salmonjunkie
Best There Is Was or Ever Will Be  
Posts 11847
Registered 6-25-2002 Location Sunny Seattle, WA Member Is Offline Mood: Authoritized
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| posted on 6-14-2017 at 05:21 PM |
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Finally watched GET OUT. Definitely lived up to the hype for me. I highly enjoyed this movie.
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williamssl
Steers and Queers
Posts 7764
Registered 1-11-2004 Location Hippieville Member Is Offline Mood: Fuck USC
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| posted on 6-18-2017 at 06:59 AM |
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Watched Get Out tonight in part because of your reco above. Loved it.
Don't Mess With Texas
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Paddlefoot
Rocco Rock of Jabroni 
Posts 7676
Registered 1-19-2008 Location Stupid Idiot Section Member Is OnlineMood: ChinceMcMahon
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| posted on 6-18-2017 at 07:46 AM |
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I thought that movie used diversity to promote white genocide. 
You know, everyone says it's not supposed to make sense, like that's the whole point, dude. And I'm just saying, you know,
that's like an excuse for lazy storytelling. Just don't sell me shite and tell me it's gold, all right? I might be stoned, but
I'm not high. You know what I mean?
- Cassidy from Preacher, commenting on The Big Lebowski and/or professional wrestling
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Flash
The Great One
Posts 3467
Registered 4-22-2005 Location Ontario, Canada Member Is OnlineMood:
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| posted on 6-19-2017 at 01:59 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by williamssl
Watched Get Out tonight in part because of your reco above. Loved it.
Thanks!
Yeah, I thought it was a great fun movie that actually respected it's audience. I still have WTF nightmares about the Gardner running after me,
lol.
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Flash
The Great One
Posts 3467
Registered 4-22-2005 Location Ontario, Canada Member Is OnlineMood:
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| posted on 6-22-2017 at 06:22 AM |
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So just saw TRANSFORMERS: THE LAST KNIGHT and it's the kind of movie that you just walk out of and say "well, that just happened..."
I think every Michael Bay movie's production goes something like this:
Writer: Hey Mike, we've got this great idea... really explore the origins of the Transformers, combine some mythology in there...
Bay: Guy's let me stop you there; we're just going to blow a bunch of shit up for almost 3 hours, and throw in a bunch of slow motion
shots with voice overs giving passionate speeches.... You know, so it seems like something happened. Oh yeah... and put Megatron back in there!
Writer: Didn't we like kill him dead, dead in the last four movies? I mean I guess we could come up with some back story to how he's still
alive
Bay: Screw that noise, just stick him in there... it's not like the audience can tell them apart anyway...
Look, I'm over the fact that these aren't MY Transformers that a grew up with... these are some disposable and indistinguishable mess of
whirring gears and motors that flip around, and I'm also not na�ve enough to have gone into this one after having abused my brain and childhood
memories slogging through the other 4 movies (although I actually didn't mind 3), but this one was particularly bad... probably not any worse
than I walked out of the others feeling, but they just do some really stupid stuff in this one that almost flies in the face of whatever some
character is shouting on the screen at that moment.
It's funny, because I don't hate Michael Bay... I recognize that the movies he makes are for 14 year old boys; I think there's a
quote or two from him out there to effect, and he does what he does well seeing as how he's got a few movies on his resume that have eclipsed
the billion dollar mark, and this one is already off to a $65 million dollar start in pre-sales... but having watched Pain and Gain, and 13 hours
I'm kind of disappointed with him because those movies show that he can tell a story, focus on characters, and follow a narrative without going
ewwwwww shiny every 3 minutes.
If you've got like a 9 year old kid I'm sure they'd like this movie, especially if they liked the others... but don't look for
any substance here.
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Paddlefoot
Rocco Rock of Jabroni
Posts 7676
Registered 1-19-2008 Location Stupid Idiot Section Member Is OnlineMood: ChinceMcMahon
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| posted on 6-24-2017 at 01:24 AM |
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I'm glad you mentioned the teenage boys because now I have a new demographic to despise as being responsible for them still making Transformers*
and GI Joe movies. Tack on the Fast/Furious vomitatus and JarJar Abrams-verse Star Trek films and it becomes much easier to believe that Hollywood is
literally drowning in it's own shit. It makes my guilt over a lifetime of copying and torrenting films that much less because the ones involved
in these shit-franchises should rightfully be forced to die by driving at Paul Walker-speeds into a Giant Bridge Abutment of Karmic Justice for what
they do for a living.
* enjoy the money they're giving you for this that you traded your soul for, Sir Anthony Hopkins - SHAME ON YOU! 
You know, everyone says it's not supposed to make sense, like that's the whole point, dude. And I'm just saying, you know,
that's like an excuse for lazy storytelling. Just don't sell me shite and tell me it's gold, all right? I might be stoned, but
I'm not high. You know what I mean?
- Cassidy from Preacher, commenting on The Big Lebowski and/or professional wrestling
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Flash
The Great One
Posts 3467
Registered 4-22-2005 Location Ontario, Canada Member Is OnlineMood:
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| posted on 6-24-2017 at 03:51 AM |
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I don't get the hate for the JJ Trek; I mean I thought the whole new universe explanation was a clever enough way of setting out on their own
timeline, while still preserving all of the original stuff. The second one I know I'm in the minority about, but I really enjoyed it... I get
why they did Khan... I mean he was kind of the elephant in the room if they didn't do him, but at the same time I realize it was also maybe
treading too far into the realm of recycling great villains (although to be fair they gave the whole thing a fresh take). The third, while maybe not
memorable, did try some new things... new locales, new villain, and some commentary on the whole Federation bit. Yeah the device that they just
happened to have been given is the same one that the bad guy they were bound to next run into was a bit on the nose; but shit has to happen for some
reason in order for stuff to happen.
Directing wise... yeah JJ get's slag for the whole lens flare thing; but really... if it weren't for the talk about it I don't know
if it's something I'd say yeah... that's a JJ thing. The characters were well written, and I thought all of the new cast did a good
job of both aping the original crew's performances, but not to the point of it being characters... just kind of borrowing a few well loved
things about the characters on the way to making them their own. Heck; Bruce Greenwood as Pike has knocked it out of the park as both the father
figure and guiding authority figure.
I also don't think the whole argument about Hollywood just recycling old better ideas holds much water, because by the time JJ-Trek came a long
we were already what... 10 films, and 4 TV series deep into mining an idea from the 60's... and let's face it; not all of it was all that
great... hell, even STOS wasn't always that great; balancing somewhere between brilliant and inspiring social commentary and outright camp. I
think what has probably hurt Star Trek the most is that the message was revolutionary for its time; and while still relevant the discussions it raised
are everywhere now... timeless; but also the paradigm has shifted somewhat (I'm really curious to see where they go with Discovery) as we
don't have the cold war raging (well, at least as of this writing... God only knows with Trump and Putin) and while the colour barrier has been
broken; I think race, and religion have fractured into some many separate camps that it's hard to find that unifying message now that Trek was
once able to boast.
The new movies aren't going to have that sense of legacy that watching Kirk, Spock, and McCoy grow old in front of our eyes from the OS through
7 movies gave us... we've had about 6 combined hours to not only get to know the new guys, filter out any preconceived notions we might have had
about new Kirk versus old Kirk, fit in a morality tale, turn back any bias against anything "new", introduce a new villain a movie... that's a
tall order; and one that I think they've largely succeeded at.
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Paddlefoot
Rocco Rock of Jabroni
Posts 7676
Registered 1-19-2008 Location Stupid Idiot Section Member Is OnlineMood: ChinceMcMahon
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| posted on 6-24-2017 at 04:10 AM |
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My objections are two fold:
1) there's no heart or soul in JJ Trek. They're just generic action films with a ST label stamped on them
2) if they're arrogant enough to remake something as beloved as Wrath of Khan the the impetus should have been to do it better -that all they
did was half ass it by taking elements from multiple TOS sources and mixed them up in some kind of production blender was a disgrace
That we're seeing too many of the same names involved with these bad films isn't coincidental. If it has Kurtzman or Orci in the credits
then don't expect too much from it.
[Edited on 6/24/2017 by Paddlefoot]
You know, everyone says it's not supposed to make sense, like that's the whole point, dude. And I'm just saying, you know,
that's like an excuse for lazy storytelling. Just don't sell me shite and tell me it's gold, all right? I might be stoned, but
I'm not high. You know what I mean?
- Cassidy from Preacher, commenting on The Big Lebowski and/or professional wrestling
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Flash
The Great One
Posts 3467
Registered 4-22-2005 Location Ontario, Canada Member Is OnlineMood:
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| posted on 6-24-2017 at 04:52 AM |
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Have you seen the JJ Trek movies Pad'?
I mean for a long time you were slogging them even before they came out, and it doesn't sound like you've changed your tune much.
I think the movies have been made to fit the mould of a summer blockbuster; something that unfortunately defines movies by as much by their
limitations as it does what they can be. Orci and Kurtzman also make me shudder; but looking over their resumes I'm not sure if they are the
problem as a lot of their movies seem to have some good stuff in them, or if it is a studio system that boxes stuff into a prefab paint by numbers
movie making (alternatively they are the problem as they write to that system thus reinforcing it).
What would you say is the heart of Trek... like what movie, or episode would you point to that stands on it's own as the quintessential heart of
Trek?
Like for example Wrath of Khan is often pointed to as the best Trek movie; but it is in many ways the one that maybe veers the farthest from the
unifying message that Star Trek often espoused; it leans heavily on continuity that viewers need to be familiar with, tends more towards action than
thought, and is probably most remembered for killing off Spock. Don't get me wrong; sharp dialogue and compelling characters make this a heck of
a movie- but I don't know that if I wanted to show a complete newbie to Star Trek what Trek is; this would be the one I'd go with.
I guess where I'm coming from is that I think much like most of Star Wars we're more in love with the idea than we are any individual
component of the movies/TV show- and as such it makes it hard to accept what's new. Throw 90% of the movies we get now into that Hollywood
blender and the good movies tend to be the exceptions- not the "meh" ones... JJ-Trek isn't any worse than everything else that is coming out
now; it just doesn't break the mould like that little show that was largely ignored at the time, and got cancelled after 3 years just over 50
years ago.
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Paddlefoot
Rocco Rock of Jabroni
Posts 7676
Registered 1-19-2008 Location Stupid Idiot Section Member Is OnlineMood: ChinceMcMahon
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| posted on 6-24-2017 at 05:24 AM |
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I liked the first JJ Trek in 2009. I had some technical issues with it (Spock seeing Vulcan destroyed when he was marooned on a planet god knows how
far away - what did Nero do there, string up a big screen in orbit for Spock to watch; didn't like the long-range transporter idea either as it
gives them too much of an ace in the hole to play to get out of situations too easily) but overall I didn't mind it. I think it was carried
mostly though on the performances. It was fun but it doesn't come close to Wrath of Khan or First Contact.
Stayed far away from Into Darkness when I read too many of the spoilers. When it came down to resurrecting people with tribble blood that's when
I decided "no way, I'm never watching this thing". Given how generally disregarded it is, like scoring last on surveys of the hardcore
Trekkers at the conventions and such, I don't think I missed much.
Beyond also holds no interest for me. Like how did we go from thematic music from Alexander Courage over tense scenes to grotesque over-use of
Sabotage at the most inappropriate moments possible? I watched a few bootleg clips on YouTube as well and it just seemed like they were hitting the
appropriate notes on cue as the formula dictated. Some new bits here and there with the new Big Bad but I didn't see anything in what I watched
to indicate that my life would either be enriched or diminished by seeing the entire thing so I elected to opt out again.
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I think I'm just burnt out on most of these things now, like I've seen too much in my time. I like what I like and just don't want
to add anything extra into my diminishing memory banks unless it's something really special. Won't say sorry though for the opinion that
the reboots/re-imaginings are just so much less in quality that the originals were. Judging by the lackluster reception for JJ Trek, or the reboots of
Total Recall/Robocop/Ghostbusters/Terminator Genysys, I'm not the only one who's saying no thanks. I don't want a exact repeat of
what was done before; that would make me as obtuse as the GOT fans who are incensed that the HBO show isn't following the books page for page. I
just think though if they're going to take these favourites then do them justice and at least try to out-do the originals. Don't just make
a generic CGI-drenched outer-space action film, call it Star Trek or Robocop or whatever, and say that it's all fine. It isn't. It's
my favourite genre of them all so give me something that wasn't made on an assembly line by producers whose main interest is getting something
down on film before the license expires; see the last Fantastic Four movie as more proof of what happens when trying to beat an expiry deadline was
obviously the main consideration behind making the film.
I respect what you're doing BTW with this thread. You're basically spending your own money as you wish to and taking a bullet for those of
us who aren't. So don't take anything I say too critically or ever take it personally because it isn't. I'm just a nerd that
still gets hyper-intense over certain things from my younger days, and Star Trek was about the most favourite thing I ever had. It's not big
deal, it's just that for me it's like yelling out "Orton is a great wrestler!" in a room full of Dominators. A certain negative reaction
is all but guaranteed. 
PS: see TOS "The Doomsday Machine", TOS "This Side of Paradise", TOS "Let This Be Your Last Battlefield", TNG "The Inner Light, Wrath of Khan,
or First Contact as indications of what I think perfect Star Trek looks like.
[Edited on 6/24/2017 by Paddlefoot]
You know, everyone says it's not supposed to make sense, like that's the whole point, dude. And I'm just saying, you know,
that's like an excuse for lazy storytelling. Just don't sell me shite and tell me it's gold, all right? I might be stoned, but
I'm not high. You know what I mean?
- Cassidy from Preacher, commenting on The Big Lebowski and/or professional wrestling
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Flash
The Great One
Posts 3467
Registered 4-22-2005 Location Ontario, Canada Member Is OnlineMood:
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| posted on 6-24-2017 at 06:12 AM |
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Oh no worries Pad', every room needs that grumpy old man to say how much better stuff used to be 
Kidding aside; I'm actually enjoying the back and forth- I'm not one of those people who needs consensus with my own ideas on things, or
to brow beat others into submission or agreement. I'd say check out the later two JJ-Trek movies; the whole Tribbles having resurrection
abilities notion you floated is a bit misplaced; and they don't bust it out at the end as a deux ex machina either... Beyond is definitely a bit
more popcorn movie; high stakes, straight up bad guy... Cumberbatches Khan is bit more subtle than Elba's big bad, but it's still fun.
I'm a bit torn on the constant stream of revisits to my childhood favourite movies... on one hand it's nice to see where they go with an
old friend, but on the other the track record is more like a Goldie Hawn plastic surgery job... a massively expensive, but botched facelift slapped on
something old. Could a new Robocop have been cool? Definitely... what we got was forgettable and all kinds of "meh"... I don't have a better
idea though. Genesys was a bit of a mess, but at the same time I appreciate what they were trying to do... it just didn't work... ditto for
Total Recall; which at least had the good graces to go in a different direction than the Arnie version; it just failed for other reasons... like your
climax being Colin Farrell beating down on almost twice his age Bryan Cranston... ect.
As for taking a bullet for everyone; thanks... but it's a bit more selfish than that; I'm off on disability again for a stretch and
getting out to movies is one of the few times I leave the house to break the tedium of being off work... I love talking about movies, and blogging on
here keeps my mushy brain at least a little sharper than just doing my best Bryan Wilson impression 24/7. TV is hit and miss for me... I get really
excited to watch something; down load it or throw it in my Netflix queue, but then it sits there more months on end... case in point American Gods
might be my favourite book and I'm now 8 weeks removed from never having watched an adaptation I've literally been waiting years to see...
going to the movies keeps me sharp for at least 2 hours as I'm too cheap to abandon even a bad movie half way through, lol. Although I will say
as someone who's first and longest job was working at a movie theatre and enjoyed MANY MANY MANY free movies, I really hate paying for some of
these abortions now.
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Flash
The Great One
Posts 3467
Registered 4-22-2005 Location Ontario, Canada Member Is OnlineMood:
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| posted on 6-29-2017 at 06:10 AM |
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Another week, another movie... This week it was Edgar Wright's BABY DRIVER; and what an incredibly fun and wild ride this one was.
I don't really want to talk about the plot; which while not full of big twists like a Sixth Sense or Usual Suspects does take you for a bit of a
ride with each of the characters; and not everyone winds up where you'd necessarily think- In a nutshell Baby is a young getaway driver who is
indebted to a master heist planner played by Kevin Spacey, and as such has to drive an assortment of violent criminals ranging from dim witted thugs,
to the outright psychotic. Baby; who suffers from tinnitus is constantly surrounded by music- which really gives the movie a lot of it's flavour
and direction. As with all crime films the running theme is that just when you think you're out, they pull you back in- even if you are trying
to make a fresh start of it with a cute waitress you just met.
BABY DRIVER is in a lot of ways a musical; not in the characters suddenly breaking out in song kind of way; but because so much of the movie is either
set to music, or is directed like an orchestra which every bullet ringing out, squealed tire, and crash kind of making for a symphony... it also has
all the hallmarks of a great crime film as well- characters that are both flat parodies like you'd expect (the brains, the crazy guy, the bonnie
and Clyde duo) but everyone is so animated and on (Jamie Fox and John Hamm were great... ditto for Spacey who's always awesome) that you get
instantly sucked into their characters as they all jump off the page. EVERYONE is dangerous- so think of it like a song that at any moment threatens
to just cut out, leaving you with a deafening silence. Wright really succeeds at playing with the music in a way that Scott Snyder failed at with
Sucker Punch... I know hard to compare; but with music playing such a big part of both movies Sucker Punch (or Maybe Repo, the genetic opera) springs
to mind as the difference between something working (Baby Driver) and something not working (the other two).
Edgar Wright doesn't have a long list of movies to his credit- the Three Flavours of Cornetto Trilogy (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, The Worlds
End) and Scott Pilgrim are pretty much it, but he always seems to find a way to knock it out of the park with both sharp dialogue and a well done
style that suits both the story and the tone of the movie. Baby Driver was very different from his other movies- stylish but serious, fun but deathly,
flashy but it also takes it time when it needs to. Even watching how he handles his action scenes is a big difference over some of the chase scenes in
say Hot Fuzz where he hid a lot of big action with close ups, or the odd stylish shot. In Baby Driver he really pulls the camera back for some cool
chase scenes... Maybe not Ronin, Bourne, or Bullit good- but up there.
So is it worth the $10 bucks (or whatever a movie costs where you're from)- yeah... but if you're not a fan of the going to a theatre and
have a good sized TV and great sound system at home I don't think you'd miss out on anything watching it at home... it's great fun;
but not quite that visual feast that makes it must see in the theatre. Honestly the best reason I can give you to go see it at the show would be just
to see it.
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Flash
The Great One
Posts 3467
Registered 4-22-2005 Location Ontario, Canada Member Is OnlineMood:
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| posted on 7-3-2017 at 06:53 AM |
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Caught THE HOUSE tonight; Will Ferrell and Amy Poehler are parents who team with a buddy to open an illegal casino in their small town in order to
fund their daughters college tuition... hijinx ensue.
This got slammed by the critics a bit but I found it entertaining enough- it's not a great movie, but there are enough laugh out loud moments to
keep things moving along. A little different flavour from Ferrell as this one goes strong on the physical comedy- not saying he doesn't do that
in his other movies as well, but there's generally more rambling on type humour and less blood, lol.
I'd probably say Netflix this one- the next several weeks are filled with much stronger movies to spend your cash on, but seeing as how not many
of them are of the ha ha variety you could do worse for a date night if you were looking more for the laughs than the super heroics, WW II drama, or
talking apes.
I'm really looking forward to the next several weeks worth of movies, and if you can't tell by this point I really enjoy going:
My list for the next few weeks:
*Spider-man
-Already getting great reviews; and it will be interesting to see what Spidey looks like in a full movie back in Marvel's hands.
*A Ghost Story
-This one looks very small scale, and will probably not be a big wide release, but I caught a trailer for it at the start of IT COMES AT NIGHT and it
looked like it could be pretty interesting... more of a drama of a ghost story who's special effects seem to literally budget out at a bed
sheet... still, it looks like it could be pretty good.
*Planet of the Apes
-Loving the whole rebooted series thus far, and if the trailer is any indication this looks like another strong entry.
*Dunkirk
-As I creep closer to 40 I seem to be becoming more obsessed with all things WW II.
*Valerian
-Beson can be kind of hit and miss, but this already looks like a visual feast... I'm not expecting great things plot wise, but I have high
hopes that it will maybe achieve a kind of bad but great annual viewing spot much like say the Fifth Element has for me.
*Atomic Blonde
-This really reminds me of a graphic novel series called Velvet by Ed Brubaker from a year or two ago... kind of an aged, kick ass she-spy... I kind
of think this is as close to Velvet on the big screen as we might get, and the trailer looks sharp.
*The Dark Tower
-Love Idris Elba, Love Stephen King... little afraid of how long this has been in production but it looks great thus far. I started reading the DT
books many years ago and then kind of stopped with #3 as that's where King stopped writing them for more than a decade- I've since picked
up the others but just have to find the time to get started on reading them.. so maybe going into the movie without the books behind me will help.
*Hitman's Bodyguard
-Reynolds and Jackson together looks like a win
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loki
HOMO
Posts 2074
Registered 6-11-2004 Member Is Offline Mood: Primed
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| posted on 7-4-2017 at 09:05 AM |
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TF: The Last Knight
�If you've got like a 9 year old kid I'm sure they'd like this movie, especially if they liked the others...�
Yes. This is absolutely true. Me and my 10 year old watched the first Transformers movie a few weeks ago and then went to see this one. He liked them
both, and wants to see TF 2, 3, and 4. His friends liked this movie, too, while the dads all had pretty much the same reaction you did.
Personally I really liked the first (was it really 10 years ago?) and was disappointed by the second. Since my expectations were so low going into the
third I came away pleasantly surprised. Liked some parts of the fourth and didn�t like others. This one was a fun way to spend time with my boy, but
that�s about it. I did get a kick out of the Suicide Squad-esque naming scenes of the Decepticons, who were mostly never seen from again. Or maybe
they were � hell, I couldn�t tell. My boy thought Prime riding a dragon was pretty sweet.
Luckily, we saw it at the Drive-In with Despicable Me 3, which WAS entertaining. 1 out of 2 ain�t bad.
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Flash
The Great One
Posts 3467
Registered 4-22-2005 Location Ontario, Canada Member Is OnlineMood:
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| posted on 7-14-2017 at 07:05 AM |
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Just got home from WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES and it's another homerun in the apes reboot franchise.
Honestly there is going to come a day where the Oscars are going to just go out and invent a category, and then name that category after Andy Serkis
cause he is just incredible (yet again) as Caesar.
I think what's been so well done about these apes movies is that they kind of masquerade as action movies, but are really well thought out
movies that aren't afraid to take there time exploring moral dilemmas and the tough choices that characters have to make... in particular Caesar
who was not only the creator of his race, but continually faced with the burden of leadership in the face of constant threats to his people, and as we
saw in the past even from his people.
This time out they do a great job of moving the needle a little further along in terms of getting us to the final stop of Planet of the Apes; as we
see kind of a dual problem facing humanity in that the virus that wiped out millions already is mutating, and of course the constant state of
conflict.
War for the Planet of the Apes picks up several years after Dawn ends, but the ramifications of what happened in Dawn are still being felt; but in
terms of the apes being hunted by the remnants of a military unit and Caesar and the apes being haunted by Koba's (the bad ape from the last
movie) differing philosophy for how the apes should be lead.
Woody Harrelson is a great villain; as he in a lot of ways mirrors Caesar, but he's a bit more complete than that... maybe a fanatic in the most
purest sense, and ultimately incredibly dangerous because he believes what he is doing with the utmost conviction. He's set his sights on Caesar
and the apes, but they do a great job of also making you realise that he's also at war with bigger things; like the aforementioned virus, and
ultimately the survival of humanity. This sets up a great sense where you get that he's at war with the apes, but it's more evolution that
he's at war with, and the apes are just a bi-product of that... which works out incredibly well as there are definitely not so subtle religious
nods for his character throughout the movie... they don't beat you over the head with it, but it's there and makes the movie very textured
and deeper than typical action movie fare.
Honestly just a great movie; and for all the steaming piles of "meh" or blah stale franchises we've gotten this year thus far we've also
been incredibly spoiled with some great movies as well... It's hard not to get caught of in that rush of having just seen Apes and wanting to
call it the best movie of the summer thus far... I don't know if it is or not, but it is pretty damned good and if you liked the other reboot
apes movies then I think this will be another welcome addition.
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Flash
The Great One
Posts 3467
Registered 4-22-2005 Location Ontario, Canada Member Is OnlineMood:
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| posted on 7-27-2017 at 02:24 AM |
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Caught two movies this week, and for very different reasons I enjoyed both of them:
DUNKIRK
This was Christopher Nolan's tale of the British (and French) forces that got routed to the beach at Dunkirk when the Nazi's handily beat
the allies back to the ocean in the opening days of WWII. As I've been closing in on 40 (not there yet) I've found that inexplicably like
most men my interest in the World Wars has risen exponentially, so Dunkirk was one I was looking forward to for a long time, as I don't think
we've gotten a really great war picture in a while... well, at least one not featuring apes anyway.
I actually sprung for the extra $10 bucks or so to see this in Imax, as I knew going in Nolan had actually shot most of this that way, and with the
big sweeping sets, and a reliance on old fashioned practical effects over CGI I thought it would be worth it. The movie is just beautifully shot, and
for a Nolan film it comes in with a trim run time of under 2 hours- which really works with how he structured the film.
Basically Nolan plays with both time, and various characters here to kind of shuffle what would be a fairly linear story (allies pushed to beach,
boats show up and take them home) and infuses what is a pretty interesting story with an extra kick of drama. He structures the story as a kind of
triptych of land, sea, and air using for the most part 1-2 characters in each area as an entry, or following point for their part of the story. The
opening chapter for each part of the triptych gives you an idea of what time frame you are playing with so that as they kind of jumble the three time
lines you can still follow along pretty clearly... I'm probably making the time thing sound a bit more confusing than it really is; but
it's pretty clear in the movie and lets you keep up a continual sense of drama instead of many minutes devoted to soldiers on a beach, then
boats being sent, then the air force- so instead you get a sense of how time works for these people ie it's about a week on the beach, a day for
the ships to go out, and an hour for the planes- so you get a multi-layered thing where a areal dog fight you see from the pilots POV, is also felt by
those on the boats and beach.... really, it's quite well done, and is a testament to whoever edited the picture.
All the acting is top notch, and the soundtrack really compliments what's going on... kind of a constant ticking, but not in an annoying way;
just something that underscores how little time is left.
Anyway, would definitely recommend this one; it's a bit different from other WW II pictures in that you never see any Germans, and it's
really about the story as opposed to glorifying a lead actor or setting up some great action shot that's more about visual than something
authentic.
VALERIAN AND THE CITY OF A THOUSAND PLANETS
I dug this one, and so did my niece; there's a bit of smooching in it, but it's fairly kid friendly. It's like the Star Wars Cantina
scene on steroids; and I mean that as a compliment as the work Luc Besson (The 5th element, The professional, Lucy) puts into world building is a
testament to just how imaginative this guy is... just top notch.
The writing has been a bit hammered online and I'm not sure why; I thought the movie genuinely had a message and something to say, and
structurally it was put together well... where it maybe fails is in the characters; like they almost expected you to know who these people are
(it's based on a comic book), with the male main (Valerian) character coming across a bit like an unearned Han Solo-esque dastardly but charming
rogue, and the female (Lorelei) being a bit stilted... I don't know, nothing egregious in their characters, but it felt more like they told you
about the characters instead of taking the time to show you.
I saw this one in 2D, but with the visuals I kind of regretted not going to a 3D version... I'd say that would be the big reason to see this one
in the theatre as it really was quite beautiful to watch. I think much like the Fifth Element this one will be remembered for its imagination and
scope, but also that touch of ridiculousness as well... hard to say if something will ever be a cult movie in 20 years, but if you are a Sci-Fi fan
I'd say this one is worth checking out.
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OOMike
The Great One
Posts 3692
Registered 1-3-2002 Location Columbus, OH Member Is Offline Mood: same ol same ol
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| posted on 7-27-2017 at 01:01 PM |
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My wife and I caught a special premiere of Atomic Blonde last week and we both really liked it. It takes place around the time the Berlin Wall came
down so if you grew up in the 80s like we did you will really like the soundtrack, which was a part of the story, and worked in very well. The fight
scenes were good and I thought realistic with how they used whatever they could get their hands on.
Plus Charlize Theron had nudity and a lesbian scene, always a plus to every movie.
2017 where Nazis are defended and being against Fascism is a bad thing.
Prejudices are rarely overcome by argument; not being founded in reason they cannot be destroyed by logic � Tryon Edwards
Never let the facts interfere with a good rant.
The only OO columnist that has never written a column.
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Quentil
Showstopper
Posts 743
Registered 5-13-2003 Location Saratoga Springs, NY Member Is Offline Mood:
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| posted on 7-27-2017 at 03:02 PM |
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Reply to a month old set of posts:
The new Star Trek movies are pretty much hot garbage. It's not that they aren't enjoyable, and they are far better than the shitholes
known as the Transformers movies. But let's not pretend that they aren't full of stupid fan service, horrible plotholes (really, Kirk
just happened to land on a mostly unihabited ice planet and find Old Spock? Really, people become officers on an experimental spaceship just because
they happened to be there at the time? Magical blood cures death, and now you can teleport shit across star systems at warp speed?"
Yeah, the new Star Trek movies are terrible from most perspectives. But if you shut off half your brain and enjoy them as throwaway action movies
with minor nostalgia-tugging at the happy memories of your youth, then they are fine.
The same is pretty much true with the new Star Wars movies, as well. They are fun and exciting to watch, so long as you ignore the utter lack of
plot, character development, and shoe-horning in your childhood when things get boring to spark a response.
Also, I'm hopefully going to see Dunkirk this weekend.
[Edited on 7-27-2017 by Quentil]
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Flash
The Great One
Posts 3467
Registered 4-22-2005 Location Ontario, Canada Member Is OnlineMood:
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| posted on 7-28-2017 at 03:26 AM |
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Oh dear OOMike, it's not just the lovely Charlize Theron who gets very nekkid' for our viewing pleasure, but also the equally beautiful
Sofia Boutella (Kingsmen)...
The bonus bossoms (that sounds like a game show I'd like to be on) aside, ATOMIC BLONDE is just incredible. Honestly I think this movie had
maybe the greatest fight scene I've ever seen done in a movie; like picture Dare Devil Season 1 hall way fight times a thousand; as I think most
of this was also all done as one massive take. Right out of the gate the movie is brutal, and unlike a lot of other big action movies they make sure
that you know that there is a price for all that brutality, even when you are on the winning side as a collection of bumps, bruises, cuts, and other
injuries really wear down our heroine.
The story is pretty cool; not necessarily something we haven't seen before in a spy thriller; double turns, mole hunt, enemy agents; but the
cold war era and genuine fall of the Berlin Wall backdrop puts a fresh coat of paint on a very solid movie with plenty of action, a couple of nice
laughs (usually at the expense of someone getting hurt... badly), and some decent twists and turns throughout the whole movie.
Directing wise this was also well done; as mentioned the action is top notch; all of the fights are shot in close so you get a sense of the brutality
of every punch and kick, but also wide enough that you know it's genuinely Theron doing the stunts and you avoid an overly claustrophobic feel.
The whole movie boasts a kind of grainy retro vibe that underscores how drab cold war era Germany was (especially on the East side of the wall), but
with plenty of fluorescent touches here and there so that you know it's the eighties... and to also throw some style in there, and a little
colour to the movies pallet.
The soundtrack is fantastic, and I might just pick it up once it drops in price; but I'm a bit split on it as for a nostalgic and awesome as it
was (and as an aside very well used- the matching of the songs to the scenes was excellent) I found it to be a bit over powering at the same time...
but then, wasn't that the eighties?
Anyway, definitely dug this; and I really think that this is going to enter the pantheon of great spy thrillers... there's probably some
definite franchise potential here as well, although I'd be curious to see how they'd use the early 90's as a backdrop as I
don't know if a grunge fuelled soundtrack spun around the L.A. Riots would make for something as interesting and compelling as what they
achieved here.
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Quentil
Showstopper
Posts 743
Registered 5-13-2003 Location Saratoga Springs, NY Member Is Offline Mood:
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| posted on 7-29-2017 at 07:36 AM |
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Dunkirk was good. I'm a WW2 nerd, so I could appreciate it on some level most probably wouldn't bother to. Lots of dead Brits, and
stories of individual sacrifice as should be. I had no issues with a "lack of character development" as I've seen some reviewers whine about,
but is it wrong that as I was walking out of the theater, my main thought was something like:
"Wow, remember when the Brits sacrificed everything to save Europe? And to think a year ago, they abandoned that very same Europe. Huh."
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Flash
The Great One
Posts 3467
Registered 4-22-2005 Location Ontario, Canada Member Is OnlineMood:
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| posted on 7-30-2017 at 05:55 AM |
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I think it's one of those things that seems that way on the surface (the Brits going home, abandoning the French and Europe, and they certainly
touch on it in the movie) but I don't know that I'd say they abandoned Europe; they were there largely to support the French once Hitler
went into Poland and everyone started declaring war.... which kind of saw almost nothing happen for like 7-8 months (the Phoney War). Everyone thought
the Maginot line (a series of French anti German defenses put in place since post- WWI for the non-war nerds as the French having already gone to war
with the Germans/Prussians like 3 times in the last 100 years rightly figured it'd happen again) would hold and that they'd be looking at
WWI style trench warfare again, but those sneaky Germans with their clever generals surprised them by busting through/going around and routed the
allies badly, pushing them to the sea. Not a lot of options when you've got your back to the wall like that, and the prevailing thought was this
is it; as the Germans had the decided advantage at that point.
Everyone figured they would need to go on the defensive for at least a while (and rightfully so as France fell to the Germans less than month later),
and even a sizeable chunk of the French were evacuated to England, but in one of the bigger blunders on the Western side of things the Germans
didn't push into Dunkirk like they probably should have (this is arguably right up there in terms of mistakes with them later going into Russia)
which left a lot of English and French soldiers, minus a massive amount of equipment, still alive to fight another day... which coupled with the
overly successful mass evacuation of Dunkirk bizarrely left many back home treating this as some kind of success. This lead to the famous quote from
party pooper Churchill saying "Wars are not won on evacuations." I knew my hours spent hiding bathroom at work with my phone would come in useful
one day, lol
There's another WWII movie coming out shortly (the Darkest Hour) that looks interesting; kind of a era piece, couple with partial bio-pic of
Winston Churchill that at least from the trailer looks like it also deals with Dunkirk and some of the pre-war appeasement... looks like it stars Gary
Old man as Churchill, so at least the acting will be top notch.
[Edited on 7-30-2017 by Flash]
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Quentil
Showstopper
Posts 743
Registered 5-13-2003 Location Saratoga Springs, NY Member Is Offline Mood:
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| posted on 7-30-2017 at 06:22 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Flash
I think it's one of those things that seems that way on the surface (the Brits going home, abandoning the French and Europe, and they certainly
touch on it in the movie) but I don't know that I'd say they abandoned Europe; they were there largely to support the French once Hitler
went into Poland and everyone started declaring war.... which kind of saw almost nothing happen for like 7-8 months (the Phoney War). Everyone thought
the Maginot line (a series of French anti German defenses put in place since post- WWI for the non-war nerds as the French having already gone to war
with the Germans/Prussians like 3 times in the last 100 years rightly figured it'd happen again) would hold and that they'd be looking at
WWI style trench warfare again, but those sneaky Germans with their clever generals surprised them by busting through/going around and routed the
allies badly, pushing them to the sea. Not a lot of options when you've got your back to the wall like that, and the prevailing thought was this
is it; as the Germans had the decided advantage at that point.
Everyone figured they would need to go on the defensive for at least a while (and rightfully so as France fell to the Germans less than month later),
and even a sizeable chunk of the French were evacuated to England, but in one of the bigger blunders on the Western side of things the Germans
didn't push into Dunkirk like they probably should have (this is arguably right up there in terms of mistakes with them later going into Russia)
which left a lot of English and French soldiers, minus a massive amount of equipment, still alive to fight another day... which coupled with the
overly successful mass evacuation of Dunkirk bizarrely left many back home treating this as some kind of success. This lead to the famous quote from
party pooper Churchill saying "Wars are not won on evacuations." I knew my hours spent hiding bathroom at work with my phone would come in useful
one day, lol
There's another WWII movie coming out shortly (the Darkest Hour) that looks interesting; kind of a era piece, couple with partial bio-pic of
Winston Churchill that at least from the trailer looks like it also deals with Dunkirk and some of the pre-war appeasement... looks like it stars Gary
Old man as Churchill, so at least the acting will be top notch.
[Edited on 7-30-2017 by Flash]
Uh, I think you misread what I typed, to be honest.
The rest of what you typed is sort of correct. But sort of wrong, too. But I'm not gonna use the energy to debate it all.
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Flash
The Great One
Posts 3467
Registered 4-22-2005 Location Ontario, Canada Member Is OnlineMood:
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| posted on 7-30-2017 at 07:21 AM |
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No debate was intended; I read what you wrote and took it differently than what I can now see you intended.
And yeah; the above was kind of a condensed simplified response with a lot of stuff left out- I was just trying to hit the broad strokes to respond to
perception versus reality and what I had originally thought you meant.
Cheers.
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Quentil
Showstopper
Posts 743
Registered 5-13-2003 Location Saratoga Springs, NY Member Is Offline Mood:
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| posted on 7-30-2017 at 04:36 PM |
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No worries, my dude.
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OOMike
The Great One
Posts 3692
Registered 1-3-2002 Location Columbus, OH Member Is Offline Mood: same ol same ol
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| posted on 8-3-2017 at 12:34 PM |
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Went to a special AMC Stubs Premiere of Annabelle: Creation last night, now my wife loves these movies, but I can't turn off my brain enough not
to scream at the characters (internally) about when they do the stupid things that they have to do to make the movie. We both saw the Conjuring but
missed the other sequels.
That being said, she enjoyed it, there were several parts that make you jump, there were some parts that were lame and predictable. Overall it was
not horrible, but I did sleep fine last night.
Also there is a quick little scene halfway through the credits, that you can skip if you need to pee.
2017 where Nazis are defended and being against Fascism is a bad thing.
Prejudices are rarely overcome by argument; not being founded in reason they cannot be destroyed by logic � Tryon Edwards
Never let the facts interfere with a good rant.
The only OO columnist that has never written a column.
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