The Movie Thread

[JimiCliff]

And The Last Jedi suffers in some ways that are similar to BR 2049. Luke goes from being protagonist to after-thought. His whole life after Return of the Jedi is yada-yada'd over - irrelevant except for what it means to the new characters. You can't get away with this - un-protagonizing a protagonist - without suffering damage to the overall integrity and meaning of the narrative as a whole. And if you're going to try, at least don't un-protagonize him into an annoying, cranky, two-dimensional hermit who STILL, as a grown-ass man, is completely deferential to Yoda.

Also: they couldn't have controlled that main ship by remote from one of the transports? Maybe had one of their 10,000 droids take on pilot duty? It had to be Laura Dern?

[NoPropsneeded]

Question, Do you have to watch the original Blade Runner to understand whats going on in the new one?

[Joey]

Question, Do you have to watch the original Blade Runner to understand whats going on in the new one?

Nah, you should be fine! It would help, if only in terms of world-building, but they give you everything you need.

[Scraptor]

Question, Do you have to watch the original Blade Runner to understand whats going on in the new one?

Nah, but it will enrich your experience for sure.

I'm considering watching The Room before The Disaster Artist for the same reason.

[Joey]

I'm considering watching The Room before The Disaster Artist for the same reason.

Honestly, if I could, I'd do it the other way around, and see The Disaster Artist, and then see the film that resulted from it's hijinks.

But mostly because I'm looking for any excuse to unsee that god awful film. Lol

[JimiCliff]

Nah, but it will enrich your experience for sure.

I'm considering watching The Room before The Disaster Artist for the same reason.

See if you can find a 5 or 10 minute clip of the Room on the internet, and watch that. That's enough to understand.

[Nilanka]

Question, Do you have to watch the original Blade Runner to understand whats going on in the new one?

Read the wiki plot summary, and you're good.

[Maury]

Read the wiki plot summary, and you're good.

There’s really no point to watch it for the plot or to read up on the plot. Nothing in the film really happens. If you want to appreciate the new Blade Runner in relation to the original then that’s another thing.

I would recommend watching g the original. It asks some really great philosophical questions that Blade Runner 2049 attempts to answer. You wouldn’t be missing much plot wise if you skipped the original.

[Nilanka]

There’s really no point to watch it for the plot or to read up on the plot. Nothing in the film really happens. If you want to appreciate the new Blade Runner in relation to the original then that’s another thing.

I would recommend watching g the original. It asks some really great philosophical questions that Blade Runner 2049 attempts to answer. You wouldn’t be missing much plot wise if you skipped the original.

The plot summary is really just for the familiarity of the characters, and the whole concept of what a "blade runner" is. But again, it's more or less covered in the new film too.

[Maury]

The Movie Thread

My Top 5 Movies of the year:

(This is off of just complete enjoyment and nothing else. I didn’t get a chance to see a lot of the awards season movies like Shape of Water and Molly’s game either).

1. Blade Runner 2049

As many of you know this is now one of my most favourite movies of all time and in my opinion an absolute technical and artistic masterpiece. Everything about this film was stellar. Cinematography, sound, performances, narrative, all in a class of their own.

2. Star Wars: The Last Jedi

I know this one was polarizing but it was an absolute joy for me to watch. I saw this film 3 times in 3 weeks and it was just pure fun for me. Technically it was very well made and Rian Johnson has proved once again after Looper that he is a very capable director and someone who I have faith in when it comes to the fate of Star Wars’ future. Adam Driver was awesome and Mark Hamil wasn’t terrible.

3. Split

Jams McAvoy deserves some best performance talk but he won’t be getting any. M Night Shyamalan returns to form with this one. It’s creepy, and as I said the fact that McAvoy plays 23 character and does an incredible job with all of them is remarkable and his talent is in full display with this one. This was a nice surprise.

4. Wonder Woman

I usually really don’t like super hero movies. The large scale action is usually a bore for me as the stakes are never established and I’m not a fan of large scale destruction and massive set pieces. Wonder Woman is a character piece and it excels at this. Gal Gadot is actually good in this and Chris Pine stole the show. The first two acts which were very good make up for a weak third act. This one really surprised me.

5. Murder on the Orient Express

Kenneth Branagh made a great who dunnit with a star studded cast. I’m a sucker for a who dunnit and I really enjoyed it. The set and performances as well as the directing were very well done. Not much more to say about this one other than that I had a great time watching it.

Honourable Mentions:

Baby Driver - Edgar Wright is brilliant but I’m just not a fan of the way music played a role in this, contrary to popular belief I found it rather annoying but still a very well made film

IT - Another very well made movie and I love the 80s vibe. Good experience in the theatre especially when the audience is engaged and screaming but it ultimately wasn’t as enjoyable for me as the other films mentioned.

Planet of the Apes - Not really a fan of where they took this one and I thought the pacing was off in this one but still a technical masterpiece and a worthy addition to the franchise.

Alien Covenant - Many people hated this but I love me some Ridley Scott and Michael Fassbender.

Logan Lucky- Adam Driver Daniel Craig and Channing tatum were all really good but the movie was slow and I forgot about it pretty quick. Adam Driver though.

Get Out - Smart horror movie that was well made and well written. I thought it was good but it didn’t seem like the master piece that people were making it out to be. I might have to see it again.

Movies I didn’t like at all:

Pirates of the Caribbean #426 - too many of these

Guardians of the Galaxy 2 - this one really fell flat and I was quite disappointed with it

Logan - People loved it, but I wasn’t impressed. That’s fine because people are allowed to love it but I just found it kind of meh.

Kingsman 2 - I was in denial about this one but it was just bad. Huge disappointment with this one. At least we got an Elton John cameo. This one was just too ambitious.

The Dark Tower - To me the worst movie of the year. Just terrible. Such a shame because Idris Elba and Mathew McConaughey are both awesome.

Fate of the Furious - Bleh


Good but Forgettable:

Spiderman Homecoming - another superhero movie I wasn’t interested in. Why did I like Wonder Woman so much?

Kong Skull Island was pretty fun to me. Very forgettable though.

John Wick 2- Good action but like the last one very forgettable.

Thor Ragnarok - Very disappointed with this one but it wasn’t as bad as I had first thought. My expectations were too high going into it.

Movies I didn’t see

Dunkirk
Shape of Water
Lady Bird
Molly’s Game


Again this is just enjoyment and not technical merit.

[Maury]

This video perfectly describes how I feel about most super hero movies and why I really liked Wonder Woman.

https://youtu.be/w-QhdzQo66o

[Miekenstien]

My Top 5 Movies of the year:

(This is off of just complete enjoyment and nothing else. I didn’t get a chance to see a lot of the awards season movies like Shape of Water and Molly’s game either).

1. Blade Runner 2049

As many of you know this is now one of my most favourite movies of all time and in my opinion an absolute technical and artistic masterpiece. Everything about this film was stellar. Cinematography, sound, performances, narrative, all in a class of their own.

2. Star Wars: The Last Jedi

I know this one was polarizing but it was an absolute joy for me to watch. I saw this film 3 times in 3 weeks and it was just pure fun for me. Technically it was very well made and Rian Johnson has proved once again after Looper that he is a very capable director and someone who I have faith in when it comes to the fate of Star Wars’ future. Adam Driver was awesome and Mark Hamil wasn’t terrible.

3. Split

Jams McAvoy deserves some best performance talk but he won’t be getting any. M Night Shyamalan returns to form with this one. It’s creepy, and as I said the fact that McAvoy plays 23 character and does an incredible job with all of them is remarkable and his talent is in full display with this one. This was a nice surprise.

4. Wonder Woman

I usually really don’t like super hero movies. The large scale action is usually a bore for me as the stakes are never established and I’m not a fan of large scale destruction and massive set pieces. Wonder Woman is a character piece and it excels at this. Gal Gadot is actually good in this and Chris Pine stole the show. The first two acts which were very good make up for a weak third act. This one really surprised me.

5. Murder on the Orient Express

Kenneth Branagh made a great who dunnit with a star studded cast. I’m a sucker for a who dunnit and I really enjoyed it. The set and performances as well as the directing were very well done. Not much more to say about this one other than that I had a great time watching it.

Honourable Mentions:

Baby Driver - Edgar Wright is brilliant but I’m just not a fan of the way music played a role in this, contrary to popular belief I found it rather annoying but still a very well made film

IT - Another very well made movie and I love the 80s vibe. Good experience in the theatre especially when the audience is engaged and screaming but it ultimately wasn’t as enjoyable for me as the other films mentioned.

Planet of the Apes - Not really a fan of where they took this one and I thought the pacing was off in this one but still a technical masterpiece and a worthy addition to the franchise.

Alien Covenant - Many people hated this but I love me some Ridley Scott and Michael Fassbender.

Logan Lucky- Adam Driver Daniel Craig and Channing tatum were all really good but the movie was slow and I forgot about it pretty quick. Adam Driver though.

Get Out - Smart horror movie that was well made and well written. I thought it was good but it didn’t seem like the master piece that people were making it out to be. I might have to see it again.

Movies I didn’t like at all:

Pirates of the Caribbean #426 - too many of these

Guardians of the Galaxy 2 - this one really fell flat and I was quite disappointed with it

Logan - People loved it, but I wasn’t impressed. That’s fine because people are allowed to love it but I just found it kind of meh.

Kingsman 2 - I was in denial about this one but it was just bad. Huge disappointment with this one. At least we got an Elton John cameo. This one was just too ambitious.

The Dark Tower - To me the worst movie of the year. Just terrible. Such a shame because Idris Elba and Mathew McConaughey are both awesome.

Fate of the Furious - Bleh


Good but Forgettable:

Spiderman Homecoming - another superhero movie I wasn’t interested in. Why did I like Wonder Woman so much?

Kong Skull Island was pretty fun to me. Very forgettable though.

John Wick 2- Good action but like the last one very forgettable.

Thor Ragnarok - Very disappointed with this one but it wasn’t as bad as I had first thought. My expectations were too high going into it.

Movies I didn’t see

Dunkirk
Shape of Water
Lady Bird
Molly’s Game


Again this is just enjoyment and not technical merit.

i thought john wick one was great, and didn't need a sequel. it was a cool revenge movie, about a guy who had nothing left. i thought the first one wasn't about how wick was a superhuman, who couldn't die. like mel gibson's payback, which i love.

since i left china movies have become super expensive, and i don't have any way to get into the city for another 4 months, waiting for my g2, but my list is a bit different.

i loved logan, probably my favourite from the year

[planetmars]

It's hard to find a good movie these days. An "Oscar nominee" isn't usually my cup of tea either though.

I loved the first John Wick. It's become like Die Hard.. watch it at least once a year. If you're a Wick fan check out the Accountant (Ben Affleck movie). That's pretty fun too. Logan was really good too. It was a scaled back super hero movie. Hugh Jackman was great. They need to make more Rated R super hero movies.

Wonder Woman didn't do it for me. Get Out had a neat twist but overall was meh.

Still need to see that new Star Wars movie. Split is in my queue. Generally a big M. Night fan but just haven't gotten around to it. Might try this weekend if I have time (although I'm working tomorrow). I liked Prometheus more than Alien Covenant but neither compare to the original or its sequel. Waiting on IT to arrive on DVD. Hated the Made for TV version that had the guy from Night Court in it.

A lot of really crappy movies though came out this year.

Been watching more TV this year.. it's so much easier to develop characters or stories in a TV mini-series than a movie. Caught up on Vikings last week. Also finished American Gods, Handmaid's Tale and Big Little Lies. Currently watching Tudors. Might try Punisher next. Stranger Things 2 is on my queue as well.

[tDotted]

It's hard to find a good movie these days. An "Oscar nominee" isn't usually my cup of tea either though.

I loved the first John Wick. It's become like Die Hard.. watch it at least once a year. If you're a Wick fan check out the Accountant (Ben Affleck movie). That's pretty fun too. Logan was really good too. It was a scaled back super hero movie. Hugh Jackman was great. They need to make more Rated R super hero movies.

Wonder Woman didn't do it for me. Get Out had a neat twist but overall was meh.

Still need to see that new Star Wars movie. Split is in my queue. Generally a big M. Night fan but just haven't gotten around to it. Might try this weekend if I have time (although I'm working tomorrow). I liked Prometheus more than Alien Covenant but neither compare to the original or its sequel. Waiting on IT to arrive on DVD. Hated the Made for TV version that had the guy from Night Court in it.

A lot of really crappy movies though came out this year.

Been watching more TV this year.. it's so much easier to develop characters or stories in a TV mini-series than a movie. Caught up on Vikings last week. Also finished American Gods, Handmaid's Tale and Big Little Lies. Currently watching Tudors. Might try Punisher next. Stranger Things 2 is on my queue as well.

How was Handmaid's Tale?

[Maury]

i thought john wick one was great, and didn't need a sequel. it was a cool revenge movie, about a guy who had nothing left. i thought the first one wasn't about how wick was a superhuman, who couldn't die. like mel gibson's payback, which i love.

since i left china movies have become super expensive, and i don't have any way to get into the city for another 4 months, waiting for my g2, but my list is a bit different.

i loved logan, probably my favourite from the year

I would say John Wick was very good, just for me it wasn’t too memorable as I’m not a big action movie fan. I agree though it didn’t need a sequel.