Topic: I just watched [movie x here] (Read 607954 times)

Blue Kitty · « **Reply #2500 on:** 31 Mar 2021, 01:17 »

Most Tim Burton movies can be boiled down to style over substance

LeeC · « **Reply #2501 on:** 05 Apr 2021, 17:35 »

I saw "Earwig and the Witch." It was interesting and reminded me of the kind of novel you'd read in late Elementary school or in Middle School (it is based on a book apparently). Its about an orphan that gets adopted by a cruel witch that puts her to work in her shop. The ending felt a bit rushed after so much build up and it leaves you with questions and wanting more. Its my 2nd Studio Ghibli movie and it was alright. I think I liked it better than "Ponyo" but I didn't feel satisfied with it. The film seemed like a pilot for a show or the first installment for a movie series. Again I liked it but wished it was 20-30 minutes longer.

I also recently saw "Gnomeo and Juliet." An animated movie adaptation of Romeo and Juliet but with lawn gnomes. Its was cute, had an ensemble cast, and packed full of Shakespearean references and Easter eggs. If you're familiar with Shakespeare you'll probably get more out of it than if you didn't. I liked that Ozzy Osbourne was a ceramic reindeer that kept nudging and goading Tybalt (Jason Statham) to beat up their rivals. And yes those 2 scenes with "the voice" IS Hulk Hogan. The movie isn't going to win any awards (but did win a sequel) but it was bit of fun. Something to watch on a Sunday while you're folding laundry.

Tova · « **Reply #2502 on:** 06 Apr 2021, 05:44 »

Quote from: LeeC on 05 Apr 2021, 17:35

I saw "Earwig and the Witch." It was interesting and reminded me of the kind of novel you'd read in late Elementary school or in Middle School (it is based on a book apparently). Its about an orphan that gets adopted by a cruel witch that puts her to work in her shop. The ending felt a bit rushed after so much build up and it leaves you with questions and wanting more. Its my 2nd Studio Ghibli movie and it was alright. I think I liked it better than "Ponyo" but I didn't feel satisfied with it. The film seemed like a pilot for a show or the first installment for a movie series. Again I liked it but wished it was 20-30 minutes longer.

I forget whether I posted this already, and I'm not in the mood to search ... but the group I saw the film with all gasped "WHAT" at the suddenness of the ending. We all agreed that it abruptly ended just as it was getting good. The end credits were really nice, but they felt like the storyboards for the rest of the film that they ran out of funding to create.

I will add to your review that the animation overall simply wasn't up the high standard we should expect from Studio Ghibli (neither was the story, IMO). There were nice moments like the kids dressed as ghosts playing in the night, but some of the animation felt unfinished.

Coincidentally, I recently watched My Neighbour Totoro. It is wonderful and you should see it if you can.

dutchrvl · « **Reply #2503 on:** 06 Apr 2021, 09:57 »

Seconded. I recently starting (re-) watching studio ghibli movies and had almost forgotten how wonderful Totoro is even after all these years. Same for Princess Mononoke, Nausicaa, and Kiki's delivery service. Will be rewatching the more recent Ghibili movies soon (after year 2000).

I recommend their movies to any parent who will listen as required watching for their kids

Farideh · « **Reply #2504 on:** 06 Apr 2021, 14:15 »

I have some Studio Ghibli movies in my 'to watch' list. I'll make sure to prioritize them.

hedgie · « **Reply #2505 on:** 06 Apr 2021, 17:44 »

Of course, wasn’t Nausicaa technically pre-Ghibli?

LeeC · « **Reply #2506 on:** 07 Apr 2021, 15:41 »

I re-watched "A Monster in Paris." Its still really good. Its like Beauty and the Beast set in 1910 Paris. "Belle" character is a cabaret performer, the "Gaston" character is the city commissioner, and the "Beast" monster just really likes music. The story mostly follows a delivery driver, his friend the theater projectionist, and the Belle character as they try to help the "Beast" and protect him from the commissioner that wants to kill the Beast to make himself look good politically. The cabaret performance with the Belle and Beast is really great!

Blue Kitty · « **Reply #2507 on:** 08 Apr 2021, 01:42 »

I own it cause I heard it was good but I still haven't watched it. It's probably still on a streaming service too

Blue Kitty · « **Reply #2508 on:** 10 Apr 2021, 19:39 »

I watched the best Judge Dredd movie and the worst one back to back

pwhodges · « **Reply #2509 on:** 11 Apr 2021, 07:01 »

Quote from: hedgie on 06 Apr 2021, 17:44

Of course, wasn’t Nausicaa technically pre-Ghibli?

Yes. But my bluray copy lists it as No 1 in "The Studio Ghibli Collection". In fact Studio Ghibli was founded "on the back of" the success of Nausicaa.

It's actually not No 1 if you count Miyazaki's films either, as it's the second he directed (first was The Castle of Cagliostro). And before that he'd directed the TV series Future Boy Conan.

Gyrre · « **Reply #2510 on:** 11 Apr 2021, 23:39 »

Watched the Sonic the Hedgehog movie finally.

Yep, Jim Carrey is very over the top. And yep, I was right. This was definitely one of those adaptations that should have been a new I.P.
At least some of the concept artists were fans of the SatAM series (the scan drones).

The really annoying thing is that we start the movie off with Sonic being sought be one of the Echidna tribes. They could have served as perfectly functional antagonists and we could have finally had an adaptation that didn't end where it should have either started, or gotten to by at least halfway through. Just realized Stone is meant to be Snively.

The easter eggs are fun though. Sanic is obvious, but we see a Skychase Zone airplane badnik from Sonic 2 when Robotnik is selecting the road drown. But I wish they hadn't given the StH foot fetishists anything.

EDIT: Really wish Hollywood would stop doing this and expecting sequels, too.

EDIT 2 Wellb I've got egg on my face.
They're actually doing a second Sonic movie!

This might be a first for this sort of thing. Lord knows that Monster Hunter movie isn't getting a sequel.

LeeC · « **Reply #2511 on:** 26 Apr 2021, 19:37 »

I watched Kiki's Delivery Service. Its an enchanting coming of age movie. The plot is a bit weak (I am noticing a theme here for the 3 Ghibli movies I've seen), but its more about self discovery. It was great.

Thrillho · « **Reply #2512 on:** 27 Apr 2021, 12:16 »

I liked that one a lot. But yes, I do find plot seems fairly incidental to the movies of theirs I've seen thus far.

hedgie · « **Reply #2513 on:** 27 Apr 2021, 14:35 »

Well, we do all love a certain webcomic that’s all about the characters.

Sappina3 · « **Reply #2514 on:** 26 May 2021, 05:14 »

I rewatched Psycho after watching the 90mins long documentary on the famous shower scene. This time I paid more attention to Hermann's music, my man! Whatta masterpiece!

Blue Kitty · « **Reply #2515 on:** 19 Jun 2021, 11:33 »

I just watched Wish Dragon and Luca

Wish Dragon feels like a more modern Aladdin, but swap the middle eastern setting for China. Sony Pictures has really been on a roll lately with this and Mitchells vs. the Machines
Luca quite honestly feels like a Ghibli movie

Gyrre · « **Reply #2516 on:** 20 Jun 2021, 04:04 »

Quote from: Blue Kitty on 19 Jun 2021, 11:33

I just watched Wish Dragon and Luca

Wish Dragon feels like a more modern Aladdin, but swap the middle eastern setting for China. Sony Pictures has really been on a roll lately with this and Mitchells vs. the Machines
Luca quite honestly feels like a Ghibli movie

Does it count as ironic that the original story of Aladdin is actually set in China?

LeeC · « **Reply #2517 on:** 20 Jun 2021, 11:42 »

Quote from: Gyrre on 20 Jun 2021, 04:04

Quote from: Blue Kitty on 19 Jun 2021, 11:33
I just watched Wish Dragon and Luca

Wish Dragon feels like a more modern Aladdin, but swap the middle eastern setting for China. Sony Pictures has really been on a roll lately with this and Mitchells vs. the Machines
Luca quite honestly feels like a Ghibli movie

Does it count as ironic that the original story of Aladdin is actually set in China?

I'm gonna need a source on that. I'm only seeing middle eastern folktale origins. I like tracing stories. Its fun. It's also worth noting that different cultures can have similar stories but not be connected in anyway. Like Native American stories that resemble Cinderella, and Hawaiian Night Marchers being similar to North European Wild Hunt. Its what prompted Karl Jung to believe there may be a collective unconscious.

oddtail · « **Reply #2518 on:** 20 Jun 2021, 16:21 »

Quote from: LeeC on 20 Jun 2021, 11:42

Quote from: Gyrre on 20 Jun 2021, 04:04
Quote from: Blue Kitty on 19 Jun 2021, 11:33
I just watched Wish Dragon and Luca

Wish Dragon feels like a more modern Aladdin, but swap the middle eastern setting for China. Sony Pictures has really been on a roll lately with this and Mitchells vs. the Machines
Luca quite honestly feels like a Ghibli movie

Does it count as ironic that the original story of Aladdin is actually set in China?

I'm gonna need a source on that.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aladdin#Plot_summary
(beginning of the second paragraph of the summary)

Admittedly, the setting is China-in-name-only (the article does mention that), but technically it counts.

Gyrre · « **Reply #2519 on:** 21 Jun 2021, 03:57 »

Quote from: LeeC on 20 Jun 2021, 11:42

Quote from: Gyrre on 20 Jun 2021, 04:04
Quote from: Blue Kitty on 19 Jun 2021, 11:33
I just watched Wish Dragon and Luca

Wish Dragon feels like a more modern Aladdin, but swap the middle eastern setting for China. Sony Pictures has really been on a roll lately with this and Mitchells vs. the Machines
Luca quite honestly feels like a Ghibli movie

Does it count as ironic that the original story of Aladdin is actually set in China?

I'm gonna need a source on that. I'm only seeing middle eastern folktale origins. I like tracing stories. Its fun. It's also worth noting that different cultures can have similar stories but not be connected in anyway. Like Native American stories that resemble Cinderella, and Hawaiian Night Marchers being similar to North European Wild Hunt. Its what prompted Karl Jung to believe there may be a collective unconscious.

I don't suppose you'll take the original story itself as a source?

"But far away in Africa the magician remembered Aladdin, and by his magic arts discovered that Aladdin, instead of perishing miserably in the cave, had escaped, and had married a princess, with whom he was living in great honor and wealth. He knew that the poor tailor’s son could only have accomplished this by means of the lamp, and traveled night and day until he reached the capital of China, bent on Aladdin’s ruin."

Gnabberwocky · « **Reply #2520 on:** 28 Jun 2021, 22:57 »

Watched Raya and the Last Dragon. The general consensus in my family was that it was visually beautiful, but overall didn't live up to the hype. The dialogue felt really stilted and oddly paced, almost like characters were reacting to what was being said before it was actually said. It also drove the plot too hard; every conversation was hitting you over the head with the point it was trying to make. That's present to some degree in a lot of Disney movies, but even more so in this one.

Seriously, though, the animation is ridiculous; they NAILED water physics. Look up a clip of it at some point.

Tova · « **Reply #2521 on:** 29 Jun 2021, 00:59 »

Quote from: Gnabberwocky on 28 Jun 2021, 22:57

Watched Raya and the Last Dragon. The general consensus in my family was that it was visually beautiful, but overall didn't live up to the hype. The dialogue felt really stilted and oddly paced, almost like characters were reacting to what was being said before it was actually said. It also drove the plot too hard; every conversation was hitting you over the head with the point it was trying to make. That's present to some degree in a lot of Disney movies, but even more so in this one.

Seriously, though, the animation is ridiculous; they NAILED water physics. Look up a clip of it at some point.

There's been hype?

Gnabberwocky · « **Reply #2522 on:** 30 Jun 2021, 15:27 »

95% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.

Tova · « **Reply #2523 on:** 30 Jun 2021, 20:39 »

I hadn't realised! The word of mouth I've been getting on this film had been solidly mediocre.

Well, I guess I'm going to have to watch it now and decide for myself.

BTW I watched The Cat Returns on Netflix, which was a fun film.

Wombat · « **Reply #2524 on:** 01 Jul 2021, 21:42 »

I just came away from Raya feeling kind of bored by it, but I agree it was visually pleasing.

Blue Kitty · « **Reply #2525 on:** 02 Jul 2021, 03:39 »

Raya feels like it could have used a couple more passes. The characters and setting are great, but they don't really use them

Tova · « **Reply #2526 on:** 04 Jul 2021, 04:41 »

More cats ...

I watched A Whisker Away, which actually turned out to be a more interesting film than I was expecting.

And Kiki's Delivery Service. I don't think I've ever sat through a film with quite so huge a smile on my face.

Gyrre · « **Reply #2527 on:** 14 Jul 2021, 12:44 »

God damm..... The expressions on the ape's faces in War for the Planet of the Apes is incredible!
Props to the CGI team and the facial capture actors!

EDIT: And those dream sequences Caesar has seeing Koba, dang.
EDIT2: Oh damn! I just realized the importance of the little mute girl being told "You are Nova." After she asked if she was an ape.

Gyrre · « **Reply #2528 on:** 15 Jul 2021, 18:52 »

Oh dang!
If you like slow burns interspersed with action, watch The Equalizer 2 it's really good.

EDIT: a slowburn story, not a slowburn romance.

LeeC · « **Reply #2529 on:** 23 Jul 2021, 06:59 »

I watched "Blade Runner" for the first time (The Final Cut version). Wow, that was an amazing movie. And that ending too! I feel like it sucker punched me, but in a good way. I am surprised its taken me this long to finally see the movie. I feel like I need to watch it again. I know there is a sequel, but I am worried it may taint the intentional ambiguity of this ending. Is it weird that I feel like it should have been 30 minutes to an hour longer to develop the protagonists a bit more?

oddtail · « **Reply #2530 on:** 23 Jul 2021, 08:35 »

Quote from: LeeC on 23 Jul 2021, 06:59

I know there is a sequel, but I am worried it may taint the intentional ambiguity of this ending.

The sequel did not ruin any part of the original movie for me, for what it's worth. It's in some ways even better than the original. And it doesn't make anything about the original film weird or dumb or obvious in hindsight.

Tova · « **Reply #2531 on:** 24 Jul 2021, 05:53 »

Quote from: Blue Kitty on 19 Jun 2021, 11:33

Luca quite honestly feels like a Ghibli movie

I've just watched it myself. It does have some Ghibli qualities. It is a simple story beautifully told. And a lot of fun to watch.

Supposedly the name of the town of Portorosso is a nod to the Ghibli film Porco Rosso.

Thrillho · « **Reply #2532 on:** 24 Jul 2021, 10:05 »

I watched Midsommar, by Ari Aster, whose Hereditary is my favourite horror movie since the original Saw.

I found it a bit disappointing. It looks beautiful, it has some real horror in it, there's some truly great stuff in there. It has an incredible stench of Wickerman filtered through Kubrick, but that's kind of the way he makes his movies, as a heightening of the existing tropes.

But I think it left too much vague, and was way too long - and ultimately felt a little bit too much like 'yep don't scorn a woman' for my tastes, after Hereditary was such a gut-wrenching exploration of grief.

Blue Kitty · « **Reply #2533 on:** 25 Jul 2021, 10:49 »

I liked it more than Hereditary. The sense of color and most of the horror happening in the daylight where Hereditary was way too dark most of the time.

Thrillho · « **Reply #2534 on:** 25 Jul 2021, 16:11 »

I did appreciate that it did almost nothing in darkness.

LeeC · « **Reply #2535 on:** 02 Aug 2021, 08:26 »

I'll probably continue over in the What Are You Currently Reading thread, but the very next day after seeing Blade Runner, I had a 12 hour drive from Mass to Michigan and I got the audiobook "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" and wow is that a different story. Like in so many ways. There's a handful of similar characters names and 2-3 similar scenes but it is by and far its own story with completely different characters. The author (Phillip K. Dick) got to read the script for Blade Runner before he passed away and he noted that not only did he like it, but both the movie and book would complement each other. Like they could exist in the same world at the same time and support each other.

Wombat · « **Reply #2536 on:** 02 Aug 2021, 17:22 »

Yeah, I read that in a college course, and then we watched some of the movie, and it certainly is different. It's interesting to think about them as two stories happening in the same world.

Gnabberwocky · « **Reply #2537 on:** 02 Aug 2021, 22:51 »

Quote from: LeeC on 02 Aug 2021, 08:26

I'll probably continue over in the What Are You Currently Reading thread, but the very next day after seeing Blade Runner, I had a 12 hour drive from Mass to Michigan and I got the audiobook "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" and wow is that a different story. Like in so many ways. There's a handful of similar characters names and 2-3 similar scenes but it is by and far its own story with completely different characters. The author (Phillip K. Dick) got to read the script for Blade Runner before he passed away and he noted that not only did he like it, but both the movie and book would complement each other. Like they could exist in the same world at the same time and support each other.

I read that a couple years ago (without watching Blade Runner; watched it later and hated it), and it just confused me. There wasn't any particular scene or storyline that lost me, but the whole time, I just wasn't sure why anything was happening. So much of what was going on just seemed arbitrary–which, admittedly, is realistic, but doesn't lend itself to the type of story I find engaging. Maybe I need to give it another try.

oddtail · « **Reply #2538 on:** 03 Aug 2021, 06:20 »

Quote from: Gnabberwocky on 02 Aug 2021, 22:51

Quote from: LeeC on 02 Aug 2021, 08:26
I'll probably continue over in the What Are You Currently Reading thread, but the very next day after seeing Blade Runner, I had a 12 hour drive from Mass to Michigan and I got the audiobook "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" and wow is that a different story. Like in so many ways. There's a handful of similar characters names and 2-3 similar scenes but it is by and far its own story with completely different characters. The author (Phillip K. Dick) got to read the script for Blade Runner before he passed away and he noted that not only did he like it, but both the movie and book would complement each other. Like they could exist in the same world at the same time and support each other.

I read that a couple years ago (without watching Blade Runner; watched it later and hated it), and it just confused me. There wasn't any particular scene or storyline that lost me, but the whole time, I just wasn't sure why anything was happening. So much of what was going on just seemed arbitrary–which, admittedly, is realistic, but doesn't lend itself to the type of story I find engaging. Maybe I need to give it another try.

Welcome to Dick's style of writing.

And that's not even among the more confusing books by that author.

I wonder how much this tendency of his books to have things just happen, often with only vague connections between plot points, is due to his personal style of writing, and how much is his mental illness. I guess those can't be unentangled completely from each other.

(for the record: I like Dick's books a lot. This is not a diss, but he does write in a peculiar way.)

Tova · « **Reply #2539 on:** 03 Aug 2021, 15:03 »

Yes, his writing is definitely an acquired taste.

Perhaps try and get a hold of Confessions of a Crap Artist. It's one of only a small number of non-science fiction books he wrote. I read it not too long after reading Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, and it turned me into a fan. It is an extraordinary story.

dutchrvl · « **Reply #2540 on:** 04 Aug 2021, 13:25 »

Watched "A quiet place 2".

While not quite as good as the first one, I still thoroughly enjoyed it. The first one stood out for me due to the originality and incredibly effective use of the absence of sound throughout the movie.

This sequel is more pedestrian in comparison, but there are still very good scenes in there. Granted, my opinion may have been positively influenced by Cilian Murphy's presence, who is pretty much always watchable in any role.

dutchrvl · « **Reply #2541 on:** 23 Aug 2021, 08:10 »

Watched all 3 newer Star Trek movies again, firmly establishing my order of preference as Into Darkness > STar Trek > Beyond.

Also watched all 4 Indiana Jones movies, and it has been at least 15 years since I had seen any of the first 3. Slightly surprised to see how well especially 1 and 3 still hold up, even the special effects are only noticeably dated in a couple instances. Temple of doom....yeah that one much less so....definitely a little wonky.
As for Crystal Skull: I have slightly adjusted my opinion of it. I actually liked the story itself a lot more this time around and feel it fits just fine among the 4 movies, but I still think there are several awful scenes that are so silly they really make it hard to suspend disbelief (chiefly: the refrigerator scene, the Shia using lianas to move through jungle and catch up with jeeps scene, and slightly less so the triple waterfall scene).

Overall I'd now place it together with Temple of Doom as the worst 2, although Crystal skull still worse.

Tova · « **Reply #2542 on:** 02 Sep 2021, 01:16 »

Quote from: Ignominious on 03 Apr 2018, 02:55

Went to see Isle of Dogs on Sunday.

Firstly the bad stuff; white saviour syndrome and some fairly shoddy cultural representation of Japan that strays into the realm of appropriation. The film is in English and Japanese but I'm given to understand that bilingual viewers will not gain much.

Then the good stuff; This is quite a lush piece of stop-motion animation which in it's genre is fairly innovative. This is underpinned by an immersive soundtrack and the two come together to serve an excellent piece of storytelling that is a host to a hoard of delightful little easter eggs.

I'm not well qualified to judge the offence of the bad stuff (WMCM) and despite noticing it, I really enjoyed the film. I'd still recommend going to see it.

What “Isle of Dogs” Gets Right About Japan (The New Yorker)

(It's a somewhat old article now, dated just ten days after the post above -- but I just came across it, and it addresses precisely each and every one of the points in the "bad stuff" raised above)

Blue Kitty · « **Reply #2543 on:** 02 Sep 2021, 05:39 »

I just watched Love and Monsters and I really liked it. Kind of surprising that it's a PG movie when it's about an apocalypse with giant animals that kill people.

LeeC · « **Reply #2544 on:** 13 Sep 2021, 10:33 »

I saw Luca the other day. It was a wholesome movie and I am glad they avoided an obvious cliche that I think most movies and novels would have done. Its a chill time about two child sea monsters that visit an Italian coastal town. When dry, they appear human, when wet, they appear as sea monsters. A literal "fish out of water" story that felt good.

hedgie · « **Reply #2545 on:** 13 Sep 2021, 11:28 »

They're certainly a long way from Y'ha-nthlei .

LeeC · « **Reply #2546 on:** 15 Sep 2021, 06:21 »

Quote from: hedgie on 13 Sep 2021, 11:28

They're certainly a long way from Y'ha-nthlei .

I'd be lying if I didn't admit to thinking of Innsmouth when the kids first went to the town.

(click to show/hide)

Tova · « **Reply #2547 on:** 16 Sep 2021, 04:03 »

It's a wonderful film, all the more extraordinary for being the first Pixar film made with everyone working from home.

oddtail · « **Reply #2548 on:** 19 Sep 2021, 12:13 »

Watched "The Dead Don't Die" on a recommendation from a friend.

This movie baffles me. It's both entirely composed of clichés and really unusual. It has few jokes, but is amazingly funny at times. Its plot structure is shaky at best, and I don't know what the point is or why it was made.

I'm not sure I like it, and I don't think it's a good film, not really. I don't really recommend it. But I am super-glad I watched it, because it's interesting to watch... whatever it is.

LeeC · « **Reply #2549 on:** 21 Sep 2021, 10:30 »

I watched Scarlet Street (1945), a famous Noir movie. Chris Cross, a bank cashier, goes down a different street than he usually does after work and finds a woman getting beat up by a man. Chris runs over, hits the man with his umbrella, and saves the girl. The girl (Kitty) entertains Chris for a time as a thank you, and tries to get to know him. Both Chris and Kitty makes huge assumptions about each other which leads to many twists and turns and ultimately both their downfalls. The ending is definitely noir, but there's a few moments in the movie that seemed a bit off to me. Maybe its the style of story telling back in the 40s, or maybe it was just the writers way of getting things to happen, but there were 3 moments with Chris that seemed like it was either out of character or was being too naive for a 40+ year old and 1 with Kitty that seemed blatantly obvious but she just ignores it or chooses not to see it.

Spoiler:

(click to show/hide)

The twists in the movie were pretty fun and felt unexpected but were all well foreshadowed. It was entertaining, but the ending is bitter for pretty much everyone involved. Our protagonist is left haunted and ruined by the end of the film. Whats interesting is there were so many times along the way to ruination that you, as the audience, could see Chris or even Kitty's "happily ever after" ending just around the corner. But they kept making one bad choice after another making their own situations worse and worse. It really snowballed.

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Author Topic: I just watched [movie x here] (Read 607954 times)