Movies you've been watching...

[Bloody_Inferno]

Air

Air is a good example of how you can make a good movie out of any premise if it's well written, acted and directed. Ben Affleck and co made a movie about basketball shoes far more compelling than it has any right to be.

With the plot centering around Nike in the 80s signing Michael Jordan, but then asks, how do you make the events and the characters interesting when really the only interesting person is Jordan himself? Affleck answers by telling the underdog story around Matt Damon as Sonny Vaccaro and an all star cast, with little actual presence from Jordan. And it works because you get invested in the story, and you actually care about the characters motivations, you care whether if Mike will sign up with Nike or not, even when you know what already happens in history. It's old school storytelling about the journey and not the destination, and a showcase of great writing, acting and filmmaking.

 

[Wiltonauer]

I just watched Tart again for the first time in a while. This 2001 film from writer/director Christina Wayne is not well liked in many circles, but it shows an interesting take on a coming-of-age story where a girl on the fringes of popularity interacts with some real characters, with tragi-comic results. It’s kind of sleazy (albeit not quite at Larry Clark levels), but the acting, directing, and popular music score are all very strong.

 

[MFB]

Soft & Quiet

I think I'm on a government list for watching this, but god damn is it a tough watch because it's probably happened before and gone nowhere. If not the entire thing, then at least the first 30 minutes where they have their own little club, and talk like it's not some of the most vile hate shit there is.

To Leslie

Did we really need another movie about a flawed lead who redeems themselves as the end after deciding to turn it all around like they've tried so many times before?

 

[Louis Cypher]

Finally got round to watching Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio on Netflix.
It's a stunningly film. Stop motion animation is so beautiful and the film has all the usual del Toro trademarks, like the depiction of Death.
Brilliant film

 

[manu80]

Saw the new Spiderman animated yesterday. What a ride ! It has on me the same effect that Akira had in the 90's.
It's fast, well written, each character has a graphic universe. Character is interesting, braven, less irritating than how Marvel depicts him the recent movies. Can't wait for the sequel !!!!

 

[Bloody_Inferno]

Saw the new Spiderman animated yesterday. What a ride ! It has on me the same effect that Akira had in the 90's.
It's fast, well written, each character has a graphic universe. Character is interesting, braven, less irritating than how Marvel depicts him the recent movies. Can't wait for the sequel !!!!

Saw Across The Spider Verse last night as well. Fantastic overall, just as good as the first. Though a little overbloated and rough around the edges, which isn't really a problem when a movie this ambitious is swinging hard and reaching for the stars. And while it also reaches out for what now feels like old and tired multiverse tropes, I can't really fault that either.

 

[Bloody_Inferno]

Drive My Car

I wish I saw this movie earlier after hearing all the buzz about it, but I never got to until the weekend past. Glad I finally did because it's a masterpiece.

Based on a short story by Haruki Murakami, the movie may look and sound daunting, with its 3 hour run time and largely minimalistic approach, but the movie is a multilayered intertextual narrative about loneliness that stems on the fear of opening up your feelings. A lot of terrific acting and clever use of different languages along with the play of Uncle Vanya, which thematically intertwines with the overall plot.

The car itself is masterfully used as a set scene on multiple occasions, be it cruising around the streets of Hiroshima or being central through its moving surroundings or its interior for the two leads to drive the plot forward.

Drive My Car may require a bit of patience and perhaps even multiple viewings, but this is a stunning and remarkable work of art that rewards and satisfies those who see it through the end.

 

[wankerness]

Someone was playing the soundtrack to that at a record store about a year ago, and I have listened to it a lot ever since. Haven’t watched the movie, but great soundtrack!!! Wish it had a little more variety but the couple of themes are really great jazz/classical/indie hybrid.

 

[Wiltonauer]

Finally watched 1922 on Netflix, after avoiding it for months. Much better than I expected. Now I have to read Steve’s short story that it’s based on.

 

[Bloody_Inferno]

The Flash

Well this is rough. The movie is a weird fascinating beast, especially considering all the production troubles surrounding it. There's a plot that exists as thin front and back covers of a book, but all the pages in between are full of white noise of IP showcases and musical chairs for the shareholders.

There are moments where The Flash thematically has a lot to say about not allowing your past to shape your identity. But then undermines itself by pumping out a barrage of nostalgia pandering from Warner Bros movies past, assuming these are the reasons why you enjoyed those original movies in the first place. You can move on from your past, except not really; here's some references, catchphrases, and needle drops to remind you of simpler times.

And it's not a spoiler if the WB marketing team put it in the trailers.

For what is ostensibly the final chapter of the rocky DC Snyderverse, The Flash is a baffling mess that tries to establish an identity but results in having none.

 

[wankerness]

I saw some pictures from Flash on Twitter that looked like a really egregious example of CGI resurrection (though one of the two is still alive!!!). It looked so bad, like injustice graphics level of reality. Is that real?? Do they actually have lines?

Spoiler

Christopher Reeve and Helen Slater

 

[MFB]

I saw some pictures from Flash on Twitter that looked like a really egregious example of CGI resurrection (though one of the two is still alive!!!). It looked so bad, like injustice graphics level of reality. Is that real?? Do they actually have lines?

Spoiler

Christopher Reeve and Helen Slater

Heard about that listen and was honestly a little disgusted

Spoiler

It's one thing to show Christopher Reeves again as Superman, but legitimately standing as if he never went thru that accident which apparently he only did once? Yikes.

 

[manu80]

just coming back from the flash...What a mess/waste....
Intro is cool, The last 30 mins are interesting with the time paradox, Glad to see Keaton again, one cameo got me off guard at the end with a smile but the rest.... Ugly vfx, on the Mummy 2 The scorpion king level... the babies at the beginning.... like in 2023 ? really ? And I'm sorry -whatever Miller has done, not the point- but as a Flash , he's just not good. Jokes ain't funny, over acting all the time...worse than Holland in Spiderman !
Good ideas here and there but, I'm almost more sold on the tv series than the movie.....

Well so Far SPiederman acroos the spider verse really worked for me so far.... and last marvel were really bad, visually and storywise. Maybe it's time to release the super hero hype a bit....

I should have gone seeing Transformers....

 

[Spaced Out Ace]

Basically anything in Robert Englund's filmography. I haven't seen anything I didn't like, aside from "not enough Robert Englund."

 

[BMFan30]

The Dark (2018)

God, finally I managed to track this movie down after watching it in 2018 then not having a clue what the title of the film was since my initial viewing. I did many searches for it trying to describe it before biting the bullet then going through tons of generic "horror movies set in the woods" lists.

I thought the atmosphere here was perfect and has stayed in the back of my mind ever since I saw it, bothering the fuck out of me not being able to recall it. No wonder, it's got such a generic name for such an interesting film.

 

[Mathemagician]

“My name is Daron and I’m not a dick”

- Daron Quantumania MVP

 

[KnightBrolaire]

Cherry- one of the most depressing movies I've seen in a while. Boy meets girl, boy joins the army, boy gets ptsd, both of them become addicts and shit spirals from there. Tom Holland and Ciara Brown kill it though.

 

[Spaced Out Ace]

“My name is Daron and I’m not a dick”

- Daron Quantumania MVP

I see your Daron and raise you a Buck.

"Name's Buck. Rarin' to fuck."
- Buck, Eaten Alive (1976) -- Directed by Tobe Hooper; Robert Englund as Buck

 

[Ralyks]

Just got back from Across The Spider Verse with my son. Other than being a bit lengthy, fantastic movie, just as good as the first (and the first to me is, at worst, a top 3 super hero movie).

 

[Wiltonauer]

Just got around to watching Dead Pool, Idiocracy, and Borat.