|
Post by bibboid on Nov 14, 2021 0:57:40 GMT -5
134. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
It is intermittent fun scenes sandwiched between long dull stretches. And then the last 45 minutes is just a complete blast. It is possible it would have made more sense if I had seen Iron Man 3. Definitely worth watching. Make sure you catch both end credits scenes.
|
|
|
Post by The Kevstaaa on Nov 15, 2021 0:05:50 GMT -5
#344 - Herclues
*Disney+
I try to incorporate saying "honey, you mean HUNKules" into my life at least once a week. [****]
|
|
|
Post by The Kevstaaa on Nov 15, 2021 13:06:59 GMT -5
#345 - National Treasure
*Disney+
Sure there are really implausible things here but you can't help but have fun. It's a wacky globetrotting caper with a villainous Sean Bean, so of course I liked it. [***½]
|
|
|
Post by The Kevstaaa on Nov 16, 2021 23:09:59 GMT -5
#346 - Brink
*Disney+ [***]
#347 - The Bourne Supremacy
*Blu-Ray
About on par with the first installment. The shaky cam action is a mess at times and some of the story is a bit hard to follow but a really enjoyable film overall. Plus, this has Billy Butcher, so points there. [****]
|
|
agent817
Fry's dog Seymour
Doesn't Know Whose Ring It Is
Posts: 21,309
|
Post by agent817 on Nov 17, 2021 21:21:53 GMT -5
191. El Mariachi - Watched this on Blu Ray. I remember seeing this multiple times as a kid, along with Desperado. Being that I was 9 or 10 when I first saw this, I wondered why this movie looked so cheap compared to Desperado, especially with its cinematography and why the characters looked like regular people and such. I know why, and I am well-aware that this movie was shot on a $7,000 budget, which was rather low even for early-1990s standards. I think it's time to watch this fully with Robert Rodriguez's commentary because I had heard some bits about how some of the clothing belonged to the actors and how some scenes were shot in someone's home. I may get to that someday.
As for the movie itself, I had always enjoyed this for what it was. It may be a cheap movie, but it has its charm. Watching this as a kid, I didn't really give the plot some thought, but over the years when I re-watched it, many plot elements were re-used in Desperado. Given that Desperado was a more mainstream movie compared to this one, I can see that it may be a sequel and stealth remake. But with this film, many of the plot elements worked, like the whole mistaken identity plotline, and there was more intensity. Yes, Desperado had more action, but despite El Mariachi's low budget, a lot of stuff about this film worked. There wasn't as much action, but it was a lot more story-driven and character-driven.
I will get to Desperado and Once Upon a Time in Mexico.
|
|
|
Post by The Kevstaaa on Nov 17, 2021 23:39:56 GMT -5
#348 - Boyhood
*Vudu
This was so unique and for more reasons than just the gimmick of filming over the course of a decade. It's not really about anything and doesn't have any specific character arcs. Instead, you're just experiencing the events throughout the life of someone from their childhood until going off to college. It's fascinating to watch even without major typical conflicts or things like that, which is quite a feat. [****½]
|
|
agent817
Fry's dog Seymour
Doesn't Know Whose Ring It Is
Posts: 21,309
|
Post by agent817 on Nov 18, 2021 2:27:34 GMT -5
192. Desperado - Watched it on Blu Ray. Like El Mariachi before it, I remember having watched it multiple times as a kid (yes, I saw it at the age of 9) and enjoying it every time I saw it, even though the movie was inappropriate for a boy at that age, but hey, the 1990s were a different time, weren't they? It had been years since I last watched this, but to this day, I still enjoy it. Yes, the action is over-the-top and like I had mentioned before in my review of El Mariachi, this movie is a cross between a sequel and a stealth remake of its predecessor. There were plenty of elements in this film that were found in the previous film. Also, certain ridiculous aspects of some shootouts got me rolling as much as they did when I was younger. This was far from the first time I had seen this film.
I had read that there were some other scenes that were cut, like an alleged climactic shootout but the studio didn't want that scene in the movie. My only theory would be that it was right after that other climactic shootout with the notorious scene involving the guitar case guns and the guitar case rocket launcher. I have always enjoyed this movie, though. It's almost like Robert Rodriguez was inspired by John Woo films, particularly The Killer, Hard Boiled, and the Better Tomorrow films (I must watch those films again).
193. Once Upon a Time in Mexico - Watched it on Blu Ray. Out of all three Mariachi movies, this film is the one I had seen the least amount of times. Not that I don't like this film, but rather that I had watched the other two multiple times whereas this one I hadn't watched a lot. I will note that I sometimes compare this movie to Bad Boys II, as both films came out in 2003, followed by near-decade-long gap from its respective predecessor's release in 1995, and to top it off, both films were distributed by Sony, not to mention that their DVD releases had similar types of slipcases, but I think I'm going too far in this case. I must also note that I remember seeing this in theaters.
This movie, in my opinion, had gotten a lot of flack when it came out. I am not sure what people were expecting here. Personally, this movie was all over the place with its plot, but I don't think the drawing power of this film was a compelling story. A lot of people came to this movie to watch ridiculous action, and yes, the action was ridiculous. In regards to the story, I can see that it was done in a fashion to have characters see that the main character is a myth/legend that had stories told about him. Hell, one action scene was played off in a cartoony fashion that it worked for what it was trying to go for. Johnny Depp plays a CIA agent who had assigned El Mariachi to do a job, and really, Depp stole every scene he was in. In fact, he was one of the movie's best parts.
Regarding the action, well, my main complaint was how over-the-top it got with its quick cuts and other edits that made things hard to follow at times. On the other hand, this wasn't as ridiculous as the Machete films, which dialed the ridiculousness up a few notches, although Machete Kills has that one beat. I actually feel like revisiting those two films soon. But overall, this one is still a fun flick.
|
|
agent817
Fry's dog Seymour
Doesn't Know Whose Ring It Is
Posts: 21,309
|
Post by agent817 on Nov 18, 2021 18:09:36 GMT -5
194. Eternals - Saw this in theaters. I know that some people are rather divisive when it comes to this film, at least that's what I have been hearing, whether it's news sources or social media. All I can say is that it's a decent film, but it would have been better if this was a miniseries or a TV show.
I am not knocking the film, but some sequences took me out of the story a bit. However, I feel that when I watch it again, certain things will be explained better, like certain plot and character elements might be picked up on a repeated viewing.
In comparison to other Marvel films, this was different. There wasn't a lot of comedic moments, and when there were, it got a chuckle but not to the degree of films like Guardians of the Galaxy or Ant-Man. Some of the specific effects were fine, as were the action scenes.
I would say that this movie was decent, if good, but not great. Maybe I might get more out of the character arcs if I read the comics. This was like a miniseries crammed into one movie. I feel that this should have been a miniseries, just like how X-Men: Apocalypse should have been, and I was not a fan of that film.
|
|
|
Post by The Kevstaaa on Nov 18, 2021 23:34:15 GMT -5
#349 - The Amazing Spider-Man
*Blu-Ray
Honestly better than I remember. Yes, there is some really goofy/lame stuff in here (the basketball scene, Lizard's plan, the parents subplot) but it gets overshadowed by a lot of good. I love Garfield and Stone together, I liked May and Ben, and I really dig the way Spider-Man was way more quippy in this one. [***½]
|
|
|
Post by BlackoutCreature on Nov 19, 2021 14:39:07 GMT -5
126. Happy Halloween, Scooby-Doo! (2020) 127. The Orange Years: The Nickelodeon Story (2018) 128. Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021)Despite being impressed by the trailers at times, I really wasn't sure if I wanted to see this one in theaters. But, through a complicated set of circumstances, I wound up getting the day off from work so I figured why not? I have more to say about this movie, but it gets into spoilers and I'd rather do it in the movies dedicated thread. For here I'll just say it was a solid but slow movie that came together rather awkwardly in the climax. Also the theater I saw it in was empty. I think there were only six of us in there. Don't know if that means anything for the movies box office.
|
|
|
Post by The Kevstaaa on Nov 19, 2021 21:28:05 GMT -5
#350 - tick, tick...Boom!
*Netflix
One of my favorite films of the year. I loved the way Lin-Manuel Miranda handled directorial duties and this is the best I’ve seen from Andrew Garfield since The Social Network. There are catchy songs, huge emotional moments, fun cameos, and well written characters. [****½]
|
|
|
Post by The Kevstaaa on Nov 20, 2021 23:53:01 GMT -5
#351 - The Princess Switch: Switched Again
*Netflix
Shoutout to Vanessa Hudgens. Homegirl knows these movies aren't going to be anything great but she is giving it her all. Sure this is cheesy but it was fun enough for what it was. [**½]
#352 - King Richard
*HBOMax
Every few years, Will Smith reminds us that he can be a tremendous actor. This is one of those cases. He's remarkable here and while the film doesn't do anything within the genre, it's filled with tons of heart and delivers in spades. [****½]
|
|
|
Post by bibboid on Nov 21, 2021 1:20:28 GMT -5
135. Remember the Titans
An inspiring Disney biopic about a coach who takes over a newly integrated high school’s football program and leads them to the state championship. Denzel Washington does a great job. Wonderful movie.
|
|
|
Post by bibboid on Nov 21, 2021 12:10:54 GMT -5
136. The Crow: Wicked Prayer
This movie is so bad that Seth at Monstercrap needs to watch it. Edward Furlong is the avenging spirit but he spends 90% of the movie just moping around and getting his ass kicked. David Boreanaz is the villain whose violence is so chaotic and nonsensical that you can’t even build up a good dislike of him. Villain’s sidekick is Tara Reid as the most unbelievable witch ever. Dennis Hopper shows up just to get killed. Danny Trejo dances around with no shirt on. The whole thing is so disjointed and pointless. Worst of all, they keep talking about ravens through the whole movie even though it is named The Crow. Why the hell did I sit through that whole thing?
|
|
|
Post by BlackoutCreature on Nov 21, 2021 15:45:06 GMT -5
127. The Orange Years: The Nickelodeon Story (2018) 128. Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021) 129. Jungle Cruise (2021)Finally got around to watching this on Disney+. Despite some rather obvious CGI, an insistence on embracing the cheesiest aspects of franchises like Pirates of the Caribbean and Mummy 1999, and being a bit longer then it should've been, this is a surprisingly better then it has any right to be. Elevated by Rock's charm, good chemistry with Emily Blunt and a surprisingly strong performance by Jack Whitehall as the comic relief brother, the movie is fun and entertaining. I don't know if it should spawn a franchise a la Pirates, but it is definitely worth two hours and change of your time to watch.
|
|
|
Post by The Kevstaaa on Nov 21, 2021 23:24:20 GMT -5
#353 - The Princess Switch 3: Romancing The Star
*Netflix
This one didn't know what it was trying to be. There's are romantic comedy, heist film, emotional drama, and twin switch stories all in here. It has fun moments but it's not as enjoyable as the first two entries. [**]
#354 - Mulan (1998)
*Disney+
This movie legitimately gets better everytime I see it. Plus, "I'll Make A Man Out Of You" is an absolute bop. [****½]
|
|
agent817
Fry's dog Seymour
Doesn't Know Whose Ring It Is
Posts: 21,309
|
Post by agent817 on Nov 21, 2021 23:33:13 GMT -5
195. Ghostbusters: Afterlife - Saw this in theaters. Okay, I'm only going to talk about what I thought of the film. People on the internet are still throwing shade at the 2016 film when it's become old and done to death, especially since we got a new film that ties into the main canon, and I say this as someone who didn't mind (and also liked) the 2016 film. So from here on in, I'm going to give my thoughts on the new film.
I have to say some critics are online are being unfair with the nostalgia factor for this movie. Yes, I was able to figure out some elements, but they worked. Also, given its budget, some of the effects looked great for what they were trying to do. The movie also had a good story along with likable characters, especially McKenna Grace's character. Some of the humor worked as it gave me some good chuckles here and there. There were a lot of great callbacks to the previous films (I mean 1 and 2, by the way). I just can't believe we had to wait three decades for a proper Ghostbusters sequel, even though we had the late-2000s video game, which many GB fans consider as canon. On top of that, most people had to wait more than a year since this film was supposed to come out last year. I would say it was worth the wait.
|
|
|
Post by The Kevstaaa on Nov 22, 2021 23:05:19 GMT -5
#355 - 6 Years
*Netflix
A pretty realistic portrayal of a toxic relationship but these two characters are too irritating for me to have really liked this film. [**]
#356 - National Treasure: Book Of Secrets
*Disney+
There is some goofy stuff in here and outlandish moments but it's a gun adventure with Nicolas Cage. What's not to like? [***]
|
|
agent817
Fry's dog Seymour
Doesn't Know Whose Ring It Is
Posts: 21,309
|
Post by agent817 on Nov 23, 2021 17:08:18 GMT -5
196. Venom (2018) - Watched it on Sony on Demand. I missed the boat on watching this when it came out and didn't get around to it until now, especially with the sequel currently out. I figured this was the time to finally see it.
When it came out, I had heard some mixed reactions towards this movie. Some felt it was bad and needed some links to Spider-Man. Others felt it was a decent take on the Venom character, as well as had some good CGI effects and action. With there being no Spider-Man in this film, I would say that this was a decent film with some good visual effects and action, as well as acting performances, but there were some issues with the writing. At first, some of the comedic bits were annoying at first but it didn't take long to get a chuckle out of them. Some bits reminded me of the Amazing Spider-Man films (the ones from the early-2010s) and a little bit of Iron Man. Not sure if the writers couldn't think of other ideas, but then again, some ideas for bits aren't always the most original. I would say it was entertaining, but I wouldn't call it a great standalone film.
EDITED TO ADD*
197. Venom: Let There Be Carnage - Saw it in theaters. I found this to be more entertaining, albeit a better film than the first one. This movie moved faster than the original (I must note that though this film had a shorter runtime than its predecessor, the first film had rather long closing credits). Venom (the character) made me laugh more this time. Woody Harrelson was actually one of, if not the best part of the film. He had this chilling aura about him, almost felt like he played Mickey Knox (from Natural Born Killers) again. I had fun with this one.
|
|
|
Post by The Kevstaaa on Nov 23, 2021 23:51:03 GMT -5
#357 - The Bourne Ultimatum
*Blu-Ray
Didn't like this as much as I remembered. There's still a lot of intense action and some exciting stuff happening but there's also some odd plot points and way too much shaky cam. [****]
|
|