Movies you've just watched

[Lord Satori]

Saw most of Neighbors. The bbq I was at had someone who played a bit part in the movie there so we watched it in order to embarrass him or something.

The movie itself was garbage just like you'd expect. Not to mention its premise makes no sense in the first place. The movies only redeeming quality was that it managed to pass the time faster.

[Skykid]

Five minute clip from the 2017 live-action version of Ghost in The Shell: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlXuACzsPcw

The practical EFX shown in the live-action version of GiTS were fabricated by none other than Weta Workshop themselves based out of New Zealand, folks.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

It doesn't actually look that good sadly. There's just far too much reliance these days on the CGI slowmo to make the movie "impressive" - so that's really all it is. Just a lot of money and swooping cameras and slowmo CGI to gloss over everything perfunctory.

It's a shame they couldn't give it to a real director who understands the beauty of GiTS was the way Oshii focused on the smaller details, using static, thoughtful cinematography and a perfectly poised sense of future-bleakness.

Hollywood just ingests all that, crushes it into an object, and then splashes money and paint on it until it becomes a very shiny and very expensive spinning top that looks remarkably similar to the previous 600 they turned out the same year.

[Stevens]

It doesn't actually look that good sadly.

When I saw the preview I felt most of it was a shot for shot remake. Why bother?

[Skykid]

It doesn't actually look that good sadly.

When I saw the preview I felt most of it was a shot for shot remake. Why bother?

It's definitely not a shot for shot remake, it lacks that understated class.

I'm a fan of Johannsen's bodysuit though.

[Mischief Maker]

I'm a fan of Johannsen's bodysuit though.

I'm not. In fact this whole trailer is a perfect example of the phenomena that when you try to sanitize the salacious to make it PG-13 or god forbid kid-friendly that the sexiness turns into creepiness. Like when they made a Ninja Gaiden game for the DS and to keep things kid friendly the turned their usual voluptuous sex object character that the camera lingers over into a hideously deformed demon.

This scene is a perfect example of why the argument that raising minimum wage would just lead to waitresses being replaced by robots is bullshit. Would YOU want to pay good money to go to a Hooters staffed by ghoulish corpse-faced robots like that? Think how much cheaper and more effective the scene would have been if they just used hot actresses with mime skills? If you started with an attractive woman then had her start sprouting neck rape tentacles and disjointing her limbs into a scuttling spider it would have been shocking and interesting. But as it is these robots are nightmare fuel in their default state already so the scene lacks punch.

As for the bodysuit... if they're not going to house her brain in a recognizably human robot body, why did they give her boobs? They'd just get in the way. Clearly she can have a realistically human head, complete with hair, and her cyber cloak still functions. Why wouldn't she want a completely human body to go with during her off hours? But I guess that's a criticism of the cyberpunk genre as a whole. Why do so many people agree to surgically installing cyberware that makes you sexually unattractive?

[GaijinPunch]

It's a shame they couldn't give it to a real director who understands the beauty of GiTS was the way Oshii focused on the smaller details, using static, thoughtful cinematography and a perfectly poised sense of future-bleakness.

Or even the TV show, which is in some ways superior to the film. I've grown to enjoy the latter, although I was not a fan when it first came out. It was a weird one in that the dub was made available quite soon after the Japanese release, and there was no fan sub. That put me off hugely as it was and still is complete and total shit... which sounds like what they're going for with the script of the Hollywood version. Yikes.

And someone correct me if I'm wrong... I feel there is more emphasis on her origins in the trailer of the US film than their is in the entire anime products.

[PC Engine Fan X!]

I'm a fan of Johannsen's bodysuit though.

I'm not. In fact this whole trailer is a perfect example of the phenomena that when you try to sanitize the salacious to make it PG-13 or god forbid kid-friendly that the sexiness turns into creepiness. Like when they made a Ninja Gaiden game for the DS and to keep things kid friendly the turned their usual voluptuous sex object character that the camera lingers over into a hideously deformed demon.

This scene is a perfect example of why the argument that raising minimum wage would just lead to waitresses being replaced by robots is bullshit. Would YOU want to pay good money to go to a Hooters staffed by ghoulish corpse-faced robots like that? Think how much cheaper and more effective the scene would have been if they just used hot actresses with mime skills? If you started with an attractive woman then had her start sprouting neck rape tentacles and disjointing her limbs into a scuttling spider it would have been shocking and interesting. But as it is these robots are nightmare fuel in their default state already so the scene lacks punch.

As for the bodysuit... if they're not going to house her brain in a recognizably human robot body, why did they give her boobs? They'd just get in the way. Clearly she can have a realistically human head, complete with hair, and her cyber cloak still functions. Why wouldn't she want a completely human body to go with during her off hours? But I guess that's a criticism of the cyberpunk genre as a whole. Why do so many people agree to surgically installing cyberware that makes you sexually unattractive?

Here's the 411 on the live action GiTS thermo-optic bodysuit that was developed by Weta Workshop as well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbCyXVEVpKk A lot of work went into the designing and testing aspects of it on the female form/model.

Unless there's an unrated version slated for release down the road, it's easy to see that the live-action GiTS film garnered a PG-13 rating for U.S. audiences so that more of the younger audience aged 13 & up can see it -- means more $$$ for the Hollywood studio in the end (whereas if it was given an R rating {with the usual nudity and whatnot to get the MPAA to give it that particular rating}, it'd garner less $$$ at the American box office -- it's business as usual, folks.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[Durandal]

Why do so many people agree to surgically installing cyberware that makes you sexually unattractive?

Depends on who you're asking in the future.

[Lord Satori]

And someone correct me if I'm wrong... I feel there is more emphasis on her origins in the trailer of the US film than their is in the entire anime products.

I think that the anime film barely touches upon it, but the tv show talks about it more, though they're conflicting stories, iirc. The show places her as one of two survivors of a plane accident and a boy tries to fold paper cranes to pray for her to get well, and she winds up in a prosthetic body.

Spoiler

It also implies that he grows up to be Kuzei/Kuzo/whatever his name was.

The movie is far less interesting, stating that she's simply always had one because of some defect or something, I don't remember.

Either way, neither of them involve the path they seem to be going down in the live action version.

My dad seems dead set on seeing this movie for some reason, so I guess I'll report back if I end up seeing it as well.

[Zen]

Have not seen the Ghost in the Shell (1995). Got to give it watch.

Speaking of Johansson, Watched her recently in Under the Skin (2013) - Jonathan Glazeri. Cant decide whether I liked it or not.

Also watched What We Do in the Shadows (2014) - Jemaine Clement, Taika Waititi. A New Zealand vampire doc/comedy? Low budget fun and some of the actors were very good indeed.

[BIL]

Under The Skin's very much a movie of two halves imo... both a little vexingly under-realised. The first's blunt alien horror and the second's more contemplative approach each have enough content that I didn't feel my time was wasted, but I'd rather it have stuck to one or the other.

Fucking loved that particular scene of near-hallucinatory horror

Spoiler

in the "black room." Creepy as hell, great anticipation and use of sound. Bang!

Recently saw Kontroll (2003). Very cool little movie I find a bit difficult to categorise. Follows a crew of loutish ticket inspectors in a vaguely dystopic subway line. Fare-dodging hijinks, existential longings and a giallo-esque faceless killer all factor in. Elements of blackly comic social satire, surreal thriller and wistful drama in a stylish package. Ultimately a sweet-natured but not sappy movie in an attractively faux-grimy urban context. It's absolutely not a pacey action parkourfest ala District 13 - I was sold it as being such, and I like D17, but anyone expecting rollicking chases through turnstiles and down tracks will be bored senseless. Features one of the most raucously amusing pants-pissing humilations I can recall on film, must GIF it sometime.

[Xyga]

Rogue One

Fell asleep halfway. I'll try another time.

[xxx1993]

So I saw Power Rangers. It starts off very slow, but when it gets to the climax, that's where the fun really begins. Setting the final battle to the Power Rangers theme heard in the very first movie from 1995 and Kanye West's "Power" was what made it fun. And it was hilarious seeing Rita eating a doughnut while looking for the crystal.

Spoiler

Did anybody see the cameo appearances of Amy Jo Johnson and Jason David Frank? You'll see them right at the end of the final battle.

[GaijinPunch]

So I saw Power Rangers. It starts off very slow, but when it gets to the climax, that's where the fun really begins.

Cool. So the movie gets good sometime around the last scene. Sounds great.

[xxx1993]

Yeah. Though Billy briefly morphs halfway in the film, they don't really morph until the climax.

[BIL]

I got to the climax many a time in my youth thanks to Ms. Jo Johnston :3 (eg I WAS JACKIN MY HOG LIKE IT OWED ME MONEY TO MY LITTLE BROTHERS POWER RANGER TAPES )

[boagman]

Rogue One

Fell asleep halfway. I'll try another time.

You really don't need to. Just assume that the robot says some more decent one-liners, and the rebels get the job done. Save yourself some time.

[Skykid]

Rogue One

Fell asleep halfway. I'll try another time.

You really don't need to. Just assume that the robot says some more decent one-liners, and the rebels get the job done. Save yourself some time.

But if you don't finish it you'll miss the best part

Spoiler

where they all die

[Xyga]

I'll just resume and watch it for the visuals, which I expect to be up to the franchise's budget (first part wasn't bad, though sci-fi films are more and more looking like AAA video games)

[Skykid]

I'll just resume and watch it for the visuals, which I expect to be up to the franchise's budget (first part wasn't bad, though sci-fi films are more and more looking like AAA video games)

Decent visuals are sadly brought down by the poverty of execution in all other more important areas. The aforementioned robot's one liners aren't even all that good, either.

[PC Engine Fan X!]

For Xyga,

There are plenty of visual Easter Egg nods/references to other SW films in this stand-alone SW film of Rogue One -- see if you can spot 'em all.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[WelshMegalodon]

You mean like the stormtrooper armor they couldn't get right, or the Red Leader X-wing they mispainted?

[boagman]

Rogue One

Fell asleep halfway. I'll try another time.

You really don't need to. Just assume that the robot says some more decent one-liners, and the rebels get the job done. Save yourself some time.

But if you don't finish it you'll miss the best part

Spoiler

where they all die

Actually, I did rather enjoy the "Vader goes ballistic" scene, come to think of it. But it was a long time coming in a movie where there were too few engaging scenes.

[Mischief Maker]

You mean like the stormtrooper armor they couldn't get right,

As in "you can get beaten to death by a 90 pound waif with a stick" not right?

[GaijinPunch]

T2: Trainspotting

Had heard good things, which made me instantly weary. Very worthy sequel. Definitely not without fault, but whose perfect. Once again, shows how important a great soundtrack and interesting editing are.

[Ixmucane2]

A Cure for Wellness
A promising young employee of a New York investment firm is sent to Switzerland to fetch his boss, who is unwilling to leave an exclusive wellness center. He discovers why.

There's a good treatment of typical hospital and cursed castle situations, and of a main character who gradually becomes a hero, with a story that in the details suffers from massive plot holes (chiefly bad guys who, to put it mildly, don't act in their best interest) but on the whole is unusually straightforward and reasonable (maybe too much, as the mystery is at least in part easy to guess and there's an obvious implicit promise that everything will be explained and resolved). It could be considered typical Hollywood writing, partly sloppy and partly dumbed down for stupid audiences.

Warning: the magnificent cover of I wanna be sedated heard in the trailer doesn't appear in the actual film; the music mostly consists of variations of a simple carillon melody.

[gbaplayer]

The Incredible Melting Man
Great practical effects and a nice story. I liked it.

[Xyga]

For Xyga,

There are plenty of visual Easter Egg nods/references to other SW films in this stand-alone SW film of Rogue One -- see if you can spot 'em all.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

Done watching it, okay sure there were tons of those.

Still aside from the polished cgi-visuals (completely ott for a side-story, especially the too grandiose space battle) the easter eggs are about the most interesting thing in the entire film.

The story is ridiculous (see spoiler), and the script completely fails to build up the tension you would expect from that kind of 'in-extremis desperate mission' scenario.

Spoiler

the thing where they just leave like that as rogues without being stopped by the alliance - that later still comes to their rescue - is ridiculous.

The kung fu guy is too much, Saw is one of the lamest characters I have ever seen, and that girl's makeup is irritating af I wanted to wash her face with a wet towel.
Also big levers and useless computers. But that's SW-like so that at least is okay.

PS/ did I mention the music is completely unnoticeable? No? well it is.

[Skykid]

Still aside from the polished cgi-visuals (completely ott for a side-story, especially the too grandiose space battle) the easter eggs are about the most interesting thing in the entire film.

Only interesting thing. Nothing else qualifies as interesting, probably because there's no worthwhile backstory, build up, character development, intrigue or scripting.

and that girl's makeup is irritating af I wanted to wash her face with a wet towel.

You forgot her one-note non-expression.

PS/ did I mention the music is completely unnoticeable? No? well it is.

Indeed, the OST is crud.

[Xyga]

Well yeah it's fucked up, though to the question "is is better than TFA?" I would answer "yes, but that still isn't much"