Movies you've recently watched

[Neil]

James Bond is over 20 and  will soldier on with better and worse Bonds until the end of time.

Different types of movie.  Bond films can be entirely episodic, whereas a good sci-fi franchise will have some internal consistancy.  Besides, Bond has gone totally gay now that he's a soulless grim aggressor.

You guys need to lighten up. I liked some aspects (and hated other aspects) of all the Trek Series, movies. IMO after two viewings it's the second best thing in the Movie side after Khan which is the Citizen Khan of Star Trek movies.

It's not just the movies.  It's the franchise as a whole.

[BuddhaRhubarb]

James Bond is over 20 and  will soldier on with better and worse Bonds until the end of time.

Different types of movie.  Bond films can be entirely episodic, whereas a good sci-fi franchise will have some internal consistancy.  Besides, Bond has gone totally gay now that he's a soulless grim aggressor.

You guys need to lighten up. I liked some aspects (and hated other aspects) of all the Trek Series, movies. IMO after two viewings it's the second best thing in the Movie side after Khan which is the Citizen Khan of Star Trek movies.

It's not just the movies.  It's the franchise as a whole.

well maybe. nothing lasts forever. Do we need a new Flash Gordon series, or Tarzan. I think so, but I doubt much is happening. Maybe someone in Hollywood will have a new idea instead of just updating an old one. also. unlikely. though.

[katmai]

Maybe someone in Hollywood will have a new idea instead of just updating an old one. also. unlikely. though.

[Eddie Teach]

Ahh, the Flash Gordon drinking game... wish I'd done more of that stuff.

[Sophie Scholl]

The Ugly Truth.  Amusing.  Not as good as it was talked up to me though.

[CountDeMoney]

OK, so I sat down and watched the new Star Trek movie.

Despite some pulls against my ingrained and fundamentalist TOS orthodoxy--not to mention the whole BUT THATS NOT HOW BLACK HOLES WORK thing--I was suprisingly pleased at how entertaining it was.

The guy that played McCoy was fucking dead spot on.

I'll give it 3.95 Khaaaans out of 5.

[Martinus]

http://www.theonion.com/content/video/trekkies_bash_new_star_trek_film

[Scipio]

Prince Caspian.  Tolerable.  Too much deviation from canon.

[Neil]

well maybe. nothing lasts forever. Do we need a new Flash Gordon series, or Tarzan. I think so, but I doubt much is happening. Maybe someone in Hollywood will have a new idea instead of just updating an old one. also. unlikely. though.

I suppose so.  I just feel it's worth mourning for the feeling I had watching the old series and reading the old novels.  It had a spirit of adventure and that a man armed with knowledge could conquer the odds.  These days, novels seem to have a spirit of cynicism, whining and emo.

[Syt]

Didn't I see a new Flash Gordon series on SciFi or something recently?

EDIT: Yes: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0959086/
Though what I saw looked way worse than the 1930s classic.

[Malthus]

I broke down and saw Avatar the other day. Spoilers ahoy!

I loved the use of the 3d technology, the world was wonderfully immersive, but it was too long. One "swooping over vast panorama" scene is awesome, two is great, three is good ...

The plot? Well, I'll say this for it - I was cheering during the movie itself, but even as I cheered for the heros I knew it was cringe-worthy. Eeevil corporation versus noble savages, crass racist miners versus beautiful spiritual forest. "Shock and awe". It's like watching the original Star Wars in the '70s and having Darth Vader remove his mask only to find out he's Richard Nixon.

The lamest cop-out though was the fact that the human hero can, through the planet network, become his Avatar. It's as if the director detected the only hint of ambiguity and complexity in his plot and deliberately and with malice aforethought set out to murder it.

That being said, I still thought the ride was worth it. Only, it won't have much re-watch value.

What the director clearly set out to do was to create a movie that was a visual feast worth going out to the movie theatres for rather than renting. In that, I think he really succeeded. People will go see it and be entertained. It will not however be a truly classic movie.

It does open the door to filming other science fiction plots using the tech. Personally, I'd like to see Harry Harrison's Deathworld done using the same technology; for one, it lacks the groan-worthy cardboard heros and baddies; for another, it would just be hugely awesome to watch.

Wins the Academy Award for strategic use of foliage to hide blue chick naughty bits. Assuming they have any.

[BuddhaRhubarb]

Didn't I see a new Flash Gordon series on SciFi or something recently?

EDIT: Yes: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0959086/
Though what I saw looked way worse than the 1930s classic.

yeah I watched an episode or two, very forgettable.

[BuddhaRhubarb]

well maybe. nothing lasts forever. Do we need a new Flash Gordon series, or Tarzan. I think so, but I doubt much is happening. Maybe someone in Hollywood will have a new idea instead of just updating an old one. also. unlikely. though.

I suppose so.  I just feel it's worth mourning for the feeling I had watching the old series and reading the old novels.  It had a spirit of adventure and that a man armed with knowledge could conquer the odds.  These days, novels seem to have a spirit of cynicism, whining and emo.

Read John Scalzi's Old Man's War (and those that follow it) Great old school adventure laden SF.

[Capetan Mihali]

Rewatched Fyra nyanser av brunt (Four shades of brown), a 2004 movie/miniseries by Swedish humor/drama collective Killinggänget. Like much of their stuff it's absolutely brilliant, world class.

I realize that it is unlikely but if any of you guys want to see good shit check it out, it's available on region-free DVD with English subtitles. Strongly recommended, if my word counts for anything around here.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0342636/

For the record, I tried to watch this movie a few months ago from an internet source solely based on The Brain's recommendation, and while it seemed good, the subtitling was so maddeningly uncoordinated with the dialogue in the film that I had to give it up after about 30 minutes. 

It may be worth purchasing my own copy, if the subtitling is better.

[Tonitrus]

"The Gauntlet" , with Clint Eastwood.

The ending was pretty damned ridiculous.