Recently Watched Movies 2024 | Page 3 | The Boneyard

Recently Watched Movies 2024

HuskyHawk said:
Rocky does, Jaws does, Star Wars does. It's the big serious dramas that sometimes miss. Chinatown for example. Good, but not great.
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Star Wars isn't set in the 1970s. Neither is Chinatown.

Rocky definitely works, but I think some of that is due to the fact that the characters seem quirky and out of place anyway.

Jaws is indisputably a good movie, but the non-action, non-boat sequences definitely have that weird 70s feel, at least to me.
 
For some reason I found myself thinking about the movie Liberal Arts (2012) recently. Hadn't seen that in quite a while, so I revisited it. Streaming on Kanopy. Josh Radnor is a bored college admissions officer living in NYC. His favorite college prof (Richard Jenkins) invites him to come to a retirement celebration. So back to his idyllic small town liberal arts school in Ohio he goes. While there he meets and is smitten with a student barely over half his age, Elizabeth Olsen in one of her earliest roles. He also befriends a troubled loner, runs into his other favorite teacher Allison Janney, and has a couple chance encounters with a trippy cosmic philosopher played by Zac Efron, who I completely forgot was even in this movie. It's very talky, but I enjoyed it now as I did when I saw it originally. Radnor doesn't appear to have a lot of range, but the characters he portrays are likable. Ted Mosby, architect.
 
The Enforcer 3. Didn't know what to expect here, but this was really quite enjoyable. Denzel does his usual excellent job in the lead, with a cast of Italian actors. Some gorgeous scenery of the Amalfi coast. This is really a redemption tale and I think Denzel as Robert McCall does a nice job of shifting from brutality to a newfound inner peace. There's religious symbolism aplenty as his character becomes a good man. Solid recommendation.
 
HuskyHawk said:
The Enforcer 3. Didn't know what to expect here, but this was really quite enjoyable. Denzel does his usual excellent job in the lead, with a cast of Italian actors. Some gorgeous scenery of the Amalfi coast. This is really a redemption tale and I think Denzel as Robert McCall does a nice job of shifting from brutality to a newfound inner peace. There's religious symbolism aplenty as his character becomes a good man. Solid recommendation.
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Think you meant "The Equalizer 3"
 
I also watched The Equalizer 3 yesterday. I could follow it, but wasn't too invested, as I was doing a number of other chores around the house. I need to re-watch. I also watched Man on Fire. late last week. With a few changes in detail, the MoF plot could have very well been a part of the Equalizer franchise.
 
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HuskyHawk said:
The Enforcer 3. Didn't know what to expect here, but this was really quite enjoyable. Denzel does his usual excellent job in the lead, with a cast of Italian actors. Some gorgeous scenery of the Amalfi coast. This is really a redemption tale and I think Denzel as Robert McCall does a nice job of shifting from brutality to a newfound inner peace. There's religious symbolism aplenty as his character becomes a good man. Solid recommendation.
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I never thought of McCall as being evil or a "bad man". In fact he seems to be a good man with "a particular set of skills" that allows him to act when he sees a perceived injustice.
 
CL82 said:
I never thought of McCall as being evil or a "bad man". In fact he seems to be a good man with "a particular set of skills" that allows him to act when he sees a perceived injustice.
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Sure. Did you see the movie? That's it, it's really about his internal conflict on that point, and how he comes to live with himself (and how many scumbags he has to kill). Made it better than generic action movie for me.
 
HuskyHawk said:
Sure. Did you see the movie? That's it, it's really about his internal conflict on that point, and how he comes to live with himself (and how many scumbags he has to kill). Made it better than generic action movie for me.
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I haven't seen three yet. It sounds good though.
 
CL82 said:
I never thought of McCall as being evil or a "bad man". In fact he seems to be a good man with "a particular set of skills" that allows him to act when he sees a perceived injustice.
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Yeah, he's a bit like Jack Reacher. He has his own very strict moral code, and sees it as his duty to protect those who can't protect themselves, from the people who try to victimize them. For those who prey on the weak, there is no sympathy or mercy.
 
Free is a very good price. Was gonna sign up for Amazon Prime again anyway, but they're giving me 30 days free. I'll take it.

First up "Totally Killer." Kind of a send up of 80s slasher flicks. And a send up of all time travel related movies. While it did have some humorous parts, I was surprised at how visceral and brutal the murders scenes were. Wasn't expecting that. That was probably a once was enough viewing, but not bad. Is Lochlyn Monro having a career revival, or did he never go away? I see him a lot these days.

You know the drill. Of the actresses I knew from before, all playing 16 year olds in the movie, we have 28 year Liana Liberato, 26 year old Olivia Holt, and 24 year old Kiernan Shipka (how is she 24 already?!). I'm never gonna stop thinking it's weird to have such a massive age gap between the character and the actress.
 
I should add to the above that the enlightened teen from 2023 time traveling back to 1987 and incessantly lecturing everybody about how horrifyingly un-PC they were got way, way overplayed. Might have been able to get a few laughs out of it, but just kept going back to it over and over again, and it was really quite annoying.
 
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Sometimes I get an itch and I just need to scratch it. Been curious about "Landscape With Invisible Hand" for a while. Finally got to watch it. Uh...weird. Not necessarily bad. Or good. Just weird. In the near future an alien race, the vuvv, conquer earth not through military means but through economic might. Life here is quite bleak after. The vuvv seem to think they made life on earth better, and despite their supposed intelligence they have a blind spot a mile wide. Starts out w/ 2 teenagers doing a podcast of their relationship for views/cashmoney. But it goes a whole different direction eventually. I guess it's all allegorical or symbolic probably. Hey, if you like theremin, this is the movie for you. There was quite a healthy dose of it in the musical score. Definitely added to the weird sci fi vibes. I thought the actress, Kylie Rogers was going to be the main character. She was not. She all but disappeared. The lead was Asante Blackk. I was getting a bit of younger Donald Glover vibes from him.
 
Okay, saw Equalizer 3. I thought the interplay with Denzel and Dakota was the most interesting part of the film. Very deliberately paced. When it did get to the violence, is it just me or was this gorier than the previous movies?
 
Checked another off my list last night. I have a bit of a dilemma. I like Josephine Langford. The problem is most of her career has been taken up making the "After" series. I refuse to watch them (well okay, I tried the first one and gave up after 20 or 30 minutes). They crank out 1 every year and they are up to 5 already I think. Not that much other stuff she's been in, and usually just as a minor character. So she's the lead in a new rom com "The Other Zoey." A bit of an update/new spin on "While You Were Sleeping." I knew going in it might be difficult, the whole thing with misleading everybody and then just digging deeper and deeper into the deception is frustrating for me. Luckily the truth came out about halfway thru, and there were actual real consequences instead of just brushing it off. It was okay, but Josephine was charming and my goodness she is lovely.
 
The Big Sick (2017 - on Amazon Prime) starring Kumail Nanjani, Zoe Kazan, Holly Hunter and Ray Romano is a really good romcom. It is heavily based on Nanjani's own experience starting as a comedian and his relationship with his girlfriend then wife Emily Gordon who co-wrote the movie with him. I do not know if the main twist in the middle of the movie actually happened.

It is very funny, but also very visceral emotionally without being manipulative. It is just a movie about regular people trying to live their lives focused on Nanjani and Kazan negotiating the beginning of a relationship. Najani and Romano are underrated actors, and Holly Hunter does not chew the scenery (or eat the whole set) like she usually does. The movie doesn't pretend to be any more or less than it is, and it just works. I am surprised I hadn't found this earlier. Strongly recommend.
 
Napoleon. Joaquin Phoenix looking older and more worn than he is as the Corsican. Vanessa Kirby is enchanting and stunning as Josephine Bonapart. The scenery is nice. The battle scenes well orchestrated. It’s a personal look at the man who fought many wars that probably shouldn’t have been fought and the hubris that drive him to it. He comes across as someone who needed to get his kicked as a younger man. It’s not a bad film, but it’s boring in stretches and has no real story arc.
 
The Holdovers (2023) - A masterclass by Giamatti. Decent story, very good supporting contributions by the kid and the cook. But Giamatti just crushes his role. He has that gift of conveying emotion without speaking and has a couple really great scenes in this one.
 
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"Role Play" (2023) Amazon original. Starring Kaley Cuoco and David Oyelowo, with Connie Nielsen and Bill Nighy. Kaley is living the suburban dream with David and their 2 kids, travels for work a lot. Except...she's actually an assassin. Wants out, but it's complicated. I was a bit confused, I thought it was supposed to be comedic, but it seemed more like they were playing it straight. But still a little bit on the lighter side instead of deadly serious and high tension. It was decent, I found it entertaining enough. I hadn't seen her in a physical kind of role like that before, she carried it off fairly well.

Nielsen looks fabulous. Just looked her up, 58 years old, certainly doesn't appear to be that age.

Does Bill Nighy know when he snorts? Does he do it on purpose? It's his little quirk, I've been aware of it for years, but it was very prevalent in his brief appearance in this one.
 
nwhoopfan said:
"Role Play" (2023) Amazon original. Starring Kaley Cuoco and David Oyelowo, with Connie Nielsen and Bill Nighy. Kaley is living the suburban dream with David and their 2 kids, travels for work a lot. Except...she's actually an assassin. Wants out, but it's complicated. I was a bit confused, I thought it was supposed to be comedic, but it seemed more like they were playing it straight. But still a little bit on the lighter side instead of deadly serious and high tension. It was decent, I found it entertaining enough. I hadn't seen her in a physical kind of role like that before, she carried it off fairly well.

Nielsen looks fabulous. Just looked her up, 58 years old, certainly doesn't appear to be that age.

Does Bill Nighy know when he snorts? Does he do it on purpose? It's his little quirk, I've been aware of it for years, but it was very prevalent in his brief appearance in this one.
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I like Cuoco so I gave it a watch. Doesn't break any new ground in the "my spouse/gf/bf is secretly an assassin" territory, but it was enjoyable enough to not consider it a waste. I will note, however, that my next door neighbor is 58 and looks far younger than Nielsen.
 
Avatar The Way of Water

I get it, it was a popular movie so the remake was easy money, but sometimes it's best just to leave something alone. You know when you've got Sigourney Weaver playing a middle school aged character, you're reaching.

It was just one logical inconsistency after another. Here's an example: feral boy knows where the village is located so Jake Sully and family has to leave to protect the village. How does that make any sense whatsoever? if they leave will feral boy suddenly forget where the village is?

Here's another one, they have to use hand signals to talk to the whale but the whale can reply psychically? Why do they need the hand signals?

I mean, it was impressive to look at, but that got old at about the halfway point. I stuck with it through the end but it actually felt more like a job than entertainment.

Rewatch the first one, it's better... and shorter.
 
storrsroars said:
I like Cuoco so I gave it a watch. Doesn't break any new ground in the "my spouse/gf/bf is secretly an assassin" territory, but it was enjoyable enough to not consider it a waste. I will note, however, that my next door neighbor is 58 and looks far younger than Nielsen.
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Since I'm 57, I may need your address, although younger looking may not mean "better" looking. Connie Nielsen is a pretty high bar. You and @nwhoopfan sold me on this as a diversion at least. Age is a construct. The number of people who look fantastic at that age is really trending way up.

This list of films in this category includes Ghosted, which I liked and The Family Plan. Stars Mark Wahlberg and Michelle Monagan. This one follows the formula but goes for comedy. It's pretty funny and Wahlberg does a fantastic job being an excessively lame and suburban dad like before it all unravels. Monagan is excellent as the attractive, fit, athletic wife/mom who is perhaps a bit turned on by the new twist in her husband. It's fun.
 
HuskyHawk said:
Since I'm 57, I may need your address, although younger looking may not mean "better" looking. Connie Nielsen is a pretty high bar. You and @nwhoopfan sold me on this as a diversion at least. Age is a construct. The number of people who look fantastic at that age is really trending way up.

This list of films in this category includes Ghosted, which I liked and The Family Plan. Stars Mark Wahlberg and Michelle Monagan. This one follows the formula but goes for comedy. It's pretty funny and Wahlberg does a fantastic job being an excessively lame and suburban dad like before it all unravels. Monagan is excellent as the attractive, fit, athletic wife/mom who is perhaps a bit turned on by the new twist in her husband. It's fun.
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I did enjoy The Family Plan, and I'll add that my nextdoor neighbor works in reception at a plastic surgeon's office and gets work done for basically cost. She was very attractive 20 years ago, doesn't look her age now, but she's probably up your alley as she got bigger tatas that I think were a bit too much.
 
storrsroars said:
I did enjoy The Family Plan, and I'll add that my nextdoor neighbor works in reception at a plastic surgeon's office and gets work done for basically cost. She was very attractive 20 years ago, doesn't look her age now, but she's probably up your alley as she got bigger tatas that I think were a bit too much.
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That's not really my thing, but I'm sure she's popular enough.
 
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HuskyHawk said:
That's not really my thing, but I'm sure she's popular enough.
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I wouldn't have guessed that after comments like, "flat as a surfboard" regarding Willa Fitzgerald.
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Not to mention other very complimentary commentary on actresses with more significant assets.
 
storrsroars said:
I wouldn't have guessed that after comments like, "flat as a surfboard" regarding Willa Fitzgerald.
View attachment 95515
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She‘s attractive but an A cup for sure. As she demonstrates in this show. I’m a fan of Ana de Armas and Karen Gillian if that’s any indication. But we are way off topic.
 
nwhoopfan said:
"Role Play" (2023) Amazon original. Starring Kaley Cuoco and David Oyelowo, with Connie Nielsen and Bill Nighy. Kaley is living the suburban dream with David and their 2 kids, travels for work a lot. Except...she's actually an assassin. Wants out, but it's complicated. I was a bit confused, I thought it was supposed to be comedic, but it seemed more like they were playing it straight. But still a little bit on the lighter side instead of deadly serious and high tension. It was decent, I found it entertaining enough. I hadn't seen her in a physical kind of role like that before, she carried it off fairly well.

Nielsen looks fabulous. Just looked her up, 58 years old, certainly doesn't appear to be that age.

Does Bill Nighy know when he snorts? Does he do it on purpose? It's his little quirk, I've been aware of it for years, but it was very prevalent in his brief appearance in this one.
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Just watched it. I don’t think Nielsen looks fabulous. She’s in shape but a bit rough. Honestly Cuoco looks a bit rough. Maybe intentional. It’s an enjoyable if formulatic movie. I do think she was pretty good in a physical role, maybe not quite Emily Blunt, who is kind of the queen on that now. Davis Oyelowo was quite good balancing his love for his wife and family against new information. Bill Nighy was funny. Over the top but that works here. Not bad. Ghosted was better.
 
Should've read the reviews on "The Circle" (Netflix) before deciding to watch. If you held a notion that Tom Hanks chooses roles carefully and avoids turkeys, well, gobble gobble.

This is a bad film about technology and privacy that's just ridiculous in its premise. Now, there could've been a plot theme that pointed specifically to younger generations falling prey to peer pressure, but that wasn't this. Rather, The Circle is a megacorporation that's Meta on steroids and wants to completely eliminate privacy. We all know that's an incredibly stupid idea, but not a single employee at The Circle, or apparently 22 governments, seems to know that.

The worst part about this film is that Bill Paxton and Glenne Headly, who play Emma Watson's parents, both died right after making this and didn't have the opportunity to leave this life on a better note.
 
I watched The Circle not long after it came out in 2017. This movie is the definition of forgettable. I think it centered on this web platform becoming the new voting booth in everyone's house and everyone had to vote or something. Zero stars.
 
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