Saturday, February 27, 2016

Weekend Open Thread

Have mercy.

It's Oscar weekend, so you guys can talk about that if you care to. Otherwise, you know, there's anything else.

59 comments:

  1. If Leo doesn't win, how will I be able to sleep at night. How will he be able to sleep at night? Oh yeah, laying on top of ALL the Victoria Secret models. Go Damon or literally anybody else. Like a movie, wouldn't it be great if the crowd stood up and slow chanted Michael B. Jordan until everyone gave their Oscars to him...then Oscar the Grouch walk him off stage after cutting short his acceptance speech. Fingers Crossed!

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    1. Well Leo won. Got to say I liked his acceptance speech. Good on you Leo. Guess I'll watch The Revenant...when it hits HBO.

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    2. Hopefully Leo's awesomeness now being confirmed he can leverage that to a Robotech movie fruition. It would have Leo but I'll take it.

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  2. I'm watching through the Dark Knight trilogy and making a list of every food Bruce has. So far, two movies in and he hasn't eaten anything. He drinks lots of juice though.

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    1. II'm thinking the Bat lives on Hallucinogenic Guano/ smoothies made by Alfred. Keep the study going and let us know the results. My guess is Affleck is already on Hallucinogenic Guano Smoothies! T-Minus about a month.

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    2. Finished TDKR. The only foods Bruce has consistently are green smoothies and champagne.

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    3. What more does the body need, really?

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    4. This post/your study had me laughing all weekend! I will now always inventory movie characters food consumption.

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  3. This will be the first year in decades I will not watch the Academy Awards live. It´s just too long, too boring and has way too much commercials to get up at 2:30 in the morning. I thought about skipping this for the last few years but this year I´m out.
    I´m also pretty busy this weekend with family stuff, so maybe I will finish the last 3 episodes of The man in the high castle but presumably not much more.

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    1. I cut the cord last year too. It had been more than a decade-long tradition to watch it live with friends, but last year we just collectively decided it's not worth it (it's like 7 am here when it ends).

      I'll happily stay awake all night for a real celebration of movie love (like I did two weeks ago), but not the overblown Hollywood back-slapping party that is the Oscars.

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    2. I think I watched it for 30 years and year after year it got worse. What I hate most are the acceptance speeches, that are nothing more than an endless string of names no one knows, here and there interrupted by one or two truly heartfelt speeches. And after 30 years, that´s simply not enough anymore to take a day off at work to watch that thing.

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  4. Has anyone seen the new Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon sequel on Netflix? If not...you don't really have to. It's pretty, but not at all as good as the original. My interest subsided significantly as the running time progessed.

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  5. Oooohhh Oscar's Scmoskers

    I know it doesn't really make sense, but neither does. .......

    I bet Turbo Kid gets nowt!

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  6. Watched Major League yesterday for the umpteenth time. It makes no sense how much I love that movie. It is what it is, but for me it's one of those perfect movies. There's nothing that doesn't work in it and I'm thoroughly entertained every time I watch it even though I pretty much know it by heart by now.

    Am I alone in this?

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    1. You are not alone, Mikko. I harbor great love for Major League.

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    2. I watch it once a yearish. I think I cheered a little in the theatre during the climactic game. I was 9 so I'll try to not be too embarrassed.

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  7. I made it through only 4 episodes of Fuller House last night. That show is binge proof. I'll give it this much...it is totally in step with the tone of the original series. It just shows how much I've changed in 20 years because I used to find it charming and now it just feels weird and self-congratulatory.

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    1. I still haven't watched past the first episode. I can't bring myself to do it. But I was further annoyed to learn that apparently they call attention to the absence of Michelle multiple times throughout the season. Doing that once seems like a cute wink to the situation, but doing it multiple times seems like it would just get old and feel like they are holding a grudge. I'm really annoyed by their going overboard with that.

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    2. The best thing about Fuller House is the revival of copious Kurt Fuller jokes. Most of them by me, to the applause of no one.

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    3. We've been watching the old series here in my house trying to work our way up to the new show when we finish the classic series; my daughter and I were pretty excited about Fuller House (my wife...not so much) until we saw the trailer a couple of weeks ago. When it was over, the kid and I just looked at each other in silence for about 5 seconds. I'm guessing we'll still give it a shot when we finish the old show, but it all seems pretty misguided.

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  8. All of the best picture nominees were played at a local theater last night. That means I got to see Fury Road on the big screen. Yay! I'm late to the convo on this one but holy shit! Absolutely loved it. I could have bought the blu ray for the cost of admission and a Coke, but I'm still glad I saw that craziness play out on screen.

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  9. I finally saw The Third Man. All of the Orson Welles scenes and the legendary ending were magical. The first hour though? I thought it was mediocre at best. Felt like bad TV. Also hated the zither score. It was distracting, annoying, and didn't match the tone of the movie. On a more positive note I re-watched The Searchers for the first time in forever, and was pretty blown away. Amazing movie.

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  10. Trying to see the best picture nominees I've missed out on, and still want to see (sorry Brooklyn, I'm sure you're great). Watched the Martian last night, going to see Room tonight.

    Perhaps I'm alone here, but I did not care for the Martian. I liked all of the performances, but the writing fell flat, right from the start really. I couldn't help but think of it as a poor man's Apollo 13. Definately the weakest best picture nominee of what I've seen this year.

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  11. Went to a screening of Spike Jonze's adaptation of Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are. Spike was there in person to do a small intro to the film. This is the first time I've seen it since seeing it in theaters opening weekend. It played so well in that theater. And in the closing scenes a lady next to me who had brought her young boy to the theater started crying. The movie become even more emotional for me in that moment. Great experience. What's everyone's favorite Spike Jonze flick? I don't think he's made a bad movie yet!

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    1. As a director: Her
      As an actor: His scene-stealing performance in Three Kings

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    2. Where The Wild Things Are. One of my faves. I thought it was really fun and loud and dirty but with many perfectly-conducted subtle emotions, and some of them confusing, in that way they are when you're a child. So that's all stuff and themes I like, more than clever or thoughtful like I would consider his other films I know of.

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    3. Her is my favorite, but Adaptation and Where the Wild Things Are are just as amazing. Her is probably the hardest I've ever cried in a theater.

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  12. Usual Dvd hunting this weekend, picked up 3 oldies of interest today, Unhinged 1982, Pin 1988 and the UK Directors cut of Dust Devil 1992, the Cut Richard Stanley wanted released, should be fun

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  13. Watched Triple 9 this week because it seemed like a better option than Gods of Egypt. It was perfectly average, and forgettable but I feel like I made the right choice. Sorry Mr. Proyas, but we'll always have Dark City.

    I don't think I've ever watched any sort of awards show for more than a few minutes when flipping through channels. I don't expect this year to be any different.

    Aside from that I'm continuing to go through the Zatoichi movies on Hulu. Finished up three of them so far now, and enjoying them quite a bit.

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    1. I'm going to see Triple 9 tonight. I've heard that it is just an average beat cop movie.. I had high expectations about it. I was hoping for the Training Day of this decade.

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    2. I thought Zatoichi was just one movie? With the blind swordsman? The one I watched was great!

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    3. There's something like 25 of 'em, and a TV series. The one with Takeshi Kitano was a remake.

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    4. Yeah, they put out 25 movies between 1962 and 1973, followed that up with 4 seasons of a TV series, and then eventually did one more movie in 1989. There have been a few remakes like the aforementioned Beat Takeshi one from 2003, and another one that came out a few years ago. Blind Fury, a late 80's movie staring Rutger Hauer, is also a remake of a Zatoichi movie (which I've never seen, but now I'm compelled to track it down).

      Criterion put out a collection of the original 25 movies and put them all on Hulu also. This is my first time watching any of them.

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  14. Deadpool just overtook The Passion of the Christ as the highest grossing R-rated film ever. And without church groups busing people in to see it...
    Question: If this success were to inspire Warner Brothers to dig up the real Director's Cut of Green Lantern (not that extended cut) and re-release it, would you give it a shot?
    Yeah, the animated costume, Parallax looking like a shit monster, Hal seemingly straight out killing three guys outside of the bar...the movie had problems that weren't editing. Is it just too "tarnished" over all?

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  15. Saturday night at (home) movies with the kids. They are insisting we watch Treasure Island again. I wanted to watch The Secret of NIMH.

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  16. How do you guys watch imported Blu Rays? I have a PS3 which I've heard can play region b, but I can't find a concrete yes or no anywhere.

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    1. Check out 220 Electronics. I got my region free dvd and later on, blu ray player from there. Great service and prices.

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    2. That's where I got mine, too. It broke less than a year after having it and they replaced it completely hassle-free.

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  17. Watched Bird On A Wire yesterday because of fond childhood memories of it, especially that first scene where they recognize each other with "Bird On A Wire" playing. Who would have thought they'd put a lighthearted comedy to one of Leonard Cohen's saddest songs (or any of them)? And even name their main character after his muse? Also, I love the way Goldie Hawn moves. I finally found out after my own experience that her background in dance (look at that insanely perfect posture) plays a big part in her very physical style of acting.

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    1. That movie has such a special place in my heart because it was the first movie I ever went to see by myself as a kid. My wife is obsessed with it, too, so we bonded over it very early on in our relationship. It's a perfectly decent Saturday afternoon movie.

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    2. Sounds like a super amazing first! As much as I love and appreciate it (I can understand obsessed) as it is...I feel like there's a tender/kissy scene missing...Maybe that's because of little kids watching it in theaters by themselves, though. Do a podcast!

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    3. I couldn't put this to rest in my mind so I rewatched it and I guess I'm satisfied. I guess they had the right amount of lovey looks and kissing scenes. Its just that Mel Gibson is so charming and happy all the time, not like someone who's been pining for anything or anyone. And he's hunky but not macho, even tempered, and GOOFY on top of that. I think I'm having to come to terms with the fact that he doesn't fit in one of my ready-made leading man boxes... and that I love him. And I'll never meet him and isn't he like a crazy old man now? :( Sad!

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  18. I got the bluray box set of all the Planet Of The Apes Movies so I've been marathoning through them since I've only seen the original and the 2 reboot movies. Holy shit are they insane. The endings of Beneath and Escape are so crazy that I had no idea where the next movies would go. I highly recommend watching them in a row, it's been alot of fun. I'm on Conquest right now.

    I also had a pregnancy horror double feature so I watched the criterion bluray of Rosemarys Baby which is so beautiful and I just love everything about that movie. From the setting to the music and Mia Farrow is so lovely and fragile, it's just a great movie. I would say after this rewatch it's most definitely in my top 10 horror movies of all time.

    Then I watched 2007's Inside which I'd never seen and is a complete 180 from Rosemarys Baby. My God this movie is relentless and bonkers and it kept me tense and on edge the whole running time. As a horror fan I feel like I can't ever be shocked by anything I see in a horror film anymore but this had me cringing multiple times and i have to give the movie credit for being able to top itself all the way to the finale. I quite enjoyed it but don't watch it if you're at all squeemish. Great double feature, I've been having a blast watching movies this weekend.

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  19. Random question:

    What can anyone tell me about The Outsiders? It's a movie I've been meaning to check out, but I haven't done so yet and see if it would be worth my time. It's Coppola, so in theory it has that going for it, and it seems like a who's who of '80s male heart throbs, many of whom I like, at least in that period.

    Thoughts, anyone? Do you like it?

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    1. I haven't seen it since junior high but remember that the movie cuts the guts out of the book. The book is great. The movie is kinda ordinary.

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    2. Gotcha. I feel like I have heard things to that effect about the movie. The cast has just always seemed interesting to me. Perhaps I'll take your advice and just stick with reading the book. Thanks, Adam!

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    3. It's sorta mid-tier Coppola. It's not one of his really bad movies, but it's nothing really good like Rumble Fish, The Cotton Club, or Tucker.

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    4. Or God-tier like The Godfather, Apocalypse Now, or The Conversation? ;)

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    5. Yeah, though I think it's unfair to compare any film to those. They're transcendent and all that.

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    6. Having never read the book, I can´t evaluate if the "movie cuts the guts out of the book", but just as a movie, it always strikes a chord with me. It may be no masterpiece, but to me it´s a very solid movie.

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  20. I just bought Twixt because it was a Coppala horror film. Should be interesting if nowt else. And I love Bruce Dern

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    1. I was one who actually enjoyed Twixt. I think you might too, Dennis.

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  21. Watched a little sci fi movie called "Selfless" this afternoon. Decent thriller starring Ben Kingsley and Ryan Reynolds. Worth a visit if you have a couple hours free time.

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  22. Anyone watching this garbage? It's embarrassing. And that's the worst Bond song of every single Bond song.

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  23. I've watched 99 movies so far this year. Going with Better Off Dead for #100 since it's been a few years since the last time I've seen it.

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  24. The Oscars sure were a shitshow

    That awful Danish Girl joke, that awful asian kids joke, giving an oscar to Spectre, not giving an oscar to World of Tomorrow, unironically ending THE OSCARS with "Fight the Power"… it was so embarassing.

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  25. Chris Rock started out strong, but there was WAY too much reliance on the race issue. They should have just addressed it and moved on. His jokes got less and less funny as the night wore on.

    Spotlight winning Best Picture felt random by the time it was announced, but it really makes sense, and I approve. That movie's great!

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