What are you watching right now?

[techwizard]

Taking a break from bad movies (a la, MST3K) for a good one, that being The Hound of the Baskervilles (the Basil Rathbone version).  Excellent movie, and I feel inclined to watch several more of the Rathbone flicks.  Not all fourteen, but certainly two or three.

i bought a collection of them a few years back when i was on a Holmes kick, i really enjoyed them! they're definitely the epitome of sherlock holmes.

[Sirgin]

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid - (1969) - B+
--> Great chemistry between Newman and Redford. I also enjoyed the many vistas that were beautifully shot. The plot slowns down quite a bit towards the end though.

What We Did on Our Holiday - (2014) - B+
--> An interesting story, with a nice ending. Very enjoyable.

Strictly Ballroom - (1992) - B
--> Luhrmann went for an over-the-top style, with most of the characters being caricatures, especially the mother and the head of the jury. Enjoyable, although a bit predictable.

The Way - (2010) - B-
--> Good movie about a father tracing the footsteps of his son (and going beyond) on a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. Unfortunately, due to the BBC not sticking to its programming schedule, my recording cut off before the end of the film. I think I missed the last 10 minutes or so.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes - (2011) - B
--> For some reason I'm not that interesting in the Planet of the Apes series, but this movie wasn't bad. Andy Serkis stands out as Caesar.

Philomena - (2013) - A-
--> Touching movie about an Irish woman on a quest for her long-lost son. Great performance by Judi Dench.

The Green Butchers - (2003) - B
--> Odd movie about two people opening up a new butcher shop.

Henry V - (1989) - B-
--> I read on wikipedia that this movie is considered one of the best Shakespeare adaptations ever made. The two speeches by Branagh were obviously well-acted, but in general the movie feels a bit forced and distant. Maybe I'm not familiar enough with Shakespeare's work, but the dialogue (which appears taken straight from the play) feels very dated and stiff.

The Lord of the Rings (film series) - (2001 - 2003) - A+
--> One of my favorite film series ever. I try to watch them every couple of years. It was a welcome revisit, as I hadn't seen them in about 3 years.

Blow Out - 1981) - A-
--> Clearly a film-lovers film. The plot is captivating and well-acted, but what stood out to me were all the recording/editing scenes by Travolta's character. It is clear that Brian De Palma spent a lot of time capturing these moments.

[Sirgin]

Muriel's Wedding - (1994) - B
--> A comedy about an awkward girl who dreams of marriage. Entertaining movie.

Far from the Madding Crowd - (2015) - B+
--> Another adaptation of Thomas Hardy's book. Carey Mulligan seems to play the same type of character in every movie I've seen her in.

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial - (1982) - C-
--> Somehow I never saw this movie until now. I realize it was groundbreaking back in the day, but I find it aged terribly. Even though it's less than 2 hours long, it felt at least 30 minutes too long. The opening scenes are incredibly tedious. I would have to check, but it feels as if there are 15 minutes worth of steam/mist & flashlights in the forest scenes. The kids also scream in every scene. Is this normal behaviour?

Presumed Innocent - (1990) - A-
--> Excellent courtroom drama. Riveting performance by Harrison Ford. I did not see the ending coming.

50/50 - (2011) - B-
--> Feelgood comedic drama that does its job without surprising.

Scent of a Woman - (1992) - A
--> Truly an outstanding performance by Al Pacino and fully deserving of the Best Actor oscar he won.

The Martian - (2015) - A-
--> Excellent space movie. Although the realism of some scenes, especially towards the end, could be doubted, this nevertheless is the most realistic space movie I have seen so far. I would say Interstellar and Gravity are, in that order, more thrilling than this movie, but The Martian manages to carve out its own niche in the genre.

The Lunchbox - (2013) - B+
--> Charming Indian movie about the curious habit in Mumbai to deliver home-cooked meals to office workers.

Little Voice - (1998) - B
--> The pacing of the plot could have been executed better, but otherwise an good movie, with Jane Horrocks stealing the show.

Mud - (2012) - A-
--> A terrific movie about a man running from the law.

The Rookie - (2002) - B
--> Predictable from start to finish, however Dennis Quaid's honest performance makes it work.

Black Butterflies - (2011) - B+
--> A young South-African poet has a troubled life.

Spectre - (2015) - B+
--> Perhaps my second favorite Bond movie in the Craig era. I enjoyed the spectacular fight scenes and the seemingly immortal assassin. The movie lacks truly tense scenes, however, which is why I find Casino Royale Craig's best film. Quantum of Solace felt trivial and unrealistic (as did many of the Brosnan films), whereas I found Skyfall's final fight sequence very un-Bond.

The Whistleblower - (2010) - B
--> a police officer gets transfered to work for the UN in Bosnia and discovers not all who work there are as morally sound as she is.

[FatherJack]

Peaky Blinders

[RobotWillie]

Mad Max - (1979) - D
--> Probably my most controversial rating of this post, but I couldn't connect with the movie at all. The villains are so cartoony and stupid, including their outfits, that it makes the entire movie a joke. Some of the car scenes are also quite unrealistic; all of this breaking my immersion all the time. A lot if it just looks like...bad acting to me. It's so bad, I was wondering whether that was the point of the director: to make a movie that's so bad it becomes good again. But I don't think that's the case, which just means it ends up being weird. I know it's a cult classic nowdays, probably because it was one of the first big Australian movies to be made, with a lot of (now) classic cars, etc... But for me, who never saw the movie until now and hasn't developed any nostalgia for it, it's just simly a bad movie.

I also didn't like it at all, yet I went to see Fury Road and loved it. Twice. And I couldn't finish the original film. Not saying you feel or would feel the same way.
Kind of interesting on my part, one reason I may not like Mad Max is I don't care for Gibson much either. He is literally one of if not the only actor besides maybe ones a lot of people think suck anyway (like the people from Twilight) that I can't seem to enjoy his acting. I respect Braveheart though. And I don't know why I feel this way about him, it has nothing to do with any off the screen stuff he has done with his religion or anything like that. When I think of Lethal Weapon I think more of Danny Glover even.

So really, I feel the same way you do. Its been a while since I tried it, but I don't think I'd feel any different.

It's just one of those things you/I can't really explain why we don't like something or someone and thats how it is with the original Mad Max series and Gibson for me.

[SirPsycho]

Die Hard

[Sirgin]

Haven't posted in this thread for months. The majority of the following movies I saw back in 2017.

Delicatessen - (1991) - B+
--> Very strange movie. It has a post-apocalyptic, dystopian feel.

The Hateful Eight - (2015) - A
--> Loved it. Only Tarantino makes these narrative-driven, tense movies. Samuel L. Jackson steals the movie with his performance.

Bright Days Ahead - (2013) - B
--> Interesting French romantic drama. Worth the watch.

Moonstruck - (1987) - B+
--> Cher and Nicolas Cage in a interesting romantic comedy. Their relationship is not conventional - but things end with a happy ending.

Tomorrowland - (2015) - C+
--> Fantastic visuals and start of a story. Ruined at the end with Hollywood's condescending left-wing morale towards the end. Why do they feel the need to suddenly make the movie political? Still worth the watch though.

Possession - (2002) - B
--> Quite predictable in parts, but overall decent romcom.

Lone Survivor - (2013) - A-
--> Really tense and realistic (well, looks realistic to me, but I'm not an expert) movie about a Seal team dropped into hostile territory in Afghanistan.

Avengers: Age of Ultron - (2015) - B-
--> Another Avengers movie. My issue with the majority of these Marvel movies is that they're quite interchangeable. I saw this movie about 2 months ago, and I can't remember the plot anymore... I think I remember they tried to force too many characters into the movie.

X-Men - (2000) - B
--> Better than Age of Ultron because there are less characters and the story is more focused.

Jimmy's Hall - (2014) - B+
--> Good period drama, but it plays things safe, story-wise, which keeps it from being more memorable.

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang - (2005) - A-
--> Robert Downey Jr. before Iron Man. Fun story and good chemistry between Downey Jr. and Val Kilmer make this a very enjoyable movie.

[Sirgin]

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes - (2014) - B+
--> More of the same, but well-acted and an interesting story.

X2 - (2003) - B
--> So this movie is (nearly) 15 years old? Wow.

John Carter - (2012) - B
--> It's a shame this movie didn't do well and the trilogy was cancelled. This is just as good (or bad) as most other superhero-esque movies out there. My only critique would be that the villain is very one-dimensional.

Fill the Void - (2012) - A-
--> A poignant view into the world of an ultra-Orthodox family in Israel, going through some difficult times.

Black Swan - (2010) - A+
--> Incredible performance by Nathalie Portman, which deservedly won Best Actress Oscar.

The Lobster - (2015) - A-
--> This one won't be for everyone, it's an acquired taste, i.e. a "film fan" film. I don't want to spoil the plot, but it's a completely absurd comedy.

X-Men: The Last Stand - (2006) - B
--> More X-Men!

The Painted Veil - (2006) - B+
--> A historical romantic movie in the classic style. Very enjoyable, but not breaking any new ground either.

Ran - (1985) - A
--> A masterpiece by Akira Kurosawa. I wonder how it would hold up with a modern audience though. Some scenes are very drawn out and feel dated.

Cinderella - (2015) - B+
--> Quite a safe and predictable rendition of the old tale, with stunning visuals. Cate Blanchett steals every scene she's in.

Doctor Strange - (2016) - B+
--> Clearly a cut above the typical Marvel movie. A fine performance by Benedict Cumberbatch coupled with interesting locations and a good plot make this one stand out above the rest.

[bombatomba]

Mad Max - (1979) - D
--> Probably my most controversial rating of this post, but I couldn't connect with the movie at all. The villains are so cartoony and stupid, including their outfits, that it makes the entire movie a joke. Some of the car scenes are also quite unrealistic; all of this breaking my immersion all the time. A lot if it just looks like...bad acting to me. It's so bad, I was wondering whether that was the point of the director: to make a movie that's so bad it becomes good again. But I don't think that's the case, which just means it ends up being weird. I know it's a cult classic nowdays, probably because it was one of the first big Australian movies to be made, with a lot of (now) classic cars, etc... But for me, who never saw the movie until now and hasn't developed any nostalgia for it, it's just simly a bad movie.

I also didn't like it at all, yet I went to see Fury Road and loved it. Twice. And I couldn't finish the original film. Not saying you feel or would feel the same way.
Kind of interesting on my part, one reason I may not like Mad Max is I don't care for Gibson much either. He is literally one of if not the only actor besides maybe ones a lot of people think suck anyway (like the people from Twilight) that I can't seem to enjoy his acting. I respect Braveheart though. And I don't know why I feel this way about him, it has nothing to do with any off the screen stuff he has done with his religion or anything like that. When I think of Lethal Weapon I think more of Danny Glover even.

So really, I feel the same way you do. Its been a while since I tried it, but I don't think I'd feel any different.

It's just one of those things you/I can't really explain why we don't like something or someone and thats how it is with the original Mad Max series and Gibson for me.

Maybe you just had to see them in order, lol.  I grew up watching the original (American English dub, not the original) and I love the movie.  It's probably king of the "car" movies from the 70's (where the cars are meant to be active characters), and features some great performances from a lot of (still) working actors.  It is a little hard to understand at times, likely due to the sheer amount of native Australian slang present, even in the American English dub, that has no context or any explanation, although there is a DVD version that has all this explained.  These days the movie is sometimes ignored, but that is likely due to the unpopularity of Mel Gibson, I think.  I still regard the scene when Max see's the new Pursuit Special akin to Luke receiving his lightsaber from Obi Wan Kenobi in Star Wars.

Oh well.  I think I understand why you guys don't like the first Mad Max (even though I really don't).  I get why Seven Samurai is so highly though of, but not Citizen Kane.  Also, I don't understand why a derivative waste bin like Altered Carbon is so popular.  C'est la vie, I guess.

Oh, I am trying to get through Chang Cheh's Water Margin, but I keep falling asleep.  I might have to move on, especially since I heard Man in the High Castle is supposed to be pretty good.

[MetalFRO]

I've been working my way back through The IT Crowd on Netflix, as well as The Guild.  Looking forward to seeing Black Panther in the theater later this week.

[bombatomba]

I've been working my way back through The IT Crowd on Netflix, as well as The Guild.  Looking forward to seeing Black Panther in the theater later this week.

Life is so busy, it'll be weeks at this rate before I see Black Panther.

I am currently watching Sukiyaki Western Django.  The plot is a little like Yojimbo, but fictionalizes and Japanese Genpei War (Heike vs Genji), but sets it in the Old West of America (Nevada to be precise) if it were populated with English speaking Japanese people.  Strange, I know, but that is the movie.  I think the crowning achievement of the film is the script:  It is entirely in English (mostly done in the style of your generic American Western), but the entire cast (save Quentin Tarantino) is native-speaking Japanese, most if not all not skilled in speaking English (or at least as a person in a Western movie would).  What this translates to is (clearly) people memorizing what their English coaches are teaching them, but in a very Japanese way.  You WILL need subtitles the first time.  It is definitely a charming and a bit of a novelty, but it is not for everyone.  The acting is very over the top (Gary Oldman-style) and you will likely need subtitles to help.  Suffice to say I can't stay away from this movie for too long, and I like to watch it once a year.  Too bad it isn't streaming anymore.

[Sirgin]

The Thomas Crown Affair - (1999) - B+
--> Entertaining heist movie starring Pierce Brosnan.

Angels & Demons - (2009) - B-
--> More of the same (The Da Vinci Code). The best parts are when Langdon is "analyzing" a scene for clues, using all his knowledge of arcane and obscure historical or religious facts.

The Illusionist - (2006) - B
--> Entertaining movie, similar in genre to "The Prestige". I wish the ending/mystery was more elaborate than it is, but there you go.

Home Alone - (1990) & Home Alone 2: Lost in New York - (1992) - A-
--> Ultimate christmas feelgood movies. I tend to watch these every year.

The Lego Movie - (2014) - B+
--> Not quite reaching the heights of the usual Pixar movies (with the exception of Cars 2), but more than entertaining. Seeing LEGO come to live is the best part. The theme song is annoying.

Sherlock Holmes - (2009) - B
--> Wait, this movie is 9 years old ?!?

The Miniaturist - (2017) - A+
--> Technically not a movie, but a two-part television series. Superb performances by the entire cast, very mysterious atmosphere throughout, and setting / costumes to die for.

The Imitation Game - (2014) - B+
--> Historical drama based on Alan Turing's life, especially around the creation of his Enigma-breaking machine.

Moana - (2016) - A
--> Great animated movie. So well in fact, one would think Pixar made it. From the creators of Frozen.

The Cider House Rules - (1999) - B+
--> A movie that feels older than it is. Classic pacing & storytelling. Starring Tobey Maguire and Charlize Theron.

Lore - (2012) - B
--> Gripping realistic drama about children of a Nazi father during the aftermath of WWII. The children are sometimes annoying, which takes away a bit of the movie.

[Sirgin]

Bridge of Spies - (2015) - B+
--> Classic-style historical thriller starring Tom Hanks directed by Steven Spielberg.

Whiplash - (2014) - A+
--> Spellbinding movie about a jazz drums student and his ferocious teacher. Incredible performances by both - one of the best movies I've seen in at least a year.

Pop Aye - (2017) - B+
--> Charming Thai movie about a man experiencing a midlife crisis, which sparks a roadtrip with his childhood elephant.

Midnight Express - (1978) - A-
--> A striking portrayal of brutality in a Turkish prison in the 1970ies, based on a true story of a US man who spent 3 years imprisoned in Turkey for smuggling drugs.

The Revenant - (2015) - A
--> The kind of movie where you constantly ask the question "can things get any worse?" and then they do. Terrific performance by DiCaprio. He should've gotten his Oscar years before already, though, for The Aviator, Gangs of New York or maybe even The Departed.

The Bourne Ultimatum - (2007) - B
--> More of the same, however still a great performance by Matt Damon.

Jurassic World - (2015) - C-
--> Couldn't really connect with the movie. I felt like it relied too much on special effects and film tropes to tell the story.

Ida - (2013) - B+
--> Black and white Polish roadmovie about a young woman who meets up with her aunt to explore her family's past.

Eddie the Eagle - (2016) - B-
--> Silly biographical movie about a man from the UK who went to the Olympics for ski jumping.

The Railway Man - (2012) - A
--> Well made historical drama depicting a British officer's capture during WWII and subsequent time in a Japanese POW camp, building a railway.

Finding Dory - (2016) - A-
--> Not quite reaching the height of Pixar's best work, Finding Dory is surprisingly good. The story really pulls together towards the latter half of the movie, with a powerful ending that I didn't expect at first.

Blades of Glory - (2007) - C+
--> If Eddie the Eagle is riding the "too silly to be believable" line, this move goes well and truly over it. Absolutely rediculous, but then again that's clearly the intent.

[Sirgin]

I need to catch back up with the movies I've already seen. Here goes...

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them - (2016) - B+
--> I like how this movie doesn't try to simply copy the entire Harry Potter style/feel, even though it draws many elements from it. It has its own quirky charm, which is a good thing. The worst thing they could have done would have been to recreate a "schoolkids in an elite school for magic" vibe, with the only difference being the country.

Love Is All You Need - (2012) - B
--> A small arthouse film. Danish production starring Pierce Brosnan. The setup of the movie is somewhat unbelievable, but a lot of romcoms in the "unexpected encounter" subgenre are.

A Most Violent Year - (2014) - A
--> Powerful and convincing performances by Oscar Isaac and Jessica Chastain. Terrific movie. A must watch.

Guardians of the Galaxy - (2014) - B
--> In one way it's more of the same Marvel drab, in another it takes itself less serious than the Captain America/Iron Man movies, which I appreciate. The story is fairly lousy but that's clearly not the focus of the movie.

Young Frankenstein - (1974) - B+
--> The type of movie that probably wouldn't get made anymore today. Very slapstick with silly jokes and gags. Gene Wilder and Party Feldman are funny in every scene that they're in.

Gone in 60 Seconds - (2000) - C-
--> Feels dated. Not sure whether that's because I saw it back in the day, or not.

From Paris with Love - (2010) - D
--> This has a decidedly B-film feel to it. It's a cookie cutter action movie with a daft plot.

Closer - (2004) B-
--> Some strong performances, but a couple scenes are so over-the-top that it broke my immersion somewhat.

Under the Skin - (2013) - A-
--> Remarkable film starring Scarlett Johansson as a man-trapping machine(?). The visuals are stunning, the atmosphere is haunting. There is barely any dialogue.

Hercules - (2014) - C+
--> Just ok, but nothing much to write about. Dwayne Johnson plays himself, mostly.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens - (2015) - B+
--> So I was probably the person on earth not to have seen The Force Awakens yet. What did I think of it? Uhm, it was okay I guess? The visuals and effects are stunning. Some of the flight sequences are amazing. But the story is only so-so. Maybe I'm just dreaming, but it feels like they made a remake of the original Star Wars movie. I wasn't exactly blown away, or surprised by something crazy.

[Zagnorch]

I dunno how I missed this when it premiered mid-February, but better late than never. Kinda funny, but much more WTF than anything else, give it up for... The ValentinesFormers!

Heh... Feeljack.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to write a Starscream/Wheeljack slash-ship-fic...