Movies you've recently watched

Vampire_Hunter_Bob

Cats are great
I haven't seen the amazing spider-man - I probably will - but I saw The Amazing Spider-Man 2! The movie was a hot mess because of the different narratives running throughout the movie, one focus please...
but Aunt May wants to be a nurse!
. Also, there really wasn't anything at stake in this movie until the very end, which
Spider-Man didn't even know those planes were going to collide so yeah how about that.
There were a lot of really good moments, but by the end of the movie I just felt fatigued by too much going on and I just wanted to see it end.

Things I liked:
- Garfield is a much better spider-man.
- Some good fights, specifically
the "fight" between Parker and the Oscorp goons. Entertaining and funny.
-
best plot-line goes to Harry Osborn. When Peter wasn't around, I was pretty interested.
-
Ignoring Electro's weird one-second transformation from a goofy, slightly obsessive nerd to MONSTER OF PURE EVIL, I liked the guy a lot.

Things I didn't like:
-
the opening where there is this Bourne Identity fight scene between Peter's dad and some guy. SO GRITTY.
- The multiple competing narratives. I missed the days where we had one story, maybe two, and that was it.
Like did Aunt May's nurse narrative really need to be in the movie? It had no impact on the movie. Also, the whole story about the plane was just useless, Peter didn't know about it and it was just there for the sake of timing the Peter and Electro fight.
-
ghost dad.
- Seconding Griffith's rhino comment. My girlfriend leaned over to me and just asked what the point of it was. "Franchise," I said.

Also:
- What is up with all these eyebrows? This is a movie consisting of totally weird eyebrows.
- In the first 10 minutes,
how many people did Spider-Man let die when Rhino crashed into them with his truck? You know, the part where he saved Max.
- I started laughing at
Emma Stone's death. So emotionally manipulative. Poor Peter, his girlfriend died. :judo:
 
I watched 12 Years a Slave for the first time last night and I don't think anything could have prepared me for it. It doesn't hold back on showing the brutality of the Transatlantic Slave Trade/Maafa, and is by far the most accurate representation I've seen on screen.

All of the performances were just fantastic, Chiwetel, Fassbender, and Lupita stand out among the large cast. Lupita's oscar was well deserved, it's hard to believe that this was her first on screen role.

I'm not at all squeamish when it comes to theatrical violence
yet the whipping scene made me sick to my stomach and sent cold shovers down my spine. How the hell were the special effects for that accomplished anyway!? You could see the flesh and fat being torn from the bone like it was actually happening. I've never seen a movie show a whipping from that angle, it was truly shocking.

Obviously it was not as easy film to sit through.
 
Passion Of The Christ or The Proposition had gruesome flogging scenes, different angles but the camera would cut to show other characters more and the scene eventually lasts longer (also cos of the number of lashes) but it's not quite the same as 12 Years A Slave which was more bare-bones. If you'd seen this in a theater, you'd hear/ see audience reactions - sobbing, a lot of noses blown, heads shaking, etc. When I went, an old African American gentleman behind me was snoring through the 3rd act.
 
Aazealh said:
I saw the new RoboCop, and taken on its own I'd say it's a decent action flick.

I didn't expect it to be good and watched it in the theater when it came out, definitely surprised me. The way the political angle tied in with economics of having robots was good but something about the end didn't go well with me, can't recall what to be exact. If there wasn't an original to compare it with, it would hold up well.

gozilla-2014-trailer.jpg


Hit up Godzilla last night in IMAX 3D and I was satisfied, was worth the wait for me. Will watch it again given the chance and own it. I was disappointed the story sort of centered around
Ford being everywhere and given that much importance (in the big scheme of things ... after it spends time to set a good emotional bond for the audience with Cranston's character) or with the cheesy moments in the end (Go-him starefest) ... it reminded me of how much we saw Amy McAdams' character do so much in Man Of Steel.
That for me was the weakest link in the movie, not the science, frakk that. Go see it, don't go by what people say and make up your own mind about it. Godzilla > Pacific Rim, muchos. That Ligeti piece on the big screen which we see a bit of in the trailer was damn cool, there's a lot of cool moments like when
his tail lights up and the cinematography or the fight-fest in the end
. Do not expect this to be an all out I only want to see monsters fight kinda movie because Gareth's version focuses on the human aspect and the monsters are subtle, in the background ... much like Monsters.
 
Just saw X-Men: Days of Future Past this evening. Liked it a lot. I didn't get to watch First Class, but if it's as good as this one was I'll have to check it out.
 

Griffith

With the streak of a tear, Like morning dew
Days of Future Past was pretty good, it's probably the best X-Men movie on paper, if not the best movie in the franchise (between it, First Class, and X2), and it literally fixes what's broken in the other movies. Though, like all of Singer's X-Movies I feel like it was a perfect 7. I admire the proficiency with which it's made, especially the degree of difficulty in the stories they're trying to tell and tie together, but it never transcends that workman-like effort; the whole is exactly equal to the sum of the parts, good and bad. Like the rest of his films in the series, it's good, sometimes very good, but falls short of greatness (they just never quite take you there). Rather than seeing it in terms of greatness though, it's basically one of the good ones, vying to be the best among the likes of X-Men, X2, and First Class, and thankfully it's not another among the dregs of The Last Stand, Origins, and The Wolverine.

Some more specific odds, ends, and major nitpicks (basically, where I tear it apart despite saying it wasn't bad =)...

Loved the Magneto and Quicksilver moment, "My mom knew a guy that could manipulate metal." Fassneto: O_O

Why wasn't his sister old enough to be his twin though?

Professor X on heroin! Well, the cartoon equivalent of symbolic heroin where he can walk but can't use his powers. That was a little silly. Also, was that a precursor to the cure from X3? Beast used it as such with the Sentinels, but no follow up on any of it (possibly because nobody cares about X3 =). There was no curiosity about that drug at all, like why couldn't they make one in 50 years that would help Xavier walk but not take his power? Oh yeah, how the fuck did it treat his spine anyway? Isn't that an incredible though preposterous breakthrough for spinal injuries? Is this like the Khan serum that cures death but nobody gives a shit about that? Was Xavier taking it to walk or to block out his power? They kind of have it both ways, but if it was truly formulated for the purpose of subduing mutant powers and he really took it just to shut out the voices... well, that's one hell of a lucky side effect!

Anyway, why was Beast such a bitch boy enabler ("I got you a bigger dose cause you missed one!")!? Especially when they fucking needed his powers to save EVERYTHING. Wolverine has like a few days tops to pull this off and he's really going to let Professor A-Hole stick a needle in his arm and decide himself whether or not to totally ruin everything in one moment of weakness/selfishness (would Wolverine then just wait out the clock until he and his friends in the future were dead, because X wanted a fix that day)? I mean, talk about a time for a man of action to slap some sense into people, and Wolverine is just the type to do it but instead he's playing the nice guy all the way (you'd think he was trying to get laid). Logan's kind of a useless wuss the whole movie, and should have really been trying more desperately to resolve this as soon as possible by any (rude, inappropriate, and violent) means necessary. So, that was sort of mishandled.

Oh yeah, and same as above with Mystique and Xavier. "Shut her down!" Indeed. I get it, to change things people really have to change, but sometimes you work that out later, and don't literally leave the fate of everything in the hands of emotionally unstable people that seem incapable of making rational decisions. Come to think of it, all the characters were conveniently very dumb (Magneto/Mystique), unpersuasive (Xavier/Wolverine), or both, otherwise the movie would have been much shorter because they really just needed Magneto and Mystique to STOP actively ruining everything despite their foreknowledge, which they're surprisingly reluctant to do considering the trade offs, "I can shoot this guy who is hurting my kind, but my kind will become extinct as a result... I need two hours to think about this.")

We didn't really get to see the old school Sentinals doing their own thing; only, ironically, as puppets of Magneto. Also, I'm not sure how any of that was supposed to make sense...?

Successful Mega Happy Ending, and fun too with sweatered douche Cyclops coming in at just the last second to spoil the landing (his glasses were lame on a level only possible in the future, and fuck you X3 you really never happened)! Too bad they had to follow that up with the almost obligatory but inexplicable Stryker/Mystique takes Wolverine ending... ok. It's like they went right back to fucking everything up again (though the Wolverine/Stryker stuff in this and from Origins were already totally incompatible). Whatever, not the best note to go to credits on when you effectively just reset/fixed the series. Speaking of which...

Worse though, the predictable Apocalypse stinger was totally arbitrary, lame, and disconnected from anything. Didn't look like Apocalypse (a reminder these guys have trouble making anything look like the comic counterpart without a few movies to practice), and didn't tie into anything related to the film. How about you imply all this time travel chicanery has somehow stirred the sleeping giant, perhaps with his sarcophagus opening if you wanted to convey the Egypt vibe. As it is, it was sure no Thanos moment. I wanted to see THE FACE OF APOCALYPSE HOLY SHIT! Instead it was like, "That chick is supposed to be Apocalypse?" Maybe he'll look decent six movies later like Magneto. =)
 
Griffith said:
Worse though, the predictable Apocalypse stinger was totally arbitrary, lame, and disconnected from anything. Didn't look like Apocalypse (a reminder these guys have trouble making anything look like the comic counterpart without a few movies to practice), and didn't tie into anything related to the film. How about you imply all this time travel chicanery has somehow stirred the sleeping giant, perhaps with his sarcophagus opening if you wanted to convey the Egypt vibe. As it is, it was sure no Thanos moment. I wanted to see THE FACE OF APOCALYPSE HOLY SHIT! Instead it was like, "That chick is supposed to be Apocalypse?" Maybe he'll look decent six movies later like Magneto. =)

Yeah, I didn't understand what was going on during that sequence and I thought that was a
chick ... wait, that's supposed to be Apocalypse?
I only know of the bloke from animated movies but I couldn't have guessed or made the connection (haven't read the comics).

I thought Days Of Future Past was good but not as good as some of the reviews I now read online, like that really high RT rating. I enjoyed First Class more. What I liked about DOFP was how brutal it was in those
death scenes towards the end or even the beginning with the fight with Sentinels. And I liked how they kept some continuity with dead or alive mutants from X3 ... with the exception of Professor X ... what happened there? Had no idea Ellen Page's character had that sort of ability, powerful enough that they could've used it in X3. I thought they injected Magneto with something to take away his powers at the end of X3, how does he now have powers in the future?
Need to re-watch X3. In terms of comic book films, Captain America 2 has been the best so far this year and Godzilla was a lot more fun.
 

Walter

Administrator
Staff member
X-Men: Days of Future Past spoilers ahoy:
When First Class came out, it was refreshing for the genre. It was a fun superhero movie. Was it the best X-Men movie? Probably not, since it's barely an X-Men movie at all. But it was a pretty damn good time. It didn't bother itself with too much of the lore, but had enough throw backs to ground its underpinnings with that familiar, weighty X-Men fiction. It had character chemistry, goofy 60s tropes and played around within a yet unpainted picture of the X-Men franchise -- all good fun.

Days of Future Past feels almost sophomoric by comparison, wallowing in self seriousness, even down to the final scenario, lacking any nuance or subtlety whatsoever -- a White House assassination attempt? Could that conflict have been any more cliché?

That's not to say that returning to this particular set of actors and this particular timeline isn't a good time. It is. There are some good moments. My audience particularly enjoyed Pietro. That kitchen sequence was one of the movie's biggest setpieces, in retrospect--far more memorable than the ending. There are a few laughs involving a neutered Wolverine (which still strikes me as strange...). And as I said earlier, I think Fassbender's espionage stuff is still red hot, just as it was in First Class. I got chills at that train sequence, though that scene could have been a little more involved. It was a little TOO easy to infiltrate.

I thought the future scenario was a lazy, single set, CG fuckfest, mostly there for nerd cameos and narratively to lend the movie a gloom and doom atmosphere that will be familiar to anyone who read X-Men comics in the mid-90s. It was exactly what I thought it would be. Thankfully, it's a scenario that's not explored beyond its opening sequence. On the plus side, I found the modern Sentinels imposing and effectively creepy, and you could tell a lot of thought went into how they were designed. A pretty solid X-Men villain that makes me a little excited about how they might portray Apocalypse in the third movie.

Ultimately, I feel like this sequel missed the mark on what made the original special. And its attempts to marry First Class' freshness with the darker shades of the former franchise came across like an awkward high school reunion.

Beyond the thematic dullness of the whole affair, what bothers me reflecting on the movie now, is how pointless it all was. First Class sets up mutants working together, being used by the government, and defines each major player's goals for the future. Where does Days of Future Past leave us? Back in the same exact spot, pretty much, right? Great. But at least we averted the fake mid-90s comic book future. This time.

7/10
 

Walter

Administrator
Staff member
IncantatioN said:
Between Days Of Future Past and First Class, which do you think's a better film?

It's pretty apparent in my review but, First Class. I'd be suprised if anyone disagreed with that assessment, too.
 

Griffith

With the streak of a tear, Like morning dew
Walter said:
It's pretty apparent in my review but, First Class. I'd be suprised if anyone disagreed with that assessment, too.

Really? I know fans that hate First Class, because it fucks with the lore so much (which is also why it's compelling in the first place), and were quite pleased with how this one fixed the "mistakes" of the past films
(although they needlessly killed off almost all the cast from the last movie except for the big three of Magneto, Xavier and Mystique, so here we go again)
. The thing is though, I think that's almost more relief than anything resembling really liking or loving this movie on its own merits as a film (or just liking the X-Men boxes it checks off on paper). One of the clever things about it is if you liked anything from the past six movies, there will be elements of it in this one without any of the glaring drawbacks, except... this one isn't really outlandish enough to make you love it or hate it. The reason people really like or decidedly don't like First Class is it dared to do something new and outside the box with a fresh energy and it just worked, whereas this one basically ended on the opposite note despite the twists and turns along the way. If you like originality, character arcs and consequences though, First Class is the better movie, just maybe not the best X-Men movie. Fuck, I could have replied to this whole question better with one sentence:

First Class is the better movie, DoFP is a better X-Men movie.
 

Oburi

All praise Grail
I agree with Griffith for the most part. You definitely nailed a lot of it's issues. I really enjoyed Days of Future Past. It's right up there with X-2. It has some silly issues (
the serum, Wolverine being way too passive and just lame, Beast practically sucking Xaviers dick, that post credit scene
) but overall it's an engaging and entertaining summer blockbuster that has story with some weight and characters that have motivations, something a lot of special effects driven Hollywood blockbusters lack. I really liked First Class, but I do think this had better pacing and generally a better flow. After recently re-watching First Class, a lot of the movies scenes feel like they were put in there because they just had to have that scene. It feels kind of jumbled at times. I think Days of Future Past came from a better school of direction in that sense. The plot kept moving along with purpose. I think both movies go well together though, and I think after Apocalypse (assuming it doesn't suck) these new movies will make a very decent trilogy in retrospect.

Worse though, the predictable Apocalypse stinger was totally arbitrary, lame, and disconnected from anything. Didn't look like Apocalypse (a reminder these guys have trouble making anything look like the comic counterpart without a few movies to practice), and didn't tie into anything related to the film. How about you imply all this time travel chicanery has somehow stirred the sleeping giant, perhaps with his sarcophagus opening if you wanted to convey the Egypt vibe.

They really missed a great opportunity to go a little further with the time traveling plot device. It could have been the cherry on top, instead its completely cheap and, yea lame.

ying to be the best among the likes of X-Men, X2, and First Class, and thankfully it's not another among the dregs of The Last Stand, Origins, and The Wolverine.

I'm curious if you watched the unrated cut of The Wolverine? I know it's become a chore these days to watch a movie and have it suck and then be told you have to watch the SUPER DUPER UNRATED EXTENDED ULTIMATE DIRECTORS CUT version to enjoy it, BUT I really think in this case it improves the movie 100%. It's the same movie yes, and if you fundamentally hated it for the story or something, fair enough. But if you thought it was shitty by a moviemaking standpoint then I would suggest giving the Unrated Cut a shot. It adds a lot to the movie. You get to see Logan actually be that R rated badass that you've always wanted. There's way more blood and violence and more "fuck you's" than the regulated 1 fuck per movie usual. It might seem trivial, and in no way am I saying that more violence and swear words = a better movie, but when the theatrical version is so damn mediocre and boring, giving Logan that edge you've always wanted him to have can end up being a big saving grace.
 

Griffith

With the streak of a tear, Like morning dew
Oburi said:
I agree with Griffith for the most part. You definitely nailed a lot of it's issues. I really enjoyed Days of Future Past. It's right up there with X-2. It has some silly issues (
the serum, Wolverine being way too passive and just lame, Beast practically sucking Xaviers dick, that post credit scene
) but overall it's an engaging and entertaining summer blockbuster that has story with some weight and characters that have motivations, something a lot of special effects driven Hollywood blockbusters lack.

Yeah, X2 still has a special place in my heart as X-Men done right on the big screen. Wolverine was Wolverine (killing the shit out of soldiers) and the main man without overshadowing everything else (they even adapted/incorporated a vague interpretation of his background). Nightcrawler co-starred and Colossus cameoed. Magneto was the perfect frenemy even if he wore a "stupid helmet." The stakes were high and the message was there, and they even managed to pull off the Scott/Jean/Logan love triangle and hint at Phoenix without shitting on it too much. Throw in Beast, Gambit, and Jubilee and it would have been the TV show come to life. Oh, and until DoFP it was the only one with any, and still the most authentic, comicbook bonafides being a true adaptation of Chris Clarement's God Loves, Man Kills. Also, for some trivia, I saw it for the first time, in theaters, with Walter. =)

Oburi said:
I really liked First Class, but I do think this had better pacing and generally a better flow. After recently re-watching First Class, a lot of the movies scenes feel like they were put in there because they just had to have that scene. It feels kind of jumbled at times. I think Days of Future Past came from a better school of direction in that sense. The plot kept moving along with purpose. I think both movies go well together though, and I think after Apocalypse (assuming it doesn't suck) these new movies will make a very decent trilogy in retrospect.

I went back and watched some First Class and it might loom larger in our minds than it deserves because it was surprisingly good, rather than how good it actually it. Kind of like Rise of the Planet of Apes. In any case, I think it's biggest advantage is that its version of the characters will behave like normal people sometimes, rather than always being super serious X-people (the downside is sometimes there's also too much melodramatic yelling =). DoFP kind of gets to have it both ways, it's like X2 and First Class mated.

Oburi said:
They really missed a great opportunity to go a little further with the time traveling plot device. It could have been the cherry on top, instead its completely cheap and, yea lame.

They could have segued right into an Age of Apocalypse type of scenario, at the very least they could have used the idea of Apocalypse monitoring the situation for an opportunity to strike.

Oburi said:
I'm curious if you watched the unrated cut of The Wolverine? I know it's become a chore these days to watch a movie and have it suck and then be told you have to watch the SUPER DUPER UNRATED EXTENDED ULTIMATE DIRECTORS CUT version to enjoy it, BUT I really think in this case it improves the movie 100%. It's the same movie yes, and if you fundamentally hated it for the story or something, fair enough. But if you thought it was shitty by a moviemaking standpoint then I would suggest giving the Unrated Cut a shot. It adds a lot to the movie. You get to see Logan actually be that R rated badass that you've always wanted. There's way more blood and violence and more "fuck you's" than the regulated 1 fuck per movie usual. It might seem trivial, and in no way am I saying that more violence and swear words = a better movie, but when the theatrical version is so damn mediocre and boring, giving Logan that edge you've always wanted him to have can end up being a big saving grace.

I'm open to the idea. The Wolverine was disappointing because I heard good things about it and it was just mediocre to bad, but it wasn't a total shitfest like Origins or irreparably broken like The Last Stand, so maybe I could enjoy it just as a Wolverine action movie. Of course, it could just be here we go again, I want it to be good, I hear this version is good, and... =)
 

Oburi

All praise Grail
Also, for some trivia, I saw it for the first time, in theaters, with Walter. =)

That sound like a good time :serpico: I saw the three originals in theaters I believe with my Dad and that was it other than DOFP.
 
I just saw Edge of Tomorrow and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I didn't really know anything about this movie until about a couple of days ago, but I started hearing so many good things about it that I decided to give it a shot. I'm really glad I did. I think Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt are really good in it, and so are Bill Paxton and Brendan Gleeson. The only downside is that I think the movie runs out of steam a bit towards the end, and I wasn't quite happy with the ending itself, but overall it was well worth my money. I definitely recommend it.
 

Deci

Avatar by supereva01 @ DA
I enjoyed DoFP, Magneto/Fassbender stole the show as expected, I didn't think Quicksilver was as cool as many reviewers seem to think, and I enjoyed how they showcased Blink's powers. I expected it to be much worse. I found Xavier's walking/powerlessness/addiction thing to be rather bothersome. I don't recommend spending the high cost of a movie ticket to see it, but definitely catch it on Netflix/On Demand or whatever.

In regards to how Apocalypse looks, he starts off with only grey skin and blue lips. Over time he augments himself with Celestial technology to slowly transform into the Apocalypse we know today.

From
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->>
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Movies Ive recently seen:

Godzilla: Needed more Godzilla

TAS 2: I liked it more than the first, only because I enjoyed the comic truth of making Spidey comical while fighting.

Xmen Days of....: I actually liked it more than the first. Love Quicksilvers scene. I liked that they basically hit re-set on the entire F-ups from the original.

Malificent: It was ok...decent re-telling from a different perspective.

Plan on seeing:
Edge of tommorrow
Guardians of the Galaxy
 
I just recently watched How to Train your Dragon 1. It was very good. It was beautifully shot, scored, and the action was awesome.

At first, I was annoyed because I sensed it was going to be yet another all ages movie about someone who's different and a loser surpassing everyone else. I remember watching Kung-fu Panda and not being able to hide in the back of my mind that a lifelong sedentary fat adult can begin his transition into being the best martial artist by creatively trying to reach food in a kitchen for one night. He can surpass everyone else in martial arts who trained and ate healthy their whole lives by training for a much shorter period of time and doing things in his special hungry fat dude style because HE WAS THE CHOSEN ONE. I didn't dislike the movie, but I couldn't buy has rise to glory.

I'm not saying HTTYD has perfect logic, but it was easier for me to suspend my disbelief. Hiccup could craft attachments for the dragon because he had been crafting for a long time. He was the best rider in the movie mainly because he was doing it for longer than everyone else in the movie, won over the best dragon, and is very observant of /kind-hearted towards animals. He was a pioneer in training dragons. Granted, the fact that in the course of 300 years that he was somehow the only one to catch on to all of these tricks is a bit hard to believe, along with other discrepancies, but it didn't bother me as much.

I look forward to the sequel.
 

Deci

Avatar by supereva01 @ DA
Groovy Metal Fist said:
I just recently watched How to Train your Dragon 1. It was very good. It was beautifully shot, scored, and the action was awesome.

[..........]

I look forward to the sequel.

I always tell everyone that the best 3D IMAX experience I've ever had was How To Train Your Dragon. I can't wait for part 2 either, apparently it's going to be trilogy! =)

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Griffith

With the streak of a tear, Like morning dew
Deci said:
In regards to how Apocalypse looks, he starts off with only grey skin and blue lips. Over time he augments himself with Celestial technology to slowly transform into the Apocalypse we know today.

He was also an infant when he was adopted by Baal, which is another depiction of him I wouldn't have chosen for what should have been his iconic appearance at the end of the film.

To rework your image comparison:

Young_En_Sabah_Nur_(Earth-616).png
<
114413-apocalypse_400.jpg


I mean, it shouldn't have been hard. They even had a blueprint to copy or improve on but they did something completely retrograde for the genre and made him look like nothing special. Apocalypse does have gray skin and blue lips, but just painting anybody with gray skin and blue lips does not Apocalypse make.
 
I just saw How to Train Your Dragon 2. I was very pleased to see that it wasn't a rehash of the first, but instead used the first as a springboard for a more epic adventure. With the exception of the bland main villain, any issues I have with this movie are small nitpicks. And I definitely want to listen to that OST.

I was very sad to see the death of Mufasa Stoic.

At the end of the first movie Hiccup loses a foot. At the end of the second movie he loses his father. I wonder if they're going to carry on this pattern of escalating loss into the third movie.

I've heard that this was planned as a trilogy. Yeah, they're probably not going to stop there. Oh well.
 

Deci

Avatar by supereva01 @ DA
Groovy Metal Fist said:
I just saw How to Train Your Dragon 2.

Me as well, enjoyed it very much. Agree about the villain as well,
also think they needed more time to establish the dynamic between Hiccup and his mother
. Great movie, look forward to the next one!
 
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One of Peter Sellers' best movies - Being There. The satire and dialog is just amazing. Didn't know he was nominated for Best Actor and it's a shame he didn't win. Picked it up on BR.

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Saw a late night show of Grand Budapest Hotel and wasn't disappointed. It's not Wes's best movie but you see his technical skill jump to a higher level whether it's action sequences or long dialog panned shots. It's one of those movies you kinda don't want to end. The plot revolves around the present owner of the hotel explain to a curious guest how it came to be in his possession.

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Keoma is pretty enjoyable whether you're into westerns or not. The film's cinematography is beautiful and it's got an old school sing-along sort of soundtrack to go with the story, every few scenes where the story shifts. Franco's also starred in Django but this feels like an big under-rated gem.

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Tracks is based out of a real life story of a girl who trekked 9 months to cover 1700 miles of dessert to get to the Indian Ocean. It was featured in the National Geographic and she wrote a book about it. Mia's pretty good and the landscapes bring life to the movie but it wasn't as good or lacked depth as say Into The Wild which's similar in the sense that both movies are self discovery/ personal adventures by the main character. I'd still say check it out if you like, Adam who's cast as a baddie in the new Star Wars trilogy is in it if you're curious of his acting chops.

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Finally got to see Transcendence last night. It's a bumpy ride and perfect example of how a cast that good can't make it work if the story falls flat, plus there's no pull from the director since this's his first movie. Depp and Hall make a power couple in the film - they're both good looking and extremely intelligent. Their company created PINN which's a sort of self aware AI (HAL 9000 anyone?) and they're also researching on ways to create artificial consciousness on the side by using monkeys. Depp gets shot with a bullet laced with radiation and is going to die in a month. Hall gets the idea of trying to upload Depp's consciousness in the data banks of PINN but did it work? This much was in trailers if you saw em. Spoilers ahead -
The entire film rests on the emotional bond between Depp, now as an AI and Hall but I honestly didn't care for their relationship/ love and the end was very whimsical. You don't get to root for either character, instead you feel for Paul Bettany whose journeys a conflict of his friendship with Depp's character post and pre death. The concept of what the movie was trying to achieve was cool - AI synchronized with nano bots and how horrific that can be but at the same time - cutting the mortality rate by curing diseases, purifying water, etc. so it's a shame the movie isn't good.

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My Cousin Vinny rules. I come back to this movie once every year.

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Ida is a beautifully filmed black and white movie, just an hour and a half long. If you stay attentive and pick on the little things, it's a rewarding experience. Reminded me of Ingmar with a hint of subtle witty humor. Anna's and orphan raised in a Polish convent. When she is about to take her vows she finds out that her name is actually Ida and she's Jewish which's not something she knew all along. She goes on a small journey to learn more about her family and find her parents. She finds her aunt who drinks, smokes, etc. and is now a magistrate (ironically sent many people to their deaths when she was a judge). They set out on a bleak setting journey together. Check it out guys.

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I had higher hopes than I should have for Sabotage but it's still decent. Ayer's last film End Of Watch I liked a lot, this was not as gritty or didn't feel as tangible, not because of Arnold but for it's cliched scenes. There's a badass moment at the end of the film.

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Stranger By The Lake is slow-burn, drama-thriller, well shot though ... adding a new layer with what transpires the next day in the film's story and yet there isn't a lot going on. A guy witnesses a murder and after knowing that fact still chooses to see/ date the murderer. There's a lot of explicit gay sex scenes and the dialog, emotions shown on screen are blunt, whether it's why someone's jealous or why one's lusting for the other, etc. The build up to the end is worth the watch. Not too satisfied with the end and yet somewhat satisfying in its treatment.

Also revisited Prometheus and Noah. Prometheus is fun but there's no real essence of horror as you'd sense from watching Alien today, as many number of times you may have seen Alien. Pro lacks that charm. Knowing the soundtrack in and out made Noah a lot of fun to re-watch, was reminded of Crowe's menacing crazy look at the end of the movie, phew. Not too bad, def more action-adventure~ish and not the director's best.

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Gun Woman was not a colossal waste of time but I wish it was at least campy or ridiculous on a different level for it to be enjoyable. It's a mix of serious and unbelievable stuff and misses out on being entertaining. A friend of mine liked it, it was a miss for me. So, you know ... check it out maybe? Haha.
 

Griffith

With the streak of a tear, Like morning dew
Saw Toy Story 3 on TV while in Hawaii and... wow, that actually lived up to the hype! After watching these beloved childhood characters confront their mortality and even make peace with inevitable death(!!!), how could they possibly raise the stakes for another? Buzz gets cancer? Woody Alzheimer's?

Anyway, I also saw Toy Story 2 and confirmed that my instincts to skip it in the first place were right on. Not that it was bad, but it was almost purely cartoon action for kids and can't touch the first or third (which did the deepest elements of 2 much better).
 
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