Movie opinions thread (what have you seen, what did you think?)

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I took my daughter to see Bumblebee yesterday, and it was really surprisingly good, easily better than any of the Bay flicks. As much as I generally hate reboots, I actually wish this was a reboot and they'd hand the keys to this new director. The movie does suffer from the Terminator problem though, the opening of the movie is a fight on Cybertron full of familiar faces, and like the future scenes in Terminator you really just want a movie of the Cybertron war that we'll never see.
That was my only compliant as well i wish bumblebee was a reboot and not a prequel to the others.
 

joe8

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Solo: An Attempted Star Wars Story
This was the first Star Wars movie in theaters that I skipped in my life. (I was born way after the original run but was primo age for the special editions' theatrical runs.) I skipped it because VIII was so terrible and because I heard the production was a hot mess; the guy playing Han literally couldn't act and Lord & Miller were in over their heads. I don't regret skipping it. It's...OK. The character really didn't remind me of Han, the heist didn't feel like a heist, the Western elements didn't make it feel like a Western in space (save for the bridge explosion), etc. Not a fan of the robot liberation movement in there either, and I don't think this was the place for a "fucking over the indigenous people for their resources" lesson. If this were some new franchise, it might be halfway adequate. On the other hand, for a movie that really shouldn't have been made, it could've been a lot worse.
VIII was better than VII, IMO.
I saw Rogue One, because it was a movie that's in the main story sequence (I like to see it as being Episode III 1/2). It was quite good, better than VII and VIII, and it had a few of the characters from III and IV. I think it's the emotional content that makes a movie good, as long as it's not forced emotional content. All of the recent movies would have been better if Lucas had had a hand in creating them. Han and Luke probably wouldn't have been killed off so quickly, if Lucas had been involved.
I probably won't see Solo: A Star Wars Story, because it isn't in the main story line, and because they killed off Solo in Force Awakens.
 
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SouthtownKid

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Pretty much no to everything.

I saw Rogue One, because it was a movie that's in the main story sequence (it's Episode III 1/2)
No, it's not. It's not an episode at all, it merely takes place in the time between 3 and 4. So does Solo. That doesn't make Solo episode 3 1/4.

Han and Luke probably wouldn't have been killed off so quickly, if Lucas had been involved.
If Lucas had been involved, Harrison Ford wouldn't have agreed to reprise his role. He wanted Han to die in RotJ. The only way he agreed to come back for 7 was by them promising to kill Han off right away.
 

joe8

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Pretty much no to everything.

No, it's not. It's not an episode at all, it merely takes place in the time between 3 and 4. So does Solo. That doesn't make Solo episode 3 1/4.

If Lucas had been involved, Harrison Ford wouldn't have agreed to reprise his role. He wanted Han to die in RotJ. The only way he agreed to come back for 7 was by them promising to kill Han off right away.
There was also a plan to kill Solo in Empire Strikes Back. That's why he was frozen in carbonite, it was decided to do that instead of killing him.
Lucas wanted Han to stay alive in ROTJ, that's the only reason he did.
But Obi-Wan was killed off in Episode IV, so I would assume that Lucas isn't totally averse to killing off major characters. It's only when there's a good reason for it, story-wise, and where it makes for a better film.

If Lucas was doing the sequel trilogy, he would have been forced to kill off Han, to get Harrison to agree to do VII. But he would have kept Luke and Leia alive until Episode IX, and then maybe have one or both of them killed.
The people making the sequel trilogy were obviously planning to have Leia as the last surviving of the three main original characters, to appear in Episode IX. But they can't really do that now, so they're going to have Billy Dee Williams as Lando Calrissian, instead.
 
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smokehouse

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Are you sure that's the same Solo? I don't think Disney is putting anything else out on Netflix from now on.

Yeah, it's on there at the moment. I didn't think Disney would be adding anything more, either, but they did (for now).

I'm going into Solo expecting it to be complete shit...that will definitely help to soften the blow. Episode VIII blindsided me...that made the impact worse. I won't do that again...
 

NeoSneth

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I have forgotten all the complaints with Solo, so I'm watching it again today as well.
I don't recall having any major issues with it like Last Jedi.


Edit: Just rewatched it. I still think it's a solid entry. Lots of practical effects. Fan service.
It still shits on canon, but that's everything Disney has done. I could do without the feminist driod, but it doesnt ruin the movie.

I thought they handled Darth Maul well. He's a major presence despite how it comes off in the movies. Solo is the only movie where he actually seems feared. It's unfortunate they kill him off like a bitch...twice.
 
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HornheaDD

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Whether or not Maul lived wasn’t the issue as much as how they portrayed him in a way that contrasted his character in Phantom Menace. He came off as a joke in Solo. Leave the cowl on, have him tersely question about Dryson, and demand she meet in person, and don’t show off the light saber via FaceTime, because this isn’t chat roulette. Less is a lot more.
Lol you have a solid point. That would have been better.
 

GohanX

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Hang on a second.

HANG ON A FUCKING SECOND.

So the dude in the trailer that looks exactly like 'Scream - isn't him? I havent seen the movie, but that scene in the trailer is what sold me on it.

Unfortunatly, no. The director wanted it to be Starscream, but he was somewhat limited by the fact that he had to stay in the same continuity of the other movies so he throws in another seeker that looks and acts pretty much just like him
Spoiler:
before Bumblebee kills him.
Other seekers can be seen in the opening Cybertron battle, IIRC Optimus bodyslams Thundercracker. Megatron is missing also because of the stupid plot point of the first movie where he's been frozen on Earth for thousands of years. I really wish they had just let them reboot it instead of being tied into the other stupid movies.
 

Tripredacus

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Alien Predators (VHS)
aka The Falling, Mutant 2
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Falling_(1987_film)

It has a dune buggy and features extended driving scenes. I wonder if they genuinely loved dune buggies or if this was partly some advertisement. The NASA building is cool. One case of bad writing or perhaps a deleted scene as the scientist's behaviour changes half-way through the movie. Also the ending we can presume that one of the lead characters dies because he doesn't know his blood type, so it would make sense if the antidote didn't work on him, which would explain why the RV stops instead of keep driving.

Some jets are used to bomb the town. They show a scene with them launching from an aircraft carrier. The ones shown were specifically the VFA-103 F-14 Tomcats, which gives the movie a little Robotech/Macross feel to it.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VFA-103
 

HornheaDD

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Samurai Cop 2: Deadly Vengeance

I mean, the first SC was total shit, but a had some semblance of heart. Plus it had the late great Robert Z'Dar in it. Truly the only way to watch it was via rifftrax/mystery science theater. But it was funny and had a lot of funny shit in it. And it was hilarious because it was trying to be a serious action movie and failed miserably.

Samurai Cop 2 I came to find was a crowdfunded film with lots of the same actors. Kudos to that shit. And they got the amazingly insane Tommy Wiseau who is sadly very underused in this movie. Those are the high points. After that it just made less sense than the original (and that's saying something), and was clearly self aware to the point where call backs to the first film were basically "eh? Check it out? Remember this? Eh? Eh?" moments.

Porn star Lexi Belle is in it, and she hasn't aged well, and neither has the main cast. Even for being an intended piece of shit, this movie is a piece of shit.
 

100proof

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The "wink, wink" terrible movies that are designed from the jump to be terrible and laugh at themselves (Sharknado, Snakes on a Plane, Samurai Cop 2) always miss the point and largely end up forgettable bad. Movies that become classic terrible movies (Manos, Plan 9, Samurai Cop, The Room, Troll 2, Neil Breen, etc.) are classics because they're earnest. The people involved in making the movies sometimes realize that things aren't going well but they give it their best. The problem is usually that the idea man (writer/creator/director) is so in over their head and brazenly incompetent that they don't even realize that what they're making is hilariously, grossly inept.
 

fake

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Children of Men
As a movie fan, one of the best experiences is watching a movie you haven't seen in years and it still holding up 100%. If Children of Men isn't perfect, it's pretty close. It's probably the most accurate depiction on the near future, and I love how the technological advancements are subtle, so they're only set dressings and aren't in your face, trying to be a pivotal part of the movie. The nazi themes and the immigration issues are obviously just as relevant now - if not more so - than they were in 2006. I also like how it shows both extreme sides as being malefactors; the government is rounding up (and often killing) refugees, but the Fishes are just as willing to kill for their own egos and to use the first child born in the past two decades as propaganda. And Jasper is probably one of my favorite movie characters, period.

At the time, I thought the 2000s were a shit decade for movies, and even in hindsight, I haven't changed that opinion. If I had to rank my top handful of 2000s movies, they'd be:

Children of Men
Eternal Sunshine
Mulholland Drive
Lost in Translation

Those, IMO, are the only excellent movies of the decade. Everything else, like Memento, LotR, Donnie Darko, etc. are just "very good". I'd maybe consider adding Shawn of the Dead to the top list.
 

joe8

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This is a trailer for Duel. It's probably my favorite Spielberg film:
 
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SouthtownKid

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Children of Men
As a movie fan, one of the best experiences is watching a movie you haven't seen in years and it still holding up 100%. If Children of Men isn't perfect, it's pretty close. It's probably the most accurate depiction on the near future, and I love how the technological advancements are subtle, so they're only set dressings and aren't in your face, trying to be a pivotal part of the movie. The nazi themes and the immigration issues are obviously just as relevant now - if not more so - than they were in 2006. I also like how it shows both extreme sides as being malefactors; the government is rounding up (and often killing) refugees, but the Fishes are just as willing to kill for their own egos and to use the first child born in the past two decades as propaganda. And Jasper is probably one of my favorite movie characters, period.

At the time, I thought the 2000s were a shit decade for movies, and even in hindsight, I haven't changed that opinion. If I had to rank my top handful of 2000s movies, they'd be:

Children of Men
Eternal Sunshine
Mulholland Drive
Lost in Translation

Those, IMO, are the only excellent movies of the decade. Everything else, like Memento, LotR, Donnie Darko, etc. are just "very good". I'd maybe consider adding Shawn of the Dead to the top list.

I think Lost in Translation was outlandishly overrated. Eternal Sunshine is slightly overrated. And Children of Men is rated exactly right: it's okay.

Mulholland Drive, however, is fantastic. Not quite as good as the similarly-themed Lost Highway, but that's a different decade.

But I'd put The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou, No Country For Old Men, Brick, Let the Right One In, and maybe even Almost Famous above any movie on your list other than Mulholland Drive.
 

LoneSage

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Too bad the Brick director forever tarnished his rep with Episode VIII.
 

joe8

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Children of Men


At the time, I thought the 2000s were a shit decade for movies, and even in hindsight, I haven't changed that opinion. If I had to rank my top handful of 2000s movies, they'd be:

Children of Men
Eternal Sunshine
Mulholland Drive
Lost in Translation

Those, IMO, are the only excellent movies of the decade. Everything else, like Memento, LotR, Donnie Darko, etc. are just "very good". I'd maybe consider adding Shawn of the Dead to the top list.
There was also The Darjeeling Limited from 2007, wasn't that one at least "very good"? Sideways (2004) was excellent, as was The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008). And there was Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000).
And there's always some excellent foreign movies coming out every year.
 
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titchgamer

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Went to watch The Upside at the pics the other night.

Really enjoyed it and well worth a watch.

It was a nice change of pace imo.
 

fake

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I think Lost in Translation was outlandishly overrated. Eternal Sunshine is slightly overrated. And Children of Men is rated exactly right: it's okay.

Mulholland Drive, however, is fantastic. Not quite as good as the similarly-themed Lost Highway, but that's a different decade.

But I'd put The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou, No Country For Old Men, Brick, Let the Right One In, and maybe even Almost Famous above any movie on your list other than Mulholland Drive.

Maybe it's a generational thing. I was in college when Lost in Translation and Eternal Sunshine came out and they really resonated. I haven't seen Eternal Sunshine since then, but I watch Lost in Translation every few years and I still think it's excellent. I'll admit that there isn't a traditional story in there, but I think it's great despite or maybe because of that. It's vicarious tourism.

Let the Right One is is really good, but I think Life Aquatic is the weakest Wes Anderson movie. I don't dislike it, but I definitely wouldn't say it's anything beyond "pretty good."

There was also The Darjeeling Limited from 2007, wasn't that one at least "very good"? Sideways (2004) was excellent, as was The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008). And there was Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000).
And there's always some excellent foreign movies coming out every year.

Yeah, Darjeeling Limited might be able to get on that list. Benjamin Button pisses me off :lolz:. And I forgot to add Adaptation to the list.
 

SouthtownKid

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but I think Life Aquatic is the weakest Wes Anderson movie. I don't dislike it, but I definitely wouldn't say it's anything beyond "pretty good."
See, I think that's a generational thing. As you get older, Life Aquatic may resonate more. Meanwhile, I think Darjeeling Limited has been Anderson's weakest (maybe excluding the animated films) movie by a very wide margin.
 

DevilRedeemed

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I thought Life Acuatic was amazing from the start, much better than a lot of his other films.

I have to say that there where quite a few good films in the 00s but it requires a bit of work to find them maybe


The Wrestler
There Will be Blood
Zodiac
28 Days Later/Sunshine (I know the latter may not be a shared opinion)
Million Dollar Baby
Snatch (hasn't aged that well)
Tenacious D and the Pick of Destiny
Be kind Rewind
Adaptation
Lord of War
The Devil's Rejects
Kill Bill I and II (enjoy it much more now than I did then)
The Virgin Suicides\Marie Antoinette
Spiderman 2
Hostel
 
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oliverclaude

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I have to say that there where quite a few good films in the 00s...

...off the top of my head:

Memento (2000) - goes w/o saying
Sexy Beast (2000) - goes w/o saying
Bamboozled (2000) - made an impression
The Bourne Identity (2002) - Matt Damon
Gangs of New York (2002) - love it or hate it, but: cult
The Recruit (2003) - personal choice, cause of lead actors
Spartan (2004) - personal choice, cause of Mamet one-liners
Iron Man (2008) - Robert Downey Jr.
Taken (2008) - birth of the post-modern AARP hero
The Hurt Locker (2008) - everything feels fresh about it, still does
 

fake

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You guys are listing movies that are great. But not near-perfect. At least IMO. I like Zodiac, Memento, Hurt Locker, etc. But I think the movies I'm talking about are in another league in terms of writing or filmmaking or originality, etc.
 

LoneSage

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2000s was fine for movies. It's the 2010s that I don't care about.
 
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