I haaaaaaaaaaaaaaated it something fierce. Among a lot of complaints, the tiniest, little shitty niggle that bothered me most was his gun. It was so over the top and ridiculous in the original and had that BWADADADADUUUUM incredible sound effect to punctuate it. The new gun sounded like a lazy sci-fi laser.
[Movies] Talk about the last movie you saw 2: Electric Threadaloo
- Thread starter Dave
- Start date
Behind the curve
Really fun documentary. It takes a look into the flat earther movement and what makes them tick. It was really interesting to see some of the theories they have and the thinking behind how they can continually disprove themselves but still hold onto this belief.
My favorite part is when the main guy is at NASA and seeing the public portion and criticising all the small things. He sits in this one attraction that is supposed to show what a splashdown is like. The screen says "press green button to start" and so he presses on the screen and nothing happens. He takes this as part of his proof that NASA isn't anything more than a scam because nothing works. He leaves and the camera pans to a physical green button next to the seat that he was supposed to press but didn't see.
10/10
Really fun documentary. It takes a look into the flat earther movement and what makes them tick. It was really interesting to see some of the theories they have and the thinking behind how they can continually disprove themselves but still hold onto this belief.
My favorite part is when the main guy is at NASA and seeing the public portion and criticising all the small things. He sits in this one attraction that is supposed to show what a splashdown is like. The screen says "press green button to start" and so he presses on the screen and nothing happens. He takes this as part of his proof that NASA isn't anything more than a scam because nothing works. He leaves and the camera pans to a physical green button next to the seat that he was supposed to press but didn't see.
10/10
I never even noticed the new gun. So yeah, that's a failure. The original was an hilarious one-up of Dirty Harry's
The original Robocop gun, the Auto-9, was a slightly modified Beretta 93R. It was a burst fire capable, modified version of the Beretta 92, with a ported barrel, an extended magazine and removable folding stock. It was briefly popular with professional bodyguards and security forces but was replaced by dedicated PDW weapons like the MP5K/PDW or Spectre M4.
https://modernfirearms.net/en/handguns/handguns-en/italy-semi-automatic-pistols/beretta-93r-eng/
https://modernfirearms.net/en/handguns/handguns-en/italy-semi-automatic-pistols/beretta-93r-eng/
Or the link straight to the weapon itself:
http://www.imfdb.org/wiki/Auto_9#Beretta_93R_.22Auto_9.22
--Patrick
"Management" has deemed that inappropriate content for me. Apparently, learning about guns in movies is bad.
You mean the Barrett M82A1? Well, it might not be state of the art - the weapon's more than 35 years old now - but it is one of the most powerful and accurate long range firearms out there, even today. It is capable of firing accurately out to over 900 meters and can cripple aircraft and lightly armored vehicles. It's not technically a "sniper rifle" - a sniper rifle should have sub-MOA accuracy - so it's designated as a "Special Applications Scoped Rifle" or "Anti-Materiel Rifle".
Finally saw Into the Spiderverse. Amazing.
Aquaman - I'd give it a solid "s'okay". I thought the dialogue was lack-luster and I really wish DC/WB would stop doing such CGI-heavy movies with such flat CG. It drives me nuts. The actors always look out of place.
It seemed like Jason Momoa was having a lot of fun with the role (which is good!), but it also felt like he was just being "Jason Momoa dressed as Aquaman" rather than playing Aquaman (which is... less good). He seemed a little out-of-place next to everyone else playing it straight, but given DC's dour track record, that's also good? I guess? Sadly, they did not include a reference to my favorite Aquaman moment:
Also, question for anyone who's seen Justice League: did they give a little Aquaman background in that movie? Because it seemed like one or two characters got no introduction in the movie, like we, the audience, should already know who they are. I did, from a comic standpoint, but it felt weird from a narrative angle.
It seemed like Jason Momoa was having a lot of fun with the role (which is good!), but it also felt like he was just being "Jason Momoa dressed as Aquaman" rather than playing Aquaman (which is... less good). He seemed a little out-of-place next to everyone else playing it straight, but given DC's dour track record, that's also good? I guess? Sadly, they did not include a reference to my favorite Aquaman moment:
Also, question for anyone who's seen Justice League: did they give a little Aquaman background in that movie? Because it seemed like one or two characters got no introduction in the movie, like we, the audience, should already know who they are. I did, from a comic standpoint, but it felt weird from a narrative angle.
A teeny, tiny bit. There's like a 5-minute scene with Mera when Steppenwolf attacks Atlantis, you get a glimpse of Mera's power and her not-so-friendly relationship with Arthur, but that's about it.
EDIT: There's also a scene where Bruce Wayne tracks down Aquaman and tries to recruit him. This scene establishes Aquaman as one of the good guys, cause he brings food to a hungry village, but also emphasizes how he's a loner.
Last edited:
Ah, thanks. I had a feeling that was the case.
Just watching that clip, I think James Wan did a far better job with the underwater scenes. That CGI flatness in that clip, eerrrrrrggghhhhhh....
James Wan did that scene in Justice League (they brought him in specially for it) so I think it was just lack of time.
Us
I'm going to have to spend some time pircing out some elements of it, but what an experience. I think movie/TV are getting pretty good at replicating the feel of the 80s just in cinematography because the opening beach scene just FELT different.
There's a lot going on. The opening sucked me in and held me. There are so many neat details.
Some people are really going to hate this though, some because it's not their kind of movie, which is fair (but why watch it then) but others because it isn't Get Out. It's not the same kind of horror movie.
Lupita is amazing.
Winston Duke is great, but watching Black Panther, I wouldn't have imagined the actor behind M'Baku playing a doofy dad
I'm going to have to spend some time pircing out some elements of it, but what an experience. I think movie/TV are getting pretty good at replicating the feel of the 80s just in cinematography because the opening beach scene just FELT different.
There's a lot going on. The opening sucked me in and held me. There are so many neat details.
Some people are really going to hate this though, some because it's not their kind of movie, which is fair (but why watch it then) but others because it isn't Get Out. It's not the same kind of horror movie.
Lupita is amazing.
Winston Duke is great, but watching Black Panther, I wouldn't have imagined the actor behind M'Baku playing a doofy dad
Cajungal
Staff member
I'm a total chicken... scare super easy, and just the trailer gave me nightmares. Still really really reaaaally wanna see it in the theater. I had the same feelings about Hereditary, and I slept with a lamp on for a month. Man. The media-based adrenaline junkie cycle continues... *stocks up on light bulbs and flashlight batteries*
You wouldn't have had that problem if you'd been at my Hereditary screening. This old asshole wouldn't stop laughing every time something bad happened. The movie is partly to blame for not having any comic relief, but he was clearly mocking it because it was something his wife and daughter wanted to see, not him, but he wouldn't just leave. Kinda spoiled the mood.
People at Us were loud sometimes, but they were engaged, so it was cool. I liked that there were a couple comic relief bits that then made you uncomfortable after the fact. But this better not get nominated as a comedy after Jordan Peele has gone out of his way to state Us is a horror movie.
If you're a scaredy cat, probably save Us for home viewing
. The imagery and sounds get pretty unsettling. I still have the music in my head.
Dave
Staff member
Just got back from Shazam. Great movie! I only have a couple of nitpicks, but most of them are not worth begging off the movie. But there's one that REALLY seems off and that's a relationship that is just forced and handled terribly by the movie. Like, really unbelievable, even though it's central to the plot.
Some thoughts:
There was one thing, though...a guy one row in front of me and a bit to the right bought an additional ticket for his body pillow girlfriend. Which he hugged and whispered to during the show. And no, he wasn't being trollish or doing it for laughs. He was seriously there with his pillow. I saw a real life neckbeard alpha male in the wild. I'm still a little creeped out.
Some thoughts:
- VERY FUNNY! There are moments of actual laugh-out-loud humor.
- NOT predictable! I mean, you know the good guy is going to win but how comes out of left field. And no, saying he wins is not a spoiler. This isn't Game of Thrones.
- Even though this is marketed to kids, there are some VERY intense scenes that small kids might find distressing. There were some little kids - like 5 or 6 - in our movie and they were upset.
- There are additional scenes during credits and after credits. The after credits one is worth staying for. Unless you watch it online before that, ya cheaters.
There was one thing, though...a guy one row in front of me and a bit to the right bought an additional ticket for his body pillow girlfriend. Which he hugged and whispered to during the show. And no, he wasn't being trollish or doing it for laughs. He was seriously there with his pillow. I saw a real life neckbeard alpha male in the wild. I'm still a little creeped out.
Reaction is for that last part. That's just ... wow.
Us
Oof. This was...really good. I need to see a few more times, read some articles or something to really digest it. There's a LOT to unpack. There's a lot of imagery and other choices that I know are there for a reason, but I can't put my finger on them all. Some of it I KIND of almost get, but yeah, this one needs more consideration.
I dug the hell out of it. Maybe not immediately as much as Get Out. It's a very different beast and I meant that in a good way. But I could see myself appreciating this more with time and reflection.
Oof. This was...really good. I need to see a few more times, read some articles or something to really digest it. There's a LOT to unpack. There's a lot of imagery and other choices that I know are there for a reason, but I can't put my finger on them all. Some of it I KIND of almost get, but yeah, this one needs more consideration.
I dug the hell out of it. Maybe not immediately as much as Get Out. It's a very different beast and I meant that in a good way. But I could see myself appreciating this more with time and reflection.
Us explains itself but in such an unreliable way that you're left with more questions.
It is very different from Get Out despite the insistence of entertainment sites.
PS, it's ok for a movie not to make any sense. I know I've been guilty of this in the past, but holy shit, think of this movie as the pilot to Twilight Zone and enjoy the ride. No, the tethers and their whole explanation doesn't make much sense, that's ok. It was tightly scripted, excellently performed horror. It's bonkers how much early on in this movie pays off later. Almost nothing is wasted.
Last edited:
That's been my thing with people acting like they're geniuses for picking apart the plot. Yes, it stretches credulity. Welcome to movies.
Broke: someone pointing out that you would starve eating only rabbits because they're lean meat.
Woke: someone pointing out that the scissor handles echo rabbit ears.
Woke: someone pointing out that the scissor handles echo rabbit ears.
I'm actually kind of wary about seeing the Pet Sematary remake too soon after Us because it might seem pedestrian.
(near 20 minutes of) The Haunted World of El Superbeasto
WOW that...that was unimpressive. It looked like a rejected episode of Drawn Together, but with AWFUL musical numbers and had a writer that forgot that the project they were making was for adults and not children. The animation was great, but not great enough to get past the basic ass nudity/blood/swear filled Ren and Stimpy plot.
WOW that...that was unimpressive. It looked like a rejected episode of Drawn Together, but with AWFUL musical numbers and had a writer that forgot that the project they were making was for adults and not children. The animation was great, but not great enough to get past the basic ass nudity/blood/swear filled Ren and Stimpy plot.
Kurosawa did it first.
Dumbo
Not bad. It's definitely a children's film, so there's not much depth, but it kept my interest nicely. The visuals are great, the cast all do pretty well, and the story, while predictable, is pleasantly heartwarming.
One thing I liked is that this movie didn't try to retread old ground, and instead did its own thing with the source material, and became a better movie for it. Contrast this to, say, Beauty and the Beast, which tried to recreate the original film, and only managed to highlight how it couldn't meet that high bar.
Not bad. It's definitely a children's film, so there's not much depth, but it kept my interest nicely. The visuals are great, the cast all do pretty well, and the story, while predictable, is pleasantly heartwarming.
One thing I liked is that this movie didn't try to retread old ground, and instead did its own thing with the source material, and became a better movie for it. Contrast this to, say, Beauty and the Beast, which tried to recreate the original film, and only managed to highlight how it couldn't meet that high bar.
Us
I was disappointed. I had high hopes based on word-of-mouth and critical reviews, but I felt the movie left me wanting more. It wasn’t scary or creepy. The symbolism was obvious and heavy-handed IMO, and I saw the various twists of the plot coming from a mile away. There was an ugly exposition dump near the end that was unnecessary and insulting. The story has enough inconsistencies that it feels poorly done. As much as I enjoyed Get Out, I was let down by Us.
I was disappointed. I had high hopes based on word-of-mouth and critical reviews, but I felt the movie left me wanting more. It wasn’t scary or creepy. The symbolism was obvious and heavy-handed IMO, and I saw the various twists of the plot coming from a mile away. There was an ugly exposition dump near the end that was unnecessary and insulting. The story has enough inconsistencies that it feels poorly done. As much as I enjoyed Get Out, I was let down by Us.
My wife made me watch Instant Family. It was basically a Hallmark movie. It was predictable. There were a couple of laughs, but mostly I could have skipped it.
It also made me cry, which isn't surprising given my lack of sleep (I for real cry at Christmas commercials for the same reason), but that's something that really bothers me. I'm pretty comfortable with who I am, but I hate it when a movie makes me cry in front of others and I don't know why. Especially when they've earned it in my mind (looking at you, Last Jedi).
Anyone else have this issue?
It also made me cry, which isn't surprising given my lack of sleep (I for real cry at Christmas commercials for the same reason), but that's something that really bothers me. I'm pretty comfortable with who I am, but I hate it when a movie makes me cry in front of others and I don't know why. Especially when they've earned it in my mind (looking at you, Last Jedi).
Anyone else have this issue?