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

[Redglyph]

You guys are so fricking negative sometimes. It looks terrifying, to me, and it goes back to the horror of the first (best) Alien movie.

That's what made me hesitate. My first reaction was disappointment that it was back to more of the same old, repetitive series instead of continuing on the current path. On the other hand, maybe there's nothing really wrong with going back to what made the first movies successful. From the scores of Prometheus and Covenant, I'm not sure the majority of people would be enthusiastic about finding out what David is up to (though personally I'd rather know).

The other question is whether coming back to the roots has any chance of granting Romulus the initial success of the first two ones. This franchise is becoming a little tired, so without anything new, I just don't see the point.

 

[Shagnak]

I'm a bit more positive about Alien: Romulus than most of you.
Definitely more of a horror movie by the looks of it. I mean, it's directed by a horror movie director - aside from The Girl in the Spider's Web, that's the only type of full-length he's directed, AFAICT,

There's nothing wrong with going "back" to that. There's room for all sorts of story telling in the Aliens universe.

 

[danutz_plusplus]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqa3YTtwvaU

Apparently there's been some buzz around this one. Monkey Man.
Meh, looks a bit like John Wick in India.

 

[danutz_plusplus]

I'm onto the 8th Fast and Furious movie. Just gets crazier and crazier.
The premise for this one is really kind of stupid, but it's all growing on me. I'm actually enjoying myself laughing at what they think up next.
They even got Charlize Theron in this one.

 

[Carnifex]

I've not even heard of Monkey Man until now, I'll read up on it and see if it appeals.

 

[Drithius]

This makes me so happy!!!!

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6yDanmWI1E

 

[Carnifex]

The original Beetlejuice was so very good, hopefully this will live up to those exacting standards.

 

[JDR13]

This makes me so happy!!!!

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6yDanmWI1E

I normally dread when they make a sequel to a film after so many years (Let's be honest, such sequels are usually terrible), but I'm cautiously optimistic about this.

 

[JFarrell71]

That's what made me hesitate. My first reaction was disappointment that it was back to more of the same old, repetitive series instead of continuing on the current path. On the other hand, maybe there's nothing really wrong with going back to what made the first movies successful.

I understand, but personally I didn't care for the past two movies much and the idea of returning to the core of Alien is a welcome thing. The second and fourth films (the Cameron directed Aliens and Alien Resurrection) weren't horror movies, only the first and third. The third was kind of a mess, and the first came over 40 years ago. So I don't think going back to horror is repetitive at all.

 

[Redglyph]

I understand, but personally I didn't care for the past two movies much and the idea of returning to the core of Alien is a welcome thing. The second and fourth films (the Cameron directed Aliens and Alien Resurrection) weren't horror movies, only the first and third. The third was kind of a mess, and the first came over 40 years ago. So I don't think going back to horror is repetitive at all.

Why isn't Aliens a horror movie? Or Resurrection?

 

[txa1265]

I normally dread when they make a sequel to a film after so many years (Let's be honest, such sequels are usually terrible), but I'm cautiously optimistic about this.

My exact sentiment - though I'm suspicious of Tim Burton at this point ... last couple of decades from him have been weak at best, and we're going on 35+ years since he was actually great.

Still - I adored the original so much (one of those I saw in theaters, watched on cable, bought on VHS/DVD/BluRay and Digital) ... so I'll give it a shot.

 

[Carnifex]

I watched the first hour of the new Road House flick last night and the first thing that occurred to me was, shouldn't this maybe be in theatres? Or did that already happen and I simply missed it. I'm a Gyllenhaal fan for sure, loved him in Darko and Jarhead, yet this film ehhh....it simply doesn't compare with the Swayze version, it's not even close. Granted I've only seen the first hour yet I'm unsure how the last hour will be a vast improvement. Has anyone else seen this yet?

 

[JDR13]

Another movie that didn't need to be remade.

 

[JFarrell71]

Why isn't Aliens a horror movie? Or Resurrection?

Haven't you seen them? Aliens is an action movie. Resurrection is largely goofy.

 

[Redglyph]

Haven't you seen them? Aliens is an action movie. Resurrection is largely goofy.

I'm probably not fussy about genre boundaries. For me, a horror movie uses primarily fear to entertain, and Aliens fits that category with all the monsters, the hostile planet, shadowy places, and all that. It's not as effective as the original film, though, and I see what you mean by action movie.

I couldn't say about Resurrection because I forgot most of it (I'm not even sure I watched it entirely). I just remember it wasn't good.

 

[JFarrell71]

I'm probably not fussy about genre boundaries. For me, a horror movie uses primarily fear to entertain, and Aliens fits that category with all the monsters, the hostile planet, shadowy places, and all that. It's not as effective as the original film, though, and I see what you mean by action movie.

I couldn't say about Resurrection because I forgot most of it (I'm not even sure I watched it entirely). I just remember it wasn't good.

I agree with your criteria, but not the conclusion you're drawing. Aliens, in my opinion, doesn't use primarily fear to entertain. It has horror elements, but overall I would call it an action film.

You're right, Resurrection isn't very good. I rewatched it within the last year and didn't make it all the way. It's even less scary (and makes less effort to be scary) than Aliens.

Regardless of hair splitting on genres, it's been 27 years since Resurrection. A truly scary, back to the basics Alien film is something I'd like to see. I don't want a beat for beat, unimaginative film either, but I believe they can be creative and give us things we haven't seen before within the sphere of "holy shit, Aliens and their birth cycle are scary, and I'm trapped in deep space with them". Sometimes less is more. And sometimes more is not more (as it was not, generally speaking, in Prometheus and Covenant)

 

[danutz_plusplus]

Haven't you seen them? Aliens is an action movie. Resurrection is largely goofy.

Indeed, Aliens is more of an action movie, considering the amount of action setpieces. But it does also have some horror moments.
Resurrection is pretty ridiculous. It was the first Alien movie I had seen as a kid, directly in the cinema. I did not understand how funny it was, until years later.

 

[JFarrell71]

Resurrection is pretty ridiculous. It was the first Alien movie I had seen as a kid, directly in the cinema. I did not understand how funny it was, until years later.

I remember being quite intrigued that Jeunet, of "City of Lost Children" and "Delicatessen" (I had seen the former, but not the latter at the time) was directing an Alien movie. Seemed like an odd fit, and turned out to be one. My favorite Jeunet movie, incidentally, was his next: Amelie.

 

[danutz_plusplus]

I remember being quite intrigued that Jeunet, of "City of Lost Children" and "Delicatessen" (I had seen the former, but not the latter at the time) was directing an Alien movie. Seemed like an odd fit, and turned out to be one. My favorite Jeunet movie, incidentally, was his next: Amelie.

Funnily enough I never cared to look at who directed Resurrection. And I remember liking Amelie a lot.

 

[Redglyph]

I agree with your criteria, but not the conclusion you're drawing. Aliens, in my opinion, doesn't use primarily fear to entertain. It has horror elements, but overall I would call it an action film.

Fair enough. There's no official fear-meter anyway.
Hmm. It makes me want to watch those first two films again.

Regardless of hair splitting on genres, it's been 27 years since Resurrection. A truly scary, back to the basics Alien film is something I'd like to see. I don't want a beat for beat, unimaginative film either, but I believe they can be creative and give us things we haven't seen before within the sphere of "holy shit, Aliens and their birth cycle are scary, and I'm trapped in deep space with them". Sometimes less is more. And sometimes more is not more (as it was not, generally speaking, in Prometheus and Covenant)

27 years! No wonder I can't remember it well.

What I liked in Prometheus and Covenant was the promise of exploring the mystic aspect of the aliens and how it all came to be. It was tempting, but perhaps it's better to keep some mystery. I still like them, though Alien was more impressive and remains my favourite. As you said, simple does it. Yet, I still believe that the novelty had much to do with it, too.