Film Reviews - what have you seen lately, what did you think?

TLB

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Stranger Things Season 2 <Netflix>

Came in with decent expectations, but still unsure of how they could get another season after the first one was so spectacular and fairly wrapped up. Others have talked the plot in here, so I'll skip that. However, my impression of the season...it was pretty good. I'll admit there was a moment when it felt like they were about to jump the shark, which was disappointing. However, as a plot for Season 2, it mostly worked. I get the addition of new characters, some seemed necessary (the new punk taking over the role of lead 4ssh0le from Steve, because Steve became too likeable), and some seemed like they were just planting seeds for seasons 3 & 4 (I assume this is the role the last two posters were discussing). I still cherished all the 80's authenticity and the soundtrack selections. At one point, they drive across a state border into Indiana and I had to google who was the governor then to check them for a goof...nope, they were dead on again.

I didn't like the much heavier reliance on CGI, as it changed the flavor from a honest look back at 1984 into a Sci-Fi mini-series. I can accept the expanding plot and idea of 'bigger, badder, evil' (which appears to also be a seed for subsequent seasons). I can accept additional characters as they can change the personalities and relationships of the characters we've known and loved so they don't get stale and predictable. I'm just afraid they are setting seasons 3 & 4 to be closer to Guardians of the Galaxy 2 with splash bang CGI and trite characters following a lead through a soap opera journey. At least Season 2 kept some of the dialogue breakdowns between characters that smacked of what it was like back then, and how friends would really call one another out on things. Still, tremendous respect for the soundtrack and feel of the 80's. 7/10


PS - anyone catch the Beyond Stranger Things 2 series of interviews that followed? My Netflix rolled into those directly after the show, so I'm on Ep 5 of these interviews. They appear to be all shot the same day (everyone is in the same clothes, same set), but it gives a lot of insight into why some of Season 2 played out the way it did. Some people don't like to pull the curtain back, but I liked understanding the new characters, the evolution of some of the favorites, and how things went as they did.
 

TLB

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At least one new major character wasn't even needed, could have done the whole season without them and there would be no real change to the plot.

Think I know exactly which character your talking about.

Are you guys talking about Joyce's boyfriend, or the new girl? I think the boyfriend filled a needed role that could have extended or ended the way he did - but the post show interviews got into the need for him. As for Max, they also explained how she changed the chemistry of the core team, and I'm assuming she is key to future seasons.
 

TheDouglas78

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Wife wasn't feeling well, so the daughter and I turned on Netflix:

Moana (2016) - The story is similar to a lot of newer Disney princess stories. She has a fascination with the Sea, but her dad tells her no. Grandmother gets her going down her path, and meets up with Maui (The Rock) and they go on an adventure. Has some funny moments, the music is Disney. The daughter loved it, and I was entertained enough. It's Disney so you know the quality of the production. 8/10.

JimBob Matrix: No cartoon boobs were see or harmed.
 

TheDouglas78

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Are you guys talking about Joyce's boyfriend, or the new girl? I think the boyfriend filled a needed role that could have extended or ended the way he did - but the post show interviews got into the need for him. As for Max, they also explained how she changed the chemistry of the core team, and I'm assuming she is key to future seasons.

You had it right in your breakdown, not in these two guesses. Both of these characters made a bit of sense. Of course I had to explain Basic to my wife, and why a Radio Shack employee would know it.
 

TLB

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Of course I had to explain Basic to my wife, and why a Radio Shack employee would know it.

Ha....love it. I remember teaching myself BASIC back then. My wife wouldn't have a clue what it is or means.
 

gingerlover

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Are you guys talking about Joyce's boyfriend, or the new girl? I think the boyfriend filled a needed role that could have extended or ended the way he did - but the post show interviews got into the need for him. As for Max, they also explained how she changed the chemistry of the core team, and I'm assuming she is key to future seasons.

I was actually talking about the punk. Was actually expecting something good out of him in the end. They dropped hints all season that he’s not that bad so maybe he gets clued in next year.

The sister episode was out of place as well.

Bob (Sean Austin) was very enjoyable. He was my favorite new character. Check out the theory that he’s from IT. Pretty neat but doubt true.

Paul Reiser was a refreshing take as the anti Matthew Modine as well.

Max was fine. I think another girl added was needed considering it’s that time for the boys based on age. She’s not that bad. I expect season 3 to have her have some bonding with eleven.

They need the one Mom on there more. I also though the interaction with Steve and the kids, especially Dustin, were some of the best parts.
 

TLB

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So, voting day closes the local Elementary schools as voting places. Me being between jobs....I have a house full of neighborhood kids for today. Rumor has it I may have them again on Friday. Yay.


Emoji Movie (2017)

For my sanity, I set them up with this film figuring it would appeal to all ages 5 to 9. I watched the first half while making multiple batches of Mac'N'Cheese (Kraft, of course). Everyone has said this is a god awful film. And while it is bad...it isn't as horrible as most made it out to be. I found it to be less of Wreck It Ralph, and more of an updated telling of Wizard of Oz where our lead character is out of sorts and trying to find their true self while finding a wizard/hacker that can solve their problem for them, only to realize who they were inside was who they were meant to be. And that inner self can save their world, their everything! Ok, so it isn't deep. But there are the expected humorous parts throughout that older watchers can get, but none of them are laugh-out-loud, more like a small smirk. And, truth be told, it didn't truly hold the kids attention the whole time and they picked up tablets to play video games until it ended and I kicked them out to play again. No boobs, but only slightly better than everyone says. 3.5/10



The Dark Tower (2017)

For my sanity, once the kids were kicked out, I watched a film for ME. I've always been a King fan, but I also know a lot of folks weren't real happy with this film with a lot of reviews in the 1-2 range. I also use IMDB a lot, for easter eggs and to better know what to expect on films, sometimes offering my own reviews. A LOT of the reviews there hated it, mostly because it's 90 minutes and attempting to address an epic story that spans 7 novels. So, my expectations were set low.

On the positive, Idris Elba made a great Roland the Gunslinger, and Matthew McC played an awesome villain (seems he's been practicing in those car commercials). Other than those two, not a single memorable character - not even the boy Jake Chambers, who is the central character of this film. Other than their names, the movie title, and a bunch of nods to other King stories, there isn't much of anything that is 'King' about this production. I can't really criticize much as being bad, because there really wasn't anything else to it...just, nothingness. I did get the feeling at the end that it was set up for a sequel - contrary to IMDB reviews crying about cramming all 7 novels into a freelanced rewrite of 90 min of film. And yes, it was set up for a sequel, I later learned...but the sequel was not a given (depends on the success of this film).

Ultimately, if you are a King fan, you'll be disappointed. If you aren't a King fan with those set of expectations, you'll still coming out wondering why you spent the money. Maybe if the sequel(s) get made and can be strung together into something more comprehensible, with an over arching story, it'll be worth it. But for now, on it's own merits, this film is not worth it. No boobs, 4/10.
 

TheDouglas78

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So, voting day closes the local Elementary schools as voting places. Me being between jobs....I have a house full of neighborhood kids for today. Rumor has it I may have them again on Friday. Yay.


Emoji Movie (2017)

For my sanity, I set them up with this film figuring it would appeal to all ages 5 to 9. I watched the first half while making multiple batches of Mac'N'Cheese (Kraft, of course). Everyone has said this is a god awful film. And while it is bad...it isn't as horrible as most made it out to be. I found it to be less of Wreck It Ralph, and more of an updated telling of Wizard of Oz where our lead character is out of sorts and trying to find their true self while finding a wizard/hacker that can solve their problem for them, only to realize who they were inside was who they were meant to be. And that inner self can save their world, their everything! Ok, so it isn't deep. But there are the expected humorous parts throughout that older watchers can get, but none of them are laugh-out-loud, more like a small smirk. And, truth be told, it didn't truly hold the kids attention the whole time and they picked up tablets to play video games until it ended and I kicked them out to play again. No boobs, but only slightly better than everyone says. 3.5/10



The Dark Tower (2017)

For my sanity, once the kids were kicked out, I watched a film for ME. I've always been a King fan, but I also know a lot of folks weren't real happy with this film with a lot of reviews in the 1-2 range. I also use IMDB a lot, for easter eggs and to better know what to expect on films, sometimes offering my own reviews. A LOT of the reviews there hated it, mostly because it's 90 minutes and attempting to address an epic story that spans 7 novels. So, my expectations were set low.

On the positive, Idris Elba made a great Roland the Gunslinger, and Matthew McC played an awesome villain (seems he's been practicing in those car commercials). Other than those two, not a single memorable character - not even the boy Jake Chambers, who is the central character of this film. Other than their names, the movie title, and a bunch of nods to other King stories, there isn't much of anything that is 'King' about this production. I can't really criticize much as being bad, because there really wasn't anything else to it...just, nothingness. I did get the feeling at the end that it was set up for a sequel - contrary to IMDB reviews crying about cramming all 7 novels into a freelanced rewrite of 90 min of film. And yes, it was set up for a sequel, I later learned...but the sequel was not a given (depends on the success of this film).

Ultimately, if you are a King fan, you'll be disappointed. If you aren't a King fan with those set of expectations, you'll still coming out wondering why you spent the money. Maybe if the sequel(s) get made and can be strung together into something more comprehensible, with an over arching story, it'll be worth it. But for now, on it's own merits, this film is not worth it. No boobs, 4/10.

Dark Tower is going to be continued from that point as a television series, picking up after the movie.
 

GatorTruth133

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I was actually talking about the punk. Was actually expecting something good out of him in the end. They dropped hints all season that he’s not that bad so maybe he gets clued in next year.

The sister episode was out of place as well.

Bob (Sean Austin) was very enjoyable. He was my favorite new character. Check out the theory that he’s from IT. Pretty neat but doubt true.

Paul Reiser was a refreshing take as the anti Matthew Modine as well.

Max was fine. I think another girl added was needed considering it’s that time for the boys based on age. She’s not that bad. I expect season 3 to have her have some bonding with eleven.

They need the one Mom on there more. I also though the interaction with Steve and the kids, especially Dustin, were some of the best parts.

Yes, Episode 7 was a GIANT waste...unless there is actual payoff down the road. I enjoyed Sean Astin...funny enough it got me to watch Goonies. I also agree about Max's brother. I expected the abusive background to be brought up to help bring about some redeeming moment. Well, besides Max really standing up to her brother.
 

gingerlover

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The Mummy (2017) - Don't even know where to start with this one. Lets just say while as a stand alone Cruise flick it was ok, as part of this large universe they were hoping to launch it was lacking. I actually think the Brendan Frasier one was better. Cruise is basically his same self from the last decade or so. He has dropped trying to be to serious and plays his action roles with bits of comedy. For example look at the difference between his character in the first few Mission Impossibles compared to the last couple of them. I actually prefer that and he does it well.

Essentially he's part of some military team that breaks rank to look for artifacts. Comes across a lady treasure hunter and they find the mummys tomb unleashing the ancient evil. From there its the same chase to get to another artifact and save the world starts. He has a connection to the Mummy and she plays some mind tricks on him. Russel crowe shows up as Dr. Jeckyl who leads some paranormal fighting team and offers some help, but is really just there to help launch the series. The ending makes a little sense in the grand scheme of things, but most of this movie has been scene before with different characters. This is a movie that only has replay ability if the series they are hoping to launch isn't DOA.

I never remember seeing any of the original monster movies so I can't judge how different those old ones are compared to these. Basically remove the monster and insert another weapon and its a typical Cruise movie. 6/10. No boobs.

I actually think this would have been a descent cast to launch a Uncharted movie series though with a few shifts in characters.
 

TheDouglas78

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Baby Driver (2017) : Starts off with a bang with an excellent chase scene and then drops into a love story. The driving/action sequences are top notch. The love story was boring, and predictable. The cast was good to excellent depending on the role. Even my wife felt the love story was unneeded and made the movie really boring. This movie had a great premise and the action sets were well done. But the shoehorned love story really just $hit all over it. I would recommend watching the 6 minute YouTube video of the opening sequence than watching the two hour movie. 6/10.

JimBob Matrix: No boobs were seen or harmed in this movie.
 

TLB

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Binge weekend, sure as hell not watching Florida Football.

Thor: Ragnarok (2017) <Theater>

Nice cameo's up front, heavy sprinkling of comedic scenes and lines throughout, and your solid Marvel story played out in big, vivid color. Marvel fans should like it overall, others can probably take it for the fight scenes and humor as a stand alone, rather than one in a series of Thor and Marvel superhero films (there are references to the other films, but you don't have to have seen them). Plot has Thor returning from a fruitless search for Infinity Stones (set up for the next Avengers film), ends up as a gladiator on Jeff Goldblum's planet and has to fight the champ to get his freedom to go home. And....the champ turns out to be Hulk. They talk a fellow fighter from Asgard to help them into going home to save it from Thor's older sister who has returned to claim the throne from her banishment (because she wanted to destroy all kinds of worlds to gain power and was generally uncontrollable). The disappointing points for me were: Hulk gets a lot more talkative (still same SMASH but more dialogue, but it is needed to play off Thor), Goldblum plays an interesting guy (has his typical speech patterns, but overall fairly week for leading a civilization), and to be perfectly honest the comedic lines came across to me a bit overplayed (they are definitely comfortable in their skin and are walking the line between too much humor detracting from the story vs enough to keep it from being to serious, just felt a bit overdone for me). The high points, well, to start with I'm an admitted Marvel fanboy though I didn't know the Ragnarok story, so it was a new one for me. I loved the interplay between Thor and Hulk (I recall the interesting relationship from my kid era and the comic books), but liked the time of Thor and Banner just as much. There is a whole lot of destruction on Asgard (Thor's home world he is trying to defend from his sister, Goddess of Death), so the fighting scenes are appreciated. All in all, very well enjoyable as a stand alone or in the series. No boobs (shame really, two female leads both wear breastplate armor that reflects small mounds and hides all flesh). 8/10.




Logan (2017)

The Wolverine film with Prof X as a senile old man and their crossing paths with X-23 (a new generation of mutant, a kid about 10 yrs old but same type blades as Wolverine, so....his daughter). Storyline jumps way ahead from whatever the last X-Men movie was to where most have been killed and few are left (Prof X and Logan is all we know of) and none have been born in many years. It seems there are some bad guys who were rounding them up and killing them off, but the baddies decided to use the genes to start making their own mutants, hence we get X-23 looking for her kid friends who also escaped with her from the bad guys. Logan is old, caretaking a Prof X who is on heavy meds so his seizures don't kill everyone around him. Logan expects Prof X to kick the bucket relatively soon, and he'd like to shoot himself in the head at that point, but is heavily medicating with alcohol in the meantime. When little Ms. X-23 shows up, Logan wants nothing to do with her but events end up putting her in their hands and the two of them try to get her to her friends. Meanwhile, the baddies have a lead guy named Pierce (replaced right hand with mechanical, otherwise human) who is hunting the girl and killing any along the way. There's a bonus mutant for Logan and X-23 to fight in the big showdown. All in all, not what I really cared for - I suppose, X-men isn't my favorite Marvel stuff, and I'm more attracted to new characters with powers and storylines rather than some of our old favorites nearing their end of time. Biggest surprise for me was the immense amount of cursing. Seemed about 5x whatever was in all previous X-men films, to the point of over taking the dialogue rather than having dialogue convey the plot and move things away. More of a distraction than adding to the toughness of the film or the mental state of the characters. Overall, OK, but not great, IMO. No boobs. 6/10



War for Planet of the Apes (2017)

As others have noted, the acting was phenomenal - specifically to those acting in ape suits. Amazing. Film itself was closer to 2hr than the usual 90min, but it also played in a lot more depth of the overall story for the POTA films. It really carried Caesar (head ape) from the previous film where apes broke out to where he's trying to get his band of apes to a safe place where they aren't hunted by men anymore as a threat. They cross paths with Woody Harrelson as a commander over an army force that has been hunting and killing apes, but has also been killing humans that catch the recent virus that strips humans of their ability to speak. Nice foreshadowing when he says he can see the virus spreading to where humans become secondary to apes and the apes enslave them (as we've seen in the old 70's films). I liked some of Woody's scenes, especially the one where he speaks with Caesar in his office and I noticed he's walking around like an ape (chest out, drinking a cup with two hands as an ape would but not normal for a human)..basically, not realizing the split between his apelike imitations and the words of superiority. Ultimately, though, he felt like a weak character IMO who was put in as a protagonist but was too thin and expendable to be taken seriously. Perhaps his purpose in this film was less of a villain in this film as a standalone, and more for laying out the future films and the direction they would play out. Still, I felt a bit cheated in that sense. However, in taking this as a segment in a series of films, I think it transitioned quite well from the previous installment and sets perfectly for the next few. Coming back again to the quality of the ape actors, great stuff....and the landscapes, the dialogues, the character development was overall very good. No real complaints other than no boobs (unless you like man ape nipples, nttiawwt). 7/10
 

TLB

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I forgot this one, and perhaps another will come to mind...

Assassins Creed (2016)

My reason for watching was to determine if it was appropriate for my 8 yr old son. He really hasn't watched any of the Star Wars franchise beyond a single (partial) watch of Episode IV (the first one for all of us), nor any Marvel superheroes other than Guardians of the Galaxy (first one, mostly went over his head with too many characters and explosions and face paced story he couldn't get). Though, I'd warned the wife, and myself, not to expect much given it is a movie based on a video game, and those have never really worked out well that I can recall. So, I watch it on my own, and I'll admit I never played the game but knew the gist of what it was. For those unfamiliar, we have a modern day guy who gets tapped into by some Illuminati type group that has technology for reaching through someone to the memories of their ancestors. The bad guy empire is the Knights Templar (not often have I seen them put in a bad light, but ok) who are seeking The Apple from the Garden of Eden in hopes of using it to undo free will and thereby end violence in the world. The Assassins Creed are a group of outcasts who make it their goal to prevent the Knights Templar from getting The Apple. Nobody knows where it is, but they believe our hero's ancestor was the last to have it and may know where it is hidden. So they hook him up and start taking him through the memories of that ancestor to find The Apple. However, this trip down memory lane also brings out these killer assassin skills. He then gets all the other assassins they have collected and tapped into for memories and breaks them all loose to fight back.

If you know the game, this review is pointless - you either love the game and are disappointed it isn't more like the game (maybe it is, I dunno). For the other 99.9% of the population, here's my take - decent action film, believable plot and characters, not overly CGI, and generally an acceptable killing of an hour and half. There are two lead villains, one is old and you wouldn't want to see the boobs, the other is younger and likely to play a role in a sequel but didn't show anything in this one as most of her time is in a lab coat. Beyond those two, no chance at boobs. 6/10
 

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Not a movie, but finished Stranger Things Season 2 last night on netflix. Absolutely fantastic and only a few things to complain about with it. these kids are really good actors and actresses. Unfortunately to talk about it would probably spoil things to much.
Finished this last night. Wife liked it better than Season 1. I'm torn. Thought Season 2 was a little too predictable and moments of unnecessary cheesy-ness.
 

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Just finished the first season of Ozark which wifey and I loved. Big Jason Bateman fan and it's setting Lake of the Ozarks is personal to me as i vacationed there my whole child hood and parents own a place there. Thought it was very good though again on a personal level i hated that they actually didn't film it there and filmed it in Georgia instead so it looks actually nothing like it minus a few aerial views of the actual lake.
We LOVED this show. Can't wait for a new season to come out. Very intense show and had no idea it wasn't filmed in the Ozarks.
 

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Without ready 44 pages, anyone watch Bloodline w/ Kyle Chandler and Sissy Spacek. Took a few episodes to get going but well worth it. Liked all the details about each character and how the relationships formed over the years.
 

-THE DUDE-

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We LOVED this show. Can't wait for a new season to come out. Very intense show and had no idea it wasn't filmed in the Ozarks.
I didn't realize it either until after the first episode i looked it up because it didn't look right. Only other complaint is they make it out to be such a backwoods hick place full of trailer trash...when in reality it is a very large lake that is completely surrounded by multi million dollar mansions and tons of bars/restaurants. Sure there are some locals that fit that mold but really it is far more wealthy and commercialized than they make it out to be. Anyway still an awesome show.
 

TLB

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Sahara (1943, not 2005)

What I thought was a 2005 Matthew McConaughey search for lost gold was, in fact, a 1943 Humphrey Bogart war film. So, now that my expectations were completely blown....not bad. Not epic, and there is reason why this doesn't come up as one of his best or one of the great war films from that era. However, he stayed true to expectations being the gritty, don't give a damn, American leading a mixed group of Brits, Americans, a Frenchman, a Sudanese British, and two prisoners (an Italian and a German) as they set course for the only known water in the area. They get there, have a bit, and are ready to scram from an incoming battalion of several hundred Germans also looking for water. Realizing they may or may not make it home, and that they just bled the well dry, they decided to make a stand and defend the dry hole from the oncoming nazis with the belief that they can hold them off for a few days before the Germans overtake them and discover there is not water - thereby destroying the German moral, and hopefully putting them in too weak of a condition to fight, or to even pursue another water source. No boobs, decent war flick, acceptable use of stereotypes. 5/10.
 

TLB

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Last one threw me off, left me in a Bogart mood, so....

The African Queen (1951)

Bogart plays a riverboat captain (one man boat) in Africa around the time WW I starts up. On the river he is serving the Boers, and others, including a small African village led by a missionary man and his sister (Hepburn). Bogart is playing all sides, being Canadian (ha...he sounds as American as ever, but ok). When war breaks out in Europe the German controlled part of Africa experiences some effect, the German soldiers there go about enslaving all the Africans, burning their villages so they can't return home - of course, they burn the missionary villiage which drives the reverend over the edge and he dies. Bogart feels bad for Hepburn (she's from England by the way, like her brother, and lacks any accent whatsoever besides American), so he offers to take her to safety which is pretty much hiding in the jungle and hoping the war goes away. Through conversation, he shares that the Germans control a major lake with a battleship (steam powered, big guns of 6lb shot) they brought overland in pieces which prevents the Brits from coming in that direction. She then talks him into using his one man riverboat to blow up the battleship, which means going downriver to the lake, past a German fort and through a lot of whitewater. Apologies, if I've given away too much.

There's a funny scene up front where Bogart is having tea with the reverend and his sister but his stomach is growling obnoxiously, then a few good scenes on the river between them - most notably the way she continues to manipulate him (through her own naive way of thinking things can be done or intentionally, we can't tell). It's understandable why this film is held up as one of the better ones from that era, as the story carries on the performance of these two solid performers. There is the lack of appropriate accents (he never sounds Canadian, nor her English, and the German soldiers...HA), as well as some horrendous editing of wild animals and river views. We see them attacked by a swarm of (mosquitoes?), as shown by a screen full of black blurries while they pretend to swat themselves. But the story, it carries, and delivers in the end with a gritty finish. No boobs, despite a young Hepburn getting in and out of the river quite a bit, not even a wet t-shirt type shot. 7/10.

I'll probably see where I have my copy of the Maltese Falcon and/or Casablanca soon.
 

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