|
|
Post by randomtask on Feb 3, 2022 11:11:36 GMT
Even assuming he was disguised by more than just a mask, doesn't Kermit have quite a distinctive voice? I hope he at least did 'Rainbow Connection' which, to be fair, is quite a good song. You know, the fact that it would be quite obvious it was puppet in a mask hadn't actually occurred to me  I was intrigued so i looked it up, it seems he was in a large snail that was wheeled out and rather than be "unmasked" the top popped open and he was poked through that. Cirque du Soleil: Worlds Apart - A man and woman get sucked into the world of Cirque Du Soleil and travel through the various circus tents trying to find each other. Really, this isn't a movie. There is a very basic plotline but essentially it is a highlight reel of all the top acts and stunts of Cirque Du Soleil. The man and woman watch the various acts from O, Ka, Love, Zumanity etc... from the Vegas stage shows in between looking for each other. To be honest though, i didn't care. I love Cirque du Soleil and, having been to Vegas numerous times, have seen most of the stage shows live and they are incredible - some truly jaw dropping stunts, acts and set pieces all set to a great soundtrack - and seeing them on screen instead is no less impressive. Basically if you want to watch a regular movie, with plot, dialogue etc..., don't watch this. But if you like the amazing stunts of Cirque Du Soleil it is brilliant. 9/10. |
|
|
|
Post by Art Vandelay on Feb 11, 2022 8:14:47 GMT
Cirque du Soleil: Worlds Apart - A man and woman get sucked into the world of Cirque Du Soleil and travel through the various circus tents trying to find each other.... Well, that sounds a bit shit. Oh Hunt for the Wilderpeople - A manhunt is launched when a man disappears off into the bush with his foster kid in New Zealand comedy drama. T'was alright. Bonus half simply for having for Rhys Darby in it and also that woman from Sons and Daughters, which I assume we all agree was by far the best Australian soap. 7/10 In related news, I was quite shocked when Hannah started tweeting her alarm about Neighbours being cancelled. I thought we'd stopped showing it at least a decade ago  The Deeper You Dig Well this was a real family film.... In the sense it stars a husband, wife, and daughter who also wrote, directed, filmed, and edited it. Don't put it on for the family though as it's a grim murder based horror drama type thing. It looks good and I'm impressed enough to watch another of their offerings but I can't say I actually enjoyed it. I'll go 4.5/10 |
|
|
|
Post by Art Vandelay on Feb 15, 2022 7:37:25 GMT
Last Exit to Booklyn - I remember regularly trying to record this off Bravo years ago but always something would go wrong. eg the end would be missed off, it'd be replaced without explanation, it would have a sign language person, the tape would get chewed up, yeah the tape, that's how long ago this was. And I never managed to see it.
Well, now I have, and it was not worth the wait. Various unpleasant or oddball characters drift about in a grim 50s Booklyn neighbourhood in bleak stagey drama. It's from '89 but feels a lot older, it's got an odd old fashioned feel about it, a bit like a play. A really grim play full of people you don't like. 3/10
Never Rarely Sometimes Always - A teenage girl has to travel to New York to get an abortion in a drama that's a lot better than I just made it sound. It's slow, it's quite uneventful, and it's kind of great. I'm going 9/10
|
|
|
|
Post by Art Vandelay on Mar 10, 2022 8:15:17 GMT
What the hell is this thing on Sky Sports News in the early mornings? Like a boring Zoom meeting where they talk about football? Nobody is getting anything out of this are they? It's three boring people, captioned as 'sports broadcaster' but I'm assuming the 'broadcast' is their own mundane thoughts watched by almost nobody on youtube, answering boring questions on topics they appear to have no specific knowledge of. You know tedious Radio Four panel show 'Just A Minute' where some past it comedian has to talk for a minute with repetition, deviation, or hesitation? It's like that only if they talked much longer repeating and deviating as much as they wanted. Awful. In happier news I've been watching some old TMWRNJs, which I assume everyone is familiar with. Amazing that went out on a Sunday lunchtime |
|
|
|
Post by Art Vandelay on Mar 17, 2022 8:53:21 GMT
Ghostbusters - Remake of the 80s' classic with a female twist. Hmmmm. I went in with quite low expectations but I thought it was alright. There were a few chuckles in the general interaction betweeen the characters but the action/ghost parts got a bit tedious and it's too long. I'm going to pretend I haven't seen the original and go 6/10.
The House of the Devil - A student takes a babysitting job which turns out to be more sinister than it first appears, and it feel pretty creepy to start with, in 80s set thriller horror type thing. This a kind of homage to 80s horror films and it does such a good job with the look and feel of the era that if Greta Gerwig hadn't shown up I'd assumed it was made in the 80s. It's not got a lot else going for it but for that I'll give a bonus point. 6/10.
Frances Ha - I might not even have noticed if I hadn't just seen Gerwig in this. A young woman moves out of her apartment and meets some different people and travels about a bit in black and white drama that's better than I just made it sound. But not that much better. It's got a certain naturalistic style about it but it doesn't help that most of the people in it are quite irritating. Let's have a full set then, 6/10
|
|
|
|
Post by randomtask on Mar 17, 2022 9:49:16 GMT
I loved Hunt for The Wilderpeople. If you like Rhys Darby and Taika Waititi, there is a new show they are both in called "Our Flag Means Death" about a gentleman pirate. The first couple of episodes were a bit slow but i've really started enjoying it. A couple of my mates are huge (original) Ghostbusters fans and refused to watch this. I watched it and thought it was occasionally Ok, but mostly awful, but convinced them it was brilliant and they were missing out and all the bad reviews were just internet man-babies who hadn't even seen it just so they'd eventually cave and watch it. They hated it Spiderman: No Way Home - Spiderman is unmasked and suspected of murder and so tries to cast a spell so everyone will forget who he is but it predictably goes wrong. The first half the film actively annoyed me. It makes sense in our universe that people have split opinions on vigilantes but this is set in the Marvel universe where vigilantes have been saving the world for years now and no-one gave a crap. Suddenly for plot purposes people care, but only about Spiderman, not all the others around? Doesn't make sense. Still, once that crowbar plot move is set up, the rest is pretty good. 7/10 Jolt - Kate Beckinsale has some sort of condition where she can't control her rage and has to continually zap herself with electricity to stop herself from going nuts and killing anyone that mildly irritates her. It also somehow made her an unstoppable badass, i'm not quite sure how. Anyway, then her new bloke is murdered... It was OK i guess, although i think setting it up for a franchise at the end was a bit optimistic! 5/10 (an extra point for the frankly hilarious scene (with awful effects) where she starts chucking new born babies at the police detective chasing her in order to get away ) |
|
|
|
Post by Art Vandelay on Mar 19, 2022 1:48:23 GMT
I loved Hunt for The Wilderpeople. If you like Rhys Darby and Taika Waititi, there is a new show they are both in called "Our Flag Means Death" about a gentleman pirate. The first couple of episodes were a bit slow but i've really started enjoying it. Thanks, will check it out. I did like Wilderpeople but I preferred Shadows and Rabbit. It just seemed a bit more conventional whereas they felt more unique with a touch of unpredictable weirdness about them. Nicely done  At least there were the cameo appearances from the original's cast to look out for, although I missed the Harold Ramis tribute one. I did watch it in two halves, if I'd done it all in one go I think the last half hour would have really dragged. Entirely unrelated to making people watch something they won't like I'd like to thoroughly recommend ' The Eyes of My Mother' - a real barrel of laughs and fun for all the family. 4.5/10 10/10 On the subject of remakes I've been watching The Office (US version). I was expecting it to be terrible, but it's actually alright. Apart from the first episode it's a totally different script and plots to the original. If they'd called it something different and had characters that weren't such obvious equivalents they could have just pretended it was unrelated to the UK sitcom and saved on all the money they had to pay to Gervais and Merchant.... |
|
|
|
Post by randomtask on Mar 28, 2022 8:48:33 GMT
I've never really liked Ricky Gervais. Don't know why, he's just always come down on the side of irritating to me. I think i must be missing something. I remember going to the cinema to watch Night of the Museum and there was a scene he was in (i forget what, it was ages ago) and this bloke sitting next to me was absolutely wetting himself with laughter at him. As far as i could tell Gervais was just talking on screen but this guy looked like he as about to choke and die from the apparent hilarity of it. Anyway, i have therefore never watched either Office shows <shrug>
Peppermint - Jennifer Garner see's her husband and daughter shot dead by a gang and then let off for it by corrupt officials. She goes nuts, runs off, trains for 5 years and comes back and starts killing everyone involved. Nothing particularly original here, but Ok for what it was. 5/10
The Protege - Maggie Q see's her assassin mentor and father figure, Sam L J, killed and sets off to find out why and get revenge. Not sure why i'm suddenly watching so many of these shoot 'em up, unstoppable women, revenge flix but hey-ho. Another by the numbers and another Ok for what it was. Extra points for Michael Keaton who is always worth a watch 6/10
The Kings Man - Prequel to the 2 Kingsman films, shows how the spy organisation in the first 2 films came to be. It was quite clever, blending real life people and events into the story but it was just missing something. I kept waiting for something to happen but it just sort of plodded along, plus the big bad reveal was not the big surprise they clearly intended it to be. Still it wasn't too bad 7/10
|
|
|
|
Post by randomtask on Apr 8, 2022 8:28:56 GMT
I know we've left the topic of puppets on talk shows behind, but just to revisit it a moment with something related. I also get annoyed when persona's are interviewed like they are real people as well, for example, Keith Lemon. I saw an advert on Dave channel for Mel Giedroyc: Unforgivable which i admittedly haven't seen but i understand the show is about celebrities telling some of worst things they have done - and Keith Lemon was on it. A made up persona so none of his stories are real. I don't get it? He's often on talk shows as well, as Keith Lemon. Anyway, it irritates me  Dune (2021) - Epic sci-fi political blockbuster. A leading family is given the most important planet in the galaxy to control, it is the only planet that contains "spice" which is used for interstellar travel, much to the annoyance of a brutal rival family that used to control it. There is also a "chosen one" story interwoven. I've never seen any of the previous Dune movies, books or TV so was going in blind on this one. I really really loved it though. A great story, interesting characters. All well told and well developed. Only annoying thing that it didn't say going in is that this is actually only Part 1, so while it does have "an" ending, it is still in the middle of the story. Apparently Part 2 has been greenlit and will be out in a few years, I'm really looking forward to it! 9/10 Blade Runner - I'd never seen this either so thought i'd give it a go. I would say that it's not really aged well for a first time viewer in the current age of movies, but i can see why it was such a huge thing back in the 80's and 90's, and why people who saw it in the past might still love the nostalgia of it. Anyway, a hunter of androids, aka Blade Runners, is brought out of retirement and tasked with catching 4 rogue Androids that have returned to Earth seeking to extend their lifespan. 6/10 Monster Hunter - Some Army Rangers, looking for where one of their squads disappeared to, is transported to another planet full of massive Monsters and have to fight there way through them to a portal back to Earth. This was pretty bad, i think it's based on a video game. It's so forgettable that, while i knew i'd watched a third film just a few days ago, i couldn't for the life of me remember what it was and had to look at my history I suppose some of the action is alright, and i do love Tony Jaa so a few extra points for him. 4/10 |
|
|
|
Post by Art Vandelay on Apr 10, 2022 7:10:22 GMT
I'm not a particular fan of Gervais generally, I can see how people would find him annoying, but I do really rate The Office. Extras was decent too. And I liked his old xfm shows, although that was mainly down to Karl Pilkington. I think if it was Alan Partridge appearing on a chat show to plug a new book by Alan Partridge I think that'd be fine as he has such a clear history and well established persona it's like a they exist in the real world outside of just whatever they're doing at that time, so that chat show appearance becomes part of the Partridge universe. Whereas if Father Ted or Derek Trotter just popped up that'd be stupid. I'm not entirely sure what Keith Lemon is supposed to be but I suppose it's somewhere between the two. Although I guess if you had no idea who Alan Partidge was you might just be thinking that was stupid too. Hmmm. I'm undecided. I won't be watching the new Dune film for the same reason I can't summon the enthusiasm to watch any of the new Star Wars films. I have seen the David Lynch one and it was bad. Really really bad. Blade Runner on the other hand is great so you're wrong about that  Eyes of My Mother - A girl lives on a remote farmhouse with her mum and dad, something bad happens, she goes a bit wrong in slightly arty black and white horror/drama type thing. It's a bleak watch. 4.5/10 Midnight Special - A kid has special powers. He goes on the run with his father, the government and the cult he with lived go after them in sci-fi drama type thing. It's fine but I couldn't get into it, all seemed a bit pointless. 5.5/10 Censor - A woman works as a film censor during the 'video nasty' era, also her sister disappeared when they were kids. These two things may come together in mystery/horror/drama type thing. 6/10 |
|
|
|
Post by randomtask on Apr 28, 2022 8:49:17 GMT
I won't be watching the new Dune film for the same reason I can't summon the enthusiasm to watch any of the new Star Wars films. I have seen the David Lynch one and it was bad. Really really bad. David Lynch did a really bad Star Wars film!!  I must watch it! I love Star Wars, i can forgive them almost anything (except that Holiday Special) and carry on watching. Admittedly Rise Of Skywalker took quite a lot of forgiving but i can honestly say i can rewatch any of the new stuff and still enjoy them. I guess you haven't been watching any of the TV series either, they've generally been really really good, a cut above the new movies. Really looking forward to Kenobi coming out next month! The Bubble - Comedy about a bunch of actors that agree to go into a bubble during the pandemic to complete a film - "Cliff Beasts 6" - and end up having various "comedic" breakdowns etc... while being forced to remain in The Bubble. It's got a proper ensemble cast with some big names in it (not playing themselves though!) but it was mostly awful. There were a few proper laugh out loud moments though, mostly involving Guz Khan. I think if i'd got trashed before putting it on i might have really enjoyed it 5/10 The Batman - I find it hard to work out what the DC film plan actually is. They appear to have a DC universe with characters like Superman, Batman, Aquaman, Wonder Woman etc... in it where all their films are in the same "universe"... but then they also make films with those same characters in them that are nothing to do with that universe as well, like The Joker and this film. Weird strategy. Anyway, i really liked this. Robert Pattinson from the Twilight films (and recently Tenet) takes over as Batman and is up against The Riddler as the main villain. It's long (about 3 hours!) and the characters all talk in these low muttering voices which can sometimes make the dialogue hard to hear (and there is a lot of that to explain what's happening). But still, good stuff. 8/10 |
|
|
|
Post by Art Vandelay on May 18, 2022 7:18:07 GMT
Those comic book films are a big gap in my film knowledge. They've all just totally passed me by. I don't know what's DC and what's Marvel, I don't know where Avengers fits in, I don't who's in any of them, or really anything about any of them. Although I will watch probably Joker at some point. No, I've not seen anything Star Wars since Revenge of the Sith, which I've since managed blank from my mind and am now able to once again regard Star Wars as an 80s trilogy. As it should be. While I'm complaining about this, I saw the original Star Wars around Christmas, it's one of those films that if I flick on I always watch for a bit, and Lucas had gone back and added a load of cartoon dinasaurs and stuff. I knew he'd added a load of CGI but that was the first time I actually saw how bad it was. I don't understand how he can possibly think that improves things. Fortunately I still have an old video of the original 25th hour - A man spends his last night of freedom before starting a seven year prison sentence in Spike Lee drama. Hmm. I can see some people really liking this, but I don't think I did. Although maybe I did. It's kind of interesting in a way. I'll go 7/10. Nancy - A woman sees a news story about an old couple whose daughter went missing 30 years ago and decided that it might be her in low key drama. It's kind of slow, it's kind of bleak, but it's not bad. I'll go 7/10 |
|
I was intrigued so i looked it up, it seems he was in a large snail that was wheeled out and rather than be "unmasked" the top popped open and he was poked through that.
At least there were the cameo appearances from the original's cast to look out for, although I missed the Harold Ramis tribute one. I did watch it in two halves, if I'd done it all in one go I think the last half hour would have really dragged.
I must watch it!