Last Movie You Watched

[Kenngo1969]

@bluebell

No doubt, as an historian, you've heard the saying from Spanish philosopher Jorge Santayana that "Those who don't know [or who don't learn from] history are destined to repeat it."  With recent events in Israel, I've been unnerved slightly and saddened greatly by the anti-Semitism that's broken out in much of the world.  (Perhaps I shouldn't be surprised: It's hard not to think that it hasn't been bubbling just under the surface for quite some time, simply waiting for an excuse to come to the fore.)

While I make no claim to knowing anything about anything, and while I do think, when considering history and/or when trying to evaluate current events in light of it, that it's important to avoid parallelomania, nevertheless, I can't help but think that there's more than a good deal of irony in how so many excoriate those clueless Germans of the 1930s and 40s ("How could they do such a thing?!") and yet, in the very next breath, they excoriate modern Israelis for their "overreaction" to the attacks by Hamas.

[Apologies for the thread jack!  We now return you to your regularly-scheduled, on-topic programming! ]

[Amulek]

Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour

Took my teenage daughter to go see this over the weekend at one of the Dolby theaters here in the metroplex, and I thought it was actually a pretty good medium for watching a performing artist. Sound was great, views were clear, and seats were comfy (for those of us who were happy to sit through the 2.5 hr+ show).

There was some CGI added to the film for the transitions between 'eras' that I thought was kind of sub-par. I would have skipped all of that and just gone with however it was handled in the actual show, but I don't think kids will be bothered by that.

All in all, we had a fun time.

 

[Calm]

1 hour ago, Amulek said:

Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour

Took my teenage daughter to go see this over the weekend at one of the Dolby theaters here in the metroplex, and I thought it was actually a pretty good medium for watching a performing artist. Sound was great, views were clear, and seats were comfy (for those of us who were happy to sit through the 2.5 hr+ show).

There was some CGI added to the film for the transitions between 'eras' that I thought was kind of sub-par. I would have skipped all of that and just gone with however it was handled in the actual show, but I don't think kids will be bothered by that.

All in all, we had a fun time.

 

You are a good dad. 

[bluebell]

1 hour ago, Calm said:

You are a good dad. 

I was literally just about to post that.  😂

[Amulek]

On 10/30/2023 at 9:11 AM, Calm said:

You are a good dad. 

I had a good role model.

My dad never cared for sports at all (not even a little bit), but he came to every single football game from junior high on up just to see his kids perform in the marching band. Now, sometimes he would take off after halftime but he was always there, and that always meant a lot to me - more so now that I'm older and have kids of my own who are into things that I, likewise, don't especially care for.

 

[Amulek]

Hocus Pocus

Belated, but we finally got around to watching it last night (the original, of course, not the disappointing sequel). 

Makes for a fun holiday tradition. Out of curiosity, are there any other people here who do the same? Are there certain movies you always watch at certain times of the year (e.g., Christmas)?

 

[bluebell]

1 hour ago, Amulek said:

Hocus Pocus

Belated, but we finally got around to watching it last night (the original, of course, not the disappointing sequel). 

Makes for a fun holiday tradition. Out of curiosity, are there any other people here who do the same? Are there certain movies you always watch at certain times of the year (e.g., Christmas)?

 

There used to be when all my kids were younger but not so much anymore.  My husband doesn't really enjoy watching movies more than once, my older kids aren't in the house anymore really, and the younger ones are old enough now (9 and 10) that the fun kids type movies don't hold their interest for more than one showing.

We used to watch the Muppet Christmas Carol and It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown every year though, when I could still get people to do it.  I'll still put on Emmet Otter's Jugband Christmas if it comes on to play in the background because I loved that show when I was little, but it's way too unsophisticated to interest my kids.

[Calm]

4 hours ago, bluebell said:

still put on Emmet Otter's Jugband Christmas if it comes on to play in the background because I loved that show when I was little, but it's way too unsophisticated to interest my kids.

Quote

In 2019, it was announced that a film remake of Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas was in the works to be directed by Bret McKenzie.^[3]

Wiki…

[Amulek]

On 11/4/2023 at 12:57 PM, bluebell said:

There used to be when all my kids were younger but not so much anymore. 

We'll usually turn Independence Day on at some point during the Fourth of July break, and my wife and I still stay up late on Christmas Eve and wrap presents with White Christmas running in the background. Good times.

 

[bluebell]

2 hours ago, Amulek said:

We'll usually turn Independence Day on at some point during the Fourth of July break, and my wife and I still stay up late on Christmas Eve and wrap presents with White Christmas running in the background. Good times.

 

I watched White Christmas for the first time a couple of years ago and I didn't get the appeal. I wonder if some shows you have to watch for the first time as a kid for them to really stick.

[transublimination]

On 11/4/2023 at 9:38 AM, Amulek said:

Hocus Pocus

Belated, but we finally got around to watching it last night (the original, of course, not the disappointing sequel). 

Makes for a fun holiday tradition. Out of curiosity, are there any other people here who do the same? Are there certain movies you always watch at certain times of the year (e.g., Christmas)?

 

Of course you have to watch Die Hard for Christmas

[Calm]

1 hour ago, bluebell said:

I watched White Christmas for the first time a couple of years ago and I didn't get the appeal. I wonder if some shows you have to watch for the first time as a kid for them to really stick.

I never liked it, but my guess is definitely the childhood tradition adds to the appeal.  Lots of us like to revisit the nicer childhood feelings.

[Calm]

30 minutes ago, transublimination said:

Of course you have to watch Die Hard for Christmas

I so want to give you a point for this, lol

[Amulek]

3 hours ago, bluebell said:

I watched White Christmas for the first time a couple of years ago and I didn't get the appeal.

Well, to be fair, it's not an amazing film. Don't get me wrong, I really like the title song, but the rest is just kind of okay.   

 

[Amulek]

2 hours ago, transublimination said:

Of course you have to watch Die Hard for Christmas

No objections here. Would probably need to find an edited version to be kid friendly, but I wouldn't mind throwing it in the mix somewhere between Elf and The Santa Clause. 

When I was a kid there was a period of time - maybe it was only a couple of years - where, every Thanksgiving, TBS would play 24 hours of Eastwood. To this day I would still very much prefer to see The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly over any Cowboys game on turkey day. 

 

[Rain]

We watched Warm Bodies again for something like the 6th or 7th time. More than any other show I've watched except for maybe a traditional thing like It's A Wonderful Life.

When it first came out there was no way I was going to watch it. I don't like zombie stuff. I heard the plot on the radio, told my husband and he agreed that we definitely didn't want to watch it.  We were vocal about it so our kids knew.

Then we saw a trailer for it and we and the kids came out of the theater wanting to watch it - maybe.  My husband and I chose to watch it without telling the kids and we loved it so much we took them back. 

I don't buy movies for myself usually. I just don't like watching the same ones over and over again.  But we bought this one.  My parents were here for my daughter's graduation last week so we pulled it up and watched it again!

Funny thing, along with the gory, horror type movies I don't like, I also don't like it in decorations or costumes. Lately though I have been wanting a big skeleton. I don't want it scary or anything. Just doing something a normal person would, like riding a bike. Saw a picture the other day of a very tall one putting up Christmas lights on the roof.  Loved it! 

Edited November 7, 2023 by Rain

[Tacenda]

46 minutes ago, Rain said:

We watched Warm Bodies again for something like the 6th or 7th time. More than any other show I've watched except for maybe a traditional thing like It's A Wonderful Life.

When it first came out there was no way I was going to watch it. I don't like zombie stuff. I heard the plot on the radio, told my husband and he agreed that we definitely didn't want to watch it.  We were vocal about it so our kids knew.

Then we saw a trailer for it and we and the kids came out of the theater wanting to watch it - maybe.  My husband and I chose to watch it without telling the kids and we loved it so much we took them back. 

I don't buy movies for myself usually. I just don't like watching the same ones over and over again.  But we bought this one.  My parents were here for my daughter's graduation last week so we pulled it up and watched it again!

Funny thing, along with the gory, horror type movies I don't like, I also don't like it in decorations or costumes. Lately though I have been wanting a big skeleton. I don't want it scary or anything. Just doing something a normal person would, like riding a bike. Saw a picture the other day of a very tall one putting up Christmas lights on the roof.  Loved it! 

My daughter, she's 39, would go bonkers to be able to take Halloween into Christmas with a large skeleton putting lights up! I better not give her ideas, or I better giver her ideas, that's so funny! 

We have done the Grinch taking down our lights in the past.

[Rain]

53 minutes ago, Tacenda said:

My daughter, she's 39, would go bonkers to be able to take Halloween into Christmas with a large skeleton putting lights up! I better not give her ideas, or I better giver her ideas, that's so funny! 

We have done the Grinch taking down our lights in the past.

I think you should totally give her ideas! Except those big skeletons are expensive!

[Pyreaux]

On 11/6/2023 at 8:00 PM, transublimination said:

Of course you have to watch Die Hard for Christmas

And Gremlins

[Tacenda]

9 hours ago, Pyreaux said:

And Gremlins

edward SAKSEHAND? 🤔

[Pyreaux]

The Oath (2023)

It was a chore to get through, its main problem is its too long and too drawn out. It would be much better if it were cut. The worst of the slowness is at the worst time, the beginning. 30 mins in you feel all that time you could have gotten a refill and not miss anything. You mainly start to watch Moroni, which I guess communicates he's alone, but he doing things that are not interesting. Like meditating and laying in a field. Too much silence trying to be mysterious. There should have kept feeding the audience information/context. But they won't explain the mystery, it's all being held back to surprise another character.

Until he meets a young maiden, then it picks up a bit into a slightly cringy love story. She even gets a little meta, by telling Moroni to his face, "Your boring!". Though it seems to be finally at the story portion except there is a long "teaching her to read" segment that needed to be cut down. There is a cute and wholesome relationship developing. There is a weak element of danger, as someone is looking for her.

Then the last segment is a... a very Gladiator-Moroni ending... It's not bad, it probably the best part really. If they'd had simply teased that any physical conflict was coming and was worth waiting for. Very Gladiator-que, from his sword and armor, to other things I won't spoil, but you'll probably see it. General audiences will not know what is going on. The best dialog were BoM quotes, which there should have been more, it could have been more like the Book of Eli. They needed an extra fight or close call near the start, or have better survival stuff. Moroni's voice over says the term "New World". There is a weird end message, how the Lord will remember his oath and gather his people, but it's confusing, because it's basically Moroni saying it, while he himself is clearly doomed.

Edited December 9, 2023 by Pyreaux

[Amulek]

Rebel Moon: Part One - A Child of Fire

Tomatometer score: 25% (critics) / 64% (audience)

Now, I think a lot of film critics have a pretty strong anti-Netflix bias, but they're not wrong on this one. Rebel Moon is like the quintessential Netfilx film. The world(s) look pretty good: sets, costumes, etc. are all more than decent. There were a couple of bad special effects shots here and there, but most of the time things were pretty visually appealing. On pretty much every other front, however - story, character development, etc. - it was pretty lousy.

It's not the worst movie I've ever seen, but it's certainly not a good movie. Definitely skippable.

 

[bluebell]

57 minutes ago, Amulek said:

Rebel Moon: Part One - A Child of Fire

Tomatometer score: 25% (critics) / 64% (audience)

Now, I think a lot of film critics have a pretty strong anti-Netflix bias, but they're not wrong on this one. Rebel Moon is like the quintessential Netfilx film. The world(s) look pretty good: sets, costumes, etc. are all more than decent. There were a couple of bad special effects shots here and there, but most of the time things were pretty visually appealing. On pretty much every other front, however - story, character development, etc. - it was pretty lousy.

It's not the worst movie I've ever seen, but it's certainly not a good movie. Definitely skippable.

 

I watched this one too. It’s fairly mindless entertainment that is pretty cringy in some spots and basic in others. Also annoying that they split the story into two parts. 

[Stargazer]

3 hours ago, Amulek said:

Rebel Moon: Part One - A Child of Fire

Tomatometer score: 25% (critics) / 64% (audience)

Now, I think a lot of film critics have a pretty strong anti-Netflix bias, but they're not wrong on this one. Rebel Moon is like the quintessential Netfilx film. The world(s) look pretty good: sets, costumes, etc. are all more than decent. There were a couple of bad special effects shots here and there, but most of the time things were pretty visually appealing. On pretty much every other front, however - story, character development, etc. - it was pretty lousy.

It's not the worst movie I've ever seen, but it's certainly not a good movie. Definitely skippable.

 

The Critical Drinker pans it uncategorically. Calls it "A Galactic Disappointment"

[jkwilliams]

Re-watched La La Land with my 86-year-old mom last night, who hadn’t seen it because my late father wasn’t interested. She loved it, both because of the way it updates classic musicals and for its use of LA locales that reminded her of her youth. (I loved it, too.)

Stars Ryan Gosling (there’s your LDS connection) and Emma Stone. Rated PG-13 for a couple of swears. All in all, a lovely, enjoyable film.