Topic: The Movie Thread

So have had a very nice time watching the "old" X-men movies lately. Good stuff and really engaging movies so can highly recommend them to those who is looking for something interesting to watch.

Just got back from seeing The Creator.

It doesn't break any narrative ground for this type of film, but if you like future tech sci-fi it's a very good film. It looks fantastic, both in terms of the quality of the effects (may be the best looking CGI I've seen in a film this year) as well as in design (the tech reminded me a lot of 80's anime sci-fi like Akira, Venus Wars, Bubblegum Crisis & the like), which really immerses you into the world. The action is exciting when it occurs, and everyone seems to put in a good performance.

Might be a bit of recency bias, but I'd say it's one of my favorite films of the year (behind Oppenheimer & Mario, though it's definitely a "better" film than the latter), so it's a bit disappointing to see it hasn't been doing too well at the box office. On the plus side, I was the only person in the entire theatre, which was pretty cool.

@RR529 I want to see this one too. Indeed have not seen much talk around it...

for movies Im still doing my horror movie watchathon the rest of this month for DVD and blu ray

still have Phenomena+Creepers to watch for blu ray
rewatching The Kindred either with commentary track on or without
My Best Friend is a Vampire
Nightmare on Elm Street 1-5; New Nightmare even though I just watched them a month and half ago lol

Squirm which is on Tubi

A lot of stuff since my last post.

Cloud Atlas (Blu-Ray) - Six seemingly disconnected stories across time (the 1800's, 1930's, 1970's, 2012, 2100's, & Post Apocalypse) that all end up connected in some way or another. It jumps between eras frequently (it's not told in a chronological order) and each story has a different vibe (from future sci-fi blockbuster, comedy, conspiracy thriller, & more). I've always liked watching it as it's quite unlike anything else I've seen elsewhere (& I honestly think it comes together quite well), and rewatching it I honestly think it's been cemented as one of my favorite films of all time.

Piranha (4K UHD Blu-Ray) - The 1978 original. I've always liked watching this & it looks great cleaned up in 4K.

Princess Mononoke (Blu-Ray) - I knew this had a reputation for being a bit darker than your typical Ghibli fair, but man I was not prepared for how hard this thing would go. Almost surprised it got away with a PG-13 rating. Great film, though I think I prefer lighter fair when it comes to the studio.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (Netflix) - I admit I wasn't chomping at the bit to see this, but I had just finished up Spider-Man 2 (the new game, not the Raimi film) so was in the mood. Even as someone who watches quite a bit of animation (especially anime) I usually side eye all the animation fans saying the Academy overlooks this or that for best picture every year, however in this case I think they may genuinely have a point. This is honestly the best movie I've seen this year other than maybe Oppenheimer. The visual style can perhaps be a bit too busy at times, but I honestly have nothing else to fault with it. It looks stunning, has absolutely kinetic action setpieces, some great narrative twists, is genuinely emotional, and is legitimately humorous. Furthermore, THIS is how you do inclusivity. Even as someone who sits on the more socially conservative side of things, I can admit that this film is not only "Woke", but is better off for it. At no point does it feel like they're checking boxes for the sake of it nor does it feel preachy (unlike the finale of the Falcon & Winter Soldier). This just genuinely feels like the film the artists wanted to make and it works wonderfully. I feel similarly about how it handles the multiverse. Sure, there is the very occasional call back to the greater cinematic (& gaming) history of Spider-Man, but that's very much in the background and not the point. Can't recommend it enough.

Spider-Man: No Way Home (Amazon Prime) - This was fun. Perhaps the complete opposite ethos of the above (the multiverse aspect very much IS for the shameless fan service), but I'd be lying if I said I didn't had a good time. The three live action Spider-Men had great chemistry, Willem Defoe looked like he was having fun chewing up the scenery as Green Goblin (though I question the choice of having something so transformative as the death of Aunt May happen at the hands of a villain with no connection to "Tom" Peter, let alone his universe ), and I always enjoy seeing Doctor Strange doing his thing (great fight scene there).

few things im busy with the rest of this month

Star Wars Rebels
Ron's Gone Wrong
Luca

these things on Tubi -Under Siege 1 and 2, the 1980s The Beast Within horror movie

300: Rise of an Empire (Blu-Ray) - Felt a bit more cartoony than the first, probably because of all the slow mo effects clearly there for 3D (and was mostly set concurrently to the first, rather than being an in depth prequel or sequel), but it's still quite a fun "dude film". Would love to see more stuff like this (& Sin City) come out of Hollywood.

Planes, Trains, & Automobiles (4K UHD Blu-Ray) - We watched this as a family for our annual Thanksgiving watch. The 80's is absolutely unmatched at these comedies that despite having some wacky moments somehow feel believable & grounded, and have a real heart to them.

Spirited Away (Blu-Ray) - Wonderfully animated & imaginative film. I don't think I'd seen this since the days of watching it on SDTV cable, so seeing it in HD brought some real life to it.

What the Peeper Saw (Blu-Ray) - Known in the UK as Night Hair Child, it's a 70's thriller where the new young wife of a widower suspects her calculating 12 year old stepson of murdering her husband's last wife (& the boy's mother). Interesting... but it definitely pushes some taboos you wouldn't be likely to see today in a film (or at the very least it'd be handled much differently).

Just got back from seeing Godzilla: Minus One!

It was honestly a great time. The human element was done quite well & had a few effective emotional moments (much better than you'd usually see from a Hollywood blockbuster, including most of the "Monsterverse" projects), and the production values were handled wonderfully. Not quite up there with a Hollywood project that's firing on all cylinders, but it almost never felt hokey, and everything had a very effective sense of weight & power behind it, with a lot of exciting moments.

Really glad to say I've been able to see a Japanese made Godzilla film in theatres now (I've only went to see the 2014 and... 1998, American efforts until now), and it's honestly one of the best films I've seen this year. Probably the last time I'll go to the cinema this year, and it was a great choice to end the year on (it was either going to be this or Napoleon).

Cosign 10000%. Loved Godzilla Minus One. I was pleaseantly surprised at the human element as well. On the newer stuff (except Skull Island) the human stories are pretty meh.

I too can now say I have seen a Japenese Godzilla movie in the theater.

My favorite movie is rocknroller by guy ritchie.
Incredible movie the dialog and camerawork are top notch.

Films I've watched over the past month & a half or so. I won't include the annual Christmas movie rewatches, but even so I understand if this is TLDR for most.

The Bullet Train (Blu-Ray) - 70's Japanese flick that inspired works like Speed (terrorists have strapped a bomb to a bullet train that'll blow if it goes below 80 km per hour). This holds up really well & was a good watch.

Clash of the Titans (Blu-Ray) - The 80's version. The special effects were dated as get out (even compared to other stuff I've seen from the era), but it still had a certain charm. I would say I even enjoyed it.

The Flash (Amazon Prime) - Not gonna lie, I actually thought this was pretty fun. It was cringey & lazy how they shoved all those "multiverse" legacy cameos in it, but at least they waited to the last 5 or so minutes to do it. Otherwise it was a pretty fun Back to the Future-esque take on a superhero flick.

Ghost in the Shell: the New Movie (Blu-Ray) - Not as good as the original in many respects, but a decent sci-fi mystery/action film in it's own right.

Gran Turismo: Based on a True Story (Netflix) - I thought the racing itself was fun, but I just couldn't get into the human element of it much at all. Certainly not a patch on something like Ford V Ferrari.

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (Blu-Ray) - Picked this up while thrifting around the holidays. I actually thought this was really good... when it was focused on rescuing the dinos from the volcano & the ethics surrounding that. It was much less compelling when it became a mansion bound slasher flick. They should have just made the first half the whole movie.

MEG 2: The Trench (Netflix) - Very much a B-movie, but fun for what it is.

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (Blu-Ray) - Still a visually stunning film all these years later, and I love the design of the tech (gunships, tanks, & the like). A rip roaring good time.

No Hard Feelings (Netflix) - It's been a good while since Hollywood has churned out a raunchy comedy that caught my eye, so this was a nice surprise. It's not the greatest thing in the world, but I enjoyed it.

Only Yesterday (Blu-Ray) - Could be a bit slow at times, but it had it's moments & was beautiful like most Ghibli films. Very cozy.

Perfect Blue (Blu-Ray) - Intensely gripping psychological drama. The aesthetic is great and the animation can be a tad rough at times but it totally works with the vibe of the film.

The Punisher (Blu-Ray) - 2000's version. Comic book films have come along way since this released (though you may not know it based on what most of Marvel & DC have released the past couple years), but I actually think this holds up surprisingly well. A pretty good action flick all things considered.

Star Wars: the Force Awakens (Blu-Ray) - Another one I picked up thrifting. Going back into it with no specific expectations, it was actually a pretty fun time. Sure, you probably don't want to think about the narrative too deeply (it's pretty much just A New Hope, but BIGGER!), but as pure popcorn entertainment I may enjoy it more than the originals (don't shoot me, lol).

Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (4K UHD Blu-Ray) - I really enjoy the opening act of this one, but for some reason it always kinda loses me once it gets to Endor. I mean it still has some cool action scenes (like the speeder chase through the forest) & iconic moments, so it's not bad by any means, I just kinda zone out. Maybe I've just seen it too many times.

Titanic (4K UHD Blu-Ray) - This was the first time I've actually sat down to watch the whole thing, and it was absolutely excellent (may be my favorite watch in this list, though Perfect Blue comes really close). From the modern submersible excursions of the wreck (and that sub tech looks cool AF even today) to being transported back in time to that fateful voyage it was completely captivating from beginning to end & didn't feel 3 hours long at all.

Transformers (Blu-Ray) - Another thrift score. I actually love the vibe of this movie, from the humor, to the male-gazey bits, to the "American military heck yeah" angle (I was a high school aged white dude when it came out, so it was practically hand crafted for me, lol). However I will agree that the titular bots are over designed and it can be tough to actually follow the action.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (Blu-Ray) - Ditto of pretty much everything I said above.

Wonka (Cinema) - I've actually done a write up of this one once already, but I'll include it here for completion's sake. Not the type of thing I'd normally go see at the cinema, but my father wanted to see it so we went together. It was actually a pretty nice family film.

Oppenheimer

Saw it just as the director intended - on a 32" TV 50 feet away. Just kidding. Thought it would've focused on Oppenheimer and The Manhattan Project as in actually documenting how they built the bombs, but nope. Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, and Robert Downey jr were all great in their roles. Let's see if it scoops up big at the Oscars.
8 / 10