Recently Watched Movies 2023

[nwhoopfan]

I also tried "Spin Me Round." I'd seen poor reviews of it, but I wondered how bad can it be? Alison Brie and Aubrey Plaza are 2 things it had going for it. Well...it was really bad. I couldn't get thru it. Deadly dull, just was going nowhere. Aubrey breathed a little bit of life into it, but she disappeared about halfway thru. I fast forwarded thru large chunks of it just to see if anything ever happened. Not really. Molly Shannon kinda plays the same character every time out, and she was just horrible here. A living, breathing buzzkill that ground everything to a halt every time she was on screen.

 

[CL82]

It’s a WWII weekend.

Fury. Brad Pitt, Shia Lebouf, John Bernal. Late stages of WWII a Sherman tank crew struggles to stay alive while completing some key missions. There’s not much armor left in the theater and they were talk the Germans are out of Tiger tanks. It’s a bit long but there are good performances all around and it shows the savagery of war. Apparently an old tank guy says it’s extremely realistic. They used real Shermans and the last Tiger in existence. Solid 3/5

The Forgotten Battle. Dutch, but in English and German as well. Everyone speaks what they would have, which is how it should be. Terrific acting, and Susan Radder who plays a young Dutch woman, will be a star. This tells of operation Market Garden. A bold move post D-Day to fly troops behind the lines in an effort to free up a port in Holland so the Allies could land troops deeper in Europe. It‘s centered on Zeeland, an area of islands and marshes, and starts with focus on the local Dutch, British & Canadians in the UK and a soldier fighting for the Germans in Russia. Those personal stories converge in Zeeland. Unlike American movies, the focus here is what the war did to people, civilians and soldiers alike. Personal sacrifice is the theme and it’s a terrific tale of a critical part of the war we don’t hear much about. Highly recommended. 4/5

Operation Market Garden was a fluster cluck. It was largely a concession to the British and diverted resources from Patton’s more planned assault on Germany. oh, a lot of allied lives were lost. You may remember at depiction of it for an episode, maybe two, in the Band of Brothers series.

The movie definitely sounds like an interesting take. Thanks for suggesting it.

 

[Palatine]

Operation Market Garden was a fluster cluck. It was largely a concession to the British and diverted resources from Patton’s more planned assault on Germany. oh, a lot of allied lives were lost. You may remember at depiction of it for an episode, maybe two, in the Band of Brothers series.

The movie definitely sounds like an interesting take. Thanks for suggesting it.

There is an old and better version of this movie called "A Bridge Too Far." Released in 1977, it is not a great movie but it is loaded with stars of the day. It also covers the lead up to the operation.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Race to Witch Mountain. Wanted something fast paced and light. Stars the Rock, who looks so different before he really roided out. Ciaran Hyndes is the bad guy from the government. Carla Gugino is a scientist focused on alien life. The two young teen stars as the aliens are AnnaSophia Robb and Alexander Ludwig. I had no recollection that Ludwig was in this before becoming Bjorn in Vikings. Everyone is pretty good, and it's typical Disney fare, but well done. I have some nostalgia for the two original movies, and had a mild crush on Kim Richards as a kid (she's two years older than me). This is updated obviously, and certainly simple but still serves as a decent all ages action movie.

 

[storrsroars]

Killing Hasselhoff (Netflix). So I'm up all night doing prep for my morning "procedure", so the good part of this movie is that it's so bad, you can run back and forth to the bathroom several times and not really miss anything. The funniest thing about the movie is that they cast Rhys Darby, who's a Kiwi, as one of Ken Jeong's friends, and he kept his Kiwi accent. But they made Jeong's other friend, Jim Jefferies, an Aussie, adopt an American accent. And it succeeded in making Hasselhoff look like the minor talent he is. Skip it.

As a side note, for anyone who's watched Jefferies' special "Intolerant", I had an episode that I can compare to his closing bit. Seriously have to consider burning everything I was wearing and the bathroom throw rug.

 

[Letsgohuskies11]

The Quiet Girl - Most of it is in Irish with English subtitles. Visually very beautiful. Not a ton of dialogue but very moving. Takes place in early 1980s in Ireland and is about a girl who is an outcast to both her own family and the world around her and goes to live with relatives she's doesn't really know in Waterford on a farm. @HuskyHawk might enjoy this. Playing in a lot of indie movie theatres.

 

[HuskyHawk]

The Quiet Girl - Most of it is in Irish with English subtitles. Visually very beautiful. Not a ton of dialogue but very moving. Takes place in early 1980s in Ireland and is about a girl who is an outcast to both her own family and the world around her and goes to live with relatives she's doesn't really know in Waterford on a farm. @HuskyHawk might enjoy this. Playing in a lot of indie movie theatres.

It’s on our list. Need to find a place that’s showing it. My Irish is not terrible if I’m reading signs, but verbal…no chance.

 

[Deepster]

Chris Rock - Selective Outrage. I give him a lot of credit for waiting for the dust to settle, not hitting the “Oprah circuit” and giving an honest, biting reply to the slap incident. Thought the material leading up to it had an “old” Chris Rock edge to it in parts, riding the envelope of being over the line at times. All in all, good response in the end.

 

[storrsroars]

Chris Rock - Selective Outrage. I give him a lot of credit for waiting for the dust to settle, not hitting the “Oprah circuit” and giving an honest, biting reply to the slap incident. Thought the material leading up to it had an “old” Chris Rock edge to it in parts, riding the envelope of being over the line at times. All in all, good response in the end.

Was really anticipating watching this, but can't say I loved it. Just don't think his writing was as sharp as his best stuff. The bit on his parents was good (the thing about looking behind a newborn's ears is true), and the bits on his daughter were solid and heartfelt. The bit on beauty was vintage Rock. The stuff on Meghan Markle and Elon Musk could've used more bite and substance. I don't even know why he did any material on transpeople as it didn't lead anywhere. The five minutes at the end trashing Will & Jada was probably the best stuff because you know it was personal. I'd give it a C+.

I didn't know there was a pre-show, and only tuned in a few minutes before when Leslie Jones was on. The post-show was kinda stupid, with Spade and Carvey surrounded by JB Smoove (every other word an F-bomb), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (fairly funny, honestly), Arsenio Hall, and Yvonne Orji, who I wished we heard more of during those interviews. You could tell immediately that Spade and Carvey knew they were out of place, and it was an uncomfortable watch as they really couldn't add anything.

 

[Deepster]

Was really anticipating watching this, but can't say I loved it. Just don't think his writing was as sharp as his best stuff. The bit on his parents was good (the thing about looking behind a newborn's ears is true), and the bits on his daughter were solid and heartfelt. The bit on beauty was vintage Rock. The stuff on Meghan Markle and Elon Musk could've used more bite and substance. I don't even know why he did any material on transpeople as it didn't lead anywhere. The five minutes at the end trashing Will & Jada was probably the best stuff because you know it was personal. I'd give it a C+.

I didn't know there was a pre-show, and only tuned in a few minutes before when Leslie Jones was on. The post-show was kinda stupid, with Spade and Carvey surrounded by JB Smoove (every other word an F-bomb), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (fairly funny, honestly), Arsenio Hall, and Yvonne Orji, who I wished we heard more of during those interviews. You could tell immediately that Spade and Carvey knew they were out of place, and it was an uncomfortable watch as they really couldn't add anything.

I respect all that. With the Oscars almost a year in the rear view, this was the 45 minute prelude to the slap response and I thought that hit the mark.

Was really surprised his abortion bit was almost the same word for word from Bill Burrs last special.

Right now, Smith looks like some weirdo “b-tch” that super overreacted and really wiped away decades of being universally liked.

 

[Palatine]

The Fablemans (2022) Who would thunkit? Steven Spielberg's life is a bad movie. None of it feels very real. Although the acting is good, the characters are not given any depth. We are told the father is a genius but he never shows it. Michelle Williams may be the best actor of her generation. But she never gives herself to anyone in the film. It's a cold and shallow performance. The only real drama in the film comes from the anti-Semitic high school bullies especially Logan played by Sam Rechner. The relationship between Logan and young Sam is the most honest and believable part of the film. The cinematography, editing, sound, etc are all first class, it is Speilberg afterall. But this is an very plain 151 minutes with a few good moments. David Lynch is great as John Ford, one of the few bright spots in the movie. Two stars.

 

[HuskyHawk]

The Family. Had been wanting to rewatch this. Deniro stars as Giovanni Manzoni a mafia rat who is in the witness protection program, now as Freddy Bates. Michelle Pfieffer, ever the best choice as a mob wife, is his wife. Two kids are with him, pretty older daughter and younger son who's a chip off the old block. Tommy Lee Jones is the FBI guy in charge. It's a dark, violent comedy. This family has landed in a small town in Normandy, and they proceed to put their own stamp on existence there. Eventually you know the mafia will find them. I really like every actor in this, the performances are terrific. The glimpses to his repressed urges (some of which don't go repressed) are quite entertaining. It's a fun watch.

 

[storrsroars]

Dinner Rush (2001, Prime). Never heard of this. I believe this was a passion project for director Bob Giraldi, who's a major foodie. It's about a restauranteur who's also a bookmaker and is trying to get out of the latter. Danny Aiello plays the lead. Bunch of relative no-names and central casting mob-types. And then there's John Corbett, a customer at the bar, who feels out of place here until the very end.

If you like food , you'll love this. Probably the best, most realistic film I've seen regarding working in a cramped, claustrophobic kitchen. On top of that you've got obnoxious customers, mobsters wanting a piece of your business, a chronic gambler in the kitchen, and your son bugging you constantly about when you're gonna leave him the place.

The characters are real and played well. Dialogue is terrific. The camera work in the kitchen really conveys what it's like down there. There's a major plot twist, and you can kind of see something coming, but probably not what actually happens.

I'm surprised I've never heard of this. I typically like Aiello, and I love food movies. Might not be your cup of tea, but I enjoyed it.

 

[nwhoopfan]

"Alienoid" is now available on Prime. That was...different. A mashup, a bit of Crouching Tiger mixed with more comedic elements like a Jackie Chan or Stephen Chow film (although it's Korean, not Chinese), plus some Avengers or Transformers for good measure. It was entertaining anyway. Some good special effects. It clocks in at almost 2 1/2 hours...and it has a complete cliff hanger non-ending, so there is another movie in the works. Kinda confusing for a while and seemed almost like 2 separate movies, but it ties together eventually.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Been waiting a while to see "Watcher." It's available on Hulu now, watched it finally. It's a very slow burn. Maika Monroe has just moved to Bucharest with her husband for his job. He speaks Romanian, she does not. He works long hours. So she is alone in a strange city, doesn't know anyone and doesn't know the language. Then she begins to suspect a man from the building across the street is following her. The movie plays with you the whole way, you're never sure if she's just paranoid or if there is something sinister going on. You have to stick around to the end to find out. It was decent, probably not much in the way of rewatch potential, but once was fine. I like Maika.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Synchronic. Anthony Mackie (Steve) and Jamie Dornan (Dennis) star as a pair of best friends in New Orleans who end up working together as paramedics. They see a lot of unpleasant stuff. Dennis is married and has a small child and an 18 year old daughter. As they go from scene to scene, they begin to see weird, unexplainable injuries that don't make any sense. Steve notices that a designer drug wrapper with "Synchronic" is at the scene. Eventually, something significant happens, again involving Synchronic. Steve begins to investigate it and eventually discovers what it does, and starts to experiment in an effort to save someone. It's a mix of sci-fi and a buddy/cop movie. Got good audience reviews and critic reviews and yet I'd never heard of it. Slow start, but ultimately entertaining.

 

[nwhoopfan]

To add to the above, there is a serial killer at work in the city, targeting young women. That certainly adds to the paranoia.

And a fair bit of Romanian is spoken. If you turn the subtitles on...it doesn't interpret it for you. So you feel some of the same sense of isolation that Maika does. That was an interesting choice that works well I think.

 

[Hey Adrien!]

Red Notice (2021 - Netflix)

Recommended by one of my 8th graders, this mystery/comedy/action movie with The Rock, Ryan Reynolds and Gal Gadot was forgettable but entertaining.

The movie centers around The Rock as an FBI agent hunting down Reynolds who is the world's #2 best art thief as he attempts to steal Cleopatra's priceless gold eggs, however they need to team up to take down Gadot, who is the #1 top art thief.

Again, weak plot, mediocre visual effects, but harmless laughs and Gadot always grabs my attention.

 

[Kaizen]

Everything Everywhere All at Once

Watch the movie from the beginning to the end still don't know what the movie is talking about. Low budget, low sound, low video, low everything.

Wonder what happens to the Oscar? There are no other movies around?

 

[Dove]

"Get Hard" (2015) - Will Farrell and Kevin Hart made me laugh a lot in this one. Overall, stoopid. But funny.

 

[HuskyBaggins]

Everything Everywhere All at Once

Watch the movie from the beginning to the end still don't know what the movie is talking about. Low budget, low sound, low video, low everything.

Wonder what happens to the Oscar? There are no other movies around?

Apparently. Want to give an oscar for, essentially, non-movie reasons ? Sure, I guess. Again, why give it an EDITING Oscar ? That's ridiculous. Granted, the only legit winner here was Jamie Lee Curtis. She was great in this.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Apparently. Want to give an oscar for, essentially, non-movie reasons ? Sure, I guess. Again, why give it an EDITING Oscar ? That's ridiculous. Granted, the only legit winner here was Jamie Lee Curtis. She was great in this.

Nah. She didn't do anything. Hers was a lifetime award for sure. Ke Huy Quan was outstanding and deserved the supporting actor role. Think about his role bouncing back and forth from husband to guy from different alternate realities and explaining to Michelle Yeoh. He was the best thing in the movie. Plus you have to love the comeback story for the kid who was Short Round in Indiana Jones.

 

[Deepster]

"Get Hard" (2015) - Will Farrell and Kevin Hart made me laugh a lot in this one. Overall, stoopid. But funny.

Was the movie as stupid as your choice in spelling it "stoopid"?

 

[Palatine]

The Whale (2022) Interesting movie, shot like a play, takes place in one room, very strong character piece with very good performances. Brendan Fraser took home a best actor academy award and probably deserved it. The daughter played by Sadie Sink goes toe to toe with Frasier and it really works. But it's Frasier that makes the film. The title reflects a man who has let himself slide into absurd obesity yet the story centers around human relationships that have go far beyond Frasier's physical limitations.

The film making enhances the intimacy of the subject matter. It is plain, unembellished and on point. There is only one (brief) flashback in the film and that keeps you tied to the present. It's a good choice in a film defined by good choices. Three and half out of four stars.

 

[HuskyBaggins]

Synchronic. Anthony Mackie (Steve) and Jamie Dornan (Dennis) star as a pair of best friends in New Orleans who end up working together as paramedics. They see a lot of unpleasant stuff. Dennis is married and has a small child and an 18 year old daughter. As they go from scene to scene, they begin to see weird, unexplainable injuries that don't make any sense. Steve notices that a designer drug wrapper with "Synchronic" is at the scene. Eventually, something significant happens, again involving Synchronic. Steve begins to investigate it and eventually discovers what it does, and starts to experiment in an effort to save someone. It's a mix of sci-fi and a buddy/cop movie. Got good audience reviews and critic reviews and yet I'd never heard of it. Slow start, but ultimately entertaining.

Saw this about a year ago. Liked it quite a bit. Very unexpected