Suburbicon; just God awful. How this was billed as a dark comedy vexed me. Dark, yes. Funny, no. It had a couple of shock value moments that I am sure were ment to be funny. The sub-plot with the neighbors was pointless. Clooney and Damon need to say goodbye to each other. An all around waste of two hours.
movies What's the last film you watched? And rate it!
- Thread starter GerryLovesU
- Start date
The Discovery
Premise get's high marks: 8/10.
Execution: 5/10.
Ending: 4/10.
Side plot and "brother" character felt bolted on.
Premise get's high marks: 8/10.
Execution: 5/10.
Ending: 4/10.
Side plot and "brother" character felt bolted on.
Interesting idea, I can picture that.
Maybe it's also like old foreign films that focus more on character instead of plot.
The Secret Scripture.
Obviously not as good as the book but was well done. It's always a challenge to fit a book with so many things happening into a 2hr movie.
Acting was good.
I recommend the book.
Obviously not as good as the book but was well done. It's always a challenge to fit a book with so many things happening into a 2hr movie.
Acting was good.
I recommend the book.
The Ballad of Lefty Brown. 9/10
This is a good western in a similar vein as Open Range and others. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this to those who like westerns. This is a good one. (Available on Amazon Prime).
Passengers. 9/10
I was really looking forward to this and wanted it to be great. Well it is good. But...damn,
Otherwise I suppose I'd give it a 10.
This is a good western in a similar vein as Open Range and others. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this to those who like westerns. This is a good one. (Available on Amazon Prime).
Passengers. 9/10
I was really looking forward to this and wanted it to be great. Well it is good. But...damn,
the love story does have at its heart an act of evil, or at least of serious selfishness. You can make the argument it's a good thing he woke her, or someone, because otherwise the ship and all it's passengers would have been destroyed, otherwise, as it turned out. But of course that doesn't justify his action. I mean, understand, I guess as she comes to, the psychological factors of his isolation, etc. So, my point is there will always be something rotten at the heart of the love story. Well, I was cold to The English Patient initially, as well, but naturally I came to think of it as wonderful. Still, not the same.
Took a couple of flights this week and watched movies both ways.
Detroit:
Pretty good. Gritty and I knew nothing about the historical event and it said in the film they filled in items that didn't have testimony of it or where details were sketchy. Definitely makes you realize how many times horrific things that you think couldn't have gotten to that level, actually do and how they do.
7/10
The Florida Project:
Really good in the vein of portrait that Moonlight was last year. And that little girl never seemed like she was acting. Maybe she wasn't but her scenes were so natural. Dafoe was really good as well.
8/10
Subirbicon
Was a totally different movie than was setup in the advertisements. Definite echos of other Cohen movies but got pretty messy halfway through and the African American family behind seemed very bolted on and pushed to the forefront more than other characters that were actually involved in the main plot (like the Uncle or the Police Officer). It seemed like a very manufactured plot device expanded up larger than it should have been in a distracting kind of way.
5/10
Just Getting Started
Just another older actor vehicle "Grumpy Old Men" wannabe. There have been a slew of these and they all star Morgan Freeman: Last Vegas, Going in Style, etc.
It's a new "genre" IMHO and some have been good and other's no. Just Getting Started hit on some good but mostly felt very "tired" if not almost "formulaic".
4/10
Going In Style
Another in the same vein as above and "Stand Up Guys". Better than the above but still kinda tired.
6/10
Detroit:
Pretty good. Gritty and I knew nothing about the historical event and it said in the film they filled in items that didn't have testimony of it or where details were sketchy. Definitely makes you realize how many times horrific things that you think couldn't have gotten to that level, actually do and how they do.
7/10
The Florida Project:
Really good in the vein of portrait that Moonlight was last year. And that little girl never seemed like she was acting. Maybe she wasn't but her scenes were so natural. Dafoe was really good as well.
8/10
Subirbicon
Was a totally different movie than was setup in the advertisements. Definite echos of other Cohen movies but got pretty messy halfway through and the African American family behind seemed very bolted on and pushed to the forefront more than other characters that were actually involved in the main plot (like the Uncle or the Police Officer). It seemed like a very manufactured plot device expanded up larger than it should have been in a distracting kind of way.
5/10
Just Getting Started
Just another older actor vehicle "Grumpy Old Men" wannabe. There have been a slew of these and they all star Morgan Freeman: Last Vegas, Going in Style, etc.
It's a new "genre" IMHO and some have been good and other's no. Just Getting Started hit on some good but mostly felt very "tired" if not almost "formulaic".
4/10
Going In Style
Another in the same vein as above and "Stand Up Guys". Better than the above but still kinda tired.
6/10
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Downsizing
I read the screenplay and then watched the film. The screenplay seemed to start with a great premise but get off track early and then kept taking swings at drama that kept missing.
In the screenplay there's a whole sideplot of some neanderthals in a cave from the future (even referred to as troglodytes) who are looking back at some ancient history where there were giants, etc. and how the main character "Paul" was some kind of hero, etc. and saved them all. It becomes a narration throughout the script. It was excised from the movie which IMHO was a good move as it never is tied to Paul in a way that makes any sense.
The film seemed like it couldn't decide if it was science fiction or a drama (and not a very good one at that). It seemed like it was trying to reproduce "The Truman Show" drama and look and feel but in a near future where shrinking/downsizing is possible.
It started going off into the drama weeds with the intro of Paul and then his mother, then went further off once <SPOILERS> his wife didn't follow him and then went further off with his dating and then the introduction of the Vietnamese character, etc. and was quite a mess by the time the ending of the film arrived.
Paul wasn't likable and at the end of the film had made a very weak transition as a character. He was somewhat sympathetic but as his apartment neighbor said, he was also kinda pathetic and at the end of the film made a "self realization" that was very weak as the end of the plot arc and really should have been the kind of self realization that happens at the BEGINNING of a characters journey.
The film almost felt like a way too long/messy FIRST act to a longer narrative. Should have cut out a ton of crap, made the end realization the end of the first act (In a "Life of Walter Mitty" kind of way) and we should have followed Paul on THAT journey.
Good premise that never decided what kind of story it wanted to tell.
4/10
I read the screenplay and then watched the film. The screenplay seemed to start with a great premise but get off track early and then kept taking swings at drama that kept missing.
In the screenplay there's a whole sideplot of some neanderthals in a cave from the future (even referred to as troglodytes) who are looking back at some ancient history where there were giants, etc. and how the main character "Paul" was some kind of hero, etc. and saved them all. It becomes a narration throughout the script. It was excised from the movie which IMHO was a good move as it never is tied to Paul in a way that makes any sense.
The film seemed like it couldn't decide if it was science fiction or a drama (and not a very good one at that). It seemed like it was trying to reproduce "The Truman Show" drama and look and feel but in a near future where shrinking/downsizing is possible.
It started going off into the drama weeds with the intro of Paul and then his mother, then went further off once <SPOILERS> his wife didn't follow him and then went further off with his dating and then the introduction of the Vietnamese character, etc. and was quite a mess by the time the ending of the film arrived.
Paul wasn't likable and at the end of the film had made a very weak transition as a character. He was somewhat sympathetic but as his apartment neighbor said, he was also kinda pathetic and at the end of the film made a "self realization" that was very weak as the end of the plot arc and really should have been the kind of self realization that happens at the BEGINNING of a characters journey.
The film almost felt like a way too long/messy FIRST act to a longer narrative. Should have cut out a ton of crap, made the end realization the end of the first act (In a "Life of Walter Mitty" kind of way) and we should have followed Paul on THAT journey.
Good premise that never decided what kind of story it wanted to tell.
4/10
The Man from Nowhere (Korean film) - 7/10. Good action movie.
The Vanishing of Sidney Hall (201
8/10
It was fun to watch even though it was really "set up".
***SPOILERS***
So... I liked this movie but it also was also very aggravating to watch. The ending to me could of been pieced together in a different (and possibly better) way.
Here is how I think it needed to end: When Sidney goes to the special house at the end of the movie he sees Elle Fannings character (but it's really his imagination). Then cut to a wide shot of him talking to her and we see that she isn't there. Then we see him fall over and have the health issue.
Also on the death bed I wish he would of given a classic strong monolog. Just tell the truth. He could of told the fake cop guy that he messed up in life. All those experiences with the video tape really messed with his head. The attention from being an author was not what he expected. He just wanted to tell the truth and be a writer. ---- Then have a moment where he trulywants to get better and start writing some novels that go beyond his own ego and the feelings of being young. He could explain that hes been acting like a kid and want's to grow up. Looking up to the fake cop for some advice. Something with more heart.
The movie ended with a memory of Sydney but to me he's just an ego bound writer who can't get over himself. I really liked Melody in the movie and really wish she would of been more of the main character. The character of Sydney could of been so much stronger. The way this movie played out was like watching a tee ball game and no one can hit it past the short stop.
8/10
It was fun to watch even though it was really "set up".
***SPOILERS***
So... I liked this movie but it also was also very aggravating to watch. The ending to me could of been pieced together in a different (and possibly better) way.
Here is how I think it needed to end: When Sidney goes to the special house at the end of the movie he sees Elle Fannings character (but it's really his imagination). Then cut to a wide shot of him talking to her and we see that she isn't there. Then we see him fall over and have the health issue.
Also on the death bed I wish he would of given a classic strong monolog. Just tell the truth. He could of told the fake cop guy that he messed up in life. All those experiences with the video tape really messed with his head. The attention from being an author was not what he expected. He just wanted to tell the truth and be a writer. ---- Then have a moment where he trulywants to get better and start writing some novels that go beyond his own ego and the feelings of being young. He could explain that hes been acting like a kid and want's to grow up. Looking up to the fake cop for some advice. Something with more heart.
The movie ended with a memory of Sydney but to me he's just an ego bound writer who can't get over himself. I really liked Melody in the movie and really wish she would of been more of the main character. The character of Sydney could of been so much stronger. The way this movie played out was like watching a tee ball game and no one can hit it past the short stop.
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Baahubali: The Beginning (2015), & The Conclusion (2017), 7/10
On Netflix
It's my first time watching Bollywood movies. These are two of their highest grossers,
each about 2 hrs 40 mins. An epic fantasy of kingdoms & warriors with superhuman abilities, Indian style.
At various times corny, cartoony, melodramatic, childish, outrageous, & some FX aren't great,
but overall a lot of fun. It's like a kid's fantasy of being a superhero warrior.
The 2nd movie's 1st hour is slow & I had to skip past the musical numbers, but it makes up for it.
On Netflix
It's my first time watching Bollywood movies. These are two of their highest grossers,
each about 2 hrs 40 mins. An epic fantasy of kingdoms & warriors with superhuman abilities, Indian style.
At various times corny, cartoony, melodramatic, childish, outrageous, & some FX aren't great,
but overall a lot of fun. It's like a kid's fantasy of being a superhero warrior.
The 2nd movie's 1st hour is slow & I had to skip past the musical numbers, but it makes up for it.
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This is one of my favorite movies.. the first 15 minutes are too slow, and it has too many endings, but the middle.
Oh god the middle. The bulk of this movie is so stylish and perfectly well paced.
So I watched a few TV shows recently
Dark Matter Four stars. Sci-fi outlaws kicking ass across the galaxy
I got plenty of closure on the 2nd to last episode.. so I stopped before the finale
All that finale would do is create a cliff hanger and as far as i'm concerned it was a great series that ended.
(It wasn't renewed for season 4)
Dirk Gentlys Holistic Detective Agency Four stars fantasy show with magic.
This is what the Magicians should have been. Such great characters!!!
I tried watching that show The Magicians and the main characters were so unlikable I had to stop watching.
Dirk however was great, especially the female characters.
Unfortunately it wasn't renewed for a 3rd season
Frontier Sweet!! historical drama. Only 3.5 episodes in but its starring aquaman/kal drogo aka Jason momoa
Really well made Netflix series i'm looking forward to more
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Should we have a separate thread for series ?
I just watched Netflix's new original series
Lost in Space
4/5 Not bad
I wasn't satisfied with what I consider to be a fantasy ending in this sci-fi story.
That's a small bit of weak writing in what is an otherwise very enjoyable show.
I'd suggest a change in the title though.
Rather than call this Lost in Space they should call it Stranded on Planet.
I just watched Netflix's new original series
Lost in Space
4/5 Not bad
I wasn't satisfied with what I consider to be a fantasy ending in this sci-fi story.
That's a small bit of weak writing in what is an otherwise very enjoyable show.
I'd suggest a change in the title though.
Rather than call this Lost in Space they should call it Stranded on Planet.