Talk about whatever you want to here, but stay correct
#325907 by Bookwyrm83
Tue Jun 27, 2017 3:03 pm
Get Out.
This is a genuinely suspenseful and effective psychological horror tale, made more impressive as Jordan Peele directs like someone who has made several of these kind of movies (I read he actually has a few more, similar films planned and I'm looking forward to them).
Besides being craftily subversive on the issue of race, it also sets up an eerie atmosphere from the first shot, making the audience feel as alienated as the main character Chris, whilst balancing the tension with appropriate levels of humor. A few jump moments are peppered in but most of them serve to sustain unease; only one or two felt a bit gratuitous.
There are a couple of plot elements that had me raising questions and figuring them out on the way home, and while I can make sense of them after the fact, they do leave you wondering while the film progresses. Beyond that, I'd say this film earns its praise and warrants repeat viewings.
#325908 by EphelDuath666
Wed Jun 28, 2017 3:15 pm
I still need to watch JW2 and Get Out as well. JW2 is out on Blu-ray now but I think it'll still take a while for Get Out to be out on Blu-ray here. I think I'll finally go and watch Wonder Woman next week. I rewatched Man of Steel and Batman v Superman in anticipation. And I'm also looking forward to Spider-Man: Homecoming....A LOT.
#325910 by EphelDuath666
Sat Jul 08, 2017 10:36 am
aaaaand I picked up JW2....fun fun fun! Hyperviolent of course and yes, at times I also felt like I was watching someone play a video game, heh. Didn't bother me either though. And the kill count :shock:
#325916 by Bookwyrm83
Thu Jul 13, 2017 6:54 am
Spider-Man: Homecoming
As far as I'm concerned, definitely the best Spidey film since Spider-Man 2 and could arguably be the best film adaptation, period. There's a lot more comedy and teenage humor in this installment than previous Spidey films, making it feel more like the source material in many ways, and thankfully skims over the origin story. We know enough, and now we get to know his world and the people in them.
Tom Holland plays teenage Peter Parker flawlessly and you truly believe this is a boy who is not only coming of age but learning the ways of the world, and his responsibility as a hero. However, unlike some other Spider-Man films, the movie doesn't spell it out to him - it simply shows him evolve and figure out the consequences for himself.
Michael Keaton's Adrian Toomes/Vulture is the perfect villain to offset him, as he's not completely evil but certainly cunning and dangerous when required. Batman (and Birdman) jokes are likely irresistible but this is one character who doesn't feel like a Marvel trope for once, which is good.
Like any good MCU film this has the right balance of light, dark, action and character-building. It doesn't feel like a stepping stone nor a rehash of what's been done before. It might get a bit too silly or quickly edited at times but it's definitely worth the effort. Recommended. :spidey:
#325920 by Bookwyrm83
Sat Jul 15, 2017 3:49 am
Baby Driver

Edgar Wright has delivered another winner with a film that's tense, intriguing but most of all fun.
An excellent soundtrack plays over (and often drives, pardon the pun) the story and action sequences. All the characters are engaging and most of the actors get a chance to steal the screen. John Hamm and Jamie Foxx are particularly brilliant as the main loose cannons of the bunch.
What's also great is that there's hardly any CGI to be noticed. The chases and shoot-outs feel real and are consistently white-knuckle. Baby's reliance on constant music and its effects are just as convincing as his character.
A genuinely thrilling (and also funny) movie that deserves to be seen and heard.
#325926 by Bookwyrm83
Sun Jul 23, 2017 1:59 am
Dunkirk

In my honest opinion, Christopher Nolan has given us the Mad Max: Fury Road of World War 2 movies.
This film wastes no time in dropping into the battle and the intensity that comes with it. The characters we are introduced to aren't given a great amount of background (or dialogue, for that matter) and this helps to heighten the reality.
Instead of seeing people wax lyrical about the horrors of war, or cut to scenes of the Nazis scheming in the background, we see the soldiers (and civilians) impacted by the evacuation waiting for rescue, or death. It's this uncertainty and suspense, coupled with realistic action and fantastic dogfights, that keep the film riveting from start to finish.
I'm also glad it only went for 106 minutes because any longer would have felt excessive. We're given enough details to know what's going on and the rest is pure visual storytelling. I also liked that it's told from three main points of view that intersect and sometimes double back, similar in some ways to Memento. I'm going to see this again, and am aiming for IMAX so I can drink in those gorgeous shots. Check it out.
#325929 by Bookwyrm83
Mon Jul 31, 2017 11:19 pm
War for the Planet of the Apes.
Does what a good third movie should by being the culmination, pay-off and send-off for the characters we've come to know and love from the last two films.
The visual effects are effectively flawless and the most realistic yet. Maurice the Orangutan looks like he is truly there in front of you. Andy Serkis' Caesar is probably the most believable mocap performance he's played and goddamn if he doesn't deserve an Oscar for this.
Woody Harrelson as the Colonel makes a great impression and is the best human villian of the reboot series.
Darker, heavier yet somehow more beautiful than its predecessors, I fully support the notion that this is the best Apes film since the 1968 original.

Also saw Dunkirk again at IMAX last night (on the 1570 film presentation, not the digital, making it even more impressive) and I can safely say the experience beats the teeth out of standard cinema.
Not only do you get to see the true differences and transition between 65mm and 70mm only that screen can provide, the visuals are even more splendid and the audio even more white knuckle.
Those German bombers flying directly overhead sound more bone-grating than pretty much any movie monster.
Worth every cent.
#325939 by Bookwyrm83
Fri Aug 18, 2017 7:46 am
The Dark Tower

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I knew going in that the 95 minute run time, PG-13 rating and onslaught of negative reviews should brace me for a bad movie.
If I had not known this was a Dark Tower story, or had never read any of the Dark Tower books, I might say it's a watchable if convoluted action film. Knowing the source material and that this is meant to act as a sequel to the books however, I have very little that is nice to say.

The opening logo (no, not that Sony shit, I refer to the Tet Corporation logo) is the best part of the movie. Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey try their best with the material and direction they're given (the latter tellingly having more fun), and there were times where the movie came close to being good. Just not close enough.

The action was generic (and in some scenes poorly lit/edited), the story was an abstruse jumble of elements from the whole book series (barring the second, fourth and eighth) that was barely cohesive and didn't logically match up with the novels, and the overall tone felt like several different genres being mashed into one story.
I will grant The Dark Tower series does blend multiple genres in telling its tales but these are mostly large books, and thus are not constrained by time and a marketable rating. The effect is wasted in the movie, which skips over plot and suspense in favor of spectacle and one-liners.

I cannot recommend this movie to the uninitiated (except as a time filler) and will not to fans of the books. The best I'll grant is that it's better than some other King adaptations; you know, the ones you throw first into the trash fire.
#325940 by EphelDuath666
Sat Aug 19, 2017 12:02 pm
still haven't watched the new Spider-Man movie, hope I'll find some time to do that. If not, oh well, I'll buy in on Blu-ray anyways.

Been watching some classic sci-fi flicks lately such as The Day The Earth Stood Still, Forbidden Planet, The Incredible Shrinking Man, It Came From Outer Space and The Time Machine. Great stuff. I'm in the mood for old movies right now, maybe that's why I haven't gone and watched Spider-Man yet.
#325954 by Bookwyrm83
Thu Sep 07, 2017 6:47 am
IT
Lives up to the hype in so many ways, this is not only far better than the 1990 mini-series but I'd make the argument that Bill Skarsgård is a scarier Pennywise than Tim Curry. Time will tell, of course.

This movie effectively embodies the spirit of the novel while still offering its own unique spin on the tale, with a few new monsters and directions taken. The child cast is perfectly believable and the chemistry they have with each other (and with It) is genuine and satisfying.
This movie is also not exploitative with either violence or teenage sexuality, dropping the more questionable elements from the book in favor of sharing a natural bond (while still acknowledging these kids are in early puberty) and making the gory/ogrish scenes akin to a manic haunted house.

While the make-up and practical effects were great, the CG elements were a bit uneven for me. Most of it worked, some not so much, and some were hilarious (that may be intentional).

This one I absolutely recommend and will see again. I just hope the inevitable second part (for the adult chapters) is just as good, or as close as possible. Then we can not only have a final comparison of old vs. new but it will also cement Skarsgård's effectiveness. Looking great so far.
#325955 by EphelDuath666
Fri Sep 08, 2017 11:55 am
dude, I so wanna see It too. I think it will open on September 28th over here. Just in time for Shocktober (I'll only watch scary movies all month long in October. Well, Blade Runner 2049 being the one exception...or 5 exceptions, depending on how good BR2049 is, heh)

watched all kinds of sci-fi movies over the past few weeks in anticipation of Blade Runner 2049. Too many to list them all but it's been a lot of fun. Now I'll switch to film-noir and tech/future-noir and then on October 5th (or 4th if I'm lucky) I have a date with Rick Deckard.
#325968 by Bookwyrm83
Sat Sep 23, 2017 3:05 am
mother!
I'm still processing what I just saw.

One the one hand, this movie aims to be unsettling from the very start until the credits roll (even during, actually). By and large it is successful, being an effective metaphor for the dangers of fame, loss of privacy, and the under-appreciation of women in relationships (especially if they are younger).
On the other, the movie's constant use of close-ups, sweeping cameras and insufferable characters (except Jennifer Lawrence as mother, who basically feels like the audience's POV) make it rather stressful to watch. Even the scenes where I became most invested in or startled by went hand-in-hand with the more chaotic directions and semi-subtle foreshadowing.

By the final act, the movie's supposed parable explodes onto the screen and everything that I simultaneously enjoyed and disliked was being thrown in with crazed fervency.
Spoiler: show
Ultimately, the aforementioned themes merge into brutal take on religious fanaticism, particularly Christianity, including a horrific interpretation of Christ's nativity. Javier Bardem is essentially God and loves his adulation, even at the expense of his wife and child, despite showing them similar love and passion. Funny that I didn't pick up on Lawrence as Mother Earth until after watching the film and going on Wikipedia to read more, but it makes so much sense and I certainly felt that kind of symbolism with her, even if the name didn't click.

Without doubt, this is the most polarizing movie I've seen this year. I personally think it's good but will not be in a rush to see it again. I can certainly understand why people have strong reactions to it. Not for everyone.
#325983 by EphelDuath666
Thu Oct 05, 2017 3:03 pm
earlier today at 4 pm I watched...


Blade Runner 2049

I will admit I was a weeeee bit nervous at first, despite fully trusting Denis Villeneuve and despite liking the cast. But Blade Runner's my #1 all-time favorite movie to the point where I'm almost obsessed with it. And when I say almost I mean I'm seriously 100% obsessed with it. I'd never admit in public how many times I've seen it already (ahem...probably 60 times now, heh :P ) so yeah, this was a big thing for me. You could say Blade Runner's my Star Wars. That's why I was a little nervous.

But boy was there absolutely NO reason for it. It was excellent. An audio-visual masterpiece which, just like its predecessor, asks questions and expands Blade Runner's world beautifully. If you watched the trailer and are worried that they might have turned Blade Runner into an action movie then I can calm your nerves. It's as noir as the first one, it's quiet, dark and definitely not overly action packed so Blade Runner 2049 has that in common with the first one. Which means that if you didn't like Blade Runner's slowish pacing and quietness where few words were spoken but the words that were spoken mattered...then, well then you won't like BR2049 either.

The movie doesn't just rely on its visuals and sound design though. The cast does a great, believable job. Gosling in particular. He doesn't talk a whole lot in the movie but he does an excellent job expressing emotion with his face. You root for him and you want him to have his happy ending. Even Jared Leto was damn good and he can sometimes go "a little" overboard (*cough* Joker *cough*). And I loved the movie's (admittedly subtle but effective) plot which to me was emotional, relatable and, most importantly, thought provoking. So yeah, I'm a very happy camper and will go watch it again next week! Now if only the soundtrack were available on CD....
#325984 by Bookwyrm83
Sat Oct 07, 2017 3:20 pm
Blade Runner 2049
You know what, just read the above. My thoughts are pretty much the same, even though I am not as obsessed with the original film (which I've only seen 3 or 4 times, I think).
Do want to see this one a second time, perhaps at IMAX. Definitely worth it.

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