Recommend (or don't) a movie thread v2

[FireGilbert]

Enjoy some movie reviews!

Damsel: Millie Bobby Brown as a trope defying princess needing to escape from a dragon. Like a lot of Netflix movies there is a good cast but you can tell there is a tighter budget with small sets and average effects. The plot is simple and the protagonist has very strong plot armour but it somehow all comes together into a mildly entertaining pop corn movie. This is carried by the dragon being an interesting character with excellent voice work from Shorah Agdashloo. 7/10

Dune 2: Think this broke my rating system. I gave the first Dune a 10 but this one is better. Without having to set up the universe and story part 2 drives full speed ahead. Just an awesome theater experience with a fast pace and brilliant cinematography, effects, acting, and music. Could probably nit pick a few things as a book reader but still a great adaptation. One of the greatest sci-fi movies ever and I can't wait to watch it again. 10/10

Napoleon: How is it even possible for Ridley Scott to make a boring movie about one of the most influential men in history? And spend $200M doing so? Ridiculous. Such a chore to watch with the strange focus on Josephine and the complete miscasting of Phoenix. You can tell from the sets, costumes, and battle scenes this is a well made film from a competent director but none of it worked. Give me more of a the battles and less of the cringe romance. What a disaster. 3/10

Poor Things: Does this even have a genre? I really enjoyed it with the excellent journey and character development. Emma Stone deserved her Oscar and Mark Ruffalo was brilliant too, with the best parts of the movie carried by their interactions. Liked the steam punk aesthetic and the themes around humanity and curiosity. Will admit this isn't for everyone with the weird subject matter and it could have been edited about 20 minutes shorter. 9/10

Wish: Not a good sign when the most engaging part of a movie is finding references to other movies in the credits. This is basically Disney animation references the movie with more focus on cramming in Easter Eggs than telling a good story. The protagonist is super one dimensional, topped by an even more one dimensional villain. Then they give the lead 7 friends (get it? it's a reference to the 7 dwarfs, do you get it?) which of course means none of them are fleshed out whatsoever. I really liked the 2D backgrounds but there was something about the modern 3D characters animated against against them that felt off. Feels like Sony and Dreamworks are leaving Disney animations in their dust. Does have enough of the Disney charm to not be a complete disaster but still a disappointment. 4/10

[Wormius]

Originally Posted by Sr. Mints

Let's not forget the scene where Johnny 5 gets the #### kicked out of him by those guys with axes. It still bothers me and I haven't seen the movie in ~35 years.

But he came back really bad ass though.

[Coach]

Saw Boy Kills World the other day. It was okay. Had some laughs, but not enough to justify its sort of goofiness IMO. The writing didnt match H Jon Benjamin's level.

But it had some fun action and kept me entertained.

6.5/10

[Leeman4Gilmour]

Originally Posted by Sliver

As far as entertainment goes, I wouldn't trade where we are today for the past, though. TV has become infinitely better. There are so many insanely awesome TV shows that are better than any movie.

We are terrible or amazing, depending on perception, bingers. We enjoy some of the series so much, we kill them in a couple of days. One day on a slow Sunday. I consider a lot of tv shows these days 16 hour movies.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by Leeman4Gilmour

We are terrible or amazing, depending on perception, bingers. We enjoy some of the series so much, we kill them in a couple of days. One day on a slow Sunday. I consider a lot of tv shows these days 16 hour movies.

I find that amusing, because I am not a binger at all, and break many 3 hour movies into 3 1 hour TV shows.

[Leeman4Gilmour]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

I find that amusing, because I am not a binger at all, and break many 3 hour movies into 3 1 hour TV shows.

I'm clearly more prepared for a Wall-E future.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

I find that amusing, because I am not a binger at all, and break many 3 hour movies into 3 1 hour TV shows.

soft.....

I hate when I immersed in a movie and my wife or kids are like "can we take a pee break or I'm just gonna grab something to eat".

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by FireGilbert

Dune 2: Think this broke my rating system. I gave the first Dune a 10 but this one is better. Without having to set up the universe and story part 2 drives full speed ahead. Just an awesome theater experience with a fast pace and brilliant cinematography, effects, acting, and music. Could probably nit pick a few things as a book reader but still a great adaptation. One of the greatest sci-fi movies ever and I can't wait to watch it again. 10/10

My reaction at the end of both Dune movies was "that was too fast".....

Both are great films.

[Sliver]

Hey what's everyone's recollection of Aliens?

I thought I heard it was super awesome. I watched the original on the big screen on Sunday, so last night my wife and I started Aliens. It was so full of cheese and crappy dialogue that we had to shut it off about 35 or 40 minutes in.

Like, the soldiers Ripley was with were such dorks and they were all dressed up as mall ninjas. Taking the landing craft down to the planet and one guy goes, "WE ARE ON AN EXPRESS ELEVATOR TO HELL!1!!". It was non-stop lame lines like that.

And then Ripley is trying to explain the situation and all the soldiers are butting in and not listening to the briefing before setting out on an alien planet to find a being that has killed an entire colony. They were all jockeying to be the class clown in the least funny, least entertaining and most distracting way possible.

What a fkn mess. I don't care if it got any better. I couldn't sit through another millisecond of that POS movie.

What a downer after thoroughly enjoying Alien just a few days prior.

[Erick Estrada]

There are a lot of debates over which movie is better but really they are different movies with Alien being horror while Aliens was more Sci-Fi action. I have seen both 20+ times but I probably saw Aliens more because is was such a popular movie in the 80's that reached a bigger audience. I like them both equally but for different reasons.

[Yeah_Baby]

I'm not nearly has high on Aliens as most folks. But I do think seeing it 30 years later almost does it a disservice because it's really the best version of the type of movie it's trying to be.

I still mostly stand by my letterboxd review, mostly.

I just think foundationally I have an issue with idea that cure for Ripley's trauma (both from the first movie and waking up 57 years later etc) is to be a mom. which, I think feels VERY Reagan era. Yes, you can have it all. Yes you can be a working girl space trucker, but what you really need to be happy as a women is a nuclear family with Hicks and Newt.

https://letterboxd.com/mattyhugh/film/aliens/

[dammage79]

Aliens is the best in the franchise. Don't think it's close either. That was the business back in the day.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by dammage79

Aliens is the best in the franchise. Don't think it's close either. That was the business back in the day.

IDK, man. Maybe watch it again.

Alien could be released today. It held up and is great.

Aliens would get panned as the biggest cornball movie if it just came out.

[dammage79]

Originally Posted by Sliver

IDK, man. Maybe watch it again.

Alien could be released today. It held up and is great.

Aliens would get panned as the biggest cornball movie if it just came out.

I have watched it , many times. It's still the best, the set pieces, the camera work. The actual action sequences. Like others have already said, Alien and Aliens are two different sub genres of movie. As a stand alone action movie from the 80s, it doesn't get much better. Alien as a thriller horror is great too.

Show me an 80s action movie that wasn't campy or filled with cocaine fuelled writing and dialogue being acted out by coked out actors.

Gotta remember women's lib was getting hot and there were absolutely zero action Heroine roles out there until Ripley. Red Sonja don't count lol.

[Yeah_Baby]

Aliens has some real retrograde nuculear family cure for trauma Reagan era BS in it that doesn't hold for me. Cameron's mommy fetish really is a thing. (hello Avatar 2)

[habernac]

Alien was definitely the better movie. Some people can’t do the slow burn, they need some instant gratification. Aliens was more in the vein of mindless action entertainment. My son watched the original with me and loved it. Aliens got a big old meh from him.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by dammage79

I have watched it , many times. It's still the best, the set pieces, the camera work. The actual action sequences. Like others have already said, Alien and Aliens are two different sub genres of movie. As a stand alone action movie from the 80s, it doesn't get much better. Alien as a thriller horror is great too.

Show me an 80s action movie that wasn't campy or filled with cocaine fuelled writing and dialogue being acted out by coked out actors.

Gotta remember women's lib was getting hot and there were absolutely zero action Heroine roles out there until Ripley. Red Sonja don't count lol.

I'm not comparing Aliens against all other action movies from the 80s, though. I'm comparing it against Alien and it's the way weaker movie, that's all.

[ResAlien]

They’re two films from two different genres. Compare Alien to The Thing and Aliens to Escape from New York or something.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by ResAlien

They’re two films from two different genres. Compare Alien to The Thing and Aliens to Escape from New York or something.

That sounds like an amazing day of entertainment! Can I swap out Big Trouble in Little China for Escape from New York?

[ResAlien]

No

I should say rewatching them now Escape From New York holds up a bit better than Big Trouble

Edit: which I realize may be a contentious opinion. I stick by it.