Film and Episodic Content Discussion Thread

Discussion in 'Random Thoughts' started by purr1n, Jan 8, 2020.

  1. Za Warudo

    Za Warudo Acquaintance

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    Burning is my favorite film from 2018. It touches on issues of class like Parasite but with more subtlety and deeper characterization. It's an adaptation of two short stories but named Barn Burning by Murakami and Faulkner. All of Lee Chang Dong's films are great.
     
  2. Riotvan

    Riotvan Snoofer in the Woofer

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    Good thing we have The Expanse and going by the books the next couple of seasons have amazing potential. Really excited for S5.
    Picard is just less meh than Discovery but still meh.
     
  3. Pharmaboy

    Pharmaboy Friend

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    Yes, class--forgot to mention that. The way this plot drags these impoverished kids into wealthy parties & dinners is quite unnerving, a source of tension.

    I looked for his other movies but they're not available to me, sadly.
     
  4. crenca

    crenca Friend

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    I have not seen either of these and probably will not now, but yes Hollywierd does not usually 'get' science fiction and even when they do it's often by accident (e.g. the first Blade Runner which tried its best to be a mere police procedural).

    Netflix's Katee Sackhoff vehicle "Another Life" is the same - all cutting age teenage angst and sexualtiy (with a heaping dose of hip homo/bi sexuality) soap drama and very little actual science fiction (and what little SF there is of the horror space-monster kind)...
     
  5. Pharmaboy

    Pharmaboy Friend

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    Speaking of good films, Jackie Chan's unusual star turn in THE FOREIGNER will soon be on Netflix. I was one of the 10 or 11 people in NY State who saw this film in the theaters. This story couldn't be more different from what we usually see from him: it's slow, mournful, filled with regret. There is resolution, but at the expense of personal pain.

    Jackie acts here with far more depth & feeling than usual, and that's a very good thing. He has always been enormously charismatic & funny, a true crowd-pleaser. Yet he leaves all that behind for this story--playing a man who is older but not broken by age--I respect & appreciate his choices.
     
  6. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    LOL!
     
  7. OldDude04

    OldDude04 Friend

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    I really enjoyed The Foreigner, it showed that Jackie has actual acting chops that should be utilized far more often.
     
  8. gixxerwimp

    gixxerwimp Professional tricycle rider

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    I was a bit disappointed by Expanse S4, less engaging than previous seasons and focusing too much on bad Inner corporation vs. underdog Belter settlers. Hope S5 is better.

    Agree re Picard.
     
  9. Riotvan

    Riotvan Snoofer in the Woofer

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    Well i think they did pretty well considering the source material. Book 4 is widely considered to be the worst in the series and i agree. However book 5 and 6 are really good imo.
     
  10. gixxerwimp

    gixxerwimp Professional tricycle rider

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    I know nothing about the books. Going by what you're saying, season 5 should be better then. Season 4 was still cool to watch though :cool:
     
  11. Riotvan

    Riotvan Snoofer in the Woofer

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    I hope they get to book 8, man that one is a rollercoaster ride of epic proportions.
     
  12. Scott Kramer

    Scott Kramer Friend

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    What a treat they filmed a Robert Forster scene for BCS during El Camino.
     
  13. OldDude04

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    Altered Carbon Season 2 is up on Netflix. I don't know if it's any good yet but I really enjoyed Season 1.
     
  14. Pharmaboy

    Pharmaboy Friend

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    Watched BLUE RUIN last night on Netflix. This little indie really drew me in. Despite occasional bursts of messy violence, this is a quiet, seemingly aimless film. The main character knows nothing about guns and nearly nothing about fighting. Yet he doggedly initiates a deadly, slow-motion pursuit, apparently with little thought or plan.

    The dialogue is sparse, often muttered quietly. The main character's eyes really are the entire movie. I'd never seen this actor before (Macon Blair), but won't soon forget him.

    Just found out Blair wrote the screenplay for one of the more fascinating failed films I've seen in recent years--HOLD THE DARK, starring Jeffrey Wright & Alexander Skarsgård. That film made little sense but was knee-deep in mood & mystery throughout.
     
  15. IUONA

    IUONA Thief that stole Bloom Audio gear

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    I’ve been watching DS9 for a couple months. While watching an interview a minute ago, it occurred to me that Mike Pence looks like Odo. Generic features, smoothed out & monotone skin, sunken eye sockets.

    Odo looks more human.

    What does it say about me, that this is the only place I thought of saying that out loud (so to speak)?
     
  16. Psalmanazar

    Psalmanazar Most improved member; A+

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    1917 is a movie adaptation of an nonexistent WWI video game.
     
  17. Pharmaboy

    Pharmaboy Friend

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    Just watched THE CREW (BRAQUEURS) on Netflix last night. Damn, that was good! It's a very dark, tense crime thriller with no happy endings for anyone. Highly recommended. In terms of style and P.O.V., think RONIN.

    One actor (the guy who operates heavy equipment) is familiar to me from the great French series, THE RETURNED: Guillaume Gouix (he's amazing in both roles). Most of the other actors are Moroccan--memorable faces, terrific acting, particularly the oldest son (crew boss) & his mother.
     
  18. allegro

    allegro Friend

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    Watching The Crew now looks promising thanks. Seems like a French version of Heat meets Ronin. If you missed it Money Heist on Netflix is worth checking out and Part 4 is coming April 3.
     
  19. Pharmaboy

    Pharmaboy Friend

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    Thanks for the mention of MONEY HEIST. That has been on "My List" for months, but just got lost in the shuffle. I need to watch that ASAP.

    Yes, HEAT definitely comes to mind, along with RONIN, when discussing THE CREW. There's a long tradition of "heist" movies, always involving tense, minute-by-minute dramatizations of a dangerous crime. Two of my favorites are RIFIFI (1955) & THE KILLING (1956), both black & white and thrilling.
     
  20. Lyander

    Lyander Official SBAF Equitable Empathizer

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    Watched The Platform on Netflix because sister said it was good, found it was Top 1 trending in the Philippines as I was streaming so... my expectations were uninfluenced for the better or worse because hype happens. Some spoilers below because I kinda don't give a bother about the film.

    Spanish language, used dubs instead of subs because I was watching with the family. Eng dub was a decent job, nothing particularly horrible, and I like the voice actors.

    In short, it slaps you in the face with social commentary that makes Idiocracy look subtle. There's gore, but it's more realistic than it is gratuitous so can be pretty effective— evisceration, cannibalism of maggot-infested corpses, depictions of suicide by multiple methods, and something involving a dachshund that pissed me off (because I have one and he's the best boy ever). Thing with the dog aside, the violence is less ingratiating to B-movie connoisseurs and it can be argued that it was used... effectively? even if it failed to do more than make me wrinkle my nose a bit.

    Oh, and there's a fair bit of [fresh] fecal matter being dropped on people's faces involved if that sort of thing weirds you out.

    The protagonist does see some personal growth throughout the runtime, but it's pretty predictable and two-dimensional. Basically everyone else is a flat caricature. Thematic elements are shoved in your face, many things being literally spelled out for you via exposition dumps; I found this almost more offensive than the on-screen murder and rape. Acting is excellent for the most part, and that makes up for things... kinda. Definitely a few memorable people that almost but not quite manage to salvage this mess.

    Some good shots in the film, but nothing particularly stand-out. It's a lot like Aquaman in that there are frames that look objectively nice but fail to engage. Honestly, I don't mind gory films and think it can inject some tension and judiciously-dispensed disgust (e.g. Martyrs, Irreversible, hell, The Autopsy of Jane Doe even), but the among biggest sins of the film is the fact that it goes out of its way to integrate shocking elements yet nearly be so boring as to put me to sleep.

    There are some laugh-out-loud moments that offer contrast to the heavier scenes. A couple definitely got chuckles out of me, but this isn't a comedy. Lastly, the film's got one of those vague, arthouse endings that people are eager to jump on and interpret as they please, but I don't feel it adds very much at all. Good closing shot, though, for whatever that's worth.

    Watched I Am Mother, also on Netflix, in the same sitting. It was a much more enjoyable film for the flaws it had.
     

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