Recently Watched Movies 2024

[nwhoopfan]

Watched "Life Like" several days ago. Strange one. Addison Timlin and some guy I was unfamiliar with are a young married couple living an idyllic life in (I'm assuming?) NYC, using his allowance from his ultra rich family. Dad suddenly dies, apparently there was no one else, so son inherits the mansion in the country and the business. He's off to work, sort of getting baby sat by the board members. She feels weird having several staff wait on her, so she gives them 2 years severance pay and fires them all. The house is way too much for her to do everything herself, hubs is kinda irked, so lo and behold his company had a secret division where they were developing extremely human looking robots. They go to the secret HQ, look at a few models and pick one out. It was Steven Strait, but I didn't even recognize him. At first she doesn't like the robot, but then she gets it be in a book club just the two of them. Hubs is busy and distracted. Robot starts displaying more and more human like emotions. Hubs is kinda jealous, but likes to establish his dominance. Things get pretty weird. Then there is a humdinger of a twist at the end that changes your perspective on everything that happened during the rest of the movie.

I more or less liked it. I'm a big fan of Addison. This movie included more bare male backside, and other sides, than any movie I've ever seen before. I could've done without that. If you've wondered what Steven Strait looks like without clothes on, this is the movie for you. Plus the other actor I was previously unfamiliar with.

Anyway treads some familiar territory with the ethics of A.I. and humanoid like robots, but different enough from what I've seen before.


Here's the spoiler if you don't want to watch the movie:

Spoiler: spoiler

The robots weren't robots at all, they were humans. The "inventor" was an insane dude who had somehow acquired several orphans at young ages and systematically brainwashed them into believing they weren't human, and that their purpose was to fulfill the whims of their owners and their creator.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Under Paris. This got good reviews and it's not "Sharknado" bad. It's a bit silly at times, but they've tried to go more for "Jaws lite". It's a French film and it starts with a research team studying sharks out in the Pacific, where they think they've discovered something new, or newly adapted/evolved. Then we're back in Paris and the shark shows up in the river and flooded catacombs. Tied in are the River Police, the lead scientist and a group of young, stupid, ecoterrorists. Some of the outcome of the interactions with the sharks is deeply satisfying. All in all, it's not terrible. French with Subtitles on Netflix, but English dubbed is available.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Watched "Brats" on Hulu, a documentary about the Brat Pack from 80s movies fame. Directed by Andrew McCarthy. He tracked down several of his fellow actors and interviewed them. I've heard that term countless times, didn't realize most of them didn't particularly like it. Also for the most part they stopped making films together right after the term was coined.

Exactly who was in the pack is up for debate, but this considered the core group Emilio Estevez, Rob Lowe, Molly Ringwald, Alley Sheedy, Judd Nelson and Demi Moore. Of those, Nelson and Ringwald didn't agree to be interviewed. Also pretty much focused on St. Elmo's Fire, The Breakfast Club and most of the rest of John Hughes' films.

There were also interviews with several directors, casting directors, critics, and the magazine writer who coined the phrase.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Watched "Brats" on Hulu, a documentary about the Brat Pack from 80s movies fame. Directed by Andrew McCarthy. He tracked down several of his fellow actors and interviewed them. I've heard that term countless times, didn't realize most of them didn't particularly like it. Also for the most part they stopped making films together right after the term was coined.

Exactly who was in the pack is up for debate, but this considered the core group Emilio Estevez, Rob Lowe, Molly Ringwald, Alley Sheedy, Judd Nelson and Demi Moore. Of those, Nelson and Ringwald didn't agree to be interviewed. Also pretty much focused on St. Elmo's Fire, The Breakfast Club and most of the rest of John Hughes' films.

There were also interviews with several directors, casting directors, critics, and the magazine writer who coined the phrase.

McCarthy is beyond whiny. The "Brat Pack" article was the most incredible publicity possible for a collection of mostly mediocre actors, and should have set them all up for the next 10 years at least. Any actors who were not total idiots would have embraced it, but McCarthy blames it for his career not going anywhere.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Monkey Man (2024 - Peacock) is one of the most amazing action movies I have ever seen. Dev Patel has gone from being a quirky but mostly forgettable younger actor into a true leading man. He is incredible in this movie, both credible as a badass destroying a powerful crime syndicate, but also vulnerable enough that the movie is more than just a generic pseudo-superhero slaughter-fest. Patel is also a heck of a Director. The action sequences are original and compelling to watch.

I think that leaving the love interest out of the movie was a very good move. There is a lot going on with the plot without shoe-horning a contrived romance into it. I am jaded about action movies, and generally get bored with them pretty quickly. Monkey Man is so good that it is worth getting a Peacock subscription.

 

[nwhoopfan]

McCarthy is beyond whiny. The "Brat Pack" article was the most incredible publicity possible for a collection of mostly mediocre actors, and should have set them all up for the next 10 years at least. Any actors who were not total idiots would have embraced it, but McCarthy blames it for his career not going anywhere.

On one hand, I can understand "get over it already, it was 30 years ago." It sounds like Hollywood in general reacted negatively to the label, so they all distanced themselves from it and each other as much as they could. So not so sure about the article and the publicity setting them up for future success.

McCarthy wasn't the only one whose career didn't really go anywhere after the mid 80s. I think you could say the same about Nelson, Ringwald and Sheedy. Did they all make bad career choices, or was something else a factor?

 

[storrsroars]

On one hand, I can understand "get over it already, it was 30 years ago." It sounds like Hollywood in general reacted negatively to the label, so they all distanced themselves from it and each other as much as they could. So not so sure about the article and the publicity setting them up for future success.

McCarthy wasn't the only one whose career didn't really go anywhere after the mid 80s. I think you could say the same about Nelson, Ringwald and Sheedy. Did they all make bad career choices, or was something else a factor?

I wouldn't put Ringwald in that category. She's had a pretty great life and has been involved in numerous non-film projects, plus a couple of long-running TV shows (albeit not critical faves).

 

[HuskyHawk]

Wicked Little Letters. This was enjoyable and well done. Stars Olivia Coleman and an appealing Jessie Buckley. Set in Littlehampton England in the 1920s, many are back from WWI. One family (Colemen and her parents) begins to receive “indescribably filthy” letters in the mail. Their next door neighbor is a young Irish mom Rose (Buckley) who swears like a sailor. It becomes a national scandal as others start getting letters. Rose is charged with libel. It’s a comedy and not much of a mystery really. It’s quite fun and the acting is very good.

 

[nwhoopfan]

I wouldn't put Ringwald in that category. She's had a pretty great life and has been involved in numerous non-film projects, plus a couple of long-running TV shows (albeit not critical faves).

I was surprised looking at imdb, all of them have been in a bunch of movies or tv shows. So they all kept working consistently over the years. But it was mostly stuff I'd never heard of. Anyway glad Ringwald has had a fulfilling life.

Her bit part in "Not Another Teen Movie" was great, spoofing the kind of movies that made her famous.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Immaculate. Sydney Sweeney. She's a soon to be nun who goes to remote Italy to join a convent. Warning bells are going off from the opening moments of this movie. It is certainly tense and while her character is a little skeptical, she's not skeptical enough. It's an unusual "horror" film, nothing supernatural but it does have some scares and quite a lot of tension. The ending for me, is a bit much. 2.5 stars.

 

[Palatine]

Horizon (2024) Just saw part one of Kevin Cosner's western epic. It is big filmmaking on very large scale. But there's not much new here. It's also a bit of a jumble and hard to follow. We never stay with one story long enough to care about it before it jumps to another thread. I suppose at some point the threads will come together to form a coherent tale. But it doesn't come close during the first three hours and eleven minutes. People will not be clamoring for Horizon part two after watching this. Two Stars.

 

[nwhoopfan]

A few days ago watched "Inheritance," a Polish film on Netflix. Mildly entertaining. Quirky, estranged family is brought together when a rich uncle dies. Well he was faking his death just to bring them together. But the next morning he really is dead. They are forced to play a series of games together to bond in order to receive an inheritance.

Just watched "A Family Affair," just released on Netflix. Kinda corny rom com, but I'm a sucker for Joey King. She plays the assistant to Zac Effron's spoiled, out of touch with reality movie star. By chance he ends up having a steamy romance w/ Joey's mom, played by Nicole Kidman. Zac's a player and Joey always has to clean up his messes, so she's not having it with her mom and her boss. Cathy Bates is also in it as the mother-in-law/grandma. It was so so, but I enjoyed Joey. It's pretty funny in the beginning, then the comedy takes a back seat for most of the rest of the film.

 

[ZooCougar]

Horizon: Chapter One(2024)

Saw this tonight. And I read Pal's review and I concur with it mostly. It's three hours. Yes three hours. And there are three more movies coming.

First off, we were easily the youngest people in theater. This is not a Dad movie, it's a Grandad Movie. The place was packed with blue hair boomers. They literally started clapping when the movie started which was sort of adorable. I think they were hoping to see Ponderosa.

It's kind of dry, but it's watchable because it's punctuated with a few moments of genius. There is one thing really remarkable about it that I am sure will ruffle some feathers on both sides (If anyone watches this) which I will address later.

The movie is four story lines. Most reviews will say there are only three because they forget to mention the Native American one, which is distinct in my opinion. The southwest with Sienna Miller and Sam Worthington, Montana with Costner, and the Santa Fe Trail with Luke Wilson. I give Costner some credit here. His character breaks his normal mold a bit. While he has all of the normal impeccable survival instincts, he winds up manipulated by a younger woman and roped into getting chased by a bunch of sociopaths.

The fourth is the Natives, which is basically a group of Apaches that split in two. One group is younger and driven by violence and killing settlers and another that thinks that nothing good will come from declaring open season on the settlers. This one is really well acted and Costner handles it well, and was for me one of the few interesting parts of a film that really doesn't break much new ground.

Costner buddies Will Patton and Danny Huston are in this too. Hopefully they have a bigger role going forward. Michael Rooker is good playing an Irish Cavalry Sergeant as well. There also a couple of English idiots with Luke Wilson that are there for the audience to dislike and laugh at. The other characters hate them too.

I think this is Sienna Miller's first movie without Werewolves. She does a good job here besides basically just looking great. Worthington is the US Army's oldest Lieutenant ever. Luke Wilson is basically Sam Elliot's character from 1883 except obviously younger. All three/four plots seem to be converging on some settlement called "Horizon" that seems to have been overrun by the Natives multiple times.

The part that is remarkable in this movie, and I basically think it's almost a really clever troll by Costner in that he really doesn't take sides. It's a pretty grown up take on the whole situation. The Natives are very rational in defending their territory and pretty naive about the doom wagon heading their way. The settlers also appear to be rational in seeking space and opportunity but also incredibly naive and oblivious about the impact they are having. Oh and there is the fact that people already live in this place that they still think is empty. Basically everyone with some exceptions is portrayed as flawed but also honorable. The rest on both sides driven by blood lust and greed.

The sequences and scenes are long, and Costner seems to be trying to make a point. In the beginning there is a brutal Apache raid on a settlement. It goes on and on. One part that was gut wrenching was when one family decides to blow itself up with black powder than let the Apaches kill them, it definitely is meant to link the movie to current events. But the best part is the next day when the Cavalry shows up. Worthington asks the survivors, what they were thinking? "Didn't you see the the crosses where the last batch of settlers were buried? Are you stupid?" Danny Huston quips later, "next time don't build your town on an Apache river crossing. Not bad.

 

[Waquoit]

Sounds horrible.

 

[Palatine]

Sounds horrible.

It's not horrible. Everything is well done. It's just not that good.

Cougar's excellent review mentions the scene with the graveyard crosses where the LT asks rhetorically "what do you think that means?"

The settler answer is pretty good. "Don't build on that side of the river."

 

[ZooCougar]

It's not horrible. Everything is well done. It's just not that good.

Cougar's excellent review mentions the scene with the graveyard crosses where the LT asks rhetorically "what do you think that means?"

The settler answer is pretty good. "Don't build on that side of the river."

And then Worthington goes “how did that work out for you?”

I think the movie is pretty striking in its objectivity.

The flaw in the movie is that it tries to do too much and it feels like we haven’t even gotten to the real story yet. It’s almost a three hour prologue.

 

[Waquoit]

Everything is well done. It's just not that good.

If you say so.

 

[Hey Adrien!]

Dumplin’ (Netflix)

This sweet Netflix comedy/drama is based on a YA novel and it’s based on Jennifer Aniston’s character that’s a former teen pageant winner who now manages beauty pageants in Texas. Her daughter was never a part of that scene and was mostly raised by her Dolly Parton loving aunt, but she then decides to try out for the pageant. For a Netflix comedy, it’s got some beautifully shot scenes. Recommend if you’re interested in a light comedy with heart.

 

[Palatine]

The Outsider (2018). This takes place in Osaka, Japan in the early 50s. Jared Leto is a former American serviceman who is in a Japanese prison. He saves the life of yakuzi member and upon his release from jail joins his gang. I found his journey interesting.

I really liked the pace of this movie which was slow. It is also a quiet film. It feels authentic (whether it is or not I don't know). There is a lot of violence. None of the violence feels gratuitous. And all of it is handled without breaking the pace or quietness of the film. The direction is so seamless you don't notice it. There is real skill in this movie.

It's not for everyone. But this movie keep Leto under control and he gives a very nuanced performance. It feels like you are taking a peek at something hidden. Three stars.

 

[storrsroars]

Watched a couple of fairly mindless action films this week.

Beverly Hills Cop Alex F (Netflix): If you liked the first two in the franchise, you'll find this very familiar. While mostly panned by critics, I thought it was fine for what it was, and showed Murphy is still the Murphy we loved. It's not a great movie, and I think they tried a bit too hard to set up scenes similar to those in the first two, but I've seen much much worse sequels.

The Beekeeper (Prime): Everything you want a Jason Statham movie to be. He's 55 now, but still looked good in (albeit unrealistic) fight scenes. Not sure how much longer he can do this, so I'll choose to enjoy whatever ridiculous storyline he's involved with. Will probably watch this one again relatively soon.

 

[Palatine]

Beverly Hills Cop Alex F (Netflix): If you liked the first two in the franchise, you'll find this very familiar. While mostly panned by critics, I thought it was fine for what it was, and showed Murphy is still the Murphy we loved. It's not a great movie, and I think they tried a bit too hard to set up scenes similar to those in the first two, but I've seen much much worse sequels.

BHC Axel F. (2024) I suspect many of this will view it soon. And it is exactly what you expect. You know the plot. The movie centers around Axel and his broken relationship with his daughter who is a Beverly Hills public defender. Rosewood and Taggart ( played by John Aston who grew up in Hazardville, went to Enfield High and once dated my older sister) have reduced roles but are fun to see. This is a well made movie. Everything is to a high standard, cinematography, special effects, stunts, music, editing. They may have cut some corners on the helicopter effects but the rest is A+. They even brought in established co-stars Kevin Bacon and Joe Gordon-Levitt.

Nothing new, everything is familiar, but it is very comfortable two hours with old friends.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Stumbled onto something I'd never heard of before on Amazon Prime. "Last Moment of Clarity." Features Samara Weaving and Carly Chaikin, that was enough reason to try it. It's a very slow thriller that's not very thrilling. Not terrible, but not exactly good. Brian Cox was doing a weird accent. Okay, I looked it up and he was actually born in Scotland. Don't know if I've ever heard him doing Scottish before. Half the time it sounded like he was doing a not quite there impression of Sean Connery, and other times it sounded more like a bad fake Russian accent? I don't know, it was weird.

Anyway started with lots of flash backs. Dude from New York is hanging out in Paris wasting his life away. Girlfriend was shot and/or died in a fire 3 years ago. He goes to a little art house theater all the time. One day while watching a film he sees an actress that looks exactly like his girlfriend. So off he goes to L.A. to find her. There he runs into his childhood friend's younger sister, who immediately goes totally out of her way to help him in anyway possible. Sees the actress, she doesn't know him, he makes a fool of himself. Or does she? It keeps going from there, more stuff that happened in New York, some gangsters, gets kinda convoluted.

 

[Palatine]

Thelma (2024) Themla is in her 90s and falls for a phone scam. Her daughter, son-in-law, and grandson are well meaning but clueless people. They think she should just forget about it. Nope. Themla wants her $10,000 dollars back. She goes to visit one of her last living friends, played perfectly by Richard Roundtree, who once played "Shaft" to steal his scooter and find the crooks.

It is a funny, nice, sad film. Very well done. Wouldn't be surprised if Roundtree gets an Oscar nomination considering this was his last film and the performance is worthy. The movie nevers gets overly dramatic or preachy or too silly, it does a great job threading the needle between all three. My wife dragged me to it. I enjoyed it. It is currently in theaters. Two bordering on three stars.

 

[ZooCougar]

Thelma (2024) Themla is in her 90s and falls for a phone scam. Her daughter, son-in-law, and grandson are well meaning but clueless people. They think she should just forget about it. Nope. Themla wants her $10,000 dollars back. She goes to visit one of her last living friends, played perfectly by Richard Roundtree, who once played "Shaft" to steal his scooter and find the crooks.

It is a funny, nice, sad film. Very well done. Wouldn't be surprised if Roundtree gets an Oscar nomination considering this was his last film and the performance is worthy. The movie nevers gets overly dramatic or preachy or too silly, it does a great job threading the needle between all three. My wife dragged me to it. I enjoyed it. It is currently in theaters. Two bordering on three stars.

Wait. Jason Statham isn't in this?

 

[Waquoit]

I just watched an indy caper movie called Midas. It was pretty good. The hook was that it was set in and filmed all around Hartford. True, they hid the XL but had scenes at Dunkin Park. A reviewer on Rotten Tomatoes said. "Midas probably needed one more coat of polish with the script to really make it shine" and gave it a 6.5/10. That seems about right.