Topic: Movie thread.

@RR529 update: I don't have either service in my country. (but thanks for recommending)

@jump Finished the 3 hours long RRR, my god! That was just pure mental Bollywood action, I think they swore to die for each other other 50 times, but never did.
Brilliant though! Even the wife liked it and she is not a fan of action, but it was so over the top you jsut couldn't not watch it to see what they would do next.

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.

@Bunkerneath I'm glad you liked it.

I'm ashamed to say I was asked to go to the cinema to see it however I didn't know anything about it besides it's 3 hours long and a Bollywood film so I said no. Out of all the uses for time travel saying yes to seeing RRR in the cinema would be at the very top so killing baby Hitler and buying stock in Apple can shove it.

Saw the Bob's Burgers movie. It was a good time and comes recommended if you like the show. [Slight spoilers incoming] It starts off strong and it was a joy watching the characters move around more fluidly during songs (I actually wish there had been more songs). However, to me the movie never goes beyond just being a good episode of the show with a longer runtime and better budget. Obvious villain was obvious, has the worst song out of the handful, and the final act wraps things up conventionally. Still, the movie had a few moments at the end that gave me the warm fuzzies.

Side note - I saw a trailer for the next Thor movie and it actually looked like a fun movie. I say this as someone who has absolutely no interest in Marvel or their cinematic universe (and I'm actually annoyed by the oversaturation of those movies - but thats another topic). What did it for me was the scene where, presumably Thor, was out of shape and excersizing with massive chains to 'Sweet Child of Mine' (while wearing a trucker cap. Kinda looked like a washed up Terry Bogard).

Next up is Jurassic World Dominion. Not to be snobby but I'm not optimistic about this one. Based on a short advert trailer I recently saw they're using Sam Neil and Jeff Goldblum to reference moments from the first movie. Not surprising, but I hate that stuff. We'll see how it goes. I really like Jurassic World. It has none of the nuance of the first movie (heck, of the first three) but it's still an entertaining flick. Fallen Kingdom on the other hand had to be one of the most disappointing movies I've ever seen in theaters.

@Losermagnet Yeah, it's when people live in a bubble of only superhero films to the point they are rewatching the rubbish ones over and over again instead of non-superhero movies is where I start to think maybe they are destroying cinema. But at the same time I love superhero films and actually go and pay to see other films too. A page or two ago after someone posted a vid of the new Thor trailer whilst complaining they are bored of Marvel I posted 5/6 trailers of cool looking new genre/action movies which aren't superhero stuff so it's people own faut if they are only watching Marvel.

The Thor movies basically had to change direction hard, the first one was directed by Kenneth Branagh which wanted to be a superhero Shakespearian fantasy but after the second film which is widely considered the worst Marvel film they decided to revamp it. They had hired the wonderfully odd Taika Waititi who directed Jojo Rabbit and What We Do in the Shadows to take over directing which has resulted in the new fun bonkers take which started with Thor: Ragnarok. Marvel backed him hard too and opened their cheque book to get some big tunes like Led Zepplin who allegedly ask for millions to use their songs.

I've got little interest in the new Jurassic Park as it will be meh but my missus loves monsters, dinosaurs type films so I'm pretty certain I will see it on the opening weekend.

Eh, my main problem with most of the MCU is how it's mostly interconnected, which means I'd feel like I have to watch 10 films or more before the latest 1 ....
They're the ones that seem to get most publicity, so that makes it seem like there's little else around, I guess

That means she's a keeper in my book.

It's good that Marvel/Disney know when to shake things up and keep it entertaining for their audience. They have to be doing something right to keep it going like it is, especially when Star Wars and DC aren't replicating the same results.

@BruceCM ditto. I have a short list of Marvel movies that caught my attention for one reason or another, and I dont doubt that there are more. However, due to my lack of interest/knowledge and an overwhelming amount of material (a Google search told me there are 28 Marvel movies right now) it seems difficult to pick only a movie or two and get a complete story and/or character arch. Especially when what I see amounts to "person in a stupid outfit beats up people they dont agree with".

I see you're less of a fan than I am, @Losermagnet .... I've seen some of the films, most recently Shang Chi, which was great, though
But I never read the comics, @Link-Hero & the films are intended to appeal to me as well.

Yesterday I did a double feature of Purple Rose Of Cairo and The Aviator (1985) , I really enjoyed both films. I liked Purple Rose Of Cairo a bit more than The Aviator (1985) and personally I've enjoyed the handful of Woody Allen films I've seen (I like his films not the person). The only other ones being:

Midnight in Paris (my favorite one of his films)

Manhattan Murder Mystery

Radio Days

Purple Rose Of Cairo

Now the The Aviator (1985) felt like a 50s adventure novel (it was based on one so duh). All the flying shots were great and Christopher Reeve did a good job with what was given.

Some other stuff I watched over the weekend: Once upon a Crime, Delirious, Throw Momma from the Train and Rockshow!

@BruceCM yeah I’m not a fan in the least, of the movies or the comics. I think the idea of serialization is a gimmick to get people to buy the next installment, and more often than not hurts the storytelling. In that regard though I feel like he MCU has done an excellent job in emulating the sensation of reading comic books.

Move over Grand Tour, this looks way better than you.

Well, I think it probably happened in the natural course of things originally, @Losermagnet .... & I expect most of the fans are quite happy with the way it's done
I liked Shang Chi, that 1 isn't really too connected yet, although I'm sure the sequel will bring in more of the other characters
But there are actually plenty of other films around as well! I hardly watch many of any kind, anyway

Yesterday I saw Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore and I am quite disappointed.

@Zuljaras I didn’t read what you said as I have not watched it yet, but it sucks to hear your disappointed gonna have to see what I think about it.

Ticked two movies off my list that I wanted to watch for a while; two Studio Ghibli films particularly. This morning I watched My Neighbour Totoro, which has this really cool blend of childish magic and innocence (then again all Ghibli films have those), plus some urban fantasy. Ghibli films have excellent human elements and this film is no exception. Did you know Shigesato Itoi voiced Satsuki's dad?

Then I watched Kiki's Delivery Service, which is even more urban fantasy. But I honestly like this one over Totoro because of how relatable it is. Finding independence and purpose in a foreign land that at first doesn't welcome you. It has such fish-out-of-water elements that... man... it hits. I love Kiki's awkwardness around Tombo too. It was nigh-on heartbreaking at times, like when she couldn't understand Jiji (voiced brilliantly by Phil Hartman posthumously), and he just... disappeared.. As good as Spirited Away by virtue of not faltering in its pacing.

Next I plan to watch When Marnie Was There (heard it was excellent), plus The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (that got 100% on RT).

_{I don't like Spirited Away...} ^{but I do like Secret Life Of Arrietty}

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.

I watched Rat Race, I didn't really like it... Well it had some neat moments but other than that I didn't really like the film, to me it kinda felt short and too cynical at times. But it's quite heavy inspiration from It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World and Cannonball Run are very obvious.

Now, It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World is one of my favorite films ever, when I first watched it I knew pretty much everyone on the cast and even the cameos. To be honest I don't think many people my age would even know half the cast. Putting that aside this film deserves all the Mad*s in the title, it really is this *Mad... so go watch it lol

Given that summer is upon us, I figured it was about time to take my annual road trip with the Griswolds in National Lampoon's Vacation.

At this point it's just one of those comfort food movies for me. I've probably said all of this at some point in the past, but it rides the line between zany adventure & relatable road trip just perfectly, and reminds me of the road trips my family used to take as a kid each summer (although we never held up an amusement park, lol). It's really giving off a really classic Americana vibe at this point as well.