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

[jro]

I thought the beginning with Neo was the strongest part of the film. Had they not shown the new Morpheus it would have been really interesting in so far as whether or not Thomas Anderson was suffering from a crippling mental delusion.

They should have hit up a pseudo Wes Craven’s New Nightmare angle.

That's really where I thought it was going after the first 30 minutes or whatever, gotta admit I was a bit let down when it just went straight-up Matrix instead of trying something that would have been so much more out there. It felt like Lana and Keanu both had a really good feel for how to play those meta bits but then gave in to making what Warners wanted instead.

 

[Lagduf]

That's really where I thought it was going after the first 30 minutes or whatever, gotta admit I was a bit let down when it just went straight-up Matrix instead of trying something that would have been so much more out there. It felt like Lana and Keanu both had a really good feel for how to play those meta bits but then gave in to making what Warners wanted instead.

The ending of Resurrection was satisfying for me because it was so similar to the original films ending, which was a great ending and we really gained nothing from the two sequels except if I’m remembering right the somewhat cyclical nature of the human/machine conflict but meh. Wasn’t worth the two extra films.

 

[famicommander]

The ending of Resurrection was satisfying for me because it was so similar to the original films ending, which was a great ending and we really gained nothing from the two sequels except if I’m remembering right the somewhat cyclical nature of the human/machine conflict but meh. Wasn’t worth the two extra films.

There is almost nothing as far as character development in the sequels, besides Neo's interactions with the Oracle. And most of the action sequences are all just wasting time until Neo gets done being distracted and Supermans some shit. Those are my main two issues.

Plot-wise the sequels show us exactly why Neo has powers, the motivations of the Machines beyond simple energy creation and using humans as computer clusters, and the specific origin and structure of the Matrix itself. To me this is where the movies actually succeeded. It wasn't enough to save them overall, but I really like how much they thought through every detail. Of course, having Colonel Sanders deliver this information in a 20 minute monotone monologue wasn't the best way to end the second movie.

 

[fake]

Matrix 4
At first, I was pleasantly surprised. The first half hour was meta but not really in a "har-har wink-wink" kind of way. Obviously there was a lot of commentary on Warners, fans, the creative process, etc. If they kept this up for longer, it might have gotten tired, but it probably would've been better than what followed. It almost felt like the first half hour wasn't just a commiseration about the sequels, but also a warning about the majority of the following two hours.

Spoiler:

• I like the idea that the machines had essentially quarantined Neo. I think the humans' discovery of this could've been much better though.
• I don't like that they "rebuilt" Trinity. I get Neo not necessarily dying, but the machines rebuilding someone who got poled is a stretch.
• I'm unclear on what happened to Morpheus.
• I really hate the magnetic cubes thing that lets programs exist in the real world. It looks awful.
• The little cutesy machine guys running around the ship seemed like an ode to Michael Bay.
• A lot of the CGI sucked, particularly the friendly machines.
• Niobi's CGI face was really very not good.
• The exile program fight was cringe, especially the Merovingian.
• I did like the reason behind the peace not lasting.
• I think the disorienting running through doors and mirrors was a good direction.
• Neo just waving off attacks makes sense if he's super powerful, but at the same time he's forgotten how to fly? It also just seems lazy.

I think if they took more time and made it less like the Matrix, (i.e., stuck with the style of the first 30 mins) it could've been pretty great. They tried to do what Kojima did with MGS2. But didn't really follow through. I think they could have continued with the meta stuff, while still sprinkling in the fan service and action that would've kept the pace up and satisfied the studio.

 

[famicommander]

I don't know that there's anything they could've done to make the movie a success at this point. It could've been better, it could've gotten a better reception from critics, but it seems like regardless of all that the fanbase was just done after Revolutions and didn't want another movie.

Cinemascore is based on an exit poll of people who bought tickets on opening night, so it's highly skewed towards franchise movies. For example, only two MCU films have gotten less than an A- (Thor 1 and Eternals). Basically, if the diehards who showed up on opening night liked it, it gets a good Cinemascore. Anything less than a B+ for a big franchise sequel movie is considered catastrophic, because if the diehards hated it that much it means the general audience will either hate it even more or simply not care at all.

Series Cinemascore:
Matrix: A-
Reloaded: B+
Revolutions: B
Resurrections: B-

Even The Rise of Skywalker got a B+. All three prequel trilogy films got an A-. So Matrix fans hated the Matrix sequels even more than Star Wars fans hated the sequels or prequels. The Hobbit trilogy even all got A- or A. Opening night fanbases are easy to please and Matrix can't even do that.

 

[Lagduf]

Regarding Morpheus:

Spoiler:

I understood that Morpheus is dead because he got old. The film takes place 60 years after the the original trilogy. Probably died of old age. How old would he have been?

 

[famicommander]

Regarding Morpheus:

Spoiler:

I understood that Morpheus is dead because he got old. The film takes place 60 years after the the original trilogy. Probably died of old age. How old would he have been?

Spoiler:

Morpheus doesn't have a given age in the film series but it's implied that he's older than the rest of the crew, given that he's their captain and more than one character literally refers to him as a father figure. We're also told he was elected unanimous leader of humanity, so he definitely stuck around for a significant chunk of time after the third film ended. We see how old Niobe looks in Resurrections, she's apparently the only surviving human that Neo knew, and Morpheus had to be older than her, so yeah, it's probably a safe assumption that Morpheus simply died of old age.

 

[famicommander]

I got the new extended cut of The Outsiders on 4K for Christmas.

I really like almost all the additional scenes. The original film was 92 minutes, this is 115. A few scenes were cut or swapped for alternate takes, so there's more new stuff than the length difference implies.

There's a lot more with pretty much all the greaser gang. There's a new scene with Ponyboy getting jumped at the start of the movie, a lot more of Ponyboy and Johnny on the run, more of Two-Bit and Ponyboy after they get back, more of Ponyboy and his school situation, and more scenes with the three brothers.

It's been 20 years since I read the book (we read it in class in the 5th grade) but to my recollection this is almost a 1:1 adaptation. There are still a few things they cut, which you can see in the deleted scenes along with some of the stuff they swapped out of the original cut of the film, but it feels like this is the right length. Maybe even cut one more of the scenes with the three brothers; it's easy to see why the director thought it might have been a bit redundant the first time through.

The main issue with this cut is the music. They've replaced the entire score with a bunch of upbeat rock songs and it really, really doesn't fit. I'd love to see a cut with the original music and all the additional scenes.

 

[DevilRedeemed]

The following will be unpopular as an opinion

I very much dislike all the Matrix movies particularly the first one.

4 didn't dissapoint. I was expecting it to be really bad and it was.

One of the things I hate about the franchise is how they try to sell you on these kids with their hairsyles and attitudes, they can do superhero stuff too. Tremendously pretentious, pedantic, cringey. Worst still the outer crust made up of people who bought into the hype, thought something deep and revolutionary was happening before their eyes (but no). This last sentence is not directed at you all.
Matrix 1 bollocks
Matrix 2 shite
Matrix 3 rubbish
Matrix 4 naff

Sorry

 

[DevilRedeemed]

Don't Look Up
Pleasantly surprised. Genuinly funny and well written/directed/cast
Also pretty harrowing

 

[fake]

Worst still the outer crust made up of people who brought into the hype, thought something deep and revolutionary was happening before their eyes (but no).

I disagree with this. I think the original movie brought with it all sorts of real-life cringe, such as trench coats, enthusiasm towards guns, etc. But it also brought to the mainstream an acknowledgement that we're allowing ourselves to live under a shitty system of control and that men in suits are not to be trusted.

 

[fake]

Diary of a Mad Housewife
Good darkish comedy about shitty marriages, shitty children, and shitty affairs. Recommended.

Cat's Eye
'80s horror anthology. It felt like a long and more light-hearted episode of Tales from the Darkside. Also there was definitely more coke on the set. Recommended.

Critters
Definitely not Troll 2 level, but still fun. Interesting that it was conceived before Gremlins, yet also bears more semblance to the alleged alien encounter that inspired Gremlins. Recommended if you're in the mood for a "bad" horror movie. Edit: I also believe that I have spotted a Nelsonic game watch upon the wrist of the ginger character. I can't tell which one it is, and can't find any info online. But I trust my eyes.

 

[wyo]

One of the things I hate about the franchise is how they try to sell you on these kids with their hairsyles and attitudes, they can do superhero stuff too. Tremendously pretentious, pedantic, cringey. Worst still the outer crust made up of people who brought into the hype, thought something deep and revolutionary was happening before their eyes (but no). This last sentence is not directed at you all.

If you didn't like the first Matrix movie, why watch the rest?

The original was great at the time and still holds up well today. I completely disagree with the first part of your statement here. I don't get that try-hard vibe at all from the characters or writing. The focus is the story. The self-indulgent nonsense doesn't appear until the sequels. What do you mean by the "outer crust"? Are you referring to peripheral characters in the movies or the audience?

 

[terry.330]

Cat's Eye
'80s horror anthology. It felt like a long and more light-hearted episode of Tales from the Darkside. Also there was definitely more coke on the set. Recommended.

Critters
Definitely not Troll 2 level, but still fun. Interesting that it was conceived before Gremlins, yet also bears more semblance to the alleged alien encounter that inspired Gremlins. Recommended if you're in the mood for a "bad" horror movie. Edit: I also believe that I have spotted a Nelsonic game watch upon the wrist of the ginger character. I can't tell which one it is, and can't find any info online. But I trust my eyes.

Cat's Eye fucked me up as a kid, that little monster coming out at night was seriously distressing to me as a 8 or 9 year old lol.

If you liked Critters definitely watch part 2, it's easily the best of the 4. Do whatever you can to skip 3 and 4 though, they are a total waste of time.

 

[DevilRedeemed]

If you didn't like the first Matrix movie, why watch the rest?

Maybe because I enjoy movies for what they are. You make it out to be common sense but it's not

 

[DevilRedeemed]

I disagree with this. I think the original movie brought with it all sorts of real-life cringe, such as trench coats, enthusiasm towards guns, etc. But it also brought to the mainstream an acknowledgement that we're allowing ourselves to live under a shitty system of control and that men in suits are not to be trusted.

I find that differing opinions are probably more valid than similar ones as long as you are willing to consider the other's point of view. You make an interesting point. I still feel it was all way overcooked and aesthetically redundant, unable to escape it's own arrogance (keanu and crew looking like they live in a perfume commercial) even though what is being proffesed is something other than image matters.

Anyway who gives a shit, it's just my dumb opinion

 

[terry.330]

The Matrix popularized a couple things that were just awful. The clothes were a big one, the whole trench coats, boots and sunglasses thing is straight up embarrassing even at the time. Blade had that as well but that shit works way better in that type of setting (vampire rave lol) Slo-mo which went on to be used improperly for the next decade in every action scene because no-one knew how to shoot those types of scenes properly. Wire-Fu and the whole Yuen Woo Ping style of fight choreography, that shit was fine in stuff like Once Upon a Time in China and Crouching Tiger but those are things that were actually choreographed by him. Hollywood jumped on that as much as the Slo-mo and they beat that horse to death as fast as possible.

Last but not least is the whole questioning reality "epiphany" that every 17 year kid collectively had. That stupid "whoa" picture of Keanu sums it up so perfectly. But all those idiots never went passed the surface level of that idea. I mean these are the same people that couldn't even figure out that The Matrix was just Ghost in the Shell, Alice in Wonderland, John Woo and some techno all thrown in a blender.

At least it gave us that guy from Grandma's Boy.

 

[wyo]

Lol you guys are not judging The Matrix on its merits at all.

 

[fake]

Cat's Eye fucked me up as a kid, that little monster coming out at night was seriously distressing to me as a 8 or 9 year old lol.

If you liked Critters definitely watch part 2, it's easily the best of the 4. Do whatever you can to skip 3 and 4 though, they are a total waste of time.

Yeah I always hear Critters 2 mentioned on How Did This Get Made so I’ve been looking forward to that one.

 

[fake]

Firestarter
Pretty cool. It felt like a nice mix of Stephen King and Cronenberg for some reason. The lead actor was kind of a doofus and Drew Barrymore was OK; I think it's just a pet peeve of mine when kids act like adults in their mannerisms and expressions. The soundtrack by Tangerine Dream was awesome. Recommended.

Vast of Night
I heard a lot of good stuff about this. I liked the scenario and period, but a lot of the movie felt kind of like a tech demo of what the directors, videographer, etc. were capable of – minutes long takes, timelapse shots across a town stitched together into one shot, etc. I usually try to sit back and relax when it comes to most movies, but there were just so many things that stuck out; the movie is set in New Mexico but the radio station starts with a W instead of a K, a 45 record goes on for like 20 minutes, lots of basic period and continuity stuff like that. I can't tell if I like the ending or not, but I was surprised by the visual quality of the climax. Indie sci-fi after Primer and Upstream Color has just rubbed me the wrong way in most cases, and this one's included. (Prospect was pretty good, though.) Recommended only if you're in the mood for a 90-minute, low budget, amateurish Twilight Zone episode.

 

[Heinz]

I didn't mind the fourth Matrix but...

Spoiler:

It was terrible in that it should have been answering all of the questions everyone had 18 years ago wrapping the whole thing up instead of what feels like the build up to a 5th movie.

I fucking hate that meta shit, literally disconnects me from the fantasy bubble every time.
The amount of rehashed footage and lines from the previous titles just irked me, it was cheap and lazy. The whole him waking up from his quarantine was stale. You had characters playing people like morpheus (recreation I know) and smith who were just so flat in comparison to fishburne and weaving. Don't even mention neil patrick harris as the architect! all I can hear and see is Barney from how I met your mother.
I will say one thing though, Sati, that was kinda cool how they tied her in there. Still got no idea what her story is though?

Dunno, it really wasn't needed, like at all but it's a guilty pleasure watching studios unecessarily ruin things.

 

[fake]

I didn't mind the fourth Matrix but...

Spoiler:

all of the questions everyone had 18 years ago

Just curious - what are some of the questions you have?

 

[DevilRedeemed]

Fishburn was the best thing about Matrix. Great acting chops, impossible to replicate, the task was far too great in M4. Went on to make Matrix spiritual succesor (kind of) along with Reeves in the shape of John Wick. Both films seem set in twin universes, Keanu in both films is just Keanu. They should just have him be called Keanu from here on out in these kind of films.

 

[Heinz]

Just curious - what are some of the questions you have?

I'd have only one question really, does the matrix ever end?

 

[fake]

I'd have only one question really, does the matrix ever end?

Personally, I don't think that the "real world" is just another layer of the Matrix. People jump to that because Neo could affect the sentinels at close range, but everyone not born in the real world is essentially a cyborg anyway. I think he was given those powers, and I think they're limited in range.