What Movies Have You Seen Lately?

Quote: Mosca

We caught it this afternoon. It was okay enough, about what we thought it would be. A pleasant diversion, nicely shot, fun to look at.

Let me guess: Dino's chasing people around.
I know it's not Dino's playing chess or driving
cars. Chasing people and eating is all they
know how to do.

I wonder if improvements in CGI are what makes them want to do more of these movies.

Quote: Evenbob

Let me guess: Dino's chasing people around.
I know it's not Dino's playing chess or driving
cars. Chasing people and eating is all they
know how to do.

Yep. It was okay. No one goes to it looking to have their world changed. No big insight here, just a fun diversion on a rainy Sunday, like movies used to be.

Quote: Mosca

Yep. It was okay. No one goes to it looking to have their world changed. No big insight here, just a fun diversion on a rainy Sunday, like movies used to be.

Is it just me, or does anyone else look for more in a movie?

I don't necessarily mean a deep, life-changing insight (what are the chances of that?) But something else past mere diversion. Something amazing, and not only visually but something to excite the imagination with possibilities. An interesting premise which does not devolve into a mindless action movie (Matrix, Transformers Terminators past the second movie, etc), a mindless monster/slasher movie (JP all of them, Species, etc.), or a mindless horror movie (Sphere, Event Horizon, etc.) Any kind of deep symbolism will do, too.

Curiously I tend to find such things in animated movies. Consider Toy Story 2 and 3, with the toys as metaphors for parents (up to appoint). Or Ratatouille with the rats representing the lower classes. I swear I tear up when I hear Ego's review of Gusteau's in the part where he says "Not everyone can be a great artist, but a great artist can come from anywhere."

Consider the Back to the Future movies. The first one was, largely, a weekend diversion with some 50s nostalgia thrown in (I'm not that old). But. 1) There was some play between Marty's innate ideas about the world, and the past he's forced to confront. Like asking for a drink without sugar (he certainly didn't mean coffee), talking about reruns and so on. And 50s Doc Brown's admiration for the glimpses of the future. 2) Once Marty comes back we see he changed his present for the better. Too many time travel stories are exercises in futility (though some are clever), cautionary tales against hubris, one-way trips into a horrible future. It's nice to see a fun, optimistic take for a change.

Oh, well.

Quote: Nareed

Is it just me, or does anyone else look for more in a movie?

I don't necessarily mean a deep, life-changing insight (what are the chances of that?) But something else past mere diversion. Something amazing, and not only visually but something to excite the imagination with possibilities. An interesting premise which does not devolve into a mindless action movie (Matrix, Transformers Terminators past the second movie, etc), a mindless monster/slasher movie (JP all of them, Species, etc.), or a mindless horror movie (Sphere, Event Horizon, etc.) Any kind of deep symbolism will do, too.

It depends on what's playing I think, and what else is going on that day. It was a rainy Saturday, we were sitting around doing nothing, and Mrs said, "Do you wanna go to a movie, and then maybe we can go eat somewhere?" And we looked at what was playing when. Movies can be different things at different times. We got out of the house on a crappy day. We got our $13 worth, $6.50 each. That's about it.

Quote: Mosca

It was a rainy Saturday, we were sitting around doing nothing.

I can't imagine it. My wife is always doing
something. Saturday it was a yard sale in the
morning and an afternoon stocking her
space at an antique mall. Sunday it was church
with her parents and shopping and errand
running with them all afternoon. She drives
me nuts, that's why I seldom go over there.

Sheesh, it was Sunday, I worked Saturday. But I'm staying out of casinos now, and I couldn't cook out or do yard work because of the weather, I'd already replaced the broken garbage disposal, and I was watching the Pirates get snuffed by the Braves and needed to get out!

We'd already seen Fury Road and Love and Mercy, the only other movie playing that we'd consider was Spy and it wasn't until 5:40, and anyhow it would be fine on the small screen as well as the big.

So that's it. The dinosaurs were fine, it was pretty to look at, what else can I say? Sometimes movies are that way.

Watched "American Sniper" this weekend. While the script is scattered at times, it is still a strong movie thanks to Clint Eastwood's solid directing.

A complex story, simply told.


photo from: timeinc.net

Quote: Nareed

Is it just me, or does anyone else look for more in a movie?

I don't necessarily mean a deep, life-changing insight (what are the chances of that?) But something else past mere diversion. Something amazing, and not only visually but something to excite the imagination with possibilities. An interesting premise which does not devolve into a mindless action movie (Matrix, Transformers Terminators past the second movie, etc), a mindless monster/slasher movie (JP all of them, Species, etc.), or a mindless horror movie (Sphere, Event Horizon, etc.) Any kind of deep symbolism will do, too.

Curiously I tend to find such things in animated movies. Consider Toy Story 2 and 3, with the toys as metaphors for parents (up to appoint). Or Ratatouille with the rats representing the lower classes. I swear I tear up when I hear Ego's review of Gusteau's in the part where he says "Not everyone can be a great artist, but a great artist can come from anywhere."

Consider the Back to the Future movies. The first one was, largely, a weekend diversion with some 50s nostalgia thrown in (I'm not that old). But. 1) There was some play between Marty's innate ideas about the world, and the past he's forced to confront. Like asking for a drink without sugar (he certainly didn't mean coffee), talking about reruns and so on. And 50s Doc Brown's admiration for the glimpses of the future. 2) Once Marty comes back we see he changed his present for the better. Too many time travel stories are exercises in futility (though some are clever), cautionary tales against hubris, one-way trips into a horrible future. It's nice to see a fun, optimistic take for a change.

Oh, well.

Just watched Advantageous.
Its pretty good. Indie movie.
You may enjoy this Nareed.
Some science fiction elements(takes place in the future) and a big decision on changing your body and appearance.
Essentially a Mother daughter story and what a mother will do to protect the future of the daughter.
Excellent acting, good script.
Ken Jeong, from the Hangover movies, has a small serious role. weird seeing him so serious.

Quote: Mosca

And we looked at what was playing when. Movies can be different things at different times. We got out of the house on a crappy day.

I really can't do that. I very rarely will see a movie just as a diversion. When I want mere diversion, there are other things I do, like gambling, or practicing VP, or about 75% of my FB feed and such. I want a movie to be special, even if only a little bit.