Last movie watched...

[pictsy]

I never watched that one, especially after deciding never to watch another Zack Snyder ever.

It's terrible. Possibly not the worst film I've ever seen, but definitely a contender.

I can easily believe it.  I hate every single one of the films that that person made and Sucker Punch was one he wrote as well.  I just don't want to dirty myself with it.

Now, back to the Rob Schneider films I go!

[Dandontdare]

I never watched that one, especially after deciding never to watch another Zack Snyder ever.

It's terrible. Possibly not the worst film I've ever seen, but definitely a contender.

I always get it mixed up with Donkey Punch, which led to a very confusing conversation in a noisy pub once

(remember noisy pubs? *sigh*)

[von Boom]

The Van for that matter).

Do you mean the film based on the Roddy Doyle novel?

My wife has an obsession with end of the world/disaster films so we tried Amazon's offering Greenland. Gerard Butler is trying to get this family to safety in Greenland as a comet heads to Earth. Some of the most unbelievable twaddle I've ever seen. I mean, Gerard Butler as an architect. Pish.

[Professor Bear]

How does a movie thread on a forum for a sci-fi comic discuss sports movies yet not even mention Rollerball?

Or Point Break.

He did his best, but even Ray Winstone couldn't save that movie.

[TordelBack]

The Van for that matter).

Do you mean the film based on the Roddy Doyle novel?

I do indeed. It's in part a very accurate chronicle of Ireland's particiption in the Italia '90 World Cup, as experienced by those of us not previously interested in soccer. Which is to say, me.

[Funt Solo]

How does a movie thread on a forum for a sci-fi comic discuss sports movies yet not even mention Rollerball?

Or Point Break.

He did his best, but even Ray Winstone couldn't save that movie.

You have to admit his death scene was poignant, though.

[The Enigmatic Dr X]

In a twist, what about your next choice of movie?

Next with Nic Cage is on Netflix. Any good?

[Rara Avis]

Literally watching this right now? It's not very good so far but as it's based on a Philip K Dick story I bet it gets real weird real soon.

[Tiplodocus]

Conan The Barbarian (2011)
Jason Momoa and Rachel Nichols are very pretty but fuck me, this is a terrible film.

Two questions:
1) why can't we get a decent Conan movie or tv series? The first Arnie film is great but not really Conan. Destroyer has some REH elements right but is pretty poor. And this 2011 version is irredeemableand forgettable shit. I figured out about 1/2 way through that I had seen it before.

2) I was watching on Amazon. We recently got faster broadband and This looked like it was really studio bound, filmed on video and with badly composited special effects. Is it just that my HD reply is finally showing things in he and they don't stand up to the close scrutiny ? Or did this look shot in cinemas?

[pictsy]

I love you, Man

Like any stereotypical woman I am all about the chick flicks (this is a lie, sci-fi films are my main thing) and this film is without a doubt my favourite Rom-Com.  It makes me smile so much at the end, I love it. 

OK, so there is this thing in the first act where the film suggests that sexuality is a choice and outright calls it a lifestyle but I'm only going to call it gross ignorance because it's trying to be positive about it.  It's like that relative that wants to be cool about things, but doesn't understand it and ends up looking worse because of it.

Now that's out of the way we can get to why I love this film.  It has Paul Rudd as Peter and we've established already that is a plus.  It's a Rom-Com about friendship.  With the first acts weirdness towards homosexuality I wonder whether the first draft was a gay Rom-Com, but I prefer it to be about friendship, that's a proper subversion of the genre.  It adheres so closely to the formula as well, it's crazy and that small twist puts it all in such a delightful and cute light.  It hits every beat.  It even has, to a degree, the evil suitor archetype played by Jon Favreau.  He does a great job as a grade-A arsehole that I now believe that's what he's like in real life.  Peter's wife Zooey (Rashinda Jones) has the role that is usually the best friend character (with end of second act falling out included) and is wonderful in the supporting role.  Even with the problems they face, their relationship is amazingly healthy.  It really helps that Rashinda's beautiful smile melts my heart, and she smiles a lot in the film.

Peter is a great protagonist as well.  In no way following the stereotypes of masculinity.  Part of the conceit is, after all, he's one of the girls and that never changes.  His growth is dependent on becoming "more like a man", but just being more confident in himself.  It's actually part of the the third act resolution.  The only problem with Peter is he's a Real Estate Agent (I know they call them realters, but I hate how that sounds so much).

Despite it's first act missteps, overall the film is incredibly sweet and very unique despite being extremely formulaic.  I don't know of any other film off the top of my head that I can say that about it.

Conan The Barbarian (2011)
1) why can't we get a decent Conan movie or tv series? The first Arnie film is great but not really Conan. Destroyer has some REH elements right but is pretty poor. And this 2011 version is irredeemableand forgettable shit. I figured out about 1/2 way through that I had seen it before.

I agree it's forgettable.  I don't remember as much from this film as the other two Conan films.  I also remember enjoying it for what it was. 

Just to contextualise, I also found the remake of Clash of the Titans enjoyable.  Rewatching the original of that made me feel slightly justified (fyi it's a bit shoddy and no Jason and the Argonauts).

I had heard the Conan remake was utter shite and was expecting that and it just failed to offend my tastes.  I wouldn't go to bat for it.  The first Conan film is the best, as a film.

Nevertheless, Swords and Sorcery is such an unloved genre in film making, I'd still recommend the 2011 version to anyone who likes the genre* just because there isn't a lot of choice.

*_{I love the fantasy genre in general and feel this point holds true beyond S&S.  Sci-Fi gets a decent amount of love and Horror is a saturated market, but fantasy is so under-represented that I find it hard to find something to watch when I'm in the mood for it.}

[milstar]

Next with Nic Cage is on Netflix. Any good?

I watched that long ago, but I remember it as formulaic thriller, but with the twist in that main guy is basically a psychic.


Rita, Sue and Bob Too (1986)


My third favorite UK film. And I find it weirdly relatable, for I am not from that background (don't know if it's mentality thing, but whatever). But it's clear that the picture is very much rooted in reality, while presenting a somewhat sardonic, but lighthearted view on working class Yorkshiremen. The story is about two girl friends (Rita and Sue), screwing with a married guy (Bob), while acting as babysitters for his kids. The main star of the film is the drunk Dad of one of the girls. I have never seen a movie where a character is drunk out of his mind, until I saw this. And that uber hilarious scene where Bob's wife confronts both Rita and Sue and Sue's parents, while neighbors are watching the spectacle. Somehow I think these type of movies are impossible to be made today.

[milstar]

Next with Nic Cage is on Netflix. Any good?

I watched that long ago, but I remember it as formulaic thriller, but with the twist in that main guy is basically a psychic.


Rita, Sue and Bob Too (1986)


My third favorite UK film. And I find it weirdly relatable, for I am not from that background (don't know if it's mentality thing, but whatever). But it's clear that the picture is very much rooted in reality, while presenting a somewhat sardonic, but lighthearted view on working class Yorkshiremen. The story is about two girl friends (Rita and Sue), screwing with a married guy (Bob), while acting as babysitters for his kids. The main star of the film is the drunk Dad of one of the girls. I have never seen a movie where a character is drunk out of his mind, until I saw this. And that uber hilarious scene where Bob's wife confronts both Rita and Sue and Sue's parents, while neighbors are watching the spectacle. Somehow I think these type of movies are impossible to be made today.

[Funt Solo]

Dungeons & Dragons - nah, just kidding. Once was more than enough.


Alexander - there must be a good way to do a mythical biopic, but this isn't it as we lean too heavily into the narrator filling in long historical gaps as somber trumpets blare away in the background to add historical gravitas to the verbiage.

There is a moment of tension as a young Alexander stands up to his overbearing pop, but then the result of that (which could have been dramatic) is thrown away as mere background narrative as we teleport off into the future.

Also - this guy's got some serious "God striding the Earth" hype surrounding him - but they got Colin Farell in a blonde wig, which just makes me think of Nigel in Top Secret. Shouldn't Alexander be ... I dunno ... more impressive than Colin Farrell in a wig?

[Bolt-01]

Next with Nic Cage is on Netflix. Any good?

I watched this yesterday after my Mam said she enjoyed it... and I did, too. Nic Cage is quite restrained but does a grand job IMO. Really liked the ending.

[radiator]

I always think of Sucker Punch as the epitome of 'careful what you wish for'.

I think a review at the time summed it up best when they described it as 'Concept Art: The Movie'.