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

[terry.330]

I own that awful movie.

Credit where it's due, Vinegar Syndrome did an incredible job on the blu-ray but sitting through it 3 times was enough for me. I had no problem parting with it. If I want to get further enjoyment out if it I'll just re-watch the RLM episode, a far better experience than having to see John De Hart have sex in a jacuzzi.

I'd buy that incredible cover art on a t-shirt and wear it proudly though.

 

[100proof]

John DeHart is probably my favorite of the black tanktop auteurs. The fact that he always looks terrified makes him somehow more relatable than the Neil Breens and Shuny Bees of the world.

 

[Taiso]

RRR

This is not a movie I can quantify or even begin to explain except to say that 'through friendship, all things are possible.'

I feel like this came out of a comic book or a manga or something like that. It feels like a live action adaptation of that kind of material.

Also, it is a very male centered film, for which I am grateful. This movie would not get made by a major American studio today.

It has a little bit of everything in it: action, romance, adventure, pathos...all of it. There are even two dance numbers in it and I loved them both. And I am not a fan of musicals, dance numbers or flash mobs.

Bollywood would be perfect for a live action Devil May Cry adaptation if RRR is something they are capable of. This is the first time I've ever had hope for such things in a LONG time.

It is such an HONEST effort by the film makers in its themes and its general spirit that I found it an utter joy to watch. Didn't feel like 3 hours at all.

4.5 out of 5 stars. To me, it's a must watch.

 

[100proof]

This movie would not get made by a major American studio today.

Uhhhh... the #1 movie in the box office this past weekend was Bad Boys 4. Deadpool and Wolverine is the most anticipated dumb blockbuster of the summer. Guy movies still come out all the time. Yeah, there's a lot of lame girlboss shit too but c'mon man... cool it with the hyperbole.

That said, RRR is great and ridiculous in equal measure.

 

[Average Joe]

I liked RRR a lot, but it definitely felt like three hours to me--I think I actually ended up watching half one day and then rest the next.

I'm not even saying that as a negative, but the entire thing felt like an event of sorts and a solid three hours was too much for one sitting. But that might just be me and films of that length as even for something like Seven Samurai, which I love deeply and have seen many times over, I also need to do in parts spaced out.

 

[Taiso]

Uhhhh... the #1 movie in the box office this past weekend was Bad Boys 4. Deadpool and Wolverine is the most anticipated dumb blockbuster of the summer. Guy movies still come out all the time. Yeah, there's a lot of lame girlboss shit too but c'mon man... cool it with the hyperbole.

That said, RRR is great and ridiculous in equal measure.

I don't think the films you're talking about have the same tone.

American guy movies portray them as hapless buffoons that succeed in spite of themselves. There isn't anything charming about any of the people in those movies you mentioned. They're just fuckups that say funny things and happen to save the day in spite of themselves.

The protagonists of RRR are presented as men of deep spiritual conviction that take what they're doing seriously and are meant to be taken seriously. And that is even with two dance numbers.

So uhhhh...I disagree with you. American cinema still shits on its men for the most part.

Also, the film is rather patriotic. I liked that about it.

 

[Taiso]

I liked RRR a lot, but it definitely felt like three hours to me--I think I actually ended up watching half one day and then rest the next.

I'm not even saying that as a negative, but the entire thing felt like an event of sorts and a solid three hours was too much for one sitting. But that might just be me and films of that length as even for something like Seven Samurai, which I love deeply and have seen many times over, I also need to do in parts spaced out.

I had to watch it in three parts because I just still have too much to do in a day to give three hours of my life to anything right now.

I think I'd get more out of the film on a second viewing, to be honest.

Wonderful film.

 

[100proof]

I don't think the films you're talking about have the same tone.

American guy movies portray them as hapless buffoons that succeed in spite of themselves. There isn't anything charming about any of the people in those movies you mentioned. They're just fuckups that say funny things and happen to save the day in spite of themselves.

The protagonists of RRR are presented as men of deep spiritual conviction that take what they're doing seriously and are meant to be taken seriously. And that is even with two dance numbers.

So uhhhh...I disagree with you. American cinema still shits on its men for the most part.

Also, the film is rather patriotic. I liked that about it.

So now they can't be funny movies. Okay.

How about last year's Best Picture, Oppenheimer, WB.

The Monkey Man, Universal.

The Beekeeper, MGM.

American Fiction. MGM. (Or is that one too black?)

The Iron Claw. A24.

Do you want me to keep going or are you going to die on this stupid hill created by conservative culture warrior chucklefucks?

 

[Taiso]

So now they can't be funny movies. Okay.

How about last year's Best Picture, Oppenheimer, WB.

The Monkey Man, Universal.

The Beekeeper, MGM.

American Fiction. MGM. (Or is that one too black?)

The Iron Claw. A24.

Do you want me to keep going or are you going to die on this stupid hill created by conservative culture warrior chucklefucks?

Oppenheimer is not a 'guy' movie. You're reaching.

The Beekeeper was niche and got absolutely no leverage or press. It came and was gone.

American Fiction isn't a 'guy' movie. You're reaching.

The Iron Claw is not a 'guy' movie. It's a biopic with very little to celebrate as it's about a tyrant of a father (a man) forcing his sons to do shit they didn't want to do. Great movie, btw.

I don't know about The Monkey Man, which should tell you something about that film's actual impact considering how much cinema I actually take in.

Please stop. I have eyes and I have a brain.

You're talking about movies that just so happen to have guys in them. That is not 'guy cinema'. You're smarter than this.

'Conservative culture warrior Chucklefucks'.

Funny.

Do you own a dog? Have you ever owned one? Because Hitler had a dog. Somebody call Xavier.

I won't be responding to any more of this argument. I want to enjoy my time here and being gaslit or wilfully misinterpreted by someone I respect for their brain is not doing it for me. If you come back at me again, I'll just block you. Not because I hate you but because I know I'm going to give responses to comments that aren't worth the energy.

Cheers.

EDIT: John Wick is the only cinematic franchise that comes close to 'guy' cinema. It clearly did well enough for its strong action and worldbuilding to show me the difference.

 

[terry.330]

Under Paris- This is one of the dumbest pieces of shit to get a mainstream release in years. Mind blowingly stupid is not an understatement. This is one of those Tubi style direct to streaming shark movies but Netflix gave the director of Frontiers a bunch of money to actually work with. It looks like a real movie but it most definitely is not.

The gist of it is that a shark expert tracks the shark that killed her research team to the Seine river and into the vast labyrinth of catacombs under Paris. She goes to warn the evil greedy mayor of Paris who ignores her because the city is about to hold a giant triathlon and there can't be any negative publicity.

The only people who listen to her are a group of gen-Z douche bag animal rights activists. They then come up with a plan to find the shark and somehow guide it back out to the ocean. This does not work, at all.

Now there is also what appears to be a baby shark that gets killed and when they do an autopsy we find out that the sharks are genetically mutated and each shark is now filled with hundreds of baby sharks that instantly grow to adult size. So now there's like 10,000 sharks and the triathlon is about to start.

The mayor finally calls in the army but still holds the triathlon, so now there are snipers everywhere to shoot the sharks. The triathlon starts, turns into a feeding frenzy and the military open fire but end up hitting unexploded WWII artillery that is at the bottom of the river which explode, causing a chain reaction of increasingly large explosions. This somehow causes a fucking tidal wave. The movie ends with the camera pulling out to reveal that all of Paris is completely flooded like 2 stories deep and filled with thousands of sharks. The end.

None of this is done in a tongue in cheek manner, it's all totally serious.

The first half of the movie is so incredibly dull and generic that I almost gave up but that second half gets real stupid real fast. Unfortunately that's really about all it has going for it. It misses just about every opportunity possible for the genre and it's own premise and constantly does things so stupid you would swear this was written by a 9 year old boy using AI.

 

[wataru330]

Happy Father’s Day to me! Saturday my wife and daughter are out of town, and my son works until 6pm.

I’ve got the rest of my day figured out!

 

[100proof]

Oppenheimer is not a 'guy' movie. You're reaching.

The Beekeeper was niche and got absolutely no leverage or press. It came and was gone.

American Fiction isn't a 'guy' movie. You're reaching.

The Iron Claw is not a 'guy' movie. It's a biopic with very little to celebrate as it's about a tyrant of a father (a man) forcing his sons to do shit they didn't want to do. Great movie, btw.

I don't know about The Monkey Man, which should tell you something about that film's actual impact considering how much cinema I actually take in.

Please stop. I have eyes and I have a brain.

You're talking about movies that just so happen to have guys in them. That is not 'guy cinema'. You're smarter than this.

'Conservative culture warrior Chucklefucks'.

Funny.

Do you own a dog? Have you ever owned one? Because Hitler had a dog. Somebody call Xavier.

I won't be responding to any more of this argument. I want to enjoy my time here and being gaslit or wilfully misinterpreted by someone I respect for their brain is not doing it for me. If you come back at me again, I'll just block you. Not because I hate you but because I know I'm going to give responses to comments that aren't worth the energy.

Cheers.

EDIT: John Wick is the only cinematic franchise that comes close to 'guy' cinema. It clearly did well enough for its strong action and worldbuilding to show me the difference.

I apologize if it seems like I'm needlessly antagonizing you. In this particular case, I'm just sick to death of the culture warrior nonsense from all sides and, as I also respect you for your intellect, I was trying to poke at what I saw as a lazy generalization.

There are still a ton of movies being made out there by men, for men and about men dealing with issues unique to men. Everything from traditional he-man "guy" action flicks to more nuanced stuff about the expectations put on men and the burden of power and success. Movies in general are increasingly silo'd and niche so I can appreciate that you may not hear about all of them and I'm happy to recommend a few if you're looking for them. Monkey Man would be a good start. If you like John Wick, there's a whole genre of "you fucked with the wrong guy" movies made in the last few years that have the same basic premise... with varying levels of brutality and cheek.

Beyond that, I'll drop it. Enjoy your evening.

 

[Taiso]

I apologize if it seems like I'm needlessly antagonizing you. In this particular case, I'm just sick to death of the culture warrior nonsense from all sides and, as I also respect you for your intellect, I was trying to poke at what I saw as a lazy generalization.

There are still a ton of movies being made out there by men, for men and about men dealing with issues unique to men. Everything from traditional he-man "guy" action flicks to more nuanced stuff about the expectations put on men and the burden of power and success. Movies in general are increasingly silo'd and niche so I can appreciate that you may not hear about all of them and I'm happy to recommend a few if you're looking for them. Monkey Man would be a good start. If you like John Wick, there's a whole genre of "you fucked with the wrong guy" movies made in the last few years that have the same basic premise... with varying levels of brutality and cheek.

Beyond that, I'll drop it. Enjoy your evening.

Thank you for responding with kindness. I appreciate you.

I think that me celebrating the greatness of RRR should be proof enough that I'm not intimidated by movies with action heroes that aren't white. When you hit me with 'is that too black for you?', it really pissed me off and I'm not going to pretend that it didn't.

My big problem with western cinema for men is that it's predominantly a 90 minute beer commercial. I am sick to death of men being treated like idiots in cinema. Same with anti-Christian messaging. Not because I'm a man or a Christian. It's just played out bullshit, low hanging fruit and willfully dishonest storytelling.

RRR is a film that is practically elemental in its expression of friendship between two men. The movie never insults you by insulting them. I appreciate that it treats their bond as deep and complex, kindred spirits finding their way to one another against all odds. The movie never laughs AT them. It laughs WITH them. And their women actually SUPPORT them.

I'm really looking forward to The Bikeriders with Tom Hardy and Austin Butler. Unfortunately, even THAT movie is going to be about criminal behavior couched in the spirit of rebellion and brotherhood. They aren't going to be acting morally in their decisions. It's obvious from the trailer.

I have no problem finding movies like RRR when I want to. And I don't need EVERY movie to be like this. But it's nice to see that in other countries, we get cinema like this and it's an open celebration of brotherhood without caveats.

Much love, 'proof.

EDIT: I understand your frustration with the culture war. In many respects, I share it. But I can recognize that some of the conservative takes aren't entirely bullshit, as well as some of the liberal takes having merit as well. When people called Furiosa 'woke', that didn't stop me from seeing it. Was 'the message' in there? Yes, it absolutely was. However, that was not my beef with the film. I didn't care about that and it didn't bother me.

But yeah, I totally get it. So I try not to bring those criticisms into films that I have problems with.

 

[Taiso]

View attachment 75380
Happy Father’s Day to me! Saturday my wife and daughter are out of town, and my son works until 6pm.

I’ve got the rest of my day figured out!

Do you have chinese spare ribs?

 

[wataru330]

Do you have chinese spare ribs?

To go with imitation Bruce movies, I’ll prolly have imitation Chinese food…there are killer ‘mock’ (nun and monk style) vegetarian restaurants out my way.
The spare ribs are amazing! seitan (wheat meat) with the ‘bone’ being a fried taro stick.

 

[Tarma]

The Beekeeper was niche and got absolutely no leverage or press. It came and was gone.

The Beekeeper grossed $150m+ at the box office - personally, I wouldn't say that "came and went" for the type of film it is. For a non-franchise Jason Statham action flick, that's pretty good numbers compared with a lot of other films that have come and gone this year.

 

[Taiso]

The Beekeeper grossed $150m+ at the box office - personally, I wouldn't say that "came and went" for the type of film it is. For a non-franchise Jason Statham action flick, that's pretty good numbers compared with a lot of other films that have come and gone this year.

Only 66 million in the country where I live. It pretty much came and went, my friend.

 

[terry.330]

Manhunter- I knew this was related to The Silence Of The Lambs but didn't realize it was The Red Dragon or that it was directed by Michael Mann. Or that Brian Cox played Hannibal Lektor. This is one I had been meaning to sit down and watch properly having only seen bits of it over the years.

I thought it was pretty good but definitely flawed. It's got Mann's trademark style but it seems kind of uneven. Like some stuff is way stylized but then some of it is just kind of flat feeling, which makes the movie feel less cohesive. Cox did a pretty good job as Lektor, though he's not exactly given the depth or screen time as Hopkins in SOTL. William Peterson was serviceable, I find his earlier performances to be a little too try hard, he settled into a nice groove later in his career though. Tom Noonan on the other hand I really enjoyed. His appearance combined with his ominous presence really made the character feel believable and deep instead of just crazy and angry.

I found the ending to ultimately be a little awkward but not enough to really bother me.

It's definitely a far better movie and more enjoyable than Red Dragon, certainly more subdued and it actually feels like someones own vision. But then Red Dragon was directed by Brett Ratner so yeah...

 

[Syn]

I found it enjoyable. Like you mentioned flawed but I remembered it instantly when Hannibal was mentioned in SOTL.

 

[Hattori Hanzo]

I watched it before SOTL. Last time I saw it was when it was released on Blu-ray here. I still think it is better than the movies after SOTL.
The Hannibal series was better and I wish they didn't stop after the 3rd season.

 

[wyo]

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes - I decided about 20 minutes in that I could not put up with CGI apes going ooh ooh ah ah for 2.5 hours. Maybe ok for kids or the mentally challenged but a hard pass from me. 1/5 stars

 

[LoneSage]

Homeward Bound - saw this two or three weeks ago and just now saw a picture of a hedgehog which reminded me I had seen this.

Fond memories of this as a kid, particularly when Shadow fell in that inexplicable huge hole in the scrapyard or whatever and crying like a bitch.

However, unlike A Dog's Purpose which I really enjoyed, this one is strictly for five year olds. Some nice scenery shots but that's as much praise as I can give it. I was kinda surprised how much time they spent on the family. This one's best left in memory.

The poster showed them encountering a bear but there weren't no damn bear

 

[terry.330]

American Movie- A documentary from 1999 that follows Mark Bouchard on his quest to finish his independent short horror film "Coven". Filmed in Milwaukee over a couple year period this perfectly captures that era in certain parts of the midwest where everything was still stuck in the 80's. Mullets, heavy metal, lots of beer, everyone and everything is just ugly and depressing. You would almost think it was a mockumentary it's so surreal and pathetic.

Mark is completely full of shit and a total loser that constantly puts the cart before the horse. The fact that he actually completes a 30 minute short in 3 years is an absolute miracle. He's massively in debt, barely working a dead end job and prioritizes his dream of being a filmmaker over everything, including his family. He's a manipulative, alcoholic, blabber mouth scumbag, yet despite all of this him and his friends are still somehow kind of strangely endearing. His best friend Mike in particular who we later find out has given himself permanent brain damage from abusing LSD has a detached sense of calmness as he floats through life and still manages to come across as a genuine person.

There's no big twist or schmaltzy ending, it's just about a bizarrely determined, very annoying loser trying to live his dream and kind of succeeding, at least a little bit.

While I think it's definitely worth watching it's really trying at times. The sheer amount of bullshit constantly spewing from Mark's mouth, the sad and awkward day to day life of everyone involved is tough to watch. It's in no way a feel good or inspirational movie. It's just a completely honest look into one guy's misguided obsession.

 

[dspoonrt]

That's a fascinating documentary, one I go back to every 5 years or so. The subjects aren't quite as dysfunctional as Jesco White and his inbred clan, but it provides a similar feeling of witnessing a slow-motion car accident. Maybe that's an unfair comparison, as American Movie comes off a lot more genuine and sympathetic than Dancing' Outlaw/Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virginia.

 

[terry.330]

Maybe that's an unfair comparison, as American Movie comes off a lot more genuine and sympathetic than Dancing' Outlaw/Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virginia.

Yeah it's never really done for shock value or trying to be exploitative and voyeuristic. I'd put it more in line with the R. Crumb documentary, it has that genuine quality. Plus being in the midwest myself I know first hand that people like Bouchard and co. are not uncommon, even these days.

In a lot of ways it actually has quite a bit in common with Waynes World and Napoleon Dynamite lol.