What Movies Are You Watching? (2015)

[Icon]

[quote=“Rockefeller”]@icon - I watch them. The Hunger Games movies, at least. It’s also the only one you need to stick with. I watched Mockingjay Part 2 on a Tuesday night at a huge theater and it was p.a.c.k.e.d. Makes sense I guess - This franchise is the big one that jumpstarted all the teen-driven dystopian pictures we’re now being bombarded with.

I was delightfully surprised - The film is way better than it needs to be and the filmmakers don’t try to pander to all fans by doing middle of the road, one-size-fits-all, safest rendition of the story - they actually have a distinct point of view and stick to it - and that’s why I even if it is never going to win an Oscar for best picture, I still respect the commitment.

They weren’t afraid to show sad or ugly things (this is about war after all), or show their main characters do or say things that aren’t necessarily appealing, but honest nonetheless. Plus, great performances from all around, from the late Philip Seymour Hoffman to Jennifer Lawrence, to Woody Harrelson and Donald Sutherland (& co).

I’ve never seen diverging mazes or whatever, but I’ve seen two of those twilight movies (courtesy of my little sister), and based on those two I can’t emphasize how different The Hunger Games films are from the 4ish hours of confusion that are the angsty-broody tween vampire flicks. Plus, Hunger Games packs way more action (wtf is that vampire-werewolf pow-wow that they make a huge-ass deal out of the entire time, but then surmounted to like 10 minutes of talking and then some CG blurs (or something - don’t remember much)?)

Anyway, I say this recently coming off of seeing (and liked) a two hour long dialog-faithful Macbeth film with Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard, so I could be crazy, odd, weird, or just plain different. So there you go.[/quote]

Yep, I do agree that The Hunger Games grew on me. Not a fan of the genre, but yes, the acting did get better, the whole action and script adaptation got better. haven’t seen the final one yet, will wait until it comes out on cable, though.

And Macbeth, I am an English major, went to a British school, and love the stuff. Period films are my thing, but I have seen some pretty interesting modern adaptations. Cool stuff.

[Icon]

Saw The Book of Life over the weekend. It is really cute.

[Icon]

Another Latino production, an alternative for those who may not get tickets to see Star Wars: The 33

The good -at least we know the ending

In 2010, the eyes of the world turned to Chile, where 33 miners had been buried alive by the catastrophic explosion and collapse of a 100-year-old gold and copper mine. Over the next 69 days, an international team worked night and day in a desperate attempt to rescue the trapped men as their families and friends, as well as millions of people globally, waited and watched anxiously for any sign of hope. But 200 stories beneath the surface, in the suffocating heat and with tensions rising, provisions–and time–were quickly running out. A story of resilience, personal transformation and triumph of the human spirit, the film takes us to the Earth’s darkest depths, revealing the psyches of the men trapped in the mine, and depicting the courage of both the miners and their families who refused to give up. Based on the gripping true story of survival–and filmed with the cooperation of the miners, their families and their rescuers–The 33 reveals the never-before-seen actual events that unfolded, above and below ground, which became nothing less than a worldwide phenomenon.

The bad -yep, they did consider leaving them there

“The 33” runs like a disaster movie. Its special effects and the human interactions inside and outside the mine add to the tension. It is the memory of the actual mine disaster and rescue operation that adds seriousness to the production.

The movie is short on character development. Aside from Sepulveda and Segovia, we learn very little about the rest of the players. The film also does not explain why the miners received no compensation nor what Chilean officials have done to improve mine safety.

In summary:

Critics Consensus: The 33 offers an appropriately inspirational account of real-life heroism, but its stirring story and solid performances are undermined by a flawed focus and an overreliance on formula.

The 33 - Official Trailer [HD]

[Rockefeller]

Quentin Tarantino’s new flick The Hateful Eight is a fantastic, comedic, uber-violent western. I highly recommend watching the roadshow version (complete with a 4 minute overture and 12 minute intermission), and in projected in beautiful 70mm* film.

[triceratopses]

@Rockefeller

Quentin Tarantino’s new flick The Hateful Eight is a fantastic

Yep. All the new stuff is very cool: The Revenant, Sicario, even Concussion

[triceratopses]

@triceratopses

[quote=“Rockefeller”]Quentin Tarantino’s new flick The Hateful Eight is a fantastic

Yep. All the new stuff is very cool: The Revenant, Sicario, even Concussion[/quote]

Oh Spotlight too. The Lobster I found very interesting but very strange (if you don’t have a partner you get sent to a hotel if you don’t find one there in a certain amount of time you get turned into an animal of your choosing)

[tommy525]

Wife made me go see The Danish Girl. NOt my usual sort of movie. But whats his name was brilliant again and his previously little known co star even more brilliant (and cute too).

Awesome cinematography too. This movie was made to get oscar awards !!

[tommy525]

sistersfilm.com/?utm_source= … tent=Brand

Saw a few days ago. Pretty funny. Worth a few laughs.

[Okami]

The Big Short-The only film I’ve seen this year that I would pay to see. It’s that good. The weirdest thing is the situation was actually worse than they show. They also never mentioned the Florida law mills, but that did happen after the crash.

Green Inferno- I liked it. SJW’s get killed and eaten. :lick:

[Rockefeller]

@triceratopses

[quote=“Rockefeller”]Quentin Tarantino’s new flick The Hateful Eight is a fantastic

Yep. All the new stuff is very cool: The Revenant, Sicario, even Concussion[/quote]
Right on . What did you think of the overture and intermission? Personally I like that experience, but some folks have different opinions. I hope you kept the nifty souvenir program!

[quote=“Icon”]Saw The Book of Life over the weekend. It is really cute.
[/quote]
I was curious about that, might check it out sometime

[lostinasia]

@Rockefeller

Quentin Tarantino’s new flick The Hateful Eight is a fantastic, comedic, uber-violent western. I highly recommend watching the roadshow version (complete with a 4 minute overture and 12 minute intermission), and in projected in beautiful 70mm* film.

Oscar-bait movies that I can’t watch until significantly after all the press, which usually means I’ll forget entirely about them (dates from this website) … most of these will likely be available in iTunes before they show up in the cinema:
[ul]Opening here January 15: The Big Short, 45 Years.
January 21: Son of Saul.
January 29: Anomalisa.
February 19 (!): Spotlight, The Hateful Eight.
Feb. 26: Room (wasn’t this already about six months ago?!), Concussion.
March 4: Carol. (Just odd. What percentage of the people on this island who would want to see Carol won’t have already seen it in other ways by that date?!)[/ul]

[Icon]

Why Are We Going Back To Victorian Times? | Sherlock: The Abominable Bride

Looking forward to The Abominable Bride. But it really grinds my gears that they have time to make such an elaborate movie, yet not for a full TV season -or is it a money issue? Anyways,

[tommy525]

Just saw THE BIG SHORT. Was pretty good. About the sub prime mortgage loans from 2007.

[Gain]

[quote=“lostinasia”]
March 4: Carol. (Just odd. What percentage of the people on this island who would want to see Carol won’t have already seen it in other ways by that date?!)[/list][/quote]
Their original plan was that once Carol got nominated/won big times at the Oscars, the box office would boost.

[Bu_Lai_En]

Easy A (2010) I’m quite a fan of teen movies when they’re done well, and this one is really funny. The plot is loosely based on The Scarlet Letter. It’s up there with Clueless from 15 years earlier.

Suspiria (1977) Something of a cult classic from the Italian slasher horror ‘giallo’ genre. Colorful and gothic. Not too bad.

The American (2010) Tight and compelling thriller with George Clooney.

Merchants of Doubt (2014) Good documentary about the organised way doubt is manufactured over the issue of global warming.

The Red and the White (1967) A film about Hungarian soldiers in the Russian civil war by Hungarian director Miklos Jansco. Like his other film that I’ve seen, Red Psalm, I found that his long takes and distance shots are very well choreographed, but made the film distant and difficult.

The Marriage of Maria Braun (1979) Quite a good film by German New Wave director Werner Fassbinder, about a woman who near the end of WW2 marries her boyfriend spends a day with him and then waits for him to return.

The Adjustment Bureau (2011) Pretty fun science fiction film/ romantic comedy with some good ideas in it. I enjoyed it.

[ranlee]

@Bu Lai En

Easy A (2010) I’m quite a fan of teen movies when they’re done well, and this one is really funny. The plot is loosely based on The Scarlet Letter. It’s up there with Clueless from 15 years earlier.

EasyA surprised me when I first saw it and I have to say it’s pretty well written and casted. Scene’s with Emma Stone’s family in the movie were my favorites parts.

[Rockefeller]

Update 01/25: We went with SPOTLIGHT. She loved it.

We’ve narrowed the stack o’ choices down to 3, I’ve seen all 3 and tell her that they’re equally great. But she just can’t make up her mind which to watch. It’s like dinner options all over again , so I’m tired and leaving it to third party suggestions (i.e., snapchat and you):

[Icon]

This made my night yesterday. I was just in the mood for this -rotten mood. Instead of the superhuman heroics of a Hollywood film -or that awful Quantico TV series- we get people at their worst, in the worst day of their lives. The underbelly of news and power play and supposed anti terrorist blablabla.

The Terror Live. Very recommended by critics.

[ranlee]

The 5th Wave (2016)

Gf wanted to see this flick, I’m not really sure why since the movies she picks are never action/adventure. All I knew about it was, things would blow up and people would shoot people. Little did I know that Coyote Ugly’s bartender was a also an army bitch.

All in all, I had zero expectations and went in to enjoy a movie. The ending was a little meh, but I assume it’s just trying to make room for a sequel.

Chloë Grace Moretz does a pretty good job with the leading role, but it seems like we see her in similar roles often.

[Icon]

[quote=“ranlee”]The 5th Wave (2016)

Gf wanted to see this flick, I’m not really sure why since the movies she picks are never action/adventure. All I knew about it was, things would blow up and people would shoot people. Little did I know that Coyote Ugly’s bartender was a also an army bitch.

All in all, I had zero expectations and went in to enjoy a movie. The ending was a little meh, but I assume it’s just trying to make room for a sequel.

Chloë Grace Moretz does a pretty good job with the leading role, but it seems like we see her in similar roles often.[/quote]

I am curious about the film -interesting premise- but:

1. One more alien invasion film
2. one more post apocalyptic survival film in a dreary destroyed world
3. One more practically babies leads that somehow have the military skills of battle tested Marine
4. one more end of the world averted by a small band of young dragging their diapers and baby blankets gang… but wait until the sequel, aftersequel, and two more films. A 3 film load was already too much, so let’s add one more?!
5. one more film where the special effect try to distract you from the plot gapping holes

In summary, the question is: what makes this film special and must see? Only Chloe fans know.