Rate The Last Movie You Saw.

[Still Servant]

It's not for everybody, that's for sure. At least you checked by giving it another watch.

[DoctorZaius]

Watched two action movies over the past two weekends. Thoroughly enjoyed them both. Atomic Blonde had some fine twists to go along with some really excellent action fight sequences. American Assassin, on the other hand, was a by-the-books action spy movie with some excellent takes on the genres well-worn tropes. Both get 7.5/10 for pure entertainment value, though I doubt that I would need to watch either ever again.

[Randall Flagg]

Went to see Darkest Hour this morning. Got there 10 minutes early for an 11am showing...SOLD OUT! Evidently word in this are is out that this is a movie to be seen.

Decided to see The Disaster Artist instead.

Delightfully funny, and yet sad at the same time look at the person who made what is considered to be the worst movie of all time (The Room).
James Franco is so deep in character, I wonder if he ever comes out. A great reflection on Hollywood and the crazy way things are done in the film business. Tons of cameos that by themselves are almost a Saturday Night Live skit.

5/6 Beers on the RFSRS

[Heather19]

For those that have seen The Disaster Artist, do I need to see The Room first? I'm dying to see this, but despite my love for bad movies I've yet to see The Room.

[Tommy]

The Room is a truly bizarre experience. I've seen the Rifftrax live version but never it by itself. It's pretty bad but fascinating at the same time. I've seen worse though. I love that the enjoyment of Trash Cinema seems to be a sign of intelligence.

Why people keep watching the worst movie ever made (https://www.vox.com/videos/2017/6/14/15772374/the-room-worst-movie-cult-hit-trash-cinema)

Hilarious video in that article with the author of The Disaster Artist who has seen it over 100 times (!).

[allasorte]

I had sort of the opposite reaction. Really liked AMERICAN ASSASSIN and was very dissapointed with ATOMIC BLONDE.

Same

[Still Servant]

For those that have seen The Disaster Artist, do I need to see The Room first? I'm dying to see this, but despite my love for bad movies I've yet to see The Room.

I think you will definitely get more out of the film if you watch The Room first. If you love bad movies, then you it's a must watch. It's the Citizen Kane of bad movies. It's free on YouTube and the quality is good.

[Tommy]

If anyone wants to watch The Room, here it is on Youtube.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RyXkZldOYg

[webstar1000]

So I watched Mother. I have to say.... I had no idea of the relationship that was being portrayed until after I researched it and then it was all I could see. I didn’t love it but I did like it allot!


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[Randall Flagg]

Viewed Darkest Hour yesterday. Fascinating look at several weeks in May 1940 when 300,000 British troops are trapped at Dunkirk. Political jockeying leads to Prime minister Neville Chamberlain (he who wants to make peace with Hitler allowing the Nazis control over Europe) is replaced by Winston Churchill. The behind the scenes political maneuvering are treacherous and Churchill who is liked by few must navigate the machinations and rally the politicians, King George the VI, and the British people to stand up to Germany, while finding a way to rescue the trapped troops. This at a time when U.S. non-intervention policies essentially left Great Britain alone as a literal and figurative island against the Axis powers.

Gary Oldman is completely believable as the irascible Churchill.

Slowly paced and very dialogue driven, I suggest viewing in a theater, or in private without interruption. The 40+ people in the show I attended gave a rousing round of applause at the end of the movie (90% of the attendees were 60 or over).

5/6 beers on the RFSRS

[Heather19]

For those that have seen The Disaster Artist, do I need to see The Room first? I'm dying to see this, but despite my love for bad movies I've yet to see The Room.

I think you will definitely get more out of the film if you watch The Room first. If you love bad movies, then you it's a must watch. It's the Citizen Kane of bad movies. It's free on YouTube and the quality is good.


If anyone wants to watch The Room, here it is on Youtube.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RyXkZldOYg

Thanks guys! I had searched YouTube quickly the other week and only saw Disaster Artist related videos. I'll try to watch this tonight. Hope it's as bad as everyone's making it seem :lol:

[allasorte]

So I watched Mother. I have to say.... I had no idea of the relationship that was being portrayed until after I researched it and then it was all I could see. I didn’t love it but I did like it allot!


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And people wonder why I don't want kids. "Mother" sure makes you think about it.

[Still Servant]

And people wonder why I don't want kids. "Mother" sure makes you think about it.

LOL, I can see where you're coming from but did you catch the drift of the film?

The entire film is an allegory for the Bible. Ed Harris's kids represent Cain and Abel


Viewed Darkest Hour yesterday. Fascinating look at several weeks in May 1940 when 300,000 British troops are trapped at Dunkirk. Political jockeying leads to Prime minister Neville Chamberlain (he who wants to make peace with Hitler allowing the Nazis control over Europe) is replaced by Winston Churchill. The behind the scenes political maneuvering are treacherous and Churchill who is liked by few must navigate the machinations and rally the politicians, King George the VI, and the British people to stand up to Germany, while finding a way to rescue the trapped troops. This at a time when U.S. non-intervention policies essentially left Great Britain alone as a literal and figurative island against the Axis powers.

Gary Oldman is completely believable as the irascible Churchill.

Slowly paced and very dialogue driven, I suggest viewing in a theater, or in private without interruption. The 40+ people in the show I attended gave a rousing round of applause at the end of the movie (90% of the attendees were 60 or over).

5/6 beers on the RFSRS

I'm looking forward to this one. I hear it's a perfect companion piece to Dunkirk. I'm also a huge Oldman guy.

[allasorte]

Mike, I thought that, but simply thought more on the children aspect when people mentioned it. When knowing the premise, it made me see and understand the movie differently. Especially when the dialogue seemed "childlike" at times. I liked it overall.

[allasorte]

Gary Oldman is one of my favorite well rounded, can act anything, actors. Have been always a huge fan.

[webstar1000]

Star Wars. 10/10. They took every expectation I had and and flipped it. Took my off my game in a beautiful way. They paid homage to my childhood and I thank Rian for that...


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[Mattrick]

For some reason I watched Saw 4-7. They're utterly ridiculous to the point they're almost enjoyable. The plot is the most convoluted thing I've seen. The performances and characters are atrocious. They continuously retcon everything that came before it. Jigsaw had like 8 accomplices. Who'd have thought? I really like how it takes a story that is supposed to be about the people trapped inside Jigsaw's games, and turns that into a sideplot to make room for the immensely uninteresting adventures of Detective Hoffman who, by the final film, has killed about 8,000 people. Utterly obscene movies LOL

[Randall Flagg]

Wow - STAR WARS THE LAST JEDI in IMAX - I've seen every Star Wars movie at the theater, some more than once, including all the new releases with extra footage or added 3D. I have to say this latest was the one I liked the least. Not one interesting character or (interesting) new idea. It seemed they took the least attractive actors and actresses they could find for the minor roles. I'm not saying I don't like that idea, but in this case it just made the movie even less interesting. Just a retread, and I am very sorry to say 5 out of 10. And I went today so there were not many people there. I WANTED TO LIKE IT!!! I REALLY DID!
Saw it today in "faux max". I agree with you completely. It became tedious to see fights between battle cruisers, dreadnoughts and rebel small fighters. Same thing with the light saber fights. Tedious, repetitive and boring (mostly because one knows the outcome in advance).

Not a single surprise in the movie. The best scene may have been Luke milking the animal...

Pure money and nostalgia grab.

25 minutes too long...perhaps more.

3/6 on the RFSRS

P.S. Laura Dern in the purple hair was the worst conceived character and execution. Does she have dirt on Disney? Can't think of any reason they would have used her, or the character.

[allasorte]

Wow - STAR WARS THE LAST JEDI in IMAX - I've seen every Star Wars movie at the theater, some more than once, including all the new releases with extra footage or added 3D. I have to say this latest was the one I liked the least. Not one interesting character or (interesting) new idea. It seemed they took the least attractive actors and actresses they could find for the minor roles. I'm not saying I don't like that idea, but in this case it just made the movie even less interesting. Just a retread, and I am very sorry to say 5 out of 10. And I went today so there were not many people there. I WANTED TO LIKE IT!!! I REALLY DID!

Sadly I 100% agree

[Randall Flagg]

Except for BLUE VELVET, I just don't like Laura Dern, I never have. No offense intended, she may be a great human being, but I just find her totally uninteresting, in all aspects. And being a big David Lynch fan, this really grates on my nerves. When I saw her in the movie I asked myself, "Is that Laura Dern! Oh no!"
Her wig was the worst. Chewbacca has a better 'do'

[Still Servant]

I'm hearing wildly different opinions on Last Jedi. It's very interesting.

[webstar1000]

I'm hearing wildly different opinions on Last Jedi. It's very interesting.

I’m shocked to hear them. I ask myself if we all seen the same movie or not. I think so much of this all will make sense in the 3rd part. I’m just enjoying it for what it is. Do I have questions?? Oh yes... but I don’t and didn’t expect them to be answered already on this journey.


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[Tommy]

To me, the SAW movies are a guilty pleasure. The two standout scenes for me are the girl jumping into the pit of hypodermic needles (which I could not fully watch), and the detective using his ball point pin to give himself a tracheotomy so he wouldn't drown.

I finally saw THE DISASTER ARTIST, under the mistaken impression it was about ROOM (which Ive seen) and not THE ROOM (which I never heard of). So I went in ignorant of the movie's premise, which is just the way I like it, and enjoyed the movie. 7.5 out of 10 for me.

I posted the full movie for The Room last page of this thread if you care to watch something really bad. :dance:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVn-xI9rKNA

You may want to have friends, drugs and/or alcohol near by. Just in case....

[Ricky]

Just got back from All the Money in the World. It was one of my most anticipated movies of the year even before the whole drama surrounding it. Well, it was just okay. Not amazing, not terrible. Just okay. It's well acted all around (Plummer earns his Golden Globe nomination as the greedy, shallow, cheapskate, while revealing just enough to make us think we know what makes him tick before making us question that too; and I was surprised just how many scenes he's in), well shot, and the period settings and clothes are a lot of fun.

However, it's not the thriller that the trailers make it out to be (and what I thought it would be) and the slow pacing tends to make the film feel longer than it is (if our phones hadn't been confiscated, I'd have probably checked the time). It's also a weirdly structured film in that it (somewhat jarringly) cuts back and forth from the pasts and presents of different characters in the beginning before that back-and-forth completely disappears going into the second third.

If the runtime had been trimmed, the film injected with a dash of adrenaline, and focused more on Plummer as Getty (who really was captivating), All the Money in the World would be elevated from a good film to a great one.

[Still Servant]

To me, the SAW movies are a guilty pleasure. The two standout scenes for me are the girl jumping into the pit of hypodermic needles (which I could not fully watch), and the detective using his ball point pin to give himself a tracheotomy so he wouldn't drown.

I finally saw THE DISASTER ARTIST, under the mistaken impression it was about ROOM (which I've seen) and not THE ROOM (which I never heard of). So I went in ignorant of the movie's premise, which is just the way I like it, and enjoyed the movie. 7.5 out of 10 for me.

You thought this film was about the making of the film with Jacob Tremblay and Brie Larson? :scared: Had you not seen the trailer?


Just got back from All the Money in the World. It was one of my most anticipated movies of the year even before the whole drama surrounding it. Well, it was just okay. Not amazing, not terrible. Just okay. It's well acted all around (Plummer earns his Golden Globe nomination as the greedy, shallow, cheapskate, while revealing just enough to make us think we know what makes him tick before making us question that too; and I was surprised just how many scenes he's in), well shot, and the period settings and clothes are a lot of fun.

However, it's not the thriller that the trailers make it out to be (and what I thought it would be) and the slow pacing tends to make the film feel longer than it is (if our phones hadn't been confiscated, I'd have probably checked the time). It's also a weirdly structured film in that it (somewhat jarringly) cuts back and forth from the pasts and presents of different characters in the beginning before that back-and-forth completely disappears going into the second third.

If the runtime had been trimmed, the film injected with a dash of adrenaline, and focused more on Plummer as Getty (who really was captivating), All the Money in the World would be elevated from a good film to a great one.

It's funny because I put together my Most Anticipated list ever January. I do extensive research and include over 50 films on the list. Somehow this one slipped under my radar, even with Ridley Scott directing. Even after seeing the trailers, I don't have a strong desire to see this one.

[Still Servant]

To me, the SAW movies are a guilty pleasure. The two standout scenes for me are the girl jumping into the pit of hypodermic needles (which I could not fully watch), and the detective using his ball point pin to give himself a tracheotomy so he wouldn't drown.

I finally saw THE DISASTER ARTIST, under the mistaken impression it was about ROOM (which I've seen) and not THE ROOM (which I never heard of). So I went in ignorant of the movie's premise, which is just the way I like it, and enjoyed the movie. 7.5 out of 10 for me.


I almost NEVER watch trailers, unless they're for a movie you'd have to pay me to go see, like SUPER TROOPERS 2 for instance. They run 7 or 8 before every movie at the AMC and I go late to avoid them, if I can. I will never understand why anyone would want to know the beginning, middle and end of a movie before one goes to see it. It takes all the fun away and leeches out all the surprises, whether good or bad. One of the best movies I ever saw at the theater, FARGO, was a last minute choice because I arrived at the wrong time for the movie I was planning on seeing, and turned into one of the best movie going experiences I've ever had, and I only went because it was starting in 5 minutes. Not knowing a thing about it was fantastic! Of course, this can also turn around and bite you in the ass (MORTDECAI for example), but to me it's worth the chance.

I get that, I've been taking it easy on trailers too. That said, I follow enough movie news that I knew The Disaster Artist was about this terrible film called The Room, despite the fact I hadn't seen it at the time.

I'm just interested in your thought process. I don't think I would have ever gone to see a film about the making of Room. Great film, but not great enough to make a film about the making of it.

Unless you're saying you go in completely blind on all films. That's a risky endeavor.

[DoctorZaius]

Not gonna waste a lot of time on this. Took the wife and my daughters to see Pitch Perfect 3 last night. The previous two were guilty pleasures, and the girls were begging. Nothing pleasurable about this one. 3/10.

Good thing I am seeing Star Wards: The Last Jedi at 2:30 this afternoon. Hoping for a better time.

[Still Servant]

To me, the SAW movies are a guilty pleasure. The two standout scenes for me are the girl jumping into the pit of hypodermic needles (which I could not fully watch), and the detective using his ball point pin to give himself a tracheotomy so he wouldn't drown.

I finally saw THE DISASTER ARTIST, under the mistaken impression it was about ROOM (which I've seen) and not THE ROOM (which I never heard of). So I went in ignorant of the movie's premise, which is just the way I like it, and enjoyed the movie. 7.5 out of 10 for me.


Not gonna waste a lot of time on this. Took the wife and my daughters to see Pitch Perfect 3 last night. The previous two were guilty pleasures, and the girls were begging. Nothing pleasurable about this one. 3/10.

Good thing I am seeing Star Wards: The Last Jedi at 2:30 this afternoon. Hoping for a better time.

I really enjoyed the first Pitch Perfect, the 2nd one was not very good, but tolerable. The 3rd smells like a rental to me.

[Mattrick]

The Shape of Water - Much like any Del Toro film, the quality is in everything happening that isn't happening. The sets, the score, the costumes, the atmosphere. The mixing of dingy interiors, otherworldly interiors (that reminded me a lot of Richard Ayode's The Double) and ultra-clean depictions of early 50's/60's sets (which, in comparison, feels like the real fantasy world) really set the tone. The performances from Hawkins, Shannon, Sthulberg, and Spencer are all solid, but to me it was Richard Jenkins who stole the film. He's been a favourite character actor of mine since Six Feet Under and I'm always happy to see him get a good role and get recognition for it. The score by the best Hollywood composer working today, Alexandre Desplat, is the biggest highlight of this film for me, and it being a strong contender for the Oscar wouldn't surprise me. I'd love to see a version of the film before Desplat did he recording with the Punch Drunk Love score, which Del Toro used over the footage as he was making it, as he's a huge fan of that film, as am I. The creature effects were fantastic and the makeup job should see it be a strong contender for the oscar as well. With all this said, I can't help but be disappointed with the movie overall. It's certainly not a bad film, and there is a lot of artistry to appreciate, but as I find often with Del Toro films, there is a certain hollowness underneath it all, something intangible missing that leaves me detached from the end result, the same something which has left me never quite loving any of his films since Mimic. Maybe it's just me, and not a problem with the movie, but his films play like earworm cinema. ****


Lady Bird - Lady Bird is a special kind of film. It's a coming of age story about teenage angst and the trials and tribulations of growing up and growing out, and in that respect it's nothing original or groundbreaking. But what Lady Bird does so well is depict its characters in ways that make them all fallible, imperfect, and unable to be slotted into categories. No one in the film is portrayed as good people or bad people, and all the archetypal roles you'd expect in a coming of age film are missing. Even the smaller characters of the film, such a priest at their catholic school suffering from depression after his wife died, are portrayed as people, defiant at the idea of being defined by any limiting role (except for the football coach, who is just simply the funniest part of the movie in his brief time). Saoirse Ronan is excellent as always, and Greta Gerwig's semi-autobiographical script gives her a lot to work with. But the real stand out is Laurie Metcalf, most famous as Aunt Jackie on TV's Roseanne, as her mother. A great deal of the interaction between mother and daughter is mostly bickering, but it's bickering that is true in that I think we all know some parent/child relationship that is like this, where love is expressed through criticism to the point neither party even knows how to actually express genuine compassion for each other and they instead push and pull as if living a never-ending game of tug-of-war with each other, and this is usually because both people, at their cores, are so similar to each other that they resent each other for being so similar....this isn't necessarily a never-before-seen dynamic in fiction, but it's so well done here. *****

[fernandito]

I loved Shape of Water, but your hollowness sentiment is one that I share, Matt.

Still, everything else is firing on all cylinders and the way the film marries sound, music and visuals is just outstanding.

[Heather19]

I also really enjoyed it. But I too agree with the lack of something. Not sure what though, and it didn't hinder me from liking the film as much as I did. I'd probably give it an 8/10. The film was beautiful to watch visually and the score was just as wonderful.

Matt did you not enjoy Pan's Labyrinth?

[Mattrick]

Pan's Labyrinth is one I need to watch again. I waited a long time to watch it and let the hype die away. But it too was missing something. I remember not quite understanding the point of the film when it was over and done with. I enjoyed Crimson Peak more, but I'm a sucker for Gothic Romance and am biased towards Mia Wasikowska. My favourite part of Pan's Labyrinth was the captain or whatever he was. Quite the vile character, and the graphic violence wasn't something I was expecting. The only Del Toro I have to see now is Devil's Backbone, which I have and just haven't gotten around to yet. Well, I guess Pacific Rim too, which I always forget is a Del Toro. I did feel what I felt after The Shape of Water, even more so with Pan's Labyrinth. His films just don't resonate with me on that emotional level, but the artistry in them is fantastic. But I think that's just the kind of filmmaker he is. Not all filmmakers can excel at telling emotionally engaging stories, but he knows his strengths and he uses them to their best effectiveness.

[Heather19]

That's a bummer. Pan's Labyrinth is my favorite of his. I wonder if you'd like it more on a rewatch. If you ever get around to it, let me know.

[Heather19]

So I just finally got around to watching Mother! I can now see where all the bad reviews are coming from. That was a weird movie, and not in a good way. I love Darren Aronofsky, but I wasn't a fan of this one.

[Mattrick]

I just got my hands on Mother! Can't wait to rewatch it with the sound cranked.

[Still Servant]

So I just finally got around to watching Mother! I can now see where all the bad reviews are coming from. That was a weird movie, and not in a good way. I love Darren Aronofsky, but I wasn't a fan of this one.

That's understandable for sure. It's one of those films that when somebody tells me they hated it, I completely get that. Once you heard what the film was actually about, did you at least appreciate it more? I know once I told some of my friends they at least could see what Aronofsky was going for.

[Heather19]

So I just finally got around to watching Mother! I can now see where all the bad reviews are coming from. That was a weird movie, and not in a good way. I love Darren Aronofsky, but I wasn't a fan of this one.

That's understandable for sure. It's one of those films that when somebody tells me they hated it, I completely get that. Once you heard what the film was actually about, did you at least appreciate it more? I know once I told some of my friends they at least could see what Aronofsky was going for.

I went and read what it was about right after I finished it. I guess I can see what he was going for, but it didn't make me like it any more. It was still too out there for me. I do agree with Matt though, the sound was excellent, but I need more than that in a film.

[DoctorZaius]

Finally say Star Wars: The Last Jedi, the day after Christmas. Loved it! 9/10! Took the wife and daughters to see The Greatest Showman today, and loved it too. Predictable but good cheesey fun! 8.5/10!

[Mattrick]

Logan Lucky - I've always been a fan of Steven Soderbergh, especially Out of Sight, which is a film so rarely mentioned on the interwebs. You can tell he's one of those directors who really knows how to work with his actors, which is probably why he's able to assemble such talented ensembles. And that's the real highlight of Logan Lucky, this talent ensemble from the major characters, down the smaller characters which are brought to life by Hilary Swank, Dwight Yaokam, Katherine Waterson, and Katie Holmes. It's fun seeing these actors play these quirky, funny characters with their thick accents. Daniel Craig is unlike we've ever seen him before and the real standout. Channing Tatum continues to impress me year after year considering I had him pegged for another heartthrob who lacked any real acting chops, like Josh Hartnett, but his choices of challenging, diverse roles has really helped him mature and develop as an actor. Adam Driver is very good too and demonstrates how versatile he is. Seeing this movie, along with Ocean's Eleven, and other solid heist movies, is how Rogue One should have been done...there is so much enjoyment in watching a group of people come together with individual strengths and roles and spend a bunch of time planning a heist, and then getting to see how they pull it off, and deal with problems along the way. All in all, an entertaining film that takes the heist film formula and changes it up in a refreshing way. I do think the movie could have used some tightening up, and as much as I enjoyed the fallout from the heist, it was a little too long, or maybe it was the beginning that was a little too long which made the end feel a little too long. It is fun seeing how dumb and smart these characters are, such as a great scene involving gummy bears, and a hard science explanation on how it is part of an explosive ****

I, Tonya - I have a love/hate affair with biopics. Sometimes I find the subject fascinating and the movie dull, or the subject dull, but the movie fantastic, or sometimes I get a double dose of fantastic or dull. But there are times where I get a biopic about someone whose name I know, but I know nothing about them, which is the case with Tonya Harding. In this sense, everything that happens is news to me and I really get taken along for the ride because I honestly have no idea where it's going despite it being history(sic). I, Tonya tells a great story about growing up poor in a rural, southern region, the negative and positive effects of parenting, and a strong depiction of an abusive and toxic, codependent relationship. The performances are all very strong. Margot Robbie lacks all her usual glamour and is unrecognizable for the most part. Allison Janney (who I've been a fan of for years) gives us the best work of her career. The Winter Soldier (Sebastian Shaw) hid underneath a mustache the entire film and I didn't even recognize him. The soundtrack is great and the film definitely has a kinetic, quirky energy which is reminiscent of David O. Russell's latest offers like The Fighter, Joy, and American Hustle. Craig Gillespie's filmography has been pretty hit or miss with his best work a decade before in Lars and the Real Girl, and while I, Tonya isn't as good as that one, it's definitely his second best film. It's actually hard to believe this story could be true. If it was fiction, I'd probably be criticising it for being ridiculous. ****

[Still Servant]

I wanted to see Logan Lucky in theaters, but it was gone in like two weeks. I've been putting off renting it, but I hope to see it soon. You're right, Out of Sight is a somewhat forgotten film. Steven Soderbergh in general is an underrated director. Another film that didn't get a ton of attention was Side Effects.

I, Tonya is another film that refuses to open up near me. I love Margot Robbie and I remember the whole Tonya Harding scandal really well.

Speaking of films not opening up near me, I had to travel just to see The Shape of Water. I thought it was a beautiful film both visually and thematically. You're right, the score is amazing. I've always thought Sally Hawkins was beautiful in a quirky way and she's really fantastic in this.

[Still Servant]

THE SHAPE OF WATER - 8 out of 10
LOGAN LUCKY - 5 out of 10
MOTHER - 9 out of 10

Some koo-koo caraaaaazy movies I really, really like:

http://www.thedarktower.org/gallery/data/500/medium/crazymovies.JPG

There are some great ones here, except for the one smack dab in the middle. Aeon Flux is one of the worst films I've ever seen. That film and Ultraviolent came out around the same time. Seemingly trying to capitalize on the Matrix franchise and both are terrible.

[Ricky]

The Shape of Water never opened around me either, Mike. I kept waiting for it because I knew it was going to be released at the end of December, then looked at showtimes to see it wasn't even near me. If the same thing happens with The Post, I'm gonna shit a brick.

[Still Servant]

The Shape of Water never opened around me either, Mike. I kept waiting for it because I knew it was going to be released at the end of December, then looked at showtimes to see it wasn't even near me. If the same thing happens with The Post, I'm gonna shit a brick.

This a growing concern and it's happening more and more it looks like. I'm sure it's only people like us here that gives a shit, but it's becoming worrisome.

[Heather19]

The Shape of Water never opened around me either, Mike. I kept waiting for it because I knew it was going to be released at the end of December, then looked at showtimes to see it wasn't even near me. If the same thing happens with The Post, I'm gonna shit a brick.

This a growing concern and it's happening more and more it looks like. I'm sure it's only people like us here that gives a shit, but it's becoming worrisome.

Funny thing is that these movies have been playing in multiple theaters by me lately. Granted I do include the closest indie theater which is about 30-35min away. Some have only played for 1 or 2 weeks at the big theater, but they did come by for a bit.

[Mattrick]

Mike, blame Star Wars and all these blockbuster type movies around this time of year. Movies either get released in Fall Season and don't get the visibility, get muscled out of theatres in December, or they push the release into near the end of January. Phantom Thread does get a wide release for another two weeks. This was our season, and sure some of us might still enjoy the blockbuster types, but they interfere in theatre availability for all of us. Last year I missed out on Manchester by the Sea because I think it was here for two weeks max. I barely caught Lady Bird. It's extra bad this year because my theatre is currently transitioning to recliner seats, so there are usually a couple of theatres being renovated at any given time. Actually saw Disaster Artist last night in the old seats, a cinema they haven't gotten to yet.

[Still Servant]

Mike, blame Star Wars and all these blockbuster type movies around this time of year. Movies either get released in Fall Season and don't get the visibility, get muscled out of theatres in December, or they push the release into near the end of January. Phantom Thread does get a wide release for another two weeks. This was our season, and sure some of us might still enjoy the blockbuster types, but they interfere in theatre availability for all of us. Last year I missed out on Manchester by the Sea because I think it was here for two weeks max. I barely caught Lady Bird. It's extra bad this year because my theatre is currently transitioning to recliner seats, so there are usually a couple of theatres being renovated at any given time. Actually saw Disaster Artist last night in the old seats, a cinema they haven't gotten to yet.

Oh, I know. The good news is there won't be a Star Wars film released in December next year, so it shouldn't be as bad.

[Mattrick]

I was surprised Solo is out so quick. There will still be Fantastic Beasts and a comic book film or two though. But it shouldn't be as bad.

[Shannon]

Killing Of A Sacred Deer
Rating: Fuck Off (out of Five)

You special people that liked Ghost Story will LOVE this piece of shit.

[Mattrick]

I'll be watching A Ghost Story soon :D

[Still Servant]

Killing Of A Sacred Deer
Rating: Fuck Off (out of Five)

You special people that liked Ghost Story will LOVE this piece of shit.

Those films are artsy. They're certainly not for everyone. Is there a reason why you can't identify these films before putting yourself through them? They're pretty easy to recognize.

[fernandito]

Yeah bro those films aren't for the Fast & Furious crowd. :)

[Shannon]

Killing Of A Sacred Deer
Rating: Fuck Off (out of Five)

You special people that liked Ghost Story will LOVE this piece of shit.

Those films are artsy. They're certainly not for everyone. Is there a reason why you can't identify these films before putting yourself through them? They're pretty easy to recognize.

I watch everything, the good and the bad. This was nowhere NEAR as slow as Ghost Story, but it could have definitely been better. They all spoke like robots, they were all unreasonably awkward, there was zero explanation for the WHY/HOW of what was happening, and the climax was a letdown. The IDEA behind the main plotline could have been interesting and heartbreaking, but this movie was neither.

[Still Servant]

That's like eating food you know you hate. I love watching movies just as much as the next guy, but there's enough good stuff I haven't seen that fits my palate. No need to dabble in stuff I know isn't for me.

[Ricky]

Saw Inferno today after having it on the DVR for awhile. I've read all of Dan Brown's books, but Inferno was definitely not my favorite so I never rushed to go see the adaptation in the theater. It was enjoyable (the pacing and smooth editing helped move things along well) and good, fun popcorn entertainment.

[Still Servant]

Saw Inferno today after having it on the DVR for awhile. I've read all of Dan Brown's books, but Inferno was definitely not my favorite so I never rushed to go see the adaptation in the theater. It was enjoyable (the pacing and smooth editing helped move things along well) and good, fun popcorn entertainment.

I thought they overplayed their hand making Felicity Jones bad. I saw that coming from a mile away.

I didn't think it was awful. Angels and Demons was the worst in my opinion.

[allasorte]

Killing Of A Sacred Deer
Rating: Fuck Off (out of Five)

You special people that liked Ghost Story will LOVE this piece of shit.

I thought it was a giant turd, so I looked up what it was about. If I remember, I don't care, it was adapted from some Greek mythology. After understanding it a bit better, I came to the conclusion, it was a giant turd.

[Still Servant]

Killing Of A Sacred Deer
Rating: Fuck Off (out of Five)

You special people that liked Ghost Story will LOVE this piece of shit.

I thought it was a giant turd, so I looked up what it was about. If I remember, I don't care, it was adapted from some Greek mythology. After understanding it a bit better, I came to the conclusion, it was a giant turd.

The two people I would pick on these forums who should stay as far away from these kinds of movies, Allasorte and Shannon, both saw them. How is it that I don't even know you guys in real life, but I know your taste well enough to know you guys aren't going to like Ghost Story and Killing of a Sacred Deer?

Next thing you're going to tell me is that Webstar saw both films too.

[Ricky]

Glad that the new Insidious was good. I'm looking forward to seeing it. I really like Elise as a character, so I'm fine with this one revolving around her.

[allasorte]

:emot-roflolmao:

[allasorte]

Ricky, would it shock you I enjoyed "The Disaster Artist" with James Franco? I didn't like "The Room" but I thought Franco did a hell of a performance duplicating Tommy.

[Mattrick]

Species - The second movie I'm watching for my soon-to-debut 'blog' (I need to find something better to call it). It's still a pretty solid creature feature, elevated from pure cheese by the quality of the ensemble cast. Natasha Henstridge is excellent for what she needed to do, mostly act stoic, which is both easy and difficult to do, for a first time actress, and manages to display a still childlike vulnerability and fear as Sil. The rest of the cast bolsters the movie considering they barely interact with Sil at all, and the script does a good job of establishing these characters without much in the way of exposition, and the bond forming between Masden and Helgenberger's character feels organic, mostly because there were little moments tossed in, such as when they're at the hospital tracking Sil, and Madsen picks up the candy bowl and comically asks if she wants some candy, which I am was 100% sure was adlibbed. The plot is pretty basic, but it has a nice pace, allows tension to build up (the scene in the lab when they're in there with the alien goo was so well done) and the jump scares are effective. What I didn't realize (I haven't seen this in years) was how comical it was in subtle ways. They include obligatory jump scares but change them in creative ways, like instead of the jumping cat, it's a flying insane squirrel, and the person appearing behind the character suddenly jump scared was actually two drunken bums who rise out of a dumpster LOL. Also, this movie had a lot more weird sexual imagery than I remember, considering the cocoon like like a giant vagina and tentacles literally come out of the aliens nipples and try to hang Madsen, and at one point she make a guy deep throat a tentacle. I've rambled, but it's mostly a really fun creature feature that isn't great, but it's elevated by the three C's: charm, craftsmanship, and cast. ****

[Ricky]

Ricky, would it shock you I enjoyed "The Disaster Artist" with James Franco? I didn't like "The Room" but I thought Franco did a hell of a performance duplicating Tommy.

Did you mean Mike?

[allasorte]

Ricky, would it shock you I enjoyed "The Disaster Artist" with James Franco? I didn't like "The Room" but I thought Franco did a hell of a performance duplicating Tommy.

Did you mean Mike?

Yeah I'm an idiot.....I meant Mike. :emot-aslol:

[Still Servant]

Ricky, would it shock you I enjoyed "The Disaster Artist" with James Franco? I didn't like "The Room" but I thought Franco did a hell of a performance duplicating Tommy.

Did you mean Mike?

Yeah I'm an idiot.....I meant Mike. :emot-aslol:

No, that wouldn't shock me at all. It would shock me if you liked The Room. You're not supposed to like it. At least not in the traditional sense.

Also, Ricky and I are essentially the same person so the mixup is understandable.

[Ricky]

Saw Molly's Game today and loved it. Full review (when's the last time I've done that?) coming soon!

[WeDealInLead]

I finally watched The Last Jedi. I get where both pro and con camps are coming from. I enjoyed it for what it was - a pretty decent way to spend an afternoon with my daughter. I can't really see myself rewatching it until it's on Netflix.

I was happy to finally see the Crimson Guard in combat. I got goosebumps when they assumed their combat stance and then started advancing on Kylo and Rey. Their history is very interesting. They're essentially like Martin's Unsullied (though they predate them) but with much cooler weapons and armor.

Whose leg do I have to hump to see the Thrawn trilogy on the big screen? I'll take an animated version too.

One last thought on SW: I was convinced Rey was Luke's and Mara Jade's daughter until I found out comics were no longer canon. Boo!

[Jon]

Member fact: Jon has never seen a Star Wars saga movie.

Jon has seen a couple of brief clips shown on Mythbusters®

Jon is a bitter, old man!

[Still Servant]

Saw Molly's Game today and loved it. Full review (when's the last time I've done that?) coming soon!

I saw Molly's Game yesterday too and I also loved it! It amazes me it took Sorkin this long to direct a film. I've always been a fan of his ultra stylized writing. Both Chastain and Elba were fantastic here and I put Molly's Game right up there with Rounders when it comes to films about poker/gambling.

[Ricky]

Wow, Mike. We really are the same person.

Review's up!

Molly's Game Review (https://reviewsfromthecouch.wordpress.com/2018/01/07/mollys-game/)

[Still Servant]

Wow, Mike. We really are the same person.

Review's up!

Molly's Game Review (https://reviewsfromthecouch.wordpress.com/2018/01/07/mollys-game/)

You knocked that review out of the park, Ricky! You really captured my feelings on the film to perfection. I also discovered a new favorite word - coquettish. I can tell you're an English major. :lol:

I thought Chastain and Elba had great on-screen chemistry. Bloom has such a strong personality that she needed another strong character to spar with and I think Elba embodied that to perfection. If he was played by an actor that didn't have that trait, I don't think those scenes would have carried the same punch. Elba isn't getting enough credit for his performance here.

Molly's Game is such a great example of how a good person can find themselves in a not so good situation. A situation they would probably never have envisioned themselves to be in.

[Ricky]

Thanks, Mike! I really appreciate that. :)

And you're right that it's a great example of how a good person can find themselves in a bad situation. I think that's a huge part of the draw for me. How does someone who (seemingly) had everything going for them--and a bright future--have such a downward trajectory?

And I considered a slightly lower score (say 8.5) because as I was leaving, I realized there was hardly any music/score in the film. But I don't think it detracted from it (and only would've added to the film), so I didn't. But Sorkin's films always seem to have music as an understated element.

[Heather19]

Went to see Three Billboards a few weekends ago. Really good film, although it was a bit more depressing than I was expecting. But I guess considering the subject matter, I should have expected it. Both Sam Rockwell and Frances McDormand were wonderful in it.

[Ricky]

It's gaining some Oscars traction so I might have to check it out.

[Still Servant]

Thanks, Mike! I really appreciate that. :)

And you're right that it's a great example of how a good person can find themselves in a bad situation. I think that's a huge part of the draw for me. How does someone who (seemingly) had everything going for them--and a bright future--have such a downward trajectory?

And I considered a slightly lower score (say 8.5) because as I was leaving, I realized there was hardly any music/score in the film. But I don't think it detracted from it (and only would've added to the film), so I didn't. But Sorkin's films always seem to have music as an understated element.

That's a good point. It didn't even dawn on me that there was virtually no score. Good catch.


Went to see Three Billboards a few weekends ago. Really good film, although it was a bit more depressing than I was expecting. But I guess considering the subject matter, I should have expected it. Both Sam Rockwell and Frances McDormand were wonderful in it.

My sister wants to see this one, so I'm hoping to catch it soon. I will have to travel to do so unfortunately. I'm just happy to see another Martin McDonagh film. I loved In Bruges, but was somewhat disappointed in Seven Psychopaths. Hard to believe it's been 5 years between his directing efforts.

[Ben Staad]

I'm a bit behind in movies but really enjoyed Everything Must Go. 3.5 out of 5.

[Still Servant]

Thanks, Mike! I really appreciate that. :)

And you're right that it's a great example of how a good person can find themselves in a bad situation. I think that's a huge part of the draw for me. How does someone who (seemingly) had everything going for them--and a bright future--have such a downward trajectory?

And I considered a slightly lower score (say 8.5) because as I was leaving, I realized there was hardly any music/score in the film. But I don't think it detracted from it (and only would've added to the film), so I didn't. But Sorkin's films always seem to have music as an understated element.


I waited all week for the weather to clear so I could go see MOLLY'S GAME today. I wish I had seen something else instead. 6 out of 10.

Really? That seems like one of these easy crowd pleaser movies. What didn't you like?

[allasorte]

Went to see Three Billboards a few weekends ago. Really good film, although it was a bit more depressing than I was expecting. But I guess considering the subject matter, I should have expected it. Both Sam Rockwell and Frances McDormand were wonderful in it.

I liked it, but I was hoping the billboards, for what they said, would....I don't know......force the cops to open the case and investigate. We the viewers had no closure as to what happened to her daughter. I was expecting the 3 billboards to get the cops moving to solve the case.

[Shannon]

Mother!
Rating: Three out of Five

I'm not entirely sure what I just watched. One thing I CAN say is that unlike A Ghost Story and Killing Of A Sacred Deer, this was 100% NOT boring. As everyone knows, I'm not a fan of artsy, metaphor movies. On one level, this was definitely one of those movies. On another level, it wasn't. Beautifully shot and wonderfully acted on one side, then "fuck the story, let's just go NUTS" on the other, which isn't always a good thing. I won't be recommending this movie to anyone, but I think I'd like to have conversations about it with people that have seen it.

[Heather19]

I just watched it recently too. I had to go online and look up what it was about because I had no clue when I watched it. I wouldn't recommend it either. Yes it was well acted and sound was on point, as was the setting and cinematography. And I can enjoy an artsy film if done right, but this is one I have no desire to ever watch again. I felt like he could have made a less symbolic film, and maybe explained it a little better and then it would have been a lot more enjoyable. A Ghost Story was slow, but at least you could follow it and knew what was going on.

[Shannon]

Nope, or the sequel: Mother Tells A Ghost Story Then Kills A Sacred Deer.

[fernandito]

you fuckers :lol:

[allasorte]

Nope, or the sequel: Mother Tells A Ghost Story Then Kills A Sacred Deer.

:smile_002: I love your honesty. I guess we won't see that movie, or the sequel together then.

[allasorte]

The Snowman
The fatal flaw of loving Fasbender, and doing research.
I watched the trailer and I do love a good murder, mystery, serial killer theme. I truly enjoyed the trailer and decided to look into the book. I found out Jo Nesbo wrote it, is a famous author, and has sold over 50 million copies and his character, Harry Hole, is in several of his books. So I found the book and read it. I felt Nesbo overall was a good writer, and his twists and plots in this book were pretty impressive. I felt after reading the book, I had a clear image of what was in store for the movie. I was pretty excited to see this movie.

Well, I had read some reviews and they were not kind. The talked about the book missing key points, plots, and parts of the novel that truly made the movie a lackluster adaptation. I thought to myself, "there was no way they would cut out that much and ruin the movie," and I was wrong. There were some great plot twists in the book that were eliminated in the movie. JK Simmons should not have been in this movie because his character was a young womanizer, not an old man barely in the movie. They negated the reason as to how the serial killer came to be who he was today, eliminated all together where bodies were hidden, and how he stalked his victims. I was so disappointed with the movie. It was a slow crawl into nothing compared to the novel. Does this mean I am supposed to stop reading books?! 5/10

[Ricky]

Glad I wasn't alone with mother! I felt pretty stupid Googling the meaning when I left the theater.

[Still Servant]

Mother!
Rating: Three out of Five

I'm not entirely sure what I just watched. One thing I CAN say is that unlike A Ghost Story and Killing Of A Sacred Deer, this was 100% NOT boring. As everyone knows, I'm not a fan of artsy, metaphor movies. On one level, this was definitely one of those movies. On another level, it wasn't. Beautifully shot and wonderfully acted on one side, then "fuck the story, let's just go NUTS" on the other, which isn't always a good thing. I won't be recommending this movie to anyone, but I think I'd like to have conversations about it with people that have seen it.

I was so in tune with Mother! that I could have sworn I nailed what the film was going for. I was shocked to find out that I was wrong and what it was really about. I thought it was about the creative process of a writer. I expounded about it around here somewhere. I will see if I can find it. Anyway, Shannon, if you haven't Googled it yet, the film is an allegory for the Bible.



Went to see Three Billboards a few weekends ago. Really good film, although it was a bit more depressing than I was expecting. But I guess considering the subject matter, I should have expected it. Both Sam Rockwell and Frances McDormand were wonderful in it.

I liked it, but I was hoping the billboards, for what they said, would....I don't know......force the cops to open the case and investigate. We the viewers had no closure as to what happened to her daughter. I was expecting the 3 billboards to get the cops moving to solve the case.

I wasn't disappointed with Three Billboards because I assumed we were going to get an ending like that. It's just that kind of film. Unfortunately, cases like this go unsolved in real life all the time. I have no problem with the film leaving it open. It makes it feel more realistic and less Hollywood.


So you guys won't be going to see, MOTHER TELLS A GHOST STORY, filmed in a cell phone video aspect ratio and coming soon to a theater near you, I take it?

There was a film released a few years ago that was literally shot in a 1x1 cell phone aspect ratio. I believe it was called Mommy. I refuse to watch it.

[Still Servant]

Here is my Mother! theory that I wrote as soon as I got back from the movie, before I Googled it. While it's completely off, I feel it can still be adapted in many ways and still reflects the spirit of the film - creation.

This is a film that should literally be shown in any fiction writing class.

Think about it, the house represents the structure of a story. It has a foundation and lots of empty rooms that need decorating and painting. How do you decorate a story? You create characters. That's who we see in the beginning of the story, but they're just characters with a few character traits, but they don't have a plot, they don't have a purpose. Until the writer (Bardem) finds his inspiration (Lawrence). He literally impregnates her with an idea. From that point, he writes. He creates his story. The second part of the film we see random people who represent us, the consumer. A writer, or anyone who creates something, must forfeit ownership over their creation. It no longer belongs to you it belong to the people. They take all of it, or they take pieces of it and they make it their own. That's what we are seeing when the baby is taken, killed and then eaten by the crowd of people.

There's a scene where we see the publicist (Wiig, what the fuck is Kristen Wiig doing in this film? LOL) killing people on the ground. This is a publicist editing the writer's work. You've heard of the phrase "Kill your darlings"? Well, that's what any writer must sometimes be faced with. Removing characters or ideas for the sake of the story. The end of the film? The burning down of the entire house and everything that comes with it? That would be the rewrite.

[Ricky]

I looked up the meanings of MOTHER, MULHOLLAND DRIVE, THE TREE OF LIFE, A CURE FOR WELLNESS and I forget what others. Most of the explanations made sense, and I found I enjoyed the movies more because of it, even though during the initial viewings I had little or no idea what was going on, although all these movies fascinated me.

Now as to THE NEON DEMON, I can't decide whether I liked it or hated it or both at the same time.

I enjoyed The Neon Demon, but Mulholland Drive can go eff itself.

[Heather19]

What! Mulholland Drive is awesome. Love that film.

Mike, your theory actually works well for Mother as well.

[Tommy]

I liked to show a group of people mother! while they are under the influence of LSD and see what theories they come up with...
:ft::evil::lol:

[Shannon]

Mulholland Drive is a movie, like Mother, that I truly enjoyed, even though I don't know what the hell was going on or why. To be fair though, I'm 99% sure that the director of Mulholland Drive doesn't know what the hell was going on either. The Club Silencio scene is fantastic, and the Diner scene is fantastic.

[Heather19]

I love David Lynch. I'm sure he knows exactly what is going on. His movies to me are almost like dreams. They're very surreal, but I love it. It took a bit to get into Inland Empire. I think I gave up the first time I started watching it because I wasn't paying as close attention as I needed to. But when I went to watch it a second time I really got into it.

I haven't seen Neon Demon, but now you guys have got me curious about it.

[Shannon]

MD makes perfect sense (after I read the explanation on the internet that is).


I love David Lynch. I'm sure he knows exactly what is going on.

OK ... go for it. Explain Mulholland Drive in a way that makes sense. And if you find, while typing out explanations that might or might not be plausible, if you find that your writing is taking up thousands of words, consider revising your original statements that the movie makes sense and that he knew exactly what is going on.

Mulholland Drive is a jigsaw puzzle where half of the pieces were immediately thrown out and the other half are from fifty different puzzles.

Great collection of scenes, but trying to piece together a story from them is pointless.

[fernandito]

MD makes perfect sense (after I read the explanation on the internet that is).


I love David Lynch. I'm sure he knows exactly what is going on.

OK ... go for it. Explain Mulholland Drive in a way that makes sense. And if you find, while typing out explanations that might or might not be plausible, if you find that your writing is taking up thousands of words, consider revising your original statements that the movie makes sense and that he knew exactly what is going on.

Mulholland Drive is a jigsaw puzzle where half of the pieces were immediately thrown out and the other half are from fifty different puzzles.

Great collection of scenes, but trying to piece together a story from them is pointless.

Yeah see you're operating under the false assumption that art -especially abstract art like Lynch's- needs to have an explanation. It doesn't always have one, as maddening as that might be.

[Still Servant]

I love David Lynch. I'm sure he knows exactly what is going on. His movies to me are almost like dreams. They're very surreal, but I love it. It took a bit to get into Inland Empire. I think I gave up the first time I started watching it because I wasn't paying as close attention as I needed to. But when I went to watch it a second time I really got into it.

I haven't seen Neon Demon, but now you guys have got me curious about it.

I was really looking forward to seeing Neon Demon, but Nicolas Winding Refn's previous film Only God Forgives left such a bad taste in my mouth that I still haven't seen it. That said, like the film we are discussing, there's more to Only God Forgives that meets the eye, which I learned a year after watching it. If you've seen it, go on YouTube and search for the true meaning of Only God Forgives. It's pretty crazy.

Oddly enough, the film is also religious in nature.

[Shannon]

MD was originally supposed to be a TV series. Now does it make sense? No? I give up!

All I remember is the woman won a dance contest (the opening credits), and won a trip to Hollywood to be in a movie (I think). But she went nuts and stole another girl's identity. Yes, that about covers the entire thing. And, in less than a thousand words. Oops, almost forgot - THE END!

At least ERASERHEAD is totally comprehensible from start to finish

Yeah, and the Stand is about Good Vs. Evil. THE END.

[Shannon]

MD makes perfect sense (after I read the explanation on the internet that is).


I love David Lynch. I'm sure he knows exactly what is going on.

OK ... go for it. Explain Mulholland Drive in a way that makes sense. And if you find, while typing out explanations that might or might not be plausible, if you find that your writing is taking up thousands of words, consider revising your original statements that the movie makes sense and that he knew exactly what is going on.

Mulholland Drive is a jigsaw puzzle where half of the pieces were immediately thrown out and the other half are from fifty different puzzles.

Great collection of scenes, but trying to piece together a story from them is pointless.

Yeah see you're operating under the false assumption that art -especially abstract art like Lynch's- needs to have an explanation. It doesn't always have one, as maddening as that might be.

https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/jonathanjonesblog/2014/apr/22/artist-eggs-vagina-paintings-performance-art-milo-moire

Art.

[fernandito]

you're not really comparing cinema to a lady laying eggs out of her vagina

are you

[Shannon]

Definitely.

And because you all love A Ghost Story so much, here's one of my favorite clips from it. Don't look away, this is fantastic stuff here, this is GREAT FILMMAKING right here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=takph4VxJ1o

[Heather19]

I'm still confused, do you not think Mulholland Drive means somethig to David Lynch? He reminds me of a surrealist artist, like Dali. They just see stuff in a different way, but I'm positive it has to have some meaning to him otherwise why would he have made it?

[Shannon]

I would say that Mulholland Drive means something to Lynch in the same way that someone writes down a vivid dream they just had. Doesn't have to make sense, just get it down on paper. People can read into ANYTHING any way that they want and come up with their own conclusions, but that doesn't mean that these paintings

https://cdn.theculturetrip.com/images/56-286477-mark-rothko-untitled-1955-oil-on-canvas-151-x-126-4-cm.jpg

and

http://www.mark-rothko.org/images/paintings/orange-red-yellow.jpg

should be considered "great" ...

The good thing about film is that what people take from it rarely has anything to do with what's on screen but rather how people FEEL about what's on screen. And since we are all different people and we've all led different lives and had different experiences, we all go into a movie (or book, etc.) and get something different out of it. To reiterate, I liked Mulholland Drive a lot, and it's fun to talk about the theories, but Lynch made the movie in such a way that no one IS or COULD BE correct about figuring out what the movie is about.

[Still Servant]

Except me.

I, TONYA - To put is extremely mildly, I did not like this movie. 2 out of 10.

2 out of 10? It can't possibly be that bad. What is a film like The Room if I, Tonya is a 2? What was so bad about it?

[Shannon]

I have I, Tonya it downloaded but haven't seen it yet. What didn't you like about it?

Saw The Darkest Hour today, 3 out of 5. Interesting enough, but I felt it didn't say or show enough, especially at the end. That being said, the camera work and editing on this thing was amazing.

[Shannon]

Actors or characters? There's been plenty of films I've seen where all of the characters are just so unlikeable that I don't give a shit what happens to any of them.

[Mattrick]

Unlikeable characters don't mean bad characters. If all movies and stories had likeable characters, there would be no conflict and nothing ever happens. Some of the greatest films of all time feature almost entirely unlikeable characters and characters you're not truly supposed to care for. Sometimes stories want you to try to care about people you shouldn't care about because that's a tremendous challenge. That's what makes The Sopranos such a good show. Tony isn't a man we're supposed to like, yet he's written in such a way we want him to be happy, despite the fact he doesn't deserve it.

[Randall Flagg]

Rarely does a film have extreme gratuitous violence, no redeeming social value, and makes a person so uncomfortable that they consider leaving the theater.

Mom and Dad is that film.

5/6 beers on the RFSRS! Go see it, it's wildly blackly humorous.

[Still Servant]

Rarely does a film have extreme gratuitous violence, no redeeming social value, and makes a person so uncomfortable that they consider leaving the theater.

Mom and Dad is that film.

5/6 beers on the RFSRS! Go see it, it's wildly blackly humorous.

Go see it? Is it playing anywhere or planning to? I figured it was straight to VOD.

[Tommy]

Call Me by Your Name (4/4)

[Randall Flagg]

Rarely does a film have extreme gratuitous violence, no redeeming social value, and makes a person so uncomfortable that they consider leaving the theater.

Mom and Dad is that film.

5/6 beers on the RFSRS! Go see it, it's wildly blackly humorous.

Go see it? Is it playing anywhere or planning to? I figured it was straight to VOD.


One of my local theaters had it. It's VOD for ~$7, but the theater was only $4.39, so I saw it there instead of at home.

[Randall Flagg]

Phantom Thread:

3.5/6 Beers on the RFSRS

Daniel Day-Lewis has a fine performance (but not Oscar winning IMO). At points it almost seems like a conscious effort on his part to "win the best actor Oscar".

[Still Servant]

DEN OF THIEVES - 8 out of 10

You mean Heat?

[Mattrick]

Hostiles: Fine performances from Bale, Pike, Foster, and Studi, cannot save this film. The opening scene is phenomenal in it's unflinching brutality and tension, and the closing shot is unearned. I was long with this movie for the first half, and then it just meanders and frankly gets so boring not even the flashes of violence could really rouse me. It doesn't really explore any of it's themes and it's musings really weren't all that unique. It does have some very nice photography, but the story and pacing is bullocks. 2/5

[Still Servant]

I'm surprised to see the negative Hostiles reviews. Scott Cooper is a fine director.

Most Westerns can be very slow, so I'm expecting that going in.

[Mattrick]

It's not slow paced, but good, it's slow paced, and not good. It's not slow because of it's pacing, it's slow because there is nothing of interest happening for half the run time. It just feels like a string of events with no glue holding it together. I wouldn't see this one in theatres. it's not a good western. It's not a good movie. Hell or High Water it is not.

[Mattrick]

12 Strong: What's this? A competently made war/action movie devoid of shaky cam, with intelligible editing which makes it easy to follow the action? Glory be! This movie was a real surprise to me all around. Not only is it competently made, written, and acted (with especially fine performances from Hemsworth, Pena, Negahban, and a great all around cast with supporting performances from Shannon, Rhodes, Fichtner, and Riggle [only serious thing I've seen him in!], and the villain played by Numan Acar was chilling in the one establishing scene he had, and just looks like a bad guy...great choice). Surprisingly, it's not heavy handed, probably because it wasn't directed by an American, and the first feature from Danish director Nicolai Fuglsig really lays down it's American Bravado with some understated restraint. It shows the horrors of war without being a preachy anti-war film and without glorifying the battles. It's an extremely brutal movie at times. And it has good humour that doesn't feel forced, and the relationship between Hemsworth's character and Negahban's character truly defines the film and gives it heart. With a lesser script and cast, this could have been a corny, up its own ass disaster, but instead it becomes probably the best modern era war film since The Hurt Locker. There are cliche elements to the film (not sure how accurate to real life this is, so it could be 100% true and therefore just an accurate depiction), such as Rhodes' character and his 'shadow' and Uzbekistani child soldier, yet it's handle with enough grace it actually adds to the film instead of making the eyes roll.

4/5

[Randall Flagg]

Enjoyable review, but you really need to work on your paragraphs. :grouphug:

[DoctorZaius]

Saw I Tonya and loved it. Being from Massachusetts, I remember all too well the ridiculousness of this whole event. The film captures the stupidity of those involved. The pseudo-documentary style was so much fun. I can see why it was gotten so many accolades. Well deserved. 9/10.

[Still Servant]

We must have seen a different film because I loved Hostiles.

I'm not sure how you can say there's nothing going on for half of the film. There's an entire narrative of a man coming to terms with the fact that his entire career he has been just as brutal and savage as the men he's been calling brutal and savage his entire life. There's so much going on under the surface in this film that I'm not sure how anybody can say nothing is happening.

Matt, I'm also not sure why you would compare it to Hell or High Water. One is a traditional Western, one is a modern Western. Other than that, they share nothing in common (except Ben Foster). I think it would have made more sense for you to use Unforgiven as an example because many have been touting that it's the best Western since Unforgiven (it's not), but it's certainly worth seeing in theaters.

[Mattrick]

We must have seen a different film because I loved Hostiles.

I'm not sure how you can say there's nothing going on for half of the film. There's an entire narrative of a man coming to terms with the fact that his entire career he has been just as brutal and savage as the men he's been calling brutal and savage his entire life. There's so much going on under the surface in this film that I'm not sure how anybody can say nothing is happening.

This is established in the first scene with Bale. The entire second half is meandering and superfluous. Could have been an 90 min movie and been far more effective. The entire second half of the movie did nothing more me. The theme of being as savage as the savages is nothing new. It's been done to death in westerns and more. Hostiles just takes the slow lane on a road we've been down a bunch of times. The last scene was just dripping with pointing at the main theme of the movie. It couldn't be anymore obvious. Two people who hate Indians ensure the a native's child's life (the future of their people), with one replacing her kids the Indian's killed with an Indian kid, and the other potentially leaving his savage days behind and settle down with them and form some weird, progressive interracial extended family dynamic. I don't think the story did dick all with exploring the themes, and it especially does little to portray the Natives as complex or interesting characters, which really cheapens the central theme. There are themes, sure, but they're inside a hollow story which drags on, and despite them covering several hundred miles, the story basically goes nowhere.




Matt, I'm also not sure why you would compare it to Hell or High Water. One is a traditional Western, one is a modern Western. Other than that, they share nothing in common (except Ben Foster). I think it would have made more sense for you to use Unforgiven as an example because many have been touting that it's the best Western since Unforgiven (it's not), but it's certainly worth seeing in theaters.Was the most recent Western film. I don't differentiate between modern and traditional. All the same ideas. I didn't use Unforgiven as an example because they don't belong in the same sentence for me. I'd heard it was the best since Unforgiven, and it's not close for me. Hell or High Water, Assassination of Jesse James, No Country for old Men, 3:10 to Yuma, Django Unchained...all much better films than Hostiles to me. According to critic consenses on RT: Hostiles benefits from stunning visuals and a solid central performance from Christian Bale, both of which help elevate its uneven story. Me and the critics share the same consensus here.

It seems the ciritics either thought it was deep and thought provoking, or thought it was patronizing and insulting in it's execution. I'm on the latter side. One critic summed it up beautifully. "Hostiles is another Western in which Indian characters are props for white man problems." The movie wants to make us sympathize with the natives, but does nothing to breathe any humanity into them or give them anything interesting to do. That's just bad storytelling.

[Still Servant]

First, let me say that I don't think the film is amazing, but I don't think it's nearly as bad as you guys are making it out to be. It's nowhere near as good as Unforgiven, and it's not as good as the other Westerns you listed. That being said, I think it's a welcome addition to the genre.

Just because a theme in a film has been done to death, doesn't mean it's bad. You and I had this same conversation a while back about It Comes a Night. I said it's been done to death and poorly executed, you disagreed. I suppose we're just going to have to agree to disagree on both fronts.

I also don't think you can say we found that out about Bale in the opening scene and that should be the end of it. That's not fair. It took him the entire film to come to the realization that just because he's doing something because it's the job he was asked to do doesn't make it right. In fact, it's not until Ben Foster enters the film that we finally see Bale's character truly change. The conversation with Foster is where he really comes to the realization that he's no different from this man, and in turn, no different than the men he's been killing.

I also don't think you're giving enough credit to Pike's impact on Bale's character and the story in general. Yes, he saved her, but she saved him as well. Here's a woman whose whole family was brutally murdered by Indians, yes she doesn't hate them. He watches how they interact with one another and it's one of the main reasons he starts to change. This is an arch that takes the entire film, so it's not fair to say we got all that from the opening.

Lastly, while the American Indian characters could have been fleshed out more, there are quite a few strong scenes that prove they are noble and worth fighting for. Bale and the Chief have more than a few conversations that are pretty powerful. There is also the scene where the young American Indian woman shares her clothes with Pike's character.

You also can't use crtitics to feed your argument. In general, critics feelings on the film more closely align with mine than yours. You can't just use the one sentence consensus RT lists.

[Heather19]

Saw I Tonya and loved it. Being from Massachusetts, I remember all too well the ridiculousness of this whole event. The film captures the stupidity of those involved. The pseudo-documentary style was so much fun. I can see why it was gotten so many accolades. Well deserved. 9/10.

Going to see this tonight with some friends, can't wait!

[Randall Flagg]

Hostiles.
2/6 on RFSRS.
Should only be one beer, but I added one for brevity....

Not good at full length reviews, but Mick LASSALE Nailed it:

http://m.sfgate.com/movies/article/Christian-Bale-western-Hostiles-is-the-12460256.php#item-85307-tbla-5

[Heather19]

Saw I, Tonya last night. Loved it. It's really crazy that that actually happened in real life.

[Still Servant]

Saw I, Tonya last night. Loved it. It's really crazy that that actually happened in real life.

I'm hoping to see it soon as well. I'd like to see I, Tonya, Lady Bird and Darkest Hour before Oscar night. Maybe Coco too.

[fernandito]

Coco :wub:

[fernandito]

Damn, I just realized how long it's been since I've written a movie review. Wonder which film it'll be to break the deadlock.

[fernandito]

Nah.

[Still Servant]

Damn, I just realized how long it's been since I've written a movie review. Wonder which film it'll be to break the deadlock.

Me too. Over a year since I've done a full review. I wanted to do one for Blade Runner 2049 really bad, but it didn't happen.

[Ricky]

I liked the first one a lot, but the second wasn't nearly as good. They're great popcorn movies, though. I'll probably need to re-watch the others before seeing Death Cure.

[allasorte]

Damn, I just realized how long it's been since I've written a movie review. Wonder which film it'll be to break the deadlock.

Me too. Over a year since I've done a full review. I wanted to do one for Blade Runner 2049 really bad, but it didn't happen.

What were your thoughts on Blade Runner 2049. It was long, but I loved it. I loved the original director's cut, and truly enjoyed the new one too. I'd really enjoy a third if possible.

[Still Servant]

Damn, I just realized how long it's been since I've written a movie review. Wonder which film it'll be to break the deadlock.

Me too. Over a year since I've done a full review. I wanted to do one for Blade Runner 2049 really bad, but it didn't happen.

What were your thoughts on Blade Runner 2049. It was long, but I loved it. I loved the original director's cut, and truly enjoyed the new one too. I'd really enjoy a third if possible.Cells interlinked.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180202/d5c183e758ee2fad0f2699f9b34e3adc.jpg

[Tommy]

Blade Runner 2049 is so damn good. I saw it twice in the theaters and would go see it again if it were still playing. Total blasphemy to say but I like it better than the first Blade Runner.

[Tommy]

The Shape of Water (4/4)

[Ricky]

Watched The Cloverfield Paradox last night. It wasn't absolutely abysmal, but it was pretty bad. Terrible script, jarring editing, tonally erratic. Not to mention paper-thin characters. There were a good handful of times where I could see the obvious "lifting" of certain scenes from other space movies. Take away the few, paltry scenes on Earth and you'd never know it was a Cloverfield movie. A prime case of a pre-existing script being poorly retrofitted to fit in the Cloverfield universe (which I guess it now becoming a thing).

[Still Servant]

I put it on my SAVE list on Netflix, if it ever comes out on DVD.

Since I have to drive over 15 miles one way to see a movie and it keeps snowing every time I want to go, I'm getting behind! Frustrating!It's streaming on Netflix.

[Still Servant]

Watched The Cloverfield Paradox last night. It wasn't absolutely abysmal, but it was pretty bad. Terrible script, jarring editing, tonally erratic. Not to mention paper-thin characters. There were a good handful of times where I could see the obvious "lifting" of certain scenes from other space movies. Take away the few, paltry scenes on Earth and you'd never know it was a Cloverfield movie. A prime case of a pre-existing script being poorly retrofitted to fit in the Cloverfield universe (which I guess it now becoming a thing).

I'm with you, it wasn't as bad as people are making it out to be. I like the term retrofitted that you used. I'm not sure if it's something you came up with or if it's what Hollywood is using for this method of filmmaking, but it's perfect.

The retrofitting of the screenplay wasn't my biggest issue. In fact, I loved 10 Cloverfield Lane and that film did the same thing. The screenplay was originally meant for a stand-alone film called The Shelter. They sprinkled in some Cloverfield stuff and BAM! We have a sequel (prequel whatever). My issue with Paradox is it only exists to give the filmmakers carte blanche to make as many Cloverfield films without ever having to worry about continuity from here on out. The single line of heavy-handed exposition with the guy talking on the news explains it all when he says it could change the past and the future in multiple dimensions.

Now they can take any dusty screenplay off of the shelf and slap the Cloverfield name on it and anything that doesn't seem to fit the filmmakers can say,"Different dimensions, bro."

A perfect example of this is the other Cloverfield film that is set to come out later this year. The setting - World War II. The Defense rests.

[Merlin1958]

Blade Runner 2049 is so damn good. I saw it twice in the theaters and would go see it again if it were still playing. Total blasphemy to say but I like it better than the first Blade Runner.

thumbsdownlarge

[Ricky]

I'm with you, it wasn't as bad as people are making it out to be. I like the term retrofitted that you used. I'm not sure if it's something you came up with or if it's what Hollywood is using for this method of filmmaking, but it's perfect.

The retrofitting of the screenplay wasn't my biggest issue. In fact, I loved 10 Cloverfield Lane and that film did the same thing. The screenplay was originally meant for a stand-alone film called The Shelter. They sprinkled in some Cloverfield stuff and BAM! We have a sequel (prequel whatever). My issue with Paradox is it only exists to give the filmmakers carte blanche to make as many Cloverfield films without ever having to worry about continuity from here on out. The single line of heavy-handed exposition with the guy talking on the news explains it all when he says it could change the past and the future in multiple dimensions.

Now they can take any dusty screenplay off of the shelf and slap the Cloverfield name on it and anything that doesn't seem to fit the filmmakers can say,"Different dimensions, bro."

A perfect example of this is the other Cloverfield film that is set to come out later this year. The setting - World War II. The Defense rests.

I loved 10 Cloverfield Lane. It was a great movie (characters, pacing, suspense, all around) in its own right. Paradox just about failed on all those points.

And speaking of the new film coming out int the Cloverfield "universe," I find it interesting that Paramount will be releasing that one in theaters. I know they dumped Paradox to make it instantly profitable, but it kind of smells of them not having much faith in it to release it in theaters.

[Tommy]

Blade Runner 2049 is so damn good. I saw it twice in the theaters and would go see it again if it were still playing. Total blasphemy to say but I like it better than the first Blade Runner.

thumbsdownlarge

:YYY:

[Heather19]

Oh, that's good to hear. I want to see it but saw it was getting some bad reviews.

[Ricky]

It definitely wasn't as good as I was hoping. There was so much they could've done with Sarah and the house but the finished product was more of the generic ghost/haunting stories we've seen before. It was entertaining overall, but I was a little disappointed in the wasted potential.

[Still Servant]

BLACK PANTHER E-MAX - 5 out of 10. Dull and predictable.

It's 3 points better than Samson? No way. Black Panther was such a well-made film. You're in the minority on this one.

[Randall Flagg]

The Female Brain: Several laugh out loud moments, but too predictable and sappy. 3/6 beers on the RFSRS.

[Heather19]

ANNIHILATION - 8.5 out of 10, and I'll probably buy the soundtrack.


Have you read the book? How does it compare?

[Still Servant]

That's most likely true, and it's why I prefer seeing movies in the dark (no pun intended) knowing the least amount of information about them as possible, so I don't find myself prejudging them. Of course, being the hypocrite that I am, I refuse to see two of the movies on the nominated BEST PICTURE list, but I'll probably not watch the Oscars this year anyway, for the first time in many years, because I want to be entertained, not preached to.

That doesn't mean you can't still enter our 2018 Oscar Contest! Visit the thread in this very forum!



As far as BLACK PANTHER - and for the previous X-MEN APOCALYPSE, I found them to be my least favorite of the Marvel franchise movies, and I am a big fan of them! They were one cliche after another that I've seen time and time again. Hero is almost defeated, hero comes back, big fight with bad guy at the end, "No Way" will I or we help you, "We're staying out of THIS fight" until they pop up at the last moment to save the day. Think of something different you guys!

You're not wrong, but all films have that. Also, it's not like anyone thought he was dead anyways considering he shows up in the trailer for Infinity War, the trailer of which should have played before Black Panther.

[Randall Flagg]

Game Night. 5/6 beers on the RFSRS. Damn near perfect. The concept has been done before but they pulled no punches on this one (No crappy PG-13 editing).
Very dark, but laughs galore. Loved it!

[Ricky]

Was it raunchy? I haven't seen a good comedy in a long time that doesn't rely on raunchy, gross-out humor and language for its laughs.

[Randall Flagg]

Was it raunchy? I haven't seen a good comedy in a long time that doesn't rely on raunchy, gross-out humor and language for its laughs.
It wasn't raunchy, but it was very graphic in other ways.

[Still Servant]

I just got back from Annihilation and I loved it.

It's another one of those films that is certainly going to divide people. It's not meant for mainstream audiences and I could hear a lot of murmuring as the credits rolled. I don't blame people. Many of them forked over their hard earned cash thinking they were getting an action film in the vein of Aliens. Annihilation is not that.

I was very good about staying away from everything with this film. I barely saw a trailer and I read almost nothing. I just got back from the theater, but I'm going to take a stab at a theory I have, much like I did with Mother. I haven't read any theories or anything like that, so I could be way off.

Essentially, Annihilation is an Adam and Eve story. I'll try to explain this to the best of my ability. The film starts with a meteor hitting Earth. With it is an alien lifeform. It creates a sphere that humans call The Shimmer. Inside The Shimmer life seems to be flourishing. It's like an incubator. Plants and animals alike are mutating, much like Earth did for millions of years before humans evolved.

At the center of The Shimmer is a lighthouse where there is an intelligent lifeform. The only problem is it can't leave without a human host. Lucky for these guys, humans are curious. Many of them fail before even getting to the lighthouse. Except for Kane. His DNA is literally copied by the alien lifeform and he is allowed to leave The Shimmer. One important scene is missing from the film, but it's essential.

When Kane gets back, he debriefs with Dr. Ventress, where he convinces her to send in an all female unit. Kane's wife, Lena, just so happens to volunteer to go in. Like her husband, Lena reaches the lighthouse where her DNA is also copied by the alien lifeform. She too is allowed to leave. In the end, she is reunited with her "husband". Two alien lifeforms. Freed from their incubator.

Adam and Eve.

[Ricky]

Just got back from the AMC Best Picture Showcase. 10 hours later and I'm alive! Today was:

Phantom Thread: Liked it better than I thought, though way too long. Good performances and costume design in a twisted love story that definitely took a route I didn't see coming. And also made me really want mushrooms.

Lady Bird: Great performances from Metcalf and Ronan. Plenty of laugh-out-loud moments, especially if you went to Catholic school. Pacing was a little rushy which didn't really let you linger on any scene/emotional beat too long. A little disappointed this one wasn't better (not that it was bad) considering the hype, but the mother-daughter relationship portrayed is totally spot-on.

Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri: Fantastic performances all around--Rockwell and McDormand have got to be locks for the acting categories. A great story with character-driven twists and turns. Great pacing and combination of plot and character, and completely engaging throughout. I think I could've watched for another hour and been okay with that.

The Shape of Water: Beautiful art design and effects (not sure if the Creature was practical or CGI, but it was fantastic either way). Loved the performances, especially from Hawkins and Shannon (and supporting roles from Spencer and Jenkins). Overall, not as emotionally affecting as I was hoping, but had me glued to the screen the entire time).

So far the only BP noms I haven't seen are Call Me By Your Name (not playing anywhere near me, and no DVD release any time soon) and Darkest Hour (DVD 2/27!). Right now my ranking is (best to least):

1. Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri
2. The Shape of Water
3. The Post
4. Dunkirk (this is the one that I feel will move around for me. Great on the technical aspects, exciting, great practical effects, but characterization was a little on the hallow side)
5. Lady Bird
6. Get Out
7. Phantom Thread

I haven't really hated any that I've seen, but all of them have me feeling a little frustrated. They ALL have the parts to be amazing, but each has something that keeps it from living up to its full potential, in my opinion. Someone on Twitter mentioned this year being a particularly hard crop of movies to connect to emotionally, which I feel as well. I still think Molly's Game, had it been nominated, would be my pick for BP. I enjoyed that one the most.

I think I only saw two of the BP noms last year so Oscar night wasn't as fun. I'm making up for lost time this year. :D

[Still Servant]

Heather, and anyone else who has read the books, I haven't read them, but I've read that a lot of people are saying the film is very different than the books.

It sounds like they left a lot out, but the spirit of the source material is still there. Hopefully that doesn't keep you from enjoying the film.

[DoctorZaius]

A busy couple of weeks with school vacation:

Black Panther - loved it. Bought into the whole world building. I love it when I am presented with a world that I don't feel I have seen before. One of the best Marvel movies. 9/10

The Foreigner - a serious Jackie Chan romp. Predictable, but entertaining. Always fun to see Pierce Brosnan chewing up scenery. 7.5/10

Early Man - saw this one with the kids. Not as good as anything in the Wallace and Gromit canon, but some real fun. 7.5/10

The Shape of Water - Loved every minute of this. Del Toro is a visual genius. Can't wait to see how it does at the upcoming Academy Awards. 9.5/10

Three Bill Boards Outside of Ebbing, Missouri - Loved every minute of this one as well. I had avoided it because of what I perceived to be a dark story line (remember, I have daughters). I was pleasantly surprised with the moments of levity. The Academy Awards got more interesting now that I have seen two truly great movies. My one drawback with this one is that it is a bit too cliche a times. 9/10

[Still Servant]

Just got back from the AMC Best Picture Showcase. 10 hours later and I'm alive! Today was:

Phantom Thread: Liked it better than I thought, though way too long. Good performances and costume design in a twisted love story that definitely took a route I didn't see coming. And also made me really want mushrooms.

Lady Bird: Great performances from Metcalf and Ronan. Plenty of laugh-out-loud moments, especially if you went to Catholic school. Pacing was a little rushy which didn't really let you linger on any scene/emotional beat too long. A little disappointed this one wasn't better (not that it was bad) considering the hype, but the mother-daughter relationship portrayed is totally spot-on.

Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri: Fantastic performances all around--Rockwell and McDormand have got to be locks for the acting categories. A great story with character-driven twists and turns. Great pacing and combination of plot and character, and completely engaging throughout. I think I could've watched for another hour and been okay with that.

The Shape of Water: Beautiful art design and effects (not sure if the Creature was practical or CGI, but it was fantastic either way). Loved the performances, especially from Hawkins and Shannon (and supporting roles from Spencer and Jenkins). Overall, not as emotionally affecting as I was hoping, but had me glued to the screen the entire time).

So far the only BP noms I haven't seen are Call Me By Your Name (not playing anywhere near me, and no DVD release any time soon) and Darkest Hour (DVD 2/27!). Right now my ranking is (best to least):

1. Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri
2. The Shape of Water
3. The Post
4. Dunkirk (this is the one that I feel will move around for me. Great on the technical aspects, exciting, great practical effects, but characterization was a little on the hallow side)
5. Lady Bird
6. Get Out
7. Phantom Thread

I haven't really hated any that I've seen, but all of them have me feeling a little frustrated. They ALL have the parts to be amazing, but each has something that keeps it from living up to its full potential, in my opinion. Someone on Twitter mentioned this year being a particularly hard crop of movies to connect to emotionally, which I feel as well. I still think Molly's Game, had it been nominated, would be my pick for BP. I enjoyed that one the most.

I think I only saw two of the BP noms last year so Oscar night wasn't as fun. I'm making up for lost time this year. :D

I'm glad you got to see some of the films nominated this year, Ricky. There are certainly some good ones. I still need to see Lady Bird and Darkest Hour. I won't be seeing Phantom Thread anytime soon.

[mae]

Annihilation. Just two letters: WOW. Still processing. In shock. I think.

[Still Servant]

Annihilation. Just two letters: WOW. Still processing. In shock. I think.

That's about right. Did you read my theory on the previous page yet? I'd be interested in what you think.

[mae]

I just got back from Annihilation and I loved it.

It's another one of those films that is certainly going to divide people. It's not meant for mainstream audiences and I could hear a lot of murmuring as the credits rolled. I don't blame people. Many of them forked over their hard earned cash thinking they were getting an action film in the vein of Aliens. Annihilation is not that.

I was very good about staying away from everything with this film. I barely saw a trailer and I read almost nothing. I just got back from the theater, but I'm going to take a stab at a theory I have, much like I did with Mother. I haven't read any theories or anything like that, so I could be way off.

Essentially, Annihilation is an Adam and Eve story. I'll try to explain this to the best of my ability. The film starts with a meteor hitting Earth. With it is an alien lifeform. It creates a sphere that humans call The Shimmer. Inside The Shimmer life seems to be flourishing. It's like an incubator. Plants and animals alike are mutating, much like Earth did for millions of years before humans evolved.

At the center of The Shimmer is a lighthouse where there is an intelligent lifeform. The only problem is it can't leave without a human host. Lucky for these guys, humans are curious. Many of them fail before even getting to the lighthouse. Except for Kane. His DNA is literally copied by the alien lifeform and he is allowed to leave The Shimmer. One important scene is missing from the film, but it's essential.

When Kane gets back, he debriefs with Dr. Ventress, where he convinces her to send in an all female unit. Kane's wife, Lena, just so happens to volunteer to go in. Like her husband, Lena reaches the lighthouse where her DNA is also copied by the alien lifeform. She too is allowed to leave. In the end, she is reunited with her "husband". Two alien lifeforms. Freed from their incubator.

Adam and Eve.

I think that's a great read on it. On a more surface level it's all about how we are nothing but DNA and cells, and what determines that we look like a human or a plant is very minor. I wasn't too interested in the "why", why the alien lifeform came and did what it did. The movie even explicitly stated two dozen times, "I don't know" and that was the point. It was beautiful and scary at the same time. I sat there as the credits rolled and the psychedelic images swirled and couldn't even say anything to my friend who was sitting next to me. I was stunned but I wasn't sure why. I mean, it was amazing and awe-inspiring but also terrifying. I usually always sit through the credits anyway, but this time I couldn't even move after it was over. It took a minute. Then I just turned to my friend and said "Wow". I don't know if they'll do the other two books in the series, but they're very different anyway. This is most definitely not a mainstream movie, I was actually surprised Paramount was distributing it. It will be very divisive and yes, most people leaving my theater seemed unhappy or confused. I don't blame them. I don't want to sound like I'm a super-intellectual but this is definitely not for everyone. This is not even on the level of Arrival. This is more of the level of Solaris, the original. Art-house sci-fi cinema in its purest form. It's actually what sci-fi is supposed to do, make you think and make you see things you never saw. Not huge robots fighting huge monsters.

[Heather19]

Heather, and anyone else who has read the books, I haven't read them, but I've read that a lot of people are saying the film is very different than the books.

It sounds like they left a lot out, but the spirit of the source material is still there. Hopefully that doesn't keep you from enjoying the film.

That's what I'm worried about. I really loved the book, so if it's that different, it's inevitable that I'll probably dislike the film. And that's what annoys me. If they have good source material why change it up so much. Why not just make your own film. You should read the book Mike! :)

[mae]

Another thing that Annihilation is dealing with on a more metaphorical level is cancer and its nature. Cancer and tumors are mentioned multiple times throughout and the alien lifeform is really acting as a cancer would. What cancer does is not intentionally evil, it's just a mutation, it's "changing" to use Lena's word. It just so happens that it's incompatible with human life. Same here.

[Randall Flagg]

Annihilation: 2/6 beers on the RFSRS


Would have been a great movie if it wasn't so boring. I love the concept, visuals, and for the most part the performances but they movie should have been cut by 20 minutes.

[Still Servant]

GAME NIGHT - 3 out of 10. I was going to give it a 2, but two remarks were ALMOST funny.

You and I just do not have the same taste in film. :lol:

I got so caught up in posting about Annihilation, that I forgot to mention that I also saw Game Night on Saturday (my first time seeing two movies in one day in a few years.)

Game Night was easily the funniest pure comedy I've seen in a few years. Maybe the best since We are the Millers. Major studio R rated comedies have been pretty few and far between recently and the few that come out have been terrible. I can't fathom anyone giving it a 3, but again, to each their own. At the very least it's the kind of harmless film you give a 6 to.

A 3? I'm honestly not sure I've ever seen a film I'd give a 3 to and I've seen some stinkers.

[Still Servant]

GAME NIGHT - 3 out of 10. I was going to give it a 2, but two remarks were ALMOST funny.

You and I just do not have the same taste in film. :lol:

I got so caught up in posting about Annihilation, that I forgot to mention that I also saw Game Night on Saturday (my first time seeing two movies in one day in a few years.)

Game Night was easily the funniest pure comedy I've seen in a few years. Maybe the best since We are the Millers. Major studio R rated comedies have been pretty few and far between recently and the few that come out have been terrible. I can't fathom anyone giving it a 3, but again, to each their own. At the very least it's the kind of harmless film you give a 6 to.

A 3? I'm honestly not sure I've ever seen a film I'd give a 3 to and I've seen some stinkers.

I find most of today's so called comedies simply awful, relying on sexual and bodily function jokes which to me are about as funny as dropping an air conditioner on an old woman's head (HAPPY GILMORE, which I despise). GAME NIGHT was at least watchable, and not repulsive, like THE BROTHERS GRIMSBY, which I (and my brother!) walked out on in pure disgust. Now, I thought THE DUKES OF HAZARD movie was pretty funny, so I don't know what that says about me, probably nothing good.

Anyway, did you stay past the credits on GAME NIGHT? There is a sequence at the very end as uproariously unfunny as the preceding movie.

Oh, boy.

I'm not sure where to go with this. You're spot on about most comedies today, which is why I enjoyed Game Night so much. It doesn't rely on raunchy humor. So we are on the same page there. You're also right about the stinger, it wasn't funny, but that's hardly a knock on the film considering it's something most people won't even see.

Then you drop the Dukes of Hazzard line. Dukes of Hazzard is literally one of the worst films released in the last 50 years and that is not hyperbole.

I'm very picky when it comes to comedies, so it's not like I love them all or something. Not that it matters, but the people in my theater all seemed to be into the film. Just the pedigree alone - McAdams, Bateman, Chandler, Plemmons, makes this more than a 3. What about a 4? Could you give it a 4 just so I can sleep tonight?

[Ricky]

By the way, I counted about 7 other people in the theater when I saw GAME NIGHT. They were ALL laughing while I sat there stone faced and wondering what was so funny.

That's like me at the end of Phantom Thread. A handful of people actually clapped and I was like, did we even watch the same movie? :lol:

For the record, I'm tentative about any R-rated comedy now. Studios realize that raunchy, language-riddled, and "pushing the envelope" with its gags is the "comedy" people will pay for now (thanks to 21 Jump Street, Baywatch, The Hangover, and others).

[allasorte]

By the way, I counted about 7 other people in the theater when I saw GAME NIGHT. They were ALL laughing while I sat there stone faced and wondering what was so funny.

That's like me at the end of Phantom Thread. A handful of people actually clapped and I was like, did we even watch the same movie? :lol:

For the record, I'm tentative about any R-rated comedy now. Studios realize that raunchy, language-riddled, and "pushing the envelope" with its gags is the "comedy" people will pay for now (thanks to 21 Jump Street, Baywatch, The Hangover, and others).

Phantom Thread was great if you have Insomnia lol. Knock you right out!

[Still Servant]

I will give it a 4, you must get your sleep! (Just 4 [get it - 4(for)], the coffee table and the TERMINATOR 2 jokes)

Comedy is a funny thing, as I'm sure someone said before(4). One person finds someone slipping on a banana peel and cracking their skull open funny, another person has a sympathetic and horrified reaction for the poor soul. I think my reaction to 'today's' (to put it broadly), type of humor started with THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY, which got great reviews, even from Siskel & Ebert. Back then, I had Pay Per View, so I eagerly rented it, then sat with dawning horror that ANYONE could find this execrable excuse for a movie remotely funny in any way, shape or form imaginable. In other words, I didn't like it. I guess I'm more of the Marx Brothers, Naked Gun type of people. I also thought SNAKES ON A PLANE was hilarious. So sue me.

By the way, I counted about 7 other people in the theater when I saw GAME NIGHT. They were ALL laughing while I sat there stone faced and wondering what was so funny.

I slept like a baby last night.

What about something like Airplane? Is that your thing?

[Still Servant]

Loved AIRPLANE, jealous of the automatic pilot.

Well, thank god for that. :dance:


FIFTY SHADES FREED - 5 out of 10 (for the scenery)

Fifty Shades is rated higher than Game Night...:nope:

Oscar night is this weekend, here are my thoughts on some of the films that are nominated like The Shape of Water, Three Billboards, Call Me by your Name and The Post.

Also check out mini-reviews for some of the best films of 2018 so far like Black Panther, Annihilation and Game Night.

https://tinyurl.com/QuickFlicks18

[webstar1000]

Game Night. 5/6 beers on the RFSRS. Damn near perfect. The concept has been done before but they pulled no punches on this one (No crappy PG-13 editing).
Very dark, but laughs galore. Loved it!

Agree. LOVED IT.


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[Still Servant]

You should read the book Mike! :)

I'm hoping too! Just add it to the growing list.

I like finding stuff at second hand stores. The hunt is part of the fun. I've looked at numerous places and I cannot find Annihilation for the life of me. I've seen a shit load of Anita Shreve books though. Whoever she is.

Also, I hope you still get to see the film in theaters, it's a beautiful looking film.

[Mattrick]

Well, I was going to ask you to read The Limousine Mike, and anyone else who wants to take a gander at it. Have to read it through Google docs though, on any device basically.

[Mattrick]

Blade Runner 2049 - Just an awesome movie. It's beautiful to look at. The production design is top notch. There is obviously a fair bit of CGI but it's so well done it blends really well, especially when it comes to JOI, though I wonder how much of that was with some old fashioned trickery, especially the romancing scene. What got me after watching Blade Runner for the first time in the fall was that the story didn't really have much of an emotional hook for me, where as Blade Runner 2049 as that from start to finish and it only intensifies. I especially like the second half of the film and the turns the story takes. I thought we'd see more of Leto...so I can only assume they have a third film planned? All very good performances. If you told me that Batista was going to be in a Blade Runner sequel 15 years ago I'd have laughed in your face, but he was very good. He did not show much acting talent in WWE, at least not until the final part of his run when he finally turned heel. I was quite sad he left when he did because he was really coming into his own. I like 2049 more than the original, but I've only seen them both once.

*****


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6D2fulVqmQc

Game Night - This was just a real enjoyable film to watch. A really good ensemble cast filled out by new favourite Meth Damon and special appearance near the end of a big TV star which got a nice surprise pop out of me. What I liked about Game Night is that there weren't a lot of cheap laughs. There wasn't a bunch of gross out humour of foul language for sake of it or a bunch of physical comedy or sight gags. The comedy is mostly all in the dialogue and the acting. It's one of those movies were there's a tremendous amount of pleasure to had during pauses in dialogue with the great expressions on everyone's face. I knew the guy who played the black friend looked familiar to me, and once he did the Denzel impression it clicked because of this video.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=de93Am_cEGA

All in all I would recommend Game Night to anyone. It's not quite the dark comedy I was expecting, but it's still a very funny and charming film. ****

[Ricky]

Well, looks like I'll have to give Game Night a shot. All the reviews I've read on here and other sites have me thinking it's not actually the film I thought it would be.

[Still Servant]

Well, I was going to ask you to read The Limousine Mike, and anyone else who wants to take a gander at it. Have to read it through Google docs though, on any device basically.

Send me the file when you get the chance.

I'm glad you enjoyed 2049 and Game Night.

I adore 2049 and I was kicking myself for not seeing it in theaters more than once. The Blu-ray is great though. It's full of special features and any cinephile would appreciate how Denis uses practical effects as much as possible. I tip my cap whenever any director goes the extra mile to do that now. Same with Miller for Mad Max.

[Ricky]

RED SPARROW - 7 out of 10, too confusing for my widdle bwain.

Aw, man. Was it? I was hoping it wouldn't be. Atomic Blonde's plot was a little too muddled for me so fingers crossed for Red Sparrow. Hoping to see it Saturday.

[Mattrick]

Phantom Thread: A very well made and well acted film. I'm a big Lesley Manville fan so I'm always happy to see her in a film...it's still a shame she wasn't nominated for Another Year. I loved the score and was my second favourite behind Desplat's amazing Shape of Water score. I liked Day-Lewis more than Oldman, but was still happy to see Oldman win an oscar. Vicky Krieps was also very good and she should definitely get more work in the future after this role. The Oedipal undertones to Phantom Thread were strong in this film, a style of storytelling that is so rarely seen these days...I'd have to look back The Sopranos find storytelling so focused on Oedipal urges. The film definitely took some odd turns near the end, but all in all I thought it was a very strong film and is probably near the bottom of my 2017 top 10 list. ****

[Ricky]

Oh man, the mushrooms (their second reappearance and the following scene) was a huge WTF moment for me. :lol:

And I thought Vicky Krieps's performance was slightly more deserving than Manville simply because Alma's role had more meat to it.

[Still Servant]

DEATH WISH (2017 copyright, 2018 release) - 9 out of 10

:scared:

That's where I'd put the original. Is it as good as the original?

That's where I'd put the John Wick films. How does it match up to those?

[Mattrick]

Oh man, the mushrooms (their second reappearance and the following scene) was a huge WTF moment for me. :lol:

And I thought Vicky Krieps's performance was slightly more deserving than Manville simply because Alma's role had more meat to it.

I think that ties back to the Oepidal urges in the film and being mothered.

[Tatts4Life]

Never had a chance to see the movie IT in theaters. Just bought it on 4K and loved it 10/10. I ended up watching it twice. My wife was terrified the whole time.

[webstar1000]

Never had a chance to see the movie IT in theaters. Just bought it on 4K and loved it 10/10. I ended up watching it twice. My wife was terrified the whole time.

I have seen it 8 times lol


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[allasorte]

Never had a chance to see the movie IT in theaters. Just bought it on 4K and loved it 10/10. I ended up watching it twice. My wife was terrified the whole time.

I have seen it 8 times lol


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I loved everything about it especially the kid's chemistry. Skarsgard was amazing! I like playing it quietly when I sleep. It helps me sleep, sort of :).

[Randall Flagg]

Death Wish (2018)- 4.5/6 beers on the RFSRS. Small sample size however, the the audience I viewed the movie with came VERY close to giving it a standing ovation at the end.

As a remake it was utterly predictable with only modern updates (Cell phones, youtube etc.), yet enjoyable as Mom's apple pie.

[Still Servant]

I loved everything about it especially the kid's chemistry. Skarsgard was amazing! I like playing it quietly when I sleep. It helps me sleep, sort of :).

...the fuck?


Death Wish (2018)- 4.5/6 beers on the RFSRS. Small sample size however, the the audience I viewed the movie with came VERY close to giving it a standing ovation at the end.

As a remake it was utterly predictable with only modern updates (Cell phones, youtube etc.), yet enjoyable as Mom's apple pie.

...the double fuck?

[Mattrick]

When I saw Game Night last week, they should a trailer for Hurricane Heist. When the trailer was over, there was laughter and sporadic people commenting how bad the movie looked. I'm glad I wasn't the only one. I wanted a refund for having had to sit through that trailer.

[allasorte]

Netflix movie The Outsider with Jerod Leto. Leto joins the Yakuza........ A little more plot then this but still. I really enjoyed it and didn't think I would. 7/10

[Still Servant]

I never, unless I know it's a movie I have no intention of seeing, watch the trailers. In fact, I deliberately came about 15 minutes late for HEIST, used the restroom even though I didn't have to, and STILL had to sit through 4 of them. And I never judge a movie by the trailer anyway (way back when I used to watch them). When I rent movies, I'll sometimes watch the trailers on them, if they are from movies I've never heard of. Some of them are so good I rent the movie, then find it's extremely disappointing. And some horrible trailers have great movies. I've said this before, but I'm irritated at the way everything is known about, whether books or movies, to such an extent there are absolutely no surprises when one finally gets to seeing or reading them. I like to go in fresh, and make up my own mind about the product without having already pre-judged and either decided I like it or hate it beforehand.
That's my story and I'm sticking to it - unless I change my mind of course.

I remember back when I used to work for a living I was talking to a guy up in the building's office, and said I was going to go see WAR OF THE ROSES the next day. He said, "Ah, they both die in the end." It's been 29 years and I still haven't forgiven him.

Forget the trailer. I read the premise and I knew it was going to be a turd. That and the fact it features a C level cast, which might be too kind. Then you look at the director Rob Cohen and realize he pretty much has made a career out of making terrible films like Stealth, Daylight, xXx, Alex Cross and probably more I'm forgetting and this one turned into a really easy pass for me.

A film like this will make millions and Annihilation is already out of most theaters. That's all you need to know about the mainstream audience right now.

[DoctorZaius]

Just finished watching The Snowman. Not great, not too bad either. I have heard good things about Joe Nesbo's books, for which this one is based off of. This seems like an average treatment of what was probably a pretty good serial killer book. 6.5/10

[Mattrick]

A film like this will make millions and Annihilation is already out of most theaters. That's all you need to know about the mainstream audience right now.

The mainstream audience just keeps getting worse and worse. Though, as a silver lining, there has been a growing base of support for most smaller films. It's still not big, but a large base supporting small films would at least keep that market going.

[allasorte]

Just finished watching The Snowman. Not great, not too bad either. I have heard good things about Joe Nesbo's books, for which this one is based off of. This seems like an average treatment of what was probably a pretty good serial killer book. 6.5/10

I mentioned this a couple pages back. The book was light years better then the movie and I wish I never saw the movie. Terrible adaptation.

[DoctorZaius]

Just finished watching The Snowman. Not great, not too bad either. I have heard good things about Joe Nesbo's books, for which this one is based off of. This seems like an average treatment of what was probably a pretty good serial killer book. 6.5/10

I mentioned this a couple pages back. The book was light years better then the movie and I wish I never saw the movie. Terrible adaptation.

Have you read other Nesbo books? If so, which ones do you recommend?

[Randall Flagg]

Thoroughbreds: Very dark comedy involving two dysfunctional teen girls who live in (what most people would consider) opulence in Connecticut. A plan is hatched to murder one of the girl's (Lily) stepfather. Numerous long uninterrupted takes, often with the actors not even speaking, sometime not even blinking. I got the feeling the filmmakers literally wanted to see who would blink first-one of the actor's, or the viewer.
It moves at a languid pace so it may not appeal to action seekers. I enjoyed it.

5/6 beers on the RFSRS.

[DoctorZaius]

Watched Ex Machina last night, and loved it. The notion of the Turing Test is an interesting one. Just how would one determine if AI truly existed or if is just the result of a master programmer, but as one character points out, aren't we all the product of programming? A real slow burn, with noir touches, that comes to a really satisfying climax. This one will resonate with me for a long time. Funny to think that this was released only weeks before Avengers: Age of Ultron. 9.5/10

[Ricky]

Saw Red Sparrow yesterday. Definitely easier to follow than Atomic Blonde, but still a little too many double crosses and questions about who was with who and who wanted what for my taste. Overall, it was really well directed, shot, and edited, which prevented it from ever being boring; great acting all around (Jennifer Lawrence really disappeared into her character and I liked her much better here than in mother!); quite a few scenes with intensity (physical and psychological) that Francis Lawrence really let breathe, which was welcome. Aside from some of the hard to follow "spy stuff," my main dislikes were that there could've been more character development and I wish there had been a bigger climax and a tad more action. A solid film. I'd probably give it an 8/10.

[allasorte]

Just finished watching The Snowman. Not great, not too bad either. I have heard good things about Joe Nesbo's books, for which this one is based off of. This seems like an average treatment of what was probably a pretty good serial killer book. 6.5/10

I mentioned this a couple pages back. The book was light years better then the movie and I wish I never saw the movie. Terrible adaptation.

Have you read other Nesbo books? If so, which ones do you recommend?

Some. The main character from The Snowman," Harry Hole, anything tied to him. I think there are 11 books in Harry's crime series.

[Still Servant]

Thoroughbreds: Very dark comedy involving two dysfunctional teen girls who live in (what most people would consider) opulence in Connecticut. A plan is hatched to murder one of the girl's (Lily) stepfather. Numerous long uninterrupted takes, often with the actors not even speaking, sometime not even blinking. I got the feeling the filmmakers literally wanted to see who would blink first-one of the actor's, or the viewer.
It moves at a languid pace so it may not appeal to action seekers. I enjoyed it.

5/6 beers on the RFSRS.

I'm hoping to see this one before it leaves theaters. Anya Taylor-Joy is one of my favorite up-and-coming young actresses and I've also enjoyed Olivia Cooke in Bates Motel and I'm looking forward to seeing her performance in Ready Player One. I live in Connecticut and I'm well aware of the perception people have of those that live in Greenwich, so that might be interesting too.


Saw Red Sparrow yesterday. Definitely easier to follow than Atomic Blonde, but still a little too many double crosses and questions about who was with who and who wanted what for my taste. Overall, it was really well directed, shot, and edited, which prevented it from ever being boring; great acting all around (Jennifer Lawrence really disappeared into her character and I liked her much better here than in mother!); quite a few scenes with intensity (physical and psychological) that Francis Lawrence really let breathe, which was welcome. Aside from some of the hard to follow "spy stuff," my main dislikes were that there could've been more character development and I wish there had been a bigger climax and a tad more action. A solid film. I'd probably give it an 8/10.

That's good to hear. I honestly have not heard a whole lot of good things about this one. It might have to be a rental for me.

[fernandito]

Annihilation

Will try and post thoughts later, but it was a solid 7.5/10. Creepy af man.

[mae]

One of my favorites of the year so far.

[Tommy]

Love, Simon (4/4)

[DoctorZaius]

I just watched Justice League for the first time and was so disappointed. A few good moments, but overall, it's so visually dark, it's as if the are trying to hide the less than stellar cg effects. This movie reminded me why I love Marvel movies so much. I enjoyed the newest Infinity War trailer better than this entire movie. DC really blew it in the way they approached the whole concept. The stand alone Flash, Aquaman, and Cyborg movies should have come first. I really enjoyed Flash - I wish he were the whole movie. 6/10 for me.

[Randall Flagg]

Viewed Unsane yesterday. Interesting concept to film an entire movie with an Iphone. The film was in a weird 1.54:1 aspect ratio. The phone created harsh glares and yellow orange tinges that (intentionally) gave it a harsh look.

A woman who has been the victim of a stalker seeks psychiatric help and unwittingly signs papers voluntarily committing herself for 24 hours. Things only get worse as she begins to (imagine?) see her stalker at the facility. Is it the stalker, or just her psychosis?

Tense and at some points unflinching in its violence.
5/6 beers on the RFSRS. Note: 1 beer was added for the execution of filming on a phone.

[Randall Flagg]

The Death of Stalin

Try though I might (I REALLY wanted it to be hilarious), only a few chuckles were to be found. 10,000 jokes-many that few would get, resulted in a handful of laughs.

3/6 on the RFSRS

Nailed it as Nikita Khruhschev

[Tommy]

Annihilation (4/4)

[fernandito]

Anyone else stoked for A Quiet Place?!

[mae]

Stoked for Isle of Dogs and Ready Player One this weekend :excited:

[Still Servant]

Anyone else stoked for A Quiet Place?!

You're not going to do this to me. I won't allow myself to get hyped.

An alternate universe version of me is losing his shit over this film right now. No doubt.

[webstar1000]

Anyone else stoked for A Quiet Place?!

Omg. The reviews have been nothing but amazing. 100% so far on Rotten. I think it looks brilliant.


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[Ricky]

Yeah, I've even been avoiding the TV spots. I've been hyped for too many films over the past couple years that have ended up leaving me severely disappointed.

[Heather19]

Anyone else stoked for A Quiet Place?!

Me!!!



Anyone else stoked for A Quiet Place?!

You're not going to do this to me. I won't allow myself to get hyped.

An alternate universe version of me is losing his shit over this film right now. No doubt.

I know, when I get too excited I usually end up let down. Hopefully that doesn't happen, because we're in need of a really good horror film.

[Mattrick]

Might actually get to see a non-IT horror film in theatres. It seems like it could be really good, but also a movie that could just as easily do everything wrong. I'm so distrusting of horror films, but they've been pretty good lately...

[Still Servant]

Might actually get to see a non-IT horror film in theatres. It seems like it could be really good, but also a movie that could just as easily do everything wrong. I'm so distrusting of horror films, but they've been pretty good lately...

Oh, like the instant classic It Comes at Night? :rolleyes:

[Mattrick]

It Comes at Night was fantastic. I've watched it three times. It's just not a horror movie like it was marketed to be. It's a drama with thriller/horror elements.

[fernandito]

Might actually get to see a non-IT horror film in theatres. It seems like it could be really good, but also a movie that could just as easily do everything wrong. I'm so distrusting of horror films, but they've been pretty good lately...

Oh, like the instant classic It Comes at Night? :rolleyes:


It Comes at Night was fantastic. I've watched it three times. It's just not a horror movie like it was marketed to be. It's a drama with thriller/horror elements.

I haven't seen ICaN, but just from the previews I could tell the film was going to be 80% psychological drama, 20% horror film. I saw the Marketing ploy of selling it as a brutal horror film coming from a mile away.

[Tommy]

ICaN is bleak and brutal and the message I got from it was quite dark. It borders on being unpleasant but I do think it is worth a watch. People complained about the ending but I found nothing wrong with it. It might have also helped that I saw no trailers for it before seeing the film itself.

[fernandito]

Yup. Going into a film with no preconceived notions is a boon in this age of social media onslaught. Too bad it's a luxury that's rarely afforded, there's simply too many channels with which commercials and information seep through.

[webstar1000]

Any king fan has to see Ready Player One. It is brilliant. And... all I can say. You need to see this movie!!!


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[webstar1000]

I mean it.


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[Tommy]

Any king fan has to see Ready Player One. It is brilliant. And... all I can say. You need to see this movie!!!


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Christine and The Overlook are in it, Any more King Easter Eggs? :evil:

[Mattrick]

Yup. Going into a film with no preconceived notions is a boon in this age of social media onslaught. Too bad it's a luxury that's rarely afforded, there's simply too many channels with which commercials and information seep through.

Not an issue for me since I rarely watch TV, just baseball and wrasslin. Rarely watch trailers online and I usually try to get into the theatre after the trailers.

[mae]

My rule is to watch a teaser and the first main trailer for any big movie. Which is why I never post any trailers in the trailer thread that are #2 and #3 and so on. For instance, I have actively avoided all Infinity War trailers and TV spots after the initial main trailer came out.

[Heather19]

I wish movies would do more teaser trailers, and leave it at that. It'd be cool if they never even released a full trailer.

[Tommy]

I know we've talked about this but Hitchcock would often do all new material in his trailers that wasn't even in the film. That would be a nice change. Horror movies in particular really get ruined by trailers.

[Heather19]

So I finally watched The Room. Initially after watching it, I was a bit surprised by the cult status that it's gotten. It was no Troll 2 or Birdemic, in my opinion. It was bad, don't get me wrong, but it lacked that "good" badness that I love in horribly bad movies. The acting was atrocious, and there were some funny moments, but I wish there were more, because I was completely bored by it.

Then I watched The Disaster Artist, and maybe I have a little more respect for the movie now. There was definitely a lot of heart that was put into that movie. I never would have guessed that Tommy and Greg were close friends in real life. I thought it was very odd that they were best friends in the movie because it didn't seem like these two people would be friends in real life, but apparently I was mistaken. As for The Disaster Artist movie, I loved it. James was excellent as Tommy. I never knew anything about Tommy beforehand but now I'm super curious about his life and how on earth does he seem to have so much money? I especially loved the parts at the end where they showed a side by side of the original movie and their reenactments :lol:

[Tommy]

Might be taboo of me to say but I totally think Franco deserved an Oscar nomination and probably the Oscar itself.

Birdemic :rofl:

[Still Servant]

Might actually get to see a non-IT horror film in theatres. It seems like it could be really good, but also a movie that could just as easily do everything wrong. I'm so distrusting of horror films, but they've been pretty good lately...

Oh, like the instant classic It Comes at Night? :rolleyes:


It Comes at Night was fantastic. I've watched it three times. It's just not a horror movie like it was marketed to be. It's a drama with thriller/horror elements.

I haven't seen ICaN, but just from the previews I could tell the film was going to be 80% psychological drama, 20% horror film. I saw the Marketing ploy of selling it as a brutal horror film coming from a mile away.

It wasn't just the misleading marketing and the misleading trailer. It was the very name of the film. When you name your film It Comes at Night, you're asking the audience to ask a few questions. When you don't pay that off is where I get disappointed.

Besides, The Last of Us deals with similar themes and puts this film in the ground.

[Mattrick]

So I finally watched The Room. Initially after watching it, I was a bit surprised by the cult status that it's gotten. It was no Troll 2 or Birdemic, in my opinion. It was bad, don't get me wrong, but it lacked that "good" badness that I love in horribly bad movies. The acting was atrocious, and there were some funny moments, but I wish there were more, because I was completely bored by it.

Then I watched The Disaster Artist, and maybe I have a little more respect for the movie now. There was definitely a lot of heart that was put into that movie. I never would have guessed that Tommy and Greg were close friends in real life. I thought it was very odd that they were best friends in the movie because it didn't seem like these two people would be friends in real life, but apparently I was mistaken. As for The Disaster Artist movie, I loved it. James was excellent as Tommy. I never knew anything about Tommy beforehand but now I'm super curious about his life and how on earth does he seem to have so much money? I especially loved the parts at the end where they showed a side by side of the original movie and their reenactments :lol:

What makes The Room so special is that Wiseau was trying to make a great film, which separates it from schlock which knows what it is.

[Mattrick]

Besides, The Last of Us deals with similar themes and puts this film in the ground.

I don't think they deal with similar themes at all. I guess if you're comparing them as two, bleak post-apocalyptic stories, but both have totally different things to say and different ways of going about it.

[allasorte]

Might be taboo of me to say but I totally think Franco deserved an Oscar nomination and probably the Oscar itself.

Birdemic :rofl:

For Disaster Artist? He was super impressive

[Still Servant]

Besides, The Last of Us deals with similar themes and puts this film in the ground.

I don't think they deal with similar themes at all. I guess if you're comparing them as two, bleak post-apocalyptic stories, but both have totally different things to say and different ways of going about it.

The mistrust of fellow man is a running theme in both It (nothing) Comes at Night (or any other part of the day) and The Last of Us.

[Still Servant]

I really enjoyed Ready Player One. I know it's only March, but I found the best quote of the year so far.

FUCKING CHUCKY!

[Mattrick]

Besides, The Last of Us deals with similar themes and puts this film in the ground.

I don't think they deal with similar themes at all. I guess if you're comparing them as two, bleak post-apocalyptic stories, but both have totally different things to say and different ways of going about it.

The mistrust of fellow man is a running theme in both It (nothing) Comes at Night (or any other part of the day) and The Last of Us.

The 'it' that comes at Night is fear, anxiety, and paranoia, which is why the son can't sleep at night and spies on the new family and wanders around the house. It's not meant to be taken literally. That said, the key events which brings the film to its climax are things which do come at night. The mistrust of fellow man is a running theme in almost all apocalyptic stories, is it not? The Walking Dead, The Road, 28 Days Later, Children of Men, Carriers...all feature the running themes of mistrusting your fellow man, and other people being a danger, especially in any story that involves a contagion. Outside of mistrust, both are very different stories with much different outcomes.

[Shannon]

Really, no Ready Player One viewers yet? I liked it a lot. And my friend two posts above hinted at MY personal favorite part of the movie, lol.

Oh, and P.S. without spoiling anything, if you're a member of this forum and community, you should go see the movie. VERY surprised.

[webstar1000]

Really, no Ready Player One viewers yet? I liked it a lot. And my friend two posts above hinted at MY personal favorite part of the movie, lol.

Oh, and P.S. without spoiling anything, if you're a member of this forum and community, you should go see the movie. VERY surprised.

I agree.
It’s the best movie I’ve seen in years. 10/10 for me


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[DanHocker]

I think my previous post about the movie was lost, but boy did I love the movie. Honestly it may be better than the book. I liked most of the changes, though IOI didn't really feel as evil in the movie as it did in the book.

[Still Servant]

As I posted above, I really enjoyed Ready Player One. It's not the best movie I've seen in years or anything and, to me, it's not better than the book, but it really shows how amazing of a director Spielberg truly is.

Also, It Comes at Night < The VVitch

[DanHocker]

As I posted above, I really enjoyed Ready Player One. It's not the best movie I've seen in years or anything and, to me, it's not better than the book, but it really shows how amazing of a director Spielberg truly is.

Also, It Comes at Night < The VVitch

I really like the book, in fact I'm listening to the audio version again right now on my commute, but it's really hard to like / feel sympathy for the main character in the book. The movie fixes a lot of that. Though the movie makes IOI feel less evil and the world seem in a better place than it is in the book.

[Still Servant]

As I posted above, I really enjoyed Ready Player One. It's not the best movie I've seen in years or anything and, to me, it's not better than the book, but it really shows how amazing of a director Spielberg truly is.

Also, It Comes at Night < The VVitch

I really like the book, in fact I'm listening to the audio version again right now on my commute, but it's really hard to like / feel sympathy for the main character in the book. The movie fixes a lot of that. Though the movie makes IOI feel less evil and the world seem in a better place than it is in the book.

Yeah, I would have liked for the film to show how the real world has essentially become a miserable place to live. It would have been nice for them to show how many people actually make their living IN the Oasis as opposed to the real world. Other than that, I thought they did a great job bringing it to the big screen.

[mae]

As I posted above, I really enjoyed Ready Player One. It's not the best movie I've seen in years or anything and, to me, it's not better than the book, but it really shows how amazing of a director Spielberg truly is.

Also, It Comes at Night < The VVitch

I really like the book, in fact I'm listening to the audio version again right now on my commute, but it's really hard to like / feel sympathy for the main character in the book. The movie fixes a lot of that. Though the movie makes IOI feel less evil and the world seem in a better place than it is in the book.

Speaking of the book. I hope the movie is oodles better:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcTxIT6RyGc

[Still Servant]

Click bait video. Ready Player One is a really fun read.

[mae]

Click bait video. Ready Player One is a really fun read.

It's really not, it's a pretty in-depth (but harsh) critique of the source material.

[fernandito]

I enjoyed RPO but that nerd name dropping did grow a little tiresome at times. It's like Ok bro, got you, you're an uber nerd, let's move on.

This is coming from someone who considers himself an uber nerd.

[DanHocker]

I can totally understand why someone wouldn't like the book, it's hugely referential and it tells a story from a very narrow point of view, and doesn't really take into account any other types of world views than that of the protagonist and really the author. But I think that's fine. A story told in the way that this one is, which is a first hand recounting of the what happened to the main character, doesn't have to be all inclusive, and doesn't need to account for other types of world views and perspectives. Overall I really do think a lot of the hate for the book has really been "bandwagon" hate though. Seems like people only started hating it once it became a hit. Then it became the cool thing to hate on the internet.

[Still Servant]

Overall I really do think a lot of the hate for the book has really been "bandwagon" hate though. Seems like people only started hating it once it became a hit. Then it became the cool thing to hate on the internet.

That's a bingo! This is my least favorite 20th century phenomenon.

[webstar1000]

I have never been so stressed out at a movie theater. 1.5 hours of it. The FIRST movie ever that I did not finish my popcorn... it just felt wrong to crunch. 9/10 for A Quiet Place... brilliantly done. It was a relief for it to be over it is that intense... haha

[Still Servant]

I have never been so stressed out at a movie theater. 1.5 hours of it. The FIRST movie ever that I did not finish my popcorn... it just felt wrong to crunch. 9/10 for A Quiet Place... brilliantly done. It was a relief for it to be over it is that intense... haha

Holy shit...

It must be good. He went all bold.

[Randall Flagg]

Blockers-Quite raunchy which is a welcome change from so many PG-13 comedies. Numerous laugh out loud moments, but does get a bit maudlin at the end.

5/6 beers on the RFSRS

[Randall Flagg]

A Quiet Place-Brilliant idea for a movie and excellent execution. Amazing that a movie with so few spoken lines can be so compelling. The actors really did a great job conveying their emotions. Several clever twists help kick things up a notch. The movie starts out tense and ratchets things up to INTENSE!
5.5/6 Beers on the RFSRS.

[Still Servant]

A Quiet Place-Brilliant idea for a movie and excellent execution. Amazing that a movie with so few spoken lines can be so compelling. The actors really did a great job conveying their emotions. Several clever twists help kick things up a notch. The movie starts out tense and ratchets things up to INTENSE!
5.5/6 Beers on the RFSRS.

Completely agree! What a fantastic moviegoing experience. I bet Paramount is kicking themselves for not retrofitting this script into a Cloverfield film instead of Paradox.

[fernandito]

A Quiet Place-Brilliant idea for a movie and excellent execution. Amazing that a movie with so few spoken lines can be so compelling. The actors really did a great job conveying their emotions. Several clever twists help kick things up a notch. The movie starts out tense and ratchets things up to INTENSE!
5.5/6 Beers on the RFSRS.

Completely agree! What a fantastic moviegoing experience. I bet Paramount is kicking themselves for not retrofitting this script into a Cloverfield film instead of Paradox.

Ehh, it's fine. Not every film needs to be retrofitted into an existing universe. Some stories work better within a self contained universe.

I'm catching the film tomorrow evening. Hyped!

[mae]

Actually: https://geektyrant.com/news/a-quiet-place-was-almost-a-part-of-the-cloverfield-universe

[Still Servant]

Actually: https://geektyrant.com/news/a-quiet-place-was-almost-a-part-of-the-cloverfield-universe

:scared: For real? I was just kidding around. Paramount has to calm the fuck down with these Cloverfield films.

Like Feev said, not every film needs to be retrofitted. I'm so happy that A Quiet Place can stand alone. I will disagree with the writer of the article though. I would not mind a sequel or prequel at some point.

[Ben Staad]

Seeing the previews for this made me think of the book Bird Box by Josh Malerman. Has anyone read the book and watched this movie? Is seems like they are similar from the preview I saw.


A Quiet Place-Brilliant idea for a movie and excellent execution. Amazing that a movie with so few spoken lines can be so compelling. The actors really did a great job conveying their emotions. Several clever twists help kick things up a notch. The movie starts out tense and ratchets things up to INTENSE!
5.5/6 Beers on the RFSRS.

[webstar1000]

Seeing the previews for this made me think of the book Bird Box by Josh Malerman. Has anyone read the book and watched this movie? Is seems like they are similar from the preview I saw.


A Quiet Place-Brilliant idea for a movie and excellent execution. Amazing that a movie with so few spoken lines can be so compelling. The actors really did a great job conveying their emotions. Several clever twists help kick things up a notch. The movie starts out tense and ratchets things up to INTENSE!
5.5/6 Beers on the RFSRS.

Is the book good?

[Ben Staad]

I enjoyed it. I haven't seen the movie so I'm not sure if they really are similar or if it just my take on the two. In regards to me stating they seem similar it is only on a generic level. I know nothing about the movie other than what is in the one preview I saw.



Seeing the previews for this made me think of the book Bird Box by Josh Malerman. Has anyone read the book and watched this movie? Is seems like they are similar from the preview I saw.


A Quiet Place-Brilliant idea for a movie and excellent execution. Amazing that a movie with so few spoken lines can be so compelling. The actors really did a great job conveying their emotions. Several clever twists help kick things up a notch. The movie starts out tense and ratchets things up to INTENSE!
5.5/6 Beers on the RFSRS.

Is the book good?