The Last Movie(s) You Watched... (quick one or two sentence reviews)

[mnkykungfu]

File these three under "Coulda Been a Romance, But Ain't...":

A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)
Marlon Brando in only his 2nd role smolders through scenes in a way that could fool you into thinking this is going to be about simmering seduction or sublimated sexuality... instead, it's old-fashioned "It's a Man's world, and women be crazy" plotting with advanced verbiage.

Mona Lisa (1986)
Before his big film, The Crying Game, auteur Neil Jordan attmpted something similar here, but less shocking. High marks for the Phil Collins-soundtracked traipsing through dirty 'ol Kings Cross, but the film doesn't have much to it besides Bob Hoskins' bulldog performance.

This Is 40 (2012)
A down-and-dirty look at a formerly happy couple just about imploding as they reach their 40th birthdays in the same week. Judd Apatow has a gift for making the fights and dialogue in relationships super believable... so believable that this acts as an anti-marriage PSA: "Just say 'No' to marriage, kids!"

 

[Moe_Syzlak]

She Said. There’s two fairly niche genres I’m a sucker for: the heist movie and the investigative journalism movie. This is a solid movie of the latter. It doesn’t quite rise to the level of Spotlight let alone All The President’s Men, which is a tad frustrating given the subject matter. But it’s hard for me to pinpoint what kept it from those heights. The only specific criticism I can make is the way the film handles one victim (Laura) whose story is told outside of the investigation by different actors until the third act. This was at times a bit confusing. But that’s a minor quibble and the movie is still one of the year’s best.

 

[Eyepainter]

Somewhere in Time - 1980

This was recommended to me by ArtisDead, so I decided to give it a watch. Overall, this is one of the better made love stories. The cinematography is gorgeous. The music is effective. The direction by Jeannot Szwarc is arguably his best. I will say that I did watch this with my brain turned on and my heart turned off. And that was probably not the best way to watch this. Because if I'm being perfectly honest, Christopher Reeve's character... is a creep. In fact, I sided with Christopher Plummer's character when he was first introduced (although I will agree that he does take his actions too far as the story goes on). But Reeve's obsession with this lady from 1912 made me feel very uncomfortable, and that alone left me with no choice but to drop some points. However, if I'm willing to ignore that and focus on everything else, this is still one of the better romantic dramas I've come across. I wouldn't recommend it if you're looking for good dating advice though.

 

[mnkykungfu]

^I love the unique take on time-travel in that, but you're right, it's more of a sentimental movie than a cerebral one. My sisters absolutely adore it, and to put things in perspective: take the actions of nearly every single man in every single romantic film made and apply them to real life. You'd be arrested or have rotten fruit thrown at you. I prefer to just buy into the attraction of the characters rather than get into a discussion about cursed sleeping princesses not having agency when they're kissed.

 

[Ender]

I just watched The Fifth Element with my dad. It was fun. The inclusion of Greek elements feels a bit random since it's only relevant for the last ten minutes or so yet they make it the title of the film. Ruby Rhod was a touch annoying, but I get what they were going for and respect it. He fills a role similar to Willie Scott in Temple of Doom, who I happen to be a big fan of. It just doesn't quite land here. His voice is kinda annoying but at the same time it's hard to fault when it's the perfect complement for his bizarre grandiosity. The needless sexualization of Leeloo was actually not nearly as bad as I had feared it would be, being mostly contained to the skimpy outfit they gave her in her first few scenes. I loved Ian Holm as the priest. Gary Oldman's villain Zorg was lots of fun too. Overall, it was a fun film and I recommend it for anyone looking for a good time and isn't too prude about sexual content.

 

[addiesin]

I just watched The Fifth Element with my dad. It was fun. The inclusion of Greek elements feels a bit random since it's only relevant for the last ten minutes or so yet they make it the title of the film. Ruby Rhod was a touch annoying, but I get what they were going for and respect it. He fills a role similar to Willie Scott in Temple of Doom, who I happen to be a big fan of. It just doesn't quite land here. His voice is kinda annoying but at the same time it's hard to fault when it's the perfect complement for his bizarre grandiosity. The needless sexualization of Leeloo was actually not nearly as bad as I had feared it would be, being mostly contained to the skimpy outfit they gave her in her first few scenes. I loved Ian Holm as the priest. Gary Oldman's villain Zorg was lots of fun too. Overall, it was a fun film and I recommend it for anyone looking for a good time and isn't too prude about sexual content.

Negative.

Reveal message

I am a meat popsicle.

🤪


(I love that movie, and for some reason that line has stuck in my head as the biggest question. What does it mean?)

 

[Ender]

What does negative mean in this context?

 

[addiesin]

What does negative mean in this context?

It's a quote from the film. Read the spoiler.

 

[mnkykungfu]

Some time back I posted a quick listing of about a dozen DC animated movies that I'd caught up with. Not to go into too much detail, but I'd avoided most of this new rough continuity they'd established called the "DCAMU" which had new designs for most of their big characters and attempted to tell new introductions for most of them... mostly much worse than their previous films. With them deciding to kiss all that goodbye and start over in 2021, I decided to catch up with the rest of all those ....ranking below:

Constantine: City of Demons (2018) - great dark Horror Noir that works fine on its own, go figure I like it best.

Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay (2018) - also requires very little DC knowledge and works mostly as a great gritty grindhouse film. The best Suicide Squad movie.

Justice League: Throne of Atlantis (2015) - the only film I recommend that's tied-in to the greater DCAMU story, but this is primarily a new origin story for Aquaman, and it's a lot better than his live-action stuff.

Batman and Harley Quinn (2017) - this is in the universe of the old Bruce Timm style and actors, but also bridges the gap for Harley to become a proper lead character. So, it's more of a Comedy-Action movie, and has full on sex, drugs, and rock 'n roll.

Constantine: House of Mystery (2022) - less than 30 minutes, this is technically an epilogue to Constantine's DCAMU chronology with a kind of short Horror story. It's packaged with Showcase shorts for Kamandi, The Losers, and Blue Beetle and The Question. Lots of fun.

Superman: Red Son (2020) - has a lot of interesting ideas changing up the ideologies of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, and many more characters. Kind of squanders all of that in the end though and becomes a fluffy affirmation of the status quo.

Justice League Dark: Apokolips War (2020) - has been called the DCAMU's Infinity War/Endgame, but typical for DC, the previous films hadn't really sunk the time in to developing these characters or fleshing them out. As such, the massive death and destruction here didn't really have any emotional impact for me.

Wonder Woman: Bloodlines (2019) - a weird mish-mash of Wonder Woman stories that kind of drops in all her main villains and supporting characters with mostly no build-up, as if we're supposed to already know who all these people are and have feelings about them. Seems like a blatant cash-in.

Son of Batman (2014) - The first in a trilogy of films that focuses on Batman suddenly having a son, Damien, who of course becomes the newest and most annoying Robin. They also start a trend of completely botching the characterizations of Batman's villains and disposing of them frivolously.

Batman vs Robin (2015) - Continues the trend of portraying Batman as a pretty ineffectual idiot who pretty much adopts and Bat-christens anyone who crosses his path. But hey, new Robin is cool, kids, right? Right?......?

Batman: Bad Blood (2016) - A godawful end to a trilogy that was misguided at best. I hear the original comic stories have some stalwart fans, but this trilogy and particularly this film seem like 10 pounds of $#!7 stuffed into a 5-pound bag.

 

[mnkykungfu]

Twisted romances...

Behind the Candelabra (2013)
An awesome movie about the love affair between Liberace and Scott Thorson. Directed masterfully by Soderbergh with a career-best performance by Michael Douglas.

Maniac (2018)
A 10-part mini-series mostly directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga that's not about mania at all but instead is about all sorts of other weird mental hang-ups and dysfunctions mixed in with a multiversal story and '60s retro-futurism. Emma Stone is great in this but Jonah Hill as the lead sleepwalks through it and tanks the whole thing.

Being the Ricardos (2021)
A film about the partnership (creative and romantic) between Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, centered primarily around one tumultuous week. Sorkin's script reminded me of his for Steve Jobs, but faster-moving and with a perfectly bookended resolution. Probably my favorite film of '21, this amazingly-acted production made me realize what was so phenomenal about these people whereas I'd never much cared before.

 

[addiesin]

Maniac (2018)
A 10-part mini-series mostly directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga that's not about mania at all but instead is about all sorts of other weird mental hang-ups and dysfunctions mixed in with a multiversal story and '60 retro-futurism. Emma Stone is great in this but Jonah Hill as the lead sleepwalks through it and tanks the whole thing.

Lol, I liked this when I watched it but you're right. Haven't even thought about it since. Trailers reminded me of Legion, and I mean it's a similar flavor but a very different dish.

I also remember being confused about the details of the drugs they take because of one character's backstory. It's like the drugs are simultaneously secret and limited to the facility, AND sold to junkies on the street. Seems minor, but it was one character's whole motivation to even be in the story so I thought it would be clear by the end. Alas.

 

[mnkykungfu]

^Yeah, the '60s retro-futurism totally reminded me of the first season of Legion, which I adored. (ONLY the first season, mind you.) I had so many issues with the story making sense and motivations working that the drugs was just one part of it. There's almost a whole other story with Justin Theroux's mommy issues and sentient AI and online sex addiction that the writers kind of seem way too interested in to make it just a B-plot in this series... Maniac was just so random and bloated, I feel like it was groping over 10 hours for what Everything Everywhere All At Once did better in two.

 

[Eyepainter]

Superbad (2007)

This one was easy to review. I think that if the opening credits get a laugh out of you, you're probably going to enjoy the remaining 113 minutes too. The only criticism I have against the film is that if Hader and Rogen's characters were doing that kind of stuff in real life, I'm pretty sure they'd both lose their badges within days. That implausibility aside, though, the rest of the film was entertaining enough. I laughed. I had a good time. It works for what it is.

 

[zeonicfreak]

Since Michelle Yeoh won best actress, I decided to go and find her earlier works when she did Hong Kong action films in the 80's, and I started with Yes, Madam also starring Cynthia Rothrock. Pretty good movie, the kung fu was rediculously entertaining, stupid comedy bits, but enjoyable all around.
I was also reminded that she was the bond girl in Tomorrow Never Dies, which to me is one of the mid ground Pierce Bronson Bond films.

 

[mnkykungfu]

Tales of potential romance turning to something dark and kind of horrific....

Barbarian (2022)
I love the opening third of this film, but it devolves into a script relying on shock value and Horror tropes after that. Overall, still worth a watch if you don't take the ending or any of the underlying messaging seriously.

Last Night in Soho (2021)
Auteur Edgar Wright does a supernatural tribute to giallo films. I'm not really a huge fan of those, so this having all their strengths (gorgeous female lead, amazing visuals) and all their weaknesses (confused plotting, dubious gender politics) came out a pretty mixed bag for me. Has one real bravura scene though that makes it worth watching for that alone.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)
Absolutely blown away by how much this film won me over. I thought it'd be twee and forgettable, but it resonated with me, hit me hard, and left me with a bittersweet ache. Still not sure what the perks of being a wallflower were, though... seemed like all the perks came from breaking out.

 

[Starlight Fan Edits]

Ocean's Eleven (2001) - A bit slow at the start but really becomes great when the heist starts. (8/10)

 

[kinnikuman]

Black cauldron - saw this with my daughter and it seems like it was cut up like it’s missing scenes? Fine movie has really cool art and music. And seems kinda violent for a Disney cartoon / I wonder if there’s a directors cut or extra footage somewhere .

 

[addiesin]

Black cauldron - saw this with my daughter and it seems like it was cut up like it’s missing scenes? Fine movie has really cool art and music. And seems kinda violent for a Disney cartoon / I wonder if there’s a directors cut or extra footage somewhere .

It is cut up, because it was so violent. The producer who did so in spite of the animators later invented Quibi. The cut footage remains lost.

 

[kinnikuman]

Wow I just read about quibi- poor guy lol. But yeah it seems like it could have been a way better movie but it was missing “stuff” like so many characters and different “races” of people and different lands but none of it is explored makes me sad to hear the content is lost

 

[mnkykungfu]

Wow I just read about quibi- poor guy lol. But yeah it seems like it could have been a way better movie but it was missing “stuff” like so many characters and different “races” of people and different lands but none of it is explored makes me sad to hear the content is lost

If you're really interested, Secret Galaxy did a really tight video about what was originally intended for the film, what went wrong, and what changes were made: