Which movie did you watch today and how would you rate it?

[Playball40]

Howl's Moving Castle is my favorite.

I saw the re-release of Spirited Away (Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi) in the theaters last Sunday. It's part of Studio Ghibli Fest 2017. They've been showing a Studio Ghibli film in theaters nationwide each month since June.

Spirited Away is amazing. The story is really interesting, the characters are clearly and lovingly defined, and the artwork is sublime. One of the things I love about Studio Ghibli and Hayao Miyazaki films in particular is that they allow quiet moments to unfold naturally. They don't try to pack every minute with noise and bustle or hurry the plot along with silly sidekicks. But when they do go for action it's great! Haku and the paper birds, No-face in the bathhouse, and my favorite scene where Sen helps the 'stink spirit' are exciting and beautifully done.

If you haven't had the pleasure of seeing a Miyazaki film on the big screen, the next one up is Howl's Moving Castle. It will be showing in theatres the last weekend in November.

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That movie franchise only works with the Rifftrax. It is such a stupid concept and yet people seem to be willing to give their time and pride away for free, just for a little publicity. And then people watch it because it is so stupid. I thought that was what Star Wars VII to IX was for.

I don't think it's meant to be serious...it's gotten to where half the fun of the SN franchise is spotting the cameos.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

That movie franchise only works with the Rifftrax. It is such a stupid concept and yet people seem to be willing to give their time and pride away for free, just for a little publicity. And then people watch it because it is so stupid. I thought that was what Star Wars VII to IX was for.

I don't think it's meant to be serious...it's gotten to where half the fun of the SN franchise is spotting the cameos.

Correct, it isn't trying to be serious, and people have made movies like that, they are called comedies. Airplane! isn't "serious", but that didn't mean the Zuckers and Abrahams didn't have to have good jokes, gags, and viable plot. Airplane! is ridiculous, but you still cheer for Ted Stryker. You actually care about the characters, despite the silliness.

Sharknado, the jokes aren't funny, the "action" is campy, the concept is ridiculously stupid. What makes good comedy is that either it is an absurd action in a real world (girl scouts start a bar fight), there is a developed narrative (visual or script) for the joke (guy getting mauled by dog at Captain Krammers' house), a running gag (it's a building with doctors and nurses, but that isn't important right now), or simply a joke or visual gag (Nielsen walking in on stewardess trying to blow up the auto pilot).

Just because something is stupid, doesn't make it viable (see Family Guy Season 4 and onward).

Sharknado is stupid, real stupid. It isn't edited or filmed well. The jokes aren't remotely funny. The characters are less likable that the general population in Grand Theft Auto. The plot sure the heck is too ridiculous that it becomes impossible to reasonably resolve it (bombs in a tornado?!). And when everyone is a cameo, the cameos get old.

Fuck Sharknado. Goodness, I took way too much effort to put the Internet right about this.

 

[rousseau]

That movie franchise only works with the Rifftrax. It is such a stupid concept and yet people seem to be willing to give their time and pride away for free, just for a little publicity. And then people watch it because it is so stupid. I thought that was what Star Wars VII to IX was for.

I don't think it's meant to be serious...it's gotten to where half the fun of the SN franchise is spotting the cameos.

Correct, it isn't trying to be serious, and people have made movies like that, they are called comedies. Airplane! isn't "serious", but that didn't mean the Zuckers and Abrahams didn't have to have good jokes, gags, and viable plot. Airplane! is ridiculous, but you still cheer for Ted Stryker. You actually care about the characters, despite the silliness.

Sharknado, the jokes aren't funny, the "action" is campy, the concept is ridiculously stupid. What makes good comedy is that either it is an absurd action in a real world (girl scouts start a bar fight), there is a developed narrative (visual or script) for the joke (guy getting mauled by dog at Captain Krammers' house), a running gag (it's a building with doctors and nurses, but that isn't important right now), or simply a joke or visual gag (Nielsen walking in on stewardess trying to blow up the auto pilot).

Just because something is stupid, doesn't make it viable (see Family Guy Season 4 and onward).

Sharknado is stupid, real stupid. It isn't edited or filmed well. The jokes aren't remotely funny. The characters are less likable that the general population in Grand Theft Auto. The plot sure the heck is too ridiculous that it becomes impossible to reasonably resolve it (bombs in a tornado?!). And when everyone is a cameo, the cameos get old.

Fuck Sharknado. Goodness, I took way too much effort to put the Internet right about this.

I can't recall the last comedy I genuinely enjoyed. Groundhog Day comes to mind but that was more black satire than a normal American comedy.

I used to love comedies when I was in my teens, but these days it all seems like bombastic, extroverted, cult of personality shit. If you added a hint of subtlety most of the movie watching public would no longer get it.

 

[Playball40]

That movie franchise only works with the Rifftrax. It is such a stupid concept and yet people seem to be willing to give their time and pride away for free, just for a little publicity. And then people watch it because it is so stupid. I thought that was what Star Wars VII to IX was for.

I don't think it's meant to be serious...it's gotten to where half the fun of the SN franchise is spotting the cameos.

Correct, it isn't trying to be serious, and people have made movies like that, they are called comedies. Airplane! isn't "serious", but that didn't mean the Zuckers and Abrahams didn't have to have good jokes, gags, and viable plot. Airplane! is ridiculous, but you still cheer for Ted Stryker. You actually care about the characters, despite the silliness.

Sharknado, the jokes aren't funny, the "action" is campy, the concept is ridiculously stupid. What makes good comedy is that either it is an absurd action in a real world (girl scouts start a bar fight), there is a developed narrative (visual or script) for the joke (guy getting mauled by dog at Captain Krammers' house), a running gag (it's a building with doctors and nurses, but that isn't important right now), or simply a joke or visual gag (Nielsen walking in on stewardess trying to blow up the auto pilot).

Just because something is stupid, doesn't make it viable (see Family Guy Season 4 and onward).

Sharknado is stupid, real stupid. It isn't edited or filmed well. The jokes aren't remotely funny. The characters are less likable that the general population in Grand Theft Auto. The plot sure the heck is too ridiculous that it becomes impossible to reasonably resolve it (bombs in a tornado?!). And when everyone is a cameo, the cameos get old.

Fuck Sharknado. Goodness, I took way too much effort to put the Internet right about this.

Why yes, yes you did. I think I prefer the Sharknado stupid over reality shows though. Those make my cells hurt.

Of course there is nothing worse in ANY MOVIE than the damn 'pulling the fire alarm to make the sprinklers go off' ARRRGGGGGGGHHHHH This drives my husband batshit crazy (yes he's a fire protection engineer).

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Why yes, yes you did. I think I prefer the Sharknado stupid over reality shows though.

Geesh, that'd be like preferring a hammer to the left testicle instead the right one.

Of course there is nothing worse in ANY MOVIE than the damn 'pulling the fire alarm to make the sprinklers go off' ARRRGGGGGGGHHHHH This drives my husband batshit crazy (yes he's a fire protection engineer).

I had never thought of that before.

 

[Playball40]

Why yes, yes you did. I think I prefer the Sharknado stupid over reality shows though.

Geesh, that'd be like preferring a hammer to the left testicle instead the right one.

Of course there is nothing worse in ANY MOVIE than the damn 'pulling the fire alarm to make the sprinklers go off' ARRRGGGGGGGHHHHH This drives my husband batshit crazy (yes he's a fire protection engineer).

I had never thought of that before.

And NOW you will notice it every time! You're welcome!

 

[ruby sparks]

9.5 out of 10.

From the director of



and

 

[Ford]

Shaolin vs Lama.

Compared to modern movies? Hilariously bad. 1/10.

As a kung fu movie? Classic. 9/10.

You ever watch Kill Bill and wonder where Tarantino got the idea for the karate master with the flowing white beard and the absurdly long eyebrows? I'm guessing it was Shaolin vs Lama. A movie where every single kick, punch, jump, and slap is accompanied by a punching sound effect. Horribly bad overdubs? Oh yeah. Does everyone in the movie know kung fu? Of course. Tiger claw technique? I'll show you my snake technique! How dare you challenge me with your weak kung fu skills...don't you know I'm a grand master?! Praise Buddha's name!

 

[Sarpedon]

There are many, many kung-fu movies with that archetype; no need to pick just one.

 

[DrZoidberg]

Shaolin vs Lama.

Compared to modern movies? Hilariously bad. 1/10.

As a kung fu movie? Classic. 9/10.

You ever watch Kill Bill and wonder where Tarantino got the idea for the karate master with the flowing white beard and the absurdly long eyebrows? I'm guessing it was Shaolin vs Lama. A movie where every single kick, punch, jump, and slap is accompanied by a punching sound effect. Horribly bad overdubs? Oh yeah. Does everyone in the movie know kung fu? Of course. Tiger claw technique? I'll show you my snake technique! How dare you challenge me with your weak kung fu skills...don't you know I'm a grand master?! Praise Buddha's name!

I'm pretty sure the long eyebrows is from Chinese mythology. It's often used in art to depict a wise old sage. Often with eyebrows down to the ground. In some stories the eyebrows live a life of their own and can be used as weapons. I did a quick google, but these are everywhere in Chinese mythology. There's quite a few characters with these absurdly long eyebrows.

But in Chinese mythology, being old and decrepit, doesn't mean you can't whip out a sword and slay an entire army of armored foes. Which they do from time to time.

 

[Opoponax]

Rupture

This is among the most annoying of sic-fi/horror types. It's low budget, but still intriguing. You definitely wanna see where it's going and it manages to stay solid until about 60% of the way through, then it just goes to hell. I ended up watching until the end, hoping it would recapture its earlier intrigue. It did not.

3.5/10

Autopsy of Jane Doe (I think)

This is the best kind of total dogshit movie there is. It was so stupid, so fast, I was able to turn it off with only about 6 minutes of my life wasted. Movies like Rupture make me appreciate movies like this.

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Rupture

This is among the most annoying of sic-fi/horror types. It's low budget, but still intriguing. You definitely wanna see where it's going and it manages to stay solid until about 60% of the way through, then it just goes to hell. I ended up watching until the end, hoping it would recapture its earlier intrigue. It did not.

3.5/10

Autopsy of Jane Doe (I think)

This is the best kind of total dogshit movie there is. It was so stupid, so fast, I was able to turn it off with only about 6 minutes of my life wasted. Movies like Rupture make me appreciate movies like this.

 

[DrZoidberg]

This quiet Earth 5/10

This is a last-man-on-Earth movie like, the Omega Man, The World, the Flesh and the Devil and I am legend. I watched it because this is Neil DeGrasse Tyson's favorite movie. I did not understand it's greatness. It can't make up it's mind if it wants to be a mystical or scientific movie. There's a bunch of cool scenes. It's well acted. I just hate midiclorians in my movie. If your science doesn't work in the real world, then please refrain from explaining it, thanks. The story is dumb. There's a triangle drama of sorts that just lacks any tension. It's kind of fun that the reason the main character survived is because he tried committing suicide. But it kills a bit of the drama in a survival movie where the protagonist has no wish to survive.

 

[Jayjay]

Justice League
5/10

Utterly average movie, but looks ok-ish next to Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad. The villain is an uninspired CGI mess, the plot is predictable and wastes far too much time with Superman, and none of the characters are really that interesting. They could have cut the runtime by half an hour without losing anything crucial. On the positive side, I think Joss Whedon who took over the movie at a late phase due to Zack Snyner's personal issues, managed to get some of his trademark character chemistry into the movie, and the overall atmosphere is a lot closer to Avengers than any previous DC movie. Aquaman in particular was delightful. My recommendation: wait for it on netflix or other streaming service, fast-forward the Superman and Lois Lane parts, and it could be moderately entertaining.

 

[Opoponax]

The Boy

It's a movie about a couple that treats a doll as if it's alive. They then hire a nanny to watch it while they go on vacation.

I expected it to waste no more than 20 minutes of my life, but damn, this was a pretty good movie. The filmmakers did a really good job of ratcheting up the tension and suspense, and then ratcheting it back down for just enough time to give viewers a rest before doing it again. There's also a pretty decent twist that, while not being wholly original, still works because by that point, you really don't see it coming.

It does have some deficiencies that take away from it, but fortunately the biggest one happens towards the end so you can live with it. You're also asked to suspend disbelief at a key point, but not so much so that you throw your hands up and look for something else to watch. For the genre ("terror doll" is what you'd call it, I guess), this is definitely one of the better ones.

6/10

 

[ruby sparks]

I really enjoyed it, but then I like Sofia Coppola's films. She garners mixed reviews, as does this film, and I can see why. However, what she does well (mood, atmosphere, beautiful images and a certain ambiguity to the characters, not to mention great soundtracks) she does really really well, imo. This one is sumptuous. I could cite flaws with storyline and editing, but sometimes when a film is this visually lovely, I can overlook them.

 

[DrZoidberg]

Tom of Finland 10/10

Here's a film that took me by surprise. My expectations couldn't be lower. I've seen quite a few Finish movies in my life and they're rarely good. Mostly damn awful. I'd heard good things about this, so I thought it would be a shitty film with some redeeming qualities. Just some guy trying to bank on the fame of Tom of Finland to make a few bucks. Nope, fucking excellent. Right through.

I doubt anybody here needs an introduction to who Tom of Finland is, so I'll skip right to the interesting bit. I thought it would be a film about a struggling pornographic artist trying to get a break. Sure, that was in it. But that wasn't the focus. Don't expect to see a gay Boogie Nights. It's not. It does have humor. But this is a heavy drama. Tuoko Laaksonen was a badass and a war hero. He was in the Finish army fighting a losing battle against a many times overpowered foe. Everybody in his unit expected to die. It explored that, and how it bonded them and made them love life and refuse to be something they're not. It also explored war traumas. Laaksonen once killed a Russian soldier in hand-to-hand combat with his boot knife. Something that haunted him. And that soldiers face became replicated many times in his art and became the well known face of Kake. It was an interesting detail.

In an extremely strong scene in Berlin, he's in jail after being busted for sodomy, and the guard calmly explains that he used to be a cop in Nazi Germany and would have shipped him off to a concentration camp if he could. That scene brought so much together. The archetypical Tom of Finland leather man look is based on SS uniforms. Whether true or not the film tries to make the case that Laaksonen used his art as a way to process trauma. Laaksonen, (and the Finish army) fought together with the Nazis against the Russians. I can't imagine being gay in an army on a side intent on actually physically wanting to exterminate you. Granted that the USSR wasn't much better. Nor Finish society (at that time).

It also made the case that since surviving the war, which was unlikely, he was damned if he wasn't going to live his life to the fullest extent. So he did. It gave him a life that was cruel to him, but it also gave the world the best and hotest gay porn the world has ever seen. I'm not even gay, but I can still spot quality when I see it.

I also like that it's light on the violins. Laaksonen was a victim in many ways. But never behaved like one. I think that's factually correct. From what I know of the man he was never a bitter guy. He was just a happy go lucky guy who loved all of life and just wanted to have a hard on.

I highly recommend it. Best movie I've seen all year

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_of_Finland_(film)

 

[ruby sparks]

Tom of Finland 10/10

I highly recommend it. Best movie I've seen all year

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_of_Finland_(film)

7.1 out of 10 on IMDB is usually a half-decent indicator of quality.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt5226984/

The one I watched on Saturday night:



..wasn't on an entirely different core theme. It scored 7.5 at IMDB, as it happens.

I enjoyed it very much. That said, it may have garnered some of its critical acclaim simply because of dealing sympathetically with an issue not often explored in mainstream cinema. But even allowing for that 'worthy novelty' factor, it was, imo, a very well made film. Some say the 'third act' dragged a bit and didn't really surprise the viewer, but that may be partly due to viewer expectations. That said, I might agree with it up to a point.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Thor - Ragnarok

For simplicity sake, I could say "ditto" about the reviews in general. This movie had a "popcorn film" fun-ness, while still maintaining a respectable/serious when necessary. Once again Marvel Studios is able to walk the line of campy comic book, serious adventure, comedy, and respectable plot / plot conclusion so well. Jokes scraped the gutter a couple times, but overall it was very enjoyable. This movie could have easily sucked, but clearly Marvel is spending a few extra bucks (especially relative to Star Wars) on writing scripts. This is the first Marvel film I felt like I wanted to see immediately again in the theater.

My one complaint was the preview for the film that showed a particular moment of

Show

the Hulk being Thor's opponent which killed the *KAPOW* it would have had as a reveal while watching the movie

, however, it was that part of the preview that hooked me into knowing this film would be great.

3.5 of 4

 

[TSwizzle]

Rupture

This is among the most annoying of sic-fi/horror types. It's low budget, but still intriguing. You definitely wanna see where it's going and it manages to stay solid until about 60% of the way through, then it just goes to hell. I ended up watching until the end, hoping it would recapture its earlier intrigue. It did not.

3.5/10

Autopsy of Jane Doe (I think)

This is the best kind of total dogshit movie there is. It was so stupid, so fast, I was able to turn it off with only about 6 minutes of my life wasted. Movies like Rupture make me appreciate movies like this.

- - - Updated - - -

Rupture

This is among the most annoying of sic-fi/horror types. It's low budget, but still intriguing. You definitely wanna see where it's going and it manages to stay solid until about 60% of the way through, then it just goes to hell. I ended up watching until the end, hoping it would recapture its earlier intrigue. It did not.

3.5/10

Autopsy of Jane Doe (I think)

This is the best kind of total dogshit movie there is. It was so stupid, so fast, I was able to turn it off with only about 6 minutes of my life wasted. Movies like Rupture make me appreciate movies like this.

You watched them twice ?!


Steve Jobs, 5/10; Stars Michael Fassbender as Steve Jobs, directed by Danny Boyle. It was fairly interesting but I did not like the way the movie was filmed. It is pieced together over three key product launches and a lot of the scenes are filmed backstage in the venues. It just seemed too "busy" all the time, lots of walking and talking.

 

[arnoldo]

Radio Free Albemuth

This film appears to be more non-fiction than fiction.