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Thread: What movie did you see today?

  1. #1981
    Finally saw Black Panther now that it's on Netflix. I guess my general response was 'meh'. I mean, I get why people were excited (a mostly black cast! An African country where the focus isn't grinding poverty and human rights abuses! Etc.). But ignoring all of the meta-commentary, the film itself was just okay. The main conflict is pretty weak, the technowizardry is fun but nothing spectacular. I guess it worked in the sense that Marvel is a well-oiled machine that can churn out special-effects laden blockbusters with semi-decent dialogue and plotting. But I wasn't really impressed - and that's despite some pretty good acting.

    I guess that with all of the hoopla I was expecting a bit more. The film touches on some pretty big issues; the relationship between Africa and its diaspora, the level of responsibility of technologically advanced and wealthy countries to assist others, colonialism, etc. But it doesn't really dig into any of these issues with any level of sophistication. We're given a stark choice between the position of the 'good guys' and the comically evil position of the villain. When the 'good guys' come around to a different position in the end, we're not given any insight into how the (admittedly complicated) tradeoffs were weighed. If we're going to have a movie with a black cast that focuses unabashedly on issues of great importance to the black American and African communities, then let's lean into it rather than just using it as some window dressing for another action snoozefest.

    Also, that's a super-stupid way to pick the superpower-enhanced leader of your country.
    "When I meet God, I am going to ask him two questions: Why relativity? And why turbulence? I really believe he will have an answer for the first." - Werner Heisenberg (maybe)

  2. #1982
    Quote Originally Posted by wiggin View Post
    Finally saw Black Panther now that it's on Netflix. I guess my general response was 'meh'.

    ....

    Also, that's a super-stupid way to pick the superpower-enhanced leader of your country.
    I had the same experience, more or less. Waited for Netflix, was expecting something extra-special because of the hype, was disappointed, despite it being a pretty good Marvel chapter. I am also mystified by how the king of Wakanda is chosen - easily the stupidest part of the plot, especially when the abandoned American, an obvious murderous criminal, shows up and challenges the king to fight for the throne. On what grounds would any king accept such a challenge? I thought it was stupid, and the plot from that point on consisted of completely obvious over-used tropes....
    The Rules
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    Gold- treat others how you would like them to treat you (the self regard rule)
    Platinum - treat others the way they would like to be treated (the PC rule)

  3. #1983
    Venom's getting pretty trashed in the early reviews. I feel a bit bad for Sony - they're sitting there watching Marvel churn out hit after hit based on the B, C, and D tier superheroes that nobody wanted to buy the rights for, including a blockbuster franchise about a tree and a talking raccoon. Meanwhile, they have the rights to some of Marvel's biggest and most popular characters, and they still can't make a movie people like without help from Disney.

  4. #1984
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    Venom isn't particularly good. It's not horrible either but it is just not very good. It tries at Deadpool funny but it never reaches the parts that Deadpool did. And the action doesn't make up for it either.
    Congratulations America

  5. #1985
    Night School.

    It had its moments, but is rather forgettable
    "In a field where an overlooked bug could cost millions, you want people who will speak their minds, even if they’re sometimes obnoxious about it."

  6. #1986
    Venom

    not bad, extreme overuse of motion blur, extreme camera cuts, night and darkness to hide the subpar cgi budget. I was surprised they used so much comic book inspired screenwork (screen slicing and freeze frame shots) considering how poorly that was received with the early Hulk movie. Story kind of drags at points, but the action is good. Several comic book easter egg references that were nicely added but not forced.
    If they build on the Venom voice over concept for Venom 2 they could make a rather solid action comedy. That part of the movie didn't really shine till the end.
    "In a field where an overlooked bug could cost millions, you want people who will speak their minds, even if they’re sometimes obnoxious about it."

  7. #1987
    Venom was fun. Could of trimmed about 5 minutes in the early middle of the movie but overall it was enjoyable. Would like to see the next one get an R rating and go further.

  8. #1988
    I, Tanya. I enjoyed this a lot more than I expected - definitely recommend, especially if you're old enough to remember the events. The trailer gave the impression of a dark comedy, and so were my expectations set. Turned out to be a serious biopic, and the dark comedic parts not so much deadpan humor as what actually happened.
    The Rules
    Copper- behave toward others to elicit treatment you would like (the manipulative rule)
    Gold- treat others how you would like them to treat you (the self regard rule)
    Platinum - treat others the way they would like to be treated (the PC rule)

  9. #1989
    I, Tonya you mean.

    Yes a v good film, and an Oscar-winning one for best supporting actress for Tonya's mum; Allison Janney. Margot Robbie nominated for best actress as Tonya.
    Quote Originally Posted by Steely Glint View Post
    It's actually the original French billion, which is bi-million, which is a million to the power of 2. We adopted the word, and then they changed it, presumably as revenge for Crecy and Agincourt, and then the treasonous Americans adopted the new French usage and spread it all over the world. And now we have to use it.

    And that's Why I'm Voting Leave.

  10. #1990
    Halloween, a solid sequel to the sequel. Slow burn horror that shuns a lot of the cheap jump scares and needlessly over the top gore of recent horror. It was put together nicely with maybe one scene that didn't make sense.
    "In a field where an overlooked bug could cost millions, you want people who will speak their minds, even if they’re sometimes obnoxious about it."

  11. #1991
    First Man. I liked it a lot. Recommend.
    The Rules
    Copper- behave toward others to elicit treatment you would like (the manipulative rule)
    Gold- treat others how you would like them to treat you (the self regard rule)
    Platinum - treat others the way they would like to be treated (the PC rule)

  12. #1992
    Recently discovered, after eight years together, that my dear wife has seen Starship Troopers like a dozen times. Am now more convinced than ever that I'm living in a personalized simulation, and am filled with overwhelming gratitude towards our multidimensional posthuman overlords. The movie is still better than the book.

    Other reviews:

    Baywatch — it is what it is: very Chinese, not very good. Clunky dialogue and mechanical swearing. I don't mind stereotypes, but the characters felt like they were written by someone who doesn't even know the stereotypes.

    Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell no Tales — better than the previous, but obviously much worse than the first. I've always felt that the real protagonist of this franchise is Barbossa, and it was good to see him again. Kaya Scodelario-Davis was better than Penelope Cruz, but the writers deliberately made her character ore lame order to make the dudes look better.

    Ocean's Eight — good casting, but it felt like practically no-one involved with the movie actually cared about it, which made it very different from eg. the Ghostbusters reboot. The final act was actually decent.

    Transformers: The Last Knight — ... to my surprise (and dismay, tbh) a decent action-scifi-mystery. Felt like a made-for-TV feature with a very large budget, and they managed to recapture some of the things that made the first one fun. Enjoyed it apart from Optimus Prime, who just sucked the energy out of every scene he was in. I never really tire of characters that sound like their frontal lobes are on the fritz so I actually enjoyed Anthony Hopkins's performance. I think I'll have to give Age of Extinction a shot. On a side note, Hollywood really needs to start respecting Chinese viewers instead of thinking of them as less sophisticated versions of dumb American viewers.

    Ready Player One — I'd been avoiding this b/c it looked a little too dystopian for me, and because of the bad reviews it had gotten early on, but we enjoyed it. Haven't read the book. Great direction, good production values, decent story. Visually satisfying, other than the avatars. My only gripe with this movie, however, is a major one: Wade sucks. He's just not as worthy as Artemis. Unworthy immature heroes in obvious wish-fulfillment roles annoy me (see eg. Danny in Iron Fist ). But other than that we liked it, and regret not seeing it at the cinema.
    "One day, we shall die. All the other days, we shall live."

  13. #1993
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    Went to see Hunter Killer in a 4DX cinema, which was fun. Even though the movie kind of sucks.

    Bohemian rhapsody; yes.
    Congratulations America

  14. #1994
    I think somebody slipped me some acid. You guys wouldn't believe the movie I'm seeing when I play this video.


  15. #1995
    Quote Originally Posted by Aimless View Post
    Starship Troopers
    That movie is terrible.
    The Rules
    Copper- behave toward others to elicit treatment you would like (the manipulative rule)
    Gold- treat others how you would like them to treat you (the self regard rule)
    Platinum - treat others the way they would like to be treated (the PC rule)

  16. #1996
    Quote Originally Posted by Wraith View Post
    I think somebody slipped me some acid. You guys wouldn't believe the movie I'm seeing when I play this video.
    Well, that explains the Pikachu memes that have been flooding the internet these last few weeks, but yeah all I'm hearing is Deadpool. Movie looks like it could be good, just because they were allowed to have fun with it. The Pokemon look like nighmare fuel (even Mr mine has Dodge balls for shoulders). Half expecting the Squirtle squad to make an appearance.
    "In a field where an overlooked bug could cost millions, you want people who will speak their minds, even if they’re sometimes obnoxious about it."

  17. #1997
    Quote Originally Posted by EyeKhan View Post
    That movie is terrible.
    You're terrible
    "One day, we shall die. All the other days, we shall live."

  18. #1998
    Quote Originally Posted by Aimless View Post
    You're terrible
    Sigh. I know...
    The Rules
    Copper- behave toward others to elicit treatment you would like (the manipulative rule)
    Gold- treat others how you would like them to treat you (the self regard rule)
    Platinum - treat others the way they would like to be treated (the PC rule)

  19. #1999
    Senior Member Flixy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by EyeKhan View Post
    That movie is terrible.
    Been a while since I've seen it but from what I remember it was pretty good.
    Keep on keepin' the beat alive!

  20. #2000
    Quote Originally Posted by Flixy View Post
    Been a while since I've seen it but from what I remember it was pretty good.
    You're pretty good
    "One day, we shall die. All the other days, we shall live."

  21. #2001
    It was a garbage movie that would have gone straight to DVD if they didn't buy the book rights during preproduction. That why none of the characters make sense, why so many of them are white washed, and why the movie lacked so many elements (first appearance of power armor) that made the book a Hugo winner.
    "In a field where an overlooked bug could cost millions, you want people who will speak their minds, even if they’re sometimes obnoxious about it."

  22. #2002
    The reaction to the movie depends on whether or not you took the book seriously.
    "One day, we shall die. All the other days, we shall live."

  23. #2003
    I liked both. You'll like the movie more if you don't expect an adaptation of the book - it's definitely not. I think Verhoeven (the director) pointedly refused to read it. Watch the movie as if it's a film produced and released by some future fascist government. A lot of the choices made make a lot more sense through that lens.

    I think mostly I'm just a sucker for anything with that old-timey heavy-handed propaganda. Making it sci-fi is just gravy, since it makes it basically retro-futurism, which I am also a sucker for. Would you like to know more?

  24. #2004
    Quote Originally Posted by Wraith View Post
    I liked both. You'll like the movie more if you don't expect an adaptation of the book - it's definitely not. I think Verhoeven (the director) pointedly refused to read it. Watch the movie as if it's a film produced and released by some future fascist government. A lot of the choices made make a lot more sense through that lens.

    I think mostly I'm just a sucker for anything with that old-timey heavy-handed propaganda. Making it sci-fi is just gravy, since it makes it basically retro-futurism, which I am also a sucker for. Would you like to know more?
    It is 100% deliberate satire of jingoism and fascism I disliked the book, in large part because I couldn't take it seriously (because I couldn't take Heinlein taking himself so seriously... seriously). Verhoeven and Neumeier fully committed to an overtly critical and satirical--but still endearing--retelling of the original, and hit the bull's eye. Like Robocop, ST is a weird two-way mirror of a movie, with the viewer playing a central role in the performance.
    "One day, we shall die. All the other days, we shall live."

  25. #2005
    Quote Originally Posted by Aimless View Post
    It is 100% deliberate satire of jingoism and fascism I disliked the book, in large part because I couldn't take it seriously (because I couldn't take Heinlein taking himself so seriously... seriously). Verhoeven and Neumeier fully committed to an overtly critical and satirical--but still endearing--retelling of the original, and hit the bull's eye. Like Robocop, ST is a weird two-way mirror of a movie, with the viewer playing a central role in the performance.
    I think it is a bit of a stretch to say it is a retelling of the book in any meaningful way.

    Great soundtrack though.

  26. #2006

  27. #2007
    I really enjoyed the book, so when I saw the movie, I was like WTF is this crap? I re-watched the first 20 mins last night and I have to say it's way more tolerable/ enjoyable if you take it as satire. And the history teacher's comments about how Democracy failed in favor of what amounts to benign fascism is a lot more topical these days. Ran out of time, but I'll watch the rest tonight.
    The Rules
    Copper- behave toward others to elicit treatment you would like (the manipulative rule)
    Gold- treat others how you would like them to treat you (the self regard rule)
    Platinum - treat others the way they would like to be treated (the PC rule)

  28. #2008
    I really love this aspect of the movie—the very different, very strong reactions. Those who watched it without having read the book may have gone in expecting a straightforward action movie in a scifi setting, and were instead treated to a borderline abusive experience incompetently evoking Nazi imagery and ideas (to the point where one prominent reviewer called Verhoeven and Neumeier Nazis) that left them feeling cheated. Those who had read and thoroughly enjoyed the book in their early teens were offended on another level, because of the movie's clear and at times heavy-handed criticism of a book they loved without ever considering this unflattering angle. I think the criticism really hit a little too close to home for many who did not want to entertain the notion that they themselves may in fact have an appetite for proto-fascism—in their books, movies and political discourse. I like that. I love books and movies about punishing the enemy, but I appreciate the occasional reminder of precisely where that appetite originates, and what it means. While these ideas are especially topical in the age of cultural syphilis we're currently living through, they were also very relevant when the movie was first released—but we were even less ready to face our shortcomings back then. Which may perhaps be a reason why we are where we are now.
    "One day, we shall die. All the other days, we shall live."

  29. #2009
    Quote Originally Posted by Aimless View Post
    I really love this aspect of the movie—the very different, very strong reactions. Those who watched it without having read the book may have gone in expecting a straightforward action movie in a scifi setting, and were instead treated to a borderline abusive experience incompetently evoking Nazi imagery and ideas (to the point where one prominent reviewer called Verhoeven and Neumeier Nazis) that left them feeling cheated. Those who had read and thoroughly enjoyed the book in their early teens were offended on another level, because of the movie's clear and at times heavy-handed criticism of a book they loved without ever considering this unflattering angle. I think the criticism really hit a little too close to home for many who did not want to entertain the notion that they themselves may in fact have an appetite for proto-fascism—in their books, movies and political discourse. I like that. I love books and movies about punishing the enemy, but I appreciate the occasional reminder of precisely where that appetite originates, and what it means. While these ideas are especially topical in the age of cultural syphilis we're currently living through, they were also very relevant when the movie was first released—but we were even less ready to face our shortcomings back then. Which may perhaps be a reason why we are where we are now.
    I caught the totalitarian aspect of the book, but I just took it in stride. I wasn't sure if Heinlein was advocating for that sort of government, or whether he was saying "yeah, this could happen," but when I read scifi I'm usually of the frame of mind "alright, this is the world the story is playing out in, lets see what happens." When I saw the film, the best aspects of the book were left out, with a whole lot of immature/ over the top obnoxiousness in its place. I was looking for something totally different, so didn't really give it the satirical benefit of the doubt. I just thought the film-makers were super dumbing-down the material/ being lazy. So I hated it.

    And it takes WAY too many shots to kill a bug. Give the guys some better firepower FFS. These guys can travel from star to star but they don't have explosive rounds to use against giant bugs with thick carapaces? Come on, man!
    The Rules
    Copper- behave toward others to elicit treatment you would like (the manipulative rule)
    Gold- treat others how you would like them to treat you (the self regard rule)
    Platinum - treat others the way they would like to be treated (the PC rule)

  30. #2010
    Think Heinlein was nostalgic for the good old days.
    "One day, we shall die. All the other days, we shall live."

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