Movies you've just watched

[Jonny2x4]

Rewatched Highlander after having bought the Blu-ray from a Best Buy sale. It's really weird how they made this movie without seeing the franchise potential of its premise, as it feels like the final episode of a long-running series that never actually existed before. The movie completely glosses over everything that happened between Connor acquiring and learning of his immortality during the 16th century and the present day period in 1986. Did Connor encounter or kill other immortals before The Gathering? Did he had any other run-ins with The Kurgan? The Gathering is made like some kind of big event, but we only see four immortals take part of it.

Never bothered to seek out the any of the sequels outside Endgame (I simply took everyone else's word that they were garbage), but I remember really liking the TV series when I was a kid (although it probably aged like milk after rewatching the first few episodes online not long ago).

[soprano1]

I remember really liking the TV series when I was a kid (although it probably aged like milk after rewatching the first few episodes online not long ago).

I AM IMMORTAL, I HAVE INSIDE ME BLOOD OF KINGS!
Loved the series.

[Steamflogger Boss]

The series is okay but not amazing.

The anniversary BD (of the movie) is pretty fantastic, I have it too.

[Jonny2x4]

I'm disappointed the Blu-ray didn't include any stills of the deleted scenes that were said to be lost in a studio fire. Would've been a nice bonus feature.

[Skykid]

Saw Jurassic World 2.

Was far superior to its shitty predecessor. Oddly laid out story but fun, with generally likeable casting (which is a feat in itself these days). Ludicrously idiotic plotting is its worst offence, but otherwise a good see-it-once-and-discard summer blockbuster.

[BryanM]

Birdemic looks kind of promising.

I appreciate the refreshingly realistic art and acting styles. When every frame of every movie ever made has a "special effect" in it, it's reality that is the thing that is actually special, no?

[Koa Zo]

Sorta watched Alien Covenant last night.
Got bored with it and did other stuff while it played.
Seemed dumb and derivative.

Spoiler

I saw the Lore/Data switcheroo coming from a mile away.

The characters and story couldn't hold my interest in the least.


Got to see Western in the theater a couple months ago.
Seemed like a realistic portrayal, the character interactions kept the tension and interest up.

Spoiler

The ending left us hanging a bit, but that's life.

[Zen]

Western

Looks interesting.

[blackoak]

Anyone ever seen Coppola's Rumble Fish, from 1983? I discovered it while digging through the Nicolas Cage back catalogue, of all places. It's kind of a weird combination of Streets of Fire and The Last Picture Show, with a dash of French New Wave to taste. I would say its the most overtly experimental of Coppola's movies (that i've seen), and was a pleasant surprise as I'd heard his post-apocalypse now work was bad. Best movie I've seen in a little while, and I'd really recommend it for Streets of Fire fans especially.

[BryanM]

Sorta watched Alien Covenant last night.
Got bored with it and did other stuff while it played.
Seemed dumb and derivative.

It might be a better series if Scott just went ahead and focused on what he really cares about: his sexual fixation with Fassbender. He could stand to be more like that guy who keeps putting his wife in those Resident Evil movies. There's more honesty in such straightforward schlock.

Prometheus at least had a bunch of... stuff in it. Covenant... it was like they weren't even trying.

The original Alien had a couple layers, man. Yeah you could call it just another haunted house flick, but there's also the theme of the proletariat being exploited. It's always the working man who gets eaten by the ghost, while Mr.Burns gets to dig up and collect the gold in the end. That's more relatable than a creepy sex robot and his aspirations to become a false god.

[BIL]

Best movie I've seen in a little while, and I'd really recommend it for Streets of Fire fans especially.

Aww sheeit, that's me! Onto the list.

Alien Prometheus II: No Helmets In Space Boogaloo

Here's where we were a year ago, such optimism that Covenant would only mostly fuckin suck.

The original Alien had a couple layers, man. Yeah you could call it just another haunted house flick, but there's also the theme of the proletariat being exploited. It's always the working man who gets eaten by the ghost, while Mr.Burns gets to dig up and collect the gold in the end. That's more relatable than a creepy sex robot and his aspirations to become a false god.

And Alien still managed to fit in the creepy sex robot - an artifical man frustrated by his lack of dong, assaulting women with his rolled-up porno mag, all but exploding with backed-up cum! PLUS Actual Cosmic Horror™!

Now we're grown-ass mayne who can rent all the R-rated VHS tapes we want, and what do we get?

[they] are interesting entities not fully explained, but to keep an audience interested in those things it couldn’t be abstraction, it couldn’t be a purely ‘alien story’ about things we can’t relate to. It was going to have to be connected to our own story. Somehow the story of those creatures was going to have to be connected to the human story, not just our history but our fate to come.

Spoiler

[Jonny2x4]

Here's where we were a year ago, such optimism that Covenant would only mostly fuckin suck.

I think I might had said it here before, but they should've just let Neil Blomkamp make his Superman Returns-style sequel to Aliens. It might had turned out to be crap anyway, but at least it would've been fun pseudo-preachy crap (like Chappie) instead of boring pseudo-intellectual crap like the two Promotheus movies.

[Xyga]

sharlto copley as a comedic alien-human hybrid could be funny tho. why not, the franchise's fallen so low anyway.

[Zen]

Anyone ever seen Coppola's Rumble Fish, from 1983?

I've seen it. Definitely a love it or hate it affair (the fact you mention Streets of Fire, also signifies, as I have never wanted to watch that that film)

Saw it, against my better judgement, decades ago on the insistence of a friend, who absolutely loved the film (and who also watched it with me. God knows how many times he had watched it already)
The only thing that got me though it, was heroic quantities of alcohol.
Consequently, all I remember of the film was "arty" framing, strong dislike and an even stronger urge to do harm to Matt Dillon
(God forgive me but I pray that he was bullied hard in school. Was there ever a more punchable cunt?!)

I would say that if one has not seen it, a good indicator as to whether one would like it or not, might be gleaned from a look at the cast.

On a more positive note ; If your lucky enough to like it, seems your're in for a treat. Those who do like the film, seem to adore it.

[Zen]

[they] are interesting entities not fully explained, but to keep an audience interested in those things it couldn’t be abstraction, it couldn’t be a purely ‘alien story’ about things we can’t relate to. It was going to have to be connected to our own story. Somehow the story of those creatures was going to have to be connected to the human story, not just our history but our fate to come

Christ Almighty, what a hack!


"interesting entities not fully explained, but to keep an audience interested in those things it couldn’t be abstraction" Not only could it, it needs to be left abstract. Unless, of course, you are writing for cretins.

"it couldn’t be a purely ‘alien story’ about things we can’t relate to" Missing the entire concept of "Alien" terror.

"It was going to have to be connected to our own story" Because??

"Somehow the story of those creatures was going to have to be connected to the human story, not just our history but our fate to come" Gentlemen, the absolute state of Screenwriting.

[BryanM]

Here's where we were a year ago, such optimism that Covenant would only mostly fuckin suck.

I think I might had said it here before, but they should've just let Neil Blomkamp make his Superman Returns-style sequel to Aliens. It might had turned out to be crap anyway, but at least it would've been fun pseudo-preachy crap (like Chappie) instead of boring pseudo-intellectual crap like the two Promotheus movies.

I can say I'm still interested in Alien 3: The Newtening. But the desire for it drops about 4% every year.

[Vexorg]

Back to School: ☆☆☆

1986 comedy about a wealthy businessman (Rodney Dangerfield) who attempts to credit feed his way through college with his son after failing to complete high school earlier in life. Would probably be mediocre 80s fare without Rodney Dangerfield's performance to prop it up, but becomes far more entertaining as a result. Also features Robert Downey Jr. with giant 80s hair, where he pretty much already acts like Tony Stark.

[dan76]

Anyone ever seen Coppola's Rumble Fish, from 1983?

I've seen it. Definitely a love it or hate it affair (the fact you mention Streets of Fire, also signifies, as I have never wanted to watch that that film)

Saw it, against my better judgement, decades ago on the insistence of a friend, who absolutely loved the film (and who also watched it with me. God knows how many times he had watched it already)
The only thing that got me though it, was heroic quantities of alcohol.
Consequently, all I remember of the film was "arty" framing, strong dislike and an even stronger urge to do harm to Matt Dillon
(God forgive me but I pray that he was bullied hard in school. Was there ever a more punchable cunt?!)

I would say that if one has not seen it, a good indicator as to whether one would like it or not, might be gleaned from a look at the cast.

On a more positive note ; If your lucky enough to like it, seems your're in for a treat. Those who do like the film, seem to adore it.

I like it, I even have the soundtrack. Hell I even like The Cotton Club, but after that Coppola goes down fast. Rumble Fish is much better than The Outsiders, which he filmed back to back. Apparently Jack Nicholson was offered the part of Matt Dillon's father but turned it down because he didn't like the script. Hopper played it just before cleaning up.

Watched Blade Runner again at one of these shitty Secret Cinema things. Great film almost ruined by an awful cinema going experience. They had actors dressed up like Ford and Hauer miming to the lines... Everyone seemed to like it but I was sitting there like the angriest dog in the world.

[Zen]

I like it, I even have the soundtrack. Hell I even like The Cotton Club, but after that Coppola goes down fast. Rumble Fish is much better than The Outsiders, which he filmed back to back.

I have seen neither The Cotton Club, nor The Outsiders and if I go to my grave without having seen them, I will be content

Apparently Jack Nicholson was offered the part of Matt Dillon's father but turned it down because he didn't like the script. Hopper played it just before cleaning up.

Jack is wise.
Hopper, well . . .

I can recommend Coppola's The Conversation (1974), though. Gene Hackman is very strong, in it.

[BIL]

The Conversation is superb. A subtly black-humoured neurotic tightrope, teetering between dread and paranoia, featuring (genuine spoiler)

Spoiler

perhaps the most deeply troubling scene involving a blocked toilet on film.

[Zen]

That scene was absolute Freudian horror.

Spoiler

The cramped framing and the claustrophobic setting of the sequence, made me push back in may chair, to escape the thrones issue

[GaijinPunch]

I can recommend Coppola's The Conversation (1974), though. Gene Hackman is very strong, in it.

I've heard great things about this. Must check out. Maybe for my next flight.

[JBC]

Maybe if the new Terminator 3 works out we'll get the new Alien 3.

[BryanM]

Not sanguine on that unless Scott gets exiled in shame forever for something else.

Terminator gets two mid-canon reboots while Alien gets zero, go figure. I even liked The Summer Glau Chronicles, though I never finished watching it. What happened anyway? Did John Conner win, "cure" Kerrigan, and spend his middle age years in a middle aged boy band?

(Starting to reevaluate my life choices here. I don't finish watching things I like, but I gave House of Demons a shot yesterday.)

(Don't watch House of Demons, people. You'll regret it more deeply than anything you've regretted in your entire life within the first 4 minutes. Samurai Cop or Troma exploitation, this is not.)

[BIL]

I even liked The Summer Glau Chronicles, though I never finished watching it. What happened anyway? Did John Conner win, "cure" Kerrigan, and spend his middle age years in a middle aged boy band?

I watched the whole thing back then, right to the cockblocking cancellation. That's several unrequited hours I could've put to use doing something that'd benefit my older, balder self now. However this means you didn't make the same mistake and can proceed at safe distance now, so I am glad there was some reason for it after all!

HERE IS HOW IT WENT DOWN (・｀W´・)

Spoiler

ShirleyMansonBot-1000 turns out to be fomenting an insurrection VS Skynet, with Cromartie as her trump card. She saves John from assassination by Skynet's human dupes, with a movie reference that makes everyone stand up and applaud ("GIT DOON"). SummerGlauBot-800 sacrifices her brainbox to make a time portal to send Cromartie to the future to combat Skynet. Its like poetry they rhyme!

A sorrowful John and plucky ShirleyMansonBot-1000 go to the future too. She fucks off and he meets Kyle Reese, who is also being played by some poofy twink. Bryan Austen Green's affectingly unceremonious death a few eps earlier is shat on, as he pops up with skull intact to say something snarky. There is a momentous wordless cliffhanging silence, and then the series got... shitcanned forever.

~THE END~

Despite a few appallingly poor episodes (that fucking miss piggy preggo lady, STFU already ), I didn't hate it overall. Been a decade, but I recall some decent writing here and there, with a coherent attempt to develop beyond pure existential war. I liked the battle for the soul of infant AI Cromartie, and the uneasy mooting of possible coexistence via ShirleyMansonBot-1000. There was still plenty of utter malevolence and kill/be killed, it just shaded things a bit. Makes sense for a TV series versus a two-hour movie, imo.

I also liked the concept of a human conspiracy unwittingly aiding Skynet. Creepier and trickier than yet more straight ROBOT AHNULD KILL U - and occasionally, a Robot Ahnuld really would show up to kill you! I think the show could've decently acquitted itself with a third and final season, or even just a two-part series finale.

But nothing in this franchise ends up going anywhere anyway, so it's hard to care much ain't it. Though there is some quality tragicomedy in the role which gave Lena Headey a leg up later going to her Game of Thrones colleague, the useless Emilia Clarke! I apologise on behalf of Cuck Island, that was not a fair exchange!

Great reply from SummerGlauBot-800 to Nice Therapist Granny in That One Ep. "And when you find your bf, dearie?" "I'm going to kill him and place his head on a pike for all to see." "Oh nooo!" However, that irritating hambeast was ALSO in the same ep!

[blackoak]

The Conversation is top 5 for me, definitely my favorite Coppola.

@Zen, yeah, I totally get you on Rumble Fish. Everyone draws their line in the sand with pretension a little differently... this one almost pushed too far for me, but stopped just short of cringeville. I'm wary of stuff like Godard, usually don't like ostentatious and affected cinematography, but this one took me by surprise. We'll see how it holds up to repeat viewings, hehe...

I saw Sarah Connor Chronicles a few years back... kind of a slow start but I found myself surprisingly engaged by the end. I guess it's the best Terminator entry after T2, which isn't saying much, but.

JOHN?!

Mom!?!

JOHn?!

Mom!

...that's what i most remember about it, hahaha

[GaijinPunch]

I saw Sarah Connor Chronicles a few years back... kind of a slow start but I found myself surprisingly engaged by the end. I guess it's the best Terminator entry after T2, which isn't saying much, but.

Other than having the shitty white rapper from 90210 as Kyle, I found the series pretty good (even though I unfortunately didn't finish it)... good for episodic network TV anyway. The fact that it didn't last is probably a statement of it being decent quality.

[rapoon]

Repo Man - nihilistic, punk rock, extraterrestrial adventure with one of the best soundtracks to boot. the circle jerks live performance of 'when the shit hits the fan' is an added bonus. shame Cox didn't do much worth a shit afterward (excluding walker). Gary Oldman carries Sid & Nancy, and Straight to Hell was terrible; what'd he expect putting shane macgowan and strummer together in front of a camera. good soundtrack though.

[neorichieb1971]

Coco.

Sometimes Pixar hits, sometimes it misses. This is more miss than hit but still gets a 7/10. Aside from the Pixar art style, this level of entertainment could be had by any of the animator studios. Story has some cool ideas, but relies on too much cat and mouse chasing scenes which makes most of the scenes forgettable.

Hoping for better in the Incredibles 2.

[wgogh]

Repo Man - nihilistic, punk rock, extraterrestrial adventure with one of the best soundtracks to boot. the circle jerks live performance of 'when the shit hits the fan' is an added bonus. shame Cox didn't do much worth a shit afterward (excluding walker). Gary Oldman carries Sid & Nancy, and Straight to Hell was terrible; what'd he expect putting shane macgowan and strummer together in front of a camera. good soundtrack though.

Shane MacGowen and Joe Strummer are basically the reason for anyone to watch it. I like it for what it is, same for Sid & Nancy.
Also, the video that Cox did for A Pair Of Brown Eyes by the Pogues is really cool.