[Movies] Talk about the last movie you saw 2: Electric Threadaloo
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Right, okay, so, hear me out, but.....Magic.
So, the Ponies are actually the spirits of humans and their ghostly fingers are coming out of the hooves to hold objects.
Ah, Canada doesn't get Hulu, so that explains it. Sorry about the confusion, folks.
Hey, if the Houyhnhnm can hold a needle and thread, then ponies can hold mugs of hot apple cider.
—Patrick
Saw that new Venom movie because honestly I was stoked it was 90 minutes. What I felt like I watched was the Venom TV edit. Violence is clumsily edited the exact same way violence was edited out of Aliens or Terminator on TV. I don't have any issues with a movie being PG-13, but this one screams cut to pieces in the edit.
Every scene where it was a goofy love story between Eddie and Venom, the movie shines. Every scene trying to make Cletus Kassidey a character was garbage and shoe-horning in Shriek to try to make him a character in an already extremely brief movie with zero time for extraneous characters was a mistake. Actually, having the villain of the last movie be another symbiote (an R-rated movie to boot) was a mistake too. You've seen the trailer, you've seen every action scene in the movie so don't go in expecting anything there.
Every scene where it was a goofy love story between Eddie and Venom, the movie shines. Every scene trying to make Cletus Kassidey a character was garbage and shoe-horning in Shriek to try to make him a character in an already extremely brief movie with zero time for extraneous characters was a mistake. Actually, having the villain of the last movie be another symbiote (an R-rated movie to boot) was a mistake too. You've seen the trailer, you've seen every action scene in the movie so don't go in expecting anything there.
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Jennifer's Body
This is one of those movies I kept meaning to see but never got around to it. I avoided at first, like many people, because I attributed Megan Fox and her acting talent to the awful Michael Bay Transformers movies, which was completely unfair to this movie and especially to Fox. Doubly so because I heard this was actually a pretty solid movie.
And after watching it, I agree with that. It's a solid movie that it less a horror movie and more of a quirky quasi-comedy. I say quasi because while it didn't really get any laughs for me, it's not really scary in the traditional horror sense, either. It skims along the edge with movies like Trick R Treat where it takes itself seriously, but not TOO seriously as a horror movie. The acting is solid, the concept is neat, and everything comes together well for an enjoyable ride. Nothing spectacular, but it's good enough that I regret not seeing it sooner.
The dialogue is quirky as hell, which I expected with a Diablo Cody script. On the one hand, I wonder whether any real person talks like that. On the other hand, it leaves you with tons of unexpected lines and none of the usual cliche garbage you'd expect from any other film like this. So the dialogue is weird and quirky, but at least it's original.
So yeah, overall, I dug it. Not something I'll probably go out of my way to rewatch any time soon, but I still enjoyed it.
This is one of those movies I kept meaning to see but never got around to it. I avoided at first, like many people, because I attributed Megan Fox and her acting talent to the awful Michael Bay Transformers movies, which was completely unfair to this movie and especially to Fox. Doubly so because I heard this was actually a pretty solid movie.
And after watching it, I agree with that. It's a solid movie that it less a horror movie and more of a quirky quasi-comedy. I say quasi because while it didn't really get any laughs for me, it's not really scary in the traditional horror sense, either. It skims along the edge with movies like Trick R Treat where it takes itself seriously, but not TOO seriously as a horror movie. The acting is solid, the concept is neat, and everything comes together well for an enjoyable ride. Nothing spectacular, but it's good enough that I regret not seeing it sooner.
The dialogue is quirky as hell, which I expected with a Diablo Cody script. On the one hand, I wonder whether any real person talks like that. On the other hand, it leaves you with tons of unexpected lines and none of the usual cliche garbage you'd expect from any other film like this. So the dialogue is weird and quirky, but at least it's original.
So yeah, overall, I dug it. Not something I'll probably go out of my way to rewatch any time soon, but I still enjoyed it.
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I heard Till Death is another more recent film that really highlights Meghan's acting talent.
Ooh, thank you. Seeing some good reviews for it, too. I still have a number of coupon codes for free rentals through Cineplex and I see it's available to rent on there. Maybe I'll give it a whirl tomorrow.
Shang-Chi
I liked it quite a bit.
The first thing that comes to mind about this movie is how, thematically, it's very Chinese. This includes the aesthetics and the set dressing, such as mystical Chinese creatures showing up in Ta Lo (the nine-tailed fox, the qilin, the dragon, etc), the large amount of Mandarin being spoken, the music and leitmotifs being heavily influenced by Chinese styles, etc. But more importantly, the ongoing theme in the movie is how Shang-Chi needs to accept his heritage, and how he's a product of both his father and his mother's bloodlines. This stuff is a big deal in Chinese culture, as shown by stuff like ancestor worship, a national holiday for tomb sweeping (which happens to be the day when Ta Lo becomes accessible!), etc. Contrast this to a common theme in western movies, including the MCU, in which the protagonist needs to break free from the things in their past holding them back, and become their own man.
I also appreciated how the Mandarin dialog was very Chinese, by which I mean they added a lot of cultural references and proverbs, which is a real thing that happens in spoken Chinese. Oftentimes the subtitles couldn't convey the full depth of meaning, so they had to just produce an equivalent as best they could. The best example would probably be when Wenwu says to the old man in the village, 我吃過的鹽比你吃過的米還多, which literally translates to "I've eaten more salt than you've eaten rice". The meaning of this proverb is to show how much older and more experienced the speaker is, because rice is a staple food eaten at every meal, while salt is just a seasoning that's sprinkled onto dishes. Therefore someone who's eaten more salt than someone else has eaten rice has, obviously, eaten many more meals. This was translated as something like "I've lived ten of your lifetimes", which is close enough, but doesn't have the full effect of the Chinese phrase.
Even the Mandarin's name, Wenwu, has its references and connotations. The phrase "wen wu" (文武) is the first half of a proverb, "wen wu shuang quan" (文武雙全), which means "to be adept in both literary and martial matters". It refers to a person who's capable of composing poems, writing beautiful calligraphy, and playing musical instruments, while also being a master swordsman or archer or military strategist. Therefore the name Wenwu immediately illustrates how he's lived many lifetimes and therefore has been able to master everything under the sun. It's perfectly suited to a man who can politely request passage into a village one moment, and start throwing superpowered punches the next.
So apart from all that, how does the movie stack up as a movie? Overall it's not bad, though there are some quibbles I'd make. There are some unexplained plot elements that don't seem to make sense when you think about it. What's Wong and the Abomination doing in a fight club in Maccau? Who built that magic water map-making dragon sculpture in the Ten Rings headquarters? Why didn't Wenwu just call up his kids instead of sending assassins after them? What the hell is Trevor doing on the front lines of the battle? Hopefully some of these will be explored in future films. Apart from these issues, though, I thought the story was fine, and the writing was pretty good, no complaints. The fight choreography was great; I particularly enjoyed how they contrasted between the "hard" style used by Wenwu and the "soft" style used by his wife and, later, Shang-Chi. The cast generally all do well, though I think the experienced Hong Kong actors steal the show somewhat when they're on screen (Tony Leung, Michelle Yeoh, etc). And the effects were fine for their purpose, though I'm slightly disappointed that the climactic battle was another CGI-fest.
All in all, a good entry in the MCU, and definitely worth watching.
Also, every female character was hot. This includes the elderly lady who gave Katy the bow and arrow.
I liked it quite a bit.
The first thing that comes to mind about this movie is how, thematically, it's very Chinese. This includes the aesthetics and the set dressing, such as mystical Chinese creatures showing up in Ta Lo (the nine-tailed fox, the qilin, the dragon, etc), the large amount of Mandarin being spoken, the music and leitmotifs being heavily influenced by Chinese styles, etc. But more importantly, the ongoing theme in the movie is how Shang-Chi needs to accept his heritage, and how he's a product of both his father and his mother's bloodlines. This stuff is a big deal in Chinese culture, as shown by stuff like ancestor worship, a national holiday for tomb sweeping (which happens to be the day when Ta Lo becomes accessible!), etc. Contrast this to a common theme in western movies, including the MCU, in which the protagonist needs to break free from the things in their past holding them back, and become their own man.
I also appreciated how the Mandarin dialog was very Chinese, by which I mean they added a lot of cultural references and proverbs, which is a real thing that happens in spoken Chinese. Oftentimes the subtitles couldn't convey the full depth of meaning, so they had to just produce an equivalent as best they could. The best example would probably be when Wenwu says to the old man in the village, 我吃過的鹽比你吃過的米還多, which literally translates to "I've eaten more salt than you've eaten rice". The meaning of this proverb is to show how much older and more experienced the speaker is, because rice is a staple food eaten at every meal, while salt is just a seasoning that's sprinkled onto dishes. Therefore someone who's eaten more salt than someone else has eaten rice has, obviously, eaten many more meals. This was translated as something like "I've lived ten of your lifetimes", which is close enough, but doesn't have the full effect of the Chinese phrase.
Even the Mandarin's name, Wenwu, has its references and connotations. The phrase "wen wu" (文武) is the first half of a proverb, "wen wu shuang quan" (文武雙全), which means "to be adept in both literary and martial matters". It refers to a person who's capable of composing poems, writing beautiful calligraphy, and playing musical instruments, while also being a master swordsman or archer or military strategist. Therefore the name Wenwu immediately illustrates how he's lived many lifetimes and therefore has been able to master everything under the sun. It's perfectly suited to a man who can politely request passage into a village one moment, and start throwing superpowered punches the next.
So apart from all that, how does the movie stack up as a movie? Overall it's not bad, though there are some quibbles I'd make. There are some unexplained plot elements that don't seem to make sense when you think about it. What's Wong and the Abomination doing in a fight club in Maccau? Who built that magic water map-making dragon sculpture in the Ten Rings headquarters? Why didn't Wenwu just call up his kids instead of sending assassins after them? What the hell is Trevor doing on the front lines of the battle? Hopefully some of these will be explored in future films. Apart from these issues, though, I thought the story was fine, and the writing was pretty good, no complaints. The fight choreography was great; I particularly enjoyed how they contrasted between the "hard" style used by Wenwu and the "soft" style used by his wife and, later, Shang-Chi. The cast generally all do well, though I think the experienced Hong Kong actors steal the show somewhat when they're on screen (Tony Leung, Michelle Yeoh, etc). And the effects were fine for their purpose, though I'm slightly disappointed that the climactic battle was another CGI-fest.
All in all, a good entry in the MCU, and definitely worth watching.
Also, every female character was hot. This includes the elderly lady who gave Katy the bow and arrow.
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Well, considering she gave them the necklaces, i'm guessing their mother was also responsible for the thing the jewels go into being somewhere available to them.
So the mother, who explicitly does not have magical powers from the Great Guardian any more, created a magical map back to her home village, which she and her husband have explicitly been exiled from.
Fine. But now I'd like to know why and how.
Thanks for this review, your perspective as a linguist and native speaker was super interesting!
Agreed. I love hearing about all this stuff that otherwise goes unnoticed, such as the reviews by Xiran Jay Zhao.Thanks for this review, your perspective as a linguist and native speaker was super interesting!
--Patrick
I mean, magic devices are usually a way to use magic without being a magician...
Sure, but that's different from not making sense.
But hey, i'm down to seeing mama-Chi go shopping in Chinese Diagon Alley... and i just realised it's a pun on diagonally... and that's why i prefer reading in the original language instead of translated...
Wait until you realize Knocturn Alley too.
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I have to say that in every localisation I've read - French, German, and Dutch - the names have been properly kept as a pun. Not necessarily the same, but still.
In Dutch it's "wegisweg", which translates roughly to "gone is gone", but "weg" is also "road", and "weg is weg" is a fairly normal way of saying "while supplies last".
In Dutch it's "wegisweg", which translates roughly to "gone is gone", but "weg" is also "road", and "weg is weg" is a fairly normal way of saying "while supplies last".
That's a funny way to spell DnD.
Venom: Let There Be Carnage
Bit late to the party on this one. It's...fine, I guess? I wouldn't call it "good" but I wouldn't call it terrible, either. The only entertaining parts were the Odd Couple comedy between Brock and Venom. The whole thing felt rushed, honestly, like large amounts of subplot were cut for time.
The post-credits scene is certainly very interesting, though, and makes me wonder about Venom's future.
Bit late to the party on this one. It's...fine, I guess? I wouldn't call it "good" but I wouldn't call it terrible, either. The only entertaining parts were the Odd Couple comedy between Brock and Venom. The whole thing felt rushed, honestly, like large amounts of subplot were cut for time.
The post-credits scene is certainly very interesting, though, and makes me wonder about Venom's future.
Lamb (2021)
Ugh. It's frustrating because there's a kernel of a good movie in there somewhere. Without spoiling anything, it has an interesting concept, some great visual effects, and some gorgeous cinematography.
Unfortunately, it's dragged down by glacial pacing and barely any dialogue where at least some was needed (if only for the tiniest of exposition). It feels like a 20 or 30-minute short stretched out to a full-length movie without adding more meat to it. It also feels like it sets things up but with little satisfying payoff. For starters, the title and opening sequence makes it feel like it might be a Christ allegory, but it seems to end there.
I WANTED to like this, because on paper, it's a great idea. But its execution left me frustrated instead.
Oh, and if you consider seeing it, know it's less of a horror movie as advertised and more of a drama. Here's the trailer if you're mildly curious. I should also note that it's in Swedish with English subtitles, in case that might turn you away from watching.
Ugh. It's frustrating because there's a kernel of a good movie in there somewhere. Without spoiling anything, it has an interesting concept, some great visual effects, and some gorgeous cinematography.
Unfortunately, it's dragged down by glacial pacing and barely any dialogue where at least some was needed (if only for the tiniest of exposition). It feels like a 20 or 30-minute short stretched out to a full-length movie without adding more meat to it. It also feels like it sets things up but with little satisfying payoff. For starters, the title and opening sequence makes it feel like it might be a Christ allegory, but it seems to end there.
I WANTED to like this, because on paper, it's a great idea. But its execution left me frustrated instead.
Oh, and if you consider seeing it, know it's less of a horror movie as advertised and more of a drama. Here's the trailer if you're mildly curious. I should also note that it's in Swedish with English subtitles, in case that might turn you away from watching.
Frankensteins's Army
SUPER schlocky horror film, but god DAMN those monster designs were on point! Felt like a horror video game at some points, mix of Wolfenstein, Resident Evil and Bioshock.
SUPER schlocky horror film, but god DAMN those monster designs were on point! Felt like a horror video game at some points, mix of Wolfenstein, Resident Evil and Bioshock.
Well good news: Richard Rhaaphorst (maker of Frankenstein's Army) has accused Capcom of straight up stealing some of his work for Resident Evil 8. Considering Capcom's straight up stolen work for use in the RE series before (and is currently being sued for it), I'd say he's got a good case.
Straight up, the Airplane monster is PRETTY damning.
To be fair, I don't know if monster with airplane parts is a defensible trademark. And there's a fine line between theft and homage
I agree it's completely reasonable that the similarities are just a coincidence as Frankenstein's Army is a very obscure film. Technology blending with body horror isn't a new thing. And honestly neither is the concept of "something that is clearly not a head USED as a head". Konami already figured that out.
My take is that while those are valid points, Capcom has already engaged in alleged artistic theft when they used upwards of 80 images from an artist's book to design surfaces in several games.
Still the case should be judged based solely on the IP being contested and not what is occurring in another case, especially one that 1) hasn’t had a judgment yet and 2) is regarding games made nearly 20 years ago. The other case seems like it would be very easy to determine if Capcom stole the images. In this one there is a hell of a lot of speculation only.
But if the Frankensteins Army guys win the settlement let me know. I’m pretty sure I once played cops vs zombies as a little kid and should totally sue Capcom for some easy money.
Dune: p1
Holy shit, this wasn't just good, it was pretty great. Can't wait for p2.
...
That being said, i was really annoyed at the part where one ship started lasering at that that other ship that was shown to have a shield generator. Maybe the visuals where meant to show the shield failed, but even so, how suicidal was that gunner to take the chance it wasn't?
Holy shit, this wasn't just good, it was pretty great. Can't wait for p2.
...
That being said, i was really annoyed at the part where one ship started lasering at that that other ship that was shown to have a shield generator. Maybe the visuals where meant to show the shield failed, but even so, how suicidal was that gunner to take the chance it wasn't?
Oh yeah, i forgot.
I guess it was to not confuse audiences too much, but it's not the 101th century AD...
The year shown is AG, as in After Guild, so it's actually a lot further in the future then you'd think.
I enjoyed Dune. I had attempted to read the book many, many years ago, and I've watched the two previous movies, and this is the first time Dune has ever made sense to me. This version was still convoluted, and I'm really glad I already knew some of the backstory, but I think it did a much better job of explaining the politics.