Last Good Movie You Saw

[TheMightyEthan]

Prey

 

That was really cool. Don't really have much else to say.  Hopefully they follow up on the sequel tease in the credits.

[toxicitizen]

I've been in kind of a Marvel mood lately so I've been catching up on MCU movies. Here's some quick thoughts:

 

Shang-Chi: Starts really strong but the second act gets kinda bogged down in exposition and the climax felt a little rushed but overall I really liked it. It doesn't register as a Marvel or superhero movie at all, and that was the best thing it had going for it. It starts out as a standard martial arts movie and just gradually turns into martial arts fantasy. 7.5/10

 

Eternals: I went into this one expecting the worst and maybe it's because my expectations were abysmally low but I actually really enjoyed it. It has pretty major flaws. The pacing is all over the place and even at 2h30 long it feels rushed. This one probably should've been a prestige tv show. I think there was enough material in the movie to fill a good 6 episodes or so. That would've given the large cast of characters more room to breathe and allowed the plot to carry a bit more weight. 7/10

 

Spider-Man: No Way Home: I watched this one the night before the game came out on PC, so I was definitely in a Spider-Man mood. I thought it had less substance than the first two Spider-Man movies but overall it's still pretty enjoyable. It mostly relies on the gimmick of bringing back previous characters but it uses it really well so it ends up being a pretty fun watch. The interactions between the 3 Spideys were the highlight for me. And Garfield's version somehow manages to steal the show even though his iteration was the worst one by far. So it was cool to finally see him get to play the character in a movie that's not complete garbage. Oh and speaking of stealing the show, I did not realize how badly I had missed Willem Dafoe as Green Goblin. He's so perfect in the role. 8.5/10

 

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness:  And, holy fuck, Sam Raimi is another one I missed. This movie isn't perfect by any means but I thoroughly enjoyed it. I loved the way it gradually amps up the Sam Raimi-ness until by the end it's just a full-blown Sam Raimi movie. Also, I can't believe I didn't get spoiled on

 

Spoiler

Scarlet Witch being the villain of the movie. I knew she was in it and had an evil turn but I didn't realize she was the actual antagonist from the start.

 

And while we're in a spoiler tag, I have to mention how much I loved the climax going full Evil Dead with zombie Doctor Strange and his demon cape.

 

I hope Sam Raimi keeps making these movies from now on because, as much as I enjoyed the first Doctor Strange, this one was way more my shit. For me this was the Doctor Strange equivalent of Thor: Ragnarok. 9/10

Edited August 20, 2022 by toxicitizen

[Mister Jack]

4 minutes ago, toxicitizen said:

Oh and speaking of stealing the show, I did not realize how badly I had missed Willem Dafoe as Green Goblin. He's so perfect in the role.

 

After seeing No Way Home, I realized just how dumb it was to cover up his face for all his goblin scenes in the original movie. His expressions are just too damn good to cover up with a mask.

[MetalCaveman]

 Nope

 

Didn't know whether to post this here or in the OK movies thread. Decided that in spite of the issues I had, it was actually a pretty good film I wouldn't mind watching again.

 

I liked it, it does something fun with the genre, it was neat when

Spoiler

The UFO turned into fucking Sahaquiel from Evangelion lol.

 

The

Spoiler

fake-out when it seems like it's going to be a straightforward ufo/alien movie and then goes bonkers

was awesome. \m/ \m/

 

Overall it was a really cool movie, though I wouldn't call it horror, since nothing about it was really scary or anything like that, there's some blood and gore but nothing that I would consider horror, something to consider if you're going in expecting a sci-fi horror movie, you might be a bit disappointed.

 

Though I'm not a big horror guy so probably not the best judge when it comes to this stuff.

 

Spoiler

The scene with the "aliens" was more cool than scary, specially OJ being all "Nah, nope, I'm out!"

 

When Jean Jacket sucks all those people and... eats them? Wasn't scary either, I thought it was neat  how they showed the inside of the thing, hinting at a more organic origin and how the thing was all "Yeah, you think I'm just a thing for you to make a show out of? Y'all want a show? The experience of a lifetime? Here goes!"

 

The raining blood (from a lacerated sky! )  bit was more funny in a way, my father and I agreed that it came across less like a scary moment and more like JJ just kinda trolling or asserting dominance  "That's a nice house you have here, I'm going to shit all over it lol"

 

The thing that drags it down a bit

Spoiler

All of the Gordy stuff, specially that scene in the middle of the movie where they show Gordy killing the crap out of everyone except for Jupe.

 

I get that it plays into the whole "some creatures can't be tamed" theme, but it felt a bit out of nowhere and was a bit jarring in terms of pacing.

 

Without those scenes or if they were shorter it'd be a GOOD movie.

 

Also, someone said that it's

Spoiler

basically Jaws, but with a UFO instead of a shark, down to the way JJ dies,

and now I can't stop thinking about it.

 

 

[TheMightyEthan]

Nope

 

It was described as a horror, but I don't really think it was one. Still great though. Beyond that, I don't have a whole lot to add to what Metal already said, but that last spoiler tag blew my mind.

 

Us

 

Also wasn't what I was expecting, but in a good way. Creepy as absolute shit too.

[TheMightyEthan]

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

 

This is one of the better Marvel movies they've put out. Solid A-tier. It does have a little bit of a problem with the antagonists being anti-colonialist again, which is unfortunate, but at least it avoids actually putting Wakanda on the side of the imperialist powers so it avoids the biggest problems that could cause.

 

Definitely recommend if you think there's even a chance you're interested.

[Mister Jack]

Is it better than the first one? I thought it was kind of overrated.

[TheMightyEthan]

On 11/11/2022 at 10:46 PM, Mister Jack said:

Is it better than the first one? I thought it was kind of overrated.

 

I definitely thought so.

[toxicitizen]

Weird: The Al Yankovic Story

 

I've never been a huge Weird Al fan but I got curious about this when a friend of mine told me it's not a biopic and more of a Walk Hard-style parody that just happens to also be about Weird Al. And yeah, this is a pretty solid comedy. It's obviously mostly bullshit and at times barely even operates on real-world logic but I thought it was pretty fucking funny.

 

I especially loved how

Spoiler

they start off saying Eat It was his first original song and at first I was wondering if they were just avoiding mentioning MJ because of the controversy surrounding him but then they come back later saying MJ made a parody of Eat It and Weird Al just fucking loses it like "Who the HELL does he think he is?!?"

 

[MetalCaveman]

Violent Night

 

First half is a bit slow, but man, once

 

Spoiler

Santa gets his hammer

 

It gets going!

 

Violent, funny, with some pretty good action,

 

Spoiler

Badass Viking Santa is BEST Santa

and with some genuinely heartfelt moments here and there, an instant classic for me, and one I'll gladly watch over and over every Christmas season lol.

 

If the first half was a bit shorter it'd be one of the best movies ever.

 

Spoiler

Seems like there's room for a sequel or something, based on the fact that Mrs. Claus sends him the SKULL CRUSHER.

 

David Harbour is awesome as Santa, def would like to see him back for another one lol.

[deanb]

Avatar: The Way of Water

 

Actually watched this twice (mainly due to both my parents wanting to see it...and being divorced).

Looks pretty as hell and really enjoyed the world that James Cameron is making. My only major point would be to maybe cut out some of the "oooh look how pretty it is" sequences for an extended release on Blu-Ray as it is a bit needlessly long (though I guess if you can go "ooh look how pretty" then all power to you I guess).

 

Banshees of Inisherin

It's the same director and leads as In Bruges so was an instant watch for me (sans trailer). I think I ultimately prefer In Bruges, it's a bit more rewatchable, but this is a solid weighty film. And for me also tickled by my mums partners response to a particular plot point in it. 

 

Glass Onion

Same as the above there was no watching of trailers for this. I'd say this is one where they're equally watchable, and will be great to watch on a regular double bill. Just great ensemble casts (though I think there's a bit of underserving for a few folks in this one), and love that each time the only consistency is Benoit Blanc. 

 

Plus hell of a team for Among Us

 

 

GDTs Pinocchio

I think this is the ultimate Pinocchio (though maybe the Disney animated version is still best for kids - few less murders and time spent in the afterlife). Looks beautiful as hell (always have time for stop motion), and really like the story and setting tying in with the villains and their goals (i.e the rise of Italian fascism now presented with an immortal soldier).

 

 

[Mister Jack]

Super Mario Bros.

 

Saw this and had a blast. Now to be clear, this is definitely a fan pleasing film rather than a critic pleasing one. If I try to rate this movie with an unbiased lens I am forced to admit that some of the voices don't work (Pratt is actually okay enough but Seth Rogen is just Seth Rogen), the pacing is too fast, the story is very basic, and there are too many licensed songs. Those are all valid criticisms. Do they ruin it for me? Hell no. Who goes to a Mario movie expecting award bait cinema? They go expecting a video game playing out on the big screen and this is by FAR the most faithful adaptation ever made. Either Illumination had some diehard Mario fans writing the script or Nintendo held their hand through the whole process to make sure we didn't get another Bob Hoskins situations, no offense to the guy. This is a movie where you're meant to enjoy all the copious references and Easter eggs, which is exactly what I expected and what I got. The Mario Kart scene was probably my favorite part, especially...

 

Spoiler

the blue shell koopa trooper. What an absolute legend.

 

This movie is just pure "don't think too hard" fun. I usually dislike that sort of thing because it's an easy excuse for not putting any effort into your film, but they did put effort in here. It's just that the effort was put toward pleasing Mario fans rather than general audiences. 

 

Oh and I didn't detect a single fart joke. Thanks for that, Illumination. I know that took restraint.

Edited April 6, 2023 by Mister Jack

[Mister Jack]

Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 3

 

The Guardians films are already my favorite in the MCU but god damn this one punches you in the gut, twists your balls, and never lets go. While it's hardly devoid of humor, this is hands down the darkest and most emotional film in the whole Marvel franchise. Rocket's backstory is finally put on full display and the movie does not shy away from depicting the horrific animal cruelty that he and his fellow experiments were subjected to both physically and emotionally. I actually found myself tearing up several times while watching and I rarely do that with Marvel movies. In fact, it's usually just other Guardians films that can get me choked up. High Evolutionary is easily the most cruel, evil, and despicable MCU villain ever written, and that includes the likes of Thanos. Adam Warlock wasn't what I expected him to be, but I enjoyed his role nonetheless. This film is the last time we'll see the original Guardians together, but I came away satisfied with how their individual arcs came to a close. Everyone gets their moment to shine, even Drax, and nobody feels like a waste of space on the team this time.

 

I also have to give a shout out to James Gunn for knowing when it's not appropriate to tell a joke, which a lot of Marvel writers seem to struggle with. There are certainly plenty of one-liners and quips in the script, but when things get really heavy and emotional he allows those moments to be what they need to be without succumbing to the temptation to lighten it up with a gag for fear of upsetting the audience too much. Bring tissues.

[TheMightyEthan]

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

 

Holy shit this movie is so good. Here's how much I liked it:

 

 

It is as close to perfect a movie as I have ever seen. Not one single frame is wasted. The only thing is I wish I'd known part 2 was coming out next March before I went and saw this, because I wasn't expecting it to end on a cliffhanger. I haven't seen a cliffhanger this egregious since Halo 2's launch. Even with that though, and being completely blindsided by it, it's still the best movie I've seen in years. Years. And that includes Everything Everywhere All At Once, which is the only thing that even comes close 

 

Grade: S+

[deanb]

Wonka

 

Watched this with my mum and her partner over the weekend. The original Gene Wilder film led to high expectations, which the Johnny Depp version completely failed on (my only thing I like in the Johnny Depp version is that they were able to show the result of the other children being "treated", which wasn't quite feasible in the 70s so they're somewhat forgiven on that).

It's Paul King, who did Paddington 1 and 2, so it has that very whimsy charm to it. And while Timothy isn't trying to ape Gene Wilder (and in theory there's many decades in the guys life before we see the Wonka that Charlie meets) he does pull in a few bits. Overall it's fun and pretty. It's throwing quite a few people that it's a musical, though both previous films have been. Absolutely chocka with British acting cast too. Olivia Coleman is likely the main one folks will know, but I think Ghosts has done well in US so probably a few recognisable from that. The guard is also the writer (and shows up in Paddington as well, where also a writer), and he's local to my town so that's been cool for a few folks.

It's a similar type of sweet making he has in the 70s film too (whipping cows to make whipped cream, adding a boot to provide a little kick, etc).

Great little film to go see over xmas.

 

My only beef is that they make a joke of Keegan-Michael Key's police chief getting fat from the bribes (figured we'd had that conversation a few years ago)

 

There's a few minor plot quibbles

Spoiler

At some point he must fall out with Noodles as Slugworth is a competing sweet firm in the 70s film.

Given the antagonistic nature between Wonka and Oompa Loompas not sure how he'd end up with them working for him (I feel just a minor expansion on "he has access to loads of chocolate and their island has four cocoa beans" would have sufficed)

 

Also I remarked to my mum it's fun that as a young man he can combine sun rays and thunderstorms to make sweets but struggles to make a sweet with blueberry pie decades later.

 

[deanb]

Dune Part 2

Fucking amazing. Pretty as hell. Great adaptation (though I have a few quibbles in some missing bits). Really hoping he gets to do Dune Messiah. Be a great trilogy to put alongside LotR.

[Thursday Next]

15 hours ago, deanb said:

Dune Part 2

Fucking amazing. Pretty as hell. Great adaptation (though I have a few quibbles in some missing bits). Really hoping he gets to do Dune Messiah. Be a great trilogy to put alongside LotR.

Which missing bit irked you? I read Villeneuve wanted this to be a "Bene Gesserit" take on the story, so was prepared for mentats to take a back seat.

[deanb]

6 hours ago, Thursday Next said:

Which missing bit irked you? I read Villeneuve wanted this to be a "Bene Gesserit" take on the story, so was prepared for mentats to take a back seat.

Oh not so much "irked", just quibbles. Mentat was definitely one; having him attempting to undermine the harkonnens while also combatting maud'dib. Would have made it clearer that genuinely no one knew that Paul was alive.

The reduced time frame so that there's no "abomination" running around is another. It doesn't seem he's planning to do Children of Dune and Alia is obviously much larger part there, but you could plant some of the seeds in a third film of the 'dominant personality' (especially given who else we get in Dune Messiah. The person you love to Hayt).
I don't mind too much about Paul not getting to take ownership of Jamis' wife due to killing Jamis, they've certainly made a point of trying to make the Freman a bit more progressive (even if there are religious fanatics; their jihad is gender equal). (though she's a decently large supporting character in Messiah and they'd otherwise have to build up some other non-Chainie freman lass for him to be confidant with)

[Thursday Next]

Yeah, lack of Alia was a pity. Her being "captured" and delivering the cup of grass to Baron was great in the books.

 

Interested to see if they bring back Jason Momomomomomoa, and how they handle "Alia is a freak now." stuff, and what the Tleilaxu look like...  

 

There's a lot of content in Messiah, but a lot of it is politics talk. I can see it being a struggle to bring to the big-screen.