Movie Thread

[clean]

I havent been to a theater more than 2 times since COVID.  This week, I may make up for some of that!   IT is Spring Break, and Id like to see:
Avatar.  I missed it, but it is still at one of the multi plexes nearby.

There is a new Adam Driver movie with dinosaurs that looks like fun!

After that I will have to see if I am willing to see another one.  Maybe Shazam later in the week or the Antman and Wasp movie.

Anyone else have any desires to see any (relatively) new releases?

What are you looking forward to seeing on the Big Screen?



(And for the record, the last movie I saw was Top Gun.... it was in the last days at the multiplex before going where movies go when they are out of theaters). 
I dont remember what I saw before that, but maybe it was GhostBusters Afterlife. 

Maybe someday I will be able/willing to go more often... but prices have gone up!

[Hegemony]

We watched The Banshees of Inisherin at last. It's really an allegory of the Irish revolution. Two former best friends who come to be at odds and then destroy themselves in the conflict. As one of the characters said, "It was easier when we all just hated the English." It was certainly epic, on a small scale, and definitely depressing, but beautifully filmed.

We also watched some of the Oscar nominees for best short animation. My Year of Dicks (about a 15-year-old girl's quest to lose her virginity) was full of realistic teenage bad decisions — funny but painful. An Ostrich Told Me the World is Fake and I Think I Believe It was not as deep/quirky as I wanted. Both are available free online.

[ab_grp]

We watched Strictly Ballroom last night (first time for my husband, second for me, but it's been a while).  I only had a vague recollection that I really liked that movie, and I was right.  Fortunately, my husband agreed.  We both enjoyed it wholeheartedly.  For those who haven't seen it, it's about a young man who has been ballroom dancing since he was 6 and comes from a ballroom dancing family but who wants to dance his own way, not "strictly ballroom." This sets the ballroom dance world on its head and havoc ensues.  It kind of reminds me in some ways of Dirty Dancing and Kung Fu Hustle.  It's very funny at times, whimsical, and exciting.  I was recently talking with a friend who is heavily involved in a film club and had rewatched Baz Luhrmann's "Red Curtain Trilogy," which includes this movie (along with Romeo + Juliet, Moulin Rouge!.  I had no idea that it was even his movie, but I can see it now.  I just googled the trilogy, and it appears that he calls it that because of the filmmaking style, not because the stories go together in any way (which is good, because I was really scratching my head at that one...).  Anyway, it's a very enjoyable movie, and I'm glad I rewatched it.

[ab_grp]

I thought that Strictly Ballroom would be the zaniest movie we'd watch for a while (though lovably so), but then I met Mamma Mia! last night.  It is probably well known that it is an Abba-fueled, crazy tale about a young lady who invites three men to her wedding who each may be her father.  Her mother had apparently had a fun summer about her own age + 9 months ago, and of course many hijinks ensue.  Although I'm not a huge Abba fan (I know and like a few songs, but they all sound similar to me), it sounded like the type of story that would be right up my alley.  It had a lot of potential, and I know it did very well internationally, but it was just a bit too much.  And, again, after Strictly Ballroom, that is quite a statement.  It was too much that didn't come together well and didn't end up feeling fun.  My husband is a much more avid Abba fan and has similar movie tastes to mine but also thought it missed the mark.  It wasn't terrible, but no one was particularly likeable, though the three dads were probably the best of it (Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Stellan Skarsgard).  I usually think Meryl Streep is great, and she was really adorable at the start of the movie, but even she became a bit much.  The sequel came with this one, but we probably won't be jumping to watch that anytime soon.  We will probably still watch it at some point.

[nebo113]

Watched Syndoche, New York.  Reminded me of the many times we went to the local (and only) art theater in Columbia, SC, in the late '60s and early '70s to gush over the pretentiously awful Fellini, Bergman, Antonioni "films", none of which we could even begin to grasp (nobody could), but we were wanna be pointy headed intelecshuls so had to gush about ....whatever.

[cathwen]

Watched Syndoche, New York.  Reminded me of the many times we went to the local (and only) art theater in Columbia, SC, in the late '60s and early '70s to gush over the pretentiously awful Fellini, Bergman, Antonioni "films", none of which we could even begin to grasp (nobody could), but we were wanna be pointy headed intelecshuls so had to gush about ....whatever.

This reminds me of an experience my husband had when he was in boot camp in South Carolina.  A Bergman film, The Passion of Anna, was playing in town, and he convinced a group of fellow trainees to go see it.  It was...not what they expected.  And they never let him forget it!

[clean]

Saw 68 today. 

I wont recommend it, though. 

Tomorrow I am considering either Shazam or Cocaine Bear!  (leaning toward the latter). 

Will check in tomorrow with the verdict! 

[nebo113]

Watched Syndoche, New York.  Reminded me of the many times we went to the local (and only) art theater in Columbia, SC, in the late '60s and early '70s to gush over the pretentiously awful Fellini, Bergman, Antonioni "films", none of which we could even begin to grasp (nobody could), but we were wanna be pointy headed intelecshuls so had to gush about ....whatever.

This reminds me of an experience my husband had when he was in boot camp in South Carolina.  A Bergman film, The Passion of Anna, was playing in town, and he convinced a group of fellow trainees to go see it.  It was...not what they expected.  And they never let him forget it!

Oh lordy!

[ab_grp]

Tomorrow I am considering either Shazam or Cocaine Bear!  (leaning toward the latter). 

Will check in tomorrow with the verdict!

Cocaine Bear seems as though it would be an entertaining short film, but I am skeptical that it has enough for a full movie.  Please let us know if you go see it! My friend enjoyed it.

[clean]

Cocaine Bear was better than 68! 
It was entertaining!

[Sun_Worshiper]

The Whale (2022, Amazon)

Brendon Fraser plays a deeply damaged, morbidly obese man who is on the verge of death. As his health worsens, he tries to rebuild his relationship with his estranged daughter and to come to peace with the death of his partner. Fraser won an Oscar for his performance and it is quite good, as are the other performances. The movie itself is very watchable and I did care about the characters, but there is no subtlety at all and it is quite graphic, bordering on disgusting (the movie has been critiqued for the way it portrays obesity). Overall, I liked this, but I see why it has divided critics and audiences.

Grade: B+

[nebo113]

I was reading an interview with Brooke Shields, which led me to re watching Pretty Baby.  Given the subject matter, it's actually pretty tame.

[ciao_yall]

I was reading an interview with Brooke Shields, which led me to re watching Pretty Baby.  Given the subject matter, it's actually pretty tame.

The inconsistent accents in the movie drove me bats.

[onthefringe]

Watched Syndoche, New York.  Reminded me of the many times we went to the local (and only) art theater in Columbia, SC, in the late '60s and early '70s to gush over the pretentiously awful Fellini, Bergman, Antonioni "films", none of which we could even begin to grasp (nobody could), but we were wanna be pointy headed intelecshuls so had to gush about ....whatever.

This reminds me of an experience my husband had when he was in boot camp in South Carolina.  A Bergman film, The Passion of Anna, was playing in town, and he convinced a group of fellow trainees to go see it.  It was...not what they expected.  And they never let him forget it!

Oh lordy!

This reminds me of when a group of (male) highschool friends went to see Blue Velvet apparently convinced it would be some kind of soft-core porn based on the movie poster. Boy were they surprised.

[nebo113]

I was reading an interview with Brooke Shields, which led me to re watching Pretty Baby.  Given the subject matter, it's actually pretty tame.

The inconsistent accents in the movie drove me bats.

Worst suthn accents of all time were Steel Magnolias.  Grating!