Talk about whatever you want to here, but stay correct
#326273 by Bookwyrm83
Wed Mar 06, 2019 7:41 am
Captain Marvel.

It goes without saying that this movie should be watched with its own merits in mind and in that regard, there is plenty to enjoy. As an origin story, we've seen this kind of formula in Marvel movies before but the characters are all well-realized, the mid-90's setting is comfortably integrated and the story has plenty of turns to keep the flow interesting.

Brie Larson lives up to her hype and gives Carol Danvers the right balance of attitude and empathy that one would expect. The Skrulls were gratefully not just two-dimensional baddies to be beaten up and blown apart, and Ben Mendelsohn shows that he is still more than just the villian of the week. The de-aging effects for Samuel L. Jackson were among the best I've seen and it was nice to see Nick Fury's origins as well.

If I'm going to point out flaws, it would be that like many MCU movies before it, the body of work might be solid but may still feel like a stepping stone to the next major event. It's also not hard to guess what direction the narrative is going to take, despite some clever twists. I'm not going to let that bother me; it might be standard fare in the grand scheme of things but it's a damn good movie with a kick ass heroine, as well as a respectable message of female empowerment. Oh, and Goose the cat. I want more of him. Recommended.

Spoiler: show
Speaking of Goose, I knew from the first time I saw the trailer that he'd be responsible for Fury's eye injury. Still, how they handle it was one of the best gags in the movie, and that's saying something considering what that cat is capable of.
#326280 by Bookwyrm83
Sun Mar 10, 2019 7:08 pm
Alita: Battle Angel.

Preface, I have not read the manga (but I did look up the premise) and only saw the OVA hours before deciding to watch the movie. So when it comes to the source material, there was quite a bit I can only presume the movie adapted but what I saw that came from the anime, I enjoyed, which helped me to enjoy the film as a whole.

The cast was great and everyone encompassed their roles, especially Salazar, Waltz and Connelly. One of the reasons I resisted the film were Alita’s eyes, which I felt were out of place compared to the rest of the cast. They didn’t bother me as much when they were given context, granted there were times when I thought I had become used to them that a suddenly a close up would take me out of the moment.

Great fight choreography and world building, ingenious effects and great sense of emotional impact as the movie progressed. I think the reason it took me this long was the trailer, which made the movie look like another generic sci-fi film to dismiss until video. It's actually brilliant for not giving away anything majorly important to the story, yet by doing this, it had the opposite intended effect of being polarizing.

My only complaints are that there were dramatic moments that didn’t feel as impactful as they should (especially when compared to the OVA) and this shows the most with one character who I found to be too casual in his approach; this might be storytelling rather than acting, as he was otherwise fun to watch.

Spoiler: show
I refer in this case to Hugo. He was a good character but felt more like a skater kid than someone driven to desperation. By removing his backstory and some of the darkness of his character, his departure didn’t have the weight that it deserved.
With that said, I liked that Ito’s reveal as a Hunter Warrior had greater stakes with the alley girl also being a killer cyborg, something the OVA and apparently not even the manga touched upon. I also like that for what rating they had, there was a lot of violence and imagery they could get away with (i.e. bisected kid and organ harvesting).


All that considered, it was a well-balanced story that I appreciate more by making myself more familiar with its source material. Had I not, I would have found this merely okay.
A good movie with some issues (what movie doesn’t) that deserves more exposure, and one for which I would like to see a sequel.
#326281 by EphelDuath666
Sun Mar 10, 2019 7:34 pm
I'm craving for a good Robert Rodriguez movie. There hasn't been one in a while. So sooner or later I'll give this one a chance. Thanks for the review!


I watched 'Judgment at Nuremberg' which is, hands down, the shortest 190 minutes in movie history...well, to me anyways. Excellent performances from start to finish. Maximilian Schell's performance being the stand-out of the movie. Absolutely fantastic. The same goes for the always awesome Richard Widmark. But Burt Lancaster, Spencer Tracy and Marlene Dietrich were terrific in it too. Definitely one of the best movies of that particular era and one of the best post-WWII movies to date.
#326284 by fragility
Mon Mar 11, 2019 12:16 pm
Jurassic world - Fallen kingdom

I have watched the first Jurassic Park a gazillion times and never get tired of it. This one, for me, was actually pretty enjoyable as a kinda mindless blockbuster adventure thing. It just didn’t FEEL like Jurassic Park, so had very little nostalgia or satisfaction. These new ones just don’t seem to have the ability to make you jump or any sense of nervousness about them getting away. And there were just too many bits that seemed quite glossy over (like the minor detail of we never saw how they got away safely at the end). Still, it was kinda fun.
#326334 by Deth Warmdover
Wed Apr 10, 2019 8:26 am
He Never Died.
Rollins is perfect in this. Another fallen angle move? Yawn?Not this one. Very cool imo
#326336 by EphelDuath666
Wed Apr 10, 2019 2:16 pm
Mandy
Holy moly. That was a weird, fucked up but sweet trip into cinematic madness. One of the most violent movies I have seen in a while. I'm not much of a gore hound (anymore) but this one was something different. Visually it was incredibly appealing And Nicolas Cage might mostly be known for awful B- and C-movies but he's great in this one. Last time I enjoyed him in a movie this much was when he was in the movie Joe.
#326347 by Sarpale
Wed Apr 17, 2019 2:03 am
Mandy
Holy moly. That was a weird, fucked up but sweet trip into cinematic madness.

I want to see Mandy!

I watched BlackKklansman, rented from YouTube.
There is this Finnish actor guy Jasper Pääkkönen doing some nice work in Hollywood (that's what the headlines in papers here say) and we thought to check out that one.
Jasper has also been in Vikings TV show, and he did really well there. Also another Finnish actor, Peter Franzen had a role there and I was very pleased how fitting they were in their viking roles :D
Well anyhoo, Spike Lee movie had a bit undergroundish feel to it, good but also felt a bit long in some scenes.
Overall enjoyed it and didn't think my 4 Euros or so were wasted there, so no complaints :)
#326356 by Bookwyrm83
Wed Apr 24, 2019 7:34 am
Rapid fire round!

Shazam!
What a joyous, well-balanced origin story with relatable characters, genuine humor and emotion, plus a bad guy oozing with sadism that chews as much scenery as the hero. That it takes place during Xmas also lends it an appropriately gorgeous yet creepy aesthetic perfect for the settings. I've seen it three times now and and always came from it smiling. On par with Wonder Woman as one of the better entries in the DCEU.

Us
Another one I have seen more than once and emerged from smiling, but for different reasons. Jordan Peele has really given the audience something to chew on, though it helps that the mood and tone of the movie is genuinely eerie, as well as funny when it needs to be. There is so much to unwrap from both the story and characters, and the fact that it's great movie will give it staying power.

Stan & Ollie
A touching and funny look at Laurel and Hardy in their final years, granted the story combines events from the late 40s and early 50s and just keeps it mainly in 1953. Both Steve Coogan and John C. Reilly disappear into their respective roles, being both moving and hilarious with grace. I'd be lying if I said the plot wasn't predictable but given the subject matter and strong performances, it's easy to put nitpicking aside and enjoy the show. Definitely seek this one out.

Pet Sematary (2019)
Has its moments and certainly takes an ambitious turn in the second half, but a lot of it plods through jump scares. I'm glad I did not see the trailers beyond the first because upon review after the movie, they gave away literally every new twist it has to offer. Like the original, the dad seems to be the weakest character but Jason Clarke did a decent job. About on par with the 1989 film, just less cheesy and more grim.

Avengers: Endgame
HOLY SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIT!!!!!
Ahem.
This exceeded my expectations and in my opinion, topples Infinity War as best of the MCU.
If you're a fan, see this movie. That is all.
Spoiler: show
What the hell are you looking in here for? I'm keeping my silence.
#326358 by EphelDuath666
Thu May 02, 2019 9:31 pm
I have so much catching up to do when it comes to the Marvel movies. The last one I saw was Dr. Strange! :lol: And I'm not questioning that everything that came after that is super awesome and I still bought them all and will watch them at some point but right now I'm just watching a lot of movies from the 30's, 40's, 50's and 60's instead, it seems.
#326371 by hairbearbunch
Fri May 10, 2019 5:47 pm
I'm just gonna chuck up a quick list of worthwhile (for various reasons) movies -
Infini
2036 Origin Unknown
Martyrs (French version)
The greasy strangler
Visitor Q
The visitors

If you haven't seen em, I sometimes get more satisfaction watching a movie without knowing anything about it. Helps with the ride, especially with a good flowing movie with unpredictability.
#326372 by Bookwyrm83
Mon May 13, 2019 6:37 am
John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum

About on par with the second movie and continues to explore the world of assassination.  So much so that there were points I was beginning to wonder who wasn't an assassin.  You get that feeling in the prior film but especially here.  The structure of the underworld not only comes off as grander (and dare I say convenient) but this story also emphasizes the rules by which they play have nasty consequences even for smaller matters.

The action and fighting are still consistent and inventive in parts.  John is also shown to be more vulnerable and beaten down in this film after getting pummelled and fighting like hell through the events of the last movie (which ended about an hour before this one starts).  He might be the boogeyman but that doesn't make him immortal.  With that said, Keanu Reeves still kicks all kinds of ass and has a ball doing it.  There are some great fight sequences involving attack dogs who damn near steal both his and Halle Berry's thunder.

Whilst there are plenty of breathers between the action scenes to let the tale unfold, I can't help but feel the emotional core of the first movie that got me hooked now seems relegated to part of Wick's legend people just breeze through when talking about him.  This is however balanced by convincing performances and hinting at other character threads to lend an air of mystery to a film that otherwise leaves subtlety writhing with a gutshot.

If you liked the first two movies, I'd say you'll enjoy this one.  I sure did.
Spoiler: show
A fourth movie is inevitable but I hope they don't try and overdo the franchise with too many instalments.  I do want to see what happens though and if this movie is to prepare you for war, then they better bring the apocalypse next time.
#326378 by Sarpale
Wed May 22, 2019 4:38 am
INTO THE SPIDERVERSE


Edit: Woops, got so excited I posted without the actual post :D

So this movie was available in Youtube Movies, so I rented it for 4 euros.
It was so highly recommended through all the channels and websites and everyone who saw it, that I got confused and totally missed it's theatre views.
The hype was too strong and messed up my spider sense.

But to keep it short, that was the best Spider-Man movie I have ever seen.
The animation is beyond amazing, soundtrack is very fitting for the movie and it kept even my SO embedded in his armchair for the whole movie. He wasn't too thrilled when I suggested this for our movie night, but I think he really enjoyed it :D :)

Such a great movie. Now I am bummed I only rented it and didn't buy it! :D
#326381 by EphelDuath666
Fri May 24, 2019 4:43 pm
Sarpale wrote:INTO THE SPIDERVERSE


Edit: Woops, got so excited I posted without the actual post :D

So this movie was available in Youtube Movies, so I rented it for 4 euros.
It was so highly recommended through all the channels and websites and everyone who saw it, that I got confused and totally missed it's theatre views.
The hype was too strong and messed up my spider sense.

But to keep it short, that was the best Spider-Man movie I have ever seen.
The animation is beyond amazing, soundtrack is very fitting for the movie and it kept even my SO embedded in his armchair for the whole movie. He wasn't too thrilled when I suggested this for our movie night, but I think he really enjoyed it :D :)

Such a great movie. Now I am bummed I only rented it and didn't buy it! :D



I saw in one of our movie theaters and loved it too. And I agree it's probably the best Spidey movie out there. And also definitely one of the best animated movies of all time.
#326384 by Bookwyrm83
Sun Jun 02, 2019 8:34 am
Brightburn.
An "evil Superman" tale that delivers on nasty horror and tells an interesting story that seems perfect for our current hero-obsessed climate. In fact, it starts out like any other similar tale before quickly becoming darker, with the boy discovering his powers displaying all the signs of a dangerous sociopath (and his doting, adoptive mother in complete denial). However, there are some dumb character decisions and familiar tropes that prevent this from being as grand as it wants to be.
Given that it was made on a small budget, what they managed to achieve was fairly good, and the performances are all fine. It probably just needed to be ten or so minutes longer just to flesh things out, since there is a lot of subversive ground that it could have covered beyond straight horror. As it stands, it's not bad. Let's see what they do in future.

Godzilla II: King of the Monsters.
Well, the audience wanted more creatures, more fights and more Godzilla, and that's exactly what you get. And far as the spectacle goes, this movie delivers in spades. Excellent monster action, great soundtrack and one of the most badass renditions of King Ghidorah in any Godzilla movie. The big G himself also brings the goods, and it was fun to see both Mothra and Rodan grace the screen with splendor and destruction. This is also a more colorful film than the Edwards movie, with quite a few nods to older Godzilla movies and sequences.
That being said, the human characters are sillier and at times even less useful than how they were in the last movie. There's even one major death where you hardly feel any weight for their loss, as it goes by so quick (however, a later and more pivotal scene makes up for this to a degree). The story is thin and flimsy, with certain characters trying to orchestrate events for a goal that might make Thanos roll his eyes. While thankfully nobody in this movie is wooden and there are moments of actual connection, some of the actors are too hokey for their own good, made worse by 90's one-liners.
In short, if you want to see this for the creatures and eye-candy you'll get what you paid for. Just try not to get your hopes up for much else.

Avengers: Endgame for the seventh time.
I thought I would stop at six, then again I also thought I would stop at five. And you know what, it's just as good as when I saw it the first time. Of course there are some things I can nitpick but that doesn't lessen my enjoyment. This may well be my favorite film of the year.
#326386 by EphelDuath666
Wed Jun 12, 2019 3:59 pm
Watched X-Men: Dark Phoenix and actually liked it. Maybe I'm just not enough of a fanboy to have an issue with whatever continuity issues there may be but I don't quite agree with all the harsh croticism. I thought it was pretty good. Not the best superhero movie I have seen (and it doesn't have to be to be good) and certainly far from being one of the worst.

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 83 guests