Movie What's the last movie you saw? (7)

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Gladiator II (2 or two).

I fell asleep whilst watching this movie. I wasnt tired as I had slept some 12 hours overnight. OK perhaps overslept. But anyway. A few holes in the show, and maybe they are evident because of inevitable comparisons to the 1st movie. Like Lucious arrival into rome, then all of a sudden the slaves and him are all mates. I probably missed something. But there was no character development or relationship formation. It just happened.

I did not feel the action scenes grabbed me in any way. Sure, we had sharks and the obligatory opening scene, but again, it is hard to extract myself from G1. A few twists and turns but the ending and result was foreshadowed really.

Some nice recastings giving older viewers time to rewind and reminisce. Matt Lucas as the Colosseum MC looks like hes lost weight. Ghanaian Peter Mensah again makes an appearance, common in his bio to be present in ancient historical pieces.

One google reviewer mused

In a scene where slaves are selected for gladiator training, Macrinus asks the main character, "What is your native language? I speak all of them". This is when I knew the movie was AI-written nonsense. Imagine asking a Japanese person who doesnā€™t know English, ā€œWhat is your native language? I speak all of them!ā€ Writing is completely illogical. They wouldnā€™t understand. Lucius, the protagonist, obviously understands Latin - he responded when called forward - so why ask for his native language!? The scene is pointless.

Macrinus is Denzel Washington, who's American accent mustve derived from a different part of the Roman Empire.
 

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Mufasa. Oh boy.

I wouldn't quite go so far as to call it another shameless live-action Disney cash grab, because at least they're attempting to tell an original story. I just highly doubt it's a story that anyone really wanted.

The visuals are generally spectacular, it's an impressive feat of technology, that's for sure.

The voice acting is solid enough, and I think the animals are a bit more expressive than in the last one. The songs are, frankly, very bad - you won't leave the theatre with any worth singing with the kids. Heck, I saw it an hour ago and I don't remember any of them. The film probably works better without any musical elements at all.

The worst part, easily, is the insertion of Timon and Pumbaa, they are completely unnecessary in a bizarre framing device that just robs the film of any momentum it is building. None of their 'jokes', especially the meta ones, are funny in any way.

Ultimately, I don't know who this film is for. It's certainly not shooting for adults. The theatre I was in was mainly kids, who seemed very excited by the Sonic trailer, then completely disinterested when the actual movie began. If we 'oldies' have that nostalgia pang then we will generally just go back to the original animated film, and this doesn't add anything of real value to justify it's existence.

But hey, at least it's not Kraven the Hunter. 2/5
 
And with all due respect to Tom Holland, thereā€™s not a great body of work to suggest heā€™s really gonna carry the emotional weight of a movie like this.

He showed his acting range in Cherry (2021). His performance takes you on a journey and some of it is not easy to watch. Worth a look if you haven't seen the movie.
 
Carry-On

Really enjoyed it. Not perfect by any stretch but a really good 2 hours spent watching it. Good cast, new story. Bit absurd but I can live with that.

Pleasantly surprised.

8/10
 
He showed his acting range in Cherry (2021). His performance takes you on a journey and some of it is not easy to watch. Worth a look if you haven't seen the movie.
Iā€™ve seen Cherry, I stand by my comment (I also think heā€™s ā€œbetterā€ in the devil all the time).
 
Finally watched Longlegs. Really liked it. Didn't find it scary, although admittedly I watched it during the day with the blinds open. Loved Nicolas Cage as the villain.

I'll tell you what is scary - it's 4.21am on Xmas morning and I haven't been to bed. I'm running on chocolate and adrenaline. Lunch with the fam should be interesting tomorrow...I'll either face plant into my ham and gravy from fatigue, or blow a fuse and call my sister-in-law a bitch.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays - whatever you end up doing today people, stay sane and safe. And well hydrated šŸ’§šŸŒž
 
I need a comfort watch recommendation pleaseā€¦ something that will make me feel like less of an arseh*le. Alternatively, something that will lean into my foul mood. Either or!


Jerry McGuire for comfort

Or

Scarface for foul mood


Merry Christmas
 
Finally watched Longlegs. Really liked it. Didn't find it scary, although admittedly I watched it during the day with the blinds open. Loved Nicolas Cage as the villain.

I'll tell you what is scary - it's 4.21am on Xmas morning and I haven't been to bed. I'm running on chocolate and adrenaline. Lunch with the fam should be interesting tomorrow...I'll either face plant into my ham and gravy from fatigue, or blow a fuse and call my sister-in-law a bitch.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays - whatever you end up doing today people, stay sane and safe. And well hydrated šŸ’§šŸŒž

lol

I had some sleep

Iā€™m going outside right now to start two Webers

Merry Christmas
 
Iā€™m excited to see what they do with The Odyssey šŸ˜

ā€œThe Oppenheimer directorā€™s adaptation of Homer is scheduled for release in the summer of 2026, and will feature Tom Holland, Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway and Zendaya.ā€

Nothing more Greek than those four šŸ˜‚
 
I think Nolan might've made a respectable Odyssey two decades ago in the Batman Begins/Prestige part of his career but nowadays I have very little faith (even if it wins awards and acclaim it will likely personally suck). I can see the Holland and Damon and etc castings (presumably Telemachus & Odysseus) being complementary in such a picture, fair enough. I suspect that the new Uberto Pasolini with Fiennes & Binoche will be much better, even if it only appears to tell a portion of the Odyssey on a modest budget it appears to know what it is doing.

Literally adapting Odyssey tends to be a noob move. You loosely adapt the myth. Adapting it tends to be better suited to the several night television miniseries. A 2020s few hour Imax-bound Nolan with a starry cast, no thanks.
 
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Thought I would do a movie double. First

"Drive" (2011) with Ryan Gosling. After reading some recommendations on this forum. well worth the look. My type of film.

Second and considering we here in Melbourne may soon be making a remake set in New York, a Korean movie "Train to Busan" (2016) Zombie horror film.

Those Koreans make excellent movies/tv shows and this is no different.
 

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Macrinus is Denzel Washington, who's American accent mustve derived from a different part of the Roman Empire.

Accents are tricky in historical pieces. Maybe it's the Shakespearean influence that high status Romans are portrayed with a 'received' English accent, such as by Derek Jacobi, Oliver Reed, Richard Harris. Russell did a neutral English accent with an Aussie twang. Joaquin did an English accent with an American tilt. I don't think Denzel does accents. It does take you out of it because it feels like you are watching Denzel not his character. Then again "This is Sparta!" in a broad Scottish accent somehow added to it.

I liked Travis Fimmel's Viking accent.

Game of Thrones characters have accents that reflects where they come from in that fictional world. The Starks have Northern English accents. The Lannisters have posher English accents. Dothraki is a made up language influenced by Turkish and Mongolian but mostly they speak English with a Dothraki accent.
 
Iā€™ve seen Cherry, I stand by my comment (I also think heā€™s ā€œbetterā€ in the devil all the time).

He's fine in Devil All The Time but it's a smaller, more limited role than Cherry. He's first billing but he gets outshined by Pattinson, Skarsgaard and Jason Clarke. Cherry is his movie and he really delivers, especially towards the end.
 
Finished Die Hard 2 and also watched Die Hard 3 last night

After the Xmax activities I've attempted to remain cool indoors so decided to watch Die Hard 4 (glutton for punishment, still don't think its great, but I can tolerate it more than I used to be able to. I'll likely never watch the 5th ever again. Once (years ago) was enough.
 
A Muppet Christmas Carol with Michael Caine - 1992

Enjoyable re-telling of Dickens Christmas classic

For me the Muppets are timeless a part of my childhood starting from Sesame St, The Muppets and flowing through the movies .

Michael Caine plays Scrooge perfectly with words and facial movements that sell the angst he eventually finds/feels
 
In the Loop

Holy ****, why have I not seen this before?! This is right up my alley. Political comedy/documentary that I just found absolutely ****ing brilliant. As smart as it is funny.

Great performances throughout, several laugh out loud moments.

Just brilliant.

9/10
 

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Movie What's the last movie you saw? (7)

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