Topic: The Movie Thread

@nessisonett I saw Scanners as a child, although I don't remember much of it, and I've seen The Fly and The Dead Zone many times over the years. I've unfortunately never seen Videodrome, although it has been on my to-watch list for years. As has Crash (that one's not horror, but a film about car crash fetishists just sounds irresistable).

@Ralizah Cronenberg’s Crash >>>>> that movie which won all the Oscars back in like 2004

I know I swore off Fulci, but I just learned today that he made a terrible giallo film about a serial killer who sounds like a duck. I'm SO tempted to watch this. 😂

@nessisonett You're seriously the first person I've heard mention that movie since it came out. I don't remember much about it other than feeling an overwhelming sense of self-aggrandizement from the marketing.

@Ralizah I went through a phase of watching Best Picture winners to see what the fuss was about. I think the Academy must have been snorting something that year. Up there with How Green Was My Valley for worst winner of Best Picture.

Last weekend I watched Aliens (Blu-Ray)!

The Premise:

• Set after the events of the first film, Ripley's escape pod is finally found by other humans and after recovering back at Earth she learns that it's been decades since the events of the first film (she had put herself in suspended animation), and anyone she's ever known (most devastatingly her daughter) has long since died. To make matters worse it seems as if humans have begun to colonize the planet on which her crew encountered the vicious Xenomorph, and with when Earth loses contact with the fledgeling settlement, she is sent in with a small military attachment to exterminate the alien species if it indeed is responsible for the lost contact. Given the name of the film, I suppose the answer to that should be easy to guess.

The Takeaway:

• It's a lot more action heavy than the first film, but no less tense, as our small detachment, while well armed, is vastly outnumbered and soon finds themselves on the defensive. It's a somewhat different feel compared to the original film, and while I'm not super enamoured with either one (possibly as I really didn't grow up watching them), it's undoubtedly an expertly crafted film, and it's easy to get immersed in the sci-fi world presented, which is really impressive given it's age (I was even left in awe with some of the early set pieces). It (and the original) are definitely films you should watch if you're into future sci-fi.

The Package:

• No complaints on this end. It features the theatrical & extended cuts (I opted for the latter, which made for a nearly 3 hour long film), and of course director commentary. I don't think there were any extra features on the disc itself, but the package itself came with some physical goodies which I haven't bothered with (like art cards & I think a comic).

@RR529 My second favourite film behind.... Alien. I'm hoping for a 4K release to tie in with the 35th anniversary next year, but with Disney scaling all of that back, I'm sceptical.

@JohnnyShoulder I thought it odd there doesn't seem to be a 4K bluray for Aliens. I've got Alien on my list of films I might rebuy in 4K but would want Aliens too. Hopefully your right about the 35th Anniversary edition, there is a 40th edition for Alien.

@BearsEatBeets Alien comes highly recommended as it is an excellent transfer. There is some film grain which is pretty much unavoidable with films of a certain age. And of course the film is one of the best which helps.

@JohnnyShoulder Was watching The Godfather in 4K recently and it looked nice but definitely grainy. Though honestly I can't imagine some films without it, The Godfather being one of them.

A 4K Alien set would be sick. Love the first two obviously (and really hate Scott's recent attempts to demystify the lore) but I also think the third is underrated, while the fourth is, uh, watchable enough.

@zupertramp Yeah that would be good, had the boxset of the the first four films on DVD, and would but that in a minute. The third gets a little better the more I watch it. I remember collecting the comic book adaption when it came out and reading about all problems they had when making it. Would have been really interesting to have seen the wooden planet idea they originally planned.

The fourth film had some neat ideas but was a bit of a mess. I've only seen it a couple of times and not for years, I might actually like it after all this years. I don't hold much hope though.

The recent films were OK, but wasn't keen on the heavy handling of the some themes such as religion and mortality. The more the years pass the less each the recent films feels like the original films.

@JohnnyShoulder lol yeah the fourth is a mess and i wouldn't hold out too much hope of it being better with age either but it's also not like matrix sequels bad imo.

And the new ones well, i just think they need to decide are these alien prequels or something new entirely. Preferably something new entirely. Because this thing where there's the existence of xenomorphs and engineers and all manner of other-worldly beings but somehow David the android is the focus I find dull. And like you said, I get it... Philosophy!! Great but like, can I see the aliens impale someone now?

So just watched The Social Dilemma. Quite a mood lifter, that one lol. Wasn't a whole lot I didn't already know, though I don't think I fully realized the grand scope of the problem, but it was a lot like watching a documentary on factoring farming when you're already a vegetarian/vegan... not much new ground but enough information put in stark enough terms that it encourages a renewed commitment to prior resolutions. I thought the dramatized bits were a little hokey but ah well, I've seen worse.

Didn't someone else mention watching this? It's kinda late and I'm too lazy to go back through the thread.

@zupertramp I think they did but they posted on the TV thread about it.

I recently watched Pulp Fiction. It was OK but some sections really are a bit superfluous and there were clear highlights. Which brings me on to an incredibly unpopular opinion... Snatch is better. It’s the same premise but done with far more fun, wit and satisfaction. Yes, Jason Statham cannot act but that’s part of the fun. I expect to be flayed alive by the movie police but there have been worse takes, I can guarantee that.

@zupertramp Yeah we were discussing The Social Dilemma in the TV thread last week and I mentioned it in the Moderation thread, pointing to the radicalization of the internet’s extreme behavior. I agree with your take. The show reconfirmed some of my suspicions. And yes, the dramatized parts were indeed hokey. 😄

@nessisonett I won’t flay you for the opinion but I do think Pulp Fiction is awesome. I’ve just never watched Snatch.

@Th3solution Ah, that's right, the Moderation thread. Haven't popped into the TV thread so didn't realize there'd been much discussion on it. Maybe I'll read through that some time. Plus I'm really not watching much on TV these days so I welcome any recommendations where I can get them.

@nessisonett I think Snatch is really good but Pulp Fiction is still better. I wouldn't begrudge anyone for having the opposite view though. Like you say, there are worse takes.

@zupertramp Yeah, there’s a fair amount of overlap between the TV and Movie threads, so some interesting discussion and recommendations exist over there too. But I’m with you, I rarely watch “TV” shows, like the ongoing series type. But TV series are now almost like extended movies, so I dabble in them sometimes trying to find the stuff that’s high quality, not too long, and has a conclusive and satisfying ending.

I watched Terminator: Dark Fate there and it was really quite good. Obviously not as good as the first two but a clear step up from all the other sequels. Just stupid fun and a similar tone to the original. I’d definitely recommend it.

Over the weekend I watched Ghostbusters (Blu-Ray)!

The Premise:

• Classic 1980's supernatural action comedy that follows a group of paranormal scientists, whom after being fired from their university gig, decide to open up a spiritual investigations & capture business after discovering that ghosts are indeed real & can be contained with the right energy wavelength. Business is soon booming, but with the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) seeking to shut them down, and an Apocalyptic threat looming in the shadows, our upstart entrepreneurs have their work cut out for them.

The Takeaway:

• It's stuffed with 80's mainstays like Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Sigourney Weaver, & Rick Moranis, and is just a really good time. Nostalgia probably plays a part as it's been a Halloween favorite as far back as I can remember, but I found myself chuckling along to it all the way through. Some of the sets & special effects are starting to show their seams in high definition, but I found myself still really enjoying it.

The Package:

• It's a double pack that comes with Ghostbusters II (which I'll get to in due time), and while it does have special features I didn't have the time to check what all they entail.

Shawshank Redemption is my favourite.