Movie What's the last movie you saw? (5)

[kickazz]

Maybe that still qualifies as entertainment to you but I went into Infinity War without much context and found it borderline unwatchable

IMO if a film is entertaining it should be able to stand on its own merits

This. The only movie I ever walked out on was a multi superhero one, probably about decade ago? Can't remember the name.

I don't know if it was necessarily bad, but I just found it completely non-engaging. I didn't care about any of the characters, the plot didn't really seem clear to me, there was no tension/conflict, ... I dunno.... it was like being in a conversation with a clique and you've got no idea what they are talking about.

It's almost an entertainment form of itself separate to cinema, and some people love it but it makes no sense to outsiders. The best comparison I can make is horse racing as a sport. I love sport and I love horse racing but I can totally get those people who like other sports being bored shitless by horse racing, because without context, it's just a bunch of animals no different to each other running fast.

 

[kickazz]

The Courier (2020)

Cold War spy film based on a true story surrounding how the West gained initial intelligence of the USSR's nukes in Cuba. It begins with Khrushchev carrying on quite scarily about his attitudes to the West and Soviet power. This leads a Colonel in the Soviet Military Intelligence to get pretty scared, and the first bit of cloak and dagger sees him hand an envelope to a couple of random young Americans in the street. He instructs them to not go home, but to take it straight to the US Embassy. And so the intrigue begins.

It's really well acted and you do feel like you are back in the 1960s. It's not very high on action or even a great deal of suspense (I didn't find myself second guessing who I could trust or feeling a great twist might come along), but there really is a lot of tension when you consider the danger involved in what these folks are doing. I think that is the authentic Cold War espionage experience - slow, somewhat muted but with a constant fear of dread. The fact that the protagonist is not military/government but just an everyman makes it easy to feel like it could happen to anybody.

I wouldn't go treating it as some sort of history lesson, but I did come away thinking that it's amazing that for all the money spent on military, war, etc often the course of history can be changed by a couple of brave people. The movie doesn't purport to be a well documented account of the broader history - just the story of a few key people involved.

Spoiler: Ending

The ending was quite sad really I thought, but could see it coming. I did like that moment when Wynne finally enters his home, and instead of relief and happiness, his first thoughts are of Alex/Oleg. You can just tell that whilst he got out in the end, he'll never be the same, and will always carry that sadness with him.

I'd be interested in knowing what Oleg was really like - the movie makes you totally side with him, but in reality foreign agents are often mercenaries recruited with large sums of cash. It's never clear who is a goodie or baddie in the world of espionage. Just sides and people being manipulated and manipulating.

3.5 Stars

 

[phantom13]

I regret ever bringing this up. I really do.

 

[RobbyRoy]

I regret ever bringing this up. I really do.

For what it's worth, it's been entertaining reading.

Also, as a massive film nerd generally not interested in any franchise, I was hugely invested in the MCU and consider the results of Infinity War and Endgame to be a momentous achievement. Not all of the films along the way are great, or even good, but the investment in creating a canon, tying everything together and constantly delivering interesting films and characters sets it above any other franchise.

 

[phantom13]

At least it wasn’t boring...

*ducks for cover*

 

[jackn]

At least it wasn’t boring...

*ducks for cover*

Who are you to decide that?

 

[JackOutback]

We can all agree that four hours of Justice League was boring though, right?

 

[Kong]

We can all agree that four hours of Justice League was boring though, right?

I tapped out on those films after Batman v Superman.

 

[Ry009]

This thread has better dialogue than The Last Jedi at least.

 

[Ry009]

Lot of these films I don't think even phantom13 has a taste for, so when entertainment is such a subjective medium it seems an odd topic to passionately debate that certain movies are boring. Can understand where he's coming from.

Yes, superhero movies are constructed in a way that doesn't lend them to stand as well on their own, however there's a passionate demographic for these films that give people great enjoyment, so who gives s**t?

I mean this board discusses a fair amount of reality TV (some I don't understand and could be considered trash) but who am I to judge.

We can all agree that four hours of Justice League was boring though, right?

Still fascinates me your staunch defence of TLJ, considering your taste in movies.

But regardless, you and others enjoyed it, and that's only a good thing.

 

[The Dice Man]

I dont think I've ever seen a MCU film. Went to Wikipedia and saw the list of films and thought I may have seen one in The Hulk, but no, I saw the Eric Bana version, not the Edward Norton one.

If I was 12 years old, I'm sure I would have watched at least one.

 

[phantom13]

I dont think I've ever seen a MCU film. Went to Wikipedia and saw the list of films and thought I may have seen one in The Hulk, but no, I saw the Eric Bana version, not the Edward Norton one.

If I was 12 years old, I'm sure I would have watched at least one.

You’re so cultured and cool man.

In a thread about the last movie you’ve seen (which has been horrendously derailed mostly by me at this point) you’re posting not just about movies you haven’t seen but also critiquing them and people who do enjoy them...

 

[Cuzz09]

Ive seen random MCU movies i think.

is there a list and an order to watch them.

I think Ive seen Spiderton

On SM-G925I using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[spinynorman]

You’re so cultured and cool man.

In a thread about the last movie you’ve seen (which has been horrendously derailed mostly by me at this point) you’re posting not just about movies you haven’t seen but also critiquing them and people who do enjoy them...

I mean, if they’re not for kids, why aren’t there any sex scenes in any of them?

 

[iluvparis]

I dont think I've ever seen a MCU film. Went to Wikipedia and saw the list of films and thought I may have seen one in The Hulk, but no, I saw the Eric Bana version, not the Edward Norton one.

If I was 12 years old, I'm sure I would have watched at least one.

The only one I've seen is when Captain America is being a complete facist campaigner and Iron man tries to keep him in check/under control - and they make Iron man out as the bad guy!?!? WTF - that was enough for me.

 

[Frank Bunn]

In a thread about the last movie you’ve seen (which has been horrendously derailed mostly by me at this point)

It's a valid topic but only 'derailed' because of the ongoing 'What's the last movie you saw' (1 ,2, 3, 4, 5) thread format. After the recent Woody Allen conversations it's another example where interesting discussions like this will get lost in the swamp.

Comments about individual movies also get split into many unconnected views rather than a back and forth discussion.

How about, as maybe a trial at first, this thread is closed. If you've watched a movie worth commenting on then start a thread about it (even if it's bad). Discussions on a particular director or studio or genre each have their own thread.

 

[kickazz]

It's a valid topic but only 'derailed' because of the ongoing 'What's the last movie you saw' (1 ,2, 3, 4, 5) thread format. After the recent Woody Allen conversations it's another example where interesting discussions like this will get lost in the swamp.

Comments about individual movies also get split into many unconnected views rather than a back and forth discussion.

How about, as maybe a trial at first, this thread is closed. If you've watched a movie worth commenting on then start a thread about it (even if it's bad). Discussions on a particular director or studio or genre each have their own thread.

Hmm I often thought a multi threaded approach would be good for this thread, but that is messy.

Not a bad idea - even a sub-forum called "Your last movie" or something like that might be good. It's more logical to red about one movie at a time. Not sure if too many threads would be created though?

Overall I love this thread, it has given me so many good ideas for movies to watch that I would have otherwise not known about.

 

[BEaston]

I think most people accept that this thread can create conversations that go slightly off topic. I don't think we need an individual thread for each of these.

You can easily search this thread if you're looking for previous discussion on a movie that you want to add to.

Usually threads created for individual movies (unless it's something that's mega hyped) die off in a handful of posts. Just see it clogging the front page really.

 

[iluvparis]

Individual thread idea would die within 2 weeks.

e.g.

Iron Man Takes A Dump 2 - good movie - much better than his shitful performance in Iron Man Takes A Dump 1 - 8/10

No replies

thread locked.

 

[rank and file]

Watched a couple of Aussie movies yesterday.
A Shrimp on the Barbie (1990)
Starring Cheech Marin,hands down the worst movie I've seen.Utter s**t.
0 stars
A Lion Returns (2021)
Radicalized Muslim lobs home from 18 months in Syria doing bad things.He wants to see his sick mum,this causes dramas with the brother,uncle,
wife and dad,which is fair enough seeing he is on terrorist watchlist.Dialogue driven movie,but is still very good.
4 stars

 

[Frank Bunn]

You can easily search this thread if you're looking for previous discussion on a movie that you want to add to.

I'm talking about where there's not a coherent discussion but a bunch of unrelated posts on the same movie.

And the comments might not be in this thread but one of the 1,2,3,4, 5 threads because it got so unwieldy it had to be split up.

 

[Chief]

It's a valid topic but only 'derailed' because of the ongoing 'What's the last movie you saw' (1 ,2, 3, 4, 5) thread format. After the recent Woody Allen conversations it's another example where interesting discussions like this will get lost in the swamp.

Comments about individual movies also get split into many unconnected views rather than a back and forth discussion.

How about, as maybe a trial at first, this thread is closed. If you've watched a movie worth commenting on then start a thread about it (even if it's bad). Discussions on a particular director or studio or genre each have their own thread.

Mobile usage means more people are engaged in a single thread rather than multiple threads on related aspects of a topic.

Here is an idea: if a movie in here gets a big enough response, open a new thread for that movie and link to it from this thread. Ask a mod to move posts over to that new thread.

Think of it as this thread being a launch-pad for other movie threads.

 

[offtherails9]

The big movies should have their own threads. This was a general chat on a bunch of movies anyway.

 

[phantom13]

The big movies do. I think the system works just in this particular instance it’s gotten a long way off track. There’s an mcu thread, if someone cares enough we could start an Fast thread.

 

[Mobbs]

Watched a couple of Aussie movies yesterday.
A Shrimp on the Barbie (1990)
Starring Cheech Marin,hands down the worst movie I've seen.Utter sh*t.
0 stars
A Lion Returns (2021)
Radicalized Muslim lobs home from 18 months in Syria doing bad things.He wants to see his sick mum,this causes dramas with the brother,uncle,
wife and dad,which is fair enough seeing he is on terrorist watchlist.Dialogue driven movie,but is still very good.
4 stars

"A Shrimp On The Barbie" is known to me as "Boyfriend From Hell" and is deliciously bad. My favourite moment is when the girl comes down to a meal with her family after a night with Cheech, her parents say something like "I'm surprised you're up this early" and Cheech "I'm surprised she can walk!"
It's a very bad movie, but definitely not the worst movie I've ever seen. I wouldn't call it "utter s**t" but I would call it "pretty much utter s**t".
0/10 is a bit harsh. ( i tend to stick a rating out of 10 onto a spreadsheet I keep but for some reason I hadn't lodged a rating for this, haven't seen it for many years but I'd take a stab at about a 2/10 ).
I don't give zeros (for a 0 the movie would need to be a blank screen for 90 minutes) but I do give 1's - for Australian movies my 1/10 ratings are:
Back From The Dead
The Demons In My Head
Voodoo Lagoon
Pearls Before Swine
Kath And Kimderella ( the only mainstream one with a budget )