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

[Dogg Thang]

I have watched a few films over Christmas...

Tron Legacy - sublime.

Falling Down - a classic that really holds up. Douglas plays it brilliantly. I have to wonder if we were meant to be okay with his racism in that first encounter...

22 Jump Street - I hadn't seen this. I totally loved it. The end credit sequence had me in tears. That section was pure brilliance.

I feel like I watched a couple of others but have forgotten.

[Baseley09]

Let Him Go - Superb dark grit scary rednecks vs morality retro affair.

Wonder Woman 1984 - Kristen Wiig is excellent in this and looks amazing for her age, but this movie is a giant turd.

[Neon Ignition]

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.

During the Trump era we've really missed the opportunity for an action film based on the save the President concept where the hero isn't even sure if he should

[teddymeow]

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.

Yeah, but, to counter that...

"GET OFF MY PLANE!!"

[Asura]

Yeah, but, to counter that...

"GET OFF MY PLANE!!"

Forgot to say, that aside, it's a real guilty pleasure of mine. I love it. It's square in the movie genre that [MENTION=16665]Blobcat[/MENTION] calls "Yes, Mr. President films".

[teddymeow]

Forgot to say, that aside, it's a real guilty pleasure of mine. I love it. It's square in the movie genre that [MENTION=16665]Blobcat[/MENTION] calls "Yes, Mr. President films".

It is a great film. Oldman is on top form as "foreign baddie!"

[wakka]

"Yes, Mr. President films".

I'm going to steal that.

[Baseley09]

Midnight Sky, holy christ this was abysmal. Between this and WW84 some of the worst seen this year

[Cassius_Smoke]

Soul

It's OK. Its quite a difficult concept and I know what it was trying to do, it just didn't do it for me.
Did I enjoy it? Sure.
Would I watch it again? Probably not.

[charlesr]

I'm working through the Sharknado films on Prime. First three are superb. Half way through four which is a off, but I have a feeling it's about to get good. Interrupted by needing a sleep due to a hangover 😂

[Neon Ignition]

Also watched Soul, overall very middling film. The first third is probably the one most likely to please Inside Out lovers but it utterly lost our kids which is a fatal mistake for a Disney/Pixar film to make. The middle section is the easiest to enjoy and has some nice moments but there's nothing special, the last third essentially fails to stick the landing. It feels like it wants to deliver a message but ends up delivering about a half dozen mixed poor ones instead and the main ending moment fails to land as a result. Honestly, Pixar's still not firing on all cylinders with this coming after Onward where you could have slapped the Dreamworks or Sony Animation logo's on the front and no-one would have been any the wiser.

[Blobcat]

I'm going to steal that.

Independence Day also falls into the Yes Mr President genre.

[charlesr]

The Death Of Stalin.
Funny and disturbing.

[teddymeow]

The Death Of Stalin.
Funny and disturbing.

Jason Isaacs steals that with his Yorkshire accent. I lolled so hard when he rocked up!

[Brad]

Watched Soul. We really liked it. I feel like it got its message across perfectly. Not for kids though, which is a weird thing to say about a Pixar flick.