Movies you've seen recently

[LadyCrimson]

Previous thread

 

 

The House at the End of Time

A Venezuelan suspense/thriller/horror film with a twist ending. Gradual build up with the twist being pretty well done, I thought. I mean, some may see it coming mid-way but it's done well. Certainly nothing like the typical US affairs, more understated tonally, but perhaps for that reason I liked it.

 

Bad Turn Worse

Heard about this one because Mark Pellegrino kept tweeting it on his Twitter a while back. Meant to, but never got around to it. It's on Netflix now, so I gave it a spin. The crime thriller aspect is fairly typical and I'd give the film a mediocre rating, but Pellegrino is worth watching if you like the actor.

 

Also tried to watch a 1961 blk/wht film with William Shatner called The Explosive Generation, (also on Netflix) but despite it maybe being one of Shatner's better performances (eg, not "hammy"), I couldn't stand the early 60's version of after-school type drama and ended up skipping to Shatner's parts then turning it off.

[ManifestedISO]

Asps ... very dangerous. You go first. 

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

I watched Inherit Vice while under the effect of some very strong substances.

 

It was very good.

[Gfted1]

Kingsman: The Secret Service.

 

Fun shoot-em-up. And SLJ with a lisp is win.

[Bartimaeus]

Maleficent. Mostly non-spoilers: It was, uh, decent, I guess. I'm really not a fan of Angelina Jolie, and was fully expecting her to drag down the movie for me...but it says something about a movie when she's my favorite character and actor in said movie. I felt like Aurora was horribly miscast and perhaps miswritten - she dragged down the movie more than anything else - and that while some of the story revisions were fine (most everything pre-Aurora), things started to fall apart a bit towards the end. I didn't much care for the complete dork of a prince, either - I understand he wasn't supposed to be the hero like he was in the original due to the whole Maleficent factor, but c'mon, it was a little extreme. Still, I didn't hate it, and that counts for something.

 

Story Spoilers:

 

I was also a bit miffed to see that there was more or less a direct lift of Frozen's ending. And also that the ending itself - disregarding that particular detail - was pretty ridiculous to begin with. Oh well.

 

I might try Wreck-it-Ralph next...but truth be told, I really don't care for modern or sci-fi settings in these kinds of movies - with the one exception of WALL-E - so I'm unsure if I'll like it. Still...the Disney train rolls on.

Edited March 2, 2015 by Bartimaeus

[LadyCrimson]

I liked the first part of Wreck It Ralph a lot...but once in the candy game it mostly lost me. Can't remember why, something annoyed me however. Not that that is hard to do these days.

 

I don't think I'd call it a modern setting per se. I mean maybe it is technically, but that's not what the movie is.

[Amentep]

THE LAZARUS EFFECT (2015) good basic idea, a game cast, but they kind of stuff it up by not really developing things very well (and often falling to horror movie cliches rather than trying to stick to what the movie was trying to tell).  Also some plot elements go nowhere (I know there were reshoots - how much this changed the story for good/ill I dunno).

 

THE SPY WHO LOVED ME (1977) In some ways its like a collection of "Bond" scenes strung together for a film.  Barbara Bach playing off a game Roger Moore is what carries the film (their rivalry is fun).  Jaws always coming back is also interesting.  Too bad Stromberg is a snore of a villain, ultimately. 

 

STAR TREK IV: THE VOYAGE HOME (1986) I remember seeing this one in the theater, but its been awhile since I saw it.  Sort of a collection of "Fish out of water" gags, some work, some don't.  Its a somewhat silly story, in general, but its a lot of fun and the cast is clearly having a good time.

[LadyCrimson]

Wrath of Khan is still my fave but Voyage Home was certainly entertaining and fun to watch and I'd probably place it 2nd.

[Orogun01]

THE LAZARUS EFFECT (2015) good basic idea, a game cast, but they kind of stuff it up by not really developing things very well (and often falling to horror movie cliches rather than trying to stick to what the movie was trying to tell).  Also some plot elements go nowhere (I know there were reshoots - how much this changed the story for good/ill I dunno).

 

THE SPY WHO LOVED ME (1977) In some ways its like a collection of "Bond" scenes strung together for a film.  Barbara Bach playing off a game Roger Moore is what carries the film (their rivalry is fun).  Jaws always coming back is also interesting.  Too bad Stromberg is a snore of a villain, ultimately. 

 

STAR TREK IV: THE VOYAGE HOME (1986) I remember seeing this one in the theater, but its been awhile since I saw it.  Sort of a collection of "Fish out of water" gags, some work, some don't.  Its a somewhat silly story, in general, but its a lot of fun and the cast is clearly having a good time.

Who's the new avatar?

[kgambit]

The Theory of Everything - absolutely outstanding.    Eddie Redmayne is dead on as Stephen Hawking.   

[ManifestedISO]

Wrath of Khan is still my fave but Voyage Home was certainly entertaining and fun to watch and I'd probably place it 2nd.

 

I put Voyage Home first, the comedy killed me ... 'double dumb-ass on you!' 

 

... and Scotty talking to the computer mouse, haha ohmigosh

[Leferd]

 

 

[ManifestedISO]

What a pleasant surprise, after the blackest of nerd weekends, I didn't even notice a single lens flare, the 2009 Star Trek film, so much of Leonard, my god, Jim, what a catharsis. 

[Amentep]

 

THE LAZARUS EFFECT (2015) good basic idea, a game cast, but they kind of stuff it up by not really developing things very well (and often falling to horror movie cliches rather than trying to stick to what the movie was trying to tell).  Also some plot elements go nowhere (I know there were reshoots - how much this changed the story for good/ill I dunno).

 

THE SPY WHO LOVED ME (1977) In some ways its like a collection of "Bond" scenes strung together for a film.  Barbara Bach playing off a game Roger Moore is what carries the film (their rivalry is fun).  Jaws always coming back is also interesting.  Too bad Stromberg is a snore of a villain, ultimately. 

 

STAR TREK IV: THE VOYAGE HOME (1986) I remember seeing this one in the theater, but its been awhile since I saw it.  Sort of a collection of "Fish out of water" gags, some work, some don't.  Its a somewhat silly story, in general, but its a lot of fun and the cast is clearly having a good time.

Who's the new avatar?

 

Hazel Scott, Jazz singer and pianist and briefly had her own 1950s music show.

[CoM_Solaufein]

I watched the reboot Star Trek movies over the weekend. It was fitting that Leonard Nimoy's last movie was a Star Trek movie.

[Gfted1]

Behold The Big Beautiful Face Of Vision In The New Avengers 2 Trailer.

[ShadySands]

Behold The Big Beautiful Face Of Vision In The New Avengers 2 Trailer.

[rjshae]

I saw some news today that leaves me happy: Twentieth Century Fox has picked up the film rights to Heinlein's The Moon is a Harsh Mistress. I hope they actually film it this time, and do the book justice.

[Gromnir]

I saw some news today that leaves me happy: Twentieth Century Fox has picked up the film rights to Heinlein's The Moon is a Harsh Mistress. I hope they actually film it this time, and do the book justice.

TANSTAAFL

 

spoilers:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gromnir were in jr. high school when we first read the moon is a harsh mistress.  it is a book we have difficulty seeing done faithful.  the good guys in the book is terrorists.  our first exposure to complex terrorist cell organization and how it works were from Heinlein's novel.  the leader o' the terrorists is an ai that re-purposes a mass driver on the moon so that instead o' sending surplus wheat to earth, it sends large chunks o' ferrous rock.

 

...

 

is a good book.  is a fantastic book.  unfortunately, we got a hard time seeing it done faithful.

 

HA! Good Fun!

Edited March 4, 2015 by Gromnir

[Raithe]

Kingsmen.

 

Head-poppingly entertaining. A touch silly in ways, but an amusing film to watch with a variety of good performances and various call backs on the spy genre.

 

 

Now, for those who like the Heinlein, this article might be somewhat interesting What the Left Doesn't Get About Robert Heinlein

 

 

[Blarghagh]

Head-poppingly entertaining.

I see what you did there.

[Gromnir]

Kingsmen.

 

Head-poppingly entertaining. A touch silly in ways, but an amusing film to watch with a variety of good performances and various call backs on the spy genre.

 

 

Now, for those who like the Heinlein, this article might be somewhat interesting What the Left Doesn't Get About Robert Heinlein

we will read the link.  regardless, am knowing that heinlein were an extreme misunderstood guy.  am always hearing the story about how he tried to beat the snot outta arthur c. clarke 'cause clarke public criticized the US SDI project.  we also hear folks argue whether Heinlein were libertarian or conservative.   johnny rico, the protagonist o' starship troopers which were written in 1959, is revealed late in the book to be filipino. however, the book appears to suggest that political leadership should only be held by those who has volunteered for military service.  many commentators were confused by heinlein as his political views didn't fit in neat boxes.  

 

*shrug*

 

more important than what a man says is what he does.  is a number o' articles about the relationship o' heinlein and philip k. **** but they is typical covering the literary aspects o' the respective writers.  philp k. **** wrote a bit about heinlein in the introduction to one o' his books.

 

 "Several years ago, when I was ill, Heinlein offered his help, anything he could do, and we had never met; he would phone me to cheer me up and see how I was doing. He wanted to buy me an electric typewriter, God bless him—one of the few true gentlemen in this world. I don't agree with any ideas he puts forth in his writing, but that is neither here nor there. One time when I owed the IRS a lot of money and couldn't raise it, Heinlein loaned the money to me. I think a great deal of him and his wife; I dedicated a book to them in appreciation. Robert Heinlein is a fine-looking man, very impressive and very military in stance; you can tell he has a military background, even to the haircut. He knows I'm a flipped-out freak and still he helped me and my wife when we were in trouble. That is the best in humanity, there; that is who and what I love."

 

from our pov, heinlein were a bit o' a kook.  his notions regarding sex and personal freedom can seem almost comical.  at the same time, we believe heinlein were a very bright guy and we would be doing our self a disservice if we were dismissive o' heinlein because we disagreed with some o' his more extreme beliefs.  perhaps most significant is that from everything we has read, it appears that heinlein were a compassionate man who were having genuine integrity.  men such o' heinlein is, sadly, rare.

 

and we still can't imagine a faithful movie version o' the moon is a harsh mistress.

 

HA! Good Fun!

[Raithe]

For all those folks out there who liked the Dredd movie have asked about the sequel...

 

 

 

Fans keep asking Dredd producer Adi Shankar about the possibility of a Dredd sequel, but there's some harsh financial realities preventing it. Here, Shanker explains how Dredd 2 could possibly happen — or, as he so eloquently puts it, "The guy who dresses up like The Crow is going to you a lesson in film finance."

 

 

 

http://youtu.be/kWP88WKVBKs

[Serrano]

The Dredd trilogy could have been better than the Dark Knight trilogy. There, I said it.

[Amentep]

The Dredd trilogy could have been better than the Dark Knight trilogy. There, I said it.

 

That wouldn't have taken much doing.

 

There, I said it

Edited March 7, 2015 by Amentep