The General Movie Thread

[Satai with Punsch]

I like Thor: Ragnarok a bunch because it had sharp dialogue and lots of humour, and also played it totally over the top. It had a real sense of fun and love. I just don't get that from these DC films and all the comedic elements feel very forced and badly scripted. The MCU was wise to bring in Taika Wattiti, whose other films I find genuinely affecting and funny. Ragnakor is one of the few films where I don't get superhero movie fatigue as much. It felt fresh.

I agree completely. Superhero fatigue, that is a good description. Now I know what I have suffered from a while now. I did like SHIELD season 4 though, we just watched it.

[Ubik]

Sad to hear about Wonder Woman 1984. With 1984 in the title I kind of hoped it had taken a lesson or two from Thor Ragnarok which was great fun. Though, come to think of it, it was a lot of CGI punching going on. Almost nothing but CGI punching, and some good 80ies music. Turns out I have simple tastes some times

I like Thor: Ragnarok a bunch because it had sharp dialogue and lots of humour, and also played it totally over the top. It had a real sense of fun and love. I just don't get that from these DC films and all the comedic elements feel very forced and badly scripted. The MCU was wise to bring in Taika Wattiti, whose other films I find genuinely affecting and funny. Ragnakor is one of the few films where I don't get superhero movie fatigue as much. It felt fresh.

[Satai with Punsch]

I watched half of Wonder Woman 1984, got bored and turned it off. If this is the best DC can do, it's a sorry state of affairs. I thought the first one was fun, but it degenerated into 'explosions and punching CGI stuff' in the last half hour, which seems to be the endgame of all superhero films these days. Sigh.

Sad to hear about Wonder Woman 1984. With 1984 in the title I kind of hoped it had taken a lesson or two from Thor Ragnarok which was great fun. Though, come to think of it, it was a lot of CGI punching going on. Almost nothing but CGI punching, and some good 80ies music. Turns out I have simple tastes some times

[phazedout]

based on my Fiancé's brothers recomednation today we watched "soul". Surprisngly thoughtful movie and definitely not aimed at the kids here. It was nice to see Jamie Foxx play an older, considered dude and not be madly gurning his way through a performance. Plus graham norton had a good co star role, go the guy form cork.

[Looney]

but it degenerated into 'explosions and punching CGI stuff' in the last half hour, which seems to be the endgame of all superhero films these days. Sigh.

Hmmmmm... How are superhero movies supposed to end then. Tea? . . . . . .LOL I understand what you mean, but I would love some alternate ending scenarios here.

I think WB might know it is a weak follow up, which is why they didn't delay it any further. Or maybe they thought it would get them ahead of the game in the new streaming theatrical wars. Idk, I am waiting until I can see it in a theater here in the U.S. Anyone know where they are open?

[Ubik]

I watched half of Wonder Woman 1984, got bored and turned it off. If this is the best DC can do, it's a sorry state of affairs. I thought the first one was fun, but it degenerated into 'explosions and punching CGI stuff' in the last half hour, which seems to be the endgame of all superhero films these days. Sigh.

[Satai with Punsch]

This fall I have decided to try to watch a lot of the serious classics I still have not seen, and been to ashamed to tell anyone So far it has been fun.
We started with:

-Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure
and
-Big Trouble in Little China

Bill and Ted was entertaining, and I always like a fun time travel story. If I had seen it as a teenager I think it would have med me a very annoying Party on dude indeed.
Big trouble surprised me with its rather good Hong Kong-inspired fighting. It seems that Carpenter was trying to do something more that the usual fight movie. There was so many good movies made in the 80ies.

[Looney]

So I've seen many movies this year, but possibly none more disturbing than DOGTOOTH {KYNODOTAS} (2009). Soooooo disturbing because it could be a reality so easily. It is a film that can't really be described. It has to be seen, but I do not recommend this movie for those who don't care for VERY disturbing stories. All I will say is it is a great example of why people can be so truly different from each other. I mean that is part of it, but yeah it just makes you think.

[Looney]

THANK YOU DISNEY PLUS FOR HAVING HAMILTON!!!!!

For years I have heard this project hyped everywhere. I finally saw the filmed version last night on Disney Plus and WOW did it live up to the hype. I was amazed. Truth be told, the story and the music really might not be the most fantastic things you'll ever experience, if you could separate them from the rest of the whole. What makes this so fantastic is the WHOLE. The story is good. The songs are pretty good. The singing is mostly pretty good. BUT those are just pieces to this amazing puzzle. Seriously, my one regret is that I didn't see this live on a stage. Take those pieces and add them to the choreography and everything else and you see the "hype" is JUSTIFIED.

My only complaints (which aren't actual complaints) are that it was a bit hard to understand what was being said a few times, but I think one thing you have to know is go in prepared. Like I said, it was a bit hard to understand, but I think that is because I wasn't ready. Right out of the gate this comes running toward you and you better be prepared to keep up. So if you get a chance to watch it just know there is no real slow ease into it. Secondly there is so much happening almost every second of this extravaganza that I lost focus because I started looking around at everything and not the main thing that was happening. LOL

[Looney]

In relation to the Valiant universe thread, I watched BLOODSHOT last night. Objectively speaking, its pretty bad, but a fun enough throwaway action film. If you like 80s action flicks, this will do fine, but don't expect it come anywhere near the standard of the better Marvel films.

It needed to strike out from the standard action film template to do something eye catching and original. Sadly, this is not good enough to be the tentpole film for a new cinematic universe. A shame, as I know plenty of people who really rate the Valiant comics. Who knows, maybe they'll get a shot at another film and build something. DC has made enough failures lately, and still continues to churn out films.

AH so glad someone else brought this up. This was the last movie I saw in the theater before lockdown. I agree with your assessment. What did you think about that ending? That was the strangest part. My friend's and I were all scratching our heads not knowing if that was supposed to be real or what. It was strange, but the whole movie was strange. I was hoping it was better, but I am not surprised it was not. Vin Diesel is a very curious person to me. I like that he seems to put so much effort into projects like Riddick, but so many projects he works on are SOOOOOO horrible. Just because people find The Fast and The Furious Franchise entertaining does not mean those are good quality movies. As I hear it, some people find them entertaining because they are action packed and make no sense. They just like it because they are so outrageous. All I can say to that is in the case of HOBBS AND SHAW (2019) I agree. I mean HOBBS AND SHAW (2019) had a plot I enjoyed and was action packed, but it wasn't CITIZEN KANE (1941)

[Ubik]

In relation to the Valiant universe thread, I watched BLOODSHOT last night. Objectively speaking, its pretty bad, but a fun enough throwaway action film. If you like 80s action flicks, this will do fine, but don't expect it come anywhere near the standard of the better Marvel films.

It needed to strike out from the standard action film template to do something eye catching and original. Sadly, this is not good enough to be the tentpole film for a new cinematic universe. A shame, as I know plenty of people who really rate the Valiant comics. Who knows, maybe they'll get a shot at another film and build something. DC has made enough failures lately, and still continues to churn out films.

[Looney]

MISS FISHER & THE CRYPT OF TEARS (2020)

Anyone familiar with MISS FISHER'S MURDER MYSTERIES (2012-15) knows this movie didn't quite get there. It was entertaining enough and I definitely hope it leads to more adventures, but I think I would compare it to THE LOST TALES and say that I feel it falls somewhere between OVER HERE and OVER THERE. LOL Knowing me you would know that I find the OVER HERE segment to be a quite weak introduction to THE LOST TALES, but I think the OVER THERE SEGMENT is pretty good. So this Miss Fisher tale falls somewhere in between. It does have many of the Miss Fisher Mysteries elements, but thrown into the overall mix it amounts to what I would say is a weak episode. It relies too heavily on the idea that viewers will be satisfied with Miss Fisher having an adventure. Other than her closest male lead, her usual band of compatriots are for the most part missing. It is entertaining and Essie Davis and Nathan Page are just as good as usual, but on the whole I feel fits in the lower levels of Miss Fisher plots. Maybe my expectations were too high. I don't feel they were, but I have been looking forward to seeing this for at least a year and a half so maybe that played into it. I just hope it garners future installments. And I hope they recognize the failings.

And sorry if you are in the U.S. the only way to see this I am aware of is through an Acorn TV streaming subscription, but they are offering a 30 Day Free Trial instead of their usual 7 day trial with the code FREE30. I am going to watch SOOOOOO many MIDSOMER MURDERS and whatever grabs me. I have to finish PRIME SUSPECT SERIES SEVEN tonight. (I have that one on Blu-Ray because I am in love with Helen Mirren.)

[Looney]

It is on Disney Plus if you have it.

[Jan]

ONWARD (2020) - I really enjoyed this WAY more than I thought I would. If you like fantasy and you are looking for family rated fun then you will probably enjoy it.

I did want to see this one when it was out. Glad you liked it.

[Looney]

ONWARD (2020) - I really enjoyed this WAY more than I thought I would. If you like fantasy and you are looking for family rated fun then you will probably enjoy it.

FROZEN 2 (2019) - Upfront I admit I skipped through most of the songs. I did enjoy this one more than FROZEN (2013). The plot was interesting for what it was. I was pretty entertained, but I enjoyed ONWARD (2020) more.