what was the last movie you saw?

[Adje]

Originally Posted by Adje

Star Wars ep VIII: The Last Jedi (2017)

9/10

TYPO: should be 8

Anyway, I think Ryan Johnson hit a homerun. The movie has several flaws and I don't think it is in the same league as Force Awakens. But it is bold and it balances on the edge of (not) being a Star Wars movie. In that perspective it is Empire Strikes Back of the new trilogy. And I think that, in the years to come and expecting JJ Abrahams to create a fan-favorite 3rd installment, this will be the perfect -in between- episode that has created new possibilities to explore in the future movies.

SPOILERS BELOW!!!!

I expect Abrahams to 'fix' Rey's parent story. I do believe that Rey will become an offspring of... It just doesn't make sense that she has all this raw power out of nothing. I also hope there will be some more about the history of Snoke. His death was just too easy. I also don't expect to have seen the last of Luke. This is the only thing that I really had troubles with. Not his death, but what he has become. It just didn't feel right.

That said, I like the direction that Johnson took by focussing more on Rey/Kylo Ren. Killing off everyone around them that were involved in the original trilogy just seems right. They are no longer the key players and they don't fit in this new era. The love triangle doesn't have my interest btw.

All in all, this movie seems to be the perfect connection for Abrahams to create another fan-tale but with the room to try something different. After seeing this episode I am confident that the right third installment will make this a fantastic Trilogy. And I have all faith in Abrahams.

[AndrewG]

Originally Posted by Adje

TYPO: should be 8

Anyway, I think Ryan Johnson hit a homerun. The movie has several flaws and I don't think it is in the same league as Force Awakens. But it is bold and it balances on the edge of (not) being a Star Wars movie. In that perspective it is Empire Strikes Back of the new trilogy. And I think that, in the years to come and expecting JJ Abrahams to create a fan-favorite 3rd installment, this will be the perfect -in between- episode that has created new possibilities to explore in the future movies.

SPOILERS BELOW!!!!

I expect Abrahams to 'fix' Rey's parent story. I do believe that Rey will become an offspring of... It just doesn't make sense that she has all this raw power out of nothing. I also hope there will be some more about the history of Snoke. His death was just too easy. I also don't expect to have seen the last of Luke. This is the only thing that I really had troubles with. Not his death, but what he has become. It just didn't feel right.

That said, I like the direction that Johnson took by focussing more on Rey/Kylo Ren. Killing off everyone around them that were involved in the original trilogy just seems right. They are no longer the key players and they don't fit in this new era. The love triangle doesn't have my interest btw.

All in all, this movie seems to be the perfect connection for Abrahams to create another fan-tale but with the room to try something different. After seeing this episode I am confident that the right third installment will make this a fantastic Trilogy. And I have all faith in Abrahams.

I think I would trust Gareth Edwards more with an entire Star Wars trilogy than Rian Johnson the more I think about The Last Jedi and Rogue One.

I actually think after The Han Solo movie and the final JJ Abrams film, which I hope redeems the Skywalker name again but indeed does give Star Wars "A New Hope"ish end Disney would take a breather with the franchise.

But I'm guessing money is the main object here and I think it is actually a bit sad we are probably going to get more Star Wars than we need and there is a huge possibility now that many of us may never see the actual finale of Star Wars in our lifetimes.

Marvel is becoming very Meh to me. I just hope it doesn't happen with Star Wars but I fear the worst.

[Adje]

Originally Posted by AndrewG

Marvel is becoming very Meh to me. I just hope it doesn't happen with Star Wars but I fear the worst.

I agree. Marvel movies lack the Heart of being something more than sfx superhero stuff. And in a way they are all the same. And Star Wars is also heading that direction. For me Star Wars is the Skywalker story and it ends with episode 9.

I am not anxious to see all the spin offs or that Ryan Johnson trilogy. That said, I did like Rogue One. But not as part of the trilogies.

btw, for now Guardians of the Galaxy are the only Marvel movies that aren't complete and utter crap. And don't get me started on that DC Universe.

Anyway, Disney is gonna milk this cow until it gets dry. And that could mean many more of Star Wars related flix.

[AndrewG]

Originally Posted by Adje

For me Star Wars is the Skywalker story....

*More spoilers*
For me it is that too but it is also the story of family. I really think Rey needs to be a Kenobi or ideally a Skywalker. Rey's vision in TFA makes totally no sense if her parents are nobodies.
I don't like this thing of anyone can use the force thing (Mind you I also don't like the medichlorian Jesus no father birth story either!).

I feel if this story ends with some bizarre lesson of it doesn't matter who your parents are or family doesn't matter I think that is incredibly inately dissatisfactory.

I think these innate lessons and kinship of family (which realistically allowed humans to evolve) are so vital within Star Wars, Lucas probably didn't even know what he was writing to a certain extent. I feel if you destroy that fans won't come back.

Star Wars was mostly successful because people wanted to watch these movies a million times and buy the merch etc. I think this is a sign that things are simply not right with The Last Jedi's story:
'Last Jedi' Grosses Are Collapsing With The Worst Daily Holds Of All 9 Star Wars Movies

Instead of what we got how cool would it have been to have seen Luke raise his submerged X Wing out of the water (what he couldn't do in Empire) to save Leia/Ray/Finn.
Rey could have left earlier with the Millennium Falcon and Chewie to save Finn say if he had been captured or so and leave R2 behind for Luke. Still play that hologram but then R2 could join Luke in the X Wing to save the day. I would have spaced this a few years after TFA regardless to give Rey time for Jedi training and more significance to Finn's coma and thus Rey and Finn's relationship.

At the battle of Kraite Luke could have stopped all the lasers from the walkers like Kylo did in TFA at the beginning and either sent them back to the walkers and/or use some force mega power to raise all the walkers into the sky and smashed the bejeezus out of them. We needed some hand to hand combat there too between rebels and first order fighters and this could have explained the evening out of powers. Luke has a more extended light sabre fight with Kylo. But Luke doesn't destroy Kylo because he thinks he can be redeemed. Luke flees with the remaining rebels and Rey.

I think Leia should have died in this one. Ackbar should have sacrificed himself instead of yet another new character being introduced with the purple haired Jurassic Park Ellie. The codebreaker could have been Lando or so. Keep Snoke alive. Phasma captures Finn, who gets his memory erased somehow and is placed in a stormtrooper costume which would look like a desperate bad ending to him (like how Han Solo was put in nitrogen etc). Maybe put him in either a non significant stormtrooper suit (that looks bad - that typical one in a million never to be found again Toy Story thing) or a red one to make him a force to be reckoned with in the final episode before he is of course freed somehow. Regardless his story should end well in 9 and I don't think introducing a new love interest was a good move at all. Rey will be a Jedi so I guess a love relationship isn't quite possible with Finn but it could have been left open and at least meant they are both closer. Rey now suddenly meeting Poe and hinting at what would be a love interest only developed over one remaining episode seems very sad to me and stupid considering Finn has known Rey for more than 1 1/2 episodes already at that point.

The movie could have ended with Leia's funeral and that that triggered some major twist revealing Rey is in fact Kylo's sister and thus Leia is her mother which could trigger Rey wanting to redeem him in the final episode and destroy Snoke with Luke.

I really don't know how they will deal with Kylo, Luke's death (also no Carrie Fisher!?) and Rey's motivation but I just hope it's not some stupid thing of Rey leading a band of new Jedi fighters who were slave boys on a casino planet to fight Kylo and the First Order. Also why free the "horses" and not the slave boys. Social justice warrioring around the galaxy seems to make people do bizarre things at times.

I did absolutely love the Kylo/Rey light sabre fighting and slow mo start.
The walker taking position to start to shoot Luke. These scenes were merely seconds but SOO SOO GOOD. There was nothing as memorable as those bits in the entire prequel trilogy even.

Maybe it sounds silly but to me this movie is like listening to Meat Loaf's last record. It contains elements of pure genius (GATW and Souvenirs). An absolutely bizarre start (who needs the young / lightsaber handover - no time between stories), some dissatisfying moments and just not what we are used to from Meat and Jim (and Star Wars). Both these products seem to lack that precise bit of polish to make them both almost the best from two 40 year old franchises which I believe they could have been. Both seem to have important elements missing (another great song in Braver - body / more family connection in SW). Strange how these things can pan out when you start thinking about them....

At least SW has the benefit of having one more major episode remaining for redemption. (Though I'm sure we will see main style episodes 10/11/12 too!).

[AndrewG]

It is looking like The Last Jedi is going to become the worst Star Wars film ever made, worse so than the prequels even. By far the most polarising one anyway.
I think they made huge mistakes here. Rian Johnson should be removed from having anything to do with Star Wars from now on. If Kathleen Kennedy cannot see that she should go herself.

Such a shame.

[Adje]

Last Vegas (2015)

Morgan Freeman, Michal Douglas, Kevin Kline and Robert DeNiro. 4 elder friends going to Vegas for a bachelor party.
Had a few funny moments. But nothing too special.

6,5/10

[PanicLord]

American Made

Fascinating and entertaining film, with Cruise given far more to do than just run and jump for a change. It relies more on relaying the tale of Barry Seal rather than highlighting the personal and emotional impacts but it is fascinating watching everything spiralling out of control.

4/5

[PanicLord]

Star Wars The Last Jedi

Loved it. Great humour, amazing action, great emotional wallop at the end, and finally a Star Wars movie that's not about a Death Star!! I can understand why some fans didn't like some of the choices made, but I'd rather watch something bold and new than the same thing over and over. Mark Hamill is superb.

4.5/5

[Adje]

Originally Posted by PanicLord

Star Wars The Last Jedi

finally a Star Wars movie that's not about a Death Star!!

Yes, it is Empire Strikes Back all over again

Not many people remember that Empire got kind of the same heat when it played in theaters. In the end it is now considered to be the best of the Star Wars movies by most fans. I am not saying Last Jedi will become that, but I do think that (depending on JJ Abraham's 9th episode) this will become a movie that will gain a lot of love. Despite some poor decisions made, Last Jedi, unlike the prequels, has a Star Wars feel to it.

[PanicLord]

Batman Begins and the Dark Knight

First though, a little love letter to Christopher Nolan.

I remember being wowed by Batman Begins when it came out at the cinema. It's the film that got me interested in Christopher Nolan, and made me go back and watch Memento and Insomnia and love them both. It got me booking tickets to every new film he makes and getting all his films to watch at home.


His films feel crafted by people who know what they are doing. He doesn't treat you as if you're the lowest common denominator and need every little thing explained or that you will only be able to maintain your attention level with lashings of unnecessary cgi blood and gore.

This approach to film making revitalised the Batman franchise big style and super hero movies in general. The film is populated with believable people acting on their beliefs and emotions.

And people call this and the follow ups grim... this is the mistake eg DC makes now when they go "dark". There is plenty of wit and humour, but no puns. Characters say funny things, because that's what people do. Not because someone has counted the number of dark things happening and inserted a bad joke into the script every 5th bad thing.

And people also accuse him of making cold emotionless films. It's true that generally he doesn't go in for melodramatics or over theatrical performances. He doesn't tell you how you should feel every single minute. He tells the story and relies on quality actors and relatable characters to convey it to you so that you feel how you want.

How can you not feel devastated for poor young Bruce watching his parents get murdered? Or be horrified by the Joker and his corruption of Harvey Dent.

Anyway I love these films and all of his others so don't be too surprised if I allocate some top marks!

Batman Begins 4.5/5

Terrific origin story well told, turning Batman into a relatable symbol and legend that you can really root for. Mostly quality supporting cast (with the only one not making as much impact as maybe you'd hope for being Katie Holmes... she's not bad exactly just outclassed by everyone else). Great baddie in Liam Neeson, nice simple plot, mission firmly accomplished.

The Dark Knight 5/5

Genius level film making. Astounding acting from Heath Ledger, excellent plot that massively raised the stakes in what you could expect from a blockbuster movie, quality supporting cast. I forgot to mention Christian Bale before... excellent at both Bruce Wayne and Batman, really sells the commitment to the symbol and to Gotham and the struggle to balance that with real life. Extraordinary.

Can't wait to watch Dark Knight Rises tomorrow... night!

[PanicLord]

Paddington

Charming, funny, likeable, quirky, engaging, and fun. All the things I thought it wasn't going to be.

4/5

[Adje]

Bright (2017)

Netflix most expensive movie of date is really really poor.
It even makes Will Smith look like an uncharismatic person. And the intended message is just painfully ridiculous in it's delivery. What a mess...

4/10

[PanicLord]

The Dark Knight Rises

People give this film a hard time for all sorts of reasons. Ok so Bane is not quite on the level of the Joker. But that's like saying 22 carat gold isn't as good as 24 carat gold. Maybe not but it's still mighty fine and better than almost everything else out there. Extra points for Catwoman though. If Mr Nolan is looking for an idea for his next film, how about her then? Wow.

And yes Batman sits out quite a bit in the middle and then sweeps in at the end to save the day. Sounds exactly like what the hero of the piece normally does. You understand that Batman is Wayne who is in a pit yes?

Another intelligent, emotional, quality film, shining a mirror on the sadly still current state of the world and turning it into fun dramatic thrilling action.

5/5

[Monstro]

Spiderman - Homecoming

Ok, so I'm late to the game on this one but have been disappointed with Avengers so wasn't in much of a rush to see this. Hindsight is great so with it I wish I'd watched this sooner, really enjoyed the return of a bit of humour and taking the mickey out of themselves. I don't want to have to study storylines or know the background of each character down to who married their second cousin before I watch a film so this was right up my street, good fun, good story and didn't take itself too seriously. Will watch it again with the kids tomorrow. 3.5/5

[Sebastian.]

Dunkirk - Stunning visuals, incredible score but above all.. even under horrific fire some increodble scenes of queing displayed by the British.

[Cherry.Loaf]

The Greatest Showman- flawless dancing, incredible singing and Hugh Jackman knocking it out of the park

[Adje]

Intouchables (2011)

I've seen this one a few times already. Perhaps the most beautiful movie of this decade. It is touching, funny, emotional and remarkable. Great acting, great story, great dialogue, great directing... It just is everything a movie has to be.

Based on a true story. And if you never saw this one I can only urge you to do so. No matter what movies you are into, this one won't disappoint you!

9.5/10

[AndrewG]

Originally Posted by Adje

Intouchables (2011)

I've seen this one a few times already. Perhaps the most beautiful movie of this decade. It is touching, funny, emotional and remarkable. Great acting, great story, great dialogue, great directing... It just is everything a movie has to be.

Based on a true story. And if you never saw this one I can only urge you to do so. No matter what movies you are into, this one won't disappoint you!

9.5/10

Love this film. I fully agree. Definitely the best French speaking film I've ever seen and I had to endure a lot of them including very weird ones during my film studies.

Meanwhile my The Last Jedi rating is dropping to a 4/10.
Jumani 2 is now performing better at the box office and TLJ isn't performing much better than how Rogue One did. It's no bomb but Lucasfilm would be insane to go ahead with a Rian Johnson SW trilogy imo.

[PanicLord]

Originally Posted by AndrewG

Love this film. I fully agree. Definitely the best French speaking film I've ever seen and I had to endure a lot of them including very weird ones during my film studies.

Meanwhile my The Last Jedi rating is dropping to a 4/10.
Jumani 2 is now performing better at the box office and TLJ isn't performing much better than how Rogue One did. It's no bomb but Lucasfilm would be insane to go ahead with a Rian Johnson SW trilogy imo.

Um... Rogue One took $1.056bn in 140 days... Last Jedi has beaten that in 18...

[AndrewG]

Originally Posted by PanicLord

Um... Rogue One took $1.056bn in 140 days... Last Jedi has beaten that in 18...

You're correct about totals but I was only considering daily US domestic box office figures.
http://www.boxofficemojo.com/daily/c...8-01-01&p=.htm
http://www.boxofficemojo.com/daily/c...7-01-01&p=.htm

etc.

Compared to Force Awakens it's really not doing AS well each day. Different league really.
http://www.boxofficemojo.com/daily/c...6-01-01&p=.htm

Sure it's still a great success. If they only want to go on that they could give Rian Johnson every single Star Wars movie from now on.

I reckon they'd be making a mistake as undoubtedly they alienated at least some hard core fans here by taking such liberties with the force and painting Luke Skywalker as quite a different character than most people remembered/wanted him still to be.

[Adje]

Sorry Andrew, but your math makes no sense.

Even the Jumanji one. So Jumanji had a better monday but lost on friday/sat/sunday, making Last Jedi the #1 of the new years weekend.

I understand you dislike the movie and try to back it up with numbers, but they aren't making much sense.

The comparison with Rogue One doesn't fit as the numbers on the NY weekend are almost the same but TLJ already has made 100 million more than RO at this time.

As for the numbers with TFA (which btw shattered every record in such a short time) the shorter numbers on TLJ are no surprise. It's exactly what was expected. Besides, the 2nd SW movie, so far in both other trilogies, always came short to the first movie. The Empire strikes back (TESB), now considered by most fans as the best of all, didn't do as well as the original in numbers and in fact was considered a poor sequel by many fans in 1980. Much like TLJ now.

BTW, numbers don't tell me too much. Purely based on those numbers TFA would be a better movie than Star Wars (1977) and Avatar would be the best movie ever made.

But based on the expected numbers the truth is that TLJ didn't suffer from the bad reviews from a part of the fan community at all, as it actually stays on the same track as what was prognosed. At the long run Disney hoped to reach the 600,000,000 dollar mark, domestic. It seems likely they will reach those numbers. And by the numbers Disney already calls this a box office succes.

I still believe that TLJ will be a great bridge to connect the trilogy with JJ Abrahams being able to take the story of Rey, Kylo Ren (and even Luke) to a great conclusion. I don't think TLJ is in the same league as TESB but if you look at the original trilogy, TESB is the odd one out. I think that TLJ will have that same place in this trilogy.

All said, Disney will keep producing SW and SW spin-off movies as long as they keep making money out of it. And like all that Marvel crap that gets released about every two weeks (or so it feels that way) the SW movies will remain one of the Disney milk cows. So brace yourself. They won't be necersarely good, but they will come in huge numbers, every single year, again and again and again.

[Adje]

Guess Who (2005)

Your standard family comedy. Kind of 'Meet the Parents' but less funny.

6/10

[PanicLord]

Inception

More genius level film making from Mr Nolan. Extremely clever, hugely imaginative, great to look at, well acted, and with huge emotional stakes. Blockbuster film making perfected.

5/5

[PanicLord]

Originally Posted by AndrewG

You're correct about totals but I was only considering daily US domestic box office figures.
http://www.boxofficemojo.com/daily/c...8-01-01&p=.htm
http://www.boxofficemojo.com/daily/c...7-01-01&p=.htm

etc.

Compared to Force Awakens it's really not doing AS well each day. Different league really.
http://www.boxofficemojo.com/daily/c...6-01-01&p=.htm

Sure it's still a great success. If they only want to go on that they could give Rian Johnson every single Star Wars movie from now on.

I reckon they'd be making a mistake as undoubtedly they alienated at least some hard core fans here by taking such liberties with the force and painting Luke Skywalker as quite a different character than most people remembered/wanted him still to be.

Well I do agree that it has upset some of the more hard core fans. Presumably not as much as the largely unwatchable prequel trilogy. But either way I was ready to see something new from Star Wars. My understanding was always that the force is in all living things and it makes sense to me that certain people will be more attuned to it than others. Jedi get extra training to help them master it.

The Leia moment I get came out of nowhere. But considering who her father and brother are it would be much odder if she had no force skills at all even if they are usually dormant. And surely at that final moment that's exactly when you'd expect instinct to kick in and do whatever it takes to survive.

As for Luke... I can imagine the absolute overwhelming horror and fear with in him as he realises he may have created a new Vader. The temptation must have been overwhelming as you can see by Mark Hamill's powerhouse acting. But even with all that he realises he can't go through with it.

I thought it was a great movie with lots of humour, action, and fresh and surprising plot developments. Exactly what I wanted in other words.

I don't think anyone realistically expected it to match Force Awakens at the box office and I doubt anyone's thinking it was a mistake as it will probably end up taking 1.3 billion dollars or so.

For me if you want everyone to be exactly as they were in the original trilogy, go watch that.

Not dissing anyone by the way just my thoughts on the film :)

[AndrewG]

Originally Posted by PanicLord

For me if you want everyone to be exactly as they were in the original trilogy, go watch that.

I'm doing exactly that.

Star Wars (1977)

10/10

Still stunning 41 years on. Incredible effects, set & production design, characters & development, music, imagination, future possibilities and direction. Makes the clumsy unsatisfactory story telling of the latest instalment The Last Jedi look like pure trash to me. Rian Johnson is a complete hack compared to George Lucas in my opinion and not worthy of the same ending credit (written & directed by...) on such a big movie. Johnson had me fooled with the great visuals and perhaps that's what he should pursue if he wanted to play on his strengths (Director of Cinematography or so). But story telling wise the original still reigns supreme so much more.