The Films You Watched Thread V: Dead Men Watch No Movies

[JazzFunk]

And my joint-fave jazz pianist, Herbie Hancock (along with George Duke, God rest his beautiful soul), has an important role as Valerian's cool-ass boss, 'The Minister'.

I don't think most of you realise how unprecedentedly cool that is. How amazing Herbie IS. How important it is to the legacy of The Jazz.

Listen to 'Thrust' by Herbie and stare at the beautiful cover whilst you're doing so.

That man is taking his keyboard to the STARS!!!!!!

[JazzFunk]

Or is it unprecedentedally???????!!!

[JazzFunk]

(nah, deffo NOT, it looks awful as a word!!!!!!!)

[randombs]

Jingle All The Way

We're starting our Christmas films a week early with some wonderfully goofy nonsense featuring Arnie, a pink sabre-toothed tiger wearing a golden banana hammock, and the actor who does the voice for Troy McLure in The Simpsons

Call of the Wild

CGI dogs getting up to all sorts of shenanigans delivering mail in the snow. Once I'd clambered over the hurdle of caring about a CGI dog, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Green Book

Superb.

[QualityChimp]

I watched Last Christmas (2019 via NowTV) with the missus.
Don't watch if you're playing Whamageddon!
Paul Fieg directs this lovely Christmassy tale of a woman who has recovered from an illness, but is unable to find her place back in the world afterwards, until she bumps into a guy who helps her see things from a different perspective.

It's got that hilarious Hollywood version of London going on, but the charismatic leads really carry it and it's not only an engaging story but also an emotional one (no, you're crying!)

Good to see an Asian male lead and some topics raised post-Brexit and how immigrants are treated nestled away in the whimsy.

Recommended if you're after something Christmassy with your other half and you can't face Love Actually again.

[Dogg Thang]

I watched The Matrix Reloaded at the weekend. It was the first time I had seen it since seeing it at the cinema back in the day. It’s pretty much just four painfully long ponderous conversations and some fairly meaningless fight sequences. Barely a story to be found. I really wouldn’t rate it at all.

[QualityChimp]

Shut your stupid Dogg face right up.

[Dogg Thang]

Seriously though. Nobody shuts up in the movie and yet they have precisely nothing to say. It does such a disservice to the first movie. Just in my very humble opinion, of course. It's fine to enjoy it for what it is.

[JazzFunk]

^I rewatched the first one on Blu a few months back and felt the same. Blew me away the first time, second time was painfully dull.

I've got the boxset but now I'm looking at the other two and feeling like I did about the LOTR trilogy. All I see is procrastination. I didn't like the sequels first time around so god knows what they'll be like on a second viewing!

[randombs]

Seriously though. Nobody shuts up in the movie and yet they have precisely nothing to say. It does such a disservice to the first movie. Just in my very humble opinion, of course. It's fine to enjoy it for what it is.

I watched it a few weeks ago and, while I loved it, there was an unnecessary amount of “Yes, but do you know the reason why you’re here?”

In fact, the Architect was the least convoluted of the lot!

[Atticus]

eXistenZ - can't believe it's taken me so long to get round to seeing this (currently on My5). Little bit Videodrome, little bit Total recall, and plenty of Cronenberg bonkersness. Jennifer Jason Leigh is class too.

The Magnificent Ambersons - this is the second time I've watched this in a fairly short period of time. I remembered a brilliant sleight ride sequence and thought it might be a nice Christmas watch while up before the family. There's brilliance everywhere but it's hard to ignore the last act, or lack of it, that the studio removed and shot their own abrupt ending. Orson deserved better.

Shut your stupid Dogg face right up.

Still just you and Ma Wachowski who likes them Matrix sequels QC

And on the subject of sequels ...

I've got the boxset but now I'm looking at the other two and feeling like I did about the LOTR trilogy. All I see is procrastination. I didn't like the sequels first time around so god knows what they'll be like on a second viewing!

I feel the same. Fellowship was a much better watch than the sequels that almost felt like they'd been hammered together by the YTS lad. I feel like I should give them another go but as you say it's a big chunk of time.

[QualityChimp]

Still just you and Ma Wachowski who likes them Matrix sequels QC

It's starting to feel like it!

(Although I only really like Reloaded)

[randombs]

Miracle on 34th Street

First time seeing this. I liked it, but I wanted something whacky, so...

Elf

Great fun. Belly laughs abound

[Finsbury Girl]

Actually managed to catch a few movies over the long weekend between eating, drinking and going to the beach.

The Quick and the Dead - Rami homage to Leone. Class film. Still don't know how Leo managed to look 12 when he was I believe mid 20's

The Good Liar - somewhat telegraphed but love Helen Mirren and Ian McKellen and they carried this quite well though it did drag a bit.

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon - how can 1 man be so cool? Chow Yun Fat is an absolute legend. Every time I watch I forget just how good it is. Lee manages to mix romance, slapstick, wuxia and some hardcore kung-fu. EPIC

Long Shot - As far as romantic comedies go, this was a pretty good one. Rogen is always watchable and Theron is also pretty dependable.

[Asura]

Watching Air Force One this evening (it's on Prime) and it's reminded me of how the politics of the era can really affect a movie.

That's because AFO starts off with the US performing an extra-judicial arrest of the ruler of a foreign nation (dictator, but still), and the president, at a speech in Russia, basically says that the US will "no longer stand by", and intends to police the world. Basically it's a jingoistic rallying cry for US interventionism.

Sitting here near-25-years-later, and it's kinda fascinating, because NATO countries intervened (or even caused) some conflicts, like Iraq, Afghanistan, Kosovo, Bosnia - but conspicuously did not involve publicly themselves in others, such as Libya, Syria and Myanmar. I was only a child back when I first saw the movie but there was definitely a social push for interventionism.

I guess what I'm saying is that the movie was always simplistic in its political outlook (I mean, it's a "Die Hard Scenario" action-thriller) but it feels even more simplistic in 2020.