Random Movie Thoughts Thread

[Julius_Van_Der_Beak]

The Flash:

Perhaps some of the worst CGI ever put out by a major studio, rivaled only by another DC/WB dud in Green Lantern. The CGI looked like a fan edit done by a 13 year old middle school student for a Computer Science class project.

The DCEU is an absolute unmitigated disaster, and proof that just throwing money at projects with famous IPs doesn't necessarily equate to success when you have a bunch of talentless suits running the show with no connection to the actual source material, nor any respect for their audience. Kind of amazing how they managed to bring Michael Keaton back as Batman after 30 years, yet have it also feel uninspired and unimpactful to the film -- clearly noone at DC/WB took notes from Spiderman: No Way Home on how to successfully do a multiverse surprise Wrestlemania entrance.

I still need to watch this. I guess this will go before Indy because it's less likely to infuriate me.

 

[Totenkindly]

Martin Scorsese urges filmmakers to fight comic book movie culture: 'We've got to save cinema'

Martin Scorsese wants filmmakers to 'save cinema' by fighting comic book movie culture, which he called manufactured content.

www.yahoo.com

Man, I don't disagree in terms of really great films, but (1) there have still been a few daring superhero films and/or heartfelt ones, (2) all types of films exist serving different purposes, not just the types he favors, and (3) it's a really bad look for him and isn't going to change people's minds. At best, hopefully, he will inspire a few filmmakers who want to do their own thing to actually do that regardless of the financial return. But he ends up sounding like a cranky old man. It's not like the audiences who see superhero films are going to immediately run off and see a Scorsese film if all superhero films suddenly vanished overnight. Superhero studios/films exist because it filled a venue where people actually wanted to spend their money because they enjoy them.

Nolan is decent -- I admit for awhile he was my favorite filmmaker and has also made my favorite film -- but he's not the end all, be all, and he has also made "superhero" films. They tend to be better than the rote studio ones that have been pumped out over the last decade, or at least among the top ones, but they're not necessarily great films either. (I still honestly hate TDKR and pretend it doesn't exist.)

I still need to watch this. I guess this will go before Indy because it's less likely to infuriate me.

I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts.

I felt like the last third of the film was a total bollux, and then especially the epilogue. The rest of the film (aside from the sometimes shitty CGI, purposeful or not) had some stronger elements but it was always going to sink or swim on the third act. It didn't help the film seemed to sell one plotline, then ended up being something else entirely which threw a damper on it. But maybe you will have a different experience.

 

[Totenkindly]

In other news, I'm very excited to see a picture of Jay Sherman, The Critic. I liked that show. It actually even made Jon Lovitz likeable in some way, rather than the snivelly little loser in the background.

 

[The Cat]

In other news, I'm very excited to see a picture of Jay Sherman, The Critic. I liked that show. It actually even made Jon Lovitz likeable in some way, rather than the snivelly little loser in the background.

It reminds me of staying up late in middle school watching early adult swim. It's crazy how prescient Jurassic Park II The Raptors Revenge turned out to be for the franchise.

 

[Totenkindly]

I rewatched The Mask of Zorro in 4K. It's a great blockbuster of the time period (it's not even grimdark, it's rather epic for the setting and a positive feel to the whole film) and I've always loved it aside from maybe Hopkins feeling a bit old... but his antagonist Rafael (Stuart Wilson is pretty old too), and most of the film they are closer to the proper age.

I think Banderas is pretty underrated in general. Americans pretty much just know him as Zorro or Puss in Boots or an action/romance star in his 30's, but he's done a lot of great film work throughout his career including as an older actors -- although some of it in recent years have been in subtitled films. Still, just the facial experiences and acting with the eyes/face is very expressive with him and Zeta-Jones here, and they both have really great comic timing. They also both have great chemistry.

I didn't even hear Horner blatantly cribbing himself in this film.

Terry Rossio and Ted Elliot did a decent job with this script (along with all the excellent beats, everything tracks including the puzzle of revealing de la Vega's identity to Elena at film's end, without feeling intrusive) and the cinematography was excellent -- just some of the choices you can observe when watching the film and what is shot and where things are placed. It's interesting to note how poorly the sequel did -- and the only major things that changed were the script writers (Kurtzman and Orci, sigh) and the editor, so.... from what I've read it sounds like the story was the main problem with the sequel.

 

[Red Herring]

I rewatched The Mask of Zorro in 4K. It's a great blockbuster of the time period (it's not even grimdark, it's rather epic for the setting and a positive feel to the whole film) and I've always loved it aside from maybe Hopkins feeling a bit old... but his antagonist Rafael (Stuart Wilson is pretty old too), and most of the film they are closer to the proper age.

I think Banderas is pretty underrated in general. Americans pretty much just know him as Zorro or Puss in Boots or an action/romance star in his 30's, but he's done a lot of great film work throughout his career including as an older actors -- although some of it in recent years have been in subtitled films. Still, just the facial experiences and acting with the eyes/face is very expressive with him and Zeta-Jones here, and they both have really great comic timing. They also both have great chemistry.

I didn't even hear Horner blatantly cribbing himself in this film.

Terry Rossio and Ted Elliot did a decent job with this script (along with all the excellent beats, everything tracks including the puzzle of revealing de la Vega's identity to Elena at film's end, without feeling intrusive) and the cinematography was excellent -- just some of the choices you can observe when watching the film and what is shot and where things are placed. It's interesting to note how poorly the sequel did -- and the only major things that changed were the script writers (Kurtzman and Orci, sigh) and the editor, so.... from what I've read it sounds like the story was the main problem with the sequel.

I like him both as Zorro and as Puss, but especially in his work with Pedro Almodovar. Dolor y gloria (Pain & Glory) is a touching mature work and Banderas is brilliant in it as an aging and in the end a little wiser stand-in for Almodovar in a hugely autobiographical pic.

 

[Totenkindly]

I like him both as Zorro and as Puss, but especially in his work with Pedro Almodovar. Dolor y gloria (Pain & Glory) is a touching mature work and Banderas is brilliant in it as an aging and in the end a little wiser stand-in for Almodovar in a hugely autobiographical pic.

I saw that the year it came out and appreciated it as well. "The Skin I Live In" was another Almodovar pic starring Banderas, where I appreciated Banderas' willingness to play a man who might start sympathetic but soon comes to be seen as repulsive by the audience.

I still have yet to see Almodovar's "Parallel Mothers," maybe I'll get around to it sometime.

 

[Red Herring]

I saw that the year it came out and appreciated it as well. "The Skin I Live In" was another Almodovar pic starring Banderas, where I appreciated Banderas' willingness to play a man who might start sympathetic but soon comes to be seen as repulsive by the audience.

I still have yet to see Almodovar's "Parallel Mothers," maybe I'll get around to it sometime.

Yeah, that one's also on my list.


I just learned that Pain & Glory is rated R in the US and has a minimum age somewhere in the teens (between 12 and 16) in most countries but is rated age 6 or 7 in Germany and Denmark. The reasoning behind that is that drug consumption is shown but not glorified and the whole gay theme is "shown in such a natural way that no negative effect on children over 6 is to be expected".

 

[Julius_Van_Der_Beak]

Martin Scorsese urges filmmakers to fight comic book movie culture: 'We've got to save cinema'

Martin Scorsese wants filmmakers to 'save cinema' by fighting comic book movie culture, which he called manufactured content.

www.yahoo.com

Man, I don't disagree in terms of really great films, but (1) there have still been a few daring superhero films and/or heartfelt ones, (2) all types of films exist serving different purposes, not just the types he favors, and (3) it's a really bad look for him and isn't going to change people's minds. At best, hopefully, he will inspire a few filmmakers who want to do their own thing to actually do that regardless of the financial return. But he ends up sounding like a cranky old man. It's not like the audiences who see superhero films are going to immediately run off and see a Scorsese film if all superhero films suddenly vanished overnight. Superhero studios/films exist because it filled a venue where people actually wanted to spend their money because they enjoy them.

I find myself in agreement with him even as I watch all the films he's talking about. I think he mentions "franchise films" so we're not talking superhero films necessarily. This summer was interesting as all the established franchises floundered, while off-kilter films like Barbie and Oppenheimer made bank. I mean, I'm sure Barbie will become a mega-franchise, too, with all the weird parts sanded off, naturally. But it isn't, yet. It's just one film.

 

[Totenkindly]

I find myself in agreement with him even as I watch all the films he's talking about. I think he mentions "franchise films" so we're not talking superhero films necessarily. This summer was interesting as all the established franchises floundered, while off-kilter films like Barbie and Oppenheimer made bank. I mean, I'm sure Barbie will become a mega-franchise, too, with all the weird parts sanded off, naturally. But it isn't, yet. It's just one film.

I honestly hope it doesn't.

At least the LEGO films managed to stay kind of manageable. What were there, four of them? None was as good as the first. But I wouldn't say any of them were bad.

 

[Julius_Van_Der_Beak]

I honestly hope it doesn't.

At least the LEGO films managed to stay kind of manageable. What were there, four of them? None was as good as the first. But I wouldn't say any of them were bad.

The Batman one was good, lots of fun references to other iterations. I didn't see the others.

 

[Totenkindly]

The Batman one was good, lots of fun references to other iterations. I didn't see the others.

yeah, I enjoyed the Batman one. There was some kind of Japanese ninjutsu team thing, and then LEGO 2. But the first was really inspired.

I guess if we're lucky, maybe that is the best we can hope for from a Barbie franchise.

 

[Totenkindly]

Been waiting forever for this.

James Cameron's The Abyss 4K home release coming soon

We are closer than ever to a 4K home video release of The Abyss, as James Cameron has confirmed that it is coming "pretty soon."

www.joblo.com

 

[Kingu Kurimuzon]

I recently rewatched the Christopher Reeve Supermans. He really owned that role and I hadn’t realized how skilled he was at using subtle gestures and posture to separate Clark Kent from Superman. He really was an S tier actor who should’ve been more successful outside of this franchise, but he got pigeonholed as a pretty boy for most of his career.

Superman 1, pretty solid introduction and doesn’t linger on the origin story longer than it needs to, unlike a lot of post 2000 superhero stuff. Brando and Hackman are awesome

Superman 2, kind of silly but still the best. I’ve never seen the Donner cut, maybe it improves on Lester’s cut, which does tend to play up the silly elements and comic relief too much when more drama is needed. Zod is the best villain of the series, largely due to Stamp elevating what was otherwise a very one dimensional baddie

Superman 3, I have mixed feelings. I really enjoy the evil Superman and Smallville subplots, but then the Richard Pryor stuff just makes it very disjointed. Remove Pryor and Robert Vaughan, add Gene Hackman, and you’d have the perfect follow up to part 2. Reeve looks and performs best in 3, I mean he got JACKED for that one whereas he’s just a tad too lanky in the others. I think his physique in this film is preferable to what we’ve seen with actors in newer superhero films, in which it’s obvious they’re using steroids. It’s also better than the beefcake look that was getting popular around the same time with Stallone and Schwarzenegger. I want to look like Reeve in Superman 3 and I think it’s a realistic and achievable goal with a natty routine. Tie between 2 and 3 as my favorites.

Superman 4 is just sad, Cannon Films had a golden goose and they blew the opportunity by cutting corners on story and fx. The Cannon films documentary had some interesting on why they failed with Superman 4 and Masters of the Universe, films that should have been major hits. They just couldn’t get past the style of low budget production, which might work for a Bronson or Norris action film, but in something that is dependent on optical effects, you can’t cut corners. The flying visuals in 4 look worse than those in the original 1978 film, and that’s unforgivable in a 1987 movie when special effects had come quite a ways.

For the most part these films had a good balance of heart/drama and the silly camp I’d expect in an adaptation of a 1930s comic book. Also Williams original theme music will never be topped.

 

[Julius_Van_Der_Beak]

^Woah, what a coincidence.

I caught the last half of Deathtrap with my Mom today. Christopher Reeve really had range. Such a damn shame. I mean it would be, anyway, but this really highlights it.

I didn't like the twist at the end, and wasn't sure it was "earned", but then, it's not as though I saw the entire movie. It might not be as rando and out of left-field and "so what" in that context.

 

[Totenkindly]

I never watched Supes 3&4.

I did see Supes 1 a few times.

I have also seen both versions of Superman 2 and have the Donner cut. I preferred the Donner cut, although some of the effects were not finished. It has just been so long that I can't remember the specific differences.

I never really saw much with Reeves, honestly. I know he's been touted as accomplished and understated. I remember him in his bit role in The Remains of the Day. But from all indications he was a pretty decent person regardless. [Edit: Gawd, I almost originally typed he's "a real stand-up guy" without even realizing what I was saying, doh.]

 

[Julius_Van_Der_Beak]

I never watched Supes 3&4.

I did see Supes 1 a few times.

I have also seen both versions of Superman 2 and have the Donner cut. I preferred the Donner cut, although some of the effects were not finished. It has just been so long that I can't remember the specific differences.

I never really saw much with Reeves, honestly. I know he's been touted as accomplished and understated. I remember him in his bit role in The Remains of the Day. But from all indications he was a pretty decent person regardless.

I haven't bitten the bullet and checked out 3 or 4 either. I remember when the Donner Cut came out, though, and I've always wanted to see that

For the most part these films had a good balance of heart/drama and the silly camp I’d expect in an adaptation of a 1930s comic book. Also Williams original theme music will never be topped.

They're cheesy at times but I also like how earnest they are and how much they wears their heart on his sleeve, so to speak. There is something very pure about them that I love; I don't think we're capable of making something like that anymore;. It would just be seen as too old-fashioned or not worldly enough or something like that. Chances are it ran the risk of being seen that way 1978. I'm not commenting on Snyder's Man of Steel because I haven't seen it, but my intuition tells me that it's probably something different than this.

 

[Kingu Kurimuzon]

^Woah, what a coincidence.

I caught the last half of Deathtrap with my Mom today. Christopher Reeve really had range. Such a damn shame. I mean it would be, anyway, but this really highlights it.

I didn't like the twist at the end, and wasn't sure it was "earned", but then, it's not as though I saw the entire movie. It might not be as rando and out of left-field and "so what" in that context.

I’ll have to give that a try. I have not seen Reeve in a ton of non Superman stuff but when I have, I’ve always been impressed by him. He was good in Somewhere In Time.

 

[Kingu Kurimuzon]

I never watched Supes 3&4.

I did see Supes 1 a few times.

I have also seen both versions of Superman 2 and have the Donner cut. I preferred the Donner cut, although some of the effects were not finished. It has just been so long that I can't remember the specific differences.

I never really saw much with Reeves, honestly. I know he's been touted as accomplished and understated. I remember him in his bit role in The Remains of the Day. But from all indications he was a pretty decent person regardless. [Edit: Gawd, I almost originally typed he's "a real stand-up guy" without even realizing what I was saying, doh.]

I’d give 3 a go. It’s about on par with Lester’s Superman 2 I think. With both 2 and 3, I think we got almost great films but they were just compromised by a director who couldn’t get past his roots as a comedy director. It’s like he almost understood what an action fantasy film needed but couldn’t help himself and had to play up certain slapstick elements and gags.

4 is unnecessary unless you’re into self torture or enjoy watching so-bad-they’re-good flicks. It’s actually a shame because some of the story premises aren’t terrible, it’s just executed terribly. All of the sequels could have been much better in the right hands and were just mismanaged by their respective producers and directors. They should’ve let Reeve direct 4 as he’d originally wanted

 

[Kingu Kurimuzon]

I haven't bitten the bullet and checked out 3 or 4 either. I remember when the Donner Cut came out, though, and I've always wanted to see that




They're cheesy at times but I also like how earnest they are and how much they wears their heart on his sleeve, so to speak. There is something very pure about them that I love; I don't think we're capable of making something like that anymore;. It would just be seen as too old-fashioned or not worldly enough or something like that. Chances are it ran the risk of being seen that way 1978. I'm not commenting on Snyder's Man of Steel because I haven't seen it, but my intuition tells me that it's probably something different than this.

I think they’re interesting as they came out in the late 70s when national morale was pretty low, and aside from Star Wars, most films of the period were big on antiheroes and downplayed or disregarded heroism and selflessness. Reeve took the old style all American hero and Re popularized it but he also gave it heart and made it less one dimensional than what we’d usually seen. In a lot of ways he was the first 80s action hero and foreshadowed a trend of good guys being celebrated again. Although that’s problematic in its own right because it also led to some really cartoonishly American and very reagan era ideas of masculinity that were sometimes unrealistic and arguably toxic. But Reeve had vulnerability balanced with strength and it’s rare to see that done so well with action heroes, even in the current age