Ish Posted November 29, 2018 Report Share Posted November 29, 2018 That would be Yeoman Martha Landon. I don’t know what Starfleet’s enlisted training program was putting in the water, but damn did they graduate some fine looking yeoman during the 23rd Century: Rand, Smith, Atkins, Landon, Ross, Barrows, Tamura... 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WestRider Posted December 1, 2018 Report Share Posted December 1, 2018 The Hurricane Heist: Basically a movie-length version of the Elementary episode Snow Angels. That had a better plot and acting, but this had better effects. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ish Posted December 2, 2018 Report Share Posted December 2, 2018 The Siege of Jadotville a Netflix Original film from 2016 (which even got a limited theatrical release in Ireland). Best way to describe it would be as a sort of half-way point between Zulu and Black Hawk Down. In 1961, during one of the most tense periods of the entire Cold War, the Congo Crisis broke out. The United Nations is sent into the relatively newly independent Democratic Republic of the Congo to keep the peace in the the separatist Katanga province... But back-room deals and back-channel political maneuverings between various NATO powers, Warsaw Pact powers, African warlords, and the mining cartels that control Katanga manage to make things even more messy. Right smack dab in this middle of all of this is we find the "A" Company, 35th Battalion of the Irish Army. One-hundred and fifty men who had never seen battle (Ireland had been a neutral party during WWII) with very light armament told to secure a dusty crossroads of a "town." Due to the politicians playing their Cold War cloak-and-dagger games, things go sideways fast and "A" Company finds itself besieged for six days, under nearly constant attack by a force of over three-thousand experienced mercenaries (many ex-French Foreign Legion) and African irregulars. The movie has great performances, excellent action sequences, and is just a damn great flick. But the really amazing thing is this is all based off a true story. Anybody who likes a good "war movie" should enjoy it, especially if you are fond of the aforementioned Zulu and/or Black Hawk Down. War gamers with an interest in African bush wars or even Team Yankee-esque "Cold War Gone Hot" alternate history will find a lot to like here too. No, its not the Red Army storming its way through the Fulda Gap scenario that we all feared, but it's one of the very few war movies set during the Cold War that aren't set in Vietnam, Korea, or Afghanistan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WestRider Posted December 2, 2018 Report Share Posted December 2, 2018 House of Deadly Secrets: Should have been better, but it's let down by revealing too much too soon, and some weak performances, most notably by Patty McCormack, who can't quite sell the over-the-top emotion that's supposed to be driving her character. Interesting to note that some elements were taken from the same actual event that was adapted for film as Dream House Nightmare. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WestRider Posted December 3, 2018 Report Share Posted December 3, 2018 Hardcore Henry: Meh. The first person perspective is an interesting gimmick, but there's not much else there. I honestly feel like that concept was used better in Doom. This is basically like watching someone else play some first person shooter. Probably should have just watched Deadpool again instead. EDIT: There's also a bunch of weird psycho-sexual bs that really put me off. It's just chock full of dudes who feel the need to constantly, aggressively defend their masculinity, their heterosexuality, and their self-worth, because they're not secure in any of them. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romans832 Posted December 3, 2018 Report Share Posted December 3, 2018 Tomb Raider - 8/10 - Liked how they changed her up from a model to a gal getting her feet under herself. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brick Bungalow Posted December 7, 2018 Report Share Posted December 7, 2018 Foxcatcher: I recommend watching the documentary film of the same name. Probably watch that first. The story will be familiar to anyone who follows olympic wrestling. The documentary will probably shed new light on some details if you need them. The film is just a master study in capturing a character and depicting a true event. If you don't know the story the film should be a great nail biter. If you do I think you will not help but marvel at the performances. Can't recommend highly enough. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WestRider Posted December 10, 2018 Report Share Posted December 10, 2018 Hungerford: The debut project of the director of The Darkest Dawn. Apparently The Darkest Dawn is actually a sequel, and a couple of the characters from this are in it, but I really don't want to watch that one again to try to spot the connections, because it was totally depressing. Hungerford is definitely more watchable and more fun. Both are good movies from a technical standpoint, good pacing, well-constructed story, all that sort of thing, but each suffers from one major flaw. In The Darkest Dawn, it was that all the humans were even worse to each other than the aliens were. In Hungerford, it's that most of the main cast are obnoxious teens of a sort I'm glad I managed to dodge back in high school. They do get better once the midden hits the windmill, tho, and they actually have to stand up and carry their weight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brother Glacius Posted December 10, 2018 Report Share Posted December 10, 2018 Crimes of Transition Movie...I mean Grindelwald! Or something like that. So as a stand alone movie, it sucks balls. If you haven't seen the first one, don't bother with this one. If you have seen the first one, then this movie is okay. But that's still not great. It goes on and on, and you aren't really quite sure what the point of it all is. The first Beasts movie was fantastic. But this one plods along and you keep waiting for that culmination that all this was leading up to....but you don't really get that at all. Honestly, I felt like they were so surprised the first one did so well, that they decided to come with a second movie that ties back into the Potter series even more...just for the sake of tying into the Potter movies. Like they added Nefriti or whatever, you know, Vold's snake...but here, she's just a poor cursed woman who appears to be generally good. Sure it was a "oh cool, she used to be a woman!" moment, but then there isn't anything else about her really. And then there's the odd scene where Grindelwald has that really cool super wand from the last Potter movies...you know, the one that Dumbledore stole when he was young...but now are in the hands of Grindelwald...so apparently those two will duel at some point and big D wins (serious problem with prequel movies). I suppose all of that could have been okay if the movie could stand on its own two legs...but it didn't, it was clearly standing on the previous movie. I hate to say it, but there's no reason to see this in the theatre. I'd say wait for the third (and final?) movie to come out, watch this one right beforehand, and you'll be all set. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WestRider Posted December 12, 2018 Report Share Posted December 12, 2018 Zone of Silence: Found Footage Alien Abduction Horror. A couple of dumbass white boys disappear in the Mexican desert. Rather than any of the various things that might happen to a couple of idiots who didn’t even bring proper hats or sunblock out in the desert, the sister of one of them decides that it must be In her trip out to the Zona del Silencio (which, as the film tells us every. single. time it’s mentioned, is Spanish for Zone of Silence), she reveals herself to be even more of an idiot, going alone in addition to all the mistakes the dudes did, and continuing on instead of getting out of dodge and coming back with reinforcements when it’s clear that something sketchy did happen. Most damningly, tho, her support guy, who she’s in touch with via satellite radio or something, is called Goose, and at none of the points when they lose contact does she say “Talk to me, Goose!” Gehenna: Where Death Lives: Rather more interesting. Not a great flick, and I guessed the twist as soon as something supernatural happened, but it was still pretty cool watching it play out. Not bad at all, and Cursed WWII Bunker is a setting I think more films should use. Verónica: The best I've seen so far in the "don't mess with Ouija boards" sub-genre. Nothing special in terms of plot elements, but there's some great acting, wonderfully atmospheric and creepy cinematography, and excellent pacing. Worth dealing with subtitles for, which isn't something I say about very many movies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ish Posted December 13, 2018 Report Share Posted December 13, 2018 Die Hard 2: Die Harder, like every other red-blooded American man, I’ve seen the first Die Hard more times than I can count, I’ve also seen most of the sequels at least once (except the one where he inexplicably goes to Moscow. WTF?). However the only sequel that ever really felt like a proper follow-up to the Nakatomi Tower Epic was Die Hard 2... and I don’t think I’ve rewatched it since the mid-Nineties! It isn’t as good as the original Die Hard, but mostly because we in the audience already know who John McLane is and there isn’t as much tension over how much punishment this one man can endure. So instead of matching wits with Hans Gruber and enduring hours of grueling physical abuse (e.g., the classic bare feet on broken glass bit), we get McClane in a more typical “loose cannon outsmarting obstructive bureaucrat boss” character arch. It’s a lot more cleverly done than the typical Loose Cannon Cop trope, however. William Sadler is a really good action-movie antagonist, growling into the microphone when threatening the hero and actually having a credible screen presence as a criminal genius mastermind who is also a physical threat... But the inevitable comparison to Alan Rickman’s Hans Gruber has to be made and Sadler does not measure up. But that’s a high bar to clear. The plot twist that sets up the third act is pretty clever, re-watching it I obviously can’t be a surprised by it as I was the first time, but it’s still great. Especially the suddenness and cold-hearted violence of the act that signals the start of it. 4 outta 5 stars. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InfestedKerrigan Posted December 13, 2018 Report Share Posted December 13, 2018 I get Die Hard and the stake out series mixed up. The dad from Signs was in it, maybe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WestRider Posted December 14, 2018 Report Share Posted December 14, 2018 The Christmas Chronicles: The movie overall: 3/10, Kurt Russell as Santa: 12/10. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ish Posted December 14, 2018 Report Share Posted December 14, 2018 4 minutes ago, WestRider said: Kurt Russell as Santa: 12/10. I'd give good money to watch a movie where Snake Plissken saves Christmas. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WestRider Posted December 14, 2018 Report Share Posted December 14, 2018 14 minutes ago, Ish said: I'd give good money to watch a movie where Snake Plissken saves Christmas. This isn't to that extent, but it's still pretty fun. Maybe a bit closer to Jack Burton saving Christmas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ish Posted December 14, 2018 Report Share Posted December 14, 2018 Just finished the Amazon Prime Original adaptation of King Lear. Do I really need to give it a review? The cast list reads like a BAFTA alumni meeting: Anthony Hopkins, Emma Thompson, Jim Carter, Andrew Scott, and many, many more. Not all of them are “household names,” but I assure you they’re all top-notch talent. Anthony Hopkins is an astoundingly good Lear, he delivers all the big speeches with all the fire and bombast they deserve, he gives the sad soliloquies all the pathos you could ask for... His every twitch, shrug, and pause for breath is perfect. One could forgive rest of the cast if they weren’t able to keep up, but they match him note for note. The script is abridged from the play’s text, but in such a way that nothing is really lost. Film can convey a lot of information visually (or even audibly) that has to be delivered in expository dialogue on stage. They cut the three-ish hour play down to just under two hours, but none of the crucial scenes or key speeches got touched. The setting is moved from the pseudo-medieval/pseudo-renaissance of the original play to a sort of pseudo-present day — it’s basically 2018 England, but with an absolute monarchy and a lot more militarized. (But, hey, the original original story of King Leir dates back to the 8th Century BCE, so...) As for the writing, it’s £^¢&ing William Shakespeare! The man’s been a hit for four centuries for a reason. Six out of five stars. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InfestedKerrigan Posted December 15, 2018 Report Share Posted December 15, 2018 Batman Mask of Phantasm 4/5 gangsters killed It doesn't hold up as one of the strongest BTAS storylines, but it is enjoyable from start to fin. And it stands the test of time due to the noir mystique that BTAS smothered itself in. The series as a whole has aged well, unlike many from its time. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Posted December 15, 2018 Report Share Posted December 15, 2018 Mod Warning: I have removed the pirated content discussion. Please keep these things friendly and refrain from personal attacks. End of subject. Please return to your movie viewing reports. 1 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brick Bungalow Posted December 17, 2018 Report Share Posted December 17, 2018 Leave No Trace. I love movies shot on location in Portland. A lot. I also love that they consistently make zero sense logistically if you know the layout of the city. Maybe this happens in post. Maybe directors just aren't concerned with routes of travel. Who knows. It spoils immersion a bit but I just love the city so I don't care. Anyway, this is a simple and pretty movie with ever slightly too much exposition. Cut ten minutes or so of redundant dialogue and it would be almost perfect. It's about a homeless father and his daughter and about a certain segment of the homeless population. I think it's worthwhile if you haven't spent much time thinking about this issue. Its worthwhile if you have. I really like the way it infers certain issues very gently without being brutish. As issues that concern the characters rather than plot devices that they must navigate. I think this is really smart writing and credit probably goes to the novelist who inspired the screenplay. The novel is based on a true story and (from what I can tell) the film crew was able to get several people to play themselves which, when it works is a touch I really adore. If you like movies that lack traditional dramatic elements and structure and are instead occupied with telling a real life story I would check it out. The director Debra Granik is relatively new but shows great promise. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WestRider Posted December 17, 2018 Report Share Posted December 17, 2018 Next-Gen: A lonely teenage girl stumbles across a top-secret combat bot. They form a heartwarming friendship, bonding over using military grade weaponry to commit random acts of vandalism and threaten middle-school bullies. While there are a lot of bits that are good in and of themselves, this flick clearly has at least three or four very different movies that it's trying to be, and the way it jumps around between them doesn't really work. Basically, it feels like the worst of compromise: There were several possible good movies from the core idea, but they couldn't decide which one to make and tried to to do all of them at once. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InfestedKerrigan Posted December 17, 2018 Report Share Posted December 17, 2018 Sounds like Bumblebee 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brother Glacius Posted December 17, 2018 Report Share Posted December 17, 2018 Ready Player One - 6/10 - it was okay. Nothing mind boggling. I got to point out a bunch of pop culture references to my wife during the film and even figured out the secret room in Adventure right before the reveal in the movie. Glad I didn't buy it and waiting for it to come out on cable. Its okay, but probably only going to get rewatched if I want to do a lot of pausing to catch other stuff I missed. Rampage - 6.5/10 - Very silly movie with a very odd tie-in to an old arcade game. They could have come up with minor changes and had an original movie. Not sure why they wanted that tie-in. However, it is the Rock, and it is a big monster movie. It had its moments, but it falls right in with every other big monster movie. The one thing of course that had me scratching my head the whole time was why did the gorilla get short changed on the size boost? Even my wife was like "why isn't the gorilla bigger?" 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VonVilkee Posted December 18, 2018 Report Share Posted December 18, 2018 12 hours ago, Brother Glacius said: Ready Player One - 6/10 - it was okay. Nothing mind boggling. I got to point out a bunch of pop culture references to my wife during the film and even figured out the secret room in Adventure right before the reveal in the movie. Glad I didn't buy it and waiting for it to come out on cable. Its okay, but probably only going to get rewatched if I want to do a lot of pausing to catch other stuff I missed. Rampage - 6.5/10 - Very silly movie with a very odd tie-in to an old arcade game. They could have come up with minor changes and had an original movie. Not sure why they wanted that tie-in. However, it is the Rock, and it is a big monster movie. It had its moments, but it falls right in with every other big monster movie. The one thing of course that had me scratching my head the whole time was why did the gorilla get short changed on the size boost? Even my wife was like "why isn't the gorilla bigger?" He didn't get to eat as much as the other two, ergo he couldn't grow as big. I loved this movie but some of it was nostalgia I put so many quarters into this cabinet in my youth. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duckman Posted December 18, 2018 Report Share Posted December 18, 2018 11 hours ago, VonVilkee said: He didn't get to eat as much as the other two, ergo he couldn't grow as big. I loved this movie but some of it was nostalgia I put so many quarters into this cabinet in my youth. Actually, that same argument is why I liked Ready Player One as much as I did. I knew the movie was going to pale compared to the book (the rights to all the things mentioned in the book would have been insane) but I thought that they did reasonably well trying to bring it to screen. There were some obvious edits which catered to the visual medium that I didn't like but at the same time there were some things that were much more powerful since they were visualized so I guess I would call that a toss-up. I haven't seen Rampage because I generally don't want to support trying to make up a story around a video game. I just see it turning into the reductio ad absurdum case of explaining why we have to run back and forth with planks that we carry on our shoulders to bounce a ball back up off the ground like some insane Japanese gameshow contestants. If you had a real story you'd sell it on its own merits instead of trying to tie it to a property that would garner nostalgia. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VonVilkee Posted December 18, 2018 Report Share Posted December 18, 2018 1 hour ago, Duckman said: Actually, that same argument is why I liked Ready Player One as much as I did. I knew the movie was going to pale compared to the book (the rights to all the things mentioned in the book would have been insane) but I thought that they did reasonably well trying to bring it to screen. There were some obvious edits which catered to the visual medium that I didn't like but at the same time there were some things that were much more powerful since they were visualized so I guess I would call that a toss-up. I haven't seen Rampage because I generally don't want to support trying to make up a story around a video game. I just see it turning into the reductio ad absurdum case of explaining why we have to run back and forth with planks that we carry on our shoulders to bounce a ball back up off the ground like some insane Japanese gameshow contestants. If you had a real story you'd sell it on its own merits instead of trying to tie it to a property that would garner nostalgia. Wife also loves Rampage, she does NOT have the same nostalgia but we both love a fun movie that just does what it does. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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