What I've Been Watching: The Catch-All Film Thread

Just came back from The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. And was very pleasantly surprised. Very good movie, and was surprised to see a smart movie from Ben Stiller. I haven't seen one in a while. I highly recommend this one. And it came out of nowhere. I haven't seen once trailer for this one.

EDIT: I've just see the review done on What the Flick!
I've no idea what these guys (and girl) have up their asses. The movie was great. It just feels like they have something personal with Ben Stiller. :)
 
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That is the first positive thing I have heard about Walter Mitty, yet another totally un-necessary and inferior remake ... the trailer told me enough.
 
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That is the first positive thing I have heard about Walter Mitty, yet another totally un-necessary and inferior remake … the trailer told me enough.

Believe me, I was under the impression that Stiller mostly did low-brow comedies, a few better ones (I liked Tropic Thunder a lot, found it very funny). But I found this remake of Walter Mitty to be good. As long as you go see it in a chilled out mood, and not in a mood to nitpick at everything. At least I enjoyed it a lot.
 
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That is all that matters ... I just tend to be cynical about remakes because they are almost universally inferior and unnecessary ... :)
 
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47 Ronin Oh, no. Oh, no. I went because my 12 year old wanted to see it & we're bored atm with winter break. I didn't expect much at all with the lead being Keanu Reeves (whose only notable role was of 'Todd' in Parenthood. Sorry, I hated the Matrix, suck it nerds :) ). Decent fight scenes, and the costuming was nice, but the story was dull. I wasn't all that disappointed given my low expectations from the start. I would really have been upset had we paid more for the 3D version. 5/10 tops.
 
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Yes, the holidays invoke special rituals including cramming into smelly movie theaters to watch usually mediocre so-called art. Since I'm already getting frustrated by my smart phone, I'll keep this short. Saving Mr. Banks was a nice emotional ride that gave us insight into the author of Mary Poppins, and her inspiration. I found the story of the creative process of turning it into a movie somewhat predictable but entertaining enough. Bit of tear jerker at times, yet not too obvious. Emma Thompson was fairly believable, and once again demonstrated good chops. Recommended.
 
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waking me up from my months of slumber, like a ray of sunlight into my cobweb-draped sarcophagus, comes some of the most hideous - yet strangely likeable films.

Maniac - the remake, with Elijah Wodd. It's a schockingly graphic tale for the times, in the days of the politically correct and milquetoast remake. Like a Lovecraftian game with your insane meter on 8.5, it lurches forward with Mr Frodo's vision blearing, blurring, and sound occurring in just the right mix of incoherance and spookiness. Then he starts scalping screaming bitches left and right. Look out….

American Amy - Ah, the evil that men (and in this case women) do in the name of the almighty dollar of "life security". What would you do to be financially stable if you had mad surgery skillz and found yourself suddenly shit-out-of-luck? Lady luck smiles on sexy surgeoness mary, and she makes the best of the situation. Carving up fools like thanksgiving, she (and we) are drawn into a bunch of gory bod-mod hijinks that leaves one wondering - would i look good with a bisected tongue? Serious tho, i never knew a woman in a bloody black apron and gloves could look so fucking hot…

Troll 2. It's the worst movie that I've ever seen in my entire life, period. I'm serious. Period.
It's on netflix til January 1st, go watch it and be cleansed for the new year.

pERIOD…

so the other one i saw (I Stand Alone) was bleak, grimdark - a real fucking downer of a film about a suicidal ex-butcher in the heart of a France ghetto. Pissed off at everyone/everything, he attempts to go alll Travis Bickle on us - unfortunately he has about 1/4 the charisma of robert deniro and about 1/128th the ammunition do anything to do anything about it. Wait a minute, this the the second time ive referenced Taxi Driver in a week, i neeed to fire that up again soon. It's a sign.

But yeah - he goes apeshit and welllll…. let's just say if you have daddy/daughter issues you may want to avoid this one. Was it good for me? Worth a free rental online, but I sure as hell wouldnt buy it. Again.

Firing up Human Centipede 2 now…
 
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Oh lord… prepare yourself. :puke:

Wow, no kidding. Congrats to the director - he's actually made a film so revolting, it had me squinting at times. The grossest film ive ever seen, hands down. And one of the best depictions of a psychopath ive seen, he really kills it at being deranged.

For the record, i thought the first Human Centipede was pretty good. It's a mad doctor flick that was funny, disturbing and creative. While gross in concept, it really did leave the majority of nastiness to the imagination. The sequel does us no such favors, besides the respite that it's mercifully filmed in black and white.

From the procedure itself, to the inevitable conclusion of mega-dosing a 10-person "human centipede" with laxatives and waiting a while, the viewer is spared few details. The sterile, careful professionalism of the doctor from the first film is a pleasant memory in comparison to the rusty tools and duct tape that's used to complete the operation here. This is the film that many who didnt see the first thought it was, and many who were disappointed thought it should have been.

It's awful and I'll likely never watch it again. Unless of course, i'm trying to get rid of someone :)
 
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For the record, i thought the first Human Centipede was pretty good. It's a mad doctor flick that was funny, disturbing and creative. While gross in concept, it really did leave the majority of nastiness to the imagination. The sequel does us no such favors, besides the respite that it's mercifully filmed in black and white.

*snip*
It's awful and I'll likely never watch it again. Unless of course, i'm trying to get rid of someone :)

I agree, the first movie wasn't bad at all especially for being so low budget, and I've come to appreciate it more as time goes by. The second was just horrible though. Here's what I said after seeing it last year.

Oh, and the final sequence is forthcoming. o_o
 
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I watched "What Maisie Knew" with some of my family over the holidays. No stuff blowing up, no zombies, and we quite enjoyed it. I suggest having a few hankies nearby if you choose to watch it.
 
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I just watched a move called The Brass Teapot. It is a tale told million of times before, but this time it involved a brass teapot. Sort of modern (or ancient take) on the tale of The Fisherman and His Wife. You kbow the story, it is as old a humanity itself: You wish for some quick money and an object, or luck or god or the pope gives you it. And the morale of the story seems always to be this: be careful for what you wish for - you might just get it.

Anyway, the movie was very good, I found. Maybe not the best acting, but a very nice plot with some surprising twists and turns during the movie. 3/5 stars.
 
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as the last hours of 2013 go by, and my blood-alcohol content goes higher, i find myself drawn to something other than horror. I love exploitation films, the reason being that they were most times not made by people who knew anything about the culture they represent in the film - there were suits interpreting, and moreover restricting what represented that culture at the time.

I turn my bloodshot eyes to one of my favorites - is it yetisploitation? Blaxploitation? Nope, of all of them nothing is dearer to my heart than biker movies. My dad was a biker in his prime, and a weekend warrior at the end. Nothing captures the late 60's/early 70's era in america like biker films.

First up was The Mini-skirt mob. What? Miniskirts?
Like all trends that sweep the nation the youth leads the charge to the theatres with their wallets. While the skirts are indeed mini, and the sweaters achingly wrapped around the breasticles of the hot biker mamas, it's clearly aimed for the 16 year old drive-in crowd. They drink, but there is no nudity (heaven forbid), no drugs, and no real violence other than completely ham-fisted fisticuffs.

220px-TheHardRide.jpg

Hard Ride, however is a different story altogether.
America spasmed as the vietnam war brought men home from a hated conflict that shattered lives there and here, and therein (as always) lies a market. This movie is one of many "returning home" culture-shock biker films that sees the protagonist, once deep in rice paddies and machine gun fire, now facing another war at home as they try to settle back into civilian life.

Therein lies the realm of the biker-sploitation films, this is what "ride to hell:retribution" tried ( and failed spectacularly) to encapsulate in its formula. Lots of sex, drugs, and rock and roll to go around and it's just fun as hell. The hairstyles and period lingo are hilarious to boot.
 
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We made it through almost half of 'We Are the Millers'. I told my wife (her choice) she was no longer allowed to say bad things about 'This is the End', since we all made it through THAT movie (I was doing dishes during We Are The Millers at one point). :)
 
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"Wreck-It Ralph", translated into German as "Ralph has had enough" - the Disney movie.

Nice movie, not that much about Retro Gaming as I had expected, but it was entertaining. Has a few loose wires regarding the plot, some thing that should have been filled a little bit more.

I don't think I'd watch it again, but it was nice and entertaining. Just don't expect much depth.
 
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