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

I thought Death Proof was at least watchable. Planet Terror, on the other hand, I thought was pure crap. I enjoy a good B-movie, but this was like a lame caricature of a B-movie.

So, you lot reminded me to watch Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. I have mixed feelings. Much of the direction and cinematography are first class, I like the central idea, and I've grown to like the middle-aged Pitt, who's developed an engaging everyman quality.

But, the term that looms is self-indulgence - from the script and the editing, to the film sometimes feeling like Foot Fetishist's Digest. The story needed sharpening up, and there are whole sequences I think should have stayed on the cutting room floor. It's a shame, as there's enough great stuff that it could have been one of his best.

I'd given up on the Avenger flicks some years ago, the last one I'd watched before yesterday was Black Panther, so my friend introduced me to Avengers: Infinity War. Some of it was ok, but I seriously found myself reaching for my book more than once during the show, and sighing more than once when someone just did or said something completely out of character. I kind of cheered when Thanos snapped his fingers. -p. The next one we're supposed to watch is the second Ant-man film, so I'm hoping that one is a bit better.

Originally Posted by Carnifex
I'd given up on the Avenger flicks some years ago, the last one I'd watched before yesterday was Black Panther, so my friend introduced me to Avengers: Infinity War. Some of it was ok, but I seriously found myself reaching for my book more than once during the show, and sighing more than once when someone just did or said something completely out of character. I kind of cheered when Thanos snapped his fingers. -p. The next one we're supposed to watch is the second Ant-man film, so I'm hoping that one is a bit better.

I'm also out of the Marvel movies loop. The only ones I've seen and liked were the Iron Man ones, and that is mostly due to Robert Downey Jr who is very charismatic. Other than that, I think I also saw Thor, which bored me to death, and the first Captain America, which had a similar effect, even if not as bad as Thor.

I had a recent attempt to start up the whole series from zero, but stopped midway through Iron Man 1. I think I just can't be bothered. At least not right now. I've had enough super hero stuff to last me a long while, and none of the Avengers interest me enough to watch 22 movies or so. And it seems there's no stopping them.

Originally Posted by Ripper
But, the term that looms is self-indulgence - from the script and the editing, to the film sometimes feeling like Foot Fetishist's Digest.

Heh heh… Tarantino has been known for both the former and the latter for quite some time.

I like most of his stuff, but I agree he needs to learn how to shave it down sometimes. Not every film needs to be 2-1/2 hours long.

I was forcing myself to watch the rest of the Marvel films just so I could fully comprehend the newest iteration of movies, specifically the Scarlet Witch/Vision show. I'm rapidly coming to the conclusion, however, that these films simply were not made for folks like me, and I think I'll just stick to things that I enjoy. I just find myself cringing too much during the films, lamenting the choices they made, and how much better they could have been had another direction been chosen.

Been waiting a long time for this one. Trailer is a little cringeworthy though, so hopefully the actual film is better.

Originally Posted by Carnifex
I was forcing myself to watch the rest of the Marvel films just so I could fully comprehend the newest iteration of movies, specifically the Scarlet Witch/Vision show. I'm rapidly coming to the conclusion, however, that these films simply were not made for folks like me, and I think I'll just stick to things that I enjoy. I just find myself cringing too much during the films, lamenting the choices they made, and how much better they could have been had another direction been chosen.

Some of the ones that I really enjoyed with more serious tone and would recommend:
Captain America: Winter Soldier + Civil War
The Wolverine + Logan

On the comic side but still enjoyable: Deadpool 1+2

Originally Posted by JDR13
Been waiting a long time for this one. Trailer is a little cringeworthy though, so hopefully the actual film is better.

Thanks, did not know about this. To be honest I have been enjoying the recent couple of Godzilla and King Kong movies. Godzilla seems to be the bad guy here (even though he saved the planet in the last movie!).

Originally Posted by SpoonFULL
Some of the ones that I really enjoyed with more serious tone and would recommend:
Captain America: Winter Soldier + Civil War
The Wolverine + Logan

On the comic side but still enjoyable: Deadpool 1+2

I'd recommend going straight to Logan. It's in a different league, IMO, and crosses over from being a comic book movie to being a really good film.

Originally Posted by Ripper
I'd recommend going straight to Logan. It's in a different league, IMO, and crosses over from being a comic book movie to being a really good film.

Agree but the comic version called old man Logan is better.

As for the movie probably the best X-Men spin-off/ending in years.

Originally Posted by JDR13
Been waiting a long time for this one. Trailer is a little cringeworthy though, so hopefully the actual film is better.

Hopefully better then the cringe-fest that was Godzilla: King of the Monsters.

That Kong/Godzilla trailer looks and sounds HORRIBLE!

Yeah I enjoyed the Logan one, and a few of the others. The Infinity stone movies just seem awful to me, and don't even get me started on whatever the F they did with Captain Marvel. How such a storied series with rich characters became that….horrific film I'll never know. The Civil War one I also semi-liked, but again I'm flummoxed by why they altered the tale from the original….just don't mess with things that work. And if you want to tell your own story, do that….don't hijack some other tale that's already been told, and try to bend it to your will.

Originally Posted by JDR13
Been waiting a long time for this one. Trailer is a little cringeworthy though, so hopefully the actual film is better.

loading…

Christ…

How about this dead horse beating too:


It's stream is legal and free (iqiyi platform), has commercials here and there though, eng subs are included.

Originally Posted by Drithius
That Kong/Godzilla trailer looks and sounds HORRIBLE!

The choice of music is definitely a head scratcher.

I also found the trailer pretty boring and bad, and I usually love CGI fests if they're done amazingly, like the first (and only the first) Transformer's movie by Michael Bay.

I got and re-watched a movie that I've only seen ages ago. As good as I remembered it.



I plan on seeing Small Axe, as I heard the guys from Sardonicast review it. I also love most Steve McQueen movies. Shame in particular, I remember loving.

I'm amazed you liked any of the Transformers movies. I found them narratively dead, with awful characters, and punctuated by flurries of confused and boring CGI. Can't go wrong with Unforgiven though. Some of those Smallaxe films were good, too.

Originally Posted by Ripper
I'm amazed you liked any of the Transformers movies. I found them narratively dead, with awful characters, and punctuated by flurries of confused and boring CGI.

I only liked the first one. The others were unbearable. The first one has a basic and not too annoying plot. And the other elements aren't bad enough to take away from the main course: the fantastic CGI and how impressive they were especially when it comes to how they framed them and the POV they chose for many of them. The action sequences were a real spectacle and roller-coaster ride.

Another thing which was amazing was the soundtrack, but surprisingly I only really noticed it after listening to it separately from the movie.

I couldn't stand the first Transformer film. I lasted maybe an hour, checked out and never even attempted to review it, nor any of the subsequent films. Sometimes you just know right off the bat when a movie just isn't for you!

Originally Posted by Ripper
I'm amazed you liked any of the Transformers movies. I found them narratively dead, with awful characters, and punctuated by flurries of confused and boring CGI.

The fact that they starred Shia LaBeouf was enough for me to avoid them.