TV/Movies Megathread

[Eddie Teach]

Ok, female character portrayed by a man.

[garbon]

Michael Sheen is an actual celebrity.

I do believe he noted "for brits" but still Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumely are certainly known internationally. The latter was even recently in a well known film!

[Sheilbh]

I watched Inside the Commons.

It prompted lots of mixed emotions. Sadness at the state of the building which really needs a lot of repair and a sort of fondness for the silly rituals, traditions and characters - and an overwhelming desire to torch the place and its traditions and build a modern Parliament.

Characters like Sir Robert Rogers, the outgoing Clerk of the House:

And principal doorkeeper Robin Fell:


Most of the politicians who were featured were more human, but I don't think it was necessarily to their credit. The whole set up just gives this public school vibe which gets me reaching for the red flag

[garbon]

Finally a trailer for a movie that I want to see! (Or as buzzfeed called it "The Best 90 Seconds Of Your Day")

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwPR0q5es0A

[The Brain]

Finally a trailer for a movie that I want to see! (Or as buzzfeed called it "The Best 90 Seconds Of Your Day")

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwPR0q5es0A

Surely that's passing the big one.

[garbon]

Finally a trailer for a movie that I want to see! (Or as buzzfeed called it "The Best 90 Seconds Of Your Day")

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwPR0q5es0A

Surely that's passing the big one.

Mama garbon on announcement of the first film (thanks, gmail!): "OMG.  I have never used those initials before but it seems fitting now.  Those guys look amazing."

Mama garbon upon seeing trailer for sequel: "OMG. You know where I will be July 1. Just saying."

[Jacob]

It's nice that you and you mom share taste in men

[garbon]

It's nice that you and you mom share taste in men

She really liked how the first one had McConaughey.

[Admiral Yi]

Watched "The City of Heaven and Earth."  I think that's the title.  Black and White Chinese-made movie about the Rape of Nanking.  The grogs will appreciate the accurate equipment--tanks and that Hotchkiss rip-off machine gun with the miserable 16 round strip.

As usual, some of the Chinese broads are very easy on the eyes.

They got real Japs to play the Japs, which is interesting to me.

Spell check doesn't like Japs. 

[The Brain]

Blurred lines.

[Sheilbh]

Les Miserables. I feel no shame.

[Ideologue]

Finally watched Cloud Atlas (2012) after it'd been sitting on my shelf for a year.  It has some issues.  The 1970s sequence doesn't dovetail very well with the themes of slavery/incarceration.  The 2012 sequence is weirdly comic in an otherwise extremely po-faced picture.  And of course the Neo Seoul sequence is such a blatant rip-off of Blade Runner it actively hurts.  It also looks the worst, thanks to its derivative and poorly thought-through conception and design, and--of course--the profound failure of the film's yellowface technology--Weaving and Sturgess look more like aliens than Asians.  (Strangely, the whiteface is somehow really good.  I guess East Asian eye construction is easier to hide than to supply.)  Nonetheless, as a whole, it's really wonderful, and even the weird bits get subsumed into an overall great experience.  My favorite part was the far future, with its weird quasi-English, as it was the most Tom Hanks-centric narrative.  Is it an A?  Sure, an A, that sounds about right.

[Syt]

IIRC, the Neo Seoul sequence was also the one that was most cut from compared to the book (and the 1930s sequence also had a rather big rewrite).

[Martinus]

Finally watched Cloud Atlas (2012) after it'd been sitting on my shelf for a year.  It has some issues.  The 1970s sequence doesn't dovetail very well with the themes of slavery/incarceration.  The 2012 sequence is weirdly comic in an otherwise extremely po-faced picture.  And of course the Neo Seoul sequence is such a blatant rip-off of Blade Runner it actively hurts.  It also looks the worst, thanks to its derivative and poorly thought-through conception and design, and--of course--the profound failure of the film's yellowface technology--Weaving and Sturgess look more like aliens than Asians.  (Strangely, the whiteface is somehow really good.  I guess East Asian eye construction is easier to hide than to supply.)  Nonetheless, as a whole, it's really wonderful, and even the weird bits get subsumed into an overall great experience.  My favorite part was the far future, with its weird quasi-English, as it was the most Tom Hanks-centric narrative.  Is it an A?  Sure, an A, that sounds about right.

I really liked the movie (haven't read the book) and yeah it is one of those things where you can look past the flaws because, as a whole, it is so beautiful (both aesthetically and ethically).

By the way, I wouldn't say the overall theme is about incarceration/slavery (although I can see it featuring prominently) but rather oppression/liberation, and how a small act of rebellion/kindness/moral courage can actually make a difference. It is closely related, sure, but slightly different. Also, I didn't think the 2012 sequence was out of place - it was more comedic, sure, but it underlined the today's oppressive treatment of the old and the infirm - something that is not getting much notice in culture.

[Martinus]

I would also add that the score in that movie is simply amazing.