Movies + TV series: Past and New Recommendation

A little song, a little dance, a little seltzer down your pants.
User avatar
NapLajoieonSteroids
Posts: 8390
Joined: Fri Dec 23, 2011 7:04 pm

Re: Movies: New Release Recommendations + Scenes from the P

Post by NapLajoieonSteroids »

In my opinion, Rocknrolla, the first Sherlock and the King Arthur are good enough and show off the long awaited promises of Guy Ritchie. Snatch/Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels/etc are filled with too much blithe, casual cruelty.

Plus that one movie he made with Madonna, is this a man who should be rewarded?
User avatar
NapLajoieonSteroids
Posts: 8390
Joined: Fri Dec 23, 2011 7:04 pm

Re: Movies: New Release Recommendations + Scenes from the P

Post by NapLajoieonSteroids »

Typhoon wrote: Which raises an interesting point. How will these costumed superhero films stand the test of time?

Thirty years from now will a few be considered classics or will all be forgotten?


I think you're right in your later posts that the comics will outlast most of these movies. But some of the characters will outlast even the comics. As great as it would be to own Action Comics #1 for financial reasons, does anyone really care to read it?

Superman and Batman from DC and Spider-Man (with the Hulk and Wolverine sorta on the bubble) from Marvel will be around for a long, long time in whatever media. Most kids probably are more familiar with Batman from the Arkham video games than the comics and movies combined. And now Sony is getting in on the act and bringing the Arkham experience to Spider Man:

Pq02p3z3X2k

Twenty years ago, X-Men were the biggest non-Spider Man property Marvel had. They've really fallen off a cliff by some combination of changing tastes and company choice [to try to pressure Fox Studios into selling back the movie rights]. Before them, the Fantastic Four were humongous- they haven't had their own comic book series in years. Same with DC- Wonder Woman and the Flash sort of drift in and out of popular culture; Aquaman has always been the butt of jokes and marginal....maybe Shazam- but he was much more popular before DC bought up the rights to the Superman-clone character.

...but in regards to film, this is why I started a spirited defense of Batman v Superman before getting distracted, heh. We are almost 30 years into consistent superhero/comic book movies. Whatever one thinks of them, it's not a fad or novelty at this point. And like any genre, there are a handful that are just plain great and I think will be given the same treatment that The Searchers gets- and be something fans of films will watch for a long while.

Those superhero movies would be thus far:

-Man of Steel
-Batman v Superman
-Sam Raimi's Spiderman (2002)
-Tim Burton's Batman (1989)

There are movies with better aspects- better performances, better plots, more exciting or funny or x, y and z- but I just don't see them put enough together. Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy is fine, he's a fine director, and Heath Ledger gave a performance of a lifetime but people don't go out of their ways to see those films- they are James Bond type films- may be really good but disposable by the next episode. Guardians of the Galaxy and the Captain America films may make the list.

Will anyone care about Iron Man after Robert Downey Jr. retires? (comic book) Thor? Captain America has staying power (in America) but has been a marginal figure- maybe it will be how Basil Rathborne is more a trivia question for who has played Sherlock Holmes.
Will watch it someday.
Please do, but I would suggest Planes, Trains and Automobiles and The Jerk first if you haven't seen them already.

ANph32LoXR4
User avatar
NapLajoieonSteroids
Posts: 8390
Joined: Fri Dec 23, 2011 7:04 pm

Re: Movies: New Release Recommendations + Scenes from the P

Post by NapLajoieonSteroids »

At the same time Errol Flynn's Adventures of Robin Hood from 1938 is still the definitive version on screen and Olivia De Havilland still living at 101 and counting!
noddy
Posts: 11318
Joined: Tue Dec 13, 2011 3:09 pm

Re: Movies: New Release Recommendations + Scenes from the P

Post by noddy »

NapLajoieonSteroids wrote:
Typhoon wrote:
Which raises an interesting point. Why are Scandinavian countries not whinging about cultural appropriation?
Or rather, why are the US SJWs not taking it upon themselves to whinge on the Scands presumed behalf?
Hah, I know the answer to this one: it's not a real culture. Instead, it's a form of spoken violence people who think of themselves as white use to monopolize and subjugate black, yellow and red bodies in institutional and systemic ways.

Come'on, this answer is obvious
sarcasm aside -they arent actually scandinavian and are the old pagan gods for all of the germanic peoples - english, germans, etc - pretty much all of north western europe.

they get called the viking gods due to the post christian view of history and the fact the scandies converted later, after christianity had cultural dominance and the confidence to bother recording it instead of destroying it.

a long winded way of saying - its "white people" culture aslong as you arent a wog, unless your are a northern italian wog, who are also ex germanics.

----

naps list of characters who will probably survive their own copyright is about right.

contrary hedge being their are so many characters i can see some of the others coming and going with social fashions - like king arthur.
ultracrepidarian
Simple Minded

Re: Movies: New Release Recommendations + Scenes from the P

Post by Simple Minded »

noddy wrote:
NapLajoieonSteroids wrote:
Typhoon wrote:
Which raises an interesting point. Why are Scandinavian countries not whinging about cultural appropriation?
Or rather, why are the US SJWs not taking it upon themselves to whinge on the Scands presumed behalf?
Hah, I know the answer to this one: it's not a real culture. Instead, it's a form of spoken violence people who think of themselves as white use to monopolize and subjugate black, yellow and red bodies in institutional and systemic ways.

Come'on, this answer is obvious
sarcasm aside -they arent actually scandinavian and are the old pagan gods for all of the germanic peoples - english, germans, etc - pretty much all of north western europe.

they get called the viking gods due to the post christian view of history and the fact the scandies converted later, after christianity had cultural dominance and the confidence to bother recording it instead of destroying it.

a long winded way of saying - its "white people" culture aslong as you arent a wog, unless your are a northern italian wog, who are also ex germanics.

----

naps list of characters who will probably survive their own copyright is about right.

contrary hedge being their are so many characters i can see some of the others coming and going with social fashions - like king arthur.
Hmmm.... how many current religions started out as superhero tales to amuse children, but then the adults decided to use the story to manipulate the tribe.....
User avatar
NapLajoieonSteroids
Posts: 8390
Joined: Fri Dec 23, 2011 7:04 pm

Re: Movies: New Release Recommendations + Scenes from the P

Post by NapLajoieonSteroids »

noddy wrote:
NapLajoieonSteroids wrote:
Typhoon wrote:
Which raises an interesting point. Why are Scandinavian countries not whinging about cultural appropriation?
Or rather, why are the US SJWs not taking it upon themselves to whinge on the Scands presumed behalf?
Hah, I know the answer to this one: it's not a real culture. Instead, it's a form of spoken violence people who think of themselves as white use to monopolize and subjugate black, yellow and red bodies in institutional and systemic ways.

Come'on, this answer is obvious
sarcasm aside -they arent actually scandinavian and are the old pagan gods for all of the germanic peoples - english, germans, etc - pretty much all of north western europe.

they get called the viking gods due to the post christian view of history and the fact the scandies converted later, after christianity had cultural dominance and the confidence to bother recording it instead of destroying it.

a long winded way of saying - its "white people" culture aslong as you arent a wog, unless your are a northern italian wog, who are also ex germanics.
Southern Italian wogs can be germans too- the Longobards pushed all the way through Italy and into Sicily while the Vandals and Goths showed up too.

Those Lombards are an interesting case, as modern scholars believe they were a farming culture in Denmark who practiced a fertility cult who were late to the Odin-worshiping game. The minute they adopted Odin* as the godfather and split from the rest of the Winnili, it was off to the races. They ruled parts of Sicily until the Normans took over in the 12th century.

*Lombard/Longobards, another name for Odin (Langbarðr).

For my own family, we were probably your run of the mill bull worshipers, a long, long time ago.

It's probably a lot harder to impress a hirsute Mediterranean guy that Odin is all that impressive because he can grow a b*tchin' beard.
User avatar
Typhoon
Posts: 27242
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2011 6:42 pm
Location: 関西

Re: Movies: New Release Recommendations + Scenes from the P

Post by Typhoon »

NapLajoieonSteroids wrote:
I would suggest Planes, Trains and Automobiles and The Jerk first if you haven't seen them already.
I've seen Planes, Trains and Automobiles. A very good buddy comedy.

Have to say that I Martin's style of comedy is not very appealing to me. Prefer his banjo playing.

Enjoyed John Candy as Uncle Buck.

As the common factor in these films is the director John Hughes, my favourite scene

vBBOMLURSGA

at the Chicago Institute of Art.

In part for personal reasons as I spent a lot of time there on my time off.

A remarkable collection of mostly European artists along with American masters such as Edward Hopper and Grant Wood
Makes one appreciate how confident, wealthy, and civic minded Chicago was in its heyday.
May the gods preserve and defend me from self-righteous altruists; I can defend myself from my enemies and my friends.
User avatar
NapLajoieonSteroids
Posts: 8390
Joined: Fri Dec 23, 2011 7:04 pm

Re: Movies: New Release Recommendations + Scenes from the P

Post by NapLajoieonSteroids »

Typhoon wrote:
NapLajoieonSteroids wrote:
I would suggest Planes, Trains and Automobiles and The Jerk first if you haven't seen them already.
I've seen Planes, Trains and Automobiles. A very good buddy comedy.

Have to say that I Martin's style of comedy is not very appealing to me. Prefer his banjo playing.

Enjoyed John Candy as Uncle Buck.

As the common factor in these films is the director John Hughes, my favourite scene

vBBOMLURSGA

at the Chicago Institute of Art.

In part for personal reasons as I spent a lot of time there on my time off.

A remarkable collection of mostly European artists along with American masters such as Edward Hopper and Grant Wood
Makes one appreciate how confident, wealthy, and civic minded Chicago was in its heyday.
I think I ultimately agree with you on Mr.Martin's comedy, though to be fair to the man, he hasn't done stand-up for almost 40 years now. There are a few of his movies though which I think worthwhile, including the two above.

If you read his autobiography, which was well-written, he is an extremely serious guy who started out doing magic tricks at Disney Land as a child and made the most of it. As a writer (sans autobiography) he suffers the same sentimentality ditch that most of his screenplays and movies have-- this is a guy who wanted to do two things with his life: live off a magic act [which is essentially what his stand up was, playing with audience expectations] and playing around with light romances.

----------------------------------------

I can't add anything about Chicago but I'm with you on Hughes, though I can't say I've seen all his films- I've never had the patience to sit through the all the Sixteen Candles/Pretty in Pink movies.
User avatar
Typhoon
Posts: 27242
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2011 6:42 pm
Location: 関西

Re: Movies: New Release Recommendations + Scenes from the P

Post by Typhoon »

NapLajoieonSteroids wrote:
Typhoon wrote:
NapLajoieonSteroids wrote:
I would suggest Planes, Trains and Automobiles and The Jerk first if you haven't seen them already.
I've seen Planes, Trains and Automobiles. A very good buddy comedy.

Have to say that I Martin's style of comedy is not very appealing to me. Prefer his banjo playing.

Enjoyed John Candy as Uncle Buck.

As the common factor in these films is the director John Hughes, my favourite scene

vBBOMLURSGA

at the Chicago Institute of Art.

In part for personal reasons as I spent a lot of time there on my time off.

A remarkable collection of mostly European artists along with American masters such as Edward Hopper and Grant Wood
Makes one appreciate how confident, wealthy, and civic minded Chicago was in its heyday.
I think I ultimately agree with you on Mr.Martin's comedy, though to be fair to the man, he hasn't done stand-up for almost 40 years now. There are a few of his movies though which I think worthwhile, including the two above.

If you read his autobiography, which was well-written, he is an extremely serious guy who started out doing magic tricks at Disney Land as a child and made the most of it. As a writer (sans autobiography) he suffers the same sentimentality ditch that most of his screenplays and movies have-- this is a guy who wanted to do two things with his life: live off a magic act [which is essentially what his stand up was, playing with audience expectations] and playing around with light romances.
Martin has had a successful career, so one has to give him his due and credit.
NapLajoieonSteroids wrote: ----------------------------------------

I can't add anything about Chicago but I'm with you on Hughes, though I can't say I've seen all his films- I've never had the patience to sit through the all the Sixteen Candles/Pretty in Pink movies.
Likewise, never seen these and no plans to do so.
May the gods preserve and defend me from self-righteous altruists; I can defend myself from my enemies and my friends.
User avatar
NapLajoieonSteroids
Posts: 8390
Joined: Fri Dec 23, 2011 7:04 pm

Re: Movies: New Release Recommendations + Scenes from the P

Post by NapLajoieonSteroids »

Typhoon wrote:
NapLajoieonSteroids wrote: . . .

I think you're selling Arnold way short. A number of those schlocky movies are really good movies, even if they are B movies. Predator, Running Man, Conan the Barbarian, Twins, Total Recall, the Terminator films...there are more, but there is a real quality to them and a running theme surrounding identity and belonging. Ah-nud, in that sense, was a bit of an auteur choosing some really great ideas to put on film- even if they were dismissed at the time.
. . .
Enjoyed "Total Recall". Arnold was smart in the he knew his limitations and surrounded himself with talented people: directors, actors, etc.
And let them do their job.

So many of these guys can't get out of their own way. For example, Sylvester Stallone- is there a film, besides maybe the first Rocky/Rambo, where he let any of the supporting actors breathe in their roles? Where he didn't take over the script or directing or producing and focus all the attention on himself? Maybe CopLand, and that is probably because he was in the doghouse career-wise at the time and Robert DeNiro/Harvey Keitel outrank him.

Even the Expendables movies are all about him. Now all these guys have huge egos, and Arnold isn't some humble character actor either. But Arnold movies turned out so well because he trusted other people to do their jobs and was confident enough that they'd do what was needed to ultimately make him look good. Unlike Stallone or Bruce Willis (with exceptions) or Jean Claude Van Damme or Steven Seagal or....you actually have other memorable characters (even if they are little more than stock) and storytelling (even when schlocky).
noddy
Posts: 11318
Joined: Tue Dec 13, 2011 3:09 pm

Re: Movies: New Release Recommendations + Scenes from the P

Post by noddy »

arnold is miles above those others - i cant watch seagull or van damn, those movies are just painful, action tends to need comedy or something else to stop it being revenge porn uglyness.

stallone is way too serious most of the time, im generally not fan, and you are right, he does make it all about him and stops the rest of the movie from coming alive.

---

recent watches -

"Valerian" by Luc Besson and im not sure ive seen a movie that had less charismatic stars with less acting ability ever.

'the movie wasnt terrible per se, it could have been simmilar to 5th element if only he had a bruce and mila carrying the cheese instead of a forgettable durian and a clothes hanger.

"Baby Driver" which has some fun camera work and was largely forgettable except for Kevin Spacey playing a creepy pervert who grooms disadvantaged boys, something he must have found difficult to get into character for.
ultracrepidarian
User avatar
Typhoon
Posts: 27242
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2011 6:42 pm
Location: 関西

Re: Movies: New Release Recommendations + Scenes from the P

Post by Typhoon »

noddy wrote: . . .
recent watches -

"Valerian" by Luc Besson and im not sure ive seen a movie that had less charismatic stars with less acting ability ever.

'the movie wasnt terrible per se, it could have been similar to 5th element if only he had a bruce and mila carrying the cheese instead of a forgettable durian and a clothes hanger.

. . .
Watched this recently. You're right that it's no 5th Element in that I can barely recall the plot.
Even the clothes hanger was not worth the time.

Same for Luc Besson's Lucy despite the casting of Scarlett Johansson.

On the other hand, La Femme Nikita, Léon: The Professional, and The Fifth Element are favourites.
Wasabi receives a pass.
May the gods preserve and defend me from self-righteous altruists; I can defend myself from my enemies and my friends.
User avatar
Typhoon
Posts: 27242
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2011 6:42 pm
Location: 関西

Re: Movies: New Release Recommendations + Scenes from the P

Post by Typhoon »

GA0-1QvnTA8
May the gods preserve and defend me from self-righteous altruists; I can defend myself from my enemies and my friends.
Mr. Perfect
Posts: 16973
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2011 9:35 am

Re: Movies: New Release Recommendations + Scenes from the P

Post by Mr. Perfect »

Oooh hoo hoo, Sequel to my favorite movie of recent years coming out. Boy am I excited. Bump firing in the trailer lol.

Pymm6cmE9uQ
Censorship isn't necessary
noddy
Posts: 11318
Joined: Tue Dec 13, 2011 3:09 pm

Re: Movies: New Release Recommendations + Scenes from the P

Post by noddy »

sicaro was good but i dont seem to rememeber it.

just saw the sucide squad director (ayer?) netflix action comedy thing "BRIGHT" with Will Smith.

wasnt as bad as all the reviews said but the first 1/3 was pretty poor - SUCK ON MY METAPHORS, TAKE THEM, DID I SAY I HAD SOME METAPHORS, YOU DONT NEED LUBE.

picked up after that, was ok.

in other news I hear that WB - the king of killing DC movies arent going to get another mad max flick because (boom tish) they refuse to pay the director his profit bonus because hollywood accounting (tm) says the film never made a profit.
ultracrepidarian
User avatar
NapLajoieonSteroids
Posts: 8390
Joined: Fri Dec 23, 2011 7:04 pm

Re: Movies: New Release Recommendations + Scenes from the P

Post by NapLajoieonSteroids »

Denis Villeneuve is a great director; I'm sort of weary of a Sicario without him.

Reports are he's working on a new Dune and after that, Cleopatra but done as a political thriller and not as a prestige sword and sandals pageant.
User avatar
NapLajoieonSteroids
Posts: 8390
Joined: Fri Dec 23, 2011 7:04 pm

Re: Movies: New Release Recommendations + Scenes from the P

Post by NapLajoieonSteroids »

Typhoon wrote:
noddy wrote: . . .
recent watches -

"Valerian" by Luc Besson and im not sure ive seen a movie that had less charismatic stars with less acting ability ever.

'the movie wasnt terrible per se, it could have been similar to 5th element if only he had a bruce and mila carrying the cheese instead of a forgettable durian and a clothes hanger.

. . .
Watched this recently. You're right that it's no 5th Element in that I can barely recall the plot.
Even the clothes hanger was not worth the time.

Same for Luc Besson's Lucy despite the casting of Scarlett Johansson.

On the other hand, La Femme Nikita, Léon: The Professional, and The Fifth Element are favourites.
Wasabi receives a pass.
The leads are precisely why I've avoided checking it out. Cara Delevingne is a bad actress... for a model!
noddy
Posts: 11318
Joined: Tue Dec 13, 2011 3:09 pm

Re: Movies: New Release Recommendations + Scenes from the P

Post by noddy »

blade runner 2049.

absolutely stunning to look at and worth the price of admission for the camera/lighting/set design alone if you are into eye candy.

spoilers ? basically a retelling of the original but tonally a tad more one-note this time, a few brief moments of action but predominately very still.

n
ultracrepidarian
Mr. Perfect
Posts: 16973
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2011 9:35 am

Re: Movies: New Release Recommendations + Scenes from the P

Post by Mr. Perfect »

One thing and one thing only put Sicario over the top.

That is Benicio Del Toro actually killed the guy at the end. Usually in a movie like this all the underlings are dispatched for fun action but then the protagonist has second thoughts to do with vigilante justice vs due process at the moment of truth. That he didn't even think about it is what launched that movie into greatness. If that scene had gone down any differently it would have been just another movie.

However sequels are always worse and so I should downgrade expectations.
Censorship isn't necessary
User avatar
Typhoon
Posts: 27242
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2011 6:42 pm
Location: 関西

Re: Movies + TV series: Past and New Recommendation

Post by Typhoon »

One could call this the Golden Age of TV dramas. Some TV series are far better than the films being produced today.
Real people in difficult situations rather than fantasy characters in tights with supernatural powers.

For example, Sherlock, True Detective [Season 1], Peaky Blinders, etc.

uekZpkYf7-E

A TV series Berlin Babylon set during the tumultuous time of the Weimar Republic that I've recently started watching thanks to a recommendation from a friend in Europe.
May the gods preserve and defend me from self-righteous altruists; I can defend myself from my enemies and my friends.
User avatar
Nonc Hilaire
Posts: 6168
Joined: Sat Dec 17, 2011 1:28 am

Re: Movies + TV series: Past and New Recommendations

Post by Nonc Hilaire »

The 13 episode narrative format is more like a novel. Plenty of time for subplots and interesting minor characters, and generally has more actors and less special effects. Masterpiece Theatre gets credit for inventing the format, but I forget a lot of details when I have to wait a week between episodes. Binge watching on Netflix is what made it work for me.

Movie format is still better for comic books and short stories.
“Christ has no body now but yours. Yours are the eyes through which he looks with compassion on this world. Yours are the feet with which he walks among His people to do good. Yours are the hands through which he blesses His creation.”

Teresa of Ávila
User avatar
Nonc Hilaire
Posts: 6168
Joined: Sat Dec 17, 2011 1:28 am

Re: Movies + TV series: Past and New Recommendations

Post by Nonc Hilaire »

Nonc Hilaire wrote:Is all of Berlin Babylon subtitled?
“Christ has no body now but yours. Yours are the eyes through which he looks with compassion on this world. Yours are the feet with which he walks among His people to do good. Yours are the hands through which he blesses His creation.”

Teresa of Ávila
User avatar
Typhoon
Posts: 27242
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2011 6:42 pm
Location: 関西

Re: Movies + TV series: Past and New Recommendations

Post by Typhoon »

Nonc Hilaire wrote:The 13 episode narrative format is more like a novel. Plenty of time for subplots and interesting minor characters, and generally has more actors and less special effects. Masterpiece Theatre gets credit for inventing the format, but I forget a lot of details when I have to wait a week between episodes. Binge watching on Netflix is what made it work for me.

. . .
The BBC should get the credit for inventing the format. PBS for buying their programs.

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy with Alec Guinness as George Smiley

pq61jstTApk

and the successor, Smiley's People

are still my favourites.
May the gods preserve and defend me from self-righteous altruists; I can defend myself from my enemies and my friends.
User avatar
Typhoon
Posts: 27242
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2011 6:42 pm
Location: 関西

Re: Movies + TV series: Past and New Recommendations

Post by Typhoon »

Nonc Hilaire wrote:
Nonc Hilaire wrote:Is all of Berlin Babylon subtitled?
The first two seasons of Berlin Babylon are now streaming on Netflix, dubbed and/or subtitled.

I'd watch it subtitled, if possible. Watched the dubbed trailer, sounds awful, klingt schrecklich ;)

Watching it subbed via . . . elsewhere.
May the gods preserve and defend me from self-righteous altruists; I can defend myself from my enemies and my friends.
User avatar
Parodite
Posts: 5642
Joined: Sun Jan 01, 2012 9:43 pm

Re: Movies + TV series: Past and New Recommendations

Post by Parodite »

Typhoon wrote:
Nonc Hilaire wrote:
Nonc Hilaire wrote:Is all of Berlin Babylon subtitled?
The first two seasons of Berlin Babylon are now streaming on Netflix, dubbed and/or subtitled.

I'd watch it subtitled, if possible. Watched the dubbed trailer, sounds awful, klingt schrecklich ;)

Watching it subbed via . . . elsewhere.
Ich habs gesehen. That was good, thanks for the tip. :)
Deep down I'm very superficial
Post Reply