Topic: The Movie Thread

@LN78 Apparently on set in Glasgow, James Mangold went around saying the city was a “sh*thole” so Indy 5 is already going to be the worst movie ever made 😂

@LN78 It’s admittedly less of a sh*thole than it was in 2002, that’s for sure. And we’ve had way less complaints from the other cast and crew of films like Fast and Furious, The Flash, Batgirl, The Batman and so forth!

Just watched Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers.

Never watched the original cartoon so I wasn't all that invested in the core story/narrative (though it was fun enough in that manner for a kids' movie), so I was more interested in what they were going to be able to pull off cameo wise, and although it wasn't quite to the level of Who Framed Roger Rabbit in that regard, it was more impressive in that regard than I had imagined going in. Massive thumbs up for having South Park's Randy Marsh just sitting there out in the open. Didn't think they'd go that far. Also had a few subtle nods to Rick & Morty.

Just finished watching Just One of the Guys (currently free on Pluto TV). 80's comedy that follows a female high school student as she decides to go undercover as a Boy for a week at another school, as she believes the only reason her journalism assignment didn't win a competition was because she's a girl, and she'd be able to succeed at the other school as a boy.

The main premise for the swap is soon largely dropped (outside of some lip service at the end of the film) in favor of typical 80's teen romance/drama cliches (they don't even bother to explain how she's able to skip out from her own school for an entire week, let alone why this other school just let's "him" walk in), so your enjoyment of it will entirely come down to how much you enjoy said cliches. That said, it gains some level of uniqueness just for the pure Ranma-esque web of relationships (you have Terry's shallow college aged boyfriend whom she's trying to hide her adventure from, the girl who has the hots for "boy" Terry, the dorky boy Terry decides to help out socially whom she starts to like but can't tell him in order to maintain her facade, who himself begins to catch the eye of the school's hottest girl, which draws the ire of the cliche douchebag jock. Then you have Terry's dateless best friend, & her perpetually horny younger brother whom is a carbon copy of Bud Bundy from Married With Children, right down to being named Bud).

Ghostbusters Afterlife. Just about entertaining enough to while away a couple of hours. But it is the A Force Awakens of the series and almost a complete retread of the first film, which I think is much better.

Top Gun. Possibly the most homoerotic movie ever made. I swear there’s more sexual tension between Maverick and Iceman than you’ll find in Brokeback Mountain.

@LN78 Well I have now! And I agree 😂

Saw Top Gun Maverick at the cinema last night.

I don't have any specific attachment to the original film, but I thought this one was really good. I think it helps that while it is a reboot, it feels like one that they (or at least Cruise) really wanted to do rather than just being a cash in (it ends in a way that it ties up character relationships/drama left over from the first film really well).

Of course the action in the sky was the real draw for me & it didn't disappoint. There was plenty of it, brilliantly filmed, with the climax being one of the most excitingly tense showdowns I've seen in a while. The last act of the movie really feels like they commited an Ace Combat game to film, which is really impressive given the sheer amount of physical stunt work on display.

Seemed to be a real crowd pleaser for the relatively largish audience in attendance, too.

@RR529 Yeah, I went to the IMAX yesterday. What a film. The moment the first beat from the TR-808 with the bells for Harold Faltermeyer's track hit, goose bumps.

Can't recommend Top Gun: Maverick enough.

Just finished up watching The Wolverine in my journey through all the X-Men films. I'd seen it before, though I actually think I enjoyed it more the second time (I think I may have been slightly unnecessarily confused by the separate factions the first time). I really appreciated the fight on top of the bullet train in a way I hadn't before, and it was the first time I watched a film on Blu Ray in awhile & I forgot how good the picture quality could be that way.

@SoulChimera, I'll bet that was something. I've never been to an IMAX, though I think my brother wants to see Avatar: the Way of Water at a more premium screen, so I'll probably have a chance then.

@RR529 @SoulChimera My desire to see films at the cinema was already pretty much gone before Covid came along and didn't really think I'd ever probably bother again. The trailers and reception for Top Gun Maverick has certainly made consider experiencing it on a big screen.

I'm not usually very impressed by these Marvel films, but I really dug Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Granted, there's an inherent structural weakness in making it a direct sequel to a Disney Plus series, but the end result works out really well. The Scarlet Witch is a fantastic and frightening villain, and it really helps that they spent so much time chronicling her moral and psychological breakdown in previous films and series. I'm happy they pulled in Sam Raimi, because he does a great job of drawing from his previous horror work for this film: Multiverse of Madness feels closer to something like The Evil Dead than it does Spider-Man.

I will say, though, the power levels involved in these conflicts do make previous ones feel... small. Characters are literally tearing through different universes, punching holes through dimensions, etc.

@RR529 @BearsEatBeets I’m very lucky, I have 2 really nice IMAX cinemas less than 15 minutes from me so I go as often as I can.

If you have the opportunity, definitely go. The sounds blew my head off. I liked it that much, I think I’m actually going to go again.

@SoulChimera Just discovered my local has IMAX screens 🤔

@BearsEatBeets Get it booked. Love the IMAX intro, the pin drop and the jet engine really demonstrate the sound when you get into your seat.

@LN78 Only because both released in close proximity to one-another. The multiversal/multidimensional side of sci-fi/horror seems to be popular lately.

This did make me chuckle! 🤣

watched Transylvania 6-5000 on Tubi earlier today.

later tonight or tomorrow this weekend Im planning on watching Subspecies 1 and 2 on Tubi and i noticed Rawhead Rex is on Tubi.

I watched King Kong (1976) on Pluto TV this morning.

Don't think I've seen this version before. Definitely feels like a proto version of a modern blockbuster at times, albeit still a bit B-movie in others. A bit slow to get going, although it picks up near the end. Kong gives Dwan (the kidnapped woman) these absolutely goofy grins from time to time that are unintentionally (?) funny which I thought was amusing, and being the 70's, they seemed to push showing as much of her skin as possible while still being a "PG" film (thought I even noticed a blink & you'll miss it nudity shot).

Interesting curiosity of the time.

@LN78 @BearsEatBeets Good news guys, my 4K Blu-ray of The Thing was fine. The UHD really brought the blood out in some scenes. 😬 Actually made an interesting watch after season 4 of Stranger Things.