Koray Savas 2,251 Posted October 5, 2019 Share Posted October 5, 2019 Karol hates everything these days so I wouldn’t take his word for it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crocodile 8,012 Posted October 5, 2019 Share Posted October 5, 2019 1 minute ago, Koray Savas said: Karol hates everything these days so I wouldn’t take his word for it "These days"? Karol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edmilson 7,441 Posted October 5, 2019 Share Posted October 5, 2019 5 hours ago, Quintus said: And now they're making a Harley Quinn movie, with Kaley Cuoco. I mean... come on! Not exactly a movie, but an adult animated series, that will premiere on the DC Universe streaming service. And aside from that, there will be ALSO a Harley Quinn movie, called Birds of Prey, with Suicide Squad's Margot Robbie playing the character: 5 hours ago, Quintus said: You just know there's eventually going to be a fucking Alfred standalone movie. But there is! I mean, not a movie, but a TV series focusing on the character's past, from the same creator of the Batman prequel series Gotham: Yeah, WB is fucking obsessed with Batman and his universe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted October 5, 2019 Share Posted October 5, 2019 It's all they have! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A24 4,333 Posted October 5, 2019 Share Posted October 5, 2019 5 hours ago, Koray Savas said: Karol hates everything these days ... Until Tenet comes out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naïve Old Fart 9,527 Posted October 5, 2019 Share Posted October 5, 2019 Michael Caine. Ooh, there's a surprise. The Illustrious Jerry 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A24 4,333 Posted October 5, 2019 Share Posted October 5, 2019 Michael Caine is his good luck charm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naïve Old Fart 9,527 Posted October 5, 2019 Share Posted October 5, 2019 You know what Dumbo did, with his feather..? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fancyarcher 350 Posted October 6, 2019 Share Posted October 6, 2019 My review of The Downton Abbey movie, which was a pleasant enough watch. https://herecast.us/984060 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Romão 2,274 Posted October 7, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted October 7, 2019 Joker On the surface, it really does look and feel like a prestige picture. The cinematography is very good. You can almost touch the rust, the asphalt, the brick, the steel. The twilight shots convey a city almost ready to burst into mayhem come nighttime. It's got great sense of place. There are long, languid shots of the title character just living his own reality, with little to no dialogue. The scores tries heavily to impart weight and seriousness to what's being depicted. But just like those Western town sets of the 50's, it all feels like a facade, nothing behind it besides plywood. Todd Phillips took the aesthetic and tone of films he clearly admired (on the top of my head, Taxi Driver, King of Comedy and Network, although I'm sure there are others) and did his own pastiche of the thing, relying on the lesser intelectual scrutinity and audience expectations a comic book adaptation would entail to try to get away with it. But he does not bring anything unique to the table. It feels like a movie without any great intelligence behind it. It tries to be disturbing in the most obvious ways (graphic violence, unconfortable looks, creepy laughs). It tries to bring social commentary without having absolutely anything relevant to say, dumbing it down to a simple poor vs rich narrative. It tries on one hand to stray away from its comic book roots, while at the same time, not resisting to tie up with them in ways that are really obvious and frankly lame. It goes the Iñárritu way of pilling disgrace upon disgrace on its main character without any sort of counterweight. It doesn't bring any insight to mental ilness. It just exploits it for some sort of shock value. There's no point of view, everything feels second hand and only on a surface level. Like Toht in Raiders grabbing the burning medallion, and only managing to copy one side of it. Like I said, Gotham does feel very tangible. But what makes the city such an hellish place to live in is never properly shown or conveyed. It's just mentioned over and over again through newscasts and whatnot. Also, I don't think this approach is the best way of serving the character. I'm not going into the obvious argument (although I do agree with it), that Joker is best depicted and most interesting when he has no origin whatsoever, when he just pops into the story like a phantom, with not trail of crumbs to follow to his past. But I do think the Joker works best when he comes into the picture as a direct consequence of Batman's actions. Never preceeding him. And waging a sort of war that is ideological, ethical, chromatic, aesthetic. That there's this great bond between two great metaphysical forces that can only exist and derive meaning in confronting the other. Like opposite forces always act together. And there is wonderful stuff that can be explored in that relationship. As it stands, I see no reason for this movie to be related to the Joker, apart from box office potential and little more leniency in judging the movie as having deep ideas to explore. Joaquin Phoenix was very good, though, in a very meaty role Edmilson, The Illustrious Jerry and crocodile 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crocodile 8,012 Posted October 7, 2019 Share Posted October 7, 2019 Yes, excellent point about Gotham and people living there. I get what they're going for but it's never properly explored. And yeah, spot on review. Karol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naïve Old Fart 9,527 Posted October 7, 2019 Share Posted October 7, 2019 Whoops! The JOKER backlash starts here. As Mark Kermode has said: those who liked it had no expectations. Those who hated it, had enormous expectations, thanks to word-of-mouth, and hype. You can't win. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A24 4,333 Posted October 7, 2019 Share Posted October 7, 2019 The dispute could have more to do with whether you prefer 'style' or whether you prefer 'story'. These two things have always divided the audience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488 Posted October 7, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted October 7, 2019 The thing about The Joker is he needs Batman. Despite my issues with TDK, it handled this relationship perfectly. The Joker was a dreary man doing a tedious job (Even though that job happened to be robbing banks and the mafia or whatever) until he crossed paths with Batman and then he suddenly has a purpose. The 1989 movie was also flawless in this regard. Joaquin would be great squaring off against Batman but he's just some guy off his meds who isn't even intelligent and seemingly incapable of such a thing. Fascinating to watch but a highly unbelievable Joker. It's so removed from the source material despite various references that it could have been something else. Matt C, Edmilson and The Illustrious Jerry 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweeping Strings 2,358 Posted October 7, 2019 Share Posted October 7, 2019 I'm sure Phoenix is great, but the reported relentless bleakness and the lack of Batman are putting me right off. Yet another indicator that when it comes to their 'cinematic universe', DC haven't got a fucking clue what they're doing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quintus 5,399 Posted October 7, 2019 Share Posted October 7, 2019 I've never wanted to give a movie a wider berth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crocodile 8,012 Posted October 7, 2019 Share Posted October 7, 2019 2 hours ago, Richard said: Whoops! The JOKER backlash starts here. As Mark Kermode has said: those who liked it had no expectations. Those who hated it, had enormous expectations, thanks to word-of-mouth, and hype. You can't win. The truth is the film, while fine, isn't really worth all the hysteria. It's just not interesting enough. Karol Edmilson 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arpy 4,145 Posted October 7, 2019 Share Posted October 7, 2019 9 hours ago, Romão said: Like I said, Gotham does feel very tangible. But what makes the city such an hellish place to live in is never properly shown or conveyed. It's just mentioned over and over again through newscasts and whatnot. Aside from the allusions to the real-world social issues, and huge poverty and homelessness in America and other countries. That's where I think it wasn't necessary to build Gotham up as a separate fictional locale, but an allusion to any US city where these issues are there. It's not bashing you over the head either, it sprinkles those details in - of social unrest, crime, waste problems, rats - because we don't need to see it to believe it. And honestly, do we need more time-wasting establishing shots of a grimy city we've seen a thousand times before when the real focal point was the character's immediate interactions in his life? 9 hours ago, Romão said: But I do think the Joker works best when he comes into the picture as a direct consequence of Batman's actions. Never preceeding him. And waging a sort of war that is ideological, ethical, chromatic, aesthetic. That there's this great bond between two great metaphysical forces that can only exist and derive meaning in confronting the other. Like opposite forces always act together. And there is wonderful stuff that can be explored in that relationship. I think this film is effective in making the Joker a more realistic person, unlike Bruce Wayne/Batman who is very much a comic-book character. I understand your point, and felt the same way before I saw the film, but I was truly convinced that it could be the other way around, that the Joker could have autonomy without Batman. I really admire this film for not stepping too far into the comic-book world, and instead bringing some realism to the character and world. 22 minutes ago, crocodile said: The truth is the film, while fine, isn't really worth all the hysteria. It's just not interesting enough. Karol It's not worth the hysteria the media has heaped upon it, that much is true, it is however worth the positive reception because it's a good film. Chen G. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wojo 2,453 Posted October 7, 2019 Share Posted October 7, 2019 The media is hyping it because they are practically begging for a copyright artist to use this film an inspiration for a mass shooting. As of seven hours ago, that had not occurred. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arpy 4,145 Posted October 7, 2019 Share Posted October 7, 2019 Hype is different from hysteria. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wojo 2,453 Posted October 7, 2019 Share Posted October 7, 2019 I Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edmilson 7,441 Posted October 7, 2019 Share Posted October 7, 2019 6 hours ago, Richard said: As Mark Kermode has said: those who liked it had no expectations. Those who hated it, had enormous expectations, thanks to word-of-mouth, and hype. I was a little on the fence with the movie ("a Joker origin story from the director of The Hangover? Really"?), and even with some low expectations I didn't exactly loved it. It's a very well made movie with a great acting, but it's just a little... silly. Has some great scenes, but the climax disappointed me a little, not very well written and pretty obvious. Gee, 2019 is not being great for seemlingly good people turning outright evil, huh? Daenerys in GOT S8, now this... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arpy 4,145 Posted October 7, 2019 Share Posted October 7, 2019 The Game of Thrones train wreck is in no way comparable to this film! 9 hours ago, Edmilson said: but it's just a little... silly. I'd be interested to hear what you thought was silly, for me and others I saw it with, it was a gaunt, sobering experience and utterly serious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edmilson 7,441 Posted October 8, 2019 Share Posted October 8, 2019 I mean, it's not the tone that it's silly, the movie is indeed very bleak, dark, violent, depressing, etc. What's silly is, you know those teenagers when they are covinced they figured out some great truth about life and society? It's like that. I found it a little humorous to see some very bad and obvious lines like “Is it just me, or is it getting crazier out there?” or “My whole life I didn’t know if I even really existed. But I do. And people are starting to notice.” being treated like the movie is saying something very deep and complex. These articles on the movie sums it up pretty nicely my problems with it: https://www.indiewire.com/2019/10/fight-club-is-best-joker-movie-1202179222/ https://birthmoviesdeath.com/2019/10/07/joker-works-if-you-sit-back-and-let-its-dumb-chaos-reign Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KK 3,307 Posted October 8, 2019 Share Posted October 8, 2019 Joker It's a very fine looking film. Joaquin Phoenix delivers a powerhouse performance. But something about all of it just...reeks. The first hour or so is just the film battering its somewhat nihilistic images of violence and self-loathing on you to exhaustion. It isn't until the big monologue at the end that you have any real understanding of what the point of any of this really is. The plotting around the Waynes, his mother and the uprising are generally awkward. From Hildur's generally effective, but heavy-handed score, to the Batman canon references, the whole film is just trying too hard to validate the Joker's existence. The reason Ledger's Joker works so well is because the film wastes no energy trying to rationalize the Joker. It's not a character that makes much sense in terms of motivation. It's a character that works best as a narrative agent of chaos. But when you spend about two hours trying to "understand" the Joker, while simultaneously delving into its ties to the DCU, everything generally feels kind of hollow. A film that tries to paste the usual anti-hero narrative on something that's beyond that (an unstoppable force of nature, as seen in the Nolan film). So for all it's preaching of pseudo-philosophy, none of it really sticks the landing. With that said, it's still a fine enough film with some highs and a great performance to watch out for. But it's certainly no Taxi Driver... The Illustrious Jerry and Edmilson 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crocodile 8,012 Posted October 8, 2019 Share Posted October 8, 2019 It's a shame they can't think of a more creative way to express their ideas other than by spelling them out during an interview. Karol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arpy 4,145 Posted October 8, 2019 Share Posted October 8, 2019 7 hours ago, Edmilson said: I mean, it's not the tone that it's silly, the movie is indeed very bleak, dark, violent, depressing, etc. What's silly is, you know those teenagers when they are covinced they figured out some great truth about life and society? It's like that. I found it a little humorous to see some very bad and obvious lines like “Is it just me, or is it getting crazier out there?” or “My whole life I didn’t know if I even really existed. But I do. And people are starting to notice.” being treated like the movie is saying something very deep and complex. These articles on the movie sums it up pretty nicely my problems with it: https://www.indiewire.com/2019/10/fight-club-is-best-joker-movie-1202179222/ https://birthmoviesdeath.com/2019/10/07/joker-works-if-you-sit-back-and-let-its-dumb-chaos-reign But that's not what the film's saying, that's you projecting those observations onto what I believe is film's best quality - that it doesn't give you the answers. It simply can't. Honest reactions I've seen and read seem to be fairly explicit in acknowledging the film isn't a 'deep', subtle exploration of the themes and issues its trying to portray, but a fair and interesting evaluation of a comic book character who has been largely inseparable from Batman. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweeping Strings 2,358 Posted October 8, 2019 Share Posted October 8, 2019 On 10/7/2019 at 10:22 AM, Sweeping Strings said: I'm sure Phoenix is great, but the reported relentless bleakness and the lack of Batman are putting me right off. Yet another indicator that when it comes to their 'cinematic universe', DC haven't got a fucking clue what they're doing. And I've heard today that it uses a Gary Glitter track at one point, so that means a convicted paedophile has earned royalties from this film. Yeah, it can definitely fuck right off. Disco Stu 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disco Stu 15,495 Posted October 8, 2019 Share Posted October 8, 2019 13 minutes ago, Sweeping Strings said: And I've heard today that it uses a Gary Glitter track at one point, so that means a convicted paedophile has earned royalties from this film. Yeah, it can definitely fuck right off. Yep, gotta agree. If that's the mood you're going for, it's very simple to just use, like, a T. Rex or Sweet song or something instead. Sweeping Strings 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koray Savas 2,251 Posted October 8, 2019 Share Posted October 8, 2019 Isn’t that song played at like every sporting event? Don’t see the problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naïve Old Fart 9,527 Posted October 8, 2019 Share Posted October 8, 2019 Out of interest, which Gary Glitter song, is it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay 37,359 Posted October 8, 2019 Share Posted October 8, 2019 https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7286456/soundtrack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrbellamy 6,286 Posted October 8, 2019 Share Posted October 8, 2019 What else Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wojo 2,453 Posted October 8, 2019 Share Posted October 8, 2019 1 hour ago, Koray Savas said: Isn’t that song played at like every sporting event? Don’t see the problem. No, not anymore. When his legal issues began and he was arrested, Rock and Roll Part 2 was basically banished from stadium and marching band playlists, as well as the radio. Yes, that's right. A song from 1972 is now shunned because its artist was outed as a pedophile in the 90s and 2000s. Yet Michael Jackson songs stay on the radio. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweeping Strings 2,358 Posted October 8, 2019 Share Posted October 8, 2019 I guess the difference is that Jackson was never convicted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naïve Old Fart 9,527 Posted October 8, 2019 Share Posted October 8, 2019 3 hours ago, Jay said: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7286456/soundtrack Thanks, Jay. That's a good song. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay 37,359 Posted October 11, 2019 Share Posted October 11, 2019 El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie No spoilers I'll post the bulk of my thoughts over in the Breaking Bad thread, because what I'm primarily here to say is: If you haven't seen the show but have been curious about this movie, I honestly wouldn't bother to watch it until after you've seen the show. While it is more or less a standalone story, it really only has any kind of meaning if you spent the time seeing what this film's main character went through on that show to really get why it's worth following him here. If you didn't watch the show I suppose it can kind of function as a sort of modern day western-adjacent, kind of suspense thriller... but I don't know if you'll really be able to connect to the main character since the movie assumes you know what he went through on the show. The movie is very nicely shot and directed - great cinematography, some veyr cool shot compositions and editing, good pacing, good score by Dave Porter. I think it's worth watching if you've seen the show, but it's really just a nice epilogue more than anything else. If you did love the show and never watch this, you won't really be missing out on anything important. More thoughts in the BB thread coming soon. Bayesian and Chen G. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Not Mr. Big 4,639 Posted October 11, 2019 Share Posted October 11, 2019 Jessie's Big Movie Pretty good. It feels less like a movie and more like an extended episode of Breaking Bad but that's ok. Not really necessary in the greater span of the series but it's a nice return to that universe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt C 454 Posted October 12, 2019 Share Posted October 12, 2019 IT: Chapter Two This didn't need to be over 2.5 hours. I get the flashback sequences with the younger versions of The Losers Club (being as they were the reason the first film worked), but some were extraneous. James McAvoy and Jay Ryan felt miscast as the older Bill and Ben, while the rest (especially Bill Hader and Jessica Chastain) were terrific. Bill Skarsgard is still just as scary and ghoulish as Pennywise but his presence felt diminished in sections. The problems involving the climax and how the Losers Club defeat Pennywise don't bother me as much as the pacing and plot diversions. Had Andres Muschietti been more ruthless with paring down the script with Gary Dauberman (as they did with the first film), this would've been a better-paced film. The tone and atmosphere is just as pervasive as the first film, with some gorgeous camerawork by Checco Varese. Benjamin Wallfisch's score expands upon the palette from the first film, but nothing too memorable. Sink or Swim A fun little French film from last year. It's a feel good comedy, with the humor naturally blossoming from the characters' relationships and their insecurities about becoming a middle-aged synchronized swimming team. Gilles Lellouche keeps the pace moving well and it doesn't get boring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edmilson 7,441 Posted October 12, 2019 Share Posted October 12, 2019 Hobbs and Shaw Bad dialogues and the plot seems like something 9-year-old me would came up with while playing with my Max Steel toys. But at least this one doesn't take itself very seriously, which is a welcome departure from the melodrama these Fast and Furious movie usually have. However, it fails right where it shouldn't: the action scenes. They're too cartoony and filled with not very good CGI. I mean, you have The Rock, Idris Elba and Jason Statham on the same movie, and instead keeps turning them into weird CGI dolls? And all for ludicrous (and not in a good way) action scenes? The score is utterly generic, and could've been written by literally everyone in Hollywood with a keyboard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt C 454 Posted October 13, 2019 Share Posted October 13, 2019 Just Mercy Our film fest screened this in advance, and it's fine. Good performances by Michael B. Jordan and Jamie Foxx, good direction by Daniel Destin Cretton, but nothing extraordinary. Brie Larson sticks out like a sore thumb with an atrocious Southern accent and an even worse wig than the one she had in Avengers Endgame. It's safe and predictable Oscar bait, but it goes down smoothly. Audiences will lap this up come January 2020. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KK 3,307 Posted October 14, 2019 Share Posted October 14, 2019 - El Camino It's solid stuff, with some great vignettes of Gilligan writing. But it's definitely one for the fans. An epilogue to give us another taste of the Breaking Bad world and mythos. Does it manage to stand on its own otherwise? Not really. It neither has enough thrills to be a thriller, nor enough character to be a character study. But it does comfortably sit somewhere in between, entirely content with being an "extra" for the next DVD box set. I guess it also serves as reason why this stuff works better on the TV medium than it does film. And some cool shots aside, Breaking Bad looks better on film than digital. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A24 4,333 Posted October 14, 2019 Share Posted October 14, 2019 2 hours ago, KK said: It's solid stuff, with some great vignettes of Gilligan writing. But it's definitely one for the fans. An epilogue to give us another taste of the Breaking Bad world and mythos. Does it manage to stand on its own otherwise? Not really. I gladly watch: Jesse, The Alaska Years on digital film. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A24 4,333 Posted October 14, 2019 Share Posted October 14, 2019 Fractured (2019) Man loses wife and child in a hospital. A movie full of mystery and twists by The Machinist director Brad Anderson. It's certainly nothing special but watchable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt C 454 Posted October 15, 2019 Share Posted October 15, 2019 Joker I didn't like it. The key thing that kills it for me is that it vilifies people with mental disorders by pegging them as stalkers and basket cases. Todd Phillips and his co-writer go a bridge too far by normalizing Arthur Fleck and not mining the fact that people here in the U.S. can obtain guns that shouldn't have them (mentally ill and/or those with criminal records). Joaquin Phoenix's performance is excellent, even mind-blowing in individual scenes, but he deserved a better script and director. (And I could've done without the tai chi movements.) It's a shame, as Scorsese would've been able to do something transient with a story like this. The cast is stellar and Lawrence Sher's cinematography even more so. Hildur Guonadottir's score is very effective, but she reuses Arthur's motif to the point of exhaustion. Judy Renee Zellweger is excellent in this warts-and-all movie about Judy Garland. After the first ten minutes, she became the character, and the movie doesn't gloss over her failings during the last few months of her life. It's a workmanlike biopic but Zellweger really elevates it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A24 4,333 Posted October 19, 2019 Share Posted October 19, 2019 Wounds (2019) The movie doesn't amount to much, has an abrupt ending, but you won't be bored. From Sundance straight to Netflix! 6/10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweeping Strings 2,358 Posted October 19, 2019 Share Posted October 19, 2019 Zombieland : Double Tap - almost as much fun as the first movie, with the additions of Rosario Dawson and Luke Wilson to the cast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A24 4,333 Posted October 20, 2019 Share Posted October 20, 2019 If you have Netflix and you're not sure whether to watch Wounds or Eli, then do yourself a favor, choose Wounds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crocodile 8,012 Posted October 20, 2019 Share Posted October 20, 2019 Midsommar. Finally managed to muster some courage to finish it after the first unfortunate incident some months ago. It does hit a never for some reasons that are personal and it somehow manages to combine many things that really scare me into a one neat package. It's not really a horror in a jump scare kind of way but if you feel bit vulnerable in your life it will have a tendency to really grab you. It's not the plot or story that got me. It's the mood that it evokes. And that might not be pleasant. The last time I managed to watch about half of it so the fact I want to revisit it made me really nervous. But, against all, common sense, this time I decided to carry on. And, to my surprise, it ended being more cathartic. In the context of the story on screen, it might be actually the most disturbing thing to say. But hey, life's funny this way. The film itself is very well made and might be one of the most striking movies to come out this year. It's beautifully shot, edited, scored etc. Definitely something pretty to look at. And this might be the scariest thing of all. Karol KK and publicist 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A24 4,333 Posted October 21, 2019 Share Posted October 21, 2019 The Laundromat A rightly maligned Soderbergh movie where hardly anything works. 3/10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now