TV/Movies Megathread

[celedhring]

I am just observing what is going on right now. When we are all being brainwashed by Chinese State propaganda we can talk about that then. Just because you are making a prediction does not mean it is certain to happen.

The point was not the prediction. My point was that Superhero movies are not popular because they inherently appeal to broad cultural consensus, but because their particular tone, genre, and heroes are, and have been, actively and aggressively promoted. But I supposeI could have simply just dismissed your comment.

As Valmy says it's a bit of both. Some things resonate better than others, and thus are more easily promoted. No matter how many ads they run, Hollywood has never been as successful selling comedies (which rely more on a particular cultural setting) as selling hyperkinetic action-adventure stories, which translate much more easily.

[Valmy]

And let's just say Hollywood is not going to be making anymore sports films anytime soon. Unless it is soccer.

[Savonarola]

You know, as a kid I never really got into comic books.  I was too smart for them - I read real books.  To the very limited extent I did read them, I was more of a DC guy.

But you know what - Marvel/Disney has got a formula down to make entertaining movies.  I think at this point I've seen every MCU movie save Hulk (which has terrible reviews).  And the way they've built up the storylines between movies has been fascinating to watch.

I don't think I'm a superhero fan.  But I like fun, action-comedy type flicks, which Marvel/Disney knows how to produce in spades.

I thought The Hulk is the weakest of the origin movies; almost all the foreshadowing they do in it doesn't come to anything and the only character who reappears (other than Bruce Banner, though as a different actor) is General Ross.  The one clever thing, I thought, is that the ending is ambiguous; you don't know if the Hulk will be a protagonist or antagonist in the then upcoming Avengers movie.  I think it's worth seeing for completeness sake (and the Lou Ferrigno cameo.)

[dps]

David Bowie: The Man Who Changed the World (2016)

A quick and cheap cash-in documentary on Bowie made soon after his death.  They didn't even get the license for any of his music; so there's sort of Bowie-eque music playing throughout.  They do have some archival interviews with Bowie and some from some of the people who knew him in the early days; but, except for Iggy Pop, there's no interviews with the better known artists he'd worked with (no Lou Reed, Ian Hunter, Mick Ronson, Eno, Nile Rogers, Mick Jagger, Mike Garson or even Bing Crosby). 

To be fair, it would have been kind of hard for them to get interviews with Lou Reed or Bing Crosby in 2016.

[viper37]

And some studios have IPs that need to be produced into movies every X years or they lose that IP (Terminator comes to mind).  That generates endless sequels of dubious quality where the goal is to only keep the IP "alive".

Oh, well, it's not like "Hollywood produces too many sequels" is a recent debate.  I remember talking about that in high school, when Karate Kid II came out.

But, if I have to chose between endless John Wayne-esque westerns and endless Marvel movies, I'll pick Marvel

Hey, with new technology, in the future they will be able to cast John Wayne in endless Marvel movies. 

With the global influence of China on the rise, plus the geopolitical importance of spreading Chinese influence into central Asia via entertainment, I predict a new superhero - John Wayne as the new Marvel superhero, Ghengis Khan!

A preview:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Kpv1kqjvpw

I totally forgot that one.  A bunch of white guys playing Asians...  that would go very well in today's culture

You'd swear he's still playing it like some middle age cowboy.

[viper37]

And let's just say Hollywood is not going to be making anymore sports films anytime soon. Unless it is soccer.

I could see a movie about a white NFL player courageously kneeling during the national anthem as a way to protest the inefficiency of the Obama Presidency with controlling border security after a puerto rican gang killed his little brother in an accidental drive-by shooting.

[The Larch]

Back when they started coming out I'd watch every single Marvel movie that hit the theaters, but nowadays it's much more pick and choose, and I've skipped a lot of them. I believe the last one I watched was Thor: Ragnarok, and Dr. Strange before that. I have not seen either Age of Ultron or Civil War or Infinity War, and to be honest I'm kinda tired of the big massive ones, I find the smaller ones way more interesting.

I guess it's falling on me to defend superhero movies.

Age of Ultron - a bit of a disappointment, honestly.  Can be skipped.
Civil War - the political metaphor is a bit forced, but since most Marvel villains aren't very interesting, it's great fun to just see the heroes battle away at each other.
Infinity War - it's huge, it has everyone in it, for the first time since Loki it has a compelling villain - and [spoiler]the bad guy wins in the end[/spoiler]

And movies that came out since then you didn't mention:
Ant Man / Ant Man 2 - leans heavily in the comedy.  Very enjoyable.
Guardians of the Galaxy 2 - has Kurt Russell in it.  Up to you if that's a selling feature or not.
Black Panther - hey that was a genuine cultural moment.  It was nominated for Best Picture!  Worth seeing
Captain Marvel - eh it was good, nothing special

It's fine to be selective, but there are some good movies out there if you're interested.

Don't get me wrong, I still want to watch some of those I missed, eventually. I did that with Thor: Ragnarok, for instance, and I still have the new Spiderman, Ant Man, Black Panther and Guardians 2 in my to watch list. It's just that I've lost the sense of urgency to watch them as soon as they come out at the cinema, and the big tentpole ones just bore me a little bit at this point.

[Grey Fox]

And let's just say Hollywood is not going to be making anymore sports films anytime soon. Unless it is soccer.

and even more saddening is no more college comedies 

[Malthus]

And some studios have IPs that need to be produced into movies every X years or they lose that IP (Terminator comes to mind).  That generates endless sequels of dubious quality where the goal is to only keep the IP "alive".

Oh, well, it's not like "Hollywood produces too many sequels" is a recent debate.  I remember talking about that in high school, when Karate Kid II came out.

But, if I have to chose between endless John Wayne-esque westerns and endless Marvel movies, I'll pick Marvel

Hey, with new technology, in the future they will be able to cast John Wayne in endless Marvel movies. 

With the global influence of China on the rise, plus the geopolitical importance of spreading Chinese influence into central Asia via entertainment, I predict a new superhero - John Wayne as the new Marvel superhero, Ghengis Khan!

A preview:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Kpv1kqjvpw

I totally forgot that one.  A bunch of white guys playing Asians...  that would go very well in today's culture

You'd swear he's still playing it like some middle age cowboy.

Well, Mongols are basically cowboys. 

[viper37]

The Punisher, season 2.

Compared to season 1... It's a bit like watching a MMA fight after watching an ice skating competition.

If you thought the first season was violent... Well, that's worst.

But it's a really good show.  I hope the new Disney+ streaming service picks up Punisher and Daredevil.  Jessica Jones would be nice too.

[celedhring]

Yeah, season 2 was nice. Very violent, but the rapport between Punisher and the girl he helps ends up working really well, giving it some emotional attachment.

That's not to say there's not a lot of fat in the season. Netflix should really make those shorter, 10 eps and not 13.

I loved the "Assault on Precinct 13" episode.

[Josquius]

I never even finished the final series of Daredevil and Iron Fist. Just didn't appeal at all. Stumbled through Daredevil to episode 7 or so but only half watching. Punisher I haven't even tried beyond half of episode 1.
I don't know what it is. The Marvel TV shows used to be so good.

[celedhring]

They did have a downturn since the first season of IF came out. But the least seasons of Punisher and Daredevil are imho strong. Hopefully Jessica Jones has a good final season too.

Anyway, sad to see those shows go. I can't see Disney ever making something as nasty as this Punisher show.

[derspiess]

I've been binge-watching Adventure Time with the kids. Forgot how awesome seasons 2 thru 4 were. Last couple of seasons and especially the finale were very mediocre by comparison.

[Savonarola]

A Clockwork Orange (1971)

Still a real horrorshow of a cine-picture to viddy.  What you would call the old ultra-violence seems tame by today's standards; but, my droogies, the old in-out-in-out with the unwilling devotchkas is right out vile.  The heighth of fashion scenery and costuming is horrorshow; but what makes the film real horrorshow is Malcolm McDowell.  That veck was an actor of what you'd call the old Bill of Avon stripe and wrapped his gulliver around the Nadsat so well that your humble narrator would believe it was a real language.