Movies you've just watched

[rapoon]

In a strictly literal sense, yes, it is a film propelled by it's visuals and sound.
That being said, it has all the depth and soul, of a fucking MTV video.

The visuals - plastic and disposable, the score - utterly forgettable, the soundscape - amateur hyper-compressed for instant aural attention.
It suffers from the Gosling, the cretinous writing behind Leto's character, Ford - Grave Robbery, and on and on and on . . .
The only gravitas and soul, shown in the entire pointless farce, was by Dave Bautista.

One still from the original, one phrase from Vangelis' score, one moment of Ford in his prime and this ridiculous impostor is lost, like tears . . . well, you know the rest.

I think you gentlemen, are being entirely too generous in its critique. The film, is a desiccated zombie, a creative vacuum.

Denis Villeneuve, needs to put on some cloths, or get arrested for gross indecency.

Visuals: I'm specifically referring to Syd Meads (who worked on both films) dystopian design. the retro-futuristic architectural style and socioeconomic commentary is identical to the first.

Sound: Viciously grope nostalgia and hold up the original score as a metric? I'll politely suggest that you're out of your mind if you believe every (you used phrase) bar or stanza is worthy of that accolade.
We cannot discuss Bladerunners OST without stipulating which OST we heard.... However, the reality is that it's pointless to compare the two.

Otherwise, I'm in partial agreement; unequivocal agreement regarding Leto.

[Zen]

Visuals: I'm specifically referring to Syd Meads (who worked on both films) dystopian design. the retro-futuristic architectural style and socioeconomic commentary is identical to the first.

The Syd Mead designs, were not my target. The clean, plastic implementation of them, within the film, was.

Sound: Viciously grope nostalgia and hold up the original score as a metric? I'll politely suggest that you're out of your mind if you believe every (you used phrase) bar or stanza is worthy of that accolade.

Nostalgia? Yes. Villeneuve "turned out" this film as such. All comparisons, including subjective ones, are therefore "Fair Game".
Objectively; there are no Memories of Green, or Blade Runner Blues to be found here, just a mess of cynical, soulless, over-compressed beige. Baby-food, for "retro"-hipsters.

Those that did Viciously grope nostalgia, are the pretender Villeneuve, the writers and Zimmer/Wallfisch.
Villeneuve dropped the late, great Johann Johannsson, (who was wasted on this joke) and hired Zimmer/Wallfisch, with instructions to; "go back to something closer to Vangelis's soundtrack".

We cannot discuss Bladerunners OST without stipulating which OST we heard.... However, the reality is that it's pointless to compare the two.

I would say again, that if the corpse of an icon is to be rudely disinterred and marketed to the profane, in sonic (and visual) mimicry, then a swift kick to the balls comparison, is not only warranted, it is necessary.

[rapoon]

The Syd Mead designs, were not my target. The clean, plastic implementation of them, within the film, was.

then we're discussing two entirely different things.
what exactly is your complaint, there wasn't a scene shot inside the Ennis House or they didn't film inside the Kowloon Walled City?

Nostalgia? Yes. Villeneuve "turned out" this film as such. All comparisons, including subjective ones, are therefore "Fair Game".
Objectively; there are no Memories of Green, or Blade Runner Blues to be found here, just a mess of cynical, soulless, over-compressed beige. Baby-food, for "retro"-hipsters.

Those that did Viciously grope nostalgia, are the pretender Villeneuve, the writers and Zimmer/Wallfisch.
Villeneuve dropped the late, great Johann Johannsson, (who was wasted on this joke) and hired Zimmer/Wallfisch, with instructions to; "go back to something closer to Vangelis's soundtrack".

discourse over what constitutes 'good music' is likely to yield as much fruit as reviewing music in its entirety or a more apt comparison, discussing whether Gould's Bach interpretations are shit. It's a pointless discussion. Other than the colorful critique over the brevity of the tracks, all I've read here is you hedge your bets on the Vangelis name. Heralding around the Blade Runner OST, cock in hand, regurgitating the tautology that it's an insurmountable masterpiece doesn't lend credence to the claim, and just like your commentary on the visual in relationship to mine, it's non sequitur; we're entirely capable of judging each soundtrack on it's merits, and enjoying them both.

[Mischief Maker]

I just wanna state for the record that the director's cut of Legend, with its original symphonic score, is vastly inferior to the theatrical cut with the Tangerine Dreams soundtrack, even if its plot is more sensical.

The tangerine dreams music turns the movie itself into a Fantasia-esque music video flight of fancy instead of the poorly written wading-pool-deep script handed over to the commercial director who had a jet maneuver straight into a woman's crotch to sell perfume.

[Zen]

then we're discussing two entirely different things.
what exactly is your complaint, there wasn't a scene shot inside the Ennis House or they didn't film inside the Kowloon Walled City?

Rather than repeat my entire critique, my review, is on this page; viewtopic.php?f=3&t=32519&p=1295073&hil ... 9#p1295073

Like some other film fans on this thread, I had initially thought that no models were used (iirc, GaijinPunch corrected us on this misconception)
The original Blade Runner, made the viewer practically feel the grime and the dampness. This cash-in, in no way, had that used-universe feel.
To such an extent, that I was fairly convinced that extensive CGI was the culprit. To wit; this plastic film, with plastic intentions, felt . . . plastic.

discourse over what constitutes 'good music' is likely to yield as much fruit as reviewing music in its entirety or a more apt comparison, discussing whether Gould's Bach interpretations are shit. It's a pointless discussion. Other than the colorful critique over the brevity of the tracks, all I've read here is you hedge your bets on the Vangelis name. Heralding around the Blade Runner OST, cock in hand, regurgitating the tautology that it's an insurmountable masterpiece doesn't lend credence to the claim, and just like your commentary on the visual in relationship to mine, it's non sequitur;

Sure, "good" can be enormously subjective. So let us instead use the word "talent". Zimmer/Wallfisch, were commissioned to perform musical necrophilia. The result was then hyper compressed in the mix.
Result; gratuitous, nostalgia-mining, soulless clone, driven to even further cynicism by adding enough compression to turn all the sound systems of all worlds Cinema's into aural vibrators. Or, in musically correct terms, SHIT!

Not a big Vangelis fan, at all. His work for Blade Runner, was on point though. A case of the right music, in the right place, at the right time. Unlike Plastique 2049.

Guilty and brazenly Unapologetic about leading with my cock, though. Is there any other way?

we're entirely capable of judging each soundtrack on it's merits,

Yes.

and enjoying them both.

No.



I would again press the point, that it is not unfair to judge 2049 in the shadow of Blade Runner. In fact, I would say that it is essential.
They bring us a nostalgic mickey finn, with all the bells and whistles of "modern" cinema.
If you grew up with the unique, authentic and temporally correct experience, of Young's visage, Ford's voice and Vangelis' mood, all set to Scott's lighting, you know whats going on here.

2049 wants to both fuck you and have you pay for the "experience".

[Zen]

the commercial director who had a jet maneuver straight into a woman's crotch to sell perfume.

Nothing wrong with that, at all.
(What has become) An iconic ad, for an iconic scent. Wonderful.
Perhaps more importantly, it is honest. Unlike, for example pretentious shit, like Nicolas Winding Refn's The Neon Demon (2016), which, as I have said before, is basically a two hour perfume ad, posing as a film.
(Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer do a much more enjoyable job of it, with their Starry Eyes (2014) )

[GaijinPunch]

Not a big Vangelis fan, at all.

He's no Lord of Synth

[rapoon]

If you grew up with the unique, authentic and temporally correct experience, of Young's visage, Ford's voice and Vangelis' mood, all set to Scott's lighting, you know whats going on here.

oh that's nice.... what's your other trump card, "you didn't like it because you didn't understand it"?
I grew up with the flick, and I've seen it far more too many times. One of these days you're going to have to pull your hand out of nostalgia's panties. and you keep it up with the chuckle jokes, my asshole will end up in a prolapsed state.

Zimmer: He took 'Gassenhauer', tripled it's length and called it 'You're So Cool'. He's the musical equivalent to Steve Jobs or Buckminster Fuller; devoid of any true originality, he recycles others work, slaps a shiny label on it and calls it something else. I like the results.


On topic:

Infinity War - fell asleep 30 minutes in.
The Red Pill - Doc about MRA. Interesting posture on an overbearing, distorted topic. delivery was flustered and production was amateur. otherwise, pretty good.

[blackoak]

I'm with Zen, BR2049's OST is pretty much the definition of a pale imitation. Mainly, I thought it lacked the melodic lyricism of Vangelis' score, which is honestly the "secret" why people like it so much I think. If you ever listen to Vangelis talk about the CS-80 synth, he goes on about the unique expressiveness of it's keyboard/ribbon controller, that makes it closer in nuance and subtlety to a traditional orchestral instrument. The new score just doesn't add any melodic innovation and the powerful moments are all quotes/snippets of the first.

The directing and cinematography of 2049 really cast in relief the high quality of Scott's eye (and whoever he was working with) at that time. The Duelists, Alien, and yes, Legend are all suffused with a visual poetry way beyond mere "nostalgia", but i get that only those with ears to hear--or eyes to see in this case--will appreciate the difference. Personally I think the thematic occupations of the original BR are simply more interesting than 2049 too, which has a downstream effect on other aesthetics like visuals, but that would be a longer post that only I would enjoy writing/reading, haha.

...in other news, I watched all of Kelly Reichardt's movies this last month. Speaking of poetic visuals--it was honestly a bit of a surprise to find her in this day and age. Frankly I prefer her subdued and thoughtful approach to post-Days of Heaven Malick. Both are reaching for something deep, but the Heideggerian pomp of Malick is way, way too much for me. For anyone interested I'd rank her films as such, but they were all pretty worthwhile:

Meek's Cutoff
Old Joy / Certain Women
Wendy and Lucy
Night Moves
River of Grass (this one was pretty bad tbh)

[rapoon]

The directing and cinematography of 2049 really cast in relief the high quality of Scott's eye (and whoever he was working with) at that time. The Duelists, Alien, and yes, Legend are all suffused with a visual poetry way beyond mere "nostalgia", but i get that only those with ears to hear--or eyes to see in this case--will appreciate the difference. Personally I think the thematic occupations of the original BR are simply more interesting than 2049 too, which has a downstream effect on other aesthetics like visuals, but that would be a longer post that only I would enjoy writing/reading, haha.

The crux that's belabored this binary discussion, other than the incessant deflections, is a blatant conflation between enjoying 2049 and believing it's equivalent to or better than the original.

[blackoak]

The crux that's belabored this binary discussion, other than the incessant deflections, is a blatant conflation between enjoying 2049 and believing it's equivalent to or better than the original.

Well, personally I rarely enjoy listening to things that are wholly (or mostly) derivative of their inspirations. But the vitriol isn't aimed at people who just happened to casually enjoy a modern-production rehash of some Blade Runner tunes, it's really about the general mealy-mouthed acceptance of the movie. Or has critical consensus started to change...? I remember people praising it to the heavens as the "right way" to do sequels etc, which is just kind of depressing/nauseating if you care about those things.

[blackoak]

I just wanna state for the record that the director's cut of Legend, with its original symphonic score, is vastly inferior to the theatrical cut with the Tangerine Dreams soundtrack, even if its plot is more sensical.

I like both, but you know I'm a sucker for Legend. I think I prefer the Tangerine Dream soundtrack/cut overall too, though. I remember liking the symphonic score for the opening scene with the unicorns.

Are there any other famous examples of movies with two "official" soundtracks? I'm pretty curious about Jóhannsson's original score was going to be before they brought on Zimmer.

[GaijinPunch]

Are there any other famous examples of movies with two "official" soundtracks? I'm pretty curious about Jóhannsson's original score was going to be before they brought on Zimmer.

Coil did the soundtrack for Hellraiser but now Wikipedia tells me it was simply proposed. I thought they had done it and in the end they went some other, shitty direction. The album was at least marketed as having some connection to the film, so maybe that counts?

[Zen]

Heralding around the Blade Runner OST, cock in hand, regurgitating the tautology that it's an insurmountable masterpiece doesn't lend credence to the claim,

oh that's nice.... what's your other trump card, "you didn't like it because you didn't understand it"?
I grew up with the flick, and I've seen it far more too many times. One of these days you're going to have to pull your hand out of nostalgia's panties.

The crux that's belabored this binary discussion, other than the incessant deflections, is a blatant conflation between enjoying 2049 and believing it's equivalent to or better than the original.

Not only wilful misinterpretation but now false predictions of future nonsense? Paired with a strange interest in my tackle, I can only surmise that you are in jest.

Once again (on the off chance that you are in earnest);

Blade Runner - Deservedly iconic.
Blade Runner 2049 - A pointless, parasitic exercise in creatively bankruptcy. Judged as a stand alone film, it is a mediocre. Judged against the original, it is a failure.

Blade Runner Score - Vangelis does for Scott, what Williams does for Lucas.
Blade Runner 2049 Score - Distastefully recycled, Rejected Tyrell Corp elevator muzak.

[rapoon]

Not only wilful misinterpretation but now false predictions of future nonsense? Paired with a strange interest in my tackle, I can only surmise that you are in jest.

you were oblivious to the repeated references to the design prevalent and identical in both films. even after mentioning Syd Mead, the Ennis House, and Kowloon Walled City, you were still quoting me and mentioning the plasticity and cleanliness of the design.... .. you grappled with your crutch and you linked your review; which is unsurprisingly devoid of a single point that runs parallel, perpendicular or oblique to my own. Are these repeated irrelevancies a symptom of obstinance, a failure to take your risperadal dose this morning, or a colossal misinterpretation? or is it something as trivial as you simply don't know when to shut the fuck up.


your entire meandering point can be reduced to the single, goosestepping platitude:

If you grew up with the unique, authentic and temporally correct experience, of Young's visage, Ford's voice and Vangelis' mood, all set to Scott's lighting, you know whats going on here

[Zen]

Not only wilful misinterpretation but now false predictions of future nonsense? Paired with a strange interest in my tackle, I can only surmise that you are in jest.

you were oblivious to the repeated references to the design prevalent and identical in both films. even after mentioning Syd Mead, the Ennis House, and Kowloon Walled City, you were still quoting me and mentioning the plasticity and cleanliness of the design.... .. you grappled with your crutch and you linked your review; which is unsurprisingly devoid of a single point that runs parallel, perpendicular or oblique to my own. Are these repeated irrelevancies a symptom of obstinance, a failure to take your risperadal dose this morning, or a colossal misinterpretation? or is it something as trivial as you simply don't know when to shut the fuck up.


your entire meandering point can be reduced to the single, goosestepping platitude:

If you grew up with the unique, authentic and temporally correct experience, of Young's visage, Ford's voice and Vangelis' mood, all set to Scott's lighting, you know whats going on here

Dear me!
Its ok to like Zimmerman's score, rapoon. Nobody is judging you. It's still shit, though.

[emphatic]

The Return (2003) - Andrey Zvyagintsev

Another upbeat, life-affirming, Russian feel-good film

Actually, its really good.
The performances are strong and the story, the real core here, is engaging (I seem to be in a minority, in that I did not find the story to be in the least bit confusing)
It seemed pretty obvious, where the father had been and where he was going with his sons.
A very "Masculine" film.

Highly recommended.

It's pretty bleak.

[Vexorg]

Not a movie per se, but last night I got a chance to go see the current touring show of Phantom of the Opera in Seattle with my wife. Definitely worth seeing at least once it you get the chance, but also full of fridge logic it you think about it.

Spoiler

Could nobody on the Parisian police force be bothered to investigate the murder of Monsieur Buquet at the end of act 1? Apparently they figured that the Phantom escaped into the sewers, decided that it probably smells like poo gas down there, so they're just going to rule it an accident and call it good.

[boagman]

"Mile 22"

Man, this is just a bad movie. Cost me nothing to see it. I still feel ripped off.

More and more, I just cannot accept that Mark Wahlberg has any real idea of how to be any kind of convincing actor. "Ted" was funny...is there anything else he's been in that's decent?

[GaijinPunch]

"Mile 22"

Man, this is just a bad movie. Cost me nothing to see it. I still feel ripped off.

More and more, I just cannot accept that Mark Wahlberg has any real idea of how to be any kind of convincing actor. "Ted" was funny...is there anything else he's been in that's decent?

I liked Boogie Nights and The Departed. The Departed wouldn't have been much of a stretch for him though.

[kaicooper]

since i already watched most 80's movies even the bad ones or low budget, etc (mostly in 80's and early 90's)
so last night i watch The Beast Within 1982..could be great Werewolf movie but many flaws

[PC Engine Fan X!]

The special EFX shown in The Beast Within is typical early 80's fare -- can't compare it to the real-time puppetry EFX and all-out special EFX wizardry shown in John Carpenter's The Thing which also made it's debut a mere two weeks before E.T. (the latter stole the limelight but the former slowly gained a cult following when it was released on VHS due to it's superb pacing and flow of events). There is an second version of the 1982 "The Thing" movie that has background narration of all the characters + a different ending giving the audience the suggestion of a possible sequel.

If you watch the The Thing that released back in 2011, the ending leads into the introduction of the 1982 The Thing which works quite well.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[Mischief Maker]

If you watch the The Thing that released back in 2011, the ending leads into the introduction of the 1982 The Thing which works quite well.

No, it does not work well at all.

[kaicooper]

plz dont remind of THE THING 2011

[Vexorg]

Crooked House(2017):

Something of a "guilty pleasure" whodunnit based off an Agatha Christie novel, featuring a rich yet comically dysfunctional English family after Wold War 2 with a penchant for backstabbing and drama. When the Grandfather of the family is murdered everyone is a suspect, to the point where it's pretty much a matter of who got there first.. Perfect for the types who enjoy pointless family drama when it isn't their own. The ending gets dark in a hurry.

[Ixmucane2]

Bodom

A traditional slasher setup (two boys and two girls on a lovely old Volvo station wagon go out camping on lake Bodom, somewhere in Finland, on the extremely isolated site of an unsolved crime, the massacre of another party of campers in 1960) with complex characters, genuine plot twists and a rather unusual ending.
Relatively few characters and therefore few killings, with more talking and less knifing than normal for the genre and some peculiar action scenes (a long sequence seems to suggest that tow truck racing might be an actual hobby).
Some genre-conscious ironic touches, like the fresh group of campers, some time later, in the very last scene ("It happened here!").
Very stylish photography, but it often gets in the way of clarity.
Nice electronic music, particularly in the long flashback about SPOILER in the middle that explains all there is to know.

[boagman]

"Mile 22"

Man, this is just a bad movie. Cost me nothing to see it. I still feel ripped off.

More and more, I just cannot accept that Mark Wahlberg has any real idea of how to be any kind of convincing actor. "Ted" was funny...is there anything else he's been in that's decent?

I liked Boogie Nights and The Departed. The Departed wouldn't have been much of a stretch for him though.

Thank you; I *knew* there was a movie I liked him in, which was "The Departed". The trouble is, even in that movie, he's not a lead role, and honestly: his best screen time was at the very end of the movie, WHEN HE DOESN'T ACTUALLY SPEAK. That kind of seems to be a common problem with him...it ain't his strong suit.

I have never seen "Boogie Nights", nor will I. Not my thing.

[lilmanjs]

5th Passenger
You come for the Star Trek actors, and end up with a decently made sci-fi horror movie. Small setting of them being in an escape pod after their main ship goes into an asteroid field and crashes. I enjoyed it, but I know some would say it is too short.

[Zen]

Hereditary (2018) - Ari Aster


I think I will start with a helpful and vital tip;
The bould Gabriel Byrne "comes up for air", fairly infrequently. Gabriel has directors exactly where he wants them, at all times.
When this cute hoor appears in the wild, be warned; if his role is brief, he is only there for the cash. In Hereditary (2018), his role is brief.

To business, then.

DO. NOT. BELIEVE. THE. HYPE.

I have seen this film referred to as, "This generations Exorcist".
Rolling Stone, compares it to The Babadook (2014) -Jennifer Kent and The Witch (2015) - Robert Eggers . . . Fuck Off!
Indeed, the media hype was very brazen in most places you looked.

IMDb - 7.5
Metascore - 87
Rotten Tomatoes - 89-fucking-% - critics (Audience Score, is only 60%)

I know what Ari Aster was trying to achieve here but there are basically two hefty problems;
1. Ari's understanding of his subject, is fan-fiction level. At best.
2. Ari appears to be a shit film maker.

The recent Pyewacket (2017) - Adam MacDonald, is another respectable failure in the now seemingly in-vogue, Occult horror film revival but at least it was not hyped as the saviour of horror.

On a more positive note, with the masterful The Witch (2015), Robert Eggers almost gave Ben Wheatley a run for his money. Almost
Of course, the real deal arrived in 2017, with A Dark Song - Liam Gavin. Ill advised but magnificent nonetheless.

With Hereditary (2018), go in with moderate expectations and it may amuse.

[Zen]

Upgrade (2018) - Leigh Whannell

Starts off engaging and interesting enough and ends on a fairly predictable twist.
The main, central body of the film however, is the worst type of vacuous, t.v grade, painful shit (to just say "padding", would be far too kind)

Examples;
Scene - Main character. Wounded. Limps to destination. Crawls. Along corridors. Up stairs. And on. And on, for about five fucking minutes.
Some utterly shoehorned dialogue at the end of this "scene" - Main character is sent to see a "hacker" known as Jamie;

Main character - Grey; "I'm in kind of a hurry . . . . . Jamie?"
Jamie; "That's not my name. I don't have a name"
Grey; "Ok"
Jamie; "Please don't ask my gender"
Grey; "Yeah, I wasn't gonna do that"
Jamie; "Good".
Grey; "The thing is that I'm gonna need you to do this as fast as possible."
Jamie; "You're the one wasting time putting me in a binary box."





Hello? . . . Hello?! Pest control?
Yeah, we got an infestation down here in the writing department. Could you get over and do a clean-up as soon as possible?
Thanks.


Not recommended.