You accept a little bit of magic when it comes to the world. The daughter turns into a massive red panda and has its metaphorical meaning and all that. The story is welcome to go into fantastical crazy so long as there is some emotional character growth that comes with it. The daughter choosing to keep her panda is a great touch and I loved how that played out. And yes. I like Kaiju mom better than “run into a store and arrogantly accuse a stranger in public about corrupting the imagination of her daughter” mom.
[Movies] Talk about the last movie you saw 2: Electric Threadaloo
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Scrooge: A Christmas Carol
Sweet Jesus was I bored, no spin on it or anything. Beautifully animated, but Christ... and why was Fred's name changed to Harry? Both this film and the film it's a remake of apparently.
Sweet Jesus was I bored, no spin on it or anything. Beautifully animated, but Christ... and why was Fred's name changed to Harry? Both this film and the film it's a remake of apparently.
Strange World
Beautiful animation, character wise not much to sneeze at, but the energy conservation message is definitely a plus.
Beautiful animation, character wise not much to sneeze at, but the energy conservation message is definitely a plus.
It's a movie where Nicholas Cage plays himself and you didn't expect it to be silly?
Just realized I haven't posted a couple of my recent movie watchings.
Avatar: Way of the Water
Actually saw this twice. Once by myself to get out of the house, a second with some friends because they hadn't seen it and I liked it enough to want to see it again.
As with the first one, the plot isn't terribly original and most of the characters aren't particularly deep. But goddamn, it's a gorgeous movie with incredible set pieces. Like the first movie, it's also absolutely worth seeing in IMAX 3D because unlike other movies, it's made with that format in mind. It's designed from the ground up to be a theater experience. It's a jaw-dropping spectacle. And if there's one thing James Cameron does better than anyone else, it's spectacle. With the 3D, something I notice as I sometimes lifted my glasses to compare, is the focal character on screen isn't the one with 3D effects on them; it's everything around them. Other characters, for example. Or in particular is foreground elements like branches or walls. It adds something that no other 3D movie does with their hastily added production: it adds depth to the scene.
Something I realized about this particular spectacle that you barely see in other movies is awe. So many movies, when you think "spectacle," it's all cool action and big explosions like the Marvel movies. But there are so many moments in this, especially the underwater scenes, where you feel like you're watching a nature documentary on the big screen. Pandora is a fully realized world that feels alive at all times. The creatures might often be stand-ins for real world counterparts, like whales, but they still have their own designs that make them unique to Pandora.
The story is...okay. Some of the character decisions seem odd. Some things, like the adopted daughter played by Sigourney Weaver, feels like set up for future movies. This movie was definitely all about introducing and developing Jake's kids, since they take center stage in most scenes. I also kinda love how they introduce cloning in this seemingly as an excuse to bring back old characters.
So yeah, same as the first one, I won't go out of my way to defend it because writing-wise, it's not without problems. But I still dug the heck out of this movie for the spectacle.
The Woman King
Been meaning to watch this for awhile and finally got around to it last night. And it's a damn good movie. Not sure if I have as much to say about it as Avatar, but saying "it's Viola Davis in a historical drama set in Africa in the 1800s" says enough. It feels epic in scale and yet grounded by its characters at the same time. Every actor does a bang-up job. Viola Davis, no surprise, puts on basically an acting class, especially in little gestures or expressions. The stand-out for me, aside from Davis, was Lashana Lynch, who I only knew from Captain Marvel. She trains another young character in this, but she's an absolute badass alongside all the other women.
I understand that the movie takes liberties with the historical accuracy of the main tribe in this movie, but it's still an interesting viewpoint of the slave trade from the African perspective. A recurring theme I noticed wasn't the threat of death, but capture. The common threat when someone does something stupid is "That will get you captured." Captured, not killed. And it seals the ongoing theme the movie is built around. It's an existential crisis for Africans, both in how they're treated like cattle by Europeans, but also how other tribes treat each other in selling people they capture for slavery.
Obviously, these themes make it a somewhat difficult movie to get through, emotionally. For the mature subject matter, though, it's surprisingly not as gory as I expected. There's plenty of brutal, well-choreographed action and it's not entirely bloodless, but when I watched the first big action scene, I was surprised by how it WASN'T gory where most movies of its kind would be. And I kind of appreciate that restraint.
I wanted to see this in theaters last year and now that I've finally seen it, I regret not doing that. Damn good movie.
Avatar: Way of the Water
Actually saw this twice. Once by myself to get out of the house, a second with some friends because they hadn't seen it and I liked it enough to want to see it again.
As with the first one, the plot isn't terribly original and most of the characters aren't particularly deep. But goddamn, it's a gorgeous movie with incredible set pieces. Like the first movie, it's also absolutely worth seeing in IMAX 3D because unlike other movies, it's made with that format in mind. It's designed from the ground up to be a theater experience. It's a jaw-dropping spectacle. And if there's one thing James Cameron does better than anyone else, it's spectacle. With the 3D, something I notice as I sometimes lifted my glasses to compare, is the focal character on screen isn't the one with 3D effects on them; it's everything around them. Other characters, for example. Or in particular is foreground elements like branches or walls. It adds something that no other 3D movie does with their hastily added production: it adds depth to the scene.
Something I realized about this particular spectacle that you barely see in other movies is awe. So many movies, when you think "spectacle," it's all cool action and big explosions like the Marvel movies. But there are so many moments in this, especially the underwater scenes, where you feel like you're watching a nature documentary on the big screen. Pandora is a fully realized world that feels alive at all times. The creatures might often be stand-ins for real world counterparts, like whales, but they still have their own designs that make them unique to Pandora.
The story is...okay. Some of the character decisions seem odd. Some things, like the adopted daughter played by Sigourney Weaver, feels like set up for future movies. This movie was definitely all about introducing and developing Jake's kids, since they take center stage in most scenes. I also kinda love how they introduce cloning in this seemingly as an excuse to bring back old characters.
So yeah, same as the first one, I won't go out of my way to defend it because writing-wise, it's not without problems. But I still dug the heck out of this movie for the spectacle.
The Woman King
Been meaning to watch this for awhile and finally got around to it last night. And it's a damn good movie. Not sure if I have as much to say about it as Avatar, but saying "it's Viola Davis in a historical drama set in Africa in the 1800s" says enough. It feels epic in scale and yet grounded by its characters at the same time. Every actor does a bang-up job. Viola Davis, no surprise, puts on basically an acting class, especially in little gestures or expressions. The stand-out for me, aside from Davis, was Lashana Lynch, who I only knew from Captain Marvel. She trains another young character in this, but she's an absolute badass alongside all the other women.
I understand that the movie takes liberties with the historical accuracy of the main tribe in this movie, but it's still an interesting viewpoint of the slave trade from the African perspective. A recurring theme I noticed wasn't the threat of death, but capture. The common threat when someone does something stupid is "That will get you captured." Captured, not killed. And it seals the ongoing theme the movie is built around. It's an existential crisis for Africans, both in how they're treated like cattle by Europeans, but also how other tribes treat each other in selling people they capture for slavery.
Obviously, these themes make it a somewhat difficult movie to get through, emotionally. For the mature subject matter, though, it's surprisingly not as gory as I expected. There's plenty of brutal, well-choreographed action and it's not entirely bloodless, but when I watched the first big action scene, I was surprised by how it WASN'T gory where most movies of its kind would be. And I kind of appreciate that restraint.
I wanted to see this in theaters last year and now that I've finally seen it, I regret not doing that. Damn good movie.
Storks
A 7.5 to 8 out of ten animated family film, with one HELL of an emotional pay off.
A 7.5 to 8 out of ten animated family film, with one HELL of an emotional pay off.
See How They Run
Ehhhhh, it's not as good as I'd hoped. It's very well shot, the mystery is interesting, but I feel like what was clearly supposed to be a quirky parody of mysteries wasn't quirky enough.
I normally like Sam Rockwell, but he was a charismatic black hole in this. No one really stood out for me. Performances overall felt too wooden for what the movie was going for. There's some cute metatexuual humor, like telegraphing or foreshadowing the ending early in, but it's like the movie only went halfway with its potential as a quirky parody.
I recall a few others on here gave similar disappointing reviews and yeah, I'm right there with you. I didn't hate it, but I probably won't ever rewatch it.
Ehhhhh, it's not as good as I'd hoped. It's very well shot, the mystery is interesting, but I feel like what was clearly supposed to be a quirky parody of mysteries wasn't quirky enough.
I normally like Sam Rockwell, but he was a charismatic black hole in this. No one really stood out for me. Performances overall felt too wooden for what the movie was going for. There's some cute metatexuual humor, like telegraphing or foreshadowing the ending early in, but it's like the movie only went halfway with its potential as a quirky parody.
I recall a few others on here gave similar disappointing reviews and yeah, I'm right there with you. I didn't hate it, but I probably won't ever rewatch it.
I was disappointed with the mystery aspect. It fell into some tropes by offering quite a few red herrings as well as purposely providing as few clues as possible. A clever mystery is one you can watch again and pinpoint all the lovely clues and hints that should have pointed to the killer. This one feels like no one could have possibly have guessed the killer unless you knew to choose the least likely person as your best bet. I did enjoy the Adrian Brody narration at the beginning. That part was fun and clever.
Vengeance
Whataburger. 100%
Whataburger. 100%
Nooooooooo. Surely you jest.
I mean it does suggest he hasn't sat through a lot of stinkers. But I can agree that The Munsters is bad.
It's so bad; he won't stand for it!!
Was watching I, Robot last night.
In light of ChatGPT, MidJourney, etc, this scene in particular did not age particularly well.
In light of ChatGPT, MidJourney, etc, this scene in particular did not age particularly well.
Saw Day shift with the Jamies Fox and Davids Franco. I enjoyed it! It's dumb but fun!
I will say I think it would have worked better as a TV show. Theyve built a lot of world and lore around this but none of it was really explored that much which bothered me. I think also because it's a movie and they have to keep things moving there's some inconsistencies with the rules they established unless I misunderstood them.
Action is great though so probably a B-
I will say I think it would have worked better as a TV show. Theyve built a lot of world and lore around this but none of it was really explored that much which bothered me. I think also because it's a movie and they have to keep things moving there's some inconsistencies with the rules they established unless I misunderstood them.
Action is great though so probably a B-
Ratatouille
I had never seen this movie until yesterday. What? I just never caught it for some reason. It’s cute and I enjoyed it, but I can see why it is an also-ran of the Pixar era. The villain is not especially memorable and all of the hardships are quickly overcome.
I kinda compare it to Alice in Wonderland of the classic era. A good, solid movie that is a fun watch, but few people would mark it as their favorite.
I had never seen this movie until yesterday. What? I just never caught it for some reason. It’s cute and I enjoyed it, but I can see why it is an also-ran of the Pixar era. The villain is not especially memorable and all of the hardships are quickly overcome.
I kinda compare it to Alice in Wonderland of the classic era. A good, solid movie that is a fun watch, but few people would mark it as their favorite.
I dunno if I'd call this an "also-ran"....which generally means a big loser. I recall it being huge at the time.
Ratatouille (film) - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
Spider-Man: No Way Home (Extended Version)
I think the theatrical cut was overall better. A lot of the new scenes don't really add anything to the movie, but they do drag down the pacing. There were some more banter scenes between the various Spideys, which I liked, but that was about it.
I think the theatrical cut was overall better. A lot of the new scenes don't really add anything to the movie, but they do drag down the pacing. There were some more banter scenes between the various Spideys, which I liked, but that was about it.
I saw Wakanda Forever last night. I only meant to watch a bit to see how the vibe was but ended up watching the whole thing. I really enjoyed it! I thought the guy playing Namor was great. I didn't love the opening scene with Shuri trying to save T'chala. I think it would have been better to just open on the funeral.
Puss in Boots the Last wish
PHENOMENAL, beautiful animation,great message and an AWESOME antagonist! The wolf I mean,John Mulaney was good to but... anyone else think literally any other character could've played Jack Horner? I dunno, he's just not the best character actor to me.
PHENOMENAL, beautiful animation,great message and an AWESOME antagonist! The wolf I mean,John Mulaney was good to but... anyone else think literally any other character could've played Jack Horner? I dunno, he's just not the best character actor to me.
I appreciated what Mulaney brought to the role.
The antagonists are all played wonderfully and each give the film something special and cover all bases of villains. The wolf is played menacing and completely humorless. Goldi and the bears are funny but gives some emotionally sweet moments. Jack is just unapologetically evil and funny.
Yeah that's fair, especially how
Jack broke Not-Jiminy!
RRR - whooooo, this movie is a trip! I've seen a number of Bollywood/South Asian films, so I know they have a certain formula and style, but this really exceeded my expectations. Just get comfy, because ...3 hours?!? We were 2 hours in, and Mr. Z says to me, "There's another hour?! Where are they going to go from here?", but he also loved the insanity of the climax, so I guess it was worth it. Actually, the over-the-top insanity of all the fight sequences makes this unforgettable. I think the one in the middle was my favorite (no spoilers).
Side note, though, I think it's a shame Netflix only offers it in Hindu instead of it's originally filmed Telugu, if only because "Naatu Naatu" comes out sounding like "Nacho Nacho". I feel a little bit better because Mr. Z's Indian coworkers had the same complaint.
Side note, though, I think it's a shame Netflix only offers it in Hindu instead of it's originally filmed Telugu, if only because "Naatu Naatu" comes out sounding like "Nacho Nacho". I feel a little bit better because Mr. Z's Indian coworkers had the same complaint.
I am married to an Indian lady and have seen my share of Indian films. We are baffled by the hoopla around RRR. South Indian films are pretty notorious for being over the top. Exhibit A: Tollywood
I don't want to be overly critical because it's not my culture.
Here are a few that I really enjoyed:
Udaan
Water
Mr and Mrs Iyer
However, my list is like comparing Justice League to Schindler's List.
I don't want to be overly critical because it's not my culture.
Here are a few that I really enjoyed:
Udaan
Water
Mr and Mrs Iyer
However, my list is like comparing Justice League to Schindler's List.
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Water is beautiful and heartbreaking.
My review of Skinamarink:
It's like when you were a kid and had to go to bed before everyone else so you were in bed in the dark and couldn't sleep and the door was cracked open so you could see the hallway a bit and hear adults talk here and there. It's that for and hour and forty minutes.
It's like when you were a kid and had to go to bed before everyone else so you were in bed in the dark and couldn't sleep and the door was cracked open so you could see the hallway a bit and hear adults talk here and there. It's that for and hour and forty minutes.
figmentPez
Staff member
We Have a Ghost
This was a lot of fun. The main characters are engaging, the story has a wide range of emotion and really hits some great notes. Some of the antagonists have inconsistent characterization, but that's a minor nit-pick. This is a great movie with a ton to offer. Humor, action, touching moments, suspense, family, friendship, romance... It packs a lot into a couple of hours, but it all fits together pretty well.
Highly recommended.
This was a lot of fun. The main characters are engaging, the story has a wide range of emotion and really hits some great notes. Some of the antagonists have inconsistent characterization, but that's a minor nit-pick. This is a great movie with a ton to offer. Humor, action, touching moments, suspense, family, friendship, romance... It packs a lot into a couple of hours, but it all fits together pretty well.
Highly recommended.
Cocaine Bear
I do not feel that I expected much from a movie about a coked-up bear. I wanted mayhem, destruction, mauling, and plenty of drug jokes. I feel like we walked away with the "bear" minimum of that and the rest of the film was padded with bland and uninteresting characters, dumb plot points that go nowhere and even a "twist" that accomplishes nothing worth caring about. It's called "Cocaine Bear". It should be about a fucked up bear that's killing people in the most ridiculous ways possible. Even a movie called "Killer Klowns From Outer Space" gives you what you exactly that and it's a fun ride. Tons of wasted potential here. I would expect this kind of thing with a really low budget indie film where they can only afford a CGI bear in a few scenes. But this is a Universal Studios picture. They had the money to put into it. And they knew what needed to be done obviously because the trailer had the pacing that should have been in the actual film.
We've got a cop who is sad because he adopted a dainty dog instead of a dog that fetches. We've got two drug dealers who have a strained friendship due to one recently being widowed. We've got a park ranger who has the hots for a wildlife conservationist. And none of these things lead anywhere at all with the story. We've got a scene where we watch a guy inspecting a gazebo for like 2 whole boring minutes. We've got an edit where the characters say "you saw what it did to that hiker" and it cuts to them tripping over the dead hiker as if they just put two scenes out of order and called the 2nd scene a flash back.
There were two things that made me happy in this film:. A quick joke where the bear snorts coke off of a severed leg. And a fun scene where the bear chases after an ambulance. The rest of it was not worth the admission.
I'm not sure how it got 70% on Rotten Tomatoes. Quantumania is sitting at like 54% and I had much more fun with that one.
I do not feel that I expected much from a movie about a coked-up bear. I wanted mayhem, destruction, mauling, and plenty of drug jokes. I feel like we walked away with the "bear" minimum of that and the rest of the film was padded with bland and uninteresting characters, dumb plot points that go nowhere and even a "twist" that accomplishes nothing worth caring about. It's called "Cocaine Bear". It should be about a fucked up bear that's killing people in the most ridiculous ways possible. Even a movie called "Killer Klowns From Outer Space" gives you what you exactly that and it's a fun ride. Tons of wasted potential here. I would expect this kind of thing with a really low budget indie film where they can only afford a CGI bear in a few scenes. But this is a Universal Studios picture. They had the money to put into it. And they knew what needed to be done obviously because the trailer had the pacing that should have been in the actual film.
We've got a cop who is sad because he adopted a dainty dog instead of a dog that fetches. We've got two drug dealers who have a strained friendship due to one recently being widowed. We've got a park ranger who has the hots for a wildlife conservationist. And none of these things lead anywhere at all with the story. We've got a scene where we watch a guy inspecting a gazebo for like 2 whole boring minutes. We've got an edit where the characters say "you saw what it did to that hiker" and it cuts to them tripping over the dead hiker as if they just put two scenes out of order and called the 2nd scene a flash back.
There were two things that made me happy in this film:. A quick joke where the bear snorts coke off of a severed leg. And a fun scene where the bear chases after an ambulance. The rest of it was not worth the admission.
I'm not sure how it got 70% on Rotten Tomatoes. Quantumania is sitting at like 54% and I had much more fun with that one.