- Jun 12, 2014
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I got about 40 minutes into Dunkirk and turned it off . Who knows maybe it gets better but I wasn’t going to waste anymore time find out . Boring as hell and Worst Nolan movie I’ve seen.
Yeah, but are there any demon boobs?The Yinyang Master (2021) <Netflix>
So, I may have made a mistake in watching this, as I see there is The Yin-Yang Master: Dream of Eternity (2020), though Netflix lists that as 2021 so I don't know really which came first. Anyway, I just watched teh one linked at the start of the post, so I'll talk to that. Viewing was done with really wide screen aspect, which I highly recommend as the visuals are perhaps the top feature of the film. I watched with English dubs (sue me, I wasn't up for the effort of native Chinese tonight) and English subs (to help verify the dubs). The story opens by explaining in ancient China Humans and Demons once lived together, until one Demon tried to rule all and was killed. Demons were then banished to a region while humans took the rest. At the time of the split, the super demon was killed but it's soul could not be vanquished so it collapsed into the Scale Stone, which was protected by the humans within a Bureau in charge of dealing with the demons and monsters. The opening sequence stunned me a bit with the incredible palate of colors, the CGI for the non-human characters (diverse, and feels about 98-99% great....just a little off at the edges, but VERY well conceived and executed), and of course the high-wire fighting sequences (not too much, not too little). This opening scene involves some guards delivering a treasure who are set upon by a group of demons in the woods, and the sequence introduces Qing Ming, who thru a few flashbacks is established as someone raised as one of the Bureau guards protecting the Scale Stone but was on duty the night it was nearly stolen. We find he has mixed blood of half demon, half human which he struggles to control; while he has the support of Chief (head of Bureau and former female friend). I'm spinning out a bit here, let me step back. Bottom line, the 2h does not drag (much), there is a constant filling of the screen with colors and images that harken back to ancient China and show a huge investment in creating an epic tale across a huge canvas. The storyline isn't predictable, and was in fact quite refreshing as we watch QingMing deal with his role between the worlds; and the climax forces him into a few unseen decision points and changes. But I also have to call back to the extremely large cast of human and monster characters, not many are major but they all have a part and do it rather well. Not a really deep film, though deeper than most fluff these days, especially if you'd like a bit more of the Chinese mystical belief set. Good fight and action scenes, really good characters, solid and interesting storyline. Very much recommended. If you aren't into these types of films, this won't change your mind. But if you are open to them, or perhaps enjoy them, this is one worth seeing, for sure. 8.5/10.
I'll see about watching the other soon and advise which should come first :\
Yeah, but are there any demon boobs?
If you like these kind of movies, and I've mentioned it before (but not sure anyone else has really seen it), try Code 46.Blade Runner (1982) - actually watched Blade Runner: Final Cut (2007)
The 'Final Cut' is the version Ridley Scott wanted to make but couldn't. The Director's Cut was an attempt at that but not directly remade by Scott, so, not exactly the Director's Cut. Still, the meat is what was filmed in 1982 and while there was some remastering done, it appears primarily as that dark and gritty 1982 film folks speak of with a cult following. I'm ashamed to have waited decades later, because my mind has been filled with years of movies spawned from this original. Having grown up in the 80's, I can appreciate how cutting edge this would have come across. If I'd have watched it back then I could appreciate all the years that followed oh, so much more. I didn't. My loss. Loved this, though, getting to watch the whole thing through on a widescreen. I loved the commercial placement of brands, and laughed at all the failures of those companies...something the trivia confirmed for me when I read it after the film. I liked all the future infrastructure, how much predicted the future, and how much was oh, so wrong. Payphones? Ha! A call for $1.25? Ha! Scott did a great job in making this, the eye candy alone was worth it and set a standard for others to follow. The 80's had a lot of sci-fi films, but I can see how this one is the template for a lot of what I watched in subsequent decades. Actors were all on point, even Rutger Hauer as our prime villain and his always 'just off' acting ability. The story was great, especially at the time when computers and AI were starting to bud, and questions over what that means were abound. If I could get myself to reading again, I would read the book upon which this was based. Being very much a fan of film, this will suffice for now. I do very much regret not seeing this earlier, but damn, what I solid film in so many ways. 9/10.
Because I still had time....
Blade Runner 2049 (2017)
Hoo Boy! I can see how some may not like this as much, it may not live up to the mystique and statement making level of the original when it was released. But, watching both for my first time, doing so back to back, it def flowed well enough and built upon the original without milking a franchise. It can likely stand well enough on it's own, but back to back was very well executed for my afternoon. I really got into the story a lot more, still had similar dark and bleak futuristic visuals, carried a lot of the same themes, but built it's own storyline that Ryan G pulled off very well. Jumping a generation forward, with replicants being redesigned, relaunched, and following along on Ryan's exploration of the mystery, of himself, and being pulled hard when he makes a self-realization, that is then twisted for the third act. I thought all of it was very well done. Enjoyable story, more female nudity (always good in my book), strong visuals, solid acting, but above all...and enjoyable story. 8.5/10.
Lol, we had similar complaints, but we were still entertained. Wouldn't have been worth theater prices, but it was good enough to watch in the living room.The Tomorrow War -Amazon 2021: Chris Pratt(?) The Star Lord guy. Must have needed money. Poorly written, budget, adventure, time jumping. The plot jumps all over the place as this movie jumps from one action piece to the next. So aliens attack in the future and civilization is all but wiped out so future us send a message back to current us that they need to time warp people to the future to fight. Star Lord (happens to be a scientist) gets warped to the future where is just so happens his daughter (also a scientist) is grown up and is leading the research for a toxin to kill the aliens. So she gives Starlord the toxin to take back to current time and kill the aliens when they attack, But when he gets back no body believes him so he takes a crew with him to find the aliens who are currently frozen under the ice and blow them up. After way too much punching of 15 foot tall murder aliens Star Lord saves theuniverseworld.
But if Star Lord stops the alien invasion before it happens then there is no Tomorrow War and future us never send Pratt back with a toxin. TIme jumping never make sense. Joe Bob says check it out - if you've got time to kill.
It’s a turn your brain off movie for sure and definitely better for streaming. JK Simmons was in it and I’ll watch almost anything he does. The time jumping for sure had some issues and of course the problem had to be caused by global warming. Deep down I feel like this was a rejected Alien script which got retooled.The Tomorrow War -Amazon 2021: Chris Pratt(?) The Star Lord guy. Must have needed money. Poorly written, budget, adventure, time jumping. The plot jumps all over the place as this movie jumps from one action piece to the next. So aliens attack in the future and civilization is all but wiped out so future us send a message back to current us that they need to time warp people to the future to fight. Star Lord (happens to be a scientist) gets warped to the future where is just so happens his daughter (also a scientist) is grown up and is leading the research for a toxin to kill the aliens. So she gives Starlord the toxin to take back to current time and kill the aliens when they attack, But when he gets back no body believes him so he takes a crew with him to find the aliens who are currently frozen under the ice and blow them up. After way too much punching of 15 foot tall murder aliens Star Lord saves theuniverseworld.
But if Star Lord stops the alien invasion before it happens then there is no Tomorrow War and future us never send Pratt back with a toxin. TIme jumping never make sense. Joe Bob says check it out - if you've got time to kill.