TV/Movies Megathread

[Syt]

Trailer for HBO's Watchmen.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zymgtV99Rko

[Josephus]

Trailer for HBO's Watchmen.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zymgtV99Rko

I think John Oliver said it best on Sunday.

"Only two more episodes of Game of Thrones. HBO is so fucked."

[Habbaku]

...until a spin-off is released in 2020.

[Josephus]

...until a spin-off is released in 2020.

I wonder how well that will do though.

[celedhring]

Trailer for HBO's Watchmen.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zymgtV99Rko

That trailer feels like somebody was shown some comic panels of the original, without text, and had to recreate the story just going by that and "Watchmen"

[Habbaku]

...until a spin-off is released in 2020.

I wonder how well that will do though.

The first season will do quite well, I'd predict. After that, it depends on the quality.

[Savonarola]

I could see Ant-Man; what is it that you think makes Civil War outstanding?

I think it's essential to understand how this universe works, the forces at work behind the scene, and a metaphor for our own societies: more government control vs less government control.

It's no longer about teamwork (Avengers 1), it's about divided/conflicted loyalties, friendship and duty, how should you react to what you believe is right, how hard should you fight for order vs freedom?  Does more freedom always equate with more chaos?  Does more control always equate with better security for everyone?  What is the price we are willing to pay for freedom or for our own security?

How easy is it for good intentions to become evilness incarnate?

It raises all kinds of interesting questions, I believe.

Those are good points; and what I think drives the Avengers movies.  The real conflict isn't between the Avengers and Loki, Ultron or Thanos; it's between Captain America and Iron Man.  Their personalities clash in Avengers; but it's in Age of Ultron that their ideals really start coming into conflict, which remains unresolved until Endgame.  I don't think anyone would think Loki, Ultron or Thanos were in the right; but as you said, it's not so easy to know who is right between Steve Rogers or Tony Stark.

Civil War, as part of the broader narrative worked; but just as an individual film I thought it had some problems.  That, to me, was the point where there started to be too many characters.  It wasn't clear why certain heroes fought on the side they did and the film couldn't be long enough to provide all of them with motivation.

[Savonarola]

The new Avengers movie made around a gazillion dollars.

Oh well, I guess we can look forward to nothing but more superhero movies into the foreseeable future. 

Oh, don't worry. There will be giant transformable robots too

Live action remakes of Disney cartoons and The Fast and The Furious sequels as well.  The future looks bright indeed.   

(But every January studios will release a series of "Prestige" pictures in order to win awards.  These movies teach us an important lesson; either "Racism is bad" or "Entertainment is good."  Hollywood has not shied away from controversy in these troubled times.)

[Syt]

I look forward to The Faust and the Furious. In which a German university professor sells his soul to drive fast cars in illegal street races.

[Valmy]

I would go see it.

[Oexmelin]

(But every January studios will release a series of "Prestige" pictures in order to win awards.  These movies teach us an important lesson; either "Racism is bad" or "Entertainment is good."  Hollywood has not shied away from controversy in these troubled times.)

You forgot one important lesson: "Only through the impersonation of a real person can we truly reach the heights of the acting craft".

[katmai]

Tonight's What we do in the shadows

[celedhring]

Tonight's What we do in the shadows

Was going to post exactly that 

The cameos. The dance of the Vampire Council 

[viper37]

Civil War, as part of the broader narrative worked; but just as an individual film I thought it had some problems.  That, to me, was the point where there started to be too many characters.  It wasn't clear why certain heroes fought on the side they did and the film couldn't be long enough to provide all of them with motivation.

saved for the first Avengers, maybe, I don't think any Marvel movie works that well as a standalone movie.  Even Captain Marvel, as the most standalone movies of all the universe does not work if you haven't seen any Marvel movie at all.  It's just too hard to understand who are these people she's fighting with, and then against without having seen the other movies, and even the Agents of Shield series.

Now, back to Civil War, yes, too many characters for a classic movie.  But, as part of the whole MCU, I think who fights on whose side can be boiled down as the invidual leader's charisma, exposed vision, rather than a deep philosophical thinking on the part of each super heroes.  Would Scarlet Witch have joined the Rebellion if Captain America had been on the other side?  Would Spiderman join the "order" side if Iron Man/Stark was on the other side?  I don't think so.

Onto Thanos... He is the ultimate embodiement of the eco-terrorists: he kills people to save the world.  It is emphasized by the beginning of the last movie: his job is accomplished, he doesn't go on killing more people (at first), he farms the land.  He doesn't see himself as evil, he sees himself as protector of the world(s).  Of course all terrorists are evil... but they never see themselves as evil.  And you will find all kinds of people to defend terrorist actions, be it leftwing, ecological, or religious terrorism.

[Liep]

Tonight's What we do in the shadows

Was going to post exactly that 

The cameos. The dance of the Vampire Council 

Indeed. And I'm very impressed with how well they use the Colin character for maximum effect.