Recently watched movies 2025

[ZooCougar]

I think the reality is simply that having a very peculiar style eventually becomes harder to pull off as you make more movies. Coen Brothers had/have similar issues.

I think his style is beginning to outweigh the substance.

Just thinking about some the lines in his best movies makes me giggle. It took me two or three viewings to get The Life Aquatic. But what sets his best apart from the rest is the writing.

Maybe he just needs another pep talk from Steely Dan.

 

[Fishy]

BFG, on Disney+

It's about a giant, an orphan, more giants, the Queen of England and some helicopters.

Steven Spielberg directed it, quite entertaining. Mark Rylance is good in everything.

BFG combines the magic of Spielberg, Disney and the spirit of Deepster and gets 3.5 out of five Deepsters and a rating of Deeply Good+

1 Deepster - Awful
2 Deepsters - Average
3 Deepsters - Good
4 Deepsters - Wonderful
5 Deepsters - Fantastic

@Deepster ⬆️

 

[CL82]

Operation Mincemeat. (Netflix)

On the WWII theme. Darn good movie that somehow makes an outrageous bit of war time spy craft less outrageous that it actually was in real life. (This is also a book recommendation - by Ben Macintyre.)

Colin Firth, the British bad guy in The Patriot and the woman who gets murdered last in No Country for Old Men are in it, as are other people. Movie is a slow burn - no action, really. The idea is that the British will find a hobo, create a backstory and then set him adrift off of Spain with fake military plans on his person in hopes that they will make their way to the Germans and help the Allies win the war - I will not spoil it by telling you who wins.

Anyway, the real story is more brilliant than the movie, but the movie is well worth the watch so you can hear the story.

3/5 war time Deepsters

If you liked the book, I strongly recommend the book Agent Zigzag which is also by Ben Macintyre. It is the story of Eddie Chapman, a British professional crook who becomes a double agent in World War II. It has everything you would want in a James Bond novel, including secret codes, invisible ink and parachute drops, cyanide capsules, sexy blondes, but it is a true story. In fact, Ian Flemming was at least aware of Chapman and may have based his James Bond character in part on him.

 

[ZooCougar]

Furiosa (2024?)

This quite simply may be the best movie you haven't seen.

I like George Miller, I like Mad Max. I think it's the most underappreciated movie franchise because it doesn't sell plastic toys and never had glass cup giveaways at McDonalds in the '80s.

So after Mad Max: Fury Road was a big hit and everyone loved it, Furiosa with an amazing cast should have been a smash right? Nope.

I think everyone had sequel or prequel fatigue. Maybe some people preferred to see Charlize Theron back. I have no idea. I love the franchise and I blew it off too.

But sometimes you just have to trust the artist, and in this case it's George Miller. He had a story and it was worth telling. Prequel fatigue be damned.

The movie follows Furiosa's rise from her abduction from a utopia to becoming one of the highest ranking soldiers for the biggest warlord in the wasteland. It's partially a Jungian Hero's quest, part slow burn revenge. The road war set pieces don't disappoint. If anything there might be one or two too many of them.

The guy who plays Thor in the Marvel Crap also does an amazing job as the principal antagonist. Thor has some real range as an actor. He wears a prosthetic nose that makes him look Justin Theroux hit the gym and pounded creatine.

It's a shame this movie did poorly. It couldn't get better reviews, but nobody went to see it. Miller really does a good job laying out the setting of the Wasteland, there is still some unrealized potential there. Mad Max: Wasteland was in the works but it appears to be dead now. Hollywood, you suck.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Furiosa (2024?)

This quite simply may be the best movie you haven't seen.

I like George Miller, I like Mad Max. I think it's the most underappreciated movie franchise because it doesn't sell plastic toys and never had glass cup giveaways at McDonalds in the '80s.

So after Mad Max: Fury Road was a big hit and everyone loved it, Furiosa with an amazing cast should have been a smash right? Nope.

I think everyone had sequel or prequel fatigue. Maybe some people preferred to see Charlize Theron back. I have no idea. I love the franchise and I blew it off too.

But sometimes you just have to trust the artist, and in this case it's George Miller. He had a story and it was worth telling. Prequel fatigue be damned.

The movie follows Furiosa's rise from her abduction from a utopia to becoming one of the highest ranking soldiers for the biggest warlord in the wasteland. It's partially a Jungian Hero's quest, part slow burn revenge. The road war set pieces don't disappoint. If anything there might be one or two too many of them.

The guy who plays Thor in the Marvel Crap also does an amazing job as the principal antagonist. Thor has some real range as an actor. He wears a prosthetic nose that makes him look Justin Theroux hit the gym and pounded creatine.

It's a shame this movie did poorly. It couldn't get better reviews, but nobody went to see it. Miller really does a good job laying out the setting of the Wasteland, there is still some unrealized potential there. Mad Max: Wasteland was in the works but it appears to be dead now. Hollywood, you suck.

I liked Furiosa more than Fury Road.

 

[ZooCougar]

I liked Furiosa more than Fury Road.

Same.

 

[Waquoit]

I liked Furiosa more than Fury Road.

Same.

Really? I'll have to put it on the list.

 

[Dove]

Sinners (2025)

Slow start as all the characters got their introduction.

Then, once the juke joint got jumpin', the fun started. The artistic dancing scenes were pretty enentertaining.

Then seeing Kingfish Ingraham as a band member at the end was cool.

 

[nwhoopfan]

My expectations were pretty low for the latest Captain America. It wasn't terrible, it just wasn't particularly good. The Israeli actress playing the President's head of security...why was she cast? Such a weird choice. Looked like she weighs about 70 lbs. Impossible to take her seriously in the role. She simultaneously looks like a middle aged woman and about an 10 year old. Seeing her tossing around grown men probably 3X her size, yeah nah. That and having Harrison Ford, Giancarlo Esposito and Carl Lumbly in such prominent roles, it was kind of a geriatric action star society thing going on.

edit--gotta add that without Chris Evans, Robert Downey, Jr. and Chadwick Boseman, they should stop making Capt. America, Iron Man and Black Panther movies or movies directly adjacent to those.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Novocaine (Paramount+). Dumb fun. I'm certain if one wanted to examine the physiology of being numb to pain and how the hero couldn't have survived/rebounded from many of his injuries, one could have a field day. But that would be missing the point. I don't recall seeing this progeny of Quaid/Ryan in anything before, but he did a solid job as the lead. Sweet romantic story goes along with with a very good Amber Midthunder. You could do much worse than watch this one.

Finally got to see it. Concur with you. Quaid has been in a number of movies/tv shows. Kinda gets type cast as a character like he played in this one (minus the impervious to pain thing). Jacob Batalon is also usually this same goofy side kick/friend type of persona as well. But yeah it was entertaining and fun, who cares if it was totally over the top.

 

[HuskyHawk]

The Cursed. Set in the 1880s in France Stars Alastair Petrie as a landed gentry type and Kelly Reilly as his wife. Gypsies come to the land and are removed, cursing it however. That takes an interesting form involving a wolf jaw with silver teeth. The result is something like a werewolf is inflicted on the land. Brad Hollbrook plays a Pathologist named McBride with knowledge of similar events. He's been tracking the Romany. This is loosely based on the "Beast of Gévaudan" and McBride has was involved in that series of events (historically it occurred 100 years earlier). It's more gothic thriller than horror, no real jump scares, but it is pretty well done. The story opens in WWI and then is told and comes back to the opening scene which is then explained.

 

[Palatine]

Opus 2025.

Reclusive pop superstar Moretti (Malkovich) invites press to his cult compound to play his new (first in 20 years) album. The cult is called levelists and neither they or Malkovich are very nice. All this is seen through the eyes of a junior magazine writer who is oddly chosen to accompany bigwig columnists to the event. I won't give away any secrets except this is a mediocre drama/horror movie. 0 stars.

 

[Kolumbo]

Furiosa (2024?)

This quite simply may be the best movie you haven't seen.

I like George Miller, I like Mad Max. I think it's the most underappreciated movie franchise because it doesn't sell plastic toys and never had glass cup giveaways at McDonalds in the '80s.

So after Mad Max: Fury Road was a big hit and everyone loved it, Furiosa with an amazing cast should have been a smash right? Nope.

I think everyone had sequel or prequel fatigue. Maybe some people preferred to see Charlize Theron back. I have no idea. I love the franchise and I blew it off too.

But sometimes you just have to trust the artist, and in this case it's George Miller. He had a story and it was worth telling. Prequel fatigue be damned.

The movie follows Furiosa's rise from her abduction from a utopia to becoming one of the highest ranking soldiers for the biggest warlord in the wasteland. It's partially a Jungian Hero's quest, part slow burn revenge. The road war set pieces don't disappoint. If anything there might be one or two too many of them.

The guy who plays Thor in the Marvel Crap also does an amazing job as the principal antagonist. Thor has some real range as an actor. He wears a prosthetic nose that makes him look Justin Theroux hit the gym and pounded creatine.

It's a shame this movie did poorly. It couldn't get better reviews, but nobody went to see it. Miller really does a good job laying out the setting of the Wasteland, there is still some unrealized potential there. Mad Max: Wasteland was in the works but it appears to be dead now. Hollywood, you suck.

Furiosa (2024)
I look forward to seeing Furiosa. Never heard of it but I never go to the movies. I thought Fury Road was awesome, it was different from the prior movies but maintained the same unique cinematic characteristics of the Mad Max genre. Furiosa got 7.5 at imdb which is pretty good even if perhaps underrated.

The Queens Gambit starting AJMTJ was a great single season series show and Chris Hemsworth is usually very good. Speaking of Thor, he starred in "Snow White and the Huntsman" (2012) with Kristen Stewart. I don't remember it so I'm gonna have to check it out again.

 

[Lafayette]

Furiosa was good but it's not top 20 good. Might make top 20 of movies you have not seen though.

I drew the short straw and took the kids to Fantastic Four. Watchable, infinitely more if you are into comic movies, but took an edible and was presently surprised. Galactus CGI was on point and did not bother me that the Silver Surfer is female. Oh Richard Gere, miss ya from Breathless (if you recall the Silver Surfer dialog).

 

[HuskyHawk]

The Last Witch Hunter. Stars Vin Diesel, Michael Caine, Elijah Wood and Rose Leslie. Never saw this back in 2015. Recently saw a video of Vin pushing Michael Caine in a wheelchair. Evidently they became good friends making this so, what the hell? It's really not bad and is almost like Blade for witches, with a little more thought and less action. The main character is based on a Dungeons and Dragons character. Anyway this was entertaining enough, decent production quality and some good actors. Rose made this right in the middle of GOT and she's an appealing protagonist/friend to Vin's character.

 

[Palatine]

Furiosa (2024?)

This quite simply may be the best movie you haven't seen.

I like George Miller, I like Mad Max. I think it's the most underappreciated movie franchise because it doesn't sell plastic toys and never had glass cup giveaways at McDonalds in the '80s.

So after Mad Max: Fury Road was a big hit and everyone loved it, Furiosa with an amazing cast should have been a smash right? Nope.

I think everyone had sequel or prequel fatigue. Maybe some people preferred to see Charlize Theron back. I have no idea. I love the franchise and I blew it off too.

But sometimes you just have to trust the artist, and in this case it's George Miller. He had a story and it was worth telling. Prequel fatigue be damned.

The movie follows Furiosa's rise from her abduction from a utopia to becoming one of the highest ranking soldiers for the biggest warlord in the wasteland. It's partially a Jungian Hero's quest, part slow burn revenge. The road war set pieces don't disappoint. If anything there might be one or two too many of them.

The guy who plays Thor in the Marvel Crap also does an amazing job as the principal antagonist. Thor has some real range as an actor. He wears a prosthetic nose that makes him look Justin Theroux hit the gym and pounded creatine.

It's a shame this movie did poorly. It couldn't get better reviews, but nobody went to see it. Miller really does a good job laying out the setting of the Wasteland, there is still some unrealized potential there. Mad Max: Wasteland was in the works but it appears to be dead now. Hollywood, you suck.

I watched the whole series and really like it. IMHO the best is "The Road Warrior." The characters are original, imaginative and wonderful. The Lord Humungus as the leader of the rabble is terrific, just the name is great. The mohawk biker Wez is an icon of terrifying film villians riding with the pretty boy on the back of his bike. I loved the doomed little dog. The copter pilot as a lowlife survivor. The feral kid is another all time classic. And, of course Mel Gibson's Max. The list of interesting supporting characters goes on and on. They populate a wasteland that feels real. I like all the films. I liked Furiosa but MIller has spoiled us. We're like UConn basketball fans. I still give it three stars but as a Max fan I did feel disappointed.

 

[ZooCougar]

I watched the whole series and really like it. IMHO the best is "The Road Warrior." The characters are original, imaginative and wonderful. The Lord Humungus as the leader of the rabble is terrific, just the name is great. The mohawk biker Wez is an icon of terrifying film villians riding with the pretty boy on the back of his bike. I loved the doomed little dog. The copter pilot as a lowlife survivor. The feral kid is another all time classic. And, of course Mel Gibson's Max. The list of interesting supporting characters goes on and on. They populate a wasteland that feels real. I like all the films. I liked Furiosa but MIller has spoiled us. We're like UConn basketball fans. I still give it three stars but as a Max fan I did feel disappointed.

I thought Dementus was a good throwback.

Miller is great. Who knew we needed a guy strapped to a semi playing heavy metal. He did.

 

[Palatine]

I thought Dementus was a good throwback.

Miller is great. Who knew we needed a guy strapped to a semi playing heavy metal. He did.

I have to admit that was amazing. There should be a top ten list of the best Mad Max characters. The crazy heavy metal guitarist strapped to a semi with the flame thrower guitar was called was called the Doof Warrior. Master Blaster. Toe Cutter. Immortan Joe. The list goes on and on.

 

[HuskyHawk]

The Ballad of Wallis Island. Nice little independent film with strong reviews. Stars Tom Basden as one part of a former folk music duo, Herb McGuire. The other part is Nell Mortimer played by Carey Mulligan. They broke up as a romantic and musical couple a decade earlier. Tim Key plays Charlie Keith, an oddball, eccentric fellow who has paid both to come to a remote island and play a show. What follows is that Charlie is a somewhat irritating but ultimately loveable fellow and all parties involved are changed by the experience. It's a slow burn, funny at times and ultimately somewhat touching. Well made and worth a watch if you like that sort of thing.

 

[Palatine]

Pig (2021)

Another strange little trip from Nicolas Cage. He is a truffle hunter who lives alone and works with a pig. When the pig is pignapped, the adventure begins. As we follow the trail, we learn more about Rob (Cage), the truffle business, Portland, Oregon, and an odd assortment of characters who inhabit the Pacific northwest. Neither the best or worst of Cage's eclectic film choices. This seems like a movie you could really like if it hits you right. enjoyed it. Two stars.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Most of the way thru "Mickey 17." Started out interesting, but then wandered off into...I don't know what. Pretty weird. Mark Ruffalo's character is just terrible. Toni Collette's is almost as bad.

 

[Kolumbo]

Oppenheimer (2023)

People must have posted about this already. I thought it was very good but not great. The story of Oppenheimber is very interesting. The movie is very long, which is OK, but it felt very slow. This at IMDB seemed accurate:

"However, some find the pacing slow, narrative disjointed, and runtime excessive. Critics also note a lack of emotional depth and underdeveloped characters. Despite these issues, Nolan's direction, visual style, and thought-provoking nature are widely appreciated."

3 hours long so with no action and not much suspense, it seemed too long. I would have liked to see more of the science and more build up to the success of the project. No real climax to the movie. The interrogation of Oppenheimer did seem disjointed as it ran throughout the movie. Over all it was pretty good but not a great movie.

 

[CL82]

Pig (2021)

Another strange little trip from Nicolas Cage. He is a truffle hunter who lives alone and works with a pig. When the pig is pignapped, the adventure begins. As we follow the trail, we learn more about Rob (Cage), the truffle business, Portland, Oregon, and an odd assortment of characters who inhabit the Pacific northwest. Neither the best or worst of Cage's eclectic film choices. This seems like a movie you could really like if it hits you right. enjoyed it. Two stars.

This has been on my list to watch, but always gets bumped in favor of better alternatives. It sounds like it is exactly what I expected it to be.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Most of the way thru "Mickey 17." Started out interesting, but then wandered off into...I don't know what. Pretty weird. Mark Ruffalo's character is just terrible. Toni Collette's is almost as bad.

I have been tempted to watch this 3-4 times and so many things just seem more appealing.