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

No sorry still never heard of it. Well, until now. Might check if it's airing somewhere if it's even a bit similar to this gem I'm shilling for.

Kazakhstan… I know some facts abourt that country, already posted about the guy with spectacular voice from there in currently listening thread for example.

joxer said:

I'm like

And I still cannot close my jaws. Is this guy actually possible?

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"Cultural Learnings of America"… Is it about dropping the ignorance act and learning about people like that one up there?

joxer said:

No sorry still never heard of it. Well, until now. Might check if it's airing somewhere if it's even a bit similar to this gem I'm shilling for.

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Borat really isn't a good film. The comedian, Sacha Cohen who plays Borat is a clever guy, but I'd say that Borat is quite a trashy film. It offers few cheap laughs, thats about it. I wouldn't recommand it if you're expecting a quality film.

Yea… That explains my ignorance. I avoid comedies, war and drama. Unless something "exotic" draws me to some or I stumble on one not knowing what it is.

Dez said:

Borat really isn't a good film. The comedian, Sacha Cohen who plays Borat is a clever guy, but I'd say that Borat is quite a trashy film. It offers few cheap laughs, thats about it. I wouldn't recommand it if you're expecting a quality film.

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It was a lot funnier than the films he's done since then.

Oi, I'm no fan of Cohen, bit of a wanker imo, and not nearly as funny as he thinks he is.

Seen Deadpool 2 at the weekend with friends.
Although it qualifies as "passable" in my book, I was super bored with the flick - the first one was like a sucker punch from nowhere, this is just more of the same, for the worse (see: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2).

After a heated discussion with mates whether the film is of any good, I went back home, mixed a decent long drink and watched Lawrence of Arabia.
4 hours of pure cinema orgasm.

I have Lawrence of Arabia (blu-ray); and while it is not bad it hasn't aged well (imho). I mean the standards for story telling and acting have improve and there are better movies these days.

I don't know, it's pretty tough to watch better movies these days than Lawrence of Arabia, Murder on the Orient Express, Northwest Passage, On the Waterfront, or Vertigo. For sheer entertainment, I find these movies from the past far stronger than most of todays offerings.

Carnifex said:

I don't know, it's pretty tough to watch better movies these days than...

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I think the biggest difference between daddy's faves (Lawrence et al) and junior's faves (Avengers x, etc) is the intellect (or the lack of it).
Make no mistake, popcorn movies are great fun, but, like free porn, nothing substantial.
Great to watch after a day's work, but won't necessarily improve you as a person.

I literally had the whole "film" vs "movie" discussion two hours ago with a friend, and for me I think that's where the line is. A film is something I love, that I want absolute silence for when I watch, and quite likely that no one is ever going to be able to alter my opinion on.

A movie is something that I can watch, I might enjoy it, I may even watch it again in the future, but it just didn't hit that "film" status for me. I'm pretty certain that most people have a similar way of looking at this genre, although internally they may use different labels.

Yes, I have the Permanent Collection, and then other stuff that will probably be taken to the charity shop, one day.

... and there are of course, flicks pretending to be Important:
- the artsy-fartsy melodrama variant, preferably in b&w (e.g. Schindler's),
- and the oh-so-cool cult-wannabe variant, preferably with an A-list star (e.g. Blade Runner 2049)

IMHO, these are the worst, because they'd cost a ton of money, made by hundreds of really talented people, yet the end result is a finicking turd.

Joxer you off your meds? That is some nasty shit you are peddling

Saw First Reformed.

Wh? Saw franchise is not dead?

?????!?????!?????

joxer said:

Wh? Saw franchise is not dead?

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Wasn't sure what'll happen, but I actually like Viy.

Special effects are awsome, the story is interesting, the setting is Tim Burton with steampunk vibe, drunkards and crazy priest cannot be more ridiculous and funny, halucinations are easy to be aware of and the movie gives a hommage to Big Trouble in Little China. Wait you've never heard… Shame on you! Get it, now!

So… Anything in there not to like? Sadly, there is.

Firstly, voiceover.
See, the movie has scenes with russian and has scenes with english spoken language. If you take english dub, russian voiceover is toned down and you'll hear english on top of it. If you pick russian (with eng. subs), then english voiceover is silent and russian dub slammed on top of it.
Who the fukk thought that's a good idea? It sux! I say off with their head. Remove silly dubs completely and insert subs where needed and that's it. Everyone does it like that, but some stupid CEO for this movie decided everyone else is stupid.

Second, it's the storytelling.
Some scenes get cut abruptly, some scenes get inserted in a way you think wtf (as if someone inserted black metal riff inside a country tune), and some scenes are pretty much unnecessary filler that leads absolutely nowhere.
Don't worry, while movie editing was sadly done by an amateur thuis it's not as fluid as it could have been, but it's still not near storytelling abominations like Donnie Darko was.

Viy is not Viy on english, it's available under some silly name that says anything about the movie: Forbidden Empire.
Trust me, there is no forbidden empire in the movie.

Lower your expectations, fire it up and I promise you'll have fun.

Viy 2 will appear in a few months and won't be happening in Russia but in China. Jason Flemyng will remain in his role, while newcomers in the sequel are Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jackie Chan and Rutger Hauer. Hollywoodcentric youtube channel Looper predicts Viy 2 will be rubbish, because, yeah, it's Russia|China|USA joint production so it has to suck. Maybe it will, but I just can't wait to watch it.
Here's a middlefinger to Looper.

I think I will see the new Star Wars movie in a couple of hours. Curious if it is better or worse than what everyone who has seen it is saying.

you said:

I think I will see the new Star Wars movie in a couple of hours. Curious if it is better or worse than what everyone who has seen it is saying.

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Saw it a few days ago. I'd say it was a good movie, but not a good Star Wars movie. YMMV

Saw Solo: A Star Wars Story.