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The Movies Thread

Started by Sakura, May 19, 2014, 04:58:44 AM

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Crewe

Spiderman: In to the Spiderverse

I realize everyone gushes about this flick. I liked it. I was entertained. I wasn't mesmerized nor excited by it.
The story is well written and the dialogue is wonderful, it just seemed to drag a bit to me and became sluggish somewhat.
The animation was quite good too but I never felt I completely grasped what was happening and maybe that led to my likening it less.
In any event, good flick, not great.

3.5 /5

BojackHorsefella

Two this weekend


Stuber

Kiddos' choice, not mine, and yet, I kind of liked it? Don't come for the plot, there isn't much of one to speak of (but, may as well: Dave Bautista plays tough guy cop tracking down criminal who he has a personal history with, but he also just got Lasik and can't see very well so he needs an Uber to drive him around. And Kumail Nanjiani is the driver. That's as far as the story goes, really).

The true meat of the story is their different approaches: Bautista, being a very large and authoritative figure, is the screamy, shouty, punchy part of the duo, whereas Kumail is more the shrimpy, "woke" buddy.

The movie's a little weird, for as much as Kumail tries to soften Bautista's edges, a lot of times he just acts like a complete dick. However, to a certain extent, I think the movie does make a good point. This isn't the standard buddy-duo movie where they each have "their own way," and it turns out they can do their own thing and still be successful.

Kumail's character learns things from Bautista's. He becomes more assertive over the course of the film, and learns how to be aggressive in the right situation and in defense of himself, whether it be a physical defense or a more personal defense.

Bautista's change is more subtle, and, I may venture into some spoilers here, but throughout the movie Kumail's character is trying to break through the tough exterior of Bautista. Bautista had a cop partner die, is fairly estranged from his daughter, and just comes off as pretty much an asshole while Kumail tries to show him a better way (the "torture" scene is honestly an amazing example of this).

So, what I really liked is something that may go overlooked. I've noted how we see Kumail's character change, however as this is an action comedy for the most part Bautista stays pretty shouty, shooty and punchy. But, there's a scene where they go to a drug dealer's house, and the dealer has attempted to hide his drugs by force feeding them to his dog, which sends Bautista into a rage.

(Here comes the slightly spoilery part):

Now, mind you, outside of his dead partner, this is the most emotion and empathy we've seen Bautista give to anything. After they leave the house, he takes the dog with them, and by the end of the film still has the dog although, as time has passed, the dog is now wearing the vest of a certified and trained emotional support animal.

We've always seen movies that show soldiers, cops, and all other manner of authority figures get put through the ringer to come out triumphant on the other end and go back to life as if nothing ever happened (or, at the very least, "live happily ever after.")

This small, small acknowledgement that Bautista's character has A) taken Kumail's advice to allow himself to be more emotionally open, B) accepted help (it's a stretch, but I think it's safe to say he's likely in therapy as well if he's already taken this step). There's a great scene where Nanjiani tells him "it's not weak to ask for help," and here we have Bautista, having found a companion in this dog, accepting him as help and as something he'd rather not live without, even if people may view him as weak for needing it. I loved it, I wish it had called some more attention to it but it's such a great, minor little detail that tells us so much about how Bautista's character has progressed and accepted these new views to become a more complete person. Very cool.


3.5/5



Crawl


It was a movie about alligators attacking people during a hurricane. Did you see the trailer? Did it interest you? Go see it, you'll like it for what it is. Did you see the trailer and say "that looks stupid"? Don't go see it, the movie will not change your mind.

I saw the trailer and said "I want to see that."

3/5

rollntider

Saw toy story 4. I actually liked it. Had a happy ending that you did not expect.



BojackHorsefella

Quote from: rollntider on July 15, 2019, 06:34:10 PM
Saw toy story 4. I actually liked it. Had a happy ending that you did not expect.

Right?! Like, I didn't expect to hate it, it's Toy Story, it's Pixar, but I was still afraid it would feel inessential or just like a cash grab, but nope, still found myself crying again.

BojackHorsefella

Once Upon A Time...In Hollywood

What the title suggests it is: A fairy tale, set in Hollywood, at the time of the Manson family. The story here is less of a story than it is a meditation on innocence, fun, and the ever looming specter of irrelevance and the passing of time. A true hang-out movie, which is all I wanted it to be, so it hit the mark for me.

4/5 stars



The Farewell

Speaking of hangout movies, here's one that makes you a member of the family. We're always "in the room," so to speak, for any movie we watch, we're in the room to see Ethan Hunt be brief or Batman fight the Joker. But maybe it's because of the fact that The Farewell is based on a true story, or that it's a very intimate family drama ruminating on death, our responses to it, and how our culture and upbringing are reflected in our responses.

Watching this family deal with the event in question, and how each responds to it in their own way, while sitting at dinners with the entire family or seated during the large wedding finale, even though the culture and the history reflected here is none of my own, the cinematography, the direction, and the absolutely incredible cast make you feel like you're there, like everything that is happening concerns YOU too. It doesn't hurt that the little old grandma is the most adorable lady ever and I want her to adopt me as her grandchild.

5/5 stars

TheNorm

Definitely curious about The Farewell, that trailer looked amazing.
"But it is not enough for me to stand before you tonight and condemn riots. It would be morally irresponsible for me to do that without, at the same time, condemning the contingent, intolerable conditions that exist in our society. These conditions are the things that cause individuals to feel that they have no other alternative than to engage in violent rebellions to get attention. And I must say tonight that a riot is the language of the unheard. And what is it America has failed to hear? It has failed to hear that the plight of the negro poor has worsened over the last twelve or fifteen years. It has failed to hear that the promises of freedom and justice have not been met. And it has failed to hear that large segments of white society are more concerned about tranquility and the status quo than about justice and humanity." - Martin Luther King, Jr

BojackHorsefella

Quote from: TheNorm on July 29, 2019, 06:30:37 PM
Definitely curious about The Farewell, that trailer looked amazing.

Loved it. Loved every second of it. I guarantee you will not be disappointed.

It's only in 3 theaters here, and all in the city, naturally. It'll be tough to catch, but worth it.

rollntider

Saw spider man far from home.... its good, comic nerds may not like it. I am a spidey fan so of course it doesnt follow the comics per se, but it is a good pop corn flick as they say.



Crewe

#188
Creed II
Michael B. Jordan, Stallone


The return of Ivan Drago with Florian Munteanu playing his son, Viktor.
First things first, you know in Rocky movies there apparently are no weight classes, so throw that out of your mind right away if you haven't already.

Ivan has been eating this defeat for 30 years and he wants his revenge. However, it does become more than just that. His defeat at the hands of Balboa is of course the catalyst here, but its not the root problem.
Creed, meanwhile, is held up to the usual scrutiny you would expect of a legacy. He still looks to Rocky for guidance and support.
Stallone's Rocky is such a terrific character and its great to see basically his entire life play out across these films. From the first film until now, you see a consistent arc, although we do not acknowledge V, of his character, and in the Creed series, he doesn't overshadow the story. He just rides along in a sidecar, as does Apollo for that matter.
Its a fantastic story, spanning decades and families and the Drago's are an important exclamation point to that arc.
The story does have its normal tropes but it overcomes and is a solid celebration of the series.

4/5

I, Tonya
Margot Robbie,  Allison Janney

I really didn't know what to expect here but I wanted to see it because I recall this event like it was yesterday.
Robbie plays Tonya and they obviously have to downplay her natural beauty quite a bit, no disrespect to Tonya but facts are facts.
Janney plays Tonya's mom, LaVona.
The film opens with a declaration that its a result of ironic, conflicting interviews and other evidence of Harding and Gillooly. I wish I could remember it verbatim, but basically it says both are full of shit.
That tells you right off the filmmakers aren't trying to give you a one sided story, although they kinda have to really, I mean how else can you make a film?
We then see a present day aged Tonya and Jeff in separate locations telling the viewer what they are seeing is true/not true, their intentions and the like, almost mockumentary style. Actors are breaking the fourth wall as we move through the movie as well.
Tonya is painted as a redneck trailer park talent who only has her mother, Janney, who is as mean and projecting as you could possibly imagine. It makes you wonder why such a character would spend so much time and money helping her daughter to succeed.
Gillooly is just what you'd expect, a pretty worthless hothead, socially awkward around women. it's hinted he has redeeming values but we don't see them.
Eckhardt, the friend and so called bodyguard is indeed worthless. A cartoonish wannabe living in his mom's basement all the while being a world renown authority on terrorism LOL. He really said this, over and over. Talk about delusional.
Tonya comes off like a victim, not really knowing until after the fact, then didn't say anything until pressed by the Feds, and that's pretty much how it went down in real life. All the while though there's this little wink to the viewer, maybe, maybe not.
This film is an entertaining look at true events that really were quite shocking, and still are if you think about it. I mean, taking out a Gold medalist contender, not to mention teammate, and friend (if you believe Tonya)
All within view of skaters practicing on ice, officials roaming the halls, security and the like. Pretty mind blowing.
I find it interesting that Robbie didn't even realize this was a true story until she reached the end of the script.
Digression forthcoming....I guess its a sign of the times, but as I grew up, I still knew all about what transpired the years surrounding my birth and before, the generation before me, but apparently thats just not even fathomable since the 90's anymore. Im still amazed about events millennials aren't aware of, but like I say, different times I guess.

In any event, I thought it was an entertaining flick and it really walked a tightrope as to who knew and planned what when, because honestly, with all these goobers, I dont think we will ever truly know who set up what and when.
This film might mean more to me because I remember it, so take that in to consideration if you know nothing about the incident or the players.

3.75/5

Crewe

El Camino
Aaron Paul

We pick up with Jesse right after the conclusion of the series with him screaming out of the Klan camp.
I was worried this would be a fan service film and it is, sort of, but its also a story that needed to be told since Jesse's world left us with a ton of questions about his immediate future.
We are given context through flashbacks to set up scenes and situations which mostly seem based on revenge, but are designed as necessary in order to accomplish his escape.
Some instances seem a bit far fetched for the Pinkman character but at the same time, I as the viewer, can accept his actions when you consider his long term arc.
After its all said and done, it really was a well executed film that told a much needed story. I would characterize it as being right in line with the BB series. Not a home run but certainly extra bases.

3.75/5

Crewe

#190
Joker
Joaquin Phoenix

I tend to avoid trailers and reviews of films I want to see because I don't want to walk in with tainted opinions.
Joker was one of those films.
After sitting through the 2hr 2 minute origin story I can tell you simply that you should go see it.
Phoenix was truly interesting to watch in this movie. Depending on who you listen to, it can be quite a derivative film
Spoiler
ala Taxi Driver
or it can be its own work of art about one of the most mysterious characters in the DC universe.
I will refrain from saying too much about it other than its content represents society as we are to a degree, if not in action, certainly in spirit.
This is just my opinion, but after I saw this film, I began reading the good and bad reviews and in my mind, the naysayers just missed the mark, completely, not even grasping the character, much less the message. Now I know, snot nosed critics look down on audience reviews because really, what could we possibly know about film making, right? But here, Im just flat out telling you, they are wrong.
Go see this film, come back and tell me if Im full of shit.

Well, about this, anyway.

4.25/5

Crewe

Fighting With My Family
Florence Pugh
Vince Vaughn


This film is the true story of WWE superstar Paige.
She really does have an interesting story to tell but unfortunately the film fails her.
The Rock produced it and of course has a few self serving scenes, but always entertaining.
As with any true story, timelines have to be compressed and composite characters are created but the thrust of the story stays true.
Essentially, the movie tells you that Paige grew up in England with her family running a local wrestling circuit in which her and her brother Zak were being groomed to be WWE wrestlers.
We see Paige as an outsider, trying to fit in most of her life and she has that same chip on her shoulder when arriving to NXT.
There's a small bit of action and dialogue for smarks here but not much.
The film pretty much glosses over her time in NXT, treating her as an unknown, which she certainly was not.
Rock tells her she will appear on RAW the night after Wrestlemania and battle AJ Lee for the title, and win.
I wondered if that was actually true, turns out, it was. Go figure.
Then we jump to said Monday night.
The intro, the dialogue, interaction an the match were totally reconstructed to make Paige again seem unsure of herself and also as an unknown being lightly jeered or taunted by the fanbase.
This is all well and good but its nothing like what really transpired, and what really happened was far far more entertaining than what we see on screen.
I would watch the documentary the Rock saw which is what gave him the idea for this movie; The Wrestlers: Fighting With My Family and just avoid this one altogether. I mean, if you're a casual or nonexistent fan then yea, its an entertaining flick.

3/5

Crewe

#192
So Im rewatching all the Star Wars movies, sans Solo, to prep for Mandalorian and IX. It will be interesting to see if my rankings stay the same.
After I knocked out the prequels this weekend, here's some brief thoughts.

I TPM
This was the most anticipated film and justifiably so, however, I think most everyone will agree it was a colossal bust.
And no not because of Jar Jar but because the directing and dialogue were absolutely terrible. Add to the fact that Lloyd was nowhere near the actor they needed, as a matter of fact, I think that's one of the biggest failings of the prequels.
Lucas went batshit with the CGI and couldn't direct Portman and Christensen in that world, and add to it, they had zero chemistry. Neeson and McGregor was the saving grace. The pod race helped, but the duel of the fates saved this film from complete failure.

II AotC
We were holding out hope for this one, and it was actually better. Dialogue began to present Skywalker's conflicting thoughts and the story held interest until late in act II and III. The romance was dull, uninteresting and the actors appeared to not even be in the same studio, much less the same galaxy. Still, much better than TPM despite Lucas' directing skills still not on par

III RotS
This was the big one, Anakin's turn and the death of Padme, we all knew it was coming, but how would it be executed.
For all the flak Lucas received and deservedly so, for I and II, he recovered nicely for Revenge of the Sith.
Christenson seemed to be able to handle Darth Vader better than he could the young padawan and the duel between student and master was well done.
Padme's demise, dying of a broken heart....I mean, what else could Lucas do here, I guess, except have Vadeer accidentally kill her for real.



BojackHorsefella

I'm curious what you'd say if told that the general consensus amongst the "fandom" is AotC being the worst SW film overall? I think Duel of the Fates + the Maul-Kenobi-Jin lightsaber battle redeemed TPM over time.

I haven't watched either in a while so I couldn't even begin to tackle it.

Crewe

#194
Quote from: BojackHorsefella on October 27, 2019, 08:35:23 PM
I'm curious what you'd say if told that the general consensus amongst the "fandom" is AotC being the worst SW film overall? I think Duel of the Fates + the Maul-Kenobi-Jin lightsaber battle redeemed TPM over time.

I haven't watched either in a while so I couldn't even begin to tackle it.

I would offer that its because of the love interest scenes which were beyond painful. Add to that the non existing chemistry between the two and yea, it sucked for sure.
But to me, it was a better designed world, the dialogue began to gain some depth in needed plot arc scenes and was able to develop and maintain interest more efficiently than TPM.

I did agree with the bold.

Modified to add that while better than TPM, Im not suggesting it was by a landslide ;-)