Movies and TV

[Blitty]

The Man in The High Castle - The obviously fascinating alternate-history idea that Germans got the atomic bomb first and won WWII deserves much better acting and writing than that. This is unwatchable. TV-movie quality.

I just finished watching War Dogs on Amazon.

Similar situation to what you speak.

Recognizable actors. Wannabe Hangover.

Atrocious by the 3rd episode.

 

[MonkeyF0cker]

The Edge of Seventeen - A coming of age film about isolation, depression, self-realization and how the good people in your life get taken for granted and neglected. 9 F0cks.

 

[Cami]

Watched the new Underworld the other night, I was very disappointed. Tried to watch dr strange last night, he reminded me of House, I had no idea who anyone was though, or what the hell was going on. Might rewatch it tonight and pay more attention this time.

 

[Mudcat]

Here's how the Best Director nominees Mud-stack-up:


Kenneth Lonergan, Manchester by the Sea...............8.6
Denis Villeneuve, Arrival........................................8.4
Damien Chazelle, La La Land..................................8.2
Barry Jenkins, Moonlight........................................7.5
Mel Gibson, Hacksaw Ridge....................................5.2

 

[Mudcat]

Season 1 of Atlanta was good. The main creative guy behind it - Donald Glover - is a big talent IMO. Guy can write, and he has a great natural delivery for comedy. He also injects some relevant social commentary in an intelligent way.

The supporting pieces are decent enough - but it all revolves around him in my mind, and he is up to the task.

It's slightly uneven and not completely free of eyerolls and bellyflops when bits don't click - I am not as enthusiastic as the consensus which has this show VERY highly rated - but it's good and the ~23 minute episodes fly by and I am on board for a season 2.

7.4 out of 10

 

[Matty]

The Man in The High Castle - The obviously fascinating alternate-history idea that Germans got the atomic bomb first and won WWII deserves much better acting and writing than that. This is unwatchable. TV-movie quality.

Aight so I kept with it and am now in Season 2. The three leads (Frank, Juliana & Joe) are still pretty bad but the premise is keeping it fresh and exciting. Most of the support cast is much better.

6.8 Matty Rains all considered

Makes me want to read the 1962 novel.

 

[Mudcat]

The Red Turtle (2016) - This is nominated for Best Animated Feature. While I appreciate animated stuff that is specifically for adults - and it has some nice bits to it, no way I could give it my vote.

To me, it is nonsense being passed off as magic. It often feels like there is something poetic going on - and it has gotten a lot of good ratings based on the perceived soulfulness of it, but I really think that is a case of the Emperor's new clothes. There is no coherent metaphor that I can see. To call it "throwing spaghetti at the wall" would be a bit harsh but . . . you get the idea. In particular, the basis of the central relationship --> it's off-putting on multiple levels. And that is the shaky foundation of the whole thing.

Nice to look at but muddled.

4.9 out of 10.

 

[reno cool]

They were just showing Million Dollar Baby. I saw it a while back. I mean it was nice until all the terrible stuff. Overall pretty good, just hard to watch. So sad. What was your rating there Mudcat?

Also was female boxing even a thing back then? I don't know why I say back then, just feels like the story is from the 70's or earlier.
I thought female boxing was a recent phenomenon. Certainly wouldn't expect no million dollar title matches

 

[Archie]

it was aight

 

[Mudcat]

I have Million Dollar Baby sitting at an even 8 out of 10.

It was the Best Picture winner of 2004 and I feel like it was set right around that timeframe. Whether that makes sense as far as the lucrative potential of women's boxing as depicted in the film, I don't know. I just kinda went with it.

 

[Archie]

Lucia Rijker or Christy Martin coulda made dat 1 million mark.... except for a torn achilles

She returned to the ring in February 2002, beating Jane Couch (20-4 going in; 25-6 as of December 2004) by decision (eight rounds) on June 21, 2003 for her 16th win. Win number 17 was a ten-round decision over "Sunshine" Fettkether on May 20, 2004.

Rijker and Christy Martin were scheduled to fight on July 30, 2005 at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. Major U.S. promoter Bob Arum (Top Rank Boxing's head) had made their match the main event of a card (with otherwise male boxing matches) called "Million Dollar Lady". Each woman was guaranteed $250,000 (U.S.), with the winner receiving an extra $750,000; however, on July 20, it was announced that she had ruptured an Achilles tendon while training for the fight; recovery time was estimated to be 47 months. The match was ultimately cancelled.[7]

In 2006 Rijker stated that although not retired as a professional boxer, she would only consider one more fight - a bout with Laila Ali.[8]

 

[reno cool]

ha... I wonder what makes me think that film was set in an earlier time?

I didn't watch it from start this time, but noticed the narrator says "this is the kind of man your father was" at the end. So I guess there's an implication he's telling a story from a while back. ..but then again the narrator is old in the film

 

[Mudcat]

Oh that's right. Clint's character has an estranged daughter - and I believe that likewise, Maggie had big issues with her father - so that has a lot to do with the arc of their relationship.

But anyway, I think Morgan Freeman writes to Clint's real daughter after everything happens and sez that.

So the action in the movie is sometime in the past but how far back, I don't know. Been awhile since I saw it.

 

[Mudcat]

Season 2 of Billions kicks off tonight.

 

[Mudcat]

The Founder (2016) - Took a detour from my targeted Oscar mission for this bit of entertaining horribleness. There was a lot to like about the original McDonalds restaurant and the brothers whose vision came to fruition there. But it was also interesting to see how Ray Kroc saw an opportunity and grabbed and maximized it. And then ---> American horribleness. But the movie kept it watchable.

7 out of 10

 

[Cami]

We are in search of a good sifi movie. Something to do with space. Any suggestions?

 

[Matty]

Aight so I kept with it and am now in Season 2. The three leads (Frank, Juliana & Joe) are still pretty bad but the premise is keeping it fresh and exciting. Most of the support cast is much better.

6.8 Matty Rains all considered

Makes me want to read the 1962 novel.

Final score 7.8 Matty Rains out of 10 since two of the three weak lead characters are less visible by the end. The guy who plays Obergruppenfhrer John Smith was very good.

 

[Tron]

The Edge of Seventeen - A coming of age film about isolation, depression, self-realization and how the good people in your life get taken for granted and neglected. 9 F0cks.

Excellent film. Agree on the rating.