Movies you've just watched

[YoniArousement]

I re-watched Rush Hour 1 last month, it was pretty crazy. Now I shall re-watch Rush Hour 2.

[Zen]

Anyone can recommend the director's cut of Donnie Darko ?

Just learned about it and apparently it's heavily edited. I've enjoyed the original, so I wonder if hat DC is worth or if there's a risk it'll ruin my appreciation of the film.

I don't believe it adds anything to the film, only takes away from it. Which seems to be a common sentiment.

Listening to the commentary track did much to diminish my fondness for the film. The movie is so incredibly vague, that your personal interpretation of what's going on can be all over the place and very unique.

Much like listening to the explanation of Board James. It's better to not explain the zombies, the explanation of 'why' isn't what it's about.

Agreed.

I would say that the directors cut should be looked at for what it is, that is to say, not the film that has settled into the minds of its fans.
Changing a film after it becomes known, is a silly idea as far as I am concerned. Disastrous, if the film has become beloved.
And who is to say, that what the director always wanted to have in the film but couldn't, has made the film better because of its absence?

Basic example;
When Donnie gets on his bike and rides into the burbs, "The Killing Moon" by Echo & the Bunnymen plays. It suits the camera work, the Halloween sign reveal,
gives an angsty feel and of course, is part of the film in our minds now.
In D.C, it is replaced with Kelly's original choice, "Never Tear Us Apart" by INXS. More sumptuous tune, nice choice buts changes the feel of that scene and perhaps,
would have changed the feel of the whole film if it was included on our fist viewing.

I like Richard Kelly but I have never been able to figure out whether he is smart and brave, or stupid and lucky.
I would not have dared touch that film.
Fate dealt him a great hand and he thinks he is in control? Does he not understand his own film? Or maybe he does and that's why he feels compelled

See, smart and brave, or stupid and lucky. I'm not certain.

[neorichieb1971]

Justice League.

Everyone who went with me enjoyed it. I find with super hero movies that sometimes there is a little too much kicking, punching etc. This movie does quite a bit of punching and kicking without damaging anyone or anything so I kind of zone out after 5 minutes. Unfortunately this is a "someone obvious saves the day" type of movie. The ending is predictable and Batman looks out of place with characters that have real powers.

7/10 though. Enjoyed it for the most part.

[soprano1]

Kill Bill Duology (2003 and 2004)
Had the chance to re-watch it on BluRay on a fucking awesome home video system at an old buddy's house. Story is still wacky as shit, but it's all about the great music going along some nicely done scenes, IMO.

[emphatic]

Kill Bill Duology (2003 and 2004)
Had the chance to re-watch it on BluRay on a fucking awesome home video system at an old buddy's house. Story is still wacky as shit, but it's all about the great music going along some nicely done scenes, IMO.

The Japanese Part 1 has all scenes in color + extra gore.

[Stevens]

Has anyone seen Vanishing Point (1971)?

Yeah, it rules. If you dig road movies then it's top tier. It's really got that trippy early 70's vibe and all about drugs and existentialism, maaan.

Yeah, I dig Vanishing Point, it's groovy.

Was able to snag the DVD off Barnes and Noble for $7. Been looking forward to seeing it for the last few months and it is rare I look forward to movies.

[BryanM]

Fate dealt him a great hand and he thinks he is in control? Does he not understand his own film? Or maybe he does and that's why he feels compelled

I don't think that was his motivation for doing it. Not like that bitch Lucas who did it to keep beating his fans like the money pinatá they are, as well as to screw his ex-wife out of her well-deserved royalties.

It seems it was intended more as an alternative version, "extra content" for fans. He wanted to do it 10 years after it was published, but the suits pushed it forward while it was still in people's memories. One of the rare instances where the suits were probably right, considering how close this movie was to being nothing, and how small it is, still.

To me, it's closer to the Terminator 2 extended cut than Ridley Scott's alien prequel series that's all about explaining "Why zombies?"

Spoiler

The answer is "Because David is a dick."

One thing I liked about the extended Terminator 2 commentary is where Cameron talks about the extra scenes and is basically "yeah the movie's better without these scenes in it."

[Zen]

It seems it was intended more as an alternative version, "extra content" for fans. He wanted to do it 10 years after it was published,

Ah! I see. that would make more sense.
Watching it with that in mind, makes the alterations more of a interesting curio.
Far more palatable.

[soprano1]

Lethal Weapon (1987)
It was cool. Started serious as shit with the suicidal matter, but went full action buddy cop comedy after that.
First time I watched it too. I remember seeing the second one (the one with the South African criminals), and the fourth one with Jet Li (didn't like it very much). I have no recollection of the third one.

[Mortificator]

There's some stuff in Lethal Weapon I really like, but it gets so goofy later, like when Mr. Joshua is let go so he can brawl with Riggs. I don't know if you saw the director's cut, but it has some more scenes in that early pre-buddy portion.

I didn't like the Joe Pesci shtick in the second, and I don't think I've watched the later ones.

[drauch]

I like all the Lethal Weapons, but they certainly go down in quality with each one. 4 gets a little intolerable with a million jokes left and right. Probably the only one I don't love, but it's got some moments, especially the opening.

[M.Knight]

EuroTrip (2004)
A US movie with teenagers who, as you can guess from the title, go on a road trip in several European countries.

It turned out so much funnier than it had every right to be, given its genre and target audience. The main cast gels rather well, the pacing is very tight with the storyline not interfering with the comedic bits but still having its impact on the events, and the stereotypes about both Americans and Europeans as well as the inaccuracies come out as goofy, light-hearted and so over-the-top that they are hilarous.

It has a lot of great scenes and my favorite has to be the arrival at Bratislava :

Spoiler

Not only the caricatural post-apocalyptic depiction of the city with its man-eating dogs roaming the streets is ridiculous, the subsequent exchange rate joke is by far my favorite due to how absurd it is and how I actually tend to make the same kind of jokes with my folks about rupees for example.

[Skykid]

Birdman

One of the best movies I've seen this decade. Beautifully written, knockout performances, fascinating stylisation - the works. Finally a movie deserving of the best picture Oscar, even though the Oscars is a sham.

Can't recommend it highly enough, and it's light years superior to The Revenant.

[emphatic]

EuroTrip (2004)
A US movie with teenagers who, as you can guess from the title, go on a road trip in several European countries.

It turned out so much funnier than it had every right to be, given its genre and target audience. The main cast gels rather well, the pacing is very tight with the storyline not interfering with the comedic bits but still having its impact on the events, and the stereotypes about both Americans and Europeans as well as the inaccuracies come out as goofy, light-hearted and so over-the-top that they are hilarous.

It has a lot of great scenes and my favorite has to be the arrival at Bratislava :

Spoiler

Not only the caricatural post-apocalyptic depiction of the city with its man-eating dogs roaming the streets is ridiculous, the subsequent exchange rate joke is by far my favorite due to how absurd it is and how I actually tend to make the same kind of jokes with my folks about rupees for example.

Agree, it's way funnier than you'd think.

[Zen]

Birdman

One of the best movies I've seen this decade. Beautifully written, knockout performances, fascinating stylisation - the works. Finally a movie deserving of the best picture Oscar, even though the Oscars is a sham.

Can't recommend it highly enough, and it's light years superior to The Revenant.

Couldn't agree more. Absolutely first rate.

The Revenant (2015) had the opposite effect on me. I felt total indifference. Numb. Some beautiful scenery though.

[GaijinPunch]

Why did it take you so long to watch Birdman, Skykid?

As a bit of a photo nerd, The Revenant is technically about the most impressive thing on film in the last 20 years. They shot with only natural light. I definitely like Birdman better though.

[Skykid]

Dunno, just one of those things. Heard it mentioned, knew nothing about it, but hadn't got around to crossing paths with the movie. It's quite a piece of work though, totally unexpected, so I'm glad I finally got to it.

[Vexorg]

Murder on the Orient Express (2017):. ***1/2

Saw this a couple of nights ago, mostly for reasons of cheap tickets (T Mobile Tuesday) and lack of better alternatives. Based on the trailers I was expecting a Guy Ritchie style Technicolor mess, but it (thankfully) avoided most of the nonsense and I actually liked this film reasonably well. I think the main issue modern audiences are going to have with this is a lack of context (audiences for the original story and earlier adaptations would have been likely to have at least a basic knowledge of the Lindbergh kidnapping that the original story borrows from, but modern audiences probably won't) but overall the cinematography is reasonably good aside from a few spots of iffy CGI. Overall it might make a decent Redbox movie, but I'm not sure I'd pay full price in theaters to watch it. Aside from Kenneth Branagh as Hercule Poirot, none of the other characters seem all that memorable, and I suspect without the ridiculous mustache even Poirot wouldn't be much better.

Apparently this one has done well enough for the studio to greenlight an adaptation of Death on the Nile in the same style.

[Zen]

Kenneth Branagh as Hercule Poirot

The most prominent of the many reasons I wont be watching it.

Apparently this one has done well enough for the studio to greenlight an adaptation of Death on the Nile in the same style.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74DeoFjmA74

[soprano1]

David Suchet will always be Poirot for me. Granted, the adapted to TV Orient Express from 2010 or so wasn't nothing special. A bit over dramatic.

[Skykid]

Kenneth Branagh as Hercule Poirot

The most prominent of the many reasons I wont be watching it.

That's the only reason I need not to be watching it. He's absolutely godawful and ruins everything he's in.

[soprano1]

That's the only reason I need not to be watching it. He's absolutely godawful and ruins everything he's in.

Spoiler

I do declare, you are quite the critic, my boy.

[BrianC]

I bought the 70s movie of Murder on the Orient Express (with Albert Finney as Poirot) since I heard good things and it was on sale in HDX for 4.99. I haven't seen it yet, though. I'm also skeptical of the new one. I did watch one episode of the David Suchet Poirot and enjoyed it, though I heard Orient Express was one of the later ones and not up to snuff with the older ones.

[soprano1]

I heard Orient Express was one of the later ones and not up to snuff with the older ones.

Yeah, it was made in 2010, near the end of the series with Suchet. It's just short of mediocre. I still don't understand why they decided to make Poirot become a bitter and angry old man in this one, with a "I don't give a rat's ass who did it, you are all deceptive and degenerate bohemians" attitude.

[Zen]

The Madness of King George (1994) - Nicholas Hytner

Rummaging though boxes of stored DVDs (they are worth nothing and I cant bring myself to throw them out), the cover of this one caught my eye.
So, pick something off my "to-watch" list, or re-watch this?
No contest.

In turns hilarious and crushing, with immaculate characterisation, an immense cast of the finest quality and that screenplay.
Oh, and Handel.

Highly recommended.

[WelshMegalodon]

In other news, the Snyderverse is dead.

Meanwhile...

Marvel has 20 more movies on the slate after Avengers 4

Elsewhere in the article [from Vanity Fair], it is stated that Disney has promised at least another 20 years (not films, years) of Marvel characters, and that the company owns the rights to 7000+ characters.

[BryanM]

I remember how exciting it was when X-Men came out, since it was the first big budget superhero movie in a long time. As "eh" overall it ended up being, it was still something special.

Now I just want the nightmare to stop.

[Some-Mist]

not much of a cape fan myself... but I've enjoyed the ones I've seen.

the last movie in theaters that I saw was guardians of the galaxy 2 (doubt that counts)
before that was dr. strange but that's because we went on a holiday with family
before than was the midnight release of x-men 2 because a friend wanted me to go

I never read the graphic novel, but I really enjoyed watchmen

the only other movies I've seen (not in theaters) is a lot of batman movies. I've seen like the last 6 recent ones, but adore the tim burton though I don't know how those are received.
also rewatched batman and robin because of the spree I went on with "how did this get made" episodes and it was as hilarious as they make it out to be.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEYCSRGmQxg

so I can't exactly agree since I haven't seen many, but it's obvious how it's an oversaturated market.

[neorichieb1971]

I've seen every DC and Marvel movie made in the past 10-15 years, including the Spiderman franchise that went to Sony. The theme throughout is that the USA needs saving whilst every other country gets by without super heroes.

Nuff said..

[GaijinPunch]

I've seen every DC and Marvel movie made in the past 10-15 years, including the Spiderman franchise that went to Sony. The theme throughout is that the USA needs saving whilst every other country gets by without super heroes.

Nuff said..

Battman went to Hong Kong... without a passport.