The Movie Thread

[Mito Man]

The Highwaymen - I enjoyed this, didn’t know much about Bonnie and Clyde so it was interesting.
7/10

[unzippy]

Burrds of Prey

Got better as it went on but that may have been the tequila.
Their Victor Zsasz is crap compared to Gotham's and Ewan McGregor's accent slips when he shouts.
It's no Bad Boys.

[McSwede]

Godzilla: King of the Monsters - Rubbish so far!

[McSwede]

Godzilla: King of the Monsters - Rubbish so far!

Yep. Utter tripe.

[Zonda_]

Godzilla: King of the Monsters - Rubbish so far!

Yep. Utter tripe.

I'm wondering what you were expecting?

[Peterlplp]

Shin Godzilla was bloody good.

[McSwede]

Godzilla: King of the Monsters - Rubbish so far!

Yep. Utter tripe.

I'm wondering what you were expecting?

I know. I just thought I'd give it a whirl.

[Ascender]

Godzilla: King of the Monsters - Rubbish so far!

I only recently finished the original (2014 remake) which was utter bobbins but fairly enjoyable - I thought some of the cinematography was great, the halo jump in particular. I'd read the sequel was tosh, but picked up a digital copy for $3 so gave it a go. Good grief its bad. And makes no sense whatsoever - even if you totally suspend disbelief and unplug your brain - what on earth are they all doing with the monsters in the first place?

[Ascender]

Despite vowing not to, I picked up digital copies of all 9 Star Wars movies today, so I guess there’s a binge watch on the cards (Plus Rogue One). I’m just hoping I enjoy the last two more than when I saw them first time round.

Lockdown is also making me think a 4K TV is on the cards.... Any recommendations for something 55-65” which isn’t silly money?

[NotoriousREV]

Despite vowing not to, I picked up digital copies of all 9 Star Wars movies today, so I guess there’s a binge watch on the cards (Plus Rogue One). I’m just hoping I enjoy the last two more than when I saw them first time round.

Lockdown is also making me think a 4K TV is on the cards.... Any recommendations for something 55-65” which isn’t silly money?

Rogue One is still the best one.

[Simon]

I've not heard of that one, is that a Sony or a Panasonic?

[NotoriousREV]

I've not heard of that one, is that a Sony or a Panasonic?

[Ascender]

In a new section which nobody asked for or wants, I’m going to put up my thoughts after a re-watch of Star Wars.

The Phantom Menace

Its still garbage, but its not as bad garbage as I remember it being. The kid who plays Anakin isn’t as annoying as I remember him being either and there’s a few sections which are actually quite good. The whole Tatooine section I think works quite well. Of course there’s too much exposition and you have to suspend your disbelief about how they got there and what they have to do to get off the planet, but the pod racer section holds up well.

Yes, there’s mild racism and much of the CGI is crap, especially whenever they try to use it to simulate actual people - like when the two Jedi slip in to the loading bay at the start - it looks like a couple of dribbly turds slipping down the toilet bowl. But the fight with Darth Maul is bloody good - the Dual of the Fates music is pretty iconic (even my wife remembered it) and I love how they shot it. The bit when they have to take a break from fighting due to those red shields coming down is brilliant - Maul pacing on one side with Qui-Gon Jinn meditating.

OK, so those two sections apart, it is utter garbage and that’s without even getting in to the racist/xenophobic accusations about some of the characters.

out of 5

[Ascender]

I’ve started on Attack of the Clones and I think the most distracting thing about these movies is the crappy special effects. Whenever characters, CGI or otherwise, interact with something with is entirely CGI, it looks utterly naff and totally takes you out of the moment. They famously used green screens to replicate entire sets and its also very jarring when characters move from one of those sets on to something which is clearly a physical set.

The opening section to Clones is effectively a car chase in a Blade Runner-style city of the future. But it looks like an arcade game and not in a good way. Everything is shiny neon with zero detail - presumably a limitation of the tech of the time? But obviously Lucas had this vision in his mind and wasn’t wanting to compromise.

I know this is 20 year-old tech, but there was lots of great use of CGI from that era which hasn’t aged anywhere near as badly as this.

But then it also hit me. So much of the first film and a half I’ve seen is made up of landscapes and buildings which look like the famous Ralph McQuarrie concept art. And when I say looks like, I mean it looks like they’ve just scanned some of his art in and used it as backdrops. So you get these really simple, “pretty” looking scenes with zero actual detail or believability and then some people walking through it. Everything is also utterly pristine and shiny, which works with some of the spacecraft and droids, but looks downright wrong for the majority of the time.

So far, that’s my biggest problem with these, not Jar Jar.

[Gavin]

I found that after the initial disappointment of "oh, it's a New Hope again" with ep7 I enjoyed it more on second and third viewing. Same with The Last Jedi, although it could have been missed completely without taking much away from the saga (apart form Poe on hold with Hux).

Are you in the US? Is ep9 out in the UK now? I googled it yesterday but got a few different dates for release. It certainly is NOT on Disney Plus which is kind of annoying although probably not surprising.

[ZedLeg]

Attack of the clones is the worst Star Wars overall and Last Jedi is the best of the new ones.

[Gavin]

Whit? You oan drugs? Last Jedi is pitiful.

Disjointed and I hate people criticising kids fantasy films (which is what SW is) but even I thought it could have been a whole lot better!

[Ascender]

I found that after the initial disappointment of "oh, it's a New Hope again" with ep7 I enjoyed it more on second and third viewing. Same with The Last Jedi, although it could have been missed completely without taking much away from the saga (apart form Poe on hold with Hux).

Are you in the US? Is ep9 out in the UK now? I googled it yesterday but got a few different dates for release. It certainly is NOT on Disney Plus which is kind of annoying although probably not surprising.

Yes, I think episode 7 is very good, even though it is like a bit of a re-tread and a greatest hits movie. It works well though. I’ve not seen Last Jedi since the cinema where I wasn’t a big fan, but I’m looking forward to it as I’m now coming round to the way of thinking that actually it was a brave move and they should have followed through on it.

I got these digital movies from US sellers. ep9 came out there over the weekend, so there’s loads of people selling digital codes at the moment.

[ZedLeg]

Whit? You oan drugs? Last Jedi is pitiful.

Disjointed and I hate people criticising kids fantasy films (which is what SW is) but even I thought it could have been a whole lot better!

Force awakens is pretty good but the last one is a mess that completely ruins the character arcs of Rey and Kylo so they could have the emperor in it. The Last Jedi is the only one that feels like a new Star Wars movie. All just my opinion though.

Rev is correct in that Rogue One is the best Star Wars overall though.

[Gavin]

Ah OK, just checked again and April the 20th seems to be UK date.

It really does beggar belief that there is a three week delay when time and time again dodgy codes and what not hurt eventual UK sales.