Watch, Watched, Watching: Those aren't pillows!

[Zorral]

2 hours ago, A True Kaniggit said:

Ha. Silly BFC. 

I’m not people. I’m the Olpha and the Amega.

And I still watch my DVDs the same way I still play my old PS1 games.

 

Edit: Seriously, I got a couple hundred of these dvd bastards saved up from before Blu-ray and streaming was a thing. They play on my PS4, so why wouldn’t I still use them when  they aren’t currently available on a streaming service?

Not only do I still watch DVDs, I also still subscribe to Netflix's dvd service because eventually a lot of tv I'd like to see goes on dvd and they provide it -- how many streaming subscriptions can a single person have anyway? anyway a person whose job isn't to watch tv?

~~~~~~

Also, in connection with my speculation as to why that conventional and bland Marriage Story has gotten so much media coverage and rave and now award nominations -- well, I do believe the answer has arrived -- netflix is paying for luxe junkets to the media types.  What a surprise!

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2019/12/12/netflix-sends-journalists-pricey-trips-raising-questions-angering-rivals/

Quote

 

To traditional studios, such trips mark one more way these newcomers are using their weight to bend accepted practices, often corralling media in their efforts.

The tech companies, meanwhile, believe they are just doing what studios have always done this time of year: spending money to win award votes. They are, they say, simply the object of corporate envy.

Three of the trips — for “The Irishman,” “Dolemite Is My Name” and “The Two Popes” — were in Los Angeles. A fourth, for the recently released drama “Marriage Story,” was in New York.

The journalists were put up at hotels that included the W, the Four Seasons and the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles and the JW Marriott Essex House in New York.

One CCA member who accepted a trip for “The Two Popes” said it included airfare to Los Angeles, a breakfast with filmmakers, tickets to a premiere at Hollywood’s TCL Chinese Theatre and a stay at the Beverly Hilton, the hotel where the Golden Globes take place. About 40 such people were on the trip, said the person, who asked not to be identified because they did not want to be known as having taken it.

 

Though to be fair, the studios, at least in the past did this too, junkets, these were called -- and even now at Festivals like Sundance -- and the Oscars too -- the "Swag Bags" and other goodies have been known to be out of this world.  It was the great financial crash of 2008 that seems to have curtailed the overt swag-swag to a rather significant degree, not ethics concerns.  But maybe I'm mis-remembering?

Quote

Supporters of Netflix say the trips are merely an extension of the common Hollywood practice of junkets — paid trips for reporters, often to desirable locations, with the goal of generating feature coverage about a film or show. In the past few weeks, Fox Searchlight and Sony Pictures, each with multiple films in the awards race, flew Hollywood Foreign Press Association members to tropical locations — Hawaii and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico — to visit sets for upcoming movies, although neither were for current awards contenders. The Hollywood Foreign Press Association votes on the Golden Globes.

 

[KingintheNorth4]

I watched Misery earlier today, which is one of my favorite Stephen King stories. Kathy Bates did such a great performance as Annie. As desensitized as I am to violence in media, the hobbling scene still makes me cringe and turn away.

[Martini Sigil]

If anyone was considering watching "V-Wars", might I suggest spending 10 hours at the DMV instead...  

[RumHam]

1 hour ago, KingintheNorth4 said:

I watched Misery earlier today, which is one of my favorite Stephen King stories. Kathy Bates did such a great performance as Annie. As desensitized as I am to violence in media, the hobbling scene still makes me cringe and turn away.

I've never seen it, but I just finished season two of Castle Rock which was about Anne Wilkes. It wasn't anything to write home about but Lizzy Caplan did a great job as Annie. I've gotta watch the movie now. 

[ljkeane]

I’m watching Rogue One. It’s still comfortably my favourite of the recent Star Wars films.

[Veltigar]

Watch a lot of films on the plane recently. Giving a quick and dirty breakdown below:

 

1. Jules et Jim by Francois Truffaut. A French classic from the 1960s which is on Ebert's great movies list. Really didn't like it. It's quite predictable and I just couldn't stand the characters, bunch of hippies avant la lettre. 
2. Pokémon Detective Pickachu. This was suprisingly not as shitty as I imagined it was going to be. Not great either, but after a really bad start, it turned out quite alright. Totally predictable, but enjoyably so.
3. Long Shot. Broke my rules here and I rewatched a film. Still really like this romantic comedy. Charlize Theron remains amazingly beautiful and she and Seth Rogen really sell it well. The only things that jars a bit are the pro-drug message of the film and the references to contemporary politics which don't make sense. This will probably improve in the future when people watch it without the knowledge of someone who is actually living through all of it in real-time. 
4. Deadpool 2. Another rewatch, but really enjoyable. If this had come out ten years earlier I'd probably watch it every year.
5. It's a Wonderful Life by Frank Capra. This had been on my watch list for years, but was really disappointed by it. Jimmy Stewart got on my nerves. He's so damn abusive to his wife, kids and some innocent bystanders (poor Mrs. Welch) that it took me out of the 'look how amazing this guy is.' Severely overrated.
6. Ad Astra by James Gray. Really loved it and I'm sad I didn't see it in theatre. Brad Pitt is amazing, the story itself is mesmerizing and the cinematography is bonkers. The only thing that felt off was the end, which was apparently a compromise with the studio and it clearly shows, as it veers into Interstellar shitiness right at the very end. The rest of the film is amazing though, very cerebral. They don't make a lot of movies like this anymore unfortunately.
7. Parasite by Boon Jong Ho. One of the best Cannes prize winners in years. I was really impressed by this and eventhough I like Ad Astra a lot, Parasite was the best one I saw on the plane by a wide margin. It's a masterclass in tightrope walking, it veers in so many unexpected directions without becoming silly and that is exceedingly rare. All the actors are phenomenal, the visual language on display is just a joy to decode. I would definitely recommend this to anyone. 

Also saw the season finale of South Park. Liked it a lot. Randy remains ever great  Sad to see it go for another year. 

On 12/14/2019 at 9:25 AM, A True Kaniggit said:

Well I was going to watch the directors cut of Troy. But disc 1 isn’t in the dvd case, and I don’t have the patience to find it right now. 

So The Last Samurai it is. 

Love both of these  They are very underrated imo

[HexMachina]

20 minutes ago, Veltigar said:

Watch a lot of films on the plane recently. Giving a quick and dirty breakdown below:

 

1. Jules et Jim by Francois Truffaut. A French classic from the 1960s which is on Ebert's great movies list. Really didn't like it. It's quite predictable and I just couldn't stand the characters, bunch of hippies avant la lettre. 
2. Pokémon Detective Pickachu. This was suprisingly not as shitty as I imagined it was going to be. Not great either, but after a really bad start, it turned out quite alright. Totally predictable, but enjoyably so.
3. Long Shot. Broke my rules here and I rewatched a film. Still really like this romantic comedy. Charlize Theron remains amazingly beautiful and she and Seth Rogen really sell it well. The only things that jars a bit are the pro-drug message of the film and the references to contemporary politics which don't make sense. This will probably improve in the future when people watch it without the knowledge of someone who is actually living through all of it in real-time. 
4. Deadpool 2. Another rewatch, but really enjoyable. If this had come out ten years earlier I'd probably watch it every year.
5. It's a Wonderful Life by Frank Capra. This had been on my watch list for years, but was really disappointed by it. Jimmy Stewart got on my nerves. He's so damn abusive to his wife, kids and some innocent bystanders (poor Mrs. Welch) that it took me out of the 'look how amazing this guy is.' Severely overrated.
6. Ad Astra by James Gray. Really loved it and I'm sad I didn't see it in theatre. Brad Pitt is amazing, the story itself is mesmerizing and the cinematography is bonkers. The only thing that felt off was the end, which was apparently a compromise with the studio and it clearly shows, as it veers into Interstellar shitiness right at the very end. The rest of the film is amazing though, very cerebral. They don't make a lot of movies like this anymore unfortunately.
7. Parasite by Boon Jong Ho. One of the best Cannes prize winners in years. I was really impressed by this and eventhough I like Ad Astra a lot, Parasite was the best one I saw on the plane by a wide margin. It's a masterclass in tightrope walking, it veers in so many unexpected directions without becoming silly and that is exceedingly rare. All the actors are phenomenal, the visual language on display is just a joy to decode. I would definitely recommend this to anyone. 

Also saw the season finale of South Park. Liked it a lot. Randy remains ever great  Sad to see it go for another year. 

Love both of these  They are very underrated imo

Always happy to have people join me in disliking it’s a wonderful life. Not only does it have the issues you mentioned but, even worse than those...it is just so damn boring. Barely made it through once, would never subject myself to it again.

Same with Forrest Gump. Life is like a box of chocolates huh? Well then you must be the Eclairs in the Heroes tub because you are just terrible.

 

Unrelated note, i rewatched the S3 finale of thr Expanse as a quick refresh before i start S4 tomorrow. Well the plan was to start tomorrow but now i just can’t wait that long

[Zorral]

Another one here who can't stand either It's a Wonderful Life or Forrest Gump.  I believe I've never actually watched It's a Wonderful Life from start to finish.  I did so with FG though, because I had no choice -- a back-home visit living room event arranged by B-I-L from the days we still did that sort of thing.

[l2 0 5 5]

Finished Broadchurch last night. I loved all three seasons, though I'd say the first was my favorite. The Danny Lattimer mystery and the build up to the reveal was intense. David Tennant growling Millah! never got old. 

[dbunting]

Watched Jumanji 2 yesterday. It was entertaining enough to be worth a watch if you liked the most recent enough one. They changed this up just enough to make it interesting. Also had The Hound as the villain, although not a very good one.

[Zorral]

Jennifer Lopez's Hustlers (2019) is terrific, containing a great deal of entertainment and a great deal of content.  It breaks down the biggest hustle yet to date, the 2008 financial depression and crash and too big to fail catastrophe very well, among other things.  Beyond that, this film of a real life scam pulled off by ladies who work the pole in a 'gentleman's club,' lacks the male gaze completely.  Woman-centric; J-Lo is great on screen, and so are the others, particularly Constance Wu.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Ha! Season 4 if Magicians is up on Netflix as of today.

[Tywin et al.]

It Chapter 2  sucked.

[dbunting]

16 hours ago, Tywin et al. said:

It Chapter 2  sucked.

Mostly agree with  this statement.

[Raja]

Watched Star Wars - and maaaaan, it was disappointing. I'm kinda baffled that JJ & co ended up making these characters feel so hollow.

[Cas Stark]

18 hours ago, Tywin et al. said:

It Chapter 2  sucked.

Chapter 1 was wildly over praised, according to me.  

[RumHam]

3 hours ago, Cas Stark said:

Chapter 1 was wildly over praised, according to me.  

Agreed, it was only great compared to most other adaptations of King's stuff. 

[Tywin et al.]

1 hour ago, RumHam said:

Agreed, it was only great compared to most other adaptations of King's stuff. 

That's an interesting way to look at it. I personally really liked the first one, but then again I also liked the kids part better from the original movie too. I can count the number of movies that really scared me on one hand and IT was one of them. I was like 9 or 10 and watched it late night on the 4th of July.

[HexMachina]

The Goonies is on TV. So, that.

Chunk’s confession scene is an all time great

[RedEyedGhost]

6 hours ago, HelenaExMachina said:

The Goonies is on TV. So, that.

Chunk’s confession scene is an all time great

I love The Goonies so much.

[drawkcabi]

I want a new Odd Couple movie starring Tony Shalhoub and Kevin Pollack!

 

**{watches The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Season 3}**

 

nvm

 

Seriously though, Pollack is hilarious and the only way he could ever be upstaged is playing opposite Tony Shalhoub who is an absolute treasure! I really do get some Lemmon/Matthau vibes from them. I think Season 3 of Mrs. Maisel has been the weakest season so far but still an outstanding show and very enjoyable. For me the best seasons in order have been 2, 1, 3.