What Movie Have You Seen Today?

General General Movie Discussion
1490

I think it’s partly this and also the very real probability that the amount of time they had Bill Murray for was probably very limited. Now, granted, I have no way of knowing that for a fact, but knowing how much Murray has resisted returning for GB3 over the years, it’s not in any way a stretch to assume that he carved out a minimal amount of time to appear in Afterlife. I think if the studio had the confidence in the films to be able to stand on their own without Murray, that we might have gotten more air time for Aykroyd and Hudson, but at the end of the day, I’m happy with what we got.

Even still, the ending is rushed and underdeveloped. I do like that it requires you to know some of the lore from the first film to understand the threat that is growing within the town, but at the same time, some more actual building to the finale would have been good for the film. To get this out of the way, I absolutely adore the movie, but I’ll admit that my bar was fairly low. I wanted to see the original gang in some capacity. I got that and then a nice little film with some really good actors that cleverly built upon the foundation of the GB universe.

Summary

Bringing back Gozer was OK, but I think that perhaps they should have had her appear as a harbinger of something bigger on the horizon. Maybe a showdown with Gozer, the Keymaster, and the Gatekeeper in the middle of the film that is what initially brings the original gang back together, at which point they help the new kids face down a bigger threat that Gozer has been sent to usher in.

Given, though, how long it took this film to finally make it to the screen, with all of the starts and stops, and shredded screenplays, over the years, I was pleased with the result. Again, my bar was rather low, but just the thrill of seeing Venkman, Stantz, and Zeddemore back together again, especially with the slight tease at the end that leaves things open for a return to New York with Ernie Hudson potentially primed to take a bigger role, was all that I really required of the film, and it satisfied that for me. Greedily, I would say that I’m ready for some more films. This one certainly did well enough financially to warrant the return of the franchise for a fourth film while also proving that Bill Murray isn’t entirely necessary for the studio to be able to rake in the cash, but even if this is it for the franchise, I like that it went out in a very touching manner that

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1491

Daniel Craig promoting Eon’s interpretation of Macbeth.

This gem appears in the comments

It’s good he’s testing his limits in theater.

Totally…it’s not as if we study Shakespeare in secondary school English, and invariably do a Shakespeare piece to get into drama school…or that drama school is mostly done with the assumption you’re doing theatre…or that Craig did Othello with the same producers…:roll_eyes:

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1492

And here´s his fun entrance:

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1493

People are sooo hung up on facts.

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1494

God forbid

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1495

At least Craig is having the time of his life, raking in millions, doing what he likes as an actor, having the next franchise secured - and BB is probably having him give advice casting the next Bond.

Would be a major coup if DC stayed on as associate producer, wouldn’t it? Could also give the next actor a little boost if he got an official approval by Craig.

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1496

Having your acclaimed predecessor still being credited on the film would put more pressure on you surely?

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1497

Since they like their big conference to announce the new Bond how about having Craig host the event? He arrives in the Aston Martin DB5, they bring out the new Bond, do a Q&A then Craig hands over the keys and the new guy drives away.

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1498

It would. But the next actor will start in the shadow of Craig anyway - being upfront about it and getting his endorsement would probably help.

1499

I can see it now: Craig arrives in the DB5, gets out and opens the boot: “Time to get out.”
:stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes:

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1500

Not quite what I had in mind but I can’t help but picture that now.

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1501

I would have to respectfully disagree. Apart from some of the really terrible suggestions that the media likes to push constantly that are completely outside the realm of possibility, I can’t think of many things worse for the franchise. The new guy, whoever he is, should have the opportunity to put his own stamp on the franchise, just as Craig, and his predecessors, were allowed to do. Having Craig still involved, still having some influence, takes away from the next actor’s ownership of the role.

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1502

I watched two 1965 spy thrillers…The Ipcress File and The Spy Who Came In From The Cold.

Both for the first time. As far away from Thunderball as you can get. Both were impressive.

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1503

HK: Forbidden Super Hero (aka Hentai Kamen , 2013).

This low-budget Japanese superhero film must be seen to be believed. Mere words cannot do justice to the premise, which involves a high school nebbish who becomes the scantily clad superhero “Pervert Mask” whenever he puts panties on his face. This gives him pervert superpowers, allowing him to punish criminals…with his crotch.

This magnificently straight-faced parody of superhero films, based on what must be a bonkers manga, proved an unexpected delight. Though the funniest moments are in the first 20 minutes, the film avoids becoming a one-joke comedy and hits the usual beats of superhero/coming-of-age films in a way that should make anyone acquainted with them laugh out loud.

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1504

I’m almost embarrassed to say Jackass Forever. I enjoyed it, as you know what it is going in. You need a cheap laugh, this is it. As my dad always says about them, there’s something wrong with those guys, mentally.

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1505

The Kings Man (2021/2)

It’s a decent, and interesting prequel to the series. For an action film I wasn’t expected to be so emotionally involved. It kept my attention from start to finish and I loved every minute of it.

Recommended.

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1506

I really enjoyed it, but purposely didnt want to put a review on the Kingsman thread

Summary

as, firstly, it’s a film that is best watched with you not knowing anything that’s coming, then secondly, somewhat related to the first, whilst I loved it, I can see why others wouldn’t. The change in tone when Aaron Taylor-Johnson (a very meta role with Kick Ass as the first Lancelot) starts telling his story is like whiplash, but it was clearly the point as the realities of war hit Conrad following years of Orlando, Polly and Shola trying to protect him from it. One thing I was particularly impressed by was how things that are actually true were the most ridiculous seeming bits of the film, with WW1 being started as a very petty family argument and the many deaths of Rasputin being particular standouts

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1507

DESIRE (1936) – blu-ray restoration.

Frank Borzage meets Ernst Lubitsch. A luxurious trifle from Paramount–Marlene Dietrich is the jewel thief who falls for vacationing, unsophisticated American Gary Cooper. Borzage warms up the Lubitsch plot, and Dietrich’s reform/redemption strikes a deeper chord than usual for such a film.

The lady herself said it was a film of which she had no need to be ashamed, and that is good enough for me. The closing wedding sequence is worth the price of admission, and shows how daring Classical Hollywood filmmaking could be without the Hays Office ever noticing no matter how much they looked.

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1508

Prey (2021) - OK German thriller about a stag weekend in the woods gone wrong

and

Mercy (2016) - poor US thriller about 4 brothers quabbling over potential inheritance

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1509

The Batman 2022

This was a spur of the moment watch. I hated Nolan’s overrated version of Batman but this new film was perfect for me. It borrowed elements of Batman Earth One and some from Batman Year One, and I’m totally down for Earth One Batman. Seriously, go read the books.

I liked how Batman was using detective skills which was an improvement over Nolan’s wannabe version of Michael Mann’s style. This is a Batman that steps out of the shadows like…the shadow. The action scenes are done very well and the story overall was a combonation of suspense and noir. It was eerie, it was scaryt, it was better than the Nolan trilogy.

Colin Farrell stole the show and Jeffrey Wright IS Gordon. It was nice seeing John Turturro who was fantastic. Pattinson is solid enough. He’s a good actor in his own right so it’ll be interesting where he takes the character of Bruce/Batman.

My only gripe was that since it was Batman’s second year, then why not adapt Batman Year Two? That was a solid story as well and they could have given us a live action Phantasm.

Highly recommended. Hope future films continue in the same vein.

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