Cloud Atlas (Blu-Ray) - Six seemingly disconnected stories across time (the 1800's, 1930's, 1970's, 2012, 2100's, & Post Apocalypse) that all end up connected in some way or another. It jumps between eras frequently (it's not told in a chronological order) and each story has a different vibe (from future sci-fi blockbuster, comedy, conspiracy thriller, & more). I've always liked watching it as it's quite unlike anything else I've seen elsewhere (& I honestly think it comes together quite well), and rewatching it I honestly think it's been cemented as one of my favorite films of all time.
Piranha (4K UHD Blu-Ray) - The 1978 original. I've always liked watching this & it looks great cleaned up in 4K.
Princess Mononoke (Blu-Ray) - I knew this had a reputation for being a bit darker than your typical Ghibli fair, but man I was not prepared for how hard this thing would go. Almost surprised it got away with a PG-13 rating. Great film, though I think I prefer lighter fair when it comes to the studio.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (Netflix) - I admit I wasn't chomping at the bit to see this, but I had just finished up Spider-Man 2 (the new game, not the Raimi film) so was in the mood. Even as someone who watches quite a bit of animation (especially anime) I usually side eye all the animation fans saying the Academy overlooks this or that for best picture every year, however in this case I think they may genuinely have a point. This is honestly the best movie I've seen this year other than maybe Oppenheimer. The visual style can perhaps be a bit too busy at times, but I honestly have nothing else to fault with it. It looks stunning, has absolutely kinetic action setpieces, some great narrative twists, is genuinely emotional, and is legitimately humorous. Furthermore, THIS is how you do inclusivity. Even as someone who sits on the more socially conservative side of things, I can admit that this film is not only "Woke", but is better off for it. At no point does it feel like they're checking boxes for the sake of it nor does it feel preachy (unlike the finale of the Falcon & Winter Soldier). This just genuinely feels like the film the artists wanted to make and it works wonderfully. I feel similarly about how it handles the multiverse. Sure, there is the very occasional call back to the greater cinematic (& gaming) history of Spider-Man, but that's very much in the background and not the point. Can't recommend it enough.
Spider-Man: No Way Home (Amazon Prime) - This was fun. Perhaps the complete opposite ethos of the above (the multiverse aspect very much IS for the shameless fan service), but I'd be lying if I said I didn't had a good time. The three live action Spider-Men had great chemistry, Willem Defoe looked like he was having fun chewing up the scenery as Green Goblin (though I question the choice of having something so transformative as the death of Aunt May happen at the hands of a villain with no connection to "Tom" Peter, let alone his universe ), and I always enjoy seeing Doctor Strange doing his thing (great fight scene there).
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Just found out Sebulba from The Phantom Menace went to school in the now Islamic community centre literally right beside my house. A true great of the acting world. To be fair he also did the voices in Theme Park World for the PS1 and reprised it in Planet Coaster. And is also Otharon in Xenoblade.
@LN78 I love Under the Skin even though it is a bit random that they got ScarJo to run about in the skud around Glasgow in 2013. Like I get Jonathan Glazer is an incredible director and that probably made up her mind but this came out after The Avengers!
@LN78 I don’t think Glazer’s misfired at all yet. I know Birth is very very controversial but it’s so unsettling that it totally succeeds at what it’s trying to do. Even his music videos and adverts are all iconic. To make Jamiroquai tolerable is a feat. The advert he did for Sony with the paint splatters is literally the reason we got a Bravia back in the day too.
@LN78 Interesting to hear you say that. Seems "everybody" was raving about this movie, but I didn't find anything other than Blanchett in there worth raving about. Two thirds into the movie I realized I didn't give two whotsits about whatever happened next to any of these characters and I was struggling to maintain any focus. So, when my viewing partner said she was bored to tears and deeply disappointed (we had both looked forward to this) we simply bailed on the final third.
@RogerRoger Oh wow, I didn’t know that. I skipped the PS3 Spider-Man games and have never read a SM comic book.
Interesting theory about the choice of the young actress. The trailer does give a ‘teenage angsty’ vibe with the classic young confused misfit with powers having to rally her Gen Z counterparts into believing her so they can help save the world. A matronly wise savant type is hard to put next to the Spider-Verse.
Still, credit for casting relative lesser known actors. With all due respect to the Fifty Shades series and Cha Cha Real Smooth, Dakota Johnson isn’t selling tickets on her body of work alone.
@Th3solution That’s harsh considering Dakota Johnson was excellent in both A Bigger Splash and Suspiria! Yet another actress with gems in her catalogue who does the occasional rubbish movie for a big pay check.
@nessisonett Nothing against her skills. Good to know she’s got some highlights on her resume. Perhaps she’ll sell some tickets based on her previous solid performances, even if they were smaller movies.
“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.”
@nessisonett I agree in regards to Dakota Johnson. She has been fantastic in a couple of films I've seen her in, but have not seen any of Fifty Shades films.
Do find it strange when actors get labelled after they been in a series of films. Robert Pattison I thought was unfairly labelled similarly after the Twilight movies, but in the lead up to The Batman I thought he was outstanding in a few films.
Life is more fun when you help people succeed, instead of wishing them to fail.
Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt.
300: Rise of an Empire (Blu-Ray) - Felt a bit more cartoony than the first, probably because of all the slow mo effects clearly there for 3D (and was mostly set concurrently to the first, rather than being an in depth prequel or sequel), but it's still quite a fun "dude film". Would love to see more stuff like this (& Sin City) come out of Hollywood.
Planes, Trains, & Automobiles (4K UHD Blu-Ray) - We watched this as a family for our annual Thanksgiving watch. The 80's is absolutely unmatched at these comedies that despite having some wacky moments somehow feel believable & grounded, and have a real heart to them.
Spirited Away (Blu-Ray) - Wonderfully animated & imaginative film. I don't think I'd seen this since the days of watching it on SDTV cable, so seeing it in HD brought some real life to it.
What the Peeper Saw (Blu-Ray) - Known in the UK as Night Hair Child, it's a 70's thriller where the new young wife of a widower suspects her calculating 12 year old stepson of murdering her husband's last wife (& the boy's mother). Interesting... but it definitely pushes some taboos you wouldn't be likely to see today in a film (or at the very least it'd be handled much differently).
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To prepare for the Apple TV+ series Monarch: Legacy of Monsters I decided to rewatch all the four "monsterverse" movies to refresh my memory.
And while I well and truly love these movies purely for being kaiju flicks, they aren't without problems.
I feel Godzilla: King of the Monsters is the weakest of the bunch; it's messy and overstuffed and I found myself checking out several times during the movie; which is surprising considering the sheer amount of monster madness going on in the movie.
Gareth Edwards' Godzilla was way more interesting, but it has a major flaw: Hiding the main attraction. Of course we come to see the big dude himself, but he doesn't appear nearly as much as he should and often when he does (or the other monsters are on the rampage) the movie is so dark that it is almost impossible to see what's going on at times. Still, I was engaged all the way through this time around as well, so it's by no means a misfire in my book. Godzilla vs. Kong is also a bit hit and miss at times for me, but all is forgiven and forgotten when we get to the final battle royale between Godzilla, Kong and fricking Mechagodzilla, which is easily my favourite showdown in any of these movies.
Topping my list is Kong: Skull Island which hits all the right notes for me. The cast is sublime for an adventure movie like this and Jordan Vogt Roberts serves up some truly excellent visual flourishes throughout the movie that makes me wonder why on earth he hasn't directed any other big movies after this. IMDb claims he's in pre-production on a Gundam movie, as well as Metal Gear Solid, so hopefully we'll get to see more from him soon.
Coincidentally, I have tickets to see Godzilla Minus One in IMAX this Sunday, so there's more kaiju goodness in my near future. I have high expectations for this one
@FuriousMachine They really are pushing that Monarch show. I’ve seen ads for it at every turn. It looks really good, but Apple seems to be over-marketing it, which makes me wonder if they know it’s going to disappoint.
“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.”
@Th3solution Think it's more that they consider it a potential subscription seller, moreso than any of their other (rather excellent) shows. It's got pretty good reviews, too, with a minor complaint that there's not enough monsters. Having seen the first three episodes myself, I must say it's delivered for me so far. Might be a bit slow off the bat, but I felt it worked pretty well, especially when "old man" Russell joined in
@FuriousMachine I have to admit - it’s working if that’s the plan because I’ve felt tempted to subscribe a few times whilst watching the promos. I have a free 30 day trial through something and was considering binging the show, but I really don’t have the time. Or rather, more accurately, I prefer to spend my limited time elsewhere right now — like doing extra gaming and watching some football and other shows and movies that I’m behind on. I’m so far past the saturation point for entertainment that I’m starting to worry about it. 😅 I think I need to restructure my life’s goals. Whatever time I have allocated for work and social endeavors needs to be siphoned over to TV, movies, and gaming! 😂
“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.”
@Th3solution I know exactly how you feel! I keep applying for the stipend called "Eurojackpot", as that is the only thing that will solve my time management issues, but they keep giving it to some German guy
Too many games, too many books, too many movies and too many tv shows. I've realized that I'll probably never get through all I want to play/read/watch, as I expect I only have a mere 30-40 years left in me, so I've resigned myself to just consuming what tickles my fancy then and there, giving that my full attention and trying not to worry about all the other things desperately begging to be consumed
@FuriousMachine It’s really strange to think about how entertainment and leisure activities have changed in just a few short years. Even in the last 10 years it feels like the quantity of diversions for our attention has skyrocketed, much less a couple generations ago. Hasn’t been that long since folks had to labor Sun up to Sun down in the fields and then maybe once every week or two you could have a little fun at a square dance in town or shooting marbles with the boys. Maybe the truly wealthy would have the opportunity to read or travel or go to a show. Otherwise, life consisted of a lot less recreation. And to add insult to injury, you’d probably only live to be 35 years old because you’d end up dying with tuberculosis or from some wound infection after being gored by a wild boar or something. That or die in some godforsaken war. Man… maybe my life ain’t so bad after all. 😂 We have so much to keep us entertained it’s criminal.
“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.”
It was honestly a great time. The human element was done quite well & had a few effective emotional moments (much better than you'd usually see from a Hollywood blockbuster, including most of the "Monsterverse" projects), and the production values were handled wonderfully. Not quite up there with a Hollywood project that's firing on all cylinders, but it almost never felt hokey, and everything had a very effective sense of weight & power behind it, with a lot of exciting moments.
Really glad to say I've been able to see a Japanese made Godzilla film in theatres now (I've only went to see the 2014 and... 1998, American efforts until now), and it's honestly one of the best films I've seen this year. Probably the last time I'll go to the cinema this year, and it was a great choice to end the year on (it was either going to be this or Napoleon).
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