The Official Movie Thread
- Thread starter Manic Ferocity
- Start date
CiG
Approximately Infinite Universe
I saw Babylon last night, and watched it again as soon as I woke up this morning. I loved it, totally blew me away.
CiG
Approximately Infinite Universe
Watched this short film on Youtube the other day. It was actually a lot better than I expected. Yautja vs the Templar Knights. Better than The Predator and Prey!
challenge_everything
Active Member
Teenage chick lives alone and isolated in the mountains with her witchy pagan mum. They paint themselves in corpse paint and play 'heavy metal' (which is actually just rock music).
It's an interesting take on folk horror though, because it avoids the usual contradiction within the genre (paganism is presented as appealing but inevitably turns out to be evil). Here, it's much more non-judgmental; more like a theory of sustainable living where the use of dark magic is ok as long as it's done with balance. It lacked impact in the execution though, and the ending was a bit of a let down.
CiG
Approximately Infinite Universe
100% agree. I didn't hate it, but holy shit is it being wanked off by too many people. The "satire" is delivered as if the director thinks the audience is watching from a shortbus.
This was hugely disappointing. Not that I regard the Palme D'Or as necessarily the stamp of excellence, but this movie feels more like Oscar bait than Cannes material. Calling it satire is too generous, because these rich people are such ridiculous stereotypes that it's more slapstick cringe than anything trenchant. It's an entirely safe movie sticking the boot into the safest of targets, complete with a climactic vomit scene that is straight out ripped off numerous other movies. The movie eventually takes a third act turn - reminiscent of Parasite but without the creativity. Whatever this movie has to say, it certainly didn't require 147 mins to say it.
All the island dynamics play out relatively naturally, and then at the end Yaya says "you created a matriarchy" or something like that, just in case you didn't get it. I've never been spoon-fed subtext this brutally in my life.
Vegard Pompey
ALLY TO GOOD, NIGHTMARE TO YOU
That poster makes it look like the most eventful film but this was really disappointing after Calibro 9
Did they just make up the screenplay as they went along? Just feels like a disconnected series of violent acts with no real character or connective tissue. Mario Adorf is amazing and I want to see everything he's even been in, but god damn did he deserve better than this. The highlights of the movie were: the final salvage yard showdown, and Luciana Paluzzi wearing a see-through top around the 20-minute mark.Wish I knew why Walter Chaw gave this 4½ stars on letterboxd lol
CiG
Approximately Infinite Universe
CiG
Approximately Infinite Universe
no country for old wainds
Active Member
- Nov 23, 2002
- 26,683
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the wick 4 reviews are getting me unreasonably hyped. sounds like literally exactly what i want from this franchise:
"This really feels like everyone involved, in front of and behind the camera, thought they were making the last action movie that would ever be made. It goes for broke during every one of its 169 minutes and I love that. To think that the first John Wick narrowly escaped going DTV, and now we have this massively ambitious and entertaining pop-art saga and monument to practical stuntwork and fight choreography. As someone who has loved action movies since I was a child, I'm overwhelmed with gratitude."
"the most shameless and pleasurable entry in the series by a long margin -- john wick 4 sees chad stahelski venture into nic refn levels of neon-hell and ridiculous self-seriousness. those who are looking for 'realism' in their films must stay far, FAR away here -- the wick saga culminates in what must be one of the highest action film bodycounts, with more bullets fired here than most first-person shooters. it's beyond silly, but chad and keanu have the temerity to make the strongest and most grandiose display of fight choreography we've seen since the raid 2. the writing is awful (which is good), the story is non-existent (which is even better), the visual language is ice-cold and rainbow-colored, the last hour is nothing but innovative setpiece-upon-setpiece-upon-setpiece, and by the end you feel as exhausted and bruised as keanu himself must be making this -- really, my favorite genre of film, the kind that goes so hard that it actually somewhat hurts to watch -- by the time we get to the stairway sequence, the buster keaton energy is off the charts; this is as much a comedy as it is a tragedy, the difference between the two becomes negligible, and chapter 4 smartly leans into its campy excesses as a formal strength -- it owns its absurdity instead of trying to apologize for it, and forces you to accept it on its terms.
this inaccessible and arcane bullshit was funded by a major studio and released unto an unsuspecting public who are just expecting anything that's Not Marvel™ -- god bless everyone involved here, especially the stunt crew, i salute you all for really delivering the goods in an era of ready-made disappointments.
one of the realest action movie pleb filters; if you don't get it, you'll never get it."
"A gigantic, widescreen marathon that returns the series back to being a heavy caliber reinterpretation of Greek myth/epic poems, complete with
. The ultimate reel is unadulterated action movie Nirvana, quite literally becoming Chad Stahelski’s THE WARRIORS before introducing a sequence that involves
that’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen before (De Palma wept). Along the way, you have an OCEAN’S 11 style parade of international stars for action/genre cinema nerds: Donnie Yen, Marko Zaror, Hiroyuki Sanada, Scott Adkins (in a fucking fat suit!), Clancy Brown, and a legion of 87-Eleven stunt men putting their bodies in harm’s way for the sole purpose of allowing us to feel a genuine sense of tactile awe. Sat in the front row of an IMAX press screening and the entire thing felt like a transportive portal into another individual’s dreams. Absolutely giddy cinematic magic."
"This really feels like everyone involved, in front of and behind the camera, thought they were making the last action movie that would ever be made. It goes for broke during every one of its 169 minutes and I love that. To think that the first John Wick narrowly escaped going DTV, and now we have this massively ambitious and entertaining pop-art saga and monument to practical stuntwork and fight choreography. As someone who has loved action movies since I was a child, I'm overwhelmed with gratitude."
"the most shameless and pleasurable entry in the series by a long margin -- john wick 4 sees chad stahelski venture into nic refn levels of neon-hell and ridiculous self-seriousness. those who are looking for 'realism' in their films must stay far, FAR away here -- the wick saga culminates in what must be one of the highest action film bodycounts, with more bullets fired here than most first-person shooters. it's beyond silly, but chad and keanu have the temerity to make the strongest and most grandiose display of fight choreography we've seen since the raid 2. the writing is awful (which is good), the story is non-existent (which is even better), the visual language is ice-cold and rainbow-colored, the last hour is nothing but innovative setpiece-upon-setpiece-upon-setpiece, and by the end you feel as exhausted and bruised as keanu himself must be making this -- really, my favorite genre of film, the kind that goes so hard that it actually somewhat hurts to watch -- by the time we get to the stairway sequence, the buster keaton energy is off the charts; this is as much a comedy as it is a tragedy, the difference between the two becomes negligible, and chapter 4 smartly leans into its campy excesses as a formal strength -- it owns its absurdity instead of trying to apologize for it, and forces you to accept it on its terms.
this inaccessible and arcane bullshit was funded by a major studio and released unto an unsuspecting public who are just expecting anything that's Not Marvel™ -- god bless everyone involved here, especially the stunt crew, i salute you all for really delivering the goods in an era of ready-made disappointments.
one of the realest action movie pleb filters; if you don't get it, you'll never get it."
"A gigantic, widescreen marathon that returns the series back to being a heavy caliber reinterpretation of Greek myth/epic poems, complete with
a moving instance of closure that feels like we can finally let John (and, in turn, a truly exhausted looking Keanu) rest
a seemingly endless crane shot and fire breathing shotguns
CiG
Approximately Infinite Universe
Vegard Pompey
ALLY TO GOOD, NIGHTMARE TO YOU
Back from Wick 4.
First impressions? Honest to god all-time top 10, maybe top 5 movie. Felt like watching the culmination of an entire genre.
First impressions? Honest to god all-time top 10, maybe top 5 movie. Felt like watching the culmination of an entire genre.
Vegard Pompey
ALLY TO GOOD, NIGHTMARE TO YOU
Slept on it and I don't think I'm being hyperbolic, I was lying in bed vividly remembering every setpiece of this 3 hour movie. I've seen a bunch of critics heap praise on this movie but stop short of slapping the 10/10 on it, and I think they're all cowards and lit fic elitists. My viewing experience of this film was one of nonstop awe and childlike glee.
Obviously I'm a mark for this series having loved the shit out of the first one, but I thought the previous two sequels were pretty big disappointments in the world-building department, and solid but repetitive in their action scenes. This one just nailed everything, raising the bar in the action setpieces and also matching the first movie in the quantity and quality of its world-building.
They introduce like a billion new characters too, each played by that one amazing character actor you always wanted to see more of. I was so hyped for Scott Adkins' role after seeing the prerelease promo pics of him looking completely unrecognizable in a fat suit and man his part did not disappoint, he gets to chew the living hell out of the scenery in this one. It's nice to see a movie use him as more than a prop for action scenes, the guy has genuine charisma under direction that actually lets him use it. If they made a fighting game based on this series (and they really should), I would main the fuck out of his character.
Can't wait to see what you guys think of the film.
Obviously I'm a mark for this series having loved the shit out of the first one, but I thought the previous two sequels were pretty big disappointments in the world-building department, and solid but repetitive in their action scenes. This one just nailed everything, raising the bar in the action setpieces and also matching the first movie in the quantity and quality of its world-building.
They introduce like a billion new characters too, each played by that one amazing character actor you always wanted to see more of. I was so hyped for Scott Adkins' role after seeing the prerelease promo pics of him looking completely unrecognizable in a fat suit and man his part did not disappoint, he gets to chew the living hell out of the scenery in this one. It's nice to see a movie use him as more than a prop for action scenes, the guy has genuine charisma under direction that actually lets him use it. If they made a fighting game based on this series (and they really should), I would main the fuck out of his character.
Can't wait to see what you guys think of the film.
CiG
Approximately Infinite Universe
They'll wank off boring albeit competently made shit like Triangle of Sadness, The Mehnu, The Banshees of Inisherin etc but if a movie is action there's almost like an immediate bias against it.
You're really talking JW4 up a lot here, I'm seeing it tomorrow hopefully. I can't fucking wait. Since the first film there's been an almost JW-effect similar to Tarantino in the 90's. All these movies swimming in its wake, trying to bite the style, and I'm excited by this idea that JW4 has found a way to reinvent itself yet again and stand out from even its own legacy, let alone other action films.
You're really talking JW4 up a lot here, I'm seeing it tomorrow hopefully. I can't fucking wait. Since the first film there's been an almost JW-effect similar to Tarantino in the 90's. All these movies swimming in its wake, trying to bite the style, and I'm excited by this idea that JW4 has found a way to reinvent itself yet again and stand out from even its own legacy, let alone other action films.
Slammed
Active Member
- Jun 15, 2017
- 31,404
- 45,095
- 113
Watched Champions with Woody Harrelson last night.
There's not really anything new in bad guy turns good type stories and that makes Champions some what predictable but it is nice to see something that isn't another shitty remake or fucked up sequel/prequel trying to wring the last dying breath from a boring series. It's funny at times and it moves along quite well with no boring parts and white men still can't jump.
There's not really anything new in bad guy turns good type stories and that makes Champions some what predictable but it is nice to see something that isn't another shitty remake or fucked up sequel/prequel trying to wring the last dying breath from a boring series. It's funny at times and it moves along quite well with no boring parts and white men still can't jump.
CiG
Approximately Infinite Universe
For any fans of Black Dynamite, MJW's passion project is finally seeing the light of day after being completed like 5 years ago.
It's a blaxploitation western parody in a similar vein, but this time he directed it. Personally I thought Black Dynamite was entertaining as hell and hilarious. Can't wait!
CiG
Approximately Infinite Universe
CiG
Approximately Infinite Universe
These two would make a killer double feature. Highly rec both!
WW2-era action flicks with an emphasis on OTT violence, both super inspired by spaghetti westerns.
