Films You Have Watched

[QualityChimp]

So, we saw TG: Maverick and we saw it at that triple screen thingy, which was really mint in the air sequences.
The film itself was ace too.

However, we saw the original before we saw it, to remind us and it's a poor film.
73.2% is filmed in the Golden Hour, 7% is the opening credits of planes taking off and the plot is a bit nonsensical with his trainer basically spaffing her career away to bone Cruise after he sexually harassed her in the toilets.

I watched The Manchurian Candidate (Prime), but it was just middling, despite the stellar cast.
I think the premise wasn't interesting enough and there are better conspiracy thrillers, IMHO.

[wakka]

Totally agree about the original Top Gun. It's bonkers how overrated that film is. It really isn't very good. Days of Thunder is even worse.

[Dogg Thang]

It's a film of sound bytes.

[QualityChimp]

Totally agree about the original Top Gun. It's bonkers how overrated that film is. It really isn't very good. Days of Thunder is even worse.

It ended and we looked at each other and went "Is that it?!" Such status, but an underwhelming story.

I've not seen Days of Thunder, but it's driving around in circles, innit?

There's a great Malcom in the Middle episode where the dad sneaks them out of school/work and takes them to a NASCAR race and there's a montage of exciting moments, then the one kid says "has it only been 12 seconds?!", then the youngest starts clapping, thinking the guy has won and the dad explains, they've not won yet and the race last for another 4 hours - "FOUR HOURS?!"

I'd link the clip but I can only find it in Spanish and searching Malcolm in the Middle NASCAR reveals that Frankie Munz has actually started a career as a NASCAR driver.
Whut?

[wakka]

Haha yeah it's a strange sport. My friend's husband used to be a fan as a kid but has since moved onto F1. He's from Kentucky, though.

Things I like about NASCAR:

Talladega Nights
How it originated with moonshine bootleggers racing their cars which were souped up to outrun the police
This driver who successfully used a technique from NASCAR 2005 on the GameCube to win a race, resulting in a rule change:

(you only need to watch the first 45 secs of this)

[QualityChimp]

Amazing!

Also love your sly Kentucky cuss.

[QualityChimp]

A combination of watching the boxing last week, seeing the series is leaving Prime again and chatting with mates and realising I'd only seen Rocky IV onwards, I watched Rocky II (Prime).

I saw the original last year and really enjoyed it, with the boxing actually a minor element, but the story of Rocky wanting to better himself and falling in love with the shy girl from the pet shop being the real meat of the story.

The sequel picks up by recapping the previous film and Rocky's injuries so serious that he's forced to quit boxing.
We get more exploration of his relationship with Adrieeeeene, which is the best bit, for me. They're like a couple of shy kids blown away that someone they like also likes them back.

Obviously, it wouldn't be a Rocky film if it didn't culminate with a big punchup, but yikes these things have aged badly.
Having watched the the last couple of actual Heavyweight boxing fights, it just takes one punch and it's game over, but Rocky is busy soaking up haymakers, jabs and crosses and doesn't straight up die.

They ran the Rocky fights through a computer...

"The stats grew even more ridiculous for the rematch in Rocky II, when Balboa won by 15th-round KO after he staggered to his feet to just beat the ref’s count following a double knockdown. According to CompuBox, Creed outlanded Balboa 61-7 in the first round, including 26 straight shots to open the fight. By the end of the second round, Creed’s punch advantage had grown to 92-37. Before Balboa stopped Creed in the 15th and final round, Creed struck Balboa with 15-straight punches. Then, of course, Balboa courageously battled back and this happened."

I'll probably watch Mr. T punching him 248 times in Rocky III, though.

[Finsbury Girl]

My prediction? ........PAIN

[Dogg Thang]

Could have really reduced the budget if they just went for a one-punch finish in all the Rocky films. Also you’d get home from the cinema early, or maybe have time for a pint on the way back.

[Yakumo]

Beatlejuice Beatlejuice.
2nd day of release here in Japan (came out on the 27th, September, today is the 28th) and not a soul was present to watch it!
I saw it on the main screen with Dolby Atmos and in English, the best option that most people, even the Japanese would choose, yet not a single person was present and it is a Saturday at 17:30 as well!
Check out the ending clip, not a bloody soul.

Still, did get this cool poster that has the Japanese dub voice actors on the reverse side.



As for the actual film, well.......
I was lost at points. Is this a musical?
There are many nods and easter eggs from the original movie but this second outting is just allover the place in terms of scrip, plot holes, and points that have you asking why.

Still, I did enjoy it somewhat but only really got one laugh out of it.

[QualityChimp]

Could have really reduced the budget if they just went for a one-punch finish in all the Rocky films. Also you’d get home from the cinema early, or maybe have time for a pint on the way back.

Or he could like guard his face or summat?

[fuse]

Still, did get this neet poster that has the Japanese dub voice actors on the reverse side.

Will generally go out of my way to watch dubs, but I really like them getting the dub actors dressed up and involved like this!

[Neon Ignition]

The Batman
A pair of rewatches this weekend and despite the long run time this remains engaging viewing

Furiosa
The other rewatch and similarly this is still good too

[QualityChimp]

Yeah, I watched Rocky III (Prime), so I think I've seen them all now.

I much preferred II, but Clubber Lang is a brilliant opponent.
In III, Rocky's trainer gets more and more hammy, looking like Popeye by talking oudda the side of his mouth.

Also, I get that it's Rocky's redemption fight, but both him and Adrienne aren't as likeable as the first two, with Rocky putting his face to absolutely any advert and Adrienne swanning around in fur coats and Limos. They've totally lost their roots and that's a shame as they were so sweet in 1 and 2.
Also, Rocky's trainer was a dick for giving him easier fights and Rocky was an idiot for not sussing that out.
Siskel has the same sentiment, giving the film two-and-a-half stars out of four and wrote, "Sorry to say this, but there's not anything new in Rocky III, and we sit there wondering why it exists." He added that "we see nothing new about Rocky's character, except that the tender side of his soul, which made him so appealing, is now virtually missing. Rocky Balboa in Rocky III is no longer likable."

The film gets better when he hits rock(y) bottom and has to start again.
As an A-Team fan, it was great to see Mr. T getting a major role and he looks great and is a real hardass.
I thought the fight with Hulk Hogan was preposterous, though and wondered where the hell the film was going. Is this a comedy?
Carl Weathers looks buff again, and their slo-mo training montage bromance is pretty funny.

Stats:
"The two bouts between Balboa and Clubber Lang in Rocky III were, yes, just as bonkers as the first two films. In the first fight, won by Lang by devastating knockout, there were 71 total punches thrown by both fighters in the two rounds. None of them were jabs. Balboa hit Lang with 30 punches in the first round but only one in the second before he fell to the canvas for good.

The rematch, though, told a different tale as Balboa (hilariously) landed the first 32 punches of the fight and was successful with 49 jabs in the first round. And in the final sequence, when Balboa knocked out Lang to win back his heavyweight title, Balboa threw 82 punches and landed a ludicrous 76 of them."

TLDR: Pain.

Took my son to the cinema to see Interstellar, which I'd seen there recently as part of the Nolan season, but was happy to watch again and I definitely like it more than the first watch. I think I didn't like all that set up then it's all dismissed that love is the intangible element that drives mankind, but it's hard to be upset when there's so much godamn movie going on.

I couldn't help thinking about the parallels with Sunshine, where a dying Earth sends a last-chance ship to save us to unexplored and unknown areas of space, only to think they have a resolution in a former mission, but all is not what it appears...

That bit with the ocean planet where time speeds up (the Zimmer soundtrack clicks every 1.25 seconds, representing a day on Earth) by and the docking sequence are top-tier space cinema, though!

->Open Spoiler<-

I'm planning on seeing some horror in October and action in Woovember, so I'm after other genres, so popped on one of my favourite Westerns, Pale Rider.
It's a great story with some memorable moments, but that finale shootout is top tier.
Really recommended, if you've not seen it. There's such a brilliant escalation of conflict, so when it finally boils over, it's ace.

It came in a Clint DVD triple-pack with Josey Wales and Unforgiven, but I still chuckle at these early DVDs that claims that "interactive menus" and "scene selection" qualify as Special Features. Like being able to choose a track on a CD isn't a standard feature!

What are some of your favourite Westerns?

[Finsbury Girl]

I will die on the Rocky 3 is the GOAT hill.

Rewatched American Assassin - I still don't get the hate for this movie, it's great. Sure the main dude is kinda one dimensional but at least there's a reason for it. Michael Keaton is superb and I would have loved to see how they developed the characters in a sequel. Oh well. And yeah Taylor Kitsch is a great bad guy.

Westerns - now that's a long post.