TV/Movies Megathread

[Queequeg]

Oh, it is.  I hated it when I first saw it, but it's slowly become one of my all-time favorites.  It's almost infinitely fascinating.  The world building is incredible, and it's on a larger scale than just about any movie I've ever seen.  It's phenominal. 

[Beenherebefore]

The BBC drama "Line of Duty" has a second series, and I am hooked.
Internal affairs police up against something very sinister.

Tried watching "Chicago PD", gave up. "The Blacklist" has one redeeming quality, and it's Spader. The rest is tosh.

[Liep]

I tried watching The Blacklist, but even Spader couldn't save that mess for me.

[Viking]

I tried watching The Blacklist, but even Spader couldn't save that mess for me.

Ditto. Everybody who was not-spader in that show was a waste of time. Even the female lead was "homely" rather than tv hott

[Eddie Teach]

 

Homely is pushing it rather severely. She's definitely pretty. So is Bend it Like Beckham chick.

[Viking]

Homely is pushing it rather severely. She's definitely pretty. So is Bend it Like Beckham chick.

I demand internet level hottness to make up for broadcast tv blandness. Parminder Nagra's character is of course much more interesting than the bland leading lady.

[Savonarola]

The Gold Rush (1942 re-release)

Chaplin's only silent feature-length film where he had a complete story written before he started it; consequently it almost has a plot.  The first part of the film was inspired by the Donner Party; I doubt anyone has gotten so many laughs from starvation.  The second part is more standard Chaplin fare, with the girl and enormous rival.

The dinner roll dance scene is among the best of Chaplin's gags.  Fatty Arbuckle did a similar dance in "The Rough House," but Chaplin does it much better.

The re-release had a new score and narration by Chaplin.  I think it loses some of the appeal with a near constant voice-over.  Plus it's a little weird to hear Chaplin refer to his own character as "The Little Fellow."

[Ideologue]

I liked the movie where Chaplin single-handedly brought America into World War II.

[Ideologue]

In case I don't finish the formal review at any point ever, do give Eugenio Mira and Elijah Wood and John Cusack your money for Grand Piano.  It's spectacular (if you like claustrophobic Hitchcock/De Palma thrillers, i.e. "good movies"; it is substantially better than Vertigo, rather better than Notorious, better shot than Strangers On a Train, a smidgen better than Psycho, but not as good as Rope; and basically equal to Blow Out or Mission: Impossible, though it is consistently prettier than either, and as far as I can tell is the most flashily/best shot movie since Gravity, if that's even a fair comparison for any movie).

Speaking of Rope, I watched it again the other day with my girlfriend.  She gave it an A+.  She is now my WIFE.

[Eddie Teach]

substantially better than Vertigo, but not as good as Rope;

[celedhring]

In case I don't finish the formal review at any point ever, do give Eugenio Mira and Elijah Wood and John Cusack your money for Grand Piano.  It's spectacular (if you like claustrophobic Hitchcock/De Palma thrillers, i.e. "good movies"; it is substantially better than Vertigo, rather better than Notorious, better shot than Strangers On a Train, a smidgen better than Psycho, but not as good as Rope; and basically equal to Blow Out or Mission: Impossible, though it is consistently prettier than either, and as far as I can tell is the most flashily/best shot movie since Gravity, if that's even a fair comparison for any movie).

Speaking of Rope, I watched it again the other day with my girlfriend.  She gave it an A+.  She is now my WIFE.

Since one of the producers of Grand Piano is a close acquaintance of mine, I support that statement.

That said, I thought the movie itself was relatively bad, but salvaged by the direction and over-the-top acting of the people involved, who all seem to understand and underline that they are pretty much acting up a grand-gignol. If you really like exaggerated, implausibly-plotted and deeply silly thrillers, it is a fun ride, but if you look for more serious fare you'll hate it.

I suppose the Hitchcock comparisons are just bait.

[Ideologue]

You know what the most serious movie in the world is?  North By Northwest.

Anyway, of course that's all accurate (though I don't think the plot is dumb, exactly, I think the plot is contrived, and contrived well).  But definitely tell your friend America loves his film!

[celedhring]

I love North by Nortwest...

Thanks for the transatlantic goodwill 

Grand Piano is weird to me... besides one of the producers being a close friend, the guy that does the FX owes me money, and an ex-GF shows up as an extra 

[Sheilbh]

I suppose the Hitchcock comparisons are just bait.

I doubt it

[Ideologue]

I suppose the Hitchcock comparisons are just bait.

I doubt it

Well, it is basically a feature length version of the end of The Man Who Knew Too Much.