The Movie Thread

[ZedLeg]

I fell asleep through Night House but I’m going to give it another go. The director made one of my favourite movies of the last few years, The Ritual.

Watched Voyagers on Now TV last night, Lord of the flies in space. It was pretty decent.

Also watched Apocalypse Now the final cut over the weekend. Don’t know whether this cut is actually better than Redux or that it’s been a few years since I watched it and I’ve read heart of darkness I’m the meantime, but it’s a much better movie than I remember.

[mr_jon]

Took the lad to see Dune last night, first time at the movies for a few years. I enjoyed it (aided by a couple of beers I snuck in), perhaps too many shots of Zendaya although of course I know the significance. I think my boy was bored after an hour as not enough pew pew pew. Have garrred it now for a second watch, I think that's kind of fair enough?

[Ascender]

I fell asleep through Night House but I’m going to give it another go. The director made one of my favourite movies of the last few years, The Ritual.

Watched Voyagers on Now TV last night, Lord of the flies in space. It was pretty decent.

Also watched Apocalypse Now the final cut over the weekend. Don’t know whether this cut is actually better than Redux or that it’s been a few years since I watched it and I’ve read heart of darkness I’m the meantime, but it’s a much better movie than I remember.

I really like The Ritual too - I think overall I preferred it to Night House - much more satisfying conclusion.

I've got that cut of Apocalypse Now waiting to be watched but never got round to it so thanks for the reminder, will maybe stick it on tonight.

[RobYob]

Dune yeah it's pretty fucking good

8 Particle cannon gunners who can't lead a target out of 10.

[RobYob]

Thoroughly enjoyed Free Guy even the Mrs got a good few laughs.

I assume they had to CGI out Taika Waititi's teeth marks on the set, he chewed ALL the scenery with gusto.

[ZedLeg]

Finch

Really enjoyed it, had that old Amblin/Spielberg feel. Would definitely recommend.

[Jobbo]

Just watched the new Bond. I thought it was good, had all the hallmarks of a classic Bond where most of the Daniel Craig ones haven't so I was pleased about that. Definitely the best DC one for me.

Spoiler

I was also delighted to see a him use a Vantage rather than the standard DB5 the whole time, and equally delighted to see the trusty Land Cruiser see off the obligatory new JLR products (JL would be delighted too I'm sure).

Finally saw No Time To Die myself. When can we stop using spoiler tags - anyone still not seen it and not want to know what happens?

Anyway,

Spoiler

the Land Cruiser bit amused me greatly - a reference to the old 'If you want to go into the outback, take a Land Rover; if you want to come back, take a Land Cruiser' perhaps? Anyway, it was far too long and the car chases were shorter than I expected - where did all the new Defenders disappear to? - but it did get the emotions going and was a suitable big film to watch and talk about post-COVID.

[Ascender]

Watching No Time To Die again and the off-road chase sequence is bugging me. It clearly starts in Norway with fjords and jaggedy mountains, then we are suddenly transported to Scotland with Scottish mountains and trees…. And then back again. Very strange.

[Jobbo]

Watching No Time To Die again and the off-road chase sequence is bugging me. It clearly starts in Norway with fjords and jaggedly mountains, then we are suddenly transported to Scotland with Scottish mountains and trees…. And then back again. Very strange.

I think Porter and Smith mentioned that was something to do with the filming - it was so long ago that the Defenders were only available very late and in the wrong place, IIRC.

[dinny_g]

The current series of Shetland is suffering from similar. Filming suspended due to COVID and then picked up in Winter. Car leaves police station on Sunny day and arrives with a bit snow on the ground. Cop gets out of car with a bit of snow on ground but it’s sunny as he knocks on the door.

Continuity has gone out the window.

It’s funny but easily ignored…

[Beany]

Shang-Chi And The MCU Discovers Chinese Culture

Sigh. Middle of the road Marvel fare with an oriental twist. Longer than it needed to be, not hugely entertaining, although it has its high spots mostly in the humour although it's intermittent at best.

If this is Phase 4 putting it's best foot forward, then I think we're in for a thoroughly mediocre time.

Four badly directed and visually messy CGI dragon fights out of ten.

[ZedLeg]

People have been really down on Shang-Chi but I quite enjoyed it.

Watched a couple of new Netflix movies yesterday

Red Notice

It was fine, exactly what you expect from an action comedy with Ryan Reynolds and the rock. Some laughs but not a must see.

The Harder They Fall

Blaxsploitation western with an incredible ensemble cast, not one for folk looking for hyper realism but if you're a fan of either genre it's worth a watch.

[Broccers]

Watched the Bond as you just have to dont you? Not the best is it. Glad I didnt go to the flics to see it.

[Ascender]

I quite enjoyed Shang-Chi as did the family. Its formulaic in so much as you have a McGuffin which someone takes, then you have to get back and there's a big CGI fight, but I thought it was funny, not overlong and while your title summed it up @Beany, I thought it did make for some cool effects with the soul-grabbing monsters and at least it looked different, the hand-to-hand combat was very good etc.

Some of the CGI was a bit ropey though - shots of the bus at the start and then the big fight at the end - when they walked off the back/head of the dragon thing, it didn't look right at all.

I suspect the next Spider Man, Dr Strange & Guardians movies are the ones everyone is waiting for, so I do wonder if Marvel are going to struggle with introducing new characters/worlds etc on to the big screen like that. Or we just need to accept they've set a very high water mark over the last while and there's going to be some mediocre things along the way.

Eternals seems to be getting panned.

[Beany]

Yeah, I've had a few people (and I do mean a few - no fucker cares what I think of movies ) telling me I'm being overharsh on it, and I was in a grumpy mood when watching it, and was hoping it would distract me from the grumpiness, which it didn't really.

However realistically that just means it's not a Usual Suspects/Alien type film that gets under your skin and sticks in your head - it doesn't mean it's a bad film.

I'll retry it when I'm not feeling thunderously pissed off I suppose, as upon reflection, I don't really disagree with any point you've made.

[ZedLeg]

I did notice that there was some pretty poor CG, that was my only real complaint tbh.

[Gwaredd]

Watching No Time To Die again and the off-road chase sequence is bugging me. It clearly starts in Norway with fjords and jaggedy mountains, then we are suddenly transported to Scotland with Scottish mountains and trees…. And then back again. Very strange.

A lot (explosions mostly, and the jump scenes) was filmed up the road from me on Salisbury plain too. I recognised a few tracks that I MTB on, but they'd CGI'd new textures on instead of gravel and added mountains in the background. Very impressive.

[Ascender]

I didn't expect it to be anything amazing, but it was an enjoyable blockbuster which might not have done anything new with the plot, but I really did find the setting and culture a breath of fresh air. Its never going to be groundbreaking, but I think there's room for movies like that alongside those other ones that do make you think more and get under your skin.

In terms of how whole cultures feel under-represented in mainstream movies, its got to be good Marvel have made that movie hasn't it?

I watched Bond again and enjoyed it more the second time round although as with many of these things, once you start to pick it apart, much of the plot, character motivations etc are as flimsy as can be.

[Ascender]

Watching No Time To Die again and the off-road chase sequence is bugging me. It clearly starts in Norway with fjords and jaggedy mountains, then we are suddenly transported to Scotland with Scottish mountains and trees…. And then back again. Very strange.

A lot (explosions mostly, and the jump scenes) was filmed up the road from me on Salisbury plain too. I recognised a few tracks that I MTB on, but they'd CGI'd new textures on instead of gravel and added mountains in the background. Very impressive.

I did wonder what was filmed where in the UK in those sequences as it seemed to be a real meld of the Cairngorms and other places.

[McSwede]

Red Notice. A bit boring and a bit shit.