The Movie (and TV show) Watching Thread

[emailking]

I watched Madame Web and all specials btw.

[Landslide Lyndon]

I watched Madame Web and all specials btw.

My condolences.

[Neo-Malthusian Misanthrope]

Saw 2001 at a cinema tonight. Utterly breathtaking, the sound got me more than anything. Fun fact: the guy who did the voice of HAL was from Winnipeg.

[Progressive Pessimist]

'The Holdovers' lived up to the positive expectations I had for it. Alexander Payne is back to making movies that really speak to me. My new favorite film of the 2023 backlog I'm catching up on.

I just need to see 'Killers of the Flower Moon.'

[Pouring Rain and Blairing Music]

Judge me all you like for watching Anyone But You by myself on a Friday night, but it was at least entertaining and engaging. Solid end credit montage.

Just didn’t feel like watching anything heavy. Been kind of a bumpy reentry to work after almost two weeks off. Watched Sicario a couple nights ago and am coming to the realization that Villeneuve doesn’t really do it for me, I don’t think. It wasn’t *bad,* but it wasn’t for me. Needed something less stressful and more pulpy tonight and Anyone But You fit the bill.

[John Dule]

I watched Jerry Seinfeld's "Unfrosted" movie last night. It's possible that I only found it tolerable because it was such a welcome distraction from studying for finals, but I did not hate it. As dumb as this movie is, it's ultimately far less offensive than something like Air-- another soulless film about the creation of a product, but one that had the gall to actually take its inane subject matter seriously. Turning this burgeoning "genre" into a farce is completely welcome-- and after Air exclusively filmed Michael Jordan with over-the-shoulder camera angles (echoing Jesus in Ben-Hur), treating pop tarts with the importance of the space race barely feels like an exaggeration.

I'm also not put off by Jerry Seinfeld's bad acting. I think he's come to accept how stilted he sounds and now fully embraces it, and the result is borderline experimental anti-comedy that will elicit several chuckles. His performance has the same energy as a cheesy pre-recorded Oscars sketch, which is entirely appropriate for this material.

The problems arise when the movie abandons its commitment to the premise and wades into distracting side plots, almost all of which rely upon the most tepid, predictable humor imaginable. With the mere knowledge that JFK makes an appearance, any audience member who knows the first thing about Kennedy could predict half the jokes in that scene. Far too much screen time is devoted to Amy Schumer, multiple cringeworthy SNL cast cameos, and a shockingly outdated and unfunny sequence parodying Alien. As a result, the movie feels astonishingly long despite its 90-minute runtime.

There are some gems in the supporting cast-- Dean Norris as Nikita Khrushchev and Christian Slater as a member of the milkman mafia are particular standouts-- but they receive too little attention for the movie to be worth seeing. I was also surprised that Jerry Seinfeld of all people happened to create perhaps the only effective parody of January 6th I've seen yet (mostly because the comedy here wasn't being used as a Trojan horse for breathless moral panic). But overall, the few good clips will be available on YouTube, and the rest is not worth your time-- as is regrettably true for so many modern comedies.

[Hindsight was 2020]

Anyone else watch the 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' finale?

I had a feeling that they were building up to a meta joke about the 'Seinfeld' finale, and that's what we got. I enjoyed it as a fitting end to one of my favorite shows. I do think there was a missed opportunity with Richard Lewis' girlfriend. I really thought they were going to ger dark and have her actual try to assassinate Larry after he got out of jail.

I think that was intentional done to put the audience on edge for the end of the show as there were these long held rumors that Larry wanted the show ending with him dying. Along with it being anotber reference to the Seinfeld finale with George’s ex-in laws doing the same thing

[T'Chenka]

Challengers (2024)
director Luca Guadagnino
Zendaya, Mike Faist, Josh O'Connor

8.5 / 10

This is in theaters now. It was great. Had such a good time with it. The directing and acting were excellent. Very sexy movie, not something you want kids to see and not something you wanna see with your mom and dad. Probably the best tennis film I've ever seen. I've seen from the same director Call Me By Your Name and Bones And All. All three are very good movies.

STRONGLY recommended film. Go out to the theaters and check it out.

[Progressive Pessimist]

Challengers (2024)
director Luca Guadagnino
Zendaya, Mike Faist, Josh O'Connor

8.5 / 10

This is in theaters now. It was great. Had such a good time with it. The directing and acting were excellent. Very sexy movie, not something you want kids to see and not something you wanna see with your mom and dad. Probably the best tennis film I've ever seen. I've seen from the same director Call Me By Your Name and Bones And All. All three are very good movies.

STRONGLY recommended film. Go out to the theaters and check it out.

It's funny, when it comes to the "sexiness" I heard a lot of audiences were disappointed when the "graphic nudity" in the R rating didn't involve Zendaya. And that's odd to me. Zendaya is an attractive girl...but looks a bit too much like a girl still. I wouldn't want to see her naked! I'm relieved she didn't do that.

I've got a few movies I saw the first time (will try to keep them brief):

-'The Baby:' I try not to post about the weird, obscure, cult films I tend to watch since I imagine so few of you care, but I sought out this one because of a  B-movie podcast I listen to declared it the best movie they covered on the show (it's called Trash in the Can-check it out if you're interested in bad movies, like I am). It was definitely an interesting film, and not really bad or too obvious of a low-budget at all, but it was way too padded to reach the runtime it wanted to. It has a really intriguing premise involving a social worker working on a case featuring a grown man who behaves like a toddler, and features a truly jaw-dropping twist ending. I just wish it was a 'Twilight Zone' short or something instead of the ninety minute feature length film it was. It would have been much more satisfying to me. That aside, it was still worth watching as a truly bizarre film like this only could have been made in the 1970's, and is kind of a neat time capsule of exploitation movies of the time. I still recommend it to anyone morbidly curious. Just feel free to fast forward through some of the agonizingly slow scenes where almost nothing happens

While I'm at it, I'm requoting my review of 'The Baby' since Red Letter Media included it in their show 'Best of the Worst,' which I'm sure will increase its relevance. I always feel an odd sense of pride when I see a culty movie before they do.

[President of the great nation of 🏳️‍⚧️]

Finally watched The Matrix (dirs. The Wachowski Sisters, 1999) over three separate sittings. I gotta admit, the parts I remember watching hit different now that I'm actually trans.

[Landslide Lyndon]

Zendaya is an attractive girl...but looks a bit too much like a girl still. I wouldn't want to see her naked! I'm relieved she didn't do that.

I must be one of the few who is immune to Zendaya much ballyhooed charisma and charm.
As an actress I find her just adequate and as a woman I believe she looks like a teenage boy. In the first MCU Spiderman movie I thought initially that she was a lesbian with whom Peter would have to fight for his crush's affections, hence why she was constantly breaking his balls.

[John Dule]

Zendaya is an attractive girl...but looks a bit too much like a girl still. I wouldn't want to see her naked! I'm relieved she didn't do that.

I must be one of the few who is immune to Zendaya much ballyhooed charisma and charm.
As an actress I find her just adequate and as a woman I believe she looks like a teenage boy. In the first MCU Spiderman movie I thought initially that she was a lesbian with whom Peter would have to fight for his crush's affections, hence why she was constantly breaking his balls.

I thought this would make her more attractive to Greeks.

[Neo-Malthusian Misanthrope]

Started watching Curb Your Enthusiasm, and I don't know if it changes in later seasons, but everyone is just mean to Larry David for no reason (or at least for massively overblown reasons). It makes it tough to watch, and not in the kind of cringe way I expected. I just feel bad for the guy. I'd say somebody should give him a hug except he'd probably catch a whiff of that person's BO and make a face or something which would offend them even though they're the one who should have put on deodorant and I'm sure you can all picture how this would go.

[Pouring Rain and Blairing Music]

Highly recommend Hundreds of Beavers to anyone who grew up on a diet of Looney Tunes.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

Phanton Menace, Planet of the Apes and Fall Guy haven't seeñ Civil War next week

[President of the great nation of 🏳️‍⚧️]

Finally watched The Matrix (dirs. The Wachowski Sisters, 1999) over three separate sittings. I gotta admit, the parts I remember watching hit different now that I'm actually trans.

Watched sequels Reloaded and Revolutions (dirs. The Wachowski Sisters, 2003). I wasn't anywhere near as disappointed as I was expecting to be, honestly. Maybe it's because I'm easily impressed. Will probably watch Resurrections (dir. Lana Wachowski, 2021) next weekend, though they changed Morpheuses (Morphei?) so I'm a little nervous even though there's a lore reason for it.

[President of the great nation of 🏳️‍⚧️]

Will probably watch Resurrections (dir. Lana Wachowski, 2021) next weekend, though they changed Morpheuses (Morphei?) so I'm a little nervous even though there's a lore reason for it.

Watched it tonight and was pleasantly surprised; it was better than the sequels preceding it. I still won't trust Drew Goddard with the franchise until he has three psychiatrists telling him he can direct Matrix 5, though.

I can sort of see a parallel to the Rambo films, in a way--you have the first and best film, the lackluster second and third films that are good for what they are: mindless action flicks, then the fourth film that, while ultimately still not quite as good as the original, was better than the sequels before it. And of course, the fifth film, being directed by the ostensibly cisgender Goddard, will probably be worse than Reloaded and Revolutions (like how Last Blood was worse than Rambo II and III).

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

I watched Dunes 2 it was okay and Phantom Menace of Star Wars. I always forgot how Like Skywalker became a Jedi

[John Dule]

A few things I've been watching lately:

Challengers: A solid sports drama elevated by its editing choices. I really dug the Michael Mann-esque pulsating electronic music, and the nonlinear storytelling actually made sense here instead of merely being a lazy gimmick. I don't really buy into the Zendaya hype, and she feels a little young for this role, but credit where credit is due: she nails this character.

Agora: A movie about Hypatia from 2009 that I decided to watch because I was interested in the history being depicted. It's slow and a lot of the supporting cast is pretty mediocre, but I have a soft spot for films that depict lesser-known eras of history. It also doesn't hurt that the plot is literally an anti-theist "resist the mob" story ripped from the annals of the past, and it triggered thousands of terminally online Christians who were infuriated at the movie's (accurate) portrayal of their attitudes towards women in STEM.

Gotti: The infamous Travolta biopic about John Gotti that is notoriously among the worst movies ever made. I didn't find it to be quite as bad as some have said, but that's mostly because there's nothing exceptional about it whatsoever. When the plot makes sense, it's boilerplate mafia drama told in the driest way imaginable. But for most of the runtime, it's a confusing parade of Cats-like character introductions that have no payoff or purpose. Very rushed, boring, and pointless.

The Patriot: Dumb movie watched exclusively by drunk uncles who catch the second half on TV.

Mother: This is a 2009 film from the director of Parasite and Memories of Murder... and I daresay, this might be his masterpiece. If you loved Parasite, I sincerely recommend you check this out immediately. It explores similar terrain to Bong Joon-Ho's other films, but I think this one does so with much greater thematic weight and pointed social analysis than even Parasite (which is saying quite a lot). I loved this movie, and would go so far as to say it's now among my all-time favorites.

Absolutely Anything: Godawful Simon Pegg vehicle with a generic premise, terrible title, and possibly the worst poster I've ever seen for a film (seriously, google this). It's basically Bruce Almighty, but catering to the Reddit atheist subculture that BRTD obsesses over. The low budget is apparent in every scene-- for a movie with the title "Absolutely Anything," very few things actually happen, which is probably due to budgetary constraints.

Easy Rider: Recently watched this for the first time. Made me decide to grow my hair out.

Comrade Kim Goes Flying: North Korean propaganda film I watched with my housemates for fun. Loved the scene where a character says "We exceeded today's coal production quota by 50%!" and everyone cheers. The rest is pretty tame.

[Progressive Pessimist]

A few things I've been watching lately:

Challengers: A solid sports drama elevated by its editing choices. I really dug the Michael Mann-esque pulsating electronic music, and the nonlinear storytelling actually made sense here instead of merely being a lazy gimmick. I don't really buy into the Zendaya hype, and she feels a little young for this role, but credit where credit is due: she nails this character.

Agora: A movie about Hypatia from 2009 that I decided to watch because I was interested in the history being depicted. It's slow and a lot of the supporting cast is pretty mediocre, but I have a soft spot for films that depict lesser-known eras of history. It also doesn't hurt that the plot is literally an anti-theist "resist the mob" story ripped from the annals of the past, and it triggered thousands of terminally online Christians who were infuriated at the movie's (accurate) portrayal of their attitudes towards women in STEM.

Gotti: The infamous Travolta biopic about John Gotti that is notoriously among the worst movies ever made. I didn't find it to be quite as bad as some have said, but that's mostly because there's nothing exceptional about it whatsoever. When the plot makes sense, it's boilerplate mafia drama told in the driest way imaginable. But for most of the runtime, it's a confusing parade of Cats-like character introductions that have no payoff or purpose. Very rushed, boring, and pointless.

The Patriot: Dumb movie watched exclusively by drunk uncles who catch the second half on TV.

Mother: This is a 2009 film from the director of Parasite and Memories of Murder... and I daresay, this might be his masterpiece. If you loved Parasite, I sincerely recommend you check this out immediately. It explores similar terrain to Bong Joon-Ho's other films, but I think this one does so with much greater thematic weight and pointed social analysis than even Parasite (which is saying quite a lot). I loved this movie, and would go so far as to say it's now among my all-time favorites.

Absolutely Anything: Godawful Simon Pegg vehicle with a generic premise, terrible title, and possibly the worst poster I've ever seen for a film (seriously, google this). It's basically Bruce Almighty, but catering to the Reddit atheist subculture that BRTD obsesses over. The low budget is apparent in every scene-- for a movie with the title "Absolutely Anything," very few things actually happen, which is probably due to budgetary constraints.

Easy Rider: Recently watched this for the first time. Made me decide to grow my hair out.

Comrade Kim Goes Flying: North Korean propaganda film I watched with my housemates for fun. Loved the scene where a character says "We exceeded today's coal production quota by 50%!" and everyone cheers. The rest is pretty tame.

I always love a Reznor-Ross soundtrack. They can elevate anything.

And I agree with you on 'Gotti.' I was disappointed at how more middling it was than anything else. Travolta has been in much worse, and much more amusingly bad movies.

[DaleCooper]

Gotti is one of the many reasons why I never trust the internet when they find the new worst movie ever. It's a lot better than unwatchable sh-t like Birdemic, for example, but really is just a crappy mafia movie that is mildly funny once or twice but otherwise completely unremarkable. Kind of like that weird movie Ballistic vs Sever, with Lucy Liu from 20 years ago. Sometimes people call that so bad it's good, but really it's just a crappy movie.

A lot of internet people have gotten into B-movies and so-bad-it's-good movies, without really understanding what makes them fun.

[Progressive Pessimist]

If anyone wants my two cents about entertainingly bad movies, I've been on a spree of watching Lifetime movies. I mostly loved them all so far, but the 'Stalked by My Doctor' series is maybe one of the best film franchises of all time. Not joking!

And then there's the 'Beetlejuice Beetlejuice' trailer that just dropped. It's been awhile since I've seen a trailer with so many stars in it that I love that I've been so unexcited for. I love all these actors: Catherine O'Hara, Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, Willem DaFoe, Justin Theroux; my dear, sweet Jenna Ortega (no Jeffrey Jones, obviously, haha! Keep him far away from Jenna!) yet I cannot give less of a damn about this movie.

I guess part of that is because I don't even like the original 'Beetlejuice' that much. Then again, I'm not coming into it with any baggage like fans of the first one would so maybe I'll end up enjoying it down the line if I see it...although I probably won't be paying to do so. I can definitely wait.