The Movie Thread

[drcarlos]

After watching Dune again on Friday I was reminded about how awful the sound is. You can barely hear them or (because I’m poor and semi detached) wake the neighbours.

I am looking forward to watching Dune 2 at the cinema but really get frustrated with movies you have to strain to listen to.

I get my hearing checked yearly, yes I’m not old and deaf

Dave!

These are on my list to watch as the reviews have been good. I was wondering if you have a proper surround system (i dont think a soundbar with virtual surround would work) as the separate centre speaker usually sorts this and if it is still low you can raise the gain in the centre dialogue channel only without waking the neighbour's by cranking up the overall volume.

[Ascender]

I didn't have any issue with the dialogue of Dune 2 when we saw it at the local iMax. I saw Oppenheimer there too without any issues but then saw people complaining about that, so I do wonder if there's just very fine tolerances when it comes to movies like that where the soundtrack is using a massive amount of bass and volume at times as well as balancing dialogue in the mix.

@V8Granite - I've listened to a couple of podcasts about Dune 2 and they have compressed and changed the timeline and there's lots of stuff cut out as the book is so dense apparently. I think the cost of that is some things lack context or explanation which is a bit frustrating.

[dinny_g]

Watched an old one on Saturday - Memento

Mini-dinny is a big Nolan fan and he's ticking off some of the older ones (Insomnia is next - which I didn't really rate)

It's very clever in the way it's constructed with the 2 timelines moving in different directions meaning we experience a similar lack of information as the protagonist.

Solid 7 out of 10

[Ascender]

I do like Memento, not seen it for a long time though so I'll add that to the rewatch list - I've got a lot of time supporting some testing work this week where I'll be kicking around with nothing to do so I will watch it then.

I really like Insomnia but I know it's one of his least-liked movies. I've also got the original version of it sitting here which I've not got round to watching yet.

[dinny_g]

Maybe Insomnia will be better on a re-watch.

It's on our list for Easter...

[Gavster]

Saw Top Gun: Maverick and it absolutely slapped. Essentially a paint-by-numbers eighties action film done to perfection. Great fun and brilliant on a large screen with the volume cranked up - perhaps the only way to watch it.

One thing that amused me is how they didn't refer specifically to the enemy's nationality at all. It was always "state-controlled enemy uranium silo" or whatever term they used. Obviously Hollywood is too scared of naming a specific nationality as being an enemy these days.

[Rich B]

Saw Top Gun: Maverick and it absolutely slapped. Essentially a paint-by-numbers eighties action film done to perfection. Great fun and brilliant on a large screen with the volume cranked up - perhaps the only way to watch it.

One thing that amused me is how they didn't refer specifically to the enemy's nationality at all. It was always "state-controlled enemy uranium silo" or whatever term they used. Obviously Hollywood is too scared of naming a specific nationality as being an enemy these days.

I think it's just a case of "it doesn't really matter" who the baddie is, so long as they have blacked out visors and look like baddies!

[Mito Man]

It could only be Iran though, movie producers perhaps more afraid of being hunted by a hitman!

[dinny_g]

Someone recently pointed out to me that:

Spoiler

the precision missile attack on the enemy base before the bombing run could have been repeated on the SAM positions. Would have made the attack a lot easier

But that aside, it’s a cracking brain out action flick

[Simon]

Iran doesn't have 5th gen fighters though?

[RobYob]

Pretty much everything about Maverick was complete nonsense. And I don't care, it's right up there as entertainment.

My higher brain functions shut down during the Mach10 sequence and just bathed in happy whooshy jet fighter visuals for two hours. It's actually quite a tricky pulling off That much suspension of disbelief.

[Mito Man]

The number of countries in the world which have an unsanctioned uranium enrichment program and a fleet of Tomcats is ...1.
The 5th gen fighters was just Hollywood dusting but maybe Iran will get some from Russia in exchange for those drones they're giving them?

[RobYob]

The number of countries in the world which have an unsanctioned uranium enrichment program and a fleet of Tomcats is ...1.
The 5th gen fighters was just Hollywood dusting but maybe Iran will get some from Russia in exchange for those drones they're giving them?

Doubt Iran would touch Su57 with a bargepole given its development history and operational "success" at least so far.

Almost completely OT but the fantastic Perun YouTube channel talked about Russian arms exports recently. They've plummeted in international sales from 2nd to 6th in the last few years, just ahead of the UK.

[Beany]

The number of countries in the world which have an unsanctioned uranium enrichment program and a fleet of Tomcats is ...1.
The 5th gen fighters was just Hollywood dusting but maybe Iran will get some from Russia in exchange for those drones they're giving them?

Jesus fucking christ, it's a Top Gun movie you clown, put the Conpsiracy Nutter 101 handbook away.

[RobYob]

Jesus fucking christ, it's a Top Gun movie you clown, put the Conpsiracy Nutter 101 handbook away.

I thought it a more than reasonable bit of suspended disbelief plot. The ancient and EXTREMELY HIGH MAINTENANCE F14s still in keyturn condition was pushing it though

[Simon]

F14's don't have a key.

/thatguy.

[Gavster]

Guys this film really won’t stand up to any form of critical analysis so it’s really not worth going there. It’s all about the feels and it does that brilliantly.

[mik]

Poor Things

Stupendous.

Dafoe - chapeau sir.

Ruffalo - annoyed me in the first few minutes with a rather questionable accent, but totally redeemed himself.

Ms Stone. Wow , Bravo. Absolutely deserving of all accolades.

Loved the way it was shot : flavours of Edward Scissorhands, Terry Gilliam & Steampunk throughout.

Music totally mirrored her journey.

Levels of rampant humping probably higher than I, or my wife, or my children were expecting, but regardless : 9.5 fisheye lense shots out of 10.

[mik]

Past Lives

Korean, subtitles. Simple love story. But not.

Some beautifully awkward scenes, dripping in warmth and stifled emotion.

Thoroughly enjoyed it. 8.5 12-year gaps out of 10 for me.

[DaveE]

American Fiction (Amazon Prime)

Really enjoyed this

Not sure how to describe it without giving too much away

Basically about a black author in the US who's torn between "worthy" literature and pandering to a largely white readership by producing material that reinforces some racial stereotypes about black people/culture

One of the better things I've watched in a fair while...