[champ]

 Slow Ben, on 15 February 2025 - 04:10 AM, said:

Heck yes! I'll take another accountant.


Goonies 2 is in development.

https://variety.com/...2Fz7GgAzzczWjUg


Skeptical is an understatement.

I watched Goonies at the weekend, totally a timeless classic!! As for Goonies 2... aye, not sure about that at all but definitely interested.

[Tsundoku]

Might make time for this.

[QuickTidal]

 Tsundoku, on 28 February 2025 - 10:42 AM, said:

Might make time for this.

Yep. looks dope as hell!

[QuickTidal]

Trying to watch the Oscar picks as they become available for rental or on streaming. A REAL PAIN (Jesse Eisenberg's road movie about two Polish Jewish cousins going on a tour of Poland after the death of their grandmother who survived the Holocaust) for which Culkin just won the Best Supporting for last night is on Disney+.

It's excellent. In fact I'd argue it's a real restraint in filmmaking. He could have gone for over the top views of mental health, or allowed the characters to be caricatures of what they represent (David as Anxiety-ridden, Benji as insanely over the top stemming from depression) but that never happens. It stays exactly where it should, and appropriate deftness and reverence is given to moments that require it.


Just very well done, and Culkin deserved the award, he was stellar in this.

[HoosierDaddy]

Inside Out 2:

It was going to be hard to ever match the first in terms of sheer enjoyment. It does well, but doesn't quite measure up. I think they did a great job of capturing anxiety. As someone who has battled panic attacks in the past 6 months, I felt the understanding that was present. Not perfect, but good. I do miss the absence of other positive emotions... surely there is more than just joy?

Inside Out 2 - 7 out of 10. Good movie. Entertaining with heart.
Original Inside Out - 9 out of 10. Just phenomenal.

[Macros]

solid agree on inside out, both marking scores

[Macros]

Watched "The Order" last night, about the Aryan nation and that insanity in the 80s, very good show, the showpieces aren't over the top for action, Jude Law is excellent.

Compelling almost, very jarring/ well edited shots going from white power rallys to a kids birthday etc

[Slow Ben]

Macros, on 03 March 2025 - 08:01 PM, said:

solid agree on inside out, both marking scores

Same.



The first was a better movie, but the second hit harder.

It’s rather sad watching as an adult and realizing how much anxiety and anger run the show.

[QuickTidal]

Slow Ben, on 04 March 2025 - 03:45 AM, said:

Macros, on 03 March 2025 - 08:01 PM, said:

solid agree on inside out, both marking scores

Same.



The first was a better movie, but the second hit harder.

It’s rather sad watching as an adult and realizing how much anxiety and anger run the show.

The anxiety panic attack scene was so very accurate that I started to weep in the theatre realizing that it's EXACTLY what I felt like during my attacks.

[Slow Ben]

QuickTidal, on 04 March 2025 - 12:25 PM, said:

Slow Ben, on 04 March 2025 - 03:45 AM, said:

Macros, on 03 March 2025 - 08:01 PM, said:

solid agree on inside out, both marking scores

Same.



The first was a better movie, but the second hit harder.

It’s rather sad watching as an adult and realizing how much anxiety and anger run the show.

The anxiety panic attack scene was so very accurate that I started to weep in the theatre realizing that it's EXACTLY what I felt like during my attacks.

I luckily haven’t had serious problems with attacks. I got lucky, my dad gets them bad.

But when anxiety starts randomly planning multiple scenarios that MIGHT go wrong. I freaking felt that.

[Tiste Simeon]

I finally watched Oppenheimer, and I'm still not sure what to think. It was obviously a phenomenal piece of filmmaking and I didn't even notice the length of it because I was gripped. And the final line was chilling, even moreso with current events.

Yet in reality the film is not much more than conversations about physics mixed in with Americans being idiots about communism, Emily Blunt being angry or Florence Pugh being naked.

Which does not in any way diminish the outstanding performances from literally everyone in the cast. I thought the interplay between Oppenheimer and the other characters was fascinating and both female leads were astonishing in their characters.

But yeah nothing really happens haha.

Overall it was a great film that still has me thinking about it a few days later. One of Nolan's best IMO.

[QuickTidal]

 Tiste Simeon, on 07 March 2025 - 01:22 PM, said:

I finally watched Oppenheimer, and I'm still not sure what to think. It was obviously a phenomenal piece of filmmaking and I didn't even notice the length of it because I was gripped. And the final line was chilling, even moreso with current events.

Yet in reality the film is not much more than conversations about physics mixed in with Americans being idiots about communism, Emily Blunt being angry or Florence Pugh being naked.

Which does not in any way diminish the outstanding performances from literally everyone in the cast. I thought the interplay between Oppenheimer and the other characters was fascinating and both female leads were astonishing in their characters.

But yeah nothing really happens haha.

Overall it was a great film that still has me thinking about it a few days later. One of Nolan's best IMO.

Yeah, very much NOT a film about the bomb itself as much as it's a film about talking about the bomb, and then the back half about taking away his security credentials and trying to ruin him during Mcarthyist BS, culminating in the scene where he is told by Einstein that the Americans will eventually pat themselves on the back for recognizing his work, but will make it about themselves and not him at all.

I think my biggest problem with it was that they don't dwell on what happened to the Japanese enough and how Oppenheimer coldly reacted to that...but that may come from my own personal angst about it (my great-grandmother's village was across the bay from Nagasaki and had she not married my great-grandfather and moved with him to Shanghai, she would have been in the blast range of that nuclear explosion and likely dead).

This post has been edited by QuickTidal: 07 March 2025 - 02:23 PM

[QuickTidal]

Cause, on 27 November 2024 - 03:24 AM, said:

Gladiator 2 is not good

So I have a slightly different take.

Cause, on 27 November 2024 - 03:24 AM, said:

Spoiler

I guess they wanted a sequel so badly they never stopped to consider the meaning of starting the film with the line ‘it’s been sixteen years since Maximus died, he died for nothing, Rome is a corrupt cesspool, anyway …’. Okay I may be paraphrasing a little but that’s really how the move starts.

I have no problem with this as the concept is that Rome was/is/and always will be VERY hard to keep heeled down in peace, and that theme is present in Macrinus' actions throughout the film and Lucius' rejection of Rome's ability to do what Maximus and his grandfather wanted it to do...and in terms of real life Rome, that's accurate...the place was in flux for it's entire existence constantly. Rome had to be fought for externally and internally.


Despite invalidating the whole point of the first film I have never seen so many flashbacks, references and quotes from a previous movie shoved into a 2.5 hour run time. Guess they were worried without the foundation of the first film we would ask ourselves why we were watching it.

There weren't THAT many of those. And most of them are centred around the Maximus-is-Lucius Dad and his mothers recollections and happen about midway through. If you've not seen that many flashbacks in a film I question how many films you've watched, cause it was not that many. And they they need to remind people, the first film came out 25 years ago.

The three protagonists/agonists all find themselves following the plot threads through the hand of fate wielded with the deftest of a sledge hammer to keep the story going forward. Honestly it would take more energy than I care to give to examine all the times were the coincidences strain credibility.

I'm curious what you think these are. Aside from General Acacius being the one to lead the attack on Lucius' ex-pat home and thus being partially responsible for the death of his wife, and him being the lover and husband of Lucilla thus entwining them together for the events late run Rome...what coincidences?


No one’s motivations are ever clear or examined. They are simply stated out loud in exposition.

I feel like the throuhgline is about Rome itself and Macrinus spends the entire runtime showing that it can be taken control of by slowly and inexorably moving the pieces around till he's in a position to help one Emperor kill his brother emperor, and then having Lucilla killed, and Caracalla as well....all of which stems from him being a slave under Aurelius (who he did NOT see benevolently) and thus proving that Rome is not the golden spire it claims to be, but a mad, dirty, rutting behemoth that can be controlled by even a former nobody slave. It's Macrinius motivations that are most on display an that's purposeful...we would normally be meant to think that Lucius' motivations matter, but they are shown to be similar to Maximus and thus don't matter to the plot as much, he's a catalyst, nothing more.


I found it a complete mess but the 3 people I saw it with all seemed to enjoy it.

Hopefully this gladiator will lead to peace in Rome for at least 17 years.

As for my own thoughts otherwise...while the first half really does pull a TFA and goes through the motions of rehashing a very similar plot line that the first film did...I found the back half much more entertaining and did a lot more to surprise me and impress me and I was happy when the credits rolled that it was half of a good film. Washington KILLS it with his performance, as does Pascal...the weak link is definitely Paul Mescal who simply doesn't have the personality and verve and charm that Russell Crowe had....but he was up against the wall there as Crowe is simply hard to match...he did his best but he was the weakest performance here for my money. But thankfully the film is much more about Rome itself and Washington's character Macrinus anyways.

[QuickTidal]

Finally got around to watching THE FABLEMANS. Stepping around the pretentious nature of making a movie about your own childhood...I still love Spielberg, so I had high hopes going in.

It was wonderful start to finish actually. I enjoyed everything about it. The kid playing Pseudo-Steven looks like a young Spielberg, and did an exceptional job of it.

My fave scene was the kid meeting his movie director hero John Ford (played by an almost unrecognizable David Lynch)...a story Spielberg has told before and which I'd seen him tell...gets the full movie treatment and it's Chefs Kiss:

Spoilered for length:

Spoiler

JOHN FORD: They tell me you want to be a picture maker.

SAMMY: Um, yes sir. I do.

JOHN FORD: Why?! This business -(he shreds the air!) - it’ll rip you apart!

SAMMY: Ford, I -

JOHN FORD: ya know about art, kid?

SAMMY: love your movies so much -

(Ford suddenly points to a big Remington painting, two men on horseback looking off into the distance with a large butte in the background.)

JOHN FORD: See that painting over there?!

SAMMY: Uh, yeah, I mean yes! Yes, I do see it.

JOHN FORD: Walk over to it!

(Sammy walks to the painting. He looks at it, unsure about what he’s supposed to do.)

JOHN FORD: Well?! What’s in it?! Describe it!!

SAMMY: Oh okay, um - so there are...two guys, and they’re...on horseback and they’re looking for something, so maybe they’re scouting - ?

JOHN FORD: NO!! NO!! Where’s the horizon?!

SAMMY: The - the horizon?

JOHN FORD: Where is it?!

SAMMY (pointing): Oh, it’s, um, it’s at the bottom.

JOHN FORD: That’s RIGHT! Walk over to this painting!

(He points at another painting, a Western scene by Charles Russell. Sammy examines it: five cowboys in a large, crater- like ditch. Their horses are tethered by a small pool of water at the center of the depression while the men are all hunkered around the ridge, rifles ready, forming an armed perimeter.)

JOHN FORD: Well?!

SAMMY: Right, okay, so there are five cowboys, you know, they -

JOHN FORD (in a RAGE): NO NO NO NO NO!!! WHERE’S THE GODDAMNED HORIZON!!!!!????

SAMMY (flustered, pointing to the top of the painting): Um, it’s there!

JOHN FORD: WHERE?!?!

SAMMY: AT THE TOP OF THE PAINTING!

JOHN FORD: ALRIGHT GET OVER HERE!

(Sammy obeys, walking to Ford’s desk.)

JOHN FORD: Now remember this! When the horizon’s at the bottom, it’s interesting. When the horizon’s at the top, it’s interesting. When the horizon’s in the middle, it’s boring as shit!! Now good luck to you -

(Sammy smiles.)

JOHN FORD: - and GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY
OFFICE!!

That may be one of my favourite movie director moments I've ever seen in a film, and it puts such a perfect cap on THE FABLEMANS...and to be honest I'd love to see a second film that shows us Spielberg/Sammy Fableman's life from this point where he's 15 to maybe Jaws premier, or Raiders...

[worry]

I just watched it too actually, about a month ago, and agree with all of that. Makes me want to go back and watch E.T. in particular and see how similar Dee Wallace as Elliott's mom is to Michelle Williams in this. People make a lot out of the recurrence of the 'distant dad' motif in his movies, for obvious reasons, but in my memory at least she's a lot more realistically drawn than a lot of movie moms.

Then I also watched Spielberg's remake of West Side Story and was pleasantly surprised. It's quite good. I heard Elgort was a weak link -- and maybe compared to everyone else he obviously has the least amount of musical stage presence -- but I still liked his performance, and think it's appropriate he's the least expressive given a backstory new to this production. Anyway, everyone else is top shelf.

[QuickTidal]

worry, on 11 March 2025 - 02:24 PM, said:

I just watched it too actually, about a month ago, and agree with all of that. Makes me want to go back and watch E.T. in particular and see how similar Dee Wallace as Elliott's mom is to Michelle Williams in this. People make a lot out of the recurrence of the 'distant dad' motif in his movies, for obvious reasons, but in my memory at least she's a lot more realistically drawn than a lot of movie moms.

From what I understand the movie fudges the notion that he knew about the affair as a kid. Spielberg didn't know until much later on, so his early work has a lot of blame on his dad for the divorce prevalent in it (CLOSE ENCOUNTERS ending is very much a stab at his father)...while his work after he discovered the affair (I mean his mom really did go off to remarry to the family friend) he softened that stance....I think CATCH ME IF YOU CAN, and LINCOLN are specifically an "I'm sorry" to his father apparently.

But yes, I want to go back and watch more of his work to see these "make movies as cope for life and family" moments...and I expect I will.

worry, on 11 March 2025 - 02:24 PM, said:

Then I also watched Spielberg's remake of West Side Story and was pleasantly surprised. It's quite good. I heard Elgort was a weak link -- and maybe compared to everyone else he obviously has the least amount of musical stage presence -- but I still liked his performance, and think it's appropriate he's the least expressive given a backstory new to this production. Anyway, everyone else is top shelf.

I have not seen this one yet, so I'm glad to hear it's good. I will be watching it for sure.

And it sounds like he's gone back to UFOs for the new film he's shooting right now for Universal. So that's exciting.

[Tiste Simeon]

worry, on 11 March 2025 - 02:24 PM, said:

Then I also watched Spielberg's remake of West Side Story and was pleasantly surprised. It's quite good. I heard Elgort was a weak link -- and maybe compared to everyone else he obviously has the least amount of musical stage presence -- but I still liked his performance, and think it's appropriate he's the least expressive given a backstory new to this production. Anyway, everyone else is top shelf.

Phenomenal film, one of my favourites of the past 5 years. Just excellent - Ariana DeBose is especially good.

[worry]

Tiste Simeon, on 11 March 2025 - 02:42 PM, said:

worry, on 11 March 2025 - 02:24 PM, said:

Then I also watched Spielberg's remake of West Side Story and was pleasantly surprised. It's quite good. I heard Elgort was a weak link -- and maybe compared to everyone else he obviously has the least amount of musical stage presence -- but I still liked his performance, and think it's appropriate he's the least expressive given a backstory new to this production. Anyway, everyone else is top shelf.

Phenomenal film, one of my favourites of the past 5 years. Just excellent - Ariana DeBose is especially good.

Yup! My familiarity with her before this was Schmigadoon, in which she was excellent (as is everyone, it's a stacked cast), and I am still real sad it got cancelled after only 2 seasons.

[worry]

The Electric State: Decent idea, stacked cast, cool concepts, flawless CGI...all in service of one of the laziest most lifeless scripts in (my) recent memory. If this were a game or a series, it would have time to develop any of the emotions, relationships, or stakes this movie hints at. Both Station 11 and Fallout come to mind as far superior TV takes in similar territory. Even then it'd need better writing as this was entirely incompetent.


Anyway, in brighter news...I watched all four Bridget Jones movies. I hadn't seen the first or second one since they came out, and never caught the third one. Happy to report the first one is still a classic, the second and third ones are fun follow-ups even if they're not quite as solid, and the fourth one...might be my favorite of the bunch? It grounded things again after 2-3 had their broader comedy moments, and injected a little more gravitas while still being very funny, romantic, silly, and sexy. Chiwetel Ejiofor is more ripped than I expected. It's good to see Renee Zellweger again, just in general, she's so good at this. I don't know how this ran outside the U.S. but here it went straight to streaming (Peacock) and it really deserved to be in theaters. If this is the final film in the series, they did it right.


Heretic: Also has Hugh Grant! Pretty good, small phenomenal cast and a seriously gripping first half, but loses some steam in the latter half once things get more overtly (and familiarly) horror-y.

[amphibian]

The Menu is an absolute classic.

I've come away from it thinking about how it very well encapsulates Trump, the beltway media, voters of different kinds, the need for real world application of expertise and the interplay of money in that, and how the death cult still gets so many people. Wow. Spectacular movie on multiple levels.

I enjoy the contempt the movie has for those who think they're above the chaos a despot brings.