Rate The Last Movie You Saw.

[Still Servant]

I had smoked a joint (which I NEVER do but since it is legal... you only live once right?) so for me that was one of the most intense war scenes I have ever seen. I LOVED IT. I also was really hoping for a franchise here. It could have been done so well. This and Upgrade are the best underrated movies most will not see all year...

Believe me, I'm with you. Joint or no joint, the opening is easily one of the most intense war scenes ever filmed.

It's funny you should mention Upgrade. I actually just watched it tonight. I know Matt has been raving about it for a while and I really enjoyed that one as well. Once it ended, I felt the same way that I felt about Overlord, that it should have fared way better at the box office. It's a shame.

[Mattrick]

Yeah, Overlord and Upgrade are both very similar despite being very different. They're both genre fare that takes itself seriously. Granted there is more humour in Upgrade, but really that just added to the realistic, human side. They're well-crafted, take the time to add some humanity to the characters and firmly establish their world. Upgrade was a unique, sci-fi take on a revenge movie and Overlord was a unique sci-fi/horror take on a WWII movie.



Also, I was getting high in the theatres while I watched Halloween. My friend has a vaporizer that doesn't smell or make a massive cloud, so we just passed that back and forth during the movie. That's going to be the new thing. Pound some hard liquor for an hour before the movie, get baked during the movie.

[St. Troy]

Why do they still call it substance abuse when you do it so well?

[Randall Flagg]

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs:


Released in a select few theaters by Netflix, but unfortunately the nearest screen to me was 45 miles away in San Francisco. Thus I streamed it at home and watched on my big-screen.

Written, produced and directed by the Coen Brothers, the movie is comprised of 6 unrelated stories taken from a "book". Very cool how each story is introduced with a full color plate in the book, and a few visible words from the story opening. Being a movie by the Coen brothers, the stories are all dark tales from the old west days.



The story with Liam Neeson and the arm less, leg less, orator touring the country as a sideshow is laugh-out-loud funny.



5.5/6 Beers on the RFSRS-this is a must-see.

[webstar1000]

Creed 2. VERY predictable and missed a lot of opportunities BUT damm if I didn’t love it. Haha. My favourite Rocky was The Russian by a landslide so this brought me right back. It was very nostalgic 7/10

[Still Servant]

Creed 2. VERY predictable and missed a lot of opportunities BUT damm if I didn’t love it. Haha. My favourite Rocky was The Russian by a landslide so this brought me right back. It was very nostalgic 7/10

Only a 7? Come on, it's better than that.

I really enjoyed it. Sure, it's predictable, but it's a boxing movie, there's only so much they can do.

I will say,

Spoiler:

in the opening scene when Creed is talking to Rocky in the training room, I said to myself, "Shit, he better not be dead the entire movie or something."

I suppose that would have been different enough for you though.

[webstar1000]

Creed 2. VERY predictable and missed a lot of opportunities BUT damm if I didn’t love it. Haha. My favourite Rocky was The Russian by a landslide so this brought me right back. It was very nostalgic 7/10

Only a 7? Come on, it's better than that.

I really enjoyed it. Sure, it's predictable, but it's a boxing movie, there's only so much they can do.

I will say,

Spoiler:

in the opening scene when Creed is talking to Rocky in the training room, I said to myself, "Shit, he better not be dead the entire movie or something."

I suppose that would have been different enough for you though.

A boxing movie doesn’t have to be one 2 hour cliche though. I liked it... but endless possibilities were left on the table. That was more predicable than the sun rising and setting and you can’t say it wasn’t. 7 is a fair score and i would have went lower if i didn’t love the Russians so much. I hope he gets some more gigs as he makes a MEAN bad guy. I think this move would have benifited greatly if it had focused on the Russians and then came back to focus mainly on Creed and team for the third movie.....

[Mattrick]

I liked Creed 2 about as much as the first one. The first one was a better made film, but I was more drawn into the story of the this one, especially the Drago plotline. I was more invested in the Drago plot which only got maybe 15 minutes to develop than I was about the Creed plot. Actually made me tear up. I kind of wish they made a Drago movie which could've ended with the midway point of Creed 2, and then they could've done a sequel on the last hour of Creed 2.



4/5

[Still Servant]

Creed 2. VERY predictable and missed a lot of opportunities BUT damm if I didn’t love it. Haha. My favourite Rocky was The Russian by a landslide so this brought me right back. It was very nostalgic 7/10

Only a 7? Come on, it's better than that.

I really enjoyed it. Sure, it's predictable, but it's a boxing movie, there's only so much they can do.

I will say,

Spoiler:

in the opening scene when Creed is talking to Rocky in the training room, I said to myself, "Shit, he better not be dead the entire movie or something."

I suppose that would have been different enough for you though.

That was more predicable than the sun rising and setting and you can’t say it wasn’t.

Did you miss the part where I said, "Sure, it's predictable."

I'm just not sure what else you wanted them to do. Did you want Creed to

Spoiler:

lose the second fight as well?

No mainstream film would have the balls.

I personally thought they did something different in the end by

Spoiler:

letting Ivan Drago become more human than just being so hard on his son. Seeing him throw in the towel was unexpected from one of the greatest movie villains of all time.

No?

[MikeDuke]

Green Book. A+, 100%. A fantastic movie. Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali were spectacular. Highly recommended.

[webstar1000]

Creed 2. VERY predictable and missed a lot of opportunities BUT damm if I didn’t love it. Haha. My favourite Rocky was The Russian by a landslide so this brought me right back. It was very nostalgic 7/10

Only a 7? Come on, it's better than that.

I really enjoyed it. Sure, it's predictable, but it's a boxing movie, there's only so much they can do.

I will say,

Spoiler:

in the opening scene when Creed is talking to Rocky in the training room, I said to myself, "Shit, he better not be dead the entire movie or something."

I suppose that would have been different enough for you though.

That was more predicable than the sun rising and setting and you can’t say it wasn’t.

Did you miss the part where I said, "Sure, it's predictable."

I'm just not sure what else you wanted them to do. Did you want Creed to

Spoiler:

lose the second fight as well?

No mainstream film would have the balls.

I personally thought they did something different in the end by

Spoiler:

letting Ivan Drago become more human than just being so hard on his son. Seeing him throw in the towel was unexpected from one of the greatest movie villains of all time.

No?

Hey if you are ok with the movie that is great. I also said It was good in its own right. I just think there was missed opportunity to stand out and be different. From your spoilers:

Spoiler:

YES he should have lost. In fact, I think this ark should have been two movies... Him losing the belt and avenging it in the 3rd Creed would have been amazing. I wish the movie spent 75-85% of its time focusing on the Drago's and not "good guys"... it could have made it so much better. I also hated that he threw in the towel. He was amazing in Rocky and a solid baddie... now he isn't and it takes away from Rocky for me. I rolled my eyes when he stopped the fight. HOWEVER... I liked the movie. I did... it just didn't blow me away as I was hoping it might

[Mattrick]

Spoiler:

YES he should have lost. In fact, I think this ark should have been two movies... Him losing the belt and avenging it in the 3rd Creed would have been amazing. I wish the movie spent 75-85% of its time focusing on the Drago's and not "good guys"... it could have made it so much better. I also hated that he threw in the towel. He was amazing in Rocky and a solid baddie... now he isn't and it takes away from Rocky for me. I rolled my eyes when he stopped the fight. HOWEVER... I liked the movie. I did... it just didn't blow me away as I was hoping it might

Spoiler:

See, Drago throwing in the towel is what I loved so much about it. I haven't seen any of the Rocky movies before (I know, I know), but I knew about Apollo's death and Rocky refusing to throw in the towel. And that symbolism was strong, especially with it being so stained with blood. That towel played such a big role in Rocky's life, Adonis's life, and both The Drago's lives. And there was a strong sense of closure in that moment. Apollo avenged his father, even though Adonis said he didn't do it for his father. Ivan got closure for his shame he felt for failing his country and he made amends with his guilt for having made his own failings define the life of his son, who effectively paid the price for his own shame and anger. Neither of The Drago's were necessarily portrayed as villains in this film. The father had his own shit to deal with, and his son was a victim of his own father's obsession with redemption, and both characters were sympathetic. I thought it was a truly beautiful moment when they embraced and in the face of his son's shame for losing, after all the pressure was on him, for Ivan to tell him it was okay that he lost.

[Still Servant]

Spoiler:

YES he should have lost. In fact, I think this ark should have been two movies... Him losing the belt and avenging it in the 3rd Creed would have been amazing. I wish the movie spent 75-85% of its time focusing on the Drago's and not "good guys"... it could have made it so much better. I also hated that he threw in the towel. He was amazing in Rocky and a solid baddie... now he isn't and it takes away from Rocky for me. I rolled my eyes when he stopped the fight. HOWEVER... I liked the movie. I did... it just didn't blow me away as I was hoping it might

*CREED II SPOILERS* I'm tired of tagging this shit, go see the fucking movie.

Oh, man.

We are on completely different pages on this one. What was the main theme of Creed II? Fathers and sons. You have Adonis fighting for his father's honor against the son of the guy who killed him. You have Rocky dealing with the estrangement of his son and you have Ivan and his son.

Ivan throwing the towel in was perfect. It shows that time has made him human. He's not this juiced up robot like he was in Rocky IV anymore After he lost to Rocky, he lost everything. All he had left was his son. How many of us mellow with time? That's all that was showing me and I liked.

I'm with you, I would have liked to have seen more of Ivan and his son. Matt mentioned the two movie idea and I like that too. That being said, you can't tell me you've been watching movies all your life and expected the film to end any other way but with Adonis winning. I know the good guys are going to win in every comic book movie, doesn't mean I'm going to be disappointed with them as the credits roll. Although some dumb people who went to see Infinity War were.

Anyway, if he had lost for the second time, every theater in America would have booed.

[Still Servant]

I haven't seen any of the Rocky movies before (I know, I know)

What the actual fuck. I'm going to help you fix that as soon as I get the chance.

[Mattrick]

My friend has been trying to lend me his DVD set. I was hoping Creed would make me want to watch them...but it didn't. I am more interested now after Creed 2 though.

[webstar1000]

Spoiler:

YES he should have lost. In fact, I think this ark should have been two movies... Him losing the belt and avenging it in the 3rd Creed would have been amazing. I wish the movie spent 75-85% of its time focusing on the Drago's and not "good guys"... it could have made it so much better. I also hated that he threw in the towel. He was amazing in Rocky and a solid baddie... now he isn't and it takes away from Rocky for me. I rolled my eyes when he stopped the fight. HOWEVER... I liked the movie. I did... it just didn't blow me away as I was hoping it might

*CREED II SPOILERS* I'm tired of tagging this shit, go see the fucking movie.

Oh, man.

We are on completely different pages on this one. What was the main theme of Creed II? Fathers and sons. You have Adonis fighting for his father's honor against the son of the guy who killed him. You have Rocky dealing with the estrangement of his son and you have Ivan and his son.

Ivan throwing the towel in was perfect. It shows that time has made him human. He's not this juiced up robot like he was in Rocky IV anymore After he lost to Rocky, he lost everything. All he had left was his son. How many of us mellow with time? That's all that was showing me and I liked.

I'm with you, I would have liked to have seen more of Ivan and his son. Matt mentioned the two movie idea and I like that too. That being said, you can't tell me you've been watching movies all your life and expected the film to end any other way but with Adonis winning. I know the good guys are going to win in every comic book movie, doesn't mean I'm going to be disappointed with them as the credits roll. Although some dumb people who went to see Infinity War were.

Anyway, if he had lost for the second time, every theater in America would have booed.

Yes, I wanted to see him lose. I wanted to see the bad guys.. be actually bad. I wanted more but not really sure what. Some of the best movies don't have the happy go-lucky endings... look at Empire Strikes Back, T2, Dark Knight.. etc. They didn't have perfect endings... BUT were amazing movies. This could have made an EXCELLENT 2 movie arc. Now what's next? Hulk Hogan or Clubber Lang's son for the third one? I am so tired of these movies insulting the audiences thinking we need perfect happy endings tired up in a little bow for us. I agree America would have lost thier shit if a white Russian beat a black American. They would have rioted... but again I ask? Why couldn't they have taken some risks? I DID LIKE the movie.. I really did. BUT I felt like I did when I left Venom. They could have just did more with it. Great topic and I do like a LOT of the movies you do too.. but I feel I could have told you the outcome of this before I seen it. And every review says the same thing I am.. good movie but missed opportunities. Hey at least we have a nice little bow on our Creed 2.. it is the holidays after all.

[Still Servant]

I could have told you the ending too. I could tell you the ending of every sports movie. I could tell you the ending of most movies.

Liam Neeson is going to save his daughter in Taken. Marty is going to get his parents to kiss in Back to the Future. The ring is going to be destroyed in Lord of the Rings. Ripley is going to kill the alien. Most films have happy endings. Not all, but most. That's just the way it is. That's the way it's always been.

You'll have to turn to indie films if you're looking for something a little different.

[Mattrick]

I could have told you the ending too. I could tell you the ending of every sports movie. I could tell you the ending of most movies.

Liam Neeson is going to save his daughter in Taken. Marty is going to get his parents to kiss in Back to the Future. The ring is going to be destroyed in Lord of the Rings. Ripley is going to kill the alien. Most films have happy endings. Not all, but most. That's just the way it is. That's the way it's always been.

You'll have to turn to indie films if you're looking for something a little different.

You mean to tell me you saw that amazing catch that prevented The Twins from winning in Little Big League? NO ONE SAW THAT COMING!

[Randall Flagg]

Widows:


Somber, moody, and a bit plodding, this story of widows of bank robbers having to pull off a heist to save themselves also shows the ugly side of Chicago politics. Robert Duval has a minor but terrific role as a former powerful politician, now guiding his son through a race for a local Ward. Viola Davis is fantastic, but has to be a little tired of roles that call for her to cry a lot.

Major spoiler

I felt they tipped their hands a bit early on the reveal that Liam Neeson's character was still alive

4.5/6 Beers on the RFSRS

[fernandito]

What Mike said.

[Still Servant]

Widows:


Somber, moody, and a bit plodding, this story of widows of bank robbers having to pull off a heist to save themselves also shows the ugly side of Chicago politics. Robert Duval has a minor but terrific role as a former powerful politician, now guiding his son through a race for a local Ward. Viola Davis is fantastic, but has to be a little tired of roles that call for her to cry a lot.

Major spoiler

I felt they tipped their hands a bit early on the reveal that Liam Neeson's character was still alive

4.5/6 Beers on the RFSRS

I really enjoyed Widows. I'm a big fan of McQueen's work. I know many people are going to be turned off by all the politics and would have preferred more of a straight heist film, but it didn't bother me.

I'm in agreement about your spoiler though.

[Ricky]

I thought Widows WAS going to be a straight heist film until I read some reviews saying it wasn't entirely that. I still want to see it but probably won't get around to it until the new year with the holidays coming around.

[Mattrick]

I finally got around to watching The Witch or The VVitch. It was a very solid horror film. Reminded me a lot of Hereditary, or I suppose that Hereditary would've reminded me a lot of The Witch if I'd seen The Witch back when it first came out. What really stood out to be me with The Witch was the stunning photography, enhanced by the terrific production design and costumes. So many Puritan-era films have a certain prestige to them, where everything looks a little too proper and a little too aesthetically pleasing. The way the father's shirt was basically just a big linen sheet fastened into a shirt and other nice touches along the way really added to the realism of it. Having just re-read The Scarlet Letter and doing some researching on The Puritans, it was a truly harrowing depiction of life in the new world, and the vast unknown that the woods represented to the people, where they though the woods were full of demons and beasts and young women were vessels for the devil. I'm not sure if this movie was before, during, or after the witch trials. But it is a fascinating look at paranoia in a world full of the unknown. All in all it's a creepy, dread-filled film that really used music to it's advantage...the music reminded me of a mix between The Shining and Gravity.

5/5

[Still Servant]

Check out my Fall movie round-up featuring mini reviews from Creed 2, A Star is Born, Bohemian Rhapsody, Halloween, Widows, Beautiful Boy and much more.

Quick Flicks Mini-Reviews - Fall 2018

[Randall Flagg]

The Possession of Hannah Grace:


This tale of a recovering alcoholic who makes the wise decision to work the graveyard shift in a Boston morgue doesn't have an original idea in it. Only the setting, and good sound design make it watchable.
2/6 Beers on the RFSRS