TV/Movies Megathread

[Sheilbh]

I feel for things like biopics it's often more helpful to find someone who can evoke the character rather than ape them. Anthony Hopkins looks not much like Richard Nixon, but I thought he was excellent in the role.

Yeah and practically speaking except for a few Hollywood biopics the casting is always going to be very generous - because even with make-up it's going to be a very beautiful actor playing someone normal-ish so vibes matter most. And I think Hopkins is a really good example and Michael Sheen has made a career out of it - multiple Blairs, Brian Clough, David Frost Also everyone in The Social Network (except, possibly, for the Winklevii).

Also I think we are tolerant of straight cis actors playing LGBT roles - and I would be fine with that if I didn't think that compared TV and theatre there are incredibly few out LGBT actors in Hollywood. And I've read from interviews with several out actors who tried to have a Hollywood career and were basically told they won't get any roles playing a straight person because it won't be "believable" as people know they're not straight in real life. There's at least one or two big-ish name actors in Hollywood from the UK who were openly gay in theatre and would be at events with their boyfriend who have since acquired girlfriends since moving to Hollywood - maybe they're just bi, but I suspect it's bearding. So it's sort of the same but in reverse for BAME actors.

[garbon]

Now you're all making me sound like a raciss. 

Most of the time it doesn't bother me; and if the Anne Boleyn show was decent I would have continued on, and not paid much attention to her race. (funny thing is they pay so much attention to detail in clothing and furniture and ...well, I digress.)

As I said earlier, after 15 minutes when Anne and Lady Jane Seymour (played incidentally by an orangutan*...) locked mouths passionately, I realized they weren't going for historical accuracy. (Now you're gonna say I'm anti LGBTQ--that's not true...I normally enjoy lesbian scenes.))


*No, I just kid. Jane was white and cute.

Hilarious

[Josephus]

Last season of The Walking Dead starts tonight. I think it's an extended season and from what I've seen it needs to be extended given the new aspects and groups we'll see. I'll be sad to see it end but I think it's time for it to find some kind of conclusion.

YEah....to me it's run its course. It was really good up until about a couple seasons ago. But too many new people and a revolving plot made it a bit of a parody of itself. I will miss it, but I'm glad to see it end too.

[Admiral Yi]

Rewatched Boogie Nights.  Holds up pretty well.

[Eddie Teach]

Brand New Cherry Flavor, first episode. Seems nice, I'll probably keep watching. In some ways reminds me a bit of I Am The Night. The chick is hot.

She's Aubrey Plaza's doppelganger.

Interesting show.

[Josquius]

Last season of The Walking Dead starts tonight. I think it's an extended season and from what I've seen it needs to be extended given the new aspects and groups we'll see. I'll be sad to see it end but I think it's time for it to find some kind of conclusion.

YEah....to me it's run its course. It was really good up until about a couple seasons ago. But too many new people and a revolving plot made it a bit of a parody of itself. I will miss it, but I'm glad to see it end too.

The show ended with Neagen defeated.
Tried the first ep or two of the series afterwards but...just couldn't get into it. Should really have been a spin off than the mainline.

[KRonn]

Last season of The Walking Dead starts tonight. I think it's an extended season and from what I've seen it needs to be extended given the new aspects and groups we'll see. I'll be sad to see it end but I think it's time for it to find some kind of conclusion.

YEah....to me it's run its course. It was really good up until about a couple seasons ago. But too many new people and a revolving plot made it a bit of a parody of itself. I will miss it, but I'm glad to see it end too.

Yeah, at that point the show could have ended as the allied groups were working together and could have begun to progress. Instead there were more outside groups to fight which made for some good shows but I think that cycle of fighting new groups is kinda done, getting old.
The show ended with Neagen defeated.
Tried the first ep or two of the series afterwards but...just couldn't get into it. Should really have been a spin off than the mainline.

[jimmy olsen]

So hyped!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rt-2cxAiPJk

SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME

[Admiral Yi]

The Outpost.  Isolated American base surrounded by mountains is attacked by the Taliban.  This movie, while decently made, doesn't have much to recommend it.  The baddies in Lone Survivor did a much better job of not standing up in the open waiting to be shot.

[garbon]

https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2021/aug/24/cancel-me-john-cleese-to-present-channel-4-show-on-woke-thought

Cancel Me: John Cleese to present Channel 4 show on 'woke' thought

John Cleese will take on the topic of "cancel culture" in a forthcoming television series for the UK's Channel 4.

The new documentary will reportedly explore "why a new 'woke' generation is trying to rewrite the rules on what can and can't be said".

John Cleese: Cancel Me will see the British comedian and actor meet various subjects who claim to have been "cancelled" for their actions or statements, and activists who have led opposition to various public figures.

In a statement, Cleese said: "I'm delighted to have a chance to find out, on camera, about all the aspects of so-called political correctness. There's so much I really don't understand, like: how the impeccable idea of 'Let's all be kind to people' has been developed in some cases ad absurdum."

I want to bring the various reasonings right out in the open so that people can be clearer in their minds what they agree with, what they don't agree with, and what they still can't make their mind up about."

The Monty Python and Fawlty Towers star has come under fire himself for his previous work.

In June 2020, Cleese responded angrily to a UKTV decision to remove from streaming an episode of his comedy Fawlty Towers that contained "racial slurs".

The episode, The Germans, contained a scene in which the character of Major Gowen uses racist language in an anecdote about the West Indies cricket team.

Cleese told the Age at the time: "If you put nonsense words into the mouth of someone you want to make fun of, you're not broadcasting their views, you're making fun of them. The major was an old fossil left over from decades before. We were not supporting his views, we were making fun of them. If they can't see that – if people are too stupid to see that – what can one say?"

The episode was later reinstated on the platform with a content and language warning.

Cleese also has been vocal about his opinions on "cancel culture" in the past, saying he worries about the effects it might have on creativity.

"[Political correctness] stuff started out as a good idea, which is, 'Let's not be mean to people', and I'm in favour of that despite my age," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme in September 2020.

"The main thing is to try to be kind. But that then becomes a sort of indulgence of the most over-sensitive people in your culture, the people who are most easily upset ... I don't think we should organise a society around the sensibilities of the most easily upset people because then you have a very neurotic society.

"From the point of creativity, if you have to keep thinking which words you can use and which you can't, then that will stifle creativity. The main thing is to realise that words depend on their context. Very literal-minded people think a word is a word but it isn't."

[The Brain]

Monstrous.

[Josquius]

It sounds bizarre for sure. Far more something you'd expect of the BBC than Channel 4- its typically the younger more left wing oriented channel.
Lest we forget this is the same John Cleese who sued (and won) a journalist for saying he wasn't funny anymore.
https://www.theguardian.com/media/2003/feb/06/pressandpublishing2
He has been your stereotypical horrid old boomer for a little while now.

I do wonder whether the show might be some sort of multi-layered joke. Only a minority will watch and take it seriously whilst most watch and see the humour is in how awful it is. Whinging about the liberal media refusing them the chance to get their message out...whilst on a show on a major left leaning tv channel.
I probably will watch at least an episode to investigate.

[Sheilbh]

Channel 4 that did Benefits Street and a documentary about whether race is linked to IQ?

It's not been the Channel 4 of its charter or the 80s/90s for a very long time

[Eddie Teach]

I don't think Cleese said anything remotely objectionable in that article.

[Josquius]

Channel 4 that did Benefits Street and a documentary about whether race is linked to IQ?

It's not been the Channel 4 of its charter or the 80s/90s for a very long time

I haven't encountered this documentary. I guess if it found "LOL no" then it would fit no?

Benefits street... Its more mixed I'd say. It has a poverty porn reputation but from what I remember of it it was a pretty flat standard look at a very real situation for invisible people in the UK.

I don't think Cleese said anything remotely objectionable in that article.

Sure. On it its own.
But in the context of him whinging about cancel culture and people being silenced for having the wrong view....