What movies have you seen recently?

[Master Live 013]

Re: What movies have you seen recently?

Of course it was the "best person for the job", he is Christopher Nolan, for the last decade of so he gets to pick and choose anyone he wants outside of Daniel Day Lewis

And he also writes (or co-writes) his own movies (exception being Insomnia). If the "best person for the job" (outside the constrains that Batman "has to be white") happens to always be a male Caucasian that's also his prerogative.

[DieHardYankee26]

Re: What movies have you seen recently?

He's also actually in Tenet (he plays a restaurant host).

Where is he in Batman Begins, by the way?

He’s on the water board after Raas activates the microwave emitter. He points at the screen and goes “Jesus. The pressure. It’s spiking.”

[Blzer]

Re: What movies have you seen recently?

He’s on the water board after Raas activates the microwave emitter. He points at the screen and goes “Jesus. The pressure. It’s spiking.”

"AND IT'S GONNA BLOW!"

As if we weren't reminded 10,000 times in that moment.

Thanks, by the way. Didn't realize that was him.

[Blzer]

Re: What movies have you seen recently?

I can agree with Blzer on his CGI critique on Black Panther. To me the first action scene is a little unpolished, but the rest of the movie settled down enough to not be a hindrance to me. Nothing about the writing stands out to me so I'm not sure what holes he's referring to. I do agree Into The Spider Verse was the best super hero movie that year and one of the best since The Dark Knight.

I haven't seen it since theaters, so I don't know if I remember the specifics.

I'm not sure if "holes" is the right word, and honestly maybe these elements derived from the comics, but first of all... I agreed with Killmonger in sharing Wakandan weapons with the rest of the world, and that's never a good thing when you think the villain is in the right (no, I do not think he should lead Wakanda nor do I believe he was a good person, I didn't say any of that). I also didn't like the nature of the battle for King of Wakanda. So you take away your powers to figure out who should then... have the powers after? What exactly is it to be king then, anyway? Steve Rogers showed what he had before the serum, and this fight for BP seems to be about physical prowess that you'll obtain with powers anyway. Not only that, but if you lose then you can just elect to fight again? It's a play-till-you-win concept and you can keep dethroning one another whenever you please. It was silly and didn't work for me.

The movie itself simply wasn't captivating enough on its own for me, either. I loved the casino fight scene and ensuing car chase, though. Definitely the highlight of the film. The opening narration was visually creative, but I'm not a fan of narrative exposition so that was a wash for me. The comedy also didn't hit very well for me, and Andy Serkis's character was the best part of it all (outside of Killmonger) and he just came and went. I also know that Shuri is like the smartest character in the Marvel universe and Wakanda is very technologically advanced, but I'm not a fan of her and Stark basically concocting inventions magically, especially for plot convenience. I can take it to some levels, but nanotech has kind of ruined bits of the MCU for me really. I can definitely do without it. Again though, this isn't just for this film as it's also Stark related. Just not my cup of tea.

The thing this movie meant for many people stemmed beyond the merits of the film itself though, and that isn't something that necessarily impacted me. I do believe it is those reasons why it received a Best Picture nomination, though... and I simply disagree with that notion.

And yes, CGI means something for me. If the movie isn't good enough for the CGI to matter less or be disguised more, then that needs to make up for it, and I didn't feel it did it in the slightest. It's a missed mark in Marvel films for me, which they mostly rank from good to mediocre. I think this ranks in the latter category.

[RockinDaMike]

Re: What movies have you seen recently?

A Quite Place 2

Loved it. Not as much as the first as I thought the 1st was more emotional and tense but it's still great. I thought the kids were fantastic and its open for a 3rd one, still a lot of places for it to go.

[Fresh Tendrils]

Re: What movies have you seen recently?

I haven't seen it since theaters, so I don't know if I remember the specifics.

I'm not sure if "holes" is the right word, and honestly maybe these elements derived from the comics, but first of all... I agreed with Killmonger in sharing Wakandan weapons with the rest of the world, and that's never a good thing when you think the villain is in the right (no, I do not think he should lead Wakanda nor do I believe he was a good person, I didn't say any of that). I also didn't like the nature of the battle for King of Wakanda. So you take away your powers to figure out who should then... have the powers after? What exactly is it to be king then, anyway? Steve Rogers showed what he had before the serum, and this fight for BP seems to be about physical prowess that you'll obtain with powers anyway. Not only that, but if you lose then you can just elect to fight again? It's a play-till-you-win concept and you can keep dethroning one another whenever you please. It was silly and didn't work for me.

The movie itself simply wasn't captivating enough on its own for me, either. I loved the casino fight scene and ensuing car chase, though. Definitely the highlight of the film. The opening narration was visually creative, but I'm not a fan of narrative exposition so that was a wash for me. The comedy also didn't hit very well for me, and Andy Serkis's character was the best part of it all (outside of Killmonger) and he just came and went. I also know that Shuri is like the smartest character in the Marvel universe and Wakanda is very technologically advanced, but I'm not a fan of her and Stark basically concocting inventions magically, especially for plot convenience. I can take it to some levels, but nanotech has kind of ruined bits of the MCU for me really. I can definitely do without it. Again though, this isn't just for this film as it's also Stark related. Just not my cup of tea.

The thing this movie meant for many people stemmed beyond the merits of the film itself though, and that isn't something that necessarily impacted me. I do believe it is those reasons why it received a Best Picture nomination, though... and I simply disagree with that notion.

And yes, CGI means something for me. If the movie isn't good enough for the CGI to matter less or be disguised more, then that needs to make up for it, and I didn't feel it did it in the slightest. It's a missed mark in Marvel films for me, which they mostly rank from good to mediocre. I think this ranks in the latter category.

I thought the whole cast was great and most of the characters elevated the movie as a whole for me. Like you mentioned it definitely relies and uses some typical Marvel crutches, but I can deal with them when the other parts are elevated.

Killmonger is basically the precursor to Thanos in my mind. His antics and tactics are obviously immoral and ultimately selfish and egomaniacal, but he does bring to the table some legitimate points and raises questions that 99% of Marvel villains never think of asking. The fact that you think the villain is correct in his assertion is an example of why I think he and the movie itself is so remarkable and not something I would consider a negative against the movie.

The movie itself was definitely a cultural touchstone for many especially when you consider the soundtrack. To me, it was refreshing to see an unapologetic black culture being celebrated and lifted up. A movie embracing and celebrating the balance between nature, technology, and the equilibrium of advancement. It brought to the Marvel landscape a new pallet and broadened the scope. Whether or not those are reasons enough to warrant Best Picture nominations I'm unsure, but it was certainly refreshing to see rather than having the academy go gooey eye for Historical Slave Movie 999.

[gmac0322]

Re: What movies have you seen recently?

I thought the whole cast was great and most of the characters elevated the movie as a whole for me. Like you mentioned it definitely relies and uses some typical Marvel crutches, but I can deal with them when the other parts are elevated.

Killmonger is basically the precursor to Thanos in my mind. His antics and tactics are obviously immoral and ultimately selfish and egomaniacal, but he does bring to the table some legitimate points and raises questions that 99% of Marvel villains never think of asking. The fact that you think the villain is correct in his assertion is an example of why I think he and the movie itself is so remarkable and not something I would consider a negative against the movie.

The movie itself was definitely a cultural touchstone for many especially when you consider the soundtrack. To me, it was refreshing to see an unapologetic black culture being celebrated and lifted up. A movie embracing and celebrating the balance between nature, technology, and the equilibrium of advancement. It brought to the Marvel landscape a new pallet and broadened the scope. Whether or not those are reasons enough to warrant Best Picture nominations I'm unsure, but it was certainly refreshing to see rather than having the academy go gooey eye for Historical Slave Movie 999.

That right there Fresh. I agree completely with your take on the movie.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

[DieHardYankee26]

Re: What movies have you seen recently?

I can't wrap my mind around a big Nolan fan not being a fan of narrative exposition lol.

Following (3.5/5)

Spoiler

A movie about a thief named Cobb who's plan was to plant thoughts into another guy's head in order to rid himself of a problem with law enforcement...Inception? No. This is a movie where a guy essentially trains a doppelganger of himself to act exactly like him so that he can pass him off as the original in his place, and uses a woman that he works with to trick him. The Prestige? No. It's about a guy who doesn't seem to know himself that well and goes off to make an identity, and the story is told in a back and forth fashion that is slightly confusing. Memento? No. Nolan is a madman and watching all of his movies this close in succession is a really awesome experience, seeing the progression through time. I just finished Person of Interest (the show his brother created) not that long ago and recognized the detective in this was also the old guy that worked for Samaritan in PoI. Turns out it's their uncle in what is surely a merit based casting decision. Nolan went from this with a 6k budget in 98, 4 years later he puts out Memento, and 6 years later, The Dark Knight, crazy progression.

Insomnia (3/5)

Spoiler

The Nolan movie that he didn't write and you can tell, it's extremely easy to follow. It is not bad, just not special in the way that a lot of his movies are. Good performance from Robin Williams who I don't think I've seen in anything other than Flubber and Jumanji. Not really a thriller since you know what happens about halfway through, but it still manages to be entertaining getting to the end. Hearing it's a remake and the original is darker kinda makes me want to check that out.

Avengers End Game (3/5)

Spoiler

Went back to the original thread to see what I thought...before the movie came out I said I was excited for this as 22/22, not so much as 22/42 so the fatigue was already setting in. After it came out, I said I didn't like it like I expected and it doesn't hold a candle to Infinity War. Finally seeing it a second time...all of that stands. I do not love this movie 3000, it's somewhere in the 600-900 range. Fat Thor, Smart Hulk, America's ***, half the universe dead and these guys are still getting in 1.5 bad jokes per minute, freakin' Hawkeye existing at all (scrub couldn't even sacrifice himself right), and I feel every second of the 3 hour runtime. This movie is not the last defiant stand of quality storytelling in the face of anything. Shout out to Cap for recognizing how much healthier the planet was without half of the population, #ThanosWasRight. If not for the last hour, this would've been Dark Knight Rises level for me, Thanos is by far the best part of this movie, whenever he pops up it's good. Some of the parts without him almost feel like if SNL wanted to make a superhero skit. Not End Game's fault, but I really wish Sam had not given the shield to a museum after Cap told him to take care of it.

[Blzer]

Re: What movies have you seen recently?

I can't wrap my mind around a big Nolan fan not being a fan of narrative exposition lol.

I mean an opening narrative. Explaining something to get us through, like a news montage or "In the beginning..."

Nolan starts off a movie from the jump like you are already a part of the world, and leaks the rules through as you continue onward (sometimes with flashbacks). I'll admit he tells things more often than he shows, but sometimes it's necessary. The problem is when the entire film is an exposition vomit and characters are only there to serve the plot and nothing else, which he also does often.

I'm a Nolan fan for other reasons other than that. That is definitely one of his weak points... but narrative exposition is one thing he does not do.

Good performance from Robin Williams who I don't think I've seen in anything other than Flubber and Jumanji.

Did I read this correctly?

[Fresh Tendrils]

Re: What movies have you seen recently?

That made me pause too. No Good Will Hunting? Birdcage? Mrs. Doubtfire? Death to Smoochy?

Anyway. I feel like there is always an exposition dump around the end of the first Act in every Nolan movie. Inception it feels like the majority of the movie.

I'm not sure if it should be labeled as narrative exposition or not, but considering he pulls you into a world the characters are operating in and then proceeds to explicitly tell you the rules and background certainly affects the narrative.

[DieHardYankee26]

Re: What movies have you seen recently?

Yeah I’ve never seen any of those movies and only even heard of Good Will Hunting and Mrs Doubtfire. I forgot Aladdin looking at his wiki page but yeah, Dead Poets Society and stuff like that I’ve heard of but never really had any interest in seeing.

[Blzer]

Re: What movies have you seen recently?

That made me pause too. No Good Will Hunting? Birdcage? Mrs. Doubtfire? Death to Smoochy?

Anyway. I feel like there is always an exposition dump around the end of the first Act in every Nolan movie. Inception it feels like the majority of the movie.

I'm not sure if it should be labeled as narrative exposition or not, but considering he pulls you into a world the characters are operating in and then proceeds to explicitly tell you the rules and background certainly affects the narrative.

I've said it before, but I maintain to this day that I really wish Nolan made two films called Extraction and Inception. In Extraction, you only get some of the basic layout ideas (dream concept, projections, safe/vault, mind heist, time dilation), and Inception covers the rest (dream within a dream, limbo, gravity shifts, trained/armed subconsciousness, gambits, planting seed). Stretching that out would have helped tremendously.

All I mean though, again, is where the movie opens and needs to literally tell you a story to get caught up with the story that you're going to see. Inception is about the rules that they're telling you, like that's kind of the story in and of itself. That's what Nolan does in nearly all of his non-Batman films. This is considered a weak aspect of storytelling to many people and this is why those many don't like his films. This is what he chooses to do.

I wish those opening expositional narratives were somehow interwoven into the story told so we get bits as we go. I'm not a fan of it dumping all in the front, though I once again admit that it was visually pleasing in Black Panther.

Yeah I’ve never seen any of those movies and only even heard of Good Will Hunting and Mrs Doubtfire. I forgot Aladdin looking at his wiki page but yeah, Dead Poets Society and stuff like that I’ve heard of but never really had any interest in seeing.

Depending on where you are in life, Good Will Hunting very well may transform you. I think there is a little bit of leverage in seeing the comedian that is Robin Williams and get such a humbling, stellar performance out of him as a therapist. Watching that movie after Williams ended his own life even brings a bit of a tear to my eye now.

Spoiler

Not End Game's fault, but I really wish Sam had not given the shield to a museum after Cap told him to take care of it.

Toy Story 4 spoiler:

Spoiler

[Armor and Sword]

Re: What movies have you seen recently?

It was good. I enjoy it much more than Catching Fire, which just had a lot more overall problems.

Mockingjay: Part 1 was terrible and worthless (on its own). I still have yet to see Mockingjay: Part 2.

100%....awful.

Part 2 though? Total redemption.

[DieHardYankee26]

Re: What movies have you seen recently?

Will add Good Will Hunting to the list. I much prefer Killmonger’s dad explaining to him where he came from in a 2 minute spiel at the top of the movie than Leo sitting down with Ariadne for 5 minutes explaining to her she’s in a dream. Im just imagining Killmonger telling Klaw the story of Wakanda on a plane, or Shuri describing the heart shaped herb to Martin Freeman when he wakes up, I think they made the right choice there.

[Blzer]

Re: What movies have you seen recently?

Since when has Inception been the gold standard of storytelling, though? I'm sitting here stating that Nolan doesn't do it right. Or rather, it's a weak point of his films since that is a crux of the overall plot's nature in and of itself. Cobb spends like fifteen seconds telling her she's in a dream, by the way haha.

Either way, good exposition (which Nolan doesn't do well) is sprinkled within a scene while there is a larger purpose going on, is naturally a part of the dialogue in and of itself, or simply put it is shown instead of told. If a character lies in a large bed with an empty space next to him, has no ring on, and as he turns off the table light you see a photo of him smiling with a woman, we as the audience can infer that she is likely dead. They never have to say it, but they can hint at it later when a character says something like: "You haven't been this happy since Jessica," or whatever.

For what Black Panther did in the beginning on a visual level, and for it being a comic book movie getting TChalla's standalone story in place, it absolutely worked. I was just expressing my opinion that I'm not a fan of it, no matter the movie. The news montage cliché has to be one of the more overdone ones though. World War Z, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Shaun of the Dead, Edge of Tomorrow, Pacific Rim, Battle Los Angeles... movies of this ilk (apocalyptic films) all seem to have that. I Am Legend didn't, and I'm glad. I give District 9 the benefit of the doubt because the man is a documentarian and much of the film is presented with that format or perspective.

Some people absolutely love its effectiveness, but I just find it to be lazy storytelling. And once again, Nolan is guilty of it in his dialogue (as it's how he chooses to tell his stories), but not in his openings. That doesn't make it good or bad. I never tried to compare, anyway. Others did.


EDIT: And I now realize that since I was mentioning Searching a lot the other day, that somebody might tell me it has an opening exposition dump with a montage. It only showed and never told, it included massive amounts of characterization, and was fit as a decade-long time lapse. That was about as effective of an opening as I've ever seen. I'm not against montages by nature at all.

I'm always recommending that people check out that movie, so if you want to see the opening scene for yourself and then decide whether you want to check out the rest after, here it is:


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