Last film you watched, Part 2

Nightcrawler - not sure about this. I suppose it was good but totally unsatisfying. Maybe that's the point. It felt grubby like the news it portrays.

Ready Player One - this was fun but dragged on a bit. It had that 'everything and the kitchen sink' approach which I do like from time to time.

Lost in Translation - I tried watching this years ago and only got about a third of the way through, if that. I loved the ending and it was, well, I'm still thinking about it. I just watched this tonight but the others were the last couple of nights. I've not seen many films like this, if any.
 
Cheesy Christmas movies. :D
 
Wonder Woman 1984

It was good, not great, but good. Gal Gadot was great but I felt her character was a bit too low key for this role. Loved watching Kristen Wiig go from comedy to drama and absolutely loved Chris Pine. The opening in Themyscira is action-packed with the physical feats from the opening race. The young actress who played young Diana was amazing. I read she did her own stunts. Wished the story was set in the mythical Themyscira vs. 80s. The villain was good and very intense but they waited too late to reveal his original story. Cool cameo in the end.
 
Lucy

It was trippy and i liked it ok.

But those car chase scenes...wtf! Was that necessary?
Wouldnt she have known how to avoid that shit in the first place? illogical ...gratuitous much
 
charlene said:
Lucy

It was trippy and i liked it ok.

But those car chase scenes...wtf! Was that necessary?
Wouldnt she have known how to avoid that shit in the first place? illogical ...gratuitous much
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Oh wow, I watched this for the first time last night and loved it! I wondered why I never saw this before. Hope there is a sequel at some point.
Agree, not a fan of the car chase scenes. They weren't very well coordinated. They should've gotten the director who coordinated the car chase scenes in MI7 to direct Lucy. Unless she hadn't developed omniscience yet. Also, she killed innocent people but not the villain when she first returned to confront him. All she did was stab his hand. It's odd that the scientists at the end just stood there and allowed her to do whatever she wanted. No question or challenge. Still a fun film
 
Gaze said:
Oh wow, I watched this for the first time last night and loved it! I wondered why I never saw this before. Hope there is a sequel at some point.
Agree, not a fan of the car chase scenes. They weren't very well coordinated. They should've gotten the director who coordinated the car chase scenes in MI7 to direct Lucy. Unless she hadn't developed omniscience yet. Also, she killed innocent people but not the villain when she first returned to confront him. All she did was stab his hand. It's odd that the scientists at the end just stood there and allowed her to do whatever she wanted. No question or challenge. Still a fun film
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I know right. All those things stuck out and bothered me too.
But still such a fun movie and so visually appealing. The ending sequence was so beautiful and epic.

Its made me think a lot too what it would be like to use more of my brain. How it would feel to be more self contained and self perpertuating.
I think the reason we don't adapt is because we think we need to source things outside ourselves and therefore we are chasing. But I realised I have everything I need already, within me and in my environment....I just have to use it.
 
The Long Shot (2017)...5/5...Real short documentary about the real life story of a father who was apprehended and accused with the murder of a 16-year old girl and how attending an L.A. Dodgers baseball game on May 12th was just the start of an incredible story that you just have to see to believe. For a film that runs under 60 minutes, there are enough ups and downs to keep you at the edge of your seat. The only negative is that the present day interviews don't carry the emotional punches since the crime happened in 2003 and the documentary was released in 2017. But that being said, there is no doubt this impacted all of those involved as despite it being 14-years after the fact, you can still see some very grown men eye's swell up and hold back the tears. A man was facing the death penalty and he was going to need one of the most absurd miracles of all time. Why should you watch it? You are not familiar with the story. It's one of the most incredible things I have seen all year. Don't research more as there isn't too much to the story, it's more about how improbable the odds were of everything falling into place the way they did and that could spoil the surprise.
 
The Dissident (2020)...5/5...I remember hearing the story but not looking into it. It wasn't until I came across those images of what seemed like hundreds of reporters camping outside the Saudi Arabian embassy in Istanbul, holding up signs and photos of Jamal Khashsoggi demanding he be released. I was confused, what was going on? Were terrorists holding the embassy hostage and one of their fellow journalists was caught in the middle? I took my attention off the story only to came across it again when parts of the audio were released and I could not believe that they had killed a man inside an embassy. The last thing I remember about it was hearing that a fight was the reason the man had been killed. I had no idea just how complex this entire story was and how tragic it is on so, so, so many levels. On October 2nd, 2018, The Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi entered the Saudi Arabian embassy in Turkey where he was retrieving a legal marriage document. He was nervous about having to go to there that day and had his fiancee, Hatice Cengiz, go with him to calm his nerves a bit. They arrived and Jamal goes inside while Hatice waits outside. Jamal never walks back out and is never seen again. This is a documentary detailing why, how, and what comes next regarding a crime that that came into global view.

Jamal began his career as a journalist in Saudi Arabia which led him to be very close with the King at the time but over time he had become disillusioned with the Kingdom taking advantage of religious laws to oppress the people while the same leaders enjoyed hypocritical and lavish lifestyles. He would be more emboldened in each report and became more critical of the Crown once he joined Twitter. He was growing a massive Twitter following which threatened the King and the Princes popularity. Jamal was risking arrest for his opinions and decided it was time to leave his homeland or never really experience freedom, so Jamal defected to America. The Saudi government tried desperately to have Jamal return home over the years as they secretly felt he was a liability since he was once an insider in the Kingdom and once Jamal landed the job at The Washington Post would now lend his voice widespread exposure and credibility to his uncensored criticism of the Saudi government, a very dangerous threat to their establishment.

If you were like me and only knew the surface details regarding the murder of Jamal, do yourself a favor and watch this documentary to help celebrate Jamal's life by learning more about him and what his murder really means and how it is a violation of the human soul and spirit. I remember celebrating on Twitter with Saudi Arabia when the King lifted its ban on women drivers, dance clubs, and movie theaters. It was a day of celebration for the human spirit...if you don't take freedom for granted...It truly felt like the Saudis were finally turning the corner on religious suffocation. Then I watched this documentary and see how those sudden freedoms are but a smoke screen to keep the people distracted. While the Saudis are driving to the movies and dance clubs, their government is behind closed doors eliminating rivals and crushing social movements not approved by government or even worse, taking credit for them. Take the example of allowing women to drive, the Prince granted the permission but then jails the women who actually started the movement in the streets. Almost as if they are afraid that these women that forced change might have more ideas that challenge the power structure. Would you want women suddenly after 500 years or whatever, telling you that you cannot have twenty-one wives at once while claiming God's approval of it?

The story is horrible on so many levels because we know Jamal had two desires:

1) To return home to Saudi Arabia and live in freedom [he knew this wasn't a reality since he had been invited back home but always felt it was a trap]
2) Not to feel so lonely and find love.

While the film focuses on what happened to Jamal, it also gives us an insight to the cyber-war in Saudi Arabia between the government and the people. The documentary and story is told to us by the popular Saudi vlogger exiled in Canada, Omar Abdulaziz. We learn through him how the Saudi leadership hires an army of social media recruits to flush out any info that is harmful to the image of the Saudi leaders by hijacking posts and hashtags. The flies vs the bees...who will win? But you may be asking, who is this Omar and why is he in Jamal Khashsoggi's documentary and more importantly why does he feel responsible for Jamal's death? Well you see my friends, Jamal and Omar became friends and Jamal began funding "the bees" and Omar believes that is how the Saudis were able to learn how they could finally capture Jamal outside of Saudi Arabia. It really is devastating stuff but I have to believe that only one thing could have led to the downfall of an otherwise intelligent man, only one thing could have led Jamal to let down his guard after all those years of looking over his shoulder and that thing is Love. Love is what made all this possible. Technically, we could designate religion as the root since it was Jamal's scathing columns in Saudi newspapers rebuking religious hypocrisy he had witnessed that threatened him to be jailed and is why he fled his country. But it was Love that ensured he would be in Istanbul, Turkey in October of 2018. Yes, the coordination by the Saudis to force Jamal to retrieve that very important legal marriage document from the Saudi embassy in Turkey was a stroke of genius, but I have to believe that if the wedding had not been set there (it was chosen because Hertice was born in Turkey) the Saudi's would not have been able to carry out the same crime in an embassy on American soil.

This is truly an absolutely shocking and tragic story. A crime planned and set in motion behind closed doors that just happened to get exposed to the world because of the mistrust of those involved, what I mean by that is, you won't be surprised to learn that Turkey never trusted the Saudis and had been secretly recording their meetings at the embassy and is why we have the hellish audio of the premeditated murder and disposal of Jamal Khashsoggi. How do you know you have endless wealth?? When you can plan and carry out a murder, have it fully expose those involved and consequently get clues as to who had to give the orders for all the resources to be allocated towards this murder and instead the Saudis find other scapegoats to jail for the crime.
Two years have passed, but by no means is this over as Hertice continues to seek justice for her Jamal and recently has asked the American President Joe Biden to declassify the CIA report into Jamal's murder. This could end up making the Crown Prince MBS directly responsible for the murder. But then what? I don't know, but I will keep you updated as I plan on following Hertice's effort for justice as she has said that many people are murdered and disappear at the hands of their leaders and the world never hears about them. So that is why she is going to shout about Jamal until the world forces justice.
 
Wonder Woman 84 (2020)...2/5...I was going to do a formal review but I think it would just be unnecessarily long, so I will just focus on the things that really ruined the experience for me personally. I'll start with the things I liked...Gal Gadot is still perfect as WW visually, and in this one she gets to display more acting range and I thought she did decent and it was only the story telling that made her look silly like in the last act when the mystery energy has her pinned against the wall or when her super speed and leaps look like amateur wire work. I also liked the message at the end but not the way it was done, I mean, you limit the situation to say 4-5 people, it could work, but to open it to entire planet, there are just too many individual needs for the concept to work as a whole.
Spoilers Ahead:
One of my biggest cinematic peeves of all-time is when a magic or superpower is used or shown inconsistently. I dont mind the random macguffin but don't break your own rules and here the magic crystal grants you any wish as literal as you ask for it, except WW, she wishes for the love of her life back [the crystal reads her mind!???, wouldn't it be able to read other minds? You know what, forget I mention it, the film does too] but for WW, her loved one must inhabit the body of a stranger for her wish to come true, so if we were to remain consistent with that rule of the magic crystal, it would mean that the people we see in the film asking for a million dollars, should have gotten them in Rupees or other currencies but they don't, they get exactly what they wish for so why is it different for WW??? This film really comes across like the writer put a buncha stuff on paper and didn't ask, "Does this scene concept have any flaws?" And you wanna know what i find worse than Stormtroopers with bad aim???? Enemies with rifles PROTECTING a VIP and NOT SHOOTING their rifles at the good guys!!!!! I mean, in some scenes they don't even raise their rifles and maybe it would work in the first act when the main villain is just getting started but at this point in the film it is well-established that he can control people. But that entire middle east sequence is just hot garbage laid on a train track awaiting to be run over. The CGI is trash. Tell me why everyone gets one wish, except the supporting villain? She gets TWO wishes! Almost every aspect of this film had an issue, take the Steve coming back thing, in WW part 1, WW herself is the fish out of water and in WW84, Steve returning 70 years into the present means he is the fish out of water, and I guess its cool but then why is it that Steve is in awe of art , sculptures, and trains? and he even mistakes a trash bin for an art piece, but somehow he also learns to fly a modern jet plane in seconds [a plane which happens to be FULLY FUELED AND READY TO FLY ROUNDTRIP TO THE MIDDLE f*cking EAST on DISPLAY AT THE SMITHSONIAN MUSEUM!!! Yes, you read that right!! They steal a plane on display!!!!] I'm not even going to elaborate on what I found to be one of the weakest villains I have ever come across, when you feel more afraid for WW when she fights Cheetah than Maxwell Lord, there is a flaw in your main villain. And I wont elaborate on the useless Gold Armor that was clearly created to sell the film through the posters.

But these two things finally put the nail in the coffin for me....one was the pimping out of the 1984 theme, this was the equivalent of CINEMATIC CLICKBAIT! I loved 1984, I was 11-years old, my brother was born that year, I was sneaking in all manner of video nasties to watch, I had just gotten the Atari a year previous so by then I had a few games, I was impressing the kids at school with my natural american football skills...many of these memories come flooding out uncontrollably whenever I hear any of the songs from 1984, just to name a few:

When Doves Cry

I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues

Like A V*rgin

Born In The U.S.A.

Careless Whisper

Take On Me

I Feel For You

The Reflex

Crazy For You

You Might Think (I'm Crazy)

Against All Odds (Take a Look At Me Now).

There are so many songs that were absolutely PERFECT for this storyline and moments within, yet the filmmaker opted for an original score throughout and while Hans Zimmer is a bad m*fo, nothing would have injected more fun and a little needed distraction from some of the odd story moments than some classic hits from '84. The second thing that was a huge disappointment was the handling of the invisible jet. I remember the WW cartoons and how cool it looked having WW flying in what was basically a glass slipper...the image is iconic! I had no idea the invisible plane had made it into the film. Sadly, it is trash because even the setup is bad with the aforementioned pre-fueled Smithsonian-Exhibit jet---so while we are scratching our head about that strange coincidence and the ABSOLUTELY OUT OF NOWHERE 4th of July date and fireworks show, we finally get to invisible plane time and it is cheap and infuriating on EVERY level, from how WW gains this ability she's known about for 70-years to how the it is never used again, im not talking about just the plane but the whole fn ability, which mind you, could have been VERY USEFUL in the last act of the film!! This is the same blasphemy that The Predator (2018) is guilty of when it comes to the invisibility cloak element ...why even show things to us when you are not going to use them in the most optimal and intelligent way to enhance your storytelling. Why should you watch it? You enjoyed the first one and cannot believe they would miss an opportunity to make something more special than the first one or you desperately need your bad catfight CGI fix.
 
Antebellum (2020)...3/5...I watched this with no clue what it was about. It was very compelling at the very start as we only get the setting and clues as to some beneath the surface happenings and i think that is when the film works best because once everything is revealed, while not improbable to think it could happen, I think elements of the reveal just lets it down. The communication device scene was just so damn mind-bending, I could literally feel the synapses in my brain trying to figure out what was going on and that part was very cool. I think there was a real good story about abduction in there but it kind of falls apart when you realize we could have been let in on stuff earlier. I think it was a good effort but is hurt by not considering the few simple things that could have totally blew up the secret. Why should you watch it? You want to see something truly terrifying that probably did occur to human beings, especially immediately after one side lost and did not want to relinquish their old way of life.

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#Alive (2020)...2/5...Low budget but great-looking zombie film that is set in basically one location, an apartment building in a city that has been overtaken by yet another virus that turns your neighbors into hungry monsters. There are some decent moments but I found it lackluster and kind of predictable. The cinematography is vibrant and contrasts with the dread of the situation our protagonists find themselves in and probably is the best part of the film. I don't know, I guess I just didn't like that I felt I would have done more in that same situation. They emphasize early on that this dude is a serious streamer but even when there is still internet, I don't know how that was ever useful. They could have made it so that he was showing people how to survive through his stream and then the internet cuts off...I don't know and that call to his parents....been there, done that. Why should you watch this? Your other option is watching Train to Busan Presents: Peninsula. I rather watch #Alive three times in a row than watch Peninsula ever again.
 
The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020)...3/5...Docudrama that centers around the custom political trial the government put together to stop the youth movement resistance against the American involvement in the Vietnam War. As I watched it I could not help but to think of the Tweets I had read earlier regarding VP-elect Kamala Harris....suddenly people bringing up her law enforcement record as if she is the only person that was making sure POC were seeing inflated prison sentences. Pretty sure Kamala Harris was not the one that came up with Private Prisons or has been the only one that profited from them, how about we investigate those that actually profit from Private Prisons in America, let's dig up their ethical history or disservice to certain communities. We all know politician's of all skin colors have benefitted from jailing people for petty crimes. Our judicial system is no longer based on a Trail System but a "Plea-Bargain" System. All District Attorneys have one job....get convictions. The fact that the government set the whole thing up is no surprise, especially with piece of sh*t Nixon becoming President and the disgusting policies he put into place. The acting is very good. I just wasn't filled with that amazing sensation of triumph at the end of the film, like I usually feel after watching stuff like this or even actual documentaries, the climax is always rewarding and here it was sort of expected and nothing special. I guess I just thought it would be more exciting with the flashbacks or I guess I just have seen similar films that had me more on the edge of my seat. Why should you watch it? You want to see why it is so dangerous to have a powerful man afraid of the opposition, even when the opposition looks like himself. You want to see why in America the people are afraid of government and in Europe, the government is afraid of the people. I saw a photo of a Wage Protest in a European country and EVERYONE came out to march against the government wanting to lower the minimum wage. The entire country went to the streets. You couldn't tell who was with what political party, EVERYONE was against the wage freeze.
 
The Speed Cubers (2020)...5/5... Awesome short documentary featuring two of the world's best Rubik's Cube competitors in the world, these dudes solve a Rubik's Cube in three minutes!!!! I was neither smart or patient enough to master a Rubiks Cube, i was the kid that cheated by peeling the stickers off to finish a puzzle so i was in awe of these kids. The doc is elevated by the fact that although strong competitors, one of them suffers from Autism and his rival befriends him and its pretty cool to see Felix Zemdegs embrace the friendship when he really doesnt need to...so I have a lot of love for Felix. Why should you watch this?.......You love the Rubik's Cubes and had no idea there are massive tournaments around the world.

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Valley Uprising (2014)...5/5... I watched this with a purpose in mind and found myself totally forgetting why i set out to watch it and instead enjoyed learning so much about the climbing culture of Yosemite Park, I mean, I know about the modern fellas but didnt know much about the guys that started the culture of climbing those huge mountains for fun. Guys like Warren Harding and Royal Robbins. It was a compelling watch and I know I just have to get out to Yosemite before I die. Why should you watch it? It's interesting how these guys were rebels and you want to learn how the hell they had money to buy climbing equipment, food, and clothes since none of them had jobs and lived at the camp site.

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The Dawn Wall (2017)...4/5... Naturally after watching Valley Uprising I had to watch some of those mountain climbing docs I have loved over the years and remembered I had been wanting to watch this but didnt since by then Alex Honnold had Free Solo'ed El Capitan and watching Tommy Caldwell take 21 days to ascend the Dawn Wall didnt sound like such an achievement (get a load of me, I cant even be 50 feet in the air without crapping my pants) anyways I finally watched The Dawn Wall and it was also fantastic...a bit slow I thought but it really had it all. Talk about a journey. I tell you what, anyone is lucky to call Tommy Caldwell their friend, that dude is the truth in more ways than one. Why should you watch it?? You want to test your heart during the Kyrgyzstan story...when they made the journey to the Pamir-Alia Mountains only to be kidnapped by rebels and that story...holy sh*t!!!!! If you really plan on watching this...dont spoil the whole Kyrgyzstan story as at the end of the documentary, they mention the story again and it's like "Pow".
 
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