Watch, Watched, Watching: Looking for the Light

[Scott_N]

On 2/1/2023 at 12:59 AM, Veltigar said:

The worst part however, was Kit Harrington. As an actor he is so utterly devoid of charisma that he just is not credible as Henry V. Compare his boring, dead-eyed delivery of the St. Crispin's day speech with the soaring, twinkle-in-the-eye-madness that is present in Branagh's rendition. Who could be inspired by such a king?

When Branagh does it, you feel like you want to take up arms yourself and go wreak havoc on the flower of French chivalry. With Harrington's version on the other hand, I felt like I wanted to slink out of the theatre and desert into the night.

Jocko is a more believable Henry V than either.

 

[Mexal]

We watched Plane last night. What an excellent movie. Gerrie never disappoints.

[TheLastWolf]

17 minutes ago, Mexal said:

Gerrie never disappoints.

Kid me fell in love with the Has Fallen series. Hope he makes a great Kratos if not Bond.

[Jaxom 1974]

I'm not finding the appropriate thread, so I'm putting this here:

Another Good Wife Spinoff...

And it's not set in Chicago? That's no gouda...

[RhaenysBee]

Still watching Angel, and I had to stop by and praise the genius directing and seamless camera work of the drive in cinema sequence at the end of season 3. That and the masterclass in character development that Cordelia embodies. 

[SpaceChampion]

1 hour ago, RhaenysBee said:

Still watching Angel, and I had to stop by and praise the genius directing and seamless camera work of the drive in cinema sequence at the end of season 3. That and the masterclass in character development that Cordelia embodies. 

Did you know there was a Buffy reboot where she moves to New York?

 

[RhaenysBee]

Spin the bottle may yet be my favorite episode.  amazing stuff. 

[Isis]

Here's a little snippet of Falstaff; a little snippet of Henry.

 

I have just finally got around to watching Alias Grace after it sat in my watchlist for five years. I thought it was brilliant, totally captivating and hard to look away from the screen. There aren't that many shows which make me feel that way, these days. It's only six episodes. Would highly recommend if anyone else has had it in their watchlist since it came out. Some good fun with regional British accents to be had as well, if you're that way inclined.

[Cas Stark]

The Menu.  It was okay, 'hate the rich' is not my genre, I guess.  Better than Glass Onion, but still not that interesting.  Anya Taylor Joy is beginning to look emaciated.

[Veltigar]

I had to make the (apparently) awkward confession to my friends that I had never seen the extended editions of Peter Jackson's LOTR trilogy before. So yesterday, we decided to rectify this and thus my friends made me watch the extended edition of The Fellowship of the Ring.

I cannot remember the last time I saw the theatrical version of this film. I tend to skip it and go straight for The Two Towers and The Return of the King, but even for those two films it must have been quite some time since I last saw them in full. In my memory, Fellowship's CGI and other effects were far more convincing. Like, it is still amazing what this film was able to do 20 years ago, but for some reason my nostalgic brain thought the gap with the cutting edge of VFX today was far smaller than it actually is. There is a lot of material in there which reminds me off cut scenes in videogames, which was an unpleasant confrontation with reality.

For the rest, I wasn't very impressed with the extra material. My friends swear that it is worth the extra time investment in the latter two films, but when I see Fellowship again, I'm pretty sure I'll end up reverting to the theatrical cut again (my apologies for the heresy). 

I am curious about the other two instalments however. Not sure when I'll get around to it, but eventually I'll see the extended editions for the other two films as well.

2 hours ago, Isis said:

Here's a little snippet of Falstaff; a little snippet of Henry.

 

 

That is far more energetic indeed, thanks for sharing.

On 2/4/2023 at 7:34 AM, Scott_N said:

Jocko is a more believable Henry V than either.

 

He probably is, although I do still prefer Branagh's version to his reading :p 

[DMC]

2 hours ago, Veltigar said:

For the rest, I wasn't very impressed with the extra material. My friends swear that it is worth the extra time investment in the latter two films, but when I see Fellowship again, I'm pretty sure I'll end up reverting to the theatrical cut again (my apologies for the heresy). 

I am curious about the other two instalments however. Not sure when I'll get around to it, but eventually I'll see the extended editions for the other two films as well.

Honestly I haven't seen the theatrical versions in so long I have a hard time remembering what exactly was added in the extended editions.

[Derfel Cadarn]

25 minutes ago, DMC said:

Honestly I haven't seen the theatrical versions in so long I have a hard time remembering what exactly was added in the extended editions.

RotK extended has Saruman’s death. In theatrical, he’s left pacing the top of his tower and forgotten about

[DMC]

Just now, Derfel Cadarn said:

RotK extended has Saruman’s death. In theatrical, he’s left pacing the top of his tower and forgotten about

Yeah, that one I certainly remember.  A few others too, particularly in Two Towers.  But I know just based on memory I can't identify a whole hell of a lot more that was added.

[Mr. Chatywin et al.]

2 hours ago, Derfel Cadarn said:

RotK extended has Saruman’s death. In theatrical, he’s left pacing the top of his tower and forgotten about

I thought that was from the original version. Seems like it happens every time I catch the movie on TV.

[williamjm]

2 hours ago, Derfel Cadarn said:

RotK extended has Saruman’s death. In theatrical, he’s left pacing the top of his tower and forgotten about

I think the flashback in The Two Towers with Boromir and Faramir is another thing only in the extended edition.

I am also struggling to think what was added in Fellowship now because I don't think I've seen the theatrical version since it first came out.

[Ran]

Rewatched Reservoir Dogs, still works with fine performances from Tim Roth and Harvey Keitel especially. Yes, it's got some major influences from City on Fire, but Tarantino makes it his own. Michael Madsen's iconic in this one, and it's probably the role he's going to be most remembered for.

Watched Planes, Trains, and Automobiles after Rewatchables talked about it, and realized part way through that I've seen a lot of it but not all of it. I miss John Candy, man.

Started rewatching HBO's Rome, and have to say Vorenus and Pullo are among the best "buddies" ever put on TV. Kevin McKidd's Vorenus is so stoic and Catonian, while Pullo's such a happy go-lucky thug. The role really made Ray Stevenson's career, in particular.

Vinland Saga's 2nd season continues apace, and it is a very decompressed story (which, I gather from remarks online, was to be expected based on the arc it covers in the manga). That said, an intriguing Viking called "Snake" has appeared, someone shown to be literate and possibly a former Varangian (he was reading a Latin or Greek text, and carries a curved sword). Also, inch by inch, Thorfinn is coming out of his shell.

I still have Sandman and His Dark Materials half-unfinished and it feels like a slog to get back into them, which is a shame, but will try eventually to get back into them. Still have Avenue 5's second season to watch...

 

[Jace, Extat]

5 hours ago, Veltigar said:

I had to make the (apparently) awkward confession to my friends that I had never seen the extended editions of Peter Jackson's LOTR trilogy before. So yesterday, we decided to rectify this and thus my friends made me watch the extended edition of The Fellowship of the Ring.

I cannot remember the last time I saw the theatrical version of this film. I tend to skip it and go straight for The Two Towers and The Return of the King, but even for those two films it must have been quite some time since I last saw them in full. In my memory, Fellowship's CGI and other effects were far more convincing. Like, it is still amazing what this film was able to do 20 years ago, but for some reason my nostalgic brain thought the gap with the cutting edge of VFX today was far smaller than it actually is. There is a lot of material in there which reminds me off cut scenes in videogames, which was an unpleasant confrontation with reality.

For the rest, I wasn't very impressed with the extra material. My friends swear that it is worth the extra time investment in the latter two films, but when I see Fellowship again, I'm pretty sure I'll end up reverting to the theatrical cut again (my apologies for the heresy). 

I am curious about the other two instalments however. Not sure when I'll get around to it, but eventually I'll see the extended editions for the other two films as well.

That is far more energetic indeed, thanks for sharing.

He probably is, although I do still prefer Branagh's version to his reading :p 

I firmly believe, and believe you have made an argument in favor of my belief, that if cinema has a future it is with 4 or 5 hour features (I'll push for 6, myself) that can be easily edited into hour-long streaming shows. 

In the theater, you have a fifteen or even a twenty minute intermission. If I were making the picture, the fucking PICTURE, (or, y'know, I'd hire professionals to do it with other peoples' money and then scream at them until they [if out of sheer fucking hatred for me if that's what it takes] create good art and get to go home) I'd have my intermission at the end of the third act, and right before we ramp up into the fourth. That way the audience can chatter about whatever whatever we just did for the last 180 minutes while they're pissing and re-filing popcorn (you're WELCOME, theater chains), make a few on-the-fly theories together and have funzies and then we're BACK at IT before they have time to drift away into bitcoin or meta or whatever the fuck these tiktok addled fuckwits do for fun. Get it? 

We turn going To the Theater into an All-Day thing again. Or at least an All Afternoon thing. Encourage people to actually spend time together. Even SPEAK to each other during intermission without their Fones. And they might even be able to sit still if you promise them the siren song of a potty break and a chance to get MOAR FooooooD without even missing the movie. Y'all ever been to one of those Alamo Drafthouse places???? IMAGINE

Having, like an actual human-sized bag of popcorn instead of a KFC bucket. And a hotdog. And a nice, big, SALTY SUGARY soda

Maybe some prepurchased-for-the-event Kandy in your lap. Even some kinda overpriced candy from the concession stands too, when you and Kandy got your popcorns' and bun-wrapped fallic phoods. And your candy. Your sweet sweet Kandy

And Christopher Nolan spends Two-and-One-half-Hours bombarding your senses with 48 frames-per-second of a stopped clock in IMAX! No cuts. No dialogue. No ticking. No nothing! 

Written by Goyer and Miller

During intermission people are fainting from the raw, artistic, power of the film. Of the FILM. (IMAX is, like digital but it's like digital... film right? Like, I'm kinda talking outta my ass here. But there's a difference between a digital image and Disneyland MarvelMan Cartoon bullshit. At least to me) 

And then, once their bladders are emptied. Their sodas are filled. And their legs are stretched and mouths worked. They leave their order with the folks at the end of each row and the meal will be served before act 5 begins. And you're gonna need the calories. In act five. At some point... I'm not gonna tell you when, exactly, but in act 5 at some point... The second hand? 

On the clock? 

I heard it moves...

 

 

 

 

[Corvinus85]

9 hours ago, DMC said:

Honestly I haven't seen the theatrical versions in so long I have a hard time remembering what exactly was added in the extended editions.

 

6 hours ago, williamjm said:

I think the flashback in The Two Towers with Boromir and Faramir is another thing only in the extended edition.

I am also struggling to think what was added in Fellowship now because I don't think I've seen the theatrical version since it first came out.

Isildur's death scene was longer, though greatly changed from Tolkien's writings because they didn't have the rights. A few more scenes with Aragorn, both with the hobbits and without, I believe. A few more scenes in Lorien, I believe Galadriel's gifts to the rest of the Fellowhip is one (the light of Earendil gift to Frodo was in the theatrical release) Oddly there should have been a scene with the goblins chasing them into Lorien where the silvan elves kill the goblins, but that was cut completely. And the big fight at the end with the Uruk-hai is further extended. All in all, Fellowship has the fewest additions, if I recall correctly.

Besides Saruman's death, ROTK also has a much longer scene with Aragon and the dead of Dunharrow, including the scene where Legolas kills Peter Jackson. There is also a brief confrontation between Gandalf and the Witch-king where Jackson takes a lot of liberties (The Witch-king breaking Gandalf's staff, pfff ridiculous) 

For The Two Towers, yes the Boromir and Faramir flashback is a big one. There is more with Rohan in the beginning, including a scene where Eomer finds Theodred fallen on a battlefield with evidence that the attack came from orcs of Saruman. I believe Eomer's exile is another scene, but not 100% sure. I think Theodred's burial is another added scene. And we get the huorn at the end of the Battle of Helm's Deep. There's also a scene in Fangorn with Merry and Pippin that was probably added because they never put Bombadil and Old Man Willow, so they did something with a tree in Fangorn and Treebeard rescuing them. And they drink magical water that makes them grow taller.

[Deadlines? What Deadlines?]

JFK Directors cut.

I revisit this one once in a while. Still great regardless of where one lies on the scale of Warren Commission agnosticism. Only subtly different than the theatrical cut but much improved IMO.

JFK Revisited: Through the Looking Glass:

A documentary made recently by Oliver Stone that explores material that's been released since his film came out. Pretty fascinating. I'm not sure I agree with some of the conclusions but there are recent revelations that are pretty interesting.  

[Veltigar]

I was aimlessly scrolling through  a list of 250 must watch films on IMDB yesterday. It was a tad depressing because I had seen most of the films included, but then I noticed a film that I had heard off, but never actually watched before. It is 1997's Donnie Brasco, directed by the same guy who made Four Weddings and a Funeral.

It sort of cracked me up that that guy directed a hardcore mob movie, so I decided to give it a chance. That was something I didn't regret. This film is amazing. Everyone in it is really acting their pants off and is giving a performance that must rank in their professional top three. For someone like Depp (probably his best role after Jack Sparrow) or Michael Madsen (probably his best role outside of the Tarantino universe) that might not be that surprising, but I'm willing to say that the same thing is true for Al Pacino as well. He completely nails it as Lefty, who as a pathetic (yet strangely endearing) working class gangster is the perfect antidote for Pacino's altogether more glamorous upper class Michael from The Godfather franchise. 

In fact, I feel like this film, even more than Goodfellas might have a good claim to be the anti-Godfather. The world of the mob is so realistically rendered (amongst other things due to the fact that all the wiretaps from the undercover agent were mined for mob slang to up the veracity of the dialogue) and it is so grubby, you cannot help but wonder why anyone would choose to get involved with these sad-eyed clowns.

14 hours ago, DMC said:

Honestly I haven't seen the theatrical versions in so long I have a hard time remembering what exactly was added in the extended editions.

@Corvinus85's list is pretty complete. The only other thing I would add to it is that they spent a lot more time in The Shire prior to departure, which I was not a fan off.

10 hours ago, Secretary of Eumenes said:

snip

Since you are feeling so evangelical about this, why not force the people's eyes open with ducktape to ensure they keep looking :p