Messages

1

Books & Comics / Re: Whats everyone reading?

« on: 18 January, 2023, 11:54:44 AM »

Just finished PROJECT HAIL MARY by Andy Weir (who also brought you The Martian. I must say, I wasn't a fan. It felt too much like doing homework at points and a lot of the humour isn't as funny as it thinks ("Haha, that's amusing, he made a mistake in calculating that co-efficient!"). There's a twist near the end that justifies it's flashback structure but as far as I can remember doesn't make you re-evaluate everything that's gone before. All plot, very little character.

Some of the great ideas (What would being couped up for fifty years on a spaceship on your own do for your mental state?) Are mentioned in passing then discarded.

2

Off Topic / Re: Life is riddled with a procession of minor impediments

« on: 18 January, 2023, 11:46:30 AM »

You're right Jim, of course, and I'm sorry about your Mum's ordeal. My problem is that I find it difficult to care very much about my own future, and always have - I'm a "live for today" kind of guy when it comes to my own life. I'm smoking a rollie as I type this - and that's nobody's fault but my own.

Given all the run-ins we've had, Jim, and the way my perspective tends to wind you up, I am honestly and deeply touched that you should be the first one to care enough to take the time to offer advice; so thank you, really.

He's not wrong. And giving up the flags will (after the initial hassle) make the life you live today better as well.

I should add I am not qualified to back up this statement having being too chicken to take up smoking in school (I reckon that must be where it gets most people), I've never had to give up.

Closest I've come is taking up running in later life which has helped me shed a few stone, be generally fitter and healthier (my regular back problems and colds have reduced massively) and allows me to keep up (just) with the grandweans.

But I hope it all works out well for you Sharky.

3

Film & TV / Re: Last movie watched...

« on: 11 January, 2023, 08:05:04 PM »

Ah yes, rereading your post I can see that.

4

Film & TV / Re: Dungeon @ Dragons TV Series?

« on: 11 January, 2023, 08:03:47 PM »

I still don't get why we can't get a Conan series.

I believe the most recent Conan movie flopped at the box office. That might have something to do with it.

Yes indeed. Playing fantasy football though, Game of thrones sex and violence, Andor's tone and storytelling (tell the story of the people he meets through him) and you have a winner!

5

Film & TV / Re: Dungeon @ Dragons TV Series?

« on: 11 January, 2023, 11:40:30 AM »

I still don't get why we can't get a Conan series.

6

Film & TV / Re: Last movie watched...

« on: 11 January, 2023, 11:39:03 AM »

GLASS ONION

A very stupid film, with all the typical contrite, annoying Johnson malarkeys you would have come to expect. But it is better than the first one in a such that it actually has SOMETHING to say about class dichotomy, even if its incredibly ham fisted in doing so. I will give anyone a few extra points for attempting to reinvigorate the Murder Mystery genre in the space age year of 2022/3.

Watch THE MENU instead, similar concept, just better.

I thought there was class dichotomy in the first one.

7

Film & TV / Re: Current TV Boxset Addiction

« on: 08 January, 2023, 06:49:22 PM »

TOKYO VICE on iPlayer. Stylish and sexy tale of a reporter getting mixed up with Yakuza and Tokyo cops. Fantastic cast, nicely tense when it needs to be but with some laughs also. I count 15 people with the word "producer" in the titles. One of them is Michael Mann (who also directs the first episode)

One other curiosity is the class structure in Japan. It's the sort of thing you only normally see in Agatha Christie stuff here (where the servants are ignored).

8

Film & TV / Re: THEM! To Get Remake.

« on: 06 January, 2023, 12:27:36 AM »

 Blimey! Shark's having a go at Saints Stephen and Sandi now!

9

Film & TV / Re: Last movie watched...

« on: 06 January, 2023, 12:25:40 AM »

At the other end of the scale (but still with a surprisingly large list of special effects credits is The Banshees of Inisherin.

A surface simple tale of the escalation of bad blood when one of two life long friends on a small Irish island decides they don't want to be friends any more.

But you can pick whatever metaphor you want from civil war (actually that is in the text) to toxic masculinity to social media interactions.

It's fantastic stuff with (surely?) an Award winning turn from Colin Farrell. Actually, the whole cast is great (Barry Keoghan, Kerry Condon, that Clan Tech guy's dad) and the script is laugh out loud funny with an effortless change of tone.

It's on Disney+ at the moment but is a Film4 production so could be on normal telly soon.

10

Games / Re: Last game played...

« on: 05 January, 2023, 07:18:42 PM »

Is Witcher 3 any good? (That's the one available on Switch I think)

11

Film & TV / Re: THEM! To Get Remake.

« on: 05 January, 2023, 12:03:44 PM »

About time! Genuinely shat me up as a youngster!

12

Off Topic / Re: RIPs

« on: 04 January, 2023, 04:57:21 PM »

Ah I quite liked his show when I was younger. Fourth wall breaking was newish to me.

13

Film & TV / Re: Last movie watched...

« on: 04 January, 2023, 01:46:04 PM »

AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER

Was pretty enjoyable in IMAX 3D despite having plenty of stuff upfront that you can moan about and even more that you can nitpick.

If you liked Avatar (save the rainforest), you will almost certainly like this (save the whale). The fingerprints of Cameron's other films all over this.

Visually and technically it's a marvel... Genuinely looks like they just knocked a hole in the cinema wall through which I was watching Pandora. Was every special effects person in the world working on this? And Cameron can still do a superb action piece or two.

I actually liked that they ran with the kids/ young adult storylines... Though pretty trite, it stops it just being a retread of the first movie but with fish.

Slightly miffed that there is a lot of sequel seeding going on... Especially wrt the key villain who has proved pretty much no threat throughout.

But yeah, go see it on the biggest, brightest screen you can.

14

Film & TV / Re: Doctor Who Filming reveals 2000AD connection (SPOILERS)

« on: 28 December, 2022, 08:51:56 PM »

The beauty of the comics for me was that they weren't constrained by budgets or FX technology. Hence you got stuff like the Iron Legion. I reckon they could have a good go at this these days though.

15

Film & TV / Re: Ordinary to Extraordinary

« on: 28 December, 2022, 04:47:25 PM »

Careful, you'll have John Cleese popping up moaning about being "cancelled".