What movies have you seen recently?

**Blzer** · 10-31-2015, 02:23 AM

Re: What movies have you seen recently?

Finding Normal

A made-for-TV film put onto Netflix starring Candice Cameron. The best way I can put it is it was basically the plot of Cars put into a live-action film. In fact, I can even link characters in both films:

Lisa - Lightning McQueen
Doc Shelby - Doc Hudson (no joke)
Lucas - Sally
Lester - Mater/Sheriff
Steve - Harv
Mandy - Flo
Kimberly - Guido
Jimmer - Red
Attorney - Chick Hicks
Rita - Lizzie

Nothing too great, just a rom-com with an ending that only works in movies but would be silly in real life. Not much to say here other than I saw it, and that they ripped off an animated film about talking vehicles.

On a small scene spoiler note, when an Epipen was used, they of course had to spend the time explaining what an Epipen does, how it works, and why its used. But the dialogue had to be inserted in such a way that it probably was trying to not sound so expository, but it flew right in the face of the film and took me out for a brief moment. I wish the audience could sometimes fill the gaps, if that makes sense.

**Blzer** · 10-31-2015, 11:51 PM

Re: What movies have you seen recently?

Leap Year

Didn't care for this one at all. Wasn't really funny, and only slightly romantic. Like Finding Normal, I'm not sure if real life would agree with the movie-like decisions that were made by the end. Not going to spend time dissecting this one.

Pitch Perfect 2

As a straight male, you're probably looking at one of the bigger fans of the first film who are like me. Not of the movie itself, but the proper treatment of it and the great casting choice in Anna Kendrick for the lead role of Beca. The sequel will please the uber fans who love the music mash-ups and Fat Amy, which I thought they overused on both fronts. They fortunately had a story to tell (expanding the Bellas globally) and they ran with it.

Unfortunately, the film didn't have any real direction, and a lot of the comedy is slapstick and characters became more cardboard cutouts of who they were before. In Pitch Perfect, I admired that Jason Moore didn't just churn out what Glee does with its show. One is a high school dramatizing every stereotype under the sun and creating stories based off them, where the students spontaneously break into choreographed song and dance with instrumental sounds appearing out of the blue. Even regarding editing, all of it is completely ADR'ed, and it shows. The other is a college where the writer/director said "What are the funniest character archetypes that we can come up with for the story?" and the plot is geared toward the competition itself. All songs are explained away in the plot, and a cappella replaces any need for "instruments." Everything sounds damn near in camera too, which is nice. Pitch Perfect is a significantly better display of this 'genre.' Pitch Perfect 2, however, started to fall into the Glee camp.

Going into it I did not know they were adding a new girl to the cast, and when she first sang I was thinking, "Nice discovery, folks!" I didn't know it was Hailee Steinfeld (only heard the name, but didn't know who she was). It was better when I assumed it was a no-name actress, but now it doesn't feel as special. Anyway, it was funny even though they tried pretty hard with it, and the combo of John Michael Higgins/Elizabeth Banks could be watched for a whole two hours and I wouldn't complain. I wish they did something different with the ending than the way they gave it to us, but either way I'd say it was fine. Just wasn't a very good sequel compared to its original is all.

However, one scene that really got to me was the campfire scene. Great callback moment to the first film there. Very touching that may have saved this one.

Spy

It was for sure laugh out loud in moments, but it really wasn't very good. For something that received a 93% on Rotten Tomatoes, I was hoping for it to surpass something like The Heat in every way. It was... it didn't even even come close to topping other recent and borderline mediocre films in its genre (From Paris with Love, This Means War, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Kingsman: The Secret Service, etc). And for a Bond spoof, it just played too much like Bond for me to wonder if they were parodying it or really trying hard to replicate it. Outside of the laughs, it was overlong and unoriginal. I guess I thought it was just going to be more creative to receive such high praise, but instead it was more "Melissa McCarthy is fat and she knows it" jokes.

Jason Statham, however, was downright ridiculous and in a good way. Like I said, when the humor was right I was entertained, and he made it happen every time he was on screen. It's definitely redeeming from his lackluster role in Furious 7. Rose Byrne is also gorgeous and has her own sense of wit herself. Now I'm not saying everyone outshined McCarthy, but I can only take so much of her and she had a pretty good supporting cast around her that complemented the material. Again, it was mostly just underwhelming for what I was hoping they could get out of it. Just glad it was a rental.

**GAMEC0CK2002** · 11-01-2015, 09:30 AM

Re: What movies have you seen recently?

How to train your dragon 2 (3D). Awesome movie...I put it right up there with the first one. The last 30 minutes was non-stop action. The 3D didn't add much to the experience, BUT I was viewing it on a small screen (40 inch).
Easy recommendation.

Next (HD DVD). Wanted to make sure my Toshiba HD DVD player still worked, so I watched Next. It was still a fun ride with Nic Cage, though I prefer Paycheck's take on being able to see the future. I forgot how big of a fan I was for Jessica Biel.

**SPTO** · 11-01-2015, 02:42 PM

Re: What movies have you seen recently?

A watched a trio of movies which are so old and creaky they don't even warrant mentioning but I do want to say that crappy endings to movies aren't just a modern thing. One of the movies was from a poverty row studio (Monagram Pictures if you must know) and basically had a plot where a guy was revived from death only to see his body taken over by the soul of a convict who was put on death row at the same time he was revived. The movie wasn't bad per se but then they completely copped out after the possessed guy was killed and it turned out it was all a coma induced dream.

SMH

It seems to me when movies from the classic "Studio System" days have terrible endings it's usually in the form of tacking on a needless happy ending. I had documented a crime noir that did the same thing. Ah well...

On the flipside of all that I watched an excellent British war movie a few nights ago called The Malta Story (1953) starring Alec Guinness and Jack Hawkins with a miscast but still very well done supporting performance by Flora Robson. I haven't watched very many British war movies but this one was excellent and exemplifies the Brits in a great way. I find that war movies in the US around that time and earlier were mainly excuses to wave the flag and be jingoistic whereas this film documented the bombardment and hardship of the people of Malta and how that one little island nation held out in order to destroy the fuel and equipment shipments to Rommel's Afrika Corps.

The film ably portrays the frustrations of the British stationed there and of the people's plight. Alec Guinness is excellent as a reconnaissance photographer who falls in love with a Maltese woman who works in the map/tracking room. The romantic subplot is definitely there but a little more understated than in American movies of the time. There's a great scene where Guinness goes to the girl's mother for permission to marry her right away. Flora Robson as said mother gave a fine performance and that scene with Guinness is one of the better scenes of the film.

The entire movie is up on youtube if you choose to check it out. It starts off a bit slow but give it about 10 or so minutes and you'll be hooked.

**pittsburgher86** · 11-01-2015, 03:01 PM

Re: What movies have you seen recently?

Bridge of Spies

Any movie staring Tom Hanks and directed by Spielberg will get my attention. Bridge of Spies was phenomenal. Hollywood's best movies seem to be stuff involving real life events and such and this movie was no different. I don't want to give much away but the the story involves a private US citizen being used in the negotiation of a swap of cold war spies. From everything I've read after seeing the movie, there appears to be very little embellishment of the events. It also blows my mind that I never heard of these events before and that its not something that is taught in schools.

Black Mass
Another movie based on real life events! I didn't know much about Whitey Bulger before seeing the movie so it was a learning experience for me in a sense. Johnny Depp was spectacular, as was the whole cast. It blew my mind that people can be as despicable as Whitey and his gang were. Absolutely crazy.

I'd highly recommend people see both of these movies!

**daflyboys** · 11-03-2015, 10:02 AM

Re: What movies have you seen recently?

No Escape was phenomenal. I think we'll be seeing Owen Wilson in more dramaction roles. (I thought I just made up a new word, but, of course, it's in the urban dictionary). The story was relatively simple, but unique. Brosnan was great too.

**LambertandHam** · 11-03-2015, 03:44 PM

Re: What movies have you seen recently?

Caught American Graffiti on. Amazed that the same George Lucas who directed the Star Wars prequels could put out a solid movie like American Graffiti. Good music, beautiful cars, and likable characters.

**daflyboys** · 11-03-2015, 04:25 PM

Re: What movies have you seen recently?

I'm not sure but I thought I heard that American Graffiti is what propelled Ron Howard into directing.

**redsox4evur** · 11-03-2015, 04:35 PM