Popping in to reiterate my adoration for the film Waves. Re-watched it the other night and it was just as good. Maybe even better because I was able to better appreciate some of the movie's other flourishes: the soundtrack, the lighting and colors, the framing/composition, the camera motion... all of it very, idk, eccentric and complimentary all at once.
Plus it's a super emotional film so I was once again fairly wrecked by the end of it all which is just what a catharsis junkie like myself looks for in a movie, or just about any artistic medium for that matter.
"One of the unloveliest and least enlightening aspects of contemporary discourse is the tendency to presume that whatever one disagrees with must be very simple—not only simple, but also simply wrong." - Elizabeth Bruenig
@zupertramp I don’t think I could watch that movie a second time! Left me feeling so upset the first time that I couldn’t put myself through that again.
"One of the unloveliest and least enlightening aspects of contemporary discourse is the tendency to presume that whatever one disagrees with must be very simple—not only simple, but also simply wrong." - Elizabeth Bruenig
Finally got around to watching Blade Runner 2049 a few days ago, but I’m just now getting around to dropping some opinions.
Overall, I thought the movie was great. It really recaptured the essence of the first film. The style was quite consistent with what I remember from the original movie. Such beautiful cinematography and wonderful art design. The use of color, sound, contrast, and subdued acting was all spot on.
The story was a little weird, and although I liked it, I’m probably not high-brow enough to have absorbed the full impact of the narrative. I’d definitely benefit from a second viewing, which I might do in a year or two. Perhaps after watching Blade Runner first to really let it sink in.
“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.”
@Th3solution As someone who really doesn't get what all the fuss is about over the original Blade Runner, I really enjoyed 2049. And that's largely on account of the story which I thought just had more substance honestly.
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"One of the unloveliest and least enlightening aspects of contemporary discourse is the tendency to presume that whatever one disagrees with must be very simple—not only simple, but also simply wrong." - Elizabeth Bruenig
@Th3solution I thought Blade Runner 2049 was a modern masterpiece and a perfect addition to the series. Slow, thoughtful and beautifully shot, it felt like a film of the 70's made now. I am not surprised it bombed at the box office, given the expense and the length etc.
Out of interest, I also watched the 3D version on PSVR and it was an awesome experience.
Now I may be an idiot, but there's one thing I am not sir, and that sir, is an idiot
@Th3solution I used to enjoy the first Bladerunner when it first came out, but then over the years the more I've seen it the less I've liked it. I think all the different editions, edits and cuts have sapped my enjoyment of the film, and I no longer remember which version I enjoyed in the first place. I didn't like the sequel either and iirc I felt asleep during it, which is rare for me and usually down to being ill or hungover. Which I was neither. I can see it was a well made film, but not for me.
@JohnnyShoulder@Rudy_Manchego@zupertramp I fully admit to my plebeian approach to film, and I don’t really get into art films. I mostly like movies that entertain and those which I can just turn my brain off (or at least not expend a large amount of mental energy consuming), but every now and then I enjoy a thinker movie, or one that makes me feel like I’m participating in upper crust entertainment. And perhaps it was just the presence of Harrison Ford that made me enjoy the original Blade Runner; but I agree, I’m not even sure which of the 4-5 versions of the film that I’ve even seen and what the differences are. And I know that’s sacrilege amongst fans of the movie to not know The Final Cut vs. The Directors Cut. Still, there was something impactful to me from that original film.
With 2049, I fully expected it to come in with bombastic action scenes, a bunch of Marvelesque quip and CG. The fact it felt very cyberpunk-film noir like the the first was refreshing. But yeah, maintaining the 80’s feel was probably the death knell for making any money at the box office though. I thought it was hauntingly beautiful, and I have newfound respect for Gosling, who’s someone I haven’t thought much of as an actor before.
“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.”
@JohnnyShoulder Lol - Yup, well.. maybe not full on action but I figured they’d evolve the approach to be more in line with modern Sci-Fi / fantasy pictures and less 1970’s / 1980’s aesthetic. Kinda like how 2010: The Year We Make Contact became a film more approachable to the average viewing audience versus its prequel 2001: A Space Odyssey.
I no longer remember what my expectations were, though they were probably somewhat low, but I can see your reasoning. Seems like they've done this with other films as well. There's much distance between Fury Road and the original Road Warrior film for example, in terms of action and pacing.
PSN: frownonfun
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"One of the unloveliest and least enlightening aspects of contemporary discourse is the tendency to presume that whatever one disagrees with must be very simple—not only simple, but also simply wrong." - Elizabeth Bruenig
@Th3solution Honestly if BR went that route it would've been disrespectful to what came before imo
I'm glad Denis Villeneuve was actually aware of the fact the story isn't something meant to be approachable to mainstream audiences looking for just an action film or a thriller film. Both the film and the book are still rooted a lot in detective noir with a dystopian flavor which means they're meant to be slow burns
And if he was that good at replicating that style I honestly can't wait to see what he does with Dune
@TheFrenchiestFry Absolutely. Dune is the other old movie that has a similar feel to me — the strange narrative, slow pacing, oddball characters, unusual setting... I remember watching it as a kid with my dad and I found it quite boring but he kept telling me that I needed to read the books. Still haven’t read them yet though.
“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.”
@Th3solution Dune is the kind of book where you can't really read it in tandem with other books since it's not only a slow burn but it has ounces of lore and exposition that all tie into something later so you have to actually be alert when you're following the narrative
It's a great story that meshes elements of coming of age and coping with adolescence with a sci-fi flavour and the whole family angle with its focus on the Atreides legacy but it's also not really that easy to read. I hope the film follows through with not necessarily being a mainstream-friendly movie either because the attempt to condense the plot to the extent it did was why I look back at the 1984 film and think it's not really representing the world in the book that ell
@Jecht_Ultima I really enjoyed the Snyder Cut and think every DC movie post Batman Begins is pants. Well, Shazam was alright but it’s a Marvel movie in disguise. If I liked it and I don’t see the love for things like The Dark Knight then somebody who at least sorta likes DC movies should enjoy it.
Street Fighter II: the Animated Movie (Amazon Prime Video) - Anime adaptation of the popular game. The villainous M. Bison's "Shadaloo" terrorist organization has been kidnapping talented "street fighters" and brainwashing them into terrorist super soldiers. After discovering Ryu's hidden potential it's a race between Shadaloo & Interpol/the US military (represented by Chun-Li & Guile) to find the wandering warrior first.
It may lack an award winning narrative, but I think it succeeds in the areas that matter here. The animation holds up remarkably well, with great detail paid to the fighters' physiques & iconic special attacks. Most (if not all) of the playable fighters of the era make an appearance here and are involved in at least one tussle, so if you're a fan of the franchise I really can't think of anything to dislike here. There's a scene involving Vega stalking Chun-Li in her apartment that's grippingly tense, and the fight that follows is perhaps the most memorable in the film.
Content Guide:
Language (Average) - Typical PG-13 fare.
Violence (High) - It's not super gory or anything, but it's a movie with a lot of detail dedicated to people punching each other in the face, which makes it's bloody moments hit hard.
Nudity/Sex (Average) - There's one gratuitous shower scene featuring Chun-Li which shows off her "B" buttons (bad pun?), but otherwise nothing to note, other than a bizarre scene where Bison is torturing a nude Ken for some reason (though there's no detail down south).
Kentucky Fried Movie (Amazon Prime Video) - Film made up of various parody skits that lampoon various aspects of 70's pop culture & society (as that's when it was made).
It's obviously a bit aged in spots, but there were still a few skits that illicited a chuckle or two. There was at least one I actively didn't care for, and I thought the middle one dragged on a bit (it was a parody of Bruce Lee films with a few Bond nods as well, and it took up maybe half the run time), but overall an interesting curiosity as long as you know what you're getting into (funnily enough there's a 50's courtroom skit that features Tony Dow & Jerry Mathers in character as Wally & Beaver from Leave it to Beaver in the crowd).
Content Guide:
Language (Average) - PG-13 type stuff.
Violence (Mild) - More of a crass comedy, I'm not sure if I recall much blood at all. Some clearly fake scratches in the martial arts skit is probably the worst of it.
Nudity/Sex (Extreme) - It's a crass 70's comedy, with one of the skits specifically making fun of the adult film industry of the era, so it's full of boobs.
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