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Film What's the Last Film You Saw? v. Tell Us What You Thought!

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Maybe watch it if you want to see Captain America (Chris Evans) try too hard at playing junkie.

I like Chris Evans a lot, but I can easily see him being incapable of playing a junkie. I did like him as Mr. Freezy in The Iceman (2012) as a hitman. First time I'd really seen him outside of Captain America, so maybe my liking this was just the shock of seeing him outside that golden boy image.
 
''Gifted'' also starred Chris Evan.

gifted-poster.jpg

Any good?
 
Sinister (2012)

Ethan Hawke stars as a true crime novelist in search of his next big hit (last one was 10y ago). Now with a wife, 12y old son, and 8-10y old daughter in tow he's packed the family up and moved to yet another small town to research a family killing. The hook is that all were killed but a young child. The secret from his family is rather than just moving to the town....he bought their house. Film never drags, but is heavy with dramatic music as we get regular moments of anxiety throughout the buildup. Over the course of his research, he explores the attic and finds a box of 8mm tapes of events about once every decade or so with the most recent being when the family died. He watches it, of course, with notes like "Who is doing the filming"" and "Where is Stephanie?", the obvious audience questions. In watching the other films, each one is of a family being killed - different era, different mode of death, but all multiple homicides. He enlists a local cop (Officer So and so) who helps research them and find in all cases, a family was slain and a young child was spared but missing. The film builds well throughout, feeding you ideas and connections as we watch him sink deeper into obsession until he determines to escape and save both himself and his family from this weird string of history. He burns the films, packs up the family to leave in the middle of the night and escape. I'll stop there not to spoil it, but I'll say if you want a supernatural suspense kinda thing, it'll do reasonably well. The acting is good, Ethan carries it all pretty well and we have a cameo from Vincent D'Onofrio as a professor of occult, and Fred Thompson as your not so friendly local sheriff, though the rest of the supporting cast are not given enough screen time to matter (wife is pretty forgettable). I won't spoil it, but the ending is a bit predictable inasmuch as it can be, so if the film was cruising at an 8-9/10, the ending lost it a half point. Not horrible, just felt like they let off the gas at the end. 8/10
 
The Hunt (2020)

This is the one that got some noise on conservative talk radio about elite (dems) hunting deplorables. I heard guys talking on the radio today about it being more a dark comedy and the politics is less about making a statement and more about playing off stereotypes, 90min in and out. So I figure "sure, why not". The opening scene starts with text messages that lead to mention of 'The Hunt', and the second scene is ripe with stereotype as we're on an airplane and some big fat redneck stumbles into first class where people are aghast, and things go bloody from there. Rather than a detailed play by play, I'll say I had a good hard laugh about every 5-10min throughout, either based on dialogue or actions pivoting from the stereotypes or from simple blood splatter comedy (ie, a girl falls in a spiked pit, is saved, then blown up and lands back in the same damn pit). I'd say it was a good black comedy throughout up to the 1:10 mark, then the last 20min shifted gears significantly. It didn't slow down or drag until that point, but when our lead hunted meets up with our lead hunter, they damn near pause the pace. We have a very slow ending of dialogue (more of stereotype commentary) but even that almost reaches a point of deadpan on both sides. They kick it back into gear with an extended fighting sequence, and wrap up with a little bow to close out. This really won't win any awards, but it was done with B++ quality (on gore and scenery) and heavily lifted by the dark comedic aspects. I would recommend this one, regardless of your political lean. 8.5/10
 
The Hunt (2020)

This is the one that got some noise on conservative talk radio about elite (dems) hunting deplorables. I heard guys talking on the radio today about it being more a dark comedy and the politics is less about making a statement and more about playing off stereotypes, 90min in and out. So I figure "sure, why not". The opening scene starts with text messages that lead to mention of 'The Hunt', and the second scene is ripe with stereotype as we're on an airplane and some big fat redneck stumbles into first class where people are aghast, and things go bloody from there. Rather than a detailed play by play, I'll say I had a good hard laugh about every 5-10min throughout, either based on dialogue or actions pivoting from the stereotypes or from simple blood splatter comedy (ie, a girl falls in a spiked pit, is saved, then blown up and lands back in the same damn pit). I'd say it was a good black comedy throughout up to the 1:10 mark, then the last 20min shifted gears significantly. It didn't slow down or drag until that point, but when our lead hunted meets up with our lead hunter, they damn near pause the pace. We have a very slow ending of dialogue (more of stereotype commentary) but even that almost reaches a point of deadpan on both sides. They kick it back into gear with an extended fighting sequence, and wrap up with a little bow to close out. This really won't win any awards, but it was done with B++ quality (on gore and scenery) and heavily lifted by the dark comedic aspects. I would recommend this one, regardless of your political lean. 8.5/10

I enjoyed it too, I thought it was pretty funny and very tongue in cheek. I also agree that I don't think it matters too much which way you may lean politically. I remember I wrote a brief review in this thread and I gave it a similar score at 8/10.
 
Time Trap (2017) <Netflix>

So, I was due for a stupid movie, and one who has a description of "A professor goes in a cave and gets trapped, his students look for him and do the same" sounds like the perfect candidate. I'd put the production quality at or near SciFi channel material, the acting and execution is about the same, but the writing brings this up a notch or two. To elaborate on the plot, the cave is actually where the Fountain of Youth is hiding, several layers deep. Within each layer, time slows down further. So, as we focus on the students looking for their Prof we get to the realization that when in the cave, they can look out and the sky is flashing light and dark (the quickly surmise days are passing above as seconds to them below). Throw in some cavemen to add some baddies even though they are trapped and lost in time like everyone else, glow sticks everywhere, a dead cowboy so we can bring a gun into play for no reason, and an alien from the future because ALIENS!, and you've got a good time, amirite? I like one of the other comments on IMDB to the effect of 'You ever like the telling of a story, but keep yelling at characters you can't care for?" Pretty accurate. The end wraps up quick with a pretty good twist, albeit predictable, and as it switches to credits you realize "WTF? The delivery on the ending was empty", meaning the story took it's next logical step (not setting up for a sequel), but didn't answer a ton of questions about the film. This, coming from ME who often just goes for the escape. 6/10.
 
Sinister (2012)

Ethan Hawke stars as a true crime novelist in search of his next big hit (last one was 10y ago). Now with a wife, 12y old son, and 8-10y old daughter in tow he's packed the family up and moved to yet another small town to research a family killing. The hook is that all were killed but a young child. The secret from his family is rather than just moving to the town....he bought their house. Film never drags, but is heavy with dramatic music as we get regular moments of anxiety throughout the buildup. Over the course of his research, he explores the attic and finds a box of 8mm tapes of events about once every decade or so with the most recent being when the family died. He watches it, of course, with notes like "Who is doing the filming"" and "Where is Stephanie?", the obvious audience questions. In watching the other films, each one is of a family being killed - different era, different mode of death, but all multiple homicides. He enlists a local cop (Officer So and so) who helps research them and find in all cases, a family was slain and a young child was spared but missing. The film builds well throughout, feeding you ideas and connections as we watch him sink deeper into obsession until he determines to escape and save both himself and his family from this weird string of history. He burns the films, packs up the family to leave in the middle of the night and escape. I'll stop there not to spoil it, but I'll say if you want a supernatural suspense kinda thing, it'll do reasonably well. The acting is good, Ethan carries it all pretty well and we have a cameo from Vincent D'Onofrio as a professor of occult, and Fred Thompson as your not so friendly local sheriff, though the rest of the supporting cast are not given enough screen time to matter (wife is pretty forgettable). I won't spoil it, but the ending is a bit predictable inasmuch as it can be, so if the film was cruising at an 8-9/10, the ending lost it a half point. Not horrible, just felt like they let off the gas at the end. 8/10
Top 10 horror movie of last decade
 
Sonic the Hedgehog (2020 )

Yes, based on the video game, so you have your expectations set from the beginning. Premise is Sonic escaped his home planet via his rings, and came to earth where he's been hiding for a few years in some remote town and soaking in the locals. He gets upset at his loneliness and causes a major power outage, which brings the gov't in with Dr. Egghead Robotnik (Jim Carey). Sonic seeks help from the local sheriff, who he's felt most bonded with and refers to the sheriff as 'Donut Lord' (yelling at donuts, eating the ones who get out of line). I should note, the entire film is life action with a CGI Sonic in the scenes, but it all looks and feels mostly natural (for a movie based on a game). Sonic is given a real personality, some good lines and several comedic moments. Our sheriff and his wife (he's white, she is black, and it is never 'in your face', but more of just how things are so maybe this stops being a statement) take care of helping Sonic escape the gov't baddy and search for his lost rings so he can escape to his next planet. Along the way, he gets taught what a bucket list is, and starts crossing things off, which fills the middle section of the film with some zany episodes, but sets you up for the 'friend' at the end he so desperately wants. Carey plays the bad guy really well, perfectly fits his style and it doesn't go over the top or reach a mockery of itself but stays within context and keeps things moving. All in all, a great film for the family. 7.5/10
 
i watched: the wolf's call

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if it had been made in the uk or us it undoubtedly would have starred gerard butler or similar.

it was pretty good - shot beautifully and, in places, claustrophobically - and the plot was pretty dramatic and very tense in places...

7/10

alasdair
 
My Little Princess (2011)

i bought a blu-ray player from amazon.uk to watch this movie (fucking region codes). despite being a french-bulgarian film, i don't think the title is translated. it's a telling of eva and irina ionesco's story (they change their names but it's clear to the extent that some of the photos they're taking are infamous ionescos; google at your own peril). of particular interest because i love the exploitation inherent in photography. it was well done. the little girl playing violetta was human and not simply the storybook victim. she took on a dolores haze role because it's the only way she could get anything including the attention of her mother.

anamaria vartolomei looks a lot like elle fanning with out the princess baby fat.

worth the ridiculous price and effort i paid to see it.


Swallow

this is decently stylized for a commercial film. watched with family so it was a good compromise between Gummo and Joker. the shot that the ending credits roll over is great.


There Are No Fakes

the worst documentary i've seen in years. there's hardly any examining what is and isn't art. then it turns out one of the characters raped everyone and all the sudden the movie turns into dateline.
 
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I watched "Killers Anonymous" (2019) and I regret it. I don't know why I don't just turn these movies off when I can tell they're going to be terrible; maybe out of some kind of false hope that it's actually going to be a masterpiece or some kind of diamond in the rough? Anyhow, as you can probably tell, garbage movie. I actually liked the premise and I thought it could have been good; about a group that meets up to discuss their addiction to killing. If you've ever been to an AA or NA meeting, you pretty much know the drill, except replace "addiction/alcoholism" with "killing." It was drawn out in a way that was supposed to build tension, but just ended up being boring. The characters were about as deep as a puddle in the street and the twists and big reveal were basically all just rushed exposition. I hate that shit. Ooooh, surprise! Let me tell you the twist instead of showing it to you. No clues to pick up really, except the ones that even a middle school film student could pick out (I know HS students that could have made a better film too). There were some solid actors in this film too, including Gary Oldman and Tommy Flanagan, which made it even more disappointing. I'd be pretty embarrassed if I were them; hope the check was fat! 2/10

 
I watched "Killers Anonymous" (2019) and I regret it. I don't know why I don't just turn these movies off when I can tell they're going to be terrible; maybe out of some kind of false hope that it's actually going to be a masterpiece or some kind of diamond in the rough? Anyhow, as you can probably tell, garbage movie. I actually liked the premise and I thought it could have been good; about a group that meets up to discuss their addiction to killing. If you've ever been to an AA or NA meeting, you pretty much know the drill, except replace "addiction/alcoholism" with "killing." It was drawn out in a way that was supposed to build tension, but just ended up being boring. The characters were about as deep as a puddle in the street and the twists and big reveal were basically all just rushed exposition. I hate that shit. Ooooh, surprise! Let me tell you the twist instead of showing it to you. No clues to pick up really, except the ones that even a middle school film student could pick out (I know HS students that could have made a better film too). There were some solid actors in this film too, including Gary Oldman and Tommy Flanagan, which made it even more disappointing. I'd be pretty embarrassed if I were them; hope the check was fat! 2/10



Thanks for the review. I keep seeing it listed on Hulu & it's exactly the type of movie that catches my eye. Those movies that look terrible but I think hey maybe it'll be entertaining that always sucker me into watching them. ;)
Though I've gotten a bit better at turning off shit. I never used to I always made it through but I've run into a few lately that convinced me to change my policies. 😆 The cast is of one of the things that'll get me. I'll see a good cast & get suckered into watching something that even the best cast can't save. =D
Appreciate the heads up. (y)
 
I watched Thelma and Louise the other night with the wife. Now I see why it's such a classic. I was shocked to see Ridley Scott's name in the opening credits lol, had no idea. He's done some quite diverse films over the years.

Anyways, it was a good movie, Susan Sarandon really stole the show though. I always love seeing her in anything but it was like she was born to fill the role of Louise.

Not much to say, but it's definitely worth a watch. Highly recommended. On Prime right now as far as I know.

8/10
 
Den of Thieves (2018 ) <NETFLIX>

Tagline is LA's tough guy sheriff unit goes up against the most successful bank robbery crew. Commercials were pretty good, and I wanted to see it. Now I have. As lead Sheriff, we have Gerald Butler who many will recognize from several films but most notably 300. He gets some side sex, some divorce, some kids being taken away, all in hopes of making him more relatable, and it works a little but not a lot. He plays the role well as an over the top cop, but the non-cop parts are kinda meh. For the bad guys, we have Pablo Schreiber whom I honestly don't know from a hole in the wall but his resume is filled with tv series (Orange is the New Black). We don't get much character work for the posse, but the bad guy crew has several good faces and their family time humanity carries much better (at least for 50 cent). We almost want them to win. The wild card is O'Shea Jackson Jr. picked up as a driver for the job, rolled by the cops, used by the crew, beat to shit by the cops. Throughout the film, the tension between lead villain and lead cop (can't say 'good guy') is palpable, and you keep feeling there's a connection somewhere, somehow, and a twist you wanna predict. I won't spoil it, but there is a twist ending (they are filming a sequel) that most won't see coming until it reveals itself, but you can start to see the pieces fall into place in the big shoot out (more bullets than needed, a foot chase, and mano-a-mano conclusion). Definitely worth the watch. 8.5/10

I enjoyed this one too. Saw it a couple months back.

8/10
 
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