. Very Coen-esque with its humor and it's a nice showcase for Stellan Skarsgard.
Hmm, well there's the Pusher movies from Refn before he went to Hollywood but might not exactly be what you're looking for. Then there's Headhunters, which is a very solid movie and with Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Jaime in Game of Throes) in a very slick role. I enjoyed Slim Susie though mostly because of the period it depicted. And it features Tuva Novotny who I was kinda crushing on in high school after seeing Jalla Jalla
Other then that, I guess when it comes to thrillers there's mostly a lot of solid Scandinavian television productions.It Comes at Night
Difficult to talk about with the name, the way it's advertised and what you actually get from the film. I don't know what is spoiler territory.
I loved the way the film was shot, I can't think of many other films that used such pitch darkness so much and so well. The lighting, direction, everyone's acting, on point and riveting. The story itself I just didn't care about.
Difficult to talk about with the name, the way it's advertised and what you actually get from the film. I don't know what is spoiler territory.
I loved the way the film was shot, I can't think of many other films that used such pitch darkness so much and so well. The lighting, direction, everyone's acting, on point and riveting. The story itself I just didn't care about.
I had no idea it was a "family hole up during the apocalypse" type film, and when that's what it was, I was so disappointed. The dynamics and drama between the families involved is done really well, I just feel like I've had overkill with this sort of film recently in TV shows, games, movies, books.. I would be interested to talk to anyone else about it. Especially the dead dog/door open part. What the hell happened there? I've read interpretations that the son slept walk into the garden and slept shot the dog, then went back in and woke up. But if this is the case, I feel like little to nothing was done to set it up. It was also suggested that sleepwalking is a sign of the sickness.. (?!)
Oh and LASTLY, what is 'it' that comes at night? Paranoia and suspicion? Sleep walking? Nightmares? Bad things? Bleh. It just feels like one big misdirection, and not one with much purpose or meaning. (to me)
Oh and LASTLY, what is 'it' that comes at night? Paranoia and suspicion? Sleep walking? Nightmares? Bad things? Bleh. It just feels like one big misdirection, and not one with much purpose or meaning. (to me)
insomnia is a classic. man on the roof is a great swedish police thriller as well, was discussed a lot during cosmic days of this thread.
I haven't looked too much into it, but my first impression is that
there is some sort if "it" out there. The dog ran into the woods and wasn't heard from again until it was in the house, and there was no evidence given that anyone had left the house, and nobody had any blood on them, which they absolutely would have if they'd caused what happened to the dog.
Really like, 90% of the whole situation is left unexplained, so I don't think there's much way to figure out what is out there or what caused the violence. I think that's intentional too, as it's not necessary to the the story. I really don't have any answer for what the title's it is referring to though. Maybe it's saying something like "the darker, violent part of a person comes out when things get bad" or something. Who knows.
Really like, 90% of the whole situation is left unexplained, so I don't think there's much way to figure out what is out there or what caused the violence. I think that's intentional too, as it's not necessary to the the story. I really don't have any answer for what the title's it is referring to though. Maybe it's saying something like "the darker, violent part of a person comes out when things get bad" or something. Who knows.
Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart at the River Styx
Part two in this series really ramps up the action; the variety of gimmicky characters and unique weapons feel more ripped from a Shaw Bros. kung fu flick than what you'd normally expect from a samurai movie, and it leads to some dope looking fights and striking imagery. I especially like the climax in the desert, and the look of the sand drenched in blood.
7/10
Spider-Man: Homecoming
What a fucking blast. Tom Holland is pitch perfect as Peter Parker, Michael Keaton is a compelling villain (and is actually given a fairly interesting, well-written character to play relative to how most MCU villains fare), the supporting cast, while a little underutilized, strike all the rights (more Zendaya in the sequel please). Really just a ton of fun, and it's a testament to Watts and the cast he's assembled here that, despite being the sixth Spider-Man movie in 15 years, it still manages to feel like a breath of fresh air. Loved it.
9/10
The LEGO Batman Movie
I think these just aren't for me. The humor in both this and the first LEGO movie is just so...annoying. The references to past Batman movies here is cute and the core story -- of Batman's self-imposed loneliness and self-sabotaging of relationships as a way of coping with his parents' deaths -- is an interesting and surprisingly deep angle, but it's buried under a lot of noise.
5/10
Part two in this series really ramps up the action; the variety of gimmicky characters and unique weapons feel more ripped from a Shaw Bros. kung fu flick than what you'd normally expect from a samurai movie, and it leads to some dope looking fights and striking imagery. I especially like the climax in the desert, and the look of the sand drenched in blood.
7/10
Spider-Man: Homecoming
What a fucking blast. Tom Holland is pitch perfect as Peter Parker, Michael Keaton is a compelling villain (and is actually given a fairly interesting, well-written character to play relative to how most MCU villains fare), the supporting cast, while a little underutilized, strike all the rights (more Zendaya in the sequel please). Really just a ton of fun, and it's a testament to Watts and the cast he's assembled here that, despite being the sixth Spider-Man movie in 15 years, it still manages to feel like a breath of fresh air. Loved it.
9/10
The LEGO Batman Movie
I think these just aren't for me. The humor in both this and the first LEGO movie is just so...annoying. The references to past Batman movies here is cute and the core story -- of Batman's self-imposed loneliness and self-sabotaging of relationships as a way of coping with his parents' deaths -- is an interesting and surprisingly deep angle, but it's buried under a lot of noise.
5/10
MidnightCowboy
Member
Spider-Man: Homecoming is pretty damn fun. Good humor, action, pathos, really everything you want from Spider-Man. It has issues, and doesn't reach the heights of Logan for 2017 superhero movies, but I would definitely recommend it. Keaton has to be the best MCU villain, he's legitimately frightening in one particular scene. Cool credit sequence too.
Zendaya was a miss for me though. Her jokes were forced every time, I wasn't digging the vibe of her character.
Zendaya was a miss for me though. Her jokes were forced every time, I wasn't digging the vibe of her character.
Hmm, well there's the Pusher movies from Refn before he went to Hollywood but might not exactly be what you're looking for. Then there's Headhunters, which is a very solid movie and with Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Jaime in Game of Throes) in a very slick role. I enjoyed Slim Susie though mostly because of the period it depicted. And it features Tuva Novotny who I was kinda crushing on in high school after seeing Jalla Jalla
Yeah Punisher isn't much of my thing. I think I saw the first one when I was in high school many years ago. I'll check out the Swedish version of Insomnia if I haven't already seen it, can't remember. I will also look for Man on the Roof and In Order of Disappearance thanks.
He rest I'll have to look up on IMDB.
Cripplegate
Member
It Comes at Night (7.5/10) - Impressive genre filmmaking, but sort of an average genre story. The atmospherics are rich (superb cinematography, nice use of widescreen ratio), the pacing is confidently patient (both in its plotting and world building), and there are some intense sequences throughout. I liked the way the film handled the kid's dreams. I didn't care as much for the tension between the two families, and everything that happens in the third act, which felt more rote in its plotting and story beats, and there were some poor directorial choices on top of that (the staging of
). I admire how resolutely bleak it is, but I enjoyed the experience more as a moment to moment thing, and didn't find much of a lasting impact (i.e. the film is less than the sum of its parts). But I really, really enjoyed it for a while there. Really nice soundtrack, too.
About the discussion just a few posts above me:
1. Not sure what these ending theories are about, when there's a clear cause and effect established in the plot:
. I thought this part of the story was pretty straightforward.
2. The title is metaphorical, of course ("fear turns men into monsters" or whatever the trailer says could be the film's thesis statement), but also hilariously literal in a way people seem to miss. "It" comes at night during both of the act breaks
. The painting that the camera focuses a lot on in the beginning is also a big clue:
the final struggle, fighting for the gun, the sucker punch in the forest, etc. was cheap and predictable
About the discussion just a few posts above me:
1. Not sure what these ending theories are about, when there's a clear cause and effect established in the plot:
The (sleepwalking) kid opened the door. The dog was there. The kid got sick
2. The title is metaphorical, of course ("fear turns men into monsters" or whatever the trailer says could be the film's thesis statement), but also hilariously literal in a way people seem to miss. "It" comes at night during both of the act breaks
(first the family, and then the dog)
The Triumph of Death, the title of which could also be the film's thesis statement.
Just saw this is on Amazon Prime now, definitley gonna check it out soon.
Net_Wrecker
Member
Spider-Man: Homecoming is fun, but basically a cartoon. I like how much Spidey action we get here, and a lot of it is interesting and well choreographed, but the movie is edited in a way that it just flies through everything, leaving characters feeling like they're battling for space on a 22 minute episode of a new Spider-Man Disney XD series. The worst in this regard are Liz and Michelle who are little more than a plot device and a one liner factory, respectively, and flow into and out of Peter's life with the most basic characterization you could imagine. I'm just not invested in the story emotionally. For all the talk about "friendly neighborhood Spider-Man", most of that is a 1st act facade, while it's actually the goofy 80s teen adventure "bumbling hero" set-piece sequences that carry the weight. Tony Stark's tech does the movie no favors here as well, with AI voices, scanning systems, vision modes, and all manner of suit abilities that remove any DIY grounding that makes Spider-Man so interesting as a New York City hero.
Michael Keaton is a good villain though, particularly after the one scene (anyone who's seen this knows which one I mean). He brings some genuine presence to the movie, and though he isn't a particularly iconic nemesis, anytime he's face to face with our hero the movie is at its best.
So ehh, idk. It's fun and doesn't end on a huge CG explosion battle, so I liked it, but it's not something I see myself coming back to like I did with Spider-Man 2. It's a very safe movie made explicitly for this moment in 2017, complete with a totally random "FIGHT THE POWER" one off commentary, with a rhythm that makes total sense for where the MCU is right now, with comedic references that are perfect for the ironic 80s revival climate, but I don't think it'll have much staying power.
Michael Keaton is a good villain though, particularly after the one scene (anyone who's seen this knows which one I mean). He brings some genuine presence to the movie, and though he isn't a particularly iconic nemesis, anytime he's face to face with our hero the movie is at its best.
So ehh, idk. It's fun and doesn't end on a huge CG explosion battle, so I liked it, but it's not something I see myself coming back to like I did with Spider-Man 2. It's a very safe movie made explicitly for this moment in 2017, complete with a totally random "FIGHT THE POWER" one off commentary, with a rhythm that makes total sense for where the MCU is right now, with comedic references that are perfect for the ironic 80s revival climate, but I don't think it'll have much staying power.
MidnightCowboy
Member
Spider-Man 2 still the GOAT
3 is more interesting than the majority of the MCU
I don't disagree with both of your points. Spider-Man 3 has grown on me in recent years, and Spider-Man 2 is, indeed, the GOAT.
Two Lovers and a Bear.
I knew nothing about this except it had Tatiana Maslany in it and i like her.
Fuck why did i watch that, now i feel like complete and total shit. Very indie film, well made, well acted, but come on guys, fuck.
Spoilers for people that dont care
I knew nothing about this except it had Tatiana Maslany in it and i like her.
Fuck why did i watch that, now i feel like complete and total shit. Very indie film, well made, well acted, but come on guys, fuck.
Spoilers for people that dont care
they both have fairly shit lives with bad problems, and in the end, they fucking die, get caught in a blizzard and turn into frozen rock, while rescuers chainsaw them out of the ground and they play a nice song for a wonderful montage. Man fuck this movie.
Discotheque
Banned
so on point....how have you not seen Baby Driver yet though?!!
AngmarsKing701
Member
Not exactly a hot take, but a great take for sure.
It is kind of strangely romantic, though. They got to die together in each other's arms and they're almost literally immortalized for it.
Weird-as-hell from top to bottom, though. It goes through all of the romance sub-genres in the span of a single movie, all while being set in some kind of weird post-apocalyptic environment. You can say a lot of things about the movie, but it is certainly never boring.
Net_Wrecker
Member
I'll get back to you in a few days.
As you can see, my priorities are also ON POINT.
Easy Rider (1969): Watching Easy Rider now reminds me of my experience of reading Jack Kerouac's On the Road: it feels more like a lifestyle than a movie. Great soundtrack, though.
Commando (1985): The perfect way to let off some steam. A prime slice of 1980s cheese, complete with some of Arnold's most memorable one-liners, though lacking the stylish action of his best films.
Commando (1985): The perfect way to let off some steam. A prime slice of 1980s cheese, complete with some of Arnold's most memorable one-liners, though lacking the stylish action of his best films.
I didnt dislike it, actually thought it was mostly good, but am pissed cause of how i came out of it. Now im scrounging my video library for a movie to make me feel better lol.
Fast Forward
Member
Homecoming is a LOT of fun. Will probably see it again in theaters, and cannot wait for it's home video release.
Super looking forward to War for POTA.
As a result, added both original POTA collection, and original Spidey Trilogy on Vudu recently. Watching through bit/pieces of both over the weekend.
Super looking forward to War for POTA.
As a result, added both original POTA collection, and original Spidey Trilogy on Vudu recently. Watching through bit/pieces of both over the weekend.
Messofanego
Banned
Norwegian. I just spend a week canoeing in Sweden/Norway and am in the mood of hearing some more of the language
By the way from my point of view, you Scandinavians are kings of weird, dark comedy. There's a whole treasure trove of fabulous movies out there. To name a few:
Elling
Man & Chicken
Together
Klovn - this one is just... off the charts.
Green Butchers
Force Majeure
And then there's of course the wonderful stuff Aki Kaurismäki puts out such as The Man Without a Past and The Other Side of Hope.
There's also Roy Andersson from Sweden.
You, The Living
A Pigeon Sat On A Branch Reflecting On Existence
2 is still the bar but Raimi's first, while it'll always have a place in my heart, has not aged very well. Peter in particular just seems off; there are some scenes where Raimi and Maguire's idea of a socially marginalized nerd plays more like someone with brain damage. They're way more confident with how they handle and humanize Peter in SM2 (though it's still a little off...he gets bullied in college, come on!) but in that first movie he so often comes off like a caricature.
That's one thing I was especially happy with in Homecoming -- Watts and Holland get that Peter's social alienation is totally self-imposed. It's not that everyone in school hates Peter or rags on him constantly because he's an easy target, it's that HE always bails on THEM to do Spider-Man things. The problem for his social life isn't bullies or shitty friends, the problem is his hero obligations. It's a core part of the guy that Lee and Ditko created that I feel is only just now really being realized on screen.
Cripplegate
Member
Yes to this.
And don't forget Songs from the Second Floor. The first and maybe still the best of the trilogy.
Yeah, that's always been the thing that's really bothered me about the Raimi films: Peter never once feels like the genius he's supposed to be and they go out of their way to make him feel like an unwanted element with the misery porn that they go overboard with in each of the films. I know Raimi loves his punching bag protagonists, but damn, the sand is pouring out of a big gash in that bag.
Ghost_Messiah
Member
Tour De Pharmacy: Expected to love this due to the glowing reviews but it's far too short at just 41 minutes and it's more attempts to be funny as opposed to actually being funny. It was somewhat enjoyable but it felt like a first draft prototype for something better. 2/5
Thinking of seeing Gifted next - anyone seen it? Mostly looking forward to War of the Planet of the Apes this Friday.
Very tempted to see Baby Driver and Spiderman: Homecoming too but I can only do so many cinema trips.
Thinking of seeing Gifted next - anyone seen it? Mostly looking forward to War of the Planet of the Apes this Friday.
Very tempted to see Baby Driver and Spiderman: Homecoming too but I can only do so many cinema trips.
Hexxen-Panda
Member
X-Men: Days of Future Past
I really liked it, but something about the shutter speed that they used for a lot of scenes really annoyed me. I really don't understand how the setup of this dystopia fits in with all the previous films, but if it means X3 is erased from the timeline, then that's OK.
I also liked that the action scenes weren't just an orgy of explosions and debris like a lot of comic-book movies, but more exciting sequences that utilize mutant powers in interesting ways.
7/10
Deadpool
It's fun, but I wasn't all that impressed. I loved the deadpool character, but everyone else is kinda bland. Great jokes and gags.
7/10
The Big Country
Mighty impressive western from 1958. It's brilliant use of the expansive landscapes coupled with deep focus blocking and widescreen really makes it a terrific visual experience. Even just watching how scenes are blocked and framed is entertaining, but it really does elevate the pretty alright land/blood feud story. The cast is pretty great.
9/10
Now I'm baffled at how William Wyler doesn't get mentioned nearly enough when discussing the great Hollywood directors.
I really liked it, but something about the shutter speed that they used for a lot of scenes really annoyed me. I really don't understand how the setup of this dystopia fits in with all the previous films, but if it means X3 is erased from the timeline, then that's OK.
I also liked that the action scenes weren't just an orgy of explosions and debris like a lot of comic-book movies, but more exciting sequences that utilize mutant powers in interesting ways.
7/10
Deadpool
It's fun, but I wasn't all that impressed. I loved the deadpool character, but everyone else is kinda bland. Great jokes and gags.
7/10
The Big Country
Mighty impressive western from 1958. It's brilliant use of the expansive landscapes coupled with deep focus blocking and widescreen really makes it a terrific visual experience. Even just watching how scenes are blocked and framed is entertaining, but it really does elevate the pretty alright land/blood feud story. The cast is pretty great.
9/10
Now I'm baffled at how William Wyler doesn't get mentioned nearly enough when discussing the great Hollywood directors.