Watch, Watched, Watching: What Old Is New When There Is No New

[Ran]

Continuing with Perry Mason, which remains gorgeous. I thought the score this latest episode was weirdly intrusive, though, for some reason I can't put my finger on. 

Watched and finished The Luminaries in a few days. It was just okay, quite uneven (the last couple of episodes in particular), some nice touches but I think it felt like the environment and historical milieu they were in was extremely thinly sketched. I wonder if the novel had a lot more about life in the gold fields of New Zealand that the show dropped. Casting was good -- Eva Green's red hair suited her just fine (and I am now thorougly convinced she has the most beautiful profile of any actress in Hollywood), Eve Hewson was good (though I admit I kept thinking of S2 of The Knick and waiting for it to be revealed that she was scamming everyone all along to maneuver them into disaster), Himesh Patel was good at being an earnest, decent man, Marton Csokas was properly imposing and grimey, etc. 

[unJon]

1 hour ago, Ran said:

Continuing with Perry Mason, which remains gorgeous. I thought the score this latest episode was weirdly intrusive, though, for some reason I can't put my finger on. 

Watched and finished The Luminaries in a few days. It was just okay, quite uneven (the last couple of episodes in particular), some nice touches but I think it felt like the environment and historical milieu they were in was extremely thinly sketched. I wonder if the novel had a lot more about life in the gold fields of New Zealand that the show dropped. Casting was good -- Eva Green's red hair suited her just fine (and I am now thorougly convinced she has the most beautiful profile of any actress in Hollywood), Eve Hewson was good (though I admit I kept thinking of S2 of The Knick and waiting for it to be revealed that she was scamming everyone all along to maneuver them into disaster), Himesh Patel was good at being an earnest, decent man, Marton Csokas was properly imposing and grimey, etc. 

Just came into this thread to say I’ve been enjoying Perry Mason quite a bit. 

[Ran]

7 minutes ago, unJon said:

Just came into this thread to say I’ve been enjoying Perry Mason quite a bit. 

The performances are terrific, the cinematography, the period detail -- it's a good show. I don't know why the score bothered me so much this episode.

I had no idea that legal apprenticeship was a thing in the 20th century (and, indeed, that it is still a thing in 8 states).

[unJon]

38 minutes ago, Ran said:

The performances are terrific, the cinematography, the period detail -- it's a good show. I don't know why the score bothered me so much this episode.

I had no idea that legal apprenticeship was a thing in the 20th century (and, indeed, that it is still a thing in 8 states).

Kim Kardashian made that mainstream news a bit ago!

The mood of the show is just perfect. And the costumes for Mason this last episode as he transitions from one role to another was really subtle but cool. 
 

I didn’t notice anything about the score this week. 

[HexMachina]

8 hours ago, Isis said:

This morning I watched Lady Bird and initially I was going to turn it off as it was more annoying than anything else. But eventually it seemed like it had something to say and on balance, if I had gone to see this at the pictures I would have probably come out thinking that it was quite good.

This afternoon I was in the mood for a bit of a wallow but couldn't find either Blue Valentine or The English Patient which some of my top misery films...so I ended up watching Take This Waltz instead. This has not aged well. When I saw it at the cinema in 2011 it had a truly profound effect on me because of where I was in my life at the time. It made me feel such intense sadness about my first marriage (which had ended the previous year) that I basically started crying and couldn't stop. I remember that my boyfriend (at the time; who then became my husband) and I felt so bleak that we hardly spoke on the way home (he said he would NEVER see another Michelle Williams film) and went straight to bed when we got home.

Anyway Seth Rogan (based on his performance in this film) cannot act and the character he plays ANNOYS ME SO MUCH IT HURTS. But that's bittersweet though, as Michelle Williams' character is a fuck up as well. So it's kind of miserable all round. But it definitely holds some truths still. Although I must say that some of the writing is a bit obvious. The story remains a good idea, but I think that had it been written a bit better it would stand up to scrutiny ten years on.

I really loved Ladybird. There was definitely that feeling of annoyance at the beginning but I think that was probably deliberate. The first scene with her diving out the car is a strong opening though. Like you I found myself more engaged once the film got going. Saoirse Ronan (spelling...) was excellent in the titular role.

Thinking about it makes me want to rewatch actually

[Ramsay B.]

I really liked Lady Bird also. Although I’ve only watched it once when it came out and don’t remember much. I totally forgot Timothée Chalamet was even in it.

I’m onto season 4 of The Wire. 

Spoiler

I loved the bar scene with Bunk and Freamon, where Lester is obsessing over there being no bodies on Marlo and Bunk just wants to get laid. “Know what the plural of pussy is? Pussi” 

Bunk has so many of the best scenes in the show. While S5 is the weakest, I always loved watching his overly annoyed reactions with McNulty when he’s pulling off his serial killer farce to everyone.

 

[Nictarion]

9 hours ago, Isis said:

This morning I watched Lady Bird and initially I was going to turn it off as it was more annoying than anything else. But eventually it seemed like it had something to say and on balance, if I had gone to see this at the pictures I would have probably come out thinking that it was quite good.

There’s been some really good coming-of-age movies the past few years. I think this might be the best of them (although Booksmart is pretty damn funny). I’m a big fan of Saoirse Ronan at this point. She has been excellent in everything I’ve seen her in. Lady Bird also really affected my wife when we saw it. The depiction of the relationship with her mother hit close to home for her. One of the only times I’ve seen her get choked up at the movies. 

[SpaceChampion]

I guess I better get around to actually watching Kingdom.    

[Corvinus85]

Please note there are two shows on Netflix called Kingdom. The one we're talking about is the Korean fantasy one. Not sure what the other is about.

[Isis]

5 hours ago, Nictarion said:

There’s been some really good coming-of-age movies the past few years. I think this might be the best of them (although Booksmart is pretty damn funny). I’m a big fan of Saoirse Ronan at this point. She has been excellent in everything I’ve seen her in. Lady Bird also really affected my wife when we saw it. The depiction of the relationship with her mother hit close to home for her. One of the only times I’ve seen her get choked up at the movies. 

Yes, definitely by the end of it (actually earlier than that) it became clear it had something worthwhile to say. It just took a while to get going, opening scene aside. 

One of my film-obsessive friends really liked Booksmart too. 

[GallowKnight]

5 hours ago, Corvinus85 said:

Please note there are two shows on Netflix called Kingdom. The one we're talking about is the Korean fantasy one. Not sure what the other is about.

The other one is about and MMA-gym and Stars Frank Grillo and Jonathan Tucker. It is also a good show.

[Raja]

There's a show on Netflix called 'Indian matchmaking' and I am very afraid to watch it.

[Heartofice]

20 hours ago, Isis said:

This morning I watched Lady Bird and initially I was going to turn it off as it was more annoying than anything else. But eventually it seemed like it had something to say and on balance, if I had gone to see this at the pictures I would have probably come out thinking that it was quite good.

This afternoon I was in the mood for a bit of a wallow but couldn't find either Blue Valentine or The English Patient which some of my top misery films...so I ended up watching Take This Waltz instead. This has not aged well. When I saw it at the cinema in 2011 it had a truly profound effect on me because of where I was in my life at the time. It made me feel such intense sadness about my first marriage (which had ended the previous year) that I basically started crying and couldn't stop. I remember that my boyfriend (at the time; who then became my husband) and I felt so bleak that we hardly spoke on the way home (he said he would NEVER see another Michelle Williams film) and went straight to bed when we got home.

Anyway Seth Rogan (based on his performance in this film) cannot act and the character he plays ANNOYS ME SO MUCH IT HURTS. But that's bittersweet though, as Michelle Williams' character is a fuck up as well. So it's kind of miserable all round. But it definitely holds some truths still. Although I must say that some of the writing is a bit obvious. The story remains a good idea, but I think that had it been written a bit better it would stand up to scrutiny ten years on.

I feel like I’ve seen so many coming of age dramas that I was worn out when I watched Ladybird. It didn’t help that she was such an unpleasant character and it took a lot to get her back to neutral in my books by the end of the movie.

I didn’t find it exceptional or even entertaining as I recall, and my reaction by the end was ‘was that it?!’

Having said that, I used to love Take this Waltz so it’s disappointing to think it might not be so great if I rewatched it. Seth Rogen is not a good actor, but he does one character well and sticks to it. He’s never been better than in Knocked Up and that is pretty much his entire career right there. Recently watched Long Shot with him and Charlize Theron and I reasonably enjoyed it, he played that same vulnerable stoner nerd and it made the movie watchable.

[Astromech]

I'm behind a few episodes of Perry Mason. I need to catch up. I'm trying to find time to watch s2 of The Alienist and, more pressing, s3 of Norsemen , which hits Netflix today. 

[Cas Stark]

Lady Bird was another 'meh' it was goodish, nothing great, certainly nothing new or fresh in terms of the coming of age trope.  Teenage girl doesn't get along with mother and has some romantic exploits and mishaps. It was well acted, otherwise did I say meh? 

[DMC]

This is neither here nor there, but for about until 6 months after it came out I thought Lady Bird was about LBJ's wife.

[Mark Antony]

Gonna watch this new Netflix doc on the mafia in NYC called Fear City

[RumHam]

33 minutes ago, Mark Antony said:

Gonna watch this new Netflix doc on the mafia in NYC called Fear City

Let us know how that is I might check that out.

Two episodes into Perry Mason and I really like it. There are a lot of actors I like but I'm always so ...delighted when Stephen Root appears. There's no other word for it. 

[aceluby]

Holy shit. Cursed on Netflix is bad. Made it less than 5 minutes.

[RedEyedGhost]

On 7/18/2020 at 3:17 PM, AncalagonTheBlack said:

Finished my binge of Cursed! I'm a glutton for punishment so will watch the next bonkers season as the show ended on a cliffhanger!

 

Spoiler

Um hmm.

Finished it Monday night, just don't have a lot of words about it.  Put me to sleep a couple of times throughout.  And maybe, it's the lack of its inability to fully engage me, but what the fuck was the deal with Iris?  Was her hatred explained and I missed it, or just inadequately explained?  I'll probably watch another season too, but it's definitely not a good show.

 

On 7/20/2020 at 3:15 PM, Leofric said:

Killjoys just finished a 5 year run on SYFY last year, it is a great scifi show, or if you have Netflix can check out Lost in Space or the Last Kingdom or Stranger Things.

 

Killjoys is fantastic, especially Hannah John-Kamen.

 

On 7/20/2020 at 5:10 PM, Corvinus85 said:

The Expanse (Amazon)

Lost in Space, Altered Carbon, Kingdom (Netflix)

If you're ok with epic historical fiction then The Last Kingdom (Netflix) and Black Sails (Starz, Hulu)

Since you said that maybe you're looking for something different, then give The Boys (Amazon) a try.

 

 

Would also recommend the bolded. 

 

 

 

Recently watch Picard... eh.  It was a show.  On season 2 of Discovery, and I like it better than Picard, but it's still pretty forgettable.  I do like the Spock actor much more in this than the one in the recent movie reboots.  Really do like Sonequa Martin-Green, and Michelle Yeoh is pretty great too.