El Pollo Guerrera
Grimlock
His name has chicken in it, and he is good at makin' .gifs, so that's cool.
Status: Runner
Posts: 14,705
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Post by El Pollo Guerrera on Dec 2, 2022 0:50:42 GMT -5
49) "Dracula AD 1972", 1972 British Hammer horror starring Christopher Lee as Dracula. *snip* 7 out of 10. #50) "Thunderbirds Are Go", 1966 British science-fiction adventure based on the Thunderbirds TV series, using the same "Supermarionation" puppets. *snip*5 out of 10. #51) "Our Man Flint", 1966 American spy spoof starring James Coburn. An ex-spy comes out of retirement to find and stop an organization from taking control of the world using earthquakes. Ridiculous, insane fun. Flint is a self-taught expert on everything, including inventing super-gadgets, safe-cracking, and cooking. The story is a B-level Bond caper but Coburn is a treat to watch as this super-confident (but not OVER-confident) manly manly man. Of course, all the women are dick-blind, including the villain. Now, it's not slapstick comedy like Austin Powers, it's told in a straight fashion, but it's so over-the-top that it can't be considered anything but comedy. Couple of digs at 007 as well, if you pay attention. A fantastic rip on the genre. 8 out of 10. #52) "Jaguar Lives!", 1979 American kung fu action flick starring world Karate/kickboxing champion Joe Lewis. Agent "Jaguar" comes out of retirement to stop someone organizing the world's biggest drug cartel and find the guy who killed his partner. This was supposed to be the starting point of a new franchise and it's not good. This was Lewis' first movie, and they must have hoping he would have the same level of charisma as Bruce Lee... and he just doesn't. He's OK, but he's not good enough to carry a movie. There is a nice supporting cast of huge international stars, with Christopher Lee, Donald Pleasence, Barbara Bach (The Spy who Loved Me), Capucine (The Pink Panther), Joseph Wiseman (Dr. No), Woody Strode (Spartacus), even actor/director John Huston (who was confined to a wheelchair at the time), but these stars each have no more than 10 minutes of screen time at most, and none of them interact with each other, they are just signposts as Jaguar crisscrosses the world chasing clues. Donald Pleasence seemed to realize that he's in a crappy movie and he looked like he was having fun. Decent fights, good battle at the end against the main villain, the rest is "meh". 6 out of 10.
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Post by The Kevstaaa on Dec 2, 2022 23:36:56 GMT -5
#513 - Darby and the Dead (Hulu)
*1st Viewing
A cute little teen movie with a fun sci-fi twist and the always delightful Auli'i Cravalho. [**½]
#514 - Pearl (Vudu)
*1st Vewing
Oh, Mia Goth ACTED in this one. I think X is a fair bit better but this was really good and I can't wait for the next entry. [***½]
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agent817
Fry's dog Seymour
Doesn't Know Whose Ring It Is
Posts: 21,148
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Post by agent817 on Dec 3, 2022 21:11:43 GMT -5
152. Violent Night - Saw this in theaters. I think I might have found my new Christmas tradition. When it comes to action movies set around Christmas, everyone always talks about Die Hard. Never Die Hard 2, never the first Lethal Weapon, hell, never even The Long Kiss Goodnight (along with other Shane Black films). Some even debate Batman Returns and Ghostbusters II. With all this said, this probably has to be a true Christmas-themed action comedy.
This film does not take itself seriously, and that's part of the fun of the film. It definitely pays homage to Die Hard and Home Alone, as well as Bad Santa. A lot of the actors hammed it up big time, especially John Leguizamo. You could tell he was having fun playing the villain, as well as one of the guys who played a henchman. Also, this movie is so over-the-top that you would likely find yourself laughing at some of the violence, as well as the one-liners.
What's also charming about this film is that deep down there lies a Christmas movie in spirit. While David Harbour is convincing as a badass Santa Claus, some of the banter between him and the child character was wholesome. It's actually kind of sweet, even amidst all of the carnage going on. It also satirizes the consumerism aspect of the holidays, which works in Santa's character arc.
I had a lot of fun with this.
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Post by The Kevstaaa on Dec 4, 2022 0:24:07 GMT -5
#515 - Bros (Peacock)
*1st Viewing
I love a good rom-com and this is a delight. Billy Eichner clearly put a lot of himself into this and it works because of that. [***½]
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pinja
Unicron
Posts: 2,992
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Post by pinja on Dec 4, 2022 1:56:30 GMT -5
"Defenseless" (1991) by Martin Campbell. Wikipedia calls it a legal thriller, but I'm not so sure. It is very uneven. It fails to thrill, the lighting is unpleasant, the script fails to steer into any meaningful direction. "Defenseless" is about affairs, (child) pornography, child abuse, the legal system, a hard boiled cop, a sorta crazed mother, a crazy father on a rampage, false accusations and and and. There is nothing the script doesn't try to offer, yet the movie delivers on nothing. At least J. T. Walsh reliably dies early on. Although first thing I thought was: "Cool. A movie in which J. T. Walsh is allowed to play a big role."
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Post by Wolf Hawkfield no1 NZ poster on Dec 4, 2022 5:26:06 GMT -5
129. Kingdom of the Spiders (1977) 130. Sputnik (2020) 131. Perdita Durango (1997) 132. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) 133. Deadly Friend (1986)
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agent817
Fry's dog Seymour
Doesn't Know Whose Ring It Is
Posts: 21,148
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Post by agent817 on Dec 4, 2022 22:08:55 GMT -5
153. Shattered Glass (2003) - Watched this on YouTube. As someone with a background in journalism, I could say that I have seen this movie a few times before. The first being when I took a newswriting and reporting course a long time, and sometime after I had to re-watch to understand certain plot elements. Being that this was based on a true story, it was amazing to see how some things happened in real life. But I'm getting ahead of myself.
The story itself is about a disgraced journalist named Stephen Glass who had quite a career going for him but it came to a screeching halt once it was revealed that a lot of his work was made up. Yes, it turned out that he lied and faked through his articles.
Glass is portrayed by Hayden Christensen (best known as Anakin Skywalker), who actually put on a good performance in this role. Yes, a lot of people have been critical of the man's acting, especially when "Attack of the Clones" came out the year before this film did, but he was rather convincing as Stephen Glass, who was always trying to gain approval from fellow staff members and editors, as well as acting like a lost kid trying to lie his way out of a jam.
Also, Peter Sarsgaard did a good job playing the editor Charles Lane. Some of his facial expressions and line delivery really shined in his performance. I also recalled listening to the commentary a long time ago with the real Charles Lane talking about what had really happened and that Sarsgaard portrayed the role as more uptight than he actually was. I must listen to the full commentary now.
Also, in the direction of the film, it always cuts to certain scenes in which some feel real, like they actually happened. Then you have cutaways with narration. It's like the film is making the audience see things from Stephen Glass's point of view, and then when certain revelations happen, you start to see the man for who really is.
I feel like this is must-watch for those who have an interest in journalism.
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Post by The Kevstaaa on Dec 4, 2022 23:09:00 GMT -5
#516 - The Good Dinosaur (Disney+)
*2nd Viewing
This is one of the most 6/10 movies you'll ever see. It peaks at being good and never threatens to be any better. [***]
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Post by The Kevstaaa on Dec 5, 2022 23:59:32 GMT -5
#517 - Bullet Train (Netflix)
*2nd Viewing
Gave this a second viewing and it's still just as fun. [****]
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agent817
Fry's dog Seymour
Doesn't Know Whose Ring It Is
Posts: 21,148
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Post by agent817 on Dec 6, 2022 21:56:29 GMT -5
154. Predator (1987) - Watched this on HBO Max. Why have I not watched this movie before, at least in its entirety? This is definitely one of the more noteworthy titles in Arnold Schwarzenegger's filmography and I can see why. Yes, a lot of people mostly quote that famous "choppa" line, but this definitely deserves the love it has.
This film had a vibe similar to a slasher and horror. Not to say that it wasn't an action film, because it was, but most of the film is built on the suspense of the titular character. Yes, it starts off like a movie similar to Commando or any Rambo film, but one of the things that I admired is the bit in the opening credits relates to the main plot, but then you just forget until the mission starts. So the main plot had a buildup, which worked.
Also, because this was directed by John McTiernan, I can see some similarities to his direction in Die Hard, which came out the following year. Hell, while both are action movies, what they also have in common is the survival aspect of it. Both films work as survival films, especially Predator. Also, for mid-1980s standards, a lot of the effects still hold up, especially the use of the heat-vision when seeing through the Predator's point-of-view.
Definitely worthy of the praise it has gotten throughout the years. I can't believe it took me so long to watch it. Definitely Arnold at his peak.
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Post by The Kevstaaa on Dec 6, 2022 23:38:02 GMT -5
#518 - Jackie (Vudu)
*1st Viewing
This was structured differently than I expected and I really liked that aspect. Natalie Portman also gives one of the best performances of her career. [****]
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agent817
Fry's dog Seymour
Doesn't Know Whose Ring It Is
Posts: 21,148
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Post by agent817 on Dec 7, 2022 0:27:52 GMT -5
155. Predator 2 - Watched this on HBO Max. Man, talk about underrated when it comes to this film. I wonder if back in 1990, people didn't give this much of a chance or didn't like it because Arnold Schwarzenegger didn't return. But really, over the past three decades, it has gotten more appreciation.
With this being mostly a standalone title, it works. So what if Arnold didn't return. This film had a different story and different environment to go with it. Danny Glover was actually a good lead in this film, and the urban setting gave it a different feel from its predecessor.
I enjoyed the performances from the cast. Danny Glover worked well with Bill Paxton in the scenes they shared, as the banter between Glover and Gary Busey, who was actually kind of funny in one of his later scenes. Also, with Stephen Hopkins directing this, I was able to see some similarities to Judgment Night (another underrated film) with the lighting and some camera work that I could see is his style. For example, closeups of someone's face with a little slow-motion, as well as a closeup with something going on the background. It's like Hopkins made certain things work with his style. Hell, some of the over-the-top violence was fun as well.
In the end, for what it was, it was still an entertaining film. I've always wondered about the others. I heard that Predators was okay at best. I heard The Predator wasn't that good. I have also heard mixed opinions about Prey. I might have to see what's up. Hell, I wonder about those AVP films.
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Post by Ryushinku on Dec 7, 2022 16:41:50 GMT -5
"Dracula AD 1972", 1972 British Hammer horror starring Christopher Lee as Dracula. Yeah. Man, Dracula AD 1972 does get a bunch of things wrong, mainly around the amusingly clueless attempts to portray 70s youth slang and culture, and keeping Drac in that church. But it's a lot of fun to see Cushing return once more as Van Helsing, an older ancestor bookworm that has a few tricks up his sleeve. Both the intro and final fight are action packed, and the soundtrack is so funkalicious it's quite catchy. Beacham and Munroe are gorgeous, too. It's not the strongest Hammer Dracula, but I do have more fondness for it than most of the sequels. 154. Predator (1987) - Watched this on HBO Max. Why have I not watched this movie before, at least in its entirety? One of those great movies where it's absolutely lean and no fat. Everything serves a purpose, nothing wasted. And the central concept is delicious, getting to have all this 80s action man macho warfare but also making the point that this alien outclasses them anyway. It's beaten not with brawn, but with brain. I also hugely rate Dutch among Arnie's roles. It's the rare role where it feels like an actual character and not simply Arnie, one-man army. Dutch cares for his team and works within it, takes on advice and changes accordingly, makes mistakes and shows fear and panic. He flukes into a way to deceive the Predator and then uses his noggin to find a way to win. Love it.
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Post by The Kevstaaa on Dec 7, 2022 23:31:28 GMT -5
#519 - Kick-Ass 2 (HBO Max)
*1st Viewing
The first Kick-Ass is one of my favorite comic book movies but I somehow haven't seen the sequel until today. I think the lackluster reviews drove me away and I can see why. The tone here is an issue, the jokes don't land, and even the action isn't as good. The lack of Matthew Vaughn is clear. [**]
#520 - Amsterdam (HBO Max)
*1st Viewing
Talk about a waste. This might be the best cast put together all year but the screenplay just lets everyone down. There's next to intrigue in a movie that should have some, it's overly convoluted for no reason, and there's just nothing to keep you engaged. It should be a crime that I'm bored when Robbie, Taylor-Joy, Washington, and Bale are on my screen. [**]
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Post by bibboid on Dec 11, 2022 0:42:11 GMT -5
70. Slumberland
An orphaned girl moves in with her uncle and travels through a land of dreams looking for her father. A good story with great visuals and a touching ending. The two biggest things I took out of this were a) Chris O’Dowd can do a pretty good American accent, and b) if they ever decide to reboot Beetlejuice they need to cast Jason Momoa in the lead because he would be great.
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El Pollo Guerrera
Grimlock
His name has chicken in it, and he is good at makin' .gifs, so that's cool.
Status: Runner
Posts: 14,705
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Post by El Pollo Guerrera on Dec 13, 2022 0:45:30 GMT -5
#50) "Thunderbirds Are Go", 1966 British science-fiction adventure based on the Thunderbirds TV series, using the same "Supermarionation" puppets. *snip*5 out of 10. #51) "Our Man Flint", 1966 American spy spoof starring James Coburn. *snip* 8 out of 10. #52) "Jaguar Lives!", 1979 American kung fu action flick starring world Karate/kickboxing champion Joe Lewis. *snip* 6 out of 10. #53) "Metropolis", the 1984 re-release of the 1927 German silent science-fiction classic. Metropolis is a futuristic city where the idle rich live chase pleasures while workers toil to keep the city running. Freder, the son of the city's top manager learns of the difference between classes and tries to help the workers, meeting Maria who is also trying to help the poor workers. The city manager gets a scientist to build use a robot to control the workers, but the robot Maria causes chaos and leads the workers to rebel, destroying the machines and flooding their own homes and endangering their own children. Robot Maria is burned at the stake, Freder rescues the real Maria, and Freder becomes a mediator between the rich and poor. Great story. Shorter than the other releases because it used subtitles instead of title cards, I liked that. Colour tints to the frames to "add atmosphere" to the scenes, I liked that. The 80's modern soundtrack... hit and miss. The incidental stuff in scenes that match the machinery in the background and stuff like that worked. A couple of the songs are quite good (Bonnie Tyler's "Here She Comes", Pat Benatar's "Here's My Heart", Cycle V's "Blood From A Stone", Loverboy's "Destruction" ain't bad). The other songs just aren't the artists' best moments. Freddie Mercury's "Love Kills" is OK, but just OK. Everyone else sounds flat. Worth seeing, 7 out of 10. #54) "Get Crazy", 1983 American rock'n'roll comedy. New Year's Eve concert at the Saturn Theatre goes ahead while the owner is sidelined with a heart attack. Slimy nephew is trying to help slimy businessman buy out (or destroy) the Saturn. Stage manager and his dedicated crew keep the show running. Great movie, if the wind was right when it came out, it would have been a cult classic. Some damn good music, a lot of great performers, and a non-stop attack of jokes, gags, and just plain funny stuff happening. Sex, drugs and rock'n'roll in it's best forms. Gets just a little goofy at the end. Cast: Daniel Stern (Home Alone), Ed Begley Jr. (St. Elsewhere), Stacy Nelkin (Halloween 3), Paul Bartel & Mary Woronov (Eating Raoul), blues singer Bill Henderson, Howard Kaylan of The Turtles, Lee Ving from the punk band Fear, 60's teen idols Bobby Sherman and Fabian, John Densmore from The Doors... and Malcolm McDowell (A Clockwork Orange) does a great Mick Jagger impression (McDowell insisted that he sang in the movie). Loved it, 8 outta 10.
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Post by YAKMAN is ICHIBAN on Dec 13, 2022 10:48:07 GMT -5
Ordered pizza and watched Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990) with my almost 6 year old son
He LOVED it. By the end of the movie he was ninja kicking around the living room.
First time I ever heard anything even close to a swear word come out of his mouth when he asked me "Why did he say damn?" I guess we're doing something right to get this far on that, haha.
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Post by The Kevstaaa on Dec 14, 2022 0:02:34 GMT -5
#521 - Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio (Netflix)
*1st Viewing
I'm back from vacation and was intrigued by this. I'd heard good things but some del Toro stuff with high praise doesn't always work for me (I'm looking at you Shape of Water). This did and then some. I don't even care for the Pinocchio story and don't really like the Disney versions but this one is so much better. The changes del Toro made allowed it to be more emotional, gave it more depth, and included his signature creature designs. This is also visually stunning and my pick for Best Animated Feature of 2022. [****½]
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Post by BlackoutCreature on Dec 14, 2022 21:50:07 GMT -5
82. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022) 83. H.G. Wells' The Shape of Things to Come (1979) 84. Night at the Museum: Kahmunrah Rises Again (2022)Had the day off from work and I've been watching this on and off to kill time. Not sure what made me pick it beyond boredom, but Disney+ was advertising it so I figured why not. I'm not terribly familiar with the franchise actually. I've only ever seen the Smithsonian film in its entirety, and the only thing I really remember from that is Joey Motorola. But yeah, this was horrible. Story was competent but uninspired, characters were annoying, dialogue was atrocious. Oh, and Sacagawea is apparently a ninja. Was she a ninja in the other movies?
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Post by The Kevstaaa on Dec 14, 2022 23:45:58 GMT -5
#522 - CODA (Apple TV+)
*2nd Viewing
Just as emotional and incredible the second time around. Seeing Ruby sign her song at the end always gets me. [****½]
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