What Movies Have You Seen Lately?

Quote: Pacomartin

To be fair, most writers use death in their movies.

They love it, you almost can't stop them.
Hemingway wanted to kill off all his main
male characters, but forced himself to
let a few live. Writers think nobody pays
attention or will remember the book
if the hero lives. Tolkein had huge number
of people in his trilogy and I'm pretty
sure they all lived till the end. Except
the bad guys, of course. Even Bilbo got
to sail off in the sunset. He did kill one
of the orig travelers in the first book, but
he was a traitor.

Quote: Evenbob

They love it, you almost can't stop them.

Look how effective a good killing can be. The ads for this thriller "Don't Breathe" basically show a blind guy played by a 64 year old actor unexpectedly killing this thief played by a 25 year old actor. With a production budget of $9.9 million it earns $10 million the first day.

Quote: Pacomartin

Look how effective a good killing can be.

Gratuitous violence turns me off now.
I've seen real violence and it's quick
and it's done, nothing like in the
movies. You sometimes see the real
thing acted out in a good mafia movie,
but usually not. Most of the violence
in The Godfather was quick and effective,
that's part of the reason it's 100% on
Rotten T.

Quote: Pacomartin

Look how effective a good killing can be. The ads for this thriller "Don't Breathe" basically show a blind guy played by a 64 year old actor unexpectedly killing this thief played by a 25 year old actor. With a production budget of $9.9 million it earns $10 million the first day.

It's actually not that violent of a movie. The director is the guy who made the 2013 remake of Evil Dead. Evil Dead was so over-the-top with its violence and gore, that he wanted to try to find other ways to shock audiences. And having seen Don't Breathe, I'd say he succeeded.

'Overseas, however, it was Universal's Jason Bourne that likely ruled the late-summer roost with $56.8 million after opening to a stellar $50 million in China in its first six days, a series-best mark and already more than any previous Bourne film earned in the Middle Kingdom. Reuniting Matt Damon with director Paul Greengrass, Jason Bourne's worldwide total through Sunday is $347.9 million.'

Recently saw "American Ultra" with Jesse Eisenberg ("The Social Network", the voice of the Parrot in the animated feature "Rio").

He is supposed to play a stoner, but his performance is so uneven, he just comes across as stupid. Sean Penn's "Jeff Spicoli" in "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" was so much more entertaining.


The predictable plot revolves around a "Bourne Identity" type CIA program. The movie is full of gratuitous "A-Team" style gunplay (lots of machine guns and no one getting hit), interspersed with gruesomely graphic hand to hand, sidearm and improvised weapon combat. It is so bad that the director does us the service of fast scanning the best parts of the whole film at the the top of the movie. It is supposed to play as action/comedy, but the graphic violence makes it really unfunny as innocent police officers are killed in an ambush.

Skip this one and go for a walk... unless you enjoy gratuitous violence.

I give it two bananas out of ten.

Quote: Ayecarumba

Recently saw "American Ultra" with Jesse Eisenberg

What's with Kristen Stewart? It is common for an actor/actress to take some time to make an independent movie after a series, but Twilight has been over for four years now. "Snow White and the Huntsman" was somewhat disastrous on a personal level.

But for a star who reached the level afforded by Twilight, this is 9 tiny movies she has made in a row.

Kristen Stewart
11/11/16 Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk TriS
10/14/16 Certain Women IFC
7/15/16 Cafe Society LGF $10,012,219
7/15/16 Equals A24 $33,258
8/21/15 American Ultra LGF $14,440,985
4/10/15 Clouds of Sils Maria IFC $1,851,517
1/16/15 Still Alice SPC $18,754,371
10/17/14 Camp X-Ray IFC $13,302
12/21/12 On the Road IFC $744,296


Kate Winslet essentially never made a blockbuster again in two decades since Titanic, while DiCaprio has made at least 10 blockbusters.

Quote: Pacomartin

What's with Kristen Stewart?

I wonder if she is having a hard time finding work. She wasn't very good in "American Ultra", and her role could have gone to just about any actress in her generation. On the other hand the writing was pretty poor, so maybe there are better examples of her talent. I haven't seen any of the "Twilight" films.

Mel Gibson is making his comeback. Bout time. He
hasn't directed in 10 years.


http://variety.com/2016/film/reviews/hacksaw-ridge-review-venice-film-review-mel-gibson-1201851851/

Quote: Ayecarumba

I haven't seen any of the "Twilight" films.

I have a reasonably high tolerance for teen supernatural shows. I liked Buffy and Angel, and I can tolerate some "Supernatural" episodes. I did watch the fairly short lived "Secret Circle". Xena seems to have set standard for lesbian characters in sword and sandal shows.

But "Twilight" films are unwatchable by normal adults. They make you want to run your head into the wall.