Topic: The Movie Thread

So have had a very nice time watching the "old" X-men movies lately. Good stuff and really engaging movies so can highly recommend them to those who is looking for something interesting to watch.

Just got back from seeing The Creator.

It doesn't break any narrative ground for this type of film, but if you like future tech sci-fi it's a very good film. It looks fantastic, both in terms of the quality of the effects (may be the best looking CGI I've seen in a film this year) as well as in design (the tech reminded me a lot of 80's anime sci-fi like Akira, Venus Wars, Bubblegum Crisis & the like), which really immerses you into the world. The action is exciting when it occurs, and everyone seems to put in a good performance.

Might be a bit of recency bias, but I'd say it's one of my favorite films of the year (behind Oppenheimer & Mario, though it's definitely a "better" film than the latter), so it's a bit disappointing to see it hasn't been doing too well at the box office. On the plus side, I was the only person in the entire theatre, which was pretty cool.

@RR529 I want to see this one too. Indeed have not seen much talk around it...

for movies Im still doing my horror movie watchathon the rest of this month for DVD and blu ray

still have Phenomena+Creepers to watch for blu ray
rewatching The Kindred either with commentary track on or without
My Best Friend is a Vampire
Nightmare on Elm Street 1-5; New Nightmare even though I just watched them a month and half ago lol

Squirm which is on Tubi

A lot of stuff since my last post.

Cloud Atlas (Blu-Ray) - Six seemingly disconnected stories across time (the 1800's, 1930's, 1970's, 2012, 2100's, & Post Apocalypse) that all end up connected in some way or another. It jumps between eras frequently (it's not told in a chronological order) and each story has a different vibe (from future sci-fi blockbuster, comedy, conspiracy thriller, & more). I've always liked watching it as it's quite unlike anything else I've seen elsewhere (& I honestly think it comes together quite well), and rewatching it I honestly think it's been cemented as one of my favorite films of all time.

Piranha (4K UHD Blu-Ray) - The 1978 original. I've always liked watching this & it looks great cleaned up in 4K.

Princess Mononoke (Blu-Ray) - I knew this had a reputation for being a bit darker than your typical Ghibli fair, but man I was not prepared for how hard this thing would go. Almost surprised it got away with a PG-13 rating. Great film, though I think I prefer lighter fair when it comes to the studio.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (Netflix) - I admit I wasn't chomping at the bit to see this, but I had just finished up Spider-Man 2 (the new game, not the Raimi film) so was in the mood. Even as someone who watches quite a bit of animation (especially anime) I usually side eye all the animation fans saying the Academy overlooks this or that for best picture every year, however in this case I think they may genuinely have a point. This is honestly the best movie I've seen this year other than maybe Oppenheimer. The visual style can perhaps be a bit too busy at times, but I honestly have nothing else to fault with it. It looks stunning, has absolutely kinetic action setpieces, some great narrative twists, is genuinely emotional, and is legitimately humorous. Furthermore, THIS is how you do inclusivity. Even as someone who sits on the more socially conservative side of things, I can admit that this film is not only "Woke", but is better off for it. At no point does it feel like they're checking boxes for the sake of it nor does it feel preachy (unlike the finale of the Falcon & Winter Soldier). This just genuinely feels like the film the artists wanted to make and it works wonderfully. I feel similarly about how it handles the multiverse. Sure, there is the very occasional call back to the greater cinematic (& gaming) history of Spider-Man, but that's very much in the background and not the point. Can't recommend it enough.

Spider-Man: No Way Home (Amazon Prime) - This was fun. Perhaps the complete opposite ethos of the above (the multiverse aspect very much IS for the shameless fan service), but I'd be lying if I said I didn't had a good time. The three live action Spider-Men had great chemistry, Willem Defoe looked like he was having fun chewing up the scenery as Green Goblin (though I question the choice of having something so transformative as the death of Aunt May happen at the hands of a villain with no connection to "Tom" Peter, let alone his universe ), and I always enjoy seeing Doctor Strange doing his thing (great fight scene there).

few things im busy with the rest of this month

Star Wars Rebels
Ron's Gone Wrong
Luca

these things on Tubi -Under Siege 1 and 2, the 1980s The Beast Within horror movie

300: Rise of an Empire (Blu-Ray) - Felt a bit more cartoony than the first, probably because of all the slow mo effects clearly there for 3D (and was mostly set concurrently to the first, rather than being an in depth prequel or sequel), but it's still quite a fun "dude film". Would love to see more stuff like this (& Sin City) come out of Hollywood.

Planes, Trains, & Automobiles (4K UHD Blu-Ray) - We watched this as a family for our annual Thanksgiving watch. The 80's is absolutely unmatched at these comedies that despite having some wacky moments somehow feel believable & grounded, and have a real heart to them.

Spirited Away (Blu-Ray) - Wonderfully animated & imaginative film. I don't think I'd seen this since the days of watching it on SDTV cable, so seeing it in HD brought some real life to it.

What the Peeper Saw (Blu-Ray) - Known in the UK as Night Hair Child, it's a 70's thriller where the new young wife of a widower suspects her calculating 12 year old stepson of murdering her husband's last wife (& the boy's mother). Interesting... but it definitely pushes some taboos you wouldn't be likely to see today in a film (or at the very least it'd be handled much differently).

Just got back from seeing Godzilla: Minus One!

It was honestly a great time. The human element was done quite well & had a few effective emotional moments (much better than you'd usually see from a Hollywood blockbuster, including most of the "Monsterverse" projects), and the production values were handled wonderfully. Not quite up there with a Hollywood project that's firing on all cylinders, but it almost never felt hokey, and everything had a very effective sense of weight & power behind it, with a lot of exciting moments.

Really glad to say I've been able to see a Japanese made Godzilla film in theatres now (I've only went to see the 2014 and... 1998, American efforts until now), and it's honestly one of the best films I've seen this year. Probably the last time I'll go to the cinema this year, and it was a great choice to end the year on (it was either going to be this or Napoleon).

Cosign 10000%. Loved Godzilla Minus One. I was pleaseantly surprised at the human element as well. On the newer stuff (except Skull Island) the human stories are pretty meh.

I too can now say I have seen a Japenese Godzilla movie in the theater.

My favorite movie is rocknroller by guy ritchie.
Incredible movie the dialog and camerawork are top notch.

Films I've watched over the past month & a half or so. I won't include the annual Christmas movie rewatches, but even so I understand if this is TLDR for most.

The Bullet Train (Blu-Ray) - 70's Japanese flick that inspired works like Speed (terrorists have strapped a bomb to a bullet train that'll blow if it goes below 80 km per hour). This holds up really well & was a good watch.

Clash of the Titans (Blu-Ray) - The 80's version. The special effects were dated as get out (even compared to other stuff I've seen from the era), but it still had a certain charm. I would say I even enjoyed it.

The Flash (Amazon Prime) - Not gonna lie, I actually thought this was pretty fun. It was cringey & lazy how they shoved all those "multiverse" legacy cameos in it, but at least they waited to the last 5 or so minutes to do it. Otherwise it was a pretty fun Back to the Future-esque take on a superhero flick.

Ghost in the Shell: the New Movie (Blu-Ray) - Not as good as the original in many respects, but a decent sci-fi mystery/action film in it's own right.

Gran Turismo: Based on a True Story (Netflix) - I thought the racing itself was fun, but I just couldn't get into the human element of it much at all. Certainly not a patch on something like Ford V Ferrari.

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (Blu-Ray) - Picked this up while thrifting around the holidays. I actually thought this was really good... when it was focused on rescuing the dinos from the volcano & the ethics surrounding that. It was much less compelling when it became a mansion bound slasher flick. They should have just made the first half the whole movie.

MEG 2: The Trench (Netflix) - Very much a B-movie, but fun for what it is.

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (Blu-Ray) - Still a visually stunning film all these years later, and I love the design of the tech (gunships, tanks, & the like). A rip roaring good time.

No Hard Feelings (Netflix) - It's been a good while since Hollywood has churned out a raunchy comedy that caught my eye, so this was a nice surprise. It's not the greatest thing in the world, but I enjoyed it.

Only Yesterday (Blu-Ray) - Could be a bit slow at times, but it had it's moments & was beautiful like most Ghibli films. Very cozy.

Perfect Blue (Blu-Ray) - Intensely gripping psychological drama. The aesthetic is great and the animation can be a tad rough at times but it totally works with the vibe of the film.

The Punisher (Blu-Ray) - 2000's version. Comic book films have come along way since this released (though you may not know it based on what most of Marvel & DC have released the past couple years), but I actually think this holds up surprisingly well. A pretty good action flick all things considered.

Star Wars: the Force Awakens (Blu-Ray) - Another one I picked up thrifting. Going back into it with no specific expectations, it was actually a pretty fun time. Sure, you probably don't want to think about the narrative too deeply (it's pretty much just A New Hope, but BIGGER!), but as pure popcorn entertainment I may enjoy it more than the originals (don't shoot me, lol).

Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (4K UHD Blu-Ray) - I really enjoy the opening act of this one, but for some reason it always kinda loses me once it gets to Endor. I mean it still has some cool action scenes (like the speeder chase through the forest) & iconic moments, so it's not bad by any means, I just kinda zone out. Maybe I've just seen it too many times.

Titanic (4K UHD Blu-Ray) - This was the first time I've actually sat down to watch the whole thing, and it was absolutely excellent (may be my favorite watch in this list, though Perfect Blue comes really close). From the modern submersible excursions of the wreck (and that sub tech looks cool AF even today) to being transported back in time to that fateful voyage it was completely captivating from beginning to end & didn't feel 3 hours long at all.

Transformers (Blu-Ray) - Another thrift score. I actually love the vibe of this movie, from the humor, to the male-gazey bits, to the "American military heck yeah" angle (I was a high school aged white dude when it came out, so it was practically hand crafted for me, lol). However I will agree that the titular bots are over designed and it can be tough to actually follow the action.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (Blu-Ray) - Ditto of pretty much everything I said above.

Wonka (Cinema) - I've actually done a write up of this one once already, but I'll include it here for completion's sake. Not the type of thing I'd normally go see at the cinema, but my father wanted to see it so we went together. It was actually a pretty nice family film.

Oppenheimer

Saw it just as the director intended - on a 32" TV 50 feet away. Just kidding. Thought it would've focused on Oppenheimer and The Manhattan Project as in actually documenting how they built the bombs, but nope. Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, and Robert Downey jr were all great in their roles. Let's see if it scoops up big at the Oscars.
8 / 10

Argyle (Cinema) - I've always thought it was hard for a film to pull off both being your comedy as well as your legitimate action thriller (and it's a trap a lot of films fall into these days, especially the comic book stuff), and Argyle simply can't quite pull it off. I actually liked it at the outset and thought it was striking the balance well enough, but by the climax all the pretext was gone & it went full silly with some absurdly goofy action set pieces & a couple of completely contrived "saves" for our heroes after we've already had half a dozen twists and the writers seemed to stop caring explaining them. Sam Rockwell was a pretty enjoyable presence throughout, however you'll be disappointed if you were looking forward to Henry Cavill, John Cena, or a couple of the others who appeared in the marketing, as many of them only have 5 to maybe 20 minutes of screentime at most. Also has the now standard "Hey! We're setting up a cross franchise cinematic universe" moment during the mid credits that people are starting to tire of, tying it into Kingsmen.

A Dog's Journey (Amazon Prime) - A dog's soul is reincarnated through various lives (as different dogs) in order to watch over & protect the granddaughter of it's first owner as she grows through life. A movie like this has a lot of cheap emotional twists, but darn if they don't work. You'll be crying like a baby.

the Patriot (Blu-Ray) - Don't think I've actually sat down to watch the whole thing before (& this was the nearly 3 hour extended cut to boot), but it was absolutely fantastic. Of course as historical fiction it's not historically accurate (& it doesn't seem to claim to be), but it's a gripping example of a Hollywood epic with a great sense of scale, action, and a lot of heart. Really enjoyed this one.

Renfield
A very fun and very gory vampire action comedy starring Nic Cage as Dracula. Nic Cage looked like he had barrels of fun playing as the Count. Nic Hoult was great as Renfield. One of the most underrated films of last year. Highly recommended.
8 / 10

Fatal Frame (Blu-Ray) - Pretty disappointed in this. Not nearly as scary as the games (really not scary at all), and while it does center around the mystery of a cursed photograph, the Camera Obscura from the games essentially only makes cameo appearances and is largely immaterial to solving the supernatural shenanigans (almost like they only included it at all to fulfill a contractual obligation). Honestly it was kinda dull all around.

Hardbodies (Tubi) - Raunchy 80's comedy that sees a group of middle aged men seek advice from a young local on how to pick up beach babes (unironically called "Hardbodies" here, not sure if that was ever actual slang). It's a low brow raunchy comedy from the 80's (and not up there with the best), so it obviously won't be everyone's cup of tea, but it's worth a watch if that's something you're into.

My Tutor (Tubi) - A high school senior must spend his summer with a French tutor (his father is pressuring him to get into Yale, and it's the only subject he failed), which at first seems to get in the way of him & his buddies partying, but as things progress turns out he might have better luck in love at home. A bit uneven tonally as it seems like it can't decide whether or not it wants to be a steamy coming of age romance or a raunchy teen comedy, but I ended up liking it quite a bit.

Ponyo (Blu-Ray) - Par for the course for Ghibli, it looks fantastic (& I love aquatic themed movies, especially animation), but this is probably about the most bored I've been watching one of their films. It really feels like a "kid's film" rather than a "family film that appeals to kids", which I think hurts it, though admittedly it's still better than 99% of other "kids" stuff.

Went to see the Beekeeper at the theatre over the weekend.

Sweet old lady commits suicide after being scammed out of her life savings by an internet hacking group, Jason Statham plays her quiet "keeps to himself" beekeeping neighbor who is really a retired secret agent/assassin who proceeds to seek out & violently murder the group behind the hack, and then proceeds to work his way up the organization to the elites who profited from the scam (who of course hire all sorts of muscle to try & take him down). Really fun, at times brutal, stuff.

Other films I watched over the weekend:

the Cheerleaders (Tubi) - Raunchy comedy from the early 70's that focuses on a group of high school cheerleaders going about their lives. It had a couple of slightly amusing moments, but overall it was very light on the comedy & very heavy on the raunch (like a big middle finger to the Hay's Code, it seemed like whatever little narrative it had was just in service to get to the next vignett involving nudity, of which was nearly constant).

the Other Guys (Blu-Ray) - Thrifting pick up. Will Ferrell & Mark Whalburg Star as the zeroes to heroes in this wacky buddy cop comedy. Had me cracking up on numerous occasions, however I felt it ran on a bit too long for what it was (though that was partially down to me watching the extended "unrated" cut, which didn't seem to add all that much "unrated" content. No nudity or gore, for example).

Road House (Blu-Ray) - Thrifting pick up. Patrick Swayze plays the most elite bouncer in the country who's hired to turn around a failing Midwestern bar, runs afoul of the local mob boss (who has the authorities in his pocket), and proceeds to clean up the entire town with his fists. Super 80's, and super fun.

Sushi Girl (Blu-Ray) Thrifting blind buy. After a con gets out of prison, his partners in crime throw him a welcome back "party" (that he can't refuse) with an expensive exotic sushi meal (refer to the title), and the group bickers & turns against each other as they try to figure out what happened to the misplaced diamonds they stole on their last job together (with the titular "Sushi Girl" having to keep her composure as the group starts torturing each other, in very brutal fashion). A little different than what I usually watch, but worth the buy (has a huge twist that absolutely won't hit the same on future watches though).

the Wolfman (Blu-Ray) - Thrifting pick up. Made somewhat recently (has Benecio Del Toro in it), it's an 1890's England set werewolf tale. This one was a blind buy as well, but I ended up liking it well enough (some absolutely brutal kills). Watched the uncut extended edition.

Cowboy Bebop the Movie (Blu-Ray) - I know Adult Swim aired this at least once back in the day, but I didn't remember much about it so it was nice to give it a go. Feels a lot more (environmentally) grounded than the TV show. Every once in a while there's a reminder that this is a sci-fi franchise (like an excellent dogfight involving Spike's Swordfish in the climax) & not even on Earth, but the Martian settlement they're in is such a convincing facsimile of contemporary (90's) New York that it really helps set the tone (the show has some of this, but it really goes above & beyond here). As for the story itself, I don't think it quite hits the highs of the series, but it's still worthwhile to go on another adventure with the gang & it has some amazing action set pieces.

Minions (Blu-Ray) - Picked this up thrifting. Pretty low brow (even by family friendly standards), but I'd be lying if I said I don't get a kick out of their antics from time to time.

Woman in Gold (Blu-Ray) - Thrift store pick up. Not something I'd usually go for but glad I gave it a watch because it was pretty interesting.

True story about an Austrian-American Jewish woman who sued the Austrian government over ownership of a painting of her aunt (the titular "Woman in Gold"), after it ended up in an Austrian gallery after being stolen by the Nazi's in WWII.

Wasn't able to see the ceremony live, but glad to see Oppenheimer clean up. Probably the best thing I saw in the theatre last year, and it's cool to say that I've seen a best picture winner during it's theatrical run.

Also super glad to see Godzilla Minus One pick up the VFX award. I was hoping either it or the Creator would take it home given that they managed to craft stunning worlds with a fraction of the budget blockbusters tend to carry, so that's pretty awesome.

Definitely need to get around to seeing the Boy & the Heron as well. I honestly thought Across the Spider-Verse was one of the best films I watched last year so I was rooting for it, but I won't begrudge a Ghibli win.