What Did You Watch Today? 2021

[Jimmy]

I've seen 33 films in the cinema over the last 9 days as a part of London Film Festival. There is so much good stuff that's going to be hitting the big screen over the next year. 

There are so many highlights, but the two films standouts are probably Pablo Larrain's Spencer and Celine Sciamma's Petit Maman because they both fully hit me like an emotional wave.

Spencer is a melodramatic fable, a gothic fairytale masquerading behind the facade of the royals, was completely swept up in the tragedy, overwhelmed by the visuals, Johnny Greenwood's score and Kristen Stewart's unhinged performance. It's not gonna be for everyone, but I can't stop thinking about it.

 

And with Petit Maman, Celine Sciamma followed up one of the best films of all time (Portrait of a Lady on Fire) by reminding everyone that you only need 70 minutes to make a masterpiece. It is such a humble and beautiful film, I loved it so much. 

Will probably do a run-down of some of my other favourites when I finish the festival in a few days, but it's been so inspiring. 

[punky]

No Time To Die was surprisingly very good, it's definitely one of my favorite Bond movies. I've enjoyed all of Daniel Craig's Bond movies but I think this was his best. 

[The Buscher]

Episode 6 of Squid Games.  Somebody please hold me.  

[The Kraig]

3 hours ago, CM Busch said:

Episode 6 of Squid Games.  Somebody please hold me.  

I'll hold you until you finish the series. 

 

Spoiler

I cried so, so much at episode 6. So much happens in one episode. It's so heart wrenching and perfectly done.

 

If anyone hasn't heard of it (like I hadn't), there's a thing called Star Wars Visions and it's a collection of short anime films. They are hit and miss, but the ones that hit are tremendous. Episodes 1, 4, 5, 7 were so good I want entire series now.

[Lint]

Watched Dune

Didn't even finish it

[livid]

I am quite the opposite of that. Loved Dune!

[Mx. Canadian Destroyer]

Same, I really loved it.

[apsham]

I'll add a voice to that, Dune was everything I was hoping it was going to be from when I saw the first trailer.

[The Kraig]

The current French-English War of the Worlds (or La Guerre des Mondes) TV series is a bit dross. It's got some decent actors, but they cannot save this exhausting bore of a show.

How do you make War of the Worlds, boring? Tom Cruise did better than this. It's also plagued with unlikeable and samey characters.

[GhostMachine]

The original versions of WAR OF THE WORLDS is a classic. The remake? Not so much. Same for THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL. I've no desire to ever watch the remakes again. 

(And I highly recommend reading "Farewell To The Master", by Harry Bates. Its the story that THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL is based on. But has a twist not used in either film.)

 

[TheGrandAvatar]

Finished the third season of YOU. So now have a few classic Universal and Hammer Horror films to watch for the rest of the weekend. Might also try and get round to watching Halloween. 

[Toe]

On 15/10/2021 at 17:36, IDOL said:

I enjoyed Halloween Kills. Not as good as the 2018 remake, but I can’t fathom why the critical reviews act as if it’s awful.

I didn't like it. I loved the 2018 film, but somewhere during the middle of the movie it just lost me. I do think there's a good chance that when I watch it again on my own, I'll probably enjoy it more.

 

[IDOL]

4 hours ago, Toe said:

I didn't like it. I loved the 2018 film, but somewhere during the middle of the movie it just lost me. I do think there's a good chance that when I watch it again on my own, I'll probably enjoy it more.

 

Watching it again, I do see the criticism and some of it is quite valid. It’s still a horror movie full of brutal kills which always satisfies me

[GhostMachine]

On 03/11/2021 at 20:27, IDOL said:

Watching it again, I do see the criticism and some of it is quite valid. It’s still a horror movie full of brutal kills which always satisfies me

On 03/11/2021 at 15:34, Toe said:

I didn't like it. I loved the 2018 film, but somewhere during the middle of the movie it just lost me. I do think there's a good chance that when I watch it again on my own, I'll probably enjoy it more.

 

I'll tell you both why I didn't like it:

Spoiler

1. They teased showing Michael unmasked. Well, you see about as much of him as you did in the previous movies: Either in shadow, half of his face, or from a distance.

2. They brought back all the survivors from the first two movies just to kill all or most of them off. Tommy's death in particular sucked. (Lindsey is still alive in the hospital, I believe?)

3. Some of the kills were over the top, even for the Halloween franchise. Like him taking the time to put all those kitchen knives in the old guy's back. The car door = shooting herself one was funny, though.

4. Jamie Lee Curtis didn't really have much to do.

5. The townspeople's confrontation with Michael is probably how the franchise should have ended: Victims of Michael and their family members putting his ass down. Instead him being pretty much indestructible comes into play, and he seemingly kills more people in this fucking movie than all the previous ones put together.

6. The firefighters and townspeople basically got slaughtered because they took turns trying to fight him instead of ganging up on him at once. You can let the firefighters slide, but the end fight was just plain fucking stupidity.

My guess is that the final movie ends with Laurie and Frank finally killing him, but also dying in the process. 

 

Edited November 5, 2021 by GhostMachine

[MalaCloudy Black]

Quote

Some of the kills were over the top

 

[Your Mom]

On 04/11/2021 at 21:06, GhostMachine said:

I'll tell you both why I didn't like it:

  Reveal hidden contents

1. They teased showing Michael unmasked. Well, you see about as much of him as you did in the previous movies: Either in shadow, half of his face, or from a distance.

2. They brought back all the survivors from the first two movies just to kill all or most of them off. Tommy's death in particular sucked. (Lindsey is still alive in the hospital, I believe?)

3. Some of the kills were over the top, even for the Halloween franchise. Like him taking the time to put all those kitchen knives in the old guy's back. The car door = shooting herself one was funny, though.

4. Jamie Lee Curtis didn't really have much to do.

5. The townspeople's confrontation with Michael is probably how the franchise should have ended: Victims of Michael and their family members putting his ass down. Instead him being pretty much indestructible comes into play, and he seemingly kills more people in this fucking movie than all the previous ones put together.

6. The firefighters and townspeople basically got slaughtered because they took turns trying to fight him instead of ganging up on him at once. You can let the firefighters slide, but the end fight was just plain fucking stupidity.

My guess is that the final movie ends with Laurie and Frank finally killing him, but also dying in the process. 

 

Number 5 on your list is why I didn't like it

[LL!]

I just cried some particularly salty tears watching Finch. Lovely little movie.

[GhostMachine]

41 minutes ago, Your Mom said:

Number 5 on your list is why I didn't like it

For me, #s 2 and 5 on my lists are standouts for why I didn't like it. I admit that most of the rest (except #1. Valid complaint) are nitpicking. 

 

[fourstarfizzle]

Don't Hug Me I'm Scared

Not sure how I missed this the first time round as it's very much up my dark humour alley, but it's fantastic and now the songs are stuck in my head. A new series just wrapped recording for Channel 4 so I'm looking forward to more.

For fans of Wonder Showzen, Salad Fingers and erm, David Lynch?

 

[DMN in the House]

The Harder They Fall was great. Good modern western, lots of fun, good gun fights, comedy, drama, just a really enjoyable movie.