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Messages - JamesC

#31
Film & TV / Re: Last movie watched...
25 July, 2020, 08:46:41 AM
Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga

I'm not much of a Will Ferrel fan but this was good fun and I really enjoyed it.
It's pretty formulaic stuff but was a pleasant way to spend a couple of hours.
Ferrel is slightly subdued and the show is stolen by Rachel McAdams and Dan Stevens who are both fantastically watchable and likeable (and seem to be having a whale of a time).
#32
Off Topic / Re: The Political Thread
15 July, 2020, 06:52:16 PM
Well, I was going to respond to Smith but I think mg1 has responded with all the eloquence that was warranted.
#33
Off Topic / Re: The Political Thread
15 July, 2020, 06:18:05 PM
Quote from: Smith on 15 July, 2020, 06:12:18 PM
Quote from: JamesC on 15 July, 2020, 06:10:28 PM
People are going to base their opinions about what you write by both the content, your demeanor and what you choose to respond to or bring up.
Making inferences is both natural and reasonable and does not constitute telling you what you think.
Yes,it does.

You obviously want this very much to be true.
It makes it so much easier to pick fights.
#34
Off Topic / Re: The Political Thread
15 July, 2020, 06:10:28 PM
People are going to base their opinions about what you write by both the content, your demeanor and what you choose to respond to or bring up.
Making inferences is both natural and reasonable and does not constitute telling you what you think.
#35
Off Topic / Re: The Political Thread
15 July, 2020, 05:40:29 PM
You asked if arresting a 12yr old was overkill and were responded to with "no".
You then asked if arresting a 12yr old was a good use of police resources and were provided with an example for the arrest of a 12yr old being a good use of resources. It was also stated that by the time of the arrest, much of the resource, the investigation, would already have been spent.
You then made the point that being arrested for online abuse was not the same as being arrested for shoplifting.

For what it's worth, I think online racist abuse is far worse than shoplifting and I'm glad they arrested the kid.
As far as punishment / rehabilitation goes, I hope the arrest put the shits up the abuser and I hope they find a way to make him reflect on what he's done and hopefully encourage him to grow up as a decent, non racist person.
#36
Film & TV / Re: Last movie watched...
13 July, 2020, 11:44:49 AM
Alien 3.

This is far worse than I remembered.
I watched the special edition which I think is probably better than the theatrical cut but it's still a frustrating mess.
Having watched the previous two films over the course of the week, this is the first time I've watched this in such close succession and it really suffers from the comparison to the others.
The opening act is definitely the strongest part of the film.
The killing of Newt and Hicks is a baffling decision but the crash landing on Fury, the set up of the work-prison location, the introduction of Charles Dance's character is all pretty good.
It soon goes downhill though. From the point of Dance's death it's pretty worthless. No other characters have been sufficiently developed to fill the void, Ripley doesn't really have much to do, the Alien looks shit and the trapping of the alien, with everyone just running down corridors shouting Fuck and Motherfucker is just tedious.

Absolute crap but kind of interesting in a 'how not to handle a sequel' way.
I don't think the series ever recovered.
#37
Games / Re: Last game played...
12 July, 2020, 06:32:37 PM
I bought one of those 2K NBA games a few years back and could barely understand it. It had unskippable cut scenes IIRC. When I eventually got somewhere it wasn't very fun.

I went back to NBA Jam on the Megadrive.
#38
Off Topic / Re: Threadjacking!
09 July, 2020, 11:45:03 PM
Quote from: von Boom on 09 July, 2020, 11:17:31 PM
Spag-bol sarnie. Yea or nay?

Spag bol on toast. Bit of cheese on top, stick it under the grill.
#39
Film & TV / Re: Last movie watched...
06 July, 2020, 10:08:02 AM
Alien

After our Mad Max and Mission Impossible watch through we've decided to do Aliens 1,2 and 3 (special editions of 2 and 3). We're not bothering with the others as they're shite.

Watching Alien on bluray last night I was really struck by the incredible sound design.
Also, something I've not noticed before is that the sillouette of the Nostromo is very reminiscent of a classic, gothic haunted house (which speaks to the haunted house in space vibe the film makers were going for).
Also, I really love the weirdness of Harry Dean Stanton's final scene. It's basically raining inside the spaceship and the hanging chains, while being gothic in their own right, took the place of barren trees in a rainy forest.
The cast are fantastic. Holm is really scary as the ice cold yet self satisfied Ash.
The interactions between the crew feel entirety natural and there's a real sense of grit. There's also a great sense of the vastness and inhospitality of space that's completely missing from the later films.
#40
Film & TV / Re: Last movie watched...
04 July, 2020, 12:25:07 PM
Hereditary

It was okay. I can't really see what all the fuss was about.
There were some genuinely creepy and surprising moments. The performances were pretty good too.
It's another from the glacial pace/ambient drone soundtrack school of film making though, so it dragged on a bit.
#41
Off Topic / Re: The Death of Verbal Cultural Memes
28 June, 2020, 11:59:16 AM
Quote from: M.I.K. on 28 June, 2020, 12:32:43 AM
"Friends don't lie."

"Wubba lubba dub dub!"

"Bat!"

I think you may be overestimating the cultural penetration of these. I have no idea what they mean.
#42
Off Topic / Re: A Question For Men
25 June, 2020, 06:20:07 PM
I have to say - I'm pretty curious as to the alternative addresses you suggested.  :D
#43
Off Topic / Re: A Question For Men
25 June, 2020, 08:17:58 AM
If I were you I'd certainly think about reporting it.

I can't believe he thought this behaviour would be seen as anything other than frightening. It feels to me like he wanted to scare or shock you more than anything.
Sounds like a horrible experience.
#44
Film & TV / Re: Last movie watched...
22 June, 2020, 06:08:26 PM
I've been rewatching the Mission: Impossible films with my brother (over WhatsApp).

I wasn't hugely enthusiastic but I was surprised at how much I enjoyed MI1.
I'd forgotten it was directed by Brian DePalma and it really does feel like a pretty classy action spy thriller.
The opening sequence is great and still quite shocking (poor Emilio), the restaurant scene is excellent and very tense and the much mimicked Pentagon heist is a great set piece.

MI2 on the other hand is absolute shit.
I never really got the John Woo thing and in this movie he bins all the MI tropes, other than the masks and makes something that feels more like Face/Off 2 than a Mission Impossible film.
It really is just rubbish with few redeeming qualities. On top of all that it feels incredibly dated with the excruciating nu-metal soundtrack (they even manage to ruin the iconic theme music).

MI3 is a return to form with an excellent turn from Philip Seymour Hoffman as a creepy, ice cold baddie.
There are double dealings, heists, a great supporting cast of IMF specialists and spectacular stunts.
I really enjoyed this one and it had me nailed to my chair from the excellent tension filled opening.

Ghost Protocol tomorrow night (we might leave it there as we've both seen the later ones recently).
After this we're doing Alien, Aliens Special Edition and Alien 3(blu ray assembly cut/special edition).
#45
Film & TV / Re: Last movie watched...
21 June, 2020, 05:20:28 PM
I, Robot

Another Will Smith vehicle but one I have a lot of time for. I don't think the Asimov association does the film many favours (I remember people getting bent about the Calvin portrayal. That and the product placement) but I think it's a really watchable Sci fi adventure.
The effects are showing their age a bit, but there's some nice design and Sonny the robot is fantastic.