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Coaaab posted:I think a film that's viciously cynical about space exploration, the bodies that both exploit & are exploited in the name of it & God, a future of still rampant corporatization as capitalism continues being elevated to the sacrosanct, and the primal fear of no one being out there to answer our calls for loneliness has worth, it's just that Ad Astra ends up only just remaining on this side of the threshold of "good" Yeah, I think this is the take. Plus I like how unhinged the final act is
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Jan 27, 2022 17:31
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Wanted to look up my take on the last act, because I remember feeling pretty strongly about it:General Dog posted:When he highjacked a rocket ship and caused the death of three astronauts, I thought he had punched a one-way ticket. I don't think that was an unreasonable assumption. Then all of a sudden at the end, I'm supposed to be invested in his newfound desire to get back and live his life? What the hell does he have to return to?
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Jan 27, 2022 17:41
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Coaaab posted:I think a film that's viciously cynical about space exploration, the bodies that both exploit & are exploited in the name of it & God, a future of still rampant corporatization as capitalism continues being elevated to the sacrosanct, and the primal fear of no one being out there to answer our calls for loneliness has worth, it's just that Ad Astra ends up only just remaining on this side of the threshold of "good" There was definitely some good ideas to the film, and it'll probably end up being fairly prescient, I just, really really really didn't like it as a whole. So much that I didn't post about it in this thread because I couldn't think of anything nice to say about it even weeks after seeing it, it made me really mad.
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Jan 27, 2022 19:04
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Rick posted:There was definitely some good ideas to the film, and it'll probably end up being fairly prescient, I just, really really really didn't like it as a whole. So much that I didn't post about it in this thread because I couldn't think of anything nice to say about it even weeks after seeing it, it made me really mad.
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Jan 27, 2022 19:11
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it bothers me when ultra serious space films have WALL-E style fire extinguisher scenes like it's nbd
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Jan 27, 2022 21:06
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Gato posted:I remembered it getting decent-to-good press back in 2019 (83% on RT when I just checked) and it had a cool trailer I have memories of being shocked by that score too, its such a stinker.
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Jan 28, 2022 02:35
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The Innocents 8/10. I did not expect this film to be this out there, or that graphic. But I highly recommend it. Kind of gone under the radar in 2021. At the end of the film you just know you dont want to ever have kids. Booksmart: 6/10. Was fun enough, but also started getting bored halfway through. Nothing I will ever consider watching again, but I like Jonah Hills sister. Fallen Angels: 7/10. Ended up being way less invested in this than in Chungking Express. Everything just felt a bit... Below that film, despite seemingly trying to go for a lot of the same things. The Master: 6/10. I love cults, I've liked every Paul Thomas Anderson films so far... But ... This isnt one of my favorites. Not bad though. Antlers: 3/10. The little boy is good, but gently caress me, this got boring fast. Real crappy CGI too. Lady Macbeth: 6/10. Florence Pugh titties. Come and See: 9/10. Fantastic acting and horribly depressing. Some of the scenes in that film are just haunting. Ida: 5/10. Didn't really get that invested in the plot. I know people loving love this, but just didnt do all that much for me. Snowpiercer: 5/10. Can certainly see this is his first attempt at an English film. Nice ideas, but fairly mediocre. The Naked Gun 9/10. I forgot just how fantastic these are.
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Jan 29, 2022 17:35
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A few recent ones (I never know whether to post in this thread or the 'first reactions after watching a movie' thread so I just go with my gut): Venom: Let There Be Carnage: 4/10 - I liked the first more than I expected as schlocky fun, even with a weak final act. This just felt like a worse version of that. Woody Harrelson hammed it up and there's some fun Eddie Brock/Venom back and forth but it is exceedingly skippable as a whole. CODA: 8/10 - I feel like I've seen this movie - or at least the broad strokes of the plot throughline - a bunch of times but I found the whole thing so drat sweet and charming. There are a couple of really touching moments that worked enough as emotional payoff for me to forgive some of the more tacky/predictable elements of the film. I don't think they're much chance of winning but it'd be nice to see Kotsur and Matlin get Oscar noms as they do excellent work. The most interesting part of the movie was watching the typical big family conflict moments acted out in ASL, with the slaps of hands and terse, huffy breathing taking the place of a screaming match. The Lost Daughter: 7.5/10 - Speaking of the Oscars, I haven't kept a close eye on any of the potential races this year but Olivia Colman has to be tough to beat. This is a wonderfully dense, down to earth, painful portrayal of a person with some deep inner scars. Jessie Buckley keeps pace in her sequences as well. It's remarkably human - there's such a crushing weight of responsibility, regret and menace over the whole thing that keeps it compelling to watch even when it's difficult to empathise with the actions of the central character. A great mood piece if you feel like experiencing a terrible holiday. The World To Come: 5.5/10 - I admired a lot about this film. The casting is excellent: Waterston and Kirby are great, Affleck plays his role restrained to good effect, Abbott has the cracked facade of an increasingly deranged and controlling man down pat. It's great to look at too. The screenplay and editing are sadly so choppy and poorly paced that I found the whole thing futile and frustrating despite this. I understand if that was the point but I do not find the way they got to that point good filmmaking. PTizzle fucked around with this message at 16:14 on Feb 1, 2022 |
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Feb 1, 2022 16:08
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Scream (2022) 8/10. Alright, let me first say that Scream was my first real horror film when I was very young, like 7 years old. I was scared as gently caress, but I loved it, and ran around with a ghostface mask on whenever I could. I still liked Scream 2 alright, but then it really fell off and I lost my love for it. But this felt like a return to form for me. The meta commentary was layered on extremely thick, it was pretty silly at times, and the gore got dumb. But in a way I absolutely loved. Entertained from start to end. Sonatine 6/10. I think this might be a great sin of me to say. But I did not love it. It was fine and I was entertained enough, and I did learn a lot of new fun beach activities. But other than that... It just didnt do it for me. Been going through a lot of Asian cinema lately that was unknown to me, and loved most of the highly praised stuff. But this one not so much.
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Feb 3, 2022 23:42
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Freaky (4/5): Just rad. Vince Vaughn absolutely crushes it and it's the best performance I've ever seen from him. Killer sense of humour, genuinely tense and scary at times and with heroically progressive casting and themes. The kills are utterly gross and delightful. When it's scary it's scary and when it's funny it's funny, a great time all around!
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Feb 4, 2022 23:10
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Metro Manila: 8/10. I spent a long time in the Philippines working, so I would say I somewhat know the culture and vibe of the big cities. This nailed it for me, although I know I'm far from an expert in Filipino poverty, and I was surprised to see it was from a UK director. Dragged out a bit at the end, but had a nice pay off. Florida Project: 9/10. Already watched this, but I wanted to go back and re-watch after Red Rocket. Think I prefer it, but only slightly. Zombieland: 4/10. It was ok with a few laughs, but overall very forgettable.
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Feb 6, 2022 15:20
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Bad Trip (4/5): Goddamn, this is the hardest I've laughed during a movie for a very long time. I knew going in that it contained hidden-camera pranks (which are like catnip to me), but the extent to which that was done really took me by surprise. Every actor is incredibly committed and they actually mined some genuinely sweet moments from the unsuspecting public.
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Feb 8, 2022 10:17
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I thought I was out on GDT, but Nightmare Alley was mostly great. Feels a lot like Shape of Water in tone but it’s automatically way better because of all the carny stuff. Puts a little too much mustard on at the end but I mostly liked that too Also I’m glad someone finally gave Holt McCallany a halfway decent part, I thought that guy was gonna be everywhere after Mindhunters morestuff fucked around with this message at 05:51 on Feb 9, 2022 |
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Feb 9, 2022 05:48
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CODA Too precious by 200%. Was this adopted from a young adult novel? Has the subtlety and color grade of a children’s movie, but it’s a bit too horny for Disney Channel. I didn’t know much about this movie going in beyond the general premise its Academy nominations. Certainly didn’t expect to hate it, but hate it I did. 1.5/5
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Feb 19, 2022 04:58
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The teacher character is so bizarrely pitched it feels like a parody. The home life stuff is interesting and I think all the family turn in good performances but the entire singing plot is beyond cheesy
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Feb 19, 2022 06:07
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Yeah the choir stuff and the director are really bad, but I’d also argue that her family seems so unequipped to exist and function in the world without her that it seems like kind of an offensive portrayal. I mean, I can imagine that scenario similar to this existing, but it feels like subject matter that needed a lighter touch than this movie was apparently capable of. I also think the performances from the family are good solid the board, but they’re let down by the writing. The story is just complete trash. General Dog fucked around with this message at 06:22 on Feb 19, 2022 |
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Feb 19, 2022 06:17
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The sequence on the fishing boat where the dad and brother have the inspector/auditor/whatever with them is a real low point. They spend what seems like the better part of an hour minimum where they never convey to the inspector that they’re deaf, no does the inspector attempt to interact with them enough to figure it out herself. Then there’s the confusing business of her either surreptitiously calling the coast guard or making no effort to alert the men to their approach, and then at the end of the day everyone yells at Ruby for not having been there. All conflict is manufactured by people behaving nonsensically. This is the most glaring case of it, but so much of the movie is made up of stuff like this.
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Feb 19, 2022 06:34
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Man Licorice Pizza was weird. I have no idea why those scenes with the racist guy with the japanese wives was in there and I found Copper Hoffman more annoying than charismatic. It has it's moments but I didn't love it.
mcmagic fucked around with this message at 02:36 on Feb 20, 2022 |
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Feb 20, 2022 02:29
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Not to say that the scenes belonged in the movie or really worked for me, but the thing with the guy speaking in a cartoonish accent to his Japanese wives so strange and so specific that I think it almost has to be based on a thing someone actually remembered seeing.
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Feb 20, 2022 02:49
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General Dog posted:Not to say that the scenes belonged in the movie or really worked for me, but the thing with the guy speaking in a cartoonish accent to his Japanese wives so strange and so specific that I think it almost has to be based on a thing someone actually remembered seeing. Yes it has to be based on a specific guy but it was still just so friggin weird.
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Feb 20, 2022 02:52
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Space Jam: A New Legacy (2/5): Not close to as bad as its reputation and critical reception implies, while still being pretty bad. I have a nostalgia-baited love of the original and recognise the improvements this movie made on the original, in particular giving LeBron James' fictionalised character actual flaws that he needs to recognise in himself and successfully overcome, giving him a believable arc rather than Michael Jordan in the original, who is essentially already Mr super perfect awesome man who is very nice to everyone and lives in a modest house and could basically save the day on his own. Malcolm D Lee is a good and funny director and some of his flourishes and sense of humour shine through, there are some genuinely funny moments (I was a big fan of "we're in the computer? You know I'm claustrophobic!"). But that being said, some pretty big flaws, not least in the animation which is consistently subpar, the voice acting which is surprisingly terrible considering the seasoned veterans they got in, and the rampant product placement for other WB properties which never rises above terrible.
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Feb 21, 2022 10:38
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I gotta say that's pretty funny, giving it as even a hand as possible and concluding it Merely Sucks. Everything else aside, it just sucks.
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Feb 21, 2022 16:06
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mcmagic posted:Yes it has to be based on a specific guy but it was still just so friggin weird. I haven't seen licorice pizza but from reading about it when the movie came out he's based on Jerome Frick
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Feb 21, 2022 19:41
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Adrianics posted:Space Jam: A New Legacy (2/5): [ ] But that being said, some pretty big flaws, not least in the animation which is consistently subpar, I don't think I noticed this, as I watched it around the same time as the original film for the first time. Space Jam's animation is so loving ugly it's hard to put it into words. Just an absolutely gross approach that I'm glad is lost to the past and that nobody replicates even for nostalgia reasons (unless they do and I've luckily not seen it).
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Feb 21, 2022 20:02
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Portrait of a Lady on Fire 3.5/5. I liked it, but was a bit disapointed after seeing all my friends love it. It was just pretty good for me. Disappointing lack of graphic lesbian scenes, they were pretty tame, French cinema wtf Petite Maman 4.5/5. Extremely short, but felt like the perfect lenght for this film. Touching and nice, good acting by the kids. Licorice Pizza 4/5. Not close to Boogie Nights or There Will Be Blood, but otherwise my favorite PTA film The new Texas Chainsaw Massacre 1/5. It wasnt as bad as Spiral, but it was close. Swiss Army Man 2.5/5 eh? Farts are funny though. Starlet 2/5. Was ok. I like a good look into the porn industry, but this just didnt feel like it had much to say. Tangerine 3.5/5. Clearly this is when Sean Baker started really finding his form as a director. Even though it is shot with a loving iphone 5s.
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Feb 21, 2022 20:09
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Kimi- Rear Window meets 70s paranoia thriller, what's not to like? 4/5 Being the Ricardos- The film version of walking in on your parents having sex, but if Aaron Sorkin is also there. 3/5 Nightmare Alley- Not quite sure what the movie is getting at, if anything, but it's a fun cast and it sure does look nice. 3.5/5 tick, tick...BOOM!- A strong first entry for the HIV Expanded Universe 3.5/5 The Eyes of Tammy Faye- I don't know who was asking for this, but sure why not. 3/5 Looking back on Letterboxd, 20 of the 31 movies I've rated for 2021 are 3-3.5/5. Sounds about right.
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Feb 21, 2022 20:43
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EL BROMANCE posted:I don't think I noticed this, as I watched it around the same time as the original film for the first time. Space Jam's animation is so loving ugly it's hard to put it into words. Just an absolutely gross approach that I'm glad is lost to the past and that nobody replicates even for nostalgia reasons (unless they do and I've luckily not seen it). Yes the animation in Space Jam is hella bad, I don't think the animation in ANL is as bad but it's still pretty flat and unimaginative
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Feb 21, 2022 21:10
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The thing that gets me about Space Jam 2 is just how it oozes contempt for its audience basically from beginning to end. The scene where they basically pitch Space Jam 2 to Lebron and he says it's a terrible idea, the villain being the Algorithm, etc. The self-aware elements actually make it much worse.
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Feb 21, 2022 21:45
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The Worst Person In The World: 1.5/5 From the high praise and reactions to this movie, it solidifies in my mind that most people just want to watch a sitcom. Multiple dancing scenes, wacky drug trip, pregnancy and cancer drama, it's got it all. Looked like it was shot on a cell phone (not in a cool Sean Baker way), absolutely no life behind the camera. Just watch the first season of Girls, that was at least funny in parts.
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Feb 24, 2022 18:23
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The Batman — thought I was maybe in the mood for a superhero movie after a half-decade break but I apparently was not. Slick with some decent scenes and performances but zero new ideas. Paul Dano and the movie’s conception of that character are terrible. Fan service at the end is a huge wet fart. Better as a trailer than a three-hour movie.
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Mar 4, 2022 20:33
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Rating still to come.....but I'm halfway through 'Free Guy'. Upsets me a lot that they wouldn't commit to the bit. Guy all the sudden having 100% human emotion and reaction is a miss.
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Mar 5, 2022 03:00
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RestingB1tchFace posted:Rating still to come.....but I'm halfway through 'Free Guy'. Upsets me a lot that they wouldn't commit to the bit. Guy all the sudden having 100% human emotion and reaction is a miss. The movie could have worked way better without the love story. 7/10 RestingB1tchFace fucked around with this message at 18:48 on Mar 7, 2022 |
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Mar 5, 2022 03:23
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Supernova (2000) I love sci-fi.....but this movie sucks. I cannot believe how terrible and boring this was. Confusing mess that probably had a one page script. F RestingB1tchFace fucked around with this message at 02:41 on Mar 22, 2022 |
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Mar 22, 2022 02:31
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pA64pEONK50 Watched Speak No Evil (out of frustrations of X not showing here), was a nice surprise. The family drama/tension game me hereditary flashbacks, but while it never goes supernatural or so on, it does have a few very uncomfortable moments to watch. Was a bit sceptical due to Danglish in the trailer, and people usually overhyping our own films. But i think it was really good, even though i think the Danish mom was out performed by everyone, even the kids in the film. A few brutal scenes, that I imagine some people will react harshly to. But if you like horror films and dont mind a few graphic scenes, I will highly recommend. 8/10
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Mar 22, 2022 22:24
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I got a YouTube recommendation from a movie youtuber titled “the scariest movie I have ever seen,” watched enough to learn the name, and started it with zero other info about it. I’m halfway through “threads” from 1984 and it’s harrowing.
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Apr 15, 2022 04:18
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Yeah Threads will gently caress you right up. Some random recent poo poo: Ema (2019) - 84 A fun off-kilter movie which is a little less good than it might otherwise be because the main character's instability makes it kind of hard to get too invested in what she's up to. Drive My Car (2021) - 86 The scene in the car at night when the actor is talking into the camera, basically? So good. Kimi (2022) - 83 An extra point or two because it's fun to fantasize about living in an apartment that nice. Red Rocket (2021) - 87 A great entry into the "movies about the worst guy in the world" category along with stuff like Good Time. Licorice Pizza (2021) - 85 As a kid I found the idea of a water bed very intriguing. The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964) - 74 Very pretty but I don't like people half=heartedly singing dialogue (I prefer actual songs) and although a lot of people praise it for having a sophisticated take on romance and relationships, it felt pretty basic. West Side Story (2021) - 85 Spielberg knows how to make people feel stuff! Los amantes pasajeros/I'm So Excited (2013) - 78 Almodóvar's thinnest, most farcical movie. Still fun though. After Yang (2022) - 82 I think this will improve on a rewatch. My first time through I was a bit too frustrated with Colin Farrell's character and that hurt the movie. Nightmare Alley (2021) - 76 Really nice sets and actors but not much else going for it. Also I can't help but compare it to the original which does it no favors. Julieta (2016) - 81 Almodóvar's least farcical movie? The Souvenir: Part II (2021) - 87 Loved the first one, loved the second one. A movie about itself which is about a movie to which it's a sequel? Azor (2021) - 84 A good entry into the "obscure international thriller" genre along with The Limits of Control. Boiling Point (2021) - 85 It's always fun to watch a one-shot movie where it's not a gimmick. Spider-Man: No way Home (2021) - 78 I looooove Spider-Man and that's the only reason this score is so high. After the first two movies which I liked a lot this one just feels like it's going through the motions, which is funny because on paper it seems like it's pulling out all the stops. I think it sort of collapses under the weight of all the poo poo that's in here, which is one of the things Enter the Spiderverse impressively managed to entirely avoid. The Novice (2021) - 85 This grew on me a bit after I finished it and it might grow even more. People compare it to Whiplash but aside from "college kids pushing themselves too far and their hands hurt" I don't think that's a great comparison. I'm not sure the main character in this even gives a poo poo about rowing, whereas the guy in Whiplash clearly cares about lovely jazz drumming. Turning Red (2022) - 87 Perfect nostalgia. Lost a point or two because at this point Pixar movies have turned into self-parodies by having a moment ~1 hour in where the main character comes to some sort of emotional realization while the movie flashes back to earlier stuff. Death on the Nile (2022) - 67 If you are unable to film in Egypt (or even, it seems, on a boat?) perhaps consider making a movie that isn't 50% travelogue. All the Old Knives (2022) - 75 A decent little spy thriller. It does a lot with a little, both in terms of sets and plot. It's tough to make a movie where two people have dinner and reminisce about 10 years ago into a thriller, but this manages it!
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Apr 15, 2022 04:58
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Metal Lords 3/5 - Your average coming of age movie framed with a pair of metal loving teenagers trying to compete in a band battle event. Kinda reminded me of my own teenage years at point, but otherwise very by the numbers. Good music tho. Highlander 2 The Quickening 2/5 - As much as I love me a cheesy bad movie, this was just too much stupidity coming too fast. Lambert being in an opera building called OPERA, then having a drink at a bar called BAR, General Katana and all of his weird rear end lines, and just the entire plot being this weird dystopia/fantasy/sci-fi mix was just too much for me. Only reason its not getting a 0 is because Sean Connery's just so charming whenever he's around.
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Apr 15, 2022 21:44
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The Northman 5/5. Was a bit scared of how this would turn out after the trailers, but oh boy, it was very much just a big budget Eggers film. Loved it. GoodTime 4.5 Slept on this way too long. Great performance by Pattinson. The Batman 4/5 A very good beginning, one of my favorite batman films for sure. 37 Seconds. 2.5/5. Definition of mediocre. Mother 2009 (not the aronofsky one) 4/5 . Well that got to me. Really sad but also good film. Not quite as good as Parasite or Memories of murder, but less can do sometimes. River’s Edge 3/5. Kind of strange film, but enjoyable. I cant believe that guy wasnt Bill Ponderosa. Fargo 3/5 . Buscemis balls was certainly a nice highlight, but overall just a decent film. Shoplifters 4/5 . Nice surprise. Do recommend. X 3/5 . Was entertained enough all the way through, wasnt too long. But not anything I want to see again. Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy 5/5 Terrible title. Amazing film and better than drive my car imo. After Yang 4/5 my kind of sci fi.
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Apr 16, 2022 22:19
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The Devil At 4 O'Clock's title went over my head, and it's a strange movie that won't surprise you much . . . maybe until the last quarter of the movie where they're like, "oh you thought this was cliche huh? Suck on this" throughout the rest of the movie. I'm not sure I liked it but didn't feel like my two hours were wasted.
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Apr 19, 2022 06:33
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TychoCelchuuu posted:
i guess that's one way to describe a film about financing operation condor
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Apr 19, 2022 09:45
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