TV/Movies Megathread

[Berkut]

America always wins, because we're a nation of winners.

He doesn't speak "winner".

[celedhring]

I'm reminded of great patriotic moments in film: Spain defeats the Soviet Union.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IiLeDyKtvAE

[Eddie Teach]

The Insider. Did you know that smoking was addictive?

This is one of those very well-made and well acted films that just aren't all that exciting. It's worth a watch, but quite forgettable. Which is why it was like watching for the first time, though I saw it back when it came out.

[celedhring]

I love The Insider; it really isn't about the smoking industry, it's about Crowe's character and the physical and moral destruction he faces just because he chooses the do the right thing, despite him not being a saintly character to begin with. It's awesome.

It's also one of Mann's best directed films; I think he was at the top of his game back then.

[Eddie Teach]

it's about Crowe's character and the physical and moral destruction he faces just because he chooses the do the right thing,

Except the last third of the movie he nearly disappears as it becomes Pacino vs CBS weenies.


Like I said, I thought it was really well-made. I just like a bit more escapism in my entertainment.

[celedhring]

Yeah, I admit that the movie loses its way a bit towards the end, and it becomes a bit too conventional; I blame Pacino being Pacino and needing the film to be about his character in some way.

Still, scenes like when Crowe sits shell-shocked in a hotel room and reminisces about his lost family while looking at a painted wall, oblivious to everything as Pacino is trying to contact him, have stuck with me throughout the years.

[Savonarola]

Tai Chi 0 (2012)

The train is coming to Kung Fu Village!  Naturally the locals are skeptical so the evil engineer () tries to destroy Kung Fu Village in order to lay tracks.  Fortunately technology and advanced weapons are no match for simple hearted Kung Fu masters ( ).

Rating F- and I hope the Japanese run over these good natured Kung Fu masters with tanks in the sequel.   



The movie is something of a Chinese Asterix the Gaul.  It's supposed to be a wacky retelling of the story of Yang Luchan who invented a style of Tai Chi.  The luddism and xenophobia are amusing; for instance they emphasize the Chinese engineer's Eee-vil by having him love an educated white woman rather than the rustic Kung Fu princess he was betrothed to.

[CountDeMoney]

Engineers usually are evil when they work for The Big Railroad, Sav, regardless of the time or the culture.

Surprised you didn't know that, what with going to Evil Engineer School.

[Josquius]

Trains can never be evil.
Even the Nazi trains were forced into it.

[Darth Wagtaros]

Snowpiercer sucked. 

[Admiral Yi]

"The Book Thief."  Beautifully shot, wonderfully acted story about a book loving girl growing up in WWII Germany.  Boring as hell.

[Josephus]

LOL. Was gonna watch that until the last three words.

[mongers]

Been watching Prof. Brian Cox's 'Human Universe', it's good edutainment for space and physics, though to some extent he has to labour under Carl Sagan's legacy.

[celedhring]

Interstellar. I liked it quite a bit, but I'll admit it has more deus ex machinas that two seasons of Star Trek combined, and it's indulgently long. But I eat up all this kind of pretentious sci-fi, and the story with his daughter was a good emotional pull.

[jimmy olsen]

The Croods (2013).  A caveperson family is evicted from their hollow in the living rock during an earthquake; they are guided to a new home by a more advanced human.  The central conflict is between the world's most absurd conservatism and its most stupidly optimistic radicalism.  It's basically garbage, not helped by the fact that the character designs are unappealing and that, you know, there were real animals that existed a couple million years ago, and they were pretty cool, whereas this film features alien monsters.  Whoever was in charge of the backgrounds, which are gorgeous, needs to spend his or her time on better projects.  Otherwise, its mainly notable for Nic Cage shouting "HAND ME THAT ACTING STICK!"

You are absolutely no fun.