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Post by mr. excellent on Feb 28, 2021 15:05:53 GMT -5
-/- Nomadland
I know this is the "Rate the Last Movie You Saw" thread, but it has also been the "talk about the most recent movie you've seen thread" for years so... yeah. Guys, I have no idea what to make of this movie. I know Zhao was inspired to make a movie about the people who have rejected the norm of buying a house and growing old in it after being screwed over by the housing market crash of 2011. However, I'm not sure what about that specifically inspired her, and therefore still need to do some homework on YouTube, Rotten Tomatoes, and other publications who had the good fortune to interview her. This movie follows a woman named Fern who lost her home, decides to deck out her van and live out of it. I find it interesting that I'm watching this film to get a better sense of why Marvel chose her to direct Eternals, and for completely disjointed reasons I have also been watching "Tiny Home Living" videos on YouTube. It's this whole movement apparently. Life's funny that way.
Since I'm not in a position to really criticize the movie, I can at least talk about what stood out to me. The landscapes were pretty barren, and yet beautiful. The movie's characters were all mostly older, without make up, and just natural. They all felt like real people, not characters, and this movie played more like a documentary than anything. The final act lost me a bit. The final moments drove home a bit of text that the movie started out with, and yet, I'm not sure why the character made the decision she made. You all know I'm a simpleton so I will be off to find other more insightful people's takes on the movie and see if their interpretation clears it up for me. This movie is said to be the front runner this year at the Oscars. I find that interesting, as another movie up for consideration is Minari, which features Stephen Yuen of Walking Dead fame, in the role of a Korean man who sets out to make a better life for his family in Arkansas. Both movies seem to take place out in the "sticks", or in Nomadland's case, the "rocks" *haha I kill me*. Both movies in their own way seem to tackle the American dream, deconstruct it a bit, and both movies are also made by Chinese directors. I can't remember the last time this happened, which is both good and bad I suppose, but hopefully a sign of progress.
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Post by mr. excellent on Mar 9, 2021 20:54:20 GMT -5
Batman: Soul of the Dragon 7.5 out of 10
This movie is a throwback to Kung Fu movies and films like SHAFT. It doesn't do anything to define or redefine those genres, and as far as Batman animated movies go it's just fine. I did enjoy it though. The animation does the choreography justice, and it's a well told recreation of Batman's story. The movie earns its R-rating without feeling gratuitous (considering the genre it's inhabiting) while the voice acting and musical accompaniment is also well done. I don't really recommend it per se. However, if you're one to catch whatever WB and DC's animation house puts out then it's worth a watch.
For anyone interested, Kelly Hu does a fine job of voicing Lady Shiva whereas Michael Jai White is a lot of fun in the role of Ben Turner.
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Post by mr. excellent on Mar 14, 2021 21:54:34 GMT -5
Real Steel: 7.5 out of 10
I'm not entirely sure where to begin with this movie, and I definitely don't want to say too much. Basically, this movie is about a washed up boxer who reunites with his son, and they connect by fighting robots together as a team. It's obviously a heightened reality, one where human's bloodlust got so out of hand that they had to replace human competitive fighting with fighting robots. It's no surprise that this sort of thing is right up my ally and also probably no surprise that I really liked it. It is easily the cringiest actioner I've ever seen Hugh Jackman in. Yet, for everything they served up with an extra helping of cheese, there was an equal amount of self belief. While the characterizations of the sleezy Texas hustler or the Japanese tech mogul were pretty intense for a film that came out in 2011, everyone seemed to enjoy playing their parts. That self belief and enjoyment really comes across on screen and won me over. So much so, that when Max did his Fortnite dances before every Rock 'em Sock 'em fight, I was okay with it. Speaking of which, they seemed to predict those dances with impressive accuracy. The failed fighter, coming back for a redemption arc also played out pretty well, even if it felt like the actors were winking at the camera the entire time. They aren't supposed to know they're in a movie, but for some reason they do, and I was still okay with it. What else is there?
To be honest, I don't know what inspired this movie. It's like Over The Top meets Rocky, with a few choice Eminem tracks in it. The special effects are top notch and hold up really well. As silly as this movie is, I'd recommend it for those who always intended on seeing it but never got around to it. Took me 10 years but I'm happy to have seen it.
Sidenote: The product placement for hp and Dr.Pepper was really silly, especially for hp. Also, it seems like the people who wrote this movie were anti-MMA. The boxer is the hero and competitive MMA is the reason humans had to stop fighting for sport.
Hunt for the Wilderpeople: 8 / 10 This actually came out after What We Do In the Shadows. It feels like an early effort for Taika Waititi even though it was the last film to come out before Thor Ragnarok. While I didn't like it as much as either of the aforementioned films, it has a lot of heart and not a dull moment in it. This director just gets it, whatever the hell "it" is. The story centers around a boy who reaches the end of the line in the foster system. As luck would have it, this is the right home for him, except that tragedy strikes immediately after and he finds himself on the run in the bush with one of his fosters. I feel like I've already spoiled some of the movie, but the enjoyment is in the execution and I haven't said everything. I definitely recommend this one.
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Post by mr. excellent on Mar 15, 2021 19:00:07 GMT -5
Hook: 10/10
Apparently Hook is seen by many a movie pundit as one of Spielberg's lesser films. I couldn't disagree more. This movie is pure magic, whether it's the sets, the performances, the special effects or even the 90s lawyer jokes, it just worked for me. I'm not saying this is a perfect movie, but I have no criticisms of it. It just hit me the right way and I was a mess by the time the credits rolled around.
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Post by mr. excellent on Mar 19, 2021 22:24:45 GMT -5
Zack Snyder's Justice League: 8/10
Overlong? Self indulgent? 200% Zack Snyder? Put a check mark on all three but I'll be damned if I didn't enjoy the hell out of that movie. It's a rare treat when you get to see a director get the liberty to put their complete vision to screen with these big blockbuster tentpoles, but when you do they make for unique experiences. So happy for him and the crew. A few things I loved (not comprehensive) but in no particular order:
-Batman was a lot more likable in the Snyder Cut
-Superman rocked! -Diana's combat, especially in the film's intro, is among the best hand to hand fight scenes in any superhero film, ever. Imagine if Faora had Diana's moves? Also, blood splatter. When she puts people down, they don't just stay down, they get absorbed into the pavement. -Steppenwolf had a motivation that made sense this time! -Diana's narration
Watch this movie. It's not perfect, but it's an experience you won't get anywhere else.
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Post by mr. excellent on Apr 24, 2021 19:50:43 GMT -5
Godzilla vs. Kong 8/10
This movie was so much fun! I liked the people this time, and was genuinely entertained during the monster clashes. Also, the film provided more escapism than I thought I would. Going to see this movie, I had no idea they'd take us places we'd never been before and there was stuff from the trailers that was never hinted at (that I can remember).
Also, the special effects were phenomenal. Of course they'd be, but it blew my expectations out of the water. What surprises me the most about this is how rewatchable it is. I could rewatch this movie over and over again, and I could not say that about the prior two Godzilla movies. Kong: Skull Island I might have been able to say that about, but not on the level of this. If you're comfortable seeing this in a theater, I'd recommend it. I can't give it my highest endorsement, but if you haven't been to the movies yet, this would be a really fun movie to return to.
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Post by mr. excellent on May 7, 2021 22:29:49 GMT -5
Yes to Incredible Hulk! Mission Impossible 4 is my favorite of the Mission Impossible movies. Never seen the original Mad Max movies. Would love to check out Knives Out, since it's on Amazon Prime and we have the service. It's insane how much money Netflix paid for the production rights to the 2nd and 3rd. I kind of understand their business model, to an extent, but I'm not sure they're executing properly.
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Post by mr. excellent on May 9, 2021 16:06:18 GMT -5
Invincible (on Amazon Prime) Episode 1: 8.5 / 10
So, this isn't a movie and it's not even fair to rank it with the same mindset one would do for a movie, but I'm not sure we need to create a new thread for this since our activity on the boards is pretty modest. That said, it was solid, solid television that actually captured a cinematic feel. It's The Boys, but animated. I don't know what came first. I did read the trade paperback years ago, but didn't get too far due to my scheduling at the time. I'm so happy to see the show getting the love that it's getting and am excited to see where season 1 goes.
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Post by mr. excellent on May 14, 2021 13:48:28 GMT -5
Thanks man.
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Post by brotherandbassist on May 16, 2021 8:26:52 GMT -5
Did you ever log on to my vudu account? Its on there if you want to watch it
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Post by mr. excellent on Jul 11, 2021 16:26:03 GMT -5
Black Widow: 8/10
This movie has one of the strongest opening scenes of all the Marvel movies. That cover of Smells Like Teen Spirit was killer. I think the story was a little basic and the villain side of things not as developed as it could've been. However, the family dynamic was super fun to watch and the protagonists were well written. I believe Florence Pugh stole the show, however David Harbour was a scene stealer every time he was on screen. He just wasn't on screen as much as Florence, who was just perfect. Scarlett was great too. I don't want to say she was overshadowed, it's just that these new comers are so much fun in their own right. Oh, and Rachel Weisz, I love her in everything I've seen her in, and this was no exception.
I will say that like Falcon and the Winter Soldier, this promised to be one of Marvel's better outings for hand to hand combat and fight scenes. Also like Falcon and the Winter Soldier, I don't think this quite reached the mark. At its best, the scenes were fun, intense, and exciting, but the problem is the quality just wasn't there as consistently as I wanted it to be. There were some obvious CGI moments in the more grounded fights that didn't need to be there, and there were fast cuts where the camera looked away from the action rather than linger on it. By this point, you'd think Marvel would know how to film a Black Widow fight scene, and they do, so what the heck happened? This is also not unlike Black Panther. In all the Russo directed films, BP's fighting is smooth, even when they're using CGI to enhance the action. In his solo film, the hand to hand combat was just not as good. I don't want to put the blame on Black Widow's director because there were some very competently directed action scenes throughout. I guess I just expected more because BW is one of the MCU's best hand to hand combatants, and this movie had Taskmaster, one of Marvel comics best fighters. It was a missed opportunity I feel.
That said, I think the family dynamic made up for what may have been lacking in the fighting department and I still very much enjoyed the film. Early Sunday morning estimates have the movie raking in $80 million domestically, and a separate $60 million from Disney+. That $60 million number is straight out bonkers because that's 2 million homes paying $30 a pop. Compared to UFC PPVs that typically go for $65 an event, reaching anything over 500,000 buys is considered a big success, and reaching 1 million only happens when you get a Conor McGregor, GSP (aka Batroc), or Brock Lesnar on your card. Obviously, a Premiere Access purchase doesn't necessarily translate 1 to 1 to box office dollars, but let's say that this film only had a theatrical release. Let's also assume that only a 3rd of the people who paid the $30 to watch at home would've paid to see it in the theater on opening weekend. That's still an additional $20 million dollars to BWs current $80 million, which would make for a $100 million dollar opening conservatively speaking. We'll see where the final numbers lie on Monday for the Thursday evening through Sunday hall. Guess what I'm getting at is, this movie is off to a smashing start, post pandemic box office recovery or no, and I'm happy to see the MCU is still putting butts in seats.
**Also, I just realized that I never logged into your vudu account coweatsquilt, and now that I'm trying to go back and see what it was for it appears the comment is gone. Regardless, I still appreciate the gesture.
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Post by mr. excellent on Jul 13, 2021 18:26:23 GMT -5
This is a late addition to my comment above and comes from the middle school math teacher impulse in me, but with regard to cutting the 2 million Black Widow Premiere Access viewers to one third: We still don't know how many people were watching per household, which further complicates the comparison. For the sake of simplicity I made two assumptions: the average cost of a movie ticket is $10 conservatively speaking, and a house has 3 people in it (since it could have anywhere between 1 person to 6 people if not more, I just cut it down the middle at 3 for a relatively modest number). Three people per house at $10 a ticket times $666,667 homes (rounded) would end up being 20 million dollars.
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Post by mr. excellent on Jul 20, 2021 19:02:25 GMT -5
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring 10/10
I never got it, these films, the fandom around it. I'm not saying I was opposed to them or defiant in anyway against there being a fandom, no. It's just that I never read the books, and I never had a proper viewing of these movies. So for sheer lack of a proper experience and basic ignorance, completely the fault of my own, I just didn't get it. Finally, 20 years later, I get it.
I won't spend time talking about the plot so much as I'll talk about what these movies meant in the overall context of my childhood friendships. The first film came out in 2001, whereas the sequels came out each successive year until Return of the King in 2003. I remember seeing the trailer for Fellowship of the Ring for the first time when I saw Rush Hour 2 at the movies with a friend from school. A year later, I started getting into box office numbers and being competitive with wanting my favorite franchises to do better than others. The Two Towers came out the same year as Spider-Man, and I remember not wanting it to beat Spider-man's opening record. At that time, I still hadn't seen the first and wasn't going to see the second without it. I also knew my overly cautious parents (they've since become lax on their stance, God love them) wouldn't let me see anything involving wizards and magic. That said, I was getting older and by the middle of my 10th grade year Return of the King had hit theaters. It was the first movie I went to see with a group of friends who would remain among those closest to me throughout high school and til this day. I actually declined an opportunity to see the movie with a cute girl at the time, which lead to some silliness, but 18 years later I'm married to that girl. So anyway, that aside, I had no idea what was going on because I saw part 3 without seeing the first two. By May of 2004 however, the entire trilogy could be viewed at home (excluding pirated versions), and it was then that I finally had my first viewing in chronological order.
Without going into too much detail, a group of my buddies got together at one of their homes and powered through the entire trilogy in a single night. Of course, most of them had read the books or seen the movies prior so they were more focused on goofing around, drawing on each other's faces when one fell asleep, and general foolishness. Once again, I set myself up for failure and ended the gathering no more versed in the lore than I had been prior to the viewing. We'd have the movies in the background of our visits several times more, and like the first times, I got nothing from them. About 3 years later I tried powering through all 3 movies again the day before going to Disneyland with my girlfriend's* family. As you can imagine, I had things to do and plenty of other things on my mind... So yet again, I didn't give the movies the proper attention they deserved and had no idea what they were about beyond a basic plot summary. Fast forward 14 years, and I've finally given The Fellowship of the Ring my full attention.
This trilogy, in spite of my negligence, was the series that helped me discover what an amazing and beautiful communal experience cinema could be. Before I ever put my fingers to the keyboard to type an X-Men script** or went to my first MCU film, it was The Lord of the Rings that bonded me with my life long friends.
Seeing Fellowship of the Ring at home with no distractions took me back to the most formative years of my childhood. I have a son now who is named after one of my buddies (who is now deceased) from those times. Most of those friends were in my wedding. I stupidly backed out of what could have been my first "date" with my now wife, to see Return of the King. I flirted with wife in band while at a football game on Halloween where she dressed as Arwen (members of the band were allowed to dress up for the Halloween field show). For my senior year cross country banquet, many of those same friends ran up one of the many hills in the area, two pretended to be Sam and Frodo while the others helped record, and we shot a skit in honor of all our seasons together and Return of the King. The list goes on and on, but these movies helped "make" my childhood.
Like I said, I won't talk about the plot. I'm sure everyone here is much more versed in LOTR lore than I. Just wanted to share. Hell of a movie. I can't wait to watch The Two Towers next.
*now my wife, once we started dating we never split up. **my buddies and I spent a whole year and half on it.
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Post by mr. excellent on Jul 22, 2021 1:37:34 GMT -5
Avengers Endgame: 9/10
The first Iron Man, Avengers Endgame, and Black Widow are my top 3 picks for best opening scene. Special shout out to Captain America: Winter Soldier and Iron Man 3. That said, man I loved Endgame on rewatch. It's funny that while the movie was critically very well received, there was a lot of disagreement on which parts were the best. For my money, I think the first act dealing with the immediate aftermath of the snap and mobilizing the Avengers again is the best part. Every time I watch the portals scene, I spot things I hadn't seen before. Also, seeing it in 4k at home while being able to pause and rewind is pretty sweet. It's also especially cathartic watching Endgame now that we're coming out of the pandemic (sort of). The unintended parallels to what would consume the world a year later are kind of astounding, and also perhaps the reason shows like WandaVision and Falcon and the Winter Soldier have been so successful. I remember years ago, at the beginning of the aughts, reading an article from a critic who postulated that American's embraced superhero movies like Spider-Man so wholeheartedly because they needed something to cling to after the events of 9/11. Maybe that wasn't all that deep of an observation, considering the movie's closing credits song was "Hero" by Chad Kroeger, sung on the "rooftops" of a NY skyline.
Black Panther: -/-
The reason for the non rating is because I watched the first 50 minutes of the movie 3 months ago, and then watched the last hour and 10ish minutes today. The experience was still nice, but movies aren't meant to be watched that way. I will say that seeing Chadwick Boseman as Black Panther again for the first time since his passing was touching. It definitely made the parts where he featured hit a lot differently. Next up, I hope to watch Spider-Man: Far From Home and Antman and the Wasp again.
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Post by mr. excellent on Aug 2, 2021 1:18:45 GMT -5
The Lord of the Rings Trilogy: 10 / 10
Following my viewing of Fellowship, I also rewatched The Two Towers, and Return of the King. Similar to Fellowship, it felt like my first time. Like I said in my post above, I finally get it. What an achievement this trilogy is. It was definitely an emotional experience. I'm now super pumped up about the Amazon series.
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