Movie opinions thread (what have you seen, what did you think?)

[roker]

Eventually G returns and wrecks Ginza's shit

Except for the clock tower in Ginza which is a historical call back to the building surviving WWII:

History of Seiko and the Clock Tower | SEIKO HOUSE | Ginza | Seiko Group

In 1894, a store with a clock tower on the corner of Ginza 4-chome became a landmark in Ginza. This is the history of that landmark, which continues to tell the time for residents, workers, and visitors in the area.

www.seiko.co.jp

I thought that was an interesting part.

 

[SouthtownKid]

Warner Bros Discovery is in talks to merge with/acquire Paramount.

In addition to their film studios Paramount owns:
CBS
MTV
Nickelodeon
VH1
BET
Showtime
Pluto TV
Comedy Central
Pop TV
Logo
The Movie Channel
Smithsonian Channel
Flix
TV Land
Minority shares in Miramax, The CW, United International Pictures

I thought it was the other way around, with Paramount in talks to acquire WB from Discovery. I should probably be paying closer attention to this.

 

[fake]

Can we please put the CW out of its misery?

 

[famicommander]

I thought it was the other way around, with Paramount in talks to acquire WB from Discovery. I should probably be paying closer attention to this.

Even with over 45 billion in debt WB still has around 3X the market cap of Paramount right now. If WB doesn't get Paramount somebody else will, they're circling the drain.

 

[SouthtownKid]

Even with over 45 billion in debt WB still has around 3X the market cap of Paramount right now. If WB doesn't get Paramount somebody else will, they're circling the drain.

Seems reckless as fuck with how turbulent things have been for WB over the past decade, with Discovery not really making things seem any more stable.

 

[famicommander]

Seems reckless as fuck with how turbulent things have been for WB over the past decade, with Discovery not really making things seem any more stable.

I think WB is honestly just collecting brands and intellectual properties with an eye on eventually selling to Amazon, Apple, or Google.

WB Discovery is the only company with an IP portfolio that could possibly stand up to Disney's. Adding everything from CBS, Viacom, Paramount, etc on top of what they already have would be pretty massive.

 

[LoneSage]

WB has spent an unseemly amount promoting Aquaman 2 here.

I mean, huge wall spanning posters in the subway, which is a big deal. Jason Momoa even paid tribute and visited the Forbidden City last week.

Covid killed movie theaters here. No one even goes to or cares about movies anymore. Literally only time people go now is during a holiday, that's it.

 

[famicommander]

WB has spent an unseemly amount promoting Aquaman 2 here.

That's because only China can save it. In the West it's getting shredded by critics and is expected to be a financial bomb on the tier of Blue Beetle or the Marvels.

 

[SouthtownKid]

WB has spent an unseemly amount promoting Aquaman 2 here.

Don't worry, they didn't promote it much in the entire rest of the world. So they probably still spent less overall than normal.

The thing that boggles my mind is that Disney is running a Super Bowl ad for Deadpool 3. In the extremely likely event that Americans are as over Deadpool at this point as they are with every other superhero sequel, that will be millions more dollars flushed down the toilet for nothing.

I was watching a video the other day about how the movie Days of Thunder killed the "high concept" movie formula of the '80s, which also referenced how Heaven's Gate killed the auteur-driven cinema of the '70s (and put United Artists out of business). Basically, it showed how whenever Hollywood is floundering and someone stumbles upon some new formula that works, Hollywood will ride that formula until it kills itself. But what usually happens is that when it stops working, Hollywood then pivots pretty quickly to find the next thing.

And for some reason, that doesn't seem to be happening this time. I think people are right that it's not superhero fatigue per se. But Marvel has had a distinct and very rigid formula (with WB attempting a lesser version of) and audiences are clearly done with that. Usually, one mega-boondoggle disaster ala Heaven's Gate or Days of Thunder is enough to wake studios out of continuing a formula that's run its course, but we've now had several consecutive disasters from multiple studios, and they still seem to not want to abandon it.

 

[famicommander]

DC pretty much shot itself in the foot when they announced that they were rebooting their whole shit universe like a year and a half out. Turned half a dozen movies into lame ducks.

They're betting it all on James Gunn.

 

[terry.330]

Basically, it showed how whenever Hollywood is floundering and someone stumbles upon some new formula that works, Hollywood will ride that formula until it kills itself. But what usually happens is that when it stops working, Hollywood then pivots pretty quickly to find the next thing.

And for some reason, that doesn't seem to be happening this time.

I think one of the reasons that the studios have stuck with comics so long is because they foolishly planned so far in advance that they essentially painted themselves into a corner. When Marvel/Disney were laying out all those insane timelines a few years ago the wheels were already in motion. Then once the failures start there's already another couple years worth of movies in the pipeline.

Plus unlike other genres the MCU formula was so rigid and the movies so similar that even casual movie people got tired of it. Not so much superhero fatigue as they're just tired of the same shit over and over. Then you've got all the woke, gender and race equality stuff piled on top of that staleness. So not only are they stuck releasing stuff no-one wants but they keep compounding the failure with all that other stuff.

I have a feeling the next thing the studios are going to latch onto will be video game adaptations.

 

[wataru330]

Toho delivered w/ G•-1.

Was expecting vfx along the lines of a wakawaliwood movie; pleasantly surprised with what we got instead.

 

[SouthtownKid]

think one of the reasons that the studios have stuck with comics so long is because they foolishly planned so far in advance that they essentially painted themselves into a corner.

I think the counter argument to that is that at the end of the 1980s, Paramount had taken out a full page ad in Variety announcing a new partnership with Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer for a 6-movie deal, where Simpson & Bruckheimer would be in charge of everything from writing to directing (through whatever director they hired), and every aspect of production from top to bottom, to deliver high concept movies in the vein of their previous hits like Flashdance, Top Gun, Beverly Hills Cop, etc. It then only took one massive disaster in Days of Thunder (the first movie of the 6-movie deal) for Paramount to back out of everything, cancelling all future in-development projects with Simpson and Bruckheimer. Never mind all studios stopping production on that type of movie across the board. Disney and WB keep treating each new massive flop as some kind of fluke, rather than as a definitive indicator of the new status quo.

I mean, you can't ignore everything Kevin Feige accomplished. He had an incredible run. But it's over and it's not coming back. There isn't some magical Marvel property that's going to turn it around now. Not even the X-Men, and definitely not the Fantastic Fucking Four. Even if they brought back 58 year old RDJ, no one is going to care about another Iron Man movie right now. And even the diehard fans are having trouble working up any enthusiasm for the next Avengers movie, regardless of which Avengers end up being involved.

If James Gunn can somehow create some new paradigm that is completely different than what WB has been doing and at the same time manages to be something more than Marvel Lite, then maybe...? If it's different enough from everything people have been watching the last 2 decades and are completely tired of. But I don't know what that would be and I don't know that Gunn is even aware that's what would be necessary.

 

[famicommander]

2022 still had several successful comic book films, at least from a monetary standpoint (The Batman, animated League of the Super Pets, Doctor Strange 2, Thor 4, Black Panther 2).

In 2023 it's been mostly bombs (Shazam 2, Flash, Blue Beetle, Aquaman 2, The Marvels, Antman 2) with two big successes (Gunn's GOTG part 3 and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse).

2024 should be telling with Joker 2 and Deadpool 3. If Lady Gaga and the return of Hugh Jackman don't move the needle the studios might actually start to panic.

 

[terry.330]

Disney and WB keep treating each new massive flop as some kind of fluke, rather than as a definitive indicator of the new status quo.

That's what's really baffling. I mean just look at the list of bombs fami posted above. Before even considering the actual quality of the movies and over saturation just on paper it should be pretty apparent as to why these probably weren't going to do well.

-Sequel no one asked for.
-Tie-in to the JL which already failed, plus all of the lead's shenanigans.
-Character no-one wanted in a safe by the numbers vehicle we've seen 20 times already.
-Sequel no-one asked for, plus drama.
-Sequel no-one asked for, unlikeable lead plus they teamed her up two nobodies from Disney+ shows no one watched.
-Sequel no-one asked for.

Then add the fact that they all do suck and each one had to make back a literal fortune to even begin to break even and it's ridiculous.

They deserve to have their asses handed to them by Barbie and Godzilla.

 

[Average Joe]

Torso (1973)

Classic Sergio Martino giallo/proto-slasher sleaze with enough of an artistic flair to make you feel better about yourself for watching sleaze. Every girl is hot as hell (and most get nude scenes) and nearly every guy is an objectifying hornball whose libido drives their every second of being.

The whole thing is incredibly solid with a variety of locations and just enough kills to keep the pace feeling just right. The last 15-20 minutes is some top-shelf Hitchockian level suspense and really pushes it up several notches to make this a genre classic.

 

[terry.330]

The last 15-20 minutes is some top-shelf Hitchockian level suspense and really pushes it up several notches to make this a genre classic.

Fuck yeah, that last part is legitimately awesome.

 

[LoneSage]

I saw a clip of a movie I didn't recognize, looked 90s and in it was an Ocean's 11 guy and an absolute fish-out-of-water actress who seemed totally incompatible with not only the actor but with the whole feel of the scene. I said my god how the hell did she get that part.

Then a few minutes later a bell rang and I thought good Mao this must be The Godfather 3. Yup.

Man I had heard before how bad she was but woof.

 

[SouthtownKid]

I saw a clip of a movie I didn't recognize, looked 90s and in it was an Ocean's 11 guy and an absolute fish-out-of-water actress who seemed totally incompatible with not only the actor but with the whole feel of the scene. I said my god how the hell did she get that part.

Then a few minutes later a bell rang and I thought good Mao this must be The Godfather 3. Yup.

Man I had heard before how bad she was but woof.

Then she went into directing. Did that Lost In Translation movie that everyone thought was better than it was. Her brother is a better director and a better writer, but for some reason he doesn't get the press she does. He did a movie called CQ that was fucking phenomenal.

 

[SouthtownKid]

Oh yeah, and that Godfather 3 part wasn't even supposed to go to her. I think it was Winona Ryder who was supposed to do it, but couldn't because either she was in rehab or in the middle of that shoplifting trial stuff. So Coppola just gave the part to his daughter. Not sure how right Ryder would have been for that part anyway. Plus, Andy Garcia isn't exactly the greatest actor, so they were fucked from jump.

 

[terry.330]

I read that he was pretty much forced to make the movie in order to get American Zoetrope out of debt after Tucker bombed and grease the wheels to get Dracula made.

The CODA version is supposed to be closer to his original vision but I didn't find it helped very much.

 

[jro]

In order of, I dunno, maybe relevance and/or how much/little they irritated me or maybe just timing I can't remember:

The Mill - I liked it. Rel gave it his all, story was kinda dumb but worked, ultimately, in no small part to Rel's dedication to the bit. Kept me hooked to the end.

The Creator - John David Washington is either a terrible actor or he doesn't recognize terrible scripts. Either way, do not watch this garbage. Tenet was as at least sort of interesting in its own weird way, whereas nothing about this is redeeming. Fucking awful. Studios are like why do we keep losing money, this is why. John David Washington is a terrible actor that will never measure up to his dad and Hollywood should accept that and move on.

Vicious Fun - boring as shit. I like the guy from Mind Hunter but this was just so bad.

Hostel Part 3 - I somehow had not seen this before, guess it went straight to VOD before that was much of a thing. Far as torture-porn goes, eh, not bad. Don't watch it if you're not a sadist though I think.

Oppenheimer - pretty damn good through the eyes of Nolan and what's considered good now (srsly if that damn kiddy porn fuck Emma Stone girl movie wins Best Picture I'm gonna murder Kid Rock), it's going to deservedly win Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Supporting Actress, and others. It's good, also. Worth the 180+ minutes.

The Thing (yes the OG classic) - So......., yeah, realized just now that I buried the lede and then some. I hadn't re-watched this in quite a few years due to the fact that my only hard copy is an HD-DVD of it. Finally bit the Paramount Plus bullet and re-watched and yeah, still so good.

I have two top tiers for movies, as follows:

1A
-The Thing
-Halloween
-Coherence
1B
-Dredd
-The Cabin in the Woods
-You're Next

Carpenter is a clear 1/2, I could pick either on any given day, but man The Thing is still as good as I remember. And do not sleep on Coherence.

 

[Pinball]

The Creator was alright. Nice to see some sci-fi visuals, so-so story.

 

[roker]

Oh yeah, and that Godfather 3 part wasn't even supposed to go to her. I think it was Winona Ryder who was supposed to do it, but couldn't because either she was in rehab or in the middle of that shoplifting trial stuff. So Coppola just gave the part to his daughter. Not sure how right Ryder would have been for that part anyway. Plus, Andy Garcia isn't exactly the greatest actor, so they were fucked from jump.

Every scene with Al Pacino and Diane Keaton together was well done though. Just goes to show that they could’ve still made a good movie had they put the right pieces in place.

 

[famicommander]

Scream VII has officially lost its director, Christopher Landon.

Not surprising given the studio chased off Neve Campbell and Jenna Ortega because they didn't want to pay them and then fired Melissa Barrera for defending Palestine. Can't imagine wanting to direct a movie with just Courteney Cox and her weird face.