*

Offline Snupes

  • Planar Moderator
  • *****
  • Posts: 1957
  • Counting wolves in your paranoiac intervals
    • View Profile
Re: Just Watched
« Reply #1860 on: December 04, 2017, 04:50:27 AM »
The Disaster Artist (James Franco, 2017)

Went to an early screening of it ahead of its release on December 8th. Fucking loved it. It mashes together some real life events and shifts some around for the sake of fitting it into a single movie, which I had to get myself to accept after 10-20 minutes, but it doesn't change anything in a deceitful or dishonest way, or a way that betrays the spirit of what happened. My only real complaint is I honestly think it should've been 30 minutes longer, as the movie feels short and not enough time is spent on the actual making-of section of the film. Which is a shame, because if it had slowed down a little there are so many fucking amazing stories to be told and shown from that film's production.

Anyway, the Francos nail it and there's a few minutes before the credits where we get to just watch their recreations of iconic scenes (and a bit that actually directly compares them) and it's the icing on the cake, the perfect payoff. 100% loved it. I hope there's an extended cut, and a bonus reel of their recreations since they reportedly filmed almost a half-hour's worth.
There are cigarettes in joints. You don't smoke it by itself.

*

Offline xasop

  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Posts: 9776
  • Professional computer somebody
    • View Profile
Re: Just Watched
« Reply #1861 on: December 07, 2017, 08:37:33 AM »
The Martian (Ridley Scott, 2015)

This was amazing. It was very similar to Apollo 13 in its focus on individuals struggling with a near-impossible problem, despite the fact that the story is fiction and enabled them to set up the complications as and when convenient for the plot. I appreciated the fact that it focused on the problem at hand rather than decorating it with a clichéd love story.

The visuals are impressive as well, with a lot of very nice depictions of the Martian landscape. All of the actors play their roles brilliantly, and there is just a touch of comic relief scattered throughout, without feeling too forced (well, most of the time).

The only thing I found difficult to believe was that the protagonist had to look up a table of ASCII characters when trying to communicate with Earth. I mean, who doesn't know ASCII off the top of their head?

Definitely either the best or the second-best 2010s film I've seen (the other contender being The Zero Theorem).
when you try to mock anyone while also running the flat earth society. Lol

*

Offline Jura-Glenlivet

  • *
  • Posts: 1537
  • Life is meaningless & everything dies.
    • View Profile
Re: Just Watched
« Reply #1862 on: December 07, 2017, 04:15:30 PM »
The Martian (Ridley Scott, 2015)


The only thing I found difficult to believe was that the protagonist had to look up a table of ASCII characters when trying to communicate with Earth. I mean, who doesn't know ASCII off the top of their head?



People who get girlfriends, I would have to look up ASCII before I even knew I needed a table of ASCII characters
Just to be clear, you are all terrific, but everything you say is exactly what a moron would say.

*

Offline Snupes

  • Planar Moderator
  • *****
  • Posts: 1957
  • Counting wolves in your paranoiac intervals
    • View Profile
Re: Just Watched
« Reply #1863 on: December 07, 2017, 10:21:37 PM »
I, too, don't understand humour.
There are cigarettes in joints. You don't smoke it by itself.

*

Offline Snupes

  • Planar Moderator
  • *****
  • Posts: 1957
  • Counting wolves in your paranoiac intervals
    • View Profile
Re: Just Watched
« Reply #1864 on: December 09, 2017, 07:55:35 AM »
Marvel's The Punisher (Season One, Steve Lightfoot, 2017)

I thought this was great, I was honestly shocked when I checked reviews afterwards and saw how harshly it was being received. I'm going to read them more in-depth later, but at a glance it looked like a lot of them were "the show wasn't visceral enough/didn't have enough violence/action" or "the show was too visceral/had too much violence/glorified violence". Was it a lot less action-packed than previous Punisher adaptations? Well, yeah, this one actually cares about Frank Castle as a character, as a human being, and decides to explore that. They probably could have explored it more deeply, probed Frank's psyche instead of always keeping the answers to his instability vaguely just out of arm's reach, but they didn't. I don't know how most people viewed it, but I saw it as we only get to see as much of Frank as he wants to see of himself. The questions are brought up—is Frank Castle sane? Is he wrong? Does he go too far? Does he have a cause, or is he kiling because it's all he knows? Is he just going to keep chasing 'new' targets? Will he ever be sated?—but they're brushed off before we dive deep enough into them to resolve it, but only because Frank himself brushes them off, not wanting the answers. Maybe that left some people unsatisfied, but I think it's fitting.

Anyway, I had to pause or look away for a lot of scenes because Jesus Christ was it violent, especially in the last two episodes, but damn it was good.
There are cigarettes in joints. You don't smoke it by itself.

*

Offline Jura-Glenlivet

  • *
  • Posts: 1537
  • Life is meaningless & everything dies.
    • View Profile
Re: Just Watched
« Reply #1865 on: December 09, 2017, 09:05:54 PM »
I, too, don't understand humour.

I can be a dumbass at times, sorry Parse.
Just to be clear, you are all terrific, but everything you say is exactly what a moron would say.

*

Offline Ghost Spaghetti

  • *
  • Posts: 908
  • Don't look in that mirror. It's absolutely furious
    • View Profile
Re: Just Watched
« Reply #1866 on: December 11, 2017, 09:01:11 AM »
Marvel's The Punisher (Season One, Steve Lightfoot, 2017)

I thought this was great, I was honestly shocked when I checked reviews afterwards and saw how harshly it was being received. I'm going to read them more in-depth later, but at a glance it looked like a lot of them were "the show wasn't visceral enough/didn't have enough violence/action" or "the show was too visceral/had too much violence/glorified violence". Was it a lot less action-packed than previous Punisher adaptations? Well, yeah, this one actually cares about Frank Castle as a character, as a human being, and decides to explore that. They probably could have explored it more deeply, probed Frank's psyche instead of always keeping the answers to his instability vaguely just out of arm's reach, but they didn't. I don't know how most people viewed it, but I saw it as we only get to see as much of Frank as he wants to see of himself. The questions are brought up—is Frank Castle sane? Is he wrong? Does he go too far? Does he have a cause, or is he kiling because it's all he knows? Is he just going to keep chasing 'new' targets? Will he ever be sated?—but they're brushed off before we dive deep enough into them to resolve it, but only because Frank himself brushes them off, not wanting the answers. Maybe that left some people unsatisfied, but I think it's fitting.

Anyway, I had to pause or look away for a lot of scenes because Jesus Christ was it violent, especially in the last two episodes, but damn it was good.

I'm about two thirds through and completely agree with this. I really like the slower pace and the introspection of this series, and I really like the way it deals with the difficulties that vets have returning to civilian life.

*

Offline Crudblud

  • *
  • Posts: 2175
  • A Moist Delectable Gentleman
    • View Profile
Re: Just Watched
« Reply #1867 on: December 29, 2017, 10:23:38 PM »
Takin' care of business (every day).

Drive (dir. Nicocacolas Webdings Refund)
Ryan Gosling is a hard driving dude who gets wrapped up in whole heap o' trouble and it's kind of hilarious because the violence is so over the top.

The Nice Guys (dir. Shane "Iron Man 3" Black)
Ryan Gosling is a hard drinking dude who gets wrapped up in a whole heap o' Russell Crowe and it's FUNNY and IRREVERENT hahaha no but really I thought it was good and well crafted.

Nymphomaniac Vol. I (dir. Lars Bars von Triage)
Charlotte Gainsbourg is a hard fucking lady who gets wrapped up in a whole heap o' GOOD JOB LIZ and Stellan Skarsgard makes her delicious cups of tea.

Public Speaking (dir. Martin Scorsesesese)
Fran Lebowitz is a hard talking lady who gets wrapped up in a whole heap o' microphones and offends a lot of people and she seems like a fun person.

Gore Vidal: The United States of Amnesia (dir. some guy I never heard of)
Gore Vidal is a hard talking dude who gets wrapped up in a whole heap o' controversy for like 80 years and he's just great but it's kind of an average documentary and you should really just read one of his essay collections instead.

The Punisher, Season 1
Jon Bernthal is a hard killing dude who gets wrapped up in a whole heap o' dead bodies and psychological torment and it might be the best thing Marvel has ever done in live action.

Nebraska (dir. Aeroxander Playne)
Will Forte is a hard driving dude who gets wrapped up in a whole heap o' love for his confused elderly father and it's really very heartwarming and sad and funny.

The Meyerowitz Stories (dir. Arkman Treebrook)
Adam Sandler is a hard dysfunctional New York Jewish family-ing dude who gets wrapped up in a whole heap o' GOOD ACTING WHY CAN'T YOU DO THIS MORE OFTEN ADAM PLEASE and it's probably the best film I saw this year.

Re: Just Watched
« Reply #1868 on: January 10, 2018, 04:47:19 PM »
the most recent episode of st: discovery

for years i've been begging for a darker iteration of star trek.  boy did i get my wish.  loved this episode.

some random opnions in no particular order.  no opinion.

i dig the mirror universe in general, and i fucking love that they're doing something with it in discovery.

i still hate the spore drive.

"the enemy is here."  *shudder*  that whole sequence of scenes kicked fucking ass.  even ds9 wasn't that cold.

i hate tyler.  i hate everything about him.  he gives me the creeps like woah.



I have visited from prestigious research institutions of the highest caliber, to which only our administrator holds with confidence.

Rama Set

Re: Just Watched
« Reply #1869 on: January 10, 2018, 07:30:56 PM »
the most recent episode of st: discovery

for years i've been begging for a darker iteration of star trek.  boy did i get my wish.  loved this episode.

some random opnions in no particular order.  no opinion.

i dig the mirror universe in general, and i fucking love that they're doing something with it in discovery.

i still hate the spore drive.

"the enemy is here."  *shudder*  that whole sequence of scenes kicked fucking ass.  even ds9 wasn't that cold.

i hate tyler.  i hate everything about him.  he gives me the creeps like woah.


I loved this last episode. Better than any mirror universe episode before it, imo. Also, I love the BSG, mole Klingon story. That Klingon lady is so much more insidious now.

Re: Just Watched
« Reply #1870 on: January 10, 2018, 08:11:09 PM »
I loved this last episode. Better than any mirror universe episode before it, imo. Also, I love the BSG, mole Klingon story. That Klingon lady is so much more insidious now.

totally agree with the first bit.  i think the mole-tyler story is being executed so well that it's genuinely creeping me out.  like i hate it because it's so good lol.  also because i'm usually really stoned when i watch the episode, and the bloody torture cutscenes are a little much for me in that frame.

and i can't put my finger on exactly what it is that bothers me, but i just don't like this iteration of klingons.  at all.
I have visited from prestigious research institutions of the highest caliber, to which only our administrator holds with confidence.

*

Offline Cain

  • *
  • Posts: 1086
  • This is the line of division.
    • View Profile
Re: Just Watched
« Reply #1871 on: January 23, 2018, 04:10:14 PM »
Just binged every episode of The Strain. I've gotta say, I love those vampire mouth tentacles
You just made my list, buddy.  >:(
this world does not have room for another mind as intelligent as yours.

*

Offline Lord Dave

  • *
  • Posts: 7653
  • Grumpy old man.
    • View Profile
Re: Just Watched
« Reply #1872 on: January 23, 2018, 05:12:34 PM »
I loved this last episode. Better than any mirror universe episode before it, imo. Also, I love the BSG, mole Klingon story. That Klingon lady is so much more insidious now.

totally agree with the first bit.  i think the mole-tyler story is being executed so well that it's genuinely creeping me out.  like i hate it because it's so good lol.  also because i'm usually really stoned when i watch the episode, and the bloody torture cutscenes are a little much for me in that frame.

and i can't put my finger on exactly what it is that bothers me, but i just don't like this iteration of klingons.  at all.

I'm at a loss.  I just saw the latest episode yesterday and I just... I just can't fathom what they're doing.

Tyler is brainwashed.  Nope, Tyler was a Klingon.  Wait, how'd they literally convert a klingon body into a human body with DNA and surgery?  Is Le'rell lying or telling the truth?  And why the fuck are they pulling that AND the captain being from the mirror universe?  Are they going for most plot twists in a single arc?


I'm on the edge of my seat.
If you are going to DebOOonK an expert then you have to at least provide a source with credentials of equal or greater relevance. Even then, it merely shows that some experts disagree with each other.

*

Offline Ghost Spaghetti

  • *
  • Posts: 908
  • Don't look in that mirror. It's absolutely furious
    • View Profile
Re: Just Watched
« Reply #1873 on: January 23, 2018, 05:14:42 PM »
I've just caught up with ST:Did

Overall, I'm torn. As an original series with no consideration of previous Treks, I really like it, especially as the cast has been fleshed out as it has gone on.

That said, there is definitely something missing in this iteration of Trek. I think it might be the optimism. TOS had the technicolour sense of discovery, TNG had the warm belief in diplomacy and kindness. DS9 built up the bond between the characters before they threw them into a war, Voyager had the constant hope that they would find a way home, and Enterprise (at its best) had the wide-eyed naiveté of exploration. Discovery has definitely started to show glimpses of that - especially when Lorca shows Stanet the map he's been building of different dimensions and realities, but it isn't there yet.

I really hope they decide to go with dimension-hopping as a central theme in Discovery, it would let them be inventive without treading on the feet of established canon, it would give them a wider scope of episodes than Trek has previously allowed itself.

*

Offline Lord Dave

  • *
  • Posts: 7653
  • Grumpy old man.
    • View Profile
Re: Just Watched
« Reply #1874 on: January 23, 2018, 06:41:44 PM »
If they go Sliders on us, I'm gonna be unhappy.

As for what's missing: It's not optimism.   They had that with the tartegrade and getting the drive working.  What it lacks is episode of the week.  It doesn't wrap up at the end with a neat bow.  It's been non-stop mini-arcs.  Which is good but it also makes the show way more complex both emotionally and morally than Star Trek usually is.  At this point I'm both floored and drained.  It's like The Walking Dead: you're always hyped up, waiting for the next twist or sudden shift in direction.  You don't get enough downtime to process and relax.
If you are going to DebOOonK an expert then you have to at least provide a source with credentials of equal or greater relevance. Even then, it merely shows that some experts disagree with each other.

Re: Just Watched
« Reply #1875 on: January 24, 2018, 03:28:11 AM »
I'm at a loss.  I just saw the latest episode yesterday and I just... I just can't fathom what they're doing.

Tyler is brainwashed.  Nope, Tyler was a Klingon.  Wait, how'd they literally convert a klingon body into a human body with DNA and surgery?  Is Le'rell lying or telling the truth?  And why the fuck are they pulling that AND the captain being from the mirror universe?  Are they going for most plot twists in a single arc?


I'm on the edge of my seat.

i'm super surprised about the lorca plot.  that theory has been out there for awhile, and i thought there was basically no chance it was right.  it just seemed too complicated.

that said, i'm into it.


I've just caught up with ST:Did

Overall, I'm torn. As an original series with no consideration of previous Treks, I really like it, especially as the cast has been fleshed out as it has gone on.

That said, there is definitely something missing in this iteration of Trek. I think it might be the optimism. TOS had the technicolour sense of discovery, TNG had the warm belief in diplomacy and kindness. DS9 built up the bond between the characters before they threw them into a war, Voyager had the constant hope that they would find a way home, and Enterprise (at its best) had the wide-eyed naiveté of exploration. Discovery has definitely started to show glimpses of that - especially when Lorca shows Stanet the map he's been building of different dimensions and realities, but it isn't there yet.

I really hope they decide to go with dimension-hopping as a central theme in Discovery, it would let them be inventive without treading on the feet of established canon, it would give them a wider scope of episodes than Trek has previously allowed itself.

i totally get how you feel here.  although personally i don't want them to go dimension-hopping, i get the sentiment you're after.

it's super different from what i've come to expect from the star trek universe, but i've been begging for a darker-and-more-serial star trek for so long that i'm pot-committed.  pretty much my only beef with it so far is that i just fucking do not like these klingons at all.  wish they'd go back to the chinamen.
I have visited from prestigious research institutions of the highest caliber, to which only our administrator holds with confidence.

*

Offline honk

  • *
  • Posts: 3347
  • resident goose
    • View Profile
Re: Just Watched
« Reply #1876 on: January 24, 2018, 09:34:34 PM »
capeshit capeshit I watch nothing but capeshit

Spider-Man: Homecoming (Jon Watts, 2017)

A fun Spidey movie, but not much else. In particular, I wasn't a fan of how continuity-heavy it was. Presumably they wanted to emphasize the MCU setting to differentiate this version of the character from Sony's previous efforts, but they lean into it so much that it becomes a gimmick. Hey, remember that character from this movie? Remember when that happened in this other movie? Recognize this gadget from that movie? And then they had to build Peter's arc around his ambition to impress Tony Stark and join the Avengers, ensuring that the above appealing-to-continuity moves out of subtext and becomes text. That is to say, we have the main character constantly asking us to remember the previous movies in the MCU while the film itself does the same thing.

Also, I think I understand what junker and Snupes were criticizing now - this movie really goes out of its way to smack Spidey around, portray him as incompetent, and have Tony deliver condescending lectures to him, all to emphasize that he's just not ready to play with the big boys. It's the movie's answer to a question that doesn't need to be asked. Peter wouldn't join the Avengers full-time because he's a fucking kid. He's not going to leave his friends, his family, and his home behind to go fight terrorists and aliens on the other side of the world for a living. This didn't need to be spelled out, and it absolutely didn't need an entire movie's worth of tomfoolery and ineptitude before he could finally prove that he wasn't a complete bumblefuck and turn down a spot on the Avengers on his own terms.

Thor: Ragnarok (Taika Waititi, 2017)

This was great. Wacky colors, synths, lovable characters, and big laughs all around. My one issue with it was how thoroughly Karl Urban was wasted. They couldn't come up with anything better for him to do than stand around looking conflicted, stand around looking conflicted, listen to exposition, and stand around looking conflicted some more?
ur retartet but u donut even no it and i walnut tell u y

*

Offline Snupes

  • Planar Moderator
  • *****
  • Posts: 1957
  • Counting wolves in your paranoiac intervals
    • View Profile
Re: Just Watched
« Reply #1877 on: January 25, 2018, 06:17:57 AM »
Iron Man Cleans Up Spider-Man's Messes: Homecoming

That said, do you agree with how awesome Vulture was? As a character, but also as a suit design and implementation, holy shit. That's one of the best comic-to-screen adaptations I've seen. They managed to make him not a goofy old man in a bird suit without making him a gritty pos. Plus it just looks amazing.

And yeah, I loved Ragnarok to death, it's one of my favourite Marvel movies, but Skurge was wasted. And c'mon, a dude with an axe and assault rifles. His fight scenes could've been so ridiculously cool.

Also, she may not have been the most fleshed out, but I think Hela is my favourite villain so far. Cate Blanchett does such a fantastic job of making her this sexy, confident, "yeah you're all dead you just don't know it" presence. Her design is visually striking and graceful, plus they kept the fucking horns which is fantastic.
« Last Edit: January 25, 2018, 06:20:29 AM by Snupes »
There are cigarettes in joints. You don't smoke it by itself.

*

Offline honk

  • *
  • Posts: 3347
  • resident goose
    • View Profile
Re: Just Watched
« Reply #1878 on: January 30, 2018, 04:57:35 AM »
Vulture's design was great, but I found the character to be far more intimidating and memorable when he was just Michael Keaton without the outfit. His interactions with Peter were a highlight of the movie, and perhaps the only time where the movie's general treatment of Spidey as a scrub who's in over his head felt truly justified.
ur retartet but u donut even no it and i walnut tell u y

*

Offline beardo

  • *
  • Posts: 5230
    • View Profile
Re: Just Watched
« Reply #1879 on: February 06, 2018, 09:05:47 AM »
Forced Diversity: The Movie
The Mastery.