What’s the last movie you watched?

[SpiritDragon]

6 hours ago, unixknight said:

Yeah this movie felt like The Happening meets A Quiet Place.

The Happening may just be about the worst movie I'v ever seen.... so .... so..... painful to watch.It's like a poorly written goosebumps novel, only worse somehow.

[SpiritDragon]

I recently watched The Christmas Dragon and found it to be unique as far as Christmas movies go. Certainly not the typical romcom feel and certainly not Die Hard either. It was better Christmas spirit than Gremlins, but not what I was expecting. It kind of felt like some one really wanted to make a low budget Lord of the Rings knock off, but weave a Christmas theme into it.

[Guest Godless]

6 hours ago, anatess2 said:

Bird Box (rated R for mass suicide)

I watched this Netflix offering because people were saying it's really good.  Watched it and I'm like, huh?  It's Quiet Place but instead Blind Place.  So yeah, Sandra Bullock is her great self and very convincing but I really don't like movies that just tumbles from one set event to another and explains nothing about much of anything.  It makes it just like your regular B-movie horror flick that doesn't make sense except to give audience something to scream about.  That said, the 2 kids especially the girl did really well with their roles in this train wreck of a movie.

Yeah, my wife and I both thought that one was dumb. A FB friend of mine said she hasn't seen it but she's trying to piece together the plot based on ads she's seen. I was very tempted to tell her that the ads essentially sum up the entire plot, except for one specific aspect that is horribly set up with no explanation, background, or real follow-through.

 

[anatess2]

10 hours ago, Godless said:

Yeah, my wife and I both thought that one was dumb. A FB friend of mine said she hasn't seen it but she's trying to piece together the plot based on ads she's seen. I was very tempted to tell her that the ads essentially sum up the entire plot, except for one specific aspect that is horribly set up with no explanation, background, or real follow-through.

 

At least the memes are glorious.

 

Bird Box 2:  The Blindside

Edited January 4, 2019 by anatess2

[Fether]

I wat he’s Searching the other day. I thought it was pretty fantastic

[Vort]

Watched "Ready Player One" a week or two ago, New Year's-ish time period.

So what was with all the hype? Maybe the book was much better than the film. It wasn't the worst movie I've ever seen, not by a long shot. It was mildly entertaining, as you might expect from a teen-angsty bubble-gum SF movie about video gaming. Nothing special. Certainly nothing I'd be willing to pay theater prices for, or would ever watch if not with the family. The bad language (utterly unnecessary, as usual) bothered me, but I was probably as bored as I was offended. Maybe I should have turned it off and lectured my children about dog-poop cookies, I don't know.

What I really want to understand is: Why all the fuss? There was nothing special about the movie, not a single thing. It was predictable, even paint-by-numbers hackneyed, and even if you clean out the foul language, just really not All That and a Bag of Chips. "Dumb" is the word that mostly comes to mind, even more than "offensive". So can someone explain in clear, simple terms why this movie was so anticipated and talked up?

[Ironhold]

6 hours ago, Vort said:

Watched "Ready Player One" a week or two ago, New Year's-ish time period.

So what was with all the hype? Maybe the book was much better than the film. It wasn't the worst movie I've ever seen, not by a long shot. It was mildly entertaining, as you might expect from a teen-angsty bubble-gum SF movie about video gaming. Nothing special. Certainly nothing I'd be willing to pay theater prices for, or would ever watch if not with the family. The bad language (utterly unnecessary, as usual) bothered me, but I was probably as bored as I was offended. Maybe I should have turned it off and lectured my children about dog-poop cookies, I don't know.

What I really want to understand is: Why all the fuss? There was nothing special about the movie, not a single thing. It was predictable, even paint-by-numbers hackneyed, and even if you clean out the foul language, just really not All That and a Bag of Chips. "Dumb" is the word that mostly comes to mind, even more than "offensive". So can someone explain in clear, simple terms why this movie was so anticipated and talked up?

A big part of the early advertising was all the pop culture references in the movie. 

[anatess2]

18 hours ago, Vort said:

Watched "Ready Player One" a week or two ago, New Year's-ish time period.

So what was with all the hype? Maybe the book was much better than the film. It wasn't the worst movie I've ever seen, not by a long shot. It was mildly entertaining, as you might expect from a teen-angsty bubble-gum SF movie about video gaming. Nothing special. Certainly nothing I'd be willing to pay theater prices for, or would ever watch if not with the family. The bad language (utterly unnecessary, as usual) bothered me, but I was probably as bored as I was offended. Maybe I should have turned it off and lectured my children about dog-poop cookies, I don't know.

What I really want to understand is: Why all the fuss? There was nothing special about the movie, not a single thing. It was predictable, even paint-by-numbers hackneyed, and even if you clean out the foul language, just really not All That and a Bag of Chips. "Dumb" is the word that mostly comes to mind, even more than "offensive". So can someone explain in clear, simple terms why this movie was so anticipated and talked up?

Because this movie is the greatest movie in 2018.  I super duper love this movie same way I super duper love Tron.  No, not the new Tron.  The 80's Tron.

[anatess2]

Escape Room

I didn't watch this - too scary for me.  My husband watched it with my 14 year old niece.  She loved it.  She likes scary movies like Sixth Sense and The Others.

 

Replicas

Okay, Keanu Reeves hold some magic for me.  I don't know what it is.  He's like the male version of Kristen Stewart - can only manage to move 3 muscles in his face to emote.  And I can't stand Kristen Stewart because of it.  But for some reason, Keanu can pull off a man facing the death of his entire family with just his 3 facial muscles and make me like it.  Anyway, this movie has tons of "but what about..." but, I don't know man.  I loved this movie.  Especially the wife.  Who is the polar opposite of me.  Like this - her husband says, "Honey, these people are trying to kill us.  We have to leave now!" and the wife responds calmly, "Kids, we have to leave, right now.  Trust your mother."  I would be, "WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT???  WHAT?  WHY ARE THEY TRYING TO KILL US?  WHO ARE THEY?  WHAT IN THE BLOODY BLAZES IS GOING ON!!!".  Anyway, that's just the least alarming news she has received in the entire movie yet she approaches every alarming development with her usual calm.  I'm so wanting to be her when I grow up.  Oh, I forgot to mention, she's a surgeon so it makes sense that she doesn't get rattled.

 

The Upside

I enjoyed this movie too.  Kevin Hart is one of those few people who can make me laugh without trying to be funny.  Okay, so this is a PG13 movie but there's an incident with the catheter that is extended and takes a lot of screen time.  And, there's also an incident with hired prostitutes although, there's not much to see because the guy is a quadriplegic.

 

[anatess2]

22 hours ago, Fether said:

I wat he’s Searching the other day. I thought it was pretty fantastic

I watched this again with my kids.  They absolutely loved it too!

I'm gonna watch this again with my mom and see if she likes it.  She's in her late 70's and can barely work her smartphone and tablet.  But she does go on Facebook a lot so she can relate to Social Media.

Edited January 14, 2019 by anatess2

[LadyGunnar]

Mclintock. Gotta love John Wayne. 

[unixknight]

Solo: A Star Wars Story

You know, I expected to hate this movie, because I HATE Episode VIII and both Episode VII and Rogue One were mostly 'meh' for me...  

But I actually kinda liked it.  Not saying it was a good movie.  My mind is still digesting it so my brain jury is still out, but it felt more like Star Wars than Episode VII or Episode VIII did.  

I do have a couple early criticisms of the film, but I'll post that separately.

Edited January 15, 2019 by unixknight

[anatess2]

3 minutes ago, unixknight said:

Solo: A Star Wars Story

You know, I expected to hate this movie, because I HATE Episode VIII and both Episode VII and Rogue One were mostly 'meh' for me...  

But I actually kinda liked it.  Not saying it was a good movie.  My mind is still digesting it so my brain jury is still out, but it felt more like Star Wars than Episode VII or Episode VIII did.  

I do have a couple early criticisms of the film, but I'll post that separately.

This film tanked, not because it sucked, but because the Last Jedi sucked THAT bad.

[unixknight]

41 minutes ago, anatess2 said:

This film tanked, not because it sucked, but because the Last Jedi sucked THAT bad.

I agree that Episode VIII dragged it down, but there was other bad press associated with it like the idea of Lando being pansexual... as if it had anything to do with the story of the film.  They also had a minor and pointless subplot about one of the droid fighting for droid equality in true SJW mode.  

[anatess2]

5 minutes ago, unixknight said:

I agree that Episode VIII dragged it down, but there was other bad press associated with it like the idea of Lando being pansexual... as if it had anything to do with the story of the film.  They also had a minor and pointless subplot about one of the droid fighting for droid equality in true SJW mode.  

Yep!  That would do it.

If Captain Marvel doesn't get good box office takes, you can blame Brie Larson and the SJW marketing too.  Although they did a last ditch backtrack effort during the Clemson game to appease the fans, not sure if that was enough to get that bad taste out fans' mouths especially with what's happening in the comicbook Miss Marvel.  It could possibly be a good movie that becomes "Solo'd".

It doesn't help that stupid Gillette is sucking the air out of these same people that would be the prime demographics for an MCU movie. 

[NeuroTypical]

On 1/13/2019 at 5:51 PM, Vort said:

"Ready Player One"
So can someone explain in clear, simple terms why this movie was so anticipated and talked up?

2 reasons:

1- Did you ever see Ratatouille?  The scene when dood took a bite of the simple peasant dish, and was immediately transported back to his childhood, where he fell off his bike and his mother made it for him?  That's what this movie was for folks plugged into the billion old game references.  I was there, in front of my Atari 2600, following the steps my buddy heard about.  I found the secret room, I was back there again reading "created by Warren Robinett".  A year or two later when we ditched the black and white tv and got a color tv, the magic was even better.  Magic.  Magic I tells ya!  The kind that gave me goosebumps!  (Yeah, the movie was kind of blah otherwise.)

2- I guess the younger folk liked it for similar reasons, plus a hidden backstory of eldritch lore that nobody talks about.  

[NeuroTypical]

Just watched IO.  You know those almost surreal, almost French films, with everyone talking in very slow, monotone yet meaningful sentences, with dramatic music swelling in between lines of dialog?  Yep.  With cool post-apocalyptic dead cities in the backdrop.

They tell ya it's a show about two desperate survivors making a last desperate attempt to save themselves and flee a dead planet.  It's really a show about a young woman forced to let go of her father's dream.  Or is she?

Edited January 21, 2019 by NeuroTypical

[anatess2]

Glass.

The critic reviews on this movie was not good.  I didn't think it was good either.  But it made a lot of money over the weekend.  I have to say McAvoy is an awesome actor.  But then it got old after a while.  The fight scenes are sophomoric.  I bet my kid can film a better fight scene with a goPro.  The pacing is the usual Shyamalan that sometimes works (6th Sense) and sometimes fails big time (Last Airbender).  This time it... doesn't really work but it doesn't fail big time either.  It felt like a cheap movie except it had Willis, McAvoy, and the great Sam Jackson.  I hate the ending - but that's a personal thing for me which I can't tell you because it would be a major spoiler.

 

[Vort]

2 hours ago, anatess2 said:

the great Sam Jackson

There's another pop culture reference I Don't Get. Why are so many people all gaga over Samuel L. Jackson? I mean, he's okay as an actor. Nothing special, but he fills the bill. Why the swooning?

[Guest]

3 hours ago, anatess2 said:

The pacing is the usual Shyamalan that sometimes works (6th Sense) and sometimes fails big time (Last Airbender). 

Here's the thing about Shyamalan movies:

He is a great writer of suspense with twist endings after the manner of Hitchock.  When he sticks to this formula, he's great.  But when he deviates from that formula, he does so at everyone's peril.

I have little interest in seeing Glass.  So, I guess I won't be able to critique how well he stuck to the formula.  But I'd guess (solely from your reaction) that he sort of did it. But he didn't stick to it all that well.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Vort said:

There's another pop culture reference I Don't Get. Why are so many people all gaga over Samuel L. Jackson? I mean, he's okay as an actor. Nothing special, but he fills the bill. Why the swooning?

Because only he can deliver some lines in just the right tone.

Quote

But given that it's a stupid directive, I've chosen not to follow it.

 

[unixknight]

21 minutes ago, Carborendum said:

Here's the thing about Shyamalan movies:

He is a great writer of suspense with twist endings after the manner of Hitchock.  When he sticks to this formula, he's great.  But when he deviates from that formula, he does so at everyone's peril.

And you know, that's a terrible place to be stuck in.  When people  go to see his movies they expect a surprise twist, which means if it isn't there, then  the audience will be dissatisfied whether the rest of the movie was good or not.  Not only that, but it's not like you can tack on a surprise twist for every story.  That limits the types of films he can even attempt to make.  The Sixth Sense really boxed him in.  It's a weird case where he's been a victim of his own early success.

[Guest]

15 minutes ago, unixknight said:

And you know, that's a terrible place to be stuck in.  When people  go to see his movies they expect a surprise twist, which means if it isn't there, then  the audience will be dissatisfied whether the rest of the movie was good or not.  Not only that, but it's not like you can tack on a surprise twist for every story.  That limits the types of films he can even attempt to make.  The Sixth Sense really boxed him in.  It's a weird case where he's been a victim of his own early success.

I think you misinterpreted my post.  I'm not saying that "he's not allowed."  I'm saying,"He doesn't seem to have a good sense of execution in areas outside his specialty."

[anatess2]

2 hours ago, Vort said:

There's another pop culture reference I Don't Get. Why are so many people all gaga over Samuel L. Jackson? I mean, he's okay as an actor. Nothing special, but he fills the bill. Why the swooning?

Jackson is one of those people who are in so many movies - and a lot of them big box office hits, even cultish hits - that it became a thing that if somebody asks "Who is Samuel L. Jackson?" the answer would be, "think of a movie with a black guy, that black guy is Samuel L. Jackson".  Hah hah.  But that's not just it.  Samuel L. Jackson is Samuel L. Jackson in every movie he's in.  He doesn't really change!  So, Mace Windu is not Mace Windu.  He's Samuel L. Jackson.  Nick Fury is not Nick Fury... He's Samuel L. Jackson.  Same guy, same acting.  Hah hah.  The only difference is the MPAA-rating.  There's R-rated Jackson (where he says m-f- every sentence) and there's PG Jackson (no m-f-'s).  And that's all you have to know about Samuel L. Jackson.  Hah hah.

[Guest]

3 minutes ago, anatess2 said:

Samuel L. Jackson is Samuel L. Jackson in every movie he's in.  He doesn't really change!  So, Mace Windu is not Mace Windu.  He's Samuel L. Jackson.

I have to disagree with this one.  He was different as Mace Windu.  And he was different as Glass (in Unbreakable).

But, yeah.  Every other movie...