Here's the thread to discuss all things movie ... New releases, upcoming releases, new trailers, reviews, and old favourites.
Go forth and discuss!
rd
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I encourage everyone to rate the movies you see, as you personally rate them.
Don't be afraid to go against the flow!! Say it as you see it!! If you think the Ghostbusters reboot is solid gold, rate it highly!
The scale we shall use in this thread is the kernel of Popcorn scale, from 1-10.
1 Popcorn = bad, I am off to scorch out my eyeballs with a burning pencil
10 Popcorns = the second coming of the messiah.
rd
Finally watched Downfall last night. I missed it in the theatres when it was released back in 2004, and every time I see a Pinside Hitler video I say "I gotta find that movie!" Finally got around to it. Hey, good things take time! 
What a great movie.
My personal assessment of what makes a "great movie" is when I wake up the day after I watched it, and I'm thinking about the movie. It was obviously interesting enough to me that I am still thinking about it.
With recent discussion being about GhostBusters reboot and Suicide Squad .. I have to report that I did not awaken with those movies running through my head. Thus .. Not great movies.
If you haven't seen Downfall, track it down. It's in German with subtitles for extra cred. 
The RD score: 9/10 Popcorns.
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Quoted from mcluvin:I thought this was hilarious....
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4176826/
Have you seen it? I've never heard of it.
Looks pretty cool, I will try and track it down.
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Quoted from Stones:Would like to hear what others say about Suicide Squad.....havent seen it yet. Ive heard its ok, but nothing great
I was underwhelmed TBH.
I posted a review in the GB thread ...
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/official-new-ghostbusters-reboot-thread/page/9#post-3288847
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I was at the same screening of When Marnie Was There, and I can confirm that I also had a tear in my eye. Great movie, and I'm not a Ghibli fanboy. Well, I'm not really a fanboy of anything.
The RD Rating - 8/10 Popcorns. Very good.
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PSA - I just read that the NZ Metal splatter movie DEATHGASM is on Netflix in the USA ... Go watch it. It's kiwiana at its finest. One of the local pinball guys (Tim) did all the special effects for it.
Metal + chainsaws + 1000000 litres of fake blood = winner.
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Quoted from Gryszzz:National Lampoons Vacation. Best movie ever made Russ.
It's up there. Lots of classic moments in that one.
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Quoted from dmbjunky:Nightcrawler - 7/10 popcorns - An enjoyable look at sensationistic journalism and the ambulance chasing cameramen. Great performances and a great car chase at the end.
I gotta say, I was disappointed with that one. Looked really good in the trailer, but the movie lacked "creepy" for me. Yet another missed opportunity to really make something stunning, instead sinking back in to mediocrity.
But the lead character looked like George Gomez so that was cool. 
The RD score on Nightcrawler: 6/10 Popcorns.
And that's what's cool about this thread, we can all air our opinions, everyone sees things different. What's cool to one is maybe not so much to another. Everyone's opinion is valid.
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Quoted from CrazyLevi:Yeah the whole movie is riveting.
Funnily enough, the day after I watched Downfall, there was a doco on History Channel about the last days of Berlin. Their footage echoed what was shown in Downfall, right down to the shaking hands (Parkinson's diesease) and the scene of Hitler giving the medals out to the soldier kids (including Peter)
Obviously the Downfall makers really did their research before they made the movie.
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(pasted)EXCLUSIVE: Warner Bros has firmed an October start date in New York for Ocean’s Eight, the female-driven caper spinoff directed by Gary Ross, and the studio is closing with its principal cast. Aside from the previously identified Sandra Bullock and Cate Blanchett, deals are close with Anne Hathaway, Rihanna, Helena Bonham Carter, Mindy Kaling and Awkwafina. The latter is the hip-hop moniker of Asian-American rapper and actress Nora Lum, who most recently had a role in Neighbors 2. (End)
My question: why?
If you want to continue Oceans 11, get those dudes back and make a new episode. Those movies were great.
If you want to make a movie with 8 ladies, make a different movie. Create a new franchise.
Why the f**k would you feel the need to make Oceans 11 with ladies?
Hollywood has jumped the shark I'm afraid. F**king clueless.
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Quoted from trunchbull:Eh, can't be worse than Ocean's 12.
To be honest, I can't remember. Long time since I've seen it.
I very rarely watch a movie more than once. Because I already know what happens.
Movies I have seen more than once (from memory..)
Star Wars
Shawshank
Matrix 1
Kick ass
Oceans 11 (Clooney version)
Clockwork orange
Ghostbusters (original)
American vacation
Wouldn't be too many more than that.
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War Dogs review
Just went to see War Dogs. Enjoyed it.
Very much a Wolf of Wall Street type of movie, based on a Rolling Stone article about two guys who did some gun running deals for the US Government and it all turned to custard.
The first 2/3rds of the movie are really good, with some good LOL moments (similar to TWOWS) but it does slow down a little towards the end.
All the actors play good parts, Jonah Hill packed on a bunch of weight for it and got a neat spray tan too Every time he does his funny laugh, I cracked up.
I liked it! Not as good as TWOWS but I may be biased on that as I really liked the TWOWS book.
The RD popcorn rating on War Dogs: 8/10 Popcorns Maybe 8.5/10. I don't feel bad about spending $12 on the ticket.
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Quoted from Taxman:I almost said Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid. Best is you recognize the movies the cut from. Real test of old school.
It's been a very long time since I saw that, but I remember it being pretty cleverly done. Might have to drag it up for a rewatch.
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Quoted from Kkuoppamaki:The movie seemed to resonate well with the female oriented audience, and my wife enjoyed it too. There was only one other man in the audience, and we exchanged understanding looks after the movie
Thanks for posting your first review!
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Quoted from sulakd:Just finished. Fukin awesome! 9/10 popcorns. Thanks for posting.
Fun movie eh?
Totally pointless, heavy metal and buckets of blood.
The whole movie was made for like $200,000 New Zealand bucks ($150,000 USD)
Shows what you can do if you try hard enough.
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Quoted from Circus_Animal:Idiocracy.
10/10.
Best documentary ever.
It is very much turning into a documentary, for sure ....
One real Doco I wanted to mention that I saw last year is Welcome to Leith.
It's about a tiny town in the middle of nowhere in the USA. White supremacists start buying up the real estate in town and want to turn it into the centre of naziism in the USA. Good watching, well worth seeking it out.
Welcome to Leith - 8 Popcorns.
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Quoted from trunchbull:Another excellent documentary about small town USA life is Rich Hill, which follows a handful of poor kids in the south. There's some really gorgeous photography in it, and the kids themselves are really interesting. It might make a good double feature with "Born Rich", which was a documentary by the heir to the Johnson and Johnson fortune where he interviewed all of his friends who were born rich.
Thanks for the tips.
That's what we want to see in the thread, some "off the radar" movies thrown up for consideration. So easy to miss some of these Indie films, so thanks for mentioning them.
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Quoted from dmbjunky:Small town sounthern movies reminds me of Mud with Matthew McConaughey. I remember really liking that movie. Reminded me of 80s coming of age stories like Stand By Me. It's been so long though I can't give it a rating. I love movies that show a glimpse of the world that's only known if you've lived there a lifetime.
I saw Mud not long ago on Bluray (missed it in the cinema) Really good movie. I also compared it to Stand by Me. I'd go 8 Popcorns on that one too.
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Quoted from mcluvin:I thought this was hilarious....
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4176826/
I watched Look Whos Back today.
Hitler arrives back in modern day Germany and gets spotted by a TV producer. They put him on TV and he finds popularity again with a lot of the german people.
The movie is filmed similar to Borat .. Mostly scripted, but a few scenes interacting with the public. It's generally light weight stuff but it tries to make a few heavier points at the end.
Worth a watch. It's on Netflix here in NZ. German with subtitles.
Look Who's Back - 7/10 Popcorns.
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The Stanford Prison Experiment
Watched this tonight. Missed it in the cinemas last year. Most will be familiar with the experiment at Stanford in the 70s, where students were assigned roles as prisoners and guards, and within a day they started to assume these roles to crazy levels.
According to Danni_nz, who just studied the experiment, the movie is very close to what really happened. The movie is well acted but maybe a little slow for some. Complete lack of explosions or gun play, and superheroes are in short supply.
I'd go 7/10 Popcorns on this one.
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Watched Casino again last night, I think that's the third time I've watched it. Which is a lot for me.
Very good movie IMO, based on the true story of the mob running Las Vegas back in the 70s and 80s. Of course half of them ended up dead. Added cred for having Oscar Goodman as the mob lawyer (which he was in real life before become Las Vegas Mayor)
As a sideline, if you're in Vegas and you like some history, go to the Mob Museum which is just off Fremont St. I'm not a museum guy, but it was very interesting and well done.
Casino 8.5/10 Popcorns.
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Quoted from Haymaker:Maybe its because I was a hyped up teenager when I first saw it is why I like it so much still.
Music and movies are like that. They depend on your state of mind at the time, and when you watch them (or hear them) again, they invoke those memories.
When you mentioned the Bad Boys movies, I was like "wtf man!" But you like them, who am I to tell you what you can like or not. More power to you!
PS the first Dumb and Dumber movie is genius. Mary Samsonite told me so.
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Quoted from dmbjunky:Whoa, whoa, whoa. Is this a twenty point scale now?
Whaaaaaaaaat you think Casino is a 4.25 Popcorns movie?
Scorsese will be furious!
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Quoted from dmbjunky:A FORTY POINT SCALE?!
This thread has gone completely off the rails. Drained.
Please explain in triplicate your hatred of said Casino movie .... !
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Quoted from dmbjunky:I wasn't talking about Casino. You said the scale was from 1-10 but now you've added half points which makes it a 20 point scale from a ten point scale. Then you said quarter points which makes it a 40 point scale.
But mostly I'm just joshing with ya.
Casino's a great movie. One of my faves from maybe my favorite director. Top 3 Scorcese movies. Raging Bull, Goodfellas, The Aviator.
Scale is from 1-10 Popcorns. Feel free to divide the Popcorns into as many fractions of a kernel as you deem necessary ....
For example, Levi may want to reward Bad Boys 2 with 2.25 Popcorns. This is over to him.
Goodfellas is a great movie too. I have watched that multiple times.
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Quoted from girloveswaffles:10K Scale by Christmas!
8500 Popcorns out of 10000 Popcorns.
Hmmmmmm
Nah, think we will stick with 1-10.
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Quoted from Circus_Animal:Watched Four Lions last night...what a wasted opportunity. Mocking terrorists as pathetic is a far more effective strategy than denouncing them as evil, but this movie just gets it wrong over and over again. Funny in parts, but seems to have very confused messages and completely fails at being an anti-terrorism film. 3/10.
Really? I've watched that twice, liked it.
And that's the beauty of film/music. One mans passion is another mans poison.
Four Lions humour is very dark and British, I can see how some wouldn't get it/like it.
I thought it tackled a very sensitive subject brilliantly. Like when two of them went to the Middle East for training, and they fired the rocket at the drone and it blew up their mates instead. And when one of them was carrying a bomb across the countryside, and it blew him up (and some sheep from memory)
And they kept making references to how blowing up a chemist was a failure .. And in the end, the lead guy blew up a chemist.
I can see it's not for everyone, but personally I'd rate it a 7.5/8 Popcorns. I would watch it again.
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Quoted from dmbjunky:I'm planning a theater trip tomorrow and going to try and see 3 movies. Don't Breathe, which I'm very excited for, Sausage Party
I'm going to Sausage Party this week.
After that, I'll go to the movies.
Haha
It opens here on Thursday, I'll head down the road and see it. The cinema is 3 minutes walk from my apartment.
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Quoted from dmbjunky:Why do you have an apartment? Is your house too far from work?
On another topic, how's the weather down there?
We live in the city during the week because Danni goes to school in the city, just around the corner from the apartment.
We have just had a cold patch (it is winter time) but generally 14-18c during the day. Good sunny day today, I would upload a photo but Pinside is broken.
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Quoted from Circus_Animal:I just felt it was making fun of the terrorists' incompetence rather than the idea of terrorism, which is a far more deserving target. And in the scene where the terrorist's brother comes around to talk him out of it, the brother comes across as even more of an oddball, making the guy planning mass murder seem rational in comparison. I don't see how this could really be considered an anti-terrorism movie, which I thought was supposed to be the point.
Dunno if being anti terrorism was the point at all. I can't remember that on the movie poster.
It showed how easy it is to radicalise 4 individuals. Which is what happens in real life, normal people (usually born in the country they live) get radicalised and cause havoc. It portrayed this well.
You put weapons and bombs in the hands of average people, they have no idea what they're doing and no doubt shit is going to happen. You could totally see the things in the movie happening in real life.
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Quoted from dmbjunky:Oh yeah I recall a picture of you with some booze on a balcony. That was probably your apartment.
I had someone tell me that it was pretty cold down there right now. We had a pretty warm day Friday. It was over 100F heat index. I got a little hot at work at the end of the day. Cold chills, shakiness, soreness. Better now though. I was doing a lot of heavy work and I'm probably getting out of shape. I think I need to start exercising...someday.
It never snows here, our winters are very mild compared to where you live. one night it got down to 0c (32f) but that was an anomaly.
Down in the South Island, they get snow .. But nothing like the Northern Hemisphere.
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Three in a day! Marathon man!
I managed one. Bad Moms.
Took Fiona along for a movie date. Movie wasn't too bad, just what you're expecting if you've seen the preview. Some funny stuff, some romance for the ladies, and of course the hero gets the man in the end.
I gotta say, I would really like to see Milia's Kunis. (C) Joan Rivers. Great joke.
Anyway, it was better than the Amy Schumer movie. That was a giant let down. Even though Bad Moms is aimed at the ladies, there's something there for the man too.
Hmmmmmm 6 Popcorns I think. Better than a 5. Maybe 5.5. Yeah, let's go with that. It was ok.
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Labyrinth of Lies
Just saw this. A German movie following the true life 1958 events of bringing the Auschwitz guards and commanders to trial. After the war, all the Germans wanted to forget about everything (as you would..) and this story follows a young prosecutor from Frankfurt as he sorts out what happened and who did it.
Sounds a bit dour but it was done very well, with good characters and acting through the movie.
In German with English subtitles.
I would go 7.5 Popcorns on this one.
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Quoted from Friengineer:I watched DEATHGASM last night. 7 Popcorns out of 10. Hide yo kids, hide yo wife. This movie is not for them. It's not a great movie but it's definitely worth going out of your way to watch via Netflix.
Blood everywhere.
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Any discussion/thoughts on the recent sci/fi trilogies, Hunger Games, Maze Runner and Divergent?
Maybe not everyone's cup of tea, but I enjoyed them as "sci fi light" entertainment.
For me, the last two Hunger Games movies dragged on a little, probably because they milked the story out to two movies.
Thoughts from the room?
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Quoted from dmbjunky:Warm Bodies was at times humorous and at times boring. It was the kind of movie you walk away from mildy amused but forget the next day.
Yeah, that was a shame. Good premise but it dissolved into zombie lite very quickly.
I haven't seen most of those movies you listed, but I would recommend Maze Runner. Maybe get the two of them and watch back to back. The first one is pretty good.
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1 week later
Quoted from Davidus56:Check out
'What we do in the Shadows". It's a New Zeland satire documentary on a small group of vampires. It's hilarious. 9/10 popcorn
Yeah, great movie. Good that the dry NZ humour translated ok ...sometimes it's a bit subtitle for the US audiences.
"We are Werewolves ... Not Swearwolves!"
If you like that, check out Housebound, another NZ movie.
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Green Room
Finally got around to seeing this last night. Not bad!
A punk band goes to play at this place in the middle of nowhere ... Turns out to be a white power place and things go bad. Think blood and attack dogs. And Patrick Stewart.
I liked it. Mrs RD said it didn't have enough suspense for her, but I thought it was a little different than a suspense movie. More of a "try to escape movie" lol
I would go 7/10 Popcorns.
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Quoted from pauloz:Just watched The 5th Wave. That's two hours I will never get back.
Doooooh!!
I haven't seen that one. It's redeeming factor is that HitGirl is the lead in it.
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1 week later
Quoted from schwarz:Gummo 10/10
Never heard of it, I'll check it out.
When I looked it up, it had shocking reviews. Which means it could be great!
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Money Monster
Watched this last night on Bluray.
Clooney, Julia Roberts, directed by Jodie Foster. Clooney plays a TV money guy who's show gets taken over by a pissed off gunman who had lost all his dough because of Clooneys tips.
Pretty blah. Ok for a rainy day I guess.
5.5 Popcorns.
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10 Cloverfield Lane
Saw this on Bluray tonight.
About half way through, you decide you definitely know whats going on. Then you find out, no, you were wrong. Lol.
Deceptively simple movie, with a sting in the tail. Well worth a watch.
7.5 Popcorns
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The Witch
Watched this on Bluray tonight.
Weird film. It's reviews are all over the place. Seems you either love it or hate it.
Personally, we all found it a bit boring. Wasn't really scary. Wasn't really suspenseful. For us anyway. The best part was when the goat started talking.
Mrs RD was very down on it. She's at 4 Popcorns.
I'm more charitable. I'll go 5 Popcorns.
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Quoted from spfxted:Blair Witch....waiting to hear...first one was terrible...
I liked the first one. Made for peanuts and made $$$$
I was actually on holiday, sleeping in a tent when we went to the cinema to watch it. When we got back to the tent later that night, every brush on the tent and noise outside made us shit our pants hahaha
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Quoted from schwarz:Watched Hunt for the Wilderpeople last night.
Another good one from Taika Waititi; 7/10.
Might have to seek out the book now.
The movie was huge here. I think it became the #1 box office take ever.
The original book is called Wild Pork and Watercress, by Barry Crump, an iconic NZ personality.
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Grimsby (or in the USA - the Brothers Grimsby)
Sasha Baron Cohen doing his thing. Just total drivel of course but it did have some genuine LOL moments, for me anyway. Some people might just find it gross ... like when they were hiding from chasers inside an elephants vagina. Yep. That's what I said. Lots of English style humour so maybe my American friends might miss some of the jokes.
Really bad stuff, but you could well have a good laugh. Or two.
I'll go 6 Popcorns. But tread carefully. YMMV
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God Bless America
Made in 2011, so a few years old now. I couldn't remember if I had seen it when it came out, but after a few minutes of watching, I remembered I had. Alzheimers is coming!
Anyway, it's a very black comedy about a dude (Joel Murray, yep, Bills brother) who is told he has a brain tumour and decides to go on a road trip and take a few nasty people out. He meets a teenage girl along the way and she comes along for the ride.
Think Little Miss Sunshine, but with guns.
Very dry. But I like it. I think you can see it on Netflix.
7.5 popcorns.
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Quoted from schwarz:Swiss Army Man 7/10
That looks pretty weird! I will probably go see it this week ...
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Quoted from Wickerman2:Don't think it's been mentioned: The Cabin in the Woods. It's a Joss Whedon horror film with a twist to the usual "formula".
I'll go 8 popcorns on it.
Cool, I'll be watching that this week.
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The Conjuring 2
While the first one stayed *reasonably* close (Hollywood close anyway lol) to the actual story, this movie embellishes it's origins greatly.
Like, the Warrens were hardly involved at all, and there were no crosses turning upside down, flooded basements or demons in the corner.
You can read this for the background story. http://www.historyvshollywood.com/reelfaces/conjuring-2-enfield-poltergeist/
But if you put all that aside, it is a scary ass movie
Just on entertainment value alone, it must get a good 8 popcorns.
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Quoted from dmbjunky:Oh good, you've made me remember the nun in the corner. More nightmares for tonight.
No shit, the night after I watched it my cinema, I woke up a couple of times thinking the Nun Marilyn Manson thing was over by the door lol
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The Girl On the Train
Firstly, I haven't read the book (or even heard of it till now) so I went in with an open mind.
Movie starts slowly. The plot jumps around in a confusing manner at times (I'm all for time shifts but sometimes they sorta seem jumbled here)
However it all comes together at the end.
Maybe it could have been done a little better but overall, it keeps you guessing till the end which makes it a good movie.
I'll go 7.5 Popcorns.
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Quoted from dmbjunky:I thought this was a pretty funny Cinema Sins on The Conjuring 2.
» YouTube video
It must be hard being those guys ... going through life picking holes in everything and being ultra negative all the time.
How would you enjoy anything? I bet they're a real fun bunch of dudes to hang around.
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Sausage Party
Where to start. Hmmmmm....
I have never walked out of a movie. After 20 minutes I was considering it...
Firstly, swearing. I am all in favour of a good s**t and f**k here and there. People who know me will tell you I slip in some choice language from time to time. But honestly, this movie was like they got the script, and put it through one of those websites where it puts random swear words in the text. That was reaaaaally funny ... when I was like 12. Swearing is more funnny (and more effective) when it is used sparingly and intelligently.
Second ... drug use. Hey, I get Seth Rogan is a stoner. It's in e v e r y movie he makes. However, promoting bath salts and needles in a cartoon? Stupid.
Third ... plot. It tries to be clever (references to Hitler and Palestine) but it's not. Basically ends up being a Disney plot with 10,000 swear words thrown in.
Honestly, they would have been better (and would have made more money) if they had cleaned up the script and put it out as a kids movie, Pixar style.
So, Popcorns.
2 for animation. That was good.
1 for the grocery orgy scene. The highlight.
So 3 Popcorns. Very disappointing.
YMMV
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Quoted from schwarz:Haven't seen it but salt in a food movie makes sense, no?
Was looking forward to this not so much anymore...
It might be your cup of tea ... just not mine.
I'm sure some people love it.
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Quoted from dmbjunky:It's not meant to be negative. It's meant to be funny
Yeah, I know. Some of them are pretty funny.
From memory, I think the Birdemic one was really funny.
I mean, it's not hard to pick holes in that movie. Classic Z grade stuff!
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Quoted from dmbjunky:Just watched Man vs. Snake The Long and Twisted Tale of Nibbler on Netflix. It's about the quest to break a billion points on Rockola's arcade game Nibbler. Very fun watch. Just as fun as The King of Kong. Pretty neat game as well. 7/10
Cool, that's on my list to watch.
There was supposed to be a similar pinball movie being made, I haven't heard much about it.
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Quoted from dmbjunky:I really love watching documentaries about old video games. Atari Game Over is another good one.
Documentaries are my bag too.
Some recent(ish) ones you may have/not seen, and worthy of attention
Senna
Amy
Tickled
Resurrection of Jake the Snake
Beyond the Mat (I'm not into wresting but that was very good)
Hot Girls Wanted (has like a 1 star on Netflix, I have no idea why. Good doco and insight into net porn)
And many more I have forgotten lol
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Quoted from RWH:Watched "The Accountant" and I have to say it was a great movie.
It looked good in the preview ... hasn't opened here yet.
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Quoted from CaptK:Speaking of documentaries...what about "Wizard Mode"!?!?!?
» YouTube video
Haven't seen it yet. I was hoping it would be at the Auckland Film Festival a few months ago ... alas .... no.
Robert is a cool cat. And his parents are nice guys as well.
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Quoted from rotordave:Documentaries are my bag too.
Some recent(ish) ones you may have/not seen, and worthy of attention
Senna
Amy
Tickled
Resurrection of Jake the Snake
Beyond the Mat (I'm not into wresting but that was very good)
Hot Girls Wanted (has like a 1 star on Netflix, I have no idea why. Good doco and insight into net porn)
And many more I have forgotten lol
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Oh yeah, I watched the Adam West doco on Netflix a few weeks ago, that was good.
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Keeping up with the Joneses
Zack Galifianakis (yeah, I copy and pasted that) and Isla Fishers neighbours are sexy spies. The woman is particularly sexy. A few jokes here and there but pretty safe stuff. There were two ladies in their 70s behind us, and they were laughing at the sexy jokes which was pretty funny. Funnier than the actual jokes if I am being honest. But good on 'em!
The sort of movie you'd take your first date on if you wanted to confirm you were "safe" and maybe a little boring. It's ok but don't expect to need surgery for laughing related mishaps.
6/10 Popcorns.
Quoted from dmbjunky:movie seems dumbed down for American audiences.
Oooffffffff!
Or maybe "mass market consumption" would be a better term ... seems the masses will accept anything Hollywood dishes out these days. The simpler and more formulaic it is, the more they seem to like it.
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Quoted from dmbjunky:V for Vendetta was written by an English writer, Alan Moore, and set in England with criticisms towards their politics on both ends of the spectrum. The movie was still set in England but tried to critique American politics. It was very heavy handed and the author wasn't fond of the movie.
Bummer! I admit I haven't seen it as yet.
A lot of movies are adopted for American audiences though, because at the end of the day, that's where the money is ... both to make the movie and to buy the movie.
One that comes straight to mind is Girl on the Train I saw last week. English book, in an english setting ... next minute the movie is set in New York.
All comes back to money. Same as everything.
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Quoted from nman:It's my understanding that Alan Moore has always been against almost any movie adaptation is any of his works.
Like V for Vendetta, i felt Watchmen the movie wasn't anywhere close to being as good as the graphic novel, but it was still enjoyable in its own way.
So what's the consensus on Sin City and Sin City 2? I watched the first one maaaany years ago and can't remember much of it.
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Quoted from mcluvin:I really wanted to like this, but for me anyway, 2 thumbs and a penis down. It was bad.....
Ultimately, it was a let down.
Do you two agree with me, that they would have been better to just clean it up and make it into a kids movie? It would have made way more money at the box office, plus $$$ in merch.
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Quoted from schwarz:Not in the US, people out here will find the theme more offensive than the language.
Don't think the Point Grey dudes care about money anymore either.
Yeah, you'd clean up the story obviously!
But the characters were cute (saleable), the animation was great, and the story concept (of discovering the truth about being eating and ultimately winning) would translate.
The villain character would probably not be a feminine Douche though.
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Quoted from mcluvin:Though I suppose they could have made it into a epic quest to find mustard in order to have a successful picnic.
Now you're thinking! A career in Hollywood beckons!
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Quoted from Circus_Animal:Watched Guardians of the Galaxy a couple of days ago...WTF??? Why is this movie so popular?
I have no idea. I thought it was rubbish as well. Basic, cliche plot .. standard outcome. Probably better than a 0/10 but maybe a 3/10 for effort.
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Quoted from mcluvin:Tucker & Dale vs. Evil. Much better than I thought it was going to be and a refreshing take on the "college kids on vacation" slasher movie
I watched this tonight on Netflix.
Pretty funny in places. Totally ridiculous plot but worth a watch.
"They cut off his bowling fingers!!"
I'd go 6.5/10 Popcorns.
1 week later
Ouija: Origin of Evil
Not quite as scary as I thought it was going to be. Still an entertaining movie though. The setting in late 60s USA is really well done, the cars alone provide great eye candy. Some jump scares but not terrifying. Worth a watch.
7 Popcorns.
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1 week later
Louis Theroux - My Scientology Movie
Just saw this doco tonight. For those who are not familiar with Louis (Louie) he is a BBC reporter who has made some great BBC series, mainly focused on things in the USA .. I'm sure a lot of them are up on the net these days. His very dry humour makes them very good watching. The one with the wife swapping parties is my personal favourite ... it always cracks me up.
This doco (obviously..) focuses on the Scientology Church ... mainly on the main man David Miscavige. Louis cleverly uses actors to get the best info from several ex Scientology members.
To be honest this would have maybe been better as a BBC tv special rather than a movie, but it was still good viewing. Didn't really cover much that we haven't already seen in other Scientology movies such as Going Clear from last year, but Louis injects some trademark Louis-isms that lift it a level.
Worth a watch if you are interested in the subject matter. 7 Popcorns.
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Death Note - Light up a New World.
<Japanese with Subtitles>
The second live action movie based on the Death Note Anime.
If you haven't seen the Death Note Anime series, do yourself a favour and check it out. One of the best things I've seen, and I'm not an anime guy by any stretch.
This new movie follows 10 years after the end of the first movie. As per usual with Japanese movies, everyone is dying left right and centre and half the time it's the lead characters. There are a couple of carry over characters from the first movie, including everyone's favourite Shinagami, Ryuk.
If you are a fan of the Death Note stuff, you'll like it. If you're not, you'll wonder what the hell is going on. Lots of plot holes (like the L replacement is supposed to have Ls DNA ... L would have been like 5 years old when he was born) but that's par for the course with this stuff.
7 Popcorns.
Quoted from beepnutz:Loved everything about Guardians of the Galaxy and I am looking forward to the sequel....10/10.
Different strokes for different folks.
Indeed! And plenty of others liked it too, it did well.
What was it you liked about it?
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Hell or High Water
Finally saw this today. Good film!
Two brothers have to save their family ranch from the bank, so they rob branches of that bank to get the money to pay the bank off.
Good cinematography with lots of shots of barren Texas landscapes.
Lots of good quotes in the movie. "Mr Pepper? I wanted a Dr Pepper. Only assholes drink Mr Pepper!"
Enjoyed it. 8 Popcorns.
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Added over 7 years ago: Losers drink Dr Pibb!! Not Pepper! Jeeeaaaaaazzzussss.
Quoted from CaptK:Tickled (2016)
Some curious Kiwis investigate the “sport” of Competitive Endurance Tickling. (How is that even a real thing?)
Makes you wonder what people get up to.
Good movie. Well worth the watch.
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The Accountant
Finally saw this today. Not too bad.
Afflecks character really garners no emotions .. you neither root for him or hate him. He's just sort of neutral. The female lead is much the same.
The story seems convoluted in places, especially as they try to explain the accountants background. And the "surprise in the fight scene" (I won't spoil it for those that haven't seen it) is a bit telegraphed, I picked it up at the beginning and Mrs RD clicked about 10 mins before it was played out on screen. A top movie would take something that is obvious like that and twist it to surprise the viewer.
However, it's still an entertaining enough movie.
7 Popcorns.
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1 week later
The Founder
The story about Ray Kroc .. the guy who franchised out McDonalds. Now, I thought that everyone knew the story of how McDs started, but evidently not. I guess I read a lot of business books back in the day. The story has been pretty frequently told in a lot of books.
Michael Keaton stars as Kroc, a travelling milkshake machine salesman in the mid 1950s; who struggles to sell even one of his multi-head machines. When a small outfit out in San Bernadino wants 8 of them ... let's say that got his interest.
A good watch, even if you know the story. Good performances and a nice look at 50s and 60s America too.
I'd go 8 Popcorns.
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Quoted from dmbjunky:Sorry just caught up a couple weeks worth of posts. It wasn't Mr. Pepper but Mr. Pibb, the Coca-Cola equivalent of Dr. Pepper
Oh yeah! Why didn't I type that?
I even thought it was so funny at the time I wrote it down so I would remember it.
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1 week later
- Now You See Me 2
Now you see me ... leave the home cinema disappointed. The first one wasn't too bad .. but this one misses the mark. Very convoluted plot, with plenty of holes. Lots of flash but little substance.
4 Popcorns.
- Nerve
Probably aimed more towards a teenage market than a 40+ old man market, but enjoyable enough. Makes a few subtle statements about where social media is heading. Millenials play an on-line game where they have to complete dares for money. Of course it all turns to custard. The scenes involving heights and ladders and cranes had me hiding my eyes, heights are not my bag baby!
7 Popcorns.
- Arrival
Enjoyed it. I'm man enough to admit I didn't quite get it fully, and had to look it up later to get the gist. I can report I was on the right track ... but a man needs reassurance, ya know? I'm not a big sci fi guy, but it was a good watch.
8 Popcorns.
rd.
Quoted from Astropin:SPOILER ALERT (MAYBE?)
The movie is about the Aliens language and how learning that language can (supposedly) alter your perception of time. Allowing you to glean information from the future....and I suppose the past.
They came to us becasue in three thousand years they are going to need our help. In order to help them we need to learn and understand their language.
Yep. All those flashbacks were dreams she was having of the future. She knew the child was going to die even before she got pregnant. The language (or the aliens) gave her the ability to "time travel". That's why she rang the Chinese General and knew his personal information.
All a bit "heady" lol
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Quoted from dmbjunky:I understood all of that watching Arrival. RD must be a little slow
No debate about that. 
I'm not a big sci-fi guy so it's all news to me.
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1 month later
Rogue One
Not the biggest Star Wars guy (blasphemy, I know ...) but enjoyed the movie. Lots of action happening. All
My Star Wars buddies loved it.
8 Popcorns.
Don't Breathe
A little late to the party with this one, only just watched it on Bluray.
Some teens learn that a guy got a big insurance payout and decide to go and take it from him. Strangely, the fact that he is a war veteran (ummm ... guns!) doesn't phase them. Oh, and he's blind too. Rob the blind guy. Nice one!
However, by the end of the movie you are rooting for them. That's the sign of a good movie, imo.
Lots of twists and turns and jump scares. I liked it!
8 Popcorns.
Quoted from Razorbak86:I saw this wonderful movie on Friday
Looking forward to seeing it. Looks good!
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Assassins Creed
Don't know anything about the video game, so I don't know if it's true to the video game storyline. Had some good action scenes in it. Fassbender has been hitting the gym, he's looking pretty sweet.
Not the best movie I've seen, but not the worst either. 6 Popcorns.
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Quoted from nman:Yes, yes i did, in fact. Too much x-men and not enough sleep for me i guess
If you want to see a cool McAvoy movie, check out Filth from 2013. Quite weird, probably not for everyone, but I liked it!
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4 weeks later
Spilt
I liked it! Quite slow pace, but I never found it boring.
McAvoy did a great job flicking through the 6 (of 24) different characters that were in Kevin's head. He had some good accents happening too.
I'd go 8 Popcorns. Liked it!
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Quoted from RyanStl:I never heard of John Wick until people starting talking about John Wick 2
I was the same. Never heard of it until this thread.
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3 weeks later
Ghost in the Shell
Firstly, I haven't seen the anime, so I'm a blank canvas. Movies based on Animes often differ from the Anime anyway, as anyone who has seen Death Note anime/live action movies can attest.
The film was mostly shot in NZ, and all the visuals were done by Weta Digital in NZ. They're saying the film added $85m NZD to the NZ economy. Thanks Hollywood!
I liked it. Visually stunning to watch in IMAX. Some might say it is a bit slow, and while it has some good action scenes it certainly isn't a full on action movie. The plot isn't the deepest in the world, but kept me interested for 100 minutes.
Minor quibble, it's supposed to be set in future Tokyo (at least in the anime) but the landscape/background is clearly Hong Kong. Anyone who's been to either place can spot that instantly. You can even see some of the landmark architecture in some of the shots.
My personal Popcorns - 8. I liked it.
Added bonus: the cinema in Corpus Christi had 3 nice pinball machines. Downer: the token machine was out of order. 
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2 weeks later
Quoted from RyanStl:I know its lame, but just watched Rogue One over the weekend
I wasn't aware that it was "lame" .. all my Star Wars buddies liked it. And we know what those dudes are like ...
I'm not a Star Wars guy, I enjoyed it.
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Quoted from Friengineer:Anyone into Anime? I'm watching One-Punch Man on Netflix. Subtitles only but the show is great. 9.5 pops!
Death Note is great.
If you want to watch something weird, watch BENTO. To give away the plot, gangs of teenagers assemble at the supermarket to await the discounting of bento boxes at closing time, and have massive fights over the best bento. It's LOL and also quite sexed up ....
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1 week later
Trespass Against Us
Michael Fassbender and Brendon Gleeson star in this U.K. arthouse movie about a bunch of gypsy types who are on the wrong side of the law.
Fassbender is the son, who sort of wants to get his family away from his father, but to be honest, he doesn't try very hard. That's where the film falls a bit flat IMO. If you want to go ... errrr go?
OK viewing, but a bit flat to be honest.
5 Popcorns.
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Get Out
For some reason, this movies release date was held back in NZ, probably because we just had the school holidays here. Usually we open most movies same weekend as the USA. I was going to see it in Texas when we were there but Danni doesn't like scary movies.
Great movie. The story never sags, keeps you interested all the way through. Theres a few scares here and there to keep primed for more.
Good to see a movie with an original script too, the superhero-meets girl-beats up bad guy stuff gets very tiresome.
I'm going 9 Popcorns.
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Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2
Far superior to the first one IMO. Maybe I was in a funky mood, but the first one didn't do it for me.
Vol2 follows the standard formula (build up to big hero/villain fight at the end) but does it better than most.
Good humour throughout ... and some cool 80s tracks from Starlords Walkman. Kudos for using The Chain. Killer track.
Also some cool cameos throughout. Bring on the Hoff!
In my view, the best Marvel movie since the original Ironman.
I'm going 8 Popcorns.
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Quoted from dmbjunky:That's pretty high praise. Winter Soldier is still my favorite.
I prefer my smash/bash with a little humour I guess. I'm not that into the superhero/comic stuff (never read a comic in my life) so I approach it very much from a laymans angle.
I still think the original Ironman is the best of all of the Marvel movies. Stark was pretty cool in that one. I wanted to be Tony Stark!
But Kick Ass was the best of all the "superhero" movies for me. Hit Girl - super cool.
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Quoted from Astropin:The main plot just didn't add up.
Do they ever?
I'll have to rewatch the first one again.
Movies can be like that, your opinion can depend on your mood on the day. Sometimes you like them better the second time, sometimes you think "why'd I like that one? It sucks!" Haha!
Not a movie ... but I'm rewatching Breaking Bad from the beginning at the moment. I liked it the first time - but it's even better the second time. I'm noticing a lot more layers that I didn't see when I watched it on TV. Binge watching (3 episodes a night for me) is the way to go.
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Quoted from dmbjunky:I just rewatched Iron Man 2 and 3 and thought they weren't as bad as people say. I actually like them better than the first one
2 and 3 aren't bad either ... but if you remember when 1 came out, it was a "new level" of superhero movies compared to what had come before it. So it gets bonus points for that. I remember when I saw it, it was like "wow" .. pretty cool.
Quoted from dmbjunky:Unbreakable is still my favorite superhero movie
I saw that ... but 17 years ago now so can't really remember it. I'll keep an eye out for it and watch it again. There was that Unbreakable tie in at the end of Split recently too, where Bruce Willis showed up in the Cafe at the end.
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** thread reminder **
523 posts in, I thought I would reiterate...
Reviews are just opinions.
Everyone has a different opinion.
Nobody is right ... Nobody is wrong.
That's why I don't really put any stock in movie reviews in the paper or online. Who are those people? What do they know about it? They probably have polar opposite likes to me. In the old days, if the NZ Herald reviewer hated a movie, I was pretty much guaranteed to love it. Lol. And all the movies he fawned over, I hated.
So far, half the people I know like Guardians 1 better. The other half like 2 better. All good! Whatever turns you on.
So write away! Let the reviews flowwwwwww from your fingers, like lava from the volcano! Or something like that.
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Quoted from dmbjunky:I still haven't watched True Romance. I always get that mixed up with Natural Born Killers, which I haven't seen either, for some reason
Both are cool movies.
"Ooooooooooooh that meat man co*ksucker!!!"
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Just watched a heap of movies I missed in the cinema on the 3hr flight Auckland to Sydney and the 13.5hr flight from Sydney to Dubai. Yes, 13.5 hours. Lol
1/ Hidden Figures.
The story of 3 ladies in NASA in the 60s. Very good movie.
8 Popcorns.
2/ Passenger
Chris Pratt (hasn't he come a long way since Parks and Recreation...) and Jennifer Lawrence wake up too early on a 120 space flight. Sort of dissolves into a love story, but some good space visuals. Not too bad. And some side boob. Bonus point for that.
6.5 Popcorns.
3/ Margin Call (2011)
All star cast play out the days leading into the 2008 stock market crash. Good performances.
8 Popcorns.
4/ Live by Night
BatFleck stars and directs in this film about gangsters in prohibition times. Alas his direction or editing seems to have gone off the rails somewhere and the result is a bit of a mess.
5 Popcorns.
5/ Office Christmas Party
Hey, it was the only movie that was under the 2 hours I had left on the plane. Ha! Jason Bateman and a crew of merry men/ladies have an office party to try and save the firm. The usual stuff. Not super funny (for me anyway) but watchable. Once.
6 Popcorns.
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Quoted from dmbjunky:I may have to watch Hidden Figures based on your recommendation. If it's good enough for Dave, it's good enough for me.
It's a really good movie.
It does paint a pretty sad picture of "how things were" back in the 60s for the stars of the movie, though. Which is good to remind people I guess, it isn't really that long ago.
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Quoted from toyotaboy:Passenger: Really great visuals, great storyline (and lots of ethical choices).
I really liked the visuals, even on a small screen in an A380. It would have looked sweet up on the big screen.
I think if I was stuck alone on a spaceship for 90 years, I'd be cracking open some pods too.
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Quoted from zr11990:Is this movie a Alien reboot or is it a continuation of the original story line? I'll see it regardless but I'm curious.
It's a follow on from Prometheus.
It's filmed in Milford Sound, New Zealand .. so you know it's good.
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Colossal
Just saw this in Dubai.
For starters, in Dubai it is just the norm that people check their Facebook on their phones every 3 minutes and even talk out loud among themselves. Why? I dunno.
I was quite looking forward to this movie. I like a weird movie. This ones been getting some good writeups. However it left me a bit flat. The wife was totally befuddled.
What's the analogy? What's the monster? Is there really a monster? Is it all in her mind? Is the monster symbolising her battle with the bottle?
I think the movie asks more questions than it wants answered. Or maybe it's just smarter than me. That's a great possibility. But even nerds and the director don't know what it means.
http://www.denofgeek.com/us/movies/colossal/263558/colossal-ending-explained
It's billed as a comedy, but it's rarely funny.
The saving grace ... a Stern Freefall is a prominent prop in the bar scenes.
Maybe you can figure it out better than I can. I'm going 5 Popcorns. And wishing I went to Alien Covenant instead.
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Quoted from nman:Very excited to hear about his next potential film.
http://io9.gizmodo.com/jordan-peeles-next-project-is-a-terrifying-lovecraftian-1795275560
Interesting.
Also interesting:
http://io9.gizmodo.com/get-out-almost-had-a-much-bleaker-ending-according-to-1792959724
"However, Peele confirms that several much bleaker endings were originally considered, including ones in which Chris would be arrested for mass murder or even gunned down on the spot by the local police"
That's exactly what I thought as soon as I saw the cop car drive up at the end. "Bang bang" ... Chris gets the message and the evil girlfriend lives on to continue the family tradition.
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Hair I Go Again
Just watched this doco on Emirates and I can post about it using the magic of free wifi on the A380.
Cool little indie doco about two guys in their 40s trying to put Tryxx, their hair metal band from 1987 back together. That doesn't quite work out so they record some original metal with some notable 80s metal guys.
Lots of interviews with metal dudes from the 80s who are still playing today.
If you're into metal or the 80s scene, well worth checking out.
8 Popcorns for me. Because I'm a metal guy.
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Talk Radio (1988)
I hunted down this movie just before I left NZ. I'd first seen it late one night (like 2am) on TV in the early 90s after I'd got home from a gig with my band. I thought it was pretty cool at the time.
Oliver Stone directs the film version of an off broadway play that centres around a controversial talk radio jock. Roughly based on the story of jock Alan Berg who was shot by the KKK outside his Denver home back in 84.
You can certainly see the stage origins in the film ... most scenes take place within the radio studio, in fact maybe the only outside shots are the final climax. The film is 30 years old now, the hair styles show their age, but the story holds up.
Cool little movie if you like something a bit different. Warning - no superheroes or marvel characters to be seen.
7.5 Popcorns.
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Anthropoid
In 2014, I was in Prague and did a walking tour around the city. One of the stops was the Methodius Cathedral. Inside, we toured through the catacombs underneath, and learnt of the story of the assassination of Nazi general Reinhard Heydrich, known as the butcher of Prague. His assassins hid out in the catacombs of the church. This is the movie of that story.
The Nazis who occupied Prague were a nasty bunch of munters, led by Heydrich, who was the 3rd highest ranked in the Nazi party and the architect of the "final solution"
So London sent two Czech fighters in to knock him off... Operation Anthropoid. You'll have to watch the movie (or read the history books) to find out the rest ... but let's just say, don't get too attached to the cast. And the Nazis took out another 5000 men, women and children on top for retribution, just for good measure. Hey, I told you they were munters!
Good wartime history movie, and pretty true to the original story as far as I know it.
7.5 Popcorns.
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Quoted from Vyzer2:"munters? I don't think it means what you think it means.
Munter in Australasia (that's Aus and NZ) is a slang word for "dick" or "asshole" or similar.
Example: "Don't be a munter"
Or: "that munter crashed into my car!!"
It is also a form of knot used in rock climbing.
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Quoted from Razorbak86:Refreshingly, the vast majority of that film was historically accurate!
*** SPOILERS ***
http://www.historyvshollywood.com/reelfaces/anthropoid/
Even the actors look sorta like the real dudes!
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Alien Covenant
Just saw this in the West End while the boss went to Aladdin at the theatre. I hate the theatre. Pretentious clowns.
Interesting tidbit: the theatre had the lights on dimly throughout the movie. Must be some crazy UK Health and Safety thing. They have some crazy stuff here. It was strange watching a movie not in complete darkness.
My preface: I saw Alien and Aliens back in the 80s. I haven't seen Prometheus as yet. I rewatched Alien about a month ago to see what the fanboys were going on about. It is an ok movie, but IMO hardly the second coming some of those guys make it out to be.
I thought Covenant was pretty good. It is very similar in pace to the original, which is pretty funny as a lot of the fanboys say it is slow. Maybe their memories are a bit cloudy? Or blinded by fanboyness?
Good visual effects all round. The "planet" they land on is Milford Sound in NZ so that was cool.
I liked the twist at the end, but I did pick up that was going to happen while they were still on the planet.
Overall, I would go 7.5 Popcorns.
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Quoted from VacFink:I went to the Aniversary showing of the Fifth Element, a limited movie theater showing
Yeah, they were running that in New Zealand this weekend too. If I was there I'd go.
They've also been running Alien and Aliens at the cinema too.
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Quoted from trunchbull:The whole thrill of the original film was that you didn't know what it would do next, but now they're so rote it's like a tradition
With Alien (and other movies too) I think you have a few things in play.
1/ when most of us saw Alien, we were kids or teenagers and it was pretty scary. Now, we are 40 (+) and we have seen it all before. Twice.
2/ a lot of people assign nostalgic memories to the first time they see something. Nothing will ever match up. See: Star Wars fans. See: Ghostbusters fans.
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Quoted from dmbjunky:Does anybody else think Katherine Waterston is one of the ugliest looking actresses? Maybe it was her terrible Scott Pilgrim hair do.
I must admit, when I was watching Covenant I did think to myself it was strange not seeing a "dolly bird" having the lead in a Hollywood movie ...
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Quoted from trunchbull:I liked her, she looked like a real person, it's nice to have someone in a movie who doesn't look like they were plastiformed.
I concur. It's just unusual to see it ...
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Quoted from scylla:Did you know that Covenant was filmed in Milford Sound?.
Indeed I did. I picked it as soon as I saw the trailer.
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Quoted from scylla:Of course you would have.
We had the best time there. Ended up in Manapouri for a couple of nights afterwards. Locals were hilarious and very welcoming - and we even found pinball at this odd campground.
I know the guy who owns those pinballs.
Did you go to the underground hydro power station? Pretty amazing ...
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Quoted from trunchbull:I've heard both good and bad things about Wonder Woman, but man, idk, I just can't get excited for any of these superhero movies. They're so corporate.
Indeed. They pretty much all follow the same format...
Hero introduced
Hero meets love interest
Bad guy does something very bad
Hero and bad guy have an extremely prolonged fight
Hero wins
Love interest is happy
End
I haven't seen WW but I bet it is much the same.
Mind you, with an $100m opening weekend, why would the studios ever change the format? They're laughing all the way to the bank.
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Gold
Watched this on the A380 yesterday. Not a bad flick. Based on a true story, very much in the mold of Wolf of Wall Street, The Big Short etc.
Matthew McConaughey is looking sweet with his pot tummy and balding head. You wince as he makes bad business decisions and he inevitably loses it all ... or does he?
7 Popcorns.
A380 Big Screen!
1 week later
Quoted from spfxted:The "Dark Universe" is doing them all in this re-imagined fashion. Dracula, etc.... But after seeing this I just hope they don't screw up Creature.
I watched CFTBL for the first time a few years back. Considering how old it was, it was pretty darn cool. My mother told me how it freaked everyone out when it came out in the 50s.
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Quoted from dmbjunky:Just watched Children of Men again for the millionth time
Quoted from jayhawkai:11/10. So, so good
Never heard of it! So I ordered it from the public library. $2 for two weeks.
I shall report back! Just on the last discs of my Breaking Bad rewatch binge ...
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I have a Optima 3D projector with the active glasses and it works very well. Although I rarely use the 3D ... I think I've watched 2 3D movies lol.
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Quoted from Circus_Animal:I have no idea how this movie ended up being dubbed 'the worst ever
Haven't watched that ... but if you want to see a shitter, watch Manos Hands Of Fate. Ohhhhhboy.
Pretty sure you can watch it on the net these days.
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Quoted from Taxman:I love the MST episode of Manos. But I can't imagine sitting through the actual movie without the crew.
I'm the opposite ... I tried to watch MST and I just found it to be annoying. I don't need people telling me what is funny or not I guess. I didn't find those guys funny at all. I know it has a big following, but it wasn't for me.
We used to have "the incredibly strange film festival" here in Auckland 15-20 years ago, I saw heaps of the Z grade movies at those festivals. Manos, Blackula, Dolemite, heaps of bad movies. Now they have incorporated that festival in with the NZ Film Festival and it isn't so good anymore. They still show some weird movies, but none of the really old shitters from the past.
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Baywatch
Yes, I went to Baywatch. The Boss wanted to see it. So I cleverly waited until it was half price and we went today.
You know what you're gonna get here. Some funny one liners, silly plot, lots of abs (Efron looks like he is made of plastic...) some hot ladies in tight bathing suits...
If you check in your brain at the door, it was entertaining enough. I have to admit, I never watched a full episode of the TV show (it was on Saturday night and I was usually out playing in my band) but some of the in-jokes about life guards solving crimes were quite funny. And Hoff and Pamela make an appearance.
Brain Popcorns 2/10
Entertainment Popcorns 6/10
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Quoted from RandomGuyOffCL:lien Covenant-
Watched this film until the Vice principals dude uttered "sugar tits"...at which point I walked out and proceeded to catch the last half of boss baby in the adjacent theater
Ooooooh bad burn!!
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Movie 43
I remember seeing something on TV about this movie being made, and it looked good! It has a heap of stars all acting in short clips, much like Kentucky Fried Movie from the late 70s. Then I never heard of it again until I saw it at the library and grabbed it.
Oh wow. No wonder I never heard of it again! What a disaster area! Heaps of big name actors talked into doing some pretty weird scenes. Hugh Jackman has testicles on his neck. Anna Farris wants Chris Pratt to poop on him. I gotta admit I laughed at that. But it got worse after that. Leprechauns! Jonny Knoxville! Elizabeth Banks murders a cartoon cat in front of children. Leprechauns!
How'd they con these actors into making this movie? Boggles the mind! Fiona spent most of the movie hiding her eyes! Haha!
I had to look it up on Rotten Tomatoes after I watched it. I had a rating of 4!! 4!! I've never seen one that low!!
I laughed at the poop so I'll go a generous 2 Popcorns. Probably a little generous to be fair.
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Quoted from beepnutz:2 popcorns just for the actors being good sports, probably is generous RD.
Yeah, I reckon.
Have the Farrelly brothers made a good movie since Something About Mary? Dumb and Dumber, Kingpin, Something about Mary .... it's all been downhill since then ...
Movie 43 is just Peter Farrelly, it takes the cake.
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Quoted from Hazoff:I guess I'm becoming the old bastard I always wanted to be but for the most part what people call funny these days just sucks to me, Ted, Family Guy, movie 43 and most of what I see via funny or die and SNL its just terrible
I concur. I don't think I have ever laughed at anything I have seen on SNL. Or any of those late night TV shows either for that matter.
Maybe it is because we are old ... we have seen it all before.
Or maybe it is because we are miserable bastards.
But maybe not ... I go to live stand-up comedy all the time and alway have a good snicker.
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Quoted from dmbjunky:Back then they crafted and molded a script, now comedy is mainly improv and adlibs.
I think that's one of the differences.
The "improv" those ex SNL guys have is a lot different to the real improv that guys learnt playing for years in the clubs, or doing Theatresports.
American comedy shows have a big back room of writers. Here's the current writers for SNL... prepare yourself ...:
Head writer(s)
Chris Kelly, Sarah Schneider, Bryan Tucker, and Kent Sublette (Since episode 12).
Writing staff [18]
James Anderson
Kristen Bartlett
Jeremy Beiler
Zack Bornstein
Leslie Jones
Joanna Bradley
Megan Callahan
Michael Che
Judy Chase
Fran Gillespie
Sudi Green
Steve Higgins
Colin Jost
Chris Kelly
Erik Kenward
Rob Klein
Nick Kocher
Dave McCary
Brian McElhaney
Dennis McNicholas
Drew Michael
Lorne Michaels
Josh Patten
Sarah Schneider
Pete Schultz (Weekend Update Head Writer)
Streeter Seidell
Will Stephen
Julio Torres
Bryan Tucker
That's 23 dudes!!
Of course, the actors will have some input .. but it always cracks me up when someone says "oh, that <SNL guy> is soooo funny!!" ... the dude has 23 guys writing his shit!
You compare the British version of Who's Line is it Anyway ... that show was full improv, coming from a base of Theatre sports. They made all that shit up on the fly, cameras rolling ... go for it. No filters. You can see those dudes do a live version of the show at the London Improv every week. The US version had to be scripted so they didn't offend anyone. That's a bit sad ...
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Wonder Woman
Man, I'm on a roll with my half price movies!
Enjoyed it!
Like DMB, I thought it was the best DC movie so far. The movie is the Wonder Woman origin story, set around the end of WW1. Chris Pine's bi-plane magically appears near Wonder Woman's home island through some portal thing (which never really gets explained, but whatever ...) and away we go.
Ladies beating up on bad people is always good watching (KickAss' HitGirl is one of the best movie characters ever) and WW does extremely well here, racking up an impressive body count, all with the minimum of any blood whatsoever (gotta get that G rating!)
The inevitable Hero(ine) vs Bad Guy scene is a little drawn out ... and some of the Matrix style fight CGI is a bit hokey, but over all it's a fun way to fill 2 hours.
And Wonder Woman was indeed looking Wonder(ful)
8 Popcorns.
1 week later
Quoted from spfxted:Going to see Transformers Imax 3D....I'll keep yuz posted!
And thennnnnnnn ..... ?
The Mummy
Yet another half price movie! I'm on fire!
I went in with low expectations. Despite Teds misgivings, we both actually enjoyed it. Filled in two hours nicely, with no major flat spots.
Like Ted, I don't have a lot of time for Cult Man Tom, but he is ok here, there are even some one liners which work ok. His sidekick has some good lines, even when he is dead. (!)
I was hoping for a David Miscavage cameo, alas, he was nowhere to be seen. Unless he was disguised as a zombie. Lots of dead bodies coming back to life in this movie.
Chubby Russell Crowe also makes an appearance as Dr Jekyll/Mr Hyde, maybe opening the way for his own franchise?
Anyway, the gist of it all was Tom Cruise and his buddies unearth a nasty Egyptian mummy lady (who was quite the hot number) who inevitably came back to life and chose Tom to join the cult errrrr I mean her Eternal Life thing she had going on. In the end, she bites the dust but Tom has been inducted into the cult errrrr Eternal Life thing and is now "The Mummy" for ever and is free to make as many sequels as David Miscavage lets him make.
Popcorns - 7. Entertaining enough!
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Quoted from spfxted:I see what you're saying...it had its moments.
It was a huge flop in the US, but doing well overseas. When the smoke clears, it may cost Universal $90+ million. Hopefully Bride of Frankenstein (next up) and The Invisible Man will be better. Thankfully, Creature is down the line....
Hollywood seems to be fixated on remaking old titles. I guess they figure that they were winners back then, so they are starting from a good base and they can coin it up with the movies and Merch.
Also, I guess 90% of todays movie going market has never seen the original movies, so they can do what they want story wise.
I gotta say, 3 different Spider-Man franchises in 15 years is getting a bit crazy though.
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Quoted from Astropin:I will skip those two even when they are free on cable. (IMHO) 15% on Rotten Tomatoes for both.....15%!
See, I'm a little different than most I guess.
I don't read review sites before I go to the movies. I try and see a movie with an open mind. I don't need people telling me what to do or think.
Occasionally I will look up reviews AFTER I've seen it, like I did with Movie 43 to see if I just didn't get the movie and was missing the awesomeness somewhere. I wasn't. Haha!
Looking at The Mummy on Rotten Tomatoes, the "pro" reviewers have given it 15%. They seem to be comparing it to the original movie or the Brendon Fraser movies (which don't stick in my mind as being great movies.. maybe that's me..) They all seem to be mentioning the Dark Universe in a negative light, like they are just anti the whole concept from the start.
The "mega poster" reviews all seem to be around 3-3.5 stars out of 5 which is the same as my 7/10.
When I review a movie, I'm looking at the "popcorn" factor ...
1/ was it entertaining?
2/ did I look at my watch at all?
3/ did I feel like I got ripped off?
4/ was the hole in the plot so big I could drive my furniture truck through it?
5/ did I walk out? (Only happened once ever ... I'll stick it out to the bitter end!)
Overall, number 1 is the biggest factor in any movie. I can go see a movie I have no affinity for at all, but still be entertained. At the end of the day, that's what movies are about, entertainment and escape from the everyday world for a couple of hours.
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Following up from that, here's a "mega reviewer" from RT with a very well written review, making the point in the first section that reviewers just set out to hate this movie before they even saw it.
https://nathanzoebl.com/?s=Mummy&submit=Search
Probably sums it up:
Suffice to say, in my view The Mummy does not deserve its savaging by the critical community. I think too many critics are assailing larger points (Tom Cruise as a person, cinematic universes) and losing sight of the actual movie itself. The Mummy is not a perfect film by any stretch but it’s a movie that has a strong sense of its identity and how to meet its goals. The Mummy is a modest B-movie with a sense of fun that offers enough surprises, suspense and action sequences, and clever visuals to entertain. If this is the start to the Dark Universe then I feel optimistic about where else the newest creature features will lead. I recommend giving this one a chance once the dust settles. You may be just as surprised.
Nate’s Grade: B
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Quoted from Astropin:I "try" to always have an open mind...but not so open my brains fall out.
My brains fell out years ago.
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Quoted from V_piscopo:Couldn't even finish the mummy........so bad. Surprisingly enough bay watch was not horrible.
What did you find so bad about the Mummy?
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Quoted from jayhawkai:Dave, any verdict on Children of Men yet?
Still waiting for the DVD from the public library. Obviously other Aucklanders have read the Pinside glowing reviews and booked it up!!!
We are next in line so hopefully this week.
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John Wick. (1)
If it wasn't for this thread, I never would have heard of John Wick. It wasn't even released in NZ cinemas. Why? I dunno.
So I got it on DVD and watched it last night.
Quite a throwback to the 80s-90s big body count action movies! I haven't seen a movie like this for a while. All the dead people were Russian gangsters so I guess that makes it ok. Lol!
Wick was a cool cat, lots of double taps to the head. Story was predictable of course, bad guys did something bad, hero comes and wastes everyone involved. The spirit of 80s Arnie movies lives on!
Enjoyed it for what it was ... a shoot em up revenge movie with some good action. JW2 comes out on DVD here shortly, so looking forward to that. I passed on watching it in the cinema until I watched the first one.
7 Popcorns.
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McLaren (Documentary, 2017)
Kiwi Roger Donaldson (Cocktail, Dantes Peak, Thirteen Days etc) directs a documentary on Bruce McLaren, founder of McLaren Cars and Racing team.
McLaren started racing in New Zealand in the 50s, after a childhood crippled with Perthes disease, which left him with one leg shorter than the other.
Much like The Worlds Fastest Indian (A great movie about Bert Lancaster from Dunedin with Anthony Hopkins), Donaldson focuses on the famous Kiwi "number 8 wire" ingenuity, which is what we have developed down here at the ass end of the world. The early McLaren cars were literally made from old pipe and metal, sweat and blood, and crafted to be world beaters from an old shed in England.
Donaldson has unearthed some great old footage both from NZ and the races around the world, all through the 60s and up to Bruce's tragic death while testing at Goodwood in June, 1970.
McLaren became the youngest ever driver to win a F1 race at 22 years old (a record which stood for over 40 years), won Le Mans, won Monaco F1, and the team he founded is now the second longest running F1 team behind Ferrari.
The legacy of McLaren lives on. After his death in 1970, the company continued until 80/81 when it merged with Ron Dennis' company, and continues as McLaren today.
My review is biased, as I am a Motorsport enthusiast, and personally knew Bruce's sister Jan as a customer in my store.
Bruce McLaren was an amazing man .. what he did back in the 60s was astounding, coming from a tiny country on the other side of the world with little resources, and finally the world can see the story that us Kiwi racing enthusiasts embrace.
10 Popcorns for me, because the story is close to my heart. YMMV, but I bet you'll have a tear in your eye towards the end of the film.
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2 weeks later
Quoted from jayhawkai:Dave, any verdict on Children of Men yet?
Watched it in the weekend. Thanks for the tip.
Bleak tale set in 2027 UK, where women can no longer get pregnant, the government is in control, and the human race is on a path to extinction. Clive Owens is tasked with getting a miraculously pregnant teenager to the border and safety.
Very reminiscent of the Netflix series Black Mirror, if you've seen that. If not, watch it.
I'd go 8 Popcorns.
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The House
Cheap movie of the week!
Will Ferrell movie ... so you know what you're gonna get. He plays the same character in almost every movie. Haha!
Here he teams up with Amy Poehler, playing "soccer moms" who can't afford to send their girl to college. So their bearded buddy comes up with a scheme to open a neighbourhood casino in his house, and chaos ensues.
Of course, the plot is D grade, and you know what's coming next ... but it was certainly funny in parts. I'm not a Ferrell fan by any stretch, this was probably one of his better movies that I have seen. Whether that is saying much is over to you.
Hand in your brain at the door, and have a laugh.
I'd go 6 Popcorns. Hmmm nah 5 Popcorns. Let's settle on 5.5.
Wait till it hits Netflix and watch it for free.
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Quoted from EchoVictor:Can you guys help me understand the love on this one
That's why I developed the popcorn scale.
Just rate the movie on how YOU enjoyed it. Nice and simple.
Everyone is different ... like our Mummy discussion last week. I thought it was enjoyable enough, yet it's like 15% on RT. Honestly I think that's because everyone just gets on board the hate train, just like the Ghostbusters female reboot (which wasn't great, but wasn't unwatchable ..)
Same thing happens in reverse ... people see a 90% review and think they have to love the movie. People are scared to have a different opinion.
With Children of Men, I think it was a good watch, and it told a tale that maybe was a little close to becoming reality one day. You can see it happening. But 92% good like on RT? Best sci fi ever made? Maybe not.
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Spider-Man Part 53 (aka the new one lol)
The $9 movie of the week!! Boooya!
Thought it was pretty good! The movie had a lot of deadpan humour similar to Ironman 1, which I enjoy.
The bad guy had some dimension, a working guy trying to stick it to the man and make some coin for his family ... rather than the usual megalomaniac douchebag who wants to destroy the planet for no particular reason. Wouldn't it be better to keep the world rather than blowing it up? I can never figure that out ...
The movie starts with a funny moment ... the city is repairing all the damage from the last Avengers showdown. As a property guy, when I was watching that movie I said to the Mrs "who the hell is paying for all this damage??" Haha!
Enjoyable superhero watch.
8 Popcorns.
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Quoted from Coolpinballdino:just saw Kingsman the secret service last night i was surprised by it was pretty good it had a lot of cool action sequences, some funny jokes, and a good story i will give it 8 popcorn's out of 10
I liked Kingsman.
The second one, "the Golden Circle" comes out in September.
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Quoted from kwiKimart:I think I'd rather drink bleach than see that movie.
Oooofffff!
It does look like a shitter ... sometimes you wonder what people are thinking. Imagine how many studio people have to say "yes" to get a movie made ...
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Baby Driver
Good movie ... plot is a little reminiscent of similar movies, but the inclusion of the music soundtrack take it to the next level.
The "driver" in me took issue with some of the driving (why simply drive straight between two trucks when you can pull on the handbrake and spin 180 between them ...why sneak off quietly in a "fresh" car when you can drift out of the parking building sideways and tell the world you have a new car) but that adds excitement to the movie.
Good performances from a good cast.
8 Popcorns.
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Dunkirk
Good movie, taken to the next level with the Hans Zimmer soundtrack.
War movies just make me sad ... about how pointless war is, the huge pile of bodies everywhere, all for some pointless reason ... but hey, it happened ... and this movie documents it well.
The soundtrack really is outstanding, it really added tension to the movie. If you're watching it, watch it and block out the music and see what happens ... sort of like LOTR pinball without the music and call outs.
8 Popcorns.
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Quoted from Pinpast:maybe a little too much "look at me" for Mz Theron
The more Ms Theron the better IMO.
I'll go see that next week, it just opened here today. Looks good in the previews.
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Atomic Blond
Action movie set in Germany in 1989, before the fall of the Berlin Wall, with Ms Theron and Mr McAvoy.
Cool use of 80s dance pop throughout, which lifts the somewhat confusing plot. Some good action scenes but you watch them thinking "she would have been shot by now". A complete lack of any humour in the film makes it a bit hard going. Some girl on girl action was a welcome distraction in the middle of the movie.
Overall, if it was child's report card it would say "satisfactory performance, but could do so much better"
6.5 Popcorns.
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Demolition Man (1993)
Danni and I have been playing a lot of Demo man, and I was telling her about "the shells" So finally I got her to sit down and watch it last night. I haven't watched it for 20+ years.
Amazingly, the movie doesn't seem dated at all. Some 80s/90s movies have aged horribly, DM didn't seem to have.
IMO one of Stallones better roles, supported well by Sandra Bullock who nails her 1990s obsessed character. DM has some great one liners from all the main characters. The continual buzzing sound of the swearing violation machine in the background is a real crackup.
Like most 80s/90s action movies, there is a huge body count. Bullets flying everywhere, fists flying, cars crashing, and massive real estate damage.
Hand in your brain at the door and enjoy the carnage!!
8 Retro Popcorns.
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Quoted from crlush:I still cant believe we dont have the foam that fills up the car and dries so you dont get injured on impact yet.
I too thought that was awesome ... but the first thing that came to mind was, how would you breathe when the car cabin is full of hardened polystyrene? Car makers would be getting some lawsuits ...
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Quoted from rotordave:I too thought that was awesome ... but the first thing that came to mind was, how would you breathe when the car cabin is full of hardened polystyrene? Car makers would be getting some lawsuits ...
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Liftserv clearly didn't think that a car cabin full of hardened polystyrene would make it hard to breathe!
Quoted from Astropin:I will add this. If you're not familiar with the details of Dunkirk I would suggest at least reading the Wikipedia page about it. Knowing the history will only enhance the movie.
I concur. NZ being a British colony, we know the story well.
When I was a kid in the late 70s, we used to have a kids radio show and they played this story called Snow Goose, which was based around the Dunkirk evacuation. Read by Spike Milligan.
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Why Him?
The boss wanted to watch this on DVD last night. Walter White errrrr Bryan Cranston stars as the father who's daughter is dating a loose unit new tech millionaire (James Franco) who swears a lot. A mediocre movie ensues!!
Honestly, nothing much to see here. Run of the mill fare, with a storyline you've seen 20 times before. They tried to make it a little different by having Franco say fu*k and mother fu*ker every 15 seconds. That gets old quick. Swearing is funny when it is used as an occasional effect and not as the norm. The word FUCK by itself is not funny. When someone gets kicked in the nuts and they yell out "OH FUCCCCCKKKKK!!", that's funny.
If you are a KISS fan, Gene and Paul make an appearance at the end, in full costume.
4 Popcorns.
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Quoted from Astropin:Paul's okay but an appearance by Gene drops it to 3 Popcorns!
Ooooooooooh Gene burrrrrrrn!!
At least the scabs didn't make an appearance.
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31
Rob Zombie makes another splatterfest!
If you've seen any of his other movies, you know what you're in for. This one has a plot line happening ... a RV full of carnys gets abducted by 3 "aristocrats" who bet on which carny will survive 12 hours in a huge factory, staffed by assorted killers.
Like the other RZ films, the script is mainly comprised of assorted curse words, joined together with other curse words to create sentences. He has become very adept at special effects, with blood and guts ahoy.
One problem with RZ films is the hero characters are never developed enough, or poorly developed, so you never feel any empathy for them. When they're up against the clown with the chainsaw, you don't feel the need to "root" for them, it's just "whatever ..." More successful scripts introduce the characters and get you on their side, so when something happens to them, you feel something.
But if psycho clowns, nazi dwarves, stabbing and chainsaw massacres are your cup of tea, you've come to the right place.
RDs Popcorns - 6
Fiona's Popcorns - 2. Lol
Annabelle Creation
The fourth movie in the Conjuring series.
This movie (as the title suggests) goes back to the 60s where the original Annabelle doll was created.
If you've seen the other movies, Creation follows the same format. Lots of jump scares, and dark dramatic music. The camera work is cool, with close ups on the character while doors open or dolls move their heads out of focus in the background.
If you like jump scares, and screaming like a little girl, this is for you.
7 Popcorns.
Logan Lucky
Steven Soderbergh follows up Oceans 11,12,13 with a redneck version, Oceans 7-11. A West Virginia family, led by Magic Mike and Kylo Ren, decide to relieve the Charotte Motor Speedway of their race day takings.
Like Oceans, LL has a great cast. Daniel Craig (or as Americans like to call him, Daniel Creggg) pulls off a great southern accent as Joe Bang, and Seth McFarlane is almost unrecognisable as an English racing team owner. When I said "that's Seth McFarlane" Fiona said "no its not!" Katie Holmes looks a bit weathered after her Tom Cruise experience. Lol!
LL tells a good heist tale ... ultimately not quite as good as Oceans 11, but still an entertaining way to spend a couple of hours.
8 Popcorns
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Quoted from Pinpast:I'll let the pros award the popcorn, but I enjoyed the unbelievable mayhem
for an entertainment escape.
Everyone awards the popcorn!! Let us have your Popcorns!
That movie looks entertaining... starts here next week.
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The Big Sick
The trailer said it was "gut bustingly funny" and "hilarious"
These people must have a different definition of these words than me, or they don't get out of the house very much, because it was neither of these. It was mildly amusing in places.
Seriously though, I wasn't expecting it to be "hilarious". It's a rom-com, it has some amusing bits, and it has a better than average rom-com story line, based on the story of the lead actor Kumail and Emily, his American wife.
Some good interplay with his traditional Pakistani parents, who keep presenting him with lady options for his arranged marriage. Emily's parents show up, and there is some good interplay between Kumail and them as they get to know each other.
Not my usual fare, but it's a good movie for "date night".
My Popcorns - 6
Fionas Popcorns - 7.5
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American Made
We have already established here in this thread that half the population doesn't like Tom Cruise, for whatever reason.
However, hand your hatred in at the door, because this is a rollicking tale, based on a true story.
If you have watched Narcos, or are familiar with any of the Pablo Escobar stories, you'll be right on board. Barry Seal (Cruise) is a TWA pilot, recruited by the CIA to do chores for them in South America. He gets noticed by Escobar and his buddies, and they use him to run their drugs back up to the States.
The tale is so far fetched that it's hard to believe any of it is true. But some quick research shows a lot of it is based on some sort of fact.
Cruise plays a good role. I'm sure even if you don't like him, you'll enjoy the movie.
This is the sort of movie I like ... a good rollicking tale, well acted, well directed, with no flat spots.
My Popcorns - 9
Fiona Popcorns - 10 (!!)
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Quoted from Jumping-Box:I agree. I don't understand why Rotten Tomatoes gives it such high marks. This film was not funny. Ray Romano had a couple of chuckles.. but not much else. 4 Popcorns
Maybe ladies are giving it the positive reviews?
My 6 was pretty generous on reflection ... but it was an above average film from its genre. Normally I'd give the average generic "all exactly the same script" rom-com like 2 Popcorns.
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1 week later
The Hitmans Bodyguard.
Ryan Reynolds plays a "AAA rated" bodyguard who is down on his luck after one of his clients gets shot in the head.
Samuel L Jackson plays .... Samuel L Jackson. Lol
Fun enough movie, with Samuel L Jackson saying MF at least once every few minutes, as he is want to do. He plays pretty much the same character in the majority of the movies he is in, so you know what you're gonna get.
The plot is pretty pedestrian (you'll pick who the Interpol "mole" is within 10 seconds) but that is made up for with some completely over the top action scenes, including dozens of crack assassins who can't shoot the heroes even with 10,000s of machine gun rounds.
Grab some popcorn, hand in your IQ at the door, sit back and enjoy the chaos.
7 Popcorns.
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Quoted from Astropin:"IT" is getting some great reviews. I'm not a big "horror" buff but do enjoy them from time to time (I go on mini horror binges). But this one is looking good to me.
Man, that clown down the sewer hole gives me the creeps. But I'll probably go along ...
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Wind River
Jeremy Renner stars as a wildlife ranger who comes across a body in the Wyoming snow. Elizabeth Olsen plays a FBI agent sent to investigate.
This movie is a real slow burner. If you are a fan of fast action like The Hitmans Bodyguard, this movie is the polar opposite. But if you get into it, it is well worthwhile. It's directed by the screenwriter of Sicario and Hell or High Water, so if you liked those, likely you'll like this.
Good performances from all the cast, but the real star is the desolate, snow covered Indian reservation the movie is set in.
This is the sort of film that will likely win a few Oscars, they like this sort of movie making.
I'd go 7.5 Popcorns.
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Quoted from Jumping-Box:The bad guys were typical scumbags
I think in real life, criminals ARE usually just stupid scumbags, same as portrayed in the movie. They are only super brained criminal geniuses in Hollywood movies...
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Quoted from Jumping-Box:Perhaps.. I believe the better movies have a blurred line on who is good and bad. In "Hell or High Water", is Chris Pine's character a scumbag? He's a bank robber but helping his family. In "Unforgiven" is Clint Eastwood or Gene Hackman the dad guy? I like films that gives options to the moviegoer. Wind River did'nt do that for me.
I concur ... Wind River really had no character development for the bad guys at all. Everything happened pretty quickly when the movie came to its climax.
Where Hell or High Water succeeded was to make you feel empathy towards the main characters, even though they were doing quite nasty things. Usually, IRL you wouldn't be great friends with some dudes who robbed several banks and shot people .. but the movie is crafted to get you on side. Sopranos is another great example of that. It's the magic of great script writing!
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John Wick 2
Finally got around to watching this on DVD in the home theatre.
This movie follows straight on from the end of Wick1, where he avenged his slain dog. Now he's going back for his car. The first scene sees Wick get into the warehouse HQ of the Russian mobsters from the first film, and surprisingly proceeds to completely destroy his prized 69 Mach 1 fastback. As well as a lot of very committed Russian mob dudes.
Wick 1: Russian Mobsters 0.
Like the first film, Wick 2 favours fast and furious action. Between the double taps and stabbings, W2 tries to explain the secret underworld that Wick lives in, a world of High Tables and and Assassins Hotel network (have you stayed at a Continental recently?) Hey, they have to have something to break up all the action!
Notable mention: on the W2 DVD, they have some very good extra features that show Keanu training for 6 months for his role. Good viewing.
At the end of the day, the reason we like these movies is because we all wish we were as cool as John Wick.
8 Blood Spattered Popcorns.
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IT
Firstly, I've never read a Stephen King book, so I have no preconception of what this movie should be. So I have to review it from a "movie" standpoint.
I'm not a big "horror" genre fan, although in the last few years I have been watching a lot of the modern "jump scare" movies like Conjuring, Insidious and the like. I fully admit to jumping a foot into the air like a 12 year old girl on occasions when I watch these movies. Haha.
It was less scary than I thought it'd be, although Pennywise the Clown sure was a creepy f**ker! The movie was very much a Stand By Me/Stranger Things type teenage adventure based story, with scarier things out to get the kids. And gallons of blood on occasions.
I found it very enjoyable. Like I said, I haven't read the book so I can't comment on how true to the book the movie is, but I thought it was a cool movie.
8 freaky clowns with big Beldar Conehead teeth Popcorns.
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1 week later
American Assassin
Dylan O'brien stars as Mitch Rapp, a young guy who's fiancé is killed by terrorists ... and he vows to take them all out, solo. The CIA catch wind and follow him to his first mission, where they take over and grab him.
Michael Keaton is the grizzled CIA special ops trainer charged with turning Rapp into a weapon for the CIA. Before long, they are off on the track of stolen plutomium ...
Good suspense movie, with lots of good action scenes. I can see it becoming a franchise.
I'd go 8 Popcorns.
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Kingsman 2 - The Golden Circle
I enjoyed the first Kingsman movie .. a stylish movie which introduced the characters and followed up with a good story, and good action scenes.
This sequel misses the mark a tad .. it veers away from James Bond and enters Austin Powers territory at times. When a movie has Elton John as a guest hostage, and he has arguably the best scene in the movie (where he does a flying kick with his Tommy boots on) you know you're in trouble.
It also drags on .. at 2.20, it's probably half an hour too long. You know when you're reaching for your phone, the film is dragging.
Ok, but should have been a lot better, given the strong base provided by the first movie.
6 Popcorns.
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2 weeks later
Blade Runner 2049
Having seen Blade Runner Final Cut only two weeks ago, it was still fresh in my mind.
I liked how 2049 carried on the theme almost spot on. Similar pacing (slighter faster than the original) Same cool, dark cityscapes with Japanese imagery (it sure rains a lot in Blade Runner land...) Spot the nod to Atari in one scene.
2049s music carried on the same theme as Vangelis did in the original.
Some of the sets and cinematography is stunning. I particularly liked Letos HQ with the water reflecting around the walls. And deserted Las Vegas was super cool.
Not once did I look at my watch ...
And nobody walked out.
I can understand that not everyone is going to like it. In the same way I don't like a lot of popular movies.
9 Popcorns. Loved it!
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1 week later
SuperFly (1972)
What airline in the world would show a retro movie like SuperFly, uncut in all its in PC glory? Why, Air New Zealand of course, the #1 airline in the world!
Watching this is a blast ... average acting, terrible editing, a script that goes nowhere, but the sweet Curtis Mayfield soundtrack and the cool 1970s vibe make it a cool watch. And what’s up with his car? Unreal!
Movie wise: 5 Popcorns
Coolness factor: 8 Popcorns
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6 Days
This is a NZ made movie, about the siege at the Iranian Embassy in London in 1980.
The film is shot almost documentary style ... just as things happened. I picked up the style of older UK TV programs such as The Professionals.
The “as it happened” style may make it a bit slow paced for mainstream audiences, but I felt the tension amped up nicely as the film came to its conclusion.
7.5 Popcorns for me.
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Quoted from navajas:Is it me, or, are there just a shit load of 8 popcorn movies? Does this scale go from 5-8?
I gave Sausage Party 3.
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Thor Ragnarok
I enjoyed it. Kiwi director Taika Waititi injects his brand of humour into the Marvel franchise. If you’ve seen any other Taika films (Boy, What we do in the Shadows, Hunt for the Wilderpeople) you’ll notice it straight away. He also dresses up as a large Rock Man and introduces Marvel fans to “Maori boy” talk.
I wonder how the traditional Marvel/Thor fan will view this movie. It’s a bit of a departure from the first two ...
Anyway, enjoyable way to spend two hours. 8 Popcorns.
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3 weeks later
Justice League
Dunno what it is about the DC movies ... they just can’t quite match what Marvel has done.
Wonder Woman was a welcome surprise ... probably because that was the most “Marvel” of all the DC movies.
In Justice League, WW is the shining light. She lights up the screen every time she appears.
I think JLeague tried to do too much .. there are 3x new characters, trying to introduce them all sorta doesn’t work IMO. Either information overload, or “who the hell is this?” The story seems overly convoluted ... and you can see the one liners coming about a minute before they do. And the CGI reaches Michael Bay overload at times.
I’ve said before, if you reach for your phone in the middle of the movie, that’s not a good sign. I made it to the part where Superman comes back from the dead and returns to the farmhouse with tired looking Amy Adams before I *had* to check my phone lol
It’s ok. But not great. Filled in 2 hours.
5 Popcorns.
rd
Quoted from Astropin:I agree with your review but would probably go 6 maaayybbe 7. I still found it entertaining even though the story was week. There were some good moments.
Yeahhhhh I was teetering on a 6 ...
But the “check the time” moment swayed me.
Plus the fact that old mate Navajas said we always rate things highly. So Justice League took one for the team. Lol
rd
2 weeks later
Quoted from WaddleJrJr:Nah, watching The Room isn't necessary. The Disaster Artist does a good job of bringing everyone up to speed, and although there might be a few jokes and things you'll miss out on, there's nothing that would prevent you from enjoying the film on its own.
Cool, looking forward to seeing it.
Thanks for the review.
rd
Sicario 2 trailer is out.
Looks pretty cool.
The scene in the first movie where they were crossing back over the Mexican border was one of the best movie scenes I’ve seen.
rd
2 weeks later
Downsizing
Saw this today in Los Angeles. It’s the tale of how Norwegian scientists came up with a miniaturisation drug, and how they planned to shrink everyone down to 5” high to save the planet. There are tiny little estates where they all live, and their “full size” dollars are worth heaps more, because little stuff is a lot cheaper than big stuff!
I really liked it. I saw it has some shitty reviews, I don’t know why. Some said that Matt Damon’s character is boring ... that’s the whole idea! He’s a struggling middle class schloob from Omaha, looking for a way out.
The movie Is quite thought provoking ... like how even though you’ve changed to 5” tall, the class system still exists.
Well worth seeing in my books.
8 RD Popcorns.
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Quoted from zr11990:No one has seen or cares to comment on The Greatest Showman?
Nope, haven’t seen it ...
I think everyone has spent their movie bucks on Star Wars.
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Quoted from redman822:I just watched "Jim & Andy The Great Beyond" it is a documentary of the movie, "Man on the Moon" where Jim Carrey portrayed Andy Kaufman
I watched that a few weeks back ... I’d never seen Man on The Moon but I know the story.
Carrey was so annoying in character that my wife couldn’t watch it! Haha! She trundled off to bed instead. I enjoyed it, I thought it got really good in the second half especially when “andy” got cancer and all the crew were emotionally involved...
Funny how the Director Milos was really pulling his hair out at th start but by the end everyone seemed on board. Except the wrestler who wanted to smash Jim’s face in.
rd
1 week later
Battle of the Sexes
Missed it in the cinemas, so I just watched it on the plane.
Emma Stone stars as Billy Jean King, who was challenged to a match by former male grand slam winner, and self confessed male chouvenist Bobby Riggs (played by Steve Carell) in 1973.
The match was big news worldwide, and shown live on ABC.
The film also covers the start of the WTA and also BJKs first female love affair (she was married at the time)
Really good movie, well worth a watch.
8 Popcorns.
rd
PATTY CAKE$
Independent film from 2017. It tells a often told underdog story, about a couple of kids trying to break out of New Jersey via music.
Patty is an overweight 23 year old white female rapper, and her accomplice is a skinny Indian guy who works in a pharmacy. So a couple of more unlikely rappers you’re unlikely to see. Patty’s mother is herself a failed musician, so she doesn’t offer up much encouragement.
Like I said, you’ve seen this story before, but it’s told here with some charm. If you’re looking for beautiful people playing the roles, you’re best to look elsewhere, but if you like an underdog tale (albeit with some plot holes .. like how did the “Antichrist”, who lived in this abandoned house in the woods, have all this quality production gear, let alone power to run it) but like a lot of independent movies, you tend to look past this stuff and take it at face value.
I’d go 7 Popcorns.
rd
2 weeks later
The Last Jedi
Late to the party here, hey, I've been travelling!
First up - I'm not a Star Wars guy. I've seen all the movies, and have enjoyed most of them, but I've never bought the merch or kissed George Lucas' hand. Or ass.
I enjoyed the last two ... Force Awakens and Rogue One (yeah I know its not a SW movie .. ) They were fun enough.
But whats up with this one?
I'd heard all the fanboy bitching. I put it down to .... fanboy bitching.
But really, they were right. This isn't really very good.
You don't really root for the good guys. You don't really root against the bad guys. It's all "ahhhh whatever..." None of the new characters have any X factor.
And did you notice - there was one character from every ethnicity there. Presumably to appeal to their home market. Hmmmm ...
By about 1/3 way through, it was "check the phone time" which is an instant sign that the movie had lost my attention.
While the original SW movies were adored by children, they didn't pander to them. This movie seems to. Like the way after every plot development, a character says exactly what just happened. That started from the very beginning.
Yoda appeared ... and sounded like me doing my bad Yoda impersonation.
Anyway, thats about it. I just found it all a bit hum drum, and pretty boring if I'm being honest.
3 popcorns.
Quoted from Astropin:Rogue One is most certainly a SW movie.
No argument from me ... I meant “not part of the series” .. they even marketed it as “Rogue One .. a Star Wars Story” to tell everyone that it wasn’t the next in the series.
It’s not even in most of the lists I looked up to find out the name of the Force Awakens which I had forgotten ... old age will do that.
rd
Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri
Slow burning Arthouse type flick.
Probably not everyone’s cup of tea. Some great performances by the main actors, although Abbie Cornish’s Aussie accent seems strangely out of place slap bang in the middle of middle America.
Worth a watch for the acting alone.
7 Popcorns.
rd
Tangerine
I saw this again last night. I thought I’d reviewed it before, maybe it was in that old thread.
Tangerine is an independent movie made for $100k in Los Angeles. It follows two transgenders on a crazy day around West Hollywood, with pimps, Armenian taxi drivers who “looooove the Cock”, and donut shops.
The whole movie was filmed on IPhone 5s phones, which, when you see the movie, is quite amazing. You’d never know.
This movie certainly isn’t for everyone ... but if you like weird, quirky indie movies, give it a look.
7.5 Popcorns.
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Quoted from PanzerFreak:Thanks. Haha, he actually did! Not sure where that one ended up at. I remember us talking about it though, I like both versions but prefer the Swedish version.
The Swedish trilogy are awesome.
Maybe a long shot, but see if there’s the Norwegian Jo Nesbo movies, Jackpot and Headhunters. Both really good.
rd
I, Tonya.
If you didn’t know this story was true, you wouldn’t believe it. Great tale of white trash all trying hard to out-dumb each other.
Really well put together ... the narrative of the story is from recreated interviews of the 4 main characters, taken from real life ones. They show a little of those at the end.
I don’t know how they filmed/CGId the ice skating scenes, but they are visually stunning at times.
Cool soundtrack too ... extra points for being the second movie in a year to use The Chain.
Really enjoyed the movie. 8.5 Popcorns.
rd
Lady Bird
The movie follows the lead character, Christine “Lady bird” MacPherson through her last year at high school, and her relationship with her mother.
That doesn’t really sound very fun, but the movie is entertaining enough. Some will find it boring and I can totally understand that. This is the sort of movie that the critics love, and expect it to win some awards.
Good performances from the cast, including Saoirse Ronan as the lead.
Maybe more of a chick flick to be honest.
Mrs RD - 8 Popcorns. Loved it.
RD - 6 Popcorns. Enjoyed it, probably wouldn’t watch a second time.
rd
Black Panther
Out front - I don’t get the hype. I thought it was boring.
You have a secret civilisation with a cool metal called vibranium. They have a cool city with trains that don’t have tracks (see the cool opening shot of the city that has the train going through the rings in the sky) They have the kings sister who is an exact ripoff of Q from James Bond, who makes amazing stuff like spaceships that cloak into invisibility. Yet they fight hand to hand with spears and ancient hand weapons, and half the population lives in dirt shacks. Ok. And in the last scene, the king stands in front of ghetto style graffitied walls. Wouldn’t an advanced civilisation have no graffiti?
The plot was tired - we’ve seen it all before. I think it was taken from the Lion King. And like the Last Yedi, plot points are telegraphed a mile away. “What are the lights on that mag-lev?” “Oh the lights disable the vibranium“ - ok, when’s the fight on the train track gonna happen?
On the positives, I thought all the woman actresses were good, and the costumes were good.
The Lexus sponsorship was evident, good to see a GS-F and LC-F V8s being caned through Korean streets before being dismantled into pieces by a shot of Vibranium from Andy Sirkus and his crazy South African accent.
And “what are thooooooose?” was funny.
But overall, pretty disappointing. After 18 Marvel movies, I’m looking for something new in this genre - simply dropping in bad language (Deadpool) or African people (BP) isn’t changing the same plot lines over and over.
5 Popcorns. YMMV.
PS I went over to Rotten Tomatoes to see if anyone else agreed with me. Surprisingly some of the pro reviewers did.
I read some of the “reader reviews” ... how can anyone take RT seriously when the first page of reviews are 5 star reviews from people WHO HAVENT EVEN SEEN THE MOVIE!! That’s like submitting a pin review to Pinside and never playing the game!! W T F
rd
Game Night
Jason Bateman and Rachael McAdams star in a comedy from the guys who made Horrible Bosses.
If you liked Horrible Bosses, this movie is cut from the same cloth. Basically, the lead couple hold game nights with all their buddies, and one night a murder/mystery night turns into a “real” kidnaping and the hilarity ensues.
Funny in parts. Bateman plays the same character that he plays in all these movies, dry and self deprecating.
This one offers up a couple of plot twists on top of it. Nothing mind boggling, but enough to keep it interesting.
Like I said, if you liked Horrible Bosses likely you’ll like this one too.
For me, while it didn’t have me rolling in the aisles (few movies do ..) it was entertaining enough.
6.5 Popcorns.
rd
1 week later
Red Sparrow
Very dry Cold War type spy drama - set in modern day Russia.
Evidently not content with rigging elections and creating the worlds news stories, the Russians also have “Sparrows” - sexy spy temptresses trained to seduce their targets and extract their information.
Jennifer Lawrence is Red Sparrow - complete with killer fringe and unwavering Russian accent.
The movie has quite a few twists and turns, some JL nudity and some quite gruesome torture scenes (skin grafts, anyone?) but still manages to be a little bit boring, if I’m honest.
Didn’t suck - but didn’t have me dancing in the aisles either.
6.5 Popcorns.
rd
Quoted from spfxted:Good movie, but will probably not do outstanding business for the exact reasons Girl With the Dragon Tattoo didn't
I thought all the Dragon Tattoos were awesome .. even the American remake was good (remakes usually suck compared to the original source movies)
Completely different league to Red Sparrow IMO.
rd
2 weeks later
Death of Stalin
This is one of those movies that has great reviews ... then when you see it, you think “what the faaaaark were those reviewer guys on?”
Directed by the creator of Veep and In the Loop (both of which I quite like..) this follows Stalin at the time of his death as his cronies battle for power. It is marketed as a quote “wickedly irreverent satire”. But it isn’t really very funny.
It has a great cast, headed by Steve Buscemi and Jeffrey Tambor, with the rest of the cast British actors. Quite funny hearing the Russians talking with a cockney accent.
In the cinema, one lady giggled twice ... she looked like she didn’t get out of the house often.
This is the sort of movie people review highly so they appear to be intelligent.
However, it is pretty boring.
Mrs RD - 2 Popcorns (bored shitless)
RD - I’ll go 4 Popcorns cause some of it was interesting. But really not very funny.
rd
The Snowman
Two of Jo Nesbos other books were turned into fantastic Norwegian crime/thriller movies, Headhunters and Jackpot .. so when I saw Snowman had been made into a movie I was excited to see it.
When it was released last year, it had shocking reviews. I finally watched it tonight, and once again, I’m shaking my head at the reviewers.
The movie is a slow burning thriller, set in some quite stunning scenery in Norway. Executive Produced by Martin Scorsese, this is an American production, unlike the first two which were made in Norway (with subtitles)
If you want explosions and car chases .. look elsewhere. But if you like a slow burner, it may well be for you.
Maybe the DVD release is different to the movie ... I don’t know. But I can’t understand the bad reviews. We both liked it. Maybe a victim of the “rotten tomatoes pile-on” ...
I really recommend the first two movies, if you get a chance to see them.
7.5 Popcorns from me.
rd
Tomb Raider
Alicia Vikander stars as Laura Croft in a reboot of the Angelina Jolie movies.
Vikander is also in the excellent Ex Machina - go see it if you haven’t already.
I can’t remember the original movie (pretty sure I saw it back then) so I can’t say if it follows the original story.
You know what you’re getting here before you go in - an Indiana Jones type adventure movie. And that’s what you get.
Of course, there are some things that make you scratch your head (hey Lara! The bad guy is 5 feet away. Shoot him with your bow and arrow instead of hiding!) and some stunts that are totally unfeasable, but overall it’s a good way to fill in 2 hours.
I’m introducing a new thing! The RD Phone Check Time! How long into the movie did it take for me to pick up my phone and check the time? Always a great indicator of my level of interest.
RD phone check time for Tomb Raider: none! That’s good!
Popcorns - 7
rd
Not a new release - but if you have Netflix, check out the horror/thriller Veronica. A Spanish movie about some demon events that reportedly happened in 1991.
Some good jump scares contained within.
rd
1 week later
Ready Player One
Saw it yesterday on IMAX. This was my 3rd ever IMAX movie - I find that during big action scenes (like the car races at the beginning of RP1) you can’t take it all in. The last one I watched in IMAX was one of the last Matrix movies and it was unfollowable. For me, anyway.
Movie was enjoyable. I agree with a lot of NMANs review above. I haven’t read the book (I haven’t read a fiction book since high school) so I can’t comment on how it compares to the film script.
The computer visual effects were amazing. We take them for granted these days, but wow they must take a lot of work. The scenes where they enter The Shining movie were unreal - it really looked like they were in the original movie. Amazing.
Plot wise - group of kids take on The Man and The Man goes to jail - reminded me of all those 80s teen movies we used to watch.
Interestingly, the character of Halliday (the creator) was based on John Popaduik.
Well, maybe not - but it sure looked and sounded like him! Except Halliday actually finished something.
Overall, entertaining enough.
RD phone check time - zero
Popcorns - 7.5
rd
Quoted from spfxted:Saw A Quiet Place. OMG...it was just an extended version of my film The Deadly Spawn! Monsters from space with teeth can't see, but only react to sound. People in the basement. Sheesh!
Are you making any more movies, Ted?
Still got the itch?
rd
A Quiet Place
Quite enjoyed it - amazing how so few words (the characters hardly speak in the movie as any sound attracts the very speedy and hungry alien monsters ..) can tell the story, and create such an atmosphere and tension.
Pretty cleverly done. So you can excuse some of the plot holes (why not have a shotgun with you all the time, before you get disembowelled..?)
Very good movie of its genre.
RD phone check time: zero
Popcorns: 8
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Quoted from schwarz:So now it's stuck in production?
It’s all bunged up.
Quoted from spfxted:SPOILER!!!.........
I think what they were trying to say is that the armor was hard to get through. Only when that high pitched sound came on and the head opened up were they able to blast it with a shotgun.
Yeah, that the case. It said on the whiteboard that they were armoured.
But a shotgun blast might knock them back for 30 seconds ...
They sure were fast fuckers though! Let’s hope that never really happens, I can’t run as fast as those things.
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Quoted from Gryszzz:Anybody else's wife make them suffer through 2.5 hours of Three Billboards? Sure the acting was fantastic, but goddamnit I need CLOSURE. I've never been so pissed at the end of a movie arrghhh.
6 snaps WAY DOWN.
hahaha!
Pass on the arty movies Gryzzzzz! They always leave you wondering!
rd
1 week later
Quoted from spfxted:Watched Snowman ....not that good....
Did you watch the other Jo Nesbo movies? Jackpot and Headhunter.
Both Norwegian movies, very good.
Interesting.. I just looked them up on RT (because that’s the centre of the movie universe these days lol) and they have average ratings.
Maybe they’re too slow paced for American audiences? Like Snowman was. Dunno. No question that different countries have different tastes in movies.
And let’s face it ... we all know, at the end of the day, there is only ONE Snowman ....
rd
1 week later
Infinity Wars
I was sorta worried this movie would be a total cluster, what with 100 different superheroes all running around the place.
But where Justice League failed - this delivers.
Somehow they’ve made it all work. And it’s funny as well. The GOTG characters all deliver, they’re probably the best thing in the movie.
Thanos is the villain - a super keen eco warrior (think about it ... that’s what he is..) who is somewhat misguided. But unlike most recent superhero movies, his character is well developed and you sorta see where he’s coming from. Unlike the usual “I want to smash shit ... because!” dudes you get served up.
Overall - maybe Marvels best?
Check the Phone time - none!
Popcorns - 9
rd
2 weeks later
The Breaker Upperers
Promoted as a hit at its SXSW premiere, this is a NZ made movie co-produced by Taika Waititi (Thor Ragnarok, What we do in the Shadows)
It’s basically a light weight comedy about two female friends who break up couples for a living, on behalf of one of the couple.
While there’s a few laughs here and there, the movie soon falls into an all-too-familiar plot line and the yawns start.
Maybe a good inoffensive movie to take a date to ... but overall, pretty boring and formulaic.
3 Popcorns.
rd
Quoted from WaddleJrJr:I read the Disaster Artist novel and it was fantastic.
The movie adaption was pretty faithful, there were some interesting parts in the book that were cut from the movie that I wish would have been included, and some stuff in the movie that was a bit over dramaticised from what really happened, but nothing that functionally changes the story, just a way to give it more on-screen appeal.
Definitely my favorite film from last year, enjoy!
Have you seen The Room?
rd
Quoted from iceman44:Life of the Party
7 Bags of Corn. Many drinks beforehand are required to really appreciate it.
Melissa McCarthy makes me laugh just looking at her.
Bridesmaids 10 bags!
Oooooooooooooooooooooooh
She’s so un-funny I don’t know what to say ...
Obviously some people do find her funny cause they keep churning out those B grade movies. Always a market for everything!
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Quoted from iceman44:Say it ain't so RD.......If you can't laugh at Bridesmaids I really don't know what to say
From memory, I laughed once — when the chick shat her pants when she ran across the road. The rest of it was very disappointing.
People have different senses of humour - if you saw what I laughed at, you’d probably scratch your head. Lol
rd
Well, I’ve made it to half way of The Room.
It’s like watching a day time soap opera - but with even worse plot and acting. Lol
I dare you to watch this The Room clip right to the end.
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Quoted from toyotaboy:the Room Video
Man, it was pretty bad.
Up there with Melissa McCarthy movies. 
Movie rating - 1 popcorn. Actually, that could be generous.
Bad movie rating - off the charts.
Soooo many bad lines. Maybe a record number!
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Quoted from WaddleJrJr:Only in pieces, I'm not lucky enough to have seen the film all the way through.
I definitely intend to purchase the blu-ray next time I'm doing online shopping though.
I don’t know if “lucky” would be the word I would use.
I don’t think it is worthy of purchase to be honest haha
rd
The Disaster Artist
Viewed after watching The Room (which it tells the story of the making of) this was brilliant.
Very well put together and acted.
When they A/B the scenes at the end, they nailed most of them.
If you haven’t seen The Room, you’ll probably wonder what the hell is going on!
8 Popcorns.
rd
Deadpool 2
I thought the first one was overrated — despite the swear words and the fourth wall breaking which sent the fanboys into a tizzy, the plot was pretty cliche and nothing very exciting. It tried a little too hard to be “edgy” and it showed.
Enter DP2
Better plot
Better jokes
Kiwi kid
Kiwi accent
Much better.
8.5 Popcorns.
Bugger it. 9 Popcorns. Extra for the LOLs when the X Force parachute in. You’ll have to see that bit yourself.
rd
1 week later
Solo
Saw this today. As I’ve said before, I’m not a “Star Wars guy” ... but this was an entertaining movie.
It moves at a break neck pace .. there’s hardly any flat spots in the whole movie. The most action packed SW movie I can remember.
In the middle section, when they go to the mine, the action is so full on its really action overload! And the action throughout is so crazy and ridiculously over the top at some stages, you really need to check in any sense of reality at the door. But .. you are watching a movie about 8ft tall furry dudes and monkey things with 4 arms, so ... yeah ...
And what’s the Millennium Falcon made out of? Whatever it is I want my car to be made of it because it’s indestructible. The thing is bouncing off planets and tie fighters and hit by laser beams and every other thing and it never misses a beat!
But still, really entertaining throughout.
Lots of tie-ins to the first Star Wars movie throughout as well.
Pretty good. If you like SW you should like this.
8 Popcorns.
rd
2 weeks later
Quoted from o-din:Zardoz. 15 popcorns!
Of the charts popcorns for Zardoz!
It’ll blow your mind! Or something ...
rd
2 weeks later
Quoted from Stones:Saw Sicario 2 over the weekend. Not as good as the first one. They left it wide open for the 3rd installment. A few good intense scenes, but I reccomend waiting and renting this one.
I was looking forward to this one ....
The first one had one of the best scenes I’ve seen in a movie ... the one where the Americans get stuck at the border crossing and they know the Mexican gangsters are in one of the cars around them. Great cinema. The movie sort of petered out in the second half, but that scene was worth the price of admission.
The bit where they found all the bodies in the wall was pretty damn cool too.
rd
1 week later
Sicario: Day of the Soldado
Brolin and Del Toro return from the original movie. Blunt's character is mercifully missing, hopefully posted somewhere far away where she can be upset about everything somewhere else. Ha!
This movie is a slow burn throughout. But the payoff is a couple of great, high tension action scenes that are worth the price of admission.
And the real star is the soundtrack music, also carried over from the first movie ... dddaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh daaaaaahhhh .... very haunting and tension creating.
Probably best seen on a big screen for the full effect. Don't know if it'd work so well on a small screen.
Cellphone check: none
Popcorns: 7.5. Not the best movie I've ever seen, but I liked it!
rd
1 week later
AntMan and the Wasp
School holidays over here, so I was tasked to take young pinball enthusiast Carter along to the movies.
Carter is 9 and so into pinball it’s not funny. He checks his IFPA ranking like every day to see if it’s changed. Lolll
Anyway ... off we went to Ant Man.
I was looking forward to it ... the last few Marvel movies have been quite dark, so a little bit of light would be a welcome relief.
However, for me it was a bit blah. It had plenty of jokes, but none particularly funny, lots of action, some of it good ... but like the last Star Wars movie, you had bits where the characters are explaining the plot all the time, like the audience are idiots. Maybe they are ... I certainly am. No shame there.
So for me, blah.
For Carter, he said it was “cool” ... so maybe this is aimed more at 8-12 year olds.
5 popcorns from me.
Cellphone check - yeah, a couple of times. FYI - I sit away from everyone else.
rd
PS Carter has a pinball tote bag. Haha
Equaliser 2
I thought I’d reviewed the first one - but evidently not.
I was a bit concerned when they first said they were going to remake the late 80s show. As a teenager at the time, it was my favourite show. Loved it. Started Edward Woodward as a retired English intelligence officer who helped out the unfortunate. His Britishness and his Jaguar big parts of the show. When they announced Denzel as the new Equaliser ... I didn’t think it was a great idea. And we all know that reboots of old ideas usually end poorly.
However - in this case, it worked out great.
The first movie was a good introduction to the character and his background. 8.5 popcorns for that one.
And today, I saw the new one in Hollywood.
Firstly - 19.50 for a movie here. Nice new Theatre with recliner seats though.
Gotta mention — Before we went to the movies, we almost got taken out by the guy getting chased by the cops in LA who took the hostages at Trader Joes. He ripped past us at like 90mph down Hollywood Blvd on the wrong side of the road and almost hit a bus right next to us. Probably 10ft away. Followed by 10 cop cars at 90mph. He crashed further up the road and started shooting! Then took hostages at the Trader Joes. Close call!!
Welcome to LA!
Anyway - the Equaliser 2 is great!
While it is similar to the first one - it is different. The plot is certainly a bit chunkier and we see a bit more of Roberts past life.
A couple of stories are running concurrently, and meet up nicely at one point. Less splatter than the first movie, but still enough action to keep you interested. The inevitable “fight conclusion” is nicely done, and by this stage you’re rooting for Robert to whoop their asses - a sign that the writers have done their job well.
8.5 popcorns.
RD cellphone time: zero
rd
2 weeks later
Mission:Impossible - Fallout
As Astro said - crazy over-the-top stunts are the order of the day in this movie. Kudos to Cruise for doing some of them.
The plot is a bit cliche - plutonium stolen by bad guys, bomb made - you get the idea. Nothing you haven't seen before.
One pet peeve - why are movie bombs always made with coloured wire? Surely, if you were making a bomb, you'd go to your local Frys and say "one roll of economical black wire please! Or whatever is on special ..." ... instead, terrorists are going into Frys and saying "may I please have one roll of red wire, one roll of green, maybe some black, hmmm ..." And every good guy can instantly tell how to defuse a bomb by the colour coded wiring which is used in every single bomb made. Thats convenient! Ha! And every defusion is always done at the very last second ... not "theres 8 minutes left! Cut the wires now! Then we can go to the pub early!"
Anyway, fun enough movie.
FYI the Kashmir scenes are actually New Zealand, filmed around the Queenstown/Milford Sound area.
Popcorns - 7
RD Cellphone check time - 0
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Quoted from o-din:Probably so they don't blow themselves up.
I know when I do a remote battery holder I always use one red and one black wire so at least there is a chance the next guy won't blow himself up, or worse yet, the machine blows up.
Hmmmm yeah .... maybe. But why always red and green wires? Why not yellow, white or blue?
These are questions that need answers.
Well, not really.
rd
Blockers
I generally get let down by these sorts of movies .. you typically see all the funny jokes in the trailer, and the rest is crap. But this one was genuinely funny in places.
The end dissolves into smaltz, as these movies tend to do, but the 3/4 before that is worth the price of admission/rental.
Notable quote when Cena is doing an ass bong - “they have a lager or an IPA?”
7 popcorns.
rd
BlackkkkkKlansman
Spike Lees latest movie tells the true story of Ron Stallworth, Colorado Springs first coloured police man, who infiltrated the KKK back in the 1970s.
Buckle in for 2 hours of huge Afros and unbelievably bad racist speak. It really is quite confronting at times. You have the crazy KKK folks on one side, and black panther inspired folks on the other side.
While the actual story seems stretched out at times, the movie does make interesting viewing - culminating in a tirade on modern day race relations, which it infers aren’t really that different from the movies time period.
8 popcorns
RD phone check - 0
2 weeks later
Death Wish
Missed this on release, but just watched the DVD.
It’s been a while (like 30 years!) since I saw the Bronson flick, so cant really comment if it is a true remake.
It was ok. Not great, but not bad. Some good action scenes and some brain splatter (watch and you’ll see ...).
Good popcorn movie, you don’t have to strain your brain too much to follow along. Bruce Willis is .... Bruce Willis.
6.5 popcorns.
rd
Quoted from toyotaboy:I liked it probably more than most being it was in chicago, and the north side is known for being rich areas (I don't think it's targeted like they portray). I did like the whole "Don't know how to do something? Just search youtube. Destroy a hard drive, here's a video of a guy drilling through one"
I like the Chicago setting too. Chicago is a great city. Except for all the shootings.
The youtube clips were what normal people would do ... except you’d think a doctor would be clever enough to know that the cops will soon know every site you’ve visited, like the ones he did:
- how to work a glock
- how do drill hard drives
Etc
The other thing a clever dude wouldn’t do is wear the Panerai watch that was reported stolen when your wife was murdered when the cops come to visit you in your office. I was waiting for the cops to pick that up ... but they didn’t.
rd
Quoted from toyotaboy:I sort of got the vibe that they had a hunch it was him, but it was almost as if they were giving him a pass. Like "I know you're a vigilante, and I should bust you, but I got enough on my plate so I'm gonna let this pass
Yeah, that was definitely what happened at the end - I think the cops thought he was doing them a favour knocking out some bad guys.
I was impressed Hank dug himself out of the desert to co-star in the movie. Everytime I see that guy, it’s “there’s Hank!”
rd
A Most Wanted Man (2015)
Philip Seymour Hoffman’s last movie before his untimely departure.
Based on a John LeCarre book, this movie is a slow burner. A verrrry slow burner. Tells a good tale, set in Hamburg, but there isn’t really the big payoff you are hoping for at the end.
Stars Hoffman, Rachel Adams, William Dafoe, Robin Wright all doing their best German accents.
Pretty slow ... maybe too slow for most. But worth watching for Hoffman.
6 popcorns. 4 for the movie and extra kernels for Hoffman.
If you want to see a cool Hoffman movie, check out Before the Devil Knows you’re Dead from 2007.
rd
1 week later
The Nun
A new instalment in the Conjuring series.
This one is a prequel, set in Romania in the 1950s. The Vatican sends an investigator and a trainee nun to look into reports of a unholy nunnery.
Some of the acting is a bit B grade, and the jumpscares are a bit scarce (I think 4?) for this one. It’s almost old school, like those crusty old Hammer Horror movies from the 60s.
Maybe good to take a first date too, cause you might get a hand grab or leg grab out of it. Lol
Pretty routine though. Nothing you haven’t seen before. 5 popcorns.
RD cellphone check - 60 mins in.
rd
1 week later
Searching
Harold has got his burgers from White Castle, and now he’s a middle aged man living in San Jose. His wife has just died of Lymphoma, and now his daughter has gone missing.
The majority of this story is told via on-screen computer screens, showing messenger and texting in real time - I found this a bit annoying at first but soon got into the swing of things.
The plot is strong and has several twists and turns that keep you involved until the end.
The movie has an underlying story of how much we are on computers and social media - quite an interesting subtext. And White Castle Harold didn’t really know his daughter at all - they all lived through their devices. Food for thought for all parents.
I thought it was one of the better movies I’ve seen this year. Interesting all the way through, and different in the way it was portrayed.
8.5 popcorns.
Cellphone check - 0
rd
Quoted from jsyjay:Under The Skin
Yeah man, that’s one freaky movie.
It really snuck out under the radar. I’d never heard of it - one of my buddies knows I like weird movies and gave me the tip.
Definitely keeps you thinking.
I’d go 9/10 as well - well worth watching. If you like stuff left of centre.
rd
2 weeks later
Venom
Tom Hardy puts on a Brooklyn accent and takes on Indian Elon Musk in the latest output from the Marvel machine.
It seems to be getting slammed in the reviews, but it’s a decent enough popcorn movie.
Cliches abound here, and some of the CGI is confusing to watch. Also a complete lack of blood from all the people with no heads on their shoulders ...
Some of the interplay between Brooklyn Tom Hardy and “inside Tom Venom” is funny. I enjoyed the scenes around San Francisco - having been there at Xmas time it was “seen that! Been there!”
I’d say, don’t go expecting this movie to change the world, and you’ll be entertained for a couple of hours.
Popcorns - 6.5
Phone check - 40 mins in.
rd
1 week later
First Man
Visually stunning at times, First Man takes an almost documentary look at the life of Neil Armstrong between 1961 and the moon mission in 1969.
Ryan Gosling is Neil Armstrong, and as with some of his previous roles (Drive, Blade Runner 2049) he doesn’t have a lot to say.
If you’re looking for Armageddon 2, this ain’t it. But if you want a fascinating look into the life of a guy with a single vision, First Man is well worth a look.
I think you’ll want to see it on a big screen rather than your TV.
9 popcorns.
Phone check = 0
rd
1 week later
Quoted from G-Bee:Yes, the movie sticks in your mind after seeing it, but not in a good way! You can interpret everything the way you want to, because nothing is explained (or makes sense for that matter).
That’s how I sort of judge movies - if you’re still thinking about it a few days later, you were engaged somehow by the film.
Whereas most movies, you walk out of the cinema, you’ve had your 2 hours of entertainment, and never think about it again...
rd
American Animals
Arthouse movie about the true story of 4 university students who decide to “get some life experience” by robbing the Transylvania Universities collection of rare books.
The story is told by a mix of movie action, cut with documentary footage of the real dudes.
All filmed in very low key style, there’s a real tension around the heist which was very cool.
Huge blockbuster this is not - cool movie, it is.
8.5 popcorns.
rd
Quoted from HighVoltage:Die Welle" (German) "The Wave"
Sounds interesting - Auckland library has exactly one copy which is out right now - I’ve ordered it so I can watch it in a week or so.
rd
Quoted from HighVoltage:Did you find a synopsis or are you trusting me and going in blind?.
Going in blind! Sounds interesting.
Library charges $2, can’t go too far wrong.
Talking of older movies, I watched Sid and Nancy the other night. All about Sid Vicious and Nancy Spungen, made in 1986 with Gary Oldman.
If you ever want to put your kids off drugs, this is the movie to show them. Haha! Slightly depressing .. but a cool movie nonetheless. Always meant to watch it ... one of the ones that I’d never got around to seeing.
rd
Quoted from G-Bee:I understand, but thinking about a movie because it has shocking scenes doesnt make a movie good imo.
Thats correct - if it’s just “shocking” for no reason or with no message.
A good example of that is Sid and Nancy that I watched last night. The drugged out scenes in that movie are pretty shocking, but they portray the hopelessness of their addiction and the downward spiral they were on.
If they were just shooting up for the sake of it .. well, no point to that at all.
And of course, different movies will push peoples buttons in a different way. What’s thought provoking to one person could be complete drivel to the next person.
rd
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