[DLeeWebb]

Saw "Flag Day" on Prime/Epix last night. Best movie I've seen in a long time. Direcrted by and starring Sean Penn and two of his children. Just a great movie with a really compelling, based on a true story film, and a good soundtrack to boot....​

 

[dougms3]

Obi-Wan Kenobi (9/10)

Only took 40 years but it finally came and it doesn't disappoint.

Perhaps I'm biased because I'm a Star Wars fan and hoped for such a series when I was a kid. Ewan Mcgregor back as Obi-wan, great special effects, whats not to love. The only thing thats missing is, needs more cowbell (Gina Carano).

 

[SilverEars]

Obi-Wan Kenobi (9/10)

Only took 40 years but it finally came and it doesn't disappoint.

Perhaps I'm biased because I'm a Star Wars fan and hoped for such a series when I was a kid. Ewan Mcgregor back as Obi-wan, great special effects, whats not to love. The only thing thats missing is, needs more cowbell (Gina Carano).

This gives me some encouragement to check it out. I notice some early comments of people not ao enthusiastic of the first two episodes.

I don't like 'The Madelorian' series so I may dislike it.

 

[ST33L]

I recently saw Top Gun Maverick. Not always a big fan of sequels, but after a 36 yr hiatus, I think they did a great job. If you liked the first one, then you’ll surely like this edition. 9/10

 

[ST33L]

Saw "Flag Day" on Prime/Epix last night. Best movie I've seen in a long time. Direcrted by and starring Sean Penn and two of his children. Just a great movie with a really compelling, based on a true story film, and a good soundtrack to boot....​

I agree… Great acting by Sean Penn, and particularly his daughter, Dylan

 

[dougms3]

This gives me some encouragement to check it out. I notice some early comments of people not ao enthusiastic of the first two episodes.

I don't like 'The Madelorian' series so I may dislike it.

It moves alot faster than the Mandalorian, that was one of the biggest problems with that series, a bit too slow paced. Almost as if they were trying to stretch out the story to fit the time slot.

Obi-wan moves very fast, alot of things happen very quickly. Maybe even a bit too fast, I feel like they could make each episode longer with a bit more detail. But you know how it is some douche executive needs to impose his/her filthy "touch" on it to state on paper they were involved in producing it so they can justify their overinflated salary.

 

[SilverEars]

Sweet Bean - (6/10)

I didn't enjoy this one. This was is way too serious, and the main character is depressing. Screenplay is quite dull and the story is uninteresting. Great photography, but quite generic sequences.

This is my first Naomi Kawase film, and I'm realizing her film style doesn't suit my taste. I like positive toned, and uplifting Japanese films. I do enjoy a melodrama every now and then, but usually they are bright toned majority of the film until the dark event that occurs toward the end. Kawase maybe a great photographer, but not good at telling stories in a interesting way.

 

[SilverEars]

Survival Family - (9/10)

Just Brilliant! Shinobu Yaguchi hasn't let me down with this one. Perhaps his later films are more polished than earlier? This one doesn't have the exaggerated acting that 'Swing Girls' had.

The story is great! The way the plot was planned out is brilliant. Great movie from start to finish! This film is much better than pretty much all those big budget natural disaster films.

This film is probably unlike his other films that has lots of humor in them. This one gets quite serious, but presented in a light hearted way. It's done really well.

 

[tdockweiler]

Night Sky - 10/10

Absolutely loved this new series from Amazon. Every single minute of it. It's unlikely many are going to share the same opinion of this as me though. I haven't seen many reviews of it yet. It could bore some people to death. I actually watched this entire series in 2 days!

If you don't love episode 1, then chances are you won't like the rest of the series.

J.K. Simmons and Sissy Spacek's acting is so good in this. Also liked the character of Byron.
How on earth did I not pay attention to J.K. Simmons as an actor before?!
I love it when you have all those smaller roles too and the acting is still so good.
This isn't as common as it should be.

This series is considered slow paced, but I myself didn't find it slow or never interesting. I could think of maybe only 1 or 2 scenes I would have cut out.
It's also a character-driven series with almost no special effects. There are a couple action sequences, but that's it.
The story-line with Stella and her daughter are not great, but not bad.
All the acting is pretty above average except for one actor. I think they just need more experience.
You'll know which one when you see the series.

I especially loved the cinematography and the soundtrack. There is a lot of very long takes, which may annoy people.
They also leave a lot of things unsaid and don't give away much. Reminded of what they did in "Lost".
You have a million questions but they never answered them for you right away.
You kept glued to the screen because you wanted to know what happens next in the story.

Can't wait for a Season 2! It's too bad there is probably never going to be a Blu-Ray of Season 1.
I wish there was. I'd watch it again.

BTW I thought nothing could top "The Foundation" but this is every bit as good as that IMO.

 

[Whazzzup]

The harder they fall 2021 net flix



little schlocky but yes, yes, and yes. Under the influence with devils lettuce but

 

[tdockweiler]

Exodus (1960) - 1/10

I've seen tons of war movies and this is by far one of the most offensive ones i've seen. It almost feels like a pro-war propaganda film.
The way they made this movie makes it comes across as like some sort of terrorist recruitment video. Ugh.
Paul Newman's group blows up lots of British soldiers and apparently he's portrayed as some sort of freedom fighter.
I don't know, i'm so confused by this movie and it's views.

Even John Wayne movies are not quite as bad as this.

BTW this movie is 3 1/2 hours long. It felt like an ETERNITY. At one point I thought it was over and I paused it and it says 1 1/2 hours remaining. It felt like the worst thing ever to have to endure. I somehow got through it!

Anyway, I kind of have a sick feeling after watching this one.


Escape from Pretoria - 6/10

If you like prison escape movies be sure to skip this one.

 

[SilverEars]

My Secret Cache - (8/10)

I quite enjoyed this one by Shinobu Yaguchi. This is one of his oldest film from 1997. I like the presentation with this one. The acting is exaggerated, but in a tasteful way similar to Coen brothers film like 'Raising Arizona' which is one of my all time favs.

I quite like the main actress. She fit the role so well, and quite good in it. I generally found the acting done appropriately well. Also, I luv the score. Very fun score.

Yaguchi knows how to tell interesting stories. He sees the world in a very fun way, and it's comes out really well in film. Majority of Japanese films, I don't think I see head slapping like in Korean films, but in Yaguchi's film it happens. Does it happen in Japanese culture? This gives me motivation to see his other works.



Here's the most comprehensive listing of Yaguchi films for anybody interested. https://mydramalist.com/article/from-zero-to-hero-a-retrospective-guide-to-yaguchi-shinobu-011015869

 

[tdockweiler]

I'm working my way through the entire Criterion Collection catalog and this is the one i'm on now:

Mac and Me - 6/10

I actually found this pretty hilarious. So many scenes were so inappropriate to laugh at, but I did.
Like a boy in a wheelchair falling 100 feet into a lake in a ravine.
Don't worry, he's saved by an alien and they become friends and have a dance off later at McDonalds.
I also found out that in this movie if you are close to death you can recover quickly by consuming Coca-Cola and Skittles. What, no Big Macs?
It works on Aliens so why not humans? They also had a fake out death scene at the end. Guess who saves then? Not Coke this time, but special alien powers.
NASA is totally OK with this and lets them become USA citizens. There is actually a scene of them dressed up in human clothing.
The alien dad apparently knows how to drive and was given a pink cadillac to drive everyone around.
I was so glad at the end they displayed this giant message "We'll be back!".

This is the best scene. They should show this in film schools:



BTW there is a scene of them capturing the alien by hiding in a closet and sucking him up with a vacuum cleaner.
No, I am totally serious! Who comes up with this stuff? Even worse they get him out by putting it in reverse.
Reminds me of the cut scene from Goonies where they got attacked by an Octopus and shoved a Walkman in it's mouth and pressed play to scare it away. What?!

 

[SilverEars]

I'm working my way through the entire Criterion Collection catalog and this is the one i'm on now:

Mac and Me - 6/10

I actually found this pretty hilarious. So many scenes were so inappropriate to laugh at, but I did.
Like a boy in a wheelchair falling 100 feet into a lake in a ravine.
Don't worry, he's saved by an alien and they become friends and have a dance off later at McDonalds.
I also found out that in this movie if you are close to death you can recover quickly by consuming Coca-Cola and Skittles. What, no Big Macs?
It works on Aliens so why not humans? They also had a fake out death scene at the end. Guess who saves then? Not Coke this time, but special alien powers.
NASA is totally OK with this and lets them become USA citizens. There is actually a scene of them dressed up in human clothing.
The alien dad apparently knows how to drive and was given a pink cadillac to drive everyone around.
I was so glad at the end they displayed this giant message "We'll be back!".

This is the best scene. They should show this in film schools:



BTW there is a scene of them capturing the alien by hiding in a closet and sucking him up with a vacuum cleaner.
No, I am totally serious! Who comes up with this stuff? Even worse they get him out by putting it in reverse.
Reminds me of the cut scene from Goonies where they got attacked by an Octopus and shoved a Walkman in it's mouth and pressed play to scare it away. What?!

I regret clicking play on that clip. That's what I call 80's hell. Acting is so terrible.

Waterboys - (6/10)

It's was inevitable that I'd see this one since it's one of the most popular films of Shinobu Yaguchi. 'Waterboys' and 'Swing Girls' gets mentioned in later Yaguchi film trailers. Which tells me they were big hits. But, they are my least liked of Yaguchi's films.

I think it maybe due to not understanding some of the humor the movies? I find that 'Swing Girls' has more humor that I understand, but others just awkward and odd, which perhaps maybe due to cultural differences. Same for 'Waterboys,' and I found pretty much all the humor in this movie really awkward, and unfunny.

I held off this movie because the theme of all boys synchro team seems cringy, and it is indeed cringy to me. I really can't appreciate stuff like this.

I find that in both movies, the plot transitions are abrupt and awkward. Plot elements doesn't seem to develop.

One scene I liked was with Aya Hirayama and Satoshi Tsumabuki. When they meet for the first time. It's an interesting encounter, but how the relationship develops is abrupt and awkward. I wish they did more with these two, but there's probably no room for it.

Both, 'Waterboys' and 'Swing Girls' uses the same formula, and is formulaic. It seems the ending scenes presentation is the big payoff, but I really didn't care for it. The character transitions are too forced in both movies. Unrealistic.

I should have just stopped watching then finish this, payoff not worth it sitting through.

A Yaguchi film I stopped midway is Robo-G. Another Yaguchi film I didn't care for.

 

[Whazzzup]

The flight 2012 net flix

wow somehow missed this till now. Possibly an epic drug scene with Tom Goodman makes the movie, the plane inversion / crash is pretty cool too.