TV/Movies Megathread

[Ed Anger]

 

[Ideologue]

The Homesman (2014).  The Homesman is an uncompromising vision of human nature that, nonetheless, seems a little too selective in what it wants to look at.  Even so, it's as good a Western that came out in 2014 (and since that's a bar that basically does not exist, let's also say it's very good in its own right, too).  B+

Focus (2015).  Focus is a world-trotting caper that is enjoyable throughout its every single moment, from the opening shot till the roll of the credits, and it leaves you wanting more—albeit, somewhat unfortunately, in both the good and bad meanings of that phrase.  A  (Also reminds me, I really need to watch To Catch a Thief, probably the only must-see Hitchcock flicks as picked by consensus that I haven't gotten around to yet, along with two that nobody talks about that I really want to watch, Lifeboat and Stage Fright.)

Also viewed:

Velvet Goldmine (1998).  I liked it, it's fun.  B+

The Unknown Known (2014).  Donald Rumsfeld is a tool to Errol Morris and Errol Morris is kind of a tool right back for almost two hours.  B+

All Cheerleaders Die (2014).  I really like Lucky McKee--he also wrote and directed May, which I liked quite a bit, and The Woman, which is one of the better horror films I've ever seen.  This is a kind of sub-Buffyish mess, not without its charms but not worth even marginally recommending, and it disappointed me.  C+

The Boxtrolls (2014).  The best R-rated cartoon in--wait, what do you mean this movie got a PG?  A very, very high B+, for its indelible grossness and sweetness

[Ideologue]

Oh, and there's a character CDM will love in Focus.  May actually be CDM.

[Ideologue]

Oh, shit, how could I forget?  My girlfriend and I watched In the Realm of the Senses (1977).  Hope it didn't give her any big ideas. B

[Eddie Teach]

(Also reminds me, I really need to watch To Catch a Thief, probably the only must-see Hitchcock flicks as picked by consensus that I haven't gotten around to yet,

One of my least favorites.

[Maladict]

Ida: Really, really good. Beautifully shot, very restrained, lots of things unsaid. Good stuff.

Grand Budapest Hotel: Not sure what to make of it, I expected more. It felt too lightweight, and some of the scenes were just grating (that ski chase in particular). It looks gorgeous though, and excellent performance by Fiennes.

Game of Thrones S4: I'm giving up on this. Two good scenes by the imp, but that's not worth ten hours.

House of Cards: Only watched the first episode, looks promising.

[Malthus]

Oh, shit, how could I forget?  My girlfriend and I watched In the Realm of the Senses (1977).  Hope it didn't give her any big ideas. B

If you catch her sharpening her knife and learning Japanese caligraphy ... run. 

[Admiral Yi]

Currently watching "The First Grader," about an 84 year old veteran of the Mau Mau revolt that wants to learn to read.  Pretty good.

Naomi Harris as the teacher is just stunning looking.

[Liep]

Harrison Ford crashed his plane (is supposedly okay-ish). He's got to take better care of himself, he has so many disappointing sequels yet to star in.

[jimmy olsen]

Walden Media will co-finance and co-produce DreamWorks Studios' "The BFG" with Steven Spielberg starting the shoot later this month.

Mark Rylance was cast in October as the titular benevolent giant in "The BFG," an adaptation of Roald Dahl's children's novel. Newcomer Ruby Barnhill has been cast as Sophie.

Published in 1982, "The BFG" — short for Big Friendly Giant — tells the tale of a young girl, the Queen of England and the BFG, who set out on an adventure to capture the evil, man-eating giants who have been invading the human world. The movie will open in U.S. theaters on July 1, 2016.

I think the Queen's getting a little old for this role. 

[Kleves]

I recently watched Schindler's List for the first time. Amazing movie. Ralph Fiennes does a great job as Goeth, a very loathsome character. Though I still found his him more likable that Andrew Garfield's Spiderman. 

[Barrister]

Walden Media will co-finance and co-produce DreamWorks Studios' "The BFG" with Steven Spielberg starting the shoot later this month.

Mark Rylance was cast in October as the titular benevolent giant in "The BFG," an adaptation of Roald Dahl's children's novel. Newcomer Ruby Barnhill has been cast as Sophie.

Published in 1982, "The BFG" — short for Big Friendly Giant — tells the tale of a young girl, the Queen of England and the BFG, who set out on an adventure to capture the evil, man-eating giants who have been invading the human world. The movie will open in U.S. theaters on July 1, 2016.

I think the Queen's getting a little old for this role. 

Is it based on the CBC children's classic the Friendly Giant?

[Admiral Yi]

Watched "Becoming Jane," a fictionalized account of Jane Austen's first romance.  It was a little plodding at times, and hews a little too closely to Pride and Prejudice.  Anne Hathaway looks great though. 

[Sheilbh]

Loved Banana last night.

[Duque de Bragança]

B-Movie night at the Cinémathèque
Chuck Norris and Jean-Claude Van Damme, '80s heroes

Well, here's the action movie for Josephus, Black Eagle! Shot in Malta, one of the hotspots for the cold war according to the movie. A med action movie (Israeli names involved but no Menahem Golan or Golan Globus this time).
Points for mentioning the great La Valette and the Great Siege!
JCVD plays again a bad Russian, from the KGB no less, with more lines than in Karate Tiger/No Retreat no Surrender/Le Tigre rouge. Not exactly more convincing but some great sartorial swim suitstyle, in an '80s way.
The movie works much better with a nonsensical, poor, incompetent dub, to get some kind of HK chop socky/grindhouse vibe. Always a good sign.
Sho Kosugi in one of his non-ninja apparitions, the fight vs JCVD being the highlight of the movie back then. He's also the good guy.
[spoiler]One of the dumbest JCVD deaths ever[/spoiler]

Silent Rage

Chuck Norris vs Frankenstein, in one of his last moustache, and pre-Reaganian, action movies. A subplot with bikers proved almost more interesting.
Some humour, something that would soon disappear when shooting with Cannon.

Winner of the night ? According to the Cinémathèque ticket, Chuck Norris but Van Damme's movie proved more entertaining