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Wall Street
Movie opinions thread (what have you seen, what did you think?)
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Wall Street
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I've watched Last Crusade probably 150 times over the years and it never gets old. Definitely my favorite of the trilogy.
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Parasite
Korean movie which stands on its own with very well delivered story exploring class discrimination. Poor family's son gets a job tutoring the daughter of a rich family, and manages to weasel his family members into jobs with the rich family, like a parasite. It's not a scary movie at all, but rather a poignant comedy. I would compare it to the works of Wong Kar Wei, like Chungking Express or Fallen Angels. This comparison makes me miss the greatness of HK cinema, but anyhow, Parasite is a good movie. You might be able to find it online now (it's on Kodi w/o subs), not sure about subs. I was able to see it in the theater here.
Korean movie which stands on its own with very well delivered story exploring class discrimination. Poor family's son gets a job tutoring the daughter of a rich family, and manages to weasel his family members into jobs with the rich family, like a parasite. It's not a scary movie at all, but rather a poignant comedy. I would compare it to the works of Wong Kar Wei, like Chungking Express or Fallen Angels. This comparison makes me miss the greatness of HK cinema, but anyhow, Parasite is a good movie. You might be able to find it online now (it's on Kodi w/o subs), not sure about subs. I was able to see it in the theater here.
oliverclaude
General Morden's Aide
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The Place Beyond the Pines
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Richard Jewell
Really liked this film. Filled with noteworthy performances. Eastwood is a terrific director and this is probably one of his greatest films. I couldn't even pick one performance that I thought was better than any of the others. They're all so strong. The material, in general, is very strong. Eastwood is very good at examining the vulnerability of America (a country he clearly loves and has a particular set of ideas about) through a variety of lenses, and he does an excellent job of it here again. The only performance I felt seemed 'off' was Olivia Wilde. I think she's a fine actress but in a film of subtle, human performances that aren't being directed to make any stars, she comes off like she's chewing scenery every time she is on screen. I wouldn't call it offputting, but she comes off as the only character in the film that's 'larger than life', if that makes any sense. I mean, maybe the person she is portraying really was akin to a sort of 'Lois Lane on steroids' type. I don't know. Other than what I saw on the news when all of this was going on, I don't have much familiarity with the truth of the events. I am probably going to read American Nightmare: the Ballad of Richard Jewell after this, however.
Top ranks, both as a film and as a story. 5 out of 5.
Really liked this film. Filled with noteworthy performances. Eastwood is a terrific director and this is probably one of his greatest films. I couldn't even pick one performance that I thought was better than any of the others. They're all so strong. The material, in general, is very strong. Eastwood is very good at examining the vulnerability of America (a country he clearly loves and has a particular set of ideas about) through a variety of lenses, and he does an excellent job of it here again. The only performance I felt seemed 'off' was Olivia Wilde. I think she's a fine actress but in a film of subtle, human performances that aren't being directed to make any stars, she comes off like she's chewing scenery every time she is on screen. I wouldn't call it offputting, but she comes off as the only character in the film that's 'larger than life', if that makes any sense. I mean, maybe the person she is portraying really was akin to a sort of 'Lois Lane on steroids' type. I don't know. Other than what I saw on the news when all of this was going on, I don't have much familiarity with the truth of the events. I am probably going to read American Nightmare: the Ballad of Richard Jewell after this, however.
Top ranks, both as a film and as a story. 5 out of 5.
Thierry Henry
Tung's Hair Stylist
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6 Underground
A bit of a promising start but then quickly downhill after that.
Same old Michael Bay. So going in you have a pretty good idea of what to expect. Netflix giving 'creative freedom' to this guy is like handing a convicted arsonist a gallon of gasoline.
A bit of a promising start but then quickly downhill after that.
Same old Michael Bay. So going in you have a pretty good idea of what to expect. Netflix giving 'creative freedom' to this guy is like handing a convicted arsonist a gallon of gasoline.
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Well wait a minute. I'd like to see that.
oliverclaude
General Morden's Aide
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Spoiler:
Haha, you're as evil as the green-eyed monster called... grated wasabi
. Let's save Sage that heart attack, though, and not push it over the top. Wait a minute, that is the way out: Over The Top!
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I think the problem was Ryan Reynolds playing Tom Cruise AND Vin Diesel in Mission Impossible x Deadpool x XXX. EXPLOSIONS! CAR CRASH! Michael Bay.
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Black Christmas (2019) - I wasn't expecting much but this was one of the worst films I've seen all year. SJW Christmas would have been a more appropriate title. Zero tension, atrocious script and characters so annoying you'd wish death upon them if you could muster an iota of a fuck.
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Shazam!
Finally...a DC film that isn't complete crap. Now...don't get me wrong, the plot was mostly complete poo...but at least it was fun to watch, my 11 year old enjoyed it.
Finally...a DC film that isn't complete crap. Now...don't get me wrong, the plot was mostly complete poo...but at least it was fun to watch, my 11 year old enjoyed it.
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I thought Shazam was a joy. I actually really like Man of Steel and Wonder Woman and Aquaman was half decent too, but Shazam was just pure fun. My only gripe was that they never *called* him Shazam, or the Big Red Cheese.
I would have preferred to have the movie called Captain Marvel but I get the whole Marvel/DC thing.
I'm hopeful for Black Adam and/or Shazam II.
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Anymore...I'll take fun. I used to be a stuck up dick with movies thinking every one had to be some deep level masterpiece...but I've learned to enjoy fun movies as well. Probably because of my kiddo...
Shazam was in the same boat as 2018's Jumanji...not a deep plot but they were enjoyable.
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A film for posterity. Pretty special. Derek Cianfrance has got something.
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Plus that Mike Patton soundtrack.
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Yeah what a score.
Blue Valentine also had brilliant music. The end with that Grizzly Bear track and the visuals was crushing
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I came to the conclusion a few years ago that Ryan Gosling is the movie producer we need going forward. His work with Nick Winding Refn is also fantastic.
Ryan Reynolds on the other hand... should make less movies.
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Ha I definitely agree
Reynolds is horrible in everything. Seems like a likeable enough chap, but he either makes really, really bad fucking movies, and/or plays bland nondescript characters with bland nondescript acting.
A bit like Mathew McConaughey and Gerard Butler but at least the former did great in Dallas Buyer's Club and the latter was 300 for what that's worth.
Goslin's golden years might be behind him, working with Indie guys and pushing things forward somewhat, but I would bank on him making interesting to great cinema rather than not.
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I like Ryan Reynolds but he's really only good at playing Ryan Reynolds. So Van Wilder and Deadpool, pretty much. Anything that requires range and a less than infinite amount of snark? Much less good.
I actually watched the original Black Christmas the other night. Still holds up and doesn't need multiple shitty remakes. It's a little... weird in places but it didn't have the slasher movie rule book to go by so the fact that it isn't strictly formulaic makes it interesting in its own right. Anyway, it's got those genuinely creepy prank calls, a couple of interesting POV shots and that ending which, while defying all logic, is pretty unsettling. Also has a wayyyy higher class of actor in it than these kinds of movies would later become famous for.
Anyway, yeah ignore that hunk of idpol shit in the theaters and ignore the remake from 10+ years ago and just go watch this instead.
I actually watched the original Black Christmas the other night. Still holds up and doesn't need multiple shitty remakes. It's a little... weird in places but it didn't have the slasher movie rule book to go by so the fact that it isn't strictly formulaic makes it interesting in its own right. Anyway, it's got those genuinely creepy prank calls, a couple of interesting POV shots and that ending which, while defying all logic, is pretty unsettling. Also has a wayyyy higher class of actor in it than these kinds of movies would later become famous for.
Anyway, yeah ignore that hunk of idpol shit in the theaters and ignore the remake from 10+ years ago and just go watch this instead.
